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For images, please contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Bangladeshi creativity and culture gains a South Bank showcase
DIARY DATES: 11am till 7pm, Friday 22 – Sunday 24 February 2013
Shahidul Alam, Enamul Hoque, Akram Khan, Zoe Rahman & Rezia Wahid join other artists, designers, makers, musicians, speakers and writers for the UK's biggest ever celebration of creativity and culture from Bangladesh and by UK Bangladeshis.
NB Please see separate Oitij-jo Whats On Listings for detailed listings
Bargehouse | Oxo Tower Wharf | London SE1 9PH
London's South Bank will play host to the UK's biggest and most vibrant showcase of Bangladeshi creativity next month when a three-day celebration of art, craft, design, fabrics, fashion, literature and music takes place at the Bargehouse from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 February.
Dance star Akram Khan, the MOBO award-winning jazz pianist Zoe Rahman, internationally-respected photographer Shahidul Alam, highly-rated world music band Lokkhi Terra and the acclaimed textiles artist Rezia Wahid MBE will be among the celebrities appearing alongside a new generation of designers and makers, cultural commentators and craft historians at Oitij-jo – www.oitijjo.org – a title created from the Bengali words for heritage and future.
The festival is being organised by a broad alliance of UK-Bangladesh trade bodies, business people, community groups and cultural organisation led by the Bangladesh Brand Forum UK (BBF-UK), Culturepot Global and Paraa
BBF-UK spokeswoman Maher Anjum explains: "Bangladesh is often seen only as a poor country, beset regularly by natural disasters. But this view is very incomplete. When it comes to creativity and culture, Bangladesh is enormously rich – with a long history of producing beautiful artworks, crafts, literature and fabrics, and with many artists and designers, both in Bangladesh and in Britain, taking inspiration from Bangla culture and materials. Our hope with Oitij-jo is that it will encourage more UK individuals and businesses to discover the creative wealth of Bangladesh, leading to new trading and cultural exchanges of benefit to both countries."
Oitij-jo will occupy all five floors of the Oxo Tower complex's Bargehouse – offering exhibitions of silks and saris from Benarasi and Jamdani; photography by Shahidul Alam and Enamul Hoque; live performances, fashion shows, a Rezia Wahid weaving workshop, parties, film screenings and activities celebrating the history of muslin, the fabric first introduced to Europe in the 17th century.
There will also be a pop-up bazaar selling designer clothes, fashion accessories, crafts, books and jewellery and a lively programme of talks and discussions including a series of 'Adda' – a form of debate hugely popular in the Bay of Bengal area.
Another of Oitij-jo's organisers is Londoner Ruhul Abdin, one of the founders of Paraa, an architectural and design social enterprise, working to improve the built environment of disadvantaged people in Bangladesh, including a minority community of silk weavers .
He says: "One way to improve living standards in Bangladesh is to create new income-generating opportunities for those families which grow or make materials which can be put to creative use. Oitij-jo is a chance, then, for many more people to discover the resources Bangladesh has to offer, so opening up new, fair and culturally and economically enriching, possibilities for all."
Runi Khan, of Culturepot Global adds: "In the past, the creative traditions and artistic talents of Bangladesh have been largely overlooked. What is truly exciting now is how a new generation is exploring and experimenting with this heritage and developing it in innovative ways which appeal strongly to a very broad range of audiences – not just those with connections to Bangladesh. So, for instance, we see Akram Khan wowing a global audience at the Olympics Opening Ceremony with dancing evolved from the Kathak traditions and bands like Lokkhi Terra getting rave reviews for their Bangla folk and Baul-influenced World Jazz. The same is happening across many other art-forms, including art, fashion, film and literature – as visitors to Oitij-jo will discover to their delight."
For the general public, Oitij-jo will be open daily from 11am to 7pm, with free admission on all three days to the ground floor and first floor exhibitions, fabric displays, merchandise area and film shows.
A £7.50p day pass (£5, concessions) grants access to the wider programme, including the pop-up designer clothes and accessories shop, more exhibitions, a weaving demonstration by Rezia Wahid, talks, music recitals and the Adda series of debates, curated by Leesa Gazi.
In addition, several separately ticketed evening and special events are planned, including a launch party with performances by State of Bengal and Shapla Salique; a cultural debate involving Akram Khan; the Rezia Wahid weaving workshop; a discussion about the work and legacy of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore featuring a performance by Zoe Rahman, and Sunday's night's festival finale with Lokkhi Terra.
For more details and bookings, please see www.oitijjo.org. Further information and updates are also available from the festival's Facebook page – Oitijjo London – and via @oitijjo on Twitter.
Oitij-jo's chief organisers are the Bangladesh Brand Forum-UK, Culturepot Global and Paraa. Additional sponsors/ supporters are the Bangladesh High Commission, London; British Bangladesh Fashion Institute, Gandhi Foundation, OpenVizor, the SME Foundation (Bangladesh), Atique Choudhury of Yumyum Thai restaurant, Enamul Hoque of Underbelly Films and Rushanara Ali MP
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MEDIA QUERIES For more info, interviews, image or press passes, please email:
Pam Beddard or call +44 (0) 117 987 0442 OR Ruhul Abdin on +44 (0) 7794 968658


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Family Medicine Physician Jobs in Everett, WA
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Enjoy all the Activities Living in the Gorgeous Mountain West Next to the Rockies Offers
Directorship and Academic Faculty Appointment with the University - Have it all in Colorado Springs!
Houston is world-renowned for delivering some of the best medical care in the country; and we're looking for exceptional medical professionals in the nation to join our team and help us create healthier communities.
The Nursing Director is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of the Emergency Departmental operations.
PeaceHealth is seeking a Physician - Urgent Care based in the Eugene, OR community.
PeaceHealth is seeking a Physician - Pediatrician based in the Springfield, OR community.
PeaceHealth is seeking a Physician - Psychiatry based in the Bellingham, WA community.
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center has a full-time Facilities Manager opening in Vancouver, Washington (minutes from Portland, Oregon!)
PeaceHealth is seeking a Physician - Family Medicine w/o OB (Multiple Positions Available) based in the Cottage Grove, OR community.
For the fifth time in seven years, Modern Healthcare named B.E. Smith the No. 1 healthcare executive search firm in the United States.
Otolaryngology - 108253

subset: commoncrawl


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As the piles of boxes diminish post-move, my thoughts turn to a perennial problem. Spices. I've got a lot of them and now I've got room to store them in a sane manner in my lovely big pantry. But what is the best way to do that?
Having a great love for Neo-Victorian/Steampunk design aesthetics, I absolutely ADORE the look of spices in cork stoppered test tubes like they have here and here. They would go so well in a Mad Scientist-styled kitchen. It goes without saying that if I decided to go this way, I'd be ordering my test tubes from a lab supply company for a fraction of the cost of one of these pre-made spice kits.
No matter how much I love the look, I'm not convinced that I'd love the function. The idea of trying to tip out spice from a long skinny tube leaves me a bit cold, especially as I move more to whole spices that I grind in my mortar and pestle than pre-ground and often pre-stale versions.
The most cost effective options I've found so far come from a New Zealand glass supply company, Arthur Holmes. They provide a number of glass jar options with various coloured screw on caps and compared to any off-the-shelf spice rack options, the prices are excellent. Many jars are a dollar or less, with discounts for buying in bulk. I'll be wanting jars with tops that are wide enough for whole spices, in most cases, and wide enough for teaspoon insertion for any ground spices. I'm not sure what size would be best for my purposes, but will probably go with one of the square jar options.
How do you store your spices? Any brilliant solutions you've found? What do you think is the best size for spice jars? Any better NZ suppliers I should know about?


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Student Resources
Find resources here for new, current, and transfer students in the Wildlife Biology undergraduate degree and minor. We can help you change a major, add or delete a minor, contact your faculty advisor, find scholarship information, and use Academic Planner and Cyberbear to figure out which classes to take and how to register.
Have a question? Schedule a meeting with Wildlife Biology Academic Advisor Jeanne Franz at 406-243-5272, email@example.com or stop by FOR 103A.


