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Study of Carfilzomib for Multiple Myeloma Patients Who Are Relapsed/Refractory to Bortezomib-containing Treatments
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01365559
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : June 3, 2011
Last Update Posted : March 5, 2018
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Results Submitted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
This is a phase I/II multicenter, open label, nonrandomized study for patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM) who will receive treatment with carfilzomib in place of bortezomib using the same bortezomib-containing combination regimen to which a MM patient has progressed while receiving. This study will enroll 45 patients total. These patients will be resistant to bortezomib as demonstrated by progressive disease while on bortezomib or have relapsed within 12 weeks of the last dose of bortezomib in a combination regimen. Patients will be sub-divided into 2 groups in this study, treatments containing (Group A) or not containing immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) (Group B). Thirty patient will be enrolled into Group A and 15 patients into Group B for a total of 45 patients. Patients must have received 4 doses of a minimum of 1.0 mg/m^2 of bortezomib in no more than 4 weeks per cycle. Patients must have received at least one cycle meeting this definition and have shown progressive disease to be considered eligible. Patients who have been refractory to or relapsed within 12 weeks of the last dose of bortezomib in their most recent bortezomib-containing regimen that does not include either thalidomide or lenalidomide are eligible regardless of when patients received that regimen, as long as they meet the above criteria.
Carfilzomib will subsequently replace bortezomib using the patient's most recent bortezomib-containing regimen to which the patient progressed while receiving. Patients will be eligible if they progressed from bortezomib with an alkylating agent (melphalan or cyclophosphamide), an anthracycline (doxorubicin or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) and/or a glucocorticosteroid (prednisone, dexamethasone or medrol)and IMiD (thalidomide or lenalidomide). The study will consist of a screening period, followed by up to eight open label treatment cycles, a final assessment to occur 28 days after the end of the last treatment cycle, a follow-up period and maintenance cycles of single agent carfilzomib.
Patient who complete the combination treatment period without progressive disease will be eligible for maintenance therapy with single-agent carfilzomib. During maintenance therapy carfilzomib will be administered at the same dose given during the last cycle of combination treatment.
|Condition or disease
|Multiple Myeloma
|Drug: Group A: Carfilzomib & Non-IMiD Regimen Drug: Group B: Carfilzomib & IMiD containing regimen.
|Phase 1 Phase 2
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|39 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Phase I/II Study of Carfilzomib as a Replacement for Multiple Myeloma Patients Failing Bortezomib-containing Regimens
|Actual Study Start Date :
|May 2, 2011
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|June 13, 2014
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|March 1, 2016
Experimental: Group A: Carfilzomib & Non-IMiD containing regimen
Bortezomib is replaced with carfilzomib in a combined regimen identical to the patient's previous regimen. Regimen cannot include thalidomide or lenalidomide.
Drug: Group A: Carfilzomib & Non-IMiD Regimen
Carfilzomib will be administered intravenously starting at a dose of 20 mg/m^2 over 30 minutes for the first cycle and will then be increased to 27, 36 and 45 mg/m2 during cycles 2-4, respectively. Doses will be administered IV once daily on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 of each cycle. Cycles will be 28 days in length.
Combination non-IMiD drug is dosed on the identical schedule and dosage as patient was in previous bortezomib containing regimen.
Maintenance regimen maybe administered if patient does not progress while on study.
Experimental: Group B: Carfilzomib & IMiD containing regimen.
Bortezomib is replaced with carfilzomib in a regimen that includes IMiDs (lenalidomide or thalidomide). Thus, the regimen is carfilzomib in an IMiD-containing regimen.
Drug: Group B: Carfilzomib & IMiD containing regimen.
Carfilzomib will be administered intravenously starting at a dose of 20 mg/m^2 over 30 minutes for the first cycle and will then be increased to 27, 36 and 45 mg/m2 during cycles 2-4, respectively. Doses will be administered IV once daily on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 of each cycle. Cycles will be 28 days in length.
Combination IMiD drug is dosed on the identical schedule and dosage as patient was in previous bortezomib containing regimen.
Maintenance regimen maybe administered if patient does not progress while on study.
- Establish MTD, determine DLT and to determine the efficacy as assessed by the overall response rate. [ Time Frame: Montly ]
Phase I:
• To establish the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and determine the dose limiting toxicities (DLT) following treatment.
Phase II:
• To determine the efficacy as assessed by the overall response rate [CR + VGPR + PR + MR] and the Time to Progression (TTP) of disease.
- To establish safety and efficacy following treatment. [ Time Frame: Montly ]
Phase I:
Obtain preliminary evidence of efficacy following treatment based on:
- SPEP, UPEP and quantification of serum immunoglobulins
- Bone marrow aspirates & biopsies
- A roentgenographic skeletal survey of bones
Phase II:
Establish the safety & tolerability following treatment based on:
- Adverse events
- Clinical lab tests
- Vital signs
- Medical history & body weight measurements
- ECOG performance status
- Concomitant medication usage
Both phases:
Progression Free Survival among patients who continue onto maintenance treatment
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
- Have a diagnosis of MM based on standard criteria
- Currently has MM with measurable disease, defined as a monoclonal immunoglobulin spike on serum electrophoresis of at least 0.5 gm/dL and/or urine monoclonal immunoglobulin amount of at least 200 mg/24 hours.
Have relapsed within 12 weeks of receiving or is refractory to their most recent bortezomib-containing regimen as long as they meet the following criteria:
- Progressed from bortezomib-containing regimen either as a single agent or in combination with an alkylating agent (melphalan or cyclophosphamide), an anthracycline (doxorubicin or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin), IMiDs (thalidomide or lenalidomide), and/or a glucocorticosteroid (prednisone, dexamethasone or medrol)
- Bortezomib must have been administered at 4 doses of a minimum of 1.0 mg/m2 in no more than 28 days per cycle. Subjects must have received at least one cycle meeting this definition and have shown progressive disease to be considered eligible.
- Subject who have been refractory to their most recent bortezomib-containing regimen are eligible regardless of when the subject received that regimen, as long as they meet the above criteria and have been off the treatment for > 3 weeks.
Definition of refractory disease: patients who meet criteria for progressive disease while currently receiving treatment.
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
ECOG performance status 0-2 at study entry
Laboratory tests (within 14 days prior to drug dosing on Cycle 1, Day 1)
- Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 10^9/L; if the bone marrow is extensively infiltrated (> 70% plasma cells) then 1.0 x 109/L
- Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL (subjects may be receiving red blood cell [RBC] transfusions in accordance with institutional guidelines)
- Platelet count ≥ 75 × 109/L; if the bone marrow is extensively infiltrated (> 70% plasma cells) then 50 x 10^9/L
- Creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 30 mL/minute either measured or calculated. Subject with a creatinine > 15mL/min and < 30 mL/min due to significant myelomatous involvement of the kidneys may be enrolled in the study after receipt of approval from Oncotherapeutics.
- Adequate hepatic function, with AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) 3 x upper limit of normal (ULN) or 5 x ULN if hepatic metastases are present and serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN
Serum potassium > 3 and < 5
- Written informed consent in accordance with federal, local, and institutional guidelines.
- Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must agree to ongoing pregnancy testing and to practice contraception.
- Male subjects must agree to practice contraception.
- Plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein (M-protein) and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome
- Plasma cell leukemia
- Severe hypercalcemia, i.e., serum calcium 12 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) corrected for albumin
Received the following prior therapy:
- Chemotherapy within 21 days of enrollment (6 wks for nitrosoureas)
- Corticosteroids (>10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) within 21 days of enrollment
- Immunotherapy or antibody therapy as well as thalidomide, lenalidomide, arsenic trioxide, or bortezomib within 21 days before enrollment
- Radiation therapy within 21 days before enrollment, receipt of localized radiation therapy does not preclude enrollment
- Use of any other experimental drug or therapy within 28 days of enrollment
Concurrent Conditions
Impaired cardiac function or clinically significant cardiac diseases, including any one of the following:
- Unstable angina or myocardial infarction within 4 months prior to enrollment
- NYHA Class III or IV heart failure
- Uncontrolled angina
- Clinically significant pericardial disease
- Severe uncontrolled ventricular arrhythmias, sick sinus syndrome, or electrocardiographic evidence of acute ischemia or Grade 3 conduction system abnormalities unless subject has a pacemaker. Prior to study entry, any ECG abnormality at Screening has to be documented by the investigator as not medically relevant.
- Pregnant or lactating females
- Major surgery within 28 days prior to enrollment or has not recovered from side effects of such therapy (Kyphoplasty is not considered to be a major surgical procedure; however, the investigator is to discuss enrollment of a patient with a recent history of kyphoplasty with Oncotherapeutics).
- Acute active infection requiring treatment with systemic antibiotics, antivirals, or antifungals within 14 days prior to receiving first dose of study drug
- Known human immunodeficiency virus infection; baseline testing is not required
- Active hepatitis B or C infection; baseline testing is not required
- Uncontrolled hypertension or uncontrolled diabetes within 14 days prior to enrollment
- Nonhematologic malignancy within the past 5 years with the exception of a) adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell skin cancer, or thyroid cancer; b) carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast; c) prostate cancer of Gleason Grade 6 or less with stable prostate-specific antigen levels; or d) cancer considered cured by surgical resection or unlikely to impact survival during the duration of the study, such as localized transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder or benign tumors of the adrenal or pancreas
- Concurrent use of other anti-cancer agents or treatments
- Significant neuropathy (Grades 3-4, or Grade 2 with pain) within 14 days prior to enrollment
- Known history of allergy to Captisol® (a cyclodextrin derivative used to solubilize carfilzomib)
- Subjects with pleural effusions requiring thoracentesis or ascites requiring paracentesis within 14 days prior to enrollment
- Any other clinically significant medical disease or condition that, in the Investigator's opinion, may interfere with protocol adherence or a subject's ability to give informed
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01365559
|United States, California
|Pacific Oncology and Hematology
|Encinitas, California, United States, 92024
|Pacific Cancer Care
|Salinas, California, United States, 93901
|Central Coast Medical Oncology
|Santa Maria, California, United States, 93454
|James R. Berenson, MD, Inc.
|West Hollywood, California, United States, 90069
|United States, Illinois
|Cancer Centers of America
|Zion, Illinois, United States, 60099
|United States, Indiana
|Franciscan St. Francis Health
|Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46237
|United States, Maryland
|Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20817
|United States, Tennessee
|Family Cancer Center Foundation, Inc.
|Memphis, Tennessee, United States, 38119
|United States, Virginia
|Virginia Cancer Specialists
|Fairfax, Virginia, United States, 233031
|Principal Investigator:
|James R Berenson, MD
|James R. Berenson, MD., Inc.
|Responsible Party:
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|June 3, 2011 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|March 5, 2018
|Last Verified:
|March 2018
multiple myeloma
Multiple Myeloma
Neoplasms, Plasma Cell
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Hemostatic Disorders
Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Blood Protein Disorders
Hematologic Diseases
Hemorrhagic Disorders
Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Immunoproliferative Disorders
Immune System Diseases


