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Friday, March 30, 2012
tropical fish candles
I get a lot of requests from customers looking for unique shapes, like lobsters, sand dollars, star fish.... trout.
I make notes and do a few searches to locate molds for their desires but I often come up empty.
Last year I was able to pull out my fish molds and start pouring them by request of someone who needed "a few tropical fish, nothing fancy" She was delighted with them and I enjoyed making them so much I added them to my pour rotation for summer.
I love the soft beachy colors and the rustic finish.
Posted by wax lover at Friday, March 30, 2012 No comments:
Labels: beach wedding, fish candles, floating candles, sealife
Friday, March 23, 2012
turtle candles
I've been making these little turtle candles for over four years and I just realized that I've never shared them here.
These waxy reptiles aren't going to get that make-over like the other critter candles. I really like this style of finish.
They are poured into multi-cavity molds using a white core wax and then dipped in a green wax. Their eyes are painted black eyes before getting a coating of glaze. A long process, but worth it!
Glowlite Candles online
Posted by wax lover at Friday, March 23, 2012 No comments:
Labels: turtle candles
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A good hard look
and a time for change
Around 5 or so years ago I purchased the molds and equipment from one of the last great american candle manufacturers. I had no plans to make any of the novelty pieces that came with the purchase but after playing around with them getting a feel for how they were made, I found that I was enjoying myself too much to let them all go.
I decided to mimicked their candle making techniques and marketed them wholesale similar to how they did, not only to honor their customer base which was use to a certain style, but also because making the candles that way was really fast to produce.
But times change..and I think it's time to incorporate my own style into the wax sculptures.
The first piece to have a change is the mom and baby giraffe candle. Elephants, sealife and dragons are soon to follow.
I hope you like them as much I do.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Floating silver & gold star candles.
I was suppose to have these shimmering star candles out for the 2011 Christmas holiday season, but with so much going on they were pushed aside.
The next thing I knew it was Jan and those star candles were still sitting on the back counters collecting dust and being forgotten about completely. Valentine day was consuming my time and it wasn't until two days ago I noticed the trays of cores.
A core is what I call unfinished candle. I decided to make a short video on dipping the cores and creating the metallic like finish.
These candles have an extra long burn time of over 8 hours and since they have a coating of silver or gold wax over them..it might take a bit of patience to get them lit. The coating of wax is thick and it will need to melt a bit off the wick before it can fully ignite.
Posted by wax lover at Monday, March 05, 2012 No comments:
Labels: floating star candles, gold star, silver star
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Perfect Match(boys only)
I made the one for girls, now here comes the one for boys! These personalities are completely made up. It's multiple choice so you can either choose who you want or who best fits your personality. ENJOY!!!
published on February 28, 201432 responses 0 5.0★ / 5

subset: commoncrawl


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Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill has turned up the heat ahead of Saturday evening's 1872 Cup decider by declaring that the days of Glasgow Warriors being the darlings of Scottish rugby are over.
The Englishman has presided over Edinburgh's best season in a decade and his side go into the weekend's inter-city showdown at BT Murrayfield knowing that a single point will be enough to secure a place in the Guinness Pro14 play-offs and a return to the elite European Champions Cup next season.
Those twin objectives may already be in the bag if Ulster fail to achieve a bonus-point win at Munster earlier in the day but, even if that is the case, Cockerill wants to see his men strike another blow against their Scottish rivals, take the 1872 Cup and send the message that Edinburgh's tanks are firmly on Glasgow's lawn.
"That gap between Glasgow and Edinburgh is closing all the time," said Cockerill. "The days of them being so dominant, and getting all the best players, and being the favoured son – those days are over. We're catching them quickly and we want to get this rivalry as tight and as sharp as ever."
Edinburgh have been firmly in Glasgow's shadow for some time now as the Warriors have thrived at Scotstoun, won a historic Pro12 title in 2015 and made inroads into the knockout stages of the Champions Cup.
In contrast, Edinburgh have been in a malaise on and off the pitch as they have struggled to find consistency, identity and a suitable home.
Cockerill has made an immediate impact in his first season and has taken his team to third place in Conference B and on the verge of sealing a quarter-final trip to face Munster.
Glasgow have cruised to top spot in Conference A and secured a home semi-final but the former Leicester and Toulon coach, who extended his two-year deal by a further year last week, has warned that Edinburgh are gunning for that top-dog status.
"When I came here it was about getting the best out of this group. Now that we slowly are, we've recruited well for next year and need to go again," said the ex-England hooker.
"I want Edinburgh to be a strong model so if there are players coming back to the country, young players coming through, project players arriving here, I want them to be wanting to choose Edinburgh over Glasgow.
"It's the capital city. It's a great place to live and we want to offer the best rugby team and the best environment to develop. Why should I not be bullish about that? Because if I won't no-one else will.
"That's where we want to be. I'm not going to be shrinking violet. We want to be getting the best players, the best young Scottish players wanting to be here. Historically we haven't attracted them or we haven't wanted them. Which is not right. I'm here to drive Edinburgh forward and makes us as strong as possible."
Glasgow could have done Edinburgh a favour last weekend but lost 36-15 to Ulster, with the Irish province's bonus point keeping their slim hopes of pipping Edinburgh to the top three alive.
"It just means that we have to go and bash them [Glasgow] doubly hard this week because there's more on the game," was Cockerill's response.
"We'll know what we need to do by the time we kick off because of the way the day is formatted, so our destiny is in our own hands. I don't want to rely on anybody doing us a favour."


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iLoveMemphis – Lean And Dab
iLoveMemphis (iHeartMemphis??) drops the official dance video for the super catchy "Lean and Dab."
Is it iLoveMemphis or iHeartMemphis?? Earlier this month the rapper released the official music video for Vine sensation "Hit the Quan" under the moniker iLoveMemphis, but with his latest smash "Lean and Dab" he is back to iHeartMemphis.
At any rate, Memphis released "Lean and Dab" a few weeks ago and this week he came through with the official dance video.
College football coaches across the country have started dabbing in attempt to bond with their players. Cam Newton is one of the most prolific and able-bodied dabbers on the planet, but his celebratory dabbing has allowed people like Chris Berman to catch wind, and now Chris Berman is dabbing on national television. No one asked for this. However, the dab still goes hard as proven by this "Lean and Dab" video.
Which Memphis track is catchier, "Lean and Dab" or "Hit the Quan?"


