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Combination therapy has been a central component of treatment for certain viral diseases for more than 15 years. The benefits of combination therapy can arise from activation of multiple host pathways, suppression of mutational variants that can lead to viral escape, or perhaps both.
In HIV, the benefit of combination therapy is due to suppression of viral resistance, which is the result of using multiple agents acting at distinct sites within the virus life cycle. In hepatitis C (which I'll abbreviate as HCV) the addition of ribavirin to interferon turned what was primarily an on-treatment lowering of viral titers into the first significant rate of viral clearance that persisted even after therapy was stopped. This sustained virological response, known as SVR, has become the primary measurement of clinical benefit in HCV. The mechanism underlying the dramatic effect of combining ribavirin with interferon is not clear. The benefit could be due to a pharmacologic interaction between pathways activated by interferon and pathways activated by ribavirin, or it may be the result of a modest ribavirin antiviral effect added to an "antiviral state" induced by interferon.
Just this year, companies in the HCV field began exploring the use of direct antiviral combinations. It is hoped that by appropriately choosing complementary targets, benefits of combination similar to what was seen in HIV may soon be seen in HCV therapy. Whether or not the combination of direct antivirals will permit the elimination of interferon and/or ribavirin remains unknown at this time, and is perhaps the most highly anticipated answer in the HCV field today.
Combinations of antivirals today
Three companies have moved into the clinical stage of exploring direct antiviral combinations for HCV.
Roche is most advanced in combination studies of direct antivirals with its INFORM-1 study. In this study, HCV patients were treated for 14 days with various dose levels of two drug candidates that inhibit different parts of the virus life cycle. These drug candidates are RG7128, a nucleoside polymerase inhibitor licensed from Pharmasset, and RG7227, a protease inhibitor licensed from Intermune. Data from the first several dosing cohorts was disclosed this past April at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver. Additional data, including responses at higher doses and in patients who previously failed interferon/ribavirin, will is being reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases conference in Boston.
The INFORM-1 study clearly shows that two antiviral agents can act in concert to produce a greater antiviral effect over 14 days than either agent produced alone. At the same time, critical questions remain for longer studies — Can direct antivirals alone retain viral titers at undetectable levels over longer periods of treatment? Even more important, will a state of virus negativity elicited by a direct antiviral combination afford the same rate of SVR once therapy is stopped as when virus negativity is induced by the interferon/ribavirin combination? Is there anything special about the mechanism(s) relied upon to reach negativity, or once arrived at, are all virus negativities created equal?
Two other companies have taken the first steps toward a combination study of two direct antivirals in HCV patients. Gilead Sciences has conducted a study in healthy volunteers to assess any interactions between a non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor and a protease inhibitor (GS-9190 and GS-9256 respectively). Likewise, Vertex Pharmaceuticals is conducting a similar study using the same two classes of therapeutics. This study includes telaprevir, a protease inhibitor currently in late stage clinical trials, and VX-222, a non-nucleoside Vertex gained through its acquisition of ViroChem earlier this year. For both of these companies, assessing interactions between the drugs preludes studying these combinations in HCV patients.
Standard of care plus antivirals
In addition to the clinical trials testing combinations of two direct antivirals, drug developers are expected to test combinations of two direct antivirals with pegylated interferon and/or ribavirin, with various objectives for various trial designs.
In patients who have not been previously treated, there is a possibility that treatment with two antivirals added to interferon/ribavirin may further increase SVR beyond that seen when a single antiviral was added to interferon/ribavirin, although a more likely outcome is an increase in the percentage of patients who can successfully be treated with shorter course interferon.
In patients who previously failed to achieve SVR on interferon/ribavirin, the situation may be different. Vertex's PROVE 3 clinical trial showed that adding a single antiviral on top of interferon/ribavirin enhanced SVR rates, but with plenty of room for further improvement. In this case, adding a second direct antiviral to create a four drug combination may indeed improve SVR. There is also interest in testing the ability to remove interferon and/or ribavirin through the use of two direct antivirals.
Many trial designs to test combinations involving multiple direct antivirals have been discussed. There will be a significant advantage to companies who have access to the agents required to conduct such combination trials and whose trial design creativity is coupled to effective interactions with regulatory agencies such that they can efficiently move through the complex space of potential trials to arrive at optimum combination regimens.
Impact on biotech business
The benefits of combinatorial therapy may drive significant business activity as well. As the HIV field approached combination clinical trials in the early 1990s, it became clear that the challenge of getting two or more sponsors who owned individual drug candidates to agree to specific trial designs represented a significant hurdle to moving forward. Cooperative groups such as AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) and government sponsored trials struggled to provide efficient paths to combination trials.
Gilead Sciences utilized a business combination to solve this puzzle. By acquiring Triangle Pharmaceuticals in 2003, for approximately $460 million, the company gained access to the product FTC. On its own, FTC was a thoroughly undifferentiated product. However, by controlling the asset Gilead could efficiently develop combinations with its attractive agent tenofovir, which ultimately led to the fixed dose combination products tenofovir emtricitabine (Truvada) and tenofovir emtricitabine efavirenz (Atripla). Many would argue that the acquisition of Triangle was a critical step in Gilead's path to its current market cap of approximately $40 billion.
In HCV, the first business combination directed at clinical exploration of antiviral combinations was seen earlier this year when Vertex acquired ViroChem for approximately $375 million.
The medical community will watch closely as companies test antiviral combinations, and the investment community will watch closely to see which companies are most adept at establishing compelling combination regimens, and to see if the need for assets to create combinations leads to additional combinatorial business activity.
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The Swedish Modern colouring book is your invitation to explore Svenskt Tenn's world of magical interior. It is inspired by the artistry of JosefFrank and Estrid Ericson and the Swedish Modern style they built around the company Svenskt Tenn, beginning in 1934. Theirs was a soft and tolerant modernism, full of variety, fantasy, humour – and elegance. Rather than the rigid modernism that dominated in the day, they strove to create interiors with a sense of mystery and spontaneity that would delight and stimulate the people who lived in them. They freely combined high and low, old and new, different colours, materials and patterns – and put comfort and individuality at the forefront of their work.
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Herbal and cannabis medicated topical creams, gels, salves, sprays, powder, balms, liniment and ointments for the relief of aches and pain
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Stage Five guide: Cavendish out to silence critics
An angry Mark Cavendish will be out to silence his critics when the fifth stage of the Tour de France takes the peloton on a 164.5km trek from Carhaix to Cap Frehel on Wednesday.
Stage 5 – Wed, 6 July – Carhaix-Cap Frehel – 164.5km
Type: Rolling with a flat but exposed finish
Difficulty: ***
Details: This relatively short yet tricky ride through Brittany should finish with a ding-dong bunch sprint – especially given the uphill finale of stage four. It see a return to the coastline, but it's not all plain sailing, with the roads always heading up or down, not to forget a second-half to the day in which the Tour, if not won, could possibly be lost by some.
Watch out for: Winds blowing across from the English Channel and forming echelons in the peloton over the final 80-odd undulating kilometres along the pretty north Brittany coast. What's more, the heritage site of Cap Frehel is located at the end of an exposed peninsula which juts out into the Channel. In short – bad weather could cause havoc.
Prediction: If it's a bunch sprint, expect it to be played out by a very select few given the likelihood of splits in the peloton. If Mark Cavendish is there, he should make it two here.
History: The Tour has never visited Carhaix or Cap Frehel before but the Breton coastal town of St Breiuc – once the home of the late great Tom Simpson – hosted a stage finish as recent as 2008, when Norwegian Thor Hushovd took the spoils.


