text:
Anti-HIV Treatment Interruptions in HIV Infected Adults in South Africa
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00100646
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : January 5, 2005
Last Update Posted : August 27, 2014
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|HIV Infections
|Behavioral: Structured treatment interruption Drug: Lamivudine Drug: Lopinavir/Ritonavir Drug: Stavudine Biological: Rabies de novo antigen
|Not Applicable
Long-term toxicity and the high cost of medications are two problems faced by HIV infected people taking ART. Previous studies in HIV-infected patients suggest that ART with STIs may decrease drug exposure and lessen long-term drug toxicity, while not sacrificing viral suppression and patient health. This study will determine if ART with STIs can maintain the same level of immune function in HIV-infected people as continuous ART. This study will recruit patients in South Africa.
This study will last 3.5 years. At study entry, all participants will begin daily ART consisting of lamivudine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and stavudine. At Month 6, only participants who have responded well to ART (CD4 count greater than 450 cells/uL and viral load less than 50 copies/ml at Month 6) will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group 1 participants will participate in STIs during therapy, and Group 2 participants will receive continuous therapy. People in Group 1 will have treatment interruptions of 2, 4, and 8 weeks of duration in between 16-week periods of ART. Group 1 participants will re-initiate therapy if their CD4 count drops below 350 cells or evidence of clinical disease progression is present. Group 2 participants will continue taking ART throughout the study.
At screening, participants will undergo medical history assessment, a physical exam, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans. There will be at least 22 study visits occurring approximately every 8 weeks, each lasting 45 to 60 minutes. At each study visit, participants will be required to bring any remaining pills with them so adherence can be assessed and will undergo medical assessments. Blood collection will occur at nearly all visits. For female participants, urine collection will occur at all visits. Participants will receive rabies vaccinations at Weeks 16, 17, and 22. A visit at Week 92 will include an MRI and participants will receive a rabies vaccine booster.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|30 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Randomized Clinical Trial Assessing Continuous HAART Versus Interrupted HAART in a Resource Poor Clinic
|Study Start Date :
|March 2007
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|March 2010
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|March 2010
Experimental: 1
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) consisting of lamivudine, lopinavir/ritonovir, and stavudine for 16 weeks with three structured treatment interruptions for 2, 4, and 8 weeks each; rabies vaccine at Weeks 16, 17, 22 and 92.
Behavioral: Structured treatment interruption
Interruptions in treatment will last 2, 4, and 8 weeks in between 16-week periods of ART
Other Name: STI
Drug: Lamivudine
300 mg tablet taken orally daily
Drug: Lopinavir/Ritonavir
400 mg lopinavir/100 mg ritonavir tablet taken orally twice daily
Drug: Stavudine
Dosage dependent on weight
Biological: Rabies de novo antigen
Vaccine injected intramuscularly
Active Comparator: 2
Continuous HAART consisting of lamivudine, lopinavir/ritonovir, and stavudine throughout the study; rabies vaccine at Weeks 16, 17, 22 and 92.
Drug: Lamivudine
300 mg tablet taken orally daily
Drug: Lopinavir/Ritonavir
400 mg lopinavir/100 mg ritonavir tablet taken orally twice daily
Drug: Stavudine
Dosage dependent on weight
Biological: Rabies de novo antigen
Vaccine injected intramuscularly
- To compare intermittent ART to continuous therapy by comparing endpoint CD4 counts between Groups 1 and 2 [ Time Frame: Throughout study ]
- Response to rabies vaccination and booster [ Time Frame: Weeks 16, 22, and 92 ]
- Comparison of treatment-associated toxicity and safety of 2 to 8 weeks of antiretroviral therapy (ART) interruption versus continuous ART [ Time Frame: Throughout study ]
- Determine the outcome of immune reconstitution by monitoring changes in T-cell subsets and the ability to maintain cell-mediated responses against various antigens [ Time Frame: Before and after intermittent strategy ]
- Viral evolution and genotypic changes that confer drug resistance [ Time Frame: During intermittent and continuous treatment ]
- Effect of treatment interruption on cardiovascular adverse experiences risk factors [ Time Frame: From Weeks 0 to 144 ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- HIV infected
- CD4 count of 200 to 350 cells/mm3 within 60 days of starting study treatment
- Antiretroviral naive. Participants who have received antiretrovirals through postexposure prophylaxis or short course therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission are eligible for this study.
- Willing to adhere to study treatment
- Willing to be followed for the duration of this study
Exclusion Criteria:
- History of AIDS-defining illness (CDC category C). Patients with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis are not excluded.
- Newly diagnosed AIDS-defining opportunistic infection or other condition requiring acute therapy at study entry
- Previous therapy with agents with significant myelosuppressive, neurotoxic, pancreatotoxic, hepatotoxic, or cytotoxic potential within 30 days prior to study entry
- History of immunomodulatory therapy within 4 weeks prior to screening, or cannot abstain from immunomodulators during the study
- Previously received rabies vaccine
- Current alcohol or drug abuse that, in the opinion of the investigator, may interfere with the study
- Diarrhea (more than 6 stools per day for 7 consecutive days) within 30 days prior to study entry
- Active or suspected acute hepatitis within 30 days of study entry
- Bilateral peripheral neuropathy of Grade 2 or higher at screening
- Inability to tolerate oral medication
- Any clinical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would interfere with the study
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00100646
|South Africa
|University of the Witwatersrand
|Johannesburg, South Africa
|Principal Investigator:
|Luis J. Montaner, DVM, MSc, DPhil
|The Wistar Institute
|Principal Investigator:
|Ian M. Sanne, MBBCH, FCP(SA), DTM&H
|University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Other Publications:
|Responsible Party:
|Luis Montaner, Professor and Director, HIV-1 Immunopathogenesis Laboratory, The Wistar Institute
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
1R01AI051986-01A2 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
R01AI051986 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
Protocol 2411209
1R01AI051986-01A2 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|First Posted:
|January 5, 2005 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|August 27, 2014
|Last Verified:
|November 2013
Treatment Interruption
Treatment Naive
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-HIV Agents
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors


text:
Walked the Freedom Trail yesterday, and got back to the hotel exhausted but euphoric. The density of Revolution-related sites in Boston is unlike anything I've experienced before.
Usually, when I take a Rev War road trip, I'll have two or three things I really want to see, I'll have to drive quite a few miles to get from one to the other, and I try to read every wayside marker and exhibit label I can find.
Doing Boston is different. Here you can walk a couple of miles and hit more than a dozen sites, and each one of them is a headliner. There's no way you can thoroughly cover it all. It's like visiting a buffet where you want to eat everything, so you just pile your plate with as much as it'll hold and start cramming your face until you're stuffed.
Another thing that strikes me is the antiquity of what you can see. In my neck of the woods, seeing a building from the early nineteenth century is a treat, and getting to see one from the late eighteenth is worth a two-hour drive. Here, though, running across a material remnant of the seventeenth century isn't unheard of. Yesterday I saw tombstones that had been sitting there a century before Tennessee became a state.
It's historic sightseeing of a totally different order. And that'll have to do it for now; I'm off to Lexington and Concord.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
FX and the producers of FX's upcoming drama Tyrant are trying to reassure a Muslim civil rights organisation about its concerns over the series.
Leaders of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which bills itself as "the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organisation," sent a letter to FX President John Landgraf last week saying they were worried about "potential Islamophobic stereotyping" in the drama, which premieres on June 24.
"FX, Fox 21 and the producers recognise that some people may have some concerns over possible stereotyping in Tyrant," said a joint statement released by FX and producers Fox 21. "For the past several months, the network, studio and producers have had internal and external discussions to address those concerns.
"There have been conversations with the Muslim Public Affairs Council and with Muslims on Screen and Television, and all parties involved with Tyrant look forward to continued dialogue with those organisations."
Tyrant is about an "unassuming American family drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle East nation," according to the show's website. "Bassam 'Barry' Al Fayeed, the younger son of the dictator of a war-torn nation, ends a self-imposed 20-year exile to return to his homeland, accompanied by his American wife and children, for his nephew's wedding. Barry's reluctant homecoming leads to a dramatic clash of culture as he is thrown back into the familial and national politics of his youth."