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Natural Stones
Premium selected natural stones just for THE ONYXE Bracelets. Howlite, jadeite, sandstone, hematite, agate, opal, tiger's eye are all natural stones that we use in order to provide the most luxurious looking bracelets for Different natural stone consists of different elements which help satisfy and aid in our different aspects in life. We will update this page as we update our selection of stones for you all.
Moonstone is especially protective of those who travel by night or upon the water when the moon is shining. Frequent travelers should keep one in the glove compartment for safe night driving and as protection against road rage.
Moonstone opens the heart to nurturing qualities as well as assisting in the acceptance of love. It is an excellent crystal for first or new love, and is a comforting talisman if love must be kept a secret. It was also believed to be able to reunite loved ones who had parted in anger.
Moonstone is also the stone of love and eroticism, stimulating the kundalini energy and carnal desires. It is the ultimate fertility crystal. A Moonstone necklace worn during lovemaking at full moon harmonizes the body into the natural lunar cycle.
Amethyst has a myriad of natural aids for the body. Like Tourmaline crystals, Amethyst gemstones produce small, detectable magnetic fields. Since your body also has a magnetic field, the Amethyst and your body can exchange energy with one another.
Amethyst is Quartz, which means that it is capable of increasing the size of your biomagnetic field by 100% within seconds of standing in its presence. This can replenish lost energy eroded by depressive episodes or physical harm. It can also increase your energy levels.
Malachite has a great number of attributes that make it a wonderful stone to be used for metaphysical purposes, in particular its power to protect you from negative entities.
Its action to protect you from negative energies is one of its most powerful attributes as it creates a strong barrier around you energetically. These green crystals have an excellent action to aid you to take action, and to make changes in your life where required.
It aids creativity, enhances the development of your intuition, and is a strong stone for the heart... both for the physical heart and to aid your healing emotionally. This green stone has an impressive energy that is very effective for psychic protection. It is known to embody a powerful attribute that conceals your energy field from negative entities.
Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz is a very protective and grounding stone. It brings physical and psychic protection. It is also an excellent stone for protection from negative energy, as It removes negativity and negative energy of any kind and transforms them to positive energy.
As a root chakra stone, smoky quartz enhances survival instincts, and can help one reach personal and business goals. It is also used in assisting in making wishes come true by grounding their essence in reality. Thus, it is a stone that brings abundance, prosperity, and good luck.
Tiger's Eye
This is an excellent stone for abundance and prosperity. It is a stone of balance, and it will help you to more easily see both sides of a situation. It would be helpful for you to have on you, if you are a negotiator or mediator in any situation. This natural crystal balances the brain, so it may be of benefit to help those who are suffering from mental disease or with personality disorders.
Tigers Eye stone is something of a contradiction in many ways. While it is an energizing stone it will calm you. It will ground you, yet allow you to go to the highest levels and make contact with the golden light. It is the balance within the stone that is its most practical attribute.
The Mayans and Aztecs believed that jadeite could cure pains in the side of the body. This is where the name "jade" originated, since early Spanish explorers named it "piedra de ijada", meaning "stone for the pain in the side". The Chinese named jade "yu", meaning "heavenly stone", "imperial gem" or "precious gem", and in China, jadeite symbolizes goodness, beauty and purity, they are also considered to be so precious that there is a Chinese saying that goes, "gold is valuable; jade is priceless".
Jadeite is thought to possess health-strengthening properties and encourage longevity. The Chinese often carve jadeite into traditional figures that bring further meaning, such as dragons, which are symbols of power and prosperity. In feng shui, jadeite is thought to influence prosperity and health. Jadeite is thought by the Chinese to possess healing properties, and bangles that are carved from a single piece of jadeite are thought to protect the wearer.
Blue Sandstone
Blue Sandstone symbolizes enterprise, success, victory and glory; which can enhance the power of leadership and strong and be able to enhance the body's good spirits, drive out evil spirits; clear the mind and relieve the pressure. The brilliant stars shining in the dark blue sky bring courage, confidence and willpower and boost vitality and energy.
Opal Stone
Opal is a stone of inspiration which enhances imagination and creativity. It can bring inspiration to projects and to life and Spirit. Its own spirit is at times like that of a child spontaneously playing, dashing color where ever it pleases. Carrying this imaginative spontaneity into the realm of you life can bring strong creativity.
Mentally, opal is said to enhance memory. It is also used to decrease confusion.
Traditionally in crystal healing opal has been considered good for headaches, eyesight, Parkinson's disease, blood, insulin regulation, PMS, and the immune system. Note that healing crystal meanings are spiritual supports to healing and are not prescriptions or healthcare information.
Hematite is said to be very helpful to aid problems in the blood system, and blood disorders such as anemia, and are known to be helpful to assist you to absorb iron.
This crystal is said to aid in the formation of new red blood cells, as it helps the production of blood within the bone marrow and it has a good action to ensure that broken bones or fractures heal properly. If you use it at the solar plexus also known as the power chakra, this energy may enhance your willpower and personal magnetism.
It will help to boost your self esteem and help you to feel better overall emotionally and physically. It may also help to establish peace and harmony in your life.
Agate is a stone of strength. It was used by the Ancients on the breastplates of armor to give warriors strength and make them victorious in battle. Energetically, it is considered to give strength in both battle and physically.
Agate enhances creativity and strengthens the intellect, making it a beneficial stone for both students and artists. It is also known as a good luck stone. As a stone of harmony, one of the things agate does is balance yin/yang energy.
Agate increases energy. However, because it is a grounding stone, it does not increase energy at all times, but rather enables bursts of energy as needed. In this way, agate is a conservation stone, and enhances longevity.
Howlite is a super-calming stone and many people use it to relieve stress of all kinds. It makes an excellent antidote to insomnia due to an overactive mind.
Focusing on a piece of howlite can assist in journeying outside the body and gaining insight from past lives. Placed on the third eye, it opens memories of previous times and lifetimes.
Healing properties of Howlite
Relieves insomnia
Balances calcium levels
Strengthens teeth and bones
Lava Rocks
Lava rocks are rich in minerals from deep in the earth's core. Born of fire, these molten creations raise to the surface and become porous creations of earth. Fire is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with the qualities of energy, assertiveness, and passion, while earth was commonly associated with qualities of practicality, restraint and materialism.
Like the Moon is almost invisible in sunlight, so is silver hidden amongst the golden rays of goldsmith's decorations and always fells onto second place. Silver items were used to maintain health and support internal processes, but not for the prestige and to attract attention.
Contrary to gold, silver is secret metal that brings an aura of internal changes, a metal that slowly and gently helps us and slowly changes us from the background.
Health properties of Silver
Silver has excellent antibiotics and sterilization effect. It has a toxic effect on some bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Silver can balance other elements in our body, so it is very important to our health.
It keeps our blood vessels elastic and it is important for bone formation and healing, skin formation and repair.
Some studies show that silver rings can reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Silver can send out vessel heat quickly, so we can see that the silver has great effect on the prevention of some diseases.
Silver has toxicity function, which can change the color of the silver. When silver meets some toxic substance, it will turn into black or other colors. So you can use silver to examine whether the substance is toxic or not.
Some of the above health benefits are still ongoing dispute, but it is really widely used in making medical equipment. So it is undeniable that silver has health benefits in some degree.
People have long known that an alloy of gold and silver is a powerful health improver. Silver and gold-plated cutlery and crockery can disinfect food and water from harmful substances. Our ancestors knew that and used silver spoons to feed children. Coins of silver, when placed in water tanks, kill bacteria.
GoldWith unique healing properties, gold is capable of attracting heat to the body, which is important when the body produces insufficient amount of energy. It is preferable to have old gold items of round shape. For example, family gold jewelry passed on from generation to generation have an ability to accumulate energy potential. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to part with them. In ancient times, gold was considered a powerful remedy to strengthen spirit and prolong life.
Health properties of Gold
Gold is an all-natural mineral that is non-toxic and exhibits no interactions with other drugs, and is easily tolerated by the body.
Gold is a great de-stressor; since ancient time gold has been recommended for lifting up your mental attitude and emotional states
Gold helps in improving blood circulation which in turn regulates the oxygen flow to every part of our body
Gold helps to regulate your body's temperature control mechanism which protects us from outside temperature variations and boosts immunity.
It has been observed by doctors, and confirmed by research that wearing gold jewellery next to the skin can improve and alleviate rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in a significant proportion of sufferers


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Lives crushed as adoption program halted
Australian couples who have been waiting for years to adopt a child from Ethiopia say they are devastated by the Government's decision to suspend the program.
The Federal Attorney-General has put the adoption program on hold because of concerns over a request from Ethiopia that Australia enter into a formal aid agreement as part of the arrangement.
Adoption agencies and prospective parents say they and hundreds of children have been left in limbo for no good reason and they are calling for the suspension to be lifted.
In the past 10 years more than 450 Ethiopian children have been adopted to Australia and many more families are interested in adopting an Ethiopian child.
But stringent screening measures and quotas mean they typically face waits of five years or more between expressing interest and being allocated a child.
The Government says it suspended the program following a request from Ethiopia that Australia enter into a formal agreement to provide community development assistance as part of the deal.
The Government is concerned that would breach the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption which guards against improper financial gain from adoption.
Gaylene Cooper, president of the Australian-African Children's Aid Support Association that supports families going through the adoption process, does not understand why such an assistance package cannot be formalised.
"I understand that they have the concerns and I understand what they are. However, you know with regards to sponsorship, I don't really associate that in that way," she said.
"The question that we have asked of the Attorney-General's Department is how do other countries get around this?
"Australia seems to be the only country that seems to have an issue with this."
Ms Cooper says she is not confident the program will be restarted.
"And that is why we're fighting so hard," she said.
'Crushing' news
Teacher Alex Grieve and her husband Rod have been going through the adoption program for six years.
About 16 months ago their application was finally sent to Ethiopia to be matched with a child.
But then came the news that the Australian Government had suspended the adoption program.
"We were expecting around a two-year wait in Ethiopia but you never know, we were thinking about the 18-month mark that we were expecting to get a call," she said.
"Unfortunately, we got to 16 months and got the call that the program was suspended, which wasn't the news that we were after at all."
Ms Grieve says she is devastated by the news.
"It's been pretty crushing, pretty hard. This is our only option to become parents," she said.
"We've invested six years of our life into this program. We've embraced Ethiopia, we've embraced the culture, our family and friends have become involved in the program with us.
"This is a lifetime commitment. This isn't a decision that was just made and so we're pretty crushed."
'Like someone has died'
Bronwyn McNamara, a chiropractor from the Sunshine Coast who first expressed interest in adopting a child five years ago, is also devastated by the decision.
"My husband says it's just gutted him. It's like someone has actually died," she said.
"Last year, his father died at this same time of year and my husband says he's feeling the same types of levels of grief trying to deal with this decision that's been made.
"I want them to lift the suspension, let those children over there in that orphanage now be allocated to the families that they're meant to be allocated to in Australia and let the process run and then put in place any systems that they need to to keep meeting the Hague Convention."
Ms McNamara says her life has been on hold while she waits to hear if she has been matched with a child.
"Every decision we make every day about anything, whether it be buying a new car or refinancing something, our business choices, everything has been on hold for five years effectively because every decision you have to make is one where you think, well, today we don't have children but tomorrow we could be in Ethiopia picking our children up."
The Attorney-General's Department is currently carrying out a review into the Ethiopian adoption program.
A spokesman for the department said an announcement about the future of the program was expected to be made next year.
Topics: adoption, community-and-society, family-and-children, government-and-politics, federal-government, international-law, australia, ethiopia
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By Managing Director, Fiona Mulhall.
OnTracks has been offering thousands of Model and Hobby products from our website since 1999. The family owned business is proud to offer you a complete range of Model Railway, Slot cars, Plastic Kits, Radio Control models and all the tools and accessories you could need. We consider ourselves the first stop for Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, Tamiya and thousands of other model and hobby products
Since it's start as a website retailing Hornby model railways, we now operate three divisions. Those being:
- OnTracks.co.uk Our retail business - led by this website but also supporting mail order and personal shop sales. We continue to be one of the leading Model and Hobby retailers in our chosen fields. We offer 35,000 different model and hobby products.
- OnTracks Wholesale - our Importation and Distribution wing which is the UK Representative to a number of prestige and famous brands including those owned by Hornby plc - Lima, Rivarossi, Arnold, Jouef, Electrotren & MKD together with other model brands from across the globe.
- OnTracks Services - our latest enterprise which provides warehousing and fulfillment services to a range of clients. These include PR firms, Magazine publishers and the Preserved railway groups.
So our firm has grown from a part time business to one which fills two Units at our Business Park and peaks each Christmas with 23 staff. We serve customers throughout the world every year - and people just around the corner.
Many are by no means 'typical' modellers - in fact many are probably shopping with us for the same reason which caused me to start OnTracks! Back in 1998, I was off trying to buy a Christmas present for my husband - I felt intimidated by the old, dusty shop and decided there had to be a better way to display and sell specialist products - I was fortunate enough to have a technically minded husband, and some very good and supportive friends and family - the rest as they say is history.
We've received praise from many customers, suppliers and accolades from business organisations and the government. Including the Microsoft Award for Innovation in 2005.
From starting with 700 products from Hornby, our site has grown to offer about 20,000 products over a diverse range of model and hobby products - plus surprising items such as Children's Educational products. Our two warehouses now hold many of the most popular items, but our huge sales volumes of the complete range of items we offer, means we order and receive regular weekly supplies from all our importers.
Our team still take the same care in selecting your order from the warehouse and packing it as we did the very first order - I'm proud to say our first member of the team still works in our packing bay each week.
So, please enjoy wandering through our site - if you know what you are looking for the left hand menu's provide the quickest route to product groups, if you are new or not yet quite sure check out the Gift Ideas and Library buttons at the top of the page. And if you don't have time to buy today, then I can recommend subscribing to our Newsletter - where we chat each month about new or interesting items rather than simply 'selling' to you.
Have Fun!
Have Fun!
Fiona Mulhall
Managing Director
Fiona Mulhall
Managing Director


