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- The beautiful village of Lefkara
This pretty village is famed for its traditional lace and embroidery
- Dine in style
Enjoy great views and great food at this beachfront hotel.
- Terrace views
Watch the sunset over a cocktail or two
- Cosmopolitan Paphos
Explore the pretty harbour with its tempting tavernas
Stay and Relax Premium
Alexander the Great Beach Hotel Signature
Paphos, Cyprus
from £779 7 2
Including optional travel insurance or a discount of £17 if not required
- Local flights
- Good food
- All Inclusive
- Top performer
- Save £
A perennially popular beachfront hotel
This popular, locally rated 4-star hotel is set beside an enticing sandy beach near Paphos harbour. Look forward to great food, relaxing spa treatments and socialising in the Saga lounge.
Packages we offer...
SIGNATURE Including
- All breakfasts, lunches and dinners
- Free bar open 10 hours a day in the Saga Lounge
- Optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a reduction if not required
- Return flights and transfers
- Resident Saga representative
- Welcome drink, cocktail party and Saga dinner
- Fruit and water in your room on arrival (water replenished daily)
- Exclusive Saga lounge
- Porterage of luggage
- Paphos Tour (half day)
- Panagia Village (half day)
- Days Gone By (half day)
- Cyprus Sweets and the Rose Factory (half day)
- Dine for free at each of the three à la carte restaurants once during your stay
- A sunbed reservation system and fresh pool/beach towels provided daily
from £779
per person
based on 2 passengers
PO Box 60325 CY 8102 Paphos Cyprus
The 4-star Alexander the Great Beach Hotel has been voted a Top Stay hotel by previous Saga guests and has also received our one-rosette Good Food award. Beauty and spa treatments are at an extra charge.
Of the hotel's 202 air-conditioned bedrooms, Saga guests stay in rooms facing inland, or for a supplement you could upgrade to a room which has a balcony and view of the sea, or a partial sea view (only available for twin rooms). Free mineral water is provided and replenished daily, and there's also a pillow and mattress menu to ensure a good night's sleep! Room service and laundry service are available for an extra charge.Television
Room service
Laundry service
Tea coffee making facilities
Food and Drink
Your stay at the Alexander the Great Beach Hotel is on an all-inclusive basis. Included meals will be served in the main restaurant, with house wine and water included at lunch and dinner. There are also three à la carte restaurants – Italian, Greek and Japanese (the latter two are seasonal and weather dependent) – you can dine once at each of them for free during your stay, although a reservation will be required. Alternatively, you can choose to dine there for an extra charge at all other times.
The free Saga bar in the Saga lounge is open from 1pm to 11pm and serves premium-brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There will also be unlimited tea and coffee available between 10am-11pm every day.
During your stay can enjoy the following activities and entertainment; some may be at an additional cost
- Orientation walk
- Greek lessons
- Talk on the local area
- Cookery demonstration
- Live music (once a week)
- A Greek dancing show (seasonal)
You may also wish to take part in some of the sporting activities available, including:
- Aqua aerobics
- French bowls
Other Hotel Information
10% discount off items purchased at the hotel that are charged to your room and settled with your Saga Platinum credit card (excludes franchise outlets).
The 4-star Alexander the Great Beach Hotel has been voted a Top Stay hotel by previous Saga guests and has also received our one-rosette Good Food award. Beauty and spa treatments are at an extra charge.
Saga lounge
Steam room
Internet access
Table tennis
Beauty centre
Indoor and outdoor pools
The hotel is a kilometre from Kato Paphos where you'll find an array of shops and restaurants. This lively city is home to a wealth of ancient sites, while the sea here is ideal for snorkelling, diving and sailing. Paphos airport is a 20-minute drive away. Larnaka airport is one-and-a-half hours' drive away.
Paphos Tour
Travel to the village of Yerouskipou to visit a maker of loukoumi – also known as Turkish (or in this case) Cyprus delight. See how the sweets are made and sample some of the different flavours before heading to Paphos where you'll pass the Catacombs of Solomoni and the Pillar of St Paul where the saint was believed to have been lashed before he converted the Roman Governor to Christianity. Finally, you'll travel down to the harbour where you may wish to visit the House of Dionysus, which is famed for its ornate floor mosaics, or you can visit Paphos Fort, which was built by the Turks and dates from 1592. Alternatively, you could take some time out in one of the cafes on the edge of the harbour before returning to your hotel.
Half day
Included on 7 nights itinerary
Included on 10 nights itinerary
Included on 11 nights itinerary
Included on 14 nights itinerary
Included on 21 nights itinerary
Cyprus Sweets and the Rose Factory
If you were to be invited into a Cypriot home, your hostess might welcome you with a coffee and a little dish containing a 'spoon sweet' or glyko. This is a piece of fruit preserved in a thick sugar syrup that's served as a traditional gesture of hospitality. The name describes the typical portion size – a generous teaspoonful. On this excursion you'll visit a workshop to see how these delicious preserves are produced, along with other Cypriot specialities.
Rose water is a traditional ingredient in some Cypriot food and in beauty and skin care preparations. The village of Agros is famous for cultivating rose bushes for rose water. You'll visit the Tsolakis family's factory where they also produce rose oil, rose tea, rose jam, rose soaps, a skincare range and scented candles, to discover the history and production processes behind the sweet smell of their success.
Full day
Included on 14 nights itinerary
Included on 21 nights itinerary
Not available on 7 nights itinerary
Not available on 10 nights itinerary
Not available on 11 nights itinerary
Days Gone By
Head along the coast to Aphrodite's Rock, where legend states the Greek goddess of love and beauty was born out of the foaming waves. Continue to Kourion, an ancient city set on a cliff where you can see an early Christian basilica and an amphitheatre where gladiatorial games were held during the Roman times. Finally you'll visit Kolossi Castle, a fine example of military architecture which was originally built in the 13th century, however the building you see today was built in the middle of the 15th century.
Half day
Included on 14 nights itinerary
Included on 21 nights itinerary
Not available on 7 nights itinerary
Not available on 10 nights itinerary
Not available on 11 nights itinerary
Panagia Village
Your first stop on this excursion takes you to the 12th-century monastery of Chrysoroyiatissa, famed for its excellent wines created from the monastery's own vineyards. After some time here, a short drive takes you to Panagia, the birthplace of Archbishop Makarios III who became the first president of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. His humble home has now become a museum. Finally, you'll stop at a family-owned winery for a tour and tasting.
Half day
Included on 7 nights itinerary
Included on 10 nights itinerary
Included on 11 nights itinerary
Included on 14 nights itinerary
Included on 21 nights itinerary
Kyrenia is a bustling harbour town featuring several historical sites of great interest, including Kyrenia Castle, St Hilarion Castle, magnificent Bellapais Abbey and the Shipwreck Museum. You'll also visit the village of Bellapais, which was home to Lawrence Durrell who chronicled his life here in the book 'Bitter Lemons'.
Full day
Optional on 7 nights itinerary
Optional on 10 nights itinerary
Optional on 11 nights itinerary
Optional on 14 nights itinerary
Optional on 21 nights itinerary
Troodos and Kykkos
Enjoy breathtaking views as you venture into the Troodos Mountains. Drive through wine growing villages where time seems to have stood still as you make your way up to Kykkos, whose monastery was founded in 1080 by the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos. Just beyond this, you'll see the tomb of Archbishop Makarios III, the first president of Cyprus. Pause for lunch in the village of Pedhoullas before travelling back to Limassol
Full day
Optional on 7 nights itinerary
Optional on 10 nights itinerary
Optional on 11 nights itinerary
Optional on 14 nights itinerary
Optional on 21 nights itinerary


