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It's a lucky day for Apple and Cider.
President Obama pardoned the pair of 21-week-old, 45-pound turkeys at today's pre-Thanksgiving Day ceremony -- and made a crack about this month's Election Day debacle for the Democrats.
"For the record, let me say, it feels pretty good to stop at least one shellacking this November," Obama joked during this morning's Rose Garden event.
Obama -- who saw his party lose at least 63 U.S. House seats and six Senate slots in the Nov. 2 election -- also joked about the fact that Apple and Cider spent part of the week at Washington's posh W Hotel.
"It's great advertising," Obama said. "Makes you want to stay at the W."
This was the 63rd version of the National Thanksgiving Turkey program at the White House, often an occasion for smiles and good-natured jokes, especially from the pardoning presidents.
"You know, there are certain days that remind me of why I ran for this office," Obama said at the ceremony a year ago. "And then there are moments like this -- where I pardon a turkey and send it to Disneyland."
Last year's honoree, Courage, did in fact go to Disneyland, where he participated in the Thanksgiving Day parade.
This year's pardoned turkey, Apple, and his alternate, Cider, will be on display during "Christmas at Mount Vernon," and will live out the rest of their days at the livestock facility on George Washington's old estate.
Obama also cracked wise about the competition that brought today's turkeys to the White House.
"It's kind of like a turkey version of Dancing With The Stars, except the stakes for the contestants was much higher," Obama said. "Only one pair would survive and win the big prize: life."
The turkey ceremony at the White House began with President Harry Truman, but the birds in question didn't receive official pardons until President George H.W. Bush.
Some more history, courtesy of Obama's remarks last year:
Now, the National Turkey Federation has been bringing its finest turkeys to the White House for more than 50 years. I'm told Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson actually ate their turkeys. You can't fault them for that; that's a good-looking bird.
President Kennedy was even given a turkey with a sign around its neck that said, "Good Eatin', Mr. President." But he showed mercy and he said, "Let's keep him going." And 20 years ago this Thanksgiving, the first President Bush issued the first official presidential pardon for a turkey.
Some more background on today's White House ceremony:
President Obama will pardon the National Thanksgiving Turkey in a ceremony in the Rose Garden. The President will celebrate the 63rd anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation, reflect upon the time-honored traditions of Thanksgiving, and wish American families a warm, safe, and healthy holiday.
The President will pardon Apple and its alternate Cider, both 21-week old, 45-pound turkeys. The names of the turkeys were chosen from over 200 submissions from California school children who participated in California's Agriculture in the Classroom program where they learned about how the National Thanksgiving Turkey was raised.
After the pardoning, the turkeys will be driven to George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. The National Thanksgiving Turkey will be on display for visitors during "Christmas at Mount Vernon," a special program through January 6. After the holidays, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate will live in a custom-made enclosure at Mount Vernon's nationally recognized livestock facility.
Both birds were raised on Foster Farms Wellsford Ranch outside of Modesto, California, under the supervision of National Turkey Federation Chairman Yubert Envia. Ira Brister of Foster Farms will handle the turkey during the ceremony.
Jaindl's Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pa., gave President Obama's family two dressed turkeys that will be donated to Martha's Table, a local organization that helps feed and clothe those in need.
(Posted by David Jackson)
David's journalism career spans three decades, including coverage of five presidential elections, the Oklahoma City bombing, the 2000 Florida presidential recount and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He has covered the White House for USA TODAY since 2005. His interests include history, politics, books, movies and college football -- not necessarily in that order. More about David
Follow the Oval on Twitter: @The Oval, @djusatoday.
Also contributing to the Oval: Richard Wolf @richardjwolf; Aamer Madhani @AamerISmad


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Request A Mentor
Assessment Mentors
As part of the University's continued efforts to support the program review process, promote the increased use of direct assessment across all programs, and to "close the loop" for the continual improvement of student learning, the University has established a group of Assessment Mentors in effect for 2012-13. The Assessment Mentors are available to assist with program-level assessment and will respond to requests from programs. Program use of this resource is voluntary.
Assessment Mentor Responsibilities/Tasks
Assessment Mentor responsibilities include assisting programs/departments with requests for help with program-level assessment. Examples include:
- developing or refining program student learning outcomes.
- creating or revising a rubric/assessment measure.
- conducting a focus group.
- interpreting assessment findings.
- using assessment findings for improving student learning, programs, and the assessment process ("closing the loop").
Assessment Mentor Process - Submitting a Request
- Program assessment request is submitted via the Office of Assessment website.
- Assessment Specialist contacts program if additional information is needed.
- Upon approval by the AVP for Academic Planning and Analysis, the program request is forwarded to Mentor with complimentary background. Programs can also request a specific Mentor if preferred.
- Request is submitted to the appropriate Mentor, who then contacts the program and schedules a meeting time.
- Mentor assists the program with requested task.
- Mentor provides the Office of Assessment with a brief descriptive report/log to be used for payment claim (Mentors will be paid a consultant rate of $250/day).
- A questionnaire/survey will be sent out to the program to evaluate their experience.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sustainability is no longer just an industry buzzword. It is a structured approach to achieve a holistic and triple bottom line growth, which seeks to balance the mutually reinforcing pillars of economic development, social development and environmental protection. We should be conscious to the needs and aspirations of the future generations while working to improve the quality of life of the present generation, without undermining the natural resources and environment.
We recognise the challenges faced in managing environmental liabilities, climate change adaptations and implementing environmental solutions. Our in-depth understanding of the regulatory framework enables us to formulate best-value solutions that optimise sustainability of the projects. We work closely with the Clients to address emerging issues in environment management. Our services encompass all aspects of impact assessments, due diligence, feasibility studies, site selection and designing climate resilient infrastructure.
With the aim of conserving the natural resources and embody the Gandhian values of village development and environmental conservation, the Government of India along with Government of Gujarat declared the Dandi Area covering an area of about 25,350 hectares, as eco-sensitive zone under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
We prepared an Integrated Development Plan for the 'Dandi Eco-sensitive Zone', focusing on conservation of coastal resources and promotion of nature based development involving provision of climate resilient infrastructure in Dandi, Gujarat. Also, we provided quality assurance, supervision support for finalising priority actions based on Master Plan.
The project aimed at mainstreaming compliance with environmental and social safeguards associated with proposed water supply augmentation (24x7 supply) in three cities (Belgaum, Gulbarga and Hubli-Dharwad) of Karnataka. We carried out Sectoral Environment and Social Assessment, conducted detailed reviews of project components including waste water generation, construction management, etc. In addition, we developed Sectoral Environment and Social Management Plan, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Framework and Environmental Code of Practice for design, implementation and operation of 24x7 water supply.
To view complete project list, click here.
Copyright ©


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MEGA Company Limited Recruitment 2016, 08 Posts Jobs Vacancies Gujarat Apply Here
Advertisement MEGA Recruitment 2016 MEGA Company Limited Vacancies 2016 Metro Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad (MEGA) Company Limited has announced 08 post for various post in MEGA. Interstate and eligible applicant can apply for the post on before the last date of the application form filling. The advertisement of official notification of MEGA Recruitment 2016 is published on… Read More »


