text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Nov 29, 2011
|Filing date
|Mar 23, 2007
|Priority date
|Oct 20, 2006
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Douglas R. Savage, John E. Shulze, Ronald E. Betts, Sepehr Fariabi, Shih-Horng Su
|Original Assignee
|Biosensors International Group, Ltd.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (131), Non-Patent Citations (8), Referenced by (1), Classifications (19), Legal Events (5)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/853,077, filed Oct. 20, 2006.
Complications such as restenosis are a recurring problem in patients who have received artherosclerosis therapy in the form of medical procedures such as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Restenosis is commonly treated by a procedure known as stenting, where a medical device is surgically implanted in the affected artery to prevent it from occluding post procedure.
A stent is typically cylindrical in shape and is usually made from a biocompatible metal, such as titanium or surgical steel. Most stents are collapsible and are delivered to the occluded artery via transluminal catheter. The stent is affixed to the catheter and can be either self expanding or expanded by inflation of a balloon inside the stent that is then removed with the catheter once the device is in place. Examples of common types of stents are disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 6,936,066 to Palmaz entitled "Complaint Implantable Medical Devices and Methods of Making Same."
Complications that arise from stent therapy are restenosis and thrombosis. In an effort to overcome these complications, stents are routinely developed to have the additional feature of controlled drug elution. To accomplish this, a metal stent is coated with an API mixed with polymer, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,981 issued to Hunter entitled anti-angiogenic Compositions and Methods of Use. Examples of typical therapies that are delivered in this manner are antiproliferatives, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressive agents, though there are many other chemical and biological agents that can be used. A porous layer of biodegradable material is often applied over the coating layer to regulate controlled release of the drug into the body. Common types of polymer coated drug eluting stents are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,774,278 and 6,730,064 issued to Ragheb entitled "Coated Implantable Medical Device."
It has been postulated that the presence of this polymer contributes to thrombosis due to delamination. It is thought that over time, the protective polymer may separate from the bare metal or substrate, resulting in sharp peaks or edges that come in direct contact with red blood cells, the result of which is thrombosis, causing serious illness or death in the patient. Stents have been designed that do not include a permanent polymer, like BSI biodegradable PLLA. Some stent designs have moved towards the polymerless altogether such as surface textured stents or biocompatible oil coatings.
To increase the drug loading capacity, stents can be engineered to have roughened surfaces. Rough surfaces on the stent provide for peaks and valleys which increase the total surface area of the stent thereby increasing the amount of API that may be associated with the stent. Roughening of the surface of a stent is accomplished in a number of ways, such as sintering, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,172 issued to Yan entitled "Porous Medical Stent." Surface roughness is also achieved by abrasive techniques such as sandblasting and reductive acid etching as disclosed in European patent No. 0806212 issued to Leitao entitled "Device For Incorporation and Release of Biologically Active Agents." Roughening of a stent surface can also be achieved pressing indentations directly onto the device as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,237 Issued to Thomas entitled "Method of Forming a Drug Eluting Stent" or using the common metal working techniques of shot peening or laser peening. A stent having a mechanical anchoring layer is described in co-owned U.S. Publication No. 2006/0069427. However, the stent and catheter crossing profile serve as physical limitations for the thickness of coatings. A problem encountered with rough stents is that the crossing profile of the stent and catheter must be limited to a thickness that is narrow enough to pass through an occluded artery.
In light of the complications associated with stent therapy, it would be desirable to develop a stent that will have the increased surface area of a rough stent which can be manufactured in such a way as to maximize structural integrity and drug loading capacity. Further, it would be desirable to develop a polymerless stent that is capable of delivering API to decrease or eliminate the risk the risk of late stent thrombosis. Finally, it is desirable to develop a stent that maximizes drug loading capacity while at the same time minimizing the total thickness of the stent-catheter crossing profile.
The present embodiments solve one or more of the foregoing problems by providing a medical device such as a stent and method by which a drug eluting stent is treated that will decrease the crossing profile thickness without compromising structural integrity. The disclosed embodiments also maximize drug loading capacity and/or increase fatigue resistance.
In one aspect, a nonpolymeric therapeutic agent eluting stent is provided. Preferably, the stent includes at least a portion of at least one surface having a textured or abraded microstructure. In a preferred embodiment, the therapeutic agent is applied to at least the textured portion of the stent surface.
In another aspect, methods for preparing a stent with at least one "roughened" surface are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes crimping a bare metal stent into a hydrocarbon film layer which creates a mask for at least one of the inner layer and sides of the stent. The outer surface is then treated with an abrasive, and the masking layer is subsequently dissolved or otherwise removed. Preferably, the stent is then sonicated, cleaned and passivated according to ASTM standards.
In another embodiment, the stent surface is treated by the process of peening. The untreated stent is clamped on to a mandrel and roughening is achieved by pressing metal particles called shot onto the stent surface using plates or rollers. Roughness may also be achieved by blasting shot at the stent surface such as by jet blasting. In another embodiment, surface roughness can also be accomplished in a similar manner that employs a laser rather than shot.
In yet another embodiment, the stent is treated by pneumatic or hydraulic press to produce the roughened surface. The untreated stent is affixed to a mandrel and a pattern is stamped onto its surface by a pneumatic or hydraulic press. In one embodiment, the pattern is predetermined. In another embodiment, the pneumatic or hydraulic press is computer controlled. An advantage of the press method is its ability to disrupt microcrystalline structures in the stent body to increase the stent body's fatigue resistance.
In another embodiment, the entire length of the stent, for example 2.5 M, is treated before it is cut into the desired stent lengths. The entire stent length is attached to a mandrel and then treated via one of the methods disclosed.
In still a further embodiment, a stent is coated with an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or an API and polymer combination. The coating may be achieved via spraying the desired drug or drug/polymer combination directly on to the stent surface. Further, coating the stent with the desired chemical may be achieved by dipping the stent into a solution of the desired API coating. In yet another embodiment, the stent is coated with an API or API/polymer combination abluminally by automated pipetting.
These and other aspects and embodiments of the present invention will become better apparent in view of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:
I. Endovascular Stent
In the embodiment shown, the stent body is formed of a series of tubular members called struts 3 connected to each other by filaments called linkers 4. Each strut 3 has an expandable zig-zag, sawtooth, helical ribbon coil or sinusoidal wave structure, and the connections to each linker 4 serve to increase overall stent flexibility. The contracted-state diameter of the stent is between approximately 0.5 mm-2.0 mm, preferably 0.71 to 1.65 mm, and a length of between 5-100 mm. The expanded stent diameter is at least twice and up to 8-9times that of the stent in its contracted state, for example, a stent with a contracted diameter of between 0.7 to 1.5 mm may expand radially to a selected expanded state of between 2.0-8.0 mm or more. Stents having this general stent-body architecture of linked, expandable tubular members are known, for example, as described in PCT Publication No. WO 99/07308, which is commonly owned with the present application and expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Preferably, the stent structure is made of a biocompatible material, such as stainless steel. Further examples of biocompatible materials that are typically used for the stent structure are, tantalum, titanium, nitinol, gold, platinum, inconel, iridium, silver, tungsten, or another biocompatible metal, or alloys of any of these; carbon or carbon fiber; cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, silicone, polyethylene teraphthalate, polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, polyorthoester, polyanhydride, polyether sulfone, polycarbonate, polypropylene, high molecular weight polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, or another biocompatible polymeric material, or mixtures or copolymers of these; poly-L-lactic acid, polyglycolic acid or copolymers thereof, a polyanhydride, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate valerate or another biodegradable polymer, or mixtures or copolymers of these; a protein, an extracellular matrix component, collagen, fibrin or another biologic agent; or a suitable mixture of any of these. An example of a typical stent is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,064. The dimensions of each stent will vary depending on the body lumen in which they are to be delivered. For example, a stent may have a diameter ranging from approximately 0.5 mm to approximately 25.0 mm and a length that ranges from approximately 4 mm to approximately 100 mm or longer. An example of stent measurements is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,376 to Shulze, which is commonly owned and expressly incorporated by reference herein.
As seen in
II. Methods of Preparing Textured Surface
In one embodiment, the method includes use of a mask to prevent at least a portion of the stent from being abraded. Preferably, the mask is a hydrocarbon film, such as PARAFILM�, however, it will be appreciated that any suitable barrier to abrasion is suitable for use in these methods. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, at least the luminal surface of the stent is not abraded. In one embodiment, a sheet of the mask approximately 5 mm by 60 mm is rolled around the diameter of a mandrel such as a 1.4 mm glass capillary tube. The stent is positioned onto the mandrel and hand-crimped into the hydrocarbon mask. A stereo microscope set between 10� and 40� may be used to ensure that the portion of the stent that is not to be abraded is covered by the mask. In a preferred embodiment, at least 80% of the stent wall thickness on all surfaces is masked by the hydrocarbon film layer.
In one embodiment, the stent surface 5 is then treated by utilizing microblasting systems, such as the MICRO BLASTER� and PROCENTER� by Comco, Inc. or an equivalent. In one embodiment, 25 μm of an abrasive, such as aluminum oxide, is used to roughen the stent surface 5. The pressure is adjusted to 40 psi�5 psi, and a spray nozzle is positioned approximately 2.5 cm to 5.0 cm from the stent surface 5, making multiple passes over the stent.
In another embodiment, the mask is removed by any appropriate means such as via ultrasonic cleaning. Typically the ultrasonic cleaner is filled with deionized water which is heated to 45� C. A sample vial of HPLC grade chloroform is heated to between 50-60� C. on a hotplate. A glass capillary tube mandrel with a treated stent is incubated in a vial of 40� C. and 50� C. HPLC grade chloroform for 5-10 minutes. The vial containing the chloroform and mandrel is then soniciated in 45� C. deionized water for two minutes.
Due to the roughening of the stent surface 5, different elements are expressed on the metal surface, which can increase the susceptibility to corrosion. As a result, the treated stent is generally passivated according to ASTM standards and cleaned in a series of solvents such as Chloroform, Acetone and/or Isopropyl Alcohol. In one embodiment, after the mask is removed and the treated stent is sonicated, it is removed from the vial of chloroform. A sample vial is rinsed with Acetone and then refilled with Acetone. The treated stent is placed in the vial and sonicated in the ultrasonic cleaner for two minutes. The vial is rinsed with isopropyl alcohol and then refilled with isopropyl alcohol. The stent is sonicated in the ultrasonic cleaner for two more minutes. The treated stent is then passivated in a 60� C.�3� C. 20% by volume Nitric Acid bath for 30 minutes. The stent is then rinsed 10 times with copious amounts of deionized water. The stent is then placed in 600 mL of a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol and sonicated in the ultrasonic cleaner for 5 minutes and allowed to air dry.
In another embodiment, the surface of the stent is uniformly abraded in a controlled manner via shot peening. Roughening of a stent surface 5 is accomplished using metal particles called shot that range in size from approximately 1 to 5 microns and is made from an atomic element having at least a weight of 43 g/mol. For example, the shot may be in the form of particulate tantalum, particulate tungsten, particulate platinum, particulate iridium, particulate gold, particulate bismuth, particulate barium, particulate zirconium and alloys thereof. Examples of suitable alloys include a platinum/nickel alloy and a platinum/iridium alloy.
The stent surface 5 may be treated by placing desired amount of shot over a predetermined portion of the stent surface 5 and in the desired pattern. Pressure is applied to the particles using plates or rollers to make indentations in the stent surface 5. Roughness can also be achieved by jet blasting the particles at the stent surface 5 at a velocity sufficient to make indentations. An example of shot peening a metal surface is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,911,100.
In a further embodiment, this uniform, controlled surface roughness can also be achieved similar to above by employing a laser rather than the use of shot. A series of electric discharges are applied to the desired portion of the outer or inner stent surface 5. The electric discharges contact the surface with sufficient energy to vaporize the material on the surface of the stent, creating pits, sometimes called voids, the combined effect of which is a rough surface having increased surface area. An example of this process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,617.
In another embodiment, the surface of the stent is uniformly treated by compression. The stent is affixed to a mandrel, which is inserted into a die that is equipped with preformed raised portions that form indentations in the desired amount, shape, size and pattern on the stent surface 5. The indentations may be made in a number of ways such as welding them onto the stent surface 5 or sandblasting. The die is then closed around the stent forming indentations of the desired depth and covering the desired surface area. The stent is treated over its entire surface, or a portion of the surface, depending on the manufacture of the die. An example of this process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,237.
In another embodiment, a stent surface 5 is treated with a pneumatic press or hydraulic press. Pneumatic presses are well known in the art as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,617. Hydraulic presses are also well-known in the art as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,155. As seen in
In another embodiment, the entire length of the stent, for example, approximately 2.5 m, is treated prior to laser cutting it into a plurality of desired stent lengths. The stent is horizontally or vertically attached to one or more mandrels 1 and abraded using one of the methods disclosed in this application. In terms of the abrading techniques, the stent is treated randomly, uniformly or in a desired pattern. Further, the length and sides of the stent is treated lengthwise, vertically or spirally. Moreover, the stent surface 5 is treated either by moving it over a stationary roughening mechanism, or in the alternative, the entire stent tube length is stationary and the roughening mechanism may be moved over the length of the tube in one of the manners disclosed, for example horizontally, vertically, spirally.
Potentiodynamic corrosion testing was performed on the treated stent to confirm the desirability of the passivation step and its effectiveness. The data shows that the treated, passivated stent breakdown potential is well within ASTM specified voltage levels standards. Therefore, after the roughening process and passivation, the treated stent does not exhibit a greater likelihood of corrosion when compared to the untreated control stent, and the roughening process does not increase the potential for restenosis and thrombosis.
The approximate thickness of an untreated stent wall is generally around 0.05 mm. As seen in
Preferably, an API such as the antiproliferative Biolimus A9� is applied at least to the abluminal portion of the stent. The API may be applied to the stent surface by any appropriate means including by spraying the treated surface of the stent with a solution of the API. The API solution may also be applied by dipping the entire stent into the desired API or by applying it directly to the stent surface 5 manually. Biolimus A9� has an amorphous to semi-crystalline structure that does not crack or fracture like some other crystalline limus compounds. Therefore, the properties of Biolimus A9� permit adhesion to the stent's roughened treated surface in the unexpanded state and the expanded state.
Preferably, the API material is applied to the abluminal portion of the stent via autopipetting as described in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,376. A solution ranging in a concentration of approximately 25 mg/ml to approximately 100 mg/ml is made by dissolving the desired API in an appropriate solvent, such as ethyl acetate. The solution is placed in a reservoir with a pump designed to deliver the solution at a predetermined rate. The pump is controlled by a microcontroller, such as the 4-Axis Dispensing Robot Model available from I&J Fisnar Inc. A solution delivery tube for delivery of the solvent mixture to the stent surface 5 is attached to the bottom of the reservoir. The reservoir and delivery tube are mounted to a moveable support that moves the solvent delivery tube continuously or in small steps, for example, 0.2 mm per step along the longitudinal axis of the stent.
An uncoated stent is gripped by a rotating chuck contacting the inner surface of the stent at least one end. Axial rotation of the stent is accomplished by rotating the stent continuously, or in small degree steps, such as 0.5 degree per step. Alternatively, the delivery tube is held at a fixed position and, in addition to the rotation movement, the stent is moved along its longitudinal direction to accomplish the coating process.
The tubes are further drawn under a Bunsen burner for precise application of the drug/solvent mixture, which can vary over the length and sides of the stent as needed. It is within the scope of the invention to use more than one of the fluid dispensing tube types working in concert to form the coating, or alternately to use more than one moveable solution reservoir equipped with different tips, or containing different viscosity solutions or different chemical makeup of the multiple solutions in the same process to form the coating.
In another embodiment, a non-porous layer of parylene, parylene derivative, or another biocompatible polymer is applied to the treated stent surface, and the desired API is layered onto that. Optionally, an additional layer of slightly non-porous polymer is applied directly over the API, which aids in controlled release over time. According to the present invention, the stent comprises at least one layer of an API posited on its surface, and the other surfaces will either contain no API or one or more different APIs. In this manner, one or more APIs may be delivered to the blood stream from the lumen surface of the stent, and different treatments for different conditions are delivered on the vascular injury site surface of the stent.
In another embodiment the stent is capable of being coated with an API molecule without the need of a polymer. As seen in
A variety of anti-restenosis compounds may be employed in the present embodiment, including anti-proliferative agents, such as taxol (paclitaxel), antisense compounds, doxorubicin, and most particularly, macrocyclic triene immunosuppressive compounds having the general structure indicated below, and also referred to generally as "limus" compounds. Some of the latter class of compounds, and their synthesis, are described, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,650,803, 5,288,711, 5,516,781, 5,665,772 and 6,153,252, in PCT Publication No. WO 97/35575, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,913B1, and in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 60/176086, 2000/021217A1, and 2001/002935A1.
The stent may be included in an assembly consisting of a stent body surrounding a deflated balloon affixed to a catheter is used to deploy the stent to the vascular injury site. The stent is introduced into the cardiovascular system of a patient via the brachial or femoral artery. The catheter assembly is advanced through the coronary vasculature until the deflated balloon and stent combination is positioned across the vascular injury site. The balloon is then inflated to a predetermined size to expand the stent to a diameter large enough to be in continuous contact with the lumen. The balloon is then deflated to a smaller profile to allow the catheter to be withdrawn from the patient's vasculature, leaving the stent in place. An example of a typical stent implantation procedure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,617.
III. Methods of Use
This section describes vascular treatment methods in accordance with the invention, and the performance characteristics of stents constructed in accordance with the invention.
The methods of the invention are designed to minimize the risk and/or extent of restenosis in a patient who has received localized vascular injury, or who is at risk of vascular occlusion. Typically the vascular injury is produced during an angiographic procedure to open a partially occluded vessel, such as a coronary or peripheral vascular artery. In the angiographic procedure, a balloon catheter is placed at the occlusion site, and a distal-end balloon is inflated and deflated one or more times to force the occluded vessel open. This vessel expansion, particularly involving surface trauma at the vessel wall where plaque may be dislodged, often produces enough localized injury that the vessel responds over time by cell proliferation and reocclusion. Not surprisingly, the occurrence or severity of restenosis is often related to the extent of vessel stretching involved in the angiographic procedure. Particularly where overstretching is 35% or more, restenosis occurs with high frequency and often with substantial severity, i.e., vascular occlusion.
In practicing the present invention, the stent is placed in its contracted state typically at the distal end of a catheter, either within the catheter lumen, or in a contracted state on a distal end balloon. The distal catheter end is then guided to the injury site, or the site of potential occlusion, and released from the catheter, e.g., by using a trip wire to release the stent into the site, if the stent is self-expanding, or by expanding the stent on a balloon by balloon inflation, until the stent contacts the vessel walls, in effect, implanting the stent into the tissue wall at the site.
Once deployed at the site, the stent begins to release active compound into the cells lining the vascular site, to inhibit cellular proliferation.
Trials in a swine restenosis animal model as generally described by Schwartz et al. ("Restenosis After Balloon Angioplasty-A Practical Proliferative Model in Porcine Coronary Arteries", Circulation 82:(6) 2190-2200, December 1990.) demonstrate the ability of the stent of this invention to limit the extent of restenosis, and the advantages of the stent over currently proposed and tested stents. The studies are summarized in Example 2.
Briefly, the studies compare the extent of restenosis at 28 days following stent implantation, in bare metal stents, polymer-coated stents, and textured stents.
The photographs show that the textured stent is at least equivalent to a stent with a drug eluting polymer coating.
The following examples illustrate various aspects of the making and using the stent invention herein. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
In vitro drug release was conducted for Biomatrix� II stents coated with a polymer containing Biolimus A9� and stents with abluminal microstructure including Biolimus A9� according to known methods in a PBS pH 7.4/Tween medium at 37� C. Sampling was periodically conducted and the total amount of Biolimus A9� was measured by HPLC.
Textured stents with and without Biolimus A9� were implanted in out-bred juvenile swine. A balloon catheter was used to place the stent according to the standard porcine overstretch model with 10-20% overstretch. The juvenile swine were predilated prior to stent placement.
After 28 days, the animals were euthanized according to approved protocols, the heart and surrounding tissue was removed from the animals.
A microscope containing a digital camera was used to generate high resolution images of the vessel cross-sections which had been mounted to slides with the results shown in
The stent and artery were dissected, and micro-tomed by a histologist. The samples were stained for various growth signals, cell proliferation, and other cellular debris. Histomorphometric measurements were made of:
The artery area in mm2 (
The following table shows the results of the treatment effect at 28 days follow-up. The data in the tables below under column heading "Lumen Area mm2" report the results of morphometric analysis of stents and vessels removed from the pigs at 28 days follow-up (f/u):
Histomorphometry results
Lumen Area
Area mm2
Bare stent with
7.76 mm2
3.35 � 0.66
textured ablation
Biomatrix stent
8.49 mm2
5.68 � 0.68
with textured
surface and 225 μg
Biolimus A9 �
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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|Oct 22, 2001
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|Stent coatings containing HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
|Dec 14, 2001
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|The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania
|O-methylated rapamycin derivatives for alleviation and inhibition of lymphoproliferative disorders
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|Nov 12, 2003
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|Betts Ronald E.
|42-O-alkoxyalkyl rapamycin derivatives and compositions comprising same
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|Inherently radiopaque bioresorbable polymers for multiple uses
|Sep 22, 2005
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|Sep 22, 2003
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|Stent with rough surface and its manufacture
|Apr 4, 2006
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|International Classification
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|European Classification
|Jun 19, 2007
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text:
The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that there were wounded in the convoy, but had few details as to the source or the severity of the attack. The vehicles were reportedly headed towards Syria after Russia decided to shut its embassy.
In Qatar, U.S. Central Command, charged with running the war in Iraq, said it was investigating the strike, but believed the attack came in an area under Iraqi control.
"Initial field reports reveal that no coalition forces were operating in the area of the incident," U.S. Central Command said in a statement. "Based on the reported location, the incident is believed to have taken place in territory controlled by the Iraqi regime. The inquiry into this incident continues and more details will be made available as soon as possible."
Asked to elaborate on the situation, Central Command spokesman Brigadier General Vincent Brooks said the coalition military was aware the convoy was leaving Baghdad Sunday but had few details on the attack.
"We understand that this group of vehicles is still moving," Brooks told reporters, adding he did not know if there had been "any coalition involvement, whether in fact someone was hit, what the circumstances were around a reported hit."
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it urgently summoned the U.S. and Iraqi ambassadors and asked both to take the necessary measures to guarantee Russian citizens' safety in Iraq, investigate the circumstances of the attack and punish those responsible.
American Ambassador Alexander Vershbow said the U.S. government was already investigating the incident.
On Wednesday, Russia criticized the U.S.-led war, accusing the coalition of bombing targets very near its embassy in Baghdad and threatening the Russian citizens still working in the Iraqi capital.
Bombing early Wednesday had apparently struck targets only a few hundred yards from the Russian embassy and the foreign ministry in Moscow at that time summoned Ambassador Vershbow to discuss the situation.
"The Russian side demanded that American authorities take urgent and exhaustive measures to prevent such dangerous and unacceptable incidents in the future," the Foreign Ministry said after the meeting. "The safety of personnel of the Russian diplomatic representation was in immediate danger."
Despite the diplomatic standoff, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he hoped the war would end quickly in the coalition's favor.
"It is not in Russia's interest to see the United States defeated. What is in our interest is to see this issue put back within the framework of the United Nations," Putin said in a televised interview Wednesday. "The sooner this happens, the better it will be for all countries involved in this conflict."
President Putin, who was informed of the strike Sunday, had no immediate comment.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LEWISTON, Maine, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- A 33-year-old man is accused of nearly biting the nose off another man at a bar in Lewiston, Maine, police said.
Todd Lyons pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of aggravated assault in the 2011 incident that occurred on the dance floor of Pub 33, the Lewiston-Auburn (Maine) Sun Journal reported.
Lyons, formerly of Mechanic Falls, Maine, was arrested recently on a warrant by police in Pascagoula, Miss., where he was found working at a local carnival.
Police allege Lyons walked up to Ryan Zinninger of Greene, Maine, in November 2011 while Zinninger was on the dance floor. Lyons allegedly walked up to Zinninger, "leaned into him and bit him on the face," police said.
Zinninger was rushed to a hospital, where doctors were able to reattach his nose with 12 stitches, police said.
Witnesses told police the two had been arguing, but a bartender working that night said it appeared to have been a random act, the newspaper said.
Lyons is being held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.


