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AIDS Vaccines: The Ethical and Social Issues
- A Little History
- Informed Consent
- Social Harm
- Counseling and Treatment
- Approval and Access
- Selected Sources
After years of frustration, there is renewed optimism in the vaccine field. Promising research findings combined with new infusions of interest (and money) from private charities and large pharmaceutical companies have recently raised hopes for development of a vaccine against HIV. Researchers and activists are now cautiously optimistic that a handful of candidate vaccines may be able to move into large-scale efficacy trials over the next several years. But the testing and deployment of an HIV vaccine raise a complex of social and ethical issues every bit as challenging as the scientific obstacles.
A Little History
Perhaps no prediction about vaccines was as optimistic as when Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler stated in 1984 that an AIDS vaccine should be "ready for testing in two years," hopefully to be on the market a year afterward. [Ed. note: While a candidate was ready for testing two years later, none have yet made it to market.] Seventeen years later, only one potential preventative HIV vaccine has entered efficacy, or Phase III, trials.
That vaccine, VaxGen's AIDSVax, stems from one of the earliest ideas for creating such a vaccine: genetically engineering copies of a piece of HIV's outer layer (envelope), known as glycoprotein gp120. Though many scientists are skeptical that AIDSVax will be effective -- the National Institutes of Health (NIH) refused to fund a Phase III study of an earlier version of the product in 1994 -- the fact that a private company finally managed to mount a large-scale AIDS vaccine trial is considered a milestone.
For many years experts in the field seemed to be treading water, navigating "without a compass," as researcher Dani Bolognesi, Ph.D., commented at the 9th International Conference on AIDS held in Berlin in 1993. A year after President Clinton's 1997 declaration that the U.S. would commit itself to developing an AIDS vaccine within ten years, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC) -- the only activist group specifically focused on AIDS vaccines -- issued a glum report declaring, "At the current level of effort, we will not have an HIV vaccine in nine years. Unless more is done, the president's challenge will not be met."
Fortunately, more has been done. U.S. government funding for vaccine research has increased. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a private charity seeking to accelerate vaccine testing and development, received a $100 million cash infusion from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation enabling it to move forward on several fronts. Major pharmaceutical companies that had little or no prior involvement in AIDS vaccine research, including Merck and GlaxoSmithKline, have entered the field on a significant scale.
The scientific news also has improved. Studies of long-term nonprogressors (people infected with HIV but experiencing little immune system damage after ten or more years without drugs) as well as individuals who remain uninfected despite repeated exposure to the virus provide "growing evidence that cellular immune responses can provide at least some protection against HIV -- if not against infection, at least against disease," notes David Gold, IAVI's Vice President for Policy and Public Sector Development. Particularly encouraging have been studies of several vaccine concepts tested against simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a virus similar to HIV that infects certain species of monkeys. These vaccine candidates have provided significant protection to monkeys given the vaccine and then challenged with pathogenic (disease-causing) SIV.
University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) researcher Susan Buchbinder, M.D., a local principal investigator and national steering committee member for the NIH's HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), notes that Phase II data from a "prime-boost" combination vaccine will be released in December 2001. HVTN will then consider whether this two-stage vaccine, using a harmless canarypox virus engineered to express (produce) certain HIV genes followed by a gp120 "boost," should move into Phase III testing.
Decisions about what products deserve efficacy trials can be difficult, as the NIH's public agonizing about the merits of the gp120 trial made clear. Once those decisions are made, the studies themselves open up a huge range of issues connected to the rights and welfare of participants. Of necessity, efficacy trials must be large and international, aimed at creating vaccines that can be used in the developing world as well as in developed countries including the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Australia, i.e., for all HIV clades (strains). Such trials will need to be conducted over many years. It may well be that early vaccines will not prevent infection but will enable the immune system to keep HIV under control, preventing or delaying disease progression in those who become infected -- something that will require a long period of follow-up to prove.
Even the selection of study sites is fraught with complications. There have been cases in which researchers appear to have chosen developing country sites specifically to avoid the ethical constraints and reviews required in more developed countries. Because it is considered unethical to conduct research in a population that will not benefit from that research, information about local HIV strains -- and the current uncertainty about whether protective immunity is possible against different viral strains found around the world -- must be considered, as must economic barriers that could block access to a successful vaccine.
Informed Consent
In the wake of grotesque experiments performed by Nazi scientists on concentration camp inmates during World War II, the 1947 Nuremberg Code established "voluntary consent" of human subjects as a bedrock principle of medical research. Over the years (particularly through the example of the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment, in which African-American male participants were not told they were being denied treatment that could cure their illness) it has become clear that consent is only meaningful if it is informed. In the words of the Declaration of Helsinki, an important research ethics document drawn up in 1964, informed consent means that "each potential subject must be adequately informed of the aims, methods, sources of funding, any possible conflicts of interest, institutional affiliations of the researcher, the anticipated benefits and potential risks of the study, and the discomfort it may entail."
In most U.S. studies, research participants must read and sign an informed consent document outlining this information, with a study nurse taking time to explain the form and answer questions. But the informed consent process arguably begins with the first attempts to publicize a trial and attract volunteers. Advertising for AIDS vaccine trials must not mislead participants into assuming they will be protected from HIV, since an experimental vaccine is by definition unproven and some volunteers may receive a placebo. Also, it is unlikely but theoretically possible that an AIDS vaccine could cause HIV infection.
Publicity must therefore encourage people to participate -- effectively enough to bring in thousands of volunteers for Phase III trials -- without giving them a false sense of security that might encourage risky behavior. The goal, says Dr. Buchbinder, is to "try to give as balanced a view as possible. . . . It's hard to do." Sometimes the press complicates the process. While there have been few complaints about VaxGen's efforts to recruit volunteers, some early media coverage of the study was problematic. A December 21, 1999 New York Times story, for example, followed publisher Troy Masters as he signed up for the trial and announced, "This is like signing for permission to end the AIDS crisis." Masters' own paper, LGNY (a biweekly, freely distributed newspaper for lesbian and gay New Yorkers), headlined a story about the trial called "AIDS End Game." Researchers cannot control the press, but they do have an obligation to make sure journalists understand all the risks and uncertainties involved in research. Part of the informed consent process may entail addressing the misunderstandings created in volunteers' minds by exaggerated or oversimplified press accounts.
To demonstrate the benefit of any vaccine, efficacy trials will need to recruit participants at high risk for HIV infection including poor, illiterate villagers in rural parts of Africa and Asia. This requirement brings up issues that rarely arise in U.S. or European AIDS treatment trials. For example, how do you explain the intricacies of research to people who have no experience with the process or whose language does not even have a word for "placebo" (an inactive substance)? How do you discuss viral load or disease progression with people who have no experience with Western biomedical concepts of disease?
In such circumstances the inherent power imbalance between educated, relatively wealthy researchers and their poorer, socioeconomically disadvantaged potential volunteers becomes a barrier and -- combined with cultural differences -- can undermine the informed consent process. In a 1998 South African Medical Journal article, a trio of South African researchers discussed what they termed "social desirability . . . the tendency for research participants to behave and respond in accordance with what they surmise to be the expectations for the situation, including trying to create a favorable impression for the researchers. . . . For example, it is possible that participants, especially those from poor and historically disempowered communities, may say that they understand and are satisfied with the research procedures and feel free to withdraw from the research at any time, and yet not genuinely feel or believe any of these."
Researchers must therefore deal with different cultural norms in consent and decision-making. Western cultures tend to emphasize the individual, but in some tribal societies the norm is group decision-making, or for a tribal council or chief to make decisions for the group. "It has been suggested," the South Africans noted, "that in these contexts, researchers obtaining only the consent of the individual participant are in violation of some fundamental norms of the community, and that the consent of other members of the community (marital partners, family, chiefs, et al.) needs to be obtained for the research to be both ethical and culturally informed. On the other hand, it has been argued that the principle of first-person consent, based on respect for individuals, should be universally applied in medical research, even if this should be supplemented with consent from other people from the community."
Clearly, researchers have a tremendous responsibility. They must not take advantage of the poverty, lack of education, or social vulnerability of potential research participants. When dealing with unfamiliar communities and cultures -- whether in their own country or in another -- those conducting clinical trials need to work closely with local researchers and community members to bridge gaps in understanding, making those local communities informed and active participants.
Former UCSF researcher Peter Lurie, M.D., M.P.H., now with Public Citizen's Health Research Group, goes farther, suggesting, "There needs to be some effort to actually confirm the efficacy of informed consent." Dr. Lurie wants researchers to test at least a sample of participants to make sure they truly understand fundamental concepts in the research they have agreed to join. "When we say someone is informed and consenting, we should take that at least as seriously and as subject to confirmation as [saying] that the blood potassium level is 3.9," he argues.
Linked to the issue of informed consent is the question of testing on adolescents. AVAC executive director Rose McCullough, Ph.D., calls testing on teenagers, many of whom are just becoming sexually active, "a necessity," noting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) might not license a vaccine for adolescent use if it has not been studied in teenagers.
Dr. Buchbinder agrees, but adds that it is "tricky," both because it is generally agreed that researchers should be particularly cautious about exposing young people to potential harm and because of the maze of legal and social issues involved. For example, parental consent is often required for underage youths to participate in research, but the young people most at risk for HIV may not discuss with their parents the sex- or drug-related behaviors that put them at risk. The fact that researchers will need to gather information on volunteers' risk behaviors adds another layer of complexity, Dr. Buchbinder explains. "If they report that they've had sexual activity with an older person, then we're required by law to report that they've suffered sexual abuse. It gets very complicated."
Social Harm
In much medical research the potential risk to participants is limited to the direct effects of the study, such as drug side effects. But HIV vaccine researchers must anticipate -- and try as much as possible to head off -- an array of social harms that could befall volunteers.
