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The automotive industry is just one of the many sectors that regularly make use of instruments for the measurement of pore size and other pore characteristics. Perhaps the most obvious components for which information on pore structure is needed – but not the only ones – are the various filters that play vital roles in the functioning of a vehicle. Continue reading Pore Size in Automotive Components
Posts tagged filter material


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Looking for a credit card that cost you zero joining fee and free annual fee?
Look no further as Bank Islam Alumni Platinum MasterCard Card-i has arrived at your school.
Am I eligible if Im 22 years old?
Anyone of 21 years of age and above from all walks of life can get their hands on this credit card.
If you have beneficiaries, they must be 18 years old to qualify for the supplementary card.
Financially-speaking, the principal cardholder must have an income of RM24,000 annually.
Accessible line of credits
Student life can be costly; but it is impossible to escape them, right?
Say you need money for a new textbook but it is too pricey that it eats up your pocket for the month.
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If you swiped but are unable to pay it back so soon, you can convert the balances into monthly payments.
With Bank Islam EPP and IPP, you are stretching the big amount into smaller instalments and pay them between 3 to 36 months.
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You can spare yourself from the long queue at the Zakat counter and perform your Zakat (tithe) obligation as conveniently as possible via deduction from your credit card.
All you need to do is to check on Bank Islam's website for Zakat centers that accept this payment method.
FREE Takaful protection
Who doesn't like FREE stuff that is teeming with benefits?
Under this Takaful plan, you will be covered with personal accident benefits while traveling for up to RM1,000,000 apart from third party liabilities and compensation for travel inconveniences.
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What to watch out for?
Well, if you fail to finance your debts timely, you will be slapped with tiered profit rates on the remaining amount.
Depending on how discipline you are in meeting your statement due date, the profit rate could go as high as 17.5%.
To enjoy the lowest profit rate of 13.5%, you should make at least 10 prompt payments in a year.

subset: commoncrawl


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Dietary and Food Allergy Concerns
The most common food issues that we deal with at Oakcrest are listed below. We have a specific plan for each of these concerns. As a camper, the most important thing for you to do is to indicate your food concern on your registration card. This way, we can work with you to make sure your concerns are met while you are at camp. Sometimes food concerns will develop or be diagnosed after you have turned in your registration card. In these cases, you need to contact your Stake leader. She will then contact the Women's Committee member over the Oakcrest kitchen and inform her of this change.Download Printable PDF
Here are the procedures we follow for individual food concerns at Oakcrest:
If a camper indicates on her registration card that she has diabetes, a Women's Committee member will contact her parents and ask if they would like to receive a copy of the menu for the week their daughter will attend camp. This will enable them to count carbohydrates and make a plan of what and how much their daughter will eat at specific meals. Most of the time, no further assistance will be needed. If parents feel they need to send different or additional food for their daughter, they can. Please see "Sending Food to Camp" at the end of this document.
If a camper indicates on her registration card that she has Celiac-related allergies, a Women's Committee member will contact her parents to discuss the gluten-free options that are available at camp. Parents are free to send additional food for their daughter. Please see "Sending Food to Camp" at the end of this document.
Lactose intolerance
Most campers can deal with their lactose intolerance with their medication. We do use cheese, butter, and dairy products in our cooking at Oakcrest. So, if a camper indicates she has lactose issues on her registration card, a member of the Women's Committee will contact her parents. If they need to see a menu of the food that will be served the week their daughter comes to camp, they can request it. If campers with dairy issues have a special milk that they can drink or use on cereal, they are welcome to bring this to camp with them in a small cooler with ice. It will be stored in the Oakcrest kitchen so the camper's name must be on the container and the cooler she brings it in. When the camper needs access to her milk, she can come to the kitchen and ask one of the staff members to get it for her. In more severe cases, special foods may be needed to be sent from home to supplement the camper's meals. Please see "Sending Food to Camp" section at the end of this document.
Nut Allergies
We do not use nuts in our meals at camp because so many campers are allergic to them. We do, however, offer a peanut butter and jelly station for lunch and dinner to accommodate those campers who are vegetarian, vegan, or particular. This station is located in the lodge where campers eat. So if a camper is so severely allergic to nuts that they cannot walk by an open jar of peanut butter, she will need to avoid that area. With severe nut allergies, we recommend campers request to stay in the "Nut Free" cabin. You can find more information about this under the "Campers" tab on the homepage in a document called "About Oakcrest."
If a camper indicates that she suffers from this condition, a member of the Women's Committee will contact her parents and inform them that they are welcome to send her with however many snacks they feel their daughter will need. These snacks can stay with her at all times throughout the day and will be stored in a sealed container at night to discourage "critters" from coming into the cabin. In Hypoglycemic cases, any information that is written on the registration card or gathered from the phone call will be passed on to the camper's counselor.
If a camper indicates that she follows one of these dietary plans on her registration card, a Women's Committee member will contact her parents. Normally, those who follow these diets will be fine at Oakcrest. For breakfast, there is food in a "hot" line, and there are cold bars with items like cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc. There is peanut butter and jelly available for lunch and dinner. Sometimes dinner meals can be questionable for them because some type of meat is often served. If parents request a menu for the week their daughter is coming to camp, they will receive it. If they are concerned about dinner meals, they are welcome to send supplementary food to camp with their daughters. Please see "Sending Food to Camp" at the end of this document.
Sending Food to Camp
If, after speaking with a Women's Committee member, parents determine that they will need to send supplemental food to camp for their daughter, a Women's Committee member will call them the week before their daughter comes to camp. She will go over the menu with the parents and answer any questions they may have to finalize their daughter's menu. Here are the steps you need to follow if you are sending food to Oakcrest:
- Label each item of food with the camper's name.
- Store all food items in a cooler with ice. This cooler should also be labeled with the camper's name. It will be transported on the camper's bus in the luggage compartment.
- Inside the cooler, parents should include a detailed list of their daughter's special menu and any instructions that will be needed to prepare her food. Instructions should include which food items go with each meal.
The Head Cook will be preparing these special meals personally and she generally has several to prepare so these 3 steps are crucial in helping her keep all the meals, campers, and special needs straight.


