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The Changing of the Guard
The PGA Tour witnessed a generational shift of new stars last season, and in 2012, expect them to shine even brighter
(continued from page 2)
"They can't track us over the rocks," says Butch.
"Tell them that," says Sundance.
"They are beginning to get on my nerves," says Butch. "Who are those guys?"
So let's stretch our imaginations to the limit and suppose that Tiger Woods is Butch Cassidy and Phil Mickelson is the Sundance Kid, and they are actually on speaking terms. And in that scenario, at the end of the 2011 golf season, Woods might have well uttered those same words to Mickelson, except now a posse of players—some young veterans, some rookies—are no longer a cloud of dust in the distance. They are right on their heels, their thunderous hoof beats within pitching wedge range, and closing rapidly.
In every sport, aging greats must inevitably give way to the bright young prospects. These generational changes always seem particularly evident in golf. In golf's modern era since World War II, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson gave way to Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and the greatest of them all, Jack Nicklaus. Those Hall of Famers gave way to Tom Watson, Johnny Miller and Seve Ballesteros, and in turn, they were followed by Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Nick Price.
Tiger Woods then blasted onto the scene as golf's supernova, with Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els shining brightly right next to him for more than a decade. During that period, Woods utterly dominated with his 14 major titles and 71 PGA Tour victories. Mickelson, Singh and Els all produced multiple major wins and Hall of Fame careers. Woods is now 36, but his left leg is much older. All the others have crossed the 40-something threshold. Those four all-time greats produced one victory in 2011, by Mickelson at the Houston Open.
The time for another generational change on the PGA Tour has arrived.
At the end of the 2011 season, these were the nominees for PGA Tour player of the year: Luke Donald, Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas, Nick Watney and Webb Simpson (yes, Webb Simpson). Donald ended the season as the No. 1–ranked player in the world.
"These sort of changes have been going on for a couple of years," says Ian Baker-Finch, the CBS television commentator and winner of the 1991 British Open. "This year it has been more evident with the younger guys showing up, like a rookie [Bradley] winning a major. You have players turning 40, Els, [Retief] Goosen, Mickelson, [Jim] Furyk. Players we've known for so many years are shifting into the twilight. There were always two or three young stars in every generation. Now there might be 12 to 15."
Want to know a certain indicator that this generational change is in full flight? EA Sports announced this fall that Tiger Woods will have to share the cover of the 2013 PGA Tour video game that bears his name with U.S. Open winner Rory McIlroy and mop-haired star-in-the-making Rickie Fowler.
For sure, if Woods' personal life and left knee had not crumbled, if Mickelson had not contracted an arthritic condition, if Singh's back hadn't been showing chronic signs of old age, if Els' putter hadn't fallen off like a rusty muffler, the new generation of players might not yet have emerged from the shadow of their distinguished predecessors. But combine the deterioration of the old with the acceleration, talent and polish of the new, and it's clear that the pursuers have made up significant ground.
That posse is led by the marvelously talented 22-year-old Northern Irishman McIlroy (see Cigar Aficionado, July/Aug. 2009), who showed resiliency by overcoming a dramatic and potentially traumatic fourth-round collapse at the Masters to win the U.S. Open at Congressional. It was a performance that would have befitted Woods at his dominating best.
Charl Schwartzel, the 27-year-old Masters winner, is poised to carry on the tradition of championship South African golf.
Martin Kaymer, also 27, seems destined to improve on the magnificent record of his German predecessor, Bernhard Langer.
Keegan Bradley, a 25-year-old American whose previous claim to fame was being the nephew of LPGA icon Pat Bradley, put on a stunning performance during his rookie year. He won the PGA Championship and the Byron Nelson, plus scored a bonus win in the PGA Grand Slam of golf against McIlroy, Schwartzel and Darren Clarke.
Keegan Bradley, a 25-year-old American whose previous claim to fame was being the nephew of LPGA icon Pat Bradley, put on a stunning performance during his rookie year. He won the PGA Championship and the Byron Nelson, plus scored a bonus win in the PGA Grand Slam of golf against McIlroy, Schwartzel and Darren Clarke.
Bradley isn't the lone American. The new American players are overloaded with talent. Dustin Johnson, 27, has shown enough fortitude to overcome two major championship debacles in 2010—blowing up in the final round of the U.S. Open after leading and falling victim to a rules violation in the PGA Championship—to be a winner and constant contender, and this was only his fourth year as a professional. Bubba Watson, 33, is the game's most watchable shot maker and he has credited dealing with the illness and death of his father for taking the pressure off of playing the game. Watney, 30, has harnessed his power and improved his putting significantly, allowing him to win twice in 2011. Bill Haas, 29, son of veteran tour player Jay Haas, won the Tour Championship in style, hitting a Mickelson-like shot out of the water hazard on the 17th hole on the final day.
Fowler, 23, has yet to win on the PGA Tour but he has proven to be a constant presence near the top of the leaderboard. He scored his first pro win in the fall at the Korea Open, beating runner-up McIlroy by six shots.
Then there's that Webb Simpson guy, a 26-year-old in his third season on the PGA who suddenly parachuted himself right into the herd of top younger players with two victories and more than $6 million in earnings.
And now consider how deep the posse's roster is when you take into account young winners such as Jhonattan Vegas, 27, a charismatic Venezuelan; Gary Woodland, 27, a monster hitter; and Jason Day, 24, an Australian who has vaulted into the top 10 in the World Golf Rankings. Heard of Tom Lewis, Matteo Manassero, Bud Cauley, Patrick Cantlay and Harris English? You will.
Day, who won the Byron Nelson tournament last year and finished second in the Masters and U.S. Open this year, did a good job at the end of the season summing up the new generation of players.
"It's getting tough. You look at the fields these days, there are a lot of young guys coming straight out of college or not even straight out of college but turning professional very young and playing professional golf at a high level and succeeding," says Day. "There's a kid over here, Bud Cauley, he's played seven or eight events and he got his Tour card for next year. He's 21 or 22. Just goes to show how the game is evolving and changing."
Baker-Finch sees the younger players as having a particular trait in common—a healthy frame of mind unsullied by being hammered by Tiger Woods.
"These young guys don't have the same scar tissue as the older guys who have been beaten by Tiger," says Baker-Finch.
"They have been inspired by Tiger but not beaten by him. The more the young guys win, the more their confidence grows. Keegan Bradley winning a major as a rookie, that gives all the young guys so much more confidence. They all say, 'If he can do it, so can I.' When you had Tiger winning eight times a year, Phil winning four times, Vijay winning a lot, the young guys didn't have much of a chance. When Dustin Johnson won his first it was wow, this was an anomaly. But now they have become the winners."
No one has improved more and made up more ground on the world's top players than Luke Donald. He's no youngster at 34, but in a very real sense he is a newcomer to the thin air of golf's stratosphere. He hasn't won a major, but he's won big tournaments, been on the leaderboard in nearly every tournament he's played, and when challenged for the PGA Tour money title at the end of the season by Simpson, he entered the final tournament at Disney and won it, becoming the first player to simultaneously be the leading money winner on the PGA Tour and European Tour.
Back in May, he dramatically defeated Lee Westwood in a play-off to win the BMW PGA Championship, the second biggest event on the European Tour. In doing so he took over the World No. 1 ranking and has held onto it since.
"Growing up in the Tiger Woods era, you didn't even think it was possible [to take over No. 1]," says Donald. "But I've been able to get my game to where I have been able to play consistently well . . . and all the things have worked out mathematically for me to be able to do that."
But with Woods falling like a stone out of the world's top 50, it was time for Donald, and a raft of other players, to rise. None did so quite so dramatically this season as Simpson. Simpson was a Wake Forest All-American who gained his Tour card for the 2009 season. He was able to retain that card his first two seasons without doing anything extraordinary. Then he started to climb the ladder in 2011 with a passel of good results to start the season. He finished runner-up in Tampa and New Orleans, the latter after calling a penalty on himself after the ball moved when he soled his putter on the 15th hole; he was forced into a play-off with Bubba Watson which he lost. Two impressive wins late in the season at the Wyndham Championship and a FedExCup victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship pole-vaulted him into the Tour's elite with more than $6,300,000 in earnings.
"I think I'm slow to perform," says Simpson. "Not a slow learner, just a slow performer."
He says he turned quality results into winning results by taking slightly more time addressing his putts. "I knew we figured out something big," says Simpson. "I aimed the ball in a tournament round a little quicker than I do on the [practice] green." He estimated he was rushing himself by a half a second a putt. When he slowed down, a move imperceptible to anyone else, he made more putts, won tournaments, won loads of cash.
"Pretty amazing," he says. Yeah.
David Toms, the 44-year-old veteran who rejuvenated his game this season, sees Simpson as an example of how the current crop of young players approaches the game.
"The game has changed a little bit," says Toms. "Power is a big part of our game now, so most of these young guys you see that are successful can hit the ball a long way. But at the same time their short games are right there on par with the best in the game, so quite a lethal combination with power and touch. A lot of that, we didn't have when I first got on tour.
"I'd also say that they come out and are very confident, very seasoned, whether it was college golf or Nationwide Tour golf or just junior golf that they played at a high level. It seems that they are confident players that have been around the block, so to speak, and they are ready to play great. There seems to be a lot more young players that are playing great than say 10 or 15 years ago They aren't scared to play great golf. They're able to handle the media. To me, they are just ready."
Keegan Bradley has been carrying his famous aunt's name his whole life, though was never quite certain he would be able to match her accomplishments. But with constant support from Pat Bradley, a battleground mentality gained on the Nationwide Tour, and mentoring from Phil Mickelson, a member of the generation that he is now overtaking, Bradley won the PGA Championship in an impressive play-off with Jason Duffer. He then won the Byron Nelson Championship in a play-off against Ryan Palmer.
A breathless Bradley said just after his PGA win: "It seems like a dream and I'm afraid I'm going to wake up here in the next five minutes and it's not going to be real."
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Not long after reorganizing the tech giant, CEO Steve Ballmer said he would retire within a year. He's had a strained relationship with some influential investors.
Hibbett Sports
Earnings grew 34% in the second quarter as sales rose for the sports-equipment chain. However, it lowered guidance and same-store sales estimates.
Net 1 U.E.P.S. Technologies
The electronic-transaction processor reported that revenue grew 25% in the quarter over year-earlier levels and earnings jumped 22%. It also issued a bullish forecast.
SPDR Gold Trust
Gold hit an 1...