text:
Edit Article
wikiHow to Care for a Cat in Sims 2: Pets
In the Sims 2: Pets, you can adopt and care for dogs, cats, fish and even guinea pigs! Here is a guide on how you can care for a cat in the Sims 2: Pets
1Get a cat. How else can you do anything? You can either make a new family with a cat, or adopt a cat with an existing family. Just note that if you adopt, you cannot pick the colour, breed or personality.
2Now you have a cat, get all the items you'd need for a real cat! Here is a list of everything you need: Food bowl, Cat bed, Litter tray and toys. Also, get a scratching post. If you don't have one they will probably ruin all your Sims furniture.
3Fill the food bowl. It costs, but not much. If you have a glitch like I do where then they are hungry they won't go to the food bowl, you will have to go into buy mode, drag the bowl over and click play. When they finish, you have to go into buy mode.... you get the idea. Just repeat it.
4Toilet Train them. Unless you want messes everywhere in your Sims house, toilet train them!
5Play with them lots and interact with them. You will form a relationship with them and it will always last for the cat and the Sims life.
6Teach them every trick you can.
7Have fun with your cat until it dies.
Community Q&A
Ask a Question
200 characters leftSubmit
- Teach your cat all the commands. It's useful.
- Your cat may run away. Try to find it.
Things You'll Need
- The Sims 2
- The Sims 2: Pets
- A family with a cat in it


