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Abstract: The rapid Arab-Islamic conquest during the early Middle Ages led to major political and cultural changes in the Mediterranean world. Although the early medieval Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula is now well documented, based in the evaluation of archeological and historical sources, the Muslim expansion in the area north of the Pyrenees has only been documented so far through textual sources or rare archaeological data. Our study provides the first archaeo-anthropological testimony of the Muslim establishment in South of France through the multidisciplinary analysis of three graves excavated at Nimes. First, we argue in favor of burials that followed Islamic rites and then note the presence of a community practicing Muslim traditions in Nimes. Second, the radiometric dates obtained from all three human skeletons (between the 7th and the 9th centuries AD) echo historical sources documenting an early Muslim presence in southern Gaul (i.e., the first half of 8th century AD). Finally, palaeogenomic analyses conducted on the human remains provide arguments in favor of a North African ancestry of the three individuals, at least considering the paternal lineages. Given all of these data, we propose that the skeletons from the Nimes burials belonged to Berbers integrated into the Umayyad army during the Arab expansion in North Africa. Our discovery not only discusses the first anthropological and genetic data concerning the Muslim occupation of the Visigothic territory of Septimania but also highlights the complexity of the relationship between the two communities during this period.Early Medieval Muslim Graves in France: First Archaeological, Anthropological and Palaeogenomic Evidence. PLoS ONE 11(2): e0148583. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0148583
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Ancient DNA from Early Medieval Muslim graves in France
A new paper at PLoS ONE reveals that three individuals from Early Medieval burials in southern France belong to Y-chromosome haplogroup E1b1b1b-M81 and mtDNA haplogroups H1, K1a4a and L1c3a, and thus were probably of North African origin.
Cryptic relatives
Open access at Genome Biology and Evolution:
A novel computational method for detecting identical-by-descent (IBD) chromosomal segments between sequenced genomes is presented. It utilizes the distribution patterns of very rare genetic variants (vrGVs), which have minor allele frequencies less than 0.2%. Contrary to the existing probabilistic approaches our method is rather deterministic, because it considers a group of very rare events which cannot happen together only by chance. This method has been applied for exhaustive computational search of shared IBD segments among 1092 sequenced individuals from 14 populations. It demonstrated that clusters of vrGVs are unique and powerful markers of genetic relatedness, that uncover IBD chromosomal segments between and within populations, irrespective of whether divergence was recent or occurred hundreds-to-thousands of years ago. We found that several IBD segments are shared by practically any possible pair of individuals belonging to the same population. Moreover, shared short IBD segments (median size 183 Kb) were found in 10% of inter-continental human pairs, each comprising of a person from Sub-Saharan Africa and a person from Southern Europe. The shortest shared IBD segments (median size 54 Kb) were found in 0.42% of inter-continental pairs composed of individuals from Chinese/Japanese populations and Africans from Kenya and Nigeria. Knowledge of inheritance of IBD segments is important in clinical case-control and cohort studies, since unknown distant familial relationships could compromise interpretation of collected data. Clusters of vrGVs should be useful markers for familial relationship and common multifactorial disorders.Fedorova et al., Atlas of Cryptic Genetic Relatedness Among 1000 Human Genomes, Genome Biology and Evolution, published online February 23, 2016, doi: 10.1093/gbe/evw034
Friday, February 19, 2016
Maternal genetic variation across two millennia in southwest Turkey
Recently published at Royal Society Open Science:
More than two decades of archaeological research at the site of Sagalassos, in southwest Turkey, resulted in the study of the former urban settlement in all its features. Originally settled in late Classical/early Hellenistic times, possibly from the later fifth century BCE onwards, the city of Sagalassos and its surrounding territory saw empires come and go. The Plague of Justinian in the sixth century CE, which is considered to have caused the death of up to a third of the population in Anatolia, and an earthquake in the seventh century CE, which is attested to have devastated many monuments in the city, may have severely affected the contemporary Sagalassos community. Human occupation continued, however, and Byzantine Sagalassos was eventually abandoned around 1200 CE. In order to investigate whether these historical events resulted in demographic changes across time, we compared the mitochondrial DNA variation of two population samples from Sagalassos (Roman and Middle Byzantine) and a modern sample from the nearby town of Ağlasun. Our analyses revealed no genetic discontinuity across two millennia in the region and Bayesian coalescence-based simulations indicated that a major population decline in the area coincided with the final abandonment of Sagalassos, rather than with the Plague of Justinian or the mentioned earthquake.So the results show significant mtDNA continuity in the region, but...
In agreement with published data from modern Turkish populations [26], lineages of East Eurasian descent assigned to macro-haplogroup M were found in the modern sample from Ağlasun. This haplogroup is significantly more frequent in Ağlasun (15%) than in Byzantine Sagalassos, where it is absent (the non-significant value of the Roman sample might be most likely due to its low sample size), thus indicating that this East Eurasian component may have been introduced later, either recently or even as early as the Seljuk invasion of Turkey in the eleventh century CE.Comparing maternal genetic variation across two millennia reveals the demographic history of an ancient human population in southwest Turkey, Royal Society Open Science, Published online February 17, 2016, DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150250
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Mystery archaic admixture in Africans
Behind a paywall at Genome Research:
Comparisons of whole-genome sequences from ancient and contemporary samples have pointed to several instances of archaic admixture through interbreeding between the ancestors of modern non-Africans and now extinct hominids such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. One implication of these findings is that some adaptive features in contemporary humans may have entered the population via gene flow with archaic forms in Eurasia. Within Africa, fossil evidence suggests that anatomically modern humans (AMH) and various archaic forms coexisted for much of the last 200,000 yr; however, the absence of ancient DNA in Africa has limited our ability to make a direct comparison between archaic and modern human genomes. Here, we use statistical inference based on high coverage whole-genome data (greater than 60×) from contemporary African Pygmy hunter-gatherers as an alternative means to study the evolutionary history of the genus Homo. Using whole-genome simulations that consider demographic histories that include both isolation and gene flow with neighboring farming populations, our inference method rejects the hypothesis that the ancestors of AMH were genetically isolated in Africa, thus providing the first whole genome-level evidence of African archaic admixture. Our inferences also suggest a complex human evolutionary history in Africa, which involves at least a single admixture event from an unknown archaic population into the ancestors of AMH, likely within the last 30,000 yr.Hsieh et al., Model-based analyses of whole-genome data reveal a complex evolutionary history involving archaic introgression in Central African Pygmies, Genome Research, Published in Advance February 17, 2016, doi: 10.1101/gr.196634.115
Human pioneers interbred with Neanderthals ~100K years ago
Behind a paywall at Nature:
It has been shown that Neanderthals contributed genetically to modern humans outside Africa 47,000–65,000 years ago. Here we analyse the genomes of a Neanderthal and a Denisovan from the Altai Mountains in Siberia together with the sequences of chromosome 21 of two Neanderthals from Spain and Croatia. We find that a population that diverged early from other modern humans in Africa contributed genetically to the ancestors of Neanderthals from the Altai Mountains roughly 100,000 years ago. By contrast, we do not detect such a genetic contribution in the Denisovan or the two European Neanderthals. We conclude that in addition to later interbreeding events, the ancestors of Neanderthals from the Altai Mountains and early modern humans met and interbred, possibly in the Near East, many thousands of years earlier than previously thought.Kuhlwilm et al., Ancient gene flow from early modern humans into Eastern Neanderthals, Nature (2016), published online 17 February 2016, doi:10.1038/nature16544
Ancient Tarim Basin burials reveal cosmetics made from cattle hearts
Open access at Nature Scientific Reports:
Cosmetics have been studied for a long time in the society and culture research, and its consumption is regarded as a cultural symbol of human society. This paper focuses on the analysis of the red cosmetic sticks, found in Xiaohe Cemetery (1980–1450BC), Xinjiang, China. The structure of the red cosmetic sticks was disclosed by SR-μCT scanning (Synchrotron Radiation Micro-computed Tomography), while the chemical components were characterized by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), Raman Spectroscopy and Proteomics. The results suggested that the cosmetic sticks were made from the cattle heart and covered with a layer of hematite powders as the pigment. Given the numerous red painted relics in Xiaohe Cemetery, this kind of cosmetic sticks might be used as a primitive form of crayon for makeup and painting. The usage of cattle hearts as cosmetic sticks is firstly reported up to our knowledge, which not only reveals the varied utilizations of cattle in Xiaohe Cemetery but also shows the distinctive religious function. Furthermore, these red cosmetic sticks were usually buried with women, implying that the woman may be the painter and play a special role in religious activities.Mai et al., Characterization of cosmetic sticks at Xiaohe Cemetery in early Bronze Age Xinjiang, China, Nature Scientific Reports 6, Article number: 18939 (2016) doi:10.1038/srep18939 See also... Lots of ancient Y-DNA from China Another look at ancient mtDNA from Xiaohe, Tarim Basin
