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About the Author: Luke Forgerson serves as DipNote's Managing Editor.
I'm proud to announce that today DipNote surpassed five million page views. When I shared the news with my colleagues, their faces brightened, and some even did a celebratory dance.
It feels appropriate to reach this milestone as we also mark the first one hundred days of the Obama Administration. During Secretary Clinton's first town hall meeting with State Department employees, she said, "There is no doubt in my mind that we have barely scratched the surface as to what we can use to communicate with people around the world, and in fact, to use them [new technologies] as tools...to further our own work and be smart about it."
Those words were particularly encouraging to me and my colleagues. The Secretary certainly meant what she said! Soon after taking office, Secretary Clinton posted a blog of her own. She has solicited questions from people around the world through "Text the Secretary." She has hosted webchats and webcast town halls and has focused on new media to amplify the Department's efforts around the globe.
State Department colleagues often informally share their thoughts with me about new media efforts, DipNote in particular. I prefer, of course, to hear when colleagues like something they see or read on the blog, but I also value their constructive comments. Their feedback demonstrates to me that State Department colleagues are taking a vested interest in DipNote. The blog enables more State Department employees to engage the five million viewers, like you, who rely on DipNote for updates on critical issues, such as climate change and food security, and share with you the work they are doing in countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Though DipNote's success rests much upon the contributions of State Department employees, it also relies heavily upon you, our readers. On behalf of everyone at DipNote – Caroline Adler, Jeff Jackson, Tamika Johnson, Eric Jones, and Daniel Schaub, a group whose creativity and vision are at the heart of the blog – thank you for helping us reach this point. Thank you for reading, and thank you for providing your informed and heartfelt comments. We're excited that DipNote reached this milestone, and look forward to millions more!
Rosemary in New Jersey writes:
Congratulations, Dipnote! Your are all doing a great job.
Special thanks to our Hillary for TELLING us about Dipnote. As you can see, she has a lot of folks who are invested in following her, and all of you.
Keep up the great work! We LOVE it!
Masood in California writes:
Wow! 5,000,000 page views!
DipNote, is a great platform for the people all over the world to share opinions, concerns and the suggestions on critical issues at home directly with the United States of America.
For State Department a real opportunity to gain an insight into complex but often interlinked problems. A tool, policy-makers can utilize to debug strategies on an open-source platform.
Aaron in Iraq writes:
Congratulations. As a DipNote reader (and contributor), it's great to see the State Department embracing technology and keeping the public up to speed on what's happening around the globe.
I'd also like to thank DipNote for your commitment to posting the stories of U.S. diplomats in the field. Your outreach to the rank and file of the diplomatic corps gives those of us in far-flung and forgotten parts of the world a forum to tell the stories that few ever hear about.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to celebrating 10,000,000 page views in the years to come.
Wendy in California writes:
As a Dipnote devotee (sounds better than a Dipnote dipsomaniac . .), hip hip hurray for the Dipnote team! I learn so much from Dipnote. Bubbly all around.
John in Greece writes:
@ Luke, Caroline, Jeff, Tamika, Eric, Daniel and the SD "computer team".
If "sky is the limit", you are such a GREAT air crew that soon you'll make it to space! And it goes...
Keep up the innovations, new ideas -- you always bring to table -- and your love for this project and I'm sure that 2009 web statistics will prove that 5M page views is just the initial take off in order to accelerate DipNote to 50Ms.
Patricia S. in New York writes:
Everyone hopes to hitch his/her wagon to a winner. As a reader and contributor to Dipnote, I say we're all winners. Congratulations to everyone connected with Dipnote for providing us with a welcome, informative site -- covering every topic -- from A to Z -- keep it coming.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
( In the beginning )
There once was a guy named McCormack, who had an idea and went for it.
For all the unsung diplomats, in far flung places, the public should know their names, and we'll make them famous.
How? His superiors asked.
Let there be a blog.
Why? They wondered.
Because the press only gets half the story across to the public.
Who will read it?
If we build it, the public will come and interact with us.
It's never been tried before, the doubters mused.
We need all the good ideas we can get, and public diplomacy will be well served if we give them voice in the foreign policy of the nation.
What will you call it? they asked him.
Are we not diplomats? Let's call it "Dipnote".
The sighed and said, Ok Sean, we'll entertain your social experiment, you've convinced us. As they surrended to his logic.
And so an institution was born.
I have no idea if the above is in any way accurate, but I'd like to think so....(chuckle).
Congrats to all involved, you've earned it.
I tell folks in my community about this blog and I generally get one common reaction.
Disbelief that the government actually cares what the public thinks.
When I tell them yeah, they do, and the Bush admin approved Dipnote's start up, they go into shock.
When I say,"Here's your chance to make a difference and interact with Ambassadors, Assistant Secretaries of State, and that even the Sec. of State blogs here, they suddenly get real shy about doing so, and voicing complaint directly.
The "big brother" complex I guess, as they ask me, "Arn't you afraid you'll get a visit from the "Men in Black"? Or get hacked by the NSA?
I tell 'em, "Ain't no censorship involved though you should remain civil in your remarks, as it's the polite thing to do. And remember, the government works for you, not the other way around, so have no fear, the First Amendment is your friend."
I hope Luke, that you and your staff fully appreciate what damage you all are doing to urban myth.
Hollywood has created a bit of social stigma in this regard I think.
You all have done a great public service, well beyond the obvious.
Keep up the good work!
John in Greece writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico -- "Bravo Zulu" for your text (as Donald wisely says). Do you remember Bro the attacks that Sean received, concerning this Blog? I know you do! He was/is a genius?!!!
So, I think that we owe him a HUGE THANK YOU!
I will attempt to give him my best regards because I feel that he is still part of our "DipNote team" through "our" music:
P.S. Dear Sean, I think you "owe" us a post on how are you doing. We love you here, 'cause you are the "basic father" of this excellent project. Best Regards Sir McCormack!
SNP in Syria writes:
That many, better watch what we post here. On the other hand, that is 5 million better informed citizens worldwide, what better way to promote freedom and bring progressive ideas forward than this economical mean called blog. We all benefit from highly educated Citizens.
John in Greece writes:
@ SNP in Syria -- You write: "better watch what we post here". Are you attempting to frighten us SNP? You didn't like the 5M pages success right?
If you mean that we should be responsible and serious, concerning what we write -- I agree! Go ahead, do it first for SNP though, because many posts are a little bit?! But, if you attempt to reduce the "size" of this Blog's success -- Forget it! You'll never gonna hurt its value. By the way, it's FREE, not economical, especially not "cheap at all" like some comments. I mean you cannot "afford", or evaluate the high class staff of DipNote staff in terms of money. However, I would agree -- although I'm sure you disagree now -- that they should get a bonus +plus a bigger budget for this FANTASTIC project.
Concerning the "watch" fear you are regularly trying to spread as a virus, my answer is copy/pasted, but very true and proven in this Blog's history. Of course I don't know what's happening in the Syria dictatorship telecommunications environment, making me "understand" your psychological fears. I can feel you, coming from a country with no Democracy, Rules and Laws.
My answer:
QUOTE: The "big brother" complex I guess, as they ask me, "Arn't you afraid you'll get a visit from the "Men in Black"? Or get hacked by the NSA? END OF QUOTE.
No! this site is AMERICAN, all of which means FREE, as long as you don't attempt to hurt Democracy and Freedom?
So, I disagree with your comment. According to my opinion, "DON'T 'WATCH' WHAT YOU POST? guys, as long as you believe what you write. Feel free...Nobody gonna hurts you! This is a Hollywood myth! (you are Right NM!).
I wish I didn't "mis-analyse" the deeper meaning of your comment, but anyway, this is how I got it. I am not an analyst! Nevertheless, if we say "watch it", we'll never get the 50M pages... when we make people hesitate to engage into a FREE dialogue.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
I guess we could "watch" them if they were worth reading SNP, including clarity of meaning (chuckle) I read you loud and clear, and agree on the fundemental points, and would add,
When a government satisfies the public's curiosity and voice, it can be percieved as "open". It is for the public to define how that manifests, in process of becoming so.
Susan in Florida writes:
To the DipNote staff -- THANK YOU for providing us,"the world", with a place to express our thoughts and opinions. Congratulations on the 5 million page milestone!! Your hard work and obvious dedication are appreciated. Looking forward to the next 5 million.
Molly in Washington, DC writes:
Congratulations on reaching 5 million!
Anna in Washington, DC writes:
Congratulations and best wishes to the DipNote team.


text: Economy/Lax Business High School Uncommitted 250, Best Lacrosse Recruiting Camp is Still Open for Registration Lacrosse Playground / October 3, 2012 Performance Sport Systems' Northeast Uncommitted 250 is still open for registration. The camp is your best shot at getting recruited this Fall. Unique in structure, Uncommitted 250 is the first tournament for Continue Reading Share

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Homecoming planned
Pittsfield Homecoming will be held Saturday, Aug. 31, at Pittsfield Community Center, with dinner at 1 p.m. Participants should take their own table service and a dish to share. Beverages will be provided.
Gospel concert
A gospel concert with local musicians will be held from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Faith Fellowship Church on Market Street. All are welcome.
Tractor pull planned
Bear Lake Volunteer Fire Department will have a lawn and garden tractor pull Saturday, Aug. 24, at the fire hall. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the pull will begin at 10 a.m. Food will be available for purchase.