text:
CONCAVE - 39 mm, Quartz, sunray dial, steel bracelet
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Fill in the fields below, and we will inform you of the price and availability of the product.
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Concave, by Swiss designer Nicolas Barth Nussbaumer, challenges the traditional design of the modern watch – the dial and case are integrated to give the impression of a single form.
With its brushed steel sunray dial, Concave delivers an element of silversmithing to horology – a flawlessly sculptural piece brought to life through masterful craftsmanship. It is the ultimate expression of elegance and femininity, firmly steeped in the pared down minimalism of the Danish design tradition.
- Item number: 3575576
- Materials: Stainless steel
- Design year: 2012
- Make: Swiss Made
- Movement: Swiss Quartz (ETA 956.032)
- Functions: Hour, Minute
- Water resistance: 3 ATM
- Case Diameter: 39 mm
- Case Height: 7.3 mm
- Case Material: Stainless steel 316L
- Case-back: Snap-in
- Crown: Push-in
- Crystal: Concave, double curved sapphire crystal
- Dial: Silver-coloured sunray steel
- Strap: Stainless steel integrated bracelet
- Clasp type: Jewellery clasp
- Georg Jensen Watch Manual
- Collection: Concave

subset: commoncrawl


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येथे आपला अॅनाबॉलिक सायकल मिळवा
सानुकूल सायकल खाली आपले ध्येय निवडा आणि शिफारसी स्टॅक.
What is the best Trenbolone supplement?
Trenbolone is a powerful anabolic steroid.
Experienced performance-users say it is not for the faint of heart because of its high risk profile.
"Trenbolone पूरक" is bodybuilder shortform for dietary products inspired by Tren that do not contain anabolic steroids.
These herbal supplements can more accurately be labeled natural alternatives to steroids.
They are legal and free of the harsh side effects of anabolics.
Bodybuilders and athletes who opt to use a dietary supplement in place of this steroid do so in the hopes of increasing strength and gaining lean muscle mass without the added risks of using illegal steroids.
This article will review the commonly used Trenbolone supplements including Trenorol and Trenbal. येथे ऑनलाइन Trenorol खरेदी.
मास नफ्यावर
While many athletes and bodybuilders search for "Trenbolone पूरक", it's best to first clear up the misunderstandings behind that phrase.
"Trenbolone supplement" is actually a misnomer as dietary supplements do not contain Trenbolone at all.
आहारातील पूरक, which are legal, can be used as substitutes for anabolic steroids.
This means that while a supplement such as Trenorol is used in place of Trenbolone, the effects of a supplement won't exactly duplicate the Trenbolone results.
Trenorol aims to mimic the effects of Trenbolone.
Trenbolone, which is actually a veterinarian grade steroid, is classified as a Schedule III controlled substances, making Trenbolone illegal to purchase and use without a valid prescription.
Because of its illegal status (and the various Trenbolone side effects), it is no surprise that bodybuilders would be interested in products such as Trenorol.
Trenorol, a supplement sold through Crazy Bulk, is suitable to use in place of Trenbolone.
Crazy Bulk explains that this supplement may improve both bulking and cutting cycles by providing for increased nitrogen retention and improved red blood cell production.
While some bodybuilders convert Trenbolone pills (लहान गोळ्यांच्या) to a DIY injectable, most steroid users opt for the injectable Trenbolone.
Injections have their own risks—pain and tenderness at the injection site, risk of using dirty gear, and risk of inserting the needle incorrectly.
Trenorol, मात्र, comes in capsule form so there is no need to hassle with injections.
When used as suggested, bodybuilders consume 3 capsules about 45 मिनिटे अगोदर बाहेर काम करण्यासाठी.
Trenbolone before and after results show men who are lean and ripped, but according to Crazy Bulk, when using Trenorol in conjunction with a proper diet and workout regimen, bodybuilding results may be seen within 30 दिवस.
Based on reviews from Crazy Bulk customers, Trenorol seems to deliver compelling results without any harsh side effects.
Trenbal is another dietary supplement designed to imitate Trenbolone results.
Note that while Trenbal aims to imitate the positive results of Trenbolone, the manufacturers of Trenbal claim that Trenbal does not impose the negative side effects of Trenbolone. Trenbolone has demonstrated a series of negative effects including:
According to the Trenbal site, individuals should not experience any of the above-listed side effects.
Created from amino acids, एक वनस्पती अर्क (20-Hydroxyecdysterone), and whey protein, this supplement works by boosting protein synthesis which can create muscle gains.
याव्यतिरिक्त, Trenbal has been noted to increase natural testosterone production as well as IGF-1 (मधुमेहावरील रामबाण उपाय सारखी वाढ घटक).
This is important to note because anabolic steroids have a tendency to suppress Testosterone while supplements such as Trenbal do just the opposite.
Using Tren imposes two big risks to those who use anabolic steroids: शक्य साइड इफेक्ट्स (listed in the previous section) and legal consequences.
Using Trenbolone as a performance enhancer is illegal. जसे, buying Trenbolone is then relegated to the black market which then increases the buyer's risk of counterfeit products and / or contaminated products.
याव्यतिरिक्त, the World Anti-Doping Agency lists anabolic agents as substances that are prohibited at all times, meaning in competitions and out of competitions.
Using Trenbolone (or any anabolic steroid) in a competition or sport can lead to disqualification — making all of the effort in preparing in vain.
आहारातील पूरक, दुसरीकडे, can provide natural boosts without the risks of using illegal substances, बनावट उत्पादने, or unsterile gear.
What is the appeal of Trenbolone to bodybuilders and athletes?
Those who choose to use this steroid do so because they believe it can provide increases in strength and lean muscle mass.
Trenbolone results are said to occur because of increased IGF-1 production, नायट्रोजन धारणा, आणि वाढ प्रथिने संश्लेषण.
विशेष म्हणजे, these traits are also listed on the product descriptions of Trenbal and Trenorol… yet those supplements do not carry the negative effects associated with Trenbolone (which makes the supplements much safer choices.)
Trenbolone is available in three versions: Trenbolone अॅसीटेट, Trenbolone Ethanate, and Trenbolone Hexahydrobenzylcarbonate.
Natural steroid supplements like Trenorol and Trenbal should not be considered "कायदेशीर स्टिरॉइड्स" because they are not steroids and do not contain any steroids.
Remember that supplements cannot ever exactly replicate the results of a steroid, but what they do offer is far better: सुरक्षित, कायदेशीर, and natural ways to increase strength, शरीरातील चरबी कमी, and retain lean muscle mass.
Not only are the products themselves safer and legal, but the entire ordering process is much simpler.
No need to find a gym dealer or shady website — both Trenorol and Trenbal can be purchased easily online.
When ordering Trenorol through Crazy Bulk, buyers are made aware that all shipping is free and the entire billing process is safe and secure.


text:
How to Make Duck Chili
(More game types: 1 Player, Cooking, Flash, Food, Girl, Kids, Series)
Duck is an excellent choice for chili since its sturdy flavor complements the savory zest of the seasonings. The red wine adds a depth of flavor, but you can replace it with chicken stock if you prefer. Garnish chili with sour cream and serve with a bowl
This game is played with mouse only.
|Add this media to your blog, MySpace or website!


text:
Irish Moss
Americana Acrylics are water-based, non-toxic acrylic paints that deliver superior coverage with a permanent, durable matte finish.
- All-purpose, premium quality acrylic paint used for decorative painting, home decor, and general craft painting projects.
- Water-based, non-toxic and has a matte finish that can be varnished to create various sheens.
- Designed to be used on almost any surface.
- 2oz size


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One reason to bother watching SportsCenter the past few weeks — aside from watching legal baseball highlights, I guess — is the totally bizarre, always somehow informative "QB Camp" series the network has Jon Gruden hosting for a second year. While, like Gruden, we "don't believe half the [expletive] people on the channel" say, we do appreciate the moments he has so far created with Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert, Jake Locker, and Andy Dalton.
It's been pointed out that these sit-downs create some rather uncomfortable moments for the draft prospects, and while the excerpts above certainly prove that to be true, it's also been a consistently refreshing segment in that it challenges and promotes the expertise of one of the network's talking heads instead of just hyping his celebrity. It's nice to be reminded that Gruden knows some things about football.
And, to his credit and his TV contract, the guy also knows how to craft a soundbite. Let's give all four of these young men an unqualified check in the "Incredibly Patient" and "Unnaturally Tolerant" boxes on their Wonderlic evaluations.
Thank your for your continued support of Deadspin. Hickey is here with you for the games.


