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What if there was a free online platform that could help your memory café bring in new members, volunteers and community donations, and also provide a place for these groups to share information, schedules and announcements?
You may have heard about Lotsa Helping Hands as a free online tool that can help family and friends coordinate care for a loved one who is experiencing challenging life circumstances. But last year, Lotsa Helping Hands added an 'Open Communities' option where people in need can ask for help from their broader community, and those who want to volunteer in their neighborhood can find local people and organizations who need their help. These Open Communities are proliferating rapidly, and larger organizations are now beginning to use this online platform (it is free for nonprofits).
I have not found any mention of a memory café using this platform to get the word out and coordinate volunteer efforts, but in my future endeavors to support multiple memory cafés in my hometown of San Francisco, I am going to give it a try. And here is why:
- Outreach capabilities: Perhaps the most important feature of the Open Community platform for neighborhood memory café organizing is that potential members and volunteers can easily find your café when they are looking for opportunities in their neighborhood. These Open Communities are searchable by zip code and community ID number. Each community has a place to describe their mission and post location and help-needed info in the directory. People who find your memory café through this Lotsa Helping Hands search would then have the option to visit your webpage and inquire about your program/volunteering opportunities or request help from your community.
- Donations: Local organizations looking to give back to the community can easily find your memory café using the zip code search, and then donate online via a 'Donate' tab or contact you directly about in-kind donations. Lotsa Helping Hands also provides a toolkit to facilitate correspondence with local organizations about potential donations.
- Groups: The Open Communities platform gives your organization the option to create distinct groups with adjustable privacy/permissions settings. Example groups could include individual memory cafés in your city/county or separate groups working within one café, such as volunteers focusing on outreach, outings, fundraising or activities.
- Calendar: This function can obviously be used to advertise café meeting schedules, but it is also useful for letting your community know when help is needed and who has volunteered to contribute to a specific task.
- Information sharing: The platform has additional bells and whistles including an announcements function (a system-generated option too), a message board, photo sharing, and a resources page where you could potentially provide a list of additional community-based dementia-related services available in the area.
If you want more details, you can watch the related webinar here. The Q & A at the end of the webinar also addresses the important issue of recruiting and vetting volunteers.
Facebook and Meetup are other social networking options for getting the word out about your memory café. Ken Capron of Maine's "Memory Works" is using the Meetup platform to organize all of the new memory cafés in Maine--check it out here. The Meetup network is searchable by location, date and keyword, which is very practical.
Another up-and-coming platform worth watching is IAM-CARE. They are in the process of creating an international, integrative, healthcare platform for dementia care, which aims to have health tools, information and networking available in one place. They are also looking for ways to help connect members to local community support options like memory cafés, and it will be interesting to see how they address this important need in the future.
Would you consider using a social networking platform to promote and organize your memory café? Can you suggest other options? Please let us know!


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After installing readium js viewer, I'm try to upload epubs . However I have this message : 'Importing epub * *Examining EPUB content...' without anything happen !
I tried with different files and have always this message.
It's necessary to put specific right for one or more files /folders on the server?
Thank you for your help

subset: commoncrawl


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Following the directions of new marketing initiatives, the person in charge of floors and decorations in wood, stone, steel and brass has been included in the staff. The various proposals currently in the project are divided as follows:
Progeny: a puzzle to choose in wood, marble, metals and leather, assembled on tiles of different sizes. The patterns are extremely varied, with reference to the extraordinary masterpieces of the Florentine Renaissance.
Marquetry: inlay made with different essences, designed as a central decorative element.
Geometric inlay: made with only one type of wood to choose from among the noblest as Oak, American Walnut, American Cherry, Teak, Ipe and many others. Processing such as heavy sandblasting and manual plugging enhance this type of surface.
Antique wood floors: starting from the availability of ancient woods (Teak, Walnut, Oak), restoration is carried out and they are assembled according to the project, which takes into account the characteristics of the material found. For example, some floors have been carried out with Oak recovered from old barrels with the incredibile coloration of the must.


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Daily Homily, Saturday July 13
7/13/2013 05:26:10 am
Greetings Father Jeffrey, I am grateful to God for you....as a Facebook friend for quite some time. My husband & I are grateful for your prayers for over a year now. And being we have had many unusual dramatic interuptions which God has sent us in flight many times, I have never had a tremendous amount of time to spend reading all of the beautiful "nuggets" that each Facebook friend has on their Facebook. Today was first time I ever saw the link over to your homilies and it was most joyous to her your soft gentle voice for the first time. I am grateful to know you have this that I can come listen to any day & hear the Gospel & your homily.
Leave a Reply.
Omnia Christus Est Nobis
Christ is everything for us!
August 2019
I am a Roman Catholic Priest from California. I spent 13 wonderful years years as a member of the Province of the Pacific in the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. The outline of my life can be traced here.
Friend's Blogs


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Learn to trim the sails and assist the skipper during this strenuous entry level course, with a focus on how to be a good crew in light to moderate wind conditions. Upon completion of the program, participants will understand basic sailing techniques including tacking and gybing, sail trim, and emergency preparedness. Registration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable
Cleveland Metroparks staff can adapt many programs to be accessible to anyone who would
like to participate assuming they meet the essential eligibility criteria. Reasonable
accommodation can also be made. Please make a request at the time of registration but
no later than 72 business hours prior to the program. Contact us at
or at these telephone numbers.
During the course of the evening, campers will track an Amur tiger through the taiga and look for...
Career Day at the Zoo is a wild experience! Explore the professional fields of animal care...
Learn kayaking essentials in the warmth of a pool.


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White cliffs of Dover to be bought by National Trust
A section of the white cliffs of Dover is to be bought by the National Trust after it raised £1.2m in an appeal.
The 0.8 mile section will complete a five-mile stretch of coastline owned by the trust, between Dover port and South Foreland lighthouse.
Launched in June, the appeal reached its total two months earlier than expected.
The trust said the area is important to wildlife and is home to Kent's only kittiwakes.
The area of chalk cliffs have populations of Adonis blue butterflies and peregrine falcons and plants including oxtongue broomrape and sea carrot grow there.
Alison Burnett, a volunteer with the National Trust, said: "This chalky stretch of coastline symbolises so much for so many people and it's wonderful to think that we've managed to raise the money so that future generations can enjoy all that this unique place has to offer."
The appeal was supported by singer and World War II forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn who is famous for her wartime classic song (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover.
Other well-know figures who backed the trust's appeal included chef Rick Stein, actor Richard E Grant, yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur and comedian Paul O'Grady.
Kent resident Mr O'Grady said: "The white cliffs are Kent's most famous and stunning landscape and have a very special place in many of our hearts."
The trust manages the cliffs as chalk grassland, parts of which are grazed by Exmoor ponies to preserve the natural flora and support wildlife.
The public are able to walk along the cliffs from the visitor centre above Dover harbour to the lighthouse.
However, part of the stretch is privately owned and in places fields come close to the edge of cliffs, leaving just a narrow piece of land for the coastal path.
The cliffs are receding at an average rate of 1cm (0.4in) per year, but occasionally large chunks crash into the sea.
The National Trust, which acquired its first stretch of the white cliffs in 1968, looks after more than 720 miles of coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland.


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Good day lovelies!
How has everyone been lately? Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!
I recently picked up some skincare products from online. One of the products that immediately caught my attention was this Innisfree Olive Heating Mask. To be honest, I'm sucker for products containing olive oil. I buy olive oil hair masks, treatments etc. So when I saw this mask, I added it to my cart without hesitation.
Okay, less rave and more talk about the actual product.
Once again, I forgot to keep the box that the product came in. I'm the total opposite of a hoarder- I like to throw things out. From memory, the product came in a small green cardboard box which looks like it was made from recycled paper. You guys know what I mean right?
The mask is contained in a small glass container similar to those that hold jams and spreads. The whole vibe from the packaging is that it is very earthy and environmentally friendly.
Asides from olive oil, this mask also contains green complex native to Jeju Island which includes greentea, rapeseed, citrus, cactus and volcanic ground water. This cocktail of ingredients sounds like it would do amazing things for the skin.
The brand also boasts about it's 7 free principles which are no mineral oil, no artificial colours, no artificial fragrances, no triclosan, no benzophenones, no parabens and best of all no animal testing!
What it claims
It is a heating massage mask that contains organic olive extract from the Mediterranean. This transforms your dried and rough skin into moist and smooth.
Smell: As soon as I open this product, there is a distinctive smell of Indian spices. In particular, (I think it may be) cumin. I love curries and the smell of them. But this to me smelt a little bit strange. Reminded me of the chinese medicine that I was forced to drink when I was younger.
Texture: This has a VERY sticky consistency. It feels like honey but more viscous. When you turn the container upside down, the product does not budge at all. That's how sticky it is. Throughout the mask, there are tiny granules which I believe is what gives the product it's scent- Indian spices.
On the skin: It was really sticky on the face to the point where I felt a little uncomfortable. As I massaged the product in, I began to feel a warming sensation which was quite pleasant. After massaging it in, I left it on for about 10 minutes and washed off the product. My skin did feel really moist- felt like moisture was sealed in.
Overall: I was a bit turned off this product after my first use. The smell and the texture was just something I couldn't tolerate. However, it did do what it claimed. My skin did feel soft and smooth afterwards but there are other products which smell and feel better on the market which does the same job.
Has anyone else tried this? Did you like the smell and texture of this?
Does anyone use warming masks, if so recommend one please?


