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A proposal by Canadian Energy giant Enbridge, Inc. to partially reverse the flow of a Canadian pipeline received 41,000 comments in opposition. The reversal is the first step in an apparent scheme to ship tar sands oil through New England in order to access East Coast and overseas markets. Comments to the Canadian National Energy Board (NEB) expressed concerns about the environmental and public health impacts of the proposal.
The NEB, the Canadian federal agency that oversees permitting interprovincial pipelines, is reviewing Enbridge's proposal to reverse the flow direction of a portion of its aging 62-year-old pipeline to move tar sands crude approximately 125 miles from Sarnia to the Westover Oil Terminal, outside of Hamilton, Ontario. Pipeline companies have sent clear signals that the real intent is a long-range plan to ship tar sands oil further on through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to tankers in Portland harbor for Eastern U.S. and overseas markets.
"A more responsible approach would be for the Canadian Energy Board to order an investigation into the full environmental impact of the larger project, including the safety implications of shipping tar sands and impacts on the environment, waterways and communities and carbon pollution from burning tar sands oil," said Jim Murphy, Senior Counsel at NWF. "Enbridge is trying to skirt scrutiny and downplay their goals by breaking the plan into smaller pieces. The public isn't fooled. New Englanders are opposed to tar sands in our region and demand a transparent process."
The latest permit application follows Enbridge's 2008 effort, a pipeline project called "Trailbreaker" to move tar sands oil 750 miles from mining operations in Alberta through Ontario and Quebec and across New England to Portland, Maine, where the crude would be loaded onto tankers for export. Purportedly due to the economic downturn, Enbridge temporarily shelved the project.
"The people of Vermont do not want to live side-by-side with the dirtiest fuel in existence flowing through our communities, threatening to seep into our streams and lakes and pollute our natural resources. The Canadian government should stop this spurious scheme," said Steve Crowley, Chair of the Vermont Sierra Club. "Not only can pipelines rupture, pumping stations can break down too, wreaking untold harm on a community.
Alberta tar sands oil is a heavily-polluting type of viscous crude oil, a mixture of sand, clay, water and bitumen that must be diluted before it can be pumped through pipelines. Diluted bitumen is more corrosive on pipelines than conventional oil and harder to clean up when spilled, as proven by the devastating spill of over 800,000 gallons from an Enbridge pipeline of over one million gallons into Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010, a spill that made at least 145 people ill.
Pipeline breaks and leaks and pumping station mishaps have the potential to spew tar sands oil into numerous natural treasures in New England. Here in Vermont, the pipeline cuts through the Missisquoi river basin, which flows into Lake Champlain and feeds the Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge, one of Vermont's richest wildlife communities. It then goes through the Victory State Forest, home to 130 birds species, including many rare to Vermont, as well as moose, deer, fox and other wildlife. The pipeline also travels over the Connecticut River, which drains most of Eastern Vermont and is one of just 14 United States Rivers designated an American Heritage River. A pipeline rupture could leave these and other resources sullied with tar sands oil for decades.
Extracting tar sands oil destroys acres of pristine boreal forest and leaves behind huge toxic wastelands, including holding ponds, in Canada, an area that is habitat for 50 percent of North America's migratory birds.
See this factsheet for more information http://www.nrdc.org/energy/going-in-reverse.asp.
The coalition of U.S. and Canadian public interest and environmental groups leading efforts to stop the Trailbreaker pipeline include:
Oil and Gas Methane Pollution Report


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The pirate site plans to ignore the lawsuits from Elsevier and the American Chemical Society.
Mimicry Muses
August 1, 2015|
The animal world is full of clever solutions to bioengineering challenges.
August 1, 2015|
The animal world is full of clever solutions to bioengineering challenges.
August 1, 2015|
Meet Wolf Reik, August Profilee and Babraham Institute director of research.
August 1, 2015|
Eighteenth-century DNA sequences yield insights into the history of tuberculosis infections.
July 29, 2015|
A European consortium identifies phenotypes for 320 genes, assigning new functions for half.
July 24, 2015|
Multiple consecutive adenosine nucleotides can cause protein translation machinery to stall on messenger RNAs.
July 23, 2015|
Two genetic studies seeking to determine how people first migrated to North and South America yield different results.
July 22, 2015|
Mental agility in women deteriorates at twice the rate of that in men, according to a study of people with mild cognitive impairment.
July 22, 2015|
In some pathogenic bacteria, certain antibiotic resistance–associated mutations may also confer an unexpected growth advantage.
July 20, 2015|
Analyzing the acoustical qualities of screams and other sounds, researchers pinpoint why people find screams—and emergency vehicle sirens—frightening.
July 16, 2015|
Arabidopsis thaliana defense hormones shape the plant's root microbiome.

subset: commoncrawl


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In Regional Roundup, we've gathered the top stories from each of our eight weekly newspapers each week. Here are the regional stories you don't want to miss from May 30 to June 4, 2014.
Largest senior class at Aurora High bids farewell
Aurora High School's largest senior class — 265 students — received their diplomas on May 31 at the Kent State University Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
Cuyahoga Falls 'drug free' goal collaborative effort (with video)
DeWitt Elementary School fifth-graders pledged to be drug free for the "Not Me, I'm Drug Free" campaign that was launched to combat drug abuse, especially meth and heroin. Students received pledge cards before summer vacation with a variety of local business rewards.
Hudson baseball team advances to division I regional final
The Hudson Explorers baseball team will be heading to its first regional game since 2000 after beating Aurora 4-1 on May 29.
Photos: Relay for Life of Stow-Munroe Falls
Relay for Life at Akron General Health and Wellness Center-North raised around $66,000. Check out all the action in the photo gallery.
Mixed-use city center complex development in Tallmadge moves forward despite no senior tax credits
Testa Companies' proposed city center complex, near the Circle, will be moving forward without affordable senior housing after being passed over two years in a row for tax credits.
Nordonia grad fought cancer, earned diploma (with video)
A Nordonia High school student graduated on May 29, over five years after being diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumor.
'Thunder in the Boro' motorcycle rally set for June 28 in Streetsboro
A motorcycle rally planned by Boro Dawgs, a Cleveland Browns fan club, hopes to be the biggest yet in Portage County. All the proceeds will go to Streetsboro Family Days which will give the money to help with medical costs of Sonny Geraci.
Gregory Kudla pleaded not guilty on May 28 to 22 felony counts, which include rape, sexual battery and gross sexual imposition. Kudla was indicted on May 23. Kudla was a coach in Sagamore Hills F.C. soccer club and a Twinsburg resident.


