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Thanks to continued strength across a diverse economy, the Pittsburgh region landed 286 economic development deals in 2011, pushing ahead of its performance in the previous year and maintaining its momentum toward pre-recession levels of business activity.
The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, a partnership of 50-plus private and public sector leaders and economic development professionals from 10 southwestern Pennsylvania counties, each year collects data on announced investment and development projects, or "wins." The 286 wins of 2011 represent nearly $1.5 billion in capital investment and are expected to create 11,440 new jobs. The number reflects an increase over the 272 projects logged in 2010, and approaches the 290 wins reported, pre-recession, in 2008.
"Across all 10 counties of the region and all of our five key industry sectors, companies are expanding and growing. Deals increased in the region – an important indicator of investors' confidence," said Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and its Affiliates, which include the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, or PRA. "The region is both attracting and retaining investment because of its stability. Existing businesses in the region are expanding – accounting for the majority of the deals in 2011, but attraction projects also increased over the past year to 58, up from 47 in 2010. This is the highest number recorded since we started tracking wins five years ago. Companies are not only expanding existing operations here, but they're opening new facilities."
Cutting across a number of industries, energy – one of the region's key economic drivers – accounted for a total of 79 wins. These reinforce the depth of the region's assets in traditional and renewable energy resources, energy supply chain and energy conservation. During 2011, there were 39 investments announced by companies in the natural resources industry – companies involved in the extraction of coal and natural gas, which includes the Marcellus Shale gas play. This is an increase from 32 investments in 2010, 25 in 2009 and only 11 in 2008.
The region's other key sectors had strong performances in 2011:
- Financial and business services had 65 investments – a 30% increase over 2010
- Advanced manufacturing had 53 investments
- Information and communications technology had 48 investments – up from 42 in 2010
- Health care and life sciences investments totaled 17


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I've always been skeptical about philosophy, mostly because of its sometimes-annoying penchant for cutesy product names. Their 2008 Valentine's Day collection? Falling in Love. Lip balm? Kiss Me. And their "world-famous" (according to them, anyway) moisturizer? Hope in a Jar.
Oh wait. Actually, I kinda like that last one. Whoever thought up of that one in during the branding sessions should have been given a big bonus (which they've probably already long spent). Still, I'm always suspicious of beauty companies that put more effort into finding just the right name for their products rather than ensuring the quality of the products themselves. So when I was given (By my mom! For Christmas! I swear!) a nice-sized jar recently, I approached it with more than a little hesitation. (Er, also with a bit of desperation. I didn't realize that my standard moisturizer had run out. It was Friday night. You get the picture.)
Turns out that my fears were unfounded. Hope in a Jar maybe an overly optimistic moniker, but it does the job very, very well. The texture is a bit like extremely whipped butter so that it melts instantly into the skin without leaving a hint of shine or grease. (I'm not crazy about the color, though. It evokes ivory but is more like whipped Land 'o' Lakes. Told you it was like buttah.) If you have very dry skin, you'll need a richer lotion, but for normal to combo skin (or oily skin in very dry weather), this is a great option. And the price isn't too bad, either, considering that a little goes a very long way. A bit of lactic acid in the mix gives some mild exfoliation, but not enough to worry about unless you have sensitive skin.
I can't quite pick out the fragrance — not light but not overwhelming either. A touch of rose, a hint of lavender. It's a nice dose of aromatherapy prior to bedtime, anyway. Price: $28 for 1 oz; $38 for 2 oz, $55 for 4 oz.
Moving on to my favorite makeup product: lippy! Lancome's new Color Fever Shine collection is my new addiction of late. The shades sent by the Lancome rep included Provocative, Steamy and Simmering, and miraculously, almost all of them flatter me! Wheeee! Provocative is a plum-like color that's not too deep (I don't look like Morticia, thank goodness) and looks great next to my yellow-toned medium-brown skin. I normally prefer to wear more neutral, lighter colors during the day and play up my eyes instead, but on more casual days when I can't be bothered with doing up the ol' peeps, then this would be great by itself to add some color to my otherwise nondescript lips. Otherwise, it's a great evening color.
Steamy is a reddish-pink shade that does nothing for my coloring. The contrast is too stark and reminds me of my old Barbie doll, for some reason. Not the look I'm going for. It might be better on someone with a very dark complexion. On me, it just looks cheap. Plus, because of the color's brightness, it doesn't flatter anyone who doesn't have very white teeth.
Simmering rivals Provocative for my affections. Like the latter, it's a medium-rose shade with a wee bit of burgundy thrown into the mix. Very beautiful for Asian and Hispanic complexions and olive toned skin. Can be great either for wintry evenings when you want color without the drama or for an everyday "natural" look.
The shine in the name belies the overall subtle shimmer in the colors. Provocative seemed to be a little more "sparkly" than the other two, but not enough to be distracting. You're not going to be forcing people to pull out their shades with these lipsticks. Longevity? Keep it in your purse and touch up throughout the day. But who cares? The gorgeous silver Art Deco-like tube makes it worth pulling out at even the fanciest restaurant bathroom. Price: $25.

subset: commoncrawl


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A Complicated Man The Life of Bill Clinton as Told by Those Who Know Him Michael Takiff
- Price: £21.00
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- Format:
- Paperback
- Publication date:
- 01 Nov 2011
- 9780300177688
- Dimensions:
- 528 pages: 178 x 127 x 32mm
- Illustrations:
- 25 black-&-white illustrations
Though Bill Clinton has been out of office since 2001, public fascination with him continues unabated. Many books about Clinton have been published in recent years, but shockingly, no single-volume biography covers the full scope of Clinton's life from the cradle to the present day, not even Clinton's own account, My Life. More troubling still, books on Clinton have tended to be highly polarized, casting the former president in an overly positive or negative light.
In this, the first complete oral history of Clinton's life, historian Michael Takiff presents a truly balanced book on one of our nation's most controversial and fascinating presidents. Through more than 150 chronologically arranged interviews with key figures including Bob Dole, James Carville, and Tom Brokaw, among many others, A Complicated Man goes far beyond the well-worn party-line territory to capture the larger-than-life essence of Clinton the man. With the tremendous attention given to the Lewinsky scandal, it is easy to overlook the president's humble upbringing, as well as his many achievements at home and abroad: the longest economic boom in American history, a balanced budget, successful intervention in the Balkans, and a series of landmark - if controversial - free-trade agreements.
Through the candid recollections of Takiff's many subjects, A Complicated Man leaves no area unexplored, revealing the most complete and unexpected portrait of our forty-second president published to date.
Michael Takiff is an independent scholar and oral historian whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Post, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Salon. He is the author of Brave Men, Gentle Heroes: American Fathers and Sons in World War II and Vietnam.
"This volume is an outstanding accomplishment. The Clinton that emerges is remarkably rich and three-dimensional: a protean and mercurial figure as likely to dazzle as he is to disappoint; his own worst enemy and his own best resource; a man of extraordinarily intense emotional need and extraordinarily impressive intellect and commitment. A historic contribution to the biographical record which will stand for generations." -Rick Perlstein, author of Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America
"This book is perfectly titled. Bill Clinton was and is, indeed, 'a complicated man', one of the three greatest natural politicians among twentieth-century presidents, along with FDR and LBJ, but also strangely flawed." -John Milton Cooper, author of The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt
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Let's look at this from a different perspective. Splitting to private and public divisions increases interest. For example, there would be two upper division championships to consider rather than one. Twice as many people will be interested in their team winning a championship than one. This is marketing genius. Twice as many tickets to the championship games would be sold.
Get in on the debate and share your thoughts.
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Dr. Johnson has attempted to write a practical guide to orient and instruct psychiatric residents and other students in his particular approach to group therapy. For those who are unacquainted with psychodynamics and cannot find their way in this area the book will be appealing and no doubt of practical value. However, his method is pragmatic and suffers from over-simplification. In his attempt to write a practical guide he has done much dis-service to the complexity of human interaction, especially because of his tendency to overgeneralize in interpersonal terms and to neglect intrapsychic phenomenon. As if one could ignore that aspect of human interaction. But, unfortunately, Dr. Johnson does do just this. He insists that it is incorrect or wrong to make individual interpretations in a group, insisting on only group interpretations. This results in many generalizations about the group when it may only be one member of a group
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Wearing a Pittsburgh Penguins shirt and eager to see the newest professional hockey club in the city get started at the home opener Oct. 24, Nick Gehr couldn't wait to see the Williamsport Outlaws during a socializer the club owners and coach held Thursday night.
"I'm going to be at the home opener," said Gehr, 28, of the city before a red ribbon was cut outside the Outlaws administrative office in the 300 block of Pine Street. That was followed by a party atmosphere at the Holiday Inn Express, with giveaways and games, but no hockey players.
The question remains, will spectators be willing to spend their money and a couple of hours bundled up, potentially in cold or frigid conditions, to watch hockey outdoors? That is a potential scenario, as most of the season's home games are scheduled in the fall and early winter months, according to Chris Firriollo, head coach and president of the club.
Article Photos
RASHELLE CAREY/Sun-Gazette
Josephine Latini, of CA Reed Party Supplies Store, plays a dice game with Outlaws owner Kristin Rooney during a V.I.P. party Thursday night at the Holiday Inn for the Williamsport Outlaws.
If there were any doubts about who might be willing to sit in the cold to watch hockey under the open sky, Melissa A. Rowse and Dr. Robert "Bob" Fredrickson answered it.
"I think it's the ambiance and atmosphere," said Rowse. "I'm from Pennsylvania. I enjoy the cold."
For those who feel they might be chilled, she suggested bringing "hot warmers."
"It's been a long time ... we wanted an ice rink," said Fredrickson, a dentist.
As someone with a medical background, the Sun-Gazette posed the cold exposure question to him.
"If they don't dress right the first time, they will do it the second," he said, flashing a smile.
Josephine "Josie" Latini said she'd rather have the cold weather. "Colder the better," she said.
The ice rink is to be constructed at Bowman Field, home during the spring and summer to the Williamsport Crosscutters baseball team. During the fall and winter, Airmen Pond at Bowman Field will be open for public ice skating when it is not needed by the hockey team.
In fact, the hockey team said it plans to use the rink about 15 percent of the time and the public skating will take up a majority of the fall and winter.
The one-season experiment supported by Mayor Gabriel J. Campana is a temporary solution as Campana acts as facilitator and attempts to find a buyer or developer to purchase the YMCA Pickelner Arena on Elmira Street and expand and retrofit that facility into a civic arena with ice.
The Syracuse Junior Hockey League, a non-profit organization that is overseeing construction of the ice rink, is pushing for youth involvement in ice sports.
Ann Baker, whose daughter plays field hockey as a sophomore at Muncy High School, is anticipating watching professional hockey, especially a club that was last year's champions of the Federal Hockey League. She sees the potential for local colleges and high schools to start up hockey teams or ice skating clubs.


