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Families and Friends Network at IMFAR
Peter Bell is executive vice president for programs & services at Autism Speaks. He is also a founding member of the Diversity Committee for INSAR and will serve as the co-chair in 2010-2011.
From its inception, IMFAR was a meeting that attracted hundreds of scientists, researchers, clinicians and even students who were interested in advancing the knowledge base of what autism is and how they can help improve the quality of life for those who live with the condition. And though the idea of IMFAR was originally conceived and funded by the two leading national advocacy organizations at the time (Cure Autism Now and the National Alliance for Autism Research, both of whom merged with Autism Speaks) and the M.I.N.D. Institute at UC Davis, the annual meeting quickly became the most popular venue for autism researchers to present their findings, exchange ideas and develop new collaborations to advance the field. Autism Speaks is a major sponsor of the conference.
Eventually a membership organization was formed called the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) to help advance the quality, size and scope of the annual meeting. In 2008 INSAR created a new peer-reviewed scientific journal, Autism Research, to expedite the publication of key findings specific to the autism community. Without a doubt, IMFAR and INSAR have both been instrumental in developing the field autism research during the past decade as evidenced by the 1,700 participants who attended this year's meeting in Philadelphia.
As one would expect, many families and individuals who are affected by autism are deeply concerned and interested in staying on top of the latest advances in autism research. It's also important for researchers to get input from the patient population they serve. Each year, IMFAR attracts a contingency of stakeholders who want to stay abreast of these developments. Last year, INSAR formed a Diversity Committee to increase membership diversity for INSAR as a whole and to increase the participation of family members and individuals with autism as well as those visiting from other countries at its annual meeting.
This year, the Diversity Committee hosted a special luncheon during IMFAR called "Family & Friends Networking Luncheon." The event was sponsored by Autism Speaks and I helped moderate the discussion. The Diversity Committee selected a panel of researchers from this year's Invited Educational Symposia who included: Daniel Coury, M.D. (Nationwide Children's Hospital), Craig Newschaffer, Ph.D. (Drexel Univ.), and Sarah Spence, M.D., Ph.D. (NIMH). In addition, INSAR President David Amaral, Ph.D. (UC Davis) was on hand to provide an overview of autism research in general as well as the history of IMFAR. He welcomed the involvement of families and individuals affected by autism and reinforced their importance in the planning of future meetings.
Dr. Coury, who is also the Medical Director of Autism Speaks' Autism Treatment Network (ATN), shared details about the ATN and some of the exciting research findings that were presented at this year's meeting. Many of the attendees were pleased to hear about the focus on GI and nutritional issues, sleep abnormalities and metabolic disorders that are present with many people living with autism. Dr. Newschaffer shared his enthusiasm about the future direction of epidemiology as a means of identifying risk factors associated with autism, in particular the increased focus on the role the environment plays. He highlighted his EARLI Study which is tracking the pregnancies of mothers who already have a child with autism from as close to conception as possible through the first three years of the newborn child's life. And Dr. Spence discussed several autism-related clinical research projects that are taking place within the NIMH Intramural program including drug trials for immune disorders, sleep issues and epilepsy. Many of these trials are in response to parents' concerns and will hopefully give future direction for the use and development of autism treatments.
The second half of the luncheon was devoted to questions from the almost 60 family members and individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who were in attendance. The dialogue was rich, honest and respectful. Some parents got a chance to express their concerns about the lack of treatment options and the need for a larger number of well-informed and trained clinicians in the community. On a final note, each panelist was asked what autism advancement (besides something they were working on) excited them the most. Two responded with the development of drugs for other neurodevelopmental disorders that could be relevant for autism with particular emphasis on older individuals; another was excited about the development of non-pharmacological treatments that have the potential to improve outcomes without drugs and the final panelist was encouraged by the developing consensus on potential risk factors associated with autism.
On a personal level, I was excited to witness the exchange of perspectives among these two important groups, families/ASD individuals and scientists. For us to find the answers we need to help those we love living with autism, it's going to take strong collaboration between these two and this luncheon served this purpose nicely.
To read complete coverage from IMFAR, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science_news/imfar_2010.php
May 24, 2010 at 10:50 am
check out http://www.jackmorrishays.blogspot.com
this works better, go natural. Autistic children are a blessing! GPH
May 24, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Imfar needed hundreds of parents. There were too in attendance possibly because of the huge $575 late registration fee. That is way too much. Remember unlike the scientists and org employees parents pay for these conferences out of their own pocket.
If AS is sponsoring imfar they should offer reasonable fees to parents. I could only stay 1day but had to pay the whole a
May 25, 2010 at 11:03 pm
Is AS the sole sponsor of IMFAR?
Would love to go to an IMFAR – but, I'm quite sure the doctors don't want parents there and do not want the pricing to go down.
May 27, 2010 at 10:29 am
It is nice that AS "sponsored a few families" attend IMFAR but you need to be sponsoring a few 100 families and offering a 50% discount to any parent who would like to attend.
It is great that many families were at the tech demo but until parents actually attend IMFAR, ask lots of questions, talk to the researchers it is unlikely that the academic focus of the conference will change. AS must support parent voices where it matters most.
If the doctors do not want parents there all the more reason to get them to the conference! You are the consumer, you are the fundraiser and you are the one raising an affected child. The LAST thing we should be concerned about what the doctors think about lowering price of admission.
June 6, 2010 at 1:55 pm
My husband is a medical doctor .My beloved stepdaughter is on the spectrum.


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Veggie magic pan solos range starting at Rs. 49.
Price exclusive of applicable Govt taxes. 10% service charge extra in dine in Images are for representation purpose only.
In home delivery magic pan pizzas available in sets of 4 or on min order of Rs. 200/- Singles available in take away.
Available in select Dine-In outlets between 11 AM to 6 PM, till offer lasts.
Prices in outlets may vary due to differential tax structures/ premium priced outlets; please refer to respective menu/ leaflet for pricing.
Conditions apply.

subset: commoncrawl


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Classical pianist Khatia Buniatishvili's life path may have been determined early on--she began taking lessons at age 3 and was already performing abroad at 10--but refrain from calling her a prodigy if you please. She rejects the label. The Georgian-born artist undoubtedly prefers the assessment made by her idol, Argentine pianist Martha Argerich. "Khatia is a young pianist of extraordinary talent," said the renowned Argerich, who added that she was impressed with Buniatishvili's "imagination" and "brilliant virtuosity."
That musical sagacity, coupled with a truly mesmerizing stage presence, will be on full view when Buniatishvili performs at 7 p.m. April 13 at Le Petit Trianon Theatre, 72 N. Fifth St., San Jose.
The concert is the latest in the Steinway Society Bay Area's 19th annual piano series, and the South Bay debut for Buniatishvili, a true woman of the world who was born in Tbilisi, lives in Paris, speaks five languages and makes more than 100 appearances annually.
Her style of playing has been deemed "sorrowful," and for those who like their classical piano complex yet stirring, this is a concert for them. Buniatishvili says she was influenced by Georgian folk music, which she describes as "various, polyphonic and freely improvised. This is my characterization, too."
Her blazing fervor, however, is innate. "I guess the intensity is born when one has something inner, personal and unique to say," she reasons. "All these things are usually there from the beginning."
Indeed. Just check out some of her YouTube videos; the hair-whipping, blurred-finger playing--which surely must emanate from a soul on fire--practically leaps off the screen.
Buniatishvili's program at Le Petit Trianon will consist of Liszt's Sonata and Mephisto, plus Chopin's Sonata no. 2 and Stravinsky's Petrushka.
To counterbalance what she terms "musical solitude," the prize-winning pianist sometimes goes full-on populist. Earlier this year she performed at the annual Swiss show known as Art on Ice, an event that combines live music with world champion ice skating. Playing in an arena setting she had "a very special feeling," she says, especially on witnessing "how the body movement of an artist on ice can have a dialogue with sound."
Then there is a recent rediscovery of jazz, a genre Buniatishvili didn't appreciate as much in earlier years, when she was exposed to it by her mother. Lately she's participated in freewheeling jam sessions, and despite not being an expert, says it's "much more fun for me to play it than to listen. Because jazz is a moment of creation, of living completely in the moment, I love being part of it."
Tickets are $30 to $58; student, senior and group discounts available. Order tickets through steinwaysociety.com or 408.990.0872.


