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Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is an allergen-specific treatment for allergy to both inhaled and insect-sting allergens.
SCIT, commonly known as "allergy shots," is one of the most effective forms of treatment available for symptoms caused by exposure to specific allergens and can actually change the natural history of the disease process. While airborne allergens can cause severe respiratory symptoms (allergic rhinitis/sinusitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma), insect-sting venom can provoke anaphylaxis in venom-allergic individuals.
When allergen avoidance is ineffective and medications are inadequate, then immunotherapy may present a viable treatment option for allergic individuals. Treatment with SCIT can induce specific immunologic tolerance in most allergy sufferers, resulting in diminished symptoms, reduced need for medication and long-lasting benefits. Further, SCIT reduces complications directly related to upper-respiratory allergy—such as allergic sinusitis, eustachian tube dysfunction and otitis media—and may prevent the future development of asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis.¹
The use of SCIT in the U.S. began in 1911 by Noonan and Friedman, and now more than 30 million injections are administered annually. SCIT is administered by subcutaneous injection of gradually increasing doses of an allergen. Increasing doses of the allergy serum are given weekly over a period of months until a target dose or maintenance dose is achieved.
The maintenance dose is the optimum dose which induces immunologic tolerance to the injected allergen(s). A maintenance dose is then administered every 3-4 weeks for a period of 3-5 years, or even longer in unique situations. Many studies of SCIT have shown a significant reduction of symptoms within 1-2 years. The treatment is often associated with long-term benefits far beyond the treatment period. In some cases, immunologic tolerance can last a lifetime.
How it works
The mechanism underlying allergen-specific immunotherapy relates to changes in T- and B-cell responses to an allergen, as well as alteration of allergen-specific antibody production. SCIT also affects cells involved in the inflammatory process (i.e. eosinophils, basophils and mast cells). Immunotherapy changes the immunoregulation of responses to allergens by first modulating T regulator cells that orchestrate the allergic response. In turn, T regulatory cells act by stimulating or suppressing peripheral T-cells that stimulate or suppress specific anti-allergen antibody production, and cellular secretions (cytokines) that affect the response to allergen exposure. Research reveals that SCIT results in a loss of reactivity to the specific allergen when the same allergen is applied to nasal and conjunctival mucosa of the SCIT-treated patients. Allergy skin testing reactivity also decreased as a result of this treatment. Finally, many controlled clinical trials support the efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy for both allergic rhinitis and asthma.⁽¹, ²⁾
Observed immunologic changes due to SCIT
1. Allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis
Immunotherapy helps control the symptoms of respiratory allergy due to pollen (including ragweed, see Figure 2), dust mites, animal dander and airborne mold spores. Complications of allergic rhinitis, such as eustachian tube dysfunction, recurrent otitis media, and sinusitis may also improve as a result of SCIT.
Many studies support the effectiveness of SCIT in allergic rhinitis, including a meta-analysis which consisted of 16 prospective, blinded, and placebo-controlled studies of immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis published in English between 1966 and 1996.¹ The studies included grass extract, ragweed, dust mite, cedar pollen, and the mold Alternaria. In 15 of the 16 studies, the outcome favored the active treatment.
2. Allergic or extrinsic bronchial asthma
A meta-analysis was performed based on 75 randomized, controlled trials including 3,188 subjects with asthma. Participants who underwent immunotherapy for allergies to house dust mites, pollen, animal dander, mold (Cladosporium), latex, and other allergens experienced a significant improvement in asthma symptoms.²
3. Insect venom hypersensitivity
Purified insect venoms have been used in immunotherapy since 1980 and have proven more than 95% effective in preventing insect-sting anaphylaxis (See Figure 1).
4. Other possible disease entities that SCIT may benefit:
Allergens used to treat respiratory allergy include pollen (tree, grass, weed), pet dander (e.g. cat pelt), dust mites, airborne molds, and occupational aeroallergens. Allergens used to treat insect hypersensitivity include honey bee, yellow jacket, hornets, wasps, and fire ant. Honey bee, yellow jacket, hornet and wasp venoms are biologically standardized and collected by electroshock or dissecting out the venom sac. SCIT with these insect allergens has yielded extraordinary protection from insect-sting anaphylaxis, offering recipients up to 95% protection.
Careful selection of appropriate allergens used in testing, combined with excellent skin testing technique and a thorough clinical history leads to the formulation of an optimum allergy serum. Allergy skin testing offers the most sensitive method for identification of IgE-mediated allergy. A distinct advantage of allergy skin testing over lab studies (e.g. RAST or Immunocap™) in detecting allergy is that the same allergen(s) used to skin test are also used to prepare the allergy serum used in treatment. The same is not true for treatment based on lab studies, in which the allergy serum often comes from a different source than the one used in testing. Using the same allergen source for testing and preparation of the allergy serum insures that all relevant allergens are present. This level of attention to detail may lead to a better clinical outcome.
RAST assay or Immunocap™ are accurate laboratory tests that can identify circulating allergen-specific IgE (allergy antibody). These lab tests have the advantage of convenience, do not require physician's time and expertise, are not affected by antihistamines, and pose no risk of systemic reaction. However, they appear to be less sensitive than skin testing in diagnosing allergy.
Without a supportive clinical history, allergy testing on its own cannot provide the information necessary to prepare an effective allergy serum for treatment. A careful and complete patient history includes relevant information regarding allergen exposure at home, work, indoors and outdoors, as well as the locations and timing of symptoms. Positive allergy testing identifies the presence of circulating allergen-specific IgE. However, this alone is insufficient in identifying the cause of the patient's symptoms. The patient's symptom history must correlate with allergy test results to determine which allergens are relevant. Only these allergens should be included in the allergy serum.
Subcutaneous injection(s) of an allergy serum customized for each patient are given on the lateral aspect of the arm(s). Injections usually begin with a very low dose of diluted allergy serum. Each week, the dose is increased until the full, or maintenance dose is achieved. It often takes 6-9 months to reach a maintenance dose, which is then administered every 3-4 weeks for a period of 3-5 years or more.
On rare occasions, a course of immunotherapy can be accelerated by a technique called rush immunotherapy. Rush immunotherapy is a method in which injections of allergens during the "build-up" phase are administered every 20-60 minutes, allowing the patient to achieve maintenance levels within days. This approach may take two or more full days of patient time and engenders a much higher risk of local and systemic reaction. Because for the increased risk of anaphylaxis, rush immunotherapy is rarely used as a treatment protocol.
Following allergy injection(s), patients should wait in the medical office for 30 minutes, since most significant reactions occur within this time. Though severe reactions are rare, we recommend that patients carry an Epi-pen™ or TwinJect™ with them after leaving the office. Patients are cautioned not to exercise 1-2 hours prior to and following SCIT and to avoid the use of beta blockers.
Allergy Serum
Allergy serum formulations are based on the type and severity of the patient's particular sensitivity, as identified by the patient history and allergy tests. Antigens are grouped and placed in separate treatment vials to prevent one allergen's protease inactivating another group of allergens and thus lessening the potency of the serum. They are also placed in separate vials to maximize the dose of each allergen.
High-dose therapy is now recommended since it appears to elicit the best results. Initially, diluted allergy serum beginning with a subcutaneous injection of 0.05 cc is gradually increased by .05 cc weekly until a dose of .35 to 0.5 cc is reached. This process is repeated with more concentrated allergy serum until a maintenance dose is achieved.
Dosage adjustments
Since individual patients vary in their tolerance to allergens, dosage schedules are modified in order to prevent reactions. The standard SCIT dose may be adjusted according to the patient's history of response to previous injections, seasonal allergies (for Delaware Valley pollen counts, visit asthmacenter.com, updated daily) or diagnosis of pregnancy.
The goal is to raise the dose as quickly as possible without inducing reactions. Local reactions causing a quarter-sized wheal that resolves quickly will usually not require a change in dose. Large local reactions (wheals larger than a golf ball) lasting more than one day are considered precursors to a systemic reaction and in this case, the next dose is lowered by 30-50%. Patients developing hives, respiratory allergy symptoms, or evidence of anaphylaxis require a 90% reduction in their next dose.
Although SCIT is the most common form of immunotherapy in the U.S., some other methods of allergen-specific therapy have been investigated and proven effective in controlled studies.
Nasal immunotherapy: Allergens are sprayed onto the nasal mucosa. This technique is not currently available or FDA-approved, though it appears to be effective. Clinical trials have revealed frequent local side effects.
Oral immunotherapy: Allergens are orally ingested. This technique has proven effective in some studies, though it is not currently available or FDA-approved. Oral immunotherapy offers some promise as a future treatment for food allergy.
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has proven effective in European studies, using much higher concentrations of allergens than that used in injection therapy (SCIT) here in the U.S. Although there appears to be no consensus on the most effective dose, allergen concentrations may be as high as 50-300 times the amount of allergen currently used in SCIT allergy serums.
In a 6-year study comparing SCIT to sub-lingual immunotherapy (SLIT), Tahamiler, et al (2008) enrolled 193 patients with allergic rhinitis due to dust mite allergy. Half the participants received SCIT, while the other half received SLIT for 3 years, followed by 3 more years of follow-up. Prick tests showed a greater reduction in sensitivity with SCIT. No systemic reactions occurred in either group. However, side effects with SLIT included oral pruritus (48%), rhinitis (31%), and gastro-intestinal symptoms (12%). SLIT studies generally revealed a 30% reduction in symptoms. It would appear that SLIT is most effective for patients suffering from mild to moderate symptoms. In addition, investigators felt that SCIT was more effective than SLIT for treatment in perennial allergic rhinitis due to dust mites. It should also be noted that anaphylaxis with SLIT has been reported as well.⁶
SLIT appears to work best as a mono-therapy, when a single allergen, such as grass pollen, is the cause of symptoms. SLIT does not appear to work well when used to treat patients with multiple allergies.
While there is a distinct possibility that SLIT will be approved in the future for high-dose mono-therapy in the U.S., its availability may be limited to just a few allergens. Further, SLIT may be significantly less effective than SCIT, especially when multiple allergens need to be administered as part of the treatment program.
Physicians currently offering SLIT therapy in the U.S. are prescribing an allergy serum not approved by the FDA for SLIT. Therefore, SLIT is not recommended for treatment at this time by the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology or other major academic organizations. Furthermore, the cost of this therapy may be quite high (estimated $1000-$1500 per year) and is usually not covered by medical insurance. Although SLIT holds promise as a new and effective future treatment for allergy, the use of an unapproved therapy is an unwise choice when a highly effective therapy for allergy is readily available.
Pregnancy: Pregnancy is not a contraindication to immunotherapy. However, it is wise to reduce the immunotherapy dose and not raise it again until delivery.
Use of beta-blockers: In the event of an adverse reaction to an allergy injection, a beta-blocker would interfere with effective emergency treatment by suppressing the response to treatment (epinephrine) and possibly worsening any underlying asthma.
Patient's history of previous severe reactions to SCIT: Patients who have repeated or serious previous reactions may not be good candidates for SCIT for non-life-threatening allergic disease. Severe or unstable asthma: When asthma is unstable, it is prudent to withhold immunotherapy.
The length of therapy can vary according to the patient's response. Most patients who show improvement by the second year of treatment will be likely to maintain improvement in the future. Once maintenance is reached, therapy is usually continued over a period of 3-5 years. Patients that show no improvement during the first year of maintenance are unlikely to benefit from treatment.
Once a patient has reached the maintenance dose, the cost of a year's treatment, including the allergy serum and monthly injections is often less than $1000 per year. However, the cost rises for patients requiring multiple vials of allergens. In contrast, the cost of medications (including prescription antihistamines, physician visits nasal sprays and eye drops and other medication) can often exceed $2500 each year and may be less effective than SCIT in controlling severe allergy symptoms.
SCIT is currently the most effective form of immunotherapy available and has been the subject of many studies which support its efficacy. However, the cost of production of these allergens is high and there is a risk of systemic reactions.
As a result of these limitations, scientists have tried to modify the allergens used in SCIT to lower their allergenicity and increase their immunogenicity. In this way, lower doses of less-reactive allergens could induce tolerance with a much lower incidence of side effects and perhaps greater convenience.
Experimental chemical treatments of allergens have produced new preparations—including polymerized allergens, formaldehyde-treated allergens and allergen conjugates. These have proven successful in some clinical trials. However, they are not yet approved for treatment in the U.S. Another approach has been to absorb allergens by using an aluminum-precipitated extract or product in order to slow the release of injected allergy serum and reduce allergic reactions. However, the variety of allergens is limited with this form of allergen extract.
Finally, a new immunologic treatment with anti-IgE (Xolair) which is a non-specific allergy treatment, can benefit allergy sufferers by globally removing much of the circulating IgE. Unfortunately, its approved use is currently limited to moderate to severe extrinsic asthma patients and its associated cost can top $30,000 per year per patient.
Ross, R.N.; Nelson, H.S.; Finegold, I. "Effectiveness of specific immunotherapy in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. An analysis of randomized prospective, single or double-blind placebo controlled studies." Clin Ther 200:22:342-350. Abramson, M.J. et al. "Allergen immunotherapy for asthma." Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2003;(4);CD001186 Ledford, D.K.; Lockey, R.F. "Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America." 2000:20:3:512 Lessof, M.H.; Lee, T.H.; Kemeny, D.M. Allergy: An International Textbook. Tahamiler R., Saritzali, G. Canakcioglu, S, Ozcora E, Dirican A. Comparison of the long-term efficacy of subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapies in perennial rhinitis. ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec. 2008;70(3):144-150. Epub 2008. Dunsky, E.H.; Goldstein, M.F.; Dvorin, D.J.; Belecanech, G.A. "Anaphylaxis to sublingual immunotherapy." AllergyNet. 200661:1235


