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Good animal husbandry, which includes attention to nutrition, minimizing the exposure of cattle to multiple concurrent stressors, and attention to biosecurity, can improve both innate and adaptive immune functions.
"Some people overlook these not very 'sexy' strategies in their ongoing search for the latest silver bullet that can protect cattle from all disease, all the time, regardless of inadequate management," say Amelia Woolums, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVM, University of Georgia. "Nutritional deficiency and prolonged stress have both been shown to impair innate immune functions as well as adaptive immune functions, so preventing these problems is important to support both arms of the immune response."
It's interesting, Woolums says, that short-term stress can actually improve innate immune responses. A recent study showed that neutrophil function in bulls increased over baseline at 48 hours after a short (four hour) transport (Hulbert et al, Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2011; 143:66-74). "So from the perspective of the immune response, not all stress is bad," she adds. "Persistent or chronic stress is generally a problem, but short-term stress is not always a problem."
Proper nutrition is needed for all aspects of performance and the immune system is a key homeostatic mechanism to keep the body healthy, says Marcus Kehrli, Jr., DVM, PhD, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, Iowa. "Simply put, in the absence of proper nutrition, the immune system will not perform optimally. However, very little research has been done to define basic nutritional requirements of cattle to support immune function; especially lacking is science defining the nutrient requirements of transition cows."
Because nutritional deficiency can impair innate immune responses, some believe that supplementing nutrients (such as vitamins or minerals) in excess can improve response. Woolums says numerous studies have looked at the impact of various nutrients and feed supplements on immune response, and the bottom line is that nutrient supplementation in excess of maintenance requirements does not consistently improve immunity, although there are specific examples of certain vitamins or minerals associated with improved immunity.
Regarding vaccines, Woolums says it's interesting to note that adjuvants, which are often included in vaccines to improve the host immune response, likely work at least in part by activating the innate immune response. "For example, it's been shown that alum, which is an adjuvant commonly used in human and veterinary vaccines, interacts with receptors inside of cells which activate innate immune pathways, and this interaction is what leads to the adjuvant effect induced by alum."
"Immunologists recognize that we can enhance selected aspects of innate immunity but there might be risks associated with doing this in healthy animals with normal functioning immune systems," Kehrli says. "You can certainly have too much of a good thing. However, use of immune modulators is a viable approach to restoring a derailed immune system back to normal and ideally this should be achieved without causing any damage to the host through an over-exuberant immune system."
Toward this end, scientists have studied the ability of selected cytokines such as interferons and interleukins, as immune modulators administered to cattle whose immune systems are compromised, as a way to help them combat infectious diseases. "What we have learned is that many of these cytokines (or regulatory molecules of the immune system) are highly potent and there can sometimes be a very narrow therapeutic dose range before toxic effects are observed," Kehrli explains. "We don't currently have products available that meet this need, but I am confident scientists will eventually find immune restoratives to help compensate for a dysregulated immune system during critical phases of production such as the transition cow."
Weaning, which can be a source of stress, was also recently shown to be associated with decreased neutrophil function in dairy calves (Hulbert et al, J Dairy Sci 2011;94;2545-2556).
Measuring innate immunity
How do you measure innate immunity? Chris Chase, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVM, South Dakota State University, says one of the proteins that can be measured is haptoglobulin, an acute phase protein. "Unfortunately, it is always increased after the fact so it really doesn't tell you what shape the innate immune response is in," he says. "Alpha interferon is another protein that is measured, but again it is after the fact."
Woolums says we can measure the neutrophil count in blood (via a CBC) or milk (with SCC, measuring neutrophils). "Neutrophil counts in these body fluids are widely used as a measure of how well, or not well, the cow is doing in terms of infection/inflammation," she says.
Recently, researchers looked at whether measurement of innate immune factors such as defensins or cathelicidins could be measured in milk to serve as a surrogate measure of somatic cell count (SCC). "This might eventually be a cow-side test that could improve diagnosis of mastitis," Woolums notes. "However, we do already have the California Mastitis Test, which is a cow-side test that provides a semi-quantitative measure of SCC."
Kehrli adds that it is also important to understand that numbers of cells alone is not entirely informative and, in fact, could be highly misleading given there are situations where leukocyte numbers may be high but they are not functional.
If a tissue sample test was available, Kehrli says realistically the tissue would need to be readily accessible and blood comes the closest to fulfilling this criteria. "Secondly, I would argue the diagnostic test needs to be a comprehensive immune capacity panel that takes a snapshot of both the innate and adaptive immune systems, including cellular and non-cellular components of each system."
We must take into account the production periods where animals are naturally stressed (e.g., parturition and weaning) or production cycle phases where our management practices (e.g., commingling and transport stress) would predictably impair immune function. "We know there are genetic differences in the duration and magnitude of immune suppression in periparturient cows," Kehrli says. "But practical ways to include immune performance in a selection index are only a distant thought even to those of us conducting research in this area."
Relationship with antibiotics
Antibiotics have significantly lowered mortality rates of many bacterial diseases, suggesting that antibiotics fill a void where both innate and adaptive immunity are failing to optimally protect against mortality. "Furthermore, some classes of antibiotics are known to accumulate inside phagocytic cells of the innate immune system and in so doing help the phagocytic cell more efficiently kill an ingested bacteria," Kehrli explains.
Antibiotics are certainly helpful as evidenced by the fact that antibiotic treatment can sometimes be life-saving for individuals with bacterial infections. However, the innate immune response is also critical for antibiotics to be useful, as evidenced by the fact that animals with defects in innate immune function, such as defects in neutrophil function, develop repeated bacterial infections that cannot be effectively controlled long-term with antibiotics. "So I would say that antibiotics and the innate immune system work hand-in-hand to fight off bacterial infection," Woolums says.
Today there is abundant evidence that cross-talk between the innate and adaptive immune systems is vital to a successful vaccination program to prevent disease. "We already know quite a bit about the effects of various physiological stressors on neutrophil and lymphocyte functional activities, as well as the reduced ability of an immune-suppressed animal to respond to vaccination," Kehrli notes.
"However, we don't know all of the underlying causes of poor responses to vaccines and what contribution dysregulation of the innate immune system makes in these situations," he adds. "Hence, it is critical that we invest in research to provide a better understanding of what components of the innate immune system are necessary for effective vaccine responses and how we might enhance any weak links so that we can better design vaccines to achieve protective immunity when vaccinating animals whose immune systems may be less than fully functional."
Mastitis and bovine respiratory disease are examples of diseases caused by many different pathogens, and continued research is needed in these areas. "A multi-etiology disease often suggests an underlying impairment of innate immunity contributing to its development," Kehrli says. "The importance and need for basic research in these areas is abundantly clear to livestock producers and veterinarians who help produce the most affordable, safe and sustainable food supply in the world."
Immunity and the transition cow
Proper immune function, like all systems of the body is dependent on proper nutrition – and nowhere is this more evident than in the transition dairy cow that is faced with numerous challenges. Much of the research on innate immunity in bovine medicine is focusing on the role of the innate immune response in defense of the mammary gland.
Nutritional deficiency and chronic stress can certainly impair innate immune responses. Amelia Woolums, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVM, says hypocalcemia during the transition period in dairy cows, for example, has been shown to be associated with depressed neutrophil function (Kehrli and Goff, J Dairy Sci 1989;72:1188-1196).
Epidemiological data going back decades has identified greater disease incidence in transition cows that experience ketosis and/or milk fever (e.g., higher incidence of mastitis and metritis), adds Marcus Kehrli, Jr., DVM, PhD. "Given the immune system requires a wide array of nutrients to make cells, enzymes, cytokines, antibacterial peptides, antibodies and other soluble glycoproteins of the innate immune system, it only makes common sense that if we short-change the transition cow nutritionally, it will only further enhance her susceptibility to a myriad of infectious diseases – particularly in the first few weeks of lactation.
"Therefore it is absolutely critical that we manage transition cow diets to minimize the effects of both clinical and subclinical hypocalcemia and ketosis. In addition, we know the importance of a proper balance of vitamin E and selenium to support optimal neutrophil function and defense against mastitis."