text:
Physician Groups Strengthen Political Presence in Washington DC
The California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), representing physician groups and their affiliates in 22 states, today announced the opening of its Washington DC office and the hiring of Mara B. McDermott as its Director of Federal Affairs.
According to CAPG, the action comes at a critical time to ensure that the principles of coordinated and accountable care for patients become and remain a priority for the Administration, Congress, and federal regulators.
"Physicians across the country are very concerned that the Accountable Care Act provisions moving our healthcare system toward coordinated, accountable and patient-centered care will be diluted if we're not on the ground in Washington aggressively fighting for them," said Donald H. Crane, president and CEO of CAPG.
"We represent physician groups in almost half of the states in the country and applaud the proliferation of coordinated and accountable health care based on prospective payments to providers. This creates the right incentives for providers to be proactive in promoting population health and delivering the right care at the right time – the very model that our members have been employing for years," said Crane.
"Mara is one of the most innovative and effective young minds on the health care scene today. Adding her to our federal team reflects how vigorously we intend to engage with policy makers in our mission to proliferate coordinated care across the country."
Mara McDermott is a former counselor with the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she specialized in Medicare regulatory issues and health care delivery system models including accountable care organizations (ACO) and other value-based purchasing initiatives.
Prior to that, Mara worked in the Health Policy department at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. In 2007, Ms. McDermott received the ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the Study of Health Law. Mara is a participant in the Physician Organizations Leadership Development program of the American Health Lawyers Association, and is a regular speaker on the legal and regulatory perspectives of accountable care organizations.
CAPG's Washington DC office is located at 601 13th Street NW, Suite 650.
About CAPG
The California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) currently represents groups in 20 states including Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. In California, CAPG members include groups that employ or contract with nearly 60,000 California doctors and provide care to 18 million Californians.
CAPG is committed to improving healthcare for Californians and supports a progressive and organized system of healthcare delivery, which focuses on coordinated treatment plans and comprehensive coverage, including the most current preventive services and exams. This allows physicians to focus on illness prevention and proactive management of patients in order to maintain their optimum level of health. www.capg.org
for California Association of Physician Groups
Kris Deutschman, 916-444-8801 (o) or 916-425-7174 (m)