subset: commoncrawl


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Gain the knowledge and confidence to pass the Safety Fundamentals examination leading to the ASP designation with this review of SH&E concepts and test-taking strategies. The Safety Fundamentals exam is a five-hour computer delivered test, required in the two-test process of becoming a CSP. This workshop will review more than 200 questions addressing all four domains covered in the exam blueprint that will guide you toward full competency in the field of SH&E.
- Recognizing, measuring, evaluating, and controlling
- SH&E hazards SH&E training and management
- Business principles, practices, and metrics in SH&E practice


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Find the 3 letter word...Logic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.
Find a common 3 letter word given the following:
LEG has no common letter with it.
ERG has one common letter, not at the correct place.
SIR has one common letter, at the correct place.
SIC has one common letter, not at the correct place.
AIL has one common letter, not at the correct place.
AnswerThe word is CAR.
Since the word contains no E or G as in LEG, the only good letter in ERG is R. Then the good letter in SIR is R and it is the third letter of the word. I and L are not in the word, so the good letter of AIL is A. The A is not the first letter of the word, so it must the be second. The good letter of SIC is C,which must begin the word.
What Next?
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I know that this can be so scary and frustrating. Like you, most of us have come to the conclusion that we suffered from symptoms of Lupus for many years before our doctors diagnosed us. So you are most certainly not alone there. All of your symptoms do sound like they could be the result of Lupus, but there could also be some overlapping issues going on also. Almost all of us suffer from Lupus as well as from one or more over-lapping illnesses.
Have you been diagnosed with Lupus or are the doctors still trying to determine if you do, indeed, have the disease? Usually, the front-line treatment for Lupus is Plaquenil, Prednisone, and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The drugs that you mentioned did not sound like Lupus treatments. If you have, indeed, been diagnosed with Lupus, perhaps you can speak to your doctor about starting you on treatment specifically for the disease.
The Plaquenil will often help the achy joints, any skin manifestations, the fatigue, and sometimes the numbness and tingling. The Prednisone (a cortico-steroid [nothing like anabolic steroids]), helps to supress the over-active immune system (your body attacking itself with anti-bodies), decrease inflammation caused by the over-active immune system such as: swelling,warmth,tenderness, and pain. Also, if any of your internal organs have been damaged by Lupus, Prednisone is the drug most used to stop and/or reverse this damage. NSAIDs are used to also help with the pain and inflammation.
Remember, the cause of Lupus is not known and, therefore, there is no cure. The purpose of treatment is to reduce/prevent damage to tissues and organs and to prevent flare-ups (periods when symptoms are worsened) of the disease. As such, each of us may have a different treatment regimine depending upon our individual symptoms.
I wish you the very best and please know that we are here for you whenever you need us. You are not alone!
Peace and Blessings


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i have started experimenting with sidearm. this is brand spank'n new to me. the most confusing part is how to hold the disc. and on good shots (%30 of the time) i dont remember what i did right.
i'm a pretty good RHBH player. and i would like to get the sidearm up to par (HA!). quick advice?


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Return to natural arm slot could be key for Weaver
Angels ace improves range of motion in shoulder, says he feels better this spring
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Here's something that can give even the most confident American League hitter pause: Jered Weaver is feeling better than he's felt in years. Weaver, who has finished in the top three of the AL Cy Young Award balloting in each of the past two years, said Wednesday that he's back to his old form.
Weaver, who threw three innings in the Angels' 12-6 victory over Team Italy on Wednesday, said that the team's training staff has helped work his pitching shoulder back into shape. Weaver is back to throwing at three-quarters -- his natural arm slot -- after coming over the top for two years.
"The last couple years, I've had some tightness in my shoulder," the right-hander said. "The training staff has done a great job in loosening that stuff up. I haven't had this much range of motion in my shoulder in a while. It feels good. It's like almost having to throw from a new arm slot. Sometimes I want to throw like I used to throw, and now it's freed up in there. ... It's nice to feel this good early on. That's for sure."
Weaver said that the change in motion came from eight years of not really stretching his shoulder properly, which caused bouts of tendinitis. Now, at the advanced age of 30, Weaver said Wednesday that he wants to do whatever he can to keep his pitching shoulder in prime condition
"You're always trying to make improvements," Weaver said of his stretching routine. "I'm not 23 anymore and things are starting to tighten up. I think I'm in my prime and I want to keep it that way."
The results weren't always evident against Team Italy, as Weaver struggled a bit with his control. The righty threw first-pitch balls to each of the first eight batters he faced, but he worked three innings and allowed just one earned run. Weaver threw 51 pitches, 30 of them for strikes.
The veteran said he was happy with his outing, especially with the second and third inning. Weaver faced 12 batters in all, and five of those came in the opening stanza. The Angels' ace allowed three hits and gave up one run, but he also struck out five batters and didn't walk any.
"I thought Weav looked great," said manager Mike Scioscia. "He got his pitch count where it needed to be and got his workout in. He threw some really good changeups, good sliders. And he faced some big league hitters, so he had to make some pitches. It was three strong innings for Weav."
Weaver said that he took Team Italy as just another opponent, but he had lots to say about the World Baseball Classic. The three-time All-Star pitched for Team USA at the Pan-Am Games in 2002, and he said that he would've loved to participate this time if he had been healthy last October.
He missed one start last September with shoulder soreness, and he went just one inning in his last start of the year. Weaver said that he wanted to spend the winter healing his arm, and he said that if he had participated in the World Baseball Classic, he would've needed more time to get ready.
"I told them that if I was healthy at the end of the year that I would love to do it, but they want the guys that go out there and throw 220-plius innings," Weaver said. "And you know, the guys want the down time in the offseason to recuperate. As great as it would be to wear the red, white and-blue -- I did it in '02 and there was no better feeling -- it's a tough thing to have to get ready for. Your first and foremost priority is to be here for your organization, not to say you don't want to be there for your country."
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Impact of Physical Exercise on Quality of Life in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease - a Pilot Study.
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from a diminished quality of life compared to healthy adults. This is due to the chronic course of disease accompanied with diarrhea, stomach pains but also with psychological stress.
It is known that physical education may improve course of disease and quality of life in a multitude of diseases. These include coronary heart disease, malignancies and also depression. The investigators believe that sport is as effective supportive tool in improving quality of life in IBD patients. But data is lacking with regard to controlled randomized clinical trials. Because of the small amount of data available the investigators considered a feasibility study. Our hypothesis is that IBD patients will cope with moderate exercise. The investigators further suspect that these patients improve their quality of life compared with patients in the control group.
|Quality of Life in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
|Behavioral: physical exercise
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Impact of Physical Exercise on Quality of Life in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease - a Pilot Study.
- Quality of life [ Time Frame: 10 weeks ]
- disease activity [ Time Frame: 10 weeks ]
|Study Start Date:
|April 2013
|Study Completion Date:
|November 2013
|Primary Completion Date:
|September 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Active Comparator: Intervention
Patients of the intervention arm receive a 10 week exercise program
Behavioral: physical exercise
10 weeks physical exercise; three times a week
No Intervention: Control
Patients of the control arm do not participate in exercise
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 80 Years (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- >18 years
- proven colitis ulcerosa (CU)
- proven crohns disease (CD)
- diagnosis >= 1 year before start of the study
- low or moderate disease activity
Exclusion Criteria:
- < 18 years
- high disease activity
- regular exercise > 2 hours per week
- diagnosis of CU oder CD < 1 year before start of the study
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01834573
|Klinikum rechts der Isar
|München, Bayern, Germany, 81675
|Principal Investigator:
|Peter Klare, MD
|II. Medizinische Klinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar München, Germany
|Study Director:
|Wolfgang Huber, MD
|II Medizinische Klinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar München, Germany
|Responsible Party:
|Technische Universität München
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01834573 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|April 14, 2013
|Last Updated:
|December 22, 2013
Keywords provided by Technische Universität München:
inflammatory bowel disease
quality of life
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Intestinal Diseases
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Digestive System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Environmental Actions Taken at Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
Dec. 5, 2007
Environmental Actions Taken at Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Meeting
The Board of Supervisors took several actions during its last regular meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 3, that build upon the county's award-winning environmental agenda and further support its Cool Counties initiative.
Watershed Management
The board approved development of management plans for the remaining watersheds at Dogue Creek, Belle Haven and Four Mile Run. The county now has watershed management plans and stream protection strategies underway for all 30 watersheds. Watershed management plans have been completed for the most part or adopted by the Board of Supervisors for approximately 50 percent of the county's land area. Development of the latest plans will include
- Reviewing and documenting existing conditions
- Public involvement
- Development of hydrological and water quality models
- Identification and prioritization of projects to improve the watershed
This watershed planning exercise and other related actions are being funded through the board's dedication of the value of one penny from the county's real estate tax rate for stormwater management, a practice that began in fiscal year 2006. In the past two years, this has amounted to more than $40 million for improving the county's stormwater programs. Information on the county's watershed planning project is available at www.fairfaxcounty-watersheds.net.
Air Quality
The board outlined Fairfax County's commitment to the Virginia Air Quality State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Fine Particulate Matter, which will be reflected in a letter sent to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. These programs will be included in Virginia's SIP. Through this action the board continues its commitment to help improve the region's air quality and work toward the Washington metropolitan region meeting the Clean Air Act standards for fine particulate matter. The control measures, many of which already have been supported by the board and are currently being implemented, include:
- Purchase of wind energy
- Use of ultra-low sulfur fuel
- Upgrades in lighting of county buildings
- Tree canopy requirements and tree planting initiatives
- Green building initiatives
- Participation in Clean Air Partners
The board approved an amendment to a service agreement relating to the generation and sale of electricity from Covanta Fairfax's Energy/Resource Recovery Facility (E/RRF) located at the county's I-95 landfill complex. The amendment also was approved by the Fairfax County Solid Waste Authority at a public hearing later in the day during the Board of Supervisors meeting. This will allow Covanta Fairfax, owner of the E/RRF that is overseen by the Fairfax County Division of Solid Waste Disposal and Resource Recovery, to exceed the 80 megawatt (MW) generating limit originally imposed on the facility. Under the amendment, Covanta will be authorized to generate in excess of 80 MW and eventually generate up to 98 MW of electricity, most of which will be sold to Dominion Power. The county will receive 50 percent of the revenues for energy produced over the current 80 MW limit, which will be used to offset other solid waste system costs at the facility. The county's share of additional revenues may be as much as $250,000. Without the 80 MW limit, the recovery facility also will be able to more efficiently recover energy from the waste delivered by the county. In addition, the distributed generation of the 80+ MW will offer reliability benefits for the county in the already strained Northern Virginia electric grid. Following approval of the service agreement amendment, Covanta can apply for the approvals and certificates necessary to operate at more than 80 MW.
The Board of Supervisors' environmental agenda, "Environmental Excellence for Fairfax County – A 20-Year Vision," was adopted in 2004, and it identifies six areas of focus for environmental protection: growth and land use; air quality and transportation; water quality; solid waste; parks, trails and open space; and environmental stewardship. The 2004 plan and the board's environmental improvement program were recognized by the National Association of Counties with an Achievement Award last year.
Fairfax County is one of the leaders of the national Cool Counties initiative, which was launched in July in partnership with the Sierra Club, to reduce local government emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Since 2003, the board has implemented more than $6 million worth of projects and programs to address air quality and global climate change.
For more news and information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.