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Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Lift Off!
A third peregrine falcon left its nest on Derby Cathedral at 15:30 this afternoon.
Thanks to amazingly nifty keyboard work by webcam-watcher, John B, we can bring you this, the only image we can now supply of the moment of departure.
At the time of writing this post, an hour has passed and we've heard no news as to whether or not she was successful in her maiden voyage. It's currently raining in Derby, and all three of the Project Team are away from the city centre today.
We hope you will understand that, as volunteers, we can't always be there on the off-chance of anything going wrong, though we are on call should the worst happen and we would come in if we were needed. So we have to rely on our existing contacts with the local police, city rangers and vergers to keep us informed if we need to drop everything and literally come rushing to the rescue. We've also emailed staff based at The Silk Mill to ask if someone could pop-out and ascertain whether or not the lift off went as well as we might hope for. So far we've not heard back, though Matt the verger reports that there's no-one on the Green right now.
The Cathedral is open until 18:30pm tonight, so if any blog reader is able to check for us on their way home from work this evening and drop in with the news to give to Matt the verger on duty today, that would be appreciated. He can then ring one of us if we need to come up into town.
Nick Moyes and Nick Brown.
After returning home, Nick Brown later took a call from Cliff to say that all six peregrines were visible this evening. So a big thanks to him for letting us know. Whether the most recently fledged female can get herself higher up the tower remains to be seen however.
24 comments:
another food delivery to the remaining youngster in the scrape, the falcon, she ate some but took it away and the juvie got none !!
- 22 June 2011 at 19:13
Seems like the missing female that fledged earlier this afternoon is probably now sitting down below the nest and just above the nave roof. Thanks to Cliff and Christine for this information received just recently. We'll assess the situation again in the morning. She's certainly safe there anyway.
Nick B (DWT)
ps A car load of people from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire who had come to Derby especially to see the birds were watching from the ground when I was down at the cathedral early evening. First time they have been to see the birds. Good to see such enthusiasm!
- 22 June 2011 at 19:24
- Joy said...
7.28p.m. one little peregrin all on her own, looks as though she has had lots to eat. Hope the 3rd fledged is ok
- 22 June 2011 at 19:30
Just had confirmation from Cliff that all six peregrines were visible this evening - big thanks to him for letting us know. Whether the most recently fledged female can get herself higher up the tower remains to be seen however.
Nick B (DWT)
- 22 June 2011 at 20:34
Thanks for the info on the fledged female this afternoon, she will be safe enough if she stays put on the nave roof. I hope she manages to get higher up tomorrow.
re: Mansfield group: It always pleases me to see enthusiasm, I especially enjoy reading what Green Class tell us.
- 22 June 2011 at 22:59
- Terry, Herts UK said...
0330. Just one remaining juvenile on the scrape. Fast asleep at this time (as should I be!).
- 23 June 2011 at 03:33
At 8.40am youngster was doing a lot of practising wing flapping. Then an adult arrived at the far end of the scrape and the youngster went to get to that side but the next thing I saw was the youngster sitting at the back far end of the scrape with her face into the corner. She stayed there for a little before approaching the other end where the adult was now sitting on the ledge. It looked like breakfast but the adult - tiercel I think - had to have its share first and then the youngster seemed to be tucking in. An amusing incident if I saw it right!
- 23 June 2011 at 09:15
Update 9am Thursday. Yesterday's 'fledger' is on the south side of the tower about half way up. The adult male recently took food to the platform for the remaining young female. 012 and 015 are lying on the ledge/gargoyles above the nest. 015, the male, has had a couple of flyabouts. The falcon (adult female) has been quite noisy this morning, making passersby look up. It seems likely that the last one to go may depart today. After a sunny start, the day is clouding over and heavy showers are forecast.
Nick B (DWT)
- 23 June 2011 at 09:16
The last one in the scrape looks very settled at the moment, not in a hurry to leave.
Thanks for the update on the rest of the family, good to hear #012 has reached higher up!
PS Re: 'Monday's Flying Excitments - I hope Kaths puncture wound on her arm is ok.
- 23 June 2011 at 10:06
Ah we have movement in the scrape...
- 23 June 2011 at 10:19
at 8.30ish ths morning i looked on both cams and could'nt see the remaining peregrine! when i went back to the first web cam it looked to me like the remaining pere was just coming in to land??? is this the case or had the peregrine just come back from the other end of the box?? Thanks
- 23 June 2011 at 10:29
sara: there is a delay between both webcams they are a few second different it could be that you just caught the gap when the bird was moving from one side to the other, they do flap whilst walking across.
- 23 June 2011 at 10:54
Sara/Phoebe: the last youngster was climbing right up the metal struts earlier so maybe that's why you couldn't see her.
Also, after the tiercel had fed her, she went quiet and lay down...
I'm expecting her to have a flying attempt today - but who knows!
Nick B (DWT)
- 23 June 2011 at 11:08
phoebe/nick Thankyou, i did wonder if it was something like that. She looks so sad there all on her own
:( can i take her home lol I'm really hoping i catch her fledge, missed yesterdays one by minutes. Loving the web cams :)
- 23 June 2011 at 11:18
It seems #015 has come to keep the last one company! Or, hopefully, to give her a flying lesson !!
- 23 June 2011 at 11:51
... saying that they both look a similar size so it could be the other female that fledged.
- 23 June 2011 at 11:54
Looking at the female youngster left in the scrape, she is lying at the front and against the side of the tray, I notice her right wing is pointing upward it could just be because she is against the side wall but I noticed this the other day too when she was in the same position. I hope she doesn't have anything wrong with her wing and that it is only the position she is lying in. Hopefully she is just not quite ready yet to fly, let's hope she does so later today.
- 23 June 2011 at 12:43
The right hand camera is zoomed in a bit too much. Great action as the chick is tucking in.
- 23 June 2011 at 13:28
this may sound like a silly comment but is the last pere ok? she keeps sleeping today. would she be feeling a bit lonely and fed up??
- 23 June 2011 at 14:13
Maybe it's just me, but I haven't seen the last juvie eat. Has she been eating? Also, she doesn't seem to be interested in flying. Maybe it's just the times I've been checking in. If she's injured or cannot fly will she be rescued?
- 23 June 2011 at 14:25
Thanks Nick B. I know here in the states we have Audubon Rescues for wild birds to rehabilitate them or if they cannot be released back in the wild, homes them for the rest of their lives. Of course we are forbidden to harbor wild animals and that's where the Audubon Centers come to play. I wasn't sure if it worked the same way there.
- 23 June 2011 at 15:24
I think that is one of the young females in the scrape with the last one, it is out of character for #015. I have been out for the last few hours so don't know it they have both been there all the time.
An adult has arrived with food and is feeding one of the youngsters, the other is watching, she came up in front of the food but went away and sat on the ledge.
- 23 June 2011 at 20:05
ah pleased to see she is not alone i felt sorry for her she looked very lonely
- 23 June 2011 at 23:35
ah back together again for the night
- 23 June 2011 at 23:37

