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At the rear of Blach Intermediate School, there is a flood-control channel built in 1959 to convey Permanente Creek water to Stevens Creek, which could protect a large part of Mountain View in the event of a 100-year flood. It has functioned flawlessly except for in 1985, when a culvert became blocked and Blach was inundated. The Santa Clara Valley Water District removed the culvert, then built a constriction in the channel near the batting cage to impede the flow to Stevens Creek.
Now it is configured to force floodwaters out of the channel and direct the flow across the school toward El Camino Hospital and beyond. This positions a large number of homes in Mountain View and some in Los Altos, in addition to the hospital since its expansion, in a manufactured flood zone, which has required the owners to pay expensive flood insurance for years.
The water district reports that there is flood potential somewhere on Stevens Creek north of El Camino Real, so the Permanente water cannot be allowed to continue downstream. It must rise out of the channel and go toward the hospital. I'm not making this up. Mountain View's Public Works Department is not aware of any such problem on Stevens Creek, Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps do not show it and the hospital doesn't care.
The water district is now in the final stages of soliciting bids to dig a huge flood basin in Rancho San Antonio County Park, which could protect the hospital and residents downstream in Mountain View. If there were a flood danger, the district could remove the constriction within a few days. The basin project requires removing 100 trees with bulldozers creating noise and dust for nine months in the most heavily used part of our park system. The project is a boondoggle.
Santa Clara County Parks authorities were ignorant of the above facts when first approached by the district for permission. Now they are aware but embarrassed to reverse course because they have a long history of cooperation with their friends in the district. Park officials have become derelict in their fundamental duty – to protect a nature preserve.
The Committee for Green Foothills does not object to the project because, when completed, the area will remain open space. No kidding. The Sierra Club is missing in action. GreenTown Los Altos does not object because its members feel unqualified to evaluate a technical dispute between a powerful public utility, which claims the work is essential, and a few engineers such as myself, who say that it is a complete fraud. GreenTown's reason for neutrality seems to be a common one. But does a person need to be an engineer to conclude that something is amiss when floodwater is being forced out of a channel and directed toward a hospital?
This is a blatant attempt of a government agency not only to waste money to justify its existence, but to commit an environmental crime in the process. The district raised the money with a parcel tax the public innocently approved. It has already wasted millions of dollars.
The audacity in attempting this in our highly educated and environmentally conscious community is astonishing. But district representatives seem to be correct in assuming that the public is easily duped and essentially defenseless against a lavishly funded hustle.
Jerry Clements is a civil engineer who has owned and operated Jerry Clements & Associates in Los Altos for 35 years, a company that specializes in grading and drainage.


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The 26th President of the United States Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was once quoted as saying, "People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads as a boss drives." What Mr. Roosevelt was trying to say was that a good leader will set the direction and the pace he wants his organization to follow without force. This quote and the theory behind it fits the role of a car club president and the subject of this month's Lowrider Image profile. I am talking about a determined individual who is the longest standing president of Techniques car club, Mr. Raymond "Ray" Carrillo.
Ray was born in 1960 in East Los Angeles, California; an era when Chicano street life and car clubs were the "in thing" in the neighborhoods. Ray's father had a 1949 Chevy and a 1950 Chevy truck in those days and while Ray's father led to his interest in cars, it was someone else who introduced Ray to Lowriders. He recalled being 10 years old and watching his next door neighbor wash his green 1964 Chevy Impala every Saturday morning to prepare it for its weekly cruise down Whittier Boulevard. This ritual was all it took for Ray to fall in love with Lowriders.
At 10 years old, Ray was still a few years away from driving age but that didn't stop him from soaking up Lowriding and the contagious sights and sounds of the scene on Whittier Boulevard. A few years later when Ray was 15 years old, he would sneak out of his house on Friday nights and walk down to Jim's Burgers on Whittier Boulevard and Rowan Avenue with his best friend. The duo would put their money together and split a Coke and an order of fries while they checked out the girls and the cars that used Jim's Burgers as its Friday night hangout. That club was the Imperials car club. The attention that the club and the club's cars received further solidified Ray's infatuation with Lowriding.
Another defining moment for the young Ray was his first cruise down Whittier Boulevard in 1975. He was in a brand new 1975 Caprice Classic with his friend, his friend's sister, and her boyfriend. The maiden voyage down the boulevard sealed Ray's fate. He vowed one day to cruise the Boulevard in his own Lowrider and Lowride for the rest of his life.
An old friend, Patrick Velasquez (R.I.P.), who was a member of the club at the time, also introduced Ray to Techniques car club in 1975. In 1977 at the age of 17, Ray was finally able to buy and fix up his first Lowrider. He purchased a 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo and he quickly put on a set of Cragars with 5.20's and set out to cruise the Boulevard, hit the nightclubs and frequent school dances on the weekends. This same year also marked the launch of this publication and Ray remembers picking up the first issue at New House Auto Parts on Beverly Boulevard. He also considers 1977 as the year he officially started Lowriding.
After graduating from Cathedral High School in 1978, Ray joined Techniques car club after he was brought in by club member, Jerry Joaquin. When Ray joined, Sergio Alvarado was club President and he confidently led the club down the Boulevard. Three months after joining the club, Ray was elected club treasurer, a position that was the first of many for Ray.
Before long, Techniques car club was a huge part of Ray and the Carrillo family's lives. Ray was taking his younger brother Sam, who at the time was seven years old, to club meetings and events. Sam followed by becoming a member, since it was a natural progression for Sam to join the club because of his connection to Ray as well as his friendship with the club members. Sam is still an active member of Techniques C.C. to this day, and the next generation of the Carrillo family is already part of the club; Sam's three sons are involved with the club and enjoy Lowriding with their father and uncle. The youngest of Ray's three daughters currently claims his '69 Impala as her own and the eldest of his three grandsons, Joseph, also loves Lowriders.
As is customary with a lifetime in the culture, many Lowriders have come and gone in Ray's garage and driveway. Since the 1972 Chevy Monte Carlo, Ray has built five cars; a 1976 Chevy Impala, an '83 Cadillac, a '63 Chevy Impala, and a 1981 Chevy Monte Carlo. As Ray put it, a true car lover and Lowrider will always have projects on the back burner. Currently Ray has three cars; a 1974 Ford Thunderbird, 1969 Chevy Impala rag top and a 1946 Chevy Style Master. He also has a 1950 five-window truck and a 1988 Harley Davidson. Right now the T-Bird and the Harley get the most seat time.
Ray has also worn many hats within the Techniques club, starting with his time as club treasurer. From this initial appointment, Ray has gone on to serve the club in a variety of other positions including Vice President. In the year 2000, Ray was elected club president, and he knew that he had big shoes to fill as club leader. Past club presidents Al Quintano, Roland Ortiz, Sergio Alvarado and Ruben Quinones have led the club to greatness during their time, and Ray knew he had a responsibility to continue to be the leader that these gentlemen had been before him.
Over the past 12 years as club president, Ray has expanded the club from two chapters to eight chapters. Chapters have opened in the Inland Empire area of Southern California, Arizona, Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas, the San Fernando Valley area of Southern California, and overseas in Japan.
Ray has also increased the club's involvement in their local communities by participating in community fund raisers and events. His goal is to show those outside of Lowriding that there is more to Lowriding then what the media and law enforcement often portrays. Families are a very important part of the club as well. Ray and the officers of the club make sure that the families are always included in club activities because he truly values their support and dedication. He and his family, as well as other club members have generations into the club and consider it to be a part of their family's history.
While he has done much work in his tenure as club president, Ray does not take full credit for the evolution of the club. He credits all of the old members who shaped and molded the club in the early years, and he is proud to be a part of that group, having 33 years under his belt as a club member. Those individuals, along with Ray, are very proud of the current members who are keeping the club rolling strong.
We asked Ray his feelings on the Lowrider Culture today and this is what he had to say. "The culture has changed in a huge way, it has gone high tech. It is something else to see what the cars are doing and how much money and time is being put into them and spent. As far as the pride and dedication, it is stronger than ever. I am happy to see LRM remembering the good old days in the current issues with their centerfolds filled with old photos, but I'm even happier to say that I was there." When we asked Ray how long he plans on Lowriding, he made it known that he has no plans on retiring from Lowriding or the club anytime soon. "I still love Lowriding today just like I loved it back in my teens," he says. "As the old saying goes; it's in my blood." He plans on Lowriding until the day he dies and he wants to be buried in his Levi's jeans and his club colors.
As the longest running club president Ray has set the pace and led the club to a huge milestone. 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of Techniques car club. It is also the thirty fifth anniversary of Ray's commitment to Lowriding. These two milestones are a testament to his love for the culture. Congratulations to both Ray & Techniques car club from us here at Lowrider Magazine.
Ray would like to dedicate this feature to the man who made him who he is today, his father, Raymundo Carrillo Sr. who passed away two years ago after battling Cancer.

