text:
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of liver disease. HBV primarily infects hepatocytes by a still poorly understood mechanism. After an endocytotic process, the nucleocapsids are released into the cytoplasm and the relaxed circular rcDNA genome is transported towards the nucleus where it is converted into covalently closed circular cccDNA. Replication of the viral genome occurs via an RNA pregenome (pgRNA) that binds to HBV polymerase (P). P initiates pgRNA encapsidation and reverse transcription inside the capsid. Matured, rcDNA containing nucleocapsids can re-deliver the RC-DNA to the nucleus, or be secreted via interaction with the envelope proteins as progeny virions.
The human hepatitis B virus belongs to the family of
A partially double-stranded genomic DNA comprising a complete coding strand (negative strand) and an incomplete non-coding strand (positive strand);
A RNA-dependent DNA polymerase;
Replication through a pre-genomic RNA template;
A high degree of species and tissue specificity.
The partially double-stranded DNA genome of HBV is about 3.2 kb in size. The viral genome uses all three reading frames and contains at least four different open reading frames, coding for the viral polymerase, the HBc and HBe antigen, the regulatory protein HBx and the preS/S gene encoding the three surface antigens (LHBs, MHBs and SHBs) (
Schematic structure of the HBV particle and subviral particles. HBV is an enveloped virus with a diameter of about 42 nm (42 nm particle). The envelope is formed by the three viral surface proteins LHBs, MHBs and SHBs that surround the viral nucleocapsid. The core protein (HBcAg) forms the nucleocapsid that harbors the partially double-stranded circular DNA genome that is covalently linked to the viral polymerase. In the serum of HBV-positive patients, large amounts of non-infectious subviral particles in the form of filaments or spheres (20nm particles) are found; these are composed of the viral surface proteins, but lack the viral nucleic acid.
Infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause an acute or chronic inflammation of the liver. In addition, HBV is a major causative agent for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [
The HBV surface proteins are encoded by one open reading frame that is divided by three in-frame AUG start codons into the following domains: PreS1, PreS2 and S. The large HBV surface protein (LHBs) encompasses the PreS1 domain (108 or 119 aa depending on the genotype), the PreS2 domain (55aa) and the S domain (226 aa); the middle surface protein (MHBs) encompasses the PreS2 and S domain and the small (SHBs) consists of the S domain [
Schematic structure of the HBV surface proteins. The S-domain is common to all three HBV surface proteins. In the case of the large surface protein (LHBs), TM1 is not used as a start transfer signal, resulting in a cytoplasmic orientation of the PreS1PreS2 region. In a fraction of LHBs the PreSPreS2 domain is posttranslationally translocated across the ER membrane. In this case, the PreS1PreS2 domain faces the lumen of the ER. The two forms of LHBs fulfill different functions. This fraction that faces the ER lumen is exposed to the viral surface in the mature viral particle and is involved in the attachment process. The cytoplasmic form mediates the contact to the nucleocapsid and triggers intracellular signal transduction cascades by the interaction of the PreS2 domain with protein kinase C (PKC).
HBV envelope proteins are integral membrane proteins that are anchored by the S-domain to the membrane [
In the case of the MHBs protein there is no difference in the topology of its S-domain as compared to SHBs. The N-terminal PreS2 domain of MHBs is cotranslationally translocated into the ER-lumen resulting in the accessibility of Asn 4 to the N-glycosyltransferases (
LHBs shows an unusual biosynthesis. Its hydrophilic PreS1-PreS2 domain is not cotranslationally translocated, since TM1 of the S-domain is not used as a cotranslational signal sequence. As a consequence, the PreS1-PreS2 domain and a part of the S domain, up aa 79, remain on the cytosolic face of the ER. TM2 anchors the growing LHBs in the membrane and causes translocation of the downstream sequences into the ER lumen, enabling glycosylation at Asn-146 of the S-domain that still faces the ER-lumen [
Apart from these morphogenic functions, the cytoplasmic orientation of the PreS2 domain is associated with the additional function of PreS2 as regulatory protein. Cytoplasmic PreS2 is found in LHBs and in C-terminally truncated MHBs proteins [
The HBV surface proteins are not only part of the viral particle. They are suggested to bud from the post-ER pre-Golgi membranes [
A detailed analysis revealed that the HBV subviral particles form by self-assembly of the S protein into branched filaments in the lumen of the ER. These long filaments are then folded and bridged for packing into crystal-like structures before they are transported by ER-derived vesicles to the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). In the ERGIC, they are unpacked and relaxed. Due to their size, further progression through the secretory pathway might be limited. Therefore, their conversion into spherical particles is required. Small branched filaments can be formed by the L protein in the ER lumen, but these filaments are not packed into transport vesicles, accounting for the retention of the L protein within cells [
The HBV nucleocapsid is formed by the core protein (HBcAg) that is conserved between the different genotypes [
HBcAg can be overproduced in pro- and eukaryotic expression systems and assembles in these systems to capsid particles [
In principle, HBcAg dimers can assemble into two different types of particles: on the one hand, particles with a diameter of 30 nm that consist of 90 HBcAg dimers and display a T= 3 symmetry, and on the other hand larger particles with a diameter of 34 nm, that are assembled by 120 dimers and display a T = 4 symmetry [
Affecting nucleocapsid formation could be an alternative therapeutic approach to control HBV infection. The heteraryldihydropyrimidine (HAP) Bay 41-4109 recently was found to act in an HBcAg-specific manner and thereby inhibits virus production [
According to a general concept of viral infection, the first step is an energy-independent attachment of the viral particle to a structure at the host cell surface. After the primary attachment, which is characterized by low affinity and reversibility, the virus particle is transferred to a more specific receptor. In case of enveloped viruses the binding to the receptor normally is followed by a fusion step, either at the plasma membrane or in an endosomal compartment [
Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) are a classic
Primary hepatocytes from
Based on this, the availability of a human hepatoma cell line that can be infected with HBV is desirable. For the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 there are many reports describing a specific binding and uptake of HBV [
A general problem in the analysis of productive infection is to differentiate between input and
When using enriched or purified viral inocula, detection of HBeAg by ELISA represents a good marker, since after the enrichment procedure HBeAg is not present in the inoculum. HBsAg detection is more sensitive as compared to HBeAg, it requires, however, multiple cell washing steps [
HBV infection is thought to follow a multistep process. While for the DHBV system heparin or dextran sulphate have no effect on the infection process [
The mechanism by which these peptides exert their inhibitory effect is presently unclear. The very low IC50 of 8 nM and the observation that these peptides are inhibitory even if they are added after the virus attachment has occurred argue against a simple competitive inhibition. Moreover, there is no clear correlation between the specificity of peptide binding, on the one hand, and susceptibility of the respective cell for HBV infection on the other hand. Analysis of the bio-distribution of these peptides in immunodeficient urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) mice, repopulated with primary human or
Although the PreS1 domain contains the major cell attachment epitope, there are reports about further epitopes outside the PreS1 domain that are involved in HBV-cell attachment. Paran
Data from the DHBV system suggest that
Productive infection with HBV requires delivery of the genome into the nucleus [
In the case of genotype ayw, the PreS2 domain of HBV harbors between aa 41-52 a membrane-permeable peptide designated TLM (translocation motif). The presence of this TLM is conserved in all
Based on these data, it was suggested that
Lipofection of mature nucleocapsid [
Productive viral infection requires the transport of the HBV genome into the nucleus, where the conversion into cccDNA occurs (recently reviewed in [
Further work of this group suggested that immature capsids reached the basket of the nuclear pore complex, but neither released capsid proteins nor immature genomes into the nucleoplasm. In the case of mature capsids, intranuclear staining for HBcAg was observed [
In a recent report, an efficient system for gene transfer into hepatocytes based on cell-permeable nucleocapsids was described [
At the end of the viral entry process, the viral genome is delivered into the nucleus. The viral genome exists at this stage as rcDNA (relaxed circular DNA). rcDNA consists of a complete (-)-DNA strand covalently linked to the viral polymerase P at its 5' end, and an incomplete (+)-DNA strand with an RNA oligonucleotide at its 5' end, which serves as primer for the (+)-strand synthesis. To establish a viral infection, the viral genome has to be present in a stable form within the infected cell. In the case of HBV, the viral rcDNA is converted into a nuclear, episomal covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), which represents the central intracellular intermediate in viral replication and also serves as an experimental marker for the successful establishment of an infection [
The nuclear cccDNA serves as template for the synthesis of the pregenomic RNA (pgRNA), an RNA intermediate for viral replication and other subgenomic RNAs. The bicistronic pgRNA has two major roles in viral life cycle: it serves as translation and reverse transcription template. The pgRNA is an overlength transcript containing a second copy of the direct repeat 1 (DR1), the ε signal and a poly-A tail, serving as a transcript for the translation of the 90 kDa viral polymerase, the 21 kDa core protein, and a 24 kDa precursor early antigen. Second, it serves as template for reverse transcription of the viral (-)-DNA strand and is, therefore, indispensable for viral replication. Besides the pgRNA, there are three additional subgenomic RNAs coding for the surface proteins (2.4 kb RNA and 2.1 kb RNA) and the HBx protein (0.7 kb RNA) [
Hepatitis B viruses, as well as other members of the
HBV nucleocapsid formation starts when the complex of the RNA pregenome, HBV polymerase and HBcAg dimers has formed [
Detailed analyses revealed that capsid maturation is associated with a dephosphorylation of the nucleocapsid (
Genome packaging and nucleocapsid maturation. HBV nucleocapsid formation starts when the complex of the RNA pregenome , HBV polymerase and HBcAg dimers has formed. Efficient packaging of the RNA pregenome requires phosphorylation in the C-terminal part of the core protein. Conversion of the immature RNA-containing nucleocapsid to the mature DNA-containing nucleocapsid is associated with dephosphorylation and conformational changes. These significant differences in the structure between the RNA-containing immature nucleocapsid and the mature nucleocapsid trigger the envelopment of the mature nucleocapsid.
The identity of the kinase(s) that are involved in the phosphorylation of these residues is not fully understood. Based on
Analysis of DHBV capsid phosphorylation by detailed mass specrometric analyses revealed that the core protein from immature nucleocapsids was phosphorylated on at least six sites, whereas the mature nucleocapsid was completely dephosphorylated [
Based on the data from the HBV [
In contrast to type C retroviruses or lentiviruses, where mutants with impaired envelope protein formation are still released coated with lipid bilayer, in the case of HBV the envelopment of the mature nucleocapsid strictly depends on the presence of the viral surface proteins. However, it was shown that MHBs is dispensable for virus production [
It is assumed that this part of the PreS1 domain interacts with the capsid during envelopment. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that mutations within this part of PreS1 impair capsid envelopment. Moreover,
To identify nucleocapsid residues that are crucial for envelopment, a variety of natural and engineered mutants were analyzed. Based on these experiments, it was concluded that the spike tip seems to have no impact on the capsid envelopment [
Mature hepadnaviral nucleocapsids form in the cytoplasm. For DHBV, it has been shown that mature nucleocapsids attach to intracellular membranes. This attachment does not require the presence of envelope proteins. Immature nucleocapsids do not bind [