subset: commoncrawl


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Rose Oil Your Natural Side is moisturizing, antiseptic and anti-aging, it is called "oil of youth". It improves skin elasticity, reduces scarrings (also postoperative) and discoloration. It is used in stretch marks and sunburns and in the treatment of flaking and cracking skin, eczema, psoriasis, pigment spots. Seals the blood vessels, prevents spider veins.
Recommended for dry, capillaries skin, mature - with signs of aging, irritated by UV rays and radiotherapy, with problems, discolorations and scarrings. For dry and damaged hair and nails.
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Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil
You can find here natural cosmetics: Aleppo Sopas, Be Organic, Fresh&Natural, MomMe, Resibo and more...
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The impulse to create this 'corner' may seem somewhat prosaic, because as the saying goes "if you cannot have what you love, you love what you have" - you import it. Love for natural cosmetics made, that I started to look for all kinds of eco-brands. It turned out that many precious pearls comes from the country of my origin. Poles have created the fantastic natural cosmetics. However, products that were potentially desired by many were unreachable where we live now - in UK. We would like to share with you the good coming from the green warehouses.
All this in order to bring us closer to the green side of the force - more about that in "Our Mission".
Patrycja Pieglowska - I'm leading the supply line of our store, organizing promotions and similar events, preparing deliveries, dispelling doubts and mitigating any disputes.
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The EcoEuphoria brand was born from the merging of dreams, passion and love for (mainly) natural cosmetics. Our motivation was a desire to improve the quality of our life in general. Starting from the diet, through exercising the body and mind to care for the environment, good relationships with people and care for the body and soul in the end. We are not entirely all over it, but the desire to experience our short road of life on earth – at the highest level possible – is pushing us towards new, fresh solutions. We believe that you want give what is the best for you, your family and friends. Therefore, no matter if we start from the diet, or cosmetics, it's important that we want to make changes, we are trying and testing if the nature is good for us. We are here to help you in these tests and evoke a smile on your face - even for a moment. We try to give you what is the best, healthy and safe (also for our environment) and to encourage you to "taste" but the choice is always in your hands.


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Egg Harbor Township, NJ A new designated cell phone lot has been created at Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) to help reduce the congestion provide safe access for motorists who are picking up arriving passengers at the airport. New signs have been posted to direct traffic into the lot, which is located adjacent to the main terminal building.
"Given our commitment to creating a stress less travel experience for our passengers, adding a cell phone lot just made sense," said Bart R. Mueller, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which owns and operates the airport "The lot helps us do our part in assisting law enforcement in maintaining a safe area in and around the Terminal."
The purpose of the lot is to eliminate the need for motorists to repeatedly circle the Terminal area while waiting to pick up an arriving passenger. Drivers will be permitted to park in the lot for free in the lot until they receive a call indicating that the passenger is ready to be picked up at the curb. Vehicles should not be left unattended at any time.
"We officially opened the new lot yesterday, and so far, it seems to be very convenient for everyone, not to mention that less idling time decreases fuel emissions and helps save on gas consumption," said Mueller


