text:
PopMatters home | short takes home | archives
Von Iva, Von Iva (Cochon) Rating: 7
Methinks that if Von Iva released this record during the dance punk revolution a few years ago, their buzz would most probably be more NME or Uncut rather than obscure cult sensation. Their brands of rock-meets-soul-meets-dance would have brought a refreshing change to !!! and its various pretenders, setting them in the 'same spectrum, different divide' category. Now with dance punk falling out of vogue, the band has to battle against the tide. Context aside however, this is a rather good EP. Von Iva had mastered the art of groove, making feet move while piercing the heart with good ol' fashioned rock 'n' roll. Not many bands are able to merge the down-and-drrrty sound of the White Stripes with a more cerebral version of Cobra Killer flourishes while maintaining a nasty San Francisco snarl. A band to watch out for. Let's just hope the current slump is merely the product of the music cycle.
Kenneth Yu
Water School, Break Up With Water School (Morphius)
There's a lot to like on the debut full-length from Baltimore's Water School. The group's sunny-but-melancholy country-rock sound comes fully-formed, with each song featuring distinct melodies, pleasant harmonies and crisp production. The Beachwood Sparks would be a good reference point, but whereas the Sparks were more willing to indulge their Fifth Dimension-era Byrds influences with some swirling psychedelia, Water School sticks with Sweetheart of the Rodeo as the main influence. Singers Chris Myers and Mike Gittings split vocal duties and balance each other well. Myers has a warmer, more traditional voice, while Gittings' is a little rougher around the edges, almost recalling Paul Westerberg at times. When the two trade off parts, such as in "All God's Children", it's especially effective, adding a welcome element to the standard dual guitar/bass/drums setup. There's hardly anything groundbreaking about this record, and the members of the band would probably be the first to tell you that. But it's refreshing to find a band so early in its career that is so comfortable with its sound and has such honed songwriting chops.
David Malitz
SNMNMNM, As Best As We Can (Unschooled) Rating: 5
SNMNMNM is definitely the band that you wished had played your junior high prom. With a schtick that melds the geek loving shoe-gazer rock style of They Might Be Giants and the nasality and sense of humor of beloved pre-teen idol Weird Al all under the sonic umbrella of the local community jazz band, these four four-eyed chaps from Chapel Hill are doing their best to put a little disco in your D & D. Their latest album features all the classics from their live set, including the strangely funky "Disco Barry", the sweet and saucy ballad "Right Hand Man," and the prog punk dance number "If". Although most of the album dwells in the often monotonous twilight zone between Klezmer and emo, the highlight is by far the song "Another Song Ray Hates" whose cheeky bossa nova swing and wry wit endears itself to fans of chamber pop outfits such as Belle & Sebastian or the Hidden Cameras. Most of the new material on the album, however, falls flat under the sheer weight of all that sassy brass and myopic attempts to write lyrics through nothing but coke-bottle lenses. Overall the album is a disappointing release from an otherwise dynamic group with a sensational, albeit derivative, stage performance.
Katie Zerwas
Sonata Arctica, Reckoning Night (Nuclear Blast) Rating: 6
One of the most popular melodic "power" metal bands today, Sonata Arctica are hoping to hop on the backs of their friends and compatriots Nightwish, in an attempt to gain the same kind of worldwide success their fellow Finland natives have achieved over the past year. While the sextet does not have a female singer with as stunning a voice as Nightwish's Tarja Turonen, their new album Reckoning Night holds its own for the most part, thanks primarily to singer/keyboardist/principal songwriter Tony Kakko, who has a knack for composing catchy pop metal hooks and harmony vocal arrangements. Heavily inspired by Queen and Dream Theater, Kakko's ambition sometimes get the best of him, most notably on the completely over the top "The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Real Puppet", the clunky epic "White Pearl Black Oceans", and the downright awful power ballad "Shamandalie", but when Sonata Arctica gets it right, as they do on "Misplaced", "My Selene", and especially the stirring single "Don't Say a Word" (which topped the Finnish charts last summer), they prove they're as good a melodic metal band as anyone. They still might be too cheesy to connect with most North American listeners, but if you like a little melody with your bombast, this is what you need to hear.
Adrien Begrand
Ana Moura, Guarda-me a vida na mao (World Village)
The latest in an ever-growing market of fadistas vying to capture the ears of world music lovers -- and the throne long inhabited by the late Amalia Rodrigues -- Portuguese singer Ana Moura adds welcome warmth to the stirring and elegant fado genre with her subtle yet potent debut. While Lisbon-based fado singers Misia and Mariza have icy, glass-shattering soprano voices, 25-year-old Moura -- hailing from Portugal's heartland -- is a full-throated contralto. She shows off her vocal prowess -- equally passionate to her peers but without the frosty edge -- with sparse musical arrangements, courtesy of producer/arranger Jorge Fernando, Rodrigues' longtime guitarist. While Moura shows her gumption by tackling one Rodrigues number with ease, the gentle "Flor de lua", she's drawn to more modern-day themes that tie in with today's complex world. Highlights include the aching Fernando-penned "Meu triste, triste amor"; a homage to her art form, "Sou do fado, sou fadista", and a breathtaking, aching duet with Jose Silva, "Vou dar de beber a dor (I'll Offer Pain a Drink").
Nicole Pensiero
The Cops, Why Kids Go Wrong (Mt. Fuji) Rating: 6
Punchy beats, energized singer, crunchy guitars, hooky choruses: the sort of unpretentious, unambitious rock-as-usual too few bands have the discipline (or desire) to pull off anymore. As a quick hit of punky rock energy, Why Kids Go Wrong hits the spot. True, you might find the words a touch dull. Nearly every song settles for the kind of vaguely personal lyrics (all directed at "you") that have been rock's stock-in-trade since the shit began -- except, that is, for "Protection Act", which settles for the kind of vaguely political lyrics (aimed at, no joke, "the man") that have been punk's stock-in-trade since suburbia discovered the mohawk. But who cares about the lyrics; it's punky rock energy, man! "Don't Take It Personal Dave" is the best song here, and the Cops know it, so they've fussed over it a leetle too much -- I dig the phony British accents, dudes, but what's with sticking the drums entirely in the left speaker channel? There's a way to combat this, however: play it on the stereo. And play it loud.
Matt Ozga
Nomo, Nomo (Ypsilanti) Rating: 6
While Fred Thomas keeps '60s pop and soul alive with his band Saturday Looks Good to Me, his Detroit label helps sustain Afrobeat with new band Nomo. On its self-titled debut, this group (which includes Thomas and a few other members of SLGtM) doesn't do anything unusually creative, but it does blend nicely interlocked percussion lines with sharp horns. With 17 members, the band avoids pushing anyone to the fore, relying more on group dynamic than solo performance to carry the day. Few individual moments stand out, but the album as a whole works well (unless you have a ridiculous preternatural disposition for keeping your derriere in its chair). The band sounds passionate on all 10 tracks, but not in any political sense (as you might suspect from an Afrobeat act) -- instead, they're just into making hot music. Maybe for that reason, you should block out the forgettable lyrics, but that's okay -- you should just be shaking it anyway.
Justin Cober-Lake
The Famous, Light, Sweet Crude (Leading Brand) Rating: 7
The San Fran bay area duo of Victor Barclay and Laurence Scott mix their own brand of roots rock if delivered by a jacked-up Les Claypool on the opening "Son of the Snake". It's an eclectic number that contrasts totally between chorus and verses. But this is the anomaly of the album. Supported by drummer Chris Fruharf and bassist Jack Dunham on several tracks, the band also sounds like they've been influenced by The Handsome Family or Tarbox Ramblers. "It's Done" is an old-fashioned but edgy country romp. A tad gentler is "Tear" which harkens images of Slobberbone or a twangy Marah. Just as solid is the groovy rockabilly "True Believer" while lyrics such as "I would do anything for a ZZ Top keychain" ingratiate themselves on "Midway". What you find here is very good rock tunes with no filler at all. The highlight might be the infectious "Lost" which shifts gears often but the honky-tonkin' "Overtime". But the sleeper pick is the softer, twang-fuelled "Deconstruction Worker" which cites philosophers.
Jason MacNeil
Various Artists, Escape: St. Barth's (Solphonic) Rating: 6
Unless you're a DJ or a regular at the clubs, finding a quality progressive house compilation can be a real crapshoot. Here's a tip: the Solphonic label's escape: st. barth's is a winner. With its abstract, aquamarine packaging, it looks like one of the myriad "chill out" packages out there, but it's actually a solid, soulful sampling of progressive house, presented in a continuous mix by Urban Rhythm. As with many such comp's, most of the tracks are one to three years old. But well-worn favorites like DB Boulevard's lush, sexy "Point of View" and Tim Deluxe's irresistible stomper "It Just Won't Do" are worth revisiting. Interesting side note: on his website, Urban Rhythm waxes with a rare candidness about the mixing process. In particular, he wasn't very happy with the copy of Roger Sanchez's "Anther Chance" that he was given to work with: "It sounded like Sanchez recorded a bowl of Rice Krispies and mixed it in with the vocal." Thankfully, the finished product is a much more melodic, enjoyable affair.
John Bergstrom
Kerosene Kondors, Kerosene Kondors (self-released) Rating: 7
A ragged caravan of dreamers, cowboys, drifters, and a washtub bass player recently passed through the City of Broad Shoulders, and they dropped a few of these four-song samplers off on the way. The Kondors, from northern California, play a loose and raw blend of bluegrass, old-timey, and outlaw country. Head Kondor Will Stenberg writes, sings, and plays with a tough earnestness that belies his age. Songs like "Shim Sham Shimmy" are fun without irony or hokum. Banjo, washboard, lead guitar, and drums flesh out "The Hard Way" and "Drink That Whiskey Down", abetted by Angie Heimann's spot-on harmonies. These cats got hipsters to dance, and not just friends of the band. Be warned, be prepared, be well.
Michael Metivier
Oosterdok, Some Day We Will Part Forever (Brown House) Rating: 4
Oosterdok's product isn't nearly as interesting as their name, the vibrant cover art, or the title of the EP. Some Day We Will Part Forever sounds as if it were pulled from Thomas Hardy prose, but the lyrics fall miles short of such luck. Deep pulsing beats open "Bob's Last Day", but all novelty disappears when the vocals enter, as singer Becky Naylor cribs an Enya-like persona that wears thin sooner than old Spandex. This is adult contemporary electronic music, done like Michael Bolton. The London duo doesn't travel any new ground, and instead revisit bland '80s tones and sodden Casio-like beats. Leave that to the American indie kids, they do a better job of boring the living hell out of everyone.
Dominic Umile
Haymaker, Music from Ed's House (Honey Bucket) Rating: 5
Haymaker come direct to you from Long Beach, California. If it were only the '70s, these guys would be huge with their countrified rock. But here it is, 2005 already -- can the decade really be almost half over -- and the big country rawk is coming from the likes of pop leeches like Shania Twain. Yawn. So take a listen to Music from Ed's House and have a toe tapping good time. "Morphine Pump" has a bit of a Byrds twang to it, while "You Don't Know Me" bounces along on a sprightly honky-tonk groove. These guys probably deserve better than the handful of listeners they're going to get, but such is the way of the Machine. So if you enjoy good, down home roots rock with just a little polish, then Haymaker is the group for you. And if not, then just keep your Hollywood Nashville tastes to yourself, thank you very much.
Jason Thompson