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12 most common tax scams
Published On: Mar 27 2013 10:50:52 AM PDT Updated On: Jan 21 2015 12:00:37 AM PST
As tax season begins, the IRS warns taxpayers to be on high alert for common scams. Take a look at the annual "dirty dozen" list released by the IRS.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to our Terms of Use.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold a public information meeting on issues concerning rock climbing on public lands from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 at Haleiwa Elementary School.
The meeting with DLNR officials is expected to cover the current status and pros and cons of legislation regarding legal and management actions associated with rock climbing on public lands, as well as possible long-term DLNR actions and solutions if enabling legislation does not pass this session.
On June 12, 2012 DLNR officially closed a cliffside area of State land at Mokuleia in the area adjacent to Kaena Point State Park.
The hillside has been a popular climbing area featured on websites by local and visiting rock climbers, who had dubbed it "The Wall."
It is the same area where a 12-year old girl was critically injured when a rock fell and hit her head the day before while participating in a group activity.
Closure of this state land area was done for the safety and welfare of the public under authority of Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 171-6 and Hawaii Administrative Rules Section 13-221-4.
Warning signs were posted at various access points in the area, advising the public of exposure to potential dangers and the closure. DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers were also stationed in the area to advise the public of the closure.
Although rock climbing is not prohibited by state law, this area was not sanctioned nor managed by DLNR for rock climbing, which may be considered an inherently hazardous activity. This area has remained closed to the present while DLNR officials considered their options.


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The date is special in the ELCA as, together, congregations will be in service to their communities on "God's Work, Our Hands" Sunday. The dinner will be drive through or dine in at the church, 1500 E. FM 351, on Sept. 8 from 11:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and will be a half chicken, potato salad, beans, trimmings and dessert. The cost is $ 7 per ticket, and pre-sale tickets are available from Habitat board members in the community. The dinner is being prepared by the Men of Faith, led by Fred Schauer and Buddy Kopplin.
For tickets or more information, contact Don Taylor at 361-362-3443.


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The recent windy weather along with the ongoing drought increases the threat of wildfires.
The danger is so real, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning on Tuesday.
"Upstream of the islands, you have drier than normal air for this time of year," said Ian Morrison of the National Weather Service.
Rainfall, humidity and wind speed are factors Morrison and his team consider before declaring a fire risk.
"Relative humidity has to be 45 percent or less so it has to be dry and the wind has to be 20 mph or greater," said Morrison.
The dry season runs from April through October. Leeward sections of each island are at greater risk for fire because trees and shrubs are dried out. According to the National Weather Service, the leeward sides of Maui and the Big Island face the greatest danger.
"Big Island, in the Kohala area -- all that -- they go back and forth in between the highest levels of drought to moderate drought in the past year, so they've been dry for quite some time," said Morrison.
The dry conditions helped fuel at least six fire in Ka'u earlier this year scorching more than 6,500 acres.
Morrison said there are precautions people can take to try and protect their property.
"Sometimes it's prudent to clear out any shrubs that are near your house, just in case," said Morrison.
Relief is in sight. Tropical moisture south of Hawaii will eventually find its way to the islands, but that doesn't typically happen until late October. Until then, the state may face an elevated risk of wildfires.


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Basketball Photos
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Lewandowski the difference for Bayern
Robert Lewandowski secured a narrow Champions League win for Bayern over Atletico. More »Omnisport - 1 hour 5 minutes ago
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Arda Turan scored a hat-trick as Barcelona thumped Borussia Monchengladbach. More »Omnisport - 1 hour 6 minutes ago
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Sammy Lee has left his role with England with immediate effect as Gareth Southgate looks to bring in his own coaching staff. More »Omnisport - 8 hours ago
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Yahoo Sport UK brings you all the action, goals and drama from the European tie at the Etihad. More »1 hour 17 minutes ago
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World number two Novak Djokovic has confirmed that he has split from his coach Boris Becker, saying that the decision was taken jointly. More »Eurosport - 3 hours ago


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"For the Scripture says 'Holy, holy, holy Lord of hosts; full is every creature of his glory'. And we, led by conscience, gathered together in one place in concord, cry to Him continuously as from one mouth, that we may become sharers in His great and glorious promises."
~ The Sanctus, here described by Pope Clement I (from his I Cor., 34:6-7) circa A.D. 95, is one of the most ancient parts of the sacred liturgy, tracing back to the time of the apostles.


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Home List of Titles Debye-diffraction-based concentric energy analysis on two-photon photoluminescence imaging of gold nanorods under radial polarization illumination
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/238074
|Download PDF (Published version) (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 3 MB)
- Title
- Debye-diffraction-based concentric energy analysis on two-photon photoluminescence imaging of gold nanorods under radial polarization illumination
- Author(s)
- Kang, Hong; Gu, Min
- Abstract
- Gold nanorods have been identified to be useful contrast agents as they exhibit pronounced two-photon photoluminescence under laser illumination of appropriate intensity and polarization configurations. In this paper, the two-photon photoluminescence imaging of three-dimensionally randomly oriented gold nanorods under linear and radial polarization illumination is investigated through a concentric energy analysis based on the Debye diffraction theory. Consequently, the effect of the numerical aperture and the apodization function of an objective on the polarization distribution in the focal region can be analyzed to form an important part in the understanding on the efficient excitation of gold nanorods. It is demonstrated that the radially polarized beam is an effective laser mode in generating strong two-photon imaging of nanorods in the presence of objectives with high numerical aperture and large annular obstruction sizes.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences. Centre for Micro-Photonics
- Source
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 112, no. 8 (Oct 2012), article no. 083106
- Publication year
- 2012
- FOR Code(s)
- 01 Mathematical Sciences; 02 Physical Sciences; 09 Engineering
- Keyword(s)
- Concentric energy; Debye diffraction theory; Gold nanorods; Imaging; Radial polarization illumination; Two-photon photoluminescence
- Publisher
- American Institute of Physics
- 0021-8979
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Physics. The published version is reproduced with the kind permission of the publisher.
- Full text
- Peer reviewed


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A Racine mother was sentenced to two years in prison for a conviction related to the death of her toddler daughter.
Prosecutors said Cheyenna White failed to act while her boyfriend inflicted fatal injuries on her daughter in October 2011.
The Journal Times of Racine reported 24-year-old White broke down in tears during her hearing Friday. She said the loss of her child was more punishment than any person could mete out.
The judge said he didn't consider White a bad person but it was his duty to seek justice for the little girl.
White is the mother of 2-year-old Donnasia Jackson, who prosecutors said died in October 2011 after White's boyfriend slammed her to the ground at least a dozen times.
The boyfriend, Andre Knighton, pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless homicide. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in mid-November.
Prosecutors said White waited eight hours to seek medical treatment. An autopsy said the girl's injuries included a severe skull fracture.


