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Among early Buddhists Pali was considered linguistically similar to, or even a direct continuation of, the Old Magadhi language. Many Theravada sources refer to the Pali language as "Magadhan" or the "language of Magadha". This identification first appears in the commentaries, and may have been an attempt by Buddhists to associate themselves more closely with the Mauryans. The Buddha taught in Magadha, but the four most important places in his life are all outside of it. It is likely that he taught in several closely related dialects of Middle Indo-Aryan, which had a very high degree of mutual intelligibility.
There is no attested dialect of Middle Indo-Aryan with all the features of Pali. Pali has some commonalities with both the Ashokan inscriptions at Girnar in the West of India, and at Hathigumpha in the East. Similarities to the Western inscription may be misleading, because the inscription suggests that the Ashokan scribe may not have translated the material he received from Magadha into the vernacular of the people there.
According to Norman, it is likely that the viharas in North India had separate collections of material, preserved in the local dialect. In the early period it is likely that no degree of translation was necessary in communicating this material to other areas. Around the time of Ashoka there had been more linguistic divergence, and an attempt was made to assemble all the material. It is possible that a language quite close to the Pali of the canon emerged as a result of this process as a compromise of the various dialects in which the earliest material had been preserved, and this language functioned as a lingua franca among Eastern Buddhists in India from then on. Following this period, the language underwent a small degree of Sanskritisation (i.e., MIA bamhana -> brahmana, tta -> tva in some cases).[4]
T.W. Rhys Davids in his book Buddhist India,[5] and Wilhelm Geiger in his book Pali Literature and Language, suggested that Pali may have originated as a form of lingua franca or common language of culture among people who used differing dialects in North India, used at the time of the Buddha and employed by him. Another scholar states that at that time it was "a refined and elegant vernacular of all Aryan-speaking people."[6] Modern scholarship has not arrived at a consensus on the issue; there are a variety of conflicting theories with supporters and detractors.[7] After the death of the Buddha, Pali may have evolved among Buddhists out of the language of the Buddha as a new artificial language.[8] Bhikkhu Bodhi, summarizing the current state of scholarship, states that the language is "closely related to the language (or, more likely, the various regional dialects) that the Buddha himself spoke." He goes on to write:
Scholars regard this language as a hybrid showing features of several Prakrit dialects used around the third century BCE, subjected to a partial process of Sanskritization. While the language is not identical with any the Buddha himself would have spoken, it belongs to the same broad linguistic family as those he might have used and originates from the same conceptual matrix. This language thus reflects the thought-world that the Buddha inherited from the wider Indian culture into which he was born, so that its words capture the subtle nuances of that thought-world.[9]
Whatever the relationship of the Buddha's speech to Pali, the Canon was eventually transcribed and preserved entirely in it, while the commentarial tradition that accompanied it (according to the information provided by Buddhaghosa) was translated into Sinhalese and preserved in local languages for several generations. R.C. Childers, who held to the theory that Pali was Old Magadhi, wrote: "Had Gautama never preached, it is unlikely that Magadhese would have been distinguished from the many other vernaculars of Hindustan, except perhaps by an inherent grace and strength which make it a sort of Tuscan among the Prakrits."[10]
However Pali was ultimately supplanted in India by Sanskrit as a literary and religious language following the formulation of Classical Sanskrit by the scholar Pāṇini. In Sri Lanka, Pali is thought to have entered into a period of decline ending around the 4th or 5th century (as Sanskrit rose in prominence, and simultaneously, as Buddhism's adherents became a smaller portion of the subcontinent), but ultimately survived. The work of Buddhaghosa was largely responsible for its reemergence as an important scholarly language in Buddhist thought. The Visuddhimagga and the other commentaries that Buddhaghosa compiled codified and condensed the Sinhalese commentarial tradition that had been preserved and expanded in Sri Lanka since the 3rd century BCE.


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A Study of DOX-SL in the Treatment of AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma
This study has been completed.
Sequus Pharmaceuticals
Information provided by:
NIH AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: November 2, 1999
Last updated: June 23, 2005
Last verified: January 1996
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Detailed Description:
To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Stealth liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX-SL) in the long-term treatment of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in patients who previously had good responses to DOX-SL in controlled studies of limited duration, or those with KS who discontinued treatment with another Kaposi's sarcoma therapy because of inadequate efficacy or unacceptable toxicity. To provide a defined protocol for Kaposi's sarcoma patients for whom DOX-SL therapy is indicated.
|Sarcoma, Kaposi HIV Infections
|Drug: Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal)
|Phase 3
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Open Trial of DOX-SL (Stealth Liposomal Doxorubicin Hydrochloride) in the Treatment of Moderate to Severe AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma
Resource links provided by NLM:
MedlinePlus related topics: HIV/AIDS Kaposi's Sarcoma Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Drug Information available for: Doxorubicin Doxorubicin hydrochlorideU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by NIH AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service:
Patients receive DOX-SL every 3 weeks for a maximum of 20 cycles (including any cycles from a previous DOX-SL study). KS lesions are evaluated prior to administration of each treatment, at the end of the final treatment cycle, and at 4 weeks following the end of the final treatment. Patients who respond will be followed every 2 months for up to 1 year. Study treatment may be interrupted for up to 4 months because of complete response, development of opportunistic infections, or adverse drug effects.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria
Concurrent Medication:
- Prophylaxis for PCP, cryptococcal, and herpes infections, and antiretroviral therapy provided these doses have been stable for at least 1 month.
- Maintenance therapy for tuberculosis, fungal, and herpes infections.
- Therapy for new episodes of tuberculosis, fungal, and herpes infections except with potentially myelotoxic chemotherapy.
- Foscarnet or ganciclovir for CMV infection.
- Colony stimulating factors and erythropoietin.
Patients must have:
- Moderate to severe AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma.
- Documented anti-HIV antibody.
- No active opportunistic infection with mycobacteria, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma, Pneumocystis carinii, or other microorganisms (if under treatment with myelotoxic drugs).
- Eligible KS patients include those who have discontinued therapy in the control arm of a DOX-SL KS study because of side effects or inadequate efficacy OR other KS patients for whom DOX-SL is believed to be indicated. Patients must not be eligible for other Liposome Technology protocols comparing DOX-SL with established therapies.
Exclusion Criteria
Co-existing Condition:
Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:
- Clinically significant cardiac disease.
- Confusion or disorientation.
Concurrent Medication:
- Other cytotoxic cancer chemotherapy.
Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded:
- Prior neoplasms treated with extensive chemotherapy that, in the investigator's opinion, has led to an irreversibly compromised marrow function.
- History of idiosyncratic or allergic reaction to anthracyclines.
- History of major psychiatric illness.
Prior Medication:
Excluded within the past 4 weeks:
- Cytotoxic chemotherapy (other than in a qualifying Liposome Technology protocol).
- Interferon treatment.
Prior Treatment:
Excluded within the past 3 weeks:
- Radiation or electron beam therapy.
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: NCT00002319
Show 33 Study Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00002319
Show 33 Study Locations
Sponsors and Collaborators
Sequus Pharmaceuticals
More Information
Keywords provided by NIH AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
Jablonowski H, Szelenyi H, Armbrecht C, Mauss S, Niederau C, Strohmeyer G. Liposomal doxorubicin--a new formulation for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma: a study on safety and efficacy in AIDS patients. Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11;9(1):397 (abstract no PO-B12-1573)
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00002319 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|November 2, 1999
|Last Updated:
|June 23, 2005
Keywords provided by NIH AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service:
Sarcoma, Kaposi
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Drug Carriers
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Sarcoma, Kaposi
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Neoplasms, Connective and Soft Tissue
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Herpesviridae Infections
DNA Virus Infections
Neoplasms, Vascular Tissue
Liposomal doxorubicin
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
Antineoplastic Agents
Topoisomerase II Inhibitors
Topoisomerase Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017