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E-Z Pay is particularly suitable for teachers, since you can opt to skip your July and August payments or August and September payments. We also offer a Holiday Skip plan. Ask your insurance representative for more information.
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Ultra-Luminary - Page 3
When Columbia Sportswear bought the grassroots footwear company January 2006, the Montrail-Patagonia Ultrarunning team was slashed to 16 athletes and Moehl's job was dramatically altered. Though she was offered a position at the restructured company, she turned it down. The same period, Moehl and Sybrowsky separated, the reasons for which she keeps personal.
"Krissy, you need some windshield time," a friend and fellow ultrarunner, Garett Graubins, told her at an outdoor-industry tradeshow. He was right.
After a quiet separation, a wistful Moehl packed up her car and spent the reminder of 2006 zigzagging across the Western United States, interrupting the road trip for a few side-trips by air to race or visit friends in Alaska, New Hampshire, California and Virginia. While on the road, she strung together visits with fellow ultrarunners Roch Horton, Hal Koerner, Kimball, Emily Baer, Luanne Park, Nate and Petra McDowell and thru-hiked the 482-mile Colorado Trail with National Geographic Adventure's Adventurer of the Year, Andrew Skurka (see Bonus Content on www.trailrunnermag.com for more about Moehl's trip). "I wanted to see where my friends love to run and eat at their favorite restaurants and coffee shops," she says.
With each mile logged on the highway and on foot, Moehl regained a sense of personal peace and balance, racking up five women's course records at races between 50 miles and 100K. "There aren't many problems a long run can't solve," she says. The overwhelming hospitality and generosity she received at every stop of her fervid tour further expanded her "ultrarunning family" and reinvigorated her spirit. "It was such a powerful time during which I could adjust to the upheaval and plant my feet again."
Starting 2007 with a new post as Nathan Sports' promotions manager meant Moehl would be spending more time than ever marching through airport corridors and running on treadmills in cramped hotel gyms or on flat asphalt roads. The regimen was far from ideal training for her new objective: Colorado's Hardrock 100-miler. Held at an average of 11,000 feet in elevation and boasting 33,000 feet of ascent, it is notorious for cracking even the strongest, most seasoned runner.
Moehl's saving grace was her familiarity with Hardrock's course, having paced Leland Barker, a veteran of 60 ultras ("He dropped me twice," she says), Stephanie Ehret, Moehl's teammate at the Trailwalker Hong Kong 100K in 2002 (they won) and Roch Horton, twice. It wasn't until last year that Moehl says she "had the guts" to race Hardrock herself.
She arrived in Silverton, Colorado (where Hardrock starts and finishes), two weeks early to acclimatize and pre-run the route through the San Juan Mountains over four days. She also reviewed her race-preparation checklist:
Trained properly for a 30-hour mountain ultra? Not really, but perhaps that 40-mile training run in Seattle six weeks ago with Scott [Jurek, who was also running his first Hardrock] made up for it.
Acclimatized enough to get over 14,000-foot Handies Peak with out blowing up? Hopefully.
Organized an impromptu soccer game with local kids to take mind off pre-race jitters? Check.
Toenails painted purple with silver sparkles for good luck? Check.
Under cloudless skies on a warm July evening, Moehl jogged into Hardrock's aid station at Ouray (mile 56) feeling fine but a little lonely after a long day running solo. She was happy to see her friend and Silverton local, Emily Baer, 31, there, looking bright and strong. Baer was on pace for her best Hardrock finish ever (she was 20th in both 2004 and 2005). Krissy picked up her pacer, Africa, and the two chatted and laughed their way through the next four hours as they ascended 13,000-foot Virginius Pass to Telluride.
Later that night at Chapman Aid station, four-time Hardrock winner Karl Meltzer was getting back onto his feet after a two-hour snooze just as Moehl rolled in. He was surprised to see her—and impressed. "It's such a hard race that your average pace is maybe four miles an hour," says Meltzer. "You don't need to be fast—you need to be strong. Krissy seems to excel in this kind of tough mountain terrain."
From there, 23-year-old rising ultra star, Kyle Skaggs, was Moehl's pacer. "I kept thinking, I have all this experience and here's this kid reminding me to eat gels and not go too fast," she says. Similar to the magic that took place at Wasatch three years earlier, Moehl tapped into a powerful internal energy source that catapulted her through the final 18 miles in 5:42, just three minutes off race winner Jurek's split for that same section. Moehl's women's course record of 29:24:45 placed her third overall, only 26 minutes behind second-place Meltzer.
"While previewing the course's last couple of miles, I cried picturing what it would feel like to finish Hardrock," she recalls. "When it was the real deal, I was working so hard there were no tears. But after kissing the rock, all the emotion just poured out." Moehl's moving moment at the finish-line boulder became a YouTube video.
"What was unexpected was how well it went," she says. "My running had been suffering, and I just didn't feel focused or in a solid place personally from which to train properly."
So what invigorated her?
Eight people from three different states converged in Silverton to support Moehl's Hardrock quest. It was the kind of outpouring of friendship and support she never takes for granted. "It was amazing to get all these people together and pull something off that I didn't think was possible," she says.
It's 11 a.m. in Bend, Oregon, and Moehl taps away on a computer in a small office she shares with her boss, John Sterling. After less than a year at Nathan, Moehl left (they still sponsor her) and took a job with the Conservation Alliance. Though she now sits behind a desk five days a week, she still carves out time to run. It's Taco Stand Tuesday at Footzone, a local running shop. She leaves a few bucks with the shop employees and after a speedy seven-mile workout with the guys, returns to the shop where a hot burrito awaits.
Back at the office, Moehl is immersed in a new world of environmental conservation funding and policy rather than athletes and running-shoe technology. As a runner she valued not shortcutting trails or littering as a way to protect the environment, and now with the Conservation Alliance, she helps allocate funding to projects protecting the wild places that house the country's most beautiful trails.
She's nesting and quickly establishing new social circles, though some of her Bend friends have no idea she's a top endurance athlete. And that's how she likes it. Even while at Montrail, where her job was to promote others' accomplishments, she never made much noise about her own.
Moehl is also putting the final touches on the Chuckanut 50K, a race she's directed for five years. As site of her first ultra victory, the event is dear to her. She's even put Peggy in charge of the burrito bar that feeds Chuckanut's 350 participants. "I get more excited to race direct than anything," says Moehl, who's sleeping only four hours a night because her mind is whirring through an endless to-do list. "I love creating this race experience and bringing first timers into the ultrarunning world that I love so much."
She's eyeing ultras she's never done before like October's inaugural Grindstone 100-miler in Swoope, Virginia. However, some of her peers believe she has yet to reach her full potential at the country's most competitive 100-mile classics. "I'd like to see her race Western States really hard," says Jurek. "There aren't many women who could keep up to Nikki, but I have a good feeling she'd be close."
Wherever Moehl focuses her energy next, whether it's racing, race directing, environmental advocacy or being a bellwether for the sport of ultrarunning, will benefit. "She brings so much to everything she does, we're just lucky she fell into this sport," says Roch Horton.
Elinor Fish is Managing Editor of Trail Runner. This article originally appeared in our August 2008 issue.


text: Level is calculated as approximately 2 percent of total financial assets from the U.S. Census Bureau's Table 1--State and Local Government Finances by Level of Government and by State, Cash and security holdings, Other than insurance trust funds, adjusted to match financial accounts framework. Percentage is based on detailed data for fiscal year 2011 on mutual fund shares from CAFRs for the largest state and local governmental units. Capital gains are estimated based on the percent change in the Dow Jones U.S. total stock market index ( FOF series FI073164013) applied to the previous quarter's level. Unadjusted flow is the change in the level less estimated capital gains; data for the most recent ten years show no significant seasonality.


