text:
Photo Gallery: Scene around Rodney King's home
Storify: R.I.P. Rodney King: Inland Empire pays its respects | Coverage of Rodney King's death from around the web | News of Rodney King's death sparks disbelief, conspiracy theories, snark
On Twitter: Get the latest updates @SBcityNow | @GLAPhoto | #RodneyKing | Local tweets | #LAriots | Local tweets
RIALTO -- Rodney King, the black motorist whose 1991 videotaped beating by Los Angeles police officers led to riots a year later in South Central L.A., was declared dead early Sunday after being pulled from the bottom of his home's backyard swimming pool.
Rialto police received a call at 5:25 a.m. from King's fiancee in the 1000 block of East Jackson Street. Officers arrived and pulled him out of the pool. He was pronounced dead at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton at 6:11 a.m.
"As of right now, there's no update as to whether or not Mr. King was under the influence of any controlled substances or alcoholic beverages," said Rialto police Capt. Randy DeAnda, "and we won't know that until toxicology is performed by the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office."
He said he did not see any alcohol containers or drugs by the pool. And there were no obvious signs of foul play or trauma.
DeAnda said he had to notify King's fiancee of his death. She thought he had survived.
King's fiancee described King as an avid swimmer, and she had been talking to him into the wee hours.
"We don't know the exact amount of time he was in the pool," said DeAnda, "but his fiancee said she did have a conversation with him, she went back inside and then heard a splash."
It wasn't uncommon for King to spend time in the pool until very late at night, he said.
Members of King's family, along with a handful of media agencies, gathered in front of the home as news spread of his death.
Cory Hudson, 48, who identified himself as a cousin, said he heard about it on the news and had been trying to reach King's brother without success.
"It's just so sad. I feel bad for all the family members. He was just getting his life really together," Hudson said.
The 1992 Los Angeles riots, which were set off by the acquittals of the officers who beat King, lasted three days and left 55 people dead, more than 2,000 injured and swaths of Los Angeles on fire. At the height of the violence, King pleaded on television: "Can we all get along?"
King, then a 25-year-old on parole from a robbery conviction, was stopped for speeding on a darkened street on March 3, 1991. He was on parole and had been drinking - he later said it led him to try to evade police.
Four white Los Angeles police officers hit him more than 50 times with their batons, kicked him and shot him with stun guns.
A man who had quietly stepped outside his home to observe the commotion videotaped most of it and turned a copy over to a TV station. It was played over and over for the following year, inflaming racial tensions across the country.
It seemed the videotape would be the key evidence to a guilty verdict against the officers, whose trial was moved to the predominantly white suburb of Simi Valley. Instead, on April 29, 1992, a jury with no black members acquitted three of the officers on state charges in the beating; a mistrial was declared for a fourth.
Violence erupted immediately, starting in South Los Angeles.
Police, seemingly caught off-guard, were quickly outnumbered by rioters and retreated. As the uprising spread to the city's Koreatown area, shop owners armed themselves and engaged in running gun battles with looters.
King, in his recently published memoir, "The Riot Within: My Journey from Rebellion to Redemption," said FBI agents warned him a riot was expected if the officers were acquitted, and urged him to keep a low profile so as not to inflame passions.
The four officers who beat King - Stacey Koon, Theodore Briseno, Timothy Wind and Laurence Powell - were indicted in the summer of 1992 on federal civil rights charges. Koon and Powell were convicted and sentenced to two years in prison, and King was awarded $3.8 million in damages.
Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates, who had been hailed as an innovator in the national law enforcement community, came under intense criticism from city officials who said officers were slow to respond to the riots. He resigned under pressure soon after. Gates died of cancer in 2010.
In the two decades after he became the central figure in the riots, King was arrested several times, mostly for alcohol-related crimes.
In an interview earlier this year with The Associated Press, King said he was a happy man.
"America's been good to me after I paid the price and stayed alive through it all," he says. "This part of my life is the easy part now."
The Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement that King was a symbol of the civil and anti-police brutality movement.
"Through all that he had gone through with his beating and his personal demons he was never one to not call for reconciliation and for people to overcome and forgive," Sharpton wrote. "History will record that it was Rodney King's beating and his actions that made America deal with the excessive misconduct of law enforcement."
Attorney Harland Braun, who represented one of the police officers, Ted Briseno, in the federal trial, said King's name would always be a part of Los Angeles history.
"I always saw him as a sad figure swept up into something bigger than he was," Braun said. "He wasn't a hero or a villain. He was probably just a nice person."
King's case never would have become such a symbol without the video, he said.
"If there hadn't been a video there would have never been a case. In those days, you might have claimed excessive force but there would have been no way to prove it."
The Associated Press and staff writers Melissa Pinion-Whitt and Ryan Hagen contributed to this report.


text:
- Home /
- Recipe & DIY /
- Christmas Decorations /
- DIY Holiday Berry Centerpiece
DIY Holiday Berry Centerpiece
We teamed up with Driscoll's Berries to show you how to create a show-stopping centerpiece for your holiday party. Rather than stop with one styrofoam form, we tiered 3 blocks to create a centerpiece that resembles a pile of presents to adorn your holiday table.
We teamed up with Driscoll's Berries to show you how to create a show-stopping centerpiece for your holiday party. Rather than stop with one styrofoam form, we tiered 3 blocks to create a centerpiece that resembles a pile of presents to adorn your holiday table.
With just a few basic craft supplies and a whole lot of Driscoll's Berries, you too can create this centerpiece!
In the form we share, the berries aren't edible. however, you can certainly omit the spray paint to ensure your berries remain safe to eat and guests can pick them off and enjoy, too. Just a note, if you choose to go the edible route, you'll want to make your centerpiece the day of your party to avoid any spoiling.
Store in a refrigerator if possible until party time!
- 3 styrofoam cubes - one 3-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch
- glue gun
- cranberry red spray paint
- toothpicks
- 3 packs of Driscoll's strawberries
- 2 packs Driscoll's blackberries
- 1 pack Driscoll's raspberries
- 2 packs Driscoll's blueberries
- crafting thread
- needle
- glitter spray paint
Step 1: Start with your base. Since we're going for a tiered present look, we used 3 styrofoam cubes and glued them together with our glue gun. The 7-inch goes at the bottom, topped by the 5-inch, then 3-inch.
You'll have to work quickly to glue these together as the hot glue will melt into the styrofoam rather fast.
Step 2: Once glued together, take your centerpiece's base to a well ventilated area, preferably, outside. Spray an even coat of the red spray paint to the entire surface. this will help cover any white spots that may poke out between your berries. Allow to dry completely - overnight is best.
Step 3: While your centerpiece's base sets, work on the blueberries "ribbon". The first string should measure 12-inches to be wrapped around the middle of the first two tiers, and the second should be longer at 19-inches. Simply string the blueberries on to crafting yarn with a needle and securely tie at both ends. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
Step 4: After your styrofoam has dried, it's time to decorate with those berries! We found it was easiest to poke the toothpicks directly into the styrofoam sides in a grid-like manner, then skewer the berries directly to the base.
Step 5: Cover the bottom tier with the bigger strawberries. Once that layer is completed, move onto the middle layer and decorate with blackberries. Follow that with the top tier using raspberries.
Step 6: Once the entire centerpiece is covered in berries, take out your blueberry garlands and wrap the smaller of the two between the first two layers. Wrap the longer one around the bottom two layers.
Step 7: Finally, spray the entire centerpiece with the glitter spray paint to give it extra holiday flair and to secure the berries.
This centerpiece isn't edible, but with the glitter spray paint will prevent the berries from spoiling for at least 2 days!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Clogged drains can allow rainwater to accumulate in the plenum tray (at the base of the windshield). The water may leak into the vehicle's interior, brake booster, or electrical components, which can lead to major problems. Our technicians recommend keeping the tray clear of leaves, pine needles, and other debris.
Problem Description and Possible Solution
Problem Data
RepairPal Verified
Average mileage: 61,000 (61,000–61,000)
9 people reported this problem


text:
Home > International Shipping
Whether you are shipping document, samples, personnel effects, cars or heavy machinery you are at the right place. NEX Worldwide Express provides the most reliable and the cheapest international shipping to Jamaica.
Shipping to Jamaica is now much easier with NEX. Air Freight, Ocean Freight and Express door-to-door services are available. You can choose service, get rates to ship to Jamaica, create shipping labels and schedule pick-up from location, online from our website.