subset: commoncrawl


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- BSO Case Number: 08-1308-000709
- PIO Number: 13-8-37
- Date: August 14, 2013
- Time: 2:20 p.m.
- Place of Occurrence: 294 Indian Trace, Weston
- Jurisdiction: Weston
- various
- unidentified female (surveillance video released)
Description of Incident:
Two women shopping at Publix were targeted by a matronly thief who lifted their wallets from their carts as they shopped. The thief, wearing glasses, a purple and pink, sleeveless, floral top and dark pants, escaped in a small, dark grey car waiting outside.
Broward Sheriff's Office detectives released surveillance video of one of the thefts. The incident happened just after 2:20 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Publix at 294 Indian Trace in Weston.
The thief, unnoticed by other shoppers, wandered with a cart through the grocery store aisles, pretending to look at items. She got close enough to another shopper's cart to peek into her open purse and then, as the distracted shopper looked at groceries, the pink-clad criminal reached into the woman's purse, lifted her wallet and slipped it into her own purse.
Then she quickly turned her cart down an aisle and disappeared from view. Within seconds, the victim noticed her purse was gone. By then, the matronly thief was headed out of the store and into the getaway vehicle.
Anyone with information about this crime can call BSO Det. Doug Wendt or Det. Jim Hayes at (954) 659-3531 or report tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Broward County at (954) 493-TIPS (8477) or online at www.browardcrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $3,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
Media note: The surveillance video is available at www.sheriff.org.
- INVESTIGATORS: Dets. Hayes, Wendt, Sgt. Champagne, CID, Weston
- THIS REPORT BY: Dani Moschella 08/29/13 1530
Posted At: 08/29/2013 03:49 PM
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Unofficial Election Results Ascertained for Braddock District Precinct 105
March 11, 2009
News Highlights
More Information
According to unofficial election results, John C. Cook has won the vacant Braddock District seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Votes from all 25 precincts have been counted.
Ballots cast at Braddock Precinct 105 Fairview were recorded properly. The complete results were tabulated at today's Fairfax County Electoral Board meeting:
- John C. Cook 6,292 votes
- Ilryong Moon 6,203 votes
- Cary C. Campbell 260 votes
According to the Code of Virginia, a candidate may appeal for a recount if the margin of victory is within 1 percent.
The Braddock District seat was vacated by Sharon Bulova, who was elected Board of Supervisors chairman on Feb. 3.
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director, Office of Public Affairs
703-324-3189, TTY 711, Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
To request this information in an alternate format, call 703-324-3187, TTY 711