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'To have meaningful public participation, the public first needs access to reliable information,' says Ma Jun.South China Morning Post throughout the 1990s and then penning the seminal 1999 book, China's Water Crisis, Ma decided to shift gears from reporting on the problem to trying to fix it.
Apple Computer is among the companies least responsive to working with Green Choice Alliance.work with factories in our supply chain and want to ensure they meet these [environmental, health, and safety] requirements. We first got to know Mr. Ma Jun and IPE in the middle of 2008. We decide to use his databases to check our factories in the supply chain." Nike oversees its own audits, but Qiu says the database is helpful for flagging potential violators and focusing resources. She did not say if any factories had lost contracts due to violations, but said Nike did plan "to integrate sustainable goals into sourcing decisions" in the future. "It's better for us to manage and protect risk in our supply chain at the outset to protect our brand," she explained.
The long-term battle is about building a system in China that is more transparent and open.toxic chemical, n-hexane, in a compound used to wipe down touch-screens of iPhones.
MORE FROM YALE e360
Growing Shortages of Water
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This is your chance to sample the Gentle Spirit of the glen at one of the highest distilleries in the land.
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This is a truly spectacular setting in which to discover our collection of Scottish wildlife and endangered animals from the worlds mountains and tundra regions.
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Now vying for the title of Britains snowsports capital, Glenshee promises adventure in the making.
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The Chamber Is Your Trusted Partner For Health Insurance
For decades the Chamber of Commerce has helped businesses and their employees access health insurance. Our members have looked to the Chamber to navigate through a multitude of changes that have occurred within the insurance market over the years to provide the best possible options to our members, and we continue to work to meet those objectives.
The Affordable Care Act will bring significant changes to the insurance market. Businesses with 50 or fewer employees will see the most dramatic changes as we approach Jan. 1, 2014. New York state will have a public exchange that will serve businesses, sole proprietors and individuals. In addition, there will continue to be health insurance options available outside of the public exchange. There will be a lot of choices to sort through. The Chamber will help you understand your health insurance options.
The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce has been a strong voice in Albany to help develop an overall health insurance market that meets the needs of business and the community. We advocated for choice and affordability and we have been successful. We encouraged development of an exchange that stimulates competition among carriers and we have been successful. We opposed decisions that would have driven up the cost of health insurance for small businesses and we have been successful. We advocated for maintaining a strong and viable insurance market outside of the exchange and we have been successful. We have also advocated on behalf of Chambers and brokers to make sure the state recognizes their historic significance in advising businesses and allows them to continue to be a part of the health insurance distribution system.
In the next few months we will learn more about the culmination of these efforts on behalf of the business community.
When it comes to health insurance, the bottom line is that the Chamber is watching out for the needs of businesses and we are your resource for information regarding insurance plans.
Here is an opportunity to learn more: The Community Chamber Development Corporation will hold an informational session on the Affordable Care Act, insurance options, and more on Aug. 7 at Tom's Restaurant in Hanover. For more information call the Chamber at 366-6200 or 484-1101.
Special Golf Offer From The Peak
Golfers who register for the 2013 Chamber Golf Tournament Aug. 15 at Peek'n Peak will also be able to sleep cheap at the Peak if they choose to spend the night. Peek'n Peak has reserved a block of ten rooms for registered Chamber golfers at just $99 per room. This special room rate is first come first serve for registered Chamber golfers only. To reserve a room call Peek'n Peak at 355-4141.
This year's Chamber Golf Tournament also gives golfers the choice of playing either a scramble or a two-best ball format. It will be played on the prestigious Upper Course at Peek'n Peak – a par-72 course with unique terrain that features panoramic views, great elevation changes, deep sand bunkers and mature woods, to create a spectacular atmosphere.
The tournament is sponsored by DFT Communications, Community Bank NA, Cummins Inc., Fredonia Place, GHD Consulting Engineers, Greater Woodlawn FCU, Lake Shore Savings Bank, Lawley-Tradition LLC, National Fuel Gas, Ed Shults Chevrolet Inc., the OBSERVER, and The Post-Journal. For more information or to register, visit the Chamber website at www.chautauquachamber.org, or call 484-1101 or 366-6200.
Jammers Event Features Big Prizes
For the second year in a row, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Aspire and the Jamestown Jammers to provide a very special event in August. Tickets are on sale now for a chance to win one of two incredible prizes: a weekend getaway to Pittsburgh including tickets to the Sept. 14 Pirates game, or a 60-inch Vizio LED TV. The weekend trip prize package also includes an overnight VIP stay at any Pittsburgh Red Roof Inn and a $100 Visa gift card. You can purchase tickets at the Chamber office, 512 Falconer St., Jamestown or at the Aspire office, 140 Mall Blvd., Lakewood. The winner will be drawn at the Jammers game Aug. 2.
Comments Still Open for NRG Project
The deadline is Aug. 16 for public comments on the repowering of the NRG plant in Dunkirk. The Chamber continues to encourage all local businesses and residents to make their voices heard on behalf of this important project. NRG is the largest single taxpayer in Chautauqua County. The conversion of its coal fired plant to natural gas would create a cleaner, more environmentally friendly plant, would create jobs, and would sustain critically important power production in Western New York. The PSC will take written comments, or you can go to their website and enter your comments online. A link to the direct case page can be found on the Chamber's website at www.chautauquachamber.org.
Chamber, GIs Of Comedy Team Up
The GIs of Comedy is a comedic troupe of troops, who have taken their love of their country and brought it to the comedy stage. Their mission is to help heal their fellow soldiers with their comedy. Their show will be Friday, Aug. 2 at the Reg Lenna Civic Center at 5:30 p.m. The Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce is holding a networking event from 4-5:30, prior to the show. For just $5, you get: VIP reception before the show with access to food service and cash bar, a ticket to the 5:30 p.m. show with preferred VIP seating (the general admission ticket cost is $10, free for veterans with military ID), and a ticket to Aspire/Chamber Day at the Ballpark at Russell E. Diethrick Jr. Park (game time is 7:05 p.m., after the GI's of Comedy show). This show contains adult material and the event is 18 and over. The GIs of Comedy are sponsored by SKF and the Jamestown Community Chamber of Commerce.


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USA Badminton Statement Regarding Team Not Receiving Visas to Enter Iran for the 2009 Fajr International Badminton Tournament
"USA Badminton is very disappointed that our team did not receive visas to enter Iran and therefore our women's team will not be able to participate in the 2009 Fajr International Badminton Tournament in Tehran. Our athletes were very much looking forward to the event and are very disappointed that they will not be able to compete and meet new friends. Friendship through sport is a good thing that should be respected and cherished. The Iranian Badminton Federation was sincere in their invitation to us and we completed our visa applications over two months ago in plenty of time to meet all deadlines. We were told our visas had been approved and were asked to secure them in Dubai. It's unfortunate that we will not be able to compete and sincerely hope we will be extended another invitation in the near future."
Dan Cloppas, USA Badminton Chief Executive Officer/Secretary General


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Maya finally reacts to losing Cam.
In the girls' changing room, Eli demonstrates why taking drugs at school is never a good idea.
If you really want to impress Jenna, take her on a tour of the galaxy.
Eli wanted a random adventure, and that's exactly what he got.
Hey, Zig? If you're gonna sing in another language, make sure it's a language you speak.
Clare crashes Drew's party -- and makes quite a splash.
Dallas and Alli are finally alone... but how well does Alli really know her new study buddy?
Fiona's about to make your wildest juice fantasies come true.
Watch every night at 10 PM!


