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A Comprehensive Overview of Medical Marijuana Legal Issues
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Medical marijuana creates numerous opportunities for investors, business owners, healthcare providers and patients with qualifying conditions. It also creates a myriad of potential legal problems for those who misinterpret state law and fail to take into account the fact that marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law. It is essential that attorneys advising medical marijuana businesses, patients and healthcare providers have a firm understanding of state and federal laws, as well as business licensing procedures, taxation difficulties, financing pitfalls and more. Confidently navigate the many intricacies of medical marijuana law - order today!
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DAVID R. BLADES practices in the areas for bankruptcy, business and employment law. He is a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Additionally, he is the past chairman of the Employment Law Section for the Tulsa County Bar Association. For several years Mr. Blades was an adjunct professor teaching business law at the Tulsa Community College. He graduated from the University of Tulsa and has been practicing law for more than 25 years.
TERESA BURKETT is a partner with Conner & Winters, LLP, where her practice is focused primarily in the health care and employment law areas in both litigation and non-litigation matters. Ms. Burkett represents a wide array of providers in the health care industry, including hospitals, physician groups, nursing homes, hospice organizations, pharmaceutical companies, federally qualified health centers and individual professionals. She counsels and defends these clients in corporate compliance matters, employment issues and litigation, licensure and accreditation issues, third party and Medicare reimbursement, HIPAA compliance and patients' rights concerns, EMTALA compliance, medical staff issues, and operational needs. Ms. Burkett is a founding member and past president of the Oklahoma Health Lawyers Association and has also served multiple times as chairman of the Health Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association. Ms. Burkett earned her J.D. degree, with honors, and her B.S. degree, with a special distinction in nursing from the University of Oklahoma.
JOHN HICKEY is a shareholder with Hall Estill where he handles litigation matters ranging from commercial litigation and construction law disputes to bankruptcy, labor and employment, and real estate litigation. His experience encompasses both federal and state courts in cases involving complex, multi-state commercial lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings, as well as employment discrimination litigation and complex construction arbitrations. An experienced 30 year attorney, Mr. Hickey serves as the lead shareholder for the regulated substances practice. Licensed in Oregon and Oklahoma, he has been working with clients for a number of years in the regulated substances area, specifically in the restaurant and marijuana industries. From walking clients through the license application process to preparing agreements, he is knowledgeable in all aspects of the cannabis business. Mr. Hickey received his B.A. degree from the University of Indiana and his J.D. degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.
LOGAN JONES is an attorney with JonesBrown, PLLC, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Together with a national network of attorneys, he is involved in representing clients in matters involving dangerous medications, defective medical devices, employment law, inmate abuse, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, workplace injury and wrongful death. Mr. Jones earned his B.A. degree from the University of Utah, his J.D. degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law and a Master of Taxation from the University of Tulsa. Mr. Jones is a nationally recognized speaker and is actively engaged in the representation of cannabis business owners in Oklahoma. As one of the founders of Cannabis Business Professionals of Oklahoma, he provides guidance and counsel to business owners and operators on the formation and successful operation of these businesses given the evolving legal, legislative, compliance and regulatory environments. Mr. Jones is admitted to the Oklahoma Bar Association; and the United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma.
EVAN W. KING is the founding attorney of Evan King Law Firm PLLC. He founded the firm based upon the principals of fairness, integrity, and justice. He believes in fighting for what's right and applies that principal every day. Mr. King focuses his practice in the areas of criminal defense and small business advisement. He received his B.S. degree from Cameron University and his J.D. degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Oklahoma and the Federal Western District of Oklahoma. Mr. King is actively a member of many legal clubs and associations, including Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Oklahoma County Bar Association.
JEANETTE C. TIMMONS is a partner with Conner & Winters, LLP, where she practices corporate and securities law for a wide variety of both public and private companies. Ms. Timmons has been involved in all aspects of corporate finance and securities law, with a particular focus on representation of public and private companies in capital formation activities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, and securities regulation. Her practice also includes banking law, particularly as it relates to bank formations and acquisitions, and bank holding company regulation, as well as broker-dealer and investment advisor compliance matters. Ms. Timmons currently serves as chairperson of the Business and Corporate Law Section of the Oklahoma Bar Association. She earned her B.A. degree, with distinction and her J.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma.
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A Critical Analysis of The Bluest Eye - Racism: Self-worth through ScapegoatingThere is nothing more to say – except why. But since why is difficult to handle, one must take refuge in how.
– Claudia MacTeer, The Bluest Eye
Racism is a social construct; it can be learned and thus, internalised; it is part of an encompassing power dynamics that defied definition by any singular entity. Rather, racism is the collective impact of actions by numerous people, effects that reinforce and reverberate with one another such that racism perpetuates. This omnipresent and multi-faceted nature of racism is particularly poignant in Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. The essay shall explicate one reason behind racism – the human nature to derive self-worth from putting someone else down – through analysing the use of multiple narrators; in other words, an attempt to handle not only the hows, but also the whys of racism.
Instead of reducing racism to mere stereotypes, through Morrison's use of multiple narratives, we find out more about various aspects of racism – inter- and intra-racial racism, discrimination of whites against blacks, of fairer blacks against darker blacks and of male blacks against female blacks. This somewhat orderly hierarchy of discrimination shares the trait of one deriving a sense of superiority by the inferiority of another; one's self-worth comes not from self-awareness but from the knowledge that one is better off than another. From Pecola (162-163),
'And all of our beauty, which was hers first and which she gave to us. All of us – all who knew her – felt so wholesome after we cleaned ourselves on her. We were so beautiful when we stood astride her ugliness. […]And she let us, and thereby deserved our contempt.'It is only through comparison with someone uglier, less socially adept that another can feel worthy and 'beautiful'. It is cruelly ironic that various people around Pecola show contempt at her despite her being the source of their self-worth; this idea of scapegoating by different people is a central theme in The Bluest Eye.
Through multiple narrators – each from a different social class – Morrison represents how pervasive scapegoating/racism is. We understand its complexities and omnipresence through not only the increasingly hardened Claudia and defenceless Pecola, but also through Pecola's parents – Pauline, Cholly – rich, pampered and 'cute' Maureen Peal, pseudo-religious figure Soaphead Church and middle-class black Geraldine. These streams of consciousness – random strands of thoughts running across each narrator's mind – this disparate chaos emerges to create a distinct sense of dichotomy, suggesting that racism pervades every strata of the society and leaves no one untainted. Everyone played a part in perpetuating racism, be it as victims, victimisers or helpless observers.
Besides breadth, multiple narrating lends depth to racism too; we not only understand the perspectives of the victimised but also, the victimisers. There is an initial dislike for Pauline, fermented by her cruel neglect of Pecola; Pauline devalues Pecola and is more concerned about her 'floor' than her scalded daughter (85); it is heart wrenching when Pauline turns to comfort 'a little girl in pink' rather than her own flesh-and-blood. This disdain for her fades after we find out about and empathise with her plight, her growing disillusionment and her increasing conformity to Western standards of living. Racism – in this case, intra-racial racism – is no longer faceless; it has a history, depth and personal pain to it; the victimisers were once victims – they too were hurt – and scapegoating is their only resort to inner peace. This empathy with the victimised victimisers erases the emotional distance between the multiple characters and the readers; we understand them not only as narrators but as individuals with personal history. Through multiple narratives, racism reveals itself to be a self-sustaining cycle of scapegoating.
As I write, there is a realisation that racism cannot be easily distilled into constituent effects; each point encapsulates and elaborates on the preceding and succeeding points. Through multiple narratives in The Bluest Eye, one gains glimpses of why racism takes place and how it perpetuates; the human tendencies underlying racism – the need by every character to feel worthy and thus, scapegoat – cannot be reduced into a single person's perspectives. Rather, it must be understood as the damage caused by collective acquiesce.
This article is originally written for EN1101E: Introduction to Literary Studies.