text:
"Touch" gets to Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland runs through a packed Grand Central Station, dodging bystanders and scanning the crowd for suspicious activity. The minutes fly by — seen in frequent close-ups of ticking clocks — drawing closer to a potentially explosive moment. Sutherland confronts a guy on a public phone, spins him around and starts punching.
Wait, is Jack Bauer back on TV?
He's not, but Sutherland is returning to the Fox network. Only his new drama, "Touch," owes more to feature films like "Crash" and "Short Cuts" than to his previous award-winning espionage series, "24." He just happens, in the first episode of "Touch," to be racing against time to unravel a mystery, an unintentional bone for "24" fans since it was written before Sutherland signed on.
The new drama, which will have a sneak preview Jan. 25 after "American Idol," centers on Sutherland's character, Martin Bohm, a former journalist and single dad to a special-needs 11-year-old boy.
The son, Jake, who's remote, combative and uncommunicative, may be autistic, but he exhibits savant-like qualities with gadgets and numbers. He can't bear to be touched, hence the series' title.
As it turns out, as revealed by an eccentric professor, played by series costar Danny Glover, Jake can detect patterns and relationships between seemingly disparate people and events. He might even be able to see the future.
It's up to Sutherland's Bohm to "follow the bread crumbs" and figure out the significance of the boy's mathematical clues, according to "Touch" creator and executive producer Tim Kring.
Kring, who also created NBC's former hit "Heroes," said he'd been thinking since shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks about writing a series that would blend some mystical and scientific elements. (There are several references to 9/11 in the pilot, including the reason Sutherland's character is a widower: His stockbroker wife died in the World Trade Center blast.)
At the core of "Touch" is a father and son tale, and layered on top are ideas of interconnectivity and serendipity, near misses and close calls, those moments of wondering, "If it hadn't been for this, what would've happened to that?"
"I've been dealing with this theme for a long time, in 'Heroes' and before that, 'Crossing Jordan,' of people's lives being connected in seemingly random ways that turn out not to be random at all," Kring said. "I wanted to elevate that theme to the forefront because I think people will automatically be able to relate to it."
The 13-episode series, formally premiering March 19 after "House," will tell stand-alone stories each week but weave an ongoing mythology for fans who want a deeper dive. One of the main story lines is Bohm's struggle to prove he's a competent father since Jake's outbursts and out-of-control behavior caused the state's child welfare agency to take him out of the home for evaluation.
Though it's grounded in real-world New York City, there will be borderline supernatural issues to ponder, Kring said, such as the possible existence of others just like Jake. And there will be some heart-pounding action for "24" junkies, but it'll be mixed with lower-adrenaline emotional stakes.
Bohm will be "a very real, very human character," who's devoted to his kid and stretched too thin, like many parents. Bohm, along with the actor who plays him, "has his own kind of heroism and strength," Kring said.
To Sutherland, who had been working in live theater, going back to a full-time TV series wasn't his priority. He didn't miss the demands of a weekly show, especially one like "24" where he appeared in nearly every scene, he said, but he was bowled over by the "Touch" script.
"I knew I had to do it because it hit me on a spiritual level," Sutherland said recently. "As it turns out, the workload is almost the same as '24.' 'Touch' isn't as physical but the emotional demands are much greater."
Though the show's based in Los Angeles and the production never leaves town, the show globe trots to carry the theme of diverse and interlocking connections. A misplaced cellphone in one country, for instance, skips around the world, eventually containing data and video evidence of where it's been and the people who've used it.
"That idea of connectivity, of breaking down the barriers of language, culture, religion, and showing that we all want the same things — it's imperative right now," Sutherland said. "It's something we may've lost track of, but the show reminds us."
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text:
Item #0209
110-115 days. Perk up cole slaw or your favorite stir-fry with this gorgeous deep red cabbage. The sweet flavor of cabbage fresh from the garden is much better than store-bought. Solid heads form early on small, compact plants making it an ideal choice for small gardens. Resistant to splitting and the disease, "cabbage yellows." Heads store well in the refrigerator or root cellar.
This packet sows twelve 10-foot rows.
Seedling Image
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row Spacing:
When to sow outside: 10 to 12 weeks before average first fall frost.
When to start inside: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost for spring planting, or 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors for fall crop. Start in pulp pots that go directly in the ground for minimal transplant shock. Gently remove bottom of pot before planting. Young plants may bolt if exposed to prolonged temperatures below 50°F, or extended heat.
Harvesting: Harvest heads as soon as they are well developed, firm, and solid when squeezed. Cut off heads at base with a sharp knife. Discard outermost leaves. Cabbages left in the ground beyond maturity are more subject to disease and splitting. To delay harvest and prevent the heads from splitting while still in the ground, give the heads a sharp 1/4 turn. This will break the feeder root, but allows smaller roots to continue to nourish the plant until harvested.
Artist: Carolyn Crawford
Item #0209
1.50 grams
What is Soil?
Soil is a diverse mix of substances, teeming with life and composed of minerals, decayed plant and animal matter, water, and air. It…More…
In early fall, it pays to keep an eye on nighttime temperatures so that you get your frost-sensitive crops harvested before the first frost.
There are two purposes for fall sowing: to harvest in late fall or winter, or harvest in spring from plants that can overwinter. "Overwintering" means…More…


text:
The Way of the Master
The Way of the Master is an evangelical ministry created by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron to train Christians in the art of apologetics and open-air evangelism. This ministry, in cooperation with Comfort's Living Waters Publications, produces a number of training courses, radio and television programs.
Basically the series teaches that people must practise Christianity exactly as Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron tell them and must interpret the Bible exactly as Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron tell them in order to avoid eternal damnation.
The television portion of this ministry airs on 15 Christian networks and has received numerous awards from Christian organizations. While popular among evangelicals, the real "break out" moment for the series was the banana argument from Season 1, Episode 7. A number of internet humor sites carried the clip of Ray declaring that the banana was "the atheist's nightmare", as he considers it an obvious testament to Intelligent Design.
The Logo[edit]
The Way of the Master logo incorporates a Latin cross, as well as the letters WDJD, standing for "What Did Jesus Do?". It also contains a reference to Mark 16:15, reading:
- And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Street interviews[edit]
Street interviews are a regular feature of the series online though it is unclear to Iron Chariots what criteria the Comfort team use to decide which videos to broadcast or whether those shown on the videos consent to the broadcast.
Christian approach[edit]
Even some Christians disagree with Comfort's system of telling eveybody including decent people that they have violated the Ten Commandments. Then Comfort makes decent people feel guilty and makes decent people fear that they are in danger of Hell. [1]
Arguments used in the series[edit]
|The Way of the Master
|Season One Episodes:
1. The Firefighter 2. The Mirror of the Ten Commandments 3. The Motive of the Sinner 4. The Summary of Salvation 5. Practice What You Preach 6. Idolatry—The Darling Sin of Humanity 7. The Beauty of a Broken Spirit—Atheism 8. WDJD? 9. Blasphemy, Sabbath, Parents 10. Murder 11. Adultery 12. Theft 13. Lie and Covet
|Season Two Episodes:
1. God's Wonderful Plan 2. Conscience 3. Alcatraz, Al Capone, Alcohol 4. True and False Conversion 5. When Things Go Wrong 6. The Satanic Influence 7. How to Witness to Someone Who's Homosexual/Gay 8. Evolution 9. How to Witness to a Loved One 10. The Fear of God 11. Ice Breakers—Gospel Tracts 12. The Greatest Gamble 13. How to Get on Fire for God
|Season Three Episodes:
1. Islam 2. Mormonism 3. Witchcraft 4. Buddhism 5. Roman Catholicism 6. What Hollywood Believes 7. New Age 8. Humanism 9. What America Believes 10. Jehovah's Witness 11. Judaism 12. Spiritual Battle 13. Hinduism
|Ray Comfort — Kirk Cameron


text:
English, Thai
173 ซ.ม
75 ก.ก
I want to meet an educated & interesting woman.
I am an Australian who has recently completed 6 years cruising on a catamaran.
I grew up south of the Gold Coast in Australia and spent most of my life working, surfing & sailing.
It took many years of travelling in Southeast Asia & the Far East before I ventured to Europe, North Africa & North & South America.
6 years ago I bought my catamaran in France & have sailed the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, South America, Central America & the USA.
I am a single handed sailor who loves the solitude of long ocean passages.
Also sailed all the worlds oceans including the Southern Ocean in extreme conditions.
I enjoy sailing, surfing , scuba diving, Art & Sculpture.
One of my interests is visiting the home towns of great artists & sculptors. Two such towns have been Dalis´ Cadaques, Spain & Boteros' Medellin, Colombia.
Now I am in Thailand. I speak English and a little Thai & a little Spanish.
My Photos were taken between 2002 and 2012.
มองหา: หญิง 18 - 80 ปี
สำหรับ: มิตรภาพ, การแต่งงาน, โรแมนติก, ความสัมพันธ์


