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- Products
- Solutions
- Company
- Partners
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- Developers
Who Should Attend?
Developers, Project Mangers and Integrators
Students should be experienced Java programmers with practical knowledge of BIRT Report Designer and the Eclipse IDE.
Distance Learning is the web-based delivery vehicle for Actuate technical training. Using
LiveMeeting, students can remotely attend our regional classes. Distance Learning students will see and hear the instructor's presentations, participate in class discussions and can share their desktops with the instructor when needed. Students receive the course materials and instructions on how to join the web session the week before the class start date.
This BIRT training course provides a fast start for developers interested in building and deploying reporting in their Java applications. The course includes extensive coverage of advanced scripting with BIRT reports, as well as using the BIRT Java APIs to embed BIRT reports in Java applications. The Eclipse-based development environment is used throughout the course.
Using a highly interactive, instructor led format, students are able to quickly leverage the BIRT technology to solve the reporting challenges in their applications without time-consuming trial-and-error experimentation. This class is essential for the developer looking to quickly come up to speed with BIRT and integrate it into their application.
By the end of this course, developers will have mastered the skills to:
Students learn these programming concepts by working through exercises and reviewing sample code. Each student receives a workbook, which contains all the exercises students will complete in class.


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STEVIE Lyle claims his teammates must up their workrate if they are to beat "bogey team" Milton Keynes Lightning tonight at the Link Centre.
Swindon Wildcats haven't beaten Lightning in any of the four games they've played this season with MK racking up three EPL Cup wins over the Cats back in October, including two wins at the Link.
Then last month Ryan Aldridge's side were undone by two strikes early in the second period at the Coventry Skydome.
Cats' goalie Lyle feels his team haven't been getting the bounce of the puck against the Buckinghamshire club but they need to be working harder to win games.
He said: "I don't know what it is to be honest, it's not like they've controlled the games, I guess they are our bogey team to date.
"Every time we play them they just find a way to win.
"I think it comes down to work ethic, that was the problem on Saturday.
"Bracknell worked hard for the whole 60 minutes and the spells we weren't controlling the game we didn't."
The Wildcats had been enjoying a decent spell of form at the start of the month.
"They have now lost two of their last three and Lyle acknowledges their performances as a team have been flat in recent weeks.
"The last three games we haven't been playing well as a team.
"We need to step up a bit more, that's from me to the forwards, we can't win games if we don't work hard for all three periods."
In front of a sell-out crowd at the Link Centre on Saturday the consensus from the home team was that they didn't put in the hard yards.
Lyle was keen to stress that is not acceptable as the season moves towards its business end.
"I don't know if we deserved to win against Bracknell on Saturday.
"We came out and didn't work hard enough.
"I think they outshot us by something like 20.
"When you're at home you shouldn't be outshot by the away team unless you're playing the Manchesters or Basignstokes, I think every guy knows that."
After the game head coach Ryan Aldridge and owner Steve Nell gave the team a dressing down that Great Britain goalie Lyle said they deserved.
"I think we needed them. What he said on Saturday was the truth, if you can't accept that then you're playing the wrong sport.
"Hopefully a different team can come out tomorrow night and work for the whole 60 minutes."
Lyle wants the Cats to use the game against Milton Keynes to put their foot back on the gas after it seemed they had started to believe they had already made the play-offs a couple of weeks ago.
"It would be nice to win for the mental side to pick up the win and start overtaking a few teams above us.
"You can't think you're already there (the play-offs) as the teams below you are always looking move up."

subset: commoncrawl


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Astrid Stawiarz/Getty;Jeff Kravitz/Filmmagic
Where were you when you heard the news that Matt Bomer had cut his hair? Did you gasp? Hug your loved ones a little closer? And once you were past the initial shock, did you look at it more critically and then think, "Huh, it's not so bad after all?" It's time to discuss our emotions about this event.
Perhaps the most difficult thing is that the White Collar actor did it without warning, just showing up at a TCA event for The Normal Heart in L.A. with his locks shorn to an extremely close crop. Until now, Bomer's signature style was a long-on-top, gelled and upswept look that his many enthusiastic fans would love to run their fingers through. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that Bomer fanatics were divided into two camps: admirers of his eyes and devotees of his thick, luscious locks.
PHOTOS: Obsessed or hot mess? Vote on star style we're still discussing!
We actually have to say that we're loving the new look on Bomer; it makes him look a little more rugged and really makes his eyes pop. But if you were firmly in "Camp Hair" and are still reeling, we're here for you. Let it all out in the comments.
–Alex Apatoff


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After lending relief, Swarzak unavailable for Twins
BOSTON -- Reliever Anthony Swarzak turned in another strong effort Monday night against the Red Sox, throwing three scoreless innings, but he isn't available for Tuesday's game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Swarzak was able to keep the Twins in the game, as he pitched the eighth, ninth and 10th innings in Minnesota's eventual 6-5 loss in 11.
"It was really important but the worst part about it is that he can't go three innings tonight -- he's going to have to sit out a day or two," Gardenhire said. "But those were huge innings last night. Any time you have one of those extra-inning affairs you need someone who can eat up those innings, and he came in last night with a tie game and threw the ball good and gave us a chance."
Swarzak who opened the season on the 15-day disabled list with broken ribs stemming from a horseplay incident in late January, has fared well in a long relief role this year. The right-hander has a 2.37 ERA with 15 strikeouts and three walks in 19 innings.
"I just want to contribute, no matter what situation I'm in," said Swarzak, who has a career 4.85 ERA in parts of four seasons with the Twins. "It's about consistency for me this year. It's been my nemesis in the past. So I'm working on staying even keel this year."
Swarzak said he enjoys his role as a multi-inning stopper -- he's gone more than one inning in all eight of his appearances -- and hopes to keep it going.
"I'm happy with where my season is heading and where I'm at right now," Swarzak said. "But as a whole group, we're better than what we've shown. We've lost a lot of close ballgames. I think we have the ability to win those types of ballgames, and we're going to in the near future."
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: Backyard Brawl gone, but links to rivalry remain By Dave Hickman November 21, 2012 Story Share MORGANTOWN - It was by no means a long-standing tradition because the two schools went through so many changes over the years that schedules always seemed in flux.The Backyard Brawl between West Virginia and Pitt was played in every month of the football calendar over its 104-year history, as early as August (twice, in 1991 and 1996) and as late as December (the infamous 2007 game).It was actually played more times in October (51) than in any other month.Still, of late the Backyard Brawl and Thanksgiving were pretty much synonymous. The game was played on this weekend of the year in each of the last four years and six of the last eight.That it won't be this season seems a bit odd, especially to those who automatically tied the two together because they've never known anything else. Not a player on West Virginia's roster and virtually none of the coaches and staff have known anything other than playing Pitt on Thanksgiving weekend while at WVU."That is kind of strange, isn't it?'' said quarterback Geno Smith. "That was a good rivalry.''Indeed, but one of college football's most bitter rivalries has now gone the way of so many others in this age of conference realignment. There was no possibility of keeping it going in the short term when West Virginia moved to the Big 12 and saw its non-conference schedule reduced from five games to three. Pitt, too, has its own scheduling issues with an impending move to the ACC. Like Pitt's rivalry with Penn State, which died when the Nittany Lions moved to the Big Ten almost 20 years ago, the Backyard Brawl might never be played again.That doesn't mean the Panthers are out of sight and mind, though."I always keep track of them, even though I don't try to,'' Smith said. "I always see them go across the [ESPN crawl at the bottom of the screen] and think, 'What did Pitt do this week?'"It's tough. Well, it's not tough, but it's different. But we have another tough test ahead of us with Iowa State.'' For those to whom nostalgia is important, Iowa State will never replace Pitt. That's a given. We're talking about a passionately-hated rival in a city an hour up the road as opposed to a generic unknown in the middle of farm country a full day's drive away.Ah, but for style of play you might not find many teams closer. Iowa State would have fit right into the Big East with its emphasis on defense and toughness and lack of emphasis on flash and style and offense."Yeah, they're similar to Pitt,'' Smith said. "They're always scrappy and tough.''Part of that, of course, has to do with location and history and all that. You just don't get a lot of five-star recruits aching to spend four years in Ames, Iowa, just as you don't find an avalanche of the same yearning for an extended stay in Morgantown. It might be even tougher in Ames, because at least in Morgantown there's the lure of one of those fast-paced offenses with a young, dynamic coach. At Iowa State, the face of the program is Paul Rhoads, a defensive guy through and through."They do have similar-style players,'' Smith said of Iowa State and Pitt. "Those guys at Pitt always played us tough and I know Iowa State will, too.''Of course, for those bemoaning the loss of a rivalry, there's still something to hang your hat on for the time being.Rhoads is no newbie to West Virginia. Before arriving at Iowa State in 2009, he spent a year as the defensive coordinator at Auburn, where he lost 31-17 to WVU in Morgantown. The previous eight years he spent at Pitt.And for much of that time, Rhoads' defenses did not fare well against the Mountaineers. Between 2003 and 2006, the Panthers stood by and watched as West Virginia scored 54, 45 and 45 points in three of the four games.But then it was Rhoads' defense that inexplicably did a 180, held perhaps the best West Virginia offense ever to just nine points and knocked the Mountaineers out of the national championship game in 2007. So if you're looking for a link to the past and Pitt games bygone, there it is. It's not much, but these days and in the future, it will probably have to do.Reach Dave Hickman at 304-348-1734 or email@example.com or follow him at twitter.com/dphickman1 Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 3 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about sandwich 5 Rhode Island bank claims Justice companies owe $4.2M on helicopter loan Can Bulldogs slow Switzer again? Previous Story Mountaineers return to hardwood today Next Story


