text:
Comparison of the stand-alone Cox-Maze IV procedure to the concomitant Cox-Maze IV and mitral valve procedure for atrial fibrillation
The Cox Maze (CM) procedure was originally developed by Dr. James Cox in 1987. After several revisions to its original lesion set, the Cox-Maze III (CMIII) became the gold standard in the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Initially, it was commonly performed only as a stand-alone procedure because of its technical complexity and long cross clamp time (1,2). As experience grew with the procedure, its use was more broadly applied and began to be performed in patients with concomitant mitral disease and other cardiac pathology. The overall freedom from symptomatic AF in patients who underwent CMIII has been reported to exceed 90% in series with more than five years of follow-up (1,2).
To simplify the CMIII, different ablation technologies were studied in an attempt to reproduce the transmural lesions of the "cut-and-sew" method of the CMIII. This resulted in the development of the Cox-Maze IV (CMIV) in 2002. The CMIV utilized a bipolar radiofrequency energy clamp to achieve continuous transmural ablations and replaced the majority of the "cut-and-sew" lesions of the CMIII (3). This method has proved to be as effective as the CMIII in long-term follow-up while decreasing cross clamp times. The CMIV has become the current standard procedure for the surgical treatment of AF at our institution (4).
AF is present in up to a third of patients undergoing mitral valve (MV) procedures (5). While common, the mechanistic relationship between mitral regurgitation and AF is poorly understood, compared to patients with lone AF. Moreover, many of the early case series, including our own, concentrated on results in patients with lone AF (4). With the advent of the CMIV and its decreased operative times, over half of patients currently receiving a CMIV procedure are undergoing concomitant MV surgery, highlighting the significant role of AF procedures (5). Given that the CMIV operation is performed in a concomitant fashion the majority of the time, it is critical to evaluate outcomes in this population. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of the stand-alone CMIV procedure to the CMIV procedure with concomitant mitral procedure and identify risk factors for recurrence of AF.
This study was approved by the Washington University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Informed consent and permission for release of information was obtained from each participant. All data were entered prospectively into a longitudinal database maintained at our institution.
A total of 335 patients, from January 2002 to December of 2012, who received a CMIV procedure for AF as a stand-alone CMIV (n=151) or concomitantly with a MV procedure (n=184) were reviewed. The CMIV procedure has previously been described (3). All patients received pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), confirmed by exit block from each pulmonary vein, unless patients had a left atrial (LA) thrombus which precluded cardioversion or cardioversion was unsuccessful. The lesion set was similar among all patients except for the addition in 2005 of a superior LA lesion which connected the right and left superior pulmonary veins. This lesion effectively electrically isolated the entire posterior left atrium and created a "box-lesion" set. A small set of patients (n=19) underwent a LA lesion set only.
Patients were discharged on class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs and warfarin, unless contraindicated; antiarrhythmic agents were discontinued two months postoperatively if patients were in normal sinus rhythm. β-blockers or calcium channel blockers were not considered as antiarrhythmic drugs.
Study design
Demographics and perioperative variables including complications were compared between stand-alone CMIV and concomitant groups. Early atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) were defined as any ATA documented within 30 days. Patients were evaluated starting at three months for recurrent ATAs. Electrocardiographic data were obtained at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 months. Initially, this consisted of either ECG or 24-hour Holter monitoring. Starting in the 2008, 24-hour continuous cardiac monitoring was routinely obtained in all patients (6).
Late recurrence was defined as any episode of AF, atrial flutter or atrial tachycardia that lasted greater than 30 seconds (6). Patients that required an interventional procedure were deemed permanent failures.
Statistical analysis
Continuous variables are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) or as median with range. Categorical variables are expressed as frequencies and percentages with outcomes compared using the χ2 or the Fisher exact test. Continuous outcomes were compared using the t-test for means of normally distributed continuous variables and the Mann-Whitney U nonparametric test for skewed distributions.
Twenty-four preoperative and perioperative variables were evaluated by univariate analysis to identify predictors of AF recurrence at one year. Variables used in univariate analyses included the presence of a concomitant procedure in addition to those listed in Tables 1 and 2, with the exception of mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS). Significant covariates on univariate analysis (P≤0.10) or covariates deemed clinically relevant based on experience were entered into a multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. All data analyses were performed using SYSTAT 13 software (Systat Software, Inc., Chicago, IL).
Full table
Full table
A total of 151 patients (45%) underwent stand-alone CMIV procedure and 184 (55%) underwent the CMIV with a concomitant MV operation. MV operations included patients receiving a MV repair (111 patients, 60%) or MV replacement (73 patients, 40%). Twenty-nine patients receiving a mitral operation also underwent a tricuspid valve procedure (Table 3).
Full table
Follow-up was available on 72% of patients at one year and 55% of these at two years. Twenty-four hours of continuous monitoring was performed in 75% of patients who had follow-up after 2008 (6). Mean follow-up time was 2.7±2.4 years.
Demographics showed significant preoperative differences in terms of age, gender, AF duration, type of AF, NYHA classification, presence of failed catheter ablation and LA diameter between the two groups (Table 1). Notably, patients with MV disease had a longer documented duration of AF by 20 months and a higher incidence of longstanding persistent AF. Ejection fraction was similar between concomitant and stand-alone CMIV groups (53% vs. 52%, P=0.451) despite a greater percentage of patients with NYHA class III or IV symptoms in the concomitant group (71% vs. 30%, P<0.001).
Perioperative outcomes
Perioperative differences including complications and 30-day mortality can be seen in Table 2. As expected, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was significantly longer in the concomitant group (189 vs. 133 min, P<0.001) as was cross clamp time (93 vs. 45 min, P<0.001). Major complications were defined as the development of pneumonia, mediastinitis, need for an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP), permanent stroke, reoperation for bleeding and renal failure requiring dialysis. Comparisons of the overall major complication rate as well as individual complications were performed. The overall major complication rate was higher in the concomitant group (16% vs. 6%, P=0.005), with significant differences between the need for an IABP (3% vs. 0%, P=0.042) and reoperation for bleeding (5% vs. 0%, P=0.006). Early post-operative ATAs were more frequent in the concomitant group (63% vs. 48%, P=0.004).
Median ICU LOS was decreased in the stand-alone CMIV group (2% vs. 3%, P<0.001) as was median hospital length of LOS (8% vs. 9%, P<0.001). There was a lower rate of 30-day mortality in the stand-alone CMIV group (1% vs. 5%, P<0.015).
Freedom from ATA after a stand-alone CMIV procedure was 93%, 93%, 85%, and 82% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months respectively. Freedom from ATA and antiarrhythmic drugs was lower at each time point, but the differences decreased with increasing follow-up (Figure 1). When performing a concomitant CMIV in addition to a MV procedure, freedom from ATA was 89%, 88%, 88%, and 90% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months respectively (Figure 2). Comparisons between the two groups showed no significant differences after six months (Figure 3).
Multivariate analysis
In all patients, predictors of recurrence were having a preoperative pacemaker (P<0.001), failure to perform a box-lesion (P=0.001), and early ATAs (P<0.001). In the stand-alone CMIV group, having a preoperative pacemaker (P=0.031) and early ATA (P=0.009) were the only two predictors of recurrence. In the concomitant CMIV group, having a preoperative pacemaker (P=0.011), failure to perform isolation of the pulmonary veins with a box-lesion (P=0.033) and early ATA (P=0.016) were all predictors of recurrence.