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"Landfall," the new collaboration between Laurie Anderson and the Kronos Quartet, is 70 minutes of sensuous futurism: music amid dream time musings, an intergalactic lamentation.
Saturday at Stanford's Bing Concert Hall, with the performers eerily spot-lit on the darkened stage in the elliptical venue -- its towering acoustic sails doubling as projection screens, lit up by muted neon purples, reds and blues, with cryptic words and codes flitting across their surfaces -- this viewer/listener felt as if he had entered some cult temple designed by film director Stanley Kubrick. It was gorgeous and strange, like sitting inside a 26th-century head-womb, the hall operating as an extension of one's senses.
It was the first of two performances by Anderson -- writer, director, violinist, vocalist, visual artist -- who composed and wrote the piece for Kronos, completing it in 2012 as Hurricane Sandy was arriving in New York City. Allusions to the storm are woven through Anderson's icy whisperings in "Landfall," which is receiving its West Coast premiere here. Predictably, the performance seemed to divide Saturday's audience between those who were transfixed and those who were baffled. With Anderson, you either go for the ride, or you write it off. It's been the case across her long career.
The music of "Landfall" is alluring stuff, lush and sad, grippingly played by Kronos with assistance from Anderson on violin and keyboard. The musical themes move episodically, evoking a late Beethoven string quartet, then the slow-pulsing, elegiac lyricism of Philip Glass or the dip-and-sway of a Middle Eastern street band. There are brief interludes where hip-hop and the Shirelles seem to rear their heads, all of it ripe with melancholy and set against pre-recorded backdrops: gritty electronic washes, deejay scratch rhythms, NASA space voices floating through the void.
What is Anderson up to? Creating a parallel world? Exploring consciousness? Simply evoking image and mood? Some of each, I think. But "Landfall" has comic moments, too, as when Anderson suddenly asks, "Don't you hate it when people tell you your dreams?" Then, naturally, she starts chattering about her dreams, one involving her father, or -- "wait, no, no, no," she says in a rush -- maybe it was her uncle. And later, free associating, she confides, "You know, I was in a Dutch karaoke bar trying to sing a song in Korean. I was just getting the hang of things when the software crashed."
It feels both detached and touching, as if random bits of life -- our memories, our dreams -- are floating through the long arc of history, which is the bigger theme here: Sandy's rising waters, the sorrows of war, the extinction of animal species. The names of galaxies float overhead, across those acoustic sails: We're lost in space and time, mere bits in a universal process, moving from the Big Bang to nothingness. Hence, the melancholy.
Co-commissioned by Stanford Live, "Landfall" finds Anderson and Kronos using a software known as "erst," which allows for the musical triggering of the projected bits of language and code. Interesting concept, I suppose. More interesting was the fact that $112 million Bing Concert Hall -- acoustically a disappointment in a number of past programs, especially for chamber music -- successfully functioned here as a giant, multimedia instrument. The sound quality was terrific, involving serious amplification and a variety of digital enrichments. The hall became the vessel for Anderson's dream-poem.
Contact Richard Scheinin at 408-920-5069, read his stories and reviews at www.mercurynews.com/richard-scheinin and follow him at www.Twitter.com/richardscheinin


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Tallahassee, FL - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) invites Floridians and visitors to start a new, one-of-a-kind holiday tradition by celebrating with mermaids and manatees at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park and Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. There is nowhere else in the world to see live mermaids or view manatees underwater in the wild without getting wet. The memories created at two of Florida's most unique state parks will last a lifetime, and believe it or not, can all be done in one day.
"It's truly a unique experience to see the mermaids perform at Weeki Wachee and now the wild manatees in their natural habitat from the underwater observatory at Homosassa Springs," said DEP Florida State Parks Director Donald Forgione. "We hope you create a new holiday tradition with friends and family and enjoy the mermaids and manatees at Florida State Parks."
Recently, Homosassa Springs opened the bridge gate that separates rehabilitating manatees in the spring bowl and wild manatees in the spring run. This is the first time the gate has been opened since it was constructed nearly 30 years ago, before the park was acquired by the state in 1989. During these last few cold nights, there have been more than 80 wild manatees in the spring. The floating underwater observatory, commonly called the Fishbowl, at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is the only place in the world where wild manatees can be viewed in their natural habitat while staying warm and dry. Visitors can also experience manatee programs daily at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The park is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
Located in Hernando County, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, 'The Only City of Live Mermaids,' is an important cultural resource and became the newest Florida State Park in 2008. One of Florida's 33 first magnitude springs is found in the park, providing a valuable natural resource for preservation and protection. The park is home to the only underwater observatory built directly into a natural spring. The mermaids can be seen Thursday through Sunday at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. Park hours are 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Weeki Wachee Springs and Homosassa Springs state parks are less than 25 miles apart, making a visit to both parks in one day possible, though spending a full day in each park is recommended to enjoy everything they have to offer. Recreational opportunities include picnicking, nature study, kayaking and bird-watching. Both parks have daily animal education programs and Homosassa Springs features an abundance of wildlife, including manatees, black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American alligators, American crocodiles, river otters and a hippopotamus.
About Florida State Parks
Created in 1935 by the Florida Legislature, the Florida State Park system has grown from eight to 160 parks in the last 75 years. Today, the Florida Park Service manages more than 700,000 acres of Florida's natural environment, including 100 miles of beaches, eight National Historic Landmarks and 39 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Florida State Parks has been recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association as the nation's first and only two-time Gold Medal winner for the nation's best park service. For more information about Florida's state parks, visit www.FloridaStateParks.org.


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M&A Volumes Slump to Start October; Bankers Point to Washington
The government wasn't the only industry shut down to start October. M&A also seems to have taken the month off.
So far this month there has only been $32.1 billion in announced U.S. M&A, 60% below the amount announced through the first 17 days of October last year and 56% below 2011's October, according to Dealogic.
Deal volume has actually been trending higher overall, with $792.1 billion in U.S. deals this year, above the $660 billion at this time last year and 2011's $766.4 billion, the data provider said.
The nation's bankers have long been saying that corporate executives and boards are eager to do deals but are too cautious to say yes when they aren't sure how the economy will be in a few months. Washington shenanigans only increase their hesitance, the advisers say.
While there are likely other factors at play in October too, and deals take much longer than weeks to strike, the environment in Washington was blamed by Wall Street and Main Street for a slow banking quarter the past three months.
Goldman Sachs this morning reported a 17% drop in financial advisory fees during its third quarter, which ended the day before the government shutdown, and CFO Harvey Schwartz said Washington had been contributing to uncertainty. While he noted the deal struck last night could help, he remained cautious.
Don't necessarily expect deals to soar on Washington's short-term fix; executives will be just as wary the next deadline will hurt a big deal as they worried this past deadline would.
"Now that the political impasse looks to be resolved for the near-term, we're hopeful that greater certainty will drive improved client confidence and activity levels," Mr. Schwartz said. "Having said that, our long-term solution is critical to a sustained recovery for the economy."
Mr. Schwartz said the debt ceiling agreement was some "relief" but that clients looking at transactions have found "it's much easier to do nothing that it is to do something" especially as Washington has continued to take two or three steps forward and one step back. He said activity had picked up early in September but then dropped off as the government debate grew more intense.
"So there really wasn't a chance for people to shift into what I'll call a mode where they had more conviction," Mr. Schwartz said. "It was still a environment of uncertainty."
Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America, had said Wednesday that clients had been focused on keeping costs in line and unwilling to spend much, or borrow much, in the face of the uncertainty. While an agreement would help, Mr. Moynihan was also cautious.
"Is a sprint out of the blocks?" Moynihan said. "No, they're running forward and it would probably be a speed up of the process and you saw some of that this summer with some of the M&A activity and stuff in the larger companies has strengthened and you're seeing it go on."
Meanwhile, closer to Main Street, Kelly King, chairman and CEO of Birmingham's BB&T Corp. in Winston-Salem, N.C., told his investors today that his smaller clients are focused on Washington too, and any long-term clarity could lead to a boom.
"Let's just assume for the moment we get some positive changes out of Washington and I think to be honest you could see a number of years of above trend line growth in the economy," Mr. King said. "I get to travel around a lot and talk to 500 to 600 business CEOs a year. They really haven't invested on the margin five years and they desperately need and want to invest and so the minute they feel a sense of confidence returning then I think you'll see a lot of planned expansions, equipment renewals, rolling stock replacements."