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Um, I won't be able to get on all that much anymore...just letting you know! But don't worry, I'll still get on as much as I can!!
"Lord please forgive us for the truspasses that we are about to commit!!" - Dead Leaves, #777


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Top Definition
A points system divised by New Zealand celeb' Kevin C. Smith, a measure of coolness or respect if you may. Kev points are rewarded for many a thing most commonly for when they do something good, nice for him or using english sayings without thinking about it (e.g saying football instead of soccer). Kev Points can be exchanged for beer, lifts around town and of course sexual favours. Be warned though Kev Points can also be deducted and people with negative Kev Points are often spat on, punched or mocked by their friends.
Amber: "awww shit, im on -3 Kev Points coz i didn't give him that ice-cream he wanted"
by Dizposible November 26, 2006
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"This guy's a dump."
So began the resident's presentation on Mr. Jones, a 65-year-old alcoholic with hepatitis C, hepatic encephalopathy, and recently diagnosed hepatocellular carcinoma.
"He should have been admitted to medicine, but they were full. We got dumped on. This is his third admission this month. He's a frequent flier, a noncompliant alcoholic, always comes in with altered mental status. And he's not getting any chemotherapy, so why did we have to admit him?"
The resident looked frazzled. He was outwardly burdened by an oncology service of very sick and complicated patients and a systemic urgency to discharge as soon as possible. Like many physicians when hurried and overwhelmed, he felt resentful. I should have asked if he realized what he had just said and used it as a teaching moment on the value of the person and the disease. I should have emphasized that we see the person as well as the disease—or at least we should. It was clearly a time for self-reflection and questions about why we used the word "dumped"—burnout, poor team dynamics, workload issues, or personal matters. But I did not. For that, I am guilty. I failed as a mentor—I condoned the use of the word "dumped."
But a picture of Mr. Jones began to emerge, at least in my mind. No one really knew this man—his home, his life, his family—and appropriate discharge planning had failed to include the burdens of his social environment. But when you are labeled noncompliant or a problem patient and you have had several admissions, you are relegated to the periphery of priority. Not purposefully, but almost reflexively. You become a dump or, at best, a problem patient—forever.
I entered Mr. Jones' room. He looked much older than 65. His body leaned to the right as he sat in bed, his right elbow providing crutch-like support. His skin was bruised and yellowed, and his nasal cannula rested atop his head. His belly was pregnant with ascites, and a catheter snaked from his bladder—he looked like a balloon tethered with ropes. He looked sick. He was sick.
I explained what I do and why I was there, then I listened to his story. He lived alone in a small, low-income apartment, was divorced and estranged from two sons. He was a carpenter, but on permanent disability because of a work-related injury. He admitted that he spent his monthly check on alcohol to combat loneliness and depression, and now, the fear of a terminal illness, but he did not see anything wrong with that.
"Who am I hurting?" he asked. "I don't wanna die, but I know I am—the juice takes my mind off that." He was scared. I asked about his medications, why he didn't take them.
"I can't afford 'em, doc. Yeah, I buy the beer, but it's cheaper than the pills. And from where I'm sittin', Miller and Budweiser do just as good a job as any pill."
He paused, then spoke again: "Doc, I'd just rather be at home with my beer, just let me do that. I'm gonna die, just let me go home."
"Why do you keep coming to the hospital if you want to stay home?" I asked.
"My neighbors keep calling the fire department. They bring me."
We talked, and I sold him on the benefits of hospice as a way to keep him at home, comfortable, and have another set of eyes look in on him. He liked the idea, but he did not like the idea of not drinking, and at this point, did it really matter if he drank?
After convincing a hospice to enroll Mr. Jones in spite of his alcohol use, he went home and never returned to the hospital. He drank his beer, but I am told he was not belligerent or noncompliant; in fact, one nurse described him as a model patient, albeit one who really loved his beer.
Then he abruptly declined and transitioned to inpatient hospice and, within a day, died a comfortable and dignified death, surrounded by people whom he did not know, yet who cared about him, his story, and his value as a person.
Author's Note: The name in this essay has been changed to protect the identity of the patient.
© 2013 Association of American Medical Colleges
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Export 4 results:Author Title Type [ Year]
Filters: Author is María S. Pérez [Clear All Filters]
"An Autonomic Framework for Enhancing the Quality of Data Grid Services", Future Generation Computer Systems, vol. 28, no. 7. Elsevier, p. 1005--1016, 2012.,
"A high performance suite of data services for grids". Future Generation Computer Systems, 2010.,
"Improving GridFTP transfers by means of a multiagent parallel file system". Multiagent and Grid Systems - An International Journal, Vol 3, No. 4, 2007.,
"Lessons learnt from cluster computing: How they can be applied to grid environments". The 8th Hellenic European Research on Computer Mathematics & its Applications Conference, Athens Greece, 2007.,


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Editor, Laura Doering and associate editor, Jessica Pineda read camp letters.
Laura Doering gets the fire ready!
(Left to right) Jessica Pineda, Laura Doering and Editorial Director Melissa Kauffan (with her dog, Tampa Bay) get ready to start answering letters!
Today we took Camp Birdie from the virtual world to the real world. Well, sort of. We filmed our "Ask A Camp Birdie Counselor" segment (where we answered some camper e-mails). Of course, we didn't have time or resources to drive up to the mountains or even the local KOA campground, so we created our own camp ground in Melissa Kauffman's backyard. Melissa, in addition to writing our "Life in the Bird House" blog and our editorial director, is also our go-to-person for filming in a home setting, such as some of our "Cooking with Bird Talk" segments and "Taming of The 'Tiel."
It was a trial-and-error shoot, but fun to do. First, we had to create the camp scene in Mel's suburban backyard. Fortunately, we didn't have to contend with putting up the tent (thanks Scott, Mel's hubby for doing that the night before). We did have to literally extinguish the camp fire because, at 3 o' clock in the afternoon, it was too darn hot to try for this authentic affect.
We flubbed the first take but came away with lots of outtake material! Stay tuned for the final video, which is set to go up on Camp Birdie the last week in August.
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Sixty thousand volunteers will be trained to work at the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Anyone interested in making the Athens Olympic Games a success is welcome to become a volunteer. There are no restrictions based on sex, race, creed, physical ability, social standing or education. The only qualification is that the applicants must be 18 years old by 2004."
Volunteer for the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games
More on the volunteer support to Athens 2004 Paralympic Games


