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MOSCOW - At the Sokolniki Park disco, the floor may be hard-packed snow and the temperature down to 20 below zero, but the smiles are as warm as a potbellied stove.
Muscovites don't just live through the Russian capital's long and harsh winters, they live IN them with verve and merriment, and the park dancers are one the most appealing manifestations. Every weekend, in weather that would make most people huddle under blankets and whimper, hundreds of people head to Moscow's parks for dancing under the snow-laden trees.
Weighed down by fur coats, clumsy snow boots or the Siberian handmade felt shoes called valenki, the dancers - most of whom are aging pensioners - don't cut loose with snazzy moves, but their smiles and flirtations are fluid and timeless. For the younger crowd, some parks keep amusement rides open and tiny kids zoom through air thick with snowflakes on fanciful airplanes, wrapped in so many layers of clothing that if they fell off the ride, they'd probably bounce.
Although winter freezes the rivers and darkens the sky, it seems to thaw Russians' souls and brings lightness and innocence to a city that visitors in other seasons find to be rude and crass.
Crowded and noisy, afflicted with glacial traffic jams and some of the world's ugliest architecture, Moscow is rarely likable, but in winter it's easy to love - in the way that one loves another for character rather than looks.
In warm weather, Moscow tries hard to be charming, with sidewalk cafes, river cruises and other attractions. None of this is convincing - the cafes are plagued by smog and general crud, the Moscow River is sluggish and polluted - and the city's attempts at jollity are as clumsy and sad as a dancing bear. In winter, Moscow becomes its true, unaffected self.
If it's not naive to think that a week's visit can reveal the "Russian soul," winter's the time to spot this chimera.
In summer, the view of the city from the heights of Vorobyovy Gori (Sparrow Hills) outside Moscow State University shows a discouraging, chaotic sprawl, where shabby czarist-era buildings stand elbow-to-elbow with concrete Soviet monstrosities. Winter's snow and flat gray skies draw them all together in a vast, monochrome panorama.
If You Go
Weather: Moscow gets spells of severe cold, but winter temperatures generally are between 32 and 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Sidewalks are often poorly cleaned and present significant difficulty to visitors with infirmities. Vigilance for falling icicles on thaw days is wise.
Resources: The online city guide of The Moscow Times is thorough and full of good tips. The twice-monthly Exile is confrontational, obscene, sporadically perceptive and its nightlife listings are beloved by visitors young enough to say "rock on" without embarrassment.
On the Net:Moscow Times city guide: www.themoscowtimes.com/travel-guide.html The Exile: www.exile.ru
The hills' main overlook point is a popular point for newlyweds to pose for photos and in winter, the couples gaze long at the city before they rush giggling back to their cars, the brides' skin pink under their lacy dresses.
If Moscow is a poor relation to the West in architecture, in winter it's second to none in culture. The renowned Bolshoi Theater and Tchaikovsky concert hall are jammed nightly, the innovative Gelikon Opera draws adventurous listeners, and the stage scene is as rich and energetic as New York's and London's - some 70 theaters with nightly productions, their acting so good and tickets so cheap that even an audience member who doesn't know a word of Russian will leave feeling rewarded.
This is the cultural bounty that many of Chekhov's characters longed for at length, and a visitor who has a day to take a trip outside Moscow in the winter will feel new poignance at their yearnings. To see the countryside between Moscow and the nearby monastery town of Sergiev Posad from the window of an "elektrichki" commuter train - the lonely, tilting cabins wrapped in endless snow - is to understand that Uncle Vanya wasn't just a self-centered whiner but a truly isolated man.
One of Russia's prime winter art forms is figure-skating, and Moscow has developed some fine venues in which to try a toe loop - or watch someone else do it. Gorky Park floods much of its sidewalks in winter, so skaters can meander deep into the park, stopping off for coffee or shashlik at booths along the way, and Hermitage Gardens, a pretty but little-touristed park in the center city, also has skating.
The best may be Yunikh Pionerov (Young Pioneers) Stadium, which turns its entire soccer field into a vast rink. The rink is especially popular for its music - hypnotic electronic mixes provided by one of the city's top dance clubs, so rhythmic and insinuating that even a klutz feels graceful. It also shows Russians' inventiveness amid scarce money: The ice is maintained with a sort of stone-age Zamboni, a wheeled cart pulled by two men, from which a hose spews water and a dangling flab of canvas smoothes it into respectable ice.
Moscow's also an unusually convenient city for skiers, with both cross-country trails and a ski slope accessible by subway. The slope won't challenge the black-diamond crowd, but the view from the top is arguably worth the trip all by itself - in one direction, a sizable settlement of ancient wooden cabins still inhabited in the modern city, turn around and gaze at a procession of bleak, Soviet high-rises; a condensed history of Russia.
For the sedentary visitor, wintertime Moscow is also welcoming.
Clear some snow off a bench at Patriarshiye Prudy (Patriarch's Ponds), a park in a neighborhood of dog-eared pre-revolution elegance, and have a beer or the canned gin-and-tonics that Muscovites love in all seasons. Nod to all the other people doing the same and watch the passing young people.
In summer, they'd be surly and posturing, trying out their coolness as they enter adulthood. In winter's coldness, however, they revert to being kids, laughing, jostling and grabbing an attractive someone's attention by tossing a handful of the abundant snow.
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Renae Morgan Ault and Jason Donald Siddle of Columbiana are engaged and planning a spring wedding.
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Keith and Wendy Ault of Marietta. She is the granddaughter of Vernon and Wilma Ault of Marietta, the late Wilma Ault, Enos and Judy Amstutz of Orrville, and Marilyn Amstutz and Max Lucas of Coshocton. A 1998 graduate of Marietta High School, the bride-elect received a master's degree in library and information science from Kent State University in 2007. She manages the children's department at the Salem Public Library.
The prospective bridegroom is a 1992 graduate of Alliance High School and received a bachelor's of arts degree in communications from the University of Akron. He is employed by The Cartridge Outlet. He is the son of Carol Fleisher of Alliance and John Siddle and Janie Cobbs of Salem. He is the grandson of Margaret Siddle of Salem.
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The couple's wedding will take place in the bride's hometown of Marietta.


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Struck By Myriad Delights
Narrative beauty sometimes lies as much in the pauses between words as in the words themselves. Poets know this and will build in little gaps to show where we ought to hesitate for a beat when we are reading. Creating such moments of suspension can be harder for the novelist to achieve, which is one reason why Brian Selznick so amazed and delighted young readers with his Caldecott-winner, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" (2007). His technique of interspersing pages of text with sequences of full-page, soft-pencil drawings told the story in a way that felt half-hushed and wholly new. With "Wonderstruck" (Scholastic, 640 pages, $29.99), he uses the same approach, even more successfully.
If its heft sets "Wonderstruck" apart, so does the poignancy of the two stories that Mr. Selznick interweaves in its pages. In illustrations, we follow an apparently troubled, star-struck runaway during the silent-film era. Rebuffed by the matinée idol she adores, the girl, Rose, seeks solace in a "cabinet of wonders" in New York's American Museum of Natural History. Meanwhile, in the prose story, set in Minnesota five decades later, we meet a young naturalist named Ben whose dreams are plagued with wolves and who longs to find the father he has never known.
When Ben comes across a museum book titled "Wonderstruck," containing a bookmark bearing his father's handwriting, he too runs away to Manhattan. That the children's destinies are linked will not come as a surprise; but where they meet, what they have in common and how they are connected strike with the force of a blow to the heart. There are puzzles at the core of this moving and ingenious story that make it likely to stay with children ages 9 to 15 long after they have finished reading.
There is pathos aplenty in Jack Gantos's new novel for readers ages 10 to 15, along with hubris, nemesis, thanatos and even a comical dollop of misbegotten eros—all the elements of great drama, in other words, set in one boy's calamitous summer vacation, in 1962, in a fading western Pennsylvania town. In "Dead End in Norvelt" (Farrar Straus Giroux, 341 pages, $15.99), Mr. Gantos mixes autobiography with nutty invention to relate the events that transpire after Gantos Boy, as one character calls him, accidentally fires his father's World War II rifle and deliberately plows under his mother's precious corn crop.
Grounded for the summer, the
12-year-old is taking solace in his favorite history books when he is offered an unexpected reprieve. His mother agrees to lend him out as amanuensis for a Miss Volker, an arthritis-plagued obituary writer who intends to fulfill her promise to Eleanor Roosevelt, the town's founding patron, to see all the original residents of Norvelt into their graves.
In the course of the next two months, Jack will encounter vats of molten paraffin, suspicious Girls Scout cookies, powdered rat poison and a tattooed corpse, as well as arson, poaching and murder, and he will endure the clandestine cauterizing of inflamed capillaries in his own nose. Woven throughout the fictional Jack's picaresque adventures is the real Jack Gantos's love of history. In part by using the obituaries that Jack copies down, the author makes the case that young people ought to know and care about those who have gone before them. As the forceful Miss Volker declaims: "Every living soul is a book of their own history, which sits on the ever-growing shelf in the library of human memory."