text:
The G-DOCK ev with Thunderbolt storage solution is a two bay, swappable drive system with user configurable RAID 0,1 and is designed to optimize the digital content workflow. Part of the Evolution Series, G-DOCK ev ships with two removable USB 3.0 G-DRIVE ev hard drives for convenience and portability. Pop in any combination of G-DRIVE ev hard drives into the G-DOCK ev for ultimate flexibility. The Evolution Series includes not only the G-DOCK ev, but also G-DRIVE ev and G-DRIVE ev PLUS. Designed for speed and flexibility, G-DRIVE ev offers transfer speeds up to 136MB/s, features USB 3.0 for use as a single direct attached drive and a SATA connector for use in the G-DOCK ev. The G-DRIVE ev PLUS provides transfer speeds up to 250MB/s, and also features USB 3.0 and a SATA connector.
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Final report submitted to NIJ, State and Local Change
and the Violence Against Women Act, Marcia R. Chaiken,
Barbara Boland, Michael D. Maltz, Susan Martin, and Joseph
Tragonski, grant number 98–WT–VX–K013, available
from NCJRS (NCJ 191186).
Solid evidence and the cooperation of witnesses are fundamental
to a successful prosecution. In cases involving violence
against women, these crucial elements are often difficult
to obtain. Researchers investigating State and local responses
to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) found new approaches
implemented by prosecutors in four States (Arizona, Maryland,
Massachusetts, and Oregon) that both led to increased punishment
of offenders who victimized women and eased the strain of
the prosecutorial process for the victims.
Following the passage of VAWA in 1994, several changes
were instituted at the four study sites:
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), incorporated in
the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994,
was intended to bolster the ability of law enforcement
departments, prosecutors, and private nonprofit victim
assistance organizations to enhance services to women
victims of violence, to better assure victim safety, and
to increase offender accountability. The language of VAWA
suggests that these results could be achieved through
three mechanisms: (1) strategic leadership by the Federal
Government to increase coordination among Federal, State,
local, and tribal agencies; (2) Federal funding for policing,
prosecution, and victim services; and (3) statutory changes
allowing for a more active role on the part of U.S. Attorneys
in cases involving violence against women.
After VAWA was enacted, the Federal Government established
a national hotline, a Violence Against Women Office, and
a national Advisory Council on Violence Against Women.
By the end of 2000, grants exceeding $1 billion had been
made to public and private organizations concerned with
violence against women.
One of the major benefits of VAWA cited by practitioners
interviewed for this study was a dramatic rise in collaboration
and cooperation in addressing domestic violence. In some
instances, task forces and interagency programs that had
been started prior to passage of VAWA were accelerated and
enhanced. In other areas, new ground was broken in bringing
together prosecutors, other criminal justice agencies, social
service providers, victims' advocates, and victims.
In the four study sites, collaborative efforts included:
To cooperate effectively, prosecutors and victims'
advocates have had to recognize and respect (if not agree
with) their different perspectives and goals. Prosecutors
in the jurisdictions studied saw enactment of the Violence
Against Women Act (VAWA) as an opportunity to increase
victim safety and offender accountability. They viewed
the victim service provisions, primarily, as services
that would ensure the victim's immediate safety and
facilitate the collection of appropriate statements and
evidence to secure a conviction. Victims and their advocates
looked to the law for more direct short-term aid, such
as shelter, and for long-term assistance that would allow
the victim to become psychologically, emotionally, socially,
and financially independent of the abuser.
From this perspective, prosecutors and advocates often
view new programs very differently. For example, prosecutors
see deferred sentencing as a way to hold accountable and
supervise first-time offenders who would otherwise serve
little or no jail time. Conversely, victims' advocates
tend to view deferred sentencing as a slap on the wrist,
not a serious deterrent, and see the offender's freedom
as an ongoing threat, keeping the victim from getting
on with her life. In the study sites, VAWA helped stimulate
initial discussions and ongoing mechanisms for resolving
these concerns, often spearheaded by prosecutors.
Prior to VAWA, many State, district, and county attorneys
recognized the benefits of providing coordination and support
services for victims of violence who were needed as witnesses.
VAWA funds helped stimulate the allocation of more resources
for prosecuting offenders who victimized women and more
resources for supporting victims through the harrowing process
of bringing those offenders to justice. Above and beyond
funding, strategies incorporated in VAWA helped bring about
an increase in coordination between prosecutors, including
U.S. Attorneys, and staff in other agencies concerned with
preventing revictimization and reducing further trauma among
women who have survived violence.
According to the study's findings, key steps that
district and county attorneys can take are:
For more information
National Institute of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531


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You will find plenty of merchandise featuring "Pawn Stars" cast member Austin "Chumlee" Russell at the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas — everything from Chumlee bobbleheads, golf balls and Chumberry lip balm to "Chumlee is my homeboy" and "Vote Chumlee for President" T-shirts — but you likely won't see the 29-year-old reality TV star walking around the store during his shift.
The History network's highest-rated show has made it difficult for Chumlee and co-stars Richard Harrison (aka "The Old Man"), his son Rick Harrison and Rick's son Corey Harrison (Chumlee's childhood friend) to work anywhere but the private section of the tourist-heavy store.
"It put a kink in sales right away because everyone wanted pictures," said Chumlee over the phone from Las Vegas last month. "It was no longer a private area for the guy trying to pawn a ring to get food."
That's not to say Chumlee hasn't enjoyed the fame.
The Las Vegas native, nicknamed after the walrus on the 1960s cartoon "Tennessee Tuxedo and his Tales," has translated his popularity into a new clothing line (Mammoth Unltd.) and trade show appearances (Chumlee and WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio are set to appear at World of Wheels at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Friday and Saturday, respectively). Chumlee also used his connections to meet rocker Ozzy Osbourne, who had a hit reality TV show himself once upon a time on MTV.
"Ozzie is a huge fan of ("Pawn Stars")," Chumlee said. "We got to go to his dressing room before a show. He shook my hand and said, 'Hey, I love the interaction between you and The Old Man.'"
In addition to the old-school vs. new-school interaction between the long-haired Chumlee and the grumpy-but-likable Old Man, the show, now in its fifth season, offers viewers brief history lessons on the rare items brought into the store for pawning, as well as brief background on the people trying to sell them. Viewers often find themselves pulling for the desperate seller during the bargaining process rather than the experienced buyers at Gold & Silver, but the show's stars are still as popular as ever.
"We take pictures everywhere we go," said Chumlee, who has more than 117,000 followers on Twitter. "I've already taken 20 pictures today."
Heads up: Oscar-nominated actress Mariel Hemingway will meet with media in Chicago March 14 to promote the Wellness Week initiative. ... Season nine "Project Runway" contestant Viktor Luna will appear atMacy's on State Street March 8.
On the record: "People ask me all the time about which amazing restaurants they should go to, and I've got nothing. I could tell you to get a great $1.50 slice of pizza at this little place across the street from Loyola, but that's it." -- "Once Upon a Time" star and Arlington Heighs native Jennifer Morrison talks about her time at Loyola in the March issue of Michigan Avenue magazine.
Speaking of Arlington Heights: Good luck to Arlington Heights native Jonathan Spector, Homer Glen native Brad Guzan and their U.S. national team teammates in their soccer friendly against Italy Wednesday. I normally try not to watch Italy play because their diving makes me want to throw my remote at the TV, but I'll make an exception for this one.
Sightings: Katie Couric dined at The Pump Room in the Gold Coast Tuesday. ... Actor John Lithgow (aka the best villain yet on Showtime's "Dexter") narrated the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's performance of "The Soldier's Tale" at Symphony Center in the Loop Saturday and Tuesday. ... "Modern Family" actor Ty Burrell took in Steep Theatre Company's production of "Love and Money" Friday. ... "Let's Make a Deal" host Wayne Brady had lunch at Frankie's Scaloppine in 900 North Michigan Shops Tuesday. ... U.S. figure skater Evan Lysacek and actor Joe Pantoliano dined at RPM Italian in River North Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews visited RPM Italian Friday. ... O.A.R. drummer Chris Culos and Jenni Pulos, host of Bravo's "Flipping Out," hung out separately at Old Town Social Saturday. Pulos also was spotted at Charles Ifergan Salon and Exhale Spa that day. ... The Green Bay Packers' Jermichael Finley dined at Hub 51 Friday. ... The Bears' Lance Briggs and New York Giants' David Diehl hung out at Paris Club's upstairs lounge, Studio Paris, Saturday. Diehl was spotted at Enclave Friday. ... The Milwaukee Bucks' Mike Dunleavy Jr. had dinner at Joe's Stone Crab Thursday. ... The Blackhawks' Corey Crawford and Bryan Bickel dined at Chicago Cut Steakhouse Thursday.
Twitter @aboutluisgomez


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Notice I didn't title this "Plan to Fail." We should never plan to fail. That's sabotage. And that ain't right, as we say in the South.
However, when we do our planning, it is an unrealistic expectation for everything to work every time, especially when it comes to IT. Our systems are getting more and more complex with each passing year and there are more and more points where a failure can occur. So it is realistic to plan for failure. After all, that's what recovery, and especially disaster recovery, is all about. Take, for example, the bridge in the picture (Photo: NOAA). This is the Ben Sawyer Bridge and this is what it looked like after Hurricane Hugo got a hold of it. Needless to say, in this state, it wasn't usable for car traffic. This blocked off the only accessible means to Sullivan's Island for normal land transportation.
When we architect systems and processes, we don't want to be in the same sort of situation. We want to make sure that if there is a failure, our systems will handle such gracefully. The only way they can is if we plan for failures to occur. And as we plan, we should consider the advice of those who have gone before us. For instance, the 8 Fallacies of Distributed Computing.
Fallacy #1 is an important one: the network is reliable. What that's basically saying is it is a fallacy to assume that every time you plan on using the network, it is up. I have seen cases where someone was working on a server in a rack and the network cabling for a different server is affected. Sometimes this isn't obvious at all. For instance, the cable looks like it's still plugged in to the back of the server, but things are just loose enough where good contact isn't being made. So now we have a physical fault and the network, at least as far as that one server is concerned, is not available. Or it could be the case like a few years ago where there were some issues with some of the Broadcom NIC drivers and we were affected. In our case, the loss of network connectivity couldn't be predicted. Everything worked okay and then, *blip* the NIC was off-line. What made matters worse was as far as the OS was concerned, everything looked fine. Now the fix was a simple one: log on locally and disable and re-enable the NIC or simply reboot the box. However, that did mean someone had to log on locally. Unfortunately, that KVM wasn't network enabled at the time.
So planning for failure is a proper part of the architecture design. Another would be to look to minimize the chances of failure. For instance, looking at fallacy #1, if I can get to a point to where a network failure doesn't affect me or I can minimize the damage done, all the better. This may simply be a case of copying the flat file extract from the mainframe to the system holding SQL Server where the SSIS package is going to run. Sure, a network failure during the copy could prevent me from starting the data import, but that's a lot better than a network failure occuring during the data import because I'm importing said file across the network. The first case is easy to deal with. I restore the network connectivity, get the file copied over, and start the ETL process. In the second case, I've got to restore the network connectivity, but I also quite likely have to do some data clean-up, depending on how far along I was when the failure occurred.
So plan for failure. And look to minimize the impact of failure. Two general steps to include in architecture design.


