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In terms of employee numbers, Canada is home to the third biggest video game industry in the world. 16,000 people are employed by games firms across 348 companies, according to the Entertainment Software Association of Canada.
This is largely due to the thriving development community in major cities such as Vancouver and Montreal. Many leading publishers have flagship studios in the region, including EA, Ubisoft, THQ and Square Enix.
Granted, a significant lubricant between these creative cogs is the offer of generous tax breaks – something that has tempted many UK developers to cross the Atlantic.
But there are a number of long-running studios that have been creating popular games long before the big publishers conquered the region. Resident developers include BioWare and Eternal Darkness studio Silicon Knights.
FIFA, Madden, Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Deus Ex – all are developed in Canada.
That's not to say retail doesn't have a strong presence in Canada. The sector is led by well-known chains such as EB Games, owned by GameStop, and Best Buy.
Such is the strength of the market, PlayNTrade – the world's largest video games retail franchiser – expanded its presence in the region through a merger with a local chain earlier this year.
"PlayNTrade just merged with the Canada-based Dimension JMM," explains PlayNTrade's vice president of operations Martin Tardif. "We intend to maintain a leadership position in North America."
But it's a very competitive market. Last year, HMV?Canada decided it couldnt compete and dropped its games offer.
The ESA adds that the Canadian games industry generated $1.7bn in retail sales in 2010, with a whopping $886m taken through sales of console and handheld games, and $513m from hardware sales.
The nation's games market is expected to grow a further 17 per cent by 2013.
Population: 34,841,000
Currency: Canadian dollar
GDP (per capita): $50,436
Capital City: Ottawa
Languages: English, French
Best Buy, EB Games/GameStop, Future Shop, Microplay, PlayNTrade, Walmart
E One, Importel, Just4Games, Solutions 2 Go, Vidéoglobe
2K Play, Aerosoft, Artificial Mind & Movement (A2M), Atomic Robot, Beenox, Big Fish Games, BigPark, BioWare (Edmonton and Montreal), Capcom Vancouver, Cyanide Studio, Disney Interactive Studios, Eidos Montreal, EA Canada/EA Montreal, Funcom, Gameloft, HB Studios, Hothead Games, Jet Black Games, Koei Canada, Next Level Games, Piranha Games, Relic Entertainment, Rockstar Toronto/Rockstar Vancouver, Silicon Knights, Strategy First, THQ Montreal, Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Quebec/Ubisoft Toronto, United Front Games, Warner Bros Montreal, Zynga Toronto
2K Games, Activision, Disney, EA, Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, Tecmo


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Anna Kournikova White Bikini Pictures With Enrique Iglesias
Anna Kournikova Slips On a Sexy White Bikini For PDA With Enrique Iglesias
Anna Kournikova and boyfriend Enrique Iglesias took advantage of the warm Miami weather with a boat ride this morning. Anna wore a tiny white bikini for the excursion while Enrique kept his shirt on. The duo showed their love with plenty of PDA, including a sweet smooch and a moment where Enrique kissed Anna's belly. Anna and Enrique have been the subject of baby rumors before, but the couple have consistently remained quiet about their personal lives.
Anna and Enrique are also currently in the spotlight for their careers. He's nominated for favorite Latin music artist at Sunday's American Music Awards, where he'll also be a performer. Anna, on the other hand, is stepping down from her role as a trainer on The Biggest Loser after just one season. She insists that the position just wasn't a good fit for her and that she was not fired from the reality series.

subset: commoncrawl


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Bateau Bay, Australia
"Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible."
— M.C. Escher
Grant Ward is the Digital Education Revolution (NSW) project officer for the Hunter Central Coast Region. In this capacity, he has been working with teachers and students to successfully implement the DERNSW 1:1 laptop program in more than 50 secondary schools in the region. A major focus of this role has been providing teachers with tailored professional development in software applications.
As a classroom teacher for more than 15 years, Ward has worked to find new ways of engaging students by developing digital curriculum. He has extensive knowledge of Adobe® Acrobat® and has been using this software for the delivery of digital portfolios of work to students in social science subjects, particularly geography.
In 2008, he took a year away from the classroom to work in private industry as an education consultant for Electroboard. In this role, he supported teachers in the use of SMART products, in particular SMART Board and SMART Notebook.
Ward is passionate about engaging educators in 21st century learning skills that improve the outcomes of all students in classrooms.
He has presented at a wide variety of technology conferences across New South Wales and is well known for "Laptop Essentials," a set of tutorials that focus on practical applications of technology in the classroom to complement good-quality pedagogy.


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Topic: Low Vitamin D
My Vit D count was down to 21 and 3 months later down to 12. Internist Doc prescribed 50,000 units vit D twice per week. First pill taken I experienced severe gastric distress within 12 hours of taking the pill. I lost 6 of the 8 lbs I gained within a week, and when I saw the internist that prescribed the Vit D mega dose he did not think it could have caused the stomach pain. My wife thougt it burned my stomach from the sudden reaction, particularily since I was doing great, eating what I wanted with no discomfort. Referred to the gastro doc and he did an endoscopy which revealed (no surprise) my stomach was red and swollen and lower esphogas was irritated. I'm on carafate and omperazole and getting some relief. Back on ensure, eating every 2 hours and guarantee I will research any and all new meds thoroughly before putting in my mouth or accepting an injection of any kind. I am 78 years old and the recommendation for Vit D is to start at low end of dose for geriatic patients and monitor closely for improvement, which my doc did not do. He gave the mega dose and said to come back in 4 wks.!! Thankful for an alert wife, who noticed my diminished appetite and grimaced look on my face...only took the one pill and got to doc promptly.
I am 9 months post op and other than this episode continue to do quite well. Good news from this episode is the gastro doc said the healing at the connection sites from the whipple look best of any he has seen. I will work on getting direct sunshine on the deck and tossesd the idea of any vit D supplement. I know everyone reacts differently to prescribed meds, just an FYI in case anyone else sees a similar reaction from Vit D. Thanks to everyone for all of your sharing and caring, this site has truly made a difference to me thorugh a difficult journey to recovery.
Regards and my best to all, Ray


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Student Affairs and Activities provides experiences beyond the classroom that reinforce classroom instruction and complement academic learning, promote appreciation of cultural diversity, improve the quality of campus life, protect relevant rights of students, and contribute to building a sense of community on campus.
The Office of Student Affairs is the administrative office over Student Activities, student government (ASFC), Student Accounts, the Campus Center including food services, and the annual commencement ceremony.
The Student Affairs office also manages liability issues that arise on the Foothill campus. It provides information including procedures regarding formal student grievances; the College student conduct, due process and student discipline; student rights and responsibilities; the Foothill College Academic Honor Code; and other student and legal issues.
Thom Shepard is the dean of Student Affairs & Activities, and is the "Grievance Officer", and the administrator over discipline and due process. Please call his assistant, Katherine Fortune, at (650) 949-7241, if you have any questions, would like reference material, or to make an appointment to speak with the dean. Below are links to basic information about student and student-employee issues.


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iHerb 실구매자 제품 평가
Regrew a knuckle
iHerb 고객님께서 4 09, 2009 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
I know it sounds unbelievable. But a knuckle I smashed over 20 years ago has grown mostly back over the span of a couple months. I started on K2 for the the first time in my life and increased the amount of D3.
iHerb 고객님께서 1 02, 2009 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
My wife takes this for a bad tooth which has given her problems and other than extraction the dentist has no solution. A few days after starting k2 the pain stopped and has not returned after 4 months.
K2 MK7 for osteoporosis and CV
iHerb 고객님께서 1 24, 2009 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
Easy to swallow small softgel. Too early to tell for what it is doing for osteoporosis and CV yet but this product seems to get great reviews in scientific studies for putting calcium where it should be, i.e. into your bones rather than calcifying your arteries that will contribute to Cardiovascular Disease. Great result for tooth acre, pain went away after about two weeks on this supplement. IHerb service is great arrives half way round the world in about 3 to 4 days. Cheapest source of supplements in general.
Very satisfied with this product!
TinVal님께서 4 19, 2012 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
I noticed that my nails grow up faster with this product + 20 min sunshine a day.
Super K
iHerb 고객님께서 4 26, 2010 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
Super K is super product. I've used it for sever Toothache and it completly eliminate it in less than two weeks.
great product
iHerb 고객님께서 10 10, 2009 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
fantastic product!, i recently had dental prosthesis and my teeth were in terrible shape, it hurted when eating and drinking even slightly cold or hot food. within 20 hours of using the first softgel, i felt my teeth getting thicker and i can now eat anything hot or cold. it is almost too good to be true.
Calcium deposits - appear to have reduced.
iHerb 고객님께서 10 21, 2010 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
I and my son have issues with calcium build up. Mine were due to two collapsed discs, where calcium had protruded onto the spinal column and was causing pain and other sensations down my right leg. This had been present for 12 months and was confirmed by xray. My son's shoulder had been badly damaged many 10 years ago in a motorcycle accident and calcium deposits had begun to cause him problems as well. Both of us are now free of pain and I have no more sensations down my leg. Excellent product 5 stars!
This is very good.
iHerb 고객님께서 9 13, 2011 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
As you are taking Vitamin D , it is crucial to take K2 as well.I was reading a study about the Japanese saying the fastest way to introduce a heart attack is to supplement high on Vit.D alone. Because it will introduce calcification of your arteries.As I am not suicidal I will not go without Vit. K2 as I am working on my upper level of Vit. D
noticed a difference
iHerb 고객님께서 11 15, 2010 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
can say along with the others that this made a noticeable difference in my teeth. Finally!!
Vitamin K
iHerb 고객님께서 7 20, 2010 에 작성하셨습니다. | 실제 주문자가 작성한 글
My son has what they call a boxers break which is he broke it below the nuckle of th little finger... they said he could not return to his Rugby League and Rugby union until after 6 weeks he was back training and playing in 5 and is healing great.