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Central Anatolian Neolithic farmers similar to European Neolithic farmers
Update 05/08/2016: the paper, titled Demographic Development of the First Farmers in Anatolia, is out and open access at Current Biology. See here. ... AAPA 2016 abstracts are now online. This one is interesting:
Sedentism, farming, and herding in West Eurasia first started in the Fertile Crescent around 11,500 BP. From there, Neolithic culture spread into Central Anatolia and the East Mediterranean, and eventually, reached Southwestern Europe. The demographic dynamics behind these processes has long been of interest. Recent archaeogenomics studies showed that the arrival of farming in West Europe happened through migrating Neolithic populations. But where had these migrations themselves initiated? Based on material culture studies, it has been suggested that Neolithic culture first spread from Central Anatolia to the Aegean Sea and the Balkans, by cultural diffusion. But this hypothesis has not yet been tested by genetic data. Here we address this question by screening the genomes of 15 Central Anatolian individuals from different Neolithic sites (10,000-8,000 BP). Four of these were sequenced to >0.1X coverage, and the data was combined with published Neolithic genomes. Our results indicate that Central Anatolian Neolithic individuals genetically resembled the first migrant Neolithic populations found in Europe, rather than modern-day Anatolians. At the same time, Central Anatolian Neolithic individuals appear to cluster together, to the exclusion of other Neolithic populations. Using simulations, we evaluate demographic models that could explain these patterns. Our results suggest that the migration processes that eventually reached Southwestern Europe around 8,000 BP had their demographic roots directly within the Near East, but possibly not in Central Anatolia, in line with the cultural diffusion hypothesis. We discuss our results in the context of material cultural exchange patterns of the Neolithic period.Somel et al., Archaeogenomic analysis of ancient Anatolians: first genetic indication for Neolithic cultural diffusion in the Near East, 85th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (2016), podium abstract, April 16, 2016 10:15
Friday, February 12, 2016
Upright for all eternity
Open access at Quartär:
Abstract - This article presents results of new research on the Mesolithic burial site at Groß Fredenwalde in northeastern Germany, where a multiple burial was first discovered by accident in 1962. Anthropological analyses identified one female with a child and two males with two children within this material. According to systematic AMS dating and 15N/13C-isotope analyses the individuals are typical Mesolithic hunter-fisher-gatherers of the Atlantic period (c. 6 000 calBC). During re-excavation of the site in 2012-2014 three new burials including a disturbed child burial and a baby burial were recognised. There is also an outstanding burial: a young man was interred standing upright and then furnished in stages. The burial is without any parallel in Central Europe, although there are possible parallels at Olenij Ostrov in Karelia. Altogether nine individuals from at least four graves are now known; they probably belong to an early cemetery located at a prominent position in the landscape. AMS-dates assign the burials to the period from c. 6 400 to 4 900 calBC, and thus the site was in use when the first Linear Band Pottery farmers established the agricultural way of life in the region c. 5 200 calBC. Two successfully analysed individuals belong to the haplogroup U [precisely U5b with mutations at 12308G and 16270T] of mitochondrial lineages fitting well into the model of highly differentiated forager and farmer populations.Terberger, T. et al., Standing upright to all eternity – The Mesolithic burial site at Groß Fredenwalde, Brandenburg (NE Germany), Quartär, Volume 62 (2015), DOI: 10.7485/QU62_06
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Greek-Cypriot Y-chromosomes
Open access at Investigative Genetics:
Background: The archeological record indicates that the permanent settlement of Cyprus began with pioneering agriculturalists circa 11,000 years before present, (ca. 11,000 y BP). Subsequent colonization events followed, some recognized regionally. Here, we assess the Y-chromosome structure of Cyprus in context to regional populations and correlate it to phases of prehistoric colonization. Results: Analysis of haplotypes from 574 samples showed that island-wide substructure was barely significant in a spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). However, analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) of haplogroups using 92 binary markers genotyped in 629 Cypriots revealed that the proportion of variance among the districts was irregularly distributed. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed potential genetic associations of Greek-Cypriots with neighbor populations. Contrasting haplogroups in the PCA were used as surrogates of parental populations. Admixture analyses suggested that the majority of G2a-P15 and R1b-M269 components were contributed by Anatolia and Levant sources, respectively, while Greece Balkans supplied the majority of E-V13 and J2a-M67. Haplotype-based expansion times were at historical levels suggestive of recent demography. Conclusions: Analyses of Cypriot haplogroup data are consistent with two stages of prehistoric settlement. E-V13 and E-M34 are widespread, and PCA suggests sourcing them to the Balkans and Levant/Anatolia, respectively. The persistent pre-Greek component is represented by elements of G2-U5(xL30) haplogroups: U5*, PF3147, and L293. J2b-M205 may contribute also to the pre-Greek strata. The majority of R1b-Z2105 lineages occur in both the westernmost and easternmost districts. Distinctively, sub-haplogroup R1b- M589 occurs only in the east. The absence of R1b- M589 lineages in Crete and the Balkans and the presence in Asia Minor are compatible with Late Bronze Age influences from Anatolia rather than from Mycenaean Greeks.Voskarides et al., Y-chromosome phylogeographic analysis of the Greek-Cypriot population reveals elements consistent with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements, Investigative Genetics, 20167:1, DOI: 10.1186/s13323-016-0032-8
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
CHG admixture in early western Anatolian farmers
Anatolian Neolithic farmer I0708 from the Mathieson et al. 2015 dataset belongs to Y-haplogroup J2a and is the most Caucasus-shifted of the early Anatolian farmers in my Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of West Eurasia (see below). This is unlikely to be a coincidence and provides strong evidence that at least some Neolithic farmers in western Anatolia harbored Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer (CHG) ancestry. Jones et al. 2015, Kotias and Satsurblia, belonged to Y-haplogroups J and J2a. Moreover, J2 today shows peaks in frequency and diversity in and around the Caucasus. In other words, Y-haplogroup J, and in particular J2, appear to represent paternal signals of CHG admixture. Unfortunately, it's not yet possible to demonstrate with formal tests beyond any doubt that I0708 has CHG admixture. For instance, the D-stats below, in which a couple of the least Caucasus-shifted Anatolian farmers are Anatolia Neolithic1, while I0708 is Anatolia Neolithic2, fail to reach significance (Z=3). Please note, I ran the stats with the Amerindian and Siberian samples to test for Ancient North Eurasian (ANE) admixture, which appears to be a feature of CHG. However, the results are all clearly positive, and might reach significance with higher quality data and/or a better reference than Anatolia Neolithic1. here. Anatolia Neolithic2 now shows significant signals of admixture from Kotias, Dai, Surui and Han. This implies that it not only harbors CHG ancestry, but also ANE and East Asian-related admixtures. ANE admixture in Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer Kotias
Saturday, February 6, 2016
ANE admixture in Caucasus Hunter-Gatherer Kotias
The idea of significant Ancient North Eurasian (ANE) admixture in Caucasus Hunter-Gatherers (CHG) was rejected in the paper that introduced us to the CHG metapopulation (see page 3 here). But to me it seems like an obvious conclusion when looking at the positions of the CHG genomes on a typical West Eurasian Principal Component Analysis (PCA) plot. For instance, see here. Note their massive eastern shift relative to all of the other present-day and ancient Near Eastern samples, in particular the Anatolian Neolithic farmers from Mathieson et al. 2015. We'll probably find out what's causing this shift in the next major paper on Eurasian paleogenomics. But I'd say that the analyses below, based on D-stats and f3-stats, comparing CHG genome Kotias to the Anatolian farmers, provide persuasive evidence that CHG is indeed admixed with ANE or something very closely related. Perhaps surprisingly, the Itelmen people of eastern Siberia produce the most significant Z-score in D-stats of the form D(Chimp,X)(Anatolia_Neolithic,Kotias), where X is every population from North and East Eurasia and the Americas in my dataset likely to harbor ANE. Mal'ta boy or MA1, the main ANE proxy, is way down the list with a non-significant (<3) result. However, I'm pretty sure that a higher coverage sequence with over 500K SNPs would come through with the goods.
CHG admixture in early western Anatolian farmers
CHG admixture in early western Anatolian farmers
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Ancient European mito genomes suggest single major dispersal of non-Africans + Late Glacial population turnover in Europe
Current Biology has an important new paper on the peopling of Europe (see here). The big question left open by the authors is where exactly did Western European Hunter-Gatherers (WHG) rich in Y-HG I2 and mtDNA U5 come from if, as the authors suggest, they weren't native to Western Europe. According to them it was "another, separate LGM refugium". Balkans?