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DineL.A. is back and it's time to scour the menus of participating restaurants all over town. I've come up with some reasons to jet to a particular dining establishment near you, whether for lunch or for dinner. Some restaurants offer exclusive dishes to dineL.A., others are offering a particularly enticing lunch and/or dinner menu. There are also participants that might normally be out of your price range or sense of adventure, but dineLA might just be the right occasion to give them a try.
Culver City
Wheel House Cheese Shop Welcomes Fromage Fanatics to Culver City
There's a new cheese shop on the Culver City block, and Westsiders are all the better for it. Now entering its third month of business, Alex Josef's Wheel House Cheese Shop is making rare cheeses accessible and approachable to all who are curious about the ins and outs of cheese…or who may simply want an expert to curate a cheese board for them and their visitors.
Drinking Through New Spring Cocktails at The Corner Door
Thankfully, there have been more and more spots popping up on the Westside to which I'll venture for some great cocktails. Scopa Italian Roots, Belcampo Meat Company join the ranks of Copa d'Oro, Tasting Kitchen, Sunny Spot, Sotto and Picca (the latter two of which are on the east part of the Westside).
But Beau DeBois' cocktail menu at The Corner Door has always been sort of a sleeper – though this is my easterly L.A. bias speaking. Of course, this status does not apply with locals, because the restaurant and bar regularly draws a legion of neighborhood residents, and for good reason: Great drinks, great pub fare and late night hours.
Waylynn Lucas and Nancy Truman of Fonuts Demo Small Appliances at Best Buy
Last Saturday afternoon, the Fonuts gals performed a series of demos at the Best Buy in Culver City in efforts to promote the store's recent expansion in their small appliances line as well as their own baked goods shop, Fonuts, on 3rd Street. It took all my self control and the need for a DSLR camera upgrade to not purchase any of the kitchen appliances Waylynn and Nancy highlighted – or the new, streamlined Dyson cordless hand vac. Adding fuel to the retail therapy fire was a 20% off promotion Best Buy was running…
…which you now can take part in, yourself, since I've got a code to share that will get you the same savings on small appliances at Best Buy online after the jump. A KitchenAid mixer at 20% off, anyone?
Four Upcoming Food Events in L.A. You Don't Want To Miss
It's that time, again, to present the essential food events going on the next few weeks around the city. It's a wonder that I don't do these more often, because I often want to highlight events that I don't have time to write about before and after they occur.
So here's a reminder, then, to check back on the blog whenever you can (on a full size browser, not mobile) for my Google Calendar-ready events list I've been maintaining in the right-hand column, underneath my avatar –>.
Without further ado…
Continue reading
The Corner Door Raises the Bar in Culver City with Fall Menu
I can't be sure what exactly I was expecting out of The Corner Door in Culver City, but I guess it should be known that one of the few things worth traveling to that quandrant for – in my opinion – was ramen, Rutt's and Roy Choi (even then, I'd still point out that Roy grew up on the eastside of Los Angeles). There have been new restaurants springing up lately, but in a lot of ways, they were neighborhood stops. It seems The Corner Door has found a great balance between being that neighborhood place, and in a lot of ways is heading towards existing as a destination. When you have great food and inspiring cocktails, that's just what tends to happen.
Pitfire Pizza Celebrates its 15th Anniversary and New Fall Menu
It's been a few years since Pitfire Pizza had found a special place in my heart. Though I first became surprisingly enamored with the well built-out chain starting with the unveiling of their Culver City location, I was surprised to learn that they're actually celebrating the 15th anniversary of the first, their North Hollywood location, this year.
Their quality is ensured by a well sized, manageable menu that joins the locations together. If you only order pizza, you're actually missing a big part of their appeal. They always have excellent vegetable sides and well executed pastas to cover all their bases. And now, you'll have fall flavors to look forward to on your next visit, starting with their Roasted Pumpkin Pizza with kale and pumpkin seeds.
L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade Draws Top Culinary Talent in Fight Against Childhood Cancer
L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade, for my third year in attendance, remains one of my favorite food events. The original idea of Alex's Lemonade arose out of a courageous four-year-old's battle with neuroblastoma and her desire to donate the proceeds of her lemonade stand to doctors who have helped her. Childhood cancer strikes a chord personally, as my first born nephew was diagnosed with Acute lymphocytic leukemia at the age of 1 1/2. Thanks to treatment and some faith, he's now entering his teen years as a survivor. Of course, more research needs to be done.
Not Just Another Food Event: LA Loves Alex's Lemonade Takes Place November 6, 2011
Every year, there are more and more food events to choose from, making it hard to know exactly which one to support. LA Loves Alex's Lemonade, however, is pretty much la crème de la crème when it comes to the quality of participants – at least from my inaugural experience last year. This year, it looks like the case will be the same.
Let's take a look and see why. Participants from LA include Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Vinny Dotolo & Jon Shook (Animal), Neal Fraser (Grace), Suzanne Goin (Lucques, A.O.C., Tavern), Matt Molina (Osteria Mozza), Zoe Nathan (Huckelberry), Steve Samson & Zach Pollack (Sotto), Eric Alperin (The Varnish) and Jonathan Graham (Compartes).
And if those weren't all enough reasons, there will also be stellar showings from other parts, such as April Bloomfield (The Spotted Pig – NY), Neal Bodenheimer (CURE – New Orleans), Brian Huston & Paul Kahan (The Publican – Chicago), Johnathan Sundstrom (Lark – Seattle), Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto – NY) and Lachlan Patterson (Frasca Food and Wine – Boulder, CO).
As far as tickets, they're not a drop in the bucket, but they're mostly tax-deductible. But there's no better way to enjoy endless hand-crafted cocktails from top mixologists and dishes from your favorite chefs with the Gone With The Wind mansion as your backdrop. Meanwhile, you pay your taxes forward and further research on childhood cancer. Yay! While the regular general ticket price is normally $175, Thrillist LA is offering VIP tickets (normally $400) for $225 ($100 is tax-deductible). Given that you get a whole extra hour and admission into the VIP area as well as the pre-event mixology session, this ticket is your best bet.
See you in Culver City next weekend!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thrillist VIP Tickets: $225
Culver Studios
9336 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Spreading Beery Cheer at City Tavern
You don't have to wait until L.A. Beer Week to celebrate beer.
Today is Free Pour Wednesday at City Tavern in downtown Culver City. Sit down for dinner (maybe even at one of the tap-equipped tables) and sample your choice of craft beer (6 oz. pour) from the total 22 available on draft, for free. Limit one per guest with food order.
And tomorrow, you can celebrate Sierra Nevada Pint Night.
Spare yourself the drive up to their Chico tasting room. Tomorrow at City Tavern, you'll find Sierra Nevada's Schwartz Bier, Vienna Lager, Foam Pilsner, Oktoberfest, and Life & Limb 2 (a highly-coveted limited release) on tap. Feeling especially beer-social? One of the reps from Sierra Nevada will be present to answer all your questions and share in your beery cheer. Plus, purchase any one of the aforementioned pints and receive a commemorative glass, while supplies last. And of course, City Tavern would never limit you to just one. Or two. Want to try all five? Go with the tasting flight. Starts at 6PM.
Oops! Almost forgot that Munich Marzen beers (Oktoberfest-style beer) have taken over the City Tavern taps from now through October 2nd. Guests who are able to grab a seat at the table tap booths ON October 2nd will receive a commemorative growler.
Love Firestone beer? They'll be doing the same format as tomorrow's Sierra Nevada's pint night (beer list TBA) on Thursday, October 6th.
After all, it's just a matter of time before L.A. Beer Week becomes L.A. Beer Day…everyday.
City Tavern
9739 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232-2739


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→ Methods
Sets an object to be positioned and sized exactly the same as another object.
MyObject:SetAllPoints(relativeRegion or "regionName")
... is exactly equivalent to:
MyObject:SetPoint("TOPLEFT", relativeRegion ,"TOPLEFT", 0, 0) MyObject:SetPoint("BOTTOMRIGHT", relativeRegion ,"BOTTOMRIGHT", 0, 0)
- See Region:SetPoint()
- region may be given as nil to anchor relative to the whole screen.
- region unspecified anchors the object to the parent.
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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CLAREMONT, CA. – Nolan McCafferty notched a four-hit performance to lead the Sagehens to a 7-4 win over non-conference opponent Castleton on Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Field.
Season Impact: With the win, the Sagehens improve to 5-2 overall in their non-conference schedule as they await their first SCIAC series this weekend against Chapman.
The Sagehens were led by McCafferty who went 4-5 from the plate with two runs scored. Cade Hulse went 2-3 with an RBI and Brian Knapp also had two hits with a 2-5 day including three RBI and his first home run of his career.
Luke Layton got the win for the Sagehens as he went four innings and surrendered two runs on five hits and struck out three batters. Hunter Hennigh finished off the game for the Sagehens as he went 1.2 innings pitched with three strikeouts and no hits to pick up the save.
The Spartans struck first in their first at-bats with an RBI single to take a 1-0 but the Sagehens quickly erased that deficit and took the lead with one swing of the bat as Jeremiah Quezada notched his second home run of the year with a two-run blast to left center to give Pomona-Pitzer a 2-1 lead after the first.
Castleton came back in the third to tie the game at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly but the Sagehens did their damage in the third, fourth and fifth inning with RBI's by Hulse and Duncan Skerrett on sacrifice flies and Knapp's three-run bomb to right center to take a commanding 7-2 lead heading into the sixth.
The Spartans tried to climb back into the game in the eighth after they got two runs back on a bases loaded single to left field to bring home two runners to cut the lead down to 7-4 but Hennigh came on to close out the eighth and went scoreless in the ninth to seal the win for the Sagehens.
Up Next: The Sagehens will next open up SCIAC play as they take on Chapman for a three-game series starting at Chapman on Friday, February 23rd at 2:30 p.m.


