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Autoimmune diseases are complex and have genetic and environmental susceptibility factors. The objective was to test the genetic association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) – associated systemic vasculitis (AAV) with SNPs in the IL2RA region and to correlate genotype with serum levels of IL-2RA.
Using a cohort of over 700 AAV patients, two SLE case-control studies and an SLE trio collection (totalling over 1000 SLE patients), and a TaqMan genotyping approach, we tested 3 SNPs in the IL2RA locus, rs11594656, rs2104286 & rs41295061, each with a prior association with autoimmune disease; rs11594656 and rs41295061 with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and rs2104286 with multiple sclerosis (MS) and T1D.
We show that SLE is associated with rs11594656 (P = 3.87 × 10-7) and there is some evidence of association of rs41295061 with AAV (P = 0.0122), which both have prior association with T1D. rs2104286, an MS and T1D – associated SNP in the IL2RA locus, is not associated with either SLE or AAV.
We have confirmed a previous suggestion that the IL2RA locus is associated with SLE and showed some evidence of association with AAV. Soluble IL-2RA concentrations correlate with rs11594656 genotype in quiescent disease in both AAV and SLE. Differential association of autoimmune diseases and SNPs within the IL2RA locus suggests that the IL2RA pathway may prove to play differing, as yet undefined, roles in each disease.
Most autoimmune diseases are polygenic, with genetic susceptibility being conferred by common variants at a number of loci. It is evident that some susceptibility loci are shared between autoimmune diseases. One locus that is associated with several diseases including T1D, MS and Graves' disease, is IL2RA [1-4].
The IL-2 pathway is critical for the maintenance of peripheral tolerance. Activated T cells and regulatory T cells express IL-2RA, the high affinity IL-2 receptor (or CD25). IL-2RA expression has also been reported on activated B cells, activated monocytes, and NK cells [5]. IL-2 signalling supports the division and survival of effector T cells, plays a role in activation-induced cell death and is vital to regulatory T cell homeostasis [6]. Its physiological role on other IL-2RA expressing cell types, however, is unclear. One human patient, homozygous for a 4 base pair exonic deletion in IL2RA, lacking a functional IL-2RA demonstrated increased susceptibility to viral, bacterial and fungal infections, but unlike Il2ra-deficient mice did not develop overt autoimmune disease [7]. Thus, the IL-2 pathway has a profound effect on the T cell immune response, contributing to both activation and regulation depending on the immunological context.
In T1D, two disease-associated SNPs [rs11594656 and rs41295061] are required to explain association with this region of chromosome 10p15, indicating that there are multiple functional alleles of the IL2RA locus, presumably altering expression of the receptor [1,2]. In addition, associations have been established with multiple sclerosis (MS) [rs2104286] [3], and suggested with Graves' disease [4]. The SNP, rs2104286, has also been associated recently with T1D, representing a third independent effect for the IL2RA region in this autoimmune disease [8]. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), SNPs without any prior autoimmune associations [rs7072793, rs4147539, rs7090530 and rs12251307] were examined in a candidate gene analysis of IL2RA, providing weak evidence for association [9]. Soluble IL-2RA (sIL-2RA) is shed from human T cells following in vitro activation in response to a variety of polyclonal stimuli [5]. Significantly elevated serum sIL-2RA has been described in infection, malignancy and in autoimmune disease, including T1D, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE and Wegener's granulomatosis [5,10], although the functional implications of this remain unclear. Genotype at rs11594656 and rs41295061 [2], and most recently with rs2104286 [8], has been shown to correlate with serum sIL-2RA concentrations. We therefore genotyped autoimmune disease-prone variants of the IL2RA region (rs11594656, rs41595061 and rs2104286) in two distinct autoimmune diseases associated with soluble IL-2RA elevation, using three independent SLE cohorts and one AAV cohort. SLE is a polygenic multi-system disease characterised by immune complex formation and deposition, frequently associated with anti-dsDNA antibodies and complement dysregulation. The clinical features vary between patients, both in severity and system involvement, and include joint, skin, renal and neurological manifestations. AAV can be divided into three clinical syndromes (Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis and Churg-Strauss syndrome). All are characterised by inflammation of medium to small calibre blood vessels, and the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). The clinical presentation of AAV is variable between patients. Severe manifestations include acute glomerulonephritis and granulomatous inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract. We also assessed serum titres of sIL-2RA in both diseases.
The AAV cohort (n = 744) comprises subjects from four sources, all meeting the Chapel Hill diagnostic criteria [11]:
1. The MRC/Kidney Research UK National DNA Bank for Glomerulonephritis (KRUK-AAV). Individuals were between the ages of 18 and 70 years, were ANCA seropositive, and had biopsy-proven necrotizing glomerulonephritis.
2. The UK vasculitis cohort 2 was recruited from 9 centres in the UK and comprised patients seropositive for ANCA and/or with histological evidence of small vessel vasculitis.
3. Patients recruited from the University of Birmingham. All individuals were ANCA seropositive with firm clinical and/or histological evidence of vasculitis.
4. The Lupus and Vasculitis Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. All individuals were ANCA seropositive with firm clinical and/or histological evidence of vasculitis.
The KRUK-SLE cohort (n = 220) was obtained from the MRC/Kidney Research UK National DNA Bank for Glomerulonephritis (KRUK) and the Lupus and Vasculitis Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. All individuals were between the ages of 18 and 50 years with a definite diagnosis of lupus nephritis based on biopsy and on the clinical and serological features defined by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) [12]. The Imperial case-control cohort comprised 480 SLE patients and there were 471 trios in the Imperial family cohort (ie 471 affected sons/daughters, 942 parents) [13]. Both Imperial cohorts used the ACR defined clinical and serological features. Since the KRUK-SLE cohort used the additional inclusion criterion of biopsy-proven renal involvement, it was analysed separately from the Imperial case-control cohort.
Genotyping was performed using TaqMan genotyping kits (Applied Biosystems) for each SNP, with fluorescence data captured using an ABI 7900HT (Applied Biosystems) after 40 cycles of PCR.
Assessment of disease activity
Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Scores (BVAS) were calculated for AAV patients seen by the Lupus and Vasculitis Service at Addenbrooke's hospital. BVAS assesses both constitutional and organ-specific symptoms, determining whether they are new or pre-existing [14]. British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) scores were used to assess disease activity in SLE patients seen by the Lupus and Vasculitis Service at Addenbrooke's hospital. BILAG scores assess 9 different organ systems based upon a physician's intention to treat [15]. A flare was defined when three criteria were met: 1. Worsening disease activity scores (at least 1 major or 3 minor BVAS criteria for AAV; a new BILAG score A or B in any system for SLE), 2. clinical impression of active disease and 3. an increase in immunosuppressive treatment.
Control genotypes for 9115 individuals from the British 1958 Birth Cohort and UK Blood Service were obtained from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory [16]. This cohort is an expansion of a dataset previously shown to be appropriate for us as UK-wide controls [17]. The 1958 Birth Cohort DNA was collected as part of an ongoing study following all births in England, Scotland and Wales in one week in 1958 http://www.b58cgene.sgul.ac.uk webcite. For the SLE analysis, controls were split into two groups and one group used as controls for each case cohort: n = 4534 controls for the KRUK cohort and n = 4581 for the Imperial cohort. Some of these control individuals were used in the earlier T1D studies [1,2].
Serum soluble IL-2RA was measured in triplicate using an ELISA, according to the manufacturer's instructions (R&D Systems). Serum from both AAV and SLE patients was collected at presentation with a 'flare' (time 0, see Assessment of disease activity section) and three months later (3 months) by the Lupus and Vasculitis Service, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
Statistical analysis