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Connecting Cisco ASA to VPC EC2 Instance (IPSec)
- Overview
- Configuration Walkthrough
- Appendix: High-Level HA Architecture for VPN Instances
Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (Amazon VPC) provides customers with tremendous network routing flexibility. This document describes how a customer can create a secure IPSec tunnel to connect a corporate network with VPC using an on-premise Cisco ASA with an Amazon Linux Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instance.
Amazon Virtual Private Network Components
Please reference the Amazon Virtual Private Cloud Network Administrator Guide for complete VPC networking documentation; however, the following definitions, example configuration, and diagram may be helpful for understanding the content of this paper.
Internet Gateway (IGW)
The IGW is an egress point from a customer's VPC that allows public Elastic IP addresses to be mapped to VPC instances. IGW will provide public address mapping that will allow VPN instances in each VPC to communicate with each other.
IPSec Connection
An IPSec VPN connection providing encrypted traffic between the on-premise Cisco ASA firewall and the EC2 VPN instance that will be used to virtually connect the two networks.
Example VPC Setup
This guide will use the following VPC configuration for illustrative purposes:
Additional Considerations
- The IPSec connections require each VPN instance to live in a public subnet and have an Elastic IP address.
- VPN instances are a potential single point of failure. Please see the Appendix for a high-level High Availability design for this component.
- This lab provides examples using Amazon Linux and standard Amazon Linux packages.
- This guide assumes you already have a VPC created and a Cisco ASA device. For instructions on creating VPCs, see the Amazon Virtual Private Cloud Getting Starting Guide.
- In this scenario, AWS manages the IGW and the customer is responsible for managing their Cisco ASA, EC2 instance, and the IPSec connections.
Configuration Walkthrough
In this walkthrough, we will perform the following steps:
- Launch an EC2 VPN instance
- Configure VPN server software on the EC2 instance
- Configure the Cisco ASA device
To launch an EC2 VPN instance
- Launch an Amazon Linux instance in a VPC public subnet and do the following:
- Assign the VPN instance a static private IP address. This is not required, but it makes setting up the config files easier. In this example, use 10.0.0.5.
- Allocate a VPC EIP and associate an EIP to your VPN instance. In this example, use EIP1 to represent the public EIP address used to connect into your VPC.
- Disable Source/Dest checking on your EC2 instance.
- Right-click the instance and selecting Change Source/Dest. Check.
- Click Yes, Disable.
- Configure routing tables in your VPC to send traffic to your corporate network through the VPC EC2 instance.
To configure VPN server software on an Amazon EC2 instance
- Connect to each EC2 VPN Instance and install the openswan package with the following command:
Prompt> sudo yum install openswan
- Edit the /etc/ipsec.conf file (as root) to include files in /etc/ipsec.d/*.conf (uncomment the last line by removing the '#' on the first character of the last line so it looks like the following):
Prompt> sudo vi /etc/ipsec.conf
# /etc/ipsec.conf - Openswan IPsec configuration file # # Manual: ipsec.conf.5 # # Please place your own config files in /etc/ipsec.d/ ending in .conf version 2.0 # conforms to second version of ipsec.conf specification # basic configuration config setup # Debug-logging controls: "none" for (almost) none, "all" for lots. # klipsdebug=none # plutodebug="control parsing" # For Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora, leave protostack=netkey protostack=netkey nat_traversal=yes virtual_private= oe=off # Enable this if you see "failed to find any available worker" # nhelpers=0 #You may put your configuration (.conf) file in the "/etc/ipsec.d/" and uncomment this. include /etc/ipsec.d/*.conf
- Create the following files in /etc/ipsec.d (as root)
Prompt> sudo vi /etc/ipsec.d/vpc1-to-vpc2.conf
conn vpc-to-asa type=tunnel authby=secret left=%defaultroute leftid=<EIP1> leftnexthop=%defaultroute leftsubnet=<VPC CIDR> right=<ASA Public IP> rightsubnet=<Corporate Network CIDR> esp=aes192-sha1 keyexchange=ike ike=aes192-sha1 salifetime=43200s pfs=yes auto=start dpdaction=restart
Prompt> sudo vi /etc/ipsec.d/vpc1-to-vpc2.secrets
<EIP1> <ASA Public IP>: PSK "Put a Preshared Key here!!"
- Start IPSec/Openswan.
Prompt> sudo service ipsec start
- Configure IPSec/Openswan to always start on boot.
Prompt> sudo chkconfig ipsec on
- Configure the Linux instance to route traffic by editing /etc/sysctl.conf and changing the net.ipv4.ip_forward variable from 0 to 1.
Prompt> sudo vi /etc/sysctl.conf
net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1
- Restart your network settings for the network forwarding settings to take effect.
Prompt> sudo service network restart
To configure a Cisco ASA device
Please follow the Cisco ASA documentation for configuring an IPSec connection between your Cisco ASA and the Elastic IP address (EIP1) of your EC2 VPN Instance using the algorithms (aes192-sha1) and lifetimes (43200s) configured in the IPsec configuration file above. Also, some customers have found it necessary to disable the IKE keepalive to turn that dead peer detection off. The following example walks a user through using the Cisco ASA IPSec wizard for creating this type of connection (in step #5 of the example, ensure you check the option to enable Perfect Forwarding Secrecy (PFS) as this is a more secure section than the one recommended by the example):
Appendix: High-Level HA Architecture for VPN Instances
Creating a fully redundant VPN connection requires the setup and configuration of two VPN instances and a monitoring instance to monitor the health of the VPN connections. The following diagram depicts an HA design for the VPC component of the network. Creating redundancy on the customer's Cisco ASA side of the network is out of scope for this document.
We recommend configuring your VPC route tables to leverage all VPN instances simultaneously by directing traffic from all of the subnets in one Availability Zone through its respective VPN instances in the same Availability Zone. Each VPN instance will then provide cross-VPC connectivity for instances that share the same Availability Zone.
VPN Monitoring Instance(s)
The VPN Monitor is a custom instance that you will need to create and develop monitoring scripts to run on. This instance is intended to run and monitor the state of a VPN connection and VPN instances. If a VPN instance or connection goes down, the monitor will need to stop, terminate, or restart the VPN instance while also rerouting traffic from one subnet to the working VPN instance until both connections are functional. Amazon does not provide any guidance or scripts to use to set up this monitoring instance, so it is up to you to develop the necessary business logic to provide notification and/or attempt to automatically repair network connectivity in the event of a VPN connection failure.


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Upgrading these common, everyday items to more sustainable, eco-friendly versions can slash your exposure to icky toxins and help the planet, too.
Home Ideas to Bliss Out Your Nest
Upgrading these common, everyday items to more sustainable, eco-friendly versions can slash your exposure to icky toxins — and help the planet, too.More
You may be getting more than you bargained for when you open a can of soup. Almost all of the 19 brand-name canned foods tested by Consumer Reports contained Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that's been linked to breast cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. To reduce your exposure, opt for alternative packaging without metal peel-off lids, such as vegetables and soups in plastic bags or pouches. Try to eat fresh whenever possible, and microwave food in glass containers. Wean Green Snack Cubes ($11.99 for 2) are made of stain-, odor- and scratch-resistant glass and are also BPA-, PVC- and phthalate-free.
You may think you're doing the right thing by choosing paper over Styrofoam when you stop for your morning cup of Joe, but the coating that makes paper waterproof is problematic. "It has a BPA lining," says Danny Seo, environmental lifestyle expert and author of Upcycling. "Instead, bring your own reusable thermos to coffee shops. You may even get a discount." Ones to try: The new Bobble Hot and Bobble Iced bottles ($8.99-$9.99) are dishwasher safe, free of BPA, phthalates and PVC, and fit neatly into coffee machines and most car cup holders.
Spruce Up Your Couch


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- Home
- About the Center
- Research Programs
- Addiction Genetics and Pharmacogenetics Division
- Addiction Treatment and Medication Development Division
- Brain-Behavioral Vulnerabilities Laboratory
- HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Division
- Clinical Trials Network
- Novel Interventions in Criminal Justice Populations Division
- Continuing Care and Assessment Division
- Integrated Care for Primary Care
- Clinical Trial Participation
- Treatment Options
- Affiliated Divisions
- Center Faculty
- Post Doctoral Fellowships
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- Sitemap
- Newsletters
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- Contact Us
- Support Our Work
Addiction Genetics and Pharmacogenetics Division
The Division of Addiction Genetics and Pharmacogenetics focuses on the role of genetic variation and epigenetics as factors both in the risk of addiction and as moderators of response to both psychosocial and pharmacological interventions. The Division supports research on subgroups of addicted individuals that are genetically homogeneous with respect either to the development of an addictive disorder or its response to treatment. Treatment trials supported by the Division employ state-of-the art clinical trial designs (e.g., adaptive trial designs) and genetic and epigenetic methods (including candidate gene and genomewide approaches).
Research Areas
A major focus of the division is on gene finding for all major substance use disorders, including alcohol, cocaine, opioids, and cannabis, and psychiatric disorders that co-occur with addiction. A second major focus of the division is on the identificatoin of pharmacogenetic moderators of medications to treat alcohol use disorder.
Henry R. Kranzler, MD
Amy Hart, PhD
Dr. Hart is a postdoctoral fellow working under the mentorship of Dr. Henry Kranzler. She received her Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Chicago in 2013, where she studied the genetic influences on the acute response to d-amphetamine, a proposed intermediate phenotype for amphetamine abuse. Her current work focuses on elucidating the genetic influences on the risk for alcoholism and other substance dependencies, with a particular interest in the analysis of large, genome-wide datasets.
Key Publications
Kranzler, H.R., Armeli, S., Feinn, R., Tennen, H., Gelernter, J., & Covault, J. GRIK1 genotype moderates topiramate's effects on daily drinking level, expectations of alcohol's positive effects, and desire to drink. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2014 April 30:1-8. [Epub ahead of print].
Kranzler, H.R., Covault, J., Feinn, R., Armeli, S., Tennen, H., Arias, A.J., Gelernter, J., Pond, T., Oncken, C., & Kampman, K.M. Topiramate treatment of heavy drinkers: moderation by a GRIK1 polymorphism. American Journal of Psychiatry, 171(4):445-452, 2014.
Bi, J., Gelernter, J., Sun, J., & Kranzler, H.R. Comparing the utility of homogeneous subtypes of cocaine use and related behaviors with DSM-IV cocaine dependence as traits for genetic association analysis. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 165B(2): 148-56, 2014.
Gelernter, J., Kranzler, H.R., Sherva, R., Almasy, L., Koesterer, R., Anton, R., Preuss, U.W., Ridinger, M., Rujescu, D., Wodarz, N., Zill, P., Zhao, H., & Farrer, L.A. Genome-wide association study of alcohol dependence: significant findings in African- and European-Americans including novel risk loci. Molecular Psychiatry, 19(1):41-49, 2014.
Gelernter, J., Kranzler, H.R., Sherva, R., Koesterer, R., Almasy, L., Zhao, H., & Farrer, L.A. Genome-wide association study of opioid dependence: multiple associations mapped to calcium and potassium pathways. Biological Psychiatry, 76(1):66-74, 2014.
Gelernter, J., Sherva, R., Koesterer, R., Almasy, L., Zhao, H., Kranzler, H.R., & Farrer, L. Genome-wide association study of cocaine dependence and related traits: FAM53B identified as a risk gene. Molecular Psychiatry, 19(6):717-723, 2014.
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The 52nd paragraph of the Sandhaka Sutta (M76) has a significant variant reading that the translations of the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and I.B. Horner differ on:
I.B. Horner's translation is more thought provoking than the Ven. Bodhi's, but I can understand the justification for his rendering. I just wonder why the Buddha felt an arahant's reflection worthy of comment.


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Tarrytown House Estate Blog
Tarrytown House shares in "An Evening in Good Taste"...
Cellar 49 - a Tavern at the Mansion - here at Tarrytown House Estate recently participated in "An Evening in Good Taste" with The Food Bank for Westchester.
Executive Chef Hettinger and his team participated again this year in the very successful event which helped to raise $200,000 towards childhood hunger in Westchester County. Shown in this photo are Carrie Westbrook (Line Cook), Katie Fosse (Culinary Institute of America Extern), and Chef Chris Hettinger.
Great Job and Congratulations!