text:
From ATK Wiki
Future plans for ATK wiki
I discussed how to improve the ATK wiki with Sandy and he suggested we model it after The Gentoo wiki.
- The 'examples' section is very confusing. It contains articles that are almost Howto's. I doubt if we should keep it. If we keep it, it might be used for 'applications that are built using ATK' or a kind of showcase. --Ivo 11:08, 26 August 2006 (CEST)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
The financial equilibrium of pension funds relies on the appropriate computation of retirement benefits, taking account of future payments and discount rates. Short-term errors in the commitment for retirement benefits, ill-suited investment in the stock market, or improper mixture with pay-as-you-go payments have long-term consequences and may lead the pension fund to insolvency. The differential equation governing the current assets shows the respective weights associated with the error on the interest rate, the error on the extra bonus, and the error made in forecasting mortality. These weights are estimated through simulations. A short follow-up is sufficient to estimate the three errors. A threshold for the extra interest rate to be earned on the financial market is given to counter-balance the extra bonus when mortality is forecast correctly.
The sustainability of the pension fund relies on the strict observance of accounting equations. The objective of the fund normally is not to search for the best return at each time, but to find the appropriate balance between risk and gain so as to be able to pay the retirement benefits over the long period of liability [
For example, this warrant was invoked in the agreement of the 23rd of April 2007 establishing the contributions to the French pension fund for bailiffs (CARCO). An additional contribution of 4.1% was imposed to subscribers without benefits to be paid in the future, just for the sake of rescuing the fund.
A second example is the French pension fund for private hospitals (
The French system works as a hybrid system. This is not exactly the same as a system with defined contributions [
Especially when the stock exchange is on the rise, the financier, the person in charge of yield profits from the capital of the fund, is tempted to bet on risky assets so as to maximize profit. But this is an error, because the financier, contrary to the pension fund, has no commitment to pay benefits on due date. The point is that the probability to reach the objective of benefit payments on due date is higher with long duration assets than with risky assets; it is that the logic of sure yields should supersede the logic of profit maximization, although the latter looks attractive. Similarly, longevity forecasts can under-estimate the actual improvement of survival, due to the rapid increase of hygiene and medicine, so that no annuity provider should determine the annuity rate solely on the basis of these forecasts. Finally, the manager, willing to attract more customers, should not be mistaken by current high rates of return on the stock market to promise more than the actuarial value of retirement benefits.
At the beginning of the fund, the scarcity of beneficiaries compared with contributors causes an important money flow into the fund.
The temptation arises to increase the commitment for pensions beyond their due actuarial values in order to attract more contributors. This can be due to an inadequate culture of pay-as-yougo pensions, which favors short-sighted arbitrage, or to a hope of too optimistic returns from investments on the financial market through too risky assets.
The fund fixes the value of the retirement benefits from the computation of the actuary done with a riskless long-term interest rate, but entrusts the management of the fund to a financier, who is not an insurer and invests in risky assets on the stock market. This can be due to a misunderstanding of the actuarial work and an inadequate trust in risk management [
Errors can also come from too conservative a forecast of life expectancy. For example, as Cohen [
The active population can also experience a drastic downsizing, which can have deleterious consequences if the fund, already out of equilibrium, is led to mutualize the contributions of different generations, that is to say, to use the funds affected to one generation to pay for another generation [
My overall objective is first to measure how a deviation is multiplied over time, because of the long run liability of the fund over the future, and second, to develop a warning aid through the differential equation giving the velocity (hence the rate) at which the current assets decrease. Ponds [
In theory, only bonds should be used, but in the practical case that I present, managers have largely introduced risky assets into their capital. Solvency II norms provide a supplementary safety, but whatever the protections, fatal deviations are likely to remain. The argument of Solvency II amounts to have investments in stocks cost very high, but what will happen if firm bonds are no longer paid? Solvency II will not save everything, it will save only what is known, it is just a repair device of the deviations made so far.
If the reorganization plan is taken, either by the managers of the fund who realize the coming insolvency or by a control authority, it usually relies on an increase of contributions of active contributors-sponsoring firm and active members of the plan-and on reduced retirement benefits of the contributors retiring after the date of the reorganization plan. For the two French pension funds I have mentioned, the duration of the re-organization plans were explicitly fixed to 20 years. The return to equilibrium is a function of controls and of the inherited liabilities at the date of the reorganization plan. One may wonder why does the government not control the pension funds, having in mind that such control would be beneficial? In France, pension funds have escaped the supervision of the control commission until now, but the government has recently indulged in extending the competence of this commission to organizations practicing insurance, through the mentioned warrant of 29 November 2006. However, pension funds in the industry are too numerous to be controlled in time. This explains why the person in charge of controlling the actors-contributors, financier, actuary, government-is the manager of the fund. He/she is then the person in charge of the solvency of the fund, unless an insurance company takes his/her place-in this case, the solvency of the fund is under control.
My contribution is firstly to enrich the general description done by [
For the sake of simplicity, I assume that assets associated with beneficiaries are invested at the same interest rate than those associated with still active contributors. The interest rate covers both a stochastic interest rate and stochastic stock returns, for I do not have to go in the detail of the portfolio.
At time
The capital gathered by cohort
The accounting balance of the fund giving the value
The annual discrete-time version of Equation (5) is:
The percentages received by the fund at sale of the contract are incentives for promising more attractive pensions, especially if the fund benefits from a favorable ratio of active/beneficiaries and if the financial market lets people hope for high returns. In certain funds, the contribution is used to buy points. The price of a point can vary over time. The total number of points acquired at retirement time is changed into pension benefits. The error consists in allowing bonus points to contributors, hence a commitment for higher retirement benefits for one euro. In other funds without points, the mechanism of allowing bonus is similar. For one euro at the beginning of the contract (at retirement), a constant
Because the fund is bound by contract to pay for the beneficiaries until their deaths, through Equation (4) or Equation (5), any temporary deviation from this accounting balance engages the fund for decades and for its corresponding deficit. The error then runs from the beginning to the point of the reorganization plan (as observed in practice, benefits and points allocations change only slowly because they are decided after negotiations between employees and employers). The entire capital gathered by cohort
The fund can be in permanent sustainable regime when the deviation occurs. However, practically, bonus points are allowed shortly after the creation of the fund, at
Depending on the contract, the capital paid to the fund by an individual who dies before retiring is either paid back to the spouse, paid as a lump sum, or, by far the most frequent case, it remains in the fund and is used in the mutualization system to increase retirement benefits paid to survivors. I focus on this latter case to study the consequences of an extra bonus in the account of the fund. Moreover, mortality in most developed countries where pension funding can exist is sufficiently low before usual age of retirement to discard the first option.
Three deviations can accumulate: the fund is committed by contract to pay more than
The solvency of the fund depends on three accounts, corresponding to three groups of people:
The current assets for one euro and for a beneficiary of generation Late cohorts The current assets remaining for one euro and for a beneficiary of age At time The capital brought by contributors in activity is:
The current assets for one euro and for a beneficiary of generation
Late cohorts
The current assets remaining for one euro and for a beneficiary of age
At time
The capital brought by contributors in activity is:
The current assets of the fund are:
Time elapsed since the beginning of the fund appears only in
The dynamic of debt left by the dead is:
From Equation (10), second expression, the dynamic of the capital related to the pensioners is:
Equation (16) yields the growth rate of the sum of the deficit left by late cohorts and the current assets for pensioners. When this growth rate is negative, this is an early warning signal sent to the manager of the fund.
I suggest now to examine simplified versions of this key Equation (16), in order to assess the relative importance of the error on the interest rate, the error on payment of benefits, and the error on mortality forecasting.
Define Δ
For Δ
At the first-order, the term
The variable
In the noteworthy case of a perfect forecasting of mortality, it is not enough that Δ
Moreover, on the 128 simulated time series leading to
I have examined the consequences of deviations on the sustainability of the fund. I have highlighted how errors, either on investment or in payment of benefits, are multiplied by the liability structure and its long-term kinematics. Developing on actuarial equations, I showed notably that even a small extra bonus (
Population size and age structure in a pension fund should play no role, because each contributed euro corresponds to a benefit. However, the necessity to pay for the deficits left by dead cohorts leads the fund to mutualize the contributions, giving a role to the liability structure and hence to population stocks. However, the mutualization does not rescue the fund in the mean term. Equation (27) helps knowing if the entry of new capital
The policy recommendation is that the French State asks the commission for auditing; the very basis of the Marini [
1 "[...] une contribution additionnelle, ne donnant pas lieu à attribution d'unités de rente aux participants en application de l'article 4 de ce décret, fixée à 4,1% de la rémunération brute des participants," source:
3 "[...] il a été constaté une insuffisance de réserves pour faire face aux engagements de retraite à long terme de nos cotisants."
4 "[...] une conjoncture boursière exceptionnellement à la baisse, des modifications réglementaires très défavorables ont conduit à réviser rétroactivement les droits ouverts aux cotisants avant 1999. Ainsi le coefficient de 1.1% de la formule de calcul a été réduit sur la CRESP à un équivalent total de 1%."
5 I must also add that the errors mentioned cannot be considered as frauds, and the process I am to describe has nothing to do with a Ponzi game: fund managers are not in fraud, they were not condemned, they acted (and still do) on good faith, the problem is that their normal competence has nothing to do with pension managing. They thus rely on two different advisers (financier and actuary), disconnected from each other, none of them accountable for his/her advice. This configuration (two disconnected advisers and a manager alien to professional pension managing) may be a source of the failure. Fund managers act on good faith. This is even why a law was promulgated in France. The very existence of the decree shows that this has been an error and not a fraud. What I show is that the fund had two opinions of good faith, each one incompetent on the other, and the problem where the failure appears is to unite them.
6 The generation life expectancy for generation
7 Source:


