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Global Warming And Social Evolution
I want to first point out that I believe that global warming involves two different aspects; The first is that it is a natural process, that, along with its opposite, global cooling, has occurred many times in the life of our planet. The second point is, that even if warming is natural, human activity is greatly exacerbating this trend, and prudence, (a good old fashioned, but long forgotten conservative virtue) should force us to do something to abate the problem. That said, I would like to examine the relationship between global warming and human social evolution.
Millions of years ago the savannah areas of East Africa began to dry due to warming. This forced our primate ancestors to descend from the trees and become bipedal, tool-using proto-humans. These proto humans, about one and a half million years ago, left Africa and expanded into Asia. They may well have done so because of climate change. More than 200,000 years ago, our people, Homo Sapiens developed, once again in Africa and at some point crossed over into Europe and Asia. Perhaps again, climate change was the push.
Then we had the long Ice Ages. After that, about 12,000 years ago, the world began to heat up again. The ice melted and vast areas of the world, most importantly the rich coastal plains, were flooded, giving rise to the universal legend of The Flood. About the same time the great prehistoric animals like the mammoth disappeared. The people, now crammed into a smaller land mass sought other means of food production, so horticulture, agriculture and domestication of animals progressed.
Global warming leveled off and a moist period ensued. This was ideal for the neolithic farmers who prospered, multiplied and built large villages. These peasants continued the egalitarian practices they had inherited from their paleolithic ancestors. Such was the situation in Eastern Europe. The Sahara at this time was not a desert, but a series of large lakes or shallow inland seas which supported fishing and farming communities. Herders roamed the plains and savanahs.
Then 6000 years ago the climate warmed radically, and was to do so, in an undulating pattern, for the following 2000 years. The result was devastating for the people on the plains and the Sahara Lakes. These areas quickly became deserts and the people fled en mass to the lush valleys where they conquered the farmers. The conquering minority became the Masters, the conquered, the Serfs, and thus class society was born. In order to maintain this inequality and to extract taxes and forced labour, the Masters needed to terrorize the conquered through a permanent military force. Thus the State was born. This was a disaster for the vast majority of humanity. Most of the suffering that was to follow, up to and including the present; the wars, enslavements, famines and genocidal conquests, have their origins in these horrific events, the climate-induced birth of class and state.
For the next 4000 years, the climate would cycle between warmer and colder periods, but generally with more of an emphasis on the colder. Some civilizations would rise and fall with the swings of the climate. The warming trend that enabled the Vikings to settle Greenland, destroyed the Anasazi of New Mexico and the Tiahuanacans of Bolivia. The Mini-Ice Age beginning about 1300 made the marginal lands of Europe unproductive and helped precipitate the Black Death. The world remained in cool mode until the 20ieth Century.
Now the cycle has shifted to the warming trend. In the meantime, over the last 200 years class division and the state have created a wasteful, unsustainable economy that greately exacerbates the warming tendency. The authoritarian system, born from global warming, is creating the conditions to destroy itself, ironically through global warming.
What next? One means to curtail the warming trend would be to shift to an economy that was human scale, decentralized, did not depend upon warfare – that ultimate polluter – nor a lot of wasteful long-distance carriers. This would mean the break up of that class divided, hierarchical, authoritarian structure. Put simply, state and class got us into this mess, state and class have to go so we can clean up the mess. Climate change may be the quite literal "hot house" of our next stage of social evolution!


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Spaghetti with Oven Baked Clams2019-01-30
- Course: Main Dish
- Add to favorites
- Yield : 4 to 6 servings
- Prep Time : 20m
- Cook Time : 14m
- Ready In : 34m
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- 40 littleneck clams, well scrubbed
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 10 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife
- 1/4 pound pancetta, small dice
- 2 dried red chiles
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes,(yellow and red), stemmed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound spaghetti
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the clams with a stiff brush under cold running water and discard any that are open. Put a medium roasting pan over 2 burners. Add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, chiles, and herbs and cook until the pancetta renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, the wine, tomatoes, and a good amount of pepper and toss that all together. Transfer pan to oven and roast until the clams open, about 10 minutes. While the clams are cooking, drop the pasta into the water for 7 to 8 minutes. Drain. Dump the drained pasta into a serving bowl, and toss with clams. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

subset: commoncrawl


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The uninterruptible power supply (UPS) industry felt a surge in activity today with French company Schneider Electric SA acquiring American Power Conversion Corp (APC) in a deal estimated at $6.1bn.
Schneider Electric, which provides automation and electricity management services, had a reported turnover of €11.7bn in 2005.
Its chief executive officer Jean-Pascal Tricoire described the transaction as "a tremendous opportunity for growth for both companies" in the single-phase and three-phase UPS market.
The acquisition should see the Europe-based company expand its production in both the US and Asian markets.
APC has been a leading global player in power solutions for the technology market for over 25 years and is listed on Nasdaq.
In a statement APC's president Rob Johnson said: "Both companies have a dedication to innovation and customer service that makes our combined enterprise an even stronger player in the industry."
The deal is subject to approval from APC shareholders and the transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2007.
Schneider shares, after a 7.2 per cent fall yesterday due to a three-hour suspension, are currently at €103 in Paris. On the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, APC shares are up 26 per cent at $30 each.®


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Recipe from April Daniels of Nipomo, Calif.
Total Time: 35 min
2 bags of frozen chopped broccoli
2 cups rice, cooked
3 cans of chicken, drained
3 cans chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 can cream of broccoli soup
1 package shredded cheddar cheese
1 package chushed up saltine crackers
1/3 cup milk (for soups)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
1. Cook broccoli and rice in seperate pots.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mix milk, soups, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in large bowl until all lumps are gone.
4. Once rice and broccoli are cooked, get a large casserole dish and spray non-stick cooking spray all over dish. Put a thick layer of rice on bottom of dish, then a thick layer of broccoli, then layer the chicken on top of the broccoli. Pour the soup on top and place the crushed up crackers on top of soup. Then layer the cheese and bake until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Yield: 10 Servings
Comments: Good for the next day as a lunch or for parties.
*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.


