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Toyota Not Panicked Over Pickup By David E. ZoiaWardsAuto.com, Apr 4, 2007 10:10 AM Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. is taking the launch of its new Tundra in stride, refusing to panic over the prospect of using higher incentives to move the fullsize pickups off dealer lots.Toyota last week added a $1,000 trade-in allowance on top of a discount of up to $2,000, a move considered unusual for a vehicle less than two months into its launch, particularly for Toyota.But executives say that's just part and parcel of today's highly competitive truck market."Certainly the whole segment is very incentive-driven," Don Esmond, senior vice president-automotive operations, says during a conference call with reporters to discuss March sales. "If you look at the market, a lot of competition has been ramped up. There's $5,000 cash, trade-in cash, dealer certificates – a lot is going on in the market."Esmond says Toyota's incentive programs vary regionally, but most are focused on "transaction issues," helping dealers close the sale by contributing to trade-in allowances or financing. "We will continue to monitor the market to stay competitive," he says.Toyota delivered 13,196 Tundras in March, up 7.8% on a daily-rate basis from year-ago (28 selling days vs. 27), when 11,800 were sold.Toyota is sticking to its forecast for sales of 200,000 Tundras in this calendar year, Esmond says, and he expects demand to escalate as the auto maker finishes the production rollout that is seeing CrewMax models now beginning to dribble in to dealers. Toyota delivers 13,196 Tundras in March. Esmond says Toyota should begin to have the right mix over the next 60-90 days, and "we're excited about what the market will hold."Toyota says it has sold 16,000 Double Cabs so far this year, triple last year. It accounts for about 83% of the Tundra's mix to date, with regular cabs accounting for about 8% and the CrewMax 9%. Over time, Toyota expects that to shift to 6% regular cab, 64% Double Cab and 30% or more CrewMax. Initial demand for the 5.7L V-8 has been stronger than anticipated, the auto maker says.Tundra customers mostly are Toyota owners, Esmond says, with some sales coming from buyers switching brands, new to the pickup segment or first-time vehicle buyers.General Motors Corp. says it hasn't been impacted by the Tundra, confirming Esmond's take that most buyers are Toyota loyalists."Toyota is drawing from a very loyal Tundra customer base right now," says Paul Ballew, GM's executive director-global market and industry analysis. "So we're not seeing a lot of cross-shopping or interaction occurring at this point. We'll see. Out of the gate, we're not seeing a big impact." Toyota officials dismiss criticism the truck may be priced too high, though Esmond says the auto maker may look to expand sales in the commercial side of the market by putting in vinyl seats and stripping out some content.Tundra sales contributed to Toyota's best-ever sales month in the U.S., delivering 242,765 cars and trucks, up 7.7% from like-2006.Included in the tally were an all-time record 19,156 Prius hybrids, more than double year-ago. That was due in part to the reduction in tax incentives – from $1,575 to $782 – that took effect at the end of the month and pulled demand into March. Toyota also had incentives on the Prius, including 0% financing for 24 months.Although that sales pace is expected to slow somewhat, Toyota still plans to sell 175,000 Priuses this year and says it currently has only a 20-day supply of the vehicle.The auto maker says March marked a milestone for hybrid-electric vehicles, as Toyota sold its 500,000 (including Lexus models) since launching HEV sales in the U.S. in 2000.The month also was a record March for passenger-car sales for Toyota overall.The sell-down of outgoing Scion xBs and xAs continues, Esmond says, with only a 15-day supply in stock. The new xB hits the market May 7. There are less than 4,000 xA models in firstname.lastname@example.com
Toyota needs to take a trip to the "No Spin Zone."
Well Toyota may not be panicking, but they will not make the money on the new Tundras that they were evidently counting on. There is going to be a real price war on trucks and the customers will save money. Toyota can apparently afford the hits but Detroit is another story. Look for more bleeding from GM and Ford as the price wars heat up. And they haven't even figured in the increased costs for the new UAW contract this summer. I am sure there will be increases in labor/overhead somewhere this year, unless the UAW will take stock options instead of wages/benefits. It would be a wise mood but surely will be voted down by their members. Too bad if the UAW will not have faith in Detroit's ultimate survival.
If the UAW doesn't budge, Detroit is screwed. I hope they're not that stupid because the effect will be that they'll put themselves out of work
Ce n'est pas une voiture
Why would Toyota panic? -Their truck has the lowerst incentives of the full-sizers. -Toyota doesn't have the UAW telling them how many to build. -Toyota is making money.
:Their truck has the lowerst incentives of the full-sizers. No, Toyota Tundra's incentive is HIGHER than GM now !
Tundra's are kinda wierd looking...even in person.They should be "Panicky".....Mama always said "Dont you buy no ugly truck now you hear". Lots of Moms against the Tundra....Lots.
If toyota keeps selling at a 13,000 a month rate that would mean a 12 month run rate of 158,000 which would be 20% lower than their public target of 200,000. Not good!
:Their truck has the lowerst incentives of the full-sizers. junseibuhin from LA Calif:No, Toyota Tundra's incentive is HIGHER than GM now !I guess it depends on where you live. Perhaps that is true in California, but here in Charleston the opposite it true.
I really dont think Toyota would panic from the financial side of the Tundra being a sales flop. I think it is more an image thing. This is Toyota's best effort, the truck had a Manhattan Project type budget, Massive advertising on a scale never before seen, two new plants, entering NASCAR, the Toyota=American marketing Campaign, etc, etc. Toyota has the money to take a loss on the Tundra project, but they wont do it with huge incentives. By not meeting the sales goal they lost money simply by not making up for the massive capital they have thrown at the project. Any more cash on the Hood and Toyota will really start to lose face. They will cut production before they flood the market with trucks nobody wants.I still think it is a little too early to call the Tundra unsuccessful in the market place. But if sales dont pick up soon, it is not because of the price, and its not because they didnt advertise it enough, it will be because American truck buyers rejected it.
Supreme Emperor of the Testing Forum, CTS and Offshoreqa forums.
:I guess it depends on where you live. Perhaps that is true in California, but here in Charleston the opposite it true. I got this info from Ward's Auto World, which is a magazine for auto industry. They said Tundra's incentive is higher than GM, without mentioning which states or cities.
If you want to find the incentives for your area, Edmunds keeps a great update on their website. Go see what they offer in your area, you might be able to get a huge cash back on the Tundra.
Either way you look at it, its bad for the Tundra now. It has incentives pretty much right out the gate and already has them higher than most of thier competitors. I think Toyota was banking a good bit on the Tundra, more than they lead you to believe in the article. This is no small deal if it doesnt work with all that was spend on building, R&D, advertising, and hype over it. Toyota may be taking a big hit with this one unless they start seeing more sales. They may need to rething big trucks once again, if not, then they will start to loose more money than what could be made from it.