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I think most of us still have to fight the urge to shrug when someone mentions a gaming console that runs on Android. The Ouya left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth when that console didn't turn out the way many hoped it would, and while gaming on Android certainly hasn't died, set top boxes running Google's mobile OS aren't really marketed for gaming anymore. EMTEC's GEM Box, however, uses mobile gaming as one of its selling points and allows you to play your Android games and apps on a big screen, and tries to compile a bunch of your entertainment options into a small box with a price to match. Let's take a look and see if this little box is worth the $99 admission price.
The GEM Box is a tiny 3.26×3.26×0.94-inch box that has a Quad Core 1.5 GHz CPU, an ARM Mali-450MP6 GPU, 1GB of built-in memory (expandable by installing a micro SD card) running on Android 4.4 Kit Kat, and is able to play most common audio and video formats natively, including MP3, FLAC and OGG for audio and AVI, FLV, M4V, MKV, MOV, MP4, MPG and WMV for video. It also has WiFi capabilities and Bluetooth built into it and ports for Ethernet, HDMI, and one USB controller.
The Box
Inside the box you will find the GEM Box unit, an AC adapter, HDMI cable, ethernet cable, and a quick-start guide to get you through the (very straightforward) set-up. Due to the GEM box's size, it's easy to set it up wherever you want, and the relatively little amount of cables probably won't make managing the cables of all your devices harder than it has to be.
Bundled with the GEM Box is a proprietary controller you can use to navigate the system's menus or play games that you've downloaded. Its design is very close to the Xbox 360 controller we all know and love, but the build quality of the GEM Pad isn't even remotely close to being as sturdy as Microsoft's controllers. It has a little switch on the button that lets you switch between mouse mode and controller mode, which works well enough, although I did get the sense that the controller became unresponsive for a few seconds after switching from one mode to the other. When you're using the device to navigate the menus, you're best off using the controller and a USB keyboard to do most of the heavy lifting. You can type with the controller thanks to an input menu that is reminiscent of the one you get in Steam's Big Picture mode, but plugging in a keyboard will make things much easier on you in the long run.
With its small design and unassuming color scheme, the device doesn't really catch your eye in any way, shape, or form. All it is is a little set top box with a blue lower-right corner acting as a switch on/off button. Its tiny size also makes it easy to take the GEM Box with you wherever you go since the device fits in your pocket easily.
Software and Apps
As I mentioned before, the GEM Box uses a by now outdated version of the Android OS, which means that some of the apps you might want to download from the Google Play Store can't be downloaded since they require a newer version of Android to operate. However, because it's running Android, you could always look up the .apk for the app you want to use, but it's far from ideal. The GEM Box also doesn't seem to want to upgrade to a newer version of Android, probably because the GEM Box's OS is built around Android 4.4 and it's not possible to update to a newer version of Google's mobile OS. Media center apps like Kodi and PLEX do run on the GEM Box, so you can use the device to access and play media over your home network. The device's own OS is clean and usually snappy, and makes use of the tons of customization options you get on an Android device. This means you can take advantage of all the Google apps like Gmail, Gcal, and so forth.
EMTEC is pushing the GEM Box as a hybrid between a media center and a games console, and allows you to download and play mobile games from the Google Play store or from the built-in GEM Store (or stream them from your PC to your TV), which lists a bunch of games for you to download from the Play Store but optimized to work better with a controller, since navigating the actual store with the controller can be a bit of a pain. While that functionality is pretty neat in and of itself, the GEM Box feels like a very underpowered device when it comes to the games. The GEM Box came with Asphalt 8 (and 3 other Android games, as well as several emulators so you can play old handheld games) preinstalled, and while the game was certainly playable, the GEM Box has trouble maintaining a constant frame rate, and I noticed frequent dips below 30 fps while playing the game. Now, I know all games are not created equal so your mileage will vary depending on how graphically intensive the game you want to play is, but it does go to show that 3D games have a hard time running well on the GEM Box—newer ones especially.
The solution to this, maybe, is GameFly. GameFly is a service that allows you to stream PC games from their servers to the GEM Box, allowing you to play big AAA titles on your TV via the device, provided you have a connection that can handle the amount of data needed to stream a high-resolution and graphically intensive PC game. The service also has a monthly subscription fee attached to it, which may put you off, although you get a 1 month free trial with your purchase of the GEM Box.
The GEM Box offers a few really neat features in a very small package. I can definitely see this being used as a media center for you and your family, but what it all comes down to it, it's a device that has already been surpassed by the mobile phone industry and chances are that your phone is capable of running more kinds of apps better than the GEM Box can. If you're primarily a PC gamer who wants to take gaming from his office to his living room, you might be better off giving the Steam Link a go and save around $40 in the process. If HD gaming and in-house stream are either things you don't want to do or don't have the money for, then the GEM Box is a great option to bring budget gaming and streaming to your living room. If you already have these things, then the GEM Box has very little to add to your arsenal.
The GEM Box has a MSRP of $99.99 and can be ordered from EMTEC's official website on September 9.
The GEM Box was provided to us by the manufacturer for the purpose of this review.


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Fri 1 December – Liverpool Echo Arena, Liverpool
Sat 2 December – First Direct Arena, Leeds
Sun 3 December – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Mon 8 December – Manchester Arena, Manchester
Tue 9 December (Evening and Matinee) – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Thu 10 December– Genting Arena, Birmingham
Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Cars fly, trees fight back, and monsters are on the loose in Harry's second year at Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! This concert features the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in high-definition, on a giant screen, while a live orchestra performs John Williams' unforgettable score. Relive every magical moment as the music brings life to a story that has bewitched the world.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING'S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s17)


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Hotel Missoni is hiring through the local ads
January 3, 2011 4 Comments
I found this to be very weird. A hotel with Missoni's reputation should hire through recruiting companies, and not through the local paper ads. Not a cool move at all.
Anyways, here's the link to Hotel Missoni Kuwait.


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Husband: Stephen Crosby BARNUM 1
Born: 1844 at: Brewster, Putnam, New York 2 Married: at: Died: 7 JUL 1909 at: East Orange, Essex, New Jersey 2 Father:Joshua BARNUM Mother:Catherine Ann DUSENBERRY Other Spouses: NOTES
Wife: Aurelia MORTON 1
Born: at: Died: at: Father: Mother: Other Spouses:
Name: Stephen Crosby BARNUM 2 Born: at: Married: at: Died: at: Spouses:
Name: Joshua BARNUM 2 Born: at: Married: at: Died: at: Spouses:
SOURCES 1) Genealogical Record of the Barnum Family 2) Obituary in the New York Times
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
AncientFaces - Family History Photos
©1998-2011. The format of this website and all original statements and narrative included on it are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Factual information may be freely quoted for use in private genealogical research when accompanied by a full source citation, including the date of acquisition. Click here to view the format of a citation for an Internet resource. The publication of large extracts from this site in any form requires prior written consent.


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Important: If you haven't been to Sub Scene since before Nordic Fest 2015, remember that Sub Scene has moved to a new location!
Nordic Fest is being held at Sub Scene, a venue located in the very heart of Oslo. It is located at Rosenkrantz' gate 17, 700 meters from its former location.
Being a venue that does not serve alcohol, and therefore having no age-limit, it also appeals to the younger crowd with a passion for music.
Sub Scene has its own bar/cafe (Sub Cafe) with a great selection of various beverages and snacks.
Parking places are however limited around Sub Scene, so expect a little bit of walking.
Nordic Mission will be selling vinyls, CDs, DVDs, t-shirts, hoodies and cassettes at the venue. This is your chance to get yourself colllecters' items, a masterpiece, the latest news or the albums you have always wanted!
We are also invited to join the service at SubChurch on Sunday 16:00.
From city center follow Rådhusgata, pass the Akershus Fortress and turn right on Rosenkrantz' gate.
View route on Google Maps.
Follow Karl Johans gate to the Grand Hotel, then turn left on Rosenkrantz' gate. The venue is then on your right side after 200 meters.
View route on Google Maps.
There will be accomodation available for the Nordic Fest visitors at the Holy Rider's cave outside Oslo. You will be able to take the bus from the venue to the Cave (from "Rådhuset" to "Fiskevollen"). Buses go at 00:15 and 02:09 and cost 30 NOK. We will arrange so that a guide will join each buss so everyone gets to the cave.
The accomodation in the cave MUST be pre-booked!
The price of NOK 85,- per night includes a simple breakfast.
Please note! There are no showers in the cave (but hey, who needs one?)
Drive south of Oslo on E18 Mosseveien towards Göteborg.
After 10 km you will arrive at Ljanskollen where the road turns from 2 to 4 fields.
Just before the road turns to 4 fields get off and cross the E18.
When you get to the roundabout turn hard right to a narrow road that will lead you to the Holy Riders Cave after a few hundred meters.
Rikard Røise
Telephone: +47 472 95 759
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text: I apologize if this question has been answered previously. My Model S 60 now has a max range of 190 miles after 17 months and about 21,000 miles. This represents an almost 9% degradation from the rated range of 208 miles. I have typically charged to nearly the max of the "daily use" range, and have only done a handful (5-6) maximum "trip" charges in the lifetime of the car. Can anyone tell me if this amount of degradation is normal? From what I can tell from other posts, more typical degradation would be 4-5%. Thanks, Andy