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Scheduled for a gala opening in May 2015, construction is set to be completed in January.
"She's a pretty girl," Shane Fernando said, grinning. "I'm excited by her."
Fernando's "girl" is a three-story, 159,000-square-foot edifice rearing up along North Third Street between Hanover and Brunswick streets in downtown Wilmington.
Scheduled for a gala opening in May 2015, with construction set to be completed in January, the new Humanities and Fine Arts Center (HFAC) for Cape Fear Community College will bring to the city's Northside a state-of-the-art theater with between 1,500 and 1,600 seats, with the final configuration still to be decided, said Fernando, the center's director.
Whatever the final total, it will be the largest performance hall in New Hanover County – larger than the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Kenan Auditorium (1,000 seats) or Thalian Hall (646) and rivaling Brunswick Community College's 1,500-seat Odell Williamson Auditorium near Bolivia.
"It's going to improve our competitiveness," said Ed Wolverton, president and CEO of Wilmington Downtown Inc., a group that promotes economic growth and development in downtown Wilmington. "It's going to bring in productions that don't normally come here now."
Fernando, who anticipates that HFAC will play host to between 80 and 100 events during its first year, puts it in even stronger terms: "This is going to change the face of downtown Wilmington."
In some ways, however, things might not change much at all. Managers of downtown's larger venues say they view the HFAC, which was budgeted at $44 million and paid for by New Hanover County taxpayers as part of a $164 million 2008 bond referendum, not as competition but as a welcome complement.
"This center can only be good for Wilmington," said Richard Leder, executive director of the Brooklyn Arts Center on North Fourth Street. "We're rooting for it."
"There's no way Thalian Hall can support a national touring production of a Broadway show," Leder added. "Now, there's a place in town where these could go. I don't think people in Wilmington understand what they're getting. It's like Lincoln Center plopping down in Wilmington."
Mike Sapp, director of Odell Williamson Auditorium, who might see his venue lose to the new HFAC acts similar in stature to Bill Cosby or Willie Nelson, both of whom have played Odell Williamson in the past year, said he sees the new center as a positive development.
"There's no such thing as too many arts," Sapp said. "I already turn down 100 to 150 events a year that we don't have room for on our calendar. We're going to spread the wealth a little."
Leder said he doesn't think the HFAC will siphon off the Brooklyn Art Center's bread-and-butter of flea markets, weddings and cabaret-sized touring acts, such as Art Garfunkel's sold-out June 29 concert. The BAC seats between 300 and 400 patrons, with room for up to 800 for standing-room-only shows.
"We can't do big, big things," Leder said.
Even the man who runs what's considered downtown's premier arts venue, historic Thalian Hall, has taken an if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em approach.
"Basically, it doesn't do any good for the halls to be competitive," said Tony Rivenbark, executive director of the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts. "You can't run a 1,500-seat theater on 600-seat productions, and you can't pack a 1,500-seat show into a 600-seat theater."
"It's a matter of right-sizing," said WDI's Wolverton. "You have different-sized venues for different activities."
The HFAC, he said, "expands the continuum of different-sized venues we can offer."
So far, the only unimpressive thing about the facility might be its rather generic name, with an abbreviation that sounds similar to HVAC. If you're interested, however, "there are several naming opportunities still available," Fernando said, including naming rights to the building itself. (For details, call CFCC's Office of Institutional Advancement at 910-362-7331 or email email@example.com.)
Rivenbark and Fernando, who left his job as director of campus life arts and programs at UNCW in April to take over as the center-in-progress' director, both expressed the belief that the HFAC will only increase interest in downtown events, which will draw customers to the smaller venues as well.
Fernando cited the example of the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), a 2,700-seat hall that opened in 2008 and whose window-plated design the HFAC mirrors. Critics claimed DPAC would spell the end of Durham's historic, city-owned Carolina Theatre, which seats slightly more than 1,300 in its main hall. By 2012, however, the Carolina Theatre – which, before DPAC, had run consistently in the red – was ranked as one of the world's top 100 theaters in terms of attendance.
Relations between Thalian Hall and the HFAC will be especially close. Fernando, who is stepping down as president of Thalian Hall's board, is also taking over a job as programming adviser to the smaller theater, succeeding Stephen Barefoot of Durham, who handled the job for 20 years. This means that Fernando will help develop Thalian Hall's programming for the 2015-2016 season.
"By representing two institutions, that will give him extra clout as a booking agent," Rivenbark said.
The partnership between Cape Fear Community College and Thalian Hall is already strong, Rivenbark said. Amanda Lee, CFCC's vice president of instructional services, serves on Thalian Hall's board.
"Partnership" is a word that Fernando uses frequently. He talks about how Thalian Hall and UNCW have worked together to bring a number of top-flight dance companies to Wilmington, and he hopes the HFAC can forge similar alliances with local institutions.
Long-range discussions between Fernando, who previously booked the acts for the UNCW Presents series, and UNCW on possible co-programming projects are already underway, said Larry Wray, executive director for campus life at UNCW.
"We're really excited about (the HFAC)," Wray said. "There's no question the area needed a facility this size. There's nothing like it."
Unspoken is how some performances might be divvied up. A CFCC release states that the HFAC will play host to "Broadway-caliber shows, concerts, symphonic performances, recitals, symposiums and other events." Currently, the North Carolina Symphony stages its Wilmington performances at Kenan Auditorium. It's unclear whether the orchestra might switch venues once the HFAC is available.
"Will some productions look at that facility rather than this facility?" said Odell Williamson's Sapp, who consulted on the HFAC's construction and design. "Maybe."
Nevertheless, Sapp said he's convinced that there will be more than enough acts to go around.
"One good thing is that, together, we might be able to leverage some large acts that we might not otherwise have a chance to get," said UNCW's Wray.
The HFAC arrives in the midst of a building boom on the north end of downtown Wilmington.
The 112-unit City Block Apartments complex is under construction directly across the street from the HFAC at North Third and Brunswick streets. Symphony Properties of Cary has proposed the 278-unit Sawmill Point complex just south of the Isabel Holmes Bridge. Meanwhile, DeWitt Carolinas has proposed a 300-unit Pier 33 apartment complex alongside the soon-to-open Port City Marina adjacent to the newly extended Riverwalk.
A state court ruling earlier this month apparently cleared the way for a $33.6 million Embassy Suites hotel next to the Wilmington Convention Center.
Wolverton said the new building will help turn the north end of downtown into "a nighttime entertainment center."
"They already have a substantial daytime population, thanks to PPD," he said, "but not so much at night.
After the opening gala scheduled for May, the facility will go dark for the summer, Fernando said, but will come to life in the fall when CFCC students return for a new semester.
Besides the theater, the building will hold classrooms; studios for painting, sculpture and pottery; a darkroom and photo lab; a digital recording studio, musical rehearsal halls and a language lab; dressing rooms, a scene shop and a drama lab where CFCC drama students can rehearse.
Fernando likes features such as the building's atrium, which separates the theater from these educational facilities. Those facilities will be glassed in, "so you can look up from the atrium and see the students working," he said.
The theater itself is designed so that the back rows will be closer to the stage than, say, the back rows in Kenan Auditorium.
"I think you'll be surprised by the intimacy," Fernando said.
The HFAC also benefits from some planning feng shui on the part of CFCC.
The community college's parking deck, and its Wilma Daniels Art Gallery, are right across the street.
"It's not often that someone builds the parking first and the attraction afterward," Fernando said.
Close by is CFCC's Union Station, which can provide facilities for large-scale receptions and banquets. An open-air conservatory adjacent to the theater will also be available for receptions, art shows and more intimate performances.
CFCC students will do a lot of the work, and gain a lot of experience, as stage crews, house managers and marketing assistants, Fernando said.
Fernando said he hopes that, once the HFAC is up and running, downtown Wilmington will be known somewhat less for bar-hopping and more as a major arts destination.
Ben Steelman: 910-343-2208
When Cape Fear Community College's new Humanities and Fine Arts Center opens next year, it will become the largest indoor arts venue in Wilmington. Here are some of the larger members on the landscape of Southeastern N.C. venues the HFAC will be entering.
Capacity: Up to 800 for standing-room-only shows
Location: 516 N. Fourth St., downtown Wilmington
Who goes there? Touring musicians like Art Garfunkel (June 29) and Leon Russell (Aug. 22) play the renovated church, which also host weddings, large fundraisers and other functions.
Check it out: http://BrooklynArtsNC.com
Capacity: About 1,000
Location: 1941 Amphitheater Drive, Wilmington
Who goes there? The outdoor venue, built in 1962 and renovated in 2008, hosts a variety of touring rock bands and, each June, four weekends of free theater courtesy of Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green.
Check it out: www.Greenfield LakeAmphitheater.com
Capacity: About 1,000
Location: 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, UNCW campus
Who goes there? Touring acts in the UNCW Presents and UNCW Office of Cultural Arts series. Kenan is also home to concerts by the North Carolina Symphony, the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra and the Wilmington Concert Association.
Check it out: www.UNCW.edu/arts/kenan.html
Capacity: 955
Who goes there? Other than hosting events for Ashley High School, on whose campus the center is located, Minnie Evans is seldom used by outside organizations, although it is available for rental.
Location: 555 Halyburton Memorial Parkway, Wilmington
Check it out: https://sites.google.com/a/nhcs.net/meac/calendar
Capacity: 1,500
Who goes there? Some of the biggest names to play the area currently come to Brunswick Community College's 1,500-seat auditorium, including Bill Cosby and Willie Nelson, who have both played there within the last year.
Location: 50 College Road N.W., Bolivia
Check it out: www.bccowa.com
Capacity: 646
Who goes there? A large number of local theater and touring performances, as well as the long-running Cinematique film series, pack this busy, historic theater, which was built in 1858 and underwent extensive renovations in 2010.
Location: 310 Chestnut St., downtown Wilmington
Check it out: www.ThalianHall.org