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9 November 2011 18:56:55
Final Skyrim competition winners announcedposted by Dark0ne Site NewsSo here we are, week 4 of our Facebook and Steam group competition. This is the final week of results before the release of Skyrim.
As promised upon reaching 2,500 members in the Steam community the number of winners has gone up from 1 to 2, and, literally just this minute, our Facebook page has hit the 10,000 likes mark (I wonder why it took me so long to announce the winners today...) and so there will be 2 Facebook winners as well.
Lets do the Steam winners first. TwistedNav and No Name King are our two lucky winners of a free copy of Skyrim. I've got their unique profile addresses saved so don't even think about trying to change your name on Steam to get a free copy! You two will have to PM me a link to your Steam profiles along with your steam email addresses so I can send you your prize.
Lastly, our final Facebook winners. Stand up and take a bow, Vladimir Zasypkin (aka Vlad the Impaler in my notebook) and Pete Zimmerman. You've just won a copy of Skyrim each. You two will have to PM me a link to your Facebook profiles to verify you're the correct people, along with your steam email addresses so I can send you your prize.
That, as they say, is that folks. Thank you for your continued support and I hope those of you who haven't won the 7 free copies of Skyrim I've handed out will still be able to get the game on release! Less than a day and a half now guys. Not long *bites nails*

subset: commoncrawl


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NCLC's focus is on the land, and our primary tool is acquisition. But that's not our only tool, and connecting with the land holds as much importance to us. To that end, we've developed the Gateway to Discovery, a "virtual" natural history center, where you can find resources to help you start exploring these connections.
North Coast Land Conservancy's Gateway to Discovery field programs, Listening to the Land indoor series, and 4th Saturday stewardship events provide an entry point to Oregon's coastal riches — birding, geology, and a salmon rich watershed.
There is no better way to see the natural world than to go out for a hike, and the north Oregon coast boasts many hiking trails. So go out and discover your own adventures with the help of our handy North Oregon Coast Hiking Guide [pdf]
Going birding? Don't leave without our handy North Oregon Coast Birding Guide [pdf]
The moon and the tides are essential to the amazing productivity of oceans, rivers, and estuaries. And of course to explore these riches, you will need a good tide calendar!
North Coast Land Conservancy, P.O. Box 67 Seaside OR 97138, 503-738-9126
Tags: birding on the Oregon Coast, hiking the Oregon Coast, North Coast Land Conservancy, tide tables Posted in Outdoors on the Coast | Comments Off on The North Coast Land Conservancy-Our Jewel-Come to See the Coast in a Different Way. There is More Than Just the Beach!
Arch Cape Inn and Retreat is in the process of changing its mission statement and daily living activities in order to become eligible for green certification. A particular emphasis for us focuses on protecting and preserving the water quality of our local area.
In an effort to keep our water clean, water that surrounds us everywhere, we are making changes in our habits. One such change that is easy to do is to use ordinary vinegar in a spray bottle as a surface cleaning agent.
Click here for more information on water, climate and community on the North Oregon Coast.
As a part of a retreat event, portions of the proceeds will be donated to the North Coast Land Conservancy. This commitment makes your travel dollar worth much more.
For an understanding of Sustainable Tourism concepts as you plan your travel, click on the Frog below for more reading.
Welcome | Rooms & Amenities | Food & Wine | Plan Your Getaway | Events & Happenings | Weddings & Groups | Directions & the Journey | Reserve Online
Nature Tour | Instant Gift Certificates | Check Rates | Pet Friendly | Blog


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'"I don't expect him in the near future, but he's doing great," Ruff said after practice in the Amherst Pepsi Center. "He's progressing. He still hasn't taken part in any type of meaningful . . . he's out there at a skating pace that's probably three-quarters of what he can do. He's done no hard work. "I'll say it again. He's getting a lot better. He's ahead of schedule. Where that puts him, I still don't know."'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / Gaustad's return not imminent


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General Tufto makes a return visit to his favourite venue this afternoon and is assured of a warm reception should he make it into the winners' enclosure yet again.
Trained in Lincolnshire by Charles Smith, the veteran performer has had a love affair with Southwell for some time and has chalked up no fewer than 11 course wins, the latest of which was achieved on New Year's Day.
Shrugging-off the fact he was officially celebrating his ninth birthday, General Tufto got up to score by a neck in a popular victory for the stalwart performer.
He will probably need to produce an even better effort to defy a 6lb penalty in the Ladbrokes Mobile Handicap but, with 7lb claimer Jordan Vaughan in the saddle, General Tufto is fancied to take his Southwell tally to a dozen wins.
Mr Burbidge will be a popular choice in the opening Coral App Download From The App Store Handicap.
Trainer Neil Mulholland may be better known for his exploits with jumpers, but he has done a sterling job with this staying handicapper by placing him to complete a four-timer on this course last week.
That success was gained by an emphatic eight lengths from Yasir and although Mr Burbidge reverts from two miles to a mile and a half here, which is not exactly in his favour, he will be hard to beat under a 6lb penalty. Liam Keniry has the mount.
Excel Best is yet another runner at today's meeting with excellent prospects of defying a penalty for a recent course win.
Trained at Newmarket by James Tate, the three-year-old scooted home by six lengths when blinkered for the first time last week. The headgear has been retained and Paddy Aspell is again in the saddle. An encore looks likely.
Also worth noting are the promising maiden Abbotsfield (2.40) and previous course-and-distance winner Mucky Molly (3.15), both of whom will be partnered by Graham Lee.
Conditions will be very testing at Leicester's jumping fixture, but Lucy Wadham will not be complaining if, as expected, she comes away with two winners.
The Newmarket trainer saddles nap selection Le Reve in the Leicester Annual Members Novices' Limited Handicap Chase and the gelding will find this easier than recent assignments.
A well-beaten third of four behind the high-class Sam Winner at Cheltenham on his latest start, Le Reve had previously unseated his rider in Grade 2 company at Newbury. Although he is still prone to the occasional jumping error, Le Reve has enough ability to clinch a race of this nature.
Wadham also runs Rasheed in the Groby Novices' Handicap Chase and Leighton Aspell's mount should go well. He was a good second at Market Rasen last time and looks to be running into form.
Venetia Williams can do little wrong at present and she can add to the four winners she saddled on Sunday at Plumpton with Santo Thomas, who is coming to his peak after two runs following a lengthy absence. He lines up in the concluding Chieftain Handicap Hurdle.
Racing selections
Southwell today 12.30 Mr Burbidge, 1.00 Jawaab, 1.35 Excel Best, 2.10 Piceno, 2.40 Abbotsfield, 3.15 Mucky Molly, 3.45 General Tufto.
Leicester today 12.45 Milo Man, 1.15 Stow, 1.50 Le Reve (NAP), 2.25 Carli King, 2.55 Rasheed, 3.30 Santo Thomas.
• The meeting at Chepstow has been abandoned due to a waterlogged track.
Tomorrow's meetings: Doncaster, Kempton, Lingfield and Ludlow.


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A Footscray driver will be paying for a spin in his mate's car after he was clocked travelling at 184km/h in a 70km/h zone on Thursday night.
Melbourne Highway Patrol saw a blue Ford sedan travelling at high speeds on Footscray Road, in West Melbourne, at 10pm.
When police pulled the car over they found it was registered to the man in the passenger seat.
The car was towed away and will remain impounded for 30 days under hoon legislation, at a cost of $689.
The driver, 36, is expected to be charged on summons with dangerous speeding and exceeding the speed limit.


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Homeowners prepared for Willow Creek fire threat
EAGLE, Idaho (KBOI) - Thankfully, the Willow Creek fire in the Eagle foothills did not threaten any homes or force any mandatory evacuations Wednesday. However past fires sparked by lightning have damaged homes in the foothills area, so many homeowners were still on alert.
Learning from history, some homeowners have gone to great lengths to prepare for the worst case scenarios.
Dave Kettles lives just off Highway 55 in a picturesque home on the edge of the Eagle foothills. He and his family have lived on the property since 1989, and built their own home there in 2000.
"It's everything," Kettles said. "We made a huge investment when we built our house here."
Dave says he knows fires are a huge risk. Just last year, lightening sparked a fire that threatened his home. This time, he was concerned the Willow Creek fire may burn a similar path because there were a lot of dry brush in the area.
"That was my concern that it would come down the valley near our house," Kettles said.
If the fire did come close, Dave says he would be well prepared.
"I installed a sprinkler system here to help keep things wet down, like the weeds and my fence," Kettles said.
Last year, firefighters told Dave the fire barrier he created is one of the best they've seen in the area. They also told him they wish people would follow his example and build defensible space around their homes to protect them from fires.
Although he was prepared, this time Dave didn't need to be, thanks to firefighters.
"Without them, we'd be in trouble," Kettles said