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Marijuana eradication wanes as funds dry up
MONTPELIER Funding for Vermonts cannabis eradication program has hit an all-time low, and the number of domestically grown marijuana plants being uprooted annually by law-enforcement officers has dropped as a result.
When it comes to narcotics interdiction, however, Commissioner of Public Safety Keith Flynn says resources are better spent fighting an opiate trade that, unlike marijuana, fuels ancillary quality-of-life crimes committed by addicts seeking cash for drugs.
Very frankly, we want to make sure that we are utilizing our law-enforcement resources in Vermont in the best way possible, Flynn says. And when we look at heroin and opiates and other drugs causing an increase in break-in and burglaries and drug-store robberies, that becomes the emphasis for us.
The so-called Domestic Cannabis Eradication Program, launched nationwide by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration in 1985, manifests each autumn in the form of Air Guard helicopters thumping over the expanses on their weed-spotting missions.
But the federal money that funds the eradication efforts of Vermont State Police, who are provided coordinates of growing operations by aerial spotters, has begun to dry up. For 2012 and 2013, according to Flynn, the budget, which goes largely to overtime pay for the extra hours put in by officers to conduct the missions, fell to $25,000 a year. Thats down from $34,000 in 2011, and represents a steady decline from 15 years ago, when Vermont had $60,000 to support eradication efforts.
According to DEA statistics, eradication numbers appear to have suffered as a result. A program that resulted in the destruction of 6,400 outdoor and indoor plants in 1998 managed to cull about 4,000 plants in 2010 and only 2,020 in 2011. Last years eradication efforts, the most poorly funded yet, saw fewer than 1,500 plants destroyed, according to the DEA.
Eradication-related arrests are also down. In 2002, police made 100 arrests related to the discovery of outdoor and indoor growing operations. By 2010, the number had fallen to 49; in 2011, state police recorded only 31 eradication-related arrests; and last year, they arrested only 14 people in the course of their cannabis eradication work.
Flynn says his 327-officer agency is focusing its limited eradication resources on the highest-yield cannabis plots.
Gov. Peter Shumlin earlier this year signed into law legislation that decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, and the second-term Democrat has indicated that its only a matter of time before hell push for outright legalization.
Were not flying over looking for a single plant growing in somebodys back yard I think thats probably the best way to put it. Were looking for grow operations that appear to be more on the commercial side, Flynn says. Im more concerned about a large quantity than I am for an amount the Legislature said should be decriminalized.
@timesargus.comMORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryAs Rutland prepares to welcome Syrian refugees to its community, some are continuing to voice... Full Story
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At approximately 7:25 p.m. Friday, GCSO dispatched deputies to the 200 block of West High St., where they found 54-year-old Homer Maldonado unresponsive. Pape said witnesses told investigators Maldonado fell over a bicycle and was thought to be intoxicated.
According to GCSO investigator John Pape, witnesses said they put Maldonado on a bench beside a picnic table and left him there while they went to a grocery store to purchase items for a barbecue.
Pape said the witnesses returned approximately 20 minutes later to find Maldonado unresponsive. Goliad EMS was called to the scene and attempted CPR on Maldonado with no success.
Pape said there are no indications of foul play in Maldonado's death, but an autopsy will still be performed.
Early Friday morning, the body of Christoval Lee Garza, 38, was found on Warrick Street near a grain elevator east of the Dollar General store.


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Two students hit by car near WSU
Published On: Dec 07 2009 01:37:44 PM PST Updated On: Dec 07 2009 01:39:55 PM PST
Two pedestrians were hit by a car while in a crosswalk near the Washington State University campus early Monday morning, sending both to the hospital.
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Man arrested after odd behavior
BERLIN Police say Jason C. Fewer, 41, of Barre, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and theft of service Wednesday.
Around 4:30 p.m., police responded to the Wayside Restaurant on the Barre-Montpelier Road for a complaint of a male walking out without paying his bill.
About 30 minutes later, police received a complaint of a male fitting Fewers description lying in the road and jumping out in front of an ambulance that was responding to an emergency.
Police said they quickly located Fewer and took him into custody. While in police custody, Fewer tried to run from the holding cell and processing room at the Berlin Police Department, according to police.
He was taken back into custody after a short foot chase, police said.
Fewer was lodged in the St. Johnsbury Correctional Facility for lack of bail. He is facing charges of disorderly conduct, theft of service, escape and resisting arrest.MORE IN This Just In
State police are investigating the death of a Newbury couple after receiving report... Full StoryBARRE Vermont Foodbank and Uber Vermont today announced the launch of a giving season... Full StoryNational Forest
trees for $5
RUTLAND The public can buy Christmas trees for... Full Story
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text: PITTSBURGH, PA (March 7, 2011) – The Allegheny County Airport Authority is announcing a Facebook promotion to increase awareness of low-cost airlines and JetBlue Airways Pittsburgh-New York (JFK) flights at Pittsburgh International Airport. The contest is for two free tickets on JetBlue Airways. Contestants need to "Like" Pittsburgh International Airport and comment on JetBlue and low cost carriers on Facebook to enter the drawing. (http://www.facebook.com/PITairport) Pittsburgh International Airport has fares today that are well below the national average. That is possible thanks to low-cost carriers including JetBlue, AirTran and Southwest. Without this air service, competition would be reduced and fares would climb back up. "It is an important goal of the Allegheny County Airport Authority to make sure we do all that we can to keep these airlines at PIT. We want to hear from air travelers and send a message that if you don't use it, you will lose it!" stated Glenn R. Mahone, Chairman, Allegheny County Airport Authority. To enter, visit Pittsburgh International Airport's Facebook page and post a comment telling us what you like about JetBlue. To post a comment, participants must first "Like" Pittsburgh International Airport's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PITairport. We want to know who has flown JetBlue and what you liked best about your experience. Those who enter by posting a comment are eligible to win two roundtrip tickets from Pittsburgh to Boston or New York on JetBlue. The contest will run from March 7 to March 21 and a winner will be chosen on March 21 from the postings. The winner will receive of two Travel Authorization Letters each valid for roundtrip travel on JetBlue Airways from Pittsburgh International Airport to Boston or New York City (JFK). Travel needs to be completed by December 3, 2011. For more information about JetBlue's positive impact on Pittsburgh fares, go to: PDF


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Teardrop Bauble Earring
Style: 570106100
Out of Stock
Seed pearls and faceted baubles cluster above a radiant silvertone teardrop.
- Approximately 1.5".
- Ear wire.
- Glass beads, acrylic pearls. Silvertone metal.
- Custom designed exclusively for WHBM. Handcrafted with nickel-free and lead-free metal.
Read more… Read less…