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Headsets for Live Applications
DT 297 PV MK II, for phantom power
Headset with condenser microphone for on-air news and sports commentaries (optionally with limiter).
Article Number: 721042
Available at authorized resellers
The beyerdynamic TG V90r ribbon microphone is the "Microphone of the Year" in the readers poll of the magazine "Soundcheck".
beyerdynamic celebrate their 90th anniversary at the prolight+sound/music fair 2014


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No they didn't. How many other teams had a new coach last year and two new starters(by the end of the year)?This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
The Pacers had much more to work on, compared to say teams like the Heat and Thunder. Whose coaching staff had already had time to work with their players the previous year. And whose lineups were relatively static.
Where as Vogel had no training camp to introduce his system. He had to introduce during an already truncated season. While trying to phase in 2 new key contributors.
I don't see why this is hard for you to understand.


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Archive for July 29th, 2010
Are Cruise Line Bar Prices Too High?
By Dave Beers (CruiseReviews Editor) One of the top questions asked on any cruise website is about drink prices on cruise ships. This usually leads to questions about sneaking alcoholic beverages aboard, with two main camps being predominant. One side claims the cruise line prices are not affordable for them and even buying a couple […]
Posted: July 29th, 2010 under David Beers.
Tags: beer prices, cocktails, cruise line bars, cruise line drink prices, cruise ship drinking, drink prices
Comments: 9


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Heat stress not only affects people; it's hard on cattle too, said a dairy industry expert. The Dairy Heat Stress Road Show, a multi-institutional effort, will hit the road this fall and next spring to help producers cope with the problem.
Todd Bilby, associate professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service dairy specialist at Stephenville, said heat stress on dairies not only affects cow comfort, but also lowers milk production and fertility which costs the dairy industry millions of dollars annually.
"The Dairy Heat Stress Road Show, financed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in collaboration with several universities, is a series of educational programs that will travel to four states and Puerto Rico," Bilby said. "The effort's purpose is to teach producers how to overcome some of the negative effects of heat stress by implementing strategies such as nutritional changes, hormonal treatments and facility improvement."
All the sessions will run from 10 a.m.- 2:45 p.m. with lunch provided.
The dates and locations this fall will be:
– Dec. 6, County Extension Office, 458 Highway 98 North, Okeechobee, Fla.
– Dec. 8, Camuy, Puerto Rico, to be delivered in English and Spanish.
The 2012 dates and locations are:
– April 3, Southwest Regional Dairy Center, Stephenville, Texas
– April 4, Clovis Civic Center, Clovis, N.M.
– April 6, Consumer Education Pavilion, Vet Medicine Center, Tulare, Calif.
Topics and speakers from the University of Florida will include Cooling During Heat Stress, Pete Hansen, distinguished professor; Nutritional Programs for the Heat-Stressed Herd, Jose Santos, associate professor, and Economics of Heat Stress: Implications for Management, Albert DeVries, associate professor. Bilby will also speak on Strategies to Improve Reproduction During Summer.
Along with on-site instruction, the road show will provide the latest research technology, software tools and proceedings in English or Spanish at each program.
The road show is free and open to the public, Bilby said.
For more information on the road show contact Stephanie Prater at (254) 968-4144 or email@example.com
Learn more about managing heat stress in dairy cattle or the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Research and Education initiative by contacting Bilby at (254) 968-4144 or firstname.lastname@example.com .


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The story of the most violent inmate in Britain takes center stage...
For a great selection of film, comic and TV action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, PastGenerationToys.com, MonkeyDepot.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of film, TV and pop culture t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
Violence begets violence and theres no better proof of that than the story of Charles Charlie Bronson, a man who, while some would consider artistic, most would consider barbaric, brutal, and psychotic. Now, thanks to Magnolia pictures, Magnet and the 6-Shooter Film Series, those looking to know a little bit more about Britains most violent and popular inmate can check out a film loosely based on his life.
Entitled Bronson and staring a masterful Tom Hardy in the title role, the film follows the escapades of the man born Michael Gordon Peterson. Growing up in 1950s and 60s London, theres little doubt the man who would become known as Charlie, was different from most boys. Popular in underground fighting rings on the east side of London, this brawlers story makes for one of the most interesting and eccentric stories. Of course, its often said truth is stranger than fiction and the story of inmate Charles Charlie Bronson proves this true.
While more information about the real man can be found HERE, the film spectacularly directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Pusher series) brings to life the character of Bronson beautifully. One part artist, one part poet, four parts anger, and all parts fighter, Bronsons character thanks to the wonderful acting of Hardy is a stunning. And while the film has no concise end (after all, Bronsons still in jail to this day), the story begs to be seen, heard, and experienced.
The Bronson Blu-ray includes a solid picture in 1080p as well as an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track. Likewise, theres a solid amount of bonus material featured thats well worth mentioning, including a 15 minute making of featurette that includes not only interviews with the director and cast members , but also interviews with friends and family of the real Charles Bronson. A 17 minute long Charles Bronson Monologues featurette includes a number of hard to understand ramblings by the real Charles Bronson. While some fans will appreciate this, others might find it a bit odd. A 5 minute Training Tom Hardy featurette walks us through the training of the main actor as he works to portray Bronson.
Other bonus features include nearly 50 minutes of interviews are also featured, including extensive talks with director Nicholas, actors Hardy and King. Lastly, more than 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage is also included for those who appreciate deleted or extended scenes and b-roll footage.
While Bronson isnt for everyone especially the faint of heart, its truly a work of cinema genius. True stories like this as previously mentioned cant be made up and its not only stunning that a man like this exists, but that a man like this can be considered so many different things by so many different people. If youre a fan of cinema, dont mind a bit (or a lot) of violence, and can appreciate the fact that everyone no matter their place in life has something to contribute to humankind, than Bronson is worth a look.
- Jess C. Horsley


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This offer is ONLY for four people and above Traveling together as a group.
3 Days 2 Nights Departing Daily from Nairobi.
Transport based on our customized seven- seater safari Vehicle with specially modified suspension, full-length photographic roof hatches and seats designed with seat belt and all clients are guaranteed window seats.
All game Park Entrance fees
All Camping Fees
Full board accommodation offered in a semi luxury large spacious tent, all en suite bathrooms with hot and cold shower, flash toilet, changing room and lockers for valuables ..Enchoro Wildlife Camp Photo Gallery..
Unlimited game drives
Three meals a day while on Safari
Airport picks up on arrival in Nairobi if any.
Use of our Professional Driver Guide.
3 litres Mineral Water
What's NOT Included on the Price above.
Personal spending money
Drinks/beers/sodas etc
Laundry Services at camp
Camera, Hat, sunglasses, flash light, warm clothes for evening weather.
The group safari to Masai Mara is an excellent way to experience a fun-loving and informal adventure Safari while traveling in a group of 4 to 7 people in a safari vehicle, with an experienced driver guide leading your safari expedition or you can choose to travel to Masai Mara in an exclusive vehicle for you and your group alone.
3 Days 2 Nights Masai Mara Safari Special Offer Itinerary.
Day 1: Nairobi/Mara
Pick up from your hotel in Nairobi at 7.00 am and head southward to the viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley. Continue to Narok small Maasai towns then to Maasai Mara for lunch at the Enchoro Wildlife Camp followed by afternoon game viewing to see the many animals that inhabit this unique park return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Masai Mara
After breakfast leave the camp for a full day game drives in Masai Mara, explore the parks amazingly with high concentration of wildlife. This game reserve is Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary including migrants, well over 450 species of animals have been recorded here although July, August and September are the months when the Mara plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra, there is also resident wildlife year round. The famous Maasai tribesmen live within the dispersal area of the game reserve lunch is serve in the park then return to Enchoro Wildlife Camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Masaai Mara/Nairobi
An early morning game drive in Masai Mara followed by late breakfast then departure to Nairobi stopping sporadically for the breathtaking panoramic views of the rift valley and adjacent landforms. The tour ends in Nairobi in the afternoon with sweet memories.
This is the answer to all your questions?
You can make booking online no matter what activity you are looking at doing from Village walks, game drives, balloon safaris, walking, trekking, cultural visits, and getting entertained by the Masai Moran's ( young men) and Women on Masai traditional dances.
Enchoro Wildlife Camp is a place to be where the heart feels at home, the soul is rejuvenated and where the spirit comes alive, you will wonder where to begin when there is just so much variety and splendor to choose from. All guaranteed to make your stay feel like royalty. It's all this's for the feeling you're left with, the energy you take home with you. The exhilaration, the enlightenment. Then how can you afford to miss all this!!!!
Book your next holiday with us now!!!!
|Map Legend
|Smile to Africa adventure offer Kenya Luxury Safar
Sunrays House, Nairobi, Kenya