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Get an overview of this hotel3.5-star hotel with restaurant and indoor pool
Popular property highlights
Situated in the business district, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of ITT Technical Institute and Gruet Winery. Cliff's Amusement Park and Balloon Fiesta Park are also within 3 mi (5 km).
Hotel Features
This smoke-free hotel features a restaurant, an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool. WiFi in public areas is free. Other amenities include a fitness center, a bar/lounge, and self parking.
Room Amenities
All 310 rooms offer WiFi, room service, and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Other amenities available to guests include wired Internet, premium bedding, and coffee makers.
Guest Highlights
- Good location
- Helpful staff
- Clean guestrooms
- Overall room comfort
Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North
Renovations & Closures
- Swimming pool
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
In addition to an indoor pool, Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North provides an outdoor pool and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Wireless Internet access is complimentary.
Business-related amenities at this 3.5-star property consist of a business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 27000 square feet (2508 square meters) include conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, gift shops/newsstands, and concierge services. Onsite parking is available (surcharge).
Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North is a smoke-free property.
- Fitness facilities
- Conference space
- 24-hour front desk
- Express check-out
- ATM/banking
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Number of floors - 10
- Elevator/lift
- Conference space size (feet) - 27000
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Newspapers in lobby (surcharge)
- Concierge services
- Express check-in
- Fireplace in lobby
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- Meeting rooms 12
- Total number of rooms - 310
- Porter/bellhop
- Luggage storage
- Restaurant
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Conference space size (meters) - 2508
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Indoor pool
- Outdoor pool
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Wedding services
- Multilingual staff
- Smoke-free property
- Television in common areas
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Indoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: ,
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Video-game console
- Pay movies
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Free weekday newspaper
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Iron/ironing board
- Cable TV service
- Premium bedding
- Partially open bathroom
- Daily housekeeping
- Room service (limited hours)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Rollaway/extra beds (free)
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Flat-panel TV
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Wired Internet access (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge.
Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North has a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and an outdoor pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Mountain biking nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Free rollaway/extra beds!
- Free cribs (infant beds)!
- Pets not allowed (service animals welcome)
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: USD 12.95 per person (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: USD 9.95 per day (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room wired Internet: USD 9.95 per day (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: USD 8.00 per night
Hotel Name
- Marriott Albuquerque North
- Marriott Albuquerque Pyramid North
- Marriott Pyramid
- Marriott Pyramid Hotel
- Marriott Pyramid Hotel Albuquerque North
- Pyramid Marriott
- Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North Hotel Albuquerque
- Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North Hotel
- Marriott Pyramid North Hotel
- Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North
- Marriott Pyramid North
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Coverite light-weight fabric covering of 3.1 oz/sq yd (.34 oz/sq ft). Dry adhesive is activated when heat is applied (Range 225 to 290 F). Can be applied to sheeted foam. Shrinks to a drum-tight finish as it cools. Molds crease-free around compound curves and into corners. High gloss finish, waterproof, fuelproof (glow fuel, gasoline, smoke). Stronger and lighter than traditional silk and dope coverings. May be cleaned with glass cleaner or MonoKote Cleaner/Polish.
For Covering Foam At Low-Temperature, Suggest (COVQ0711 COVQ0719).


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A Trowbridge couple, who had their wedding at the Civic Centre cancelled without explanation, believe an apologetic offer to pay for their new registrar's fee was intended to gag them.
Sam White, 36, and Rob William, 38, of Heather Shaw, received an email from Trowbridge town clerk Lance Allan on Tuesday apologising after their room hire deposit, for £514.93, paid last spring, was sent back to them.
In the email, the couple received an offer to hold their wedding at the Civic Centre on April 20 as planned, at a reduced price, or pay £70 towards their rearranged registrar costs.
Now, mayor John Knight has said the debacle was a result of "human failure" on the town council's part.
Office administrator Miss White said: "Quite frankly, I don't trust them to deliver the wedding we want and we were told that if we accept either of these offers any future publicity would have to go through them.
"It would have been a nice enough gesture, but they can get stuffed offering to buy our silence for £70."
The couple suffered a series of setbacks in trying to arrange their dream wedding and reception, for which they expected to pay around £5,000.
Problems came to a head when they felt they were being unreasonably charged for drinks.
For 36 bottles of wine and 36 bottles of Asti they were expected to pay either £1,020.60 for the centre to supply the drinks, or buy their own for £432, but pay the centre £684 in corkage fees.
Last Thursday, the Civic Centre's management board met to discuss the issues they encountered.
Mayor John Knight said: "Lots of things were said at the meeting and it was a fairly warm atmosphere.
"It was a human failure where one member of our staff didn't make the best of the situation and communicate well with our clients or within the organisation.
"We are concerned about bad publicity as we have had a lot of very successful weddings here that have been highly praised, but obviously things get more prominence when they go wrong."
Looking to the future, Trowbridge Town Council hopes the centre will improve its communications with clients who book functions there.
Trowbridge councillor Peter Fuller said: "We have to learn a lesson from this incident and if we don't we deserve to get a kicking for it. At the end of the day, that place is for the people of Trowbridge and it is unfortunate this misunderstanding has taken place."
After having their deposit returned, the couple made alternative plans for their wedding to be held at West Barn, in Bradford on Avon, with their reception taking place at Westbury Conservative Club.
Last summer, the Civic Centre had to scrap a contract with Crown Catering after the company was criticised for being overpriced and badly run.
Mr Knight said: "I think this is a learning process, as was the debacle with Crown Catering, and we really have to learn from this in the future."


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Swedish death metallers NOMINON have posted audio samples of the songs "Release in Death" and "Life Extinct" on their official web site. Both tracks comes off the group's third album, "Terra Necrosis", due late spring/early summer. The CD was recorded, mixed and mastered over a two-week period at Necromorbus Studio in Stockholm, Sweden by owner and mastermind Tore Stjerna. The 43-minute album will contain the following track listing:01. Release in Death
02. Arcanum
03. Black Chapel
04. Ebola
05. Among the Beasts & Ancient Slumber
06. Life Extinct
07. Tabula Rasa
08. Hell Above
09. Bane Appetite
10. The Infernal Voyage Check out the cover artwork at this location. NOMINON's upcoming album will be released and handled by the following labels: * Konqueror Records (Europe, Asia)
* Deathgasm Records / Ibex Moon Records (North & South America, Australia)
* Blood Harvest Records (responsible for the 12" LP vinyl release) Australian label Asphyxiate Recordings will release the second album from NOMINON, entitled "Recremation", as a 12-inch picture disc. The release will be limited to 500 copies and is expected to surface within the next few weeks. For more information, visit www.asphyxiaterecordings.com. NOMINON has been added to the upcoming European tour featuring U.S. cult band NUNSLAUGHTER and DEMONICAL, the new Swedish death metal band featuring three former members of CENTINEX. NOMINON's last album, "Recremation", was recorded and mixed at Necromorbus Studio in Stockholm with engineer Tore Stjerna. A video for the track "House of Flies" was shot during the band's European tour with VITAL REMAINS in September/October 2005.