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StreetTunes Artist
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It's time to come out of denial and acknowledge that the holiday shopping season is indeed upon us. And if you're aiming for the traditional December 25 for Christmas, you have just over two weeks left to decide on what to procure for your friends, family, and coworkers. Even if you're the type who avoids gift exchanges like the plague (*raises hand*), it seems there's no way to avoid buying at least a couple things for those close to you. And if you're like most of us, you probably have a budget in mind, along with some kind of organization system. It should come as no surprise that gift planning and organization has made its way from paper into mobile app form, and some apps have even been around for a while. This year, it seems the market is becoming even more saturated with apps aimed at helping you do your holiday shopping, so we decided to take a look at some apps that could do this.
About Shelly Palmer
Named one of LinkedIn's Top 10 Voices in Technology, Shelly Palmer is CEO of The Palmer Group, a strategic advisory, technology solutions and business development practice focused at the nexus of media and marketing with a special emphasis on machine learning and data-driven decision-making. He is Fox 5 New York's on-air tech and digital media expert, writes a weekly column for AdAge, and is a regular commentator on CNBC and CNN. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com or subscribe to our daily email http://ow.ly/WsHcb
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Facebook lives by the maxim that it is better to ask forgiveness than permission, and as such, has seen its CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg make many apologies while nevertheless moving ahead with whatever cunning plan Facebook has for itself and its users.
Now that Facebook is public, with its IPO famous for having gone so wrong, the need to monetise eyeballs to the satisfaction of Wall St analysts on a quarterly basis is imperative – especially with Facebook's share price still well under $30.
That means we see the "trial balloon" of "in your face" video advertising in timelines to come in the future being leaked to AdAge and it means we now hear that Facebook wants to let anyone send you a message if they're willing to pay a dollar.
It also means that Facebook just got rid of any pretence of any kind of user democracy after having introduced it in the first place, and it means that wholly-Facebook owned subsidiaries like Instagram had better get with the monetisation program and do it fast.
Instagram has hopefully learned that taking users for granted while forgetting that business is nothing without users and customers, and it seems clear this has been a massive wake-up call following the user revolt against the new terms and conditions.
Instagram's changes appeared to suggest end-users no longer owned their photos, because Instagram could use that content for any advertising or promotion purposes whatsoever, leading to the biggest technological revolt in quite some time.
Even celebrities who barely enjoy any privacy were aghast at Instagram's instagreed, leading to Instagram's founder, Kevin Systrom, doing a Zuckerberg and making an apology – except this time at Instagram's official blog.
Mr Systrom states part way through the blog post that: "…it became clear that we failed to fulfill what I consider one of our most important responsibilities – to communicate our intentions clearly. I am sorry for that, and I am focused on making it right."
Noting all the "feedback" Instagram had received, which is a nice euphemism for anger, disgust, heartbreak and more, Mr Systrom states that: "Going forward, rather than obtain permission from you to introduce possible advertising products we have not yet developed, we are going to take the time to complete our plans, and then come back to our users and explain how we would like for our advertising business to work."
He also states later that: "Instagram has no intention of selling your photos, and we never did. We don't own your photos – you do."
However, it still sounds like everyone's content is going to be used in some way, without your specific permission, in some future advertising scheme or ploy that will be better explained.
In the meantime, Instagram has simply been following the standard Facebook playbook again – skirt as close to the line and beyond on it privacy for as long as possible, and apologise as much as possible when caught.
Then, after changing the language a bit to obfuscate while "communicating our intentions clearly", just keep on doing whatever it was they were doing in the first place that got so much attention for it being the wrong thing to do.
Users care that their service has been purposefully degraded by feeble filter replacements for the perfectly good, much nicer looking and more popular ones that shipped in the first place, and purposefully degraded through changes to terms and condition.
The big question, however, is whether all this will ultimately make any difference to Instagram's userbase, or whether this is just a Facebook-like blip on Instagram's radar.
After all, Kim Kardashian made threats to leave, but soon returned to promoting her fragrance.
Meanwhile, even though some have made the decision to leave Instagram despite Kevin Systrom's not-quite apology for the thuggish "systromper stomper" behaviour of its poorly worded, poorly received and at least temporarily reversed terms and conditions changes, plenty have also decided Mr Systrom's statement was enough.
Thus, it looks like Instagram will get away with it, just like its parent company has time and again.
We are the generation of people that will be the deliverers or destroyers of privacy to future generations.
I hope we all ultimately deliver a world of liberty, privacy, free enterprise and prosperity to our descendants, while enjoying even greater technological advancements, and I hope we don't all stuff it up!


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Everything you need to know about the popular smartphone game, including parental concerns and safety tips.
All articles
Musical.ly is an app for creating and sharing lip sync videos among friends. What do parents and carers need to know about it?
If you want to set parental controls on apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, here's how to do it.
Everything you need to know about the hugely popular picture sharing app.
Yellow is a popular mobile app. Thinkuknow - the education programme of The National Crime Agency's child protection command CEOP - has created a guide for parents on how the app works and what your child needs to know about how to use it safely and sensibly.
What do you need to know about Snapchat?
How to be a bit more careful, and a bit better informed, when using Snapchat.
Does the fact that photos disappear from Snapchat make it completely safe to use? If things do go wrong, what can you do?
With the summer holidays just around the corner, we've gathered some of the most exciting apps we've found to get kids outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer.
A lot of sites and apps specify that users must be aged over 13. Why 13? Vicki Shotbolt explains and offers a guide to the age limits for various popular online activities.
YouNow is a live video and chat app that's popular with young people. What should you know about it?
Tinder is one of the most popular dating apps out there. Here's what parents need to know.
The rise of viral fight videos and how to help your child if they are involved
Most popular social media services don't allow anyone under 13 to join. Even so, lots of younger children manage to set up accounts. What can you do?
ooVoo is a group video chat service that has been the source of some controversy, with fears that children are giving away information to people they don't know. Like any popular online tool, used wisely it's great; used unwisely it can be a platform for problems. Here's everything you need to know about what ooVoo is, how to use it safely, and how to report anything worrying.
Ask.fm is anonymous and has been known to lead to cyberbullying and taunting. Here is CEOP's guide to Ask.fm in a series of FAQs for parents.
'Teens turn to, and are obsessed with whichever environment allows them to connect to friends. Most teens aren't addicted to social media; if anything, they're addicted to each other.'
There's been quite a lot of interest recently in monitoring apps, which allow you to track your child, alerting you to where they are and what they're doing. Sounds like a brilliant idea, no? But experts warn you should think twice before putting your child under surveillance. We look at the pros and cons.
What goes online stays online. Some advice to help you and your child understand the long-term implications of publishing all about your life.
A tattoo is permanent, much like the information we post online. CEOP gives their top tips on making sure your child's online reputation is just as good as their offline one.
What is sexting? Is it illegal to share naked or partially naked images of young people? Why has it become such a common activity? And how do you alert your child to the risks?
Sex plus the teenage urge to take risks plus the constant presence of a camera and a 'send' button - it's probably not surprising that a lot of young people think sexting is a perfectly normal part of modern teenage relationships. Is it? How often do things go wrong? What happens when images get spread beyond the boy or the girl they were meant for?
Sexting is almost the norm among some young people but sharing images of anyone under the age of 18 is illegal. So what should you say about sexting to your child? And how to respond if your child has sent an image they regret?
CEOP's Thinkuknow recently produced 4 short animated films on young people and taking nude selfies, and how to respond if your child sends a picture they regret. The films are based on research conducted over two years. Here CEOP underlines some of the key points.
There is deep concern about the impact the internet is having on families, especially on children and young people. iRights is a coalition calling for five basic rights that children and young people should have online.
91% of teens have taken a selfie. Should parents be worried or are they just harmless fun?
Even world leaders take selfies... In this video, Vicki Shotbolt of The Parent Zone talks about the hazards of online flirting via photos - and what to tell your child.
YouTube's SafetyMode allows parents to restrict the content their children see. Here's our quick'n'dirty guide to setting it up.
Google is often the first port of call for homework and curiosity of all kinds. Here's how to guard against adult content appearing in your children's Google searches.
What are children really seeing online? Do parental filters work? Our stats may surprise you...
Too many children have memories of dull ICT lessons acquiring skills that will probably be outdated by the time they start work. But the new computing curriculum, introduced this school year, is a really exciting (and world-leading) development. Simon Humphreys of Computing at School explains why.
Where to go for information on the video games your children will ask for this Christmas.
Minecraft is phenomenally popular, especially with primary school children. Sometimes described as Lego for the digital age, it is absorbing, creative and educational - but, as with any online activity, it's as well to be aware of the basics of staying safe. Here's our guide to helping your child make the most of Minecraft.
In just a few years, Minecraft has become one of the world's most popular games, mainly by word of mouth and despite the lack of a big marketing budget or a major organisation behind it. Already a hot topic of conversation in the playground, Minecraft is now moving into the classroom, as teachers increasingly find ways to use the game for educational purposes. Here's the lowdown for parents.
Would you know what to do if you or a member of your family came across an illegal image online? The Internet Watch Foundation runs a hotline for reporting criminal online content in a secure and confidential way.
A quarter of 9-16 year-olds have told researchers they'd seen sexual images in the past year. Is the ready availability of porn everywhere changing young people's attitudes to sex and relationships?
Worried that your child may be accessing undesirable content online? Try our checklist of precautions and ways to respond.
We hear a lot about the negative effects on children of using the internet - but it can also be a positive thing...
Children need boundaries to make them feel safe - and to push against. This is as important online as off. The Parent Zone's Sophie Linington offers some tips on digital boundary-setting.
If your child has come across something upsetting online - or something you think may be illegal - here's what to do about it.
What can you do if your child is talking online to someone they don't know in the real world and you're suspicious? What if you think they're being asked to do things, share images, encouraged to meet? CEOP - the Child Exploitation and Online Protection command of the National Crime Agency and one of the partners behind Parent Info - is the answer. This is how and where to report your concerns.
It's important that children and teenagers feel able to talk to and relate to people as they grow up, so they can share experiences, develop their confidence and know that they're not alone, but this can be particularly difficult for LGBTQ+ children and young people. Here, we look at some ways they can interact with their peers safely. By Parent Zone's Yusuf Tamanna.
A helpful rundown of what is – and what could be – taught in schools.
Meeting and chatting to others online is a normal part of life for most teenagers, but using online dating services could put them at risk. Here, CEOP tells parents what they should know.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect anyone who's had sex, even if only once. Which doesn't quite seem fair, but that's infections for you. Young people aged under 25 have higher rates of STIs than other groups, so it's worth being aware of what the risks are, how to guard against them, where to go if you're worried and what, as a parent, you should be advising.
Brook's Richard Essery on how to deal with your child's developing sexuality, and the still-taboo topic of masturbation.
So-called pick-up artists (PUAs) have been in the news recently. One PUA who claims to be a pick-up coach (he does stage shows) called Julien Blanc was refused a visa to enter the UK.
There's some good news about young people's health (teen pregnancies down, smoking, drinking and drug taking down) but some not-so-good news (obesity and mental health problems up). A new report from Public Health England says that young people's mental and physical health are closely connected - and that relationships are the key to their health and wellbeing.
What do you need to know when your child is exploring their sexuality online? When they've never met their new girl/boyfriend? When they're using technology to take their relationship to the next level? And what do you need to say?