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The Wisconsin Innocence Project seeks to exonerate the innocent, educate students, and reform the criminal justice system by identifying and remedying the causes of wrongful convictions.
The Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP) was founded in 1998 by Professors Keith Findley and John Pray. WIP seeks to exonerate the innocent, educate students, and reform the criminal justice system by identifying and remedying the causes of wrongful convictions. Since its founding, WIP has been nationally recognized for its clinical legal educational program at the University of Wisconsin Law School. WIP was one of the earliest innocence programs in the country and has been a leader in the international Innocence Movement.
Since its founding, WIP has successfully freed twenty-two wrongfully convicted individuals. Although WIP focuses on cases within Wisconsin, it also offers assistance in cases around the United States. WIP accepts cases with potential DNA evidence or other types of newly discovered evidence that support a claim of actual innocence.
Reflecting the significance of the work WIP has been doing, WIP has received a series of generous grants from the U.S. Department of Justice over the past four years that have permitted the program to expand its work. In 2010, WIP was awarded the National Institute of Justice's Post-Conviction DNA Testing Assistance Program Grant and the Bureau of Justice Administration's Wrongful Conviction Review Program Grant. WIP was awarded the National Institute of Justice's Grant again in 2011 and 2013. WIP was granted the Bureau of Justice Administration's Grant for a second time in 2014.
WIP's staff has experience investigating and litigating innocence cases with several forms of evidence. WIP attorneys have successfully litigated cases involving flawed eyewitness identifications, new DNA testing, false confessions, bite-mark evidence, SBS, ineffective assistance of counsel, and Brady violations.
Fraud Alert
We have heard that there are people who fraudulently represent themselves as working for the Innocence Project, promising legal representation in exchange for money. These people do not work for the Innocence Project, Wisconsin Innocence Project, or any Innocence Network Members. The Wisconsin Innocence Project provides all legal representation for free. While we rely on charitable donations to support our work, we never solicit money for our services from our clients.
The Wisconsin Innocence Project is not affiliated with organizations operating under the names "American Innocence Project," "Innocence Project of America," "Project Innocence of America," or "The Innocence Network at Bailey Law, LLC," and these groups do not have authorization to solicit funds under the Wisconsin Innocence Project, the Innocence Project or Innocence Network name. If you or someone you know have been contacted by these groups or a similar organization, please contact the Innocence Project at email@example.com.
Evan Zimmerman immediately after exoneration


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And, of course, the fine print:
Get free shipping on your next order when you spend over $100. The discount will be automatically applied to your purchase; no promo code required. The subtotal of your purchase must be $100.01 or greater after any promotional discounts have been applied. Additional fees such as tax or shipping and handling do not apply toward your minimum subtotal requirement of $100.01. Offer applies to standard shipping only. Certain items that require additional shipping and handling are excluded from this promotion and do not apply towards your $100.01 subtotal minimum. Offer subject to change.
Stash all your toiletries in this sturdy Dopp kit, and you'll never find a wayward bottle of shampoo wedged in between folds of clothes again. The leather pull tabs on either side make it easy to open, and the design is slim and roomy.
- 100% black genuine cowhide leather bottom
- Made with 18oz. black cotton canvas
- Zipper closure
- Measures 6" x 10" x 4"
This product ships from the maker within 7 days, via USPS
Full refund issued for items returned within 14 days of receipt