Statistical analysis was performed using Prism (GraphPad), and R http://www.r-project.org webcite. Case control analyses were performed using χ2 tests for significance on 2 × 2 contingency tables. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from the same 2 × 2 tables. The Imperial trio data was analysed using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT). ELISA data were tested for significance using linear regression modelling or the Mann-Whitney test, as indicated in the figure legends.
This study was approved by the Cambridge Local Research Ethics Committee and by the Oversight Committee of the KRUK DNA Bank.
In all three of our SLE cohorts, rs11594656 was found to be significantly associated with disease (protective minor allele, as seen in T1D), combined P = 3.87 × 10-7 (KRUK case control P = 1 × 10-4, Imperial case control P = 0.0221 and Imperial family trio TDT P = 2.8 × 10-3) (Figure 1 and Table 1). Neither of the other two SNPs were associated with SLE (Figure 1 and Table 1). In AAV, in contrast, some evidence for an association was found with rs41295061 (P = 0.0122; minor allele odds ratio = 0.7739; 95% OR CI 0.6330 – 0.9461). The minor allele is protective as in T1D. However, neither rs2104286 or rs11594656 showed any association with AAV (Figure 1 and Table 1). At 80% power, we can detect effect sizes larger than 1.25 for rs11594656 in AAV and 1.4 for rs41295061 in SLE, across all the SLE cases and controls.
Figure 1. SLE and AAV are associated with different SNPs in the IL2RA region. The genomic context of rs2104286, rs41295061 and rs11594656 is shown, using the GBrowse implementation in T1DBase http://www.t1dbase.org webcite. All are non-coding SNPs. Negative decimal logarithms of P values (χ2 test; 1 degree of freedom) from each cohort from SLE and AAV are plotted for rs41295061 and rs11594656 but not for rs2104286, as an association of this MS-associated SNP was not detected with SLE or AAV (table 1). Open circles represent the KRUK case-control cohort; filled circles the Imperial case-control cohort and open squares the Imperial family trios (P value from TDT). The filled square represents the combined P value for rs11594656 in SLE. Crosses are used for the AAV cohort. The dashed lines correspond to P = 0.05.
Table 1. Genotype data at rs11594656, rs41295061 and rs2104286 for SLE and AAV
In both SLE and AAV, sIL-2RA concentrations were significantly higher than controls (Figure 2a). In SLE, disease activity as assessed by BILAG score did not show a significant correlation with sIL-2RA concentrations (Figure 2b), despite previous reports of a correlation between sIL-2RA concentrations and disease activity [5]. However, in AAV, disease activity as assessed by BVAS showed a positive correlation with sIL-2RA concentration (Figure 2c, [10]). Three months after commencement of treatment, when both diseases were considerably less active (mean BILAG decreased from 16.1 to 4.7 and mean BVAS from 13.9 to 4.4), sIL-2RA concentrations correlated with the SLE associated rs11594656 genotype (Figures 2d &2e). In active AAV this correlation no longer held true (figure 2e).
Figure 2. Serum soluble IL-2RA in SLE and AAV and its relationship with disease activity and genotype at rs11594656. (a) A comparison of SLE and AAV soluble IL-2RA (sIL-2RA) at time 0 and 3 months compared with controls, as assessed by ELISA. Each dot represents a patient. (b, c) Correlation between disease activity and sIL-2RA. (BILAG for SLE; BVAS for AAV; see supplementary information). r2 and P values from linear regression modelling are shown. (d, e) sIL-2RA levels stratified by genotype at rs11594656 at both time 0 and 3 months for SLE (d) and AAV (e). P values for panels (a), (d) & (e) were generated using the Mann-Whitney test.
We have shown a novel IL2RA association with AAV and confirm the IL2RA locus association with SLE. This brings the number of autoimmune diseases associated with this gene to five, the others being T1D, MS and Graves' disease [1-4]. An association of SLE with IL2RA (rs7072793, P = 0.01) was generated by candidate gene re-analysis of genome-wide association data from 720 female patients [9]. The present study uses 1130 SLE genotypes, of mixed gender, in three independent cohorts, and demonstrates a strong association with the IL2RA region (rs11594656, P = 3.87 × 10-7). Owing to strong co-segregation of these disorders in cases and families, susceptibility loci can be shared across different autoimmune diseases. Several examples at the gene-specific level are known, including CTLA-4 [18] and PTPN22 [19]. Our study underlines that this sharing can occur at the single gene level for IL2RA for T1D and SLE, two diseases in which co-segregation is less well recognised.
Our findings demonstrate that the association between IL2RA and autoimmune disease is not a simple one. SLE is associated with rs11594656, but not rs41295061 and in AAV there is some evidence for an association with rs41295061 but not with rs11594656. Moreover, in T1D, all three SNPs are associated with disease, but the strength of association varies with each (rs41295061, P = 6.43 × 10-25; rs2104286, P = 1.27 × 10-13; rs11594656, P = 3.37 × 10-6) [2,8]. In MS, whilst rs2104286 is associated with disease [3], rs11594656 or rs41295061 are not (rs11594656, P = 0.293; rs41295061, P = 0.625) [8].
There are differences at the functional level as well, with rs11594656 genotype correlated with sIL-2RA levels in both SLE and AAV despite only having genetic association with SLE. This correlation is present in both SLE and AAV three months following disease flare, but absent at the time of flare itself, perhaps because local inflammatory mechanisms provide a major contribution to sIL-2RA, overriding the influence of genotype. Thus the degree of autoimmune disease activity needs to be taken into account in studies attempting to correlate genotype with markers such as sIL-2RA.
There is precedent for such contrasting functional and genetic associations between SLE and AAV. FcγRIIIb, a neutrophil-specific low affinity activatory Fc receptor, has two allotypic variants, which have a significant effect on the affinity of the receptor for IgG. One of these, FCGR3B*NA1, is associated with SLE, and the other, FCGR3B*NA2, with AAV [20,21]. Moreover, copy number at FCGR3B is associated with expression and function of the receptor [22], and low copy number is associated with SLE [23] but not with AAV ([22] & data not shown). The association of a single gene with different diseases indicates the importance in disease of the biological pathway subserved by that gene, but it does not imply that defects in the gene lead to a similar functional perturbation in each case. Thus the same gene, IL2RA, is associated with both SLE and AAV, but may play quite distinct roles in these diseases.
We confirm the association of the IL2RA locus with SLE, by genotyping rs11594656 across three independent cohorts, using two different study designs. We report evidence for a novel association of the IL2RA locus with AAV. The MS-associated SNP, rs2104286, is not associated with either disease in our cohorts. Soluble IL-2RA concentrations were elevated in SLE and AAV. After three months of treatment, soluble IL-2RA concentrations in both diseases correlated with the SLE associated rs11594656 genotype. The contrasting genetic and functional associations found between SLE and AAV and the IL2RA locus presumably reflect differences in disease pathogenesis.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors' contributions
KGCS and PAL conceived and designed the study. AW, TJV, JAT, KL & RAW provided access to DNA samples, and TJV & JAT assisted in data interpretation. EJC performed the SNP genotyping and its analysis. Additional genotyping and experimental oversight was provided by CEL. MRC contributed the ELISA data and its analysis. The manuscript was written by EJC & KGCS. Additionally, MRC, CEL, TJV, PAL & JAT actively contributed to discussion of the results of this manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
We acknowledge the participation of all of the patients, control subjects and family members. We acknowledge use of DNA from the MRC/Kidney Research UK National DNA Bank for Glomerulonephritis and Neil Walker for his curation and supply of data from the British 1958 Birth Cohort. We thank Jane Hollis and Kirsty Townsend for serum sample collections, David Jayne and Afzal Chaudry for their clinical input, and Caroline Savage, Lorraine Harper and Dwomoa Adu for contributions to DNA collections.
This work was funded by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wellcome Trust (Programme Grant Number 083650/Z/07/Z), and a combined Wellcome Trust – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation grant. The Cambridge Institute for Medical Research is in receipt of a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (079895). EJC was funded by a MRC Doctoral Training Account studentship.
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Pre-publication history
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Responding to Cecil Brown's editorial on Medicaid expansion (May 4).
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Anthony is the Editor in Chief of Techgress, and a big mobile and gaming geek. He's covered mobile technology for the better part of three years, and gets excited about shiny, new things. He currently uses an iPhone, iPad Mini, and Nexus 7, but Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry devices are never too far away.