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The Rio5 is Kia's version of a sporty European hatchback. It is related to Kia's Rio sedan, which is listed separately in the Cars.com Research section. The Rio5 comes in moderately equipped LX and sporty SX trim levels. Kia's Rio5 hatchback competes with other small hatchbacks, including the Chevrolet Aveo5, Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris.
New for 2011
A Bluetooth cell phone link was a late addition for 2010. For 2011, the system is now available as part of the Value Package.
Created with a European-inspired exterior, the Rio5 features a black mesh grille and swept-back headlights. The wheel well openings have a sculpted design, and it's equipped with body-colored mirrors. Exterior features include:
- Available 14-, 15- or 16-inch wheels
- Standard auto-off headlights
- Optional heated, power side mirrors
- Optional rear spoiler and fog lamps
The Rio5 can seat up to five and has a 60/40-split folding rear bench. The Rio5 SX has metal-finished dashboard accents and red stitching on the steering wheel, gearshift knob and door panels. A USB input is standard. Interior features include:
- Available cloth or sports-cloth upholstery
- Standard air conditioning
- Standard Sirius Satellite Radio
- Optional power windows and locks
- Optional keyless entry
- Optional steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Optional leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift and metal-finished pedals
Under the Hood
Mechanical features include:
- 110-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 107 pounds-feet of torque
- Standard five-speed manual transmission
- Optional four-speed automatic transmission
- Standard speed-sensitive power steering
The Rio5 comes fairly well equipped. Safety features include:
- Standard side-impact airbags
- Standard side curtain airbags
- Standard child-safety locks
- Optional antilock brakes with rear discs
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With the 2014 college lacrosse season gradually getting underway this month, it's time to take an look at the top teams in the country. Up today: Nos. 16-20.
2013 record: 10-8 (NCAA first round)
Coach: Shawn Nadelen (17-16, third season)
Best player: Thomas DeNapoli. The senior attackman had a breakout season last spring, collecting 41 goals and 19 assists as the Tigers made a surprising run to the Colonial Athletic Association tournament title and their first postseason appearance since 2007.
Notable games: Feb. 15 (at Johns Hopkins) and Feb. 19 (at Loyola). If Towson has any hope of crafting an at-large profile, it will probably need to win one of these two early games against its Charles Street rivals.
Ceiling: The Tigers could make another NCAA appearance, especially with Penn State ineligible for the CAA tournament in its final year in the league. An influx of promising young players coupled with preseason all-CAA picks at attack, midfield and close defense suggest Towson's surge late last season was not a fluke.
Floor: Graduated goalie Andrew Wascavage saved 58.3 percent of the shots he faced and played 98 percent of the minutes last season for the Tigers. If one of Towson's many untested options doesn't emerge, it will be just another team playing the annual roulette wheel that is the CAA tournament.
Forecast: Without Penn State as an option, Towson is the most logical pick to claim the CAA's automatic berth. The likes of Drexel and Massachusetts will have a say about that as well, but there's enough in place to think the Tigers can enjoy another 10-win season.
2013 record: 8-5
Coach: Mike Murphy (24-30, fifth season)
Best player: M Zack Losco. The senior had 23 goals and six assists a year ago for the Quakers en route to all-Ivy honors.
Notable game: March 1 (Denver). The Quakers have done a splendid job playing the RPI game under Murphy, and early season games against Duke (Feb. 21) and Denver are opportunities to nab a quality victory before Ivy League play starts.
Ceiling: It all depends on those early nonconference games. Penn built much of its postseason resume in 2011 with victories over Duke and Bucknell in its first two games, and it hoped a year ago an early defeat of Duke would lead to an NCAA bid. It didn't. Nonetheless, seniors Maxx Meyer (close defense) and Brian Feeney (goalie) are key elements in a superb defense that will keep the Quakers in nearly every game.
Floor: Penn scored only nine goals a game last season, shooting 24 percent in the process. That put incredible stress on a stout defense that can ill-afford even average days. If those happen, the Quakers could easily sink back toward .500 and miss the Ivy League tournament.
Forecast: The defensive system works, the schedule is smartly constructed and the team itself is a complete nuisance for opponents. The Quakers will collect an eye-opening victory somewhere along the way, but at this stage it's hard to fully trust their offense. Murphy does great work and should at least get Penn back to the Ivy tournament for the second consecutive season.
2013 record (postseason): 12-5 (NCAA first round)
Coach: Kevin Cassese (52-44, seventh season)
Best player: G Matt Poillon. A two-time Patriot League goalie of the year, the junior entered the season with a .597 save percentage and a 7.27 goals-against average.
Notable games: March 11 (at Yale) and April 8 (at Princeton). The Mountain Hawks get a crack at what should be the two best teams in the Ivy League. The matchup of Lehigh's defense against Tom Schreiber and the Princeton offense is especially interesting.
Ceiling: Lehigh's defensive formula works, and with Poillon and defenseman Ty Souders still in the fold, it gives the Mountain Hawks a couple cornerstones at that end of the field. This program is 15-1 against Patriot League opponents the last two seasons, and it isn't a stretch to believe it can claim another conference title this year.
Floor: Four of Lehigh's top six double-digit goal scorers are gone, including the impressive David DiMaria (33 goals, 40 assists). A lot will be asked of holdovers Dan Taylor and Patrick Corbett, but enough of a dip on offense might leave the Mountain Hawks outside the postseason.
Forecast: Lehigh's defense will be good enough to keep it in most games and at or near the top of the Patriot League standings. It's a tough bunch, and it would be unwise to discount it on a game-by-game basis. That said, the Mountain Hawks are a bit more vulnerable on offense than the last two years, and the addition of Loyola will make a three-peat in the Patriot a difficult chore.
2013 record: 9-4
Coach: Jason Miller (38-58, eighth season)
Best player: A Kieran McArdle. The Big East's attackman of the year last season, McArdle led the league in goals (36) and assists (49). His 3.77 assists per game led the country, while his 6.54 points per game ranked second nationally.
Notable game: March 8 (vs. Syracuse). From a strength-of-schedule perspective, this was an important game for the Red Storm to salvage when the Orange and Notre Dame left for the ACC. It's also an early chance at a victory almost certain to retain value at the end of the season.
Ceiling: The Red Storm emerge as the second-best team in the new-look Big East, doesn't stumble against anyone it shouldn't and reaches the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
Floor: March is littered with potential tossup games --- Drexel, Georgetown and Hofstra among them, with a trip to Stony Brook no sure thing, either. That stretch could doom St. John's to a run-of-the-mill season around .500.
Forecast: There aren't many starting attack units more established than McArdle, Kevin Cernuto and Colin Keegan, who combined for 94 goals last season. But can the Red Storm stop anybody? St. John's plays in an appealing way, and its defense is left a bit vulnerable as a result, but there needs to be improvement at that end of the field for the Red Storm to take the next step.
2013 record (postseason): 14-4 (NCAA semifinals)
Coach: Matt Kerwick (interim)
Best player: M Connor Buczek. A second team All-America pick last season, Buczek moved from attack to midfield and promptly produced 35 goals and 18 assists. He'll be a major part of the Big Red's offense after the loss of 136 goals from the graduated Steve Mock, Rob Pannell and Max Van Bourgondien.
Notable game: March 8 (Virginia). The Big Red has a good chance to be 4-0 entering this visit from the Cavaliers, which should serve as a barometer for the program's post-Pannell progress.
Ceiling: This is a great question. Cornell's upside last year was considerable, and its losses to graduation meant regression in 2014 was near-certain. But with the firing of coach Ben DeLuca in November, it's anyone's guess how the Big Red responds.
Floor: There's still enough in place to make a complete free-fall unlikely. But as good as Cornell's been over the last decade, there's just enough instability to create the possibility of a sub-.500 season. The considerable improvement of other Ivy programs in the last five years only adds another element that could make life difficult for the Big Red.
Forecast: The Big Red's offense starts in a good place with Buczek and attackman Matt Donovan, and exceptional faceoff specialist Doug Tesoriero will ensure gaining possession is rarely a problem. Cornell has done well with its physical approach, and its toughness should offset some of the offseason tumult. The Big Red won't enjoy a dominant offense, but it still should be a contender in the Ivy.