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WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton endorsed President Barack Obama's attempt to win congressional approval of a military strike in Syria, saying today that any move by the Assad regime to surrender its weapons to international control would be an "important step."
But Clinton cautioned that the removal of its chemical weapons stockpile should not be an "excuse for delay and obstruction" by Syria.
Clinton met with Obama at the White House as the administration sought to sway skeptical lawmakers in Congress to approve a plan to punish Syria's government for last month's chemical weapons attack. The former first lady offered her first public statements on the Syrian crisis, adding her voice to a series of Obama allies who have supported the military action.
"I will continue to support his efforts and I hope the Congress will as well," Clinton said at forum on wildlife trafficking, an issue that was one of her priorities at the State Department.


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October 30
Indianapolis Museum of Art
DeBoest Lecture Hall
Co-sponsored by the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Tickets are free to the public. Please order using the form below.
Rachel Armstrong is Co-Director of AVATAR (Advanced Virtual and Technological Architectural Research) in Architecture & Synthetic Biology at The School of Architecture & Construction, University of Greenwich, London. Senior TED Fellow, and Visiting Research Assistant at the Centre for Fundamental Living Technology, Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Southern Denmark. Rachel is a sustainability innovator who investigates a new approach to building materials called 'living architecture,' that suggests it is possible for our buildings to share some of the properties of living systems. She works collaboratively across disciplines to build and develop prototypes that embody her approach.
Dr. Armstrong designs sustainable solutions for the built and natural environment using advanced new technologies such as, Synthetic Biology – the engineering of living systems – and smart chemistry. Her research prompts a reevaluation of how we think about our homes and cities and raises questions about the urban environment of the future. She creates open innovation platforms for academia and industry to address environmental challenges such as carbon capture & recycling, smart 'living' materials and sustainable design.
Her award winning research underpins her bold approach to the way that she challenges perceptions, presumptions and established principles related to scientific concepts and the building blocks of life and society. She embodies and promotes new transferrable ways of thinking 'outside of the box' and enables others to also develop innovative environmental solutions.


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I'll be the first to admit that I am no photographer. That said, I take tons of photos when I travel locally or abroad, and have painted, and continue to paint, from many of them. Nonetheless, I often ask others if they would allow me to paint one of their photos that catchesA few months back, as I was perusing photos on the internet, I ran across a talented professional landscape photographer from the Washington, D.C. area, Navin Sarma, that was very impressive. He was kind to allow me to paint one of his beautiful photographs from a trip to Olympia National Park in Washington State. My painting from his photo of "Shi-Shi Beach Life" now graces the front page of my website.
More often than not, they say it is fine. Some even say they would be honored, which absolutely thrills me! I image that other artists feel the quite the same.
More often than not, they say it is fine. Some even say they would be honored, which absolutely thrills me! I image that other artists feel the quite the same.
The painting below was inspired by a photo taken by a friend of a friend, Lynette Aldridge from the Atlanta, GA area. Her husband is originally from Brazil, South America, where they travel from time to time to visit family. After seeing some of the photos that Lynette posted on Facebook, I asked if she would allow me to paint this particular beach scene. She said it would be fine.
'Bazilian Beach'
11x14" Oil on Canvas Board
Photo by: Lynette Aldridge
Just yesterday another friend posted a beautiful waterfall in Blue Ridge, GA that I would also love to paint in oils. Asked and agreed. So stay tuned, and I will post that one soon. Translated, that means as soon as I can focus on it. I have a long list of friend's photos that I also love, and look forward to laying out on canvas.
Please keep in mind, if you ever plan to paint from a photograph, you should never do so without express permission. There are very strong copyright laws that protect photographic works of individuals from being copied, painted, or otherwise reproduced.
Have a great day…and keep your brush wet and moving!


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3M Touch Systems has announced availability of the 3M Multi-Touch Display M2256PW. With its 20-plus finger multi-touch input and a high-definition, wide viewing-angle LCD, the M2256PW display offers application developers full multi-touch capabilities with less than 6 millisecond response time for 20 simultaneous touches.
"With 20-plus finger multi-touch capability, the M2256PW display offers software developers an important development tool that they've been missing until now," says 3M's Chris Tsourides.
The 3M Display M2256PW features a high-definition 1680 x 1050 LCD screen, DVI and VGA video input, audio input, USB and RS232 (serial) dual-mode communication protocol and durable, anti-glare front surface. Applications likely to utilize this interactivity include computer aided design, digital signage, computer gaming, security monitoring systems, education and training, and telepresence. The M2256PW display is compatible with Windows 7 so additional drivers are not required when using Windows 7. For Linux and Windows XP/Vista/7, 3M offers a multi-touch driver and software utility, and will offer communication protocol documents for customers who wish to develop their own drivers.


