text:
HARRISBURG - School districts are being evaluated this fall to determine if they belong in fiscal watch status, a new category for designating local government entities on a slippery financial slope.
The state Department of Education is identifying which districts need monitoring because of such factors as low cash on hand or limited ability to generate tax revenue and take on more debt as it implements the School District Financial Recovery Law enacted in July.
The law establishes a state oversight process for school districts similar to what Act 47 offers for fiscally distressed municipalities.
Four urban districts - Harrisburg, York City, Chester-Upland and Duquesne - have received preliminary declarations as districts in financial recovery, the ultimate distress category that triggers the appointment of a chief officer to develop a recovery plan.
Harrisburg and York are contesting their declarations, and hearings have been scheduled this month to review the cases, Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis told the Senate Education Committee last week.
Only nine districts can be in financial recovery status at any one time under the law.
The broader scope of the department's effort is to gather financial information from districts so it can decide who belongs in fiscal watch status, monitor them and provide technical assistance by hiring consultants if needed.
"The goal of providing technical assistance is to diminish the likelihood that the school district will move into financial recovery status," said Mr. Tomalis.
The department has developed an "early warning system" to evaluate the information it collects from district officials. One factor is whether a municipality located within the school districts is fiscally distressed itself under Act 47.
It's important to get schools to provide current financial data, said Mr. Tomalis.
"We want get a snapshot of where the district is now and where they are going," he added.
The department will ask districts it considers in financial difficulty to provide additional information on cash flow, fund balances and status of audits.
Threats last winter that Chester-Upland would close schools due to lack of money was one catalyst for the law.
"We need to be prepared with a rescue plan to ensure doors remain open and kids continue to be educated," said Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-15, Harrisburg, the law's author and education panel chairman.
Sen. Andrew Dinniman, D-19, West Chester, the panel's ranking Democrat, expressed concern about more problems next spring.
"There's a real danger you could have school closings," he said.
For schools under financial recovery, the law allows for converting school buildings into charter schools. Mr. Tomalis said he hopes such conversions become part of district recovery plans.
He said the goal should be to increase opportunities for students as well as balancing the books.
The teacher-oriented Pennsylvania State Education Association has said the final recovery legislation protected collective bargaining rights thanks to a lobbying effort. The law doesn't provide a long-term solution to the school funding crisis, said PSEA.
Contact the writer: email@example.com


text:
It seems we are jumping from one event to another here at the DHM! After wrapping up our Hope for Humanity Dinner, we started planning our next temporary exhibit, Every Child Has A Name. This comprehensive exhibit will cover one of the most painful aspects of the Holocaust–the deaths of 1.5 million children. We will be presenting No Child's Play, an exhibit from Yad Vashem, and an exhibit on the children of Terezin, on loan from the Jewish Museum of Prague. The exhibit will also feature a special sculpture honoring the children lost to the Holocaust created using a portion of the 1.5 million pennies collected by Dallas children.
We hope that you will make a special attempt to see Every Child has a Name. The exhibit opens December 8, and will remain at the DHM until March 18. Be sure to check back here for more updates!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Large Skipper
Bright orange-brown wings held with forewings angled above hind wings. Males have a thin black line through centre of fore-wing. Essex Skipper is similar but has black tips to antenna (best viewed head on) and shorter scent brand which runs parallel to forewing edge rather than angled.
Small Skippers are insects of high summer. Although they spend much of their time basking or resting among vegetation, they are marvellous flyers, manoeuvring expertly through tall grass stems. It is these darting flights, wings glinting golden-brown in the sunlight, that normally alert an observer to their presence. Closer examination will reveal many more individuals nectaring or basking with their wings held in the half-open posture distinctive of skipper butterflies. The butterfly is widespread in southern Britain and its range has expanded northwards in recent years.
Size and Family
- Family: Skippers
- Size: Small
- Wing Span Range (male to female): 30mm
Conservation Status
- Butterfly Conservation priority: Low
- European Status: Not threatened
Caterpillar Foodplants
The Small Skipper almost exclusively uses Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus), although several other grasses have been recorded as foodplants, for example Timothy (Phleum pratense), Creeping Soft-grass (H.mollis), False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), and Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata).
Prefers open places with long grass, such as unimproved rough grassland, downs, road verges, field edges and woodland glades.
- Countries: England, Scotland and Wales
- Widespread up to North Yorkshire and Scottish border
- Distribution Trend Since 1970's = +4%
Small Skipper (upperwing) - Andrew Cooper
Small Skipper (female/upperwing)
Small Skipper (upperwing) - Andrew Cooper
Small Skipper - Bob Eade
Small Skipper (male/upperwing)
Small Skipper - Bob Eade
Small Skipper - Bob Eade
Small Skipper (underwing)
Small Skipper - Bob Eade


text:
1. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJaikiran Pai Jan 27, 2011 8:56 AM (in response to Javier GS)
If I understand the question correctly, you want to deploy web.war in the JBOSS_HOME/server/<servername>/deploy/ folder and at the same time server some static content for this application from C:/images folder?
2. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJavier GS Jan 27, 2011 9:37 AM (in response to Jaikiran Pai)
Yes, you understand the question correctly.
3. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJavier GS Feb 2, 2011 2:50 AM (in response to Javier GS)
4. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJaikiran Pai Feb 2, 2011 2:54 AM (in response to Javier GS)
Actually, I understood your question. I'm just trying to recollect how this can be done in AS5 or AS6. i.e. the static data of a .war being deployed out of it and being accessible with the same web app context.
5. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJavier GS Feb 24, 2011 1:33 PM (in response to Jaikiran Pai)
In other projects with others servers i could add a file system dir into the web application contexts settings a different XML file like server.xml
Jaikiran, Is it impossible?
I have not been able to get.
Please help me
6. Re: JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathImran Pariyani Mar 15, 2011 5:35 AM (in response to Javier GS)
hi javier,
by any change did you figure out the solution for adding a context element to the server.xml for jbosweb 6 ?
7. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJavier GS Mar 4, 2011 2:20 AM (in response to Imran Pariyani)
hi Imran,
I have not been able to get it. I'm waiting for the solution.
I hope Jaikiran give us the solution.
Thanks you all
8. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathGustavo Figueiredo Mar 14, 2011 2:48 PM (in response to Javier GS)
Hi guys,
Did anybody configured the virtual directory mapping on jboss 6?
9. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathImran Pariyani Mar 15, 2011 5:33 AM (in response to Gustavo Figueiredo)
We did solve this problem ..
here are the two links which helped us
In brief
In our main web app we added a context file in WEB-INF with the following
<Resources allowLinking="true" className="PATH.TO.SourceResolverContext"/>
And build and include a jar file with that class which extends FileDirContext
and then within your web app u can get the file with
Hope that helps ..
10. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathJavier GS Mar 15, 2011 11:30 AM (in response to Imran Pariyani)
I think you are working with Jboss Web Server, but I am woriking with Jboss AS 6.
Also, I need declare:
<img src="/images/image1.jpg" />
where /images must be mapping from a filesystem like (c:/images), out of the Web Context
11. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathImran Pariyani Mar 15, 2011 12:33 PM (in response to Javier GS)
Jboss Web Server is a part of Jboss application server .. before jboss AS 6 they were using tomcat .. and from jboss 6 onwards they have switched to jboss web server which is again based on tomcat ...
For our application we using the application server as we are using EJB's ..
Go through those links .. all you have to do is override the default FileDirContext .. and in the web-inf add a resource which points to that class ..
One thing i forgot to mention .. the jar file which u create with that resourceresolvercontext has to be placed inside the jbossweb.sar in order to access it within your webapplication..
And for your case u could just have a servlet in front which filters all the requests .. tries to fetch them form the resource if not availble dispatches it further ..
12. JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual Pathcharly hurtado Mar 23, 2011 8:26 PM (in response to Javier GS)
somebody know why they changed about Virtual Directory.
For example on jboss-4.0.5 this is posible with a simple lines on serverl.xml
but know on jboss 6 this is not posible.. mean i cant do it. yet
13. Re: JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathAnil Kumar Khichar May 25, 2011 10:15 AM (in response to Jaikiran Pai)
I am deadly waiting for your answer.
- When i am trying to add the context into C:\jboss-6.0.0.Final\server\default\deploy\jbossweb.sar\server.xml, it's blurting with the error :-->
Deployment "WebServer" is in error due to the following reason(s): **ERROR**, org.jboss.xb.binding.JBossXBRuntimeException: Context not found as a child of Host in unordered_sequence: Listener* Valve* Alias* Realm? attributes?
Deployment "jboss.web:service=WebServer" is in error due to the following reason(s): ** NOT FOUND Depends on 'jboss.web:service=WebServer' **
at org.jboss.deployers.plugins.deployers.DeployersImpl.checkComplete(DeployersImpl.java:1228) [:2.2.0.GA]
at org.jboss.deployers.plugins.main.MainDeployerImpl.checkComplete(MainDeployerImpl.java:905) [:2.2.0.GA]
at org.jboss.system.server.profileservice.deployers.MainDeployerPlugin.checkComplete(MainDeployerPlugin.java:87) [:6.0.0.Final]
at org.jboss.profileservice.deployment.ProfileDeployerPluginRegistry.checkAllComplete(ProfileDeployerPluginRegistry.java:107) [:0.2.2]
at org.jboss.system.server.profileservice.bootstrap.BasicProfileServiceBootstrap.start(BasicProfileServiceBootstrap.java:135) [:6.0.0.Final]
at org.jboss.system.server.profileservice.bootstrap.BasicProfileServiceBootstrap.start(BasicProfileServiceBootstrap.java:56) [:6.0.0.Final]
at org.jboss.bootstrap.impl.base.server.AbstractServer.startBootstraps(AbstractServer.java:827) [jboss-bootstrap-impl-base.jar:2.1.0-alpha-5]
at org.jboss.bootstrap.impl.base.server.AbstractServer$StartServerTask.run(AbstractServer.java:417) [jboss-bootstrap-impl-base.jar:2.1.0-alpha-5]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662) [:1.6.0_25]
- It means the context element is invalid at this position for the server.xml.
- I also tried one more trial with C:\jboss-6.0.0.Final\server\default\deploy\jbossweb.sar\context.xml as:-->
<!-- The contents of this file will be loaded for each web application -->
<Context cookies="true" crossContext="true" path="/contents" appBase="" docBase="C:/content" debug="99" reloadable="true">
<!-- Session persistence is disable by default. To enable for all web
apps set the pathname to a non-empty value:
<Manager pathname="SESSIONS.ser" />
To enable session persistence for a single web app, add a
<Manager pathname="" />
<!-- Install an InstanceListener to handle the establishment of the run-as
role for servlet init/destroy events.
<!-- Install an InstanceListener to handle the establishment of the naming
- But all in vain.
- I don't know why this is changed in jboss6. Even there is no any information regarding this functionality throughout the jboss6 documentations.
- I am totally stucked with this one. Though i don't wana chage any changement in code. I needs it into some configuration file within jboss only.
14. Re: JBoss 6 Virtual Directory-Virtual PathAnil Kumar Khichar Jan 9, 2012 3:26 AM (in response to Anil Kumar Khichar)
Hi all , i get it rsolved by doing the following stuff :
- Configure JBoss to follow symbolic links
- Go to <JBOSS_HOME>/server/default/deploy/jbossweb.sar/content.xml
- Add allowLinking="true" as:
- <Context cookies="true" crossContext="true" allowLinking="true">
2. Create symbolic link as (i assume you are working on windows, symlink will work same as on Linux also.)
- go to command prompt -> Run as administrator ->
- C:\Windows\system32>mklink /D C:\jboss-6.0.0.Final\server\default\deploy\ROOT.war\contents C:\content
Please leave the respose if it helps anybody else also.