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Many in the community question agency concerns about preservation of wetlands; after all, for them the Little Lake Valley isn't that unique.
The Clean Water Act was a game changer on many fronts and subsequent court cases expanded its reach to include wetlands. Just as Americans, prior to the Cuyahoga River catching fire in 1969, systematically undervalued clean air and clean water; most Americans did not understand the role of wetlands in preserving wildlife habitat, flood protection and water purity.
Wetlands were drained so effectively the US Geological Survey estimates wetland acreage in California is currently less than 10 percent of wetlands available in 1890.
It is likely Little Lake Valley would have been reduced to "former wetlands status" following World War II had the demand for agriculture in the valley not dried up first.
In many ways this means the Little Lake Valley is even more unique than we knew.
For decades California and the United States have had rules requiring new projects incur no net loss of wetlands. Despite this criterion, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates 62,300 wetland acres were lost within the United States between 2004 and 2009.
It is likely the loss of habitat would have been greater had groups, such as Ducks Unlimited, not been devoted to restoring some of the lost wetland acreage.
This means CalTrans knew when it proposed putting a freeway through our valley there would be a down side. It seems likely the cost and aggravation of this downside has been higher than CalTrans allowed for.
2002: CalTrans began circulating a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the full four-lane bypass.
2003: The alternate routes were narrowed for the final version of the EIS.
October 2006: The final EIS was approved.
February 2007: The four-lane project was included in the February 2007 statewide funding list awaiting approval by the California Transportation Commission. The CTC deleted the project from the list, essentially cancelling it.
April 2007: City and county leaders invited members of the CTC to visit the city and discuss possible funding options. Following this meeting, CalTrans was directed to scale down the project to two lanes with the remaining lanes to be built at some future date.
June 2007: The CTC approved this scaled down project. This funding step allowed CalTrans to begin final engineering and environmental studies along with right of way acquisitions. This also started a CalTrans project execution clock, with all permits, plans and specifications expected to be ready by January 2010.
May 2008: When CalTrans shared its environmental plans with the regulators, US Army Corps of Engineers biologists advised the acreage CalTrans planned to convert to wetlands were already wetlands. It took another year for CalTrans biologists to confirm this for themselves.
2009: CalTrans attempted to locate other suitable property, with little-to-no success. By mid-2009 CalTrans had only identified 27 acres suitable to convert to wetlands and it needed a minimum of 65 acres. This caused CalTrans to formally move the project funding date from January 2010 to June 30, 2010. At the time CalTrans advised the public that all permits had to be in place by that time or the bypass project would be de-funded.
In 2010: the Environmental Protection Agency expanded mitigation rules to allow the upgrade of existing wetlands to offset some loss of wetlands.
March 1, 2010: CalTrans submitted permit applications to the Water Board and US Army Corps of Engineers. The applications indicated the project would create 33.4 acres of new wetlands, restore 5.96 acres of wetlands, enhance 1,032.9 acres of existing wetlands and preserve 1,122.11 acres of wetlands. This proposal replaced CalTrans earlier plans to create 65 acres of new wetlands.
CalTrans insisted at that time it had no responsibility to share its mitigation plans with the public. The Regional Water Quality Control Board and the US Army Corps of Engineers overruled CalTrans and insisted the mitigation plans be made public.
April 2010: All bypass roadway construction drawings and specifications were complete and ready for bid.
With the roadway project design and right of way acquisition on schedule, CalTrans environmental representatives were under increasing pressure to resolve the permits and avoid delaying the bypass project, again.
This new mitigation plan led to a $14.7 million windfall for local property owners when CalTrans decided to purchase the more than 2,000 acres of "mitigation properties." CalTrans committed to purchase these properties without any clear agreement with the regulatory agencies about what the mitigation would look like.
Some CalTrans representatives at the time expressed the view it should be enough that the 2,000 acres was in state hands and exempt from future development. Some CalTrans representatives advised land owners they would be allowed to lease back their former property for grazing cattle in perpetuity. While CalTrans agents told cattle owners this, the actual leases included language allowing CalTrans to change the conditions at will.
The permit hierarchy required the Water Board to act on the Clean Water Act Section 401 permit before the Corps ruled on the 404 permit.
June 2010: The California Transportation Commission, in a rare move, approved the bypass construction project funding at its June 30 meeting even though the bypass permits were not approved. This meant the final permit had to be received by August 31 or the funding would be lost?sort of.
August 6, 2010: the Water Board granted conditional approval of the 401 permit. The mitigation plan was considered short on specifics which CalTrans promised it would fill in later.
August 2010: The US Army Corps of Engineers refused to give CalTrans a permit based on promises. After a high level meeting, CalTrans withdrew its permit application and promised to work with the Corps to complete the fundamental assessments and details the application lacked.
November 2010: In another rare move, the California Transportation Commission waived the need for timeliness and voted to allow CalTrans to return for funding of the Willits bypass project in 2012.
October 2011: CalTrans submitted its revised mitigation plan to the USACOE.
February 2012: The CTC bumps the Willits bypass project vote to allow more time for the project to receive its final permit.
February 16, 2012: The USACOE signs off on the Section 404 permit. The permit includes a detailed work schedule committing CalTrans to begin site preparation work on most of the listed parcels in June 2013 and to start wetland establishment and rehabilitation by July 2013 with much of the work on these parcels wrapping up in January 2014.
March 2012: CTC funds the main Willits bypass project.
April 2012: CalTrans misses the deadline for submitting revised mitigation plans for its 401 permit to the Water Board. CalTrans provided the revised plans in April 2013, a year later.
May 2012: CalTrans issued its roadway design and construction package for bids.
September 2012: The construction contract was awarded to DeSilva Gates and Flatiron West.
March 2013: CalTrans began highway site preparation.
March 2013: CalTrans had planned to cut the trees along the route during the winter months but was delayed, leaving the tree cutting to occur in the spring. This put the agency at odds with the Migratory Bird Act. Work was delayed while late season protocols were finalized with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
April 2013: CalTrans received a notice of violation from the Water Board for operating heavy equipment and clearing trees in three areas within 50 feet of a stream and failing to follow statewide practices designed to prevent sediment runoff into local creeks in four other zones.
May 2013: The Sherwood Valley Rancheria calls for ground disturbances associated with the project be halted until CalTrans had sufficiently consulted with them to ensure cultural sites are protected.
May 7, 2013: CTC approves $30.996 million for a portion of the mitigation work required for the bypass project. It includes the cost of construction, acquisition of property and some long term management.
June 2013: The Corps inspectors reviewed project progress and found CalTrans had failed to meet the compliance schedule. CalTrans was advised it was "in serious breach of permit conditions."
July 2013: The mitigation project package was issued for bid with bids due in September 2013.
August 2013: The project's lack of compliance was affirmed by an August 24 letter from the Corps, citing missed deadlines and failure to provide appropriate documentation. The Corps required CalTrans to complete the site preparations, which were supposed to have been completed in June 2013, by October 2013.
August 2013: CalTrans had its roadway contractor handle some of the noncompliance issues referred to by the Corps.
September 2013: CalTrans apprised local tribes it had "impacted a cultural site" by failing to properly mark it on maps. The site was one the Sherwood Valley Rancheria pointed out to CalTrans in May as being at risk. By the time CalTrans looked into it, several feet of topsoil had been removed, a significant number of wick drains had perforated it and several feet of fill had covered it.
September 2013: the Water Board responded with a list of 140 areas of concern about the revised mitigation plan submitted by CalTrans in April 2013. Some issues were extremely serious and some were clerical.
September 2013: CalTrans revised the mitigation project bid package to reflect issues raised by the Corps and Water Board. The bid due date was extended until late October.
October 2013: The original engineer's estimate for the mitigation contract was $12.7 million and the lowest bid came in at $39.3 million. CalTrans formally rejected the bids.
December 2013: The California Transportation Commission voted to allow CalTrans until mid 2015 to issue the bids for mitigation work.
January 2014: the Water Board advised CalTrans it would block construction of the highway until the permit mitigation plan was approved. This was modified to prevent the import of fill onto the job site.
February/March 2014: CalTrans preparations for winter failed during rains in near Haehl Creek. This resulted in substantial amounts of mud from the southern interchange entering local creeks and disrupting the salmonid spawning activity. CalTrans received a notice of violation for this failure. The Water Board inspector noted CalTrans had not followed its own state-wide best management practices.
April 10, 2014: CalTrans awarded a $3.2 million change order for the roadway contractor to install fencing and water lines needed for the Corps mitigation properties.
June 2014: The Water Board approved the final mitigation plan, nearly 4 years after the first one was submitted.
June 2014: CalTrans notified local tribes that it had installed a water line through a marked cultural site. The stakes marking the site had been knocked over by cows.
June 20, 2014: The US Army Corps of Engineers suspended the 404 permit, essentially stopping the roadway construction. The suspension noted that CalTrans has not even completed the required baseline study (which requires a full calendar year to complete) for the eight parcels it was supposed to have started the mitigation wetland establishment and rehabilitation on in July 2013 and completed by January 2014.

subset: commoncrawl


text: So think of the hives the same way. If each hive has a 36.7% chance of loss, and you have an infinite number of them, your loss will tend toward 36.7%. But if you have 10 hives or 20, each combination of death/live has a probability. So my numbers are such that with a 36.7% chance of death for each hive, if I want to have less than a 5% chance of losing more than half my hives, I need 26 hives to make that happen. With 26 hives, the chance of having more than 13 die is less than 5%. You can caculate any percentage you'd like though. With those 26 hives and a chance of loss at 36.7% for each hive, what's my percentage of losing at least 10 of those? 50%. You've got a 50% chance of losing 10 hives or more, because that includes the probability of losing 10, 11, 12, 13, 14....all the way to 26. If I lower the chance of loss to 29.5%, what's the chance of losing 10 hives or more? 21%. Now I only have a 21% chance of losing 10 hives or more. My point is I believe that every point you shave from the chance of loss makes a fairly large difference. It isn't just the difference of a fraction of a hive.


text:
Employees must complete compliance training
By Julee Otter
Compliance Manager, Office of Institutional Compliance and Risk Services
(Feb. 4, 2008)--February is the month for refresher compliance training. All UTSA employees who have not taken compliance training in the past year are required to take the online Refresher Compliance Training class.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
By Feb. 1, Refresher Compliance Training information was e-mailed to employees who must complete the class. The deadline to complete the training is Feb. 28.
For more information, contact the UTSA Office of Institutional Compliance at (210) 458-6745.


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Attachment 3469
Hard to believe they can be this busy... but then again it was 62 degrees today.
They will get a queen in the early spring.
Printable View
Attachment 3469
Hard to believe they can be this busy... but then again it was 62 degrees today.
They will get a queen in the early spring.
Mine were out working at 6am in a light drizzle a couple days ago.
Mine were working at a low rate today, 87 and sunny. Much Goldenrod around but they seem to prefer other plants. Hoping for rain.
Mine are nowhere to be seen. At 9 pm it is -12 with 16 in snow on the ground and on the hives. Snow is a great insulator. Regards
I don't know if this is normal behavior or not...I'm new at this, but after a week of rain the clouds parted and the bees started flying out of my log hive. Much activity, lots of pollen coming back in, but not so with the Warre hive. (Could it be because I'm feeding sugar to the Warre?) I don't know what kind of pollen they are bringing back because not much is blooming in the garden.
I shot some video to document the activity. Comments are appreciated.
Impatiens eriosperma
This rare species of impatiens features fluffy bunches of white pollen on the male plants, which is easily visible against the bright pink flowers. This evergreen, perennial plant is native to Madagascar and is grown in the same conditions as other impatiens: warm temperatures and high humidity, plus moist, well-draining soil.
White Chicory
The white chicory is actually an albino form of the blue chicory. This rare flower has white petals and pure white pollen. The common blue chicory, on the other hand, has pale yellow pollen.
In some plants, white pollen is a mutation. Some types of petunias show this mutation, and maize (corn) sometimes does as well. The white pollen shows up in place of the normal yellow pollen. In such cases, the white pollen has been shown to be sterile. White pollen has also been found in a few isolated bristlecone and red pine trees.
Very cool to see the girls in action on your creative hive. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Mr. Beeman,
I'm going to look up those plants to see if they grow in my coastal Zone 5...then I'll work on finding and identifying them.