text:
Get an overview of this hotelSuburban Zurich hotel in Escher Wyss, near Swiss National Museum
Popular property highlights
Located in Escher Wyss, this boutique hotel is 0.4 mi (0.7 km) from Technopark Business Center and within 3 mi (5 km) of Swiss National Museum and Bahnhofstrasse. Fraumuenster and Kunsthaus Zurich are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Hotel Features
Along with a restaurant, this hotel has a fitness center and a bar/lounge. WiFi in public areas is free. Other amenities include a sauna, a 24-hour business center, and self parking.
Room Amenities
All 126 individually decorated rooms provide free WiFi, free wired Internet, and minibars. For a bit of entertainment, flat-screen TVs come with cable channels, and guests will also find premium bedding and safes.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
25hours Hotel Zürich West
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
25hours Hotel Zürich West features a sauna and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary.
Business-related amenities at this 4-star property consist of a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. 3 meeting rooms are available. This business-friendly hotel also offers a terrace, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge.
- Luggage storage
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Sauna
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- 24-hour business center
- Bar/lounge
- Elevator/lift
- Total number of rooms - 126
- Free newspapers in lobby
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 6
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Fitness facilities
- Meeting rooms 3
- Terrace
- Restaurant
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Number of meeting rooms - 3
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Steam room
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired Internet
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Individually furnished
- Individually decorated
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired Internet
- Daily housekeeping
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- In-room safe
- Designer toiletries
- Premium bedding
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Shower only
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Rollaway/extra beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6:30 AM and 10:30 AM.
NENI - This restaurant specializes in international cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are required.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna and a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Bicycle rentals on site
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! One child 7 years old or younger stays free when using existing bedding.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for CHF 30 per night.
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of CHF 20 per pet, per day
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Special cancellation policies or charges may apply for group reservations (more than 8 rooms for the same property / stay dates).
- A tax is imposed by the city: CHF 2.50 per person, per night
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: CHF 25 per person (approximately)
- Self parking fee: CHF 25 per night
- Pet fee: CHF 20 per pet, per day
- Rollaway bed fee: CHF 30 per night
Hotel Name
- 25hours Hotel Zürich West Zurich
- 25hours Hotel Zürich West
- 25hours Zürich West Zurich
- 25hours Zürich West
- 25hours Hotel Zürich
- 25hours Zürich
- Zürich West
We should mention
One child 7 years old or younger stays free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Crown Equipment Corporation
35 Tawn Place, Hamilton City, Waikato
Physical address
Crown specialises in all areas of Forklift Equipment: Forklift Sales and Hire, Forklift Service and Repair, as well as, Forklift Truck Driver Training. Servicing the country.
No reviews yet. Be the the 1st to review.
Telephone (07) 850 5575
(07) 850 5575
Toll free 0800 802002
0800 802002
Review Crown Equipment Corporation


text:
The '07 Saturn Sky Red Line, powered by General Motors Corp.'s highest output 4-cyl. engine, will base at $27,895, Saturn Corp. says. The high-end variant includes the direct-injected 2L turbocharged Ecotec 4-cyl., mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with self-adjusting clutch. The same engine powers the '07 Pontiac Solstice GXP and Opel GT roadsters. It produces 260 hp and marks the auto maker's second application of DI in gasoline engines and its first use of the technology in North ...
Premium Content (PAID Subscription Required)
"GM Prices Sky Redline, Solstice GXP" is part of the paid WardsAuto Premium content. You must log in with Premium credentials in order to access this article. Premium paid subscribers also gain access to:
All of WardsAuto's reliable, in-depth industry reporting and analysis
Hundreds of downloadable data tables including:
• Global sales and production data by country
• U.S. model-line inventory data
• Engine and equipment installation rates
• WardsAuto's North America Plant by Platform forecast
• Product Cycle chart
• Interrelationships among major OEMs
• Medium- and heavy-duty truck volumes
• Historical data and much more!
For WardsAuto.com pricing and subscription information please contact
Lisa Williamson by email: email@example.com or phone: (248) 799-2642
Current subscribers, please login or CLICK for support information.


text:
Your questions, answered
For Clients & Donors
What is HTI?
Human Touch Initiative (HTI) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded to provide people who have a current cancer diagnosis with free or low-cost access to integrative therapies, including oncology massage.
Who is eligible to receive HTI services?
Anyone in Monroe and its bordering counties who has a current cancer diagnosis. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Do applicants have to prove financial distress?
No, our services are for anyone with a current cancer diagnosis. However, on the application for services there's an option to pay a small part of the massage therapist's fee ($15) to help HTI's funds go further. Those who indicate they are not in the position to help pay for their services will receive oncology massage services at no charge.
How does it work?
A simple application for services is available to submit on our Web site. If you don't have an email address, you may print your completed application and mail it to HTI at the address below OR download the application, print a copy and mail to submit. Download Application PDF Once the application is approved, each client will receive three (3) massage vouchers and a list of participating massage therapists trained in oncology massage. Clients are responsible for making their own appointments with the participating provider of their choice. Massage vouchers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis as funds are available.
Where do clients go to receive a massage?
Clients can choose a therapist who is most conveniently located to them from our list of participating providers.
Who are the HTI providers?
Participating therapists are local practitioners who have met HTI's criteria for special training in oncology massage, have a current NYS license and operate a private massage practice in our community.
Are providers donating their services?
No. We respect the level of training and investment our providers have made to operate their businesses and offer a nurturing and safe service environment for our clients. So we've negotiated reduced fees with them, creating a relationship that is beneficial to all—the client, the practitioner and HTI.
Do I need my doctor's permission?
It's always best to check with the physician overseeing your care before adding any therapies to your cancer treatment plan. Your massage therapist wants to be part of your wellness team.
Is massage ever not safe for someone with cancer?
The medical community has pronounced massage for those with cancer as completely safe, as long as it's provided by a therapist who is specifically trained to work with cancer patients. Research is continually emerging to support massage as a valuable therapy in relieving symptoms of pain, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. Only a very small number of clients would require a therapeutic-touch technique where rubbing or compression of the skin is avoided.
How much of the money HTI raises will go toward providing services?
In our first year of operation, more than 80 percent of funds raised will go directly toward service vouchers for clients. HTI keeps its overhead expenses minimal: we operate as a virtual agency, with out leasing office space. Our expenses include our Web-hosting service and insurance for our board members. In coming years, we expect that even more of the contributions we receive to go toward meeting demand for services.
What to expect…
Once you receive your vouchers and our list of participating providers in the mail you can make your appointment with any provider you choose. The massage therapist will take a thorough health history. They may send you a questionnaire to fill out ahead of time or they may have you fill one out once you have come to their office. Your personal information, as any conversation you have with your therapist, is always kept confidential.
The massage itself will outwardly be comparable to any massage you have had in the past. One difference you will be able to find comfort in is, due to their specialized training in oncology massage, the massage therapist will be making well-informed, mindful decisions about you and your current state of health during your session with them. If you have never had a massage before then rest assured the massage therapist will take time to explain what they are going to be doing. You will be modestly draped under linens at all times. You may choose to undress to your level of comfort. Some clients prefer no clothes, some prefer to keep on their underwear. Always feel free to ask questions or to ask the practitioner to make a change in their technique if you are uncomfortable in any way. Remember, this is your time to find some calm in the chaos. Your massage therapist is there for you.
What kinds of services will HTI add in the future?
We plan to build a network of movement and guided meditation practitioners who will offer classes to HTI clients at discounted prices or free of charge.
How can I support HTI?
There are many ways to help support HTI, through your time, your funds or your talents. You may donate online at the Donate page on our Web site—humantouchinitiative.org—by mail, or by calling us at 585.672.6222. If you have a service you'd like to donate, please give us a call.
Where can I mail a donation to HTI?
Our mailing address is: Human Touch Initiative, P.O. Box 3406, Rochester, NY 14623.
Can I help with fund-raising or host an event?
Absolutely! We have a growing list of opportunities and are looking for more ideas. Your participation will spread the word about HTI and help us grow. Please call 585.672.6222 if you would like to host a fund-raising event for HTI or volunteer with us. We appreciate any and all support you can provide as we establish our presence in the Rochester-area community.