text:
|Version 31 (modified by 14 years ago) (diff),
See Also: InterNationalization, Ticket #65
Offers of translation
(plase add yourself if you wish to translate parts of Django to other languages)
- German (de_DE): hugo <gb@…>, Paulus <krabbe@…>, lukas <lucky@…>
- French (fr_FR): yeiazel <yeiazel@…>, asrenzo <laurent.rahuel@…>
- Czech (cs_CZ): radek.svarz@…
- Simple Chinese (zh_CN): alang.yl@…
- Italian (it_IT): Carlo C8E Miron <carlo.miron@…>, Wilson Miner <djangoproject@…>, Paolo Dina <paolo@…>, Ludovico Magnocavallo <ludo@…>
- Serbian (sr, sr_YU - cyrillic, sr@Latin, sr_YU@Latin - latin): Nebojša Đorđević <nesh@…>, Petar Marić <petar.maric@…>
- Norwegian (nb): Espen Grindhaug <espen@…>
- Slovenian (sl): Jure Čuhalev <gandalf@…>, Gašper Žejn <zejn@…>
- Dutch (nl_NL): Ksenia Marasanova <ksenia@…>
- Russian (ru): Ksenia Marasanova <ksenia@…>
- Hebrew (he): Ksenia Marasanova <ksenia@…> (not my native language, so any other volunteers are welcome ;-)
- Latvian (lv): Edgars Jēkabsons <edgars@…>
- Spanish (es_ES): Ricardo Cárdenes <ricardo.cardenes@…>, Gustavo Picon <gpicon@…>
- Brazilian Portuguese (pt_BR): Arthur Henrique Zapparoli <arthurzap@…>
- Galician (gl): Afonso Fernández Nogueira <fonzzo.django@…>
Apparently, there are others who have offered, including Russian, but I haven't tracked them down on the mailing list or ticket. -- Moof?
Rosetta is the translation portal of (but not limited to) the Ubuntu project. Translators can work through-the-web or by downloading, editing and uploading the PO files. Zope 3 project has recently switched using this facility.
Template based localization
Since code and content do not get translated, only templates need translation. Therefore localizations could be done in a way that apache does them, with eg. template.html.en (or template.en.html) for English and every other locale in a similar way.
There's only one thing I am not sure about ... how is /admin/doc made?


text:
NEW YORK — The love-him-or-hate-him reaction to Seth MacFarlane's turn as Academy Awards host is evidence that one of the most high-profile jobs in show business is becoming one of its most thankless.
NEW YORK — The love-him-or-hate-him reaction to Seth MacFarlane's turn as Academy Awards host is evidence that one of the most high-profile jobs in show business is becoming one of its most thankless.
The "Family Guy" creator and first-time Oscars host seemed unusually preoccupied with his reviews both before and during Sunday's show. He predicted he'd be ripped apart and he was, particularly on social media. He also had his fans, with many suggesting the motion picture academy got precisely the kind of performance it expected and wanted in hiring someone known for his subversive, even crude humor.
As is often the case with the Oscars, the major awards themselves — "Argo" as best picture, Daniel Day Lewis and Jennifer Lawrence as top actors — hewed closely to pre-show predictions. The host's performance is the most unpredictable element of the show, and it seems the negative experiences have the most mileage. David Letterman's awkward 1995 turn is well-remembered, most of all by him. Chris Rock tried to bring some edge in 2005 and fell flat. James Franco and Anne Hathaway's snoozefest in 2011 is still being talked about.
After Franco and Hathaway, the Oscars returned last year to the tried and true — eight-time host Billy Crystal — and faced criticism that the reliable had become the stodgy.
To some ears, MacFarlane's material — which included a song-and-dance number about breast-baring actresses, a domestic violence joke involving Rihanna and Chris Brown, and references to Mel Gibson's racial slurs — didn't make the grade.
"If you're going to the edge, you have to be funny," said comic Joy Behar on "The View" Monday. "To me, I love Seth, but it wasn't funny enough."
Behar's colleague, Whoopi Goldberg — a four-time Oscars host — had a bit more empathy, noting that people in MacFarlane's position have a tough line to walk. The Oscars can't force a younger audience to be interested just by hiring a younger host, she said, and a younger host has to know the audience that is out there.
The Nielsen Co. said an estimated 40.3 million people watched the Academy Awards on Sunday, up 1 million from last year and the first time since 2010 that the show topped the 40 million mark. More importantly for ABC, ratings for the 18-to-49-year-old demographic were up 11 percent over 2012. That's the age group upon which ABC bases its advertising rates, and MacFarlane was brought in this year in part to attract a younger audience.
The telecast was likely also propelled by the second screen experience, which has steadily grown in recent years as a driver of ratings for major live TV events. Twitter said that there were a total of 8.9 million tweets about the Academy Awards during the show and red carpet arrivals. That fell short of both the Grammys earlier in the month (more than 14 million tweets) and the record 24.1 million tweets about the recent Super Bowl and halftime show.
Arguably MacFarlane's most offensive joke referred to actors who had tried to play Abraham Lincoln over the years. "I would argue that the actor who really got inside Lincoln's head was John Wilkes Booth," MacFarlane said of Lincoln's assassin.
In addition, a pre-taped song about movies where famous actresses displayed their breasts was seen by some women as sexist — and a much-echoed criticism of MacFarlane's Oscar performance.
On Monday, the Anti-Defamation League added itself to the list of those offended, protesting his joke, through the teddy bear from his movie "Ted," about Jewish control over Hollywood. The bear, voiced by MacFarlane, claimed he was "born Theodore Shapiro and I would like to donate money to Israel and continue to work in Hollywood forever."