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Wiltshire Police has released CCTV stills of the robbery of a Marlborough jewellers after five men were today sentenced for the armed siege.
Men entered Deacon & Sons jewellers on the morning of Tuesday, September 17 last year, smashing display cabinets and taking jewellery before exiting into a waiting car.
Marcus Delroy Cohen, 33, Paul Gallimore, 33, and Linton Daren Summerfield, 20 were arrested and later charged with robbery after the vehicle they escaped in crashed on the A419 near the Great Western Hospital.
Two other men, Leroy Green, 35 and Cristian Coulston, 20, were arrested and later charged with robbery in October and November last year.
The stills show the armed robbery unfolding before the men made their escape.


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Torii deemed healthy enough to start series opener
TORONTO -- The swelling is still evident in Torii Hunter's left hand. The swing, however, is playable. Thus, so is Hunter.
"It's still swollen, still sore," Hunter said, "but I've got to be out there. I don't think it's going to bother me too much. As long as somebody doesn't plunk on the back of the hand, I'll be fine. But I don't think I'll be fist-pumping anybody or high-fiving with that hand."
After initially fearing he had sustained a season-ending broken hand, Hunter returned to the Tigers' lineup Friday night, three days after taking a Dellin Betances fastball off his hand. He felt comfortable enough in early batting practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre that he was ready to play in the series opener against the Blue Jays.
"I thought I was done," Hunter said. "Thank God."
Hunter had to take precautions, including a bulky pad worn over his usual batting glove, but didn't feel limited. With the Tigers' offense struggling, he didn't want to wait.
"I told [manager Brad Ausmus] if I could take batting practice, ground balls, catch, I want to be in the lineup. He said that's fine, so I went out in early BP and did all those things."
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Matylda wrote:I have no knowledge of all those problems.
However I have seen somehow people who got involvoed in witchhunt and comitted their life to this..
You have no knowledge of all those problems but you have seen peoples reactions and judge them to be maladaptive. Excellent example of prejudgement.


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it's been a great year for the linhardt tempest ring…
We are all still swooning over Nicki Minaj's shoot for Complex Magazine, when she rocked our entire Tempest jewelry series like no other. Ms. Minaj represented Jamaica Queens like the true Queen she is – all while modeling jewelry made by a fellow Jamaica girl herself!
Check out this great behind-the-scenes video to see how our Tempest ring should be worn… the woman is fierce!
Our Tempest Ring has continued to receive incredible press throughout the entire year, and so we close 2015 with our latest news which is quite possibly the best of all… We are honored to announce the Linhardt Tempest as a recent winner of the prestigious 2016 AGTA Spectrum Awards. In addition, the ring was also granted First Place in the Evening Wear category in the 2016 GemDiva Awards, which is organized by The Womens Jewelry Association. Thank you to AGTA, the WJA, to all the judges for these incredible honors! Much appreciation to the National Jeweler for their highlight,.. Thank you to Jennifer Heebner, Myriam Gumuchian for her kudos, to Naomi Sarna who convinced me to submit and continues to be an inspiration! Thank you to JCK (How could we not be grateful to be named among the Top 5 Most Badass Rings at the Spectrum Awards!?!?)
On that fantastic high note, we will close out the year with highlights of the wonderful exposure this ring has achieved. We are so very grateful and toast to this fabulous journey! Cheers to you and your loved ones – here is to a spectacular 2016!


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Another strategy to enhance buffering capacity is to supplement with sodium bicarbonate, the main buffer in the bloodstream. Several studies have shown improvement in high intensity performance after sodium bicarbonate supplementation in doses between 200 mg and 300 mg per kilogram of body weight. Interestingly, no studies have examined the combination of beta-alanine and bicarbonate on performance.
Researchers from the United Kingdom had healthy men supplement for 4 weeks with either 6.4 grams of beta-alanine per day or a placebo. Before and after supplementation, the men performed a cycling test to exhaustion at an intensity that caused them to fatigue in about 2 minutes.
After 4 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation, the men ingested 24 grams of either maltodextrin or sodium bicarbonate before the cycling test. Results showed that 4 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation allowed subjects to exercise for about 17 seconds longer when they ingested maltodextrin and 23 seconds longer when they ingested sodium bicarbonate.
Thus, 4 weeks of beta-alanine supplementation increased performance by 15%, and ingesting sodium bicarbonate before an exercise challenge improved performance beyond that of beta-alanine, indicating a potential added effect. The effect of bicarbonate was found not to be significant but the authors noted that there was a 70% probability of a meaningful positive effect.


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Hi all
I carry around with me Sony's first hard-drive walkman, the NW-HD1. Its a stylish little fellow which contains a selection of music tracks, but most importantly, my collection of sutta chants and 'group-sit' audio files that I have been using for nearly five years when I meditate. I just pop on the active noise reduction headphones, select a chant or group-sit track and I can meditate almost anywhere. So, on my return to my new home from Melbourne the other day, I stuffed my system into my faux-leather satchel and didn't think twice until after I got off the plane at Launceston. Usually when I fly alone I go into 'imitation sleep' mode and wile away my time quietly observing the evanescing flora of moment-to-moment experience to the deep resonances of my teacher chanting the Atanatiya, the Satipatthana or a number of other suttas or parittas while the active-noise reduction headphones cancel out a lot of the ambient background noise. This time, for some reason, I decided to read instead. I was near completion of one Dhamma Book and was keen to start another I bought at the Theosophical Society Bookshop in Melbourne.
I did not think twice about what the magnets lurking in the corners of my satchel (magnetic clasp) might do to my harddrive. When I got home, I retrieved my player and noticed some bizarre messages on its screen, including 'no database found'. Oh dear!
Fortunately, the sutta chants, group sit and discourse files were not deleted frm my computer when I did some spring cleaning about a year ago. All that is required is to upload the player with the stored files and I'm back in business and to keep my player away from my bag!


