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Video Junkie
Top 10 Demos of 2012
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Check out the top 10 technical developerWorks demos of 2012!
IBM Rational DOORS Next Generation for the current IBM Rational DOORS 9.x user
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IBM® Rational® DOORS® Next Generation is a requirements management tool that you can use to capture, trace, analyze, and manage changes to information. It builds on the Rational DOORS 9 rich client and the Rational Requirements Composer web client.
Rational DOORS Next Generation includes a rich client and a web client. You can use the rich client to quickly create and manage business requirements. In the web client, you can further define, elicit, capture, elaborate, discuss, and review requirements and artifacts.
The rich client is based on IBM Rational DOORS 9, and the web client is based on IBM Rational Requirements Composer.
It runs on the Jazz™ platform. This product is the first step in the process to bring Rational DOORS more fully into the requirements management (RM) space of the Rational solution for Collaborative Lifecycle Management, where it can integrate with Rational tools in other spaces, such as change and configuration management (CCM) and quality management (QM).
Rational DOORS Next Generation can also integrate with third-party products.
Check out the demo! It is all part of creating a smarter planed!
Rational Build Forge administration: Controlling user access
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  user build access forge administration: controlling rational 3,265 Views
Rational Build Forge enables high-performance builds and agile software development. Its adaptiveness helps development teams standardize repetitive tasks, manage compliance mandates, and share information. It automates and accelerates software assembly and delivery processes and streamlines build management.
You can communicate with the Build Forge server using the management console or the Build Forge client provided during installation. This helps to manage users and resources, to set up and schedule test projects, and to generate and analyze reports. What is important is to give users access to only what they need and manage users in groups. Build Forge is great at managing users.
Check out this demo that shows how users are given access to objects in the Rational® Build Forge® system. It demonstrates the relationships of users, access groups and permissions, and using subgroups to set up hierarchical access. See how to create a user, create a notification access group, and create an access group that allows users to edit projects.
Help create a smarter planet with Project portfolio management using IBM Rational Focal Point
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  project portfolio with a planet create using management ibm rational help smarter focal point 4,681 Views
IBM® Rational® Focal Point™ provides market - and business-driven product and portfolio management - helping executives and teams to make the right decisions to deliver business, customer and market value.
- Utilize visualization, prioritization, and unique road mapping and planning capabilities to ensure that plans are innovative, valuable and achievable.
- Centralize information key to decision-making, status reporting and portfolio reviews to escape the chaos of managing data in emails, documents, and spreadsheets; speeding the ability to respond to changing market and business conditions.
- Overcome the influence of the loudest voice in the room and use objective information to support decision making.
- Reduce risk and improve cost estimations of investments by modeling financial and market impacts and by performing scenario, statistical and financial analysis.
- Integrate enterprise architecture plans and project execution into portfolio management to ensure enterprise and project-level decisions are aligned with financial and market needs.
- Quickly realize the benefits of Product and Portfolio Management and reduce costs of implementations by utilizing pre-defined configurations based on best practices.
Application Security
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  security application 1 Comment 4,712 Views
Application security is very important and interesting. We all do personal business on the web whether it is online banking or shopping. We all expect and demand that our information we enter is secure and not vulnerable to attacks. We also need to assure that the applications we develop are secure. It is our responsibility as developers, to help create a smarter and more secure planet. Rational application security software helps IT and security professionals protect against the threat of attacks and data breaches. If you use applications to collect or exchange sensitive or personal data, your job as a security professional is harder now than ever before. IBM Rational AppScan is a leading application security testing suite designed to help manage vulnerability testing throughout the software development life cycle. Did I mention that it is our most popular demo? AppScan offers automated solutions for all types of security testing - outsourced, individual, and enterprise-wide analysis - and for all types of users - application developers, build managers, quality assurance teams, penetration testers, security auditors, and senior management.
This demo takes you through the process of scanning a Web application for
security vulnerabilities using Rational AppScan Standard Edition.
Embedded software development using Rational Rhapsody Architect for Software
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  using architect rhapsody for development software embedded rational 4,163 Views
IBM® Rational® Rhapsody® Architect for Software provides software development environment for real time and embedded software development based on a UML/SysML.
Embedded software developers can leverage an integrated software development environment for C, C++, Java or C# code that helps improve application consistency through UML based modeling to visualize and document the design of embedded and real time applications.
* Visualize architecture and design with industry standard UML or SysML
* Generate C, C++, Java or C# code frames
* Reverse engineer C, C++, Java or C# code for visualization and documentation
* Integration within Eclipse development environment for integrated code, model and debugging
* Maintain consistency of architecture, design, code and documentation automatically
* Author AUTOSAR 4.0 compliant automotive applications
* Leverage MARTE profile for architecting multi core applications
* Trace requirements to design to deliver the right product to market
* Collaborate using model-based differencing and merging features, including an integration with
the Jazz- based IBM® Rational® Team Concert solution
* Rational Rhapsody Architect for Software 7.5.3 adds support for Rational Rhapsody
TestConductor Add On to apply testing to code visualized
Check out the demo
This demonstration shows how to develop embedded software using the Rational Rhapsody Architect for Software development environment. The Rational Rhapsody development environment enables developers to visually capture their applications to automate manual coding tasks and communicate their designs. Learn how to import existing C++ code and synchronize it with a UML model, automatically create diagrams to understand the relationships in the code, and then document the design for external reports.
The workflow integration with Eclipse is illustrated by using Rational Rhapsody Architect for Software to turn the code into a simple 'ping pong' console game. It illustrates how, using code centric settings, dynamic synchronization with the code can be achieved, enabling the user to make updates in either the model or the code while still preserving the existing layout and structure. This enables developers to more easily adopt modeling on existing code projects or where preservation of code layout is critical to success.
It's all part of creating a smarter planet and working more efficiently!
Efficient multidimensional data modeling with InfoSphere Data Architect
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  multidimensional modeling efficient architect with infosphere data 3,932 Views
IBM® InfoSphere® Data Architect (formerly Rational® Data Architect) is a collaborative enterprise data modeling and integration design tool to discover, model, relate, and standardize diverse and distributed data assets.
Check out this demo that shows how a data architect at a fictional company uses IBM® InfoSphere® Data Architect to efficiently create multidimensional data models of a new data mart, which can be used for business intelligence and analytical reports. The process focuses on data model transformation and validation (including built-in best practices), customizable diagrams, and DDL script generation.
It's all part of creating a smarter planet! - Check out the demo
Performance Monitoring and Tuning for DB2 for z/OS
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The IBM Optim Query Tuner and Optim Query Workload Tuner for z/OS can help DBAs and developers maximize application performance with expert advisors and tools while increasing customer satisfaction, productivity, and quality of service.
More specifically Optim Query Tuner helps developers to write more efficient SQL queries, it reduces costs and risks by enabling developers to tune SQL during development, while problems are still relatively inexpensive to fix and before they cause a costly outages or performance issues . It Operates within a familiar Eclipse development environment and features seamless integration and natural launch points within Optim Development Studio. It also accelerates query tuning analysis by providing expert advice and recommendations. It really helps DBAs and developers maximize application performance.
Check out the demo that shows an online retailer, who wants to uphold their commitment to customer satisfaction. See how they achieved their goal for online ordering response to be no more than 30 seconds.
It's all part of creating a smarter planet!
Service-oriented architecture (SOA) analysis with Rational System Architect
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  analysis (soa) rational with architect architecture service-oriented system 3,801 Views
Are you at a loss on how your business uses it's services? For example, not having a roadmap of critical applications and servers and how they relate to each other. If you have servers that are set to be decommissioned in the future and/or need to know how to recover from a disaster, from a down server, you need to know what applications are dependent on what servers for planning purposes. Rational® System Architect and the service-oriented architecture (SOA) add-in helps you discover how your business uses its services.
Rational® System Architect and the service-oriented architecture (SOA) add-in shows you how your business plans and processes, IT applications and hardware interrelate. It Maps the landscape of your software programs and services and shows you how they depend on one another. This is all about smart software and saving money and improving the effectiveness and reliability of your business services.
Check out the 3 part demo series that demonstrates this for you!
It is all part of creating a smarter planet!
Agile development for real-time: Embedded applications
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  agile embedded manager and doors applications development team quality rational rhapsody concert 3,930 Views
In this 6-part demos series, watch and learn about a day in the life of an agile development team. From a requirement to the final test run, watch how the team solves problems using smart software. You'll see demos of Rational Team Concert, Rational DOORS, Rational Rhapsody, and Rational Quality Manager, all working together.