text:
The Butch Clothing Company Will Give "Butch Women" Confidence
Entrepreneur Shaz Riley, who proudly calls herself a butch lesbian, was so sick of dealing with negative people when shopping in the men's department that she has created Butch Clothing Company, a line of clothes specifically for butch women. According to Riley, butches don't want to be men, but they also don't want to wear women's clothing. So, until now, their only choice was to wear men's clothes, which brought its own complications. For starters, all that room in the crotch of men's pants is unnecessary for a woman. But more importantly, Riley says butch women are often met with rudeness when shopping for men's clothes. She hopes Butch Clothing Company will give these women the confidence to be themselves while at the same time challenging the stigma associated with the "butch" label. The line will carry shorts, trousers, and T-shirts, but the primary focus will be on formal suits for civil partnerships. Rojo Caliente, are you listening? [The Guardian]


text:
Dr. Jason Greenberg, D.O.
LasikPlus Vision Center
8930 Keystone Crossing
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240
(866) 724-6033
Dr. Jason Greenberg, D.O.
Serving patients seeking laser vision correction including LASIK in Indianapolis and the surrounding area
Dr. Jason Greenberg, D.O., is a board-certified and fellowship-trained cornea specialist who focuses exclusively on vision correction surgery. He has been performing laser vision correction since 2004. He is a highly skilled and experienced eye surgeon who has performed more than 51,000 LASIK procedures. Dr. Greenberg, D.O., feels strongly about the life-changing benefits of LASIK surgery and has had LASIK performed on his own eyes. He and his team take pride in transforming the lives of their patients, and love providing excellent care in a comfortable and relaxing setting. He is recognized for his achievements in eye surgery and has been awarded the Ophthalmology Award from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Each patient receives a unique combination of comprehensive surgeon training and experience, along with the best laser technology, a fifteen-year history of excellent vision stability, ultimate affordability, and the most extensive selection of financing plans. LASIKPlus was one of the first providers to offer LASIK surgery in the United States, and their surgeons have performed over 800,000 surgeries.
On the job or off the clock, your vision is your most trusted partner. You could have 20/20 vision with LasikPlus. It's simple, affordable, and frees you from the confines and restrictions of glasses or contacts. Your eyes are your most important tool in serving the greater good. LasikPlus could help you be your best.
To determine if you are a candidate for Indianapolis LASIK surgery, call (866) 724-6033 to schedule a free consultation.
More About LASIK Indianapolis Surgery
Each patient is examined and evaluated carefully. Two excimer laser platforms are available for the correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism: the VISX Star S4 and Allegretto WaveLight. Each laser is equipped with sophisticated eye-tracking technology to precisely track the eye while the laser changes the corneal shape. The availability of these lasers allows the surgeon to choose the best option for your refractive surgery. In addition to LASIK, he and his medical team offer PRK surgery. Click here for more information on LasikPlus technology.
More About This LASIK Surgeon
Dr. Greenberg, D.O., completed his undergraduate degree with honors, National Honor Society, at the University of Arizona. He earned his degree in osteopathic medicine and performed his residency in ophthalmology at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University, where he was selected to serve as Chief Resident his final year. He completed specialty fellowship training in cornea and refractive surgery at the Woodhams Eye Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia and he is an active member of major ophthalmology and osteopathic medicine organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and American Osteopathic College of Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgeons.


text:
The budget for the San Diego Unified School District's central office could be at least $7.5 million thinner this fall.
At the behest of Superintendent Bill Kowba, departments across the district have scoured their budgets for cuts to add to the list of the millions of dollars already on the table. Central office administrators are set to offer up 14 percent of their unfixed budget — most of it in job costs — during the board's Feb. 10 budget meeting.
The central office operates on $93 million. About 40 percent of that goes toward utilities and other fixed costs. The other sixty percent, which includes support staff for school programs, will feel the brunt of the cuts if trustees approve them.
Ron Little, chief financial officer for the district, said he could not divulge personnel cuts from other departments but said his division could lose up to nine of its 110 staffers.
"Some services will go away," he said. "The central office support that we provide to our schools will be slower. Perhaps there'll be less of it. There's going to be some adverse reactions."
Budget cuts have plagued the district for the past several years and every budget season, parents of students have asked board members to cut from the top instead of from the classrooms.
Currently, the district has an estimated $120 million deficit in an operating budget of $1.1 billion.
"The entire district is now facing a dire fiscal environment and we really, as a team, need to all look at how we can operate differently," Little said. "These are not easy reductions for us either and it's not like we're trimming the fat because the fat's been trimmed in the past."
The district has slashed about $300 million from its budget since 2008.


text:
Alcohol kills
Having a son in need of a liver donor, I have to answer his many questions. How do I answer some, especially ones pertaining to alcoholics?
For example, why, when my son doesn't drink, is he the one dealing with the liver-transplant team in Pittsburgh?
I don't have the answer, but I assure him even though these alcoholics may seem OK, they have pasts that haunt them — bad marriages, poor relationships with loved ones, bad teeth, low self-esteem and premature aging. The list is actually a lot longer.
I tell my son that life can sometimes be unfair. I also tell him people who "enjoy" alcohol until it kills them will then have explain their past to the only one who truly counts.
Cindi Logan
Allegheny Township


text:
of Contents
Telephone Directory
Academic Calendars
Year 2004/2005
Fall Semester 2004
Spring Semester 2005
Summer Semester 2005
University Mission
Degrees, Areas of Specialization,
After Admission
Financial Assistance
Student Activities
Student Services and Resources
Tuition and Fees
Military and Veterans Information
Registration and Records
Academic Policies
Graduation and General Degree
Public Service and Research Centers
College Mission Statements
Undergraduate Degree Programs
Master's Degree Programs
Specialist Degree Programs
Doctoral Degree Programs
Course Numbering System
Course Listings and Descriptions
Course Listings/Descriptions
Semester offering codes corrected and posted on June 7, 2004.
MAA-Mathematics: Analysis
MAA 4211 Advanced Calculus I . . . . . 3(F,SS)
Prerequisite: MAC 2313 and MHF 3202.
The theory of functions of a real variable. Inequalities, sequences, rigorous discussion of limits, continuity, differentiabiligy and Riemann integrals. Basic concepts of point set topology on the real line. (Gordon Rule Course: Theoretical Math)
MAA 4212 Advanced Topics in Multi-Variable Calculus . . . . . 3(S)
Prerequisite: MAC 2313.
Differential and integral calculus of functions of several variables. Basic concepts of point set topology on the plane, partial derivatives, chain rule, multiple integrals and their transformations, infinite series, uniform convergence of sequences and series of funtions. (Gordon Rule Course: Theoretical Math).
MAA 5404 Analytic Functions . . . . . 3(F)
Prerequisite: MAC 2313.
Complex numbers and functions of a complex variable. Complex numbers, their algebra and their geometric representation, the elementary functions, analytic functions and harmonic functions, the complex line integral, integral formulae, Taylor and Laurent series, residues and applications of residues. (Senior standing is required).
MAA 6230 Topics in Analysis . . . . . 3(F)
Prerequisite: MAC 2313 and MHF 3202.
Topics in elementary calculus examined from an advanced standpoint. Permission is required.