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12 U.S. Code § 1715z–11a - Disposition of HUD-owned properties
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(a) Flexible authority for multifamily projects
During fiscal year 1997 and fiscal years thereafter, the Secretary may manage and dispose of multifamily properties owned by the Secretary, including, for fiscal years 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and thereafter, the provision of grants and loans from the General Insurance Fund (12 U.S.C. 1735c) for the necessary costs of rehabilitation, demolition, or construction on the properties (which shall be eligible whether vacant or occupied), and multifamily mortgages held by the Secretary on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may determine, notwithstanding any other provision of law. A grant provided under this subsection during fiscal years 2006 through 2010 shall be available only to the extent that appropriations are made in advance for such purposes and shall not be derived from the General Insurance Fund.
(b) Transfer of unoccupied and substandard housing to local governments and community development corporations
(1) Transfer authority
Notwithstanding the authority under subsection (a) of this section and the last sentence of section 1710 (g) of this title, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall transfer ownership of any qualified HUD property, subject to the requirements of this section, to a unit of general local government having jurisdiction for the area in which the property is located or to a community development corporation which operates within such a unit of general local government in accordance with this subsection, but only to the extent that units of general local government and community development corporations consent to transfer and the Secretary determines that such transfer is practicable.
(2) Qualified HUD properties
For purposes of this subsection, the term "qualified HUD property" means any property for which, as of the date that notification of the property is first made under paragraph (3)(B), not less than 6 months have elapsed since the later of the date that the property was acquired by the Secretary or the date that the property was determined to be unoccupied or substandard, that is owned by the Secretary and is—
(C) an unoccupied single family property that—
(i) has been determined by the Secretary not to be an eligible asset under section 1710 (h) of this title; or
(ii) is an eligible asset under such section 1710 (h) of this title, but—
(3) Timing
The Secretary shall establish procedures that provide for—
(B) notification to units of general local government and community development corporations of qualified HUD properties in their jurisdictions;
(C) such units and corporations to express interest in the transfer under this subsection of such properties;
(D) a right of first refusal for transfer of qualified HUD properties to units of general local government and community development corporations, under which—
(i) the Secretary shall establish a period during which the Secretary may not transfer such properties except to such units and corporations;
(ii) the Secretary shall offer qualified HUD properties that are single family properties for purchase by units of general local government at a cost of $1 for each property, but only to the extent that the costs to the Federal Government of disposal at such price do not exceed the costs to the Federal Government of disposing of property subject to the procedures for single family property established by the Secretary pursuant to the authority under the last sentence of section 1710 (g) of this title;
(iii) the Secretary may accept an offer to purchase a property made by a community development corporation only if the offer provides for purchase on a cost recovery basis; and
(4) Other disposition
With respect to any qualified HUD property, if the Secretary does not receive an acceptable offer to purchase the property pursuant to the procedure established under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall dispose of the property to the unit of general local government in which property is located or to community development corporations located in such unit of general local government on a negotiated, competitive bid, or other basis, on such terms as the Secretary deems appropriate.
(5) Satisfaction of indebtedness
Before transferring ownership of any qualified HUD property pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall satisfy any indebtedness incurred in connection with the property to be transferred, by canceling the indebtedness.
(6) Determination of status of properties
To ensure compliance with the requirements of this subsection, the Secretary shall take the following actions:
(A) Upon enactment
Upon the enactment of this subsection [December 21, 2000], the Secretary shall promptly assess each residential property owned by the Secretary to determine whether such property is a qualified HUD property.
(B) Upon acquisition
Upon acquiring any residential property, the Secretary shall promptly determine whether the property is a qualified HUD property.
(7) Tenant leases
This subsection shall not affect the terms or the enforceability of any contract or lease entered into with respect to any residential property before the date that such property becomes a qualified HUD property.
(8) Use of property
Property transferred under this subsection shall be used only for appropriate neighborhood revitalization efforts, including homeownership, rental units, commercial space, and parks, consistent with local zoning regulations, local building codes, and subdivision regulations and restrictions of record.
(9) Inapplicability to properties made available for homeless
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, this subsection shall not apply to any properties that the Secretary determines are to be made available for use by the homeless pursuant to subpart E of part 291 of title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, during the period that the properties are so available.
(10) Protection of existing contracts
This subsection may not be construed to alter, affect, or annul any legally binding obligations entered into with respect to a qualified HUD property before the property becomes a qualified HUD property.
(11) Definitions
For purposes of this subsection, the following definitions shall apply:
(A) Community development corporation
The term "community development corporation" means a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is to promote community development by providing housing opportunities for low-income families.
(B) Cost recovery basis
The term "cost recovery basis" means, with respect to any sale of a residential property by the Secretary, that the purchase price paid by the purchaser is equal to or greater than the sum of:
(i) the appraised value of the property, as determined in accordance with such requirements as the Secretary shall establish; and
(ii) the costs incurred by the Secretary in connection with such property during the period beginning on the date on which the Secretary acquires title to the property and ending on the date on which the sale is consummated.
(C) Multifamily housing project
The term "multifamily housing project" has the meaning given the term in section 1701z–11 of this title.
(D) Residential property
The term "residential property" means a property that is a multifamily housing project or a single family property.
(F) Severe physical problems
The term "severe physical problems" means, with respect to a dwelling unit, that the unit—
(i) lacks hot or cold piped water, a flush toilet, or both a bathtub and a shower in the unit, for the exclusive use of that unit;
(ii) on not less than three separate occasions during the preceding winter months, was uncomfortably cold for a period of more than 6 consecutive hours due to a malfunction of the heating system for the unit;
(iii) has no functioning electrical service, exposed wiring, any room in which there is not a functioning electrical outlet, or has experienced three or more blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers during the preceding 90-day period;
(iv) is accessible through a public hallway in which there are no working light fixtures, loose or missing steps or railings, and no elevator; or
(H) Substandard
The term "substandard" means, with respect to a multifamily housing project, that 25 percent or more of the dwelling units in the project have severe physical problems.
(I) Unit of general local government
(12) Regulations
(A) Interim
Not later than 30 days after December 21, 2000, the Secretary shall issue such interim regulations as are necessary to carry out this subsection.
Source(Pub. L. 104–204, title II, § 204,Sept. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 2894; Pub. L. 105–65, title II, § 213,Oct. 27, 1997, 111 Stat. 1366; Pub. L. 105–276, title II, § 206,Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2484; Pub. L. 106–74, title V, § 537,Oct. 20, 1999, 113 Stat. 1122; Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(1) [title II, § 204], Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1441, 1441A–24; Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(7) [title I, § 141], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–614; Pub. L. 109–171, title II, § 2003(a),Feb. 8, 2006, 120 Stat. 9.)
Section was enacted as part of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997, and not as part of the National Housing Act which comprises this chapter.
2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–171inserted at end "A grant provided under this subsection during fiscal years 2006 through 2010 shall be available only to the extent that appropriations are made in advance for such purposes and shall not be derived from the General Insurance Fund."
2000—Pub. L. 106–554substituted "Disposition of HUD-owned properties" for "Flexible authority" in section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).
Pub. L. 106–377substituted "2000, and thereafter" for "and 2000".
1999—Pub. L. 106–74substituted "1999, and 2000" for "and 1999" and ", demolition, or construction on the properties (which shall be eligible whether vacant or occupied)" for "or demolition".
1998—Pub. L. 105–276substituted "fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 1999" for "fiscal years 1997 and 1998".
1997—Pub. L. 105–65inserted ", including, for fiscal years 1997 and 1998, the provision of grants and loans from the General Insurance Fund (12 U.S.C. 1735c) for the necessary costs of rehabilitation or demolition," after "owned by the Secretary".
Effective Date of 2006 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 109–171not applicable to any transaction that formally commences within one year prior to Feb. 8, 2006, see section 2003(c) ofPub. L. 109–171, set out as a note under section 1701z–11 of this title.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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'They have six restricted free agents and gave qualifying offers to five — Thomas Vanek, Derek Roy, Daniel Paille, Nathan Paetsch and Andrew Peters. Vanek is probably the most attractive Group II player in the NHL. The 23-year-old scored 43 goals last season, and he possesses an upside that could entice teams to investigate his availability. Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier plans to address unrestricted free agents before negotiating with Group II players. If he spends heavily in the unrestricted market, a team might make a push for Vanek knowing it would force a numbers crunch at HSBC Arena.'
You are here: Home / SabresBeat / No-touch gloves are off for restricted free agents


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This is the time of year when people in the Northeast become excited about the return of warmer weather and longer daylight hours. The robins and the geese are returning from their winter get-away vacation spots down south. Gardeners are looking longingly through seed catalogues and making their selections. Farmers are waiting patiently for the last of the snow to melt, so they can prepare their fields for planting. Female horses, cows and the other four-leggeds are growing larger with new life. The first shoots of crocus and hyacinth are peeking up and winking at us. Sweet water, the sap from the sugar maple, is running and we rejoice in the knowledge that all of the other trees will soon follow and each will wake up in turn. The people are feeling re-energized and hopeful. There is birth, growth and renewal. The cycle of life continues as it should and as was planned.
It is also the season when our Grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, come back to visit us. They will stay with us through late spring, summer and early fall until they leave again for the winter months. When they call to us with their loud, deep, rumbling voices to announce their arrival, we celebrate. We stop everything, look for our sacred Indian tobacco and our pipes (and other prayer tools) and go outside to welcome them. We smoke our pipes and send our greetings, thankfulness and love to the Grandfathers. We extend to the Grandfathers our most sincere greetings to let them know that we are happy to see them and that we are honored by their desire to visit us. We express our great appreciation to them for they bring the rain that replenishes the water in the rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and oceans. Those waters provide a home for the fish and water animals. The rain that falls bathes and refreshes Mother Earth. The rain and lightning purify the air. The rain revitalizes the plants and trees. The water quenches our thirst, helps the animals to live and the plants to grow. What a wonderful gift. Our grandfathers are so generous.
It is estimated that 60 to 75 percent of the human body consists of water. The human brain consists of 70 percent water. Our blood is made up of 83 percent water. Our lungs are 90 percent water. We can't exist without water. We need water to aid in blood circulation, respiration and to help produce energy. Under ideal conditions and without too much exertion, a human might survive without water for three to five days. In extreme heat, one person might need to drink a gallon or more of water a day in order to live. Water is essential. Water is life.
It is the Thunder Beings who have been instructed to replenish our water supply. That is why we shouldn't complain when they come to visit us. We shouldn't say, "What a miserable day it is because of the weather." Rather we should feel relieved and grateful that the Grandfather Thunderers have come to see us.
We love our Grandfathers the Thunder Beings for bringing that water to us. But what are we doing with that precious gift of life that they give to us? 70 percent of Mother Earth is covered with water. Ninety-seven percent of our water is salt water. Only 1 percent of the water is drinkable. We have been given a wondrous gift by our relatives, but are we showing our appreciation of that gift or are we wasting it, spoiling it and throwing it away? How are we treating that gift that is so essential to our very existence? How can we even consider hydro-fracking and possibly causing the disruption and destruction of our waters? How is it possible that we would consider risking the loss or contamination of even one drop of water when our very lives depend on it? If we don't care about ourselves, then why aren't we considering the quality of life for our children, our nieces, our nephews and our friend's children? What about the seven generations to come? What will they drink? What will they eat, if there is no clean water for the plants and the animals to drink? What kind of lives will they have, especially considering that there are more and more people every day? Will there be enough food and clean water for them?
When someone gives me a gift, I say, "Thank you." Then, my friend knows the gift is appreciated. When our Grandfathers bring the rain, we need to remember to say "Thank you." But we also need to demonstrate our appreciation by wisely using the water that they bring. In so doing, hopefully, our Grandfathers will continue to visit us. We need to honor them and the future generations.
Kay Olan (Ionataie:was) is a member of the Mohawk, Wolf Clan.