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We were getting C ready for bath time last night, and he was running around just in his jeans with his little belt. I couldn't stop laughing! He looked so little with his tiny body and outie belly button, running around the apartment babbling. I adore him. He thought it was pretty fun to be shirtless! haha
A Bedtime Routine on Steroids
C's bedtime routine tonight felt like it was out of a movie. Hubster was working late, so I was flying solo. We usually tag team it – not just for family bonding purposes. C is quite a wild child and it usually requires both of us.
During my attempt to feed C his solids, he kicked the bowl out of my hand. Carrot puree flew into the air and landed on every one of his extremities.


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Music producer Mark Ronson confirms to the BBC that the troubled soul diva, 24, is working on the theme song for the upcoming 007 release, now in production: Quantum Of Solace, starring Daniel Craig.
Ronson, 32, did not guarantee the song's placement in the finished film, however, but said: "Hopefully it will get used. We're working on it and we'll see happens."
The filmmakers were the ones who approached Winehouse, he said. "They asked Amy, and I think Amy said that if she did it, she'd want to do it with me."
Should she make the final cut, Winehouse would join a roster of such artists as Louis Armstrong, Sheena Easton, Paul McCartney and Wings, Carly Simon, Nancy Sinatra, Tina Turner and Shirley Bassey – all of whom have been heard under the opening credits of the nearly 50-year-old film franchise.
"The demo sounds like a James Bond theme, hopefully," says Ronson. "I'm sure there are loads more really famous people that probably we're competing with, and we don't know about. I'm not sure."
Hedging his bet slightly, the producer added: " If we don't get this one maybe we'll get another one."
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Erie McDonald's robbed at gunpoint
Erie police are looking for a man with a handgun who robbed a downtown McDonald's this morning.
Police weren't saying how much money the man got away with.
The armed robbery took place at about 5 a.m. at the McDonald's at West Fifth and State streets, police said.
Police described the robber, who fled on foot, as a light-skinned black male with a slender build, 6 feet tall, about 20, and wearing camouflage pants, a gray hoodie and a black mask.
See Monday's Erie Times-News and GoErie.com for more coverage.


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TX stabbing suspect caught in OklahomaUPDATED 6:21 AM CDT May 02, 2013
A Texas man police say stabbed two people to death including an 8-year-old boy was arrested in Oklahoma Wednesday night. Troopers arrested the suspect near Wynnewood. A 12-year-old boy was also injured but a baby found at an apartment was unharmed.
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It was just my husband and I, and this was our first long cruise. The ship is amazing, the service was great and there was never an issue. We had a corner cabin with balcony on Deck 14 with a lovely Central Park view that was plenty large enough for us. The food was good, drinks were plenty. You never felt the ship actually moving. The shows were awesome. We all know the wonderful things, but these are the things we would change:
*Premium liquor drink package - worth the money to us, but it was a pain to still have to sign a receipt each time. Especially since gratuity is included in the price of the package.
*Smoking - it was way too smoky in the casino and in some of the enclosed inside bars. Smoking was permitted in the karaoke bar and The Bow & Stern, both on the main promenade inside the ship, and you could smell it just walking by. We couldn't go inside, it was just too much.
Honestly, that was really about it. Everything else was great, and our needs were always accomodated. I don't know how we're going to top this one!


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Pat Howard: Past catches up to present to make music magical
As many concerts as I've been to, especially back in the day, just a few stand out as transcendent. They're probably not the ones you'd think.
The best of them prompted the impulses and muscles that produce a loopy, lasting grin to take on a life of their own. During a couple of them I went through stretches when I was so in the moment that I literally couldn't stop smiling.
I've seen monster bands like AC/DC, the Stones, U2 and Springsteen, and as much as I got off on them they never hit me in quite that way. I'm generally not all that much for nostalgia, but the concerts that stuck with me most were put on by performers whose music I'd fallen hard for as a kid but assumed I'd never get to hear live.
One of them was essentially an oldies show by a Canadian singer whose star had largely faded, in the U.S. at least, by the time I got out of grade school. But the string of fabulous pop and rock songs Burton Cummings left behind as frontman for the Guess Who had burrowed deeply into my musical DNA by then.
By the time I was in a position to go to concerts, especially out of town, the band had long since disbanded and there wasn't all that much of a market for Cummings south of the border. And so when my wife and I jumped at the chance to catch him in 1995 at a club show in Buffalo -- just him, that amazing voice and an electric piano -- the strains of "Rain Dance," "Share the Land" and "Albert Flasher" left me beaming in a way that probably made the bartender nervous.
It happened again when Cummings, Randy Bachman and the Guess Who brought their reunion tour to the then-Tullio Arena in 2001. There had been no reason to expect to see Cummings and Bachman share a stage again, and it felt like a gift.
I'm no seer, but I fully expect to have had another relapse into hard-wired musical giddiness by the time you read this. As I peck at the keyboard on Saturday morning, the forecast says the weather will mesh perfectly with the setting when Steely Dan takes the stage on Beach 11 at Presque Isle.
I've had epiphanies of sonic bliss at two previous Steely Dan concerts, in 2006 at the Blossom Music Center near Cleveland and especially in 1993 at the old Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. The Buffalo concert, like Burton Cummings' gig in the same town a couple of years later, was especially sweet because I never expected it to happen.
My connection to Steely Dan began like most of my musical discoveries of the early and mid-1970s, with my big brother leaving one of their albums on the turntable of his little stereo in our room. He was a reliable guide, so I paid attention.
I imagine I got sucked in because the songs are catchy and tuneful, most of them, with quirky twists and accents. Over time I came to appreciate the consummate musicianship and how Donald Fagen's distinctive voice and phrasing deliver lyrics that are wry, oblique and vaguely subversive and seedy.
None of the usual labels -- pop, rock, jazz -- fits snugly, but they're all in there. In any event, I was hooked, and whenever they issued a new album I'd hustle to one of the record stores where you got your musical fixes in those days.
I clearly remember one such visit, early in 1975 when I was 13. The store displays were pushing Led Zeppelin's double album, "Physical Graffiti." I'd get to that a few years later, but I was there for "Katy Lied."
Steely Dan -- which started as a band but quickly boiled down to Fagen and bassist/guitarist Walter Becker and a phalanx of crack session players -- quit touring in 1974 and became strictly a studio outfit. They put out an album every couple of years until 1980, when they released "Gaucho" and went out of business.
With Becker and Fagen gone their own ways and the years reelin', there was really no reason to expect Steely Dan to regroup, let alone tour. Then they did, 13 years on, and they killed it.
I skipped the Crosby, Stills & Nash concert at Presque Isle in 2012, and though I'm not especially a CSN fan I regretted not going. The marriage of event and venue was compelling by all accounts.
So I resolved that I'd check out this summer's sequel as long as the chosen band wasn't beyond the pale. When my colleague Dave Richards, who has the best musical antennae in the region, passed along early rumors of Steely Dan on the beach, just the prospect had me grinning like an idiot.
For me, it's more like karma than nostalgia. It's not that often when past and present line up just right.
Write to Pat Howard and 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534, or e-mail him at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhoward.