text:
Acer Announces Upcoming S7 Ultrabooks with Windows 8, We Go Hands Onby Jarred Walton & Anand Lal Shimpi on 10/2/2012 8:00 AM EST
26 Comments
Back to Article
gamoniac - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkDoes it supports stylus? If so, I wonder how durable the screen is to support regular use of stylus, for drawing, etc.
Also, I wonder if the screen can auto-detect if you change the orientation, eg, if you hold it in portrait like a book. Reply
damianrobertjones - Thursday, October 04, 2012 - linkif it's not N-tri or Wacom or another 3rd party then no. Yes, if you use one that simulates a finger but you'd never use that for art Reply
xype - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkSo, contrary what many would want me to belive, it _is_ possible to make an Ultrabook that doesn't look like a MacBook knock-off. And here I was, thinking Lenovo's black Ultrabooks were an anomaly.
Acer is at least trying, they deserve respect for that. Reply
gamoniac - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkThis is in fact a few step up from MacBook Pro -- 1080P screen and SSD, despite with only 4GB of RAM, but I would say that is a good trade-off. However, SSD prices is so low nowadays. A 128GB SSD costs about the same as a 500/750GB of HDD. Hopefully the price will down a bit at launch. Reply
xype - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkMacBook Air, I assume. The Pro comes with a "retina" display. And the retina Pro and Air both have SSDs, the Air 4GB and Pro 16GB or RAM. Reply
gamoniac - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkI guess I was looking the more comparably priced MacBook Pro 13.3" (http://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-MD102LL-13-3-I...
MacBook Pro Retina 15.4" goes for $2200 at the moment, but thanks for pointing that out! Reply
xype - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkThe funny thing is that if you configure a non-retina 15" MBP with the same specs it will come around $100 more than the retina one.
But you're right, the 13" MBP does have a lower res display (which makes it unusable for me—the form factor would be great otherwise). Here's hoping Apple will really introduce a 13" retina MBP this fall… Reply
damianrobertjones - Thursday, October 04, 2012 - linkBut that 'Retina' display is not running at the default resolution so you can't really compare. Reply
damianrobertjones - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkApple were not the first to make thin machines or to use the chiclet keyboard. Reply
xype - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkYou are not the first to use any of the words "were, not, make, thin, chiclet, or, to, Apple, first, keyboard, machines, use, the" in this discussion.
You're _just_ the first to put them together in a sentence that makes sense. It's just a question of how many people can write a post saying only:
Apple were not the first to make thin machines or to use the chiclet keyboard.
Before poeple would start pointing out you were the first to say it and before people would get annoyed/bored/irritated by the 10 other posters who would keep repeating it. Reply
KPOM - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkNo, but Apple was the first to see that ultrathin portables could be a mainstream class and not merely a niche product.
I've always been a fan of ultraportables, all the way back to the NEC Ultralite back in the early 1990s. However, while 4lb notebooks were common in the early 1990s (think the Sharp PC 6220 or even the original Compaq ), the industry went off on a tangent with thicker and heavier designs. There's really no reason why 3lb notebooks couldn't have been mainstream in 2008. It took Apple to take the category seriously (though they didn't get the formula quite right until 2010).
Today, in late 2012, there is really no reason why an ultrabook can't be a "main" computer for about 90% of the population. With dedicated game consoles like the Xbox, few people really need a discrete GPU. SSD prices have fallen dramatically, and 8GB is pretty easy to put into an Ultrabook (Apple offers an 8GB Air, so others can do so just as easily). Reply
tuxRoller - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkThis isn't even the third company to make ultrabooks that don't look like macbooks. See Samsung series 9, and lenovo U-series (the later, when opened and only looking at the keyboard, looks like a macbook in that it is sparsely decorated and solid aluminum, but the rest looks quite different).
For that matter, even the Asus ultrabooks, with their unique exteriors, don't seem to leave people wondering if they are macbooks. Reply
chucknelson - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkFirst of all, the way the laptop is being held in the video while using the touchscreen - strange. I get it for demo purposes, but I don't see anyone holding a laptop like that.
I'm wondering why the pictures and the video have no demonstration of the 180-degree hinge. Did they not let you use that functionality? Seems like that would the first thing you do with the 13-inch model to demo the touch screen... Reply
JarredWalton - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkA 360 degree hinge would be more interesting IMO; being able to fold the keyboard/palm rest under the display is a lot more likely to be used as a tablet then simply letting you lay the screen flat. Reply
jamyryals - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkVery attractive laptop. I'm mostly interested to see how well the new windows 8 trackpads will compare to the mac trackpads. That's my single biggest complaint about current windows notebooks.
Even if it does have a better trackpad though, 4GB of RAM on a $1600 machine that I can't upgrade is an absolute no buy. At least provide an option for people... Reply
andrewaggb - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkWhat are you planning on running on an ultrabook that needs more than 4GB of ram? I'm curious.
With intel graphics I can't see anybody doing serious graphic work. And I doubt anyone would be running a a large relational database.
Maybe some virtual machines? (hyper-v built into windows 8 works really well) Reply
xype - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkIf you are doing any development work (which requires bloated tools or, like you said, VMs) or graphics/photography/video work (for which you don't _really_ need a cutting edge GPU), 4GB can be pretty annoying. Most people who use laptops for work plug them into a display at home and the office anyway.
I'm doing lots of work with Photoshop and optionally an IDE or browser open for development and I'm getting by with 8GB mostly because the SSD makes paging out bearable. Which is the main reason I haven't switched to a MacBook Air and probably a reason many have trouble finding an Ultrabook that would work for them.
A bit of a bummer, really, just like the year-long reluctance to put decent screens into Ultrabooks. People who buy those machines for work don't even mind a $100-200 premium that much for those features. Reply
Gunbuster - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkAll three with 1080p, touch screen, SSD, and not slathered in glossy plastic?
From Acer?
My world has turned upside down this morning. Reply
andrewaggb - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linklol. That's actually what I was thinking too. Looked like a fairly nice machine.
At first glance it seemed a little expensive, but I haven't compared ultrabooks in a while. Maybe for a 1080p touch screen and sdd this is what they go for. Reply
Spivonious - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkProofread? Right in the first paragraph: "preciously reviewed". I'm pretty sure you meant "previously reviewed". Reply
cknobman - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - link>$1200 for an Acer product???
Sorry but I am willing to bet no matter what improvements you have made Acer your brand reputation is already so well established your not going to get many willing to pay ultra premium prices for your carp. Reply
e_sandrs - Tuesday, October 02, 2012 - linkI need a quick booting system with enough room for my OS and productivity apps that runs all day.
Intel i3 CPU
10+ hour runtime (6-cell battery?)
about 4 lbs
You can't get a decent size SSD (more than 20GB) without going up to an i7, and runtime seems to be slipping in a lot of models, too (3-cell batteries, 5.5hrs runtime). I would think an Ultrabook like I list would have a lot of appeal for both individuals and some businesses. Someone build it, please! Reply
B3an - Wednesday, October 03, 2012 - link"Also impressive was the trackpad performance which didn't exhibit any of the usual issues we've seen from Ultrabooks thus far."
I think that has to do with Win 8. I remember reading, that apart from much better multi-touch trackpad support on Win 8, that the actual hardware for the trackpads will also be improved and have more bandwidth. Reply
tuxRoller - Wednesday, October 03, 2012 - linkI think you're right that it has something to do with Win8, but I'm not sure it is just the hardware (though there has been some changes to the HID protocol for Win8 since linux has had to adopt some of the upcoming changes in preparation for these new devices https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/6/27/85). In my experience, I rarely have difficulty with linux trackpads. Frankly I'm a bit baffled by the experiences people seem to have with trackpads in general. Things like latency, accuracy, jitter are all things that I either don't experience at all, or I can fix by adjusting some module variables.
The exception to this is with touchscreen notebooks (i.e., cursor sometimes sticks with the touchscreen input and won't release to the trackpad unless you click on the touchscreen to release), but I believe this to be an issue with Xinput. Reply
Arbie - Friday, October 05, 2012 - link
Lacking a 360-degree hinge, why would these things have a touchscreen? As is obvious from the picture, it's awkward to use with the keyboard hanging out, and overall looks as silly as it probably feels.
So many things are wrong with the ultrabooks that I think very few people will actually buy one. I want a light (but not ultralight); thin (but not ultrathin) laptop with an SSD, decent graphics and excellent battery life, for $600-$700. I don't want all the compromises and high price that go with the "ultra" niche. Reply
hybrid2d4x4 - Monday, October 08, 2012 - linkI agree with your touchscreen sentiment. But even if it had a 360-deg hinge, would it still be worthwhile? Just look at the section in the hands-on vid where he "emails a presentation". That segment took at least 3x longer to do because of the horrendous inefficiency of touchscreen controls (press and hold for 2s instead of right/clicking. I have a tablet myself, but so far I have not encountered a single usage scenario where touchscreen controls are better than mouse+kbd. Having finally gotten around to installing the W8 RP, I can't help but cringe about the future of PC use since it's obviously designed with touchscreens in mind. Reply


text:
DETROIT - Michigan drivers, if you're not keeping an eye on the storm in the Gulf of Mexico, you probably should be.
Isaac is already affecting gas prices and it could get worse before it gets better.
Gas prices will go up no matter what happens, but there are a few variables that could affect how much and for how long. Here's a snap shot of where prices stand right now. AAA Michigan says the state average is $3.93 a gallon, 14 cents higher than last year.
"The gas prices are ridiculous. I can't imagine them much higher," one customer told Ruth to the Rescue while filling up at a Dearborn station.
Law of supply and demand
The Gulf region accounts for 25 percent of the nation's oil supply. Oil rigs have already been closed as workers were evacuated for their own safety. Nancy Cain of AAA Michigan says that move is already cutting capacity and raising prices. Plus, things could get worse depending on the strength and direction of the storm.
"If it hits right in the oil refineries area, you could anticipate that we will be paying higher prices," said Cain.
What to watch for
As you follow the storm coverage, be on the lookout for damage to refineries or pipelines, as that will impact what you pay at the pump.Cain says the severity of damage will determine how long the storm-related price surge will last.
"If the refineries are severely damaged its going to take them longer to get back on track- than if there's minor damage," according to Nancy Cain of AAA Michigan.
So, if you're tank is running low, you might want to head to the gas station.
"Right now, today, if you haven't filled up, fill up today when you see a good price fill up!" Cain advised. Then, she says make that tank last as long as possible. She says do conserve gasoline- you should keep your car in good working order, drive steadily, avoid those stops and starts that waste fuel.
Labor Day travel
Cain also tells us the storm should not affect labor day travel here in Michigan. She says most drivers say they're already accounted for higher gas prices, and will spend less money on other things like meals and souvenirs.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Strictly Organic Coffee Company
Just about any place you find on TravelOregon.com can be added to your own Oregon Roadtrippers Account. Find out how.
Get on the road with Roadtrippers
We've partnered with Roadtrippers to provide a great way to plan a trip around Oregon. So start planning your next road trip to here, there or pretty much anywhere in Oregon.
We serve and deliver Certified Organic and Fair Trade coffee to people who care about the world's environment, it's people, and the coffee they enjoy. Located in Bend, Oregon, Strictly Organic Coffee is your own personal source for sustainable coffees.
What's around here? Location & Nearby Things to See & Do
These maps and directions are for planning purposes only. You may find that construction projects, traffic, or other events may cause road conditions to differ from the map results. For travel options, weather and road conditions, visit tripcheck.com, call 511 (in Oregon only), 800.977.6368 or 503.588.2941.
Is any of the information on this page incorrect?
A related Trip Idea
A Tasty Road Trip from Bend to Baker City to Joseph
Cory Carman Fourth generation rancher: Cory Carman grew up in paradise, albeit not the tropical kind. In the shadow of the Wallowa Mountains in northeastern Oregon, she spent her youth riding horses on the family's 3,500-acre cattle ranch.…


text:
Drivers are advised that motorways and major A-roads leading to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are likely to be busy between tomorrow and Sunday, July 13.
The A417/A419, M4 and M5 are all expected to be busy with famlies heading to the Air Tattoo.
The Highways Agency, which manages the motorways and major A roads in England, is advising drivers to plan and check their travel routes in advance, and to keep up-to-date with the latest road conditions.
Traffic volumes will be monitored and electronic signs on the M4 and M5 will display route directions to the event, warn road users of increased traffic volumes, possible delays or the cancellation of the event.
For updates call the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.