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In the brain, the ventral hypothalamus (VHT) regulates energy and bone metabolism. Whether this regulation uses the same or different neuronal circuits is unknown. Alteration of AP1 signaling in the VHT increases energy expenditure, glucose utilization, and bone density, yet the specific neurons responsible for each or all of these phenotypes are not identified. Using neuron-specific genetically targeted AP1 alterations as a tool in adult mice, we found that AgRP- or POMC- expressing neurons, predominantly present in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) within the VHT, stimulate whole body energy expenditure, glucose utilization and bone formation and density, although their effects on bone resorption differed. In contrast, AP1 alterations in Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)-expressing neurons, present in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), increase energy, but decrease bone density, suggesting that these effects are independent. Altered AP1 signaling also increased the levels of the neuromediator galanin in the hypothalamus and global galanin deletion, VHT galanin silencing using shRNA, or pharmacological galanin receptor blockade, counteracted the observed effects on energy and bone. Thus, AP1 antagonism reveals that AgRP- and POMC- expressing neurons can stimulate body metabolism and increase bone density, with galanin acting as a central downstream effector. The results obtained with SF1-expressing neurons, however, indicate that bone homeostasis is not always dictated by the global energy status, and vice versa.
Anna Idelevich, Kazusa Sato, Kenichi Nagano, Glenn Rowe, Francesca Gori, Roland Baron
Coupling is the process that links bone resorption to bone formation in a temporally and spatially coordinated manner within the remodeling cycle. Several lines of evidence point to the critical roles of osteoclast-derived coupling factors in the regulation of osteoblast performance. Here, we used a fractionated secretomic approach and identified the axon-guidance molecule SLIT3 as a clastokine that stimulated osteoblast migration and proliferation by activating β-catenin. SLIT3 also inhibited bone resorption by suppressing osteoclast differentiation in an autocrine manner. Mice deficient in Slit3 or its receptor, Robo1, exhibited osteopenic phenotypes due to a decrease in bone formation and increase in bone resorption. Mice lacking Slit3 specifically in osteoclasts had low bone mass, whereas mice with either neuron-specific Slit3 deletion or osteoblast-specific Slit3 deletion had normal bone mass, thereby indicating the importance of SLIT3 as a local determinant of bone metabolism. In postmenopausal women, higher circulating SLIT3 levels were associated with increased bone mass. Notably, injection of a truncated recombinant SLIT3 markedly rescued bone loss after an ovariectomy. Thus, these results indicate that SLIT3 plays an osteoprotective role by synchronously stimulating bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption, making it a potential therapeutic target for metabolic bone diseases.
Beom-Jun Kim, Young-Sun Lee, Sun-Young Lee, Wook-Young Baek, Young Jin Choi, Sung Ah Moon, Seung Hun Lee, Jung-Eun Kim, Eun-Ju Chang, Eun-Young Kim, Jin Yoon, Seung-Whan Kim, Sung Ho Ryu, Sun-Kyeong Lee, Joseph A. Lorenzo, Seong Hee Ahn, Hyeonmok Kim, Ki-Up Lee, Ghi Su Kim, Jung-Min Koh
Genetic forms of vitamin D–dependent rickets (VDDRs) are due to mutations impairing activation of vitamin D or decreasing vitamin D receptor responsiveness. Here we describe two unrelated patients with early-onset rickets, reduced serum levels of the vitamin D metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and deficient responsiveness to parent and activated forms of vitamin D. Neither patient had a mutation in any genes known to cause VDDR, however, using whole exome sequence analysis we identified a recurrent de novo missense mutation c.902T>C (p.I301T) in CYP3A4 in both subjects that alters the conformation of substrate-recognition-site 4 (SRS-4). In vitro, the mutant CYP3A4 oxidized 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D with 10-fold greater activity than wild-type CYP3A4 and 2-fold greater activity than CYP24A1, the principal inactivator of vitamin D metabolites. As CYP3A4 mutations have not previously been linked to rickets, these findings provide new insight into vitamin D metabolism, and demonstrate that accelerated inactivation of vitamin D metabolites represents a previously undescribed mechanism for vitamin D deficiency.
Jeffrey D. Roizen, Dong Li, Lauren O'Lear, Muhammad K. Javaid, Nicholas J. Shaw, Peter R. Ebeling, Hanh H. Nguyen, Christine P. Rodda, Kenneth E. Thummel, Tom D Thacher, Hakon Hakonarson, Michael A. Levine
The skeleton has emerged as an important regulator of systemic glucose homeostasis, with osteocalcin and insulin representing prime mediators of the interplay between bone and energy metabolism. However, genetic evidence indicates that osteoblasts can influence global energy metabolism through additional, as yet unknown, mechanisms. Here, we report that constitutive or postnatally induced deletion of the hypoxia signaling pathway component von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) in skeletal osteolineage cells of mice led to high bone mass as well as hypoglycemia and increased glucose tolerance, not accounted for by osteocalcin or insulin. In vitro and in vivo data indicated that Vhl-deficient osteoblasts displayed massively increased glucose uptake and glycolysis associated with upregulated HIF-target gene expression, resembling the Warburg effect that typifies cancer cells. Overall, the glucose consumption by the skeleton was increased in the mutant mice, as revealed by 18F-FDG radioactive tracer experiments. Moreover, the glycemia levels correlated inversely with the level of skeletal glucose uptake, and pharmacological treatment with the glycolysis inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA), which restored glucose metabolism in Vhl-deficient osteogenic cells in vitro, prevented the development of the systemic metabolic phenotype in the mutant mice. Altogether, these findings reveal a novel link between cellular glucose metabolism in osteoblasts and whole-body glucose homeostasis, controlled by local hypoxia signaling in the skeleton.
Naomi Dirckx, Robert J. Tower, Evi M. Mercken, Roman Vangoitsenhoven, Caroline Moreau-Triby, Tom Breugelmans, Elena Nefyodova, Ruben Cardoen, Chantal Mathieu, Bart Van der Schueren, Cyrille B. Confavreux, Thomas L. Clemens, Christa Maes
Enthesopathy is a disorder of bone, tendon, or ligament insertion. It represents one-fourth of all tendon-ligament diseases and is one of the most difficult tendon-ligament disorders to treat. Despite its high prevalence, the exact pathogenesis of this condition remains unknown. Here, we show that TGF-β was activated in both a semi-Achilles tendon transection (SMTS) mouse model and in a dorsiflexion immobilization (DI) mouse model of enthesopathy. High concentrations of active TGF-β recruited mesenchymal stromal stem cells (MSCs) and led to excessive vessel formation, bone deterioration, and fibrocartilage calcification. Transgenic expression of active TGF-β1 in bone also induced enthesopathy with a phenotype similar to that observed in SMTS and DI mice. Systemic inhibition of TGF-β activity by injection of 1D11, a TGF-β–neutralizing antibody, but not a vehicle antibody, attenuated the excessive vessel formation and restored uncoupled bone remodeling in SMTS mice. 1D11-treated SMTS fibrocartilage had increased proteoglycan and decreased collagen X and matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression relative to control antibody treatment. Notably, inducible knockout of the TGF-β type II receptor in mouse MSCs preserved the bone microarchitecture and fibrocartilage composition after SMTS relative to the WT littermate controls. Thus, elevated levels of active TGF-β in the enthesis bone marrow induce the initial pathological changes of enthesopathy, indicating that TGF-β inhibition could be a potential therapeutic strategy.
Xiao Wang, Liang Xie, Janet Crane, Gehua Zhen, Fengfeng Li, Ping Yang, Manman Gao, Ruoxian Deng, Yiguo Wang, Xiaohua Jia, Cunyi Fan, Mei Wan, Xu Cao