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Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Corker, and Members of the Committee; thank you for inviting me to testify on the ongoing U.S. response to Syria's humanitarian crisis. Thank you also for your continued support for our humanitarian programs around the world, which make a positive difference every day in the lives of millions.
I last testified on the Syria crisis for the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs seven months ago and since then we have seen another 30,000 deaths, reflecting the staggering escalation of violence. In just the last year, the number of reported deaths has tripled from 26,000 to more than 100,000. The number in need inside Syria jumped from 2.5 million people to more than 6.8 million—roughly the equivalent of the combined populations of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut. And now with over two million refugees, a national crisis has fully evolved into a regional crisis, putting severe strains on vulnerable communities of neighboring countries.
According to a recent report released by the U.N., Syria has lost 35 years in human development as a result of two and a half years of this brutal conflict. And behind these jarring statistics is the very real toll on the people of Syria who survive—the women who continue to endure rape and violence; the 'lost generation' of Syrian children now out of school for two years; and the roughly five million people displaced inside Syria with neither enough to eat nor a safe way out.
As the crisis has escalated, the United States has accelerated our humanitarian response at every step. We have now contributed nearly $1.4 billion in humanitarian assistance to help meet the urgent needs of 4.2 million people across all 14 governorates inside Syria and the more than 2 million refugees.
But the stubborn challenges of access, insecurity, and resources continue to prevent the international community from reaching all those who desperately need our help. Seized with the urgency of this crisis, in early October, and in the wake of concerted international action on securing chemical weapons, the U. N. Security Council unanimously adopted a Presidential Statement (PRST) on humanitarian access, urging all parties to the conflict to facilitate immediate humanitarian access to all those in need, importantly, across borders and conflict lines. To date, the PRST represents the first and most significant show of global political will to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches those who need it most. But now, we need this statement to translate into real action—and compliance—on the ground.
The urgency of real action is underscored by recent reports of serious food shortages and disease outbreaks among communities literally blockaded and made unreachable by the regime. And, as cold weather approaches, we anticipate increased reports of catastrophic needs. Coming on the heels of the U.N. Security Council resolution on the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons program, the U.S. government is working with intensity to mobilize the international community to translate agreement into action on the ground to enable life-saving assistance to reach those Syrians desperately in need after two years of a brutal civil war.
Today, I'd like to update you on the U.S. government humanitarian response and the challenges we still face.
The U.S. Humanitarian Response
The United States continues to work through all possible channels—the United Nations, international and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local Syrian organizations—to reach those in need with life-saving supplies and services. Since this time last year, we have scaled up the number of our partners inside Syria from 12 to 26. To cope with a conflict with shifting lines, we have shored up systems and supply lines to increase our ability to reach all 14 governorates throughout the country.
U.S. humanitarian assistance in Syria is focused on four key areas: emergency medical care, food assistance, the provision of much-needed relief supplies, and the protection of vulnerable populations.
Medical Care
For almost two years, the U.S. government has provided emergency medical care to those caught in the crossfire. Today, we support 260 medical facilities across Syria. These field hospitals and makeshift clinics have treated more than 940,000 patients and performed more than 113,000 surgeries. We have trained over 1,500 Syrian volunteers to provide emergency first aid care.
With the onset of warmer weather and communicable diseases on the rise last spring, we worked with partners to establish an early warning system for communicable diseases, which require early detection and fast response to prevent devastating consequences. We note with great concern the 10 cases of polio affecting under-immunized children under two in Syria's Dayr az Zawr Governorate that have been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO reports that immunizations have started in the area, but we remain concerned about the spread of this crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease.
The United States has also provided mental health support—such as operating child-friendly spaces, conducting emergency psychosocial first aid, and trainings in child protection—for more than 26,000 vulnerable people in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and host communities. None of this vital medical assistance would be possible without the courage of the Syrian health workers who risk their lives on the front lines every day.
Food Assistance
The United States remains the single largest donor of emergency food assistance for the Syria crisis. Our partners, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and non-governmental organizations, now reach more than three million people inside Syria and over one million Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt each month—and U.S. food aid presently accounts for more than one-third of all food assistance received by conflict-affected Syrian families.
USAID's Emergency Food Security Program enables us to deliver food assistance rapidly through a variety of flexible mechanisms—including local and regional purchase and voucher programs—that allow us to address food needs of Syrian refugees and invest in neighboring communities. Staying flexible is a central part of our approach and, without question, adds to our ability to help meet daily needs. Since January, for example, through partnerships with NGOs, we have supported delivery of approximately 18,000 metric tons of food to conflict-affected families in Aleppo governorate not reached by WFP, feeding over a quarter of a million people on a daily basis.
Relief Supplies
With millions more displaced this winter than last, fierce winter forecasts, and heightened vulnerability after another year of conflict, the United States is focused on mobilizing a significant winterization response. In addition to basic supplies—communal cooking kits, blankets, mattresses, clothing, plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, water jugs—we are also improving infrastructure and shelters in camp and non-camp areas.
All our humanitarian assistance programs seek to reach the most vulnerable populations—women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly—who often face extraordinary levels of violence and abuse. Sadly, women and children often fare the worst in war, and the crisis in Syria is no exception. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious concern. U.S. government medical support includes services for GBV survivors through women's health centers, mobile clinics, and outreach teams that provide health and psychosocial services to women who desperately need it. Simple solutions, like supporting all-purpose women's washing and gathering spaces in camps for the internally displaced, can prove life-changing.
Building on the momentum of the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security as well as the U.S. Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender Based Violence Globally, Secretary Kerry announced a new $10 million global initiative last month in New York, called Safe from the Start—a joint Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration/USAID commitment to elevate our focus on the scourge of GBV. In Syria, that means we have looked at all of our programs with the goal of prioritizing and incorporating protection for women and children.
Key Challenges
But the single-greatest factor limiting humanitarian aid remains the ongoing, intensifying conflict. Despite persistent pushing for greater humanitarian access, including across borders, the U.N. still estimates that 2.5 million people in need have not received help for almost a year. The regime continues to actively blockade whole communities.
This siege on civilians is unconscionable. The recently passed PRST lays down markers for the Syrian regime regarding the world's expectations that it will provide international humanitarian relief agencies with the immediate and unfettered access they have long been denied. It outlines very specific steps that are essential to facilitate the expansion of humanitarian relief operations and address the obstacles that already exist on the ground. These steps include:
- Immediately demilitarizing medical facilities, schools, and water stations and refraining from targeting all civilian objects;
- Approving access for additional domestic and international NGOs;
- Easing and expediting the operationalization of humanitarian hubs, the entry and movement of humanitarian personnel and convoys by granting necessary visas and permits;
- Accelerating the importation of humanitarian goods and equipment like communications tools, protective armored vehicles, and medical and surgical equipment; and, most importantly,
- Facilitating humanitarian workers' immediate and unfettered access to people in need.
There are concrete steps that the Syrian regime can take to allow the international community to reach innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. For example, we have seen some instances of aid delivery across battle lines so we know such access is possible. Through delicate negotiations with the Syrian Government and opposition factions, and with the critical partnership of the Syrian Coalition, approximately 30 U.N.-sponsored convoys reached displaced Syrians through cross-line efforts from January to September 2013. But more help is urgently needed, and time is not on our side.
The U.S. Government is seized with this issue, but getting the Syrian regime to comply will require coordinated diplomatic support from all sides. We were encouraged by Russia and China's support for the PRST and now, this support must be followed with significant pressure. U.S. diplomats are working with key international actors that have influence in Syria to convince all parties to the conflict to expand humanitarian access now.
Assistance to Neighboring Countries and Host Communities
With more than two million Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, this crisis is now truly regional, threatening the stability of nations struggling to support this massive influx. As these countries host growing refugee communities, our commitment is to continue to support both refugees and those host communities bearing much of the brunt.
Beyond food, medical care, and other traditional relief supplies, U.S. government assistance for refugees includes innovative methods to meet the needs of refugees living in urban populations, such as food vouchers and debit cards for use in local markets, and cash assistance to help refugees pay rent. On my last visit to the region in August, I met with Syrian refugees now living in the outskirts of Amman, who named the cost of rent as their greatest concern.
With the majority of Syrian refugees now living outside camps, U.S. government support for food vouchers and other emergency food assistance to Syrian refugees now totals more than $177 million, injecting cash into local economies and alleviating pressures on communities that are hosting refugees.
U.S. assistance for host communities was a major focus of my travel in August to Jordan and Lebanon, where in some cases Syrian refugees now outnumber the Jordanian or Lebanese people in villages, and vital resources like water are already scarce. In both countries, we see that the poorest communities clearly overlap with the greatest concentration of refugees. Tensions between locals and refugees over resources exist in both countries, so we are paying close attention to key infrastructure, health, and education programming and ramping up efforts to help ensure delivery of essential services at the local level so host communities directly benefit from our assistance.
In Jordan, where domestic water supply is among the lowest in the world, USAID's Complex Crises Fund (CCF) not only helps communities withstanding mass influxes of refugees to access clean water themselves but also to improve water use efficiency, meaning they can provide water for their livestock and sustain their livelihoods. More recently, we launched a $21 million Community Engagement Project that works closely with communities to identify their most pressing challenges and meet growing community needs: school infrastructure, public parks preservation, lighting, medical equipment, and youth clubs. These programs are helping the Jordanian people and their communities cope with the influx and continue to welcome the influx and continue to welcome Syrian refugees.
In Lebanon, where an estimated one quarter of the population is now Syrian refugees and the spillover effects of the crisis appear the most acute, we are similarly focused on water and education as well as a value-chain development program to advance agriculture in heavily affected areas like the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon's northeast.
Providing support to host communities will be an ongoing challenge for the international community. We are partnering with host country governments and the international donor community to prioritize development assistance needs, including in Jordan where the Government of Jordan, along with UNHCR and UNDP, is developing a Host Community Coordination Platform to coordinate direct humanitarian and development support to host communities. At the request of the Government of Lebanon, the World Bank recently released a "Roadmap" identifying priority assistance areas to help Lebanon manage the impact of the Syrian crisis and develop the public service infrastructure needed to sustain the dramatic increases in its population.
These partnerships and assessments are vital to charting an effective way forward as we work to address the long-term effects of Syria's protracted conflict. Well aware that Syria's humanitarian crisis now presents a fundamental development challenge for the region, international humanitarian and development donors will reconvene in Amman next week to continue mapping coordinated efforts essential to alleviating immediate pressures on neighboring populations—and ensuring the stability and long-term development of countries in the region.
Humanitarian assistance will not end the bloodshed in Syria, but it is saving lives and helping alleviate the very real pressures this protracted conflict has put on the lives of everyday people throughout the region. The United States remains fully committed to a strong humanitarian response—and to coordinating closely with our international development partners—to help the Syrian people and Syria's neighbors endure this crisis. Your Congressional support has been vital in enabling life-saving humanitarian assistance work throughout the region.
The breakthrough agreement among members of the United Nations Security Council on the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons program, followed closely by the issuance of a statement endorsing emergency assistance to Syrians, has given new hope to aid workers inside Syria. These aid workers, most of them Syrian, have risked their lives daily to ensure help reaches those most in need, but effective humanitarian action will require cooperation from the Assad regime, opposition groups, and the foreign governments that until now have allowed their Syrian allies to stand in the way of or undermine relief operations.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your questions.
Last updated: December 03, 2013