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It will bring Yahoo's editorial expertise, extensive data and native advertising through Yahoo Gemini -- a marketplace for mobile and native ads.
"With Yahoo Storytellers, we're offering a better way for brands to create powerful content that's informed by data and engages the right audience." said Gurmit Singh, Vice President and Managing Director, Yahoo India.
Yahoo Storytellers will help brands build content consulting services, development of premium video, a full range of editorial content and influencer activations across social platforms.
In India, Yahoo has partnered with multiple brands to help them create successful campaigns, including Accenture, Amazon, Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Tourism Australia, among others.


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Best Blogger Templates Style - Photo Gallery Dark Is a Photography Theme One Column Blogger Template with a No Sidebar.The Template Colors are dark and almost fully black.The Templates Features Include a block of 20 pictures are displayed on the home page.These pictures can be clicked to pop out for a better view and on hover a link also appears to view the associated post.A great blog for Photographers, Designers and portfolios.You can download This Photography Gallery Blogger Template for Free from BestBloggerTemplates.Net.
Similar Templates - Best Photography Blogger Templates
Help And Installation :
- Video Tutorial How To Download And Install A Blogger Theme.
- Blogger / Blogspot Tips, Gadgets and Help From Our Blog.
Designer And Customizations - Template Designer
Comments Encouraged - Drop Your Comments, Views And Questions Below !


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Puerto Rico Governor's Office for Elderly Affairs - AFB Directory Profile
General Information
Puerto Rico Governor's Office for Elderly Affairs
P.O. Box 50063
Old San Juan Station
San Juan, PR 00902
(787) 721-6121 (Local)
(787) 725-4300 (Fax)
Brief Description
Geographic area served: Puerto Rico.
Carmen Delia Sánchez Salgado, Ombusdman for the Elderly
Services Offered
Services for Adults
- Information and Referral
- Provides referrals to Area Agencies on Aging and information on other local aging services.


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I met my dear friend Christina on the first day of beginning art class while attending junior college. She walked into the classroom and just oozed cool and confidence. She had a silver nose ring and a tiny star tattoo on her ankle. She was loud, with a big voice and even bigger hair. She was my polar opposite, but from that first moment I saw her, I wanted to be her friend. Fast forward eleven years, two college degrees, marriages, first home purchases, and one adorable baby boy (hers, not mine) and I'm still so happy that I get to call her my friend. Even if we don't talk or get to see each other as much as we used to, it just feels like we can pick up where we left off each time. One of the best kinds of friendship, in my opinion.
For my thirtieth birthday this year, she took me out for drinks and unveiled this gorgeous painting. One that I'd been wanting for years, but never knew what it looked like. This girl just gets me. And especially my taste in art. The best part? She painted it just for me. An original, my friends. How lucky am I?
So here it is, friends. One of the best gifts I've ever received. I wanted to take a picture and show it off. It brightens up my living room in the best way and I love how it just pops against the grey wall in our living room. Thank you, Tina, from the bottom of my heart. I love you, friend.
See more of Christina's work in her Etsy shop and on her blog. For original works, contact her here.
Other art in this post from left: my original drawing for Restless. Limited edition prints available at Minted.com. Original encaustic deer piece by Amy Ruppel.


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The report was lodged with the department's "UFO desk" and has been disclosed as part of a release of previously confidential documents now held by the National Archives.
A member of the public reported seeing the craft hovering over the Palace of Westminster for about half an hour.
The object was said to have green, red and white lights and remained static in the clear, cloudless sky, in February 2008.
The apparent eyewitness said they had been standing outside, "opposite" the building, and saw the object directly above it.
An official at the UFO desk wrote to the member of the public stating that the department was "satisfied that there is no corroborating evidence to suggest that the United Kingdom's airspace was breached by unauthorised aircraft".
It is not the only UFO sighting at a national landmark contained in the newly released files.
There were also reports of mysterious objects above Blackpool pier in October 2008, over Stonehenge, in January 2009, and above Hampton Court, in October 2009.
More highlights of some of the most unusual MoD reports


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Christmas Stampin All Year Long Challenge #33
Happy Labor Day Friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful day! Do you have any grand plans for today? My day will probably me a mellow one. . .I'm not feeling well today. It started off with my allergies but I think it's more than an allergy, it may be a cold instead. Because I have allergies practicially daily. . some days are worse than other days. It is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between a cold and allergy. Actually, there is a distinction between the two. With allergies, the symptoms are limited to sneezing, runny nose, itchy or teary eyes. When it's a cold, you have general malaise, your post nasal drip begins to thicken and may change from clear to yellow, you may develop a low grade fever and develop a cough or sore throat. That's when you know it's a cold and not allergies.
The Paper Garden" to host our challenge! Debbie's challenge is a fun one. . .the challenge is "Paper Piecing". . .simple huh?
Anyway. . .stop by Christmas Stampin All Year Long and check out the beautiful cards the design team created! Hope you'll play along this week!
Hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day!
Card Details:
Stamps: ?
Paper: SU Designer Paper, Kiwi Kiss, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Copic Markers, Scribbles Iridescent paint
Accessories: Nestabilities, Fiskar Scallop Scissors, Walmart Ribbon


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Notary Near Me ™ » Arizona » Buckeye
Welcome to the Buckeye notary search results. Browse the directory for local Buckeye notary listings. Pro members in Buckeye, AZ will be listed near the top of the page in the "featured" section. Most of the Buckeye mobile notary members are experienced with loan signings.
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A reading from the Book of Judges, the third chapter.
1 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods. (Judges 3:1–6 ESV)
Why might Israel need to know war? Why might God need to know whether Israel will do as it is commanded?
God already knows Israel won't. This is settled. Judges begins with this failure. God knows Israel will fail, will not fight and not separate itself and will, instead, subjugate and copulate with the people of Canaan. (You likely cannot have one without the other.) And worship their gods.
So, is war good for Israel? War is inescapable. As Israel intertwines itself with the people whose land they are settling, they will also be subjugated by those people. The wars Israel will fight will no longer be for conquest, but for survival and liberation. They will need rescuing, redeeming. War will be the instrument of their (all-too-regular) redemption. And so the rest Israel was given briefly at the end of Joshua's leadership will remain a dream, a distant dream.
In this, I am reminded of the expulsion of Eden, when Adam is expelled from the Garden and the ground cursed. He shall have to sweat and work for his bread from a ground that once gave plenty with little or no work. He shall fight thorns and thistles, and for what? For uncertain daily bread. Fighting a ground for his sustenance he shall be buried in when he dies.
Some days will be good. And some will not.
And so, Israel struggles. Mostly against itself. Mostly against its sin. Against the consequences of its sin. God will continue to fight for Israel — the people of God were no more abandoned than were Adam and Eve. But God does not alter their condition any. War will be their lot, their struggle, their fate. For both subjugation and liberation. We will win, and we will lose.
A day will come when Israel will no longer need to learn war — Isaiah 2:4 promises that day will come — but it is not today. Today, we learn to fight.
Because without our will to fight, God cannot be in our midst.