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Jim RossJames William Ross
- Birthdate: 01/03/1952 (age 64)
- Height: 5'10"
- Weight: 250 Ib
Jim Ross is an American professional wrestling ...
Jim Ross recently commented on his relationship with Michael Cole. Here is what he had to say…
"It's amazing on Twitter how so many followers try to stir the manure with @MichaelCole and me. I assume they must be defiant, looking for trouble young men. For the record, there is "nothing to see here." I've enjoyed working with Michael since he first arrived in WWE and am happy that he is now the lead announcer in WWE. He's earned that opportunity and some day, likely not soon, it will go to someone else. That's just the way it works. Same for essentially any TV entity especially one that is more entertainment that sports. Our styles are different as they should be and we, as lead announcers, have entirely different products with which to work. Most fans don't realize how challenging it is to broadcast WWE in today's world with the addition of all the non ring oriented info that must be disseminated such as social media, etc. Michael handles that amazingly well. Better, most likely, than I ever could."
You can (and should!) read the full blog by clicking here.


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When you score a goal because of a fortuitous ricochet, it's best not to gloat. With that in mind, we excuse the muted celebration from the Phoenix Coyotes after Keith Yandle scored on Thursday night.
A tip of the hat to SportsGrid for spotting one of the weirdest goals we have seen in sports, not just the NHL.
While the Minnesota Wild would go on to beat Phoenix, 4-3, I would like to point out that the Coyotes take the prize for most memorable moment of the game.
With a little over four minutes to go in the third period, Yandle slaps the puck off the glass and it ricochets perfectly back towards the net.
If there were any time, I am sure Niklas Backstrom would have yelled, "You've got to be kidding me?"
Instead, the puck slides into goal perfectly.
The hilarious part is the Coyotes players celebrating the late goal with the exuberance of a kid who just got away with an awful prank.
It's best not to press your luck, so we understand they were content to smile and move on with minimal celebration.
Unfortunately, a late goal by Shane Doan and help from what appears to be biased protective glass wasn't enough to help the Coyotes.
Hit me up on Twitter for more insanity from the internets.


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I find myself with allot of free time lately and always have planned too do an MDiv. My question is does anyone know any good Seminary that have good distance ed. Id like to at least start work on a MDiv one class at a time. and may transfer to an actual campus later on. The two main things I'am looking for is a school with a good distance education and secondly a place that is reasonable priced, especially good distance ed.
Ive been looking at a few, two that have stood out most are Covenant Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. The only problem with RTS is they don't seem to offer a MDiv through distance ed. Any suggestions?


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Host by NetBox Version 2.8 Build 4128
Tuffy's Ultimate - Flyer - Blue Camo
Ultimate Construction:
Each toy is made with 4 layers. 2 layers are made of 600 D industrial grade luggage material, 1 layer of plastic coating, and the other layer is made of soft fleece on the outside. All of these layers are sewn together to make one super strong layer of material. Each toy is sewn together with 2 layers of cross stitching and then 2 layers of linear stitching. After the toy is sewn together an additional piece of black trim is added to cover the four rows of stitching. This extra piece of black trim is sewn with 3 linear stitches to give the product a total of 7 seams! These toys are machine washable (air dry) and float.
Please choose which cart you want to add the item.
By choosing one of the above, you are able to shop for both yourself and a registrant at the same time. Once you are ready to checkout your items will be waiting for you in both your personal and registry shopping carts.
Still need assistance?
Please contact us at 1-866-SHOP-WAG (1-866-746-7924)
Reviewed by 2 customers
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Best Uses
Comments about Ultimate - Flyer - Yellow Bones:
We've loved Tuffy's toys for a long time, but haven't had this frisbee before. It's been perfect for our little Aussie pup. She's picking up the frisbee game fast, and she loves to play with this one. Soft on her mouth and easy to throw.
Best Uses
Comments about Ultimate - Flyer - Yellow Bones:
My Puppy Loves this Flyer, frisbee. It is tough. He has chewed and chewed it and it is still in great shape. It has a squeaker and it flies so nicely. It has a great weight to it especially I live on a mt. and the winds are crazy sometimes. It is one of his favorite toys!! I got the small sized one.


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Adobe Connect Mobile
By Adobe
Open iTunes to buy and download apps.
Attend meetings, webinars, and virtual classrooms with Adobe Connect Mobile. View and participate, present content, and even fully host online meetings. (Hosting meetings requires an Adobe Connect account. Learn more about Adobe Connect and sign up for a free trial here – http://www.adobe.com/products/adobeconnect.html)
The FREE Adobe Connect Mobile application brings all critical capabilities from the desktop to your mobile device, enabling you to drive meetings directly from your iPad or iPhone.
Launch and manage meetings - controlling attendee rights, recording, audio conferencing, and layouts. Share PowerPoint® presentations, PFD documents, and even video from your online library. Use your iPad to smoothly whiteboard and annotate directly on content. Participate in multi-point video conferencing using your device's cameras. View the whole meeting, or zoom in to see content, chat, ask questions using Q&A, and respond to polls. Use VoIP meeting audio, or chose to join a telephone conference if included with the meeting. Use custom pods to view closed captioning, YouTube videos, learning games, and more.
FEATURES for all iOS devices:
• Start and end meetings
• Start, stop, and manage meeting audio conferencing
• Accept or deny guests from entering meetings
• Promote or demote user's roles
• Broadcast cameras and microphones (VoIP)
• Share content from Adobe Connect cloud-based content library
• Control playback of slides and animations
• Play video files
• View and edit Notes
• Participate in Chat, Polls, and Q&A
• Use emoticons: Raise Hand, Agree / Disagree
• Participate in breakout rooms
• View and participate with 'custom pod' applications
Additional features for iPads:
• Invite others to the meeting
• Start, pause, and stop recordings
• Enable Web Camera rights for all participants
• Switch between stored layouts in the meeting room
• Share content from local device photo library
• Use drawing tools to whiteboard or markup/annotate content
Requirements: iOS 8.1.2 or higher.
Devices supported: iPod touch (5th generation), iPhone 5 S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad 2 or higher, iPad mini or higher.
Requires WiFi or a standard 3G/4G connection.
What's New in Version 2.5.4
Video performance improvements
Customer Reviews
Works as intended
I don't know if everyone else is using the same version that is having an issue. I downloaded this app as requested by my professor for the purposes of an online class. It works without issue and none of my classmates seem to be running into any issues either
It does not work
I have to attend classes online every week. It used to work fine earlier but from past semester I am having issues. Every time I will click on the link it will ask me get Adobe connect for mobile and will take me to the App Store where as I have already installed the app. Then I will select- open and it will take me to a the page where u join the meeting or class. But most of the times it says - you meeting has not yet started and will get stuck there. Please rectify this issue.
Worked perfect for me
I installed it on both my iPad Pro 9.7 " and iPad mini 2. It worked absolutely perfect for me. Not sure why it seems others are having issues.
- Free
- Category: Business
- Updated: Apr 01, 2016
- Version: 2.5.4
- Size: 48.5 MB
- Languages: English, French, German, Japanese
- Seller: Adobe Systems, Inc.
- © 2015 Adobe Systems Incorporated
Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.