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Award Season Stand Out's
Already this year, millions of viewers have tuned in to popular award shows to see who would win which prestigious awards, and more importantly what they would be wearing when doing so.
The ladies have undoubtedly stepped up to the challenge of representing the new 2013 trends and some men have stood out as well, freshinging up the classic tuxedo look with strategic use of accessories and/or color.
Robert Downey Jr. and Justin Timberlake represent perfect examples of using accessories to turn traditional wear into statement outfits. Downey Jr. presented at the Oscars in an Armani black-on-black jersey tuxedo with a polka-dot pocket square and Oliver Peoples XXV-RX glasses. For this reason, his clever wit was not the only thing that made him stand out in the crowd.
Similarly, at the Grammys Timberlake chose a Tom Ford black-on-black pinstripe suit accessorized with a black and white pocket square, a funky bow tie and saddle shoe inspired kicks. Thus, both were able to successfully achieve fresh, red carpet looks that maintained the desired classic aura.
In contrast to many of the male attendees at the Grammys who chose to stick with basic black and white looks, both Daniel Day-Lewis and Samuel L. Jackson stood out thanks to their use of color. Lewis selected a beautifully cut Domenico Vacca midnight blue tuxedo that both accentuated his slim figure and made a major red carpet statement. Therefore, when he was honored with the prestigious title of first male to be awarded Best Actor three times, he came across gracious, witty and extremely well put together.
Jackson chose an Armani velvet red blazer with matching gray suit pants. While the bow tie he accessorized the look with was not necessarily a stand out piece, his decision to wear a bold color should be applauded.
While there were fewer stand-out males, the majority of the female attendees of both the Grammys and Oscars wore statement pieces, hopefully setting a trend for the year. Not only have a myriad of different cuts and colors been represented but lengths and overall styling techniques have also shown diversity.
Perhaps one of the most memorable Grammy moments includes Rihanna and her custom Azzedine Alaia gown. The dramatic red and carefully designed sheer overlay easily won her the Best Dressed title. Furthermore, Jane Fonda made clear that age does not diminish one's ability to look effortlessly chic in her yellow Versace gown at the Oscars.
Thanks to all of those celebrities, male and female, who are making great statements at award shows so far this year. It will be exciting to see what the rest of the year holds for red carpet fashion.


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I had to halt all my other blog post ideas as soon as I added this new product earlier today. Combining the best of kitsch and utility, I present to you: the Maritime Shot Glass.
This itty-bitty shot glass has all the flair of a full-sized beer stein without requiring much counter space. Personally, it makes me want to find some Irish tunes or other folk music to play on repeat. This is a great item for a new bar/pub or oceanside restaurant; keep it in mind when springbreak rolls around and you want to give away fun keepsake. It's unique spin will be sure to make this shot glass, and your logo, stand out.
Merchandising Assistant


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LAKE COUNTY -- Krista LeVier was appointed executive officer of the Lake County Superior Court. LeVier takes over the position vacated by Mary Smith, who is retiring on Dec. 7 after seven years with the court.
The Court Executive Officer is responsible for all nonjudicial functions of the court, including personnel management, preparation and management of the Court budget and finances. The Court Executive Officer serves as clerk of the court and as jury commissioner.
LeVier is a graduate of California State University, Chico, with a degree in Public Administration. She has spent the past eight years working for the Lake County Superior Court. During that time she has served in many different capacities including court clerk, human resources manager and most recently as the assistant court executive officer.
"The court system has seen many challenges over the last several years," LeVier said. "It has been inspiring to watch our staff continuously adapt to these difficult changes. With challenges come opportunities for change. I look forward to continuing to work with our dedicated staff to come out of this challenging time a more accessible and efficient court system."
LeVier said she and her husband Daryl are proud to call Lake County home, having both graduated from Clear Lake High School and returned to Lake County after a short stint living out of county to attend college.