text:
I just received my first response from Office of Chief Counsel regarding a request for a favorable exercise of prosecutorial discretion under the Obama administration's new deportation review policy.
My client is an asylum seeker who has been subjected to multiple instances of past persecution on account of sexual orientation, and fears future persecution if forced to return to his native country.
My client entered the United States legally; maintained lawful status for a number of years; has no adverse criminal history; is highly educated; had previously maintained lawful employment in the United States; and is currently engaged to a United States citizen. Unfortunately, the Obama administration still does not recognize same sex marriages for eligibility for immigration benefits.
I contacted Office of Chief Counsel to inquire whether they would be willing to favorably exercise prosecutorial discretion by moving to dismiss proceedings under the new deportation guidelines.
The answer was no, and that no consideration would be given.
I then asked that if dismissal was not an option if administrative closure would be considered pending a determination on the Attorney General's remand of a deportation case involving an individual in a same sex marriage.
Another flat no.
As I predicted: Business as usual for the Obama administration's deportation machine.
About The Author
Matthew Kolken is a trial lawyer with experience in all aspects of United States Immigration Law including Immigration Courts throughout the United States, and appellate practice before the Board of Immigration Appeals, the U.S. District Courts, and U.S. Courts of Appeals. He is admitted to practice in the courts of the State of New York , the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
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text:
Hey past Bike Rally Riders!
Don't wait until our 20th anniversary to register to ride to Montreal! We're still looking for riders for this year – Sign up today!
Here are our Top Ten Reasons why you should ride again this year:
- Montreal is celebrating its 375th birthday. Party!
- You don't want to lose your Bike Rally tan lines from last year (well, maybe you do).
- Get in shape for summer! Start burning those calories ASAP on our Training Rides.
- With the rainy spring we've had, you've watched everything on Netflix.
- This year's high water levels mean everyone gets a premium waterfront campsite!
- Two words: Dairy Queen.
- A smaller Bike Rally means shorter lines for the showers (and less competition for shower mates).
- You've really missed yelling and hearing "on your left"
- Your plans for a summer "staycation" are starting to look really boring
- PWA needs your fundraising help whether it's Bike Rally 19, 20, or 21.
As long as there's a reason (or ten of them) there's a ride.


text:
Enjoy fine food, snappy cocktails, and exploring restaurants, farmers markets and subject of the hour - street food? Then you should give RESTAURANT CITY a whirl.
Restaurant City (made by Playfish) is an online social game where you can open your own restaurant and enjoy the trials and tribulations of dealing with menus, guests and overflowing restrooms all the while employing your friends as waiters and chefs.
It's one of the top 10 most popular games on Facebook with over 10 MILLION people having installed it so far in the past 3 months .. that means 10 MILLION restaurants have opened in 3 months. One's not lacking for choice of eateries. Here you can try it out directly on Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/restaurantcity/?pf_ref=x1035
And with a wealth of different decorations, furniture and equipment to choose from you can make your mark with a completely unique restaurant. You can visit your friends' restaurants too and even trade ingredients with them to help you create a menu.
give it a whirl .. it's a ton of fun. You can find it at http://www.playfish.com/?page=game_restaurant if you don't have a Facebook account