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January 17, 2014
The Tonto National Forest Service Payson Ranger District, with the assistance of the Mesa, Pleasant Valley and Tonto Basin ranger districts, set a series of controlled fires this week. This one happened near Whispering Pines on Thursday, Jan. 16.
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Long-term Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of BAF312 Given Orally in Patients With Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis
This study is currently recruiting participants. (see Contacts and Locations)
Verified August 2016 by Novartis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
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First received: August 19, 2010
Last updated: August 21, 2016
Last verified: August 2016
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This blinded extension study is designed to offer patients with relapsing-remitting MS having completed the core study CBAF312A2201 access to BAF312 until they can enter an open label study. It will provide data on long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of BAF312 in this patient population.
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Autoimmune Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System
Drug: BAF312
Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|A Dose Blinded Extension Study to the CBAF312A2201 Study to Evaluate Long-term Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of BAF312 Given Orally Once Daily in Patients With Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Resource links provided by NLM:
Genetics Home Reference related topics: multiple sclerosis
MedlinePlus related topics: Multiple SclerosisU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Novartis:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Long-term safety and tolerability (emphasis on cardiovascular events, viral infections, macular edema and dermatologic alterations) [ Time Frame: up to 15 months ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Long-term efficacy on clinical ground (relapse rate, disability progression) [ Time Frame: up to 15 months ]
- Long-term efficacy on paraclinical ground (neuroradiological measures of neurodegeneration) [ Time Frame: up to 15 months ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|August 2010
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|September 2016
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|September 2016 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|Experimental: BAF312, 10 mg
|Drug: BAF312
|Experimental: BAF312, 2 mg
|Drug: BAF312
|Experimental: BAF312, 0.5 mg
|Drug: BAF312
|Experimental: BAF312, dose between 0.1- 8 mg blinded
|Drug: BAF312
|Experimental: BAF312, dose between 0.1- 8 mg blinded.
|Drug: BAF312
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 56 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients completed the core study BAF312A2201
- Written informed consent provided before any assessment of the extension study
- Female patients at risk of becoming pregnant must have a negative pregnancy test and use simultaneously two forms of effective contraception
Exclusion Criteria:
- Newly diagnosed systemic disease other than MS (which may require immunosuppressive treatment)
- Malignancies, diabetes, significant cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases and conditions
- Active infections
Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01185821
Show 48 Study Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01185821
|Contact: Novartis Pharmaceuticals
|Contact: Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Show 48 Study Locations
Sponsors and Collaborators
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
|Study Director:
|Novartis Pharmaceuticals
|Novartis Pharmaceuticals
More Information
Keywords provided by Novartis:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 23, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Novartis Pharmaceuticals
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01185821 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|August 19, 2010
|Last Updated:
|August 21, 2016
Keywords provided by Novartis:
Multiple Sclerosis
Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting
Nervous System Diseases
Autoimmune Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System
Pathologic Processes
Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS
Demyelinating Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 23, 2017


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Dublin Simon Community offer services and support to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. For information on our services please click on any of the links below and/or the sidebar.
Dublin Simon Community offer emergency accommodation and outreach services to provide people who are homeless with a place of welcome, warmth and safety. » »
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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (64 votes).
In short: Nice little eventIn full: For a half marathon I would describe this as a small, friendly event which lead to a pleasurable morning. I would say more club runners than non club runners but all were welcome. The marshals were very encouraging, so were the few spectators, scenery was pleasant and the course is undulating but not nasty. The last mile seemed like a constant climb. I have completed this event 2 years in a row and if I do not have any other plans I will most probably make it 3. Well done to the organisers. Would be nice to have a medal as a reward.Date of review: September 5, 2013
In short: favorite run of mine through undulating countryside.excellent organisation,friendly marshalls,resonable price,and home made cakes at the finish.Date of review: September 3, 2013
In short: Hidden gemIn full: Good flattish race no major hills friendly crowd -well hidden race as no signs up saying where race is no published details in village ether -well worth the find though no chip timing , good for getting a p/b -will keep in race calendar an be back in a few years. Nice T and cakes at the end kept me going as to the thought of them .Date of review: August 27, 2013
In short: undulating country roads, fab marshallsIn full: lovely race over "undulating" country roads. marshalls were fab and made this race for me! got pb after dismal effort last year. only niggle was that I had to bring own jelly babies!thanks to all Date of review: August 26, 2013
In short: Great race, well organised, great valueIn full: This was the first time I have entered this race and am glad I did. This organisation and administration to get the runners to the start line was superb. The course was undulating with one long hill, and many more shorter ones. The course was on quiet country roads, which although were not traffic free, enabled running with no interferences. There were clear mile markers and 4 water station on the route at sensible intervals. The final mile seemed to last for ever as the majority of it was uphill so my time was no as quick as I had hoped. Still got a PB and was especially pleased given the nature of the course. The t shirts at the end were fantastic. Will be entering again next year. Thanks to the organisers for such a good event.Date of review: August 26, 2013
In short: Both hunky and doryIn full: Good course...undulating, but not 'silly' hilly.Lovely tech. tee-shirt.Lots of changing and showers.Cakes.Huge vfm.Friendly folk.Not traffic free, but well chosed route on quiet back roads.'By runners for runners'Date of review: August 26, 2013
In short: Low-key, welcoming and a fast course with some testing gradientsIn full: My second attempt at this and two minutes quicker than last year thanks to better preparation and an even pace.Thanks to Vale of Pewsey runners for their slick organisation and top marshalling.Date of review: August 26, 2013
In short: A cracking half!In full: First time at this event, excellently organised, fab marshals, great value for money, will definite aim to be back next year!Date of review: August 25, 2013
In full: first time but not the last. well organised race including road, track, mud and water. not forgetting a couple of nasty hills and 2 fallen trees to get over. well marshalled and very encouraging. lovely views, apart from no bluebells. Date of review: April 24, 2013
In short: Beautiful run with a couple of challenging hills.In full: I thought this 12km race was excellent. The organisation was super and the scenery beautiful. Marshals were very friendly and the course was very well marked. There are two big steady hills which you need to pace yourself on as they go on for longer than you first think. My only criticism would be that the first water stop was far too early (we had bearly started running), it would have been much better served at the very top of the second hill. Overall though a great race!Date of review: April 22, 2013
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Why our military can survive cuts
I wonder if any cuts will ever be proposed for the military that won't be met with arguments of them placing our soldiers in danger and/or weakening our "Military Preparedness" or something along those lines.
Both positions are nonsense and reflect either a total ignorance of the military or a political position based strictly on votes and monetary influence from various connected industries.
Right now, for example, there are plans to build and purchase eight new nuclear submarines, at a cost of $350 BILLION EACH! Yes, each! Now, eliminating just one of those would obviously go a long ways toward reducing the military budget.
Each branch of service has a weapons "wish list" each and every year. There is little if any cooperation between the branches of service on any of those purchases, from helicopters to handguns. In fact, if the branches of service were just limited to weapons related to their main function, many, many billions of dollars could be saved.
Why do we have Marine and Army pilots? Isn't that the job of the Air Force? The Marines have insisted on developing a Vertical Take Off fighter and transport plane, even though both are very difficult to fly, have been replete with cost overruns, and the transport in particular is a sitting duck on takeoff, far easier to shoot down than even helicopters, with a larger loss of life. You want to bet those planes are built in some Congressman's district, or built by a company that has contributed large piles of money to various Congressional campaigns?
We maintain a nuclear arsenal big enough to destroy every inch of this planet, yet we still continue to build and/or maintain more warheads. Speaking of warheads and missiles, we're currently in the middle of developing a "Missile Shield" that not only has demonstrated very little success, but is basically unneeded in today's political climate. War has changed, and changed dramatically. The Missile Defense system originally proposed with great diplomatic stupidity by the Bush administration, and of course fought for ever since by the military hierarchy, will not work. Billions have already been spent on development.
Base closings are another way to save money, but not if it's in MY DISTRICT say all those with power! Why in the world would the Niagara Falls airbase be turned into a Drone Site, an entirely different mission? Easy answer – money!
How about just a few cuts to various programs? The Marines and Air Force have versions of the Osprey, a Vertical Take Off airplane, at a cost of over $53 billion. Basically, they do what a helicopter does. Yes, a few differences, but don't you think maybe we could cut that program just a tad?
The Pratt and Whitney F135 engine is for the Marine variant of the F-35 jet. It is not feasible to use in high-speed high-altitude aircraft, so obviously it's very limited in scope. Cost? $63.8 billion! What do you think, maybe just a few less?
The Navy is using, and has been using, DDG-51 Guided Missile Destroyers since the 1980s, a program costing $87.3 billion. The newer version, the DDG-51s will cost $2.4 billion each. Hmmm maybe we could build a few less of those, or just stay with the ones we have for a while longer?
Right now the government is beginning to test a Ballistic Missile Defense System that will require laser technology that doesn't exist, as well as space based devices and other things we are decades away from having. Yet the cost of that system right now is pegged at $126.2 billion! Read that number again, slowly. Heck, write it out for more impact, $126,200,000,000!
No missile defense system has yet to work as advertised, and have all been guilty of gigantic cost overruns. Right now, the justification is to combat a missile threat from North Korea. North Korea has about two missiles, and we could take out their entire nuclear capability with the ordinance of just one nuclear submarine. So, what do you think, could we spare just a few dollars from this particular program?
The armed forces are fighting for a program for jet planes, the F-35, which has three variants, one for the Air Force, Marines and Navy. The cost of that program has reached $331.9 billion! The jets they are replacing are already better than the jets used by any other country. Why do Marines have to have their own jets? The Navy, with Aircraft Carriers, I understand. These jets, by the way, have been subjected to cost overruns from original estimates that have more than doubled the cost of each air craft.
Looking at the above, without even mentioning the waste of the average branch of service, the unbelievable bureaucracy involved with each, the overabundance of Generals and other high ranking officers, a 10 percent cut to each program would total over $56 billion. That's just 10 percent! Obviously, much more than that could be saved if certain programs were just dropped entirely.
Remember now, not one of these programs is protecting even one soldier, ending or cutting them won't place anyone on danger, not one bullet, not one rifle, not one protective vest will be lost. The cry of a weakened military, already bigger and more technical than any other, is just nonsense. What is at play is pork barrel spending in well-placed elected officials' districts. Yes, there are blue collar jobs involved. But think about the money we'd have for roads and bridges and school buildings and other things if the military industrial complex wasn't bleeding the country dry, and they are.
Most people like to think our military leadership is above politics. The fact of the matter is, most of our military leadership is totally about politics, that's how they get promoted and assigned. There is a revolving door between retired officers and various military suppliers and their lobbyists. There is as big a connection between the suppliers of those systems and campaign donations to those who support them.
Before you join those lamenting the weakening of our military by those trying to insist on some cuts in its funding, do a little research. What I've written here is literally the tip of a very, very large iceberg.
Paul Christopher is a Dunkirk resident. Send comments to email@example.com