Part 2 shows defining the sprint goal and aligning the test cases
Part 3 shows creating a test plan
Part 4 shows developing an integrating a build
Part 5 shows executing test cases and submitting defects
Part 6 shows rerunning test cases
It's all part of creating software smarter....
Here is the link to the demo series
Solution Stack Implementation on Linux Workshop
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  db2® on ubunut for implementation websphere® solution express-c stack workshop linux rational® application developer 4,889 Views
Check out this series of demos that make up a workshop.It will take you through the steps to rapidly expand your skills in application development on IBM midldeware; take you through all the pieces from the IDE to Application Servers and Databases; help you install a low cost version of Linux and then help you install and Configure the Software. Once that's complete it will show you how to develop, test and deploy an application. You'll gain valuable skills on the following software products:
Websphere Application Server v7
DB2 Express-C v9.7
It's all part of creating a smarter planet through software..
Here are the demos:
Learn how to download and install a Ubuntu image and then go through some basic shell commands to help you navigate through the UNIX® environment. This is part 1 of a 4 part demo series to show you how to implement a solution stack (Rational® Application Developer, WebSphere® Application Server, and DB2® Express-C) on Ubuntu Linux, as well as how to integrate them in a Java application.
Smart DB2 performance optimization for a smarter planet
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Check out the optional DB2 Performance Optimization Feature. It gives you the insight and ability to optimize workload execution. This feature can save you money and lower your risks by helping you to do more work with your existing hardware, and increase DBA productivity. Saving resources is a smart thing.
Performance optimization is very complex with many interdependent factors requiring deep skills. These skills are often hard to come by and typically very expensive. Problem isolation can take days and require many people across different domains and expertise. Add to this, the pressure on business today and the constant state of flux – hardware upgrades, software upgrades, application enhancements, new application deployment.
IBM Optim Performance Manager helps optimize the performance and availability of mission critical databases and applications. This enables organizations to resolve performance bottlenecks before they affect the business. Optim Performance Manager delivers a proactive, comprehensive performance management approach that allows IT staff to identify, diagnose, solve and prevent performance workload management issues in DB2.
Check out the demo!
See how one fictional company uses DB2® Workload Management and Optim™ Performance Manager Extended Edition to allocate database system resources to help a high priority application achieve its business objectives in a data warehousing environment. These capabilities are conveniently packaged together in the DB2 Performance Optimization Feature.
Enabling Requirements Communication Through Stakeholder Collaboration
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In past blogs, we have discussed the issues and challenges pertaining to requirements. Now let's discuss some of the IBM Rational solutions for addressing the challenges through Rational Requirements Composer (RRC) built on the collaborative Jazz platform.
Rational Requirements Composer is designed to provide a solution for the creation and composition of meaningful requirements based on user and stakeholder needs. Rational RequisitePro is designed to provide a platform for the management of Requirements assets, the establishment of priorities, the estimation of costs, difficulty, etc.
One issue is that many notations are needed to express requirements. How the information is related and maintenance of the relationships need to persist. RRC uses hyperlinks, collections, tags and attributes to create relationships among artifacts.
Not everything needs to be expressed in text – UI storyboards are a great way to flesh out high-level scenario options and get user validation. Also great for fleshing out low level requirements that have dimensions that are visible in the UI.
A simple scenario using storyboards would be:
1. Product managers record and organize stakeholder requests
2. Product managers collaborate with development on milestone scenarios and use cases
3. Architects and subject matter experts use process diagrams and text to outline scenarios
4. UI Storyboards help team to rapidly iterate on scenario options and flesh out design
Another benefit with RRC is Distributed teams can collaborate around the world. Teams can save valuable development time by using the web-based review and approval workflow, which is role based with reviewers, approvers, and optional reviewers.
For Example:
- Project managers Understand the status of work to implement and validate requirements
- Business analysts define, validate, organize, and analyze requirements and use custom dashboards; share common views with the extended team
- Product owners contribute requirements and the market view and do reviews and approvals
- Developers and Testers ask for clarifications, help elaborate scenarios, and and give feedback
You need to bridge your information islands to help create smart software faster and at a lower cost.
Smarter Energy and Utilities = smarter cities = a smarter planet
southworth 100000HBX4 Tags:  cities for focal the planet smarter and a rational utilities point sector = energy 5,578 Views
Don't we love to see real world scenarios where software products help reduce costs and improve productivity.
In the energy and utilities sector, rising energy costs and technology advances are leading to more informed and involved utility customers. They want to know how much energy they are using, where they can optimize usage, and in some cases, how to implement their own renewable energy sources. This is all done through smart technologies including software.
Utilities are a critical link to improving energy efficiency, integrating renewable sources of energy and addressing climate change. IBM can add a layer of intelligence to your utility, using the power of information
And here is the demo...
In this example, see how Rational® Focal Point can be used in the energy and utilities sector, showing some of the major portfolio management challenges facing the industry. See how Focal Point meets those challenges by utilizing many of the monitoring, prioritization, and decision making capabilities featured in the solution.
Being RAD for a smarter planet part 3
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This week I'll be talking about RAD and the runtime analysis feature, the debug tool and reverse transformations.
Within RAD, the runtime analysis feature allows you to view the actual execution of the code, which may be different from the intended behavior. With profiling, you can analyze performance, method execution sequences, thread behaviors and code coverage. With the Runtime Analysis feature, you can do:
In addition, RAD provides reverse transformations. It allows teams to work on both the design and the implementation and to reconcile any differences between the two. So for example,let's say we have an architecture team and an implementation team that are divided, either by geography or because one team is subcontracting to the other, or even by corporate culture. The architecture team completes its version 1.0 of the system, and transforms the model to code.
The implementation team picks up the code and begins to work. The architecture team continues to work on the design, and after some time creates a v1.1 of the architecture. This architecture is forward transformed and integrated with the work done by the implementation team.
So far, so good?
When the architectural deviation is introduced, a dialogue would need to take place between the architecture and implementation teams so that both teams could better understand why the deviation was introduced. The forward transformation that occurs after the reconciliation probably would not delete code elements if those code elements were not the product of forward transformation in the first place. The deletion of the code elements would often be done manually.
and now for the demo..............


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Hundreds turn out for remembrance dinner, fundraiser for Jerry 'Dale' Cox III (with video)
Published 12:00 am, Sunday, February 20, 2011
NEW HARTFORD-- Nearly two months after 16-year-old Jerry Dale Cox III was killed in a car accident, tears and laughter filled the dining hall at Brodie Park to remember "Dale," and to raise money for his dream, a 1967 Ford Mustang.
Lindsey Prevuznak, a friend of Cox and the organizer of the dinner, says upwards of 200 people attended, donating around $3,000. The money will go to parts, paint and body work for the car that Cox spent his last days restoring.
Once the car is finished, it will become strictly for show, raising money for a scholarship fund to help Oliver Wolcott Technical School students go to college.
"[The dinner] was a lot of work, but it's definitely worth it," Prevuznak said. "This is my piece and this is what I am doing to help."
According to some of those who showed up, the dinner was a success and their friend would have been impressed.
"I know Dale would be flipping over backwards to see this," said Keith Tracy, a friend of the Cox family and the man who sold his Mustang to the teenager. "He was so genuine. I never saw him not polite or disrespectful in anyway. He was always welcomed at my house."
Fighting back the tears, Tracy recalled the times Cox would call him in the evening, telling him everything about the car that Tracy said he did not want to give up. Through Cox's constant good-natured nagging about the car, Tracy finally sold it to him.
"A lot of people wanted to buy that car," Tracy said. "I kept telling him how much work it needed, but it didn't deter him at all. He knew how much work it was going to be, but that didn't stop him."
"He had such a good heart," he added.
And now, through Cox's spirit, determination, hard work and love for the car, those who are remembering him are donating not only their money, but their time and labor to make sure the car is completed.
"I'm going to be working on that car," 16-year-old Alex Mueller said. A longtime friend and classmate of Cox, Mueller said that car is what will keep his memory alive.
"I was thinking last night that this might be the last time people really stop to think about Dale. But not me -- I'm never going to forget him."
Mueller said Cox was determined to finish restoring the Mustang by the end of the year, "now, he's not here but we're going to do it anyway."
"It's a great thing," he said.
Cox's father, Dale, says he is determined, too. Determined to raise money every year for the scholarship that has been set up in his son's name.
"I'm not doing this for me or my kids," Cox said. "This is for these Wolcott kids."