text:
Unlike the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William couldn't find the right technique to tie a pretzel during a visit to Heidelberg market in Germany.
Princess Kate Shows Off Her Pretzel Making Skills
Unlike the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William couldn't find the right technique to tie a pretzel during a visit to Heidelberg market in Germany.
Dinner Time Wakes Puppy from Deep Sleep
Check out how this sleeping Beagle reacts the second it hears food being poured into its bowl. OMG!
Big Country Star Surprises Paralyzed Teen
Thomas Schoettle, 17, was paralyzed after breaking his neck in a diving accident. One of the worst aspects of the accident for him was not being able to go to a Zac Brown Band concert, his favorite musical group. So the country star came to him, in a surprise visit that left the teen repeating, "I can't believe you guys are here" and "that's awesome!" InsideEdition.com's Leigh Scheps (http://twitter.com/LeighTVReporter) has more.
Toddler Makes Sweet Gesture After Making Huge Mess
Shelia Boevers says she was shocked to find her 18-month-old daughter Julianne covered in baby powder. She caught the moment on camera as she discovered what Juliann did in the power room. Boevers says she watched for a few minutes then encouraged Juliann to tidy up. As seen in the video, the little girl didn't appear to be much help. InsideEdition.com's Keleigh Nealon (https://twitter.com/KeleighNealon) has more.
Thowback Photo of John McCain Goes Viral
After the tragic news broke that Republican Senator John McCain had been diagnosed with brain cancer, an outpour of support for him and his family has been tremendous. Susana Victoria Perez (@susana_vp) has more.
Man Serenades Ryan Seacrest on the Subway
The 'Live' co-host sang along with a subway performer on Tuesday.
Closest to Zero Gravity Without Leaving Earth
NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab is a massive pool with a full-size replica of the International Space Station inside. It's the closest an astronaut can get to training for zero gravity without leaving earth. NASA extravehicular specialist Art Thomason explains while NASA astronaut Jessica Meir goes for a swim.
Two New 'Harry Potter' Books Are on the Way
J.K. Rowling, British publishing house Bloomsbury, and the British Library are partnering up to bring you more Harry Potter! Get the exciting details.
Kids Talk About the White House
We asked kids what's really going on in the White House. They did their best.
Perfect TV Binges for the Summer
These six TV series will keep you busy all summer long. From HBO's drama "The Leftovers," to NBC's comedy "Parks and Recreation," there are plenty of new shows and classics to binge watch this summer.
Cute Kid Meets Sour Patch Kid
This adorable little boy got to try a sour patch kid for the very first time! His reaction of when he first tastes the sour goodness of the candy is the cutest thing you've ever seen! How does he feel about this sweet and sour treat? There's only one way to find out!
This Patch Helps You Prevent Sunburn
With the help of this new UV patch, you'll never get sunburned again
Sad Reason This Cat Can't Stop Dancing
A kitten famous for her dance moves has been adopted. The Humane Animal Rescue says the 4-month-old kitten, named Twerk, was brought to them at the East End shelter because her owner was moving. The striped feline walked around her area at the shelter with her tail-end bouncing because of a brain disorder which causes her body to uncontrollably shake. InsideEdition.com's Keleigh Nealon (https://twitter.com/KeleighNealon) has more.
Dan Radcliffe Helps Man Getting Mugged
Daniel radcliffe swooped in to aid a man who was slashed in the face and mugged on Friday.
Doing One Thing Daily Could Help Your Brain
Completing daily crossword puzzles is linked to having a sharper brain later in life, according to new research. Sean Dowling (@seandowlingtv) has more.
Get Ready for the Annual Perseid Meteor Shower
The event takes place between July 17th and August 24th with the best time to watch being August 12th from midnight till dawn. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland).
Prince George Steals Spotlight in Poland
Prince George and his sister, Princess Charlotte, are the center of attention as they arrive in Warsaw, Poland with their parents. The three-year-old prince got a little help from his dad Prince William as they exited the plane. Dressed in a cute ...
Lazy Puppy Gets Dragged Across Carpet
Check out Sasha as she is dragged across the carpet all while still holding on to her toy. Too funny!
Harvard Is Offering a 'Game of Thrones' Class
Harvard University is offering a new class called 'The Real Game of Thrones: From Modern Myths to Medieval Models.' It will look at how the series by George R.R. Martin adapts the history of medieval Eurasia.
Parrot Practices His Animal Sounds
Einstein correctly responds to the the rooster and the birdie sounds, but he prefers to make the telephone sound when asked what noise a dog makes. Then, he takes control of the teaching when he starts to ask the questions. He's a student with a mind of his own!
First 'Bachelor in Paradise' Promo Drops
Watch the first teaser trailer for season four of the hit ABC show. It addresses the controversy that temporarily shut production down head-on.
Grumpy Baby Makes The Best Faces
It looks like we might have found our next great comedian! This adorable little baby has already mastered the art of impressions and he's only a few months old! This baby's super expressive face is not something you'll want to miss out on! If you needed a laugh for today, you've found it!
Kelly's PSA About Jalapeño Peppers
Kelly shares what happened to her friend when he was cooking with jalapeño peppers.
Summer Brings More Airplane Delays
Almost half of the top 50 U.S. airports are guilty of summer flight delays. Here are the airports to try and avoid during the summer.
William and Kate Squeeze in Date Time at Wimbledon
The royal parents attended the Wimbledon men's singles final, leaving nearly 4-year-old Prince George and 2-year-old Princess Charlotte at home
Couple Takes Hilarious Photos for Anniversary
One couple took it back to the 1980s to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. Danielle VanHorn said she wanted to get photos taken to commemorate the occasion. When she brought up the idea to her husband, he wanted to put a spin on it with an...
Raccoon Drinks from Water Pitcher
A raccoon named Tema got thirsty and decided to get something to drink on the counter. Tema didn't see the need to grab a cup so he plunged his entire head and two front paws into the pitcher and drank the water.
Baby Falls for Sprinkler Trick
This fun-loving 22-month-old falls for the old sprinkler trick once, twice, three times in a row! So funny!
Clinton, Bush Have Some Advice for President Trump
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton gave veiled words of wisdom to the President Trump, humility is a virtue. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@fantasticmrnate) has the details.
Beyoncé Shares First Photo of Twins Sir and Rumi
After welcoming the twins in June, Queen Bey finally posted a pic of the family's new additions.
With "My Queue" you can quickly save videos to watch later.
To add an item to your queue just click the sign next to the video.
Once you've added a video visit "My Queue" to start watching!


text:
1 Recommendation
zoewscott's recommendation
This is a great gunmetal. It goes on so easily with ZERO streaking. Gunmetal was huge last fall- and I think it will still be popular this fall as well. Grays are going to be very popular, and since this is a lighter gunmetal shade, I totally recommend picking it up.
My Collections:


text:
Ridge Washcloth by Hannah Maier
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 149 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
© Knit Picks
© Knit Picks
© Knit Picks
© Knit Picks
Ridge Washcloth
This pattern is available for free.
Errata available: knitpicks.com
The garter stitch ridges give this dishcloth a wonderful springy texture and the color changes make keeping track of decrease rows easy! Comfy Sport is a wonderfully soft yarn that has excellent drape, perfect for a gentle washcloth or cleaning cloth.
Designer: Hannah Maier
Pattern Type: Knit
Sizes Included: 10.5" square
Yarn Shown: Comfy Sport Yarn
Yardage: 272
Needles/Hooks Suggested: Size 2 (3mm): circular needle
Fiber Type: Cotton & Blends
Weight: Sport
For more information, see: http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Ridge_Washcloth__D...


text:
HWL Ebsworth's national Banking and Financial Services Group is renowned for providing a personalised, clear-sighted and commercial approach across various practice areas including property finance, structured finance, secured and unsecured lending, syndicated loan transactions and project financing. We are proud of the long-standing relationship we share with clients in this sector including the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac), Bank of Queensland and Macquarie Bank. The national Banking and Financial Services Group comprises four key streams; Financial Services and Regulatory, Banking and Finance, Superannuation and Funds Management.
The Financial Services and Regulatory team has market-leading experience in drafting documents for innovative products, advising in connection with the acquisition and disposal of regulated businesses and advising in respect of the resolution of compliance breaches. The team acts for a broad range of financial service providers assisting with the creation, marketing, delivery and administration of retail financial products and services.The Banking and Finance team acts for financial institutions in documenting domestic and cross-border finance transactions including acquisition and leveraged finance, securitisation, property finance, bilateral, club and syndicated facilities, secured and unsecured transactions, debt capital markets and leasing and structured finance and intercreditor arrangements. The group assists borrowers and sponsors, including listed and private companies, in documenting and advising on their finance and treasury facilities.The Funds Management team has extensive experience in all aspects of funds and asset management, including product design and launch, restructures, licensing, amalgamations and alliances, white labelling and outsourced services arrangements. We act for a variety of clients in the wealth management industry including Fund and Asset Managers, Advisers, Financial Institutions, Industry, Corporate, Public Sector and Retail Superannuation Funds, Professional Trustees and Self Managed Superannuation Funds for high net worth individuals.
The Superannuation team enjoys industry recognition as experts in the field, acting for leading industry, retail and corporate superannuation funds, exempt public sector superannuation schemes and professional trustees. We also advise employer clients on their superannuation guarantee obligations and other superannuation issues. Our work spans successor fund transfers, advising on compliance with the Stronger Super reforms including the prudential standards for superannuation, advising on applications for a MySuper authorisation, advising on the acquisition and divestment of investments, reviewing investment management agreements, advising on SCT complaints and advising on a wide range of issues under relevant legislation including the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (Cth) and the Superannuation Administration (Guarantee) Act 1992 (Cth).
Our relevant experience includes.


text: Published by Redleaf Press 10 Yorkton Court St. Paul, MN 55117 www.redleafpress.org © 2011 by Enrique C. Feldman All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted on a specific page, no portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or capturing on any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. First edition 2011 Cover design by Jim Handrigan Cover photograph © Fuse/PunchStock Interior typeset in Sabon and designed by Douglas Schmitz Printed in the United States of America 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Feldman, Enrique C. Living like a child : learn, live, and teach creatively / Enrique C. Feldman. — 1st ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-60554-033-7 (alk. paper) 1. Creative teaching. I. Title. LB1062.6.F45 2011 371.1—dc22 2011008019 Printed on acid-free paper LivingLikeChild-FINAL.indd 4 4/27/11 2:19:27 PM


text:
A Match Made in Heaven
Scott's Seafood, Jack London Square
Thursday, February 21, 2013 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
Mix and mingle among some of the Bay Area's best wedding and events professionals. Take in the breathtaking view of the San Francisco skyline while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres and champagne. Photographers, DJs, Bakeries, and more!
Complimentary admission for you and one guest. Please RSVP by calling 510/444-5969 or by emailing, email@example.com.
Please also contact Haley with any questions, or to register as a vendor!
Check us out on Facebook!
When & Where
Scott's Seafood
2 Broadway
Thursday, February 21, 2013 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Add to my calendar
Scott's Seafood, Jack London Square
Scott's in Jack London Square has seven different Banquet Rooms to choose from. In addition we also offer exclusive Off-Site and Kosher Catering. Our Public Pavilion and Harborview Rooms have a wonderful water-front view that looks out to San Francisco and are the perfect locations for your Wedding Reception, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Corporate Event, Trade Show, or Holiday/End-of-the-Year Party.
Located in the heart of Jack London Square, Scott's serves only the finest freshly prepared cuisine, with a professional, courteous staff ready to make your dining experience a memorable occasion.