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Jill Fatzer spent her career surrounded by books. After graduating as a philosophy major from Newcomb College of Tulane University in New Orleans, Jill went on to library school at the University of California Berkeley, then worked in academic libraries across the country, eventually becoming dean of library sciences at the University of New Orleans.
While she enjoyed her years in library administration, Jill says, "I spent my last five years at UNO just teaching classes for future librarians, which in many ways was the most rewarding part of my career."
Now that she is retired, Jill spends much of her time surrounded by the plants in her Austin, Texas garden. "I remember my parents growing a victory garden when I was little," Jill says. "Now I have a vegetable garden, and I try to preserve a remnant of the tallgrass prairie that was part of the original landscape here in the Texas Hill Country. One of the benefits of retirement is bringing out old hobbies that you haven't done in years!"
In addition to gardening, Jill is active in her community. "I am very involved in local political races right now, especially the race for the State Board of Education here in Texas. People are really paying attention to that race because they want to ensure that the Board is not filled with right-wingers who want to re-write history by changing the history curriculum standards," she explains.
She is also dedicated to several charitable organizations that promote her beliefs, such as People For the American Way Foundation. "When I was a member of the American Library Association, one of my activities was to lobby on behalf of academic libraries in Washington, D.C.," Jill says. "During one of those trips to D.C., I got involved with PFAW through their lobbying efforts, which I believe are critical. People don't realize that the power of government really is in the hands of the people, and PFAW gets more individuals involved with that decision-making process."
When Jill was updating her estate plans a few years ago, she knew she wanted to include People For the American Way Foundation as well as two other causes that hold special meaning for her. She decided to create a charitable remainder trust (CRT) that provides her with payments today, and will make meaningful gifts to the Foundation and the other two causes in the future.
"As a retired librarian living on modest investment income, I decided the best way I can help the organizations that I care about is to leave them money when I depart this earth," Jill says. "My CRT provides me with reliable income that I know is going to be there year after year. Plus, I am glad to know that my estate plans are in order and nothing will be left to chance."
While she enjoys the payments and tax benefits associated with her CRT gift, Jill quickly notes that the biggest benefit is "knowing that you are ensuring the future of an organization you believe really strongly in. PFAW Foundation represents the feelings about social justice and related issues I have had all my life," Jill says. "It is one thing to write blogs and complain about injustices. But PFAW goes to Washington, pounds the halls, and buttonholes the decision makers to get things done. I hope my gift to PFAW Foundation will help them continue to stand up for the rights of future generations of Americans."


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Located within the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., the $8 million Olympic Visitor Center hosts approximately 140,000 visitors each year. It is the primary facility providing the general public with information about the U.S. Olympic Committee, U.S. Olympic Training Centers and the Olympic Movement.
The Center includes the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Rotunda, the U.S. Olympic Store, indoor/outdoor patio eating facilities, a 225-seat auditorium and meeting facilities. It also features numerous art exhibitions that change several times a year. Other Olympic memorabilia displays are scattered throughout the Visitor Center including interactive kiosks at which guests can obtain information on all American Olympic athletes. Just outside, the Carol Grotnes Belk Sculpture Garden features four bronze sculptures and a 12-foot-tall Olympic Ring Wall amidst a landscape of flowers and foliage. Overhead, the rooftop terrace has an Olympic flame display and offers panoramic views of the entire complex and the Irwin Belk Olympic Path.
Hall of Fame
- Visitors a year: approximately 140,000
- The Visitor Center's millionth visitor was during the summer of 1998
- The total number of visitors is near 1.6 million
Public tours are conducted on a year-round basis by USOC Ambassadors. The tour includes a 12-minute film and 45-minute walking tour of the complex. Nearly 70% of the tour is out-of-doors. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to view athlete training facilities including Sport Center Gymnasiums, weightlifting and wrestling facilities, the USA Shooting Center, Coaching & Sport Science, the Aquatics Center, and Sport Medicine. Life-size figures with narrative panels adorn the Irwin Belk Olympic Pathway and provide information about Olympic and Pan American Sports.
The U.S. Olympic Complex is conveniently located in the heart of Colorado Springs at 1750 E. Boulder St. It is located on the corner of Union Blvd. and Boulder, with the gated entrance off of Boulder. From I-25 take Exit 143 (Unitah). Go east on Uintah to Union. Take a right on Union. Go south on Union to Boulder. Take a right on Boulder. The entrance to the U.S. Olympic Complex is off Boulder.
SUMMER TOUR HOURS - June 1 - July 31
Monday - Saturday: Tours are conducted each 1/2 hour. The first tour begins at 9:00 a.m. The last tour departs at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday: The U.S. Olympic Shop and Visitor Center are open on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There are no regular guided tours conducted on Sundays because athletes typically are not training and the buildings are locked for security considerations. The Visitor Center film and mini-briefings will be conducted each ½ hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
FALL / WINTER TOUR HOURS - August 1 - May 31*
Monday - Saturday: Tours are conducted each hour beginning at 9:00 a.m. The last tour departs at 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: The U.S. Olympic Shop and Visitor Center are open on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There are no regular guided tours conducted on Sundays because athletes typically are not training and the buildings are locked for security considerations. The Visitor Center film and mini-briefings will be conducted each ½ hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
In order that our Ambassadors can spend holiday time with their families, we will not be conducting tours on the following days:
November 22 Closed All Day
December 24 Closed All Day
December 25 Closed All Day
January 1 Closed All Day
Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Please also let us know if you are bringing guests with special needs who might benefit from a separate, private tour. To make reservations, please call 719-866-4656.
Toll-Free Information Number: 888-659-8687
Visitor Center Front Desk Information Number (9AM to 5PM): 719-866-4618
U.S. Olympic Store
The Olympic Visitor Center includes one of seven U.S. Olympic Stores in the country. They are the only stores in America where every purchase helps support U.S. athletes. The seven Spirit Stores nationwide offer a wide assortment of unique Olympic and sport-specific merchandise unavailable elsewhere. You can also shop online.
U.S. Olympic Store Hours
- Monday -- Saturday 9:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday 11:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m.
U.S. Olympic Store
(719) 866-4792
U.S. Olympic Shop - Online Shopping