subset: commoncrawl


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Patchogue: Facts and Benefits of Professional Cleaning Services
For different companies occupying an office space or building, hiring professional cleaning business services means more than just having a clean working environment. Whether you are a small business or a corporation, you'll gain tons of benefits hiring a regular professional cleaning service company. Professional cleaning business service companies are independent cleaning companies that can help businesses clean and maintain the working environment or business establishment, basically involving cleaning offices, emptying trash cans, and ensuring that floors, bathrooms, and other areas are properly cleaned.
While it is true that in the past, many businesses would hire cleaners or janitors to clean their office spaces or building, but it is more cost-efficient hiring the services of a professional cleaning company today because they can be contracted to clean with more cleaning coverage at a very reasonable price. Generally, professional cleaning service companies deploy their cleaners to business establishments at a regular time to clean office spaces and building grounds to maintain their clean appearance, mop floors, restock paper towels and toilet tissues for the bathrooms, and empty trash cans, with special services such as buffing floors and cleaning up before and after a company event. There are a lot of benefits you can obtain hiring the services of a professional cleaning company such as saving your precious time, getting quality and customized cleaning services, having access to powerful equipment, maintaining a healthier working environment, improving your employees' morale, building your good company image or business brand, and having smoother special events. You save time worrying about maintaining the cleanliness of your office because you can fully entrust the supervision and responsibility to a trusted, reliable, and reputable professional cleaning services company to help maintain the cleanliness of your office.
Professional cleaners have the right facilities and skills required to determine the type of cleaning services you need for your office and these services can be tailored to your specific requirements for you to get 100% satisfaction. When hiring a professional business cleaning company, it is important to deal with a company having a good reputation, foolproof credentials, modern facilities, and experience. Find out more about professional cleaning services by checking our website or homepage now.
We are a professional cleaning services company catering services to different clients such as banks, hospitals, clinics, medical center, schools, and business offices. Our aim is to get 100% satisfaction from our clients, so we are dedicated, committed, and passionate about providing the best cleaning services. Get more details about our company and cleaning services by checking our website or homepage now so we can help you have a clean and organized working environment or office space.
The Key Elements of Great Cleaners


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My name is Codney Capron Jr. and I was born in Grand Turk on the 14th of February 1986. Native to this beautiful country i grew up in a small local community called Blue Hills, in Providenciales. I received my primary education at the Enid Capron Primary School located in Provo and my secondary education at The British West Indies Collegiate and at the Clement Howell High School also located in Provo.
Blue Hills being right on the water, is what really got me into the fishing. I would sneak out of the house everyday just to throw a line off the beach. I would always meet up with a few friend and we would catch tons of snappers, cowfish, shadbar also know as sand perch and flounder.
My last two years of high school I took a part time job from a friend of my mom, called Geoffrey Adams. They operated a sport fishing company called Gwendolyn. He had a 45 ft Hatteras that was also named Gwendolyn and offered me a part time job as the mate whilst I was on vacations from school. After graduating high school, although I still loved to fish, I strayed away from the fishing and started working a the bank of Nova Scotia located in Provo. There I was approached by Mr. Adams offering me a full time job as the captain of his 45ft hatteras Gwendolyn.
Starting my professional fishing career in 2007, I started as a mate while training to be the captain. By 2008 I had stepped up in stripes from mate to captain. Ever since becoming a captain I have grown to be one of the best in the Turks and Caicos Islands and have built a very good reputation for myself. Yellow fin tuna, black fin tuna, dolphin also known as mahi mahi or dorado, blue and white marlin, and the two speedsters the wahoo and sail fish, are just a few to add to the list of fish that you can catch in our majestic deep blue waters. I have caught some of the biggest fish that as ever been caught and weighed her in the TCI.
In 2008 Mr. Adams sold the boat to Geoffrey Thomasson. I have been employed by them for nine years. I now work for Provo Sand and Sea Tours where I am the captain of a 48 ft ocean express called Spinning Reels.
Over the past 12 years of fishing these beautiful waters of the Turks and Caicos I have placed in my of the local tournaments winning the first ever Wine Cellar Fishing and Golf Tournament, and placing in the top 3 ever since, I can say that my reputation has only gotten better. I invite you to join us at Provo Sand and Sea Tours where we have much to offer. Everything from the flats, to the reef, to the majestic deep blue, I'm sure we can please you and meet you expectations as we have the best to offer in boats and crew.


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Rock Climbing Photos : Indoor : Pre-Training for the Gym
Pre-Training for the Gym
This is me, "climbing" into my activity center and then throwing out all my blocks so I can sit down. I am getting this climbing thing down fast. Watch out Sharma:)
|Photo Location:
|North_America: United_States: Washington: Central_Washington: The_Pinnacle_Gym


text: On November 15, 2013, the world came together to grant one 5-year-old leukemia patient his wish to be Batman for a day. "Batkid Begins" looks at why and how this phenomenon took place, becoming one of the biggest "good news" stories of all time. For just one day, young leukemia patient Miles Scott lives out his dream as a tiny superhero, fighting crime and battling bad guys in Gotham City.