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SAN FRANCISCO -- Zendesk brought peace to a roiled market for initial public offerings Thursday, as shares in the cloud-software company jumped in their debut despite a recent backlash against young Silicon Valley tech companies.
Zendesk priced its IPO shares at $9 Wednesday evening, the middle of its proposed range, for a total take of $100 million at an initial valuation of $631.7 million. When the stock reached the New York Stock Exchange floor Thursday under the ticker symbol ZEN, it immediately jumped to $11.89 and moved as high as $13.92 before closing at $13.43, a 49.2 percent gain.
"We, as a company, have been extremely determined about going public. We believe it's in our DNA, it's in our destiny," CEO and cofounder Mikkel Svane said in an interview Thursday. "We believe that to go out and try and change the business software industry, it does require us to go public and be a public company."
Zendesk's performance should produce a sigh of relief in Silicon Valley, after an IPO drought for technology companies that many feel was caused by a drastic turn for tech stocks. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index suffered its biggest loss since 2011 in April, and the first two weeks of May saw only seven IPOs, according to data from William Blair -- compare that to total IPO activity from January to mid-May, which had 93 IPOs.
The Wall Street downturn has been most dire for the youngest companies, spooking IPO investors even more: Large Silicon Valley tech companies that went public in the past two years have lost roughly 50 percent of their peak market value, a Mercury News analysis showed last week, a group that includes Twitter, Facebook, Workday and other prominent firms.
"Yes, there has been a chilling of the IPO (market)," said Josh Green, chairman of the National Venture Capital Association. "You look and go 'Oh my goodness, they're below their IPO prices.' But this is a very healthy market, a very discerning market, and one that is not about to allow another bubble."
Success on Zendesk's first day of public trading may help settle the markets and renew investors' confidence. It will also help dictate when companies such as Box and Alibaba, whose market entry is being carefully watched, will decide to price shares and make their Wall Street debut.
"The broader IPO window remains open, but the valuation cliff in the tech sector has constricted deal flow," said Brent Gledhill, global head of investment banking for firm William Blair.
Founded in 2007 in Denmark before moving to San Francisco, Zendesk provides software-as-a-service, or SaaS, for companies to answer customers' questions, and manage customer support, such as through email, chat, voice, social media and websites.
"I can't say enough great things about building a company in San Francisco," Svane said in a telephone interview from the NYSE after ringing the bell to kick off trading Thursday. "For me, as a technology entrepreneur, coming to San Francisco was really like coming home."
Like most of the Silicon Valley IPO pipeline, the company has experienced strong revenue growth along with mounting losses: Its revenue for 2013 was $72 million, more than double the revenue for 2012 and a 362 percent increase from 2011, but Zendesk posted accumulated losses in the past three years of more than $54 million.
Still, some venture capitalists are confident that Zendesk is the right company to open the IPO floodgates.
"Zendesk is a fantastic company, and you need a fantastic company to reopen the market," said Venky Ganesan, a managing director at venture firm Menlo Ventures. Ganesan is not a Zendesk investor. "The product is great and ... they are trying to get a large number of small customers so they can grow those into medium size customers. It is a very good go-to-market model."
There are many good companies getting ready to go public, NVCA's Green said, but they may be riskier -- slower revenue growth and less certain road to profitability -- than the market can digest right now.
"A month ago it was growth at all costs, and now it's growth with a path to profitability," Ganesan said. But the chilly market won't last long; most expect the fourth quarter will be red-hot with IPOs once again
Zendesk is selling all the shares in the offering and realizing all the returns, which it plans to use for general administrative purposes and other needs, including donating up to 1 percent of the proceeds, which could include the formation of a charitable foundation. The firm's venture investors -- Charles River Ventures, Benchmark Capital Partners and Matrix Partners own the largest percentages of Zendesk -- will not sell any shares in the offering and have offered to purchase up to $25 million worth of shares at the IPO price, according to a financial filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Zendesk's underwriting banks, led by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Credit Suisse, have access to an additional 1.67 million shares if demand exists.
Contact Jeremy C. Owens at 408-920-5876; follow him at Twitter.com/jowens510. Contact Heather Somerville at 510-208-6413; follow her at Twitter.com/heathersomervil.


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4282 Mountain Square (Carleton Lodge),
Across From The Whistler Gondola, Whistler,
British Columbia,
Explore Whistler's spectacular Blackcomb Mountain & the beautiful Callaghan Valley by ATV, 4x4 Jeep, snowmobile, snowcat, horseback riding, hiking, snowshoe or dog sled.
Enjoy world-famous mountain top dining at 6,000 ft (1829 m), travel via snowmobile or in the comfort of a snowcat for a 3-course fondue in the winter. ATV or Jeep in the summer for the famous Salmon Bake evening. Live entertainers play as you dine in the alpine! Tours cater to all ages & all abilities.
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Apartment Bergami
An independent little room/studio with exclusive use of kitchen corner, bathroom and a separate entrance. The apartment is located near the city center. Fully renovated in june 2012. Very bright and noiseless.
The apartment is located at the second floor (no elevator) of a building. Fully renovated in june 2012. Very bright and noiseless.The apartment open on the private garden of building. The windowed bathroom is equipped with every comfort (toilet, bidet and shower). The whole flat is furnished with independent central heating, air condition and internet wi-fi.
The apartment - located on the second floor (no elevator) of a building - has been completely renovated in 2012 with quality finishes. And 'bright and silent, ushering in overlooking the private garden. The windowed bathroom is equipped with all the comforts (toilet, bidet and shower). All elegantly furnished with heating, air conditioning, wi-fi and new aluminum frames.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Apartment Facilities & Policies
- Air Conditioning
- Breakfast Not Included
- Cash Only
- Child Friendly
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers
- Internet Access
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Microwave
- Non Smoking
- Taxes not included
- Towels Included
- Utensils
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 3 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Apartment InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
Please note:
Cancellation policy: 3 days
We only accept cash payments on arrival
Check in: 18.00
Check out: 23.00
Minimum stay: 3 nights
Breakfast not included
Taxes not included
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
From the airport:
take shuttle bus to the stop BLQ Hospital increased (time: 10 minutes), walk to the structure that is not about 500/600 meters.
From the: will be released in Bologna Casalecchio and follow to the city center - Hospital more.
Located Near
The apartament is located in the very noiseless via Bergami, close to Via Saffi (main street that takes directly in the main square 'Piazza Maggiore'. The area is well served by public transport (the bus stop is just 100 meters in the adjacent Via Marzabotto and in Via Saffi).
Nearby there are: several typical restaurants where you can taste local food and nouvelle cousine, supermarkets, post office, several banks and the public gardens. No problem for parking.


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With the perspective of a seasoned cyclist and the training of a complete novice, here's my how-not-to ride the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic.
When my husband and I were transplanted here nearly two years ago, I quickly discovered the cult that are STPers and knew that I just had to join. Despite many years on the bike, I hadn't yet completed a full century (though I've come darn close) and longed for the challenge of a double-century. Unfortunately, while on one of my first rides following some intense spring marathon training, I suffered a broken collarbone from a fall. With just over seven weeks before STP, I was uncertain whether I would make the ride at all, and knew that my whole training plan was scrapped. At best I would be riding as a relatively seasoned cyclist with the training of a complete couch potato. With two weeks to go, I could reach my handlebars without too much pain and managed a quick 35-mile spin around town. That was enough for me, I was in.