Many of those most at risk for HIV infection -- sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), and injection drug users (IDUs), among others -- face social or legal threats because of the behaviors that put them at risk. Thus, as a research team from UCSF noted, "mere participation in the trial might stigmatize volunteers as being members of such risk groups. One group of researchers in the United States reports that 'AIDS vaccinees in our [Phase I and II] trials have . . . been shunned by coworkers and acquaintances who learn of their participation.'"
In some cases the legal and social stigma may be so severe as to make certain research impossible -- for example, in countries where laws against homosexual behavior are so strict and actively enforced that MSM can never safely come forward. Even in less oppressive environments, researchers must take into account the vulnerability of populations they study and make every effort to minimize harm.
Dr. Buchbinder, who is working on the AIDSVax trial as well as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaboration with VaxGen examining social and behavioral issues related to vaccine efficacy studies, has been dealing directly with many of these concerns. A CDC press release aimed at recruiting study participants that referred to "very high risk individuals" concerned her. "There is stigma, I think, associated with participating," she explains, and use of such language in official statements and documents could dissuade people from enrolling in studies.
Every six months, Dr. Buchbinder and colleagues ask the volunteers a detailed set of questions about possible social harms, including stigmatization and related difficulties involving work and family. The data are still being gathered, but Dr. Buchbinder says that even in San Francisco -- a city widely regarded as liberal and highly knowledgeable about AIDS -- some individuals clearly have difficulties. "People hear that you're in a vaccine trial and don't understand what that means. They assume that you're positive or they assume that you're at very high risk or sometimes they think that you're getting injected with live HIV. There are all kinds of misconceptions."
One critical issue is the possibility that uninfected vaccinees will test positive on HIV antibody tests due to antibodies stimulated by the vaccine. This can cause problems in a variety of areas, from insurance policies to immigration issues. "We warn everybody" about this possibility, Dr. Buchbinder says. "We go through a very extensive education piece before we enroll anybody. . . . We ask them about the potential for their needing to be tested in a variety of different kinds of settings in the future and whether or not this could have a negative impact."
Since false-positive antibody tests are a predictable and extremely serious consequence of participation in a vaccine trial, it is accepted that researchers must not only warn participants of the issue but actively assist them in dealing with its ramifications. "What we suggest to them is . . . to alert us up front so we can help them proactively rather than after a problem has happened," Dr. Buchbinder says. Depending on the circumstances, researchers may provide volunteers with a letter explaining their false-positive test or speak with whoever needs an explanation.
Immigration issues are a particular worry, since a positive HIV antibody test can threaten a person's ability to remain in the U.S. "We have a little more ability at times with insurance companies and jobs, [but] the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is sort of an entity unto itself," Dr. Buchbinder explains. "They are the most unreasonable people. . . . Their constituency is a completely powerless group. Even our colleagues at NIH have said, 'We'll do everything in our power, but there are certain things that we just don't really have control over.'"
Fortunately, gp120 vaccines such as AIDSVax produce a fairly distinctive signature on standard antibody tests, one that is usually easy to distinguish from genuine HIV infection. That may not be the case for future vaccines. Dr. Buchbinder says, "We're trying to work on it from a laboratory standpoint, to try to figure out how we can have available assays that can easily differentiate between vaccine-induced immune responses and real infection with HIV." Still, she worries that this "is going to be a real problem."
Counseling and Treatment
Every volunteer in a preventive vaccine trial will need to receive counseling about how to avoid HIV infection. There is widespread agreement that participants should receive what Dr. McCullough calls "state-of-the-art prevention," including counseling, access to condoms and, to the degree legally possible, clean needles.
Nevertheless, a vaccine's ability to prevent infection will be measured by comparing seroconversion rates among those receiving the vaccine with those taking a placebo, creating a dilemma: the more effectively counseling discourages risky behavior, the harder it will be to measure a vaccine's effect. In the view of many, including Dr. Lurie, this creates an inherent conflict of interest that can only be avoided by having the prevention activities handled by people other than the research team who have no vested interest in the results.
Dr. Buchbinder sees it differently, saying, "I think our counselors feel an extra measure of responsibility because these are people who are putting themselves on the line by getting an HIV vaccine. . . . I feel [the researchers] give it an extra boost to be sure that they're getting the very best counseling they can get." She acknowledges, though, that when the prevention counselors are part of the research team, their work must be independently monitored -- an approach Dr. Lurie reluctantly accepts as a second-best option.
Perhaps the most hotly debated question in HIV vaccine research has been whether study sponsors have an obligation to provide antiretroviral treatment for volunteers who become infected during the trial. Again, the gap between developed and developing nations looms large (see "Affordable Drug Access for Developing Countries" in this issue). In most states in the U.S., a variety of programs makes access to anti-HIV treatment nearly universal, but what about countries where almost no one has access to or can afford highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)?
The question seemed particularly urgent a few years ago, when official guidelines leaned toward early treatment. The Declaration of Helsinki stated flatly, "In any medical study, every patient -- including those of a control group, if any -- should be assured of the best proven diagnostic and therapeutic method." To advocates like Dr. Lurie, that was an unambiguous command: if HAART is the standard of care, it must be available to any vaccinees who become infected, however poor, and wherever they live.
Others disagreed just as vehemently. Some wondered if -- since trials will need to look for any effect of vaccine-induced immunity on disease progression in those who became infected -- providing HAART would make it impossible to gather accurate data. Others argued that it would be immoral to delay vaccine trials that might save millions of lives while negotiating access to treatment (and the associated viral load testing, etc.) in places with no infrastructure for such medical care. Also, who would pay for the cost? And might not provision of medical care that is otherwise unavailable constitute an undue inducement to poor people to put themselves at risk with an experimental vaccine, thus violating another established ethical standard?
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) held meetings in Switzerland, Brazil, Thailand, and Uganda in an effort to forge an international consensus. What emerged were such sharp disagreements that the UN eventually compromised, suggesting in its official guidance document that the issue of treatment access should be decided locally rather than through an international standard. The dispute has softened lately, thanks to the recent shift in treatment guidelines away from early therapy (i.e., not to treat asymptomatic persons with CD4 cell counts above 350 cells/mm3). However, if the medical consensus moves back toward "hit [HIV] early and hard" due to new data or improved drugs, the controversy may erupt again. All sides agree that the best answer is to make antiretroviral treatment available to all who need it, regardless of income or geography. Recent policies from pharmaceutical companies (including the Indian firm, Cipla, which produces generic drugs) with markedly reduced prices for anti-HIV therapy in developing countries represent a step that might make access a possibility in those locations.
Approval and Access
Eventually an HIV vaccine will likely demonstrate at least some protection against infection with the virus, but almost no one expects the first successful candidate to be anywhere near 100% effective. So what level of efficacy should be required for approval?
VaxGen has suggested that it will seek FDA licensing if AIDSVax proves 30% effective. Yet some researchers, using mathematical models, have suggested that adoption of a weakly effective vaccine, if accompanied by relatively mild increases in high-risk behavior because vaccinees feel protected, could lead to more HIV transmission rather than less. Data linking optimism about HAART to increased risk behavior make such a scenario seem plausible.
What about a vaccine that does not prevent infection but rather helps the immune system ward off disease, as in the case of long-term nonprogressors? A product that allowed most vaccinees to live a normal lifetime without clinical illness would surely be approved. But what about a vaccine that increased the average time from HIV infection to AIDS from ten years to 20 years? Or even 15 years?
Dr. Buchbinder notes that a partially effective vaccine may be useful for some populations and circumstances and not for others. This presents another dilemma: how does one balance the benefit a partially effective vaccine will offer some people against the harm caused by giving others a false sense of security? "I think it's going to be very dicey," she reflects. "I'm not a big believer in the mathematical modeling approach, but I do think you have to look a little bit at that to try to figure out from a public health standpoint what's the break-even point [where there is a balance between the benefit and harm done].
Even a completely effective vaccine provides no protection to communities that never receive it. In a recent white (policy) paper, IAVI noted that vaccines have typically reached developing countries an average of 20 years after being licensed in developed nations. The issue needs urgent attention now, IAVI wrote: "Waiting to address access issues until after AIDS vaccines are licensed will sentence millions to preventable illness and death."
There is also a practical side to dealing with access now. "If those issues are not addressed up front," Dr. Buchbinder notes, "then communities and whole countries are not going to be willing to participate" in vaccine trials. From their point of view, Dr. Lurie explains, "the only conceivable bargaining power a developing country has is its own people. . . . We will be powerless to negotiate [access] if we don't do it from the beginning."
IAVI has addressed this issue. When it funds vaccine trials, IAVI requires the product's developers to agree in writing to affordable pricing in developing countries -- and to give IAVI the right to seek other manufacturers if affordability criteria are not met. The group has proposed a variety of other access initiatives, including tiered pricing (in which developing countries would pay less than developed ones) and a global purchase fund for AIDS vaccines.
Many of IAVI's ideas are supported by AVAC and other advocacy groups. Whether governments and industry will act expeditiously remains to be seen.
Bruce Mirken is a freelance writer based in San Francisco.
Selected Sources
AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition. Six years and counting: can a shifting landscape accelerate an AIDS vaccine? Washington, D.C. May, 2001.
Bayer, R. Ethical challenges of HIV vaccine trials in less developed nations: conflict and consensus in the international arena. AIDS 14(8): 1051-1057. May 2000.
Cohen, J. Shots in the dark: the wayward search for an AIDS vaccine. W.W. Norton and Co., New York. 2001.
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. A new access paradigm: public sector actions to assure swift, global access to AIDS vaccines. New York. 2001.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Ethical considerations in HIV preventative vaccine research. Geneva. May 2000.
Lindegger, G. and others. HIV vaccine trials in South Africa -- some ethical considerations. South African Medical Journal 90(8): 769-772. August 2000.
Lurie, P. and others. Ethical, behavioral and social aspects of HIV vaccine trials in developing countries. Journal of the American Medical Association 271(4): 296-301. January 26, 1994.
World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki. 48th World Medical Association Assembly. Somerset West. October 1996.
World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki. 52nd World Medical Association Assembly. Edinburgh. October 2000.
Back to the SFAF BETA Summer/Autumn 2001 contents page.