Cox said he plans on organizing motorcycle rides when the summer arrives, riding to raise money. And when the car is finished, it too, will join the bikers.
"I'm not looking for straight-A students," he said in regards to the scholarship, which is set up through Webster Bank in Winsted, under his son's name.
"I'm looking for someone who has the same passion as my son," he said.
The same passion for old cars, those near to him, and for life in general, seemed to come together Saturday during the dinner.
"It really says something when you see all these people here," she said before giving a speech, thanking everyone for showing their support. "I'm amazed at this turnout. It's great."
Prevuznak delivered a speech to the room, bringing tears to the eyes of some onlookers. In wrapping up her speech, Prevuznak cleared her throat, proceeding to quote English poet David Harkins.
"You can shed tears that he is gone, or you can smile because he has lived...You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back, or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on."
Ricky Campbell can be reached by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Follow us online at www.registercitizen.com and at Twitter.com/registercitizen.

subset: commoncrawl


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WBEZ News
Gallery Talk: Antony Wood on Skyscraper: Art and Architecture Against Gravity
In conjunction with the exhibition Skyscraper: Art and Architecture Against Gravity, Antony Wood, executive director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat and IIT associate studio professor, discusses global trends in skyscrapers, outlining the unprecedented changes in the typology over the past decades and looking to the future.
A UK architect by training, Wood specializes in the field of sustainable design of tall buildings. Prior to becoming an academic, Wood worked as an architect in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and London.
He is the author of numerous books and papers in the field, including "Tall & Green: Typology for a Sustainable Urban Future." His dissertation explored the multidisciplinary aspects of skybridge connections between tall buildings. He is associate editor of the CTBUH Journal and serves on the editorial board of the John Wiley & Sons Journal, The Structural Design of Tall and Special Buildings. He is also cochair of the CTBUH Tall Buildings and Sustainability working group. He is currently involved in numerous book projects, including The Tall Buildings Reference Book with Routledge, The CTBUH Guide to Natural Ventilation in High Rise Office Buildings with Routledge, and New Paradigms in High Rise Design.


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Created with design in mind, the Steamview Series radiator is the perfect blend of modern style and elegance. Steam Radiators provides a radiator that is both beautiful and practical with a 2.5" profile. This slim 16"H x 60"W unit still packs power, as it is capable of putting out 2,564 BTU per hour. This enables you to maximize your space without giving up your comfort. The single-piece frame, continuous mounting, uniform fittings, and individual wrapping and tagging allow the radiator to be piped multiple ways. Installation of the SV16-60 is designed for maximal flexibility: it can be mounted vertically or horizontally and is compatible with both one and two pipe systems. The Steamview series radiator is absolutely ideal for smaller areas of your home or office, but is perfect for wherever you may be looking for functional style. The 5 year limited warranty is pretty great, too!
Product Features
Easy Installation
The Charleston Pro radiator is designed for both one or two pipe systems for high compatibility. With continuous mounting and uniform fittings, installation is a breeze.
All-Welded Steel Frame
Steam Radiator's all-welded steel construction greatly reduces bulk and provides a modern feel.
Quality That Lasts
The proprietary process Steam Radiators uses keeps steam corrosion at bay and makes this beautiful radiator wear resistant. A 5 year limited warranty covers all Steam Radiator units.
Product Note
Stated lead times apply to the stock color options of White or Steel Grey. Choosing any other color option will be a special order product with a lead time of up to 4-6 weeks. Special orders are non-returnable and non-refundable. Please contact us with any questions about these special orders.


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WATCHDOG councillors are to look at efforts to crackdown on Shisha bars in Blackburn and Darwen.
They have now received a report from the environment department on current progress to deal with the mushrooming number of such premises in the borough.
Jim Shorrock, who chairs the council's Policy and Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, said the cross-party body had now put the issue of Shisha bars at the top of its agenda for the coming year.
He promised it would 'consider a broad range of issues when analysing and conducting its review'.
The Shadsworth with Whitebirk Labour councillor welcomed the news that borough officials were making renewed efforts to get owners to comply with anti-smoking and health and safety laws with one facing prosecution.
He also revealed to the Blackburn with Darwen's full council forum that the committee would be examining the progress of the borough's efforts to tackle scrap metal theft.


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TPWD Print-Friendly Page: http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/print.phtml?req=20050523gMedia Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030 [TH]
TPWD Website: http://tpwd.texas.gov
TPWD News Release — May 23, 2005
AUSTIN, Texas — Spring in Texas brings bluebonnets, migration, and the end of hibernation for our warmth-loving species, the reptiles and amphibians of the state. While many amateur naturalists revel in the colorful plant displays and bursts of bird activity in the spring, Texas Parks and Wildlife is asking citizens to be on the lookout for our lesser known cold-blooded wildlife species-species whose trends may be important indicators of changes in our environment.
"Reptiles and amphibians don't really have 'cold' blood," says Wildlife Diversity biologist Lee Ann Linam. "They simply depend on warmth from sunlight to generate some of the energy that their body needs for its activity. For much of the year, we don't see reptiles and amphibians, so the spring is an important time for monitoring what is going on with these vulnerable species."
Recent reports indicate that there is reason for concern about reptiles and amphibians (commonly referred to as "herps"). An exhaustive report recently summarized in the magazine Science reported that almost a third of the world's amphibians are threatened with extinction. A report by NatureServe focusing on the western hemisphere indicates that more than 40 percent of our amphibian species are threatened. Declines have been linked with many causes, including habitat loss, pathogens, pesticides, and even climate change. Fewer comprehensive studies have been completed for reptiles; however, alarm has been sounded for many species, especially turtles and lizards.
Eight years ago, TPWD began enlisting help from Texas citizens in monitoring selected Texas reptiles and amphibians through a program called Texas Nature Trackers. In 1997 the Department launched the Texas Horned Lizard Watch, focusing on Texas' official state reptile, because citizens had begun noticing that horned lizards, often called "horny toads," had disappeared from many areas of the state. Citizen data collected by the watch program have helped to shed light on where horned lizards still occur and some of the factors associated with their presence or absence.
In 1998 TPWD joined national and global efforts to monitor the well-being of amphibians. Texas has a high diversity of frogs, toads, and salamanders, including several found nowhere else in the United States. Volunteers in Texas Amphibian Watch, who monitor mainly by listening for frog and toad calls at night, have been successful in detecting many of Texas' species, with results to date indicating that most species are stable in the state.
This year two more reptile species are joining TPWD's monitoring focus. Box turtles are familiar to many Texans, having once been common in the wild and in the pet trade; however, concern has been expressed about Texas' two species of box turtles, the Eastern (or Three-toed) Box Turtle and the Ornate Box Turtle. Just like sea turtles, box turtles have long life spans and can take many years to reach maturity. In addition, box turtles produce few young. Therefore, scientists are interested in finding out whether there are any downward trends in box turtle numbers in the wild that could indicate trouble for the species being able to maintain itself. TPWD scientists are inviting members of the public to help them collect sightings of box turtles in 2005 through the Box Turtle Survey Project.
Linam notes that reptile- and amphibian-watching has benefits both for the species and the observer. "Sometimes at first people aren't attracted to watching and studying reptiles and amphibians, but many people who get involved have rewarding experiences-whether it's learning to recognize the trill of a toad's song, taking time to watch a horned lizard lap up harvester ants, or observing the intricate beauty of a box turtle shell. In return, the species and TPWD benefit from having these extra 'eyes in the field' help us understand the conservation needs and priorities for the species."
Texas Horned Lizard Watch, Texas Amphibian Watch, and the Texas Box Turtle Survey Project all offer free monitoring materials. In addition, Texas Amphibian Watch offers a CD of frog and toad calls for $5 and training workshops for $10. For more information contact Texas Nature Trackers at (800) 792-1112 x 7011 or visit the Web site.
On the Net:


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NEW YORK — Tim Burke scored a season-best 27 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. matched his season high with 25 and No. 3 Michigan remained unbeaten with an 81-66 victory over West Virginia on Saturday night at the Barclays Center.
The Wolverines (11-0) were last off to this good a start in 1988-89 — the season they won the school's only national championship.
Burke and Hardaway both had solid all-around games in the backcourt. Burke was 12 of 16 from the field and had eight assists, while Hardaway was 7 of 12 and made half of his eight 3-point attempts.
Freshman Terry Henderson had a season-high 23 points for the Mountaineers (4-5), who lost their second straight after a three-game winning streak.