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MATLAB Newsgroup
I would like to improve the time efficiency of my code (see below):
//There is a structure "s" consisted of delaunay triangulations of different geometrical objects.
s = struct('tess', {});
s(1).tess = DelaunayTri(v(:,1),v(:,2),v(:,3));
// This function veryfies the intersection of all faces of tetrahedrons with the curve
function answer = f1(...);
tessqty = length(s(:));
for i = 1 : tessqty
tess = s(i).tess;
faces = [tess(:,[1 2 3]); tess(:,[2 3 4]); ...
tess(:,[1 3 4]); tess(:,[1 2 4])];
P1 = [P1; s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),1) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),2) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),3)];
P2 = [P2; s(i).tess.X(faces(:,2),1) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,2),2) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,2),3)];
P3 = [P3; s(i).tess.X(faces(:,3),1) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,3),2) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,3),3)];
walk = ones(leng,1);
for j = 1 : leng
for i = 1 : length(P1(:,1))
[flag,u,v,a] = rayTriangleIntersection(origin(j,:),direct(j,:),P1(i,:),P2(i,:),P3(i,:));
if flag == 1
intersection = origin(j,:) + a*direct(j,:);
if pointSegment(intersection,origin(j,:),dest(j,:))
walk(j) = 0;
answer = walk;
This function "f1" is executed inside the FOR LOOP (with 100 iterations). Totally, it takes a very long time (>30 minutes) to run the code. I was thinking about the vectorization of the code, but it doesn't work for the structure "s".
I would appreciate any help. Perhaps, someone could share the experience. Thanks a lot.
"Liana" wrote in message <email@example.com>...
> for i = 1 : tessqty
> tess = s(i).tess;
> faces = [tess(:,[1 2 3]); tess(:,[2 3 4]); ...
> tess(:,[1 3 4]); tess(:,[1 2 4])];
> P1 = [P1; s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),1) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),2) s(i).tess.X(faces(:,1),3)];
Tsk,Tsk. Growing the arrays P1,P2,P3 inside a for-loop? You should know better....
> This function "f1" is executed inside the FOR LOOP (with 100 iterations). Totally, it takes a very long time (>30 minutes) to run the code. I was thinking about the vectorization of the code, but it doesn't work for the structure "s".
So, about 20 sec per iteration of f1?
Anyway, apart from my point above, we have no way of knowing how many iterations your for-loop runs for, or how much overhead is contributed by some of the functions you're calling like rayTriangleIntersection. See "doc profile" for ways of analyzing this.
"Matt J" wrote in message <email@example.com>...
> Tsk,Tsk. Growing the arrays P1,P2,P3 inside a for-loop? You should know better....
In particular, recall this thread, where we talked about not doing this
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text:
A study published today in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that long-term (24-month) supplementation with multivitamins plus selenium delayed the onset of symptoms for patients recently infected with HIV.
The study was conducted by a group led by Marianna Baum, Professor in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at the FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work along with FIU colleagues Adriana Campa and Sabrina Sales and Harvard University researchers. The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"These findings are important for many people infected with HIV, especially mothers who have more time to spend raising their children before they are affected by immune decline and illness," Baum said. "This new insight is very accessible and applicable to all populations across the world."
In Miami-Dade County, one in 57 adult males and one in152 adult females is living with HIV or AIDS according to Florida Department of Health.
The Journal of the American Medical Association promotes the science and art of medicine and the betterment of public health and is the most widely circulated medical journal in the world.
Explore further: Micronutrient supplements reduce risk of HIV disease progression and illness


text:
Appealing a provincial decision to allow salmon farms in Grand Passage and Freeport has resulted in a judgment against St. Mary's Bay's Coastal Alliance.
The St. Mary's Bay Coastal Alliance is on the hook for at least some of an aquaculture company's legal fees following a Nova Scotia Supreme Court decision announced today in Halifax.
Kelly Cove Salmon Ltd. had been seeking to recover $83,000 in legal costs, or $23,000 had a different yardstick been applied by the court.
In the end, the court granted the company $10,500.
On June 8, 2011, the province's Fisheries and Aquaculture minister issued aquaculture leases and licences to Kelly Cove for two fish farms in Grand Passage and Freeport. The Grand Passage site was stocked with young salmon at the end of June.
On July 7, an appeal of the minister's decision was launched by the coastal alliance—a group composed of the villages of Freeport, Tiverton and Westport, as well as Freeport Community Development Association and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.
The appeal was dropped after 23 months, and three months before it came to court.
Inn his decision, Justice Patrick J. Murray wrote the decision to discontinue the appeal came about as a result of negotiations between the alliance members and government.
"The outcome of these discussions is an important factor on this motion," wrote Justice Murray. "The outcome was that there would be policy reforms by the minister for future plans in aquaculture. The minister announced the appointment of an expert panel to recommend improvements to the regulatory framework of the aquaculture industry."
The court recognized the company incurred legal costs because of the appeal, and had a substantial investment to protect, although it should have known that it had begun stock salmon before the end of the appeal period.
It also noted that there was no indication of the actual costs and time of the company's legal counsel.
"While I am prepared to acknowledge a public interest aspect to the appeal, I am not prepared to draw an inference that the appellants have no ability to respond or that they should be immune from party and party costs all together," wrote Justice Murray.
"This is my view even if Kelly Cove is in the better financial position to handle costs."
The case was heard before the court on Oct. 17 in Halifax, and the written decision handed down Jan. 31.


text:
In the storyEdit
Maudie Atkinson has had a long history with the Finch family because she knew Atticus Finch when he was much younger. She lives across the street from the Finches and is frequently harassed by "Foot-Washing Baptists", who tell her that her enjoyment from gardening is a sin. During the novel, her house burns down, an event which she is strangely and remarkably courageous through, having even joked about wanting to burn it down herself to make more room for her flowers.
She is also one of the only people in Maycomb County who is not racist or prejudiced. Jem and Scout (Atticus' son and daughter) also respect Miss Atkinson, one of the few adults that they hold in high regard besides their own father. Maudie also helped Scout understand the meaning of Atticus' quote: "It's a sin to kill a mockingbird."
Personal lifeEdit
One of the only things Miss Atkinson does for a living is gardening, for she loves planting flowers and wants a large area for her garden. She is described as being around 50 years old and also likes baking as well, making very good cakes.


text:
Beautiful teeth are important and keeping your teeth and mouth healthy is also important to your overall health. Lack of access to dental care for all ages remains a public
health challenge and many Americans living in Alabama are finding it difficult to pay a dentist for their dental needs. This may be because they are unable to afford dental treatment or unable
to get approved for financing because of bad credit.
Here we have listed the options for discounted dental plans that are available to residents of Alabama:
Dental Benefits For Veterans - Dental benefits are provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs according to law. In some instances, Veterans Affairs is authorized to provide extensive dental care, while in other cases treatment may be limited. Eligibility and benefits for Veteran dental care are limited by law and categorized into VA dental classifications or classes. To learn if you are eligible for VA Dental Care, see va.gov/healthbenefits.
Medicaid - Each Medicaid program in the state of Alabama has its own requirements that you must meet in order to qualify for benefits. All of the programs have income requirements and some programs have age requirements or are limited to certain groups such as pregnant women or people who also have Medicare. Alabama Medicaid will not pay for dental services for adults age 21 and older, however individuals under 21 years of age can receive Medicaid paid dental care for checkups and teeth cleanings every six months, crowns, fillings, extractions (pulling teeth), root canals, X-rays and TMJ surgery (some services must be approved by Medicaid ahead of time). See medicaid.alabama.gov or call 1-800-362-1504 to learn more about requirements for different Medicaid programs.
Alabama Health Centers - Residents of Alabama may also want to contact their local Health Center as many may provide discounted dental services to those unable to afford treatment. The Bureau of Primary Health Care, a service of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), supports federally-funded community health centers across the country that provide free or reduced-cost health services (based on income, fees are charged on a sliding fee scale of up to 100% discount), including dental care. See adph.org/oralhealth/ or contact the HRSA Information Center toll-free at 1–888–Ask–HRSA (1–888–275–4772) for a list of health centers in the counties of Greene, Bullock, Perry, Coosa, Lowndes, Wilcox, Conecuh, Clay, Choctaw, Sumter, Crenshaw, Lamar, Cleburne, Hale, Fayette, Henry, Washington, Pickens, Butler, Marengo, Macon, Bibb, Randolph, Monroe, Winston, Clarke, Cherokee, Geneva, Barbour, Marion, Franklin, Pike, Chambers, Lawrence, Covington, Escambia, Tallapoosa, Chilton, Dallas, Dale, Coffee, Russell, Jackson, Colbert, Autauga, Blount, Walker, DeKalb, Elmore, Cullman, Talladega, Limestone, St. Clair, Lauderdale, Marshall, Houston, Etowah, Calhoun, Morgan, Lee, Baldwin, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Montgomery, Madison, Mobile, and Jefferson in Alabama.
ALL Kids, Alabama's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - This low-cost, comprehensive healthcare coverage program for children under age 19 is administered by the Alabama Department of Public Health and covers dental care. To qualify children must be under age 19, not be covered under any health insurance, be a U.S. citizen or an eligible immigrant, not be covered by or eligible for Medicaid, not be a resident in an institution, and meet income guidelines (see adph.org/allkids/assets/ALLKIDSEnglishIincomeGuides.pdf). To apply or learn more about the medical benefits provided under this program, see adph.org/allkids/Default.asp?id=588 or call 1-888-373-Kids (5437).
Dental Schools - Dental schools are a excellent source of reduced-cost, quality dental treatment. Most of these teaching facilities have clinics that allow dental students to gain experience treating patients while providing care at a lowered cost. Licensed, experienced dentists closely supervise the students. Faculty and post-graduate clinics are also available at most dental schools.
Locations and Contact Information of Dental Schools in Alabama:
University of Alabama School of Dentistry, Birmingham - They offer patients a full range of specialty, general, and emergency dental services at a reduced cost.
Contact Information:
1919 7th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233 Phone: (205) 934-3000
Website: uab.edu/dentistry/home/patients
In-House Dental Financing - Some dentists in Alabama may offer in-house financing regardless of past credit.
Below is a list of dentists that claim they can help people with bad credit financing for dental work in Alabama:
At this time we are unable to locate any dental offices in Alabama that offer in-house dental financing with bad credit. If any of our viewers are aware of any in-house financing programs for bad credit or if you are a dentist that offers such a program and want to be added to our list, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
View sources of Bad Credit Unsecured Personal Loans that can be paid in monthly installments and used for expensive dental procedures.
Clinical Trials - The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research sometimes seeks volunteers with specific oral, dental and craniofacial conditions to participate in research studies, otherwise known as clinical trials. Researchers may provide study participants with limited low-cost or free dental treatment for the particular condition they are studying. To find out if there are any NIDCR clinical trials that you might fit into, visit the NIDCR web site at http://www.nidcr.nih.gov and click on "Clinical Trials." For a complete list of all federally funded clinical trials, visit http://clinicaltrials.gov.
Learn about A Affordable Alternative To Dental Insurance that can provide deep discounts on dental procedures.
For a list of dental assistance programs for people with bad credit or low income in other states please visit Dental Financing For Low Income/Bad Credit.