text: Goggles4u is the online eyewear superstore where you can shop for designer glasses, prescription eyewear and use the re-lens service as well. You can find amazing, economical deals for a set of spectacles that includes lens, optical frame and shipping and enjoy fast home delivery of your purchase. The store doesn't advertise and passes on the savings to customers by way of low prices. Browse fun looks for nerds, geeks, fashionistas, get free eyeglass frame offers and shop securely via the online store. read more


text:
Based on Webkit (the core of the Safari Chrome browsers), instead of unloading browsed pages as you navigate, Lightning Web Browser stores a buffer of many WebBrowser objects in memory. This allows you to return to a previously viewed page instantaneously without having to wait for it to reload. This simple optimisation makes a huge difference to your browsing experience.
URL's (starting with http://) or search items can be entered into the search field. For search terms, select the stite you wish to search on the popup list at
What's New
- Updated for Yosemite
- OS X 10.6 or later


text:
(CONCORD) New Hampshire's tax climate is pretty good for business, despite having the harshest corporate tax burden in the country, according to a new study released today by the Tax Foundation. The Washington based think tank annually ranks each state's tax policies.
The Tax Foundation examines how each state's tax policies compare in five areas; corporate, income, sales, unemployment, and property taxes. New Hampshire has ranked 7th best for overall business tax climate since 2007. In 2006, the Granite State was 6th. South Dakota retained the top ranking nationally, having passed Wyoming last year. New York and California are the least competitive states for business, according to the study. After four years on the bottom, New Jersey moved up two spots this year, now boasting the 48th best business climate in the nation.
New Hampshire's economic competitiveness was dragged down in the rankings by its worst in the nation corporate tax policy. Author Kail Padgitt tells New Hampshire Watchdog that business competitiveness is harmed by having both a corporate income tax, the Business Profits Tax, and a form of gross receipts tax, the Business Enterprise Tax. While the BET is at a low rate, Padgitt says businesses have to pay it on every dollar they spend, whether or not they're making money.
"It's going after businesses that might not earn a profit that year. And even though they can deduct it from the BPT, it adds to the complexity in that businesses are filing two tax returns each year."
Padgitt also notes that New Hampshire is one of only two states that limits the net operating losses that a business can carry forward as a tax deductions.


text:
Recently Browsing 0 members
No registered users viewing this page.
Putting Hank's goal scoring problems into perspective.
Started by
Rate this topic
87 posts in this topic
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new account
Sign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now


text:
TWO men have been arrested following an attempted robbery at a jewellery shop in central Taunton on Saturday afternoon.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson confirmed that a 49 year-old man from Luton in Bedfordshire, and a 52 year-old man from Oxfordshire, were currently being questioned in custody.
Police were alerted to an incident at the Showerings jewellery shop in St James St, Taunton at 2.15pm on Saturday March 1, in which a 72 year-old man was injured.
Witnesses, or anyone with information relating to the incident, are asked to call the police incident number on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.


text:
Serving Irvine and Victorville with Expert Podiatry Care
Foot and ankle problems can arise in an instant or develop over a long period of time. Whatever the cause is of your pain or discomfort, it's never wise to just ignore the symptoms. They rarely disappear, and in many instances will only grow worse as time passes. That is why California Foot & Ankle Institute offers a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION for new patients to take the first steps toward a more active and pain-free life.
One Practice for a Plethora of Treatments
The doctors at California Foot & Ankle Institute have spent their lives learning and practicing the different specialties of foot and ankle care. We remain up-to-date on innovations in our field and have equipped ourselves to treat the root cause of the problem whenever possible. Once we examine the problem and discuss the best options with you, odds are very good we will be able to provide you the best treatment right here instead of shipping you across the city or state.
In addition to a wide range of standard treatments, special services include (but are not limited to):
- Minimally invasive Surgery (MIS) for bunions, as well as other surgical services using neighboring Starpoint Health Surgery Centers
- Surgical nerve decompression for treatment of nerve pain or numbness (offered at few practices nationwide)
- EPAT, a non-surgical treatment for short- and long-term heel pain
- Complete physical therapy for conditioning, strengthening, and rehabilitation
- Stem cell therapy to treat diabetic ulcers and other wounds that have been unable to heal
- Laser treatment for fungal nails, warts, and other skin conditions
- X-rays and imaging
Regardless of the condition for which you or a loved one is seeking help, our ultimate goal is to provide you a clear understanding of the problem and all the treatment options that are available to you. No one form of care is the best fit for every patient, and we make sure to keep the lifestyles and individual needs of every patient in mind. Whether you are an athlete needing safe and quick recovery from an injury, or a patient with diabetes who can benefit from long-term preventative care, your health and happiness come first.
There is zero need for shame or believing a problem is too minor. We have seen it all, and problems are always best addressed while in their earliest and most minor stages. Common conditions we address every day include heel pain, neuropathy, arch abnormalities, flat feet, sports injuries, bunions, hammertoes, corns, calluses, heel spurs, nail conditions, athlete's foot, warts, neuromas, ganglion cysts, and wounds.
Schedule an Appointment with California Foot & Ankle Institute
As doctors of one of the premier podiatry institutes in the United States, we are confident we can provide our patients with excellent results and the quickest, safest recovery times possible. There is no need to live a life that has to be constantly built around pain, discomfort, or weakness anymore. Take advantage of our free initial consultation with our Irvine or Victorville podiatrists by calling toll-free 1-888-796-6631. The first steps toward better feet and ankles need to be yours.