Michigan led 43-32 at halftime and was able to extend the lead with some efficient shooting. The Wolverines started the second half 9 of 16 from the field, a number that was made a lot better by West Virginia missing 12 of its first 15 shots over the same span.
The Wolverines led 54-36 on a drive by Burke with 17:04 to play. It looked as if Michigan would match its season average of winning every game by an average of 21 points.
West Virginia finally started making some shots and the Mountaineers were able to get within 71-64 on a 3 by Henderson with 4:28 to play.
The rally took its toll on West Virginia and the Wolverines were able to straighten things out and pull away.
West Virginia, which came in shooting 26.4 percent from 3-point range, finished 6 of 21 from behind the arc, 3 of 15 in the second half.
Michigan shot 56 percent from the field (28 of 50) with an almost even split in each half.
The game, the third in a tripleheader called Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival, drew a crowd of 16,514.
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Wednesday is 12/12/12, which this year is turning out to be the Rodney Dangerfield of dates.
Any other time, this triple one-two punch of nifty numerals would be hailed as a knockout calendric coincidence, a lucky number, a math maniac's muse. Instead it's taking a back seat to the sexier date of 12/21/12 and a little thing called the end of the world as Mayan civilization knew it, the so-called doomsday deadline prompting apocalyptic parties, Mayan-themed hotel packages and T-shirts that read, "Party like there's no To-Maya."
Yes, poor 12/12/12 could use a good publicist. After all, it has a lot to offer. For one thing, another such triple crown of 12s won't happen again for another 100 years, in 2112. Or maybe not at all, given the outcome of, well, you know. We won't even get any more repeating digits until 2/2/22 (2022), and certainly not the same three-in-a-row style until 1/1/1 (2101), depending on, well, you know.
Delving into 12
At least the folks at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific in San Francisco are highly supportive of 12/12/12 and have pronounced it Anti-Doomsday Day.
"If 21 is doomsday, we thought we'd go in the opposite direction," said the society's Kathryn Harper, adding the fun facts that Mars is 12 light minutes from the sun, the average temperature of the Earth is 12 degrees Celsius, and Jupiter takes 12 years to orbit the sun.
"We're promoting a celebration of rational thought and science literacy that day," said Harper, who suggests maybe reading a book on science today. "Or donate $12, $24 or $36 to your favorite science literacy nonprofit, like the ASP!"
One segment of the population that's pretty stoked about today's date: any child turning 12, like Kinnon Vest, of Livermore. Not only is her birthday on 12/12, but her birth time was 12:12 p.m. back in 2000. "Even her delivering doctor had never seen anything like that," said her mom, Caroline Vest. "We've been looking forward to this birthday since she was born, and we're celebrating like it's her sweet 16th or 21st."
Date to remember
Others who don't give much credence to the world's end are those getting married today. In Vegas, there's been a surge in license applications for 12/12/12, but not as much as 11/11/11, and nowhere near the bridal barrage of about 4,000 couples tying the knot on 7/7/7 -- a distinctly meaningful day in Vegas as far as slot machines go.
"A lot of people pick repeating numbers for weddings because it's easy to remember," said Clark County Clerk Diana Alba. "And if you're picking 12/12 because it's easy to remember, you probably plan to remember it longer than nine days."
Perhaps we're all just a little jaded after so many numerical notables during the past decade, from 1/1/1 on up. Remember all the hullabaloo over 6/6/6? It was feared to be the end of the world -- hmm, where have we heard that before? -- and barring that, hundreds of expectant moms with sign-of-the-devil due dates opted for C-sections on other days. On 8/8/8, the Beijing Olympics were carefully coordinated to begin at 8:08 p.m., eight being a significant number in Asian cultures. And then we turned it up to triple 11s last year.
And now, the 12s. Yawn. Even the Bay Area's favorite numbers man, retired high school teacher Ron Gordon, of Redwood City, who pines for palindromes and loves a good Pi Day (March 14, or 3/14), sort of gave up on 12/12/12. He had sent out news releases about the sequential date of 10/11/12, but got little interest, so he figured folks might be tired of all the dizzying dates.
"Seemed like 12/12/12 just wasn't going to get enough respect," he said.
Read Angela Hill's Sunday Give 'Em Hill column or follow her at Twitter.com/giveemhill.


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Echinodermata For The Win!!
I'm back!!!
Oh...you never realized I was gone?
Ah well, that's ok, because I AM back - back from a stressful few months of wondering where I would end up, how I would feed my babies (i.e. cats) and their baby-momma (my wife - yeah that does sound rather gross), and several dozen unknowns also thrown into the mix.
And after all the trials and tribulations, I can now state with certainty that I got the one job in my new future hometown (Pittsburgh) that I wanted more than anything: a post-doc in the lab of Dr. Veronica Hinman at Carnegie Mellon University.
What will I be doing you ask?
Well, I will be doing none other than studying the evolution of gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Specifically, I'll be looking at GRNs in the context of development using the wonderful sea critters in the phylum Echinodermata. For those of you not in the know, the "spiny-skinned" echinoderms are the asteroids (starfish/sea stars), ophiuroids (brittle stars), echinoids (sea urchins), holothuroids (sea cucumbers), and crinoids (feather stars, sea lillies and such).
Click for larger! Or Click HERE for super high resolution posters.
That's right folks - I am now at least an honorary marine biologist! ... kind of. I don't know if the real marine biologists would ever deign to allow me such a title, but I can call myself whatever I want.
Many of you may know this already, but the process by which a single fertilized cell becomes a complex organism is an insanely intricate one. DNA is often called a "blueprint" for life, however in reality it's more like a cooking recipe informing each cell which ingredient to add and when, where, and how to add it - all codified into a multi-layered genetic computer program with kernels, plug-ins, sub-circuits, and all sorts of other technobabbly organic craziness.
This is where the "Gene Regulatory Network" comes in - the GRN is that central biological software controlling and allowing life itself. Not only will I be studying the structure of these networks in echinoderm development, I'll be looking at the evolutionary context of the echinoderm networks in relation to each other to suss out how they work and which parts of the networks are conserved (or not) between these amazing creatures that diverged from each other about 500 million years ago.
I'll initially be working on the "endomesoderm" network in the sea star, Asterina miniata. Down the line I'll also be contributing to the development of the sea cucumber as a new model for studying "evodevo".
In celebration, I spent a fair bit of time getting back to my art roots creating the above cladogram in the sand of the Echinoderm phylum (which you can get a poster of here if you're into echinoderms. I rendered it out in pretty high resolution, so you will definitely be getting a high quality poster. I'm pretty proud of it as it took quite a bit of work in the Blender program).
I spent a while trying to find time-lapses or animations of starfish development online, to no avail. Thus I spent a week of much needed downtime to create this computer animation: (note - you can also watch it in High Definition on youtube)
NOTE: The details of the actual metamorphosis of the rudiment into the juvenile are not accurate - it's quite hard to animate these types of changes - and to be honest I haven't actually seen these creatures in the flesh. But it's good enough to get a good idea of how the whole developmental process occurs in this type of sea star.
Anyway, I'm sure I will have much much more to say about the evolution and development of echinoderms in the future so I'll leave it at that for now.
Hopefully, I can at least be an honorary member of the cool kids club, the marine biologists: Kevin, Eric, Andrew, David, Miriam, Christie, Rick, Mark, Jason, Chris, and all the others I'm surely missing.


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The ten, consistently sized, Crown2.5 fingers offer full coverage of the speed feed opening hole, keeping dirt and other debris from entering the hopper, while holding paint inside on most breakouts and dives.
While the Virtue CrownSF will always remain the best performing speed feed in paintball, thanks to the polycarbonate spring fingers that feed lightening fast without losing a single ball, the Crown2.5 is a good trade off for many players seeking a cheaper alternative.
The Crown2.5 comes assembled on the Spire backshell with hinged lid for easy bag reloading and is backed by a 90 Day Warranty.
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CLEVELAND (AP) -- A police chase in Cleveland that lasted more than 5 miles and began with a shot fired near police headquarters led to a gunfight that killed a man and a woman.
The chase began around 10:30 p.m. in Cleveland and went through the village of Bratenahl (BRAT'-ih-nahl) and East Cleveland before ending with the two suspects being fatally shot by officers near a school that remained closed Friday.
The Plain Dealer reported Friday (http://bit.ly/YzhLa8 ) that one witness said as many as 50 police cars were involved in the chase.
The newspaper said the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office tentatively identified the two suspects as a 30-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man.
No officers were reported injured.
East Cleveland Detective Sgt. Scott Gardner said the investigation would be long and involved.
Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com


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Moving Into Hotels
When I started in this business, one habit I picked up from my coworkers was the ritual of sifting through charts after the closing bell. Every day, after inspecting profit-and-loss blotters and checking paperwork, four or five of us would gather around a desktop computer as a program ran through every stock on the S&P 500. Every 10 seconds, a new chart would appear, and our little group would comment and take notes. Today, I still scan after the close, though I vary the routine to keep things fresh.
Yesterday, I realized that several stocks in the hospitality industry were showing a similar pattern, which is not unusual. What struck me were the subtle differences among these names and a possible trading opportunity that arises from those differences. In each case, important trendlines were broken and key moving averages were temporarily violated. Is this a chance to buy on weakness, or should we sell into strength? Perhaps there is a third option....351 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Transfer from Grosseto and arrival to Arcidosso. We will meet you in Grosseto which is easily accessible from Rome or Florence. Upon arrival at the Grosseto train station, you will be accompanied by car or van to the village of Arcidosso and then welcomed at La Locanda del Prete B&B. After settling in, your host and chef, Carlo will show you around and explain the week's program! Then you can either relax in the garden or take a walk through the enchanting streets of Arcidosso. For dinner you will enjoy a Tuscan meal prepared by Carlo.
Day 2: Montalcino (wine country), Pienza and Montepulciano. After breakfast at La Locanda, your guide will take you (using our comfortable Tuscan Way van) to the charming village of Pienza, located in the heart of the Val D'Orcia valley (nominated a UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) territory. While in Pienza, you will visit its main square, Piazza Poi II, which is a model of Renaissance planning. This main piazza is so attractive that it was used to shoot scenes for the film The English Patient.
Then, you will continue on to the elegant town of Montepulciano where your guide will show you the main sites and where you will have a light lunch (not included in package price). After lunch, on your way back to Arcidosso, you will stop by a quaint family owned winery in the Montalcino area, where you can taste (included in the package price) the famous Brunello wine accompanied by a tasty pecorino cheese and/or local salami or prosciutto. Dinner at La Locanda.
Day 3: The small towns of Monte Amiata. For your last day, after breakfast, you will have the opportunity to take a cooking course – the Tuscan Way with the Master Chef of the Innocenti family. You will learn the art of La Cucina Povera Toscana (Tuscan Country Cooking), receive an apron and recipe book and enjoy the lunch you helped prepare during the course.
Then, you will be off with your guide to visit the small towns of Monte Amiata: Santa Fiora with its historic center and ancient Parish Church which contains fine terracotta bas-reliefs by Andrea della Robbia (15th century), and La Peschiera, the private gardens and swimming pool of the Sforza family (16th century). You will then go to either Castel del Piano or Abbadia San Salvatore, where you can visit the famous abbey and the crypt built by the Longobards, and finally, on your way home, you'll take a ride through the enchanting forest of Monte Amiata. In the evening, you will enjoy dinner at La Locanda del Prete.
Day 4: Suggested tour to Siena. In the morning, after your breakfast, you'll set off for Siena. There, you can visit the famous Piazza del Campo, the main square where the people from Siena ("i senesi") organize, twice a year, a medieval horse race known as Il Palio. Facing the square there is the beautiful tour Torre del Mangia, where if you wish, you can climb up to the top to admire a marvelous view of the city. You can also visit the Duomo which is a gothic style cathedral. At the end of the morning, you will have lunch in a quaint restaurant in Piazza del Campo. Once home, and after having rested, Carlo will prepare a healthy Tuscan dinner at La Locanda.
Day 5: Suggested tour to Florence. Today, you will enjoy a grand trip to Florence and discover the Renaissance. While in Florence, you can do as you choose: shop, relax at a café, discover the historical treasures of Florence by visiting the museums (the Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia where you can see masterpieces by Giotto, Boticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio, just to name a few), walk the gardens and famous piazzas like Santa Croce. You will enjoy a tasty lunch (on your own terms) at a local Florentine restaurant. Catching the bus not too late, you will make it back to Arcidosso in time for dinner at La Locanda.
Day 6: Suggested seaside tour. Today, you will enjoy a trip to the seacoast to the pretty seaside village of Castiglione della Pescaia. This old fishing village stands up high on a hill with its castle looking over the turquoise bay. You will enjoy a tasty lunch at a local restaurant. In the evening, you will enjoy your farewell dinner in Arcidosso at La Locanda.
Day 7: Departure. After breakfast, transfer back to Grosseto.
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TPWD Print-Friendly Page: http://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/print.phtml?req=20080506aMedia Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030 [TH]
TPWD Website: http://tpwd.texas.gov
TPWD News Release — May 6, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas — Dr. Larry McKinney, known affectionately as "Dr. Doom" for his candid, outspoken approach to addressing environmental issues, is leaving the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department a legacy not built on despair, but on hope.
For more than 20 years with the department, McKinney has championed endangered and threatened species and served as a proponent for resource conservation, water resources in particular. McKinney, director of Coastal Fisheries and senior director of Aquatic Resources for TPWD, has been named executive director of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He assumes his new role in July.
"All of us at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will miss Dr. McKinney's extraordinary leadership, scientific acumen, vision, and conservation ethic while serving as Director of Coastal Fisheries," said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director.
"During his nearly 25 year tenure with the agency, he has been at the forefront of innovative conservation efforts to protect our seagrass meadows, to ensure adequate freshwater inflows into our bays and estuaries, to enhance our sport fisheries, and to conserve our unique fish and wildlife resources along the Texas coast," Smith said. "His ability to work effectively and collaboratively with divergent and sometimes competing constituent groups on a wide range of coastal and water related issues has served this department and the state of Texas very well. Larry has been a friend, mentor, and trusted advisor to many of us in the conservation field, and we wish him all the best as he assumes this critically important leadership role at the Harte Institute."
McKinney has been carrying water for fish and wildlife since day one. During his tenure at TPWD, he has been a major force behind research and recommendations to provide freshwater inflows to estuaries and in-stream flows for rivers and reservoirs; wetland conservation and restoration and other issues related to the ecological health of Texas aquatic ecosystems.
"When we started in 1985, environmental review of water permits and consideration for fish and wildlife did not exist," said McKinney, who noted back then only two permits in the entire state included environmental provisions. "Today every water permit includes such consideration and the passage of SB-1, SB-2 and especially SB-3 will put into place the policy framework that if adopted by the legislature will assure water for fish and wildlife on a statewide basis."
As director of the agency's now defunct Resource Protection Division, McKinney advocated working with private landowners to provide conservation for threatened and endangered resources. He was able to influence significant revisions of the federal endangered species act to better work with private lands and through cooperative efforts.
He was also responsible for the development of a civil process and valuation system for fish and wildlife to recover the value of fish and wildlife resources lost to illegal activity (poaching, pollution, etc), which has meant millions of dollars to wildlife and habitat restoration.
As director of the agency's Coastal Fisheries Division, McKinney lead the development of programs to address aquatic vegetation management, invasive species, shrimp aquaculture and disease management, vehicle traffic in riverbeds, paddling trails, and offshore aquaculture. He oversaw the development of the State Wetlands Plan and the Seagrass Conservation Plan and was able to accelerate and will soon bring to conclusion the shrimp license buyback program. This program has been the fundamental conservation tool in maintaining the health and productivity of our recreational fishery.
"Texas is the only state with a significant saltwater angler population that has seen positive increases in numbers over the last 5 years — a 25 percent gain," McKinney noted. "Florida and California saw an 18 percent drop over that time and all other Gulf states declined sharply. Not only that but our anglers are fishing twice as much and the economic benefits to Texas include the creation of over 5,000 jobs during that time. The action we have taken like regional regulations and the continued emphasis on ecosystem management has put our fisheries in their best condition in the last 30 years."
McKinney earned his Ph.D. from Texas A&M University in 1976 and is a recognized authority on the habitats of amphipod crustaceans in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. In 1976, McKinney was a Smithsonian Fellow and from 1977 to 1980 he was a research associate and instructor at Texas A&M University-Galveston. Prior to joining TPWD, McKinney was director of the Texas Environmental Engineering Field Laboratory in Galveston where he worked on water issues including the diversion of the Mississippi River.
The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies is an endowed and developing research institute that supports and advances the long-term sustainable use and conservation of the Gulf of Mexico through a tri-national approach between the United States, Mexico and Cuba. The Institution was created in 2000 by a $46 million endowment from Edward H. Harte, philanthropist and former publisher of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.