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A blog devoted to anarchism, socialism, evolutionary biology, animal behavior and a whole raft of other subjects
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The following call for a solidarity action with Chipotle workers in the Minneapolis area comes from the SEIU Local 26.
Solidarity with Chipotle Workers Action
Time Thursday, January 20 · 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location SEIU Local 26 Union Hall
706 North 1st Street, Suite 110
Minneapolis, MN
Created By SEIU Local 26
More Info
Join us and our allies as we let Chipotle know that workers rights are just as important as animal rights. We'll be gathering at the SEIU Local 26 Hall and traveling to a nearby restaurant to let the fast-food restaurant know enough is enough.
Integrity starts with people.
In December, right before Christmas, Chipotle abruptly fired more than 150 Latino immigrant workers at multiple stores in Minneapolis, MN without notice or paying back wages. To continue using "Mexican" in its name and the chili pepper in its logo, we expect Chipotle to treat the hardworking Mexican American employees who've made their company a success with integrity and respect.
Chipotle prides itself on serving food with integrity; however it is not sufficiently committed to treating people with dignity. In fact, Chipotle treats its chickens and hogs better than it treats its employees The slogan, "Food with Integrity" means nothing when employees are treated with disdain.
The real winners of today's broken immigration system are companies like Chipotle who reap huge profits off of a low-wage immigrant workforce. Instead of standing up for a comprehensive solution that would lift all worker wages, Chipotle scapegoats its workers and turns a blind eye, supporting practices and politicians that are anti-immigrant. Enforcement without comprehensive immigration reform just perpetuates a system
where corporations profit, workers suffer and our immigration problems continue to fester without relief.
• We are calling upon Chipotle to stand up and treat its workers with the same dignity they give to their ingredients. We are asking Chipotle to do the following:
* Pay, in full, back wages to immigrant workers wrongly fired at Chipotle stores in Minneapolis, MN.
* Stand up for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, because it's good for workers and it's good for companies.
* Refuse to work with suppliers that support anti-immigrant candidates through political contributions.
6 comments:
What are you talking about with this "back wages" thing? Are you saying that the fired workers are not being paid for time they actually worked? Can you document that in some way? I find it kind of hard to believe.
- mollymew said...
I love this sort of thing. Quite frankly if you are simply a disinetrested member of the public who questions things I will shit my pants in public. Chipotle has taken advantage of the investigations by La Migra in which THEY should have been charged to skim a few dollars off their legal obligations. Here are four references, out of DOZENS on the matter. The first one is most relevant.
1)Stamford Advocate http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Fired-Workers-Protest-at-Chipotle-916788.php
2)Diversity News http://diversitynews.com/news/chipotle-conducts-mass-firings-of-latino-workers
3)City Pages (Minneapolis) http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/12/chipotle_launch.php
4)The Wobbly Goblin http://wobblygoblin.wordpress.com/2010/12/latino-workers-mass-immigration-firings
I could go on and on, but I am SURE that you think that these workers don't DESERVE pay for the hours they have worked. Take it up with SEIU Local 16 if you like.
What a nice way you have of expressing yourself Molly. But yes, I am a disinterested member of the public, in the sense I have no connection with Chipotle or anyone working for Chipotle. Actually my connection with C. is just that I eat their burritos about once a week, in a place far far away from Minnesota.
So I read the first story you provided and it sounds to be a he said she said story (or rather a workers say, chipotle says, story).
"The company said it is paying employees all wages owed, including bonuses earned and any unused vacation time. In addition, employees whose status has been questioned by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency are being given the opportunity to provide documentation to correct any administrative errors that may have been made, the company said."
As to what I think about these workers, I think they should be paid everything owed them including vacation time etc, and then deported. And yes I agree that we should change the law so that employers face charges as well as employees.
So Molly have you ever asked yourself what is happening at these Chipotle stores right now? Like they haven't shut down, have they? So what did they do? Obviously they hired *legal Americans*. Those countrymen of yours were doubtless glad to get the job. Why are you not on their side?
Some reading for you:
Just because the sinister thug union you seem to be tied to has concocted a global plan to break down borders in order to increase their membership, does not make it a right or moral position to take. It is shameful for anyone to join with them in that.
- mollymew said...
Well Sharon,
Now that you have ceased from frantically dropping back here to continue the argument....I wish that I had kept track. It was MORE than 10 times but less than 15 (I think)...it's time for reply. I will have to take you at your word as being "disinterested", but I could hardly call this sort of thing "uninterested". Seems like something that pushes certain buttons, but more on that later.
First of all, the statement of the company basically boils down to a "we'll think about it" at the time of a meeting in January. Hopefully this has already happened, and "hopefully" proper compensation hs been paid by now even though Minnesota law requires compensation within two weeks. The time of the dismissals was back in December.
Speaking of LAW I think you should be ashamed, as an American, by the fact that I, as a Canadian, have to REMIND you of the obvious. IT has been illegal for decades !!! for anyone to employ an illegal immigrant in the USA under federal law. The "trick" is that La Migra (ICE) almost only enforces this sort of thing against the immigrants and employers are rarely prosecuted. Perhaps you are unaware of this because of the rarity of such prosecutions.
The usual procedure is for the employer to give the employee 90 DAYS before termination to produce the required documentation. This is QUITE different from an immediate termination. On the other hand you are obviously under a serious !!! delusion that the employer in question would "hire legal Americans" (whatever that is beyond registered Indian tribes) rather than simply go short staffed and demand speed-ups and enforced overtime until the "heat had cleared" and they would hire more people that they could easily exploit. Such faith in the goodness of Chipotle is truly touching.
I'll deal with the "thugishness" later.
- mollymew said...
Thuggishness !!!
I am quite impressed (not) by your implication that the SEIU are a "sinister thug union". WOW, you'd think you were talking about the Teamsters under Jimmy Hoffa. Excuse me...we are talking about people who are basically a bunch of retail clerks. No doubt there are some big and impressive members amongst them, but don't you think you are being a little bit silly !!! by repeating conservative propaganda about their "intimidation factor ?
Probably not, because I think this sort of thing is beyond you. I googled "SEIU thugs" and got 18,400 hits. I googled "Tea Party thugs" and got 261,000 hits. BIG difference !. I have to admit that a lot of the hits on the Tea Party were them whining and complaining about losing fights and (literally) repeating over and over about how one of their buses had been egged. In right wing American mythology the SEIU seems to have become Goliath, the Nephilim, the Daityas, the Titans, the Jotan, Paul Bunyan, the Cawr, the Oni,and Finn MacCumhail all at once. The SEIU should be proud for being so overestimated, even if the overestimation is quite silly.
Still there was enough "thuggery" on the part of the Tea Party to more than outweight anything from ALL the unions, let alone the SEIU. Now I know that we could both trade "thuggery" stories (with me giving three and you giving one given the country you live in) untl we both were long since deceased. Seems like politics is a blood sport down there. Literally !!
However, I will accept your rant about how you don't like immigrants for what it is. It's your privilege. I do suggest, however, that you consider learning another language- like most of the civilized world has. Maybe that will be Spanish, a language that is actually much more rational than English. Or maybe in your case it might be Korean.
If you don't us northern neighbours who are more civilized are more than willing to pick up the slack and buy you out and put you to work at fast food restaurants. You are free to retain your illusion of superiority in such a case. We are nothing if not generous, and we won't demand that you be repatriated to the depressed communities you will come from.
- mollymew said...
So goddamn good of us even if you have bad attitudes that make you unfit to live amongst civilized people. We'll deal with it as it comes.


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BELMONT, N.C. - The Emmanuel College Men's Basketball Team took on Belmont Abbey for Friday afternoons game. In a tough matchup, the Lions fell short 116-104.
In what proved to be one of the most competitive matchups this season, the teams had 9 lead changes and both had impressive field goal percentages above 54%. The teams were tied up at 88-88 before the Crusaders began to pull away. With under 7 minutes left in the game, Belmont Abbey was able to drive in a few layups then capitalize on several fouls to capture the victory.
Leading the Lions with his first double double of the season was Kendrick Colvin (#23) with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lions will step back on the court next Tuesday, Jan. 9th against Erskine College.
For more news on Emmanuel College Athletics, visit goeclions.com


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An Analysis into E-Commerce and Network Security Concerns for SME Sized Organisations
Social Workers Experiences of Trust and Silence When Working With Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children
A Dissertation on New Social Movement Theory
To What Extent Should Social Work Practice Be Informed By Social Research?
Sociology and Social Policy Dissertation: Child Protection and Disability
No Jobs & No Oil: The Unsustainability of Full Employment and Cheap Energy
The Crisis of Masculinity… What Crisis?
The Use of the Internet and Email by the Family: The Effects on Family Relationships
An Analysis in Nursing Shortages and Counter Solutions
The Expanding Role of Mental Health Nurse Prescribing
International Businesses Entry Mode in China
Do Organisations With Successful CRM Software and Technologies Benefit From Better Financial Performance
Empirical Tests of Consumption based Asset Pricing Models
Create an Application That Compares Two Databases and Provides Feedback to the User about the Differences in Structure and Content
Is Postnatal Depression A Cause For Concern Two Years After Delivery, If So Should The Postnatal Care System Be Modified To Suit Women's Needs
A Study into the Threats of Email Phishing Attacks on Online Banking Security
An Investigation into the Real Estate Industry in China


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Origin: Tuberosity of the calcaneus
Insertion: Medial aspect of base of proximal phalanx of hallux
Nerve: Medial plantar nerve
Action: Abducts hallux
Antagonist: Adductor hallucis muscle
The Abductor hallucis lies along the medial border of the foot and covers the origins of the plantar vessels and nerves. It arises from the medial process of the tuberosity of the calcaneus, from the laciniate ligament, from the plantar aponeurosis, and from the intermuscular septum between it and the Flexor digitorum brevis. The fibers end in a tendon, which is inserted, together with the medial tendon of the Flexor hallucis brevis, into the tibial side of the base of the first phalanx of the great toe.
Variations.—Slip to the base of the first phalanx of the second toe.


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During the evening hours of 13 June, commuters on Delhi Metro's Blue Line were stranded after the overhead wiring was hit by an eagle, making it sag and cause a short circuit.
It took the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) almost two hours to do the necessary repair work and until then trains ran on a single line from Noida City and Vaishali to west Delhi's Dwarka, that too during peak hours when office-goers were done for the day and heading home.
The Blue Line is the busiest of all Delhi Metro lines, carrying 30 percent of the 30 lakh commuters who use it everyday. Unfortunately, it is also the one most vulnerable to snags.
The Blue Line runs largely overground and that exposes it to potential obstructions such as the bird hit which caused yesterday's shut down. But a recent report in the Hindustan Times pointed out another reason.
DMRC officials have pointed out that the signalling system used by the Blue Line is outdated and that is the main reason behind the delays.
The DMRC had used the best available technology in 2005, when the line was inaugurated, but the signalling system has become obsolete. The newer metro lines are equipped with new signalling systems.
It takes longer to resolve glitches in the old signalling system and a delay in one train's schedule affects other trains as well.
In February this year, a glitch in the signalling system at the Dwarka station on the Blue Line had caused delays.
In December 2016, operations on the Blue Line were disrupted for almost two hours, and even after the long wait, the DMRC only managed to solve the problem partially. A few days earlier, smoke detected in one of the coaches due to faulty air conditioning had caused panic and delayed services. And, in 2015, a signalling system problem had caused disruptions on the Blue Line.
Changing the signalling system would require the line to shut down for months and would inconvenience tens of thousands of people. Regardless, the DMRC needs to come up with a solution to the problem.
Also on HuffPost India