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The Swedes are so proud of H&M that they make it look really great.
It reminds me of how Americans felt about Gap/Banana Republic back in the Nineties.
I have said before i am conflicted about H&M here in NYC because the shops are so big and messy but I think I will give them a second chance.
The stores in the US seem so much larger than the European units which make them much harder to maintain. Maybe as they expand here they will make smaller units that they can control; better.
I would love if the coolness factor that they have in Sweden could translate a little better here – we need it because I don't see Gap turning it around any time soon.
I guess I will always have J.Crew.
Anyway this young lady makes her V&R H&M trench look great and she had grey gloves that matched her grey shoes ( matchy in a good way)

subset: commoncrawl


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HR Confidential: Independent contractor rules of engagement
Humans are complicated, but the resourcing of humans doesn't have to be. Looking for managerial or career advice? All sources will be kept confidential. Email your questions to Heather Krentler at firstname.lastname@example.com or call our advice line at 313-327-2209.
Q: How do you navigate the relationship with an independent contractor who wants to be an employee?
How is an independent contractor like a hit man? Let me count the ways. When your independent contractor wants to be treated like full-time staff, things can get awkward. If you don't want to lose good talent because of poorly defined rules of engagement, familiarize yourself with the IRS guidelines and be prepared to defend your judgment call.
Follow Heather on Twitter at @heatherkrentler, or connect with her on LinkedIn.


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John Madden told Bay Area News Group-East Bay columnist Cam Inman Thursday he had no plans to become a consultant for the Raiders, nor was he planning on becoming involved in ownership.
"No, uh uh," Madden replied when asked if he's interested in becoming a consultant for the Raiders.
As for succeeding Davis and owning the Raiders: "No, uh uh. As an owner, no. As a fan, I'll be able to go to more games."
Which doesn't mean Madden won't have some influence. He considers Davis one of his closest friends and the two will have more time to talk. It's just that with Madden turning 73, it was a pipe dream to think he would ever get into the fulltime grinder of NFL management _ especially since all his expertise was as a coach.


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Did you know socks are the #1 item requested at our homeless shelters? And thanks to Hanes' generous donation of 250,000 pairs this last Christmas season, our shelters were able to provide many individuals with this much-needed and often overlooked commodity.
Guest blogger Captain Phil Smith in Santa Barbara, California decided to use part of their sock donation to support their "Street Level" Outreach Ministry in a place where the largest population of homeless people, transients, and nomads tend to congregate.
Here's his story:
"The outreach provided through this program seeks to triage homeless people with on the spot response to needs like food, first aid supplies, hygiene items, referral services, spiritual counsel, prayer, and a listening ear. It is a ministry of compassion in the form of services like these directed specifically to those on our streets.
Many times the individuals we meet are amazingly self sufficient. They have learned to live within the means available to them, with creativity. It is not uncommon for someone on the street to turn down an offer of food or other things we might think they would benefit from. However, 99 times out of 100, an offer of new socks is received with a smile that might not otherwise have surfaced for a long time.
Inevitably, I find that new, warm socks can be the one good thing that happened in that person's life that day – maybe even that whole week if not longer!
Socks are like gold on the street – and many people who have received them use that very word to describe them with gratitude; not because they are sold or traded like other street commodities, but because they genuinely meet a very real need.
I see one man every week we go out. His name is "Preacher." He is an older man – nearly 75 – and suffers from diabetes. He is almost always under the influence of alcohol and will stay in one place for a long time as it is difficult for him to walk.
His feet are swollen with sores and although he self-administers his insulin three times a day, the long term effects of his diabetes are evident. I always offer him socks thinking he must need to keep his feet clean etc. When I do, his eyes seem to come out of their glaze for just a minute and then he will get weepy.
We always have a great time of prayer together and I have found that he is so grateful for this simple gesture of love and care. Often he will put the socks away for someone else he knows that needs them even more.
So, are Hanes socks an effective, meaningful donation to the work of this Salvation Army ministry? You bet! And not only do we extend our thanks and gratitude to Hanes but would say to those who make these decisions… Please keep 'em coming! It works!"
Want to donate socks or other clothing and household goods? Click here for ways to show your support for those in need.
Thanks, Captain Smith and Expect Change, for providing this great story!Tags: Doing the Most Good, Family Stores


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Speco's Intensifier 2 Series
Speco Technologies Focus Free Intensifier 2 dome (HT7248FFiL) and bullet (HTB11FFiL) cameras see color in the dark without IR LEDs, without creating any image blur, let the installer know when they are perfectly level to the horizon, and see crystal clear images from inches to infinity without refocusing the camera. The Leveling feature (Accelerometer) alerts the installer when the camera is horizontally level during an installation. These cameras are great for high ceilings, poles, areas subject to vibration and similar applications.
Visit www.specotech.com
ASIS Booth No. 3908
Product Category:


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Follow us:
The new and improved Panel Pro Vertical Panel Saw makes it very easy for one person to cut large sheets of material both vertically and horizontally. The functionality and portability of the Panel Pro means you can get safe, fast, and accurate cutting in your shop or at the job site. When it comes to usage or storage the sleek vertical design of the Panel Pro keeps your shop or garage space open taking up very little floor space.


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Message Board
Michael Kortya Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Kortya has written!
Author Kortya's Book Reviews
Tonight I Said Goodbye
St. Martin's, Sep 2004, 21.95, 275 pp. ISBN: 0312332459 In the Cleveland suburb of West Olmsted, John Weston hires private investigators Lincoln Perry and Joe Pritchard to learn who killed his son Wayne and what happened to his missing daughter-in-law Julie and five year old granddaughter Betsy. The police suspect a murder-suicide though they have not found two of the corpses while the media insist that Wayne killed his wife and child. John ins...


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Lessons from the Vatican's Latin Twitter feed
Is your Twitter strategy stagnant? Learn what Papa Franciscus can teach you about outreach and audience.
Want to attract more than 100,000 followers on Twitter? Try speaking a dead language.
In January, the Vatican launched a Twitter account for Pope Francis, @pontifex_ln, which features tweets only in Latin.
The feed's language, which fell out of popular use centuries ago, shows some impressive results.
The account, "Papa Franciscus," which was predicted to attract at most 5,000 followers, exploded in popularity. The Latin feed has garnered almost 118,000 followers—which makes it more popular than the Pope's Arabic, Polish, and German Twitter accounts.
What makes this dead language so popular and what can your company learn from its unusual success?
Embrace company culture
Latin is a pillar of Roman Catholic culture. When Pope Benedict XVI launched the first papal Twitter in December 2012, letters from around the world arrived at the Vatican asking for a Latin account, reports NPR.
If your followers don't ask you to tweet about something in particular, ask yourself: Does your Twitter feed adequately showcase your corporate culture?
Southwest Airlines, whose Twitter handle has more than 1.5 million followers, is a prime example of a company whose company culture comes across on its Twitter feed.
Its page on company culture emphasizes the "community [they] serve," a message reinforced on its Twitter page.
Southwest tweets personal stories about employees and discusses fun projects the airline is working on. It also encourages customers to get involved with the Southwest community, a recent example being the #Hunt4SWA competition.
The company gets involved in pop culture, too, and participates in " throwback Thursday" (#tbt)—which showcases Southwest's beginnings.
Remember, a successful brand markets more than a product; it markets a culture.
Not every brand can or should be Southwest Airlines, but relatable company culture should be part of your social media efforts.
Make a connection
NPR tells us that many of Papa Franciscus' followers aren't Catholic. Latin enthusiasts of all beliefs flock to the account just to use the language.
Latin scholars knew about the Vatican's history with Latin, but were never engaged through social media until now.
Take the time and explore new ways to engage your followers. Don't be afraid to try something new.
Take a look at Paulo Coelho, author of "The Alchemist," who has more than 8.1 million Twitter followers.
Coelho knows the social media community isn't limited to his native tongue, Portugese. He tweets consistently in English and Portugese, a strategy that connects him to communities worldwide.
A successful Twitter feed requires two-way communication. Coelho and Pope Francis use language to create dialogue, while other brands like Instagram and NASA use pictures to elicit responses.
Check out this infographic of the 25 most engaged brands on Twitter, and see how they interact with their followers.
Be succinct
What takes 195 characters to say in English is done in 78 through Latin.
Moral of the story: choose your words wisely. Readers don't want to endure lengthy explanations and big words.
Today's attention span barely goes beyond 140 characters. Take the time to choose what words you use, and how you use them. Be succinct.
As Latin shows, a little goes a long way. For example:
English (28 words)
The Church is born from the supreme act of love on the Cross, from Jesus' open side. The Church is a family where we love and are loved.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) May 29, 2013
Latin (21 words)
Summo ex amoris in cruce documento e latereque Iesu transfosso exoritur Ecclesia – familia quae est ubi cum amant vicissim tum amantur.
— Papa Franciscus (@Pontifex_ln) May 29, 2013
As for what the rest of Papa Franciscus' tweets actually say, I'll never know. It's all Greek to me!
Or in this case, Latin.
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Portfolio CEO Experience
Fund: Labrador Ventures
Posted by rlabatt on 2007-05-26
Full Disclosure: My wife works at LV as well.
My experience with Labrador is limited to after the deal. I have worked closely with Sean and Stuart. Brought in over three years ago to turn around an already funded portfolio company, my experience is that the partners at Labrador have been nothing but very attentive, creative and helpful. If you are an entrepreneur who wants "after the deal" involvement and introductions, Labrador delivers. If you don't like to consider new ideas or other veiw points then other VCs may be a better bet for you.