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Can My Landlord Make Me Get Rid of My Dog? And More Free Legal Advice – Free Joe 11/2/12
On Tuesdays and Fridays, attorney Joe Escalante answers legal questions for free on the LegalZoom Facebook Page. Did you miss the last Free Joe? Don't worry. We've got it all right here.
Jay: We are on HUD and live in WA. We were never given a copy of the lease and we got a puppy. The landlord gave me a piece of paper after doing an inspection and said that we would now owe $25 a month pet rent and a $150 security deposit. After a couple of weeks I get an email that stated that they had changed their minds it will now be $300 nonrefundable deposit and $25 pet rent. Several days later I
got another email stating that they once again had changed their minds, and if the puppy (who is a only expected to get 5lbs. and is kenneled when we are away) is not removed immediately we will be evicted. I talked to my sons therapist and she wrote a letter regarding the dog and how it plays a role in my son's ADHD therapy. They have since turned over the lease to a local property management company and my cries to keep our puppy seem to be falling on deaf ears, legally do I have a leg to stand on?
Joe Escalante: One thing I would do is register your pet here as a service dog: http://www.usservicedogregistry.org/
This will limit problems down the road. My brother did this and he can now take his dog to Disneyland, and if they even so much as ask him what his disability is that the dog services, it's a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Regarding your lease, whatever you signed will govern when and for what reason they may evict you, and when they can change their minds about things.
George: Good Day Joe!
I am staying in Southeast Asia and looking for incorporate a new company in the U.S. but do not plan to have a physical presence or reallocate here. The main purpose is for save tax in my home country. I have some question hope you could advice :
1. ) I'll operate solely from overseas and all my clients are not from U.S. If i incorporate a LLC or C, do we need to pay Federal and S
tate tax for overseas income?
2. ) If our overseas clients bank in payments to our bank in U.S, does this clarify as transact business in the U.S. and taxable?
4. ) Is there any personal income tax for the owner if our LLC or C pay salary to the owner, which he is not a U.S. citizen or resident?
5. ) What are the annual cost to maintain an LLC or C company in U.S?
6. ) Which type of company ( LLC or C ) give us the most tax benefit for our situation?
Thanks in advance.
Joe Escalante: These are mainly tax questions that you should ask Gary. There are minimum requirements that vary in each state, so you have to do your research before you pick one of our lovely 50 options. In my state there's a minimum annual tax of $800.
LegalZoom: Here are the details for Ask the Tax Pro, George: http://zoo.mn/AskTheTaxPro
Ammie: I live in NY and I owned a mobile home which was located in a mobile home community. I have bought a house and sold the mobile home to another gentlemen (I have a receipt) and now the "community manager" is telling my husband and myself that if the man we sold the mobile home to is not approved to live in the community, then we are responsible for the lot rent. Is it possible that I have to pay lot rent on a property I no longer own?
Joe Escalante: That would depend on he language in the agreement. It may put you on the hook for the rental if you violate a restrictive covenant by selling to a leper or a child or something. However, the restrictive covenants may not be enforceable. The stuff they are telling you right now is more of their "wish" in terms of how they want things to work out. Only an attorney that looks at your paperwork could advise you for sure. Get one with mobile home experience. And I mean, working with mobile homes, not so much living in them. Although that would be OK.
Patti: If the father of my child receives VA benefits and social security disability benefits, how is child support calculated? Is it combined or do they just go off one benefit or the other? I live in NC and the father is just a floater between TX, NC, and CA.
Joe Escalante: Each state has their own calculation method, but they all should take it into consideration when settling on levels of support. Check out the info on this site, it's pretty helpful: http://www.livestrong.com/article/181223-how-does-a-custodial-parent-on-social-security-disability-affect-child-support/
Jennifer: P O A. What is the Fidicuary Responsibity. Of a P O A. Elder. With Dementia. Involved .
Joe Escalante: The holder of the power of attorney owes her principal a high duty of good faith, fair dealing, honest performance, and strict accountability. Things have to be kosher, in other words. Arms length deals, everything out in the open, etc.
KC: How concerned should students be about Wiley v. Kirtsaeng arguments that are going to be heard this Monday in Washington D.C. before the US Supreme Court?
Joe Escalante: On the one hand, I wouldn't worry about it too much because the government doesn't have the ability to enforce i's stupid wishes in this case. On the other hand, beware of Justice Elena Kagan. She argued in a Costco case on the side that would require people to pay royalties and get permission to sell things and re-sell things, like Omega watches, made in other countries. Stupid.
Zach: HELD AT GUN POINT!
My house was raided on the 10/3/12 and there probable cause was hearsay. No arrest were made. Accusations is what they made because the cops hold a vendetta against me. And i cant do nothing, so basically if someone hates someone then he can go to the cops an make up a lie. Put there life through hell.
They let my 4 month old Siberian husky eat about a half a bag of pork rinds. When i asked countless times to put him in crate, let a 8 week old kitty run around in the road.
They read me my miranda rights.
Sat in the back of a cop car for 3+ hours.
Yes i do want to fight this. It was wrong on so many levels.
Thanks for your time.
Joe Escalante: Speak to an attorney in your area that has some experience with police excessive force cases. Good luck.
Christine: Dear Joe -I am involved in a mean and nasty divorce. I am sole owner of my house but in CA it is joint property. My husband took over living in the house since I vacated it with my children to move closer to my workplace. Now, even though we have an agreement sanctioned by the court that I can sell the house, he is stalling. I am not making the mortgage payments. When the bank decides they want the property will my estranged husband have rights to get it?
Joe Escalante: Who ever is the beneficiary to the deed of trust will get it. That's the bank. They will have to sell it at an auction if it is foreclosed. I have as much chance of getting it as he does.
Chuck: Can you sue a state government for loss personal information such as SS#'s and credit/debit card information? What happens when you can't trust government to keep your personal information safe. Does one year of free credit monitoring fix the rest of your life where you have to make sure your identity stays safe?
Joe Escalante: You can sue, but it's an uphill battle. In California you first must get permission from the state to file the lawsuit. This is done through the Victims Compensation Government Claims Board. Not fun.
Amir: I have a question in regards to PayPals updated policy.. this is it. Is this legal: "Unless you opt out: (1) you will only be permitted to pursue claims against PayPal on an individual basis, not as a plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action or proceeding and (2) you will only be permitted to seek relief (including monetary, injunctive, and declaratory relief) on an individual basis."
Joe Escalante: Well, they can ask you to agree to that, but it doesn't mean that you cannot challenge the enforceability of the document down the road. If you are not given the chance to negotiate specific language in the agreement, it is known as a "contract of adhesion" and those are enforceable only to the extent they are fair by industry standards. Like rental car agreements. Those are just wish lists by the rental car company. You're not held, necessarily, to all the language; you had no choice. It was 'adhesive' to the transaction.
Janice: I have a patent app w/ the USPTO. Got a second office action reply request on 8/21/12. States claims 1-10 are pending and says claims 1-10 are rejected. Final notice. Already spent over 7500.00 on this app. Can you recommend a reputable patent atty who will look at this and honestly tell me if they can overcome these objections, as my current atty states 98% of first time apps get denied. I do no
t trust him as he told me he could overcome the first set of objections and obviously he didn't. My concern is that if this gets denied, that I will have to start all over with the patent process. This is my second patent attempt, with two diff attys who both said they could get the patent approved. I would like the protection and that is what has kept me going with this process. I need an HONEST atty please.
Joe Escalante: Sounds like you need a Mormon patent attorney. This guy is the best: http://knobbe.com/alan-hale
Annabelle: Hi Joe,good morning,I am working hard as ever but lately as if the money is getting harder to find and seems not able to pay my bills and mortgage after this month,the banks where we have mortgages not giving us attention for refinance,soon it will be late payment and maybe not able to pay credit card bills and mortgage is there a way of my cousin to do a quit claim or me from her so at least to save her credit or my credit in the long run,and how to go over this way? Hope you can give us a sort of proper directives how to do this,thank you very much!!!
Joe Escalante: It seems like you should have a consulation with a bankruptcy attorney to see if that will help, or if you can avoid bankruptcy. You can get a free evaluation from my friends at Legalzoom. Click below.
LegalZoom: Here's the link, Annabelle: http://www.legalzoom.com/bankruptcy/bankruptcy-overview.html?cm_mmc=social-_-fb-_-freejoe-_-na
Gman: Hi Joe
I recently sold my liquor license do I have to pay capital gains tax On it ? If so what percent ? How does 1030 Exchange work ? How long do I have to start or buy or start a business ? Any advice or links you can provide are greatly appreciated thank you
Joe Escalante: You shoudl ask Gary the tax guy this question on Thursday. See the link below.
LegalZoom: Here you go, Gman: http://zoo.mn/AskTheTaxPro
LegalZoom: Joe will be back next week to answer more of your legal questions. Join us then and in the meantime, catch him on the radio. See the schedule here: http://zoo.mn/bFreeJoe