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Feline friend or canine companion? Which is right for you?
Sometimes, you have to choose a side: paper or plastic, Democrat or Republican, Coke or Pepsi. If you're trying to choose between a dog or a cat as an animal companion, here are some suggestions that will help you decide which of America's two most popular pets is right for you.
A dog's life. Dogs are social animals. They need affection, attention and daily exercise. Are you able to provide that? If not, you're doing the dog a disservice by bringing it into your home. Dogs also like to greet guests — sometimes with a baby-waking bark, sometimes with a paw on the pants and sometimes with an embarrassing sniff that makes everyone a little uncomfortable. If you're willing to put up with these occasional nuisances or pay for a good dog trainer, then you may be a "dog person."
A cat's life. Cats are OK with being isolated. That's not to say they don't appreciate a nice back scratch or belly rub from time to time, but chances are when guests arrive, they leave. This is nice, but sometimes you need the companionship of a furry friend after a long day at the office or a rough night out on the town, and cats aren't the most reliable animal for affection and cheering up. As far as training goes, good luck.
Home life. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reminds humans that pets, like people, get lonely if neglected. They also starve when not fed. The amount of time you spend at home, therefore, plays a critical role in determining which pet is best for you. Cats do better if left alone all day while you're at work. As long as it is trained to use the litter box or pet door, the cat should be fine. Dogs don't fare as well when left alone all day. People who travel a lot also find it much more difficult to find someone to take care of a dog. In addition to food and water, dogs require exercise and more care. Cats, on the other hand, need little motivation when it comes to exercise and are more independent. Just find someone who doesn't mind filling up the food and water dish and you're good to go.
A cat or a dog provides enormous amounts of love. Take into account their preferences and your ability to care for them when choosing between the two.


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The price of a registration code is £19.99 (about $24.50 or €23.00) and the price of the iOS app is currently £10.99 / $10.99 / €10.99. If you bought the app first and now want a registration code, we don't want you to lose out. So here are instructions for buying a registration code and only paying half price.
If you don't see a "Registration Code" button, you have an old version of the Universalis app. Update it through the App Store and all will be well. If you have an old device with a version of iOS before 6.0 then the App Store won't offer you an update (this is Apple's policy, not ours). In that case please contact us, and we'll find a way round the problem for you.
|This web site © Copyright 1996-2017 Universalis Publishing Ltd (contact us)


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Here's how RW members rated this race (297 votes).
In short: PB CourseIn full: Good race with many runners achieving a pb.Toilet situation needs looking at for next year and so it seems do water stations.All in all, a nice race. Hope to be back next year.Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Lovely race on a good courseDate of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Got a PB, well marshalled and excellent atmosphereDate of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Well organised,flat course..did a PB todayDate of review: March 11, 2007
In short: My 1st ever 10k, welcomed the flat!!Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: polite and pleasent Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Great race, nice route and pretty much traffic free. Nice & easy to park & seemed well organised. Just needed more water at half way point as had run out when I got there & I was badly in need of a drink! Overall good, will be here again in 2008!!Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Good PB potential. Clear course. Water was scarce.In full: First 10K. All went smoothly beforehand. Could have had more loos available, ques very long. Route very clearly marked, friendly marshalls. No water available at 5K when I went past, lots of cups on the ground, but none for me. Thankfully a friendly villager had put some out about half mile later. Then at end water also very scarce when I finished.... Weather was great, dry and fairly warm, which however made me quite thirsty, so lack of water was a problem. Thanks for the medal. Tshirt quality dissappointing for the price. Good race though as great for a PB.Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: Blisteringly fast 10K - A pb for me but a killer to boot!!In full: A smashing race this, fast flat and a definate PB course. Beautiful rural scenery and mostly traffic free. The two lap course allows for proper race planning - seady first lap the all out second. Unless you are me , I started too quickly and bombed badly in the second, trimming about 35 seconds only off my PB - I got about 44:10 - I wanted a low 40 . Still it's a quality 10K with lots of spectators too. Date of review: March 11, 2007
In short: NEVER SENT ME MY NUMBERIn full: NEVER RECIEVED MY NUMBER AND SENT 3 EMAILS BUT NEVER RECIEVED A ANSWER POOR SHOW.Date of review: March 11, 2007
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Rain dampened the day but the semifinals of the K-1 went on as scheduled at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park. In the first semifinal, Rami Zur (Costa Mesa, Calif.) was eliminated in the men's single (K-1) 500m event by placing sixth in his semifinal Thursday. His time of 1:47.163 was 4.725 seconds behind the winning effort of Adam van Koeverden of Canada, who posted a 1:42.438. Zur was 3.823 seconds behind the third-place boat of Australia's Ken Wallace, which was the cut-off to advance to Saturday's final.
Carrie Johnson (San Diego, Calif.) narrowly missed advancing to the finals in the women's single kayak (K-1W) 500m race, placing fourth in her semifinal Thursday afternoon at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.
Johnson covered the 500 meters in 1:53.721, 0.512 seconds behind the third-place boat of Jennifer Hodson of South Africa. The top three boats in the semifinals advance to the finals. The semifinal was won by Inna Osypenko-Radomska of the Ukraine with a time of 1:51.558.
Assane Fall (SEN) who trains with the US Sprint team as part of a USACK and USOC sport development program, made the semifinals, but was eliminated from competition after finishing 9th, with a time of 2:04:633.


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This afro hair style is extremally curly. So much body,height and volume. It is curled as much in the front as in the back.Her hair cut is very long.It is a nice hair color of light brown.
Errol Douglas London Collection Hair: Errol Douglas using Matrix Photography: Andrew O'Toole Make-up: Alesa Styling: Rachel Bakewell


text: The Ariat collection of easy-wearing apparel is a great look for every country man! This Ariat jacket features a zipper and snap front placket. Two western snap chest pockets. Two zipper side pockets. Fiber content: 100% polyester; lining: 100% nylon. Jacket measures (from back collar to hem) 28.5" in length. Sleeves measure 37" in length. Imported.