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Behind the curtainJanuary 19,2013
The story of Lance Armstrongs fall from grace is not all that interesting: another pretender, another cheat, another liar, another bully. The world is full of them. In one sense, it feels better to forget about them, let them fade into oblivion.
In another sense, its good to confront our own vulnerability to the myth-making prowess of accomplished crooks and to recognize the difficulty we have freeing ourselves of their myths. It happens not just in sports, but in many walks of life.
Armstrong was a great sports hero because he battled back from cancer and won the Tour de France for seven straight races. He consistently denied that he used performance-enhancing drugs, even as other cyclists were caught. Anyone who challenged his veracity was subject to vicious attacks.
Meanwhile, he was making millions in prize money and endorsements and was promoting an image of himself as a wholesome all-American hero working through his foundation to help victims of cancer.
It was all a fraud. He was not a hero. He was a self-serving liar, who made a fortune by promoting an image. The image was a fake, and everyone who was inspired by his athletic achievements or his good deeds was duped.
We know all this because of Armstrongs admissions in his celebrated interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which he acknowledged the drugs and the lies. He tried to defend himself by saying that what he did was part of the prevailing culture of cycling. Everyone was doing it. Of course, drugs would not have been the prevailing culture except for the lies that everyone was telling. And Armstrong, as the greatest cyclist of all, was a big part of the culture. What he took to be expiation was actually a self-indictment.
He is not the only myth-making fraud in sports or American life. The list of disgraced athletes is long, including that roster of stars who were not inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa. There have been others, including Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire.
Reaction to the Armstrong confession has included a tendency to let bygones be bygones: He has made his confession; let him move on. The underlying assumption is that he is a good person who got caught up in something. This tolerance for fraud is founded on the premise that his sports accomplishments grant him a stature that demands our admiration.
How liberating it is to free ourselves from thralldom to that myth. What is there to admire in someone so self-obsessed and hungry for money and fame that he fashions a life of lies? And sports is not the only arena where lies and self-obsession have enthralled people to a myth.
Think of the myth of the Wall Street titan and the obeisance he has required from the American people, who have been taught to believe that the riches of the plutocrat endow him with great qualities. This myth has cost the nation far more dearly than the myth of heroism surrounding our sports frauds. We have learned that the limousine class has perpetrated a Ponzi scheme vastly more damaging than the crimes of Bernie Madoff. And when the edifice fell down around them, we had to cough up our own money to put it back together again.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain, said the Wizard of Oz. The myth advanced by the wizard was all part of Dorothys dream, but it was part of a story told during the Great Depression when the American people needed to disenthrall themselves from the wizards of Wall Street and other charlatans who had wrecked the nation.
Lance Armstrong is just another charlatan, one with unusual powers of physical endurance. So what? The grand showmanship of his confession is just part of his game.MORE IN EditorialsProtesters converged on a bank in Montpelier early this week to show their solidarity with the... Full StoryPhil Scott will take office next month after winning with a margin of 51.11 percent to 43. Full StoryIdeologues and partisans work from the outcome backward. Full Story
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Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a type of cancer. It starts in blood cells called T-lymphocytes. These are white blood cells that are part of your immune system. They normally fight infection in the body. The cancer then affects the skin (cutaneous). It causes scaly patches or bumps called lesions or tumors. The cancer is also known as lymphoma of the skin. It is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is usually a slow-growing cancer. It develops over many years. The two most common types of this cancer are mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome.
Symptoms and stages of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
The symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma depend on how far the cancer has spread (stage). The symptoms of can look like other skin conditions. Make sure to see your doctor for a diagnosis. The following are the most common signs and symptoms of mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome:
Signs and symptoms
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV
Diagnosing cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
Your health care provider will ask about your medical history and give you a physical exam. You may also have a biopsy of a skin tumor or lymph node. This is a small sample of tissue that is taken with a needle or minor surgery. The tissue is then checked in a lab for cancer cells. A biopsy will confirm the diagnosis. You may also have samples of lymph nodes, bone marrow, and blood take to look for lymphoma cells. This helps to learn the stage of the disease.
Treatment for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
Treatment may include:
Chemotherapy. This is treatment with medicines to kill cancer cells. Medicines may be put on the skin as a cream or gel. Or they may be injected into a vein.
Other types of medicine. These may include retinoids, corticosteroids, targeted medicine, or immune therapy. Some of these are applied to the skin. Others are taken by mouth or given as an injection.
Radiation therapy. This treatment uses X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
Photodynamic therapy. This uses a certain type of light and a chemical to kill cancer cells.
Extracorporeal photopheresis. This therapy is used to kill lymphoma cells in the blood. The blood is sent through a machine that exposes it to a special ultraviolet (UV) light. The light kills the lymphoma cells. The blood is then returned to the body.
Clinical trials for new treatments
Researchers are always finding new ways to treat cancer. These new methods are tested in clinical trials. Talk with your doctor to find out if there are any clinical trials you should consider.


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Oracle, Dell Pair Up On Database Server Bundle
Oracle is banking that a new Dell bundle will help it better penetrate small and midsize businesses.
Holiday Gift Guide: 10 Smartphones For 2016
Apple, Samsung, Google and LG are among the companies offering hot smartphones this season.
The 10 Biggest Google Stories Of 2016
Google established itself as an enterprise player in 2016 by notching big wins and expanding its partner footprint. Here are the 10 biggest Google stories of the year.
5 Companies That Had A Rough Week
For the week ending Dec. 2, CRN looks at IT companies that were unfortunate, unsuccessful or just didn't make good decisions.
The 2016 Internet Of Things 50
The IoT market is quickly moving beyond smart homes and automated cars to the enterprise and verticals where solution providers play a big role.