text:
SMWC honors the fallen
November 7th, 2012 | SMWC
For a second year, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) has joined the National Roll Call project to honor American servicemen and -women by hosting simultaneous ceremonies across the nation. On Monday, Nov. 12, 2012, the names of more than 6,600 fallen soldiers will be read aloud by students, faculty, staff and volunteers on the front lawn of SMWC's Rooney Library from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
More than 93 colleges and universities in 37 states across the country will read the names of those who fell in service to the nation. All participating campuses will observe a simultaneous nationwide minute of silence at 11 a.m.
The Veterans Knowledge Community of NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education sponsors the Remembrance Day National Roll Call. NASPA is a 12,000-member association for the advancement, health and sustainability of the student affairs professionals. The Veterans Knowledge Community's (VKC) mission is to advocate for best practices to help student veterans transition to college and succeed.
Lt. Col. (Ret) Brett Morris, the National Roll Call coordinator, said, "We want to rally campus communities across the nation to send a message to the troops currently serving - that we, as a national body of students, have not forgotten their sacrifices, or those of their fallen brethren."
In conjunction with the roll call, SMWC will also host other activities to connect, support and honor service members and their families. These will include a Fallen Soldiers Table to acknowledge the inability of the service members to be present, a station to create handmade rosaries and opportunities to become involved with the Student Veterans Organization.
- For more information regarding academic success of veterans at SMWC, visit the College's Military Benefits page or email Kim LaComba.
Read more about SMWC's participation in the National Roll Call:
- SMWC honors fallen, Tribune Star, November 2012
Comment on this article
This story has been moved to the archive and comments have now been disabled.


text:
Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn Arts Association is currently hosting the 2013 Summer Invitational Exhibition at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. The exhibition features paintings and photography by Natalyn Havenick Rose and ceramic works by Po Wiese. The public is invited to a drop-in reception on Friday, June 28 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. to view the exhibition and meet the artists.
The exhibition is free and open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. through Friday, July 26. Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to see these amazing works of art. Summer is the perfect time for camps and student groups to tour the gallery. Gallery tours are available by request. Contact the Arts Center to make a reservation.
For more information about the exhibition, or to request a tour, please contact the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center at 501-2963 or visit www.auburnalabama.org/arts.


text:
1 conference presentations on Databases and Web Development.
See Databases conferences.
Your current filters are…
from Drizzle, Virtualizing and Scaling MySQL for the Future at Open Source Bridge 2011, 21st-24th June 2011
Added 6 years ago
Browse and track events by topic
Follow @lanyrd on Twitter.
Lanyrd on Facebook
· Blog
· Services
· Colophon
+ Cookies · Email us