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Humane Religion Magazine
July - August 2008 Issue
Animal Abuse and Human Violence
By Mary T. Hoffman
I was glad to read in the Autumn 2007 Bulletin of The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA) that the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is holding a conference on 18 September at Keble College, Oxford, England; and that "The purpose of this conference is to look at the relationship between animal abuse and human violence, and will be Britain's first major international academic conference on this theme and covers a wide range of academic perspectives including psychology, ethics, sociology, law, criminology, anthropology and philosophy."
The Bulletin article goes on to say that "Robert Ressler, an FBI serial Killer Profiler, has claimed that 'murderers very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids.' "
I wonder how long it will take for humans to finally admit that all abuse is wrong, and that biomedical researchers who utilize animals, the animal agriculture industry, fish killing, etc. are not exempt. The killing and torture of any sentient being is abhorrent, regardless of the twisted reasons given by the perpetrators and their supporters.
It's fairly obvious to anyone who gives it any thought and is willing to face the truth that all cruelty to humans has its roots in the exploitation of animals.
I want to add a few more thoughts about this rampant, increasing, world-wide problem. Isn't it interesting how humans, who are quick to condemn – and rightly so – serial killers and high-profile, media-hyped criminals who kill dogs, for example, at the same time contribute to and hold in high esteem those who are responsible for far more abuse and killings that are routine?
Can this be because the relatively few, well-publicized killings offer an object – or scapegoat, shall we say – for the public to vent on; so that the socially acceptable cruelties such as hunting, fishing, animal entertainment and, of course, the hidden atrocities of the billions of animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses, can flourish?
In all this mayhem, where are the majority in this country who claim to believe in God? Why are they among the first in line to accuse animal advocates of being "self-righteous"? Isn't it ironic that today, in sheer numbers, the round-the-clock slaughter of animals far exceeds anything that the ancients were able to do with all their sacrifices and "entertainment"? Yet, what are most of those who call themselves "Christians" doing to stem the tide of abuse?
As long as people continue to fund cruelty through money spent on animal- exploiting products and "charities" the atrocities will not only continue, they'll escalate. Looking the other way and insulting the few, who are really trying to live by a higher standard for the good of all creation, will only lead to the earth's destruction from which there will be no turning back.


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Having begun life back in 1995 with the critically acclaimed Soul Blade (aka Soul Edge), the Soul series of beat-'em-ups have etched their mark onto the annals of videogame history. It was arguably 1998's Soul Calibur that brought the Soul series into the mainstream however, with its Dreamcast port considered one of the finest beat-'em-ups ever created. Both accessible and enduring, that has become Soul Calibur's ethos, and in this respect, the latest title in the series does not disappoint.
2008's Soul Calibur IV was no slouch, but there were many fans of the series disheartened by a number of renovations. Disregarding console-exclusive characters for a moment, many argued that Soul Calibur IV's active buffering (a mechanic which allows players to input commands for successive moves before the animation for the current move has finished) had gone a step too far: Soul Calibur has always been a beat-'em-up that allows beginners to perform some awesome looking combos with minimal skill, but series enthusiasts insisted that in Soul Calibur IV victories were often decided by luck as much as skill. Additionally, the brand new Critical Finish manoeuvre was considered akin to cheating by many. Thankfully, the development team has taken this criticism on board for Soul Calibur V, creating not just a comprehensive beat-'em-up videogame in terms of gameplay modes, but also one of the most progressive fighting systems on the current-generation of consoles.
The aforementioned active buffering remains, just as it has in every Soul Calibur release, but has been reduced significantly compared to that of Soul Calibur IV. It's once again capable of including active buffering in your tactical combinations as opposed to being an excuse for not developing any. The Critical Finish has been removed entirely, and has been replaced with the Brave and Critical Edge manoeuvres. Akin to the Super/EX moves in other beat-'em-up titles, the Brave Edge attacks use half the critical gauge and can break an opponent mid-flow if correctly timed, whereas the Critical Edge manoeuvre is a devastating animated sequence that turn quickly turn the tide of a match if used correctly. Players can store up to two critical gauge charges which are retained between rounds of a fight.
The armour breaks of Soul Calibur IV return in Soul Calibur V, however there is no longer a gauge. It's apparent that the chest armour has been made easier to break, though other areas are just as difficult as was previously the case. The Guard Impact aspect of previous titles has seen some significant overhaul, and parries have been removed entirely. Instead, players have access to the simpler Impact defensive manoeuvre, allowing players to retaliate against an unblockable attack of any height with the same input, and the more complicated Just Guard. A Just Guard demands precision timing, but will always result in a moment of weakness in your opponent wherein near-any blow can be landed with ease. What's more, a mistimed Just Guard will still provide a basic defence for the player, rather than opening them up in the same fashion a poorly executed Guard Impact would have in previous Soul Calibur tiles.
As has become tradition for the series Soul Calibur V is packed with a variety of different gameplay modes. An alternative take on the traditional Arcade mode is accompanied by Quick Battle, online gameplay and the all-new Story Mode. A much more detailed and presentable story than Soul Calibur V has ever played host to before, Soul Calibur V's Story Mode has clearly been influenced by Mortal Kombat, but unfortunately is still not as fluid. The story makes a good attempt at portraying Patroklos as a hero unknowingly committing unrepentable acts of violence on behalf of a tyrannical dictator, but seems to wimp-out of this plot facet far too early, making him the white knight that gamers are already overly familiar with, perhaps even tired of. Of course, just like Mortal Kombat, you don't just play as Patroklos for the entire campaign, arguably making the Story Mode the ideal place for Soul Calibur to adjust to the knew rulesets. The Story Mode isn't too lengthy, likely to take just one evening to complete for most, but as stated above, this is but one of Soul Calibur V's many gameplay modes.
The Soul Calibur series never seems to have settled on an appropriate alternative gameplay mode. The Weapon Master Mode from Soul Calibur II and the Tower of Souls in Soul Calibur IV were arguably the best designs, but in Soul Calibur V the amount of investment in the Story Mode means that the coupling is simply that of Quick Battle: a slightly more explorative series of one-off fights akin to any basic versus mode. It's detailed enough to retain interest, placing the player in a straight-forward quest to defeat every customised character, all of which fight to different ability levels; however it is a tertiary gameplay mode after the Story Mode and Arcade.
The online gameplay is a direct continuation of the rules established with Soul Calibur IV. Each player has a 'Player License' which prevails through all gameplay modes, recording their progress, wins and losses, but a part of this is reserved exclusively for online matches. A ranking system is in place for online matches which remains separate from the offline grading, and players can even establish rivalries for which they will receive constant feedback on their progress. Soul Calibur IV's online gameplay was heralded as one of the videogame's best features, and despite the many competitors that have attempted to best it in recent years, Soul Calibur V proves that there's more to online gameplay than just sticking two players in an arena and having them duke it out.
A returning aspect in Soul Calibur V is that of the character customisation mode; a facet that any Soul Calibur title would arguably be much weaker without since the comprehensive delivery in Soul Calibur IV. Thankfully, Soul Calibur V has learned form it's predecessor's decision to evolve that which was first offered in Soul Calibur III, offering much more customisation from both a visual and mechanical standpoint. Players can now adjust height, edit clothing and manipulate facial details, but can also customise their fighting style and grant additional affects to specific weaponry. Beat'-em-ups have always taken a soruce of pride from the depths to which players can explore their characters and the movesets available, but here in Soul Calibur V, that combination runs far deeper than any other competitor has ever dared to allow it. Of course, in time, this could mean that unscrupulous players will find a combination of design, customisation and ability sets that prevails above all others, effectively 'breaking' the videogame, but until then there's plenty of fun to be had making your own monstrosities and setting them an agenda to defeat your friend's creation.
From a technical standpoint Soul Calibur V is clearly the best the series has yet offered, though it's not leagues ahead of its predecessor. The character models are clearly more detailed – of all, Nightmare has had the biggest makeover, but even then it will only be noticeable by long time fans – and the new arenas are littered with detail, however the animation seems to have been presented with the same process as that of Soul Calibur IV, rather than redrawing it from scratch. Many of the characters appear a bit slower than they perhaps should when performing certain actions, especially when challenged by the new additions. The Story Mode is also somewhat of a quandary: why certain sequences are animated and others are presented as stills is not explained, especially given the variation in drama throughout both styles. Were it not for the quality of the sketches it could almost be suggested that these were intended as merely placeholders, with fully animated sequences supposed to replace them but time constraints meaning they were never finished. Additionally, Soul Calibur V reuses many of the same sound effects as Soul Calibur IV, both for the fighters and the player aspects, such as victories and menu selection.
The current-generation revival of the beat-'em-up genre has been kind to many franchises, and though Soul Calibur remained popular before Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat decided to return to their roots, Soul Calibur V will arguably receive much more attention now than it would have without the popularity of these two titles. That it retains it's always-offensive stance allows it to sit next two the genre leaders as a highly competitive experience, surely set to become one of the most talked about videogame titles of the next few months. Throughout it's development Project Soul's latest had looked set to deliver on the current-generation promises that Soul Calibur IV made abundantly clear were possible, and now that it's finally here, Soul Calibur V is undoubtedly that trump card Namco Bandai had been desperate to play.
In-depth Reviews Score Interpretation