text:
Bank staff fired after exposing corrupt official
Banker blew customers' money on horses and travel -- but whistle-blower paid with her job
ULSTER Bank fired a whistle-blower who lifted the lid on a senior official who took tens of thousands of euro to feed his addiction to gambling and luxury holidays, the Sunday Independent has learnt.
The official helped himself to thousands of euro from customers' accounts as well as cash he received from clients to pay off loans.
He also helped himself to an illegal loan during a gambling spree on the horses.
But instead of supporting a member of staff whose diligence led to the detection, Ulster Bank fired her, it has been alleged.
The Sunday Independent has learnt the corrupt official was given a reference and now works at another financial institution in the State.
Details of the case emerged this weekend, just days after an unrelated case in which an industrial tribunal in the North ordered a Stg£29,000 (€35,000) payout to an Ulster Bank whistle-blower in Belfast who told bosses a colleague had stolen Stg£500,000 from the bank's vaults.
The tribunal found that instead of congratulating the whistle-blower, the bank tried to make him a scapegoat for the incident.
The alleged thief -- known only as Mr P -- lived a luxury lifestyle, ran a bank-based gambling syndicate and travelled extensively. The PSNI has launched a criminal investigation into the case.
The separate case in the Republic uncovered by the Sunday Independent involved at least €47,000, but it is understood to be substantially more than that.
The bank launched an internal investigation several years ago after a customer rang the branch asking why thousands of euro he had given the corrupt official had not been taken off a loan. The customer had given the cash to the official, but the transaction had failed to appear on a bank statement.
The investigation found cash had been taken out of another customer's accounts and that the official had deceived other members of staff to authorise transactions in order to get his hands on the cash.
Sources inside the Ulster Bank told the Sunday Independent that the member of staff who found the discrepancies later suffered severe stress as a result of the investigation.
Several months later, staff were told the corrupt official would not be returning to the bank and to "forget about it''.
"The whistle-blower was very distressed by the incident," an Ulster Bank insider said.
"But instead of supporting her, the bank behaved appallingly. The staff member was eventually fired."
Another bank source said the internal investigation found the corrupt official had spent the money on holidays and gambling. "He flew off on holidays with his wife and stayed in the best hotels," said this source.
"But his biggest problem was gambling. He was spending a fortune on the horses.
"Gardai were never called in to investigate the case. In fact the corrupt official got a reference and went on to get a post at another financial institution.
"The customers received their monies back and the bank absorbed the losses."
The Sunday Independent attempted to speak to the whistle-blower, but a friend said she was "far too upset" to talk.
In the separate case in the North, Ulster Bank only called in the PSNI two weeks ago after the conclusion of that case at the tribunal.
The money went missing more than 18 months ago, but the details only emerged during an employment tribunal in Belfast in December.
Despite his role in uncovering what was going on, the whistle-blower -- known only as AB -- did not receive any credit and instead there was an attempt to implicate him, said the tribunal panel.
AB was suspended from his job for six months and described being "made to feel like a criminal". He also suffered from depression as a result.
Ulster Bank refused to comment, saying it doesn't discuss "staff matters".
A PSNI spokesperson said: "Following approaches by the Ulster Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland, the PSNI has initiated an investigation into allegations of criminal activity."
Irish Independent