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An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
AD; Dementia
Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia is significant loss of cognitive functions such as memory, judgment, attention, and abstract thinking. Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, is a progressive brain disease. It affects more than 5 million Americans, and millions more worldwide.
Risk Factors
Age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Most people who develop Alzheimer's disease are 65 years old or older, and the risk increases with age. People age 85 years and older are especially at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may include:
There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease. Drug therapy aims to slow disease progression and treat symptoms associated with the disease. The benefit from drugs used to treat Alzheimer's disease is typically small, so that patients and their families may not notice any benefit.
Patients and their families need to discuss with their doctors whether drug therapy can help improve behavior or functional abilities. They also need to discuss whether or not drugs should be prescribed early in the course of the disease or delayed.
The following drugs are commonly prescribed for treatment of Alzheimer's disease:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain from which there is no recovery. The disease slowly attacks nerve cells in all parts of the cortex of the brain and some surrounding structures, thereby impairing a person's abilities to govern emotions, recognize errors and patterns, coordinate movement, and remember. The changes in the brain may begin to develop more than 20 years before symptoms develop. Ultimately, a person with AD loses memory and many other mental functions.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in people age 65 years and older. Dementia is significant loss of cognitive functions such as memory, judgment, attention, and abstract thinking.
There are three brain abnormalities that are the hallmarks of the Alzheimer's disease process:
Although no treatment has been found for curing Alzheimer's, scientists are making advances in better understanding the disease and how it progresses. In 2011, the U.S. National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association released updated criteria on defining and diagnosing Alzheimer's. The new criteria place Alzheimer's into three stages:
Scientists do not know what causes Alzheimer's disease. It may be a combination of various genetic and environmental factors that trigger the process in which brain nerve cells are destroyed.
Genetics certainly plays a role in early-onset Alzheimer's, a rare form of the disease that usually runs in families. Scientists are also investigating genetic targets for late-onset Alzheimer's, which is the more common form.
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is the main gene that has been definitively linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, only a small percentage of people carry the form of ApoE (ApoE e4) that increases the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's. Other genes or combinations of genes may be involved. Researchers have made some preliminary identifications of other possible gene variants .
Researchers have investigated various environmental factors that may play a role in Alzheimer's disease or may trigger the disease process in people who have a genetic susceptibility. Some studies have suggested an association between serious head injuries in early adulthood and Alzheimer's development. Lower educational level, which may decrease mental and activity and neuron stimulation, has also been investigated. To date, there does not appear to be any evidence that infections, metals, or industrial toxins cause Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease is the fifth leading cause of death in American adults age 65 and older. It affects more than 5 million Americans and millions more people worldwide.
Age is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The number of cases of Alzheimer's disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65. According to the U.S. Alzheimer's Association, nearly a third (32%) of people age 85 years and older have the disease. While less common, Alzheimer's can also affect younger people. About 200,000 Americans younger than age 65 have early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
More women than men develop Alzheimer's disease but this is most likely because women tend to live longer than men.
African Americans and Hispanics are at greater risk for developing Alzheimer's disease than whites. This may be in part because they have a higher prevalence of medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, which are associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's. Genetic factors may also play a role.
Having a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister) with Alzheimer's increases your risk for the disease. Having more than one first-degree relative with Alzheimer's further increases risk.
People who have memory problems and other early symptoms that suggest mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be at increased risk for later developing Alzheimer's disease. However, not everyone who has MCI goes on to have Alzheimer's.
A history of traumatic brain injury, including a concussion, is a risk factor for Alzheimer's.
There is growing evidence that diseases that affect the heart and vascular (blood vessel) system increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The brain requires a steady supply of oxygen-rich blood, which is supplied by a healthy pumping heart and adequate blood flow throughout the body. Conditions associated with heart and circulatory problems include high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and type 2 diabetes. There is some evidence that controlling these conditions may help prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Clinical trials have evaluated numerous substances for preventing Alzheimer's disease but have not found any of them to be helpful. They included nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), statin drugs, estrogen replacement therapy, folic acid supplementation, vitamin E, fish oil supplements, and herbal remedies such as ginkgo biloba.
However, certain lifestyle changes may help in Alzheimer's disease prevention:
The early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be overlooked because they resemble signs of natural aging. However, extreme memory loss or other cognitive changes that disrupt normal life are not typical signs of aging. In addition, the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease do not begin abruptly; they develop gradually and worsen over the course of months or years.
Older adults who begin to notice a persistent mild memory loss of recent events may have a condition called mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI may be a sign of early-stage Alzheimer's in older people. Studies suggest that some, although not all, older individuals who experience such mild memory abnormalities can later develop Alzheimer's disease.
Patients may be aware of their symptoms or may be unaware that anything is wrong. The Alzheimer's Association recommends that everyone learn these 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's disease:
Alzheimer's disease can only be definitely diagnosed after death when an autopsy of the brain is performed. However, Alzheimer's diagnosis is a very active area of research. The goal is to diagnose Alzheimer's while it is still in its early stages.
Researchers are making progress studying biomarkers, chemical substances that signal changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease. In a recent study of biomarkers, scientists found that measuring levels of amyloid beta and tau proteins in brain imaging scans and spinal fluid may help predict the development of Alzheimer's many years before symptoms begin. The scientific community is working on standardizing the use of biomarkers to aid in the early detection of Alzheimer's. Biomarkers may also eventually help doctors evaluate how the disease progresses.
At this time, there is no one test that confirms a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Doctors use a variety of tests to make a probable diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
The doctor will ask about the patient's health history, including other medical conditions the patient has, recent or past illnesses, and progressive changes in mental function, behavior, or daily activities. The doctor will ask about use of prescription drugs (it is helpful to bring a complete list of the patient's medications) and lifestyle factors, including diet and use of alcohol. The doctor will evaluate the patient's hearing and vision, and check blood pressure and other physical signs. A neurological test will also be conducted to check reflexes, coordination, and eye movement.
Blood and urine samples may be collected. They can help the doctor evaluate other possible causes of dementia, such as thyroid imbalances or vitamin deficiencies. Researchers are studying measuring levels of amyloid beta and tau proteins in spinal fluid samples to help identify patients with memory problems who may be at risk for developing Alzheimer's.
Several psychological tests are used to assess difficulties in attention, perception, memory, language, problem-solving, social, and language skills. These tests can also be used to evaluate mood problems such as depression.
One commonly used test is the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), which uses a series of questions and tasks to evaluate cognitive function. For example, the patient is given a series of words and asked to recall and repeat them a few minutes later. In the clock-drawing test, the patient is given a piece of paper with a circle on it and is asked to write the numbers in the face of a clock and then to show a specific time on the clock.
Imaging tests are useful for ruling out blood clots, tumors, or other structural abnormalities in the brain that may be causing signs of dementia. These tests include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), or positron-emission testing (PET) scans.
Researchers are using MRIs and PET scans to study new approaches to diagnosing Alzheimer's in earlier stages of the disease. Methods include measuring the volume and shrinkage (atrophy) of brain tissue with MRI and evaluating the brain's use of glucose with PET.
In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved florbetapir (Amyvid), a radioactive dye that is used with PET scans to evaluate beta amyloid density. Patients with Alzheimer's have a high build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain. However, high amyloid plaque density is also found in some patients with normal cognitive function as well as those who have dementias not related to Alzheimer's. The use of the Amyvid imaging agent is mainly used to rule out Alzheimer's disease in cases that are difficult to diagnose.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Other causes of dementia in the elderly can include:
Vascular Dementia. Vascular dementia is primarily caused by either multi-infarct dementia (multiple small strokes) or Binswanger's disease (which affects tiny arteries in the midbrain).
Lewy Bodies Variant. Lewy bodies are abnormalities found in the brains of patients with both Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's. They can also be present in the absence of either disease; in such cases, the condition is called Lewy bodies variant (LBV). In all cases, the presence of Lewy bodies is highly associated with dementia.
Parkinson's Disease. Some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's can be similar and the diseases may coexist. However, unlike Alzheimer's, language is not usually affected in Parkinson's related dementia.
Frontotemporal Dementia. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a term used to describe several different disorders that affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Although some of the symptoms can overlap with Alzheimer's, people who develop this condition tend to be younger than most patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Other Conditions. A number of conditions, including many medications, can produce symptoms similar to Alzheimer's. These conditions include severe depression, drug abuse, thyroid disease, vitamin deficiencies, blood clots, infections, brain tumors, and various neurological or vascular disorders.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease or treatment to stop its progression or reverse the symptoms. Most drugs used to treat Alzheimer's are aimed at slowing the rate at which symptoms become worse. The benefit from these drugs is generally small, and patients and their families may not even notice any benefit.