text:
The storage system at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., had been working fine for years and had a tape-drive backup, so Dean Johnson wasn't overly concerned when it started showing its age last year.
All storage systems fail, so be ready to recover
The 20th Civil Engineer Squadron at Shaw, which supports the base's physical infrastructure, was using a seven-year-old Adaptec 2600 series SCSI Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controller with a 12-disk array to store data about the squadron's training, base housing records and other critical activities.
"Adaptec started having its problems," said Johnson, the squadron's network administrator. "It started glitching a little bit once in a while."
The system, an assembly of a dozen 73G drives, was still usable and the data was being backed up to a robotic tape-drive system from Qualstar, so the occasional glitches were not a big cause for worry.
"Then one day it went down and didn't want to come back up," Johnson said. "The controller could see the drives, but it couldn't see the array."
When he checked the backup, "I was horrified to find that the server it was supposed to be backing up to had gone off-line and no longer existed to the backup system."
Stuck with a system that couldn't function and no backup, Johnson called Adaptec, only to find that the company no longer supported the controller. Once the controller failed, he was told, "there is nothing you can do."
Some of the information contained on the storage array, including certificates of completion for required training, was essential to the 15 organizations in the squadron.
"If you can't produce the certificate, you have to do the training again," Johnson said. "In the fire department alone that would have been at least 490 hours of training for a couple dozen people." The system also stored records needed to account for the base's housing activities and expenditures. "We had all sorts of data on that machine."
Adaptec told him his best recourse was DriveSavers Data Recovery, a company in Novato, Calif., that, as its name implies, specializes in recovering digital data.
"We recover data off of any form of media," including tapes, disks and solid-state drives, said Michael Hall, DriveSavers' chief information security officer. "If you can write a 1 or a 0 to it, we can recover it."
So Johnson shipped the controller and drive assembly to California and hoped for the best. He said he believed the storage system was a RAID 5 array, which would have been good news. "If it was 5, it would have been a quick restore," he said, because RAID 5 includes redundancy to assist in recovering data from lost or missing drives.
A RAID can be configured in a number of ways to determine how data is written to it, the most common configurations being RAID 0 (striped disks) and RAID 5 (striped disks with parity). RAID 0 distributes data across the array to give improved speed and full capacity. But all data on all disks will be lost if any one disk fails. RAID 5 combines three or more disks to protect data against the loss of any one disk. If one disk fails, the storage capacity of the array is simply reduced by one disk.
In California, Hall initially found that the news wasn't good for the Shaw array. "I was looking at it and quickly determined it was not a RAID 5," he said. It was a RAID 0, and one of its original drives had been replaced, jeopardizing the recovery of the system's data.
That type of confusion is not unusual, Hall said. "Dean is a classic example. He thought he had a RAID 5," but he didn't.
It helps to be able to get as much information as possible from the drive owner when trying to recover data, Hall said. "The more we know, the better it is." But it is not necessary. The company has recovered data from drives that have been run over by cars and buses, been burned in buildings, thrown out a third-story window, and once from a laptop PC that sank in the Amazon during a cruise, he said. The owner of the waterlogged laptop, a grad student, retrieved it with scuba gear and turned it over to DriveSavers to recover a graduate thesis on the drive.
Just about the only time it is impossible to recover data is after a catastrophic electro-mechanical failure — "in industry terms, a head crash," Hall said. In that case, the medium is physically damaged, and the data has been scraped away.
Hall said that in the past 10 years, there has been a trend toward more electro-mechanical failures, although most of them are not catastrophic.
"When I first got here, about 20 percent of what we saw was electro-mechanical failure and 80 percent was logical," he said. Today that ratio is reversed, partly because a growing number of tools are available to help owners recover from logical failures, so the professionals see fewer of them.
But the change has also happened because of the increasing precision and tighter tolerances of drives as their capacity grows into the gigabyte scale. "They have learned how to cram as many bits as possible onto the surface," Hall said. "They are really engineered tightly."
But of all the problems the company sees, "the most complex type of data recovery is a multiple disk array," Hall said. "You're ganging a lot of drives together and asking them to act as one at the logical level. It can be quite complex."
The first step in recovering the Shaw data was to find the original drive that had been replaced in the array. Often, drives are replaced because they're damaged, so owners don't hold onto them, Hall said. But Johnson had a spare drive in the office that he thought might be the missing one. "It was sheer luck that he still had it and it happened to be the correct drive," Hall said.
DriveSavers reinstated the original drive and made a sector-by-sector image of the array. "At that point, I was able to rebuild the RAID 0 and get the data," Hall said.
The data was recoverable because "we're dealing with the device at the physical level, not the logical level," he said. The technicians never work with the original drive but with a bit-by-bit target copy they examine using the operating system the data was recorded with.
From about 200G of data stored on the array, Johnson handpicked the files that were essential to his squadron.
"I took the pick of the litter," he said. "They recovered roughly 45G of data that was absolutely critical" and sent it to him on a portable USB drive.
"It was a relatively painless experience," Johnson said.
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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text:
The 2011 Ford Explorer will be built on the same platform as the Ford Taurus. No transfer case acting as the four-wheel-drive system's linchpin. That's not stopping Ford from releasing this teaser shot touting the potential for off-road prowess.
So what do we now know?
First, based on today's release of 2011 Ford Explorer info, we can expect the automaker to follow its recent trend of an agonizing teaser campaign that everyone stops caring about after the third round (prove us wrong Ford, please).
Second, the new Explorer will have something they'll call "Terrain Management" which works with what we can only assume is the Taurus' tarted up all-wheel-drive system. It's controlled by a knob system like Land Rover (in looks alone people!) with pictures of the crossover next to a snowflake, all alone, in ruts beside a tree, near a cactus and on a hill. Those icons — surrounding a duck on a skateboard (Autoblog's Damon LaVrinc should remember that reference. —Ed.) — denote various weather and road conditions to be selected by the driver which will have an effect on the performance of the "four wheel drive," traction control, and braking systems.
Third, the mall Explorer will get Ford's shiny Smartgauge system which uses two 4" LCD screens to provide all kinds of information about the vehicle and how you're driving. Finally, an Explorer without a transfer case is like a bull without horns — functional, but what's the point?


text:
City of Keller, TXHome Menu
City Calendar
The City Calendar offers information on upcoming meetings, regular programs and special events organized by the City of Keller. To see additional events going on in Keller hosted by nonprofit and other community organizations, please visit the
Economic Development Board Meeting
- Date: 07/15/2019 6:00 PM - 6:59 PM
- Location: Keller Town Hall
1100 Bear Creek Pkwy.
Keller, Texas 76248
Return to full list >>
The Keller Economic Development Board (KEDB) meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Pre-Council Chamber at Keller Town Hall, 1100 Bear Creek Parkway.


text:
|Device name
|Galaxy Note5
|Model number
|Android version
|7.0 (Nougat)
|Android security patch level
|April 1, 2017
|Baseband version
|Kernel version
|Build number
|Release date
|March 14, 2017
|June 2017 Android security update
|Stock firmware
|Unavailable as of this time being, you may use the other Nougat firmware version instead.
How to Use the Stock Firmware?Stock firmware can only be use to restore the Verizon Galaxy Note 5 SM-N920V to its original Android operating system images if it has been modified in unauthorized way and it will no longer receives an OTA updates.
Tips: You may always use the most latest firmware update as it includes but not limited to new or enhanced features, device security enhancements. It may also includes some improvements to data connectivity, audio, screen display quality, camera, and other system enhancements.
Check The Most Latest Firmware version Here: Galaxy Note 5 Stock Firmware
This Stock firmware can only be use to restore the Galaxy Note 5 SM-N920V to its original Android operating system if it has been modified in unauthorized way and it will no longer receives an OTA updates.
FOLLOW THIS GUIDE: Install Galaxy Note 5 Factory Stock Firmware
1. Backup all important data stored in the device memory, including contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, and other files.
2. Recharge the phone or it should still have at-least around 50% remaining power.
3. Grab these tools:
- Odin3_v3.12.3 (Nougat)
- Odin3_v3.11.1 (Marshmallow)
- Odin3_v3.10.7 (Lollipop)
- USB driver or grab Smart Switch
4. Unzip the firmware package in your PC.
5. Open or run Odin3 in your computer.
6. Reboot the Galaxy Note 5 in Download mode. Turn Off the phone then press and hold down the Volume Down+Power+Home keys at the same time. You may then press the Volume Up key to continue.
7. Connect the phone to PC.
8. Load the stock firmware:
a. Single tarball - Click on AP button and load the stock firmware tarball.
b. Multiple tarball - Load each individual stock firmware tarball such as Bootloader, AP, CP, and CSC on Odin3's designated slots.
9. Click the "Start" button to begin the installation.
10. Wait until the flashing completely finishes and the phone reboot itself.
You may also do perform a full factory data reset to regain a cleaner and fresher firmware installation. Just ensure that you already made a backup all of your important data stored in the phone.


text:
Adobe recommends using the SPA Editor for projects that require single page application framework-based client-side rendering (e.g. React). Learn more.
See Content Fragment Updates and Content Services - Feature Packs Release Notes.
This set of Feature Packs delivers updates to Content Fragments, the JSON Exporter and Core Components.
These enable the definition of structured content for the fragments; together with the updated JSON exporter, this structured content can then be used to deliver AEM content via Content Services to channels other than AEM pages.
The Content Services feature is documented for preview purposes only.
It is subject to change with the release of 6.3 GA Service Pack 1.
Content Services, that introduces several new AEM constructs allowing a developer to access AEM managed content without knoweldge of the repository structure of that content.
You must enable the content services flag to access all the features and functiionalities of Content Services.
The Content Services flag is enables using Adobe Experience Manager Web Console Configuration.
Check the Enable AEM Content Services and click Save, to get started with Model Creation and Management.
Before you start to author content for models, spaces, entities and folders, enable data models. See the section below for more details.
To create a new configuration or enable Data Models on an existing configuration, enable Configuration Browser.
The steps to enable Configuration Browser are as follows:
Enter the Title and click Create to create a new configuration.
Select Data Models to create models.
Once you are done creating your configuration, you can create the model, spaces, and enities for your mobile app.
See Content Services under authoring section to get started with creating and managing models.


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In Tokyo trial, US man denies intent to kill woman
An American man accused of strangling an Irish exchange student in Tokyo told a Japanese court Monday he had no intention of killing the woman but acknowledged he was with her the night she died.
As his trial began, 19-year-old Richard Hinds of Memphis, Tennessee, denied intentionally suffocating Nicola Furlong last May 24. He acknowledged he and Furlong, 21, were in a hotel and said he lightly pressed her neck while the two had sex.
"I do not believe I was the cause of her death," Hinds told the court. "I had no intent or reason to hurt, harm or kill her."
Furlong came to Tokyo with a friend to see a concert the night she died. After the concert, the two met Hinds and another man, James Blackston, and went with them to a bar. Prosecutors allege Hinds and Blackston got the two women drunk and may have drugged them before taking them by taxi to a hotel in central Tokyo, where they borrowed wheelchairs to get the unconscious women to their rooms.
Furlong was later found unconscious in her room after another guest complained of a loud noise. She died after being taken to a hospital. The defense suggested she died of an overdose of alcohol and drugs.
Prosecutors say Hinds strangled Furlong with a towel and have charged him with murder. They say Hinds has shown no remorse and should be punished severely.
Although murder in Japan can carry the death penalty, prosecutors were not expected to seek it. Blackston faces a maximum of four years on charges of sexually assaulting Furlong's friend in a separate room.
The verdict for Hinds was scheduled to be announced March 19. Blackston's trial was expected to conclude March 13.


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Hey all,
I've added a new article to our How-To section. Feel free to check it out.
Comments on this and all articles are always welcome.
P.S. I'll be the first to admit it. I created the faction because of the shields. Probably not my best work, but I just had to create a faction for those shields.