In this study, perioperative outcomes and late efficacy were compared between patients having a stand-alone CMIV and those having concomitant mitral surgery. Previous studies from our institution and others usually have compared the stand-alone Cox-Maze procedure to a combined cohort of patients receiving a Cox-Maze procedure in addition to multiple concomitant procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, and MV repair (2,7). Because the diseases prompting these concomitant operations are the result of multiple heterogenous pathologies, it is difficult to interpret the results from a single "concomitant" cohort. It was for this reason that this study was designed to compare outcomes in patients with lone AF to those with AF and concomitant mitral disease. This comparison is important for two reasons. First of all, AF ablation is performed much more commonly in the setting of concomitant mitral disease than for lone AF. In a recent study, five times as many surgical ablations were performed in the US in patients undergoing mitral surgery than for lone AF (5). Second, patients with MV disease often have enlarged LA from either chronic volume or pressure overload. This may result in different mechanisms of AF in this population, which could impair procedural success. Studies have shown that LA diameter is a risk factor for late recurrence of AF after a Cox-Maze procedure (8).
In our study, the efficacy of the CMIV for both stand-alone AF and when combined with a MV procedure was similar with respect to freedom from AF and antiarrhythmic agents at both one and two years. This is in agreement with our previous data showing comparable efficacy at one year using either the CMIII or the CMIV procedure, and shows that these good results were maintained at two years (2,9).
As expected, the two groups had different demographics. Patients who received stand-alone CMIV procedure tended to be predominantly male, younger and had a higher incidence of longer standing persistent AF. Moreover, half of the patients had failed a previous catheter ablation. The concomitant group on the other hand had more patients with NYHA class III or IV symptoms and significantly larger LAs. Despite these differences, the efficacy of the CMIV was similar in both groups, highlighting the efficacy of the CMIV procedure for the treatment of AF in both populations.
Not surprisingly, there was a significant difference in the perioperative morbidity, mortality and 30-day mortality between the groups. In a previous report from our institution, 30-day mortality was not significant (9). However, the total number of patients in this study was increased by 57% compared to our previous publication.
Major complication rates were also significantly increased in the concomitant group, primarily because of the need for reoperation for bleeding and an IABP. This is consistent with the fact that patients undergoing concomitant MV surgery were older, sicker and had longer cross clamp and CPB times. This increase in overall complication rate likely accounts for the one day increase in both ICU and hospital LOS.
The multivariate analysis of risk factors for recurrent ATA in this large cohort of over 350 patients was informative. In agreement with prior studies from our group, the failure to perform a box-lesion around the pulmonary veins and posterior left atrium was a predictor of recurrence. The increased risk of recurrence seen with a preoperative pacemaker is a new observation and is likely due to the improved power of this study in detecting smaller differences in outcomes. Since the majority of pacemakers were implanted for sick sinus syndrome, this finding suggests that patients with intrinsic sinus node dysfunction may have higher recurrence rates, possibly due to the known increased incidence of premature atrial contractions in these patients which can act as a trigger for recurrent AF.
The presence of early postoperative ATA as a predictor of late recurrence was in agreement with previous reports in the literature (8,10). This finding suggests that part of the substrate for early and late ATA may be similar. However this finding needs to be put into perspective. In patients undergoing concomitant MV and CMIV procedures, early ATA were present in 63% of patient but at two years only 10% of patients had recurrent ATA. Thus, it is important to remember that the majority of patients with early ATA remain free of ATA at two years.
Surprisingly, LA size was not a predictor in this multivariate analysis in contradiction to other studies which have shown this to be an important variable for failure (10,11). This may have been due to the introduction of the box-lesion set. In these patients, isolation of the entire posterior LA may effectively decrease LA size from an electrophysiological standpoint and reduce the substrate available for maintaining AF, thus negating the effect of an enlarged left atrium.
This study has several limitations. While the majority of our patients did have 24-hours of continuous cardiac monitoring after six months, there were still some who only had ECGs leading to a possible underestimation in the incidence of recurrent AF. In addition, this study was a retrospective review which introduces inherent selection biases, that could potentially be avoided if performed in a randomized fashion. However, all data were collected prospectively and this was a series of consecutive patients. While this series did show that efficacy was maintained at two years, it did not determine whether failures were due to an inability to properly complete the lesion set or because the underlying mechanism of AF in these patients was not able to be eliminated with a Cox-Maze procedure. It is our impression that failures occur because of advanced atrial remodeling and subsequent substrate modification such as atrial fibrosis. In this setting, reentry can be sustained in very small areas of atria, making it virtually impossible to eliminate AF with a Cox-Maze procedure (12). Finally, the AF burden was not quantitated in this study. Future studies using implantable loop recorders (ILRs) are worth considering to provide this information.
In conclusion, patients receiving a CMIV procedure have high rates of freedom from AF at one and two years regardless of the addition of a MV procedure. Perioperative complications were increased in patient undergoing concomitant MV surgery resulting in a longer hospital stay and higher 30-day mortality. Further advances in surgical techniques such as minimally invasive approaches may help to offset these differences.
Support in part by National Institutes of Health grants R01 HL032257 and T32 HL007776. RJD receives research grants and educational funding from AtriCure, Estech, and Edwards.
Disclosure: RJD is a consultant for AtriCure and Medtronic. Other co-authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Cox JL, Ad N, Palazzo T, et al. The Maze-III procedure combined with valve surgery. Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;12:53-5. [PubMed]
- Prasad SM, Maniar HS, Camillo CJ, et al. The Cox maze III procedure for atrial fibrillation: long-term efficacy in patients undergoing lone versus concomitant procedures. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003;126:1822-8. [PubMed]
- Gaynor SL, Diodato MD, Prasad SM, et al. A prospective, single-center clinical trial of a modified Cox maze procedure with bipolar radiofrequency ablation. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2004;128:535-42. [PubMed]
- Weimar T, Schena S, Bailey MS, et al. The cox-maze procedure for lone atrial fibrillation: a single-center experience over 2 decades. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2012;5:8-14. [PubMed]
- Gammie JS, Haddad M, Milford-Beland S, et al. Atrial fibrillation correction surgery: lessons from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Database. Ann Thorac Surg 2008;85:909-14. [PubMed]
- European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society (ECAS), American College of Cardiology (ACC), et al. HRS/EHRA/ECAS expert Consensus Statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: recommendations for personnel, policy, procedures and follow-up. A report of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) Task Force on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm 2007;4:816-61. [PubMed]
- Stulak JM, Sundt TM 3rd, Dearani JA, et al. Ten-year experience with the Cox-maze procedure for atrial fibrillation: how do we define success? Ann Thorac Surg 2007;83:1319-24. [PubMed]
- Damiano RJ Jr, Schwartz FH, Bailey MS, et al. The Cox maze IV procedure: predictors of late recurrence. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2011;141:113-21. [PubMed]
- Saint LL, Bailey MS, Prasad S, et al. Cox-Maze IV results for patients with lone atrial fibrillation versus concomitant mitral disease. Ann Thorac Surg 2012;93:789-94. [PubMed]
- Ad N, Henry L, Holmes SD, et al. The association between early atrial arrhythmia and long-term return to sinus rhythm for patients following the Cox maze procedure for atrial fibrillation. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2013;44:295-300. [PubMed]
- Kim KC, Cho KR, Kim YJ, et al. Long-term results of the Cox-Maze III procedure for persistent atrial fibrillation associated with rheumatic mitral valve disease: 10-year experience. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2007;31:261-6. [PubMed]
- Byrd GD, Prasad SM, Ripplinger CM, et al. Importance of geometry and refractory period in sustaining atrial fibrillation: testing the critical mass hypothesis. Circulation 2005;112:I7-13. [PubMed]


