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A pair of silver Regency candlesticks.
Pieces of well-worn family jewelry.
More than a thousand documents, letters, and photographs
Lotte Meyerhoff's best friends risked their lives in Nazi Germany to safeguard these and other treasured heirlooms and mementos from her family and return them to her after the war. The Holocaust had left Lotte the lone survivor of her family, and these precious objects gave her back a crucial piece of her past. Four Girls from Berlin vividly recreates that past and tells the story of Lotte and her courageous non-Jewish friends Ilonka, Erica, and Ursula as they lived under the shadow of Hitler in Berlin.
Written by Lotte's daughter, Marianne, this powerful memoir celebrates the unseverable bonds of friendship and a rich family legacy the Holocaust could not destroy.
"What a delightful book, and important, too. It gives us the courage and inspiration to utterly reject the fatalistic idea that fratricide, polemic, and enmity between Christians and Jews is inevitable and unchangeable. Finally, it reminds us never to forget or fail to appreciate those forces of light that bear witness to, and instill hope for, mankind and our world."
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President, International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
"Four Girls From Berlin is an evocative story of friendship, challenged in the most sinister environment. For Christians, it echoes the words of Jesus, 'greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends.' The friendship of these four women, three Christians and a Jew, speaks of a greater humanity that in the face of the Nazi horror could not be broken. I stronglyrecommend men and women of all faiths to learn from it."
The Venerable Lyle Dennen, Archdeacon, London, England
The author, a filmmaker who conducted oral history interviews for Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation, recounts the affecting experience of her mother, Lotte, a German Jew who barely escaped the fate of family members murdered by the Nazis. In 1938 Lotte followed her new husband to Cuba on the ill-fated S.S. St. Louis.After the ship was turned back to Europe, she was interned in a Dutch detention camp, smuggled out to Cuba and reunited with her husband (from whom she was later divorced). Lotte mostly refused to talk about the past, but a carton sent by three close German Christian friends from her childhood-Ilonka, Erica and Ursula-loosened her tongue. These young women, at great personal risk, had collected and preserved photos, documents and artifacts from Lotte's family. Because of their gift, Meyerhoff visited Germany many times to meet the surviving Ursula and Erica and their families. Much of the rambling text deals with the closeness that she developed with them and her desire to integrate her warm feelings toward her new friends with the tragic loss of a homeland that darkened her mother's life in America. (Aug.)Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information


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The Travel and Tourism Research Association is pleased to announce that it will be able to award a number of bursaries for its 2017 Annual International Conference.
Made possible with the financial assistance of Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, bursaries between $1,000 and $2,000 will be made available to researchers:
• in geographically remote and northern regions,
• indigenous researchers,
• emerging researchers from developing countries, and
• different humanities and social science disciplines interested in the marketing of travel and tourism research more generally.
Propose your new and cutting edge research techniques and measures that analyze the impact of technology on consumers and the destinations they visit. Suggest research case studies that demonstrate how technology is changing the way destinations connect with residents and consumers, and share your newest research on consumer behavior and marketplace trends. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of this important forum.
Presentation formats include:
A. Presentations
15- to 20-minute presentations in concurrent sessions
B. Panels
60-minute sessions where 2 or more speakers present on a topic
C. ttraTalks
10-minute snapshots of a research issue, methodology or finding
D. Visual Papers as part of the "Ideas Fair"
All bursary applications should provide a brief explanation of need and contribution and be directed to Marion Joppe, Conference Chair (email@example.com)
See http://www.ttra.com/events/bursaries/ for more information including how to apply.

subset: commoncrawl


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Buyer Reviews of Charles Cherney
See below for what some home buyers are saying about Charles Cherney. For more reviews of Realtor Charles Cherney posted on Trulia, CLICK HERE.
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Choosing Charles Cherney as your Buyer's Broker
I have been assisting buyers in all price ranges in Cambridge and Somerville since 1999. I would be delighted to be of assistance to you in your search. There is no additional fee for my services - I am [...]
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Mortgage Information
Many of Charles' clients have been extremely pleased with the mortgage services provided by the following mortgage advisers. Getting pre-approved for a loan is an essential step. These professionals [...]
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- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
- Meal can be requested on the spot
Best offer
82 € / person / night, no meal
Description of the accommodation:
Rooms, services Guests looking for accommodation in Groß Ziethen are welcome to book 44 nicely furnished rooms at Schloss Ziethen Hotel und Restaurant Groß-Ziethen (Kremmen). You may taste delicious, fresh meals in the restaurant of the hotel every day. For guests arriving by car parking possibility is available nearby. Nearby table tennis and bike rental opportunities may provide an excellent option for those who love to spend their leisure time actively. The bar has excellent atmosphere for a relaxed evening talk or a personal meeting. Wireless Internet connection (WiFi) is available at the hotel, enabling portable devices and smartphones to go online. To learn more about the exact range of services of Schloss Ziethen Hotel und Restaurant Groß-Ziethen (Kremmen) (including services for an extra fee) and the exact equipment of the rooms, please check the information sheet below.
Payment Advance bank card payment or credit card guarantee may be required for the reservation, depending on the chosen date, room and price.
Arrival, opening hours The earliest time to check in to your room is 14:00, the latest time to check out of your room is 10:00. The personnel can speak English and German languages.
Schloss Ziethen Hotel und Restaurant Groß-Ziethen (Kremmen) rooms Rooms
- Please select a date to see the proper prices!
Accommodation services
Free WiFi in shared places
Table-tennis, Bike rental at the accommodation
- Finnish sauna
Pet friendly (14 €/night), Garden, Bar, Elevator
Own restaurant
Hairdryer, Desk in the room, Tea/coffee-maker


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Everyone lives in wooden cabins that have many of the amenities of home. There is electricity, running water, toilets and showers in every cabin. "Modern Rustic" symbolizes Nashoba North.
Yes and you can live together if you are in the same age range.
Yes, Nashoba is family based and is fortunate to have at least 20% siblings at camp.
Nashoba's campers have many faces and all love living in a diverse and very active camp community. The majority of campers come from the Northeast followed by New York, Florida, California, Colorado and Chicago. We are pleased to maintain a 13% international camper population.
Camp goes on. We are very fortunate to have many large buildings and smaller studios. Therefore inclement weather is not an issue.
Yes, we share all meals together in Plummer Hall, our spacious dining hall. All classes are co-educational and instructional with the exception of competitive team sports. Team competitions are age appropriate and single sex and girls and boys cabins are on opposite sides of the campus.
Crescent Lake, 3 miles by 1.5 miles is truly beautiful with a sandy bottom, crystal clear visibility and warm water, no need for a wetsuit.
Yes. For phone calls, campers and parents can talk twice in a four weeks session, after the 1st 10 days of camp. Meal time is a great time to receive calls as campers are not missing any activity time. Letter writing is our preferred method of communication and campers are required to write home every Sunday. Parents do have the opportunity to send one-way emails, which are printed off and delivered daily by our office staff. Please remember that food is not permitted in care packages and they are limited to 2 packages per session.
Nashoba does not have one set visiting day. We feel that it singles out those kids whose parents are unable to attend. Parents may visit once during each 4 week stay between 9AM and 5PM after the first 10 days of camp. Parents can always call the director and unit heads with any question prior to the 1st 10 days of communication.
The majority of our staff are older collegians who are specialized in one activity area and enjoy working with children. Average staff age is 20-21 years old. Administrative staff have extensive experience in a camp and youth development.
Nashoba always receives raves reviews about our food offerings. We do not use a food service and enjoy having the flexibility to try new foods each summer. For breakfast you will have milk, juice and cereal on your table, a hot meal and a wide selection from the breakfast bar such as yogurts, granola, bagels and fruit. For lunch there is a main meal on the table, a large salad bar and sandwich bar. Dinner is always diverse and can range from baked chicken, oriental stir fry, pasta shells or make your own pizza night. Nashoba always has a vegetarian option and we are happy to talk with parents in regards to accommodating food allergies or special dietary needs. During the day fresh fruit is always available.
We do not have a uniform, however we do have a dress code. For competitions Nashoba requires you to wear a Nashoba shirt and proper attire.
All camper and staff laundry is done onsite by cabins once each week. Camp provides laundry bags and laundry is returned to the cabin within 24 hours. We encourage campers to pack clothing based on 10 days.
Some are. You may bring a music device as long as it does not have the capabilities of recording or have internet access. iPod shuffles are recommended. Charging is limited and they must stay in the cabins. Video iPods are not allowed. Please check with camp if you have any questions.
Our instruction is exceptional, personalized, challenging and rewarding. Golfers practice at Nashoba on our 2 hole par 3 course and travel off camp during the week to local golf courses and driving ranges. Riders of all abilities can have a hands-on experience on quality lesson horses and ponies. Nashoba has four riding arenas and the lessons size is never more than 4. Proper attire is required for both programs.
We will accommodate those campers that wish to attend religious services to the best of our ability.
Nashoba has a fully equipped health center with registered nurses on site 24/7. If your child requires being seen by a physician or stays overnight in the health center a camp nurse will contact the parent to review the child's needs. Nashoba prides itself on great communication with parents. Our area offers three high quality medical hospitals all within a 35 minutes drive.
Nashoba is well stocked with an array of sports equipment. If you have a favorite glove or racquet that you use regularly then we would encourage you to bring it along.
Every night is exciting and different. This is the time to spend with your friends in your cabin. It could be a lip sync, a trivia night, a Halloween dance, a sports night or simple a cabin night where you and your cabinmates decides to make s'mores over a campfire.
Our day starts with a traditional reveille bugle call at 7 AM followed by lights out at 9 PM. Reading and cabin discussion time carries on for at least 30 minutes. It is a full and active day at Nashoba.
Homesickness is a naturally occurring experience and one which we talk openly about at camp. We spend a great deal of time training our mature cabin staff on how best to help campers cope with homesickness. It is a personal and private matter that we handle professionally and compassionately on an individual basis. We are always happy to help you work through this and have a successful camp experience away from home. New camp parents may want to read Dr. Christoper Thurber's book on homesickness titled The Summer Camp Handbook, available at Barnes and Noble bookstore.
Campers will make their personalized schedule every Sunday for one week. We offer 5 one hours classes Monday through Saturday. Sunday is a quieter day that offers afternoon classes, a fantastic cookout out on the lawn and campfire skits until sunset down on the shores of Crescent Lake.


