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General Manager Mike Reinfeldt, National Supervisor of College Scouting C.O. Brocato, Eastern Director of College Scouting Mike Ackerley, Scouting Coordinator Blake Beddingfield
(opening comments)
First of all, I want to thank you all for coming today. As we get ready for the draft, this is a hectic time, and we appreciate you being here. I know many of you are hoping that we are going to address the Adam Jones situation today. We're still in the process of finalizing the trade papers, the contracts. It's a very complicated process with Dallas, the NFL, the player, ourselves, so until that situation is finalized, we will not comment on it. However, as soon as it is finalized, we will have some type of get together to address the situation in detail. And Robbie (Bohren) will set that up.
Again, as we prepare for the 2008 draft, we're in a situation where the evaluations of the players are complete. We're still stacking the draft board and getting ready for the draft. I think the 2008 draft will be interesting. Part of it, the changes will bring some different dynamics to the situation. The fact that the first round will be quicker will change, I think, and will possibly affect the trading. I think the rhythm of the whole thing will be much better through the first round.
The other interesting thing that I think is the fact that you just have the first and second round the first day. I think greater importance will be put on the third round. I think teams will rally after the first day, re-stack their draft boards, and I think you'll see some good moves coming out of the third round. Teams will move to get the players that they re-valued or re-assessed the situation and jump around some to get into that. I think also the second day will be a long day for a lot of people. By moving that in and the free agents at the end, I think the second day will probably be a drain on the teams.
I think the 2008 draft is an interesting draft from the perspective that there are some positions that are very good in it. There's great depth at wide receiver. The running back, there's some really interesting people. At the same time, like most drafts, there's some positions where the depth isn't quite as good. I think if you look at the safeties on the board, if you look at the linebackers – the outside and inside linebackers – there's not only a lack of depth but a lack of elite people at the top. I think we're in a situation where as we go into the draft, one of the things that both Jeff and I said early on is we'd be looking for playmakers, and I think there's some good playmakers in this draft, guys that can help us score points and move the football. I think that's a good thing from our perspective.
In a second here I'm going to open it up for questions. Most of you know Blake (Beddingfield). Blake is kind of the coordinator of the scouting area, so he'll be kind of the coordinator questions, and he also does a lot of the local players. If you have questions concerning local people or just the process, Blake is probably a good one with that.
Most of you know Mike Ackerley. He's a national supervisor, kind of the East. Anybody east of the Mississippi, he's seen all of the quality or all the really good players.
And C.O. (Brocato). I'm sure you know C.O. from the years that he's been here. Any players west of the Mississippi, he would be a good one to check on those.
The last thing I want to say is I think we're in a good position because I don't think we're in a position of dire need. I think we're in a position where we can take good, young players that can help us with our depth on our team and over time develop them into good starters. So we're in a position where we can try to find the best athletes and develop those people into good players.
(on whether there are 31 first-rounders on the team's board)
We have more than 31 that we rate as first-round players. So that's a good thing.
(on having extra picks in the fourth round)
I think it's a very good thing. To me, the fourth round, you can find a lot of quality players in the fourth round. At the same time, the fourth round gives you the ability to move up in the first round, move up in the second or move up in the third substantially to help if you spotlight a guy that you want to go get and still not hurt your overall draft. The fact that you have three fourths helps greatly.
(on finding playmakers to put around Vince Young during this offseason)
Yeah, I think we had a good season last year. We made the playoffs, and we accomplished some things. But I think we realized that to get to the next level, to help Vince, to get some playmakers is an important step in that process to get to the next level.
(on any reluctance to spend a pick on a running back after drafting one in the second round in each of the last two years)
I think the key to the whole draft process, honestly, is being true to the draft board. If you've got players up there that are the right value, especially if they do something different. If they're more of a third-down back, then I think to jump in and do it again might be the best thing for your team.
(on if a situational running back might have more value than a situational middle linebacker)
I think that's fair to say. He's a situational guy, but when he's in there, he's going to be the guy carrying the ball, catching the screen pass, catching the swing pass. He's actually going to be the center of the play.
(on looking at potential returners despite recently signing Chris Carr)
I think that's something we'd still look for. Chris has done it and done a good job. At the same time, we take that into consideration on all of the evaluations. In today's football, the special teams, the return ability is such a big part of the game.
(on the playmaking running backs and receivers in the draft)
Of the running backs that I've seen, I think they're pretty good quality. They're circled up there. They're going to be playmakers. They'll be able to … We get the ball, and if they get in the clear, they can get you six. It's the same way with the receivers. I think there are several up there that can really run and have the ability to catch the ball. There's also some big guys that can run and catch the football. I think there's good quality up there. They'll probably be gone after the second round, you know, between the first and second round according to what people need those kind of position guys. But I think this is the first time I can remember in a long time that you have several running backs that are going to go in the first round that are quality running backs. What's so good about it is you have the different kind of running backs. You know, you have guys that can go all the way; you have guys that are going to be the pro style, prolific-type running back; and you're going to have the type of running back that you can use as a third-down situation guy – you can put him outside as a wide receiver and put him in as a wing back and do a lot of things with him.
(on the playmaking running backs and receivers in the draft)
I agree with C.O. In recent years, this is a strong a draft in the running back area as there's probably been. Like C.O. said, you've got the every-down back that's explosive and powerful. You've got, if you want to call them, change-of-pace backs in (Chris) Johnson and (Felix) Jones that can catch the ball; they can return kicks; they're explosive. Once they get the ball in their hands and once they break the line of scrimmage, they're going. (Jonathan) Stewart from Oregon, he's as good a back as there has been in the draft in a couple years. That guy is unbelievable. I know a lot of people are talking about the kid at Arkansas and so forth, and this kid because of his foot has probably been not talked about quite as much, but he is very, very explosive. (Rashard) Mendenhall from Illinois, very explosive, big back that can go at any time. Then, with Johnson and Jones as being the change-up guys. Then the other thing about the backs I think this year is there's a good segment in the middle – (Ray) Rice, Tashard Choice, guys like that that are very solid, good backs that can come in here, come on your team and compete as solid back-ups and maybe even work into a starting role. If somebody gets hurt, they can start a couple games for you. So there's some good picks in the offensive backfield this year, and there are a couple fullbacks as well that have a chance to go to a team and make an impact. As far as receivers, it may not be as deep a year at the top as years past, but in the middle and in kind of that – I don't want to say second tier – but lower part of the first round, there are some receivers: the (James) Hardy kid from Indiana, Devin Thomas from Michigan State, (Limas) Sweed. You're talking about some guys that can come in and make an impact on some teams. Then again, too, in the receivers, you get down in the middle like every year, there are speed guys, return guys, there's Eddie Royal, guys like that. There's three or four guys like that that can come in and not only contribute as a second or third receiver, but come in and make an immediate impact as a returner. There are some guys there that are really explosive guys that give a chance to really help themselves.
(on whether Jamaal Charles falls into the top group of running backs)
I think he's in the top group with the other ones. You've got McFadden, Stewart, those guys. He falls right in line with Chris Johnson, all those guys. They just are all exceptional running backs. The big thing about all of those running backs is, you know, you give them a little room, and it's not like the way we have now that we're going to get caught. If these guys get past the line of scrimmage, they can get you six. I'd say all of the majority of them are. I think they're all up there, it's just a question of what type of running back you want and which one's gone.
(on getting pieces of the puzzle to help the team reach the next level)
Well, I think there's a lot of good players where we take. We're taking 24 th. You have to realize that 23 teams are going to take before us. But I think we can get players that can help us, players that can make us better. I think it's going to be those young players contributing to the team but also the players we have on the team, especially the young guys, getting better that's going to help take us to the next level.
(on teams potentially being reluctant to take a wide receiver early in the draft)
It makes it hard for some clubs because there have been some that have been failures. I think you still go through the same process. You grade the guys, you get the information, interview them, try to understand which have the best chance of success. Again, I think when you grade them, if the board says you should take them, then you should take them. I don't think you can look back and consider the past too much, quite honestly.
(on what receivers might bring something different to the table in this draft)
I think at the running back position and at the receiver position, there's a little something for everyone. There's big, physical wide receivers. There's little, speed wide receivers as well as at the running back position. You're going to have frontline-type running back starters in the league and guys that are supplemental-type running backs, change of pace types. I think at both positions, you're going to get a little something for every team out there, whatever you're looking for. If you're looking for the big, physical, possession-type, that guy's there. If you're looking for the frontline, maybe number-one or number-two starter, that guy's there as well.
(on former Vanderbilt wide receiver Earl Bennett)
You know, Earl was highly productive at Vanderbilt, as you well know. Solid person. His game is going to translate to the NFL very well, I think. He's a very consistent performer. He's got good hands. He's a good route runner. He's a smart football player. Most teams want that type of player. So Earl is going to translate. He's going to be a nice player for somebody immediately. He's going to pay dividends to whatever team takes him pretty early.
(on the competition that cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie faced at Tennessee State)
I think the competition that he played against when he was at Tennessee State is a little bit different than he's going to play against on a weekly level in the NFL. But going down to the Senior Bowl, playing against the top senior talent there and holding his own and really playing very well, you really got to see where his skills are going to translate to our level. I think that helped him a lot in the evaluation process, going down there and playing against the better players.
(on former Vanderbilt tackle Chris Williams)
Chris is a good player. He's an athletic left tackle. The left tackles in every draft, you could probably count in each draft a handful. Those are rare, and it's a premium position. Chris, being able to play that position, smart player, is only going to get better. Chris went from being a freshman at Vanderbilt at 240 pounds to now a 320-pound, athletic player. He's not finished. He's not finished getting better. He's not finished growing, getting stronger. His upside is still there as well.
(on if there are potential first-rounders out of Texas again this year)
First-rounders out of Texas? Yeah, I'd say Jamaal Charles will probably go in the first round. Sweed's got a chance to go in the first round, late first or early second. The defense, he's mentioned those, but I think we forgot to mention one that will probably be the first one off the board, this (Glenn) Dorsey kid from LSU. He and Chris Long and those guys are very exceptional football players. They're not going to be around long.
(on how much stock he puts in the combine performance)
It's according to who you ask on that. To me, I think you put all of it on the practice that you watch the guy, you watch the guy on tape four or five games, you visit with him if you get a chance to, and then you may watch him and see him in a game personally. Then you go to the combine, and let's say that you don't like this guy or you like this guy – either way, it'll work both ways – but if the guy has an exceptional workout at the combine, then his stock will rise according to that. (Beddingfield: But it's really a piece of the puzzle. It's really just part of it.) Yeah, it's just part of the evaluation of everything. You put it all together eventually at the end and say, OK, do I think this guy's a first-round guy? Well, he didn't play very well but he worked out very well. So, is he a first-round guy? Well, you may not put him in the first round, but you're going to raise him up to maybe a second round in there. But now if he's a heck of a good football player and you go to the combine and he doesn't have a very good combine workout, but yet he can play the game of football, you're really hesitant in lowering his grade from where you originally rated him. You can raise him, but you hate to lower him.
(on how Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart's toe injury will affect his draft status)
On Stewart, the toe injury, as far as we know, we think everything is going to be alright. Still, you go back to like we talked about Eddie George, when he hurt his toe, and other guys that have been hurt. You know, the foot is a big thing. It could vary; he may not have any problems after the surgery at all and be just as good as he was before that. And right now that's the way it looks like it might be. He is such a good running back that you might have to take a chance.
(on the topic of attaining speed at the skill positions)
It is a high, high priority. Just the ability to move the ball up and down the field; we need to do something to address that and get more speed on our offense. So that is a high priority for us.
(on how the Adam "Pacman" Jones pick in 2005 changes the way the Titans/Reinfeldt draft)
When you say change, I wasn't here when the process was going on at that point in time. I think the whole league has changed; I just think the scrutiny and everything about the player, finding out everything about the player, finding out everything you can about them, you are looking for quality people that are quality players but also quality people. The money has changed that greatly and teams focus much more on what the guys are now.
(on being more reluctant to take a guy with off the field issues than before)
Well again, I was not here before, so I can't really speak to that. It all goes into the equation; their playing ability, their size, their speed, how they rank among the peers in their group, the type of player there are, off-field issues, those are all part of the equation. You have 32 teams that are all doing it at the same time trying to find the right answer. But it is part of the equation.
(on Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo fitting in better at inside or outside linebacker)
I think it depends on the team and the type of defense you run. But he can play either. He could be an inside "Mike" backer for a team, could be inside in a 3-4 or play outside probably in a 4-3 defense. He really is a versatile type player, I think a lot of teams are going to be interested in him because he's going to fit your scheme depending on what you play.
(on Vince Young's role in the draft process)
Obviously he is concerned with the process and its impacts and he may share his thoughts. We listen to those thoughts, but at the same time we have guys that spend their whole lives out at the field going from school to school to school, watching endless hours of tape. This is their job; this is their profession. They carry a lot of weight, too … He has his input, but he does it the right way.
(on putting preference on a college whose players perform well for the Titans)
It's actually a double-edged sword. I think you can look at teams you've had success or teams you haven't had success drafting. I think you may have a discussion, you may go through the process. Players that came from schools that didn't go well, I think you get beyond that and realize that it is a new player and new situation. I think places where you have had success, I think you do tend to favor that more just because of the individuals themselves. You talk to them and get a feel. There were probably teammates of the guys you're looking at. You get a little better feel for what the person is, not only the player
(on resolution of a dispute Reinfeldt and Coach Jeff Fisher may have on a player)
I think we've done a really nice job this year of everybody having input. The coaches have been in a lot of the meetings with the scouts, Jeff and myself. So I think we're trying, through everybody's input, getting to kind of a group decision. Again, I don't really see us having those issues. We try to talk them all out early and get other alternatives. Again, I'm optimistic we won't have that issue.
(on owner Bud Adams' role in the draft since drafting Vince Young)
Again, I can't speak to that situation because I was not here. We talk to Mr. Adams every couple of days and keep him abreast of what's going on. He's very interested, but he also I think does a fabulous job of letting the people that he hired help make the decisions, and (we) just keep him appraised of it.
(on the difference between this year's and last year draft for him)
For me personally, it's almost like the process has slowed down a little bit. Last year was so fast; I started in the middle of February right before free agency. This time, it's helpful that I know the people that I'm working with, what their strengths are, their skills, and know who to listen to on what. I just think the whole system is working so much better. For me personally it is much easier year than last year.
(on trusting that he has made the right decision on a prospect)
Anybody that says they are right on everybody, as you all know, writers, you can just put it in the back of your mind that they are wrong, because you are not right; you evaluate a guy, you get a good feel for them and everything, you put him in the right place. I know that there are some guys I've graded high, and I've been wrong on them and there are a lot of them that I've grade low that I've been wrong on over my years. You just try to hope you've got him pegged right after you do your whole system of evaluation. It was just like we were talking about, 'Well, he fits our needs,' but when you draft him, he may not fit that need. So then you could be wrong
(on the importance of drafting well in the back end of the draft)
I think it is. You expect your first, second, third round guys to do well. The key is to really do well in the later rounds. That is where you build up the depth of your team and where you really strengthen the quality of your whole team. The teams that hit in the later rounds, they're the ones that are really successful in the process.
Transcript courtsey of the Tennessee Titans