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- Research
- Open Access
- Published:
Transcriptional landscape of bone marrow-derived very small embryonic-like stem cells during hypoxia
Respiratory Research volume 12, Article number: 63 (2011)
4914 Accesses
9 Citations
Hypoxia is a ubiquitous feature of many lung diseases and elicits cell-specific responses. While the effects of hypoxia on stem cells have been examined under in vitro conditions, the consequences of in vivo oxygen deprivation have not been studied.
We investigated the effects of in vivo hypoxia on a recently characterized population of pluripotent stem cells known as very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) by whole-genome expression profiling and measuring peripheral blood stem cell chemokine levels.
We found that exposure to hypoxia in mice mobilized VSELs from the bone marrow to peripheral blood, and induced a distinct genome-wide transcriptional signature. Applying a computationally-intensive methodology, we identified a hypoxia-induced gene interaction network that was functionally enriched in a diverse array of programs including organ-specific development, stress response, and wound repair. Topographic analysis of the network highlighted a number of densely connected hubs that may represent key controllers of stem cell response during hypoxia and, therefore, serve as putative targets for altering the pathophysiologic consequences of hypoxic burden.
A brief exposure to hypoxia recruits pluripotent stem cells to the peripheral circulation and actives diverse transcriptional programs that are orchestrated by a selective number of key genes.
Hypoxia is a pathophysiologic condition commonly seen in lung diseases and in many other disorders such as tissue ischemia and cancer [1]. In the developing embryo exposure to global reduction in tissue oxygen is a critical factor in recruitment and selective differentiation of embryonic stem cells that orchestrate organogenesis [2]. The presence of hypoxic microenvironments in adult tissues, as seen for example in solid tumors or during ischemic injury, can also lead to activation and recruitment of stem cells from specific tissue niches, including the bone marrow (BM) [3]. Under such local hypoxic circumstances, resident BM stem cells have been shown to become mobilized and facilitate the structural and functional repair of injured organs [4–6]. The effects of global hypoxia on stem cell activation and recruitment remain poorly understood despite being a common feature of many pulmonary disorders, and increasing evidence that BM-derived circulating progenitor cells may play a causative role in acute lung injury, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis and COPD [7–10].
Recently, Ratajczak et al isolated a homogenous population of rare, small stem cells from adult murine BM mononuclear cells that expressed embryonic lineage markers, and were thus named very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) [11]. Pluripotency of these Sca-1+ Lin- CD45- stem cells was established by demonstrating their ability to differentiate into cells representing all three germ layers [12]. Bone marrow-resident VSELs can be mobilized to the peripheral blood (PB) in response to specific chemoattractant gradients, including stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) [12, 13]. Since SDF-1 is upregulated in response to hypoxia [14], it seemed plausible that chemokine-dependent recruitment of VSELs can occur during tissue injury characterized by hypoxia. Indeed, recent reports have demonstrated that these pluripotent stem cells are mobilized from BM to PB following organ damage associated with significant hypoxic burden, including ischemic stroke [15] and myocardial infarction [16].
Exposure to reduced oxygen tension causes widespread perturbations in cellular transcription [17] that is controlled by a number of critical regulators, most prominently hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) [18]. While gene expression profiling of stem cells under various differentiating conditions has been undertaken [19], the transcriptional consequences of hypoxia in these cells is less studied. Recently, Westfall et al reported on the effects of 4% vs. 20% oxygen on gene expression of cultured human embryonic stem cells, and concluded that lower oxygen tension (4%) in vitro more accurately captures the true "physiologic" oxygen exposure in vivo by preserving the pluripotent property of these cells [20]. Indeed, a significant difficulty with all in vitro studies of hypoxic exposure is establishing the physiologically relevant oxygen tension during exposure [3, 21] and retaining the in vivo undifferentiated state of stem cells [22].
To overcome these limitations, we utilized an in vivo murine model to systematically identify the transcriptional response of BM-derived VSELs to hypoxia. We hypothesized that exposing the animals to hypoxia will mobilize VSELs from their BM to peripheral circulation in a stem-cell specific chemokine gradient, and activate a spectrum of transcriptional programs that captures the diverse, pluripotent potential of these cells.
All animal experiments were performed according to protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the University of Louisville. Eight-week-old, adult, male, C57BL/J6 mice were purchased from Jackson Laboratory (Bar Harbor, ME) and housed in a specific pathogen free environment.
Hypoxic exposure
Mice were placed in identical commercially designed chambers (Oxycycler model A44XO; Biospherix, Redfield, NY, USA) that were operated under a 12:12-h light-dark cycle (6:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.). Gas was circulated around each of the chambers, attached tubing, and other units at 10 l/min to maintain low ambient CO2 levels. An O2 analyzer measured the O2 concentration continuously and deviations from the desired concentration were corrected by addition of N2 or O2 through solenoid valves such that the moment-to-moment desired oxygen concentration of the chamber was programmed and adjusted automatically. Ambient CO2 in the chamber was monitored periodically and maintained at < 0.01% by adjusting overall chamber basal ventilation. Humidity was measured and maintained at 40-50% by circulating the gas through a freezer and silica gel. Ambient temperature was kept at 22-24°C. Hypoxic mice were exposed to FiO2 of 8%, a level that is associated with reproducible oxyhemoglobin saturations in the 75-80% range. Control animals were exposed to circulating room air (FiO2: 21%). Animals were exposed to hypoxia or normoxia for a period of 24 h and sacrificed immediately afterwards.
Isolation of VSELs from bone marrow and peripheral blood
VSELs were isolated from murine bone marrow and peripheral blood nucleated cells using multicolor fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) as previously described [4, 12, 23]. Briefly, the population of total nucleated cells (TNCs) from murine PB and BM was obtained after lysis of red blood cells using 1× BD Pharm Lyse Buffer (BD Pharmingen, San Jose, CA, USA). TNCs were subsequently stained for hematopoietic lineage markers (Lineage - lin), for Sca-1 and CD45 antigens, for 30 minutes in medium containing 2% fetal bovine serum. The following anti-mouse antibodies (BD Pharmingen, San Jose, CA, USA) were used for staining: anti-CD45R/B220 (phycoerythrin - PE; clone RA3-6B2), anti-Gr-1 (PE; clone RB6-8C5), anti-T-cell receptor-αβ (PE; clone H57-597), anti-T-cell receptor-γδ (PE; clone GL3), anti-CD11b (PE; clone M1/70), anti-Ter119 (PE; clone TER-119), and anti-Ly-6A/E (Sca-1) (biotin; clone E13-161.7, with streptavidin-conjugated to PE-Cy5) and rat anti-CD45 (allophycocyanin-Cy7; clone 30-F11). All mAbs were added at saturating concentrations. Cells were then washed, re-suspended in RPMI 1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, and sorted by MoFlo cell sorter (Dako, Carpinteria, CA, USA). The Sca-1+Lin-CD45- cells (VSELs) and control Sca-1+Lin-CD45+ cells (HSCs) were isolated according to the gating and sorting strategy described before and outlined in Figure 1. For each sample run, at least 106 events were acquired, with VSELs accounting for 0.02-0.03% of the total cells (BM or PB). Given the scarcity of VSELs in peripheral blood and bone marrow, we performed six independent measurements per exposure condition (hypoxia, normoxia), each based on pooled samples from 10 mice, for a total of 120 animals.
Measurement of plasma chemokines
Mouse blood was collected from the vena cava in vacutainer tubes containing EDTA (Becton Dickinson, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA). The collected fresh blood was centrifuged at 2000 × g for 20 min at 4°C, subsequently plasma was centrifuged for 5 minutes at 13,000 rpm to remove remaining cells and platelets, and immediately frozen at -80°C until further analysis. Levels of stem cell chemokines stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were measured with ELISA kits (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN) [23]. For the hypoxic exposure, 20 independent measurements and for the normoxic exposure, 30 independent measurements were performed. For each of these measurements, plasma was pooled from 3-4 mice.
Statistical analysis
Chemokine levels and VSEL counts between hypoxia and normoxia were performed using unpaired, two-tailed Student's t-test with P-values adjusted for unequal variances when appropriate. Box and whisker representation of the data was used to depict the upper and lower quartiles (box) and the maximum and minimum values (whiskers).
Microarray experiments
VSELs were isolated from the bone marrows of 30 additional mice exposed to hypoxia and 30 mice exposed to room air (pooled into six groups of n = 10). Total RNA was isolated using PicoPure RNA Isolation Kit (Arcturus Bioscience Inc., Mountain View, CA) and amplified using Low-RNA Input Fluorescent Linear Amplification kit (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA) with modifications. For each of the pooled groups (n = 10 mice per group), labeled cRNA was hybridized to an Agilent murine whole-genome 60-mer oligo microarray (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA) comprised of over 45,000 probes as previously described [23]. Six independent hybridizations-3 pooled samples from mice exposed to hypoxia and 3 pooled samples from normoxic mice, were performed. After image processing, background-subtracted intensities were normalized using the quantile method [24].
Microarray data analysis
Two-dimensional hierarchal clustering using Pearson's correlation was performed on the entire normalized gene expression data [25]. Differentially expressed genes in VSELs exposed to hypoxia versus normoxia were identified using a Bayesian implementation of the parametric t-test [26] and corrected for multiple comparisons with the Q-value method [27]. A Q-value of < 0.05 was selected for identifying significant differential gene expression.
Gene ontology analysis
Differentially expressed genes in VSELs (Q-value < 0.05) underwent functional analysis with a web-based program, Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and categorized using the Gene Ontology database [28]. A permutation-based FDR analysis was employed (FDR cutoff < 5%).
Network analysis
By including all differentially expressed genes during hypoxia as initial seeds, we developed a gene product relational network based on published interaction databases [29–31]. To maximize the accuracy of this "interactome", we limited the connection between any two nodes to known direct relationships (e.g., protein-protein interaction). The topological architecture of the network was derived from its connectivity matrix. We tested the "scale-free" property of the network by determining if it followed a power law distribution [32]. We identified the key network hubs by selecting differentially expressed nodes with at least 10 connections.
Effects of in vivoexposure to hypoxia on VSEL populations and stem cell chemokines
We utilized a sequential gating strategy using FACS and based on size, granularity and stem cell-specific antibody staining to purify VSELs from PB and BM of mice exposed to hypoxia and normoxic controls (Figure 1). In peripheral blood, the white blood cell counts were 9,980 ± 467/ml in normoxia and 10,503 ± 420/ml in hypoxia (p > 0.05); a minimum of 100,000 cells were counted from merging the samples from 10 mice to determine the frequency of VSEL in peripheral blood for each independent sample run. For bone marrow, cellularity was estimated from the mixing of 10 mice to include approximately 1 million cells for each independent sample run. Given the scarcity of VSELs in peripheral blood and bone marrow, we performed six independent measurements per exposure condition (hypoxia, normoxia), each based on pooled samples from 10 mice, for a total of 120 animals.
Exposure to hypoxia resulted in a significant increase in the peripheral count of VSELs relative to their BM reserve pool (Figure 2A-C). Furthermore, in vivo exposure to hypoxia was associated with a significant elevation in plasma levels of the stem cell chemoattractants SDF-1 and LIF, and borderline increase in HGF (Figure 2D-F), providing further evidence that hypoxia promotes a favorable gradient for mobilization of VSELs from BM to PB.
Transcriptional profiling of VSELs during hypoxia
Global patterns in gene expression of BM-derived VSELs exposed to hypoxia and normoxic controls were dissected using hierarchical cluster analysis and displayed as a heatmap (Figure 3). This analysis revealed that exposure to hypoxia causes a perturbation in the entire VSEL transcriptome that is distinct from the normoxic condition. Within this genome-wide expression pattern, we identified 1,388 differentially expressed genes using a Q-value cutoff of < 0.05 (Additional file 1, Table S1). The subsequent pathway and network analyses were limited to this subset of statistically significant differentially expressed genes.
Functional and network analyses of hypoxia-induced transcriptional programs in VSELs
Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes was performed using Gene Ontology analysis [28] and graphically displayed based the hierarchical structure of this annotation database (Figure 4). In vivo exposure to hypoxia activated a diverse array of transcriptional programs in pluripotent VSELs ranging from a number of organ-specific developmental processes (e.g., lung, kidney, skeletal, vascular, and nervous system development) to pathways involved in defense and stress response, cytokine and growth factor binding, and catalytic activity. These results provide a blueprint mapping the profound and widespread functional activation of BM-derived VSELs in response to a brief in vivo hypoxic exposure.
Given the vast transcriptional effects of hypoxia on VSELs, it is highly unlikely that a single gene will solely orchestrate this response. To better elucidate the relationships among differentially expressed genes mapped to the enriched functional groups and identify the key controllers of hypoxia-induced transcriptional programs in VSELs, we developed a gene product interaction network, or interactome, based on previously published direct interactions (Additional file 2, Figure S1). This network consisted of 424 genes (nodes) and 604 connections (edges). Topologically, the interactome possessed scale-free properties [32] because its degree distribution (number of nodes with a given connection, N k ) and nodal connectivity (k) were linked via a power law relationship-i.e., N k ~ k-γ (γ = 1.64, R2 = 0.98) (Additional file 2, Figure S1). We and others have demonstrated that the functional stability of complex biological networks is critically dependent on highly connected nodes or "hubs" [33, 34]. We identified the VSEL network hubs by locating 18 differentially expressed nodes with at least 10 interactions (Table 1). As shown in Figure 5A, the connectivity pattern of these hubs captures a significant proportion of the overall network structure (313 edges out of a total of 604). Furthermore, the key nodes themselves are highly interconnected implying coordinated, direct functional relationships between these hubs (Figure 5B).
The main finding of this work is that exposure to hypoxia-a common characteristic of many lung disorders, recruits pluripotent VSELs from BM to the peripheral blood and induces a distinct gene expression signature in these stem cells. Using a computationally-intensive approach, we mapped the functional and network properties of activated transcriptional programs and identified hubs that may serve as key regulators of the VSEL response to hypoxia.
To our knowledge, this is the first report on the global transcriptional effects of hypoxia on stem cells using in vivo exposure at physiologically relevant oxygen partial pressures. Utilizing a similar strategy, we recently used a murine model to investigate the consequences of cyclical hypoxia during sleep on BM-derived VSELs [23]. The intermittent hypoxic exposure was intended to model obstructive sleep apnea and that project was therefore more narrowly defined in its focus and clinical relevance. Nevertheless, several of our current findings were also observed in the intermittent hypoxia system, including mobilization of VSELs from BM to PB, elevation of stem cell chemoattractant chemokines, and enrichment of transcriptional programs involved in development and organogenesis. Network analysis of the differentially expressed genes in VSELs also revealed that some of the key hubs were shared between the hypoxia models (intermittent, sustained), including hypoxia inducible factor 2 alpha (Hif2α), proliferator-activated receptor gamma (Pparγ), integrin beta 3 (Itgb3), and insulin growth factor binding protein 5 (Igfbp5). This observation implies that global exposure to reduced oxygen, whether continuous or intermittent, activates a number of common pathways in pluripotent stem cells. However, there were also significant differences in the transcriptional programs enriched in VSELs under sustained vs. intermittent hypoxic exposure. Firstly, a larger number of genes were differentially expressed during continuous hypoxia suggesting a more profound perturbation. Secondly, a much broader spectrum of pathways was enriched in sustained compared to intermittent hypoxia that extended beyond developmental programs and included processes involved in defense and stress response, wound healing, chemokine activity, cell adhesion and structure (Figure 4). Thirdly, many of the network hubs identified during exposure to continuous hypoxia were not differentially expressed during cyclical hypoxia (Figure 5, Table 1), including the most densely connected node, Fos (FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene), and several other key transcriptional regulators such as early growth response 1 and 2 (Egr1, Egr2), and TATA box binding protein (Tbp).
Fos and Egr1 are prototypic master regulators known as immediate early-genes (IEG) that orchestrate widespread activation of cellular gene expression in response to specific perturbations, including hypoxia, ischemia, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, and neuronal survival [35–37]. Egr2 has been shown to govern the development and segmentation of the mouse hindbrain [38], and mutations in this gene have been associated with congenital hypomyelinating neuropathies in humans [39]. Intriguingly, a recent study demonstrated that a population of Egr2-expressing precursor cells develop into the first embryonic respiratory rhythm-generating neuronal circuit [40], and Egr2-/- transgenic mice die from breathing irregularities resulting in severe hypoxia [41].
Two members of the heat shock protein 70 group, Hspa8 and Hspa5, were also densely connected network nodes whose expression increased significantly during hypoxia. Products of these genes play crucial roles in protecting cells from environmental stressors including high temperature, oxidative stress, ischemia and hypoxia [42]. More specifically, targeting Hspa8 and Hspa5 has been demonstrated to protect cardiomyocytes [43] and mesenchymal stem cells from hypoxia-induced apoptosis [44], whereas delivering these heat shock proteins into transplanted mesenchymal stem cells rescues heart function after myocardial infarction in rats [44].
Another differentially upregulated hub within the interactome, Hif2α, is a member of the HIF family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors that control the global cellular response to oxygen deprivation. Hif2α overexpression is seen many solid tumors characterized with significant hypoxic burden including renal cell carcinoma, non small cell lung cancer and meduloblastoma, and is associated with poor outcome in these cancers [45]. Recent reports suggest that Hif2α is a critical activator of a subpopulation of cancer cells with stem cell-like properties [46, 47], and pharmacologic and genetic targeting of this gene affects differentiation of progenitor stem cells [48, 49]. Interestingly, a single nucleotide polymorphism in Hif2α was recently demonstrated to be highly associated with adaptability to high altitude hypoxia in ethnic Tibetans [50].
The mobilization of VSELs from BM to peripheral circulation in response to oxygen deprivation implies the activation of organ-specific transcriptional programs under regulatory controls. Our network analysis provided an overview of the transcriptional landscape of these pluripotent stem cells during hypoxia. Since the functional integrity of such scale-free biologic networks is dependent on densely connected nodes [33], we postulate that these hubs comprise key regulators of hypoxia-induced gene expression in VSELs. As depicted in Figure 5, the hubs not only form the structural foundation of the interactome, but are themselves highly interconnected via direct interactions, implying a high degree of functional coordination in orchestrating the hypoxia-induced transcriptional response of stem cells.
To explore whether this hypoxia-induced transcriptional signature is unique to VSELs or common among leukocyte subpopulations, we compared our results to expression profiles of mononuclear cells (MNCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) under hypoxia as reported by Onishi et al [51]. While there are substantial differences between the two studies in terms of experimental protocols, hypoxic exposures, and microarray platforms, less than 1% of the differentially expressed genes in VSELs were significantly altered in MSCs or MNCs, suggesting that many of the hypoxia-induced genes in VSELs are exclusive to this subpopulation of cells. However, from a functional standpoint, differentially expressed genes in VSELs and MSCs were both enriched in several developmental processes, whereas MNCs were highly enriched in defense/immune responses and inflammation. Therefore, VSELs appear to possess transcriptional programs in common with both MSCs and MNCs-a finding that is consistent with their pluripotent properties.
Several limitations in the current study deserve mention. We have only explored the effects of hypoxia on gene expression and not assessed the post-transcriptional modifications of gene products activated during hypoxic exposure. The duration of hypoxia was short-the long term consequences of chronic oxygen deprivation on VSELs were not investigated in this study and represent a future research goal. Although bone marrow is the primary depot of VSELs, our results do not preclude the possibility that some of these stem cells were also mobilized from other tissue niches during exposure to hypoxia. Nevertheless, our expression profiling experiments were focused on BM-derived VSELs. We have not identified the tissue source of hypoxia-induced elevation in stem cells chemokines, but given the extremely low number of circulating VSELs, we believe it is unlikely that VSELs are the primary source. Although the bone marrow is a known source of these chemoattractants, hypoxic injury to various tissues can lead to the release of the chemokines into peripheral blood [5, 14, 16]. Finally, we did not follow the fate of mobilized VSELs to identify their target end organs, although given the global effects of hypoxia and the diversity of enriched developmental programs, we expect that these stem cells will be recruited to multiple sites and undergo tissue-specific differentiation.
Collectively, our results demonstrate that in vivo exposure to hypoxia in mice elicits chemoattractant gradients that promote the mobilization of pluripotent very small embryonic-like stem cells from the bone marrow to peripheral blood. A computationally-driven analysis of the transcriptome of these cells highlighted the activation of diverse transcriptional programs that appeared to be coordinated by a select number of highly connected network nodes. These hubs may represent critical targets for modulating the functional consequences of hypoxic burden on stem cells. Our approach provides a general framework for the systematic study of stem cell biology under clinically relevant pathophysiologic perturbations.
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This work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health HL065270 and HL086662 (DG), and American Sleep Medicine Foundation Junior Faculty Research Award (SAG).
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Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
SAG analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript. DG conceived the study, participated in its design and draft. AK participated in designing the study and collected the stem cell data and performed the transcriptional profiling experiments. MK assisted with FACS-based stem cell isolation and collection of stem cell data. EAD, JK, and HBC assisted with the stem cell isolation, animal experiments, and stem cell data measurements. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Sina A Gharib, Abdelnaby Khalyfa contributed equally to this work.
Electronic supplementary material
Tabular list of differentially expressed genes in VSELs after hypoxic exposure
Additional file 1: . This file contains the list of differentially expressed genes (based on a Q-value cutoff less than 0.05) in VSELs exposed to hypoxia. The list includes the official gene symbols, Entrez Gene IDs, Q-values, and Log2[expression in hypoxia/expression in normoxia]. (PDF 291 KB)
Gene product interaction network of differentially expressed genes in VSELs
Additional file 2: . This file contains two figures depicting a gene product interaction network of differentially expressed genes in VSELs after in vivo exposure to hypoxia. Panel (A) highlights up and downregulated genes (red and green respectively). This network has 424 genes (nodes) and 604 connections (edges). Note that each connection represents a known direct interaction between two gene products. Panel (B) demonstrates that the topology of this network is scale-free because it follows a power law distribution. N k , degree distribution; k, nodal connectivity. (PDF 2 MB)
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Gharib, S.A., Khalyfa, A., Kucia, M.J. et al. Transcriptional landscape of bone marrow-derived very small embryonic-like stem cells during hypoxia. Respir Res 12, 63 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1465-9921-12-63
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor
- Pluripotent Stem Cell
- Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
- Intermittent Hypoxia