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Immunity against infection with Listeria monocytogenes is not achieved from innate immune stimulation by contact with killed but requires viable Listeria gaining access to the cytosol of infected cells. It has remained ill‐defined how such immune sensing of live Listeria occurs. Here, we report that efficient cytosolic immune sensing requires access of nucleic acids derived from live Listeria to the cytoplasm of infected cells. We found that Listeria released nucleic acids and that such secreted bacterial RNA/DNA was recognized by the cytosolic sensors RIG‐I, MDA5 and STING thereby triggering interferon β production. Secreted Listeria nucleic acids also caused RIG‐I‐dependent IL‐1β‐production and inflammasome activation. The signalling molecule CARD9 contributed to IL‐1β production in response to secreted nucleic acids. In conclusion, cytosolic recognition of secreted bacterial nucleic acids by RIG‐I provides a mechanistic explanation for efficient induction of immunity by live bacteria.
The innate immune system is an evolutionary conserved first‐line defense mechanism against invading infectious microorganisms. Recognition of microbial infection is achieved by innate immune sensing receptors that mount an appropriate immune response to eradicate either the infecting microorganism or the infected cells. These sensory receptors are found in all cellular compartments, that is, at cell surface membranes, endolysosomal membranes and in the cytoplasm (Saitoh and Akira, 2010). Membrane‐anchored toll‐like receptors (TLRs) recognize conserved microbial structural elements or particular nucleic‐acid structures and trigger signalling through the adapter molecules MyD88 or TRIF for induction of gene expression eventually resulting in a pro‐inflammatory anti‐microbial response (Beutler et al, 2006). While the specificity and localization of TLRs support surveillance for infectious microorganisms upon contact or upon endo/phagocytosis, cytosolic immune sensory receptors allow for immune surveillance of those pathogens that gained access to the cytoplasm of the infected cell (Meylan et al, 2006; Franchi et al, 2009). These cytosolic receptors comprise so‐called NOD‐like receptors (NLRs) that include receptors such as NOD1 and 2 recognizing bacterial peptidoglycans, receptors recognizing microbial RNA such as RIG‐I and MDA5 as well as receptors recognizing microbial DNA such as AIM2 (Meylan et al, 2006; Shaw et al, 2008). These cytosolic receptors trigger production of type I interferon (IFN) and can induce formation and activation of inflammasomes, a multi‐molecular complex that leads to caspase‐1 mediated processing and release of the pro‐inflammatory mediators IL‐1β and IL‐18, that are critical for anti‐microbial defense (Mariathasan and Monack, 2007; Schroder and Tschopp, 2010). Recently, access of bacterial nucleic acids into the cytosol of infected cells was shown to be essential for generation of anti‐microbial immunity (Sander et al, 2011). The detection of such bacterial nucleic acids within the cytoplasm was linked to viability of infecting bacteria (Sander et al, 2011), indicating that the immune system tailors pathogen‐specific immune responses by discriminating between dead and viable bacteria. However, the immune sensory receptors involved in protective cytosolic immune sensing have remained undefined.
Here, we use Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram‐positive intracellular bacterium, that infects phagocytic and non‐phagocytic cells and serves as a prototypic pathogen to study immunity against intracellular pathogens (Edelson and Unanue, 2000; Pamer, 2004; Hussey et al, 2009), as a model organism to define the parameters critical for the ability of the innate immune system to discriminate between dead and viable pathogens. It is well known that only viable Listeria that gain access to the cytosol but not heat‐killed L. monocytogenes (HKLM) or mutant Listeria failing to enter the cytosol generate protective CD8 T‐cell immunity (Barry et al, 1992; Lauvau et al, 2001). Apart from its recognition by TLRs, Listeria infection is detected by the cytosolic innate immune receptors NOD1 and NOD2, which induce autophagy and initiate inflammation (Edelson and Unanue, 2000; Yano et al, 2008). Cytosolic Listeria infection is further sensed by NLRP3, NLRC4, NAIP5 and the DNA receptor AIM2, which lead to inflammasome activation and IL‐1β release (Corr and O'Neill, 2009; Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2009; Kim et al, 2010). In addition, second messengers of bacteria, such as c‐di‐AMP and c‐di‐GMP, secreted by cytosolic Listeria initiate IFN production through the signalling molecule STING (Kato et al, 2005; Woodward et al, 2010). While recognition of structural bacterial elements by innate immune receptors was clearly demonstrated (Edelson and Unanue, 2000; Yano et al, 2008), it remained poorly understood how Listeria DNA or RNA, which are located within infecting bacteria, could be detected by cytosolic nucleic‐acid sensing receptors. Autolysis of bacteria has been suspected to be responsible, but is unlikely to serve as efficient and sensitive detection mechanism (Sauer et al, 2010). Here, we identify the essential role of secreted Listeria nucleic acids in cytosolic immune sensing of viable bacteria through the RNA sensory receptors RIG‐I and MDA5 in addition to STING‐mediated recognition.
The RNA sensory receptors RIG‐I and MDA5 in addition to STING detect cytosolic L. monocytogenes infection in macrophages
Infection of macrophages with L. monocytogenes is known to induce pro‐inflammatory cytokines. Mutant Listeria lacking listerolysin (Δhly), which fail to enter the cytosol after phagocytosis, elicited even more IL‐6 and TNF in macrophages than wild‐type (wt) Listeria (Figure 1A). Even HKLM elicited some expression of TNF. Consistent with earlier observations (O'Connell et al, 2005), Δhly‐dependent IL‐6 and TNF expression required TLR signalling because MyD88−/−, TRIF−/− or MyD88−/−/TRIF−/− macrophages failed to produce these cytokines (Figure 1A). However, only viable wt Listeria induced IFN beta (IFNβ). As Δhly and wt Listeria differ with respect to the ability to invade the cytosol, we reasoned that the involvement of cytosolic sensory receptors may explain the differential expression pattern of pro‐inflammatory mediators. In line with this hypothesis, we found that MyD88−/−, TRIF−/− or MyD88−/−/TRIF−/− macrophages maintained IFNβ expression after infection with wt Listeria (Figure 1A; Supplementary Figure S1A), indicating that TLR signalling was not essential for IFNβ induction (O'Riordan et al, 2002; Stockinger et al, 2004).
A role for STING in the detection of Listeria infection and in particular the recognition of cyclic di‐AMP/GMP secreted from Listeria for induction of IFNβ has been demonstrated (Kato et al, 2005; Ishikawa et al, 2009; Woodward et al, 2010). Other cytosolic pattern recognition receptors known to induce IFNβ are the RNA‐sensory molecules RIG‐I and MDA5. We tested the contribution of these immune sensory receptors in macrophages isolated from STING, RIG‐I and MDA5 knockout mice. In principle, all macrophages from these mice were responsive to stimulation by different ligands (Supplementary Figure S1B). To account for any strain differences in responsiveness to stimulation, we always compared macrophages from knockout mice with macrophages from their wt littermates. We found that IFNβ expression in response to Listeria infection was significantly reduced as expected in STING knockout macrophages (Figure 1B; Supplementary Figure S1C) (Kato et al, 2005; Woodward et al, 2010). However, there was a significant reduction in IFNβ production in RIG‐I−/− and to a lesser extent in MDA5−/− macrophages (Figure 1B; Supplementary Figure S2A and B). Absence of RIG‐I caused a more pronounced reduction in IFNβ than absence of MDA5, suggesting that induction of IFNβ upon sensing of viable Listeria was in addition to STING mediated predominantly through RIG‐I. Time‐kinetic analysis revealed that there was no IFNβ induction in STING−/− macrophages at 4 h after infection whereas IFNβ mRNA was detectable at this time point in RIG‐I−/− macrophages (Figure 1C), indicating that induction of IFN via STING is triggered earlier than RIG‐I‐mediated IFN induction. As the ligands for STING, that is, c‐di‐AMP and c‐di‐GMP, are secreted by cytosolic Listeria (Woodward et al, 2010) we wondered whether RIG‐I and MDA5 ligands were also secreted by live Listeria and would thus activate cytosolic immune sensory receptors.
Listeria secretes RNA that triggers IFNβ expression through RIG‐I in macrophages
Here, we observed that L. monocytogenes secretes nucleic acids during the exponential growth phase in a cell‐free system. DNA (<2 kb) as well as RNA (<2 kb) revealed by DNAse or RNAse treatment prior to nucleic‐acid quantification was detected in cell supernatant or bacterial lysates (Supplementary Table S1). There were more of these nucleic acids in cell‐culture supernatant after 4 h of culture compared to bacterial lysates from the same culture (Supplementary Table S1). To investigate the importance of such nucleic acids that were secreted from Listeria for induction of IFNβ, we transfected secreted RNA (seRNA) into macrophages. After seRNA transfection, macrophages deficient for the adapter molecules MyD88 and TRIF showed no change in IFNβ induction (Figure 2A; Supplementary Figure S3A). These results suggested that recognition of seRNA occurred mainly by cytosolic sensory receptors. seRNA induced much more IFNβ upon transfection into macrophages than RNA from Listeria lysates (lysRNA) (Figure 2B). Whereas a plateau in IFNβ expression was already reached by 80 ng of seRNA, no such saturation was observed for lysRNA at the concentrations tested here (Figure 2B). We excluded that lysRNA actively suppressed signal transduction by adding increasing high amounts of lysRNA to seRNA in transfection experiments (Supplementary Figure S3B). Assuming a homogenous transfection rate for all macrophages was achieved in our experiments this would mean that ∼10 fg of Listeria RNA per cell was sufficient to trigger IFNβ expression.
To investigate which immune sensory receptors were involved in the detection of the secreted Listeria nucleic acids, we analysed the contribution of cytosolic immune sensory receptors. As RIG‐I, MDA5 and STING were involved in the sensing of cytosolic Listeria infection, we investigated the contribution of these sensors for the detection of seRNA. Transfection of seRNA into wt, RIG‐I−/− or MDA5−/− macrophages revealed the dependence of IFNβ expression on the presence of RIG‐I and to a lesser extent on MDA5 (Figure 2C; Supplementary Figure S3C). Transfection of seRNA into STING−/− macrophages, however, resulted in similar IFNβ production compared to wt macrophages (Figure 2C; Supplementary Figure S3C). This demonstrates that STING was not involved in RNA sensing and that no c‐di‐AMP/GMP was contaminating seRNA. We further excluded a contamination with c‐di‐AMP/GMP by treating secreted nucleic acids with snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVPD). Furthermore, there was no difference in IFNβ production of RIG‐I−/− or MDA5−/− macrophages compared to wt macrophages following exposure to c‐di‐AMP/GMP (Supplementary Figure S3D) which further supported the notion that no overlap exists between these signalling pathways.
To further characterize the interaction of Listeria RNA with RIG‐I, we determined the ability of seRNA and lysRNA to directly activate the recombinant human RIG‐I. seRNA bound to and activated recombinant RIG‐I more efficiently than lysRNA as determined by ATPase assay (Figure 2D; Supplementary Figure S3E). This remarkable difference in the ability of seRNA and lysRNA to serve as ligand for RIG‐I led us to use more lysRNA (100‐fold) than seRNA in further experiments. Treatment of seRNA but not lysRNA with calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase (CIAP) led to significantly reduced IFNβ production after transfection into macrophages (Figure 2E; Supplementary Figure S3F), which suggested that seRNA contained more RIG‐I ligands than lysRNA. CIAP treatment of Listeria nucleic acids only affected RIG‐I‐mediated induction of IFNβ mRNA by seRNA (Supplementary Figure S4A), indicating that CIAP treatment did not influence induction of IFNβ mRNA after recognition of these nucleic acids by other immune sensory receptors.
Furthermore, treatment of secreted Listeria nucleic acids with DNAse or RNAse demonstrated the specificity of RIG‐I‐mediated nucleic‐acid recognition (Supplementary Figure S4B). Also, macrophages from NOD1−/− or NOD2−/− mice did not show alterations in IFNβ induction compared to wt macrophages (Supplementary Figure S4C) thereby excluding a contamination of secreted Listeria nucleic acids with ligands for NOD1 or NOD2. These results demonstrate that secreted Listeria RNA served as ligand for RIG‐I and that STING did not contribute to IFNβ production under these conditions.
Secreted Listeria DNA induces IFNβ through STING and following recognition through RIG‐I via the RNA‐polymerase III pathway
Next, we investigated the importance of secreted Listeria DNA (seDNA) for IFNβ expression. Transfection of seDNA into macrophages revealed that IFNβ induction was independent of MyD88 and TRIF signalling (Figure 3A; Supplementary Figure S5A). These results prompted us to investigate whether seDNA may also be sensed by STING, RIG‐I or MDA5. STING is involved in cytosolic sensing of DNA (Ishikawa et al, 2009). STING and RIG‐I contributed to the production of IFNβ after transfection with seDNA, because STING−/− or RIG‐I−/− macrophages elicited less IFNβ compared to wt macrophages under these conditions (Figure 3B; Supplementary Figure S5B), raising the question how RIG‐I was involved in DNA recognition. It has been reported that DNA can activate IFNβ expression via RIG‐I in an RNA‐polymerase III‐dependent fashion (Ablasser et al, 2009; Chiu et al, 2009). Transfection of seDNA (10 ng/105 cells) but not DNA from Listeria lysates (lysDNA) (1 μg/105 cells) into macrophages demonstrated a partial dependence of IFNβ expression on RIG‐I but not MDA‐5 (Figure 3C; Supplementary Figure S5C). Pharmacologic blockade of RNA polymerase III (by using ML‐60218) selectively reduced IFNβ mRNA levels after transfection with seDNA but not with seRNA (Figure 3D), indicating that RIG‐I sensing of seDNA was similar to indirect DNA recognition by RIG‐I from the Gram‐negative bacteria Legionella or viral DNA involving RNA polymerase III (Ablasser et al, 2009; Chiu et al, 2009). Dose‐titration kinetics did not show non‐specific inhibitory effects of the RNA polymerase III inhibitor on RNA‐mediated IFNβ induction in macrophages (Supplementary Figure S5D). Collectively, these data support the notion that seDNA triggered IFNβ production in wt macrophages involving STING as well as RIG‐I after transcription of Listeria DNA into RNA by the RNA‐polymerase III pathway.
Listeria lacking the SecA2 secretion system induce less IFNβ production in macrophages
Our data raised the question whether induction of IFNβ by cytosolic Listeria nucleic acids was the result of leakage from degraded bacteria into the cytosol or an active secretion process of viable Listeria. To address this, we incubated macrophages with wt Listeria, Δhly or HKLM in the absence or presence of the pore‐forming protein LLO. Clearly, HKLM did not induce IFNβ and even after LLO treatment, which allows phagosomal constituents to enter the cytosol, IFNβ levels did not reach those observed after infection with wt Listeria (Figure 4A; Supplementary Figure S6A). In contrast, Δhly in the presence of LLO elicited macrophage IFNβ expression levels almost similar to that induced by wt Listeria (Figure 4A; Supplementary Figure S6A). This indicated that besides leakage of bacterial debris containing nucleic acids from phagosomal compartments (Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2010) other mechanisms such as autolysis within the cytosol (Sauer et al, 2010) or active release of nucleic acids from viable bacteria into the cytosol (Sander et al, 2011) were involved in IFNβ production in infected macrophages.
To study whether a bacterial secretion system was involved in nucleic‐acid release by L. monocytogenes that lead to recognition of cytosolic infection by innate immune sensory receptors, we examined different bacterial mutants in currently known secretion systems as well as various chaperons known to bind to nucleic acids (Desvaux and Hebraud, 2006), and determined their contribution to IFNβ expression. Only one mutant in the auxiliary secretion system SecA2 (ΔsecA2) but not the others showed a significant reduction in IFNβ production after infection (Figure 4B; Supplementary Figure S6B) that was TLR independent (Supplementary Figure S6C). SecA2 was initially identified as protein secretion system that contributes to bacterial pathogenesis (Lenz et al, 2003). As expected, in ΔsecA2 there was less release of the SecA2‐dependent protein p60 into the supernatant whereas the SecA2‐independent LLO was equally well secreted by ΔsecA2 and wt Listeria (Supplementary Figure S6D). We observed reduced levels of nucleic acids secreted from ΔsecA2 compared to wt Listeria (Figure 4C), which suggests that SecA2 contributed to nucleic‐acid transport. Although we cannot formally exclude reduced autolysis in ΔsecA2 there is little evidence for this, because similar levels of genomic DNA and ribosomal RNA were observed in ΔsecA2 and wt Listeria whereas small size RNA and DNA were clearly reduced in ΔsecA2 (Supplementary Figure S6E). Similar levels of actin polymerization were observed around cytosolic ΔsecA2 (Figure 4D), indicating that reduced IFNβ expression upon infection of macrophages with this mutant was not due to impaired bacterial access to the cytosol. Along this line, we found similar rates of macrophage infection for wt Listeria and ΔsecA2 (Supplementary Figure S7A). Reduced IFNβ expression in ΔsecA2‐infected macrophages was neither a result of diminished intracellular bacterial growth (Supplementary Figure S7B) nor of a more rapid escape from the infected cell, because this mutant has a cell–cell spreading defect (Supplementary Figure S7C; Lenz et al, 2003). In summary, these data suggest that the SecA2 secretion system in Listeria in addition to its function in transport of proteins might be involved in translocation of nucleic acids that triggers IFN expression.
As STING, RIG‐I and MDA5 contributed to recognition of secreted Listeria nucleic acids following transfection, we evaluated the relevance of SecA2 for IFNβ induction during Listeria infection. Infection with ΔsecA2 led to reduced IFNβ production in both, RIG‐I−/− macrophages and STING−/− macrophages, compared to infection with wt Listeria (Figure 4E; Supplementary Figure S7D), which is compatible with a combinatorial effect of signalling through STING upon recognition of secreted Listeria DNA and recognition of secreted Listeria RNA by RIG‐I. IFNβ induction that was still present in RIG‐I−/− macrophages infected with ΔsecA2 may have been caused by recognition of ci‐di‐AMP/GMP or DNA released into the cytosol upon spontaneous bacterial lysis in the cytosol or nucleic‐acid secretion by SecA2‐independent mechanisms. There was little contribution of MDA5 under the conditions tested (not shown). These results confirmed the notion that both RIG‐I and STING are important for sensing of cytosolic Listeria nucleic acids leading to IFNβ production.
Secreted Listeria nucleic acids trigger inflammasome activation in an RIG‐I‐dependent manner
Listeria DNA induces inflammasome activation leading to caspase 1‐mediated processing of IL‐1β and IL‐18, which is relevant for host defense (Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2009; Kim et al, 2010). Accordingly, ASC‐dependent caspase 1 cleavage and release of IL‐1β from murine macrophages was observed after entry of Listeria into the cytosol (Figure 5A and B). Similarly to the impaired induction of IFNβ, we observed reduced caspase 1 activation and IL‐1β release after infection with ΔsecA2 but not other mutants of Listeria secretion systems (Figure 5C and D), which suggested that cytosolic immune sensory receptors detecting bacterial nucleic acids were involved in inflammasome activation during Listeria infection. There was a reduction in IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation after Listeria infection of RIG‐I−/− macrophages compared to wt littermate controls, which was not further accentuated upon infection with ΔsecA2 (Figure 5E and F), which indicated that SecA2 may be involved in the cytosolic transport of bacterial nucleic acids that triggered inflammasome activation.
Source Data for Figure 5B [emboj2012274-sup-0003.pdf]
Source Data for Figure 5D [emboj2012274-sup-0004.pdf]
Source Data for Figure 5F [emboj2012274-sup-0005.pdf]
Source Data for Figure 5H [emboj2012274-sup-0006.pdf]
Source Data for Figure 5J [emboj2012274-sup-0007.pdf]
To investigate the mechanisms behind reduced inflammasome activation in RIG‐I−/− macrophages, we addressed the question whether this was related to the reduced IFNβ expression in RIG‐I−/− macrophages (Henry et al, 2007; Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2010). We supplemented wt or RIG‐I−/− macrophages with IFNα or IFNβ and then infected the cells with wt Listeria. IFN pretreatment increased IL‐1β release from infected wt macrophages and also increased IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation in RIG‐I−/− macrophages, but the levels never reached those of wt macrophages also treated with IFN (Figure 5G and H). There were no changes in the levels of AIM2 in wt or RIG‐I−/− macrophages even after IFN treatment (Supplementary Figure S8A).