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ILKLEY Grammar School took the top slot at the first-ever Ilkley Secondary Schools gala.
The gala, organised by Ilkley Swimming club was a closely fought competition between over 30 children from IGS, Prince Henry's and St Mary's.
The swimmers competed in over 40 events with the girls competition coming right down to the last race, with Ilkley beating Princes Henry's into third place in the relay and thus beating Prince Henry's by a mere four points.
Ilkley Grammar School won the boys competition comfortably, winning the overall title spot, with Prince Henry's coming in second place and St Mary's third.
The children and spectators thoroughly enjoyed the event, which hopefully will be the first of many.


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MBLOK Portable Mini-NAS Cloud Wireless Storage Device
Something interesting dropped into my inbox last week. A pitch to talk about the MBLOK wireless storage device. It's kind of like a USB drive, without USB; it's sort of like cloud storage, but it fits in your pocket; it's a bit like a mini-NAS, but it's not attached.
It's an interesting idea, and, together with an iOS or Android app, you can download files to your device (though there will be limits as to what you can do with them, according to each OS). You can also move files to and from different cloud services, such as Dropbox, and Google Drive, and to and from a computer. It's a great way to take a bunch of movies with you on a trip, when your iPhone or iPad doesn't have a lot of storage. Or just keep a bunch of files you may need for you work handy in your pocket, and not have to worry about internet access to get them from a cloud server.
It looks like it's a housing for a micro-SD card, with a battery and an on-board operating system, and files are encrypted. It will come in 128 GB and 256 GB to start, and transfer speeds are up to 24 Mbps. There's a USB plug, to connect it to a computer, and transfer files and charge the device. But file sharing is through Bluetooth 4.0, which uses little battery power, and the designers say that the battery will last up to 300 hours.
I think this is a neat idea, and there's currently a Kickstarter that looks like it's pretty close to reaching its goal, after only a few days.
I like this idea. If it really works as advertised, it will be a very practical device. Head over to Kickstarter and reserve one now.


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So, apparently if I host an installment of the Stephen Sondheim film festival the night before a silent retreat, I end up spending a lot of time meditating on Seurat instead of Scripture. A few weekends ago, I invited friends over to watch Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim's musical about Georges Seurat's creation of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. (It's on Amazon instant streaming, go enjoy!).In the first act, Georges struggles to express himself to his … [Read more...]
Finishing the Imago Dei
I see your trilemma, and raise you a tetralemma!
Over at Cross Examined, Bob Seidensticker has an objection to C.S. Lewis's Trilemma, and John E_o raised the same question over here. Bob says, why stay stuck in Lewis's framework that Jesus Christ must be either a lunatic, a liar, or the Lord of all Creation? Can't we just pick 'legend?' We have no problem with wisdom taken from the Koran or the story of Gilgamesh or the Upanishads or any other book of religion or mythology despite its being wrong about the supernatural stuff. Assuming that t … [Read more...]
For C.S. Lewis, Deo Gratias!
Patheos invited religious bloggers to share stories about people we're thankful for who've supported us in our faith. Technically, they asked us to do this for Thanksgiving, but as I was late to the faith, it's thematically appropriate that I be late to the prompt as well.I turned out to be embarrassingly easy to snare.When I was coming out of Commons (the big dining hall on campus), Yale Students for Christ were tabling outside, and they'd put up a sign reading FREE BOOKS. I was ov … [Read more...]
Teaching Fish the Word for Water
In the last Sondheim Symposium post, I talked about Giorgio struggling with Fosca's implacable love. If his reluctance to accept her unconditional love parallels the flinch away from grace, does it follow that Fosca is a Christ-like figure?Probably not. For a while after I saw the show, I suspected her of ostentatious humility. In fact, I hoped that some of her prostrations were insincere. She was starting to remind me of the awful, self-abnegating image of love on display in "Unworthy of … [Read more...]
"Nobody human can stand all that everlasting affection!"
The quote is from Company, the subject is Passion, as the Sondheim Symposium goes on. This installment includes spoilers for 1984.At the climax of 1984, Winston is broken by the tortures in room 101. The moment that anihilates him and represents victory for Big Brother is the moment where he cries out: Do it to her! Do it to Julia! I don't care what you do to her, but do it to her! Tear her face off! Do it to Julia, not to me! Do it to Julia! Not me! If this is betrayal, we might assume tha … [Read more...]
Morality in Multiple Dimensions
In college, I got into a lot of debates about moral relativism, cultural imperialism, and epistemological modesty. When we were picking fights, it was useful to be able to get a quick sense of your sparring partner's positions, and my friends and I had an easy way to do triage: During the British occupation of India, were the British imperialists right to condemn sati (the practise of burning widows alive on their husbands pyres)? Were they right to want to eliminate it? Were the women wrong … [Read more...]
Well, you asked for me to blockquote things I agreed with…
People who commented on this post last week might want to be careful what they wish for. I'm going to keep an eye out for blogposts where I can highlight a pull-quote and have something positive to add, but I figured I could practice by blogging through a book that I agree with quite a bit. (I already enjoyed doing this with Granny Weatherwax from Discworld).So here comes a series of posts (probably one a week) on a book that made me feel just as this quote from The History Boys puts i … [Read more...]