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Killington Articles
Showing 1-6 of 6 Honeymoon Resorts
The Mountain Inn
The Mountain Inn is a special place for a honeymoon - a charming New England Inn with all the amenities of a full service resort hotel. and if you like to ski together, you're in luck! There are 141 trails to choose from! There's also opportunities for golf in the area! After experiencing all of its luxury, you'll surely look back and fondly... more
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The Red Clover Inn & Restaurant
There is no better place to spend your first days as newlyweds than the Red Clover Inn Restaurant & Tavern! This classically restored country property offers exquisite views of the Green Mountains, gourmet dining and intimate accommodations. Come and create lifelong memories of this wonderful time in your life! ... more
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Killington Accommodations
Make your honeymoon truly special with a luxury rental from Killington Accommodations. Their spacious accommodations are the perfect home-base for your adventurous Killington vacation. Enjoy a relaxing horseback ride together, or choose a ski-in/ski-out rental so you're close to the slopes!... more
The Mountain Top Inn & Resort
After your elegant Vermont wedding celebration, retreat to your charming and stylish room at the Mountain Top Inn & Resort. With incredible views of the Green Mountain National Forest as your backdrop, this stunning destination is sure to set the stage for your perfect honeymoon. Indulge in a soothing massage together, enjoy a romantic dinner... more
There's no better place than The Highline Lodge to celebrate the start of your new life together! There's great activities for two in the area, whether you want to hit the links together, or go skiing on nearby Killington Mountain, you'll have great time. And, at the end of a fun day, come back to The Highline Lodge for dinner at the delicious... more
Inn at Long Trail
Start your new life together in the beautiful Green Mountains of Vermont with the Inn at Long Trail. Take a ski trip, go hiking, curl up in front of a cozy fire, and enjoy dinner for two at the inn's dining room. It's the perfect way to celebrate the first step of your journey together!... more
Showing 1-6 of 6 Honeymoon Resorts


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Randomized trials evaluating drugs are frequently performed, both for purposes of initial regulatory approval and, after approval, to examine the utility of the drug in other clinical settings. No drug can get to market without being fully vetted. This is not the case for surgical procedures. Randomized trials evaluating surgical interventions are uncommon, even for some of the most commonly performed operations. In this issue of JAMA, 2 randomized clinical trials examine one of the most commonly performed general surgical operation—cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.
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Erectile Dysfunction Health Center
Living & Managing
WebMD's experts share their knowledge on how to control symptoms, how to manage relationship problems, and how to have a full sex life despite erectile dysfunction.
Living and Coping
The emotional impact of erectile dysfunction takes a toll. Here's how to deal with it.
There's more to sex than erections. Learn what a leading sexologist has to say.
Erectile dysfunction can create barriers to intimacy. Here's how to overcome them.
It is not uncommon for men with erectile dysfunction (ED) to feel angry, frustrated, sad, or even unsure of themselves. Such feelings, if not dealt with, may eventually lead to depression.
When stress persists, the body begins to break down and problems, like erectile dysfunction, can occur. The key to coping with stress is identifying those conditions in your life causing the stress and learning ways to reduce them.
If you're experiencing erection problems, you're probably not alone. Your spouse or partner is also affected. Fortunately, there's plenty both of you can do to overcome ED and enjoy better and more intimate sex.


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Therapist Detail
Mr. Daniel Lee Drake, M.S.
12522 Moorpark Street Suite 105
Studio City, CA 91604
CAMFT Clinical Member
License Number: MFC49986
Licenses: Marriage and Family Therapist
Practicing Since: 2003
Professional Personal Statement
Our culture is obsessed with sex, and yet so few of us really know what it means to have healthy, connected, intimate sex. Because we're so obsessed with sex on the one hand and so afraid to really talk about it on the other, our sexuality can too easily become damaged. Because of this I specialize in treating individuals, couples and partners who are working through issues related to sexual addiction and compulsivity. I believe that effective treatment is multifaceted. Therefore, I utilize my diverse background and training to help clients recover physical, emotional, mental, relational, sexual, and spiritual wholeness.
I have received two masters degrees in Marital and Family Therapy and Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. I am sensitive towards those who elect to keep spirituality separate from psychotherapy, but for those who would like spirituality and religion integrated into therapy I am uniquely qualified to do so.
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At Douglas J Aveda Institute, the instructors and owners are very meticulous and proud of what happens in the building. We learn the best health procedures along with helping the environment by recycling and using natural products. The course work is challenging but it is to build you to be the best cosmetologist you can be, not just with skills but with the way you provide your services. The customer is treated like royalty at DJAI. This Institute was the greatest place I could have gone to learn skills in cosmetology.
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ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - A national animal-rights group had a special Valentine's Day message for people driving north on Interstate 25: "Eating meat can cause impotence."
That might have been enough to kill the appetite of lovers preparing to nuzzle over a romantic candlelit dinner of filet mignon Wednesday night.
"The link between eating meat and impotence is more clear than (the link between) smoking and lung cancer," said Bruce Friedrich, Vegan Campaign coordinator with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Caren Cowan, executive director of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, wasn't impressed with the billboard.
"They have nothing to support this," she said. "Eating a balanced diet will help you enjoy all the recreational aspects life has to offer."
Anne Monson, spokeswoman for Lovelace Health Systems, said she ran PETA's claim by a urologist there. She said the doctor laughed and said he knew of no medical evidence to support the claim.
PETA bases its claim on the fact that saturated fats - and animal products are a major sources of such fats - can lead to clogged arteries throughout the body. Some researchers have shown that low fat, vegetarian diets can unclog arteries, Friedrich said.
That approach gets some support from the National Institutes of Health, which lists the hardening of arteries, vascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol among the causes of impotence.
A high intake of fats has been linked to those problems, but that doesn't mean medical experts embrace vegetarianism as a cure. The American Heart Association, for example, includes meat in its guidelines for a healthy diet.
The billboard, about 30 miles north of Albuquerque, will be visible to northbound traffic for the next month as part of the national campaign.
"Albuquerque is one of the more progressive communities in the heart of cattle land," he said in explaining the choice to put a billboard here. "It seems like a fun place to bring our message."
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NEW YORK -- It's an advertiser's enigma: how to zap-proof TV ads. What makes a viewer stay tuned to a commercial instead of flipping to another channel? And what gets shoppers to go into a store? A recent survey asked consumers what attracts their attention most, and how they respond to certain elements used in promotion. The national telephone survey was conducted May 14-18 by International Communications Research, a market research firm in Media, Pa. It polled 249 women in households with ...
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COMBINED LOCKS, WI, 25 August 2015 (Press Release) - Appleton Coated is building on the market success of its uncoated Pharmaceutical Insert (PI) Opaque line by offering stocked sheet and roll products. PI Opaque is designed and manufactured specifically for high-speed production of pharmaceutical insert and onsert projects in both traditional offset and high-speed web inkjet platforms.Read more
SOLNA, Sweden, 25 August 2015 (Press Release) - The demand for sustainable packaging solutions is growing globally. BillerudKorsnäs wants to explore the opportunities to respond to the demand growth while at the same time streamline and further improve its production structure. The company is now launching two feasibility studies, one regarding investment into a new board machine at the production site in Gruvön, Sweden, and the other regarding a streamlining and development of the production structure for packaging papers.Read more
Valmet will supply a complete OptiConcept M containerboard production line for Lee & Man in Jiang Xi in China. The new production line is planned to produce high-quality containerboard grades out of 100 percent recycled raw materials. The start-up of the machine is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2016.
The order is included in Valmet's third quarter 2015 orders received. The value of the order will not be disclosed. An order of this scope is typically valued around EUR 40-50 million.Read more


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As you said, V/M saying that it's weird that they train with their biggest competitors it's bollocks, when it comes to FS.
See K&P, U&Z, G&P, K&P, and many others.
Plus, Tessa saying she doesn't know how to flirt and was touching him as if she was doing that for the first time? This is four years after Vancouver, and after this hot stuff? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xy8Scw8ZeI Really?!


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In a move that surprised no one, the Cardinals told starting guard Daryn Colledge on Saturday that he will be released on Tuesday, the first day of the NFL's 2014 year.
Colledge tweeted a good-bye to Cardinals fans on Saturday evening and confirmed it later in an interview.
"They want to go young and cheaper," Colledge said. "You always hope there is an option to restructure. This is what you sign up for. Very few guys get the chance to leave on their own terms."
By waiting until Tuesday, the Cardinals can spread the cap charge of releasing Colledge over two years. They have to account for a total of $4.55 million.
The Cardinals cleared an additional $4.475 million of cap space this year, but they won't see that until after June 1. Until then, they must count Colledge's entire $7.75 million charge against the 2014 cap.
Entering the week, the Cardinals reportedly were about $18 million under under the cap of $133 million. Colledge signed with the Cardinals as a free agent in 2011 and started every game in his three years with the team. He has not missed a game in eight NFL seasons and played through a fractured leg in 2013.
But his age (32), salary-cap figure ($7.75 million) and the two youngsters behind him (Jonathan Cooper and Earl Watford) made Colledge expendable.
"I'm 32 now, not 23," Colledge said. "They have great talent in Cooper and Earl."
Cooper, the seventh overall pick in last year's draft, is expected to start at left guard. He missed his rookie season after suffering a fractured leg in the preseason.
Watford, a fourth-round pick, will compete for the job on the right side.
The Cardinals could have as many as four new starters on their offensive line in 2014, with only center Lyle Sendlein returning in the same spot.
The Cardinals are pursuing a left tackle in free agency, with the Chiefs' Branden Albert, the Ravens' Eugene Monroe, the Bengals' Anthony Collins and the Raiders' Jared Veldheer believed to be in the mix.
Eric Winston, who started at right tackle in 2013, is an unrestricted free agent.