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Technical Press Release
Print or download this press release (PDF)
11 September 2012
Microchannel GTL chosen for use in speciality petroleum products facility
A modular Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) plant incorporating Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology developed by Velocys, Inc., the US-based subsidiary of the Oxford Catalysts Group, has been chosen by Calumet Specialty Product Partners, L.P., major US-based producer of speciality petroleum products, for use in the expansion of Calumet's Karns City, Pennsylvania facility. The modular GTL plant, with a nominal capacity of 1000 barrels per day (bpd), will produce very pure paraffinic hydrocarbons. These can be used to manufacture a range of ultra-high quality products, including food grade waxes, cosmetics and lubricants.
The raw material for these products is typically derived from the waxy portion of crude oil via normal refining operations. However, high oil prices mean that this feedstock is increasingly expensive. The use of FT waxes produced via GTL will enable Calumet to take advantage of abundant of low-cost American natural gas to produce an ultra-high quality feedstock.
The modular GTL plant, which will also include autothermal reformer (ATR) gasification technology from the Danish company, Haldor Topsøe, will be designed by Ventech Engineers LLC and constructed as shippable modules at Ventech's fabrication facility in Pasadena, Texas. These then will be transported to the client's site for rapid installation and interconnection with its existing refining facility. The modular GTL plant is expected to start production in the second half of 2014.
Ken Roberts, Senior Business Development Director, Velocys, Inc. says:
"We are pleased to have been selected for this planned commercial plant and to be working with Ventech to deliver it. This is an innovative use of Velocys's microchannel FT technology that will help the client to cut feedstock costs while at the same time ensuring security of supply and improved product quality."
– Ends –
Notes to Editors
For further information or to obtain pictures, please contact:
Ken Roberts, Senior Business Development Director, Velocys, Inc.
Nina Morgan, Science Writer for the Oxford Catalysts Group
The GTL process
Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) is a process used to convert natural gas into high quality liquid fuels that are totally compatible with petroleum based fuels. These fuels can be used in existing engines and infrastructure. The GTL process involves two main operations: production of a synthesis gas (syngas) via processes such as steam methane reforming (SMR) or autothermal reforming (ATR); followed by Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. The resulting product can either be blended with crude or upgraded via hydrocracking and fractionation to produce a range of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
In SMR, methane gas is mixed with steam and passed over a catalyst to produce a synthesis gas (syngas) consisting of hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO). The reaction is highly endothermic, so requires the input of heat. This can be generated by the combustion of the excess H2 or other fuel gas. In ATR, oxygen rather than steam is used as the oxidant to produce the syngas.
In the FT process, first developed in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s to produce liquid fuel from coal, syngas is converted into paraffinic hydrocarbons over a cobalt catalyst. The process is highly exothermic, or heat generating. The FT product can be blended with crude oil, or upgraded via hydrocracking to produce a range of products including diesel, jet fuel, naphtha and base oils for synthetic lubricants. Generally these products are of higher quality than those derived by conventional means.
To request a diagram outlining the GTL process, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Microchannel Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactors
Microchannel technology is a developing field of chemical processing that intensifies chemical reactions. It enables lower cost, smaller and more productive processes by improving the heat and mass transfer performance and reducing the dimensions of the reactor systems.
Microchannel FT reactors are compact reactors containing thousands of channels with characteristic dimensions in the millimetre range. Process channels, filled with catalyst, are interleaved with water-filled coolant channels. The small diameter channels dissipate heat more quickly than conventional fixed-bed reactors with relatively larger tubes in the 2.5 – 10 cm (1 – 4 inch) range. As a result, more active catalysts can be used.
Mass and heat transfer limitations reduce the efficiency of the conventional large FT reactors. The use of microchannel technology makes it possible to overcome these limitations and to intensify the chemical reactions, enabling them to occur at rates 10 to 1000 times faster than in conventional systems.
Microchannel Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactors marketed under the brand name Velocys, and using a highly active FT catalyst developed by Oxford Catalysts Ltd have been successfully tested at the laboratory, pilot and demonstration scale. These reactors exhibit conversion efficiencies in the range of 70% per pass, and are designed for economical production on a scale that matches the resource.
Microchannel GTL
Conventional GTL technology involves large, heavy equipment, and is only economically viable for plants producing around 30,000 or more barrels per day (bpd). By contrast, microchannel GTL plants can be designed to have a small footprint and can operate efficiently and economically when producing as little as 500 bpd.
Because microchannel reactors are modular, microchannel GTL plants can be scaled to match the resource. The plants can be fabricated in a factory, reducing construction time and simplifying logistics for use offshore or in remote locations.
The Oxford Catalysts Group
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC is a listed public company (LSE: OCG) comprised of two operating subsidiaries – Velocys, Inc. and Oxford Catalysts Ltd. The Group has over 80 employees, and operates from facilities near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK and Columbus, Ohio, USA. The company was founded in October 2004 and admitted to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange on 26th April 2006.
Velocys, Inc.
Velocys, Inc. is based in Columbus, Ohio, USA and specialises in microchannel reactors and process technology for the conversion of low-value resources into clean-burning fuels. Applications include gas to liquids (GTL), biomass to liquids (BTL) and coal to liquids (CTL). The company was spun out of Battelle Memorial Institute, a major not-for-profit science and technology organisation, in 2001. It owns, or has licences to, the largest microchannel patent portfolio in the world, with over 650 patent filings, and supports a large microchannel development team. Velocys, Inc. was acquired by Oxford Catalysts in 2008.
Oxford Catalysts Ltd
Oxford Catalysts Ltd, designs, develops and licences super-active catalysts for the generation of clean fuels from both low-value fossil resources and certain renewable sources such as biomass.
Its core technology is a novel class of catalysts made using the organic matrix combustion (OMX) method. Due to tight control of particle size and surface shape, these catalysts offer significantly higher productivity than conventional metal catalysts, allowing products to be made with smaller amounts of catalyst. The catalysts are also more stable and robust to changes in process conditions. These features make them well matched to the Velocys microchannel reactors, especially for the Fischer-Tropsch process.
Calumet Specialty Product Partners, L.P.
Calumet Specialty Product Partners, L.P. is a leading independent producer of high-quality, specialty hydrocarbon products in North America. Calumet processes crude oil and other feedstocks into customised lubricating oils, solvents, waxes and asphalt used in consumer, industrial, and automotive products. Calumet also produces fuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. They are based in Indianapolis, Indiana and have nine plants in the US, located in Louisiana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Texas and Missouri.
Ventech Engineers
Ventech Engineers is the global leader in the design and construction of new modular refineries, gas-processing systems, and existing plant relocations. The company headquarters and fabrication facility are located in Pasadena, Texas, US. Ventech also has offices in Russia and the Philippines.
Haldor Topsøe
Haldor Topsøe A/S is a provider of heterogeneous catalysts and technology. The company headquarters is in Lyngby, Denmark. Its fully owned US subsidiary Haldor Topsøe, Inc. is based in Houston, Texas. Haldor Topsøe's key markets include the refining, petrochemical and power industries.www.topsoe.com