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by Stephen Edmonds on May.06, 2010, under Competitions
Printed images of the month
A grade: John Hadfield – The Gallery
B grade: Brian Bethune – Dramatic Effect
EDI images of the month
A grade: Jill Myers – Reflections
B grade: Diana Ferdinands – Twi-Lights
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By Lisa Capobianco
Staff Writer
Southington's 45th annual Apple Harvest Festival plans to continue one of its new additions to the road race for youngsters: the Y Cup.
The Y Cup is a relay for fourth and fifth graders of all eight elementary schools to participate in the 5 K (3.1 miles) race on Sunday, October 6. Students will be divided in boy and girl teams with separate fourth and fifth grade divisions. The winning team receives the Y Cup award, which they can keep in their school for a year.
All participants receive a t-shirt and finishers medal.
John Myers, the executive director of the YMCA, said the Y Cup is a great way to give children an opportunity to get involved in the Apple Harvest Road Race.
"It promotes healthy living," Myers said. "It does not take a lot to keep active."
Last year 12 teams participated in the relay, and Myers said he hopes to have between 25 and 30 teams this year. Plantsville Elementary School won the Y Cup last year, and Myers presented students the trophy during a school assembly. He said that moment brought "a lot of pride" and "excitement" to the entire school.
Principal Patricia Corvello of Plantsville Elementary School agreed.
"We could not have been prouder of the kids," Corvello said. "We look forward to defending the Y Cup this coming year."
Local schools have provided the registration forms, and each team pays $30 in checks to the YMCA. Participating teams must complete the registration forms with all parent waivers signed by Monday, Sept. 30. All teams will meet at the YMCA between 7:15 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. at the Y's Learning Center on 30 High St.
Y Cup returns to Apple road race
By Lisa Capobianco


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and information technology in civil engineering and construction
Paper w78-2000-971:
, ,
A decision support system for building refurbishment design
Abstract: "Refurbishment work in the EC currently accounts for more than one-third of the total construction output. This market is expected to grow stronger with the progressive ageing of buildings and the environment impetus to retain buildings. A further dimension is the need to adapt buildings for a greying population. There are important differences between refurbishment and new construction works. The existing building constraints the design solutions, construction technologies and work methods. Mechanisation, planning, and efficient organisation of refurbishment work is difficult, due to the small, labour intensive, and ad hoc, dynamic nature of the work. Also due to the relatively small scale of refurbishment projects, there have been no opportunities for standardisation and the applications of prefabrication and industrialisation are limited. Today, larger sized contractors are rapidly moving into the refurbishment market, in response to the shrinking new-build market and the higher technological demands of large scale refurbishment projects. The EC funded Brite Euram project 4670 is titled Decision Support Systems for Building Refurbishment. This project has started in August 1998 and will finish in July 2001. Its objective is to develop a socio-technological-commercial framework and corresponding Decision Support Systems (DSSs) for housing refurbishment, to achieve: ? refurbishments which are more focused on user requirements; ? refurbishment designs which take into account the constraints of the existing building structure; ? increased incorporation of industrialised systems and components; ? organisational procedures and production technologies that recognise the unique nature of refurbishment work. The project is divided into three tasks. Task one aims at developing a DSS for the determination of the refurbishment demand and ballpark costs. Task two involves the development of a DSS for refurbishment design. Task three will result in a DSS for refurbishment process planning and control. This paper describes the approach followed for the ongoing development in task two, the DSS for refurbishment design. The main objectives of this task are to provide decision support at the project level. It will develop a database of layouts of representative existing housing estates and a database of preferred refurbishment layouts for these representative existing housing estates. Another database will be developed containing information on building systems and components that are relevant for the refurbishment process. Task two will establish a protocol for refurbishment design support. This protocol, which is implemented in a decision support information system, involves a number of steps that aid the user in selecting an appropriate housing layout and building systems and components that meet the users requirements. These steps involve the evaluation of a the users refurbishment demands and selection of a matching representative existing housing layout. Based on further dialog with the system, a preferred refurbishment layout is selected, which in turn is used as the basis for the selection of building systems and components that meet the performance requirements as stated by the user. The paper describes the methodology that is implemented in the system for retrieving performance requirements from the user, and the approaches for matching these to the stock of existing and preferred housing layouts available in the systems database. The system is characterised by a flexible architecture of both the databases and the user interface, which results in a scalable system that allows the expansion of the databases with new graphical layouts and building systems and components, as well as the addition of new kinds of performance requirements. The system is implemented as an Internet application, which allows the database to be maintained centrally and facilitates world wide access to the system. The systems implementation involves the combination of graphical and non-graphical data that can be queried and matched with only typical Internet browsing software installed at the client-side."
Full text: content.pdf (465,782 bytes) (available to registered users only)
Series: w78:2000
Permission to reproduce these documents have been graciously provided by Icelandic Building Research Institute. The assistance of the editor, Mr. Gudni Gudnason, is gratefully appreciated
by University of Ljubljana
© itc.scix.net 2003
|February 16, 2003


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Inspired by the discussion in the Eng v Ind tour thread tonight, I thought of making a straight out poll between the two most (in)famous pieces of ****tardery with the willow lately - Haddin last year and Bell today. But then, in the ensuing discussion, I realised that, well, history has provided us with so many examples of glorious and not-so-glorious failure that we really should hold an event of some kind to commemorate the sheer stupid that our professional cricketers can provide us on occasion.
General (doesn't have to meet all of these, save for the first) criteria are:
- Has to be in a Test match
- Stupidity/Pointlessness. Anyone can nick a Dale Steyn outie pitching on leg stump, that's boring. But it takes real "skill" to look at a gently looping left-armer pitching outside off and turning away for your first delivery and think, gee, that'd look great going over the sightscreen, and then look confused on the long walk back as you wonder how that could possibly have gone wrong. This also basically covers any instances of leaving straight balls, so step on down Michael Clarke.
- Lack of match awareness. Of course, the aforementioned instance of utter failure may not have been so abysmal had the team been 4/470 and in need for quick runs for a declaration - selfless batting and all that. But when instead the scoreboard reads 4/70, with a gargantuan deficit in front of you, many would think it would pay to be a little more circumspect. Not for our fine crusaders here, however, going out of their way to demonstrate that "look at the scoreboard" is not just a drunken sledge, it's actually rather salient yet oddly unheralded advice at times.
- Amusement value. Cricket, of course, is a sport and as such is a form of entertainment. And fewer sights in cricket are more entertaining than a batsmen completely losing his **** and his wicket in the most eyebrow-raising of circumstances. Whether it's a batsman making so much room for himself that he literally can't reach a ball that clatters into his stumps, or seeing a rank pie that should be deposited in the nearest river and somehow finding a fielder, or managing to hole out to the most dibbly of dobblies from the most part-time of part-timers, it should be funny. For everyone else, that is.
- WTF Factor. In the end, it needs to be memorable. **** batting is common nowadays, and whilst, technically, Shane Watson getting to fifty then throwing his bat as a wide nothing-ball and getting caught at gully may be worse shot selection and worse for the team than the nominees here, that **** happens so often that it's rather passé now, and no one wants that.
The "winner" will receive a middle finger and six feet of rope to do with what they feel is appropriate, the ****ing morons.
I'll decide the format later, but it'll probably be usual battle format. Max 5 nominations each for now, please. And only nominate ones that you've actually seen, so we can actually judge it. Tell us the Test it happened too.