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The Vermont Crafts Council 19th Annual Open Studio Weekend is only a week away on May 28th & 29th 2011.
If you've never been, I can promise that touring around to Vermont's artisan studios will be a unique and fun way to spend a weekend.
In addition to Vermont's amazing furniture makers, you'll be able to visit glass blowers, jewelers, printmakers, potters, furniture makers, weavers, ironworkers, painters, sculptors, quilt makers and wood carvers.
I posted Bob Gasperetti's picture here because Bob is on of the best of the best Vermont Furniture Makers and he has the coolest studio. It looks like a quintessential Vermont barn and is set in the heart of the Green Mountains in Mt Tabor, VT just off Route 7, a bit north of Manchester Center. On the first floor of Bob's place he has a treasure trove of beautiful wooden planks, burls and slabs– from all types of different tree species that he's been collecting over the years. Pick the ones you like and head upstairs.
Bob's workshop is on the second floor, where he'll show you all the hand tools and machinery he uses to work his magic. Fascinating! Then up on the third floor is his showroom which houses his latest handcrafted furniture creations… perhaps:
- a Shaker style four poster bed and matching dressers, mirrors and chests
- a Vermont style, solid cherry dining table, chairs, buffet and hutch
- a home office set up with an executive desk, file credenza and bookcases
The craftsmanship you'll see in Bob's studio is like nothing you've ever seen before (unless you're already familiar with the tradition of Vermont furniture making, of course). Check out the precision of his dovetail joints and run your hand back and forth over his smooth finishes. You might have a hard time leaving empty handed… but the good thing is that he always has a great selection of pieces on sale and available to take home during Open Studio Weekend. Or you can work with Bob on a unique custom piece made especially for you.
Reaching for your calendar and map? The Council publishes a free tour guide featuring a map of all the participating studios, including Bob's. You can pick it up at any Vermont Welcome Center or print one online. Vermont is actually bigger than you think and there are so many artisans now that maps are available for each county. Enjoy the weekend and let's hope the sun participates too!
Already following our Blog? For more info sign up for our e-newsletter
This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.


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Hi DhammaWheel people - I'm moving into my university dormitory tomorrow and I must say I am terrified...
I have a very mild case of Asperger's which means I'm "normal" from the outside but socialising and holding conversations is actually extremely difficult for me, to the point that I became a near-hermit in my teenage years.
I've improved but those years in hiding set me back a lot, which is why even though I live a commutable distance from the university, I opted to stay in halls, seeing it as a way of facing my fear head-on and actually improving this side of me.
My main issues going into it are that I feel that maybe I'm too old to be going into a uni dormitory. I'm 22 years old but my aforementioned issues made doing such a thing impossible until now. I'm very shy at first which puts people off, I have no interest in getting wasted listening to awful music in clubs. My height (6'4") and the fact I'm very big-built which means I "stick out" somewhat compared to most people, and it can both make people uneasy and uncomfortable (maybe I'm being paranoid), and also magnifies my social discomfort - trust me "6'4", 18 stone wallflower" is not a great look!
Anyway, I'm biting the bullet and going for it but I cannot deny that I'm not very nervous about tomorrow as there are so many question-marks around it! I've increased my meditation this week in the hope that it calms me down, especially as mindfulness of breathing before bed helps my sleeping considerably.
I suppose I'm posting this to ask if anybody has any ideas to help comfort me, or just perhaps some words to remind me that I'm perhaps doing right the thing?


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Fairfax County Sheriff's Office Achieves "Quadruple Crown" Accreditation Status
The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office received re-accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA) in August 2010. This award recognizes the attainment of excellence in the operation of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC).
Achieving this recognition makes the Sheriff's Office a "Quadruple Crown Accredited Agency." The accreditations include the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, the Virginia Department of Corrections and the American Correctional Association.
ACA standards are the national benchmark for the effective operation of correctional facilities across the country. The ADC and its employees received a perfect score on all applicable mandatory standards. The review ensures compliance with numerous administrative and fiscal controls, staff training and development, health and safety, and emergency procedures. The ADC has been accredited by ACA since 1983.
The three-person accreditation team commented that the Adult Detention Center is one of the cleanest and quietest jails in the country and that security is excellent.
"The Sheriff's Office strives to be the best of the best, providing a safe, healthy, innovative environment for our employees, inmates and the Fairfax County community," stated Sheriff Stan Barry. "Constantly working to meet or exceed the standards set forth by professional accrediting organizations helps us come closer to achieving that goal. I am proud of our staff for going above and beyond every day to make the Sheriff's Office a winner."
These accreditation programs offer the opportunity for agencies to evaluate operations against national standards and benchmarks in law enforcement and life, health and safety criteria in jail operations.


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A local guy bought all of my discs so I don't have any to trade right now. I'll post them up if I get more that I wan't to trade. I'm so close to completing my bag, just a few more backups and I'm set.
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Growing up in the late '80s and the '90s when personal computers started coming into the mainstream, MICROSOFT was the bomb! They did everything well and they were everywhere. Computer makers like Apple were struggling and no one even thought of Google yet. In fact, I can clearly remember back when I was hired to be the Jr. High Intern at my 1st church that my boss and I mocked the other intern for her love of Macs. We made fun of her so much (in a nice way of course ) that she eventually switched to PC — an Acer no less.
Well times have changed and now my former boss and good friend laugh at ourselves for how we tortured the other Intern because we, like so many of the rest of the world have switched from PC to Mac. In less than 10 years, Apple, Inc has gone from on the brink of extinction to the most popular computer and home entertainment distributors in the world. It was done in large part because of the creation of the iPod in 2001. From there a halo effect the iPod created, Macs have grown in popularity, the iPhone is one of the best selling cell phones in the world and the iPad is crushing the tablet market. Apple, Inc is on a roll!
In fact, if you look at Microsoft, it is struggling to compete in the mobile phone market, they don't have a table computer that is exciting to consumers and their Windows OS is outdated. So, what happened to Microsoft? How did it go from greatness to an afterthought? Well, according to Fortune's article "The problem with Microsoft" and Bloomberg Businessweek's article "Paul Allen's Revenge" there are a number of reasons for this:
- Can't let go of the glory days. In the Businessweek article, Paul Allen suggests that, "Microsoft continues to overvalue its market share of yesterday's products rather than develop compelling new ones." He went on to say that Microsoft was addicted to the Office Suite and continued to bask in the that product which prevented it from developing in other areas such as internet.
- Poor execution. In the Fortune article, it shows that Microsoft has been great at spotting trends and getting out ahead of the market on ideas. They started talking about tablet computers 15 years ago and developing an e-Reader 10 years ago — long before anyone else. The problem? Poor execution. Roy Ozzie, who was once the chief software architect for Microsoft after Bill Gates said, "Our early and clear vision notwithstanding, execution [by competitors] has surpassed our own." They can't get compelling devices out on the market anymore.
- Not letting innovators innovate. In an effort to compete with the ever changing mobile phone market, Microsoft bought a mobile technology company, Danger (the developer of the popular Sidekick). What Microsoft told those employees was, "You've got this great product, and we're going to give you the resources to take this to the next level." The developers at Danger were excited and pumped for having the additional resources to innovate. HOWEVER, what ended up happening was that those developers ended up getting folded into the Microsoft company and instead of being able to innovate and create, many were assigned to help develop a new Windows-based phone. After months of frustration and delays, the team had to rush to create a new phone based partially on a new operating system. Although the idea for the phone was great, the lack of support, the rush to get done and their inability to create and innovate destroyed any chances of this new phone from succeeding. It was pulled from the stores after only 48 days on the market!
So how does Microsoft's struggles possibly apply to ministry? Simply put…
- Let the glory days be glory days
- Never stop innovating and creating with excellence
- Take Risks for the glory of the Lord
Microsoft couldn't let go of the past and they had to keep on putting more and more money into Microsoft Office. Sure it was a great productivity tool, but no one this day and age is a one trick pony. You have to keep innovating and creating. Take Apple for example. They weren't satisfied with just the iMac or iBook. In 2003 they released the iPod which changed the music industry (Imagine that! A computer company changing the music industry). They could have stopped there but they didn't. They went on the change the phone and tablet industries by releasing the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2010. They kept on creating and making things better for more people.
In the same way, as leaders of Christ to others, we need to constantly be looking for ways to share about Him to people. That means sometimes we need to be changing and adapting the way we do that. Whether it is introducing a new program, a new way to share the gospel or a new way to challenge the volunteer leaders, we need to be constantly creating and changing with the times. What works today will definitely not work in the years ahead. Things have to change as students are changing.
Students, like consumers, are not as loyal as the "good old days". They are going to go where there needs are being met and where the excitement is. In order to be presenting Christ to as many people as possible, we have to be constantly changing methods (not core principles) and take some risks.
That is why it is so important to keep thinking of new ideas. Don't get fixated on the prior success of an old program or an old way to share the gospel. Keep on adding, tweaking and changing things. When those new ideas get stall, invite some new fresh blood into the creative meetings. This is a great way to include students into the process and give them ownership. Not only does it encourage them but it is another way to include others and new ideas can begin to develop.
So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and think through how you can keep ahead of the game. Take a look at your program and see where changes may need to take place. What is old and outdated that need to be replaced with something fresh and new? Don't wait til attendance is down and it is clear things need to change. Get out ahead of the game and make changes as needed so that students have every opportunity to hear about Christ in the best way possible.
Tom Pounder blogs very often at www.ministryblackboard.com and has been featured in several guest posts when Josh is on vacation or is just plain lazy.