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Item #0215
40-50 days. Instead of edible roots, this interesting radish is grown for the abundant, slender seed pods that grow above ground on the leafy 3'?5' plants. The botanical name translates as, "radish with a tail", and it is also called aerial radish or spicy bean. The pods are crisp and tender with a more subtle spiciness than a typical root radish. Makes an interesting addition to vegetable trays, and is delicious pickled and in curries and stir-fry dishes. Plants continue to produce even in hot weather, making them a good summer replacement for cool weather root radishes.
This packet sows three 8-foot rows.
Seedling Image
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 2 to 4 weeks before average last frost and successive sowings up until 2 months before first fall frost.
When to start inside: 2 to 4 weeks before average last frost.
Harvesting: Harvest pods when about the thickness of a pencil and from 3" - 12" long. Harvest regularly to keep plants producing pods. Mature pods become hard, tough and bitter tasting so they should be picked and discarded.
Artist: Carolyn Crawford
Item #0215
50 seeds
Lists help us pull our ideas together, so we can get in the dirt and start gardening! Lists also help us organize our thoughts and remember what to do…More…
These cool season crispers are more than bright red slices on a salad. Try roasting or pickling them for a new flavor, or use a more unique variety,…More…


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Talk about a dish that could stand to lose a few: The Italian-American favorite of eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese—spelled variously "Parmesan," "parmigian," or "parmigiana"— knows no nutritional boundaries. Fried-eggplant goodness is buried under piles of gooey cheese, with the tangy counterpoint of the tomato. It's delicious, but a serving has enough saturated fat and almost enough sodium for a whole day.
To walk this recipe back, we dredge eggplant slices in crispy, whole-wheat panko, then bake them to crunchy, meaty perfection. Leaner part-skim ricotta is jazzed up with garlic, crushed red pepper, basil, and cheese. Some thinly sliced mozzarella stretches our cheese budget, while gourmet jarred pasta sauce streamlines the method. This tasty casserole loses the heaviness, not to mention the grease, of the old standard. You'll have room for dessert.
1,053 calories per serving
30.4 grams saturated fat
1,965 milligrams sodium
Deep-fried eggplant
4+ pounds cheese
318 calories per serving
8.2 grams saturated fat
655 milligrams sodium
Baked breaded eggplant
Whole-wheat panko
1 3/4 pounds cheese
Source: Kathy Kitchens Downie, RD, From the September 2010 Issue of Cooking Light.


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Frequently Asked Questions: Shared governance, union representation, and collective bargaining
What would happen to the faculty senate and shared governance if the faculty were to vote in favor of union representation and collective bargaining?
The faculty senate would remain in place, strengthened by a more focused and manageable mission. Traditionally, faculty senates embodied the ideals of shared governance and faculty participation. As universities shifted to a corporate management model, in which administrators usurp the decision-making authority, senates have become marginalized in their ability to address both academic and labor relations issues.
Union representation and collective bargaining redefine shared governance and return a measure of faculty input, and balance, to the decision making process.
Since the faculty union would assume the responsibility for addressing working conditions through collective bargaining, the faculty senate would be better able to focus exclusively on matters of an academic nature. A close and cooperative working relationship with the faculty senate and its leadership would ensure that both labor relations and academic matters are given full and thorough consideration.
Further, the union and faculty senate could work closely on matters that appropriately benefit from joint consideration or action. Some campuses, believes the faculty senate should continue to have primary responsibility for determining programs and curricula, methods of instruction, and subject matter; establishing standards for tenure and promotion, establishing requirements for earning degrees and certificates, and other similar matters.
The union has primary responsibility for negotiating provisions governing salary structure, pay increases, salary equity pay, merit pay, other compensation, benefit programs, work load, leave, protection of academic freedom, grievance procedures, and other labor relations matters.
Procedures relative to appointments, tenure, promotions, sabbaticals, and research support would be included in the collective bargaining agreement but would benefit from joint union - faculty senate consideration.
Other areas of mutual interest and cooperation would include review of the university budget and making recommendations on financial issues that impact academic programs.