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One Step Ahead
Sophisticated Gamblers Use Legal Techniques to Gain Small Advantages at Casino Games
(continued from page 5)
He's sitting on the opposite side of a marble coffee table, in a hotel room 30 stories above the Strip in Las Vegas. He watches as the plastic-wrap seal is broken on a fresh pack of Bee playing cards, the brand used at dozens of casinos around the world.
"Here's what you do," Forte says. "Give them a good riffle, then cut. Then riffle again. Then cut. Then a final riffle and cut."
As directed, the cards are mixed. "Great. You've basically executed the identical shuffle used in some of the biggest casinos in
Las Vegas, the ones that take the largest bets in the world. You would think they'd go to great lengths to thoroughly mix their cards, to achieve true randomness, right?"
Las Vegas, the ones that take the largest bets in the world. You would think they'd go to great lengths to thoroughly mix their cards, to achieve true randomness, right?"
After a nod of agreement, Forte continues. "Deal me a few hands of 21," Forte says, pointing to the coffee table. "I'll bet an imaginary $25 a hand. Deal yourself a hand, too. And don't let me see your hole card. You're the House."
Dealing four hands, Forte "loses" three out of four hands to the House's 19. "Good. This worked out really well," he says, smiling. "It's not always this easy."
"It just so happens that the next card off the deck, if I am not mistaken, is going to be the ace of spades. Then, six cards later, we're going to see the ace of hearts. So I'll give you some decent play on those spots, like $500 a hand."
The cards are dealt. Forte's aces appear exactly as predicted. "Getting an ace as your first card in 21 gives you 50 percent advantage over the House," he explains. "It doesn't get much stronger than that."
Forte hasn't touched the cards. He allowed me to shuffle and cut the deck, and I'm certain the cards are not marked. It's like being a first-time visitor to a magic show. The only viable question is: "How did you do that?"
"Did you look at your hole card? Don't bother," he says, smiling. "It's the seven of hearts."
Formerly one of the world's most successful gamblers, Forte is intimately familiar with every advantage play to hit the casinos in the past 10 years. He's widely credited with conceiving many of them.
Forte, 38, is the president of International Gaming Specialists, a consulting firm that works with casinos worldwide on "game protection" issues, teaching them how to defend their tables from cheaters, scam artists and, surprisingly, themselves. Because of inadequate procedures, exploitable equipment or lax supervision, many casinos leave themselves exposed to what are known in the industry as "advantage players," players who use all available information and any legitimate strategy to gain an edge. These players annually beat the casinos out of millions.
"In the last decade, advantage players have had more effect on the gambling industry than cheaters ever had," Forte says. "Casinos regularly overhaul their game procedures because advantage players discover profitable weaknesses." The emergence of card counters (Cigar Aficionado, Spring 1994), for example, forced casinos to deal only two-thirds or three-quarters of a deck, instead of the 25/26 they formerly offered. But the vast majority of people who go to casinos have no idea that these powerful advantage techniques exist. The average "Square John" (sucker gambler) and the skilled advantage player look as if they're playing the same game. The only difference is that the advantage player wins.
Some of the advantage plays Forte employed in his former career were known to only a few hundred people in the world; others were known by only a few dozen. Now Forte is willing to share some of these powerful techniques, most of which have never before been revealed in the mainstream press.
He warns that advantage plays are not merely "tricks"--infallible gimmicks that will turn losers into winners. These methods take hours of practice, require significant mental agility and often prove too difficult for the casual gambler. Applied incorrectly, some advantage techniques will cost players more money than if they had simply relied on luck.
Applied correctly, however, they can destroy the casino's edge.
The cards are shuffled again; several hands of blackjack are dealt. With seemingly extrasensory precision, Forte correctly predicts where the aces will fall, which suit will appear first and the value of my hole card.
"It's called shuffle-tracking," he says.
Initially mentioned around the turn of the century in an obscure magic book by Charles Jordan and C. O. Williams, shuffle-tracking, or sequence-tracking, is an advantage technique that Forte first employed in the mid-1980s. To create true randomness, a deck of 52 cards needs to be shuffled at least seven times. But the more casinos shuffle, the more money they "lose" because their profits are related to the number of hands they get out per hour. (The more hands they deal to sucker gamblers, the more money they win.) Virtually all the casinos in the country shuffle their deck only an average of three times. Sequence-tracking exploits this weakness.
When shuffled purely, cards will "move" to an easily predicted spot in the deck. If, for example, the ace of spades immediately follows the three of diamonds in the deck, after one riffle (or shuffle) the ace will be the second card away from the three; another riffle will leave it four cards down and a third will leave it eight cards from its original position. (Turn two touching cards face up, shuffle the deck and see for yourself.) By memorizing three card sequences--usually two "key cards" preceding or surrounding the "target card" (an ace)--the accomplished sequence tracker can collect enough data to follow the progress of desired cards through the casino's not-at-all-random mixing procedure.
At my request, Forte demonstrates the practicality of continual tracking: as he correctly predicts where the aces will fall on the first deal, he memorizes sequences to be applied on the next deal. Sure enough, five consecutive deals provide him with a steady stream of aces on his imaginary big-money bets. I ask Forte if sequence-tracking works in multideck games, including baccarat.
"Absolutely," he says.
In fact, the "lace" shuffle some casinos use in their high-limit baccarat pits--where the dealer often exposes five- and six-card clumps to the player nearest him--creates memorizable "slugs" (distinct sequences) that make the game particularly vulnerable to advantage players. The current issue of Blackjack Forum, a quarterly aimed at sophisticated players, provides more details about shuffle-tracking, including instructions on how to "map" a schematic of all known casino shuffles.
"Before trying sequence-tracking, you need to do some research," Forte advises. "Dealer selection is crucial. You want to find a dealer who breaks the cards evenly and shuffles correctly, just like they're taught in dealer school. Female dealers, especially ones with small, delicate hands are often the best targets."
While staking out a casino for trackable dealers, Forte also recommends looking for hole-card plays, when blackjack dealers inadvertently expose their hole cards. The advantage is obvious: when you know the dealer is "stiff" (holding 12-16) and prone to bust, you can waver from basic strategy and stand on bad hands you would otherwise hit. "You would be surprised how many dealers give up their hole cards," Forte says. "At one point, with some research, I had a journal of 300 Las Vegas dealers susceptible to hole-card plays. Walk around any casino in America and look carefully: the serious advantage player can still find them." (Strolling through one of the most famous casinos on the Vegas Strip, Forte finds three in 10 minutes.)
Be aware also of dealers with distinct "tells," the subconscious body language commonly associated with poker, the subtle mannerisms and gestures that frequently expose the value of a hand. Until the mid-'80s, nearly 100 percent of the "21" dealers in Nevada peeked at their hole card if they had an ace or a ten-value card and up. (They were looking for naturals, instant winners for the House.) Then Forte published a book entitled Read the Dealer, which taught advantage players how to discern the dealer's hole card through nonverbal signals. Thanks to Forte's powerful treatise--a book that helped teams of "tell" players win fortunes--only about 15 percent of the casinos in America currently peek. At the ones that still do, many dealers unwittingly employ a vocabulary of physical or verbal signs that the astute player can use to his advantage.
Although reading dealer tells is a rich and complex science that requires some practice, there are a couple of basic guidelines: a dealer who is rooting for the players to win will usually pull back from the table when he has a bad hand and lean into it when he is pat. And in a single- or double-deck game, when a dealer is pat, he'll usually keep his nondeck hand far from his body; when he has a stiff, the nondeck hand will wander inward, away from the players, as if to say, "you're fine, let me take the hit."
Another way to exploit dealer-furnished information is playing the "warps." For this advantage technique, Forte suggests looking for male dealers, particularly big, overpowering types who handle the cards aggressively. When this kind of dealer looks under his tens or aces to check for blackjacks, he is prone to put a readable warp into the cards. At a casino where the dealers peek under all aces and ten-value cards, it doesn't take long for the deck to become "set up": all the little cards get bent one way (convex) and all the premium cards get bent the opposite way (concave). Several years ago a player in a small Egyptian casino encountered an old deck so hopelessly buckled, it was like playing with the cards face up. With such a deck the big cards create discernible bows, distinct "breaths" between cards. Using this information, astute players can consistently cut themselves an ace or ten after the shuffle--a spectacular 20 percent advantage.
One caveat: when the dealer warps the deck it's an advantage play; when you "help," it's against the law. Resist the urge to assist.
"I'll tell you one more advantage technique," Forte says conspiratorially. "Playing with a marked deck."
"But that's cheating," he is told.
"Not if the person marking the deck is the card manufacturer," Forte says, grinning.
He has me pitch him several hands of 21. After several deals he asks for the deck. "Here," Forte says, dealing two piles of cards. "You take those, and I'll take these." Forte turns over his pile: he's got all the aces and faces. The other pile contains all little cards.
"We call that playing the turn."
The vast majority of decks, he explains, including the Bee variety we are experimenting with, are cut slightly off-center. At first glance, the backs all look the same, but when you carefully examine the edges, the small "triangles" around the sides vary dramatically in size. "As he receives his cards, the advantage player simply turns them to the desired alignment. Eventually, after a few deals, he's got the deck 'marked.' All the little cards have the little triangles on top; all the big ones have big triangles on top." Playing the turn provides hole-card information and top-of-the-deck values--and it's perfectly legal.
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Posted 5 years ago
(51 items)
I thought this cat was so cute and I really want to collect the set but they are such an exspencive animal made by steiff. I won't say how much this one cost me. Still really like it tho and it looks like my black cat grimm.