text:
Think about why you became a financial advisor. What is the purpose of your practice?
If you are like most financial advisors, you didn't choose this route so you could develop and deploy the latest and greatest back-end IT solutions or plan the smallest details of your next client appreciation seminar. You chose this profession because you enjoy your clients. You enjoy solving challenges, reducing anxiety and fear and helping people achieve and succeed.
From my perspective, I see the purpose of your business as providing financial solutions to meet your clients' needs: making a difference in their lives. You also want to enjoy your own financial and professional success. Would you spend more time dedicated to your purpose if you could spend less time running every aspect of your business?
There may very well be a way to achieve those goals: outsourcing one or more functions that require specialized expertise that may not reside in your business and you are unlikely to hire. Outsourcing certain capabilities can be just as important to your business as how well you personally serve the client.
For example, when you go to the doctor, you go because she was either a referral or because she is qualified within her specialty. Somehow, you've developed confidence in her judgment through the degrees earned, through other patients and through her research and published articles. When you visit the doctor and she draws blood, she doesn't immediately disappear into the lab to process the results. She packages it and sends it to a lab especially for the purpose of achieving that analysis. She's outsourcing this service to specialists who efficiently send back a detailed analysis. The same is true of radiology or physical therapy—you do not lose any confidence in the doctor because you are referred out for particular services. Rather, it is the doctor's way of managing the client service to better understand the issues and deliver desired outcomes.
If you choose to do everything in your business yourself, you may not be able to do everything that is needed for your client. Going back to the doctor analogy, this is why, in certain instances, your doctor may send you to a radiology lab. A doctor doesn't want to do everything and actually realizes that doing everything diminishes patient service and even creates liability. So when she orders a scan, she relies on the radiologist, a specialist, to interpret the results and provide an understanding of the cause of your symptoms. This is not unlike our business, where there's a responsibility for putting client interests first, with managing the money and a heightened standard of ongoing due diligence.
Doctors are professional service providers caring for clients, much like you. Typically, they want to run bigger, more efficient practices. They add staff and internal resources, and the best ones leverage third-party specialist providers. They work smarter, not harder.
What outsourced services do advisors seek? That depends on their strengths and resources. For some advisors, outsourcing asset management or back-end operations may allow them to scale operations and devote more time to client management. There is a growing trend in this area: 31% of advisory firms outsource asset and investment management services, and another 21% are considering it, according to the Genworth Wealth Management Quantuvis Best Practices Study: Business Performance, 2009. Outsourcing these and other business functions—such as IT and even human resources—can increase your business' capacity and revenue.
Because of my diverse background, I tend to see everything as analogies and look at everything through the lens of business process. I encourage you to do the same: examine your business as a set of processes and see where it makes sense to do things in house. From that perspective, you'd probably consider it a poor practice to create a process on which you can't make money and, yet, so many advisors do exactly this. Outsourcing, in my opinion, gives you more opportunity to work with people, build lasting relationships and make a difference in your clients' lives.
As a CEO it's no different for me. I strive to live this concept in my work by constantly leveraging my team. And I think the key to making our company a great partner is aligning our objectives with those of the advisors who work with us: people like you. Ultimately, we both want to make a difference in investors' lives and grow our businesses in the process. We believe in serving those who make a positive difference for their clients.
What is the purpose of your practice?


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What are LM 79 Test Outcomes?
What are LM 79 Test Outcomes?
LM-79 is approved test method for electrical and photometric measurements of Solid State Lighting Products. It describes the procedure in measuring total luminous flux, electrical power, luminous intensity distribution, chromaticity under standard conditions. It covers LED based SSL products with control electronics and heat sink incorporated with AC or DC power supply. This does not include LED chips, LED package or LED module but luminaries (fixtures incorporating light source) as well as integrated LED lamps.
The equipment used in LM-79 is integrated sphere and goniophotometer.
Integrating Sphere Goniophotometer
The test report shall list all significant data for each SSL product tested together with performance data. The outcomes of the LM-79 test are:
- Correction factor applied ( e.g. spectral mismatch, self absorption , intensity distribution etc.)
- Measured total luminous flux( lumen(lm)), input voltage(v), current(a), power(w), Luminous intensity distribution(cd), efficacy(lm/w)
- Color quantities( chromaticity coordinates, CCT, CRI )
- Spectral power distribution
- Bandwidth of spectoradiometer, if spectral distribution and/or color quantities are reported.
- Statement of uncertainties (if required)
- Deviation from standard operating procedures, if any.
Here is the link of a test report issued by our prestigious company. LM 79 Test Outcomes
If you're Buyers Demanding for LM-79 Testing– Contact Now!
Wish this blog post will be help. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us. ITCIndia team looking forward work with you and get better together!
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But why take a 5700 mAh cell (measured at 0.2C, 5900 with lower rate) and mark it as 5500 mAh?
Why take a 55A cell and say it's 5000 mAh?
The only thing that comes to my mind is that they wanted to leave themselves some space to downgrade the cell and still meet their own specs.
Do I think that's the real reason? No, I simply don't know.
Frankly, I find it tempting to buy the knowledge. But buying 4 sets of cells when I just need 1 (cell, not set) is a gross overkill…


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Services on Demand
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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
On-line version ISSN 2078-5135
Print version ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.99 n.12 Pretoria Dec. 2009
A jaw for a tooth
Charles Isaacson
Emeritus Professor of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, email@example.com
To the Editor: I fully support the sentiments expressed by Dr N T Ospovat1 when he criticised the Editor for producing an editorial which has little to do with medicine and much to do with politics.2
It is not the province of the Editor of the SAMJ to embark on a career of political journalism in our journal. He has abused his position as Editor and foisted upon us his naïve and bigoted political views. In most Western countries, the Editor would be asked to resign, in consequence.
He owes the medical fraternity an apology.
1. Ospovat NT. A jaw for a tooth a biased report. S Afr Med J 2009; 99: 546. [ Links ]
2. Ncayiyana DJ. A jaw for a tooth the human rights cost of the Gaza invasion. S Afr Med J 2009; 99: 125. [ Links ]


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S&P 500 ends at new 5-year high, Dow index tried
- Dow hit 5-year high intraday
- Stocks in Europe end higher%2C France index up 1%25
- Price of oil ends above %2495 a barrel after Algeria attack
NEW YORK (AP) – Stocks surged Thursday, with the Standard and Poor's 500 stock index closing at a new five-year high.
Strong reports on housing starts and claims for unemployment benefits made investors more optimistic about the U.S. economy.
The S&P 500 closed up 8.32 points, 0.6%, at 1,480.95 and the Dow Jones industrial average hit a five-year high intraday, but fell back and ended up 84.79 points, 0.6%, to 13,596.02. The Nasdaq composite closed up 18.46 points, up 0.6%, at 3,136.
Andrew Wilkinson, chief economic strategist at Miller Tabak, said the U.S. housing figures, in particular, boost confidence that "a spreading recovery will overflow into broader consumption habits and further permeate the economy."
If the U.S. economy, the world's largest, enjoys such an boost, that would be a boon to the global recovery, and potentially ease problems elsewhere, not least in Europe.
"We think the economy is set for a great 2013 and the stock market looks set to break higher," said Wilkinson.
It's not all clear for the U.S. economy though. Another battle in Congress over raising the U.S. debt ceiling is looming. Ratings agency Fitch has already warned that it may strip the U.S. of its triple A rating if there's a delay in raising it.
In earnings news,Citigroup fell almost 3% after its earnings missed Wall Street's forecasts by a wide margin. The bank's legal expenses rose and it released less money from its loan-loss reserves.
Shares of Bank of America also fell after the bank reported an earnings decline. The bank say it is continuing to work on clearing up old problems at its mortgage unit.
Boeing shares fell after the Federal Aviation Administration said late Wednesday that they are temporarily grounding Boeing's 787 Dreamliners because battery problems led to an emergency landing of an All Nippon Airways flight. The plane makers stock dropped 3.4% the day before.
Stocks started 2013 with a rally after lawmakers came up with a last-minute plan to stop the U.S. going over the "fiscal cliff," a series of tax hikes and spending cuts that economists say would probably have pushed the U.S. into recession.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to its price, rose 4 basis points to 1.88%.
Other stocks making big moves:
— EBay shares ended higher; the online auctioneer reported fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded analysts' expectations. Bargain-hunting holiday shoppers flocked to eBay's online shopping mall and digital payment service.
— CBS stock finished up; the media company said late Wednesday that it was converting its U.S. outdoor advertising business to a real estate investment trust and selling the international portion of the business.
— BlackRock shares gained for the day; the investment manager said its fourth-quarter net income surged, beating analysts' forecasts. The company also increased its dividend.
Markets ended the prior trading session in a mixed mood. The Dow lost ground for the day but the S&P and Nasdaq managed to carve out modest gains.
In Europe Thursday, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares ended up 0.5% while Germany's DAX 30 index finished up 0.6%. The CAC-40 index in France closed up 1%.
Earlier in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 index swung between gains and losses before closing nearly 0.1% higher at 10,609.64. On Wednesday, the Nikkei slid around 2.6% after investors interpreted comments from economy minister Akira Amari as suggesting he was concerned over the sharp fall in the yen in recent weeks.
"That misunderstanding has been cleared up by Amari, who clarified that he meant that the yen is still in the process of correcting back into line with fundamentals," said Lee Hardman, currency analyst at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.
The impact of his comments on the yen was short-lived, with the dollar up 1.5% at 89.92 yen on Thursday. But the euro was 0.7% higher against the greenback at $1.338.
South Korea's Kospi fell almost 0.2% to 1,974.27 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng changed direction after posting morning gains, slipping 0.1% to 23,339.76. Mainland China's Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.1% to 2,284.91 ahead of Friday's economic growth figures, which could provide broader direction across markets on the last day of the week.
Oil prices ended up 1.1% to $95.32 a barrel after being up more than 2% in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.