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THIS IS FREAKING HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! siriusly im laughing so hard im going to pee!!!!!
that was excellent!
Nominated for a 2011 Quicksilver Quill Award in Best General Story.
very well done i like that they stayed friends i hate hermione/harry ships all in all a nice job
Author's Response: Thanks!
"Love is the sweetest of dreams, and the worst of nightmares."
- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
In short, this is the end of Book Seven, the end of Voldemort's rein.
From Ginny Weasley's perspective.
Note: This is a one-shot!
me like
Author's Response: Hahah well, thanks! :)
Neville Longbottom is about to be measured for his first set of Hogwarts' robes when Gregory Goyle's father makes the mistake of insulting him. And in front of his grandmother, too ...

subset: commoncrawl


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Justin Gaston
Though she has her very own hunky model beau in Justin Gaston, Miley Cyrus isn't shy about admitting she thinks Chace Crawford is easy on the eyes.
She recently revealed, "[Chace] is pretty cute. Not really a crush - I just think he's good looking." She also divulged her ambition to collaborate with John Mayer on a song one of these days.
Jumping for joy, Miley Cyrus and Justin Gaston were recently spotted hamming it up for the paparazzi at a Wal-Mart in Nashville, Tennessee.
Also joined by Miley's mother Tish and older sister Brandi, the "Hannah Monatana" starlet and her "Nashville Star" stud have become quite the inseparable pair, although there's still some confusion as to whether or not they're an item.
She spent her day yesterday all over Nashville for the 42nd Annual CMA Awards. But this morning Miley Cyrus was in the Big Apple doing yet more promotion.
The "Hannah Montana" babe was spotted arriving at an office building for a radio interview following her appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly."
While Miley Cyrus had plenty of CMA Awards action last night, her boyfriend Justin Gaston was also in the house for Taylor Swift's performance of "Love Story."
The "7 Things" songstress told press, "I'm flying solo tonight. Justin is making an appearance in Taylor [Swift's] song. But that's okay, because it means my two best friend are on stage at the same time!"
It's an exciting time to be in Nashville, Tennessee, with the CMA Awards kicking off tonight. And last night, Miley Cyrus was getting warmed up at the 56th Annual BMI Country Awards.
The "Hannah Montana" hottie was spotted getting cozy with her hunky model boyfriend Justin Gaston at the BMI Building as she smiled for the paparazzi in a one-shoulder sparkly gold and black dress with black peep-toe heels.
Nurturing her religious side, Miley Cyrus was spotted hanging out at the Lifeway Christian Store in Franklin, Tennessee along with her family and beau Justin Gaston.
The "Hannah Montana" starlet posed for pics with her mother Tish, sister Brandi, and boyfriend Justin Gaston as they met with actor-turned-author Stephen Baldwin, who was signing copies of his new book "The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips."
Despite her hectic work schedule, Miley Cyrus made sure to set aside time over the weekend to spend with her rumored flame, 20-year-old underwear model Justin Gaston.
The "Hannah Montana" starlet and her "Nashville Star" stud were spotted taking in a movie in Burbank, California on Friday night (November 7).
Stepping out for a little weekend work, teen star Miley Cyrus was spotted arriving at Los Angeles Studio Center in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday (November 8).
The "Hannah Montana" cutie kept it casual in grey pants with a yellow LSU Tigers t-shirt - showing support for her team, who ended up losing to top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in an overtime college football game on this particular day. Miley then changed into her video shoot garb before getting to work
Now that she's back from her European tour, Miley Cyrus is getting back into the swing of things at home in Los Angeles.
And yesterday (November 3), the "Hannah Montana" sweetheart was spotted doing some shopping at a local Best Buy store along with her super hot boytoy Justin Gaston.
She's been all over Western Europe promoting her latest album "Breakout," and yesterday Miley Cyrus was spotted on her way back to the States.
The "7 Things" songstress, accompanied by her mother Tish, left her London hotel and headed for the airport to catch a transatlantic flight. And of course Miley looked happy to be returning to America, especially since her hunky boyfriend Justin Gaston is no doubt waiting with open arms.
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- PlayStation®3 System 500GB
- The Last of Us™
- DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controller
Play one of the highest rated games of 2013 with The Last of Us™ PlayStation®3 Bundle featuring a PS3™ 500GB System.
Join Joel, a ruthless survivor with few moral lines left to cross, who lives in one of the last remaining Quarantine Zones. These walled-off, oppressive cities are run by what's left of the military. Despite the strict martial law, Joel operates in the black market of the city, smuggling contraband for the right price.