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Document Type: Review
1 Msc, PhD (Nutrition and Dietetics), Consultant, Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune, India
2 MD, DNB, FRCP, Director and Chief Rheumatologist, Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune, India
Main Subjects
RA is a chronic painful inflammatory arthritis with several potentially life-threatening complications. It causes a deterioration in quality of life and crippling deformities. Treatment is difficult [1, 2]. The management of pain and inflammation increasingly depends on the use of analgesics, steroids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory diseases (NSAID) and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD). However, these drugs come with many life-threatening side effects and toxicities [2].
There is a dire need to explore newer avenues to find safer management of RA. First, however, any other factors that contribute to pain and inflammation need to be identified. Non-pharmacological options such as diet-based approaches are promising adjunct treatments, but they have been neglected in the current guidelines [3, 4]. Though suspected for several decades to be beneficial, the precise role of potassium (K) in RA is largely unknown [5].
In this study, it was hypothesized that patients suffering from RA are deficient in K, and that K reduces joint pain and inflammation and complications pertaining to the cardiovascular and skeletal systems.
Multiple search strategies including Internet search engines (such as PubMed/Medline and Cochrane) and manual identification of suitable references were used. Leading investigators were contacted. Search results were discussed in pre-planned meetings with rheumatology colleagues (CRD, Pune). This article first presents a brief description of RA with special reference to its pathogenesis and the physiology of K. This will enable the reader to recognize some of the physiological actions of K that may offset the pathological mechanism in RA. This is followed by an overview of the existing data that supports the hypothesis.
Objective: This article purposed to determine and describe the potential role of Kin RA. Data (and the authors' interpretation) is presented to support the notion that (1) patients of RA may suffer from a K imbalance and/or deficiency; (2) a K imbalance and/or deficiency is likely to contribute to joint pain, cardiovascular morbidity, and osteoporosis; (3) a K imbalance and/or deficiency may have similar etiologies and pathogenesis, such as those postulated for a diet-induced proinflammatory state; (4) A K-enriched diet may be used safely by practitioners to augment the standard of care management in RA.
RA is reported worldwide with a prevalence of 1% [6-9]. However, COPCORD (Community-Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases) population surveys, including Iran and India, have shown a lesser prevalence in the range of 0.3-0.5%; that still means millions of patients in developing countries [10-12]. RA predominantly affects women and usually begins between the age of 40-60 years.
1. Etiology and Risk Factors. The exact cause of RA is not known. Several bacteria and viruses have been implicated but never proven [13]. Genetic predisposition is predominantly attributed to certain HLA D region alleles and shared epitope hypothesis [14, 15]. Gene environment interactions are also described. Smoking is an established risk factor [16]. Dietary risk factors include the consumption of red meat and caffeine [17, 18]. Overweight or obese individuals may be at a higher risk [16].
1.2. Articular profile. RA is typically characterized by warm, painful, and swollen joints. The pain is often excruciating and often persists with frequent flares. RA is a symmetrical polyarthritis effecting small and large joints. Wrist and hands and feet are typically involved, but axial joints are usually spared. The disease causes crippling joint deformities and several systemic complications. Its course is generally progressive.
1.3. Extra-articular complications. RA is a systemic disease and effects several organ systems including bones, skin, lungs, the cardiovascular system, nervous system, eyes, abdomen, and kidneys. Patients often suffer from severe osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Premature atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease are leading causes of death [19]. Infections are common and can be fatal. The medications used to treat RA also contribute to morbidity and mortality by aggravating the immune suppressed status and damaging vital organs like the gut, liver, and kidneys.
1.4. Pathogenesis. RA is a prototypic autoimmune inflammatory disorder which predominantly targets the synovium. Subsequently, all structures in the joint and especially bones and cartilages are involved. The intense immune response, both cellular and humoral, is driven by abnormal immunological events. Though the precise inciting event is not known, it is likely to be a non-specific immune response to various antigenic triggers in a genetically predisposed individual. These triggers include infections, psychogenic stresses, and gene environment interactions (especially smoking and diet). Both innate and adoptive immune responses are intensely involved and continue in an exaggerated and uncontrolled manner. They operate in a vicious cycle to fuel the activation and proliferation of several immune cells. Macrophages, dendritic cells, T and B cells are among the several cells that participate in antigen (putative) presentation, copious cytokine production, and trafficking to the joints. Though considered predominantly a Th1 cytokine phenotype (gamma interferon, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 1) disorder, cytokines belonging to the Th2 (Interleukins 4 and 6) phenotype is also over-produced. Overall, there is an imbalance between Th1 and Th2. T cell responses are intensely driven by interleukins IL 2 and IL 17. Several other biochemical mediators like histamine, bradykinin, and prostaglandins pour into the system to promote inflammation (and pain) and facilitate several concurrent responses like that in the vascular (endothelial and blood flow) bed. T cells of the CD 4 phenotype, which express upregulated HLA DR, seem to be predominant in contrast to CD 8 cytotoxic T cells. There is an intense interaction between T cells and B cells. The T regulatory cell response is dampened. Tumor necrosis alfa (TNF-α) seems to be the prime inflammatory cytokine that stimulates and drives several immune and inflammatory responses. It acts in concert with the potent pro-inflammatory cytokines IL 17 and IL 6. Overall, there is a failure to check and control immune inflammation despite several active countercheck mechanisms (including cytokines). All this leads to intense synovial and vascular tissue proliferation (called pannus) that causes bone damage (bone erosion and joint deformity) [20-23].
1.4.1. Autoantibodies [24-26]. Several antibodies are produced by stimulated B cells as a consequence of intense ongoing antigenic stimulation. Some of these antibodies mount a response to self-antigens (called molecular mimicry) in a breakdown of tolerance; chief among them are rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP). These antibodies form antigen antibody complexes and bind activated complement. They interact with upregulated FCγ receptors on immune cells. This potentiates immune inflammatory responses.
1.4.2. Other Immune Target sites. Though synovium is the primary site, it is now believed that several other sites initiate and propagate immune inflammation. Best recognized are the oral gingiva, lung, and gut. Oral bacteria can stimulate formation of anti-CCP. Gut microbiome is emerging as a critical player for early immune events that eventually encompass the joint in a much-targeted manner [27].
1.4.3. Other damage mechanisms. Several toxic molecules like reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulate in RA to cause oxidant damage [28, 29]. Aberrant neuro-humoral endocrine axis responses, including altered steroid status and autonomic nervous stimulation, also aggravate immune inflammation [9]. It is generally believed that suppression of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis in RA causes a reduction in steroid hormones which are highly potent immunosuppressives with pleotropic action on immune cells [30]. Recently, metabolic cellular mechanisms including abnormal glycolytic pathways have been found to link with dysfunctional immune cells [31].
1.5. Pharmacological Management. RA is essentially a clinical diagnosis. There is no single test to confirm the diagnosis [1, 3]; however, classification criteria ensure uniformity in diagnosis and are required for research and epidemiological studies [32]. The goals of treatment are to alleviate symptoms such as pain and swelling, control disease activity, prevent joint deformity, improve quality of life, and allow patients to maintain day-to-day functioning [1, 2].
1.5.1. Drugs. Pain relief is of utmost importance. "Treat pain or all else will fail" is an overarching clinical dictum, and treatment is achieved through the judicious use of analgesics (such as paracetamol and tramadol) and NSAIDs (such as diclofenac and naproxen). NSAIDs and steroids are potent anti-inflammatory agents and reduce joint swelling. However, modulation and suppression of the underlying immune inflammation lead to better control of the disease and are best achieved by long-term use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), leading examples of which include methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, and leflunomide. Nevertheless, in the last decade or so, the management of RA has been revolutionized by the advent of a new class of DMARD called biological response modifiers or simply biological agents [33-35]. Biological agents are extremely precise target agents who generally engage and/or neutralize cytokines, receptors, or ligands. TNFα, IL 6, B cells, and co-stimulatory ligands are some of the principle targets. Biological agents are generally monoclonal antibodies or fusion proteins that are chimeric or humanized. Several of them have been approved to treat RA; leading examples include infliximab, etanercept, abatacept, tocilizumab, and rituximab. In contrast to conventional DMARD which are slow-acting, biological agents produce early efficacy and lead to an overall better control of the disease and its complications. Both conventional and biological DMARD need careful screening (excluding infections and any organ system derangement) of patients prior to use and regular monitoring for efficacy and side effects.
1.5.2. Side Effects. The drugs used to treat RA are notorious for serious side effects that can damage practically every organ and system. These side effects can be life-threatening and uncommonly fatal. Analgesics and NSAID often lead to gastritis and acid-peptic disorders, and prolonged use can cause hepatic and renal derangement. Steroids cause water retention and edema, increased body weight, skin atrophy and easy bruisability, delayed wound healing and hirsutism. Metabolic derangements (diabetes), hypertension, osteoporosis, and infections are often reported by patients on steroid use. Being immunosuppressive, DMARD-including biological agents predispose patients to serious and difficult-to-treat infections; tuberculosis and fungal infections are of serious concern (especially with biological agents). They rarely cause pulmonary, cardiac, or neurological complications and are implicated in malignancy.
1.6. Non-pharmacological Management [33]. Unfortunately, this aspect of the treatment of RA has been neglected both by doctors and the community. Counseling and health education are fundamental requirements. Patients suffer from several myths and misconceptions. Patients of RA are considered to consume an inadequate and unsuitable diet [36, 37]. Patients follow several dos and don'ts which are often not advocated by doctors. This often causes malnutrition and anemia. None of the current standard guidelines on the management of RA provides comprehensive advice on diet. Patients are likely to benefit from a balanced diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Much evidence is available to support the benefits of following a Mediterranean diet and a diet rich in Omega oils [5]. Supervised exercise, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation are mandatory for optimum function and well-being.
2. Potassium (K)
2.1. Physiology. K, sodium, and calcium play integral roles in the electrophysiology of pain and myriad cellular functions. K is essential for the maintenance of cellular osmolality and homeostasis. K is an important micronutrient in health and actively participates in the normal function of several organ systems- neuro-muscular, cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, and renal. It is also important in metabolic pathways, especially glucose-related enzymes [38, 39]. While sodium is predominantly extracellular (blood), K is intracellular. The sodium potassium ATPase (Na-K) pump is a carrier protein for the active (energy-consuming) transport of sodium and K across cell membranes. The total body K is considered to be about 3.5 gms; maximum tissue concentration is in the skeletal muscles [40]. Extracellular K is closely and dynamically regulated to maintain a plasma concentration of 4.2 mEq/l within a narrow range (usually 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/l) of safety [41, 42]. Plasma assay is subjected to individual laboratory methods and several potential errors. Rapid K shifts across cell membranes are an important compensatory mechanism and can mask a body K deficit or excess. Abnormal levels (low or high) of plasma extracellular K can result from (i) dilution (administration of low K fluids) or concentration (dehydration); (ii) deranged K losses in urine or other body fluids; (iii) the transfer of K between cells and body fluids. Acid-base disturbances and hormones (especially insulin) are important drivers of cellular shifts. K is regulated by the kidneys though some excretion that may take place in stools and sweat. The loss of K through urine is driven by diet intake, acid base shifts, and several hormones (aldosterone, cortisol, renin, and angiotensin). Even during the total absence of diet K intake, there is an obligatory K loss by the kidneys.
2.2. K ion channels. K ion channels are widely distributed in various body cells. They regulate the cellular movement of K and abound in neurons and muscles, especially in nociceptors (pain perception sensors). They often work in concert with sodium and calcium ion channels. K channels along with the sodium-K ATP pump facilitate changes in plasma membrane and intracellular voltage (depolarization and repolarization, generation of action potential, and conductance of electrical impulse. Several types of channels are identified-voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv), calcium activated K channels, two-pore K+ channels, inwardly-rectifying K+ channels, and K leak channels. [43-45].