text:
Democracy -- Meaning Rule by Apes
For those following the Electoral Vote Predictor. As of 10/24/2004,
it is Kerry 257 | Bush 254
a shift to nobody's favor from 10/14/2004 where it was Bush 284 | Kerry 228. Is anyone else getting
totally sick of this discussion. I mean, DRUDGE actually has on
his page today the following headlines:
Bush: Kerry Suffers 'Election Amnesia'...
Kerry: Bush Allowed Bin Laden to Escape...
Enough already -- let's just vote.
Some of you have expressed dismay over the title of these entries -- "How can you denigrate democracy by
calling it 'Rule by Apes?'" But, we have a few questions for those who believe in evolution -- like,
"If we have indeed descended from Apes, how can 'democracy' be anything but rule by Apes?" Or, "If we have
indeed descended from Apes, how can there not be the possibility -- nay, probability -- that there will
be yet another species, that may appear quite suddenly, that will be superior to what we now call, 'Men?'"
Or, and this can never be touched upon, but here-goes anyway, "If we have indeed descended from Apes, how
is it not possible -- nay, probable -- that there are some of what we call, 'Men,' that are superior (i.e.,
further evolved) than others that we still insist on calling, 'Men?'"
You see, this entire experimental form of governance is set upon the ridiculous notion that 'All Men
are Created Equal.' As some report, this has been scientifically proven to be patently false. We
have not been created -- equal, or otherwise. So, how is it that all "men" should receive equal rights
under the law or equal standing in the voting booth? When superiority of some "men" over other "men"
is as natural as losing your tail and developing an opposable thumb. All we are doing is marking time
until the appearance of the Uber-mensch -- an idea introduced at the end of the 19th century that
gained popularity in Germany in the late 30's to great shouts of, "Oh, my God." Or was it, "Oh, my
random, meaningless universe?"
Note: The term "men" appears above in quotations not to emphasize sex, but rather species and
should more appropriately and scientifically and rationally and objectively be replaced with the word, "Apes."
But, we don't let "Apes" vote, so, "men" it is. For some reason. Shammadamma.
P.S. -- we are also looking for a pro-abortion writer to defend the constitutionally mandated fact that
unborn children are not endowed with a few inalienable (that is English for incapable of being alienated,
surrendered, or transferred) rights, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We are not sure if
we have ever read the treatise that established that these particular little apes do not have the right to
life, or the right to liberty, or the right to pursue happiness, but we're sure it must have been written
and reviewed by the learned Justices of the Supreme Court and we would like to have it all spelled out for
us here at InstaPunk. Send inquiries to email@example.com.
Free Speech -- for some
Hugh Hewitt
is crediting left wing blogs with the halting of Sinclair Broadcasting's plan to broadcast Stolen Honor -- Wounds That Never Heal.
If you missed this little story -- there is a Glenn Reynolds' post
from October 12th where everything was a "GO" for the airing of the documentary on Sunday, October 17th. The
tone of which is interesting in that it sounds like there is no chance the objectors will be successful.
There is more (as InstaPundit calls out) at Just One Minute if
you need more information.
Stolen Honor -- Wounds That Never Heal is the subject of
all the consternation in the Kerry Campaign. Take a look at their press release
regarding this 42 minute DVD. The phrase that stuck out to us was, " Sinclair Broadcasting Group: Consistent Anti-Kerry,
Pro-Bush Programming." This terse phrase appears under the heading, FACT SHEET. H-m-m-m, what could
that mean?
If you go to Sinclair's website, you will
see that Sinclair's television group includes 20 FOX, 19 WB, 6 UPN, 8 ABC, 3 CBS, 4 NBC affiliates,
and 2 independent stations and reaches approximately 24% of all U.S. television households. Given
the programming of these networks, what could "consistent pro-bush programming" be -- Survivor?
You see, 76% of all U.S. households would not have been seeing Stolen Honor -- Wounds That Never Heal.
So why would the Kerry Campaign be so freightened by the fact that 24% of U.S. households might
get to see this documentary? Note, might. They could have been watching baseball, the NFL, some
reality show, or Stolen Honor -- Wounds That Never Heal.
What to do? Don't you want to see this thing now? Don't you want to know what was so inflammatory, that
the Kerry campaign did not want 24% of U.S. households to have the opportunity to see this
documentary? Not even the OPPORTUNITY? Well, you can. And, we suggest that you do. You can go to
Stolen Honor -- Wounds That Never Heal's website
and buy
the DVD. If money is tight, you can get a bunch of your friends to pitch in. Then, get
a case or three of Mousehead and cook up some Texas
Chili, put on the DVD, and have some fun. You can even invite Kerry supporters. They'll at least
like the Chili and the Mousehead.
Defending the Defenseless?
This unsubstantiated report is too good, so I'm publishing it. You can do your own fact-checking
because, well, I'm too busy, or just too lazy.
Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs.
The virus is killed and processed to create the vaccine,
which is given by injection under the skin.
The body then produces antibodies to the virus over the next two to four weeks.
If the immunized person then comes into contact with the influenza virus,
the antibodies attack and kill the virus before it has a chance to cause infection.
The vaccine contains the three most likely strains to be active during the "flu season."
Why the shortage?:
Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this year.
Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing any influenza vaccine this flu season.
Chiron was to make 46-48 million doses vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company.
Recently British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing and making the vaccine
when inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the labs. Some lots of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.
Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?
The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of the nations flu vaccine at one time.
They did this despite a very low profit margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor.
In the late 80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the flu.
The strain he caught was one of the strains in that years vaccine made by a US company.
What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost $5 million! That's $ 5 million US.
After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical companies stopped making the vaccine.
The liability out weighed the profit margin.
Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits
UK and Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US. Besides, who would want to win
$ 5 million CANADIAN?
By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law suit
was current Democratic VP Nominee Sen. John Edwards -- can't you just hear him
channeling the white blood cells incapable of halting the invading virus?
Going to the Shore
Armpit of the nation. Trashy honky-tonk. The Sopranos. Thick accents. Bad food. T-shirt shops. Bad attitudes,
rude people. These are just some of the things found in a new study of the Jersey Shore, affectionately
known as, "The Shore."
Jacqueline L. Urgo, in this morning's Inquirer
(Source Archive) reports on Sanford Keziah's
report on all things tourism. Kindred Keziah, Sanford's marketing and brand-strategy firm, prepared a whole
29 pages and reports that the Shore does not even show up among the top 30 places travelers would be most
interested in visiting in the next two years. But, people go and the property values are soaring.
"Why do they go?," you ask. Well, as it turns out, it is close to home, it's affordable, and it's a family
tradition. I didn't get the affordable part since you can fly pretty much anywhere in the
world and pay for a hotel room for what it costs to rent a Shore home where you have to make your own
bed and pick up the key at the realtor's office. And, don't forget you won't get your security deposit back
if you don't clean it all up just right. What a bargain, but I digress.
There is also a new, updated catch phrase to replace the tired New Jersey and You: Perfect Together
which just didn't seem to capture the whole experience, like the new and improved,
America the Beautiful . . . only smaller which sounds like a joke, but isn't.
Make your reservations now. There are only twelve weeks to choose from and the first six have ocean
temperatures below 68 degrees, so get in while you still can. Some people like to go in September. Why? Because there
aren't any people there. That makes it much nicer.
Hockey -- which is an excellent way . . .
What? First team to come back from a 0-3 deficit, ever? What? That is not true.
I have never had time to watch the baseball playoffs with all the hockey I play -- but,
not now because of the LOCK OUT (not STRIKE)! But everywhere I turn, they say the
Reddened Socks were the first team ever to come from a 0-3 deficit in a playoff. Not true.
I was on a team that did just that and then went on to win another Stanley Cup. I could not believe.
It was 2000, we were down 3 games to 0 with the Philadelphia Flyers. Then, we won four in a row
and off we went to the Championship Game and won the Stanley Cup. I thought everybody would know
that, but when I asked a guy at a bar if he ever heard it before, he said, "No." I didn't know
what else to say, so I just left.
Well, we've meesed
234 games in just over a month of no hockey. I just cannot believe it. Why doesn't anyone want to see
the hockey? Maybe after the baseball is over. Oh, but then there is the anyfell with all the football.
I think that is over in January. Maybe then, the public will make an out cry and get the owners afraid
of riots and violence once the Americans realize there is no hockey. Has there ever been a riot because
there is no hockey? Soccer fans seem like they make themselves known by riots, I don't know about
hockey fans. We will be seeing. Owners be careful.
. . . Including Gigantic Mansions
Michelle Malkin takes pity on the Ketchup Lady. There is something endearingly treacherous about Ms Malkin's
tone in this
brief entry -- we mean that in a good way. There is also a link to the Kerry-Heinz-Kerry real estate highlights which
reminded us just how in-touch Sen. Kerry is with us all.
Sex -- It's Completely Perfect
Warning: Not Appropriate for the Work House (only your living room at 8:00 p.m.)
We cannot stop bagging on Bill O'Reilly. It has something to do with the timing -- the meeting
of his ever-expanding ego with reality at just the right moment.
Jim Gilliam has taken the time to record and edit our favorite leprechaun and present what many of
us have long suspected. As an example,
The Phil Hendrie Show bills itself as "Fair and Balanced --
Without All The Porn," which seems to capture that special something that has us
scrambling for the remote everytime The Factor gets into the really hard news of the day. So, without
further introduction, we direct your attention to The Sweet Jesus I Hate Bill O'Reilly.com's special
tribute to the
O'Reilly Sex Scandal. Click on the "O'SEXXXY FACTOR" logo under the October 15th post
for a five minute quicktime movie (Direct Link)
of greatest hits.
More Things for Your Computer
It is not often that The Washington Post gets us some information we can use. So today, may
we direct your attention to a brief mention of
Google Desktop (
Source Archive). It has been running here on the plantaion for about an hour or so and has indexed
31,784 files -- it does all this in background while you work. We can find things we didn't even know
we had here. Fast. You can go directly to the Google site at
http://desktop.google.com/ for more information.


text:
Why Study Chemistry?
Penn State Behrend's chemistry program can be tailored to suit specific career interests. Several options are available within the chemistry major including general chemistry, biochemistry, business, and chemistry education precertification.
Why earn your chemistry degree at Penn State Behrend?
- The Penn State Behrend chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society. A bachelor's degree from an ACS approved program serves as national recognition of successful completion of a broad-based and rigorous chemistry curriculum.
- The Chemistry program features 9,000 square feet of newly renovated laboratory space solely for undergraduate learning. The space includes new ventilation systems, secured and ventilated storage space, multi-media capabilities, a dedicated space for advanced chemistry, and a laboratory with more than $500,000 in modern instrumentation.
- Small class sizes foster close student-professor relationships.
- Faculty typically have doctorates or significant experience in the chemistry field. Lectures and labs are taught by faculty, not graduate students.
- Cooperative education and internship opportunities are available for academic credit.
- Students have the opportunity to work with faculty on undergraduate research projects. Research helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and students often comment on how much better they understand what has been taught in the classroom now that they are actually applying their knowledge to answer questions. Students with research experience have a very competitive edge upon graduation whether the student is interested in applying for jobs or graduate or professional schools.


text:
I am concerned for job losses in Ledbury, but these wild accusations in last week's paper will achieve nothing.
Herefordshire Council has provided substantial investment in the Master's House and a new civic hub. This valuable historic building will open in the autumn.
Herefordshire Council supported Halo to invest in leisure facilities, and supported the Civic Society to apply for a grant of over £400,000 to study our heritage assets in the town.
Ledbury has benefited from major investment in superfast broadband.
Readers will be pleased to know during May a business surgery will be held by the Economic Development Team.
l want even more for Ledbury, and will continue to use my position to make it happen.
In particular, l will be working hard to get the roads repaired to a decent standard in the coming months, and finally the Worcester road flooding problem solved with new drains.
Phill Bettington
Ledbury town councillor and county councillor