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For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers
Authors from any genre that hail from north of the 49th parallel.
Members: 5
Latest Activity: Jan 24
. . . and another hello from BC.I've written a series entitled, "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey" and while Volume One is available now, the official launch of the series is tentatively set for the September Labor Day Long…Continue
Started by Marilynn Dawson. Last reply by Marilynn Dawson Sep 10, 2012.
As Canadian authors, what makes us unique from our American counterparts? I'm not looking to 'slam' those south of the border here, since I have found tha much of my marketing success depends on getting readers from the US. However, I do think we…Continue
Started by Tracy Krauss. Last reply by 0ci0w9xds1nb2 Mar 25, 2011.
This book is a Last Days' warning to the Church. Stating that the return of Jesus is near, the author asks a poignant question, "Will Jesus be coming for you? Or, will you hear him say, 'Depart from Me. I never knew you.' "
This is a stern warning against complacency perpetuated by wrong doctrine. In this book, the author presents fundamental teachings that will help one discern the Kingdom of God, and what is required to enter. Digging deep into Scripture, the author journeys, records and comments through a resounding amount of teachings and scripture verses, offering an overview of the main elements of salvation and the Kingdom of God. Sound Biblical doctrine remains the focus to include the parables of Jesus. Developed through much study, one would do well to read this book and discern for themselves and ask, Are they going to Heaven or have they been deceived either by self, the world or both?
With discernment and insight, this book has 64 chapters explaining who goes to hell with many other teachings explaining the temporal and the eternal. While that may sound daunting, the book is laid out well, giving each chapter its own subject title. Making each subject easily understandable, the reader will understand what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, understand Who Jesus is and why we need to be re-born into the Kingdom of God, understand who goes to hell, and so much more, while offering fresh revelation, insight and inspiration into our inheritance as believers in Christ. One will come away knowing the paradigm of the two co-existing realities: the Kingdom of God in Heaven and on the Earth. Additionally, both the New and Old Covenant teachings are also included within the book, which gives readers a firm grasp of the curse of death that Adam brought and the new life Jesus offers through His death on the cross.
Influential, powerful and most importantly Biblical, this book is full of wisdom for these Last Days to becoming a pure and spotless Bride that Jesus is returning for.
Highly Recommended For Every Person, Believer Or Not, To Review And Consider ~ CBM Christian Book Reviews.
This is a highly recommended read for every Christian, unbeliever and skeptic. Get your copy of Who Goes to Hell: The Lie Christians Believe as a download in Kindle. .99 cent Kindle Special.
A CBM Christian Book Review
10.0+ out of 10.0 stars
Misconceptions of Healing, Blessings and Miracles in the Church by Tiza Joseph Nyirenda speaks of doctrinal and Biblical error that the Church is participating in and writes to correct these errors. His hopes are that the Church will rise up in effectiveness and power through the Holy Spirit.
Beginning with a statement from Kathryn Kuhlman, "A little knowledge and an over-abundance of zeal always tend to be harmful. In the area involving religions truths, it can be disastrous." With that said, the author writes to educate and equip the Body of Christ in the area of misconceptions in regards to healings, and gives inspiration to be witnesses of the great miracles and blessings of God.
Stating that, "People are zealous for God, but zeal without a deeper understanding of the Word of God can lead down destructive paths." Additionally stating that there is a need for the Body of Christ to differentiate truth from error. He writes his book with candor and bases his book on Biblical wisdom. He speaks of fanaticism that has taken over the Church and has largely included examples from Africa, although fanaticism is taking place worldwide within the Church. He makes sure that readers understand that his book is not an attack on healing evangelists, but states we must learn from our mistakes, the past and from Scripture.
His book is written to give a deeper understanding of the ways Jesus heals, performs miracles and the blessings of God. Addressing such questions as medical interventions, work ethic, and the power of prayer, the author has also included a synopsis of some of the great healing evangelists such as William Branham, Oral Roberts and Gordon Lindsay, to include Kathryn Kuhlman. Scripture interpretation, common sense and Biblical wisdom make his book an informative read that disputes error in the Church.
This is a must-read for every Christian to consider as they look to God for the healing miracles in their lives and the lives of others.
Get your copy of Misconceptions of Healing, Blessings and Miracles in the Church at ... or as a download in Kindle.
Title: Misconceptions of Healing, Blessings and Miracles in the Church By: Tiza Joseph Nyirenda
Christian Book Reviews by CBM - 10.0 out of 10.0 stars
The First Seed by David Witman is a colorful and beautifully illustrated children's book depicting an old oak tree (as modern academia) and a little boy who have an interesting conversation. The little boy is able to look up to this big oak tree and ask, "Where did you come from and how did you get to be so big?" The old oak tree answers cordially, and has the same answer back to the boy every time with the exception of different seeds the tree came from. Question after question, the little boy asks and asks, until he finds out where the original seed came from.
With a series of answers, the last question that the little boy asks cannot be answered. Parents can answer for the book to dispel naturalistic views and introduce that the first seed came from a eternal being, namely God, who created the very first seed by intelligent design.
Helping children recognize the systematic problem with "conjecture," this book makes children think. Pointing children to God as the Creator of everything contained in the Universe, the author dispels evolution (and naturalistic views) brought forth by Academia's as the ultimate and true fact.
With wit and a curious little boy, the author teaches children that we didn't just "magically evolve" from one thing into the next thing as our science books are teaching our children as fact. The author has given children just enough knowledge of plant life and DNA to help them understand God and Science, and that God created all DNA and plants.
This is a wonderful story to share with children to make them think about our world, and help them understand that God created all things. Beautifully written.
You may get your copy of The First Seed at Amazon or in Kindle as a download.
A CBM Book Review - 10.0 out of 10.0 stars
Intertwined lives brings a surprising alliance with God and friends at Alliance Lake.
Six teenagers grow up fast as they have to cope with a tragedy that has impacted the entire small town of Alliance, Ohio. Time continues on and so must they. It is time to face the real world. The author offers a reminiscent read that captures past eras, presenting hope, inspiration and encouragement ~ leading others to a renewed life in Jesus, the Son of God.
Alliance Lake: Be Still by Timothy Jay takes readers back to the 70's and 80's, an era long gone by. A time of innocence in America and a time of being a teenager in the 80's, and young adulthood in the 90's. Filled with humor and the "old days" nostalgia, mentioning out-dated technology (rotary phones, boom boxes, and arcades, this novel makes remembering these things an enthusiastic and fun experience traveling down memory lane.
Lovingly dedicated to those on their own journey and to those who relied on their own understanding early in life, only to come to a deep dissatisfaction with the outcome, having walked crooked paths (Psalm 3:5-6), this book challenges teens, (and adults alike) to deepen their walk with God. Ushering an understanding that He is a loving God, and they can move forward after tragic loss. Evil is in the world, but it does not overcome us is one of the themes that play throughout the book.
Alliance Lake: Be Still highlights God in the midst of individuals' lives and brings them to a place of peace and stillness – slowing down to hear from God.
A wonderful Christian Fiction Novel and must read for the 40 and up crowd! 10.0 stars out of 10.0 stars
Get your copy of Alliance Lake: Be Still at Amazon or in Kindle as a download.
If You Truly Loved Christ, You Would Be Keeping More Than Just Ten of His Commandments by Lord S.G. Vanwells speaks to Christians, providing information, and thus encourages maturity in the Body of Christ by helping others to understand what Christ's commandments are through the application of biblical wisdom.
His book speaks to the believer who understands that becoming Christ-like means that you "Do" His commandments, taking seriously the call to be set apart and made holy, just as Scripture denotes that all believers are to partake of becoming Christ-like. First stating that, "The primary goal of this entire writing endeavor . . . is to build your spiritual and heavenly worth by conforming to God and Christ's stated biblical wishes." The author builds on Biblical and Hebrew roots of Jesus (Yeshua), using the two names interchangeably. Thus, offering insight into the rich biblical history, location and roots of the Twelve Tribes, to include the branch of religion we call "Christianity", asking, "What Does it all mean to love Jesus and follow His commandments?" Therefore, challenging modern-day believers to "re-think" what sin is and what does it mean to be righteous.
To ask that question, one must know what the expectations are from Yeshua (Jesus). With that in mind, the author takes readers on a journey and offers a look at what Jesus' personal biblical requests throughout Scripture, and offers commentary and an overview of the Messiah Himself. He also gives a fair warning of controversy in the beginning of his book as well, as this subject is the center of controversy and has been for many years.
The book does give readers a plethora of information to consider: concerning Jesus, Israel, the Twelve Tribes, blessings & curses, the roots of Christianity (to include many of the holidays celebrated today in America, with additional information on the Catholic priests and a common Catholic mistranslation). With such chapters as: What is Sin?, 248 Positive Commandments of the 613 Commandments/How Yeshua was Sinless, 365 Negative Commandments of 613 Commandments of God, Problems with Paul, Common Christian Misinterpretations, Promised Blessings and Curses (Signs of Judah), Why Yeshua Died for Israel's Curses and Sins, Where are the Twelve Tribes Today?, Honorable Mention, (with included cites, notations, bibliography, and webography, and links). This is an insightful, often surprising, and historically inclusive book of many unknown related data regarding historical dates (such as Christmas), and Roman ties to idol worship that readers will find unbelievable, yet verifiable.
Most importantly, the book points out that if you love Christ, you will do His commands. A CBM Christian Book Review ~ 10.0 out of 10.0 stars
An amazing read. You may get your copy of If You Truly Loved Christ at Amazon or as a download in Kindle.
New Book Release - Illuminated Beyond the Cross by David Hess offers a redemptive look of the Cross and the Crucifixion through a journey into God's Word and key Scripture. Sanctification and Romans 6:6 illuminates the power of the Cross by way of the new man. Exposing deception, darkness and sin held within, Hess offers Biblical keys to walking in the power and forgiveness by way of the Cross. Presenting the grace that is present in the New Testament, beyond the Cross, coupled with a series of revelations recorded in the book obtained from poignant questions the author asked the Lord, He delivers answers. These answers correlate with Scripture and Christians indeed will find them intriguing. A further study of Scripture reveals the Law, which all could not keep. Sharing a powerful message to all those who would believe Christ's message of the amazing grace of a new life in Christ marked by a pure heart, repentance from sin, the author offers a powerful and practical guide to living in the victory of Christ.
Displaying the mystery of the Cross, a new meaning of freedom from guilt and shame come to light in this invigorating and deeply insightful read. Stating that what has been hidden for centuries, is now available to all who would open their hearts and choose to see with eyes of understanding.
With such chapters as: Seeking & Searching, Beyond the Cross, A Word from God, Wisdom of Revelation, The Cross illuminated, Crucifixion, Sanctification, In Christ Illuminated, Creation Illuminated, John 17 Illuminated, & The Law Illuminated Summary, the author lovingly reveals being crucified with Christ, being freed from sin and living a sanctified life that brings freedom – all by way of the Cross.
Further, declaring a revlatory theme for 2018 as many being set free from bondages, the author offers a journey and guide to teach others what the Cross means to them in their everyday lives. Stating that the year 2018 is when the Church will receive back the power and glory, inspiring all to go beyond the Cross into the God's destiny as the triumphant Church.
This book comes highly recommended relating powerful keys for the Church to grasp in order to walk in full victory. 10.0 stars, a must read!
You may get your copy of Illuminated Beyond the Cross at Amazon and as a download in Kindle. You may visit David Hess at Voice Of The Truth Ministries.
Venatius Agbasiere takes a truthful look at suffering, relates them to readers in a Biblical sense, giving hope and encouragement for the journey of life. An outstanding read! ~ CBM Book Reviews
The plight of mankind, many ask why? Why is there so much suffering in the world? In his book, Suffering: Finding True Peace, Joy and Happiness in the Midst of Life's Challenges, Problems and Difficulties, Venatius Agbasiere looks at suffering, the how and the why God uses seasons to build character, teach and make us pliable as clay is molded into a beautiful vessel. This going from desert to desert to bring His chosen ones into the Promised Land is a actually a type of training ground that the author calls a "breaking." He states that, "Breaking is painful, breaking is frustrating, breaking is uncomfortable, but blessing comes afterwards, so please, do not give up during the time of breaking." Further stating, "There is a blessing in breaking. We are broken by God in order to be blessed."
The above statement gives insight into the focus of the book, as additional Biblical input builds the foundation as he preaches from the Scriptures. His book is meant to encourage the Body of Christ and to give understanding during the difficult seasons of life in order to make way for God to work and bring His blessings into one's life. Offering his own experiences going from a third world country to the United States, his book states that all suffer, just in different ways. He reminds those that are doing well to not look upon those who are suffering, but presents a compassionate look at people's sufferings.
Instrumentally, he teaches that God cared for the Israelites through all they went through. Similarly, we are to remember this that God does not change and He will not abandon us. He will provide us of all our needs and seasons do come to an end. God turns all into good for His Kingdom. (Romans 8:28)
Highly recommended as a must-read for every Christian, whether a new or mature believer.
Get your copy of Suffering: Finding True Peace, Joy and Happiness in the Midst of Li...Challenges, Problems and Difficulties at Amazon or in Kindle.
Suffering: Finding True Peace, Joy and Happiness in the Midst of Life's Challenges, Problems and Difficulties
By: Venatius Agbasiere
ISBN#978-1-5462-2431-0 (sc)
A CBM Christian Book Review
10.0 out of 10.0 stars
America's Founding Fathers and the Bible: A Select Study on America's Christian Origin by Stephen A. Flick, Ph.D. shares America's rich biblical history and Christian heritage. Focusing on the American Revolution and afterwards, the author writes that America was founded on Christian principles and biblical practices that our Founding Fathers instituted, stemming from the formation of our government and the Continental Congress. Unwaveringly the author also reveals contrary claims by secularists and irreligionists that America was founded and "arose from the barrenness of secularism," give way to an intriguing book that gives insight into America's beginnings, formation as a nation and the underlying Christian legacy of America as a nation.
Divided into three sections: The Continental Congress and the Bible, Three Founding Fathers on the Bible, After the American Revolution, Conclusion: American Renaissance and coupled with three Reading Sections - Defense of the use of the Bible as a SchoolBook, President of Congress Starts Bible Society & By the Bible or By the Bayonet, the author sheds light on the legacy of freedom, commitment to the Christian faith and the Bible, that helps readers understand and presents a brief glimpse into the motivations and truths from which our Founding Fathers relied upon.
With this perspective in mind, this book also provides viewpoints propagated from American Academia, jurisprudence and other disciplines that seem to ignore the facts. Further giving an overview of the initial thirteen colonies that sparked America's growth and the first decrees of fasts and thanksgivings originally declared, coupled with the ensuing American Revolution, the author shows that America is a country that is nationally based upon the Bible. As the author states, "Rather, both private and public writings overwhelmingly demonstrate that America's Founding Fathers intended and did establish American government upon biblical principles and practices."
This simple, yet historically accurate read comes highly recommended to all Americans, Patriots, Christians, college students and to the general public that serves as a reminder to get back to the foundational principles our country was founded on. Knowing your heritage and history is important and this book presents a keen understanding of "how" our great nation came to be.
You may get your copy of America's Founding Fathers and the Bible at Amazon, in Kindle and at other fine online bookstores. Visit Christian Heritage Fellowship for further information and some amazing ministry.
God Cares for Me in Every Season: Godly Insights for Singleness, Marriage, and Divorce by Agnes Amos-Coleman sets the stage to choose life according to God's ways in every season of life, whether single, married, or divorced. Her book is organized in three sections pertaining to each season: single, married, or divorced. She speaks to Christians globally and to non-Christians, and links the eroding moral values of our times, (backed up by Gallop Poll Statistics).
Offering answers as to the reasons for certain seasons, each section is designed to offer godly foundations that produce the fruits of the Spirit. Intended to present understanding of God's care during all seasons, God's plan is that one will produce fruit in their lives. With keen insight and Biblical wisdom, the author sheds light through God's Word, presenting an easy, three-pronged approach, giving hope for each season of life.
Developed through the teaching of the nine fruits of the Spirit, the author writes from a place of personal experience that brings inspiration and the blending of Christian principles and scripture verses that enhance one's season in life. Each particular season is covered in three distinct sections to glean from, making for an easy read. The organization of the book presents a palatable format that asks your current season, (single, married, or divorced), presents life-lessons learned from these seasons, and presents to readers scripture affirmations for this particular season in their lives.
In the end, the author brings readers to a glorious conclusion, offering a steadfast hope in following the Lord in all His ways. Additionally, a type of a glossary is given presenting one scripture verse that best defines such terms as: love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, grace, forgiveness, obedience, blessing, encouragement, unity, Holy Spirit, praise, thankful, trust, waling in the Spirit, and offers a salvation prayer as well.
This book comes highly recommended to those who need inspiration and are growing in the Lord. In particular, the book is a way to digest the Word, while also receiving wisdom and direction for ones life.
You may order your copy of God Cares for Me in Every Season: Godly Insights for Singleness, Ma... or in Kindle. You can visit the author at, Agnes Amos-Coleman.
Be sure to check out the author's other book, The Provisions of God: Insights from a Cat Named Mascot which is also available at Amazon and in Kindle.
A CBM Book Review
10.0 out of 10.0 stars
Boldly proclaiming God's way for revival, Pastor Rusty Kuhn, speaks of God's glory being revealed in his new book, Reclaiming the Land: God's Formula for Revival. Based on II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land," the author concisely illustrates the need, solution and results of honoring His name and what the means to us.
This is truly an amazing read, with such chapters as: The Prayer that God Heard, Seeing the Signs, Saved with a Holy Calling, Humility for His Honor, The Power of Prayer, Seeking His Face, Honoring the Presence and The End Result that offers an amazing journey into the heart of God. What does God require? As believers, we seek His face, but do we really? The author lists some of the pitfalls of Christianity that can subvert revival. With this new book, Kuhn has given readers a blueprint for revival using the example of Solomon and God's Temple. This book is not only written for believers, but is a testimony to coming to God with a prepared heart and mind in surrendering to His will, not ours.
With firm biblical foundations, the author has laid out a clear formula from God's point of view. Man's agenda is not to be followed, and man must move out of the way, repent and call unto God like never before. If you or your church family desires revival, this is a must-read book that will fan the flames through the written Word, encouragement and practical biblical applications. Highly recommended!
Get Reclaiming the Land: God's Formula for Revival at Amazon in Paperback, in Kindle and visit Rusty Kuhn at Facebook.
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Lipsey: Calling a truce with timeBy DANA LIPSEY COLUMNIST,
- 1463 reads
Time, my archenemy, randomly jumped ahead one hour over the weekend. It doesn't surprise me, he is very difficult to manage.
Time and I don't get along. He thinks I am wasteful and I think he is unreasonable.
Occasionally though, we do meet up over a cup of coffee, sit quietly, and collectively reminiscence.
This is solid proof that coffee breeds civility.
When I was a young kid I actually wanted to I be a coffee shop waitress when I grew up.
I knew this with as much certainty as I knew there was an Easter Bunny or that the Tooth Fairy carried magic sleeping dust in her pockets in case of emergencies. I wanted to wear one of those polyester dresses with the piping around the collar, and have a little rectangular plate pinned to my chest with my name etched into it. I would call people "honey" and pour their caffeine from a glass bulbed carafe, and when they were ready to leave I'd merrily chirp, "have a nice day," as they slid smiling from their booths.
It was my dream job.
This may have been because my father's eldest sister was a career waitress. She worked at a coffee shop that still exists today in downtown Greenville, and a bigger diner on Highway 82 that was attached to a motel. I thought she got to live in the motel, and so that made her job seem all the more magical.
I loved the few times my parents took me to eat there. She waited on us and would bring me a saucer of tiny half-n-half's that I sucked right from their little containers.
My aunt, a painfully thin woman, had a worn and wrinkled face. It seems Time was not her friend either. Her hair was the color of a rusty tin can, and I knew even then that it was a bad dye-job.
I enjoyed staring at her in the creepy way children do,
but she never cared.
Her voice was raspy from cigarettes and whenever she laughed it ended in a hacking, kind of uncontrollable cough.
She laughed a lot.
She also loved to talk, and always seemed to make time to talk to me as if I were an adult.
She made herself even more interesting because she was single, after being married more than once. I didn't know back then that it was okay for a grown woman to be single. In the end she said she "didn't need a man because with a man came trouble."
She had run away from home when she was a teenager and ended up in Oklahoma married to a real-life cowboy with a kind countenance named Pat, whom she brought back to Mississippi. He was older than she was and had spent some time in prison for hitting a man in the head with a shovel and killing him. My daddy, who was a little boy then, asked him why he did it.
Pat just replied, "The guy had it comin'." My father said it seemed like an acceptable answer.
I never met Pat, he was out of the picture before I was born, but I feel I would have wanted to stare at him too. I think he would have let me.
Once my aunt gave me one of those green order pads that waitress's use, a clairvoyant gift, since I would become a actual waitress during college.
No surprise that it was not as dreamy as I had hoped for, but I was freakishly good at.
During that time I learned a lot about the human psyche and I can tell you with perfect confidence that if you ever want to know the true nature of a person, the real element of their character, then be their waiter or waitress.
Maybe one day I'll write about it.
Until then, my advice is to be kind, and if you can't be kind, then stay home.
At any rate, I sometimes miss it, even though the places I worked were not like those classic coffee shops I got to visit as a child. I wonder if there are very many of those left.
Modern coffee shops are too quick and too complicated.
I was discussing all of this with my husband one night recently as we sat in a restaurant having dinner and I made a confession to him. When I die and enter into the afterlife I don't want to see streets of gold, or pearly gates. Those things seem cold and gaudy.
Instead, I hope for a transition.
I want to find myself meandering down a bright city street that's clean, colorful and warm, until it ends at a busy corner coffee shop. I want to enter with the jingling of a bell, and look around to realize every face has been expecting me and each one is lovingly familiar. I imagine that I will sit down in a bright red Naugahyde chair and belly up to a chromed-trimmed table. I will sip coffee there heavy with cream, from a thick, ecru colored cup. The flavor of smoke and the fragrance of food will swirl upward like prayers to cling to the ceiling, and in the background there will be laughter and the clanking of silverware. Nothing will be disposable, not dishes, or names, or feelings. The tastes will be hearty and whole and high in calories. The only thing organic in the entire room will be the souls and voices of its people.
Maybe my aunt will stroll over, her face smooth and her voice redeemed, and refill my cup. She will sit with me, along with a real-live cowboy named Pat.
There will be others too, characters from my past, connections to my heart.
Time will be there, across the room, perched on a bar stool, grinning at me as if to say, "Honey, take as long as you want, because neither of us has any place to be."
Then I will wait in anticipation to be taken to see the face of the One who loves me the most, Beautiful and Perfect, gleaming in white, and the smell of coffee will go there with me lightly lingering on my clothes.
My cup runneth over. (Psalm 23:5)