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NEW ORLEANS -- Predicting who will be named Super Bowl MVP is usually easy. Go with the winning quarterback. Or the running back. Or wide receiver.
Not this year. The MVP in Super Bowl XLVII will be a defensive player. In the previous 46 games, that has happened only seven times. It is bound to happen again Sunday.
That's not a guess. It's logic. Check the NFL statistics for the 2012 regular season. The defensive categories are wallpapered with 49ers and Ravens.
You probably have heard of Ray Lewis. He is the Ravens linebacker who will retire after this game as the NFL's most sinister-yet-admired action hero. Lewis won the Super Bowl MVP award 12 years ago in the Ravens' only other trip to the game.
My pick for the MVP, however, is someone who plays the same position on the 49ers' side of the ball: Patrick Willis. If he and his defensive teammates take a starring role against Baltimore, that would also fall squarely in line with 49ers championship tradition -- no matter how many grainy highlights you have seen of Joe Montana conquering the NFL galaxy with his light-saber arm.
Yes, Montana was fabulous. Yes, he deserves to be a football immortal, as do Jerry Rice and Steve Young and Roger Craig. But you can make a case that the 49ers' defensive unit provided the turning points in each of the team's first three Super Bowl victories:
I wondered last week if any current 49ers defenders had seen those stunning 49ers defensive Super Bowl moments.
"No, never have," said safety Dashon Goldson, adding that he's not much of a fanboy when he's not in uniform.
"I didn't even watch last year's game," Goldson said. "But look, what those guys did back then was great, and they won those games. Right now, we're trying to think about what we need to do to win ours."
Carlos Rogers, another 49ers defensive back, had similar sentiments. He was born six months after the goal-line stand. He was 3 years old when the 49ers vanquished Marino. Rogers admitted he's no football historian. That's true of most current players.
Ah, but I did locate at least one 49ers player who cares greatly about the team's defensive legacy over the decades. That would be Willis.
Two summers ago, a friend gave Willis a series of NFL Films DVDs about the Super Bowls, called "America's Game." Willis naturally cued up the 49ers' victories first.
"I remember watching those plays you're talking about," Willis said. "I saw the goal-line stand. I saw the hits. And you just say to yourself, 'Man those are amazing plays, and man, they won it all.' It's just a little bit more motivation when you're working out. I put it on the screen and watch it as I'm working out."
That's a nice image. It's hard to compare football players and teams of today with those of 30 years ago. And the 49ers' defense of 1984 was especially awesome, on paper even better than this 2012 team. But if Willis ends up on the highlight DVD of this game and the 49ers' defense plays a role in the victory, you can start talking about it being the best ever.
For the record, the Super Bowl's last defensive MVP was Dexter Jackson of Tampa Bay. He won the honor with two first-half interceptions against Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon to help trigger the Buccaneers' 48-21 rout. That was 10 years ago. So we're due for another MVP defender.
Also for the record, in Las Vegas you can get odds of 7-1 that Lewis will win the MVP in the Superdome. That's the exact same odds listed for 49ers running back Frank Gore. Meanwhile, Willis and teammate Aldon Smith are both 50-1.
I know where I'd put my money.
Contact Mark Purdy at email@example.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/MercPurdy.


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GEORGETOWN (October 31, 2012)--Planned Parenthood will remain in the Texas Women's Health Program at least for now, state Health and Human Service Commissioner Kyle Janek said Wednesday.
Janek the state needs time to verify it has enough doctors signed up for a new program that will exclude doctors and clinics with ties to abortion providers.
Janek said the state will continue taking federal funds, which means it must keep funding Planned Parenthood clinics that do not provide abortions.
Gov. Rick Perry has said he doesn't want taxpayer funds going to Planned Parenthood, but federal officials have said that interferes with a woman's right to choose her own doctor.
Perry said he feels certain that his new women's health program, which relies solely on state funding, can meet the needs of poor women.
"Earlier this year, the Obama Administration, which is one of Planned Parenthood's biggest supporters, said they would pull funding from the Women's Health Program and in response, I promised the women of Texas that they would continue to have access to this important health care, whether funded by the federal government or the state," Perry said in a statement Wednesday.
"HHSC has been working to line up providers across the state for the new Texas WHP, a program that not only meets the needs of Texas women, it also respects life and honors the will of Texas voters, ensuring no taxpayer money goes to abortion providers and their affiliates," he said.


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Women's Nike Knit Running Skort
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The nation may continue its ongoing plunge over a fiscal cliff even if President Barack Obama and conservatives in Congress agree on a budget deal this month.
That is because the White House's bottom line in negotiations is far removed from the reality of the dilemma into which we Americans have spent ourselves.
Most news stories, commentators and politicians define the "fiscal cliff" as what will happen if Obama and lawmakers do not reach some agreement on the budget by Dec. 31. If a deal is not arranged, tax relief dating back to former President George W. Bush's term will expire. And, automatic federal spending cuts termed "the sequester" will kick in.
Indeed, failure to renew the tax breaks would wreck the economy. Virtually every American who pays income taxes would be hit by a stiff increase.
But if there is such a thing as a "fiscal cliff," the nation started over it years ago, when runaway federal spending began ballooning the national debt. It now stands at more than $16 trillion.
Obama's offer on a budget plan includes $1.6 trillion in tax increases during the next decade. But during that period, he is proposing only about $450 billion in spending cuts - slightly more than one-fourth the amount of tax increases.
We have already plunged over the "cliff." If adopted, Obama's plan would merely accelerate our fall.
Lawmakers should reject it.


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Arrest in attempted robbery of man in wheelchair
Published: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, February 1, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.
SARASOTA COUNTY - Deputies on Wednesday arrested a Sarasota man after he reportedly tried to rob a man in a wheelchair of his pills.
Justin Haney, 28, of the 500 block of Richardson Way, was charged with violation of probation and will also be charged with attempted robbery, authorities said.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office:
Haney was captured on a surveillance video this week at a Walmart just before leaving the store and approaching the victim. He asked the 45-year-old victim if he could buy some pills. When the man said he did not have any Haney tried to take the man's bag.
When Haney could not wrestle the bag away he punched the victim in the face several times then ran away.
The surveillance video prompted tips to Crime Stoppers, and detectives arrested Haney on Wednesday on a Charlotte County warrant for violating probation.
Haney has an extensive criminal history that includes more than two dozen arrests for charges including battery, burglary and robbery, authorities said.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Satyre wrote: I think everyone has their own perception of God.Some people think of God as a man with a beard and long hair like in the pictures
dabinduppes wrote: Sitting here at my desk I have 2 ripe sweet smelling plums and one peach. This morning I ate a bannana and I was thinking that these things were not accidents or results of years and years of evolution. These foods that grow for us to eat are perfect in everyway. Not only do they come in their own wrapper but this wrapper also tells you the freshness/ripeness of the food just by the color. Not to mention the nifty way each one fits in your hand, and its just enough to be filling, not too much. These foods have a design, there must be a designer.
God left evidence through his creation.
the incredible ticktalk wrote: Religions and Gods are a result of ancient human thinking. Very flawed.
Reggie wrote: All God aside, why is ancient thinking flawed? I think that suggestion is what is flawed.