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Trade Services Update (TSU) is an independent voice of the trade services industry. TSU was first published under the name L/C Monitor in 1999 as a legal financial journal covering practical aspects of payment instruments in international trade. In June 2000 LC Monitor acquired 'LC Update' from Thompson Publishing Group. In 2008 TSU data base was created incorporating all the articles previously published in the L/C Monitor and updated regularly with each new issue of the TSU journal.
The TSU journal is electronic and free to all registered readers. The searchable data base is made available to paid subscribers. Sun Tzu said, "For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." Much skill is required in handling letters of credit and other payment instruments used in international trade. The existing Incoterms, UCP, URC, URDG, ISP, ISBP, publications from ICC provide rules and guidelines but still there are many unanswered questions. When rules are updated new problems arise and clarification and education is required.
Now more than ever timely information is needed to succeed and prevent problems before they occur. Trade Services Update is the only journal and searchable online database in the world devoted to the topic of Trade Services. Our purpose is to share knowledge gained from practical experience. Our Editors are comprised of top professionals from around the globe who handle documentary credits, standby letters of credit, bank guarantees, documentary collections, and surrounding legal issues on a daily basis and feel the pulse of the trading world.
By reading the publication you will learn from their experience, case studies and creative problem solving techniques. We hope that you will benefit from our services and will excel at resolving problems before they arise. To receive the journal quarterly via e-mail click here to register. To request a demo of the searchable database click here to contact us.
L/C World News -- Analysis of current documentary credit issues -- Articles on the subject of bank guarantees and documentary collections -- Tips on minimizing the risk of non-payment -- Insight into the structure of complex transactions -- Assessment of country & bank risks -- Review of latest documentary credit frauds -- Relevant legal cases and analysis -- Discussions on trade topics by TSU Editors


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Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843)
Samuel Hahnemann was a German physician who established a new system of medical treatment call homeopathy. He spoke many languages and supported himself as a translator while studying medicine, graduating in 1779.
Hahnemann became convinced that many medical treatments such as bloodletting did more harm than good, and looked for gentler ways to treat patients. He was one of many physicians in the 1700s who set out to explore systematically the use and effects of medical drugs.
Hahnemann suggested testing the effects of drugs on the healthy human body in order to obtain secure knowledge of a drug's effects. Following self-experimentation with the antimalarial drug quinine, Hahnemann noted that the drug had a similar effect to the illness it was supposed to cure - in a healthy person, a dose of quinine caused a fever. From this, Hahnemann developed the central idea of homeopathic medicine: the principle of 'like cures like' or the 'law of similars' - an idea that was also central to folk medicine.
When Edward Jenner introduced vaccination in 1798, Hahnemann considered this a confirmation of his principle. Hahnemann also came to assume that the body was highly sensitive to drugs during illness, and prescribed very small doses of drugs - hence the expression 'homeopathic doses' for very small amounts.
Homeopathy spread rapidly through Europe in the early 1800s. The first homeopathic hospital opened in 1832 in Leipzig. However, homeopathy also met with hostility from apothecaries and other medical practitioners. In 1835, Hahnemann moved to Paris, where he was a popular practitioner until his death.
Related Themes and Topics
Related links
Techniques and Technologies:
T M Cook, Samuel Hahnemann: The Founder of Homoeopathic Medicine (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire : Thorsons, 1981)
S Hahnemann, Organon of Medicine, 6th edition (Philadelphia: Boericke & Tafel, 1922)
R W Hobhouse, Christian Samuel Hahnemann, Founder of Homeopathy, a Short Biography (Ashington: C.W. Daniel Co, 1961)


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When I began jerking off I was twelve, I believe.
If jerking off were an Olympic sport I would be like that jugeared pothead Michael Phelps, only better. I'd win relays by myself if jerking off were an Olympic sport. When I was in my teens and early twenties I would have a pull anywhere, anytime, multiple times a day, taking a breather only when I required some scabbing over to relieve some of the pain.
Mad pulling. Bloody palms and all.
But when I first gave myself that tentative little tug I had not the foggiest and so I referred to my inspiration to jack and often the fodder for same, my constant companion in those formative years.
It was a Penthouse letter that first gave me the idea and in this particular tale your man, while spying on his landlady/third cousin/stepsister/babysitter, pulled into a baggie.
Why? I have no idea.
But that is where I first read about masturbation and so when I decided to give it a whirl I figured I might as well follow the old saying and grab myself a Ziplock.
When in Ireland and all that, you know.
So I gave it a try and discovered that this undiscovered country was a hell of a wonderful country and so I began to take many excursions there each day. And it was early on and for some reason (inexperience and stupidity fighting tooth and nail) I thought that it might be a good idea to strip down when partaking in my new pastime.
So it came to be that one hot summer afternoon I had the house to myself and so I geared down, got my sandwich bag and sat down on the living room couch. I was just about at the moment of truth when the back door opened and I heard a buddy of mine call my name.
Now you could imagine the disaster that now was suddenly erupting in front of me. One does not survive such a moment. I would have been the guy whose buddy found him stark naked with a baggy on his cock if he had walked up the four steps from the back door, walked past the kitchen and done a hard left into the living room. This would have followed me to high school, university, my working life, my wedding day. I would be in a home and some old fucker would wheel into my room, cackle, and throw my dessicated self a box of baggies.
Voice breaking, ready to leap through the front window if necessary, I called out "hey man, just go down to the basement, I'll be down in a sec."
And he complied and tragedy was averted.
I picked up my clothes, hustled to the bathroom, locked the door and finished my favourite thing.
But sometimes I feel like I've just walked in on him and he's sitting there in the buff, pecker in one hand, little baggie full of jizz in the other. Its embarassing as hell and I have to avert my eyes at the mess that he is making.


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I share your feelings, René. Just yesterday I saw a documentary about a new Dutch game and how it came about (can't remember the name). But there were a thousand people (!) altogether taking part in it for 6 years, steady crew of a few hundred. With the best software and millions to spend. Well, what can one man do?
...Well, I gladly pay a bit more for my beer for such works of art!


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Metal Flashing / Metal Capping
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At B & D Construction, you can depend on reliable service, high-end quality, and professional craftsmanship. Bring us your vision and we will make it a reality! We have kept a long standing and clean reputation in the general construction market. No matter what the project or task is, big or small we do it all. Our friendly staff can accommodate any request inquiries and services at very affordable rates. Our professional team also provides free advisory services and construction guidelines to help you make clear and concise decisions.


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Life is good for Tavon Austin, who must feel like the prettiest girl during prom season.
ProFootballTalk.com reported Wednesday that the West Virginia wide receiver has been forced to turn NFL teams down because his pre-draft invitation card is so full.
One team Austin didn't dismiss is the New York Jets. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Austin will fly into New Jersey on Sunday and meet with the Jets the following day, according to a source informed of the team's plans.
As we wrote in our "Draft Questions" series, Austin is a perfect fit for a Jets offense in desperate need of a dynamic playmaker on offense. The Jets might end up with both the ninth and 13th overall pick if they complete the trade that would send Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Austin would make plenty of sense as one of those selections.
Austin began the draft process as a fringe first-round pick, but he has rocketed up boards on the strength of an electric performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. Austin will go on Day 1 -- it's just a matter of how high.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.


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Amarillo Globe News - Amarillo, TX
Priests for Life broke ground Thursday on a new training facility for the organization and its new accompanying community, the Missionaries of the Gospel of Life. The multimillion-dollar building will be located just east of the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center at 2100 N. Spring St.
On hand for the event were priests, bishops and lay people from all over the country who are involved in the anti-abortion movement. Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, presided over the event.
Priests for Life officially established its new community in Amarillo in December 2005 with the approval of the Rev. John Yanta, bishop of Amarillo.
The 28-acre grounds will house a facility with enough room to house 21 acolytes, said Frank Jones, financial advisor for the Diocese of Amarillo.
"The funding comes from donors worldwide who are affiliated with Priests for Life," Yanta said. "No funds are coming from the Diocese of Amarillo."
Western Builders is the general contractor for the project, the first phase of which is slated to take approximately two years to complete.
"We will add more facilities as the project develops," said the Rev. Frank Pavone, director of Priests for Life worldwide.
"All of the people here are like allies in the battle to end abortion. Not everybody understands our mission, even people in the church. This project is not a response to Roe vs. Wade or a response to some political decision. It's not something added on top of our faith, it's a response to Jesus," Pavone said.
Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr. and member of the Priests for Life pastoral team, was on hand to show her support for the movement.
"This is a place where young men can come and be trained to carry on the pro-life movement," King said. "The most important part of life is birth."


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Call for Nominations —
CJM/CMB Associate Editors
The Publications Committee of the CMS solicits nominations for Associate Editors for the Canadian Journal of Mathematics (CJM) and the Canadian Mathematical Bulletin (CMB). The appointment will be for five years beginning January 1, 2010. The continuing members (with their end of term) are below.
The deadline for the submission of nominations is April 15, 2009.
Nominations, containing a curriculum vitae and the candidate's agreement to serve, should be sent to the address below.
Address for Nominations :
CJM Editors-in-Chief
H. Kim (Toronto) 12/2011; R. McCann (Toronto) 12/2011.
CMB Editors-in-Chief
Nantel Bergeron (York) 12/2010; Jianhong Wu (York) 12/2010.
Associate Editors
K. Bezdek (Calgary) 12/2011; J. Colliander 2/2011; Luc Devroye (McGill) 12/2009; Alan Dow (York) 12/2010; George Elliott (Toronto) 12/2010; K. Hare (Waterloo) 12/2011; Stephen Kudla(Toronto) 12/2013; Vladimir Pestov (Ottawa) 12/2013; Thomas Ransford (Laval) 12/2009; Gordon Slade (UBC) 12/2013; Roland Speicher (Queen's) 12/2013; Ravi Vakil (Stanford University) 12/2009; Vinayak Vatsal (UBC) 12/2013; Jie Xiao (Memorial) 12/2013.


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Professional Candle Making Supplies Since 1972
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Product Description
Candles made with gel perform much differently than those made with paraffin. Please review before use (see safety factor sheet). Testing for proper wick size is strongly recommended. Working and burning temperatures for this product is much higher than for paraffin wax. All applicable safety procedures should be maintained. All manufacturers of gel candles should consider using wick assemblies with a neck height of at least 6 mm in order to firmly hold the wick in place and keep the flame from reaching the very bottom of the candle container.
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To see shipping costs, proceed to checkout to get up-to-date rates. Orders are shipped by UPS or FedEx. View the Shipping Information page for more details.


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GiftsForYouNow.com offers many great Personalized Gifts for Mother's Day that your Mother or Grandmother will cherish for years to come. We have an extensive collection of Personalized Mother's Day Picture Frames, Personalized Mother's Day Shirts & Personalized Keepsakes. Place your favorite Poem onto one of our Personalized Mother's Day Poetry Gifts or place your favorite Photo onto our wonderful Personalized Photo Gifts.