text: White-hot Corvette heat wave set to offer Chicago some relief from the cold February 7, 2007 12:00 AM Corvette is stoking the fires at the Chicago Auto Show during media days Feb. 7-8 with two special-edition Corvettes that will be sold in limited quantities. Chevrolet will offer the 2007 505-hp Ron Fellows ALMS GT1 Champion Corvette Z06 in Arctic White to recognize the contributions that Fellows has made to the Corvette Racing program, which has produced six consecutive ALMS GT1 manufacturers championships. Fellows also has been instrumental in development driving for the Corvette Z06 and in technology transfer from the racing program to Corvette engineering. Chevrolet also will be showing the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Corvette Convertible in Atomic Orange that will pace the running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 27, 2007. For the first time since 1998, a production version of the pace car will be available in a limited run of 500, all with the Z51 performance package. Please stop by to see us in the Chevy stand. We'll have the following people available for interviews on Corvette: Ron Fellows, Corvette Racing driver--Wednesday only Tom Wallace, GM Vehicle Line Executive for Performance Cars--Wednesday and Thursday Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager--Wednesday and Thursday Ray Krawczyk, GM Performance Cars program manager--Wednesday and Thursday At 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday in the Chevrolet stand, Paul Reed Smith Guitars--a Corvette Racing sponsor--will make a special presentation to Ron Fellows of a one-of-a-kind guitar matching the special edition Corvette Z06. Additional Chevy opportunities: Chevrolet also will have the freshly unveiled Camaro convertible concept and the Malibu in the stand, and we'll be glad to get you a closer look at these vehicles. If you haven't yet gotten a good look at the refined interiors, you only have half the story so let us show you. For assistance scheduling interviews or more information on these Chevy products, please contact Travis Parman by e-mail or mobile at 248-953-0344 OR Bob Tripolsky at 313-378-6251 OR Terry Rhadigan at 313-658-6801. Also, feel free just to stop by the stand at any time. For images and news releases go to GM Media Online (http://media.gm.com). Back to News


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ESSENTIAL maintenance work to Brookthorpe Bridge between junctions 11a and 12 on the M5 will require narrow lanes on both carriageways from Monday, March 24.
Road users are also advised that a 50 mph speed limit will also be in place for the safety of workers and road users on a half mile section around the bridge, in Stroud Road.
The work, which involves strengthening the foundations of the bridge, is being undertaken as part of a comprehensive package of bridge safety improvements and maintenance.
Project sponsor, Dave Frampton said: "We are really pleased with the progress of this comprehensive programme so far, which is essential to prolong the life of the bridges.
"While we appreciate it is a very full programme we have been able to significantly reduce disruption to road users by undertaking a number of schemes at the same time."
The foundations of three bridges, including Stroud Road Brookthorpe Bridge, have been attacked by thaumasite, which is a severe form of sulphate attack and can reduce affected concrete to a soft crumbly material.
A number of bridges in the Gloucester area are known to suffer from this and the Highways Agency is managing the repair of these over a number of years.
The work on these three bridges includes exposing the foundations and repairing the areas affected by thaumasite. To keep the bridges safe during the work, extra support will be installed to the bridge decks.
This is the third bridge to be worked on in an 18 month programme. While extensive work is needed to the bridge foundations the scheme has been planned carefully so that all three lanes can be kept open in both directions at all times.
Work on the four bridges between Junctions 10 and 12 will continue until March 2015 and includes strengthening work on the foundations of three bridges and a deck replacement, resurfacing and waterproofing on the fourth bridge.


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With one last chance to keep its post-season hopes alive and more than likely save head coach Doc Sadler's job, Nebraska officially ended the 2011-12 season with a 79-61 loss to Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.
As has been the case more often than not, the No. 11-seed Huskers (12-18 overall, 4-14 Big Ten) once again fell victim to extended scoring droughts that allowed No. 6-seed Purdue (21-11, 10-8) take a commanding lead in the first half and only continue to pour it on down the stretch.
Senior point guard Bo Spencer scored a game-high 22 points, but it wasn't nearly enough to keep the Boilermakers, who led by as many as 20 late in the second half, from handing NU an 18-point defeat.
The most telling stat of the night were 3-pointers, as Purdue shot 52 percent as a team from beyond the arc (13-of-25) and the Huskers were just 29.6 percent (8-of-29).
The loss was Nebraska's fifth in a row and eighth in its final 10 games.
"We finished the first half pretty strong and kept the ballgame down under 10 and started the second half going inside and got some easy baskets," head coach Doc Sadler said. "(We) cut the lead and didn't - the whole night defensively they just kept us completely - they kept us completely off balance."
Nebraska came out with some fire to start the game, out-hustling Purdue on both ends of the floor and jumping out to an early 12-8 lead after two straight baskets by Spencer.
Then, for whatever reason, the Huskers simply fell apart. A 3-pointer by senior forward Robbie Hummel sparked a 17-0 run by Purdue in which Nebraska didn't score a point for nearly eight full minutes.
After trailing 29-17 with 3:24 to go in the half, the Huskers were able to cut the deficit down to eight a minute later on an impressive one-handed dunk by junior guard Dylan Talley with 1:55 left.
Purdue pushed its lead back up to 12 after back-to-back 3s by guard Ryne Smith, but Nebraska answered with a pair of treys of its own in the final minute of the half from Spencer and senior guard Toney McCray to make it a 39-31 game going into halftime.
Spencer scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half, but Purdue was 7-of-13 from beyond the arc as a team, with Smith hitting 3-of-4.
"I thought starting the basketball game, I was really pleased with our effort, and I thought our guys played really hard and the game was going along there," Sadler said. "And there's about a six- or seven-minute span there in the first half that we didn't get the ball inside and we got them in the foul trouble a little bit to where we could go with the bonus, but we didn't take advantage of it as much as we needed to.
The Huskers came out hot again for the first minute of the second half and quickly cut Purdue's lead to 39-34. Once again, however, that momentum quickly faded, as the Boilermakers answered right back with a 12-5 run and pushed their lead back up to 11 with 16 minutes remaining.
Purdue only kept rolling from there, eventually taking its biggest lead to that point at 67-48 with 8:23 to go with the help of a 17-2 run that saw the Boilermakers hit four 3-pointers and an And-1 all in a row.
The lead eventually grew to 20 after Smith, who finished with 15 points, nailed his fifth 3-pointer of the night to make it 74-54 with 4:18 left to play.
McCray finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Nebraska, and Talley chipped in 10 points. Anthony Johnson led the Purdue with 17 points, while Terone Johnson had 16 and Hummel added 10.
The Boilermakers shot 56 percent from the field as a team to the Huskers' 41.5 percent, including hitting 16-of-27 shots (59.3 percent) in the second half.
Purdue advances to play No. 3-seed Ohio State in the second round on Friday, while Nebraska comes back to Lincoln with some huge questions surrounding the future of its program.
It's been projected for some time now that unless the Huskers were to make a magical run through the Big Ten Tournament and earn an NCAA Tournament bid, Sadler would likely be let go after six seasons at Nebraska.
With those hopes officially gone, the Huskers and their fans will be anxiously waiting to see what NU athletic director Tom Osborne has to say on the matter in the coming days.
"It's been a tough season, especially not playing with (Jorge Brian) Diaz and Andre Almeida due to injuries," senior guard Brandon Richardson said. "But we didn't never use that as an excuse. We went out there and we competed and we gave it all we got. And we came up short for the most part, but I'm proud of our guys. They stuck in there. We fought to the end. And I couldn't be prouder of our guys."
Around the rim
***Nebraska falls to 2-8 all-time against Purdue and has lost the last four meetings with the Boilermakers.
***The Huskers fall to 16-35 all-time in conference tournaments dating back to the Big Eight Conference.
***The Huskers wore throwback jerseys honoring the 1949-50 team that went 16-7 and shared the Big Seven regular season title, NU's last regular-season conference title.
***Spencer picked up his ninth 20-point game of the season. It is the second time this season Spencer has had consecutive 20-point games (also USC and Rhode Island in November). He now has 23 career 20-point games.
***Nebraska had made 20 consecutive free throws over the last two games until Caleb Walker's miss in the second half.
***Purdue's 17-0 run is the largest run by a Husker opponent this year. The previous high was 13 done on four previous occasions, most recently at Minnesota on March 3.
***Nebraska finished the year with 194 3-pointers, tying for seventh in school history.
***Nebraska went 9-for-10 from the free throw line against Purdue and finished the year with a school record .767 percentage (335-437), breaking the mark of .765 set in 1967-68. The Huskers shot 91 percent in the final five games of the season.