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This glazed pottery incense burner measures 7 inches tall by 4 3/4 inches in diameter.
It is covered with hand painted floral designs on a coral colored background. It has a lid with gilded spiderweb designs and a seated kylin finial.
It dates circa 1880-1910.
It is in good condition with the exception of an old repaired break on one leg (see enlarged photo). It still retains a good portion of it's original gilding, except on the legs or finial.
It is unmarked, except for a partial calligraphic mark on the inside lid.
This Japanese Satsuma pitcher or condiment jar measures about 6 inches tall by 4 inches in diameter at it's widest point.
It dates from the late 19th century-early 20th Century( Meiji Period) (circa 1880-1915).
It is in excellent condition with some minor losses to the gilding on the handle.
It is covered overall with a finely detailed series of patterns, which include a bird and dragon motif with fans.
Based on it's rounded and smoothed edges, it appears that this small vessel never originally had a permanent top or stopper.
It is unmarked as to maker or country of origin . This one fact helps to date it pre 1895 when US import export laws were established. After that date it would have had to have been marked as to country of origin.
This hand painted ceramic vase measures about 10 inches (24.5 cm)tall by 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter at it's widest point.
It dates circa 1870-1900 (during the late Meiji Period) in Japan.
It is in excellent condition with virtually all of the high relief gilding intact.
This Japanese Satsuma Vase is unmarked, 15 inches tall and about 9 inches in diameter.
It dates to the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and has Kwannon and Lohans with an elephant pictured upon it.
It is in excellent condition with some light rubbing on the high relief gilded areas exposing an outstanding crackle beneath.
This Japanese ceramic figure of Kannon measures 17 inches tall and about 6 inches in diameter at its widest point.
It has four incised marks on it's base, two Kutani marks and two potters mark (see closeup photo).
It dates to the Meiji Period in Japan. Kwannon is also known as Kannon or Kwan Yin and Guanyin in China.
It is in outstanding condition with no flaws, cracks, chips or losses.
This glazed ceramic or stoneware figure dates to the Meiji (1866-1912) in Japan.
It measures 7 1/4 inches tall by 5 1/4 inches in width and about 3 3/4 inches in depth at it's widest point.
It is in outstanding condition and has extremely vibrant colors. There is one extremely small circular spot of glaze loss which appears to be a kiln flaw on the sleeve.
Remnants of the gauze pattern remain on the unglazed bottom.
This original Japanese porcelain jar measures about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 3 1/4 inches in height.
The exterior of this little gem is covered overall with hand painted Japanese court figures in robed splendor, including, geishas, and Daimo figures set against a gilt background. The fineness of figures details is amazing, but pales when you observe the hand painted calligraphic stories or poetry that cover the entire interior of the cup. The hand painted Asian calligraphic symbols are so minute and so detailed that one can imagine an artist going blind in the process of painting them one stroke at a time deep inside the cup. It requires a magnifying glass to completely appreciate the details.
This cup or jar is in outstanding condition, but it is missing the original lid.
A comparable cup sold Nov 17, 2007 at live auction on ebay(#150180899539) for $500.00. It was chipped, but it had the lid that this cup lacks.


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Image Editing Software
For those of you who don't know, a couple of weeks ago RMSP had an open house. We invited the general public into our facilities, gave them a look around and invited them to experience our educational style for a few hours. I gave a lecture on how to choose image editing software. Everyone in attendance seemed to get a lot out of the lecture, so I thought I would share it here as well.
Every photographer has a unique set of requirements for what they need to get out of their image editing software. This can range from those people who are happy with simply brightening and darkening their photos to those of us who require the ability to composite multiple images together and use advanced filters for creative techniques. The good news is that the number of image editing programs has grown exponentially in the past few years. There is a piece of software to cover the needs of almost any photographer. For this article I will only be covering a few of the more popular programs for both MAC and PC. These include:
Apple iPhoto
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3
Adobe Photoshop CS5
These four programs span the range from basic (and easier to use) to something much more complex that can handle more powerful edits. Let's start simple and slowly work up to the more complex programs.
Picasa and iPhoto are around the same level in terms of complexity. They both offer basic image manipulations, but beyond that they are quite limited. If you are using a Mac, I would recommend using iPhoto, as it runs very nicely and comes preloaded on your computer. For PC folks, Picasa works great and has many features that will make editing easier.
Both Picasa and iPhoto have similarities when it comes to image handling. Both programs use a catalog or library-based system. This means you never need to search through hundreds of folders on your computer to find the photo you're looking for. Picasa references the folders and photos on your computer you want it to (much like Lightroom) and keeps the other folders out of the way to keep things much simpler. The whole topic of catalogs and libraries takes a lot of explanation to fully understand. I even get confused occasionally. If this topic interests you, a great workshop to take a look at would be Lightroom for Photographers.
iPhoto goes a step further; it actually takes full control of your images by moving them into an iPhoto Library file that you cannot edit or change outside of iPhoto. This ensures that you don't change anything outside of the program that might cause trouble. Picasa groups its edits into three distinct categories or steps; Basic Fixes, Tuning and Effects. These same concepts are the foundation of iPhotos image editing as well.
Together these two programs make it possible for you to brighten, darken, saturate and apply basic effects to your images with little or no image editing knowledge. They are super easy to use and come at a great price; FREE. If you find yourself wanting something more, take a look at Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3.0
Since its launch around 2007, Lightroom has made its way into the hands of many professional photographers around the world. Before Lightroom, photographers had a quite limited selection of software designed just for them. Although Photoshop has the word "photo" in it, Photoshop is actually geared towards many areas of graphic design, with many extra tools that photographers will never use.
Lightroom was designed for the sole purpose of providing photographers with an easy to use, powerful and downright awesome editing program. Lightroom, like Picasa and iPhoto, is a catalog-based editor, meaning that it takes control of your images and references them wherever they live on your computer. This can make things very confusing for the beginner, however if you ensure you know what you're doing before you begin you should end up fine. With that said, in Lightroom, proper setup is essential.
When it comes to organizing and editing, Lightroom gives you the ability to do almost anything you feel like doing. It has extensive sorting controls (similar to Adobe Bridge) and makes it an easy process to find the exact image you are hoping to work on. Once you have chosen the photo you wish to work on, Lightroom makes it easy to fine tune with many sliders to produce the look you want for your image.
Beyond the normal brightening, darkening and saturation, Lightroom gives you the ability to edit your images in creative ways, such as creating advanced black and white photos or choosing only the colors you wish to saturate (such as the greens, without effecting your reds). Lightroom also has some basic "local adjustments" (adjustments that only affect part of your photograph). These include: The adjustment brush which allows you to brighten, darken or saturate selective areas of your photograph (wherever you choose), the gradient tool allows you to closely mimic the effects of a split neutral density filter by letting you darken the sky in your images.
One of the biggest benefits of Lightroom is the absence of a "Save," "Open," or "Close" command when working with different photos. Because Lightroom is a catalog based image editing software, every click you make is recorded and written on your hard drive. For those of you with Photoshop experience, this is much like a History panel that remembers EVERYTHING. It doesn't stop there. If we were to choose another photo to work on (without the hassle of opening or saving) the history would stay with that photo.
This means that we could work on an image however we see fit, close Lightroom for 10 years, then come back to that image. If we want to undo a change we made 10 years ago it would be as simple as a click of the mouse because the history is STILL THERE, forever.
Lightroom does have its limitations. Although it's great for doing really fast, effective edits to the whole image (global adjustments), it falls short in the local adjustments department. Additionally, Lightroom also has no ability to do compositing (putting more that one photo together) or creative filters.
Adobe Photoshop CS5
This is where Photoshop comes in. I would like to start by saying that Photoshop is a MONSTER program that contains many things we will never use as photographers. It does however allow us to make incredibly precise adjustments to our images with relative ease.
Photoshop allows the photographer to go beyond Lightroom's capabilities and try things that may be new to you. It makes it possible to take the sky from one image and put it in another photograph, which lets us replace our boring white skies with beautiful skies from other images. Obviously this isn't for everyone, but it can be useful for some images. This same concept can be used in other circumstances, such as moving people from photo to photo, which, if done right can have beautiful results.
Another tool in Photoshop that I find myself using frequently is the tool to blur backgrounds in images. It seems that in most of my photographs the f/2.8 lens simply had too much depth of field (amount of the photograph that's sharp around your focal point). When this is the case, we can use Photoshop to simply blur out the background, mimicking the effect of less depth of field. I find this extremely useful, especially for portraits, sports and wildlife photography.
Photoshop can do many, many more things than what I have stated here, these are just the techniques that I use the most often. This program can handle anything you throw at it, from advanced compositing to using creative filters to giving your photos a new and edgy look. If you are interested in learning what Photoshop can do for you as a photographer (without being overwhelmed by the features you will never use), consider Photoshop for Photographers.
I personally use Lightroom for 90% of the photos that I work on, but for the few that require something a little extra, they get the Photoshop treatment. Honestly, when I can, I stick to Lightroom – it's easier and much faster to use.
If you feel that you want to go father than the abilities of Lightroom, Photoshop is the program for you. If you want to keep things simple, Picasa or iPhoto might be the right image editing software for you.