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Giovanni Hot Chocolate Sugar Scrub
Want a truly unique bathing experience? Pick up a tub of this Giovanni body scrub. Hot Chocolate in more ways than one. Not only does it smell deliciously like natural chocolate, it warms up as you use it, so that it stimulates your all your senses and leaves your skin polished and smooth. And as with all of Giovanni's products, they are all natural, organic and paraben free, so indulge yourself as much as you want, you are doing yourself and the earth a world of good.
Make cute ice cream sandwiches for your kiddies or just for yourself.
Enjoy a Cool Treat with this Good Things Ice-Cream Maker molds.
Enjoy a Cool Treat with this Good Things Ice Maker in a fun star shape.
Is this not the best idea? Everyone either wants a slice that's "extra huge" or "not too big". This cake mold makes it easier to please everyone, with sizes from Small to Extra large.Tags: home, food, kitchen, cooking, baking, entertaining, architecture, buffets, kitchenwareAdded 9 Years Ago from Target
this thing can hold 38 of your beautifully decorated cupcakes!Tags: home, food, kitchen, gadgets, cooking, baking, accessories, style, entertainingAdded 9 Years Ago from Cooking.com
A dog ball that can record your voice so it never has to feel alone!Tags: Dog, balls, pets, treats, gifts for pets, Voice RecoringAdded 9 Years Ago from Target
A treat machine for dogs! The lever is a huge bone shape that can be operated by people and dogs.
Gourmet treats for dogs, because we all love our pets that much.Tags: animals, pets, dog treats, treats, Gourmet Treats, gifts for petsAdded 9 Years Ago from Target
if you love sour, you will love these, but be careful because they are addictive


text:
Even though Robin's wife, Paula Patton, isn't due until May, the expecting couple already have baby names picked out and aren't afraid to share them.
"'We like Julian if it's a boy and Isabella if it's a girl,'" Robin revealed to People while hosting at The Bank nightclub in Las Vegas.
Robin also opened up about the advice they've received from family and friends:
"The best advice I've got was I've been told just to enjoy this moment and it's the most special time in your life. It can seem stressful and worrisome, but it's the best time and we're excited."
Seems like pretty good advice to me! Good luck to them in the rest of Paula's pregnancy.
How far ahead did you pick your baby's name? And what do you think of the names Julian and Isabella?
Via People
Photo: PR Photos


text: Gabe Turner wrote: > On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 12:51:31PM -0700, Sarah Mulholland wrote: > >> Does anybody use the torque scheduler with modifications made to the >> sched_config? Or do users tend to go to maui if they want to control >> scheduling? >> > > If you want to do more than simple FIFO scheduling, then you'll need Maui > (or Moab, depending on your requirements). We use Moab. > > Gabe > > > Yes, there are VERY few sites actually using the scheduler that comes with Torque. It is very simplistic and maui or moab does so much more.