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Carson City man arrested after Thursday morning bank robbery
May 16, 2014
Carson City resident Brent Muir, 55, was arrested Thursday after he allegedly robbed the Plumas Beach Bank in Kings Beach, Calif.,
According to the report, Muir entered the Plumas Bank at approximately 8:30 a.m. Thursday, and at some point demanded money while brandishing a weapon. After leaving the bank in a tan 2008 Chevrolet Impala with an undisclosed amount of money he drove to the Sand Harbor area of Lake Tahoe where he was observed by federal law enforcement.
As Muir left the Sand Harbor area federal law enforcement requested the Nevada Highway Patrol initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle.
As the NHP was preparing to locate the vehicle to make a traffic stop deputies with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Carson City Sheriff's Office began to assist with the stop of the vehicle. Muir began to elude the agencies, and led officers on a short pursuit through parts of South Carson City when he finally stopped his vehicle at the corner of California Street and Industrial Park Drive, just south of Fairview Drive, where he exited his vehicle and fled on foot.
After a short foot pursuit he was caught and detained by the Douglas County sheriff's deputies. The NHP took custody of Muir and placed him under arrest for felony eluding, reckless driving, and driving with no valid driver's license. After an inventory of the vehicle a weapon and suspected money was found inside. Charges stemming from the robbery are pending further investigation from the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Placer County Sheriff's Office.
No one was harmed during the robbery.
Recommended Stories For You
Witnesses or anyone with additional information are encouraged to contact the NHP Dispatch Center at (775) 687-0400 regarding case number NHP- 140501380.


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View from the Corner: No skirting the issue
Updated 9:27 pm, Saturday, November 5, 2011
Opening flurry
After winning a long fight to get into the Olympics, female boxers are at the center of a dress code debate ahead of the 2012 London Games next summer.
One of the issues is whether they should wear skirts in the ring.
No joke.
The International Amateur Boxing Association suggested to its national federations last year that wearing skirts rather than trunks would help the women stand out from the men's competitions.
AIBA officials said they will meet in January to discuss and draw up recommendations.
"AIBA has not made any final decision on boxers' uniform for women," the governing body told the Associated Press.
Sports Channel
Women's boxing will make its Olympic debut in London after being accepted on the program by the International Olympic Committee in August 2009.
At the European Championships last month in the Netherlands, only female boxers from Poland and Romania wore skirts.
The idea will be studied again when London hosts Olympic boxing test events Nov. 24-27.
Straight shots
Frazier deathly ill: Former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier reportedly has advanced liver cancer and is being given a short time to live.
A source close to the family told the New York Post that Frazier, 67, is "in serious shape." His 17-year career (1965-81) saw three classic fights against Muhammad Ali, including the famous "Thrilla in Manilla" bout.
"We're looking for a miracle," the source said.
"Smokin' Joe" has been in and out of the hospital since early October and is currently under hospice care in his hometown of Philadelphia, his business manager said.
UFC debuts on Fox: The UFC's coming-out party on network television will be Nov. 12 live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Undefeated heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos square off in the main event on Fox.
Local notebook
STABA summit: The South Texas Amateur Boxing Association is holding its annual summit meeting Nov. 12 at Woodlawn Gym, beginning at 10 a.m.
All STABA board of governors and members are encouraged to attend.
Casasola wins debut: Carlos Casasola of San Antonio made a successful pro debut Oct. 29 at the Cendera Center in Fort Worth. Casasola (1-0, 1 KO) defeated Joel Hernandez (2-1, 1 KO) of Fort Worth by TKO at 1:36 of the first round of the four-round super bantamweight bout.
Two other locals fought on the card, but both fell short. Junior lightweight Abraham Esquivel (4-2, 2 KOs) was defeated by Miguel Buendia (7-0, 4 KOs) of San Angelo by TKO at 1:03 of the fifth round. Meanwhile, Justo Vallecillo (6-14, 3 KOs) was stopped by Jose Ines Hernandez (11-5-1, 5 KOs) of Fort Worth at 2:18 of the fifth round of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.
Area pair loses: Two San Antonio fighters lost bouts Oct. 27 in Tyler. Julio Valadez (4-19-1) was beaten by Bahodir Mamajonov (6-0, 4 KOs) of Houston by first-round TKO at 2:27 of the first round of a scheduled six-round bout.
Tammy Franks (2-18-1) lost to Kita Watkins (7-8, 1 KO) of Camden, Ark., by decision in a four-round, junior welterweight bout.


text:
WORTHINGTON, Ohio (AP) -- An empty house in suburban Columbus where a "ghost-hunting" teen was shot over six years ago is finally getting a makeover.
The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/WO8sSD ) reports that a couple plans to fix up the house after it sold for $39,000 last month at a sheriff's auction.
The home in Worthington is known as the "spooky house."
Back in 2006, the home's former owner shot at three girls who went to the house on a ghost hunt, hitting one of the girls in the head.
The 17-year-old survived, and the home's owner was convicted in the shooting and sentenced to prison. He has said he didn't mean to hurt anyone but considered the girls trespassers for sneaking around outside.
Neighbors say they're happy the house will be fixed up.
Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com


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Sometimes I think we all have an either/or gremlin in our minds: Either you read scripture or you do a meditation practice; either samsara or nirvana; either you keep the rules or you break them; either a layman or a monk; either mindful or confused; either compassionate or angry; either this or that .... It goes on and on whether talking out loud or keeping it secret. Either/or.
But I always liked the story about the Korean Zen teacher Soen Sa Nimh, who was once asked, so to speak, at a public meeting, "Sometimes when I meditate, I feel like such a schmuck." And Soen Sa Nimh replied, "You're either a Buddha or a schmuck -- there is no in-between."
And that's the way it seems to be -- you either see through the "in-between" or you end up as some silly Buddha or schmuck. Either/or strikes me as a good, tentative route. But the emphasis needs to be on the word "tentative." Hammers are tentatively useful when you want to pound a nail, but you wouldn't lug a hammer around all day long, right?
Just some noodling.


text:
Prize Recipient
Gabriel Vasquez
Florida State University
My name is Gabriel Vasquez. I was born in New York City. Ihave always been interested in science, ever since I was child and could read. It was the magical nature that lured me into physics and kept me there. The beauty of the simplest mechanics to the ultimate spectacle of black holes encompassed me in pure amazement. Currently, I am about to start my second year at Florida State University and continue my passion onwards. I wish to thank everyone who made it possible for me to be accepted for this scholarship. Thank you for helping to make my dreams a reality.


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Note: This item is more than 11 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Aug. 28, 2006
Commission Endorses Hunter's Choice for Duck Season
AUSTIN, Texas — The Hunter's Choice bag limit received endorsement from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its Aug. 24 public hearing and gives Texas waterfowlers more latitude during the entire season in exchange for a reduction to the daily bag limit from six to five birds.
Texas will join four other states in the Central Flyway with the Hunter's Choice bag limit starting with the 2006–07 season. As part of the Federal Framework adopted this summer, the Hunters Choice experiment option will be in effect for the next few years.
With many duck species having maintained or increased their numbers during the last decade, the Service has granted states in the Central Flyway a liberal package framework for determining hunting regulations. But, there have been caveats.
Over the past several waterfowl seasons concerns for certain species of ducks have led the Service to take steps to restrict harvest. Those precautionary measures have resulted in complex and confusing regulations, such as "seasons within the season" on some species important to Texas, like pintails.
TPWD officials say the Hunter's Choice alleviates the need for seasons within a season, while providing both protection of certain ducks and season length opportunity for hunters. Five states in the Central Flyway will continue to operate under the 39-day season within a season framework for pintails and canvasbacks
The Hunter's Choice allows hunters to shoot five ducks daily, but only one in the aggregate category of certain less abundant species that include either a pintail, or a canvasback, or a "dusky duck" (mottled, black duck or Mexican-like duck) or a hen mallard. As in past years, hunters may take two wood ducks, two redheads, or two scaup. Species such as mallard drakes, teal, gadwall, wigeon, and shoveler are not restricted within the 5-bird limit.
The Hunter's Choice will not affect the early teal season in Texas, set for Sept. 9–24 with a daily bag limit of four.
The general duck season length will be the same as last year and is as follows.
South Zone —Youth-only season is Oct. 28–29 and the regular season is Nov. 4–26 and Dec. 9—Jan. 28.
North Zone — The season structure is identical to last year, simply adjusted for the calendar shift. Duck season dates are Nov. 4–26 and Dec. 9–Jan. 28. The youth-only season is Oct. 28–29.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit — The HPMMU offers one of the longest duck hunting seasons in the nation. Youth-only season is set for Oct. 21–22 and Oct. 28–29 and Nov. 3–Jan. 28 for the regular season.
The daily bag limit for all ducks is five and may include no more than two redheads, two scaup, two wood ducks, and one aggregate duck. The aggregate category includes pintail, canvasback, "dusky duck" (mottled, black duck or Mexican-like duck) and hen mallard. Once a hunter has taken one duck from the aggregate category, all ducks in the aggregate category are off limits for that day.
As for geese, TPWD is proposing a season similar to last year.
Eastern Goose Zone — White-fronted geese: Nov. 4–Jan. 14; Canada and Light Goose: Nov. 4–Jan. 28.The daily bag limit is three Canada, two white-fronted and 20 light geese.
Western Goose Zone — Nov. 4–Feb. 6 with a daily bag limit of three Canada, one white-fronted and 20 light geese.
The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for Canada and white-fronted geese and no possession limit for "light geese."
The Light Goose Conservation Order will start at the close of the regular goose seasons and run through March 25 in both zones. This allows relaxed regulations to hunt through various atypical means in order to control light goose overpopulation that has caused damage to Canadian habitat.
Publication — Permission is granted to publish, in whole or in part, any news releases on this page.
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(5.4.16 i)