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Leeds, Glasgow, 18th March 2013: Network vulnerability management and compliance vendor, RandomStorm, has opened a new office in Scotland, just two months after opening its first London office and five months after being listed in the Deloitte UK Fast 50, which identifies the fastest-growing technology companies in the UK and EMEA. The office in West Regent Street, Glasgow, will provide an additional base, close to RandomStorm's customers in the oil and gas and hospitality industries. As part of the expansion, RandomStorm has appointed David Burnett as country manager.
RandomStorm employs a growing team of network security engineers, software developers and penetration testers. The company provides network security monitoring products and consultancy services, to help organisations to identify where they may be vulnerable to social engineering and cyber attacks that could increase the risk to their digital assets and compromise their ability to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and the Data Protection Act.
Burnett joins the company from Onyx Group Scotland, where he managed new business development within the region. Commenting on his appointment, David Burnett said, "RandomStorm was founded seven years ago and its growth has been remarkable. It is listed by Deloitte as one of the top three fastest-growing companies in the North of England. I was impressed by its innovative vulnerability scanning platform and first rate consultancy services provided to enterprises and SMBs within the oil, gas and hospitality sectors and I am excited to be joining the company to support its expansion in Scotland."
Using the Deloitte formula, the company calculated that its revenue grew by 1062% between 2009 and 2013: positioning RandomStorm as the twenty first fastest-growing company in the UK technology sector and 130th in the top five hundred technology companies in EMEA.
Robin Hill, co-founder of RandomStorm commented, "In recent years, as our product range has expanded, we have gained quite a number of customers operating in the call centre industry, hospitality, and oil and gas industry. These companies all store sensitive information that needs to be protected and this has created more demand for our services. We recognised that we need to support this business growth by providing a permanent office in Scotland. We are delighted to welcome David to the team."
The company is a CESG CHECK security consultancy and certified as both an Approved Scanning Vendor and Qualified Security Assessor by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council.
- Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA winners 2013: http://www.deloitte.co.uk/fast50/fast-500-emea/index.cfm
- Deloitte Fast 50 winners 2013: http://www.deloitte.co.uk/fast50/winners/2013-winners/index.cfm
- ProSecurity Zone, "PCI Approved Scanning Vendor Status for RandomStorm," 8th January 2014 https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/
About RandomStorm:
RandomStorm is a UK-based network security, vulnerability management and compliance company, focused on providing enterprise-level, proactive security management tools and services. RandomStorm's experienced and certified security experts are able to offer customers a wide range of integrated world-class security vulnerability assessment and professional security services. Covering initial consultancy and gap analysis through to network and application testing, as well as managing client's business compliance accreditation process, RandomStorm aims to work with organisations to ensure that their security investment is fully optimised on a 24/7/365 basis.
RandomStorm's core products are supported by a range of complementary monitoring, alerting and remediation tools and services developed under the RandomStorm Open Source Initiative.
RandomStorm is a CESG CHECK security consultancy as well as a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) and an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Please visit http://www.randomstorm.com for further information.


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FLINT, MI – More state funding could be coming to two local colleges if Gov. Rick Snyder gets his way.
In Snyder's proposed budget, the University of Michigan-Flint would receive a 7.2 percent increase in state funding, or an additional $1.4 million for the 2015 fiscal year.Mott Community College would receive a 2.9 percent, or $379,283, increase if the budget is adopted.
"That's a surprise. We think that's a great step to restoring the state support like it was in the past. We only hope the legislators will support the proposal," said Greg Tewksbury, vice chancellor for business and finance at UM-Flint. "This will allow us to keep the tuition increase to a minimum. It all works together. It helps the students. It helps us."
Snyder unveiled his $52.1 billion budget on Wednesday, with proposals for a tax refund for homeowners, more aid for public universities and a one-time spending bump for roads.
Michael Kelly, spokesman for Mott, said college officials
appreciate the fact that the governor recognized the work that community
colleges are doing.
Mott, however, is still getting less than it did 15 years ago, he said.
"We will be watching the process and encouraging our legislators to be supportive," Kelly said. "It's a long process. We have a long way to go."
Along with more state funding for universities and community colleges, Snyder's proposed budget also including rewarding institutions that keep tuition increases below 3.2 percent.
In June, the Mott Board approved a 4.5 percent tuition hike starting in the winter semester. UM-Flint undergraduate students also saw a 3.5 percent tuition increase that started in the fall.
Whether the additional funds will help avoid a tuition increase is still unknown, both Kelly and Tewksbury said.
"It's hard to predict. We have to look at enrollment, the state funding. We have to look at property taxes. It's a moving target," Kelly said, adding that at this time the college does not anticipate a tuition increase for the fall. "We took a lot of hits. We took some big, big reduction. We've had to really work hard to keep things together and intact and not burden the students with too high tuition.
"This is just trying to make up for lost ground. At this point all we have is a proposal. We have to look at reality. We have to look at the hard numbers."
For the 2014 fiscal year Mott received more than $15.3 million from the state. Snyder's proposal would give them almost $15.7 million in state aid.
UM-Flint received $20 million in state aid for the 2014 fiscal year. Snyder's proposal would give them $21.4 million in state aid.
"State support has been dwindling over the years, so this is a great step to get it back to what it was," Tewksbury said. "It would keep any increase we would have to make at a minimum. We haven't discussed yet (if there will be a tuition increase). This keeps it lower than it would have been if it didn't' materialize."
Get an overview of Snyder's plan here. You can also read the 10-page recommendation summary here as a PDF. If you are feeling adventurous, here's a link to the full, 156-page proposal as a PDF.
Also, watch a live chat with Snyder about the budget here.


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Combine true comfort with a time-tested look in the Pikolinos New Jersey 5866 men's loafer. This men's slip-on casual shoe is crafted in a supple leather upper with stitching details. A pull ring on the back is for easy on/off. A leather lining with a sweat and moisture reducing insole ensures the foot stay dry and comfort all day long. Go out with comfort in the Pikolinos New Jersey 5866 .
Enter one or more email addresses, separated by a comma,
or enter addresses from your email address book!
I would like to add a personalized message!
"I think I've ordered four pairs of shoes from PlanetShoes this year. They've all been beautiful, comfortable shoes, delivered on time. What a great site! A real treasure trove for shoe lovers!"
"My experience has been great with Planet Shoes! The shoes were exactly as described and photographed, fit well and were very comfortable! I will recommend Planet Shoes to everyone!"


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Using IP Cameras
Webcam or IP camera?
First of all we need to understand the difference between a regular webcam (most likely connected to your computer through USB) and a real IP camera (also called a Network camera), which is connected through a network. This connection can be either by cable or wireless through WIFI. A properly installed USB-connected webcam will show up as a separate named source in the Camera modules, in which case you should select this and not choose IP Camera as the source.
About IP cameras
When it comes to real IP cameras there a lot of brands and models available on the market, and which one is right for you of course depends a lot on how you will use it and what demands you have. There are both fixed cameras and remote controlled PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) cameras available.
The performance and quality of IP cameras differs a lot depending on what model you choose. You should also keep in mind that these type of cameras are usually designed primarily for security applications (CCTV), where other specifications and functions might be of higher value. For example, although today you can find many models of high resolution (megapixel) cameras, most of them are intended for capturing and analyzing a series of still frames and actually they have a rather poor frame rate. Depending on your application, for video production you will likely want a camera that at least can generate a steady 25 or 30 frames per second and for demanding use (fast motion) even more. A low frame rate will result in stuttering video.
RTSP or MJPEG?
Modern IP cameras usually support both MJPEG, streamed over HTTP, as well as H.264 streamed over the RTSP-protocol. The IP Decoder module supports streams using the RTSP or RTMP protocols. If your camera only supports MJPEG you should instead use the "IP Camera" setting in the Camera I module. Keep in mind that the Camera I module does not support audio extraction from its source, so if you need audio from your camera make sure it supports RTSP. Performance wise, using H.264 over RTSP is generally the better choice in order to get maximum quality and frame rate without the need for massive bandwidth.
More information
Read VidBlaster's Help for more information about these modules. Make sure to use the IP camera's video stream URL, not its web page. Search the forum for several threads about IP cameras.


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Literary Creation of Mine
Posted 11 December 2011 - 03:46 PM
Our strengths, forgotten.
Friendships, lost.
Bonds, broken.
Families, in ruins.
It is times like these that we must cherish the time we have with one another.
They say 9/11 strengthened America. For a time, it did. Only later to make us think of All Muslims as scum. Sure all terrorists might be Muslim, but are All Muslims terrorists? NO!
The same thing is going on everywhere in the world. Terrorism. War. Racism. Call it a fight for survival, Chaos, if you must.
It. Doesn't. Mean. People. Are. Bad.
The following message was written by me, Sean Spiva, at first for an Online Community, but later for the entire world:
Even though you haven't been recognized verbally at school, at home, at work..anywhere at all, doesn't mean you aren't recognized at all! Everyone watches what you do even when you don't think they are.Thus it is important, if not imperative, that you be mature and make life the best it can be.
Even though you haven't been grounded or arrested, again, people watch you and might even be reporting these things silently/secretly, so watch what you do and be sure you be friendly and helpful whenever possible.
Even though one person might hate you or dislike you, doesn't mean the whole world does. Think about this, and you'll reap the benefits of friendship.
Be careful with what you say. As Galadriel in LOTR says: "Even the smallest person can change the course of the future." We too can change peoples' future, whether by our words or by our actions.
Be respectful: As already stated, everything you do can change the coarse of someones' future. So be friendly, cherish the moments you have with one another, for life is too short to have arguments and hatreds.
Be helpful: If you feel a person needs help, help them out! Don't judge people by their appearance, and they won't judge you! And remember, the more you do to better this world, the better the outcome!
Some extras (Note: Might already be said above):
Please do share this with everyone you know, as it will help them and you the moment you do.
Be more respectful to one another, for life is indeed far too short to have anger anywhere anytime in your heart and/or mind.
Be helpful. The more you help, the more you'll be happy in life.
Be social. If you're shy like me (Yes, I admit it, I am SHY..), try and challenge yourself to be around people more often than just at school or events or things like them.
Be entertaining. Don't hold a grudge, don't be a party pooper..Live it up! Throw some jokes around (As long as their GOOD jokes..), laugh it up, have fun, be recreational..Live life to the fullest!
When someones giving advice:
Get use to it. Its never going to stop no matter what we try and do. When someones' trying to give you advice, and say perhaps you don't want it, don't just throw it back in their face. Accept it with respect, use it, read/watch it, and make a goal to try and make this world a better place..I'll admit that all of this is going towards me too, since I too have been a bit high on end from time to time, but I've learned that that's just how life is, and by making a goal to be happier in life and by making everyone else happier, that I can at least TRY and decrease the amount of arguments that go on.
And remember the golden rule: Have fun!
Want to follow my Adventure's Log? Check here!
Posted 18 December 2011 - 03:33 PM
Signature by Brandon
Posted 18 December 2011 - 06:19 PM
The clan I was in at the time was going through some rough patches, so my mind just literally went to work on its own!
Thanks for the comment, btw.
Want to follow my Adventure's Log? Check here!
Posted 18 December 2011 - 10:18 PM
Hostname: Vent.gghq.net
Port: 8325