The molecular mechanisms that transduce the osteoblast response to physical forces in the bone microenvironment are poorly understood. Here, we used genetic and pharmacological experiments to determine whether the polycystins PC1 and PC2 (encoded by Pkd1 and Pkd2) and the transcriptional coactivator TAZ form a mechanosensing complex in osteoblasts. Compound-heterozygous mice lacking 1 copy of Pkd1 and Taz exhibited additive decrements in bone mass, impaired osteoblast-mediated bone formation, and enhanced bone marrow fat accumulation. Bone marrow stromal cells and osteoblasts derived from these mice showed impaired osteoblastogenesis and enhanced adipogenesis. Increased extracellular matrix stiffness and application of mechanical stretch to multipotent mesenchymal cells stimulated the nuclear translocation of the PC1 C-terminal tail/TAZ (PC1-CTT/TAZ) complex, leading to increased runt-related transcription factor 2–mediated (Runx2-mediated) osteogenic and decreased PPARγ-dependent adipogenic gene expression. Using structure-based virtual screening, we identified a compound predicted to bind to PC2 in the PC1:PC2 C-terminal tail region with helix:helix interaction. This molecule stimulated polycystin- and TAZ-dependent osteoblastogenesis and inhibited adipogenesis. Thus, we show that polycystins and TAZ integrate at the molecular level to reciprocally regulate osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation, indicating that the polycystins/TAZ complex may be a potential therapeutic target to increase bone mass.
Zhousheng Xiao, Jerome Baudry, Li Cao, Jinsong Huang, Hao Chen, Charles R. Yates, Wei Li, Brittany Dong, Christopher M. Waters, Jeremy C. Smith, L. Darryl Quarles
Although peptides are safe and useful as therapeutics, they are often easily degraded or metabolized. Dampening the clearance system for peptide ligands is a promising strategy for increasing the efficacy of peptide therapies. Natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) and its naturally occurring ligand, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), are potent stimulators of endochondral bone growth, and activating the CNP/NPR-B system is expected to be a powerful strategy for treating impaired skeletal growth. CNP is cleared by natriuretic peptide clearance receptor (NPR-C); therefore, we investigated the effect of reducing the rate of CNP clearance on skeletal growth by limiting the interaction between CNP and NPR-C. Specifically, we generated transgenic mice with increased circulating levels of osteocrin (OSTN) protein, a natural NPR-C ligand without natriuretic activity, and observed a dose-dependent skeletal overgrowth phenotype in these animals. Skeletal overgrowth in OSTN-transgenic mice was diminished in either CNP- or NPR-C–depleted backgrounds, confirming that CNP and NPR-C are indispensable for the bone growth–stimulating effect of OSTN. Interestingly, double-transgenic mice of CNP and OSTN had even higher levels of circulating CNP and additional increases in bone length, as compared with mice with elevated CNP alone. Together, these results support OSTN administration as an adjuvant agent for CNP therapy and provide a potential therapeutic approach for diseases with impaired skeletal growth.
Yugo Kanai, Akihiro Yasoda, Keita P. Mori, Haruko Watanabe-Takano, Chiaki Nagai-Okatani, Yui Yamashita, Keisho Hirota, Yohei Ueda, Ichiro Yamauchi, Eri Kondo, Shigeki Yamanaka, Yoriko Sakane, Kazumasa Nakao, Toshihito Fujii, Hideki Yokoi, Naoto Minamino, Masashi Mukoyama, Naoki Mochizuki, Nobuya Inagaki
Osteocalcin (OCN) is an osteoblast-derived hormone that increases energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion, and glucose tolerance. The cDNA sequence of OCN predicts that, like many other peptide hormones, OCN is first synthesized as a prohormone (pro-OCN). The importance of pro-OCN maturation in regulating OCN and the identity of the endopeptidase responsible for pro-OCN cleavage in osteoblasts are still unknown. Here, we show that the proprotein convertase furin is responsible for pro-OCN maturation in vitro and in vivo. Using pharmacological and genetic experiments, we also determined that furin-mediated pro-OCN cleavage occurred independently of its γ-carboxylation, a posttranslational modification that is known to hamper OCN endocrine action. However, because pro-OCN is not efficiently decarboxylated and activated during bone resorption, inactivation of furin in osteoblasts in mice resulted in decreased circulating levels of undercarboxylated OCN, impaired glucose tolerance, and reduced energy expenditure. Furthermore, we show that Furin deletion in osteoblasts reduced appetite, a function not modulated by OCN, thus suggesting that osteoblasts may secrete additional hormones that regulate different aspects of energy metabolism. Accordingly, the metabolic defects of the mice lacking furin in osteoblasts became more apparent under pair-feeding conditions. These findings identify furin as an important regulator of bone endocrine function.
Omar El-Rifai, Jacqueline Chow, Julie Lacombe, Catherine Julien, Denis Faubert, Delia Susan-Resiga, Rachid Essalmani, John W.M. Creemers, Nabil G. Seidah, Mathieu Ferron
The short-limbed dwarfism metaphyseal chondrodysplasia type Schmid (MCDS) is linked to mutations in type X collagen, which increase ER stress by inducing misfolding of the mutant protein and subsequently disrupting hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation. Here, we show that carbamazepine (CBZ), an autophagy-stimulating drug that is clinically approved for the treatment of seizures and bipolar disease, reduced the ER stress induced by 4 different MCDS-causing mutant forms of collagen X in human cell culture. Depending on the nature of the mutation, CBZ application stimulated proteolysis of misfolded collagen X by either autophagy or proteasomal degradation, thereby reducing intracellular accumulation of mutant collagen. In MCDS mice expressing the Col10a1.pN617K mutation, CBZ reduced the MCDS-associated expansion of the growth plate hypertrophic zone, attenuated enhanced expression of ER stress markers such as Bip and Atf4, increased bone growth, and reduced skeletal dysplasia. CBZ produced these beneficial effects by reducing the MCDS-associated abnormalities in hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation. Stimulation of intracellular proteolysis using CBZ treatment may therefore be a clinically viable way of treating the ER stress–associated dwarfism MCDS.
Lorna A. Mullan, Ewa J. Mularczyk, Louise H. Kung, Mitra Forouhan, Jordan M.A. Wragg, Royston Goodacre, John F. Bateman, Eileithyia Swanton, Michael D. Briggs, Raymond P. Boot-Handford
The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) kinase promotes cell growth by activating biosynthetic pathways and suppressing catabolic pathways, particularly that of macroautophagy. A prerequisite for mTORC1 activation is its translocation to the lysosomal surface. Deregulation of mTORC1 has been associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, but its role in skeletal disorders is largely unknown. Here, we show that enhanced mTORC1 signaling arrests bone growth in lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). We found that lysosomal dysfunction induces a constitutive lysosomal association and consequent activation of mTORC1 in chondrocytes, the cells devoted to bone elongation. mTORC1 hyperphosphorylates the protein UV radiation resistance–associated gene (UVRAG), reducing the activity of the associated Beclin 1–Vps34 complex and thereby inhibiting phosphoinositide production. Limiting phosphoinositide production leads to a blockage of the autophagy flux in LSD chondrocytes. As a consequence, LSD chondrocytes fail to properly secrete collagens, the main components of the cartilage extracellular matrix. In mouse models of LSD, normalization of mTORC1 signaling or stimulation of the Beclin 1–Vps34–UVRAG complex rescued the autophagy flux, restored collagen levels in cartilage, and ameliorated the bone phenotype. Taken together, these data unveil a role for mTORC1 and autophagy in the pathogenesis of skeletal disorders and suggest potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of LSDs.
Rosa Bartolomeo, Laura Cinque, Chiara De Leonibus, Alison Forrester, Anna Chiara Salzano, Jlenia Monfregola, Emanuela De Gennaro, Edoardo Nusco, Isabella Azario, Carmela Lanzara, Marta Serafini, Beth Levine, Andrea Ballabio, Carmine Settembre