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Nice post, I don't entirely agree however Posted some anti-ammunition here wiredupandfiredup.blogspot.com/.../...isation.html
a few thoughts:
- domain objects are the place where your domain logic is implemented whether or not you are using an ORM to build them or doing it manually. if you have no such (sure?!), that's an other case
- in a well-built stack adding a query is adding one method call in any configured bean inside your transaction boundaries. you do have configured beans and transaction boundaries in your non-ORM project as well, dont you?
- in my openion those 'goto-guys' will never get OO, that dont make them worse, they are plain different
- think of ORM as a weapon: with no clue it's damn dangerous, and you can easily stockpile the ways how you can hurt yourself with it - unless you know how to use it
- you can as well stockpile ammunition against being a christian/ateist, expectable death of Java/.NET/PHP etc. and it'll be the same fun for all of us, so I'm looking forward..
standard disclaimer: I've started using Hibernate since v0.8 (early 2002 afairc) and still doing ORM in every single project of mine (none of them failed or had unresolved performance issues at the end. my guess about the speedup of development time being around 2-10x).
Kristof Jozsa
Interesting article as I too created an abstraction layer I would categorize an ORM ... that was eight years ago. I was not happy with the translation between "relational data" (structured for tables/rows/columns storage) and objects (be it Java or PHP objects).
In the context of web applications, I've since been investigating a new approach that relies heavily on XML technologies. The key is to keep data in some form of XML throughout the application: from backend database to the presentation layer (apparently not a solution for legacy code, but promising for new development).
1. Data Layer
o The DBMS must support XML storage and XQuery to retrieve that data.
o There are some native XML databases that look promising (e.g., Sedna) but recently have been having success with IBM DB2 version 9.5 and its "pureXML" implementation.
2. Business Layer
o DOMElement is your base class for business objects; therefore the XML retrieved from the database stays in XML form.
o Data Modeling of business objects is done with XML Schema. XML provides a more convenient way to store data that is normally hierarchical in nature. XML Schema allows you to extend simple types, for example extending xs:token to a list of enumerations (e.g., "Alabama", "Alaska", "Arizona", ...) as well as create new complex types. The resulting XML schemas can then be used in validation. You'll find XML validation support in XML DOM and possibly in your DBMS.
3. Presentation Layer
In a typical MVC architecture for a presentation layer, the base class of the Model is a DOMDocument (yes, still XML). To that, we can add business objects (DOMElements) as needed. The View uses an XSLT processor as its view engine to convert the Model to the desired output that is typically but not limited to XHTML.
A prototype on a simple application looked promising. I'm just now beginning to apply this approach to an application that has a complex data model so have no performance data to share with you at this time.
Al Tabayoyon
It depends on what you expect from an ORM - mapper. I personally don't like the entity-kind of modeling, for the reasons you mentioned. I like my objects to have a straight forward relationship with my database. (the active record pattern)
That's why I am using subsonic (v2.x don't know if I will switch to the new linq enabled and extra feature xxx ... version yet).
While using stored procedures didn't you find yourself writing some duplicate code => refactoring => creating a library => ....
So instead of doing that I let subsonic generate this for me.
This arguement (just) holds for data centric design. If your data is more inportant than rules and application of the rule then go ahead be Data Centric, actually dont write any code, just drag and drop.. what are you actually doing if all you are doing is placing a UI over a database?
Otherwise if you write real applications read Eric Evan Blue book. ;)
"When we first got all the pieces of the application up and running and started exercising them in a realistic way, the performance of my ORM layer was...terrible. But, after I got done rigging it up with intelligent caching and adding a scheme whereby the client layer could give optimization hints to the ORM layer, the performance was.... still terrible. Complimenting the app's terrible performance was the fact that it was cumbersome to develop and hard to debug. The only thing this app was good at was serving as a bullet point on my resume."
Creating an ORM from scratch isn't a simple task. Nor is it recommended, unless it's absolutely necessary, as there are many ORMs with years of development and optimization. I'm not sure why you expecting your first ORM to be highly performant, easy to debug, etc.
ORMs are not without additional overhead, but a well designed ORM can reduce this overhead significantly. But, as with any design decision, the question becomes, does the performance overhead out weigh the benefits?
"I remember one of my co-workers at the time who was also just moving from C to C++. He was way smarter than me, a Princeton engineering graduate, so his potential for deranged OO was much greater than mine."
Again, I'm unsure why you'd expect someone just moving from C to C++ to create a proper design out of the gate. Just as you can create a poor procedural solution, it's also very easy to create a poor object oriented solution.
"To add just one query against existing tables I had to add two new files to the project and change four others. Why? "
I'm guessing this requirement is partially due to the non-dynamic aspects of ASP.NET. The Active Record implementation in Ruby on Rails provides dynamic finders based on your schema.
people = Person.find_by_user_name_and_password('aUserName','aPassword')
Regarding the quotes you posted, Rails also provides options to include associated records in the same query, submitting arbitrary SQL statements when required, and retrieving a subset of an objects attributes.
people = Person.find(:all, :include => :company )
person = Person.find_by_sql("giant complicated sql query")
people = Person.find(:all, :select=>'name, id')
However, when using find_by_sql, it's usually best to abstract these calls in a method of the model
class Person < ActiveRecord:base
def find_with_even_age_and_age_older_than aAge
Person.find_by_sql("select * from persons where (age % 2) = 0 and age > ?", aAge)
people = Person.find_with_even_age_and_age_older_than(24)
This is such a great post!!!
the real shame is that you 'need' this ammunition... you hit the nail on head earlier when you said that using ORM is 'fashionable'. Unfortunately, Fashionable != Pragmatic.
You have my support and I'll be using this article for 'my ammunition' when I come across Princeton Boffins who want to complicate my app for the hell of it!!!
John Coppola
SubSonic isn't an ORM really - there is no "mapping" to be honest - it just puts your tables "within reach" and tries to make the tedious task of writing HTML a bit easier.
Believe it or not - I'm with you in some respects. ORMs get in the way - a LOT.
Your business is far more important than an "ORM war". Focus on that. If you can save time and increase future maintenance with homespun - hurrah! If you get to market 2 weeks early because you didn't need to embed SQL (or try and remember which SPROC did what and OMFG I forgot that WHERE statement actually restricted ALL of the data and OMFG who popped a FETCH and FETCH NEXT in this SPROC and OMFG who put a SELECT * in here because writing all the column names is a PITA (thereby blowing out the indexing SQL plan) and OMFG I CAN'T BELIEVE we're using TRIGGERS? and maybe even OMFG WHO put xp_commandshell in here just to SEND EMAIL!).
These are all the "OMFGs" I've uttered in my days with sprocs - not saying you will - but this is what I've face. I actually worked on a project 3 years ago where a guy called a Python script from within a sproc because... well WTF who cares eh? That was just plain dumb.
There is a certain level of ... clarity of purpose by not trying to shove the rug under the rug by using an ORM (or query tool - whatever) *intelligently*. Your statement above (RE "fashionable") smacks of knee-jerk dismissiveness - in other words "this shit's complicated and it's this shit's fault"... which I've felt MANY times.
When it comes down to it - 9 times out of 10 its mostly the tool choices . I wrote a lot of blog posts about my hatred of ORMs and then I decided ORMs weren't my problem. Nope. My problem was that I was working on complicated stuff and I didn't want to play by their rules. That's when I made SubSonic - mainly because I just wanted something to write the SQL for me and I didn't want to use sprocs anymore (see the OMFG chain above).
My point to you Mr. Man: ORMs can indeed bend you over and make you think more about the DB then you want to. You may frame your wandering "grass is greener" thoughts as "sprocs used to be soooooo easy" but you're lying to yourself. There's a reason you don't want to show your API - it's because it sucks. Yes, SUCKS.
There's a better way - and I'm not saying that an ORM will solve your problems. It will, however, in the course of discussing its use, make you think twice and even fourty-nine times about WTF you're doing in the first place.
Now go get a beer, cool your heals, and once again realize the answer is always in the middle.
Rob Conery
My thoughts exactly.
Patrice Calve
>> In the context of web applications, I've since been investigating a new approach that relies heavily on XML technologies.
Not to be too ornery, but you should read up on IMS -> xml. What you and your ilk propose is to turn back the clock on some 40 years of hard won intelligence. Pointy Haired Bosses can be convinced (because they are math illiterate) of most anything. Chamberlin gave us SQL, which was not what Dr. Codd wanted, and now XQuery, which only empowers those of limited powers. The world is *not* inherently made of hierarchies. That is what Dr. Codd proved. Those that choose to ignore history will be condemned to repeat it. Gad.
Robert Young
I think it's important to note the problem that ORMs are trying to solve. For me, ORMs solve an important problem of encapsulation. Better encapsulation leads to better maintainability. For me, a huge benefit to an entity model comes when you start to alter the database schema. When one has random SQL statements littered throughout the code it can lead to a real nightmare if name of a field in a table changes. You now have to find every place that field name was being used and update it. Worse, since SQL tends to be expressed as strings, there's no compiler help with finding all the places that field is being used. What tends to happen is that you get lingering runtime errors while you find all the places you forgot to fix.
That being said, there is no question that an ORM does not perform as well as straight SQL calls. Like all abstractions, it's a trade off. In my experience a good entity model significantly reduces the initial development time as well as greatly simplifying future maintenance tasks. The question, as always, is what makes more sense for each particular application. If time to market and total cost of ownership are the primary concerns, I would say an ORM is the way to go. If application performance is the number one goal, then maybe not. However, I have built a web app with significant load requirements using an ORM (i.e. 30,000+ visitors a day) and was able to work through all performance issues fairly simply.
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David N. Snyder wrote:I finally got around to joining the Theravada Buddhists - Kiva team.
I have been meaning to do so, since it is a good cause and I like how it follows the "teach a man to fish" philosophy (so to speak, not necessarily literally) of making them self-sufficient, rather than giving them a "fish" to eat for just one day.
The team captain is Trent. Is he here on Dhamma Wheel? Anyway, thanks to Trent and KB for promoting this great cause.
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Happy Birthday Mom
(Taken when she was May Queen at Shenandoah
Conservatory of Music in Dayton, Virginia)
This and that from my world of Family Research, Yorkies, Photography, RV's and Traveling.
How beautiful.
Southern belles, queen of May, and a beautiful Mom -- can't get much better than that --- especially on a snowy day in Oregon and I am housebound.
What a beauty! And you can almost feel the May warmth from the picture.
Wow! What a dress! Your Mom is SO beautiful! I love that picture.