text:
If you are a subscriber to the JCSM (including members of the AASM), please login to access the journal.
Click here to Subscribe:
$140/volume year to access all current articles and archives published in JCSM.
Click Here to DOWNLOAD the article*:
$20 to access a PDF version of a specific article from the current issue of JCSM.
*Purchase of an electronic download of JCSM provides permission to access and print the issue/article for personal scholarly, research and educational use. Please note: access to the article is from the computer on which the article is purchased ONLY. Purchase of the article does not permit distribution, electronic or otherwise, of the article without the written permission of the AASM. Further, purchase does not permit the posting of article text on an online forum or website.
Subscribers can download and print full articles from current and past issues of the JCSM
Login to JCSM
Join the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and receive a subscription to JCSM with your membership
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors that promote the growth and survival of neurons. Recent evidence suggests that BDNF is a sleep regulatory substance that contributes to sleep behavior. However, no studies have examined the association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia. The present study was conducted to clarify the association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia.
A total of 344 workers (age: 40.1 ± 10.5 years, male: 204, female: 140) were included in the study. The serum BDNF levels were categorized into tertiles according to sex.
The prevalence of dyssomnia was 35.1% in males and 30.0% in females. In the females, the BDNF levels were found to be negatively associated with dyssomnia after adjusting for age, body mass index, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, depression, smoking, alcohol intake, and regular exercise. Compared with the females in the high BDNF group, the multivariate odds ratio (95% CI) of dyssomnia was 2.08 (0.62-6.98) in females in the moderate BDNF group and 8.41 (2.05-27.14) in females in the low BDNF group. No such relationships were found in the males.
The serum BDNF levels are associated with dyssomnia in Japanese female, but not male, workers.
Nishichi R; Nufuji Y; Washio M; Shuzo Kumagai S. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels are associated with dyssomnia in females, but not males, among Japanese workers. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(7):649-654.
Dyssomnia is one of the most common health problems in the Japanese population. Recent surveys by the Japanese Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare have demonstrated that 21.1% of Japanese adults suffer from dyssomnia.1 Many studies have suggested that dyssomnia is not only linked to mental disorders, including depression,2 but also to endocrine disorders (e.g., obesity, diabetes mellitus) and cardiovascular disorders (e.g., hypertension, heart disease).3–6
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophin family of growth factors. In addition to its neurotrophic and synaptotrophic actions, including the promotion of growth and survival in neurons,7,8 BDNF plays a role in learning and memory,9 the regulation of food intake,10 glucose and lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis.11,12 BDNF is present in the nervous system and peripheral tissues and is also found in blood.13–15 Accumulating evidence shows the serum BDNF levels to be associated with psychiatric and metabolic disorders, including depression,16,17Alzheimer disease,18 and diabetes mellitus.19–21 However, no studies have examined the association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia.
Recent evidence interestingly suggests that BDNF is a sleep regulatory substance.22–24 Faraguna et al.25 showed the degree of BDNF expression during wakefulness to be causally linked to the extent of slow wave activity in the subsequent rest period. Moreover, Martinowich et al.26 demonstrated that a genetic manipulation that leads to disruption of the activity-dependent BDNF expression results in impairments in sleep regulation. Based on this evidence showing a biological links between BDNF and sleep behavior, we hypothesized that serum BDNF levels may be associated with dyssomnia. In the present study, we examined this association in Japanese workers.
Current Knowledge/Study Rationale: BDNF is suggested to contribute to sleep behavior. However, there is no study on the association between serum BDNF and dyssomnia.
Study Impact: The serum BDNF levels were inversely associated with dyssomnia in females, but not in males. However, further studies are needed to answer whether or not the sex differences in BDNF are related to sex differences in dyssomnia.
In Japan, the Industrial Safety and Health Law requires all employers to provide annual health check-ups for their employees. The annual health check-up consists of an interview regarding lifestyle; measurement of weight, height, and blood pressure; physical examination; electrocardiogram examinations; chest x-ray; urinalysis; and blood tests. Blood samples from the study subjects were obtained from 08:00 to 10:00 after overnight fasting. In addition to performing these routine health check-up examinations, the serum BDNF levels were measured, and sleep quality and depressive symptoms were assessed with interviews by trained nurses.
The subjects of this study were employees of the Creative Research Community (CRC) Company (Fukuoka, Japan), which provides services such as health check-up support, genetic testing, and clinical testing. A total of 400 workers, 20 years of age or older underwent an annual health check-up at their company in 2009. Among these workers, 30 did not agree to participate and 26 who did not complete the questionnaires or biochemical tests were excluded from the study. Ultimately, a total of 344 participants (204 males and 140 females) were included in this study. Two hundred eighty-two study subjects (82%) were day workers. All participants received oral and written information about the experimental procedures before giving their written informed consent. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of St. Mary's College and monitored by the institutional review committee.
After the blood was centrifuged 2000 × g for 10 min at 4°C, the serum was stored at -80°C until the analyses were performed. The serum BDNF concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kit (Promega, Madison, WI) following the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, 96 well plates were coated with anti-BDNF monoclonal antibodies and incubated at 4°C for 16 h. The plates were then incubated in a blocking buffer for 1 h. All of the incubation stages were conducted at room temperature. The serum samples were diluted to 1:200, and the plasma samples were diluted to 1:19 in Block & Sample 1 × Buffer. After adding the samples and the BDNF standard, the plates were incubated with shaking for 2 h, then washed in washing buffer. The plates were then incubated with anti-human BDNF polyclonal antibodies for 2 h. After being washed, the plates were incubated with anti-IgY HRP conjugate with shaking for 1 h and washed. Next, TMB One solution was added for 10 min, and the reaction was stopped with 1 M HCl. The absorbance at 450 nm was measured within 30 min after stopping the reaction.
Sleep quality was assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI is used worldwide as a tool for the assessment of sleep quality. The scores were obtained according to the PSQI-scoring method (0-1-2-3-4). The cutoff for the total score of the PSQI is 5.5 points, and scores above the cutoff are considered to indicate dyssomnia.27
BMI was calculated as the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2.28 Antihypertensive medication use, antihyperlipidemic drug use, oral hypoglycemic intake or insulin administration, and current lifestyle factors, including smoking, alcohol intake, and regular exercise were determined by interviews with trained nurses. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mm Hg and/or current treatment with antihypertensive medications. Dyslipidemia was defined as LDL-cholesterol ≥ 140 mg/ dL, triglyceride ≥ 150 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol < 40 mg/dL and/ or current treatment with antihyperlipidemic drugs. Hyperglycemia was defined as fasting plasma glucose concentrations ≥ 110 mg/dL and/or the use of antidiabetic medications.29 Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Depression was defined as a CES-D score ≥ 16 points.30
The serum BDNF levels were categorized into tertiles according to sex (males: < 10.91, 10.92 to 13.81, > 13.82 ng/mL; females: < 9.32, 9.33 to 12.12, > 12.13 ng/mL). The crude mean values and the frequencies of the variables were compared between the groups using the χ2 test and one-way analysis of variance as appropriate. Dunnett test was employed for all post hoc tests. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of dyssomnia for each BDNF tertile group were calculated by taking the highest tertile as the referent using the logistic regression models. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software program (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 18.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).
The prevalence of dyssomnia was 35.1% in the males and 30.0% in the females. The serum BDNF levels were significantly higher in the males (12.72 ± 4.08 ng/mL) than in the females (11.13 ± 3.28 ng/mL, p < 0.001).
Table 1 presents the characteristics of the male participants by tertile of the serum BDNF levels. There were no significant differences in PSQI scores or prevalence of dyssomnia among the 3 groups of males. The frequency of regular exercise was significantly higher in the low BDNF group than in the high BDNF group. There were no significant differences in any of the other parameters among the 3 groups of males. Table 2 presents the characteristics of the female participants by tertile of the serum BDNF levels. The mean PSQI scores in the low and moderate BDNF groups were significantly higher than that in the high BDNF group among females (p < 0.01, p = 0.02, respectively). Additionally, there were significant differences in the prevalence of dyssomnia among the 3 groups (p < 0.001). The prevalence of dyssomnia in the low BDNF group was significantly higher than that in the high BDNF group (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in any of the other parameters among the 3 groups of females.
Characteristics of participants by tertile of serum BDNF levels in men (n = 204)
(more ...)
Characteristics of participants by tertile of serum BDNF levels in women (n = 140)
Table 3 shows the association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia. Compared with the females in the high BDNF group, the age-adjusted OR (95% CI) of dyssomnia was 2.04 (0.68-6.09) in females in the moderate BDNF group and 8.18 (2.89-23.13) in females in the low BDNF group. These associations remained statistically significant even after adjusting for age, BMI, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, depression, regular exercise, and so on (moderate: OR 1.73, 95% CI 0.51-5.90; low: OR 8.77, 95% CI 2.71-28.38). In contrast, compared with the males in the high BDNF group, the males in the low BDNF group showed a decreased age-adjusted OR for dyssomnia (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.97). However, this association disappeared after adjusting for confounding factors (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.23-1.28).
Distribution of Japanese workers with and without dyssomnia according to serum BDNF levels, with corresponding OR and 95%CI
Table 4 shows the association between serum BDNF levels and the scores of 7 components of PSQIG. Serum BDNF levels in females were significantly inversely correlated with the score of sleep duration (r = -0.191, p < 0.05), sleep disturbance (r = -0.179, p < 0.05), daytime dysfunction (r = -0.270, p < 0.01), and global (r = -0.295, p < 0.001). No such correlations were found in males.
The association between serum BDNF level and PSQIG subscores (n = 344)
We found the serum BDNF levels to be negatively associated with dyssomnia in females. Because the serum BDNF levels have been reported to change according to age,31 body weight, BMI,32 depression,16,17 metabolic disorders, including diabetes mellitus,19–21 and regular exercise,33,34 we adjusted the model for these potential confounding factors. The association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia remained statistically significant even after adjusting for these confounders. Among females, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of dyssomnia in the low BDNF group was eight times higher than that in the high BDNF group. However, these associations were not observed in the male subjects. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia.
There are many kinds of dyssomnia, and it is an important issue to determine what types of dyssomnia correlate with the serum BDNF levels. Low level of serum BDNF is considered to associate with intrinsic circadian rhythm disorder, since the majority of study subjects were day workers. Therefore, the association between serum BDNF levels and extrinsic circadian rhythm disorder should be investigated in the future. The results of this study showed that serum BDNF levels were negatively associated with sleep duration, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction in the female, although the degrees of these associations seem to be weak. Thus, further large-scale studies are recommended to confirm how serum the BDNF level correlates with the occurrence of dyssomnia.
An association between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia is biologically plausible. Since BDNF can cross the blood-brain barrier in both directions35 and brain tissue is the main contributor to circulating BDNF,36 low serum BDNF levels may reflect decreased BDNF levels in the brain. An experimental animal study suggested that BDNF in the brain contributes to the regulation of sleep behavior and promotes NREM sleep.22 Hence, decreased levels of brain BDNF may be related to poor control of sleep behavior.
On the other hand, decreased serum BDNF levels may be caused by dyssomnia. Recent studies in humans suggest that acute or chronic sleep deprivation affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and changes the secretion of cortisol.37,38 Vgontzas et al.38 demonstrated that 24-h mean cortisol secretion in chronic insomniacs is higher than that in normal controls.24 Intriguingly, glucocorticoids have been reported to suppress the BDNF expression in the hippocampus.39 Additionally, a human study demonstrated a negative association between the cortisol levels and the BDNF levels in the blood.40 Therefore, dyssomnia may reduce the BDNF levels in the brain and the blood by altering the activity of the HPA system to increase the secretion of cortisol.
Many epidemiological studies have suggested gender differences are associated with dyssomnia.5 However, it remains unclear as to whether or not the sex differences in BDNF observed in the results of the present study are related to sex differences in dyssomnia.
Several limitations should be noted. First, the cross-sectional design of the study limits the interpretation of causality between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia. Second, since the sample size was relatively small and the subjects were workers, the subjects may not be representative of the entire Japanese population. Third, we obtained only one serum sample at morning for measurement of serum BDNF level from study subjects. Therefore, we could not investigate the association between the circadian change of serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia in this study. This association should be investigated in future study, since the serum level of BDNF has been demonstrated to be influenced by several conditions, such as meal intake and level of activity.10–12 Finally, we did not measure any other hormones or mediators which were reported to correlate with dyssomnia. Thus, further study is needed to clarify how serum BDNF levels associate with those hormones and mediators, such as cortisol, growth hormone, sex hormones, and melatonin.
In this study, serum BDNF levels were associated with dyssomnia in females but not in males. The association observed in the female subjects remained statistically significant even after adjusting for possible confounding factors, including age, BMI, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, depression, smoking, drinking, and regular exercise. Our results support the emerging concept that BDNF is a sleep regulatory substance and may contribute to improving understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of dyssomnia. Further longitudinal studies of large populations are required to elucidate the precise relationship between the serum BDNF levels and dyssomnia.
This was not an industry supported study. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.
This study was supported financially by St. Mary's College and the Grants-in-Aid from Science Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (Kakenhi). The authors thank Dr. Kyoichi Adachi for helpful disscussion, and the staff members of the Institute of Health Science, Kyushu University and CRC for their cooperation throughout this study.
Liu X, Uchiyama M, Kim K, et al., authors. Sleep loss and daytime sleepiness in the general adult population of Japan. Psychiatry Res. 2000;93:1–11. [PubMed]
Stewart R, Besset A, Bebbington P, et al., authors. Insomnia comorbidity and impact and hypnotic use by age group in a national survey population aged 16 to 74 years. Sleep. 2006;29:1391–97. [PubMed]
Rosmond R, Lapidus L, Mårin P, Björntorp P, authors. Mental distress, obesity and body fat distribution in middle-aged men. Obes Res. 1996;4:245–52. [PubMed]
Portaluppi F, Cortelli P, Avoni P, et al., authors. Diurnal blood pressure variation and hormonal correlates in fatal familial insomnia. Hypertension. 1994;23:569–76. [PubMed]
Wallander MA, Johansson S, Ruigómez A, García Rodríguez LA, Jones R, authors. Morbidity associated with sleep disorders in primary care: a longitudinal cohort study. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;9:338–345. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Resnick HE, Redline S, Shahar E, et al., authors. Diabetes and sleep disturbances: findings from the Sleep Heart Health Study. Diabetes Care. 2003;26:702–09. [PubMed]
Aloe L, Iannitelli A, authors. Neurotrophic factors and brain damage in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: a role of nerve growth factor? Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2001;37:573–80. [PubMed]
Thoenen H, author. Neurotrophins and neuronal plasticity. Science. 1995;270:593–98. [PubMed]
Ma YL, Wang HL, Wu HC, Wei CL, Lee EH, authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor antisense oligonucleotide impairs memory retention and inhibits long-term potentiation in rats. Neuroscience. 1998;82:957–67. [PubMed]
Xu B, Goulding EH, Zang K, et al., authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor regulates energy balance downstream of melanocortin-4 receptor. Nat Neurosci. 2003;6:736–42. [PubMed Central]
Nakagawa T, Tsuchida A, Itakura Y, et al., authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor regulates glucose metabolism by modulating energy balance in diabetic mice. Diabetes. 2000;49:436–44. [PubMed]
Tsuchida A, Nonomura T, Nakagawa T, et al., authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor ameliorates lipid metabolism in diabetic mice. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2002;4:262–9. [PubMed]
Fujimura H, Altar CA, Chen R, et al., authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is stored in human platelets and released by agonist stimulation. Thromb Haemost. 2002;87:728–34. [PubMed]
Radka SF, Holst PA, Fritsche M, Altar CA, authors. Presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in brain and human and rat but not mouse serum detected by a sensitive and specific immunoassay. Brain Res. 1996;709:122–301. [PubMed]
Rosenfeld RD, Zeni L, Haniu M, et al., authors. Purification and identification of brain-derived neurotrophic factor from human serum. Protein Expr Purif. 1995;6:465–71. [PubMed]
Karege F, Perret G, Bondolfi G, Schwald M, Bertschy G, Aubry JM, authors. Decreased serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in major depressed patients. Psychiatry Res. 2002;109:143–8. [PubMed]
Shimizu E, Hashimoto K, Okamura N, et al., authors. Alterations of serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in depressed patients with or without antidepressants. Biol Psychiatry. 2003;54:70–5. [PubMed]
Narisawa-Saito M, Wakabayashi K, Tsuji S, Takahashi H, Nawa H, authors. Regional specificity of alterations in NGF, BDNF and NT-3 levels in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroreport. 1996;7:2925–8. [PubMed]
Suwa M, Kishimoto H, Nofuji Y, et al., authors. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor level is increased and associated with obesity in newly diagnosed female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 2006;55:852–7. [PubMed]
Krabbe KS, Nielsen AR, Krogh-Madsen R, et al., authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2007;50:431–8. [PubMed]
Navaratna D, Guo SZ, Hayakawa K, Wang X, Gerhardinger C, Lo EH, authors. Decreased cerebrovascular brain-derived neurotrophic factor-mediated neuroprotection in the diabetic brain. Diabetes. 2011;60:1789–96. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Kushikata T, Fang J, Krueger JM, authors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances spontaneous sleep in rats and rabbits. Am J Physiol. 1999;276:1334–8
Krueger JM, Rector DM, Churchill L, authors. Sleep and cytokines. Sleep Med Clin. 2007;2:161–9. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Opp MR, author. Cytokines and sleep. Sleep Med Rev. 2005;9:355–64. [PubMed]
Faraguna U, Vyazovskiy VV, Nelson AB, Tononi G, Cirelli C, authors. A causal role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the homeostatic regulation of sleep. J Neurosci. 2008;28:4088–95. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Martinowich K, Schloesser RJ, Jimenez DV, Weinberger DR, Lu B, authors. Activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression regulates cortistatininterneurons and sleep behavior. Mol Brain. 2011;9:4–11
Uchiyama S, editor. Sleep disorder for diagnosis and treatment guidelines. 2009. 13th ed. Tokyo: Ziho; p. 227–35
The examination Committee of Criteria for "Obesity Disease" in Japan. Japan Society for Study of Obesity. New criteria for 'obesity disease' in Japan. Circ J. 2002;66:987–92. [PubMed]
Okamura T, Nakamura K, Kanda H, et al., authors. Effect of combined cardiovascular risk factors on individual and population medical expenditures: a 10-year cohort study of national health insurance in a Japanese population. Circ J. 2007;71:807–13. [PubMed]
Radloff LS, Locke BZ, editors; Rush J, et al., editors. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Psychiatric Measures. 2000. Washington, DC: APA;
Ziegenhorn AA, Schulte-Herbrüggen O, Danker-Hopfe H, et al., authors. Serum neurotrophins--a study on the time course and influencing factors in a large old age sample. Neurobiol Aging. 2007;8:1436–45
Monteleone P, Tortorella A, Martiadis V, Serritella C, Fuschino A, Maj M, authors. Opposite changes in the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in anorexia nervosa and obesity. Psychosom Med. 2004;66:744–48. [PubMed]
Molteni R, Wu A, Vaynman S, Ying Z, Barnard RJ, Gomez-Pinilla F, authors. Exercise reverses the harmful effects of consumption of a high-fat diet on synaptic and behavioral plasticity associated to the action of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Neuroscience. 2004;123:429–40. [PubMed]
Vaynman S, Ying Z, Gomez-Pinilla F, authors. Hippocampal BDNF mediates the efficacy of exercise on synaptic plasticity and cognition. Eur J Neurosci. 2004;20:2580–90. [PubMed]
Pan W, Banks WA, Fasold MB, Bluth J, Kastin AJ, authors. Transport of brain-derived neurotrophic factor across the blood-brain barrier. Neuropharmacology. 1998;37:1553–61. [PubMed]
Pilegaard H, author. Evidence for a release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor from the brain during exercise. Exp Physiol. 2009;4:1062–69
Leproult R, Copinschi G, Buxton O, Van Cauter E, authors. Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Sleep. 1997;20:865–70. [PubMed]
Vgontzas AN, Mastorakos G, Bixler EO, Kales A, Gold PW, Chrousos GP, authors. Sleep deprivation effects on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and growth axes: potential clinical implications. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1999;51:205–15
Smith MA, Makino S, Kvetnansky R, Post RM, authors. Stress and glucocorticoids affect the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 mRNAs in the hippocampus. J Neurosci. 1995;15:1768–77. [PubMed]
Mackin P, Gallagher P, Watson S, Young AH, Ferrier IN, authors. Changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor following treatment with mifepristone in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2007;41:321–26. [PubMed]