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Wichita Events, Coupons, Reviews!
Subscribe to KidsScoop! The monthly family event and savings newsletter.
399 Indian Point Rd Branson, MO 65606
It's hard to find fun things to do in the fall, winter and even the early spring here in the MidWest. Most things are closed because the weather is unpredictable. So instead our kids spend time inside glued to electronics. I don't know about you, but this drives me nuts. I'm always looking for something fun to do outside the house. This year we decided to take a short trip to Branson to visit Silver Dollar City and The Showboat Branson Belle.
We started out on a Sunday with a trip to Silver Dollar City. I recommend going another day besides Sunday. They open later, 1pm on the day we went (I assume for their employees and families to be able to go to church and spend time with their families) and closed at 9pm and 8 hours during a peak time was just not enough. Sadly because of Don's work schedule, we had to go on a Sunday. We chose to not pay for parking so we had to park farther away, but they offer a shuttle back and forth from each lot. That was a lifesaver at the end of the evening. We chose to hustle and walk to the park because we didn't want to wait, getting our exercise up a large flight of stairs. It wasn't bad at all but if you have any health problems, are pregnant or have someone elderly with you I would pay for preferred parking. When you arrive at the front there is a store, guest relations, etc and you go through a gate to a small walkway to security. They will check your bags as you go in. This part went quickly and we were in the park in no time. My first impressions of the park itself were really good. We chose to go right hoping to get to our chosen food choice around dinner. It didn't happen but I was still glad we went that way. When you go to the right you end up on what looks like an old period street with little shops, food, even a blacksmith. I couldn't skip that store. They had the coolest roses they'd made. Most of this area is stores and shows but there are a few rides that blend in with the period decor. This was my favorite part of the park. I could have spent the whole day wandering in and out of the shops. But....we have little kids so on we go...
This is most certainly a theme park for families. It reminded me a lot of Knott's Berry Farm in California (if you've been there) because it's geared towards kids and families and not teenagers like most theme parks. Yes, they have roller coasters but no that's not the majority of the park. The majority of the ride areas were mainly riding for the littles. We had our 3, 4 and 12 year old along. We went on the big swings, called the Magnificent Wave Carousel which had Thomas smiling from ear to ear, and a bunch of little rides. The littles just loved this and probably would have never left. We followed that up with a good adult ride for Don and I while Thomas, Niko, and Teddy watched us in awe. When we got off all we heard was that was scary looking. Yeah, a little but we were certainly riding high afterward. Right there they also have a measuring station and your little ones can get a bracelet with their height and your contact information on it. We went 3 weeks ago and Teddy still has on his bracelet. I must have asked a million times to cut it off, but he loved our day at Silver Dollar City and I think it may have to fall off instead. We basically spent the majority of our day letting the kids ride all the rides. Niko's favorite ride was The Grand Exposition roller coaster which is a small wooden coaster that almost anyone can ride. Teddys favorite ride was Lucky's Dizzy Dogs which features Lucky the Dalmation and you bounce around a fire hydrant in a circle. The whole area around this ride is a big Fire House, with a station and firehouse themed rides. There was a number of water and other rides closed for the season but there was still plenty to see and do.
The attraction of going to Silver Dollar City in the winter is the huge light festival. They start in the summer stringing lights and they told us they literally finish the day before they open for the Holiday Season. They have up over 6.5 million lights, over 100 decorated trees, Christmas shows, and a light parade. You can take your kids to meet Santa Claus and Rudolph and the Reindeer. We skipped this because we went on a short day but stepped inside and these looked like they were decorated to the hilt. There is also a train ride to a live singing Nativity that the kids really enjoyed. The train ride travels past many of the light exhibits that you may not otherwise see as well through the crowds of people.
Our favorite part of any day is food time and we enjoyed greatly our food from the Fry Bread Company and Flossie's Fried Fancies at dinner time. We were glad we chose this side of the park for dinner because it was not as crowded and a good relaxing break from the noise and crowds. We enjoyed a few of the shops and then headed over to the train and Christmas in Midtown lighted area. We ended the day back at the front of the park as the tree lighting was going on. All in all, we had a fantastic day and even with the crowds I would highly recommend this trip to Silver Dollar City any time of year, but especially at the Holidays. My kids are super excited to go back and we are contemplating season passes for 2018.
The next weekend we planned our trip to the Branson Belle Showboat. We walked down the hiking trail from the Tablerock Lake visitor center so the kids could see the Showboat and took my Ma for her Birthday. The decorations were tastefully done and while less than at Silver Dollar City, I appreciated them more as they were simple and understated. We took Baby Susannah with us as we knew she would enjoy the singing (and the food). You get to board the Showboat pretty quickly and once on they take a photo of your party before you go inside and get shown to your seats. You can buy these photos and a book later if you'd like. You then get sat at long tables that go across the boat so everyone can see the stage. You are then free to get up, go outside, visit the small shop, and take photos. Since we went in December we went to the Celebrate Christmas show which was a cute singing Christmas show with dancing, music and, magic. Baby Susannah was fascinated with the entire thing and even stayed awake the entire time. The food was really good, you get two types of meat, a side dish, bread, and tea or lemonade, and then followed up with dessert. They play music during dinner and then you have a break to cruise about the boat and stand out watching Tablerock Lake before the main show. It was a nice afternoon. They also had a morning Pajamas with Santa cruise that looked like tons of fun for the littles.
I want to end with that all the employees both at the park and the showboat were exceptionally friendly, cheery and polite. You could tell they really enjoyed their job and that was very refreshing. We really had a blast at Silver Dollar City and the Showboat was a fun trip. If you're in the area definitely spend a day at Silver Dollar City! For more information on either go to www.silverdollarcity.com
Silver Dollar City - National Crafts & Cowboy Festival
5 Reasons Silver Dollar City is the Perfect Christmas Break Getaway for Families
Great Times at Silver Dollar City & the Branson Belle Showboat in Southern Missouri
8 Reasons To See The Silver Dollar City Christmas Lights
Silver Dollar City - An Old Time Christmas {Branson Reviews}
SIlver Dollar City Christmas | Christmas Wonderland!
Review: Showboat Branson Belle
Celebrating Fall at the National Crafts & Cowboy Festival at Silver Dollar City
Livin' it up! Silver Dollar City! @sdcattractions @usfg
Showboat Branson Belle
Fall Getaway You Can't Miss This Year
Experience A Branson Holiday At Silver Dollar City + Showboat Branson Belle Cruise
Silver Dollar City Festivals Hosts Some Awesome Festivals During The Fall.
Silver Dollar City is Definitely a Must-See While in Branson
Silver Dollar City | Branson, MO #ExploreBranson
Branson: Silver Dollar City #ExploreBranson
Silver Dollar City {Branson, MO} REVIEW
5 Reasons you MUST visit Branson;s Silver Dollar City
HAD A BLAST at Silver Dollar City!


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GE is offering a Grand Prize in their Steam Dream Giveaway of a Profile laundry pair plus a day at the spa of your choice. You can enter at geappliances.com until the contest ends on May 24, 2009. Two first place prizes of a profile dishwasher and six $250 gift cards for second place will also be awarded.
GE Laundry Giveaway-Plus Spa Day Sweepstake
May 6, 2009 By


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Tag Archives: huw price
Cambridge Conference on Catastrophic Risk
Pessimism, Huw Price says, is a necessary antidote to society's optimism. Price is the Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy at the University of Cambridge and one of the founders of the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER). He was introducing the first ever Cambridge Conference … Continue reading
Posted in Existential Risk Tagged bioengineering, biotechnology, cambridge, cccr2016, climate change, conferences, cser, fhi, fli, gcri, huw price, planetary boundaries, viktoriya krakovna Leave a comment


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Princess Anne will be the first senior royal to make a visit to Argentina in nearly 15 years and yet her most recent visit, as a part of an International Olympic Committee (IOC) team, is surrounded by threats and violence.
The same left wing group who burned an effigy of Prince William to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands War and who attacked a British owned bank, have threatened to disrupt proceedings in order to send a message to the Princess Royal and to the British Parliament.
The Princess Royal will attend the opening ceremony of the 125th session tonight at the Teatro Colón (Columbus Theatre) in Buenos Aires and then embark on the rest of her five day visit where the agenda includes, selecting a new olympic sport, the selection of the 2020 Olympics host and the selection of a new IOC President to replace the outgoing Jacques Rogue.
This latest planned disruption marks the ongoing growing diplomatic divide beween Britain and Argentina over the sovereignity of the Falkland Islands. Only recently did Argentina receive a boost when the Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Spain would fully support the Argentinian cause.
In March a referendum was held on the Falkland Islands where 99.8% of the islanders voted to remain British. Just three unidentified islanders voted to end British sovereignity just thirty years after the Falklands conflict.
A spokesperson for the Princess Royal said "We never comment on security".
photo credit: WorldSkills via photopin cc


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If you would like ARCHFASHION to try to and find it for you complete the form below.
It is lined, non-stretch and is opaque. Demi maxi dress by honey & beau is strapless with boning for added support. Features a centre back zip fastening. The women's dress has a mid-waist panel with a pleated bodice hem. The dress skirt has a relaxed fit falling down to approximately the ankle with an uneven hem. Comes in all black. Make a statement at your next formal function with this stunning dress. Add a silver necklace and chunky cuff for gorgeous evening style. Keep your hair up and team with a red lip for a classic look.


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Homeowners worry about property, looters after massive landslide in Washington state
COUPEVILLE, Wash. – Owners of about two dozen homes that have been cut off or threatened by a massive landslide in Washington state are worried about their property.
More than 60 people attended a Thursday night community meeting with officials to discuss some of the effects of the landslide Wednesday on Whidbey Island that displaced 200,000 cubic yards of earth, or about 40,000 dump truck loads.
A spokesman for Island County, Christopher Schwarzen, says residents want to know when they can get back into their homes. They're also worried about looters.
The sheriff's office plans extra patrols.
Twenty properties on a scenic island hillside were damaged by the slide, with some suffering structural damage and others losing portions of their yards.