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|7 Oct 2008
|Filing date
|9 Mar 2006
|Priority date
|9 Mar 2006
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Christopher J. Zollinger, W. Vaso Adzich
|Original Assignee
|Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (28), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (74), Classifications (20), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and particularly to applying and adjusting tensioning elements to a body organ.
A variety of surgical procedures use tensioning elements to effect repair of a body organ. For example, heart disease can be treated with such tensioning elements, which can be used to replace and/or assist the functioning of native structures.
One type of heart disease occurs when a ventricle becomes dilatated. Ventricular dilatation can reduce the heart's ability to pump blood, and can lead to a significant increase in wall tension and/or stress. Such wall tension and/or stress can lead to further dilatation, which can lead to heart failure. One method of treating this condition is to apply tensioning elements to the heart wall which absorb some of the tension produced during heart operation, thereby reducing the tension in the heart wall. Determining the proper tension to apply via the tensioning elements can be difficult.
Heart valve disease is a widespread condition in which one or more of the valves of the heart fails to function properly. Diseased heart valves may be categorized as either stenotic, wherein the valve does not open sufficiently to allow adequate forward flow of blood through the valve, and/or incompetent, wherein the valve does not close completely, causing excessive backward flow of blood through the valve when the valve is closed. Valve disease can be severely debilitating and even fatal if left untreated. Valve disease often involves damaged chordae tendineae, which are thread-like bands of fibrous connective tissue that attach to the mitral or tricuspid valve at one end and to the papillary muscles or the ventricular wall at the other end.
Various surgical techniques may be used to repair a diseased or damaged heart and/or heart valve. One method for treating defective valves is through repair or reconstruction. A repair technique that has been shown to be effective in treating incompetence is annuloplasty, in which the effective size and/or shape of the valve annulus is modified by securing a repair segment, such as an annuloplasty ring, around the heart valve annulus. For example, the valve annulus may be contracted by attaching a prosthetic annuloplasty repair segment or ring to an interior wall of the heart around the valve annulus. The annuloplasty ring is designed to support the functional changes that occur during the cardiac cycle: maintaining coaptation and valve integrity to prevent reverse flow while permitting good hemodynamics during forward flow.
In many diseased valves, the chordae tendineae are either ruptured, otherwise damaged, or of an improper length. When chordae tendineae are too long, too short, or otherwise damaged, the corresponding tricuspid or mitral valve to which they are attached typically may fail to close properly. For example, chordae tendineae which are ruptured or are too long allow a valve to prolapse, wherein one or more valve leaflets swing backward past their proper closed position. This can lead to regurgitation, which is the unwanted backflow of blood from a ventricle to an atrium resulting from imperfections in the valve. When the valve allows such backward flow into an atrium, the corresponding ventricle must pump progressively harder to circulate blood throughout the body, which in turn promotes congestive heart failure.
Repairing and/or replacing dysfunctional chordae tendineae has been performed for some time. The techniques for such repair are often complicated due to the difficulties in accessing the surgical site, in identifying the dysfunctional chordae tendineae, and in determining the proper length for the repaired and/or replacement chordae tendineae. Determining the proper length for replacement chordae tendineae can be a complex procedure. Additionally, prior methods for replacing and adjusting the length of the chordae tendineae often involved making such adjustments on an arrested heart, whereas the final test of the appropriateness of the adjusted length is typically performed while the heart is beating. According, what has been needed is a method of adjusting replacement chordae lengths on a beating heart.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an improved apparatus, system, and method to apply and adjust tensioning members on and/or in a body organ, including the repair and replacement of chordae tendineae on heart valves. The present invention satisfies one or more of these needs.
The present application is generally described with respect to its use in the repair of the mitral valve, which regulates blood flow from the left atrium (LA) to the left ventricle (LV), and more specifically in the replacement of chordae tendineae. However, the invention could also be applied to treatment of other body structures where application of an adjustable tensioning device is desired.
The invention includes an adjustable support pad system. The adjustable pad includes one or more adjustable securing elements, with each securing element configured to retaining an end of a suture line or other tensioning element. The securing element is adjustable, so that the tension applied to the suture line can be adjusted. In one embodiment the securing element is a rotatable spool-like structure about which the suture line can be wound. The spool can be rotated in one or more directions to increase and/or reduce the tension in the suture line. The securing element may include a locking mechanism, such as a ratchet, segmented coil, clip, and/or cam.
The adjustable pad is configured to be attached to the outside of the organ. In use, the adjustable pad is sutured or otherwise secured to the outside of a body organ, with a tensioning element (such as a suture line) passing from the adjustable pad, into the body organ, and to an opposing attachment point. A first end of the suture line is secured to the tensioning element, and the second or opposing end of the suture line is attached to the opposing attachment point. The opposing attachment point may be inside or outside the body organ.
In an embodiment, the adjustable pad can be sutured or otherwise attached to the outside of the ventricle of a human heart. The adjustable pad is configured to provide a supporting structure for one end of the suture line or other tensioning element, thereby protect the organ wall from damage that might occur if the suture line were attached directly to the organ wall. The adjustable pad also provides the ability to adjust the length of (and thereby the tension in) the suture line, without having to retie either end of the suture line. With the adjustable pad positioned on the outside of a human heart, a surgeon could thus adjust the tension while the heart is beating, thus permitting the surgeon to see the functioning of the heart (and hence the effectiveness of the current tension setting in repairing heart function) in real time via echocardiography or other imaging techniques while he or she is adjusting the tension in the suture line or other tensioning element.
The invention can be used for correction of mitral valve prolapse using replacement chordae, such as expanded neochordae suture (such as polytetrafluroethylene (e-P TFE)). One or more replacement chordae sutures can be passed from an adjustable chordal pad, through the heart wall, and then tied in position on the desired leaflet. This part of the procedure could also be reversed, with one or more replacement chordae sutures tied to the leaflet and passed through the heart wall to an adjustable chordal pad. The desired number and length of the replacement chordae depend on the needs of the particular patient, including characteristics of the valve annulus, the valve leaflets, and the existing chordae. This portion of the procedure can be performed on a beating or arrested heart.
With the replacement chordae in place, the surgeon can adjust the chordae length from the outside of the heart by adjusting the adjustable chordal pad. In one embodiment, the adjustable chordae pad includes an adjustable tensioning element in the form of a spool-like structure that can have an end of one or more replacement chordae wound therearound. By rotating the spool-like structure in one direction or the other, the surgeon or other user can shorten (tighten) or lengthen (loosen) the replacement chordae. Depending on the particular application, one or more adjustable chordal pads may be used on a patient's heart. Additionally, the adjustable support pad may have one or more separate spools, each of which may be separately adjustable from the other spools. With separate replacement chordae wound upon separately adjustable spools on a single support pad, the support pad serves as a platform for multiple replacement chordae.
The apparatus can be used in conjunction with other repair procedures on the particular body organ or body structure involved. For example, replacing chordae tendineae can be combined with application of a heart valve annuloplasty ring or other techniques that can reshape the heart valve annulus to a desired shape, and/or prevent the heart valve annulus from further and undesired deformation. Moreover, the invention is not limited to heart treatments. Other organs and body structures could also be treated. For example, the invention could be used to apply tension to treat a pelvic organ prolapse, to reinforce muscles, and/or to reshape a body structure.
The apparatus may include a flange and/or cannula that passes into the body organ and which may provide a protective surface between the organ wall and the tensioning element.
Various aspects of the invention can be used individually or in combination to repair a body organ. The invention is applicable to various ways of accessing the organ for repair, including an open surgical approach or a minimally-invasive approach such as percutaneous or intercostal.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
In the particular embodiment of
The locking mechanism can comprise one or more mechanisms that engage the suture to prevent its movement in one or more directions. For example, in the embodiment of
In some applications, fluid leakage out of the organ 14 through the pad hole 24 may be of concern. In many cases the tightness of the pad hole 24 about the suture line 12 can prevent such leakage. Natural bodily sealing processes, such as blood clotting and/or tissue ingrowth in front of or into the pad hole 24, can further prevent such leakage. The pad hole 24 may include a sealant (not shown) against such leakage, such as a biocompatible sealant positioned within the pad hole 24. Sizing the pad hole 24 so that the suture line 12 just fits therethrough, without substantial spacing between the suture line 12 and the walls of the pad hole 24, will also help to prevent leakage. The walls of the pad hole 24 could also be formed from flexible and/or padded material that places some inward pressure against the suture line 12, thereby preventing fluid leakage. For example, a compressible material such as silicon or another compressible polymer could form all or part of the walls of the pad hole 24, and would press inwardly against the suture line 12 if the pad hole 24 was sized correctly, e.g., sized with a diameter that will compress against the suture line 12 to prevent leakage around the suture line 12. The walls of the pad hole 24 might also be formed of, or lined with, a biocompatible material that encourages tissue ingrowth, so that the tissue ingrowth acts to block leakage. Additionally, the locking mechanism itself may help to prevent such leakage, in that the locking mechanism, depending on the particular embodiment, may block all or a substantial portion of the pad hole 24 that is not already taken up by the suture line 12. In another embodiment, the flange or other material in the support pad through which the suture is intended to pass could be solid (i.e., without a pre-formed pad hole therethrough) material, in which case the user could create a pad hole using a suturing needle through which the suture was threaded. The user would drive the suture-threaded needle through the material, thus creating the pad hole and passing the needle and suture assembly through the newly-created pad hole in the adjustable support pad. The suture would thus penetrate the flange or other material, creating a hole only large enough for the suture material. If compressible material were involved, the compressible material could engage against the small suture hole to further prevent leakage.
Note that the particular embodiment of
In the embodiment of
The upper portion 44 can be configured to be easily snapped off of or otherwise removed from the lower portion 42, thus allowing the user to remove and/or replace the upper portion when necessary and/or convenient during a particular procedure. For example, a user could initially disassemble the device prior to installation, and then pass the tensioning element out of the organ, thread the tensioning element through the lower portion, secure the lower portion to the organ wall, thread the tensioning element through the upper portion, secure the upper portion to the lower portion, and then adjust the tension in the tensioning element. The user could also remove the upper portion after the lower portion was already secured to the organ wall.
The rotatable upper portion 62 is rotated, causing the tensioning line 12 to wrap around the spool 68 and thereby adjusting the tension in the tensioning line 12. In the embodiment of
The embodiment depicted in
Depending on the particular application, one or more tensioning lines can be secured to a single adjustable support pad. For example, in the device depicted in
In a further embodiment such as that depicted in
The adjustable support pad can be formed from various biocompatible materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, and/or composites. The adjustable support pad can also be configured to conform to the body organ. For example, an adjustable support pad for use in replacing chordae tendineae can be configured to conform to the outer surface of the human heart, such as an outer surface at or adjacent the apex of the heart. Such an adjustable support pad could, for example, be initially formed having an organ-facing surface that generally matches the corresponding outer surface of the heart to which the adjustable support pad will be secured. The adjustable support pad can be formed as a rigid structure, or can be formed as a generally flexible structure that can flex to modify its shape to better conform to the body organ of the particular application.
