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Health Insurance Companies Shouldn't have the Right to Drop You When you get Sick
This is simply my opinion. However, opinion forms the basis for the type of society that we live in. Because as voters and taxpayers, ultimately we make those decisions ourselves. And the worst thing we can do is cede those decisions to private industry, policy wonks, and flighty politicians.
This is why the issue of national health insurance is so important.
1. You shouldn't have to worry about being able to get health insurance if you lose your job and have a pre-existing condition.
2. You shouldn't have to stay connected to a job and pass up opportunities to take other jobs because you have a pre-existing condition.
3. You shouldn't be in the position of not being able to take needed medications because you have lost a job and, due to a pre-existing condition, cannot get insured.
4. You shouldn't have to worry about something like the Medical Insurance Bureau, or MIB, keeping records on you for years, potentially affecting your ability to get insured.
5. You shouldn't be subjected to premium costs that are so high that you simply cannot pay for insurance, though you would be quite willing to pay a reasonable premium cost.
6. Your insurance company shouldn't have the right to drop you like a hot potato simply because...you dared to make claims on your health insurance policy beyond routine office visits.
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Labels: health insurance


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Gilded with a glitter finish, Jimmy Choo's gold twill clutch will instantly upgrade your evening look. Set this sparkling piece against an all-black ensemble for a powerful color contrast. Shown here with Jimmy Choo shoes, Paul & Joe dress and a Versace necklace.
Gold twill clutch with glitter finish. Jimmy Choo clutch has a gold metal frame, designer-stamped clasps to fasten at top, a designer plaque at interior and is fully lined in gold leather.
Product code: 105398 - Need help? Contact us

subset: commoncrawl


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Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane?
San Diego - (there and back) the only time i have ever been on a plane
as far as real passenger planes, Atlanta Georgia I think! Or maybe St Louis, hard to remember.
First flight was from PA to CA.
I was 13 and flying alone. It wasn't too bad since I had an airline chaperone who met me at the gate and took me to the next place I needed to be. The worst part was the layover in Chicago, it was a couple of hours and I was bored out of my mind.
My first flight was from College Station, TX to Austin, TX in a Cessna with my friend as pilot. It was New Years Eve, and it was so cold in that plane.


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The critically acclaimed Cirque du Soleil big top show "Totem" is currently at Port of Los Angeles, and Travelzoo subscribers can save up to 30% on tickets for select performances.
The following seats at the Port of Los Angeles are available for two performances on Sunday, Nov. 10:
The higher priced tickets are for Sunday performances. Save an additional $7-$10 on the ticket prices listed above for kids ages 2-12.
The New York Times raves, "what's the next level after impressed? Amazed? Awe-struck? Whatever it is, that emotion arrives often in 'Totem.'"
Please go to your email and confirm your subscription.


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there is no better place to camp than in maine. the ocean, the pine trees, the lakes and rivers and hot summer days...it's all so perfect.
we spent three glorious days up in acadia. feasting on all kinds of delicious food, drinking wine and spending almost the entire time in the water.
we swam, we jumped off enormous rocks, we canoed around islands, we caught crabs. we came back to the campsite and sat by the fire telling ghost stories and making smores and played with sparklers.
we slept under the stars and listened to the rain drops on the tent.
we ran through the woods and played catch on the dirt road.
now we are home and already planning our next trip...
*most photos were taken by mark! i used a film camera so i am developing those now. more soon!


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- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown
- Ogdensburg
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- NNY Business
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Francis A. Ike Cook, a former employee at Bernier, Carr & Associates, has joined MRB Group, Engineering, Architecture, Surveying, P.C., located in the Key Bank Building at 200 Washington St.
The Adams resident will serve as a project manager at the Watertown location for the Rochester-based firm. He will specialize in water and wastewater treatment and system design, serving the firms clients in Northern New York and the Adirondack Park regions.
His energy, expertise and vision are just what is needed to support strategic development, said the firms president, Ryan Colvin, in a released statement. He is deeply rooted in Jefferson County.
Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.
You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:


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(Jan 05, 2009) On December 22, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and French President Nicolas Sarkozy signed several agreements in the area of defense during Sarkozy's visit to Rio de Janeiro. The agreements include the purchase of helicopters, the construction of submarines (including a nuclear-propelled one), and the transfer of technology to enable Brazil to develop its military industry. According to President Lula, Brazil chose France as a partner for the these agreements because the French offered not only to sell to, but also to build in, Brazil the various types of equipment and to transfer the necessary technology. (Brasil e França Assinam Acordo na Área de Defesa de 8,6 Bilhões de Euros, GLOBO ONLINE, Dec. 23, 2008, available at http://oglobo.globo.com/economia/mat/2008/12/23/brasil-franca-assinam-acordo-na-
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Last updated: 01/05/2009