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You Are Here: Home » Find People » National Advisory Neurological Disorders And Stroke Council (NANDSC) »
Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council
Summary of Meeting[1]
May 24-25, 2012
The National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NANDS) Council was convened for its 184th meeting on May 24-25, 2012, at Building 31, Conference Room 10, Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Story Landis, Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), served as Chairperson.
In accordance with Public Law 92-463, the meeting was:
Council members present were:
Council member absent was:
Dr. Louis Ptacek
Council Roster (Attachment 1)
Ex Officio Members present:
Dr. Geoffrey Ling, Department of Defense
Ex Officio Members absent:
Dr. Robert Ruff, Department of Veterans Affairs
Members of the public present for portions of the open meeting included:
Mr. Ronald Bartek, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Dr. Michael Nunn, The Salk Institute
NINDS employees present for portions of the meeting included:
Other Federal employees present for portions of the meeting included:
Justin Ripley, OD
Kate Saylor, OD
Yancy Bodenstein, NIMH
Dr. Linda Brady, NIMH
Dr. Wei-Qin Zhan, CSR
Dr. Laurent Taupenot, CSR
Dr. Rene Etcheberrigaray, CSR
Dr. Kevin Walton, CSR
Dr. John Ferrell, CSR
Dr. Joe Rudolph, CSR
Dr. Yuan Luo, CSR
Dr. Suzan Nadi, CSR
I. Call to Order and Opening Remarks
Dr. Landis, Director, NINDS, welcomed Council members, visitors, and staff to the 184th meeting of the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council meeting.
Dr. Landis announced that this was the last meeting for Emery Brown, Robert Friedlander, Katie Hood, and Louis Ptacek, and thanked them all for their service throughout their term which ends July 31, 2012. Dr. Landis mentioned that Dr. Louis Ptacek and Dr. Robert Ruff, the NANDS representative from the Veteran's Administration, were unable to attend this Council meeting. In addition, Dr. Landis announced that Dr. Geoffrey Ling, the NANDS representative from the Department of Defense, was retiring from the US Army after 21 years of active duty, and that Scott Prince, the NINDS web master, was leaving to assume the role of the NIH Online Information Branch Chief in the Office of Communications & Public Liaison. Lastly, Dr. Landis informed Council of the sudden death in late February of Dr. Tom Miller, a program director in the Office of Translational Research. Dr. Landis spoke of his contributions to NINDS.
II. Report of the Associate Director for Extramural Research, NINDS
Approval of Council Minutes -- Dr. Finkelstein requested, and the Council voted approval, for the February 14-15, 2012, Council meeting minutes.
The following future Council meeting dates were confirmed:
Expedited Review Process - A subset of Council members, prior to the meeting, approve applications with scores within the payline for which there are no unresolved issues. Dr. Finkelstein thanked Donna Ferriero, Sharon Hesterlee, and Amita Sehgal for handling this responsibility this fiscal year. For this Council round, 154 applications were eligible to be expedited including 8 career or K applications. One hundred ten of these have already been issued and most of the others will be issued shortly after Council.
DER Announcements - Dr. Finkelstein introduced Dr. Andrey Kuzmichev, a new program analyst in the Neurodegeneration Cluster. Dr. Rajesh Ranganathan, Director, Office of Translational Research (OTR) introduced two new members of OTR: Dr. Eric Nelson and Dr. Rebecca Roof, and announced the departure of Dr. Jill Heemskerk.
III. Report of the Director, NINDS
Dr. Landis announced that September 12, 2012, had been selected as the date for the 2012 NINDS Non-Profit Forum.
National Bioeconomy Blueprint
On April 26, 2012, the White House released the The National Bioeconomy Blueprint , the goal of which is to lay out strategic objectives that will help realize the full potential of the U.S. Bioeconomy and to highlight early achievements toward those objectives. The National Bioeconomy Blueprint describes five strategic objectives for a bioeconomy with the potential to generate economic growth and address societal needs and notes that much work remains if the United States is to remain competitive in a changing world.
Leadership in Decline
On May 17, 2012, United for Medical Research (UMR) released the report, Leadership in Decline: Assessing US International Competitiveness in Biomedical Research. The report examines a number of key indicators in the life sciences industry, concluding that: U.S. leadership in global life sciences industry is under threat. Moreover, the report notes that while the U.S. Federal investment in biomedical research is declining, global competition is increasing as China, India, Singapore, and the U.K. have increased their research funding. The UMR report recommends that Congress should expand NIH funding to a level that represents at least 0.25% of GDP.
NSTC Neuroscience Working Group
In November 2011, the Neuroscience Working Group was established in the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) as an interagency working group to coordinate activities in neuroscience research across the Federal government with a focus on the fundamental understanding of learning, brain development and plasticity, and brain health and recovery. Established in response to P.L. 112-55, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012, the working group's charter states that it "will enhance Federal efforts related to: improving our understanding of learning and cognition and applying that to improvements in education and other areas; improving our understanding of a variety of neurological conditions and injuries; and developing appropriate resources, tools, techniques, interventions, and therapies to assist in research, treatment, and recovery."
Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was established in the Affordable Care Act, signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010. The mission of PCORI is to help people make informed health care decisions and improve health care delivery and outcomes by producing and promoting high integrity, evidence-based information that comes from research guided by patients, caregivers and the broader health care community. The research priorities and research agenda were approved at a public meeting on May 21, 2012. In FY12, PCORI is supporting 50 two year pilot projects focused on the methodologies of conducting Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER). It is currently unclear how NIH and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) efforts in CER will be impacted by the formation of PCORI.
NCATS: Therapeutics Discovery Pilot
On May 3, 2012, the NIH launched the Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules program, a collaborative pilot program designed to develop partnerships between pharmaceutical companies and the biomedical research community to advance therapeutic development. This program will match researchers with a selection of molecular compounds from industry to test ideas for new therapeutic uses, with the ultimate goal of identifying promising new treatments for patients. NCATS has collaborated with eight companies who have agreed to make 58 compounds available for the pilot program. The available compounds have undergone significant research and development by industry, including safety testing in humans and therefore provide a strong foundation for moving forward. NCATS is anticipating contributing $20M in FY13 towards advancing this program.
National Alzheimer's Project Act
The National Alzheimer's Project Act (P.L. 111-375) was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. This law tasked the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) with developing a national strategic plan for Alzheimer's disease (AD), including research, care, and services. A draft plan was released on March 8, 2012, and the final plan was released on May 15, 2012, at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit. In addition, a national research plan for Alzheimer's disease was developed at the Summit, which was presented to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Council and will be sent to DHHS. A second meeting on related dementias including vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Parkinson's disease (PD) dementia and others organized by NIA and NINDS will be held in 2013.
On February 7, 2012, the Obama Administration announced an initiative for NIH to dedicate an additional $50M in the FY12 budget for AD research. Of the $50M, $25M will be used to sequence the genomes and exomes of people with AD to identify both risk factors and protective genetic variants. This work will be done by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) sequencing centers. The remaining $25M will be spent on two clinical trials, iPSC research and a supplement to the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities epidemiology project. The President's FY13 budget includes an additional $80M for AD research, which the President proposes to add to the NIH budget. Currently, NIA funds about 70% of AD research and NINDS funds about 10%.
NINDS Stroke Planning
In 2001, the NINDS launched the Stroke Progress Review Group (PRG) effort which was established to assist in assessing the state of knowledge and identifying scientific opportunities and needs the stroke field. Specifically, Stroke PRG members were asked to: take a broad view in identifying and prioritizing unmet scientific needs and opportunities that are critical to the advancement of the research field; identify and prioritize scientific research opportunities and needs, and the scientific resources needed to address them, to advance medical progress; compare and contrast these priorities with an NINDS-prepared analysis of its Stroke research portfolio; and to develop a research plan of action that addresses unmet opportunities and needs. Over the 10 year period since the SPRG was convened, three reports reviewing the landscape of stroke research have been completed. The final report of the SPRG was completed in January 2012.
Phase two of stroke planning will help NINDS identify priorities for advancing prevention, treatment and recovery/rehabilitation research. A steering committee has been established as a working group of Council, and an RFI has been posted soliciting community input on Stroke Research Priorities that if completed over the next 5-10 years would lead to major advances in stroke science. Workgroups will come to consensus on 2-3 research priorities for each area based on RFI responses and SPRG priority topics. Additionally, an evaluation of the Specialized Programs of Translational Research in Acute Stroke (SPOTRIAS) Network will occur in parallel to the stroke planning effort.
Effects of the A2 policy on R01 funding
In response to the NIH effort on Enhancing Peer Review, the NIH announced in October 2008, that beginning with original new applications (i.e., never submitted) and competing renewal applications submitted for the January 25, 2009, due dates and beyond, only a single resubmission (A1) to an original application would be accepted (see NOT-OD-09-003 and NOT-OD-09-016). This policy was implemented, in response to the trend that very few grants were awarded on the first submission and that more than 30% were not funded until the third submission. Since this change in policy, almost 50% of grants are funded on the first submission (up from 28% in 2007), the average number of applications required to receive funding has dropped, and the time to award for an unsolicited, new R01 has dropped from 93 weeks to 56 weeks for both new and experienced investigators.
Additional possible intervention points to improve peer review outcomes are being discussed at the NIH level, including: providing applicants with more useful scientific review group (SRG) information (e.g., technology approaches for identifying the most appropriate study section), enhancing the accuracy of SRG assignments, identifying better reviewers, evaluating SRG output (e.g., does study section A review grants of comparable quality to study section B?), and providing Institutes/Centers with more information on application quality in context. Dr. Landis noted that the output of SRGs significantly impacts an Institute's portfolio in addition to a number of other factors including: the Institute to which a grant is assigned (applies to grants < 500K direct costs), whether an Institute accepts a grant > 500K direct costs for review, whether the grant is reviewed in CSR or in the Institute, whether the grant is percentiled or not, and the complement of CSR study sections that review grants for an Institute.
IV. Overview of the NINDS Clinical Trials Program
Dr. Petra Kaufmann, Director of the NINDS Office of Clinical Research, provided Council members with an update on NINDS-funded clinical research, including: highlights from recently completed clinical trials, a description of the current NINDS clinical trials portfolio, and strategies for increasing the efficiency of the clinical research enterprise at NINDS.
Dr. Kaufmann described the WARCEF trial (Homma et al., 2012), which was designed to determine whether heart-failure patients, who are at an increased risk for death and stroke caused by thromboembolic events, would benefit more from treatment with Warfarin or from treatment with aspirin. Results from WARCEF show that there was no overall difference in the risk of a composite of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or death from any cause with treatment with warfarin vs. aspirin. Dr. Kaufmann also reported on the completion of the Rapid Anticonvulsant Medication Prior to ARrival (RAMPRT) Trial. RAMPART was a double-blind randomized clinical trial to investigate whether intramuscular delivery of midazolam (an anti-epileptic drug) is as effective as IV-delivered lorazepam, the current standard of care. The RAMPART study demonstrated that IM midazolam was the optimal initial pre-hospital treatment for status epilepticus by paramedics.
Dr. Kaufmann provided Council members with a description of the other major activities in the NINDS clinical research portfolio. Updates were provided for Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST), Interventional Management of Stroke III Trial (IMS III), the Silent Infarct Transfusion Trial, and for Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Additionally, Dr. Kaufmann described the NINDS processes for accepting clinical trials, and detailed some of the factors considered by NINDS when determining whether or not to accept a trial for review. Lastly, Dr. Kaufmann discussed strategies that NINDS is employing to increase clinical trial efficiency, specifically to support the successful implementation of trials and to obtain answers earlier.