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The School of Music offers a Music Therapy Equivalency Non Masters Track program for those students who completed a music degree with another emphasis, but are now interested in entering this field of study. Applicants must have a completed BA, BMus, or BS in music from an accredited college/university with an overall degree GPA of at least 3.0.
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As much as we like Guns 'n' Roses here at Critical Gamer (you know, when Slash was doing his bits) we have to disagree with their view on the city when it comes to games. If games are anything to go by, the grass isn't that green, if you can even find some, and whilst a few of the girls may be pretty, they seem to be lost in a sea of plain Janes and prostitutes.
Open world sandbox games seem to be coming in thick and fast since Grand Theft Auto highlighted the trend, more and more of the things seem to be set in cities filled of violence. Huge towering skyscrapers, packed roads full of taxis and every colour in the grey rainbow that you can imagine. Isn't it all starting to get a bit dull?
Off the top of our massive collective head, we can think of at least eight million (citation needed) high profile games that have been set in some of the most bland concrete jungles set in fact and fiction. Three that were released recently(ish), Spiderman: Web of Shadows, Prototype and Grand Theft Auto IV are all guilty of being based in what seems to be a largely copied and pasted mass of tall buildings reaching skyward. Is it really necessary? A bit more variety would have been nice, especially when it comes to navigational landmarks; as maps just aren't as fun.
Some games we will admit need the sprawling mass of thousand feet tall buildings. Spiderman for example, is not only cemented in New York City through decades of comics, but he needs it, as trying to swing around anywhere else such as London would not have provided him with the high altitude fast transit he is accustomed to. He'd have to take the tube like everyone else. This is excusable because it is made use of. It is actually essential to have tall things for webbing to latch on to. It certainly made it more plausible since the first Spiderman game on the PS2, where web could latch on to the clouds.
Prototype being set on Manhattan Island is again, a bit more understandable. It is Alex Mercer's playpen allowing him to run up walls, jump over buildings, glide over military bases and smash down to earth with enough force to destroy a tank. It would not have been nearly as successful if it was based in Birmingham, not just because of the relatively low skyline of the city, but can you imagine the sound of 1000 Brummy accents screaming in terror? The thought of it is enough to make your fingernails curl back on themselves.
So far the only passable excuse for basing yourself in a city, is that game characters can use the ridiculous architecture of the monolithic buildings to gain an advantage. Everything can be utilised and (potentially) not an inch is wasted. After all, if you had the power to climb up the side of a building in an instant, using it to get a higher vantage point or lose pursuers is a very good idea. What really tugs on our nads though is when there are massive dull looking buildings placed everywhere that can't be interacted with at all, where the only point to them is as a decorative barrier for the player.
In our mind, Grand Theft Auto IV had already committed a cardinal sin visiting its parody of New York for the third time and not really adding a great deal. Yes there was a very impressive lick of paint by graphical standards, but a similar look could have been achieved by blowing up a series of cement mixers in a massive car park. Grand Theft Auto III had already done the whole living city thing the justice it deserved, and we do not feel that IV added sufficient to be that revolutionary. Oh yes, there are bin men and TV channels now, but not much that adds to the gameplay.
The one thing that we cannot understand is that how so much of the city setting is wasted due to the limitations of the player. The only way to really interact with the skyline is to take a helicopter and land on a building, and even then there is not a great deal of point to it. Yes it looks impressive, but you can not really justify jumping off from a gameplay perspective. The best use of this so far has been the youtube videos of people base jumping into helicopter blades with hilarious consequences.
It would have been different if you could go inside most of these buildings, or even taken a lift to the top with something to do up there. Instead they just seem to stand there as criminally wasted space in a game with so much potential if only it didn't take itself so seriously from a gameplay perspective.
Maybe targeting Grand Theft Auto so specifically is a bit harsh, but most games featuring a city with towers trying to pierce the clouds are all as guilty as each other. The setting is just starting to feel a tad overused now, as going by rows and rows of bricked up surfaces separated into uninspired, yet practical blocks of streets is not the best setting for engaging in escapism. It's a bit like going out to an Indian restaurant and ordering porridge. Yes you've gone out for a nice experience, and maybe you really love porridge that much, but at the end of the day, it is still an incredible boring choice in a sea of potential marvel.
Burnout Paradise is a slightly different take on the sandbox city game, but faces similar flaws to GTA, only now you are permanently welded inside a car. The thing we love about the Burnout series is the feeling of set racing tracks within busy cities which created exhilarating thrills in dodging traffic at fast moving intersections and all that slow motion jazz. In all the games prior to Paradise, the roads would be full of cars and each track would take you through nice and unique scenery on a pre-determined path of fun, mayhem and carnage.
Paradise, taking place all in one city, meant that a lot of the time it felt incredibly samey, with all the races taking place within a city that you were free to roam around in and find your own route. This meant that the feeling of being funnelled in to heavy traffic was removed slightly, with more choices to avoid it and the other racers. The fact that you could explore all the ins and outs meant that the races started to feel a bit dull after a while.
The city thing has been done so much now it's not even funny. GTA, True Crime, Mafia, The Godfather, Saints Row; we're not saying these are bad games, but all have been set in a bustling city which shows how unoriginal it is to do now. How about just giving the city life a bit of a rest before doing it again? Commuting in real life is ball aching enough, so doing it again in a game, no matter how destructive the end result is, just feels a tad bit uninspired.
It would be nice to see more games get out of the city a bit more. We're not talking about Grand Theft Auto: Shanty Towns or anything, but a bit more variety than packed city life, just not quite as mind bogglingly dull and open as 70% of San Andreas.
Perhaps the pursuit of realism is to blame for coma inducing, uninspired cityscapes becoming a bit too commonplace. Does this mean that we need some more creative minds in the games industry? Possibly. We just hope that the next GTA will be a bit more revolutionary than pretty graphics and an aiming system that took almost a decade to get right.