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BENICIA -- A city panel Monday will discuss ways to give low-income seniors a break on high-efficiency toilets, clothes washers and landscaping.
The Community Sustainability Commission requested information on potential water-saving programs to ease the blow to seniors of recently approved water rate increases. The city is also phasing out water-rate subsidies available to residents age 60 and over.
"We have been urging the City Council and city manager to press for this," commission chairwoman Constance Beutel said Friday. "There are things like low-flow toilets and washers and drip-irrigation landscaping that can really make a difference. We really wanted the city to come back and make a proposal with those things in mind."
Whether rebates, coupons or giveaways may be considered has not yet been determined.
According to the city, if 1,000 Benicia seniors installed low-flow toilets and clothes washers, it would save 9.7 million gallons of water a year. The cost of purchasing the toilets and washers would be about $1.2 million.
Each high-efficiency washer would save about 5,100 gallons yearly, city estimates show, which would lower average water bills by $13.87 per year based on 2017 water rates. The amount of added savings that would result from installing more low-flow toilets and drought-resistant landscaping has not been determined, but could be significant, Beutel said.
"If you use less water, you are not going to pay as much," she said. "It would help, definitely."
Funding the programs, however, may involve a battle with the Valero oil refinery.
The commission has identified $1.6 million in possible funding that is part of a 2010 agreement between the Valero oil refinery, the city and a community group, the Good Neighbor Steering Committee.
The cash is preferentially reserved for the second phase of a refinery water-conservation project. Valero officials say the project could save 17 million gallons a year, thus helping the city meet its conservation goals.
Others, including Beutel, would prefer the money to be leveraged to help low-income residents rather than a Fortune 500 company lower energy costs.
Also Monday, the commission will review grant requests for several conservation projects in the community. The proposals range from energy-efficient lighting at the Benicia Historical Museum and Arts Benicia gallery to a project to generate hydroelectric power in the city's water system.
Another proposal seeks funding for an educational outreach program in the Benicia school district. Other grant requests focus on tree planting and various public art projects to raise awareness about reducing carbon emissions and energy use.
The commission will also consider a staff request to dedicate more of the grant money to Benicia's climate action plan coordinator. The request follows the departure of an experienced senior planner, whose vacant position is now frozen due to budgetary concerns.
The added funding would use $25,000 of Valero/Good Neighbor Steering Committee Agreement funds.
The commission meets at 6 p.m. Monday in the City Hall commission room, 250 E. L St.
Contact staff writer Tony Burchyns at email@example.com or (707) 553-6831. Follow him on Twitter @tburchyns.


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(Time permitting)
- Photographs of all family members.
- Food and water (for up seven days, if possible).
- Pets (if advance warning, take to an approved shelter).
- Pet ID tags, medications, leashes and water bowls.
- Change of clothing for each person (for one to seven days).
- Cell phones and chargers.
- Health and car insurance cards and related documents.
- Property deeds.
- Marriage license.
- Tax papers.
- Birth certificates.
- Drivers' licenses.
- Checkbook, credit cards, cash, wallet, purse.
- Medications, including analgesics and motion sickness tablets.
- First-aid kit.
- Prescription eye wear, dentures, hearing aids.
- Jewelry.
- Irreplaceable keepsakes.
- Flashlights and Portable radio with extra batteries.
- Establish an evacuation plan, travel route, probable destination, and where separated members will meet.
- Park evacuation vehicle heading toward street and travel route.
- Close evacuation car windows but do not lock the car and leave keys in ignition.
- Close garage door but leave it unlocked (disconnect automatic garage door opener).
- Turn off natural gas at meter.
- Disconnect propane tank.
- Close or cover outside vents and shutters.
- Remove combustible items from around the outside of the house.
- Turn off appliances, thermostats, fireplaces, stoves.
- Lock doors and windows except sliding glass doors leading to center of home.
- Turn on exterior lights.
- Prepare an "information note" to leave on the door detailing who you are, where you have gone.


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Topic: Digestion/Creon question
Sorry guys, but I have a poop question.
Since surgery, sometimes when I eat at restaurants I get some abdominal pain. I'm assuming because of the high fat content in restaurant foods. I told my oncologist about this and she said she wouldn't be surprised if I had some digestion issues after all my treatment. (I had liver resection, gallbladder removal, radiation and chemo) She asked me if my stools float. I said no. Then I actually started inspecting them and yes the majority float. I know this can be from a high fat content in stool. But you would think I would have other symptoms. I don't have diarrhea and only have bowel movements once a day. They don't look greasy. (again, sorry for the gross topic)
My oncologist prescribed creon. I know lots of our whipple patients take this, but I didn't have a whipple.
I think I'm going to my PCP to see if I can have my stool tested for fat prior to taking these enzymes.
I did have a low Vitamin D level so, maybe I do have some absorption issues. (or maybe I need to live in a sunnier climate)
What are your experiences with creon? Any non-whipple patients have to take them?
I don't like to take medications unless I'm certain I need them.
Thanks and take care!


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Last week's jewelry theft in downtown Los Altos may be connected to similar crimes in other California cities over the past 16 months, but police continue to investigate before drawing any conclusions.
The Nov. 29 robbery of two jewelry distributors outside Garvani Diamond Brokers on First Street resembles recent crimes in Burlingame, South San Francisco and the Los Angeles area. Los Altos Police Capt. Andy Galea said his department is collaborating with agencies in those areas to determine if the incidents are linked.
Like the other robberies, last week's heist "was sophisticated and well orchestrated," Los Altos Police Chief Tuck Younis said. "Obviously, these victims were specific targets."
Two New York-based distributors were robbed moments after leaving Garvani – located at 300 First St., near Draeger's Market – at approximately 6 p.m.
Four unknown suspects allegedly wearing ski masks and dark clothing pulled up in a sedan alongside the victims, who were in their car on First Street. One suspect seized an undisclosed amount of jewelry from the backseat, according to Galea.
No weapons were reportedly used or seen, but one of the distributors was struck on the shoulder, Galea said. The victim did not need medical attention.
A similar crime occurred in January outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Burlingame, where six men robbed a private jewelry dealer at gunpoint. The suspects were later arrested in Los Angeles and remain in custody, according to police.
Capt. Mike Matteucci of the Burlingame Police Department said that if there is a connection between those six suspects and the four in the Los Altos robbery, it would indicate that they are part of a larger, organized ring.
Scott Bunch of the Los Altos police said Monday the department has no leads but continues to assess witness statements and vet security camera footage from surrounding businesses. Police are withholding witness statements to avoid influencing other accounts.
David Harris, Garvani co-owner, said he called police after the two victims told him what had occurred. Harris said the victims, who had just conducted business with Garvani, chased the suspects on foot as they drove away.
Galea said this type of robbery isn't uncommon.
"Typically, (the jewelry dealers) will have been either surveilled or (the robbers) will know when they're scheduled to make a delivery," he said.
"From what I've seen in the past, and talking to other dealers, these (robbers) are very patient," Harris said. "They follow the (dealer), see when he's going to be in town, watch the buildings."
Police urge anyone with information to call 947-2770. Callers may remain anonymous.


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The push for immigration reform continues
Throughout August, OFA volunteers have taken advantage of the congressional recess by organizing grassroots events across the country to urge their representatives to move comprehensive immigration reform forward. The progress we've made so far is clear, but these tireless volunteers didn't let up this Labor Day weekend. They kept their foot on the pedal, holding events nationwide and driving local news coverage from Orange County to Staten Island.
Below is a selection of highlights from this weekend's events:
Butler County, Ohio—In the final weeks of the congressional recess, OFA-OH volunteers made sure Speaker Boehner knows where his constituents stand on comprehensive immigration reform.
Gilbert, Arizona—OFA-AZ volunteers of multiple generations visited the office of Representative Matt Salmon to ask him to #StandWithOurFuture.
Dayton, Ohio—OFA-OH volunteers spoke with television reporters after delivering petition signatures to Representative Mike Turner's office in support of comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to earned citizenship.
Dallas, Texas—Representative Marc Veasey addressed a packed public forum organized by OFA-TX volunteers.
Las Vegas, Nevada—Representative Joe Heck's constituents marched through the streets to let him know that Nevadans want to see the House vote on an earned pathway to citizenship.
Santa Clarita, California—OFA-CA volunteers held a visibility event outside a theme park to send a message to Representative Buck McKeon.
Las Cruces, New Mexico—OFA-NM volunteers, along with members of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), held a grassroots action event to ask Representative Steve Pearce to support immigration reform. Speakers included, Maury Castro, Joanne Ferrary, and NM Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO President Jon Hendry.
Staten Island, New York—Young constituents of Representative Michael Grimm asked their Congressman to #StandWith Staten Island Families.
The action doesn't end in August. Find an event near you and join the push for immigration reform.


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Whyteleafe's promotion push for Ryman Division One South football continued apace with an eighth consecutive league win.
A 6-2 victory over sixth placed Cray Valley keeps the Leafe second in the Southern Counties East League, two points behind leaders Ashford United.
Leafe were the best side throughout at Church Road, and can now boast being the top scorers in the league, as well as having the meanest defence.
The visitors looked dangerous in the opening minutes and the hosts were grateful to Alex Penfold, who prevented an early deficit with a great saving tackle to deny Reece Grant.
Leafe soon took the upper hand, Ryan Fowler found Jensen Grant on the edge of the box but his shot was saved by Matt Bailey.
A minute later Roscoe DSane was unlucky when his deflected shot hit the post and bounced away to safety The first goal came in the 13th minute - Bentley Graham ran on to a long ball, took the ball round Bailey and slotted the ball home, beating Gary Cook's desperate attempt to clear off the line.
DSane, Sam Clayton, Jason Thompson and Fowler all went close before DSane slotted the second past the Cray keeper moments before the break.
There was time for a third before half-time, after good work from Thompson and Clayton, via DSane.
Cray pulled one back directly after the restart, but Leafe soon restored their three-goal advantage thanks to Grant's close range effort.
DSane, having set up grant, was again the provider when his cross was converted for the fifth goal by Louis Hollingsworth.
Leafe skipper Thompson got his name on the scoresheet after Taylor Smith was brought down in the box by Allan Matthews in stoppage time, and he hammered home the spot kick for Leafe's sixth.
There was still time for Cray to get a late consolation when they were also awarded a penalty.
Leafe keeper Sheikh Ceesay saved Adam Gross's spot kick, but Jamie Wood was first to react and netted the rebound.
Leafe go to Lordswood this weekend.
Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Merchant, Penfold, Hollingsworth, Smith, Thompson, Fowler, Grant (Williams 77), DSane (Smith {Taylor} 72), Clayton (Pitterson 77), Graham.
Subs not used: Burnett, Pratt.