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Publishing and Speaking
From Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
- 1 Tips for Publishing in Library-Related Journals
- 2 Tips for Speaking at Conferences/Getting Speaking Engagements
- 3 Forms of Writing
- 4 Blogs/Websites to Watch
- 5 Negotiating Contracts
- 6 Negotiating Copyright and Open Access Licenses
- 7 Specific Blog Posts/Articles to Check Out
- 8 Specific Publishing Opportunities
Tips for Publishing in Library-Related Journals
- Communities Finding collaborators, mentors, and support - email lists, groups, journal clubs and reading rooms
- Research and Writing Committees
- Advice on publishing in journals
Tips for Speaking at Conferences/Getting Speaking Engagements
1. Publish a book.
2. Write and submit articles to print and on-line publications.
3. Submit press releases.
4. Advertise in publications your target audience reads.
5. Create a blog on your topic and updated regularly.
Forms of Writing
- Text and Academic Authors Association Support for all forms of academic writing and writers, including textbooks.
- Bauman M G. 2003, Textbook Writing 101 The Chronicle of Higher Education, July 14. An amusing take on the ins and outs of writing a textbook.
- Henry C M. 2002, Birth of a textbook Chemical and Engineering News, v 80, no. 26, pp. 22-25. The experience of four first-time textbook authors in Chemistry, with good general advice for all disciplines.
- Varian H R. 2001, What I've Learned about Writing Economics April 17. Includes advice on writing textbooks from an outcomes-based approach.
- Lepionka, M E. 2003, Writing and developing your college textbook, Glcester, Mass.: Atlantic Path Publishing.
- 24 weeks to a finished book ALA Editions, describes the book publishing timeline.
Blogs/Websites to Watch
- A Library Writer's Blog "Calls for papers, presentations, participation, reviewers, and other notices," maintained by Corey Seeman.
- Beyond the Job lists calls for papers for journals and conferences in the US and overseas
Negotiating Contracts
- Licensing of Electronic Content A backgrounder from the ACRL Scholarly Communication Toolkit on bundle licenses, alternatives and resources for further exploration.
- You Can Change a Contract by Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe at ACRLog. Discusses the ACRL Scholarly Communication Toolkit and ideas on how to negotiate better contracts with publishers.
Negotiating Copyright and Open Access Licenses
- SHERPA RoMEO Copyright policies of most academic publishers. Includes pre-print, self-archiving, and Open Access policies.
- SPARC Author Addendum "a legal instrument that modifies the publisher's agreement and allows you to keep key rights to your articles"
- Coleman, Anita (2006) Self-Archiving and the Copyright Transfer Agreements of ISI-Ranked Library and Information Science Journals. DLIST
- Discusses copyright transfer policies of ISI ranked journals in LIS
- See also: subject Scholarly Communication DLIST
Specific Blog Posts/Articles to Check Out
- Publish, Don't Perish Rachel Singer Gordon's column on writing for the profession for Emerald
Specific Publishing Opportunities
Listings of calls for papers for conferences and journals
Other specific writing opportunities
- Library Student Journal, Editors' Blog
- "LSJ will feature original work by masters and PhD students at the ALA-accredited schools in North America and their peers internationally. It will be a showcase for the talents of the best LIS students and it will be a forum for discussing issues of current concern to future professionals in the field."
- Journal of Web Librarianship
- "JWL seeks both practical communications and original, scholarly research about relevant topics in web librarianship. New authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts."
- Thinking About Presenting at Conference?
- How to pitch a program or topic for ALA's Annual and Midwinter meetings.
Reworking Papers
- The Thrill Of Victory…The Agony Of Defeat Steven Bell.
- Advice on retooling conference proposals or papers if you are rejected (happens to everyone!)


text:
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text:
My granddaughter has had seizures since she was six (6) years old. She just turned 16 and is heartbroken that she can't even think about getting her license or driving because she still has seizures at a rate of about one (1) per month. As she gets older her normal beautiful personality is being transformed into a beautiful girl who is beginning to think she is less than everyone else because she has gran mal seizures.
Her doctor is not talking about exploring surgery and is just treating her with medication at this point. He has increased her medication over the last year but her seizures are still not controlled.
I'm thinking about taking her to the Mayo clinic or to an expert for her to be checked to see if she is a candidate for surgery or just how to explore this option. She has had many tests to isolate the brain section that is the source of the problem but he is still not recommending surgery however he is not a surgeon.
If you have gone through the process to explore the surgery option, please send me any information you have so I can start the process for her.
Thank you,
A Concerned Grandpa


text:
SAPPHIRE Worldwide: Stenting and Angioplasty With Protection in Patients At High-Risk for Endarterectomy
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified February 2014 by Cordis Corporation.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Cordis Corporation
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Cordis Corporation
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: November 20, 2006
Last updated: February 7, 2014
Last verified: February 2014
|Tracking Information
|First Received Date ICMJE
|November 20, 2006
|Last Updated Date
|February 7, 2014
|Start Date ICMJE
|October 2006
|Estimated Primary Completion Date
|July 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Current Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Any death, stroke or any MI [ Time Frame: up to 30-days post-procedure ]
|Original Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Change History
|Complete list of historical versions of study NCT00403078 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
|Current Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Descriptive Information
|Brief Title ICMJE
|SAPPHIRE Worldwide: Stenting and Angioplasty With Protection in Patients At High-Risk for Endarterectomy
|Official Title ICMJE
|Stenting and Angioplasty With Protection in Patients At High-Risk for Endarterectomy (SAPPHIRE Worldwide)
|Brief Summary
|The primary objective of this study is to assess the outcomes of stenting with distal protection in the treatment of obstructive carotid artery disease. The devices to be utilized are the Cordis PRECISE® Nitinol Stent Systems (5.5F and 6F) and the Cordis ANGIOGUARD™ XP Emboli Capture Guidewire (ECGW).
|Detailed Description
|Carotid Artery Stenting
|Study Type ICMJE
|Study Design ICMJE
|Time Perspective: Prospective
|Target Follow-Up Duration
|Not Provided
|Not Provided
|Sampling Method
|Non-Probability Sample
|Study Population
|Study population will consist of high-surgical risk patients with atherosclerotic disease of the carotid artery(ies) from up to 350 clinical sites in the US and Canada.
|Condition ICMJE
|Carotid Artery Disease
|Intervention ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Study Groups/Cohorts
|Not Provided
|Publications *
|Massop D, Dave R, Metzger C, Bachinsky W, Solis M, Shah R, Schultz G, Schreiber T, Ashchi M, Hibbard R; SAPPHIRE Worldwide Investigators. Stenting and angioplasty with protection in patients at high-risk for endarterectomy: SAPPHIRE Worldwide Registry first 2,001 patients. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2009 Feb 1;73(2):129-36. doi: 10.1002/ccd.21844.
* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
|Recruitment Information
|Recruitment Status ICMJE
|Unknown status
|Estimated Enrollment ICMJE
|Estimated Completion Date
|November 2014
|Estimated Primary Completion Date
|July 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Eligibility Criteria ICMJE
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers
|Contacts ICMJE
|Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
|Listed Location Countries ICMJE
|United States
|Removed Location Countries
|Administrative Information
|NCT Number ICMJE
|Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE
|Has Data Monitoring Committee
|U.S. FDA-regulated Product
|Not Provided
|IPD Sharing Statement
|Not Provided
|Responsible Party
|Cordis Corporation
|Study Sponsor ICMJE
|Cordis Corporation
|Collaborators ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Investigators ICMJE
|PRS Account
|Cordis Corporation
|Verification Date
|February 2014
ICMJE Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP


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Can Process Control Prevent Oil Well Blowouts?
Oil Drilling Accident in the Gulf of Mexico: What caused it? Could We Have Prevented the Blowout with Properly Designed Process Control Systems?
"Ask the Experts" is moderated by Béla Lipták, process control consultant and editor of the Instrument Engineer's Handbook (IEH). The 4th edition of Volume 3, Process Software and Networks, is in progress. If you are qualified to contribute to this volume, or if you are qualified to answer questions in this column or want to ask a question, write to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Q: I've received a number of questions about the oil drilling accident in the Gulf of Mexico: What caused it? If properly designed process control systems were used, could the blowout have been prevented? What contributions could process control have made to stop the flow after the blowout?
A: To answer these questions, we must understand the drilling process, the causes of the BP accident and the kinds of automatic controls necessary for both the normal and the emergency drilling operation.
Drilling a test well on land is as simple as digging a hole. Drilling deep under the sea increases both the risks and the costs because of the high pressures and hostile environment at the ocean bottom. As the depth increases, the weight of the connecting piping between the sea floor and the platform above also increases. To reduce this weight and the associated cost, the pipe thicknesses had to be reduced, which could only be achieved if some of the drilling equipment was lowered down to the ocean floor where the pressure is high (2200 PSI in case of BP), the temperature is near freezing, and the environment is corrosive. Furthermore, the lowered equipment is inaccessible and has to be operated by remote-operated vehicles (ROV) or subsea robots.
Under these conditions, state-of-the-art technology, including automatic safety controls, trips and redundant equipment, should have been used, potentially making the drilling of deep sea wells uneconomical and in some cases consuming more energy than the wells produced. The industry and its regulator, the Mineral Management Service, in the absence of standards requiring such controls, concentrated on cutting costs.
The Drilling Process
A simplified sketch of the drilling process is shown in Figure 1. At BP installation, the well was 18,300 feet deep (36 in. diameter at the top; about 10 in. at the bottom) and included a number of casings, conduits, seals, spacers, snubbers and burst disks that are not shown. The casings are inserted into the well bore at various depths and held in place by cement slurry injected between them and the well bore. They should protect against cave-ins, provide a foundation for the drilling fluid (mud) and seal off high-pressure zones.
During drilling, mud is circulated down the drill pipe and up through the annulus between the well bore and the drill pipe. The mud carries the rock fragments produced by the drilling. This circulating mud also serves to prevent the oil and gas in the deposits from entering the well, because the pressure of the mud inside the well bore is higher than that of the oil outside. If for any reason this pressure difference (ΔP = PMUD – POIL) starts dropping, the mud pressure has to be increased to keep this ΔP positive. Otherwise the oil or gas will enter the well bore.
Once the oil pressure exceeds the mud pressure, it can lift the fluid in the well, and a blowout can occur. In case of the BP installation, four shut-off devices—placed one on top of the other—were provided in the blowout preventer (BOP) in Figure 1. These are shut-off valves that close the well in case of evolving blowout conditions. The first three are pipe rams that close only the annulus. The last one, the shear ram, also cuts the drill pipe and completely closes the well bore.
Causes of the BP Accident
Now we must understand the reasons why the pressure outside the well can suddenly rise and how gas "kicks" can develop. The cause is methane hydrate or methane ice (MI). The MI crystal is a solid similar to ice, except that it traps large amounts of methane within its crystal structure. The extreme cold and crushing pressure (2200 PSI at 5000 feet at the ocean bottom and about 8000 PSI in the oil deposits at 15,000 feet) keeps this crystal in the solid state. If conditions drop below the point of phase transition (PhT), because the pressure drops or the temperature rises, PhT is triggered, and the MI vaporizes. Each cubic foot of MI crystals explodes into 164 cubic feet of gas. Therefore, it is wise to avoid drilling through MI deposits and, if it is done accidentally, to keep the pressure inside the well above and the temperature below the PhT point.
The phase change can also occur in the reverse direction. If methane gas is exposed to water under such conditions that exceed the PhT point, the gas and the water will "freeze" into MI crystals that will plug the piping and other equipment. This can occur if the mud pressure drops below the methane pressure in the deposits, and methane enters the well bore while the pressure and temperature conditions are above the PhT point.
Under these conditions the MI crystals that are formed can also be carried up by the mud flow or by the other fluid that is circulated in the well. As they rise, the pressure in the well decreases, and the MI crystals dissociate into methane gas and water. The rapid gas expansion ejects the circulating fluid from the well, further reducing the pressure, which leads to more hydrate dissociation and further fluid ejection. This violent expulsion of fluid is referred to as a "kick," which can cause blowouts. Once the mud is blown out and methane escapes, all that is needed is a spark to ignite it.
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text:
Joseph R. Rank, longtime Buffalo News printer
May 25, 1931 – Aug. 3, 2013
Joseph R. "Rick" Rank, of the City of Tonawanda, a printer at the Tonawanda News and The Buffalo News, died Saturday in Beechwood Manor, Getzville. He was 82.
Born in Buffalo, he was a 1949 graduate of Tonawanda High School and served in the Navy during the Korean War.
Mr. Rank worked for the Tonawanda News from 1951 to 1961, then was with The Buffalo News for 30 years, retiring in 1991.
He served as 1st Ward alderman in the City of Tonawanda in 1976 and 1977.
He was a life member of Tonawandas Post 264, American Legion, and Frontiersmen Post 7545, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He was a member of Tonawanda Union Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and the Volunteer Firemen's Benevolent Association, the Buffalo-Niagara Typographical Union and the Tin Can Sailors Association. He also was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, the former Mary K. Chelikowsky; three sons, Douglas, Kevin and Patrick; and a sister, Joanne Urtel.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 150 Broad St., City of Tonawanda.


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Average Customer Rating
(based on 4 reviews)
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Ratings Distribution
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Looks Great!
By Gottaloveart
from Petersburg, VA
This print creates the perfect atmosphere for my all white kitchen and dining area!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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poor color
By J
from PA
Color was washed out
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Boating Party in my dining room
By Scoop
from Jupiter, Fl
On one side of my dining room I have the Manet of the bar girl at the Folie Bergere, looking out at the room and who she is waiting on. Across from her, I have the boating party enjoying lunch. So, I always have happy diners in my dining room.
(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)
A Great Piece of Art!
By Debidoo1979
from Jonesboro, AR
I think it is important to be exposed to great works of art. I bought this for my bedroom and added a blue frame to go along with my bedroom decor. I am very happy with this purchase.
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Hello everybody,
I'd like to get an idea about how many people experience back complications from sitting in full lotus for 1 hour plus on a regular basis. The internet is full of articles about how full lotus is great for your back/joints/credit but I suspect many of the people writing those articles don't actually sit in full lotus regularly and for long periods. So, of those of you who sit in full lotus for an hour plus a day, any chronic tightness or other maladies of note in the lower back?
A little bit of background behind this survey. I started sitting about 7 years ago, and have sat for a couple of hours daily until this February. During that time my back was constantly tight, I didn't attribute it to meditation at the time but when I stopped sitting regularly I noticed my back slowly corrected itself. I should pre-empt some comments about posture, my posture is good, and so is my cushion. In my case I think it has to do with scar tissue in my back from a fall when I was young but it could be more widespread, which is what I'm trying to find out. Your reports are greatly appreciated!


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ThreeA Impresses Fans With New 1/6th HALO Hero...
For a great selection of HALO action figures and collectibles, be sure to check out BigBadToyStore.com.
Few video game properties have impressed fans as much as HALO. What began in 2001 has now, over a decade later, lead to 7 video games, at least two films, a number of comic and book series and nearly countless action figures from a variety of companies. For those HALO die-hard fans and those 1/6th fans who have been waiting for the perfect HALO collectible, ThreeA has released one of the premiere collectibles based on the video game series with the 1/6th Scale Commander Carter Action Figure.
A Spartan-III commando and trained member of the UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command attached to Special Warfare Group Three, Carter-A259 was the leader of Noble Team, an elite Spartan strike force who fought during the Fall of Reach (as seen in the video game Halo: Reach). Call sign Noble One, Commander Carter was one of the two survivors of the original Noble Team prior to the Fall of Reach. A trustworthy leader who inspires confidence in those under his command, Carter leads from the front, is cool under pressure and charismatic.
While Master Chief is by no means the main character of the HALO Universe, were a company looking to base a collectible on another highly sought after character with a cool personality and design, Commander Carter is the right pick. Thus, it's no surprise really ThreeA, known for going the less traditional route, choose to make Carter their initial release in the 1/6th scale HALO line of figures.
Packaged in an over-sized black and white box with a removable lid, the figure comes well protected thanks to the durable construction and molded plastic interior which houses the figure. Ready for display, the detailed graphics on both the front and back provide information about the figure as well as the variety of accessories which are included.
Based on the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor Mark V/K variant worn by Carter in the Halo: Reach game, this figure will impress even non-fans with its detailed design, removable armor and various accessories. With top-notch sculpting, the power armor provides an awesome 1/6th scale three-dimensional representation of the video game character.
The power armor is made of a high density, injection molded durable plastic while the bodysuit underneath the external power armor is made of a durable, pliable rubber which provides a pliable covering over the poseable body underneath.
The game accurate armor and accessories feature a modular design with removable pieces, each attaching via magnets or molded tension points. The shoulder armor, butt pack and grenades attach via magnets to points located on the shoulders, lower back and hips (respectively). The magnets at these points are solid and provide plenty of retention.
These removable armor pieces and packs provide optional looks for various displays. While the standard look includes all packs, armor and pouches attached, display options with this figure could include all or none of the armor pieces and pouches. As for weaponry, the figure includes both a combat saber with sheath and the M-392 Designated Marksmen Rifle (DMR). Both of Carters weapons, like the pouches and armor plates, attach to the figure via magnets at designated attachment points, specifically the saber sheath attaches to the left upper shoulder/chest and the rifle to the upper back.
Unfortunately, the saber sheath doesnt balance well unless the saber is in the sheath. If the saber is not in the sheath, the sheath wants to spin out of place when attached. Likewise, the rifle doesnt want to stay attached or balance on the back and I had a number of issues attaching the rifle to the back via the hidden magnets.
Standing slightly over 14" tall, the figure's bulky armor and rubber bodysuit dont restrict poseability as much as expected. The figure features over 35 points of articulation, though most of it is in the hands, which include individually articulated fingers (for a total of 12+ points of articulation in each hand). Otherwise, the figure features a ball-jointed neck and shoulders, hinge biceps and knees and peg wrists and ankles.
The articulation points are hidden thanks to the rubber bodysuit, which helps blend the articulation into the sculpt. However, the lack of chest or waist articulation combined with the restrictive rubber bodysuit will probably disappoint collectors expecting the super-articulation featured on TrueType-style 12 figures. That said, considering the sheer mass and size of this figure (at over 14 tall) and the bulky design of the armor, the articulation here provides collectors with ample opportunity to pose Commander Carter.
Maybe most impressive, the paint application on Carter provides the detailed sculpt with even more game accuracy, the blue and gray armored plating brings to life the MJOLNIR armor complete with strips, logos, decals, and battle wear. The paint application additionally provides the armor with a battle worn look which gives the armor depth and age. Even the black bodysuit features this dry brushing, which brings out the details of each part and piece.
Fans of light-up features will smile when they get the ThreeA HALO Commander Carter figure as it features one of the coolest and most unique light-up features in a long time. The back and upper arms house the small batteries (six 377 and two 626, not included), which power the small blue lights in the helmet, chest, back, biceps and thighs. Sadly, its nearly impossible to fit three 377 batteries in the arms but two work just as well. Likewise, the on/off switches arent easily accessible; in fact, the one to light the helmet, chest, back and thighs is actually behind the back plate, meaning you have to take the back plate off in order to turn the lights on. Honestly, this means this feature will rarely if ever be used in my house and Im guessing Im not alone on that. That said, this being the first foray for ThreeA into this sort of feature, Ill be looking for the company to improve this feature in future figures.
With a retail price of $219.99, Commander Carter can be found at BigBadToyStore.com for $209.99, $10 less than retail. For die-hard HALO collectors and fans, the ThreeA Commander Carter 1/6th Scale Figure is a must have as its the definitive 1/6th scale HALO collectible currently available and one of the most impressive pieces so far released from any company over the last 12 years. In fact, Im sure there are some sci-fi and 1/6th scale figure collectors who arent fans of HALO wholl no doubt pick up this figure as its simply an awesome looking collectible worth owning and displaying.
For those fans who are HALO fans, be sure to pick up your copy of this amazing figure at BigBadToyStore.com; and be sure to check out their amazing assortment of other HALO collectibles as well, including the new Square Enix HALO 4 Play Arts Kai figures , which well be reviewing soon.
Review and Photos by Jess C. Horsley
Review Sample Courtesy of BigBadToyStore.com