text:
Fruit Cove (Fla.) Bartram Trail three-star offensive guard Tylar Reagan traveled to N.C. State on Friday to check out the Wolfpack.
"It went well," Reagan said of the visit. "I enjoyed it."
The 6-foot-5, 279-pound lineman talked about his time around Tom O'Brien's team and program.
Article Continues Below
"The coaches were great," Reagan said. "The facilities were nice. It felt like a big family."
Entering the visit, Central Florida was in the lead for Reagan's services. He has previously visited the in-state Knights and remained high on the program since that trip. At the conclusion of his trip to check out N.C. State, he admits he has some thinking to do.
"I definitely got some decisions to make," Reagan said.
Reagan did confirm that his decision would come down to the Knights or the Wolfpack. He isn't sure when he will reach that final decision.
"I don't know yet," Reagan said when asked when he would announce.
The offer list for the Sunshine State offensive lineman includes Arkansas, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Kentucky, N.C. State, South Florida, Tennessee, Troy, UCF, and Western Kentucky.


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Imagine unwinding on a secluded slice of Loch Lomond. Majestic mountains and the quiet lap of the shore. Our luxury self catering accommodation is waiting.
A 5 bedroom modern hunting lodge aside the tranquil banks of Loch Lomond. Luxury log cabins of Scandinavian pine nestled under the majesty of ancient mountains. Your own private beach to stretch out and relax. A cosy barbecue cabin for fireside entertaining when the stars come out. And a lakeside hot tub to melt away the world.
That's the Ardlui Experience.
Romantic getaway? Perfect
Family gathering? Plenty of room
Anniversary treat? Privacy


text:
- 2 beds
- 1 baths
- $79,900 price
- 6575183 mls id
- Square Feet: 888 sqft
- Neighborhood: None Available
- Status: ACTIVE
The Nelson House-Washington Hall Condominium project, located in the historic Salem City Business District, is offering 30 brand new two bedroom condos within walking distance of local stores, restaurants, and Salem County and State of NJ government buildings. Salem County Community Bus Services has a bus station within a short distance. Attractively priced at $79,900, all units have ample living space up to 1000 square feet, electric range, energy star windows, refrigerator and light fixtures, high efficiency central air and electric heat pump, two reserved off street parking spaces, top of the line stackable, ventless washer & dryer, and secured common area with camera system for safety. Why pay rent when you can own at a lower affordable monthly cost!
- Style Other
Related Listings
10 Pictures
Must see Ranch home with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on 1.22 acre lot with 2,078 sq ft of living space. Property sits back off the road with a long driveway and large front yard. Property has endless potential with it's spacious interior. Property is being sold As-Is.
2 beds, 2 baths, 2,078 sqft, $79,900
8 Pictures
Perfect starter or retirement home. Two bedrooms, 1 bath, full basement, laundry room. Hardwood floors. Circular driveway. Listing agent is the ( seller) owner of the property. Home is currently tenant occupied, 24 hrs notice required to show. Septic system will need to be updated. Buyer would...
2 beds, 1 baths, 693 sqft, $80,500
Listing Agent: V. Brian Savarese
Courtesy of: American Dream Realty of SJ
Office Phone: 8562996444
Updated: 22nd November, 2017 10:22 AM.
183 E Broadway Salem, NJ


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A personal insight into life in a West Norfolk village during the First World War will be the subject of a fascinating talk forming part of Holkham Hall's commemorations of the conflict.
The talk will focus on a diary kept by Honor Elwes, who lived in Congham and was aged 28 at the outbreak of the Great War, recording historic events as they unfolded as well as covering daily happenings in the village.
She wrote about the fate of Norfolk's youth in wartime including the heroic adventures of her sister Win who left home to drive ambulances in France and won the Military Medal for her bravery, the highest award possible for a woman.
Those days and events will be recalled by Honor's great niece, Juliet Webster, in her talk "Leaves from Honor's Diary 1914-18" in the Saloon at Holkham on Friday, April 4.
Tickets for the event cost £18 which will include a donation to the Army Benevolent Fund. There will be a glass of wine during the interval and the chance to see some of the other state rooms in the hall.
Doors will open at 6pm with the talk scheduled to start at 6.45pm, and prior to the talk there will be an opportunity to view Holkham's 2014 exhibition Duty Calls 1914-1918.
Tickets can be purchased by telephoning the ticket office on 01328 713111 or by visiting the website www.holkham.co.uk/events