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--As Prepared for Delivery--
"Thank you M__ Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
"I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 992, commonly known as the swap push out bill. This bill would effectively gut important financial reforms and put taxpayers on the hook for big banks' risky behavior.
"In 2008, I voted against TARP because I didn't think the federal government should be bailing out the mess both regular banks and so-called investment banks like Goldman Sachs got themselves into with derivatives trading. Section 716 of the Dodd-Frank law ensures we won't find ourselves in this situation again. This provision is a modest measure designed to prevent the federal government from bailing out or subsidizing bank activity that is not related to the business of banking.
"Originally, Section 716 a Senate provision would have forced banks to spin off all their swap activity into a separate affiliate. The House version of Dodd-Frank had no such requirement. In a compromise, the final version of Section 716 allows banks to hold on to swaps for hedging purposes and swaps related to the business of banking primarily interest rate and foreign exchange swaps.
"Under Dodd-Frank, banks are required to move commodity swaps (including energy and agriculture swaps); non-cleared, non-investment grade credit default swaps; credit default swaps on asset backed securities, and equity swaps to a separate affiliate. This represents barely 10 percent of the world swap market; banks can keep 90 percent in the bank. Apparently this is not good enough for the big banks which is why they are pushing H.R. 992 to gut Dodd-Frank and keep playing in 99 percent of the swap market, which is pretty much the status quo.
"H.R. 992 also makes it easier for banks to hide commodity manipulation from regulators. In recent months, we have seen J.P. Morgan charged with and settling cases of alleged energy market manipulation, and the start of an investigation of Goldman Sachs for aluminum manipulation. The Federal Reserve is even reconsidering its decision letting banks get involved with owning commodities. Until the big banks are held accountable for the activities in commodity swap markets, I am reluctant to repeal limits Congress already has put in place.
"Since the passage of Dodd-Frank, it is clear that Wall Street has not learned its lesson. The loss experienced by J.P. Morgan through derivatives trading in the "London Whale" incident is proof of that. At some point, another bank is going find itself in similar trouble and run to the government with its hands out for assistance. Frankly, I think the American people are sick and tired of the banks asking for taxpayer help when they get in trouble for risky trading activities.
"In the past, I have joined other Democratic Agriculture Committee members in support of legislation to change Dodd-Frank. I have supported those efforts because those bills reaffirmed what Congress intended with the law, like protecting derivatives end-users. Well, these end-users also share my concerns. The Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition represents commodity-dependent industries, businesses and end-users, that rely on functional, transparent and competitive commodity derivatives markets as a hedging and price discovery tool, and they too oppose H.R. 992.
"H.R. 992 repeals a key, if modest, reform component of Dodd-Frank. My colleagues are certainly free to vote as they wish, but I urge them to be careful people will remember this vote. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 992 so we don't put more taxpayer dollars at risk for banks' swap activity not related to their banking business.
"I yield back."


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Cook Hall isn't empty.
"I would say he has worn that swipe card out coming into Cook Hall," associate head coach Tim Buckley said about the Hoosiers' state-of-the-art practice facility. "He does things behind the scenes you see on game night. He works every day. It might be two or three times a day.
"That's what got the culture going. It's rewarding to see him play at that level."
Hulls' Sunday night reward was 7-for-10 from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range in the 101-53 win over Ball State. That was good for his second straight 17-point game.
In his last three games, he's 17-for-27 from the field and 10-for-18 from three-point range. He's averaged 16.0 points in that stretch, 13.0 for the season.
In other words, he seems primed for Tuesday night's Assembly Hall showdown against No. 9 North Carolina (5-1) in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.
"I put a lot of time in my shooting," Hulls said. "I like to shoot well every time. When I put in all the time, it should feel good."
Hulls didn't take a shot in the first 15 minutes while setting up his teammates, then took charge. He was 5-for-5 to end the first half while adding three assists and three rebounds.
"I was waiting to get in the flow," he said. "I wasn't trying to force anything. We were getting it inside to Cody (Zeller) and Christian (Watford). I let it come to me."
When it came to him, he delivered.
"I was trying to be more aggressive and do whatever the team needs me to do."
Hulls' shooting aggressiveness was matched by swingman Will Sheehey, who came off the bench for a season-high 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting. That made up for his 4-for-10 shooting for a total of eight points in last week's two games in Brooklyn as part of the Legends Classic.
"I took open shots and my teammates found me," he said.
Buckley had a deeper perspective.
"It starts with our guys when they feel they haven't played well. He probably didn't shoot it as well as he'd have liked in Brooklyn. He got in the gym and worked. He did all the things you have to do to get better. The only thing we know is work. He did, and you got a chance to see the results tonight.
"I don't think it was a surprise. That's how he plays. He got a little off track offensively in Brooklyn. He worked his way out of it."
The Hoosiers (6-0) worked their way out of a lot of things against out-matched Ball State (2-2). They shot 60.3 percent from the field, had five players score in double figures, forced 18 turnovers and held the Cardinals to 30.9 percent shooting.
"We got key contributions from a lot of guys," Buckley said. "We played Indiana basketball. We want to sustain that."
IU's intensity didn't drop off despite the lopsided score. It won the first half 50-19 and the second 51-34.
"In order to be a championship-caliber team, that's the way you have to play it," Buckley said. "You can't take any possessions off. That's what we did. Guys coming in off the bench, that's their time to play meaningful minutes. That's what we're about. When you don't, you come out."
All that was too much for Ball State
"Indiana has such a deep team," coach Billy Taylor said. "They have so many guys who can hurt you. They're No. 1 for a reason."
IU had its typical slow start. It led just 10-8 after six minutes. Sheehey provided an off-the-bench spark with five straight points as the Hoosiers pushed ahead 21-10.
And then the Hoosiers really took charge. Maurice Creek and Hulls didn't miss a shot. Sheehey missed one, a three-pointer. When the half was over, IU led 50-19, shooting 64.7 percent from the field to Ball State's 20.0.
IU didn't let up in the second half and cruised to its biggest scoring output of the season. As a reward for breaking 100 points, the first 100 fans who brought a valid game ticket to Qdoba in Bloomington got free food.
"Our defensive pressure got better," Hulls said. "We forced some turnovers. That's when we're at our best, when we're running transition. We get buckets that way."


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We're in that time of year when see more battery related issues – it seems to go hand in hand with the months of January and February. The key is to be pro-active about the situation and not waiting for that first morning when it dips down to 15 degrees below zero… and the car won't start!
We have a technician here at Varney that says, "The worse sound a car can make is nothing… when it won't start!" We think he may be on to something! Ironically though, a battery is an easy item to check and keep tabs on, but most people still don't even think about it until it's too late.
Even on most new vehicles, the battery is still located under the hood and fairly accessible. Only a handful of models have the battery in a different location like in the trunk or under the rear seat. If you have a car with a battery in a funky location, call us – we'll take care of you. Most batteries, aftermarket or from the manufacturer, last between 5-7 years.
Here's a few things you can check in regards to your battery:
– First, there should be a sticker on the top of the battery that shows the month and year of either manufacturing or installation date. If the battery is more than 5 years old, you may want to consider replacing it.
– Second, there are two terminals (or posts) either on top of the battery or on the side. These terminals should be free of a bluish-white powdery substance – this is corrosion and will hurt your battery's performance. You can purchase battery terminal spray at any auto parts store. Just spray it on, let it sit for a few minutes, then wash it off. The water will not harm the battery or its related parts.
– Third, there will be wire cables (one red, one black) that clamp onto or screw into the terminals or posts. These should be in good condition – free from corrosion and/or rust, they should not be frayed, etc. If any of these symptoms are present, please consider replacing them.