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I've spent the last week sitting in a tree stand hoping that some deer would be dumb enough to come within 70 yards of me; the whole time I'm sitting there I grow increasingly worried that the temperature is going to plummet and freeze over my few water holes and end my first year as a waterfowler. Dammit, ducks are just more fun and intellectual. I'm officially hooked.
That being said, what the hell do I do now that the water is freezing????? I'm scared as hell.


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The Breakers might be zoning in on a third-straight ANBL title but the club are well advanced in their planning for next season with only three players to be added to their roster.
The two-time defending champions are on a club record 10-game winning run and travel to take on the Sydney Kings tomorrow night. They are playing with such confidence - they dismantled rivals Perth 98-81 last week - that many are wondering if they will lose another game this season.
They have an extremely settled and deep squad and at least seven of the 10-strong roster will return next season.
The Breakers are hopeful imports Cedric Jackson and Will Hudson will return but Dillon Boucher, 37, will retire after nine seasons with the club.
His place is likely to be taken by development player Reuben Te Rangi, who has impressed in training and the limited minutes he has got this season.
Hudson is a strong possibility to return but Jackson is targeting a return to the NBA and will head back to the US at the conclusion of the season for try-outs. He said earlier this week "more than five" NBA teams had been in contact with his agent and were monitoring his form.
"In an ideal world, you would want both [imports] back because they have been fantastic," Breakers general manager Richard Clarke said. "If Cedric doesn't make it [in the NBA], we would want him. There's no doubt Europe pays a lot more but the advantage here is the length of our season allows you finish a season in somewhere like Puerto Rico or Europe and top up your salary. With Ced, it's not all about money, it's also environment and he feels very much at home here.
"Will's doing really well and been a great part of the club. Neither have done anything other than put their hand up to say, 'have me back'."
Putting a roster together is a balancing act. Clubs have to work within a A$1 million salary cap and points system - all players are rated out of 10 and all 10 players must fit under 70 points.
Te Rangi's likely inclusion will provide the Breakers with some wriggle room, especially with others like Alex Pledger likely to jump up the ratings. Te Rangi would be a one-point player.
Tom Abercrombie is weighing up his options for the off-season. Like Jackson, he has ambitions to play in the NBA - and has options built into his Breakers contract to leave if he secures a deal - but is mindful of not trying out until he thinks he's ready. The ankle he injured at the end of last season has bothered him for most of the present campaign and he might hit the gym rather than head to the US. He will also forgo playing in the New Zealand NBL but will play for the Tall Blacks.
"Tom is conscious first impressions are important and you need to be ready when you go and make that impression," Clarke said. "I'm sure he will decide if he's ready and whether that's this year or next. He still has an international programme to put him on the map as well."
Abercrombie's improved form has helped the Breakers extend their winning streak and backup point guard Corey Webster said they were intent on continuing that.
"We have a lot of confidence," Webster said, "and we feel like we aren't going to lose any games for the rest of the season. We can't look too far ahead but if we do the right things and look after our bodies I don't think anyone can beat us."
Returning players: Tom Abercrombie, CJ Bruton, Daryl Corletto, Leon Henry, Alex Pledger, Mika Vukona, Corey Webster.
Leaving: Dillon Boucher (retiring)
Up in the air: Cedric Jackson, Will Hudson


text:
Karrolyne Fogel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Mathematics
- Profile
Dr. Fogel's mathematical background is in Algebraic Number Theory. While her research is related to Stark's Conjecture, she is particularly fond of elliptic curves, a mathematical construct that played a vital role in Andrew Wiles' 1994 proof of Fermat's Last Theorem (which remained unsolved for over 350 years!). Her more recent interests are in Graph Theory, the Mathematics of Voting and Mathematics Education particularly at the elementary school level. When not pondering mathematics, she can be found looking up, for she is an avid fan of astronomy and has been known to spot Venus during the daytime.
- Education
B.S., Santa Clara University
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin


text:
OK, here is what I have put together through trial and error! For those who do not want to use an airbrush and/or mix paints, and would rather use "out-ot-the-spraycan" colors; Al la Rouge Studios, here is my "Official" list
I went with a layered and topical approach, so after priming, the entire helmet was sprayed Silver first, and metallic silver spray will work, I used Krylon.
Dome/Cheeks: Testors Model Master - SAC Bomber Green, FS34159
Upper cheeks: Tamiya Olive Drab, TS-5 (misted with black for a dirtier, deeper color)
Mandibles: Tamiya Dull Red, TS-33 (Floquil sprays also have "Boxcar red" S-130074 if you prefer that)
Left ear: Tamiya Olive drab 2
Right ear: Krylon gold (and silver in parts)
Backof helmet: Floquil Railroad colors - Dark Green, 130040
Kill stripes: Light color - Rustoleum painters touch Sun yellow, 1945; dark color - Krylon bright yellow/John Deere yellow 1804
Of course this list does not figure in the "detail" colors, such as the grey, marroon and yellow "chipping" colors. For those a used testors flat enamels and hand mixed the shade I wanted. However this should be a good starting point for the base colors. I will add pics to this post to show my results very soon. Hope this helps some folks out!


text:
Come Dance With Me — Jefferson Would Want You to
Posted by Medea Benjamin in World News & Events on 3rd June, 2011 | No Comments
Dancing can be dangerous. In Ceausescu's Romania I was arrested for dancing without a partner. In newly independent Guinea Bissau, my dancing partner was thrown in jail for boogying before the President and his wife had the first dance. In Cuba I was awoken at 4am to bail out a friend who had been locked up for "lesbian dancing." And in Afghanistan I narrowly escaped arrest for dancing on a "men-only" dance floor. On each occasion I was shocked by the misuse of government power and disrespect for personal freedom.
Read More...


text:
7 Last-Minute Halloween Costumes You Already Have In Your Closet!
These Alice In Wonderland leggings will be show-stoppers on Halloween! Pair them with a sweater and booties and they will look more cool than costume-y.
Cheshire Cat Leggings, $70, blackmilkclothing.com
This edgy frock is equal parts pretty and creepy with flowers and skulls! It will look just as cute three weeks after Halloween as it will at your spooky party.
Belted Flower Skull Skater Dress, $54.50, torrid.com
October Outfit Ideas


text:
Robert Ballard:
The astonishing hidden world of the deep ocean
Ocean explorer Robert Ballard takes us on a mindbending trip to hidden worlds underwater, where he and other researchers are finding unexpected life, resources, even new mountains. He makes a case for serious exploration and mapping. Google Ocean, anyone?
Similar topics
- Adventure
- Animals
- Biodiversity
- Education
- Exploration
- Fish
- Oceans
- Science
- Submarine
This talk was presented at an official TED conference, and was featured by our editors on the home page.
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Systems Biology Opens New Research Pathways
Systems Biologists Are Attacking the Encrypted Messages That Would Allow Us to Predict and Change the Course of Disease
Individual Tumor Profiling
Has Tumor Molecular Profiling Enabled More Effective and Less Toxic Cancer Treatment?
Top 10 Under 40
Up-and-Coming Stars Shine in Biopharma Research and Business
Podcast: FDA's New Commissioner Hits the Ground Running
Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Commits to Speeding Up Drug Reviews, and Maintaining Safety and Efficacy
BIO International Convention
April 22 - April 25, 2013 / Chicago, IL, UNITED STATES
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View Comment
Uju helen oladimeji
Posted at 8:34 PM on February 18, 2013
Shane Mani
Posted at 11:51 PM on February 11, 2013
True Blood is best than any vampire series, slow….but curiousity reveals in every end of the episode. Season 6 should be of at least 20 episodes.. 12 episodes is less, cauze of the vast characters ( humans, werewolves,shapeshifters,witches, fairies…Vampires and others supernatural entities..Bill should return to Sookie their love in the series was best, unspeakable,submissive).
True Blood, the best TV Show, Season 5 was complex so many unnecessary things like cast and situations were added, Russel should not died so easily, I saw all the series in a week and it was the best week for me. Bill will go in the evil way in season 6, but he should return as a vampire that he was in first season respectively, Season 6 I hope to see new abilities with more thrill & horror with new powerfull villian and war between humans.
Posted at 8:22 AM on February 13, 2013
Posted at 5:49 PM on January 29, 2013
Posted at 7:12 PM on September 1, 2012
Posted at 9:08 PM on February 21, 2013


text:
On Tuesday, Madonna released an absolutely FANTASTIC music video for her new single Girl Gone Wild that is pretty much loved by all who have seen it (well, with some exceptions … to the haters). Today we get to see a slightly different version of her Girl Gone Wild music video … one that his completely uncensored. The video that was released on Tuesday had a couple of scenes cut out, scenes that featured mostly-to totally naked men. Today we get to check out the NSFW uncensored version of Maddy's GGW video, which you can watch in full below.
This video is only changed slightly … with the inclusion of a bare naked male ass at 2:09 and the same naked guy in repose at 2:11 of the video. These quick little additions aren't really so risqué … for most but … just in case, I guess we have to call it NSFW. This video is HOT HOT HOT. I've watched it countless times since it came out on Tuesday. Truly, it is one of Maddy's best vids of all time. It's deffo worth another viewing … or 12.
[Source] 1


text: I have a 01 silverado 1500 with a 4.8L having some trouble. I get codes P0118 and P0453, when I clear codes they come right back on. changed fuel pump and ECT sensor recently after temp guage quit working. sometimes when driving on rough roads or stopping abruptly the engine will quit but then starts up and runs ok. any ideas Thanks Jon