Summary: How modern humans dispersed into Eurasia and Australasia, including the number of separate expansions and their timings, is highly debated [ 1, 2 ]. Two categories of models are proposed for the dispersal of non-Africans: (1) single dispersal, i.e., a single major diffusion of modern humans across Eurasia and Australasia [ 3–5 ]; and (2) multiple dispersal, i.e., additional earlier population expansions that may have contributed to the genetic diversity of some present-day humans outside of Africa [ 6–9 ]. Many variants of these models focus largely on Asia and Australasia, neglecting human dispersal into Europe, thus explaining only a subset of the entire colonization process outside of Africa [ 3–5, 8, 9 ]. The genetic diversity of the first modern humans who spread into Europe during the Late Pleistocene and the impact of subsequent climatic events on their demography are largely unknown. Here we analyze 55 complete human mitochondrial genomes (mtDNAs) of hunter-gatherers spanning ∼35,000 years of European prehistory. We unexpectedly find mtDNA lineage M in individuals prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This lineage is absent in contemporary Europeans, although it is found at high frequency in modern Asians, Australasians, and Native Americans. Dating the most recent common ancestor of each of the modern non-African mtDNA clades reveals their single, late, and rapid dispersal less than 55,000 years ago. Demographic modeling not only indicates an LGM genetic bottleneck, but also provides surprising evidence of a major population turnover in Europe around 14,500 years ago during the Late Glacial, a period of climatic instability at the end of the Pleistocene.Posth et al., Pleistocene Mitochondrial Genomes Suggest a Single Major Dispersal of Non-Africans and a Late Glacial Population Turnover in Europe, Current Biology (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.037
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Gearing up for the General Assembly to get down to business, state lawmakers from Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties head to Raleigh as a predominantly Republican delegation in a Republican-controlled Legislature with a Republican governor.
Gearing up for the General Assembly to get down to business, state lawmakers from Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties head to Raleigh as a predominantly Republican delegation in a Republican-controlled Legislature with a Republican governor.
It�s an historic time with Republicans controlling both houses of the Legislature and holding the Governor�s Mansion for the first time since 1870.
North Carolinians could see historic changes if lawmakers and the governor tackle topics Republicans have been talking about to create jobs and boost the economy:
-- Tax overhaul � cut personal and corporate income taxes, but beware of a services tax.
-- Natural gas exploration � open the way for fracking.
-- Regulation reduction � a sure boost for the economy.
Also on the table:
-- How to handle Obamacare
-- Voter ID
-- Education reform
-- Infrastructure upgrade and repair
-- Repaying nearly $3 million borrowed from the feds to pay unemployment benefits.
Interestingly, both members of the N.C. House representing Lenoir and Greene counties � Republican John Bell of the 10th District and George Graham of the 12th District, one of two Democrats among the six legislators from our area � are rookies. What kind of mark each will make in a first term that promises to be tumultuous remains to be seen; but if their goal was to serve in interesting times, they�ve already arrived.
All three House members from local districts have seats on the important Appropriations Committee, where Rep. Pat McElraft, a Republican entering her four term in a district that includes Jones County, is one of several vice-chairs. Graham also has a place on the Agriculture Committee, important in his rural district; and Bell is on the Homeland Security, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, another significant appointment in an area rich with veterans and the influence of major military installations.
Louis Pate, Lenoir County�s Republican senator, co-chairs two committees that could figure into the debate over Obamacare�s requirements � Health Care and Appropriations on Health and Human Services. He�s joined on Health Care by Sen. Don Davis, the Democrat whose district includes Greene and a portion of Lenoir. Sen. Ed Brown, the Republican whose district includes Jones, has a choice assignment as co-chair of the Base Budget Committee.
The Free Press will help readers follow the debate, the votes and the actions of the area�s delegations, but we urge residents to try to influence as much as follow by communicating with members of their delegation. Ask anyone who is serving or who has served in Raleigh and you will find that voices from home � the voices of voters � ring loudest in the ears of politicians.
During the session, The Free Press will routinely a list of our elected officials in Raleigh and how to get in touch with them. The contact information will also be available on Kinston.com.
Good communication gives lawmakers first-hand knowledge of how legislation impacts people and can help them avoid unintended consequences.
Likewise, we urge lawmakers to be diligent about communicating with the folks back home, not simply supplying a litany of activities and votes, but seeking to understand how government intersects with the lives of citizens and how that intersection can both help and harm individuals
John Bell (Republican)
District: 10 (Greene, Lenoir, Wayne and Craven)
Office: 418A Legislative Office Building
Phone: 919-715-3017
Email: email@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC House of Representatives, 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 418A, Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
George Graham (Democrat)
District: 12 (Lenoir, Greene Craven)
Office: 1317 Legislative Building
Phone: 919-733-5995
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC House of Representatives, 16 W. Jones Street, Room 1317, Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Pat McElraft (Republican)
District: 13 (Jones, Carteret)
Office: 634 Legislative Office Building
Phone: 919-733-6275
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC House of Representatives, 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 634, Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Louis Pate (Republican)
District: 7 (Lenoir, Pitt, Wayne)
Office: 1028 Legislative Building
Phone: (919) 733-5621
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC Senate, 16 W. Jones Street, Room 1028, Raleigh, NC 27601-2808
Harry Brown (Republican)
District 6 (Jones, Onslow)
Office: 300-B Legislative Office Building
Phone: 919-715-3034
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC Senate, 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 300-B, Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Don Davis (Democrat)
District: 5 (Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, Wayne)
Office: 518 Legislative Office Building
Phone: 919-715-8363
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Legislative Mailing Address: NC Senate, 300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 518, Raleigh, NC 27603-5925

subset: commoncrawl


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OK, I know Christmas is over, but this tree was so cute I had to take a photo of it at least once, and heck it's still colddddd where I am anways.
The outfit I'm wearing is mostly made up of items from the FTLO Millenium Hunt that is going on right now. Like the last FTLO hunt(s), you are not hunting a particular hunt object. And there are no clues. Unless you join the FTLO group. Instead, you are looking for one of each stores' items that is marked down for L$1. When you find the right one, you buy that and you get, not only the marked down item, but an extra hunt item and the LM to the next store. Two prizes for the price of 1!! And sooo much cute stuff!!!
To finish off this sassy winter outfit, I'm wearing these gorgeous boots from [MV]. These are not from the Millenium Hunt, however, they are [MV]'s holiday boots and were only L$10 when I bought them a couple of days ago. I'm not sure if they are still available to be honest, though.
Sweater: [Shush] Millenium Top (FTLO Millenium hunt),
Jeans: [SAKIDE] Vintage Shiny Jeans (FTLO Millenium hunt),
Boots: [MV] Jingle this Holiday Boots (L$10 @ [MV], not sure if they are still available at this price though),
Skin: Glam Affair ~ Amelie/ Contessa (Previously at The Dressing Room, worn with Hot Pink lip gloss from Insufferable Dastard),
Necklace: !Chaos, Panic, Disorder ~ Post Apocalyptic Necklace (Apocalyptic New Year Hunt item, available til Jan 31st),
Hair (photo 1): [Explicit] The Siren - auburn (This was a past FTLO hunt item. I don't usually 'do' short hair styles, but I loved this hair for its edgy cut! Store now closed, sorry),
Hair (photo 2): Exile: (L$60 @ The Dressing Room) .
Happy Hunting!!
Millie xox


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Need personalized Willow Grove Police Department Gifts – Pennsylvania that will seriously WOW your Willow Grove Pennsylvania Police Officers at promotions or at a retirement ceremony? Every Relic Wood custom gift can be personalized with your badge or Department patch and Handcrafted in the United States just for you. Our Willow Grove Pennsylvania Police Department Gifts are built one at a time by our experienced staff of local woodworking craftsmen.
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Relic Wood makes it easy for you to upload your Police Badge or Patch and our human graphic designers will provide artwork proofs for each area you choose to customize.


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C-SEAP director named Carson J Spencer Foundation's volunteer of the year
DENVER — Monday, Aug. 4, 2014 — As the director of the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (C-SEAP), Randi Wood is not a stranger to mental health issues in the workplace. Since 2008, however, she has taken this professional interest to a new level by helping Colorado be one of the first states to make workplace suicide prevention a health and safety priority for all State employees. For her leadership, perseverance and collaborative spirit, Wood will be honored as the Carson J Spencer Foundation's (CJSF) volunteer of the year at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. During this event, CJSF will celebrate its 10th Annual Shining Lights of Hope Gala, a "black-tie optional" occasion.
As a long-time supporter of CJSF and its pioneering suicide prevention program, Working Minds, Wood has advocated to integrate important awareness and training opportunities for State professionals and through the Colorado Employee Assistance Program Association. She noticed early on that many State employees and their family members were experiencing suicidal intensity and loss, and made it her priority to better prepare State employees to prevent these tragedies and to respond with compassion should suicide occur.
Within her work with the State, Wood has been tireless in her effort to elevate the conversation about these difficult topics. She coordinated statewide campaigns for World Suicide Prevention Day/National Suicide Prevention Week, including a proclamation and letter from Gov. John Hickenlooper that was sent to all State employees and a number of activities promoting mental health and resources for suicide prevention. Additionally, she has helped establish a robust partnership among C-SEAP, the Department of Corrections and CJSF to train all employees on how best to identify a co-worker in distress and link him or her to qualified care.
As a member of CJSF's Working Minds Advisory Board since its inception, Wood has helped provide strategic direction for workplace suicide prevention efforts, helping to expand the program to its current national and international reach.
"Randi is a true champion," said Sally Spencer-Thomas, CEO & Co-Founder of the Carson J Spencer Foundation. "She understands that real change comes from a gentle and persistent insistence that everyone can play a role in suicide prevention and that when we are able to confront these issues head on at all levels of State government, we can save lives."