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=1/3, Sex=2/3, Mature Content=0/3. You play as Rick Rescue. The last surving man on the planet, after the alien attack that left a barren waste land. The aliens have gone, but not before imprisoning the remaining women and leaving robots to guard them. Can Rick Rescue save the girls and save the world?
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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It would be a severe understatement to say that a lot happened this past offseason, but a lot happened this past offseason. There were loads of trades, signings, cuts, and draft picks, all of which changed the landscape of most of the teams in the league.
For some players that meant getting jammed into a situation where minutes would be scarce or the coaching situation would be undesirable, but for others all the movement meant the opening of a huge opportunity. For the following players, 2010-2011 could be the season where they step out of NBA mediocrity and into the NBA spotlight as stars. While it's doubtful many of these guys are immediately All-Stars, it's not a stretch to see two or three put into that discussion this winter.
Through some combination of good opportunities, hard work, and idea situations, these players are the ones most likely to make the biggest leap this season:
Marcus Thornton, New Orleans Hornets It's easy to stop watching a team like the New Orleans down the stretch of the season when the star point guard is hurt and they're nowhere near playoff contention, but those that tuned out missed the blossoming of then-rookie guard Marcus Thornton, who proved pretty convincingly that he'll be the full time starter at shooting guard this season. He averaged 14.5ppg as a rookclearly a respectable numberbut what really pops is that he dropped 20 or more points 14 times after the All-Star break, including twice when he went over 36. This is a team that has needed a legit two-guard for a while, and nowfinallyit looks like they've got one.
Darren Collison, Indiana Pacers As good as he is, Thornton's former teammate in New Orleans wouldn't be on this list had he not been moved. As a Hornet he'd be perennially stuck behind the great Chris Paul, but as a Pacer he's the immediate favorite to become a starter. In Paul's two extended absences last season, Collison surprisingly put up numbers comparable to the league's top point guards. If he were to play 35 minutes a game (compared to the 27mpg he logged, a number bloated quite a bit by his 37 starts for Paul), he could potentially a top 5-7 assist guy in the entire league. He honestly couldn't have found a better situation for himself, and it should mean big things for his development as a starting NBA point guard.
Anthony Randolph, New York Knicks We've heard "This is the year!" in regards to Randolph's imminent breakout almost more times than we've heard Cubs fans say it about winning the World Series. But it's very, very possible that this is the year for him, finally, because he's about to play for an offensive-minded coach who won't bury him at the end of the bench like in Golden State. Depending on how Mike D'Antoni fleshes out his lineup, Randolph could even end up a starter, which means his tremendous length and athleticism could finally come out to shine in the league's most historic basketball city.
Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers Holiday was the youngest player in the entire league last season, and at the start of things no one expected him to flourish and grow as quickly as he did. By year's end, he was clearly the starting point guard and was dishing out more and more assists every game. Turnovers were a huge problem for him all year, but with age and experience comes a better sense of how to protect the ball, and those should go down this year while all the rest of his numbers go up. New head coach Doug Collins really believes his team is in contention for an Eastern Conference playoff berth, but if that's going to happen Holiday needs to have a huge year. Luckily for both Collins and Holiday, that's far from being out of the question.
Terrence Williams, New Jersey Nets It's no secret that Williams struggled adjusting to just about everything related to professional basketball early last season, but his ability to figure out a respectful sleep and practice schedule and to figure out the actual ins and outs of the NBA game show that he's a young man that can take criticism and make adjustments quickly. Struggling through that horrific season in Jersey last year hopefully served as something of a learning experience, and with both Chris Douglas-Roberts and Courtney Lee getting shipped out this past summer, his opportunity to see the floor more will make him one of the better sophomores out there in 2010-2011.
JaVale McGee, Washington Wizards So he didn't make Team USA's World Championships roster. So what? The mere fact that he was even considered proves that he's a big man on the cusp of breaking out, and if his performance with the national team and in the most recent summer league are any indication of what's to come for him this season, it's very possible that he bumps himself up an echelon or two in the NBA hierarchy. Add the top overall pick John Wallwho is sure to keep him involved offensivelyand you've got a perfect storm of ingredients leading to what should be McGee's best season as a pro.
Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz The argument could easily be made that Millsap "broke out" two seasons ago, when he started almost half of Utah's games with Carlos Boozer out due to injury. That year he averaged a career-high 13.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, and that led to a pretty lucrative contract offer from the Portland Trail Blazers the Jazz matched, who expected Boozer to leave in the summer of 2009 via free agency. He didn't, and Millsap's numbers took a dip last year. Boozer is finally gone, however, and Millsap finally will be given the reins to the starting four spotfor good this time. It will be interesting to see what he does with all those extra minutes, but it will be exciting to see him get the opportunity to do it every night for the first time in his career.
Reggie Williams, Golden State Warriors If you missed Reggie Williams last season, don't be ashamed. He joined the Warriors in early March as a rookie free agent after averaging 26 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest for the D-League's Sioux Falls Skyforce and then saw quite a bit of success in the 24 games he played with the team. He started 10 games and scored over 20 points eight times, failing to play fewer than 40 minutes only once in the month of April. Now that Golden State has shipped off Corey Maggette, Williams will see more time at the three, meaning he could quietly become one of the league's better-scoring role players. You may have missed him last season, but you'll be hearing about him this season.
There are other players that could potentially jump from role player to star playerAnthony Morrow in New Jersey and Serge Ibaka in Oklahoma City are two that come to mindbut the players on this list seem mostly likely to make the largest leaps this upcoming year.


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Twitter: @ashleebaracy
Facebook: Ashlee Baracy
Ashlee Baracy joined the Local 4 News Morning Team as the weekday traffic reporter in December of 2010.
Before joining WDIV, Ashlee was most recognized for being Miss Michigan 2008 where she was featured on the TLC Reality Series: "Countdown to the Crown" and was named a top ten finalist in the 2009 Miss America Pageant. It is safe to say that Ashlee is not camera shy. She started in the business as an intern at FOX 2 News and has since worked as a reporter, writer and television show host for various local cable channels over the last five years.
Although she has a deep love for television, Ashlee's biggest passion is community service. Inspired by her parents who are both cancer survivors, she has played active roles with the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Children's Miracle Network. In 2007, Ashlee founded an online support network for "Daughters Supporting Mothers with Breast Cancer;" her charitable work has been recognized by both the YWCA and Miss America Organization.
Ashlee proudly bleeds maize and blue as a graduate of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. While pursuing her bachelor's degree, she spent her Fall Saturdays dancing on the sidelines in the Big House as Captain of the Michigan Dance Team. Most recently, Ashlee obtained a Master's of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Eastern Michigan University with the highest academic standing of summa cum laude.
She is a lifelong metro Detroiter and currently serves as the face of her hometown's marketing campaign "Shop and Dine Westland." In addition, Ashlee is admittedly addicted to shoes and loves sports. Her two favorite professional teams are the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. In her spare time, you can find her spending it with her family and the love of her life: her Pekingese dog, Lucy!


text: Appalachian farmers growing local economies By Caitlin Cook November 7, 2013 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- There is a food paradigm shift underway in Appalachia.Food producers and consumers are seeing that shift toward local farm products, and local communities should be ready to take advantage of it, panelists at the Appalachian Regional Commission Conference said Thursday in Charleston."We're seeing a lot of exciting stuff happening in West Virginia," said Savanna Lyons of Oak Hill's West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition. "Consumer demand is blossoming in the state."West Virginia had only 35 farmers markets in 2005, and now it has 83, Lyons said. In the past few years, the state has seen an increase in demand for farm-to-table products from institutions such as schools and hospitals, she said."There is a lot of room for growth," Lyons said. "What we are lacking is production, not growth."One of the biggest challenges for West Virginia in developing a network connecting farmers and consumers, Lyons said, is making sure farmers know the demand is there."Folks who have been farming here a while are still learning the way consumer demand is changing," she said. "They are learning they can make money off of niche products like grass-fed meat and organically raised produce."Lyons said food is a common denominator and people want access to healthy local food. It's a slow process connecting people with land and capital though, she added.Across the border, in Kentucky, Alexa Arnold, an organizer with the Community Farm Alliance in Frankfort, has been working on connecting local farmers with consumers. The Community Farm Alliance talked with individual farmers about what their needs were, Arnold said: How could they make a living farming while keeping money local?"For a local food economy to survive," Arnold said, "you have to think regionally."The Community Farm Alliance focused on creating a space for locals to do business. The Floyd County (Ky.) Farmers Market had three local producers in 2011, with $1,100 in sales. In 2012, the market grew to seven producers with sales totaling $22,725. This year, the market featured 12 producers, with $50,000 in sales.Arnold said it's about finding what works best for each community and gathering community support.Scott Parker, the principal planner for Greenville County, S.C., said he spends a lot of time on farms. "I am from the government and I'm here to help," is what Parker said he tells the farmers he visits. Parker, under the county's Planning and Code Enforcement Division, is helping create a food hub with 200 farmers within a 100-mile radius."Some of our biggest activities [as county planners] are economics and jobs," Parker said. "Farming has a huge impact in different sectors."Parker said he hopes Greenville not only will have local institutions, such as schools and hospitals, purchasing local farm products but that they also will export local products in the future."If you have fresh produce growing in your back yard, that's a beautiful thing," Parker said.He added that Greenville actually re-zoned to allow for more agricultural activity.In Athens, Ohio, Leslie Schaller has spent the past 20 years developing a local farm-to-table-market. "I think we can all get excited," Schaller said, "even if we're just eaters of local food."Schaller echoed the challenge of finding capital but emphasized learning and collaboration among regional farmers."It's really the entrepreneurs making our economy work," she said.Working with the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, Schaller said Athens enjoys a $1.5 million shared-food-venture center. More than 300 businesses are incubated there, using resources such as kitchen space and a thermal processing room for bottled products.Schaller said businesses are exporting products to six countries and that more and more products are emerging."How do we create rural wealth that sticks?" Schaller asked. "It's really about creating a sustainable livelihood."Reach Caitlin Cook at email@example.com or 304-348-5113. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Facebook founder visits Charleston restaurant 2 Innerviews: Dual-identity surgeon riding high in horse racing world 3 Gazette editorial: Capito has second chance to do the right thing 4 You calling me a dotard? Well, you're full of covfefe! 5 WVU seeking improvements during off week Gear Up at WVSU Previous Story Volunteers help veteran renovate home Next Story