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Linux has come a long way in the last 10 years. At that time, if you were looking through the main audio and music applications on other operating systems, you would have struggled to find comparable, fully developed, apps on Linux. Nowadays, while no one would say the job was done, they could point to an assortment of high-quality applications that are getting real jobs done.
Having said that, there's still work to do on existing apps and the whole future ahead for those who want to try to get the future started now; which is to say that there is no fundamental law stating that there shall only be sequencers, loopers, and whatever. Whether designing the future or just having a play with sounds, Linux is a nice place to get started for practical as well as possible idealogical reasons. The practical reasons have to do with the variety of APIs available to let you get into Linux audio programming in a way that suits your ambitions and skills. Once you've acquired some skills, you could join an existing development team for an app you like, or head off into the wilderness hacking your own trail.
One side issue here is the business model. This is of interest to anyone hoping that what might start as an enjoyable hobby could have the possibility of being a job as well. First of all, there really aren't that many jobs in this field, and there still aren't that many if you include all the commercial audio software houses. They are there though. Academia is a similarly small area, but another possibility. One thing is for sure, project donations will not pay the rent. Consulting work gained as a result of your project work might do so, though. And if you come up with the next Big Thing, well, that's a different story.
Before we head into some specifics, and if you're unfamiliar with this general area, there are a couple of podcast chats with Fernando Lopez-Lescano of CCRMA at Stanford and another with Paul Davis of the Ardour project that cover a wide range of topics under this heading. The podcasts are available at Technical University Berlin and Mstation.org.
Now, let's have a look at what we're trying to do and the main options available for doing it.
The three main things to do are capturing (recording) audio, replaying it, and altering it. All of this comes under the heading of Digital Signal Processing (DSP). We'll be looking at the first two options: capturing and replaying.
What we want to do is talk to the sound card in the computer, tell it what to do, what sort of arrangement the data should have (bearing in mind the card's capabilities), and then store it somewhere.
This could be broadly shown as the following (from the Paul Davis tutorial on ALSA programming):
open_the_device(); set_the_parameters_of_the_device(); while (!done) { /* one or both of these */ receive_audio_data_from_the_device(); deliver_audio_data_to_the_device(); } close the device
A look at the ALSA sound card matrix is a good starting point for learning about cards, but in what comes below, you frequently don't need to be that far into the machine (depending on what you want to accomplish).
Now, let's have a look at the ways we might get something happening.
Open Sound System (OSS), from 4Front Technologies, was the only supplier of sound card drivers for Linux until 1997 or '98. In those days, there was a free driver set and a commercial set, which offered a lot more. Now, OSS drivers are available for free for non-commercial use. The drivers are also open source since June 2007.
ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) now provides the kernel drivers, and OSS use is deprecated, but there may be circumstances where OSS is useful, including doing work on an existing OSS application. Hannu Savolainen, the man behind OSS who was originally responsible for Linux sound support, writes a blog that provides a fascinating backlog to all of this. He maintains that lots of developers continue to use OSS because they don't like the ALSA API and don't need its added features (and complication). However, there are easier ways into ALSA, which we'll get to in the next section.
If you've ever seen a jokey reference to
cat somefile > /dev/dsp then you've seen an OSS interface and, by the way, the results of doing just that with, say, a text file can be extremely ugly.
The OSS API consists of Posix/Unix system calls:
and mmap().
The following is a simple audio playback program from the OSS documentation that plays a continuous 1 kHz sine wave. The well-documented code, first of all, gives an example of synthesis and then goes on to set parameters, open and set the audio device, and finally to write the data to the device.
int fd_out;
int sample_rate = 48000;
static void
write_sinewave (void)
This routine is a typical example of application routine that produces
audio signal using synthesis. This is actually a very basic "wave
table" algorithm (btw). It uses precomputed sine function values for a
complete cycle of a sine function. This is much faster than calling
the sin() function once for each sample. In other applications this
routine can simply be replaced by whatever the application needs to do.
static unsigned int phase = 0; /* Phase of the sine wave */
unsigned int p;
int i;
short buf[1024]; /* 1024 samples/write is a safe choice */
int outsz = sizeof (buf) / 2;
static int sinebuf[48] = {
0, 4276, 8480, 12539, 16383, 19947, 23169, 25995,
28377, 30272, 31650, 32486, 32767, 32486, 31650, 30272,
28377, 25995, 23169, 19947, 16383, 12539, 8480, 4276,
0, -4276, -8480, -12539, -16383, -19947, -23169, -25995,
-28377, -30272, -31650, -32486, -32767, -32486, -31650, -30272,
-28377, -25995, -23169, -19947, -16383, -12539, -8480, -4276
for (i = 0; i < outsz; i++)
The sinebuf[] table was computed for 48000 Hz. We will use simple
sample rate compensation. We must prevent the phase variable from
growing too large because that would cause cause arihmetic overflows
after certain time. This kind of error posibilities must be identified
when writing audio programs that could be running for hours or even
months or years without interruption. When computing (say) 192000
samples each second the 32 bit integer range may get overflown very
quickly. The number of samples played at 192 kHz will cause an
overflow after about 6 hours.
p = (phase * sample_rate) / 48000;
phase = (phase + 1) % 4800;
buf[i] = sinebuf[p % 48];
Proper error checking must be done when using write. It's also
important to report the error code returned by the system.
if (write (fd_out, buf, sizeof (buf)) != sizeof (buf))
perror ("Audio write");
exit (-1);
The open_audio_device opens the audio device and initializes it for
the required mode.
static int
open_audio_device (char *name, int mode)
int tmp, fd;
if ((fd = open (name, mode, 0)) == -1)
perror (name);
exit (-1);
Setup the device. Note that it's important to set the sample format,
number of channels and sample rate exactly in this order. Some
devices depend on the order.
/* Set the sample format */
tmp = AFMT_S16_NE; /* Native 16 bits */
if (ioctl (fd, SNDCTL_DSP_SETFMT, &tmp) == -1)
perror ("SNDCTL_DSP_SETFMT");
exit (-1);
if (tmp != AFMT_S16_NE)
fprintf (stderr,
"The device doesn't support the 16 bit sample format.\n");
exit (-1);
/* Set the number of channels */
tmp = 1;
if (ioctl (fd, SNDCTL_DSP_CHANNELS, &tmp) == -1)
perror ("SNDCTL_DSP_CHANNELS");
exit (-1);
if (tmp != 1)
fprintf (stderr, "The device doesn't support mono mode.\n");
exit (-1);
/* Set the sample rate */
sample_rate = 48000;
if (ioctl (fd, SNDCTL_DSP_SPEED, &sample_rate) == -1)
perror ("SNDCTL_DSP_SPEED");
exit (-1);
No need for error checking because we will automatically adjust the
signal based on the actual sample rate. However most application must
check the value of sample_rate and compare it to the requested rate.
Small differences between the rates (10% or less) are normal and the
applications should usually tolerate them. However larger differences
may cause annoying pitch problems (Mickey Mouse).
return fd;
main (int argc, char *argv[])
Use /dev/dsp as the default device because the system administrator
may select the device using the ossctl program or some other methods
char *name_out = "/dev/dsp";
It's recommended to provide some method for selecting some other
device than the default. We use command line argument but in some
cases an environment variable or some configuration file setting may
be better.
if (argc > 1)
name_out = argv[1];
It's mandatory to use O_WRONLY in programs that do only playback.
Other modes may cause increased resource (memory) usage in the driver.
It may also prevent other applications from using the same device for
recording at the same time.
fd_out = open_audio_device (name_out, O_WRONLY);
while (1)
write_sinewave ();
exit (0);
Copyright (C) 4Front Technologies, 2002-2004. Released under GPLv2/CDDL.
ALSA was started to fill a perceived gap for free, open source sound drivers. In 1998, for example, the OSS free drivers would not allow you to use full duplex on your sound card (being able to monitor a prerecorded track as well as what you're recording). Also, the OSS drivers at the time would not address the more sophisticated parts of the higher-end cards like the RME Hammerfall which were becoming available. A thought at the time was that OSS was fine for users who just wanted to play CDs or MP3s, and ALSA was what you needed if you were going to do serious studio work.
The ALSA API could thus be said to be lower-level than OSS although in both APIs there are both generic and specific ways to talk to hardware; and the specific way (mmap in OSS, hw in ALSA) is more verbose and requires detailed knowledge of the card--which makes sense if you're trying, for example, to use specific features of a high-end audio card (to see if a specific card is supported see the sound card matrix mentioned earlier). Bear in mind also that these APIs enable the machine to talk to the sound card via the drivers; the generic way of talking to them isn't magic, it's just addressing information already contained in the drivers.
Below is an example of a minimal, interrupt-driven program from the Paul Davis Tutorial on the ALSA API.'This program opens an audio interface for playback, configures it for stereo, 16 bit, 44. 1kHz, interleaved conventional read/write access. It then waits till the interface is ready for playback data, and delivers random data to it at that time. This design allows your program to be easily ported to systems that rely on a callback-driven mechanism, such as JACK, LADSPA, CoreAudio, VST, and many others.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <poll.h>
#include <alsa/asoundlib.h>
snd_pcm_t *playback_handle;
short buf[4096];
playback_callback (snd_pcm_sframes_t nframes)
int err;
printf ("playback callback called with %u frames\n", nframes);
/* ... fill buf with data ... */
if ((err = snd_pcm_writei (playback_handle, buf, nframes)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "write failed (%s)\n", snd_strerror (err));
return err;
main (int argc, char *argv[])
snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
snd_pcm_sw_params_t *sw_params;
snd_pcm_sframes_t frames_to_deliver;
int nfds;
int err;
struct pollfd *pfds;