2.2.1. Pain. Several experimental studies have demonstrated the role of K ion channels in abnormal pain signaling [46]. K deficiency (cellular) is considered to cause inhibition (closure) of K ion channels which leads to increased nerve stimulation and irritability [47]. Chronic pain is associated with abnormal sensory nerve excitability [14]. Kv2 is important in shaping central nervous system signaling, and its involvement in chronic pain was recently unraveled. Kv2 subunits are abundantly present in nociceptors and dorsal root ganglion in the spinal cord [48]. Kv4.2 was also shown to strongly modulate pain plasticity and related inflammation in spinal cord dorsal horn neurons [49]. The Kv7 (KCNQ or M channels) family was found to be widely expressed in the nervous system, including nociceptors. Intra-plantar injection of the M channel blocker XE991 into the hind paw of rats induced moderate pain, while peripheral injections of M channel enhancers (or 'openers') such as retigabine and flupirtine produced an analgesic effect [50]. Reduced Kv7 function was also involved in inflammatory pain. Diclofenac which is popularly used to treat pain and inflammation was demonstrated to activate Kv7.2/Kv7.3 channels [51].
2.2.2. Immunity and Other Effects. Calcium influx is pivotal in triggering several forms of intracellular signaling which causes the activation and proliferation of immune cells, including T cells which are important players in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune inflammatory disorders such as multiple sclerosis and RA (see above section 1.4). K ion channels provide a counterbalancing effect to the calcium (and sodium) movement into cells. K channels are also upregulated in memory T cells and can be modulated to produce beneficial immunological effects [15]. Clofazimine, which is now shown to inhibit voltage-gated K ion channels, has been used for several decades to treat leprosy, psoriasis, and discoid lupus erythematosus [52].
2.3. Disorders of deficit (hypokalemia) and excess (hyperkalemia). Both hypokalemia and hyperkalemia are medical emergencies. They are commonly encountered in critical care settings. If not diagnosed early and treated properly, they are fatal. An early abnormal K state is usually asymptomatic. Moderately severe deficiency or excess K causes symptoms that are ill-defined, non-specific, and often overlap (fatigue, muscle weakness, and muscle cramps). Heart rate abnormalities and arrhythmias are warning bells of impending crisis. Electrocardiography can provide diagnostic clues. Recognition of the medical circumstances (such as severe vomiting and diarrhea) that lead to such a K state is critical. While acute effects of K imbalance are well described (and researched), chronic effects are largely unknown. Moreover, it is not known whether minor shifts in plasma K within the normal range or total body K can cause any adverse physiological effects. In case of an acute K imbalance, the body attempts to rapidly compensate and restore normal plasma K mainly through cellular and renal mechanisms. However, in a chronic state, this may fail. Clinical recognition of this decompensation may be difficult in mild to moderate cases. It is likely that chronic K imbalance disorders are missed in clinical practice, because they are not primary disorders and are overshadowed by the primary disease. It is likely that chronic hypokalemia will lead to several adverse systemic effects on the basic health of an individual.
2.3.1. Hypokalemia. This is defined as a serum potassium concentration of less than 3.5 mEq/L. An assay of less than 2.5 mEq/l is critical and may cause death. Aggressive fluid replacement (usually saline) without due attention to the K requirement, severe vomiting and diarrhea, and excess diuresis are common causes seen in clinical practice. It would be unusual for low dietary intake to cause clinically discernible hypokalemia in healthy individuals; however, many long-term health risks are considered to be related to insufficient dietary potassium. Hypokalemia is also a feature of several other medical disorders, e.g., Cushing's syndrome, renal tubular acidosis, chronic hepatic disorders, hyperaldosteronism, acute alcoholism, heart failure, and Bartter's syndrome. Medications (diuretics, antidepressants, iodinated contrast agents) can also cause hypokalemia [53].
2.3.2. Hyperkalemia. This is defined as a plasma concentration greater than 5.5mEq/l. An assay of 7.5 mEq/l or higher is critical and may rapidly lead to severe cardiac arrhythmia and death. Metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes ketoacidosis and renal failure are common causes. Iatrogenic causes are important due to the inadvertent administration of excess K (oral and/or parenteral) [54-56].
2.3.3. Diet and Daily Requirement. Cereals, pulses, nuts, oil seeds, and fruits are important sources of K. A natural diet can provide around 5-10 g of K (50-150 mmol/day). During the processing of foods, potassium is washed out and often replaced by sodium [5]. There is no evidence to suggest a difference between K foods with reference to better absorption or utilization. Vegetables contain an abundance of K phosphate salt. There is currently no global consensus on the recommended daily allowance for potassium. It is generally believed to be between 3.5 gm to 5.6 gm with men requiring a greater amount [57]. The WHO has recommended a potassium intake of at least 90 mmol/day (3510 mg/day) for adults [58].
3. Potassium and RA. Overall, the clinical data regarding a correlation between potassium and RA is insufficient and sketchy. Several decades ago, CharlesWeber (1974) strongly proposed a causal link between K deficiency and RA [59]. However, the first proposal of a possible link between a low dietary intake of K and RA and its dietary correction was comprehensively described by De Coti-Marsh [60, 61].
3.1. Body status. The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988-94, in the USA carried out a household survey of 33,994 persons (aged 2 months and older) using a self-reporting questionnaire. Among the survey respondents, 840 reported suffering from RA [62]. Blood K assay reports were available for 691 RA patients and showed that 7.8% had less than 3.6 mEq/l, 34.7% between 3.6 and 4.0, 40.7% between 4.0 and 4.4, and 18.1% above 4.4 mEq/l. The assays were not standardized. Based on this survey report, Weber (2001) opined that a more likely normal cutoff should be above 4.4 mEq/l and that only 18% of subjects suffering from RA in this survey were likely to have normal serum potassium levels [7]. Furthermore, he proposed that RA patients are likely to have low body K. In another hospital-based study from the UK, 14 biochemical estimations were performed on the serum of 100 consecutive in-patients suffering from RA and 100 age-matched control patients [63]. The mean values for sodium, potassium, and cholesterol (though within normal range) were significantly lower in patients with RA. Low salivary K levels were also reported [64]. In a recent Indian study, a comprehensive diet survey was carried out with 139 RA patients on the standard of care therapy and 165 unrelated healthy control subjects [53, 65]. The various dietary parameters were collected over a 10-day record (diet diary). The dietary K content of RA patients was significantly lower than that of the healthy controls (p<0.001). The mean daily dietary K was 1238.7 mg in RA patients and 3334.9 mg controls; corresponding values were 1651.2 mg and 3438.8 in men and 1161.3 mg and 3170.9 in women. Other major dietary constituents such as protein, fats, carbohydrates, and sodium were well matched with national Indian standards. The authors concluded that the diet of RA patients was grossly deficient for K and that this was likely to be due to food fads and misconceptions in the community [66]. The precise cause of low potassium in RA is unknown. Diet may be an important cause in some patients as described above [65]. However, other causes may be speculated based on the pathophysiology events in RA which may be linked with body K. RA is characterized by a higher than normal metabolic rate and catabolic state which lead to cachexia, low muscle mass, an acid load, and disturbed pH balance [67]. Compensatory changes in cellular K and renal excretion (K) are required to maintain neutral pH. Due to intense immune cellular activity, increased metabolic demand, and energy expenditure, the glycolytic pathways are intensely activated. K is required for several enzymes (glucose phosphate isomerase, enolase, and aldolase) which participate in the glycolytic pathway [68-70]. It is probable that these hyperactive states require excess K, and thus, there is an overutilization of K. In RA patients, there may be a relative (intracellular due to electrolyte shifts) or absolute deficiency of body K. It is prudent to add that there is an important relationship between K and cortisol status [61, 71]. RA is a low-cortisol state disorder (see below) which may be age aggravated by low body K. Low cortisol in turn also leads to low body K and hypokalemia.
3.2. Experimental Data (pain and inflammation). Several mechanisms contribute to the intensity and nature of chronic pain in RA. Small nerve endings and fibers are entrapped in inflammatory synovitis to impart a neurogenic or neuropathic component. Blocking K ion channels was demonstrated to reduce arthritis in animal models. In the pristine-induced arthritis model using Dark Agoti rats, 21 days of treatment with ShK-L5-amide significantly decreased the number of affected joints and reduced the severity of radiological and histopathological findings [72]. CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes are important in the pathogenesis of RA, and their activity has been reported to be critically dependent on constitutively-expressed K ion channels (K2pore5.1 type) [73]. T cells isolated from the synovial fluid of patients with RA were characterized as mainly Kv1.3 high CCR7 [21]. Experimental evidence supports the inhibitory effects of serum K on free radical formation and-oxidant damage [74]. However, the relationship between dietary K and K ion channels has not been investigated.
3.3. Clinical data. Nuki et al. (1970) demonstrated shifts in body K in 8 patients of RA who were prescribed oral K supplements in a 30-day interventional study; a detailed diet analysis was carried out [75, 76]. Patients were also treated with adreno-corticotrophic hormone or a diuretic (spironolactone) during the latter half of the study. Total body potassium (TBK) was estimated using the radio-isotope technique and found to be low at baseline. TBK remained constant throughout the study, and therefore, serum K changes were likely to be caused be a cellular shift. The authors postulated that changes in serum K were due to renal compensatory mechanisms (likely renin angiotensin aldosterone) to the K load. Rastamanesh et al. (2009) demonstrated a significant reduction in pain and inflammatory arthritis induced by oral K supplementation. Thirty-six female patients suffering from active seropositive RA were enrolled in a 28-day randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled intervention trial conducted in Iran. Concurrent stable treatment with corticosteroids and/or DMARD was permitted. Patients were permitted to continue their routine diet. 6 gm of K salt (chloride) was administered in grape juice daily to 16 patients, while plain grape juice was consumed by 16 patients in the placebo arm. The total mean potassium daily intake was 1540 mg in the placebo group and 6495 mg in the active arm. The K supplement was well tolerated and none reported side effects [61]. Both Weber (2010 and Rastmanesh (2009) postulated that K mediates its clinically beneficial effect principally by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis [77, 78]. The HPA axis is known to be impaired in RA and influences immune inflammatory processes and electrolyte homeostasis [71, 77, 78]. A disconnect has also been described between HPA and the sympathetic adrenal system [71].
3.4. Effect on Cardiovascular System. Several population-based studies have validated the benefits of a K-rich diet and K supplementation in the prevention and treatment of hypertension [79-82]. Though the exact mechanism is not known, several experimental studies have demonstrated the inhibitory effects of serum K on vascular smooth muscle proliferation, reducing macrophage adherence to the vascular wall, arterial thrombosis, free oxygen radicals, and reactive oxygen species [83-85]. K ions are also released by the endothelial cells in response to neuro-humoral mediators (sympathetic-adrenal and cortisol related mechanisms) and physical forces (such as shear stress) and contribute to endothelium-dependent relaxations. Though the response is believed to be slow and modest, potassium supplements lower blood pressure. Thus, K is beneficial for cardiovascular health and blood flow which is of great importance in patients suffering from RA. Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of premature death in RA [11, 86].
3.5. Effect on Bone. Fruit and vegetable intake may protect against premenopausal bone loss [87-92]. The benefit of diet K on bone strength was shown in a long-term follow-up of a Framingham Study cohort [93]. The beneficial effect of potassium is explained by the theory that a vegetable and fruit diet which is rich in alkaline salts protects the bone. This is in contrast to the Western type of non-vegetarian diet which has acidic metabolites requiring alkaline salts from the bone to maintain pH balance [94, 95]. However, the role of the skeleton in regulating pH is debatable. K intake has been shown to be associated with reduced urinary calcium excretion [88].
3.6. Diet Intervention (RA). The nutritional status of RA patients appears to be compromised despite adequate intake [65]. Although there is no ideal "RA diet" that can treat the condition, some foods may help lower inflammation. These foods include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. Though this was supported by several clinical studies, the overall data was found to be rather sparse and dismal in a Cochrane review [42, 96, 97]. A Mediterranean diet rich in Omega oils has provided the best evidence of a reduction in pain and arthritis. A recent review summed up by stating that an integrative approach which includes a Mediterranean-style diet with probiotics may be useful in the long-term management of RA [11, 96]. It is interesting to note that the diets used in the studies of RA were essentially vegetarian and likely to have been rich in K, but this aspect was not analyzed.
4. Concluding Remarks. Though the overall data on the therapeutic role of K in RA is inadequate, it is encouraging. Further research is required to establish the role of K as an adjunct therapy in RA. There are several benefits of K in health which could be extrapolated to be relevant in the overall management of RA. The data presented in the current report supports an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of K. The benefits on cardiovascular and bone health are indeed a bonus in RA. Newer data is emerging. Kv1.3 (ion channel) blockers are described to have a potential in the treatment of RA and other chronic autoimmune disorders [46]. Diet is a safer option to administer K rather than medicinal salt (potassium chloride). Doctors should be encouraged to advocate diets rich in vegetables and fruits to patients suffering from RA.
This work was not funded by any organization or research grant. Both authors contributed equally to the review paper. Several colleagues in the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, Pune contributed useful discussion to the current subject.
The author declares no conflicts of interest.