text:
Phillip in "Kill or Be Killed" Episode 4 of Season 26
Phillip Sheppard of the Bikal Tribe during the fourth episode of SURVIVOR: CARAMOAN – FANS VS. FAVORITES, Wednesday, March 6 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. #Survivor. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS© 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Gov.-elect Peter Shumlin's selection of his inner circle early this week set an important tone for the upcoming session: one of fiscal restraint and pragmatism. That's particularly true of his selection of State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding as secretary of administration and Susan Bartlett as special assistant to the governor — both moderate Democrats known for their conservative approach on fiscal matters.
What's so important about those appointments is that it sets a counter to what could be the liberal tendencies of a Democrat-controlled Legislature with a sitting Democratic governor. Shumlin, in effect, is saying to his colleagues in the House and Senate: 'We want to get things done, but we have to be fiscally responsible when doing them.' That has to be music to the ears of any fiscal conservative.
Mesh that message with the governor-elect's campaign promises to grow jobs, restructure critical agencies and improve efficiencies throughout government, plus balance a incoming budget with a $112 million deficit and you have an inkling of the challenges ahead. What his administration must do, he says, is create a better management team — not rely on higher taxes — as a way to restore a budget cycle that is fiscally balanced and results-based.
"We have the task in the administration of putting the state on a responsible fiscal course where we no longer are looking at unending deficits but where budget goals meet revenue,"
the governor-elect said at a press conference Monday when he named five of his administration's team. "I've been really clear that I am a very fiscally cautious governor. I do not believe that Vermont's biggest problem is that our taxes are not high enough… I do believe we are spending beyond our ability to pay our bills."
Spaulding has impeccable credentials as a fiscal moderate from his eight years as State Treasurer and his eight terms in the Vermont Senate, along with private sector experience.
Bartlett, a senator from Lamoille County, has served for years as the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is known for her encyclopedic knowledge of the budget as well as her ability, as Shumlin says, "to take big ideas and get them done."
With these first announcements, the well-kept surprise was convincing Spaulding to take the post — an example of Shumlin's willingness to be bold and his ability to be convincing — and to also find a top position for Bartlett, his one-time opponent.
More expected were his appointments of Bill Loffy, a veteran Democratic strategist, as chief of staff; his choice of Middlebury lawyer Beth Robinson as legal counsel; and naming his talented campaign manager Alex MacLean as secretary of civil and military affairs, who will also oversee communications, act as a liaison with the Legislature and help formulate policy.
If this inner circle is any indication of the 60 or so appointments Shumlin will make over the next few weeks, look forward to more candidates with high profiles, bold ideas and demonstrated abilities to get things done — made more possible by a cooperative Legislature that won't have to fight against a recalcitrant governor. It may just be one of those increasingly rare periods in which government has the ability to work effectively and efficiently for the public good. That, at least, is the goal of Shumlin's inner circle and one on which they will be judged.
Angelo S. Lynn


text:
Show Grandpa how much you love and adore him with tastyl gift straight from our premium line-up of birthday gifts and treats. If your grandpa is hard to shop for, this is the place for you. Find the perfect 55th birthday gifts to tempt his taste buds. Our freshly baked cookie selections are available in a host of classic flavors like oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip and peanut butter, and are guaranteed to delight.
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Or, try a gift basket for Grandpa's birthday. With dozens of stunning options to choose from you're sure to find a gourmet gift to suit Grandpa's hungry appetite. Shop our savory snack selections that are perfect for night in with a good book or a movie, to picnic-ready hampers filled with delicious roasted chocolate nuts, and cookie gift baskets that are tailor made for afternoon snack time. Rest assured that each and every one of our beautiful gift baskets arrives beautifully arranged and freshly prepared.
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And the selection doesn't stop there. Be sure to check out our whimsical and oh-so tasty assortment of chocolate dipped fruit, brownies, caramel apples and signature chocolate-dipped strawberries as well. From chocolate truffles, to mini cheesecakes, chocolate-dipped pretzels and even chocolate-dipped cookies, we've got Grandpa gifts all wrapped up.


text:
Arthritis drug hope 'premature'
A £1-a-day drug can slow arthritis, The Independent has reported. According to the paper, it's thought to be the first drug to slow the progress of the disease. The Daily Mail reported a similar story, but said that British scientists have developed an "80p-a-day pill".
The news is based on research presented this week at a European conference of joint and bone health. Researchers presented details of a large trial of the drug strontium ranelate, marketed as Protelos. The trial examined whether the drug could be used to treat knee osteoarthritis. Over three years, daily doses of the drug were found to reduce degeneration of joint cartilage, assessed by the extent of joint space narrowing on X-ray. There was also some evidence that it may affect pain and function. Strontium ranelate is currently only licensed for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
The findings of this trial sound promising and, as the charity Arthritis Research UK has been quoted as saying in press: "This the first time that a drug has been shown to slow progression of osteoarthritis, as existing treatments for osteoarthritis just focus on symptoms." However, conference presentations often give only a brief, cursory presentation of results, and don't reveal key details of the methods and findings of trials that are available when research is formally published.
Overall, these partial findings have no immediate implications for the current treatment of people with osteoarthritis, although data from the full study may clarify things when published later this year.
Where did the story come from?
This week saw the European Congress on Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis, and news reports were based on a conference abstract published in the journal Osteoporosis International. The abstract presented brief findings of an arthritis study performed by researchers from the University of Liège, Belgium, and other international institutions. It examined the effects of a drug called strontium ranelate (brand name Protelos) on knee osteoarthritis. Full publication of the results is reported to be forthcoming in the journal Current Medical Research & Opinion.
Funding of the study was not mentioned in the abstract, but was reported to be by the Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier (France) on the Current Controlled Trials trial registry website. Servier is the pharmaceutical company that manufactures strontium ranelate.
The news headlines all highlighted that this is a cheap drug which could slow the progress of osteoarthritis. This may prematurely raise the hopes of many people with the condition. Generally, the news did not make it clear that these findings are only preliminary, are based on a conference abstract, or that the drug is not currently licensed for use in osteoarthritis.
What kind of research was this?
This conference abstract reported a randomised, placebo-controlled trial which investigated the effects of strontium ranelate (Protelos) on cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis. Strontium ranelate is a drug that regulates bone turnover and is currently only licensed for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. A randomised controlled trial is the best way of investigating the effects of a treatment. However, as this was a conference abstract, only limited information on the study's methods and findings is currently available.
Osteoarthritis is a common, degenerative joint condition associated with increasing age. It is more common in people who are overweight or have a family history of the condition. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage that lines the joints becomes rough and thin, and the bones of the joints gradually become worn down and damaged. The bones tend to change shape and form bony spurs called osteophytes. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects big joints like the knees and hips, but other joints can be affected, such as the big toe and finger joints. The most common symptoms are stiffness, pain and crunching when the joint is moved. No treatments have yet been developed that can reverse the process, so most treatments aim to control symptoms. Treatments used to control the symptoms include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or other painkillers. Sometimes steroids injection may be used or, when it is the only option, joint replacement surgery can be carried out.
What did the research involve?
This trial involved 1,683 people with osteoarthritis of the knee who had X-ray evidence showing joint space narrowing and bone spurs - typical signs of the condition. They were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or Protelos daily for three years (either at a low dose of 1g a day, or standard dose of 2g a day). The main outcome assessed was joint space narrowing on X-ray, measured at 12 months, two years and three years. Greater narrowing of the joint space indicates increasing osteoarthritic changes in the joint. Symptoms were also assessed using validated scores for pain, stiffness and function (WOMAC score).
What were the basic results?
Of the people enrolled, 1,371 patients (82%) were followed for an average of 2.5 years. The average age of people in the trial was 63 years, average BMI score was 30 (classed as overweight) and 69% were female.
The main findings were that people taking strontium ranelate showed less progression of their osteoarthritis based on an assessment of joint space.
The study found that:
- People who took 1g/day strontium ranelate had 0.231mm decrease in joint space.
- People who took 2g/day strontium ranelate had 0.271mm decrease in joint space
- People who took placebo had 0.371mm decrease in joint space.
- Differences between placebo and strontium ranelate were statistically significant for both the lower dose (0.14mm) and higher dose (0.10mm).
The conference abstract does not report at what point during the follow-up these results were obtained.
The 2g/day dose of strontium ranelate was reported to significantly improve overall symptoms, as measured by the total WOMAC score. There was also a significant improvement on the pain sub-score of this assessment and a "trend" for improved physical function sub-score with the 2g/day dose of strontium ranelate. These comparisons were presumably carried out against the placebo, though this is not explicitly stated. The effects of the 1g/day dose on symptoms were not mentioned in the abstract.
Strontium ranelate was reported to be well tolerated by the patients.
How did the researchers interpret the results?
The researchers concluded that both 1g/day and 2g/day doses of strontium ranelate had a
beneficial effect on joint structure in patients with knee osteoarthritis. They said that this structure-modifying effect was accompanied by symptom improvement with the 2g/day dose.
The findings of this study sound promising, although until the full research paper is published the merits of the study and its findings cannot be fully gauged. Results presented at conferences are often preliminary and may change once a final analysis is performed. Also, the abstract will not have been through the full peer-review process, where experts in the field look at potential limitations and problems with the study.
However, the results appear to be of interest to the press, medical professional and the public, with many high-profile news stories reporting on the study and many internet users commenting on the potential of Protelos. Professor Alan Silman of the charity Arthritis Research UK reportedly told The Independent that the research was as an "exciting development". He added: "Although [the drug] doesn't reverse osteoarthritis, it slows down its progression in terms of X-rays, and appears to have a beneficial effect on pain, although the extent of this is still unclear. This is the first time that a drug has been shown to slow progression of osteoarthritis, as existing treatments for osteoarthritis just focus on symptoms."
The conference abstract itself reveals some interesting details, with both doses of Protelos leading to less narrowing of the joints but the lower dose of 1g producing better results than the 2g dose. However, whether improvement seen in X-rays has an effect on everyday life is less clear at this stage. On face value, the difference in joint space narrowing suggests that the lower 1g dose may be superior to the 2g dose, but only the higher dose appeared to have a significant effect on the overall WOMAC score (a scale measuring pain, stiffness and function). Effects of the lower dose on pain and function were not explicitly stated, but the researchers' conclusions suggest that they may not have been statistically significant.
Full publication of this trial is awaited. Strontium ranelate is currently only licensed for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Further studies of the treatment in osteoarthritis may be needed to confirm its effects and assess the safety of the drug for this use before it is considered for licence extension. As with all drugs, strontium ranelate is not without risk. It can cause adverse effects, including nausea and diarrhoea, and it has been associated with causing blood clots in the veins and, is some people, severe allergic reactions.
These brief, partial findings have no immediate implications for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
A £1-a-day drug can slow arthritis, The Independent has reported. According to the paper, it's thought to be the first drug to slow the progress of the disease. The Daily Mail reported a similar story, but said that British scientists have developed...
Links to Headlines
£1 drug 'slows osteoarthritis'. The Independent, March 23 2012
First drug to 'slow' progression of arthritis. The Daily Telegraph, March 23 2012
British scientists develop 80p-a-day pill that can slow progress of osteoarthritis. Daily Mail, March 23 2012
News athritis 'cure' for £1 a day. Daily Express, March 23 2012
Links to Science
Reginster JY, Chapurlat R, Christiansen C, et al. Structure modifying effects of strontium ranelate in knee osteoarthritis. Osteoporosis International 2012; 23(Suppl 2):S57-S84:OC3
International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register: The efficacy and safety of two doses of strontium ranelate versus placebo, administered orally for three years in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Trial registration number: ISRCTN41323372
Related Articles
- Questions over advice to finish courses of antibiotics
- Could cows be the clue that leads to an HIV vaccine?
- Old meningitis B vaccine 'may also protect against gonorrhoea'
- WHO issues warning about rise of drug-resistant gonorrhoea
Useful Links
- NHS Choices links
- About osteoarthritis
- Living with osteoarthritis
- External links
- Arthrits Care: about arthritis
- Arthritis Research UK: arthritis information
- Article's categories
- Older people
- Medication
- Article Review/Published Date
- Classification
- Credits Section
- Analysis by Bazian
- Edited by the NHS website