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Major League Soccer's 18th season, which begins Saturday, will represent a rare year of stability. For the first time in a long time, there's consistency and continuity in American soccer.
In every season since 2004, there has been at least one new team or a new stadium — but not this year. Fans have become accustomed to schedule and competition format changes as well. But it's nothing but the status quo in 2013. There are no new logos or club rebrands. Even the TV networks are the same.
Instead, the focus will be on the field as the flux seen frequently at the league level is confined to individual teams. Significant personnel changes at perennial favorites including the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City, along with an intriguing new coach at Red Bull Arena, make the races a bit harder to handicap.
Can Portland Timbers coach Caleb Porter adapt to the pro game after building a dynasty at the University of Akron? Will Chivas USA's controversial return to its Mexican roots pay off? Can reigning MVP Chris Wondolowski possibly come close to the record-tying haul of 27 goals he had last season?
The 2013 season will answer those questions and more. Sporting News takes a look at the players and issues to watch as MLS kicks off:
Trophies at stake
MLS Cup. The Galaxy hope to make history by becoming the MLS' first three-peat champion. Two others have tried — D.C. United failed at the final hurdle in 1998 and the Houston Dynamo stumbled 10 years later. A Galaxy triumph also would break the tie with D.C. United. Each has won American soccer's top honor four times. Once again, the final will be played at the home of the participant with the superior record.
CONCACAF Champions League. It will be up to L.A., Houston or Seattle to end MLS frustration at the continental level. The tournament has reached the quarterfinal stage, where the Galaxy will face CS Herediano of Costa Rica (March 7 and 13), Houston will play Mexico's Santos Laguna (March 5 and 13) and Seattle will meet Mexico's UANL Tigres (March 6 and 12).
No MLS team has won the CONCACAF title since the Galaxy in 2000, well before the advent of the current Champions League format and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Supporters Shield. There's a beautiful new Supporters Shield trophy up for grabs. And while San Jose returns the vast majority of the club that finished first in 2012, there are plenty of contenders for the top of the standings and the CCL berth that goes with it. Recent history favors the 'Quakes, however. The previous three clubs to claim the shield (D.C., Columbus and L.A.) each repeated the following year.
U.S. Open Cup. Who says the sport has no history in America? The 100th U.S. Open Cup tournament will seize a deserved chunk of the spotlight as the U.S. Soccer Federation celebrates its centennial. Amateur qualifying has begun, and MLS teams will enter in the round-of-32. Sporting Kansas City is the reigning champion.
Canadian Championship. Somehow, despite years of MLS futility, Toronto FC has claimed its national cup and a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League for four consecutive years. The Vancouver Whitecaps, who have never won the tournament, are eager to end that streak.
Top stories
Bye-bye Beckham. David Beckham was the story when he was in L.A., and he'll remain the story for a while now that he's in Paris. The English midfielder brought unprecedented visibility to MLS. Now, the league must develop and promote stars as it seeks a more mainstream audience.
Landon Donovan. America's most successful soccer player also is one of the sport's most complicated people. Physical and mental fatigue forced Donovan to go on hiatus following the 2012 season. He plans to return in late March. Whether he is energized and engaged or simply playing out the final year of his contract will have a huge impact on the Galaxy's championship hopes.
The Hexagonal. Not only will the U.S. national team's long road to the 2014 World Cup dominate the soccer headlines, but several other Hexagonal competitors will require the services of high-profile MLS players along the way.
Red Bull roots. The New York Red Bulls are a mercenary club no longer. With new coach Mike Petke in charge, long-suffering fans of MLS' most underperforming team now have a leader with New York roots who cares deeply about building for the long term. Whether Petke gels with European stars Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill will tell the story of the Red Bulls' season.
Porter in Portland. American soccer development isn't only about players — coaching must improve as well. In Porter, the Timbers hired a manager who many consider to have the brightest young mind (he's 38) in the game. His first run with pros, last year's Olympic qualifying tournament with the U.S. under-23 national team, ended in disaster. Portland is desperate for a winner, and Porter's progress will be watched closely.
MVP candidates
Chris Wondolowski. Let's begin with last season's winner, who tied an MLS record with 27 goals for Supporters Shield-winning San Jose. He hinted this month that he might spend time in midfield, which might limit his time in the penalty area, but Wondolowski's track record the past three seasons with 62 goals and relative stability in San Jose suggest more is to come.
Omar Gonzalez. The Galaxy defender's summer recovery from knee surgery was the pivot around which the club's championship defense turned. And he won the MLS Cup MVP award to boot. L.A.'s defensive excellence has been an underrated component of its championship run, but if a defender ever could be considered a preseason MVP candidate it's Gonzalez.
Thierry Henry. There's no player in MLS like Henry, whose silky skills resulted in 15 goals and 12 assists during the 2012 regular season. If Petke finds the right formula in midfield and Brazilian veteran Juninho Pernambucano works out, Henry will be in the thick of the MVP race.
Robbie Keane. The best player in MLS over the second half of the 2012 campaign, the striker now will wear the captain's armband for the Galaxy. If he can juggle those duties with his commitment to the Irish national team and maintain that form over the whole season, Wondolowski's 27 will be within reach.
Federico Higuain. In 13 games with the Crew last season the Argentine playmaker did enough to win the league's newcomer of the year award. He had five goals and seven assists and nearly lifted Columbus into the playoffs. Now acclimated to his new league and new home and with a full season in front of him, Higuain is quite capable of upsetting both the established order in the East and the field of MVP candidates.
Pressure to perform
Benny Feilhaber. The U.S. World Cup veteran was a disappointment with the New England Revolution and now looks to re-establish himself as one of American soccer's top playmakers in Kansas City. SKC's championship hopes might depend on how Feilhaber fits in (and adds to) coach Peter Vermes' system.
Robbie Findley. The speedy striker's play during Real Salt Lake's run to the 2009 championship landed him a spot on the 2010 World Cup team. But he struggled after moving to England, and RSL hasn't won a trophy since. Findley's ability to get behind defenses and stretch the field will be vital for a club that didn't always have an offensive spark against top opponents last season.
Eddie Johnson. The once-beleaguered forward's renaissance was one of last year's feel-good stories. Johnson returned to MLS and had 15 goals for the Sounders, and then worked his way back on to the national team. Hopes are high in Seattle, and former strike partner Fredy Montero is gone. Johnson did well when no one expected anything. This year, the pressure will be there.
Tim Cahill. A born leader, the Australian is comfortable in a variety of attacking positions. That presents a bit of a challenge and Cahill will have to work with Petke to figure out where he fits in the Red Bulls' system. Then the $3.6 million man must produce. New York's designated players haven't matched the production of L.A.'s. That's been the Red Bulls' downfall.
Sherjill MacDonald. The Dutchman is another DP forward whose club will depend on his finishing this season. MacDonald had four goals and four assists in 15 games last season with the Chicago Fire but must improve on that rate in '13. With Chris Rolfe alongside him and a potentially outstanding midfield anchored by Joel Lindpere and Jeff Larentowicz, MacDonald will have all the support he needs.
Stars on the rise
Will Bruin. In his second MLS season, the "Dancing Bear" emerged as a top target striker with 16 goals. Houston added reinforcements up front and already had one of the league's top midfields before signing Englishman Andrew Driver. Bruin is poised to become of the league's elite scorers.
Nick De Leon. The shifty outside midfielder showed flashes of brilliance during his rookie season with D.C. United and demonstrated considerable composure in the clutch, scoring the MLS Cup quarterfinal-clinching goal at Red Bull Arena. With opposing defenses keeping their eyes on Chris Pontius and Dwayne De Rosario, there's no reason De Leon shouldn't avoid a sophomore slump.
Mario Martinez. His late playoff goal against Real Salt Lake now the stuff of Sounders legend, Martinez has the talent to be a breakthrough player. The outside midfielder's effective performance for Honduras in a World Cup qualifying win over the U.S. last month was a sign of the 23-year-old's potential.
Darren Mattocks. With electrifying speed and athleticism — that leap over the Toronto FC defense last July was Jordan-esque — Mattocks enjoyed a fine rookie season in Vancouver despite the club's summer upheaval. He had eight goals. Now with a full pro season at his back, he likely will be the focal point of the Whitecaps' attack.
Amobi Okugo. Entering his fourth MLS season but still only 21, Okugo is primed to become one of American soccer's top defenders. His comfort on the ball (he can play in midfield as well) and leadership set him apart on a team that features several good young players. Okugo started 27 games for the Union last year.
Biggest concerns
TV ratings. Viewership continues to be the main element separating MLS from the big boys. With NBC now on board for a second year, the league hopes more familiarity and promotion will move the needle. An occasional mention on SportsCenter might help as well — ESPN's efforts in MLS production isn't matched by the network's editorial team. No MLS game drew more than 900,000 viewers last year.
Format issues. The Galaxy were in the Western Conference basement last spring, recovered to finish fourth and wound up being league champions. Those sorts of stories have been more the norm than the exception the past several years. As long as the MLS Cup playoff format continues to offer scant reward to higher seeds, the charge that the regular season lacks meaning will remain valid.
European suitors. Player movement is a reality in every league around the world, but MLS must work to avoid the perception — fair or not — that it doesn't do enough to keep players like Brek Shea, Andy Najar and Kei Kamara in the fold. As former MLS players show well in Europe, the interest from foreign clubs will increase. Although MLS can't stop athletes from wanting that experience, it can make competing offers, secure fair transfer deals and convey the message that it's keeping good players on North American shores.
Struggling originals. Seattle, Portland and Philadelphia get a lot of the plaudits, but teams like D.C. United, FC Dallas and the New England Revolution are just as much a part of MLS and their relative health says just as much about the state of the league. Of the six teams to average fewer than 15,000 fans per game last season, five are MLS originals — Columbus, Dallas, D.C., New England and San Jose, which has an excuse because of its small stadium. The Colorado Rapids came in at 15,175. It must get better.
Calendar congestion. Schedule congestion is an issue every year, but this one will be particularly challenging with both the Hexagonal and the CONCACAF Gold Cup pulling players from MLS teams. The last time that happened, in 2009, each club played 30 regular-season games. The Open Cup was shorter as well. Depth will be tested in 2013.
Owners in the spotlight
Chivas USA. The bombastic Jorge Vergara took full control of Chivas USA last year and set in motion a plan to return the floundering club to its Mexican roots. The club's management and new coach are Mexican, and players acquired during the offseason have Latin heritage (or come straight from Mexico). Several of Chivas' personnel moves have been befuddling. Vergara's suitability as an MLS owner is on the line.
D.C. United. Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir and American attorney and NBA executive Jason Levien took control of the club last summer, promising to build a stadium and turn United into global grand. It has been relatively quiet in D.C. since, other than the front-office purge that saw the club say goodbye to many long-time executives. The player signings have been conservative, and there has been no tangible and public progress on a new home. D.C. fans are depending on Thohir and Levien to deliver.
Montreal Impact. In his second season in MLS, owner Joey Saputo is developing a reputation as someone who defies convention. Parting ways with coach Jesse Marsch, who engineered a competitive inaugural season, the signing of several aging European veterans and the appointment of unheralded Swiss manager Marco Schällibaum raised eyebrows. Are the Impact becoming Chivas North? We'll learn more this year.
New England Revolution. Robert and Jonathan Kraft continue to be maligned for the state of the Revolution, which struggles with a stepchild status at an NFL stadium that the Sounders certainly don't have to deal with in Seattle. The lack of big-name signings, low attendance and scant hope of a playoff berth in 2013 will keep the pressure on the Krafts.
Real Salt Lake. Club founder Dave Checketts built the league's best "small market" club, both on the field and off. But he is now gone after selling his stake to Utah businessman Dell Loy Hansen, who previously held a minority share of the club. Will Hansen stay the course or make changes around Rio Tinto Stadium?