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Boreal Stingma - Climbing Shoe Review
- Steep rock: 2.5 Star
- Face climbing: 2 Star
- Long routes: 1.5 Star
- Upper: Leather, unlined
- Rubber: 4-4.6mm Fusion 3
Boreal classifies the Stingma as their new high-performance shoe. Unfortunately, the mellow slingshot heel and lacing system don't provide enough tension for serious face climbing, although the shoe strikes a decent balance with comfort. Similarly, the forefoot fit and last aren't aggressive enough for the Stingma to rage on the steeps. This is a versatile technical performer that doesn't excel at any one thing. The Stingma suits climbers with a medium to wide forefoot.
Decent all-around technical performance.
- Expensive


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It was the last class. The last day of school. Spring 2011. The kids were done with their final and sat in small groups, chatting, glancing at the clock, waiting for the empty, long, lovely days of summer to begin.
One group sat clustered around my desk discussing their writing. One student had written a screenplay but didn't feel it was quite done yet. One had completed NaNoWriMo and had several more pieces in progress. Another was looking for a publisher for his newly finished fantasy novel, and the fourth had been inspired by Ayn Rand this year and had a novel outlined with one or two chapters completed.
I listened to them, stunned. They were 14 and 15 years old and had novels completed!! I had just begun mine . . . at age 40.
I suggested that they trade phone numbers and emails, so they could workshop their pieces over the summer, and I offered to help. They liked the idea, but the bell rang, summer vacation began.
I thought about this group over the summer and wondered how I could help them with their writing. I had a few ideas but the seed for a website for them, for teen writers who LOVE to write, had been planted.
The next fall, I had a new incoming group of Freshmen and within weeks, a few asked if I would be willing to supervise a Creative Writing Club. Really?!? As soon as I started writing myself, teen writers began to appear in my life, but I had no time between working, coaching Speech & Debate, and being a mom to help them get a club started. Finally, in mid-winter, I proposed my website idea – what if we had a space online where they could post their writing, comment on it, maybe even take Creative Writing Classes? They loved the idea and the seed began to take root. Silly me, I thought it would take less time than a weekly club!
I still worked on getting these kids' needs met at school and got my administration to approve a Creative Writing class. I wrote a course description and submitted it. Unfortunately, the powers that be "forgot" to put our newly approved course in the course catalog for registration, so no Creative Writing class. Back to my website idea.
Last spring, I resigned my coaching position which freed up my time, but the school year ended with no website and no upcoming Creative Writing Class. I spent my summer and early fall fixing that state of affairs. The process has been a three steps forward, one-step back process. I tried to design a site myself: fail. Hired a web designer: some good but overall fail. Took a web design class online: WIN! (The Girls Guide to Web Design Rocks!!) but definite learning curve there! Took an online course on running on online business/website: WIN!! (Marie Forleo's B-School also ROCKS!!).
I started this fall with a website in the works and a PLAN. This past fall, the Creative Writing Club finally launched. We had our first meeting in November and its been going strong. We meet every Thursday to write, learn, and workshop pieces. I completed building and designing my website and shared it with them in December – they loved it and this amazing group of young, talented creative writers helped to found . . . www.whereteenswrite.com.
They have been the most excellent group of "Beta" users, finding all kinds of elements of the site that needed tweaking, posting their stories, sharing, and being overall an amazing group of kids. Last week, I decided its ready to go "live" to the world. I "un-hid" the site from google's search engines and so far, we've had a few more kids find us and log on. The seed that was planted the last day of school in 2011 is finally beginning to grow.
The site is designed for teens, ages 13-18, who love to write, who spend their free time writing and dreaming up their stories. If you know any teens who fit this description, I'd love it if you shared the link with them, so they can check the site out and possibly join our little community.
My ultimate goal is to offer online Creative Writing courses through the site. Few schools offer Creative Writing, and there is definitely a need there.
If you've wondered why I haven't been posting here much, it's because I've been posting there! If you'd like to join the email list without joining the community, you can do that on our Facebook page. You can also get updates in your FB news feed if you "like" our page.
What can you do?
- Share the site with teens who love to write,
- Check it out yourself and comment below with any suggestions you have for improvement/changes,
- Go to Facebook and sign up for "email updates" and "like" our page if you want to stay connected to http://www.whereteenswrite.com.


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Topic: Newly diagnosed, had whipple, awaiting chemo
Hi everyone,
I am so happy to find this discussion group that has positive outcomes and happy stories on it!
I am a 54 year old woman who had whipple surgery 4 weeks ago because of a bile duct stricture that turned out to be cholangiocarcinoma. There was no liver involvement but the 2 cm tumor that was in my bile duct 'poked' into the top of my pancreas. There was no lymph node involvement and they staged the cancer at 1B. The surgeon feels he got all of it.
I met with my oncologist this morning and he gave me three options: no further treatment, chemo only, or chemo and radiation. This is to reduce the chance of recurrence. He had no statistics to share since this is so "rare' which really wasn't very comforting.
Has anyone been in this position? I am meeting again with the oncologist in two weeks since I am still recovering from surgery, so I have a few weeks to make a decision.
Any input is greatly appreciated?
My comments, suggestions, and opinions are based only on my personal experience as a cancer survivor. Please consult a physician for professional guidance.