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The record is unclear about the other woman's identity. It's also vague about the mystery object. It could've been a bottle, a dildo, a gun—anything.
Loretta told police she spent Dec. 31, 2008, at the Park Inn & Suites on Cerrillos Road, getting drunk, high and then raped "with an object" by another female. Marino's company guards that hotel, a clerk confirms.
Whatever happened that New Year's Eve may have led Marino to sign divorce papers, again, on Jan. 2.
On Jan. 6, Loretta reported her rape from CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. Marino also called the cops that day: Someone had stolen his white Ford Taurus, which he'd left in the Lowe's supermarket lot overnight with the keys inside.
By 2009, little that happened to the Leybas could surprise.
April was the last time Reno's neighbor, Juan Medrano, remembers seeing Reno and his pretty, quiet young girlfriend, Sarah. Medrano never saw or heard them fight. But Medrano, also nicknamed Reno, rarely spoke to the skinny security guard across the street.
"He looks like a good guy, always," Medrano says.
Others saw more. In the months after Sarah's pregnancy, according to an article in The Santa Fe New Mexican, a Paseo Del Sol resident saw Reno and Sarah "fighting in a car and when Lovato tried to get out, Leyba pulled her back in by her hair. The neighbor did not report the incident."
Horwitz, the domestic violence liaison, is disgusted but not surprised. "People are more concerned about robberies and prairie dogs than they are about each other," she says.
Knowing the Lovatos might have been saved wears on her. "It's been horrible—beyond horrible," Horwitz says. The same goes for others in the "DV" field.
"This happening on my shift; I feel responsible somehow," Esperanza's Taylor says. "Maybe we should've done more outreach in the schools. Maybe there should've been more triage for [Reno]. I don't know what we could've done. But we're going to do something now."
To Reno's defense attorney, ACLU-New Mexico President Gary Mitchell, it's no accident New Mexico ranks among the nation's worst in treating mental illness. (A 2009 study by the National Alliance on Mental Illness says this state made little progress, despite a bureaucratic overhaul begun in 2005.) Without saying his client committed "any act," Mitchell suggests Reno might have benefited from some serious psychiatric attention early in life.
"Until the Legislature decides to provide appropriate funds for mental health treatment, whether it be in schools or outside of schools, we're going to continue to have major problems," Mitchell says. "Isn't it worth it to save lives? Why do we have to be so ignorant? And I say ignorant because the Legislature knows and the governor knows, but they don't want to do it because it's not something that gets you votes. It is so wrong that the governor and every official in this state ought to walk with their heads down. They're the ones responsible."
Morally, Mitchell may have a case. But the law will hold one person responsible for the Lovatos' deaths, and his name isn't Bill Richardson.
Reno had revealed a jealous side before. Yet even after learning what happened to Sarah, Reno's ex doesn't think she dodged a bullet.
"I don't think he would have it in him to shoot me," Amanda Ewers says. "I'm sure a lot of girls would say this: I think we had a different kind of relationship."
Steve Ewers suspects his daughter might still have feelings for Reno. But even the angry dad has sympathy for the young man now jailed on murder charges: "Wherever he goes, I hope he gets the help he needs," Ewers says.
Earlier this year, Reno tried to reconnect with Amanda. She blocked his calls—except one night when she was drunk. "Maybe I can just come out there with you and start a new life," he told her.
"No," she said.
Amanda remembers a cryptic message Reno left sometime in May, apparently before the shooting.
C'mon, I love you. I just wanted to talk to you. I don't understand.
You'll hear about me. I don't know what's going to happen, but you'll hear about me.
Detective Trujillo thinks it happened like this.
It was a Friday night, May 22. Reno—in uniform, with Mace and pistol—was beginning the graveyard shift.
He and Sarah were arguing over the phone again. In her room, Julie Lovato could hear them through the walls.
Minutes after getting off the phone, Sarah went to Julie's bedroom. Soon the sisters heard Reno barge in. They heard Bennie Sr. yell, "You just don't walk in here like that!"
Reno refused to leave. Julie followed Sarah into the hall.
"What the hell," Reno shouted, "What are you going to do about it?"
Julie fled to her brother's place nearby, hoping he could help. Running down the stairs, she heard Sarah's voice for the last time: "Please Reno, no."
Then she heard a shot. Moments later, more shots. People were finally calling 911. Bennie Jr., who once pulled a knife on his family, grabbed a baseball bat and ran to save his father and sister.
Reno was gone. The room smelled of Mace. Bennie Sr. lay dead in the living room, pregnant Sarah lay dead in the kitchen.
"We think the fetus was targeted specifically," Trujillo says.
She was 17, he was 36 weeks in the womb. SFR


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CLEARANCE - Winning with 1. f4Product Code: CB0059CD
Publisher: Chess Digest
Author: Andrew Soltis
Year of Publication: 1992
Pages: 97
Notation Type: Algebraic (AN)
Book DescriptionWith the Dutch Defense as Black having a revival at GM level, it is time for a rehabilitation of Bird's Opening 1.f4. The extra move White has makes a big difference. Soltis covers how White should play in: Part 1 :Black Doesn't Fianchetto His King's Bishop. Part 2: Black Plays Modern Systems Including ...g6. Part 3: From's Gambity(a hard gambit to meet - here is how GM's play against it). Part 4: Other Defenses Black May Play.
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In Person! The Language of Flowers - An Evening with Vanessa Diffenbaugh and Camellia Network
Tuesday, January 24 - 6pm
Main Library-Koret Auditorium - 100 Larkin St., SF
A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past. The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it's been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the Bay Area foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a San Francisco park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what's been missing in her life, and when she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.
Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After studying creative writing and education at Stanford, she went on to teach art and writing to youth in low-income communities. She and her husband, PK, have three children: Tre'von, eighteen; Chela, four; and Miles, three. Tre'von, a former foster child, is attending New York University on a Gates Millennium Scholarship. Diffenbaugh and her family currently live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is studying urban school reform at Harvard.
Vanessa Diffenbaugh is also the founder of the Camellia Network. The mission of the Camellia Network is to create a nationwide movement to support youth transitioning from foster care. In The Language of Flowers, Camellia means "My Destiny is in Your Hands." The network's name emphasizes the belief in the interconnectedness of humanity: each gift a young person receives will be accompanied by a camellia, a reminder that the destiny of our nation lies in the hands of our youngest citizens.
"Enchanting, ennobling, and powerfully engaging, Diffenbaugh's artfully accomplished debut novel lends poignant testimony to the multitude of mysteries held in the human heart." -Booklist (starred review)
"Diffenbaugh's affecting debut chronicles the first harrowing steps into adulthood taken by a deeply wounded soul who finds her only solace in an all-but-forgotten language…Struggling against all and ultimately reborn, Victoria Jones is hard to love, but very easy to root for." -Publishers Weekly
"Diffenbaugh effortlessly spins this enchanting tale, making even her prickly protagonist impossible not to love." -Entertainment Weekly
"Fascinating … Diffenbaugh, herself a foster mother, clearly knows both the human heart and her plants, and she keeps us rooting for the damaged Victoria, who comes, finally, to understand that 'the unattached, the unwanted, the unloved [can] grow to give love as lushly as anyone else.'" -O, The Oprah Magazine
"This is the story of an orphan rising above her circumstances- Jane Eyre for 2011." -San Francisco Chronicle
"Lucid and lovely … Diffenbaugh has found a vibrant way to tell a familiar story of rift (Carolina jasmine) and reconciliation (hazel)." -Wall Street Journal
Catnip for book clubs … The language of flowers, as illuminated through Victoria's words and a special appendix, turns out to be an addictive preoccupation: once you know that peonies represent anger; basil, hate; and red carnations, heartbreak; every bouquet takes on a new significance. -NPR