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Long Beach Island residents returned home Saturday, nearly two weeks after Sandy battered the Jersey Shore and left millions of dollars in property damage.
Residents crossed the bridge around 6 a.m. to return home and stay if their homes are habitable. The island is now completely open for residents to begin clean-up and construction after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lifted the evacuation order in LBI Friday. Christie has not lifted the evacuation order for those in heavily damaged Holgate.
Steve and Ellen Kramer enlisted the help of family and friends to start the task of cleaning up post-Sandy.
"There was a lot of water damage, all the rugs, the couches, beds, everything. I think it went up to about 4 feet of water," said Steve Kramer.
Before the sun was even up the island was abuzz with back-hoes. Contractors and homeowners spent the day hard at work.
"There's a lot to do, a lot ahead of us. But we're going do it," said Ellen Kramer.
Public works crews have already collected trash and debris Sandy left scattered across roads. They'll now begin collecting debris homeowners are putting out to the curb.
Maureen Grennan shoveled out nearly 2-feet of sand Sandy pushed inside her first floor. Now comes the task of getting rid of it altogether.
"We've contacted some people and they're gonna give us estimates to get rid of the sand. It's physically impossible to get rid of the sand," said Grennan
Residents, though happy to be back home, are realistic that recovery will take some time.
"This is a major disaster. All the officials and everything, they're working really hard. This isn't something you fix up overnight, or in two weeks of two months. However long it takes, we'll tough it out."
A boil water advisory remained in effect Saturday. Residents are not allowed to drink the water until further notice. Residents will also have to find an alternative heating source. Natural gas is still shut off.
Renee Amellio, with New Jersey National Gas, says they hope to have natural gas restored to all customers by Dec. 1st.
Schools in LBI are set to reopen on Monday. There are only two elementary schools in the Long Beach Island School District. One school is too damaged to reopen which is why all the students and faculty will go to Ethel A. Jacobsen Elementary School tomorrow morning. Ethel A. will be open due to the fact that it runs on electric heat rather than natural gas.
The Beach Haven School district only has one elementary school which is too damaged to reopen. Those students will be bussed to the mainland tomorrow. Classes will also resume for LBI middle school and high school students on the mainland.


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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
It's all about the food
If you're going to throw a party, be sure to have good food and plenty of it. That's my daughter's philosophy, and I think it's pretty good advice.
The members of the group who will be here Thursday night are middle-aged and older, so I think mostly traditional appetizers are in order. We'll have Swedish meatballs and those little sausages cooked in a sweet-and-sour sauce, along with artichoke dip, hummus with vegetables and crackers, a bowl of cinnamon-spiced nuts and a fruit pizza.
Cupcakes are on the menu. Cupcakes sure seem to be popular these days – Google Blogsearch came up with 1,181,447 hits and amazon.com is selling a boatload of cupcake cookbooks.
Mine are plain old chocolate, and will be decorated with the words "Yes We Can" on top. I think some will be iced in blue and some in white, with red lettering.
I'm also making pig candy. I first had this at one of my daughter's Oscar parties several years ago. The serving plate was empty in mere minutes. If you've never made it, it's super-simple and absolutely delish!
We don't drink alcohol, but will have soda, tea, coffee and lemonade for thirst-quenching.
So there you have it. I'm leaving all the inspiration for the speech (wasn't Teddy Kennedy inspiring last night?); the food is part of the background.
I received a packet of material from the Obama for Change headquarters yesterday, including a sign that our group is supposed to pose with. They want party photos to use on their blog. I'm trying to think of some creative way to pose our guests so our picture will actually be posted.
I thought maybe I'd have everyone stand on the stairs and shoot it from below, but the light in the stairwell isn't so great. I also might stand on a ladder, just to get a different angle (I bet a thousand other photographers use that trick). I also thought I might have everyone make a silly face, but this crowd might not get into the spirit of silliness. (My fairly prim-and-proper husband would probably die if I suggested it, actually. Wouldn't want that.)
Must. Think. Harder.
Any ideas? I wish you all could be here!
3 comments:
- L.G. said...
I've been invited to an Obama party; I just thought it was an off the cuff thing (she has a ginormous plasma HD TV). She's already feeling anxious about it; maybe I should be mean and ask her if she has any goody bags planned. (No,I won't; that would be mean.)
It sounds like fun; too bad you're so far away from me.
- August 26, 2008 at 11:45 AM
- denise said...
I suppose getting your guests to pose doing the "Yes we can-can" dance would be out of the question, huh?
How big is the sign? It would be cool to somehow pose people so only their heads showed all around the sign...although I don't know how you'd do that exactly.
Or maybe you have a few people holding your own banner that says "The Middle of Nowhere supports Obama"!
Obviously, my idea machine is not hitting on all cylinders today, but if I think of any GOOD ideas, I'll let you know.
The party sounds great. Cupcakes remind me of how my mother always used to make them to take to school on our birthdays (they did that sort of thing back in the 60's). She would always back them in an ice cream cone. That was kind of a cool and different way to do it. And, she didn't have to do anything special with the cupcake because putting it in the ice cream cone made it special enough!
Anyway, good luck. I guess I'll read about the convention in the news, as I just moved this weekend and won't have cable until the middle of next week - so I'm learning to live with the challenge of no television. Turns out you get a lot more done that way!
- August 26, 2008 at 1:38 PM
- ws said...
you could have five guests paint their chest to spell OBAMA like college students at a basketball game. Oh wait, you wanted tasteful. I guess none of my ideas will work.
- August 26, 2008 at 5:25 PM


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Taurus works mostly in fields related to Arts, Culture, Theater works, Literary works and Creative works. Thus they work as architects, interior decorators and in film industries.
Taurus also works in perfumery industries and as beauticians. Taurus works as artists, graphic designers in textiles, printing and ornament industries. Taurus performs well as fashion designers, culinary experts, and fashion jewelers.
Taurus' usually avoid laborious jobs; they prefer to work in comfortable places. Taurus' are quiet lazy too. But Taurus succeeds in smokescreen their laziness with strong arguments.
Taurus works out a successful plan, but lacks the will to execute it. Taurus' are slow and steady in their character. Thus Taurus successfully completes their target, but deviating from the original time table.
Taurus' are prone to deception by their employees. Taurus could be deceived by their colleagues/employees in their workplaces. Taurus quiet often changes their servants/teammates/employees; they get shifted to various departments; will work with different team.
Taurus' are more generous to their employees and teammates. The gentle approach towards employees often lands Taurus into more troubles.