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Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has no regrets about acquiring Steve Nash, who has appeared in just 60 of the Lakers' 135 games since his sign-and-trade deal from the Phoenix Suns.
"Absolutely. No regrets," Kupchak said prior to Thursday's game against Oklahoma City. "You had a chance. You have to recognize where you're at as a franchise and we felt we had a two-year window, maybe three, to go for a championship and that's what we did. Looking back on it, which nobody can do, that's a different story. But at the time, we knew exactly what we were doing."
Nash missed Thursday's game because of nerve root irritation in his back and hamstrings stemming from a collision with Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich over the weekend.
"I feel terrible for him," Kupchak said. "I really do. Nobody expected him to break his leg in the second game of the season (last year), and it's one thing after another since then.
"Some players would sulk and kind of get depressed and say: 'Well, I'm 38 years old – or whatever it is – and maybe it wasn't meant to be' but this guy has worked harder than anybody to get back."
The Lakers are 18-35 this season, and have lost a record-setting seven straight at home following Thursday night's 107-103 loss to the Thunder.
Kupchak was asked how hard this season has been on him personally.
"I think it's been a lot harder on our fans than it's been on me," Kupchak said. "I take every loss personal, but certain things are out of your control. I don't know what our record would be if everybody was healthy. I just don't know, but I know it would be a lot better than it is today, and we'll never know what the season could have been."
Kupchak added: "We really thought when we were a game over .500 and Kobe [Bryant] was coming back and Steve Nash was coming back, we had a chance to put something together. We were optimistic going into the second month of the season."


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Popular works
Popular Works
Mary Roach
|9780393068474 0393068471 9781611293753 1611293758 9780393339918 0393339912
|334 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
|He's smart but his birds are sloppy: Japan picks an astronaut --
Life in a box: The perilous psychology of isolation and confinement --
Star crazy: Can space blow your mind? --
You go first: The alarming prospect of life without gravity --
Unstowed: Escaping gravity on board NASA's C-9 --
Throwing up and down: The astronaut's secret misery --
The cadaver in the space capsule: NASA visits the crash test lab --
One furry step for mankind: The strange careers of Ham and Enos --
Next gas: 200,000 miles: Planning a moon expedition is tough, but not as tough as planning a simulated one --
Houston, we have a fungus: Space hygiene and the men who stopped bathing for science --
The horizontal stuff: What if you never got out of bed? --
The three-dolphin club: Mating without gravity --
Withering heights: Bailing out from space --
Separation anxiety: The continuing saga of zero-gravity elimination --
Discomfort food: When veterinarians make dinner, and other tales of woe from aerospace test kitchens --
Eating your pants: Is Mars worth it?
|Mary Roach.
Mary Roach explores the strange universe of space travel and life without gravity. Space is a world devoid of the things we need to live and thrive: air, gravity, hot showers, fresh produce, privacy, beer. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human. How much can a person give up? How much weirdness can they take? What happens to you when you can't walk for a year? Have sex? Smell flowers? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a space walk? Is it possible for the human body to survive a bailout at 17,000 miles per hour? To answer these questions, space agencies set up all manner of bizarre space simulations. As the author discovers, it's possible to preview space without ever leaving Earth. From the space shuttle training toilet to a crash test of NASA's new space capsule (cadaver filling in for astronaut), she takes us on a surreally trip into the science of life in space and space on Earth.
Mary Roach's writing style makes me laugh out loud. She is one of the main reasons I began branching out into reading nonfiction. Her research is incredibly thorough. I don't think I'd go to the lengths she does to get her facts straight. I'd happily, joyfully experience weightlessness in...
WorldCat用户评论 (1)
Love her humorous way of writing about history!
评论者是 booksonthebeach (公布的WorldCat用户 2011-05-20) Permalink
Mary Roach's writing style makes me laugh out loud. She is one of the main reasons I began branching out into reading nonfiction. Her research is incredibly thorough. I don't think I'd go to the lengths she does to get her facts straight. I'd happily, joyfully experience weightlessness in...
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- Space biology -- Popular works.
- Manned space flight -- Popular works.
- Astronauts -- Training of.
- Manned space flight.
- Space biology.
- Ruimtevaart.
- Leefmilieu.
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In this gut-wrenching memoir, Howard Dully recounts what life was like after he was needlessly lobotomized by an unlicensed physician at the age of twelve at the behest of his abusive stepmother.
Mr. Dully eventually finds a woman who loves him, a love he returns to her, her son and the son they have together. Therein lies the answer to the biggest question of Mr. Dully's life. The lobotomy, although terrible, was not the greatest injury done to him. His greatest misfortune, as his own testimony makes clear, was being raised by parents who could not give him love. The lobotomy, he writes, made him feel like a Frankenstein monster. But that's not quite right. By the age of 12 he already felt that way. It's this that makes My Lobotomy one of the saddest stories you'll ever read.


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Based between Pescara/Chieti and Berlin, the Slow Motion crew has created one of the most significant realities committed to quality electronic music and club culture since 2005, organizing events like Wrong Era, Retro Futuro, East Coast Disco, Studio X, Bar Noir, Spatial Dance and so on... running Tipografia club in Pescara and founding Slow Motion Records.
They are a tight group of friends with the same peculiar taste in music, however with different ideas that together create a unique musical atmosphere, playing and promoting the best underground dance music from obscure disco to house, from space beats to cosmic grooves.
The idea behind Slow Motion Records, launched in 2009, was to spread the best sound coming from a new generation of Italian djs and music producers as well as from serious heavyweights of the scene, looking for the future way of the Italian disco.
SLOW MOTION NIGHT #003 with secret special guests ...
Artwork by Ruby Call
in 65mq
Friday, June 6th | from 11pm to 3am
Aperitif time from 6pm
Free admission


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Entry requirements
Minimum upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent)
Months of entry
Course content
This unique degree takes up the study of the relationship between politics, culture and communication in the Middle East. The course draws on theoretical approaches central to the study of culture, politics, society and communication to critically assess the continuously changing media and cultural landscape in the Middle East. During the course of study, students are expected to examine different aspects of these changes, place them in their historical contexts, explore diverse perspectives and consider specific case studies in order to encourage new ways of thinking about the region beyond conventional theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding the Middle East and its peoples.
Building on the Centre of Media Studies' commitment to theoretically and empirically challenge the Eurocentric approach of media studies, this programme is taught thematically and through comparative analyses of case studies and considers the role of media in relation to processes of social, political and cultural change.
The programme is designed for anyone seeking a more critical and richer knowledge and understanding of the relationship between communications, culture, politics and society in the Middle East. It provides a basis from which students may proceed to MPhil/PhD research.
Information for international students
Information, including English language requirements, can be found here: https://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/international/
Fees and funding
Please check https://www.soas.ac.uk/registry/funding/ for details.
Qualification and course duration
Course contact details
- Name
- Student Recruitment and Admissions
- email@example.com
- Phone
- +44 (0)20 7898 4700