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by Ryan Kennedy - March 10, 2011 11:33 AM UTC
The Red Wings are known for their ability to find diamonds in the rough and this Finnish star may be their next find.
No matter when the player is selected, it's become almost gospel that if the Detroit Red Wings are making the pick, the kid's going to turn into something special.
by Ryan Kennedy - March 3, 2011 11:55 AM UTC
A 2012 draft eligible prospect, 17-year-old Trouba is turning heads and earning call-ups to a more senior team.
As a Michigan native, it only makes sense defenseman Jacob Trouba would make the national team development program his preferred destination for prep hockey.
by Alan Bass - February 24, 2011 10:10 AM UTC
The Anaheim Ducks prospect went the NCAA route after being drafted and is now working his way towards regular NHL time.
When Nick Bonino was four years old, his father, who never played hockey or skated, asked if he wanted to attend a learn-to-skate session at his nearby rink in Unionville, Conn.
by Ryan Kennedy - February 17, 2011 2:40 PM UTC
We take a look at some of the top prospects who will be hitting the WHL full-time in the near future after being picked in last summer's draft.
For all you prospect lovers out there, THN's 2011 edition of Future Watch has been put to bed and will be on newsstands around the 14th of March.
by Rory Boylen - February 10, 2011 1:34 PM UTC
The Giants defender started his junior career in a bit of controversy, but now he's a highly touted NHL draft prospect.
When 2011 NHL draft prospect David Musil was looking to set out on his Western League career, the journey began with a bit of controversy. Because he wasn't living in Western Canada at the time, Musil wasn't taken in his bantam draft year.
by Alan Bass - February 3, 2011 3:25 PM UTC
The Red Wings first-rounder from 2007 is in his first year of professional hockey in the AHL, where he's continued an impressive rise.
When Brendan Smith was four years old, his father would often take him and his two brothers to Toronto Maple Leafs games. That same year, Brendan was put on the ice with his siblings and introduced to the game of hockey.
by Ryan Kennedy - January 27, 2011 12:00 PM UTC
Young for the USHL, Adam Erne is nonetheless grabbing the attention of the hockey world with his power forward style of play.
Despite his young age, Indiana Ice left winger Adam Erne is turning heads in the United States League. And a lot of those heads need to be on a swivel if the kid is wearing the opposite jersey.
by Rory Boylen - January 20, 2011 12:05 PM UTC
After deciding to go to the OHL instead of the NCAA, this Barrie Colts rookie has quickly become one of the team's best players.
After making it to the Ontario League final last season, the Barrie Colts knew they were in for a rebuild in 2010-11 as players such as Alex Pietrangelo and Alexander Burmistrov graduated to the professional level.
by The Hockey News - January 13, 2011 4:05 PM UTC
Undersized, but far from unskilled, Owen Sound's Joey Hishon was drafted 17th overall by Colorado because of his smarts and drive.
By Dave Frederick There are currently a number of NHLers who are easily proving the axiom "size matters" to be completely false.
by Ryan Kennedy - January 6, 2011 11:05 AM UTC
Even though his world junior showing wasn't a standout performance, this Finn is a prospect to watch at the 2011 NHL draft.
As Canada found out Wednesday night, the World Junior Championship isn't always about triumph. For Finnish right winger Joel Armia, his first taste of under-20 pressure was a mixed bag.
by Ryan Kennedy - December 30, 2010 8:10 AM UTC
It's not often an European player captains a North American major junior squad, but that's part of what makes Landeskog so desirable.
The Kitchener Rangers made it pretty clear just how important left winger Gabriel Landeskog was to their team when the Swedish import was named captain this season.
by Rory Boylen - December 23, 2010 11:45 AM UTC
The son of former NHLer Steve Thomas, Christian is excelling in the OHL as a member of the emerging Oshawa Generals.
As a 16-year-old rookie in the Ontario League two years ago, Christian Thomas found himself involved in one of the circuit's biggest trades ever when he was shipped from London to Oshawa along with two other players and a bunch of draft picks for John Tavares and Michael Del Zotto.


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Our titanium model features three-position leg angle adjustment, three-way pan head, two pan and tilt handles and a gearless reversible center column. This is the ultimate stand-up tripod. Max Height: 63"
This is a full-featured, stand-up tripod for viewing from a platform, road side or deck where portability is not essential. Max Height: 61"
Makes any binocular tripod-ready. Recommended for prolonged observation with any binocular of 10x or more.
The traveling birder's secret. You"ll see these mounts holding spotting scopes on car windows from Puget Sound to the Everglades.
Compact, lightweight and easily set up in the field. Our best tripod for hunters and birders on the go. Max Height: 36"
Easily adjustable compact window mount for spotting scopes. Tighten it down and glass away.
Compact tripod that is easily taken along anywhere and converts to a car window mount. Max height: 8"
Convenient accessory clamps onto the eyepiece of most spotting scopes, to attach a compact digital camera for "Digiscope" nature photography and scouting. The camera arm easily swivels aside to allow direct viewing.


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Hillary Clinton's Latest Book Excerpt: A Roadmap
The latest excerpt from Hillary Clinton's forthcoming book reads like an early draft of a potential 2016 convention speech.
The 1,468-word release from "Hard Choices" comes two weeks before the book's June 10 release and hits on all the requisite stump speech highlights. Mrs. Clinton includes assertions about America's place in the world, and tries to tie the impact of the foreign policy she led to Middle America. She also fires shots at the permanent political class – a nebulous group the Clintons have battled for decades even after become a fixture in it.
This is the second portion of the book released by Mrs. Clinton and her publisher, Simon & Schuster. In the first, released on Mother's Day in Vogue, Mrs. Clinton writes about her daughter, Chelsea.
Here's a quick look at what Mrs. Clinton says in the latest excerpt – released Tuesday morning – and how it fits neatly into her budding presidential campaign.
Mrs. Clinton aims to connect her time working on problems in faraway capitals to Middle American towns. Poll after poll shows Americans prefer a retreat from the world's problem areas and Mrs. Clinton will need to tell a story of her State Department successes as something that can be felt by regular people.
"I wrote it for Americans and people everywhere who are trying to make sense of this rapidly changing world of ours, who want to understand how leaders and nations can work together and why they sometimes collide, and how their decisions affect all our lives," Mrs. Clinton writes. "How a collapsing economy in Athens, Greece, affects businesses in Athens, Georgia. How a revolution in Cairo, Egypt, impacts life in Cairo, Illinois. What a tense diplomatic encounter in St. Petersburg, Russia, means for families in St. Petersburg, Florida."
At the same time she associates herself with the parts of President Barack Obama's foreign policy record that remain popular and well known – like killing Osama bin Laden.
"Keeping America safe, strong, and prosperous presents an endless set of choices, many of which come with imperfect information and conflicting imperatives," she writes. "Perhaps the most famous example from my four years as Secretary of State was President Obama's order to send a team of Navy SEALs into a moonless Pakistani night to bring Osama bin Laden to justice. The President's top advisors were divided. The intelligence was compelling, but far from definitive. The risks of failure were daunting. The stakes were significant for America's national security, our battle against al Qaeda, and our relationship with Pakistan. Most of all, the lives of those brave SEALs and helicopter pilots hung in the balance. It was as crisp and courageous a display of leadership as I've ever seen."
There's a vague reference to the 2012 attack on a U.S. facility in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, but Mrs. Clinton doesn't mention the incident by name and offers no details in the excerpt.
"As is usually the case with the benefit of hindsight, I wish we could go back and revisit certain choices. But I'm proud of what we accomplished," she writes. "This century began traumatically for our country, with the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the long wars that followed, and the Great Recession. We needed to do better, and I believe we did."
Mrs. Clinton, who with her husband has been in the national political spotlight for the better part of 25 years, takes the first steps to establish herself as an outsider. She reminds readers that she and President Bill Clinton have long been the subject of Washington's gossip mills and aims to insulate herself from dreaded insider status.
"While my views and experiences will surely be scrutinized by followers of Washington's long-running soap opera—who took what side, who opposed whom, who was up and who was down—I didn't write this book for them," she said.
And it wouldn't be a political book without the optimistic paean to America as a nation on the rise. Mrs. Clinton doesn't disappoint.
"I wrote this book to honor the exceptional diplomats and development experts whom I had the honor of leading as America's sixty-seventh Secretary of State. I wrote it for anyone anywhere who wonders whether the United States still has what it takes to lead. For me, the answer is a resounding 'Yes.' Talk of America's decline has become commonplace, but my faith in our future has never been greater. While there are few problems in today's world that the United States can solve alone, there are even fewer that can be solved without the United States."
Read more about elections, first thing in the morning, by signing up for the Capital Journal Daybreak newsletter: on.wsj.com/CapitalJournalSignup


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This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.
September 07, 2011
DOE, USDA, and U.S. Navy Seek Input from Industry to Advance Biofuels
DOE, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Navy jointly announced on August 30 the next step in the creation of a public-private partnership to develop drop-in advanced biofuels. Drop-in biofuels are fuels that can supplement or directly replace existing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels. The agencies issued a request for information (RFI) that lays out the Obama administration's goals. It seeks specific ideas from industry about how to leverage private capital markets to establish a commercially viable industry for biofuels that can replace other fuels. The information will help accelerate the development and use of biofuels.
On August 16, the three departments announced private sector investments of up to $510 million during the next three years to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels. The main objective of this government-industry partnership is the construction or retrofit of several domestic advanced drop-in biofuel refineries at either commercial or pre-commercial scale. These facilities will produce drop-in advanced biofuels meeting military specifications, will be located in geographically diverse locations for ready market access, and will have no significant impact on the supply of agricultural food commodities. Responses to the RFI are due on September 30. See the DOE press release and the RFI Web page.