text:
Sorry to report today that due to some unexpected issues with the game server, it appears games cannot be played at this time. The servers might not be in working order for the next day or so, and we do not have an ETA for when they will be back up.
Your patience in this matter is appreciated while we get the server working for you.
Bob bless.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A stormy start to the weekend, with lightning, flooding and hail across New England, and there's more unsettled weather ahead.
Hail was as large as golf ball sized in parts of Rhode Island on Saturday, with flooding and lightning reported around Boston. Winds also gusted 50-60 MPH in the city near Logan Airport.
The storms will slowly die down tonight, with partial clearing. It will stay very humid with lows in the 60s to around 70.
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
Sunday will start quiet with some sunshine, but more storms will develop as yet another disturbance pivots through the area.
The risk of strong to severe storms will be highest from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The storms will again produce heavy rain, lightning and likely hail.
At night the storms and rain will move out as less humid air works in.
That will set us up for a beautiful Monday, with lots of sunshine and low humidity. Highs in the 70s to around 80.
A few showers or downpours may swing through early on Tuesday, with highs in the 80s after that, but the mid-week timeframe looks great for July 4th! Expect building humidity, and warming temperatures, as highs climb into the 80s.


text:
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With extensive experience all aspects of powersports vehicle development including; electronic simulation, real world data acquisition, accelerated durability testing, regulatory testing, and regulatory requirements for the worlds markets, Xtest is truly your "one stop shop" for powersports development.
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text:
New 2020 VolvoS60 T6 Momentum Sedanfor Sale in Summit NJ serving Westfield NJ
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- 21.0/32.0 mpg City/Hwy
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- 2.0L I-4 cyl
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text: 2019 First Year Experience Trip About The First Year Experience Trip is a Welcome H.O.M.E. retreat that allows students to bond with their peers and form an initial connection to their Marietta College experience. Our Mission Studies show that students who forge an immediate relationship to their first-year cohort and the institution are more likely to graduate long-term. Your trip will be a key part of your first-year experience and one that you will share with future Pioneers for many years to come. Cost Each Experience Trip choice is FREE to you as a Marietta College student and will take place all day Tuesday, August 20th, 2019 as part of Welcome H.O.M.E. 2019. However, there is limited availability. You MUST register. Each trip includes: • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (some on site, some at Marietta College) • Charter Bus Transportation • Admission/Ticket For more information on the whats, whys, and hows, visit our FAQs Page. Whitewater Rafting Hop on a bus and head out with your classmates to the premier whitewater rafting resort in the region, Adventures on the Gorge in Lansing, WV. You'll be rafting 8 miles of 20 Class II-IV+ roller-coaster rapids on the New River Gorge. Other Adventures on the Gorge Activities Nestled in the heart of West Virginia, Adventures on the Gorge has combined a premier location, industry expertise, and a deep enthusiasm for adventure to create a vacation experience unlike any other. If rafting isn't your thing, then you can go on a guided hike before relaxing at the resort, or hang out poolside for the entire day! Register: First Name * Last Name * Email Address * Cell Phone Number * This information will only be used for emergencies Choose your Experience Trip * Whitewater Rafting Adventures on the Gorge Resort Activity Waiver To attend either trip an additional waiver must be filled out online. After you complete the form, you will receive a copy which you need to save for your records. **Complete Waiver Here** Marietta College Office of Campus Involvement STUDENT ACTIVITIES WAIVER, INDEMNIFICATION, AND MEDICAL TREATMENT AUTHORIZATION FORM* 1. EXCULPATORY CLAUSE. In consideration to participate in any and all activities by the Office of Campus Involvement, I hereby release, waive, discharge, covenant not to sue, and agree to hold harmless for any and all purposes organization, Marietta College, the Marietta College Board of Trustees, and their members, officers, servants, agents, volunteers, or employees (herein referred to as RELEASEES or INDEMNITEES) from any and all liabilities, claims, demands, injuries (including death), or damages, including court costs and attorney's fees and expenses, that may be sustained by me while participating in such activities by said student organization, while traveling to and from the activity, or while on the premises owned or leased by RELEASEES, including injuries sustained as a result of the sole, joint, or concurrent negligence, negligence per se, statutory fault, or strict liability of RELEASEES. I understand this waiver does not apply to injuries caused by intentional or grossly negligent conduct. 2. INDEMNITY CLAUSE. I am fully aware that there are inherent risks to myself and others involved with activities of this organization, and I choose to voluntarily participate in the activities of this student organization with full knowledge that the activities may be hazardous to me and my property, and to the person and property of others. I acknowledge there may be physically strenuous activities. I know of no medical reason why I should not participate. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless INDEMNITEES from any and all liabilities, claims, demands, injuries (including death), or damages, including court costs and attorney's fees and expenses, which may occur to myself, other participants, and third-persons as a result of my participation in the activities of this student organization, including injuries sustained as a result of the sole, joint, or concurrent negligence, negligence per se, statutory fault, or strict liability of INDEMNITEES. 3. NO INSURANCE. I understand that RELEASEES may or may not maintain any insurance policy covering any circumstance arising from my participation in the activities of this student organization or any event related to that participation. As such, I am aware that I should review my personal insurance coverage. Organization may not carry general liability insurance to cover claims arising from this activity so it seeks a waiver of claims as additional consideration for the right to participate so organization, can (a) provide the activity at the lowest possible cost to participants; and (b) provide access to a greater number of participants by expending limited resources on program materials rather than on liability insurance. 4. BINDS HEIRS. It is my express intent that this agreement shall bind the members of my family and spouse, if I am alive, and my heirs, assigns and personal representatives, if I am deceased, and shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio. 5. MEDICAL AUTHORIZATION, INDEMNITY FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES, and WAIVER. I understand RELEASEES cannot be expected to control all of the risks articulated in this form and RELEASEES may need to respond to accidents and potential emergency situations. Therefore, I hereby give my consent for any medical treatment that may be required, as determined by a medical professional at the medical facility, during my participation in activities of this student organization with the understanding that the cost of any such treatment will be my responsibility. I agree to indemnify and hold harmless INDEMNITEES for any costs incurred to treat me, even if an INDEMNITEE has signed hospital documentation promising to pay for the treatment due to my inability to sign the documentation. I further agree to release, waive, discharge, covenant not to sue, and agree to hold harmless for any and all purposes, RELEASEES from any and all liabilities, claims, demands, injuries (including death), or damages, including court costs and attorney's fees and expenses, that may be sustained by me while receiving medical care or in deciding to seek medical care, including while traveling to and from a medical care facility, including injuries sustained as a result of the sole, joint, or concurrent negligence, negligence per se, statutory fault, or strict liability of RELEASEES. I understand this waiver does not apply to injuries caused by intentional or grossly negligent conduct. 6. VOLUNTARY SIGNATURE. In signing this agreement I acknowledge and represent that I have read it, understand it, and sign it voluntarily as my own free act and deed; organization has not made and I have not relied on any oral representations, statements, or inducements apart from the terms contained in this agreement. I execute this document for full, adequate and complete consideration fully intending to be bound by the same, now and in the future. I understand I can choose not to sign this document and free myself from its terms and the associated risks of the activities of the student organization by simply not being a member of the student organization. I further understand this is a voluntary, extracurricular activity; therefore it is not required for me to obtain college credits and not participating in this student organization will in no way hinder my ability to obtain a degree from the college. While I understand alternative activities are available to me that do not have the risks associated with this student organization I still desire to voluntarily engage in this activity. SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT INVOLVES THE WAIVER OF VALUABLE LEGAL RIGHTS. CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY BEFORE SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT. Participant Name * Agreement I accept I don't accept Are you currently 18+ years old or will you be 18 years old by August 20, 2019? * Yes No Legal Guardian Name * Required if participant is under 18 years old. Placing your name in the box above is an electronic signature denoting acceptance of waiver on behalf of your dependent. What is your birthday? * Month MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec Day Day12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Year Year19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021 Health Insurance Company * Health Insurance Policy Number * Name of Emergency Contact * Emergency Contact Relationship to You * Emergency Contact's Phone Number * Special Requirements / Dietary Restrictions * Please list any special services you may require due to an existing medical condition or physical disability or dietary restrictions if none, type "none" After you click "submit," your registration will be submitted. Be sure to keep checking the website for an updated itinerary and packing list. See you in August! www.marietta.edu/welcome-home


text:
6 Surefire Ways to Make Your Training Goals Actually Happen –espnW.com
Need a little inspiration for your winter training? Check out this article that Juli contributed to at espnW. In the article, Juli shares tips that you can dig into today to improve your race times. Read the article here.


text:
Spanish historian to speak on buildup to Mexico's war of independence
By Ann Friou
University News Service
February 23, 2010
A public lecture on Latin American and Spanish events related to Mexico's War of Independence in 1810 will be given at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, in Centennial Hall G02.
The lecture, titled "Los representantes de la América hispana en las Cortes de Cádiz de 1812," will be given in Spanish by María Victoria López-Cordón Cortezo, chair of modern history at Universidad Complutense in Madrid. López-Cordón, an eminent historian and author of numerous books on modern European history, the history of women, and the history of the family, will discuss Latin American representatives to Spain's constitutional conventions of 1812, a theme related to the beginning of Mexico's war of independence in 1810. Texas State is recognizing this period of history with a series of special events throughout the year.
The event is co-sponsored by the department of modern languages and the department of history. More information is available from Catherine Jaffe, department of modern languages, who can be reached via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I fell in love with the "old soul" and it now rests in my workspace.
The eye also caught mine.
Just reading them again is making my mouth water.
Pumpkin Spice Latte with Caramel
(w/mini pumpkin pie toppers of caramel & fondant)
Devils Food with Espresso Buttercream
Macadamia Nut Praline Tartlettes
Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Raspberry Filled Almond Objet D'Taarts
What a lovely day!
Thanks Rosanna for taking time to sit and chat!


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Enjoy Basketball Madness In March At Broadway At The Beach
The NCAA tournament bracket is now set and 68 teams begin playing this week for the national championship. Will your favorite team be victorious?
Whether you're cheering for a specific team or just enjoying the competition of it all, it's likely you'll soon be swept up in the madness this March. So why not enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded fans and the fun of friendly competition as you cheer on a team?
Broadway at the Beach is the one place that offers a variety of really great spots to enjoy a game. And the next few weeks will give you plenty of time to sample them all.
Good Time Charley's has big flat screen TVs all around so you can catch a game while enjoying some delicious food. While the menu is varied with everything from Chicken Marsala to Shrimp Scampi, it's Charley's Burger Creations that are a real treat for the tastebuds of any basketball-loving burger fan. Monday thru Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Good Time Charley's serves up a great Happy Hour menu. Plant yourself on the patio where you'll find another large flat screen TV, and enjoy.
More flavorful food and big screen TVs can be found at Liberty Brewery and Grill. Bring the whole family to watch a game and enjoy some great Southern comfort foods like genuine Southern Meatloaf, an Angus Beef® steak, or Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Adults can enjoy Liberty's own line of award-winning, hand-crafted draft beers and ales brewed on site. Happy Hour specials are available from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Over at the Original Shucker's Raw Bar, two big screen and 30 flat screen televisions are set up for a crowd's viewing pleasure. In addition, you can create your own pre-game festivities playing pool, darts, Golden Tee, Pin Ball, and even shuffleboard. Shucker's is known for its fresh, raw seafood bar and specials on oysters, shrimp, mussels, and wings, so bring your appetite. Shucker's famous Happy Hour prices are in full-force from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. everyday and include .65 oysters and .55 for shrimp, mussels and wings. Selected appetizers are just $4.99.
Broadway Louie's recently moved to a new corner location near the Comedy Club, and it still features food and drink specials on game days, and an outside patio bar. It's known for its stadium feel with banners hanging from the ceiling with the names and logos of both college and professional football teams. Flat screen TVs are both inside and outside on the patio — and they're sure to be tuned in to the NCAA games. There's even an upstairs Jack Daniels Lounge, where you can lounge on sofas while watching the games on TV.
Chuck & Duck's Sports Grill has nine 50-inch high definition TVs that can be transformed into one jumbo display screen for pivotal games. For warm spring days that end with a bit of nip in the evening, you can sit on the patio around a fire pit, while viewing games on a big-screen TV. Happy Hour specials at Chuck & Duck's are from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
When the madness of basketball sparks your interest this March, head for Broadway at the Beach.