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Compare Hoyt Carbon Element prices from best sellers. Our unique price comparison system grabs the best prices from top bow sellersin real time. Choose one of the Carbon Element bows on the left hand sideand click the "See it" button to get more information andcompare cheap prices on new & used Hoyt Carbon Element bows on sale.
Hoyt Carbon Element Review1 editor review + 7 user reviews
The Carbon Element is a very quiet bow with great shootability characteristics. While it could be a bit faster, its innovative riser design along with a very smooth draw cycle and efficient silencing package make it a great shooting bow. Very lightweight, forgiving, and perfectly balanced, even a bare Carbon Element delivers very quiet shots with virtually no hand shock or vibration whatsoever. While it still has a higher price tag, the Carbon Element is much more affordable than the ever popular and very similar Carbon Matrix. Built with very innovative, effective, and proven technologies, the Carbon Element is admittedly one of the best shooting hunting bows in 2011... read full review
- The best shooting bow I ever shot.... by ken murphy from rome ny
- I will be shooting this bow for a long time! by Jay Tunstill from Flintville, TN
Hoyt Carbon Element Specifications3 versions
Manufactured: 2011 - 2013 (3 versions, specs not changed)
Latest version: 2013 Hoyt Carbon Element G3
|Brace Height
|6.75 "
|Axle to Axle Length
|31.5 "
|Draw Length
|24.5 " - 30 "
|Draw Weight
|30 lbs - 80 lbs
|IBO Speed
|332 fps
|3.6 lbs
Click the below button to get full specs for all Hoyt Carbon Element versions.