The Colorado State Employee Assistance Program (www.colorado.gov/c-seap) is part of the Department of Personnel & Administration. DPA's mission is to provide quality services to enhance State government success. From human resources to central services, procurement to payment, administrative courts to financial reporting, and employee assistance, DPA is working together to serve Colorado.
The Carson J Spencer Foundation (www.CarsonJSpencer.org) is a Colorado nonprofit, established in 2005. The CJSF envisions a world where leaders and communities are committed to sustaining a passion for living. Their mission is to elevate the conversation to make suicide prevention a health and safety priority.
For more information, contact:
Sabrina D'Agosta, Director of Policy & Communications


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Mazda will only build 750 of these MX-5 Special Editions, essentially loaded models with some special paint colors. Outside of an auto show, this may be about as close as you can get to the $30,000 version of l'il Smiley.
As we said before, all the SE Miatas will be hardtops and all will come in either Sparkling Black Mica or the equally feminine sounding Dolphin Gray Mica. Additionally, the little roadster will sport chrome and aluminum trim pieces wherever possible.
Photo credit: Johnathan Quinn


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Stevens Institute of Technology Ranks 3rd in U.S. for Mid-Career Salary of Graduates
Hoboken, N.J. – At mid-career, the average salary of Stevens graduates is a hefty $124,000, ranking Stevens Institute of Technology third among colleges and universities nationwide, according to PayScale's 2013-2014 College Salary Report.
Trailing only Harvey Mudd College and the United States Naval Academy and tied for third with California Institute of Technology, Stevens jumped nine spots above its 12th place ranking in 2012. PayScale ranks schools based on the median salary of graduates who are full-time employees with at least 10 years of experience in their field who hold only a bachelor's degree.
Stevens also topped a number of other lists based on the PayScale data. The typical starting salary of Stevens graduates is $64,900, tied for 8th in the nation. Stevens—the first school of mechanical engineering in the nation—is tied for 13th on the list of Best Schools for Engineering Majors. And Stevens ranks first among Northeast schools and second among research universities for salary potential.
Based on PayScale's annual College Education ROI rankings, released in May 2013, Stevens is also an institution of higher education that is well worth the investment. With graduates grossing $1.46 million in cumulative earnings above the cost of their bachelor's degree after 30 years in the workforce, Stevens helps students earn back their tuition and then some, ranking 9th in the nation for ROI.
"Choosing a college is a big decision, so when a student chooses Stevens, we strive to ensure that there is a big payoff," said Stevens President Nariman Farvardin. "This ranking validates what we already know within our talented university community—that a Stevens education is a pathway to success."
Stevens boasts high-quality and highly regarded academic programs in engineering, the sciences, business, humanities and the arts which prepare students to solve critical problems facing society through technological innovation.
Situated in Hoboken, N.J., just minutes from Manhattan, the university offers unsurpassed opportunities for students to gain real-world work experience through internships and cooperative education offerings with its vast network of partner employers, including some of the world's most renowned corporations.
Stevens graduates are talented and broadly educated innovators who have built countless technology companies, introduced new products to the market and held leadership positions in academia, government and industry.
"We are immensely proud that the Stevens curriculum continues to provide graduates with tangible professional advantages when they enter the workforce, making them in-demand and valuable assets throughout their careers," said Farvardin.
Learn more about the Stevens difference at http://www.stevens.edu/sit/roi.
About Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University®, is a premier, private research university situated in Hoboken, N.J. overlooking the Manhattan skyline. Founded in 1870, technological innovation has been the hallmark and legacy of Stevens' education and research programs for more than 140 years. Within the university's three schools and one college, more than 6,100 undergraduate and graduate students collaborate with more than 350 faculty members in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment to advance the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront global challenges. Stevens is home to three national research centers of excellence, as well as joint research programs focused on critical industries such as healthcare, energy, finance, defense and STEM education and coastal sustainability. The university is consistently ranked among the nation's elite for return on investment for students, career services programs and mid-career salaries of alumni. Stevens is in the midst of a 10-year strategic plan, The Future. Ours to Create., designed to further extend the Stevens legacy to create a forward-looking and far-reaching institution with global impact.


text: Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010. He has sold approximately 50 million albums worldwide, while receiving thirteen Grammy Awards for his musical work, and numerous additional nominations. He is consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers of all-time. He was ranked so by MTV in their list of The Greatest MCs of All-Time in 2006. Two of his albums, Reasonable Doubt (1996) and The Blueprint (2001) are considered landmarks in the genre with both of them being ranked in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Blender, included the former on their 500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die. Jay-Z co-owns the 40/40 Club, is part-owner of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and is also the creator of the line Rocawear. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, and the founder of Roc Nation. As an artist, he holds the record for most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200 with eleven. Jay-Z also has had four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100, one as lead artist. He married American R&B superstar Beyoncé Knowles on April 4, 2008. On December 11, 2009, Jay-Z was ranked as the 10th most successful artist of the 2000's by Billboard and ranking as the 5th top solo male artist and as the 4th top rapper behind Eminem, Nelly, and 50 Cent. Early life, Originally from Marcy Houses, a housing project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, the future "Jay-Z" then known as Shawn Carter, was abandoned by his father and in 1982, he shot his brother in the shoulder for stealing his jewelry. Carter attended Eli Whitney High School in Brooklyn, along with future rapper AZ, until it was closed down. After that he attended George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Downtown Brooklyn, with fellow future rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey, but did not graduate. In his music he refers to having been involved in selling crack cocaine. According to his mother, Gloria Carter, her son Shawn used to wake his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. Eventually, she bought him a boom box for his birthday, sparking his interest in music. He began freestyling, writing lyrics, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time. In his neighborhood, Carter was known as "Jazzy", a nickname that eventually developed into his showbiz/stage name, "Jay-Z". The moniker is also an homage to his musical mentor, Jaz-O, as well as to the J/Z subway lines that have a stop at Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn. Jay-Z can briefly be heard on several of Jaz-O's early recordings in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including "The Originators" and "Hawaiian Sophie". Jay-Z was also involved in and won several battles with rapper LL Cool J in the early 90's as part of a plan to get a sought-after record deal. He first became known to a wide audience by being featured on the posse cut "Show and Prove" on the 1994 Big Daddy Kane album Daddy's Home. Jay-Z has been referred to as Big Daddy Kane's hype man during this period, though Kane explains that he didn't fill the traditional hype man role, instead Jay-Z "basically made cameo appearances on stage. When I would leave the stage to go change outfits, I would bring out Jay-Z and Positive K and let them freestyle until I came back to the stage". He made an appearance on a popular song by Big L, "Da Graveyard", and on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build", which also featured early appearances by DMX, and Ja Rule in 1995. His first official rap single was called "I Can't Get With That", for which he released a music video. Music career, 1995-1997: Reasonable Doubt and In My Lifetime, Vol. 1: From the beginning of his professional recording career, when no major label gave him a record deal, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem Biggs created Roc-A-Fella Records as their own independent label in 1995. After striking a deal with Priority to distribute his material, Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt with beats from acclaimed producers such as DJ Premier and Super DJ Clark Kent and a notable appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.. The album reached number 23 on the Billboard 200, and was well-received by critics. This album would later be included in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" as No.248 and eventually reach platinum status. After reaching a new distribution deal with Def Jam in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Executively produced by Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, it sold better than his previous effort. Jay-Z later explained that the album was made during one of the worst periods of his life, he was reeling from the death of his close friend The Notorious B.I.G. The album was a personal revelation for Jay-Z as he spun the tale of his hard knock upbringing. The album's glossy production stood as a contrast to his first release, and some dedicated fans felt he had "sold out". However, the album did feature some beats from producers who had worked with him on Reasonable Doubt, namely DJ Premier and Ski. Like its predecessor, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 earned Platinum status in the United States. 