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How the Stock Market Can Predict Who Will Win the Presidential Election
A rising market in the months before Election Day is a good sign for the incumbent party.
A lot of people think that Election Day results foretell how the stock market will behave in the coming months and years. A Mitt Romney victory, some believe, would be good for stocks. After all, Republicans are friendlier to Wall Street than are Democrats.
But there's no historical evidence to support this notion. Indeed, since 1928, the stock market has produced ever-so-slightly better results, on average, when Democrats occupy the White House. The median price gain for Standard & Poor's 500-stock index during Democratic presidencies has been 27.5%, compared with 27.3% during Republican administrations, according to the Leuthold Group, a Minneapolis investment research firm.
Not only that, but Barack Obama -- cast by Republicans as an enemy of free enterprise -- has presided over one of the strongest stock markets since 1928. If the S&P 500 closes above 1443 on Inauguration Day (it ended at 1457 on September 24), the market's performance during Obama's first term will rank second-best of all time, behind only the results during the first term of another supposed archfoe of business, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
No, if you want to forecast the stock market, look at price-earnings ratios, consider the troubles in Europe and China, examine analysts' earnings predictions, worry about the fiscal cliff -- look at anything except presidential polls. (See 6 Big Worries for This Bull Market.)
But if you're a political junkie like me, you'll want to use the stock market to predict who will win the election. That is something the market excels at.
Jim Stack, editor of InvesTech Research, an investment newsletter, has crunched the numbers. His findings? Since 1900, the direction of stock prices in the two months prior to Election Day has predicted the winner 89.3% of the time. "A rising stock market indicates an improving economy, which means rising confidence and increases the chance of an incumbent's reelection," he says.
Even the market's bad calls were in years when the market didn't move much in the two months before Election Day. In the three elections during which the indicator failed, the Dow Jones industrial average moved 3.1% or less during the two-month period.
The main shortcoming of Stack's work is that you can't tell the outcome until Election Day. People like me want to know sooner.
Fortunately, Sam Stovall, chief stock strategist at S&P, uses an indicator with a longer lead time. Looking at S&P 500 prices since 1900, he has found that the market action between July 31 and October 31 has correctly forecast the outcome of the presidential campaign 82% of the time.
So how are Romney and Obama doing on Wall Street? The S&P closed at 1379 on July 31 and 1457 on September 24. That's a gain of 5.7%. The market would have to drop at least 5.4% in five weeks for Romney to win -- assuming that this indicator is on the money this year.
Of course, the indicator was wrong 18% of the time. In 1912, Democrat Woodrow Wilson unseated Republican President William Howard Taft despite a rising market in the pivotal three-month period. The market also gained ground in 1932, even as Roosevelt, a Democrat, defeated Republican incumbent Herbert Hoover amidst the Great Depression. The market fell in 1956, but Republican Dwight Eisenhower still was reelected. President Richard Nixon beat his Democratic rival, Hubert Humphrey, in 1968 despite a rising market, and Republican challenger Ronald Reagan ousted Democratic President Jimmy Carter in 1980, even as the market climbed.
Stovall postulates that third parties may have played havoc with his indicator. Teddy Roosevelt ran as a Bull Moose candidate in 1912, George Wallace ran as an independent in 1968, and John Anderson, another independent, took some votes from Carter in 1980. But the indicator was just plain wrong in 1932 and 1956, Stovall concedes.
In a year during which pollsters can only get about one in ten voters to pick up the telephone to answer questions, the stock market indicator looks like a pretty good bet. I'll be watching to see how it turns out -- and, of course, with much more interest, how the market does under the winner.
Steven T. Goldberg is an investment adviser in the Washington, D.C. area.
Kiplinger's Investing for Income will help you maximize your cash yield under any economic conditions. Subscribe now!