text:
Desperately seeking scoring, Wild falls to Columbus 3-2
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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- After 20 minutes of play and exactly two shots on goal by the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night, the top six players of the franchise's first decade were announced.
Five of them - forwards Andrew Brunette and Mikko Koivu, defensemen Brent Burns and Nick Schultz, and goalie Niklas Backstrom - were in uniform for the team on Saturday. But the one that was missing is perhaps the one, or at least the kind of player (a pure goal scorer, dangerous on every shift), they still need most.
Yes, Marian Gaborik is long gone, toiling in his second season with the New York Rangers. And in a storyline that is all too familiar to Wild fans who watched his eight seasons in Minnesota, Gaborik is injured, expected to be out of the Rangers lineup for a few weeks with a separated shoulder.
In five of the eight seasons that Gaborik called Xcel Energy Center his home rink, he notched 30 or more goals. That's the kind of offensive sparkplug that's needed to be successful in the modern NHL. And as is becoming increasingly obvious, the Wild badly needs someone to step into that role.
The lack of offensive punch was again glaringly obvious in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the Wild did some good things offensively, but not enough of anything to win.
"It seems like at times we're waiting for someone to do it. We're waiting for somebody else to take the bull by the horns," Wild coach Todd Richards said, noting that team captain Koivu, who led the team offensively last season, is the obvious leading candidate to provide the necessary spark. "You can't wait for Mikko all the time. It's not going to happen. He tries but he's not going to be good every single night. Tonight we were waiting for something."
In the definitive moment on Saturday, the game was tied 2-2 midway through the third, and the Wild was on a power play. It was about the time that the Ohio State football game had ended, meaning a few sports fans in greater Columbus may have switched their TVs over to the hockey game, just in time to see former Buckeye R.J. Umberger keep the Jackets unbeaten on the road.
With a nifty toe drag move, Umberger sailed past Wild defenseman Cam Barker, and tucked a rebound on Backstrom that the goalie appeared to smother. There was no call on the ice, but after a lengthy review of replays (none of which clearly showed the puck crossing the goal line) the officials announced it was a goal.
Richards said he did not see a replay that clearly showed the puck in the net, but faulted his own team, not the officials, for the loss.
"Regardless of the call, what we think or what really happened, we got what we deserved tonight," he said.
The Wild pelted Columbus goalie Mathieu Garon in the final minute, with Backstrom pulled for an extra attacker, but could not get the equalizer. When they desperately needed an offensive spark to tie the game, it could not be found.
It was a common theme, especially after a lifeless first period. With 18 minutes elapsed in the game, the Wild had managed just one shot on goal, and that included a full two minutes of power play in which the Wild didn't come close to testing Garon.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, the Wild got a power play goal from Burns (a classic "throw it on nat and see what happens" play) and an even strength goal (just the team's second of the season) from Cal Clutterbuck to forge a 2-2 tie in the final period. But Umberger's controversial goal erased the tie, and there was nobody to be found to tie it up again.
"Our top two lines are doing most of the scoring for us, if not all of it," said center John Madden. "Our third and fourth lines have to pick up some slack here and there. Mikko's line and (Matt Cullen's) line can't do it every night."
Saturday's announced attendance of 17,336 signified the first time in team history that a regular season game was not sold out. The Wild is just four games into the season, with a 1-2-1 record. But is already apparent that more reliable offense - from Koivu, from Guillaume Latendresse, from Brunette, from Cullen, or from some other mystery source we don't know about yet - is needed soon, if the sellouts are to return.


text: Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images [ Cheers to Oscar By Dave Ettl February 17, 2011 The 83rd annual Academy Awards will air live Sunday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. PT on ABC from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. The odds on favorite to win best actress is Natalie Portman for her work in The Black Swan. Want to toast her victory with a Black Swan Martini? Here's the recipie. Read More|Comment Category: Movie News Tags: martini, oscar, portman Send to a friend! Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Pin it! Reddit This! Share on Tumblr!


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Credit: © Venturelli/WireImage.com
Ashley Tisdale (Oct 26th, 2008)
With side-parted smoothness on top, Ashley Tisdale looks radiant with wavy bends and straight bits on the ends.
Styling Tip
Step 1: Mix a nickel-size amount each of leave-in conditioner and styling lotion and apply onto damp hair. Blow dry two-inch sections with a large round brush, lifting at the root to enhance volume.
Step 2: Avoiding the top six inches of hair, hold onto the ends of a one-inch section and wrap loosely around a large curling iron barrel (or curling rod). Hold in place for a few seconds to set. Release and repeat until all hair is curled.
Step 3: Run your fingers through your hair to break up the curls


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Ice Comet Bracelet
Style: 25230384
A cool-fire nucleus of embroidery and sparkling Swarovski crystal throws off trails of gleaming pearls. Handmade by Dori Csengeri, each bracelet is backed in leather for comfortable wear. 8.5"L, 1.25"W. Pearl and loop closure. Swarovski crystal pearls, Swarovski crystal, brass, cotton cord, Nappa leather. Made in Israel.


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By: tigersnake86
Yakuza 3 Commercial[url=http://tigersnake86.gametrailers.com/gamepad/index.php][img]http://users.gametrailers.com/showimage.php?id=93705[/img][/url]
Views: 268 | Posted: 05/25/2011
See why Yakuza is geting a bad voice over for its US release.
Views: 8,050 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: tigersnake86
New Yakuza 3 Trailer [url=http://tigersnake86.gametrailers.com/gamepad/index.php][img]http://users.gametrailers.com/showimage.php?id=93705[/img][/url]
Views: 373 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: RastaMasta
Hi, This is my first movie. Its a fan film of the 3 Yakuza games. Please rate it, cheers. Its 4 minutes long...the last 3 minutes is a black screen, sorry.
Views: 928 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: -Shin-
Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan! (Yakuza Kenzan!) Only for Playstation 3
Views: 2,487 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: AenimaPT
[url=[make_url]arc:content:gt-authoring:f157ff74-e80f-48e4-9408-4ebf502d5458[/make_url]]Also see here the Battle video.[/url]
Views: 14,586 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: CommandZer01
A new movie entitled exiled about men that can't just walk away.
Views: 457 | Posted: 05/25/2011
By: AenimaPT
[url=[make_url]arc:content:gt-authoring:1ce9dbc6-8803-4c7a-9104-96d8c575d2dd[/make_url]]Also see here the Exploring Video.[/url]
Views: 10,765 | Posted: 04/06/2011
By: TheChieftain
After last month's trailer focused on the adventure part of Ryu ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3 in the West), here comes a new video all about the fighting in the game. As usual, the resolution of the file is quite poor.
Views: 695 | Posted: 07/23/2010
By: -Shin-
Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan! (Yakuza Kenzan!) Only for Playstation 3
Views: 5,323 | Posted: 06/06/2010
Fans of the Yakuza series will get a chance to play the first two games with...
Week of
Oct. 11
PS4, PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, 3DS
Release Date: 10/13/2015
The monsters of R.L. Stine's popular book series are back to haunt in game form.
Xbox One, PC, PS4
Release Date: 10/13/2015
PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: 10/13/2015