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With Matt Schaub unlikely to play Thursday night because of a sore elbow, the spotlight will be on Derek Carr.
After sitting out last week's exhibition game in the aftermath of a concussion, Carr is scheduled to start at quarterback against the Seahawks in the final preseason game, and the rookie from Fresno State can't wait.
"The more that I can be out there, the happier I'll be," he told reporters after Monday's practice. "That's why we work so hard in the offseason. That's why you spend so many hours here before anyone's here. That's why you do all those things, because you want to go out there and help the team win and I'll be looking forward to it."
Carr is coming off a fine effort against the Lions Aug. 15, and he's had a solid preseason, showing an ability to throw deep, be accurate and put much more zip on the ball than Schaub.
In two games, Carr is 19-for-32 (59.4 percent) for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception and a QB rating of 72.8, and he's looked much better than Schaub (who has a QB rating of 55.1).
So, what happens if Carr again looks good against Seattle Thursday? Would the Raiders suddenly decide to go with Carr in Week 1 of the regular season against the Jets?
Doubtful. Even if Carr has a terrific game Thursday night, the Raiders plan to go with Schaub early in the season (unless his elbow doesn't get better) and give Carr as much time as possible to develop.
Carr even told reporters Monday that "Schaubby's going to be fine."
But Carr says if his team needs him in the regular-season opener vs. the Jets, he'll be ready.
"I work as hard as I can so I know when my number, if it has to be called, I'll be ready to help us win," Carr said.
One of the problems for Schaub is that he needs to get as much playing time as possible with the starting offense, so he's losing valuable time this week.
But head coach Dennis Allen is staying the course. As he's said all along, Schaub is the starter and he believes he'll be ready soon.
"I'm not concerned about it," Allen said of Schaub's injury. "But we're going to take him day-by-day and try to make sure he's ready to go."
An outstanding outing by Carr Thursday night, however, could certainly turn up the pressure on Schaub and the Raiders' braintrust to re-think the plan at quarterback.


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Exploratour - Evolution of the Solar System
As shown in this picture, while they were forming in the flattened disc of the solar nebula, the nucleii of the planets-to-be (called proto-planets) drew material to themselves from the cloud of gas and dust around them. The bigger proto-planets were able to attract even more gaseous material unto themselves. Because of its position in the solar nebula, the proto-Jupiter, was able to draw an enormous amount of gas unto itself, and become the biggest of the planets.
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Angelina Jolie and Son Maddox Are Making a Movie Together
By Julie Miller
It looks as though Angelina Jolie will join husband Brad Pitt at Netflix.
On Thursday, the Internet television network announced that it is partnering with Jolie for a project that will lure Hollywood's most famous actress away from movie theaters — temporarily, at least.
Jolie, who last directed the awards contender "Unbroken," will direct an adaptation of another inspiring memoir — this time, "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers," the 2000 book from Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung about surviving the deadly Khmer Rouge regime.
In addition to directing and producing the Netflix Original Film, Jolie also worked with Ung to adapt the book for the screen.
"I was deeply affected by Loung's book," Jolie says in a statement. "It deepened forever my understanding of how children experience war and are affected by the emotional memory of it. And it helped me draw closer still to the people of Cambodia, my son's homeland ... It is a dream come true to be able to adapt this book for the screen, and I'm honored to work alongside Loung and filmmaker Rithy Panh."
The press release adds that Jolie's Cambodian-born son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, will also be involved in the making of the film — although it does not specify what his role will be. In Vanity Fair's 2014 feature story on Jolie, Janine di Giovanni reported that the 13-year-old worked as a production assistant on Jolie's upcoming directorial effort By the Sea, which stars Jolie and Pitt.
In the press release, Jolie also explained why she — arguably the world's biggest movie star — is turning to Netflix.
"Films like this are hard to watch but important to see," said Jolie. "They are also hard to get made. Netflix is making this possible, and I am looking forward to working with them and excited that the film will reach so many people."
In a statement from the author, Ung reveals that she has known Jolie for over a decade.
"Angelina and I met in 2001 in Cambodia, and immediately, I trusted Angelina's heart," said Loung Ung. "Through the years, we have become close friends, and my admiration for Angelina as a woman, a mother, a filmmaker, and a humanitarian has only grown. It is with great honor that I entrust my family's story to Angelina to adapt into a film."
Netflix confirms that the film will be available next year, and will be submitted to major international film festivals.
The film will take place in Cambodia, where Jolie's adopted son was born.
More From Vanity Fair:
• Jake Gyllenhaal Reveals He Once Cried Over Losing a Disney-Movie Role
• Clandestine High-School Senior Kylie Jenner Graduates with Help of Ryan Seacrest
• Watch Julianne Moore Fight for Gay Rights (and Maybe Another Oscar) in "Freeheld"
• Inside the Family Battle for the Newman's Own Brand Name
Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images


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This is my first posting. I'm looking to decorate all the furniture in my son's room in a Tintin theme and couldn't find much anywhere so decided to make it up myself.
I photocopied pictures from the books, resized them to the size I wanted and traced over using carbon paper. Then I just had to let loose with the colour and virtually paint by numbers.
The colours for the shelves themselves are actually floor paint base. When I told them at the paint store it was for my child they immediately recommended this hardwearing floor paint!
more pics


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Photographer's Note
Sitka is located on Baranoff Island. When the Russians owned Alaska, this was the Alaskan capital, so the Russian influence is particularly strong here.
This sunset was seen from the Sitka Sportsman's Association RV Park. The location is next to the ferry terminal, which is handy because we had an early morning ferry but it's the only Park I've ever stayed in that included a shooting range.
The nearby island was the site of practical joke in 1974 when a local resident flew hundreds of old tires into Mount Edgecumbe,s volcanic crater and then lit them on fire, all in a (successful) attempt to fool the city dwellers into believing that the volcano was stirring to life.
Critiques | Translate
ahmetgedikli (25609) 2006-04-30 3:08
Wonderful composition. Fantastic colours, beautiful sharpness and light. Well done!
devimeuxbe (58557) 2006-04-30 3:12
Hi Patricia
Incredibble sky !
There is not a lot of pictures from this place.
Interesting and beautifull.
Well done
lestans (17208) 2006-04-30 3:17
Ciao Ptricia!! Sometimes it is luck to get awake early!! What a great view you captured!! Sky and clouds are the protagonists of this gorgeous scene. Thank you for share!
nwoehnl (122) 2006-04-30 3:17
A beautiful mood with the violet tonality on this one, Pat. Good choice with the low-placed horizon giving more impact to the sky, and the landscape silhouettes at the bottom fading towards the back convey a "painterly" impression for the overall total. Nice.
shal (944) 2006-04-30 3:21
Hey Patricia,
beautiful compo. looks like a wallpaper :)
Good POV and framing,
the image looks slightly OOF donno why :(
You should have prob. used a smaller aperture as the clouds seem to make the image look OOF.
Cheers TFS,
Vishal Sabharwal
nels (2623) 2006-04-30 3:29
hi patricia wonderful sky!!an d reflections the mountain looks as if it is on fire
Gerrit (52469) 2006-04-30 6:04
Hio Patricia,
wonderful colors around this fantastic situated island
Thanks and regards, Gerrit
feather (51130) 2006-04-30 6:12
The colours of the sky and the reflections are very striking; it must have been a sight to behold! The low horizon was definitely the right choice. I agree with Vishal that the focus on the island is a bit soft, but nevertheless a beautiful image.
josepmarin (58359) 2006-04-30 7:02
Hi Patricia,
What more amazing and pretty colors in this pink tone. It really seems that the sky and its beautiful reflections in the sea are burning.
Very a well done composition, with good frame, good exposure and good lighting.
I like.
pastadog (13111) 2006-04-30 11:44
Unusual purple and fuchsia colors in this beautiful shot, Patricia. Thanks for capturing and sharing! Regards, Daniel
singuanti (15250) 2006-04-30 23:22
Hi Patricia. Wow I love the purple Barney inspired sky! Going with a low horizon was absolutely the right way about going about this one with that incredible sky. I wonder if they would pull the same joke today with the way we try protect the environment more so than in the past. Beautiful shot Patricia!
pablominto (53746) 2006-04-30 23:57
Hi Patricia,
Beautiful patterns created by the veil of clouds..!
I guess the pink tone is quite unusual even for Alaska...
Well composed, where you rightfully give emphasis to the sky!
Pablo -
weswang (18223) 2006-05-01 0:38
Hi Pat, A beautiful shot of the impressive color and dramatic view of the cloud. The reflection on the lake is beautiful. A nice capture of the colors, the light, and the layer of mountains. Well done.
sgregg (287) 2006-05-01 2:22
Alaska is on my agenda and this photo really makes me want to go this summer. Thanks for the inspiration.
TeresaT (10806) 2006-05-01 10:17
Hi Patricia,
Very well captured this beautiful sky.
I love the pink tones.
It's a different kind of sunset but a very good one.
Angshu (56760) 2006-05-02 3:47
What colours Pat!..they are too surreal. The compo is great keeping lots of sky & clouds. Fantastic
gebala (0) 2006-05-21 4:39
hello, my brother took the same photo:) sky had the same colours, I didnt believie that it can be true, now I have the same photo with such beauty sky, Pat. Exellent is this burning sky, great point of view :) I love it
xuaxo (6854) 2007-04-06 8:02
Olá Pat,
If this is the real colors, that's amazing.
About the joke, somebody did exactly the same in Calhau, Cape Verde :-)
Benedict (7076) 2007-04-12 12:49
wonderful composition with dazzling sky show of colors. i like the POV and the details.
ps- i have some sitka shots as well. that place is awesome!
gunbud (34066) 2007-04-20 1:20
Hi Pat,
Wonderful dramatic sunset coloring the sky with pink and purple. Only in such an uncluttered place would such a prank go without notice which must of been a great hoot in the local bars for years to come.
Regards, Tom
Photo Information
- Copyright: Pat Lim (plimrn) (21344)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2005-05-28
- Categories: Nature
- Camera: Nikon D70 DSLR, Nikkor AF-S 18-70 1:3.5-4.5G
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Travelogue: Alaska
- Date Submitted: 2006-04-30 3:05
- Favorites: 1 [view]
- To pablominto: This is (2)
by plimrn, last updated 2006-05-01 03:35
- To singuanti: This is (2)
by plimrn, last updated 2006-09-19 12:37
- To sgregg: We spent 3 months there (1)
by plimrn, last updated 2006-05-01 12:35
- To gebala: We all share the same sky (2)
by plimrn, last updated 2007-04-06 08:16
- To xuaxo: The colors are actually much flatter than the rea (2)
by plimrn, last updated 2007-04-12 12:44