text:
Hint 1Bricks that are 2 units by 1 unit will only cover an even number of squares.
Hint 2The minimum width for fault-free rectangles must exceed 4 squares.
Hint 3The 5 by 6 rectangle is the smallest possible construction.
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General manager
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear carried Henry County by almost a 2-1 margin over Republican incumbent Ernie Fletcher Tuesday, with 2,746 votes to Fletcher's 1,633. Turnout in Henry County for Tuesday's election was just 42 percent.
Beshear carried every precinct in the county. The closest margin was in the East Pendleton precinct, where Beshear and running mate Daniel Mongiardo edged Fletcher and his candidate Robbie Rudolph by one vote. The widest margin came out of the East Eminence precinct, where Beshear carried the precinct by 176 votes.
Sports editor
Five weeks after Henry County defeated Western Hills, 40-22, the two Class 3A, District Four teams will be at it again. But this time, there will be a little more at stake.
I don't want to get too far ahead of myself - I have a problem doing that at times - but thinking about the future Henry County High School and Eminence High School football teams make me grin a bit.
And if you're a fan of either squad, it should make you smile, too.
Eminence Pool meeting
You are invited to attend a community meeting to discuss the reopening of the Eminence Swimming Pool at the Eminence Community Center, Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m.
Call 502-321-7643 for more information.
BSA food drive
Henry County's cross country team was short on numbers Saturday in the Class 2A, Region 3 Championships in Goshen, but the Cats managed to qualify half of their runners for the Kentucky State Cross Country Championships the following weekend.
Brittany Crawford, the lone Henry runner in the girls' varsity race, finished 12th to advance, while Larry Farmer finished 10th in the boys' varsity race and Travis Farmer finished 17th. Other Henry runners included Mike Beavin, who finished 33rd, Brandon Goodwin, 35th, and Timothy Ashby, 55th.
With a 7-3 record and a regular-season District Four title behind them, and a Class 3A state playoff game on their home field this Friday night, the Henry County Wildcats are on a upswing. But, according to junior varsity coach Lyndon Johnson, that swing will only get higher.
Eminence's football team hung with Frankfort High School through two quarters on Oct. 19, trailing the highly-ranked Panthers just 7-0 at the break. But Frankfort, who was ranked second among Class A teams at the time, scored 30 points during the second half, allowed Eminence to squeak into the end zone just once, and pulled away to a convincing 37-8 win.
Now, three weeks later, the teams will be squaring off once again, this time in the opening round of the Class A Football State Tournament. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday night on Frankfort's home turf.
Staff Writer and Photographer
Matthew Martin lived his early life not knowing war. Born in 1921, and raised in rural Kentucky, the concept seemed distant.
"I was completely apart from war," he said. "I knew all about The Depression, but not war."
December 7, 1941, changed everything. Martin recalls the day clearly.
I now can say I've been through my first Trick or Treat with the Henry County Local.
And I can honestly say it was some of the most fun I've ever had on Halloween.
It was, for the most part, non-stop action, but a hoot nonetheless.
We saw plenty of lions, a few bears, but not many tigers. We saw lots of lady bugs, several Hannah Montannas, and more than a few zombies. We even had a couple of kangaroos hopping around our office. We only had one banana and a couple of doctors.
Copyright © 2017
The Henry County Local is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Eminence, KY and the surrounding area.


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The Manor House 3 (Basement Study)
24 pieces
2 comments
59 solvesSolve puzzle
I think the Lord of the Manor should be in this room - he's certainly seemed to have done a lot of paperwork! I like the chess set on top of the filing cabinet, but the parcels and that huge dictionary look so real!


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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: A lot of us struggle with balancing our work and our family. It's an effort that can take some creative juggling. It can seem that you're always bouncing back and forth between one or the other. These are all puns by the way. Because this story is about a mail-order greeting business called Send-A-Ball. It was founded by two sisters in Chicago. They figured out one way to solve the work and family conflict is to mix the two together. From the Marketplace Entrepreneurship Desk, Sean Cole tossed this one our way.
SEAN COLE: Send-A-Ball is like a one-joke novelty version of 1-800-flowers. They send out inflatable colored balls, the kind little kids play with, printed with some version of the pun "Have a ball."
About 40 percent of people who receive a ball order one themselves within 48 hours, so they don't need to advertise. And by "they" I mean Michele Kapuska and her sister and Melisa Moroko. They're really close. They live across the street from each other. They even kind of sound alike.
MICHELE: I'm Michele.
MELISA: And I am Melisa.
If you get confused, just remember Michele's four years older. She's also the creative one, Melisa says.
MELISA: my sister sent first ball out 'bout 7, 'bout 10, almost 10 years ago.
MICHELE: 'Bout 10 years ago now.
MELISA: to one of her girlfriends who had a baby.
Michele also used to work in direct mail.
MICHELE: So I know you can put a stamp on it, you can mail it.
MELISA: She filled out the address on one side on the other side she put 'Have a ball with new baby.'
MICHELE: Because I'm funny.
She wrote it right on the ball with a marker and mailed it as is. No packaging or anything. And then she did it again. And again. Just for friends and family and sometimes for her sister Melisa's sales clients.
Now, both of their husbands work. Michele has four kids. Melisa has two. And so they were always talking about starting a home business so one of them could look after their collective children.
MELISA: The latest thing we were gonna do was home waxing parties.
MICHELE: Bikini waxing parties.
It never even occurred to them turn Michele's joke into a company, even though people in line at the post office were always admiring her balls.
MICHELE: Here comes the lady with the balls.
MELISA: Guess what I never heard that one.
Finally someone did more than admire. He gave Michele $5 to send a ball to his sister who was really sick. It was a sign, they say. And then came another sign.
MELISA: And so that night I'm watching Oprah.
MICHELE: So am I. Weird.
MELISA: And it was these women who started their own business of all these crazy ideas and I called her and I said this is it how come we didn't think about this we've been doin' this for seven years!
That was three years ago. And in that time they've sold almost 10,000 greeting balls through their website. The balls are $10 a pop. Most of them are printed up by machine.
MICHELE: Um the one I have here 'Have a ball on your birthday.' And our get-well ball says 'Bounce back soon.'
MELISA: We have a new one.
MICHELE:'You bounced into my heart.'
Or Michele can hand-print whatever you want your ball to say. She runs the business out of her garage while looking after the kids.
MICHELE: I see myself as a mom who has a business.
And Melisa works her day job and dreams about someday linking up with a big greeting company.
MELISA: I see myself the opposite way.
COLE: Interesting. I wonder if that's what keeps Send-A-Ball afloat.
MICHELE: I think it's true.
MELISA: Afloat.
MICHELE: Afloat you're funny.
COLE: Oh God I didn't mean to do that.
I'm Sean Cole for marketplace.
MICHELE: How do we keep all these balls in the air?
COLE: Oh will you stop please.