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AEDG Implementation Recommendations: Floors
The Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) for Small Office Buildings, 30% series, seeks to achieve 30% savings over ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999. This guide focuses on improvements to small office buildings, less than 20,000ft2. The recommendations in this article are adapted from the implementation section of the guide and focus on mass floors; steel joist or wood frame floors; slab-on-grade floors.
Publication Date:
Wednesday, May 13, 2009


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A total of 5,000 motorists have signed up for a FasTrak transponder account for the new ExpressLanes on the Harbor (110) Freeway that open this fall.
Another segment of ExpressLanes will open next year on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway.
"Reaching this milestone so quickly demonstrates the the strong public interest in Metro ExpressLanes and the traffic congestion relief it promises to those who travel on two of our county's busiest freeways," said Metro CEO Art Leahy.
The 25 miles of ExpressLanes will replace the current car-pool lanes on the two freeways as part of a yearlong pilot project.
Although car pools and motorcycles will still be able to use the ExpressLanes for free, they will share the road with paying solo drivers whose fee will vary per mile depending on congestion.
All drivers must have a transponder to use the lanes. Costs vary depending on the payment method.
More information is available by calling 511 or visiting www.metroexpresslanes.net.
– Nick Green


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Tennessee releases guard Travon Landry from letter of intent he signed with Vols last fall
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee has released guard Travon Landry from the letter of intent he signed with the school last fall.
Tennessee athletic department spokesman Tom Satkowiak confirmed Saturday what was first reported by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
The move brings Tennessee's number of scholarship players for the 2013-14 season back to 13, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules. Tennessee had been over the limit after the spring signings of guard Darius Thompson and junior-college center Rawane Ndiaye.
Landry, a 6-footer from San Antonio, spent his senior year of high school at Huntington (W.Va.) Prep. He was part of a fall signing class at Tennessee that also included guard Robert Hubbs and swingman A.J. Davis.


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Joseph Hubert Diss Debar Collection
Reminiscence of Charles Dickens' first visit to America
by a fellow passenger (J. H. Diss Debar)
Reminiscence of Charles Dickens' first visit to America
It was not of the 3d as the "American_____ have it, but on the 4th day of January 1842, ___ Cunard steamer "Britannia," with Boz among ___ human freight, left Liverpool for Halifax and Boston. My memory which enjoyed a commercial training and is reliable authority in such matters, recalls to me that, having engaged passage on the same vessel, I left Paris on Saturday 1st of January, spent Sunday and Monday in London and took rail on the evening of the latter day for Liverpool where I breakfasted on Tuesday morning, 4th, a few hours before crossing over to the steamer then anchored in the middle of the Mersey river. Nor was it in the morning, as the "Notes" would seem to convey, that their distinguished author established himself on board in a permanent way. If he came there ___ all in the forenoon, it must have been to pla___ Dickens in possession of the conjugal state ___ he attended a certain valedictory from ___
Adelphi Hotel. Another slight variance from well remembered facts appears in the mention of the coming on board of the somewhat belated and much expected captain of the ship. Mr Dickens certainly was not on board when the captain's boat put off from shore and therefore describes that incident from one of those imaginary points of view in which he was so perfectly at home. The boat in which Mr Dickens and friends came on board was the last one that touched the ship, except the skiff which brought up some belated mail bags, also mentioned in the "Notes". I distinctly remember observing Mrs Dickens and the "little scotch lady" anxiously watching the shore some little time after the steamer had been announced to sail, and the exclamations, "There he comes! and "at last" mentioned as relating to the captain's advent, actually fell from the lips of that lady and unquestionably referred to her wayward and dilatory husband. That the latter had been honored with a more than ordinary convivial sent-off was evident from the merry sounds that wafted toward the steamer and became more confused as the jolly-boat drew near. Yet, when the festive party stepped upon the deck indiscriminately shaking hands all around the lion of the hour along, although glowing with facial symptoms of green seal and wire-fastened corks, maintained the dignified composure which never forsakes great minds in any emergency. After the inevitable ceremony of the stirrup cup, which transpired in the saloon under the auspices of the hospitable captain, the best of friends were doomed to part, and as the jovial band rowed landward with moving pats and ebbing cheers, the now passive object of this fugitive homage but faintly responded by now and then raising his right hand out of his overcoat pocket in a somewhat abstract manner, clearly indicating that his interest in their proceedings was measurably diminished.
It was at this moment that in a profile view, a few feet from my standpoint, Mr Dickens first attracted my attention, though I then had but a vague idea of his importance. At that time, although Boz had fairly made his mark among the reading public of the English tongue, relatively few nations on the continent more than knew him by fame. The portraits of him published since photography came into popular use are most excellent likenesses, which cannot be said of those that appeared before that time. At least none of that period I ever saw, while full of English exuberance in that line of art, did full justice to that mild, yet brilliant and searching eye, and that richly molded mouth so firm in it's natural curves, yet so varied in playful expression. None of the rigid lines of his later photographs marred the plaid, beardless surface of that genial face, whose principal charm, beneath all it's visible beauty lay in a deep, reserved power heightened by apparent unconsciousness. The graces of person were all the more real as they were totally unaided by the resources of the toilet. The pea-coat referred to in the "Notes" was of a coarse-haired dark-brown material, and a trifle large, a feature duly compensated by the stringent dimensions of a pair of steel-gray trousers striped with black on the outer seams. The cork-soled boots were evidently shaped to keep off corns as well as the damp, and a dark, flat neglige cap seemed an unsuitable covering to the fine open brow and the leonine wealth of dark wavy hair. A worsted comforter for promenade on deck completed the costume. Imagine this traveler quietly standing or strolling about with both hands in his pea-coat pockets and the slight stoop peculiar to most men of thought, and the picture of Chas. Dickens Esqr on his passage out, is complete.
The circumstance of his coming on board as above related, excited some curiosity among his fellow passengers of other than English origin, and we soon learned what was known of him in the literary world. Gradually, also, some of his writings found their way upon the saloon table, and I, among others, enjoyed the privilege of cultivating the acquaintance of Mr Pickwick under the very eye of his genial progenitor, who, growing an inch in my respect with every line, had climbed the summit of Mount Parnassus long before I reached the last page of the book. That he preferred this mode of popularity to any other more personal was apparent from his reserve toward his fellow travelers, excepting three or four of them with whom he habitually conversed or walked on deck when not engaged in solitary rambles about the ship.
On the other hand Mrs Dickens, the wife of his bosom, to whose inability to "to talk to him" during sea-sickness he refers with undisguised satisfaction, was far more sociably inclined, and, in co-operation with the little Scotch lady, generally held an informal after-dinner levee over a glass of punch or sherry, the quality of which, no less than the dearth of female society on board usually secured a respectable attendance from acquaintances of the other sex. Of robust, florid English appearance and amiable manners, this martially much unappreciated lady was not insensible to such polite attention as her simple hospitalities called forth, and conscientiously strove to carry out the intimation of acquaintances of the other sex. Of robust, florid English appearance and amiable manners, this martially much unappreciated lady was not insensible to such polite attention as her simple hospitalities called forth, and conscientiously strove to carry out the intimation of per liege lord to make herself as agreeable as possible while he sought fresh air in another direction.
Mr. Dickens' reserve toward his fellow-passengers was a subject of general remark. Whatever may have been his reasons for this seeming exclusiveness - and they may be readily imagined - it is doubtful whether he did not enter more intensely into the proceedings around him than he could have done by mingling more freely with the crowd. Nothing usurped his unobtrusive, yet watchful eye, and much of what he observed of human nature during that experience of eighteen days was possibly treasured up for other uses than circulation in the "American Notes" Thus when he alludes to the young passenger who was reported to have lost fourteen pounds at vingt-et-un, he does not intimate that he knew more about the incident than any one else on board, the writer of these lines only excepted, And thereby hangs a tale.
For pastime only - for I have never played anything but whilst or e'carte' before - I took part in a game of vingt-et-un in the saloon, supposing the company respectable and the risk slight. The fascinations of the game, however, and the stimulating example of an American gentleman at my elbow, carried me beyond my soundings. I lost nearly fifty dollars the first day and half as much the next - almost a catastrophe for a young commercial traveler on a moderate salary. Hoping to retrieve my luck, I next morning again ventured to the shrine of the fickle goddess and had recovered half my losses, when, a change of dealer or banker occurring, I felt a soft but significant touch upon my right shoulder, and looking around beheld a pair of large and wonderfully eloquent eyes beckoning me to come away. Comprehending the situation, I quietly arose under some pretext and took a walk on deck, where Mr Dickens made his appearance an hour after, apparently unconscious of my presence. Seeing me approach him, he waived the formality of my expressions of gratitude with a sweeping gesture, merely inquiring whether I meant to play again in that company. Upon my unhesitating reply in the negative his satisfaction was unequivocal, and with a brief injunction of secrecy regarding his intervention he gently bowed himself away Subsequent developments in the case of another victim of nearly my age revealed the fact that certain passengers, rising importers of New York City, whose banking proved so disastrous to some of their clients, were confederates playing into each other's hands by such tricks as may readily be surmised by persons familiar with the game.
Another occasion on which Mr Dickens was forced out of his contemplative mood into something like personal display was afforded by the midnight storm so graphically depicted in the "Notes". Granting that this war of elements was all that is claimed for it by the imaginative author, it failed to impress itself upon a majority of the passengers as a narrow escape from a watery grave. Perhaps an accident to the cow, which somewhat reduced the supply of milk in the regulation tea and coffee, contributed to magnify the perils of the gale in the eyes of transatlantic neophites. At any rate they regarded the occasion as one eminently suggestive of a substantial testimonial of their grateful admiration to the captain, although this gallant little man, on hearing of the proposition while picking up crumbs around his plate with his moistened index, "thought he had often seen much worse weather." A meeting was called, attended by scarcely any one not belonging to the British mess. In explanation of this term it may be of interest to state here that in those days English travelers on transatlantic steamers generally outnumbered all the others put together, and regularly messed at one and the same table during the passage. On this trip this table was presided over by the captain or his next in rank and occasionally by a young Briton, a colonel in a Canada regiment which he was going to join. Since this scion of nobility could be spared from the turf and field, it undeniably was a wise discretion that destined him to the military instead of the diplomatic career in which his father, a peer of the realm, occupied a distinguished rank. And it was undoubtedly the attraction of opposites which threw this young man preferably into the society of Mr Dickens, who, at the table, occupied the seat immediately to his right. The other table in the saloon was almost exclusively tenanted by passengers from the continent, with a sprinkling of Americans and such Celts from the Green Isle or the land of Scots as were conscious of a tinge of disloyalty to her majesty's authority.
Some one having called the meeting to order, the choice of president fell upon the youthful Colonel, and Chas. Dickens Esqr was chosen secretary. So far, so good; but when the first named officer blushingly arose to explain the object of the meeting, an incident occurred, the generous omission in the "Notes" is herewith supplied it is hoped without impropriety. Although endowed with an organ that would have marshaled a whole army corps as well as a regiment, the noble colonel was totally unable to give vent to his feelings. In vain did his nervous hand wander from the tips of his flaxen hair to the depths of his pockets and vice-versa, but beyond the thrice repeated invocation, "Gentlemen - I - ah - awh" - he could not proceed. The meeting was beginning to look blue and sly jokes were already flashing up and down the opposition table, when the cart was happily pulled out of the bog by the nimble secretary who, gently elbowing down his honorable friend, accomplished the refractory task in his most felicitous style. As a result it was unanimously decided to present Captain Hewitt with a silver tea-set, for which a subscription was raised before the meeting adjourned. Nor did the luckless orator lack in grateful appreciation of his timely rescue from a critical strait, for he was ever afterward observed to cling to his benefactor more devotedly than ever, and at the sightseeing at Halifax and Boston the two had become perfectly inseparable.
When the steamer was being fastened to her pier at the latter place and everybody was preparing to bid her farewell, some one announced that a press delegation was coming on board to welcome Mr Dickens, who was then curiously observing the crowd on shore through the lowering dusk. Mrs Dickens, with perceptible alarm in her voice, having called her husband's attention to the inadequacy of his nautical costume to the impending ordeal, Dickens coolly replied "Oh never mind" simply glancing down the stripes of his trousers to his sufficiently polished boots, "we are on the other side now." It was not until the next morning, Sunday at the Tremont house, that Mr Dickens convinced his traveling companions that he was in possession of at least one suit of hobo? Clothes, which he wore, like many other mortals, with visible conscious ___ improved appearance.
My final destination being New York City, I left Boston the following Tuesday, but not without bidding adieu to Mr Dickens a grateful allusion to the service he had rendered me. It was a mistaken sense of dignity, perhaps that I added some___ about exposing or otherwise obtaining satisfaction from genteel blacklegs at their own headquarters. His re___ probably characteristic of his views concerning this ___ at that time. "Don't think of it" said he, with ___ erable warmth," they are natives of some influence, __ doubt, you are quite young and a stranger; the ___ would put a ball through you and call it "___ Nobody hurt but yourself!"
Arts and Entertainment