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Ohio Gov. John Kasich is expected to announced on Wednesday that he is ending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Kasich had pinned his entire hopes on being the consensus nominee at a potential GOP contested convention in Cleveland in July. With Donald Trump's commanding victory in Indiana Tuesday night and Sen. Ted Cruz's decision to exit the race, the possibility of a contested convention became all but non-existent.
Trump currently has secured 1,047 delegates of 1,237 he needs to become the Republican nominee, with 520 delegates still outstanding.
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Kasich repeatedly argued that he was the best candidate to take on Hillary Clinton in the fall, based on polling, but his more centrist message did not resonate with the GOP primary electorate.
As early results from the Indiana primary came in last night, the governor vowed to continue his campaign, despite trailing Trump by almost 900 delegates.
TRENDING: Dem Reads Trump's Tweets Out Loud During Hearing, That's When He Hears from Jeff Sessions
"Tonight's results are not going to alter Gov. Kasich's campaign plans," said John Weaver, Kasich's chief strategist.
But that all changed when Cruz dropped out of the race.
BREAKING: AP sources: John Kasich to end his bid for White House; Donald Trump to become presumptive GOP nominee for president.
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 4, 2016
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Kasich managed to only win his home state of Ohio and amassed a total of 153 delegates, placing him in fourth behind Trump, Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio.
Trump offered very complimentary words towards former rival Cruz during his victory speech on Tuesday night, as he seeks to unite the Republican Party. The Texas senator announced the end of his presidential bid earlier in the evening.
"I want to thank and congratulate the Republican National Committee and Reince Priebus. He's doing a tremendous job," Trump said. "What Ted did is really a brave thing to do and a great thing to do because we want to bring unity to the Republican Party. We have to bring unity."
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Looking for a professional critique of your photos or a portfolio review? Click here and get yours!
Mentors & Muses, Part 2, The Muse
A Photographer Needs A muse For Unparalleled Inspiration
As mentioned in part one of Mentors & Muses, muses are one of the two most important people that help a photographer develop their career, and like mentors, muses are not easy to find. However, a photographer stands a better chance at finding a muse before a mentor and that's why in part one, I advise photographers to self-mentor, but unfortunately, this option is not available for a muse. A muse either exists in a photographer's life, or doesn't, as the muse is the subject of the final photograph. Muses come and go, rarely are they permanent.
A muse also inspires the photographer and an ideal muse is someone that allows a "marriage of the minds" so the muse and the photographer can create something together artistically with passion. Passion itself is the driving force of knowing a person is your muse and in the perfect muse/photographer relationship, the passion is very strong on both sides and both parties get together to shoot as often as they can. The combination of the two passions is explosive when they collide, but when they fuse, the harmony between the photographer and their subject is unmatchable.
This passion is one of artistic nature, however, sometimes this passion is generated from a natural attraction to both parties. Sometimes this attraction is subtle, sometimes strong, though it's a very gray area in that on one hand, the photographer is trying to maintain a plutonic, professional relationship, while on the other hand, natural attraction can lead to more from a humanistic sense. Some attractions are like parent/child, best friends and some even delve into a more intimate form.
As an analogy, a doctor will care about their spouse, child or best friend"s health in a more immediate sense out of the passion for their unique love while on the other hand a doctor can still passionately care for their patients in a plutonic sense. These harmonious and passionate relationships do exist though the doctor"s close one will probably get preferred care than a typical walk-in patient. In the end, the doctor will still provide the proper medical advice to all involved.
While photographers aren't providing medical care, they do in a sense provide a form of photographic therapy, or a form of acknowledgement of their muse's beauty that benefits that muse's self-esteem. Self-assurance of the muse's beauty from the photographer through the camera adds to their close relationship and more passionately created photographs. This time spent together can also strengthen their friendship and potential relationship form, but a photographer normally doesn't look for building a personal relationship when looking for a muse. If it happens it should be natural and not forced and if it doesn't, don't be discouraged, just focus on creating great photos together.
Not all muses fall into a more personal side of the photographer, but generally there is a tighter friendship between a photographer and their muse, in fact, a friendship tighter than that with a mentor. A photographer needs a muse in front of the camera, whereas a mentor isn't required physically on the shoot to provide their potential. The advantage of having a muse is that it often helps the photographer develop their style while the muse gets more experience in front of the camera. Mentors might influence a photographer's style, but generally mentors only provide executional guidance of a protégé's photography.
In my case, my mentor has always given me advice on my photography business, not on how I shoot, though he's complimented me on my shooting style and has pointed out I photograph women from a more photojournalistic point of view—that of always trying to tell a story with my images. My mentor claims it originates from my photojournalism background, whereas my muses in the past have no clue about my photojournalism background and tell me what they'd like for me to capture—their ideas, which I then add my style and technique to create what they want.
In a sense, I try to deliver to my muse what they'd like to see in a photo that portrays their own thoughts and beauty, but capture what I feel the photo should convey at that given moment. My muse is simply someone that I sculpt into my photograph. As an example, if I were to photograph the ideal scene without my muse, it's just a scene, but when I add my muse as an element to the photo, she will bring that scene to life—the viewer will notice that life as the muse, specifically her pose, her look, her mood (see Moody Nudes, Life Created), and her beauty whereas the scene becomes a secondary element of the photograph.
It's like driving down the highway, radio blaring, but you're so into your life around you that you don't even hear the music, but it's there! This is how powerful a muse is to a photographer's photographs and if you do hear the music, your muse becomes the words to the music.
Interestingly enough, most musical lyrics are poetic in nature. Often I think of photography as poetic and the tenth muse was a poet. The word "muse" itself comes from Ancient Greek, which started with three muses then went to nine. Eventually Plato named Sappho, an Ancient Greek and poet born on the island of Lesbos, as the tenth muse—the poetic muse, as she was known.
Sappho"s poetry centered on "passion and love" and often narrators of her poetry speak of her infatuations and love for various females. I like to look at my photography of women as passion based for the love I have of the female form and unfortunately, like infatuations, muses are rarely permanent in a photographer's world, they come and they go as much as we hate to see that happen.
People move on, even our muses. Sometimes it's a heartbreaker, ultimately, it's usually better for both parties, though the key to knowing you had a great muse is that all memories, especially those captured in photographs, inspirational and personal, are cherished for a million years—if you feel that way about your muse, it was ideal, not wasted inspiration. And when that happens, the search begins again for a photographer needs their muse for unparalleled inspiration.
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2 Comments
Great advice, things to think on thanks for a good article.
- Mentors & Muses, Part 1, The Mentor | Lens Diaries™ - [...] A mentor is a photographer's guidance counselor, whereas a muse is a photographer's inspiration. A photographer needs a muse…


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The Struggle Trailer (2008)
01 January 2008
Long nights in the studio trying to make that hit song! Few people believing in your vision to make it. Take an inside look as this three year documentary following the lives of seven Rap Artists and two Rap Groups! Follow these artists as they start to see that the road to stardom is more difficult to get to than expected. This raw and startling account gives you a true perspective of what it takes to make it in the Music Game. Welcome to THE STRUGGLE.
Watch the official The Struggle 2008 trailer in HD below or find more The Struggle videos on Vidimovie.


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Saturday, May 21, 2016
14 comments:
Perfect . Just made for one another. Hugs Mrs A.ReplyDelete
Well, that is a neat card....you never know till you try it, I say. Have a great day!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
A second thought....add a little color in different spots and you have an "adult coloring book" card.Delete
Very elegant and beautiful! Great job!ReplyDelete
It's absolutely gorgeous, Brenda!! The button is perfect with the embossing folder!! This is elegant and fabulous my friend!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)ReplyDelete
A Mermaid's Crafts
Love this, Brenda. A very classy card and so clever to match the embossing folder with the button. xxReplyDelete
What a very unique and elegant card Brenda!ReplyDelete
Love it ;)
How clever were you then to find that button, and even link it to that gorgeous embossing folder. I think it's really great Brenda - very elegant indeed.ReplyDelete
Di xx
This is just wonderful! I LOVE it that you were inspired by that button design, and made such a gorgeous card with it!! The embossing design works perfectly to create the black & white design, and gosh, this does look so arty & like a painting. Well DONE, indeed!!! Hugs & TFSReplyDelete
How cool, Brenda! I love the look of that button & great card design with the e/f behind acetate!ReplyDelete
Wonderful card Brenda, that's a technique I haven't had much luck with (inking a folder) but yours looks amazing, Cathy xReplyDelete
Wonderful card Brenda, that's a technique I haven't had much luck with (inking a folder) but yours looks amazing, Cathy xReplyDelete
Great match for that button, Brenda! Love the black and white! Very classy!ReplyDelete
I love that button Brenda and it goes so well with that embossing! Love your black and white color combo, makes for a very elegant card. Hugs, BrendaReplyDelete


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Ron Paul
May 28, 2010
|Ron Paul and his son following Rand's Kentucky primary win.
Dear Friend,
It sure didn't take long for the entire establishment to attack my son Rand in the days after he won the Kentucky Senate primary.
As I left Kentucky last week, I was both happy for Rand and anxious for what I knew would be coming at him soon. But it came sooner than even I feared.
A mainstream media network has gone into all-out warfare against Rand, beginning with a full 24 hours of repeating outright lies by Rand's Democrat opponent.
It's funny. Rand's opponent's ideas are anti-freedom. They're pro Big Government. They're pro-welfare state, and will stand lock-step with the Obama agenda. And if they are the issue, he can't beat Rand in Kentucky. So he's trying to make sure this race is on a different playing field.
Rand needs to fight back. Some of it will be now, some will be in the coming months. But he needs your help to do it.
I know it seems like he won his primary by a lot, and it certainly was a great achievement. But having done this many times before, I urged him to take nothing for granted, and to run like he was 10 points behind. He did just that, and it was an amazing victory to watch! I was very proud of him and his team.
And thanks to you, he had the funds to do everything he needed to do. But he wisely used those funds in the primary, and has only a small amount left in his campaign treasury as we begin the general election.
- A d v e r t i s e m e n t
- {openx:49}