text:
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text:
It's the NFL playoffs, which means the spotlight is on quarterbacks. Some are getting too much praise for their team's survival, others are getting too much heat for their team's exit.
The Ravens' Joe Flacco is getting worthy positive attention for playing the best football of his playoff career, now going on five postseasons. Through Baltimore's two wins over the Colts and Broncos, he has passed for 613 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and a combined 120.0 rating.
That has helped strengthen Flacco's own belief from early last year that he's better than a top-five quarterback—in his words, the "best" in the league—and deserves to be rewarded that way before he becomes a free agent this year. Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, has seized the opportunity to dub his client with the E-word.
Linta told the NFL Network after the Ravens' 38-35 Saturday night double-overtime win in Denver that Flacco was indeed an "elite" quarterback, and made similar remarks in an interview with the Baltimore Sun.
So the question is what does "elite" really mean? The convenient definition is a quarterback who has won the Super Bowl, but then that's dismissing the importance of being a consistent passer and winner over a much bigger body of work—the Eli Manning conundrum. Considering the source of the most recent reminder about Flacco's impressive credentials, "elite" is tied to only one thing—getting paid like others who have earned that label.
Drew Brees, a Super Bowl winner, raised the bar with the five-year, $100 million deal he signed in July. That trumped what the Broncos gave Peyton Manning in March (five years, $96 million), but Manning's league-best base salary for 2012 ($18 million) was all guaranteed. That will be increased by $2 million for the next two years.
Quick math says $20 million for a season is the going rate for the league's best quarterbacks. Flacco certainly should get a big raise from the $8.8 million due to him for 2012. That will happen if he's simply franchise-tagged for next season at the projected number of $14.5 million.
Flacco already has built a strong case for the Ravens to lock him up close to the Brees-Peyton Manning range. Beating Tom Brady and the Patriots in Foxborough would make that open-and-shut. That's not a stretch for Flacco, given he's been the better quarterback on the field in the two matchups with New England over the past 12 months.
That included both last year's 23-20 AFC championship loss and a 31-30 win over the Patriots in Baltimore in Week 3, when Flacco posted a 117.7 rating—better than the 116.2 mark he put up against the Broncos on Saturday. But Flacco's worth goes well beyond him stringing together four strong playoff performances dating back to the 2011 divisional playoffs against Houston.
Since the Ravens drafted him 18th overall in 2008, he's started from Day 1 and hasn't missed a game. He's been front and center of their offense as they have made the playoffs in each of his five seasons. He came to Baltimore at the same time as running back Ray Rice and John Harbaugh, and that trio has been the foundation for the team's success. Flacco has a .675 winning percentage (54-26) in the regular season. His seven playoff victories since 2008 are more than any other NFL quarterback in that span.
Flacco has yet to make the Pro Bowl. He has yet to throw for at least 4,000 yards or 30 touchdowns in a single season. But if gaudy statistics counted so much, we would be looking at passers such as Tony Romo and Philip Rivers in a different light. If Romo and Rivers get criticism for not backing up their numbers with postseason trips, likewise Flacco's ability to lead a team consistently to the playoffs should get more appreciation.
Flacco also plays in the tough, physical AFC North, where the quality of defenses and questionable weather after midseason don't lend themselves to lighting up the stat sheet. The default offensive settings of the division are grittier and ideally, more run-oriented. The Ravens are fortunate to be built well there with Rice and their offensive line, but as Flacco steadily has improved, he has been trusted more.
In this year's playoffs, Flacco (finally) has fully been let loose by new coordinator Jim Caldwell and is showcasing his big arm, along with some of the prettiest deep balls you'll ever see. The addition of the former Colts head coach—who for many years worked well with Peyton Manning and was promoted from being the Ravens' quarterbacks coach—has been vital to the next stage of Flacco's development.
That's the key with Flacco—his best years are yet to come. His winning track record and durability make him a sound investment. He turns just 28 on Wednesday. With the exception of Aaron Rodgers, all the active Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks—the Mannings, Brady, Brees, Ben Roethlisberger—are in their 30s.
The Ravens have spaced out taking care of their core players. Two years ago, defensive lineman Haloti Ngata got his huge deal. Last year, it was Rice getting locked up. As Flacco's contract expires in 2013, he's next in line.
Baltimore officials should have a much clearer idea of their starting quarterback's true value. Now it's time to show Flacco just how much they value him.


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This dataset is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), the criminal justice archive within ICPSR. NACJD is primarily sponsored by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice: the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Court Responses to Batterer Program Noncompliance in the United States, 2005-2006 (ICPSR 20346)
Principal Investigator(s): Labriola, Melissa, Center for Court Innovation; Rempel, Michael, Center for Court Innovation; O'Sullivan, Chris S., Volunteer Counseling Services; Frank, Phyllis B., Volunteer Counseling Services; McDowell, Jim, Volunteer Counseling Services; Finkelstein, Rachel, Center for Court Innovation
The purpose of this study was to explore to what extent criminal courts nationwide are advancing the goal of accountability by imposing consequences on offenders who are noncompliant with a batterer program mandate. The study also sought to understand the goals that courts, batterer programs, and victim assistance agencies currently ascribe to batterer programs. In March 2005, a preliminary survey was sent to 2,445 batterer programs nationwide found through multiple sources. Preliminary survey results were analyzed, and a final sample of 260 communities or triads (courts, batterer programs, and victim assistance agencies) was selected. Respondents were asked to complete a Web-based survey in May 2006. Alternatively, respondents could request a hard-copy version of the survey. The variables in this study encompass community demographic information, the functions that court mandates to batterer programs serve, and the primary focus of the curriculum of batterer programs. Variables specific to batterer programs capture whether the program accepts court-mandated referrals only or volunteers as well, the length and duration of the program, possible reasons for noncompliance, and an approximate program completion rate. Variables related to the interaction between courts and batterer programs capture whether the court receives progress reports from the batterer program, and if so, when, and who receives them.
Access Notes
One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions ; consult the restrictions note to learn more. You can apply online for access to the restricted-use data. A login is required to apply.
A downloadable version of data for this study is available however, certain identifying information in the downloadable version may have been masked or edited to protect respondent privacy. Additional data not included in the downloadable version are available in a restricted version of this data collection. For more information about the differences between the downloadable data and the restricted data for this study, please refer to the codebook notes section of the PDF codebook. Users interested in obtaining restricted data must complete and sign a Restricted Data Use Agreement, describe the research project and data protection plan, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.
Any public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
ASCII + SAS Setup SPSS Setup Stata Setup
Study Description
Labriola, Melissa, Michael Rempel, Chris S. O'Sullivan, Phyllis B. Frank, Jim McDowell, and Rachel Finkelstein. Court Responses to Batterer Program Noncompliance in the United States, 2005-2006. ICPSR20346-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2007-11-02. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR20346.v1
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR20346.v1
Export Citation:
- RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
- EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)
This study was funded by:
- United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2004-WG-BX-0005)
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: criminal justice system, family violence, recidivism, recidivists
Smallest Geographic Unit: none
Geographic Coverage: United States
- 2005-03
- 2006-05
Universe: All criminal courts, batterer programs, and victim assistance agencies in the United States in 2005
Study Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore to what extent criminal courts nationwide are advancing the goal of accountability by imposing consequences on offenders who are noncompliant with a batterer program mandate. The study also sought to understand the goals that courts, batterer programs, and victim assistance agencies currently ascribe to batterer programs. The study's focus was on the systemic response to noncompliance with a court order to a batterer program, rather than the success of batterer programs in preventing recidivism among program completers. The study was motivated by five main questions: (1) Rationale: Why do criminal courts use batterer programs?, (2) policies and practices regarding court mandates to batterer programs: How do criminal courts use batterer programs?, (3) Policies and practices regrading enforcement of mandates: Do criminal courts enforce their mandates to batterer programs by imposing jail or other sanctions in response to noncompliance?, (4) Cross-agency consistency: Within communities, are the perceptions of batterer programs, criminal courts and victim assistance agencies in alignment?, and (5) Impact of contextual characteristics: Does the use and enforcement of batterer program mandates vary? Additional questions included: when and how courts mandate offenders to these programs, what, if any, other types of programs courts mandate for domestic violence offenders (e.g., alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, or parenting), and to what extent courts, batterer programs, and victim assistance agencies concur on their answers to these questions.
Study Design: In order to explore the extent to which criminal courts use batterer programs to hold domestic violence offenders accountable, a preliminary survey was sent to all identified batterer programs. Surveys were mailed to 2,445 sites with self-addressed return envelopes in March 2005. The survey was only one page, and was printed on the back of a brief cover letter stating the study's purpose in general terms and providing assurances of confidentiality. The focus of the preliminary survey was to maximize the number of responding programs, to obtain contact information on criminal courts and victim assistance agencies, and to gain basic information that would inform the sampling process. In May 2006, a survey of 260 communities nationwide was implemented. Within each community, a batterer program, criminal court, and victim assistance agency was surveyed. All the programs, courts, and agencies selected for the community survey were sent a letter that stated its purpose, asked them to complete the survey online, provided a unique online username and password, and described confidentiality and data security protocols approved by the Center for Court Innovation. (The online format enabled the researchers to program automatic skip-patterns, so that each respondent would only see those questions requiring an answer based upon previous responses.) The letter also provided contact information for respondents who wished to receive and complete a hard copy of the survey. After five weeks, a reminder postcard was sent to nonresponders. Ten weeks later, hard copies of the survey were sent to nonresponders. Simultaneously, the researchers used intensive phone and e-mail follow-ups with those nonresponders for whom there was no accurate contact information. Finally, the director of the National Institute of Justice signed a letter that was sent to all remaining nonresponders (with survey attached) indicating the importance of the study and requesting their participation.
Sample: To identify a geographically diverse sample of mixed community types, a preliminary survey was sent to 2,445 batterer programs nationwide found through multiple sources. Approximately 70 percent were identified with the help of state domestic violence coalitions, over 25 percent were found through Internet searches, and approximately 3 percent came through informal contacts made by an advisory board and co-principal investigator. The sampling approach did not call for a representative sample of all batterer programs or criminal courts nationwide. Rather, a sample was sought that provided a mix of community types (small, medium, and large, and urban, suburban, and rural) but was geographically comprehensive, representing every state and region, including those with smaller populations. Researchers also sought to over-represent communities known to deal with high numbers of batterer program mandates relative to their populations, in order to avoid skewing the final sample toward the experiences of batterer programs and courts that process a low number of cases per year. When the preliminary survey was conducted of these programs, 149 letters were returned addressee unknown, and it was discovered that 30 of the agencies were not actually batterer programs. A population of 2,265 batterer programs remained. The final sample selection process involved reviewing the responses to the preliminary survey one state at a time. Selection in each state was driven by the following preference rules: (1) if the batterer program referrals originated with the criminal court, (2) if the responding batterer program was able to identify a local victim assistance agency, (3) whether the responding batterer program received both pre- and postdisposition batterer program referrals, (4) the size of the relative volume of cases received, (5) population density, and (6) a limit of three to five communities per state. The sampling process led to selection of 260 communities, or triads. This sample included 48 percent of the 543 batterer programs that responded to the preliminary survey. In 28 percent of the communities in the final sample, the batterer program and victim assistance agencies were one and the same. The final sample comprised three to five communities in 24 states (48 percent), more than five in 18 states (36 percent), and less than three in eight states (16 percent). Nonresponders to the court and victim assistance agency surveys were more likely to be from the Northeast.
Mode of Data Collection: Web-based survey, mail questionnaire
Description of Variables: All respondents were asked to define their community as primarily urban, suburban, or rural. Furthermore, all respondents were asked the same questions concerning the function of court mandates to batterer programs: treatment/rehabilitation, monitoring, accountability, legally appropriate punishment, alternative to incarceration, or other. All respondents were asked how courts respond to noncompliance. Courts and batterer programs were asked how often the court imposed sanctions in response to noncompliance, how often the court imposed each of eight specific sanctions, and whether the court responded consistently to reports of noncompliance. Victim assistance agencies were asked how often the court imposed sanctions and whether the court responded consistently to reports of program noncompliance. Both courts and batterer programs were asked whether state laws, regulations, or standards existed governing the use of the batterer programs and whether batterer programs were certified by the state. Courts and batterer programs were asked how they interact. Questions on the batterer program survey included whether, when, and to whom in the criminal justice system the program reported on compliance. The court survey included questions on whether the court received progress reports from the batterer program, and if so, when and who received them. Courts were asked why they used batterer programs. Specific questions asked included: what types of charges lead to batterer program mandates, when these mandates are imposed (pre- and/or postdisposition), whether and how probation is included, approximately how many defendants were mandated per month, whether the court was aware of the specific program in which each defendant enrolls, and which other types of program mandates the court sometimes imposed on domestic violence offenders (alcohol treatment, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment or parenting classes) instead of a mandate to a batterer program. Batterer programs were asked whether the program accepted court-mandated referrals only or if they accepted voluntary referrals as well, the length and duration of the program, possible reasons for noncompliance, the approximate program completion rate, and primary focus of their curriculum. Victim assistance agencies were asked what they thought the primary focus of the batterer program curriculum should be: addressing participant mental health issues, confronting attitudes towards intimate partners, educating participants about domestic violence, holding participants accountable, or teaching communication and coping skills.
Response Rates: Of the 2,265 programs initially contacted, 543 responded (24 percent). The final sample of 260 communities was then selected from this pool of 543. In each of these 260 communities, surveys were administered to a batterer program, court, and victim assistance agency. Repeat followup efforts culminated in high final response rates of 75 percent for the batterer programs (n = 195), 53 percent for the courts (n = 139), and 62 percent for the victim assistance agencies (n = 162). There was at least one response from 94 percent of the target communities, and at least one response from either the batterer program or the court in 88 percent of the communities.
Presence of Common Scales: Several Likert-type scales were used.
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 2007-11-02
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Egyptian controversial belly dancer/actress Dina expressed
her joy at taking part in the Dubai Film Festival. The dancer also stated that
having American star Tom Cruise film some of the scenes for his latest movie "Mission
Impossible" in Dubai is an honor for the UAE and the Arab world.
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According to the internet website MBC.net, Dina said that
the scenes that were taken for the film showed the advancement of the Arab
world changing the image people in the west have.
With regards to the films screened at the festival, Dina
noted that they were all of high standards showing the ongoing developments
year by year.
On a different note, Dina denied rumors that she will be
taking in the second part of the recent television drama series "Kayed Al Nisa"
(Women's vengeance) alongside Egyptian belly dancer Fifi Abdo. She added that
she was never offered a role in the drama and does not know how such a rumor
was created.
[1] http://www.albawaba.com