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Atlas World Map
Atlas World Map
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YHA Bristol4
14 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA
Price FromView Rooms
- Very Good
- 19 guest reviews
"I've stayed at various non YHA hostles and non match up to this one well done!!..."
"Great location, easy access and great value...."
"I needed a cheap and last minute place to stay after being called for an interview. I paid more for a private room that slept two. The room..."
"I left my Ipad charger accidentally, I did come back to check it but its gone. o well ....."
"5 storey building but lift not working - doubt it ever does - so was a struggle to walk up to 3rd floor, especially when arriving with lugga..."
About the hotel
A high quality, four star hostel providing a relaxed oasis in the heart of Bristol. This friendly, vibrant and culturally rich and diverse city, boasts many world famous attractions. A great city centre location makes this a perfect base.
Explore the harbourside and old city areas, and visit the magnificent Avon Gorge, Brunel's suspension bridge or enjoy Bristol's cultural base of theatres, museums, art galleries and thriving live music and club scene. A former waterfront grain house, this hostel has been sympathetically restored to offer relaxed cosmopolitan surroundings. Hand soap is provided next to all sinks. Towels are not supplied as standard but can be rented or purchased from reception. Bedding is supplied in all rooms. Free Wi-Fi is available in social spaces. ***Please note, we do not charge an additional temporary membership fee. Discounts are not available for members of YHA (England & Wales) or IYHF as part of this booking. *** ***IMPORTANT - All bookings made via Laterooms for more than 16 people will be cancelled. Bookings can be made for up to 14 nights only. Any booking made for over 14 nights will be cancelled. *** All guests must show a valid photo ID upon check-in. Driver's licence, passport, student ID or similarly recognised national identity cards are accepted.
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Facilities Show/hide
- Main
- Hotel Non-Smoking Throughout, Cots available, Laundry/Valet Service, Childrens Facilities - Indoor, Childrens Facilities - Outdoor, Lift to all floors
- Business
- Wi-Fi Available, Meeting Facilities, Wi-Fi Available In Public Areas
- Dining
- Restaurant, Bar
- Parking
- Car Parking Available Offsite
Useful Info Show/hide
- From 14:00 hours
- By 10:00 hours
- Up to 17 years old
- 21/06/2016 to 31/12/2025 - Please note: The last check-in time is 12:00am. LateRooms bookings of more than 16 people and/or for more than 14 nights cannot be accepted and will be cancelled. The price shown is based on the occupancy and dates you have searched for. Prices and availability are subject to change based on the arrival date, number of nights and occupancy searched for. All prices are inclusive of all local taxes.
- Pets are not allowed
Customer Reviews
Our reviews are from genuine LateRooms.com customers. We verify that the customer has stayed before leaving a review.
Very Good
79% would recommend it to a friend
Customer service
Food quality
Room quality
Cheap basic room in Bristol's dockside development
Right beside the Arnolfini Centre, the YHA provides basic bedrooms with bunk beds and a sink.
There are shared showers and toilets. Traditional English breakfast served in the canteen from 0730. Very much a low-cost option, you are unlikely to find a bed at a lower price in Bristol city centre.
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Excellent location.
Shame about the accommodation. Room was very unsatisfactory from shoddy furnishings to rotten bathroom door to company policy of applying for refund of my £119 for 1 night and having to fill in a form to 'request' refund. the receptionist offered another room even though they were full ... someone else's room that had not checked in yet... I refused as I felt that if the room was not good enough for me it was not good enough for anyone else!!!
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|by dunrenard
Warning, this is not the result of an official study but the findings of the personal study of Kikko, a blogger who took as a base the number of hospitalized patients. But again we cannot expect the Japanese government to officially advertize it: "The number of patients diagnosed with leukemia in 2015 was about 7 times higher than the previous year."
From June 2015
Sharp increase in leukemia patients ~ Number of patients is about 7 times more than last year ~ Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Tokyo
According to the statistics of the National Public Medical Association from the hospitals of each prefecture, from April to October 2015, the number of patients diagnosed as "leukemia" was about seven times higher than in 2014.
About 60% or more of patients diagnosed with leukemia are acute leukemia,
Since 1978 when they began taking statistics, such high proportion never occured before.
Since 1978 when they began taking statistics, such high proportion never occured before.
About 80% of the patients are in the Tohoku and Kanto regions. Fukushima Prefecture is the largest, next, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Tokyo in that order.
Strontium 90 is the most probable cause. It acts inside the body as calcium so that it can be stored in bones and brain. It takes 2-3 years until symptoms develop. People inhaling it or ingesting it in foods such as milk, fish and meat.


text: I started doing art quite recently,I make my artworks mostly from fun and do not consider them by any means professional or amazing. I can't really say that my art is digital art because I make my artworks in photoshop but I do not draw by hand I insted use the pen tool and rely on shaping objects that way but for lack of a better term I label it as digital art. The main reason I decided to put some of it up to sale is because I want to share it with world and since I am going to school a little extra income is not bad.