if ((err = snd_pcm_open (&playback_handle, argv[1], SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, 0)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot open audio device %s (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc (&hw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot allocate hardware parameter structure (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any (playback_handle, hw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot initialize hardware parameter structure (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access (playback_handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set access type (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format (playback_handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample format (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near (playback_handle, hw_params, 44100, 0)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample rate (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels (playback_handle, hw_params, 2)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set channel count (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params (playback_handle, hw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set parameters (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
snd_pcm_hw_params_free (hw_params);
/* tell ALSA to wake us up whenever 4096 or more frames
of playback data can be delivered. Also, tell
ALSA that we'll start the device ourselves.
if ((err = snd_pcm_sw_params_malloc (&sw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot allocate software parameters structure (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_sw_params_current (playback_handle, sw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot initialize software parameters structure (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_avail_min (playback_handle, sw_params, 4096)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set minimum available count (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_start_threshold (playback_handle, sw_params, 0U)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set start mode (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
if ((err = snd_pcm_sw_params (playback_handle, sw_params)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot set software parameters (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
/* the interface will interrupt the kernel every 4096 frames,
and ALSA will wake up this program very soon after that.
if ((err = snd_pcm_prepare (playback_handle)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot prepare audio interface for use (%s)\n",
snd_strerror (err));
exit (1);
while (1) {
/* wait till the interface is ready for data, or 1
second has elapsed.
if ((err = snd_pcm_wait (playback_handle, 1000)) < 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "poll failed (%s)\n", strerror (errno));
/* find out how much space is available for playback
if ((frames_to_deliver = snd_pcm_avail_update (playback_handle)) < 0) {
if (frames_to_deliver == -EPIPE) {
fprintf (stderr, "an xrun occured\n");
} else {
fprintf (stderr, "unknown ALSA avail update return value (%d)\n",
frames_to_deliver = frames_to_deliver > 4096 ? 4096 : frames_to_deliver;
/* deliver the data */
if (playback_callback (frames_to_deliver) != frames_to_deliver) {
fprintf (stderr, "playback callback failed\n");
snd_pcm_close (playback_handle);
exit (0);
In the example after this one, Paul goes on to talk about full-duplex, or combining both capture and playback to achieve what we talked about a little earlier. Achieving this by combining ordinary capture and playback is, in his opinion, deeply flawed, and interupts are the way to go with this. However, doing it this way is complex and he recommends JACK.
If you listened to the podcast chat with Paul Davis, you'll have caught me saying something like: What do you think is the best way into Linux Audio programming, ALSA? And him saying that, actually, JACK would usually be the best way to go, for the reason that there's a higher level of abstraction, so dealing with the sound card stuff is easier and requires less code.
JACK Audio Connection Kit was put together by Paul Davis and others from the Linux Audio Dev mailing list. The primary ideas of the thing are to allow audio apps on POSIX-compliant operating systems (e.g., Linux, BSD, Mac OS X) to interchange data while running, and also to provide a higher level of abstraction so that developers can concentrate more on the core functionality of their programs. An added advantage is that porting from Linux to Mac OS X is trivial if you're using X11 or it's a command line app.
Here is a simple client that shows the basic features of JACK. The typical steps as listed on the JACK site are:
jack_client_open() to connect to the JACK server.
jack.h, which is the only call made in the following example (from this LXR project page on SourceForge). Needless to say, a thorough study of this in conjunction with existing code (code reuse!) is a good place to start.
/** @file simple_client.c
* @brief This is very simple client that demonstrates the basic
* features of JACK as they would be used by many applications.
jack_port_t *input_port;
jack_port_t *output_port;
* The process callback for this JACK application.
* It is called by JACK at the appropriate times.
process (jack_nframes_t nframes, void *arg)
jack_default_audio_sample_t *out = (jack_default_audio_sample_t *) jack_port_get_buffer (output_port, nframes);
jack_default_audio_sample_t *in = (jack_default_audio_sample_t *) jack_port_get_buffer (input_port, nframes);
memcpy (out, in, sizeof (jack_default_audio_sample_t) * nframes);
return 0;
* This is the shutdown callback for this JACK application.
* It is called by JACK if the server ever shuts down or
* decides to disconnect the client.
jack_shutdown (void *arg)
exit (1);
main (int argc, char *argv[])
jack_client_t *client;
const char **ports;
if (argc < 2) {
fprintf (stderr, "usage: jack_simple_client \n");
return 1;
/* try to become a client of the JACK server */
if ((client = jack_client_new (argv[1])) == 0) {
fprintf (stderr, "jack server not running?\n");
return 1;
/* tell the JACK server to call `process()' whenever
there is work to be done.
jack_set_process_callback (client, process, 0);
/* tell the JACK server to call `jack_shutdown()' if
it ever shuts down, either entirely, or if it
just decides to stop calling us.
jack_on_shutdown (client, jack_shutdown, 0);
/* display the current sample rate.
printf ("engine sample rate: %" PRIu32 "\n",
jack_get_sample_rate (client));
/* create two ports */
input_port = jack_port_register (client, "input", JACK_DEFAULT_AUDIO_TYPE, JackPortIsInput, 0);
output_port = jack_port_register (client, "output", JACK_DEFAULT_AUDIO_TYPE, JackPortIsOutput, 0);
/* tell the JACK server that we are ready to roll */
if (jack_activate (client)) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot activate client");
return 1;
/* connect the ports. Note: you can't do this before
the client is activated, because we can't allow
connections to be made to clients that aren't
if ((ports = jack_get_ports (client, NULL, NULL, JackPortIsPhysical|JackPortIsOutput)) == NULL) {
fprintf(stderr, "Cannot find any physical capture ports\n");
if (jack_connect (client, ports[0], jack_port_name (input_port))) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot connect input ports\n");
free (ports);
if ((ports = jack_get_ports (client, NULL, NULL, JackPortIsPhysical|JackPortIsInput)) == NULL) {
fprintf(stderr, "Cannot find any physical playback ports\n");
if (jack_connect (client, jack_port_name (output_port), ports[0])) {
fprintf (stderr, "cannot connect output ports\n");
free (ports);
/* Since this is just a toy, run for a few seconds,
then finish */
sleep (10);
jack_client_close (client);
exit (0);
Even higher level than JACK is the idea of using the Python bindings for Gstreamer, or the PyAudio bindings for PortAudio, a cross-platform audio library.
Here is an example from the PyAudio docs. We import the audio libraries first and then
sys which enables us to read and write files. Then we do what we've done in every example, which is to set the format of the audio and the audio device. We open a stream, grab the stuff, and then save it.
""" Record a few seconds of audio and save to a WAVE file. """
import pyaudio
import wave
import sys
chunk = 1024
FORMAT = pyaudio.paInt16
WAVE_OUTPUT_FILENAME = "output.wav"
p = pyaudio.PyAudio()
stream = p.open(format = FORMAT,
channels = CHANNELS,
rate = RATE,
input = True,
frames_per_buffer = chunk)
print "* recording"
all = []
for i in range(0, RATE / chunk * RECORD_SECONDS):
data = stream.read(chunk)
print "* done recording"
# write data to WAVE file
data = ''.join(all)
wf = wave.open(WAVE_OUTPUT_FILENAME, 'wb')
Note how minimal this code is. There is no GUI, of course, so that helps as well.
A good introduction to Gstreamer is Jono Bacon's article that describes the workings of Gstreamer and the PyGst bindings. Gstreamer offers quite a lot of creative possibilities and, unlike ESD, offers the possibility of having more than one audio stream playing at one time, amongst many other features.
Below is an example of code from the PyGst docs of a simple audio player. We grab the
sys, windowing, and
pygst stuff, set up the window and the player, and away we go. Note that some implementations, particularly for small devices, are missing crucial bits. For example, I was interested to do a command line version for a Nokia 770 to play loops and wasn't able to.
#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys, os, os.path
import pygtk, gtk, gobject
import pygst
import gst
class GTK_Main:
def __init__(self):
window = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
window.set_default_size(400, 300)
window.connect("destroy", gtk.main_quit, "WM destroy")
vbox = gtk.VBox()
self.entry = gtk.Entry()
vbox.pack_start(self.entry, False, True)
self.button = gtk.Button("Start")
self.button.connect("clicked", self.start_stop)
self.player = gst.element_factory_make("playbin", "player")
fakesink = gst.element_factory_make('fakesink', "my-fakesink")
self.player.set_property("video-sink", fakesink)
bus = self.player.get_bus()
bus.connect('message', self.on_message)
def start_stop(self, w):
if self.button.get_label() == "Start":
filepath = self.entry.get_text()
if os.path.exists(filepath):
self.player.set_property('uri', "file://" + filepath)
def on_message(self, bus, message):
t = message.type
if t == gst.MESSAGE_EOS:
elif t == gst.MESSAGE_ERROR:
Here we actually have a GUI, but you can see the amount of code needed is still relatively small compared to what would be required with some lower-level language.
Which way you might go to get into Linux Audio depends on what you'd like to achieve. If you're planning to just have some fun while learning something, then wherever you start will be OK. If the fun leads to ideas, then you'll soon figure out whether you need to be deeper into the machine or whether you just need to be sketching on the surface. Just bear in mind that the higher the level you're on, the more you're bound by what other people think about how things should be. This is mostly good in terms of ease and implementation time, but could be bad in terms of constricted horizons.
A good mailing list to join if you get serious is the Linux Audio Dev list, which describes itself like this: "The Linux Audio Developers (LAD) list is dedicated to sound architecture and application development for the Linux Operating System. With its proven stability and scalability, it is a perfect foundation for the handling and processing of large amounts of audio data. Our goal is to encourage widespread code re-use and cooperation, and to provide a common forum for all audio related software projects and an exchange point for a number of other special-interest mailing lists."
The archives of this list can also be useful for answering questions, as can using the likes of krugle.com or Google's Codesearch.
At this point, you might say to yourself, well, actually, what I really want to do is make noises or non-standard kinds of music. In that case you could have a look at Csound or Pure Data. You could also look into the synthesis and DSP side of programming, which is something we haven't looked at in this article.
John Littler is chief gopher for Mstation.org.
Return to LinuxDevCenter.com.
Copyright © 2009 O'Reilly Media, Inc.