text:
It didn't take long for little Bryan Labelle to start raking in the loot for being Windsor and Essex County's first baby of 2013.
And though he doesn't know it yet, he probably owns the largest stuffed monkey in the area.
"It's huge," said Bryan's mom Robby Fransen, 22, who gave birth to the healthy eight pound, one ounce baby boy by caesarean section at 12:29 a.m. at the Metropolitan Campus of Windsor Regional Hospital.
"It's actually gigantic. I wasn't expecting it."
Windsor Regional Hospital spokesman Ron Foster said the giant 4 1/2-foot tall monkey was donated to the hospital just before Christmas to be used for kids undergoing treatment to play with.
But hospital regulations prohibit stuffed toys from being shared among more than one child, so the massive ape was "regifted" for the first baby of the year.
Bryan also got a white knitted cap with 2013 across the front that was knitted by members of the Rotary Club, among other gifts.
Bryan's father Kyle Labelle, 22, was taken aback by the response to the couple's first child.
"It's great, it's overwhelming," said Labelle, who works as a union labourer.
"Lots of great people giving us gifts and stuff."
The couple, who have been together for four years after becoming high school sweethearts at L'Essor high school, admitted having a baby was not something they had planned.
"It really wasn't planned, that's for sure," said Fransen, who works at Bogar Truck and Trailer Parts on Huron Church Road.
"He was a little love child."
To which Kyle replied: "He's planned now."
Bryan is named after Kyle's uncle Bryan Scott, who died unexpectedly in 2006.
"He was just one of those guys everyone loved," said Labelle.
"Nobody got to say goodbye to him."
Dad hopes Bryan will grow up with his parents' love of sports and physical activity in general.
Kyle's first sports garb will bear the logo of dad's beloved Dallas Cowboys, with the Detroit Red Wings to follow close behind.
Robby's water broke at around 4 a.m. Monday while the couple were sleeping. She remained dilated at five centimetres for six hours before her doctors decided to perform the caesarean section.
"It actually wasn't that bad," said Fransen, who will return home Thursday.
"I couldn't feel anything from the neck down. That was fine by me."
Proud grandpa Bob Fransen, 41, hadn't planned to become a grandpa so young.
"No, not really at all, but I'm really excited," said Fransen.
As for the as-yet-unnamed monkey, family members do own pickup trucks to get the beast home.
"We'll have to remodel a little bit," said Labelle.


text: Ronnie Monro | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information Official Broadway League sites: - sites - broadway.org broadwayleague.com broadwayfanclub.com kidsnightonbroadway.com stagespecs.org tonyawards.com Quick Search For: In This Category: All Show People/Org. Theatre Season Ronnie Monro Orchestrator Male Productions ProductionsDate of ProductionsLa Plume de Ma Tante[Musical, Revue, Original] Music orchestrated by Ronnie Monro Nov 11, 1958 - Dec 17, 1960 Find out where Ronnie Monro and are credited together © 2001-2015, The Broadway League, All Rights Reserved. (Copyright and Disclaimer)