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Friday, August 04, 2006
What clinched it for Yanuk?
Some reports say that a pre-recorded video tape, announcing the VR's dismissal, was handed over to TV companies at around 7 pm for broadcasting later that evening.
By 8 pm, Yushchenko recalls the video tape. Also present around this time in the President's offices were Andriy Klyuyev and Petro Poroshenko, who were busy 'divvying up' Cabinet posts between PoR and NSNU. [From Ukr.Pravda]
In a TV interview today, Tymoshenko's #2, Oleksandr Turchynov, said the following:
"And we considered that a person who travelled such a difficult road, in order to occupy this post [of President] should act according to the post. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. Already after the decision was taken about the dissolution of parliament, after a cassette was recorded with an address to the nation, [further] negotiations took place between Yushchenko, Yanukovych, and Moroz, behind closed doors. I do not know what arguments they presented to him. Maybe they reminded him about RosUkrEnergo, maybe others..."
The dim cow of an interviewer did not pick up on this last remark immediately, as any half decent journalist would, but continued with scripted questions..
Another commentator in Ukr Pravda notes that at the same time that discussions were taking place between the President and the Anti-Crisis Coalition, the coalition set up a parliamentary investigative commission to look into the activities of the State oil and gas company, 'Naftogaz Ukrainy'.
The commentator suggests that this may have been the prime reason Yushchenko did not dismiss parliament, and that the kompromat material which may have been revealed had fresh elections taken place, is exclusively in the hands of Moroz.
"The already-created commission - [well] this is just a means to simultaneously take-over control of shadow schemes, involving the State company, from Yushchenko's people," she adds.
It is becoming apparent the President was in two minds until the last minute as to what to do, but it was during final meeting with Yanukovych and Moroz that he finally decided to go with 'Yanuk for PM'..
[PoR's Bohatyrova and NSNU's Poroshenko giving someone the 'dead-eye' in the VR today.]
4 comments:
I watched "Garazh" the other day, (and Gosti is Buduschego last week) and now I'm snickering, because Poroshenko reminds me of Viacheslav Nevinnyy.
- MattyJ said...
Can someone explain why Lutsenko called Moroz a bastard? I was under the impression that he disliked the Regions and was so committed to Democracy that he would never work under Yanukovych. So what is this? He appears to be the new Interior Minister in Yanukovych's government? Don't get me wrong, im pleased. But is it not slight hypocricy?
- LEvko said...
Lutsenko is supposed to be giving a press conference on Friday to explain his unexpected volte-face.
My theory is that he has gathered a lot of kompromat since the OR, so could be useful to Yanuk, who has potential enemies in his own camp and beyond too.
'Keep your friends close to your chest..but keep your enemies even closer..' Machiavelli.
Actually the caption to the photo is incorrect - they are not looking at the same person but ARE deep in discussion. Of course trying not to make it so.
And my theory on Yanuk keeping Lutsenko is to give himself (Yanuk) the image of being clean - reflected from Lutsenko. My ques. is HOW long will Lutsenko stick around before he quits (but where will he go?) - anyone placing any bets?


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Purpose: Provide oversight to staff on facility and maintenance related projects with emphasis on Measure O and share with Board for formal approvals.
Schedule: Once a month.
Mr. Brent Lee
Committee Chair
Mr. Tom Hunt
Committee Member
Riverside Unified School District prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying in all district programs, activities, and employment on the basis of actual or perceived
ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, parental or marital status, pregnancy,
or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
If you have any complaints or questions regarding this policy you may contact Senior Administrator
for Pupil Services or the District Complaint Officer at (951) 788-7135 or (951) 352-1200. Click Here for More Information
Remember If you see something suspicious, say something.
Contact WeTip at: 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-782-7463) or log-on and submit a tip at www.wetip.com
For safety policy click here
Need help with drug abuse or mental health? Please visit RUSD's Care Solace page for support.


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Z 1995 Minnesota Duck Stamp Print - Gadwall By Bruce Miller
1995 Minnesota Duck Stamp Print - Gadwall by Bruce Miller is available for sale as a Signed and Numbered Limited Edition of only 2,000 Signed and Numbered prints with a 6-1/2 x 9 Image Size and is for sale for $155 unframed. The prints and stamps are in mint condition and have never been framed and include original print folder. These stamps and prints can be ordered unframed or framed any way you want. We are a full service custom picture frame shop and can build a design to meet any style or budget. If you want they can be framed to match your existing collection. If you want us to match any framing please email us some photos. Order your print today. All prints are professionally boxed and insured and guaranteed to arrive in mint condition. In this winning design the artist painted a lone Gadwell resting near the shore.
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Key Words:
Experimental, bold, humourous, playful, explorative, unisex, sporty-chic, pioneer, contemporary.
"C.J.YAO"is a fashion label named from the combination of her first name initials and surname. It adheres to unique, unisex and neat cutting style which combines traditional handicraft art and modern aesthetic concept. C.J.YAO is also specialized for its use of seldom-used textures in collections with industrial sense of design like the brand's beloved natural timber. This is not so much conceptual, irrational or experimental as the designer's 'unruliness and untrammeled' understanding and redefinition of fashion, that is to achieve balance between exquisiteness and jocosity.
C.J loves geometric aesthetics and combination of different textures. she abandons redundant and garish ornaments and breaks the traditional rule of gender and age. The combination of large areas of color block and its unique and neat cutting style all together presents an unconventional and special modern aesthetics.
C.J. was raised in Shanghai, China. She awarded the 1ST RUNNER UP of ASIAN YOUNG FASHION DESIGNERS CONTEST in Singapore Fashion Week in 2006 before going to London to study Fashion Design.
C.J. has graduated from womenswear Central Saint Martins in London in 2012. She has also worked for the Alexander Mcqueen during her studies. Her final collection has been selected and shown successfully at the Press Show 2012 and also features in <i-D>, <Vulture>, <Dmag> , <ELLE>, <Vogue> etc. She was called as "Next Generation" by <i-D> magazine.
C.J. YAO,has made her debut in China on October 21st 2014 during Shanghai Fashion Week to present its 2015 spring and summer collection. Since her attention attracted London Graduation Show of Central Saint Martins in 2012, the young talent C.J. has deliberately kept low profiles in establishing and running her own label, which is registered, both in the UK and China. After two season's preparation, she finally presents her name brand C.J. YAO in Shanghai, her hometown. In 2015, C.J. has presented her A/W 15 collection at Fashion Scout in London Fashion Week. Now the collection has been published on UK VOGUE website as one of their designer label.
The label is based on developing the ideas of the new aesthetic appreciation of women with contemporary lifestyles and attitudes. It is not only filled with power and pioneers, but also carries modern and grace, becoming the distinctive and unforgettable visual memories.


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Today, we will introduce MenuLibre, a project created by Sean Michael Davis that offers many advanced features for editing menus of desktop environments such as Gnome, Unity, LXDE, or XFCE. The user interface of MenuLibre is very simple to use and is based on GTK+.
Here are some of the functions that you can do with MenuLibre:
- Create/modify launchers
- Edit user/system menus
- Add/remove/re-order quicklists
- Modify categories of installed applications
- View/modify application commands, etc.
You can have an overview of MenuLibre by watching this video:
To install MenuLibre on Ubuntu 12.10/12.04/11.10 or Linux Mint 13 or older, open the terminal and run these commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:menulibre-dev/devel
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install menulibre
When opening MenuLibre via the Unity Dash, you should select Menu Editor not Main Menu because they use both the same icon:
MenuLibre Home Page


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Courses Search and Views Navigation
Courses for April 11, 2019 › CSFT
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Designed For: Those who require the CICCS Incident Commander ICT4, and this class is hard to come by. So you might as well take this class with an instructor who was an initial and extended attack IC: Battalion Chief Jeff Brand (ret.) CAL FIRE. Chief Brand was the IC on numerous type 1 incidents including: [...]Find out more