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Teachers - Information Engineering Area
Below is a list of all our lecturers. Further details are available by clicking on each name. Cannot find the person you're looking for? This list shows all the teachers currently working in this department . Click here to see the list of teachers of any currently active course or the list of teachers of any current (also not active) course .
Filter teachers the list
Click "filter" to search. The current filtering criteria are highlighted. To clear the filter and return to the complete list, click "cancel".
|Contact info


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JoTo Daiginjo$24.94
Size 300ML
The rice wines and plum wines of Japan are amongst the most fascinating, aromatic and seductive national drinks in the world, and it is a testament to the traditional practices and expertise of the producers of these beverages that their popularity is continuing to rise across the globe. Both plum wines and sake are produced in many parts of Japan, and there are even several AOC style appellations dedicated to producing plum wines and sake of the highest quality, overseen by regulations similar to those found in esteemed wine regions of France and elsewhere. Both drinks are inextricably linked with the cuisine of Japan, but both are also highly enjoyable when drank without food, giving the drinker a real taste of the beauty of the far east. Learn More


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According to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimates, federal grant awards to nonfederal entities, such as states and nonprofit organizations, increased from $300 billion in 2000 to over $500 billion in 2009. If even a small fraction of the federal government's total grant funding is not spent in a prudent and timely fashion, it can prevent the reallocation of scarce resources or the return of funding to the United States Treasury.
Undisbursed funding is funding the federal government has obligated through a grant agreement, but which the grantee has not entirely spent. An expired grant account is an agency-level account for which the period of availability to the grantee has ended.
The existence of unspent funds can hinder the achievement of national objectives in various ways, such as leaving projects incomplete or making federal funds more susceptible to improper spending or accounting as monitoring diminishes over time. Closeout procedures help ensure grantees have met all financial requirements, provided final reports, and that unused funds are de-obligated. However, past audits of federal agencies by GAO and Inspectors General, and agencies' annual performance reports have suggested grant management challenges, including failure to conduct grant closeouts and undisbursed balances, are a long-standing problem. The audits generally attributed the problems to inadequacies in awarding agencies' grant management processes, including regarding closeouts as a low management priority, inconsistent closeout procedures, poorly timed communications with grantees, or insufficient compliance or enforcement.
GAO found that when federal agencies took corrective actions, there were improvements in grant closeouts and resolution of undisbursed funding. Using federal payment systems to track undisbursed funding in expired grant accounts and including the status of grant closeouts in annual performance reports could raise the visibility of the problem both within the agency and governmentwide, and lead to improvements in grant closeouts and reduce undisbursed balances.
In August 2008, GAO reported that during calendar year 2006, about $1 billion in undisbursed funding remained in expired grant accounts in the Department of Health and Human Services' Payment Management System (PMS)the largest civilian grant payment system. In 2006, PMS made payments for about 70 percent of all federal grants awarded by nine federal departments and three other federal entities. The expired but still open grant accounts found in PMS were associated with thousands of grantees and over 325 different federal programs. While GAO has not updated this figure, it illustrates the potential financial benefits to be gained by improving oversight of undisbursed grant funding. Better tracking of grant accounts maintained in all federal payment systems could identify the expired grants with undisbursed balances and make funds available for other assistance projects or facilitate the return of these funds to the Treasury. GAO recommended that the Director of OMB instruct executive departments and independent agencies to annually track the amount of undisbursed grant funding remaining in expired grant accounts and report on the status and resolution of such funding in their annual performance plans and Performance and Accountability Reports (PAR). As of January 13, 2011, OMB had not issued governmentwide guidance regarding undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts.
As an example of how agencies could be instructed to provide this information, section 537 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-117), signed into law on December 16, 2009, required that the Director of OMB instruct departments, agencies, and other entities receiving funds under the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Act of 2010 to track undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts and include in its annual PARs details on the (1) actions the department, agency, or instrumentality will take to resolve such balances; (2) methods used to track such balances; (3) identification of balances that may be returned to the U.S. Treasury; and (4) the number of such accounts for the preceding 3 years. In October 2010, OMB issued the instructions to the federal entities funded by this appropriations act, as required. GAO reviewed available fiscal year 2010 PARs and found three entities reported they had undisbursed and/or unobligated balances remaining in expired grant accounts over the last 3 or 4 years. The most recent balances that these agencies reported were as follows: Department of Justice, fiscal year 2010$2.9 million; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), fiscal year 2009$58 million; and National Science Foundation, fiscal year 2010$1.7 billion. Of these three agencies, only NASA grant accounts were included in the total undisbursed balances GAO reported in 2008.
In a recent example of how to identify, resolve, and quantify the savings resulting from resolving undisbursed funding in expired grant accounts, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General reported in 2009 that the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) did not timely de-obligate unused funds from 32 of 121 cooperative agreements that expired in fiscal years 2005 and 2006. The inspector general cited GAO in recommending that the ARS de-obligate the $2.75 million remaining on the 32 expired agreements to make the funds available for other research projects and prevent the potential misuse of funds. The ARS reported to the inspector general, in April 2009, that it had de-obligated the $2.75 million, as recommended.
Better tracking of grant accounts maintained in all federal payment systems could identify the expired grants with undisbursed balances. Ongoing, systematic resolution of these undisbursed grant balances could potentially make these funds available for other assistance programs or facilitate the return of these funds to the Treasury. In August 2008, GAO recommended that OMB instruct all executive departments and independent agencies to track undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts and report on the resolution of this funding in their annual performance plan and PARs. While OMB has not issued governmentwide guidance regarding undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts, GAO continues to believe its recommendations should be implemented.
The analysis above was based on a prior GAO product, GAO-08-432, listed under the "Related GAO Products" tab.
For additional information about this area, contact Stanley J. Czerwinski at (202) 512-6520 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism--also known as the E-rate program--is a significant source of federal funding for information technology for schools and libraries, providing about $2 billion a year. As requested, GAO assessed issues related to the E-rate program's long-term goals, including (1) key trends in the demand for and...
In 2006, the subcommittee concluded there was a need for increased accountability and transparency for unspent funds in federal programs and agencies, and requested GAO review the status of balances not drawn down by grantees by the time the grants' period of availability had ended. GAO was asked to answer these questions: (1) to what extent are there undisbursed grant balances in expired grant ac...
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October 12 2018 in SkinCare
Find out more on (Reward Program)
SUPER FOOD SKIN CARE with reasonable and affordable price!
FOODAHOLIC Green Tea Natural Essence Mask Contains the extract of green tea which soothes the skin and gives the moisture and refreshment to the skin to prevent the roughness and keep the moist skin. Comforts stressed and fatigued skin.
All Foodaholic Natural Essence Masks keeps the moist hydrationg sense based on silky touch and excellent contact of 3D shape natural pulp mask. Benefits: Smoothes, Wrinkle Improvement, Provides Suppleness, Anti-bacterial, Healing Properties, Moisturizes, Nourishes, Improves elasticity
The optimum skin condition is maintained by natural ingredient extract to create elasticity for your skin & moisturize at the same time!! FOODAHOLIC Natural Essence Mask keeps the moist hydration sense based on silky touch and excellent contact of "3D shape natural pulp mask."
[ Volumes ] 23g
[ Size ] 115 x 155 (mm)
[ Features ]
- FOODAHOLIC Natural Essence Mask keeps the moist hydration sense based on silky touch and excellent contact of "3D shape natural pulp mask."
[ How to use ]
- After washing the face, arrange the skin with a skin toner.
- Match the sheet from the eye and fix it all over the face with a fingertip.
- Remove the mask after 20~30 minutes and use the finger to absorb the remaining fluids lightly and arrange the skin according to the basic care oder.
- Use it regularly 1 ~ 3 times a week to get a better effect
- Do not use used masked again!! Each mask is for a one time usage only!!
- When using the mask, pay attention to the contents not to contact to your eyes.
[ Use as cold in Summer] Keep mask package in the refrigerator for sometime before putting it onto your face, it will make you feel refreshing.
[ Use as warm in Winter] Before use, warm the package in warm water (50~60C) for 2~3 minutes.
When the following abnormalities happen while using the cosmetics, stop using the product to revet further aggravation of symptoms and consult a dermatologist. 1) Red specks, swelling, itchiness, and other unusual symptoms 2) Above symptoms that are caused by direct sunlight
Avoid using the product on area that is wounded or have skin troubles such as eczema or any other types of skin diseases. 3. Caution on storing and handling 1) Keep the product out of reach of babies a children. 2) Do not store in high or low temperature or under the direct sunlight. * Whe using the mask, pay attention to the contents not to contact to your eyes. Do not the once -used mask again.
[Detail Ingredients List ]
Water to 100 Solvent, Glycerin Humectant, Alcohol Solvent, Butylene Glycol Skin-Conditioning Agent, Trehalose Humectant, Panthenol Skin-Conditioning Agent, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Solubilizing Agent, Methylparaben Preservative, Phenoxyethanol Preservative, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Corydalis Ochotensis Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Chenopodium Album Flower Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Lactuca Indica Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Draba Nemorosa Extract Skin-Conditioning Agent, Carbomer Viscosity Increasing Agent, Triethanolamine pH Adjuster, Disodium EDTA Chelating Agent, Fragrance Fragrance Ingredient CTFA
Questions & Answers
Have a Question?
Be the first to ask a question about this.