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1. What got you interested in the field of massage?
This should have been the easiest question to answer but for me, it was the hardest. In short, I would say, a desire to help others get better by addressing the root of their discomfort.
Life is a journey and it is interesting how various elements come together to lead you down a specific path. I am not just in the field of massage... I am continually developing into a holistic therapist and my conscious start on this journey was reading my granny's Back to Eden book. At the time (2009) I was pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Accounting and I found myself changing my eating habits, using herbal remedies as my first aid and recommending concoctions to my friends. I was always in Jenn's looking for new herbs and new books to quench my thirst for knowledge. I even inquired about doing a course in herbal medicine but the timing wasn't right and the funds were not available.
At this point I should add that I am a karateka and a fitness enthusiast so naturally massages were a regular occurrence to ease muscle soreness. At karate, we would give each other massages especially after a tough workout series. I even remember one of my teammates, who had never received my massages, simply looking at my hands and proclaiming 'you would give good massages!'. This was around 2001.
Fast forward to 2011, I saw an ad in the paper for the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic (SJPP) massage certificate and I decided to join the class. The joy I felt from being able to help ease someone else's physical discomfort through massage was one of the most satisfying and spiritually uplifting feelings I have ever felt. Since then, this passion has driven me to continually grow in this field and as they say, "the rest is history". Lol.
2. Why the name L'taj?
L'taj is a combination of the initials of the original business partners – Tamacia Lynch and myself. We wanted a name that epitomised two of our key desires for the business:
● the fact that teamwork makes the dream work...hence the combination of initials and
● from the sound of our name alone, you should think professional serenity that just makes you want to relax in your own sanctuary. Now take a deep breath and say... Luh-tahj.
3. When did you start and how has the business evolved over time?
L'taj Massage Sanctuary (L'taj) was born in 2012 and since then it has been continually evolving. It started with the dream of two young professionals who only had a three month SJPP certificate and a desire to help people. Realising that more would be required if we were to offer the quality service we wanted to be synonymous with L'taj, we made the decision to become internationally certified. The PBHC School and Clinic with their ITEC programme was chosen as our training ground. From then to now, we have been able to add exciting treatments such as holistic massage, reflexology, Indian head and seated acupressure massage to our services. Currently we are in process of adding aromatherapy, rehabilitation services and diversifying from the body treatments to beauty modalities such as facials, eye treatments, waxing and manicures and pedicures.
Not only have we expanded in terms of our qualifications, but also in terms of our outreach to the community. L'taj is mobile at heart - we want to meet you in your comfort zone; hence our slogan "We bring the sanctuary to you" . Our first public event was at St Paul's Entrepreneur Fair (2015). It was at this time that Miss Michal Lynch joined the team and she has been integral in co- organizing and staffing other "L'taj in the Community" events such as the Hastings Farmer's Market, Argonauts 246 events, fairs, birthday parties, weddings and even Crop Over band limes with Soca Chippers.
Our area of expertise and interest lies in being holistic and truly helping the individual at the source of their discomfort. Massage and spa therapies are not a luxury item - the ancient civilisations (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Mayans, Amerindians) recognized this and saw it as a part of a healthy lifestyle. With this in mind, we have started connecting with other persons in the preventative health care sector, such as Kurt Clarke of Go Fitness Solutions, and sports clubs such as the QC Karate Club. Our aim is to continually grow in this area, and make L'taj synonymous with holistic healthcare - not just locally, but also regionally.
I have said enough for the moment...stay tuned for what will be coming next!
4. What does it mean to you to call yourself an entrepreneur?
For me, being an entrepreneur is:
- having a vision, keeping it in sight and working towards it
- being in communion with the Creator for guidance
- continually thinking about strategies to grow
- having the courage to put your plans into action, and
- not being too afraid to fail.
We are all entrepreneurs of our lives, you are your own brand. At the end of the day, we will be held accountable for how we have used our talents, time and treasures to the benefit of others.


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WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- President Bush arrives in Shanghai Thursday for the Asia-Pacific economic summit as he embarks on his first overseas trip since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and is expected to promote global trade and encourage support for the U.S.-led campaign against international terrorism.
"Later today I fly to Shanghai to meet with leaders from all around the Far East, leaders whose nations touch the Pacific, including Russia and China," Bush said Wednesday in Sacramento.
"We'll be strengthening our cooperation in the war on terror. We'll strengthen the economic ties that bring growth and hope to the entire world," Bush told California business leaders during a stopover Wednesday. "The terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, and we will defeat them by expanding and encouraging world trade."
President Bush leaves the United States as the nation struggles with the terrorist-related deaths of as many as 6,000 people in Washington, Pennsylvania and New York, and numerous anthrax-tainted letters, one of which reached lawmakers on Capitol Hill. For the first time this week, administration officials have publicly referred to the contaminated letters as a bioterrorist attack.
"We are fighting for the security of our people, for the success of our ideals, and for stability in large parts of the world," Bush said. "We fight evil people who are distorting and betraying a great religion to justify their murder. Our cause is just. We will not tire. We will not falter. And, my fellow Americans, we will not fail," Bush said.
Twenty-one nations, including the United States, are to be represented in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation. They represent approximately 2.5 billion people and a combined gross domestic product of more than $18 trillion and 47 percent of the world's trade.
The president told Asian media organizations on Tuesday he looked forward to his meeting and establishing a relationship with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Bush meets with Zemin first after landing in Shanghai, a city that the Chinese government desperately wants to showcase as an international financial center.
Zemin and Bush have never met but were locked in a stand-off earlier this year when a U.S. EP-3 surveillance plane collided with a Chinese fighter whose pilot was killed in the incident. The American flight crew was detained for 11 days before being released. The plane was dismantled and shipped back to the United States. Bush said he wanted to talk about missile defense and human rights with the leader.
President Bush also looked forward to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to discuss his country's relations with South Korea. In June 2000, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Kim Jong-il met for a historic summit in Pyongyang to discuss reunification on the Korean peninsula. Kim Jong-il had promised to Seoul for continued talks with South Korea, a pledge he, so far, has not kept.
Bush also said he hoped to meet again with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi with whom he has a scheduled bilateral meeting. Bush met with Koizumi at Camp David in June where the two leaders discussed the near-collapse of Japan's financial markets with more than $1.3 trillion in bad loans floundering in Japanese banks. Then Koizumi sought Bush's support in forcing commercial banks to write off their bad debts in an effort to repair Japan's wounded economy.
He also has scheduled sessions with Russian President Vladamir Putin. Bush and Putin have been trying to work out their differences on missile defense.
Bush early in his administration said he wanted to re-tool the framework of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty signed in 1972 and begin development of a missile shield that could intercept accidental launches or launches from rogue nations.
The president's excursion was trimmed back from 10 days to four days after he cancelled stopovers in Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and the U.S. military attacks against Taliban targets in Afghanistan.