The tensioning element can take various forms. It may be a common suture. For applications where the tension was desired to be temporary, or where body tissue was expected to grow and take over the role of applying the tension, the tensioning line and/or adjustable support pad could be formed from material that is absorbed over time. For other applications, however, the tensioning line and/or adjustable support pad can be formed from non-absorbable material. The tensioning element can also contain bumps, ridges, or gears to facilitate one-directional tensioning against a locking mechanism, and could allow for the release of such tensioning.
The tensioning line can include a shock absorbing component positioned between the adjustable support pad 10 and the tensioning line attachment point 20 on the organ 14, such as the nitinol spring 88 depicted in the tensioning line 12 of
Note that the order of the steps discussed above could be varied. For example, the replacement chordae could be initially secured to the adjustable support pad 10, then passed through the heart wall 100 and secured to the valve leaflet 96. Also, the steps could be performed on a beating heart, and/or on an arrested heart with the patient on bypass.
With the replacement chordae 90 and adjustable support pad 10 in place, the tension in the replacement chordae 90 can be adjusted to the desired level. Adjusting the tension may preferably be performed on a beating heart, but in some applications the heart may need to be arrested depending on patient condition, etc. Adjusting the tension may be performed concurrently with monitoring of the heart and valve performance, which can be monitored by an imaging technique such as echocardiography. In the embodiment of
Various methods and devices can be used to adjust and/or maintain the tension. For example, the support pad may include a connecting and/or receiving assembly/device for receiving an adjustment tool that can adjust the tension. As an example, a support pad having a rotatable tensioning adjustment mechanism, such as device discussed and depicted with respect to
Another tool for adjusting tension may be an elongated adjustment element 114, such as a flexible adjustment wire or rod, that can remain permanently or removably attached to the support pad 10 at a distal end 113 end with the proximal end 115 extending outside of the patient's body 116 through the patient's skin 118, as depicted in
Another device and method for adjusting the tension can include the use one or more small motors, such as an electric motor 122, that can be included in the support pad 10 itself, as in
In another embodiment, depicted in
Another embodiment is depicted in
As discussed above, the operation of the tensioning adjustment motor could be controlled by circuitry or other controls located on or in the support pad itself or co-located with the battery and/or motor, and/or could be controlled remotely by a surgeon or other user, or by a remote computer, or by combinations thereof, etc. In the case of the control system being remotely located, the remote control signals could be wirelessly transmitted, such as via radio signals, or could be transmitted through small transmittal lines, such as wires and/or fiber-optic lines, that extend from the adjustment motor to a location outside of, or just inside of, the patient's body. For example, in the embodiment depicted in
The tensioning line can be secured in various ways, depending on the particular application and support pad. For example, the tensioning line could be tied off at the desired tension, and/or one or more portions of the tensioning line could be passed between the base portion 134 and the snap-on portion 136 such that the tensioning line is held firmly in place between the base portion 134 and snap-on portion 136 once the snap-on portion 136 is snapped onto the base portion 134. One or more portions of the tensioning line could be wrapped around part of the base portion 134 and/or snap-on portion 136 to increase the strength of the locking action on the tensioning line created by snapping the snap-on portion 136 onto the base portion 134. Where the locking of the tensioning line is accomplished by snapping the snap-on portion 136 onto the base portion 134, the surgeon or other user can adjust the tension in the tensioning line to a desired level, and then snap the snap-on portion 136 onto the base portion 134, thereby creating a lock that prevents the tensioning line from further movement and preserves the desired tension. The surgeon or other user can re-adjust the tension by re-opening the support pad 10 (by snapping the snap-on portion 136 off of the base portion 134), readjusting the tension in the tensioning line, and then snapping the snap-on portion back onto the base portion 134 to re-establish the locking action that prevents further movement of the tensioning line.
The support pads 10 of
Note that a lid-like structure such as the snap-on portion 136 of
While the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be understood that various changes and additional variations may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention or the inventive concept thereof. For example, while the invention is specifically discussed in application with repair and/or replacement of chordae tendineae, it has applicability in other areas where it is desired to repair similar structures. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
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|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Apparatus and method for guide-wire based advancement of an adjustable implant
|15 Jun 2009
|24 Nov 2015
|Valtec Cardio, Ltd.
|Annuloplasty devices and methods of delivery therefor
|15 Sep 2014
|23 Feb 2016
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implant having multiple rotational assemblies
|4 May 2010
|8 Mar 2016
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implantation of repair chords in the heart
|14 May 2013
|24 May 2016
|Medtronic Ventor Technologies Ltd.
|Self-suturing anchors
|24 Nov 2014
|31 May 2016
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implant and anchor placement
|24 Mar 2015
|16 Aug 2016
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Tissue anchor for annuloplasty device
|1 Mar 2011
|20 Sep 2016
|Medtronic Ventor Technologies Ltd.
|Mitral valve repair
|16 Sep 2013
|25 Oct 2016
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Over-wire implant contraction methods
|19 Nov 2013
|27 Dec 2016
|Valtech Cardio Ltd.
|Mitral valve treatment techniques
|14 Jan 2013
|7 Feb 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Actively-engageable movement-restriction mechanism for use with an annuloplasty structure
|1 Apr 2014
|14 Mar 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd
|Annuloplasty ring with intra-ring anchoring
|26 Dec 2013
|4 Apr 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implantation of flexible implant
|7 Apr 2014
|18 Apr 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Tool for actuating an adjusting mechanism
|4 May 2010
|2 May 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Deployment techniques for annuloplasty ring and over-wire rotation tool
|21 Jun 2012
|30 May 2017
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Contractible annuloplasty structures
|29 Dec 2014
|20 Jun 2017
|Harpoon Medical, Inc.
|Method and apparatus for transapical procedures on a mitral valve
|13 Sep 2016
|4 Jul 2017
|4 Tech Inc.
|Soft tissue depth-finding tool
|10 Mar 2006
|6 Jul 2006
|Spence Paul A
|Heart valve repair apparatus and methods
|27 Oct 2006
|1 Mar 2007
|Spence Paul A
|Heart valve repair apparatus and methods
|14 Feb 2008
|14 Aug 2008
|Jan Otto Solem
|Suture and method for repairing a heart
|24 Jul 2008
|28 Jan 2010
|Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
|Method and apparatus for repairing or replacing chordae tendinae
|9 Jun 2009
|4 Feb 2010
|Medtronic, Inc.
|Apparatus for Treating a Heart Valve, in Particular a Mitral Valve
|14 Aug 2008
|18 Feb 2010
|Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
|Method and apparatus for repairing or replacing chordae tendinae
|4 May 2009
|24 Jun 2010
|Valtech Caridio, Ltd.
|Adjustable repair chords and spool mechanism therefor
|21 Sep 2009
|4 Nov 2010
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implantation of repair chords in the heart
|19 Jan 2010
|4 Nov 2010
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Over-wire rotation tool
|24 Nov 2010
|23 Jun 2011
|Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
|Medical device with electroactive polymer powered by photovoltaic cell
|2 Feb 2011
|4 Aug 2011
|Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
|Devices and Methods for Treating a Heart
|28 Oct 2010
|25 Aug 2011
|Medtronic Ventor Technologies Ltd.
|Mitral Prosthesis and Methods for Implantation
|28 Oct 2010
|25 Aug 2011
|Medtronic Ventor Technologies Ltd
|Mitral Prosthesis and Methods for Implantation
|14 Oct 2009
|16 Aug 2012
|Luc Verstraeten
|Method, A Graphic User Interface, A System and A Computer Program for Optimizing Workflow of a Medical Intervention
|4 May 2010
|3 Apr 2014
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Implantation of repair chords in the heart
|24 Nov 2014
|28 May 2015
|On-X Life Technologies, Inc.
|Chordal Sizer
|9 Apr 2015
|30 Jul 2015
|3Mensio Medical Imaging B.V.
|Method, A Graphic User Interface, A System and A Computer Program for Optimizing Workflow of a Medical Intervention
|22 Dec 2009
|1 Jul 2010
|Valtech Cardio, Ltd.
|Adjustable annuloplasty devices and adjustment mechanisms therefor
|1 Jun 2015
|3 Dec 2015
|Rechord Medical Solutions Llc
|Mitral and ventricular geometry restoration systems and methods
|19 Aug 2015
|10 Mar 2016
|Kumar Singh Aditya
|Handheld devices for heart valves functional assessment and sizing
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|9 Mar 2006
Owner name: EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ZOLLINGER, CHRISTOPHER J.;ADZICH, W. VASO;REEL/FRAME:017660/0767;SIGNING DATES FROM 20060306 TO 20060308
|9 Apr 2012
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Crash Course: SSHS coaches putting emphasis on physical play
By BOBBY "BUTCH" BURNEY | News-Telegram Sports Editor
Aug. 14, 2007 - Football isn't just a contact sport, it's a collision sport. The Sulphur Springs Wildcats are getting a crash course in that concept this week.
Head coach Greg Owens and his staff have turned up the dial on the physical nature of the two-a-day practices. For the second straight day, the Cats engaged in the Wildcat Maker tackling drill to kick off the early morning practice.
Owens said the purpose isn't just to energize practice, but to let the players know that the coaches expect that type of intensity the entire day.
"We're not trying to kill them with it, but we've just got to understand that we've got to play at another level," Owens explained. "I think it helps to get mano-y-mano a little bit, go one-on-one and see who's going to show us something.
"I think it builds confidence in them, too, realizing this is the level where I have to go. We saw some good things - some kids are turning the corner a little bit."
The practices have also incorporated more full contact scrimmage sessions in preparation for Saturday morning's intrasquad scrimmage against Greenville.
"We've got to be physical, and some of these kids have to grow up a little bit," Owens said. "Some young kids have to realize this is a different level than freshmen or JV ball."
The head coach hammered home the mantra of being tougher and more intense during practice before the squad was dismissed at 9:45 a.m. today for an hour-long break.
"When it gets tough out here, it's hot and it's physical, and you've got to do it for four or five days in a row. It's easy to tap out a little bit, and we're trying to get them to fight through it physically and mentally," Owens explained.
They are doing it a little short-handed right now on the offensive line. With two linemen injured, the Wildcats are down to their third center this week. Sophomore Colby Suggs, a converted quarterback who had been working at starting left guard, slid over to center today to replace the injured Mason Y'Barbo and Jake Russell.
The Wildcats offensive line will be very young this season, with up to four sophomores and juniors in the starting lineup. The more repetitions they get together, the better of they will be. That has been a problem, though, since they put on pads Friday.
"We're so young on the offensive line right now, and we're having to piecemeal things together," Owens said. "We're having to shuffle a few guys around a little bit, and guys we're trying to train are just young. They haven't done it at this high of a level, and they're blocking a pretty good defensive line.
"It's a different level they're not accustomed to seeing. The hard thing about that is trying to get consistency and cohesiveness. We don't want to shuffle them around a bunch, but we're having to do it. It's not the best scenario, but you do what you've got to do."
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SARASOTA, Fla. -- Today, Dec. 21, 2012, BarCamp Sarasota hosted former U.S. Army Special Ops officer Kirk Burton at the Broadway Bar and Restaurant for a "Lunch and Learn" talk about how innovative solutions are helping to improve the speed and effectiveness of government research and development. He spoke to current events, the fiscal cliff, and how defense spending has a large role to play in curbing future federal budget deficits. Smarter R&D and acquisition strategies figured large in his outline culminating in several examples of how to improve the speed of technology development using simplified contracting and rapid prototyping. Finally, he outlined how the government provides funding for small groups of entrepreneurs to work out problems with great effect and how people right here on the Suncoast can take advantage of those resources and opportunities.
Organizers Sara Hand and Stan Schultes were there to emcee the event which was attended by a diverse group of men and women numbering about 30 including an opportunity to network at the end of the presentation.
To learn more about BarCamp Sarasota, their mission and their upcoming events, please visit them at www.bcsrq.com