text:
Fifteen Backup Programs to Safeguard Your Data
Backups Based on Imaging
"Imaging" is the copying of the entire contents of a hard-drive partition--the boot sector, operating system, and data--to a single file. The beauty of an image is that creating or restoring one takes only a single step--backup and disaster recovery just don't get any easier. That said, the line between traditional-backup programs and imaging apps is blurring. Programs such as Norton Save & Restore and Acronis True Image now have the ability to back up individual files and folders in addition to full partitions, and can even perform incremental and differential backups.
Norton Save & Restore
Symantec has taken great pains to make Save & Restore user-friendly by removing the concept of images from the interface--you'd hardly know this program created them, for all the talk about recovery points. But it is indeed an imaging program, with a wide range of features such as full/incremental imaging, file and folder backup, scheduled backups, encryption, and compression. It also has a unique (among imaging programs) housekeeping function that automatically culls previous backups to keep scheduled jobs from failing due to lack of space.
Advanced users might find tunneling down for options such as raw imaging (copying all sectors) a tad wearying, but such options do exist. Unfortunately, tunneling down also reveals a pane with a download link to Google Desktop, completely integrated with the options dialog box. I can't speak for anyone else, of course, but I don't want to spend $50 on a program and find ads in my options dialog box. Symantec should be ashamed.
But the real fly in the ointment is that you can't create an image using the install/boot disc, only restore one. You do get a file-copy utility, but it's a much slower process that leaves room for user error when you're trying to save data from a failed Windows installation. The boot disc is Win PE 2.0-based, though, so you can load drivers as needed; it also provides a virus scanner, an extremely handy item in case of a malware attack.
Price: $50; 30-day trial
Download Norton Save & Restore
Acronis True Image Home 11
In breadth of features, True Image can't be beat. It runs from within Windows or from a Linux-based boot disc, creates full and incremental images, and also backs up single files and folders. It offers the usual compression and encryption options, and if you opt for the more expensive Workstation version you can also purchase a Universal Restore module that will restore images to a PC with a different hardware profile from the one that the image was created on.
Version 11's interface is friendlier than past editions, though still unintuitive at times, and it presents some very useful new features. Try & Decide mode, for example, works like a proactive Windows Restore, writing changes to the program's Secure Zone hidden recovery partition and committing them later only at your discretion. Turn it on before you install unfamiliar software or browse to suspicious Web sites. In my gold beta it caused a noticeable performance hit, but it's a nice safeguard to have.
In addition, you can now restore individual files and folders from a full image within the main program, as well as perform a quick system-state backup; you also get improved filtering and masking for file and folder backup. The interface may be befuddling in spots, but True Image is the best all-around backup software on the market.
Price: $50; 15-day trial
Download Acronis True Image Home 11
Runtime Software DriveImage XML
How can you say anything bad about a program that's free? Even if it weren't, I wouldn't. I've used DriveImage XML a number of times over several years, and for basic imaging from within Windows, you can't go wrong. It creates images with or without unused sectors (images of the former type are larger, but great for transferring a partition from a rapidly failing drive to a good one for data recovery), and it restores them whole or retrieves only selected files and folders.
The program is unique in writing header information about the data being backed up (sector locations of files, etc.) in XML format so that it can be read by numerous programs, including Web browsers. This feature may not be useful for the average user, but it does allow us geekier types to process the data in other ways. A module for the popular Bart's PE boot disc is available so you can restore images even when Windows won't boot, though creating a custom Bart's PE disc isn't for technophobes.
DriveImage XML does have limitations. You can't back up individual files or folders, it offers no encryption, and you can't restore an image to a partition smaller than the one it was created from even if the data will fit. But for the price, we're not complaining--the program is the perfect complement to traditional or continuous-protection programs that lack disaster recovery.
Price: Free
Active @ Disk Image
Though the imaging module is only part of the attraction of this handy boot disc, it's a component I've employed often, and it's both straightforward to use and reliable. All the basics are there: You can create compressed, encrypted images and restore them in their entirety or just retrieve selected files and folders. Additionally, you get a raw write mode that copies all sectors regardless of status, plus a drive clone function. Alas, the product has no Windows-installable component, so you can create images only if you boot from the disc, making it more suitable for disaster recovery than regular backup.
The boot disc is based on Vista PE (Pre-installation Environment), so you can install drivers at any time in case you need to attach some esoteric outboard gear like a tape drive. While not as powerful an imaging product as Acronis's True Image or Norton's Save & Restore, the Active @ Boot Disc has some attractive disaster recovery utilities, including partition recovery, deep file recovery, disk wiping, a backup-to-CD/DVD program, a password changer, a Web browser (Vista PE offers network connectivity), and more. They're not weak throwaways either, but industrial-strength applications.
Price: $80
Paragon Drive Backup 8.5
Though reliable, capable, and truly user-friendly, Paragon's Drive Backup 8.5 imaging application falls a few features short of the latest versions of Acronis's True Image and Norton's Save & Restore. It lacks the ability to back up individual files and folders, and has none of Norton's automated housekeeping, or Acronis's Try & Decide or inline selective restore of files from full images.
However, Drive Backup's tabbed interface and exceptionally well-done wizards put advanced options at your fingertips instead of hiding them as Norton does. Some of those options include full and differential imaging, a recovery disc that will integrate the partitioning abilities of the company's Partition Manager if you own that program, and the ability to create a hidden restore partition (which Paragon calls a Backup Capsule).
Note: If you use the download version of Drive Backup 8.5, be sure to download the separate recovery CD as well. The bare-bones recovery disc that the program itself creates has limited driver support, lacking even USB.
Price: $50; 30-day trial


text:
Marc Swayze, early comic book artist and writer for Fawcett Publications, died yesterday at the age of 99, according to the Monroe News-Star. Swayze worked on numerous titles for Fawcett, including Captain Marvel Adventures, Whiz Comics, and Wow Comics. He co-created Mary Marvel with writer Otto Binder, and drew many of her early adventures — including her first appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (cover dated Dec 11, 1942).
Swayze wrote a regular column for Roy Thomas' comics history magazine Alter Ego in recent years, chronicling some of his early Fawcett experiences, called "We Didn't Know it was the Golden Age!". In one 2008 installment, he described his first day at Fawcett and being handed some comics to help him "get to know the character":
The subject was Captain Marvel. In getting to know him, I found that he was not the grand, magnificent, faultless gladiator I was about to imagine him to be. But there was a definite special distinction about him. What was it?
And later:
That was it… the action! Those red-clad figures dashing madly across panel after panel… page after page! Captain Marvel didn't dash madly! He performed his feats promptly and effectively, but with little stress, strain, hustle, or bustle. Captain Marvel did things easily!
Check out a few of Swayze's Fawcett covers below:
- SDCC Vintage Comics: Metropolis Collectibles' Vincent Zurzolo And An Archie Fan's Dream Comic - July 26, 2017
- What Does Epcot Announcement Mean For Guardians Of The Galaxy 4 And Beyond? - July 15, 2017
- Roswell, The Beginnings Of The UFO Craze And What It Has To Do With DC Comics - July 8, 2017
- Image Comics, Howard Chaykin Issue Apology, Pull Cover For Divided States Of Hysteria #4 - July 1, 2017
- The Secret Origin Of Spider-Man's "Friendly Neighborhood" - June 26, 2017


text:
Matthew Edan Oliver Palma
Please Come Back To Me..... - Poem by Matthew Edan Oliver Palma
I love you more each day
I miss you, every hour of the day
Longing to touch and feel you
To see you once again
You told me you'd stay forever
That you 'd love me and leave me never
But now it seems I 've lost you
You 've left me all alone
Why did you ever have to go?
Why does my heart feel so alone?
I cannot face another day without you
Please come back to me
I long to have you here with me
I miss the days when you are with me
Those happy times I 'll cherish
My memories of you
Please come back to me
I can never face the world alone
Without you by my side..
Please come back to me .
When can I hold you once again?
When can I kiss your tender lips?
Make love to you again?
I love you even more now that you 're gone
I long to feel your loving arms
I long to hear your voice and tell me you love me..
Please come back to me
I shall never breathe again
I will never love again
For my heart belongs to you
And I 'll never see another sunrise
Please come back to me
Would you mend my broken heart?
Would you wipe my tears away?
Would you brighten up my day?
Please come back to me .
Comments about Please Come Back To Me..... by Matthew Edan Oliver Palma
Read this poem in other languages
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem »
Matthew Edan Oliver Palma's Other Poems
Famous Poems
Phenomenal Woman
Maya Angelou
Still I Rise
Maya Angelou
The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost
If You Forget Me
Pablo Neruda
Langston Hughes
Annabel Lee
Edgar Allan Poe
Caged Bird
Maya Angelou
Rudyard Kipling
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Robert Frost
A Dream Within A Dream
Edgar Allan Poe