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Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) has become the gold standard for population analyses of bacterial pathogens. This method focuses on the sequences of a small number of loci (usually seven) to divide the population and is simple, robust and facilitates comparison of results between laboratories and over time. Over the last decade, researchers and population health specialists have invested substantial effort in building up public MLST databases for nearly 100 different bacterial species, and these databases contain a wealth of important information linked to MLST sequence types such as time and place of isolation, host or niche, serotype and even clinical or drug resistance profiles. Recent advances in sequencing technology mean it is increasingly feasible to perform bacterial population analysis at the whole genome level. This offers massive gains in resolving power and genetic profiling compared to MLST, and will eventually replace MLST for bacterial typing and population analysis. However given the wealth of data currently available in MLST databases, it is crucial to maintain backwards compatibility with MLST schemes so that new genome analyses can be understood in their proper historical context.
We present a software tool, SRST, for quick and accurate retrieval of sequence types from short read sets, using inputs easily downloaded from public databases. SRST uses read mapping and an allele assignment score incorporating sequence coverage and variability, to determine the most likely allele at each MLST locus. Analysis of over 3,500 loci in more than 500 publicly accessible Illumina read sets showed SRST to be highly accurate at allele assignment. SRST output is compatible with common analysis tools such as eBURST, Clonal Frame or PhyloViz, allowing easy comparison between novel genome data and MLST data. Alignment, fastq and pileup files can also be generated for novel alleles.
SRST is a novel software tool for accurate assignment of sequence types using short read data. Several uses for the tool are demonstrated, including quality control for high-throughput sequencing projects, plasmid MLST and analysis of genomic data during outbreak investigation. SRST is open-source, requires Python, BWA and SamTools, and is available from http://srst.sourceforge.net webcite.
Keywords:MLST; Short read; Illumina; Sequence analysis; Plasmid; Chromosome; Microbiology; Bacteria; Population analysis; Outbreak
Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) has become the gold standard for the analysis of bacterial populations [1,2]. MLST involves PCR amplification and sequencing of 5–10 loci of ~500 bp in length, with each sequence variant assigned a unique locus variant or allele number. Each unique combination of locus variants is assigned a sequence type (ST), which is then used to denote a precise set of sequences. Public MLST databases are used to store and share information linking DNA sequences to locus variant numbers and sequence types and are available for >85 bacterial species including important human pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureusHaemophilus influenzae and Neisseria species (see http://pubmlst.org webcite). This format allows quick, simple and direct comparison of bacterial populations analysed in different laboratories and over time. The databases also link individual bacterial isolates to STs, serotypes, sources and other meta-information with public health utility.
Advances in sequencing technology continue to bring down the costs of whole-genome sequencing of bacteria – indeed it is already close to the cost of MLST [3]. Because bacterial genomes are relatively small in size (typically 1–10 Mbp) they can be sequenced in multiplex, allowing the high read depths of e.g. a single lane of Illumina HiSeq to be distributed among up to 96 different samples via the use of individually-tagged libraries [4-7]. Whole-genome sequencing provides a lot more information than MLST and can be used to study microevolution in much finer detail and over small time scales [3-8]. As an assay, whole genome shotgun sequencing can be simpler than MLST, which requires multiple independent PCR and sequencing reactions to be performed for each sample. This will become increasingly true as automation becomes widely used in whole-genome library preparation workflows. Also, while MLST requires the design and purchase of species-specific specific primer sets, whole genome sequencing can be applied to any bacterium, without species primers or even prior knowledge of species. However, while the advantages of whole-genome sequencing over MLST are clear, it is crucial that newly sequenced isolates (or populations of isolates) can be analysed in the context of the vast amount of population data currently stored in MLST databases. MLST can be used to assess the frequency and expansion of particular clones, and most MLST databases store not only ST information for each isolate, but also detailed meta-information such as serotype, host or source, date of collection and in some cases spatial information (see e.g. MLST-maps, http://maps.mlst.net webcite[9]). MLST provides a framework against which new isolate collections can be compared and interpreted, but can only be utilized if the STs of newly sequenced isolates can be accurately derived from whole-genome sequencing data.
The only method currently available to perform MLST allele assignment on short read data is web-based, requiring sequence data to be uploaded to a server and compared to public MLST databases [10]. This poses problems for data security and confidentiality, is unfeasible for the large datasets typically generated in high-throughput multiplex sequencing projects and excludes the use of privately maintained MLST databases. All of these issues are likely to be significant barriers for use in the majority of research or public health laboratories. Furthermore the method depends on de novo assembly [10], which limits its sensitivity, particularly for genomes sequenced at low read depth.
Here we present an open-source software tool, SRST, to derive STs from Illumina short read sequence data using a mapping-based approach to maximise sensitivity. SRST can be used together with any public or private MLST scheme and generates output files suitable for comparative analysis with existing MLST datasets, compatible with standard MLST tools such as eBURST [11], ClonalFrame [12] and Phyloviz (http://www.phyloviz.net webcite). In this paper, we introduce the SRST approach and demonstrate its accuracy with real datasets including 534 genomes from four species-specific and four plasmid MLST schemes, and discuss the usefulness of the method for quality control in high-throughput sequencing projects and outbreak investigations.
SRST takes as input (a) locus variant sequences and ST profile definitions, retrieved from a public or private MLST database (such as http://pubmlst.org webcite); (b) sequences flanking each locus, retrieved from an appropriate reference genome sequence using the supplied script; (c) Illumina read data (in fastq format; any number of paired or single-end read files can be processed in a single command). SRST runs on any Linux based computer or cluster (including Mac OS X) and requires the installation of the free packages BWA and SamTools for alignment functions [13,14]. Full instructions are available at http://srst.sourceforge.net webcite.
Each readset is mapped to each of the possible locus variants v (with flanking sequence) and a score s is calculated to assess the quality of the match, as follows. Consider a single base position i in the mapping of read set R to locus variant v, in which ni reads map to position i, which has base vi in v and majority-rules consensus (i.e. most prevalent) base ri in R. If ri ≠ vi we record a mismatch and rule out v as a possible locus variant. Otherwise, we compute the probability that the base call ri (which matches vi) is erroneous, by calculating Binomial probabilities for the three alternative bases x:
where k = the observed read count for base x at position i. The probability that a non-consensus nucleotide (which does not match vi) is the best explanation for the coverage at position i is the sum of the three probabilities. The probability that a sequence other than v is the best explanation for the observed coverage across the whole locus is the sum of these probabilities across all positions i. The final score s reported is the negative log of this probability, so that higher scores reflect more hits. Note this treats the probabilities at each position as independent, which they are not. However the assumption is conservative, and only results in non-trivial over-estimation of the probability in cases where the score will be below a threshold of acceptance in any case.
For each readset and locus, the highest scoring variant, with zero mismatches and passing a user-settable cut-off value, is assigned. If all loci are assigned for a particular readset and the combination of variants is a known ST, this ST will be returned; if a novel combination of locus variants is detected this will be assigned a novel ST. If any loci are not confidently assigned, no ST can be called.
The main output is a file specifying the locus variants and STs of all input datasets, suitable for analysis with common MLST tools such as eBURST or Phyloviz.
A log file is also generated, detailing scores and coverage statistics for each locus and readset. Where an exact match to a known allele cannot be found, the closest allele (and number of mismatching bases) is reported and the closest ST is determined; these results are flagged so as to be distinguished from precise ST assignments.
Optionally, verbose output can be switched on in order to retain full sequence information for novel alleles, including the alignment (bam format), pileup (pileup format) and consensus sequence (fastq format) obtained from mapping to the closest-matching locus variant. See Additional file 1 for an example fastq generated by SRST. This is intended to facilitate investigation of novel alleles, in which case visual inspection of alignments or pileups is recommended. Some MLST databases may also accept fastq or bam files for submission of novel alleles.
Additional file 1. Example of novel allele output using the verbose option. Consensus sequences and quality scores for three novel Shigella sonnei alleles identified using SRST. (TXT 3 kb)
Format: TXT Size: 3KB Download file
Results and Discussion
Accuracy in calling sequence types
To determine a suitable cut-off score and test the accuracy of SRST, we utilized three publicly available datasets each representing a different group of bacteria – Streptococcus pneumoniae[6,15], Staphylococcus aureus[4,16] and Salmonella bongori[17,18]. All short read, MLST and reference data were downloaded from public databases (Table 1). We ran SRST on each read set (N = 341 genomes, 2,387 loci) and examined the sensitivity (call rate; i.e. the proportion of loci for which a variant could be confidently assigned) and specificity (false positive rate; i.e the proportion of loci with incorrect variant calls) obtained using different cut-off scores. As Figure 1 shows, best results were obtained with a cut-off score between 7 and 11. We therefore set the default cut-off score for SRST to 10, and use this cut-off for all subsequent analyses reported below. In the few cases where an allele could not be confidently assigned using a cut-off score of 10, the expected allele and ST were still correctly identified by SRST as the most likely result.
Table 1. High throughput read sets analyzed in this study
Figure 1. Score threshold determination for SRST. Each data point indicates the call rate (y-axis) and false positive rate (x-axis) for a given cut-off score, labeled in blue. False positive rate = proportion of loci with incorrect variant calls, call rate = proportion of loci for which a variant could be confidently assigned, total loci = 2,387 (341 samples, 3 species)
Quality control in high-throughput sequencing projects
The most obvious application of SRST is to assign STs to novel isolates whose STs are unknown. However we were also interested to use SRST for quality control in large-scale sequencing studies of bacterial clones, to allow early detection and identification of read sets that should be excluded from comparative analysis of the clonal group of interest. To demonstrate the utility of SRST for this purpose, we used it to analyse a set of Shigella sonnei genomes sequenced using paired-end multiplex Illumina GAII (Table 1) [19]. Note Shigella species are actually sublineages of E. coli[20], hence the E. coli MLST scheme [21] is used to investigate Shigella.
A total of 188 Shigella data sets had sufficient mean read depth (>10x) to analyse and 170 (90 %) of these matched a known ST with SRST scores ≥10 for all loci. The other 18 samples comprised (i) 15 with ≥1 locus scoring <10 but identified as a known S. sonnei allele and (ii) 3 with novel locus variants (each having one locus for which the highest scoring match (scores 20–160) differed from a known S. sonnei allele by one mismatching base). Hence all 18 were recognizable as single-locus variants of known S. sonnei STs, confirming their suitability for inclusion in a S. sonnei study. Consensus sequences and quality scores for the novel alleles, generated using SRST's verbose option, are given in Additional file 1. Of the 170 STs assigned with score ≥10, 166 matched known S. sonnei STs (ST152, ST1502, ST1504, ST1505). Four matched those of other, non-sonnei, Shigella (S. flexneri, ST245; S. boydii, ST243, ST1025), indicating they were erroneously included in the S. sonnei isolate collection and should be excluded from the intended analysis of S. sonnei. The species status of these four isolates, identified by SRST, was confirmed by serotyping of the original isolates, and comparison of the read sets to reference genomes of S. flexneri and S. boydii. Hence SRST could successfully detect and identify outliers for removal. In contrast, allele assignment by blastn search of de novo assembled contigs (assembled using Velvet 1.0.13 and Velvet Optimiser 2.1.7) succeeded for only 60 % of the Shigella read sets.
Plasmid MLST
There are currently MLST schemes available for four types of plasmid – IncI1 [22], IncN [23], IncHI1 [24] and IncHI2 [25] (http://pubmlst.org/plasmid/ webcite). To test the accuracy of SRST for plasmid MLST, we used it to detect and assign 5-locus STs to IncI1 plasmids in the S. sonnei dataset. Since we do not have traditional plasmid MLST sequences available as a control, we mapped the reads to the reference sequence for IncI1 ST16 plasmid pEK204 (NC_013120) [26] and used the proportion of the plasmid covered by each read set as a measure of the real presence of IncI1 plasmids in the data (e.g. 90 % coverage of the reference plasmid would indicate an IncI1 plasmid is present; 10 % coverage of the reference plasmid would indicate no IncI1 plasmid is present). As Figure 2 shows, there was a strong correlation between the number of IncI1 plasmid MLST loci that could be assigned with confidence by SRST, and the coverage of the IncI1 reference plasmid, indicating that SRST is useful for screening for the presence of specific plasmid types. A total of eight read sets were assigned the same IncI1 ST (16) as pEK204; their coverage of pEK204 ranged from 94.2 %-99.0 % (mean 96.9 %), while the highest coverage of pEK204 in other read sets was 92.3 % (assigned to ST37). This suggests that SRST's assignment of plasmid STs is as accurate as that for chromosomal STs.
Figure 2. Use of SRST to detect plasmids. X-axis indicates the number of IncI1 plasmid MLST loci with a high-confidence allele assignment (score > 10) using SRST; y-axis indicates the proportion of the IncI1 ST16 reference plasmid, pEK204, covered by each read set
High-confidence IncI1 plasmid STs were assigned to a total of 26 S. sonnei. As Figure 3 shows, these represent a variety of very distinct IncI1 plasmid types, indicative of multiple transfers of divergent IncI1 plasmids into S. sonnei. The plasmid STs clustered geographically and, within geographic regions, temporally (Figure 3), suggesting there have been several, highly localized, transfers of distinct IncI1 plasmids into the global S. sonnei population.
Figure 3. IncI1 plasmid STs detected amongS. sonnei. Minimum spanning tree of all IncI1 STs present in the IncI1 plasmid MLST database as at March 13, 2012, generated using Phyloviz (http://www.phyloviz.net webcite). STs detected among S. sonnei read sets are highlighted; node colour indicates the country of origin according to the legend provided (bottom-right); node size indicates the number of isolates according to the inset circle legend (top-left). Nodes representing known STs are labeled in black with the ST number (7, 13, 16, 26, 27, 55), unlabeled nodes are novel STs (novel combinations of known alleles). Dates of isolation are indicated for larger groups (coloured text). Arrow indicates the position of ST31, identified in isolates of E. coli O104:H4 associated with an outbreak in Germany in 2011
Outbreak analysis
Chromosomal and plasmid MLST can provide useful insights into bacterial pathogen outbreaks. SRST allows these insights to be rapidly extracted from whole-genome shotgun sequencing, which can be performed without prior knowledge of the species and with no need for PCR with species-specific MLST primers. To illustrate this, we utilised five Illumina short read data sets from the outbreak of E. coli O104:H4 causing hemolytic uremic syndrome in Germany in 2011 [27,28] (accessions SRP000285, SRP008003, SRP008032-36, SRP007327). The data was generated in two different sites (BGI, China and Broad Institute, US). We used SRST to screen the outbreak data using the E. coli MLST database to identify the chromosomal ST and all publicly available plasmid MLST databases to identify IncI1, IncN, IncHI1 or IncHI2 plasmids (see above). Details of the datasets and results are provided in Table 2.
Table 2. Chromosomal and plasmid analysis ofE. colioutbreak strains
SRST correctly identified the chromosomal ST of all five outbreak isolates as E. coli ST678, which matches that reported using traditional MLST approaches [29]. The closest available finished reference genome sequence to the E. coli outbreak strain, Ec55989, shares this ST, and has formed the reference for phylogenetic and gene content analyses of the German outbreak in all published studies [27-30]. This illustrates the utility of SRST to rapidly identify the most suitable reference sequence for whole-genome analysis during an outbreak. At the time of the German outbreak, Ec55989 had not been entered into the E. coli MLST database and extensive read mapping to all available E. coli sequences (approximately N = 60 at the time) was required to identify the most suitable reference [28], however assuming all available reference sequences are entered into the relevant MLST databases, this could be achieved much more quickly and easily in future using SRST.
SRST also correctly identified the presence of an IncI1 plasmid of ST31 in each of the E. coli O104:H4 outbreak isolates (arrow in Figure 3). The outbreak strain's antibiotic resistance plasmid was previously confirmed as IncI1 ST31 using traditional plasmid MLST (present in the IncI1 database as CTX-I1-O104:H4, see http://pubmlst.org/plasmid/ webcite). As Figure 3 shows, this plasmid is quite divergent from any we detected in the S. sonnei data. The IncI1 plasmid MLST database shows IncI1 ST31 plasmids have previously been identified in a variety of other E. coli hosts circulating in both humans and animals, often containing extended spectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M genes similar to that encoded in the outbreak isolates' IncI1 plasmids (see IncI1 database at http://pubmlst.org/plasmid/ webcite). No IncN, IncHI1 or IncHI2 plasmids were identified by SRST, consistent with published reports of the outbreak genomes [27-30].
Other potential applications
As SRST is database driven it could be used for other sequence typing tasks beyond MLST, provided appropriate databases are used as input. For example, it could be used to annotate drug resistance genes and alleles. Used in conjunction with the recent ribosomal MLST database [31], SRST could potentially be used for species designation of novel isolates. These applications could be useful in outbreak analysis, strain identification, surveillance, studies of mechanisms and transfer of drug resistance, and a variety of other public health and research applications.
SRST uses read mapping to assign sequence types to novel bacterial genomic sequence data, which offers several advantages over traditional MLST using PCR and Sanger sequencing. SRST is accurate and sensitive at allele assignment and can identify and retrieve novel allele sequences for further investigation. Being mapping-based it is more sensitive than assembly-based allele assignment for short read data sets, and can be run locally without reliance on web-based services or data uploads. SRST can be used in a variety of contexts, including simple allele assignment to novel data sets, quality control in batch sequencing projects, outbreak investigation, plasmid MLST and potentially in any scenario where database-driven sequence typing is required.
Availability and requirements
Project name: SRST (Short Read Sequence Typing)
Project home page:http://srst.sourceforge.net/ webcite
Operating system(s): Linux/Mac
Requirements: samtools 0.1.8, BWA 0.5.7 (open-source)
Programming language: Python 2.6.4
License: BSD
Any restrictions to use by non-academics: No
Competing interests
The authors' declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
All authors contributed to methods design, editing and approved the final manuscript. TCC also wrote and tested code. MI performed software testing and data analysis. KEH wrote and tested code, sourced data, performed data analysis and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
This work utilised publicly available MLST databases for Salmonella and E. coli (http://mlst.ucc.ie, supported by a grant from the Science Foundation of Ireland (05/FE1/B882)), for S. aureus and S. pneumoniae (http://www.mlst.net, supported by the Wellcome Trust), and for plasmids (http://pubmlst.org/plasmid/). Data for all schemes was retrieved from the collation at http://pubmlst.org (University of Oxford), the development of which has been funded by the Wellcome Trust. KEH, MI were supported by fellowships #628930, #637400 from the NHMRC of Australia; National ICT Australia (NICTA) is funded by the Australian Government's Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Australian Research Council through Backing Australia's Ability, ICT Centre of Excellence programs. This research was supported by a Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI) grant #VR0082.
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text:
Last November, I had the opportunity to beta test Walmart's new Pick Up Today service. Since Walmart is still trying to better the service and offer it in more stores, I was offered to test it again.
Pick Up Today allows customers to order products online and pick them up the same day at their local Walmart stores. Products available for this service include: Electronics, Media and Gaming, Toys, Sporting Goods, Kitchen, Home Decór and Baby (excluding apparel). With Pick Up Today, customers are able to bypass the initial search for the product, the wait for the security cabinets to be unlocked, and the process of waiting in line to pay. Orders can be picked up in the same area as Site-to-Store pickup.
After my previous experience, I prepared to be browsing Walmart.com for a while. I proceeded to search for items that I could order online and pickup at my local Walmart. Again, I had a tough time finding items available for Pick Up Today service (that we actually needed). There definitely needs to be "sort by delivery/shipping" option. I love how Amazon.com has a sort by Prime shipping option.
I knew I needed to pick up a few things to aid my food photography and one of those things were clear dishes. By searching Walmart.com, I was able to find an affordable 12 piece Mainstays Dinnerware set and 16 piece Anchor Hocking Tumbler set that I felt pretty confident about.
12 piece Mainstays Dinnerware set
16 piece Anchor Hocking Tumbler set
Now normally, Pick Up Today orders are ready for pickup in 4 hours or less. During my previous Pick Up Today order, I was notified via email that my order was ready 4 hours after placing my order. I had to wait a good 15 minutes from waiting to be assisted and then actually having the product in my hands. Whenever I do a Site-To-Store, it takes a while (not as long), but it's worth it since I usually order items that aren't sold in-store.
Shortly after I placed my order for the dishes and tumblers, I realized we needed to do some grocery shopping and we couldn't wait 4 hours to do so. We had no plans of going back out to pick up my order later on that day and picking it up the next day just as well would have defeated the purpose. So I cancelled my order and we headed to Walmart for groceries. After grabbing our groceries, I grabbed my dishes and tumblers off the shelves and inspected them to make sure they were durable enough. I love them! I can't wait to photograph salads and cold drinks in them!
So while my Pick Up Today experience didn't go as planned, I still got my sparkly new dishes that I'm going to use on my up-and-coming food blog. I still believe Pick Up Today is more helpful for those shopping for products stuck behind security cabinets that must be retrieved from someone on the floor, not for ordinary products like my glass dishes. I guess I should have gotten a video game, huh? Oh, and I guess I should have not had the immediate need to grocery shop before my order was ready. Well, I tried :).
Visit Walmart's Pick Up Today page for an overview of how it works and to see if the service is available in your area.