text:
|Thread Tools
First off, thanks to all for allowing me to create a new post here! I tried searching in all the old posts about anything relating to Waldorf and special needs or very high-functioning Aspergers, specifically. Little came up in the search.
We are *thisclose* to applying for our two children to go to a Waldorf "inspired" school in the fall. Our youngest will be a perfect Waldorf student as he's bursting with creativity. Our oldest is currently in a traditional public school in 1st grade and has high-functioning Aspergers (or Autism). He is doing fine in the public school setting and has an IEP, but they're not really doing anything at all to assist him. He's not really learning anything new or challenging himself at all, and to be honest, I'm not thrilled about his exposure to mainstream media. He loves being social, so that part isn't a challenge for him. What is a challenge is being impulsive and not getting things his way. We've done two years of ABA therapy (& now meds, which have been something that was a last resort, but SO worth it) and he now integrates pretty well in a traditional typical classroom.
Which is why we were considering the Waldorf school. It's technically a public charter school, so they by law can't turn down a child with an IEP. We recently met with them and they were warm and open to us and we already know we got a spot in the lottery to get into the school. That being said, they wanted to make sure we knew that this may not (or may) be the right fit for our son. They say, because the day isn't detailed in how it's laid out, and that everything isn't explained or rationalized specifically, some kids who are on the spectrum have a difficult time adjusting in that setting. I have a feeling they approach most or all kids coming in with an IEP this way, because it takes more time/money to assist these kids.
My husband and I come from the stance that our child is already academically ahead. It's not something we encourage or even push at ALL, he just is that way. Where he needs to grow is his creativity and ability to relate to others. He sees things very black and white (his way or no way) and that's one reason we want to encourage him to grow in those areas. We also love the idea of respecting others...he tends to emulate behavior and being around kids who aren't exposed to media and have a high respect for each other we think will be a GOOD thing for him. Also, no media. It's a proven fact that it calms children who have ADHD/ADD/HFAutism/etc so taking this new venture with our entire family might be soothing to him and all of us. And finally, as a family, we try and live a healthy lifestyle. This is a huge reason for us choosing Waldorf...it aligns well with our values and to be honest, the other parents are much more like us compared to what we've witnessed in our local public traditional school.
I guess what I'm asking is, even though I know it varies school to school, has anyone had any direct experience or know someone with a child with Aspergers who used Waldorf methods to teach IN the classroom, not at home? How have they done? Should I be worried that I'm not necessarily embracing his style of learning (systematic, structured, memorized) and rather trying to encourage his creativity...an area he needs help?
I'd love any thoughts. And on a side note, all those camps that I found in the other threads wouldn't really apply to our son. As I said, he's very high-functioning, and most people would never even guess he's slightly Autistic at all. This is why it's so hard for us!
Thanks in advance...
I have been wondering whether to reply to you but did not mean to forum-crash, as I am not a Waldorf mom - but I feel bad that you haven't gotten any responses at all!
I do not know how far you have gone in applying to this Waldorf school by now or in making up your mind to do so, but if you are still looking for input, I suggest you crosspost in both the Special Needs and the Gifted Child forum, there are lots of parents with 2e (twice exceptional, ie children who have both special needs and are academically advanced ) who may have an informed opinion and maybe direct experiences with Waldorf for their children.
As the mother of a somewhat 2e child (most likely gifted, most likely not Asperger's though close enough to have it suspected) who is trying to live a TV-free, healthy lifestyle and encourage creativity in her somewhat rigid, science-and- technology-obsessed child I suggest you listen very closely to this school telling you that Waldorf may not be a good fit for your son - I do not think they are counseling you out but stating an honest opinion on how the philosophy works or does not work for an ASD child. I think this is a very valid concern:
Not only does Waldorf not "explain or rationalize specifically", the traditional method actively steers away from rational explanations, preferring to let children wonder or make up their own mind about how the world works. And they actively steer away children from academics in the early years, and an interest in trains or technology (just as an example) may be actively discouraged. And there are rules (grounded in anthroposophy) to the way creativity is explored and encouraged in Waldorf schools, but again they will not be explained.
I hope there will be more input on this from people with direct Waldorf experience because we do not have any - as I feel that Waldorf does not fit my child's learning style (which sounds a lot like your child's). It does not sound like a good fit for a confirmed Aspie at all.
I realize that you are trying to create balance in your child's life but a school whose philosophy is as far removed from his learning style as you describe it (systematic, structured, memorized) may not feel balanced for him, just like a very uncongenial environment. Would you choose a highly structured STEM school for your "perfect Waldorf child" which you knew wasn't a good fit for his learning style because you feel he needs growth in that area?
I am not sure whether you are even still around sol will pm you, may show up in your email account...
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
with SB
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I would be very cautious. I do have a child with Asperger's who is highly functional. He wants very precise instructions, he loves predictable structure, and everything analytical. He loves racing ahead in certain academic areas. He likes technical approaches. LOVES phonics for instance. Spent weeks drawing the pronunciation symbols over and over and over...
I do not think these kinds of needs and preferences are well-supported in most Waldorf settings, and I have heard of some problematic issues with the approach to special needs children overall that comes from anthroposophical ideas.
Waldorf includes deliberately delayed academics, symbolic and aesthetic approaches to learning, and an agenda that could make your son feel like being himself is being on the wrong track. (We are homeschoolers. I was intensely interested in Waldorf education and have incorporated some ideas from it, but that interest has faded over time, partly because some of it felt forced with my children.)
It might work for you but I am skeptical.
ME&HE... loving our: dd(18) ~~ds(13) dd(13)~~ dd(10)
As others have said, I too would proceed with caution. I have a high functioning AS child. I am anti lots of media, pro lots of time spent outdoors, a non-consumerist and hate the way life is becoming so commercial. Waldorf seemed perfect for my philosophy. Well, we pulled our son out of Kindergarten a couple of terms ago and are now homeschooling. Frankly he hated it. Firstly I don't know what the law in the States is but here in England Waldorf teachers do not have to be state(public) school trained. I just found that the teachers had only one idea of what a child should be like (Steiners/anthroposophy) and heaven help you if your child didn't fit that idea. They have no special needs training. They do not keep up with current ideas, new ideas etc and I found the whole school unprofessional. My son is very engineering minded and that was a real problem for them - he was 'too in his head'. I was made to feel this was my fault - if only I acted differently around him then he too would become someone who loved painting and finger knitting instead. He learnt to tell the time by himself very early but this is frowned upon in KG. He would ask the time (I think to try and orientate and organize himself better) and they wouldn't tell him. It seemed the teachers didn't believe in making conversation with the children and they don't look them in the eye (to keep and/or encourage a dreamy nature). I was frequently asked to pick him up (essentially this is their only behaviour management strategy - check your school's policy on this!) I could go on and sorry to sound so negative. To be fair, from the outset the school did say it was not a school for aspergers children but we enrolled my son before we realised that he was. I genuinally hope that if you decide to go ahead you will have a better experience but do ask lots and lots of questions first (It seems to me Waldorf schools generally don't like this). The best of luck.
I'm by no means an expert, and this might not be helpful to you at all, especially depending on the school itself. Every child is very different and Waldorf isn't right for everyone. ...BUT from what I've learned as a Waldorf parent, it seems like times are changing.
Many Waldorf professionals are taking modern issues and the needs of children in current society into consideration and not necessarily sticking to dogma of the old days. There are also Educational Support professionals that are trained in "the Extra Lesson" through programs such as the Association for a Healing Education Children at our school who receive these services seem to really thrive. The Educational Support Teacher works with therapists and doctors etc in order to foster development within Waldorf principles. Some "mainstream" methods are used as needed too.
Just something else to think about and ask questions about.
Wendy -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
aspiring Waldorf handwork teacher
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
, computer geek's wife
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
mom to former 2lb preemie (now 11)
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
& 3x
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Hello! Our son has (high functioning) Aspergers and he has been in a Waldorf school since the beginning (age 4, two years of Kindergarten, and now he going to be in grade 3 this coming Sept). I can say that Kindergarten was a slight challenge, but I think it would have been that way in any school. He has social issues and his also very advanced academically. When he started 1st grade, it was an amazing transformation. He is challenged each day; Waldorf has an incredibly rich academic program. It is also so great for him to participate in arts (beeswax, painting, knitting). I can just say that he is not bored, the other children love him as he does them, and he is absolutely thriving. I thought Waldorf would be a good match for our son because even though he is so smart and interested in figuring things out, Waldorf ensures that each part of the child is ready and able to learn: social, emotional, physical, etc. Good luck with your decision, hope I helped a bit :)
I found myself nodding with everything Little Bird said. Every child is different of course, but I would be very skeptical. It makes sense to want to nurture those other areas, but it may or may not be a positive experience for your son. This is my experience - I have a brother with high functioning Aspergers and he would have been very frustrated in a Waldorf setting because of how he saw the world and how he learned. Like Little Bird said, "he wants very precise instructions, he loves predictable structure, and everything analytical. He loves racing ahead in certain academic areas. He likes technical approaches." That is my brother to a T. He also struggled with hand skills and anything creative. Even in a public school setting he was very frustrated when it came to more artistic or creative projects because his would just not look like the other children's and it was just not something that was important to him. He was good friends with children who attended a Waldorf school, but it just would not have been a good experience for him. That's just his experience though, and you know your son and his needs best. I would just be very cautious approaching this.
Nikki , partner to Jeremy . Baby Joshua Nolan is finally here after a many year struggle with infertility. I blog at
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
alt="dog2.gif" src="http://files.mothering.com/images/smilies/dog2.gif">
Just a FYI Melisa @ http://waldorfessentials.com/ has a son on the spectrum. She can answer this question VERY well. I have 3 kids on the spectrum all thrive with a waldorf education. Before we decided to go that route my husband and I toured the local Waldorf school. I did that because my DH has aspergers and I wanted to know his feelings. He said he wished he would have went to school there. He loved how calming it was.
Waldorf Mom to 8 blessings ~6 by birth and 2 by fost/adopt~
|Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
Email this Page Email this Page
|Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off
Online Users: 16,667
|40 members and 16,627 guests
|agentofchaos , CricketVS , cryswilkins , debigebi , Deborah , emmy526 , girlspn , happy-mama , jamesmorrow , Janeen0225 , Katherine73 , Kelleybug , laurac5 , Lydia08 , manyhatsmom , mearph , MommyLaura , moominmamma , MountainMamaGC , mumofacub , MylittleTiger , NaturallyKait , NCIS4Ever2001 , Owlyce , pokeyac , profe , RollerCoasterMama , rubelin , Skippy918 , sniffmommy , sren , sunwillshine , suzannej , SweetSilver , transpecos , waywornwanderer , zebra15 , zoeyzoo
|Most users ever online was 449,755, 06-25-2014 at 12:21 PM.