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Cybex International Inc., Medway, MA, had improved sales in first quarter 2012, but second quarter sales are sluggish so far, according to Chairman and CEO John Aglialoro.
First quarter net sales increased 20.2 percent to $37.3 million compared to $31 million for the same quarter last year. The increase was led by the company's new products, in particular, its treadmills, sales of which increased 60 percent, Aglialoro said in a call with analysts today. The company introduced the 770T and the 625T treadmills this year.
Despite the improved first quarter numbers, Aglialoro said that the company is experiencing sluggishness in second quarter sales, which he says reflects uncertainty in the U.S. and international economies.
"The backlog is not what I would have thought at this point," Aglialoro said. "I have talked to others in the industry, and I don't think we'll find that the industry will be as strong in the second quarter."
Cybex's North American sales in first quarter 2012 increased 14 percent to $25.1 million. International sales were up 34 percent to $12 million. Cardio equipment sales increased 26 percent to $20.9 million. Strength sales increased 6 percent to $11.7 million. Sales in the other category (freight, parts, miscellaneous services) increased 39 percent to $4.6 million.
Cybex's net profit for the first quarter was $0.5 million compared to a net profit in first quarter 2011 of $0.4 million. Included in the results were charges of $93,000 and $356,000 for 2012 and 2011, respectively, related to the Barnhard v. Cybex International Inc. product liability lawsuit. This litigation was settled in February for $19.5 million.
Cash is down about $9 million from the end of the year 2011, and debt is up about $10 million from that same period, according to Cybex President and COO Art Hicks.
Gross margins were lower than 2011, which the company expected due to product mix and to higher initial costs of the new products, Hicks said, but he added that the company expects to be able to lower the costs of these products in the second half of the year.
Cybex also announced today that its patented progressive stabilization system won the FIBO Innovation Award 2012 last week at the FIBO trade show in Essen, Germany. The system is featured on Cybex's Bravo Press and Bravo Pull strength machines.
"We set out to combine the advantages of isolative strength training equipment with the advantages of cable press and pull equipment, and progressive stabilization was born," Ray Giannelli, senior vice president of research and development for Cybex, said in a release. "We're thrilled that the FIBO Innovation Award jury saw fit to recognize this advancement in exercise technology. It inspires us to continue creating better ways to work out."


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Arizona Fall League Will Showcase Seven Sox Prospects; Play Begins This Week
Miss the White Sox already?
Too preoccupied with what the South Siders will do in the off-season to watch
the playoffs? Well, the Arizona Fall League (AFL), which begins play on
Tuesday (October 12), may be just what you need.
The AFL features six teams,
made up of top minor league prospects from all 30 major league clubs. that play
a 32-game schedule extending through November 18. Since its inception in 1992,
the league has boasted the likes of Derek Jeter, Mike Piazza,
Pujols and Torii Hunter, just to mention a few, who all cut their teeth under
the sun of Arizona. Just last year, promising White Sox third baseman Brent Morel captured the AFL batting title.
This fall, seven White Sox
players will join the Peoria
Saguaros along with prospects from
the Reds, Padres, Twins and Rays. The manager is former big-league star Ted Simmons and the pitching coach is former Sox standout Richard Dotson, who is now tutoring the hurlers at AAA Charlotte.
Other teams in the circuit
Solar Sox: Angels, Phillies, Cubs,
Mets, Pirates
Javelinas: Indians, Mariners, Blue
Jays, Red Sox, Astros
Desert Dogs: Marlins, A's, Braves,
Dodgers, Yankees
Scorpions: Rockies, Nationals,
D-backs, Orioles, Giants
Rafters: Cardinals, Tigers, Royals,
Brewers, Rangers
For you fans of the Pale
Hose, here's a glimpse of the Sox prospects who will be playing in the fall
Carter, 24, right-handed pitcher,
6-3, 180, from Decatur, Georgia and Georgia Perimeter CC…Selected by the Sox in
the 26th round of the June 2005 draft…Was 1-4 with a 3.92 ERA and 22
saves for AA Birmingham in 2010.
Leesman, 23, left-handed pitcher,
6-4, 210, from Cincinnati, Ohio and Xavier University…Selected by Sox in the 11th
round of the 2008 draft…Started 28 games in 2010…Was 9-4 with a 5.10 ERA for
Class A Winston-Salem and 5-2 with a 2.69 ERA for AA Birmingham.
Lowe, 25, right-handed pitcher, 6-5,
220, from San Diego, California and Point Loma Nazarene College…Selected by Sox
in 6th round of 2007 draft…Started 24 games in 2010 for AA
Birmingham and was 6-5 with a 3.96 ERA.
Mabee, 25, right-handed pitcher, 6-4,
230, from Surrey, British Columbia and Morehead State University…Selected by
Sox in 19th round in 2007 draft…Was 4-6 with a 3.65 ERA and two
saves in 49 relief appearances for AA Birmingham in 2010.
Phegley, 22, catcher, 5-10, 215, bats
right, throws right, from Terre Haute, Indiana and Indiana University…Selected
in first round of 2009 draft…Batted .292 for both Class A Winston-Salem and AA
Birmingham in limited action this past season.
Escobar, 22, shortstop, 5-10, 150,
switch-hitter, from Aragua, Venezuela…Signed by White Sox in 2006…Batted a
combined .277 with 26 doubles for Class A Winston-Salem and AA Birmingham in
Mitchell (pictured above), 22, centerfielder, 6-0,
205, bats left, throws left, from New Iberia, Louisiana and LSU…Selected by Sox
in first round of 2009 draft…Exciting player who was pegged to be a future star
after a stellar college career and impressive rookie pro season at Class A
Kannapolis, Mitchell was injured in spring training and missed all of the 2010
I will be following the AFL
closely and will update you as the fall season progresses.


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prenuptial agreement(redirected from Prenup)
Also found in: Dictionary, Legal, Wikipedia.
Prenuptial Agreement
A legal and binding agreement that a couple enters prior to their marriage. Prenuptial agreements are commonly associated with the division of assets in the event of a divorce later in life, but they may also include other details such as how assets are distributed in the event of the death of a spouse. Prenuptial agreements are somewhat controversial as some see them as providing an expectation of divorce; they are designed, however, to reduce financial uncertainty in a marriage.
prenuptial agreement
A written agreement by a couple who plan to marry in which financial matters, including rights following divorce or the death of one spouse, are detailed.