text:
Friends of Scouting
Did some members of your Pack or Troop miss the Friends of Scouting Presentation this year?
Do you have alumni who may want to donate?
Did YOU forget to donate?
It's time to do your 'Good Turn Daily' — simply send out a reminder to your unit's email group and direct them to this Fox River District web site you're viewing now or cut and paste the link you will be directed to below.
THEN magically with a click on (THIS LINK) those supporters can easily donate via credit card AND it's great because they don't need to listen to a long winded presenter tell them how it helps train adult leaders and also our youth through Junior Youth Leader Training, or how these donations help fund our Council's beautiful camps, or how their donation also supports programs to develop our young men and women to become leaders themselves. AND, if they want to fund a Scout for one whole year at $165, it only costs $13.75/ month, but any level of support is welcomed.
Yep, they don't need to hear all that stuff even though it's all true!
The future of our Scouting program depends on everyone pitching in. Not just the few who may have attended your Blue & Gold Banquet or Court of Honor. You could also thanks those who already donated. We love 'em all, as much as we do Scouting!
ph 262-744-6739


text:
Military enactments from the Great War Society will be just one of the attractions this weekend to mark the centenary of the First World War at Codford Village Hall and field.
The society, under the guise of the Fourth Battalion, Middlesex Regiment will give demonstrations of camp activities. Other displays include a trench with artefacts and a 1915 Daimler Army lorry.
The free weekend will be officially opened by General Sir Roger Wheeler at 11am tomorrow as part of the commemorations planned by the Wylye Valley 1914 Project.
In the village hall there will be a number of attractions including a documentary showing the history of the British Expeditionary Force.
On Sunday at 3.30pm there will be a 'Drumhead Service' with the Royal British Legion standards, Salisbury City Band of the Royal British Legion and Warminster Military Wives choir.
The event runs on Saturday, 10am-5pm, and Sunday, 10am-4.30pm. See www.wylyevalley1914.org.uk


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/7/2013 (1494 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A local businessman who was once known as a biker associate was arrested this week after a St. Boniface strip bar was extensively vandalized.
Ray Rybachuk, 42, was arrested late Thursday morning and taken into custody, charged with two counts of mischief over $5,000, mischief under $5,000 and two counts of uttering threats to damage property.
A source familiar with the investigation said police were called to Teasers Burlesque Palace, at Archibald Street and Marion Street, just after 11 a.m. Thursday by staff who said a man had climbed onto the roof and was using a chainsaw to cut holes into the roof.
A suspect was arrested at the scene.
Teasers is at the Chalet Hotel.
On Tuesday afternoon, Chalet Hotel staff reported a man went into the men's and women's washrooms and smashed all the toilets.
Damage to the hotel from the two incidents is estimated in excess of $50,000.
Rybachuk is being held at the downtown Provincial Remand Centre. He is scheduled to appear in bail court Monday morning.
Between 1994 and 2002, Rybachuk was convicted of money-laundering, possessing proceeds of crime, drug trafficking and assault.
The Winnipeg police intelligence unit identified Rybachuk in 1999 as an associate of the former Los Bravos motorcycle gang, which later became the local chapter of the Hells Angels.
After serving time in prison, Rybachuk operated a property management and home renovation business in the North End. The business, North Central Properties, was operated out of an Ellice Avenue location used for a similar venture that was owned by an Alberta man identified as a ringleader in a massive $30-million mortgage fraud. Rybachuk started his business after the Alberta man was arrested.
Rybachuk was later a partner in a group that purchased and renovated the Boyd Medical Centre and adjoining property on Portage Avenue downtown and subsequently became embroiled in a dispute with city hall when he erected a giant digital billboard without approval. He was eventually forced to remove the sign.
More recently, he became a partner with one-time Internet pharmacy pioneer Daren Jorgenson in the ownership and renovation of the Royal Albert Hotel.
Last month Jorgenson stated he has foreclosed on Rybachuk's 50 per cent share on the Royal Albert and plans to sell the property.


text:
We were unable to find results for "kate spade new york new bond street florence flo coral"
Search Tips
- Double check your spelling.
- Try using single words (e.g. loafers, pants).
- Try searching for an item that is less specific.
- You can always narrow your search results later


text:
- Home /
- Make Today /
- Theme Parties /
- Arrested Development Theme Par...
Arrested Development Theme Party Ideas
The only thing that can make Arrested Development's return on May 26th better is by hosting a Arrested Development Theme party to really make the experience Bluth-worthy. So get your best jean cut-offs on for the occasion and celebrate with these fun Arrested Develoment theme party ideas!
The only thing that can make Arrested Development's return on May 26th better is by hosting a Arrested Development Theme party to really make the experience Bluth-worthy. So get your best jean cut-offs on for the occasion and celebrate with these fun Arrested Develoment theme party ideas!
There's nothing quite like a costume party! Encourage guests to dress up as their favorite character or Tobias Funke alter ego. With options like pirate gear, blue man group (don't forget the jean cutoffs), or Gob's magician cape, there's bound to be tons of photo ops.
Image via AC Paradise
Tobias may not be able to attend your fabulous event, but he can still be there in spirit when you plaster blue hand prints all over the place.
Image via 1 Poor Duck
For an unexpected decoration idea, dress up a stuffed seal with a bowtie and place him around the room in surprising places. You can even give the seal away as a prize for best costume!
Image via Wikia
Bite sized apps make for the perfect party food, so our mini grilled cheese sandwiches are a must for your Arrested Development Theme party. Stick a toothpick in each one for an easy-to-eat treat!
Image via Tumblr
Since you can't get your hands on George Sr.'s famous cornballer, you'll have to stick to making those cornballs by hand. The Food in My Beard has a great recipe for creating these deep-fried beauties.
Image via CT Zine
Grape Juice Boxes just in case Buster shows up to the party. And of course boxed wine in case he wants something a little bit stronger.
Image via Bite
No Arrested Development theme party is complete with one of Bluth's famous frozen bananas! Not Quite Nigella has a great recipe for this dessert that guests will go bananas over.
In case George Sr. makes an appearance, you're going to want to have ice cream sandwiches on hand. Create your own homemade ice cream sandwiches and use a seal shaped cookie cutter to really make them stand out!
Image via Tumblr
These paper dolls from Buzzfeed are not only hilarious, but make for a great Arrested Development party activity as well! Turn it into a competition and have guests vote on the most accurate or creative combination!
Fans will love this Arrested Development party favor idea – chocolates or "candy beans" in their very own Lucille Bluth pill bottle – winking optional. If you can't get your hands on mini pill bottles, opt for small glass jars and wrap those in the medicine label.
Image via Refinery 29
We don't recommend placing an actual dead dove in the bag but you can certainly use it as a holder for your party favors! Such a simple detail will make such a big impact!
Image via Wikia
See how Dawn Sandomeno and Elizabeth Mascali elevate the every day with their fantastic recipes and ideas!Read More »