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Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplant for Parkinson's Disease
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- How to Read a Study Record
|Parkinson's Disease
|Procedure: Autologous Bone marrow derived stem cells transplant
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|To Study the Safety and Efficacy of Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplant in Parkinson's Disease
- Improvement in clinical condition of the patient assessed using UPDRS (UNIFIED PARKINSON'S DISEASE RATING SCALE) and Time Tests. [ Time Frame: Up to 18 months from the day of stem cell transplant. ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|July 2009
|Primary Completion Date:
|November 30, 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Therapy for Parkinson's disease
Stem cell derived from the bone marrow of the patient will be stereotactically transplanted in the striatum.These stem cell are the expected to grow up into dopamine secreting neural cells.
Procedure: Autologous Bone marrow derived stem cells transplant
Stem cells are derived from the bone marrow of the patient and processed at Reliance life sciences.The stem cells are the stereotactically implanted in the striatum.
Other Names:
Detailed Description:
Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder, still at its best can only be controlled by medical or surgical treatment. For more than two decades various groups have tried using modified cell transplants for curing this disease. Earlier results with use of fetal mesencephalic cell transplant were encouraging, but this had to be discontinued due to severe side effects.
Current interest, in the use of Mesenchymal stem cells as a pluripotent cell for developing neural cells has been the background for this study. Reliance Life sciences had found encouraging results with the use of human MSCs in Rat model of PD. Based on this and other data, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre has initiated a pilot study to investigate the efficacy of Autologous MSCs in treating advanced PD. This cells will be harvested from bone marrow, processed at RLS laboratory and transplanted by stereotactic techniques into the striatum of the patient.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|35 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria
- Male or female between 35-70 years of age.
- Patient with current diagnosis of PD with motor complications (as confirmed by neurologist) as per the standard criteria and guidelines.
- Patients with at least 5 years since the disease.
- Responsiveness to Levodopa or dopa agonist. This is defined as improvement between Off and On UPDRS by at least 33% of the Motor UPDRS.
- PD of Stage 2.5, 3 & 4 of HOEHN & YAHR staging.
- Stable Parkinsonian medications for the 60 days prior to the surgical therapy.
- MRI not showing gross atrophy or any other pathology of brain.
- Patients with score less than 19 for the Montgomery-Asberg Rating Scale (MADRS) for Depression.
- NO Significant cognitive impairment.MMSE > 24.
- The participant is able to comply with and understand the required visit schedule and all required tests and procedures.
- The participant (and/or LAR) must sign an informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- History of intracranial surgeries or implantation of a device for Parkinson's disease two years prior to treatment.
- History of psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or psychotic disorders.
- History of other malignancy, with the exception of treated cutaneous squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma, within 5 years.
- Contraindication for MRI
- General medical contraindications for surgery like coagulopathy
- Subjects with abnormal hematology and chemistry values, unless the out of range values are clinically significant with respect to general surgery.
- Severe skin infection or osteomyelitis at the site of bone marrow aspiration potentially limiting the procedure.
- Positive test results for HIV.
- History of drug or alcohol abuse
- Pregnant or nursing women
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00976430
|Jaslok Hospital And Research Centre
|Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 400026
|Principal Investigator:
|Paresh k Doshi, MCh
|Incharge Stereotactic and functional Neurosurgery,Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre.
|Responsible Party:
|Dr Paresh Doshi, In-charge Stereotactic and Functional neurosurgery, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00976430 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 11, 2009
|Last Updated:
|March 7, 2017
|Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
|Plan to Share IPD:
Keywords provided by Dr Paresh Doshi, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre:
Autologous Stem Cells.
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Parkinson Disease
Parkinsonian Disorders
Basal Ganglia Diseases
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Movement Disorders
Neurodegenerative Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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From the outside, El Aguila looks like a taqueria. The word taqueria is even in their website's URL. But when you step inside its lime-and-red walls, peruse the farm-to-table menu and get a whiff of the homemade chorizo and Oaxacan mole coming out of the kitchen, you realize what chef Oscar Patlan has created.
After years as chef de cuisine at some of the East Bay's finest restaurants (Prima, Esin), Patlan, a native of Mexico, opened El Aguila in 2012 to bring Contra Costa County residents the eye-opening, nostril-flaring goodness of fresh, lively Mexican cuisine.
It can be confusing to pay $19.95 for a dish you order at the counter, but trust me, this is a restaurant in every sense of the word. There are fresh-cut flowers on tables and top-notch ingredients in the kitchen. Patlan uses Rocky's organic chicken, Piedmontese-certified beef and Homestead Farms natural pork. He also cooks everything fresh to order.
While he specializes in traditional southern Mexican dishes — tinga, a braised pulled chicken; crispy, bean-and-cactus-stuffed tlacoyo; and mixiotes, a chicken leg steamed in parchment with guajillo sauce — he isn't afraid to put inventive spins on California cuisine. A recent special, the king salmon filet ($19.95), had so much flavor, complexity and thoughtful use of ingredients that I don't think I'll be craving my own baked salmon for years to come.
Patlan seared his to a crisp and served it atop roasted tomatillos, potatoes and chayotes, a mild, South American fruit reminiscent of summer squash. With a smear of smoky cascabel sauce and a grilled Roma tomato on the side, it was the dish everyone at our table was elbowing to get to. In a different ZIP code or on a white tablecloth, it would easily go for $25 to $30.
We also loved the pork short ribs ($15.95), swimming in a dark burgundy pasilla sauce with grilled calabacitas and fresh, homemade tortillas. The ribs weren't burdened by fat; just drippy, fall-off-the-bone good.
If you want a more casual dish, there are simple tacos ($2.50 to $2.75), including al pastor, Niman Ranch beef and tiger prawns, and burritos ($7.50 to $10.25) stuffed with organic black beans, lettuces, roasted tomatillo, avocado sauce, queso fresco and your choice of meat or veggies — pork marinated in adobo sauce or sauteed mushrooms, potatoes, caramelized onions and poblanos. (Sorry, vegetarians, they don't have tofu).
Another unfussy comfort dish was the huarache ($13.95), a handmade, oblong corn tortilla layered with refried organic pinto beans, beef brisket, shredded lettuce, paper-thin red onions and an addictive, lime-tinged tomato and avocado sauce. My only complaint was the excessive use of Mexican crema — and not only on the huarache. Someone in the kitchen is heavy-handed, zigging and zagging the cream one too many times on several dishes. If you only like a little or none at all, let them know when you order.
I'd say it would make you feel less guilty for eating dessert, but there is something inherently light about Patlan's food, especially the desserts. Our favorite, the chipilo ($6.95), was an almost gluten-free delight; a petite chiffon cake made with almond flour and Ghirardelli chocolate, topped with fresh strawberry compote and spears of homemade coconut semifreddo.
It was served warm and had just a touch of sweetness. Patlan's wife, co-owner Giorgia Scardini, told me they use only two tablespoons of regular flour to make a whole batch of these little cakes, so spread the word to your gluten-light friends. It was moist and delicious and, like the rest of Patlan's cuisine, it felt healthy and sophisticated — the food of a restaurant, not a taqueria.
el aguila
" * * * ½
WHERE: 1300 Contra Costa Blvd., Suite 12, Pleasant Hill
CONTACT: 925-682-4444; elaguilataqueria.com
HOURS: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; until 8:30 p.m. Sunday
CUISINE: Mexican
VEGETARIAN: Try the nopalitos (cactus salad), epazote and mozzarella quesadilla, or a vegetarian taco or burrito.
BEVERAGES: Mexican beers, made-to-order juices, homemade agua frescas and a few wines from Chile and Argentina
RESERVATIONS: No
NOISE LEVEL: Moderate
PARKING: Street parking
KIDS: Plenty of choices; try the tostada de tinga with braised chicken and homemade potato chips
PLUSES: Homemade, farm-to-table cooking with an emphasis on southern Mexican dishes
MINUSES: Mexican crema overload
DATE OPENED: April 2012
We don't let restaurants know that we are coming in to do a review, and we strive to remain anonymous. We pay for our meals.
Restaurants are rated on a scale of one to four, with four representing a truly extraordinary experience for that type of restaurant.
Price code
$ Most entrees under $10
$$ Under $20
$$$ Under $30
$$$$ Under $40


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Also þikke as snow þat snew,
The figurative sense of "overwhelm; surround, cover, and imprison" (as deep snows can do to livestock) is 1880, American English, in phrase to snow (someone) under. Snow job "strong, persistent persuasion in a dubious cause" is World War II armed forces slang, probably from the same metaphoric image.
Or al so hail þat stormes blew.
[Robert Mannyng of Brunne, transl. Wace's "Chronicle," c. 1330]