Alzheimer's disease is classified into various stages that range from mild to moderate to severe. In the final stages of Alzheimer's, the patient is unable to communicate and is completely dependent on others for care.
The lifespan of patients with Alzheimer's is generally reduced, although a patient may live anywhere from 4 - 20 years after diagnosis. The final phase of the disease may last from a few months to several years, during which time the patient becomes increasingly immobile and dysfunctional.
Most patients with Alzheimer's are cared for at home, especially during the early stages of the disease. Caregiving is an enormous commitment. Support services can greatly improve the quality of life for both caretakers and their patients and make it easier for people to continue caring for patients in their homes. These services include home healthcare aides and adult day care.
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, round-the-clock care is usually required. At this point, the family needs to decide whether in-home treatment can be continued or whether placement in a nursing home or assisted living facility is a feasible option. In choosing a facility, it is best to select one that is specialized in the care of patients with Alzheimer's and equipped to meet their needs.
Most drugs used to treat Alzheimer's, and those under investigation, are aimed at slowing progression. There are no cures to date. In addition, the improvements from some of these drugs may be so modest that patients and their families may not notice benefit.
The FDA has approved two drug classes to treat the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease:
All of the drugs approved for treatment of Alzheimer's disease are expensive. While there are generally no serious risks associated with these medications, these drugs can have a number of bothersome side effects, including indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, and fatigue.
Patients and caregivers should ask their doctors the following questions about when and if to use these drugs:
Cholinesterase inhibitors are designed to protect the cholinergic system, which is essential for memory and learning and is progressively destroyed in Alzheimer's. These drugs work by preventing the breakdown of the brain chemical acetylcholine. The first cholinesterase inhibitor, tacrine (Cognex), was approved in 1993 but is rarely prescribed today due to safety concerns of liver damage.
The three most commonly prescribed cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease are donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine:
Side Effects. Common side effects of cholinesterase inhibitors, especially when taken at higher doses, may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and upset stomach. Rivastigmine and galantamine tend to have more side effects than donepezil, and may also cause weight loss and loss of appetite. Cholinesterase inhibitors may increase the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding or ulcers, especially when used with NSAIDs (which can also cause gastric irritation).
Some drugs known as anticholinergics may offset the effects of the Alzheimer's disease pro-cholinergic drugs. Such drugs include antihistamines, antipsychotic drugs, and some antidepressants and anti-incontinence drugs.
Effectiveness. Comparative studies have reported little difference in effectiveness among these drugs. In any case, the benefits of these drugs are far from dramatic and may often not be noticeable in everyday life. Many doctors have reservations about developing additional drugs that affect the cholinergic system since, at best, they only slow progression and do not appear to affect the basic destructive disease process or even the quality of a patient's life. .
Memantine (Namenda) is approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. (It does not appear to be effective for mild Alzheimer's disease. Cholinesterase inhibitors are used to treat mild-to-moderate stages of the disease.) By blocking NDMA receptors, memantine protects against the overstimulation of glutamate, an amino acid that excites nerves and, in excess, is a powerful nerve-cell killer.
Memantine is prescribed either alone or in combination with donepezil. Studies indicate that memantine may help modestly improve cognitive function and delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease for up to 1 year. Side effects are generally mild but may include dizziness, drowsiness, or fainting.
Depression. Antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including fluoxetine (Prozac, generic) and sertraline (Zoloft, generic), may help reduce depression, irritability, and restlessness associated with Alzheimer's in some patients.
Apathy. Depression is often confused with apathy. An apathetic patient lacks emotions, motivation, interest, and enthusiasm while a depressed patient is generally very sad, tearful, and hopeless. Apathy may respond to stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin, generic), rather than antidepressants.
Psychosis. Antipsychotic drugs are used to treat verbally or physically aggressive behavior and hallucinations. Because older antipsychotic drugs, such as haloperidol (Haldol, generic), have severe side effects, most doctors now prescribe newer atypical antipsychotics, such as risperidone (Risperdal, generic) or olanzapine (Zyprexa).
However, these newer antipsychotic drugs can cause serious side effects, including confusion, sleepiness, and Parkinsonian-like symptoms. In addition, studies indicate that their safety risks may outweigh any possible benefits. Studies show that both atypical and older antipsychotics produce a slightly increased rate of death in patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia and that atypical antipsychotics work no better than placebo in controlling psychosis, aggression, and agitation in patients with Alzheimer's.
Most doctors recommend delaying prescribing antipsychotic medication unless absolutely necessary. They recommend first trying behavioral treatments and controlling changes in the patient's environment and routine. Anti-seizure drugs, such as carbamazepine (Tegretol, generic) or valproate (Depakote, generic), can also sometimes treat agitation and other psychotic symptoms.
Disturbed Sleep. Patients with Alzheimer's disease commonly experience disturbances in their sleep/wake cycles. Moderately short-acting sleeping drugs, such as temazepam (Restoril, generic), zolpidem (Ambien, generic), or zaleplon (Sonata, generic), or sedating antidepressants, such as trazodone (Desyrel, generic), may be useful in managing insomnia. However, these drugs increase the risk of falling, confusion, and abnormal behavior and must be used with considerable caution and restraint.
Some research suggests that exposure to brighter-than-normal artificial light during the day for patients with normal vision may help reset wake/sleep cycles and prevent nighttime wandering and sleeplessness. Sleep hygiene methods (regular times for meal and bed, exercise, avoiding caffeine) can also be helpful.
Caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's face enormous challenges. Few diseases disrupt patients and their families so completely or for so long a period of time as Alzheimer's. The following tips may help caregivers better cope with some of the issues and behaviors associated with this disease.
There is no single Alzheimer's personality, just as there is no single human personality. All patients must be treated as the individuals they continue to be, even after their social self has vanished.
Patients with Alzheimer's often display abrupt mood swings, and some become aggressive and angry. Some of this erratic behavior is caused by chemical changes in the brain. But it may also be due to the experience of losing knowledge and understanding of one's surroundings, causing fear and frustration that patients can no longer express verbally.
The following recommendations for caregivers may help soothe patients and avoid agitation:
Although much attention is given to the negative emotions of patients with Alzheimer's disease, some patients become extremely gentle, retaining an ability to laugh at themselves or appreciate simple visual jokes even after their verbal abilities have disappeared. Some patients may seem to be in a drug-like or "mystical" state, focusing on the present experience as their past and future slip away. Encouraging and even enjoying such states may bring comfort to both the patient and the caregiver.
For the caregiver, grooming the patient can be challenging. Many patients resist bathing or taking a shower. Some patients find bathing confusing or frightening. Some spouses find that showering with their afflicted mate can solve the problem for a while. Establishing a daily and familiar routine can be helpful.
Often patients with Alzheimer's disease lose their sense of color and design and will put on odd or mismatched clothing. It is important to maintain a sense of humor and perspective and to learn which battles are worth fighting and which ones are best abandoned. Caregivers can pick a selection of outfits and allow the patient to select a favorite. Try to choose clothes that are easy to put on and take off.
Weight loss and the gradual inability to swallow are two major related problems in late-stage Alzheimer's and are associated with an increased risk of death. As Alzheimer's progresses, patients may change their food preferences or find some kinds of foods more difficult to eat. Try different foods and be sure to allow enough time for the patient to eat. Limit distractions around mealtimes. Because choking is a danger, you should learn how to administer the Heimlich maneuver. Dehydration can also become a problem. It is important to encourage fluid intake equal to 8 glasses of watalso er daily. Coffee and tea are mild diuretics that may deplete fluid.
Patients at any stage of dementia -- including mild -- are at high risk for unsafe driving. Typical Alzheimer's symptoms -- such as difficulty remembering and navigating locations, poor judgment, and slow decision making -- all pose dangers for driving. A history of recent citations, crashes, or aggressive or reckless driving are specific warning signs. As soon as Alzheimer's is diagnosed, the patient should be prevented from driving. This includes hiding car keys.
Wandering is a common problem. As memory problems worsen, patients may become easily confused, disoriented, and lost. The following precautions are recommended:
Incontinence (loss of control of bowel or urine function) is one of the main reasons why many caregivers decide to seek nursing home placement. When the patient first shows signs of incontinence, the doctor should make sure that it is not caused by an infection. Urinary incontinence may be controlled for some time by trying to monitor times of liquid intake, feeding, and urinating. Once a schedule has been established, the caregiver may be able to anticipate incontinent episodes and get the patient to the toilet before they occur.