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I began Dr Lester's Old Testament class with excitement and a little apprehension…especially with the foreign technological expectations spelled out in the syllabus. I remember my teenage and college kids' response as I asked them what my twitter handle should be – they were creative and slightly inappropriate…but I embraced this new way of expressing my learnings. During the first couple of weeks, I experienced anxious excitement, and dug in – I looked forward to being stretched and challenged academically. However, this semester brought a very different and tragic outcome, changing my life forever.
My husband of 26 years passed away suddenly during week four of this semester. He was 56 and we had just experienced a wonderful weekend in the mountains together, with some of our closest friends. A sudden heart attack took him just an hour or two after we had said good night to each other, and after he told me he hoped I knew how much he loved me. The heroic actions of our friends (both medical professionals) and the paramedics of the tiny mountain town of McCall, Idaho couldn't restart my husband's heart. I lost my best friend and the man I was to share an empty nest with this fall. My kids lost a loving and amazing Dad, Boise State lost a professor who impacted many, many lives and our community lost a coach, servant and friend. With such a public loss, my family and I have experienced not just our own grieving, but also the deep sadness of many whose lives Scott touched. Friends who have walked along side us and carried us through these past months have helped us move through each moment – and as I look back on even those very blurry first few weeks, I know God was present comforting and gently pulling me forward.
Psalms had been one of our first units this semester, and after Scott died, I found peace, anger, loneliness and hope as I read them each morning. I found connection with ancient writers seeking to make sense of the events of their lives, too. I know that, in time, I will revisit many of the readings and lectures of this course. The unpredictable rhythm of grief, and my hunger for normalcy and learning and hope has called me to be patient with content from our studies that I long to understand more deeply. I have been drawn into so many of my classmates' blogs and comments, and that has helped me connect with a community whose faces I may never know. Being part of this class has allowed me to continue pressing on, breathing, looking forward.
The end of this Spring Semester marks the half-way point for me, as I pursue Deacon's study with the goal of becoming ordained in the United Methodist Church. My summer plans had included traveling to Chicago for one of my on-campus course requirements, but I have postponed those plans for now and will pick up my online coursework again this Fall. I would like to thank Dr Lester and the Garrett faculty and staff who have been praying for me and encouraging me.
Blessing to all of you in Spring Intro to Old Testament. Thank you for leading and expressing your new understandings. I have leaned into your words, questions and observations all semester.
(Addition/engagement with the text)
I found Bandstra's description of the Shema interesting and see the connection of Moses and a last ditch effort to remind God's people who they are before Joshua assumes leadership. If they are to survive, they must remember that God is their one true God. "…the command to love Yhwh is central to the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is not a theological or philosophical treatise but an encouragement to Israel to remain in covenant relationship with the God who brought them out of Egypt and preserved them through the wilderness." (Bandstra, chapter 5)
"Hear o Israel: The Lord our God is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deut. 6:4-5)
Shema means: Hear, or Listen and obey – Moses doesn't want this important information to go in one ear and out the other. I like what author John Ortberg said about this passage, "Moses didn't say, "O Israel, think for yourselves. Go with your gut. Maximize your bliss. You are the autonomous center of the universe."
This creed reminded them that loving God is as necessary for life as the air they breathe. These words were to shape their lives and actions, and would impact their future. This went beyond practicing laws – these were the very tenants of their faith and had to be personally taken to heart. The Deuteronomist was punctuating for the Israelites that there was only one God for them. Period.