text:
Place all ingredients except the kuzu in a medium saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Dissolve kuzu and slowly add it to the fruit, stirring constantly until thick. Serve room temperature of refrigerate to cool.
Per serving - 122 calories, 0 gram fat (1% calories from fat), 1 gram protein, 31 gram carbohydrate, 2 gram fiber, 0 milligram cholesterol, 32 milligram sodium


text:
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 6/9/2013 (1446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
France boasts some of the world's best-known wine regions. There are the structured, serious wines of Bordeaux, the complex Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays of Burgundy, the flinty, austere white wines of Alsace and of course the effervescent sophistication of Champagne.
And while I'd pick French Champagne as my desert island wine (no corkscrews required), it's tough to beat the Rhône valley when it comes to the best bang for your buck, especially for good-quality reds.
The Rhône valley's wine regions run along the Rhône River, giving the region a north-south trajectory that starts south of Beaujolais and meanders towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Rhône valley wines are often referred to as either being from northern or southern Rhône. Only a small amount of Rhône wines come from the north, but what is made is often considered among the world's best red wines. Northern Rhône regions like Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage produce Syrah with incredible elegance and structure, balancing ripe black fruit characteristics with black tea, white pepper and bacon fat notes. These wines, however, are usually pricey.
But head to southern Rhône and you'll find great red blends in the $10-18 range that deliver more character and food-pairing possibilities than their California counterparts.
The largest grape-growing area in the Rhône valley is called Côtes du Rhône. Most of the wines in this region are red, made predominately from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. Because the southern Rhône is, well, south, it gets a fair bit of heat -- the region the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea means lots of sun, hot days and somewhat cool nights. As a result, grapes tend to get nice and ripe while retaining that old-world charm (earthy, peppery, and a hint of spice). They're ideal with spicy and/or grilled fare, stew, lamb, and hard/sharp cheeses.
While most of the Rhône wines we see in Manitoba are from this region, there are also smaller/lesser-known areas of the valley whose wines sometimes make it here. Côtes du Ventoux is home to some great red blends, while regions such as Vacqueyras and Gigondas (essentially single-village wines) produce deeper wines with more structure for short-term aging.
The granddaddy of the southern Rhône continues to be Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The full-bodied, dense red wines from this region can contain up to 13 different grape varieties (although most rely on the tried-and-true Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre) and are age-worthy. As a result, they're also the priciest wines of the southern Rhône.
And while they're not made in the same quantity as the reds, Rhône valley white wines more than hold their own. They're typically rich and viscous, with big tropical fruit notes, and are often blends of Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and other grapes. Like the reds, they too over-deliver for the price.
You'll notice I've switched from a 100-point rating scale to a five-star system. I've never felt completely comfortable using the 100-point scale for the column, and the five-star system offers guidance on wines without a super-specific numerical score -- it gives the wine some elbow room, so to speak. For more on why I switched, click here to see my blog.
La Vieille Ferme 2012 White (Luberon, France -- $12.46, Liquor Marts and beyond)
Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino are the grapes used to make this white blend. Crisp peach, lemon rind, fresh floral and toasted nut aromas show well on the nose. It's a fresh but viscous, medium-bodied white, with citrus rind and peach most prevalent on the palate and a hint of acidity for freshness. A very good value that would work with mild curries or grilled salmon. 3 1/2 Stars
Domaines Aurol 2011 CDR (Côtes du Rhône Protegee, France -- around $15, private wine stores)
An 80-20 Grenache Noir/Syrah blend, the CDR is fairly light cherry in colour, with aromas of ripe, almost-candied cherry, smoky sausage, mocha and toffee. Medium-bodied and juicy, the cherry notes are almost confected, but avoid becoming cloying thanks to black pepper and espresso notes as well as light tannins and acidity. Chill for 10-15 minutes and drink with burgers or Mexican fare. Purchased at De Luca Fine Wines. 3 stars
Chateau Saint-Roch 2010 Brunel (Lirac, France -- $18.59, Liquor Marts and beyond)
There's no info on the label re: grapes, but Lirac reds are typically Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourv®dre, and maybe some Cinsault and Carignane. Inky black in colour, the cedar, lacquer, dried cherry and black licorice notes on the nose are bolstered by a hint of spice. The resinous, dried fruit component is attractive on the chewy palate, with hints of wood/smoke, black tea and blackberry/black licorice. A steak wine. 4 stars
email@example.com Twitter: @bensigurdson


text:
My name is Danielle and Im a 2nd year student midwife at ACU. As part of our course they ask that we follow women through their pregnancy. We are there to provide you with one-on-one support and can be as involved as you are comfortable with. It also gives us the opportunity to learn by joining you one this experience. All information is kept confidential and you can pull out at any time.
I live around the Box Hill, Victoria area but Im willing to travel.
I really love studying midwifery and Im very passionate about this, Im also a lot of fun and Im really excited to be taking part in this journey.
If interested or would like more information and you are less than 25 weeks pregnant please reply to this post


text:
Used 2007 Lotus Sports Car Values
Engineer Colin Chapman wanted to design lightweight sports cars with great handling. In 1952 Lotus was founded in England and the rest is history. Lotus cars are excellent at what they are designed to do – be light, quick and nimble. Lotus manufactures sporty coupes and convertibles that look great and perform like no other.Read more Read less
Select a used 2007 Lotus Sports Car model
(2017 - 1957 including exotics and classic cars)
2007 Lotus Exige
Upgraded with a supercharger now, the 2007 Lotus Exige sports coupe is even more focused on performance and a raw, exciting driving experience.


text:
PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover
Hi, I'm a bit biased you could say as I am the Co-Founder of LiveWell Pet Products, the company that recently launched the PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover. We're just trying to get the word out and generate some awareness for our unique product. Here are the details about this great new product: The PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover is a cover that goes overtop your pillows and comforter to protect it from your pet's fur, odor, germs, slobber and stains. You can visit www.pawsoff.com to view our commercial and see the product in action. The PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover is the last thing to go on your bed in the morning. The fitted corners give the cover a snug fit and the four elastic garters ensures the cover stays on the bed no-matter how much digging, bitting and pulling pet's dish out. The high grade multi-fiber fleece material makes the cover strong and durable to withstand digging and clawing. It is the perfect solution for saving your beautiful bedding from pets or to preserve a nice clean guest bed while not in use or better yet protect your bed during messy home renovation projects. The PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover is available in the most common bed sizes: twin at $29.99, full at $39.99, queen at $49.99 and king at $59.99 and comes in three neutral colors: Sand, Chocolate and Charcoal. The PawsOFF Protective Bed Cover's patent pending design has revolutionized the way owner and pet co-exist, providing a solution for many pet lovers across the country. There is no other product like this on the market and is available exclusively through our website. Proceeds from each cover sold goes toward our selected animal sanctuaries. Hope you can help us spread the word! Thank you, Melina


text:
I just picked up my hardback copy of Fight Club I ordered. Well, my question is what other books do you deem hardback worthy? In other words, books you'd pay cover price for, whether it be to avoid an annoying, movie advertising cover or because it's such a classic.
I didn't get Rules of Attraction because of the dorky ass movie cover but I've got all of Ellis's other books, including Informers which has a questionable cover.


text:
Shimmer Colors
This candy selection has enough glimmer power to light up the night sky with all their twinkling glory. In fact, you might believe that the bagful of glimmering candies look like stars from our galaxy. Whatever the case, Candy Direct's selection of amazing shimmer color candy will take your breath away. With a beautiful shimmering color palette from pink, to silver, to green, to purple, to yellow, and many more, you'll have dozens of amazing glimmering candies to choose from and enjoy savoring. If you love a glamorous sparkle and chocolate candy, then this is the dreamy and delicious section for you!
6 Item(s)
Shimmer Orange Sixlets - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Shimmer Lime Green Sixlets - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Shimmer Lavender Sixlets - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Shimmer Yellow Sixlets - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Shimmer Pink Sixlets - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Silver Sixlets Candy - Bulk 2lb$21.99
Out of stock
6 Item(s)


text:
Expanding its Northwest footprint, Wave Broadband has acquired a fiber network operator that specializes in high-capacity links to public and business customers.
Wave Broadband's parent, WaveDivision Holdings, paid $50 million for Black Rock Cable, which provides fiber connectivity in northwest Washington State.
Wave provides communications services in parts of Washington, Oregon and California. The two companies had been business partners. With the acquisition, Wave is picking up hundreds of large public and private sector commercial customers in government, medical, aerospace, communications, manufacturing and other regionally based industries.
Wave recently raised more than $1 billion in funding to support growth.
"This is a particularly important acquisition for Wave, as Black Rock's proven expertise in dealing with commercial and wholesale clients greatly strengthens our enterprise business while extending Wave's dark fiber network from the Canadian border down the West Coast to the San Francisco DMA," said Steve Weed, Wave's CEO.
"Connecting the Wave network to Black Rock's thousands of miles of fiber infrastructure adds to Wave's already asset-rich, high-capacity business and stands to enable better services for both new and existing customers," he continued.
The company said the transaction, which closed at the end of 2012, will not impact Black Rock customers or employees. Services will continue without interruption as operations continue to be merged with Wave.
Wave was formed in 2003 by Weed. The company provides cable TV, high-speed Internet and phone services to nearly 400,000 residential and business customers in the communities, and surrounding suburbs, of the Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Sacramento markets.