As the disease progresses to later stages, patients become immobile, literally forgetting how to move. Eventually, they become almost entirely wheelchair-bound or bedridden. Bedsores can be a major problem. Sheets must be kept clean, dry, and free of food. The patient's skin should be washed frequently, gently blotted thoroughly dry, and moisturizers applied. Try to move the patient every few hours and keep their feet kept raised with pillows or pads. Manipulation exercises can help keep legs and arms flexible.
Most patients with Alzheimer's disease are cared for at home by family members, who often lack adequate support, finances, or training for this difficult job. The patient's family endures two separate losses and grieves twice:
Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer's is undoubtably stressful. It is extremely important for caregivers to take care of their own physical and emotional health. Depression, exhaustion, guilt, and anger can lead to caregiver burnout as well as poor health.
Seek out support from family, friends, and professional associations. Such support includes individual and family counseling, support groups, and stress management and problem-solving techniques
1. Although I cannot control the disease process, I need to remember I can control many aspects of how it affects my relative.
2. I need to take care of myself so that I can continue doing the things that are most important.
3. I need to simplify my lifestyle so that my time and energy are available for things that are really important at this time.
4. I need to cultivate the gift of allowing others to help me, because caring for my relative is too big a job to be done by one person.
5. I need to take one day at a time rather than worry about what may or may not happen in the future.
6. I need to structure my day because a consistent schedule makes life easier for me and my relative.
7. I need to have a sense of humor because laughter helps to put things in a more positive perspective.
8. I need to remember that my relative is not being difficult on purpose; rather their behavior and emotions are distorted by the illness.
9. I need to focus on and enjoy what my relative can still do rather than constantly lament over what is gone.
10. I need to increasingly depend upon other relationships for love and support.
11. I need to frequently remind myself that I am doing the best that I can at this very moment.
12. I need to draw upon the Higher Power, which I believe is available to me.
Source: The American Journal of Alzheimer's Care and Related Disorders & Research, Nov/Dec 1989
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Daviglus ML, Bell CC, Berrettini W, Bowen PE, Connolly ES Jr, Cox NJ, et al. National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference statement: preventing alzheimer disease and cognitive decline. Ann Intern Med. 2010 Aug 3;153(3):176-81. Epub 2010 Jun 14.
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Osoyoos man stands trial for sex assault
Blood covered the walls and floors of a residence, according to the witnesses to an assault in Oliver where a woman's labia had been bitten off.
Brian Douglas Louie was charged with aggravated sexual assault and assault causing bodily harm, his trial started at the Penticton courthouse on Tuesday. The identity of the complainant is under publication ban.
Crown counsel Vern Frolick said it was on the morning of May 20, 2011 the woman underwent surgery to repair an artery that was severed in her vagina from a human bite, she also had multiple contusions to her head and a cut to her eyebrow that had to be sutured.
One man who was at the residence where a party was taking place the night before said Louie had been verbally expressing his displeasure with how the complainant was dressed, but other than that the party had a "positive" atmosphere.
The witness said he was jarred awake early the following morning when he heard screaming and ran to the living room. He saw Louie cock his arm back and punch in a downwards motion to the complainant, who was on the floor. The witness said the woman was struck several times in that manner then he saw the accused kneeing and kicking her in the head.
"He is doing whatever it takes to do as much damage as possible," said the witness.
As the witness got closer to the altercation his girlfriend grabbed his arm and pulled him into the washroom as she was calling 9-1-1. He said they locked the door, fearing that Louie would come after them and could only listen to what he called sounds of the woman being beaten and screams of "agony." This went on for about five minutes before Louie left.
Police arrived at the scene and while waiting for an ambulance to arrive a friend of the complainant said she couldn't wait any longer because of the large amounts of blood loss that was occurring and offered to drive the complainant. RCMP then put the woman in their cruiser and drove her to the hospital.
The trial is expected to last two to three days. Crown counsel said the complainant most likely will take the stand to testify on Wednesday.


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Let's go out tonight ok? The seven videos in the playlist above show pretty much exactly what the clubs I went to in 1987 were like. This club happened to be in San Diego California but it really doesn't matter. The music, hair, clothes and dance style were true to the NY area too. Enjoy!
"Stratus Dance Club was the premier alcohol-free young adult nightclub in Southern California from 1978 to 1987. Located in Casa de Oro – the foothills of Mt. Helix , Stratus catered to high-school and college students from San Diego County to as far north as Los Angeles." – youtube.com/user/stratusdanceclub
For more info: facebook.com/groups/54649181374/


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Family Legends of Lycia FLL
Visiting: Turkey
Trip Duration 8 Days
- Tour Style: Classic
- Tour Type: Centre Based
- Tour Pace: Moderate
- Activity Grade: Moderate
- Accommodation Grade: Standard
Turkey Family Holiday
On this active family holiday to Turkey we uncover the rich history and beautiful landscape of ancient Lycia. We canoe from the ancient city of Xanthos to the beach at Patara, kayak over the sunken ruins of Kekova and explore the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. Based in the beautiful harbour town of Kas, we spend our evenings exploring the cobbled streets and enjoying local Turkish cuisine.
This trip allows the option for triple rooms to be included within the booking on a selected number of night stops within the holiday. If you would like this option, a discount may be applicable on the cost of the trip - please ask our Sales team for further information.
This trip allows the option for triple rooms to be included within the booking on a selected number of night stops within the holiday. If you would like this option, a discount may be applicable on the cost of the trip - please ask our Sales team for further information.
Tour Highlights
- Canoeing - Down the Xanthos River to the beach at Patara
- Sea kayaking - Over the ruins in Kekova Bay, and visiting a medieval castle there
- Snorkelling and swimming - Opportunity to swim everyday
- Kas - Stay in a family run hotel in the center of Kas
- Lunch in a village house - Walk to a village in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains for lunch
Itineraries on some departure dates may differ, please select.
1Join tour at Dalaman Airport
2Full day boat trip from Kas
3Walks in the Taurus Mountains
4Free day; optional trip to Meis in Greece
5Visit Xanthos; canoe trip down Xanthos River to Patara
6In Kas; optional trip to Myra, the home of Father Christmas
7Sea-kayaking to Kekova Island
8Tour ends Dalaman Airport
Trip notes
Each departure date has its own dedicated trip note, detailing all you need to know about that trip. Whether you've already booked, or weighing up your options, please choose carefully the relevant itinerary for you.
We have the following different versions of the Family Legends of Lycia trip available at present.
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Why Book this trip
This holiday allows you the opportunity to explore the region with visits to local villages as well as enjoying a number of arranged activities including; sea kayaking, canoeing and a boat trip. With a great price, you can take your family on an active adventure to an interesting country which also offers time on the beach to relax.
|Included meals


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Specialty retailer Express said its same store sales for the third quarter ended October 27, declined 5% and profits declined to $17.4 million, or 20 cents a share, compared to $32.7 million, or 37 cents a share.
Total sales for the period declined 4% to $468.5 million and gross margins contracted to 32.3% of sales from 36.2% of sales the prior year. Expenses increased to 25.1% of sales form 23.6% of sales.
Company chairman and CEO Michael Weiss called the quarter challenging and disappointing, but said the retailer had identified issues impacting its performance and begun executing a plan to rectify the situation.
"To that end, we re-balanced our sweater assortment, introduced entry price point fashion items in key categories, and began to set and communicate clearer pricing and promotional strategies for our customers," Weiss said. "
Those actions position the company well for the future – although low single digit negative comps are forecast for the fourth quarter - while it also continues to focus on four growth areas, according to Weiss.
"We saw continued positive momentum in our men's business, experienced double digit growth in e-commerce sales versus the prior year, and achieved our store expansion goals with the opening of eight new stores, including one in Canada," Weiss said. "In addition, we continued our international expansion with the opening of four additional franchise stores in the Middle East."
The clearer promotional messaging the company implemented in the third quarter was said to contributed to a record Black Friday performance that exceeded the company's expectations. However, Weiss expressed reservations about the holiday season.
"We remain cautious on the overall performance of the fourth quarter given that the majority of the holiday season lies ahead," Weiss said. "We expect to make sequential improvement as our corrective measures get further underway. We remain confident in, and committed to, our strategies and four pillars of growth, which we believe position us for improved results over the long term."
Express expects to end the year with a total of 625 locations following the opening of 23 U.S. stores and five Canadian stores offset by the closure of 12 stores.