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We believe elevating where you live is about blending it seamlessly with how you live. We go to great lengths designing amenities and choosing locations that put everything within reach. Where you live, is where you come alive.
Experience the rich tradition and heritage provided by the small town atmosphere of Downtown Campbell. This greater San Jose apartment community is conveniently located near the best of Silicon Valley and offers a myriad of features and amenities. Enjoy a leisure stroll with family and friends to charming shops, sidewalk cafes and restaurants in the pleasant ambiance of the historic district, or unwind at our Olympic-sized pool or state of the art fitness center.
Our exquisite Campbell apartments are available in one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts and are equipped with a range of top of the line amenities such as gourmet kitchens, private patios, and high speed internet. Regardless of your taste, our thoughtfully designed and spacious floor plans provide you with a space you are proud to call home. With all of this and more just steps from your door at Avalon Campbell, it is easy to understand why people love living in our apartments in Campbell. This is not just apartment living. This is living up. Read More
The apartments for rent at Avalon Campbell are as distinct as the town of Campbell itself. Our charming community is situated very close to a host of amazing shopping and dining venues, as well as some fun local attractions. For example, you can visit the Campbell Historical Museum or Ainsley House, indulge at the weekly Farmers' Market, or spend a relaxing day at any one of the beautiful parks and gardens in the city. As a resident of Avalon Campbell you will also have easy access to bus and other public transportation, which ensures you will always be able to get to where you need to be.
There are certain privileges that only Avalon residents can enjoy. In fact, we have an exclusive program called the Avalon Advantage that offers all residents a peaceful lifestyle via amazing benefits such as the 30-day move in guarantee, maintenance response guarantee, and a national relocation program. In essence, Avalon Campbell is the ideal Bay Area apartment community and we do everything in our power to make your stay with us a wonderful and convenient one.
So don't waste any more time! Contact us to schedule an appointment and discover the best Campbell apartments right now!
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Your pets are part of your family. That means finding a home that welcomes all of you. We couldn't agree more, which is why we are a pet-friendly community and created WAG The Pet Program to take pet-friendly living to the next level.
Cats and dogs are welcome! Please check the dog breed and pet restrictions below.
Max of 2 Pets Allowed
Max Weight Limit: N/A
AvalonBay Communities reserves the right to deny residency to any animal deemed aggressive whose breed is not explicitly listed. Should your pet injure any other pets, residents or AvalonBay Communities associates, you will be asked to remove the pet from the premises immediately.
Pets must be on a leash at all times when outside the apartment home. If applicable, dogs must be leashed whenever entering and exiting the Pet Park, but may be unleashed while within the enclosure of the Pet Park.
The following breeds are restricted:
* Other pets may also be restricted. Please contact our community for details.
For Residents: One free parking space will be assigned to each apartment home. Additional spaces, carports, and underground spaces may be rented for a monthly fee. Residents may park a second car for free in any open parking spaces within the community. This parking is first come, first served.
For Future Residents: Future residents may park for free in designated spaces in front of the leasing office. No parking permits or passes are required.
For Guests: Guests may park for free in any open parking spaces within the community.
Maybe you want room to entertain. Maybe you're going for class without the extravagance. Maybe you'll know when you see it. So look around, and make yourself at home.
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Find more Avalon locations and other properties designed by the people that bring you Avalon, here.
You've put a lot in to get where you are. You deserve the freedom to enjoy it. So go ahead. Shed the hassles of ownership without sacrificing the comforts of home. Rent to live. Avalon style.
Affordable Housing options are available. Click here for more information.
Cats and dogs welcome! Check out WAG The Pet Program and see what we do to take pet-friendly living to the next level.
We partnered with CORT Furniture to make it easier for you to actually live in our apartment homes even when you can't have your own furniture come along.
Everyone has their own definition of a healthy lifestyle, so we offer a variety of spaces and places, information and inspiration, and some little extras to help you find your fit.
Your pets are part of your family. That means finding a home that welcomes all of you. We couldn't agree more, which is why we offer pet-friendly communities across the country and created WAG The Pet Program to take pet-friendly living to the next level.
Change is inevitable. Should it happen to your apartment needs, you'll get to keep the standard of service you expect at any one of our communities, with additional perks to smooth your transition.


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When a group of people get together and decide that maybe there are some pretty amazing companies in our community that could use a little help once in awhile – some interesting things can happen. And that's what Seeds for Dreams is.
Companies don't always need a million dollars, or even several hundred thousand. Sometimes all they need is a small influx of cash to help them build a retail website, or hire a marketing specialist, or design specialist or sales person – and well the list could be endless. And that is what we have decided to do.
A core group of about 8 of us brainstormed, reached out to our various networks to see if there was an appetite for this face-to-face type of crowdfunding, and the answer was a resounding yes.
This is NOT a traditional organization. There are people who take on tasks, get them done. We don't have a bank account or a treasurer, or any formal structure. We will receive applications. We will select 4. We will invite the Seeds for Dreams Members to come and listen to the pitch. A winner will be chosen. All of the members will write cheques to the winner. And the cycle will begin again in three months.
The Seeds for Dreamers
Jill Sauter, Andrea Hansen, Mary Donlevy-Konkin, Marie Savostianik
Laurel Reich, Laurie Dmytryshyn, Katrina German, Steph Yong, (Lorna Shaw-Lennox missing in Mexico)


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If you have gum disease, then you may understand that an advanced treatment like a root scaling or planing may be needed to help combat the issue. If so, then you may also need some additional or added treatments once the planing is completed. These complimentary treatments can greatly enhance your oral health, so keep reading to learn about a few things that may be suggested.
There are several types of medication that may be provided once the root planing is completed. These medicines are meant to reduce the bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities, gingivitis, gum disease, and gum recession. While rinses are common, your dentist may decide that the gum pockets around your mouth need to the treated directly.
Gum pockets are the loose tissues that pull away from the sides of the teeth and open into wide gaps. Since bacteria gather in these pockets, your dentist will want the tissues to shrink back around the teeth. A medicine called chlorhexidine is used in the form of gelatin chips within the pockets to control bacteria activity. In this case, the medicine is in the form of a gelatin-filled chip. One chip is placed in each periodontal pocket and the gelatin slowly releases medicine to kill bacteria.
Oral antibiotics can also be used, but the localized treatment is often much more effective when gum pocket reduction is the goal.
Gum Stimulation
Once the gum pockets have been cleaned out, new and healthy gums will need to grow back and develop around the teeth to protect them properly from damage. In many cases, the tissue production will need to be stimulated. Stimulation can occur in several ways, and you will need to complete some activities at home. However, your dentist may massage the gums after the planing treatment. Physical massage as well as massage with probed and other tools can offer assistance. Professional cleanings with the assistance of ultrasonic tools can also be used to encourage healthy gum tissue production.
Your dentist may also show you how to stimulate the gums at home. Using a soft bristled toothbrush to gentle brush along the gum tissues and to apply non-harmful pressure is one way to do this. Using water-flossers that release direct streams of water against and underneath the tissues can help as well.
Your dental professional can also show you how to use your fingers to gently massage the gums in a circular motion as well. You should know that stimulation primarily encourage good blood flow to the tissues, so do not be surprised if you notice a bit of bleeding, especially when the gums are just starting to heal. For more information, contact companies like Fuller Periodontics & Implant Dentistry.
During my first pregnancy, I spent a lot of time pushing pillows behind my back trying to find comfort. As the size of the baby grew, so did my discomfort. By the time she was born, I was more than ready to give birth. When I found out I was pregnant again, I was determined that I would not suffer through the same discomforts. I started researching ways to ease the symptoms of pregnancy, including back pain. I created this blog to help other expectant moms find remedies to deal with those symptoms that can be emotionally and physically draining.