subset: commoncrawl


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Huifeng wrote:
More recently, viz this, Joe Walser's Nagarjuna in Context does a far better job. I have a few gripes with some of his stuff, a few misreadings, but avoids most of these mistakes by reading all the material available. No doubt this too will be superseded at some point, but it's maybe the best for now.
~~ Huifeng
I'm a big admirer of Walser's book, and would love to hear about his misreadings, or what your gripes might be, if you have time to elaborate.


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Printing in the Quad locations is available during open lab hours. Each of the four residential labs has a printer available 24 hours a day. Print accounts are maintained for all students as follows:
You may also submit a print job at the Copy Center where it will be printed and placed in your mailbox for retrieval. You should contact the Copy Center for additional instructions.
When printing, students are prompted for their account information (their email username and password). Students are responsible for knowing this information and keeping the information secure; however, CNS is available for assistance if needed.
Students should contact the lab assistant for assistance if needed at x8050.
Print-Billing inquiries can be directed to the Business Office at x8111.
Image scanning services are provided in a decentralized manner and are available in every quad building as well as the Chess Center. Each building secretary can assist you or you may utilize the services available at the Copy Center in the BOC.
Maps & Directions
Academic Affairs
Undergraduate Admission
Financial Aid
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Okay, so I run two very small sites on a VPS (both are Wordpress using W3 Total Cache) running Apache. I've seen a prior thread very similar to what is happening with my server, but I want to approach the topic differently.
First of all, I want to try and identify the culprit causing the memory usage, but before I get into that, here are a few key details:2 GHz CPU with 300 MB of RAMIt has 2 wordpress sites, the first had 1224 entries in the access.log for today and the second had a dismal 406 entries (let's face it both are dismal).The entries for the first wordpress site are primarily trying to hack its way in by guessing an account to automatically login to wp-login.php, the latter site all seem to be legitimate requests for access.
Lastly, the requests are for example.net which is a mirror domain for mydomain.com. example.net doesn't really server any web presence purpose, so I could probably block all requests to that domain and that would kill all of the wp-login.php attacks (example.net is primarily kept for e-mail purposes).
Okay, so what that out of the way, I'm trying to figure out how to identify what is causing the spike in memory usage. Supposedly it spiked at 1:00 AM PST, so they automatically bumped the memory limit by 25% to handle the excess load. They are telling me to throw more RAM on it, but that is the dumbest thing I've heard of. To quote my reply: "That's like stating to throw more wood on a fire because the flame is too high. Sure it will lower the flame for a while, but once it catches up, its not much more fiercer than it was prior."
I really need to identify the cause for the spike. Considering my fire analogy, the reason for the increase flame could be an accelerant (think pine cone, lint, paper, etc) or a pocket of air that became available, feeding the flame. You have to analyze the fire to figure out which it is (sometimes waiting till the fire has died to see remnants of the cause).
So what tools/processes do you use to identify high memory usage on your web servers?
I would use "top" on linux box to start off with and see if it provides you with a common process causing the high load.If it shows your website user account doing most then its something on the site causing this.
I would recommend starting off installing something like Wordfence security. That would block of brute force attacks first to your login page. From there see if load drops.
Lastly and probably the easiest and most recommended way is to disable all your plugins and start up each one and see what happens. You may find it to be the most unlikely plugin causing the issue.
Found this aswell which might help: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/p3-profiler/
Hmm... I really don't think it's WordPress (or apache). For it to be one of them, I'd have to see access logs that are hitting heavily and I'm not seeing that. I only have a small set of plugins enabled.
After logging in to the server, I realized I had a few bash scripts setup on cronjobs. I've temporarily disabled them to see if they are the cause, then I'll re-enable them at various times to see if the spike happens again (times when I'm actually awake and could watch the memory usage interactively).
p3 profiler looks really cool though. I think I'll still give that a try and see what turns up.
Wordpress sites are getting hammered currently by a global bot net. I've had to make modifications to some wordpress sites I host to decrease resource from wp-login getting hammered hundreds of times every minute from a diverse range of ips. Probably worth checking you're not on the receiving end of that. It seems to come in bursts, half an hour to perhaps an hour of sustained attempts at a time.
Just an update:
I did more research and it seemed to be around the time I had a cronjob scheduled to do some "miscellaneous" backup routines. The routines simply created a gzip tar of the sites on the VPS and their MySQL databases. Then it bzip'd them so they could be downloaded from another location. Once I disabled that cronjob, the spikes went away.
So then I decided, well, I really don't want to get rid of my backups... so I changed how it works, and it seems to be running fine still. The biggest change I made was to use zip instead of tar and bzip2 and that must handle memory a lot differently than the other two... as it has yet to spike.
I'll have to keep an eye on it. If zip starts to do the same thing, I may have to use rsync and sync it with a remote location, and handle the archiving on the remote site so the resources are consumed there instead of on the VPS.
Did you pipe tar to bzip or run the commands sequentially? Piping uses more memory (though less disk i/o). Also, is it an openvz vps?
No, I didn't pipe it. I'm not sure what openvz is, but my VPS is with DreamHost...
Hey @cpradio,
Openvz is a type of virtual machine. Typically KVM and Openvz are the most common types of VM's found on virtual servers. Typically openvz is a better type of VM for linux (uses less server resources in Proxmox (a Virtual Server Eniroment))than KVM
Glad you resolved it re the backup, but it would be good to further understand why the bzip2 is slow and hungry!
Okay, well I'm new to the VPS side of things, so maybe some of you can help me out here. I am on a Linux machine, so I imagine they may be implementing openvz, but they might be using something entirely different too. However, I did see my memory usage spike last night around the backup time. Here is what I'm not fully understanding:
The Cache Memory states 352 MB at 23:07, however, at 22:42, it was 92 MB. Actual Memory at those times were 22 MB and 15 MB respectively.
So my questions: What is cache memory to a VPS and how does my backup script seem to push that to its limits? What is actual memory to a VPS?
As for bzip2, I think that shot the memory sky high because the gzip tar file was HUGE! So it had to load that file into memory and then run it through bzip2. Whereas, if you could write the physical file and add each individual file to it one at a time, that would limit what needed to sit in memory (I think).
I may need to figure out what exactly is causing there to be a large footprint on the site, I'm backing up to see if that is that particular content could be excluded (think cache data for the site -- that can always be regenerated on restore).
So I took a hard look of one of my recent backups and found a few large files that really do not need to be backed up (talking a few MB each, total = 25+ MB). Once I excluded those files from the zip, memory usage dropped dramatically (under 200 MB) during the backup time frame.
That was likely the issue with tar too, and I bet bzip2 still struggled due to large tar file being generated that it had to process (but I may try that method again in a few weeks).
It's my understanding that WP (et al for CMS's) require an immense amount of RAM so running two WP installs may also be problematic (on top of the server overhead for Virtuozzo, WHM and cPanel as well as your mail and security daemons) so bumping your "burst" RAM may help your day-to-day operations. It's the RAM/burst RAM which limit VPS's usability more than the CPU, storage and traffic limitations.
Just food for thought.
I ended up moving one of the WP installs to a different server, so now it just holds one WP and a basic pure static content site. Neither of which get a lot of attention/visits yet. I'm still keeping a very close eye on it and will continue to do so (it has run fine for nearly a year and just recently it has started to spike...)
Not sure if Dreamhost use Openvz, but when hosts do use it, it is primarily chosen on a server as it is easy to 'oversell' resources. Depending on how heavily oversold the server is, you can see memory warnings and issues that are down to other users on the system. I'd only ever use an openvz vps if I owned the server and knew that resource use of end users was relatively predictable, or was running something trivial that didn't need good uptime. KVM and Xen are more heavyweight virtualisation methods but are generally a lot more reliable. Here's an article that covers the main differences http://hostingfu.com/article/xen-or-openvz