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Byblos Bank's Vice Chairman and General Manager Semaan Bassil outlined the bank's strategy for the future within the current economic climate. He said the bank plans to invest in technology, develop its human resources, improve its risk management, and launch new consumer products. Mr. Bassil added that Byblos will try to maintain the same profit level as last year if the economic slowdown prevails this year, but predicted that economic progress would certainly benefit the bank. He revealed that Byblos was making investments that will translate into more profits and better risk management, and that the bank increased its liquidity and developed fee and commission-based services to deal with the recession. He also indicated that Byblos does not plan to issue Eurobonds in the near future.
One of Lebanon's top 5 banks, Byblos declared consolidated net income of $46.8 million in
2000, down 6.8 percent from the previous year, but still the second largest income among publicly traded banks. An innovative and dynamic bank, Byblos is a pioneer in the local banking sector. It was the first to offer consumer and personal loans, thereby securing a leading position in the retail market. It was also first to tap local and international markets for equity and debt financing, and to issue certificates of deposits in foreign currency.
Byblos has signed agreements with several multilateral agencies to help finance trade as well as small and medium-size businesses in Lebanon. Such accords exist with the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank; Proparco, the private sector arm of the French Development Agency; the Canadian Export Development Corporation; the OPEC Fund for International Development; and the Arab Trade Finance Program. — ( Lebanon Invest [1])
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com [2])
[1] https://www.albawaba.com/www.lebinvest.com
[2] http://www.menareport.com
[3] http://www.albawaba.com


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Muskingum College's May Term offers "excursions" into special topics, domestic and international study
FEBRUARY 24, 2003 - Muskingum College is offering a wide range of course work, ranging from "excursions" into the worlds of music, art, business, theology, and film as part of its 2003 "May Term." The term is an intense four-week course of study with daily classes, beginning May 12 and ending June 6.
A number of special topic courses are offered, including: Personal Investing, Business, Hollywood Examines Business and the Economy, Sports Economics, Politics in Film, and Gender Communication.
Tuition is $265 per credit with a discount for tuition paid by April 2. A number of housing arrangements are available. Contact Margaret Adams, May Term Director, at 740/826-8123 for more information.
In addition to the on-campus May Term courses, a number of domestic and international study tours are scheduled throughout the summer.
Domestic study tours (May 11-23) include a clinical and field study in urban education with a two-week experience in inner-city schools in Philadelphia, PA. Another class, Miliary History of the American Civil War, will take students to critical locations and battlefields of the war, including Gettysburg, Antietam, Richmond, and Appomattox.
International study tours are planned throughout the summer and include trips to Puerto Rico (May 13-June 3), Spain (July 7-August 1), Slovakia (May 12-June 3), Germany (July 17-August 12) , and France (July).
Students enrolled in Latin American history and Hispanic language and culture courses will visit Puerto Rico. Another group will visit Toledo, Spain. Political science and sociology students will travel to Slovakia to study social change and environmental security.
Participants in a contemporary German course and a Holocaust history class will visit Germany. A special trip to France will offer credit in international business and French language and culture.
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IanAnd wrote:kirk5a wrote:IanAnd wrote:A distinction without a difference.
A distinction with a clear difference. You say aversion can arise even in an arahant, the suttas deny that is the case.
If you wish to believe that, go right ahead. It's no skin off my nose.
Like I say, practice really hard and find out for yourself. Nothing clarifies the mind like first hand experience.
I also pointed out the following:And daverupa's contribution, in reference to the Buddha and how he responded to physical pain (something that we all have an aversion toward): ". . . but he endured them mindful, alert, & unperturbed."
The without a difference is: without becoming attached to it (meaning the aversion), and thereby bothered (creating dukkha for himself) by it. Or do you not see this distinction, also?
You're assuming that aversion is impossible to uproot, hence you're assuming that nibbana, the destruction of passion, aversion, and delusion is also impossible.


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Confidentiality & Privacy (for Agencies & Programs Working With Survivors)
NNEDV created an online toolkit to help programs and agencies understand and implement their confidentiality obligations. For more information and templates that you can adapt, visit tools.nnedv.org.
The purpose of this document is to assist providers in thinking through the nuances of the generic concept of legal privilege in a court of law. Providers will be better able to protect confidential survivor... Read More ▹
NNEDV has created a comprehensive online toolkit to help programs and agencies understand and implement their confidentiality obligations. NNEDV Technology Confidentiality Toolkit Read More ▹
This chart lists state laws relating to the confidentiality of victim advocate communications. It cites relevant state statutes and case law, summarizes what each state statute covers, and addresses the level... Read More ▹
Documents Shelter Locations and the Internet Read More ▹
This form may be used by agencies to provide upfront notice to each client (e.g. victim, survivor) about their rights and your practices. This includes your agency's information sharing and confidentiality... Read More ▹
This form is used to help a client assess risks and benefits of having an agency release some of her or his confidential information to another individual or/and agency. The form enables the client to... Read More ▹
This piece addresses common confidentiality questions about several U.S. federal laws that may impact victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It highlights key... Read More ▹
Updated in 2011, this 14 page piece answers commonly asked questions about confidentiality provisions in the U.S. federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and clarifies best practices for informed consent... Read More ▹
This one pager quickly reviews best practices for non-profit community based advocacy agencies to maintain survivor confidentiality and privacy under the U.S. federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA),... Read More ▹


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Kraft foods split its grocery division into two units – meals and desserts and enhancers and snack nuts – to reduce complexity and improve focus on brand building.
According to the company, the new, standalone business units will allow for even greater focus on brand-building activities while reducing the complexity of managing a portfolio with many distinct brands and product categories.
"Since we launched the new Kraft, we've focused heavily on turbocharging our iconic brands. And we've made a lot of progress thanks to great marketing and innovation," Kraft CEO Tony Vernon said in announcing the change. "With the creation of our two newest business units and great leaders in place, we're taking an important step to strengthen our focus on some of the most beloved brands in North America."
Leading the new business units and reporting to Vernon will be Michael Osanloo, EVP and president of Meals and Desserts and Jane Hill, EVP and president of Enhancers and Snack Nuts. Osanloo currently serves as EVP and president of Kraft's grocery business. Hilk currently serves as SVP of marketing for Oscar Mayer.
According to the company, categories and brands that have natural synergies like Cool Whip and Jell-O will remain together while the Planters brand will benefit from having the snack nuts and peanut butter categories managed under one leadership structure.
The Kraft Foods Group, Inc. is one of North America's largest consumer packaged food and beverage companies, with annual revenues of more than $18 billion.


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'Pay for Performance' No Longer a Punchline
Shift Highlights Growing Role of Investors in Shaping Compensation
Company directors say they pay CEOs based on performance. Now the numbers show they mean it.
More than half of the compensation awarded to 51 CEOs last year was tied to their companies' financial or stock-market performance, according to a preliminary review of proxy statements by consulting firm Hay Group and The Wall Street Journal. In most cases, the companies must hit specified targets for the CEO to receive the promised money...