V. Special Council Review Process for PIs Exceeding $1.5M in NIH Support (Discussion)
Dr. Alan Willard, Deputy Director, Division of Extramural Research, NINDS, reported on a new policy announced by NIH to conduct an additional review of proposed awards to any PI who already has NIH funding of $1.5 million or more in total annual costs. The policy emerged following a number of NIH-wide discussions regarding the best way to manage limited resources in austere times, and was announced publically on May 18, 2012, in the NIH Guide (NOT-OD-12-110). The Guide Notice states that "During May 2012 NIH Institute and Center (IC) Advisory Council meetings, Councils will discuss and pilot-test procedures for the additional review of grant and cooperative agreement applications from Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) [PD(s)/PI(s)] who already receive in excess of $1.5 million per year in total costs to determine if additional funds should be provided to already well-supported investigators." Moreover, "NIH will be piloting procedures whereby Council members will be asked to provide additional consideration of new and renewal applications from well-supported investigators who currently receive more than $1.5 million in Research Project Grants (RPGs)...Council members will be asked to recommend consideration of funding for applications that afford a unique opportunity to advance research which is both highly promising and distinct from the other funded projects from the PD/PI." In preparation for this pilot, NANDS Council members were provided with the application's summary statement; staff recommendations for funding; and a list of the PD/PIs other support, including % effort, project end date, and whether a renewal will be requested. Other questions that were addressed in the materials provided by NINDS staff include: How is the current application distinct from the PI's other funded projects and what are the highly-promising unique opportunities that this additional grant will support.
VI. Follow up to Analysis Working Group Report
Dr. Finkelstein recapped a series of presentations from the February 2012 Council that analyzed past NINDS expenditures and described potential core principles to guide future spending. As previously discussed, NINDS has begun to analyze past and current expenditures to facilitate discussion of this issue, and many of these findings were presented to the NANDS Council in February. First, Dr. Finkelstein showed data analyzing NINDS expenditures by funding mechanism. These findings indicate that the percentage of the NINDS extramural grants budget supporting R01s has varied significantly both positively and negatively since 1995. He also showed that funding for P01 grants has steadily decreased, and that funding for Phase III clinical trials and preclinical therapy development grants increased. The increase in support for Phase III clinical trials was shown to be largely due to increased funding for ongoing trials. Dr. Finkelstein next recapped the results of a pilot analysis designed to address the question of whether the balance of Basic and Applied research has changed over time. Competing grants in the NINDS research portfolio were analyzed in two years (2002 and 2010) and assigned a percent effort to the following categories: Basic/Basic, Basic/Disease-Related, Applied/Translational, and Applied/Clinical. Preliminary data from this analysis suggests that the percentage of competing funds supporting investigator-initiated disease-focused research (Basic; Disease-Related, Applied; Translational; and Applied; Clinical) was increased in 2010 compared with 2002. The results obtained when analyzing Investigator-initiated R01s were similar to the overall NINDS portfolio.
Dr. Finkelstein reported that since the February Council meeting, the NINDS Analysis Working Group extended this analysis to include 8 time points between 1997 and 2011. These data show that total basic expenditures declined from 87% to 66% of the competing budget, while total applied funding increased from 13% to 34%. Moreover, these data indicate that basic/basic research declined from 52% to 21% during this time period. A number of potential confounding factors (e.g. inclusion of two year grants, greater inflationary rate in the conduct of clinical vs. basic research) were analyzed and shown to have a negligible effect on the outcomes demonstrated in this analysis.
VII. Presentations by the Division of Intramural Research, NINDS
Overview, Division of Intramural Research
Dr. Alan Koretsky, Scientific Director, NINDS, provided NINDS Council members with an overview of the NINDS Intramural Training Program. The Intramural Research Program (IRP) training program spans all levels of career development, including: a summer program targeting college students, several partnership programs with other neuroscience programs to train graduate students, and postdoctoral and clinical fellows.
NINDS Intramural Neurosurgical Training Opportunities
Dr. Russell Lonser, Chief, Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS, reported that over the last decade, work-hour limitations and socioeconomic constraints have limited research training opportunities for resident and early career neurosurgeon-scientists nationally. To combat these difficulties and to enhance research training opportunities, the NINDS Surgical Neurology Branch (SNB) developed 2 new intramural research training programs, including a Neurological Surgery Residency Training Program and an Assistant Clinical Investigator position within the SNB.
In 2010, the NINDS SNB received Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approval to be the Sponsoring Site for a Neurological Surgery Residency Training Program (7 year training program that accepts 1 resident/year). The residency is a collaborative effort with the University of Virginia, which functions as a Participating Site. Since that time, the residency training program has recruited outstanding medical students from around the country. Current residents include David Weintraub, M.D., Gautam Mehta, M.D., and Winson Ho, M.D.
To enhance the research training opportunities for neurosurgeons that have finished residency training, an Assistant Clinical Investigator position within SNB was developed in 2009. This position is designed to train early career neurosurgeons-investigators on the NINDS intramural campus. These positions begin with a 2- to 3-year mentored phase. Following the mentored phase, the Assistant Clinical Investigator can receive independent resources for a 3-year period with Board of Scientific Counselors approval.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2
Dr. Ashok Asthagiri, Assistant Clinical Investigator, Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS, reported that neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is a multiple neoplasia syndrome caused by a mutation in the tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 22. Ongoing findings of basic science and clinical research studies in NF2 conducted at the intramural NIH campus were presented. A retrospective analysis demonstrated that NF2–associated intracranial tumors most frequently demonstrated a saltatory growth pattern. Because new tumors can develop in NF2 patients over their lifetime and because radiographic progression and symptom formation are unpredictable, resection may be best reserved for symptom-producing tumors. Moreover, establishing the efficacy of nonsurgical therapeutic interventions must be based on long-term follow-up (several years). A prospective cross-sectional study performed on NF2 natural history study participants identified a model in which hearing loss develops as a result of cochlear aperture obstruction and accumulation of intralabyrinthine protein. MRI based identification of elevated intralabyrinthine protein may help identify the ear at-risk for developing hearing loss. Finally, the findings of a laboratory investigation were presented which indicate that amino acid substitutions in mutant merlin result in quantitative reductions in protein expression, rather than intrinsic functional changes. This suggests that NF2 missense mutations result in altered protein stability and implicates a protein quality control pathway through which such mutant merlin is detected and degraded within cells. Because manipulation of protein quality control pathways using proteostasis regulators results in increased expression of functional mutant tumor suppressor protein, specific molecular mediators involved in these pathways may provide a unique treatment paradigm for NF2 and other similar disorders.
Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Function through Neurosurgery
Dr. Kareem Zaghloul, Staff Clinician, Surgical Neurology Branch, NINDS, reported that epilepsy surgery and deep brain stimulation surgery, two major surgical techniques used within functional neurosurgery, rely on recording neural activity directly from and direct stimulation of the human brain to in order to best address neurologic dysfunction. Because of this, it is clear that the future of neurosurgery is intimately related to the establishing a more comprehensive understanding of basic neural circuits that lies at the heart of neuroscience. Research in the Surgical Neurology Branch is aimed at demonstrating that this relationship can be reciprocal, that just as neuroscience informs neurosurgery, neurosurgery can also be used as a vehicle to inform neuroscience. Research was presented demonstrating how direct recordings during deep brain stimulation surgery are used to explore the neural mechanisms that underlie human reinforcement learning and human decision making within the structures of the basal ganglia. In addition, studies were presented demonstrating how neurophysiologic recordings captured after implantation of intracranial electrodes for seizure localization in epilepsy surgery are used to explore the neural and network mechanisms that underlie human episodic memory formation.
VIII. Review of the Division of Intramural Research Board of Scientific Counselors' Reports
In closed session, Dr. Koretsky presented the findings and recommendations of the Board of Scientific Counselors based on their review of specific DIR laboratories/units during 2011. The Council discussed the reports of the Board and accepted them.
IX. Council Consideration of Pending Applications
This portion of the meeting, involving specific grant review, was closed to the public. The Council gave special attention to applications from foreign institutions and other applications which needed specific discussion. Prior to the discussion of the grants, Dr. Finkelstein reminded Council regarding conflict of interest and confidentiality as follows:
Conflict of Interest
The regulations concerning conflict of interest were reviewed. Council members were reminded that materials furnished for review purposes and discussion during the closed portions of the meeting are considered privileged information. All Council members present signed a statement certifying that they had not been involved in any conflict of interest situations during the review of grant applications.
During the closed session, any information that is discussed and the outcome of any recommendation are considered privileged information. They may not be discussed outside of the closed session. If an applicant requests support for his or her application from a Council member, the Council member must respond that he/she is not permitted to discuss the application. Any inquiry should be referred to Dr. Robert Finkelstein, the Council Executive Secretary, who will then refer the questions to the appropriate staff member for response.
Research Training and Career Development Programs
The Council reviewed a total of 85 research career development and institutional training grant applications; of this total, 71 applications had primary assignment to NINDS, and 45 of them (63.4 percent) were (scored/percentiled) in the amount of $6.9 million first-year direct costs. It is anticipated that, of the research career development and institutional training grant applications competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $2.7 million (17 grants).
Research Project and Center Awards
The Council reviewed a total of 1,673 research project and center applications; of this total, 1,348 applications had primary assignment to NINDS, and 754 of them (56.0 percent) were (scored/percentiled) in the amount of $222.9 million first-year direct costs. It is anticipated that, of the research grants competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $61.3 million (233 grants).
Senator Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Awards
The Senator Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Awards are made to distinguished investigators who have a record of scientific excellence and productivity, who are actively pursuing an area of research of strategic importance, and who can be expected to continue to be highly productive for a seven-year period. Candidates are nominated and selected at each Council meeting. At this meeting, three Javits awards were recommended.
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Technology Transfer Award Programs
The Council reviewed a total of 125 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Technology Transfer Award (STTR) grant applications; of this total, 100 applications had primary assignment to NINDS and 63 of them (63.0 percent) (scored/percentiled) in the amount of $14.7 million first-year direct costs. It is anticipated that, of the SBIR and STTR applications competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $4.7 million (17 grants).
X. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 a.m. on Friday, May 25.
We certify that, to the best of our knowledge, the foregoing minutes and attachments are accurate and complete.
Robert Finkelstein, Ph.D.
Executive Secretary
National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council
Director, Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Story C. Landis, Ph.D.
National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
These minutes will be formally considered by the Council at its next meeting. Corrections or notations will be incorporated in the minutes of that meeting.
Last Modified October 18, 2015