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I just opened the hives today to feed and medicate for the spring, was greeted in one hive by a pretty grim picture. As I looked down through the gaps between frames, I noticed that between the three frames pictured, the gap was completely clogged with non-moving bodies. I lifted the hive body from the bottom board, and found a pile of (I'm estimating here) several thousand dead bees on the screen. There appears to be life still in the hive, just not in the area of these three frames.
In the center, I'm seeing a green-gray fungus or mold. I do not know if that is the cause of the problem, or grew on the dead bees due to lack of ventilation in the clogged space.
The dead bees are almost all facing toward the center of the pack. I do not know if this is significant.
I do not have time today for a full inspection, so I have not confirmed presence of a queen.
The scene here does not closely match any pictures or descriptions of diseases I've read about, but I would love to hear your ideas on what the problem could be.
(edit- more information to follow)
Two additional pieces of information. The area of carnage is accompanied by a slight foul decay type smell. The area where the dead bees are clustered also has a full grown bee in almost every cell, facing in, butt sticking out into the pack.
In addition to a diagnosis, what is the general consensus on the re-usability of these frames? They're cheap, should I trash these as a precaution?


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Home>Exhibitions>Selected Past Exhibitions>2006>Samuel Beckett: A Passion for Paintings
While many contemporary artists have found inspiration in Beckett's drama, the emphasis of this exhibition was to look at the influence that art and artists had on his life and work. Beginning with his visits to the National Gallery of Ireland as a young student and later as lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, the exhibition revealed three key relationships in the writer's life; his relationship with the Gallery where, in the words of biographer James Knowlson, Beckett was 'weaned on the old masters'; with poet, art critic and former Director, Thomas MacGreevy, and with Jack B. Yeats.
Bringing together over 40 works of art drawn from the National Gallery's collection as well as public and private collections in Ireland and abroad, the exhibition featured familiar names from the fourteenth century to the present day: Silvestro dei Gherarducci, Perugino, Albrecht Durer, Nicolas Poussin, Paul Cézanne, Edvard Munch, Jack B Yeats, Alberto Giacometti, Bram van Velde, Avigdor Arikha, Henri Hayden and Stanley William Hayter.
The exhibition also had on display a number of livres d'artistes, or artist's books where some of the most innovative responses to Beckett's work can be found. Each of the artist's books are collaborations or dialogues of work and image between Beckett and Irish and international artists, among them, Louis le Brocquy, Dellas Henke and Charles Klabunde.
Exhibition Catalogue:Samuel Beckett: A Passion for Paintings© 2006 National Gallery of Ireland and the AuthorsEditor Fionnuala CrokeISBN 1-904288-16-2
Copyright © National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin 2, Ireland
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text: Is there a way to test the spider while its out of the truck? The Local shop had said it might be the spider.(we don't have any really reputable ones in our local area:no:...small town with worst services ever!) When we pulled it apart the intake gasket was shot, and while replacing it I started wondering can you test the spider? How do you do it??