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Potter & Randall LEPC
LEPC supports emergency planning for chemical hazards and provides local government and the public with information about possible chemical hazards. We work together to achieve goals that help our community prepare for emergencies through education and coordinated planning. We also address citizen concerns. If you have a concern, please contact us.
Our members represent many parts of the community: government, private industry, and organizations. Our quarterly meetings are open to the public Some counties, like ours, work together as one LEPC. The State Emergency Response Commission determines how LEPC districts are divided.
The Potter & Randall County LEPC was established in 1987. In 1986, the U.S. Congress passed legislation called the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). This act is also known as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (or SARA Title III). It requires every county in the nation to form and maintain an LEPC.
Becoming a Member
Click to View By-Laws of the Potter/Randall County LEPC
Members represent many organizations and companies in the Potter and Randall County area. If you are interested in becoming a member: Contact the LEPC via email at [email protected] or by phone at (806) 378-3004
Visit Potter & Randall County LEPC
Chairperson: Kevin Starbuck
Vice Chairperson: Rusty Dillon
Secretary: Laura Blount
Member Types
Executive Committee – comprised of the chairperson, vice chairperson, secretary-treasurer, and chairperson of the four standing committees
Right-to-Know Committee – forms all policies and procedures concerning the public's right-to-know program, forms all chemical release reporting procedures, establishes trade secret protection procedures, establishes procedures for the certification and listing of all companies and agencies that will support the clean-up restoration effort, establishes procedures for all record keeping and information dissemination procedures for the LEPC.
Public Education and Information Committee – develops a public alert and notification program, coordinates and conducts public relations with affected communities and the public at large, publicizes LEPC events and news, develops a public education and information program.
Training Committee – establishes training criteria, evaluates existing training programs, develops/obtains necessary training.
Emergency Response and Resources Committee – works with existing response organizations in Potter and Randall Counties to review, test, and recommend changes to Annex Q as required by law, develops, reviews, and tests site-specific response plans (to include citizen protective actions, special needs considerations, and evacuation zones) for all facilities in Potter and Randall Counties that such planning is required by law, designates additional facilities (other than those required by law) for pre-planning, reviews existing federal, state, and local plans for the purpose of coordinating with the LEPC planning process.


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Email firstname.lastname@example.com: 1-856-461-8883
Free Shippingon all orders $60 or more!*
You have 0 item(s) in your cart worth $0.00
Ravensburger has been in the puzzle business for over 125 years, and not only do they make challenging and expertly crafted jigsaws for adults, but also fun and educational puzzles for kids;
Extra durable pieces have been designed specifically to withstand the demands of a curious child.
Piece shapes, images, and activities have been crafted to hone fine motor skill development, shape and color association, task completion, problem solving, and independent play!


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Eden's Catalog is a thorough display of all of our natural foods, their ingredients and origins, benefits, and uses. So informative many natural food stores use it in staff education. Download the current catalog or request a printed hard copy below.
Company Information & Product Catalog
Download (PDF - 69MB) |


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West Bromwich Albion have criticised their striker Peter Odemwingie for driving to Queens Park Rangers on transfer deadline day in a vain bid to join the London club.
The Nigeria striker was pictured on Sky Sports television station sitting outside QPR's Loftus Road stadium in his car, apparently in the belief that West Brom had agreed to sell him to their Premier League rivals.
However, QPR reportedly refused to let him enter their premises and West Brom reacted by rebuking the 31-year-old for his conduct.
"Albion can confirm that no agreement was reached with QPR over the transfer of Peter Odemwingie before the closure of the January window and that the striker remains under contract at The Hawthorns," read a club statement.
"The club were extremely disappointed to witness TV footage of Odemwingie arriving at Loftus Road on Thursday evening despite further talks between the two Premier League sides proving fruitless.
"Odemwingie was also never given permission to speak to QPR about a potential move."
West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace said: "Peter has acted wholly unprofessionally. He must now accept the fact he remains under contract for a further 18 months and has to focus on his Albion commitments."
Interviewed by Sky Sports News during his in-car vigil, Odemwingie appeared to suggest he considered himself a QPR player.
"It's fine. West Brom was my home but this is a new chapter. I love West Brom and always will," he told a reporter.
"I am optimistic. A few good players have arrived here (at QPR) and I am happy with the trust (QPR manager) Harry Redknapp has in me.
"The last few results have given us a chance to stay up. I don't think the owners will bring in so many players if they don't think it will happen.
"I hope West Brom are happy with what they will get and they hope to get players themselves."
Redknapp, who did bring Christopher Samba, Jermaine Jenas and Andros Townsend to QPR on Thursday, the latter two on loan deals, said he sympathised with Odemwingie.
"I think he probably felt that the deal had been agreed between the clubs and it hadn't and it was all a mix-up really," said Redknapp.
"I feel sorry for the lad and the way the whole thing's turned out. It wasn't any of our doing.
"I think he was maybe advised that he should turn up here and that the club had made an offer and the offer had been accepted. The wires got crossed somewhere."
Odemwingie joined West Brom from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow in 2010 and has since scored 19 goals in 53 games for the club.


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Whenever I talk about wine preservation, I can count on someone saying, "I always finish the bottle." This column isn't for you Tipsy McStagger, but for those of us who only want a glass or two, not a whole bottle in a night; or who at a party finish a bottle or two but want to pour one more glass and not an entire third bottle. Here's a look at many ways to keep your wine good from glass to glass.
Savino is a simple, elegant, and effective wine preservation system; a cylindrical glass carafe, with a fluted opening which makes pouring wine easy, a glass float with collar, and a top to close the carafe against accidental spill. I was sent one as a review sample and I tried it out, both at home and at work. I found it keeps a bottle's worth of wine good, glass after glass for about five to seven days. The Savino Wine Preservation Carafe is $60 for the glass model in a gorgeous gift box, or $30 for the same design in plastic.
Wine Preserva is a simple system with a round floating disc that has a radial cut fringed edge allowing it to fit inside of any wine bottle and self adjust for interior circumference. Like Savino, the wine is protected from air by a floating seal directly on top of the wine. The cost is $6 for a 10-pack or $30 for a 50-pack, Wine Preserva is used, and then tossed with the bottle when empty.
In my tasting room, I use a big tank of argon, an inert gas that is heavier than oxygen. The tank, regulator, hose, and wand run about $300, with refills of argon running about $40. I am able to spray a protective layer of argon into each opened bottle between glasses, not displacing oxygen, but blanketing the wine and protecting it from oxygen. A tank lasts 3-4 months in the tasting room and many, many years at home.
Probably the most ubiquitous wine preservation tool is the VacuVin, a device that purports to create a vacuum by pumping all of the air from inside a wine bottle through special one-way valved stoppers. Inexpensive, with a near endless line of fans, the product brings to mind the quote, "There's a sucker born every minute."
We're not talking about meat in a bag, but wine in a bottle and sucking the air out of a wine bottle strips away aroma and flavor, as described by Matt Kramer in Wine Spectator. The vacuum created is at best partial, a mere pressure differential with air remaining inside the bottle, and a leak rate that allows more air back in, as measured in two independent laboratories, ETS Labs and a university science lab for Kramer's piece. Consumer Reports found the VacuVin no better at saving wine flavors than just jamming the old cork back in.
Better than just jamming the old porous cork in, is resealing with The Corker, a non porous sealer that is both decorative and functional. About $20 online at TheCorker.com, or at an art and wine festival, one size fits all bottles, keeps carbonation in a bubbly, allows still wines to be stored on their side in the fridge without leaking, and can be used in concert with Private Preserve for top notch preservation.
Less expensive than a $300 argon tank set up, but based on the same idea, is Private Preserve small $10 cans of gas, nitrogen mixed with argon, that similarly blanket between wine and oxygen when sprayed into a bottle. I like pure argon better, because nitrogen has a lighter atomic weight than oxygen and does not protect by blanketing, but by displacement and complete displacement of oxygen with nitrogen is unlikely. The argon in the can is doing the work here with the nitrogen keeping the price down.
Coravin is a remarkable device that allows you to extract wine through the cork without opening the bottle, using a medical grade needle while blanketing the remaining wine with argon. The argon is actually used to create pressure inside the bottle, pumping the wine out. Not inexpensive, $299 retail for the device, two argon canisters, and a display base. I saw it in use through Sonoma Valley as it allowed tasting rooms to offer tastes of high end, high dollar, wines by the glass without concern about oxidation. Unfortunately, there is a very small but real chance that the wine bottle may explode. Seven people have reported a bottle explosion, and one owner, holding a bottle near his face, cut his lip and chipped his tooth when a bottle burst.
Wine bottles can withstand six to 10 times the pressure a Coravin creates, but a flawed bottle, chipped by accident or with a large bubble in the glass through manufacturing defect has less strength, and sales of Coravins have been suspended until neoprene bottle sleeves can be distributed to all current owners and included at sale for all future owners.
The Air Cork is familiar if you watch television's Shark Tank; a purple balloon on the end of a hose, with a grape shaped squeeze ball on the other end. This wine preservation system has you put the hose into a wine bottle, balloon touching the wine, and pump, pump, pump, you inflate the balloon, displacing oxygen and creating a protective barrier from air for the wine. Offered $400,000 by "The Sharks," the creator turned the offer down, and the product is available on Amazon for $25.
John Cesano writes about wine and has more than two hundred posts online at JohnOnWine.com.