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Frank Delicious wrote:Are the pro plastic eagles up to $30 now?
yeah, at least that.
Moderators: Timko, Fritz, Solty, Booter, Blake_T, Frank Delicious
Frank Delicious wrote:Are the pro plastic eagles up to $30 now?
Frank Delicious wrote:are things actually worth something now? they were completely untradable/sellable back when they were being made.
Frank Delicious wrote:it started flippy and beat into roller in like 2 throws.
sittinonatoliet wrote:http://www.flickr.com/photos/41804825@N07/6940348534/
what are these two disc worth I've had them for a few years now and have no idea what they are worth. Both are brand new. the fx is 171 the wraith is 174.
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San Diego Symphony Kinder Concert: Escondido Public Library hosts two concerts of classical works geared for young children featuring excerpts of pieces by Britten, Elgar, Mendelssohn and more; 10 and 11:15 a.m.; Turrentine Room, Escondido Public Library, 239 S. Kalmia St., Escondido; free;
library.escondido.org, (760) 839-5456.
Bob Boss String Trio: noon; O2 Performance Studio, Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission Road, San Marcos; free; (760) 744-1150, 2453.
"The Little Mermaid": San Marcos' Theatre West Youth Theater presents a musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale; 7:30 p.m. (also Friday, and 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 17); San Marcos Community Center, 3 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos; $7-$10; (760) 744-9000.
Eddie Money: 8 p.m.; Ramona Mainstage, 626 Main St., Ramona;
ramonamainstage.com, (760) 789-7008.
Englebert Humperdinck: 8 p.m.; Pechanga Resort & Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula; $50-$70; (877) 711-2946.
The Hives: 9 p.m.; Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach; $26-$28;
bellyup.com or (858) 481-8140.
"My Funny Valentines: Lamont Ferguson & Ro Delle Grazie": Sprocket Entertainment present these two stand-up comedians in the fifth annual comedy tribute to relationships, hosted by Mark Hernandez; 8 p.m.; Carlsbad Village Theatre, 2822 State St., Carlsbad; $25; (619) 997-3033,
"Godspell": Star Theatre presents Stephen Schwartz's revised 1970s folk rock musical based on the gospel of Matthew. Directed by David Schulz with musical direction by Sandra Kopitzke, the production will feature a live band onstage; 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Feb. 21-23; 2 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 24; Star Theatre, 402 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside; call for ticket prices; (760) 721-9983,
Violist Victor de Almeida: Former principal violist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; 7:30 p.m.; Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas; $12; (760) 633-2740.
Ra Ra Riot: Pacific Air and Cuyacas; 9 p.m.; Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach; $20-$35;
bellyup.com or (858) 481-8140.
"Sailor's Song": Patio Playhouse presents John Patrick Shanley's drama with dance about five people whose lives intersect in a seaside tale of love and death; opens Friday and runs through March 10; showtimes, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; Patio Playhouse, 201 E. Grand Ave., Suite 1D, Escondido; $15, general; $12, seniors and students; $7, youth;
patioplayhouse.org or (760) 746-6669.
"Romance Through Generations": Jean Isaacs' San Diego Dance Theater presents a performance by 25 senior dancers from the Aging Creatively Modern Dance Workshop; 11 a.m.; Encinitas Senior Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive, Encinitas; free.
Escondio art exhibit opens: The Escondido Arts Partnership Members' Exhibition runs Friday through March 2; hours, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (extended hours to 8 p.m. every second Saturday); Escondido Municipal Gallery, 262 E. Grand Ave., Escondido; (760) 480-4101.
"Brooklyn Memories" opens: Escondido-based photographer is featured in a solo exhibit of vibrantly colored images from his hometown; reception, 2 to 5 p.m.; exhibit runs through March 12; Calumet Photographic Gallery, 830 W. Valley Parkway, Escondido; (760) 737-6002.
African Drum Circle Extravaganza: The Oceanside Public Library hosts a community drumming event for children and families. Join Chazz in this interactive program; 2 p.m.; Community Rooms, Civic Center Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside; free; (760) 435-5600,
The Capitol Steps: Political satire troupe; 8 p.m.; Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road, Poway; $30-$45; (858) 748-0505,
Don Rickles and Debbie Reynolds: 8 p.m. Feb. 16; Pala Casino Spa & Resort, 11154 Highway 76, Pala; $65-$90;
startickets.com or (800) 585-3737. Don Rickles and Debbie Reynolds: 8 p.m. Feb. 16; Pala Casino Spa & Resort, 11154 Highway 76, Pala; $65-$90; startickets.com or (800) 585-3737.
Side Street Strutters: Hidden Valley Community Concerts presents this Dixieland ensemble; 2 p.m.; California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido; $10-$20;
artcenter.org or (800) 988-4353.
Pianist Gordon Cheng: Works by Haydn, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Prokofiev; 2 p.m.; Encinitas Library, 540 Cornish Drive, Encinitas; free;
Triptych House Concert; Peggy Watson, Joe Rathburn and David Beldock; 2 p.m.; location will be given with RSVP; $10;
Coastal Communities Concert Band 30th Anniversary Concert: Featuring oboist Tessa Vinson; 2 p.m.; Carlsbad Community Church, Jefferson and Pine streets, Carlsbad; (760) 436-6137.
Valentine's Rock 'n' Roll Revue: Mission Theatre presents this nostalgic revue of '50s-'60s groups, with Doyle Cole's Four Tops Revue, featuring The music of the Tops and the Coasters and The Drifters; 2:30 p.m.; Mission Theatre, 224 N. Main St., Fallbrook; $24; (760) 731-2278,
North County Sunday Opera Soiree's "Fire and Ice": Opera choruses and arias; 3 p.m.; St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 890 Balour Drive, Encinitas; $15 donation benefits a Nigerian aid organization;
Ottmar Liebert: 8 p.m.; Ramona Mainstage, 626 Main St., Ramona;
ramonamainstage.com, (760) 789-7008.