text: BUYER'S GUIDE 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish, Rapide S First Drive A Little Blue Pill From ZF Means 3.6 Seconds to 60 Chris Clonts writerAugust 5, 2014 Share this article Facebook Twitter Google Plus Email Share this article Facebook Twitter Google Plus Email Free Price Quote From a Local Dealer View Special Offers No Obligation, Fast & Simple Free New Car Quote Change Car Select Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Buick Cadillac Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari FIAT Ford Genesis GMC Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lotus Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz MINI Mitsubishi Nissan Porsche Ram Rolls-Royce Scion smart Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Select Model DB11 DB7 DB9 DB9 GT DBS Rapide Rapide S V12 Vantage V8 Vantage Vanquish Vantage Virage GO 1. Vehicle Option Trim Exterior Color No Preference Black Blue Brown Gold Green Orange Red Silver White Yellow Interior Color No Preference Beige Black Blue Gray Green Other Red White Buying Time Frame Within 48 hours Within a week Within two weeks Within a month More than a month Payment Method Undecided Loan Lease Cash Trade In? Yes No 2. Contact Info First Name Last Name Address City State -- AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Zip Code Phone Email 3. Dealer Selection Receive your free dealer pricing information by completing your contact information! My driving partner is hustling the 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish across the scenic Scottish Highlands on paved, twisty singletrack narrow enough to require pull-aside-to-pass spots. Most drivers — even a fast group on street bikes — are yielding, smiling, some giving thumbs-up as we surge by."It's like you're famous," I say to the driver, who is intensely focused as he again hammers the accelerator. His reply, with a slight "no" motion of his head: "Nah, the car's famous."Yes, the car Jonny Lieberman called "Big Sexy" upon its debut two years ago is famous. Especially in the Highlands, home to James Bond's fictional Skyfall family estate. (Hey, Aston doesn't miss an opportunity to slip a Bond reference into conversation; why should we?) And now the visually stunning Vanquish and 2015 Aston Martin Rapide S sport serious performance upgrades.The standard prescription for cars in need of a vitality boost seems to be "take an eight-speed ZF and call me in the morning." That tonic has significantly awakened these two, which share Aston Martin's VH architecture. The four-door Rapide S ($207,820) and Vanquish coupe ($287,820) had a lot going for them already. The hand-built cars really are sexy (We've never been approached by as many female car fans as when behind the wheel of a Flugplatz Blue 2014 Vanquish), powered by V-12s with a gorgeous sound, and are bathed in luxury touches. So while they weren't ailing, they were trailing — in the performance department. That's largely the fault of the old-school six-speed automatic that was in both cars.How much life has Aston Martin breathed into their top two models? How's a half-second faster to 60 mph? (Aston says 3.6 seconds for Vanquish and 4.2 seconds for Rapide S.) And how's a top speed for both of 203 mph, up 13 mph for Rapide S and 20 mph for Vanquish?But really? It's that simple? New transmission? Kinda. Aston Martin did other things too — design director Marek Reichman calls it a "major refresh under the skin" — all of which add up to significantly more athletic cars. And let's face it: Aston has design and luxury pretty much under control. Reichman said the majority of improvements are about giving the cars, especially the Rapide S, "more sporting character."First, about that 8HP gearbox from ZF. It has become an industry standard, appearing in a raft of BMWs, Bentleys, Jaguars, and more.Astonishingly, the new transmission is almost 9 pounds lighter than the previous six-speed and fits in the previous case. Aston Martin engineers took the lead from there, tuning it to work with the V-12. Why now, after almost everyone? Aston is small — the Gaydon factory produces only about 4000 cars per year — and changes must be deliberate. It also helps line efficiency to put the ZF into both cars. Aston Martin says shifts between gears are completed in a maximum of 130 milliseconds. Translation: Faster than you can say "Q." That's with the paddles, too. While driving the 2015 Vanquish and 2015 Rapide S on some truly glorious, low-traffic, mountain and coastal roads dotted with only the occasional village, sheep herd, or speed camera, the cars would upshift before I finished pulling back on the paddle, raising the revs and re-engaging the grin-inducing pull of the V-12 (576 hp/465 lb-ft for Vanqish, 560 hp/465 lb-ft for Rapide S).Two nifty software touches: Adaptive Drive Recognition tailors shift points in standard Drive mode to your style behind the wheel. So if you're aggressive, you'll quickly feel a change in the shift map even if you haven't engaged Drive Sport mode. The car constantly collects data beginning with each engine start, so it will morph during your drive if necessary.Nifty touch No. 2: If you hold down the left (downshift) paddle, the transmission skips as many gears as necessary to find the right ratio. On our drives in the Rapide S and Vanquish, that maneuver worked great on the winding roads, where we'd be pulling hard in sixth but needed to haul down to second in a hurry to set up a tight curve.Even with those performance improvements, the transmission comes with a bonus: big improvements in fuel economy. The Vanquish gets 14 mpg city. On the highway, a 16 percent improvement gets it to 22 mpg. The Rapide S gets 13/21 mpg city/highway, an 11 percent improvement on the highway. It's easy to see why: At 70 mph, the V-12 hums along at a very leisurely and quiet 1500 rpm in eighth gear. In fact, eighth is strictly for economy, as top speed is reached in seventh. In Drive mode (that's normal automatic shifting), though the transmissions are tuned for quickness, they still keep the car in relatively low rpms unless you slam your foot down. It was far more fun to use