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Browsing by Author Kantharia, N. G
Showing results 1 to 15 of 15
|Issue Date
|The 2010 outburst and pre-outburst optical spectrum of the recurrent nova U Scorpii
|Anupama, G. C; Kamath, U. S; Ramaprakash, A. N; Kantharia, N. G; Hegde, M; Mohan, V; Kulkarni, M; Bode, M. F; Eyres, S. P. S; Evans, A; O Brien, T. J
|Cosmic ray electron acceleration in the remnant of nova GK Persei?
|Kantharia, N. G; Anupama, G. C; Subramanian, P
|Double radio peak and non-thermal collimated ejecta in RS Ophiuchi following the 2006 outburst
|Eyres, S. P. S; O'Brien, T. J; Beswick, R; Muxlow, T. W. B; Anupama, G. C; Kantharia, N. G; Bode, M. F; Gawroński, M. P; Feiler, R; Evans, A; Rushton, M. T; Davis, R. J; Prabhu, T; Porcas, R; Hassall, B. J. M
|Extra-Planar Radio Emission from Edge-on Disk Galaxies
|Ananthakrishnan, S; Kantharia, N. G; Nityananda, R
|GMRT Observations of the 2006 outburst of the Nova RS Ophiuchi: First detection of emission at radio frequencies < 1.4 GHz
|Kantharia, N. G; Anupama, G. C; Prabhu, T. P; Ramya, S; Bode, M. F; Eyres, S. P. S; O'Brien, T. J
|An H I shell-like structure associated with nova V458 Vulpeculae?
|Nirupam Roy; Kantharia, N. G; Eyres, S. P. S; Anupama, G. C; Bode, M. F; Prabhu, T. P; O'Brien, T. J
|Insights into the evolution of symbiotic recurrent novae from radio synchrotron emission: V745 Scorpii and RS Ophiuchi
|Kantharia, N. G; Dutta, P; Roy, N; Anupama, G. C; Ishwara-Chandra, C. H; Chitale, A; Prabhu, T. P; Banerjee, D. P. K; Ashok, N. M
|Late time X-ray, IR and radio observations of the tidal disruption event galaxy NGC 5905
|Raichur, H; Mousumi Das; Herrero, A. A; Shastri, P; Kantharia, N. G
|Modelling the synchrotron light curves in recurrent novae V745 Scorpii and RS Ophiuchi
|Kantharia, N. G; Dutta, P; Roy, N; Anupama, G. C; Chitale, A; Ishwara-Chandra, C; Prabhu, T. P; Ashok, N. M; Banerjee, D. P. K
|A multiwavelength study of the remnant of nova GK Persei
|Anupama, G. C; Kantharia, N. G
|Radio Continuum and H I Study of Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies
|Ramya, S; Kantharia, N. G; Prabhu, T. P
|A radio continuum and H I study of optically selected blue compact dwarf galaxies: Mrk 1039 and Mrk 0104
|Ramya, S; Kantharia, N. G; Prabhu, T. P
|RS Ophiuchi
|Anupama, G. C; Kantharia, N. G
|RS Ophiuchi: radio lightcurve development following the 2006 outburst
|Prabhu, T. P; Eyres, S. P. S; Rushton, M; O'Brien, T. J; Beswick, R; Muxlow, T. W. B; Davis, R; Anupama, G. C; Kantharia, N. G; Bode, M; Gawroñski, M. P; Feiler, R; Evans, A
|Studying the radio continuum from nuclear activity and star formation in giant low surface brightness galaxies
|Mishra, A; Kantharia, N. G; Mousumi Das; Srivastava, D. C; Vogel, S. N