text:
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The subjective property of a product is the perception of that product upon the senses of the consumer. It is the smell of the fragrance. It is the way the lather feels when you are applying the shampoo to your hair and the way your hair feels after it has been cleaned.
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text:
Bettis sent to Triple-A to refine command of pitches
LOS ANGELES -- Rockies righty reliever Chad Bettis' struggles with counts, which have led to some hard-hit balls at key times, resulted in his being optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Friday.
Bettis, sent down the day before his 26th birthday, was 0-1 with a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings over 11 games. On Wednesday, Bettis gave up an 11th-inning grand slam to the Giants' Hector Sanchez in a 12-10 loss. The homer came on the 10th pitch of an at-bat, with Sanchez sitting on a fastball, but the Giants had already loaded the bases against Bettis.
Manager Walt Weiss said Bettis, a second-round pick out of Texas Tech in 2007, still is being looked at as part of the team's late-inning future.
"This is an opportunity for Chad to go down and get his pitches in order," Weiss said. "He's a guy that we are looking at to put games away late. We feel like that's what he's going to be. That's his fit on this club. This gives him an opportunity to go down and get away from the high stakes of the Major Leagues and to work on some things."
The Rockies purchased the contract of righty Chris Martin from Colorado Springs. To make room for Martin, the Rockies placed lefty Brett Anderson (broken left index finger) on the 60-day disabled list, retroactive to April 13.
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Hardball in the Rockies, and follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Finally, this Southwestern Bean Salad with Black Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Peppers, and Cilantro is another choice that would be great for outside eating because there's no mayo or other ingredients that will wilt in the heat. This salad was flavorful and delightfully crunchy due to the "symmetry of cut" that makes sure every bite has some of each ingredient.
More Holiday Recipe Collections from the Recipe Archives:
Grilling Ideas for Memorial Day 2009
Fourth of July Grilling Ideas 2008
Fourth of July Grilling Ideas 2007


text: Neon bikini boy short Item B8094 Color: NEON PAPAYA Size: SMALL All sizes are US sizes. SMALL Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Moderate coverage. Product Details This classic bikini brief offers a bit more coverage than our hipster bikini. Italian poly/spandex. Lined. Hand wash. Import. Online only. These colors really pop, but you can't tell just how vibrant they are until you see them in person. Item B8094.


text:
Topic: Yttrium-90 Radioembolization
Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Unresectable Standard-chemorefractory Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Survival, Efficacy, and Safety Study.
cholangiocarcinoma.org :: Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Discussion Board
a resource for patients, friends, caregivers and loved ones.
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|La fundación de colangiocarcinoma (CCF) ahora ofrece servicios de traducción en Español.
Por favor publique sus preguntas en Español y un intérprete le va responder.
Join our new Mentoring Program
A new discussion board experience is coming this September!
After 10 years, we're upgrading our discussion board to a new modern system. The new forum will be easier to use, mobile-friendly and loaded with new features! We'll be taking all of the existing posts and users over to the new board, you won't have to do anything. If you have any questions, we've started a thread here to discuss.
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Discussion Board → Radiation Treatments & Options → Yttrium-90 Radioembolization
Yttrium-90 Radioembolization for Unresectable Standard-chemorefractory Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Survival, Efficacy, and Safety Study.
Thanks for that Marion.
We had three patients on this board who had radioembo during the last 6-8 months; and all of them had been passed away.
I ,at this point, will reserve my opinion on this interventional radiological treatment until I can learn more about it.
I knew one of them may be related to the leakage of Y90 into the lungsafter the radioembo.
The other one may be because of his pre-existed heart condition (pacemaker) and lung nodule(which had been wedgely removed), but his condition is stable(after liver resection and no CCA left as far as the last CT 6month prior(?)shows);he was on 6month of adjuvant chemotherapy of Gemzar after resection.
The third one I still don't know for sure; He was actually had a 61% shrinkage of the tumors(one big one and a lot of the small ones.and he just want to to enjoy life more,he was 43 at that time?) ;but I suspected it was the side effects of panitumumab being mentioned quite often is pneumonitis ,pulmonary fibrosis and cough that causing him problems even after stopping the regimen for a month or so before the radioembo was performed.,but this is just my guess.
But 2 of them were on chemotherapy (GEMOX)+ targeted agents (EGFR inhibitor) before they were administered the Y-90 radioembo treatment. And it seems to support the observation that patients received cetuximab and the like before Y 90 treatment will have a shorter overal survival.
Two of them had stopped chemotherapy 10 days to 2weeks befor radiochemo which was recommended or ok by their doctors ; well short of the 4weeks recommended by others .
God bless.
Hi everyone! I just want to share the good news that my Mom received last Wednesday.
My Mom had 2 Y-90 treatments, one in July and the other one in September. Based on her latest CT Scan, her IR Doctor is very pleased with the results. According to him, more than 90% of her large tumor is dead!
Her next Oncology appointment will be in November. Maybe another round of chemo???
GOD is good.
Hi Percy. Just wanted to remind you that my Lauren had Y-90 in May and the verdict is still out on how much it helped. She had it on the side of her liver that had some small tumors in hopes to get rid of them all so she could have a resection of her large tumor. She had a lot of chest pain after the procedure especially when she burped, but it eventually went away. She did develop a 4 cm. lesion after the procedure on the side that was treated and to this day they can't tell if it is a tumor or a dead spot from the Y-90, thus the not knowing if it worked or not. She does only have 2 spots on that side of her liver instead of 5, so we are optimistic that it worked. Her large tumor is over 50% dead from chemo, so she is in a better place than she started out.
Dear lbutiong, I LOVE waking up to your kind of post! YIPPEE for your Mom! I have everything crossed for a GREAT appointment in November. May the good news continue!
This is the doctor who talked about the Y90 in plain English that layman can understand. He is considered one of the top doctor in this field around the world,therefore experiences count a lot.
If you read what he said carefully, you will understand how he feels about this procedure when things was not going his way . He is not just want to perform the Y 90 procedure only; he is chasing and trying to improve the utility of this procedure for better results for liver and other tumors. And that is the difference of hearts among medical professionals.
http://www.io.northwestern.edu/patient- … -illinois/
God bless.
My 86 year old mother is considering radioembolization for a 5 cm liver tumor, HCC, that has invaded into her portal vein, but does not appear to have spread further. Until a few weeks ago, she was an unusually active 86 year old, but in the last few weeks, she has grown weaker. Thus we are leaning towards radioembolization (at Stanford, Dr. Sze and Louie) ASAP.
I have seen information that makes it clear that we can expect some 'side effects' in the first days or perhaps 1-2 weeks afterwards - fatigue, pain, nausea. The notion that treatment is followed by short-term side effects does not worry my mother.
However, we have not seen literature on what we might expect with regard to undesired side effects in the next, say, 2-3 months. I only know one person who had this treatment, and she had NO side effects. But is that common? I realize that we might not see clear positive effects in the first 2-3 months, but will we also likely see little/no negative side effects? If you have relevant experience or information on positive or negative changes following radioembolization, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Hello Daviscalifornia, wlecome to the best little club in the world that no one really
wants to join! I am sorry about your mother and while I cannot help with RE I know that others will come along with some answers. I do have a suggestion though that you repost under Introductions so that this post does not get lost in this different thread. Wishing her the very best and for yourself, please be strong! Also please keep us updated on her as we truly care.
About side effects of radioembo, please see below.
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=8626
But please be aware that these patients also have been on chemotherapy at the same time when radioembo were performed.
God bless.
Hi Davis,
My Mom had Y-90 treatments last July and September. No significant side effects except for fatigue. So far, so good...
I hope your Mom feels better.
The information expressed is not medical advice. The discussion boards are not intended to replace the services of a trained health professional or to be a substitute for the medical advice of physicians or other healthcare providers. Read the full disclaimer.