the paddles to keep the transmission between 3500-5500 rpm, where maximum torque — and near-maximum music from the engine and exhaust — takes place.Slowing the Astons from speed is more confident, as the brakes have retuned boost to allow for a stronger initial bite. And the Rapide S has larger front brakes, increasing to 400mm diameter with six-piston calipers (the Vanquish's brakes stay the same at 398 mm and six pistons front and 360mm four-piston rear). At the back, Rapide S has a 360mm four-piston set. We experienced great, consistent feel in both cars, and no discernible fade, though the roads had enough variety that there was usually plenty of cool-down between extreme situations.Both cars ride on beautiful, 20-inch 10-spoke forged alloy wheels that are 15 pounds lighter per set than the wheels on the 2014 models.Working with the ZF transmission is a new Bosch engine management system for both cars, and both cars now have carbon-fiber drive shafts for an increase in power transmitted to the drive wheels, and a new alloy torque tube for quieter performance. The Rapide S really benefits from Aston's efforts to reduce noise. Reichman credited some of this improvement to a specially designed low-rolling resistance tire from Bridgestone. Wait. They increased performance with an LRR tire set? Apparently. The Rapide S supplied plenty of confidence as we blasted around mostly in Sport mode on both suspension and throttle/shifting (they're adjustable separately).And the cars felt more sure-footed at speed, especially when those mostly empty Scottish roads (our least-favorite sign: "CATTLE GRID") threw the occasional off-camber corner, or fast sweepers with unsettling undulations, at us. Aston Martin says it worked to create a greater difference in damping between Sport and Drive, and passengers could easily guess which setting the cars were in. We never really futzed with Track mode, as it was inappropriate for unpredictable conditions.Steering in both was above average and unchanged from the previous models. The Vanquish is a little quicker (2.6 turns lock-to-lock vs. 3.0 on the Rapide S) and transmits slightly more feel — in a good way — about where the wheels are and the condition of the road. Inside the Rapide S and Vanquish is the same Aston Martin luxury one comes to expect, such as full-grain Luxmill leather over most of the interior and Alcantara headliners and steering wheel. One Vanquish our group drove even had an optional quilted-leather headliner with contrast stitching. Some thought it a bit much, but I couldn't stop staring. Newly available interior color options include Fandango Pink (for trim only, please) and Dark Knight, a black-ish blue.Aston Martin admits that the infotainment system leaves a bit to be desired, with its tiny nav screen. But that's where future refreshes could receive big dividends from its partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which mostly has created buzz around replacement of Aston's V-8 engines. Could we see a COMAND-like system in future Astons? "The engine side of the agreement is only one part," Reichman said. "The electrical [infotainment] architecture is the other."Fair enough. Just promise we'll still get those gorgeous glass buttons and what may be the world's coolest ignition key (it's crystal, embossed on one end with the Aston logo) in these now quicker and more responsive examples of hand-made art on wheels. For more than 100 additional images of the 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish and 2015 Aston Martin Rapide S, head to the second page of this review. 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish 2015 Aston Martin Rapide S BASE PRICE $287,820 $207,820 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe Front-engine, RWD, 4-door, 4-pass sedan ENGINE 5.9L/576-hp/465-lb-ft DOHC 48-valve V-12 5.9L/560-hp/465-lb-ft DOHC 48-valve V-12 TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 3850 lb 4400 lb WHEELBASE 107.9 117.7 LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 184.7 x 75.2 x 50.9 in 197.6 x 75.9 x 53.5 in 0-60 MPH 3.6 sec (mfr est) 4.2 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 14/22/17 13/21/16 ON SALE IN U.S. Third quarter 2014 Third quarter 2014 Share this article Facebook Twitter Google Plus Email 2015 Aston Martin Vanquish, Rapide S First Drive /239 Advertisement to Skip 1|239 2|239 3|239 4|239 5|239 6|239 7|239 8|239 9|239 10|239 11|239 12|239 13|239 14|239 15|239 16|239 17|239 18|239 19|239 20|239 21|239 22|239 23|239 24|239 25|239 26|239 27|239 28|239 29|239 30|239 31|239 32|239 33|239 34|239 35|239 36|239 37|239 38|239 39|239 40|239 41|239 42|239 43|239 44|239 45|239 46|239 47|239 48|239 49|239 50|239 51|239 52|239 53|239 54|239 55|239 56|239 57|239 58|239 59|239 60|239 61|239 62|239 63|239 64|239 65|239 66|239 67|239 68|239 69|239 70|239 71|239 72|239 73|239 74|239 75|239 76|239 77|239 78|239 79|239 80|239 81|239 82|239 83|239 84|239 85|239 86|239 87|239 88|239 89|239 90|239 91|239 92|239 93|239 94|239 95|239 96|239 97|239 98|239 99|239 100|239 101|239 102|239 103|239 104|239 105|239 106|239 107|239 108|239 109|239 110|239 111|239 112|239 113|239 114|239 115|239 116|239 117|239 118|239 119|239 120|239 121|239 122|239 123|239 124|239 125|239 126|239 127|239 128|239 129|239 130|239 131|239 132|239 133|239 134|239 135|239 136|239 137|239 138|239 139|239 140|239 141|239 142|239 143|239 144|239 145|239 146|239 147|239 148|239 149|239 150|239 151|239 152|239 153|239 154|239 155|239 156|239 157|239 158|239 159|239 160|239 161|239 162|239 163|239 164|239 165|239 166|239 167|239 168|239 169|239 170|239 171|239 172|239 173|239 174|239 175|239 176|239 177|239 178|239 179|239 180|239 181|239 182|239 183|239 184|239 185|239 186|239 187|239 188|239 189|239 190|239 191|239 192|239 193|239 194|239 195|239 196|239 197|239 198|239 199|239 200|239 201|239 202|239 203|239 204|239 205|239 206|239 207|239 208|239 209|239 210|239 211|239 212|239 213|239 214|239 215|239 216|239 217|239 218|239 219|239 220|239 221|239 222|239 223|239 224|239 225|239 226|239 227|239 228|239 229|239 230|239 231|239 232|239 233|239 234|239 235|239 236|239 237|239 238|239 239|239