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The StanBrooke high-end urban apartments for rent in Montreal. High-end materials and finishes, services included, common areas: rooftop terrace, training room, interior parking available for cars and bikes, storage, smart connected high rise.
The StanBrooke high end boutique apartments project in Montreal. High end materials and finishes, smart connected high rise.
New building. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, high end materials and finishes.
Includes: Five (5) high end appliances, services (electricity, heating, air conditioning, wireless high speed unlimited internet)
On-site services:
-Secure main entrance lobby
-Home automation system (Smart Lock)
-Two elevators
-Spectacular rooftop terrace with panoramic views
-State-of-the-art fitness centre with yoga studio
-Work and meet space
-Lounge area
-And much more
Located downtown Montreal in the "Golden Mile" area. Nearby are shops and restaurants, museums, the Bell Center, etc.
Many different designs available (from studio to 3 bedrooms). Parking also available for an additional fee.
Pictures are of the model unit.
Water supply: Municipality, Easy access: Elevator, Equipment available: Other -- Home automation, Equipment available: Central air conditioning, Equipment available: Partially furnished, Proximity: Highway, Proximity: Cegep, Proximity: Hospital, Proximity: Park - green area, Proximity: Bicycle path, Proximity: Public transport, Proximity: University, Sewage system: Municipal sewer, View: City, Zoning: Residential