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When an untreated inflamed appendix progresses to suppuration, the usual course is rupture with abscess formation. Rarely, acute appendicitis resolves by fixation of the appendix to an adjacent viscus or to the parietal peritoneum and thence to the skin, allowing drainage of pus either into the viscus or externally. Unfortunately, when the appendix forms a fistula in this manner, further trouble can be expected.
In a review of the literature in 1957, Kjellman1 defined an appendiceal fistula as "the primary perforation of the appendix to an adjacent hollow viscus or the skin" and excluded fistulas resulting as sequellae of appendicitis treated surgically. Kjellman noted that only eight cases of fistula between the appendix and intestine had been operated upon to that time and reported three more. Several cases found at autopsy were mentioned. The organ most commonly involved by fistula from the appendix is the bladder. Forbes and Rose
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21 November 2010
Should the Twins bring back JJ Hardy for the 2011 season? On the surface, it seems a no-brainer. Why should a guy who hit .268/.320/.394 and spent much of the year on the disabled list be counted on for another season?
When healthy during the second half of last season, though, Hardy was one of the best shortstops in baseball. Over the last three months of the season, Hardy hit a very impressive .304/.363/.442. If extended over the entire season, that 805 OPS would have been the fourth-highest in the league, putting Hardy in the class of Troy Tulowitzki, Hanley Ramirez, and Stephen Drew.
Considering Hardy was demoted to the minor leagues during a miserable 2009 season, this is a remarkable development. When the Twins traded for Hardy last winter, they were of the belief that the struggling shortstop simply needed change of scenery. Twelve months later, it's obvious that they were correct.
If healthy, Hardy is one of the best offensive shortstops in the league, but the best aspect of his game is by far his defensive range. He doesn't have the quickest feet, and much of his defensive abilities lie in his incredible instincts. Several scouting reports claimed that Hardy's defense would have played at the major-league level even back in 2001, when he was drafted out of high school. He is obviously an exceptional talent in the field.
Hardy knows exactly where to position himself for each pitch, and his strong arm allows him to play a step or two deeper than most shortstops, which increases his range even further. This range cannot be quantified using traditional mainstream statistics, such as fielding percentage, so most don't appreciate how valuable Hardy was to the team last season.
Hardy hasn't compiled quite enough service time during his career to become a free agent, and will spend one last season under team control. Should Minnesota choose to offer the 28-year old a contract for the 2011 season, Hardy has no choice but to play for the Twins.
If a contractual agreement can't be reached, both the player and the team will submit figures to panel of independent arbitrators, which will pick one or the other. Neither party benefits from the risk involved with this arbitration process, so I'm confident a settlement will be reached. It's impossible to know the final value, but I would guess any potential 2011 contract for Hardy to be worth around $6 or $7 million.
But should the Hometown Nine choose to tender Hardy a contract, or allow him to leave as a free agent?
On the free agent market, a team typically spends around $4.5 million per additional win. Hardy was worth 2.4 wins during an injury-plagued 2010; how valuable could he be over the course of a full season? Even if the Twins aren't convinced of Hardy's ability to stay healthy or productive in 2011, it's a gamble they should be willing to take.
Alexi Casilla seems primed to take over the starting duties at second base, but finding a replacement at the shortstop position would be a much tougher task. The only viable internal candidate for the job would be Trevor Plouffe, who struggled in Triple-A last season. If Hardy weren't brought back for the 2011 season, the Twins would almost certainly need to look outside the organization.
Unless the Twins want to pony up for a free agent like Miguel Tejada or rely once again on Orlando Cabrera, Hardy is the only realistic option.
And he's absolutely worth the risk.
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It's been well over ten years now since the debut of the graphical web browser and we still don't have an easy way to deliver rich typography using HTML/CSS. With CSS we can size, style, color, kern, show, and hide our text but we can't deliver something classical typesetters have delivered since at least the 15th century: custom typography. Until now.
In concert with Shaun Inman and Tomas Jogin, [I] am releasing into the public domain a scalable, multiline, Flash 6 compatible version of IFR to help you reduce the amount of browser text in your life and free the world from the scourge of Arial.
This chapter will show you how to create horizontal or vertical text, text fields that bring in text from an external document, make text scroll, and create text fields where someone can enter information themselves.
This sample is taken from Chapter 12: "Working with Text" of the glasshaus title "Flash MX H.O.T"
This tutorial is a follow up to my other tutorial 'Form with PHP and Flash', this time I have covered adding elements like a drop down menu and check boxes. This tutorial is for Flash 5 only.
An excellent tutorial about integration between Flash and ASP code!
You should definitely read this one if your are going to do some dynamic Flash generation.


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THE OCCURRENCE of granular cell myoblastoma of the breast is rare. Haagensen and Stout,1 in 1946, reported five cases in the breast and found only five previous reports of this growth in the breast in the world literature. Colberg and Hubay,2 in 1952, gathered 27 cases of breast granular cell myoblastoma from the world literature which comprised 6% of these growths reported in all areas of the body. Stein,3 in 1963, unearthed 31 cases in the literature and reported 4 of his own. Although one case of familial nature has been reported,4 this is not a feature of this tumor.
Granular cell myoblastoma has been regarded generally as arising from striated muscle as originally expounded by Abrikossoff5 in 1926. However, these tumors occur frequently where there is no striated muscle such as in the gum of the newborn. The breast has no striated muscle although
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Aromatherapy Spa Mister and Lavender Oil Set
This item is currently not available.
Additional Information
Exclusive | Aromatherapy Spa Mister with Lavender Oil
- VIDEO: Aromatherapy Spa Mister — See it change color
- Scent your home with delicate, natural fragrance
- Compact size, ideal for any room — living room, bedroom, guest room and bath
- Set includes 1/3 ounce of lavender oil
Feel your daily cares melt away as you breathe in your favorite aromatherapy scent. Using ultrasonic technology, this sculptural diffuser releases an ultra-fine water mist, suffusing the air with the refreshing, soothing scent of lavender. A color-changing light in the frosted glass bowl provides soft illumination, adding to the restful spa ambience. Bamboo base. LED light. Quiet, energy-efficient and safe, with auto shut-off if the water level gets too low.
Product Details
- Glass, bamboo, color-changing LED
- Includes 1/3 oz. lavender essential oil
- 7-3/4" in diameter x 6""H
- 8-1/2' L power cord
- Plug in to turn on, unplug to turn off
- Auto shut-off if water gets too low
- Includes measuring cup for filling
- Gardener's Supply Exclusive
There are no special shipping restrictions or charges associated with this item. For detailed information about our delivery methods and charges, click here.
We're proud of the fact that this item is shipped to you directly from our warehouse in Vermont, by one of our 250 employee-owners. In-stock items are packed with care and shipped within the next business day to ensure prompt delivery to your home and garden!


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Wreh-Wilson upbeat after Combine
Blidi Wreh-Wilson's experience at the NFL Combine might have been an ideal introduction to the pro football grind that awaits him.
Three days of interviews, testing and physical drills can challenge even the top college players.
"You went through a lot of mental stuff, and it was kind of hard on you psychologically with a lot of testing and interviews," Wreh-Wilson, who played at General McLane, said in a phone interview late Tuesday night after his flight from Indianapolis touched down at Erie International Airport.
His tweet from his Twitter account showed how tiring the combine can be: "Just touched down in Erie! The combine was an amazing opportunity. Can't wait to touch that pillow."
Wreh-Wilson completed his workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium Tuesday evening.
He was one of more than 330 top pro prospects who participated in a battery of testing in front of NFL scouts, coaches and front-office personnel.
Odds are he never experienced anything so mentally and physically demanding when he at starred McLane and the University of Connecticut.
"It went well; it was an interesting process," said Wreh-Wilson, who has been projected as anywhere from a late first-round pick to late third-rounder in the NFL Draft in late April. "I just had to go out and perform. It's definitely a lot on your mind and a lot on your body."
At the combine, Wreh-Wilson was grouped with 59 of the premier defensive backs in the country -- many from big-time programs. His performances will be graded against the likes of Alabama All-American Dee Milliner and former Heisman Trophy finalist Tyrann Mathieu of LSU.
Wreh-Wilson tried not to be distracted by the freakish athletic abilities of some other NFL prospects. However, it's hard to ignore when a fellow combine participant runs a 40-yard dash in 4.25 seconds or bench-presses 225 pounds 28 times.
"I didn't really pay attention to what they were doing and just focused on what I needed to do," Wreh-Wilson said.
The 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pound cornerback ran times of 4.47 and 4.56 in the 40-yard dash and finished with an official combine time of 4.53. He recorded 14 repetitions in the bench press and turned in solid performances in the jumping and agility drills.
"I had to take it to another level -- run fast, jump high and show that you belong there," he said. "I needed to get my numbers low and went out there to do my best."
He'll focus on preparing for the draft, which will take place April 25-27.