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I attended forums hosted by two ELCA congregations this weekend. The audiences, which leaned strongly toward middle-aged and older, were marked by what I would call polite passion.
The meetings come some weeks after the ELCA Churchwide Assembly approved a controversial social statement on human sexuality and moved to allow gays in committed relationships to serve as rostered ministers.
Northwestern Minnesota Bishop Larry Wohlrabe was at the meeting at Moorhead's Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd where people spoke on both sides of the issue.
The congregational forum at Hawley Lutheran Church followed some vision-casting meetings in which the congregation's relationship with the ELCA emerged as one of the main topics. And Pastor Jeff Teeples said the meeting was a starting point for looking into that issue.
The discussion in Hawley leaned more toward the side that feel the ELCA has erred in its recent decisions on sexuality.
Read more about the congregational meetings in Monday's Forum.


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Jaikiran Pai wrote:Does this help?
Jaikiran Pai wrote:EJB3.0 did not have a feature of "auto timers". You had to programatically create the timers via the javax.ejb.TimerService. Here's an example. The client code would have to invoke that method on the bean for the timer to be started and triggered.
Kumar Amit wrote:I was talking about client code to invoke the method to trigger the timer. What is the best way to invoke the method on the bean which will create/trigger the timer (timerService.createTimer() etc). Should I use Startup servlet that will invoke this startTimer() method on the bean or something else?
Andrew Monkhouse wrote:For the SCEA/OCMJEA exams, you do not need to go so deeply into the APIs. You might want to take a higher level view.


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- Filed Under
DEAR SANTA, Hello, How are you? here are some of the things i want for Christmas.I would like a new purple or pink BIKE. I Would also like a new Barbie LIMO For my barbies to ride in. I would like a TRIKKE SCHOOTER. I would also like A 10 TABLET. A REMOTE CONTROL CAR, my mom say they for boys, but i want one anyway. I also like to have any thing MONSTER HIGH.
Zaubreail JaNie, Age 6


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NEW YORK (AP) - The movie industry is struggling to deal with the deadly shooting at a midnight screening last night of the new Batman film, "The Dark Knight Rises."
One of the most anticipated films of recent years has now been linked to a horrifying tragedy.
Last night's shooting, which killed 12 people in suburban Denver, is forcing a change in plans for the global release of the film. Warner Bros. has canceled a premiere planned for Paris.
A statement from the studio says it's "deeply saddened" by the "shocking incident."
The studio hasn't had any further comment on whether screenings might be canceled, or precautions taken.
Director Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
The chain that owns the theater where the shooting happened says it's working closely with local law enforcement. Movie theaters around the country continued Friday showings of the film, though some are stepping up security.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Associated Press


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Online Banking provides the following services:
CLICK HERE to sign up for Online Banking!
Telephone Banking is private, easy and convenient banking from your touchtone telephone. All you need to do is call your local SIB and they can tell you how easy it is to start!
If your card is lost or stolen please call 1-800-264-4274.
Night drop boxes are a secure depository to accept your deposits when the bank is closed. Each of our four locations has one located on the outside of the building.
> Online Banking Login> Home> 24 Hour Access> Branches> ATM Locator> Accounts> Loans> Current Rates> Contact Us> SIB Visa Credit Card> SIB Services> Links> About Us> Privacy-Policy
NOTICE: At Southern Illinois Bank, one of our responsibilities that we take very seriously is the safeguarding of your personal and financial information. Whether you're banking online, by phone or visiting one of our branches, we are committed to protecting your personal information.
Unless you initiated the contact, Southern Illinois Bank will NOT request your personal information by email, phone or U.S. mail. Never give our personal information in response to an unsolicited call or email.
Please notify us immediately if you receive unusual calls or emails claiming to be from Southern Illinois Bank. Be especially wary of those requesting account information to "award a prize" or "verify a statement."


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The result of the whole quality of her welcome, at any rate, was that the first evening, in his room, before going to bed, he relieved his mind in a letter to Addie, which, if space allowed us to embody it in our text, would usefully perform the office of a "plate." It would enable us to present ourselves as profusely illustrated. But the process of reproduction, as we say, costs. He wished his friend to know how grandly their affair turned out. She had put him in the way of something absolutely special — an old house untouched, untouchable, indescribable, an old corner such as one didn't believe existed, and the holy calm of which made the chatter of studios, the smell of paint, the slang of critics, the whole sense and sound of Paris, come back as so many signs of a huge monkey-cage. He moved about, restless, while he wrote; he lighted cigarettes and, nervous and suddenly scrupulous, put them out again; the night was mild and one of the windows of his large high room, which stood over the garden, was up. He lost himself in the things about him, in the type of the room, the last century with not a chair moved, not a point stretched. He hung over the objects and ornaments, blissfully few and adorably good, perfect pieces all, and never one, for a change, French. The scene was as rare as some fine old print with the best bits down in the corners. Old books and old pictures, allusions remembered and aspects conjectured, reappeared to him; he knew not what anxious islanders had been trying for in their backward hunt for the homely. But the homely at Flickerbridge was all style, even as style at the same time was mere honesty. The larger, the smaller past — he scarce knew which to call it — was at all events so hushed to sleep round him as he wrote that he had almost a bad conscience about having come. How one might love it, but how one might spoil it! To look at it too hard was positively to make it conscious, and to make it conscious was positively to wake it up. Its only safety, of a truth, was to be left still to sleep — to sleep in its large fair chambers and under its high clean canopies.
He added thus restlessly a line to his letter, maundered round the room again, noted and fingered something else, and then, dropping on the old flowered sofa, sustained by the tight cubes of its cushions, yielded afresh to the cigarette, hesitated, stared, wrote a few words more. He wanted Addie to know, that was what he most felt, unless he perhaps felt, more how much she herself would want to. Yes, what he supremely saw was all that Addie would make of it. Up to his neck in it there he fairly turned cold at the sense of suppressed opportunity, of the outrage of privation that his correspondent would retrospectively and, as he even divined with a vague shudder, almost vindictively nurse. Well, what had happened was that the acquaintance had been kept for her, like a packet enveloped and sealed for delivery, till her attention was free. He saw her there, heard her and felt her — felt how she would feel and how she would, as she usually said, "rave." Some of her young compatriots called it "yell," and in the reference itself, alas! illustrated their meaning. She would understand the place at any rate, down to the ground; there wasn't the slightest doubt of that. Her sense of it would be exactly like his own, and he could see, in anticipation, just the terms of recognition and rapture in which she would abound. He knew just what she would call quaint, just what she would call bland, just what she would call weird, just what she would call wild. She would take it all in with an intelligence much more fitted than his own, in fact, to deal with what he supposed he must regard as its literary relations. She would have read the long-winded obsolete memoirs and novels that both the figures and the setting ought clearly to remind one of; she would know about the past generations — the lumbering country magnates and their turbaned wives and round-eyed daughters, who, in other days, had treated the ruddy sturdy tradeless town, — the solid square houses and wide walled gardens, the streets to-day all grass and gossip, as the scene of a local "season." She would have warrant for the assemblies, dinners, deep potations; for the smoked sconces in the dusky parlours; for the long muddy century of family coaches, "holsters," highwaymen. She would put a finger in short, just as he had done, on the vital spot — the rich humility of the whole thing, the fact that neither Flickerbridge in general nor Miss Wenham in particular, nor anything nor any one concerned, had a suspicion of their characters and their merit. Addie and he would have to come to let in light.
He let it in then, little by little, before going to bed, through the eight or ten pages he addressed to her; assured her that it was the happiest case in the world, a little picture — yet full of "style" too — absolutely composed and transmitted, with tradition, and tradition only, in every stroke, tradition still noiselessly breathing and visibly flushing, marking strange hours in the tall mahogany clocks that were never wound up and that yet audibly ticked on. All the elements, he was sure he should see, would hang together with a charm, presenting his hostess — a strange iridescent fish for the glazed exposure of an aquarium — as afloat in her native medium. He left his letter open on the table, but, looking it over next morning, felt of a sudden indisposed to send it. He would keep it to add more, for there would be more to know; yet when three days had elapsed he still had not sent it. He sent instead, after delay, a much briefer report, which he was moved to make different and, for some reason, less vivid. Meanwhile he learned from Miss Wenham how Addie had introduced him. It took time to arrive with her at that point, but after the Rubicon was crossed they went far afield.


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Media News
Breaking: CNN.com Live to Change Name, Reduce Hours
First on WebNewser: CNN.com Live will change its name and cut the number of hours it streams live video online, WebNewser has learned. Currently CNN.com Live streams live anchored news from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to a source, these hours will be reduced, "perhaps significantly," adding that while "no layoffs are planned, job titles and duties will change for many."
Breaking: CNN.com Live to Change Name, Reduce Hours (WebNewser)


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- KNIA / KRLS - http://kniakrls.com -
Early Voting Starts on Tuesday
Posted By News On October 16, 2010 @ 6:25 am In Today's Local News | Comments Disabled
With the elections getting closer, it's important to remember to get to the polls on November 2nd, however, there is early voting available this year as well. Marion County Republican Chairperson Irene Blom says that early voting will be taking place on October 19th at the American Legion in Pella located on Broadway street from 9a-3p. Blom says she strongly encourages early voting because it helps cut down traffic at the polls in November.
Article printed from KNIA / KRLS: http://kniakrls.com
URL to article: http://kniakrls.com/2010/10/early-voting-starts-on-tuesday/
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2009 KNIA/KRLS. All rights reserved.