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Amazon already provides a set of command-line tools to manage EC2 resources. They allow stopping/starting instances, allocating ip addresses and volumes, attaching/detaching volumes etc.
However, when one starts using these tools to manage day-to-day operations it becomes clear that they have some limitations:
- They are too fine grained, each tool dealing with a single EC2 object at a time. While this is great from a software design point of view, combining these tools to automate complex operations can be challenging.
- The tools operate in an asynchronous way, reflecting the underlying EC2 platform workings. This makes scripting more complex as there is the need to poll in order to wait for an operation to complete.
- They do not support friendly naming of EC2 resources, relying instead in EC2 object identifiers (like i-c4c026ac or vol-a5d83ecc) which are not intended to be human-readable.
RainToolkit solves all that by providing a set of command line tools based on the concept of virtual machine, a concept familiar to anyone who has used any traditional virtualization platform (VirtualBox, VMWare etc.).
RainToolkit commands allow you to manipulate virtual machines and its attachable components (volumes and elastic IP addresses) in a more sysadmin-friendly way by creating an inventory of Virtual Machine metadata that gets stored in Amazon Simple DB.
Using RaingToolkit
Creating a virtual machine in RainToolkit is as easy as:
create-virtual-machine -n myMachineName -i
You can specify all the usual EC2 attributes in your virtual machines: availability zone, kernel, instance type (small, large, extra large etc.). You can also associate a virtual machine with an already running EC2 instance (labeling).
Starting a an EC2 virtual machine is as easy as:
start-virtual-machine -n myMachineName
Rain Toolkit will take care of launching the EC2 instance, waiting for it to start running ,attaching volumes to the right devices, attaching an elastic ip address etc.
You can also create EBS volumes or label existing EBS volumes:
create-volume -name myVolume -size 500 -z u-east-1c
Data for virtual machine and volume configuration is stored in Amazon Simple DB.
Viewing virtual machines, volumes and other objects is also equally easy:
describe-virtual-machines Name Uptime DnsName InternalIpAddress InstanceId test-server none none none none website 200d00:21 ec2-174-129-201-163.compute-1.amazonaws.com 10.248.241.236 i-c4c026ac
All command line tools are designed to provide meaningful exit values (0 on success) so they can easily be used inside shell scripts.
Please check the tools documentation page for detailed installation and usage instructions.


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The NHLPA has made its "alternative view" known to the NHL owners. Now, Donald Fehr, the union's executive director, says his players want "to make a deal."
Details of the offer started to emerge following Tuesday's meeting.
The NHLPA proposed a three-year deal for a new collective bargaining agreement with an option for a fourth year, which Fehr says, according to The (Toronto) Globe and Mail, "will take owners some time to understand." The option year would revert to the current CBA.
"We do believe that the proposal the players made today, once implemented, can produce a stable industry ... that can gives us a chance to move beyond the recurring labour strife that has plagued the NHL the last two decades," said Fehr, flanked by players and union representatives including superstars Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.
Crosby, Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Jason Spezza were among 23 players that participated in the meeting Tuesday in Toronto.
The current CBA expires on Sept. 15. Commissioner Gary Bettman has said there will be a lockout if no agreement is reached by then.
Discussions are expected to resume on Wednesday.
Fehr also said that the NHLPA would like to keep the current rules for player salaries, contract lengths and free agent eligibility, according to The Toronto Sun.
The NHLPA will not ask the NHL to scrap the salary cap system, according to RDS.ca's Renaud P. Lavoie. The cap would be a hard cap with exceptions, according to Fehr.
TSN.ca's Aaron Ward offers insight into how the offer was received, saying the sense is "the NHL believes today's proposal from the NHLPA was better than what was expected."
Ward also added that the NHLPA proposal did not seem to be "a counterattack" to the league's initial offering on July 13 and that the offer had "economic elements that were interesting to the league."
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Craig Adams told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that "we (the players) don't want to be in this situation every five or six years anymore. We feel really good about our offer."
Fehr believes this proposal should "lead to a new CBA" and that players will take a reduced share of hockey-related revenues over the next three seasons.
In the proposal, the players are offering to cut their hockey-related revenue (HRR) from 57 percent to 54 percent, according to Tom Gulitti of The Record of Bergen County, NJ. The option year for the players' would revert HRR back to 57 percent, according to Gulitti.
Fehr also mentioned that revenue-sharing could reach $250 million per year, according to Johnston.
The union says its proposal to the league includes a smaller percentage of revenues for players and an expanded revenue sharing program to help struggling teams
Fehr says players are set to surrender as much as $465 million in revenue under the proposal if the league continues to grow at an average rate. He says that number could balloon to $800 million if the league grows at the same rate it has over the last two seasons.
Bettman did not reveal much about the NHLPA offer after Tuesday's meeting in Toronto but did say: "It's clear to me that they didn't put this together in a hour or two and as a result we're going to need to take a little bit of time to evaluate it, understand it. If we're going to respond, we want to respond appropriately.
"Our hope is we can take care of business in the next month," Bettman said. "That's our goal."
Information from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press was used in this report.