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How African Innovation can take on the World
By Calestous Juma Special to CNN | 8/7/2013, 5:24 p.m.
Editor's note: Calestous Juma is professor of the Practice of International Development and faculty chair of Innovation for Economic Development Program at Harvard Kennedy School. He co-chairs the African Union's High-Level Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation, and is author of The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa. Twitter @calestous
In this period of gloomy economic forecasts, Africa's rise has become a widely discussed international policy topic. The sweeping optimism about Africa's economic prospects has been reinforced by 2013 projections that the continent will grow faster than the world average.
The content of the growth, however, has been a source of discomfort among African leaders. They worry that this growth is linked to a commodity boom which is fueled largely by China's demand.
Africa's ability to sustain its current growth will depend largely on how quickly it will be able to shift from reliance on traditional commodity markets to modern economic structures that focus on technology-driven development. The focus on innovation is emerging as a key theme in the Africa Union's long-term strategy, Agenda 2063.
The African Union appointed a high-level panel on science, technology and innovation to provide proposals on how the continent can leverage the world's fund of technological knowledge for economic transformation. The paper is chaired by myself and Professor Ismail Serageldin, director of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt.
Building on emerging trends across the continent, the panel's draft report, "On the Wings of Innovation: Africa 2024," makes key recommendations related to harnessing emerging technologies, constructing basic infrastructure, investing in higher technical training, and promoting entrepreneurship.
As a latecomer Africa has the benefit of tapping into vast quantities of technological knowledge available worldwide. The continent's leapfrogging into the mobile revolution illustrated the power of latecomer advantages. Africa is now the origin of new industries such as mobile money transfer. The mobile revolution is still in its infancy and is already being extended to other sectors such as health, education and agriculture.
Another important area that promises to transform Africa is agricultural biotechnology. To date, only four African countries (South Africa, Burkina Faso, Egypt and Sudan) have adopted transgenic crops. African scientists in additional countries such as Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana are at the forefront of leveraging biotechnology to address local agricultural challenges. They are focusing on problems such as pests, disease, drought and low nutritional content of staple crops.
In addition to technical work, policy makers across the continent are starting to review the laws that govern the same development of biotechnology to create freedom to innovate. This is akin to past efforts to liberalize the telecommunications market to create space for the entry of mobile phones.
Biotechnology is already a multi-billion dollar industry and the associated technical knowledge can be adapted to other sectors, such as health, industry and environment management. The experience gained in adopting mobile technologies and biotechnology will make it easier for Africa to move into other fields, such as nanotechnology and new materials. The debate over biotechnology is therefore a strategic battle to position Africa as a global player in the field of new technologies.


text: Is there any going back once a world has become a dystopia? That's what I kept wondering as I read my first two books from the new batch of Rosie Award nominees. Libba Bray's Beauty Queens is set in the near future and concerns thirteen survivors of a plane crash on a tropical island. They also just happen to be contestants in the Miss Teen Dream beauty contest, sponsored by The Corporation, a company whose ubiquity in media and the marketplace make them a not-unfamiliar behind-the-scenes corporate dictatorship. Divergent, by Veronica Roth, is set in a much less-familiar future Chicago.


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[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR="#006400"]Almost 4:00 Having a snack: Sautéed purple kale and 2 hard boiled eggs. Mixed the yoke with 1/4 of an avocado.
Did some housework and reading. Chopped up all the veggies in the fridge so they are ready for snacking or roasting. I have some chicken thighs looking mighty sexy in a coconut vinegar brine with fresh garlic and herbs. Never done a brine before, hope it's tasty.
Feeling pretty good today. Earlier on my walk I was reminded that I believe we are spiritual beings and that when I'm in touch with my spirituality I am most content. It's where my focus needs to be. The past 6 weeks I've been so focused on PB and understanding it............of course that has resulted in thinking about food constantly.
All too often it's easy to become off center and forget that contentment and satisfaction do not come through outward things....i.e. your job, relationships, health, material possessions, the perfect eating plan....etc...these things can heighten your sense of contentment and satisfaction...........ultimately it comes from with in [/COLOR][/FONT]


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The glory. The legend. The mystique.
In case you haven't heard, the Chris Neil Penalty FaceTM and his raise the roof but only in front of the home crowd as not to show up his opponent post-fight celebration are both returning to an arena/television near you so check your local listings.
Yes, Chris Neil is back. For the first time since November 9th, the pugilistic forward will suit up and play against the Washington Capitals tonight and the timing couldn't be more meh.
Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have him back in the lineup. He's effective at what he does – blending a modest offensive game with that steady dose of grit, sandpaper, lunchpail attitude, school of hard knocks, "he's good in the room", ham-fisted, blue-collar feistiness that resonates so well with Senators fans.
So why meh?
In the nine games that he's been out of the lineup, the Senators have gone 5-3-1. Erik Condra, the man who has replaced Neil on the line with Zack Smith and Kaspars Daugavins, has serviceably replaced Neil's minutes. In fact, this trio have gone on to become one of Ottawa's better and most consistent lines.
Here's the third line's production during Neil's absence:
- Daugavins: 2 goals, 5 points, +3, 14 hits, 10 shots (note: subtract Kaspars' -3 rating from that November 11th game against Buffalo and he's +6 in his last 8 games)
- Condra: 2 goals, 5 points, +5, 17 shots
- Smith: 4 goals, 6 points, +3, 19 hits, 15 shots
Much has been made of the delicate balance for whether Nikita Filatov has to 'earn' top six ice-time or be put in an extended position to succeed, however, MacLean's been pretty damn consistent with the manner in which he's managed his player personnel.
Rather than break up the Daugavins-Smith-Condra line, MacLean's making a veteran like Neil earn his ice by breaking him in slowly on the fourth line.
Other Things of Pithy Importance
– No news on who exactly is coming out of the lineup but Don Brennan writes that the team didn't skate Saturday morning, but judging by Friday's practice Bobby Butler will come out of the lineup and Neil will work on a line with Jesse Winchester and Zenon Konopka.
MacLean could decide to sit Konopka if he feels the Senators need more offence, as Butler is more of a natural scorer. But Konopka has been the bigger contributor of the two in recent games.
Aside from faceoff wins and two minor penalties, the difference between the two players in the last two games has been negligible. Brennan's right in asserting that there's a difference in the manner in which these two players play but given Butler's recent run of success on Ottawa's fourth line — 2 goals, 4 points, 11 shots and a plus/minus of +5 — I'd be inclined to keep him in the lineup over someone like Konopka whose minutes and skillset can be more easily replaced by Chris Neil.
– The latest scuttlebutt out of Montreal is that Andrei Markov will be undergoing another surgical procedure on his knee. Per ESPN, general manager Pierre Gauthier announced to reporters Saturday that the star defenseman will need athroscopic surgery on his knee after further tests this week revealed swelling in the surgically-repaired knee.
Gauthier believes that Markov could return in as few as three weeks because if history has taught us anything, Markov's a quick healer…
Assuming that he won't be returning to the lineup anytime soon, Montreal could prove to be an optimum destination for one of Ottawa's excess of defencemen. Or at the very least, perhaps they're an organization that could be used as leverage to get a better trade package from another team seeking a defenceman.
– Apparently Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien was unhappy with the manner in which Cory Clouston inexplicably dropped trou on Chris Kelly late last season.
According to Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty, Julien stated, "I still remember a comment that was made by his former coach last year," said Julien referring to Clouston. "He said that when [Kelly] was traded he wasn't doing much there either. It was a cheap shot I thought at Kells as a guy coming in and giving him a chance to get used to his teammates.
"We've seen what he's capable of doing and he can be a really good player. I think most of his teammates in Ottawa knew that. I think it was obvious they missed him and I think they still do. He's a pretty good player and a good leader."
In fairness to Clouston, Kelly wasn't doing anything in Boston and he was in the middle of a public campaign to save his NHL coaching career. As easy as it is to shit on the former coach and this oversight that makes it sound like he didn't think much of a former player, he did have some pretty complimentary things to say about Kelly when he was dealt. Besides, communication (or suit and tie selection) was never his forte.
Chris Kelly is a good player and a good leader, but Julien's right when he says we know what he's capable of doing. That 39.1 goal and 69.5 point pace that he's on is… well let me just say that there is a greater chance of Nikita Filatov putting an end to his habit of answering every young girl's Formspring question than there is of Kelly sustaining those levels of production.
It's interesting that Julien even remembers that Clouston quote so well because everyone is going remember Chris Kelly's 2011-12 season well. Bruins fans will be damning and Senators fans will be laughing about it in three seasons when everyone talks about how untradeable and expensive his contract is.
So when Kelly, who is headed towards unrestricted free agency on July 1st, signs some ridiculously expensive extension.