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November 28, 2015
Stay Connected Anywhere
IOLA, Kan. (AP) -- Residents and businesses in the southeast Kansas community of Iola will be sending children back to school in style.
The Iola Register reports the city will hold its inaugural Back To School Block Party the evening of Aug. 14 in the courthouse square.
Pam Tressler and fellow members of the civic group PowerUp Iola came up with the idea. They approached hair stylists to offer children back-to-school haircuts for $10 during the celebration. The high school band will perform, church groups are preparing baskets for a drawing, and a local company is providing an outdoor movie screen for families to watch films.
The block party is also a fundraiser for two children with cancer, a teacher with cancer and another teacher who was recently hurt in a car accident.
Posted by Greg Palmer
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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This cool and contemporary wine bar cum restaurant serves a delightful array of tapas, pub food and light meals. As is naturally suggested by the name, you can pair any item with amazing wine of your choice. Regular wine tastings are held. 10 Chapters serves breakfast, lunch and early dinners. Booking is advised.
If you are in Cape Town and have not yet visited 1890 Sushi House and Grill, then you are seriously missing out. Some like to keep it a secret just to make sure they will always have a table. Capetonians all agree that this is the best and most delicious sushi in town with a grill to match.
One does not even notice the simple and slightly bare décor because you are just too busy socialising over the fresh sushi – or fresh turn-table sushi – and large portions. The most difficult choice is will I only order sushi or take on one of the mouth-watering chicken, duck, pork, beef or seafood dishes.
You will be sure to spot Charlie, the owner, ensuring that all his patrons are happy and catching up with his regulars.
Be sure to book a table at this very popular and reasonably priced restaurant in Observatory, Cape Town. They are open from Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. The best sushi in Cape Town!
A Taste of Asia is found on the bustling Lower Main Street in Observatory. The restaurant has been said to be great value for money and one of the best places to enjoy sushi. The fusion of Asian meals includes cuisine from Japan, China, Korea and Thailand.
The restaurant is an old house with the rooms offering guests seating. Every room has a fireplace which creates a fantastic cosy and romantic atmosphere and much-needed warmth in winter. All this coupled with friendly and efficient service.
A Taste of Asia is well known for its buffet specials and it is advisable to book in advance. Look out for their live band nights. Bring your wine and have a hearty time.
Street parking is available and the best place to look is the down the one-way just before the restaurant. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Lunch hours are from Tuesday to Friday, from 12 pm to 3 pm. Dinner is served every day from 6 pm to 10:30 pm.
Please call for further information.
Serving delicious pub grub and pizzas that are sure to hit the spot, A Touch Of Karoo Madness exudes a cheerfully light ambience in an Old World setting. The restaurant is family friendly and at the prices, you can take a big one. A comfy setting, warm Karoo hospitality and food that is moreish and hearty all contribute to this eating experience that simply must be tried.
Grab your friends and head straight to A Touch of Madness for a tasty meal and a great bottle of wine. This unique restaurant in 'Obs' offers a blend of South African Fusion with a little madness. It caters for most tastes with falafal dinners and filled butternuts to delicious beef and venison steaks.
On Monday evenings you can listen to Off The Wall poetry readings from 8pm. Thursday nights are Irish music sessions from 9pm and every alternate Sunday night at 8pm you can hear the tunes of Blacksmith, a Bluegrass band.
Open 7 days a week from 12 noon until late (Monday to Saturday) and 5pm until late on Sunday.
Abou Tarek was founded in the 1950's and is popular among tourists and locals alike. They serve the traditional Egyptian street food called koshary. The noodles and rice are always perfectly cooked and chunky tomato sauce and crispy onions top the dishes. A bustling atmosphere and good plain authentic food makes for a satisfying and convenient experience.
This typically Egyptian restaurant exudes an Old World atmosphere and serves dishes to complement the nostalgic feel. Try the kofta (minced meat), the kebab or the moza (sheep shank). A speciality dish is the French Fatta, roasted liver on a bed of rice and bread. Add a delicious salad or veggies as sides and you're good to go.
A thoroughly authentic restaurant serving the finest in Ethiopian cuisine. With offerings you won't find anywhere else such as ting-sour Injera flatbread, Abysinia is the place to go for a truly unique dining experience.
For a little of everything, ask for a platter and you will not be disappointed. Prices are incredibly reasonable. The drinks are equally exciting with strong, fresh coffee as well as local and Ethiopian wines.
The casual, relaxed ambience and charming service make an experience at Abysinia one to remember.
Perched at the foothills of the mysterious Soutpansberg Mountains, Acacia Restaurant boasts full English breakfasts and delicious lunches and dinners.
The cuisine touches on locally inspired dishes with explosions of taste dominating the palate.
Peruse the menu feasting on tasty delights before rounding off a satisfying meal with cooling cocktails or soothing nightcaps under the starry skies in the comfort of the pergola.
Acacia Restaurant caters for a delicious dining experience at The Gateway Inn in Makhado (Louis Trichard).
The outdoor setting is modern, with alternate indoor dining for those who prefer to be away from the elements.
The menu brims with Continental and Zambian dishes, and buffet style meals. Families enjoy a relaxed day out with weekend entertainment at Acamm's Lodge in Lusaka.
The extensive menu brims with affordable and authentic African cuisine.
Generous portions laden with fresh ingredients and hearty flavour, utensils in the form of traditional bread scoop up mouthfuls and tables with low stools all cater for a traditional dining experience.
Located upstairs on the second floor is a traditional setting, simple and welcoming. The walls boast crooked posters of Ethopia and low tables and stools give an atmosphere feel to the setting.
Addis Adaba Restaurant is as traditional as it gets and a hearty communal eating experience in Westlands.
An unforgettable African banquet awaits you at Africa Cafe.With a menu that changes according to season, ensuring that only the freshest and finest ingredients are used in the preparation of the delicious dishes, Africa Cafe has true African dining perfected.Superbly warm and friendly staff are on hand and happy to take diners through the exciting offerings and will happily explain the authentic decor and paintings that adorn the walls.A healthy following of both tourists and locals make for an eclectic ambience, enhanced by the sound of drums and singing staff members!
This laid-back restaurant is situated in Mohandessin and serves typically Oriental and Egyptian food. Great koshary, foul and ta'meya can be enjoyed. The menu is large and varied and also contains old favourites such as grilled chicken, hawawshy and Shawarma.
Alberto's is a quaint and bustling owner-run pub and restaurant in the middle of Durbanville. The restaurant has a laid-back, comfortable feel to it and here you can simple sit back and relax with your favourite pint and great food.
The restaurant has both a smoking and a non-smoking section inside and a big, outdoor smoking section in the garden. The garden also has an awesome play area for the little ones and this makes the establishment perfect for a family lunch.
The restaurant serves mainly traditional, hearty, comfort food and dishes include a range of great, succulent steaks, burgers and even the popular eisbein. Must-tries are the homemade chicken pie and the proudly South African bobotie, a Cape malay dish with mince meat, egg, raisins and curry spices.
This restaurant offers good food, a lively, bustling comfortable ambience, great service and an all-round enjoyable experience.
Stellenbosch's Kayamandi (an informal settlement area) may not scream location- location- location for restaurant venue, but is home to AmaZink Eatery. The restaurant delivers a novel African eating experience that embraces and simultaneously invests in the local Stellenbosch community.
The African theme of the restaurant is seen through to every detail. The décor is bold and loud in colour and service is hearty and friendly. All the traditional fare is unpretentious and prepared on wood burning fires. Even the beer is home brewed. Expect local favourites like pap and wors, but perhaps not quite as rustic as authenticity demands. With Bertus Basson (celebrity chef and co-owner of Overture Restaurant) overseeing the menu, there is a definite contemporary take on the local delicacies.
The restaurant offers a wine list that supports farmers in the immediate vicinity.
With prominent businessmen investing, AmaZink Eatery forms part of the Ikhaya Trust Centre and is driven to make a contribution to the social uplifting of the area. Inline with the venture's policy, only locals to Kayamandi are employed at AmaZink.