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Eric B wrote:Marp and Garp? Never heard of that one! I imagine that is ana and kata changed into global circles. A second kind of lattitude or longitude?
Using the definitions from Alkaline's glossary:
- In 3D, a planet has an equator. The direction which the planet rotates in is called east; the opposite direction is west.
- In 4D, the analogous equator is called the solar equator - it is the one most aligned with the plane of its orbit around its star. The planet still rotates around this equator, and the terms east and west retain the same meaning.
- There's another equator for 4D planets, perpendicular to the solar equator, which is called the polar equator. The planet rotates around this equator independently from the other one, and the direction which the planet rotates in this equator is called marp. The opposite direction is garp.
- This leaves only one axis not yet defined - so we can define this axis to be perpendicular to both east/west and marp/garp, and we call the directions in this axis north and south. In 3D, we could define north as being 90 degrees counter-clockwise from the direction east; in 4D we could define it as the direction of the vector n = e×m where e and m are vectors pointing in the east and marp directions respectively (the cross product works here because the surface of a 4D planet is 3D).


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When a borrower defaults on his or her commercial real estate loan in Washington, the bank has a number of options for collecting the debt. Lenders usually secure their real estate loans with deeds of trust, which gives the lender the option to foreclose on the collateral either non-judicially through a Trustee's Sale, or non-judicially through a judicial foreclosure and subsequent Sheriff's Sale. In each of those situations the rules governing the borrower's and guarantor's continuing liability on the loan after the sale differ.
With a judicial foreclosure, after the court approves the foreclosure, the Sheriff sells the real estate. Thereafter, after applying the land sale proceeds, the lender is entitled to obtain a deficiency judgment against the borrower any guarantor for the balance owed. One of the downsides of a judicial foreclosure is that the borrower is granted the right to redeem the collateral, subject to certain exceptions, for either eight months (if the lender has waived the right to a deficiency judgment) or a year. RCW 6.23.020 Another downside is the requirement that it requires litigation involving all junior lienholders, which takes time and money, and the sale process is a public auction conducted by the Sheriff, which seldom results in the highest price at the foreclosure.
The most common method for collecting the debt is for the bank to have its deed of trust non-judicially foreclosed through a Trustee's Sale. This process is usually faster and cheaper than a judicial foreclosure, and can be controlled more closely than a Sheriff's Sale as the Trustee is generally getting the Trustee work from the bank. One downside is that RCW 61.24.100 specifically prohibits deficiency judgments against borrowers after the Trustee's Sale. That means that if the value of the collateral is less than the amount owed, the bank may not be able to collect everything owed it. RCW 61.24.100 does allow deficiency judgments against guarantors after a Trustee's Sale, assuming certain prescribed steps are taken.
A third approach to realizing on collateral, which has its own sets of advantages and costs, is through a receivership, authorized under RCW 7. 60.025(1)(b), assuming the parties agreed to this remedy in the deed of trust. One benefit of the receivership is that a Receiver can collect rents before a sale (if the loan is also secured by an assignment of rents) and the property can be marketed in a way which more closely resembles the process in a normal sale. A court appointed Receiver can hire a brokerage firm to list and otherwise market the property and solicit offers through standard channels rather than sell through a foreclosure auction. While the sale needs to be approved by the court which appoints the receiver, which involves some delay and cost, this sale process can often result in a higher ultimate price for collateral liquidated than through foreclosure. In addition, the specific terms and conditions of the sale can be negotiated, which is not possible in a foreclosure.
Division II of the Washington Court of Appeals, in the recent decision in the Umpqua v. Shasta Apartments, LLC et. al., No. 47224-4-II (June 21, 2016), just confirmed another lender advantage and corresponding disadvantage for the borrower in the event of a sale by a receiver – the right of the lender to obtain a deficiency judgment against a borrower and guarantor after a Receiver's sale.
In that case, the borrower's loan was secured by a deed of trust and loan guaranty. The deed of trust specifically granted the bank the right to seek a receiver if the note was in default. The bank brought a receivership action to take control of the real estate collateral and the Receiver sold the property for less than the amount of the debt. It should be noted that the borrower and guarantor did not object to the proposed sale price. Subsequently, the bank sought a deficiency judgment against both the borrower and guarantor for the amount owed, less the net sale price of the collateral.
The borrower and guarantor argued that because the Washington Receivership Act (RCW 7.60) did not expressly authorize deficiency judgments, such post-sale liabilities were not allowed. The Court noted that deficiency judgments were neither authorized nor prohibited by the statute. However the Court viewed the receivership process as more akin to a judicial foreclosure because of the court supervision of the Receiver's sale than the deed of trust non-judicial foreclosure process in RCW 61.24, which is not court supervised and which prohibits deficiency judgments against borrowers. The court looked at the RCW 7.60's statutory purpose as intending "to 'benefit creditors' having interests in property administered by courts." Id. At 10
The Division II panel agreed with the trial court, which granted summary judgment against the borrower and guarantor, allowing the bank to obtain a deficient judgment against both the borrower and loan guarantor, in this case of first impression in Washington.
Score another tool in the oversized lender toolkit, at least in those counties within Division II of the Washington Court of Appeals. My sense is that the court correctly interpreted the law, and this will be the rule throughout the state.
- Principal
Robert Spitzer is an experienced real estate, finance and business problem solver. He has practiced in these areas for over 30 years, and has also personally developed real estate properties, overseen manufacturing and real estate ...
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Latest Releases:
Index of Artists
- Long John Baldry
- The Best Of The Stony Plain Years
- Eric Bibb
- Yana Bibb
- Eric Bibb & Habib Koité
- Eric Bibb & JJ Milteau
- Eric Bibb & Leon Bibb
- Eric Bibb & North Country Far with Danny Thompson
- Rory Block
- Kevin Breit
- Kevin Breit & Harry Manx
- Jim Byrnes
- Bob Carpenter
- Rita Chiarelli
- Christmas Blues
- Cindy Church
- David Clayton-Thomas
- Crowbar
- Crowcuss
- Rodney Crowell
- Amos Garrett
- Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, Gene Taylor
- Jay Geils
- Rosco Gordon
- Grievous Angels
- Guitar Heroes: James Burton, Albert Lee, Amos Garrett, David Wilcox
- Charlie Major
- Harry Manx and Kevin Breit
- Ellen Mcilwaine
- Big Dave McLean
- Jay Mcshann
- MonkeyJunk
- Maria Muldaur
- Doug Sahm, Amos Garrett, Gene Taylor
- Jo-El Sonnier
- South Mountain
- Spirit Of The West
- Sunny And Her Joy Boys
Joe Louis Walker's Website: http://joelouiswalker.com/
This bluesmans ambition is to follow in the footsteps of two American heroes, Louis Armstrong and B.B. King
Play everywhere, all the time, as often as I possibly can. Travel anywhere theres an audience for my music, take every opportunity, and keep playing and singing as well as I know I can.
My dream was always to play my music in as many different places as I can; thats why I admired Louis Armstrong and why B.B. King and Buddy Guy are heroes for me they always kept their music fresh by reaching out to new audiences all the time.
Its Joe Louis Walker talking, a man who travels so much his passport has been used to cross more borders than 99 per cent of all Americans, and a man who does everything he can to refresh his powerful, timeless music.
Music at the crossroads Now, with his 20th album and his second for Edmonton-based Stony Plain Records he has put a spotlight on the powerful crossroads where the blues and rock meet on common ground. Between a Rock and the Blues is a breakthrough; a testament to the truth of Muddy Waters assertion than the blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll.
Walkers own originals on this album re-affirm the depth of his song writing that has been amply displayed over the course of his career. The opening track, Im Tide, reflects an attitude that seems prevalent in Walkers generation, dealing with the superficiality of the modern age. In contrast, Black Widow Spider and Prisoner of Misery are autobiographical pieces stemming from the emotions hes experienced in some of his relationships. As always, Walker manages to do this with a healthy combination of poignancy, wit and sharp humor.
Ten of the albums dozen tracks were produced by Stony Plain label-mate Duke Robillard (who additionally guests on one track), and feature a core band of Walker on guitars, Bruce Katz on keyboards, Jesse Williams on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums, Doug James on sax, Carl Querfurth on trombone and Sugar Ray Norcia on harmonica.
Kevin Eubanks, former music director of The Tonight Show, plays on two of the tracks, both produced by Walker at Eubanks studio in Los Angeles. They feature Joe and Kevin Eubanks on guitar, Henry Oden on bass, Jeff Minieweather on drums and Ellis Blacknell, Jr. on keyboards. Minieweather has played in Walkers touring band at different times over a dozen years, and Oden has been a stalwart bassist at various periods since the first JLW release on HighTone back in 1986. Eubanks also co-wrote the two tracks with Walker, Blacknell and Joe Russo If Theres a Heaven (which manages to combine both blues and gospel in one amazing brew) and Ive Been Down.
Several of the other songs on Between a Rock and the Blues were written by friends of the artist, who then gives his own personal touch to contemporary blues songs written by Duke Robillard (Tell Me Why) and Murali Coryell, (son of jazz/rock fusion guitar great Larry Coryell), adding pepper to the mix. Coryells song, Way Too Expensive, is a pertinent comment on the current economic situation. Songs from other Walker favorites Ray Charles Blackjack, Roy Gaines Big Fine Woman and Travis Phillips Eyes Like a Cat round out the CD.
As the albums title implies, Walker pushes the boundaries of the blues further than he has in the past, creating an exhilarating sound that has an electrifying energy, while remaining firmly rooted in his foundation of blues, soul, gospel and R&B.
Background: In many ways, Walkers story is unusual. Born in San Francisco (on Christmas Day 1949) and now based in Westchester, New York, he was part of the Bay Area blues scene in his early teens, and by the time he was 16 he had soaked up the sounds of the likes of T-Bone Walker, Amos Milburn, and boogie woogie pioneers Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson. As he grew up, he found himself on stage with such disparate tutors as John Lee Hooker, Thelonious Monk, the Soul Stirrers, Steve Miller and Jimi Hendrix.
I was hanging in Haight-Asbury long before it became gentrified; the old Fillmore Auditorium was the place I saw James Brown and Little Richard and Bobby Bland and the Temptations, he remembers now. I went to school a short block away but I guess that the Fillmore was, in a way, my real school.
By the time he was 19, he had built a close friendship with guitarist Mike Bloomfield they were roommates for many years. It was Bloomfields tragic early death that persuaded Walker to change his life: He enrolled at San Francisco State University, earning music and English degrees and performing regularly with a gospel group, The Spiritual Corinthians.
In 1985, he returned to the blues, fronting a new band he called The Bosstalkers, and making the first of five albums for HighTone, before signing to PolyGrams Verve/Gitanes label, for whom he recorded another six albums. In addition to releases on several other labels, Walker has also performed on countless albums as a guest with artists ranging from B. B. King to Peter Green.
These early records served as an entrée into the European market. Sterling appearances at major festivals throughout Europe (North Sea Jazz Festival, Glastonbury, Nice, Notodden and Montreux among them) led to further tours and festivals in Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Ireland, Turkey and Brazil a foreign touring schedule he continues to match, year after year, while continuing to compile an impressive list of awards throughout Europe.
In 1988 Joe Louis Walker performed for President George H. W. Bush at a non partisan roots musical presentation called The Celebration for Young America, alongside such artists as Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Cocker, Ron Wood, Willie Dixon and Koko Taylor, among others. He was also an integral part of the musical presentation to induct B. B. King into the Kennedy Center Honors in 1995 a command performance for President Clinton by Etta James, Steve Cropper, Bonnie Raitt and others.
Witness to the Blues, Joe Louis Walkers debut for Stony Plain (also produced by Duke Robillard), generated enormous critical acclaim and hit #1 on the Living Blues magazine radio chart; it was recently voted as one of the top best blues albums of the year in the annual Down Beat Critics Poll
Foreground: Joe Louis Walker is a walking encyclopedia of blues history as well as blues vocal and guitar styles. I think this new CD is self-explanatory, Walker says. It was also a challenge. At times musicians get jaded, and I try to guard against that. Like my heroes, my dream was always to play my music in as many different places as I can. That keeps you fresh. For sure.
And the future of the blues? Echoing a song by Muddy Waters piano man Otis Spann recorded 30 years ago, Walker says the blues will never die. Every new generation of kids coming up keeps it alive. Ive heard young blues players in Turkey, the UK, Europe and the United States. Blues music is at the root of rock and roll the blues is the building block that almost all popular music rests on."
Joe Louis Walker - The Best Of The Stony Plain Years
Genre: Blues
Released: 17 May 2014
Stony Plain was honoured to release three highly acclaimed Joe Louis Walker albums, including Between A Rock And The Blues which won the Blues Foundations "Blues Album Of The Year" Award in 2010.
- Eyes Like A Cat (3:48)
- Highview (6:50)
- Hustlin' (5:14)
- Black Widow Spider (4:54)
- I'm Tide (3:53)
- Sugar Mama (6:25)
- Slow Down GTO (6:10)
- Ain't That Cold (5:50)
- You're Gonna Make Me Cry (8:07)
- Send You Back (4:17)
- Witness (6:10)
Blues Conspiracy: Live On The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
- Slow Down "GTO" (5:49)
* free full length download *
- Ain't That Cold (6:08) featuring Johnny Winter
- You're Gonna Make Me Cry (8:04) featuring Curtis Salgado & Mike Finnigan
- Eyes Like A Cat (5:46) featuring Tommy Castro, Tom Poole, Deanna Bogart & Keith Crossan
- Ten More Shows To Play (5:44) featuring Kirk Fletcher
- Born In Chicago (5:53) featuring Jason Ricci, Paris Slim & Nick Moss
- Sugar Mama (11:59) featuring Watermelon Slim
- Tell Me Why (7:10) featuring Duke Robillard & Todd Sharpville
- A Poor Man's Plea (5:15) featuring Kenny Neal
- It's A Shame (5:25) featuring Linwood Taylor, Kevin Burton, Henry Oden & Jeff Minnieweather
- 747 (6:33) featuring Paul Nelson, Tab Benoit & Mitch Woods
Midwest Record
By Chris Spector
By Chris Spector
This might be a good argument that the best way to experience Walker is live. Here we find him out at sea with a bunch of blues and rock hitters just letting the good times roll because, well, where are they going to go. The electricity is in the air as cats that you didnt think knew each other kick it out on tunes that stray pretty far afield from the usual jam session cuts. High octane party fun thatll easily take you back to the college era roadhouses where you wasted your youth (or should have). Fun stuff throughout that makes you wish you were there.
Between A Rock And The Blues
- I'm Tide (3:57)
* free full length download *
- Eyes Like A Cat (3:50)
- Black Widow Spider (4:58)
- If There's A Heaven (6:41)
- Way Too Expensive (4:23)
- I've Been Down (5:33)
- Prisoner Of Mercy (4:08)
- Hallways (7:34)
- Tell Me Why (5:44)
- Blackjack (7:21)
- Big Fine Woman (4:47)
- Send You Back (4:17)
By Jerome Clark
By Jerome Clark
Walker is fluent in all the blues languages
Witness To The Blues
Genre: Blues
Released: 16 September 2008
- It's A Shame (6:16)
- Midnight Train (4:17)
- Lover's Holiday (4:14) Duet with Shemekia Copeland
- Hustlin' (5:16)
- Witness (6:07)
- Rollin' & Tumblin' (4:53)
- Highview (6:48)
- I Got What You Need (5:14)
- Keep On Believin' (4:27)
- 100% More Man (7:12)
- Sugar Mama (6:25)
Blues Revue - Dec/Jan 2009
By Hal Horowitz
By Hal Horowitz
No matter what he's singing, Walker's churchy approach is soulful, heartfelt, and spellbinding. He seems particularly inspired on this set, perhaps because he finally has found a producer (Duke Robillard) who brings out his best.