text:
Discussions on Holmes's Map of Translation Studies
Holmes (1988), in his paper on "The Name and Nature of Translation Studies", points to several "impediments" (68) before discussing the branches of translation studies. One of those impediments is "the lack of appropriate channels of communication" (73). Holmes states that articles written on translation can be found in various journals whose audience involves scholars from other disciplines. For this reason, it is hard to reach the majority of translation scholars by publishing in such journals. The point Holmes is making here is clear and logical. There is certainly a need for journals that are specifically published to reach translation scholars. However, even after translation scholars' articles have been published in translation journals, there will be articles on translation in other journals, as well. For example, while explaining process oriented descriptive translation studies, Holmes mentions "an area of study that might be called translation psychology or psycho-translation studies" (73), which studies what takes place in the mind of a person while doing translation. In addition to this, I think that papers written on topics like "ways to increase the motivation of students studying translation" or "the relationship between teachers' and students' motivation in the field of translation" can be published not only translation but also psychology, especially educational psychology journals. Thus, when such papers are published in translation journals, educational psychologists will probably miss the chance of reading those and this shows that the same problem holds true for all the other interdisciplinary fields.
The fact that the Holmes map is vertical is one of the two main reasons why Pym (1998) criticizes the map. He claims that maps "tend to make you look in certain directions; they make you overlook other directions" (3) and compares the forms of the charts drawn by Holmes and Lawrence Humphrey. Pym favors Humphrey's map because of its horizontality. In order to draw a top-to-bottom map which is "like company organization charts" (4), translation studies need to be so developed that translation scholars working in the upper branches should not be doing the same job as the ones in the other branches are doing. Second, Pym stresses that translators have a central place in the process of translation and they cannot be omitted from the map. While the Holmes map focuses on the translated text, Humphrey gives equal importance to the translator and the translation. I also believe that if we are not talking about machine translation only, translators cannot be given a minor place in the map.
Although Holmes states that the relationship between the theoretical, descriptive, and applied translation studies is dialectical, Toury (in Baker, 1998) has opposing views on the subject. Toury argues that the relationship is unidirectional because he conceives the branches of applied translation studies, which are translation training, translation aids, and translation criticism, as secondary compared to the pure translation studies. I do not agree that pure translation studies precede the applied translation studies and I believe that all the branches provide information for each other and there is a dialectical relationship. However, Pym (1998) is right about criticizing the map again for its lack of a branch specifically for translation history. Claiming a dialectical relationship may not be sufficient in order to clarify the important place translation history has in the field of translation studies.
In brief, Holmes made a crucial attempt by publishing his map. Even though scholars like Pym and Toury do not agree with him on some certain aspects of the map, it is absolute that even opening these discussions is beneficial for the improvement of the field of translation studies.
Baker, Mona., ed. 1998. Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. London and New York: Routledge.
Holmes, James S. 1988. Translated: Papers on Literary Translation and Translation Studies. Amsterdam: Rodopi.
Pym, Anthony. 1998. Method in Translation History. Manchester: St. Jerome.


text:
Electricity to be restored 'within days'
Published on 24 December 2011 in News
Sadeq Al-Wesabi (writer)
Sadeq Al-Wesabi (writer)
A team of engineers have started work to fix damaged power supply towers in Bait Dehra and Naqeel bin Ghailan areas, 30km east of Sana'a.
Over the last ten months, Yemenis and local businesses have suffered from serious power cuts, affecting their lives and finances, with as little as two hours of electricity a day at times.
Some electricity supply towers were badly damaged by fierce fighting between government forces and armed tribesmen. Towers in Bait Dehra, Bani Jarmooz and Naqeel bin Ghailan were all damaged by heavy artillery.
Saleh Sumai, the new Minister of Electricity and Power has inaugurated a new transformer with the capacity of 20 megavolt amperes in the transfer station of Dhahban, bringing more electricity to many areas of Sana'a.
The minister, along with a team of engineers, visited the damaged towers and ordered the team to fix them as soon as possible.
Abdul-Rahman Saif, a senior engineer at the Public Electricity Corporation and general manager of the gas-powered generation Station in Marib governorate, said that a team of engineers is still working in Bani Jarmooz area.
He said that engineers need three more days to finish fixing one damaged tower in Bani Jarmooz. However, Saif said that coordination with local tribesmen is needed in some areas like Naqeel bin Ghailan to let the engineers work safely.
"Kidnapping still happens in these areas," he said. "Unfortunately, we cannot work without mediators who give us guarantees to work safely."
He stressed the importance of the role of military committee in providing engineers with protection to work in safe environment.
Saif also indicated that the gas-powered generation Station in Marib needs maintenance and testing to work efficiently.
However, the officials at the Public Electricity Corporation maintained that they have no guarantee that attacks on power supply lines and stations will be stopped, indicating that these attacks are out of their control.
Mohammed Al-Shaibani, a general manager of power supply lines in Yemen at the Public Electricity Corporation, expressed his fears of repeat attacks on the towers, pointing out that fixing damaged towers and lines costs the Public Electricity Corporation a lot of money.


text:
Inside NIA Archives: Michael-David Kerns
Posted on May 21, 2014 by Michael-David Kerns, Small Business Program Coordinator, Division of Extramural Activities.
Most government funding agencies, including the NIH, have special pots of money reserved for small businesses. "But M-D," you say, "I'm in academia, I'm a scientist... Read More
1 |


text:
A nice break in the middle of Winter: Carnival Pride Cruise Review by carnivalman
Overall Member Rating
A nice break in the middle of Winter
Destination: Bahamas
Embarkation: Baltimore
This was our 8th cruise, 2nd with Carnival, (2 with Royal & 4 with Celebrity) so we pretty much have it down pat as what to expect and thus, there were no real surprises.
Embarkation went smooth. We received a ride & was arrived at the port around 1:30pm. It took 45 minutes to move through the security & the line to receive our Sale and Sign cards. Once on the boat, we were directed to our room which was ready. It should be noted the vehicle operation at the port is very efficient. When you get off I-95 & into the port area, they give you sheet of paper stating parking or drop-off. You place it on your dash and the other attendants direct you accordingly. More
We had a balcony stateroom on the 6th deck forward starboard side. Ample closet and drawer space & the bed was high enough to slide a large suitcase underneath. Have been on ships where this was not possible.
Overall the Pride was fine. As many others have mentioned the dEcor, nudes, etc. is different and in our own opinion it would look more in place for a Mediterranean cruise.
Carnival made the Super Bowl a party for everyone by having a screen in the Taj Mahal Theater. It was the entire size of the curtain, 20' by 40' or so. They had football type food hot dogs, etc. for those who went. The best part is everyone who wore their colors respected each other & I didn't see any problems. People had a good time watching the game together. Needless to say, Steeler fans far outnumbered the Packer Backers.
We went to the Normandie dining room for breakfast & dinners most days. Never had a problem. Our tablemates at dinner were very friendly & I believe Carnival attempts to match up people in the same age range. I've 2 grandchildren, but on a cruise, I don't want to sit with other people's children. Breakfast was the usual fill a table system which turned out well & was a good change of pace from dinner. The quality of the food at dinner was equal to Celebrity (which we feel is better than Royal) & much better than a previous Carnival cruise on Splendor. Breakfast was breakfast. I don't eat eggs so can't attest to the quality of omelets, etc. Service was always prompt. One morning we chose to stay in for breakfast & calling at 7:30am, room service delivered within 30 minutes.
The Mermaid Grill on the Lido Deck worked out fine. Never long lines & always a table available. It has many tables for 6 & some complained there was no place to sit. But they chose not to sit with someone else even though there were only 2 people sitting at the larger table. The system we used was first find a table. I'd sit while the wife got her food & then it was my turn. She would first walk around to see what was the bill of fare for the day, then go to the station she wanted & get her tray and food. However, she would first get any cold food before getting her hot food. She'd then tell me what was what & I'd go accordingly. Pizza was OK. It's not going to be Tony's or Sal's Pizza from back home. Walked around once at breakfast and they have multiple food stations with the same items which moved things along.
Activities were the usual trivia, bingo, etc. There was never overcrowding at any of the venues. The casino as mentioned by others was smoky. It is what it is & I'm not a smoker. Would a better exhaust system help? Of course. But until the ship gets a major overall, it will be smoky in the casino. As a side note to those who complain in reviews, I have to assume they've read other reviews on Cruise Critic or they wouldn't be even on this site writing one. That being the case, why are people shocked at finding out the casino is smoked filled?
Service was fine. Personally, our servers & stateroom attendants were pleasant & professional. Mid-cruise we both got sick in the middle of the night & they sent 2 people within 30 minutes after the call to Guest Services to take care of things. In addition, the next morning Guest Services called to ask how we were doing. That was a nice touch. All other staff members were polite and treated us in a courteous manner.
Cruise Directors Kirk & Jamie did what cruise directors are supposed to do. Make you laugh & help you enjoy your vacation. Port information & disembarkation sessions were good. I was impressed how they specialized the disembarkation presentation for Baltimore & provided timing information for the flights out of BWI & DC airports.
The cast for the review shows was by far the best I've seen on a cruise ship & I'm usually not that thrilled by the shows. The comedians were OK but the good thing was they had both family & adult comedy shows. Thus, you could still get a laugh at the family show if the adult version was offending. The Stargazer show on the final night was a lot of fun with fellow cruise members performing. The good part was these people were just average "Joe's" who had somewhat more talent than the average bear.
Since we've been to most of the Caribbean islands on multiple occasions, including Nassau, we chose just to get off the ship to stretch our legs and walk around on our own. Port Canaveral was the usual beach town, Nassau is no different than other island port stops and Freeport's port area is small. However, at that point in time, it sufficed especially since the ship departed at 2pm.
Disembarking went smooth. We self-assisted and all those who did got off the boat before those who left their luggage outside their room the night before to picked up in the terminal. To avoid congestion, they called self-assist by deck number with Deck 1 being first. As expected, about 1/3 of all self-assist people became "Honorary Deck 1" people which caused it to go slow at the outset. We sat back, watched those who needed "hurry up and wait" & got off with no problems.
Would I take another Carnival cruise again, the answer is yes. While the value for the money was very good, the positive overall experience is what counts in the end. Less
Published 02/17/11
Cabin review: 8DDeck6 BalconyBalcony (8D) Reviews >>
Read Cruise Critic's Carnival Pride Review >>
Multiple levels of disappointm...
Not too pleased
Good Cruise but be aware of so...
Moore Strong...Family of 6 cru...
Bermuda and the Carnival Pride
Our second cruise on the Pride
Lots of winners and few losers...
Not bad for what it is
Sponsored Links


text:
Calvin Klein
Biographical Information
In addition to clothing, Calvin Klein also gave his name to a range of perfumes, including CK One and CK Be (fragrances for everyone, regardless of gender), now owned by "Coty Inc.". Swatch manufactures watches under the Calvin Klein brand.
The Horse is a Yang,
and is the Seventh sign of the Chinese horoscope.
Birthday: November 19, 1942
A new chapter is starting; problems are solved through changes in circumstances.
Creative initiative, skill and opportunities for new ventures.
Birthday: November 19, 2016
A sacrifice must be made in order to gain something of great value.