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Anna Paquin Photo 307x307
Anna Paquin
Anna Helene Paquin (born July 24, 1982) is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Paquin's first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994 at the age of 11 – the second youngest winner in history. Her acting career took off almost half a decade later when she appeared in a string of successful films including She's All That, Almost Famous and the X-Men franchise.
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Assessment of Physical Exercise Using Stationary Bicycle for Pregnant Women With Risk for Preeclampsia Development
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Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are an important issue in global public health. It is current the leading cause of maternal mortality in Brazil.
To assess the effect of physical exercise using stationary bicycle through blood pressure and heart rate measurements, incidence of pre-eclampsia and quality of life survey in pregnant women with chronic high blood pressure, previous preeclampsia pregnancies or both factors associated comparing to a group with no intervention. Verify the type of births, maternal and perinatal outcomes in both groups. Methodology: This randomized clinical trial enrolled pregnant women presenting chronic hih blood pressure, previous pre-eclampsia experience or both. Women from 12 to 20 gestational weeks were selected from the prenatal outpatient clinic and randomly allocated to the study or non-interventional group. Women at the study group performed physical exercise using stationary bicycle (horizontal bench model) during 20 minutes, once a week. The heart rate was maintained at 20% above resting heart rate and up to 140 bpm. Blood pressure and heart rate measurements were evaluated before and after exercise. The non-intervention group followed regular prenatal routine with weekly returns for heart rate and blood pressure measurements. Both groups fulfilled the quality of life survey (SF-36 questionnaire) at three times: between 12 and 20 weeks; 28 and 32 weeks and 36 and 41 weeks of gestation. After that data of parturition will be analyzed to compare the incidence of pre-eclampsia, types of birth, maternal and perinatal outcomes.
|Pre-eclampsia Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced Pregnancy, High-Risk
|Other: Exercise using stationary bicycle
|Phase 1
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|Assessment of Physical Exercise Using Stationary Bicycle for Pregnant Women With Risk for Preeclampsia Development
- Risk to development pre-eclampsia [ Time Frame: up to 28 weeks ]The comparison between groups will be by the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is diagnosed after 20 week of gestation with systolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 90 mmHg and proteinuria greater than or equal 0.3 g/d by 24 hour urine collection.
- Types of birth [ Time Frame: up to 28 weeks ]Parturition data will be analyzed.
- Perinatal outcomes [ Time Frame: up to 28 weeks ]Number of participants with adverse events. Prematurity by CAPURRO method, APGAR score to measure the health of newborn.
|Study Start Date:
|January 2008
|Study Completion Date:
|November 2011
|Primary Completion Date:
|November 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
|No Intervention: blood pressure and heart rate data
Other: Exercise using stationary bicycle
Before exercise, blood pressure and heart rate are measured in the sitting position.
Exercise is realized using stationary bicycle (horizontal bench mode) once at week, during 20 minutes under physiotherapist supervision.
The heart rate was maintained at 20% above resting heart rate and up to 140 bpm.
After exercise is performed a leg stretching and a low back stretching. The blood pressure and heart rate are measured in the sitting position.
Other Names:
Detailed Description:
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- pregnant with 12 to 20 weeks gestational
- have chronic blood pressure, previous pre-eclampsia or both
- able to perform a exercise
Exclusion Criteria:
- multiple pregnancy
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- heart disease
- neurological disease
- renal failure
- persistent vaginal bleeding
- isthmic-cervical insufficiency
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01395342
|Hospital da Mulher Professor Doutor José Aristodemo Pinotti - CAISM/UNICAMP
|Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, 13083-881
|Study Director:
|João Luiz C Pinto e Silva
|University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|Responsible Party:
|Jose Luiz Pinto e Silva, PhD, University of Campinas, Brazil
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01395342 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|July 4, 2011
|Last Updated:
|July 11, 2012
Keywords provided by Jose Luiz Pinto e Silva, University of Campinas, Brazil:
Pregnant women
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced
Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Pregnancy Complications
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Saks Eats Their Dust
Saks (SKS) and Macy's (M) reported earnings Tuesday morning, and the results couldn't be more different. Saks reported a same-store sales climb of just 0.7% for its fiscal fourth quarter, while Macy's continues its winning ways with a comps gain of 3.9%. In the last five years, Macy's shares have significantly outperformed Saks and the S&P 500.
In terms of earnings, as well, Macy's beat the Street consensus estimate by $0.07 with a $2.05 profit per share. Revenue totaled $9.35 billion, up 7.2% year over year. For fiscal 2014, management now sees earnings per share of between $3.90 and $3.95 -- up from a previous estimate of $3.81. Same-store sales are pegged to rise 3.5%....205 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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Apart from being a very efficient club secretary, Janet has frequently worked on CTC business into the early hours of the morning. Her cycling achievements are as follows:
- organized Chester & N. Wales CTC's Early Season Tourist Trail for three years so efficiently that numbers of riders have increased from around 85 to 150;
- served on the local rides committee and produces all the relevant events lists;
- thought of, created, organized and led the recently formed Bicycle Belles Ladies Group. Several members have now joined CTC and ride on Sunday or Tuesday evenings. Average numbers are 20;
- organized a ride in aid of Breast Cancer Campaign and raised £475. Eight of the ladies completed basic cycle maintenance courses;
- attended meeting of the Merseyside Cycling Campaign and its Wirral Sub- Group. During a recent campaign, local MPs were questioned about cycling issues;
- organized 'Cycling in the Himalayas'; a successful cycling-based audio video presentation at Heswall Hall '
- cycling to local conservation sites and helping with restoration work.