1998-2000: Vol. 2..., criminal charges and mainstream success: In 1998, Jay-Z released Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life which spawned the biggest hit of his career at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". He relied more on flow and wordplay, and he continued with his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the day such as Swizz Beatz, an upstart in-house producer for Ruff Ryders, and Timbaland. Other producers included DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, The 45 King, and Kid Capri. Charting hits from this album included "Can I Get A...", featuring Ja Rule and Amil, and "Nigga What, Nigga Who", also featuring Amil. Vol. 2 would eventually become Jay-Z's most commercially successful album; it was certified 5à Platinum in the United States and has to date sold over five million copies. The album went on to win a Grammy Award, although Jay-Z boycotted the ceremony protesting DMX's failure to garner a Grammy nomination. In 1999, Jay-Z dueted with Mariah Carey on "Heartbreaker", a song from her seventh album, Rainbow. In that same year, Jay-Z released Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter, the album proved to be successful and sold over 3 million records.Vol. 3's most successful single was "Big Pimpin'", featuring UGK. Around the same time, Jay-Z was accused of stabbing record executive Lance "Un" Rivera for what Jay-Z perceived was Rivera's bootlegging of Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. The stabbing allegedly occurred at the record release party for Q-Tip's debut solo album Amplified at the Kit Kat Klub, a now defunct night club in Times Square, New York City, on December 9. Jay-Z's associates at the party were accused of causing a commotion within the club, which Jay-Z allegedly used as cover when he supposedly stabbed Rivera in the stomach with a five-inch (127 mm) blade. In his book Decoded, Jay-Z addresses his assault case. While he didn't apologize for his actions, he did express regret that the incident happened and attributed it to a loss of control, saying that there was no reason for him to get into a situation that put him and people who depended on him at risk. He also vowed to never get involved in a similar situation again. Jay-Z initially denied the incident and pleaded not guilty when a grand jury returned the indictment. Jay-Z and his lawyers contended he was nowhere around Rivera during the incident and they had witnesses and videotape evidence from the club that showed Jay-Z's whereabouts during the disturbance. Nevertheless, he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge that resulted in a sentence of three years probation. In 2000, Jay-Z released The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, which was originally intended to become a compilation album for Roc-A-Fella artists but somehow turned into a Jay-Z album. The album helped to introduce newcomer producers The Neptunes, Just Blaze, Kanye West and Bink, which have all gone on to achieve notable success. This is also the first album where Jay-Z utilizes a more soulful sound than his previous albums. The Dynasty sold over two million units in the U.S. alone. 2001-02: Feud with Nas, The Blueprint and The Blueprint: In 2001, Jay-Z spoke out against Prodigy after he took an issue with a Jay-Z line from "Money, Cash, Hoes" that he felt were subliminal shots at Mobb Deep and referenced Mobb Deep's beef with Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Death Row Records. He later performed a song "Takeover", at Summer Jam 2001, which initially attacked Prodigy and revealed photos of Prodigy dressed like Michael Jackson. A line at the end of "Takeover" referenced Nas, who criticized him on "We Will Survive". Nas responded with a diss track called "Ether" and almost instantly, Jay-Z added a verse to "Takeover" which dissed Nas and would start a feud between the two rappers. Jay-Z later released his sixth studio album The Blueprint which was later considered by many to be one of hip hop's "classic" albums, receiving the coveted 5 mic review from The Source magazine. Released during the wake of September 11 attacks, the album managed to debut at number one on the Billboard 200, selling more than 427,000 units; the album's success was overshadowed by the tragic event. The Blueprint has been certified 2x Platinum in the United States.The Blueprint was applauded for its production and the balance of "mainstream" and "hardcore" rap, receiving recognition from both audiences. The Blueprint was written in only two days.Eminem was the only guest rapper on the album, producing and rapping on the song "Renegade". Four of the thirteen tracks on the album were produced by Kanye West and represents one of West's first major breaks in the industry.The Blueprint includes the popular songs "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Jigga That Nigga" and "Song Cry". Jay-Z's next solo album was 2002's The Blueprint: The Gift & the Curse, a double-album. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, selling over 3 million units in the U.S. alone and surpassing The Blueprint. It was later reissued in a single-disc version, The Blueprint 2.1, which retained half of the tracks from the original. The album spawned two massive hit singles, "Excuse Me Miss" and "'03 Bonnie & Clyde", which featured Jay-Z's future wife Beyoncé Knowles. "Guns & Roses", a track featuring rock musician Lenny Kravitz, and "Hovi Baby" were two successful radio singles as well. The album also contained the tracks "A Dream", featuring Faith Evans and the late The Notorious B.I.G.; and "The Bounce", featuring Kanye West. The Blueprint 2.1 featured tracks that do not appear on The Blueprint: The Gift & the Curse, such as "Stop", "La La La (Excuse Me Again)", "What They Gonna Do, Part II" and "Beware" produced by and featuring Panjabi MC. 2003-05: The Black Album and Collision Course: After returning from a trip in the south of France, Jay-Z announced work on his 8th studio album The Black Album at the opening of the first the 40/40 Club. He worked with several producers including Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Kanye West, Timbaland, Eminem, DJ Quik, 9th Wonder and Rick Rubin. Notable songs on the album included "What More Can I Say", "Dirt Off Your Shoulder", "Change Clothes", and "99 Problems". The Black Album has sold 3 million copies in the US. On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden, which would later be the focus of his film Fade to Black. This concert was his "retirement party". All proceeds went to charity. Other performers included collaborators like The Roots (in the form of his backing band), Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell and R. Kelly with special appearances by Voletta Wallace and Afeni Shakur, the mothers of The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur respectively. While Jay-Z had attested to a retirement from making new studio albums, various side projects and appearances soon followed. Included in these were a greatest hits record, mash-up projects and concert appearances with R. Kelly and Linkin Park. In 2004 Jay-Z collaborated with rock group Linkin Park. The project was named Collision Course, and contained a six track EP, as well as a making of . Some of the mash ups tracks were entitled "Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying From You", "Jigga What/Faint", and "Numb/Encore". "Numb/Encore" went on to win a Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and was performed with Linkin Park live at the Grammys, with a special appearance by Paul McCartney, who added verses from the song Yesterday. The EP sold over 1 million copies in the US. Jay-Z was the executive producer of Fort Minor's debut album The Rising Tied. Mike Shinoda got together with Jay-Z and Linkin Park bandmate Brad Delson to discuss what tracks should make the album. Later in 2004, Jay-Z was named president of Def Jam Records, which led to Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs selling their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records and Jay-Z taking control of both of the companies. Reportedly this major industry move was prompted by disagreements between Jay-Z and Dash as to what direction Roc-A-Fella could undertake. The publicized split between Jay-Z, Dash and Biggs led to the former partners sending jabs at each other in interviews. 2005-07: "I Declare War", Kingdom Come and American Gangster: On October 27, 2005, Jay-Z headlined New York's Power 105.1 annual concert, Powerhouse. The concert was entitled the "I Declare War" concert leading to intense speculation in the weeks preceding the event on whom exactly Jay-Z would declare war. As he had previously "declared war" on other artists taking lyrical shots at him at other events, many believed that the Powerhouse show would represent an all-out assault by Jay-Z upon his rivals. The theme of the concert was Jay-Z's position as President and CEO of Def Jam, complete with an on-stage mock-up of the Oval Office. Many artists made appearances such as the old roster of Roc-A-Fella records artists, as well as Ne-Yo, Teairra Mari, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, The LOX, and Diddy. At the conclusion of the concert, Jay-Z put many arguments to rest to the surprise of hip hop fans. The most significant development in this show was closure to the infamous hip hop rivalry between Jay-Z and Nas. The two former rivals shook hands and shared the stage together to perform Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" blended with Nas's song "The World is Yours". Jay-Z returned with his comeback album on November 21, 2006 titled Kingdom Come. Jay-Z's comeback single, "Show Me What You Got", was leaked on the Internet in early October 2006, scheduled to be released later on that month, received heavy air-play after its leak, causing the FBI to step in and investigate. Jay-Z worked with video director Hype Williams, and the single's video was directed by F. Gary Gray. The album features producers such as Just Blaze, Pharrell, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Coldplay's Chris Martin (single entitled "Beach Chair"). The first week saw 680,000 sales of the CD, which Entertainment Weekly said was "the highest single-week total in Jay's decade long career". This album has sold 2 million copies in the US. Jay-Z released his tenth album entitled American Gangster on November 6, 2007. After viewing the Ridley Scott film of the same name, he was heavily inspired to create a new "concept" album that depicts his experiences as a street-hustler. The album is not the film's official soundtrack, although it was distributed by Def Jam. Jay-Z's American Gangster depicts his life in correlation to the movie American Gangster. At the start of the album's first single, "Blue Magic", Jay-Z offers a dealer's manifesto while making references to political figures of the late 1980s with the lyric: "Blame Reagan for making me to into a monster, blame Oliver North and Iran-Contra, I ran contraband that they sponsored, before this rhymin' stuff we was in concert." Also notable about the "Blue Magic" music video was Jay-Z flashing 500 euro notes, in what Harvard Business School professor Rawi Abdelal has called a "turning point in American pop culture's response to globalization." The album has sold 1 million copies in the US. On December 24, 2007, Jay-Z stated that he would not remain at Def Jam as the company's President, and vacated the position effective of January 1, 2008. 2008-present: Glastonbury, new record deal, The Blueprint 3, Watch the Throne and follow-up: It was announced on February 2, 2008 that Jay-Z would headline the 2008 Glastonbury Festival, becoming the first major hip hop artist to headline the British festival. Tickets sold out before the opening of the festival. One of the more outspoken critics of his selection was Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame, who criticized the organizers of the festival for scheduling Jay-Z as a headliner for the traditionally guitar-driven festival, stating "I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong." Controversy ensued in the months leading up to the event with artists, promoters and fans weighing in both for and against. Jay-Z responded to this saying, "We don't play guitars, Noel, but hip hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving. We have to respect each other's genre of music and move forward." In response to Gallagher's criticism, Jay-Z opened his Glastonbury set with a tongue-in-cheek cover of Oasis's iconic song "Wonderwall". His Glastonbury performance was heralded as a successful response to pre-festival criticism. He also headlined many other summer festivals in 2008, including Roskilde Festival in Denmark,Hove Festival in Norway and O2 Wireless Festival in London. During Kanye West's August 6, 2008 concert at Madison Square Garden, Jay-Z came out to perform a new song and he and Kanye proclaimed that it was to be on The Blueprint 3. On May 21, 2009, Jay-Z announced he would be parting ways with Def Jam, and had struck a multi-million dollar deal to sign with Live Nation, with whom he would start his Roc Nation imprint which would serve as a record label, talent/management agency, and music publishing company and also partnered up with production team Stargate to start a record label called StarRoc. Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 was originally to be released on September 11, 2009 but was instead released in North America on September 8, 2009 due to increasing anticipation. Its international release followed on September 14. It is his 11th album to reach No.1 on the Billboard 200 and has surpassed Elvis Presley's previous record, making him the current record holder. On October 9, 2009, Jay-Z kicked off his tour for The Blueprint 3, during which he supported his new album in North America. In a Shave Magazine review of his performance at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Jake Tomlinson expressed that "It was the type of smooth performance you would expect from the hip-hop superstar." The review gave this performance 4 stars. His North American tour continued until November 22, 2009. At his concert on November 8, 2009 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, Rihanna joined him on stage and performed "Hard" for the very first time, then performed "Run This Town" with Jay-Z. Among his success, Jay-Z has ventured into producing Broadway shows. Along with Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Jay-Z helped produced the play Fela!, a musical celebrating the work of the late Nigerian star Fela Kuti. Jay-Z said he was inspired by the power of Kuti's work and his life story, which resulted in his interest to help produce the musical.Fela! is a story about an African pioneer and political activist who made his first moves on the scene during the 1970s. On January 23, 2010, Jay-Z released a track, "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)", with Rihanna, and U2's Bono and The Edge, as well as performing it at the Hope For Haiti Now telethon. In June 2010, Eminem and Jay-Z announced they would perform together in a pair of concerts in Detroit and New York. The event was dubbed The Home & Home Tour. The first two concerts rapidly sold out, prompting the scheduling of an additional show at each venue. Jay-Z was the supporting act for U2 on the Australian and New Zealand leg of their U2 360° Tour, beginning in Auckland, New Zealand in November 2010, followed by Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in December. He also appeared on stage during U2 performances of "Sunday Bloody Sunday", and in Auckland also joined the band for a performance of "Scarlet", singing some lines of his song, "History". In August 2010, it was revealed that Jay-Z and Kanye West would be collaborating on a five-track EP entitled Watch the Throne. Although, it was later revealed by West that the project had become a full-length LP. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. The first single released for the project was "Hâ¢Aâ¢M". The track was co-produced by Lex Luger and West himself. The track ended up being on the deluxe edition of the album. The follow-up to that was the second single "Otis", which premiered on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show, and was later released to the iTunes Store eleven days later. The song's existence, along with several other tracks from the album, was confirmed during a listening session hosted by Jay-Z. The album was first released on the iTunes Store, five days prior to it being released in physical format, a strategy Jay-Z later said was used to block an internet leak. It debuted at #1 on the iTunes Store in 23 countries. It also broke Coldplay's record for most albums sold in one week on the online retailer, selling 290,000 copies on iTunes alone. It held that record, until Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV was released twenty-one days later, selling only 10,000 copies more. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at #1, selling 436,000 copies in its first week. The album received generally positive reviews. Jay-Z and West later gave a surprise performance of "Otis" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. In April 2011, Jay-Z launched a blog-like, lifestyle website by the name of Life + Times. It covers everything from music, to fashion, to technology, to sports. The site is curated based on Jay-Z's interests, and he himself works with a small staff to produce every single piece of content. On September 23, 2010, Q-Tip confirmed working on Jay-Z's follow up album to The Blueprint 3, saying the album was to hit stores by spring 2011. The album still remains unreleased however it has been confirmed 3 songs have been recorded and one of which features Frank Ocean. Musical style, Influences: Jay-Z that states his earliest exposure to music was through his parents' record collection, which was mostly of soul artists such as Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway. He says "I grew up around music, listening to all types of people... I'm into music that has soul in it, whether it be rap, R&B, pop music, whatever. As long as I can feel their soul through the wax, that's what I really listen to." He often uses excerpts from these artists as samples in his work, particularly in the Kanye West-productions included on The Blueprint. Rapping technique: Royce da 5'9" and Fredro Starr of Onyx both describe Jay-Z's emphasis on flow in the book How to Rap - Starr says that Jay-Z is "a master of the flow--he can flow fast, he can flow slow". The book describes how Jay-Z uses 'rests' to provide structure to a verse and how he uses 'partial linking' to add more rhymes to a verse. Jay-Z's early style is described by Vibe as "a distinctly Das EFX-type, stiggety style" on his 12" single "Can't Get With That", referring to the fast rhythms and vocal delivery of the group Das EFX. He is also known to write lyrics in his head, as described by Pusha T of Clipse in How to Rap, a style popular with many MCs such as The Notorious B.I.G.,Everlast,Bobby Creekwater and Guerilla Black.Shock G of Digital Underground describes Jay-Z's performance style, saying he "rarely breaks a sweat, and instead uses smoothness and clever wordplay to keep the audience interested and entertained". Business ventures, Jay-Z has also established himself as an entrepreneur like his fellow hip hop moguls and friends, Russell Simmons, Dr. Dre and Sean "Diddy" Combs, who also have business holdings such as record companies and clothing lines. In an interview, he stated that "my brands are an extension of me. They're close to me. It's not like running GM, where there's no emotional attachment." He is the founder of the urban clothing brand Rocawear along with Damon Dash. Rocawear has clothing lines and accessories for men, women and children. The line was taken over by Jay-Z in early 2006 following a falling out with Dash. In March 2007, Jay-Z sold the rights to the Rocawear brand to Iconix Brand Group, for $204 million. Jay-Z will retain his stake in the company and will continue to oversee the marketing, licensing and product development. He also co-owns the 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar that started in New York City and has since expanded to Atlantic City and Chicago. In 2008, the 40/40 club in Las Vegas was closed down and bought back by the hotel after attendance steadily declined. Future plans will see 40/40 Clubs in Tokyo and Singapore. In 2005, Jay-Z became an investor in Carol's Daughter, a line of beauty products, including products for hair, skin, and hands. Jay-Z serves as co-brand director for Budweiser Select and collaborates with the company on strategic marketing programs and creative ad development. He provides direction on brand programs and ads that appear on TV, radio, print, and high-profile events. He is also yet to expand his 40/40 Club sports bar in as many as 20 airports, as he makes deals with his business partners, Juan and Desiree Perez. He is a part-owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team paying a reported $4.5 million for his share. He is interested in relocating the team to Brooklyn. In October 2005, he was reported in English media as considering buying a stake of Arsenal F.C., an English soccer team. He has also invested in a real estate development venture called J Hotels which recently acquired a $66 million mid-block parcel in Chelsea, New York. Jay-Z and his partners are contemplating constructing a high-end hotel or an art gallery building on the newly acquired site which has the potential to go up about twelve stories. Through his company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, had an interest estimated between 2 and 7% in the Aqueduct Entertainment Group (AEG) consortium which in January 2010 was awarded a contract to operate a 4,500 slot machine racino at the Aqueduct Race Track. Jay-Z became interested in the project after New York Governor David Paterson who awarded the contract said there had to be an affirmative action component to the ownership. Jay-Z initially approached Steve Wynn who was also bidding on the contract. On March 9, 2010, Jay-Z and Flake withdrew from the project and Paterson recused himself from further involvement. On November 16, 2010, Jay-Z published a memoir entitled Decoded. Personal life, Relationship with Beyoncé: Jay-Z's most public relationship has been with American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. In 2002, Jay-Z and Knowles collaborated for the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". Jay-Z also appeared on Knowles' hit single "Crazy In Love" and as well as "That's How You Like It" from her debut Dangerously in Love. On her second album, B'Day, he made appearances on the 2006 hits, "Déjà Vu" and "Upgrade U". In the video for the latter song, she comically imitates his appearance. The couple generally avoid discussing their relationship. Knowles has stated that she believes that not publicly discussing their relationship has helped them. Jay-Z said in a People article, "We don't play with our relationship." They keep a low public profile despite being photographed at New Jersey Nets home and while on vacation in Cannes in 2007. On April 4, 2008, it was reported by People that Knowles and Jay-Z had been married at a private ceremony in New York City. It became a matter of public record on April 22, 2008, but Knowles did not publicly debut her $5 million Lorraine Schwartz-designed wedding ring until the Fashion Rocks concert on September 5, 2008 in New York City. Knowles and Jay-Z were listed as the most powerful couple for TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2006. In January 2009, Forbes ranked them as Hollywood's top-earning couple, with a combined total of $162 million. They also made it to the top of the list the following year, with a combined total of $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009. At the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Beyoncé revealed that she is pregnant with her and Jay-Z's first child. Her representative confirmed the news that night. They're expecting a girl. Philanthropy: During his retirement, Jay-Z also became involved in philanthropic activity. On August 9, 2006, he met with United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan at the organization's headquarters in New York City. The rapper pledged to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness of and combat global water shortage. Already on the look-out for a way to, in his own words, "become helpful", he had been made aware of this issue during a visit to Africa. The effort took place in partnership with the UN, as well as MTV, which produced a documentary entitled Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life, first airing in November 2006. Along with Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jay-Z pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross' relief effort after Hurricane Katrina. Jay-Z stated his support for Kanye West after the latter's outburst against President Bush during a live Katrina charity telethon. He also addressed the issue of the Katrina disaster, and the government's response, in his song "Minority Report". Politics: Jay-Z got actively involved in politics during the 2008 presidential campaign, where he supported increased voter participation and helped send voters to polling stations. He was an early supporter for the candidacy of Illinois senator and subsequent U.S. president Barack Obama, performing for free in voter-drive concerts financed by the Democrats' campaign. In the process, he's become personally acquainted with Obama himself, who stated "Every time I talk to Jay-Z, who is a brilliant talent and a good guy, I enjoy how he thinks. That's somebody who is going to start branching out and can help shape attitudes in a real positive way." During the 2010 mid-term elections' campaign, Jay-Z appeared, along with other artists, in an ad prepared by the HeadCount organization, urging voters, and especially younger ones, to register and vote.