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Brandenberger named interim head coach of swimming & diving
Stony Brook native joined the Seawolves in 2010 as an assistant coach
Stony Brook mourns the passing of Coach Dave Alexander
Alexander coached at Stony Brook for 32 years and left a mark on thousands of student-athletes
Chris Brandenberger joined the Stony Brook swimming and diving program as an assistant coach in October 2010, before being promoted to the role of interim head coach in July 2012. Prior to Stony Brook, Brandenberger spent two years on the coaching staff at Iona College and two years as an assistant coach at Washington College in Chestertown, Md.
A Stony Brook native and Ward Melville graduate, Brandenberger was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Maryland. A first team All-ACC selection in 2004, Brandenberger helped set a school record in the 800 freestyle relay. He was a two-time team captain as voted by his teammates and coaches for strong commitment to teamwork and leadership. He received the Dave Diehl Dedication Award Recipient in 2004, which was voted by the coaching staff for most dedicated member of the team.
Brandenberger graduated from Maryland with a degree in English Language and Literature in 2006.
He also served as an undergraduate assistant coach for the Terrapins while completing his bachelor's degree as well as assisting at the Upper Montgomery County YMCA.


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"Profile of a Killer," a Minnesota-made movie about the hunt for a serial killer, returns to the Twin Cities this weekend.
The movie opens Friday in Oakdale and Hastings in Minnesota and Hudson, Wis. The movie recently played in Bemidji (behm-ID'-jee) and is running for another week in Owatonna (oh-wuh-TAHN'-uh).
Writer-director Caspian Tredwell-Owen worked for such studios as DreamWorks and Paramount, but he decided to shoot the movie in Minnesota. Filming took place over two winters at abandoned farmhouses and the Mississippi River near Hastings.
"Profile of a Killer" tells the story of a teenage serial killer and the FBI profiler called out of retirement to help find him.
The movie was released March 14.
"Profile of a Killer" Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/profileofakiller
Location, ST | website.com


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The weekend before the official holiday of Halloween will be chock full of events for those looking for a good scare or those wanting to unwind.
On Saturday, the Betsey Mills Club at Fourth and Putnam streets will once again open their doors to those daring enough to enter its annual haunted house.
"We have four students from the Marietta College Leadership program and they have helped us a lot," said Shauna Dunaway, activities coordinator at the Betsey. The students have helped with setting up the event and will also be some of the actors.
Article Photos
ERIN O'NEILL The Marietta Times
Marietta College freshmen Kaely Becker, left, and Maggie Zook add some dried leaves for details as they prepare for the annual haunted house at The Betsey Mills Club. The woman are volunteering as a part of the college's leadership program.
Dunaway said last year, which was her first year with the Betsey, was actually one of the best attended.
"We made a little over $1,000 so that's pretty good flow through, at $5 each," she said.
All money raised at the event goes back into the Betsey's fund for repairs and other needed projects. Dunaway suggests that parents use discretion as to whether or not the haunted house would be suitable for their child.
Fact Box
If you go
Haunted house
- What: Betsey Mills Club Haunted House.
- When: Saturday, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
- Where: Betsey Mills gymnasium at Fourth and Putnam streets, Marietta.
- Cost: $5.
- Contact: 373-4981.
Ghost tours
- When: Adult only: Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m. and running every 15 minutes. Last tour leaves at 9 p.m. Tours last 45 minutes. Tours for children: Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m.
- Where: The Castle, 418 Fourth St., Marietta.
- Cost: Adults $8; for children's tour, children $6, adults $8, 10 percent off with costume.
- Contact: 373-4180
Murder Mystery Weekend
- When: Saturday and Sunday.
- Where: The Lafayette Hotel, 101 Front St., Marietta.
- Cost: $209 plus tax, per person.
- Contact: 373-5522.
Ghost Stories From the Stacks.
- When: Saturday, 10 and 11 p.m.
- Where: Legacy Library at Marietta College.
- Cost: Free and open to the public.
Ghost tour and seance
- When: Friday, 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, 8 to 11 p.m.
- Where: Mid-Ohio Valley Players Theater, 229 Putnam St.
- Cost: $5 for tour, $5 for seance.
- Contact: 374-9434
Trick or Treat calendar
Macksburg:Oct 27, 6 -7:30 p.m.
Barlow/Vincent: Oct. 29, 6 -7:30 p.m.
Lowell:Oct. 29, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Lower Salem / Warner / Whipple:Oct. 29, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Ludlow Township: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29
Devola: Oct. 29, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Williamstown: Oct. 29 from 6:30-8 p.m.
Marietta: Oct. 29, 6:30-8 p.m.
Belmont, W.Va.: Oct. 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
St. Marys, W.Va.: Oct. 29, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Ripley, W.Va.: Oct. 29, 6-7:30 p.m.
New Matamoras: Oct. 29, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Newport: Oct 29, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Oak Grove: Oct. 29, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Reno: Oct. 29 - 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Ravenswood, W.Va.: Oct. 29, 6-8 p.m.
Palmer Township: Oct. 30, 6-8 p.m.
Beverly/Waterford: Oct. 30, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Vienna, W.Va.: Oct. 31 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Parkersburg: Oct. 31, 6-7:30 p.m.
Belpre/Porterfield: Oct. 31, 6-7 p.m.
Cutler / Bartlett: Oct 31, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
"It will be scary and we will have lights and loud noises," she said.
If pretend haunted houses aren't your thing, however, perhaps a ghost tour of The Castle would be another option. Starting at 7 p.m. and running every 15 minutes, guests are led on a 45-minute tour through The Castle, which will be lit only by oil lamps, according to Jessie Goodnight, education director.
"This one is really for adults but we will have one for children (earlier in the day) with the lights on," she said.
Some of the stories the four tour guides will tell have to do with apparitions, hearing footsteps and objects in the museum that have their own supernatural histories.
Or perhaps a good old-fashioned "whodunnit" murder mystery weekend away from home would be more enticing. The Lafayette Hotel, with help from M.O.B. Inc., a murder mystery theater company based in Cleveland, will present guests with a series of untimely endings throughout the weekend.
"Sometime throughout the first evening, the first murder will occur and by the end they will be asking guests to decide who the killer is," said Sheila Rhodes, general manager.
Guests will get clues at the hotel and from different merchants around town. The person who has the best guess wins.
Rhodes said there are still rooms available and still time to get in on the fun.
Finally, the popular "Ghost Stories From the Stacks" event returns at Marietta College. Linda Showalter, special collections associate, said some of last year's readers will return, as well as new readers from among the faculty, staff and students. Stories will include "The Raven," by Edgar Allan Poe and traditional tales of terror from the region.


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I use this twice a day as directed on my chest which has visible sun damage - been using for 2 weeks - and notice a slight reduction of redness. I will continue to use it as it has a wonderful smell and is very moisturizing.
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The worst reaction ever!!
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Comments about NIA24 Sun Damage Repair for Decolletage and Hands, 5 fl oz:
I tried a sample of this cream in the evening and woke up to the worst case of contact dermatitis I have ever seen! The rash was intense -- all over my chest, neck, part of my face, and hands. I have never had a rash like this and had to go to the dermatologist. I do not have sensitive skin and am not prone to breakouts with new products. It has been two weeks and I'm still recovering. Beware! Before using this product, make sure to do a tiny patch test on your skin (it does not say to do this on the pkg. or I would have tried that first)....and you may save yourself one to two weeks of discomfort, itching, unsightly welts, bumps, redness and white-head looking gross things ALL over!!
(2 of 3 customers found this review helpful)