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TROUBLED WATERS?: Artisan House, Steve Russo's contemporary handbag endeavour, appears to be under pressure.
According to sources, Artisan House, the upscale spin-off of Russo's lucrative children's accessories company Fab Starpoint, has not only lost Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. license, but is also losing employees in various departments, including public relations, marketing, sales, graphics and design. The latest, and perhaps biggest, departure is Dana Foley, cofounder of Foley + Corinna, the quirky lifestyle handbag and apparel brand Russo purchased two years ago.
This story first appeared in the January 11, 2013 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
Russo did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
With a stable of six relatively well-known brands, Artisan House, which launched in late 2011, had emerged as a potential powerhouse in the highly competitive contemporary handbag market.
Although Carlos Falchi had left Artisan for a licensing deal with LF USA in 2011, Russo had Charlotte Ronson and L.A.M.B. signed to multiyear deals. Russo, who previously owned Isabelle Fiore, also bought Danielle Nicole and Foley + Corinna and launched Narr, an upscale exotics bag line.
But last year L.A.M.B. left after sales slumped, and Russo pulled the plug on Narr within three months of its creation due in part to high costs, according to people familiar with the situation.
"A high-end collection doesn't take off in one season," a source said, referring to the quick closure of Narr. "It takes time to nurture and grow."
A Gwen Stefani spokeswoman confirmed that L.A.M.B. is no longer with Artisan, but noted that the split was "amicable." While the brand signed a licensing deal with Titan Industries, Stefani continues to produce her Harajuku Lovers and Harajuku Mini collections with Russo's Fab.
Former employees charged changes at Artisan are related to management's reluctance to invest in growing the various brands.
One source noted that once Russo shut down Foley + Corinna's ready-to-wear operation a few months ago, it was only a matter of time before Foley left the company. Currently, F+C makes only handbags.
Charlotte Ronson chief executive officer Aaron Nir, who still works with Artisan, had high praise for Russo and his team .
"It's not my company, and I'm not sitting there but we've only had positive experiences with them," Nir said. "I think our handbags look amazing and they are at great price point. They got our brand DNA on to the product. It took a little time to get everything up and running but, to our delight, the kinks were worked out."


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Always consult the official Owners Manuals and Guides first.
Content is currently being reviewed to make sure you have the most complete and up-to-date information
Amp and Cab modeling for beginners
Virtual preamps and power amps
Most traditional guitar amplifiers consist of a preamp and a power amp. The preamp usually is responsible for tone and gain, the power amp takes care of amplification and also adds some character of its own to the tone.
The Axe-Fx series and AX8 model both; they are "virtual" guitar preamps and power amps. More than hundred heads, combos and racked preamps have been modeled.
The processors also provide many other effects, they can "reamp" a recorded dry signal, create Tone Matches of real amps and recordings (Axe-Fx only), capture impulse responses (Axe-Fx only), and more.
Read more about the Amp block.
Using a traditional guitar speaker or full-range amplification (FRFR)
There are many ways to enjoy the sounds from Fractal Audio's Axe-Fx and AX8 processors: headphones, studio monitors, IEM, FRFR monitors, power amps and guitar cabs, etc.
Additional amplification is required to get loud on stage. Usually this means using either a traditional guitar cab with a power amp, or a so-called FRFR monitor.
A traditional guitar speaker will give you the familiar and fairly easy to set up "amp-in-the-room tone". It does limit possibilities, because any sound you will create will be colored by the guitar speaker, instead of using flexible cabinet modeling with its unlimited possibilities. When using a traditional cabinet, Cabinet Modeling needs to be disabled in the processor's setup menus.
To feed the guitar speaker, a separate hardware power amp is required. This can be a guitar-oriented power amp, head or combo (this requires disabling Power Amp Modeling in the processor's setup menus), which add its own coloring to the sound (and decreases the possible tonal variations). More popular: a so-called "neutral" power amp (keep Power Amp Modeling enabled), which neutrally amplifies the incoming signal into the guitar cabinet.
Alternatively, you can opt for FRFR sound reproduction: Full Range Flat Response. This requires a FRFR speaker and an external or built-in "neutral" power amp. Studio monitors are FRFR by nature, as well as some monitor wedges and cabs, and high-quality PA-systems. FRFR systems and direct recording require Cabinet Modeling because there's no real cabinet to put the sound through. The Axe-Fx and AX8 have many built-in cabinet models. They also allow loading additional cabs from disk, known as Impulse Responses (IRs) or user cabs. Note that when you're using an FRFR sound system with cabinet modeling, you'll be listening to the sound of a miked speaker, as opposed to a traditional guitar speaker. An IR / cab model almost always represents the tone of a speaker that was captured using one or more microphones placed very close to the speaker (referred to as "nearfield" or "close-miking"). That's a different sound than that of a guitar speaker at a distance ("far-field"). Because of the proximity of the mic to the speaker, the sound of FRFR produces more highs and lows, and has the characteristics of the microphone baked in. It can take a while to get accustomed to FRFR tone, but realize it's the same tone the audience hears through a venue's sound system and when listening to recorded music.
Make the guitar cut through the mix
Important in general, but especially when playing through FRFR amplification: Fletcher-Munson curve. This is the scientific name for the fact that human ears perceive sound at low volume levels differently than at higher levels. At low volume levels people often turn up treble and bass. The Loudness switch on older home stereo systems does just that. At higher levels those controls need to be turned down to prevent harsh and boomy tones and to prevent the guitar from getting lost in the mix (a guitar that competes with cymbals and bass guitar will always loose that battle), turning up the volume won't help. So always dial in your live guitar tones at gig levels, and remember that the guitar is a "mid frequency" instrument.
Solve clipping
Input clipping is not the same as output clipping.
It's okay for the Input LED to "tickle" the red. If it happens all the time, adjust Input Level/Pad in the I/O menu. Be aware that this control is NOT a gain control, it controls the signal-to-noise ratio only and does NOT affect signal level, amp gain or tone.
The Output LED indicates that the signal level in the effects chain is too hot for the digital-to-analog converter. Adjusting the Input Level will NOT solve this. Decrease the level somewhere in the chain, preferably using Level in the Amp block, or in the Output block.
Avoiding parameter paralysis and option anxiety
The sheer number of parameters and possibilities within the Amp and Cab blocks can dazzle the beginner. Therefore it's handy to have a reference tone. The Band-Commander (clean tone) and Friedman HBE (dirty tone) amp models at defauklt settings can serve as such, combined with stock cabinet #103 (Cab block at default settings).


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catching up
So. Things have been busy, both in Africa and here at TiA HQ. First there was the Great Lakes Policy Forum on advocacy and the DRC, then President Obama up and sent American forces to Uganda to fight the LRA, the SEC had a round table on conflict minerals, and, just to keep things interesting, Kenya invaded Somalia. A few brief thoughts on each:
- Conflict Minerals: The GLPF was very interesting, and, like the SEC round table, revealed that there are wide gulfs in ideas from advocates, Congolese citizens, the Congolese Diaspora, and industry as to what needs to happen moving forward with the implementation of Dodd-Frank section 1502. I particularly appreciated Search for Common Ground's efforts to bring together these diverse perspectives in closed sessions on the afternoons of the GLPF conference. However, there is a huge amount of disagreement on things like a timeline for implementation, what to do about the huge number of now-unemployed miners (which Congolese civil society leaders familiar with the artisanal mining sector estimate to be in the 1-2 million range), and what the rules should be for issues as varied as recycled materials, gold, and companies that have tens of thousands of suppliers.
- The LRA. I'm with Wronging Rights on this one; it passes the Love Actually Test and isn't likely to do harm. Contrary to what many Ugandans and others in the region think, the commitment of 100 Special Forces troops in an advisory capacity to track down a really bad guy is not a front for getting Uganda's oil. (Those contracts are almost certainly already for sale to the highest bidder.) Despite divisions within the LRA ranks, this is one of the few instances in which taking out the leader of a movement will largely destroy the organization. It poses a minimal risk to US forces and has the potential to do a lot of good. That said, I think it will still be very difficult to get Joseph Kony, and we shouldn't fool ourselves into thinking that elite American troops will ultimately be able to get him. Kony has a number of tactical advantages and he knows the terrain incredibly well. Satellite surveillance, drones, and the like won't work as he often tends to hang out in areas with triple-canopy tree coverage. It won't be easy, but I don't think this will hurt.
- Kenya/Somalia. It was bound to happen sooner or later, what with the increasingly intolerable massive security threat just over the border. But Kenya's decision to invade in support of Somalia's TFG was somewhat surprising, to put it mildly. But it makes sense; somebody had to take decisive action in Somalia, and with the boots-on-the-ground support they're getting from Ethiopia and the US/French air support (nobody really knows), it might succeed in wiping out a good bit of al Shabaab. That won't lead to a functioning state in Somalia, but it might open the door to thinking about alternative forms of governance for the territory. Plus, a war might have seemed like a useful way to distract Kenyan voters from the government and opposition's ICC problem. However, if terrorist attacks keep happening in Nairobi, there's no telling how Kenyans will react at the ballot box next year. For now, most are scared and hoping for peace.


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Dog licenses to go on sale at Sanibel Recreation Center
Sanibel Dog Licenses go on sale Monday, Dec. 2 at the Sanibel Recreation Center. The cost of a dog license is $10 and proof of a current rabies inoculation is required at the time of purchase. Due to the fact that veterinarians are now giving rabies inoculations with 1-3 year validity, please give the expiration date on the dog license application form and not the date the inoculation was given.
Please remember, we all love our pets, but only service animals are allowed inside the Recreation Center. Additionally, a $5 late fee is charged for any dog license obtained after Jan. 31, 2014.
The Sanibel Recreation Center is located at 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road. Daily, weekly, semi-annual and annual memberships are available. For more information call the Sanibel Recreation Center at 472-0345 or visit our web site at mysanibel.com.


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Judge Robert Schreve had today's final for the Heart of the Plains Kennel Club show in Lubbock TX. The seven who stayed all day to see him were the English Springer Spaniel, GCH CH Hil-N-Don & Canyonwood Seemore Of Me, the 13" Beagle, GCH CH Vinla-Cabaret's Gold Standard, the Mastiff, GCH CH Willow Ridge Risky Business, the Bedlington Terrier, CH Carillon Chazzen De Hayyim, the Maltese, GCH CH Scylla Small Kraft Re-Lit, the American Eskimo Dog, GCH CH Ducat's Smokin' Hot, and the Australian Shepherd, GCH CH Harmony Hill's Money Talks.
Finishing one/two were the Aussie, Cash, and the Mastiff, Kruz. It's the second BIS in 18 final appearances this season for Cash and handler Leon Goetz.