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Turkish Delegation at the Sullivan County Courthouse
MONTICELLO, NY — For the week of April 26, Judge Frank LaBuda was honored to be the host and coordinator for Turkish judges and prosecutors. The Turkish delegation observed and compared court proceedings in supreme court civil and criminal, as well as family court in Sullivan County. Also, the judges had the opportunity to observe and participate in local justice court proceedings in the Town of Mamakating with Justices Joel Welsh and Cynthia Dolan.
The week-long agenda gave the Judges an opportunity to observe justice in action. Judges Michael McGuire and Stephan Schick assisted Judge LaBuda and the Sullivan County Bar Association in providing mock criminal jury trial for the delegation, as well as several area high school students to observe on Law Day.
On May 1, the Sullivan County Bar Association, in conjunction with the Sullivan and Orange County Women's Bar Association, sponsored a dinner/reception for the delegation. Sen. John J. Bonacic, chairman of the New York State Judiciary Committee, and Hon. Karen Peters, presiding justice of the appellate division, third department, were keynote speakers. The counsel for the Turkish Consulate's Office, the Hon. Selda Sahinol, Esq., also welcomed the delegation.


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Construction Begins on Tanger Outlets at National Harbor
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers | 11/29/2012, 6:12 p.m.
Tanger Factory Outlet Centers and Peterson Companies hosted a ground breaking ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 29 to announce the commencement of construction on the Tanger Outlets National Harbor.
"Tanger Outlets National Harbor will be a game changer in terms of retail options and opportunities in Prince George's County," said Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker. "By this time next year, we are going to have thousands of shoppers from around the region and state spending money in Prince George's County during the holiday season while supporting and creating jobs for our residents. I am very excited to break this ground and welcome Tanger Outlets to Prince George's County."
The Tanger Outlets National Harbor is located at the base of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and directly accessible from the Capital Beltway and Indian Head Highway. The new facilities will serve as a leading outlet destination for the 8 million residents in the D.C. region.
The center's unique features will include a modern design with a pedestrian-friendly layout that will function as an open-air mall with both covered and uncovered landscaped courtyards and park-like settings throughout the complex.
The center will introduce approximately 80 leading brand name and designer outlet stores, including Calvin Klein, H&M, IZOD, Gap Factory Store, American Eagle Outfitters,and many more.
"We are pleased to begin construction of Tanger Outlets National Harbor in this dynamic lifestyle destination and to create new job opportunities in Prince George's County" said Steven B. Tanger, president of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. "Our goal is to create an exceptional outlet experience to serve this outstanding market area and to attract domestic and international tourists visiting the metropolitan D.C. area with great designer and brand name stores with on trend, in season value priced merchandise..
The 340,000 square feet project represents a private investment of almost $100 million dollars. It is one of the largest economic development projects in the county and will create an estimated 600 jobs during construction, and approximately 1,000 full and part-time retail jobs upon completion. The center is estimated to create an additional $6.5 million dollars in annual sales tax revenue for the state.
"The Tanger Outlets brand is synonymous with quality and we are thrilled to partner with them to bring these high quality retail brands to Prince George's County" said Milt Peterson, Peterson Companies chairman. "This is an exciting new chapter in the evolution of National Harbor and we believe that Tanger Outlets National Harbor will be a tremendous complement to our existing shopping, dining, entertainment and hospitality offerings."


text: The distinction is one of the hardest pool based lifesaving awards. This award is quite tough to achieve, and has pre-requisits including open water examinations. Still, for the more determined lifesaver, it offers an excellent way to test your skills to the fullest. For more information please talk to the club president


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Transitory Debt: Evidence from Borsa Istanbul
In this study, we investigate whether or not there is any behavior of publicly listed firms at Borsa Istanbul supporting the predictions of transitory debt model. For this purpose we investigate the leverage behavior of a subsample of firms that increase their leverage levels substantially. Our findings suggest that firms deviate from target leverage levels as a result of substantial debt increases. This behavior of firms contradicts the predictions of tradeoff theory, and supports the predictions of transitory debt model. In US financial markets, the main motivation for firms to deviate from target leverage levels deliberately but temporarily through transitory debt is suggested as investment purposes. In contrast, our findings suggest that firms substantially increase their leverage levels with the main motivation of working capital purposes, followed by investment purposes, in Turkish economy.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
International Journal of Financial Research
ISSN 1923-4023(Print) ISSN 1923-4031(Online)
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12 March 2014
March Bootcamp - Jellies
I've been so focused on Bootcamp, I feel like I haven't posted for ages.
This month's assignment is jelly, which I already had on my 'to do' list, so I thought I'd be off to a running start, but I stalled. My head went off in so many different directions I couldn't decide what to do.
I was determined to use more original drawings this time round, so I just sat down and and drew everything I could, and it was brilliant. I'd forgotten how enjoyable drawing can be when you just go with it. Using loose sheets of paper rather than sketchbooks has also helped.
Now we've to work our design into a pattern for bolt fabric. I know the principles of pattern repeats (kind of) but it's something I've been wanting to learn about for a while so this seemed like a good opportunity. I didn't even look at colour for the first few days, I just worked with my icons, getting them to work in a pattern the way I wanted them to. I learnt a lot in the process but my brain did ache at times trying to make sense of it all.
I'm still playing with colours. I'm still not that clued up on using colour in Photoshop, so I just placed some basic shapes of colour in to see how they would work together (above). They sort of work, so I might just do a little bit of refining and leave it. Then I'd like to try another version with brighter colours. For some reason I'm being drawn to muted tones, which isn't very jelly-ish really. Right at the beginning I was thinking bright transparent jewel tones, I even took the photo below for colour inspiration, but I keep heading for the retro colours.
3 comments:
Was going to follow but somehow it wouldn't let me, love your work.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for letting me know, I'm having real problems with Google Friend Connect. I've been trying to follow people but I was getting an error message, ended having to go into my settings on Blogger and paste their blog address in. I'll have a look and see if I can fix it.Delete
i absolutely love it nancy! it's right up my street :-)ReplyDelete
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