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NORD gratefully acknowledges Dr. Irène Netchine, Laboratoire d'Explorations Fonctionnelles Endocriniennes, Paris, France, and Jennifer Salem, The MAGIC Foundation, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Russell-Silver syndrome (RSS) is a rare disorder characterized by intrauterine growth retardation and postnatal growth deficiency along with a handful of common physical characteristics and a range of other symptoms. The wide spectrum of phenotype findings vary both in incidence rate and severity from one individual to another. Besides prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, the most common characteristics are normal head circumference (appearing large for the body), a large forehead that protrudes out from the plane of the face, a triangular-shaped face, a pinky that is fixed or "locked" in a bent position (clinodactyly), lack of appetite/low BMI, and undergrowth of one side or limb(s) of the body (hemihypotrophy), resulting in unequal (asymmetric) growth. The majority of children with RSS fall within the normal range of intelligence, but are more likely to have motor and speech delays. Intervention at an early age (infancy) is critical. Some evidence indicates that there may be neurodevelopmental differences between the different genetic causes of RSS. RSS is genetically heterogeneous, meaning that different genetic abnormalities are believed to cause the disorder. Abnormalities affecting certain genes on chromosomes 7 or 11 have been found in up to 60% of RSS patients, leaving approximately 40% of patients where the underlying cause of RSS is not known.
This syndrome was independently identified by H.K. Silver in 1953 and A. Russell in 1954. In the early medical literature, the term Silver syndrome had been used to denote a child with low birth weight, overgrowth of one side (in fact, undergrowth) of the body (lateral asymmetry), and clinodactyly, whereas the term Russell syndrome had been used to denote a similar condition without asymmetry. However, most researchers now consider Russell-Silver syndrome one disease entity. The disorder is usually called Russell-Silver syndrome in the United States and Silver-Russell syndrome in Europe
The symptoms of RSS vary greatly from one individual to another. Some individuals may be mildly affected; others may have serious complications. The wide range of potential symptoms (clinical spectrum) can affect many different organ systems of the body.
It is important to note that affected individuals will not have all of the symptoms discussed below. Affected individuals should talk to their physician and medical team about their specific case, associated symptoms and overall prognosis. In most cases, with proper medical care, most children with RSS can live full, productive lives.
Almost all infants with RSS exhibit birth weight well below the 3rd percentile (<-2SD) even at full term, and after birth, the weight curve often continues to fall farther away from the normal curve. Parents will report poor appetite (some children never cry for food) and the struggle to get an RSS child to gain weight is one of their concerns. Special care is required to ensure adequate feeding and caloric intake. An RSS child's birth length is most commonly also below the 3rd percentile (<-2SD), but not always. Growth velocity for length/height continues to be slower than normal throughout infancy and childhood. The majority of RSS children are not growth hormone deficient, and research has found that their response to growth hormone therapy does not differ statistically between those who are deficient from those that are not. Most RSS children do have a delayed bone age at young ages, which continues in early childhood. But it is important to note that the delayed bone age of RSS children is not typical of constitutional growth delay - the delayed bone age is not predictive of a late growing period. Instead, RSS children typically experience a rapid acceleration of their bone age, often around age 8-9, and their once-delayed bone age becomes advanced. Motor development skills may be delayed due to diminished muscle tone (hypotonia) and large-head-size-for-body, especially in infancy and toddlerhood. Early intervention (physical and/or occupational therapy) is important and can usually be obtained free through a state's "Birth-to-Three" program. Parents should ask their pediatrician for more information. Most untreated individuals with RSS will not see an improvement in linear growth as they age. In rare cases, affected individuals may experience a"growth spurt" during adolescence. Some researchers believe that children who exhibit catch-up growth later during adolescence may have had different conditions and not RSS. Average final height in individuals with RSS is approximately 5 feet in males (152.4cm) and just under 5 feet in females. The majority of RSS children fall within the normal range of intelligence, but the published research is conflicting. Some evidence indicates that RSS children may be at risk for learning disabilities such as problems with processing or mathematics. But because most RSS children are born small-for-gestational-age (SGA), it is unknown whether any neurodevelopmental issues are more related to "RSS" versus being born SGA. Having a normal head circumference is a good predictor of normal intelligence but also means that an adequate amount of glucose is continually required or else hypoglycemia can occur, which is not good for neurological development. Some evidence also indicates that there may be neurodevelopmenal differences between the different genetic causes of RSS, with greater risk for the children whose RSS is caused by maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7. More research needs to be done in this area to control for variables such as head circumference and incidence of untreated hypoglycemia. In many infants and children with RSS, all or part of one side of the body may be smaller than the other side (lateral asymmetry). This results from the underdevelopment of one side or structure of the body (hemihypotrophy). The extent and severity of asymmetry is extremely variable. In some cases, one entire side of the body may be affected. In most cases, asymmetry is found in just leg length or arm length. In such cases, affected individuals may experience some difficulties with balance and walking due to unevenly developed limbs. With any asymmetry of the body, the RSS child should be followed regularly by an orthopedist. Although, in the majority of cases, asymmetry is apparent at birth, it may not become evident until later during childhood. Some asymmetry may also improve with age. Infants with RSS typically have characteristic craniofacial features. The most common finding is a "large-head-for-body." The RSS child's head circumference is almost always far higher on the growth curve than either weight or length (called head sparing). In addition, due to an abnormally small triangular-shaped face, the head may also appear unusually large in comparison to the body. This appearance may cause a child with RSS to be mistakenly diagnosed with hydrocephalus (pseudohydrocephalus), a condition in which accumulation of excessive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the skull causes pressure on the tissues of the brain. In addition, affected children may exhibit delayed closure of the soft, membrane-covered space near an infant's forehead where two of the fibrous joints (sutures) of the skull meet (anterior fontanelle). Another common facial feature is an abnormally prominent forehead (frontal bossing), where the forehead protrudes out from the plane of the face. Other specific craniofacial features are less common, but can include a small, pointed chin; bluish discoloration of the whites of the eyes (blue sclera) early during infancy; eyes that may appear abnormally large; an unusually thin area where the lips meet the skin (vermilion border); an abnormally small, wide mouth; downturned corners of the mouth; an unusually small jaw (micrognathia); and a high, narrow roof of the mouth (palate). A variety of dental abnormalities have been reported including absence of teeth, abnormally small teeth (microdontia), and crowding of the teeth. As affected children age, characteristic facial features typically become less pronounced and less obvious. Orthopedic physical findings associated with RSS may include pinkies that are fixed in a bent position (curving inward) and cannot be fully straightened (clinodactyly); fingers that are fixed in a bent position and cannot be fully straightened (camptodactyly); underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of certain bones of the fingers (middle phalanges); abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis); and/or absence of the small triangular bone at the base of the spine (coccyx) and/or the large triangular bone above the coccyx (sacrum). Some affected children may have webbing of the second and third toes (syndactyly). In rare cases, affected children may also experience hip and/or elbow dislocations. RSS children have also been found to more frequently have small, coffee-colored spots (cafe-au-lait) on the skin. In most cases, these spots are usually found on the chest, stomach and/or arms or legs. These spots, too, are more difficult to find as the child gets older. Hypoglycemia (recurrent episodes of unusually low blood sugar [glucose} levels) is a risk to infants and children with RSS, especially due to their large head-for-body-size. This condition is usually triggered when an affected infant does not eat for an extended period of time (fasting). During such episodes, affected infants may sweat profusely (hyperhidrosis) and breathe rapidly (tachypnea). Other symptoms associated with hypoglycemia include weakness, hunger, dizziness, and/or headaches. Children with RSS often have little subcutaneous fat and often have poor appetites, findings that may contribute to hypoglycemia. It is important to note that studies have found that RSS infants have been found to have had nighttime hypoglycemic episodes with little to no physical symptoms. All efforts to prevent any occurrence of hypoglycemia should be made and ketones in the morning urine can be a way to be alerted to the possibilities of such episodes. Excessive sweating (diaphoresis) has also been reported to occur in some children with RSS without the presence of hypoglycemia. Gastrointestinal intestinal abnormalities are common in children with RSS and may include inflammation of the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach (esophagitis), backflow (reflux) of the contents of the stomach or small intestines into the esophagus (gastroesophageal reflux), delayed gastric emptying (where ingested food takes longer than normal to digest causing the child to feel full) and failure to gain weight or grow at the expected rate for age and sex (failure to thrive). Some children with RSS simply never have a sensation of hunger during early childhood, while others may develop an aversion to food. Paradoxically, some children will overeat later on. Due to a low muscle mass, it is important to be cautious that these children do not put on too much fat mass. RSS children should be well nourished but stay thin. Additional symptoms have been described in the medical literature with varying frequency, although most are considered uncommon. Such symptoms include severe craniofacial features such as the Pierre-Robin sequence, an assortment of abnormalities that may occur alone or as part of a syndrome. The Pierre-Robin sequence is characterized by an unusually small jaw (micrognathia), downward displacement or retraction of the tongue (glossoptosis), and incomplete closure of the roof of the mouth (cleft palate). A variety of abnormalities affecting the organs of the reproduction and urinary systems (genitourinary abnormalities) have been reported including failure of one or both testes to descend into the scrotum (cryptorchidism) and abnormal placement of the urinary opening (meatus) on the underside of the penis (hypospadias) or absence of uterus (Rokitansky syndrome). Kidney (renal) abnormalities may also occur including enlarged kidneys; kidneys that are joined together (fused) at the base so that they resemble a horseshoe; and development of abnormal tissue in the urethra (posterior urethral valves), which may prevent urine from flowing out of the bladder and, subsequently, cause backup of urine (hydronephrosis) and damage to the kidneys. These genito-urinary abnormalities are also found at an increased risk for children who are born small-for-gestational-age and who do not have RSS.
RSS can result from several different genetic causes. Two causes have been found to result in the majority of RSS cases: 1) maternal disomy of chromosome 7 (where the child inherits both number 7 chromosomes from his mother instead of one from his mother and one from his father) and 2) abnormalities at an imprinted region on chromosome 11p15. The matUPD7 cause of RSS has been found in about 5-10% of RSS cases, and the 11p15 abnormalities in up to 50-60% of cases. However, this still leaves another 40% or so of children who are clinically diagnosed RSS but for whom the underlying genetic defect that causes RSS is unknown. The genetics underlying RSS are complex and specific reasons for the development of the symptoms of this disorder are not fully understood.
The changes affecting the genes associated with RSS may involve changes in the structure of a gene (genetic factors) or changes in the function or expression of a gene (epigenetics). Besides matUPD7 and the 11p15.5 abnormalities, additional chromosomal abnormalities affecting chromosomes 1, 7, 14, 15, 17, and 18 have been described as causing RSS or RSS-like syndromes.
Chromosomes, which are present in the nucleus of human cells, carry the genetic information for each individual. Human body cells normally have 46 chromosomes. Pairs of human chromosomes are numbered from 1 through 22 and the sex chromosomes are designated X and Y. Males have one X and one Y chromosome and females have two X chromosomes. Each chromosome has a short arm designated "p" and a long arm designated "q". Chromosomes are further sub-divided into many bands that are numbered. For example, "chromosome 11p15.5" refers to band 15.5 on the short arm of chromosome 11. The numbered bands specify the location of the thousands of genes that are present on each chromosome.
A specific process that is associated with some cases of RSS is genetic imprinting. Everyone has two copies of every gene – one received from the father and one received from the mother. In most cases, both genes are "turned on" or active. However, some genes are preferentially silenced or "turned off" based upon which parent that gene came from (genetic imprinting). Genetic imprinting is controlled by chemical switches through a process called methylation. Proper genetic imprinting is necessary for normal development. Defective imprinting has been associated with several disorders.
Imprinted genes tend to be found clustered or grouped together. Several imprinted genes are found in a cluster on chromosome 11p15.5. The cluster is divided into two functional regions known as imprinting centers regions (ICR1 and ICR2). Researchers have identified several specific imprinted genes regulated by these imprinting centers. These genes play a critical role in the regulation of fetal growth. Abnormalities in this region have been shown to cause an overgrowth disorder known as Beckwidth-Wiedemann syndrome.
Researchers have shown that opposite abnormalities affecting genes in this region may play a role in the development of RSS. Researchers estimate that 35-60% of cases of RSS are due to errors, specifically hypomethylation, affecting the IC1 region on chromosome 11. Two genes, maternally expressed H19 and paternally expressed IGF2 are believed to plays roles in the development of RSS, either through over- or under expression. Further research is necessary to learn more about these genes and the complex genetic mechanisms responsible for RSS.
Approximately 10 percent of cases of RSS are caused by genetic imprinting errors that occur because of a specific chromosomal abnormality known as uniparental disomy of chromosome 7. As mentioned above, with uniparental disomy, a person receives both copies of a chromosome (or part of a chromosome) from one parent instead of receiving one from each parent. One cause of RSS occurs when both copies of chromosome 7 are received from the mother (maternal uniparental disomy). As a result, there are too many active maternally-expressed genes in this region and not enough paternally-expressed genes. Maternal uniparental disomy occurs after fertilization (post-zygotic) so the risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies is extremely low but seems to be enhanced by maternal age.
In rare cases, familial occurrence of RSS has been noted. In these rare cases, RSS may be inherited as an autosomal dominant or recessive trait. Genetic diseases are determined by the combination of genes for a particular trait that are on the chromosomes received from the father and the mother.
Dominant genetic disorders occur when only a single copy of an abnormal gene is necessary for the appearance of the disease. The abnormal gene can be inherited from either parent, or can be the result of a new mutation (gene change) in the affected individual. The risk of passing the abnormal gene from affected parent to offspring is 50% for each pregnancy regardless of the sex of the resulting child. In RSS, these cases usually occur as a result of a spontaneous genetic change (i.e., new mutation) and are not inherited from the parents.
Recessive genetic disorders occur when an individual inherits the same abnormal gene for the same trait from each parent. If an individual receives one normal gene and one gene for the disease, the person will be a carrier for the disease, but usually will not show symptoms. The risk for two carrier parents to both pass the defective gene and, therefore, have an affected child is 25% with each pregnancy. The risk to have a child who is a carrier like the parents is 50% with each pregnancy. The chance for a child to receive normal genes from both parents and be genetically normal for that particular trait is 25%. The risk is the same for males and females.
Such causes of RSS (i.e. dominant genetic disorders or recessive genetic disorders) are very rare. Indeed, most cases of RSS are secondary to epigenetic modification (i.e. loss of methylation at the 11p15 ICR1) and are sporadic.
RSS appears to affect males and females in equal numbers. More than 400 cases have been reported in the medical literature. In the past, many infants with intrauterine growth retardation and normal head circumference were incorrectly diagnosed with RSS. Other cases (because of the difficulty in diagnosis) may go unrecognized and undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, making it difficult to determine the true frequency of the disorder in the general population. Estimates as to the incidence of RSS vary, ranging from 1 in 3,000 live births to 1 in 100,000. Some researchers believe the incidence rate is 1 in 75,000-100,000 but the incidence is unknown.
A diagnosis of RSS is based upon a thorough clinical evaluation, a detailed patient history and identification of characteristic features, especially growth retardation before and after birth in children with normal head circumference. Because many of the symptoms are nonspecific, obtaining a diagnosis of RSS remains difficult.
Growth retardation may be diagnosed before birth (prenatally) by ultrasound. During ultrasound, reflected sound waves are used to create an image of the developing fetus.
Testing for known genetic causes of RSS such as abnormalities affecting specific areas of chromosomes 7 and 11 are available on a clinical basis.
The treatment of RSS is directed toward the specific symptoms that are apparent in each individual. Many therapies follow routine, established guidelines for the condition. Early diagnosis and prompt therapy can help improve growth and ensure that affected individuals reach their highest potential.
Treatment may require the coordinated efforts of a team of specialists. Pediatricians, physicians who specialize in treating disorders of the skeleton (orthopedists), orthopedic surgeons, physicians who specialize in disorders of the glands and hormones (endocrinologists), dental specialists, physicians who specialize in the gastrointestinal tract (gastroenterologists), psychologists, and other healthcare professionals may need to systematically and comprehensively plan an affect child's treatment.
Growth can be improved in children with RSS by ensuring proper feeding and intake of calories. Aggressively feeding children with RSS can help to avoid malnutrition and low blood sugar. In some cases, feeding tubes may be necessary to assist feeding and ensure proper nutrition and growth. A nasogastric tube (a thin tube that runs from the nose to the stomach through the esophagus) may be used. In other cases, a tube that is inserted directly into the stomach through a small incision in the abdomen wall may be used. It is important not to overfeed an RSS infant (which can occur quickly especially with feeding tubes) because RSS babies can quickly become "fluffy" with visible subcutaneous fat). Due to high risk for medical problems related to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, babies born small-for-gestational-age should remain lean but not underweight. Lastly, it is important to monitor an RSS child's weight-for-height. Increasing the calories of an RSS toddler or child can result in a brief spurt of length/height growth but often then levels off, and the toddler or child simply becomes more overweight rather than improving the height in any additional manner.
Growth hormone therapy (GHT) is recommended for children with RSS who wish to improve their childhood height and adult height. Growth hormone therapy was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2001 for children who were born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and who have not displayed adequate catch up growth by the age of 2. Due to the small population size of Russell-Silver syndrome, the FDA studies of SGA combined RSS children into an overall pool of subjects. If an RSS child is not born SGA, the child may qualify for growth hormone therapy coverage under the FDA approval for idiopathic short stature. Many, many studies have now shown that GHT significantly improves childhood growth and final adult height. Furthermore, these studies indicate that RSS children who are not growth deficient respond in similar ways to the RSS children who are growth hormone deficient. As a result, growth hormone stimulation testing is no longer recommended for an RSS child unless growth hormone deficiency is suspected. A low starting dose of GH is recommended and has to be adapted to growth velocity. IGF-1 levels are often high, especially for the RSS children with 11p15 ICR1 loss of methylation.
However, most of the RSS patients advance their bone age around 6 or 7, when they enter adrenarche, especially if this is a period of rapid weight gain. Children can then enter into central puberty. If not diagnosed and treated, this can lead to a small final height even if treated with GH.
Early intervention is important in ensuring that children with RSS reach their potential. Special services that may be beneficial to affected children may include special social support, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other medical, social, and/or vocational services. An individual education plan (IEP) may be developed to assist children in school if special services are required, or a 504 plan which can ensure that the child receives access to an equal education through accommodations in their learning environment.
Short stature and other medical conditions can lead to issues with self-image in some affected children. Psychological counseling can help children manage issues with self-image and peer relationships and other social interactions.
Aggressive management of gastrointestinal symptoms is recommended in RSS children. Gastroesophageal reflux can involve symptoms such as arching of the back and spitting up, but it can also be "silent reflux" with almost no physical symptoms. Therapies can range from having the child eat smaller, more frequent meals, to positioning infants so gravity can help prevent food from flowing back into the esophagus, to providing medications such as H2 blockers or proton pump inhibitors, and lastly, in rare cases of severe gastroesophageal reflux, (especially when a gastrostomy tube is being placed), a surgical procedure known as fundoplication may be necessary. During this surgical procedure the upper curve of the stomach (fundus) is wrapped around the lower portion of the esophagus. This procedure strengthens the valve (sphincter) between the esophagus and stomach and helps prevent acid reflux. Decreasing the quantity of foods high in fat and increasing the number of small, frequent meals can help improve delayed gastric emptying. Constipation is another GI issue faced by RSS children, which can cause a child to feel full so he doesn't want to eat. Many over-the-counter home remedies can be tried, and the product Miralax has also been found to be helpful.
In affected individuals who experience dental abnormalities, braces and oral surgery may be used to treat and correct these abnormalities. Speech and language therapy may be recommended for affected children with speech problems, and is very frequent, especially for children with mUPD7. An audiological exam should be performed to rule out hearing loss as the cause of speech problems.
In some cases, if affected individuals experience difficulties with walking due to unevenly developed limbs, special braces and shoes may be used to help improve balance and gait. In some cases, surgical intervention may eventually be required; such surgery is usually performed when growth has ceased.
In males, cryptorchidism may resolve spontaneously, although some males may require hormonal or surgical treatment. Hypospadias requires surgery and a pediatric surgeon experienced in this delicate surgery is recommended. Kidney (renal) abnormalities are treated along standard guidelines.
Hypoglycemia is treated by standard guidelines, which can include frequent feeding, dietary supplementation and the use of complex carbohydrates such as corn starch. To avoid such problems, RSS children should never fast (even for medical procedures) and they should go to the emergency room for glucose infusion when they are ill and unable to eat food by mouth (remember, for these children, we are preventing hypoglycemia not just dehydration).
Genetic counseling may be of benefit for affected individuals and their families. Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
Information on current clinical trials is posted on the Internet at www.clinicaltrials.gov. All studies receiving U.S. government funding, and some supported by private industry, are posted on this government web site.
For information about clinical trials being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, contact the NIH Patient Recruitment Office:
Toll-free: (800) 411-1222
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
For information about clinical trials sponsored by private sources, contact:
Saal HM. Russell-Silver Syndrome. In: Management of Genetic Syndromes, Cassidy SB, Allanson JE, editors. 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ. pp. 717-726.
Jones KL. Ed. Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation. 6th ed. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA; 2006:92.
Van Allen MI. Russell-Silver Syndrome. NORD Guide to Rare Disorders. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia, PA. 2003:245-246.
Gorlin RJ, Cohen MMJr, Hennekam RCM. Eds. Syndromes of the Head and Neck. 4th ed. Oxford University Press, New York, NY; 2001:391-4.
Kannenberg K, Urban C, Binder G. Increased incidence of aberrant DNA methylation within diverse imprinted gene loci outside of IGF2/H19 in Silver-Russell syndrome. Clin Genet. 2012;81:366-377. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22248018
Moore GE. What is the evidence for casual epigenetic influences on the Silver-Russell syndrome phenotype? Epigenomics. 2011;3:529-531. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22126241
Wakeling EL, Abu-Amero S, Alders M, et al. Epigenotype-phenotyep correlations in Silver-Russell syndrome. J Med Genet. 2010;47:760-768. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2976034/
Butler MG. Genetic imprinting disorders – a mini-review. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009;26:477-488. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19844787
Abu-Amero S, Monk D, Frost J, et al. The genetic aetiology of Silver-Russell syndrome. J Med Genet. 2008;45:193-199. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18156438
Netchine I, Rossignol S, Dufourg MN, et al. 11p15 imprinting center region 1 loss of methylation is a common and specific cause of typical Russell-Silver syndrome: clinical scoring system and epigenetic phenotypic correlations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92:3148-3154. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17504900
Bliek J, Terhal P, van den Bogaard M, et al. Hypomethylation of the H19 gene causes not only Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) but also isolated asymmetry or an SRS-like phenotype. Am J Med Genet. 2006;78:604-614. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16532391
Eggermann T, Schonherr N, Meyer E, et al. Epigenetic mutations in 11p15 in Silver-Russell syndrome are restricted to the telomeric imprinting domain. J Med Genet. 2006;43:615-616. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16236811
Eggermann T, Meyer E, Obermann C, et al. Is maternal duplication of 11p15 associated with Silver-Russell syndrome? J Med Genet. 2005;42:e26. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15863658
Gicquel C, Rossignol S, Cabrol S, et al. Epimutation of the telomeric imprinting center region on chromosome 11p15 in Silver-Russell syndrome. Nat Genet. 2005;37:1003-1007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16086014
Abraham E, Altiok H, Lubicky JP. Musculoskeletal manifestations of Russell-Silver syndrome. J Pediatr Orthop. 2004;24:552-564. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15308907
Price SM, Stanhope R, Garrett C, Preece MA, Trembath RC. The spectrum of Silver-Russell syndrome: a clinical and molecular genetic study and new diagnostic criteria. J Med Genet. 1999;36:837-842. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10544228
Stanhope R, Albanese A, Azcona C. Growth hormone treatment of Russell-Silver syndrome. Horm Res. 1998;32:37-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9730671
Saal HM, Pagon RA, Pepin MG. Reevaluation of the Russell-Silver syndrome. J Pediatr. 1985;107:733-737. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2414426
Saal HM. Updated:06/02/2011. Russell-Silver Syndrome. In: GeneReviews at GeneTests: Medical Genetics Information Resource (database online). Copyright, University of Washington, Seattle. 1997-2003. Available at http://www.genetests.org. Accessed on: February 20, 2013.
Ferry Jr RJ. Silver-Russell Syndrome. Emedicine Journal, June 14, 2011. Available at: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/948786-overview Accessed on: February 20, 2013.
McKusick VA., ed. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). Baltimore. MD: The Johns Hopkins University; Entry No:180860; Last Update:12/05/2012. Available at: http://omim.org/entry/180860 Accessed on: February 20, 2013.
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I had 8 hives die on me. At first I thought the good news was that I had 16 deep supers of drawn comb for the new bees. About a third of it was capped honey which is no problem. Another third was partially filled pollen frames. A few were totally empty. The rest are what worries me.I am surprised to find that they contain so much uncapped honey. I mean a lot of it!
Since I've heard that uncapped honey will ferment ... I don't know what to do with it. The only thing I can think of is to extract it and throw it away.
1. How can I tell if it's fermented either before or after extracting?
2. Will it make my new bees sick If I let them clean up the combs after extracting it?
3. Can I just give it to them and trust them to clean up the mess?
I'm open to all suggestions.
Thanks guys,