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The graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is potent against chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CP-CML), but blast crisis CML (BC-CML) and acute myeloid leukemias (AML) are GVL resistant. To understand GVL resistance, we studied GVL against mouse models of CP-CML, BC-CML, and AML generated by the transduction of mouse BM with fusion cDNAs derived from human leukemias. Prior work has shown that CD4+ T cell–mediated GVL against CP-CML and BC-CML required intact leukemia MHCII; however, stem cells from both leukemias were MHCII negative. Here, we show that CP-CML, BC-CML, and AML stem cells upregulate MHCII in alloSCT recipients. Using gene-deficient leukemias, we determined that BC-CML and AML MHC upregulation required IFN-γ stimulation, whereas CP-CML MHC upregulation was independent of both the IFN-γ receptor (IFN-γR) and the IFN-γ/γ receptor IFNAR1. Importantly, IFN-γR–deficient BC-CML and AML were completely resistant to CD4- and CD8-mediated GVL, whereas IFN-γR/IFNAR1 double-deficient CP-CML was fully GVL sensitive. Mouse AML and BC-CML stem cells were MHCI+ without IFN-γ stimulation, suggesting that IFN-γ sensitizes these leukemias to T cell killing by mechanisms other than MHC upregulation. Our studies identify the requirement of IFN-γ stimulation as a mechanism for BC-CML and AML GVL resistance, whereas independence from IFN-γ renders CP-CML more GVL sensitive, even with a lower-level alloimmune response.
Catherine Matte-Martone, Jinling Liu, Meng Zhou, Maria Chikina, Douglas R. Green, John T. Harty, Warren D. Shlomchik
Generation of functional hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) has been a long-sought-after goal for use in hematopoietic cell production, disease modeling, and eventually transplantation medicine. Homing of HSPCs from bloodstream to bone marrow (BM) is an important aspect of HSPC biology that has remained unaddressed in efforts to derive functional HSPCs from human PSCs. We have therefore examined the BM homing properties of human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived HSPCs (hiPS-HSPCs). We found that they express molecular effectors of BM extravasation, such as the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and the integrin dimer VLA-4, but lack expression of E-selectin ligands that program HSPC trafficking to BM. To overcome this deficiency, we expressed human fucosyltransferase 6 using modified mRNA. Expression of fucosyltransferase 6 resulted in marked increases in levels of cell surface E-selectin ligands. The glycoengineered cells exhibited enhanced tethering and rolling interactions on E-selectin–bearing endothelium under flow conditions in vitro as well as increased BM trafficking and extravasation when transplanted into mice. However, glycoengineered hiPS-HSPCs did not engraft long-term, indicating that additional functional deficiencies exist in these cells. Our results suggest that strategies toward increasing E-selectin ligand expression could be applicable as part of a multifaceted approach to optimize the production of HSPCs from human PSCs.
Jungmin Lee, Brad Dykstra, Joel A. Spencer, Laurie L. Kenney, Dale L. Greiner, Leonard D. Shultz, Michael A. Brehm, Charles P. Lin, Robert Sackstein, Derrick J. Rossi
Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) interacts with programmed death-1 (PD-1) and the immunostimulatory molecule CD80 and functions as a checkpoint to regulate immune responses. The interaction of PD-L1 with CD80 alone has been shown to exacerbate the severity of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), whereas costimulation of CD80 and PD-1 ameliorates GVHD. Here we have demonstrated that temporary depletion of donor CD4+ T cells early after hematopoietic cell transplantation effectively prevents GVHD while preserving strong graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects in allogeneic and xenogeneic murine GVHD models. Depletion of donor CD4+ T cells increased serum IFN-γ but reduced IL-2 concentrations, leading to upregulation of PD-L1 expression by recipient tissues and donor CD8+ T cells. In GVHD target tissues, the interactions of PD-L1 with PD-1 on donor CD8+ T cells cause anergy, exhaustion, and apoptosis, thereby preventing GVHD. In lymphoid tissues, the interactions of PD-L1 with CD80 augment CD8+ T cell expansion without increasing anergy, exhaustion, or apoptosis, resulting in strong GVL effects. These results indicate that the outcome of PD-L1–mediated signaling in CD8+ T cells depends on the presence or absence of CD4+ T cells, the nature of the interacting receptor expressed by CD8+ T cells, and the tissue environment in which the signaling occurs.
Xiong Ni, Qingxiao Song, Kaniel Cassady, Ruishu Deng, Hua Jin, Mingfeng Zhang, Haidong Dong, Stephen Forman, Paul J. Martin, Yuan-Zhong Chen, Jianmin Wang, Defu Zeng
Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is the most common complication for patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Despite extremely aggressive therapy targeting donor T cells, patients with grade III or greater aGVHD of the lower GI tract, who do not respond to therapy with corticosteroids, have a dismal prognosis. Thus, efforts to improve understanding of the function of local immune and non-immune cells in regulating the inflammatory process in the GI tract during aGVHD are needed. Here, we demonstrate, using murine models of allogeneic BMT, that type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in the lower GI tract are sensitive to conditioning therapy and show very limited ability to repopulate from donor bone marrow. Infusion of donor ILC2s was effective in reducing the lethality of aGVHD and in treating lower GI tract disease. ILC2 infusion was associated with reduced donor proinflammatory Th1 and Th17 cells, accumulation of donor myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) mediated by ILC2 production of IL-13, improved GI tract barrier function, and a preserved graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) response. Collectively, these findings suggest that infusion of donor ILC2s to restore gastrointestinal tract homeostasis may improve treatment of severe lower GI tract aGVHD.
Danny W. Bruce, Heather E. Stefanski, Benjamin G. Vincent, Trisha A. Dant, Shannon Reisdorf, Hemamalini Bommiasamy, David A. Serody, Justin E. Wilson, Karen P. McKinnon, Warren D. Shlomchik, Paul M. Armistead, Jenny P.Y. Ting, John T. Woosley, Bruce R. Blazar, Dietmar M.W. Zaiss, Andrew N.J. McKenzie, James M. Coghill, Jonathan S. Serody
Kit L. Shaw, Elizabeth Garabedian, Suparna Mishra, Provaboti Barman, Alejandra Davila, Denise Carbonaro, Sally Shupien, Christopher Silvin, Sabine Geiger, Barbara Nowicki, E. Monika Smogorzewska, Berkley Brown, Xiaoyan Wang, Satiro de Oliveira, Yeong Choi, Alan Ikeda, Dayna Terrazas, Pei-Yu Fu, Allen Yu, Beatriz Campo Fernandez, Aaron R. Cooper, Barbara Engel, Greg Podsakoff, Arumugam Balamurugan, Stacie Anderson, Linda Muul, G. Jayashree Jagadeesh, Neena Kapoor, John Tse, Theodore B. Moore, Ken Purdy, Radha Rishi, Kathey Mohan, Suzanne Skoda-Smith, David Buchbinder, Roshini S. Abraham, Andrew Scharenberg, Otto O. Yang, Kenneth Cornetta, David Gjertson, Michael Hershfield, Rob Sokolic, Fabio Candotti, Donald B. Kohn
In transplantation, there is a critical need for noninvasive biomarker platforms for monitoring immunologic rejection. We hypothesized that transplanted tissues release donor-specific exosomes into recipient circulation and that the quantitation and profiling of donor intra-exosomal cargoes may constitute a biomarker platform for monitoring rejection. Here, we have tested this hypothesis in a human-into-mouse xenogeneic islet transplant model and validated the concept in clinical settings of islet and renal transplantation. In the xenogeneic model, we quantified islet transplant exosomes in recipient blood over long-term follow-up using anti-HLA antibody, which was detectable only in xenoislet recipients of human islets. Transplant islet exosomes were purified using anti-HLA antibody–conjugated beads, and their cargoes contained the islet endocrine hormone markers insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin. Rejection led to a marked decrease in transplant islet exosome signal along with distinct changes in exosomal microRNA and proteomic profiles prior to appearance of hyperglycemia. In the clinical settings of islet and renal transplantation, donor exosomes with respective tissue specificity for islet β cells and renal epithelial cells were reliably characterized in recipient plasma over follow-up periods of up to 5 years. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the biomarker potential of transplant exosome characterization for providing a noninvasive window into the conditional state of transplant tissue.
Prashanth Vallabhajosyula, Laxminarayana Korutla, Andreas Habertheuer, Ming Yu, Susan Rostami, Chao-Xing Yuan, Sanjana Reddy, Chengyang Liu, Varun Korutla, Brigitte Koeberlein, Jennifer Trofe-Clark, Michael R. Rickels, Ali Naji
Tissue fibrosis is the primary cause of long-term graft failure after organ transplantation. In lung allografts, progressive terminal airway fibrosis leads to an irreversible decline in lung function termed bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Here, we have identified an autocrine pathway linking nuclear factor of activated T cells 2 (NFAT1), autotaxin (ATX), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), and β-catenin that contributes to progression of fibrosis in lung allografts. Mesenchymal cells (MCs) derived from fibrotic lung allografts (BOS MCs) demonstrated constitutive nuclear β-catenin expression that was dependent on autocrine ATX secretion and LPA signaling. We found that
Pengxiu Cao, Yoshiro Aoki, Linda Badri, Natalie M. Walker, Casey M. Manning, Amir Lagstein, Eric R. Fearon, Vibha N. Lama
Patients with leukemia who receive a T cell–depleted allogeneic stem cell graft followed by postponed donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) can experience graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) reactivity, with a lower risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Here, we have investigated the magnitude, diversity, and specificity of alloreactive CD8 T cells in patients who developed GVL reactivity after DLI in the absence or presence of GVHD. We observed a lower magnitude and diversity of CD8 T cells for minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs) in patients with selective GVL reactivity without GVHD. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MiHA-specific T cell clones from patients with selective GVL reactivity showed lower reactivity against nonhematopoietic cells, even when pretreated with inflammatory cytokines. Expression analysis of MiHA-encoding genes showed that similar types of antigens were recognized in both patient groups, but in patients who developed GVHD, T cell reactivity was skewed to target broadly expressed MiHAs. As an inflammatory environment can render nonhematopoietic cells susceptible to T cell recognition, prevention of such circumstances favors induction of selective GVL reactivity without development of GVHD.
Cornelis A.M. van Bergen, Simone A.P. van Luxemburg-Heijs, Liesbeth C. de Wreede, Matthijs Eefting, Peter A. von dem Borne, Peter van Balen, Mirjam H.M. Heemskerk, Arend Mulder, Fransiscus H.J. Claas, Marcelo A Navarrete, Wilhelmina M. Honders, Caroline E. Rutten, Hendrik Veelken, Inge Jedema, Constantijn J.M. Halkes, Marieke Griffioen, J.H. Frederik Falkenburg
Damage to the gastrointestinal tract is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and is attributable to T cell–mediated inflammation. In this work, we identified a unique CD4+ T cell population that constitutively expresses the β2 integrin CD11c and displays a biased central memory phenotype and memory T cell transcriptional profile, innate-like properties, and increased expression of the gut-homing molecules α4β7 and CCR9. Using several complementary murine GVHD models, we determined that adoptive transfer and early accumulation of β2 integrin–expressing CD4+ T cells in the gastrointestinal tract initiated Th1-mediated proinflammatory cytokine production, augmented pathological damage in the colon, and increased mortality. The pathogenic effect of this CD4+ T cell population critically depended on coexpression of the IL-23 receptor, which was required for maximal inflammatory effects. Non–Foxp3-expressing CD4+ T cells produced IL-10, which regulated colonic inflammation and attenuated lethality in the absence of functional CD4+Foxp3+ T cells. Thus, the coordinate expression of CD11c and the IL-23 receptor defines an IL-10–regulated, colitogenic memory CD4+ T cell subset that is poised to initiate inflammation when there is loss of tolerance and breakdown of mucosal barriers.
Vivian Zhou, Kimberle Agle, Xiao Chen, Amy Beres, Richard Komorowski, Ludovic Belle, Carolyn Taylor, Fenlu Zhu, Dipica Haribhai, Calvin B. Williams, James Verbsky, Wendy Blumenschein, Svetlana Sadekova, Eddie Bowman, Christie Ballantyne, Casey Weaver, David A. Serody, Benjamin Vincent, Jonathan Serody, Daniel J. Cua, William R. Drobyski
The immune response against transplanted allografts is one of the most potent reactions mounted by the immune system. The acute rejection response has been attributed to donor dendritic cells (DCs), which migrate to recipient lymphoid tissues and directly activate alloreactive T cells against donor MHC molecules. Here, using a murine heart transplant model, we determined that only a small number of donor DCs reach lymphoid tissues and investigated how this limited population of donor DCs efficiently initiates the alloreactive T cell response that causes acute rejection. In our mouse model, efficient passage of donor MHC molecules to recipient conventional DCs (cDCs) was dependent on the transfer of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from donor DCs that migrated from the graft to lymphoid tissues. These EVs shared characteristics with exosomes and were internalized or remained attached to the recipient cDCs. Recipient cDCs that acquired exosomes became activated and triggered full activation of alloreactive T cells. Depletion of recipient cDCs after cardiac transplantation drastically decreased presentation of donor MHC molecules to directly alloreactive T cells and delayed graft rejection in mice. These findings support a key role for transfer of donor EVs in the generation of allograft-targeting immune responses and suggest that interrupting this process has potential to dampen the immune response to allografts.
Quan Liu, Darling M. Rojas-Canales, Sherrie J. Divito, William J. Shufesky, Donna Beer Stolz, Geza Erdos, Mara L.G. Sullivan, Gregory A. Gibson, Simon C. Watkins, Adriana T. Larregina, Adrian E. Morelli