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Voodoo Robotics CEO, Trevor Blumenau, demonstrates the SKU-Station, a workstation kiosk for the warehouse. In the video, Blumenau shows how an ERP or WMS can be used to activate multiple devices at once in a typical Pick-to-Light or Put-to-Light scenario. Integrating with picklists is simple: each line is just a URL call.
Blumenau shared, "This is a new innovation for Pick-to-Light devices. The SKU-Station is an easy way for pickers to organize or begin their picklists. Since the Stations are leased, a warehouse can add as many as needed for busy seasons and then scale back after the rush."
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a collection of devices that are put on the internet, connected to each other and controlled remotely. Voodoo Robotics Pick-to-Light system brings the Industrial Internet of Things to the warehouse with innovative devices that light up with the picker's name, SKU, and quantity to pick.
To view the video, go to: http://bit.ly/2sx3MHB
About Voodoo Robotics:
Voodoo Robotics, (https://voodoorobotics.com) the leading innovator in picking warehouse automation, provides cost-effective technology for warehouse inventory management and order fulfillment solutions. With engineering and robotic expertise, the Texas-based pioneer brings the next wave of state-of-the-art automation to material handling industries.
Voodoo offers a unique lease-based Pick-to-Light system designed to modernize warehouse operations by leveraging the latest IIoT (Industrial Internet-of-Things) technology. The picking hardware integrates effortlessly with existing WMS (Warehouse Management Systems), or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems allowing distribution centers, warehouses, and 3PLs (third party logistics) to scale operations, only paying for the lights needed each month. This revolutionary approach to leasing Pick-to-Light devices on a month-to-month, pay-as-you-go basis avoids long-term commitments and costly up-front fees.
A companion product, SKU-Keeper Inventory Management, is designed for warehouses that do not have an existing WMS or ERP system. Emphasizing simplicity and easy-of-use, the cloud software is also leased on a low-cost, low-risk month-to-month basis.
The company also provides smart, ROI (return-on-investment) driven Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) with an innovative 3D user interface, compatible with Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Safari. The robotic systems are designed, simulated and run, all using a Warehouse Descriptive Language (WDL), a concept invented by the company.
All of Voodoo Robotics products are patented or patent-pending. Currently the company is attracting best-practice, lean manufacturing focused, systems integrators throughout North America. The company is a proud member of MHI. Follow Voodoo Robotics on Twitter at @VoodooRobotics.
Media Contact
Company Name: Voodoo Robotics
Contact Person: Richard Harris
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: (972) 914-8758
Address:701 East Plano Parkway Suite 410
City: Plano
State: Texas
Country: United States
Website: https://VoodooRobotics.com


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Once upon a time, Obama, Biden, Romney, and Ryan were upbeat, well-liked problem solvers. Where did those guys go?
Joe Biden and Paul Ryan were the Capitol Hill veterans known for friendly relations -- sometimes even working relations -- across the aisle. Mitt Romney was the competent pragmatist who turned around the 2002 Olympics and enacted health coverage for almost everyone in Massachusetts. Barack Obama was the youthful symbol of hope and change.
Where are these people and will we ever see them again?
The latest exchange of Campaign 2012 -- Romney calling Obama a desperate, angry candidate running a reckless, hate-filled campaign, and Obama's team responding by calling Romney "unhinged" -- was the most ferocious so far. This is not a campaign destined to enhance reputations. The only question is how much wreckage it leaves behind.
Within two days of being named Romney's running mate, Ryan -- the studious budget nerd -- was on national television saying that Obama had brought "crony capitalism and corporate welfare" to "a whole new level." Romney received a maximum four Pinocchios from the Washington Post Fact Checker for making the crony capitalism charge, and he didn't even mention anything about "a whole new level." Obama campaign aides, meanwhile, have suggested that Romney was indirectly responsible for a woman's death from cancer and that he could be a felon based on inaccurate filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Don't Count on Americans Caring About Ryan's Pet Issues
- Poll: Unregistered and Unlikely Voters Widely Favor Obama
- Romney: Analysts Made 'Garbage Assumptions' About My Plan
Romney is running ads that accuse Obama of gutting welfare work requirements, waging a war on religion, and letting his campaign "use the tragedy of a woman's death for political gain." He has accused Obama of "robbing" Medicare to finance his new health law and leading a divisive campaign "designed to bring a sense of enmity and jealousy and anger."
Obama for his part has an ad saying Romney does not support abortion in cases of rape, incest and when a woman's life is in danger -- a claim that, like Romney's welfare allegation, earned a "pants on fire" rating from PolitiFact. But many of Obama's ads are in fact about Romney's wealth, low tax rate and time heading Bain Capital, and are clearly meant to paint him as out of touch with everyday concerns. The president amplifies the point on the stump, often saying Romney's policies will help the rich at the expense of the middle class.
Biden stokes the populist themes and handles the more personal attacks, perhaps culminating this week with his ill-advised statement to a substantially African-American audience that by "unchaining" Wall Street from regulation, Romney and Ryan would "put you all back in chains."
But while high-decibel attack mode is the norm from both campaigns, there is a difference in how it may impact the individuals involved. Biden is 69 and aiming for another four years as vice president, at which point he probably won't be running for another office. By contrast, Ryan is 42 and has been on a rocket-like trajectory within his party. What will his national or even Wisconsin-wide brand look like after he endures a campaign-trail trial by fire?
Romney survived the GOP primaries by moving right, and even if he wants to, it may be hard for him to recapture his image as a problem-solver. Also, he has been personally delivering most of the character attacks against Obama, a risky strategy that could change now that Ryan is on board. As for Obama, his campaign is playing hardball and he likes to mix it up. In criticizing Romney's policy on wind energy, for instance, he worked in a dig about Seamus, the family dog who according to Romney enjoyed riding in a cartop carrier during vacations.
In a more serious vein, Obama has accused Ryan of helping to block the farm bill, often says he "fundamentally disagrees" with the Romney-Ryan trickle-down economic approach, and describes why in colorful terms that include "fairy dust." It's a less hot-button approach that may allow him to revive what Sarah Palin calls his "hopey, changey" image if he wins reelection. On the other hand, given the acidic jousting between the campaigns and the millions of people seeing hard-edged Obama TV ads every night, there's no guarantee of that.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to email@example.com.


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Consultation is a decisive - if not the central - step towards and project success.
The know-how which we have accrued over the last decades surrounding grinding, polishing and burring comes to application in the evaluation of the new order. Our technologically-established knowledge of application engineering in the area 'fully-automatic surface processing' facilitates the initial pre-selection of the robot and machines as well as a selection of the peripheral units.
Our competent sales marketing staff engages with potential or actual customer requirements and discuss the technical possibilities on the basis of the specified or constructed application examples. They process the spatial aspects, prescribed safety requirements and projected budget conceptions and during a visit to the customer premises, elicit the possibilities of a later final assembly, discussing the logistical details and customer requirements in terms of the after-sales service.
|Info service


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CDS Code:11-62661-0000000
County: Glenn
District: Willows Unified
Please visit the Understanding Results page for a description of the performance levels displayed below.
In order to protect student privacy, an asterisk (*) will be displayed instead of a number on test results where 10 or fewer students had tested.
Number of students by grade for level
Percentage of students by grade for level
Number of students by grade for all levels


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Republicans name their members of the Maine legislative apportionment commission
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � Maine House and Senate Republican leaders have named their state party leader and a mix of lawmakers to the legislative apportionment commission, which will meet throughout the winter and spring to redraw the state's House and Senate district lines.
The GOP appointees are Sens. Andre Cushing III of Hampden and Garrett Mason of Lisbon Falls; Reps. Wayne Parry of Arundel, Matthew Pouliot of Augusta and Amy Volk of Scarborough; Maine Republican Party chairman-elect Richard Cebra, and former House Republican Leader Joshua Tardy, who is the public member.
The Democrats are still working on their list of appointees to the commission.
The Maine Constitution requires redistricting every 10 years in order to ensure that state legislative districts comport with population changes.


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I received a Stiletto 2, subscription, and car pack in December and had no problems installing everything in my car. I've also had no problems picking up stations - until this past week. I can turn on my Stiletto and plug it into my cardock and listen to pre-recorded songs and stations without any problems, but I cannot currently pick up any stations. All my presets say 'No Information', and each station only has silence. I've unplugged my antannae and the power cable to my car dock, and then plugged them back in after a while- but still no success. With the NCAA tournament officially kicking off more than an hour ago, I'm in desperate need to get it working again so I can listen to all the games! And yes- my subscription is still active.
Does anybody have any suggestions on what to do?