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Alfresco rolled in to give us an update on all their outdoor cooking and accessory line. While you should definitely come in to get the full story on their product line (grills, pizza oven, 28″ beverage center that can hold a full keg, to name a few) two of their add-ons really made an impression on me. A built-in grill does not make for a full outdoor kitchen experience….but with these sweet add-ons you'll have no problem fulfilling every one of your outdoor entertaining needs.
Their 30″ Versa sink MSRP $1197 has plenty to offer. You can fill the sink with ice (and beer!), use it as a prep sink, use other accessories to create your own unique prep space, or rearrange all the parts to suit that day's needs or wants. With a full size kitchen sink drain, it's easy to clear it out, too. Everything you see below is included in the full beverage package…..check out the shelf for the BLENDER. I LOVE that! Pictured here is the bar package MSRP $806, the serving shelf MSRP $572, and the middle shelf MSRP $105.
It can change back to this…..to wash up.
Or this…with the sink add on package MSRP $549, and high self with a pot rack MSRP $572, and middle shelf MSRP $105.
There are accessory packages you can purchase to either do it up beverage style or make it a prep center. This sink is offered in widths of 14″ MSRP $1003 and 24″ MSRP $1405.
Their dry pantry caught my eye, too. The dry pantry takes outdoor storage to a whole new level. We have a LOT of bugs in Florida. These cabinets seal well, channel rain down the specially designed gaskets, and keep out creepy, crawly, bugs.
They also seal out humidity, so if you wanted to keep towels, or supplies out there for easy access, you won't have to keep filling it every time you're outside. They come in heights of 21″ and 33″ depending on whether you want it under your grill, or right beneath your counter. They offer a 30″ and 42″ width. MSRP is $1749-$2399, depending on the size. With pull out drawers and shelves, you have the option of where and how you want things to grab things.
Stop in and see what other ways you can take your indoor fun…..outside.


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Planning Bundle
Approved for 7.25 CFRE Hours
Strategic Planning and Development Planning
Your Instructor
I've always loved to write and teach. I am proud to say I am an accomplished (and more importantly, published) author, having had twenty-five books published.
I am one of slightly more than 100 professionals worldwide to hold the Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive designation. In my thirty years as a philanthropic consultant, I have managed capital campaigns, helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations achieve their development goals, and trained more than 40,000 development professionals in Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Bermuda, and most of the fifty states in the US, in addition to leading hundreds of virtual training programs with a world-wide audience.
I am especially proud of my affordable and comprehensive Linda Lysakowski's Nonprofit Courses, which I am adding to all the time!
I am a graduate of Alvernia University and a Master Teacher graduating from AFP's Faculty Training Academy.


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Mary Elizabeth is an award winning, natural and British-made beauty brand that offers a range of skincare and bodycare full of vitamin rich plant oils and essential oils. The brand is cruelty free which means that none of the ingredients in any of the products are tested on animals, and they're also free from SLS, parabens, artifical colours and fragrance. I'm always keen to try more natural and cruelty free beauty products so when Mary Elizabeth contacted me and asked if I'd like to try some of their products I very happily said yes. I chose their Juniper and Joboba Hand Cream - winner of the Green Parent Award 2013 - and the Camellia and Geranium Gentle Face Scrub - winner of the Free From Skincare Awards 2013.
Mary Elizabeth Juniper and Jojoba Hand Cream* | rrp £10.00
Mary Elizabeth's hand cream has a wonderful texture - it's creamy but light and absorbs into the skin incredibly quickly, leaving your skin instantly feeling softer and smoother. It also has a lovely natural fragrance from the inclusion of oils and flower extracts. It's quite a strong fragrance but once you've massaged the hand cream into your skin it fades into something much more delicate. I've been really impressed by the effectiveness of this hand cream and I can definitely see how it won an award! My only gripe is with the packaging which isn't very good for use on-the-go, and it isn't really that hygienic. However, it's totally fine if you just want something to apply in the evening before bed and that's how I've ended up using it. Overall, I really like this hand cream and I think it's priced just right too.
Mary Elizabeth Camelia and Geranium Gentle Face Scrub* | rrp £14.00
Unlike the hand cream, this Face Scrub came as quite a surprise as it has a completely different texture to what I had expected. Whilst I expected something far more "scrubby", what you get from Mary Elizabeth's Camelia and Gernaium Face Scrub is an incredibly nourishing, creamy base which is then home to only a sparse sprinkling of medium sized exfoliating particles. It isn't a harsh scrub nor is it a micro-exfoliant - it's quite unlike anything else I've tried before. It really does only offer a very gentle exfoliation and although this does make it lovely and gentle on the skin, personally I don't find that it gives me enough exfoliation to keep my skin soft and clear. It does, however, also work as a wonderful cleanser and I find massaging the product into my skin an incredibly luxurious experience. Overall, I really like the product but I think it works better as a cleanser - or even a once-a-week cleansing mask - than as an exfoliater. I don't think that I'd choose this over other exfoliating products that I've tried in the past, but I think it might be a nice option for those with very sensitive skin who want a really gentle exfoliater.
Have you heard of Mary Elizabeth before?
What hand creams or exfoliaters do you love using?


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Here's a few of the prices:
Wide Glide with the 103 motor and ABS braking $24,495 ($4,400 less than the 2011 model)
Fat Boy with 103 motor and ABS braking $$27,995 ($4,255 less)
Heritage Softail Classic with 103 motor and ABA $29,495 ($3,000 less)
Softail Standard with 103 motor and ABS $26,995 ($1,000 less)
So this year you get more grunt, better handling and a better deal....go check them out. The dealers are having their open days soon so go have a test ride of the 103 motor, you're certain to be impressed!
Labels: Bike Reviews, Donna's Blogs


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Hello Everyone!
I hope that all is well with you. We are almost five months into 2018 and I must say this year is all about change for me. I am not only changing and growing into my own woman but I am changing the way that I see myself. I am now viewing myself as God see's me. For many years I have conformed to what my parents have wanted for me, never thinking about what God wants and has for my life. That stops this year. Seeking God diligently for the past year has really brought things to the light that had been hidden all of my life. So I am changing. Changing the way I speak to people, changing the way I let people speak to and treat me. I am excited yet very nervous. I know that this is what God wants me to do and I also know that people do not like when you make changes. I pray that he gives me the courage and strength to live out his best for my life.
Are any of you making any changes this year?