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
|well make sure you add water into the bag as you are acclimating. Also never put LFS water into your tank, that's always asking for trouble (mainly diseases). Net the fishes out and they should be fine. With that much fish loss, it sounds like its not properly cycled causing a lot of stress on the fish.
|Is your tank electrically grounded?
It sounds to me that the fish are probably still acclimating and went through some sort of shock. Doesn't sound like temperature is the culprit, but it could be pH shock since it doesn't sound like you directly acclimated them with the tank water.
From personal experience, I've found that drip acclimation using an airline hose works wonders for all sorts of fish and takes almost no work if you have the necessary equipment.
- White gallon size bucket
- Sufficient length of airline hose
- 1/2gph or 1gph drip-valves sold at Lowes or other hardware/gardening stores (they're usually found in the rain, plumbing, or gardening sections and are super cheap <$1)
- Clip or suction cups to anchor airline hose
Just fill the bucket with just enough water to cover the fish and then run the drip for as long as it takes to fill the bucket up 2x (empty the bucket to 1/4 after the first fill-up). If you know how much of a pH difference there is between your water and the water at the fish store, you can figure out just how much drip acclimation you need to do. A pH difference of 1 will require about 10x dilution (so if you had 1cup of fish store water, you need to add 9 cups of aquarium water).
What did you use to clean your tank before the tetras?
Get a water test kit and check you ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels too.
|Your may be re-cycling
|I did a complete water change before I put my new fish in the tank. The temperature is set at 78 degrees and I used Seachem Prime for the removal of chlorine and ammonia. It's supposed to detoxify nitrates and nitrites too. I acclimated the fish by keeping them in their bag but I opened the bag and hung it on the side of the tank in the water for about 30 to 40 minutes. Then I released the fish into my tank. They seem to be doing a bit better today but there's one that's still acting strange to me. He's eating ok and he's swimming but it looks like he's still "shaking." My tank has been up and running for at least 3 months. It actually was already cycled when I got it. I haven't checked the PH level's but I am going to check that today to make sure that's balanced enough. Anyway, thanks for the help guys.
What kind of treatment did you use for the water before adding them in? Also, what's the temperature of the tank and what was the temperature of the water that the tetra's were in?
Without much else, it sounds like your fish are having a tough time acclimating to your tank. This could be caused by a number of reasons, but we'd need more information from you about your tank specs and how you acclimated them.
The most common culprits I've seen from poor acclimatization are:
- ammonica/chlorine (if your aquarium water wasn't properly dechlorinated/cycled)
- temperature shock (if there is a wide temperature difference between your tank water and the water your fish were in; anything >1 degree can be considered large)
- pH shock (if the fish are being moved from a basic to acidic pH environment)
|What did you do to get the "bad" bacteria out? Also what are your tank and filter specs and how long has your tank been up and running? Also how did you acclimate the new fish?
Strange tetra behavior
Hello, I'm fairly new to the aquarium world but I have done my fair share of research about all types of fish. I've had lots of guppies and have had no luck with them. Yesterday my last male turquoise guppy died and I cleaned out my tank and did the proper steps to get any bad bacteria out. I just added 5 new additions, Long finned black skirt tetra's. They seem to be doing great now but earlier they seemed to be acting a bit strange. 2 of them were not really swimming around very much and it appeared as if they were "shaking" but I'm not sure if they were really shaking. They were making really sharp movements in a single place. I'm not sure what's wrong with them if anything but it has got me a little worried because of my bad luck with my guppies. If anyone has any advice to give me I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
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State representative from Kansas City arrested in Boone County
Jeremy LaFaver was arrested on charges of failing to appear in court and marijuana possession
BOONE COUNTY, Mo. - A Missouri state representative was arrested Sunday afternoon for failing to appear in court and possession of marijuana.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Jeremy LaFaver (D-Kansas City) had misdemeanor warrants from Moniteau County for failing to appear on traffic offenses. Troopers say they also found less than 35 grams of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
During this year's general assembly, LaFaver co-sponsored a bill to reduce penalties for possessing less than 35 grams of marijuana to a misdemeanor punishable by no more than a $250 fine.
Highway patrol officials tell ABC 17 News troopers stopped LaFaver and arrested him for failing to appear in court for a ticket in Moniteau County for an expired license tag and no insurance. When troopers put him in handcuffs, they also searched his car and found a small amount of marijuana and a pipe.
"When an individual is run through the system and there's a warrant out for their arrest, no matter who they are, a representative or any individual, they need to take care of that warrant immediately," Highway Patrol Sgt. Paul Reinsch said.
LaFaver released a statement to the website PoliticMo Sunday, saying the following:
"I made a serious mistake, I apologize for it, and I am prepared to face the consequences of my behavior. I want to stress that I was not operating under the influence. I deeply regret the embarrassment I have caused my family and the people of the 25th District by this incident. I want to assure my constituents that I have received no special considerations, nor do I expect to be treated differently than any other citizen in my situation."
Since his arrest, LaFaver asked to step aside as chair of the House Democratic Victory Committee on Monday morning:
"The goal of electing Democrats to the House is too important to the middle class men and women of Missouri for my personal embarrassment to become a distraction, and I have therefore asked the Minority Leader to let me step down from the chairmanship," LaFaver said in a statement.
House Democratic leaders said they're accepting his resignation from the Democratic Victory Committee, but will not ask him to resign.
"I think that's a decision he has to decide based on what he feels is best for himself, or his family, and for his constituents," House assistant minority floor leader Gail McCann Beatty said.
The Missouri Republican Party released a different statement saying LaFaver needs to "walk the walk and take genuine responsibility by resigning from the Missouri House of Representatives. LaFaver has broken trust with the people by behaving with direct and open disrespect for the law and courts."
Minority floor leader, Jacob Hummel, is planning to take over LaFaver's spot in the Victory Committee. Democratic leaders said they're going to let the legal process run its course before they do anything else. So far, there is no indication from any reports that LaFaver is planning on resigning from the House.