text:
Q&A: Rep. Mike Honda on Proposed FDA Office of Wireless Health
Congressman Michael Honda (D., Calif.), who has been representing Silicon Valley in the U.S. House of Representatives for the past 12 years, recently submitted a bill asking for Congress to create and fund a new office at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which would be called the Office of Wireless Health.
The office would be tasked with regulating the growing number of mobile, wireless health gadgets and applications, which have been proliferating wildly since the start of the smartphone craze.
While tech investors and federal regulators often co-exist like dogs and cats, Rep. Honda insists a new FDA office could help and not obstruct innovation. He discussed his bill with Venture Capital Dispatch.
Do the funding and the political will exist to create a new government office right now?
I would say yes. There is money, and there should be the will. My job is to create that political will. This could create jobs, and help innovators. There is a provision in this bill to create low-interest loan programs for entrepreneurs, and prizes and tax incentives for disruptive technologies.
Ideally, who would staff this new FDA office?
Hopefully, someone with a lot of experience in tech. The situation today is kind of like the judicial system, back when there were early lawsuits about technology. No judge really knew about that stuff. They had to be trained. The FDA will have to find the expertise [both from inside and outside the agency]. As for staffing, it would be up to the FDA.
Is this new FDA office something your constituents want?
Yes. The tech community needs confidence in a consistent, reliable framework for wireless health. The FDA has a critical role to play. Today, there is no confidence [among] industry. It's nonexistent. We're still talking to technology associations, law firms, venture firms, caregivers, patient-safety groups. We want all these players to be involved.
Is this issue something that average people should care about?
Without it, people will not be able to get services they need. Everybody today has a mobile device, and everybody today is a participant in their own health care. People want instant access to their medical records, on their devices, and we need to give the government the expertise [to regulate this area]. This bill has the consumer in mind. We want the people to have input on this, and make this bill a creature of their own design.
So, what's next for this bill?
First we're going to reintroduce it, with a new section based on feedback we've been getting it. We don't expect resistance from the FDA. If it's signed into law by the president, we will start looking at appropriations. And I will break open the champagne.
Write to Timothy Hay at firstname.lastname@example.com


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A traveling collection of Andy Warhol's works goes on sale Saturday in Minneapolis.
The "Andy Warhol in Minneapolis" exhibition runs through March 23 at Aria in the downtown warehouse district. It's the first U.S.-based private sales exhibition for "Andy Warhol at Christie's." The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts is selling its collection of the late pop artist's works through the auction house to raise money for its endowment.
More than 50 paintings, photographs, prints and works on paper will be available to the public during the weeklong selling exhibition. Included is a selection of works originally featured at Warhol's 1975 show in Minneapolis.
Highlights include self-portraits of Warhol and a screenprint of Marilyn Monroe.
Admission to the exhibition is free and open to the public.
Location, ST | website.com


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via Personal Recipe 1765125:
<3 I want those!!!!
I have so many items of clothing that tre wears and it makes me so happy :):):):)
*-* loveeee theeeeeeeeeeeem !!!
Tre, you're genius! you're wearing shoes with your face! oh....
Some people might find it weird sticking their hairy, sweaty hoof into a shoe emblazoned with their face on the interior...?
are this the business shoes?


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The ruling came despite letters that singers Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel and Patti Smith have sent, urging Russia's courts to free Maria Alekhina and the other Pussy Riot still in prison, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova.
In its ruling on Thursday, a court in Perm province accepted a claim by prosecutors that Alekhina had systematically disobeyed prison authorities and failed to repent for her crime, Russian media reported.
Alekhina went on a hunger strike Wednesday after being barred from the hearing, even though the court is across the street from the prison colony where she is serving her sentence for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred." She also ordered her defense not to participate.
Band members Alekhina, Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina Samutsevich gained worldwide notoriety last year when a Moscow court jailed them for two years for conducting a punk protest in Moscow's main cathedral.
Samtusevich was later released on appeal.
A lawyer for Alekhina said the artist would appeal Thursday's ruling.
The parole decision came despite two letters dated Monday by McCartney, the former Beatles' star, asking for both jailed Pussy Riot members to be released.
McCartney mailed the letters to a court n Mordovia that had denied Tolokonnikova parole last month, and they were posted on online by Pussy Riot supporters.
The singer wrote that he was making the request "in a spirit of friendship for my many Russian acquaintances who, like me, believe in treating people—all people, with compassion and kindness."
Alekhina's lawers also had copies of the support letters that Gabriel and Smith had written.


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Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
You have a unique medical history. Therefore, it is essential to talk with your doctor about your personal risk factors and/or experience with pneumonia. By talking openly and regularly with your doctor, you can take an active role in your care.
General Tips for Gathering Information
Here are some tips that will make it easier for you to talk to your doctor:
Specific Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider
About Pneumonia
About Your Risk of Developing Pneumonia
About Treatment Options
About Lifestyle Changes
About Your Outlook
Pneumonia symptoms diagnosis and treatment. American Lung Association website. Available at:
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/pneumonia/symptoms-diagnosis-and.html. Accessed October 3, 2012.
Pneumonia. National Heart Lung Blood Institute (NHLBI) website. Available at:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/pnu. Updated March 1, 2011. Accessed October 3, 2012.
Primary Care Medicine. 4th ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000.
Last reviewed May 2015 by David L. Horn, MD, FACP
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


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Hey there Islanders Fans!!!
I hope you all's week went great! It seems like it went pretty quick to me lol! Well the highlight of my week was on Wednesday. The team and I had a great time at the Islanders Women's Basketball Meet and Greet at the Corpus Christi Country Club! Coach Chadwick introduced himself as the new head coach, as well as the girls and I. We met and SANG to a lot of the amazing boosters who help support our team! Lol. Yes. Yes. We did sing a little tune for our boosters! You can check it out on the Islanders Women's Basketball Facebook page and on GoIslanders.com. But from us to you all, we very much appreciate you for all the support and effort that you all put into our Islanders organization! If you have not yet already, you have the opportunity to join our Locker Room Club and become a huge supporter of Islanders Women's Basketball!
By the way, on Wednesday I also went and took my GRE!! Ahhhhhh!! It was brutal!! But I'm pleased to announce that I received a great score of 150 and 152 on the Quantitative and Verbal reasoning portion! That's just an unofficial score though! I'm hoping to get into a great physical therapy program next fall! :)
On another note, Coach Chadwick will be throwing the first pitch at the Corpus Christi Hook's game this evening at 7 p.m. at Whataburger Field. You should go and check him out!
But I will catch you all next week! Have a safe weekend! And don't do anything I wouldn't do ;)
P.S. Here is a video of me from the meet and greet talking about the new locker rooms!!


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Roger Simon offers THIS SIMPLE ANSWER to the question above:
There are scorpions among us. They sit in Congress, committed not to solving problems, but blocking solutions.
They would take the food out of the mouths of children. They would put the insurance companies back in charge of health care. They would shut the government down, refuse to pay the nation�s bills, destroy the trust that other countries place in us when they buy our bonds, they would do all this rather than give President Obama the slimmest of political victories.
Why? It is their nature.
Read more


text:
Rick Alan
Taking preventive measures may prevent some cases of
epilepsy. These measures include:
Berkow R.
The Merck Manual of Medical Information.
17th ed. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster; 2000.
Epilepsy Foundation
website. Available at:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at:
Last reviewed March 2015 by Rimas Lukas, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


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The geotextile bags have been proven NOT to work as artificial reef material. They're prone to rupture, and do little to create habitat. Another temporary solution with mixed results.
Most of these projects fail because they're implemented without enough research going into the design of the project. You can't just plop down a "reef" and think it's going to give you all the benefits intended. You have to have solid data and sound engineering to give it even a CHANCE of providing long-term, cost effective benefits that include the three major purposes - shoreline stabilization, creating habitat, and preserving recreational resources.
To achieve this, you need to engineer a complete reef system so that the whole becomes greater than the sum of it's parts. Underwater structures interact with each other. Currents move sand. Change currents, and you change the movement of sand. Reef systems have to be engineered in a site-specific way so the various components of the system (fringe and patch reefs, jetties, breakwaters, etc.) interact with each other. Their orientation, length, height, depth... all based on dominant wave size and direction, current direction and speed, tidal range, offshore and nearshore bathymetry, dominant wind speed and direction, and other variables.
Those who know, know the answer is a combination of beach replenishment and hard structures. There's no easy, quick, cheap fix. It will require an investment of time, energy, money, and intellect.