Transplantation is the only cure for end-stage organ failure, but without immunosuppression, T cells rapidly reject allografts. While genetic disparities between donor and recipient are major determinants of the kinetics of transplant rejection, little is known about the contribution of environmental factors. Because colonized organs have worse transplant outcome than sterile organs, we tested the influence of host and donor microbiota on skin transplant rejection. Compared with untreated conventional mice, pretreatment of donors and recipients with broad-spectrum antibiotics (Abx) or use of germ-free (GF) donors and recipients resulted in prolonged survival of minor antigen–mismatched skin grafts. Increased graft survival correlated with reduced type I IFN signaling in antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and decreased priming of alloreactive T cells. Colonization of GF mice with fecal material from untreated conventional mice, but not from Abx-pretreated mice, enhanced the ability of APCs to prime alloreactive T cells and accelerated graft rejection, suggesting that alloimmunity is modulated by the composition of microbiota rather than the quantity of bacteria. Abx pretreatment of conventional mice also delayed rejection of major antigen–mismatched skin and MHC class II–mismatched cardiac allografts. This study demonstrates that Abx pretreatment prolongs graft survival, suggesting that targeting microbial constituents is a potential therapeutic strategy for enhancing graft acceptance.
Yuk Man Lei, Luqiu Chen, Ying Wang, Andrew T. Stefka, Luciana L. Molinero, Betty Theriault, Keston Aquino-Michaels, Ayelet S. Sivan, Cathryn R. Nagler, Thomas F. Gajewski, Anita S. Chong, Caroline Bartman, Maria-Luisa Alegre
Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) interaction with PD-1 induces T cell exhaustion and is a therapeutic target to enhance immune responses against cancer and chronic infections. In murine bone marrow transplant models, PD-L1 expression on host target tissues reduces the incidence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). PD-L1 is also expressed on T cells; however, it is unclear whether PD-L1 on this population influences immune function. Here, we examined the effects of PD-L1 modulation of T cell function in GVHD. In patients with severe GVHD, PD-L1 expression was increased on donor T cells. Compared with mice that received WT T cells, GVHD was reduced in animals that received T cells from
Asim Saha, Roddy S. O'Connor, Govindarajan Thangavelu, Scott B. Lovitch, Durga Bhavani Dandamudi, Caleph B. Wilson, Benjamin G. Vincent, Victor Tkachev, Jan M. Pawlicki, Scott N. Furlan, Leslie S. Kean, Kazutoshi Aoyama, Patricia A. Taylor, Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, Rocio Foncea, Parvathi Ranganathan, Steven M. Devine, Joel S. Burrill, Lili Guo, Catarina Sacristan, Nathaniel W. Snyder, Ian A. Blair, Michael C. Milone, Michael L. Dustin, James L. Riley, David A. Bernlohr, William J. Murphy, Brian T. Fife, David H. Munn, Jeffrey S. Miller, Jonathan S. Serody, Gordon J. Freeman, Arlene H. Sharpe, Laurence A. Turka, Bruce R. Blazar
Grégoire Couvrat-Desvergnes, Apolline Salama, Ludmilla Le Berre, Gwénaëlle Evanno, Ondrej Viklicky, Petra Hruba, Pavel Vesely, Pierrick Guerif, Thomas Dejoie, Juliette Rousse, Arnaud Nicot, Jean-Marie Bach, Evelyn Ang, Yohann Foucher, Sophie Brouard, Stéphanie Castagnet, Magali Giral, Jean Harb, Hélène Perreault, Béatrice Charreau, Marine Lorent, Jean-Paul Soulillou
Lung transplantation is the only viable option for patients suffering from otherwise incurable end-stage pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Despite aggressive immunosuppression, acute rejection of the lung allograft occurs in over half of transplant recipients, and the factors that promote lung acceptance are poorly understood. The contribution of lymphatic vessels to transplant pathophysiology remains controversial, and data that directly address the exact roles of lymphatic vessels in lung allograft function and survival are limited. Here, we have shown that there is a marked decline in the density of lymphatic vessels, accompanied by accumulation of low-MW hyaluronan (HA) in mouse orthotopic allografts undergoing rejection. We found that stimulation of lymphangiogenesis with VEGF-C156S, a mutant form of VEGF-C with selective VEGFR-3 binding, alleviates an established rejection response and improves clearance of HA from the lung allograft. Longitudinal analysis of transbronchial biopsies from human lung transplant recipients demonstrated an association between resolution of acute lung rejection and decreased HA in the graft tissue. Taken together, these results indicate that lymphatic vessel formation after lung transplantation mediates HA drainage and suggest that treatments to stimulate lymphangiogenesis have promise for improving graft outcomes.
Ye Cui, Kaifeng Liu, Maria E. Monzon-Medina, Robert F. Padera, Hao Wang, Gautam George, Demet Toprak, Elie Abdelnour, Emmanuel D'Agostino, Hilary J. Goldberg, Mark A. Perrella, Rosanna Malbran Forteza, Ivan O. Rosas, Gary Visner, Souheil El-Chemaly
Cytokines and metabolic pathway–controlling enzymes regulate immune responses and have potential as powerful tools to mediate immune tolerance. Blockade of the interaction between CD40 and CD40L induces long-term cardiac allograft survival in rats through a CD8+CD45RClo Treg potentiation. Here, we have shown that the cytokine IL-34, the immunoregulatory properties of which have not been previously studied in transplantation or T cell biology, is expressed by rodent CD8+CD45RClo Tregs and human FOXP3+CD45RCloCD8+ and CD4+ Tregs. IL-34 was involved in the suppressive function of both CD8+ and CD4+ Tregs and markedly inhibited alloreactive immune responses. Additionally, in a rat cardiac allograft model, IL-34 potently induced transplant tolerance that was associated with a total inhibition of alloantibody production. Treatment of rats with IL-34 promoted allograft tolerance that was mediated by induction of CD8+ and CD4+ Tregs. Moreover, these Tregs were capable of serial tolerance induction through modulation of macrophages that migrate early to the graft. Finally, we demonstrated that human macrophages cultured in the presence of IL-34 greatly expanded CD8+ and CD4+ FOXP3+ Tregs, with a superior suppressive potential of antidonor immune responses compared with non–IL-34–expanded Tregs. In conclusion, we reveal that IL-34 serves as a suppressive Treg–specific cytokine and as a tolerogenic cytokine that efficiently inhibits alloreactive immune responses and mediates transplant tolerance.
Séverine Bézie, Elodie Picarda, Jason Ossart, Laurent Tesson, Claire Usal, Karine Renaudin, Ignacio Anegon, Carole Guillonneau
Marie Bleakley, Shelly Heimfeld, Keith R. Loeb, Lori A. Jones, Colette Chaney, Stuart Seropian, Ted A. Gooley, Franziska Sommermeyer, Stanley R. Riddell, Warren D. Shlomchik
Maturation of T cell–activating APCs directly links innate and adaptive immunity and is typically triggered by microbial infection. Transplantation of allografts, which are sterile, generates strong T cell responses; however, it is unclear how grafts induce APC maturation in the absence of microbial-derived signals. A widely accepted hypothesis is that dying cells in the graft release "danger" molecules that induce APC maturation and initiate the adaptive alloimmune response. Here, we demonstrated that danger signals associated with dying cells are not sufficient to initiate alloimmunity, but that recognition of allogeneic non-self by the innate immune system is required. In WT as well as in T cell–, B cell–, and innate lymphoid cell–deficient mice, allogeneic grafts elicited persistent differentiation of monocytes into mature DCs that expressed IL-12 and stimulated T cell proliferation and IFN-γ production. In contrast, syngeneic grafts in the same mice elicited transient and less pronounced differentiation of monocytes into DCs, which neither expressed IL-12 nor stimulated IFN-γ production. In a model in which T cell recognition is restricted to a single foreign antigen on the graft, rejection occurred only if the allogeneic non-self signal was also sensed by the host's innate immune system. These findings underscore the importance of innate recognition of allogeneic non-self by monocytes in initiating graft rejection.
Martin H. Oberbarnscheidt, Qiang Zeng, Qi Li, Hehua Dai, Amanda L. Williams, Warren D. Shlomchik, David M. Rothstein, Fadi G. Lakkis
Th cells are the major effector cells in transplant rejection and can be divided into Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg subsets. Th differentiation is controlled by transcription factor expression, which is driven by positive and negative cytokine and chemokine stimuli at the time of T cell activation. Here we discovered that chemokine platelet factor 4 (PF4) is a negative regulator of Th17 differentiation. PF4-deficient and platelet-deficient mice had exaggerated immune responses to cardiac transplantation, including increased numbers of infiltrating Th17 cells and increased plasma IL-17. Although PF4 has been described as a platelet-specific molecule, we found that activated T cells also express PF4. Furthermore, bone marrow transplantation experiments revealed that T cell–derived PF4 contributes to a restriction in Th17 differentiation. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that PF4 is a key regulator of Th cell development that is necessary to limit Th17 differentiation. These data likely will impact our understanding of platelet-dependent regulation of T cell development, which is important in many diseases, in addition to transplantation.
Guanfang Shi, David J. Field, Kyung-ae Ko, Sara Ture, Kalyan Srivastava, Scott Levy, M. Anna Kowalska, Mortimer Poncz, Deborah J. Fowell, Craig N. Morrell
Current strategies to suppress graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) also compromise graft-versus-tumor (GVT) responses. Furthermore, most experimental strategies to separate GVHD and GVT responses merely spare GVT function without actually enhancing it. We have previously shown that endogenously expressed TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is required for optimal GVT activity against certain malignancies in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). In order to model a donor-derived cellular therapy, we genetically engineered T cells to overexpress TRAIL and adoptively transferred donor-type unsorted TRAIL+ T cells into mouse models of allo-HSCT. We found that murine TRAIL+ T cells induced apoptosis of alloreactive T cells, thereby reducing GVHD in a DR5-dependent manner. Furthermore, murine TRAIL+ T cells mediated enhanced in vitro and in vivo antilymphoma GVT response. Moreover, human TRAIL+ T cells mediated enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity against both human leukemia cell lines and against freshly isolated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. Finally, as a model of off-the-shelf, donor-unrestricted antitumor cellular therapy, in vitro–generated TRAIL+ precursor T cells from third-party donors also mediated enhanced GVT response in the absence of GVHD. These data indicate that TRAIL-overexpressing donor T cells could potentially enhance the curative potential of allo-HSCT by increasing GVT response and suppressing GVHD.
Arnab Ghosh, Yildirim Dogan, Maxim Moroz, Amanda M. Holland, Nury L. Yim, Uttam K. Rao, Lauren F. Young, Daniel Tannenbaum, Durva Masih, Enrico Velardi, Jennifer J. Tsai, Robert R. Jenq, Olaf Penack, Alan M. Hanash, Odette M. Smith, Kelly Piersanti, Cecilia Lezcano, George F. Murphy, Chen Liu, M. Lia Palomba, Martin G. Sauer, Michel Sadelain, Vladimir Ponomarev, Marcel R.M. van den Brink
The migration of effector or memory T cells to the graft is a critical event in the rejection of transplanted organs. The prevailing view is that the key steps involved in T cell migration — integrin-mediated firm adhesion followed by transendothelial migration — are dependent on the activation of Gαi-coupled chemokine receptors on T cells. In contrast to this view, we demonstrated in vivo that cognate antigen was necessary for the firm adhesion and transendothelial migration of CD8+ effector T cells specific to graft antigens and that both steps occurred independent of Gαi signaling. Presentation of cognate antigen by either graft endothelial cells or bone marrow–derived APCs that extend into the capillary lumen was sufficient for T cell migration. The adhesion and transmigration of antigen-nonspecific (bystander) effector T cells, on the other hand, remained dependent on Gαi, but required the presence of antigen-specific effector T cells. These findings underscore the primary role of cognate antigen presented by either endothelial cells or bone marrow–derived APCs in the migration of T cells across endothelial barriers and have important implications for the prevention and treatment of graft rejection.
Jeffrey M. Walch, Qiang Zeng, Qi Li, Martin H. Oberbarnscheidt, Rosemary A. Hoffman, Amanda L. Williams, David M. Rothstein, Warren D. Shlomchik, Jiyun V. Kim, Geoffrey Camirand, Fadi G. Lakkis
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Executive MBA
% of women in the cohort
in world for Entrepreneurship*
Average age
Average years' experience
An Executive MBA for senior executives looking to accelerate their career.
Applications for entry in February 2018 are now open.
An Executive MBA that accelerates the careers of leaders in a technology-driven world
Our programme
I was looking for a business school with a strong focus on innovation as I believe key opportunities for businesses in the next decade lie in technology, healthcare and emerging markets. At Imperial, the talent and eagerness of the faculty and students to make a difference in these areas is overwhelming.
The EMBA at a glance
An Executive MBA designed for career acceleration
Our Executive MBA is designed for leaders in a technology-driven world. The 23 month, part-time programme based in London, is a personalised, high-touch programme. It will give you a thorough knowledge of essential business disciplines, opportunities to specialise in your areas of expertise and experiences to develop your global perspective on business.
Driving innovation from a global top 10 university
Imperial College Business School is in a unique position as part of Imperial College London, one of the world's great science and technology universities. We place an emphasis on driving business advantage through innovation, entrepreneurship and the effective management of technology. You will be taught by world class Business School faculty and attend talks from world leading scientists about innovations in science and technology that will have a major impact on business in the future.
A programme designed for senior executives
Blending face to face teaching and online collaboration; the EMBA schedule is highly compatible with busy careers. The combination of core modules, electives, leadership coaching, international residencies and a final report will help you progress further in your career as a world class business leader. Read more about the programme »
Create a global network
Our Executive MBA students form a personal network with senior professionals from highly diverse industries, functions and nationalities, as well as corporate partners of the Business School. Read the current class profile »
Central London location
London is a vibrant global business hub. You are required to attend lectures at our campus in London once a month in the first year of the programme, and there is a minimum requirement of only one campus visit in year two, making the EMBA accessible to international students without needing to relocate.
*Financial Times' Executive MBA ranking 2016