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Primary peritoneal cancer
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"
My mom just had a hysterectomy and we were told her diagnosis of Peritoneal Cancer mimics Ovarian Cancer. This is very rare; do you have any information about this disease?
Stephen C. Rubin, MD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, responds:
Primary peritoneal cancer is a malignant tumor arising from the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity. It tends to behave in a fashion very similar to cancer of the ovary, and can look identical under the microscope. The standard treatment is the same as for ovarian cancer. Typically, surgery is performed to remove as much of the tumor as possible, and then chemotherapy is administered. The chemotherapy drugs used are commonly carboplatin and paclitaxel, as are used for ovarian cancer, although other agents may be employed as well.


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It is undeniably true that Arcade Fire is one of the most amazing bands living, performing and making intense, inspirational and thought-provoking music in this modern age that we are experiencing. Their latest album, The Suburbs, was released in 2010, and while listening to it I realized I've never seen them perform live. So, I looked around a bit and found some great webcasts and TV broadcasts of concerts from 2005-2011. If you're not familiar with this band (or if you are), then watch every one of these concert videos. They're all great. You can even read all the lyrics here. Very nice. I will definitely be seeing Arcade Fire next time they come around. And probably every time after that, too.
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-01-17 KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-03-10 Le Nouveau Casino – Paris, France
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-03-11 Melkweg – Amsterdam, Netherlands
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-05-11 Paradiso – Amsterdam, Netherlands
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-08-20 Lowlands Festival – Biddinghuizen, Holland
[mp3] [mp4] 2005-08-25 Rock en Seine – Paris, France
[mp3] [avi] 2007-03-20 L'Olympia – Paris, France
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-06-19 BBC Radio 2 Session – London, England
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-06-22 Glastonbury Festival – Pilton, England
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-06-27 Hovefestivalen – Arendal, Norway
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-07-01 Les Eurockéennes – Belfort, France
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-07-07 T in the Park – Kinross, Scotland
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-08-24 Rock en Seine – Paris, France
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-08-25 Reading Festival – Berkshire, England
[mp3] [mp4] 2007-09-14 Austin City Limits
[mp3] [mp4] 2008-01-25 Big Day Out – Sydney, Australia
[mp3] [mp4] 2010-07-09 Oxegen Festival – Ireland
[mp3] 2010-08-05 Unstaged – NYC
[mp3] [mp4] 2010-08-28 Reading Festival – Berkshire, England
[mp3] [mp4] 2010-09-05 MTV Galicia – Spain
[mp3] [mp4] 2011-02-10 KROQ, Los Angeles – Studio R
[mp3] [mp4] 2011-04-16 Coachella Festival – USA
[mp3] 2011-04-24 Chicago – WXRT Broadcast


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G&C necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 42 diseños de 7 diseñadores freelance.
We're a online condom retailer, our current site can be seen here: http://www.mycondom.co.uk
Everybody, however our customers tend to be in the 16-40 age range.
We aim to move to a new e-commerce platform (Magento), and would like a fresh design for the new site.
We would like to use a similar colour scheme and the same logo as our current site, however we would like to modify the design slightly to incorporate the addition functionality that Magento offers.
We need the following three pages designed:
Home page
Category Page
Product Page
We will implement all our other pages based on the three you provide (T&C, Contact Us, Shopping Cart, News, etc)
Please see attached documents and wireframes for more details.


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But John wants to continue to worship at the feet of Palin, Beck. limbaugh and Fox news. I wonder if any of them will comment on this new information? lol.
And then there is this. A new Stanford University study that is predicting that heat waves (like the one we are experiencing in the East) and higher temperatures will become more commonplace into the future.


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How to
Use the Activities
Inquiry Question
Activity 1: The Roles of Geography and Promotion
Begin by having students create two lists from the materials they covered in the lesson. The first should describe the natural features that would make Chattanooga a good place for businesses to locate. The second should include those man-made factors that offer other benefits. Then have each student write a paragraph on whether man or nature was more important in the citys growth. Have them discuss their answers. The following questions can be used to facilitate the discussion: Would the man-made advantages alone have been able to attract business? Should active promotion to attract business be included in the man-made advantages? Would the natural advantages still appeal to businesses today? Do towns and cities still actively encourage businesses to settle there today? If so, what incentives do they provide?
Activity 2: Literature, Art, and Music
Continue by having students find other places in popular culture where railroads appear. Have them develop lists of books, songs, poems, movies, and artworks that are about trains. Why were--and are--trains such popular subjects?
Activity 3: Researching Your Communitys
Railroad History
Then have students examine the long-term effects of the railroad by completing the following exercises: What railroad-related buildings, structures, place names, or features still exist in your community? Photograph and identify them. Look for old photographs of buildings that have been demolished. Interview people employed by the railroad or by businesses that depend on the railroad. Ask them questions about their work and the significance of the railroad to the community and to their lives. Discuss the current impact, or reasons for lack of impact, of the railroad on your community.
Finish the activity by asking students to consider what the main transportation routes in their community are today. Are shopping areas of their town related to these routes? Are those connections similar to the ones with the railroad? Have students ask local business owners how important transportation is to their business, and how it is provided. See if they can determine whether the availability of transportation affected decisions about where to locate or relocate local businesses.