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is it possible to run multiple commands in one build system?
Among other combinations I tried to do something like this:
{"open", "-a", "/Applications/Firefox.app"},
{"compass", "compile", "$file_path/.."},
{"csslint", "$file_path/../assets/css/"}
"selector": "source.sass"
but nothing seems to work the cmd array containing arrays doesn't work either ...
any ideas?
Unfortunately, there is no support for multiple commands in a build system. I ran into this issue when working with java. Your best option is to make a bash file with the commands and have a build system that runs the bash file. I'm not a expert when it comes to build systems, so that's as far as I can help.
Hope that points you in the right direction.
seriously? ... only one command? If its just one command in my build then why would I even need a build system ...
The problem with running a shell is that I can't use the variables provided by Sublime. Mh ... maybe as parameter? You guys think that works? Any experience with that?
please feel free to support this feature sublimetext.userecho.com/topic/8 ... ld-system/
I just found out (quite a rookie in build systems) how the command is passed to the OS. Its just a concatenation of the elements in the array, separated by spaces. This means you can enter multiple commands, with a separator that your OS understands. For instance for the windows CMD screen, its an & (or a && and only continues with the next command if the previous succeeded. See also microsoft.com/resources/docu ... x?mfr=true , its for XP but worked for me in 7.)
The code below sends the line
to the windows shell.
In linux you can use the ';' to separate commands.
Note: For windows you need to set shell to true for this to work. Not sure is this also needed for other OS. Below is an example for LaTex in Windows (assuming in the PATH has pdflatex, bibtex and sumatrapdf set.)
"selector": "text.tex.latex",
"cmd":"pdflatex","$file_base_name","&","bibtex","$file_base_name","&","bibtex","$file_base_name","&","pdflatex","$file_base_name","&","pdflatex","$file_base_name","&","sumatrapdf", "$file_base_name.pdf"]
So your example would be
"selector": "source.sass",
"cmd":{"open", "-a", "/Applications/Firefox.app","&"compass", "compile", "$file_path/..","&","csslint", "$file_path/../assets/css/"}
//Not sure if "linux" works
"cmd":{"open", "-a", "/Applications/Firefox.app",";"compass", "compile", "$file_path/..",";","csslint", "$file_path/../assets/css/"}
Hope this helps!
I am trying to get ST to compile a Latex file using multiple commands: latex, dvips and ps2pdf.
On Linux I tried separating commands with ";" or "|" but only the latex command executes. Any examples of multiple command would be appreciated.
Adding "&" with shell = true worked for me, thanks
I believe what you want to do is to make a "make" file. Sure sublime can run a command on your behalf.. but what you've got is multiple steps to compiling a document along with different points of failure. It's not really in the realm of a text editor to do this. Also this would allow your project to be used by others who might not have the same setup as you do.


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THE third public inquiry in 27 months over noise at a controversial airfield got under way today, resuming a bitter struggle between residents, a council and pilots.
As the four-day hearing at Hambleton District Council's headquarters started, it emerged the authority has spent more than £46,000 in the last two financial years on barristers, professional advice and other matters relating to Bagby Airfield, near Thirsk.
In the latest development, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles ruled a planning inspector would decide if the grass airstrip, which is used by trainers and jockeys to attend nearby race meetings, should lose its helicopter fuel facility and be restricted to 71 flight movements a week on its remaining runway.
Loading article content
The airfield's management said if the council's enforcement notices are upheld by inspector Diane Lewis, the airfield's main revenue generating stream, the provision of jet fuel, will be cut, ending its economic viability with the loss of about ten jobs.
Ms Lewis said: "It seems to me the main issues are whether there has been an increase in flight movement from 3,678 to 7,044 a year, if there has been an introduction of a helicopter port or an increase of movement of helicopters, and if there has been a change of type or air craft using the airfield."
Pilot David Thelwall told the hearing although there were some contradictions and inconsistencies in the logbooks for the airfield, over the past 17 years the number of take-offs and landings at the airfield had declined.
As Action4Refusal campaigners, who say aircraft engine noise has made their life a misery jeered, Mr Thelwall said: "Of 31 logbooks registered to the airfield in 2008 only nine planes were operating from Bagby – but all 31 contributed to the 2008 review."
Barrister Giles Cannock, for the council, argued airfield owner Martin Scott had breached planning control by replacing a fuel facility at the airfield without permission.
He said: "The fuel facility generates air traffic movement (ATM) in its own right and is an intrinsic part of Bagby airfield so without it, it will close.
"We say the fuel facility generates ATM and limits should be attached."
A Freedom of Information Act request by The Northern Echo has revealed the council had spent £19,962, the equivalent to more than 14 annual council tax payments for the average band D property, on barristers fees regarding the airfield before the start of the inquiry.
The council has also spent £26,337 on professional advice and other related matters over the same period.
Martin Scott, owner of the airfield since 2007, said the council had recently settled the amount of costs he had to pay from the previous public inquiry and that it had been "limited".


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Elizabeth Reaser talks about Robert Pattinson in a new interview with MTV. Parts about Rob are in green.
She may be the sweet, smiling matriarch of the most beloved vampire family in the world, but that doesn't mean Elizabeth Reaser can't still be a badass.
With just a few weeks remaining before New Moon hits theaters, we caught up with the 34-year-old actress sometimes known as Mrs. Esme Cullen during her final days on the "Eclipse" set. During an exclusive chat with MTV News, Reaser was eager to talk about ripping apart mountain lions, asking for Robert Pattinson's autograph, and why she thinks one of her co-stars should have played Esme instead.
Elizabeth Reaser: Oh, well, all three films are completely different. The first one is a vampire romance, a crazy love affair. There's so much sexual tension and romantic tension, and nothing ever goes down; you're going insane the whole time, and they're falling in love, and it's amazing. In the second one, obviously Bella is left behind, and her and Taylor [Lautner]'s character, Jacob, sort of fall in love — or do they? And she's devastated, and she's doing all of this risky stuff, and it's really a heartbreaking movie. There's all this danger going on in Italy, and Edward is thinking about killing himself — it's very, very, very different from the first one. And the third one is a full-on action movie. "Eclipse" is just crazy action and danger and vampires — and newborn vampires that are the most dangerous, powerful vampires of all.
MTV: What is your favorite scene in "New Moon"?
Reaser: I love Taylor in "New Moon"; he's amazing. There are great scenes with Taylor and Kristen [Stewart]. I just think they're really lovely together. I love those characters together. They're sort of falling in love, and it's an interesting love affair, because she's still in love with Edward, and she's devastated and heartbroken, and he's [gone. I also love] the birthday-party scene, because it's all the Cullens, and it's Bella's birthday, and Alice threw together this big party for her. And then she gets a paper cut, and it's really dangerous for her to get a paper cut at our house.
MTV: Who is your favorite new character that has joined the cast for the sequels?
Reaser: My favorite new character? That's very tricky. Actually, I like this girl who joined the ["Eclipse"] cast, Jodelle [Ferland]; she's playing Bree. … In "New Moon," this guy Michael Sheen has joined our cast, and he is fantastic. He plays one of the Volturi, and those are great scenes in Italy with all the Volturi — they're just these total badass vampires. He's just a great actor.
MTV: As the "Saga" continues filming, do you feel like you're growing into your character more or less?
Reaser: No, I feel like I'm nothing like my character. It's interesting to me that I get cast as mothers and really maternal, sweet, nice people. … Maybe I have a vulnerability or something; maybe that's what it is. But other than that, I don't relate to this type of character. She's so good and lovely, and it definitely makes me [a better person]. When I'm working, and I'm always trying to see people in their best light, it makes me a more generous person to play Esme, because I don't feel that. It's funny, but I think Bryce — who is playing Victoria, Bryce Dallas Howard — is the nicest, most amazing woman, and I feel like she should play Esme. I feel like she is Esme. She's so lovely and beautiful and kind and good. I nominate her to play Esme Cullen.
MTV: Do you own any "Twilight" memorabilia?
Reaser: My mom bought some Esme bracelets. I'm sure I could borrow one from her if I wanted to. But I don't have any memorabilia. I have my director's chair [backing]. But I should get something, take something back from set — maybe I could get Rob to sign it.
MTV: Vampires are one of the biggest costumes this Halloween, and there will be a lot of people dressed up as the "Twilight" characters this weekend.
Reaser: Really? Oh, that's really cool. I didn't know that.
MTV: What would it mean to you if you saw someone dressed as Esme?
Reaser: Wow, I would love to see someone dressed up as Esme. I think that would be so cool. It would definitely be a career highlight for me; I would love to see someone do that.
MTV: Finally, what in your opinion is the secret behind the success of the "Twilight Saga"?
Reaser: Well, I think the success of the "Saga" is the books. The books are just beautiful, amazing, great storytelling, and Stephenie is a great writer. And then, I think we got incredibly lucky with Kristen and Rob — they're just great actors, and you just can't not fall in love with them and want them to be together. You get invested in the two of them. That has a lot to do with it, and people are just really into vampires, so I think that has something to do with it. The Cullens, they're an interesting group of vampires. They're all really good, but kind of bad. I mean, they are still vampires. I imagine Esme going out in the middle of the night and ripping apart a mountain lion. That's kind of fascinating.