text:
With Valentine's Day around the corner, Hollywood star, keen cook and newlywed Stanley Tucci reveals his recipe for romance.
By Diana Pilkington
If anyone can attest that the way to the heart is through the stomach, it's Stanley Tucci.
A shared "obsession" with food helped The Hunger Games star fall for British literary agent Felicity Blunt, who he married last year.
"The whole thing was romance with food. It still is. I love to watch her eat. It's sexy," says the 52-year-old.
Tucci was introduced to his new wife by her famous sister, Emily, with whom he appeared in The Devil Wears Prada.
"We would go to different restaurants each night or we would cook. It was just so easy and we felt so comfortable with each other," he says of their courtship.
Born to Italian-American parents who are both keen cooks, Italian cuisine is a big part of Tucci's heritage. And his new book, The Tucci Cookbook, featuring family recipes passed down through generations, is testament to that.
"I put it together because I really wanted these recipes written down for selfish reasons, but I also wanted to share them with people," says Tucci, who was widowed in 2009 when his first wife and the mother of his three children, Kate, died from breast cancer.
When it came to foodie dates, he and Blunt were not afraid to get their hands dirty, and the actor fondly recalls two moments in their courtship when they bonded over butchery.
On one occasion, they bought a 26-pound suckling pig for a party, and shared the task of cutting off its head so it could fit on the spit.
"That was our first butchering experience," he says. "I remember the next morning seeing her in her bathrobe shredding the rest of the meat off the carcass to save it for sandwiches.
"That's what she did before she'd even had her cup of tea. I thought that was pretty funny and very attractive."
Another experience saw them set to work on two uncooked pheasants they had received as a gift from a chef at the Ledbury restaurant in London.
"We sat down to watch cooking shows with the pheasants and two big roasting pans in front of us and taught ourselves how to pluck.
"It took a very long time, and we practically destroyed the skin of the pheasants in the process. But it was great."
It's no wonder, then, that Tucci has a few tips for planning the perfect Valentine's Day menu.
"If you are a meat person I'd go for a great rack of lamb. If you are a fish person, maybe just pasta with vongole, those little sweet clams.
"If you're going to take somebody out in London, I'd recommend the Ledbury for Valentine's Day because it's so special. You are hard-pressed to find anything else like that."
Indeed, Tucci, who lives north of New York with his new wife and his three kids, says he has become a "huge" fan of British cooking in recent years, since he's got to know the country better through his other half.
He counts Nigel Slater and Heston Blumenthal among his culinary heroes and plans to include some of his wife's recipes ("She makes great Yorkshire puddings, oh my God, really good," he enthuses) in a forthcoming cookbook he is writing.
"You can't really beat a good sausage roll," he declares. "And great roasts. Those little roast potatoes were a revelation to me - because Italian roast potatoes aren't the way you guys do them.
"Felicity made them and when they came out of the oven they were just extraordinary. I thought my son was going to have a heart attack. He was so happy."
Try these recipes from The Tucci Cookbook to get your heart racing this Valentine's Day...
Bruschetta with tomato (Bruschetta con pomodoro) (Serves 4) 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped 1tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus 1 garlic clove, cut in half 4tbsp cold press or extra virgin olive oil Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 slices Italian or farmhouse-style bread, toasted Additional cold press or extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top (optional) In a medium-sized bowl, mix the tomatoes, basil, parsley, chopped garlic and olive oil together, and season with salt and pepper. Rub the toasted bread with the garlic halves, then top with equal portions of the tomato mixture. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top if wished, and serve immediately.
Rocket with prosciutto, pears, and parmesan (Insalata di rucola, prosciutto, pera, e parmigiano) (Serves 4) 350g rocket leaves 125ml Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette (see recipe below) 8 thin slices prosciutto 2 firm ripe pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced 60g large Parmesan cheese shavings Toss the rocket with the vinaigrette in a large bowl. Distribute evenly among four plates. Garnish each plate with two slices of the prosciutto and equal portions of pear. Use a vegetable peeler to shave portions of the Parmesan on top.
Sherry shallot vinaigrette (Makes 250ml) 1 small shallot, finely diced 1tbsp Dijon mustard 4tbsp sherry vinegar ½tsp salt Freshly ground black pepper 4tbsp rapeseed oil 3tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1tbsp hot water In a measuring jug or wide-mouthed jar, whisk the shallot, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper together. Slowly add the rapeseed oil, olive oil and the hot water, whisking to make a smooth, emulsified dressing. Set aside until needed.
Linguine with clam sauce (Linguine con vongole) (Serves 6) 450g linguine 125ml plus 1tbsp olive oil 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped 4tbsp dry white wine 18 clams Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1tbsp chopped fresh Italian, flat-leaf parsley Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta for 10-12 minutes or following the packet instructions until al dente.
Meanwhile, warm 125ml of the olive oil in a high-sided saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add the wine and leave it to cook away slightly for about 1 minute. Add the clams and their juice and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the broth froths to a level of 2.5-5cm. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley.
Drain the pasta and toss in a serving bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Divide between six dinner plates. Top with the sauce, and serve immediately.
Variations: The same dish may be prepared without removing the clams from their shells, making for a less formal, hands-on meal. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan large enough to hold the clams in a single layer. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the wine and leave to simmer for about 2 minutes to sweeten. Add the clams and parsley and cover the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until the clams open. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and spoon over the cooked pasta. Be sure to discard any unopened clams.
Poached pears in red wine with muscat zabaglione (Pere al vino rosso con zabaglione al moscato) (Serves 4) For the pears: 4 firm ripe Bosc pears, peeled, stalks intact 150g caster sugar 700ml fruity red wine, such as Beaujolais, Merlot, or Dolcetto d'Alba 2 cloves 5cm cinnamon stick Lemon zest from ½ lemon For the zabaglione : 2 egg yolks 2tbsp plus 1tsp sugar 4tbsp muscat or other sparkling wine 2tbsp Marsala wine Trim the base of the pears so they will stand upright on a plate. Place the pears in a small saucepan; they should fit snugly. Sprinkle the caster sugar over the pears, then pour the wine over to cover (water may be added if necessary). Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cover, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until the pears are still firm but tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove from the heat and allow the pears to cool in the wine mixture.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a plate and set aside, reserving the wine in the saucepan. Over a high heat, boil the wine for 6-8 minutes, reducing the liquid to a thick syrup measuring about 175ml. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and set the liquid aside.
In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, muscat and marsala. Whisk the mixture constantly for about 2 minutes until it thickens and becomes frothy and light. Remove from the heat immediately.
Divide the zabaglione equally between four dessert plates or shallow bowls. Brush each pear with some of the syrup and place in the centre of the zabaglione. Extra syrup may be drizzled on the rims of the plates or bowls. Serve immediately.
:: The Tucci Cookbook by Stanley Tucci is published by Simon & Schuster, priced £30. Available now


text:
- 1 of 3 Photos | View More Photos
HARRISBURG, Ill. (AP) -- Crews cleared splintered plywood and smashed appliances from small-town neighborhoods Thursday, a day after tornadoes killed 13 people in the Midwest and South.
Skies were sunny in the southern Illinois community of Harrisburg, but the forecast held a menacing possibility: More twisters may be coming.
National Weather Service meteorologist Beverly Poole says severe storms are expected to roll through the region again after midnight Thursday and linger into early Friday, possibly bringing hail and rain.
Then yet another round of storms is expected to arrive Friday afternoon.
Poole says both rounds of violent weather carry the potential of more tornadoes.
The weather service is bringing a severe-weather specialist to the region's command center to provide up-to-the-minute information before and during the storms.


text:
The Federal Reserve on Friday released the results of a bank stress test that shows 17 out 18 of the largest banks could safely weather another deep recession.
The lone bank to fail the test was Ally Financial, which would have seen the percentage of tier 1 capital, which is Fed-speak for cash and other liquid assets, fall to 1.5 percent in the test scenario.
"We're pleased that an overwhelming majority of institutions once again passed these tests with flying colors," Frank Keating, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association, said in a statement. "These results, achieved in the face of extreme assumptions and highly pessimistic scenarios, are further proof that the banking industry has rapidly regained its health and is strong enough to withstand even the most challenging economic circumstances. Capital levels are 25 percent higher than they were just five years ago, and total industry capital now stands at $1.6 trillion."
Overall, the results were an improvement over the last round of tests conducted in 2012, when four banks failed the stress tests: Citigroup, SunTrust, Ally Financial and Metlife. Since that time, banks have squirreled away more capital and one large bank holding company, MetLife, has left the banking market altogether.
The tests themselves are pretty stringent. They put the banks up against a grim economic scenario that includes a nearly 5 percent drop in the overall U.S. economy, an unemployment rate that quickly rises to 12 percent and a sudden 50 percent drop in the stock market.
"The purpose of stress tests is to see if banks are adequately capitalized for unexpected losses due to credit, market and operational risks," says Mayra Valladares, managing partner at MRV Associates. "When we talk about stresses, it's those extreme events."
The biggest blind spot in the tests may be that regulators don't test banks against a scenario where there's some kind of fraud or malfeasance on the part of management, an all-too-common occurrence in the years leading up to the financial crisis, Valladares says.
Still, large-bank customers generally can feel a little more comfortable that they won't be unceremoniously shunted over to an acquiring bank the way Wachovia customers were in 2008.
"The stress tests, if you believe in their validity, what they tell you is that these banks are prepared. They're not going to go under. You're not going to be waiting around to see when the FDIC pays you your deposit," Valladares says, referring to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The results are also good news for large-bank customers who have the dangerous habit of keeping more than the FDIC insurance limit of $250,000 in a checking, savings or CD account, Valladares says. They can feel a little more assured that an unexpected economic downturn won't sweep away their bank and put them in line with the rest of a bank's creditors to recover their funds.
Are you a customer of a big bank? Are you relieved that your bank passed its stress test or worried, if it didn't?
Follow me on Twitter: @ClaesBell