text:
This is a 2012 Avalon 27' Excalibur built in Alma, MI.
LOA: 27' / Beam: 8'6" / Weight: 2,650 lbs.
EXTREMELY Rare Avalon Excalibur with I/O Engine!
This boat is repowered with a NEW Mercruiser 350 MAG w/Bravo III Drive with 1 hour!
All the useage on this engine is just break in time!
The top-end Excalibur offers the classic pontoon interior layout with cutting edge looks and features. The exclusive Deco-inspired two-tone wall design, fiberglass driver's helm with woodgrain dash, plush seating with exclusive Matrix 50 Vinyl, built-in LED docklights, and superior construction will give you a pride of ownership not found elsewhere.
Features Include:
OFFER TO PURCHASE INFORMATION: The asking price may not reflect the actual selling price. It may reflect a survey, appraisal or estimate of value. The final accepted offer may be greater or less than the amount shown in the asking price. The final accepted offer may be what the seller considers optimum and may take into consideration factors other than price alone. Lenders normally accept only all cash offers with no trade-ins nor do they provide financing. However, you are free to make that type of an offer if you desire. ALL OFFERS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING on our Offer to Purchase form that can be downloaded off of our web site at www.marinelendersservices.com and e-mailed or faxed to us at 206-283-5611
.DISCLAIMER: Marine Lenders Services, LLC offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel or fitness for use. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice. We recommend all purchasers have a marine survey and engine inspection.
VIEWING: Available at our dock in Seattle. The exterior can be viewed from the dock anytime although we ask that you do not board the vessel. The interior can be viewed during weekday hours and evenings or weekends by appointment.
DIRECTIONS: For directions to our location and a map, answers to questions about making an offer, and general information about Marine Lenders Services LLC please visit our web site at the address shown in the display section above
The powerful, sporty Excalibur is the best exhibit of class in pontoon boating. With Deco styling that features stainless steel wall railing elements encompassing a fabulous, luxuriously appointed interior featuring designer furnishings, Excalibur is the most exquisite pontoon boat available today. All this luxury and style is mounted on a foundation of the industry's strongest pontoon hull. An almost endless list of standard features make Excalibur one of the finest pontoon boats ever created.
5350 30th Avenue NW
Jacobson Terminals
Seattle, WA 98107
United States


text:
Mar 22nd 2012
The Tax and Accounting Business of Thomson Reuters has announced selling every seat to its fifth annual Partner Summits in just thirty-six minutes. The two-day strategic visioning forum is aimed at principals from tax and accounting firms nationwide, and it has sold out for its fourth consecutive year. Coming to seven US cities starting May 16, the event will be presented to forty participants at each location.
Small and intimate by design, the Partner Summits are the most exclusive of the Tax & Accounting Thought Leadership events. They feature individualized instruction on big-picture aspects of firm management from technology and workflow experts, on topics that include adapting to new challenges in the profession and formulating a growth strategy, among others.
Attendees will also receive individualized instruction on best practices and progressive workflow trends in the profession, and they will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with other professionals in a small-group setting. At the summit's close, attendees will develop a customized, actionable plan that maps out a path to a more efficient, profitable, and tech-savvy future for their firm.
The 2012 Partner Summit cities and dates are:
May 16-17; San Antonio, TX
May 23-24; Phoenix, AZ
June 13-14; Atlanta, GA
July 25-26; Baltimore, MD
August 1-2; Kansas City, MO
August 22-23; Chicago, IL
September 19-20; New Orleans, LA
"Last year's Summits sold out in just under six hours. This year's sold out in 36 minutes. I really don't know what to expect next year," said Scott Fleszar, vice president of Strategic Marketing for Tax & Accounting, Thomson Reuters. "It's been very exciting to see the continued success of Partner Summits over the years. With only forty seats for each forum, we can offer a level of individualized attention that really sets the event apart. Partner Summits offer a broader business perspective on the profession rather than product or compliance training. They're about looking at how to more effectively run a practice, build business, and serve clients."
The Partner Summits will feature presentations from M. Darren Root, CPA, CITP, CEO of RootWorks, as well as Tony Frigo and Therese Witherow, both senior technical trainers with Thomson Reuters. The events will also include fine dining, social events, networking, and more.
For more information on the 2012 Partner Summits, visit CS.ThomsonReuters.com/Summits/.
Share this content


text:
Photo gallery: Louis Ramos and his 25 inch braid
WEST COVINA - Louis Ramos is too young to remember now-geezer classics like David Crosby's "Almost Cut My Hair" or the 1960s anthem "Hair."
He's only 12 years old.
But he does remember his aunt, Dianne Lee Tarango, who lost her hair before she died of cancer three days after Christmas in 2009.
"It really took a toll on him," said Louis' mom, Valerie Tarango.
So last Sunday, Louis got a haircut for the first time in his life - so he could give a big braid of real hair to a charity.
"I wanted to donate it to Locks of Love," said Louis, "because of my aunt that passed away."
Locks of Love is a nonprofit that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children who are suffering hair loss for medical reasons.
Louis also was inspired by his grandfather, Ray Tarango, who had long hair until he contracted lupus and lost it during treatments.
The locks Louis donated measured 25 inches and hung past his waist when the barber brought out the shears.
"It was like a rope because it was so thick," said his mom.
Now sporting an inch-long crewcut, Louis says he likes his short hair, yet he misses his long hair. And he doesn't know whether he'll grow it back.
He still reaches back to tie his hair, "but there's no hair there," said his mom. "We all laugh."
One big difference: "It took my strength away," he told his grandmother, Dianne Tarango, of West Covina. "I can't make baskets."
But Louis, who just finished sixth grade at Lassalette Elementary School in La Puente, said he's never heard the biblical Sampson story.
Louis had planned to wait until his 18th birthday before getting his hair shorn. But after Googling a website that showed children who have lost their hair during cancer treatments or for other reasons, he decided they need his hair now.
"It's time," he told his grandmother.
He had enough hair for two wigs. A big gift considering Locks of Love wigs are custom-made and valued at $3,500 to $6,000 according to their website.
"I think I'm ready to cut it," he told his grandmother, "because there are little kids who need it now."
626-962-8811, ext. 2123


text:
Fluid imbalance
A fluid imbalance refers to an abnormal level of fluids in the body.
Your body is constantly losing fluids through breathing, sweating, and urinating. If you do not take in enough fluids, you may become dehydrated.
Your body may also have a hard time getting rid of fluids, allowing excess fluid to build up. This is called fluid overload.
Many illnesses can cause fluid imbalance:
- It is common to retain large amounts of fluid for several days after surgery (causing swelling of the body).
- In heart failure, fluid collects in the lungs, liver, blood vessels, and body tissues because the heart does a poor job of pumping it to the kidneys where it can be eliminated.
- When the kidneys do not work well because of chronic kidney disease, the body cannot get rid of unneeded fluids.
- The body may lose too much fluid due to diarrhea, vomiting, excessive blood loss, or high fever.
A fluid imbalance is often associated with imbalances of sodium, potassium (see: hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia) and other chemicals that help regulate body fluids.
Treatment depends on the specific condition that is causing the fluid imbalance.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you or your child have signs of dehydration or swelling, in order to prevent more serious complications.
Landry DW, Basari H. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 116.
Review Date: 11/16/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.


text:
Gayfind is one of the fastest growing dating website for gay hookups and casual sex dating. Register for Free - it will take you only 1 minute! Gayfind is leading the way for gay dating services.
We have thousands of gay personals online. These sexy gay single men are looking for a gay match, maybe they are looking for you? Our online gay dating site have helped thousands discover their perfect match - you can be next!


text:
Soft Clothing :: Soft Tops :: Tie Print Long Sleeve T
A special type of clothing for very special kids! Soft clothing is for all children, but is created with children who have sensory processing disorders in mind. Children like my son who are hard to dress in the morning because seams and fabric hurt his skin. I'm so excited about this line of clothing!