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Tennessee Events Calendar
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Oct 13 - 17 Alton Chung as Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center Jonesborough, TN www.altonchung.com October 13-17 Alton Chung performs internationally, sharing stories and legends from Hawaii and spreading aloha. He tells stories from the Hawaiian Monarchy and the Plantation Days as well as Asian folktales from all around the Pacific Rim. He also shares stories of the Japanese American Experience of WWII. learn more
Oct 13 - 18 Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA Memphis, TN Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA is the Tony Award®- winning Broadway musical from the creators of The Sound of Music and South Pacific that's delighting audiences with its contemporary take on the classic tale. This lush production features an incredible orchestra, jaw-dropping transformations and all the moments you love—the pumpkin, the glass slipper, the masked ball and more—plus some surprising new twists! learn more
Oct 15 - 17 Fall Jamboree at Windrock Park Oliver Springs, TN There will be a range of events from guided rides, ATV Rodeo, poker run, Windrock Wide Open, Windrock Challenge, Drag Race, Mud Bog and Dash for Cash! learn more
Oct 15 - 18 Boo! at the Zoo Knoxville, TN Knoxville's largest Halloween event, Boo! at the Zoo celebrates 12 nights of safe and not too scary Halloween fun at the Knoxville Zoo. learn more
Oct 16 - 17 Mid-South Barbecue Festival Mount Pleasant, TN Mid-South Barbecue Festival Professional BBQ Competition with over $10,000 in prize money and Street Fair with Kid's Zone, arts and crafts and live music October 16th and 17th, 2015 learn more
Oct 16 - 18 On Cosby Festival Cosby, TN Moonshine Capitol of the World. Music, car show, race, crafts, food and more. A regional favorite learn more
Oct 16 - 17 Don Williams in Concert Pigeon Forge, TN Don Williams in Concert at Country Tonite Theater learn more
Oct 16 - 18 Overnight Ghost Hunt & Dinner Red Boiling Springs, TN Dinner & Overnight Ghost Hunt at America's #2 Most Haunted Hotel with the Crew of Ghost Hunt Weekends™ learn more
Oct 16 - 17 Don Williams Pigeon Forge, TN Don Williams Live in Concert at the Country Tonite Theatre in Pigeon Forge. learn more
Oct 16 - 18 Oktoberfest at the Chattanooga Market Chattanooga, TN Chattanooga's oldest and largest German celebration, this year brings live German music and foods, a Bier Garten & entertainment for the whole family. The Market will host over 30,000 people for this two day event. Held at First Tennessee Pavilion. learn more
Oct 16 - 18 Boo in the Zoo Chattanooga, TN 5:30pm-8:30pm Join us for the most Spooktacular event of the season! Our annual Boo in the Zoo celebration some of your most loveable cartoon characters, trick-or-treat stations, costume contests, pony rides, games, inflatables, and much more! This non-scary Halloween event is sure to have the whole family talking for years to come. Admission: $8.95 for adults, $5.95 for children, and ages 2 and under are FREE. Members receive half off ticket prices. Tickets may be purchased in advance online or at the Zoo Gift Shop. learn more