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Sorry, in order to view this page, you must enter the password as specified by the School Administrator. If you do not know the password, please contact the School Administrator.
2020 The Knights Templar School, Park Street, Baldock, Herts SG7 6DZ
Tel:01462 620700 | Fax: 01462 620701 | Email: email@example.com


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Technology Resources and Support
At Timpanogos Regional Hospital, we have fast, reliable wall-to-wall physician networking. If an IT problem arises or you would like more information on the following technologies to help you assist your patients, please call our 24/7 IT Help Desk at(801) 479-2163.
hCare Portal
A "one stop shop" to view patient information and data from various clinical software programs (Meditech, EKG images, and images and reports from Cardiology and Radiology PACS systems). Need to sign off on your medical records? You can do it here. Access hCare Portal from any computer in our facilities or remotely with hCare Access (remote access).
hCare Remote Access
Remote secure access to patient clinical information from computers outside the hospital (for Windows-based systems, Apple MAC operating system, and iPad).
hCare Mobility
Retrieve patient clinical information anytime, anywhere on your approved smart phone: displays current information from Meditech, giving you a complete view into your patient's clinical record on both Windows–based phones and the iPhone.
hCare/Affiliated Hub
Link your office Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems to HCA hospital systems for real–time access to patient clinical data in your own office. Note: there may be additional costs for this technology.
The home for patient care inquiry reports (text summary of patient tests): these can be retrieved at the facility, remotely, or at your office, allowing for immediate access to reports and other clinical data. Meditech information is also viewable through the hCare Portal in an easy-to-navigate system.
Physician Wireless Network
Wireless Internet connectivity from anywhere in the facility.
This evidence–based, peer-reviewed resource finds the latest up-to-date information on illnesses, and is available within the facility or remotely via hCare Access.
Cardiology and Radiology PACS
Stores digital images from tests like ultrasounds, X-rays, TTE and cardiac nuclear studies, giving a visual for patients after their test that can be archived for historical benefit.
OB Link
Allows remotely–located clinical practitioners to access and view fetal/maternal monitoring and information.
TraceMaster ECG
Stores patients' ECGs from all MountainStar facilities, providing for same–patient serial comparison and quick transfer of ECG waveforms.


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Michelle Watts is a quilt artist that loves living in the Southwest region of the U.S.. Michelle has been quilting for over 38 years. She has spent the last 36 years creating wearable clothing and quilts and that express her love of the Southwest. Michelle designs southwestern quilt and wearable art patterns, southwest fabrics, teaches classes and lectures throughout the U.S. She is also the author of 3 quilting books. Most of Michelle's quilts are machine pieced, machine appliquéd and machine quilted.
As a quilt designer, she is continuously inspired by the beauty of her surroundings. She draws inspirations from Native American weavings, pottery, woven baskets, jewelry, and beadwork, Spanish tinwork, ironwork, wood carvings, tile architecture, churches, missions, and the landscape are also used for inspiration. Through her use of rich color, strong design and texture, Michelle creates objects of beauty to the eye and comfort to the soul.
Copyright © J. Michelle Watts Designs. All Rights Reserved. Website by Websites for Quilters. Hosted by Quiltropolis.