We have recently shown that cytosolic viral RNA triggers IL‐1β production in an RIG‐I‐ and CARD9‐dependent fashion by selective control of the NF‐κB‐dependent pro‐IL‐1β synthesis (Poeck et al, 2010). Here, we provide evidence that the CARD9 pathway also mediates IL‐1β activation in response to cytosolic Listeria without affecting caspase‐1 cleavage (Figure 5I and J). Listeria‐induced caspase 1 cleavage observed here results presumably from RIG‐I‐dependent ASC engagement leading to inflammasome activation. The lack of an additional reduction in IL‐1β release observed in CARD9‐deficient macrophages infected with ΔsecA2 (Figure 5I and J) further supports the notion that SecA2 may be involved as a transporter for nucleic acids that are recognized by those cytosolic sensors that signal via CARD9. Pro‐IL1β mRNA was reduced in Listeria‐infected CARD9−/− macrophages (Supplementary Figure S8B), which may explain the reduced secretion of IL‐1β despite unchanged caspase cleavage.
To assess whether the secretion of nucleic acids from Listeria triggered inflammasome activation and release of IL‐1β, we transfected seRNA or seDNA into wt or ASC−/− macrophages. Listeria seDNA was more potent than seRNA in releasing IL‐1β from macrophages (Figure 6A and B). Both seDNA and seRNA‐mediated release of IL‐1β required the presence of the inflammasome adapter molecule ASC (Figure 6A and B), indicating inflammasome activation by seDNA as well as by RNA. While transfection of seRNA elicited IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation in wt macrophages IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation were completely abolished in RIG‐I−/− macrophages (Figure 6C and D). As expected for DNA transfection (Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2010), we observed IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation following transfection of seDNA (Figure 6C and D). There was only a modest reduction in IL‐1β release and inflammasome activation in transfected RIG‐I−/− macrophages, which may be explained by RIG‐I‐independent pathways of inflammasome activation such as AIM2.
Source Data for Figure 6D [emboj2012274-sup-0008.pdf]
Innate immune sensing of Listeria can occur at different sites that range from recognition at the cell surface, within phagosomal compartments and in the cytosol. Recent reports indicated that the complexity of innate immune sensing with respect to different receptor systems used in these cellular compartments, that is, TLRs, NLRs, RLRs and inflammasomes, not only serves as a multi‐layered redundant detection system but also translates innate immune sensing into graded effector responses of the immune system ranging from cell‐autonomous immunity to inflammation and cell‐mediated effector responses (Blander and Sander, 2012). This assumption is supported by observations that Listeria unable to enter the cytosol and engage cytosolic immune sensory receptors, such as heat‐killed Listeria and some Listeria mutants, provoke inflammation but fail to induce immunity (Lauvau et al, 2001; Hara et al, 2007). It is also unclear, why such immune stimulation requires viable cytosolic bacteria and which cytosolic immune sensory receptors contribute to protective immunity against Listeria infection. Here, we demonstrate that the sensory receptors RIG‐I and MDA5 together with STING operate to detect cytosolic live Listeria by recognizing bacterial nucleic acids resulting in expression of IFNβ and inflammasome activation.
Induction of IFN in response to viable cytosolic Listeria has been shown to occur through STING‐mediated signalling and direct recognition of the secondary bacterial messenger cyclic di‐GMP by STING (Woodward et al, 2010; Burdette et al, 2011). While a role for STING in DNA‐mediated recognition of Listeria infection has been suggested (Ishikawa et al, 2009), our results now identify a so far unappreciated role of STING in recognition of Listeria DNA but not RNA secreted via SecA2 leading to production of IFNβ. They also define a novel role for the RNA‐specific sensors RIG‐I and to a lesser extent MDA5 in detecting secreted Listeria RNA as well as DNA. The contributions of RIG‐I, MDA5 and STING were clearly evident using macrophages genetically deficient for either of these receptors. These results also indicate that under the conditions tested here, STING does not contribute to downstream signalling of RIG‐I sensing of Listeria RNA. Given its dual function as receptor in c‐di‐GMP‐recognition and as signalling adapter (Burdette et al, 2011), its role in recognizing secreted Listeria DNA remains to be defined.
RNA‐specific sensing of cytosolic Listeria infection led to expression of IFNβ, inflammasome activation and IL‐1β release. For the first time, we also demonstrate that Listeria infection induces IL‐1β production through stimulation of RIG‐I and the downstream adapter molecule CARD9. Previously, CARD9‐dependent IL‐1β production has been shown to be important in combating viral infection (Poeck et al, 2010). Here, we demonstrate the involvement of CARD9 also in IL‐1β production in response to bacterial infection. This is consistent with a previous report, which indicated an important role for CARD9 in clearance of Listeria infection in vivo but only observed a link between CARD9 and NOD‐mediated recognition of Listeria (Adachi et al, 1998). Our results identify RIG‐I and STING‐mediated recognition of secreted nucleic acids as a new principle for sensing cytosolic Listeria infection that triggers IFNβ induction, inflammasome activation and IL‐1β release. Such sensing of viable Listeria in the cytosol may enhance the ability of the infected cell to detect infection by acting in combination with recognition of Listeria DNA by AIM2 or listeriolysin‐mediated inflammasome activation (Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2009; Kim et al, 2010; Meixenberger et al, 2010).
The secretion of nucleic acids by Listeria, that we report here, reveals a mechanism that is critical to both, the pathogen to increase bacterial virulence and the host to mount anti‐bacterial immunity. Presently, SecA2 is known as an auxiliary protein secretion system that is highly conserved and is found in diverse bacteria including the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as Escherichia coli (Cabelli et al, 1988; Lenz et al, 2003; Desvaux and Hebraud, 2006). Proteomic analysis has revealed that several virulence‐associated proteins are secreted via the secA2 translocon (Lenz et al, 2003) and a systematic analysis of genes induced in vivo following infection of mice with L. monocytogenes indicate that many of these genes are strongly expressed in vivo (Machata et al, 2005). Protein secretion is of key importance in Listeria virulence and the induced expression of SecA2 following infection indicates that the cargo of this transport machinery is relevant for Listeria survival and pathogenesis, for example, by immune subversion strategies (Lenz et al, 2003). Our data indicate that bacterial proteins transported via SecA2 may also serve as carriers for Listeria RNA and DNA and may thereby function as chaperones to stabilize bacterial nucleic acids.
Recently, extensive changes of small RNA expression in Listeria within infected have emerged as an important feature in regulating infection and intracellular growth (Swanson, 2006; Mraheil et al, 2011). These changes in gene expression likely represent bacterial strategies to adapt to the intracellular environment and to influence the host transcriptome (Lorenz and Wackernagel, 1994; Swanson, 2006; Travassos et al, 2010). Small nucleic acids secreted from infecting Listeria that reach the cytosol might therefore modulate the host transcriptome in favour of bacterial survival. At the same time this very process may represent an 'Achilles heel' that can be exploited by the immune system to detect infecting bacteria. As RIG‐I and MDA5 are known to recognize non‐self small RNAs, the increased expression of Listeria small RNAs may provide more ligands for these RNA‐specific sensory receptors. Consistent with this notion, we observed that infection with mutant Listeria lacking SecA2 elicited less RIG‐I and MDA5‐dependent IFNβ expression and IL‐1β release.
Our results support the notion that cytosolic RNA sensing of secreted Listeria RNA allows the infected cell to efficiently discriminate non‐infectious material or less virulent bacteria from viable and virulent bacteria within the cytosol. This is corroborated by our findings that even localization of dead bacteria in the cytosol does not elicit strong induction of IFNβ, inflammasome activation and IL‐1β release, whereas facilitation of cytosolic invasion of Δhly by exogenous listeriolysin led to strong IFNβ responses. Taken together, recognition through RIG‐I allows the infected cell to assemble information on bacterial viability, virulence and localization of bacteria in the cytosol.
It remains an open question whether the cytosolic detection of live Listeria through the immune sensing receptors RIG‐I, MDA5 and STING contributes to the development of adaptive immunity. While expression of soluble mediators such as IFNβ or TNF after Listeria infection contributes to but does not suffice for induction of immunity (Lauvau et al, 2001; Auerbuch et al, 2004), inflammasome activation following RIG‐I‐mediated sensing may trigger development of immunity. Inflammasome activation has been shown to be involved in adaptive immunity against influenza virus infection (Ichinohe et al, 2009), but controversial results are derived from studying the role of inflammasomes in vivo in Listeria infection (Sauer et al, 2011a, b; Warren et al, 2011). The dual role of RIG‐I in triggering CARD9‐mediated IL‐1β expression as well as ASC‐mediated caspase activation (Poeck et al, 2010) may also provide a combinatorial signal that is not achieved by AIM2‐induced inflammasome activation or NLRC4‐inflammasome activation (Rathinam et al, 2010; Sauer et al, 2011a). Future studies will need to address in detail the role of these cytosolic immune sensing receptors in generation of protective immunity against Listeria infection.
Taken together, our results demonstrate that SecA2‐mediated secretion of bacterial nucleic acids allows infected macrophages to efficiently detect the presence of viable and virulent Listeria in the cytosol via the immune sensory receptors RIG‐I, MDA5 and STING. These results not only reveal a novel cytosolic immune sensing strategy for Listeria infection but also suggest that such immune sensing is linked to recognition of bacterial virulence because SecA2 transports cargo that serves as virulence factors and/or ligands for cytosolic immune sensory receptors. The improved knowledge of the molecular mechanisms determining development of strong immunity during cytosolic bacterial infection will help us to develop rational strategies to overcome persistent intracellular bacterial infection.
Materials and methods
Mice and reagents
Mice genetically deficient in MyD88, TRIF, ASC, CARD9, RIG‐I, MDA5, NOD1 and NOD2 have been described (Adachi et al, 1998; Mariathasan et al, 2004; Pamer, 2004; Kato et al, 2005, 2006; Gitlin et al, 2006; Gross et al, 2006; Michallet et al, 2008; Sauer et al, 2010). C57BL/6 and CD1 were from Charles River. Mice were 6–12 weeks of age at the onset of experiments and were used according to local guidelines. All mouse strains were bred and maintained in specific pathogen‐free conditions according to the FELASA guidelines at the central animal facility at the University Hospital Bonn. RNA polymerase III inhibitor (ML‐60218), LPS and SVPD were purchased from Sigma‐Aldrich (Germany).
Bacteria, mutants and culture conditions
Chromosomal deletion mutants of hly, secA2, tatC, lmaB, lmaD, hfq and actA2 in the genome of L. monocytogenes were generated as previously described (Chakraborty et al, 1995; Guzman et al, 1995; Schaferkordt and Chakraborty, 1995; Machata et al, 2005). All Listeria strains (EGDe wt and the mutated strains) were grown overnight at 37°C in brain heart infusion (BHI) broth. Next day, cultures were diluted 1:50 with fresh BHI medium. Bacteria were harvested at the logarithmic growth phase (OD600=0.5–1.0).
To determine the CFU of Listeria within infected macrophages, supernatants of infected cells were aspirated then washed twice with PBS. Cells were lysed in 0.01% Triton X in water and serial dilutions were plated on BHI agar to enumerate CFU after growth at 37°C for 24 h.
Cell culture, infection, transfection and stimulation
Bone marrow‐derived macrophages were derived from the bone marrow of the mouse strains mentioned above and used after 7 days of culture in RPMI (GIBCO) supplemented with 10% FBS, 100 μM streptomycin, 100 U/ml penicillin (Gibco), 2 mM l‐glutamine, and 30% supernatant from L929 cell line.
For Listeria infection, macrophages were plated at a density of 1.5 × 106 cells/ml in antibiotic‐free medium overnight prior to infection. Macrophages were infected at an MOI of 10 followed by centrifugation for 10 min at 400 g, 30 min later the medium was replaced with 100 μg/ml Gentamycin‐containing medium.
For transfection with Listeria nucleic acids, macrophages were cultured in OptiMEM reduced‐serum medium Cells were transfected with seRNA (10 ng/105 cells), lysRNA (1 μg/105 cells), seDNA (20 ng/105 cells), or lysDNA (2 μg/105 cells), cyclic‐di‐GMP (4 μg/105 cells), 3pRNA (200 ng/105 cells) complexed with 2 μl Lipofectamine 2000 according to manufacturer's protocol (Invitrogen, Germany).
For the inhibition of RNA‐polymerase III, the specific inhibitor ML‐60218 (Sigma‐Aldrich) was added to macrophages at concentration indicated in the figure legend 10 h prior to, during and after transfection or infection.
Detection of cytokines
Cell‐culture supernatants were analysed for cytokine secretion by ELISA (IL‐1β, TNF and IL‐6 from BD Biosciences, IFN β from R&D Systems) according to manufacturer's instructions.
Cell‐culture supernatants were harvested and proteins were precipitated by addition of an equal volume of methanol and 0.25 volumes of chloroform; the lower phase was collected after centrifugation for 10 min at 20 000 g and mixed with 500 μl methanol. This mixture was centrifuged for 10 min at 20 000 g and the protein pellet was dried at RT. Protein samples from lysed cells or cell‐culture supernatant were resuspended in Laemmli buffer and boiled for 5 min at 99°C. Immunoblotting was performed as previously described (Poeck et al, 2010). Anti‐murine caspase‐1 p10 (sc‐514; Santa Cruz Biotechnology), anti‐murine IL‐1β (R&D Systems) and anti‐AIM2 polyclonal rabbit Ig (Fernandes‐Alnemri et al, 2010), anti‐β tubulin (Li‐Cor, USA).
Isolation of Listeria DNA and RNA
For the isolation of secreted Listeria nucleic acids, bacteria from an overnight culture were diluted 1:50 and expanded for 4 h under exponential growth conditions. Listeria or the cell‐culture supernatants were harvested when a density of 5.8 × 108 bacteria/ml was reached.
For isolation of secreted Listeria RNA (seRNA), supernatants were centrifuged at 4000, r.p.m. for 10 min to remove remaining bacteria. Nucleic acids in the supernatant were precipitated with ethanol and incubated with 1% SDS (w/v) and 0.05 mg/ml proteinase K (Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) at 37°C for 60 min to remove proteins. seRNA was then phenolysed with phenol/chloroform, and collected by ethanol precipitation. For separation of small size RNA from the large size ribosomal RNA, we used the miRNAesy kit combined with DNase I treatment (RNase free grade, Promega, Madison, USA), which yields RNA with a molecular size of <1300, bp according to manufacturer's instructions (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).
For the isolation of secreted Listeria DNA (seDNA), DNA from the supernatant was first precipitated with ethanol and then small size DNA was enriched by using the QIAGEN Plasmid Midi Kit, which allows the removal of the genomic large DNA. This was followed by purification of small size DNA using the Urine DNA Isolation Micro kit (Norgen Biotec Corp, Canada), which yields DNA with molecular size between 1000 and 50 bp, in combination with RNase treatment (Amersham Bioscience) for 30 min at RT.
Total Listeria RNA was isolated from bacterial lysates using the RNeasy kit according to manufacturer's instructions (Qiagen) followed by the use of the miRNeasy kit (Qiagen) to isolate RNA from bacterial lysates with a molecular size of <1300, bp (lysRNA). Total DNA was isolated by lysing cells with lysozyme, small size DNA was enriched by using the QIAGEN Plasmid Midi Kit and followed by further purification using Urine DNA Micro kit (Norgen Biotec Corp, Canada) and RNase treatment (Amersham Bioscience) for 30 min at RT yielding DNA from bacterial lysates with a molecular size between 1000 and 50 bp (lysDNA).
All types of Listeria nucleic acids were pretreated with SVPD (7 × 10−5 U/ml for 5 min at 37°C, which did not lead to nucleic‐acid degradation (data not shown)) prior to transfection to exclude a contamination of nucleic‐acid preparations with cyclic di‐AMP or ‐GMP. Concentration of secreted Listeria nucleic acids was determined with a nanodrop photometer (260/280 nm).
RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis and quantitative real‐time PCR
For quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR), cells were lysed in Trizol (Invitrogen). In all, 50–100 ng RNA was reverse transcribed using the Transcriptor First Strand cDNA Synthesis Kit (Roche, Germany). RT‐PCR was performed with a LightCyclerTaqman master kit and pre‐designed primers and probes for IFNβ, IL‐1β, AIM2 and GAPDH gene expression assays (Applied Biosystems, Germany) on a Light Cycler 1.3 instrument (Roche). Analysis was performed using Light‐Cycler 4.05 software (Roche) using a calibrator normalized relative quantification based on GAPDH expression.
Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy
Macrophages (5 × 105) were seeded on glass coverslips in 24‐well plates overnight in antibiotic‐free medium then infected with Listeria (MOI of 10) for 1 h. Macrophages were washed with pre‐warmed medium and cultured further in medium containing 50 μg/ml Gentamycin (Sigma). At indicated time points after infection, cells were washed three times with PBS and fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, permeabilized with 0.1% Saponin. Cells were incubated with anti‐Listeria polyclonal antibody (kindly provided by N Papadopoulou), Phalloidin and Hoechst (Molecular Probes) in PBS containing 10% FCS and 0.1% Saponin for 1 h. After three washes with PBS, macrophages were incubated for 1 h at room temperature with FITC‐labelled secondary antibody. Confocal microscopy was performed on FV1000 Confocal Microscope (Olympus).
Flow cytometry
Macrophages were incubated for 20 min on ice with antibodies to CD11b (BD Biosciences) and live/dead‐APC‐Cy7 cell staining (Invitrogen), then fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in FACS buffer, and permeabilized in 1 × Perm/Wash (BD Biosciences) for staining with anti‐Listeria polyclonal antibody (kindly provided by N Papodopoulou) or control Ig for 20 min on ice. Macrophages were washed and analysed on a FACSCanto flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson) using FlowJo Software.
ATPase assay
The ATPase assay was performed in assay buffer (50 mM KCl, 55 mM HEPES (pH 7.0) 3 mM MgCl2, 0.5 mM DTT, 0.1 mM ATP), as reported previously (Schlee et al, 2009). To calculate EC50, the RNA was titrated in a range from 6 fM to 4 μM. After 30 min of incubation at 37°C, generation of ADP was measured using a very sensitive FRET‐based competitive immunoassay (HTRF® Transcreener™ ADP, Cisbio, USA) according to manufacturer's protocol. FRET was measured using an EnVision® Multilabel Reader (Perkin‐Elmer, USA). In this assay, inhibition of FRET correlates with the concentration of ADP generated by ATPase activity of RIG‐I. ADP concentrations were calculated from an ADP/ATP titration curve according to manufacturer's protocol.
Statistical analysis
Two‐way analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni's post‐test was used, unless otherwise stated, with Prism Software. P‐values of <0.05 were considered significant and indicated by asterisks: *0.05; **0.01, ***0.001.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Supplementary Information
Supplementary Information [emboj2012274-sup-0001.pdf]
Supplementary Table S1 [emboj2012274-sup-0002.doc]
We thank the late J Tschopp (University of Lausanne) for ASC‐deficient and IPS‐1‐deficient mice. We thank R Vance and D Portnoy for providing STING‐deficient mice and cyclic‐di‐AMP; D Busch, München for critical discussion and W Mohamed, Giessen for help in preparing Supplementary figures. We acknowledge excellent technical assistance by K Riethausen and D Bertheloot. We thank the DFG (SFB 670, SFB 704 and SFB TR84), BMBF ERANet Pathogenomices and BONFOR for financial support.
Author contributions: ZA, TC and PK designed experiments and wrote the manuscript; ZA, SR, MAM, SG and FC all performed experiments; TH, MS, K‐PH, WB, GH and JR contributed critical reagents, had input into experimental design and contributed to writing of the manuscript. These studies were supported by grants from the BMBF through the ERANET Pathogenomic Network to TH and TC, by NIH U19AI083025 to KPH, and by the SFB 670/SFB 704 to PK.
- Copyright © 2012 European Molecular Biology Organization