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Policy 440.21
Visitors in the Workplace
Originator: Office of Human Resources
Subject: Policy on Visitors in the Workplace
- Policy
University of Maryland University College seeks to provide a workplace for all employees that is professional and free from distractions.
- Definition
For the purposes of this Policy, visitors in the workplace are defined as non-employees who do not have official business with the University. Visitors in the workplace may include children, spouses, relatives, and friends of employees.
- Guidelines
- Individual department or unit supervisors may impose restrictions on visitors in the workplace which are appropriate for the successful operation of that department or unit.
- Except when approved in advance by the department or unit supervisor, all visitors in the workplace may be restricted from visits to the workplace.
- The work site is not a substitute for a day care center. Employees are responsible for arranging alternative day care or using vacation leave, sick leave or leave without pay, as appropriate.
- The employee shall be responsible for the acts of visitors in the workplace and shall supervise their children when they visit.
|Current Policy
|Prior Policy
|Policy Number


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The ocean is a forbidding place. Fearsome fogs, forgotten mines, treacherous whirlpools, killer sharks and siren song lure the unwary. Use the welcoming beam of The Lighthouse to guide your vessels to safety. Speedboats, yachts, cruisers and tankers all need your protection. Forget line-drawing and embrace the power of the light. Drive back the menacing fog before it envelops everything in its sight.
Use flares, fog-horns and buoys to fend off unrelenting attacks from hostile sea monsters – including the huge Megalodon sharks, to the fearsome colossal squid and other creatures that lurk in the deep.
With its breathtaking visual style, complemented by stunning animations brining monsters of the deep to life, as well as the authentic motion of unrelenting waves, The Lighthouse is pioneering unchartered waters for compelling gameplay on the iPad.
The Lighthouse is easy to pick up and play, with instant appeal to a casual or seasoned gamer. Haul in the anchor and experience leagues of content including:
- The Lighthouse features stunning 3D visuals, creating one of the most atmospheric games on the iPad
- 30 challenging levels ranging from a single screen to several in size
- 10 ship types for players to master: from tugboats to cruisers
- 7 terrifying hazards: from sirens and whirlpools to sharks and the kraken!
- 3 chilling scenarios: 'Feeding Frenzy', 'Burning Seas', 'Night of the Kraken'
- Evocative sound FX and music with pioneering stereo panning
- Unlock and share achievements and trophies
- Game Centre and OpenFeint Online Leaderboards


text: After tracking it down, the error seems to be related to the open_basedir (according to the error log), but the file being access does seem to be within the list of directories. Code: [Fri May 21 20:07:04 2010] [error] [client 18.104.22.168] PHP Warning: Unknown: open_basedir restriction in effect. File() is not within the allowed path(s): (/var/www/clients/client1/web10/web:/var/www/clients/client1/web10/tmp:/var/www/www.therealmikelee.com/web:/srv/www/www.therealmikelee.com/web:/usr/share/php5:/tmp:/usr/share/phpmyadmin) in Unknown on line 0 [Fri May 21 20:07:04 2010] [error] [client 188.8.131.52] PHP Fatal error: Can't load /var/www/www.therealmikelee.com/web/restart.php, open_basedir restriction. in Unknown on line 0 And the vhost file: Code: <Directory /var/www/www.therealmikelee.com> AllowOverride None Order Deny,Allow Deny from all </Directory> <VirtualHost *:80> DocumentRoot /var/www/www.therealmikelee.com/web ServerName www.therealmikelee.com ServerAdmin [email protected][email protected] I've tried adjusting the open_basedir value to just the /var/www/www.therealmikelee.com/web value there I know the file is and it still errors out. Thoughts?