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Financial sector regulators are planning to put in place a stiff set of measures to prevent excessive volatility in the stock and currency markets on May 16 — the day of the Lok Sabha election results — that could create a headache for the new government on assuming office.
The finance ministry has called a meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council on May 13 as reports are coming in of a build-up in positions in the stock, currency and commodity markets. The meeting will be chaired by Finance Minister P Chidambaram.
Wiser after the huge fall in the markets on May 17, 2004, when the NDA government made way for the UPA, a coordination strategy for keeping the stock and other markets from going out of control will be hammered out at the meeting by Sebi chief U K Sinha, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and top finance ministry officials.
Insurance, commodity and pension regulators will also attend the meeting, an official said.
"Financial markets are keeping a close watch on election results. In case the results are unpredictable, it can lead to a crisis like situation akin to that in 2004," the official said.
Meanwhile, the stock market regulator is understood to have decided not to allow a special trading session on May 17 despite requests from several brokerages.
"There has already been a currency crisis last year and the current account deficit is just under control. We want to be ready for all eventualities," said another official.
Among the measures being planned are lower triggers for circuit filters in the stock markets and ensuring the stock and commodity exchanges insist on adequate margins from brokers so that there is no run on liquidity. Banks are also expected to ask their trading departments not to take very long positions as a precautionary measure.
📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines
For all the latest Business News, download Indian Express App.


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Bobby and Brenda Nestor Castellano
Camila Caputo and Nino Pernetti
The Lakeside Marquee at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Jenny Kennedy and Barbara Hevia
Jenny Kennedy and Barbara Hevia
Tania Dominguez and Curtis Miner
Jason and Laura Haim
Katie Fogarty and Jean-Paul Chavez
Marla Weaver
THE PARTY Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is usually a quiet oasis of bloom tranquility, but the park's 20th Anniversary Gala was anything but. THE CROWD "This is philanthropy with a capital P," said one guest referring to the who's-who list of attendees. Indeed, co-chairs Swanee DiMare, Frances Sevilla-Sacasa, Penny Stamps and Joyce Burns welcomed some 400 guests to the party, including Dan and Trish Bell, Adolfo Henriques, Jorge and Darlene Pérez, and Lou and Mary Jean Risi—names all too familiar in Miami's social register circles. THE SCENE True to its Botanical Tapestry theme, the gala lived up to aesthetic expectations with floral displays galore. At the Lakeside Marquee, where the main celebration took place, orchids entwined in columns hung from the ceiling and under fringed parasols. After much Champagne and many cocktails, a silent auction and dinner by Le Basque, guests took to the dance floor as the sounds of the Soul Survivors Orchestra filled the air. On their way out the door, attendees delighted at the take-home party favors: blooming orchids, natch. Photography by Allison Diaz & Cabrera Photography
Photography by:


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Forum Post: Why do supermodels make more money than scientists?!
Posted 6 years ago on March 3, 2014, 8:38 a.m. EST by Durvasa
from Davie, FL
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Naomi Campbell's net worth is $50 million. Noam Chomsky's net worth is $2 million. What the fuck is going on here? I'm only 26 but I'm not fucking stupid, there's clearly some really crooked shit going on! Tyra Banks nets about $100 million. Steven motherfucking Hawkings is only at 20 million$. WTF?! This bullshit has got to stop! Why are models, athletes and entertainers making so much money while our scientists, doctors and firefighters make shit!? We are the new generation!! Let's set shit straight!


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A better PROMPT for CMD.EXE or Cool Prompt Environment Variables and a nice transparent multi-prompt
A number a people have commented on my simple, but customized command prompt. Actually I have a few, but for cmd.exe, I do this. Right-click on My Computer|Properties. Then from the Advanced Tab, click Environment Variables, then add a new User Variable called PROMPT and set it to $p$_$+$g. This came originally from Craig Andera, who got it from Shawn Van Ness. Sahil Malik also has some great command line tricks. Junfeng points out the little known ntcmds.chm.
Here's the breakdown:
- $P = Current Directory's Path
- $_ = Carriage Return
- $+ = A plus sign for each level in the PUSHD/POPD stack.
Here's some other interesting prompts. Paste these into any CMD.EXE window:
set prompt=[%computername%] $d$s$t$_$p$_$_$+$g
yields this. Note the use of an environment variables within a prompt. Here's an extensive list of environment variables.
[SCOTTPC] Thu 07/13/2006 22:19:20.40
C:\Documents and Settings\Scott
Another nice one:
yields this when on a UNC Mapped Drive:
Z:\Documents and Settings\Fred
There's all sorts of crap that PROMPT /? gives you:
$A & (Ampersand)
$B | (pipe)
$C ( (Left parenthesis)
$D Current date
$E Escape code (ASCII code 27)
$F ) (Right parenthesis)
$G > (greater-than sign)
$H Backspace (erases previous character)
$L < (less-than sign)
$N Current drive
$P Current drive and path
$Q = (equal sign)
$S (space)
$T Current time
$V Windows XP version number
$_ Carriage return and linefeed
$$ $ (dollar sign)
$+ zero or more plus sign (+) characters depending upon the
depth of the PUSHD directory stack, one character for each
level pushed.
$M Displays the remote name associated with the current drive
letter or the empty string if current drive is not a network
Here's my command prompt. It's transparent because I use the awesome Console 2.00 Beta, build 122 hosted at SourceForge. I blogged about this last November.
Note the multiple tabs. I've got PowerShell, CMD.EXE and two VisualStudio Windows, each in their own tab. I could add a tab for Cygwin, but really, with PowerShell, who needs ls -alogF?
Console uses a XML settings file (console.xml) that takes a while to understand. Here's a snippet of my settings. I used short filenames in the VS.NET stuff for simplicity and avoidance of quoted quotes. Remember, DIR /X will give you short filenames for things like this.
...Snip...this is a PARTIAL snippet for illustrative purposes...
<tab title="Console">
<console shell="" init_dir=""/>
<tab title="PowerShell">
<console shell="c:\program files\windows powershell\v1.0\powershell.exe" init_dir=""/>
<tab title="VS.NET 2003">
<console shell="cmd /k C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2.NET\Common7\Tools\vsvars32.bat" init_dir=""/>
<tab title="VS.NET 2005">
<console shell="cmd /k C:\PROGRA~1\MID05A~1\VC\vcvarsall.bat" init_dir=""/>
My font is Consolas, Size 15, Kermit Green (0x00FF00). Enjoy.
About Scott
Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author.
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text: News Releases Scoular Increases Grain Handling Capacity in Western Nebraska November 29, 2012 New Two Million Bushel Building Constructed at Company's North Grant Site OMAHA, NE (November 29, 2012) – The Scoular Company is pleased to announce the construction of a two million bushel storage building in Perkins County, Nebraska. The new building is located between the cities of Grant and Ogallala at Scoular's existing site known locally as "North Grant". Scoular will use the new building to augment its current operation, doubling the North Grant site's storage and unloading capacity to a respective four million bushels and 50,000 bushels per hour. "We're pleased to further invest in our Nebraska operations to better serve the needs of area corn and wheat farmers and to meet the growing needs of our procurement program for area corn users and for our substantial shuttle train program in Venango," said Rick Matousek, General Manager of a group of Scoular's western Nebraska facilities. According to Matousek, the most important feature of the new building is its unloading speed. "Both of our buildings at North Grant will be able to unload at 25,000 bushels per hour, which means we will be able to dump a lot of grain in a relatively short amount of time. This is key to our farmer customers, particularly during harvest when they have better things to do than sit in line." Founded in Nebraska in 1892, Scoular has a substantial presence in the state. The company's headquarters is located in Omaha and Scoular operates 17 grain-handling facilities throughout the state, including its Venango group managed by Matousek and Madrid group led by Ty Knispel. As a whole, the 120-year old, employee-owned company has more than 70 offices and facilities across North America. Nearly 700 Scoular employees tailor risk-management solutions for the company's customers by buying, selling, storing, and transporting grain and ingredients for use in feed, food, and renewable fuel markets worldwide. www.scoular.com.