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Advances & Applications
Texas Town Acquires Digital In-Car Video SystemIBM announces that it will equip the cruiser fleet of the Tyler, Texas, Police Department with a digital video system designed to allow officers to capture video of traffic stops and criminal activity in progress. The company and the police department expect the system to help in the fight against crime and to save the department as much as $50,000 a year in labor, management, and supply costs.
Tyler also plans to add wireless capability to the system, enabling the transmission of live video images from the cruisers to the police department in near real time, according to Police Chief Gary Swindle.
"IBM's digital video system represents a revolution in video recording, a tool for helping improve safety, and a potential cost-saving device all in one," said Chief Swindle. "It is a welcome addition to the infrastructure that supports one of the most important jobs in the world-the job of serving the public."
IBM's in-car digital video system is designed to continuously record images and sound onto a 40- or 60-gigabyte hard drive. When an officer turns on the vehicle's overhead pursuit lights, the previous four minutes of video and audio are saved and recording continues until the officer turns off the system.
Installed in each of the department's 60 cruisers, the IBM in-car solution, will collect data via digital video cameras mounted in the cars as well as from audio microphones worn by the police officers. The data will be fed to ruggedized computer hard drives in the vehicles.
At the end of an officer's shift, he or she will remove the hard drive, bring it into police headquarters, and upload any recorded images into a central data repository capable of storing 4.35 terabytes of data-the equivalent of nearly one million full-length novels.
Tyler has a population of more than 87,000 and covers 52.7 square miles.
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West Virginia Launches Digital Communications NetworkMotorola announces that the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) has installed a wide-area digital system designed to enable interoperability between field officers and public safety agencies.
The $2 million wide-area Astro digital system is believed to be the first such system in the state. The DNR purchased the system last fall from Motorola, which has just finished the installation stage. As soon as the final programming database is completed, the mobile units will be installed in all vehicles and the system will go into full operation. The VHF system allows field officers to communicate to existing state and local public safety agencies that are also using VHF systems.
The new system, which replaces an older low-band system, includes 28 tower sites, six dispatch locations at each of the division's headquarters, XTS 5000 and Astro Spectra mobile and portable two-way radios, and Motorola's new Command Star consoles with control stations.
"In my more than 25 years of service with the Division of Natural Resources, this may be the best piece of equipment ever issued to our officers," said DNR Lieutenant Charles W. Schollar in Beckley. "We have been on the system for about six weeks now and compared to the old low band system, the new Motorola high band system is tremendous."
For more information, click here, and insert number 101 in the box on the Reader Service Number response service.
State and Federal Agencies Deploy Mapping Tool at G-8 SummitThe Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) announces that the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) used its mapping tool to coordinate planning and response during the recent G-8 summit of world leaders at Sea Island, Georgia. The Geographic Tool for Visualization and Collaboration (GTVC) was developed by the GTRI and funded by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. The agency made the tool available to state and federal agencies during the event to coordinate their responses in real time.
Extensive state planning and tight security helped prevented any significant law enforcement problems during the G-8, and GTVC's developers and users were pleased with the enhanced system. GTVC provided many new features for its G-8 use , including maps with six-inch resolution for G-8 areas of interest. Researchers also boosted GTVC's reliability and robustness, and added secure encryption for communications.
"GTVC proved to be an extremely useful tool," said Ralph Reichert, director of the GEMA Terrorism Emergency Preparedness and Response Division. "Using GTVC, law enforcement teams were able to monitor and track activities in a manner that kept them one step ahead of protestors. . . . Furthermore, and probably most importantly, command staff could immediately get a snapshot of what was going on without relying solely on traditional voice communications."
Other agencies using GTVC during the summit were the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service.
For more information, click here, and insert number 102 in the box on the Reader Service Number response service.
From The Police Chief, vol. 71, no. 8, August 2004. Copyright held by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.