text:
The Associated Press
SANTA FE — The Legislature moved toward adjournment Thursday by approving a $348 million capital improvement package to replace one vetoed by Gov. Bill Richardson, but the threat of a special session loomed large as lawmakers looked homeward.
Richardson was empty-handed on his top legislative priority with time running out on the 30-day session.
The governor wanted lawmakers to approve a plan to expand health coverage to all New Mexicans, but that ran into trouble early in the session and even a watered-down version of his proposal stalled in the Legislature.
For lawmakers, a top priority was the financing of nearly 2,000 capital improvement projects across New Mexico, including many in the home areas of House and Senate members.
Curry County had about $3.1 million riding on the capital outlay bill, including $850,000 for construction of a Special Events Center and $350,000 for a communications building that would house emergency management personnel.
Roosevelt County was looking for $2.2 million, including $495,000 for county road improvements and $350,000 for a weight training facility at Eastern New Mexico University.
Richardson vetoed the Legislature's first version of the $348 million capital outlay package on Wednesday, but lawmakers had a replacement ready.
Hours before adjournment, the House gave final approval to a duplicate $348 million financing measure and sent it to Richardson. However, the bill could become a huge political stick for the governor.
He will have until March 5 to sign or veto the legislation. If Richardson decides to call a special session before then, the capital projects could become a bargaining chip for the governor to pressure individual legislators to back any of his proposals — particularly on health care.
Even before adjournment, several other Richardson initiatives appeared dead. They included domestic partnership legislation, and authorization for embryonic stem cell research to be conducted in the state.
On Wednesday, administration officials denied that Richardson was trying to pressure legislators by vetoing the capital bill. They said the governor didn't have enough time to properly scrutinize the big spending package by his deadline to sign it.
In the waning hours of the session, the governor also vetoed some projects in a $21 million budget measure. But he left most of that bill substantially intact — "a gesture of goodwill," he said.
The governor's action Wednesday evening on the two bills averted possible legal fight over what his deadline was to act on those measures.
The Legislature claimed — and the attorney general agreed — the deadline was Wednesday evening. Just after 6 p.m., the legislation would "automatically become law" if the governor didn't act, Attorney General Gary King had said.
The governor contended his deadline was Thursday morning. His aides said he acted on the bills early because he didn't want the deadline dispute to be a distraction from other pending issues, such as health care.
The governor's health coverage bill was stalled in a Senate committee. He said if it didn't pass in the form he wanted it, he likely would call lawmakers into a special session later in the year.
The bill already had been significantly weakened. The governor wanted lawmakers to enact major changes in the health care system, including mandating health coverage and requiring businesses to contribute. Those provisions were removed.
In the bill that remained, a health care authority was created, with an executive director to be hired by the authority. The governor wants to hire the executive director, and he wanted the Senate to make that change.
Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for the governor, said Richardson vetoed the capital outlay bill because he didn't have enough time to carefully review the thousands of projects and decide which ones should be funded or rejected.
"It is unreasonable for the Legislature, which took four weeks to pass the capital outlay bill, to demand that the governor review and take action on it in just three days," especially while he had other budget measures to review, Gallegos said.
Lawmakers and Richardson agreed on what many consider the main annual assignment of the Legislature: a budget to provide $6 billion to pay for operations of public education and general government operations next year. The governor signed the budget on Tuesday.
The replacement capital outlay bill is SB471. The vetoed capital outlay bill is HB43.
On the Net:
Legislature: www.legis.state.nm.us