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Expression host: Baculovirus-Insect Cells
Galactokinase, also known as Galactose kinase, GALK and GALK1, is a protein which belongs to the GHMP kinase family and GalK subfamily. Galactokinase / GALK1 is a major enzyme for galactose metabolism. Galactokinase (GALK) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by elevation of blood galactose concentration and diminished galactose-1-phosphate, leading to the production of galactitol. Defects in GALK1 are the cause of galactosemia II ( GALCT2 ) which II is an autosomal recessive deficiency characterized by congenital cataracts during infancy and presenile cataracts in the adult population. The cataracts are secondary to accumulation of galactitol in the lenses.


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Richard Crouch
|Richard Crouch
Crouch in 1929
|Member of the Australian Parliament
for Corio
|In office
29 March 1901 – 13 April 1910
|Preceded by
|New seat
|Succeeded by
|Alfred Ozanne
|Member of the Australian Parliament
for Corangamite
|In office
12 October 1929 – 19 December 1931
|Preceded by
|William Gibson
|Succeeded by
|William Gibson
|Personal details
19 June 1868
Ballarat East, Victoria
|7 April 1949
(aged 80)
Queenscliff, Victoria
|Political party
|Protectionist (1901–09)
Liberal (1909–10)
Labor (1929–31)
|Alma mater
|University of Melbourne
|Barrister and Solicitor
Richard Armstrong Crouch (19 June 1868 – 7 April 1949) was an Australian politician.
Crouch was born on at Ballarat East, Victoria, son of George Crouch, miner, storekeeper and later a wealthy boot-retailer from Tottenham, London, and his wife Selina Durham, née Marks, from Aberdeen, Scotland.
Crouch was elected to Federal Parliament in 1901 with a majority of 1,130 votes, as a member of the Protectionist Party and Commonwealth Liberal Party for the electorate of Corio for nine years, serving under Alfred Deakin, and was at the time the youngest member of the lower house. Crouch was a supporter of Deakin, and gained recognition as a wit and a radical. He was outspoken on the delicate matter of lavish allowances for the Governor General of Australia. Crouch enthusiastically supported new trends in Australian defence policies; however he opposed conscription. He served for another two years as a member of the Labor Party for the electorate of Corangamite, whilst James Scullin was in power. Upon his defeat, he decided to forsake politics for philanthropy, travel, writing, and encouraging Australians to take a greater interest in their history.
He was also the donor of the first six busts at Prime Ministers Avenue, and bequeathed funds for maintaining the project.
Crouch remained unmarried during his lifetime and in his later years lived with his sister Gertrude at Point Lonsdale, Victoria in the house their father had built in 1882.
Crouch died aged 80 on 7 April 1949, leaving an estate valued at 43,490 pounds and was buried at Point Lonsdale.
|Parliament of Australia
|Preceded by
New seat
|Member for Corio
1901 – 1910
|Succeeded by
Alfred Ozanne
|Preceded by
William Gibson
|Member for Corangamite
1929 – 1931
|Succeeded by
William Gibson
- Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Corio
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Corangamite
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives
- 1868 births
- 1949 deaths
- Protectionist Party members of the Parliament of Australia
- Commonwealth Liberal Party members of the Parliament of Australia
- 20th-century Australian politicians


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In the Cheap Seats
Go ahead and pull the plug - this team is dead
By BOBBY "BUTCH" BURNEY | News-Telegram Sports Editor
March 7, 2008 - Go ahead and pull the plug on the Mavericks' season. This team is dead.
They showed it again on Thursday when they were blown out - at home - by the Houston Rockets. That makes the Mavericks' record 0-5 against other Western Conference teams since making the Jason Kidd trade.
They've lost close ones, they've lost blow outs, they've lost at home, and they've lost on the road. The only common denominator is that they've lost.
Oh, Dallas may make some hay with its upcoming schedule, which has eight of the next nine games at home. But, guess what - three of those home games are against the Lakers, San Antonio and Boston. The way the Mavericks are playing right now, that's three straight losses.
Dallas may beat the likes of New York, Indiana and Miami, but should that give anybody confidence for the playoffs?
That's IF the Mavericks make the playoffs. They are currently in seventh place, just one game ahead of Golden State in eighth and two games ahead of Denver in ninth.
The only plus for the Mavericks is that if they miss the playoffs, the 2008 first-round draft choice they sent to New Jersey is lottery protected, so Dallas would keep its lottery selection.
Not that drafting a young player would matter. Coach Avery Johnson has repeatedly shown he won't play young, athletic, energetic players (see Moe Ager, Antoine Wright, D.J. Mbenga, Marquis Daniels). He prefers old men creeping up and down the court. It's apparent that Johnson doesn't want to play anyone who wasn't in the league before he retired five seasons ago.
Name one player on the Dallas roster that was drafted by Dallas. If you said Josh Howard, you were right. He's the ONLY player drafted by Dallas who still plays for the Mavericks (other than Kidd, who returned to Dallas after playing for three other teams). Don't say Dirk Nowitzki - he was drafted by Milwaukee.
In the process, the Mavericks have gotten older and less athletic, while their competition has gotten younger, hungrier and more athletic. Guess who wins those battles?
Dallas is now the second-oldest team in the league. That is now their identity - old, slow and without any bite.
Avery Johnson has taken this team's identity away. The Mavericks are no longer a high-scoring, fast-break tempo team - they are averaging less than 100 points per game. And they're not a defensive team - they are next-to-last in the conference in steals and dead last in forcing opponents' turnovers.
While Johnson took them to the NBA Finals in 2006, it was with the team Don Nelson had assembled. This is now Avery's team - and it's lost on offense and heartless on defense.
The Mavericks are no longer listening to whatever Avery is preaching. Once the congregation has quit listening to the preacher, it's time for a change.
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Greetings Faculty and Staff,
The African-American Faculty and Staff Coalition are seeking nominations for the annual AAFSC Diversity Award. The deadline for nominations is January 20, 2016. Here's a brief summary of the award's history and a quick reminder of the criteria.
The Diversity Award was established in February 2009 to honor a permanent, full-time employee of Francis Marion University who works diligently to promote ethnic understanding and diversity across the FMU campus. The award recognizes the faculty and staff member's commitment to diversity at the University and community at large. This year's recipient will be the seventh winner of this prestigious award. This award, which carries a beautiful plaque, will be presented at the annual AAFSC Banquet/Gala on February 19, 2016.
The following criteria have been established:
Past Winners are:
2010 - Dr. Rebecca Lawson
2011 - Dr. Louis Venters
2012 - Ms. Angela Crosland
2013 - Dr. Rhonda M. Brogdon
2014 - Ms. Yvonne Davis
2015 - Mrs. Crystal L. Graham
Please submit your complete nominations. We look forward to hearing from you soon and seeing you in February!
"Together We Can"