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Regions Sponsored by
After opening its first Brazilian retail brick-and-mortar in July 2012, Sephora is aiming to open an additional 39 stores in the country over the next five years.
São Paulo's JK Iguatemi Mall (home to the first Van Cleef & Arpels, Lanvin and Topshop stores in Latin America) was chosen as the site for the first location, and near-term plans include the opening of two more locations in São Paulo and another in Rio de Janeiro—all in shopping malls.
By 2017, the LVMH group, which owns Sephora, expects Brazil to be among the brand's top 10 markets. "We decided to invest in Brazil four years ago," said Christopher de Lapuente, global president and CEO, Sephora. "And in 2010, we took the first steps to enter the market. Our goal is to expand sales in the country to offset the downturn experienced in most [of Sephora's] traditional markets."
The brand does not intend to start manufacturing in Brazil as yet, and the products will continue to be imported from France and the U.S. Brazilian import taxes for cosmetics (18–35%), as well as currency fluctuation, have resulted in significantly higher prices than those in the U.S., but according to Lapuente, the Brazilian consumer is willing to invest in high-quality products. He has not commented on the possibility of expanding other LVMH brands in Brazil, but the group also currently owns 70% of Brazil-based online beauty retailer Sack's (see "LVMH to Acquire Leading Brazilian Online Specialty Beauty Retailer.")
Data from the Brazilian Association of Cosmetics (ABIHPEC) showed the Brazilian beauty market recorded sales of R$15.4 billion in the first half of 2012, an increase of 10.3% over the same period last year. The market is predicted to grow about another 2% by the end of 2012, ending 12% up.
According to João Carlos Basilio, president of ABIHPEC, the industry's deficit should increase to US$180 million. In 2011, imports exceeded exports by US$126 million. "Imported cosmetics are increasingly growing in popularity and the domestic industry struggles to offer competitive products," said Basilio. The adverse trade balance is not a concern, though. "All multinationals are investing in Brazil, and they need to consolidate their operations here before they start manufacturing locally," he said.
Basilio believes better income distribution is one of the driving factors for the success of the Brazilian beauty market. "Cosmetic sales represented 1.7% of GDP in 2011 and are expected to reach 2% this year," he noted.


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Real Money's Long Shot column is dedicated to trading ideas that are highly risky, but which present an opportunity for significant payoff if they work. Such ideas are sometimes characterized as "lottery tickets" and are for only the most risk-tolerant investors, as the potential for 100% loss is high.
Hope springs eternal, so as we enter 2013, do we dare pick through the detritus of the China stock bust? Do we dare take some risk and look among the dozens and dozens of worthless frauds for the one or two China stocks that are actually honest, real companies? Animal spirits are stirring, so let's take a shot!
One of my best stock picks of all time was a discount PC company that was trading at a fraction of the cash on its balance sheet. I had originally played its IPO in 2000, then sold it and forgot about it until the summer of 2001, when I was flipping through charts, saw theirs and wondered what had happened to it. (The company was E-Machines.) The stock had a $25 million market cap, but it had $150 million of cash. It had been losing money, but a new management team installed earlier that year was in the process of turning it around. I ended up making 6x my investment in six months when the company was bought in a tender offer from a director.
The lesson: When a group is completely washed out, hated, unloved, reviled -- and you can find a real company within it that is trading below cash -- there may be an opportunity.
So yesterday, I was flipping through charts and stumbled on UTStarcom (UTSI), and my value antennas immediately went up. The company was a one-time networking stock darling, until the one-two punch of the tech bubble burst and the China fraud wave felled it. Once valued at over $4 billion in 2004, the company now trades hands at a lowly $155 million cap. The decline was deserved: In 2005, the company booked nearly $3 billion revenue, whereas it only brought in $321 million in 2011. The name is so hated that no analysts follow it anymore.
Things get interesting when we peek at the balance sheet. In the most recently reported quarter (September 2012) UTSI had $213 million of cash and no debt. All liabilities are $279 million, against $407 million of current assets, which of course includes the cash. Stocks usually trade below cash when they are burning cash, and the market is anticipating that shareholders will never recover that cash on the balance sheet. UTSI is no exception, but the cash burn is minimal. In the third quarter, operating cash flow was a negative $7.4 million.
So the key to making money on this play is for UTSI to return to at least cash flow break-even status. (And this is all contingent on the numbers being for real and not a fraud. More on that later.) Only time will tell, but the company is aggressively restructuring to return to growth. Coincident with the last earnings report in November, UTSI announced an aggressive restructuring and new strategic plan. The plan is being driven by its newly appointed CEO, with the support of new directors and a new CFO. UTStarcom had traditionally been a networking devices company selling to cable companies. The new product direction is to expand the video-over-IP products to address the growing trend of "cord cutting," whereby consumers watch video over the Internet, a la Netflix rather, than on traditional cable channels. UTSI sells its equipment mainly in the China market, but will attempt to expand into other markets.
I don't have a strong opinion on whether the new strategy will ignite growth. All I care about now is that the company stops burning cash. Any initiative that takes it to cash flow break-even will cause the stock to trade at least to cash -- actually, probably above cash as the market impounds some going concern value. My near-term target price is $1.43, a 32% gain, which is calculated as the likely per-share cash balance as of Dec. 31. If the company can return to profitability, there will be some business value that could take the stock to $2, a 100% gain from today's price.
As I mentioned above, one caveat is that it is a Chinese company, so we really don't know if we can trust the numbers. I am inclined to make the bet, because UTStarcom has been public for years, and because it is a tech company. Most of the country's frauds were relatively recent and I am more inclined to trust a technology company's numbers because their customers look at their financials. Any taint to the numbers would destroy their business. So we cannot be sure, but I am guessing the numbers are real.
The next catalyst should be in February or March when the comapny reports earnings. If its cash burn is minimized and the company can give 2013 guidance that looks for cash flow to break even, the stock could shoot for the stars. Management clearly believes in the turnaround -- or at least in the value I see here. They recently repurchased $30 million of stock in a tender offer at $1.20 per share. No management or directors sold stock rather, this action returned some capital to shareholders willing to sell too cheap. This move is shareholder friendly, and a coming reverse split will also make the stock more "buyable" for institutions.


text: Collection Thomas Mason® for J. Crew embellished gingham button-up shirt Item F6012 Color: BLACK WHITE Size: All sizes are US sizes. 000 00 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Body length: 27". Product Details We worked with Thomas Mason (one of Europe's oldest and most legendary mills that's been weaving some of the best shirting since 1796—when George Washington was alive) to make this superspecial embellished button-up. Crafted in a classic gingham print with custom-finished iridescent stones that are hand applied, it's the conversation piece your closet has been missing. Italian cotton. Long roll-up sleeves. Functional buttons at cuffs. Hidden front placket. Dry clean. Import. Select stores. Item F6012.


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Winterberry Collection by ELK Lighting
From a dark wood finish, crystal berries drip around the cream shades of these lamps. The shade diffuses the light while the crystal drops scatter it around your walls. Whether mounted on the wall or from the ceiling, these lamps give a soft but glittering focal point for your room. Rejoice in the light from the Winterberry collection by Elk Lighting.