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Classifications often fail to reflect the current state of a Château, and that's certainly the case for this Pauillac Fifth Growth. Lynch-Bages makes rich, powerful, full-bodied wines capable of long life. Often dense, solid and somewhat medicinal in the early years, the wine turns fleshier and more supple with a decade in bottle.
Founded in the 1600s by the Dejean family, the estate got its name from its location -- the small town of Bages, southwest of Pauillac -- and from the Lynch family, who acquired the estate by marriage in 1749. After 75 years in the family, the estate passed through several owners until the eve of WWII when Jean Charles Cazes got his hands on the deed. Lynch-Bages has been owned and run by the Cazes family ever since.
The vineyards at Château Lynch-Bages, totalling 100 hectares, cover three main plots: one on each side of Bages and a third to the south, on the border with St. Julien. The red wine vineyards are planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. A separate vineyard on 6 hectares of rugged, gravelly soil, is dedicated solely to white varieties -- 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. Production of the Grand Vin usually tops out at about 25,000 cases per year, plus a second wine, Haut Bages Averous, and a white Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is the planet's largest source of fine wine, the model for Cabernet Sauvignon- and Merlot-based wines around the globe. Bordeaux wines are considered by many wine connoisseurs to be the world's greatest reds.
The Bordeaux region encompasses both banks of the Gironde estuary in southwest France, as well as the land bordering the Garonne and Dordogne, which split off from the Gironde in the southern Medoc. Bordeaux's highest-quality red wines generally come from seven major appellations: Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux in the greater Medoc region, Graves to the south of the city of Bordeaux, and Pomerol and Saint-Emilion to the east (an area commonly referred to as the "Right Bank"). The best dry white wines come from the large Graves region, while the finest sweet wines are made in Sauternes and Barsac, enclaves within the southern reaches of the Graves appellation.
In general, red wines from the left bank of the Gironde, particularly from the Medoc region of Bordeaux, are based on Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with varying amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and sometimes bits of Malbec and Petit Verdot. These red wines are dry and firm, with a solid tannic spine, and are often austere in their youth. They are among the longest-lived wines made anywhere. Red wines from the gravel and sand soils of Graves often show a bit more texture early on, as well as more roasted notes of smoke, hot stones, and tobacco. Wines from Bordeaux's Right Bank, located mostly to the east of the town of Libourne, are blends based on the softer Merlot grape. They are generally fleshier and more pliant than wines from the Medoc and are accessible earlier, though the best of them are capable of improving in bottle for decades.
France is the fountainhead of the grape varieties most craved by North American wine drinkers: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, these grapes are widely referred to as "international" varieties because they have been planted and imitated all over the world. Of course, one of the most exciting developments in wine over the past generation has been the growth of intriguing local styles of these varieties, such as Pinot Noir in Oregon and New Zealand, or Syrah in Australia, South Africa, and California. But most cosmopolitan wine-lovers -- and even winemakers -- would agree that French wines are the archetypes.
France enjoys the perfect geographic position for the production of a wide range of fine wines. Its relatively northerly location ensures long hours of daylight during the summer months and an extended growing season, allowing for the slow and steady accumulation of flavor in the grapes. Although the country as a whole enjoys a temperate climate, conditions can vary significantly within a limited land mass: cool and Atlantic-influenced; continental, with very cold winters and hot summers; warm and Mediterranean, with wet winters and dry summers.
Wines of France
France began classifying its best French wine-producing sites more than 200 years ago. Its detailed appellation controlee system, designed in the 1930s, has served as the model for classification systems adopted by other countries in Europe and elsewhere. Appellation d'Origine Controlee (often abbreviated to AOC), means "controlled place name" and is the consumer's assurance of the origin and authenticity of any French wine whose label bears these words.
AOC laws, administered by France's INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine), establish the geographic limits of each appellation, permissable grape varieties and methods of production, minimum alcohol level, and maximum crop level (or yield) per hectare. Just beneath the highest category of appellation controlee is the comparatively tiny category of VDQS (Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure), wines which may eventually be promoted to AC status and which are most commonly found in the Loire Valley and the Southwest. The third category is Vins de Pays, or "country wines". This latter category gives producers, including some of the more adventurous French wine growers, an escape route from the straitjacket of AC regulation in terms of higher permitted yields and less restrictive geography, a wider range of legal grape varieties, and fewer restrictions as to method of production and minimum age of vines. Finally, at the bottom of the pyramid, there are Vins de Table, or simple "table wines."
And yet, despite France's illustrious wine history and the fact that it is still the world's leading producer of wine, the country is struggling to compete in the international market. Today, France faces fierce competition from New World wine producers. U.S. imports of French wines actually declined, in number ofcases, between the end of 2002 and early 2006 -- this during a period when overall wine consumption in the U.S. grew by more than 50 percent.
Today, the French government is agonizing over how to help French wine producers, who are also facing homegrown challenges such as changing domestic drinking habits and an aggressive anti-alcohol abuse program. Wine producers in some regions of France are coming to view the AC system itself as an obstacle to selling wines to North America and other important export markets. Among the changes being considered are loosening restrictions on what can be planted where and on how wines can be made, and allowing producers in certain areas to indicate the grape variety or varieties on their labels -- rather than simply the place name, which is less meaningful to consumers in many of France's key export markets.
2000 had 14 regions scored 95 or above. Chateauneuf de Pape (Southern Rhône) got the highest score, with a 98.
Other regions that scored 95 points or higher were Graves, Puglia (Italy), Right Bank, Trentino-Alto Adige, Carneros, Cote Rotie (Northern Rhône), Medoc, Saint-Émilion, St Julien, Pauillac, St Estephe, Barbaresco (Piedmont), Barolo (Piedmont), Campania / Taurasi (Italy), and Pomerol.
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Launched in 2007, Joyrich promotes a lifestyle that is casual and laid-back, yet simultaneously rich and luxurious. Cultivated in Japan but born in Los Angeles, Joyrich developed from an international perspective, and its mix of influences culminates can be seen in the brand's "retro future" flair. Designer David Melgar finds inspiration in iconic items of past generations and in pop art graphics—a trademark of Joyrich pieces. This L.A. streetwear brand blends elements of multiple styles to create a unique look that is fun to wear. Founder Tom Hirota's philosophy is to never forget to enjoy life while embodying the concepts of freedom, hope, dream, and love.
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Moncrief tastes fame after photo of 'kitchen' catch
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Teammates began to gather behind the group of reporters that surrounded Indians prospect Carlos Moncrief on Friday morning. There was quiet laughter as the young outfielder discussed the photograph that put him in the national picture this week.
"Ever since that photo, you've become a big deal," Minor League catcher Tony Wolters teased.
It happened during Wednesday's 8-3 Cactus League loss to the Reds. In the seventh inning, Moncrief made an impressive running catch in right field to rob Cincinnati's Kristopher Negron of an extra-base hit. The photographers in the camera well down the third-base line snapped away, unknowingly capturing a unusual image.
The photos -- one by Chuck Crow of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and another by Paul Sancya of the Associated Press -- show Moncrief making the catch, but he appears to be inside an immaculate kitchen. Only the very bottom of the pictures (where the dirt of the warning track can be spotted) reveal that this was not some Internet meme, but an illusion created by an advertisement on the outfield wall.
Moncrief, who hit .284 with 17 home runs and 75 RBIs in 129 games for Double-A Akron last year, was confused when he first saw one of the photographs.
"I saw it the day I made the catch," Moncrief said. "I went on the Internet, because I wanted to see if there was a video. Everybody was telling me it was good. I wanted to see it and I saw the picture. I was like, 'I'm in a kitchen?' I thought somebody photoshopped it or something like that.
"And then when I came to the field [Thursday], I saw the advertisement behind me. It was smaller, though, in person. It looked big on the picture. It's a nice picture. I liked it."
Asked if he could cook, Moncrief laughed.
"I cook a good grilled cheese," Moncrief said with a grin. "Real good grilled cheese."
Hitters be warned: Don't come into Moncrief's kitchen.
"I like that," Moncrief said. "I might have to get a tattoo that says that."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Major League Bastian, and follow him on Twitter @MLBastian. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Validation of Supra-Sternal Tube-Tip Palpation (SSTTP)
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The intra-tracheal intubation of a patient is a most delicate medical procedure performed under often life-threatening conditions in in- and out-of-hospital acute care medicine. Correct placement of the tube after intra-tracheal intubation is thus absolutely vital. Incorrect position of the tube can be fatal through loss of the airway or through barotrauma of the airway and lungs possibly leading to cardiac arrest. The mid-tracheal point of the trachea is the perfect place for an intra-tracheal tube to be to guarantee ventilatory support without problems for neonates and children. Supra-sternal palpation of the tube tip (SSTTP) is a method validated in newborns only, which has a very high accuracy rate in placing the tube-tip at the mid-tracheal point. In addition, it is easy to learn and without side effects. In infants and children, SSTTP is widely used in Switzerland although never validated in a controlled trial.
To validate supra-sternal palpation of the endo-tracheal tube tip as a valuable measure to correctly determine the depth of intubation in infants from one month of age to children up to eight years of age, when correct depth of the tube-tip is defined as tube-tip being within plus/minus 0.25cm of the line between the medial points of the claviculae (IMP) for infants and within plus/mius 0.25 respectively plus/mius 0.38cm for toddlers and children.
Supra-sternal Tube Tip Palpation (SSTTP) is a valid and easy to perform measure to identify the correct depth of intubation after oral or nasal tracheal intubation in infants, toddlers and children. Correct depth is defined as tube tip placed within plus/minus 0.25cm of the IMP for infants and within plus/minus 0.25 respectively plus/minus 0.38cm for toddlers and children.
Study design and methods:
Sixty-four toddlers and children and 18 infants will be enrolled into the study. Three Respiratory Therapists (RT) from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) will be trained in SSTTP before the start of the study. Successful training of the RTs will be confirmed by x-ray before final qualification as "Expert in SSTTP". All patients with an intubation requiring a post-manipulation x-ray in the PICU at CHEO will be enrolled into the study. No randomization will be necessary; all infants and children in need of an intubation will be enrolled into the study. Potential patients will be excluded if there is presence of anatomical malformation or any other reason that would prevent accurate SSTTP, or if there is no Expert in SSTTP available. The location of the tip of the tube after SSTTP will be measured on standard post-intubation x-rays by a radiologist. The tube-tip location difference will be calculated as the difference between the actual tube-tip location and the IMP.
|Tracheal Intubation
|Procedure: Supra-Sternal Tube-Tip Palpation (SSTTP)
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Validation of Supra-Sternal Tube-Tip Palpation (SSTTP): A Method to Identify Correct Depth of Intubation in Infants and Children
- Accuracy of Tube Placement with SSTTP [ Time Frame: acute ]
- Ease of performing SSTTP [ Time Frame: acute ]
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|June 2008
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|January 2010
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|December 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Procedure: Supra-Sternal Tube-Tip Palpation (SSTTP)
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|1 Month to 8 Years (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
"Primary intubations":
- All infants and children from 1 month of age up to the end of the seventh year of life, who are being intubated for medical reasons on the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the Children's hospital of Eastern Ontario.
"Secondary intubations":
- All infants and children from 1 month of age up to the end of the seventh year of life already intubated in the PICU at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, who's tube needs to be exchanged, who's tube needs to be repositioned according a previous x-ray or who's tube needs any other manipulation requiring a post-manipulation chest x-ray.
Exclusion Criteria:
- "Primary, peracute intubations". Intubations required at once or within a few minutes.
- Anatomical malformation of the child's or infant's airway, lungs or neck.
- Tracheostoma, history of tracheotomy, jugular scars or any other reason that might prevent accurate supra-sternal palpation.
- After placement of the tube according to supra-sternal palpation, any difficulties ventilating the patient or endo-bronchial intubation as per auscultation will lead to placement of the tube according to previously used criteria. The case will be described but the patient excluded from determination of the tube tip placement with x-ray.
- Any case when the study procedures had to be discontinued because the treating physician or RT felt that care could be disrupted by virtue of the study procedures. The case will be described but the patient excluded from determination of the tube tip placement with x-ray.
- Unavailability of an expert in SSTTP at the time point of needed intubation.
- For ethical reasons, we will exclude patients who we know will have a detrimental outcome despite intubation.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00690508
|Contact: Uwe Schwarz, M.D., Dr. med.
|613-737-7600 ext 3010
|Canada, Ontario
|Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
|Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1H 8L1
|Contact: Uwe Schwarz, MD firstname.lastname@example.com
|Principal Investigator:
|Uwe Schwarz, M.D., Dr. med.
|Department of Anesthesia, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
|Responsible Party:
|Uwe Schwarz, M.D., Dr. med, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00690508 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|April 7, 2008
|Last Updated:
|June 2, 2008
Keywords provided by University of Ottawa:
Intubation, Trachea, Sternum,
Tube tip, Tube placement, Tube tip palpation,
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text:
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Enjoy free breakfast and free WiFi
We offer a free 8-item SuperStart breakfast, free 24-hour coffee, free WiFi, and in-room flat-screen TV with HBO. Get free popcorn, cookies, and bottled water during check-in. Our pet-friendly hotel offers free truck/RV parking, guest laundry, and king, and whirlpool suites. Free YMCA passes are available for gym and pool use.
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Enjoy the great outdoors at Sunset Lake and other nearby parks
Fish for trout and catfish on Sunset Lake, just minutes away. Play disc golf, picnic, or ride the miniature train at Thompson Park. Hit the skatepark at No Man's Land Regional Park. Hunt at 300-acre Guymon Game Reserve, known for buffalo, elk, and sheep. Pheasant Ridge Hunting, 20 miles away, offers commercial hunting. Golf at Sunset Hills Course.
Meetings and Events at Our Super 8
With 1100 square feet of event space, our hotel features 1 meeting room. Plan your next meeting or special event with us. We also arrange great rates for groups — large or small.


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I was hoping someone could give me a brief history lesson regarding this board. I have been impressed with how well-established it is, and how many senior members there are.
The temperament is fairly civil here, too. Many well-established message boards have members that take things a bit too seriously. Sometimes they are overprotective and distrusting of new faces, but overall this place seems reasonable in that regard.
Who is the founder? Who are some of the original members? Did Pacers Digest come first, and the other forums (like Colts, IU, etc) come later?


text:
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The Texas GOP has a lot to crow about: in a state that's nearly 40 percent Hispanic, all statewide offices are held by Republicans; about 700 new Hispanic delegates went to the party's convention last summer; Ted Cruz, the son of a Cuban immigrant, has just been elected to the U.S. Senate; and George P. Bush—who is of Hispanic descent—looks primed for a statewide run.
In interviews, a dozen party leaders, operatives, businessmen, elected officials and others said Texas could serve as a model for national Republicans looking to draw more Hispanics into the fold. They point to a proven Lone Star recipe that combines policies aimed at assisting immigrants, mixed with an effective political ground game and outreach – all of it glued together by welcoming language that embraces the Latino population and its concerns. And, those involved say, the Texas GOP has largely avoided miring itself in anti-immigrant legislation and sharp-edged words and phrases that have turned off Latino voters nationally, particularly in the last election cycle.
Perhaps the party's single most important recent effort has been the passage of a plank supporting guest workers at the state Republican convention last summer. The key language states that the party endorses a temporary worker initiative to "bring skilled and unskilled workers into the United States for temporary periods of time when no U.S. workers are currently available."
Texas Republicans said the plank has sent a powerful message of inclusion to the state's Hispanic population.