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Prague HDRip
Genre : Thriller
Starcast : Chandan Roy Sanyal, Elena Kazan , Arfi Lamba, Mayank Kumar, Sonia Bindra
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Hi all,
My husband and I get to spend a week in Valencia (July 3-10) after spending a week in Madrid (ending our trip with 5 days in Barcelona). We've been completely convinced of the value (for us) of staying in one place for a while. We are searching for an apartment and hoping that most places in the old historic part of Valencia are acceptable. I'm drawn (for some unknown reason) to places around the Botanical Gardens and not so much to the southern locations (around the train station). We are not interested in the beach. We might try to rent a car one day to see some of the surrounding area (mostly south), but don't need full time car parking services. Since we'll travel by train both into and out of the city, I should probably prioritize the apartments around the train station. Any advice about apartment location?
Thanks so much in advance--Ann
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Any areas to avoid in Valencia?
Hi all,
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Why choose Valencia in July if you are not interested in the beach? The beach is one of its major attractions.
There are several day trips you can do from Valencia, but most involve going to the beach. You can reach most places by train or bus. If you do rent a car, you can drive to Cartagena for the day and possibly visit the Jumilla and Yecla wine region on the way back.
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Thanks for the reply Robert. We want to go to Valencia because this is an area of Spain that we missed when we were in Spain 3 years ago. (I'm really sorry that we have to travel in July, but that can't be helped this year.) We fell in love with Spain 3 years ago, and that is why we are returning to Madrid and Barcelona. We saw the Sorolla show in the Prado and would love to see some of the sea scapes motivating him. We've also read some great comments on this board about how fabulous Valencia is!!
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It should make for a good trip, but it will be busy in Valencia in July (great beach weather, better than Westport and Ocean Shores).
If you are going to book a rental car, then I suggest checking with Auto Europe. We've used them for years and have always received the best deals.
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When in Valencia, don't forget to visit the Mercado: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds8ryWd5aFw
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Thanks kimhe! We are very excited about the market, since one Fodorite said that it was better than the one in Barcelona!!
And thanks Robert for the car advice. We too used Auto Europe before with excellent results. But we had the car for the whole time before (3 weeks). This time we are traveling by train for the most part with just a short use of a car for the area around Valencia.
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The UK chef Rick Stein (hes famous over here) would agree about th market and ever sincehe broadcast from there I have had a yearning to go there, he reckons it is a very under-rated City.... and of course then there is the paella ,heaven.
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I'm from Valencia. The Mercado Central is indeed wonderful, you'll love it. The train station is just in the center of the town, much closer to everything than the Botanical garden.
If you want to eat (good) paella, a good, inexpensive place to do so is Los Toneles, just in the street in front of the train station's main gate. They have a menu, and it includes paella practically every day. And they cook wonderful paellas. Another option is to visit La Albufera and to eat in a little towna by the lake ( El Saler, Catarroja, Sueca, Sollana...)
I would recommend avoiding any restaurant which offers lots of diffents types of paella the same day; they are pre.-cooked and rather nasty. As a rule, although he are different recipes for paella, only one or two a cooked each day. By he way, real paella is made with chicken and rabbit, with or without seafood. If you are wary of eating rabbit, you may prefer 'fideuà', which is cooked with seafood and noodles instead of rice. Very typical and deicious.
Hope you enjoy your stay!
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For day trips I would recommend Xativa(hometown of the borgias) and Teruel or Albarracin.
have a look at my blog: http://theartichokeadventures.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/historyculture-and-local-food-in-one-of.html
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Also try Goldcar for local rental. They are so cheap many times we have never found anything competitive.
Xatvia by train. Lovely town. It WILL be hot up at the castle ruins. There is a nice hotel up there to have lunch or drink on outdoor terrace.
The Jardin Botánico area is quite nice. I know there are some nice rental flats around there. My only concern about the trendy barrio del carmen area is it can be quite noisy on the weekends and very late at night running well past midnight or 1 a.m. Any apartment there must have AC and at least double glazing. But there are some very nice flats there.
Don't miss:
The Mercado central
la lonja ( across the street)
Horchateria santa catalina ( get horchata ad a few fartons or chocolate and churros ( better int eh winter)
A cooking class might be fun. They will get an interpreter if you give them a day or two notice www.foodandfun.es
Cycling in the riverbed
Photo op at Calatrava Science center and Opera house complex
A good introduction to Fallas is the Falla Artists' Museum to understand how the Fallas are built. Museo Artista Fallero
Actually I have given tours there if you need any assistance please let me know. Bus 28 and 12 stop at the door.
I really like the Valencia History Museum. it is one of the most impressive pieces of museum architecture in the city. Do go to admire the numerous displays, see a few of the film clips, a few of the animated videos in period dress and admire the building.
A boat ride on the Albufera from the fishing town El Palmar http://www.artvalencia.com/?p=148&lang=en
Nice day trips down coast Denia/Javea/Altea/moraiara.. beach towns with boardwalks or seaside restaurants.
Hiking everywhere in the mountains.
Peñiscola would be my choice by car for day trip. Up the coast less than 2 hours.
If you want to get together for a coffee please advise! I should be here. If your husband is a golfer you may want to arrange that at one of the lovely clubs in the area. I'd be happy to do that. We even have some clubs he could use.
You may be surprised at how inexpensive hotels can be in case you don't find what you are looking for in a flat. www.trivago.es works well as it compares. similar to kayak.
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Areas to avoid.. the riverbed after dusk. But other than that, I doubt you will be venturing to the Nazaret area which has always been a bit shady to say the least.
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Dear David Barton, the term "deist" is code for Ancient Free and Accepted Masonry. A majority of the founding fathers were masons. The 18th century enlightenment was driven by those who saw the "light" of freemasonry; the architects of the bloody French revolution derived their inspiration from the "light of Masonry. This fact is repeated on the majority of Masonic web sites and in publications.
The term "deist' also delineated the relevance of Christ in the order of things for the Elightenment crowd. Take the Christ out of Christianitiy and you have the Enlightened secular Europe that is now flushing itself down the toilet of Islamic Jihad.
Funny, My dictionary, and everything I heve ever read previously defines a "Deist" as one who has a firm, reasoned belief in God.
Deist - From Deity which is synonymous with GOD.
IMHO, this article, while interesting and may add some impetus to the argument of the USA being "A Christian Nation" , is based on a highly flawed premise.
I had always understood a deist to be one who believes that God is the Creator and is watching the Great Drama of Humanity unfold (and judging us according to the roles we choose to play), but does not actively intervene in the activities of humanity.
In other words, one who believes that he isn't entitled to use the excuse "It was God's will" every time something untoward happens to him.
Bump for your opinion...
I think David Barton is guilty of selective reading.
I have studied Paine's writings in depth. Especially the
New Age of Reason, parts 1 and 2, wherein Paine roundly
blasts christianity, and does in fact and in word declare
himself a deist.
I usually believe what a person says about himself.
For example, in an 1831 letter to Willam Short, Jefferson wrote
"Abstracting what is really his [Jesus] from the rubbish in which it is buried [the New Testament], easily distinguished by its lustre from the dross of his biographers [Matthew, Mark, Luke, John], and as separable from that as the diamond from the dunghill ... The establishment of the innocent and genuine character of this benevolent moralist [!] and the rescuing it form the imputation of imposture, which has resulted form artificial systems, [these artificial systems Jefferson footnotes as "the immaculate conception of Jesus, his deification, the creation of the world by him, his miraculous powers, his resurrection and visible ascension, ... the Trinity, original sin, atonement, regeneration, election, orders of Hierarchy, &c."] invented by ultra-Christian sects, unauthorized by a single word ever uttered by him, is a most desirable object, and one to which Priestly [father of Unitarianism] has successfully devoted his labors and learning."
Mr. Barton and his ilk, however sincere, produce and perpetuate myths founded on sloppy scholarship which yield careless (if not slanted) assertions.
As Christians we are obliged to speak the truth in all circumstances. The Cause of Christ is not helped when overzealous conservative writers seek to "return the nation to its biblical foundation" by doing what they so often charge liberals with -- rewriting history. The facts are what they are. The words and deeds of the leading men of the American revolution are readily accessible to any one who will take the time to search them out.
Thanks and may the Lord over us all bless you for posting this article..
good un
Sophistry. What this writer did was IGNORE the dictionary definition of deism, which follows:
Main Entry: de·ism
Pronunciation: 'dE-"i-z&m, 'dA-
Function: noun
Usage: often capitalized
: a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe
The Deists were not atheists at all--which is the theme around this article is built. It is suspect from the third paragraph on as a result.
Deists did not deny the existence of a Creator. In fact, they believed in God as the watchmaker, creating the universe but only occasionally intervening to amend the natural laws He penned.
From http://www.rain.org/homeschool/history/religious-history/religion-us-history-deists.html, the first link appearing you look up "Deism."
The term "Deism" originally referred to a belief in one deity, as contrasted with the belief in no God (Atheism) and belief in many Gods (Polytheism). During the later 17th century, "Deism" began to refer to forms of radical Christianity - belief systems that rejected miracles, revelation, and the inerrancy of the Bible. Currently, Deism is no longer associated with Christianity or any other established religion. Then, as now, Deism is not a religious movement in the conventional sense of the world. There is no Deistic network of places of worship, a priesthood or hierarchy of authority.
Deism was greatly influential among politicians, scientists and philosophers during the later 17th century and 18 century, in England, France Germany and the United States.
Early Deism was a logical outgrowth of the great advances in astronomy, physics, and chemistry that had been made by Bacon, Copernicus, Galileo, etc.
It was a small leap from rational study of nature to the application of the same techniques in religion.
Early Deists believed that the Bible contained important truths, but they rejected the concept that it was divinely inspired or inerrant.
They were leaders in the study of the Bible as a historical (rather than an inspired, revealed) document.
Lord Herbert of Cherbury (d. 1648) was one of the earliest proponents of Deism in England. In his book "De Veritate," (1624), he described the "Five Articles" of English Deists: belief in the existence of a single supreme God
humanity's duty to revere God
linkage of worship with practical morality
God will forgive us if we repent and abandon our sins
good works will be rewarded (and punishment for evil) both in life and after death
Other English Deists were Anthony Collins (1676-1729), Matthew Tindal (1657-1733). J.J. Rousseau (1712-1778) and F.M.A. de Voltaire (1694-1778) were its leaders in France.
Many of the leaders of the French and American revolutions followed this belief system, including John Quincy Adams, Ethan Allen, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison Thomas Paine, and George Washington.
Deists played a major role in creating the principle of separation of church and state, and the religious freedom clauses of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution.
But here is an opposing view that some of those named above may be named a bit too hastily (http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel02.html):
"Deism" is a loosely used term that describes the views of certain English and continental thinkers. These views attracted a following in Europe toward the latter part of the seventeenth century and gained a small but influential number of adherents in America in the late eighteenth century. Deism stressed morality and rejected the orthodox Christian view of the divinity of Christ, often viewing him as nothing more than a "sublime" teacher of morality. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are usually considered the leading American deists. There is no doubt that they subscribed to the deist credo that all religious claims were to be subjected to the scrutiny of reason. "Call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion," Jefferson advised. Other founders of the American republic, including George Washington, are frequently identified as deists, although the evidence supporting such judgments is often thin. Deists in the United States never amounted to more than a small percentage of an evangelical population.
Nonetheless, the question is, why is there such a haste to deny that any of these men were Deists? Deism is essentially dead as an organized religion, not least because it was dead as an organized religion to begin with. But this outright lying about what is accepted as truth by most historians (that "notable Founders" Jefferson and Adams were believers in this sect)--why? There are plenty of fundamentally religious forebears to choose from without making them up! Is it so galling to find that there were founders who were not only NOT fundamentalist but were rational Christian thinkers!?!?
I feel like I'm reading the Christian version of an activist homo site, but while they go back in time to point out homos, this goes back in time to debunk Deists.
Why do so many people feel like they have to have dead allies to have a good cause? There weren't many who believed Jesus was the Son of God before He walked the Earth, but it didn't stop the disciples from believing in Him. And millions of anti-Semites walked the Earth before Hitler rose to power.
Just having allies doesn't make you right. However, having made them up does make you wrong.
I, too, have made a wee-little book from the same materials, which I call the Philosophy of Jesus; it is a paradigma of his doctrines, made by cutting the texts out of the book, and arranging them on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time or subject. A more beautiful or precious morsel of ethics I have never seen; it is a document in proof that I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, very different from the Platonists, who call me infidel and themselves Christians and preachers of the gospel, while they draw all their characteristic dogmas from what its author never said nor saw. They have compounded from the heathen mysteries a system beyond the comprehension of man, of which the great reformer of the vicious ethics and deism of the Jews, were he to return on earth, would not recognize one feature.
So far as I can make out what he's saying is that he (Jefferson) is a true Christian and that the theologians and expounders of orthodox Christian dogma are not. It's a bit confusing what he means by the "vicious ethics and deism of the Jews," but I don't think one can use this quote to maintain that Jefferson was an orthodox Christian. And that's the problem: what some considered to be "true Christianity" might be very different from Christian orthodoxy as understood by the churches.
Here's more:
In some of the delightful conversations with you, in the evenings of 1798-99, and which served as an anodyne to the afflictions of the crisis through which our country was then laboring, the Christian religion was sometimes our topic; and I then promised you, that one day or other, I would give you my views of it. They are the result of a life of inquiry & reflection, and very different from that anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian, in the only sense he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; & believing he never claimed any other.
Note the last few words, which indicate that Jefferson's idea of Christ and Christianity was very different from the orthodoxy of the churches.
I don't think anyone can argue that most of the founders were deists. Then as now, self-proclaimed freethinkers were a minority. But the atmosphere of 18th century philosophy and religion were quite different from that of the 16th or 19th century. There was a strong enlightenment component to both religious faith and secular thought in the late 1700s(though defining what enlightenment means in this context could be tricky), and certain key founders had more deism or freethinking in their thought than the average American of the day. Just where Christianity began and ended was much less clear for Washington or Jefferson, Adams or Madison than it would have been for an earlier or later generation. An ethical or cultural Christianity didn't always extend to complete acceptance of orthodox dogma for some of the most prominent of our Founders.
Both sides in this controversy want to claim the Founders or Framers as being wholly in their corner. Learning to recognize that they weren't all wholly orthodox or wholly atheist can be the beginning of wisdom in this question.
I learned this in grade school in the early 50's. I am constantly amazed at the left's denial that this is a christian nation and their endless use of the phrase, "Separation of Church and State" as though it is part of the Constitution.
3) Thomas Paines belief? OK. He said...there remains nothing of Genesis but an anonymous book of stories, fables, and traditionary or invented absurdities, or of downright lies. [Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason] Hardly one to quote on the deep religious conviction of the Founders.
4) Sure none of the founders fit the STRAWMAN definition of Deist put forward; however Franklin said in his own autobiography that he was a thorough Deist.