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WiebeTech updates ToughTech drive
updated 08:30 am EDT, Wed August 2, 2006
ToughTech XE released
WiebeTech has released a new version of its ToughTech drive enclosures. The updated ToughTech series features the new ToughTech XE, which is now available with four ports -- eSATA, dual FireWire 800/400, and USB 2.0. The updates drives feature the new Oxford 924 bridge (replacing the Oxford 922) for improved data speed. The metal enclosure features a anti-shock system for the 3.5-inch hard drives connected via either SATA-1 or SATA-2. The ToughTech XE is compatible wit any Mac or PC using and is available now for $120; it also can be purchased with a bundled 250GB ($255), 500GB ($460), or 750GB ($800) hard drive.


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- Filed Under
Dear Abby: I am a divorced woman with three children ages 24, 22 and 16. I live on my own with my girls. I have been dating a man, "Reed," for three years. We are very much in love and have been working to blend our families. (He has two children.)
We have decided to move in together at the end of October. My lease will be up then, and Reed has sold his condo. We will be moving into the house he shared with the ex-wife while they were married. I'm comfortable with the move, and our kids are very excited about it.
Everything is fine except his ex-wife has not yet found a new home to move into. With little time to go, he's now suggesting that we live with her until she finds a new place. Reed believes this will be very short-term - a month or so.
The house is big enough for all of us, so that's not an issue. His ex-wife and I are friendly, so that's not an issue either. But I'm not comfortable with this plan.
Am I being irrational? Should I just act like a grown-up and make the move, or should I refuse?
- Second Thoughts in Massachusetts
Dear Second Thoughts: You are neither immature nor irrational. You are thinking ahead - and that is what grown-ups do. What if Reed's ex can't find a place that suits her in a month or so? What if it takes six months or even a year? While you may like the woman, do you really want to share your dwelling with the "Ghost of Marriage Past?"
If I were you, I'd work out a month-to-month extension of your lease. Reed can move in with you for the "short term." I'm sure you'd both be happier.
Dear Abby: My mother makes us late for everything. When we pick up Mom, she announces she has "just a few" chores she wants to do.
We are not "a few" minutes late; we're significantly late, and sometimes miss events altogether. These have included weddings and funerals, and we have wasted hundreds of dollars on tickets to missed events. She'll often make a show of apologizing, but her behavior never changes.
We have stopped inviting Mom to some events, but she makes us feel guilty if we don't take her to a family event. We have tried helping her do her chores the day before and lied about starting times.
We have asked her friends about this behavior. They say she never pulls these stunts when they pick her up for things.
She's in good mental and physical health. We're fresh out of ideas on how to deal with this. Help!
- Late for a Very Important Date
Dear Late: It's interesting that your mother doesn't behave this way with her friends. That tells me her behavior is controlling.
I would handle it this way: Tell Mama you will pick her up at a certain time and that you will wait no longer than five minutes for her. If she's not out by then, you will leave. And then do it.


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The Miami Heat will host road rallies for Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The road rallies are the official watch parties of Heat road playoff games.
Fans are encouraged to join the Heat dancers, Burnie, the Xtreme team, and PA Announcer Michael B.
Doors at the American Airlines Arena open for the road rallies at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday.
Both games tip off at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are free, but fans must register on the team's website.
There is a $2 convenience charge per ticket.
Parking will be available at the Arena's P2 garage for $5 per car and will be available on a first come, first served basis.