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Member Since: May 3, 2014
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Hi can anyone help with info on how I can assemble a home lift call, 12 volt dc all calls are in parallel with each other and the car plate. Need to display on all calls - car location - direction of travel - a list of programed fault codes.
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Local Three reign supreme at Just Scrap 21
The Local Three — Hilo's own Chad "Brahma Bull" Thomas, "Iron" Mike Aina and Chris "Maverick" Cisneros — all won at Just Scrap 21, which started at 7:20 p.m. Friday and extended into the early Saturday morning, but the two-day event was filled with action from start to finish.
For good measure, Hilo's Levi Agcalon kept the Just Scrap amateur 145-pound featherweight belt home after pulling a unanimous decision over Maui's Zach Zane before a crowd of about 2,000 at Edith Kanakaole Multipurpose Stadium.
Also on the homefront, the host club, Boss MMA (run by Ross Ebanez out of BJ Penn's Training and Fitness Center) was unbeaten on the night and early morning. Thomas, Aina, Agcalon, Jesse Thompson, Adam Collarile, Rob Midel, Keani Sebala, PJ Barch, and Reginald Parks are from Boss MMA and they all posted victories. Cisneros runs his own amateur club called Maverick MMA.
In the heavyweight main event, a three-round, five-minute affair, Thomas entered the octagon right before midnight. He didn't need that long to dispose of Tinei Sua, from Honolulu's Hawaii Fighting Arts, finishing the visitor 30 seconds into the second round by TKO.
When the bell rang, it was a new day, 12:01 a.m. to be exact and Thomas came out firing and caught Sua, whose club is run by Deutsch Pu'u, with a good, sharp hook to the chin. The Brahma Bull closed the first round with a clinch advantage, tenderizing Sua with knees and punches to the body.
In the second round, Thomas threw a quick right-left combo and floored Sua, who was in immediate trouble and turtled up. But Thomas rammed right hands until the fight was stopped, improving his pro record to 2-1. He's 14-3 as an amateur.
"I took the fight because I heard he's an excellent wrestler and anybody out of Pu'u's gym is automatically tough and strong," Thomas said. "He had heavy hands and landed punches that wobbled me. But in the second, I dazed him. He fell to the ground and I chased him.
"It was great that the locals won. But even better, Boss MMA made it a clean sweep."
In the 160-pound co-main event, Aina sunk in a rear-naked choke with 30 seconds left in the first round to defeat Alvin Walker, a muscular 5-foot-6 Honolulu fighter out of 808 Fight Factory.
Early in the first round, the two touched gloves to find their range. Once they traded punches and kicks, the contest took to the ground. Aina maneuvered to Walker's back and put a choke on his head, but the strong, smaller guy pushed Iron Mike's arms down to his chest.
It helped to have a 3-inch height advantage, especially later in the round when Aina got Walker's back again, straddled him, and fired a few punches to the head. When Walker covered up, he raised his head just enough for an opening, and Aina seized it with a secure choke.
"I had butterflies, the whole deal," said Aina, competing in his first pro fight in over three years. "But I felt really good. Everything was smooth. After my first few punches and kicks, I relaxed."
Of the big-name Local Three, the Maverick's second-round TKO over Washington's Justin Larson, from White Buffalo Club, was the only one in doubt.
In the first round, Larson threw a right hook and missed. Cisneros countered with a right hook and landed it square on the chin, flooring his foe. But Larson worked his way to top control, and had Cisneros' back for most of the round and pelted punches in windmill fashion.
But the Maverick showed solid survival skills and a stronger chin, escaping and getting new life in the second round. That's when he capitalized. He walked into Larson's living room, got up close, and unleashed a fierce uppercut. Boom. The Maverick swarmed with a downpour of punches.
"I felt good, but for some reason I was nervous with the crowd," Cisneros said. "Maybe it's because I lost in the last Just Scrap on May 3. When he had me, I waited for an opening to get out. Then every time I did something he flinched. That led to the uppercut. I caught with my first my first two knuckles."
In the only title fight, Agcalon posted a unanimous decision over Zane in a fight that was a defensive battle. If it were football, the score would be something like 7-3. Both fighters had pretty good full-guard defense, not letting the guy with top control fire any harmful strikes.
But the main difference was Agcalon had a few more takedowns, and controlled the tempo of the bout better.
In other fights:
c Raymond Lopez def. Kaimi Santiago, 205 pounds.
c Albert Manners def. Tyler Leopoldino, 145.
c Ashton Castro def. CJ Floor, 195.
c Jesse Thompson def. Loren Sua, 300.
c Rashard Goff def. Kimo Luis, 265.
c Adam Collarile def. Joey Aquino, 155.
c Kaeo Meyers def. Tyrone Henderson, 155.
c Jon Estabilio def. Jonah Iona, 265.
c Rob Midel def. Ikaika Alidon, 140.
c Ronston Andrade def. Bobbi Manners, 190.
c Keani Sebala def. Kuulei Estabilio, 125.
c Keanu Snedeker def. Ikaika Rodrigues, 125.
c David McKinney def. Cody Aiona-Aka, 145.
c Scotty Hao def. Tyler Owens, 172.5.
c PJ Barch def. Jostin Carbajal, 155 pouds.
c Kentzin Santos def. Junyah Bacdad, 160.
c Joey Gonzalves def. Justin Soares, 145.
c Reginald Parks def. Solomon Dela Cruz, 170.
c Josh Mendiola def. Joseph Baptista, 135.
UFC minor leagues
It's not the major leagues, but Pacific X-treme Combat, based in Guam and the Philippines, is something of a stepping stone for hungry MMA fighters looking to break into the UFC.
Several PXC fighters — Jon Tuck, Hyun Gyu Lim and Oahu's Dustin Kimura (a Kalani High graduate) — signed UFC contracts. Kimura won his big-show debut at UFC 156 in February with a rear-naked choke against Chico Camus.
Last November, Kimura fought in the PXC and knocked out Guy Delumeau in the third round. For a Big Island connection, Kimura also defeated Hilo's Toby "2 Quick" Misech with a first-round, rear-naked choke on July, 2012 at King of the Cage on Oahu.
Misech is 2-0 in the PXC, with a debut third-round knockout over Sung Hwan Cho in March, and a second-round knockout over Yusuke Yachi in August on Guam. Misech, a 145-pound featherweight, is 4-2 in his pro career.
"He was a heavy underdog, maybe 92 to 8 percent, against Yachi," trainer Chad Hao said. "His opponent was the Japan shooto (wrestling) champion. Because Toby is Filipino, he was a big draw. They embrace him as one of their own. It was a huge win because not many people were expecting him to win.
"He definitely opened eyes with that win. Hopefully, that can be a stepping stone for him to get into a big show. Two of the PXC 145-pound champions moved on, one to Bellator, another to the UFC. There are always eyes watching."
Misech is not the only Hilo fighter in the PXC.
Ross "The Boss" Ebanez lost to Zebaztian Kadestam in PXC 39 by TKO on Sept. 14 in Manila. Ebanez (20-9), a 170-pound welterweight, is 0-2 in the PXC, falling to Gyu Lim in his debut by knockout in August, 2011.
Aina (13-6-1-1) fought once and had a draw against Joe Camacho in PXC 6 on January, 2006. He's got a three-fight contract on the table. It's an exclusive deal to fight in the Pacific Rim, but he's free to fight anywhere on the mainland or Hawaii.