text:
Hannity Hosts Anti-Muslim "Hate Group" Leader To Analyze Events In Middle East
Blog ››› ››› TERRY KREPEL
On the Friday edition of his Fox News show, Sean Hannity invited Pamela Geller, head of the anti-Muslim group Stop the Islamization of America, to discuss events in Libya and the Middle East. The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies Geller's organization as an anti-Muslim "hate group," and Geller herself has an extensive history of hate speech and extremist rhetoric -- both of which she brought to her Hannity appearance.
Geller engaged in her usual anti-Muslim ranting, declaring that Sharia law "discriminates against women and non-Muslims, it restricts the freedom of speech and freedom of conscience." After being asked by Hannity how many Muslims are radicalized, Geller replied, "I don't think they're radical, I think they're devout." She seemed to think Moammar Gadhafi had been doing just fine as Libya's leader: "I think we have to question why we went into Libya. Libya had, after the Bush doctrine, abandoned their unconventional weapons, abandoned their WMD, was selling oil to us, less than the Saudi Arabians. I mean, why did we go into Libya then? Why didn't we go after the real devil?"
That "devil," apparently, is Iran. Geller declared that Iran was "the only site of the real Arab revolution," with protesting women in "lipstick, high heels, lipstick, and hijab." (Most residents of Iran are ethnic Persians, not Arabs.) She then outrageously asserted that President Obama "did nothing, he mowed them down in the street."
Hannity, meanwhile, joined in the extremist spirit, phrasing the question of how the United States works with the post-Mubarak government in Egypt as, "How you do think with evil people? What do you say, 'Please be nice? Pretty please? Sugar on top?' " Hannity then said, "You know what I would do if I was President Obama? I would join with Israel and knock out Iranian nuclear sites tomorrow."
- Posted In
- Diversity & Discrimination, Religion
- Network/Outlet
- Fox News Channel
- Person
- Sean Hannity, Pamela Geller
- Show/Publication
- Hannity
Instructions for signing up and claiming your comment history are located here.
Updated rules for commenting are here.


text:
The feeling of a photo studio
In order to enhance and strengthen the BikBok brand they wanted to implement a new shop concept. Fagerhult was chosen as a partner to develop the BikBok chains new lighting solution.
BikBok is a retail chain in the Nordic region, Latvia and the UK. BikBok aims to be the first choice amongst fashion-conscious girls who follows trends and all the twists and turns of the fashion world. BikBok is part of the Norwegian textile group Varner-Gruppen which has approximately 1100 stores distributed throughout nine different markets in Europe.
Versatile and flexible solutions
After the BikBok architects had created the new design vision, it had to be translated into matching lighting. The interior in the new BikBok concept is versatile and flexible. The walls for example, can be changed in able to create different types of expressions and the products are presented on display tables in different shapes and materials.
A definite facelift
The customer was overwhelmed and very pleased with the final result. BikBok got a definite facelift, where the modern floor from "Bolon", versatile interior, striking lighting and trendy clothing creates a great general impression of the store. This concept is definitely here to stay and will pop up in several more BikBok stores.
The lighting concepts aim is to create a feeling of a photo studio. Fagerhult's product development department produced a "soft box" luminaire out of the compact fluorescent luminaire Discovery. Pleiad LED Wallwasher in the entrance creates a spectacular feeling in the store as it smoothly changes color at night.
Changing colour
Energy efficient and service free LED works well as a substitute for metal halide, and also offer colour changing possibilities. Since no light sources need to be changed it works especially well in high ceiling environments. Fagerhult also included the new cylindrical spotlight, Marathon into the concept. Fixtures of 35 W MTC and 70 W MT was used for the BikBok concept.
We thought that Marathon would suit the concept very well due to its minimalistic, discreet design. Also it is nice to be able to present a new product into to a new exiting store concept, says David Holmqvist Key Account Manager at Fagerhult Retail.
Theatrical atmosphere
Furthermore Thinlite 35 W is mounted behind the fitting room mirrors creating a nice corona effect. The mirrors are decorated with blasted opal circles to associate them with make-up tables from the old days, and give the fitting room a theatrical atmosphere.


text:
For about a year, Ben Sargent sold lobster rolls out of his Greenpoint, Brooklyn apartment. He was dealing 150 buttery, succulent, fresh-from-the-sea sandwiches per night — illegally. Then, just as he was about to go legit, while he was away taping a pilot for a show on seafood for Cooking Channel, his underground lobster pound was shut down by the city of New York. Ben Sargent and his lobster roll-slinging alter-ego Dr. Klaw were lobster roll pushers no more.
Now that he's legit, the host of Hook, Line & Dinner will no sooner share his top-secret lobster roll recipe than he would eat imitation crab meat. It just won't happen.
But he did walk us through the process at a recent visit to the Cooking Channel and Food Network test kitchens, and smart cooks just might catch on . . .
Ben starts with a fresh, live lobster — the best he can get. He steams it in 2 inches of water seasoned with onion, peppercorns, old bay and salt — enough so that it tastes like the ocean the clawed creature, the one that's about to become a sandwich, once swam in. The lobster gets steamed till it's just cooked, even slightly undercooked, about 8-10 minutes per lobster. Each lobster cooked in the water will be more flavorful than the last, since the lobsters will add flavor to the spiced water as they cook.
Once the lobster is moments from fully cooking through, Ben removes it from its steamy bath and plunges it into an ice bath. Once it's cool enough to break down, he removes the lobster meat from the shell (saving the shells for stock, of course) and mixes it with a bit of mayonnaise — not enough to overpower the meat, this shouldn't look like deli tuna salad — just enough to give it some more moisture and flavor.
Then, in a step that ensures his roll is and always will be the best lobster roll in town, he throws the mayo-coated lobster onto a hot griddle or skillet till the lobster is cooked through, and a pink sauce forms from the lobster and mayonnaise. The hot lobster goes back into the bowl while he toasts the bun — the lobster shouldn't be piping hot when it's served.
As for the bun, Ben prefers the top-loaded kind. So he gets one of those and brushes it with some butter that's been melted with wine and garlic, and toasts it till it's golden brown. He loads the warm lobster mixture into the hot, buttery, toasty bun, and brushes the meat with more of the melted butter.
Then it must be devoured, unadorned. No celery, no bacon, no dill or tarragon and certainly no lettuce. Lettuce is to a lobster roll what kryptonite is to Superman. Or like what the NYC Department of Health is to Dr. Klaw.
Recipes and More from Ben Sargent and Hook, Line & Dinner:


text:
Note: This item is more than seven years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Feb. 5, 2010
Abandoned Crab Trap Drop-off Sites Announced
CORPUS CHRISTI — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials announced drop-off sites for the 8th Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program, scheduled this year from Feb. 19 to 28.
During this 10-day period, all Texas bays will be closed to crabbing with crab traps, and any traps left in the bay will be presumed to be abandoned and considered litter under state law, thus allowing volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they find.
Volunteers are needed to assist in the coast-wide effort to remove the numerous wire mesh traps that have been lost or abandoned since last year's cleanup.
To facilitate volunteer trap removal efforts this year, TPWD will provide facilitated trap drop-off sites at several locations along the coast Saturday, Feb. 20, from 8 a.m. to noon, weather permitting. Additionally, at all sites, dumpsters marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure.
Volunteers can work at their own pace during the closure as time and weather permit, but traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 19 or after Feb 28. Last year, volunteers, with the aid of numerous sponsors, removed more than 1,900 traps bring the total removed since the program began to 25,974.
Thanks to the donations of the Coastal Conservation Association, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, and others, volunteers can arrange to pick-up free tarps, gloves, trap hooks and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries Field Stations. TPWD requests that volunteers record and submit information about the number of traps that they collect as well as any sightings of diamondback terrapins. Also those removing traps within the boundary of the Redfish Bay State Scientific Area should be aware of crab trap floats marking prop scar study sites and should avoid removing these floats.
For more information about the Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program and how you can volunteer, please contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries Office or Art Morris at the Corpus Christi Field Station: (361) 825-3356, email@example.com; or Tonya Wiley at the Dickinson Marine Lab: (281) 534-0131, email@example.com.
* Sabine Lake — Local TPWD coordinator Jerry Mambretti (409) 983-1104
- Tx/La Causeway Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
Galveston Bay — Local TPWD coordinator Bill Balboa (281) 534-0110
- Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys)Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
- TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab-1502 FM 517 E, Dickinson — Trap drop-off site
- Galveston Island State Park — Trap drop off site
- Seabrook SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
- Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
- Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp- FM 2004 — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
- Pier 30 Bait and Tackle-1617 E. Hwy 332, Freeport — Trap drop-off site
Matagorda Bay — Local TPWD coordinator Leslie Hartman (361) 972-6253
- Mitchell Cut Boat (ICWW) Ramp @ Sargent — Trap drop-off site
- Matagorda Harbor @ Matagorda — Trap drop-off site
San Antonio Bay — Local TPWD coordinator Norman Boyd (361) 983-4425
- Charlie's Bait Stand — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
- Port O'Connor TPWD Docks — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
Aransas Bay — Local TPWD coordinator Karen Meador (361) 729-2328
- Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
- North Cove Harbor Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
Corpus Christi Bay — Local TPWD coordinator Tom Wagner (361) 729-2328
- South Conn Brown Harbor Boat Ramp — Facilitated & Trap drop-off site
Upper Laguna Madre — Local TPWD coordinator Todd Neahr (361) 825-3353
- Bluff Landing Marina — Trap drop-off site
- Kaufer Park Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
Lower Laguna Madre — Local TPWD coordinator Mark Lingo (956) 350-4490
- Adolfe Thomae County Park @ Arroyo City — Trap drop-off site
- Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp @ Port Mansfield — Trap drop-off site
* Correction, Feb. 10, 2010: The original version of this news release omitted the list of drop-off sites. (Return to corrected item.)
Publication — Permission is granted to publish, in whole or in part, any news releases on this page.
Print — A print-friendly version of the news release shows only the release with font sizes set to the browser default.
Plain Text — Plain text versions of TPWD news releases are provided for copying and pasting into editing software.
To copy text into an editing software:
- Click a Plain Text link to display the plain text page in your browser.
- Select all.
- Copy.
- Paste in a document in your editing program.
Permalink — This is a direct link to the news release, omitting the navigation context from the URI.
English/Spanish — News releases posted in both English and Spanish have one of these links.
If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send an e-mail to email@example.com and mention Plain Text Pages.
(5.4.16 i)