text:
On my recent trip to Maui I was blessed to see these creatures of the sea–the sea turtle. Sometimes I'd spy one alone napping on an empty beach.
Sometimes I would spy a few rollicking in the waves, their heads poking above the waters for a mere second before disappearing again into the ocean.
Sometimes I would spy one bathing on the rocks of an ocean cove.
And other times I would see many huddled and resting together on rocks warmed by the tropical sun.
Whether napping as one on the empty beach, or riding with others in the waves, or huddling with many sunbathing in the coves, they seem to follow the natural order of things, I begin to see.
Rest alone, ride the waves, be with friends, let the ocean wash you up into a protected cove, let nature heal and the sun recharge you so ready to head back out into new waters, when the ocean washes over you again.
No struggle, even when tossed by the waves, and a deep knowing that the water will eventually calm and send you to the rest you need before the next adventure.
Yes, I think I can learn a lot from these sea creatures and even begin to see….
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint Isaiah 40:31
My blessing to you today, my friend:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13


text:
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|Product Specifications
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|0.07 lbs (1.12 oz)
|Auto Reset - Swinging and Flip Around Action


text:
Publisher's Club
Pages PREV 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NEXT
Now this is phrased in a way that makes a lot more sense and doesn't just sound like someone who wants to be angry.
I love LRR. I watched it independently of The Escapist. The video quality was never really a big deal for me. LRR was very generous to offer high-quality video, but it is a gratuity and one that gets more expensive the more viewers you have.
I'm sure some LRR folks are bent out of shape about how things turned out, but didn't the "harm" really happen back when they joined up with The Escapist? That ship has sailed. The makers of LRR thought joining The Escapist was a good idea, some compromises were involved, and here we are. They really can't expect for their favored piece of a media group to be set aside and treated differently. If that were the case, why merge?
I'd imagine it could be contentious in theory, but in reality, I'm going to guess it'll just be sparsely populated version of these forums. Much like a user group or something like that. Probably nothing to get annoyed about, really.
It's all under Themis Media, so I guess their finances cover both forums.
Here's another quick thought.
All those who do join will no longer see the ads. Advertisers on the Escapist will be less willing to be paying as much if half as many people are seeing them.
This seems to be adverse to the premium plan.
So, the lost revenue will need to be made up somehow.
Which will likely mean either more ads for those of us choosing not to join the premium group. Or more content for the premium members, to try to draw more subscribers. At that point it could begin to look like a pay site.
Suggestion: It would be nice to access the videos from the iPhone's Opera Mini browser. It kicks safari's ass in terms of speed, so it's all I'm going to be using anyway...
Well, I joined, I spend about 20 minutes per day on this site so it was well worth it. Wooh!
THAT'S what "I Hit It With My Axe" is for!
Subscribe now for kinky D&D action with guest stars from the seedy world of hardcore porn! O:
That's not how ad sale deliveries work unless it's a total site buyout. A backend system tracks which ads are delivered for each page viewed and records how many times that ad has been shown. Since the sale was for how many impressions/views/kittens/whatever, it stops showing that ad once it reaches the number that was contracted for.
The loss of potential inventory due to a subscription service is replaced by the revenue from the subscription itself.
Maybe I'm just too charitable with my trust, but I figure the people who run the Escapist thought of this and decided it was worth it. They have better figures on such things than we do. Online communities are a great thing, but the sense of entitlement among members can run amuck and start to seem very foolish.
These guys have run the site thus far, I'm not going to presume I know better.
EDIT: And above, an example of these guys knowing what they're talking about, as expected.
Though I don't enjoy enough content here to see subscription as a wise investment, I have to congratulate the staff of The Escapist for making this move. Offering viewers and readers the option to remove ads etc. is an experiment in the right direction. We live in interesting times where reliably generating revenue from online media is difficult, at best. Good luck on the experiment.
And allow me to say that LRR's fanbase is not "up in arms" on this subject. As with everything, there are those who oppose it, those who support it, and the (majority?) whose response is 'meh'. Personally, it won't affect me one iota, so I just hope it means more resources for LRR (and other valuable Escapist contributors) to continue to produce top-notch entertainment and commentary, and perhaps even push the bounds of what they've already done.
Yeah Shamus I'm with you on that, they got no balls.
I will definitely go out and get one of those fancy card thingies send send you my money, you greedy greedy bastards.
I know this is all just a ruse to get kajillions of dollars so you can tear down the current Escapist HQ and then rebuild it out of solid platinum, and construct an army of solid gold robots to conquer the world and slowly choke the life out of it with your 90 karat solid white gold diamond encrusted gauntlets.
While that's fair, the difference is that LRR was doing all their video creation at their own expense and using free hosting services to put them on the internet. On the other hand, we pay our video creators and writers, including LRR. We have full-time content writers, editors, artists, and programmers working on the site, in addition to all the freelancers we publish. And the high quality videos are 3-5 times larger for us to serve, without the backing of a mega-corporation to paying for our bandwidth.
All of this costs money, but we think it's worth it, and we think it shows in all the original content we produce. For those people that think it's worth it too, this is an option to get all those things that the reality of being an ad-based business hasn't allowed us to do in the past.
I do see where you're coming from, and they have every right to be annoyed about it, but hopefully they can take some solace in the fact that LRR has more resources now.
Or, if someone knows a megacorp that wants to buy us and take care of all our expenses, have them contact Alex. ;)
I'd just like to say to The Escapist staff in this thread that not every member of our fanbase speaks for all members of our fanbase, and that our fanbase is certainly not "raging".
This sounds pretty interesting. HQ video is sweet!
I'll see if I can convince one of our iPhone-using staff to get the Opera browser so we can see if we can make it work.
OMFG! You've given me so much free entertainment I'd be happy to join up (I still want the stuff though).
Oh and can you change your title multiple times or just a couple like your username?
Cue conspiracy theorists saying that Graham has been coopted or brainwashed!
Seriously, I'm glad one of you guys came in to say something like this. I never presume that one random member can speak for a group as large and diverse as the LRR fanbase. I'm a member of that group and people whining certainly don't speak for me.
Well, the way I figure it, that money also goes towards LRR, in a way. LRR are being paid for their work here, while when they worked only on the LRR website, they made money on merchandise, which they're still making money on. So while it is sad sacrifice to have to pay 10 bucks a year for high quality video, you might as well be assured that on this site, LRR are getting a good paycheck, and can put a lot of that money towards making their videos even better. It's just a way of rationalizing.
I've never been on Amazon.com before, why do I have to join that to subscribe for the premuim membership thing?
Not quite similar to Project Wonderful's setup. Gotcha.
But there is still a greater potential to profit from ads. If you make even 3 cents per view on any of your ads, you are taking a loss through the subscription content. Plus, how many people are going for early adoption? Plus previous content providers. And you have multiple ads per page, plus background shifts.
I'm not so narcissistic that I think my opinion will make a difference, well I am but stick with me here, the potential for making money off of subscriptions based on how many people join has a much lower cap than the potential for making money off of ads. 5000 people joining through the whole $20 subscription will only bring in $100k a year, while those same 5000 viewing pages, watching preroll ads, clicking to find out more about a game would provide more revenue. The base price might be based off of a certain statistic you've figured out. But I've seen each ZP at least twice, I got my ex into Unforgotten Realms when it was on here, so I sometimes watch videos multiple times. Multiplying what would be assumed of a viewer. There are people here who live on the F5 key when new videos are coming out. So, your view count can be rather inflated, and with that view count dropping, ads not rolling, the revenue is lost.
A premium member viewing the same video 4 times will be making you less money than a regular member watching once.
This is largely speculative, because I don't know the exact pricing of ads on the site. How much it costs per view, click, etc. But if any page makes 3 cents, you are at a loss.
I think it's mainly for safety measures and the like.
It doesn't take a long time at all to become a member.
I'm meh over this. IMO, it's asking too much in return for too little (though if people simply don't purchase it, then that would likely change). I can even get over the fact that it's charging for some things that used to be free (like LRR vids, but I was around for years before those were in HD, so it doesn't really bug me), since it's a site-wide thing, and to pick-and-choose which series get features for free and which you have to pay for would just be shooting yourself in the foot.
What gets me though, is that even if I wanted to purchase this, I am incapable of doing so. I lack a credit card (or the ability to obtain one, at least without paying out a few hundred dollars to get a secured or pre-paid one), which means I'm shit out of luck as far as I'm concerned. Get paypal support in there, then I'll see it as a fully neutral move. When you're making it harder or impossible for people who do want to support you to do so, then I see this as being firmly on the negative side, even if I personally don't care.
Question which must be answered: Will the premium features be affected if my account gets suspended/banned/deleted?
Yeah finally android support for video. My HTC has flash but the escapist has some funky video so it never worked.
Sounds exciting enough, I consider to use this function. But some of these "Great" features are obsolete if you use Firefox.
No advertising = Adblock Plus + Textblocker removes every kind of advertising in your videos / sites / etc.
Trackers = Ghostery allows me to block SIX trackers on this Escapist site. I am actually someone that isn't tracked or offers you valuable information how I use your website
Yet, I find myself connected to this website and might opt in, if you cover "The Netherlands" of course.
The LRR videos in HD is the annoying thing why cant they be hosted the same way they always where on someone else's bandwidth with an extra add for the host?
wonder if we will see any rage quits would be a shame also for add free stuff don't most people use add-block plus these days anyway?
Because we don't want your credit card info, and Amazon is a trustworthy major retailer who happens to offer a nice third-party payment system. The other option was PayPal, but we don't like using them for various reasons.
While your argument is mostly correct in theory, there is no site on the internet today, not even the IGNs of the world, that have a 100% fill rate all of the time. Meaning, 100% of the ad inventory is always sold. Though, I must admit, it'd sure be nice to have that "problem" here at The Escapist. Even if it does make my life rather hellish. :)
It's H.264 video. Unfortunately Adobe has never updated the mobile version of Flash to allow that codec - hopefully coming soon. But even once that gets fixed, the way we have it running now will be much nicer on mobile devices instead of using Flash.
I'm meh over this idea. Yes, the ads slow my dinosaur PC a lot but I think I'll pass up the offer since it's merely temporary for at least a year till you're done.
Question though if this changes my mind: Do you still retain the benefits IE: Custom Username Title or the badge for that matter?
Your lack of Interac payment options disturbs me.
Man, this gets asked a lot. People really love badges and usertitles that much? Incomprehensible to me, but good that they were included I guess. If I were making a bundle I never would have thought that such tiny things would attract people. I'm glad I wasn't making the bundle.
Not unless you do something so terrible that we actually have to disable your account completely. That's very very rare though. Posting porn would do it, for example.
Publisher's Club members don't get any special reprieve from moderation though. All normal rules still apply.
Another question:
I'm just saying, advertisers are less likely to work with sites with lower success rates and less ad views means less revenue from that source. If I wind up being right about the losses, I want Russ to buy me a puppy.
When the subscription ends the title goes away, but the badge stays.
Yes. You are allowed to change your title as many times as you desire.
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text:
Campaigns and more
Engaging residents and municpal administrations
Climate Alliance cities and towns are always looking for ways to get their municipal administrations and their residents involved in climate action. The European Secretariat provides a variety of ready-made campaigns, awareness raising materials, events, awards and other opportunities to support these efforts.
Below you will find select campaigns and awards of the Climate Alliance Secretariat as well as of the German National Coordination Office, as these national campaigns often form the basis for international campaigns down the road. Further campaigns and awards by members themselves as well as of other National Coordination offices can be found directly on their respective websites.
Current campaigns and awards
Green Footprints
Kids on the move for climate action
A good life is simple
Why wait when I can shape my city?
Climate Star
Recognising Europe's best in municipal climate action
Transition Tours
Change your city
We are all witnesses
Exhibitions on climate justice
Grupo Sal
A glimpse of indigenous realties through art