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Norman Conquest of England introduced a plethora of new names and words into Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person who never tired of walking or a soldier who had lost his foot in battle. The name Puddifer is an Anglicized form of the Old French word pedefer, or pied de fer, which means iron foot. The family name Puddifer was brought to England after the Norman Conquest, when William the Conqueror gave his friends and relatives most of the land formerly owned by Anglo-Saxon aristocrats. They imported a vast number of Norman French personal names, which largely replaced traditional Old English personal names among the upper and middle classes.
Puddifer Early Origins
Worcestershire where, they held a family seat after the Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D., where the name meant literally "Petite" and "Fere," meaning "the little wild beast," a soubriquet which has been corrupted to Pettifer, although a distant relationship has been claimed to Potiphar, the Faro's Captain of the Guard.
Puddifer Spelling Variations
Puddifer Spelling Variations
A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Pettifer, Pettipher, Petipher, Petifer, Petiver and many more.
Puddifer Early History
Puddifer Early History
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Puddifer research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1760, 1665 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Puddifer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Puddifer Early Notables (pre 1700)
Puddifer Early Notables (pre 1700)
Another 19 words (1 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Puddifer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The Great Migration
The Great Migration
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Puddifer or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Pettiford settled in Maryland in 1720.
Puddifer Family Crest Products
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The Puddifer Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Puddifer Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
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Another U.S. Forest Service "controlled burn" gets out of hand
Remember the so-called "controlled burn" in Los Alamos, New Mexico in May 2000? Yes, the same one that torched 25 percent of the city. Well, it looks like a repeat of that debacle may be in the offing for the community of New Harmony, Utah.
According to the Deseret News, the Mill Flat wildfire, which began in the nearby Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness on July 25th as a result of a lightning strike, was suddenly pushed towards New Harmony on Saturday August 29th after a combination of canyon winds, high temperatures and low humidity pushed the fire from the top of the mountain, past a fire break and into the town all in a matter of hours. Continued strong winds and high temperatures are expected to worsen the fire on Sunday. Additional stories by the St. George Spectrum HERE and more recently HERE, on KSTU Channel 13, and on KSL Channel 5, HERE (with photo gallery), and an Aug 29 story with video HERE.
Here's an I-Report from someone who took pictures of the fire from her backyard. The fire is billowing over the mountain towards Kolob Ranches. The wind has picked up speed and if the wind changes, she will have to evacuate. Photo below:
As of this post, about 10,000 acres and at least six structures, including three homes according to the Salt Lake Tribune, have been burned so far, but there were no reported injuries. Approximately 150 residents were evacuated Saturday night, and fire officials urged remaining residents in the town to leave their homes on Sunday. The main threat to the town is now from the west and the north; a total of 550 homes and 58 commercial properties are considered under threat. "It's an extremely dangerous situation right now," Kenton Call, with the U.S. Forest Service, said. "Much of the town is evacuated. There's a lot of lumps in people's throats."
Map of area available HERE. You can see how close New Harmony is located to the northern boundary of the wilderness.
But this may be a disaster of the Forest Service's own making. According to the Deseret News, the Forest Service appears to have made the deliberate decision to allow the Mill Flat wildfire to become one of those notorious "controlled burns" in order to get rid of dead vegetation in the area. Officials claim the natural fire was being monitored and used to restore so-called "ecosystem health", although they also claim that they had fuel breaks and other fire suppression methods in place.
As the fire drew closer to New Harmony during the past week, the Forest Service belatedly bestirred itself and began working the fire with a helicopter to try and keep it from getting into the canyon. But Kenton Call admits they may have miscalculated. "What we think probably happened is the heat of the fire continued to dry that vegetation--mahogany--out," Call said. "It happened very rapidly."
Just like the National Park Service miscalculated in Los Alamos. How many cities do we allow the National Park Service and the Forest Service to burn down before we re-visit the whole concept of "controlled burns"?
Meanwhile, emergency responders are reacting efficiently and even heroically. Firefighters from all parts of the region were being called to help protect the threatened structures, while air tankers are available to drop retardant. There are 140 firefighters, 30 fire engines, three helicopters, three single-engine air tankers, and two large air tankers on hand to fight the wildfire. Susan Thomas, spokeswoman for the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross, said Red Cross volunteers in both counties were combining services to open a shelter around 80 South Main St. at an LDS Church ward house in Kanarraville in Iron County. The shelter is available to people needing a place to sleep or food or clothing. Evacuees can also call the main Red Cross switchboard at 801-323-7000.
Controlled burns can be a useful way of regenerating forests and preventing greater wildfires, but more attention must be paid to weather forecasts, and loggers should be allowed to go in and thin out forests before controlled burns are set. The Forest Service needs to be held strictly accountable for allowing this "controlled burn" to get out of hand. Congressional hearings would not be out of line. I want to see the head of the Forest Service sweating under the klieg lights in front of Congress.