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A child was molested for 15 months after being placed by social workers in a Dorchester County home where a registered sex offender lived, state Rep. Jenny Horne said Tuesday.
S.C. child abuse investigations
2007 2008 2009 2010Cases referred for investigation27,751 25,095 27,542 28,092Cases accepted for investigation18,553 14,699 18,246 17,763Cases with some indication of maltreatment7,218 5,918 6,649 6,686 National Kids Count Program, Children's Trust of South Carolina
"It's outrageous," said Horne, who lives in Summerville.
Dorchester County officials did not confirm the report.
"I do know there is an investigation ongoing now," she said.
Reaching out to readers
An audit is planned of the state Department of Social Services because of concerns about the agency expressed by the State House Republican Caucus. In a letter, the caucus says it is particularly concerned about children who have died while on the DSS radar.If you have been a DSS client and would like to talk about your experience with the agency please call Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711.
Horne said she could not reveal the source of her information.
"It's just grossly negligent. There is no other way to describe it," she said.
The Legislative Audit Council on Monday approved an audit of the state Department of Social Services based on Horne's account of this case and others. More than two dozen members of the state House Republican Caucus, including Horne, asked for the review in a letter to the LAC.
The DSS office in Berkeley County put the child in the Dorchester County home at the request of the mother, who was being investigated because of concerns that the youngster was neglected, the letter states.
Horne said the child is a girl 8 to 10 years old, and the DSS audit will get to the bottom of how the situation happened.
"It's inexcusable," she said.
In response to the upcoming audit, DSS issued a brief statement on Tuesday.
"We were contacted today by Legislative Audit Council Director Perry Simpson. He advised that the audit is likely to start after the first of the year," it said. "We will cooperate fully with the audit and look forward to working with the LAC staff."
The agency did not respond to a request for comment on allegations of sexual abuse in the Dorchester County case.
In their letter, the legislators said they want to know how many children have died from abuse and/or neglect while in the DSS Child Protective Services system. They are also seeking information on the number of cases in which a child was abused or neglected after an initial investigation found no problems in the home.
Horne said she has consistently received complaints about DSS child protection. She spoke Monday to the LAC about the need for an audit of DSS.
Horne noted two high-profile local cases in which youngsters died while their living conditions were on the radar of child welfare officials. In one, a Goose Creek 8-year-old girl succumbed to asthma in an emergency room after her parents failed to give her appropriate treatment. In another, a 13-year-old boy of Summerville died of malnourishment and neglect.
Robert Clarkson, chairman of Richland County CASA, a volunteer guardian ad litem program, said prisoners get better treatment from the state than at-risk children.
"Without ambiguity, child protective services in the state of South Carolina are horrific," he said.
Clarkson, a retired businessman, said DSS investigated him because he complained about how the agency handled allegations of child abuse and neglect. Budget cuts have forced DSS to relax its standards on what constitutes child abuse. Social workers face "horrendous" caseloads, he said.
"It all goes back to money," he said.
The letter to the LAC asking for the DSS audit was signed by 33 House members, including Speaker Bobby Harrell, who could not be reached for comment.
"Several members of the House have received complaints regarding the management and operations of the Department of Social Services," the letter states.
Poor management of some county offices, a disconnect between the central office and county office operations and complaints about administration of bidding for "congregate care" are areas of concern cited in the letter.
The legislators submitted 11 question that the audit should answer, including whether federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to child protective services are being followed by DSS offices. It also asks for information on employee and caseworker training requirements and how the effectiveness of training is measured.
Reach Prentiss Findlay at 937-5711.


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By Michael Howell
The Ravalli County Commissioners unanimously approved the controversial Legacy Ranch subdivision last Tuesday, July 2. The 400-acre parcel located between Porter Hill Road and Dry Gulch Road along the Eastside Highway is proposed to be divided into 509 Lots including single family residential, condominiums and commercial units. The subdivision is proposed to take place in 15 phases over 30 years, with the first phase scheduled for completion by January 31, 2019. Phase 2 would be completed by 2023, and the remaining phases 3 to 15 every two years after that.
The total of 647 living units is estimated to add about 2.7 people per household to the population for a total of 1,725 new residents in the area at build-out. It is estimated to increase traffic on the Eastside Highway by 9,271 automobile trips per day. Residents of the subdivision will share a water system based on three communal wells. Lawns will be irrigated by existing water rights from a ditch and spring. Some areas of the subdivision will share community septic systems while over 200 homes will be on individual septics. The west boundary of the subdivision is located within 460 feet of the Bitterroot River and borders the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge.
Following three meetings at which public comment was taken, most of which was in opposition to the subdivision, the Commissioners began their own deliberations with the help of Montana Association of Counties (MACo) attorney Allen McCormick.
The first day of deliberations was fraught with confusion as the Board struggled with the review procedures. An initial draft of considerations to be made concerning the state's seven criteria led to confusion as McCormick pointed out that many of the facts listed were actually conclusions of law and many of the conclusions of law were actually just facts. The Commission also struggled with the proper language for expressing their final conclusions about each criteria. McCormick continued to provide assistance in distinguishing facts from conclusions, and vice versa, throughout the process.
Once the Commissioners got the hang of it they proceeded methodically and tediously through each of the state's criteria which includes examination of potentially significant negative effects on agriculture and adjacent agricultural operations, on agricultural water user facilities, on local services, on the natural environment, on wildlife, on wildlife habitat and on public health and safety. In each case the Commissioners came to consensus that the subdivision did pose significant potentially negative impacts, but they also found that those potential impacts had been sufficiently mitigated by various covenants and conditions and notifications. Over 70 conditions of approval have been placed on the subdivision as well as numerous notifications to property purchasers.


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Dziurzynski returned to Binghamton
The Ottawa Senators today re-assigned forward David Dziurzynski to the club's American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators.
Dziurzynski, 23, was recalled by the Senators (and to the NHL) for the first time in his career on Feb. 15 and made his debut the following evening at Toronto. In 12 NHL games for Ottawa this season, he has recorded two points (two goals) and 13 penalty minutes.
He has also registered 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) and 100 penalty minutes over 44 AHL games this season with Binghamton.
- Checkers' Staal joins brothers in Carolina
- Barons' Davidson values health, hockey
- Iowa Wild name Frederickson team president
- P-Bruins support The One Fund Boston
- Larsen "proud" heading into playoffs
- Blues, Wolves announce affiliation
- AHL Weekly Release
- MacIntyre has chance for redemption