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Video sweepstakes businesses, which have flooded Gastonia in recent months, are no longer legal in North Carolina.
Word came from the state Supreme Court on Friday when judges upheld a 2010 law banning the machines. Operators of several Gaston County sweepstakes businesses were caught off guard by the ruling.
Many of the people working in convenience stores or dedicated sweepstakes parlors said they were unaware there was a question about the legality of the machines.
Pocca Marshall is the manager at 777 Sweepstakes on East Franklin Boulevard. The business opened in October, the same day the state�s highest court began deciding whether the industry could continue to function in North Carolina.
Marshall knew judges were considering the issue but didn�t realize Friday they had made a decision. She was expecting a January ruling � and one in which justices sided with her industry.
�There are a lot of jobs that will be gone,� she said.
Marshall doesn�t worry about her career prospects but said she�ll be unhappy if she has to leave her current post.
�I like this job,� she said. �People come in and they get happy.�
DA: Closings will come soon
Gaston District Attorney Locke Bell says owners of sweepstakes machines will have a brief grace period for shutting down the businesses.
The ban on video sweepstakes is immediate, but Bell said law enforcement wouldn�t be arresting anyone this weekend. He expects to meet with officers next week to talk about how to proceed but said the businesses would be expected to shut down quickly.
After that, officers will not only arrest the operators of businesses but will seize machines and money, Bell said.
When laws regarding video sweepstakes games were murkier, unscrupulous salesmen sometimes duped store owners into buying sweepstakes machines, according to the DA. In those cases, law enforcement usually gave owners 48 hours to get rid of the games.
Gray areas surrounding video sweepstakes games long kept consumers and business owners guessing.
James Mecham, a California consultant for the sweepstakes industry, told The Gazette in November that enforcement in North Carolina had been erratic, even after the ban was first introduced.
Bell says that stemmed from contradictory court orders issued by judges in different parts of North Carolina.
The state Supreme Court�s decision on Friday makes the issue a black and white one, according to Bell.
�Now there�s no ambiguity in the law whatsoever,� he said.
Court: It�s gambling, not free speech
Gastonia was inundated with video sweepstakes businesses after a decision this year on how to regulate the companies.
Between May and November, the city gained 260 machines at 50 businesses. Gastonia also collected $185,500 in license fees from business owners.
Sweepstakes games offer potential cash prizes to players. The industry sidesteps gambling laws by selling Internet time and calling the games a promotion for the main business.
Owners compare the cash prizes to those McDonald�s offers in its sweepstakes games.
Opponents simply say the games are a form of gambling.
Attorneys for machine companies and a software developer argued before the state Supreme Court the pre-determined prizes mean the online games don�t constitute gambling.
The N.C. Court of Appeals said earlier this year the state ban was unconstitutional. That argument was based on the fact courts have ruled video games enjoy free speech protections.
Friday, the N.C. Supreme Court said the state ban regulates conduct and not free speech.
�While one can question whether these systems meet the traditional definition of gambling,� Justice Robin Hudson wrote for the court, �it is clear that the General Assembly considered these sweepstakes systems to be the functional equivalent of gambling, thus presenting the same social evils as those it identified in traditional forms of gambling.�


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Ectatomma tuberculatum workers tend to a membracid nymph.
Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
A pair of Prenolepis imparis workers tend a scale insect for honeydew.
Del Puerto Canyon, California, USA
Azteca velox workers tending to a Theope caterpillar.
Isla Contadora, Panama
Azteca velox worker tending to a Theope caterpillar.
Isla Contadora, Panama
Acropyga goeldii ants are so dependent on their mealybug associates that young queens must carry a bug with them on their dispersal flights to successfully start a new colony.
Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
A nearly blind Acropyga goeldii worker ant tends to root-feeding mealybugs in an underground chamber. The ants depend on their hemipteran "cattle" for food, while the mealybugs are kept safe from predators and carried to new roots by their ant guards.
Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Acropyga goeldii worker & alate queen. Workers are nearly blind, but queens have eyes to help navigate during their brief flight to start a new colony.
Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
An Acropyga goeldii worker carries a mealybug.
Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Acropyga acutiventris
Iron Range National Park, Queensland, Australia
Mating Acropyga epedana ants, the queen carrying a mealybug in her mandibles. Acropyga live nearly entirely by consuming secretions of root-feeding mealybugs, and the mealybugs depend on the ants for dispersal and protection. When young queen ants leave the nest to mate and start new colonies, they take a mealybug with them.
Portal, Arizona, USA
Crematogaster cerasi tending ivy aphids for honeydew.
South Bristol, New York, USA
Crematogaster carinata
A tropical acrobat ant approaches an aphid. Ants and aphids are often associated in a symbiotic relationship where the aphid provides excess honeydew to the ants in exchange for protection from predators. Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata, Peru.
Camponotus rosariensis ant tending scale insects for honeydew. Notice that the younger scale insects have legs. These first instar scale are more mobile than the older instars, which settle down once they find a good spot for feeding.
Frías, Santiago de Estero, Argentina
Formica aerata
Formica aerata, the California grey field ant, tending aphids on a willow branch.
Hallelujah Junction, California, USA
Camponotus rufipes
Camponotus rufipes worker ants tending treehopper nymphs for honeydew.
Carrancas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
A Camponotus rufipes worker tends treehopper nymphs for honeydew.
Carrancas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Mixed in among these turtle ants (Cephalotes atratus) are several honeydew-producing treehoppers. They are difficult to see, however, as their color, size, and texture closely match that of their ant associates. Presumably, this clever camouflage provides a measure of protection from predators.
Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
The adult form of this treehopper (bottom left) mimics the abdomen of the Cephalotes atratus ants that tend it for honeydew.
Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Attaphila fungicola & Atta texana
Ant cockroaches hitch a ride aboard virgin queens as they depart on mating flights. Austin, Texas, USA.
Attaphila fungicola
An ant cockroach in the fungus garden of its leafcutter ant host. Laboratory animal at the University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA.
A tiny ant cockroach, Attaphila fungicola, hitches a ride aboard a winged queen. Austin, Texas, USA.
Ten centimeters below ground, Pheidole ants tend ground pearls (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) for honeydew. Ground pearls are sap-feeding insects that exude excess sugar attractive to ants, while the ants help transport the young insects to new plants.
Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Linepithema micans astride a ground pearl. The "pearl" is actually a honeydew-producing scale insect that feeds on the sap of roots.
Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Ground pearls are the large, sedentary adult forms of root-sap feeding insects. Here, two Eurhizococcus brasiliensis hang suspended from grape roots deep underground while a Linepithema micans ant gathers the honeydew exuded by the pearls. These insects are significant pests in Brazilian vineyards.
Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Ants and scale insects are often tight ecological associates, even under the soil. Here, a first instar ground pearl (Eurhizococcus brasiliensis) is carried by a Linepithema micans worker. The ground pearls produce honeydew that feeds the ants, while the ants protect the pearls and carry their young to new host plants.
Bento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Linepithema humile, the Argentine ant, tending a citrus scale insect for honeydew.
Davis, California, USA
Lasius arizonicus
A Lasius (Acanthomyops) arizonicus citronella ant tends to a mealybug in an underground nest.
Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, USA
Lasius (Acanthomyops) californicus citronella ants with their underground "cattle": mealybugs that produce honeydew.
Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Nylanderia sp.
An ant in the Nylanderia vividula/terricola species complex tends aphids for honeydew. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.
Honeydew from root aphids (Aphidae: Eriosomatinae) is an important part of the diet of the subterranean ant Lasius nearcticus.
South Bristol, New York, USA
Melissotarsus may be the only lineage besides humans to raise other animals for meat. Here, workers tend to domesticated scale insects inside the nest galleries.
Kibale Forest, Uganda
Melissotarsus weissi nest in tree bark with symbiotic diaspidid scale insects.
Kibale Forest, Uganda
Odontomachus bauri. Trap-jaw ants are normally thought of as predators, but they also tend honeydew-producing insects.
Gamboa, Panama
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile tending scale insects on an orange tree in suburban California.
Davis, California, USA
Rhytidoponera victoriae with springtail
Ant nests house more than just ants! Here, a springtail poses with its much larger host.
Diamond Creek, Victoria, Australia
Cixiidae nymph in ant nest
A young planthopper (Cixiidae) in a nest of Nylanderia terricola. Austin, Texas, USA
A worker ant (Technomyrmex difficilis) tending aphids.
Orlando, Florida, USA
Acropygaroot aphid antmealybugsubterranean antsecology


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Drastically reduce the cost of your next car by trading-in your current vehicle. Turn your old car into cash at Dick Hannah Subaru Used Cars!
In addition to accepting trade-ins we also buy cars directly. Turn your old car into cash at Dick Hannah Subaru Used Cars!
Dick Hannah's Vehicle Xchange Program is the easiest way for you to TRADE IN your current vehicle and TRADE UP to a new or newer car with payments equal to or lower than what you're paying now.
Due to our increased need for pre-owned cars, we are currently paying top dollar for trade-ins. Trade-in your recently serviced vehicle* within 30 days of service and we'll refund 100% of the service invoice amount up to $2000.
*Vehicle traded in must be the same vehicle that was serviced. Refund at the discretion of the General Manager and applies to purchase. Offer expires 06/30/19.