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Hey guys, here's a new theory that you might benefit from, I personally am third emotion so I kinda suck with dealing with my emotions.
http://www.the16types.info/vbulletin/sh ... syche-Yoga
Here's an intro to the system
"E" - Emotional State (Soul):
The attitude towards emotional reactions, feelings, experiences, intuition, culture, artistic expression, music, entertainment, and deep desires.
"V" - Willpower (Character/Identity):
The attitude towards personal energy, willpower, power, identity, confidence, desired goals, overcoming obstacles, self-consciousness, self-control, responsibility and obligations.
"L" - Logical State (Mind):
The attitude towards all logical thinking, analyses, knowledge, erudition, opinions, proofs, arguments, the search for truth, scientific research of the meaning of life.
"F" - Physical State (Body):
The attitude towards all material things: looks, food, belongings, money, aesthetic, comfort, physical care and practical skills.
Positions of the functions and dichotomies
These functions occupy one of 4 positions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. Each position plays a different role in how that function manifests.
First Function (Confident):
The confident attitude is characterized by a strong interest and focus on the aspect that creates this first function. The function is aggressive in nature, focused on the results, and sufficient at involving itself the details surrounding whatever aspect it holds. This function is generally the dominant feature of one's disposition from an outsider's perspective.
– Aggressive in nature
– Results focused
– Sufficient at being involved
– Bold
Second Function (Flexible):
The flexible attitude is characterized by a strong interest and focus on the aspect that creates this second function. The function is passive in nature, focused on processing, and sufficient at involving itself the details surrounding whatever aspect it holds. This function is generally willing to help and include others in whatever aspect it deals with.
– Passive in nature
– Process focused
– Sufficient at being involved
– Malleable
Third Function (Insecure):
The insecure attitude is characterized by an insecure and negative focus on the aspect that creates this third function. The function is aggressive in nature, focused on processing, and insufficient at involving itself the details surrounding whatever aspect it holds. This function is generally skeptical, unsure, anxious, and unwilling to involve itself in the details of whatever aspect it holds.
– Aggressive in nature
– Process focused
– Insufficient at being involved
– Apprehensive
Fourth Function (Oblivious):
The oblivious attitude is characterized by an oblivious outlook on the aspect that creates this fourth function. The function is passive in nature, focused on processing, and insufficient at involving itself the details surrounding whatever aspect it holds. This function is generally ignored, or seen as not serious unless it must be dealt with in order to achieve desired results.
– Passive in nature
– Process focused
– Insufficient at being involved
– Unconcerned
Now, here is the description of the four ways of handling emotions, I personally am the third and I think most INFP's are
* you'll need a translator*
1E- http://www.xsp.ru/psychosophy/pub/outpu ... 3&str=0008
2E- http://www.xsp.ru/psychosophy/pub/outpu ... 3&str=0009
3E- http://www.xsp.ru/psychosophy/pub/outpu ... 3&str=0010
4E- http://www.xsp.ru/psychosophy/pub/outpu ... 3&str=0011
Alternate descriptions:
[1E] First Emotion: Naturally fluctuates between emotional states and spices up everyday life for themselves and others. Done through an active meeting with their world with a real enthusiasm or passion in their own personal endeavors thereby always acting authentic to their own feelings. They will often act unfiltered on their own emotions, not taking into account the positions or emotional effect their behavior has on others. Can have a tendency to overdramatise a situation and not dealing with things in a level-headed way, thereby blowing them out of proportion and escalating conflicts.
[2E] Second Emotion: Able to act as the setting requires, and empathically takes into account the feelings of everyone while providing space for others to express themselves and live out their own emotions. Has a very good understanding of the mood and can actively adjust their own feelings to match it or manipulate it to fit others without ever losing control or being emotionally inappropriate. Their love for emotional games and prodding in the emotions of others can lead to hostile reactions, due to overstepping emotional boundaries.
[3E] Third Emotion: Questions emotional displays as well as their appropriateness in given situations. Encourages grounded, level-headed decision making and actively avoids emotional extremes or dramatic escalations. Remaining sceptical pathos and emotional manipulation. Often actively hides or suppresses their emotional states and are worried about others reactions to them. Because of this emotional suppression, they are prone to being trapped in negative emotional states, without actively knowing how to process them. They are afraid of strong emotional expression as they associate that with a loss of control, and can demand such to be kept to a minimum in their environment. The high emotional self-control also causes problems in personal relationships, as they will have trouble "letting go".
[4E] Fourth Emotion: Great ability to deal with and adapt to emotional extremes while remaining grounded and accepting of them, without losing their calm. Arranging their own emotions according to what is being expressed, rather than what they feel themselves which makes them able to easily accept strong personal expressions of others. Indifferent to their own feelings and generally pays no heed or attention to them. May not experience emotions naturally, but confuse those with physical reactions. Can appear very cold, detached or uninvested due to the emotional devaluing.
Psihosofiya E - what is your attitude towards E? How do you deal with your emotions?
Do you haz relationshipz? Do they huurt?
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is a resource for people who are interested in the dynamics
of people and organisations. It
provides accurate and up-to-date information about the theory
behind group relations, people and organisations around the
world who practise group relations, and group relations conferences
and publications. There's also a discussion forum for debate
on the theory, design, research and application of group relations
in organisations and wider society.
Click here to enter.


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Welcome to hollmann beletage hotel
Handmade Viennese Hospitality. Designed for Living.
Design hotel in Vienna's city centre? Boutique Hotel only 2min from St. Stephen's Cathedral?
Some might use the above to describe us. And yet it solely refers to our aesthetical appearance. And as we all know: True beauty lies within.
What we really are, is a place of deceleration in the centre of Vienna. A leisure hotel in the city. A comfy home in an unknown world.
" Here I am human, here they let me be."
J. W. von Goethe.
...as if he already stayed with us, centuries ago.
Free from mainstream, conventions and average.
Full of Viennese hospitality, uncompromising quality and with the wink of an eye.
That is Hollmann Beletage.


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THE Duke of Cambridge has personally thanked Glasgow 2014 staff for delivering the "best ever" Commonwealth Games.
Prince William was the surprise guest of honour at a wrap party for around 1,500 people who helped make the Games happen.
He took to the stage at the event in Glasgow's Merchant Square to tell the guests it was a "huge honour" to join them to celebrate a "job well done".
Referring to his visit to the Games with the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, he said: "When Katherine, Harry and I visited last week we saw the slogan People Make Glasgow. It was written all over the city.
"You epitomise that slogan in the way that you ran the Games - with professionalism and great care, allowing the Games' friendliness to shine through.
"These were undoubtedly the best ever Commonwealth Games in history and you guys made it that way. You have helped to deliver a triumph."
He thanked Games staff on behalf of the Queen, adding: "It meant an awful lot to the Queen that the Commonwealth Games, which are so dear to her, were in safe hands.
"Thank you for your dedication, your professionalism and most importantly for all you've done for the Commonwealth Games.
"I know that the people of Glasgow and the country thank you also."
The Prince – who is to take up a new job as an air ambulance pilot – took time to chat with hundreds of people at the event, including Tim Love, venue manager at Ibrox during the Games.
Mr Love said: "Prince William asked what the secret to the success of the Games was, and to be honest I said it was more to do with the spectators.
"They were definitely there to really enjoy themselves and to get behind everyone. It was great to see everyone getting support no matter where they were from."
Speaking about his time at the Games, he said: "It was fantastic, a great, great atmosphere.
"We've all had a great experience and it is an experience that will live with us forever. It will be one of the highlights of anyone's life, I'm sure."
Irene Anderson, PA to the Games' chief financial officer, said: "It was such a lovely surprise. None of the rest of the team knew he (William) was coming and when he came up the stairs one of them turned to me and said 'This is such a special thing'.
"I just means a lot to people that someone like Prince William made the effort to come all the way to Glasgow just to say thanks."
William also joined the crowd in singing Happy Birthday to Games chairman Lord Smith, who turns 70 tomorrow, as a cake was cut on the stage.
David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014, told those gathered they had "created history".
He said: "We set out to be trustworthy, we were trusted. We set out to raise the bar, we certainly raised it - I think we raised the roof. We set out to win together, we did it all along the way.
"We delivered. We delivered to plan and we delivered beyond our expectations."


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Discover how UV inks differ from other formulations and what it takes to print and cure them successfully.
By Bea Purcell
Ultraviolet (UV) curing technology and its use in screen printing has evolved from infancy in the 1960s to maturity in the 1990s. Improvements in raw materials and better understanding of the UV-curing process made a substantial impact on ink-performance characteristics and led to greater acceptance of the technology among printers.
As printers, we are inundated with dozens of important choices when working with UV. We not only have to select the right ink for particular materials, but have to make decisions about the curing equipment and the various lamps we may need in order to achieve successful results.
For those of us who explored the use of UV when the technology was in its infancy, lessons came in a variety of ways but were based mostly on trial and error. We had to make UV inks work and learn how to get the order out the door while trying to understand the hows and the whys behind the technology. But thanks to ink manufacturers, curing-unit manufacturers, substrate suppliers, and printers who were diligent in communicating with one another, the materials and processes involved in UV curing have become much better understood.
This article will try to explain some of the mysteries and myths of UV curing typically confronted by printers who are new to the technology. These mysteries and myths are based on the most common questions and misunderstandings surrounding UV inks and curing equipment.
UV mysteries
The mysteries behind UV relate to scientific facts and principles that are not widely known or understood. These mysteries typically involve ink chemistry and polymerization, the function of curing units, and processing considerations.
How are UV inks different from conventional inks? If we were to compare two buckets of ink, one with conventional or solvent-based and the other a UV ink, we would find that there are three major types of raw materials that go into the inks' chemistry. For a conventional ink, they are resin, pigment/additives, and solvent. In a UV ink they are resin, pigment/additives, and monomers.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.