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Programs> Brochure
SIT Study Abroad Switzerland: International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy (Summer)
Geneva, Switzerland (Outgoing Program)
|Program Terms:
|Click to visit
|Program Sponsor:
|SIT/World Learning
|Budget Sheets
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|Program Description:
Switzerland: International Studies and Multilateral Diplomacy (Summer)
Major Topics of Study
- Politics of the European Union
- Human rights and migration
- Multilateral diplomacy
- International security
- The UN system
- Geopolitics
Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program courses (including syllabi), educational excursions, and housing.
Program Structure
There is no "typical day"on an SIT program. Activities may take place on any day of the week and at any time of day to be in accordance with local norms and to take advantage of once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities. Thus, the schedule and structure of the program are likely very different from what students are used to on their home campuses. The summer progresses in phases:
- Summer programs last for six or seven weeks. Much of that time is spent in the field, with visits to sites relevant to the program theme.
- Throughout the summer students participate in:
- thematic seminars and educational excursions
- language instruction focused on improving practical communication skills, and
- one to two homestays, typically.
- On some programs, students complete a practicum or research project.
- At the end of each program, students participate in debriefing and reentry sessions.
What Makes SIT Unique
- SIT Study Abroad offers a field-based, experiential approach to learning.
- Each program has a small group of students (typically 10–35).
- On an SIT program, students gain high levels of access to many different stakeholders and experts relevant to the issues the program is examining.
- While some learning will be conducted at the SIT program center, extensive learning is done outside the classroom — in host communities, field stations, NGO headquarters, ecological sites, health clinics, and art studios.
Money Matters
Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor.
SIT tuition and room and board fees include the following:
- All educational costs, including educational excursions
- All accommodations and meals for the full program duration
- Transportation to and from the airport, and on all educational excursions
- Health and accident insurance
- SIT awards nearly $1.3 million in scholarships and grants annually.
- All scholarships and grants are need-based.
- Awards generally range from $500 to $3,000.
- Contact the financial aid and/or study abroad office(s) at your college or university to learn if your school's scholarships and grants and federal and state aid programs can be applied to an SIT Study Abroad program.
Contact SIT Study Abroad
- Visit our website: studyabroad.sit.edu
- Request more information or email us: email@example.com
- Call an admission counselor: 888-272-7881
- Contact a former student.
- Apply to SIT.
For Gustavus Adolphus students: SIT uses US semester credits. Each GAC unit = 4 US semester credits. Thus, most SIT courses, which are worth 3 US semester credits each, are worth 0.75 GAC units. Be sure to discuss the irregular unit totals with your advisors as you select courses.
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An hour before the Chase Oaks Family Center on Avenue K in Plano opened Saturday, more than 400 people were waiting outside.
Susan Gingrass got her shot weeks earlier but was here to get her grandkids vaccinated.
"You hear so much hype on the TV about people dying from the flu," said Gingrass. "It's scary right now, so it's important to get the kids vaccinated and we don't have insurance right now so the free flu shot is definitely a big draw."
The Collin County Medical Reserve Corps expected a crowd but not this big.
"I was very, very surprised at the number of people that came out," said coordinator Rebecca Drekmann.
The City of Plano gave the volunteer disaster response group the vaccine to distribute over several free flu shot clinics.
This was the last one which just happened to coincide with a very busy point in the flu season in North Texas. So why did people wait until now to get the shot?
Chris Jessie, who showed up four hours early and was first in line told us, "Just procrastination basically. Just working a lot of hours."
Demand greatly outpaced supply as about a half-hour into the free flu shot clinic 800 people had shown up for 500 doses; which was all the free doses the Medical Reserve Corps had.
Volunteers told people at the end of the line there was not enough vaccine for them. Some left quietly. Natasha Sublet had something to say.
"We have other people who are ahead of us calling their family members telling them to come and jump in line," said Sublet, as she and her family headed back to their car. "And the lines moving but we're getting behind because other people's family members jumped ahead of us."
Sublet said she'll take her kids to the doctor and pay for their flu shots. For those who got to the clinic early enough to get vaccinated for free, a little pinch to their shoulder never felt so good.
Hundreds Turned Away for Flu Shots in Plano
An hour before the Chase Oaks Family Center on Avenue K in Plano opened Saturday, more than 400 people were waiting outside.


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The proposed Downtown East real estate project in Minneapolis has been pushed along by the developer Ryan Cos., but it's clear that it has been a Wells Fargo deal since Day One.
Any remaining doubts were dispelled by plans showing just how much Wells Fargo wants its name all over the buildings. The bank's name is going to be in 5-foot-tall letters on each of the twin office towers, with retail branding and monument signs at street level.
That's pretty standard stuff, but what's clever is how Wells Fargo plans to grab some of the naming rights value from the new Minnesota Vikings stadium next door. That's because much of the roof on each building will be covered with a bright red and yellow Wells Fargo logo.
No customer would be able to see these logos while standing at an ATM. But a television viewer might, when a photographer on a passing blimp happens to be shooting for the broadcast of a National Football League game.
About the only place the name Wells Fargo does not yet appear is on an executed contract for its participation in the project. Along with the prominent role played by the Minneapolis-based Ryan, that has helped mask the fact that this project appears to be a pretty straightforward type of real estate deal called a "build to suit." That means a capable development firm like Ryan will do the building to suit the needs of a user like Wells Fargo.
The Wells Fargo buildings would be at the heart of an overall development project proposed by Ryan Cos. that will include park land on most of two city blocks, a parking garage and space for housing and retail. It's one of the most ambitious projects in the city's history, on five blocks of land that today get used mostly for surface parking and are owned by the parent of the Star Tribune.
This project appears to be very far down the road, but let's be clear: No Wells Fargo means no mixed-use development, no office towers and no parks in front of the new stadium. And if Wells Fargo walks away from the project, I will have to come to work longer in the newspaper's drafty old building.
The bank, officially and curiously, is acting like this is still an idea that it's sort of kicking around. A spokeswoman e-mailed that "while we are still in the stage of evaluating the opportunity to participate in the Ryan project, we are not discussing individual aspects of it."
It was apparently Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak who pitched the idea to Wells Fargo, which was considering sites in the Twin Cities to consolidate employees. Wells Fargo didn't think there was a site in Minneapolis big enough, and the mayor pointed out the several blocks of mostly surface parking near the proposed stadium.
The site was big enough, offers a great location for transit and was next door to a new, $975 million stadium. So there's no real mystery about why the two proposed 679,000 square-foot officer towers will have a Wells Fargo logo on the roof and a branch in Blaine or Lakeville will not.
"That one's easy, on the why," said Jim Vos, a principal with real estate advisory firm Cresa in Minneapolis. "On the worth, you'd have to go to an ad agency to figure out, because this is what they get out of it: Every time the Vikings play a football game, there's an aerial shot. It's going to show Wells Fargo in the middle of the picture."
Ryan's Rick Collins said the proposed sign package, including Wells Fargo in text on the front of each building — 5 feet tall and 50 feet across — is consistent with precedent for signs elsewhere in the city. As for the sky-view graphic, he said, it's not specifically addressed by city ordinance, and "I haven't heard any formal pushback."
So the call was made. The response could have been easily predicted. The Vikings hate it.
The Vikings' Lester Bagley actually apologized for the conversation, because he made it clear he was not interested in stirring yet another controversy.
The team is guaranteed naming rights to the stadium. In New Orleans, that was worth $8.9 million per year; $7.9 million per year in Miami.
The Vikings have started talking with potential corporate partners, he said, "and it looks like there's another company that is going to guerrilla-market the stadium situation for the millions of eyeballs that tune in to NFL football. It can have a significant impact" on the Vikings' potential deal.
Without any confirmation, U.S. Bancorp is routinely said to be a contender for the rights. Think about the appeal of those rights with its rival so close. It would be roughly akin to the Vikings seeing the Green Bay Packers' big G appear in every overhead shot.
Even if the Vikings succeed in heading off any rooftop logo, it's still a fabulous gameday branding opportunity for Wells Fargo. The site is between the stadium and the rest of downtown. The fans will have to flow around Wells Fargo buildings and signs to get to the game, because the back of the stadium will be walled off by freeways. Even a Vikings fan can't drink enough Bud Light to make crossing six lanes of freeway traffic on foot seem like a good idea.
"From Wells Fargo's perspective they're making a $300 million investment in this area of downtown," Collins said. "They will anchor it with 5,000 to 6,000 employees. They are owners, not just tenants. They see this as a very long-term investment. [Visibility] is a very important part of what was attractive to them about the location."
E.J. Narcise, an experienced naming rights adviser and principal with Maryland-based Team Services, would advise the Vikings to relax. In a big corporate headquarters center like the Twin Cities, he said, naming rights would remain a "fantastic" asset.
"They cut those overhead shots so tight that unless they put that Wells Fargo building in the parking lot, you won't see it anyway," he said. But he added, "it's still rather shrewd and creative on the part of Wells Fargo."
email@example.com • 612-673-4302


text:
Pool your Skywards Miles into one account and reach rewards faster.
Add your family's details and save time when you book.
Redeem your Skywards Miles for flights for your family. *Flight upgrades will be available online soon.
Whenever you fly with Emirates or flydubai you can choose to contribute some or all of the Skywards Miles you earn into your My Family account. Any remaining Miles will go into your individual Emirates Skywards account.
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Give your My Family account a name and choose the percentage of Miles you'd like to contribute.
Add members
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Combine Skywards Miles
Fly to over 250 destinations with Emirates and flydubai and pool your Miles into your My Family account.


text:
It's the first time Blade Runner won't need his legs to win.
Whether Oscar Pistorius attached his prosthetics before shooting his beautiful girlfriend to death is a crucial factor that will determine if he's charged with premeditated murder.
The legless Olympian insisted in a long sworn statement read during his bail hearing yesterday that he walked on his stumps up to the bathroom while girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was inside and, thinking she was an intruder, shot her three times.
But South African prosecutors — laying out their case for the first time — said Pistorius obviously planned to kill Steenkamp because he took time to attach his prosthetic legs before firing.
A judge will rule today whether Pistorius will be charged with premeditated murder or a lesser crime such as negligent killing — and the prosthetics are key.
If it's premeditated, Pistorius, 26, won't be granted bail and he'll face life in prison if convicted.
If it's not, he will be eligible for bail and a lesser sentence if convicted.
Pistorius is currently being held without bail.
Pistorius "armed himself, attached his prosthesis, walked [23 feet] to the bathroom and shot the deceased while she was in the toilet. He shot four times," prosecutor Gerrie Nel said yesterday.
"There's no possible explanation to support his report that he thought it was a burglar. If I arm myself, walk a distance and murder a person, that is premeditated.
"The door is closed. There is no doubt. I walk seven meters and I kill. The motive is 'I want to kill.' That's it," Nel insisted.
"She couldn't go anywhere," Nel said of Steenkamp, 29, who the prosecutor claims was cowering in the locked bathroom after a fight with Pistorius.
"It was all part of the preplanning. Why would a burglar lock himself inside the bathroom?
"This deceased was in a 1.4-by-1.14-meter little room. She could go nowhere.
"It must have been horrific."
It's unclear how long it takes Pistorius to attach his prosthetics — some amputees say it takes a few minutes per leg.
Wearing a gray suit and blue shirt and tie, the gun-loving Pistorius shuddered and wept uncontrollably during the hearing.