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CLEARLAKE -- The City Council broached the topic health benefits at its Thursday meeting.
City Manager Joan Phillipe updated the council on employee bargaining group negotiations for a new health benefit agreement.
Outgoing council member Judy Thein also held a discussion on council member health benefits.
Phillipe said the meet-and-confer negotiating process was under way and she asked the council to authorize her to continue the process.
The city could save an estimated $170,000 by changing health care providers.The council unanimously authorized Phillipe to continue with negotiations.
Thein said council members receiving 100-percent health coverage for themselves and their dependents was "the elephant in the room."
City employees unionized in 1984 and health coverage was provided at the same rate regardless of the number of dependents, Thein said.
The council provided members with 100-percent coverage in 1999. She said it opted to do away with 100-percent health coverage in 2004, but reinstated it the next year.
In 2008, city employees were placed in a tiered health care system with different rates for the number of dependents covered. While the council members retained 100-percent coverage.
Thein said the cost to provide council members and dependents increased from about $62,000 for fiscal year 2009-10 to about $85,000 for the current fiscal year.
She said it was not fiscally sustainable and urged the council to give consensus for placing the matter on the first January meeting agenda.
During public comment, newly-elected council members Denise Loustalot and Gina Fortino Dickson commented on the matter. Fortino Dickson said an outside party could make a recommendation to the council. Loustalot said she could go without benefits.
Mayor Joey Luiz suggested Phillipe wait until the meet-and-confer process was finalized before placing the discussion on an agenda.
In other matters, the council unanimously approved an agreement with the county for funding to renovate and operate a visitors' center on Lakeshore Drive.
The 10-year agreement will provide the city with $100,000 under a promissory note that the loan be forgiven $10,000 each year the center is open.
The county will advance the city $50,000 within 14 days of approval. Phillipe said funds will come in $25,000 increments based on documented expenditures.
Earlier, the council held the first reading of an ordinance that would reinstate code enforcement in Clearlake.
Phillipe said the ordinance moved existing code enforcement regulations into one document except for a section on administrative penalties, which would be amended and brought before the council. The council advanced the second reading of the ordinance to its Dec. 13 meeting.
The second reading of an ordinance regulating taxicabs and for-hire vehicles in the city was held.
During public comment, a resident asked if the ordinance addressed cab companies performing maintenance on vehicles in a public right-of-way. It was added to the ordinance and continued to the next meeting.
The council gave certificates of appreciation to community organizations and businesses that helped the city's Halloween celebration at City Hall.
Kevin N. Hume can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or call directly 263-5636 ext. 14. Follow on Twitter: @KevinNHume.


text:
International Labour Standards on Seafarers
An estimated 90% of world trade makes use of maritime transport, depending on more than 1.2 million seafarers to operate ships. Many seafarers ply waters distant from their home. Seafarers and shipowners are often of different nationalities, and ships often operate under a flag different from their origin or ownership. Seafarers are also frequently exposed to difficult working conditions and particular occupational risks. Working far from home, they are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, non-payment of wages, non-compliance with contracts, exposure to poor diet and living conditions, and even abandonment in foreign ports. Only standards observed by all seafaring nations can guarantee adequate protection for workers in the world's first genuinely global industry.
Selected relevant ILO instruments
- On 23 February 2006, the 94th International Labour Conference (Maritime) adopted the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 , which sets out the conditions for decent work in the increasingly globalized maritime sector.
The Convention sets minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship and contains provisions on conditions of employment, hours of work and rest, accommodation, recreational facilities, food and catering, health protection, medical care, welfare and social security protection. Compliance and enforcement are secured through onboard and onshore complaint procedures for seafarers, and through provisions regarding shipowners' and shipmasters' supervision of conditions on their ships, flag States' jurisdiction and control over their ships, and port state inspection of foreign ships. The Convention also provides for a maritime labour certificate, which can be issued to ships once the flag State has verified that labour conditions on board a ship comply with national laws and regulations implementing the Convention.
Among the novel features of the Convention are its form and structure, which includes legally binding standards accompanied by non-mandatory guidelines. It departs significantly from that of traditional ILO Conventions. Parts of the Convention relating to technical and detailed implementation of obligations can be updated under an accelerated amendment procedure. The Convention is to become what has been called the "fourth pillar" of the international regulatory regime for shipping, complementing the key Conventions of the International Maritime Organization .
The new Convention consolidates and updates 68 existing ILO maritime Conventions and Recommendations adopted since 1920. Countries that do not ratify the new Convention will remain bound by the previous Conventions that they have ratified, although those instruments will be closed to further ratification. For more information, see the Maritime Labour Convention website .
- The Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003 (No. 185) - [ratifications ] replaces ILO Convention No. 108, adopted in 1958. It establishes a more rigorous identity regime for seafarers with the aim of developing effective security from terrorism and ensuring that the world's seafarers will be given the freedom of movement necessary for their well-being and for their professional activities and, in general, to facilitate international commerce.
The Convention sets out the basic parameters and allows the details in its annexes, like the precise form of the identity document (ID), to be easily adapted subsequently to keep up with technological developments. A major feature of the ID is a biometric template based on a fingerprint. A Resolution accompanying the Convention requests the ILO Director-General to take urgent measures for the development of "a global interoperable standard for the biometric, particularly in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)". It also makes provision for the facilitation of shore leave and transit and transfer of seafarers, including the exemption from holding a visa for seafarers taking shore leave.
To avoid the risk of an ID being issued to the wrong person, the Convention also requires ratifying member States to maintain a proper database available for international consultation by authorized officials and to have and observe adequate procedures for the issuance of IDs. Those procedures, which cover not only the security aspects but also the necessary safeguards for individual rights, including data protection, will be subject to transparent procedures for international oversight.
Further information on the Seafarers' Identity Documents Convention:
Previous maritime instruments include :
- Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1976 (No. 147) - [ratifications] and its Protocol of 1996 - [ratifications]
- Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Convention, 1996 (No. 180) - [ratifications]
- Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Convention, 1996 (No. 179) - [ratifications]
- Labour Inspection (Seafarers) Convention, 1996 (No. 178) - [ratifications]
- Repatriation of Seafarers Convention (Revised), 1987 (No. 166) - [ratifications]
- Social Security (Seafarers) Convention (Revised), 1987 (No. 165) - [ratifications]
- Health Protection and Medical Care (Seafarers) Convention, 1987 (No. 164) - [ratifications]
- Seafarers' Welfare Convention, 1987 (No. 163) - [ratifications]
- Seafarers' Annual Leave with Pay Convention, 1976 (No. 146) - [ratifications]
- Continuity of Employment (Seafarers) Convention, 1976 (No. 145) - [ratifications]
- Further relevant instruments
Further information
- International Labour Standards' web section on Maritime Labour Convention
- Database on reported incidents of abandonment of seafarers
- ILO maritime sector site (SECTOR)
- General Survey on Labour Standards on Merchant Ships (1990)