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Recent post questioned whether it was worthwhile for AMRN to continue the REDUCE-IT outcomes study if the the NCE was denied...Some clarification...
There is a lot of confusion Re. the NCE, it relationship to the patents, its importance as a barrier to entry, its effect on the FDA H-W exclusions, and to the REDUCE-IT study...
To begin with the PTO and the FDA are separate government agencies, and the PTO is less than marginally interested in what the FDA thinks about a drug or a medical device that applies for a patent..The PTO determines the novelty of the drug-device and to a lesser degree the utility, to determine whether a patent will be allowed. The PTO might reference the FDA, but does not consult them. The FDA lists patents in the OB, but does not offer legal opinions on their significance or relevance. The listed patents do trigger the H-W exclusions. The patent(s) listed can be challenged by competitors and if the competition can show the patents are invalid or infringe on their patents..ie as determined earlier in the courts...Then the FDA can retract the NDA...The FDA does not use the PTO as a consultant do determine the H-W exclusivity...ie to determine whether a drug is a NCE..
Though stated many times on the board, the REDUCE-IT outcomes study does meet the criteria for the New Clinical Studies three year exclusion...The NCE five years..Sounds pretty simple, but it is more complicated. In filing for an aNDA a generic must demonstrate "bio equivalence" with the brand drug. Because Vascepa is a naturally occurring biochemical...There is no currently recognized way to prove bio equivalence. The company must also file a paragraph 4, a legal document stating it is not infringing on any of AMRN's patents, or they are invalid...AMRN then has 45 days to a rebuttal to the generics claims. This triggers a 30 month stay of the FDA granting any aNDA...
Sentiment: Strong Buy
bmup to avoid reading all mousemouse one line posts
"Continuing with having to shoot down the opinions (not facts) made by other media contributors, patent data and information is ABSOLUTELY 100% considered by FDA when examining chemical entities, especially when they are comparing different products head to head -- whether for or against NCE, this data is essential. If AMRN has additional patent data, it would be considered if they allow to accept it."
From Rosenman's article that nm1066 was referring to.
So Rossman is "shooting down opinions" by others...To post his 100% fact...LOL...I would be a lot more impressed if he told me he was an active member of the FDA's CDER.
I have had one scheduled meeting with the FDA regarding a medical device. My partner and I sat at a conference table with representatives of the different intra-agency departments. These included medical, legal, compliance, safety and a couple more I do not remember. What I do remember was the obvious scarcely concealed hostility between the department heads.This was related to turf...How does this relate to Rossman ABSOLUTELY 100%..? Well..the H-W defines an NCE in terms of the FDAs APIs...an NCE being defined as a chemical entity that has no active moiety that has been approved by the FDA in any other application...This is determination of the NCE is made by the FDA's CDER committee. Their decisions can be more subjective than the strict definition provided bi H-W, but CDER is the sole determiner and my personal experience would leave me to doubt they bring in even outside members of FDA into the discussions, and certainly not the PTO...THis is MHO...The subjectivity would take in earlier decisions by the FDA...but the point is this is an FDA thing, and not a PTO thing...
Finally IMHO the NCE is not really very important anyway...
Sentiment: Strong Buy
In the case of Lovasa is there not a generic that has proven bioequivalency?
Read Rossman's new article-he said the Patent's have everything to do with approval of NCE. I don't know but you should read his blog.
Sentiment: Hold
if true then we wont see NCE approval until who knows when. Look at all the patents still out
So the stated H-W exclusivity periods are actually shorter than the real times required for a generic to launch...In reality the listing of a drug in the Orange Book (It was originally Orange, because it first came out around Halloween...true) usually results in about seven and a half years of exclusivity even without the NCE.
But AMRN has more going for it than the defense of lawyers and agencies...Generics' main strategy revolves around the fact they can sell the drug for a substantially lower price than the brand can, because for the most part there actions are mainly on paper...So commonly generics sell for 50-70% the price of the brand...This is not likely to work in the case of Vascepa, a lot of the drugs generics attack are drugs with limited sales volumes, the type that the brand has to mark up to cover the seven or so years of research and FDA costs...Vascepa with a potential 40mil plus patient pool will and should employ a strategy of thin profit margins which will still provde huge earnings because of the volume, but destroy the incentive of the me toos...
Then there is the the requirement for supply...we are talking about tonnes of reined product..No generic can afford to tie up suppliers for the years of exclusivity which puts AMRN squarely in the driver's seat...And catching up after AMRN has five or so years of garnering refiners is not going to be feasable..
IMHO...the NCE simply fades to black in this scenario
Sentiment: Strong Buy
The REDUCE-IT study and the NCE are only tangentially related. The NCE effects the H-W exclusivity period and REDUCE-IT' being "substantially underway" is an FDA requirement for the sNDA allowing Vascepa to be FDA approved for the dyslipidemia clinical indication. An indication that is over ten times the size of the FDA indication for which the drug is approved at present...So the answer is, of course you continue REDUCE-IT....
Sentiment: Strong Buy
Any examples of a market being large enough that a drug company charged a low enough price to dissuade competitors? Thank you.
Thanks JL
Appreciate the well reasoned analysis.
Sentiment: Buy
Can't thank you enough for each and everyone of your posts. Now I will go back and try to understand exactly what you are trying to tell us. Thank you thank you and thank you!!!
JL, Nice explanation. Do you think we have a reasonable chance at NCE, and how much do you think NCE is worth in PPS?
i think last time this month Amarin already got a notification from the FDA on the 'non decision' for NCE
what are your thoughts on an appeal by, say, Glaxo, of the NCE, if granted ? who hears the appeal ? is it expensive ? how long may it take ??
thanks in advance…keep up the good work
GSK doesn't have a case, since Lovaza's "moiety" is NOT the EPA molecule. It is BOTH the EPA and the DHA molecules.
(Of course, GSK could try to prove Lovaza's "moiety" is JUST the EPA molecule alone; but that will take some time. And the giant might also have to do away with the DHA molecule in its pill, literally, or medicinally declaring it to be an non-active ingredient... then, yes, Lovaza would be just another Vascepa.)
But Vascepa's "moiety" is just the EPA molecule alone. There is actually a good reason why introductory logic needs to be taught in all colleges.


text:
Yui Morikawa sitting in a guy's lap facing him as they have sex, the guy putting his face between her large bre...
Yui Morikawa - The Forbidden Legend Sex & Chopsticks - 3.mp4
Yui Morikawa
Yui Morikawa shown topless with a mask on, shoving her hand down her panties as a guy watches her play with herself. They then have sex, flying all around a bamboo enclosure. Afterward, we get one last look at Yui's large breasts as she stands with an open robe hanging on her shoulders. From The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks.
- type:
- Nude
- length:
- 2:20
- filesize:
- 48.71 mb
- resolution:
- 1280x720 px
- posted:
- Apr 27, 2011 @ 11:05am
more from Yui Morikawa
Yui Morikawa reclining back as a guy opens her robe to reveal her large breasts. He then brings out some acupun...
The Forbidden Legend: Sex & Chopsticks - 2:02
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Hikaru Wakana - 2:13
Kaera Uehara having sex with a guy in a variety of different positions, starting off sitting in his lap facing ...
Kaera Uehara - 3:07


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Lauren Scruggs' parents talk to Good Morning America:
DALLAS – The parents of a Dallas-area model and fashion blogger say their daughter is responsive and making progress after being severely hurt walking into the propeller of a small airplane Saturday night.
A spokeswoman at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas says 23-year-old Lauren Scruggs of Plano was in serious condition. Scruggs lost her left hand in the accident, plus suffered head, brain and shoulder injuries.
Her father, Jeff Scruggs, said his daughter made "really positive progress" on Monday.
From their CaringBridge.org page from Monday night:
To the doctors and her family's delight, Lauren said a few words this afternoon. When they asked her what her name is, she replied, "Lauren." What a blessing! Thank you Jesus.
Cheryl and Brittany also told her that they loved her, and she replied back, "I love you." We pray that her brain will continue to heal and have full restoration!
Scruggs' parents appeared Tuesday morning on Good Morning America and said she is able to talk.
Her mother, Cheryl, was inside the airport at the time of the accident.
"I was inside, and someone came in and told me she had gotten hit," she said, holding back tears. "I was there until the care flight got there. I was just able to hold her and … that's the toughest part of it all, just seeing her waiting there and waiting for the help. All I could do was tell her that I love her."
The Federal Aviation Administration says the accident happened Saturday night at a private airport in McKinney.
Family spokeswoman Janee Harrell says Scruggs, who is editor-in-chief of the online Lolo Magazine and blogger at blogbylolo.com, had just gotten off the private plane after a trip to see Christmas lights. Harrell told The Associated Press that Scruggs lost her left hand in the accident, plus suffered head, brain and shoulder injuries.
The Lauren Scruggs Hope Fund has been set up for Scruggs' medical bills. You can donate to it at any Frost Bank.