text:
Skip to comments.69% of GOP Voters Say Palin Helped McCain (Favorability among Republicans: ***91%***!!!)
Posted on 11/07/2008 8:31:02 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCains bid for the presidency, even as news reports surface that some McCain staffers think she was a liability.
Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the partys ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) say she had no impact, and five percent (5%) are undecided.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable.
When asked to choose among some of the GOPs top names for their choice for the partys 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin. The next closest contenders are two former governors and unsuccessful challengers for the presidential nomination this year -- Mike Huckabee of Arkansas with 12% support and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts with 11%.
Three other sitting governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Charlie Crist of Florida and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota all pull low single-digit support.
These findings echo a survey earlier this week which found that Republicans were happier with their vice presidential candidate than with their presidential nominee. Seventy-one percent (71%) said McCain made the right choice by picking Palin as his running mate, while only 65% said the party picked the right nominee for president.
The key for the 44-year-old Palin will be whether she can broaden her base of support. An Election Day survey found that 81% of Democrats and, more importantly, 57% of unaffiliated voters had an unfavorable view of her.
Palin, Alaskas first woman governor, was elected to a four-year term in 2006. She was largely unknown nationally until McCain chose her to be the partys vice presidential candidate. She quickly became a darling of the GOPs conservative base and energized the partys rank-and-file.
Speculation about her future has run high for weeks when it appeared Barack Obama was likely to beat McCain. Already this week there is talk of her possibly taking the seat of embattled Republican Senator Ted Stevens if he manages to hang on and win won reelection despite recent federal felony convictions. Stevens would have to step down if his appeal of the convictions is unsuccessful.
Palin could also run for another term as Governor in the state where she still enjoys very high approval ratings.
Among Republicans, 66% of men and 61% of women say Palin is their choice for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. Sixty-six percent (66%) of GOP women have a Very Favorable view of her, as do 64% of men.
While Palins high favorables suggest she has a bright political future in the Republican Party, it is important to note that favorites four years out from a presidential election quite often do not get the nomination. Obama, for example, was just an Illinois state senator four years ago, and Hillary Clinton appeared a shoo-in for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.
Similarly, vice presidential candidates historically have seldom risen to the highest office by election.
Republicans are closely divided over the two most important issues in the next presidential election: 31% say economic issues, 30% say national security. Fifteen percent (15%) list fiscal issues, followed by cultural issues (12%) and domestic issues (6%). Five percent (5%) are undecided. Palin is overwhelmingly the top choice for 2012 among voters in all these categories.
Over two-thirds of Republicans describe themselves as conservative in terms of foreign policy, fiscal and social issues.
Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Huckabee, including 46% Very Favorable. Sixteen percent (16%) regard him unfavorably.
Eighty-one percent (81%) view Romney favorably, with 45% Very Favorable. Fifteen percent (15%) have an unfavorable opinion of him.
Jindal, Pawlenty, and Crist are far less known than the other candidates. Roughly 40% of GOP voters have no opinion one way or the other of these three Republican Governors.
Ping! ;)
McCain was Bob Dole with a decent running mate.
Cool!! Bite that, RINOs!!
Excellent tagline alert!
This can't be right! She was a drag on the ticket! The MSM told me so, and they never lie.
GO SARAH!!! They are AFRAID...very AFRAID!!!!!!!!!!!
You betcha!
I think she helped bring in the base, which just shows how doomed McCain was from the start. I have a favorable view of her as a person. But at this point, I am opposed to her being our nominee in 2012. I think she should campaign for our nominee, because she's a good campaigner/stump speechifier, and I think she'd make a good Sec. of Energy, but I'll be looking for someone else to support when the time comes. And it won't be Romney or Huckabee.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable.
Oh really? Gosh, that's not what the MSM was reporting before the freakin election. Lying, disgusting, filthy, disingenuous, creepy, scumbag, partisan, pieces of chit.
Wonder how the anti-Sarah trolls hereabouts are gonna try spinning this one! ;)
Spot on. Best summary of the election yet.
91%?!?—she must be destroyed!
I'll say it again. She IS the base. Any RINO trying to put her on the sidelines will be discarded.
This explains the bitterness among the McCain staffers. Their own candidate was to blame.
McCain was in losing mode when Palin bucked their defeatism. McCain, probably on the advice of staffers, gave up Michigan. Palin said, Send me! I never thought McCain was a loser (thought a lot of things about him, but not that.) but I think he had a loser mentality advising him. These are the same rats jumping the ship the day before the election leaking stuff about Palin. Rats like these are professional political staffers who, when their candidate begins to go down, are looking for their next job. Part of that process is to NOT let the blame for the loss be pinned on them. Thus the Palin blameshifting.
I first observed this when I was an intern on Capitol Hill in the 70s for a losing Congressman. Staffers were selling him out right in front of me, no shame. They work for whomever, cross the aisle, no problem. They are not principled. They are technicians, often having disdain for the person they work for.
She was a "drag" on the ticket...
Palin on the ticket was the only thing to drag me out of not supporting a RINO into voting for him. Actually she was the only one on the ticket I was voting for.
If she is as smart as I think she is she will take some time to unwind and rest up and then start to network with conservative leaders in the GOP and work to reestablish conservative control of the party. This can be done and in fairly short order if it is started now while the party is in disarray and the RINOs are discredited. And if she does this she needs to reach out to the talk radio barons and to the rightwing blogosphere.
ALSO what is up with those boys at fox???? They have been trashing her also. Greta is the only one sticking up for her.
Spinning off of Rush... McCain proved to be too heavy to drag across the finnish line.
We should collect about $250-500 here and send her a HUGE bouquet of flowers from the freepers
BUMPED for The Truth!!! ;)
After the black Jimmy Carter, could very well come the female Ronald Reagan.
At a minimum, it PROVES a thirst by republicans for CONSERVATIVES!
Sarah made me so proud of her.
My heart is heavy at the personal attacks on her and her family.
Wrote her a thank you note and will keep her and hers in my prayers.
Hmmmm let's see, who has enough money to buy all the snotty negative pundits??? That's a hard one.../s
I like it.
Assuming McCain would have hired much of his staff into his administration had he won. I think we seriously dodged a bullet by McCain losing. He would have been an absolute disaster as POTUS. At least we can live to fight another day, McCain may have very likely killed off the GOP for good.
She was the only reason I donated to the ticket. I called the rnc and made them take me off their mailing list. F the rnc.
Thank you Sarah and FU mccain.
Shepard Smith is an Ole Miss, Trent Lott, Hotty Toddy butt boy, looks pretty, has nice hair, but would sell his momma out for a vote or an extra rating point.
Palin favorability among conservatives, 100%.
She was great, McCains Management team sound like Left wing whining liberals.
Gutless jerks attacking the only Republican Bright Spot!
God BLess Sarah Palin!
Eff you NRO Mittbots, Noonan, Parker and enabling presstitutes...
8% have an unfavorable view of her, including 3% Very Unfavorable.
Sounds about like FreeRepublic.
I place the blame for Mac's loss squarely on his campaign people. When the campaign was really rolling, HUSSEIN couldn't fart without the McCain people slapping a commercial on TV about it the very next morning. I was pumped. Then those commercials stopped.
People need to keep sending money to Palin. It's gonna take her four years to get enough from all over the country to buy her way in like everyone else does.
Where's that Palin/Nugent 2012 bumper sticker?
It's sad that we require a poll to state the obvious.
Yet, I'm sure there are still people in the McCain campaign patting themselves on the back for keeping Palin under lock and key so she wouldn't be a drag on the ticket.
If any candidate ever uses any of those feebs again, he will deserve the resulting defeat.
AMEN!!!!!! GO SARAH!!!!!!! We're comin' back in 2012, with SARAHCUDA!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
SOTD: Heeley Cardinal
Image: By Harald Falk. Wikimedia Commons.
14 comments:
- Carrie Meredith said...
Extreme kitty close-up! That actually looks like my Troutie!
- January 6, 2011 at 12:15 AM
- Michael said...
It's a nice, consistent incense fragrance. I like it too. You can't really go wrong with this one.
- January 6, 2011 at 3:22 AM
- Bloody Frida said...
I swear I'm just gonna buy both Avignon and Cardinal - they're both too fantastic to be able to choose between them!
- January 6, 2011 at 6:36 AM
- JoanElaine said...
Have not tried any Heeley yet! Thumbs up for kitty content!
- January 6, 2011 at 9:02 AM
- kjanicki said...
Oh, yes, I have a tester of that, it is good! I should pull it out for this cold weather.
- January 6, 2011 at 12:45 PM
- Vintage Lady said...
I can see my cat here. He is gray but awwww that look!
- January 7, 2011 at 5:04 AM
- ChickenFreak said...
Hey, Carrie! Looming Kitty! :)
- January 7, 2011 at 11:28 PM
- ChickenFreak said...
Yo, Michael! Yes, I think that it make be taking over from Serge Noire as my reference incense. Not that I don't love Serge Noire, but it has more complications going on.
- January 7, 2011 at 11:29 PM
- ChickenFreak said...
Howdy, Frida! Y'know, I didn't appreciate Avignon the last time I tried it, but I think I'm reaching a new understanding of incense. I'm going to try it again.
- January 7, 2011 at 11:29 PM
- ChickenFreak said...
JoanElaine! This is a good one. Ophelia, meh. But I'm impressed enough with Cardinal to sample the rest of the line.
- January 7, 2011 at 11:30 PM
- ChickenFreak said...
Hey, KJ! It really is. Simple and smooth but not the least bit boring.
- January 7, 2011 at 11:31 PM
- ChickenFreak said...
Greetings, Vintage Lady! Isn't he adorable? : ) And a little bit scarey, too, but that works for a cat. :)
- January 7, 2011 at 11:32 PM
- Vanessa said...
Scary cat or what!
Now do I take it that you don't detect a Cif lemon note with Cardinal? You know, for cleaning the flagstones in the nave. The incense is impressive, mind.
- January 8, 2011 at 9:16 AM
- ChickenFreak said...
Hey! I don't know what Cif smells like, but I do get some initial fruitiness that may be what you mean? But I don't quite read it as lemon fruity.
- January 8, 2011 at 11:13 PM