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Punjab join Canada's Armed Forces
Web Desk (Nri Media): Puneet Chawla, daughter of Faridkot who has passed all tests of Canada's Armed Forces and has become a part of it. Yes, Puneet is the first Punjab to win this important post in the Canadian Forces. With this achievement, the Chawla family of Faridkot district is seeing an atmosphere of happiness. Their home is full of greetings. Puneet Chawla's father Rajesh Chawla and Marde Hardeep Chawla, associated with Faridkot, happily rested, said that when Puneet was 1 year old 22 years ago, he left Faridkot and Punjab and settled in
Professor hits back at critics of 'diversity' essay in top science journal
TORONTO — A Canadian professor who sparked a backlash by using a prestigious international scientific journal to question the impact of diversity hiring on the quality of scientific research has hit back at his detractors, saying he was the victim of a social media tempest.
In a lengthy statement, Tomas Hudlicky, 69, of Brock University, says he stands by his views, which he argues were misinterpreted.
"Social media rage led to the intimidation of the executive staff of a major journal, attacked me personally (and) induced Brock University into issuing a strong moral condemnation of my views and my values with threats of taking further action against me," Hudlicky says. "It rapidly became a full-fledged storm."
Hudlicky's seven-page opinion essay published in June in Germany-based Angewandte Chemie, which bills itself as one of the world's prime chemistry journals, surveyed recent trends in organic synthesis. In it, he decried "preferential" treatment given to women and minorities.
Publication of his essay sparked a furious backlash. In an open letter, the school's now former vice-president academic condemned what he called the "highly objectionable" and "hurtful" statements and apologized publicly, as did the publication, which withdrew the piece.
Angewandte also suspended two senior editors. Directors, including Canadian academics, resigned from its board. Accepting the paper, the journal said, had been a "clear mistake."
Hudlicky has his supporters, who decry what they see as an attack on freedom of expression. The Canadian Association of University Teachers and Brock University Faculty Association defended him, while Derek Pyne, a professor at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C., said he was suspended for a year for supporting criticism of Brock.
"It is tragic to see that, in several Western democratic societies, open discourse and debate can apparently be easily superseded by censorship, persecution and condemnation, propagated by social media," Hudlicky says.
"The appearance and pursuit in recent years of certain new and politically correct ideologies has led to the establishment of a society in which any opposition or any dissenting opinion regarding the new norms are silenced and punished rather than discussed. This is a very dangerous trend."
Hudlicky, a Tier 1 Canada research chair in chemistry, says Brock has damaged his professional standing. He says he has filed a grievance against the school in which he demands retraction of the critical letter along with a public apology.
"The university has nothing further to add to this discussion," Kevin Cavanagh, a Brock executive director, said on Monday.
Angewandte Chemie did not respond to a request for comment.
Given the peer-reviewed essay generated "apparent misunderstandings and misinterpretations," Hudlicky has edited and republished the document on his website.
"I stand by the views I wished to express in the essay, some of which are common knowledge, while others were duly cited from primary and secondary sources," he says. "Those who condemned the essay and slandered me should have read the content more carefully, and not jumped to politically motivated conclusions."
Among other things, Hudlicky argues hiring should be based on merit, not on a candidate's identification with a particular group. He does say he could have been clearer and more diplomatic, and should have shown the "positive influence" of diversity on the field of synthesis.
"I do not oppose diversity in the workforce and did not oppose it in the essay," he says. "I opposed preferential treatment of any group over another."
Hudlicky acknowledges what he calls harmful "structural inequalities and systemic bias," but says the best way to diversify university faculties is to hire the best candidates, who can train and mentor a diverse and inclusive group of next-generation scientists and scholars.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2020.
Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press
Charities worry about loss of trust, donations in wake of WE deal controversy
OTTAWA — The head of a group promoting charities says the sector is worried about long-term negative impacts of the ongoing WE controversy on Parliament Hill.
Imagine Canada's Bruce McDonald says the concerns are that donors will pull back on giving money, or volunteering their time, due to a lack of trust in how it's used.
Imagine Canada, a charity itself, has calculated the COVID-19 pandemic will cut donations by up to $6 billion this year, and that was before the controversy hit.
McDonald says another worry is that governments will become hesitant to partner with charities over political concerns.
WE co-founders Craig and Marc Kielburger spent four hours at the House of Commons committee last week, where they were peppered with questions about their organization's complex structure and social enterprise arm known as ME to WE.
McDonald says having multiple foundations and arms is not representative of the sector, but adds many charities do rely on social enterprises to fund their operations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2020.
The Canadian Press
COVID-19 conspiracies creating a 'public health crisis' in Canada, experts say
MONTREAL — A lively crowd gathered outside Francois Legault's office in downtown Montreal in mid-July to send a message to the Quebec premier: his government cannot force them to wear masks in indoor public spaces to fight the spread of COVID-19.
"Long live freedom without a mask," read one sign at the rally, which drew several dozen people. "My body, my choice" read another, alongside a drawing of a medical mask with a line across it.
The anti-mask movement is not unique to Quebec, nor are masks the only source of conflict in the country when it comes to public health directives around the novel coronavirus. But the issue is one of several at the heart of a growing online movement of disinformation around the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.
Researchers say conspiracy theories about COVID-19 are spreading at an alarming rate across the country — and they warn misinformation shared online may lead to devastating consequences and push Canadians to shun important safety measures.
"I think that people should be enormously concerned," said Aengus Bridgman, a PhD candidate in political science at McGill University and co-author of a study published last month on COVID-19 misinformation and its impact on public health.
The study found the more a person relies on social media to learn about COVID-19, the more likely they are to be exposed to misinformation and to believe it, and to disregard physical distancing and other public health guidelines. About 16 per cent of Canadians use social media as their primary source of information on the virus, Bridgman said in a recent interview.
His research team surveyed nearly 2,500 people and examined 620,000 English-language Twitter accounts, but Bridgman said COVID-19 misinformation also spreads on other social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, Instagram and Tumblr.
For example, a Facebook group called "Against mandatory mask-wearing in Quebec" has over 22,000 members to date, while another group with a similar mission has nearly 21,000 members.
The posts on these pages vary, from questioning the science behind wearing masks and lambasting Horacio Arruda, Quebec's public health director, for the mandatory mask rule, to accusing the World Health Organization of bias and Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates of creating the virus.
Another study published in May at Carleton University indicated 46 per cent of Canadians believed at least one of four unfounded COVID-19 theories: the virus was engineered in a Chinese lab; the virus is being spread to cover up the effects of 5G wireless technology; drugs such as hydroxychloroquine can cure COVID-19 patients; or rinsing your nose with a saline solution can protect you from infection.
Bridgman said the speed at which these conspiracy theories circulate online makes it difficult to verify where they originate. And while some right-wing groups in Canada are pushing these falsehoods, Bridgman said people across the political spectrum are vulnerable to them.
"This is a Canadian challenge," he explained. "People across levels of education, across age groupings, across political ideas, all are susceptible to misinformation online. This is not a phenomenon that is unique to a particular community."
Protests have taken place across Canada since the provinces put COVID-19 lockdown measures in place earlier this year, from Vancouver, to Toronto and Quebec City, where hundreds rallied at the provincial legislature July 26 against mandatory mask-wearing.
Alexandre Barriere was among dozens of protesters denouncing the mask rule on July 19 outside Legault's Montreal office.
He compared mask-wearing to a dog muzzle and said he didn't believe the COVID-19 pandemic exists. "We live to be free. We're not in the world to be controlled like animals," the 29-year-old said in an interview.
Another protester, 65-year-old Antonio Pietroniro, said the pandemic was "bogus" and warned that, after making masks mandatory, the government would force people to get vaccinated against the virus.
"They're going to say you have to take the vaccine even though it hasn't been proven to be safe," he said, echoing the anti-vaccination movement that has gained prominence in Canada, the U.S. and other countries in recent years.
Alison Meek, a history professor at Western University, said there are similarities between COVID-19 conspiracy theories and the anti-vaccination movement. Misinformation intentionally spread about COVID-19, she added, is also comparable to the conspiracy theories that circulated in the 80s and 90s during the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
"When you're scared, when you're frustrated, you want someone easy to blame… We want to point to somebody and say, 'Aha! You're the one — there's a bad guy here that did it,' as opposed to, 'this is just how these pandemics actually work,'" Meek said in an interview.
Governments have had to adapt their public health directives to keep up with rapidly evolving science about the virus.
Public uncertainty around the scientific process, combined with mounting frustrations with lockdown measures and a struggling economy has created a perfect storm in which conspiracy theories can flourish, Meek said.
"All of those things are coming together right now to make these conspiracy theories a real public health crisis that's getting more and more difficult to deal with."
She said conspiracy theories need to be countered with facts and evidence, adding that people should be encouraged to think critically about where they are getting their information.
Both she and Bridgman lauded social media companies such as Twitter and Facebook for removing videos and other posts that spread misinformation about COVID-19 — but both academics also said more needs to be done.
"People are dying because of these conspiracy theories and we've got to stop them," Meek said. "We've got to somehow figure out how to challenge them."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 3, 2020.
Jillian Kestler-D'Amours, The Canadian Press
Professor hits back at critics of 'diversity' essay in top science journal
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Shoes are the final step to completing an outfit. Unlike any other item of your ensemble, they can make or break any look if not matched correctly. Fortunately, Sears has a vast selection of the latest shoe styles for everyone. From school shoes for little ones to dress shoes for men and women, you'll find shoes that accentuate any outfit to perfection.
Whether you're attending a wedding or need something to match your outfits for the office, formal footwear is an absolute must. For women, flats add a touch of style and comfort are a great addition for your workday wardrobe, while a gorgeous pair of women's heels fit with that little black dress for a night on the town. Sears also has sharp men's dress shoes for any event. Choose from the latest oxfords, loafers and more to match your suit or formal outfit to perfection. Need something for everyday errands and activities? You'll also find a wide variety of adult walking shoes, sneakers, and more.
Kids also need kicks that are comfortable and express their style. New dress shoes match effortlessly with girls' and boys' school uniforms. When they're outside playing, let them rock sneakers featuring their favorite colors and characters. No matter the age or ensemble, Sears has the footwear you need to bring out the best look possible.