text:
Summit - Hawaii: Celebrity Summit Cruise Review by itchintogo
Overall Member Rating
Summit - Hawaii
Destination: Hawaii
Embarkation: Los Angeles
I wanted to share our experience on this cruise. It was my hubby, and my cousin and her best friend. Our 6th cruise, they're first. Our 2nd Celebrity cruise. In a nutshell, I LOVE Celebrity. The extra touches they bring to their cruises are just wonderful.
We've done Royal Caribbean, which we really enjoy also. But Celebrity has a few extra touches that really make a difference.
We were in an inside cabin, #7042. Our traveling partners were inside, #8005. Both cabins were comfortable, clean, plenty of storage space, and surprisingly bigger bathrooms than on other ships we've been on. You could even turn around in the shower!! Robes in the cabin, fridge, mini bar be careful of the bottle of wine on your vanity. The card SAYS A bon voyage gift for you, but it's not it'll cost you 24.00. I checked with guest services 2x to be sure,
FOOD. Believe it or not, we only ate in the main dining room one time More during the entire 14 day cruise. It was pretty good that one night, though my cousin and her friend had the pasta and didn't think it was anything special. The beef I had was great. The rest of the time we ate at the buffet, pasta bar, pizza bar, sushi bar, and room service. It was all delicious. No complaints. Pizza was surprisingly good, and at the pasta bar you could pick your own ingredients and they cook it up for you right there at the buffet. And we are BIG sushi fans, and it was very good, very fresh, and the miso soup was pretty tasty too. Plenty of food was available 24 hours. The only bad thing I agree with that I've seen on the message boards is that eggs from room service are not great. It was the truth for us.
When you are in the buffet, there are trays. And the staff offer to carry your tray for you. Neither NCL or RCL provide trays, let alone staff who offer to carry your dishes for you. I just do not understand why they don't have trays. It is difficult enough to juggle everything on a calm day, but when the sea is a little rough..fugget about it!
ENTERTAINMENT. First let me say, in our limited cruise experience, I think Royal Caribbean has the best entertainment. Now that is said, on this ship we saw the cirque du soleil show, about 30 minutes long with 3 acts, all of which we thought were pretty good. Saw the comedian for about 5 minutes, and while others we talked to thought he was good, we feel like cruise ships are where older comedians go to retire, and to us, that was the case with this guy. The only other entertainment I saw was the Adult Talent Show, which was fun. There was this older gentleman who played the harmonica along with a pianist he played Crazy and Rhapsody in Blue. He was just great!!!!!
STAFF. Staff on every cruise ship we've ever been on are great. They really do make the cruise. Celebrity staff are top notch at what they do. I don't think we passed one staff member who did not say hello. When we got on the ship, they greeted us with champagne or orange juice, all lined up in their white uniforms greeting us. It was very welcoming. This type of welcome doesn't happen on other lines we've been on, either RCL and NCL.
SHIP. The entry way is just beautiful on this ship. Marble or stone stairway, lit from below very elegant. I've read on these boards that some people thought the Summit needed work, but as far as we were concerned, it was in great shape. Comfortable, clean, constant maintenance and upkeep by the staff. Our two favorite spots to hang out were the Champagne Bar Renato is the barkeep and he was just wonderful. The other spot is the back deck, outside of the Waterfall Cafe on deck 10. Tables, some cover, some umbrellas. It was extremely comfortable and a great place to just spend some time and goof around with others, and the staff.
GETTING AROUND IN HAWAII. Thanks to these boards, I realized before we went on the cruise, that a rental car is the way to make the best of our time. A lot less expensive, less crowded, and more freedom than ship shore excursions. It was a good move for us. We used Thrifty in HILO and Honolulu. Shuttle from the pier to the rental car pick up. Rented a convertible in Honolulu for the 2 days, and it was great. In Lahaina/Maui, we rented from a local rental place since most rental car companies are near the airport, on the other side of the island. We used Island Riders? About $50.00 for the day. This was a long in port day, and even though they closed at 5:00, we were able to just drop the car off and walk back to the pier (or take a $5.00 cab ride).
PORTS. HILO. We went to Volcano National Park, it is very different from anything we've ever seen, except that it reminds you a bit of Yellowstone. The lava tube was fascinating. We enjoyed it, and would recommend it. We left VNP and then went to Akaka falls. Beautiful highly recommend this too. No crowds, beautiful, lush pathway to falls. There is another fall in the other direction but we ran out of time and saw just Akaka. Well worth the trip.
MAUI/LAHAINA. We drove around and enjoyed the island. We found a beautiful public beach at one of the resorts, and snorkeled right off of the beach. It was fantastic. Beautiful weather, clean uncrowded beach, bathroom.
When you get off of the ship, you walk into a touristy but cute little town. The first thing that impresses you is this HUGE Banyan Tree in the park. I'm saying HUGE because I can't think of another more fitting word. It has so many big spreading branches out of it that they are supported with pieces of lumber, and lots of other banyan trees are growing out of it. It's just amazing. And if you go there at dusk, hundreds of minah birds in the tree start their chirping and last until the sun goes down, It was great.
HONOLULU. 2 days. This was our least favorite stop, and we were there for 2 days. It was the Los Angeles/New York of Hawaii. Actually, I like New York a lot better, much more interesting. Getting out of the city is important, at least to us it was. The first day we drove up and around North Shore. It was just beautiful. Great little funky surf areas, stores, restaurants. Good places to stop and enjoy the beach along the way. Very colorful. When we got back to the city, the traffic was horrendous, so we got off and followed signs to Chinatown, thinking it would be an interesting stop. Have dinner, a few drinks etc. Wrong!! This is not like Chinatown in Philly, or New York, or San Francisco. This is a seedy and dirty part of town that closes down before dark. We walked around a couple of blocks but didn't want to go in any of the few places that were open. Although, we DID NOTICE that it felt like Chinatown was slowly being rebuilt. We saw a few nice looking shops and clubs in between dirty looking buildings that gave the impression it was in the process of coming back to life. So I wouldn't write this area off just yet.
The 2nd day, my hubby and I went to the USS Arizona memorial, and also did the BowFin Submarine tour (since Rich is an ex-submariner). This was very nice, very well done and coordinated. We got up and off the ship early and were at the memorial by 7:15 a.m. There was a very long line of people already. When we got in (free entry), we were tour number 3. My understanding is that if you get there too late, you can have tour number 15 or something like that, and they'll only be up to number 5 you can be there all day waiting for your tour. What I mean by tour is, once they call your number you go into the theater and watch a 20 minute film, which is very good and informative. Then you go onto the shuttle boat out to the memorial, and stay there for about 25 minutes, then they call your number and you go back to the building on shore. There is an audio tour ($5.00) that you can take which is well worth the price. Then we went to the Bowfin Submarine tour which I could have lived without but my husband really enjoyed it. And it was NOT free.
You cannot carry any bags, camera bags, handbags, or anything into any of the exhibits. You can check your bags at the Bowfin area for $3.00 if you don't want to leave stuff in your car. We chose to leave everything but our camera in the trunk of our car.
KAILU-KONA. Since this was a tender port, AND we were there for such a short time, I booked a Zodiac Rafting/Snorkel trip through the ship. My husband and our fellow travelers booked a deep sea fishing trip which unfortunately got cancelled. Since the seas were so rough this day it was difficult to get the tenders going and by the time they did, there was not enough time for the 5 hour fishing trip. Everyone was reimbursed. In fact it was so rough, they were pretty much telling anyone who had difficulty walking NOT to try and go ashore.
The rafting/snorkeling trip was just GREAT!!!! The ride in the zodiac was so much fun, I sat in front, and with the rough seas I really got slammed around. I was a bit sore the next day, but it was worth the fun. We saw a pod of spotted dolphins while we were out in the raft, and they were jumping and surfing the wake of our boat. IT WAS WONDERFUL! We went several miles out to sea and up the coast, then came back into the coast near the Captain Cook monument can't remember the proper spelling of the Bay, but it's a Nature preserve. Snorkeling here was just great, it was a beautiful spot all around. You cannot go ashore here, and it can only be reached by boat. We got back in the Zodiac and rode back along the coast, seeing blowholes, caves, and the captain gave us lots of history along the way. They even hosed you down with fresh water and you climbed back on board, and fresh fruit, chips, water and soda were provided. I would highly recommend this trip, unless you have a bad back. Also, if you don't get around to booking it through the ships, they had a stand set up as soon as you get to the pier where I think you can sign up right there.
IN CLOSING we were worried that 14 days would be too long and we would get fidgety about being onboard so many days. But that was not the case, we played games, relaxed, ate, drank and laughed. We actually hesitated about getting off the ship on the second day in Honolulu because we were enjoying being on the ship so much. I would recommend this ship, this cruise, even this itinerary, to anyone. Our fellow cruisers were middle aged, like us, and older, so there wasn't A LOT of crowded nightlife, though we did go out to the clubs a couple nights and danced without bumping into a lot of people. Even got to dance to some big band music which was a lot of fun.
I would give the Summit, and Celebrity Cruise Lines a big old THUMBS UP!!!! Less
Published 12/25/06
Cabin review: 7042
Read Cruise Critic's Celebrity Summit Review >>
Great destination! Unfortunat...
Best vacation ever!
Food not good but a nice time ...
First Time on Celebrity
An overall great cruise
Overall good but delays galore...
Anniversary get-a-way
A wonderful way to celebrate a...
Fantastic Service, Fantastic F...
Sponsored Links


text:
Project DescriptionPorches
Modern Screen
A Porch Makes Contemporary Connections.
The owners of this '50s-era Prairie-inspired home in Upper Arlington, Ohio, didn't want "'your father's Olds' kind of screen porch," says architect Ruth Gless. They insisted on a screen porch that would enhance the Modern claims of their house in both design and materials and that would integrate with the clean simplicity of their renewed landscaping.
The porch does that and more. A contemporary composition of ground-face block, ipé, steel, metal-coated screening, and concrete, the porch is elegantly Modern and deceptively simple. Strategically located block walls interlock with the ipé-framed screening and help support the exposed ipé ceiling while discreetly shielding the porch from the neighbor's yard to the east. "We wanted to use the structure to create opaque walls, and concrete block made sense," explains project designer Joe Moss. "That gave us the freedom to use more screening devices." To the west, the concrete block chimney of a custom, two-sided fireplace makes the porch and adjacent patio usable well into the spring and fall.
When the weather's fine, the porch bridges the divide between inside and out. Its location off the dining room allows the owners to open sliding doors, bringing fresh air in and extending their living area into the backyard. The concrete porch floor sits on a block plinth that raises it to the level of the house. A few steps down, the patio smoothes the transition from the porch to the softer landscaped area beyond.
Unlike most screen porches, this one doesn't prevent daylight from reaching the home's interior. The porch attaches to the house with a short connector that lets light flow in from both sides and a sloped glass roof above. That sloped glass directs rain into a steel beam formed into a scupper. From there the water drops into a steel collector bowl poised at one end of a long, narrow concrete trough. This backyard water feature extends across the yard to a small Japanese garden and creates a pleasing view from the living room windows. Gold dust stones surround the trough and Mexican river stones line the trough bottom.
The interplay of porch, hardscape, waterscape, and landscape was carried out with precision and cohesion, says landscape architect Jane Amidon, in order to fulfill the clients' aesthetic and functional requirements: clean simple geometries, a place for their children to play now, and a porch and yard that will be enjoyable well after they're grown.


text:
Hands On * Fun * Relaxed *Inspiring
Spice Bazaar has been hosting public and private and corporate groups in fun, hands on and relaxed cooking classes across multiple cuisines for nearly 5 years.
Our 15 years of running the diverse Gourmet Spice side of the business means we have great credibility in running Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Persian, Asian and Indian cuisines with over 50 spices in the range! We also run quite a number of other classes that don't involve spices.
We run our popular Cooking Classes in such a way that they are relaxed, fun and inspiring. Food is the ultimate social glue - everyone must eat and cultures have bonded and socialised at the dinner table for millenniums.
Patrick and Jill are experienced and much loved presenters with many years of running classes; public, private & corporate as well as culinary demonstrations. Our experience, presenters a nd class structure break down barriers quickly and we ensure all people have a valuable role to play regardless of cooking experience level! We know that when people feel comfortable, they also cook great food!
Our menus and recipes are just fantastic, largely traditional and the resulting food is flavour-filled, stunning and different, yet not complicated to make and all expertly matched with local and overseas wines.
Our most popular menus include: Moroccan & Middle eastern, Exotic Persian, Eastern Mediterreanean Cuisine (fastest growing class), Spanish Tapas & Thai Street Food, but the range is much wider!
We have spent many years travelling Europe, Asia, India and Australia cooking, eating, watching and learning from diverse cultures about ingredient selection, technique and flavour.