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|Archived February 20, 2019
California Margins Ancient Volcanic HistoryMBARI Cruise to California Seamounts
An interdisciplinary team of scientists recently undertook a seamount cruise along the California margin as a followup to a cruise completed in October 2003. Both cruises were conducted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and led by MBARI volcanologist Dave Clague. Other participants in the 2004 cruise included Alicé Davis, Jenny Paduan, Lonny Lundsten, and Joe Jones of MBARI; Jim Hein and Brandie McIntyre of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Kathie Marsaglia of California State University, Northridge; and Tessa Hill of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The 2003 cruise explored Pioneer and Rodriguez Seamounts off central California; the 2004 cruise expanded the study to seamounts south of Point Conception, plus one dive on the Patton Escarpment, a steep scarp that delineates the ancient subduction margin of North America.
The two-week cruise began on April 27, 2004, when we departed at 0600 from Moss Landing, CA, only to return 3 hours later to replace a powerboard on the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that was damaged during a power spike the day before. Leaving again at 1730 necessitated modification of our next day's dive plan and left the team wondering if this cruise would be similar to its October predecessor, which suffered many delays as the result of high winds.
Despite this less than auspicious beginning, we experienced spectacular weather for the rest of the cruise, and the full complement of 10 dives were completed successfully: two dives on Rodriguez Seamount, three on San Juan Seamount, two on Northeast Bank, one on the Patton Escarpment, one on Little Joe Seamount in the Ponderosa seamount group, and one on San Marcos Seamount. Like the seamounts studied during the 2003 cruise, these extinct volcanoes are examples of a previously unrecognized type of oceanic volcanism, reflecting changes in the Pacific/North American Plate boundary as it shifted from a convergent to a transform margin.
The team used the specialized ROV Tiburon housed on the research vessel Western Flyer to explore and collect samples from the seamounts. We collected samples from depths ranging from 500 to 3,600 m, including 332 rock samples, 26 sediment push cores and sediment scoop samples, and 175 animals, in addition to the multitude of critters clinging to the collected rocks.
Our main objectives were
Highlights of the cruise included two additional dives on Rodriguez Seamount, bringing the total to six dives for the 2003 and 2004 cruises. These dives provide a thorough view of the seamount's biology and geology and show profound differences in the characteristics of the many cones that make up the seamount.
We had an exciting find on San Marcos Seamount, where we collected an extremely large (7 cm diameter at the base), nearly dead bamboo coral. The coral was so large that the ROV's manipulator couldnt break it, and so, to collect it, we had to drive the vehicle into the coral to snap it from its base. The annual growth rings of this specimen and several other large bamboo corals that we collected will help Tessa Hill decipher past climates and ocean circulation during her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Davis. These corals may record 100 to 200 years of ocean history with annual resolution.
Another interesting find was a fossil-bearing layer underlying volcaniclastic deposits on Northeast Bank. The sea-floor surface was littered with partly dissolved fossil solitary corals that had been eroded from the outcrop. The corals were of a type not observed on the seamount and may be as much as 5 to 10 million years old. On the second dive at Northeast Bank, evidence was found for the shoreline of an ancient island, confirming that the seamount was subaerial in the past. A beach rock composed of rounded pebbles was collected at about 550-m water depth at the break in slope that delineated the ancient shoreline.
The single exploratory dive on the Patton Escarpment recovered a range of rock types and sediment samples that Kathie Marsaglia will compare with clastic sand samples recovered at several nearby Deep Sea Drilling Sites. The entire 3.5-km traverse showed outcrops of compositionally varied breccia and talus, completely encrusted by Fe-Mn crusts that are far thicker and more extensive than anticipated. We had expected deformed sedimentary rocks related to subduction at the former North American margin.
Marine biologist Joe Jones collected translucent-shelled clams to provide a more thorough picture of the evolutionary processes that influence the distribution and genetic composition of these unique animals, and to analyze their reproductive cycle on the seamounts. He was rewarded with samples from Rodriguez Seamount, San Juan Seamount, the Patton Escarpment, and Northeast Bank. He also has a new, larger species to study that was recovered from relatively shallow water.
Jim Hein and I will study the formation of Fe-Mn crusts observed on all of the seamounts, primarily focusing on the many paleoceanographic conditions that can be deciphered from a careful study of sequential crust layers. We will also determine the growth rates and compositions of these unusual accumulations of metals. The seamounts appear to young southward, and so we anticipated only thin (a few millimeters thick) Fe-Mn oxide crusts; but on several of the seamounts, such as Northeast Bank and Little Joe Seamount, crusts were abundant, covering most of the sea floor and measuring as much as 40 mm thick. This cruise was especially fruitful, adding at least 200 samples to our collection. One of the real surprises was the amount of hydrothermal Mn oxide collected during the cruise, considering that these seamounts are mostly Miocene and volcanism ceased millions of years ago. These hydrothermal deposits are relicts from the early history of the seamounts, when hydrothermal activity was an important process along the California margin. Now, if we can only find the time to analyze all of it!
Each dive was a great success, providing new observations about submarine eruptive styles, benthic-animal distribution, and even some great midwater squid and jellyfish observations. The biology and geology of the California Continental Borderland is so varied and fascinating! We observed a vast array of sponges, including glass, lacy, and barrel; many types of corals, including golden and paragorgia; a mysterious and beautiful purple hydroid; brittlestars, seastars, and slime stars galore; dinner-plate-size sea urchins; stalked and swimming crinoids; crabs; a type of sea cucumber affectionately known as Pinky the slime bag; different species of squid and octopi; jellyfish; and even a 6- to 8-ft-long sleeper shark! The ROV traveled over volcaniclastic debris flows; onto blocky, jointed basalt ledges; and up to pelagic sediment pools at the tops of seamount cones. Overall, the cruise was a huge success that will contribute much to our knowledge of the California margin, and it reinforces how important and useful interdisciplinary studies are for science.
For additional information about the cruise, visit MBARI's California Seamounts Web page.
in this issue:
cover story:
Cruise to California Seamounts
Little Marine Explorers Summer Camp
Scientists Interviewed for Documentary
The National Map Comes to Florida
10th International Coral Reef Symposium
USGS Video Receives Silver Telly Award
Geographer Joins USGS in St. Petersburg
Geologist Joins USGS in St. Petersburg
|Archived February 20, 2019


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Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Current treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) are inadequate; the disease often progresses so that patients become disabled and current treatments can only reduce symptoms. New treatments to stop the disease process or promote repair are urgently required. The purpose of this study is to test the safety of bone marrow stem cell infusion in patients with MS. We want to find out what effects it has on you and your disability.
Who can participate?
This study will examine the effects of bone marrow stem cell infusion in 80 people who are known to have progressive MS.
What does the study involve?
Participants will first be assessed to determine their general fitness and degree of disability. This will involve attending the neurology department in Frenchay Hospital in Bristol for a clinical examination, blood test, chest X-ray and heart rhythm recording, all performed at the same visit. Participants will also be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their level of disability. The blood test will include screening for some viruses, including HIV. We also request that a sample of blood is stored in case this is required for future comparison. Participants will attend Frenchay Hospital for an electrical (neurophysiological) test, an MRI scan of the brain and spinal cord, and a specialised eye scan known as optical coherence tomography (OCT). We will endeavour to co-ordinate appointments to minimise hospital appointments but we cannot always guarantee that tests will be performed on the same day. An MRI scan takes about 45 minutes and will involve an injection of gadolinium. The OCT examination involves application of eye drops which will wear off over a few hours but which will preclude driving home from the examination. Neurophysiological tests will record the speed of electrical signalling in a number of different pathways. They may cause some transient discomfort during stimulation of the muscles.
A blood collection will be performed on two occasions one year apart. This is identical to the procedure undertaken by a blood donor and involves collection of about 500 ml of blood. Bone marrow will be collected in Avon Haematology Unit under a general anaesthetic which lasts less than one hour. The marrow is drawn from the pelvic bone using one needle puncture on the right and one on the left. In total, about 500-750 ml (about one pint) of marrow will be aspirated. A single core of marrow will also be removed. Local anaesthetic is left in the needle tracts to minimize discomfort on waking. Marrow donors usually experience some bruising or aching after the procedure, but this is generally well controlled with pain-relievers taken by mouth. About 20% of people need to stay in hospital overnight. Following the procedure, the marrow is cleaned to remove bits of bone and fat. The same day, the participant will receive an infusion into a peripheral vein of either blood or marrow, but will not be able to determine which. If blood is infused, the marrow sample will be frozen, then thawed and infused into the participant one year later. Those who receive marrow during the first infusion will receive blood one year later. About half of the participants will receive blood on the first infusion and half will receive marrow. Which they receive will be determined randomly and only the staff at NHS Blood and Transplant will know which infusion participants received on a given date.
The infusions will last under two hours, and the participant will be closely monitored by nursing staff with regular observations including temperature, pulse and blood pressure recording. Both infusions will be done in the Avon Haematology Unit. Participants will have the option of remaining in hospital overnight following bone marrow harvest, although this will probably not be necessary. Before participants leave the Haematology Unit, we will do a blood test to check that participants are not anaemic and we will probably suggest that participants take iron tablets for a few weeks.
You will be asked to donate a core of marrow along with a small sample of marrow fluid and peripheral blood (20 ml or four teaspoons) for laboratory research. Participants may enter the clinical study and withhold consent for donation of a research sample this will not have any impact on their clinical care.
Participants may contact the research team directly if they experience any problems following the bone marrow harvest. Routinely, participants will be contacted by telephone at three days and 14 days after the procedure. They will be formally re-assessed in the out-patient clinic at six weeks, six and 12 months following each infusion. This will follow the same pattern as the entry assessment, although the chest X-ray should not need to be repeated unless clinically indicated, and the electrical studies, MRI and OCT assessments will be performed at the 12-month visits only. Participants will also be asked to complete two questionnaires at each time point and submit a written statement regarding their experience of the procedure at any point.
You will be expected to attend for all the appointments and investigations as detailed above, to donate marrow on two occasions one year apart and to have a short operation to collect bone marrow. You will receive one infusion of blood and one of marrow but you will not be told which you receive at the time. You may request this information only when the study is finished or if there is a clinical reason why you or your doctors need to know. You can continue to take your usual medications and you may be asked to take iron tablets for a short while. We would be very grateful if you would also complete two questionnaires on a total of seven occasions over two and a half years. We will ask you not to be involved in other research projects for the duration of this study.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Taking part in this study may or may not make your health better. While doctors hope the procedure will be useful for people with MS, there is no proof of this yet. We do know that the information from this study will help doctors learn more about bone marrow cell transfusion as a treatment for MS. This information could help future patients with MS.
You may have side effects while in the study. Everyone taking part in the study will be watched carefully for any side effects. As this study involves a new treatment procedure, there might be side effects that we cannot predict. Side effects may be mild or very serious. Your health care team may give you medicines to help lessen side effects. In some cases, side effects can be serious, long lasting, or may never go away. There is also a small risk of death.
Likely risks and side effects which may be related to the procedure include a mild degree of lethargy and anaemia following bone marrow harvest and blood donation, mild nausea following a general anaesthetic, and some discomfort or bruising at the sites of marrow aspiration. Rare but serious side effects include infection of the transfused cells, clots forming in the vessels of the lungs or legs,
a dampening effect on the immune system which could lead to an increased susceptibility to infection, and death. If you suffer from any new symptom during the study, you should discuss this with the medical team.
We do not know the effects of this procedure on an unborn baby; therefore you should not take part in this study if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or you intend to become pregnant or father a child during the study. Women who might become pregnant will be asked to have a pregnancy test (urine or blood) before taking part. Women who could become pregnant must agree to use a reliable form of contraception during the course of this study. Any woman who finds that she has become pregnant while taking part in the study should tell her research doctor immediately. Arrangements will be made to monitor the health of both herself and her unborn baby. Should your partner become pregnant, it would be desirable for her to agree to medical supervision during the pregnancy and for the baby after it is born. The partner will be invited to sign a consent form to allow medical supervision.
If we discover an abnormality during screening before marrow collection, you will be informed and the treatment options discussed. Such a finding may have insurance implications.
Where is the study run from?
MS and Stem Cell Laboratories, University of Bristol, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, UK.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
Recruitment will start in autumn 2012 and participants will be recruited for approximately two and a half years.
Who is funding the study?
The Silverman Family Foundation, the MS Trust, the Medical Research Council (UK) and the Rosetrees Foundation.
Who is the main contact?
Professor Neil Scolding
Trial website
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
ACTiMuS v1 07/09/12
Study information
Scientific title
Assessment of bone marrow-derived Cellular Therapy in progressive Multiple Sclerosis (ACTiMuS)
Study hypothesis
We hypothesise that intravenously-delivered autologous bone marrow cellular therapy (BMCT) in chronic multiple sclerosis (MS) offers significant benefit. We hypothesize also that the mechanisms are multiple, and include immunomodulation and reparative and/or neuroprotective effects within the CNS; and are offered by one or more bone marrow (BM) stem cell sub-populations, jointly contributing to the therapeutic impact. Exploring and understanding these mechanisms, and the biology of the cells responsible, will allow the development of more effective reparative cell therapy in MS.
On this underlying hypothesis, we propose a phase 2 controlled trial in parallel with a significant body of translational and back-translational laboratory research, directed towards these questions:
1. Is autologous BM cell therapy truly beneficial in chronic MS as our small, uncontrolled phase 1 trial suggested?
2. Do BM mesenchymal stem cells from patients with MS differ in range or extent of reparative and neuroprotective properties from control individuals cells?
3. What therapeutic properties do BM stem cell sub-populations other than mesenchymal stem cells possess, and do these differ between MS patients and controls?
4. Can BM stem cell sub-populations be isolated from peripheral blood samples from MS patients following treatment, and for how long?
Ethics approval
NRES Committee West Midlands, 01/09/2014, ref: 14/WM/1083
Study design
Prospective randomised double-blind placebo-controlled modified cross-over single centre study
Primary study design
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Trial type
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Progressive multiple sclerosis
Randomisation to early transfusion of autologous marrow and late (12 months) autologous blood infusion or early autologous blood infusion with late (12 months) autologous marrow infusion
Intervention type
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Global evoked potential (GEP)
Secondary outcome measures
1. EDSS and MSFC and MSIS-29
2. Brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without gadolinium-enhancement
3. Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
Overall trial start date
Overall trial end date
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Subject of either sex, 18 to 60 years (inclusive)
2. Diagnosis of clinically-definite MS as defined by the McDonald criteria
3. MS disease severity EDSS 4 6
4. Disease duration >5 years
5. Disease progression (not attributable to relapse) in the year prior to entry
6. Signed, written informed consent
7. Willing and able to comply with study visits according to protocol for the full study period
Participant type
Age group
Target number of participants
80; 60 with secondary progressive MS and 20 with primary progressive MS
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Pregnancy, breastfeeding or lactation
2. History of autologous/allogeneic bone marrow transplantation or peripheral blood stem cell transplant
3. Bone marrow insufficiency
4. History of lymphoproliferative disease or previous total lymphoid irradiation
5. Immune deficiency
6. History of current or recent (<5 years) malignancy
7. Chronic or frequent drug-resistant bacterial infections or presence of active infection requiring antimicrobial treatment
8. Frequent and/or serious viral infection
9. Systemic or invasive fungal disease within 2 years of entry to study
10. Significant renal, hepatic, cardiac or respiratory dysfunction
11. Contraindication to anaesthesia
12. Bleeding or clotting diathesis
13. Current or recent (within preceding 12 months) immunomodulatory therapy other than corticosteroid therapy
14. Treatment with corticosteroids within the preceding 3 months
15. Significant relapse within preceding 6 months
16. Predominantly relapsing-remitting disease over preceding 12 months
17. Radiation exposure in the past year other than chest / dental x-rays
18. Previous claustrophobia
19. Presence of implanted metal or other contraindication to MRI
20. Participation in another experimental study or treatment within previous 24 months
Recruitment start date
Recruitment end date
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
University of Bristol
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
North Bristol NHS Trust (UK)
Sponsor details
Research & Innovation Office
Floor 3 Learning & Research
Southmead Hospital
Westbury on Trym
United Kingdom
Sponsor type
Hospital/treatment centre
Funder type
Funder name
The Silverman Family Foundation (USA)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Funder name
Multiple Sclerosis Trust
Alternative name(s)
MS Trust
Funding Body Type
private sector organisation
Funding Body Subtype
other non-profit
United Kingdom
Funder name
Medical Research Council
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
government organisation
Funding Body Subtype
National government
United Kingdom
Funder name
Rosetrees Foundation (UK)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2015 protocol in: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26467901