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At first sight, the Gents' (of Leicester) Pul-syn-etic clock looks like a short case wall mounted pendulum clock. It is only when you realise that there are no weights and you hear it in operation that you discover that this is something rather different.
Officially called a C7 transmitter, the case is a very elegant but unadorned hardwood box with a glass front, about 1.3m tall, 30cm wide and 20 deep reminicent of laboratory instruments. Most examples have a square deco style white face with a simple straight minute hand and ring hour hand. This is mounted in the door at the top above the glass.
Opening the door will reveal a nearly free swinging pendulum (A) adjusted to 1 second per half cycle. Watching the clock operate for a few minutes will reveal its operation. Refering to the diagram below, the pendulum moves a follower (B) which trips an escapement wheel (C) once every cycle. The wheel is fifteen teeth (thirty seconds) around and at one point there is a deep notch. This causes the actuator to slightly move upwards on the next right swing so that it fouls a vertical spring latch (D) on the right hand side.
You now need to watch carefully because everything happens quickly. The latch releases a bar (E) which contains a small roller. This rests on the pendulum follower and as it swings to the left it rolls off the edge and down the side. This side piece (F) is angled so that the weight of the roller and impulse-bar mechanism gives the pendulum a slight nudge to keep it swinging. So far this has all been mechanical, however when the roller reaches the bottom (when the pendulum is roughly in mid swing,) an electrical contact is made at the lower left of the impulse-bar (G). This enables a current to flow around the circuit which includes a large double coil solenoid (H) at the left. The solenoid pulls a long bar (J) towards itself which shoves the impulse-bar back to re-engage into its latch before the pendulum can swing back again. In the process it disconnects the current so that the solenoid-bar falls back again. This is what creates the loud "clunk" every thirty seconds.
The current which re-engages the latch also flows to slave mechanisms, one of which is the dial on the front. These get the same pulse every thirty seconds to move the hands half a minute at a time using a solenoid operated ratchet. It is this feature that gives the clock its name and makes it a master clock (or transmitter as the manufacturers call it). It is possible to have many slave dials in series (I don't know of any limit) and this made the clock popular in schools, factories, offices and other public buildings. My one came from the Llandudno Hotel in North Wales. It was possible to get a variety of standard slave dials or the bare mechanisms could be obtained for architect designed clocks. There is a fine example in the library at St. Hugh's College in Oxford. Special mechanisms were also available to drive time recorders for factories, turret clocks for the outside of buildings (see also St. Hugh's and Chris Bolwell's site) and bell actuators for schools.
There is a pull string on the right that, when operated, causes the follower to release the latch on every swing of the pendulum. This is to advance the clock for Daylight Saving Time. It takes four minutes to advance one hour. In the autumn, the easiest method is to stop the clock for the hour.
The pendulum rod is flat invar steel with a threaded extension welded to the bottom. The bob is a cylindrical bronzed steel can 254mm (10") long by 57mm diameter (2 ¼") diameter, perhaps containing large lead washers weighing a total of approximately 4.9Kg. The bob is a close but free fit to the rod and a cast metal circular disk at the bottom allows up and down adjustment on the threaded part of the rod. The whole is suspended by a strip of spring steel clamped to the rod and also to a pivot (K) which allows a small amount of front to back movement. On the bottom of the case is a graduated swing scale which serves very little purpose except to show that the case is vertical. The mechanism (including the pendulum pivot) is all mounted on a very substantial cast iron frame, usually painted green, and this projects out of the back of the case to provide the main wall attachment point above the case.
The moving mechanism parts are all bronze painted and are probably mild steel except the escapement wheel and pendulum follower which are of clock brass. The latter has a steel pin which goes through a slot in the pendulum rod (just below A). In addition to the mechanical parts, there are a few electrical components which vary from model to model. They all have a large two coil solenoid (H) at the right and some terminal posts on the left. Mine has two sets, one for the front face slave (L) mounted on the frame, and one for the power supply and external slaves (M) screwed to the wooden case. Below the main frame on the left is a wire-wound rheostat (variable resistor, N) to adjust the current allowing for different numbers of slaves and a compartment to hold the instruction book. Mine also has some additional components above the frame which are a choke (inductance, P) and condenser (capacitor, Q) in series together and, I think wired across the contact points. This will be to suppress arcing. Other examples have the rheostat and suppressor mounted in different places as they are just screwed to the wood. The wiring is green covered stranded wire, twisted in pairs or more, and routed mostly above and behind the frame. It looks more modern than the rest of the clock, but I have no evidence that it has been rewired.
Setting up
Choosing a place to install this clock should be done with care. It is rather noisy in operation and I can hear ours two floors away, though at that distance it is not annoying (it is an alternative to counting sheep if you can't sleep!) It needs a substantial masonry or brick wall which doesn't flex. Partition walls are not suitable and, in any case, will transmit the noise all around the building. It is probably best not to place it too close to a heat source as changes of temperature will disturb the timekeeping. That said, it is quite elegant and a conversation piece, so an entrance hallway is ideal. You will also need to consider access to a power point, depending on what power option you are choosing (see below).
The primary requirement for setting up this clock is a) to take the very substantial weight in a way that is absolutely rigid. It must not move with the swing of the pendulum else the time keeping will be impaired. And b), it must be vertical. To assist this, there are small inlaid brass studs in the front of the case, top and bottom, behind the door and on the left hand outside. These can be used with a plumb line for lateral and front to back alignment. There is an extra wood panel at the top and bottom rear which stands the case away from the wall by about 1cm. This can be useful to span small dado rails and allow for uneven walls.
First, carefully remove the pendulum from its hanger making sure not to bend the follower bar (which can be rather a tight fit).
It was getting the case vertical which made life hard for me. I positioned it against the wall and, at the last minute, discovered that the top was tipped back by 3cm relative to the bottom. So, as you will see from the pictures, I had to install a mounting block to the wall before attaching the clock. In fact I slightly over did it and it now leans out a fraction, but it tolerates a little error.
The main support is a large hole in the cast iron frame above the case. This should be hung on a substantial screw or Rawlbolt plugged into the masonry behind. Because of the extra padding on mine, I used a 3" (8cm) coach screw through the mounting block and into the wall behind. The screw needs to protrude by about a centimetre to hang the bracket, so a large diameter shank is required to avoid bending. The coach screw I used was 9mm in diameter and had a square head for use with a spanner. I had to file the corners off the head a little to get it through the mounting hole on the clock.
Once the clock is hung the final alignment can be done. If possible I would suggest putting some damping material behind the top and bottom to absorb some of the vibration. A thick soft type mouse mat cut in half provides two very suitable pieces. There are four further screw holes which now need to be used. At the bottom of the case are two slots in the wood which, I am told, originally had rubber bushes. Mark the wall behind at the centre of these slots and drill and plug them for ordinary (long) wood screws. At the top on both sides of the frame are two holes right through the cast iron (a and b on the diagram above). Mark, drill and plug these as well. Be sure to get the case precisely lined up for these as there is only a little adjustment.
Now the clock can be hung in it's final position. Hook the case over the main support point and loosely insert the lower two case screws. I found that large bath tap washers were an ideal way to buffer these screws from the case. Tighten the top screw so that there is no gap but a little movement is possible for adjustment and get the case as vertical as possible. Now re-hang the pendulum (the shiny side of the rod should face the front), carefully hooking the slot over the follower pin and make sure that the hanger is bedded down into the frame. It is a good idea, at this stage, to make sure that the adjustment screw disk at the bottom of the pendulum is free. Turn it back and forth a few times and apply a smear of grease to the thread, but don't move it too far away from its original position otherwise it will be hard to put right later. The final adjustments side-to-side can now be made to get the pendulum hanging in the centre of the scale. Tighten the lower screws and insert the two remaining upper screws (also with tap washers) and tighten them down. The clock should now be rigid on the wall and unable to be moved by a (reasonable) shove sideways. It is possible to adjust the pendulum sideways on its hanger, but this should not be necessary.
The instruction book says that the mechanism needs 0.22 Amp to operate. I have found that it will function on a little less than this. The slave movement coil is about 4 Ohms and the master solenoid is about 29 Ohms. The rheostat (on mine) allows adjustment from 0 to 115 Ohms. The simple mathematics from Ohm's law says that V = I R i.e. 0.22 x 33 (for the one internal slave) requires 7.26V.
There are a number of ways that this power can be provided. Originally this was either dry cells (zinc-carbon) at 1.5V each in series, lead-acid accumulators at a nominal 2V each in series or a transformer and rectifier from what they called the "service main." Large capacity dry cells are now virtually unobtainable. I remember my school used cells that were 30cm high and 8cm square which lasted about three years and they had a small cupboard full of them, all wired in series. The mains-transformer option has the disadvantage that if the current fails, then the clock stops. Although unexpected, the second option of accumulators is still a viable option. Small sealed lead-acid batteries (with the acid as a gel) are readily available and a matching trickle charger can be wired to keep them topped up.