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Slacker Friday
Research ››› ››› MEDIA MATTERS STAFF
We've got a new Think Again column called " Meltdown: The Blame Game," here. My new Nation column is called "It's Sliming Time (Again)," which is here. And I did a post about the final debate for the Guardian here.
At the moment, news about American -- and global -- financial disaster continues to rain down on us, and in the confusion of the moment few have thought to link this news to issues of foreign policy or imperial decline. Aziz Huq, who directs the liberty and national security project of the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, begins his TomDispatch post today this way:
Do empires end with a bang, a whimper, or the sibilant hiss of financial deflation? We may be about to find out. Right now, in the midst of the financial whirlwind, it's been hard in the United States to see much past the moment. Yet the ongoing economic meltdown has raised a range of non-financial issues of great importance for our future. Uncertainty and anxiety about the prospects for global financial markets -- given the present liquidity crunch -- have left little space for serious consideration of issues of American global power and influence.
And that's what he does strikingly. Offering a comparison of American global power today to Britain's in the waning, post-World War II years of its empire, he warns of the dangers of a great power in economic crisis disastrously miscalculating what it can actually do in the world. He points particularly to the moment in 1956 when, in a crisis over Egypt's Suez Canal, Britain fatally overreached. Of present day American equivalents, he writes:
The most obvious temptation remains an attack on Iran, which would almost certainly fail, even as it exposed U.S. operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere to blowback of a magnitude hard for many American politicians to conceptualize at the moment. It would just as surely mark an unpredictable reordering of political relations in the Middle East and possibly, like Suez, the end of American global imperial pretensions as well. Iran is but one possible place for a new Suez. Others, from Pakistan to the Straits of Taiwan, abound. Such dramatic miscalculations are easy to imagine, especially if the nationalistic pressures of inside-the-Beltway politics drive international commitments.
This is a canny warning about future perils in a world in which the U.S. is no longer the "lone superpower."
Name: Eric Alterman
Hometown: New York, New York
If anyone has great photos of the Bruce/Billy/Barack show last night, please send them along. I did not bring a camera and my BB, for some reason, did not save anything I took. And thanks, deeply, to whomever thought "change" begins with putting me and Petey in the third row. You get my nomination for Chief of Protocol, at least ...
Name: Charles Pierce
Hometown: Newton, MA
Hey Doc:
"I can still recall/the wheatfields of St. Paul/and the time that we got caught, robbin' from an old hen."
Weekly WWOZ Pick To Click: "It's The Girl" (The Pfister Sisters) -- This week, my plumber and I decided to shape every piece of pipe in my house into a series of letters spelling out exactly how much we both love New Orleans.
Short Takes:
Part The First: If I just may say, as I understand the kids are wont to say, OMFG! Now they have to win two at Castle Dracula down by the bay.
Part The Second: I'm sorry, but wasn't this cluck run out of decent society a while back? Did I miss a parole hearing?
Part The Third: One of the most remarkable events of the primary season was the debate in NH in which John McCain said that, in his opinion, which was considerable, torture was ineffective. At which point, most thinking human beings would have decided that, well, McCain knows more about that than I do, so let's just move along. Instead, Mitt Romney and Rudy (!) argued with him. I was reminded of that this week. To me, if John Lewis says that your rallies are sounding like Wallace rallies, well, your rallies are probably sounding like Wallace rallies.
Part The Fourth: I first met Bob Schieffer in the ante-office of John McCain's suite of offices in DC. He seemed like an avuncular old soul then. The other night, he was far and away the best moderator of any of the 49 (Oy!) debates we've had in this cycle.
Part The Fifth: Any list of great covers that does not include Shawn Colvin's revisionist "Viva Las Vegas" (from the Doc Pomus tribute album) and John Lennon's incendiary take on Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)" from The Beatles Second Album is an insult to Western culture. Just sayin'.
Part The Sixth: The Biggest Knob In Knoxville competition continues apace. Mr. I Type Five Words For A Living links us to the Power Line boys, once again playing mumbledy-peg with history. (Hey, idiots: The American Revolution was not a tax revolt. It was a revolt over taxes levied without the consent of the people being taxed. It was a revolt against unaccountable executive power. There are more, ah, compelling modern parallels than Barack Obama's tax plan.) Of course, the leader in the competition likely will pick up some points this weekend . He also seems to be dropping in this poll.
Part The Seventh: Why do I believe that Jacob Marley and Three Spirits came to visit Fred Hiatt a few nights ago?
Part The Eighth: All this fellow has to do is say the word "parrot," and I have passed on. I have ceased to be. I have expired and gone to meet my Maker. I am a stiff. Bereft of life, I rest in peace. If you don't nail me to my perch, I'll be pushing up the daisies. My metabolic processes are extinct. I'm off the twig. I've kicked the bucket, rung down the curtain, and joined the bleeding choir invisi-bule. I am an ex-Me.
Part The Last: Is there anyone who so obviously wants to write speeches in an Obama White House than my gal, The Dolphin Queen? I mean, really -- "Here is a fact of life that is also a fact of politics: You have to hold open the possibility of magic"? (I, for one, like the way the magicians made economic stability, moral authority, and international credibility disappear over the past seven years.) Mercy sakes alive, they better post a headshot of her at the guard shack the second that Obama's hand comes off that Bible.
It is past time for the people who shape the political discourse in this country to come to confront the issue of Cool, because that's been the unexplored presiding dynamic of the election so far. And, yes, I know, asking most of those 14 (Oy!) people on the CNN set after the debate the other night to discuss Cool is like asking Todd Palin to discuss Federalist 10. This country invented Cool. Some of it got invented by accident. Some of it got invented because the nation's original betrayal of its founding ideals forced upon it a society in which Cool was developed as a way of getting through the day. But Cool is kicking everybody's ass right now.
Cool is not Calm, at least not entirely, although Cool and Calm get roped together for utilitarian purposes, and usually in an unflattering way as regards the current Republican standard bearer. But this election is all about shrugging off an awful lot of the politics that happened in the last two decades, much of which took place deep in downtown Squaresville. The endless appeals to mindless prejudices and the reflexive anti-intellectualism, no matter how successful they might have been, ultimately produced a country so self-evidently tightassed that it couldn't find within itself the political imagination that is necessary for successful self-government. Not this year. This election is becoming purely about Cool -- up-or-down, yes-or-no -- in all of its glorious, liberating manifestations. As someone once explained it better than I can, it's about the blues: "...a fundamental device for confrontation, improvisation, and existential affirmation: a strategy for acknowledging the fact that life is a lowdown dirty shame and for improvising or riffing on the exigencies of the predicament."
Which is merely a long way of saying that, if some network doesn't bring on the great Albert Murray to explain it all to the country, a lot of people should lose their jobs.
p.s. -- The Landlord owes me big time for getting me to click on this link from Thursday's Altercation. Click on the "biography" at the top for further hilarity.
p.p.s. Another intellectual highlight from that crew for which Chris Buckley is no longer good enough to write. Anybody who hasn't been happening by the intersection of Futility Street and Flopsweat Boulevard recently is missing some high comedy.
Name: Siva Vaidhyanathan
Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
Dear Professor Eric:
Hello from lovely Albuquerque, NM! I am having a lovely visit here. I flew in on Wednesday night. So I missed the last debate. But I did get into my hotel room just in time to catch Bill Bennett criticize Obama for sounding "professorial."
"I thought Obama was flat, professorial, didn't rise to the occasion," said Bennett, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin, a law degree from Harvard University, is a former chairman of the esteemed National Endowment for the Humanities, and was -- believe it or not -- secretary of education under President Ronald Reagan.
That's about the hundredth time I had heard "professorial" used as an insult or criticism. As a professor myself, I happen to think that being professorial means being pensive, patient, curious, and level-headed.
Anyway, I had to write a column about this phenomenon. I wanted to share it with Altercation readers here.
OK. Time to go. BTW, don't you think Manny Ramirez should be MVP of both leagues this year? I am seriously bummed out that he did not get to exact revenge on the Sox in the series. Oh well. Hey, I just found out that the Tampa-St. Petersburg area has a professional baseball club. Apparently, they are quite good. Who knew?
Eric replies: Oh, I don't know. Great game, I hear, but I was elsewhere (in the third row) ...
Name: Arthur C. Hurwitz
Hometown: New York
I found this, which is supposingly a review of the misleading statements by McCain and Obama during yesterday's debate. Here it is:
OBAMA: Said that if families get a $5,000 tax credit for buying health insurance and the insurance then costs $12,000, that's a loss for them.
THE FACTS: The tax credit offered by McCain is more generous for the vast majority of people than the current tax break, which they would lose, according to the Tax Policy Center. Now, people don't pay taxes on the health benefits they get from work. Obama's statement gives the impression that $5,000 is all that workers will be getting to help them pay for a health plan, but that's just what the federal government will provide. Economists say most employers would still contribute to their workers' health insurance. The Lewin Group, a health care consulting firm, found that by taxing health benefits but providing a tax credit, the average family would come out $1,411 ahead.
I don't know what this Lewin group is, but all of this is completely misleading. For self-employed people like myself, this tax credit is good, because it would reduce my expenses on health insurance, but for people who are employed and receive health insurance from their employers, this would be a disaster. Instead of having fee health insurance, any fee for insurance beyond that first $5,000 would now be taxed as income. This is not a good deal for them.
Name: Hillel Schwartz
Hometown: Cambridge
Dr. A,
Without comparing it to any of the august posts you list -- I'm not going to even enter into the question of its relative merits -- I'd like to put forward David Rees's fisking of a Michael Ignatieff essay in 2007:
Name: Mark Friedlander
Hometown: Riverside, CA
I was a little surprised to see that two covers which stretch from the ridiculous to the savagely sublime have yet to make you or your readers' lists of top cover songs: "Boyz in the Hood," by Dynamite Hack, and "All Along the Watchtower," by Jimi Hendrix.
Dynamite Hack's version of the song that put N.W.A on the sonic map at the end of the '80s, completely drains all the drama and macho posturing out of the original. It's a little like hearing a reading of Poe's "The Bells," if it were recited by Perry Como.
Bob Dylan recorded "All Along the Watchtower" for his acoustic 1968 comeback "John Wesley Harding" album. The whole record had a mellow, folksy sound to it; not all that surprising, coming from someone who'd nearly bought it in a motorcycle accident since his last recordings.
Not long after, Hendrix took "Watchtower" and gave it a drive and electric urgency absent from the original. You need only listen to him bellow the last verse:
"All along the watchtower/princes kept the view/while all the women came and went/barefoot servants, too/Outside in the cold distance/a wildcat did growl/two riders were approaching/and the wind began to howl."
It always leaves me with those familiar feelings of unease and dread. And that's even before I read the Business section of the L.A. Times.
Eric replies: Someone's not paying attention. I specifically said "not terribly well known" covers. Hendrix? Dylan?
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text:
A star-shaped hole was torn in me and I was asked to present Hidden Images.
I am the servant of light and colour.
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I am the glow of Morning Star.
Art means something metaphysical to me - she is not only an entity but a state of existence, a hidden place. The role of the artist is to follow her, to devour her and to become her.
Apotheosis is the end of the journey.
Current Residence: Malkuth
Favourite genre of music: My tastes are very eclectic and depend entirely on my mood
Favourite photographer: Kevin Rolly, Julia Margaret Cameron, Joel-Peter Witkin, Sally Mann, Arthur Tress
Favourite style of art: The symbolic, the subtle, the archetypal, the iconic, the mysterious images full of secrets
Operating System: Mac OS X
Shell of choice: His ear.
Skin of choice: His skin. Like dew and honey over silk.