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On Saturday, contribute to letter carriers' food drive
Published: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 10:38 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 10:38 a.m.
The National Association of Letter Carriers will conduct its annual Food Drive on Saturday.
Food collected locally will help All Faiths Food Bank with its mission of feeding the hungry.
The weakening economy is sending the recently unemployed to Southwest Florida and the food bank for help and also to 190 partner agencies, Sandra Frank, executive director of All Faiths Food Bank, said in a prepared statement.
The National Association of Letter Carriers and All Faiths Food Bank will collect food from residential mailboxes.
The letter carriers will deliver a personalized bag to residents and rural areas prior to the drive. On Saturday, the letter carriers will pick up the filled plastic bags of nonperishable items.
"More than ever, please help us help our neighbors in this cruel time of need," Jamie Delpero, NALC Sarasota County coordinator, said.
Nonperishable food donations also can be dropped off from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at any Goodwill location as well as these sites:
- Glengary post office, 935 Beneva Road.
- McIntosh Annex post office, 6552 Palmer Park Circle.
- Gulf Gate post office, 2875 Ashton Road.
- Longboat Key post office, 560 Bay Isles Road.
- South Gate post office, 2055 Siesta Drive.
- Colonial Oaks Park, 5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd.
- Davidson Drugs, 5124 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key.
- Burger King, 4346 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota.
- Sarasota County Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Our previous blog tells how to make Oatmeal the right way, this blog shows how McDonald's is making Oatmeal the wrong way.
Oatmeal should be made with primarily one ingredient, not twenty one! Sure, at home you can add a little brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, apples or milk, but you are doing so sparingly and with ingredients that are fresh without chemicals (McDonald's "cream" has seven ingredients??)
I'm sure McDonald's knows that once you walk into a McDonald's you aren't going to order just Oatmeal, they are just trying to get you in the door.
Has anyone tried the McDonald's Oatmeal?


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EAGLE COUNTY, Colorado - Cookies from Cordillera are helping Newtown smile again.
Like the child who wandered into the Newtown General Store and Deli to ask for his free cookie. He smiled up at owner Pete Leone and asked for an extra cookie for his sister.
"Aren't you an only child?" Leone said smiling down at the child, as he handed over another cookie.
As the child reached to the top of the counter, he smiled. Cookies can do that.
"My children came home with a cookie. In addition to bringing a smile, it opens a conversation about love and peace, and how good people are in this world."
- Dawn Gray, Newtown, Conn.
Two days after the Sandy Hook shootings catapulted the quiet Connecticut town into the glare of the national spotlight, Cordillera residents Lainie Edinburg, Joel Kaye and Anne Roberts started cookies rolling in Connecticut.
Like all of us, Edinburg grew furious as she watched the story unfold.
"I was so upset and angry when I was watching the news, filled with the heartbreaking stories and photos of these beautiful children killed," Edinburg said. "I had to do something positive with all of my anger!"
Edinburg was watching a national newscast when she learned someone in California had bought coffee and sandwiches from the Newtown General Store for first responders.
"I was getting inundated from people all over the world. We were bombarded with people wanting to give money, gifts, people wanting to do something to help," Leone said.
A guy bought all the tickets for a Saturday night movie at the Newtown theater and gave them away to Newtown residents. A group gave them 10,000 pink stuffed dinosaurs.
"I kept thinking about all of those children in the schools and how they were coping, along with the anguish of the parents," Edinburg said.
That's when she came up with the Cookies for Newtown Kids project. Roberts was raised in Newtown, and was happy to help.
So far, 80 Cordillera residents have chipped in for chocolate chips and raised money for raisins - more than $6,000 in a few days.
When Pete returned Edinburg's phone calls, she said, "We raised more than $6,000 for cookies!"
Pete stopped for a second and answered, "Well, OK, but we can't bake them all at once."
"My name is Matt and I go to high school in Newtown. I wanted to send you a thank you note for all the cookies you sent to Misty Vale Deli. It brings a smile to my face every time I see a box of those cookies on the front counter of the store."
- Matt Argraves, Newtown, Conn.
The cookies are great. The message they send is better.
Some of the 27 victims were Leone's customers. One of the murdered children was in the store an hour earlier with his father getting breakfast. An hour later his father was identifying his son's body. The father came in the next day. When one of the staff asked if his son had made it out his eye went downcast as he shook his head.
Leone and his crew bake 450 cookies at a time, chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, 5 inches wide and stuffed with so many chocolate chips that kids wear chocolate grins when they take a bite. Kids pick them up at the Newtown General Store and the Misty Vale Deli and General Store in Sandy Hook.
The Newtown General Store was built in 1847 when Newtown was founded. The flag Leone flies outside has 29 stars, the number U.S. flag had when the store opened its doors. The floors and walls are original so tread lightly; you're walking on history.
Newtown is 27,000 people spread over 60 square miles. It's only an hour from NYC, but it's a different world, Leone said. Newtown is a different world than it used to be two months ago.
"My high school children taught swim lessons to two of the children who were killed. This is a small community ... we are all connected."
- Dawn Gray, Newtown, Conn.
Leone delivers food to schools and sees children playing near the two police cars at every school.
During those first frantic minutes original news reports said there were two shooters. Leone's daughter was home sick that day as police in helicopters were looking for that second shooter.
"Sandy Hook elementary school is about 500 yards from my house and there's nothing between my house and the school but woods," Leone said. "Try having a half dozen helicopters hovering over your house looking for a shooter."
As more information became available they began asking themselves and one another, "Who would open fire in a school of first through fourth graders?"
There are no suitable answers, of course, so they do what they can to move forward. You never get over it, Leone says. You try to learn to live with it.
"Now that all the attention has faded, there's nothing to distract you. It's very reassuring that they haven't been forgotten. The people appreciate it. It really hits home," Leone said.
"This has been a hard time for all of us, and just seeing the support from Edwards, Colorado brings a smile to my face."
- Michael Trevail, a first responder from Buena Vista who moved to Newtown three years ago.
Staff Writer Randy Wyrick can be reached at 970-748-2935 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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NFP Wednesday
By Rebecca Teti
Wednesdays: Natural Family Planning
(Join each day's Coffee Talk discussion: Mon: Parenting; Tues: Open Forum; Wed: NFP; Thu: Marriage; Fri: Education; Sat/Sun: Changing Roles)
This weekly thread is a place where you can share your struggles, triumphs, links, resources, concerns, and questions about all things related to Natural Family Planning.
Please join the conversation!
My husband and I teach NFP: Standard Sympto Thermal method for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. I can honestly say that by using NFP, our marriage is stronger.
Ya know, I always thought people were crazy for saying NFP strengthened their marriage. We always, always used NFP as the right/moral choice, but I never found it bonding or anything like that. Recently, though, I've realized there's nothing quite like knowing my husband loves me enough to wait patiently, 10 - 15+ days per month, not complaining or pressuring me. We saved ourselves for marriage, and it felt good to know he loved me enough to wait for me then... and it feels good to know he loves me enough to wait for me (in a different way) still!
Have to say I can't agree that it's making our marriage stronger. To the contrary, frustrations are high and I resent it. And no, we are not newlyweds, and we already have eight children.
sorry to Anon for the frustrations/resentment. we used NFP for over 20 years, 7 little-ones over the 18 year span; nfpandmore.org has an online book {NFP: The Complete Approach} possibly some of the formation/Bible/Church/Catechism/witness chapter and chapter 1 can help w/the spiritual-side of NFP ; the world surely needs your prayer, sacrifices and witness but many never get any spiritual formation on NFP - only the "method" and Bl. JPII says it must be taught in a moral context. hope you are doing symptothermal and maybe cervix and doing full ecological breastfeeding - these all help w/less abstinence; God bless 2013 for you


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EcoSmart 12-pack Toss-Ins
2 Questions | 2 Answers
Read All Q&A | Ask a Question | Answer a Question
Deodorant: Tests indicate 70% better odor control over other natural formulas.
Thetford EcoSmart Holding Tank Additives are certified environmentally friendly by Terra Choice EcoLogo is North America's oldest and most widely recognized environmental standard certification program, and the only standard accredited by the Global Eco-Labeling Network that meets international environmental standards.
The EcoSmart line of products is a great line of products to use in your holding tanks. See the video below explaining features and benefits of this product.
Technical Specs
Weight: 1.2 lbs.
Manufacturer: Thetford Corp
Mfg Part #: 32952
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