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Glycogen is an immediate source of glucose for cardiac tissue to maintain its metabolic homeostasis. However, its excess brings about cardiac structural and physiological impairments. Previously, we have demonstrated that in hearts from dexamethasone (Dex)-treated animals, glycogen accumulation was enhanced. We examined the influence of 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) on glucose entry and glycogen synthase as a means of regulating the accumulation of this stored polysaccharide. After Dex, cardiac tissue had a limited contribution toward the development of whole body insulin resistance. Measurement of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) at the plasma membrane revealed an excess presence of this transporter protein at this location. Interestingly, this was accompanied by an increase in GLUT4 in the intracellular membrane fraction, an effect that was well correlated with increased GLUT4 mRNA. Both total and phosphorylated AMPK increased after Dex. Immunoprecipitation of Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160) followed by Western blot analysis demonstrated no change in Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 and Thr308 in Dex-treated hearts. However, there was a significant increase in AMPK phosphorylation at Thr172, which correlated well with AS160 phosphorylation. In Dex-treated hearts, there was a considerable reduction in the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase, whereas glycogen synthase kinase-3-β phosphorylation was augmented. Our data suggest that AMPK-mediated glucose entry combined with the activation of glycogen synthase and a reduction in glucose oxidation (Qi et al., Diabetes 53: 1790–1797, 2004) act together to promote glycogen storage. Should these effects persist chronically in the heart, they may explain the increased morbidity and mortality observed with long-term excesses in endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids.
- glucocorticoids
- insulin resistance
- glucose transporter 4
- glycogen synthase
on metabolic demand, glycogen, a mobilized storage form of glucose, is readily broken down to yield glucose moieties. The major rate-limiting enzymes involved with the metabolism of glycogen include glycogen synthase (GS) and phosphorylase. For its synthesis, the core protein glycogenin acts as a primer for the attachment of UDP-glucose moieties, promoting the growth of this polymer (31). GS catalyzes the attachment of UDP-glucose to the nonreducing end of already formed glycogen (36). Glycogen breakdown is mediated by glycogen phosphorylase. The activity of these enzymes is regulated by both phosphorylation and allosteric stimulation (24).
Glycogen is an immediate source of glucose for cardiac tissue to maintain its metabolic homeostasis (3). However, its excess has been suggested to bring about structural and physiological impairments including an ionic imbalance, a change in pH, and stimulation of pathways leading to hypertrophic signaling. Thus, glycogen accumulation that is associated with mutation of 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been reported to cause cardiac hypertrophy, conduction system failure, and ventricular arrhythmias (1). In glycogen storage diseases like Pompe disease, characterized by deficiency of debranching enzyme function, an excessive accumulation of cardiac glycogen leads to left ventricular hypertrophy and subsequent failure (55).
Glucocorticoids have widespread use as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents (47). However, both excess endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoids are known to contribute toward cardiovascular complications (39, 48). These cardiac abnormalities could be secondary to glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and alterations in cardiac metabolism. With the latter, we have previously demonstrated that in hearts from dexamethasone (Dex)-treated animals, amplification of lipoprotein lipase provided the heart with excessive fatty acids that are known to induce cardiomyopathy (43, 53, 57). Glycogen accumulation was also enhanced in these hearts. We rationalized that this increase in glycogen was a consequence of compromised glucose oxidation observed in Dex-treated hearts (43). In the present study, we examined whether additional factors related to glycogen synthesis, such as glucose entry and GS, also play a role in the accumulation of this stored polysaccharide. Our data suggest that in the presence of intact insulin signaling, AMPK-mediated glucose entry combined with the activation of GS and the previously reported reduction in glucose oxidation act together to promote glycogen storage. Should these effects persist chronically, they may explain the increased morbidity and mortality observed with long-term excesses in endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids.
Experimental animals.
This investigation conformed with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Institutes of Health) and the University of British Columbia and was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee (Protocol No. A07-0273). Adult male Wistar rats (260–300 g) were obtained from the University of British Columbia Animal Care Unit. The synthetic glucocorticoid hormone Dex (1 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume of ethanol was administered by intraperitoneal injection to nonfasted rats, and animals were euthanized at 4 h. In the human body, the basal daily secretion of cortisol is ∼6–8 mg/m2 (in a 70-kg adult male, this translates to ∼0.2 mg/kg). In response to stress, cortisol release is increased up to 10-fold of the basal value (2 mg/kg) (13). For exogenous administration, dosing with corticosteroids depends on the disease condition and varies from 75 to 300 mg/day (∼1–4 mg/kg). Previous studies using an euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp have determined that this dose of Dex induces whole body insulin resistance within 4 h (20, 43).
Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp.
Whole animal insulin resistance was assessed using an euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, as previously described (43). This procedure involves the simultaneous intravenous infusion of insulin [HumulinR (3 mU·min−1·kg−1), to inhibit endogenous hepatic production] and d-glucose (50%) for 3 h; the quantity of exogenous glucose required to maintain euglycemia is a reflection of the net sensitivity of target tissues (mainly skeletal muscle) to insulin. At regular intervals, a small amount of blood taken from the tail vein was analyzed for glucose (using a glucometer, AccuSoft Advantage). The glucose infusion rate was adjusted accordingly to maintain euglycemia.
Tissue-specific responses to insulin.
To assess tissue-specific insulin resistance, the skeletal muscle (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles from the hind leg) and heart from control animals and 4-h Dex-treated animals were evaluated for total and phospho-insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) and Akt before and after 15 min of injection of rapid-acting insulin into the tail vein (8 units HumulinR) using Western blot analysis (18, 23). At this early time point, there was no significant reduction in blood glucose with insulin.
Myocardial glycogen content.
Frozen cardiac tissue was powdered, weighed, incubated at 85°C (10 min) with 1 N NaOH, and followed by neutralization with 1 N HCl. The neutralized sample was subjected to further acid hydrolysis with 6 N HCl (85°C, 2 h) (32). After neutralization with 5 N NaOH, samples were subjected to glucose analysis using a glucokinase assay kit. The presence of cardiac glycogen was confirmed by visualization after periodic acid-Schiff staining (21). Where indicated, animals were administered mifepristone [RU-486 (20 mg/kg)] 1 h before Dex. After 4 h of Dex, hearts were isolated and frozen, and powdered tissue was used to measure cardiac glycogen. We have previously reported that phosphorylation of AMPK was inhibited by acute intralipid infusion (19). To determine the effect of AMPK inhibition on cardiac glycogen accumulation, animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, and the left jugular vein was cannulated. Intralipid (5%, 1.2 ml·kg−1·h−1) or vehicle (saline) was then infused over a period of 6 h, after which hearts were removed for the determination of glycogen. In some animals, Dex was administered 2 h after the intralipid infusion was initiated.
Subcellular compartmentalization of glucose transporter 4.
Membrane fractions were isolated by a previously described method using a sucrose density gradient (14). With Western blot analysis, identification of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein was done using rabbit polyclonal GLUT4 as the primary antibody and mouse anti-rabbit horseradish peroxidase as the secondary antibody. Na+-K+-ATPase was used as a plasma membrane marker.
Immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis.
After Dex treatment, heart homogenates (500 μg protein) were immunoprecipitated using a rabbit monoclonal total Akt substrate of 160 kDA (AS160) antibody (3 h, 4°C). The immunocomplex was pulled down with protein A/G-Sepharose for 3 h, separated, boiled for 5 min at 95°C in Laemmli buffer, and subjected to SDS-PAGE. Western blot analysis using antibodies against AS160, phospho-(Ser/Thr) Akt substrate (PAS), phospho-Akt (Ser473, Thr308), total and phospho-AMPK-α (Thr172), and phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC; Ser79) was then performed as previously described (2). Measurement of the phosphorylated form of AMPK, ACC, GS, and GS kinase (GSK)-3-β is a surrogate for the estimation of their activities. This was done using Western blot analysis. Reaction products were visualized using an ECL detection kit and quantified by densitometry.
Measurement of mRNA.
mRNA levels were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. cDNA was synthesized from 1 μg RNA and purified using a sample purification kit (QIAGEN). RNA levels were determined from standard curves generated for each primer. The sample run was carried out for 40 cycles. The oligonucleotide primers were as follows: GLUT4 mRNA, forward 5′-GGGCAAAGGAACACAACAGT-3′ and reverse 5′-TGGAGGGGAACAAGAAAGTG-3′; AMPK-α1 mRNA, forward 5′-GCAGAGAGATCCAGAACCTG-3′ and reverse 5′-CTCCTTTTCGTCCAACCTTCC-3′; and AMPK-α2 mRNA, forward 5′-GCTGTGGATCGCCAAATTAT-3′ and reverse 5′-GCATCAGCAGAGTGGCAATA-3′. Sample amplifications were done with the help of a fluorescent SYBR green dye (Roche Applied Science) in a Roche Applied Science Light Cycler system. β-Actin was used as an internal reference.
Glucose-6-phosphate content.
Glucose-6-phosphate was determined in perchloric acid extracts of frozen ventricular tissue using standard spectrophotometric techniques (6, 26).
Glucose uptake in cardiomyocytes.
Ventricular calcium-tolerant myocytes were prepared by a previously described procedure (41). Cells were plated on laminin-coated culture plates (60 mm, to a density of 300,000 cells/well). Glucose uptake was evaluated using radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose (9). Briefly, myocytes were incubated in a glucose-free DMEM containing 0.2% fatty acid-free BSA and pyruvate (1.0 mM) as the energy source. Dex (100 nM) was then added to the incubation media for 20 min. A radioactive mixture (containing 5 μCi of [2-deoxy-3H]glucose) was added to the plates, and incubation was continued for another 10 min. After removal of the buffer, cardiomyocytes were washed with cold PBS (2×) and lysed using NaOH, and lysates were used to determine the radioactivity. 2-Deoxyglucose uptake was expressed as nanomoles per milligram per minute.
The ECL detection kit was purchased from Amersham Canada. Akt, phospho-Akt (Ser273/Thr308), AMPK, phospho-AMPK-α, GS, phospho-GS, GSK-3-β, phospho-GSK-3-β, AS160, PAS, Na+-K+-ATPase, and GAPDH antibodies were obtained from Cell Signaling (Danvers, MA). GLUT4 antibody was purchased from Abcam (Cambridge, MA). All other chemicals were obtained from Sigma Chemical.
Statistical analysis.
Values are means ± SE. Wherever appropriate, one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey or Bonferroni tests or the unpaired Student's t-test was used to determine differences between group mean values. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
Cardiac tissue has limited influence on whole body insulin resistance induced by Dex.
We have previously reported that an injection of Dex for 4 h was not associated with either hyperinsulinemia or hyperglycemia (43). Nevertheless, using the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp, a direct measure of insulin sensitivity, Dex lowered the glucose infusion rate necessary to maintain euglycemia (Fig. 1A). We assessed the effects of Dex on the responses of skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue to insulin. In skeletal muscle, both basal and insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IRS-1 (Fig. 1C) and Akt (Fig. 1B) were reduced after 4 h of Dex. These effects were not observed in cardiac tissue, which demonstrated a normal response to insulin when IRS-1 (Fig. 1E) and Akt (Fig. 1D) phosphorylation were measured. After 4 h of Dex, total IRS-1 and Akt did not change in skeletal and cardiac muscle compared with control (Fig. 1, B–D). Thus, after Dex, cardiac tissue has a limited contribution toward the development of whole body insulin resistance.
Buildup of cardiac glycogen after Dex is coupled to GLUT4 translocation.
Even though Dex did not impede cardiac insulin signaling, we have previously reported a decline in cardiac glucose oxidation after Dex (43). In the presence of lower glucose oxidation, we hypothesized that glucose entering into the heart would be converted into glycogen. Indeed, Dex induced an approximately twofold increase in the cardiac glycogen content measured enzymatically (Fig. 2A) or by histochemical staining (Fig. 2B). This effect of Dex on glycogen was partially related to receptor activation because although RU-486 reduced the Dex-induced increase in cardiac glycogen, the levels observed were still higher than control (control: 37.8 ± 0.50 μg/g dry wt, Dex: 69.7 ± 1.5 μg/g dry wt, and Dex + RU-486: 44.6 ± 2.1 μg/g dry wt, P < 0.05). In addition to a reduction in glucose oxidation, it was unclear whether changes in glucose transport could also contribute toward the accumulation of glycogen. Interestingly, Dex-treated hearts exhibited a higher glucose-6-phosphate content compared with control (control: 2.67 ± 0.16 μmol/g dry wt and Dex: 3.31 ± 0.20 μmol/g dry wt, P < 0.05). More importantly, after 4 h of Dex, measurement of GLUT4 at the plasma membrane revealed an excess presence of this transporter protein at this location (Fig. 3A). Usually, this observation is accompanied by a decrease in GLUT4 in the intracellular pool. However, in the present study, the Dex-induced increase in plasma membrane GLUT4 was also accompanied by an increase in GLUT4 in the intracellular membrane fraction (Fig. 3B). This latter effect was well correlated with increased GLUT4 mRNA (Fig. 3B, inset). Dex also increased glucose uptake directly in isolated cardiomyocytes (control: 4.2 ± 0.85 nmol·mg−1·min−1 and Dex: 9.86 ± 1.74 nmol·mg−1·min−1, P < 0.05).
Dex augments both total and phosphorylated cardiac AMPK.
In addition to Akt signaling, cardiac GLUT4 translocation is also controlled by AMPK (45). In the presence of a normal Akt signal, we measured AMPK and found an increase in both total (Fig. 4C) and phospho-AMPK phosphorylation (Fig. 4A) after 4 h of Dex. This change in AMPK total protein was accompanied by a modest but insignificant increase in AMPK-α2 (Fig. 4E) but a significant increase in AMPK-α1 (Fig. 4D) gene expression. Once activated, AMPK phosphorylates and inactivates ACC, facilitating fatty acid oxidation. We measured ACC phosphorylation as a measure of AMPK activity. ACC phosphorylation was significantly increased in Dex-treated hearts compared with control hearts (Fig. 4B). To substantiate the role of AMPK in the Dex-induced accumulation of cardiac glycogen, intralipid was used to inhibit AMPK phosphorylation. Intralipid lowered the cardiac glycogen accumulation that was observed after Dex (control: 37.4 ± 1.8 μg/g dry wt, Dex: 66.2 ± 2.0 μg/g dry wt, and Dex + intralipid: 45.9 ± 0.7 μg/g dry wt, P < 0.05).
Phosphorylation of AS160 is mainly regulated by AMPK.
AS160 regulates GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane by retaining this transporter in intracellular membranes, a function that is lost upon its phosphorylation (22). The major upstream regulators of AS160 phosphorylation include Akt and AMPK. Immunoprecipitation of AS160 followed by Western blot analysis demonstrated no change in Akt phosphorylation at Ser473 and Thr308 in Dex-treated hearts (Fig. 5, A and B). However, there was a significant increase in AMPK phosphorylation at Thr172 (Fig. 5C), which correlated well with AS160 phosphorylation, as reflected by an increase in PAS (a measure of phosphorylation at Ser and Thr sites of AS160; Fig. 5D).
GS undergoes robust dephosphorylation with acute administration of Dex.
In addition to the contributions by GLUT4-delivered glucose and the reduction of glucose oxidation toward glycogen synthesis after Dex, enzymatic control of this stored polysaccharide is also an important factor that controls its accumulation. GS, the rate-limiting enzyme for glycogen synthesis, is activated upon dephosphorylation (26). In Dex-treated hearts, there was a considerable reduction in the phosphorylation of GS (Fig. 6, bottom). The major upstream kinase that regulates GS phosphorylation is GSK-3-β, whose activity, in turn, is reduced by its phosphorylation. As GSK-3-β phosphorylation was augmented (Fig. 6, top), our data suggest that cardiac glycogen accumulation after Dex is also dependent on the phosphorylation states of these two rate-limiting enzymes.
Chronically, increased levels of endogenous glucocorticoids are known to cause Cushing's syndrome, a condition that is characterized by obesity, insulin resistance, increased lipid mobilization, and hypertension (28, 58). Exogenous delivery of glucocorticoids as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents is also associated with myocardial failure when administered chronically (35). We attempted to examine the acute effects of Dex specifically related to cardiac metabolism, given the injurious effects that excess triglyceride (30) and glycogen (1) have on the heart. We have previously reported an enlargement in the coronary lipoprotein lipase pool, with a subsequent increase in fatty acid delivery and augmented cardiac triglyceride accumulation (20, 42, 43). With carbohydrate metabolism, Dex promoted the expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4, which is known to inhibit pyruvate dehydrogenase and pyruvate flux and, therefore, glucose oxidation (43). Under these circumstances, we proposed that glucose disposal occurred by its conversion to glycogen. In the present study, our data suggest that AMPK-mediated glucose entry combined with the activation of GS and the previously reported reduction in glucose oxidation (43) act together to promote glycogen storage.
With insulin resistance, metabolism in multiple organ systems, including the heart, is altered, which is believed to be an important factor in increased morbidity and mortality (5, 7). Measurement of insulin sensitivity using the euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp revealed the presence of whole body insulin resistance with acute Dex treatment, suggesting that any change in cardiac metabolism that is exhibited by Dex may be a consequence of the prevalent reduction of insulin sensitivity. Nevertheless, we also determined the responses of skeletal muscle and cardiac tissue to insulin; unlike skeletal muscle, cardiac tissue responded normally to insulin. Under these conditions, it is possible that the effects of Dex on cardiac metabolism are also related to direct effects of this glucocorticoid on the heart. Glucocorticoids work through multiple mechanisms to bring about their desired effects. These include a specific cytosolic receptor-mediated event and specific and nonspecific membrane-bound receptor-mediated effects through which glucocorticoids bring about genomic and nongenomic outcomes (8, 10, 11). Given our recently reported observation that Dex activated AMPK (a metabolic switch that plays an important role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis) phosphorylation in isolated cardiomyocytes within 60 min (20), and the use of RU-486 in our present study to reduce cardiac glycogen accumulation, our data suggest that the effects of Dex on cardiac metabolism in vivo may be linked to its direct impact on the heart. At present, the mechanism by which Dex increases the phosphorylation of AMPK is unknown and could include changes in the AMP-to-ATP ratio (17) or an activation of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (49).
AMPK is known to inhibit anabolic and promote catabolic processes leading to the conservation of cellular ATP levels. It does so through multiple mechanisms including increased delivery and metabolism of both glucose and fatty acids (16, 29, 45). In this context, and related to glycogen, AMPK is known to inhibit the formation of this storage form of glucose in skeletal muscle (40, 50, 56). In the heart, both low-flow ischemia (37) and exercise (34) increase AMPK activity, which is correlated to a reduction in glycogen content. Unexpectedly, our results suggest that the accumulation of glycogen with Dex was associated with increased phosphorylation of AMPK, a phenomenon that is observed in transgenic models of AMPK activation. In these models, mutation of regulatory γ-subunits (γ1 R70Q, γ2 N488I, and γ2 R531G) increased AMPK activation and facilitated glycogen accumulation (1, 12, 15, 27). It is possible that the intrinsic property of Dex to block glucose oxidation counteracts the ability of AMPK to prevent the storage of this carbohydrate. An additional explanation for this occurrence could be related to the effect of AMPK to decrease malonyl CoA, thereby removing its inhibition on carnitine palmitoyltransferase I and promoting fatty acid oxidation (42). The resultant blockade of glucose oxidation, as suggested by the Randle hypothesis, could explain the increase in glycogen storage (44). Whatever the mechanism, our data suggests that with carbohydrate metabolism, AMPK phosphorylation in the presence of Dex is associated with an anabolic function.
Under basal conditions, only a small percentage of GLUT4 resides at the plasma membrane, with the remaining fraction being redistributed in endosomal recycling and GLUT4 storage compartments (25, 46). Translocation of this transporter protein from the intracellular pool to the plasma membrane is regulated largely by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt pathway, in addition to AMPK. These kinases, by phosphorylating and inactivating AS160 (which has multiple phosphorylation motifs at Ser and Thr residues), removes the constraint that AS160 has on GLUT4, allowing the trafficking of this transporter to the membrane surface (22, 51, 52). Indeed, the increase in plasma membrane GLUT4 with Dex was well correlated to an increase in PAS, a measure of phosphorylation at Ser and Thr sites of AS160. To determine the contribution of Akt and AMPK toward this increased AS160 phosphorylation, we used immunoprecipitation to pull down the trimeric complex containing phospho-Akt, phospho-AMPK, and AS-160 and immunoblotted for the respective phosphoproteins. The present study suggests that after Dex, in the presence of normal insulin signaling, AMPK-mediated phosphorylation of AS160 is the predominant factor that controls cardiac GLUT4 movement.
Increased substrate availability plays an important role in glycogen synthesis. Thus, the increase in glucose uptake and glucose-6-phosphate after Dex could be an important contributing feature in glycogen accumulation. Other factors include alterations in glucose oxidation (43) and changes in the enzymes that control glycogen synthesis or breakdown. In skeletal muscle, glycogen regulation by GSK-3-β and GS is well established. AMPK is known to phosphorylate GS, making it prone to further phosphorylation by casein kinase-1 and GSK-3-β, leading to its inactivation (40, 50). The relationship among AMPK, GSK-3-β, and glycogen has yet to be resolved in the heart. For example, Mora et al. (33) showed that cardiac glycogen levels are regulated independently of insulin's ability to phosphorylate GSK-3-β and stimulate GS. In the present study, phosphorylation of GS after Dex administration decreased, an effect closely associated with an increase in GSK-3-β phosphorylation. This effect of Dex on GS in the presence of increased AMPK phosphorylation was uncommon. As AMPK has been recently shown to activate GS through a GSK-3-β-dependent pathway in HepG2 cells (54), our data suggest that through multiple mechanisms, AMPK activation with Dex is associated with glycogen storage.
Limitation of the study.
When examining the effects of AMPK inhibition on the heart, studies have used dominant negative AMPK overexpression or short interfering RNA to decrease AMPK activity. One limitation of this study is the use of intralipid to inhibit AMPK. This is because intralipid, in addition to its effects on AMPK, is also known to effect insulin signaling, and therefore glucose metabolism, by decreasing IRS (Tyr) and Akt (Ser) phosphorylation in the liver and skeletal muscle (4, 38). Thus, the decrease in cardiac glycogen after Dex + intralipid could be a result of both AMPK inhibition and reduced insulin signaling.
In summary, acute Dex administration was associated with a significant accumulation of myocardial glycogen. One way by which this process is made possible is through AMPK-mediated augmentation of glucose uptake, coupled to its regulation of GS, a key enzyme involved in glycogen synthesis (Fig. 7). Given the contribution of glycogen storage in eliciting cardiac hypertrophy, ventricular arrythmias, and conduction system disorders, the results from the present study could help in limiting the deleterious effects of long-term excesses in endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids on the heart.
This work was supported by an operating grant from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of British Columbia and the Yukon.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
- Copyright © 2008 by the American Physiological Society