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This review is from: Acer X1240 1024 x 768 2700 lumens DLP Projector 10,000:1
Pros: Has an amazing picture, even for not being 1080p! Put the picture on a 4x5 screen (80inch) and it looks fantastic!
Cons: Its an older/cheaper model, so no HDMI, but was not a big deal at all. Bought a few cables and adapters to play from an Ipad for my kids as well as hook to my pc and it has been an awesome set!
Other Thoughts: It also came with a free 4x5 screen that is amazing in quality! Great deal on this package!READ FULL REVIEW
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Pros: Looks much better than I would have expected for Lab created!
Cons: Chain on necklace is very small and weak, doubt it will last long, but not a deal breaker for me.
Other Thoughts: My wife loved it!READ FULL REVIEW
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Cons: Take a bit to fine tune it, especially with voice activated software, but not technically challenging to do so.READ FULL REVIEW


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Just three weeks ago, City Council decried the removal of a single property along West Fourth Street to create space for the Williamsport Area School District during a period in which community leaders have struggled to find a solution to the housing crisis.
Now, 14 more properties are scheduled to be demolished to make way for one of the city's multiple large institutions, the Young Men's Christian Association, 320 Elmira St., to build anew while abandoning its former site in a historical neighborhood.
Besides contributing more to the affordable housing crunch, the move continues a trend of institutional expansion - not from one entity but citywide - that has chipped away at the tax base over decades.
To be fair, the YMCA and Susquehanna Health are partnering in the relocation of the YMCA to create a new health, wellness and fitness project area at the Williamsport Regional Medical Center campus, all within the institutional zone expanded by an act of City Council in 2004-05, according to Councilman Bill Hall.
But the health system is not the lone institution eating away at neighborhoods.
Over the past 12 years, the city has lost population and experienced multiple demolitions that took 409 taxable parcels off the tax rolls, according to Thomas P. O'Connor Jr., city treasurer. By 2008, the city began to face a housing shortage brought on by the introduction of Marcellus Shale and natural gas workers needing places to live as well as interns in the medical field, nurses and others in trades and professions.
Today, the city administration and council - in a city identified as the seventh-fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States - is tackling the housing shortage by having private developers build houses and apartments, reconditioning formerly blighted areas and encouraging construction of hotels.
Fewer residents, and taxable properties
The degree of the erosion of taxable properties and population can be seen in documents available at the city treasurer's office and in Mayor Gabriel J. Campana's research done for his four-year comprehensive housing plan.
Census workers in 2000 and 2010 canvassed the city and found that 30,706 people were living here in 2000. Ten years later, the population dwindled to 29,381. That's 1,325 fewer people.
Additionally, 12 years ago, the city had 9,575 taxable parcels, and today that number has decreased by 409, according to O'Connor.
The difference in property value between 2005, when a countywide reassessment was reflected, and today is not that noticeable, according to O'Connor's records.
For instance, in 2004, when the reassessment took place, the value of all taxable properties - residential, commercial and industrial - was listed as $608,834,094.
When reassessment took effect, that number jumped to $957,536,854 and tax rates were adjusted in keeping with the need for an equalized and level assessment among all properties. Jump forward eight years to 2012, and the taxable property value is nearly the same at $960,111,260.
"Reassessment didn't raise taxes," O'Connor said. "All it does is place a value of the properties at their current assessed value."
The tax rate in 2000 was 7.72 mills. That year, $4,617,201 in taxes were levied. In comparison, the tax millage assessed in 2012 is 10.58 mills, which generates $10,157,977 in taxes for the city, O'Connor said.
Payments in lieu of taxes
The impact on neighborhoods, especially those in and around the Williamsport Regional Medical Center, the Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College, and by non-profits, such as churches, schools and government offices, has been felt, but those organizations and others contribute payments to the city in lieu of taxes, according to Joseph Pawlak, city finance and budget officer.
For example, Susquehanna Health paid $55,781 in 2009; $69,375 in 2010 and $77,052 in 2011, Pawlak said.
Lycoming College provides a payment of $25,000 annually to the city, Pennsylvania College of Technology's contribution is $100,000 and Hope Enterprises was $20,000 over the past two years.
Lycoming County Housing Authority, which oversees the Section 8 rental assistance program with 513 families throughout the county, also provides a payment in lieu of taxes based on a percentage of rent on certain structures.
Several churches have contributed about $1,000 individually, Pawlak said.
In an explanation of why Susquehanna Health makes the payments, Stephen P. Johnson, president and CEO, said it is about being a good corporate neighbor.
"We pay the city payment in lieu of taxes as if that house was still there," Johnson said of the homes taken down for Project 2012. "We don't technically have to do that but we rely on the city police, Bureau of Fire and streets and parks departments."
Johnson said the health system wants its employees and residents to be healthy both in a physical sense and financially. If the city finds itself in hard financial times, that reflects on Susquehanna Health, he said.
Johnson said the other reason for the removal of the properties is that close to 90 percent of the houses, especially those between High Street and Park Avenue, from Louisa to Cherry streets and north to Rural Avenue, were in poor condition.
"The city encouraged us to acquire the housing stock and knock them down not only for our expansion cause but for safety and sanitary reasons," Johnson said. Conditions required the health system to clean up the neighborhood. "It goes back to when we committed to stay here."
Mitigating loss
Not more than three weeks ago, when council unanimously decried the removal of a single property the Williamsport Area School District demolished to make way for a parking lot at the new school on the former Roosevelt Middle School site in the 2800-2900 block of West Fourth Street, the loss of housing stock took center stage, again.
That also set in motion discussion about the balance to remove properties that need to be razed and creation of new taxable opportunities.
"There's two sides to the story," Councilman Randall J. Allison said. "Yes, we are losing the physical neighborhood in and around the hospital, but the issue with the house on West Fourth Street was one in which some on council believed that it could have been saved."
Allison said the hospital continues to pay the city taxes on the houses measured at the assessment value when the property was destroyed and that matters. The city is trying to mitigate loss of properties by sending letters to owners of vacant lots asking them to sell so that private developers can build townhouses, homes and apartments, he said.
Allison also pointed out other housing options under development such as conversion of the Brodart warehouse on Memorial Avenue into a residential area consisting of townhouses, apartments and two single family dwellings that would be built by Lycoming County Habitat for Humanity.
As for bolstering the tax base, Allison said a review of the demolition ordinance will help.
Allison believes the city is doing its part.
"We're looking at reviewing our demolition ordinance," he said.
With the YMCA moving near the medical center, leaving 6-acres open for development at its downtown site along West Fourth Street, Councilmen Jonathan Williamson, Hall and N. Clifford "Skip" Smith foresee opportunities for new taxes, wage, real estate and business and mercantile.
"Clearly, we have the issue of a lot of demolition in and around the medical center," Williamson said. "But we have to remember the agreements that were made between the city and hospital came in a different era.
"I think it's a positive to move the YMCA close to the medical center because we are removing certain properties but improving the value of what remains."
Williamson said he views the demolitions at the medical center as an extension of the commitment that the city and Susquehanna Health made to each other. "While loss in the short-term is regrettable, it provides opportunity for synergy between two non-profits around the hospital," Williamson said.
"Look at these demolitions," Smith said. "They are either on properties that are in the institutional zone where property owners knew they could be torn down eventually, or they are providing opportunity for developers to build on and provide jobs and wage taxes in the future," he said.
What Smith opposes is the loss of properties whenever non-profits, such as some churches, buy property.
"They allow the house to fall into disarray, and go before council with a request for demolitions, usually to create more parking availability," Smith said. "I would like to see a demolition ordinance saying what the use will be, how fast it will be developed and the option to put something of value on the property that returns money back to the city."
Destination 2014
The concept by Campana and endorsed by the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce to see private development at the former YMCA site at West Fourth Street - labeled Destination 2014 - intrigues Williamson and Hall.
Ground-breaking on the YMCA site near the medical center is scheduled for August.
Seeing a mixture of residential, business and green space across from City Hall and in the former YMCA is seen as a win-win for the city and region.
"It would likely put a significant amount of property back onto tax rolls and link the Central Business District with the Historic District," Williamson said.
"My thinking is in terms of YMCA it's a good placement," Hall said. "It works well for people who use the hospital and can provide a place for (workouts), workers will have more day care opportunities and it there's no change because the hospital pays the taxes to the city."
The YMCA will build on the land and lease it from the hospital and the idea of the mayor to put mixed-use residential and commercial and green space in the former YMCA site has potential, Hall added.


text: Regarding "Frustration with the federal government ..." described in The Journal's editorial from Monday, the 21st of January ("A Party Apart"), be careful what you wish for. You might get it. If the federal government were to "leave us alone" West Virginia would certainly be left much worse off. The difference between the larger number of dollars flowing into West Virginia from Washington versus the smaller number of dollars we send to Washington yearly in fact equals more than twice our state's annual GDP. We get a lot more from Washington, at least as measured in dollars, than we give. Citizens of our state get about $2.50 back for every dollar we send to Washington. We're in the top tier in that department along with Mississippi, New Mexico and the District of Columbia.


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Complete Your CensusThe Census of Population provides a unique source of information about Canada and its population. The census is the primary source of reliable demographic data for specific groups such as lone-parent families, seniors and language groups. The census provides data for areas as small as a city neighbourhood or as large as the country itself.
Because the census is conducted every five years and the questions are similar each time, it is possible to compare changes in the demographics of Canada's population over time. Census of Population data are used to: • determine representation in Parliament • calculate transfer payments between levels of government • plan important public services including daycare, select sites for schools, fire and police protection.
Below are some publications from Census 2011:
For more information, visit www.census2011.gc.ca.
Richmond Hill DemographicsThe Federal government of Canada officially maintains demographic and census information for the Town of Richmond Hill. For complete census information on the Town of Richmond Hill, click on the link below and type "Richmond Hill" in the place name text box. The second link breaks down the demographic profiles in Richmond Hill by wards.
Town of Richmond Hill Census Information
Demographic Profiles of Town and Wards