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Artificial insemination (AI) with sexed semen greatly increases the proportion of heifer calves born, but it is recommended for use in heifers inseminated after estrus detection because pregnancy per AI (P/AI) to timed-AI (TAI) protocols (e.g. Ovsynch) is not very high.
Recently, a team of researchers in Alberta obtained very encouraging results with a modified 5-d TAI protocol in dairy heifers inseminated with conventional semen. They decided to conduct a follow-up study, in which they compared P/AI of heifers inseminated with sexed semen after detected estrus or TAI.
Cyclic Holstein heifers, aged 14 to 16 months, were assigned by age to receive either:
- Two doses of prostaglandin F2 (PG; Estroplan, Vetoquinol Canada Inc.) 14 days apart (ED group); or
- An intravaginal progesterone releasing insert (PRID; Vetoquinol Canada Inc.) for 5 days, plus PG at PRID removal (TAI group).
Heifers were estrus detected (3 times/day) for 7 days and bred via AI at12 hours after estrus detection (ED group); or TAI 3 d after PRID removal (TAI group) with sexed or conventional semen from four commercially available sires (Alta Genetics).
Heifers assigned to TAI received gonadotropin releasing hormone (Fertiline, Vetoquinol Canada Inc.) at AI.
Ultrasonographic examinations were done in all heifers before treatment to confirm cyclicity; after TAI to determine ovulation; and at approximately 28 and 49 days after AI to confirm pregnancy. Estrus detection rate was 85% (99/116).
Overall pregnancy after AI (P/AI) rates were 63% (64/102) and 69% (68/98) for sexed and conventional semen, respectively. ED heifers had numerically greater P/AI than TAI heifers (73 and 67% vs. 66 and 59% for conventional and sexed semen). The P/AI to sexed semen was 92 and 89% of P/AI to conventional semen in ED and TAI, respectively.
Ovulations occurred within 24 hours after insemination in 95 and 44% of heifers inseminated after estrus or TAI, respectively. Delayed ovulations, in TAI heifers, decreased the P/AI of sexed semen (9/18; 50%) compared to conventional semen (14/19; 74%). Seven heifers had a non-viable embryo at first pregnancy diagnosis; five of the seven (71%) had been inseminated with sexed semen. No further pregnancy loss occurred between 28 and 49 days in either group of heifers.
The researchers concluded that P/AI to sexed semen was 8 to 11% below conventional semen. Although AI after detected estrus increased P/AI, heifers subjected to TAI with sexed semen had acceptable P/AI.


text: The food you feed your cat can affect its health and general well-being. Catz Finefood is a natural species appropriate and balanced cat food. The individual recipes are inspired by nature and contain all the essential nutrients and proteins that a cat would normally get from the food it would eat in the wild. However since cats find grain difficult to digest and to process Catz Finefood is grain-free. Only the very best meat and offal from trusted German farms and fish from sustainable fisheries are used in the Catz Finefood recipes. The premium quality fresh ingredients are thoroughly checked as well as tested by vets before they are cold filled. This ensures the highest level of quality and reliability. The gentle steam cooking ensures that virtually all essential nutrients and fatty acids are retained. Catz Finefood is only made in Germany. This delicious gourmet wet cat food is very easy to digested and well accepted. It is also suitable for cats which suffer from allergies or food sensitivities. Catz Finefood at a glance Only made in Germany Guaranteed GMO-free Grain-free Well accepted and easy to digest Very high proportion of meat or fish Low proportion of fruit and vegetables Only the very best meat and offal in human grade quality from German farms Only fish from sustainable fisheries Essential taurine to help keep heart and eyesight healthy Rich in vitamins to keep your cat lively and healthy The recipes are inspired by nature All ingredients are thoroughly checked as well as tested by vets Cold-filled and gently steam cooked to retain most essential nutrients and fatty acids Developed in close cooperation with nutritionists and veterinarians Catz Finefood is guaranteed free from Form meat Bone meal Protein replacement such as soya Grain Artificial colours Artificial attractants Artificial aromas Artificial preservativesCheck stock and price


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The former chairman of the local fire authority has stepped down after feeling he lacked support over moves to merge Wiltshire and Dorset fire services.
Wiltshire councillor Graham Payne (Con, Trowbridge Drynham) said he did not seek re-election at a meeting last week over plans to postpone a consultation on the proposal.
Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is facing large cuts in government funding amounting to 20 per cent of its overall budget over the next few years and is looking at ways of reducing costs.
The merger is being proposed as a way of saving £4m without cutting frontline services but other members of the board want to consider other options.
A public consultation was due to start yesterday on the proposal but it was delayed after members wanted to look at other options, such as sharing services and office space with the police.
However, Coun Payne believes some members of the authority are playing politics over the issue and are risking the county's long term fire cover.
He said: "I am 100 per cent behind the merger as I feel it is the best way to avoid cuts and job losses on the frontline which will severely compromise the response times.
"Within two years we need to find these savings so the process needs to begin. The consultation would have been the perfect way to start this discussion but unfortunately it has been delayed.
"I wanted to start but because I felt I did not have the support of the board I could not continue as chairman.
"I think some are concerned if the merger goes then they will lose control and it is becoming political, which the fire service should never be."
Coun Payne is concerned that if the merger does not go ahead then some full-time fire stations may need to go part-time, potentially increasing response times.
"There are possibly some savings to be found not merging," said Coun Payne.
"However, from what we have found out, it will only save about £700,000 leaving us with another £3m to find. Extending the process simply prolongs the time."
A spokesman for Wiltshire Fire Service said: "Wiltshire & Swindon Fire Authority and Dorset Fire Authority were due to start consultation on a number of options, including a preferred option to 'combine and work more closely with local councils, police and other public services' on Monday, June 16.
" Due to feedback requesting that we consider extending the consultation beyond the holiday period, together with the nomination of a new chairman and members to Wiltshire & Swindon Fire Authority, and to in order to provide more time to finalise the consultation documents, the consultation period is now due to start on Monday, July 21, running until October 20.
"All of the relevant information will be added to our website, www.wiltsfire.gov.uk at that time."
The new authority chairman, Coun Chris Devine (Con, Winterslow), was not available to comment.


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Scout Partners With Fairfax County
Fairfax County Office of Public
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Nov. 10, 2005
Scout Partners With Fairfax County For Eagle Ranking
A local Eagle Scout candidate is partnering with Fairfax County to plant more than 200 plants on a stormwater management facility in the Little Hunting Creek watershed on Nov. 19, for advancement to the rank of Eagle.
The scout, Eric Trouton, will begin work at 10 a.m. with 50 volunteers
and Fairfax County Stormwater Management staff to plant 39 native trees
and 221 native shrubs along the banks of a retrofitted stormwater
retention pond as his service project to become an Eagle Scout. The pond
is located at 7628 Essex Manor Place in Alexandria in the Mount Vernon
District and Little Hunting Creek watershed.
This is one of many projects in the Fairfax County Little Hunting Creek Watershed Management Plan that is being implemented to protect and restore streams, meet regulatory compliance for water quality and encourage community involvement in watershed issues in the county.
Trouton and volunteers will plant native trees and shrubs to provide erosion and sediment control for the stormwater management facility and receiving stream. The plants also will help absorb excess nutrients carried in stormwater runoff that would otherwise travel to the nearby stream and degrade water quality.
Implementation of the Little Hunting Creek Watershed Management Plan began in February 2005 and includes large-scale stream cleanups, stream and buffer restorations, the creation of additional wetland areas and installation of new stormwater quantity and quality control devices. Many of these projects will be implemented in partnership with public and private entities.
The watershed management plan was developed in collaboration with residents and approved by members of the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 7, 2005. This and other watershed management plans are being developed for all 30 watersheds in the county and are an important step in restoring the Chesapeake Bay under the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.
A watershed is an area of land that drains into a body of water. The Little Hunting Creek watershed is one of the most developed watersheds in the county and is facing many challenges, such as stream erosion and poor stream water quality.
The watershed management planning program is administered by the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Stormwater Management Business Area. More information can be found on the county's Web site at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/watersheds or by contacting Krystal Kearns, Fairfax County communication specialist, at 703-324-5500, TTY 711.