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In the city of Munger, the eastern region of city on the bank of river Ganga, among the Vindhya Mountain in a cave, Shakti Peeth Maa Chandika Sthan is situated with a historical importance. The place where Chandika Sthan is situated, their left eye of Maa had felled, it is said that the history of Chandika Sthan is related to Raja Karna. Raja Karna was worshipper of Maa. Raja Karna used to worship Maa daily, he used to daily come in mandir and jump into boiling ghee,Acording to saints Maa used to give Darshan to Raja Karna and made his dead body alive. Due to Maa Raja Karna use to daily get 1.75 man gold, which gold Raja Karna use to distribute the gild to the needies in Karna Chaura.
During period of Navratra, tantriks from different place come here to play for siddhi. For tantra sandhna it has got the same importance as of kamakhya mandir of assam. Previously it had got a very small entrance but in 20th century its entrance was converted into bigger one. Chandika Sthan's development was done by 40-50 years back by Rai Bahadur Keadr Nath Goinka, again in year 1991 Shyam Sunder Bhangad had done. Still the development work is goin on in mandir, during both the navrata's Paramhans Swami Niranjana Nath Saraswati does the Satsang and Bhajan.
Candi Asthan is considered as one of the sacred Shakti-Peeth out of 64 Shakti-Peet available on the earth . This Shakti-Peeth is located in Munger district of Bihar ( India ) . Chandi Asthan is approximately 2 km away from the main munger town .The main land mark near chandi asthan is 100 years old ITC factory . Chandi Asthan is considered as one of the siddh-peeth like kamakshya temple near Gauhati ( Aassam ) .It is one of the most Sacred & sanctified temple of India & holy place for millions of hindu pilgrims every year. Esp. in the Navrat season the pilgrims visit increases very much .
Story about Chandi -Asthan :
The story associated with Chandi Asthan is simmilar like other Shakti-Peeth , When Lord shiva was dancing in "Tandav-Mudra " with the corpse of Maa Sati the whole earth began to shake & the whole creation was in danger & was about to destroy . To save the world the gods requested Lord Vishnu to save the earth & Lord Vishnu managed to cut Sati's corpse in 64 pieces by his "Sudarshan Chakra" .According to this legend story the left eye of Maa Sati fell at Munger ,which in long run developed into a place of worship of goddess Chandi .Among the different Shakti Peets ,this place is famous for the cure of eye problems of any disorder . Another legend story is also linked with this temple of Mahabharata Age . According to that Raja Karna used to worship Chandi Maa every day and in turn the goddess gave him "Sav mann Sona " ( ~ 50 kg Gold ) ,which Raja Karna distributes amoung the poor & needy people at "KarnaChoura " ( A place where today International YogaShram is Situated " . Our Team Visited there & collected some good snaps for the users.
Location : Chandi Asthan is ~ 1 km distance from ITC Ltd , Basudevpur , Munger .
How to Reach Chandi Asthan :
Train : Nearest Railway Station : Jamalpur Junction then by Road by Taxi.
Air : Nearest Airport : Patna Airport