text:
Clinical UM Guideline
|Naltrexone (Vivitrol®) Injections for the Treatment of Alcohol and Opioid Dependence
|Guideline #:
|Current Effective Date:
|Last Review Date:
This document addresses extended-release, injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol, Alkermes, Inc., Cambridge, MA). Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that binds to opioid receptors, blocking the euphoric effects of exogenous opioids in those who are opioid or alcohol dependent.
This document does not address the oral formulation of naltrexone (Revia®, Duramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., Pomona, NY).
|Clinical Indications
Medically Necessary:
A. Alcohol Dependence:
Injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) is considered medically necessary for the treatment of alcohol dependence when the individual:
B. Opioid Dependence:
Injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) is considered medically necessary for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence following detoxification when the individual:
Not Medically Necessary:
Injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) is considered not medically necessary for the treatment of alcohol dependence or opioid dependence when the criteria above are not met and for all other indications.
The following codes for treatments and procedures applicable to this document are included below for informational purposes. Inclusion or exclusion of a procedure, diagnosis or device code(s) does not constitute or imply member coverage or provider reimbursement policy. Please refer to the member's contract benefits in effect at the time of service to determine coverage or non-coverage of these services as it applies to an individual member.
|Injection, naltrexone, depot form, 1 mg [Vivitrol®]
|ICD-10 Diagnosis
|Alcohol dependence
|Opioid dependence
|Alcohol abuse counseling and surveillance of alcoholic
|Discussion/General Information
The United States (U.S.) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved extended-release, injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) for treatment of alcohol dependence (2006) for individuals who are able to abstain from alcohol in an outpatient setting prior to initiation of treatment with Vivitrol. Naltrexone was later FDA approved for preventing opioid dependence relapse, following opioid detoxification (2010). Vivitrol is administered via intramuscular injection (IM) and generally produces a sufficiently sustained effect for approximately 30 days.
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that binds to the opioid receptors, blocking the euphoric effects of exogenous opioids in those who are opioid dependent. The neurobiological mechanism by which it reduces alcohol consumption in alcohol dependent individuals is not entirely understood, but clinical data suggests that there is involvement of the endogenous opioid system.
Alcohol and opioid dependence can be treated by rehabilitation and medication. In some cases, oral medication does not achieve optimum therapeutic effect and for some individuals, this may be related to poor compliance in taking an oral drug.
Alcohol Dependency
The efficacy of injectable Vivitrol was evaluated in a 24-week, placebo-controlled, multi-center, double-blind, randomized trial. The dose escalation study included 624 alcohol dependent subjects who were randomized into three outpatient treatment groups. Two treatment groups received monthly injections; one group received Vivitrol 190 mg (n=210) and the other group received Vivitrol 380 mg (n=205). The third group (n=209) received a matching volume placebo. Both treatment and placebo groups received psychosocial intervention. Compared with placebo, the group receiving Vivitrol 380 mg demonstrated a statistically significant 25% reduction in the event rate of heavy drinking days while the group receiving 190 mg of Vivitrol resulted in a 17% decrease. Gender and pretreatment abstinence each showed significant impact with the medication group on treatment outcome. Males and those who were alcohol abstinent for 7 consecutive days prior to treatment exhibited greater treatment effects. In contrast, the treatment effect was not evident in those who were actively drinking at the start of treatment (Garbutt, 2005).
Vivitrol is marketed as providing increased compliance as compared to the oral formulation of naltrexone. However, there are no trials to substantiate the claim that increased compliance leads to better outcomes through either increased rates of abstinence or increased time to a first heavy drinking day. A heavy drinking day is defined as five or more standard drinks consumed on a given day for males and four or more standard drinks consumed on a given day for females. The monthly injection method of administration addresses non-compliance which hampers efficacy of the oral medication regimen. Furthermore, the injection method reduces the first-pass delay imposed by hepatic metabolism necessitated by oral ingestion of the drug.
Alcoholism is divided into two categories: dependence and abuse. Alcohol dependence, the most severe alcohol disorder, is an interrelated cluster of psychological symptoms, such as craving; physiological signs, such as tolerance and withdrawal; and behavioral indicators, such as the use of alcohol to relieve withdrawal discomfort. Alcohol abuse implies intermittent alcohol use that causes either physical or mental impairment without dependence.
Nearly 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorders. For many of these individuals, oral medication and rehabilitation successfully treat their dependence. The oral medications work in different ways:
When an individual who is on oral medication therapy fails to achieve and maintain alcohol abstinence, Vivitrol, the injectable form of naltrexone given monthly by a healthcare provider, may be an option. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (2009) notes Vivitrol is appropriate for individuals who "experience relatively low therapeutic effects from oral naltrexone, suggesting that a trial with an injectable preparation be done to rule out fluctuating blood levels of naltrexone as a possible cause." The monthly injections are combined with ongoing rehabilitation.
Opioid Dependency
The Vivitrol FDA labeled indication was expanded to include prevention of relapse to opioid dependence following opioid detoxification by FDA approval on October 12, 2010. The product information label (2015) indicates prior to initiation of Vivitrol, the individual should be opioid-free for a "Minimum of 7-10 days, to avoid precipitation of opioid withdrawal that may be severe enough to require hospitalization." The manufacturer proposed that there is a need for a product to treat opioid dependency that is not a controlled substance like methadone or buprenorphine both of which are agonist treatments. The approval was based on results from a double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT; n=250). Enrollment criteria included no opioid use for at least 7 consecutive days prior to participation in the trial. A naloxone challenge test was performed prior to randomization. The group was either treated with Vivitrol (n=126) or placebo (n=124). In the study populations, 51% of the Vivitrol-treated individuals and 65% of the placebo-treated individuals did not complete the full 24 weeks of treatment. The common reason for discontinuation was lack of efficacy. Other reasons for discontinuation differed between the Vivitrol and placebo group, including withdrawal of consent (14%, 10%; respectively) and positive naloxone challenge testing (1%, 14%; respectively). The results showed that the percentages of individuals opioid free for 20 weeks were 23% for the placebo group and 36% for the Vivitrol group (p=0.022). Although the Vivitrol group had more participants with shorter duration of opioid dependence at baseline than those in the placebo group, a subgroup analysis showed a consistent treatment effect across both groups (Krupitsky, 2011). In an updated publication of this trial, authors report follow-up data 1 year after an open-label phase was initiated (18 months after trial inception). A total of 47 participants remained enrolled from the placebo arm and were switched to treatment at initiation of the open-label phase; 67 remaining in the treatment group continued. In total, 114 were enrolled in this phase; 71 were available for analysis at study end (37 from the original treatment arm and 32 from the original placebo arm). Authors reported of the 62.3% who completed the phase, 50.9% remained abstinent from opioids. No new safety concerns were observed (Krupitsky, 2013).
Injectable naltrexone (opioid antagonist) was addressed in a feasibility study by Comer and colleagues (2006). The study (n=60) was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, 8-week clinical trial. Participants received an initial inpatient detoxification, then oral naltrexone for 3 consecutive days to ensure participants were willing and able to tolerate the effects of injectable naltrexone. Participants were then randomized into groups receiving placebo, 192 mg or 384 mg naltrexone twice at 4 week intervals. The groups had physical evaluations twice weekly for treatment response and adverse events. Psychosocial evaluations were conducted twice during the study period. The highest percentage of negative urine samples occurred in the 384 mg group followed by the 192 mg group. Heroin craving was high in all three groups at the study's onset. Those who received either dose of naltrexone reported needing heroin less than the placebo group (p<0.001). The authors noted that opioid dependents pose a greater risk for Vivitrol adverse events than alcoholic individuals in that opioid abuse can involve injectable routes of administration increasing the chance of acquisition of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and thus the potential for compromised immunity is also elevated in this population. They also acknowledged that larger studies with more diverse populations are needed.
In a recent randomized, placebo-controlled trial (Sullivan, 2015) four treatment groups were studied to evaluate treatment retention following inpatient detoxification and oral naltrexone induction (n=125). The four treatment groups included (1) behavioral naltrexone therapy (BNT)+Vivitrol (n=23); (2) BNT+placebo injection (n=21); (3) compliance enhancement (CE)+Vivitrol (n=24); and (4) CE+placebo injection (n=21). BNT consisted of a manual-guided therapy incorporating motivational and cognitive-behavioral techniques that have been empirically validated for the treatment of substance abuse disorders. CE is also a manual-guided intervention but was delivered by a trained research psychiatrist and incorporates basic medication management, psychoeducation, problem-solving and 12-step principles. The study found that for low-severity heroin users, a single dose of Vivitrol improved the long-term retention of oral naltrexone treatment when coupled with BNT. Larger trials are warranted to evaluate the use of Vivitrol in this treatment approach to enhance compliance with oral naltrexone in heroin users.
Use of Vivitrol is not without complications. Unlike oral medication, when an adverse event occurs, the oral medication is discontinued. However, when an adverse event occurs with an extended-release injectable drug, stopping the drug action is much more difficult. In a review by Johnson (2006), it was noted the "…depot formulation cannot be removed from the body once injected and any allergic-type reactions that developed would be prolonged due to its long duration of action…". An approach to consider is a trial of oral naltrexone to ensure adverse events and undesired side effects are detected early. This is more evident with opioid dependency than alcohol dependency. There is a receptor blockade drop off prior to subsequent Vivitrol injections making opioid receptors vulnerable if the individual ingests opioids. Pain management poses a problem when narcotics are necessary during Vivitrol treatment. Inadvertent drug withdrawal or overdose can occur.
Adverse Events and Warnings
Warnings and precautions from the FDA Product Information Label (2015) include the following:
Agonist: A drug that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by the cell. An agonist often mimics the action of a naturally occurring substance.
Antagonist: A substance that tends to nullify the action of another, as a drug that binds to a cell receptor without eliciting a biological response, blocking binding of substances that could elicit such responses.
Endogenous: Originating or produced within the body.
Exogenous: Originating from outside the body; derived externally.
First-pass hepatic metabolism: When an oral medication undergoes passage through the gut and liver before reaching the systemic circulation; the concept provides information about the therapeutic effect of an orally administered drug versus administration via intramuscular or intravenous injection.
Naloxone challenge test: A test in which naloxone is administered to verify current opioid dependence. Withdrawal symptoms evoked by naloxone's antagonist interaction with opioids confirm an individual's current dependence.
Peer Reviewed Publications:
Government Agency, Medical Society, and Other Authoritative Publications:
|Websites for Additional Information
XR-NTX (extended-release naltrexone)
The use of specific product names is illustrative only. It is not intended to be a recommendation of one product over another, and is not intended to represent a complete listing of all products available.
|Document History
|Medical Policy & Technology Assessment Committee (MPTAC) review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Discussion/General Information and References sections updated. Removed ICD-9 codes from Coding section.
|MPTAC review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Clarified Criteria, Description, Discussion/General Information and References sections updated.
|MPTAC review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Discussion/General Information and References sections updated.
|MPTAC review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Discussion/General Information and References updated.
|MPTAC review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Discussion/General Information and References updated.
|MPTAC review.
|Behavioral Health Sub-Committee Review. Medically necessary criteria revised to reflect FDA approval for opioid dependence. Description, Coding, Discussion and References updated.
|MPTAC review. References updated.
|MPTAC review. Place of service deleted, references updated.
|MPTAC review. References updated.
|MPTAC review. Initial guideline development.