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Gyorko tackling the challenge of position transition
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Footwork and fundamentals. That's the primary area of focus for Jedd Gyorko this spring as the former third baseman attempts a permanent transition to second base. Gyorko, ranked as the Padres' top prospect by MLB.com, has been putting in the time to make himself a solid defender.
"I've just got to stay consistent and keep doing what I've done throughout the process," said Gyorko. "I'm getting more comfortable at second base as each day goes by. We've got some of the best coaches in baseball to teach me and guide me as I make the transition. It's going well."
Gyorko, a former second-round Draft pick, has the type of bat that will play anywhere. The 24-year-old is a career .319 hitter with a .385 on-base percentage in the Minor Leagues, and he proved that he could perform at the highest levels last season by batting .328 with a .380 OBP for Triple-A Tucson.
The second-base project began in earnest for Gyorko last season, when he played 17 games at the keystone for Double-A San Antonio and 30 more for Tucson. Things have gotten more intense this spring, and Gyorko is trying to figure out all the little aspects of playing a new position.
"You've just got to get used to the ball coming off the bat from a different angle and being around the base more," he said. "It's a slight adjustment. I've played middle infield before, so I'm comfortable over there. It's just really getting back into the groove and getting up to speed with the game. The game's a little faster up here, and you've just got to make the adjustments as the time goes on."
Gyorko, in his second go-round at the big league camp for Spring Training, plenty of time to make those adjustments. The youngster said that his first spring with the Padres was a blur of names and introductions, and he's been able to settle in and get comfortable this time around.
The Padres have All-Star Chase Headley at Gyorko's former position, and incumbent Logan Forsythe lines up at second base for San Diego. Gyorko might be able to make the leap quickly if he can get his defense under control, and manager Bud Black said he's making progress.
"He's handled second base very nicely. He's making all the plays [and] turning a real good double play. Hands are good. Feet are good," said Black. "He's done some nice things. You can tell this guy is a baseball player. He's calm on the field. He's got good instincts. He's comfortable on the diamond and he's comfortable in a big league environment. He's a self-assured, self-confident young guy."
Gyorko, who doubled on Saturday, doesn't want to improve on defense only to slide on offense. He's taking the time to master the intricacies of the game on both sides of the ball, and he knows his Minor League production won't translate to the Majors unless he works hard at it.
"It's the same things. Adjustments," he said. "You've got to get used to the pitchers. The scouting reports are going to get better, and they're going to try to find a weakness on you. And once they do, they're going to exploit it. You have to keep working and make adjustments to stay ahead."
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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DEVIZES Town were left frustrated last weekend as their Toolstation League First Division clash with Welton Rovers was called off just minutes before kick-off.
The Nursteed Road pitch passed an early morning pitch inspection on Saturday but following a downpour of rain at 2.30pm, referee Cameron Thomas opted to postpone proceedings with around ten minutes to go.
Hosts Devizes were miffed at losing out on valuable matchday revenue while Welton, who had travelled 54 miles from Midsomer Norton, were similarly disgruntled by the last-gasp postponement.
"We had 150 people waiting to watch a game of football but they ended up having to go home," said Devizes vice-chairman Neil Fautley.
"The referee asked for extra sand to be put on the goalmouths at 2.30pm and we emptied bags full but he still decided that it wasn't playable after the downpour. I know that player safety plays a part but by the same token, we're now out of pocket.
"We had to refund the gate and we lost out on the takings from the bar too. It was really frustrating."
A statement on Rovers' official website said: "This was a hugely unsatisfactory outcome to the afternoon, particularly given the willingness of both teams to play the match, and the totally polar view held by the referee as to the condition of the pitch compared to the other 150 people at the ground."
Meanwhile, Devizes are calling on the local community to pitch in and do their part to help their football club flourish.
The Nursteed Road outfit are on the lookout for potential new committee members and volunteers to help with the running of the club.
A club statement said: "Devizes Town football club wish to advise all residents of the town that they are in need of help in running the club.
"We have a small voluntary committee, who work tirelessly for the benefit of the community. The first team play in a semi-professional league and we also have a reserve team and under 18s.
"We are getting it right on the pitch but we need help off the pitch with help and support, especially on match days.
"We are also looking for more sponsorship to help with the running costs of the club.
"There is also the possibility of key members of the committee stepping down at the end of the current season if help and support is not forthcoming soon.
"So if you want a local football club, please use it or lose it."
To get in contact with the club, e-mail email@example.com.
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport


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The Twitter war between Justin Bieber and Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney rages on.
After the pair got into a verbal tussle on the social networking site on Tuesday, thousands of Beliebers have bombarded Patrick's page with threats and insults.
The musician initially seemed to have fun with the attack from Justin's fans (re-Tweeting their oft-misspelled rants) but took the bizarre feud to a new level when he changed his Twitter name to Justin Bieber, and replaced his own photo with a picture of the "Beauty and the Beat" singer rocking hipster frames (similar to his own).
Patrick also began Tweeting using the 18-year-old singer's catchphrase, "Swag," when replying to hundreds of angry pro-Justin Tweets.
"In order 2 give u guys full swag I have changed my stage name to Justin Bieber," the 32-year-old drummer Tweeted on Saturday.
"I luv all u! I need to get my beauty swag. Swag you guyz later! – Justin," he later added.
Carney even Tweeted a photo of a Justin Bieber toothbrush with the caption, "Bout to swag my teeth."
On Sunday, however, Patrick seemed to have abandoned his "swag," as he reverted back to his own name and Tweeted, "Justin is gone now. DNA recombo unsuccessful. I will try again soon though!"
Justin, who is currently on tour in Ireland, has yet to respond to Patrick's Twitter name change.
As previously on AccessHollywood.com, the fight began after Justin Tweeted, "The black keys drummer should be slapped around haha," to his 34 million followers on Tuesday night.
The Canadian pop star was up in arms over comments Patrick made to a TMZ paparazzo on Monday night, who asked if Justin should feel snubbed by the Recording Academy's lack of Grammy nominations.
"He's rich, right? Grammys are for like music, not for money … and he's making a lot of money," the drummer — whose band took home four awards at Sunday's Grammys — told TMZ. "He should be happy."
-- Erin O'Sullivan