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Feeling cluttered and unorganised in your work area? Get some great tips on how you can master your workspace!
Lissanne Oliver, an author, TV presenter and organisation expert from the series Sorted! has the answers to help you 'Master Your Workspace'.
- Clutter is often simply rubbish or recyclable waste, however many people struggle when deciding which items to file and which to ditch. Bear in mind we only access around 4% of the paper we keep – so be ruthless! Invest in a shredder that will shred 100 pages or more – this is the most efficient way to dispose of confidential files.
- Have a place for everything. Drawers – either built into your desk, freestanding or desktop – will eliminate all those bits and pieces that clutter horizontal spaces. Don't put it down, put it away!
- Wall mounted shelves are a huge help if you've got a small space to work with and allow you to have easy access to everything in your immediate workspace. Wasting time looking for items eats into your productive working hours.
- Be sure to archive documents you're merely holding onto for tax purposes. A sturdy double walled cardboard box with a hinged lid will do the job, or alternatively try investing in plastic tubs from Officeworks – they stack perfectly.
- Always label. Don't rely on memory or waste time investigating the contents of a box or file. The larger the label the better.
- Process financial paperwork by drawing a clear diagonal line across the page once paid. Include the date and method of payment. You'll clearly see it has been paid and never have to waste time guessing or revisiting.
- Manage your clutter into one accessible place using Evernote on your mobile, tablet or computer – a brilliant place to store key information. Capture photos of your handwritten notes (Evernote will read your handwriting!), web clippings, scanned documents or pretty much anything else you can think of.
- Struggling to remain inspired? Surround yourself with photos, pictures, inspirational quotes, or even a large DIY photo print canvas. Also, display your achievements and feel inspired to keep achieving – certificates, diplomas and degrees deserve to be on show.
- Tangled cords or faulty tech equipment in the home office, are a sure way to hinder productivity. Reassess the current tech in your home office to ensure they're working to their full capabilities. If your outdated printer is slowing you down, consider upgrading to one with Wi-Fi to maximise your time and space.
- Finally, maintenance is essential. Make it routine to clear your desk regularly, ideally at the end of each day. Write a to-do list for the following day, tackle some filing or revisit older files for revision (archive, shred or recycle). Make time to get organised today for a more productive tomorrow
For great workspace furniture ideas, check out Officeworks - officeworks.com.au


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As a family we are nearing the end of a long Holiday break. My two children still at home with us are 13 and 15. I put forth a strong effort always to give my children activities that will be life long memories. They are at a point to where there disrespect towards each other is making me insane. I have to sit and wonder do they even realize that they have so much more then most kids do their age. No matter what I do for them its never enough. I am truly feeling exhausted.
I find myself envying my divorced friends whom get every other weekend off from parenting. Now I love my Husband more then my own life and for me that would never be a option. But a weekend away from these kids would be a peaceful break.
I have no grandparents or family that I would leave my kids with so taking off for a weekend is not a option. The day will come when I know they will look back and realize what they have and sooner then I want to realize they will be adults and I know I will be missing this age but at this very moment they have me at a definite breaking point. I know this will pass but it doesn't make it any easier!
This post was created at this location.