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'Bay at the Moon'
The Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre's down-home Southern comedy "Bay at the Moon" by hometown success story Ian Mairs will wrap up 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at 716 Ocean Blvd. Among the stars are Thomas Trauger and Jennifer Latka (both pictured). Tickets are $15. For more, abettheatre.com.
Historic District on display
A special field trip and exploration of the Historic District of Middleburg is planned for Saturday. Included will be a visit to the Middleburg Historical Museum, the Fort Heileman Memorial Ceremony and the Haddock home on Black Creek. Things get started at 9:30 a.m. at the museum, 3913 Section St. For more, (904) 571-4146.
Concert on the Green
The 2014 Concert on the Green is Sunday at Magnolia Point Golf and Country Club, 3670 Clubhouse Drive, Green Cove Springs. The music starts at 4 p.m. with local bands followed by the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. and then fireworks. Tickets are $15/adult; $5/student (6 to 17 years of age). For more, ConcertOnTheGreen.com.
'The Good Body'
Amelia Community Theatre presents Eve Ensler's "The Good Body" at 209 Cedar St. this weekend. Tickets are $30 for Friday's 7 p.m. benefit reception for Micah's Place — purchase at (904) 491-6364, ext. 102. Tickets are $15 for the 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday shows — purchase at ameliacommunitytheatre.org or (904) 261-6749. A talk-back and ice cream session will follow the Sunday performance.
Open water race hits the waves
The 2014 Ed Gaw Amelia Island Open Water Challenge kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Main Beach at 32 North Fletcher Ave. The 5K and mile open water swim events are open to up to 300 experienced swimmers with check-in at 7 a.m. for $40.
This cruise-in is tribute to veterans
Cruise-in to downtown Palatka 6-10 p.m. Saturday for the next monthly Palatka Downtown Cruise-in on the 700 and 800 blocks of St. Johns Avenue. This month's event coincides with the 26th annual Blue Crab Festival, and "Veterans Tribute" is the theme. It'll cap off with fireworks over the St. Johns River at 9:15 p.m.
AARP and driver safety
The Players Community Senior Center will host an AARP driver safety program 1-4 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m.-noon Friday. The center is at 175 Landrum Lane, Ponte Vedra Beach. The cost is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. For more, (904) 280-3233.
Cultural Center presents 'Under the Tall Sky'
The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach presents "Under the Tall Sky," a mixed-media presentation by artist Barbara Holmes-Fryefield and a ceramic sculptures by Fay Samimi. The display runs during gallery hours Friday to July 3 at 50 Executive Way. There is a free opening reception 6-8 p.m. Friday.
Great American Craft Beer Tour canceled
Low ticket sales has resulted in the cancelation of the Great American Craft Beer Tour, which orIginally had been set for Sunday at the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine. For more, greatamericancraftbeertour.com.