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Group formed to 'accelerate' U.P. businesses
MARQUETTE – A local organization is taking an uncommon approach in attempting to facilitate the creation of new businesses in Marquette and Baraga counties – an approach brought to the area, developed and funded by Rio Tinto.
"It's really kind of dependent on (an entrepreneur's) motivation," said Eric Johnson, a spokesman for Accelerate U.P., which is aiming to promote entrepreneurial success in the two-county area. "Unlike other economic development models, we're not trying to motivate them at all. We basically just help them when they come to us."
Accelerate U.P. – the group recently filed for 501(c)(3) status – uses an international model for economic development created years ago by Ernesto Sirolli, who supports a "grassroots approach to local economic and community development."
Sirolli, who founded the Sirolli Institute, grew tired of traditional economic development while working with international aid agencies in Africa during the 1970s, according to a biography on the institute's website. The method Sirolli developed – called Enterprise Facilitation – spread globally and is focused on helping prospective entrepreneurs as they learn to help themselves.
"It's really broad," Johnson said of the model. "It's about helping as far as telling their story, giving their experience, pointing them in the direction of someone or something that will be able to help them with their idea."
That assistance is provided by Accelerate U.P.'s Resource Board, a group of dozens of local volunteers working behind the scenes to support budding entrepreneurs. The members of the board have all signed confidentiality agreements and never meet face-to-face with potential clients.
In fact, the only contact a client ever has with the organization is through the Accelerate U.P. Enterprise Facilitator, the group's only paid employee. That role is filled by Marquette City Commission member Jason Schneider, who once served as a development advisor in the Peace Corps and began working for Accelerate U.P. last month.
Schneider travels through Baraga and Marquette counties, meeting with residents who are hoping to turn their ideas into viable businesses. Schneider, who met Sirolli at a state municipal conference years ago, said the economic development model fits into his larger concept of community and self-reliance. It is best to allow entrepreneurs to find their own way whenever possible, he said.
"The idea that somebody sitting at a desk, or even myself, would know what there's a market for is ridiculous. I can't give advice on that," Schneider said. "When someone comes to you with an idea, you really have no idea you really have absolutely no idea if a business is going to work or not. That's part of where traditional planning and Accelerate U.P. differ."
Schneider doesn't aim to critique business plans. Instead, by leveraging the experience and connections of the resource board, he works to connect interested entrepreneurs with the resources they deem necessary, from funding mechanisms to consulting services. The entire process is provided free of charge to the client.
The development model, as well as the locally controlled Accelerate U.P., was brought to the central Upper Peninsula by Rio Tinto, the international mining company constructing the Eagle Mine on the Yellow Dog Plains and the Humboldt Mill in Humboldt Township.
The Sirolli Mining website, which lists Rio Tinto as a client and includes an endorsement from a Rio Tinto spokesman, states that the Sirolli Institute began working to establish an enterprise facilitation model in Marquette last spring.
The creation of Accelerate U.P. was intended to address some community concerns related to the mine, according to Johnson. The company wanted to leave the economy in a better state than when it arrived, he said.
"One of the concerns Rio Tinto heard from the community was that Eagle has a short mine life," he said. "It was Rio Tinto's hope that Accelerate U.P. would create more jobs outside of the mining industry therefore softening the boom and bust cycle that is associated with mining."
After approaching community members to decide whether locals would support the Sirolli model, Rio Tinto invited Ernesto Sirolli to visit the area. He accepted the invite and spoke at a November 2011 meeting of the Economic Club of Marquette County.
Though Johnson identified that speech as the beginnings of Accelerate U.P., the group has just recently gotten off the ground, beginning operations in November.
"Really since then, we've just been recruiting, organizing and training members – team members," he said.
The 10-member Accelerate U.P. management team makes organizational decisions for the group.
Rio Tinto has agreed to fully fund the project through late 2015, and Johnson said the management team hopes to secure funding through other community sources by then.
The funds from the mining company cover Schneider's salary, as well as basic administrative costs. Johnson would not say how much Rio Tinto contributes annually and funding questions posed to Rio Tinto officials were redirected to Johnson.
Two Rio Tinto employees – Simon Nish, director of community, communications and external relations, and Chantae Lessard, Eagle Mine's principal advisor for communities and social performance – serve on the management team, but Johnson said the pair may soon leave.
"Really, they have expressed that they would like to see other people in their roles in the future and that transition would occur possibly even before 2015," he said.
Schneider and Johnson said Accelerate U.P. will begin looking for other funding sources, and Schneider said that many Sirolli-focused organizations receive funds through municipal governments or through public-private partnerships.
Schneider, who views Accelerate U.P.'s services as a way to "lower the barriers for people to access advice," said he has been far busier in his first month on the job than he expected to be.
The Sirolli Institute provided Accelerate U.P. with a list of two-year goals. Through 24 months, the organization should have conducted between 250 and 350 initial consultations, and have more than 100 clients enrolled. At least 25 new businesses should have been established and between 60 and 80 jobs should have been created.
Schneider said he doesn't think those goals are beyond reach and views it as his job to prove to the community and potential future donors that the Sirolli model works. That grassroots process may take some time.
"We wait for clients to come to us. We don't go out and drum them up," he said. "Clients come to us, totally free, totally confidentially, and they're not judged in any way, shape or form."
Prospective clients looking to contact Schneider can call him at 906-280-6777 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Kyle Whitney can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. His email address is firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
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text:
Topic: HowTo - Advanced MD5 database authentication from scratch in 20 steps.
HowTo - Advanced MD5 database authentication from scratch in 20 steps.
This is an advanced md5 database authentication from scratch in 20 Steps Tutorial. is not meant to be the replacement of any of the Authentication plugins. The only purpose is to ilustrate
an easy way to put security into your rails application.
This is the advanced Tutorial based on:
[ Very simple authentication from scratch in 15 steps ] That is the reason many of the steps will look pretty similar ;-)
1.- Create your Rails Application
rails mylogin -d mysql
2.- Change to your new application directory.
cd mylogin
3.- Edit the config/database.yml file with your own settings.
Tip For windows users only. Open a windows explorer in your current path just like textmate ;-)
explorer /e, /root, c:\railapps\mylogin
Tip for Linux users. Check on customize gedit to look just like textmate ;-)
http://blog.ubrio.us/gnome/making-gedit for-linux/
Tip for Mac users... never mind they don't need tips LOL
Anyway setup your config/database.yml file with your own db settings.
4.- Create your databases.
Run 1 of the following rake tasks to create the database(s) of your application.
If you want to create all the database use the rake task:
rake db:create:all
if you just want to create the development database for now just run:
rake db:create
5.- Once you create your database(s). Lets run some scaffold generators to make our life easier....
This is a simple Project list application with a Users table which are allowed to authenticate to the system, the sessions controllers is just to let us keep track of the
ruby script\generate scaffold Project title:string body:text
ruby script\generate scaffold User username:string password:string
ruby script\generate controller sessions login logout
6.- Ok let the games begin... lets run our migrations. and create our tables into the DB.
rake db:migrate
7.- Lets Launch the web server and add a couple projects & a couple users...
$ruby script\server
Open your browser in
Use the web interface to add 2 Projects or via console if you like it better.:
Project 1
Project 2
Lets add 2 users:
User: foo Password bar
User:admin Password admin
I know what you have in mind... don't worry we will change those plain text passwords into MD5 hash. This is just to make it easier to see in this tutorial !!!.
8.- So far It's all pretty basic Rails stuff. Let's spicey up our Tutorial with the "User.authenticate(username,password)"
Lets add the database authentication function:: User.authenticate(username,password)
Edit the User Model located In the [ app/models/user.rb ] :
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
def self.authenticate(login, pass)
return false if login.nil? or pass.nil?
This is a method which can be accessible from the console when you call:
User.authenticate("foo","bar") => Then looks to the Users table and if it founds a username called "foo" with password "bar" returns the record, otherwise returns nil.
>ruby script\console
Loading development environment (Rails 2.0.2)
>> User.authenticate("foo","bar")
=> #<User id: 1, username: "foo", password: "bar", created_at: "2008-04-14 17:26:53", updated_at: "2008-04-14 17:26:53">
9.- Let's implement "Virtual Attributes" for the User Model: [ app/models/user.rb ]
Ryan Bates did a great job on: [ http://railscasts.com/episodes/16 ]
Lets add the getter & setter for mypassword:
def mypassword
def mypassword=(pass)
self.password= MD5.new(pass).to_s
Since we going to use MD5 we must declare it as required with:
require 'MD5'
The final script looks like this:
require 'MD5'
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
# validates_length_of :username, :within => 5..40
# validates_length_of :password, :within => 5..40
# validates_presence_of :username
# validates_uniqueness_of :username
def mypassword
def mypassword=(pass)
self.password= MD5.new(pass).to_s
def self.authenticate(login, pass)
return false if login.nil? or pass.nil?
At this point is required to restart the Web server to take the changes of the require 'MD5' of the User Model.
10.- Lets delete the public/index.html page
rm public/index.html
11.- Edit the config/routes.rb with a default route, resources for the sessions, home_path, login and logout !!!
ActionController::Routing::Routes.draw do |map|
map.resources :users
map.resources :projects
map.resources :sessions
map.home '', :controller => 'projects', :action => 'index'
map.login 'login', :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'new'
map.logout 'logout', :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'destroy'
12.- Let's secure the Index Projects page for the New Project: [ app/views/projects/index.html.erb ]

Listing projects

<%= link_to 'New project', new_project_path %>
<% for project in @projects %>
<%=h project.title %>
<%=h project.body %>
<% if admin? %>
<%= link_to 'Show', project %>
<%= link_to 'Edit', edit_project_path(project) %>
<%= link_to 'Destroy', project, :confirm => 'Are you sure?', :method => :delete %>
<% end %>
<% end %>