text:
AYRSHIRE-L ArchivesArchiver > AYRSHIRE > 2007-02 > 1170626221
Subject: Re: [AYR] Torbett or Torbit
Date: Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:57:01 -0000
This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
Message Board Post:
Pat, would you like to email me at - I can share my family tree with you. James' brother John was my great great grandfather. Regards, Gill
This thread:


text:
Six English straight hunks have gone completely naked on the beach to make a 16 month (September 2014 - December 2015) calendar. The stunning athletes pose in various positions, alone and with each other, with nothing but frisbees, sandcastles and buckets to cover their cocks 'flapping in the wind'. The calendar is free to download from English Lads.
Fellow blogger, Joe Spunk, also spotted this promo video on Ripped N Stripped, where the calendar is actually being sold with 20% of the proceeds being divided between charities; Albert Kennedy Trust, Ballboys Testicular Cancer and Macmillan Cancer Support. Check out the video below and head over to buy your professionally printed calendar with accompanying DVD.


text:
A brief treatment of Ōsaka follows. For full treatment, see Ōsaka-Kōbe Metropolitan Area.
Ōsaka lies along Ōsaka Bay at the eastern end of the Inland Sea, on the delta of the Yodo River. Its metropolitan area is spread over the deltas and into the alluvial uplands of the Yodo, Yamato, and other rivers. Kōbe lies on the northwestern shore of Ōsaka Bay, about 20 miles (32 30 km) west of Ōsaka. The climate is temperate, with cool winters and hot, humid summers; annual rainfall is about 54 inches (1,360 mm). The area is subject to typhoons in September, which occasionally are disastrous.
Ōsaka's streets are laid out in grid fashion, the north-south axis being Midō Street and the east-west axis Chūō Ōdōri ("Central Thoroughfare"). Hommachi Street runs east from the harbour to Ōsaka Castle, which was originally built by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 16th century. Parallel to Midō Street is the narrow Shinsaibashi Street, which contains the central shopping district. The main business district occupies the northern part of downtown, and the industrial areas are in the eastern and northeastern parts of the city and on the lower Yodo River delta. The central part of Ōsaka is primarily commercial. Green space is scarce, although there are several large parks in the city; the major recreational areas are in the suburbs, along the coastal beaches, and at Lake Biwa, near Kyōto.
Ōsaka was once noted for its large textile industry, but emphasis has shifted to heavy industry. The city's principal industries include machinery, electric machinery, iron and steel, metal fabrication, textiles, chemicals, and pulp and paper; food processing and printing and publishing are also important. Ōsaka is one of Japan's largest financial centres. Its port, long one of the most important in the nation, has been combined administratively with that of Kōbe since the early 1970s.
A dense network of railways winds throughout the area, which is a junction point for the national railway network. Ōsaka is served by private rail companies formed from the formerly government-owned Japanese National Railways. These companies operate local and interurban rapid-transit lines and provide regional passenger trains and national Shinkansen "bullet" express bullet trains. Suburban and regional commuting service is also provided by other private electric railways. Express highways link Ōsaka with Kōbe, Kyōto, and Nagoya. Ōsaka has two major airports. The older one is located near suburban Itami, to the north of the city, and handles domestic air traffic. Kansai International Airport opened in 1994 to handle the city's growing international air traffic. This airport is built on a man-made island in Ōsaka Bay and is connected to the mainland by a highway bridge.
Ōsaka has long been a national centre of culture. There are numerous public and private universities and colleges in the city and urban prefecture, including Ōsaka University and Kansai University. Traditional and modern drama, music, and bunraku Bunraku (puppet theatre) are performed throughout the area, as are Western music, operas, and plays. Ōsaka is a national centre of the news media. Area 85 86 square miles (220 222 square km). Pop. (1993 est.2005) 2,588628,989811.


text:
But you may have a sibling whose pension fund has not collapsed, or a spouse.
Oh, and "full-time associates can cover any spouse or domestic partner."
Below she describes beating your spouse at the game of chicken.
One thing men and women do agree on, however, is that their standards for a live-in partner are lower than they are for a spouse.
It will also have a new epilogue written by my spouse, Deirdre, who is the one person readers are most curious about.
Madame Flicker is so like her spouse that you would be puzzled to tell them apart, but for his black mustache.
A daughter, according to their philosophy, had no right to have an opinion of her own as to her spouse.
He heard Jack entering below, swearing at the storm, fastening the door, and finally joining his spouse in the sleeping-chamber.
"And you should have seen Paw come down off from there," commented his spouse.
Intentional omission of one spouse to warn the other of an attempt by a third person on the life of the other spouse.
c.1200, "a married woman in relation to her husband" (also of men), from Old French spus (fem. spuse), from Latin sponsus "bridegroom" (fem. sponsa "bride"), from masc. and fem. past participle of spondere "to bind oneself, promise solemnly," from PIE *spend- "to make an offering, perform a rite" (see spondee). Spouse-breach (early 13c.) was an old name for "adultery."


text:
Home Concert Tickets Alternative and Indie Devotchka
Devotchka Tickets
A four-piece underground band whose music has featured on a number of indie film soundtracks and adverts, Devotchka have a sound which has gradually crept onto a more mainstream music scene. The Colorado gypsy punks have six albums to play from on their UK tour, including 2008's 'A Mad and Faith Telling'. Get Devotchka tickets and witness their interesting array of instruments, including a bouzuki, theremin and sousaphone.
Sign Up for Devotchka Ticket Alerts
Sign up for the latest information on upcoming Devotchka events. Be the first to know when Devotchka tickets go on sale!
The email address you entered is invalid


text:
Our rates are perfect for...
Baby Showers
After Funeral Gatherings
Children's Parties (12 years old and under.)
Professional gatherings
and more!
Please call (313) 521-2426 and we'll be happy to help make your next event a memorable one!
Our evening rates are as follows:
(Events that end after 6:00 pm)
Mondays through Thursdays are $450.00 for a five hour event. Fridays and Sundays are $550.00 for a five hour event.Saturdays are $650.00 for a five hour event.
Wedding receptions receive a four hour prep time.
All other events will receive a two hour prep time.
�We can comfortably seat around 120 people.
© 2015 The Whittier Rental Hall. All Rights Reserved.


text:
DALLAS (Mar. 13)
S. Herbert Kaufran, of Harrisburg, Pa., was re-elected president of the National Federation of Temple Brotherhoods at the close of its 13th biennial convention, held here. Harold Dubinsky, of St. Louis, was elected first vice-president and in that capacity will serve as chancellor of the Jewish Chautauqua Society, the N.F.T.B,'s major national educational project.
Mr. Kaufman called on the N.F.T.B. to double the annual budget of the Jewish Chautauqua Society to $250,000. The Society is sending rabbis to 400 colleges and 150 summer camps a year and is furnishing thousands of volumes of Judaica to college libraries. However, requests from colleges and camps for these services are greater than present funds permit, Mr. Kaufman said.


text:
Without access to laundry, the only way to combat a red-wine stain would be to quietly pour the rest of the bottle onto your shirt. Clean up nice with this Groupon.
The Deal
- $11 for washing, drying, and folding services for up to 20 pounds of laundry, to be redeemed in one session ($22 value)
Laundry services are available Monday through Friday. For same-day service, drop off laundry between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.


text:
Lenovo's latest Thinkpad, the W700DS, is a beast: an 11 pound notebook with a NVIDIA Quadro mobile GPU, an Intel quad core processor, a 17-inch wide screen... and an additional 10.2-inch secondary LED display that slides out from the casing. This isn't so much a laptop as a portable graphics workstation, and its cost is in line with that: when it comes out early next year, it'll cost about $3,600.
Secondary Display Slides Out of the Thinkpad W700DS [Gearlog]


text:
Peterson 65th wedding anniversary
March 16, 2013
Dale and Helen Peterson of Fort Collins celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with family.
Helen Danielson and Dale Peterson were married Feb. 22, 1948, at the First Lutheran Church in Ault.
Helen was born in Ault and graduated from Ault High School. She later graduated from the University of Northern Colorado and taught at District 35 in Larimer County for four years prior to her marriage.
Dale was born in McCook, Neb., and moved to Colorado in 1933, graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1937, and later Colorado State University in 1942 with a degree in agricultural business. The day after graduating, he entered the service and served in North Africa and Italy as an artillery officer. Upon his return, Dale started farming in the Ault area. After marrying, he and Helen moved the family to Fort Collins in 1952, to farm and raise cattle.
Dale and Helen have been active church members and members of The Swedish Club. They both have also been active members in the community, working closely with CSU's agricultural school and the Rotary club, among other organizations. Their children are Larry Peterson (Ann), Dan Peterson (Robin), and Lynn Peterson (Jackie). They also have seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Recommended Stories For You
Trending In: Announcements
Trending Sitewide
- Family says they watched Weld County sheriff's deputy choke and lift daughter during argument
- Greeley's newest emergency room will close next week
- Weld County sheriff's deputy arrested on suspicion of child abuse
- Greeley officials: $200,000 expense to mail residents refund check
- Sheriff's deputies arrest panhandler accused of exposing himself


text:
DIY Wood Cutting Boards
April 4th 2012 // Wedding // 18 comments
One of the things that's on the menu for the wedding is a cheese tray – I love, love, love cheese. You think I'm exaggerating, but I'm not. It's one of my favorite foods. Luckily preparing a cheese tray is easy enough and if you pair it with a variety of crackers, fruits and nuts,… CONTINUE READING →


text:
The smell of hot, fresh blueberry pancakes will lead the way to a fun day on the streets of the oldest town in Texas. Saturday, June 9th!
Shows, fresh blueberries, competitions and more are getting set for your family to have fun!
KAVX will be in our traditional spot just down the hill from downtown in the shade, the best place to be!
Drop by! It's a tradition!