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« Previous · Tax Update Blog Home · Next »
The best summary of the ills of the federal income tax I've seen was presented yesterday to Congress by Scott Hodge of the Tax Foundation. It has so much good stuff that it's hard to excerpt. Some highlights:
Over the past two decades, lawmakers have increasingly asked the tax code to direct all manner of social and economic objectives, such as encouraging people to buy hybrid vehicles, turn corn into gasoline, save more for retirement, purchase health insurance, buy a home, replace the home's windows, adopt children, put them in daycare, take care of Grandma, buy bonds, spend more on research, purchase school supplies, go to college, invest in historic buildings, and the list goes on.
The U.S. tax system is in desperate need of simplification and reform. The relentless growth of credits and deductions over the past 20 years has made the IRS a super-agency, engaged in policies as unrelated as delivering welfare benefits to subsidizing the manufacture of energy efficient refrigerators. I would argue that were we starting from scratch, these would not be the functions we would want a tax collection agency to perform.
The development of the IRS into a cross-functional superagency is a terribly underreported story (except here, of course).
Second, as a consequence of trying to use the tax code to help the "middle-class," we have knocked millions of people off the tax rolls, turned the IRS into an extension of the welfare state, and created a growing class of people who are disconnected from the basic cost of government.
It's not good when 51% can vote to tax the other 49%.
Lastly, while some people would like to make the tax code more progressive, the fact is that the U.S. already has the most progressive income tax system of any industrialized country. The top 1 percent of taxpayers pays a greater share of the tax burden than the bottom 90 percent combined. Moreover, the nation's tax and spending policies currently combine to redistribute more than $826 billion annually from the top 40 percent of families to the bottom 60 percent. We should have an honest discussion over how much redistribution is considered fair.
If you don't want to read the whole thing, it's worth visiting just for the pictures. First, how people are becoming disconnected from the cost of government:
Sure, spend more, the rich guy is buying anyway:
Ah, you say, those charts don't take into account payroll taxes, which are regressive! They don't take into account government benefits either. This one does:
This means the bottom 10% of taxpayers receive more than ten times as much in benefits as they pay; the entire bottom 50% of taxpayers receives more in benefits than it pays. And if you are tempted to say "but what about payroll taxes?", this chart counts all federal taxes, not just the income tax.
Hat tip: Paul Singleton
Update: TaxProf, 51% of Households Pay No Income Tax; Share of Taxes Paid by Rich Growing Faster Than Income
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and yet the irony is that most politicians and pundits think we have a revenue problem, that simply raising marginal rates will ease all of our budget problems. The emergence of refundable credits (using the tax code as a Keynesian mechanism) is what is affecting tax revenues. We have to squeeze more juice out of fewer lemons. If you look at the numbers, the amount of refunds issued
by the government has dramatically increased from $196 billion in 2000 to $467 billion in 2010. We actually have collected about $300 billion more tax revenue in 2010 than we did in 2000, from only a slightly larger tax base (there were about 4 million more taxpayers in 2010 than in 2000.
The items included in the Tax Update Blog are informational only and are not meant as tax advice. Consult with your tax advisor to determine how any item applies to your situation.
Joe Kristan writes the Tax Update items, and any opinions expressed or implied are not necessarily shared by anyone else at Roth & Company, P.C. Address questions or comments on Tax Updates to


text:
A bizarre (and frightening) wakeup call
When people ask me -- "What time do you go to sleep?" -- I usually joke that I never fall asleep, I just pass out from exhaustion at the end of the day.
Tonight, I happened to be on the couch, vegging in front of the TV, when the Sandman came. (It wasn't Adam Sandler, though I've fallen asleep in front of his movies before).
Anyway, I think I was just about to enter the REM stage when the folks who run Time Warner and/or my local station decided it was time to run a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.
There was a series of staccato beeps, followed by a tone and an announcement that sounded like it came from Charlie Brown's teacher -- all delivered at about five times the barely-audible volume that had allowed me to drift into slumber during the second of two "Seinfeld" reruns.
Needless to say, I shot up off the couch and turned down the volume. Now, I'm wide awake and returning some work e-mails.
It dawns on me that the EBS test is the most effective, and perhaps most frightening, wakeup call I've received in years. Maybe the folks who run it are in the wrong line of work.
Sweet dreams, Milwaukee... provided you didn't fall asleep in front of the TV.
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text:
Its legacy winds back through centuries and across continents, past the birth of America to the waning days of the Enlightenment. It is a record of humanity's achievements in war and peace, art and science, exploration and discovery. It has been taken to represent the sum of all human knowledge.
And now it's going out of print.
The Encyclopedia Britannica has announced that after 244 years, dozens of editions and more than 7m sets sold, no new editions will be put to paper. The 32 volumes of the 2010 installment, it turns out, were the last. Future editions will live exclusively online.
Encyclopedia Britannica halts print publication after 244 years
Current Status: Blessed (1)
Seeded on Tue Mar 13, 2012 5:44 PM
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This is one lady who never backs down from a fight. Ronda is the current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, as well as an up and coming actress, but the road to success was not an easy one. Her mother was the first American to win a World Judo Championship. Her father was injured in an accident and committed suicide as a result when Ronda was only 8 years old. As an outlet for Ronda, she began training Judo with her mother at 11 years old and by 17, she had qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Rhonda competed in the 2008 and Olympics in Beijing, taking home a coveted bronze medal. After struggling for a while with what her future should be, Ronda pursued a career in mixed martial arts. In November 2012, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that Rousey had become the first female fighter to sign with the UFC and Ronda has been a force to be reckoned with even since.
She's been called a "slaughterhouse in a blouse" — by Eminem, no less — and loves it. She can take all comers, male or female…
One Marine's dream is finally coming true. Jarrod Haschert of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, went viral last week after taping himself inviting MMA fighter Ronda Rousey to his Marine Corps Ball.
There's a good chance you're hearing the name Ronda Rousey go around this weekend.
Ronda Jean Rousey (born February 1, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist and judoka. She is the first and current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, as well as the former Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion. She has finished all of her opponents by armbar in the first round. Rousey became the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in Judo at the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008.
Rousey trains under famous fighters Gokor Chivichyan of the Hayastan MMA Academy and Edmond Tarverdyan of the Glendale Fighting Club. She is part of Team Hayastan in Santa Monica, California. She is managed by Darin Harvey of Fight Tribe MMA.
Rousey is the consensus #1 pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world, according to MMARising, MMAWeekly, and many other publications. She is also ranked #1 at 135 pounds according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings. www.rondamma.com


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BREVARD -- On May 24, the Land of Sky Regional Council took its monthly board meeting on the road to celebrate and showcase some of recent successes in Transylvania County. The meeting took place at the new library facility. The event was hosted by Rodney Locks, Brevard city councilman and LOSRC board chairman. Presenters were Mark Burrows, director of the Economic Development Commission; Joshua Freeman, city of Brevard Planning Department; Capt. Eddie Lance of the Sheriff's Department; and Al Chappel, a volunteer from the Sheriff's Department through the LOSRC's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
Library Director Anna Yount gave tours of the new facility. Also in attendance from Transylvania County were County Manager Artie Wilson and special guests Eugene Ignatov, Sophia Yugay and Katerina Ryakina, who are students visiting from the International Trade and Small Business Institute to learn about government processes and economic development.
Jim Stokoe, manager of the Council's Local Government Services section, reported that LGS staff had helped to obtain $3.86 million in grants for the county's three local governments over the past four years: $1.05 million for Transylvania County, $2.15 million for the city of Brevard, and $660,000 for the town of Rosman. These included five economic recovery grants, one hurricane recovery grant and three grants for housing rehabilitation and water/sewer infrastructure. He also reported on assistance to the local governments in transportation planning, schools recycling programs, biofuels, neighborhood revitalization, retreat facilitation and helping farmers learn to grow medicinal herbs.
LeeAnne Tucker, director of Volunteer Programs, described the programs offered for seniors in Transylvania County. In calendar year 2005 there were 105 volunteers serving in Transylvania County. They donated more than 20,000 hours through 15 different nonprofit or governmental agencies. Joe Connolly, director of the Area Agency on Aging, reported that current NC population data estimates indicate that 29.8 percent of the population in Transylvania County is over 60 years of age. In less than 25 years, 42 percent of the county's population is projected to be over the age of 60.
In this fiscal year, more than $280,000 was awarded through the Land-of-Sky Regional Council to agencies in Transylvania County that provide services to older adults. On June 15 at the Porter Center in Brevard, the Land-of-Sky Regional Council is collaborating with AARP for a day-long "Scam Jam" program that will help educate seniors about frauds and scams targeting older adults.
For more information, visit www.landofsky.org or call 251-6622.