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I know there is a belief in reincarnation in buddhism. I've also read that some people who have had those experiences learn to meditate to return to that feeling same realm in a sense. But on the other coin I've read that experiences like that are distractions and to bypass them like you would a thought?
There's actually a huge archive of these experiences here: http://www.youtube.com/user/NDEaccounts/videos
Here are a few examples of these Near Death Experiences:
This one seems to fit a tibetan book of the dead like story.
One from a war vet in 1971
I'm curious if anyone has had experiences like these through their meditations and if you'd like to share them.


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Iron Man Micro Muggs too...
With Iron Man 3 opening in North American theaters today, we thought it'd be fun to take a look at some of Hasbro's Iron Man 3 product line. Follow the link above (or below) to check out over 70 new photos of the Iron Assemblers series. Each Iron Assembler figure features an Interchangeable Armor System, allowing one figure to create more than 25 armor combinations and allowing armor to be switched out between the 16 available figures in the line to create 100's more combinations. Each figure sold separately, SRP of $9.99 each and at retail now.
Also shown is the Iron Assemblers Battle Vehicle, a fun ride that launches Iron Man into battle. Check it out in action in the video below. SRP of $19.99 and in stores now.
Last but not least, we have a few pics of Hasbro's blind-boxed Iron Man 3 Micro Muggs. Even smaller than Hasbro's previously released Mini Muggs, this approximately one inch tall assortment has 24 different designs to collect and trade. SRP of $2.99 each and available at many online retailers, as well as Target.
Review Samples Courtesy of Hasbro
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, PlasmaInfusion.com, Toynk.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.


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Hot Toys takes on the sexy superheroine of Iron Man 2...
For a great selection of superhero action figures and collectibles, check out fine sponsors BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, ToyDorks.com, PastGenerationToys.com, Urban-Collector.com, SmallJoes.com, HobbyLinkJapan.com, and Sekaido.com.
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with our sponsor Collectibles Insurance.
With many of the finest 12" figures released this year being a part of Hot Toys' Iron Man 2 line-up, it's no surprise that perhaps the finest female figure of 2010 comes to us as a part of this line as well. Enter Black Widow.
PACKAGING: While some of the other Iron Man and Iron Man 2 figures feature super detailed and attractive packaging, this figure features some of the simplest packaging design. The slipcase features a metallic image Scarlet Johansson's portrait printed on the box as well as the series logo/name. As with other Hot Toys packaging, one pulls the interior box out to find the window box through which the figure and parts are clearly visible.
While the packaging really isn't anything special, it's worth noticing the sides of the package show both Whiplash and War Machine, a subtle hint as to how one might display the packages together.
SCULPT: This is definitely a beautiful head sculpt. To me, it is kind of subjective; as to whether she looks like Scarlett Johansson or not... well, individual collectors will have to decide if that's an issue for them. At certain angles it might give you a lot of Scarlett and at others, perhaps none at all. However, overall I think the likeness is considered adequate and worth considering.
As for other details, the implanted synthetic hair is certainly a great choice as one can move the hair around to create a more natural look and feel. The curling effect is fantastic as well and there's actually instructions suggesting collectors put some hair gel or wax to style her hair for more natural look. Great job Hot Toys!
PAINT APPLICATIONS: The face features plenty of detail, including gorgeous eyes and mascara, lipstick, and eyebrows. Hot Toys' maintains high quality control here (as usual) and there are no sloppy drips, smears, or issues.
I'm unsure if the upper body which is visible through the low-cut V neckline of the jumpsuit has received any type of paint or if it's simply molded. Either way, the flesh color and texture is spot-on.
CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES: Black Widow's look is fairly simple. A PVC-like fabric jumpsuit fits skintight over the 1/6th body and, while I've heard some complaints from collectors about the jumpsuit's color, it's nothing to be too concerned over. Likewise, the boots made from rubber - are well made, though their longevity may be in question (should there be any issues in the years to come).
The figure includes a number of additional accessories: three extra hands, two pistols and a Iron Man 2 base with name plate. The extra hands allow for the two pistols to be held as well as different posing options. While there arent that many accessories here, the character never really used that many in the film.
ARTICULATION: Featuring a newly developed 1/6 female body which includes all of the regular articulation points as well as a soft, rubbler-like body allowing full visability of the cleavage, belly and neck, Black Widow is ready for action.
The upper body is made of a soft, rubber-like material around the abdomen, bust and neck area. This is probably one of the finest 1/6 female body on the market because of these added features; however, due to jumpsuit, the body's articulation is still slightly limited. That said, the overall figure can be posed in plenty of positions.
COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION: Costing less than most other 12" Iron Man 2 MMS figures, the Hot Toys Iron Man 2 Black Widow retails for approximately $150.00. Rightly so as the figure includes fewer accessories, many fans might even consider this price slightly high. However, due to the new 1/6 female body and licensing, the cost seems relatively justified.
One of the sexiest figures of the year, no doubt fan boys the world over will appreciate having this well-sculpted, finely painted and uniquely... equipped... 1/6 scale figure of one of the Marvel U's finest females on display. While she may not have many accessories or guns, she more than makes up for it with her finely tuned attributes and beauty.
The Hot Toys Iron Man 2 Black Widow MMS 12" figure is available now from many fine retailers.
Review by CK Lee and Jess Horsley
Photos by Luka Figure Photo
Packaged Photos by CK Lee
Review Sample Courtesy of Hot Toys


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Biomod/2012/Tohoku/Team Sendai
From OpenWetWare
All the creatures on Earth are made of cells. The exterior and the interior of the cell are compartmentalized by biomembranes. A nanodevice that is able to actively transport only the specific oligonucleotide through the biomembrane has a great potential to deliver siRNA into the cell or to extract mRNA expressed in the cell. Here, we decided to create a novel device with such a function. We have designed a cylindrical injector/extractor device made of DNA origami (we named this device: CELL-GATE). Inside the cylinder, a cascade of single stranded DNAs is planted. Once the outer-most ssDNA binds to a target oligonucleotide, the target is passed to the inner-ones one by one because of the higher bonding energy assigned to the inner ones. We also investigate how the cylinder penetrates the biomembrane by using liposome as a model membrane.
Project Image
Our PROJECT CELL-GATE is divided into three sub-projects:
PORTER: Composed of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) sequences. Each ssDNA is called Porter. Porters are designed to transfer target DNA strands into (or out from) the membrane. GATE: Cylindrical DNA nanostructure connecting the inside and outside of membrane like a channel. A cascade of the Porters is planted inside this cylinder. We can use this Gate as an injector or an extractor. MEMBRANE: The exterior and the interior of the cell are compartmentalized by biomembranes. We use liposome as a model membrane.