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AUSTRALIA's media watchdog has launched an official investigation into the Summer Hot30's royal radio prank, with likely powers to compel parent company Southern Cross Austereo to name those within its ranks who okayed the now infamous hoax to air.
Southern Cross Austereo has said it would fully cooperate with the investigation.
"Southern Cross Austereo welcomes the opportunity to participate in the ACMA investigation and will fully co-operate, " CEO Rhys Holleran said in a statement released to the media.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority will investigate whether 2Day FM complied with their broadcasting licence conditions and the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice.
"The ACMA's formal regulatory relationship is always with the relevant licensee (and not the presenters of any broadcast in question). The ACMA will be examining whether the licensee has complied with its broadcasting obligations," ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said.
ACMA used its discretionary powers to initiate an "own motion" investigation rather than wait for any complaints about the call.
Ms Saldanha, a mother of two, took her own life just days after connecting a phone call from Sydney DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian to a ward nurse at London's King Edward VII hospital, charged with caring for the Duchess of Cambridge.
Both nurses believed they were speaking to the Queen, Greig posing as the monarch and making enquiries about her "granddaughter's" morning sickness.
The second nurse provided an update on the pregnant royal's condition, which was then put to air, sparking outrage over privacy laws and media ethics.
Southern Cross Austereo has repeatedly apologised for the "regrettable" death of Ms Saldanha, committing at least $500,000 to a memorial fund for her grieving family.
However, hospital staff deny Austereo claims they attempted to contact the nurses' five times for consent to air the prank before it was broadcast last Wednesday night (AEST).
Southern Cross Austereo yesterday confirmed in-house training is given to all staff including the Hot 30 Countdown members, with presenters schooled in radio codes and associated procedures. By law, the network is required to deliver this training every six months, but SCA offers it voluntarily every three months.
The training is delivered by a team that includes in-house lawyer Tania Petsinis, however she was not involved in the approval process for the ill-fated prank call which went to air last week.
Consent is critical in any defence of the taped phone call, the radio broadcasting code stipulating it is a breach to record a person in conversation, and also air it, without their knowledge.
Section 6.1 of the Code states: "A licensee must not broadcast the words of an identifiable person unless: a) that person has been informed in advance or a reasonable person would be aware that the words may be broadcast; or b) in the case of words which have been recorded without the knowledge of the person, that person has subsequently, but prior to the broadcast, expressed consent to the broadcast of the word."
SC Austereo's chief executive Rhys Holleran has consistently fended off breach claims, arguing the prank call had been vetted by lawyers before going public.
Reacting to news of Ms Saldanha's death, the ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said on Saturday: "These events are a tragedy for all involved and I pass on my heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased nurse in London."
NSW police have also confirmed they are assisting police from Scotland Yard, which has launched a seperate investigation.
ACMA has previously enforced licensing conditions on Austereo, as a consequence of other scandals relating to its breakfast duo, Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O.
Other breaches saw a commitment by Austereo management to improve protocols around approving radio stunts for broadcast, better staff education of the radio code and monitoring of content to uphold standards of public decency.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Originally published as Royal phone prank inquiry announced


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- October retail sales came in much stronger than expected, with a 4.2% unadjusted increase from 2012, according to the National Retail Federaton. That comes after strong earnings reports from retail giants including Wal-Mart (WMT), Walgreen (WAG), Best Buy (BBY) and Home Depot (HD).
With the sector robust for 2013, investors should expect a continuing healthy stock performance for the retail industry leaders.
In more bullish news for the retail sector, the September report was revised upward by the U.S. Census Bureau from a drop of 0.1% to no decline. Contributing to the recent good news for stores across the nation are lower gas prices, higher home sales and a stock market setting new records. Those factors and more engender a more bullish economic outlook, which leads to greater spending. Overall, retail sales for October were $428.1 billion, up 3.9% from October 2012.
As the nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart is an obvious indicator of the sector.
In a bullish reversal, Wal-Mart's recent earnings beat the estimates of Wall Street by 1 cent after falling short the previous two quarters. For the fiscal third quarter, Wal-Mart posted net income of $3.7 billion, which was a 2.8% gain from a year ago. Earnings per share were $1.14, up 6.5%. Total revenue for Wal-Mart was $115.7 billion, up 1.7% from the same period in 2012.
Walgreen, the biggest drugstore chain in the country, reported earnings that were up 86% from last year. Revenue were a record $72.2 billion. Adjusted earnings were a record $72.2 billion: at 73 cents a share, this result beat the analyst community prediction of 72 cents. Quarterly sales rose by 5% for Walgreen to $17.9 billion.
America's largest electronics chain, Best Buy reported net earnings of $54 billion. That was a reversal from a net $10 million loss from 2012. Making it even more bullish was that it beat what analysts were expecting.


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A MAN missing from his Linford home for almost six days has been found safe and well.
David Burgess, 53, had not been seen since going out for a walk on Saturday, August 16.
He was found this evening [Thursday] in the Brentwood area.
Police had been scouring a large area of fields and woods in a relatively large and remote part of Thurrock, near East Tilbury, Linford and West Tilbury.
It was reported to police that he was missing after he failed to return home for work on Monday. Officers feared he might have fallen ill while out walking alone and launced a frantic search, with numerous units, police dogs and the police helicopter.
On Thursday evening, police and Mr Burgess' nieces used social media to thank the public for their help in locating the man.
Rob Lay, an East Tilbury resident, who had helped search on Wednesday and Thursday said on Twitter: "Great news, East Tilbury missing man David Burgess found safe and well."


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GDC 2013: AMD Announces Sky Graphics Cards to Accelerate Cloud Gaming
Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards | March 27, 2013 - 08:16 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: sky graphics, sky 900, RapidFire, radeon sky, pc gaming, GDC, cloud gaming, ciinow, amd
AMD is making a new push into cloud gaming with a new series of Radeon graphics cards called Sky. The new cards feature a (mysterious) technology called "RapidFire" that allegedly provides "highly efficient and responsive game streaming" from servers to your various computing devices (tablets, PCs, Smart TVs) over the Internet. At this year's Games Developers Conference (GDC), the company announced that it is working with a number of existing cloud gaming companies to provide hardware and drivers to reduce latency.
AMD is working with Otoy, G-Cluster, Ubitus, and CiiNow. CiiNow in particular was heavily discussed by AMD, and can reportedly provide lower latency than cloud gaming competitor Gaikai. AMD Sky is, in many ways, similar in scope to NVIDIA's GRID technology which was announced last year and shown off at GTC last week. Obviously, that has given NVIDIA a head start, but it is difficult to say how AMD's technology will stack up as the company is not yet providing any specifics. Joystiq was able to obtain information on the high-end Radeon Sky graphics card, however (that's something at least...). The Sky 900 reportedly features 3,584 stream processors, 6GB of GDDR5 RAM, and 480 GB/s of bandwidth. Further, AMD has indicated that the new Radeon Sky cards will be based on the company's Graphics Core Next architecture.
|Sky 900
|Radeon 7970
|Stream Processors
|Memory Bandwidth
I think it is safe to assume that the Sky cards will be sold to other cloud gaming companies. They will not be consumer cards, and AMD is not going to get into the cloud gaming business itself. Beyond that, AMD's Sky cloud gaming initiative is still a mystery. Hopefully more details will filter out between now and the AMD Fusion Developer Summit this summer.
CiiNow Engineering Open Cloud Gaming Platform With AMD Radeon Graphics Hardware
Subject: General Tech | September 11, 2012 - 10:41 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: virtualization, radeon, onlive, gaming, cloud gaming, ciinow, amd
In the wake of OnLive going bankrupt and selling itself to new investors, a new cloud gaming company has emerged called CiiNOW. The company was founded in 2010 and now has 24 employees. It has managed to raise more than $13 million USD, but with a new investment from new chip designer AMD CiiNow is ready to go public with its software. Interestingly, instead of starting its own cloud gaming service, CiiNow is positioning itself as a Middleware company by selling its virtualization and gaming software to other companies. Those business customers would then use CiiNow's software to start their own cloud gaming services.
In the deal with AMD, CiiNOW will recommend AMD Radeon graphics cards to customers as well as supporting them on its software platform. According to CiiNow, its virtualized platform is able to run on any data center or cloud computing platform's hardware. While OnLive generally required specialized servers where the graphics card was dedicated to providing games to one (or a small number of) user(s), CiiNow claims to be able to provide up to eight 720p HD streams per server blade, and up to 272 HD streams per traditional server rack. On the user side of things, CiiNow has stated that gamers would need at least a Mbps internet connection in order to play the streamed games effectively. Company CEO Ron Haberman was quoted by Venture Beat in stating the following:
"One of the big issues with cloud gaming is that no one likes to talk about costs, we are more economical because we virtualize any hardware that fits underneath our software."
While the company has not gone into details about how the virtualization software works on off-the-shelf servers, they claim that it is an extremely scalable solution that can support rapidly growing numbers of end users without dramatically increasing hardware costs. It's impossible to say how well cloud gaming services based on this technology will work without more details or a hands on, but it is nice to see someone else take up the mantle from OnLive – especially with competitor Gaikai being bought out by Sony. CiiNow wants its technology to be used to deliver AAA titles to gamers over the Internet, so I'm interested in how they are going to pull that off using varying hardware with CiiNow's software layer running on top (specifically, the performance they will be able to get out of the hardware and how it will be sliced up between clients/gamers).
The company has said that games will not need to be ported to the virtualized software to work, only a DRM free copy from the publisher needs to be provided to load it onto the platform. Further, the cloud gaming provider using CiiNow's software will be able to support game pads and other controllers to interact with the streamed games. CiiNow does not list specific latency numbers on its site, but claims that it is using a low latency H.264 video stream to send the gameplay down to users. It remains to be seen whether or not it will be able to match or exceed NVIDIA's GRID technology in that respect, however.
There are still a lot of questions about how CiiNOW's software will work, and whether it will advance cloud gaming in general. Fortunately, you should be able to get some answers soon as the company's software is now available to the public, and we should start to see some new cloud gaming providers popping up based on the virtualization technology. Reportedly, the company has completed several trial runs in Europe and has potential customers in the US, Korea, and Australia. CiiNow claims that it could take around two months from when a customer orders equipment before its cloud gaming service can go live, so the first fruits of CiiNow's labor might emerge by the end of this year.
There is a preview of a cloud gaming service up on CiiNOW's website, but no partners with plans to launch gaming services have been publicly announced yet.
In the video below, CiiNOW CEO Ron Haberman introduces the company's new cloud gaming platform.
Continue reading for my speculation and brief thoughts on cloud gaming. Feel free to join the comment discussion (no registration required).
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