I bought a 6V set (Maplin part numbers
YJ68Y 2.8Ah
and LJ92A) before realising that a
12V set would have been better, but it still works with the
rheostat set to zero. I think this will run for at least 3
weeks without the charger connected. You will need to check
that the charger suits the battery you have chosen, but there
is quite a wide range available ) The actual voltage per cell is nearer 2.2V which
is why mine works with the smaller battery. The battery comes
with Lucar connectors as does the charger, so you need to make
up some leads with insulated connectors that allow both to be
connected in parallel. The battery is delivered discharged so
put it on charge overnight before testing. If you are using the
direct transformer option, make sure that it gives DC at 9 to
12V under load and capable of supplying 250mA. If you are
planning to run multiple slaves then 12V will run at least 5
additional dials. Any more than that and you are on your own.
Something I didn't do, but certainly would if running
remote slaves, is to insert a fuse in the supply lead. The
current potential for lead-acid batteries in the case of a
short circuit is very high and creates a fire risk. A household
1A cartridge fuse in holder would be ideal.
Attach the power supply to the two main terminals (M) on the right hand side—the polarity +/- doesn't matter. There is a hole in the back of the case to run the wires or it would be possible to install the battery inside the case with a little ingenuity. Undo the screw in the knob and adjust the rheostat (N) to maximum resistance (the top on mine). Attach an ammeter to the two terminals half way up the solenoid arm (about at position J), one to the solenoid-arm itself and one to the impulse-bar. This requires two people really—adjust the rheostat until the meter registers 0.22A. Beware:—the solenoid will jump when sufficient current flows and may dislodge the ammeter probes but no harm is done, just re-connect them. Now re-tighten the rheostat locking screw. A significant feature of this clock is that no power is consumed when it is stopped. There is no need to disconnect the power.
Swing the pendulum by hand gently from side to side and make sure that the follower-bar (B) goes through the hole in the latch (D) cleanly. It is supposed to be in the middle but mine sits well forward, possibly because the follower mechanism is slightly bent. The main reason this happens is that the pin on the follower is a tight fit in the pendulum rod and when removing the pendulum, it is very easy to pull the follower as well. If it fowls the latch hole then it will need to be gently bent by pushing (or pulling) on the main follower bar behind the pendulum. Once this is clear you can set the pendulum swinging and after a few seconds the mechanism should operate and all will be well. If the impulse bar does not re-engage in the latch then the current is in-sufficient. If nothing happens at all then check that all the terminal screws are tightened down. A continuous series circuit is required between battery, contacts, solenoid and slave, though tracing the twisted wires (all of the same colour) is quite tricky.
You now need to put the clock roughly right. Differences of more than an hour forward (or any time backwards) are best adjusted by stopping and starting the clock at the appropriate times. I had to move mine by six hours, so I ran it until it showed 7 o'clock, then stopped it until a bit after 7 the following evening when I started it again. Finally adjust it a few minutes using the "advance" string. I have found that this mechanism always advances the clock by one more pulse than you expect it to, but if you overshoot then you can always stop the pendulum for a short period and try again.
Depending on how accurate you want to get it, you now need a reference clock or the radio time signal. I used a radio synchronised wall clock with a sweep second hand—this is where the loud clunk every thirty seconds became useful because I could hear it from the other end of the house. Get the clunk to occur as near to the minute/half minute as you can by stopping the pendulum for the few seconds required. Now measure how many seconds before or after the half minute the clunk occurs. Write this down and do the same about 24 hours later. The difference will tell you how fast or slow the clock is running. Also check that the minute hand is still right in case you are more than 30 second per day wrong! The clock can be made to run faster by turning the adjustment wheel to the right or slower to the left. The book says that it is one notch on the wheel to adjust it by one second per day but there was quite a bit of hysteresis on mine, particularly to the left. Repeatedly take new timings roughly 24 hours apart and within a week I got mine to better than one second a day.
The instruction book talks about a weight supplied that could be placed on top of the pendulum to speed it up, or on the adjustment ring below to slow it down, by one second per hour in each case. This could be used to make small adjustments to the clock whilst still maintaining a monotonic increasing time function (albeit with 30 second step changes). There should be a hook supplied inside the case to hang the weight (usually just below the instruction book) when it is not in use. Both the weight and hook were missing from mine. Tony Daniels kindly sent me a photo of his. It weighs 28 grams (1 ounce) and is inscribed
FRONT For correcting Pul-Syn-Etic Transmitter Pendulum
REAR On top of bob will gain On bottom will lose One second per hour Remove when Corrected
The same technique can be used with much smaller weights for fine tuning and I have recently been shown a picture of some "Regulating Weights" for this purpose. I have made a set of my own in ¼ g. increments for this purpose, using garden wire.
Other clocks
[I have not been able to trace some of the following pictures to their owners so if I have stolen yours, please let me know and may I have your permission please. If not I will remove it as soon as possible.]
Searching on the internet and from clock dealers catalogues, I have discovered that there were different models of this clock made. Mine is numbered #7117 (on a disk on the key ring, and also stamped into the wood at the top and/or bottom of the case next to the brass alignment studs—thanks John), and was probably made in the late 1930's or early 1940's. #5615, #5820 & #9541 are the same design as is #6776, but in this case, the slave dial has been removed (or never fitted). These were probably made up to at least 1955.
The early ones, certainly up to 1936 had an oak (#3419) or mahogany (number #4001 at St. Hugh's Oxford 26 Mar 1936) case and round dial. These are different but close numbers so it is possible that the mechanisms were supplied without cases to to be fitted to suit the customer. They were certainly made to order, though in standardised cases, until quite late in their production, which is why there is quite a bit of variation. The one owned by Alistair Ruddle, which is of this type and #2658, is dated 4 Jan 1928. Tony Daniels' also has the round (but silvered) face and is #4560.
I discovered one (#8533) on e-bay which seemed to have a separate pendulum follower with a mercury switch. This is about 10cm below the main follower (picture to right) and may have been a similar mechanism to another one I discovered at a dealer's (Old Father Time Clock Centre, picture in chapter above) that had another slave dial with a sweep second hand behind the glass at the top of the case. The mercury relay may have been to provide a 1 second pulse to drive this second dial.
A very late design (at least 1961) on clock #13735 introduced a round marking on the square dial and no wooden crossbar. Clock #14958 had the same face and is dated 22-7-74. Clock #14836 is similar but the dial has been extended down to provide space for an extra slave movement, possibly for a bell actuator, strike or similar purpose (pictures to the left). All of these used the same standard mechanism. Finally, I came across one with a basically standard mechanism but with a lot of extra switching and connectors. This may be an alternative "second hand" pulse mechanism or something more complex.
Tony Daniels' clock (#4560) has a special feature—a second dial below the first which is driven from a mains synchronous movement. This was used in an elctricity substation as a frequency drift control and was used to correct overnight error during the daytime by adjusting the mains supply frequency. This was necessary because many people had synchronous clocks and the authority were obliged to be accurate over the long term. The reference clock was also made by Gent and is a precision movement. [The picture suggests that one or both were not running when it was taken.] #3662 14 Aug 1934 is similar and is currently undergoing restoration in the Netherlands. The owner has obtained a copy of the "Operating and Maintenance Instructions for Standard and Frequency Time Equipment" [158K] from another source in New Zealand.
There were other clocks made with a mechanism that operated in a similar way to the Gent. For example the Post Office type 36 which was used to time telephone call charges in local exchanges used a Magneta movement which, I think, was magnetically impulsed. A type that I am particularly interested in locating is one that was on the wall of the physics laboratory in my secondary school (Ravensbourne School in Bromley, Kent, formerly Bromley Grammar School for Boys.) I was told at the time (1971) that it was assembled from a kit by the then head of physics, Mr. G. Pullham. The design was similar to the Gent but, I think, had a shorter 1 or 1½ second pendulum and with a "grid-iron" type compensated bob. It was also a lot quieter in operation, not interfering with lessons.
Some good links.
PULSYNETIC—The best of the lot, and some very special clocks.
Electric Clocks—A good description of how this and other electric clocks work by Michel Viredaz (translated from French)
Electrical horology systems—[LINK BROKEN 2016] A similar page by Werner Moser (translated from German)
Martin Ridout's Electrical Horology pages
Barrie's Virtual Museum of Clocks. [LINK BROKEN 2014]
Old Father Time Clock Centre—A shop in London.
Bush House Control Room—[LINK BROKEN 2016] Gent clocks in use at the BBC.
Synchronome—[LINK BROKEN] A shop in Brixham, Devon.
Layman's Guide to the Gent's Pulsynetic Waiting Train Electrically Driven Pendulum Turret Clock—Chris Bolwell's excellent description of a refurbishment project. An insight into how Gent master clocks were used to drive outdoor turret and tower clocks..
The Electrical Horology Group of the Antiquarian Horological Society.
Electric Masters—a good introductory site with some excellent pictures.