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Convention Hall A-C
Ambassador City Jomtien is the ideal location for hosting your corporate event. Business conferences, conventions, incentives and exhibitions are seamlessly handled by our professional staff. Conference facilities range from three large meeting halls, with accommodation for up to 5,000 delegates to smaller rooms for workshops and group meetings. State of the art technical equipment assures a satisfactory outcome for any successful business event.


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DAN Blackwell will go looking to follow in his older brother Nick's footsteps when he challenges for his first middleweight title next month.
The 19-year-old Contender Gym fighter has stepped in as a late challenger for the vacant International Masters belt and will be taking on 26-year-old Brighton fighter Nicky Jenman (4-4) at the K2 Leisure Centre in Crawley on February 16.
The younger of the Blackwell brothers has amassed a wealth of experience since joining the pro ranks in December 2011, having never been stopped in 19 bouts, and trainer Mark Kent thinks that the time may be right for his man to step up to the next level.
"Dan was asked if he wanted to step in with just three weeks' time to train but he said yes – he's always ready to take anything," said Kent.
"Dan's a very tough kid but the thing with him is that he can definitely hit too so you never know, it could be the right time for him."
Meanwhile, the Contender Gym will hand professional debuts to two fighters at their bill at the Trowbridge Civic Hall on March 2.
Jono Price, 19, who lives in Staverton and has won 48 of his 52 amateur fights, will make his first appearance at super-flyweight.
Melksham heavyweight Luke Martin, 28, will also make his pro debut after winning all nine of his unlicensed fights by knockout.
Tickets for the March 2 show are available from the Contender Gym (01225 765712) from tomorrow.


text: Into the Garden: Harsh weather endangers trees, shrubs By Sara Busse December 22, 2012 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Weather has been a hot topic around our area this year -- hot, hot summer; snowy fall; warm early December.Certainly cold winter months are still ahead of us. Bert T. Swanson, a professor in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota, and Richard Rideout, city forester for the city of Milwaukee, are living in an area that is truly familiar with harsh temperatures. Recently they wrote an article about different ways the cold weather can damage our landscape plants. Over the next few weeks, I'll share some of their tips for saving your trees and shrubs from winter damage.Sun scald"Sun scald is characterized by elongated, sunken, dried or cracked areas of dead bark, usually on the south or southwest side of a tree. On cold winter days, the sun can heat up bark to the point where cambial activity is stimulated. When the sun is blocked by a cloud, hill or building, bark temperature drops rapidly, killing the active tissue."Young trees, newly planted trees and thin-barked trees (cherry, crabapple, honey locust, linden, maple, mountain ash, plum) are most susceptible to sun scald. Trees that have been pruned to raise the lower branches, or transplanted from a shady to a sunny location are also sensitive because the lower trunk is no longer shaded. Older trees are less subject to sun scald because the thicker bark can insulate dormant tissue from the sun's heat ensuring the tissue will remain dormant and cold hardy."The specialists suggest wrapping the trunk of the tree with a commercial tree wrap, plastic tree guards or any other light-colored material, keeping the bark at a more constant temperature. Put the wrap on in the fall and remove after the last frost. Newly planted trees should be wrapped for two years, and thin-barked species up to five winters.Evergreen discoloration"Browning or bleaching of evergreen foliage during winter occurs for four reasons:"1. Winter sun and wind cause excessive transpiration (foliage water loss) while the roots are in frozen soil and unable to replace lost water. This results in desiccation and browning of the plant tissue. "2. Bright sunny days during the winter also cause warming of the tissue above ambient temperature, which in turn initiates cellular activity. Then, when the sun is quickly shaded, foliage temperature drops to injurious levels and the foliage is injured or killed."3. During bright, cold winter days, chlorophyll in the foliage is destroyed (photo-oxidized) and is not re-synthesized when temperatures are below 28 degrees. This results in a bleaching of the foliage."4. Cold temperatures early in the fall before plants have hardened off completely or late spring after new growth has occurred can result in injury or death of this nonacclimated tissue."Foliar damage normally occurs on the south, southwest and windward sides of the plant, but in severe cases the whole plant may be affected. Yew, arborvitae and hemlock are most susceptible, but winter browning can affect all evergreens. New transplants or plants with succulent, late-season growth are particularly sensitive."There are several ways to minimize winter injury to evergreens. The first is proper placement of evergreens in the landscape. Yew, hemlock and arborvitae should not be planted on south or southwest sides of buildings or in highly exposed (windy, sunny) places. A second way to reduce damage is to prop pine boughs or Christmas tree greens against or over evergreens to protect them from wind and sun and to catch more snow for natural protection."Winter injury can often be prevented by constructing a barrier of burlap or similar material on the south, southwest and windward sides of evergreens. If a plant has exhibited injury on all sides, surround it with a barrier, but leave the top open to allow for some air and light penetration. "Keeping evergreens properly watered throughout the growing season and into the fall is another way to reduce winter injury. Never stress plants by under- or overwatering. Decrease watering slightly in September to encourage hardening off, then water thoroughly in October until freeze-up. Watering only in late fall does not help reduce injury."Anti-desiccant and anti-transpirant sprays are often recommended to prevent winter burn. Most studies, however, have shown them to be ineffective."If an evergreen has suffered winter injury, wait until mid-spring before pruning out injured foliage. Brown foliage is most likely dead and will not green up, but the buds, which are more cold hardy than foliage, will often grow and fill in areas where brown foliage was removed. If the buds have not survived, prune dead branches back to living tissue. Fertilize injured plants in early spring and water them well throughout the season. Provide appropriate protection the following winter."Reach Sara Busse at email@example.com. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Innerviews: Dual-identity surgeon riding high in horse racing world 2 Huggins, WVU tap South Florida hoops talent 3 WVU seeking improvements during off week 4 Former State Police captain now chief in Winfield 5 Rod Run and Doo Wop brings classic cars, music to Boulevard for 12th year Style Voyeur: Holidays bring out festive attire Previous Story CindySays: Follow hygiene rules at the gym Next Story