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Commodities and Energy/Resources Finance and Investing
Grow your business with Macquarie
We provide funding at different levels of the capital structure, tailored to the specific needs of our clients
Financing solutions for commodity market participants
$US8+ billion
in finance provided to junior mining and energy companies over the past 10 years in more than 40 jurisdictions.
$US2.1+ billion
of working capital financing provided to commodity companies in the Americas and EMEA.
geologists, petroleum and mining engineers provide technical expertise to assess transactions and tailor funding solutions.
Energy capital
Financial solutions for the global energy industry
Providing debt and equity capital for the upstream Oil & Gas industry for over a decade, in both the advanced exploration and early development phases of a project.
Macquarie has been providing financial services to the energy sector with a focus on opportunities in advanced exploration and early development stages for more than a decade. We deliver on client needs across the spectrum, including:
- project development, drilling operations and other measures to increase oil and gas property value
- oil and gas property acquisitions and associated development
- senior loans – borrowing base revolving lines of credit and term loans – agency and participation
- resource play development
- low-risk exploration
- pipelines, plants and other midstream acquisition and development
- expansion and growth capital
- structured supply for retail energy providers
- capital for distressed situations.
We help meet specific business needs through tailored finance products across the entire capital structure. We also provide debt refinancing coupled with capital investment to accelerate clients' development programs.
With technical expertise across a wide array of specialties, we offer clients an added-value service that is unmatched in the industry. Macquarie's team includes technical experts in oil and gas with specialist backgrounds in petroleum finance and accounting, petroleum engineering and geology.
International lending and equity investment capability
- Structured and project finance ("Mezzanine")
- Second Lien Debt
- Public and private equity capital
- Joint Venture Drilling Programs
- Convertible debt
- Uni-Tranche Credit Facilities
- Volumetric Production Payments ("VPPs")
- Senior Borrowing Base Revolving Lines of Credit.
$US20 - $150m
$US5 - $25m
Mining finance
Strong resources heritage
25+ years unbroken commitment financing mining companies involved in the exploration for, or production of:
- precious and base metals
- bulk commodities: coal, iron ore, industrial minerals.
Macquarie has an unbroken commitment of more than 25 years' financing mining companies.
Providing debt and equity capital, Macquarie's unique offering makes it ideally suited as a long-term partner for developers and producers, particularly market juniors.
Including geologists and mining engineers, the team's deep industry experience and technical knowledge enables robust evaluation of opportunities in both the advanced exploration and early development phases of projects.
International lending and equity investment capability
- performance bonds and guarantees
- project finance
- corporate debt
- working capital facilities
- acquisition facilities
- mezzanine loans
- convertible loans
- principal equity
- royalties.
Structured commodity finance
Financing and liquidity solutions
Working capital solutions to help clients finance the purchase and sale of raw, semi-refined or semi-processed commodities.
Macquarie provides funding to a broad customer base at different levels of the capital structure, using various assets as collateral. Our ability to value and manage collateral efficiently enables us to provide optimal financing structures that are tailored to the specific requirements of our clients.
We provide funding solutions for exchange-traded commodities in the form of pre-export finance, borrowing base facilities, inventory finance, mezzanine finance and equity.
Pre-export finance:
- financing of inputs secured against physical production
- combinations with off-take agreements and price risk management solutions also possible.
Borrowing base facilities:
- working capital facilities secured against accounts receivables, inventory, forward contracts, equity and cash
- facilities provided to energy traders (natural gas, refined products)
- structured supply for retail energy providers
- liquidity and credit to support growth and client base
- our facilities combine supply of physical product, hedging and working capital.
Inventory finance:
- working capital secured by title over physical inventory, and delivery certificates.
Mezzanine finance:
- capability to deliver a variety of mezzanine financing structures to clients including natural gas producers and base metal producers.
- close partnerships with several businesses through equity financing
- equity interests in base metals production, ethanol trading, and natural gas production and storage.
Managing risk
Commodities risk management
Explore how we deliver comprehensive trading and hedging solutions for our clients.
Why Macquarie
Deep commitment to commodity markets
Macquarie is a commodities specialist – commodities have been a core business since our inception in 1969
Strong funding and well capitalised position
Find out more about Macquarie's capital and funding position. Learn more
Long-term ratings stability
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text: I'm a single female living in NYC. I got tired of the dating scene, so instead, I read books set in NYC and take myself out on "dates" taking inspiration from the books I've read. My book tours are lots of fun! Way better than the online dating scene I was in. Okay, I admit, I may still dabble in that, but so far it can't compete with my NYC book tours! I hope you'll enjoy them too!