text:
Contact Us
William F. Ruska Library, Worcester Campus
61 Sever Street
Worcester, Mass. 01609
Paul R. Swan Library, Leicester Campus
13 Washburn Square
Leicester, Mass. 01524
Visit the Ruska Library (Worcester Campus) or Swan Library (Leicester Campus) in person or search online for a range of electronic information and resources to assist with your Becker College education.
The Ruska and Swan libraries offer a wide range of electronic information resources to the Becker College community.Search databases
The Becker College Libraries subscribe to a number of online journals. Journals are listed by title and subject discipline. Click on the name of the journal to search current and previous issues and retrieve full text articles.Search online journals
Librarian-created portals to research information by subject.Start research here
Learn about formatting citations, tools for research, how to search the library catalog, ask a librarian, and more.Learn more about research aids


text:
Boardmasters Festival 2017 Tickets
Boardmasters Festival 2017 - After Parties
Various Venues, Cornwall, Cornwall
Boardmasters FESTIVAL 2017 - Weekend Tickets
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Boardmasters Festival 2017 - VIP Experience
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Boardmasters Festival 2017 - Add Ons
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Boardmasters Festival 2017 - Day Tickets
Watergate Bay, Cornwall
Boardmasters Festival 2017 - Beach Sessions
Beach Bar, Fistral Beach
What people are saying about Boardmasters Festival 2017
Rated 2 out of 5 by NH78 from Boardmasters Always look forward to this event - I travel with a group of friends and we select the day in which we all collectively want to go based on who we want to see. However, I feel let down and disappointed this year, the one person I/we wanted to see was Craig David - who didn't show. The communication about this was extremely poor, we avoided seeing other acts whilst waiting for Craig David, to later find out there was a ready made sign (make of that what you will) on the bar in the tent where he was supposed to be playing.....except, we were the other side of the tent so were never going to see this sign.
Date published: 2016-08-24
Rated 5 out of 5 by KateD from Great event! Beautiful weather, event ran really smoothly, acts were amazing, no evidence of any drama, toilets were fairly decent
Date published: 2016-08-23
Rated 5 out of 5 by AlishaC from Great festival, Great location The sun was shining, the sea was glistening and there was so many stages full of great music to chose from. Lots of places to eat and drink and friendly helpful staff all round. Will definitely be returning next year.
Date published: 2016-08-16
Rated 4 out of 5 by Helen from Absolutely brilliant! Transport needs some help! This event is in the morst beautiful setting, well organised, and helpful staff! The only let down are the trains out of Newquay as there were 100's of festival goers stranded necause the station do not organise enought trains, and so instead have people on replacement buses to other towns, which doubles the journey time
Date published: 2016-08-16
Rated 4 out of 5 by Caitlinrose95 from Roll on next year I went to festival with my girls .. I had the best time ever the act where brill the atmosphere was amazing and just generally had a brilliant time .. just how I planned to spend my summer
Date published: 2016-08-15
Rated 3 out of 5 by Beachbum from Chas n status, need I say more. Slightly better experience this year than 2015. VIP car park still a 15-20 min walk but at least the toilets and showers were 50% improvement. A lot more stalls, seems to be going commercial.
Date published: 2016-08-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by Rufeeru from All time favourite festival Loved it! Good weather, great music, amazing after party!! Would do it again anyday
Date published: 2016-08-15
More Information about Boardmasters Festival 2017
Full info at http://www.boardmasters.co.uk/info/key-info
All tickets will be sent out a month before the Festival


text:
Jim Carrey's 'Cold Dead Hand' Music Video Spotlights Hysterics, Alienates Former Fans
This weekend, Jim Carrey released a classless Funny or Die video in which he mocks the late Charlton Heston and the National Rifle Association with a goofy song called 'Cold Dead Hand' — based, of course, on Heston's old quote, "I'll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands."
Carrey, true to his no-holds-barred persona, implies gun enthusiasts' affection for firearms compensates for itty bitty manhood issues, among other things. And according to what Carrey said in a release about the project, "I find the gun problem frustrating and 'Cold Dead Hand' is my fun little way of expressing that frustration."
The song is catchy and the send-up of 'Hee Haw' isn't funny, but Carrey's tweets about the gun control issue were obviously dead serious:
'Cold Dead Hand' is abt u heartless motherf%ckers unwilling 2 bend 4 the safety of our kids.Sorry if you're offended… say.ly/jtu5rar
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 24, 2013
I repeat,HOW ABT DEVELOPING MORE NON-LETHAL FORMS OF SELF-DEFENSE?! TOO SENSIBLE?!!!Why the hell are rubber bullets … say.ly/tvW5rcm
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 24, 2013
The important question is "Do we possess guns in America or do guns possess us?"say.ly/VPr5rpR
— Jim Carrey (@JimCarrey) March 25, 2013
The problem, is that in his zeal do do something, he's done the wrong thing, the stupid thing. His diatribe instead of coming off as satirical, instead comes off as the rantings of a bi-polar who appears to be off his meds. Hateful without reason, lumping all gun owners into the little box in his head as evil m0%$#^#@&*%#'s, she's shown he has nothing to contribute to the debate but the base hysterics of an unbalanced, washed-up comedian.
Facts and real solutions have no place in this argument for Jim, just grandstanding and wrong-thinking. I'm sure gun owners will remember this when his new movie, not mentioned here, is released and return the favor by not spending their hard earned money to support his 1s Amendment right.
By the way, that's Charlton Heston along with other notable celebrities at a Civil Rights March in 1963. Where were you JIm? That's right, you were messing you diapers?
Do you think Jim Carrey went to far?


text:
Tax pooling changes positive for business
Tax pooling changes positive for business
Thursday 3 July 2014
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Revenue of changes to make the tax pooling rules more user friendly.
"The decision to allow taxpayers to use tax pooling funds to cover interest accruing on tax debt is good news for businesses," says Peter Vial, Tax New Zealand leader, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Interest can be a significant and ongoing cost. The proposed change will allow businesses to manage that cost more effectively and gives them more certainty about their payment obligations.
The tax pooling rules allow businesses to pool their tax payments with other businesses via tax pooling intermediaries. The rules assist both taxpayers who have overpaid tax and those who have underpaid their tax.


text:
SARASOTA, Fla. - Walking through parts of downtown requires pedestrians to march single-file.
And for those in wheelchairs--it's a tight fit. One caretaker chose to cross the street rather than try to fit through the narrow path of a sidewalk still available around on Main Street just east of Palm Avenue.
Welcome to summertime construction in downtown Sarasota.
The owner of Epicure says he's seen a drop off in business. "The noise and dust, people try to stay away," said Giovanni Miglorini.
Other places on Main Street over half-off sales to keep customers coming in.
The Downtown Improvement District says all this inconvenience will be worth in. When complete in a few months, sidewalks will be wider, you'll see more outdoor dining and enhanced landscaping.
One of Sarasota's most famous residents says all this hassle is worth the trade off.
"The truth is Sarasota's growing, there's more young people downtown, so that's sorta cool, So you don't lose a few parking spaces but we have free parking right around the corner there," said talk show host Jerry Springer.
Springer is referring to the city's relatively new parking garage that offers free parking. It will come in handy, as once this project is done, the right side of the road will become parallel parking, not angled parking, causing fewer spaces on the street.


text:
We have been told over and over by Wall Street, "cash is a drag on a company's balance sheet." We are told cash needs to be spent to increase shareholder value via acquisition, buyback or dividend. Yet we never question it. We don't even blink an eye and blindly agree. If an acquisition works and increases shareholder value, that's great. Trouble is, history shows us more than not, that acquisitions come at the expense of the shareholder. Just look how an acquirer's stock drops on the news.
For a buyback example let's look at Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO). Since 2002, Cisco has spent $70.3B on a share repurchase program. The company has ~$26.4B in net cash and its market cap is $86B.
If Cisco had held on to its cash, it would equal at least $96.7B today. That's much greater than its current market cap. Would Cisco be valued under its cash price today? Did Wall Street or Cisco really do what's best for shareholder value? Would Cisco be one of the most valuable tech stocks if it had held on to its cash?
Let's look at Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The company has spent $110B on share repurchases in the past 10 years. Microsoft has $49B in net cash. Its market cap is $219.5B. Again we need to ask, would the $110B better serve shareholder value as cash on the balance sheet? Would Microsoft be the most valuable company in the world if it had held on to cash?
These examples were simplified as interest payments on debt were not included. The dividend topic is a discussion unto itself therefore excluded from this article along with its cash value. As a note, Microsoft's total payout in dividends in the past 10 years is $70B. Cisco has paid out $329M in dividends. (Source of buyback/dividend value from investor relations)
Then There Was Apple
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a company that does not bend to Wall Street or its rules. The company concentrates on the business end or top and bottom line. The rest will eventually fall into place, as Steve Jobs has stated. Cash serves many purposes for companies. I want to reserve this article for one specific purpose. What does holding cash on a balance sheet do for shareholder value? Let's try an exercise.
Apple's weakest fiscal quarter is Q2. The company added $6.1B in cash in FY11Q2. Let's use this figure to see what its cash will be at the end of 2018. This way we have a worst case scenario. This assumes 0% growth rate from here on out. The graph below illustrates this.
Click to enlarge (or view here):
At the end of 2018, Apple will have $255B in cash/equivalents under our assumptions. Apple currently holds 21% of its market cap in cash/equivalents. If held constant, in 2018 Apple will have a market cap of $1.21 trillion.
Cisco currently holds 31% of its market cap in cash, while Microsoft holds 22%.
So this begs the question. Is Wall Street really preaching what's best for you? Are companies just playing to Wall Street or do they really believe that spending cash, just to spend, is best?
Future Stock Price
Sliding off topic for a moment; at $255B in cash, Apple's cash per share value would roughly equal $250. If this ends up being the case, one of two things must happen. Apple's stock price must greatly appreciate to bring the market cap to cash ratio in line. Or, Apple will be bought for close to book value. And who says the market correctly prices in the future? Here is a graph of what 21% cash to market cap looks like regarding stock price, again at 0% growth.
Click to enlarge (or view here):
We need to re-think this theory that cash is a burden. It is actually one of the best ways to increase shareholder value. Either used as $1 for $1 gain or for strategic operations. The cash strategy Apple is using has never been tried before. Is it possible Apple has learned from others, and in order to fulfill its fiduciary responsibility, the company must keep building cash? After all, doing our little exercise on cash would have any company asking for a mulligan.
Disclosure: I am long AAPL.
Additional disclosure: Short July Put Spreads, Short July Covered Calls