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19 fun car road trip activities
Turn an ordinary drive into a world of fun adventures and possibilities. more
An amniocentesis test is a maternal screening where a little of the amniotic fluid is extracted for testing. Amniocentesis is used to identify genetic disorders such as Down syndrome or other inherited disorders such muscular dystrophy or cystic fibrosis.
The amniotic fluid that surrounds your unborn baby contains cells that have been shed by your baby. By extracting a little amniotic fluid, a sample of your baby's cells are also taken. These cells are grown in a lab until there are enough to map your baby's genes or chromosomes.
While amnio tests are considered to be up to 99% accurate not all birth defects can be detected with this test.
Usually an amniocentesis test is performed between 15 and 18 weeks of pregnancy. While it is possible to conduct tests earlier and later than this, amnio tests done earlier than 15 weeks are usually only done in extreme cases as they have higher rates of complications. Amnio tests done later than 18 weeks usually screen for other medical issues, such as lung maturity, rather than genetic and inherited disorders they are usually used to diagnose.
An amniocentesis is performed by inserting a needle through your belly into your uterus to extract a little of the amniotic fluid that surrounds your baby. The needle is guided by an ultrasound to avoid contact with your baby or the placenta. It is not uncommon for your doctor to have to move the needle around to get the fluid needed. No anaesthetic is used during this procedure.
About 20mls of amniotic fluid is extracted for the test - this amount represents about 10% of your baby's total amniotic fluid at 15-16 weeks.
During amniocentesis, many women experience cramping or mild contractions. This is completely normal and may continue for a day or so after the test.
Doctors recommend that you completely rest for 24 hours after the procedure.
The result of this test can take between two and three weeks to come back because of the time it takes to grow the cells and then do the gene analysis.
As an invasive procedure, amnio tests do pose small risks for your unborn baby, but rarely any risk at all for you. Some of the risks include:
Amniocentesis has between a 0.5-1.0% rate of miscarriage. This represents 1 in 200 to 1 in 100 miscarriages. Miscarriages can occur as a result of infection developing in the uterus, waters breaking, contractions that don't stop, or excessive bleeding. If miscarriage is going to occur as the result of an amnio test, it is most likely to happen in the days or week after the test was carried out.
Directly injuring your baby during amniocentesis is exceedingly rare because an ultrasound is used to guide the needle, but occasionally babies are pricked by the needle - though this doesn't usually cause any long term injury.
Research has shown that babies who have had amniocentesis have about a 1% increase in the risk of developing respiratory distress at birth. Respiratory distress can be treated but may require your baby to be in the intensive care nursery after birth until he stabilises.
Last revised: Wednesday, 7 July 2010
This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.


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About Tesla
Tesla's goal is to accelerate the world's transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs, as well as EV powertrain components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler. Tesla has delivered more than 2,400 Roadsters to customers worldwide and received more than 13,000 reservations for Model S. Model S, the world's first premium sedan to be engineered from the ground up as an electric vehicle, began deliveries to U.S. customers in June of this year and was named Motor Trend's prestigious 2013 Car of the Year.
The Role
Tesla Motors is seeking an Instructional Designer to design an engaging educational experience for Tesla Service Technicians. The Instructional Designer will accomplish this by designing web-based and video courses.
Tesla Motors is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, age, sex, ancestry, marital status, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, present or past history of mental disability, genetic information or any other classification protected by state or federal law.
United States
|Web Site:
|1050 Bing Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
United States
|Cleantech / Energy
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House District 61 candidate Q&A: Kathleen Curry
October 23, 2012
I am running for the House again because I am a proven leader on the issues that are important to this district.
I served in the Colorado State House for six years, from 2005-2010. During my tenure I chaired the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, served as Speaker Pro-tem, and ran key water and oil and gas legislation and focused on the budget process. My professional experience as manager of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District and my work in the nonprofit sector is also good background for serving this district.
I think that the forest health issue is the most critical problem this county faces. I would pursue the following course of action if elected: Amend the legislation that Rep. Hamner sponsored last year re-authorizing funding from the Forest Program Fund. The bill authorized funding at a level up to $2.5 million annually for another five years, but unfortunately the actual appropriation is less than that amount. I believe we need to try and secure a specific funding level as well as increase it. For the 2012/2013 cycle the funding commitment from the state totals $811,340 for bark beetle and forest health purposes, and for the 2013/2014 fiscal year the program funding is projected to be $1,953,053. This financial commitment is clearly not enough to address the needs in Summit County, let alone the entire state. But in order to stabilize and increase the state's commitment, it will be necessary to reduce expenditures for other programs. Specifically, forest health dollars are competing against the Low Income Energy Assistance program, and several water programs. I believe that forest health program grants need to be funded at a higher level, and in order to do that I would seek to negotiate funding cuts in the competing programs.I would also look at the implementation guidelines on the state funding to ensure that the available dollars are being used in the most beneficial way. I believe we need to invest in market opportunities and increase the rates of material removal. I have also been told that the grant process itself is overly time consuming, so I would evaluate whether or not that process can be streamlined.
As an independent I am in a great position to work with both sides, and as a centrist I am able to find common ground. It all comes down to respect and a willingness to actually address the concerns of your colleagues. That is how I operated when I served previously, and I would continue that practice.
I would run a joint resolution seeking to refer a question to the voters to amend the Colorado Constitution. My goal would be to amend the language that requires disproportional increases in commercial property taxes over time as compared to residential property tax rates (aka the Gallagher Amendment). I believe we should seek to cap the commercial property tax burden at current rates. This would at least stabilize one of the input costs that businesses face and provide certainty in terms of future commercial investment. It would be nice to tackle all of the conflicting requirements set forth in the Constitution at once, but that is a very tall order. At a minimum we could at least address this one component. Every year that goes by is a lost opportunity and if we don't try, nothing is likely to get done. It would also benefit business if we could increase the financial assistance from the state in order to more aggressively pursue forest restoration projects, keep the pressure on CDOT to continue to view the I-70 capacity problem as one of their top priorities, and pursue measures that would ultimately increase broadband capacity.


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A large horticultural greenhouse grower is acquiring fresh herbs grower-shipper HerbThyme Farms Inc.
Rocket Farms Herbs Inc., a subsidiary of Monterey Peninsula Horticulture Inc., has acquired the assets of Los Angeles-based HerbThyme.
The acquisition helps further Salinas, Calif.-based Rocket Farms' growth strategy to launch new products, enter new categories and expand into new distribution channels, according to a news release.
Calling itself the largest U.S. cut herb producer, HerbThyme grows and ships more than 5 million pounds of fresh herbs a year from 200 acres of conventional and 150 acres of organic farmland.
Those products should complement Rocket Farms' line of potted herb products, according to the release.
Howard Roeder, HerbThyme's chief executive officer, and his senior management, are scheduled to remain and continue to manage the business's daily operations, according to the release.
The acquisition doesn't change the HerbThyme, Herbal Garden and New England brand names, and Rocket Farms has also extended job offers to most of HerbThyme's workers, according to the release.
"HerbThyme is a great brand supported by 500 talented employees that utilizes cutting edge growing and packaging technologies to produce the finest and freshest cut herbs in the country," Monterey Peninsula Horticulture chief executive officer Charles Kosmont said in the release. "With the financial resources and operating expertise of a strong parent company, we believe HerbThyme can flourish and have a strong future."
In the release, Roeder said HerbThyme is pleased to join the Monterey Peninsula Horticulture family of growers and said the strong partner could provide HerbThyme deeply enhanced opportunities.