text:
richie.m needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 36 designs submitted by 9 freelance designers.
Need a logo for a site we are planning to launch soon.
Need a logo for a site we are planning to launch soon. Company is Offshore development company specializing in Web development, Software Development and Search Engine Optimization. We want to create corporate identity.
Input for designers : Once can play with 3 square boxes (rounded corners) in blue, green and red. Once can show that they are integrated with each other.
- Name used will be KIPL.- Below the name we want Web | Software | SEO- Want to project our corporate identity.
- Item 1...


text:
Kellogg snaps up Pringles
The US cereal giant has moved to buy the Procter & Gamble global snacks brand after its prospective sale to Diamond Foods was called off.
Comment: Pringles buy is bold move from Kellogg 15 Feb 2012
The acquisition of Pringles is a step-change for Kellogg. However, the US cereals giant faces a formidable competitor in savoury snacks in PepsiCo, which has seven of the world's top ten brands and will be focused on rebounding after a challenging year. And Kellogg also faces tough markets in the US and Europe in its core cereals business.
GLOBAL: Kellogg swoops to buy Pringles 15 Feb 2012
Kellogg has today (15 February) emerged as the surprise buyer of global snacks brand Pringles after the planned sale to Diamond Foods was called off.
US: Suitors are eyeing Pringles, says Procter & Gamble 9 Feb 2012
Procter & Gamble has revealed Pringles is attracting "considerable interest" as potential buyer Diamond Foods deals with the fall-out of an accounting scandal that led to the departure of its CEO and CFO.
US: Diamond CEO, CFO exit after accounting probe 8 Feb 2012
US snack maker Diamond Foods has replaced its CEO and CFO after an internal investigation found the company had incorrectly accounted for payments to walnut growers.
On the money: Kellogg warns European profits could fall again in 2012 6 Feb 2012
US cereal giant Kellogg has warned the profits from its European operations could fall again this year amid the challenging economic environment on the Continent.
US: Kellogg ends 2011 with "strong" Q4 2 Feb 2012
Kellogg said today (2 February) it had ended 2011 with a "strong" fourth quarter, in which profits jumped by a quarter, boosted by improved earnings in North America and Asia-Pacific.
In the spotlight: Walnuts crack Diamond 4 Nov 2011
Some of Diamond Foods' lustre has been wiped away by an announcement that its much-lauded purchase of Pringles has been delayed over an investigation into crop payments.
Most Popular
- How could Whole Foods takeover affect suppliers?
- Minor role for direct-to-consumer in US e-commerce
- Why Big Data Collaboration could be the new ECR
- How Nestle's US candy review has divided analysts
- Amazon's move for Whole Foods will focus minds
- UK proposes end to free movement in Queen's Speech
- Nestle feels heat from activist investor
- Nestle to work with Rabobank's Terra accelerator
- Brexit - UK makes offer on EU citizens
- GlaxoSmithKline 'lining up MaxiNutrition for sale'
Market research