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Last year, we shook things up a bit with our annual "Best of Rural Missouri" competition. After tallying your opinions about the best eateries, destinations and activities on a statewide basis for the contest's first six years, we split the Show-Me State into five regions and asked you to tell us what you love close to home.
Your response was overwhelming, and not just to us. Restaurants and attractions that had lived in the shadow of the state's best-known found themselves in the spotlight for the first time, and reader interest in these new "discoveries" was evident.
At Piggy's BarBQ in O'Fallon, for instance, we learned business jumped 30 percent after the contest winners were announced. As a relatively young business, Piggy's had built a faithful local following, but the regional contest concept gave the smokehouse a statewide stage and new fan base.
We deemed the regional concept a success and decided to stay with it this year, although we did offer several new categories with the hope that you would tell us about the next Piggy's.
Something strange happened, however. Maybe it was voter fatigue after a long election year, or perhaps the categories we offered weren't as appealing. Whatever the reason, the number of votes cast this year fell dramatically. In fact, we received nearly 40 percent fewer completed ballots than last year.
We've always considered the "Best of Rural Missouri" to be a readers' choice contest. When we visit with you at the State Fair and elsewhere, we often hear the contest is one of your favorite items in the magazine. However, the voting this year seems to indicate dampened enthusiasm.
So, we want to know: Is the contest something you still enjoy, or has it run its course? If we decide to continue the contest, how would you like it structured? Send your thoughts to the Rural Missouri Mailbag.
We do need to congratulate Gayle Burke of Bourbon, a member of Crawford Electric Cooperative, the winner of the Best of Missouri gift basket.
Now without further ado, here is the Best of Rural Missouri, by region, in a special four-page pull-out section.
Best Restaurant
Our lone perennial category includes two restaurants — The Pear Tree and Lambert's — that have placed in the contest every year since its inception. No matter where you live in Missouri, these establishments all qualify as dining worth the drive.
Central: Charley's Buffet; 23785 Highway B, Lincoln; 660-668-3806
Unless you enjoy waiting in line, be sure to get to Charley's early. The all-you-can-eat homemade buffet includes all the comfort foods. Open Friday and Saturday evenings only.
Northeast: The Pear Tree; 222 N. Macon St., Bevier; 660-773-6666;
Since it opened in the mid-1980s, The Pear Tree has offered a tantalizing selection of gourmet food and drink, from its famous onion rings and imported batter-dipped lobster tail to its succulent prime rib. Closed on Sundays and Monday.
Northwest (tie): The Railyard Steakhouse; 606 E. Broadway St., Brunswick; 660-548-3300;
www.railyardsteakhouse.comThe Railyard opened in 2007 and has already established a reputation for both its ribeye and prime rib. The rumble of trains on the nearby tracks completes the experience. Open for lunch and dinner on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Northwest (tie): The Aberdeen Steak House; 108 W. Vermont, King City; 660-535-6585
Those who travel to King City to marvel at the towering turbines of the Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm should stop in at this eatery in downtown King City. Hand-cut steaks cooked to order and homemade sides will fill your plate edge to edge.
Southeast: Sybill's Saint James; 1100 N. Jefferson, St. James; 573-265-4224
The same family that once operated Zeno's, the popular Rolla restaurant, opened this establishment in 2007 on the north edge of town. Sybill's seafood and steak selections are impressive, enough so that reservations are strongly recommended.
Southwest: Lambert's Café; 1800 W. State Highway J, Ozark; 417-581-7655; www.throwedrolls.com
"Home of Throwed Rolls." Need we say more? Among Missouri's most popular restaurants, Lambert's offers up its old-fashioned home cooking in Sikeston, too.
Best Barbecue
Whether it's slathered in sauce or dry-rubbed to perfection, Missourians know their barbecue. So it was no surprise to us that all of last year's regional winners won back-to-back honors.
Central: Chuck Wagon BBQ;
13683 Highway 7 West, Warsaw; 660-438-2503
After a day on Truman Lake, there's nothing better than the Chuck Wagon for dinner. "The best I've ever had" is how one Rural Missouri editor describes the ribs, which have the perfect proportion of smoky bark outside and tender deliciousness inside.
Northeast: Piggy's BarBQ;
327 S. Main St., O'Fallon;
636-272-7444; www.piggysbarbq.com
A purveyor of Kansas City-style barbecue, Piggy's offers the best of the classics. Be sure to stop in on your way to a River City Rascals game this summer for "Full Slab Fridays," nearly 3 pounds of ribs for $14.99.
Northwest: Wabash BBQ;
646 S. Kansas City Ave., Excelsior Springs; 816-630-7700;
Housed in the historic Wabash Railroad Depot, this joint should be one of your regular whistle stops when in Excelsior Springs. We recommend the "Piggyback Combo," a sampling of all four of the Wabash's sliced, smoked meats, plus ribs and two sides.
Southeast: Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q; 913 E. Washington St., Cuba; 573-885-6791
Located on old Route 66, the décor at Missouri Hick isn't typical of what you usually find along the Mother Road. The brisket and pulled pork are both moist and flavorful. Sauce is not required, although all of Missouri Hick's homemade sauces are worthy of space on any shelf.
Southwest: Richards Hawgwild BBQ;
22 East Olive, Aurora; 417-678- 4294; www.richardshawgwildbbq.com
Owners Richard and Donna Helgerson refer to theirs as "the finest barbecue this side of Memphis." Their pit-smoked meats certainly would be at home in that Tennessee town. Locals also rave about the barbecue nachos.
Best Fried Chicken
With a seasoned, crispy skin that keeps things moist inside, few foods offer the comfort that a piece of fried chicken affords. Colonel Sanders isn't the only one who can fry a chicken, however.
Central: Landmark Restaurant; 301 S. Main St., Lowry City; 417-644-2349
The Landmark serves up skillet-fried chicken family-style on Wednesdays and Sundays with your choice of three vegetables.
Northeast: Hodak's Restaurant & Bar; 2100 Gravois Ave., St. Louis; 314-776-7292; www.hodaks.com
Ask anyone in St. Louis where to get a plate of fried chicken, and they'll send you to Hodak's. Their famous chicken platter comes complete with four pieces of chicken, as well as healthy portions of fries and cole slaw, all for under $8.
Northwest: Stroud's Restaurant & Bar; 5410 NE. Oak Ridge Dr., Kansas City; 816-454-9600;
Stroud's cooks up chicken like your grandmother did: pan-fried. The old-fashioned preparation may take longer, but the mouth-watering flavor is worth the wait.
Southeast: Cookin' From Scratch; 90 Truman St., Doolittle; 573-762-3111; www.cookinfromscratch.com
Located just off Interstate 44 in a town named for a World War II hero, Cookin' From Scratch serves up a cast iron skillet-fried chicken dinner that satisfies any road warrior.
Southwest: Smith's Short Stop; Bolivar, Collins & Clinton; 417-275-4575
Smith's is a hometown gem that is well-known for its giant breaded pork tenderloins. However, the fried chicken definitely holds its own as the centerpiece of a down-home meal.
Best Pie
Last year, we asked you to pick your favorite place for dessert. This year, we narrowed the category to find the perfect pie. Not surprisingly, many of the winners remained the same.
Central: Lehman's Restaurant; 15830 Highway 5, Versailles; 573-378-4010
This Mennonite restaurant takes the cake for its made-from-scratch homemade pies. You can taste the love and care in every bite.
Northeast: The Blue Owl Restaurant & Bakery; 6116 2nd St., Kimmswick; 636-464-3128; www.theblueowl.com
The Blue Owl offers 42 types of pie, so it's hard to know where to start. We recommend the trademark caramel apple pecan pie, which is made with 18 apples!
Northwest: Corner Cafe; 4541 NW. Gateway Ave., Riverside; 816-741-2570; www.thecornercafe.com
You'll find down-home cooking throughout the Corner Cafe's menu. Patrons rave about their baked goods, including their pie selection.
Southeast: A Slice of Pie; 601 Kingshighway St., Rolla; 573-364-6203
Despite its name, this little shop will be happy to sell you a whole pie. Rural Missouri editor Jim McCarty can't go through Rolla without stopping here.
Southwest: Cooky's Cafe; 529 Main St., Golden City; 417-537-4741
Of the 36 varieties it offers, this diner bakes nearly two dozen types of pie everyday. Pie is available whole or by the slice.
Best Winery
Missouri's wine heritage stretches all the way back to 1837 when German immigrants settled in Hermann. These winning wineries carry on that tradition today.
Central: Les Bourgeois Vineyards; 12847 W. Highway BB, Rocheport; 573-698-2613; www.missouriwine.com
Located on the bluff top above the Missouri River, the state's third largest winery offers 11 wines, including its gold medal-winning Chardonel.
Northeast: Stone Hill Winery; 1110 Stone Hill Highway, Hermann; 800-909-9463; www.stonehillwinery.com
Prior to Prohibition, Stone Hill was the nation's second largest winery. Today, you can tour the cavernous arched underground cellars before enjoying a wine tasting in one of three historic tasting rooms.
Northwest: Baltimore Bend Vineyard; 27150 Hwy. 24, Waverly; 660-493-0258; www.baltimorebend.com
This family-owned winery west of Waverly established its first vineyard in 1997 and offered its first wine in 2003. They grow many grape varieties including Cynthiana, Chambourcin, Chardonel, Cabernet Franc and Vignoles.
Southeast: St. James Winery; 540 Sidney St.; St. James; 800-280-9463;
A recognized leader of Missouri's wine industry, St. James blends technology with tradition to produce more than 130,000 cases of wine each year.
Southwest: Stone Hill Winery; 601 State Highway 165, Branson; 888-926-9463; www.stonehillwinery.com
While its Hermann location may be better known, Stone Hill's Branson location has been entertaining visitors since 1986.
Best Public Fishing Spot
It's always nice to share, but readers weren't too specific when naming their favorite fishing holes. Wonder why?
Central: Bennett Spring State Park, Lebanon; 417-532-4338; www.mostateparks.com/
Bennett is one of three state parks where trout are stocked. Standing in the cold spring water with the park's beautiful arched stone bridge in the background makes a perfect setting to catch a lunker rainbow trout.
Northeast: August A. Busch Conservation Nature Center, St. Charles; 636-441-4554; www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/cnc/busch
Located adjacent to the Missouri River, this conservation area also features 32 fishable lakes and ponds totaling 550 acres with 43 fishing jetties and docks. Boat rental is available.
Northwest: Dalton Bottoms Access, Dalton; 660-646-6122
You'll find good catfishing at Dalton Bottoms, which provides access to both the Chariton and Missouri rivers. Populations of carp and buffalo also make for good fishing here.
Southeast: Meramec Spring Park, St. James; 573-265-7387;
Each day, 96 million gallons of pure, cold water erupt from Meramec Spring and make for terrific trout fishing during the state-regulated season from March 1 to Oct. 31.
Southwest: Roaring River State Park, Cassville; 417-847-2539; www.mostateparks.com/roaringriver.htm
Both brown and rainbow trout attract anglers to Roaring River. The first trout hatchery opened in 1910, becoming a state-owned hatchery in 1929. Trout production began in 1932.
Best Camping
Camping is one of Missouri's favorite pasttimes, whether you pitch a tent or pull an RV. State parks earned a clean sweep of the category this year.
Central: Bennett Spring State Park, Lebanon; 417-532-4338;
Bennett boasts five campgrounds with 15 basic, 128 electric and 48 sewer/electric/water campsites. As is true of all state parks, you can reserve your site online at www.mostateparks.com/campres.htm.
Northeast: Mark Twain State Park, Stoutsville; 573-565-3440; www.mostateparks.com/twainpark.htm
Along with 22 basic and 75 electric sites, Mark Twain has six camper cabins that sleep four adults and two kids.
Northwest: Watkins Woolen Mill State Park, Lawson; 816-580-3387; www.mostateparks.com/wwmill
This site of a National Historic Landmark offers nearly 100 campsites, some of which are open year-round, as well as two showerhouses and a laundry.
Southeast: Sam A. Baker State Park, Patterson; 573-856-4411; www.mostateparks.com/baker.htm
If you're looking to get away, Sam Baker is the place to go. Camp with either Big Creek or the St. Francis River behind your site.
Southwest: Roaring River State Park, Cassville; 417-847-2539; www.mostateparks.com/roaringriver.htm
Two of park's three campgrounds are nestled along the banks of Roaring River. If you don't feel like roughing it, try the park's Emory Melton Inn.
Best Family Destination
Planning to spend your family vacation close to home this year? You can't go wrong with any of the winners in this category.
Central: Missouri State Fair, Sedalia; 800-422-3247; www.mostatefair.com
From exhibits to concerts to the midway, there's not a better way to end the summer. This year's fair runs from Aug. 13-23.
Northeast: Six Flags St. Louis, Eureka; 636-938-4800; www.sixflags.com
If roller coasters are your thing, there are few more exhilarating than Batman, although the classic wooden coaster Screamin' Eagle can't be beat.
Northwest: Worlds of Fun, Kansas City; 816-454-4545;
Not to be outdone, Worlds of Fun's Mamba roller coaster will take your breath away with speeds up to 75 mph.
Southeast: Elephant Rocks State Park, Graniteville; 573-546-3454; www.mostateparks.com/elephantrock.htm
These curious massive monoliths will fill your family with wonder and delight.
Southwest: Silver Dollar City, Branson; 800-475-9370;
As a vacation getaway, Silver Dollar City offers it all — crafts, thrill rides, family attractions and festivals. Who could ask for more?
Best Bed and Breakfast
When you want time for just the two of you, leave the kids at home and let these winners cater to you.
Central: School House Bed & Breakfast, Rocheport; 573-698-2022; www.schoolhousebb.com
Housed in what was once a four-room school, this establishment offers 10 luxury guest rooms all with private baths, including four with jetted tubs.
Northeast: Garth Woodside Mansion, Hannibal; 888-427-8409;
Operated as a bed and breakfast since 1987, here you can stay in the same guest room where Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) once slept.
Northwest: Country Colonial Bed & Breakfast, Jamesport; 800-579-9248; www.jamesport-mo.com/cc/
Take a carriage ride through Amish country and enjoy this 1865 Colonial style home. Country Colonial offers three rooms, each with private bath.
Southeast: Rose Bed Inn, Cape Girardeau; 866-767-3283;
With a Mississippi River view from its rooftop, the Rose Bed offers three guest rooms as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Southwest: The Dickey House Bed & Breakfast, Marshfield; 417-468-3000; www.dickeyhouse.com
A stay at this turn of the century Greek Revival mansion comes complete with a gourmet breakfast. Take your pick of seven well-appointed guest rooms.
Best Holiday Display
We left the holiday up to you, and you selected Christmas light displays for your winners:
Central: Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach; 800-826-8272
Tan-Tar-A's Winter Holiday Lights Festival Celebration features lighted displays and trees along the resort's winding entryway.
Northeast: Fort Zumwalt Park, O'Fallon; 636-379-5614
The park's Celebration of Lights is a drive-through holiday display where each scene is designed and funded by local organizations, churches and businesses. Started in 1991, it attracts more than 8,000 vehicles each year.
Northwest: Country Club Plaza, Kansas City; 816-753-0100
An annual tradition for nearly 80 years, the best viewing options for the Plaza Lights include the rooftops of Halls, McCormick & Schmick's, Starker's Reserve Restaurant, The Intercontinental Kansas City Hotel and the second floor of Barnes & Noble.
Southeast: Cape County Park, Cape Girardeau; 573-335-4146
This park's display began in 1987 as a cooperative effort between the County Park Board, the County Commission and the Arts Council. Displays vary from decorated memorial trees to elaborately lighted scenes and traditional winter holiday symbols.
Southwest: Silver Dollar City,
Branson; 800-475-9370
The attraction's five-story, special effects Christmas tree is covered with 300,000 lights that glow and flash in unison to music.
Best Equestrian Destination
When it comes time to saddle up, here are five must-visit trails.
Central: Berry Bend Equestrian Campground, Warsaw; 877-444-6777; www.nwk.usace.army.mil/ht/Camp-BerryBendHorse.cfm
Maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Berry Bend is the trailhead for nearly 25 miles of developed trails around Truman Lake.
Northeast: Cuivre River State Park, Troy; 636-528-7247; www.mostateparks.com/cuivre.htm
Follow the seven-mile Cuivre River Trail to the top of Frenchman's Bluff, or enjoy the fern and moss-covered hollows of Big Sugar Creek Trail.
Northwest: Poosey Conservation Area, Chillicothe; 660-646-6122
Twelve loop trails of 25 miles are maintained for riders. Equestrian riding is allowed north of Highway A.
Southeast: Cross Country Trail Ride, Eminence; 573-226-3492
Set on the banks of the beautiful Jack's Fork River, Cross Country Trail Ride is an Ozarks experience that shouldn't be missed.
Southwest: Bear Creek Trail Rides, Walnut Shade; 417-337-7708
This family-owned business offers one- and two-hour trail rides through spectacular scenery along Bear Creek.
Best Wedding Spot
When it's time to say "I do," any of these locales will do.
Central: Bridal Cave, Camdenton; 573-346-2676; www.bridalcave.com
Local folklore tells of a legendary Indian wedding ceremony held in the cave in the early 1800s. Today more than 2,000 couples have exchanged vows in the stalactite-adorned cave.
Northeast: Thousand Hills State Park, Kirksville; 660-665-6995; www.mostateparks.com/thousandhills.htm Complete your union with the park's Forest Lake in the background. Point Shelter is the most popular spot in the park for a ceremony.
Northwest: Powell Gardens, Kingsville; 816-697-2600;
Whether you choose to hold your nuptials in the garden's Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel or the Perennial Garden Arbor, you'll be surrounded by natural beauty.
Southeast: Chaumette Vineyards & Winery, Ste. Genevieve; 573-747-1000
Nestled in the hillside trees, St. Vincent's Chapel on the vineyard's grounds provides an unforgettable setting for a wedding.
Southwest: Stonegate Glass Wedding Chapel, Walnut Shade; 417-443-5083;
With a combination of stone, steel and glass, this chapel overlooking the beautiful Ozarks mountains offers a truly romantic atmosphere.
(click on map for a larger image)