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Event: Legal Issues For Startups...Lunch and Learn
If you're a startup, you don't have time or money for the pesky little details that can turn out to be exceptionally important to your success. You know, things like making sure your legal structure will be attractive to VC Investment, your "Terms of Service" and "Privacy Policy" documents on your web site and whether or not to spend time and energy on Trademark details.
Learn from two of the tech industry legal veterans...AZ Disruptors is hosting Tom Curzon and Jonathan Ariano from Osborn Maledon for a "Lunch and Learn".
Here are the details:
Legal advice for startups. Topics will include preparing your startup for VC investment, privacy policies, terms of service, trademarks and Q & A.
Tuesday, August 2nd at 11am - 1pm
How Much
It's Free, but space is limited and you Must RSVP. RSVP NOW


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It was bound to happen. With all of the interest in service-oriented robots -- like those that make your noodles, serve your drinks, and make your burgers -- it should come as little surprise that a restaurant comprised nearly entirely of a robotic wait staff has opened in China.
The so-called Robot Restaurant -- outlined in the Daily Mail and other published reports and a video online -- is located in Harbin, Heilongjiang province in China and has a staff of 18 multi-colored robots that uses sensors and conveyor belts to move around the restaurant and serve customers.
The robots perform a number of tasks, like bringing specialty noodle and dumpling dishes to tables after human wait staff take orders, leading clients to their tables, and also cooking the dishes being served.
They stand between about four feet and five feet tall, can exhibit about 10 different facial expressions, and run on batteries that have about a five-hour life span. The robots can also verbally greet customers.
The Harbin Haohai Robot Company designed the machines in use at the restaurant, which serves about 30 different dishes and in which the company invested about 5 million yuan ($790,000). Each robot itself cost about 200,000 to 300,000 yuan ($31,500 to $47,000). The restaurant opened last year.
This kind of noodle joint may sound like the stuff of sci-fi, but it comes as little surprise to me, someone who's been watching the robotic space for a while. Robots in the restaurant industry are part of a new wave of service robots emerging in a market that is expected to grow at an even faster clip than the busy industrial robot market over the new few years, according to a recent study from Freedonia, "World Robots to 2016."
Asia in particular -- perhaps because of its interest in anime and sci-fi -- has been particularly receptive to using robots to interact with humans in service jobs. In addition to Harbin Haohai's creation of a robotic restaurant staff, it was a chef in Beijing named Cui Runquan who invented the noodle-making robot, which looks similar to the ones serving customers in Harbin.
Related posts:
- Video: This Isn't Your Mother's Pasta
- Video: What Do You Call a One-Armed Bartender?
- Study: Service Robots Growing Faster Than Industrial Robots
- Slideshow: Robotic Snakes & Worms Get Under Your Skin
- Are Telepresence Robots Becoming the Norm for Companies With Work-at-Home Employees?
- Human-Like Bipedal Walking Robot


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Southwest just finds ways to win in the NCHSAA 1-A girls� soccer playoffs.
Southwest just finds ways to win in the NCHSAA 1-A girls� soccer playoffs.
And that was the case Wednesday night as Kimberly Carroll scored the deciding goal with 12:16 left to help the Stallions rally from a pair of one-goal deficits and defeat Dixon 3-2 in the East Regional semifinals.
Defending state champion Southwest (11-8-2) came back from being down 1-0 early and 2-1 at halftime to defeat the Bulldogs (10-7-4) by one goal for the third time this season and advance to the regional final for the fourth consecutive year.
The Stallions will play Friday against Raleigh Charter at WakeMed Park in Cary. Raleigh Charter (19-1) beat Midway 9-0 on Wednesday.
�I think we started pressing the last 20 minutes of the first half when we went down 2-1 and there was a little panic,� Southwest coach John Sweeney said. �But we were doing good things and we were playing well. We just needed to be patient. They stuck to the game plan in the second half and it worked.�
Dixon, a wildcard from the Coastal Plains Conference, was hoping to defeat Southwest after the Stallions topped the Bulldogs twice by 1-0 scores in the regular season en route to the CPC title. But Southwest had enough in the second half to rally, take the lead and win.
�I told them that I was extremely proud of how hard they fight,� Dixon coach Josh King said. �I firmly believe they are one of the best teams in the state when they play like they did tonight. The unfortunate part was we had to play another team that�s one of the best in the state.
�We played well and we had our chances. We finished some of them and we didn�t finish some of them. Unfortunately they finished theirs and ended up with one more than we did.�
That one deciding goal came from Carroll, a junior midfielder.
The game was tied at 2-2 when Carroll received a short pass from the left side from Taylor Marley and shot from 25 yards out. The ball sailed into the upper left corner of the goal.
�Right before I went back in, Sweeney was like, �Make sure you cut back around,� and so that�s what I did and I hit it with my left foot,� Carroll said. �The time before I tried to kick it with my right foot and it didn�t work. I saw it going over her hands and I knew it was going in.�
Then the Stallions went more defensive to keep their late lead.
�We did go a little bit more defensive when we were up 3-2,� Sweeney said. �We didn�t want to completely change our philosophy, but we let players know that defense became our priority.�
And while Carroll�s goal was the game-winner, it would not have happened if not for junior Allison Blake scoring her second of two goals just 6:53 into the second half to tie the match at 2-2.
Carroll delivered a crossing pass from the right side into the 18-yard box where Blake beat out a defender for the ball and flicked it into the goal.
�I definitely felt confident when we tied it up,� Blake said. �I knew it gave us a little bit more confidence to keep playing the way we were playing.�
The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead with 18:52 left in the first half on an own-goal after Dixon�s Jasmine Brown played the ball near the left post and had the ball kicked into the net by a Southwest defender.
It was a goal that gave the Bulldogs a boost.
�It was the first half so I knew we would have a chance to talk. I know this is a team of a lot of character,� Sweeney said. �My bigger concern was what it would do for Dixon�s confidence and their sense of momentum.�
The Bulldogs certainly took early momentum when Justina Lewis gave Dixon a 1-0 lead just 5:55 into the game off an assist from Carly Rochelle. It was more than Dixon�s first goal this season against Southwest � and its only shot on goal Wednesday. It was a sign the Bulldogs came to play.
�We felt really good coming into the game,� King said. �Then we jump out and take that lead.�
However, the Stallions quickly responded.
Just 38 seconds after Lewis� goal, Blake scored her first goal to tie the game at 1-1. It came off an assist from Alex Crow from the right side. Blake then went across her body to kick the ball in the air with her left foot and put it in.
�That was certainly the goal of the year for us,� Sweeney said. �For a kid who�s 5-feet tall in cleats to go up and get her foot on that was nothing short of miraculous. But she was doing good things all night long. Obviously she had the second goal, but she also had great serves, beat people 1v1 and she was checking back to help her defense. Allison was terrific tonight.�
And so was Dixon goalkeeper Miranda Davis, King said. Davis saved nine of Southwest�s 12 shots.
�I don�t think there�s a better goalie in the county than Miranda Davis. She just makes saves that not many can,� King said. �She definitely kept us in the game.�
But the Stallions still found a way to win in the playoffs.
�We�ve been really fortunate to have this stretch of victories,� Sweeney said. �Coach King does a terrific job and they obviously have a ton of great players. We are just going to keep chipping away and hope we can keep winning for as long as possible.�
Dixon 2 0� 2
Southwest 1 2� 3
GOALS�D: Lewis, own goal. S: Blake 2, Carroll. ASSISTS�D: Rochelle. S: Crow, Marley. IN GOAL�D: Davis (9 saves). S: Ware (0 saves). SHOTS ON GOAL�D 1, S 12. CORNER KICKS�D 1, S 4. RECORDS�D: 10-7-4, season complete. S: 11-8-2, at Raleigh Charter on Friday at 5 p.m. in regional final.


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We're Back in "Reznikov, N." Season 5 Episode 4
Pictured (L-R): Eric Christian Olsen (LAPD Liaison Marty Deeks) and Daniela Ruah (Special Agent Kensi Blye). The NCIS: LA team finds themselves in danger while investigating a kidnapping case of a man claiming to be Callen's father, on the 100th episode of NCIS: LOS ANGELES, Tuesday, Oct. 15 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2013 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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Everything attorney Julia Branholt has worked for is about to tank thanks to one stubborn, bull-headed pirate named Hakon "Hawk" Thoralssen. It's not enough that she's forced to take him on as yet another pro bono case, but someone bails the man out in her name. This ethical nightmare could mean disbarment...and the end to a promise she made her father. So Julia goes rogue and follows Hawk.
When sabotage threatens to destroy the home of his late wife, Hawk rushes to save the village. He didn't bargain on a hot-tempered attorney following him. Especially not one who fills him with a heat he's chosen to deny.
The only way to save Tierra Bonita means working together. Can this village of kind-hearted, affectionate people draw Hawk and Julia out of their self-imposed isolation and open their hearts to new promises?
Pirate's Promise is available at Bookstrand.
Want more? Visit Laurie's Blog.