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An MP has denied putting his hands down the trousers of a man at a bar in Blackpool.
Nigel Evans, who represents Ribble Valley in Parliament, is standing trial on several counts including one of rape, two indecent assaults, five sexual assaults and one attempted sexual assault.
Mr Evans was cross-examined by his defence barrister today at Preston Crown Court, and admitted having consensual sexual contact with one of his alleged victims at his house in Pendleton, near Clitheroe.
However, he denied raping and sexually assaulting him.
Peter Wright QC said he would deal with each allegation in detail later in the trial, but for now he wanted to "swiftly go through each individual case" from the beginning, charge by charge.
He asked the defendant if he had "any recollection" of putting his hand down the trousers of a young man in a Soho bar in 2003, the first charge.
Evans replied: "Absolutely none."
Mr Wright asked again if he had any recollection of doing the same thing to another man in an incident at the Number 10 Bar of the Imperial Hotel in Blackpool, during the Conservative Party conference of 2003.
Evans replied again: "Absolutely not."
The MP denied ever making a pass or trying to kiss the third alleged complainant.
He was then asked about the fifth charge - allegedly groped a young man he had been introduced to at the House of Commons.
Mr Wright said: "Have you ever taken a man by the genitals in the Strangers Bar as a form of introduction, one to the other?"
Evans replied: "No. It's as absurd as it sounds."
The final accusation was put to him - that he made a pass at a young man in a kitchen area near his House of Commons office - which he also denied.
Earlier in questioning Mr Wright asked him: "Have you sexually assaulted anyone in terms of the allegations set out here, Mr Evans?"
The MP replied: "No, Mr Wright."
Mr Wright then asked: "Have you raped anyone?"
Evans repeated: "No, Mr Wright."
The Swansea-born MP confirmed that he had no previous convictions and had not been arrested before these events.


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Means testing vs. universal targeting: assumptions of efficiency and affordability
Means testing vs. universal targeting: assumptions of efficiency and affordability
Whether social protection benefits should be assigned to all (universal) or kept only for those who meet certain criteria (targeting) remains one of the most contentious questions in social policy research. The purpose of this brief is to revisit two social policy assumptions around basic concerns of efficiency, affordability and sustainability of universal social pensions. Contrary to what many international organisations and scholars have argued, this brief forwards that universal social pensions are economically viable and efficient strategies to produce welfare and alleviate older-age income deprivations. The world clearly has the resources to implement basic social pensions on a global scale; the question is if there is also the political will to do it.
Key messages:
- seventy-nine countries would be economically able to shift from targeted non-contributory pensions to basic universal non-contributory pensions with less than 1.2 per cent of the respective national GDPs
- sixteen countries have means-tested/regional-tested non-contributory pensions more expensive than a hypothetical basic universal pension
- an arbitrary threshold of "economic development" is not a limitation for implementing social pensions. At least 16 countries with a relatively low economic development have successfully implemented social pensions without targeting beneficiaries by means
- universal social pensions are politically and economically viable and are efficient strategies to alleviate income poverty