text:
This event has passed
contributed all ages
Runway Lights Fashion Show
This event occurred on
Chase Park Plaza
$2,000 - First Class Table of Ten, $1,500 - Business Class Table of Ten, $100 - Coach Ticket
The annual Runway Lights Fashion Show on April 20, 2013, taking place at the Chase Park Plaza, will feature the 2013 collection of fashion designer Edward Wilkerson, Design Director of Lafayette 148 New York. Wilkerson delights and surprises fashionistas, weaving rich color schemes and vivid prints in to his modern aesthetic vision.
Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to shop at the Variety Boutique for the nation's most revered products in fashion, jewelry and furniture designers.
The fashion show will kick off Variety Week, April 20-27, 2013, all proceeds benefiting Variety to directly fund programs and vital medical equipment for St. Louis children with disabilities.
Past dates
- Occurred Saturday, April 20th, 2013 @ 10:30 am
Alexandra Santacroce


text:
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
This study examines the creation of a nano-featured biosensor platform designed for the rapid and selective detection of the bacterium
By definition, a biosensor is a self-contained integrated device that is capable of providing specific quantitative or semi-quantitative information using a biological recognition element, which retains direct spatial contact with an electrochemical transduction element [
As the field of sensor technology has developed, the need for a whole-cell, real-time mechanism for the detection of specific bacteria has emerged. In 2010 alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, over 70,000
One such technological advancement is the utilization of cell specific molecular recognition systems for detection, a field that has been rapidly evolving. Previous studies have successfully demonstrated increased identification of
The goal of this study was to successfully conjugate a pathogen specific aptamer with a novel base material in an effort to develop a unique bacterium targeted biosensor. A platform base of CNTs was selected as they have previously been utilized in electrochemical sensor formation for biomolecules [
Unless otherwise noted all chemicals were purchased from Fisher Scientific. DH5α
Highly oriented pyrolitic graphite sheets (Molecular Imaging) were cut and sanded into rectangles to serve as the platform base. A nano-hair type layer of strongly grafted CNT was fabricated on these surfaces through a two-step process [
The resultant CNT/graphite composites were cut into smaller pieces and adhered to the side of a beaker using double sided carbon tape. This allowed for the CNTs to be fully immersed within the solution without risk of contact and damage by the magnetic stir bar. For gold nanoparticle synthesis, 43.75 mL of water was stirred for 3 minutes followed by the addition of 3 mL of a 0.4% HAuCl4 (MP Biomedicals LCC) solution and an additional minute of stirring. Next, 5 mL of 0.1% sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7) solution and 0.01% sodium borohydride (NaBH4) were introduced, which instantly turned the solution from pale yellow to maroon. This solution was continuously stirred for 2 minutes to allow freshly synthesized NPs on CNTs to stabilize. The solution was then removed and the samples, still attached to the side of the beaker, were rinsed with distilled water. After washing and air drying, the samples underwent SEM and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectra analysis to verify gold nanoparticle synthesis.
The surface-specific RNA sequence used was based off of a sequence discovered by So and colleagues [
In brief, SS-DNA and LS-DNA were combined and annealed at 94 °C for 2 min then transcribed using a Durascribe® T7 Transcription Kit containing 2′-F-UTP and 2′-F-CTP (Epicentre Biotechnologies) at 37 °C for 6 hours and stored at −20 °C to prevent degradation.
After successful DNA transcription, a thiol group was hybridized on the end of the RNA, which facilitated its attachment to the gold nanoparticles. This is due to the high affinity thiol has to gold and was accomplished through a compliment nucleotide hybridization of cytosine and guanine. A 12 cytosine chain containing a thiol group on its end was annealed at 94 °C for 2 minutes to the 12 guanine spacer on the RNA transcribed product sequence. For verification of successful transcription as well as concentration determination of the RNA, absorbance at 260 nm was recorded using a NanoDrop spectrophotometer.
Prior to introduction on the final platform, RNA was first attached to the colloidal gold nanoparticles in solution. These particles were synthesized using the same process as stated earlier on the carbon nanotube samples. After synthesis, the particle concentration was determined using UV-Vis analysis and the Beer-Lambert Law (A = εcl), where A = absorbance in optical density units, ε = exstinction coefficient (at the surface plasmon wavelength), l = path length through sample, and c = concentration of nanoparticles. (A= obtained from UV-Vis spectrum, ε = 1.935 × 1010 M−1·cm−1, l = 1 cm)
For RNA attachment, 1 mL of the 50–60 nm gold nanoparticle solution was pipetted into a scintillation vial with 1 mL of thiolated RNA, stirred briefly, and incubated in the dark for 20 minutes. Next, 246 μL of 100 mM phosphate buffer and 40 μL of 2M sodium chloride (NaCl) was added to the mixture and stirred for 20 minutes. Additional NaCl (40 μL of 2M) was then added to the solution and stirred for another 20 minutes. This was repeated a final time and left to incubate overnight protected from light. The next day the particles are centrifuged at 12,000 × g for 15 minutes and re-suspended in 100 μL of a 100 mM NaCl and 25 mM tris acetate solution. Lastly, the particles were washed two additional times. This process was conducted on gold nanoparticles without the addition of RNA to serve as a control. To confirm attachment, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta Potential analyses were conducted on a Malvern Zetasizer.
After RNA coating, the gold particles were then exposed to
The present study was aimed at developing a novel sensor to detect bacteria based on carbon nanotubes functionalized with gold nanoparticles with a ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence attached as a capture element. Highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) was used as the base carbon structure due to its ability to withstand high temperatures as well as its relative inertness. To confirm CNT growth on the graphite and visualize the packing density SEM imaging was conducted. As seen in
To ensure the presence of gold nanoparticles, their successful attachment to the CNT surface, and even distribution, SEM images were obtained (
Prior to the introduction of
The next step was the proof of concept experimentation to ascertain if
After independently confirming gold nanoparticle growth on the bound CNTs and successful RNA coating of gold nanoparticles, the final step was to construct and assess the effectiveness of the complete biosensor. Therefore, following synthesis of gold nanoparticles on the graphite bound CNTs the particles were subsequently functionalized with the thiolated RNA sequence specific for the DH5α
There exists a strong need within the sensors community to develop the capability for the real-time sensing mechanism for foreign pathogens. The work presented in this study defines a composite bases sensor that incorporates specific RNA sequences to selectively bind a microbial agent. CNTs were successfully grown on a graphite substrate and subsequently served as a point of synthesis for gold nanoparticles. In solution, we successfully attached a thiolated RNA that recognizes
Furthermore, this research demonstrated that carbon substrates, in bulk and nano-scale, were able to be utilized in the development of a novel sensor to detect pathogens in the environment. We are confident from this work that utilizing novel nanostructures for the application of a bio-sensor in bacterial detection and identification is attainable. This same sensing approach outlined here can easily be applied to other bacterial surface-specific RNA sequences, attaching them in the same manner, and ultimately creating an electrochemical multi-array sensor to determine the strain of bacteria as well as their aqueous solution concentration. Additionally, this process can be extended to other microorganisms to identify and quantify targets through the development of a hand-held multi-array sensor.
We would like to acknowledge Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and Dayton Area Graduate Studies Institute (DAGSI) for supporting Elizabeth Maurer with a fellowship. Kristen Comfort was supported through a National Research Council (NRC) post-doctoral fellowship, funded through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).
Schematic depicting each component/layer of the designed biosensor as well as illustrating the potential application of the construction of a multi-arrayed sensor.
SEM images of CNTs grown on silica following chemical vapor deposition process. The same view was captured at a magnification of 50,000× (
Authentication of gold nanoparticles on the CNT surface was performed with SEM at a magnification of 50,000× (
UV-Vis measurements were conducted on the
Represenative SEM image of successful
Characterization of bare and RNA bound gold nanoparticles. The evaluation of the hydrodynamic diameter and the surface charge of these particles was carried out to confirm the presence of RNA functionalization.
|Bare Au
|Au + RNA


text:
Alison Cassidy
Alison Cassidy (6th August,1945 / Melbourne, Australia)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Jerry's Journey - Dealing With Recovery
It irritates you
the way the curtain droops
and I can't quite reach
(even when I stand on a chair)
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


text:
PASADENA - You know these women, or at least you should.
The 14 women who are finalists for the Pasadena Star-News/ Pasadena's Rose Magazine Jewels of Pasadena: Women of Distinction awards contribute many hours and much effort into making Pasadena the city that it is.
They will be celebrated along with the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley as the Pasadena Star-News Nonprofit Organization of the Year, at an April 19 dinner and awards gala at the Hilton Pasadena.
The finalists are:
- Alice Coulombe, a founder of Los Angeles Opera and supporter of the Colburn School Conservatory of Music;
- Cynthia Young, artistic director of the nonprofit Pasadena Dance Theater;
- Beverly Marksbury, 2012 president of the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts;
- Jaylene Moseley, president and broker of J. L. Moseley Co. Inc.;
- Gale Kohl of Gale's Restaurant;
- Terry Clougherty of Carmody & Co.;
- Grace R. Chan, chief engineer and general manager of the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles;
- Cynthia J. Kurtz, president and CEO of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership;
- State Sen. Carol Liu;
- Ann Slavik Hall, board member of the Huntington Medical Research Institutes;
- Rebecca Huang, 18, the founder of the Friends of the Bad Weather shelter;
- Jennifer Ramirez, the principal of St. Philip the Apostle School;
- Jo Stoup, the conductor of the Pasadena Young Musicians Orchestra;
- and Laurie Bollman-Little, a teacher at Eagle Rock High School.
The gala honoring these women will be from 6 to 9 p.m. April 19 at the Hilton Pasadena, 168 S. Los Robles Ave. Tickets are $70, which includes dinner, the awards program and a performance by 15-year-old violinist Simone Porter from the Colburn School, who made her professional solo debut with the Seattle Symphony at age 10.
Space is limited and reservations are due Monday. To purchase tickets, contact Ann Weathersbee, 626-962-8811, ext. 4439; send an email to email@example.com; or visit the Pasadena Star-News office at 911 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.