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The tradition and practice of Christian Meditation
What makes meditation Christian is our faith in Jesus. It is Christian too because it is in a historical and theological tradition that leads directly to the mind of Christ.
It is Christian because we meditate within the whole context of Christian prayer and practice. Because we meditate with other Christians and because it empowers us with the fire of faith and love it enables us to evangelize. The teaching of meditation in the modern world therefore is a form of evangelisation.
Meditation is a simple practice of 'pure prayer'. It does not replace other forms of prayer. Quite the reverse it recharges these forms with new meaning and vitality. It does not replace the need for ecclesial life or theological discourse. It renews the self-understanding of the church and brings theology to a new acuity and self-confidence that engages with the secular and scientific worlds. In this secular world meditation is well-established through scientific and medical research as beneficial to our physical health and mental well-being. The door is open to us to acknowledge this and to point to deeper meanings – to the spiritual fruits that meditation activates and to meaning and truth as experiences, not concepts. In meditation we discover the meaning of human existence in the process of our own transformation and divinization.
It is simple. This is why we are here to speak about children and meditation. But it is more than children who benefit when we teach children to meditate in this tradition. It is we ourselves who remember the full power and wonder of the tradition that has formed us and to which we belong. But it is radical. Meditation changes the life of the person who practises it and of the community in which it is practised. It does this through silence rather than conflict because it brings the process of transformation into the soul and does not project conflict outwards. As a result it changes the relationships between people and this redistributes the power and meaning of authority. In this sense meditation is as dangerous and as liberating to human potential as the gospel itself.
I have tried to show very briefly how this simple practice belongs to the Christian tradition and offers us today a way of radical simplicity to make this tradition once again capable of meeting the world in its deepest crisis with the hope, the vision and the love of Christ.
For further help with setting up and leading groups, please look HERE.


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At the beginning of each year, our students get together for a special dojo cleaning. We will do so this weekend. I looked back, and my post from January 2007 addressed this subject as follows:
About a week ago, my students and Sensei Gary Omori's Koshinkan Dojo Aikido students got together for a joint dojo cleaning. We use adjacent rooms. On Monday, my class uses his matted room and on Wednesdays my class uses the linoleum tiled room next door.Those words, particularly the bulleted points, remain true today.
I sent an email to my students to let them know about the Saturday morning cleaning. Most of my students came out.
I must say that I have excellent students. How do I know this? Because I did not have to tell any of my students what to do. They all simply began to clean with no instruction or supervision. They all just worked together.
I did not have to supervise at all. What did I do? As the Sensei, I thought it important to find the dirtiest job and do it. So I cleaned toilets. But I had plenty of help.
No one complained. No one slacked off. This is how a dojo should be. We all work together. I even have some students who have missed classes for the last few months because of work, but still came out to help clean.
If anyone thinks I am bragging, you have remember that I am bragging that my students can clean well! I always say:Cleanliness should also apply to your gi and body. Your fingernails and toenails should also be clean and neatly trimmed. Jewelry should not be worn in the dojo.
- Clean the dojo, clean youself.
- Clean the dojo, have a clean mind.
- If your dojo is clean, your home and office should be clean too.
- If you are too good to clean, then you are too good for our dojo.
- The Sensei should lead by example. If he does not help clean the dojo, he is missing his own training.
- If you clean the dojo but do not help clean at home, you should quit Karate.
- They way you are in the dojo should reflect the way you are outside the dojo.
I am very fortunate to have fine students (who also clean very well).
Charles C. Goodin
If your dojo is clean, your house should be clean, cleaner in fact. What you do in the dojo should be a reflection of how you are in daily life. How you are in the dojo should never be better than how you are in daily life. If so, you are just acting in the dojo.
Sometimes parents will tell me that they are so surprised that their children sweep and mop the dojo because they are messy and lazy at home. I think that same may be said about some spouses!
I sometimes say that Karate should be the worst thing that you do. That way, if you are good at Karate you will be even better at everything else.
Anyway, for my students this weekend, please remember that cleaning the floor is like polishing your character. That is what we are doing through Karate training -- constantly polishing our character.
Charles C. Goodin


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Can the Twins Get Some Relief?
The Minnesota Twins need the All-Star break. The Twins fell Thursday, 4-3 and lost for the 11th time in 12 games. The Twins fell to 37-52 and 12 games back of division leader Detroit. It won't get any easier either, as Minnesota plays at the New York Yankees this weekend before the All-Star break.
For the Twins, they have two All-Stars, catcher Joe Mauer and closer Glen Perkins, but other than that there are still plenty of growing pains.
The Twins are 21st in hitting, batting .245 as a team with 82 home runs. Meanwhile, on the mound, the Twins are worse. Minnesota is 29th, second to last in the MLB in pitching. The Twins have a 4.51 ERA, allowing 420 earned runs while striking out 526 batters and picking up 23 saves. The Twins pitchers allow hitters to bat .283 against them.
In the field, the Twins are in the top ten on defense. Minnesota is ranked sixth in MLB, and have a .988 fielding percentage.
The Twins get four days off for the All-Star break, and then open a three-game homestead at Target Field with Cleveland.


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When you lose against a cook you can lose as much as 100 points. The multiplier is 5 (because normal points transfer is 20). However, when you win against a cook you can get as much as 3 points only (proof - Game 8894538). If we are to follow the pattern there should be a minimum boundary as well, at least 4 points.
What do you think?


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70.21 - University Entertainment Reimbursement
Last updates August 24, 2005
A. General. The university recognizes the need for official entertainment. Expenses for official entertainment, community relations, or public relations may be reimbursed by the university only when such activities are directly related to the objectives and mission of the university. (Note: An official guest is (1) a person, not otherwise employed or compensated by the university, who is present on campus to render a service, at the invitation of the university, or as a guest of the university, or (2) for unique situations, whereby an employee is hosted by the University in a non-employment capacity.)
B. Procedures. As a guide to making a determination as to when entertainment expenses will be reimbursable, those individuals authorized to approve entertainment must ensure the following:
- Determine that the activity is directly related to an objective of the university.
- Evaluate the importance of the event in terms of the costs that will be incurred, benefits that are anticipated from the expenditure, the availability of funds, and alternatives that would be equally effective in accomplishing the desired objective(s).
- Source of funds for entertainment and related expenses is limited to foundation ("N" gift accounts) and local funds ("Y" local service accounts), per State Board of Education (SBE) Governing Policies and Procedures, Section V.V.
- SBE Governing Policies and Procedures, Section V.V. may require reporting of institutional expenses for entertainment and related expenses.
C. Reimbursement Process. Official entertainment charges may be reimbursed under the following guidelines.
C-1. Entertainment Approval Form. Documentation submitted for payment must include a properly authorized Entertainment Expense Approval Form [See sample form]. Claims for these type transactions are subject to approval by the next level of authority, e.g., responsible vice president, provost, deans, directors, and/or department heads. Authorizing such expenses certifies that the event or activity was an "official function" and that the claim is fully documented as such. The University will not pay for entertainment costs without an authorized Entertainment Expense Approval Form with an approved Claim Voucher [See 60.31].
C-2. Supporting Documentation. Supporting documentation is required for all entertainment, including home entertainment. Supporting data includes, the Entertainment Expense Approval Form, date, names of attendees, location and official purpose of function. Requests for reimbursement after the event must include actual receipts or invoices from the vendor. Credit card receipts are accepted only if accompanied by a receipt from the vendor.
C-3. Funding Sources. These entertainment procedures are limited to foundation ("N" gift accounts) and local funds ("Y" local service accounts), per SBE Governing Policies and Procedures, Section V. V.
C-4. Alcoholic Beverages. Claims and payment for alcoholic beverages are subject to approval by the next level of authority, e.g., responsible vice president, provost, deans, directors, and/or department heads. Alcohol may be used only in designated areas on campus and at off-campus locations as approved. See APM 80.01 for information about the alcohol permit process. Use of alcohol must be identified on the Entertainment Expense Approval Form. These expenditures may not be paid with appropriated or grant and contract funds.
D. Additional Restrictions. These procedures represent the minimum requirements for payment of university entertainment. Additional restrictions may be established by individual colleges or departments. Enforcement of any college or departmental policy is the responsibility of that unit.
E. Sample Entertainment Expense Approval Form. [See sample form]