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Since the beginning of the NBA season, the Boston Celtics has been a team surrounded with question marks. A perennial favorite to top the Eastern Conference standings, the Celtics, at this point in the season, remind me of Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates — you never know what you're going to get.
There have been games when Boston comes out and plays with a sense of urgency and energy that fans have become accustomed to watching over the last five seasons. Then there is the other side, when the team comes out flat and shows their aging legs. It has been one extreme or the other, which calls for them to play a near perfect game in order to win.
The most glaring issues for the team include its spotty defensive effort from game to game and defining roles for players. The crux of both of these problems lies solely in the health of third-year guard Avery Bradley.
Bradley, who had been sidelined since the end of last season with shoulder issues, has recently returned to action and has revitalized the Celtics. The third-year guard has been regarded as one of the best defenders in the league and has made big strides in improving his offense since getting to the NBA. The Celtics were comfortable enough with Bradley's development to let veteran sharp shooter Ray Allen walk away this summer, opening the door for Bradley to step into the starting shooting guard role.
With Bradley on the court, the Celtics are a completely different team. On the offensive side, Rajon Rondo can be more of an aggressor and attack the basket more often because he has Bradley,waiting in transition, in the event of a fast-break opportunity. The tempo of the offense gets turned up with Rondo and Bradley together, as they are ready and willing to run the floor at any given time. In terms of defense, Bradley himself poses a threat to all teams. He provides an in-your-face type of defense that is rarely seen in the game these days, and it tends to halt teams from developing any momentum or continuity. Bradley's energy on the defensive end is also contagious, with teammates trying to mirror his work ethic.
Personnel issues are also resolved with a healthy Bradley, as rotations and roles become more defined. The starting shooting guard position was a revolving door of players prior to Bradley's return, which stunted the chemistry of the second unit. Now that Bradley has returned, Courtney Lee and Jason Terry can resume playing off the bench where they feel most comfortable and flourish.
Since Bradley's return, the Celtics produced a six-game winning streak and climbed back into contention in the Eastern Conference. By no means does one player make a team, but Bradley's presence and ability transforms the team into a more complete unit. If Bradley and the core of this gritty Celtics squad can stay healthy and hungry, there is no reason to believe that Boston cannot be one of the league's best once again.