text:
MLA CE Clearinghouse
Since 2011 the Medical Library Association (MLA) CE Clearinghouse has been the home for some of the resources previously available from NN/LM. You can learn about how to sign up, find and add to the new clearinghouse by watching one of the short videos created by the National Library of Medicine Training Center.
- Create a Clearinghouse Account (1 min 35 sec – August 2013)
- Add a resource to the Clearinghouse (2 min 36 sec – August 2013)
- How to Search the MLA Clearinghouse for RML Offerings Using Advanced Search (1 min 44 sec – August 2013)
Visit the MLA Educational Clearinghouse at: http://cech.mlanet.org/
View RML offerings here


text:
Karen Harvey, BSC Foundation Executive Director, Awarded the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Designation
CreatedThursday, November 03 2011
Created byJim Nelson/Media Relations - (304) 327-4103 email@example.com
Bluefield, WV – CFRE International has named Karen Harvey as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Harvey, Executive Director of the Bluefield State College Foundation and Bluefield State's Director of Institutional Advancement, joins over 5,200 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE designation. She is the eighth fundraiser in West Virginia to be so designated.
Individuals granted the CFRE credential have met a series of standards set by CFRE International which include tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement, and a commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations. They have also passed a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a fundraising executive, and have agreed to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights.
"The CFRE credential was created to identify for the public and employers those individuals who possess the knowledge, skills, and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective and ethical manner," stated Sharilyn Hale, MA, CFRE, Chair of CFRE International. "As the certification is voluntary, achievement of the CFRE credential demonstrates a high level of commitment on the part of Ms. Harvey to herself and the fundraising profession as a whole."
Harvey, who has worked at Bluefield State College for almost five years, also holds a MS in Arts Administration from Shenandoah University and is certified in Nonprofit Executive Leadership by the Center on Philanthropy of Indiana University. She has raised approximately $1.5 million for the Bluefield State College Foundation in that time.
"West Virginians have generous hearts," Harvey said. "Philanthropy is a natural offshoot that we can strengthen by implementing professional standards and methods at Bluefield State and our area's nonprofits."


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The new USDA Dietary Guidelines suggest moderating the consumption of meat (see videos here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here). A healthy eating score can be determined by the proportion of foods with phytochemicals (plant nutrients) a person consumes. Eating vegetarian also has been positively associated with less disease, surgery, and medication use, fewer allergies (see here, here), and improved lung function in COPD (emphysema) patients (see also here). A plant-based diet truly may be the best investment for our health. Meat eaters appear to be at a higher risk for certain cancers (see also here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here). The high levels of nitrosamines (carcinogenic compounds found in processed meats) may be partially to blame for this (see also here, here, here, here). The carcinogenic chemicals formed by the cooking of muscles (especially chicken) may also pose a danger. And since food is a package deal, even if meat is a "good" source of certain nutrients, it may not be good for us in the end (because of the other nutritional baggage, such as cholesterol and saturated animal fat). Cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, abdominal aortic aneurysms, weight gain and obesity, diabetes (see also here), Alzheimer's disease, spongiform encephalopathies, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and essential tremor may be associated with meat consumption. Premature breast development in girls has also been linked to meat eating. Xenoestrogens have been linked with early onset puberty; hormones in meat may also be responsible for female infertility. Lymphoma has been linked to higher meat consumption, specifically poultry consumption. Saturated fat intake (found primarily in cheese, chicken, ice cream, desserts) has been linked with an increased risk of dying from breast cancer. A recent Harvard study found meat-eating to be positively associated with increased overall mortality, including increased cancer and heart disease mortality (see also here). Transfat, saturated fat, and cholesterol are found primarily in animal products (see also here, here). This is significant because the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood may be the single best indicator of heart disease risk (see also here). Creatine supplements appear to have a minimal effect on meat eaters; furthermore, taking creatine supplements is not advised due to potential contamination with heavy metals. Putrescine, a chemical compound found in meat, cheese, and fermented foods (highest levels found in canned tuna), may be carcinogenic (see also here). Meat also may contain glycotoxins (AGEs), which may contribute to the aging process, but meat lacks the ability to boost telomerase activity, which may slow aging. Eating meat and eggs also results in higher levels of arachidonic acid in the body; this has been linked with inflammation, including inflammation of the brain, which may contribute to depression, anxiety, and stress. Other contaminants that may be found in meat, fish, and eggs: PCBs, dioxins, ammonia in fast food, anabolic steroids, drug residues, E. coli, banned pesticides, and industrial carcinogens. And retail meat in the U.S. has also been found to be contaminated with "superbugs" (see here, here, here, here) Exposing children to fecal bacteria from meat by placing the child in shopping cart baskets with raw meat packages is a risk factor for food poisoning. Similarly, while cooking will kill these fecal bacteria, cross contamination in the kitchen before the meat is cooked is a risk factor. A certain strain of these fecal bacteria can, in rare cases, result in Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, rare genetic disorders may require compounds in meat to be consumed as a supplement. Poultry workers also have higher rates of many diseases, thought to be due to exposure to poultry viruses and microorganisms at increased rates (see also here, here, here, here). The safest source of vitamin B12 is probably fortified foods and supplements rather than animal sources; getting it exclusively from eggs, for instance, would result in extremely high cholesterol consumption. Plant foods have more antioxidant power than animal foods (see also here). Traditional American breakfasts lack antioxidants, and an Indian gooseberry-spiked breakfast smoothie is a much healthier option. Adding herbs and spices to any meal is another excellent way to boost one's antioxidant intake.
Topic summary contributed by Jim.


text: Been 2.5 weeks since my 3.5 weeker nursed, I pumped w/the a hand pump for a few days but haven't had any stimul for about 10 days. I've got a lactina pump, a medela sns, and a bottl of fenugreek. Ds will latch with persuasion...now what do I do? When do I pump? How much fenugreek, when do I stop using sns? All the info you can give me would be helpful!