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PROGRAM REGISTRATION: Enter Southern Oregon University's conference residence, Cox Hall, through the sliding doors off the parking lot. At registration you'll meet your Group Leader, who will be your expert guide for the week, and the Conference Assistant, who will give you your room keys. Settle into your room and relax from your journey here while your fellow participants arrive. At registration, you'll receive a packet of information to prepare you for the week, including a detailed schedule of events and important information about the week. Come to the evening's orientation refreshed and ready for your adventures!
ORIENTATION: Get to know what this exciting week has in store! Meet back in the registration room to get to know your fellow Road Scholars and program staff during an informative overview of the program. Learn about the in-depth classes and fascinating field trips you'll be experiencing this week and prepare for Monday morning's first glimpse of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival campus. Come prepared with your questions about any of the fun events this week.
CAMPUS EXCURSION: Orient yourself to Cox Hall, Cascade Dining Hall with its new dining service where you will eat many of your delicious meals, Schneider Museum of Art, Hannon Library, and the Stevenson Union. Cox Hall is conveniently located adjacent to Siskiyou Boulevard with easy access to campus attractions, coffee shops, eateries, and a gourmet grocery store.
Dinner: Enjoy a delicious catered dinner and conversation with your fellow Road Scholars in our meeting room in Cox Hall. Continue your orientation to the week's programming over a scrumptious dessert.Evening: THEATRE GAMES: Meet your theatre instructor for the week, OSF actor Tyrone Wilson, who will guide grandparents and grandchildren through fun and interactive theatre-based games.Lodging: Cox Hall (Intergenerational programs)Meals Included: Dinner
Return to the campus to continue learning about theatre productions. Class topics will vary but previous classes have been on stage make-up, the business of acting, or the role of the director.Dinner: Relax after this afternoon's excitement with an enjoyable dinner in the Cascade Food Court. The new food service, A'viands, uses fresh recipes in its delicious dinner entrees, ethnic cuisine selections, soups, salads, and assorted desserts.Evening: Return to the classroom to learn more about the OSF productions.
Class topics vary. Among others, subjects may include how the casting process works, the implementation of a play for the modern stage in dramaturgy, incorporating dance in theatre productions, or how actors learn dialects for the stage.
Lodging: Cox Hall (Intergenerational programs)Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
THEATRE REFLECTIONS: These core classes of the program will be taught daily by your theatre instructor, Tyrone, who will be your guide for the week's performances, lead review discussions, and introduce you to several actors straight off the OSF stages.Lunch: Indulge in a variety of options for both vegetarians and meat-lovers alike at the Cascade Food Court. The new food service, A'viands, prides itself on using fresh ingredients in its delicious main entrees, daily soups, build-your-own sandwich and salad bars, and many tasty sides.Afternoon: Return to the classroom to learn more about the OSF productions.
This afternoon's class will delve into the script and themes of Thursday's performance of The Taming of the Shrew.
Cool off at the Emigrant Lake waterslides and race your way down the 280-foot slope. If you do not want to get soaked, you can watch the action from the comfortably dry viewing area. Waterslide passes will be provided as part of the program to everyone who wishes to go down the slides.Dinner: Enjoy more great dinner options at the Cascade Dining Hall for a delightful meal.Evening: PERFORMANCE: Walk into another world in one of America's oldest Elizabethan theatres under the stars on a summer evening. Tonight you will be seeing The Heart of Robin Hood, a fast-paced, hilarious & vibrant take on the Robin Hood legend, David Farr's new play premiered last year at the Royal Shakespeare Company to rave reviews.
Lodging: Cox Hall (Intergenerational programs)Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
THEATRE REFLECTIONS: After a brief break, explore more of the week's performance themes as you meet again with your OSF actor instructor. Relive the highlights from the play you watched yesterday, learn about the themes and setting of the play you will see today, and meet one of the many talented OSF actors.Lunch: Today's lunch will be downtown at Creekside Pizza. Enjoy handmade, stone-baked pizzas and fresh salads at this local favorite.Afternoon: Free afternoon to explore Ashland on your own! Visit the ScienceWorks Museum or drive to nearby Jacksonville or Medford. If you wish to attend an additional play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), please contact OSF at (541)482-4331 to purchase tickets. If you would like to visit ScienceWorks Museum, please contact them at (541) 482-6767 for hours and admission rates.Dinner: Tonight dinner will be on your own to take advantage of more than 80 restaurants in Ashland. You'll find everything from sushi or traditional pub fare to fine dining in downtown Ashland. If you wish to eat at Cascade Dining Hall, you may do so on a cash basis.Evening: PERFORMANCE: Walk into another world in one of America's oldest Elizabethan theatres under the stars on a summer evening. Tonight you will be seeing A Midsummer Night's Dream. Love triangles, mishaps, and forests full of fairies, this magical Shakespeare production reigns as one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies.Lodging: Cox Hall (Intergenerational programs)Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
THEATRE REFLECTIONS: After a brief break, return to the classroom for today's discussion of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival plays. In this intimate class setting, review yesterday's performance, meet yet another special guest, and get ready for today's production with your OSF guide.Lunch: Head over again to Cascade Dining Hall for a refreshing lunch before the afternoon's activities.Afternoon: CLASS: ACTOR'S LIFE
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival company includes about 100 actors each year. Meet one of these talented professionals and learn about the life of an actor in an intimate setting. Come prepared with the questions you've always wanted to ask a performer!
After class, you'll visit a local thrift store to put together a creative costume and find a few props for your performance tomorrow.Dinner: Gather for your last dinner together as a group over a pleasant, catered meal in our private meeting room. Share your thoughts about this week's program with your new Road Scholar friends and highlight your favorite experiences. Enjoy a delicious ice cream sundae bar for dessert before heading off to tonight's theatre performance.Evening: PERFORMANCE: Named after the OSF founder Angus Bowmer, this theatre opened in 1970 to extend the OSF season by offering an indoor venue. By design, you'll find there's no bad seat in the house.
Tonight you will be seeing The Taming of the Shrew. Get ready for beach boardwalks and rock 'n' roll in Shakespeare's fun, comedic love story! NOTE: This play includes scenes with sexual innuendo inherent in Shakespeare's text.Lodging: Cox Hall (Intergenerational programs)Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
THEATRE REFLECTIONS: After a brief break, gather again in the classroom. Today you'll meet for the last time with the group and go over the week's performances, meet with a guest actor, and wrap up the week's themes.Lunch: Catered box lunches (with vegetarian option) will be available after the program. You are welcome to stay and eat your box lunch on-campus but if you need to leave right away, your lunch will be ready for you.Afternoon: Please check-out of Cox Hall by 1:00 PM.Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
With an average snowfall of 44 feet, not all entrances are open year round. Roads can close from October to July. Rim Drive is typically open by the beginning of July. This 33 mile drive has spectacular viewpoints.
For the latest road, weather, and trail information please call (541)594-3000. Current conditions at the park, including web cams, road and facility status can be found on the "Current Conditions" page of their website.For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/crla
For decades Jacksonville, which had become the county seat, flourished as the commercial and cultural center of Southern Oregon. It wasn't until 1884, when the railroad was routed through the neighboring town of Medford, did the prestige of Jacksonville begin to wane. As residents and businesses moved away to those communities along the rail lines, Jacksonville settled into a new role-that of an agricultural center.
The combination of the County Seat being moved to Medford in 1927, the Great Depression and World War II had serious economic impact on Jacksonville. But never a community to give in, residents and business leaders sought to preserve the heritage of Southern Oregon's first town. Although no longer a boom town, Jacksonville discovered a new way to lure those with the pioneer spirit, capturing it's colorful past and inviting a new generation of explorers to experience it.
The Britt Festival in Jacksonville is a must see when visiting this unique town. The festival began in 1963 with its first summer outdoor concert. Britt exclusively offered classical music until 1978 when they started to incorporate other world-class artists. With an array of performances, including the Classical Festival in the beginning of August, you won't want to miss these wonderful outdoor concerts.
In 1966, Jacksonville was designated a National Historic Landmark. Over 100 buildings in Jacksonville are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The information provided above is from www.jacksonvilleor.us. Call 541-899-1231 or visit the website for additional information.For additional information, visit: www.jacksonvilleor.us
The development of today's park began in 1914 with the hiring of John McLaren (also designer of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park) as landscape architect. Lithia Park embodies the distinctive characteristics of park design in the tradition of Frederick Law Olmsted. McLaren's landscape plan for Lithia Park was organic in layout, following the natural canyon of the water course. The plantings were naturalistic to the extent that native alders, oaks, conifers and madrones were incorporated, but other plants, such as willows, maples, sycamores, and numerous ornamental varieties were introduced and selected for hardiness, form and color. Once within the Park, the visitor can walk along the trail on the east side of Ashland Creek to the Park headquarters and obtain a map showing the location of both historic and more modern park features including a trail guide to the most significant trees throughout the Park.
Lithia Park is located at 59 Winburn Way in downtown Ashland and is open to the public. Trail guides and other booklets about the park can be obtained from the park office of Ashland Parks and Rec. Dept., open Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/nr/travel/ashland/lit.htm
The Rogue Valley Region of Southern Oregon has three distinct subregions for grapes: the Rogue River subregion along Interstate 5 from Ashland to Grants Pass, the growing area of the state with the steepest elevation; the westernmost Illinois Valley, at a high elevation and more heavily influenced by the marine climate of the Pacific Ocean; the smaller Applegate Valley, locus for part of the Southern route of the Oregon Trail, further inland and sheltered from Pacific marine air.
The Rogue Valley is the most elevated, warm and dry wine growing region in Oregon. Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris are grown in all parts of the Rogue. The inland subregions of the Rogue, including the Applegate Valley, have a dry and warm climate suitable for production of the best Bordelaise varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Semillon and Cabernet franc. The Illinois subregion is noted for its high quality Burgundian varieties Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Merlot and Chardonnay.For additional information, visit: www.winesoforegon.com/rogue-valley-wineries-vineyards.htm
For additional information, visit: www.sou.edu/sma/


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|Booksie Address:
|United Kingdom
|Other site:
|View Link
|Favorite book:
|Christopher Ransom - The Birthing House.
|Member Since:
|Apr 7, 2010
Poem by pippaconn
Posted: Apr 8, 2010
My first Poem.
Novel by pippaconn
Posted: Apr 7, 2010
This is just something i have written lately. I know...
Novel by pippaconn
Posted: Apr 7, 2010
This is just something i have written lately. I know...
Hi there! Im Pip. :)
I love to write, sometimes what i write can turn out slightly bad and is obvioustly not thought out but i adore trying. anyways, i think iv been attempting to write stories ever since i learnt how to spell! Fiction, Romance, Reports its all the same to me and everything is a new challenge. I am currently a student and i am studying Health Care at college and most of the time im loving it, but iv learnt that the best way for me to relax and take it easy is to write whatever comes to mind, and that is usually the first random storyline that pops into my mind, i guess some people empty their imagination in dreams and some just jot it down like a maniac and turn it into a full blown story Lol.
Im quite an honest and caring person, anything i write usually has a little bit of personal experiance in it, a lil'bit of me or it will be something playing on my mind that iv either drempt or thought up....if it isnt then you will know im having a general rant! :D Id have to say the book iv most enjoyed this year is The Birthing House, it was filled with entertainment and i was stuck reading it for hours. Well if you do read the things i post please leave a comment, either if its bad or good opinion, it can only make me strive to improve! Feel free to send me your thoughts, i wont bite.
I once red a quote that set of my passion for writing, I quote;
"All you have to do is write one true sentence,
Write the truest sentence that you know."
as said by Ernest Hemingway
Take care for now (:
You must be logged in to register.