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Sunday was a lovely day here in the centre of the universe. The sun was shining, and the temperature climbing all day. Outside, people were giddy – that is, giddy in a way that Toronna is known far and wide for being giddy.
A man with a banjo played with great gusto on the street. There isn't a day that cannot be made better by banjo music, was my feeling. But the banjo man's song about the troubles of the world was a bit dreary. Up in Kensington Market, a young woman in a fabulous white dress wielded a hula hoop and danced, just for the heck of it, as a bunch of fellas banged on drums.
All grand and good. But what bothered me was my duty. I had decided to watch the NDP leadership debate on CPAC. Listen, someone's got to do it. It is a known fact that this apparently ceaseless and slow-moving shindig will produce the Leader of the Opposition, and heaven knows we need one of those.
A long series of TV debates is all the rage these days in the politics racket. The Republicans have been having a leadership debate every few days since May of last year, I think. And little wonder. TV performance and tactics win elections in the end.
As television drama, a leadership debate makes golf look wild and crazy. But if we look closely and concentrate, bits can be deeply revealing and entertaining. It's the marketing oomph that matters most with the iconography of these staged speeches, because what come next in politics are the photo-ops and, of course, the TV commercials.
Television isn't, you know, rocket science. Turn up, wear camera-friendly clothes, act in a genial manner, smile, make your point pithily and never, ever whine or look threatening.
The first thing I noted about Sunday's kneedipper TV debate, the last in a long series, was that few of the candidates seemed to grasp the TV thing and its dynamics. The overall topic was "opportunities for young and new Canadians." Barbara Yaffe was the moderator and the rules were ridiculously complex, with candidates' responses and the to-and-fro limited to mere seconds in some instances.
The impressions I gained were, like those of most people in such circumstances, instant but probably lingering. Nathan Cullen seemed sullen. Young Niki Ashton was a bit muddled, all pluck and no luck in scoring points. Paul Dewar seemed to get a lot of his info from cab drivers. That kind of thing. Unfair, yes, but that's television for you.
The turning point was when moderator Yaffe was compelled to exclaim, "I want to remind you all to differentiate yourselves." This was a fair point. In policy proposals and ideas, the candidates all seemed to be singing in harmony from the same kneedipper hymn book.
So I concentrated too. In truth, differences in policy details were difficult to discern. Green economy. Sustainable economy. Smart economy. Mind you, Brian Topp gave the impression – somewhat novel – that he thinks all young people should get jobs in the arts and have television careers.
The meat of the event, though, is about leadership and the way forward for the New Democratic Party. On these matters, and in particular the TV presence and smarts of the candidates, the impressions were stark. Thomas Mulcair, the alleged front-runner, is a bit of an alpha-male politician, cut from the same cloth as so many others. The hint of a short temper emerges in his statements and answers. On TV, affable he ain't. He's good with the stinging remark in the House of Commons but that's meaningless in the glare of a general election campaign. He has the humourless force of a man whose ego has never been pricked. Topp's strength, on the other hand, is affability. Too much of it, perhaps, to the point where he seems nice and very smart, but a bit flat-footed on TV.
Peggy Nash's presence, measured tone and nuanced answers had the strongest resonance. There's a fortitude and pragmatism projected in her onscreen persona that's vivid and, memorably, she uses wit, not put-downs. There's the air of a woman who has seen and heard plenty of male bluster but knows that bluster doesn't get the job done. Interestingly, there were seven candidates speaking and debating, and some barely registered at all.
A series of TV debates is a darn good idea when choosing a new leader for a party. TV is the vehicle that takes a leader to power or oblivion, in the end. In this NDP leadership race, too little attention has been paid to TV presence. What the race needs is more sass. Fewer banjo songs about woe, more hula hoop, if you know what I mean. Those who vote in this thing should exhibit some caution – we'll be stuck with the winner on TV for a very long time.


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A leading member of Cameroon's parliament says a newly passed anti-terrorism bill could easily be misused to undermine the constitution.
Joseph Banadzem of the main opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) says President Paul Biya's government could employ the measure to crack down on dissent and muzzle the media.
The SDF argues that the measure could plunge the country into public disorder and heighten tension.
Banadzem says SDF leader John Fru Ndi will hold a news conference Thursday to warn Biya not to sign the anti-terrorism measure into law.
"It looks like the text is going to come to [stifle] the press, the civil society, [and] on political parties," he said. "The national chairman of my party is going to have a press conference to explain why the president has to...define what terrorism is and remove sections that are geared towards the population."
Some civil society groups staged protest demonstrations Wednesday in the capital, Yaoundé shortly after parliament approved the measure.
"The population is very irritated about it and they are calling us every day and they are saying that if the president signs it, it could lead to some public disorder," said Banadzem.
Cameroon has recently been battling the Nigeria-based violent Islamist group Boko Haram in parts of the country's north. The militant group has launched several attacks in Cameroon, which the government says have been repelled by security agencies.
Administration officials have portrayed the bill as being necessary to combat terrorism.
Banadzem said the opposition supports the fight against terrorism, but said lawmakers from the ruling party had attached other provisions that would allow a clamp down on civil liberties and criminalize activities of opponents of Biya's administration.
He said as the bill stands now, journalists would have to submit their stories for prior approval by government officials, which would undermine the constitutional provisions that protect freedom of speech.
"The press men were saying to the government spokesman that are you telling us that whenever we have information we bring it to you before we publish it? He said yes, and if you don't bring them it is punishable by law and so forth," said Banadzem.


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2109 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-8273
Fax: (202) 225-3984
Information on types of services and help my office may be able to provide, and how to request more information or assistance.
I am honored to represent you in Congress and am here to help in any way possible. I hope all the information in this section will be helpful whether you need help with a federal agency, would like to order a flag, are requesting tours and tickets for a visit to Washington DC, or are considering applying to a military academy. Thank you for visiting!
Learn more about the Artistic Discovery Contest open to all high school students that live in our Congressional District. You may also fill out an entry form to send to my office.
Purchase U.S. flags through my office. You may also request the flags purchased through my office be flown over the Capitol.
You can fill out a form authorizing me to communicate with a Federal Agency on your behalf.
Information on the Internship opportunities available in my offices.
Information and instruction for people seeking nomination to a US Military Academy. You may also fill out a form requesting a military academy nomination.
The following information is for veterans. Please contact our office for assistance with any questions or problems you may have.
Planning a trip to Washington, DC? You can request a tour or find useful tourism information.


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If you've ever been scolded for eating raw cookie dough straight from the mixing bowl, get ready to enjoy the satisfaction you were once denied. This edible cookie dough eliminates the fear factor of eating raw cookie dough by following similar safety protocols as manufactures who produce cookie dough that is intended to be eaten raw (like that used in cookie dough ice cream and the cookie dough served at the increasingly popular dessert spots like NYC's DŌ). The 2 key details of this recipe that give you a pass to enjoy the dough in a raw state is using pasteurized eggs and toasting your all-purpose flour before using it to make the dough. That said, unlike a number of the edible cookie dough recipes out there, which oftentimes do not include an egg at all, this dough will also produce a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies when baked. So if eating cookie dough by the spoonful isn't exactly your thing, you can treat this recipe as you would any cookie recipe—except that you can "clean" the bowl with no worries.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle flour evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven 6 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in baking soda.
Combine butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat just until combined. Add toasted flour mixture; beat on low speed until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Chill at least 1 hour.
Serve cookie dough raw or bake. To make cookies, drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F until browned, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before serving.


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Living in the city
As recently as 2006, fewer than 18,000 people called the city centre home*. The official residential population estimate is close to 45,000**, with some estimates much higher. This means the city centre population is growing six times faster than the Auckland population as a whole.
As the balance shifts further towards this being a place for people, we think the future looks bright for a city centre that's more alive, enjoyable and successful than ever.
*2006 figures for the three Census Area Units that combine to most closely match the Heart of the City boundary. Source: Statistics New Zealand Auckland Counts.
** 2017 estimate for three CAUs. Source: Statistics New Zealand NZ Dot Stat.


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Katmai National Park is drained by several large rivers and creeks. These include the American Creek, Savonoski River, Ukak River, Rainbow River, Margot Falls, Headwaters Creek and Brooks River, which drain through the Naknek Lake and river system into Bristol Bay; King Salmon and Big creeks, which drain into Naknek River; Katmai and Big Rivers, which drain into Shelikof Strait; Douglas and Kamishak rivers, which drain into Kamishak Bay; the Alagnak and Nonvianuk, which drain to the north into the Kvichak River and then into Bristol Bay; and the Egegik and King Salmon rivers, which drain from the southwest into Bristol Bay.
Major lakes associated with the park include Naknek, Grosvenor, Coville, Brooks, Idavain, Kulik, Nonvianuk, Hammersly, Murray, Dakavak, Katmai, Kaguyak, as well as a small part of the drainage feeding Becharof Lake, which is not itself within the park, there are also several unnamed lakes. Water quality in all of these lakes and rivers remains essentially unaltered by man. Some bodies of water are heavily silted with glacial outwash sediments or volcanic ash. Others contain clear, unsilted water. Water levels in the larger lakes may vary seasonally by as many as seven feet.
American Creek, Big River, Brooks River, Funnel Creek, Hallo Creek, Headwaters Creek, Ikagluik Creek, Katmai River, Knife Creek (including Juhle Creek), and Kulik River have all been designated as potential rivers to be added to the National Wild and Scenic River System. This potential designation requires the National Park Service to manage/protect them as if they were Wild and Scenic until congress brings them into the system or takes them off the potential designation list.