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May 21, 2012
Only one way out of this messPosted in Sunday Business Post · 138 comments ·
Share h
The only thing that can stop the euro from breaking apart in the short term is old-fashioned capital controls. Otherwise, more and more money will flow from the periphery to the core. The weaker the peripheral countries become, the higher the risk of political instability and the greater the risk of a change in policy.
Peripheral Europe – including Ireland – suffers from that most politically regressive type of economic policy, one that hurts but doesn't work. And it doesn't work eventually – it doesn't work at all and never has worked anywhere.
A policy that hurts but doesn't work will become an ex-policy in short order. If all the countries in the euro had full control over their currencies, they wouldn't tolerate a policy that hurts but doesn't work. But because they don't have control, they have to tolerate a policy which hurts but doesn't work until it becomes insufferable.
However, right now, we do not have control over the currency we use. For a currency to be described meaningfully as a "country's currency" or "our currency", we have to be able to print the currency freely or not as we choose, and we have to be able to change its value as we choose.
The problem is that the euro is no one's currency and everyone's currency at the same time. For Ireland and Spain and any of the other peripheral countries that have huge debts, the implication is that we have to pay debts in another country's currency.
If a country is already running a current account deficit, as much of the periphery is, paying back all the debt will make the economy contract. As the economy contracts, unemployment rises and this – understandably – prompts political instability.
So without the currency to offset the different competitive positions of the countries, the entire adjustment has to come via the rate of unemployment in the weak country. This is because wages rarely fall. The academic idea that you can get wages to fall effortlessly goes against everything we know to be the actual way things work. In an actual economy, everyone at work fights to keep his wage up.
For those in work, it's better that the rate of unemployment rises rather than their individual wages falling to absorb the unemployed. So the labour splits into a classic insider/outsider pattern, where the interests of the employed are pitted against the unemployed, rather than the old Marxist line where the interests of the employed are pitted against the boss classes.
The only way to quickly get real wages down in this type of scenario is to devalue the currency, generating a bit of inflation and reducing wages both externally and internally through currency depreciation and inflation. That's how it is done. (See Iceland, all the Asian tigers, Scandinavia in the early 1990s, etc.) But if you can't do that, then the rate of unemployment rises permanently. This puts huge pressure on the afflicted country's budget deficit.
Furthermore, if the afflicted country has high levels of debt, the people will want to pay that debt back, and the banks of that country are also likely to have large amounts of bad debt. This means that the people don't want to borrow and the banks don't have the ability to lend. This is a classic liquidity trap which – regardless of the rate of interest – will have no effect on the economy. Everyone is saving to rebuild their balance sheet.
This is exactly what is happening in Ireland, Italy, Spain and, of course, Greece, where the dilemma is most severe.
Now think what happens when everyone is saving and a foreign country instructs the afflicted country that its government must save too. Well, if everyone is saving, no one is spending and, as your spending is my income, everyone's income falls too.
This is what austerity does in the liquidity trap – it makes things worse. I likened it on BBC's Newsnight the other night to putting an anorexic on a diet and expecting that person to put on weight.
Now let's see what happens to capital in such a strained environment. Some bits of classic economic theory state that capital will flow into the afflicted area to avail of opportunities. But that is not what actually happens. It will only happen after a massive policy change, like a devaluation – not before. Until then, the risk that there will be a devaluation pushes capital away.
But why could there be a devaluation in the euro? Wasn't it supposed to be an irrevocably fixed system? Well, it was until last week. The minute the European elite in Brussels under José Manuel Barroso told Greece that the election should be a vote on whether it is in or out of the euro, the notion that the euro was permanent evaporated.
We now have a currency which is conditional. And it is conditional on local politics, which are themselves dependent on local economic conditions, which we know are getting worse in the periphery.
If it is not a monetary union, it is a system of fixed exchange rates, and the credibility of this system is based of the willingness of the weaker countries to tolerate austerity and the willingness of the stronger countries to tolerate what some have called "peripheraid".
Peripheraid is the ongoing cash infusion from the rich countries to the poor countries, which could go on for generations.
The working model for peripheraid is Italy. In Italy, the north has been transferring money to the south for years. But this is one country, with one language and one political system.
Do you think that Germans will pay for Spaniards for the next few generations? Nor do I. The people with money in Spain think exactly the same, and that is why they are getting their money out.
As a result of this analysis, money is flooding out of the periphery. There is what looks to be a bank run in Spain. In Greece, whatever money hasn't left is on its way. We are seeing similar developments in Italy.
A friend who works at a large bank in London told me last week that it was experiencing a massive inflow of money into sterling. Significantly, she said that the bank didn't have many peripheral clients, so the money was coming from countries like France and Belgium.
The only way to stop this is with capital controls. It will buy the afflicted countries a bit of time, but once you introduce capital controls it means you have given up on the central basis for a monetary union. Once that goes, so will everything else.
Interestingly, here was reported the UK imposing exchange controls on Santander since 2011 already :
So the UK has slapped one of the largest Euro Banks.
I'm sure CEO Botin is not amused.
Santander is living off the Brazil Carry Trade, looting the country with the help of the gov't there. Argentina's Repsol expropriation though has dominoed to Brazil. So Santander better watch out! It has Cameron on one side trying to save the City and the World, and the New World republics on the other.
Beef sandwich anyone?
THE LONDON {ECONOMIST} May 19 published a shameless cover-up and defense of the bankrupt Inter-Alpha Group's Santander Bank, BBVA, and other Spanish banks. Spain's banks are among the most efficient in the world, they write, because they have fancy computer software… and because they make most of their profits outside Spain, noting about Santander that "almost 90% of its profits are made outside Spain."
They don't say it, but that's the Brazil carry trade, and the British real estate bubble.
I think DMcW is close to what's going on. The UK has Santander already under controls, but bank run's are already on, as the Economist admits.
May 20 (LPAC)–The elephant in the kitchen at the Camp David G8 summit, was the fact that the British Empire's entire trans-Atlantic financial system is in meltdown, with runs on banks already underway in a number of nations, accompanied by shrill calls for "unimaginably large" hyper-inflationary bailouts issuing from the mouths of London's freaked out policy-makers and financial elite.
One such banker quoted by the May 19 London {Economist} put it this way: "The typical thing with a bank run is it trickles and then it floods. The real concern is that you could have the dam breaking, first in Greece, but then elsewhere." The article mentions the reports of withdrawals late last week from UK Santander Bank, in that context.
The problem with Spain's banks is particularly urgent, the {Economist} notes in a second article, and they have to be "recapitalized" immediately: "One way might be to directly inject equity into the banking system using European bailout funds.
Another would be to set in place some sort of European-wide deposit guarantee scheme or fund. Whatever is done, it should be done quickly," it urges.
With this elephant tromping around in the kitchen, the G8 leaders barely managed to cobble together a final communiqué which is a bunch of self-contradictory gobbledygook with something for everyone in it ("we are for both growth and austerity"), while signifying absolutely nothing.
The London {Guardian} comes closest to confessing the truth, when it reports: "Barack Obama and David Cameron have clashed with the German chancellor Angela Merkel at the G8 summit in Camp David, demanding she set out a clear path for Europe to emerge from its current crisis. The German leader resisted pressure for fresh measures that would include looser monetary policy for the ECB, enabling quantitative easing similar to that deployed by the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England."
Eire must know this – how can such a bankrupt system threaten anyone?
Watch out! Here is what's going on while we focus on the admittedly gripping financial meltdown.
Blair is running Obama's reelection campaign! The "advisor" who gave us Iraqi wmd mirage, wants the greatest Wall Street hero back in the saddle.
Obama's willful provocation of Russia was the test – he passed. A thermonuclear war-monger.
Blair obviously knows the system is melting.
Greek Budget Would Have A Surplus Without The Debt Payments
May 21 (EIRNS)– Figures have come to the surface that nearly 20% of the Greek national budget goes to debt service. As could be expected, the Greek budget would have a surplus if it were not for the debt payments.
In fact, it is demonstrable that it was the fact that the memorandum wasimplemented, which has led to the collapse of the economy, and had it not been, Greece would have had a surplus. According to a report by Eurobank EFG, in 2011, Greece made EU16,384 million in interest payments, which compares with primary expenditures (not including debt) of EU60,395 million and a revenue collection of EU53,861 million.
Although in 2011, there was a so-called primary deficit of some EU6 billion, because there was a shortfall in revenues, and these revenues fell because of the collapse of the economy. VAT collapsed because people simply don't have the money to spend. Expenditures increased because, when companies went bankrupt because of the economic collapse, government transfers to the social security fund had to increase. Social security fund outlays increased because unemployment doubled. There has also been an increase in interest rates.
The projected picture for 2012 is said to be "encouraging," with revenues at EU56,159 million euros and primary expenditure at EU57,248 and interest payments at EU13,050 million. This already figures in a further decline in the economy and represents simply looting the population to pay the debt.
London Professor Declares the Failure and Death of the Euro
May 21 (LPAC) — Dr. Jonathan Eyal, speaking of the euro experimant, writes that "seldom before has there been such a comprehensive failure." Eyal is a Romanian who was educated at Oxford, taught at Oxford, and now heads the International Security Studies sector at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London.
Eyal, in a {Singapore Straits Times} op-ed, writes: "Europe is rapidly approaching one of the most critical decisions in its post-war history. It can either offer an unlimited amount of cash to failed states such as Greece, thereby unleashing high inflation, or it can start ejecting some countries from the euro, and risk the collapse of the continent's single currency. European leaders still like to pretend that the current crisis is temporary and containable. In fact, the real problem lies with a euro project, which was always misconceived….
"The ECB's narrow mandate to ensure just price stability without any reference to problems such as unemployment or economic growth became part of the euro's problem. So did many of the targets which euro zone governments were expected to meet….
"But whatever happens, the original objectives of this enterprise already lie in ruins."
Eyal covers for his British hosts by ascribing the creation of the euro to Mitterrand and Kohl, with nary a mention of Maggie Thatcher's deadly threats to Kohl and Germany if they failed to follow orders from London and Paris in giving up Germany's sovereignty to the euro system.
Have you heard of a Bank Jog? Well it's on!
So, You Think You Still Have "Your Money"?
May 21 (LPAC)–This week opened with reports from CNN and others, that, lo and behold, losses at JP Morgan, once king of the derivatives casino, are not the $2 billion admitted on May 10, but are now running in the $6-8 billion range, and going up daily. Given JP Morgan's reported $100 billion holdings in casino paper, are you dumb enough to believe {those} figures? Obama's favorite banker, JP Morgan chief Jamie Dimon refused to say how big the loss may get, when asked at a Deutsche Bank conference this Monday. And other participants in that conference admitted to Bloomberg TV that "if we end up with a catastrophe in Europe in the short turn," Morgan's losses are going to soar.
If? With European leaders and President Obama still grimly determined to escalate the monetarism which blew up the system in the first place, there is no "if." Money continues to flee from the European banks, and cannot be expected to long remain in what the {Financial Times} dubbed today "a slow motion bank run" (or "bank jog," in the words of another financial idiot). President Obama and France's President Hollande joined the chorus demanding European banks be "recapitalized;" that is, printing "unimaginable amounts of money" London is demanding to bail them out.
Yet another European summit has been called for this Wednesday to deal with the crisis, with no prospective that anymore will come out of this than the G-8 meeting. Hollande says he's going to propose eurobonds be issued to finance the needed bailouts; Germany's Deputy Finance Minister Steffen Kampeter reiterated the Germans have no intention of going along.
So, preparations are underway, no longer quite so behind the scenes, for Greece's exit from the Euro, in short order. German media (e.g. Focus magazine, primetime television programs) began preparing the German population for this inevitability as the week opened; El-Erian, head of the PIMCO bondholding behemoth, told Bloomberg TV on Monday "its probably inevitable and therefore we should plan for it;"
London's Royal United Services figure, Dr. Jonathan Eyal, added his bit to the obituaries being written for the Euro.
But Morgan's Dimon said today that "a Greece default is not the problem, Greece leaving the euro is the problem".
Now I wonder why Dimon of JPMorgan-Chase said that???
Syriza leader Tsipras: You Don't Negotiate with Hell
Greek Syriza party leader Alexis Tsipras at a press conference in Paris, once again reiterated that Greece's rejection of the brutal memorandum is non-negotiable, the issue is the debt crisis, and that is a European wide crisis.
Well worth reading what Tsipras said in full. He is in Berlin to meet the SPD and Die Linke.