text:
Universal Studios Hollywood has announced plans for haunted mazes based on "The Walking Dead" hit TV show, "Evil Dead" film franchise and heavy metal trailblazers Black Sabbath for Halloween Horror Nights 2013.
Doubling down on the success of "The Walking Dead" zombie juggernaut, Horror Nights will add a scare zone this season to the haunted maze and terror tram attractions returning from last Halloween.
The 2013 version of the Walking Dead: No Safe Haven maze takes visitors inside the walls of the zombie-infested Georgia prison featured in the Emmy Award-winning show's third season. Outside the maze entrance a scare zone overrun with vicious, hungry and growling "walkers" will take over the city streets of the studio backlot, a first for Horror Nights and something I've long lobbied for. The setting should be truly unforgettable.
Based on the 2013 movie reboot, the Evil Dead: Book of the Dead maze will force visitors to venture into a blood-soaked cabin in the woods where they must dodge demon-possessed victims hell-bent on carnage.
Back in 1992, an early incarnation of Horror Nights featured an Evil Dead maze based on the original 1981 cult classic film, although I doubt most of the current target audience for this year's event was old enough to attend at the time.
Following the success of the Alice Cooper mazes of the last two years, Horror Nights returns with a tribute to recently reunited heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath that walks visitors through the nightmarish graveyards, madhouses and battlefields of the band's sinister lyrics.
Infused with themes of the occult, addiction and war, the dark and haunting soundtrack of the Black Sabbath: 13 3D maze will feature songs from the multiplatinum band's four-decade career, including "Iron Man," "Paranoid" and "War Pigs." This is by far my most anticipated maze of HHN 2013.
Tied to the upcoming film sequel, the Insidious: Into the Further maze takes visitors along on a paranormal investigation into a mysterious childhood secret that has haunted the Lambert family for two generations. The maze travels through the dark realms of the family's tormented past lives where they confront evil spirits determined to bring suffering to the living.
After exploring the legend of La Llorona for the past two years, Horror Nights brings another infamous Latin American legend to life with the El Cucuy: The Boogeyman maze based on the mythical monster.
In the cautionary tale told by generations of parents to disobedient children, the shape-shifting monster with razor-sharp teeth and claws lays in wait under beds, in closets and on rooftops. Mustachioed movie tough guy Danny Trejo, who starred in "Machete" and "Desperado," provides the narration for the maze.
Last year Universal Studios added a DJ spinning electronica, industrial and dub-step music to the moribund House of Horrors, but it did little to improve the year-round maze that is always an afterthought when it comes to Horror Nights. Adding the winners of the "Future Frankenstein" design contest on SyFy channel's "Face Off" special effects makeup competition show won't help the rehashed Monsters Remix: Resurrection maze. Save this one for last and skip it altogether on a busy night.
Just inside the park's main entrance, visitors will immediately step into the madness of a lawless night where all crime up to and including murder is legal. Based on the 2013 science fiction thriller, The Purge: Survive the Night scare zone will be teeming with sadistic masked murderers wielding knives and chainsaws.
After hurling insults, taking over the Terror Tram and even landing his own maze one year, Chucky the homicidal toy doll will commandeer the Baker Street area of the park with his own scare zone. It will be interesting to see how Universal pulls off the "Child's Play" villain as a walk-around character. I'd love to see a pint-sized platoon of ax-wielding serial killers unleashed on the famed London thoroughfare.
The rest of the scare zones will be filled out with Horror Night's now familiar collection of generic Killer Zs. (You remember Toyz, Witchez, Freakz, Pigz, Lunaticz and Nightmarez from seasons past.) The Klownz return this season to French Street (nothing's scarier than that mime Marcel Marceau) while stilt-walking Scarecrowz will roam the Lower Lot.
And, of course, "Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure" will be back with another round of tasteless jokes about celebrity foibles.
Now stretching over seven weekends, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood runs Sept. 20, 21, 27 and 28; Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 31; and Nov. 1 and 2.
Related theme park stories and photo galleries
Disneyland: Fantasy Faire | Mickey & the Magical Map
Universal Studios Hollywood: Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Six Flags Magic Mountain: Full Throttle
Knott's Berry Farm: Timber Mountain | Coast Rider
SeaWorld San Diego: Aquatica
U.S. parks: Top 13 for 2013 | Disney World | Cedar Point | Top 10 water coasters
International parks: Top 13 for 2013 | Shanghai Disneyland | Disneyland Paris | Top 20 water parks
> Follow the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook and Google+


text:
Fire Safe's fate still unclear, BLM says
The Bureau of Land Management is unlikely to have answers anytime soon for the Nevada Fire Safe Council regarding the council's ability to operate after a federal audit showed irregularities in its handling of funds.
The council, which decided last week to close its doors Monday because of lack of funds, had not heard back from the three government agencies that have provided grants to the council since 1999 to help residents in its 135 Nevada communities create fire-resistant defensible space around their homes.
The BLM told the Nevada Appeal on Monday that the bureau is still waiting for documents.
"We're still waiting for more requested documentation – we've got a lot of paperwork to untangle," said Erica Szlosek, public affairs officer for the BLM's state office in Reno.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit told the Appeal last week that the documentation required from the council for her agency's audit was received in mid-March and is still under a review, and not expected to be complete until May 31.
The Nevada Division of Forestry has not yet responded to questions on its status in the investigation.
In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's inspector general said there was no indication that any fraud had occurred. It recommended that all funds be frozen, however, until reviews were complete, according to The Associated Press.
The council will keep its status as a nonprofit group until it learns its fate.


text:
- This event has passed.
Winter Lounge
March 14 @ 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 5:00 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, repeating until March 14, 2020
The lounge is open (weather permitting) Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays! Come enjoy a specialty cocktail on the piazza in the comfort of the chimeneas and heaters and, of course, the Villagio blankets! Holiday themed movies will play through New Years and then on to the classics. Open 5pm to last call.
Check out our seasonal Winter Lounge cocktail menu!
Join us for happy hour drink specials from Monday – Friday, 4-7pm.


text:
As I have started working for bigger companies, project managers started creeping into the organizational structure. I'm having a hard time understanding why these people are ranked higher even than the technical leads. What really annoys me is that the PMs have very little technical knowledge.
The analyst usually, the tech lead, breaks down the whole project down to the smaller units of work. Even the scheduling of these items needs to be done by someone that truly understands dependencies. So, you may imagine my confusion to why these PMs, that are less technically capable people are ranked higher in org charts.
I'm going on a stretch here but I feel like a PM being over a tech lead is like an accountant being over the COO, because the former does the book keeping. So, why is it that PMs are ranked higher than teach leads?