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Are you as smart as you think you are?
Ready to challenge your brain? You're in luck, because we've got the best mind teasers, trivia, and general knowledge questions to test how smart you really are when it comes to proper spelling and grammar!
Unless you're an English major a copy editor, a writer, or a journalist for a living, knowing proper grammar and spelling can be a bit tricky. When someone is learning and studying the English language, they often make a lot of grammatical errors and spelling errors. With so many different structures of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences, there are a lot of rules to memorize and common misspellings of words.
Maybe you're studying to take the SAT or ACT and want to get a perfect score on the English sections of these standardized tests. Maybe you're participating in a spelling bee. Maybe you just have an English Literature paper due for class or an English exam coming up. Or maybe you just want to refresh your memory on spelling and grammar because you enjoy taking online quizzes for fun. Whatever the case, this quiz will help you test your proficiency of the English language and help you learn the answers to the following questions:
Do you know how to write and speak using the correct verb tense, voice, and conjugation? Do you actually know the definitions of common words? What about the difference between "their, there, and they're" or "your and you're"? Do you know your synonyms from your antonyms? What about homonyms and homophones? Nouns and pronouns? Prepositions and punctuation? Adjectives and adverbs? We know the English language can be confusing, but we're confident you know how to speak and write flawlessly!
So just how sharp is your mind? Want to test your IQ to see if you could get into Mensa? Are you smarter than a fifth grader? Could you win on a show like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Wheel of Fortune, or Jeopardy? If you really want to test your knowledge of the English language, take this fun quiz and see if you can identify the proper spelling of tricky words or if you can identify common grammar mistakes.
Make your high school English teacher or college English professor proud and take this grammar and spelling test! No cheating — let's see if you can ace this quiz without the use of a dictionary, thesaurus, or spell checker! Only someone with a high IQ and a high level of education will be able to pass this spelling and grammar challenge with flying colors!
Click the start button to challenge your English language, spelling, and grammar skills! This test will determine if you're a true spelling and grammar snob. We're sure that by the end of it, you'll be boasting to your friends that you're the ultimate spelling and grammar scholar through and through. Being proficient in the English language is something that you should be proud of, so take this test, and don't forget to share the results with your friends to see if they've mastered the English language as well as you have!


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Welcome to the Fort Wayne Regional Trails Network! The network consists of more than 116 miles of multi-use trails in the Greater Fort Wayne Area and it includes more than 79 miles of interconnected trails. These trails provide recreation, health & fitness and active transportation opportunities for residents and visitors alike! Our trails see over 60,000 trail users a month during the summer months. So choose your mode of non-motorized travel and explore the trails! By all means, Walk All Over Us! Below are several of the key trails within the network.
Looking for a specific trail? Use these quick links to access a specific trail or scroll down to view all of the trail descriptions.
|Current Fort Wayne
Regional Trails Network
|Wabash & Erie Canal
Towpath Trail
|Aboite Trails
|Pufferbelly Trail
|Salomon Farm Loop
|Future Planned and
Proposed Trails
|Future Planned Trail:
The Cougar Trail
|Trail Maps Page
Current Fort Wayne Area Trail Network: Map
Trail Development Status Report (March)
The Fort Wayne Area Trails Network consists of more than 116 miles of trails and it continues to expand! The trails displayed on the regional trails network map are open and available for trail use. The map provides a good understanding of where the trails are located across the Greater Fort Wayne area. Scroll down to take a closer look at some of the individual trails within the network.
Rivergreenway Map
The Rivergreenway Trail is a 25 mile long linear park in Fort Wayne and New Haven, Indiana. It is the backbone of a growing network of trails in the Greater Fort Wayne area. The trails run along the riverbanks of the St. Joseph, St. Marys and Maumee Rivers, connecting to 15 city parks and providing trail users with a unique and protected green space for recreation, fitness, conservation and active transportation.
Check out the Rivergreenway webpage for more information about this trail.
Towpath Trail Map
Officially called the Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail because of the historic transportation route it follows. This trail is commonly referred to as just the Towpath Trail. It is 5.5 miles from Rockhill Park to the Lutheran Hospital campus, weaving through beautiful neighborhoods, scenic marshlands and near areas of commerce. The pivotal trail created a bike and pedestrian connection between the Aboite Trails and the Rivergreenway, providing more than 79 miles of connected trails within the trail network.
Aboite Trails Map
Explore 18 miles of trails in southwest Fort Wayne on the Aboite Trails. Trailhead parking areas include the Towpath Trailhead at Engle Road and Statesmans Way and also at the Indian Trails Park Trailhead on Aboite Center Road and Westlakes Drive. The Aboite Trails provide a challenging workout for trail users because of the hilly environment. With the completion of the Towpath Trail in 2011, trail users in southwest Fort Wayne are now connected with more than 79 miles of interconnected trails across the county, including trail access to downtown.
Pufferbelly Trail Map
Future Pufferbelly Trail Corridor Pufferbelly Trail from Lawton Park to Franke Park
Currently 2.25 miles of the Pufferbelly Trail have been constructed: 1 mile from Wallen Road to Dawsons Creek Blvd and 1.25 miles from Dupont Rd to Carroll Rd. Eventually, this trail will extend from the northern edge of Allen County south 13 miles where it will connect with the Rivergreenway in downtown Fort Wayne. The Pufferbelly Trail is one segment of a State Visionary Trail that will ultimately be 80-miles long, running from Pokagon State Park in Angola to Ouabache State Park in Bluffton.
In 2017, the City plans to construct 2.5 miles of this trail from downtown Fort Wayne north to Fernhill Avenue with a trail spur connecting to Franke Park and the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. The name "Pufferbelly" is derived from the historic nickname for a steam locomotive. To learn more about the Pufferbelly Trail, explore the Pufferbelly Trail Brochure.
Salomon Farm Loop Map
This 1.65 mile loop on the City's north side is situated at Salomon Farm Park at 817 W. Dupont Rd. It is our most heavily used trail within the network. It typically sees an average of 550 trail users per day during the trail season. The loop follows the perimeter of the park's property and passes by the Parkview YMCA. This loop provides a great setting for walks and runs that are both short and long. In addition, the Salomon Farm loop connects to the existing .9 mile segment of the Pufferbelly Trail on the east side of the park by the Parkview YMCA entrance.
Randallia Drive Trail
The Randallia Drive Trail stretches from St. Anne's Retirement Center to Lake Avenue. By constructing the new sidewalks, repairing some existing sidewalks and creating a trail along the east side of Randallia Drive, neighborhood residents in the area will have more connectivity to the Parkview Hospital Campus, the Mark Slen Trail on the Parkview Campus, the medical offices and the Veterans' AdministrationHospital on Lake, as well as connectivity to the Rivergreenway via sidewalks along Pemberton Drive.
Future Planned and Proposed Trails Map
There are miles and miles of planned and proposed trails in the Greater Fort Wayne Area! It will take many years to build all of the trails featured on this map. The planned trails, featured in brown on the map, are the priority trails that will likely be built before the proposed trails that are featured in green on the map.
Future Planned Trail: The Cougar Trail Map
The planned .82 mile Cougar Trail will start from the existing Yarnelle Trail, located along W. Jefferson Blvd. near West Swinney Park and it will proceed north along the abandoned rail corridor to the University of Saint Francis (USF) campus. The trail will utilize the abandoned railroad bridge across Main St. where it will proceed along the eastern side of Leesburg Rd. Once the trail crosses the railroad tracks near the USF Rolland Art Center, it will then cross to the western side of Leesburg Rd where it will connect with the existing USF trail network. Future plans will extend the Cougar Trail from USF to the Lindenwood Nature Preserve, Buckner Park and the Aboite Trails. The future Cougar Trail will also connect to the existing Rivergreenway and Towpath Trail via the Yarnelle Trail.


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Microsoft is keeping comparatively tight-lipped about its new "Concero" cloud services management tool, which the company appears to be positioning very much in the hybrid cloud space to oversee both on-premises and cloud-based services. Due to reside in the System Center family of products, the company is expected to speak more volubly on this offering at this week's Microsoft Management Summit 2011 in Las Vegas.
The summit website describes Concero as follows, "The move to cloud based deployment of services will result in deployments which are partly on private on-premise clouds based on VMM and Hyper-V and partly on Windows Azure. In this hybrid world, it is imperative to have a management tool that allows customers to deploy and manage their services across these environments. System Center codename 'Concero' is a self-service portal targeted at this customer base."
Esteemed technology writer Mary-Jo Foley has noted on her ZDNet blog a conversation that she had recently with Microsoft Office division president Kurt DelBene on cloud infrastructures. She notes that DelBene has suggested that, "Microsoft's focus on both private and public clouds reflected how customers are moving to the cloud. They're doing it in a staged way, typically, keeping some assets on their own servers and testing the cloud infrastructure with other less mission-critical data."
Other vendors point out that hybrid cloud computing is a moveable feast, saying that the nature of a hybrid cloud will depend on the exact requirements of the overall solution. Hybrid clouds are easy to manage and can be very flexible, so they should not be thought of as a one-size-fits-all solution -- to do so would be a wasted business opportunity. What all hybrid clouds do have in common is the ability to marry the specific advantages of a traditional IT infrastructure made up of dedicated server hardware with a public or private cloud solution. Being able to take the flexibility, scalability and cost-effectiveness of a public cloud and combine that with the security and customization of dedicated hardware allows businesses to realize the true benefits of a hybrid cloud solution and grow without worrying about the costs and timescales of deploying additional hardware.
VMware is also vocal on this topic. As reported on Dr Dobb's last week, the company has this month begun a new strategy designed to simplify and automate how developers should manage services in dynamic virtual and cloud environments. VMware vCenter Operations aims to replace traditional management tools and processes, which were designed to handle discrete processes across static computing stacks and cannot keep pace with the velocity of new virtual environments.


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Getty Images
The apartment Aaron Hernandez maintained roughly 20 minutes from his $1.3 million home has been called a "flop house."
Not many "flop houses" have a pool.
According to FOX 25 in Boston, investigators returned to the apartment complex in Franklin, Massachusetts area on Wednesday night for further searching. Per the report, the efforts focused on the pool area.
The biggest piece of evidence the police apparently haven't found is the gun that was allegedly used to kill Odin Lloyd. Previously, police searched a pond near Hernandez's home for the gun.
Pool or pond, they've got a much better chance of finding a Baby Ruth.