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2 Dec 2015
On holiday but what will the weather be like in Benidorm?Here you will find the 14 day weather forecast for Benidorm.
pro s---- site and facilaties are clean pool is fine --child friendly--- area is safe no idiots about ---- family friendly--own porch...Read more
we were concerned as had read the Spanish review but thankfully saw no cockroaches or any other insects!! We had the sea view apartment which has...Read more
have been coming to this site for a number of years but this last year their has been so much unrest....folk do not feel welcome, being pressured etc,...Read more
We have stayed in Benidorm so many times but the first time here. The apartment, pool, grounds, cleanliness is exceptional and you cannot go wrong for...Read more
Dear friends!, Thanks for the message. You ask me to write some words about my rest in hotel "Rosamar". I do it with great...Read more


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Jeff's Lawns
View Single Post
LawnSite Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Posts: 831
Originally Posted by
exmark user
hey check out my pic thread at my new trailer blower and not new truck and see waht you think.
Will do. Trsiler Looks good but I'm not sure about Kawasaki blowers because I have never run one but definitly a good choice with an exmark.
Originally Posted by
Yea i hear ya its way to late now to get a plow, i ran 5 snow blowers this year because we have a few large apartment complexes that we clear all the side walks some places take around 35 man hours to clear one place. As far as a dump insert ill look for one but not many guys around this way use them i kno maybe one or two guys that i have seen with dump inserts. HOws the dodge running?
Whats the plans for the spring marketing, new equipment, employees?
Dodge is running pretty good. It is definitly sort of weird to go from a F-150 that struggled to pull my trailer to the Dodge that I almost forget I am pulling it.
For spring I plan on trying to hand out some where between 5k-10k door hangers and I am hoping that these give me a good return because last year I had horrible results with a plain black and white flyer. I also want to get some lawn signs made up because I used one last year and I would put it on an Install job I would do and it worked pretty good. Another thing I plan on doing is where I live there is some community thing in the summer where businesses rent out a table and people come by and you can show them your work and give them a free pen or something. Ive noticed that there are never any landscapers at this and I think I am going to do this.
For new equipment I am definitly picking up hedge trimmer, weedwacker and probably another blower and a Stihl saw. Leaf loader probably closer to the fall. If everything goes right a plow closer to the winter and hopefully by this time next year a bigger trailer. And i am hoping to find a good used dump insert.
Employees I still have my main guy with me and ill probably use him more this year. My other guy that i used every now and then got a job at a hospital so I cant use him unless he is off work. But I want to find someone who knows what there doing and can work every now and then for when I get big jobs.
How about you, anything new, new accounts, how is that dump running?
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[UPDATE: While the solar storm did not hit as expected last night, hit did this this morning, setting up what some astronomers say is a decent chance for aurora activity tonight (01/22). Check Spaceweather.com for the latest.]
You know those phenomenal solar light shows we see during those gorgeous NASA ISS flyovers of earth? Get ready to potentially see some in your backyard TONIGHT.
"Forecasters say strong geomagnetic storms are possible when the cloud arrives during the late hours of Jan. 21st. High-latitude (and possibly middle-latitude) sky watchers should be alert for auroras this weekend," said the site SpaceWeather.
Current forecasts call for the geomagnetic storm to kick off sometime after dark – so if you've got clear to partly-clear skies, bundle up and go take a look northward.
Let us know if you see anything!
Check out video of the sun's latest Coronal Mass Ejection below.
About Michael dEstriesMichael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.
View all posts by Michael dEstries →


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|Is an episiotomy necessary with a shoulder dystocia?
MedLine Citation:
|PMID: 21620364 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher
|OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine whether a decrease in the use of episiotomy was associated with a change in the frequency of brachial plexus injury. STUDY DESIGN: All births at Brigham and Women's Hospital from Sept. 1, 1998, through Aug. 31, 2009, were reviewed. The total number of births, mode of delivery, shoulder dystocias, episiotomies with and without shoulder dystocias, and brachial plexus injuries were recorded. A nonparametric test of trend was performed. RESULTS: There were a total of 94,842 births, 953 shoulder dystocias, and 102 brachial plexus injuries. The rate of episiotomy with shoulder dystocia dropped from 40% in 1999 to 4% in 2009 (P = .005) with no change in the rate of brachial plexus injuries per 1000 vaginal births. CONCLUSION: Despite historical recommendations for an episiotomy to prevent brachial plexus injury when a shoulder dystocia is encountered, the trend we observed does not suggest benefit from this practice.
|Amy E Paris; James A Greenberg; Jeffrey L Ecker; Thomas F McElrath
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Publication Detail:
|Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-4-14
Journal Detail:
|Title: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology Volume: - ISSN: 1097-6868 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 Apr
Date Detail:
|Created Date: 2011-5-30 Completed Date: - Revised Date: -
Medline Journal Info:
|Nlm Unique ID: 0370476 Medline TA: Am J Obstet Gynecol Country: -
Other Details:
|Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: -
Copyright Information:
|Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.
|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
Export Citation:
|APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex
|MeSH Terms
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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When cups are set on wood furniture without a coaster and a ring can be left behind creating an unsightly blemish on the surface of the wood. This is a guide about removing cup rings from wood furniture.
Read and rate the best solutions below by giving them a "thumbs up".
If you have darker brown furniture and a white ring, a dab of mayonnaise on a soft cloth might fix it for you. Just rub it in and buff with a soft dry cloth. It may take a couple of times to get it done. It worked on my very old sewing machine cabinet.
P.S. Mayo works to clean green house plant leaves also. I use a soft paper towel (NOT for African Violets though).
By Great Granny Vi from Moorpark, CA
Give a "thumbs up" to the solution that worked the best! Do you have a better solution? Click here to share it!
Here are questions related to Removing Cup Rings from Wood Furniture.
Someone visiting sat a BK paper coffee cup on my brand new, unpaid for, wooden entertainment center. It left a round circle. I sprayed Pledge and cleaned, but it is still there. Can someone please help me remove this stain?
By Sandy
AnswerWas this interesting? Yes No
By Sweezykay 6 7 10/19/2011
This has happened to me more that a few times! I glob on mayonnaise (a lot because it will dry out when left too long), cover with a plastic grocery bag (keeps the cats out) and let sit overnight. Sometimes I have had to do this procedure twice! Wipe off & buff out. Let it sit for a week.
If you still see some lightened grain, use mayo mixed with ashes (I don't smoke so I used clean ashes from the burn pile). This darkens it. I had to do this to a whole poker table top once (long story) and you can't even tell there was water damage! This procedure was used on fresh stains only; I haven't used it on old stains.
How do you remove cup rings from pine furniture?
By Sharron A.
What product can be used to remove black rings from a small wooden table?
Thanks for any suggestions!
By Peggie from Florence, SC


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Astana Gaffney, 11, left, heads downstairs to spend time with some friends as Trisha Stein looks on at their home in Palmer Woods in Detroit. / Tim Galloway/Detroit Free Press
Astana Gaffney, 11, front, Trisha Stein and Mark Gaffney pause for a photograph in front of their new home in Palmer Woods in Detroit. Stein and Gaffney, along with their daughter Astana, moved in the home approximately three weeks ago. / Tim Galloway/Special to the Detroit Free Press
Newcomers to Detroits historic neighborhoods are often impressed by the cohesiveness of their new community and how active the neighborhood associations event calendar can be.
The Historic Indian Village Association, for instance, offers both mens and womens garden clubs, whose members maintain the neighborhoods Centennial Garden. Neighbors participate in regular potluck dinners, cocktail club parties, holiday get-togethers and, until recently when the children grew up, a youth baseball team.
Residents also stay connected through e-mail chains and offer suggestions on any number of topics, from new restaurants to insurance companies. Neighbors also warn each other of potential signs of suspicious activity.
In Palmer Woods, residents visit different houses each month for the Music in Homes concert series, often featuring local musicians. There are potlucks and neighborhood cookouts and art fairs in warmer months. The association also puts out its own newsletter the Palmer Woods Post.
■ Related: Housing market blooms for sellers as buyers face bidding wars for homes
■ Related: Home sales rise in Detroits historic mansion neighborhoods
Theres a real sense of community in our neighborhood that probably doesnt exist in too many places, said longtime resident Rochelle Lento, who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Both neighborhood associations charge dues, which helps finance private security patrols. The Palmer Woods association last year completed a traffic-calming project which put an end to the neighborhoods days as a shortcut to and from Woodward Avenue.
When Trisha Stein and her husband, Mark Gaffney, moved into their Palmer Woods house this past winter, they were astounded to find a large welcome ad for them and their daughter in the newsletter. They also found themselves at the end of a neighborhood receiving line of fresh-baked cookies and pies.
When you move into Detroit, you not only get a house but you get a neighborhood, Gaffney said.
■ Viewing this article on a mobile device? Tap here to see the gallery.