text:
Thank You For A Successful Fundraiser!
Hello and welcome from the Wood family!
Success! We Raised Over $4,500 for Make-A-Wish at the Walk for Wishes!Thank you to our wish sponsor Michael, local businesses, donors, family and friends for helping us with such a great cause that is so dear to our hearts. Our fundraiser has been a wonderful experience where we had the chance to meet some great people, spread awareness of the Make-A-Wish mission and see the goodness in others willing to donate their time, goods, money and prayers. Even though our fundraiser is over, if you would like to learn more about their mission or donate to Make-A-Wish and help a sick child's wish come true, please head over to http://sandiego.wish.org for the San Diego chapter or http://wish.org to look-up your local chapter.
The team captain of "Bryen's Buddies," Bryen's & Josef's mom, Heather Wood :o)
(Bryen's Buddies Team at Make-A-Wish Walk for Wishes 2015)
(Bryen's Buddies Team at Make-A-Wish Walk for Wishes 2015)
*What is the purpose of a WISH? I'd like to share with you Josef's story with aplastic anemia. After having this glimpse into a sick child's life, then watch the video of Josef's wish! You will understand the purpose of this charity so much more! Josef's story Josef's WISH
*Want to hear Bryen talk about his cancer journey on the news? Bryen on Channel 6 News!