text:
The Effect of Probiotics in HIV-1 Infection (ProGut)
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified December 2011 by MariusTrøseid, Oslo University Hospital.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Oslo University Hospital
Karolinska University Hospital
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
MariusTrøseid, Oslo University Hospital
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: September 16, 2011
Last updated: December 7, 2011
Last verified: December 2011
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
HIV progression is closely associated with chronic immune activation driven by leakage of bacterial products from a damaged gut, the investigators largest immunological organ. Notably, the degree of immune activation has been suggested to be a better predictor of disease progression than plasma viral load, and markers of immune activation and gut damage have been identified as therapeutic targets per se. The major damage by HIV to the immune system is an initial massacre of gut mucosal CD4+ Th17 cells. Interestingly, a normal gut flora has been shown to induce the maturation of Th17 cells in the small intestine mucosa. Preliminary reports have shown that the gut flora is altered in HIV-1 infection compared to controls. In this project, the investigators will characterize microbial composition of gut flora in chronic HIV infection with ultradeep sequencing. Gut flora composition will be related to clinical data as well as quantitative data of circulating microbial products and activation markers. Second, in a randomized clinical trial (RCT) the effect of probiotic lactobacilli on HIV pathogenesis and progression will be tested. This Gram-positive strain is clinically tested and is able to colonize the gut.
|HIV-1 Infection
|Dietary Supplement: Multi-strain probiotic Dietary Supplement: Placebo Other: Control
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|The Effect of Probiotics on Microbial Translocation and Immune Activation in HIV-1 Infection. A Randomised Placebo-controlled Trial
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: HIV/AIDSU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by MariusTrøseid, Oslo University Hospital:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Safety [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Adverse events monitoring during the study period of 2 months
- Changes in measures of microbial translocation [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Changes in plasma leves of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and soluble CD14 from baseline to 2 months (end of study)
- Changes in markers of immune activation [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Changes in CD38, HLA-DR and PD-1 on CD8+ and CD4+ T cells from baseline to 2 months (end of study)
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Disease progression in untreated patients [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Changes in CD4 count, viral load, clinical events and indication for ART from baseline to 2 months (end of study)
- Immune reconstitution in ART treated patients [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Changes in CD4 count from baseline to 2 months (end of study)
- Gut microbiota composition [ Time Frame: 2 months ]Changes in gut microbiota (454 pyrosequencing of fecal samples) from baseline to 2 months (end of study)
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2011
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2012
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|June 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Probiotics
A multi-strain Probiotic consisting of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 added to fermented skimmed milk (Biola®, TINE SA, Oslo), 250 mL/day for 8 weeks.
Dietary Supplement: Multi-strain probiotic
The product consists of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 added to fermented skimmed milk
Other Name: Brand name Biola®
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Fermented and subsequently heat-treated, sterile skimmed milk (TINE SA) as active placebo.
Dietary Supplement: Placebo
Fermented and subsequently heat-treated, sterile skimmed milk
No Intervention: Control
Control group not receiving intervention.
Other: Control
No intervention
Detailed Description:
To explore (i) the safety and tolerability, and (ii) the efficacy of probiotics on HIV-associated microbial translocation, systemic immune activation, disease progression and composition of gut microbiota in chronic HIV-1 infection.
Methodology/Study design:
Approximately 50 patients without current indication for antiretroviral treatment (ART) and 50 patients receiving ART without normalised CD4 counts will be included. A controlled clinical trial will be carried out within each stratum randomised in a 2:1:1 fashion to double blinded intervention and placebo arms as well as an open, untreated control arm, respectively.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- For patients without ART: Confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection > 6 months and CD4+ T cell count < 900
- For patients on stable, effective ART: HIV RNA < 50 copies/ml > 6 months and CD4+ T cell count > 500
- Signed informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Severe illness requiring hospitalization
- Systemic antibiotics or probiotics the last two months
- Current immune modulating therapy
- Infectious diarrhea
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Acute primary HIV infection
- Patients immigrating from Africa, Asia or Latin-America within the last 6 months.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01439841
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01439841
|Contact: Marius Trøseid, MD, PhD
|Contact: Dag Kvale, MD, PhD
|Oslo University Hospital
|Oslo, Norway, 0407
|Contact: Marius Troseid, MD, PhD +4792440240 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Contact: Dag Kvale, MD, PhD +4795200709 firstname.lastname@example.com
|Sub-Investigator: Dag Kvale, MD, PhD
|Principal Investigator: Marius Trøseid, MD, PhD
|Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge
|Not yet recruiting
|Stockholm, Sweden, 14186
|Contact: Anders Sonnerborg, MD, PhD +46736996240 email@example.com
|Principal Investigator: Anders Sonnerborg, MD, PhD
Sponsors and Collaborators
Oslo University Hospital
Karolinska University Hospital
|Study Director:
|Geir Gokstad, MD, PhD
|Oslo University Hospital
|Principal Investigator:
|Marius Trøseid, MD, PhD
|Oslo University Hospital
More Information
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Keywords provided by MariusTrøseid, Oslo University Hospital:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Stiksrud B, Nowak P, Nwosu FC, Kvale D, Thalme A, Sonnerborg A, Ueland PM, Holm K, Birkeland SE, Dahm AE, Sandset PM, Rudi K, Hov JR, Dyrhol-Riise AM, Trøseid M. Reduced Levels of D-dimer and Changes in Gut Microbiota Composition After Probiotic Intervention in HIV-Infected Individuals on Stable ART. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2015 Dec 1;70(4):329-37. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000784.
|Responsible Party:
|MariusTrøseid, Marius Trøseid, MD, PhD, Oslo University Hospital
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01439841 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 16, 2011
|Last Updated:
|December 7, 2011
Keywords provided by MariusTrøseid, Oslo University Hospital:
microbial translocation
immune activation
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Communicable Diseases
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
WATSONVILLE -- As the new president of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau, Cynthia Mathiesen will take the lead on diverse issues facing the county's farmers in the coming year, from water supply to urban growth.
With the defeat of a statewide initiative that would have mandated labeling of products containing genetically modified organisms, she sees another issue to tackle.
Proposition 37 was flawed by provisions that could lead to costly lawsuits and higher prices on grocery shelves, Mathiesen said. But the farm bureau supports labeling.
"We can be proactive in crafting something that will pass, that's acceptable to everybody," she said. "You, as consumers, have every right to know what's on your table."
Mathiesen was born and raised in the Pajaro Valley. Her maternal ancestors were part of a mid-19th century pioneering generation. Her great-grandmother came from a western Pennsylvania town called Freedom, and she suggested the name for her new hometown in California.
Her father grew ollalieberries, and Mathiesen recalls picking them as a child and thinking she would never go into agriculture. But on Oct. 17, 1989, the day of the Loma Prieta earthquake, she found herself starting work at Driscoll's. She manages the berry company's intellectual property worldwide.
Farming has changed since her father's day, she said. He grew heritage berries, for instance. Driscoll's develops its own cultivars.
"They look better, taste better and have a better shelf life," Mathiesen said.
Mathiesen said water is a top issue and always will be. The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency recently adopted a plan to manage groundwater that relies on farmers to reduce water consumption.
"It's something always on a farmer's mind," she said. "If you can cut water, you can cut your cost."
Mathiesen also will be keeping a close eye on Watsonville, where a proposal to annex 80 acres of farmland for development into a shopping center has gained support. Last week, Councilman Daniel Dodge filed petitions with more than 2,000 signatures to put the question before voters. Backers say development would bring jobs and sales tax revenue to fund vital city services. The farm bureau is opposed.
"This is prime farmland, and there's no indication the annexation of that land will do anything good for Watsonville," she said.
When Mathiesen isn't thinking about farming, she dances competitively. She said during college she worked nights. Her interest in ballroom dancing grew out of a childhood fascination with Hollywood.
"I knew it was never going to be my life," she said, "But I thought 'it can be part of your life.'"
Not so much anymore. She doesn't expect to have too much time to dance in the coming year. Besides her new leadership role, she recently bought a nearly 100-year-old Victorian off San Juan Road. It needs a lot of work, she said.
Follow Sentinel reporter Donna Jones on Twitter at Twitter.com/DonnaJonesSCS
Cynthia Mathiesen
WHO: Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau president
OCCUPATION: Intellectual property manager
EDUCATION: Master's in business administration, San Jose State
HOBBY: Competitive ballroom dancer