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CFR's Steven Cook, always a serious analyst and thoughtful on Egypt and Turkey, has a new blog at the CFR website in which he talks about renewed efforts in Washington to push for reform in Egypt. In the course of this, he writes:
My neo-conservative friends argue that Turkey needs more democracy. I agree, though I do not believe that Turkey needs more democracy because Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is either in the thrall of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Rather, Turkey is in the intermediate stage of a transition to democracy, which means that it will more often than not manifest both democratic and authoritarian tendencies. As an aside, the irony of the neoconservative argument is stunning: The neoconservatives were, after all, in the thrall of Ankara when Turkey was decidedly not democratic and firmly under military tutelage. Also, it strikes me as odd that when a democracy does begin to emerge in overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey, they don't like it. I smell a logical flaw.
Certainly, transformative diplomacy is complex. So too is democracy. The problem with democratization is the tendency of American policymakers to take people at face value and treat anyone who describes themselves as a democrat as one. Algerian Islamists certainly weren't committed to democratic ideals in the early 1990s, hence Edward Djerejian's 1992 Meridian House speech in which he said, "We are suspect of those who would use the democratic process to come to power, only to destroy that very process in order to retain power and political dominance," and added, "While we believe in the principle of 'one person, one vote,' we do not support 'one person, one vote, one time.'"
Condoleezza Rice bungled the Palestinian elections before they even began by granting Hamas democratic legitimacy even when it refused to lay down its arms. Hamas may have won the Palestinian elections, but when voters must fear being kneecapped or worse if they vote the wrong way, that's no democracy. Ditto with Hezbollah in Lebanon. And, I admit, I don't see any great democratic hope in the Muslim Brotherhood, and think they would do more to repel liberal democratic alternatives than they would to enable them. I think Peter Beinart, Tamara Cofman Wittes, and Robert Kagan have made a mistake in this regard.
Now let's talk Turkey. The use of the neoconservative straw man is below Cook. The idea that neoconservatives are Borg (sorry for the Star Trek analogy, K-Lo) and that they somehow derive single lines and interpretations or even know and talk to each other is silly. It is also silly to dismiss Turkey's backsliding as somehow just hiccups in "intermediate stage of a transition to democracy." I would disagree with Cook that Turkey pre-AKP was so anti-democratic. Turkish politics was chaotic, and elections meant something. The military guaranteed the constitution and, on rare occasions, stepped in when one party or another tried to violate the constitution. In each case, they returned power to civilian authorities relatively quickly. Now, I agree it would be better if the military didn't have a role, but deconstructing the military without creating an alternate check-and-balance isn't an "intermediate stage" but rather an invitation to the evisceration of democracy, something I wrote about frequently while other neoconservatives — as well as self-described realists and the State Department — were singing the AKP's praises.
Cook is wrong about Erdogan not being in the thrall of Vladimir Putin. The AKP has renewed its war on the free press and since the referendum a couple months ago, it has also turned its sights on the judiciary. In recent days, the AKP has actually ordered media censorship about its arrest of a prosecutor who was investigating conservative religious organizations. The EU and major human-rights groups remain silent in the face of such outrages. Likewise, when Erdogan uses his position to push oil-pipeline contracts to his son-in-law, that's the sign of an ego out of control, not a man with any democratic tendencies. There is no logical flaw, as Cook suggests, because Turkey is sliding away from democracy, not reforming toward it.
The AKP is a prime example of why the White House and State Department shouldn't be so hands-off about democratic transitions, and why it's wise to be unrelenting in pressuring both the autocrats in Egypt and the theocrats to allow real reform and liberal democratic transition. The status quo has been too costly. So too are the excuses made for Turkey's excesses.


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Without a space for projects to occupy my mind after a day at the box staring at a box, I've set my sights on the wonder of the kitchen. Although I've dabbled in kitchen foolery before, my heart never sincerely appreciated of the art and chemistry* of preparing a meal. Each Sunday I scour over cookbooks - my mind weighing the value of ingredients based on knowledge of their location at the grocery. Logistics matter, you see.
Recipes, like music, are intertwined in the fiber of our genetic makeup. To me, lasagna screams of celebration, while meatloaf reminds me the toddler version of my now big-little brother.
We, two humans + a dog begging for scraps, gather around the table with our phones facing the hardwood. (Eventually, they'll be banned. Probably.) Dinnertime is becoming the daily inquisition. It's for bragging rights, celebrations and 'did you sees'. It's to listen, to share, to be.
We may never make it five consecutive meals at the dinner table again, and that's okay; however, I cross my heart and kiss my elbow that we'll make it to the table at least once a week. Even if it's for cereal.
The food is the medium, a necessary guest. Conversations and memories by way of pot-roast, if you dare.
This week on the table: Barbecue Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Chicken Tacos, Pdub's salsa Breakfast sandwiches: bacon, eggs & cheese. Pot Roast Lasagna
*I made perfect scores in Chem Lab. Thought you should know. You're welcome.


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Home › Forums › Get Advice, Give Advice › I Have a Crush on the News Anchor
- This topic has 19 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 months, 1 week ago by keyblade.
- AuthorPosts
- Josh B.Guest
Alright, so I know this sounds absolutely ridiculous, but please hear me out. I have a crush on this new anchorwoman on one of the local news stations where I live. I think she's very pretty, but I also think she seems like an extremely nice person. I really enjoy meeting new people and making new friends, but it's been really difficult for me to meet nice girls in the area because I don't really enjoy going out to the bars much and am not much of a party person if that makes sense. I also don't do online dating or use any dating apps. I just thought it would be really cool to be able to meet her and maybe get to know her. I'm in my late 20's and I would guess she's about the same age as me judging from her looks. I was just wondering how weird it would be to send her an email about this. The news website has her email info listed on it and that is the only contact information that I would have. To me, I think it would be really weird, but I'm tired of not taking chances on girls that I'm attracted to (not just looks, but personality, too). I'm kind of picky when it comes to women, but I'm telling you, this girl seems like one in a million to me. I don't think there would ever really be any chance that we would meet in person. I also don't really know if she's single, but she doesn't wear a ring so I guess there's a chance. Anyway, I know this post probably sounds weird and ridiculous, but I just wanted to see if there's an off chance that anyone thinks this could ever work out. Any advice is appreciated. I appreciate honesty, but if you could please not absolutely tear me to pieces and tell me how terrible of a person I am, that would be great! If you say it would be weird, I will totally get it and not email her. Thanks in advance!
All right, it sounds like for whatever reasons, you can't or don't really engage with women in real life. This pretty, smiling, professional woman on TV is a fantasy. You're hoping you can connect with her via email. Sure you can send her an email telling her you admire her and would like to meet, but I will tell you there is less than zero chance she would reply and you'd meet. Nothing personal, she just would not. Too dangerous.
If you're able to send an email to a woman, why on earth don't you try online dating? See, there, women have put themselves out there for dating and they welcome introductory messages. A news anchor doesn't.
Also. If she's single, she probably goes out with friends and has an online dating profile. Again, if she is single and interested in dating. That would be the right way to approach her for dating.
Another thought… You say she seems nice and you think she has a good personality. But see, that's her work persona. She's on TV, she needs to come across likeable. I get the sense when you say you're "picky" and don't take chances to talk to women, that you're really afraid of rejection. So this nice-seeming lady on TV isn't so scary. She's not really real. You don't know anything about her. But she seems nice. If you wouldn't approach her in a bar or via a dating site, I think that says something… you'd be scared to deal with the reality of her. You feel like her TV persona is somehow safe. But remember, that's not a real person… it's a lady doing her job, with a mask of makeup on and talking to a camera. It's not real life. It's not the face she's put forward for socializing and dating.
- This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by Kate.
Remember she seems nice because she is on camera. When she is on camera, she has on her Meteorologist Persona. Off camera she could be meaner than a white girl the day after pumpkin spice is retired for the season.
You are not going to meet women through your TV. Look for activities that you like, sports, books, photography. Make friends, women and men, who know other people to whom they can introduce you.
Online dating works too -it's a numbers game, but it does work for a lot of people.JDGuest
Super weird but just for the record I've had a crush on Dallas Raines since I was about 5, remains to this day.JDGuest
Meaner that a white girl the day after they stop pumkin spice lattes! I'm cackling. I'd like to note as a white girl that the very smell of those makes me ill. That is hysterical though.ronGuest
Josh —
I agree with the other posters. Like actresses, TV newscasters are playing a role — there's a reason they call them 'personalities' and why they act like they are the world's closest group of friends when they're on air. Their success depends upon the viewers liking them as people and thinking of them as 'family'. The anchors of one of our local/regional newscasts actually ends every 11:00 news with "goodnight, family".
It really does sound like you are actively avoiding what you really need: dating experience with women you encounter in real life. You describe this as being 'picky' but it really sounds like choosing fantasy over reality. Every human being has flaws. This includes you. Stop being so picky and stop being so frightened of rejection. Every guy who wants to date faces rejection. With dating apps, it is at least anonymous rejection. You should give it a shot.EssieParticipant
I agree with everyone else: she's essentially an actress, playing a role, and her personality is almost certainly very different than what you see on TV. Her appearance is probably quite different, too. On TV, she's dressed by professional stylists and made up by make-up artists. She's the very definition of a fantasy figure.
Don't send an e-mail. She probably gets hundreds of them every week from men who want to meet her.
- This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by Essie.
And, remember that bars and dating apps and parties are not the only way to meet women. My best, longest lasting relationships were with classmates, coworkers, and friends of friends. And I wasn't looking for a boyfriend in any of those cases, they were just people I met while living my life.
Just put yourself out there more. The more people you're in contact with, the more friends you'll make, and some of those friends will be women, and some of those friendships with women will turn into more.
Volunteer, go to meetups for things you're interested in, take a class.
Which… all of that is probably what this news anchor is doing or trying to do if she wants to meet friends and dating partners. You said she's new on the show, maybe she's new to the area as well.VathenaGuest
I agree with everyone else – you could send the email, but in all likelihood it would be immediately deleted. As an attractive woman in the public eye, she probably gets dozens (or more) of those messages every week. I'm sure that you have already thought of this, but it can be frightening for a woman to receive unsolicited emails from strange men who have a sexual interest in them. A woman in that position doesn't know who might be a genuinely nice person, and who might be a deranged psycho stalker rapist. Who might escalate from, "Dear Anchorwoman, You seem great and I enjoy watching you on TV! Would love to buy you a coffee sometime!" to "You bitch, you're ugly anyway and you better watch your back!" These things happen ALL the time. It's the same as a catcall on the street – ignore some guys, and they might come after you and call you a fat whore or whatever. I assume your intention is not to scare this woman, so definitely err on the side of not sending the email. Focus on meeting women IRL.
And you know, whether or not other guys are emailing her, that's her work email. It's for people to contact her with, idk, tips about local news, or to connect with her professionally. It's not for personal/dating stuff. If she wants to be contacted for dating, then she has personal social media accounts where she can be messaged, and / or online dating profiles. Women don't want to be hit on via work email.
- AuthorPosts