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<Ghozt> So I was brushing my teeth and had to go to the bathroom, so I walked into the bathroom to take a #1 while brushing my teeth. I get my thing out and all the sudden my left hand starts jerking off my dick. I'm like, wtf!? Turns out I just had one of those "pat your head while rubbing your stomach" moments.
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Skylar Grey performed in Milwaukee on May 12 as part of the Yahoo! On the Road tour.
Skylar Grey is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who is responsible for co-writing some of the most memorable songs to light up the Billboard Hot 100 and iTunes sales charts, totaling more than 25 million singles globally.
Grey co-wrote the biggest selling single of 2010, Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," which earned her two Grammy Award nominations for best song and best rap song. The following year, she repeated the nods for her work on Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor," which she performed alongside Dr. Dre and Eminem at the 2011 Grammys.
With her highly anticipated debut Don't Look Down slated for a summer 2013 release, Grey rides on a wave influence from her ongoing and previous collaborators, including Alex Da Kid, Lupe Fiasco, Sean "Diddy" Combs, and Rihanna.
Full schedule of events | Skylar Grey's official site


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Calabasas Country Club
Calabasas, California 91302
Phone: 310/251-5551
We'd love it if you would mention that you found Calabasas Country Club on the Here Comes The Guide website.
Why We Like This Place
Wouldn't it be nice if you could invite your friends and family to a wedding at your own private club—even if you're not actually a member? At the Calabasas Country Club you can, because the entire clubhouse, inside and out, is totally yours to enjoy for the duration of your event.
This picturesque venue in the hills of the west San Fernando Valley has an interesting history and a place in the hearts of classic cinema buffs. Once part of the Warner Ranch Group, it served as a rugged backlot for such notable films as National Velvet, Carousel, Robin Hood, The Good Earth, Giant and Showboat. In honor of that heritage, when the country club was built each of the 18 holes of its verdant golf course was named after one of the famous films. Today, you'll be the ones getting top billing in your own "love story" production here.
Special events, which are welcomed in the evening after the golfers have gone home, are usually held outdoors to take advantage of the beautiful setting. The expansive clubhouse patio, landscaped with islands of roses and magnolia trees, is large enough to host your entire celebration. Have your ceremony at one end, against a gorgeous backdrop of the rolling, pine-studded golf course with the 18th hole's shimmering lake and bridge in the foreground. Then, while you're posing for photos beside the lovely waterfalls, bridges and old oaks on the fairways, your guests can mingle over cocktails. Finally, serve dinner at the other end of the patio, enhanced by strings of bistro lights glowing overhead.
Indoor options also showcase the verdant surroundings. The new bar area upstairs in the clubhouse is custom-made for cocktail receptions. Conceived by famed designer Serge Agraphiotis, it's extremely inviting, with an abundance of warm wood used in the bar, the ceiling beams and detailing throughout. Lots of natural light flows in through two walls of huge picture windows that frame stunning views of the golf course. When it's time for dinner, everyone simply steps into the adjoining Dining Room, a modern and casually elegant space that also overlooks the course through its own floor-to-ceiling windows. From either room, guests get an extra visual treat: a spectacular sunset.
Whether you dine buffet-style or opt for a more formal seated dinner, it should be noted that the executive chef has over 30 years' experience working coast to coast in a range of venues, from noteworthy bistros to a 5-star resort. Although he specializes in California cuisine, his dishes reflect many regional and ethnic influences, and he's happy to accommodate special menu requests.
Since this private club is yours for the night, there's no need to rush through anything. Go ahead and savor the experience: linger on the patio with a nightcap…catch up with friends and family members…and maybe even see a few meandering deer. What a perfect way to end the festivities!
- Max. Seated Indoors: 130
- Max. Seated Outdoors: 250
Reception/Special Events
- Max. Seated Indoors: 130
- Max. Seated Outdoors: 250
- Max. Standing/Cocktails Indoors: 150
- Max. Standing/Cocktails Outdoors: 500
- Max. Seated: 130
CEREMONY & EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The facility holds 150 seated or 300 seated guests outdoors.
MEETING CAPACITY: Meeting spaces seat 130 guests indoors.
Cost: Prices, Deposits, Etc.
A $2,500 deposit is required to reserve your date and the balance is due according to the terms of your contract. The rental fee ranges $250–5,000 depending on the day of the event and the space reserved. Meals range $25–75/person. Alcohol, tax and a 20% service charge are additional. Outside caterers are only allowed for kosher or ethnic cuisine.
Location UsesCeremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners
Catering: in-house; outside ethnic catering allowed with approval
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: provided
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: CBA
Bride's Dressing Area: yes
Parking: complimentary
Accommodations: no guest rooms
Outdoor Night Lighting: bistro lighting
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: BBQ
Cleanup: provided
View: garden, lake, fountain, landscaped grounds, waterfall, fairways, creek; panorama of mountains, forest and hills
Venue ViewsCreek/River
Forest/Wooded Area
Fountain/Water Feature
Garden Patio/Courtyard
Golf Course Fairways
Landscaped Grounds
Venue TypeBanquet Hall/Events Facility
Golf Course/Golf Clubhouse
Late Night
Alcohol: in-house or BYO wine with corkage fee
Smoking: designated areas only
Music: amplified OK with restrictions
Wheelchair Access: yes
Insurance: liability required
Wondering what CBA or BYO means?
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