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Amid reports that Barry Bonds could rejoin the San Francisco Giants in some capacity, team president Larry Baer admitted he has spoken to the all-time home run king about a possible role within the organization.
However, Baer stressed that nothing is imminent.
"He approached us about doing something in an official capacity in the organization," Baer told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We had a cordial conversation. Right now, there are no plans."
The newspaper speculates that Bonds is interested in a role as an instructor and also might help out during spring training. But it remains unclear if he would pursue a full-time role.
— Barry Bonds call himself a 'felon'
Bonds reportedly has a 10-year personal services clause in his contract that will pay his charity (Bonds Family Foundation) $100,000 annually. The seven-time NL MVP, eight-time Gold Glove winner and 14-time All-Star played 15 of his 22 major league seasons with the Giants, but the San Francisco Chronicle noted the team's ownership will have the final call on his personal services clause because of "the magnitude of the hire and person."
Bonds, 47, last played in the majors in 2007 with the Giants, hitting .276 with 28 homers, 66 RBIs and an NL-best .480 on-base percentage. During that final season, he passed Hank Aaron for the all-time home record, finishing with 762 for his career.
Since walking away from the game, however, Bonds has continued to be plagued by performance-enhancing drugs allegations and controversy. In December, he was sentenced to two years of probation, 250 hours of community service and 30 days of home confinement for misleading grand jurors in the BALCO trial.


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Small art, as in physically wee pieces, has literally come into its own since internet commerce became a thing. Thank etsy or a hundred individually run sites where art lovers can connect with people who paint postage stamp-sized canvases and create sculptures that can fit into a person's palm.
But epic art, on a grand scale, still very much exists, even in this age of minuscule wonders. Artist James Turrell's work is a prime example of this bigness of concept. The SoCal-born, Pomona-educated artist has employed vast spaces and variations of light throughout his career, most notably at Roden Crater in Arizona. Yep, "crater" is correct; the artist has been transforming an extinct volcanic cinder cone into an esoteric and quite massive work of art since the late '70s. And we do mean "transforming"; the site-specific work is ongoing.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is set to launch a major retrospective of Mr. Turrell and his light-space wonders. Nope, the Roden Crater is not being trucked in for the occasion -- that's permanently tied to the Grand Canyon State -- but visitors to the museum will see an impressive model. Other pieces, full of hue and mystery and squares and shape, will fill the second level of BCAM and the Resnick Pavilion. Holograms, illumination with geometric dimension, and marriages of light and color are all on the table.
The retrospective opens on Sunday, May 26 and will remain at the museum for a better part of a year. Closing date? April 6, 2014.
Ticketed separately is the Perceptual Cell. It's a freestanding orb that can only accommodate a single viewer. "A program of saturated light" plays for twelve minutes, providing a deeper, more immersive experience. But here's the rub: Tickets are sold out through July, so book soon.
Sensory experiences, ones that deal with color, light, and how both relate to the space they fill, don't come more iconic than the ones created by this legend. Bet it'll be a busy year for the exhibit, drawing Turrell fans from all over the world, even as Roden Crater sits silently and timelessly outside Flagstaff, slowly evolving into a nature-meets-light artwork.


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Andy Bockelman: 'A-Team' is A-OK action flick
June 14, 2010
"The A-Team"
3 out of 4 stars
117 minutes
Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Now playing at West Theatre.
Just when you thought the 1980s were long gone, remnants of the decade make a return: an endless supply of stogies, the Mohawk, the black GMC van with the red stripe.
Ladies and gentlemen, "The A-Team."
Never before has the world seen a military unit like the one led by Col. John "Hannibal" Smith (Liam Neeson). Under the brilliant tactician's command is a crack squad of men: womanizing confidence man Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck (Bradley Cooper); master mechanic and all-around muscle Sgt. Bosco "Bad Attitude" Baracus (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson); and Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock (Sharlto Copley), an inimitable pilot with a few screws loose.
Together, they comprise one of the most skilled teams the U.S. Army has to offer with a long list of successful missions to prove it. But before they can add another tally to their win column while in Iraq, the group is double-crossed by the leader (Brian Bloom) of an American private security firm.
With their commanding officer (Gerald McRaney) dead as a result, the A-Team's latest covert activities have the appearance of treason, leading to their dishonorable discharges and imprisonment.
But, being behind bars isn't about to halt the little cogs ticking away inside Hannibal's noggin, and with the help of a CIA agent (Patrick Wilson), he's got a plan for his men to escape and set things right.
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He may not be the man of a thousand faces that George Peppard was in his portrayal of Hannibal Smith, but Neeson is no less riveting as the gray-haired, cigar-chomping leader nicknamed after the intrepid Carthaginian general.
Cooper shines as his protégé, a wiz at forgeries and procuring sundries of all kinds. Though, if the name Face is any indication, it's his luck with the fairer sex that's his real specialty. It certainly comes in handy that the officer (Jessica Biel) chasing after them upon their prison breaks is his former flame.
Likewise, Copley leaps into his role with the reckless abandon, perfectly befitting that of part-time mental hospital resident Murdock, who never truly seems insane but definitely isn't all there.
After all, you have to be at least a little crazy to attempt to fly a free-falling tank, and that goes for all these misfits.
As for the final member of the dauntless quartet, Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Jackson may not have the yards and yards worth of gold adorning his neck, wrists and fingers like his role's original actor, but he gives B.A. a pensive, conflicted quality that really works.
Still, nobody denounces foo's like Mr. T, and fans of Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo's creation aren't about to forget their favorite star.
The prevailing sentiment of updating the bullet-riddled 1980s TV darling is in preserving the best elements of the show while still adding something new to it. Besides creating a new back story for how the team comes together, the makers predictably ramp up the violence and the graphic nature thereof, and it actually succeeds on the big screen.
While the original show may have been notorious for constant gun fire with almost no injuries of good guys or bad guys — as well as the guarantee of at least one car spiraling through the air per episode or your money back — the rounds of ammunition find their target more often here, and the realism makes a considerable difference.
Nonetheless, director/co-writer Joe Carnahan keeps things fresh and fun amid the heavy fire, and although the energy starts to drain in the final moments, this actioner works from beginning to end.
What makes "The A-Team" really boom is that there are equal levels of believability and escapism. Factor in a bit of nostalgia — just check out the pair of cameos they've got waiting after the credits — and you've got one great popcorn movie.
Don't you love it when a plan comes together?
Now playing at West Theatre.
"The A-Team"
3 out of 4 stars
117 minutes
Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
Now playing at West Theatre.