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This story epitomises the phrase 'walk a mile in my shoes' before you make a fair judgement.
A bra company CEO decided to get his male employees a taste of what it's like being a woman, by simulating the pain of having to carry around boobs on their chest.
His reasoning is simple. How can these guys design and make the best lingerie if they don't know what it's like to have breasts?
So PrimaDonna boss Ignace Van Doorselaere, based in Belgium, gave each guy a pair of weights to hang around their necks to simulate the experience of having E-cup breasts. That's around 2.2-3.5lbs per breast.
That way, they would understand how important it is to create bras that are functional, supportive and comfortable.
Ignace said:
As a man, how can you know what it is like to have a bigger cup size? You make lingerie for women with a larger cup size but you have no clue. But there is only one way for a man to realise what an E-cup feels like… and that is having an E-cup.
So, how did they get on I hear you ask? *Spoiler*, not great.
It was only a matter of time before some started to complain about the extra weight:
Especially on their shoulders and back:
And although there are some, lets say, 'interesting' moments:
It's not always fun and games:
Lesson well and truly learnt.


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Extra Curricular
Please find below a list of Extra Curricular activities for Seniors.
- Senior Orchestra
- Senior Choir
- Chamber Choir
- Debating
- ICT Club
- Maths Puzzle Club
- Speech and Drama (LAMDA)
- Dance Club
- Football Club
- Netball
- Rounders
- Athletics
- Tennis
- Knitwits
- Film Skool
- Design and Technology
- Duke of Edinburgh
- Book Club/Creative Writing
- Christian Union
- Art Club
- STEM Club
- Yoga
- Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
- Speech and Drama (LAMDA)
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
Girls can start preparing for the bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award at the end of Year 9. Girls must undertake a service, a physical recreation and a skill; two for a minimum of three months and one for a minimum of six months. If they complete these three sections they can enrol for the expedition training. This is organised for the school by Clare Kendle, the liaison officer for Enfield. The practice and assessed expeditions take place towards the end of the summer term in Year 10.
Skiing Trips
There are also optional winter ski courses for our Junior and Senior Girls.


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What are Wal-Mart's Priorities?
There Is Always Target
In the early 1990's, some people I know took their nephew in to live with them since he really had no where else to go. He had just been released from a short stint in a county jail in California for possession of drugs and car theft. Our friends had always had a good relationship with Scott, and we all thought that living in a small town in the Midwest would do him some good.
It didn't take Scott long to find the drug connections in this town and within two weeks, he was out all night partying. More than just a couple of times, my friend's wife caught him stealing money from her purse in the middle of the night just so he could buy more drugs. It also wasn't long before he figured out how to get into their bank account and draw out all of their money as if it was his own.
These good people had checks bouncing from St. Louis to Kansas City. They were in a lot of trouble financially and legally, and had no idea why. Scott wasn't about to confess. We all suddenly realized that it was their bank cards that were in his wallet. By then it was too late, and they couldn't make good on the checks in time to keep from being prosecuted. Our friends were charged with passing bad checks, even though the prosecutor knew the circumstances. He had an agenda of his own with Scott, and was busy prosecuting him on burglary charges. So these good people received a light probation and made restitution, and moved on with their lives. That was nearly 18 years ago. They learned a tough lesson and moved forward, and they have never been in trouble since then. Scott on the other hand did another short prison term, got out and was killed while robbing a truck driver.
So here we are in 2010. Our friends were doing fine until she decided to change gears and take a job at a new Wal-Mart that was opening up here in Lulawissie. She applied, was hired and then suddenly without notice, was turned away because of an old court record claiming that she had been convicted for having written bad checks. While conversing with the other applicants during the hiring process, my friend's wife learned that many of the newly hired people at this new Wal-Mart are convicted drug users, dealers and have various other felony convictions in their past. But as it was explained to her, she could not be trusted to work around money because her past "problems" involved money.
Now work with me here. It seems to me that any drug user, current or past, will more likely be tempted to steal to feed their habit than a person that wrote bad checks under mitigating circumstances. Scott was a drug user, dealer and a robber. He stole from his Uncle and Aunt to feed his habit which caused their checks to bounce. Drug use made him a thief.
Wal-Mart is hiring recently convicted criminals that committed financially based crimes because of illegal drug use, but will not hire someone with an otherwise clean record because of an isolated incident that resulted in criminal charges 18 years ago. If Wal-Mart suddenly misses money or merchandise because they hired thieves and drug addicts, then they have no one to blame but themselves. We have no more use for Wal-Mart. There are other stores. There is Target.
Being the world's number one retailer takes some intelligence and smart decision making. Where is Wal-Mart's smart decision making in this situation?
The entire contents of this writing, and all writings previous to this one, including the name "Lulawissie", are the original work of Delbert Banks and are protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. © 2010 By Delbert Banks.
I have been browsing onnlie more than three hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It's pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be much more useful than ever before.
Well said! It is time to end the super store called Walmart. Substandard goods sold to children by excons. We need more mom and pop stores again!


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Late August and September (2015)
Since early August, the waders have come flooding back into Roebuck Bay. They have mostly been returned adults, with heavily worn feathers from their arduous journey to the Far North. However, we've also seen the return of our first juveniles, sporting beautifully fresh plumage. Numbers in the Bay have probably doubled since the dry season counts of 17,000. And with the birds returning, we've had several exciting sightings to the delight of our guests.
An adult Little Ringed Plover was found at Taylors Lagoon on the 18th of August, and has been seen on every Lakes Tour since. The low water levels at Lake Campion produced a Ruff between the 18th and 29th of September, but was mostly seen in flight on the 29th, while a Black Falcon made several catch attempts at the wader flock it was a part of. A very early Swinhoe's Snipe was found by George Swann at Lake Eda on the 25th of September, and remained until at least the 30th. The Eurasian Curlew, first seen in February, came out of hiding on the 29th of September, while everybody's favourite Semipalmated Plover returned for a 7th straight year to the Broome sewage ponds on the 30th of September. Common Redshank numbers have steadily increased to seven.
The Banded Stilt originally found at Kidneybean Claypan in July, has relocated to the Little Crab Creek mangroves, where it reliably roosts with Red-necked Avocets each high tide. Oriental Plovers were first seen on the 15th of September, while Little Curlews turned up at Quarry Beach two days later on the 17th.
A Beach Stone-curlew, our first for the year, was seen in front of the BBO viewing platform between the 15th and 27th of September. Another first for the year were two Hooded Robins at Taylors Lagoon on the 29th of September.
Up to 22 Flock Bronzewings have been regularly seen since mid-August near a dam on Roebuck Plains, while Barn Swallows made their first appearance at the sewage ponds on the 28th of August. Eastern Yellow Wagtails, Dollarbirds, and Channel-billed Cuckoos all announced their spring arrival to the region in the last week of September.
Reptile activity has also significantly increased this period, highlighted by a young Estuarine Crocodile basking on the mudflats. Black-headed Pythons, Moon Snakes, and Narrow-headed Whipsnakes have also been seen close to the Observatory, to the delight of most of our guests!
Our evening Bird Log in the Shadehouse recorded 175 species in August (with an incredible daily average of 100.7), while a staggering 191 species were found in September (including 155 species on our September Birds of the Broome Region course). October is often our month with greatest diversity, so we look forward to trying to reach 200!