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n. Crony capitalism is a colloquial term describing a "market economy" in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism to connected businesses in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, and so forth. This favoritism is rewarded by campaign contributions or outright kickbacks to politicians or their supporters. As such, it creates an oxymoron of sorts, in that success of a business in a free market (capitalism) does not depend on free-market forces. It is also a obvious source of corruption of both business and government.
In the United States, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are examples of Crony Capitalism. Government backing let Fannie and Freddie dominate mortgage underwriting. The politicians created the mortgage giants, which then returned some of the profits to the politicians - sometimes directly, as campaign funds; sometimes as "contributions" to favored constituents.
by Dan Weyandt October 05, 2011


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Town Square
Debating mature Sycamore trees
Original post made by Tim Hunt, Castlewood, on Sep 13, 2012
I've had to chuckle watching the San Ramon City Council wrestle with how to deal with a legitimate public safety issue on Bollinger Canyon Road with residents considering "mature" Sycamore trees as if they were historic California oak trees.
The stretch of road at issue runs at four lanes from Alcosta Boulevard up the hill to where it widens to six lanes once it clears what was the original approval for the Canyon Lakes development. The Blackhawk developers processed that 3,100-unit project, bringing a mixture of condos and single-family homes to the hillsides. The Dougherty Valley developments on the Gumpert and Gale ranches were the next big plans looming.
The Sycamore trees in the median strip were planted in the 1980s, the same timing as those in the medians of Hopyard Road in Pleasanton. Developers and their landscape architects like the Sycamores because they grow fast, are attractive and can flourish in the relatively narrow median strips.
So, it's interesting to hear residents protest to the San Ramon City Council about potentially removing those "mature" trees. Unlike the magnificent oaks, the newly planted sycamores will rapidly grow back.
If you want to see truly magnificent mature Sycamores, check out the native California trees in Sycamore Grove Park in Livermore or along some of the valley's arroyos. These are a different variety than the ones that developers plant by the thousands and mature much more slowly into striking trees.
The interesting behind-the-scenes story was why a thoroughfare serving as one of the three major entrances to an area that eventually will be home to about 30,000 people goes from six lanes through Bishop Ranch to four lanes in the Canyon Lakes area and back to six lanes in the Dougherty Valley.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved the project in 1984 and was eager to see the increased density from the condos and the apartments because Bishop Ranch Business Park was now moving ahead as an employment center with both the Chevron and Pac Bell complexes in the mix.
When the development company sold the off various parcels to homebuilders, the requirement was that Bollinger Canyon Road be constructed exactly as approved. That limited the width to two lanes in each direction with the bridge for the golf carts spanning it.
With the ever-present environmental groups closely monitoring what happened and intensely opposed to the potentially growth-inducing six-lane configuration (that would have been the logical width), the four lanes were constructed with the median strip and the trees. Limiting the capacity of infrastructure was a standard environmental group tactic to try to restrict land use options.
Incidentally, one knowledgeable insider points out that the lanes on Bollinger are actually wider than those on the Golden Gate Bridge which carries a whole lot more traffic than does Bollinger.
Comments (3)
a resident of Old Towne
on Sep 13, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Casanova_Frankenstein is a registered user.
Konichiwa, kemosabes! It is I, Casanova Frankenstein!
Like Tim Hunt, I too have had to chuckle as I watch these chuckleheads debate whether or not to cut down some trees. In fact, in reading Tim Hunt's scoop on this breaking story, I came to feel as if he and I were sitting side by side as this tale of high political drama unfolded before us. I imagine the conversation between us would have gone something like this:
I, Casanova Frankenstein: "Why are we chuckling again?"
Tim Hunt: (Chuckling)"Because these dorks don't know sycamores the way I, Tim Hunt, know sycamores."
I, Casanova Frankenstein: (laughing) "Ha! What a bunch of San Ramorons!"
Tim Hunt: "See what union labor gets you?"
I, Casanova Frankenstein: "Uh, so why are we watching a city council meeting in San Ramon?"
Tim Hunt: "Fight the nanny state!"
Good times. Good, good times...
Auf weiderhuren, dudes!
a resident of San Ramon
on Sep 13, 2012 at 11:15 pm
Justin D is a registered user.
It's a beautiful country we live in where people can share their opinion publically without having a full picture. Ahhh the freedom of speech. Where your comments are completely off base is its not just about the trees. The issue is the city refuses to slow the traffic down ad their have been severe accidents and even a fatality. The homeowners in the immediate area requested:
1) put up a pedestrian barrier (as already outlined by consultants employed by the city).
2) install "rumble strips" similar to the Bay Bridge in an effort to make people aware of the S-curve where people speed excessively.
3) enforce the speed limit and potentially reduce it by 5 mph.
Instead the city wants to widen the lanes. To do this it means the median goes along with the trees. Anyone who knows anything about traffic patterns, professional driving or common sense will know that with wider lanes people will feel more comfortable thereby increasing their speed further over the posted 40 mph. I drive that hill daily and I can guarantee if 100 cars were tracked at least 80+% would be going 50 mph or faster. By widening the lanes and with 80% of traffic at say 45 mph on average (speed assessment) thus the city would increase the speed limit. Then magically determine there isn't enough lanes (which by the way the lanes already meet both state and federal guidelines) thus adding a lane or two. This quickly becomes a slippery slope as I and my fellow homeowners that live in the Bollinger Canyon impacted do not want a freeway outside of our homes. As it stands right now you can't even have a conversation when walking up/down the street during even moderate traffic flow let alone rush hour. So it's not just about the trees, it's about the fact that Shapell Homes, the City of San Ramon and others poorly planned for adequate traffic throughput into and out of the Windemere / Dougherty Valley Area. Whoops maybe that's why they want more lanes. More money in their pockets by selling more homes which equals more cars but hey those of us that live in the area get killed by cars speeding on an s-curve uphill raceway.
The Lorax
a resident of San Ramon
on Sep 13, 2012 at 11:17 pm
Justin D is a registered user.
iPhone auto correct stinks. Please forgive the "ad" and "their"...
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Livermore trustees demonstrating wisdom
By Tim Hunt | 11 comments | 1,298 views
2017 guide to summer camps
Looking for something for the kids to do this summer, learn something new and have fun? The 2017 Summer Camp Guide features local camps for all ages and interests.


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And now, pictures time!
This, is me and my Sten Mk2 parts kit (I also have an Mk3 parts kit but it will be for later)
Now, the work has begun
Like the title says, my project is uncompleted because of the fact that I live in what is possibly the most antigun Province there is, up-North: Québec.
For what I've been told, even if I build my semiauto Sten exactly like the ones that were accepted in other Provinces, it MAY well be rejected/destroyed by the powers that be here in Québec. So, for the moment, I stalled the build. BUT I have a buddy in Saskatchewan who owns SaskSten aka SMG International and who builds/sells legal Semiauto Stens in Canada. To make SURE I won't have my project one scrapped, I intend to buy one from Mick at SaskSten and copy his bolt and FCG in my own project. Just to keep on the safe side, I'll order an 18½" barrel on the Sten from Mick so it will be UNrestricted firearm and make a fake silencer to cover the longer barrel.
These were the sad news from Québec, the COMMIE Province (and they want to separate... yeah, right! )
And now, pictures time!
This, is me and my Sten Mk2 parts kit (I also have an Mk3 parts kit but it will be for later)
Now, the work has begun
And now, the tube!
BTW in case you'd wonder WHY I want a semiauto Sten, it is in case of being attaked by the infamous were-rabbits from Quebec. These little rascals can prove VERY dangerous even to other predators. See by yourself!
Now, back to the pictures of my build... I had to tweak a StenMkV template
Some more...
My little helper, Anthonin, posing
Working with a hand drill and a set of files (and my trusty Dremel) for only tools.
See that proud smile? Yesssss sir! Tomorrow's builder helping his old dad today.
Cool. That looks like a lot of fun!
Of course, using an Mk5 template wasn't a great idea but it allowed me to gain some experience on the subject. This first tube WAS ruined mainly because I over filed the rear of the tube where the spring cup locks in place.
File a little, check OFTEN and so on... So I only had to blame myself for being too "enthousiast".