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* Annual savings of 200 mln Sfr
* 550 jobs to go as part of 1,500 cuts announced on Nov. 1
* Integration to be completed by end 2012
* Swiss private banking under pressure amid offshore clampdown (Adds details, comments from news conference)
By Emma Thomasson
ZURICH, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group AG will fully integrate private bank Clariden Leu into its organisation, ending the 250 year-old Leu brand and cutting jobs to achieve 200 million Swiss francs ($220 million) in annual cost savings.
Credit Suisse said the step was part of plans announced earlier this month to increase the contribution of its private bank to group pretax income by 800 million francs by 2014.
The integration would mean a total of 550 jobs will go at Clariden Leu and Credit Suisse as part of an overall staff reduction of 1,500 announced across the group on Nov. 1. , said Hans-Ulrich Meister, the new chief executive of Credit Suisse private banking appointed in July with a mandate to boost efficiency.
Meister told a news conference the decision to fully integrate Clariden Leu was the result of worsening industry conditions in recent months, particularly for smaller private banks that are more reliant on offshore business than big banks.
"We could close our eyes and hope the good, old times come back but we're not going to do that," he said. "There have been brutal changes in the environment."
As cash-strapped governments worldwide have demanded more help hunting tax cheats, Switzerland has been forced in recent years to weaken a tradition of strict bank secrecy that had helped it build up an offshore industry worth $2 trillion.
Clariden Leu had seen three years of net client outflows since it was established in 2007 after the merger of Credit Suisse's five independent private banks, taking its name from two of them — Clariden Bank and Bank Leu.
Credit Suisse shares fell 4.8 percent to 21.25 francs by 1139 GMT, underperforming a 3.2 percent weaker European banking sector index after news on Monday that ratings agency Moody's was putting the bank's AA1 rating under review for a possible downgrade.
"We believe an integration of Clariden Leu makes sense," said Vontobel analyst Teresa Nielsen, adding she did not plan to change her estimates for the bank.
Clariden Leu, headquartered in a grand building guarded by lion gargoyles on Zurich's exclusive BahnHofstrasse shopping street, has 1,770 employees and 15 offices worldwide managing 94 billion francs in assets, down from 129 billion in 2007.
Its forerunner Bank Leu was established in 1755 by Johann Jacob Leu — later mayor of Zurich — and counted Empress of Austria Maria Theresa among its clients.
The state-owned Bank Leu went private in 1798 to protect client money from the newly formed Swiss republic after Napoleon-led troops from France stormed parts of Switzerland.
The bank's past became the subject of controversy last year when Credit Suisse resisted granting access to its archives to historians researching the financing of the slave trade.
Switzerland's oldest bank agreed to be bought by Credit Suisse in 1990 after its reputation was hit in the 1980s by involvement in major U.S. and British financial scandals.
Credit Suisse named Hanspeter Kurzmeyer — until recently head of private clients Switzerland — as the new CEO, replacing Olivier Jaquet, who had only taken over in February.
Kurzmeyer will also be head of the integration project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
The move is the latest sign of strain in the Swiss private banking industry given rising costs and falling revenues compounded by offshore clients withdrawing their assets.
Both Credit Suisse and Clariden Leu this month began telling U.S. customers suspected of offshore tax evasion that they will disclose their names to the Swiss authorities as they respond to a U.S. tax investigation.
While Meister said the integration of Clariden Leu was in part a response to the need to transform the cross-border business model, he denied it had any link with the U.S. probe.
Rival Swiss private bank Julius Baer said on Monday it is to take a 50 million francs charge for a cost-reduction programme that includes 150 job cuts.
Meanwhile staff at private bank Sarasin are also fearing for their jobs as controlling shareholder Rabobank considers selling its stake, with Baer mulling a possible offer that would likely involve significant cost cuts. ($1 = 0.907 Swiss Francs) (Editing by Jane Merriman and Erica Billingham)