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From Planetside Software Wiki
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Halo Sleepsacks
Sacks are the most efficient form of transport. A car is just a fast metal sack. A plane? A fast metal sack that can fly. A rocket? A fast metal sack that can fly vertically. See? It's all just sacks! Give in. Give in.
Ends on April 17 at 9AM CT


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Dear Editor and to our wonderful community,
Tony and I would like to thank everyone for your prayers, love, kindness and support during the most difficult time of our lives. We have no words to truly express how grateful we are. From the moment this tragedy happened, our community pulled together and have supported us every day. We have received so much love and kindness it's unbelievable. Because of your generous donations, fundraisers, raffles, kindness, prayers, and love we are able to be here with Courtney.
[Full Story »]


text:
New CBA provision yields Derrick Rose Rule
LAS VEGAS - The new collective bargaining agreement provision designed to reward players who have outplayed their rookie scale contract is nicknamed the Derrick Rose Rule.
It allows young players to collect maximum deals worth 30% of the salary cap on their second contract if they meet certain requirements. Previously, the max salary was 25% of the salary cap for players with less than six years of NBA experience.
It should be nicknamed the Chris Paul Rule.
The veteran Los Angeles Clippers point guard, and the only All-Star on the National Basketball Players Association executive committee, came up with the idea so exceptional young players could cash in even more on their second contract.
"Being a part of that executive committee, what I brought to the table was a max player perspective," Paul told USA TODAY Sports. "I wasn't going to let up on it."
It is officially called the Fifth Year 30% Max Rule, and Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose qualified for it because he was named NBA MVP while still on his rookie scale contract, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant qualified because he was All-NBA first team in 2009-10 and 2010-11, his third and fourth NBA seaons.
A player still on his rookie scale contract can collect the 30% max on his next deal if he meets one of the following criteria:
-- Named to the All-NBA first, second or third team two times.
-- Voted an All-Star starter two times.
-- Named regular-season MVP one time.
It wasn't an easy sell. Beyond arguing about basketball-related income and competitive balance, Paul injected a cost-escalating measure into the equation for owners, who were arguing to reduce the amount they paid to players.
At first, owners resisted but ultimately acquiesced at some point during collective bargaining.
"It was important," Paul said. "Obviously those meetings get a little heated."
Paul's first four years in the NBA were the inspiration for the rule. He led the team in assists and steals and was either the first, second or third leading scorer on the team in his first four seasons with the Hornets.
Paul would have qualified for the max 30% deal after his fourth season because he was named first-team All-NBA in 2007-2008 and second-team All-NBA in 2008-2009.
"The toughest part was to see what was going to be the prerequisites in order to give players that opportunity to receive that five-year, $95 million," Paul said. "That's a significant difference."
Indeed, it is a significant different. Instead of making $12,922,194 million last season, Durant made $15,506,623, a $2,584,429 increase. Over the life of the five-year deal, Durant will make $89.16 million instead of $74.3 million - a $14.86 million difference.
Clippers forward Blake Griffin, who left the U.S. men's Olympic basketball camp after tearing the meniscus in his left knee during preparations for the London Games, has to the potential to cash in on this deal. Already an All-Star starter and All-NBA second team, Griffin just needs to earn one of those honors to qualify for the 30% max contract. It could be the difference between a $78.6 million deal and $94.3 million deal.
Will Griffin owe his Paul a nice dinner if he qualifies?
"We'll see about that," Griffin said.
Posted | Updated


text:
Thinking about trading my 2010 535i for a 2013 335i, what do the experts say?
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Officially Welcomed to the 'Fest
Location: Boston
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 352
Mein Auto: F30
View My Garage
Originally Posted by
The lease is up on my 2010 535i. This is my all time favorite BMW having previously owned a 2008 550i, a 2008 535i and 2004 540i (plus of course my first Bimmer a 1975 2002!).
So not being up on the F30 3 series I am interested in any opinions from people on this forum about the 335i. All the car magazines seem to have road tested the 4 cylinder 328 but I haven't seen a review of the 335i.
With the same engine (well minus one turbo) as my current 5 series I would expect it to be faster than my current car. The factory 0 to 60 times are a little dissapointing but I know BMW is usually very conservative in these figures.
Would love to hear from someone with a new 335i to see how they like their car.
With the latest edition of the 5 Series driving more like a 7 series I think I may be better off going down to the 3 series to have a better handling car. And I haven't verified this yet but am guessing that the new 3 series is about the same dimensions as my original 2004 540i.
I appreciate the knowledge and insight of those on this board and look forward to your input.
Thanks in advance.
Attachment 351418
I think you'll really like the F30 N55.
I got a flat in mine last week (BTW, the
come with a road hazard warranty; if you've used less than 2/32" of tread AND it's less than 12 months since delivery, a new tire and mounting plus balancing is covered); the loaner was an F30 N20.
The N20 was nice; but I missed my car. The N20 was a no-line car; my N55 is a ZSL car. It was a great opportunity to contrast the standard suspension setup against the sport suspension. It's night and day. I also missed all the tech that I have in my car.
For you coming as you are from a 5 Series, I think the F30 will give you the comfort associated with your 535i along with much more of the sport feeling BMWs are known for.
Many reviewers have panned the F30 because it's softer than the E90. That's very true -- I owned a first year E90 330i. I loved that car. And it was a demon on an autocross course.
But I use my car to drive to work everyday; I don't race it. A softer 3 Series -- with more comfort, more tech, more luxury -- meets my needs better than a "harder" successor to the E90 would have.
In short, I have E60 levels of comfort in a smaller, more technically sophisticated and, yes, softer, F30. That makes the car a far better and more exciting drive than my E90 was.
MY12 335i ZSL with a deep dive into the options list
Produced: 2012-06-22
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Murray Deakin delivered the presentation at 2014 Pharmaceutical Law Conference.
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Washington State University Professor Glenn Johnson has been named the recipient of the award previously reserved only for employees of Seattle's KING television station and affiliates.
"The "KING Mike" Award, named after the historic cartoon mascot with a microphone-shaped head, is considered the highest honor bestowed on an employee of KING 5," according to a letter to Johnson from Ray Heacox, KING 5 President/General Manager, and Pat Costello, Vice President/Station Manager.
Johnson, who teaches broadcasting at The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at WSU, was given the award for "33 years of outstanding contributions to journalism."
KING 5, along with KONG-TV and Northwest Cable News, is owned by Belo Corp. "You have been a professor, mentor, and friend to countless members of our family, who consider you to be part of their own," the letter said. "All of Belo Seattle wants you to have it the first time it has been awarded to anyone outside of our television stations."
Johnson is behind the Martin Stadium microphone for WSU football games. However, Heacox and Costello added, "As the 'Voice of the Cougs' you gave voice to generations of broadcast students. "
Since 1982, Johnson has become known for his phrase, "And that's another Cougar first down." Pledges for contributions toward a Murrow College professorship honoring Glenn Johnson are being accepted at http://anothercougarfirstdown.wsu.edu/


text:
Any or all of these steps would strengthen the Board's ability to prevent any future offer by Sprint to purchase the Company or its assets at a distressed or undervalued price.From day one, Crest has seen its investment in the Company as a way to facilitate the completion of a world-class network that could challenge the extant duopoly in the wireless communications industry, bring real competition and innovation to the marketplace, and benefit consumers of mobile telecommunications. These goals, which we are sure will be the focus of the Federal Communications Commission's approval process, can be achieved only if the Company's spectrum and assets are managed for the benefit of all stakeholders and not just for shareholders with temporary or untoward advantage and dominance. We believe that, properly managed, the Softbank-Sprint merger proposal presents an opportunity to benefit not only the interests of all shareholders, but also the public interest. Improperly managed, the merger could harm minority shareholders and the public at large. Crest will continue to monitor the Company's progress and is eager to engage the Company on any relevant matters. Thank you.
SOURCE Crest Financial LimitedSincerely yours, /s/ David K. Schumacher David K. SchumacherGeneral CounselCrest Financial Limited


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DIRECTV's TV Service is Recommended by CableTV.com
When you want to find and compare cable companies or other television services available in your area, independent consumer surveys are extremely useful. That's why data from independent consumer surveys was the basis for our rankings of providers in Mabton, which puts DIRECTV at the top. In other words, DIRECTV was found to be the best TV service provider among satellite TV or cable companies in Mabton, WA.
If you want to be sure to catch all of the or Seattle Seahawks games, as well as the hottest TV shows, you need the extra channels included in premier TV packages. While it's easy to find packages that include most of the major networks, many TV packages in Mabton are different from similar packages in other areas because the availability of smaller channels varies from city to city. We find the highest rated providers available in Mabton and allow you to look at all of the channels and features offered by each one. When choosing the best cable company in Mabton, WA, you want to find the package that offers the best price, the best selection of channels, and a list of extra features that meets your needs.
Two of the most important factors when choosing a TV provider are customer service and reliability, which are both accounted for in the ratings featured on CableTV.com. By following our recommendations, you can feel secure, knowing that your next cable company in Mabton, WA will deliver all you expect in terms of service and overall customer experience.


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I was wondering what you guys use to monitor temperatures on your computer. I just bought a new laptop three days ago, nothing special, just a $500 ASUS with 4GB DDR2 RAM, 320GB HD and came with Windows 7. I looked around a bit and couldn't really find anything that interesting to use as a gadget on here. Hopefully some of you guys can help me out and let me know what are some cool ones.
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11/12/09 at 9:24pm
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