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A modern dictionary of Catholic terms, both common and obscure. Find accurate definitions of words and phrases.
The doors of the basilicas of St. Peter, St. John Lateran, St. Paul, and St. Mary Major, which are not opened except during the years of a jubilee. The Pope opens the doors of St. Peter's to officially begin a Holy Year, and closes them at the end of a jubilee. Cardinals are commissioned to do the same at the three other basilicas. The custom dates back to the jubilee of 1450, under Pope Nicholas V. Between jubilees the holy doors closed by two partitions of brick, between which are placed commemorative medals and a parchment recalling the jubilee just completed.
All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.


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had some fun on a few stair sets and a nice bank curve
for some reason it looks like we are riding down the stairs, but were actually jumping them
had some fun on a few stair sets and a nice bank curve
for some reason it looks like we are riding down the stairs, but were actually jumping them
-Trek 4300Disk
-Mongoose XR-75
Looks like fun man! Thanx for the pics!
Thx dogg! (shadows can play trix on ya pix)
Looks like fun.
Road: Quattro Assi Scandium w/ SRAM Rival and Rolf Echelon's
Mountain: 2005 Specialized Enduro Comp
2003 Gary Fisher Tassajara
it was loose. not anymore
-Trek 4300Disk
-Mongoose XR-75
Jealous @ weather. Nice pics.
Yeti | RST | ONE Industries | Gold's Gym | Hayes | Maxxis | Renthal | Royal Racing/Urge/Brake Authority/Seven Protection | Bicycle Butler Spokane, WA
"Simplicate and add more lightness." William Bushnell Stout
yes def fun stuff. although now its cold as balls here......well anything under 70 is considered cold in alabama
-Trek 4300Disk
-Mongoose XR-75
did cops run you off?
Classic avatar, MX.
cops are cool. we can do that all night with no problems but let a skateboard touch the sidewalk and all hell breaks loose
-Trek 4300Disk
-Mongoose XR-75
That face that is being made... is priceless.
i think it looks like you're just riding down the stairs coz of the flash, causing the shadow of you to go RIGHT BEHIND YOU. and so there's not much perspective.
correct me if im wrong.
anyway nice pics! gotta love how you pull the front end up so high...
2009 Trek Series 3 3900