text:
Cooper Tire Tread Separations
Another Firestone? Cooper tire workers testify about unsafe production.
August 25, 2000
By Michael Haddigan
Three former employees from Cooper Tire and Rubber Co.'s Texarkana and Tupelo, Miss., plants have testified in an Arkansas negligence suit that the company used sloppy manufacturing procedures and cut corners on safety to maintain production.
Chicken bones, soda cans, gloves, sandwiches, plastic - and in one case, a shotgun shell - were among the objects mistakenly baked into tires during manufacturing, workers said.
"I've seen everything from a watch cured into a tire, to a time card, to a soda can, to you name it. Aluminum foil - I've seen chicken bones," said Martin Mahan of Texarkana, a 24-year employee.
Asked if any tires with embedded foreign objects made it past inspectors and into stores, Mahan said, "I would be willing to bet my life on it."
Employees routinely used a repair method requiring them to puncture air bubbles in tires with an icepick-like tool and used a solvent that, if applied improperly, could eventually cause tires to fall apart, the workers said.
Cooper workers, chatting on coffee breaks, sometimes worried shoddy manufacturing practices would one day cause a fatal highway accident.
"Everyone would say, 'This company is in for some big trouble one of these days if we don't change our practices,' " said William Douglas Eaton of Okolona, Miss., who worked at the Tupelo plant for 13 years.
Eaton and the other workers testified in depositions for a federal lawsuit filed last December by families of four people killed and two severely injured in a 1998 wreck on Interstate 40 near Brinkley.
The families contend a defective Trendsetter II tire made at the Cooper Tupelo, Miss., plant caused the wreck.
The trial, scheduled for next month in Helena before U.S. District Judge George Howard Jr., will convene against the backdrop of a nationwide recall of millions of Bridgestone/Firestone tires.
The recall came after a federal investigation turned up scores of highway deaths linked to a sudden separation of tire tread from the bodies of Bridgestone/Firestone tires. There have been suggestions that many of the faults are linked to production problems at a single Firestone plant, in Illinois.
Plaintiffs in the Cooper Tire case in Arkansas also contend tread separation caused the crash that killed Scharlotte A. Hervey, 37, her husband Edward and son, Onterio Jamar Miller Hervey, 15, all of Little Rock, and Lane A. Whitaker, 23, of Cabot.
Two other sons of the Herveys, Demario, then 13, and Rashand, then 7, were left paralyzed from the waist down.
Attorneys for the Hervey and Whitaker families allege that the tread of a defective Cooper tire on the Herveys' car separated from the tire body, causing the car to skid out of control across the grass median and collide with Whitaker's car.
Cooper used a faulty design to build the tire at the Tupelo plant in 1992, and a puncture from an awl allowed water inside the tire that caused the tread to come undone, the plaintiffs say.
Adding an internal nylon band costing less than $1 could have allowed Scharlotte Hervey to maintain control of the car long enough to pull over, attorneys for the families say.
Cooper spokesman Patricia Brown first declined comment on the case, saying the company did not talk about pending litigation. But later she responded with a prepared statement, saying Cooper "properly designed, manufactured, tested and inspected the Herveys' tire."
Internal nylon bands, she said, "will not prevent an underinflated or damaged tire from failing."
Brown said the Herveys' tire failure was the result of a road hazard. "The Herveys' tire experienced a tread separation because of an unrepaired punture completely through the tire by a nail or similar road hazard incurred earlier in the tire's service life," she said.
The plaintiffs' attorneys will not say how much they seek in the case.
Last year, Panola County, Miss., jurors awarded $3.4 million to the family of Laura Tuckier, 33, who died in a wreck on Interstate 55 near Sardis, Miss.
Lawyers in that case argued three of the four tires on Tuckier's vehicle were defective. The tires were made at Cooper's Texarkana plant.
Based in Findlay, O., Cooper reported $2.2 billion in net sales in 1999, with $1.5 billion of that coming from tire sales. Cooper employs 23,000 workers in 13 countries.
In addition to the Texarkana and Tupelo plants, Cooper operates tire plants at Findlay, O., and Albany, Ga.
CEO Thomas A. Dattilo announced recently the company was increasing production of sport utility vehicle and light truck tires to meet increased demand following the start of the Bridgestone/Firestone recall.
Court documents from the Arkansas and Mississippi cases reviewed by the Arkansas Times yielded a rare and revealing view of the tire factory floor when the Herveys' tire was made in 1992.
Cooper lawyers attacked the work records of each of the former employees. And they forced each witness to admit they took advantage of employee discounts to drive on the same Cooper tires they criticized in testimony as possibly unsafe.
One former employee, Martin Mahan, however, countered that all available commercial tires are made the same way.
"I think they're all the same. It wouldn't matter if it's Goodyear, Cooper, Firestone, whatever, they're all made the same," he said.
Tire builders assemble the first stage of the tire from components in stock, including the sidewalls, polyester ply and inner liner - the "inner tube" of the tubeless tire.
In the second stage, another polyester ply is added, along with two steel belts and the tread. The tire in its raw form is known as a "green tire."
Curing or vulcanization comes next. The green tire is baked in steam at 355 degrees for up to 15 minutes, depending on the tire's size. The tire is then inflated for up to 21 minutes to cool and help shape it.
It travels by conveyor belt to final finishing where workers trim excess rubber, buff the veneer, give it a simulated road test, balance and inspect it.
When tires complete the final finishing, they go down chutes into the warehouse for storage.
Bad stock
Among the witnesses in the Tuckier trial was Jimmy Oats of Texarkana, who worked at Cooper's Texarkana plant for 30 years.
Oats, who left Cooper in 1995, said he personally witnessed tires being made from outdated rubber components, known as "bad stock," and complained about it.
"Did management take a position on whether to continue to make bad tires with bad stock?" a plaintiff's attorney asked Oats on the witness stand.
"Yes, sir," Oats said. "They'd tell you to build them and get them out."
Oats also said stock would dry out from being stored for too long. Dry stock would not hold together properly and "won't cure out like it should," possibly leading to tire failure on the road.
Managers told workers to use up the bad stock, hoping some of the tires they made from it would hold together.
"Some of them did, and some of them didn't," Oats said.
Trial transcripts show another former Texarkana worker, Richard Angell, also testified he saw bad stock used to make tires at the plant.
In his deposition for the Arkansas case against Cooper, William Douglas Eaton testified that Cooper workers usually applied a solvent known as "12101" to the dried-out stock to dissolve part of the rubber surface and restore its stickiness.
He was concerned that improper application of the solvent could later cause the tire to come apart on the road.
Eaton, who went to work at Cooper after his retirement from the Marine Corps, said he worried about "some family getting killed out here on the highways."
The Tupelo plant had roof leaks over the area where the first-stage tire assembly took place, Eaton said. Workers put a plastic sheet over the work area to protect the sticky first- stage tires, but they still got wet.
He was concerned that moisture could threaten the integrity of the tires, he said. But tire builders didn't want to stop making tires because it would affect their production bonuses, Eaton said.
Mahan testified that water inside the tire will eventually cause the belts to rust and lead to tread separations.
Foreign objects often found their way into the bodies of tires and were sealed in during curing, the workers said. Various tests and inspections caught most of the objects, but small bolts, wood and pieces of plastic sometimes passed through the production line unnoticed, Kirby said.
On one occasion, Mahan said, a worker tried to heat up his lunch wrapped in aluminum foil by placing it on a hot tire press.
Another employee turned on the press and "loaded the tires right onto the guy's lunch," Mahan said.
Humidity changes often caused air bubbles, known as "blisters," to become trapped between the inner liner and the outer layers of the tires.
Cooper officials instructed workers that up to eight thumbnail-sized blisters could be repaired on a tire by piercing them with an awl issued by the company, workers said.
Eaton said he saw tires with blisters repaired using an awl.
He explained how it was done:
"They would locate the blister inside the tire with their hands, and then they would take an awl, and they would insert the awl through the tread, the two belts, and the ply, feeling with their finger until they penetrated down to the blister without going through the liner," he said. "And the air would escape, and they would retract the awl, smooth it over with their fingers, and let it go."
Management was surely aware that it was done because he once saw a quality control manager demonstrate the repair method to a worker.
Mahan demonstrated the repair method during his videotaped deposition in the Arkansas case.
Mahan said he feared the practice might cause damage to the tires' inner liners. He complained to his boss about it, but the company did nothing, he said.
"I told my boss this was going to bite us in the ass," he said.
He said such repairs were made to as many as eight hundred tires a day, but on some days workers lost count.
The Tupelo plant produced up to 32,000 tires a day, he said.
Cooper spokesman Brown denied the company used any substandard material in its tires. She also said solvents such as "12101" and awls "may be properly used in the manufacturing process; however, focusing on the Hervey tire, there is no evidence that any solvent or any awl was used on this tire."
Repaired tires were supposed to be marked as such but rarely were, Mahan said, and the tires were sold as high quality tires, not seconds.
Tires that failed inspection were scrapped, but the company's bonus system encouraged workers to keep the scrap rate low.
"If your scrap rate was low, your overtime was low, your expenses were lower, the more bonus you got," Mahan said. "Some people made more money on their bonus checks than they did on their regular paychecks."
Under questioning by a Cooper lawyer, Mahan acknowledged that badly made products make it into the market in any industry. But he turned the question back on the lawyer.
"Unfortunately, we're in an industry that if scrap gets out it kills somebody," he said.
Mahan said the "pressure was always on" to produce more tires.
"Management, I felt, sometimes passed some things that shouldn't have been let go," he said, "for the almighty dollar, the bonus."
Despite his concerns about some of the manufacturing faults, Mahan said he was a loyal employee at the Texarkana and Tupelo plants. He rose from laborer to foreman and performed most of the jobs in between.
"Cut my arm, I would be bleeding Cooper Tire blue. I'd do anything they asked me to."
But Cooper's regard for employees sometimes shocked him, he said.
In 1992, a manager told Mahan, "I love tire builders. You just use them up and throw them away"
Mahan said he was stunned.
"I can't believe you just said that," Mahan replied. "Man, these are people."
The manager then said: "No, man they're just bodies. They're not people. Just use them up and throw them away."
A Cooper lawyer asked if the manager's comment was official company policy.
"This man had 520 tire builders working for him, that was his policy," Mahan replied.
Mahan, Eaton and Kirby each testified about questionable or faked quality control checks at Cooper. The worst appear to have been at the expense of the Atlas tire company.
Atlas was one of more than 50 brands manufactured at the Cooper plants, Mahan said.
Some companies sent representatives to tour the plant and play golf. "It was a dog and pony show," he said.
But Atlas was the only company that carried out inspections.
Cooper officials carefully prepared tires for inspection and then rigged inspections to ensure the tires would pass the audit.
"I personally have shown the man the same tire thirty times," Mahan said.
Kirby gave a similar account, saying Cooper officials spent weeks specially producing near perfect specimens of stock to show Atlas inspectors. And Kirby said he was also aware that flim-flammed Atlas inspectors examined the same tires repeatedly.
"I've seen it happen time and time again," he said.
Cooper's normal production process included more than a half-dozen quality control checks. But Mahan said the pressure to produce tires often overwhelmed Cooper's own quality control inspectors.
Even under ordinary circumstances, he said, some employees who inspected finished tires had only 18 seconds, sometimes less, to examine a tire for defects.
Once the company sent Mahan to San Francisco to inspect tires that had been manufactured at Findlay, O., and Tupelo and shipped by rail to the West Coast.
Of the 800 tires he and another man inspected, about 50 had to be discarded for faults like blisters and tread separation. One had a glove cured into the sidewall, Mahan said.
In 1996, Eaton said, he decided to test the Tupelo plant's quality control procedures.
"I knew that tires were getting in the warehouse that I didn't think should be there, so I slit the sidewall of a tire," he testified.
He used a knife to cut a three- to four-inch gash in the side of a scrap tire.
"It went all the way through the plies, liner, everything," he said
Later, he looked for it among completed tires in the plant's warehouse.
"I had to go through the warehouse, through the tires over there, to find it. But it went through the complete process and ended up in the warehouse," he said.
When he first started work at the Tupelo plant, the company put out good tires, and quality control procedures were effective, Eaton said. But quality deteriorated as production demands increased.
"When we first opened that plant up, we had a quality orientated plant, but as time went on and they got started pushing more and more for production, then quality went to the wayside," Eaton said.
The Tupelo plant produces more than a million tires a year, he said.
In his testimony, Kirby said Cooper officials frequently said the company's priorities were quality, safety and production.
"Well, in my personal opinion - excuse my language ma'am," he said with a nod to the court reporter, "it was just ass backwards to that. It was production, safety and quality."
Tire Defects - Serious Accident and Injury Legal Help
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