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Xenomorphs are horrifying opponents — but they're also a great teaching tool.
Back when Alien: Resurrection was in theaters, science teacher Lali, aka @LalSox, realized the Alien life cycle was a great way to teach high school students about the plant life cycle. Until she brought up facehuggers and chestbursters, students tended to be confused about how a plant's life cycle worked. "They were completely befuddled by 'intermediate' asexual generation," says Lali. "They just couldn't get past it."
Plants cycle between a sporophyte form and a gametophyte form. During this cycle, there are both asexual (one parent) and sexual (two parent) reproduction. A mature sporophyte produces spores by meiosis. These spores grow up to be gametophytes. That's the asexual part. Now for the sex! Our gametophytes make gametes, which come in male and female forms. The pairing of a male and female gamete (two parents) produces a zygote, which develops into a sporophyte.
With plants, we've got a product of sexual reproduction (sporophyte) undergoing asexual reproduction to produce a gametophyte that undergoes sexual reproduction to bring us full circle to sporophytes. Just like in Alien, explains Lali. "The facehugger is asexual and lays a pod in a host to make a new xenomorph," she says. "Our xenomorph is sexual, with the queen making eggs that grow into facehuggers."
From the first time Lali compared the plant cycle to the Alien (xenomorph) cycle, it's worked like a charm. "They totally got it [plant reproduction] after that." It's likely that her artistic abilities also helped her students. With a background in art and science, she's able to produce a drawing of a plant and Alien life cycle for her students in a few minutes during a lecture.
It's been 15 years since Alien: Resurrection, but @LalSox has found that at least half her students know all about this xenomorph. "Alien makes a huge impression," she says. "Each stage of that creature is so terrifying that there's no way you can forget it." Plus the soon-to-be-released Prometheus has dramatically increased the number of students that are familiar with the Alien life cycle, says Lali, which makes plant reproduction lessons a snap.
Here is one good reason for Hollywood to grow the Alien franchise -– it helps students to understand how plants grow.
Life cycle of bryophytes, one of the four mayor types of land plants
Images: provided by @LalSox


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Share(d) Freedom
The ONAK canoe brings freedom within reach. It is a perfect travel companion after a tiresome day at the office, during a weekend outing or on a nice vacation. And what's even more beautiful, friends are invited to come along. Shared freedom, that is what ONAK is all about.


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S.2452 - Climate Stewardship Act of 2019116th Congress (2019-2020) |
BillHide Overview
|Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (Introduced 09/10/2019)
|Senate - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
|Latest Action:
|Senate - 09/10/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (All Actions)
This bill has the status Introduced
Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To President
- Became Law
Subject — Policy Area:
- Agriculture and Food
- View subjects
Summary: S.2452 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)All Information (Except Text)
A summary is in progress.


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Title : Double Dragon 2: The Revenge
Publisher : Acclaim
Developer : Acclaim
Genre : Beat 'em Up
Players : 1 / 2 Players
Release Date : 1990
Estimated Value (as of today's date) : $15 - $20
Oy! Every so often I look at my blog, and think to myself, "Damn, I need more free time to update it like I used to." Don't worry, folks. I promise, more updates will be coming soon. Still trying to combine the blog and the youtube channel, and it's hectic as hell with work and all that good 'ol personal life business. Seriously, I wish I could just game 24/7, ha!
And a reminder - here's a link to my youtube channel. Actually have a 150 sub contest going on, so if you want a chance to win some free video games, be sure to check it out!
150 SUB CONTEST - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w62TK_01Y60
Last time we did a NES review, we were rocking out on one of the most memorable (and most difficult) beat 'em ups, DOUBLE DRAGON. Well, BIMMY AND JIMMY are back, and this time they are going to get some revenge. After all, Marian just got shot, and well, that doesn't bode to well for the Mysterious Warrior. I really wish they kept the same name as the arcade version for the main antagonist.
I mean, come on. MYSTERIOUS WARRIOR....or MACHINE GUN WILLY. Then you'd have BIMMY (billy), JIMMY, and WILLY. Is it me, or was there some sort of obsession with names ending in "y"
Hope you guys are thirsty for some beat 'em up love, because we're going in hot.
While I am a huge fan of the Double Dragon series, I have to say I really regret some of the changes that were made from the ARCADE versions to the NINTENDO. I know they had some limitations, but idiotic things like name changes, and even level / enemy designs sort of irk me. I always wished they stayed as true to the original as possible, but you know what I guess you also have to think about it as a fresh start for the 8-bit systems. An opportunity to adapt on an already huge success. With that said, let's get started.
As stated earlier, the famed martial artists Billy and Jimmy are off to get revenge over the death of their lady friend Marian. I really think Marian is sleeping with both of them, but that's just me. You'll have to battle your way through 9 pretty large stages in order to face your final foe, and trust me when I say you'll have tears streaming down your face from the incredible difficulty this game challenges you with.
I swear, you would think these games would get easier as you play them, but nope. They are relentless. At least this game gives you the opportunity to access the entire move sets instead of "leveling up" your characters which is somewhat of an advantage. Still, you need to learn how to properly use these moves as well as adapt to the somewhat irritating hit detection. At least it was better than the first game.
Compared to the first game, the fighting mechanics and controls are a lot smoother, and even the animations feel a bit more fluid. There's a nice variation in enemy design, with a few changes made from the arcade version that gave enemies access to various weapons, adding a bit more uniqueness to the way the NES version was developed. It was always nice to see an enemy hitting you over the head with a pipe.
Still, I feel like the easiest way to defeat an enemy in this game is to just spam special moves and make sure you don't get trapped at the edges of the screen. Either that, or grab them with a nice knee to the face. Doesn't always work though, so you have to be careful. Choose wisely, spam buttons and hope you get the first punch in, or be calm and cautious with each enemy you face.
One thing that CONTINUED to irritate me was the platforming elements. A beat 'em up does not need this, and the controls are NOT made for it. It's like that damn jump in the original TMNT game near the end where you have to be in a precise spot to make some dumb ass one gap jump. Just let me beat the crap out of people, I don't need to make jumps. I'll jump when I want to kick.
From a brilliant soundtrack, to much-improved controls, to a difficulty setting that'll make you cry to your mommy and then scream with joy when you finally beat the damn game, DOUBLE DRAGON 2 offers quite a bit for the average NES gamer.
It's one of those games that you just want to invite your friend over and ask, "You ready? ARE YOU READY!?" - grab a beer, play the game, and ignore your loved ones as you spend an hour or two trudging your way through each level. Oh that glorious feeling when you reach the cut scenes between levels, that were a very nice addition by the way. It actually made you feel more connected to the Lee's story.
Stay tuned for the next NES review, where we finish off the DOUBLE DRAGON series with #3...my personal favorite.
Final Score (out of 5) :
Until Next Time, Keep On Gaming!


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The Beastmaster
Beastmaster is classic of early '80s swords and sorcery films. Providing all of the staples of the genre, as well as providing some head scratchingly original material. Although it's one of those action films that you really need a sense of humor to appreciate, (Beastmaster is a total B movie) there is a coherent enough story line, interesting characters, and some pretty decent effects for the time, making it clear why this film has, over the years, gained a growing cult following. The Beastmaster begins with 3 disfigured witches peering into a cauldron and casting spells. After seeing a vision, they inform Maax, an evil high priest (Rip Torn) that he will be slain by the king's unborn child. Maax, in order to sacrifice the baby, sends one of his witches late at night to the child's bedside with a cow. The witch transfers the baby into the cow's womb with magic and escapes with the child to a remote place. Just as the witch is finishing her ritual, about to deal the killing blow, she herself is killed by a passing peasant with a bladed boomerang.
The peasant then returns to his village with the child and begins to raise the boy. In his childhood the boy, now named Dar, discovers that he has a telepathic ability to speak with animals and see through their eyes. Soon after the boy Dar becomes a fully grown Beastmaster, played by Marc Singer, his entire village is destroyed by savage, animalistic, barbarians. Dar then does the only thing any respectable Barbarian, animal controlling, orphan would do. He begins a quest for revenge.Continue Reading


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827E Inverter System
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