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Photographer's Note
Sur la croisette à Cannes au petit matin, un homme seul qui rentre chez lui, je suppose. Peut-être a-t-il passé la nuit avec une femme. J'aime imaginer la vie des inconnus que je croise ou que je vois sur des photos.
Nobody has marked this note useful
Critiques | Translate
rigoletto (34279) 2013-06-29 3:04
hi vincent,
what an artistic photo. quite minimalistic with the partial desaturation and open to readings with the leaving man and empty chairs.
BennyV (22517) 2013-06-29 3:49
Bonjour Vincent
Stylish minimalism that reminds me of the work of Otiun, one of my favourite posters here.
Not 100% sure about the added value of that slight touch of blue left. I think the picture would work just as well, perhaps even better in plain bl/w. And, if you allow me to be picky (I hope you do): there's a slight tilt at the horizon too.
Still, even with those remarks, it rises above the vast majority of the posts and stands out. A very pleasing aesthetic picture.
subhendu_bagchi (26091) 2013-06-29 4:37
a nice one indeed... Like the framing... Like the artistic presentation. I think the blue hint acted superbly here. Nice PP. Love this story telling composition. Tfs.
Best wishes.
KristinsCamera (2384) 2013-06-29 7:59
bonjour, vincent ~
what a wonderful, moody shot you have shared with us this morning. it could be a photograph of frank sinatra in his early days, very minimal and stylish. the wet pavement's reflections only add to the mood and architectural symmetry of this shot. i like the added blue, like a watercolor brush has swept over it. and perhaps that slight upward tilt to the shot can be taken as an optimistic sign that this guy, wherever he is going, is headed in the right direction ;)
well done!
yquem46 (38752) 2013-06-29 13:48
Hello Vincent
Bonne image pour faire la couverture de Vogue ou d'un autre magazine de mode
Bon WE, amicalement
carlo62 (61298) 2013-06-29 15:04
Ciao Vincent
una foto che potrebbe essere utilizzata per pubblicità o per la copertina di un disco.
Nolto bella, piacevole la composizione ed il taglio.
Buona domenica
ourania (51103) 2013-07-01 7:45
Bonjour Vincent,
this is a lovely, quiet and sentimental picture, a fine simple composition that describes a scene from a story. I like very much the silhouettes of the two empty chairs and the man walking out of the frame and towards another dimension, away from our judgement. I also like that we can clearly see his face and steady look. The monochrome has some effective, distinctive layers and the subtle blue tint on the wet ground is a fine touch. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely month,
Photo Information
- Copyright: AUBIN Vincent (livermore) (1631)
- Genre: People
- Medium: Black & White
- Date Taken: 2012-10-17
- Categories: Daily Life
- Camera: Canon G11
- Exposure: f/4.5, 1/320 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version
- Date Submitted: 2013-06-29 2:59


text: Hello guys, I'm new to this forum, and this is my first post. I've been wondering about this for ages, and never figured it out. How do I get this sound on my bass? I have a Rickenbacker 4003 that I use on different amps. I have a 10 band EQ but I haven't been able to achieve this effect by tweaking on that. If anyone can help I greatly appreciate it. I love this tone!


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Part of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Mix It Up With Morimoto & Friends was a late-night karaoke bash. The host dazzled guests at Shelborne Wyndham Grand South Beach with his fresh raw bar and sushi bites, which were served atop an ice-encased bar filled with frozen fish and other ocean delicacies.
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival
At its barbecue during the fest, Thrillist handed out thoughtful on-brand gifts such as toothpicks, breath mints, and moist towelettes.
Photo: Kat Goduco
At the City View Loft grand opening in Chicago last month, a drink station from Pure Kitchen Catering had a drink dubbed "the Jam." Guests could drop pure fruit preserves into glasses of champagne.
Photo: Carasco Photography
Adding to the evening's carnival-like vibe—which can be applied to Mardi Gras parties— Jo Snow had a "boozy snow cone" station. Guests ordered the treats in flavors such as grapefruit-rosemary with vodka.
At the February 8 event in Toronto, teams of chefs battled it out in a timed cooking demo onstage. The audience also had a chance to participate in a challenge: a doughnut-decorating contest. Materials, including doughnuts and toppings, were placed on each tabletop.
Photo: Nick Lee/BestOfToronto.net
On February 13, Marc Jacobs capped off a snow- and ice-filled Fashion Week schedule with a palate cleanser of a show evident immediately from the 500 soft sculpture clouds—individually hung at two different points and slightly altering heights—encased in stretch-jersey-covered foam. The set designer was Stefan Beckman, and KCD produced the show.
Photo: Clint Spaulding/patrickmcmullan.com
For his fall show on February 10, Thom Browne transformed Center548 in west Chelsea into a church filled with pews, burning incense, illuminated oversize crosses, and fashionable alter boys. Produced by Villa Eugenie, the show featured models dressed as chic nuns—with sharp eyebrows, dip-dyed black nails, and white veils.
Photo: Courtesy of Thom Browne
On February 6, event-industry pros gathered at Chicago Union Station for an open house that had an "Aurora Borealis" theme. Food for Thought brought in an unusual serving device—a drone—that carried chickpea meatballs. "The drone has a load-bearing capacity of 1.5 pounds, but we needed to pick hors d'oeurves that were heavy enough so as to not be blown off," said a rep for the catering company.
Photo: Rick Aguilar Studios
From January 30 to February 1, Yoplait Greek hosted a taste test at a pop-up space in New York's SoHo neighborhood. At the launch party for media and other invited guests, passed hors d'oeuvres included profiteroles made with Yoplait Greek Coconut yogurt.
Photo: Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images for Yoplait Greek
For its spring 2013 installation, the Palazzo Las Vegas suspended 60 floating cherry blossoms from the glass dome in the Waterfall Atrium, making it look like the pieces were falling from a tree. The sun passed through multiple positions throughout the day, offering different shades and shadows—and photo ops for guests. The waterfall and infinity pond complemented the falling blossoms, and knotted grape vines (recycled from fall decor) along with cherry blossoms added to the branches to give a Japanese feel to the gardens.
Photo: Courtesy of Venetian/Palazzo
The beverage brand's activation—which included serving dinner in a bog filled with a million cranberries—was designed like a Thanksgiving boot camp.
Event Report
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Who doesn't love pop rocks? They are so much fun! This is a very easy and simple Valentine to do and if you're short on time, it will only take a few minutes!
This is how I made them:
I created a little card to put on the pop rocks. You can get the free printable here.
I cut out the card and then folded it in half. I found these pop rocks at the dollar store, they came in a pack of three with three different colors.
I put the pop rocks into the card and then stapled it together.
And that's it! Super easy to make!


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Health Care Service Corporation Named A Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality
HCSC earns 100 percent on Human Rights Campaign Foundation's 2017 Corporate Equality Index
December 13, 2016
Chicago, IL - Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), earning the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality. Administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, CEI is a national benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBT community.
"We are extremely proud to be recognized as a Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality," said Manika Turnbull, vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, HCSC. "Health Care Service Corporation values the diversity of our employees and strives to maintain an inclusive work environment. Our perfect score reflects our dedication to upholding our core values of integrity, commitment, respect and caring. We aim to continue our efforts through the coming years to ensure our employees feel connected, respected and valued for being themselves."
HCSC, which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Montana, strives to make diversity and inclusion a priority in how the company serves and interacts with customers, providers and the community, as well as by creating an environment where all employees can thrive. In addition to aligning diversity initiatives with business strategies and enhancing diversity management skills among employees, the company also offers several Business Resource Groups, including the HCSC Pride Alliance. This is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered group, which also includes Allies, that works to foster a successful, diverse workforce through sponsored educational seminars, an open membership policy, networking, mentoring, community outreach efforts and employee cultural awareness activities. For additional information about diversity and inclusion initiatives at HCSC, visit www.hcsc.com/diversity.html.
HCSC was among 1,043 businesses rated in the 2017 CEI report and among 517 companies that earned top marks. For more information on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index, or to download a free copy of the report, visit www.hrc.org/cei.
About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health insurer overall, with more than 15 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. HCSC has a rating of A+ (Strong) from Standard and Poor's, A1 (Good) from Moody's and A (Excellent) from A.M. Best Company. For more information, please visit HCSC.com, visit our Facebook page or follow us at www.twitter.com/HCSC .
About Human Rights Campaign Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
Media Contacts:
Erika Callahan
Health Care Service Corporation
Phone: 312-653-1607
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com