<% if admin? %>
<%= link_to 'New project', new_project_path %>
<% end %>
The ifadmin? method will allow to see and access the administrative links only if the admin? method returns true.
At this point your web server will show undefined method `admin?'. but It's ok we are about to define it.
13.- Lets declare this important admin? method in the Application Controller to make it accessible for all the models.
[ app/controller/application.rb ]
class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
helper :all # include all helpers, all the time
Lets add the protected methods...
class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
helper :all # include all helpers, all the time
helper_method :admin?
def authorize
unless admin?
flash[:error] = "unauthorized access"
redirect_to home_path
def admin?
username = session[:username]
password = session[:password]
if User.authenticate(username, password)
Now if you refresh your projects page, will se the Projects without the administrative links. But still accessible via http://127.0.0.1:3000/projects/show/1 until we apply our
14.- In the projects controller file add a before_filter method to perform the authorize validation previously declared
[ app/controller/projects_controller.rb ]
class ProjectsController < ApplicationController
# GET /projects
# GET /projects.xml
Replace with:
class ProjectsController < ApplicationController
before_filter :authorize, :except => :index
# GET /projects
# GET /projects.xml
Now try to access the http://127.0.0.1:3000/projects/show/1 And will be redirected to http://127.0.0.1:3000/projects Pretty Cool Huh !!!.
15.- Lets create 2 methods on the sessions controller to perform the login authentication:
[ app/controller/sessions_controller.rb ]
class SessionsController < ApplicationController
def login
def logout
Replace with:
class SessionsController < ApplicationController
def create
session[:username] = params[:username]
session[:password] = MD5.new(params[:password]).to_s
# flash[:notice] = "Successfully logged in"
redirect_to home_path
def destroy
flash[:notice] = "Successfully logged out"
redirect_to login_path
# def login
# end
# def logout
# end
16.- I'ts time to create the Login page. Rename the file called login.html.erb to new.html.eb.
$mv app/views/sessions/login.html.erb app/views/sessions/new.html.erb
17.- Working with the Login/Logout Views
Edit this app/views/sessions/new.html.erb:

Find me in app/views/sessions/login.html.erb</p
Replace with:
<% form_tag sessions_path do %>
Username <%= text_field_tag :username %>
Password <%= password_field_tag :password %>
<%= submit_tag "Login" %>
<% end %>
Now for the Logout: Edit the app/views/sessions/logout.html.erb

Find me in app/views/sessions/logout.html.erb</p
Replace with:

 Successfully Logout

18.- Create an application layout in [ app/views/layouts/application.rb ] This will let us in a very easy way to put a very simple navigation for your application.
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"

<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" />
<title>My Rails SSO: <%= controller.action_name %></title>
<%= stylesheet_link_tag 'scaffold' %>

<%= flash[:notice] %>

<%= yield %>

<% if admin? %>
<%= "Logged as: " + session[:username] %>

<%= link_to "Logout", :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'destroy' %>
<% else %>
<%= "Not Logged in: " %>

<%= link_to "Login", new_session_path %>
<% end %>

[ <%= link_to "Users", :controller => 'users', :action => 'index' %> ]
[ <%= link_to "Projects", :controller => 'projects', :action => 'index' %> ]

=> To make it active delete or rename the projects & users layouts. You can refresh your web applications and see the application layout navigation working.
19.- Update the User views for New & Edit pages:
[ app/views/users/new.html.erb ] && [ app/views/users/edit.html.erb ]
Change the name of the :password to :mypassword => This will use the Virtual Attribute declared in the user model.
Password

<%= f.text_field :mypassword %>
This change will activate the feature of create MD5 everytime a user/password is created or edited.
Open your browser at http://127.0.0.1:3000/users and create a couple more users... see the MD5 Hash ;-)
Try with the previously created users once you update the current values the application will update will update with the hash of the password.
20.- That's all folks, try to login with one of the users you have in your users table.
You should be able to click on the login link in your application and login with some of your users.
Once you logged into your application you should be able to see the links to administrer the Projects table. The navigation menu will show you as which user you are
logged in.
In case you logout from the application. The Projects page will show only the list of Projects without administrative links. All the administrative links will not be accessible at
this point
User.authenticate give us a big range of choices to authenticate users from our Rails Application. In this case from a table in a Database, but could it be from another
Single Sign On Server, Web Services or something else.
Enjoy to learn a little bit about more rails authentication, because I like do things from scratch, then when I learn can start using more advanced plugins ;-)
The more I learn about Ruby & Rails the more I want to use it for everything
There is a little bug in the [ Login/Logout ] Link Navigation. The properly link will show but if you edit a User or a Project the link Logout
[ <%= link_to "Logout", :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'destroy' %> ] will point to:
[ http://127.0.0.1:3000/sessions/1 ] instead of [ http://127.0.0.1:3000/logout ]
In case you click on this logout link:
Unknown action
No action responded to show
I have a couple ideas on how to fix this... the easiest solution & ugly solution will be to hardcode the link to Logout !!!.
Alternavite ugly link to logout in [ app/views/layouts/application.rb ]
[ Logout]
<%= link_to "Logout", :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'destroy' %>
But I still like to keep it secure, so the next idea is to do something with the routes, but I guess that will be subject for another post.
Brains R Like Books only work when they R Open.


text:
Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (55 votes).
In short: Excellent way to start the yearIn full: I ran this race last year at short notice as my freind picked up an injury. I thouroughly enjoyed it and was looking forward to running again this year. Great organisation and a good well supported fast course. Hit a new PB to start the year. This is a race i can see being in my diary every yearDate of review: February 2, 2014
In short: Great Start to the New Year.In full: I have done this run for the last two years and have enjoyed it both times. It's a good flat course and the marshals are very friendly. It would be nice to finish nearer or in the cricket club, but I understand it could be difficult to arrange this, due to the different roads which are used. The t-shirt design was good last year, but this year was not of the same standard, but it is good to receive a technical t-shirt. Date of review: January 5, 2014
In short: A great technical T shirt again. No gimmicks - just a great race.Date of review: January 2, 2014
In short: Well organised & no issues, shame about the weather!Date of review: January 1, 2014
In short: Nice start to the yearDate of review: April 23, 2013
In short: great race, do this every yearIn full: A real pb potential course, great organization, good tech t-shirt. Nice flat course good for spectators, always bring the family to this race. If you've never done it you're missing an experience.Date of review: January 27, 2013
In short: Great organisation and will run again next yearDate of review: January 10, 2013
In short: Great way to start the new year.Date of review: January 6, 2013
In short: Excellent well organised run, good crowds, good start to the new year and I got a PB!!Date of review: January 5, 2013
In short: Flat course. Good field (quality and quantity). Well organised.Date of review: January 3, 2013
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text:
Share This Review
In "It's Murder, My Son", the main character is Mac Faraday—a cop who came into early retirement when his birth mother died and left him her fortune along with her dog, Gnarly. His mother was a writer (murder mysteries) and Mac moves into her home in Spencer, Maryland trying to figure out what to do now that he doesn't have to work for a living. Luckily for him, Spencer is a town full of secrets and one of those secrets is murder. Another problem that is recurring in the town of Spencer is mysterious petty thefts. What is an ex-cop to do?
The story is very well written and the characters are developed nicely. I loved reading about Gnarly getting himself into trouble; the dog certainly has a strong personality. When Mac moves to Spencer he not only is entitled to a fortune but he gets to meet his half brother, David. Mac and David's father was the former police chief and it turned out that both boys followed in their father's footsteps and became cops. The huge house that Mac has moved into has a guest house that is occupied by Mac's birth mother, Robin's editor and best friend. Mac is able to learn more about the mother that he never knew from Archie and she even teaches him a little about how to enjoy the finer things in life, including Robin's private stock of wine and champagne at the hotel that Mac now owns.
This book is filled with twists and turns that left me guessing to the very end. I love a good who-done-it and this book definitely falls into that category. Gnarly is a very memorable character, I love when authors have dogs that don't quit in their books. Gnarly contributes something very special to the book and while I don't want to give anything away I will say that you will be cheering for the dog on more than one occasion.
I was pleasantly surprised that the book wasn't filled with gore or sex. I feel like there are too many books that focus on that alone rather than the actual story. Lauren Carr does not do this. She uses both gore and sex as accents, but her story does not focus around them. It was refreshing. I am looking forward to reading more of her work.
How would I rate this book on a scale of 1-4? Without a doubt, "It's Murder, My Son" would be a 4 out of 4. The book was excellent. I didn't get tired of reading it at all and was a little disappointed when it was over. The book had many surprises in it that left me guessing and there was the pleasant combination of humor and mystery that left me wanting more. I would most definitely recommend this book. A great read!
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