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Advertising executives, no strangers at manipulating perceptions, have done a number on Wall Street's expectations.
It seems the boys and girls of New York's Madison Avenue have convinced many of their downtown neighbors that the ad biz is not nearly as subject to the harsh vagaries of the business cycle as it once was.
By gobbling up competitors like so many Gummy Bears and creating global empires that offer clients services ranging from ethnic marketing to brand management, these executives argue that they can minimize the impact of a slowing economy on their businesses.
Besides, say the execs, we are now living in the Age of Advertising, a world of product placements and focus groups, where perception overrules reality and brand equity is king. Even in bad times, or so goes the new gospel, companies won't be able to afford not to advertise.
Investors have fallen for this story hook, line and sinker, valuing advertising giants like Interpublic (IPG) IPG, -0.58% and Omnicom (OMC) OMC, -0.85% at all-time highs, with price-to-earnings multiples more fitting for the technology industry.
This, of course, has Wall Street salivating over the chance to take a stake in Young & Rubicam, the fifth largest marketing and communications company in the world, which recently filed to go public.
Y&R, an industry pioneer that has rebounded from some trouble earlier in the decade, is poised to take advantage of a rock-solid advertising business which shows no signs of slowing.
But investors should not get complacent. Results for all advertising companies will still be volatile, and for several reasons, Young & Rubicam's may be a bit more so than most.
Company Symbol Location # of Shares Offering price Major underwriter Long-Term Rating Young & Rubicam YNR New York -- -- DLJ; Bear Stearns (out of 5) Ad stocks Percentage above 52-week lows IPG IPG, -0.58% , up 79% OMC OMC, -0.85% , up 88% SNC SNC, -2.51% , up 120% WPPGY wppgy , up 47% VCI VCI, +0.00% , up 103% CWC CWC, -0.80% , up 46% TNO TNO, -0.68% , up 83% CKSG CKSG, +0.00% , up 93% GREY grey , up 50% CMGI cmgi , up 371%Key Corporate Accounts
One of Y&R's primary growth strategies is to focus on its Key Corporate Account program, which is comprised of 42 of the agency's larger global clients.
The company hopes to increase the number of these accounts as well as sell existing clients even more services.
The strategy, implemented in 1992, has won plaudits from analysts and garnered Y&R some big accounts, such as the recent Citibank (CCI) CCI, +3.21% win. But it's not quite clear how this will affect Y&R's performance in the future.
Certainly, Y&R clients will be less likely to jump ship as they become more reliant on the firm. But if one still decided to switch agencies or slash the size of its account, Y&R would be hit hard. In 1997, the company's top three clients represented nearly 19 percent of revenue, and the agency says "it is possible that Y&R's dependence on revenues from such clients" will increase in the future.
Pay for performance
In addition, the company has recently begun instituting performance-based compensation plans with some of its key accounts. These incentive agreements, which "could result in either higher or lower revenues and operating margins" than traditional commission- or fee-based arrangements, will become more important in the future as more clients request them, the prospectus says.
It's tough to say since the prospectus gives disturbingly little information on these incentive arrangements, but if they're based on how effective Y&R ads are at increasing sales for a client's product, they are likely to lead to more volatile results, especially during economic downturns.
"So many different events unrelated to an ad campaign can affect how well a company does, they need to be careful about how they handle these deals," said Linda Bannister, media analyst at Edward Jones. We are now living in the Age of Advertising, a world of product placements and focus groups. Like most other big American communication companies, Y&R does a lot of international business. More than half of the company's 1997 revenue was generated overseas. The company does not engage in currency hedging, and the strong U.S. dollar cost the company several tens of millions of dollars last year.
The climate in Asia remains far from certain. Ad expenditures in the region are expected to slow by 2.7 percent to 10.8 percent, according to Lauren Rich Fine of Merrill Lynch. It may seem like the entire world is marching toward advertising-friendly capitalist societies, but political and economic unrest is still a real possibility in many locations.
Y&R: Evolving
In addition, Y&R is evolving as an advertising agency. It filed for an IPO so it could swim with the sharks and not get eaten by them, but also seems to want to avoid this get-big-at-all-costs strategy that its competitors have pursued. It's uncertain how the company will respond once it has to answer to outside investors.
Unlike most other publicly traded ad outfits, which act as holding company for a number of separate ad networks (Omnicom, for instance, owns BBDO Worldwide, DDB Needham Worldwide and several other major agencies), Y&R has just the one network.
So in many cases, Y&R is forbidden to have more than one key corporate account in any industry. The company ran into problems when it won the Citibank account and was still doing business with American Express.
Thomas Volpe, senior vice president of finance for Interpublic, thinks Y&R eventually may create a similar holding structure with multiple agencies. But even if it doesn't, Y&R will still pursue acquisitions to fill out its service offerings. For investors, that means debt, dilution and more uncertainty.
I P.O.nder
Y&R hasn't yet set the number of shares or the expected price of its offering, but expect the company to be valued along the same, rather rich lines as its competitors.
Investors should keep in mind that Y&R, even with more than a billion dollar in sales, was still unprofitable in 1997. After using the IPO proceeds to pay off debt, the company will also still have to make some hefty interest payments.
Advertising's a good business to be in right now, no doubt about it. But the industry is changing rapidly and investors are assuming there won't be shocks to come. That's a dangerous assumption.


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Views: 512
Speak your truth quietly and clearly.
Like us they seek to abolish every belief (or non belief) that is not theirs.
Firstly, not every atheist wants to abolish every belief/non-belief that is not theirs. Secondly, there is only one belief that it is conceivable that all atheists might want to abolish... the belief in gods. The only thing any two atheists necessarily have in common is that they both lack belief in god. There are actually many other things that are way more important than atheism to many atheist's world views such as skepticism and freethought to name a couple.
As for your questions:
1) The same thing/s that makes atheism different from any other religion out there today.
2) The same things we are collectively doing right now... informing, confronting, criticizing, educating, and so on.
3) I don't see how in your scenario the new/militant/radical whatever you want to call it atheist definition would change.
Pillage and burn.
Pillage and burn.
1) It depends on the specific issue at hand- but it likely stems from not "believing" the basic premises of the new religion - probably claims about a god/supernatural beings, forces, etc
2) It should be countered, criticized and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises- unless, of course, we are talking about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
3) See 2
May you be touched by his Noodley Appendages. Ramen!
May we all be touched by his noodley appendages! The world needs pasta! A great pasta awakening/revival!
But this is constantly going on already. There are always new sects rising, it is a lucrative business don't you know. They can internationalize thanks to internet pretty quick, making video's, publishing and distribution of books, cd's and dvd's is very easy and cheap. Indoctrination of large numbers of people has never been more easy in all of Earth's history and yet - I think - it is very improbable we will see the birth of another full blown religion. There are several reborn Jesuses wandering the Earth at this moment/ at every moment, all with their own devotees, all with their own grandiose declarations and all stillborn sects. Some already retreated in seclusion, Jim Jones like, headed for infighting, psychological and physical abuse or worse. Much worse. Others remain more engaging with the world for the time being. UFO's and extraterrestrials are a big hit in the sect business too.
But they do have the serious disadvantage that none of them are true. None of them see doubting the articles of faith as a virtue, everyone of them is in conflict with science one way or another, even those who more or less (sort of) abstain from supernaturalism.
Their public speakers for as much as they have them - different engagement strategies are applied - rely on charisma much more then intelligence. They have to because they do not appeal to intellect or ratio since that's a losing proposition by definition: they're not selling something intelligent or rational, instead they appeal to emotion, existential issues: fear of life, fear of death, meaning etc.
There is no equivalence, basically atheism is the default. It is what is left when all the bullshit flies.
As Becca points out, atheists don't want to abolish different beliefs. At least, they typically don't want to do so in the same manner as religion has used. You are engaging in false equivalency by framing it that all beliefs are equally deserving. What is the difference between a flat-Earther and a science teacher that is abolishing beliefs about a flat Earth by showing the evidence and science around our knowledge that the Earth is an oblate spheroid? Knowledge and the ability to come by knowledge is perhaps the most important legacy we can pass on to new generations. Treating it as being equal to religious fantasy is an intellectual crime that should not go unanswered for.