text:
Best of News
Farmers stand near fire they lighted with straw and wooden pallets,... NyhetsfotoApp,Bonde,Bostadshus,Europa,Europeiska Unionen,Finansväsen,Frankrike,Horisontell,Hotel Matignon,Jordbruk,Ny,Pall,Paris,Premiärminister,Protest,Stå,Trä,UpplystPhotographer MIGUEL MEDINACollection: AFP 2013 AFPFarmers stand near fire they lighted with straw and wooden pallets, early on January 16, 2013 in Paris, near the Agriculture ministry and the Prime Minister official residence, the Hotel Matignon, during a protest called by farmers union FNSEA against new constraints arising from the applications of European Union rules against nitrates. A new map identifies 'vulnerable areas' to nitrates which require special protection to not pollute water resources. The board reads 'Let us produce' and asks for the resignation of Agriculture minister Stephane Le Foll. AFP PHOTO MIGUEL MEDINA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)


text:
On a plane somewhere between Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA: Because of my
LA temporary residency
, I haven't spent many Sundays in Nashville this fall, which means I haven't been visiting any churches as part of
The Great Church Search
. Last month looked to be the same until
a little storm
rolled through New York and cancelled our planned trip there, leaving me at home on a Sunday.
Since there was no time to reach out to anyone and invite myself to tag along, I decided to revisit a place from my past. I wanted familiar, easy to get to and a place where everybody know my name. I wanted
. Or in this case,
I had discovered Mosaic six years ago when I was in an extremely dark place in my life. The churches I had been attending were not giving me the spiritual fulfillment I so desperately needed, so I went out on a limb and tried my first non-denominal church experience. Over the next year and a half, I made incredible friendships (which still remain intact to this day), learned about God and His teachings through a different lens that I was used to and started to understand that "doing life" with each other was just as (if not) more important than simply going to church once a week.
When I first attended Mosaic, it was held a
small, white chapel
down the street from one of my
favorite local music venues
. Eventually it moved to a large room within
a downtown restaurant
. But now, it was housed in an office building on 9th Ave. & Commerce St. It reminds me of my
alma matter
, where it is wedged in the middle of the busy city, as opposed to it's own designated 'campus.'
Even though this was a familiar place, I was a little worried that perhaps the people I had met from before may had forgotten me. It had been about four years since I'd been there and there are a lot of people that come and go there. As I headed into the room where the service was to be held, I immediately saw the pastor, Gary. I smiled and started to reintroduce myself.
Gary exclaimed.
"It's so great to see you!"
I guess my worry of not being recognized - or worse - being scolded for being gone for so long - was only in my head.
There were around 75 people in attendance, the majority Caucasian and five African Americans. It was comprised of mainly college students and young families, which was part of the reason I had eventually stopped attending (that, and because of my touring schedule). Back in the day, I felt like the focus had shifted from young professionals to these two new groups of people, which is fine, of course... unless you're not in either one of them.
The music was - and still is - lead by one of the nicest guys I know, Thomas Rose of
The Rose Factor
. I was excited when I saw him leading the service, though bummed out that his super cute (and shorter than me!) wife, Dita, was in the seats and not on the stage. However, they did have a nice lineup of other musicians including two guitars, bass, drums, percussion, a violin and percussion. The songs were contemporary Christian and I had to giggle when I saw a bowl of earplugs available if the music was too loud. It was a very generous offer, though
another church
came to mind that it might be a better fit for.
As in most of the non-denominational churches I have attended, the service was simple: a couple of songs, sending the children away, a video with words & images, another song, the sermon and a closing song. In a little over an hour, I was inspired by good music, a reflective message and a warm welcome.
Gary is a the perfect likable guy. He lives on the East Side, is bald with a goatee and wears a great pair of glasses. He uses phrases like
"I was cruising through first Thessalonians"
"let's dive into scripture."
The theme of this service was on gratitude. After referencing some Bible verses and adding a personal story, he said
"gratitude is the thermometer that indicates the state of our spiritual health. With gratitude, we are able to understand and receive God's grace."
It's funny - I think I am fairly grateful for all the blessings in my life, but if I really look closely at my prayers, it starts out with something like: "Thank you for my job and my health and my relationships... but speaking of relationships, could you please work on my connection with so-and-so and I would really love to have...." My gratitude list quickly turns into a gimme list. I wonder what it would look like if I could simply be grateful for my entire life, as it is, with the good AND the bad, then perhaps the grace would follow, without the need to beg for it.
Mosaic is non-denominational and believes in
the gospel
. It began with a group of people, sitting around a coffee house, talking about God.
They asked
"Why can't church be like this, sitting around in an informal environment discussing the things of Jesus?"
And Mosaic was formed.
I'm a bit biased, of course, because I spent a good chunk of time here in the past. I love the fact that it is in middle of the downtown area, though I do miss the
hip vibe of the original building
(where I subsequently went to two weddings, one concert and did two photo shoots). The music, the service and the people are all wonderful, but as with some places (and people) in life, they are there exactly when you need them, then when you are ready, you feel the time to move on. Mosaic provided the tools for me to start talking about God with others in a real way. I have so much gratitude for the experience there years ago and still today.
9th Ave N & Commerce St
Nashville, TN 37203
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Reflections on the Journey Thus Far:
Since my decision to go to Mosaic was such a last minute one, I had forgotten to bring my notebook in which I had been journaling about my journey. Though I did find a scrap of paper to jot some notes down on, it was nice to simply be a part of the experience, rather than to be documenting the event for this blog.
One More Thing:
I was slightly disheartened when I realized I wouldn't have anyone to share the experience. But I was grateful to be able to easily slip into a church without it being a big production. Then I saw my friend Jacob. He normally plays drums in the band but this week it was the other drummer's turn, which meant Jacob could sit with the peeps. Before I even had a chance to tell him what I was doing there, he pulled up a seat next to me and said,
"we're going to lunch after this, right?"
His offer was the living example of gratitude leading to grace.
It also lead to
hot dogs
, but I'm fairly certain that's not mentioned by name in the Bible.


text:
Tunks come to NSU after a decorated career at St. Louis Catholic High School in Lake Charles. Tunks took the top spots in the 400 meter dash and 800 meters at the 2013 Region I-3A Championships as well as in the 800 at the 2013 LHSAA Outdoor State meet.
All three athletes will also be part of the cross country program which kicks off its season Aug. 29 with the McNeese 6K Relays from Lake Charles.