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Topic: Intro to Me
Good morning all,
I have been reading this forum for a few months now and have truly appreciated everyone's information. It has helped me quite a bit. I was diagnosed with intra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma on 12/29/06. My wonderful husband and I had gone to Florida for a cruise last November and I was feeling terrible. We ended up getting off the ship before it even left dock and I spent 4 days in the Broward General Medical Center (instead of on the Carribean!!!) for what they believed to be cardiac related issues. While there, they ran an ultrasound thinking maybe it was my gallbladder. Well, in the long run, it actually WAS my gallbladder, but they also found a mass in my liver, and my heart is fine (thank goodness). They did a CT scan but decided it was a hemangioma. After getting back home and seeing a cariologist, a gastro-enterologist, having many CT scans and MRI's and two liver biopsies (the first was a liver biopsy only, the second was for the liver tumor only), I was finally diagnosed on 12/29/06. Happy new year!!
My wonderful sister-in-law works with a family doctor and the two of them had taken over as my advocates to get all of this testing done. The GI had an MRCP done, and ended up sending me straight to a surgeon to have my gallbladder out. He had dropped it...as far as he was concerned, that was my problem. My SIL's doc pushed for the second liver biopsy only three weeks after the first and it was finally diagnosed. She is that one who had to call me to give me the news. As hard as it was for me to hear it, I can't imagine how hard it was for her to tell me.
Thru her dotor, I was referred to IU Med Center here in Indianapolis and I found the perfect doctor. She is a gastroenterologist/oncologist/surgeon and specializes in the liver. Can you imagine???
Now, I am not stupid, and I am pretty computer savvy. I had done my research and knew the background on CC. And I was scared...to...death. I was dying. I'm 49, and I was dying...until the moment she walked into the room that day and immediately told us she could take it out. WHAT??? She had handed me back my life, at least for a while.
Surgery was 01/29/07 at IU. Only 4 weeks from diagnosis. It felt like 4 years. But I never hesitated, I knew I had to do it. And trust me, it wasn't easy. I had a right hepatic lobectomy and a cholesystectomy (gallbaldder removal) and was in the hospital for 9 days. I was home for 9 days and then back in for 4 days, for dehydration, nauseau and diahrrea, but have been getting steadily stonger and other than that old familiar abdominal pain, I probably feel better than I have in years.
I went back to work at 3 1/2 months. I did work part time for 3 weeks while I finished up physical therapy, but have been going strong ever since (ok, with a few naps every now and then). I did not have any chemo. I sit in front of a computer all day, and the soreness in my abdomen can get pretty bad. They say it's normal. I have to believe them.
Sorry that this is so long, but here's the real reason for my post: I am still scared. My husband, God love him, would do anything he could to make this all better. He has been so strong and has been with me every single step of the way. But, I don't think he understand how much this is on my mind. All day, some days. I try so hard to live in the "One day at a time" mode, but some days it is so overwhelming. I have a wonderful prognosis according to my doctor, the best you can have...it was found fairly early (the tumor was already 5.7 cm, so it wasn't REAL early) but she was able to get clear margins (sorta). The part that really scares me is that the tumor had already grown to the edge of my liver, so all those little cells were free to make a break for it and run off to hide somewhere else. I know my way around a computer and the web, and I read so much about clear margins and recurrence. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I had my first follow up CT scan on 06/08/07 and it looked good. My labs looked "okay" too.
Thanks so much for reading this and listening. I pray for anyone and everyone who has had to peruse this website. It's not for entertainment value. If you are here reading this, you need to be here, and I am so sorry for that. Good luck to everyone, including me and I wish us all a long healthy future.


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Matrix Biolage Smooththerapie Deep Smoothing Shampoo Reviews
BIOLAGE SMOOTHING SHAMPOOMatrix Biolage Smoothing Shampoo works better than any other shampoo I've tried. I have very fine hair (and a lot of it per square inch on my scalp!) plus my hair is rather long. My hair has a tendency to get extremely tangled easily, and is usually hard to manage. Also it is very difficult to comb out after a shampoo. I find that after using Biolage Smoothing Shampoo, which I often team with ...read morethe Matrix Biolage Smoothing Conditioner (although when I'm in a hurry, the shampoo alone does the job!), my hair is much easier to care for and it seems to stay that way longer between shampoos. I'm not fighting the tangles. And my hair has a smoother look to it. It takes away the "split-end" look that comes from frequent brushing and blow-drying. Plus it has a pleasant fragrance that stays with my hair long after I shampoo. And it does not have the heavy greasy feel that some conditioning-type shampoos have. I was first introduced to Biolage by my hairdresser. The first thing that I noticed was the wonderful scent. It has kind of a fruity smell but is not so strong that that is all you smell but not so weak that there is a "wet hair" smell. Biolage shampo is a bit pricey but well worth the cost. It is one of the only shampoos that really helps my dry, brittle, lifeless hair to come to life again; leaving it shiney, smooth and stronger. I really like the selection (anything from dry to normal to oily and every thing in between, even for colored hair!) that Biolage offers and size variety. Also, you only need a little bit to get a good rich lather; another perk for the cost. I like that it is environmentaly friendly and does not test on animals. This shampoo is NOT for children as the product can sting your eyes. I would and have recommended Biolage to my friends and family. Great product! They offer color care, smoothing, volumizing, and many more but the smoothing is the most effective one. It actually does everything it is suppose to do. How many products actually do that? It is also pretty affordable. Also you don't need to use as much as drug store bought products, so it lasts much longer. You actually get more for your money if you just splurge a little.. Just think you buy one bottle of shampoo for about twelve dollars and it lasts a couple of months and leaves your hair healthy and smooth. Opposed to store bought thats four dollars anyways and lasts about a week or two and really does nothing for your hair — 5 years, 1 month agomihshelle | 182 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 12 of 13 people said helpful
Great ProductI highly recommend! — 3 years, 3 months agoleighleigh | 243 reviews
:-)This used in conjunction with the smoothing conditioner and I guarentee your hair will feel softer and smoother than it ever has! Great smell too of course! — 5 years, 1 month agoKikikins625 | 457 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 5 people said helpful
smoothMy hair is visibly smoother and decreases frizz on my hair. However, this shampoo seems to flatten my hair. — 5 years, 1 month agospringsblue | 181 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 5 people said helpful
Not My FixtureFor a salon product, I would expect to see a difference. However, I did not other than just the feeling of softness. This did add softness but at the end of the shower and a brush later, I found my hair more frizzier than it usually compared to the shampoo/conditioner I was already using. This does have a light pleasant scent that isn't overpowering but I wouldn't say this is the greatest produ...read morect in the market but it would depend on your hair type. I already have long straight, moderately frizzy hair and I use smoothing or silkening conditioners to nourish and maintain and decrease the frizz. The texture is similar to a facial cream and it does coat the hair well almost like a mask but after rinsing it, the properties of this product didn't have a lasting effect on my hair and wasn't able to withstand humid weather conditions. — 5 years, 1 month agoVLA | 336 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 6 of 6 people said helpful
A bottle so big you can rob a bank with itI have slightly frizzy hair, not too damaged since I cut back on heat styling. This makes my hair soft/clean, smells good, comes in a bottle large enough to justify the price. I still get some flyaways, but most of them are gone. — 5 years, 1 month agoRavenLoudspeakr | 301 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 2 people said helpful
Great Shampoo!This shampoo really works perfectly, it lathers like a dream so a little goes a long way, it smells great and it cleans my hair while still keeping it hydrated and smooth. I would HIGHLY recommend you buy this in a hair salon, otherwise quality is not guarunteed. — 5 years, 1 month agoKatatonia | 191 reviews
Didn't do much for my hair.People seem to love this shampoo. But It didn't do anything special for my hair. — 5 years, 1 month agolisiana_de_bem_justino | 101 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 0 of 1 people said helpful
BiolageGreat shampoo, love the way it smells. Leaves hair soft. — 7 months, 3 weeks agoChatina | 9 reviews
Never buy this product againIt made my hair so oily. But it do not maintain my hair loss very well. It is just waste of money to me. Any kind of biology I would avoid it. I personally am not fan of this product for few years. I had to use them up to change other shampoo to test from. — 1 year, 10 months agoPmg11 | 3 reviews
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My Reasons for Reporting This


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So it is time to upgrade from my innova standard bag. I've got an anniversary coming up later this month and figure the wife will spend ~$100. I really dig the look/style of the dynamic discs commander but I'm a not sure I want to wait for a pre order... Anyone see this bag in person yet? Any other ideas in my price range? Not really looking for a backpack style (I can always buy the straps later) I guess comfort is always a premium above all else (I use a ping hoofer bag with just a shoulder strap for ball golf - 3 years of caddying as a kid let me in on tons of different ball golf bags and always loved carrying that bag)
Digging through threads here it seems that a lot of the higher end stuff is out of my price range. Any thoughts/experiences would be very much appreciated.


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Murphy content regardless of contract talks
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- David Murphy's agent, Michael Moye, is in town to visit with his clients. It's a good time for the Rangers to meet with him as well if they do have interest in working out a long-term contract with Murphy.
That was the Rangers' stated intention before Spring Training but they haven't broached the subject yet. Both Murphy and fellow corner outfielder Nelson Cruz are eligible for free agency after this season.
"I'll say the same thing I've said all along," Murphy said. "I'd love to be here and it makes a lot of sense for me to be here. Free agency is a privilege and waiting another year is not going to kill me. We'll wait and see what happens."
Assistant general manager Thad Levine, who handles most of the Rangers' major contract discussions with agents, declined to comment on Murphy's situation. But the Rangers have used Spring Training as a time to address potential contract extensions with players, usually when their agents are in town. The Rangers signed pitcher Derek Holland and second baseman Ian Kinsler to extensions last spring.
Murphy has been waiting to see if the Rangers were interested in talking to his agent this spring. So far they haven't. The Brewers just signed Carlos Gomez to a three-year, $24 million extension to keep him from becoming a free agent after the season.
"It's not like my feelings are hurt," Murphy said. "I understand the business side of baseball. I know all I have to do is go out and play and good things will happen."
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.