Another quiblle is this notion of "New Atheism". The only thing "new" about it is that the internet has provided the ability to form communities that have emboldened atheists to come out publicly and has helped greatly to proliferate atheist views into the mainstream public. No longer do atheists need to hide their lack of belief and no longer do we need to sit back quietly while being bullied by a theistic majority.
What makes us different? Well, that depends. Many atheists are atheists by way of Skepticism. In that case, the difference is that Skeptics apply critical inquiry to their beliefs as much as they can. They hold in high regard the scientific method. And how do we know the scientific method is the best tool to evaluate truth claims? Because it works and nothing else comes even close. But, not all atheists are Skeptics and not all atheists have come to their conclusion for good reasons.
What should atheists do about it? Do about what? Atheists should continue to speak up and speak out. As should anyone who cares about anything, including theists. Let the strongest ideas reign supreme on the battlefield and exempt none from taking part.
Should we follow a New Atheism definition? As I've stated, "New Atheism" is a misnomer and I don't agree with your definition of this generation of atheists or that all atheists can so easily be lumped together (nor should they). Otherwise, yes, atheists using science to inform beliefs and refusing to remain silent about those beliefs are two things atheists should continue to do.
I am not a new atheist, and do not identify with the New Atheism. I pride myself on not trying to take away anybody's beliefs, but I do think it's vital to inform people about how they, with their beliefs, dismiss mine and try to take mine away. If there is anything militant about my atheism, it is the passion with which I oppose any religion legislating its beliefs into society as a whole. I do feel rather like a cornered wolverine about that, and I will not stand idly by while it happens.
If this "new" religion is based on the supernatural, then it's bullshit.
If this "new" religion is based on pseudoscientific woo, then it's bullshit.
As Rationalists and Atheists, we need to put on our bug ugly rubber swamp boots and stamp out Bullshit.
A "new" Atheist is just someone who doesn't stay quiet. WE SPEAK UP!
"Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night."
~Dylan Thomas
Neither will the 'new' Atheist go gentle into that good night. Hitch was a good example of this.
1) We atheists are not doctrinaire; we follow the evidence. That is a stark and significantly profound difference between atheism and any religion, whether it's a new, utopian one as hypothetically posited in your comment, or not. There is no such thing as one religion being more rational or efficacious than others. Mormons, Baptists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc., etc., ad infinitum - they all think all the others are crazy, if not evil - a judgment about which they are all equally correct, because ALL religions are based on supernatural musings, and superstitious fears, not on empirical or even logical evidence. A good one-word descriptor applicable to ALL religions is "cowardice." They are all cowardly attempts to assuage the paralyzing fear of death through the invention of existential fairy tales that are patently preposterous - "Santa Claus" for adults. We atheists, on the other hand, bravely take what nature presents, try to improve upon it, and live with it to the best of our ability and with our most humanistic of intentions.
2) We should continue to see the truth and share our knowledge and reason based on science and rational inquiry whenever and wherever the opportunity arises, as I am presently doing. I also search the internet for religious sites that allow outsiders (i.e., atheists) to post commentary and opinions; but they are hard to find, because religionists try to erect a barrier between what they WANT to believe and what contrary evidence might intrude. I certainly have never found a website that invites opposing views, as this one does.
3) We should apply the "New Atheist" stratagem whenever and wherever possible. It's not a new "definition," as you state, though. Atheism is, has always been, and will always be simply a LACK of belief in theistic explanations of the natural world. Hey, we were BORN that way. Our brains seek logic; religion rejects it. What has changed is the willingness of some in the atheist community - scientists in particular - to come out of the closet, say what they believe, and support it with their knowledge, training, and eloquence. Bertrand Russell was the first to do it. Carl Sagan followed in his footsteps. And both were roundly castigated for it in the religious community. Dawkins, Dennett, Harris, Hitchens, and others are following in Sagan's footsteps and moving beyond. Even Stephen Hawking has been uncharacteristically edging towards stridency regarding his anti-religious views of late, which is a very good sign, especially since it's beginning to look like he may live forever. Believe me: when he very publicly proclaimed his belief that God was not necessary to explain the universe, a lot of people on both sides of the issue sat up and took notice. Yes, we absolutely should adopt the "new atheist" strategic paradigm.
Explain myself? I hope I did. What is more interesting to me is to explain YOU. I was immediately suspicious when you began your second paragraph with the phrase "atheism theory." That sounds suspiciously like something that came directly out of the little hole-in-the-wall Discovery Institute office in Seattle. I apologize if I'm misinterpreting your intention. If you, yourself, are an atheist, I would suggest you use the word "paradigm," hereafter, rather than "theory."
For the record, atheism is not a "theory." We don't theorize anything affirmatively. We simply admit that we, unlike benighted religionists, DON'T know everything. We are hoping to learn more about as many things as possible. But we cannot accept the notion that the answers can be found in bronze age mythological superstitions that are 100% unsupported by anything resembling "evidence," either empirical or philosophical; or by some black-jacketed compilation of selected contradictory and repeatedly reinterpreted, absurd ramblings of quasi-prophetic, middle east sheepherders, especially since much of it is extremely hateful and inhumane, to say the least.
One more thing: another suspicious phrase you used was "Like us they seek to abolish every belief (or non belief) that is not theirs." The "New Atheists" are not out to abolish anyone's belief. We are out to prevent those beliefs from preventing the progress of society. Religion, by its very nature, is anti-science. Anti-science, in turn, is dangerous - potentially devastating - to society. Religionists who seek to replace science in the classroom with superstition; who wish to supplant evolution with "intelligent design;" who believe God opposes sex education, hates homosexuals, and approves of the assassination of abortion-providing doctors, are planting the seeds of ignorance that will ultimately bring down the United States as a bastion of democracy. Religion, by its very nature, is anti-democratic, as the Calvinistic Puritans were proudly fond of proclaiming ("People don't rule the world, God does.") It's this that the New Atheists are uniting to fight against, not individual beliefs. Richard Dawkins couldn't care less what someone's personal beliefs may be, as long as they don't threaten rational, progressive inquiry from continuing, as it has for the past 400 years, to improve the lives of the citizens of the world. So he goes out and entertainingly educates audiences worldwide about how evolution works, not only with his many brilliant books, but with numerous personal appearances. HE, indeed, is a "New Atheist," in that he wants to spread knowledge to counter ignorance.


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Establishment of Fibroid Tissue Bank
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00710346
Recruitment Status : Terminated
First Posted : July 4, 2008
Last Update Posted : June 1, 2018
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to collect information and tissue samples from women with uterine fibroids. The samples will be used to study genes, proteins and other substances in order to better understand the disease process and improve fertility and reproductive health.
Women who are scheduled to undergo hysterectomy, myomectomy or other surgery due to uterine fibroids or to an unusual variant of fibroid disease, such as HLRCC or benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis, may be eligible for this study.
Tissue samples are collected from participants during surgery. The samples are coded and catalogued for research use. Data collected regarding the surgery include the sample location, surgery type, reason for surgery and the primary and secondary diagnoses. Additional data collected about the participant include date of birth, race, ethnicity, weight, height, smoking status, information about menstrual cycles, medications and family history.
|Condition or disease
|Leiomyoma Fibroids
The long term goal of this protocol is to create a repository of well-characterized fibroid (leiomyoma) tissues in order to gather information that will lead to improved understanding of uterine fibroid growth and pathogenesis. It is expected that this initiative will eventually improve fertility and reproductive health of the millions of women who suffer from fibroids.
To address the need for increased research in this field, the NICHD in collaboration with the Office of Research on Women s Health (ORWH) will establish a national fibroid tissue bank. This initiative will strengthen the science base, improve our understanding of how uterine fibroids develop and grow, and provide clues to more effective conservative management of fibroids. The rationale for this protocol is that a repository of well-characterized, well-preserved leiomyoma tissues will provide investigators interested in basic and translational research on fibroids the opportunity to study the condition. This will facilitate research because experiments conducted on the samples may be expected to improve understanding of the mechanism and pathophysiology of this disease.
|Study Type :
|Actual Enrollment :
|43 participants
|Time Perspective:
|Official Title:
|Establishment of a Fibroid Tissue Bank
|Study Start Date :
|June 30, 2008
|Study Completion Date :
|September 1, 2016
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|21 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
- Women aged 21-80 with uterine fibroids
- Medically indicated hysterectomy, myomectomy or other surgery for uterine fibroids.
- Samples from patients with unusual variants of fibroid disease (HLRCC, benign metastasizing leiomyomatosis) will be included. These samples may possibly not arise from the uterus proper, as the leiomyoma may have become located elsewhere in the body.
- Inability to give consent or understand the consent forms.
- HIV-infected tissues will be excluded due to concern of equipment contamination.
- Hepatitis-infected tissues will be excluded due to concern of equipment contamination.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00710346
|United States, Maryland
|National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
|Principal Investigator:
|Alan H DeCherney, M.D.
|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
|Responsible Party:
|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00710346 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|July 4, 2008 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|June 1, 2018
|Last Verified:
|September 1, 2016
Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue
Neoplasms, Connective and Soft Tissue
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Neoplasms, Connective Tissue
Connective Tissue Diseases