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I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing your book Mother Food. I am one of the mothers you discuss in your book with IGT, better known as Insufficient Glandular Tissue. I was not able to produce any milk for my first baby, for my second I maxed out on 13 ounces a day and with my third child I made a full supply but I was barely cutting it. Your book was recommended to me in an online community. I started reading your blog posts and decided to buy your book. It was the best decision I have ever made! My supply started dipping when my daughter turned 4 months, and I could barely pump enough to send to daycare without pumping around the clock. I read through your book in two days I so desperately needed this information! I started slowly implementing your suggestions one by one and in the first day I was able to make 1 oz more than usual. I then made additional changes to my diet and changed my herbs a bit and made some of the recipes that you have in the book. In 1.5 weeks I am pumping 8 oz more! Also my daughter is very content at the breast and more relaxed! I also took a look at the composition of my breast milk pre-diet changes and post and my milk contains way more fat than before! The best part is, I'm able to produce enough milk for both my daughter and to give to my 2 year old son who has life threatening food allergies. As a result of his severe food restriction he has suffered growth challenges and has lost alot of weight. By using your techniques I can now give him a few ounces of my milk and I am eternally greatful.
The information in your book have been life changing for us. Thank you so much for your dedication to the subject! Sincerely,
Deena Cannistraci
Deena Cannistraci


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The Best of Technology Writing 2007
The Best of Technology Writing 2007 (buy)
Steven Levy, editor
365 pages
University of Michigan Press
When you think back over the events of 2007, AOL's botched release of a massive search data set certainly stands out. Reporters used the "anonymous" data to uncover the identifies of real people, and the entire debacle was a wake-up call to anyone who thought that "data privacy" was only an issue for the kind of people who seek out Jetsons porn.
While the story itself was really something, sharp writing and a reporter's eye for detail produced an article worth saving for posterity. Consider the final paragraph of Paul Boutin's Slate article on the subject:
In college I had to write a version of the classic ELIZA program, a pretend therapist who only responds to your problems ("I am sad") with more questions ("Why do you say you are sad?"). AOL Search, it seems, serves the same purpose for a lot of users. I stumbled across queries like "i hate my job" and "why am i so ugly." For me, one log entry stands above the rest: "i hurt when i think too much i love roadtrips i hate my weight i fear being alone for the rest of my life." Me too, 3696023. Me too.
With the AOL data leak behind us, the passage (and the piece) remain a sharp (and voyeuristic) read. But how to fill an entire book with such material? And what would such a book tell us about the kind of tech writing that matters?
The things that endure
It's easy enough to write about technology; just take a look at the thousands of tech blogs, print publications, and columnists devoted to the topic. But how much of that material will anyone want to read one year after publication? Five years? Ten?
That's one of the questions faced by Steven Levy, the Newsweek senior editor who handles the magazine's "The Technologist" column. As the editor of The Best of Technology Writing 2007, Levy had the job of picking out the year's best technology pieces, the stories that went beyond the spec charts and benchmarks. The collection he curated is highly readable, hugely entertaining, and likely to remain interesting for some time. But it may come as cold comfort to the "wisdom of crowds" boosters and the "who needs journalists when we have bloggers?" school of thought. (For some of Levy's own thoughts on these questions, see my Q&A with him at the end of the review.)
Consider the complete list of media outlets that the book draws from:
- Salon*
- Wired
- New York Magazine
- The Onion
- New York Times Magazine
- Fast Company
- Fortune
- Fixyourthinking.com*
- The Escapist*
- Los Angeles Times
- New Yorker
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- Columbia Journalism Review
- Knowing.net*
- Legal Affairs
- Daringfireball.net*
- Slate*
- Raw Thought *
- The Atlantic
- Edge*
The majority of the pieces come from traditional publications with a prominent print component. Of the online-only pieces (*), almost half are from Slate and Salon, two of the most prominent web-only magazines, the sort that have the money to pay contributors well. When it comes to what we might consider "the blogosphere," there's little representation.
According to Levy's introduction, "the best tech writing is still found where you'd most expect it: top-notch publications that seek out the best writers." This means that blogging, which tends to focus more on daily commentary and criticism than on deep-dive reporting and traditional features, tends to produce less material that's interesting to read a year later.
Though Levy praises bloggers and online-only outlets, he argues that "it is nonetheless true that some blog writing doesn't translate well to the medium of print... But we were able to identify some blog postings that survive the transition—ones where the welcoming platform of the Internet drew out the inner journalist in those so-called outsiders."
But judging by what's included in the book, it's not their "inner journalist" that the best bloggers are tapping, but their inner essayist. When it comes to blogging, voice is key.


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A European Commission on GMO food and feed opt-outs was today (Wednesday) rejected as 'deeply flawed and unworkable' by MEPs.
The Commission's streamlined decision-making process for EU GMO approvals would allow member states or regions to opt-out of GM food or feed, but the legality of such opt-outs was under question.
Alyn Smith, Scotland's voice on the Parliament's Agriculture Committee, said:
"The GM authorisation process is a tricky beast, and I understand the need to reform it. Authorisations proceed despite flawed risk assessments, the opposition of EU governments, and the objections of a majority of EU citizens.
"But we threw out the proposal because it would have given no legal certainty to member states opting out of GMO authorisations. As a lawyer to trade, I know a legally dubious guddle when I see it, and that's exactly what we sent back to the Commission.
"The international appeal of Scottish food and drink is based on our hard-won reputation for clean, green, natural produce and with continued public scepticism on GM crops we would be foolish to put this at risk for the hypothetical potential benefits of an as yet unproven technology. GM science can continue to evolve in the lab, not our environment."
For more information, please see http://www.alynsmith.eu/gm_fight_in_the_european_parliament


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WHO does VITA help?
The VITA Program offers FREE tax preparation and filing services to people who make $66,000 or less and need assistance preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals in local communities. United Way of Greater Lafayette, Purdue University and Ivy Tech offer VITA locations January through April. If your tax return contains any items that are out of scope for our program, we are unable to prepare your tax return.
We will re-evaluate opening the tax site April 1st. Please visit www.myfreetaxes.com or other IRS free file option.
If you are a Purdue International Student looking for tax preparation services you can find information about your taxes here.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Megan Swift at email@example.com
A Traditional appointment will take approximately 1- 1/2 hours depending on the information and you will be with a certified volunteer as they prepare your tax return. A drop off appointment allows you to drop off the tax information (drop off clients must still fill out a completed intake sheet) and the volunteer prepares your tax return while you are away. We want to be sure we have valid contact information on record in case we have questions during the process. Drop offs are completed within 2-3 days. When you pick up your tax information a volunteer will explain the return and how it was prepared and answer any questions you may have.
Make sure to bring with you to your appointment:
- Social Security card or copy for you, a spouse and any dependents
- Photo ID
- All necessary tax documents
- Bank Routing and Account number for a direct deposit of refund
- Last year's tax return if available
what if i want to prepare my own taxes?
If you make less than than $66,000 per year and you would rather prepare your own tax return for free, United Way offers access to My Free Taxes. This tax prep software is powered by H&R Block to prepare your income tax return from the comfort of your home. This site is available to individuals or families with a combined income less than $66,000 in 2018. To get started, you will need:
- A valid email address
- Income Forms (w2's, 1099's, 1098's)
- And other items from the Tax Checklist
If you have a question call the MyFreeTaxes Hotline sponsored by First Merchants at 855-210-3763 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am-4pm EST. For help outside of that time please call MyFreeTaxes at 866-698-9435.