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Client: O2
CATEGORY: Telco, PAYG


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text:
Water gushed into the Central Artery's northbound tunnel for hours yesterday from a small breach in the eastern wall, backing up afternoon rush-hour traffic for miles and leaving Big Dig officials at a loss to explain where the water was coming from and what had caused the leak.
Water gushed into the Central Artery's northbound tunnel for hours yesterday from a small breach in the eastern wall, backing up afternoon rush-hour traffic for miles and leaving Big Dig officials at a loss to explain where the water was coming from and what had caused the leak.
In the first couple of hours after the leak was reported, about 1:45 p.m., officials closed two lanes in the northbound tunnel and all onramps from the Massachusetts Turnpike. Traffic on the Southeast Expressway backed up to Quincy, and there were long delays on the turnpike approaching the interchange.
Big Dig officials said at a late afternoon press conference that they hoped to reopen all the tunnel's northbound lanes by this morning's commute. But they said they did not know how long it would take to find the source of the leak and repair the damage, and they could not guarantee that work would be finished in time.
By late afternoon, officials could not provide an estimate of how much water had flowed into the tunnel. For safety and to soak up the water, highway workers piled sandbags along the eastern wall and poured sand in the right lane.
Officials and engineers were so uncertain about the origin of the water that some tasted it. The likely source, they said, was groundwater, because that portion of the tunnel sits 110 feet underground.
One theory for the leak was that sand or clay got into the poured concrete in the tunnel's slurry wall during construction, said Sean O'Neill, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which oversees the $14.6 billion Big Dig project.
O'Neill said it is possible that groundwater ate away at the sand and carved a small leak in the wall.
During construction of the Big Dig, engineers and workers built the slurry walls by first digging a series of deep trenches, which were filled with a clay substance. Concrete was then pumped underneath, displacing the clay and forming the tunnel's concrete walls.
Keith Sibley, director of construction for Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the consortium responsible for major portions of the Big Dig, sought during the press conference to reassure drivers and state officials that there were no safety concerns.
"Structurally, there's no problem with the tunnel at all," he said.
But state officials said they would hold the consortium responsible for all costs of sealing the leak and repairing the wall.
"Believe me, as a customer of the product we constructed, I'm not happy right now," said Matthew J. Amorello, chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which oversees the $14.6 billion Big Dig project. "It's unacceptable, and we're going to deal with it."
Bechtel/Parsons officials said last night that Modern Continental, the contractor that built the tunnel's slurry walls 10 years ago, would pay for the repairs.
"Modern Continental has accepted responsibility and will make all the repairs as quickly as possible," said Andrew Paven, a Bechtel/Parsons spokesman.
But last night, a spokeswoman for Modern Continental said that no such agreement had been reached. "The cause of the leak has not been determined, and no conversation about the cost of the repairs has taken place," said the spokeswoman, Lorraine Marino.
About 7 last night, Big Dig engineers met in a office at the project's headquarters on Kneeland Street to figure out how to plug the hole without making the problem worse. The engineers said that removing tiles along the wall could expand the leak. But crews dismantled a section of the wall late yesterday to try to make repairs.
Officials were notified about the leak when motorists began reporting water seeping through Jersey barriers along the northbound tunnel's eastern wall.
Shortly after those reports, with the water flow at its heaviest, officials closed two lanes of the northbound tunnel, which produced the miles-long backup.
To ease congestion, officials opened the Haul Road off Interstate 93 north at 3:30 p.m., a road normally limited to commercial traffic. At the same time, they closed the entrance into the tunnel from Congress Street. And 15 minutes later, officials closed all onramps from the turnpike leading to northbound tunnel.
By early evening, the closing was reduced to one lane, and traffic was flowing. So was the water, which continued to form a small pool in the right lane of the tunnel about a quarter mile south of Exit 23 to Government Center.
A stream of water trickled between sandbags and rippled in a puddle about 5 inches deep and two cars long in the right lane.
Officials said they found an 8-inch hole in the slurry wall, one of the Big Dig's signature innovations, and sent a special team of construction workers to inspect whether the damage was more extensive.
Officials said there was no connection between yesterday's leak and a water leak last winter, when ice formed on the road surface in the northbound and southbound tunnels. The ice was blamed on old steel footings from the elevated Central Artery, which allowed rainwater to seep into the tunnel.
While construction of the Big Dig is nearing an end, the process for determining who should pay for the cost overruns in the project is ongoing.
In February 2003, Amorello appointed Edward M. Ginsburg, a retired state judge, to lead a review of the project with an eye to holding contractors responsible for mistakes. To date, Ginsburg's team of lawyers and engineers has identified more than 700 construction issues and has recovered $3.5 million from a design firm.
The Ginsburg team has filed several lawsuits against other design firms, including one seeking $150 million from Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff, the project's overall manager.
Last night, Ginsburg said he could not comment on the leak, but promised an aggressive investigation on behalf of taxpayers.
"We will definitely get all the preliminary reports and send our people in to look at this," he said. "This shouldn't happen, and somebody has got to make an explanation, and I can assure you it is not going to get by us. We will look at this, absolutely."
By David Abel and Mac Daniel. Sean P. Murphy of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
To see more of The Boston Globe, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.boston.com/globe.
© 2004, The Boston Globe. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.


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Prime Minister's Award to encourage young people into trades training
Labour will introduce a $2,000 award for the best pupil in vocational courses in each public secondary school, says Leader of the Opposition Jacinda Ardern.
"We know there's huge demand for trades workers, particularly in the building sector, where construction is now going into reverse due, in part, to a lack of workers.
"We need to do more to encourage pupils who have shown talent in vocational education to keep training and pursue a career, and to lift the profile and importance of the trades in New Zealand.
"Under a Labour government the top pupil at each public high school in vocational subjects every year will receive a $2,000 Prime Minister's Vocational Excellence Award. That's up to 500 pupils every year.
"My hope is that the Prime Minister's Vocational Excellence Award will help young people continue into trades training and get qualified after school.
"I also want to see more schools offering vocational courses, and working with pupils who show a preference for these topics over traditional core subjects.
"Along with Labour's KiwiBuild Visa, our Dole for Apprenticeships plan, and fees free post-school education and training, this award will see more young people go into these vital jobs," says Jacinda Ardern.


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On Top of the Covers: The Morning After
After TD's full-scale debut here in Week 8, L.I. Slim has emerged as the swami of the moment, posting an impressive 9-2 mark with one to play. Kansas City comes in at 6-5, better than Paul Maguire but good only for second place in this space. Both have the Colts tonight, so the weekend's excitement is over, and that includes tonight's game. Lesson of the week: The Niners, floating atop the NFC West, may be getting bored. And there just isn't an apple small enough not to get stuck in Denver's throat. The AFC is looking like losers again in January.


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Uber suspends self-driving testing program in Arizona
In wake of a car crash involving one of its autonomous cars, Uber has officially suspended its self-driving testing program in the U.S. state of Arizona.
An image posted on Twitter showed a self-driving Uber Volvo car half-capsized on one of its sides. Dents and smashed windows of the vehicle indicated that it was a high-impact accident iin Tempe, Arizona.
Validating the crash, a spokesperson for the company said that Uber officially halted its self-driving testing program in Arizona as well as pushed pause on Pittsburgh operations until it finishes a probe into the incident.
It is the latest setback for a company that is already facing a range of controversies as the company is already reeling under allegations of sexual harassment and technology theft, in addition to soaring financial losses.
Google's parent firm Alphabet's self-driving car unit Waymo has filed a lawsuit against Uber, claiming it is using its stolen technology in its self-driving cars. It claims that former Google executive Anthony Levandowski stole the technology and left the company to start his own business called Otto, which was later acquired by Uber.
Waymo requested the court to issue an injunction against Otto as well as Uber. A hearing on the injunction motion is scheduled for 27th of April this year.
United Kingdom News
- Mass market crucial for Macau Casino Industry's recovery: Bernstein Analysts
- William Hill to merge online and retail divisions with Phil Walker in-charge
- BGC impressed by steps taken by UK casinos, disappointed by Government's response
- Stephen Cohen reappointed as Commissioner of the Gambling Commission
- Online Sports Bettors don't turn to Online Casinos during absence of sports: Research


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For prospective new members, a word of warning: don't use common names like Dennis, Simon, or Kenny if you decide to create an account. Spammers have used them all before you and gotten those names flagged in the anti-spam databases. Your account registration will be rejected because of it.Dismiss Notice
Since it has happened MULTIPLE times now, I want to be very clear about this. You do not get to abandon an account and create a new one. You do not get to pass an account to someone else and create a new one. If you do so anyway, you will be banned for creating sockpuppets.Dismiss Notice
If you wish to change your username, please ask via conversation to tehelgee instead of asking via my profile. I'd like to not clutter it up with such requests.Dismiss Notice
Due to the actions of particularly persistent spammers and trolls, we will be banning disposable email addresses from today onward.Dismiss Notice
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