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It is one of the longer "chats" I have done, but it is worth the read, I think.
I had the chance to chat Neal Carter, president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc., Summerland, British Columbia.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits is seeking U.S. Department of Agriculture approval for domestic growing and marketing of Arctic, a genetically modified apple variety the company said does not brown when the apple is sliced.
11:11 a.m. Karst: Where are you now in the process of bringing the genetically engineered apple to the market?
11:12 a.m. Carter: We've got a lot to work to do. The Arctic apple - several events, or varieties of Arctic golden and Arctic granny are currently with USDA APHIS for deregulation. From there some small plantings will get started and it will get rolled out to the commercial arena three, four, five years from now. We had quite a bit of media attention this past month starting in early December but nothing is happening in the short term, it is all pretty long term.
11:13 a.m. Karst: Where did genetic modification occur with the Arctic apple?
11:51 a.m. Carter: Polyphenol Oxidase is from apples, so what we have done is turned off an apple gene which produces the protein called Polypheunol Oxidase. We haven't introduced a gene from another plant species or from bacterium or anything else. This isn't like a BT corn for example, where they isolated the Cry1 protein out of the BT bacteria. We basically turned off an apple gene. If people think we are going to see (new) proteins being produced in our apple. We're not because we're not producing any new proteins, we just turned one off. The technology comes from the Australian research organization called CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization). They have a series of patents covering the Polyphenol Oxidase gene. They identified it originally in a grape variety and from there they isolated that gene sequence in about 24 different plant species, including apples. They made the proof of concept work in potatoes and we then the licensed the technology for tree fruits and we have the exclusive worldwide rights to the technology for tree fruit.
We started in November 1996. We did three years of work to identify the behavior of PPO in apples. So we designed a means a way to interrupt protein synthesis.
We started planting the first trees in field trials in 2002 and we have had consistent results. We see no instabilities or variations from year to year with the trees. They look like apple trees, they grow like apple trees and they are consistent from year to year.
11:14 a.m. Karst: Who do you think will be most interested in your apple?
11:15 a.m. Carter: Definitely, we have gone out and done quite a bit of market assessment to identify where the most value is achieved for different people in the value chain and the foodservice industry would stand to have the biggest benefit. I think one of the really interesting things as I was meeting with one the large processor a couple of weeks ago, they deal with a lot of things like metabisulfites for dried fruit, for diced fruit, sliced fruit, cubed fruit and all sorts of things to make dehydrated apples and then shipping them off to where they are going to get rehydrated for pies. Everything there is treated with metabisulfites. Well our Arctic apples wouldn't need any metabisulfites on them. So right off the bat there is a savings for them and of course metabisulfites is a chemical that causes off flavoring and causes (allergic) reactions so it's great to get that sort of thing out of the food handling and processing change. But also the fresh cut apple people would benefit enormously in the fact they could rid of calcium ascorbate
or the antioxidant of their choice is a pretty big thing. It is expensive, again it is a chemical that is added and getting rid of a chemical is always a good thing.
11:17 a.m. Karst: How big of inroads can you eventually make among fresh cut processors?
11:18 a.m. Carter: Because of the GM issue, we know that some people will continue to use calcium ascorbate, citric acid or a combination of the two in making their apple slices because they are wary of the perception in the market place, but I think there will be people who will try this. I think there are people (who realize) fresh cut apple slices haven't been terribly successful in retail. They have been pretty good in the institutional side of the business. (The lack of success at retail) is probably because they don't compete on a price point basis with other fresh cut produce like carrots and peppers. So if they could pull 15% or 20% or 25% out of their production costs by getting rid of the antioxidant, that would change the game quite a bit. I think there are people out there that are willing to try this and see how it goes. Of course, we won't have a whole lot of fruit for a long time, so it is not something that everybody is going to be able to try for a long time anyway.
11:20 a.m. Karst: What can you say about the approval process in the U.S. and Canada?
11:21 a.m. Carter: It is not just the USDA, FDA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada. Each country has its own group and there are numerous groups in each country. So it is quite an arduous process.
11:22 a.m. Karst: So about three years or so?
11:23 a.m. Carter: I'm not very good with that crystal all because so much of it plays out of our hands. It is in the hands of the regulatory people. I think sometime in 2012 will be realistic in the United States and maybe add a year to that in Canada. Canadian regulatory people seem to take a little longer. They don't have the depth of resources that the USDA and FDA have. So, yes, 2012 and 2013.
11:24 a.m. Karst: So there are Arctic apple trees in nurseries in the U.S now?
11:24 a.m. Carter: There are trees in field trails. You need to have sufficient field trials to build a data package to be able to submit a deregulation petition. If one was to try to visualize the amount of data collected from these apples, you could think of maybe 10 PhD. theses or something to that effect. So it is a pretty significant quantity of data that is being collected and analyzed that is being done, so the field trials have sufficient to build that body of data. Beyond that, no trees have gone out to commercial blocks.
11:26 a.m. Karst: So the field trials are in Canada and the U.S.?
11:27 a.m. Carter: They are predominantly in the U.S. If you go to the APHIS web site you can find the states where our field trials are located.
11:28 a.m. Karst: Do you have other apple varieties you are working on beside Arctic?
11:29 a.m. Carter: Arctic is the brand name that is associated with the inhibition of Polyphenol Oxidase and the control of enzymatic browning.
So we have our Arctic golden and granny leading the way in the current submission and then we are working and are testing building data packages for fuji, gala, mcIntosh and cripps pink.
We have worked on many other varieties as well but those are the ones leading the way.
11:31 a.m. Karst: How did you come to do the work you are now doing?
11:32 a.m. Carter: I'm a bioresource engineer. I have worked in over 50 countries around the world and worked particularly in harvest and postharvest handling and have seen the enormous losses that are prevalent in so many parts of the world in harvest and post harvest handling. We started at looking at ways to deal with of enzymatic browning and other things. Also, being involved personally – my wife and I have an orchard - we are very familiar with what cullage does to grower returns and packouts. We are interested at looking at the application of new technologies in this area. Another business we own is pretty well dedicated to innovations in agriculture, introducing new technologies in agriculture from an engineering perspective as well as software, electronics and robotics. This just seemed to be a natural fit. So we established Okanagan Specialty Fruits Inc. as sole purpose company that would be working on using molecular biology techniques to advance new varieties.
11:36 a.m. Karst: It seems like a lot of investment but you have had to wait quite a while to get any return. How do you manage that as a business?
11:37 a.m. Carter: We're patient. I think agriculturists in general have to be patient people, particularly tree fruit growers. So we're not people who look at the venture capital money and expect 100% return in three years. We're looking down the road long term, developing sound science around an interesting realm of new products with a goal to achieve success in the market place.
11:39 a.m. Karst: What about the concern that consumers won't be able to tell if something is poorer quality now (in regard to non browning apples)?
11:40 a.m. Carter: People seem to latch on to the non-browning part of it. What we have done is inhibited enzymatic browning in fruit and from a food science/technologist perspective; I think those people understand they are in a continuous battle against enzymatic browning. But what it doesn't mean is that the fruit won't brown. When it bruises, a bruise will be the first step in a cascade of reactions associated with fungal and bacterial decay. All of those are rich in a second enzyme that creates browning. So, all sorts of things that are driving secondary browning are still present in the apple. So you will get bruises and marks and stem punctures and all the current defects that exist in the apple industry that result in culls. There will still be culls. This technology is really more aimed at products that have a value added step to them. But it will certainly remove superficial scuff marks and finger bruising. But if you have a bruise it will still be a bruise and the current technology available in packing facilities will identify those bruises and kick them into the cull line.
11:42 a.m. Karst: What has been the reaction from the apple industry? When I say apple industry, I mean the associations and other groups? Have you heard from the U.S. apple industry?
11:43 a.m. Carter: I have been somewhat disappointed in the reaction of the apple industry. With that said some have been very favorable and others have been concerned about the consumer reaction and trying to distance themselves from the product that way. But my original comment about the disappointment is that they seem to be all very surprised yet I have been keeping them fairly well informed. I gave a presentation at the U.S. Apple Outlook Conference leadership luncheon in 2006 and 2007. They really knew this was coming. It is not something that has happened overnight. We have been working on it for 12 years, for goodness sakes.
The fact that they haven't given it much thought, or haven't really thought beyond the research and development level, is a bit frustrating. Not just for me, but for many researchers in the field – a lot of the USDA ARS folks, university people that have worked in genomics and biochromatics and molecular biology techniques for breeding and a whole host of things. They sort of wonder, if you are funding all this work, don't you expect to see product with recombinant DNA?
11:46 a.m. Karst: What are other areas that biotechnology/genetically modified research could be beneficial to produce in general or apples in particular? What other applications do you think might be helpful?
11:46: a.m. Carter: We have a pipeline of products with additional traits or stacked traits and there is a whole host of exciting things there. At this point, we're really just focused on the Arctic apple program, because if it isn't successful, what is the point of working on other traits? I saw a large article in the Good Fruit Grower magazine about apples in China, the fact that the quantity is big but the quality is really lacking. It may be that the control of enzymatic browning in apples and the Arctic apples may be better suited to other markets, like the Chinese market. We'll just have to see where we go with that. There has been lots of work – ethylene inhibition has been proof of concept achieved, scab resistance, powdery mildew resistance, changing metabolic profiling of apples. There is a host of traits where the target gene has been identified and proof of concept has been achieved.
11:49 a.m. Karst: How do you tell your story? How do you win the battle of public opinion?
11:49 a.m. Carter: I like to define our company as grower supported family sized company, so we don't exactly have a large communications or public relations department. So we are a small company tackling a pretty big undertaking. We have a lot of people who want to succeed and are willing to help us with that and of course we are working with communication and public relation people to help. I think coming into 2011, I think probably one of our biggest undertaking is that as we move toward the public comment period for the Arctic apple submissions, we will have press releases and information packages we will put out in advance of that. The current media thing has caught us a little by surprise. It happened six or eight months prior to when we thought it would happen, so what we're trying to do now is wait and let its turn its course and then go back to our original plan and try to regain our own proactive approach to how we will protect our message and value position. One of the things that we have been able to identify is that having people experience this apple is a huge part of our communications strategy. Once somebody has held an Arctic golden or granny in their hand and looked at it and say it looks like an apple and tastes like an apple, but the cool thing is that it doesn't go brown. It is a pretty strong story and individual experience and I think you will see will be incorporating that quite a bit (in our message.)
11:50 a.m. Karst: One question people have is what would happen if these Arctic varieties are planted next to other commercial non-GMO varieties. What kind of reaction would non-GMO varieties have to this Arctic apple?
11:51 a.m. Carter: There are a few main points. One, the apples are bee-pollinated they are not pollinated by wind. So we put the bees in the orchard about every 50 feet; we have pollinizer trees in orchards about every 50 feet. So, the bees don't travel great distances and nor does the pollen. If you had an Arctic golden row next to a normal golden row, you might see some cross pollination on that first row but beyond that you would see very little. The second thing is that the only place where you would have any of the Arctic apple transgenes – when I say the term transgene, that essentially means the portion of the DNA that reflects some change from its parent – and that is about 800 base pairs out of 770 million. We're talking about a very infinitesimal, a small amount of DNA change. And the only place that (change) would manifest itself is in the seed. So a golden delicious apple next to an Arctic golden could potentially have some level of expression in the seed. We know apple trees are not seed derived; they are propagated from grafting. The seeds are in apples – small apples, cull fruit damaged fruit, whatever is left in the orchard and left hanging on the tree and it falls to the ground. We don't get wild apple trees cropping up all over the orchard. In the commercial apple environment, the chance of weedy types and hybridization is essentially zero. Even if you think of people throwing apple cores out the window on the highway, you don't' see apple trees growing along side of roadway. So, you know, the risk is that a portion of the seed might have a very small amount of the transgene. That seed goes in the ground and it rots and decays and that's the end of it. I think the regulatory people, anyway, have extremely little concern about pollen gene flow and outcrossing and hybridization when compared to that of wind pollinated seed crops like canola, flax, wheat and barley. So we essentially no risk to the conventional industry nor do we see any reason why biotech apples and the organic industry can't coexist.
They currently coexist in millions of acres of soybeans, corn, canola, etc. planted in North America. In most cases, those field crops co-exist very well with their organic partners and such and those are highly mobile, seed derived crops. The apple industry can be pretty confident that this isn't going to have any impact at all. If people come up with specific questions on pollen gene flow risk, in our petition we have addressed all those.
11:46 a.m. Karst: Any other messages to the industry about the non-browning apple?
11:50 a.m. Carter: I prefer people to use the term Arctic apple because the Arctic apple is a lot more than just a non-browning apple. I think maybe that is my comment. Control of enzymatic browning and the inhibition of Polyphenol Oxidase, and the fact that our apples have this make them unique. There may be other reasons that apples are slow-browning or low browning but it is no because they don't have Polypheunol Oxidase. So basically what we are doing is we are making the (apples) so they don't have the enzyme that drives all the bad things in the fruit as well as consumes in the fruit. When you inhibit Polyphenol Oxidase, you preserve Vitamin C, you preserve polyphenols, which are the flavor and the aroma and you control enzymatic browning, which is the non-browning you are referring to. Not only is it going to smell and taste better, be more nutritious, it is not going to have the off browning problems that others have. When people say that "Gee I don't know, we already have non browning apples," I would argue pretty strongly that we don't. There is no other apple like this.
It is one of the longer "chats" I have done, but it is worth the read, I think.


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If its got 2 cameras like the picture above I would guess it'll be for 3D not dual leds.
the camera placed on the other side of the phone should not mess with the picture, that's a good move
The reason why dual-LED is speculated is because of camera and then the mysterious hole on the other side. It wouldn't make sense to have two cameras however the hole on the other side that is unknown could possibly be a candidate. In the original rumor, the mentioned that there wasn't any LED attached to the device whatsoever. However, it would seem odd that there would be a random hole for no reason.
Why would there be a need for a second flash? The current light is very bright....
I love speculation.... I also heard someone speculate that the iPhone 5 would suck your balls...... or was that the 6?
Looking at that image, the case's left aperture is only large enough for the camera lens itself (no flash there), and the 2nd hole is for the relocated and only flash, presumable moved to avoid flash flare as mentioned earlier or to allow the production of the next white iPhone be more cost effective.
You'd have to be absolutely batsh*t crazy to think Apple would be handing out iPhone 5 specification guidance, or any other iPhone 5 information, to a no name Chinese case manufacturer a full 2 or 3 months prior to announcement / product launch. In fact I would be totally surprised if the big boys of the accessory market (Belkin, Casemate, Logitech) had early access to iPhone 5 specifications.
Anyone consider that iOS 5 has the led flash when you get a notification? With your phone face down an led on top would hold some ground.
it wouldbe about time. all these new phones already started doing dual flash


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