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of FDEP's top priorities is watershed and ecosystem restoration.
The process begins with collecting reliable data. FDEP's Watershed
Monitoring Program (WMP) fills this role by taking water samples from
rivers, streams, lakes, canals, and wells around the state. Laboratory
scientists measure the levels of certain "indicator" substances in each
sample. Dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and bacteria are examples of these
water quality indicators. Other sections in FDEP use the measurements to
determine which waters are impaired and what should be done to restore
them. The success of these plans is dependent upon accurate and
representative data.
In 1996, FDEP updated its water monitoring strategy to increase
efficiency and save money. The new program, called the Integrated Water
Resource Monitoring Network (IWRM), monitors Florida's water at three
spatial scales or "tiers". Tier I relates to the state as a whole. Tier
II includes basin-scale monitoring to identify and confirm impaired
waters. Tier III consists of site-specific monitoring to determine
regulatory compliance. Results from IWRM are used in the state's
303(d) / 305(b) Report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Several FDEP and regional monitoring groups work together to achieve
the goals of IWRM. The role of the WMP is to manage two programs in Tier
I: the Status, and
Trend monitoring networks. These
programs have distinct but complementary goals. Briefly, the Status
Network provides a snapshot of Florida's current water quality; the
Trend Network measures changes over time. Open the links above for more
details. The WMP developed a new design for these networks in 2009, and
made some minor revisions in 2012. See the latest
Design Document for more information.
Along with participation in IWRM, the WMP staff leads the
Florida Water Resources
Monitoring Council. The Council aims to enhance communication among
monitoring groups to reduce duplication of efforts and to coordinate
fresh and marine monitoring programs.
Please browse the links at right for more information on Watershed
Monitoring's programs, reports, and data. For further assistance, call
us at (850) 245-8433.
Interactive Water Quality Report Cards
Status Network
Trend Network
and Trend Networks Brochure
Water Quality Data
Watershed Monitoring Sampling Manual
Sediment Guidelines
Reports, Documents, and Links
Last updated:
March 29, 2017
2012 State of Florida
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Hey guys,
First of all I'd like to apologize for the length of the post. It's mostly just copy/pasted errors... Just trying to follow some best practices and make sure that my site is compliant. Coming up with 6 errors and I'm not really sure how to fix them... If someone can point me in the right direction.
My site is wordpress. I'm very familiar navigating all of the source files, but I just don't know that much about code (e.g. I don't know when a  is allowed etc). So far I've just tried puttering around, adding a random div or closing tag but no results...
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text: Slim cotton-cashmere half-zip sweater Item A9110 Color: HTHR NORDIC BLUE Size: All sizes are US sizes. X-SMALL SMALL MEDIUM LARGE X-LARGE 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 Slim fit, cut more narrowly through the body and sleeves. Product Details Our cotton-cashmere half-zip packs a one-two punch: Combining the ease of cotton with the warmth of cashmere, this extra-chunky knit sweater is perpetually pulled together and seriously comfortable. Cotton/cashmere. Mockneck. Zipper with leather pull-tab. Dry clean. Import. Online only. Item A9110.


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Wait for Cree to Blink
It's been about six months since I last discussed Cree (CREE), the light-emitting diode (LED) and lighting company, even though the shares have been on fire. During that time, Cree shares catapulted higher and recently peaked at $45.50 -- up some 60%, compared with 8% for the S&P 500 and 5.6% for the Nasdaq Composite. That's a home run for a company that's poised to benefit from exploding LED lighting demand as LEDs inch closer to crossing into the general illumination market.
One of the key concerns with an industry that is undergoing a significant tipping point is the competitive landscape. We've seen this a few times over the last 10 to 15 years. Back in 2001, when mobile demand did not live up to expectations, many compound semiconductor player shifted gears toward LEDs. While that meant good things for the LED capital-equipment companies, it eventually led to a flood of supply that tanked LED industry pricing....423 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
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TOMORROW will see the launch of Prospect Hospice's Lottery Week which will mark the 15th anniversary of one of the charity's largest on-going fundraisers.
Each week some 8,000 residents from Swindon and Wiltshire enter the Prospect lottery for a chance to win a £1,000 cash prize.
Yet many in the region still know very little about the hospice's second-longest running campaign - an initiative which secures the organisation £400,000 annually towards end-of-life care.
"The lottery has been running for 15 years and we are having a lottery week to celebrate the fact that it is 15 years old," said Neil Harman, fundraising development manager at Prospect. "It runs every week but a lot of people still don't know that it's there. It's £1 a week to play and we ask people to sign up to a direct debit.
"67p of every pound goes back to the cause and last year it raised £400,000. It is quite a significant chunk of the overall funds we need to raise and it's growing and becoming more popular.
"It is one of our key income streams but it's also a fun way for people to support us and it's sustainable for most people."
Prospect Hospice needs to raise more than £4.3 million each year towards its running costs.
Those who miss out on the big cash prize every Friday still have the opportunity to win £100, £50, £25 or £10.
"It is tough times out there and everything people do for us is appreciated," added Neil.
"I think £1 a week falls under the radar and it's a light-hearted way to support us and ensure the care continues."
The Wroughton charity is hoping hundreds of new participants will enter the draw to mark the initiative's anniversary by the end of Lottery Week on April 5.
Unlike most fundraisers, lucky residents each week reap some enviable financial rewards for their generosity.
"We have a winner every Friday and one of the most fun parts of the job is calling the winner," said Neil. "Some people are gobsmacked, some think it's a wind up and some people get emotional. £1 a week is not a life-changing amount of money but it is for our patients and £1,000 is always welcome."
To enter the Prospect Lottery go on www.prospect-hospice.net/ Supporter/Lottery


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Jennifer Aniston Wearing Cargo Pants in NYC
Jennifer Aniston Stops to Shop With That Famous Hair
Jennifer Aniston went casual in cargos, flip-flops, and her Tom Ford bag to shop Madison Avenue in NYC yesterday. She's on the East Coast promoting her new Living Proof web series, Good Hair Day, and attended a launch event for the show Wednesday. Jennifer was joined by her hairstylist Chris McMillan for the press day, during which she talked about learning "what not to do" with her hair after cutting it off in her teens. Jennifer also revealed that she loves Kate Moss and Gisele Bündchen's looks, though she might be taking on a different style soon — Chris shared that Jennifer "wants to do a drastic look for" an upcoming role. He's not the only person on Jennifer's team who's talking about her lately, since her yoga teacher Mandy Ingber recently told us that Jennifer is an "amazing, positive force."
If you're a fan of Jennifer, then make sure to vote for her in our POPSUGAR 100 contest for the chance to win a Victoria Beckham handbag!


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In her PEOPLE.com blog, Diem Brown, the Real World/Road Rules Challenge contestant recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the second time, opens up about her desire for a child and the ups and downs of cancer and fertility procedures.
Watching a loved one go through a "hardship" makes you feel helpless; you want to fix their problem, heal their pain, alleviate their stress.
So we send flowers, cards, gift baskets, etc., to let them know they are always on our minds. We also participate in Race for the Cure-type events to show them we want to "fix" the hardship they are facing. You may still feel helpless to heal a loved one's pain, but you have shown you are with them in their fight. You have become their advocate.
Another type of helpless feeling comes from a story on the news, like the devastatingly tragic, almost-unbearable-to-read shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn.
You instantly feel pain and utter anguish inside as the inconceivable reality burns through your chest. You feel so deeply connected to the people affected by the devastation but you don't know how to help. You feel helpless.
My suggestion is … become their advocate!
• Sign their national sympathy card online here.
• Donate to the Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims Relief Fund.
Or you can also become their advocate for change.
For this particular tragedy, the way to prevent or stop this from happening again is a heated debate. The main two sides I keep seeing on Facebook, Twitter or magazine covers involve the mental illness vs. gun control debate.
Whatever your stance may be about looking at the treatment of mental illness in this country or wanting to change certain gun control laws in this country … take action and be an advocate for whatever change you are passionate about.
I became an advocate for patient's support because I felt so lost, confused and overwhelmed during my battles with cancer. I know this week's blog may seem a lil' "off topic," but I know firsthand how passion for a cause really does lead to helping people in ways you could never imagine!
"Take actions on your passions. Become an advocate!"
More Diem Brown Blog Posts
• Diem Brown Films Her Hair Loss After Cancer Treatment
• Diem: Why I'm Sharing My Cancer Fight


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THE Prime Minister David Cameron visited the Stourbridge News during a whistle-stop tour of the West Midlands today (Monday July 7).
Mr Cameron toured the Newsquest Midlands newsroom in Stourbridge taking time to talk to Stourbridge News chief reporter Bev Holder about this week's edition of the paper.
And Stourbridge News editor and Newsquest Midlands South group editor Paul Walker gave Mr Cameron a tour of the newsroom.
He said: "It was an honour to have the Prime Minister visit our newsroom and see our operation for himself.
"He was interested in the work that we do and how we continue to cover the areas which our newspapers represent to the best of our abilities."
The Stourbridge News, Halesowen News, Dudley News, Kidderminster Shuttle, Redditch Advertiser, Bromsgrove Advertiser and the Droitwich Advertiser are all based at the Stourbridge offices of Newsquest, in St John's Road.
Mr Cameron said: "It is great to see up close the work that local newspapers do in the community and a pleasure to see such a thriving newsroom."
After his tour of the newsroom, the Prime Minister then had a ten-minute one on one interview with News Group reporter Adam Smith.
The visit followed the Prime Minister's stop-off at Halesowen College where he announced the Government's Growth Fund scheme which will see millions pumped into the Black Country to improve the local economy.


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Dimensions Revealed For Upcoming Playset...
Mattel has released a new video where Brand Manger Scott Neitlich shares with fans the measurements of their upcoming Castle Grayskull Playset (Hint: It's BIG). In scale with the 6-inch Masters of the Universe Classics line, the new Castle Grayskull measures approximately 23-inches tall at its highest peak, 15-inches wide, and 26-inches when fully open. Castle Grayskull is scheduled to ship during the fourth quarter of 2013. It is available for pre-order now at MattyCollector.com priced at $275. Pre-order ends March 4, 2013 9 a.m. PT.
CLICK HERE for tons of Castle Grayskull photos from Toy Fair.
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