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Under a partnership announced Monday the USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency will work to promote jobs in the water industry by providing training for new water careers and coordinating outreach efforts that will bring greater public visibility to the workforce needs of the industry, and develop a new generation of trained water professionals. This project will not only improve water systems but will provide employment opportunities in rural communities.
"EPA and USDA have joined forces to leverage our expertise and resources to improve drinking water and wastewater systems in small towns across the country," said Nancy Stoner, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "A critical part of this agreement is to ensure that we have a well-trained, professional workforce available to replace workers when they leave or retire."
Nationwide, small water and sewage treatment facilities with limited funding and resources face challenges due to rising costs and aging equipment and pipes. The agencies will also help rural utilities improve current operations and encourage development of long-term water quality improvement plans. The plans will include developing sustainable management practices to cut costs and improve performance.
"The agreement we are announcing today represents an exciting partnership between USDA and EPA that will greatly enhance our investments in water systems and also in developing a skilled workforce to oversee them," said Jonathan Adelstein, administrator for USDA's Rural Utilities Service. "By working together, our agencies will strengthen their capacity to provide rural residents with safe, clean, well-managed water and wastewater systems for years to come."This program will help meet the Administration's infrastructure goal of providing improved drinking water to 1.8 million rural residents. For more information about the EPA-USDA agreement click HERE. Information about USDA's Water and Environmental Programs for rural communities can be found by visiting USDA's Rural Development website, and programs and tools for small water systems offered through the EPA are available HERE.


text: We've seen various colorways of the H710 for Fall 2010, most feature a range of vibrant accents paired with classic hiking boot color choices. This latest rendition of the boot takes on a much more subtle approach, offering up a solid black colorway featuring premium leather uppers combined with black canvas paneling. White accents come via the midsole and heel embroidery. Available now through Asphaltgold.


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Listen to Ann Diamond talk about MY COLD WAR with the Truther Girls
Late in life, I started researching my Cold War background, as one of Montreal's MKULTRA children, who were inducted when they were very young (in my case, three years old) into a covert program of "mind control" experiments inspired by the work of Nazi doctors like Josef Mengele. The MKULTRA kids never officially existed -- because our political and military leaders feared what might happen if these children's stories were known.
The secrecy and fear continue to the present day, while all around us, we daily see evidence of a "vast conspiracy" -- as President Kennedy called it, shortly before his assassination in November, 1963.
Understanding what happened to children of my generation -- Baby Boomers as we're called -- is the key to realizing what lies ahead in our controlled and war-damaged world. Mind Control is a cold, hard fact on Planet Earth, and its effects continue to grow. We have a choice: to face these facts, or live in denial.
Thanks to the internet, and the brave people who are using it to liberate, not enslave, we are waking up. Let's not stop until we've woken everybody else up, too.
I would like to thank all the people whose work has been an inspiration, but for now I can only list a few of them: Lynne Moss Sharman, Carol Rutz, Eleanor White, Fritz Springmeier, Kathy O'Brien, Wanda Karriker, Claudia Mullen, Neil Brick, Aangirfan ... I'll keep lengthening this overdue list and adding links.
I'm still researching and writing. I have a new book, THE BOY FROM MARS, planned for 2012. Please, if you can, BUY MY BOOK. Or make a DONATION (using the PayPal button below).


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Watch the Moving Forward video on Family and Friends, adapted from this content.
A cancer diagnosis affects everyone in your family: your partner, your parents, your siblings, and your children. It also affects your friends. How these relationships change depends on each person's coping style.
When managing your relationships during this time, do not be afraid to ask your family and friends for help. This helps the people who care for you feel that they are providing you with valuable support.
What your spouse or partner may be experiencing
Because your partner is a primary source of support, a cancer diagnosis may affect this relationship more than others. Young adults typically do not expect a partner to face a life-threatening illness at such a young age. A cancer diagnosis may be overwhelming for your partner. Both individuals may experience some of the following feelings:
A sense of hopelessness
The effects of cancer vary from couple to couple. Most couples will experience changes in many aspects of their relationship. These can include changes in roles and responsibilities, sexuality, intimacy, parenting, and plans for the future.
For many couples, facing the challenges of cancer together strengthens their relationship. Uncertainty about the future can reinforce a couple's love and commitment. It may allow them to reevaluate their priorities and reinforce the importance of their partnership. In other situations, a cancer diagnosis can strain the relationship. For these reasons, it is important for you and your partner to talk about your concerns and challenges with each other. It may also help to talk with a counselor if cancer is causing stress in your relationship.
How your parents may react
You may feel that your parents become overprotective or try to take charge, even if you have not lived with them for many years. They may want to talk to you frequently, ask a lot of questions, or give unsolicited advice. It is natural for your parents to want to protect you and take care of you because that was their role for many years. Your parents are also dealing with their own emotions surrounding your cancer diagnosis, as well as those of your siblings and other family members.
Talking with your parents. Although it may be difficult, try to talk openly with your parents about what you are feeling and thinking. Some young adults do not want to share their worries and fears with their parents because they feel guilty about potentially upsetting them. However, sharing your emotions and being clear about what you need allows you and your parents to work together to resolve problems and support each other.
How your parents can help. As a young adult, you are trying to become independent and may not feel comfortable relying on your parents. Be honest about your need for independence as you make your own decisions. But do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Your parents likely have more experience than you do in some situations, such as dealing with doctors and insurance companies.
Living arrangement options. Although some young adults live at home with their parents, many live in their own home or apartment. If you do not have a spouse, partner, or close friend who can help you at home, there may be times during your treatment when living alone becomes difficult. Consider asking a parent or another close family member to move in temporarily to help you. Some young adults choose to move back into their parents' home for a while. Moving in with your parents or another family member may feel like you are giving up your independence or like you are unable to take care of yourself. However, by making that move, you are taking initiative to ensure that your physical, emotional, practical, and financial needs are met, and you are giving your family a role in your care.
How your siblings may react
Your siblings' responses to cancer will depend on several factors:
How close you are
Their ages, maturity levels, and personalities
How far away they live
Their coping styles
The amount of support you have from others
Younger brothers and sisters who are children or teenagers will likely react differently than older siblings. A brother or sister who is close in age to you will more easily relate to the stresses, fears, and concerns that you experience as a young adult with cancer.
Talking with your siblings. Talking with your siblings about your cancer diagnosis can help you support each other. In fact, sharing the cancer experience with your brothers and sisters often strengthens the relationships. But you or your siblings may not know what to say, or they may even fear talking with you about cancer, so you may need to guide the conversation.
How your siblings can help. Regardless of their ages, your brothers and sisters often want to help, and they can play an important role in supporting you. Here are some practical ways they can help:
Keep you company on trips to the hospital or clinic
Spend time doing fun things with you—things that take your mind off of cancer
Visit you at home when you do not feel well enough to go out
Talk, reminisce, and laugh about things other than cancer
Help you with cooking, laundry, grocery shopping, and other household tasks
Communicate news about your treatment and recovery with other family members
Try to avoid blaming yourself for any problems your brothers and sisters have coping. And if they seem overwhelmed, encourage them to seek counseling. This can help them learn healthy ways to respond to their emotions.
How your friends may act
Often, young adults may have little or no experience with a life-threatening illness such as cancer and may not know how to act around you. A cancer diagnosis may also frighten some of your friends because it is a reminder that cancer can happen to anyone, even a young adult.
It may be necessary for you to put your friends at ease and talk about your cancer diagnosis. Start by deciding what you want your friends to know. You may consider sharing more information with close friends and less information with acquaintances. Remember that you are in charge of what you tell people. You do not have to tell anyone until you are ready, and you do not have to say more than you want to.
Here are some things to keep in mind after you tell your friends about your cancer:
If your friends are avoiding you, they may not know what to say and may worry about saying the wrong thing.
If they avoid mentioning your cancer, they may be afraid of upsetting you.
If they are not calling you, it may be because they think you will not feel like talking.
If they are not inviting you to be a part of activities, they may think you will not be able to go or they may feel guilty about having fun when you are sick.
If they are not visiting you, they may think you do not want visitors or worry about any potentially awkward moments during the visit.
Despite your efforts, some friendships will fade. It may be difficult for some people to understand your experiences with cancer. It is important to focus on friends who are able to support and listen to you. Talking with other young adults who share your experiences can be extremely helpful. Consider joining a support group for young adults with cancer.


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Assange: Is Obama wearing pants?
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange Friday questioned whether President Barack Obama is in control of the nation's intelligence operation, saying based on the response to the leaks from Edward Snowden, it doesn't look that way.
"There is a real question about who is wearing the pants," Assange said on MSNBC's "Now With Alex Wagner" when asked about reforms to the National Security Agency announced by Obama in response to revelations brought forward by Snowden.
Story Continued Below
Speaking via satellite presumably from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where he has been staying in asylum from an extradition order for more than year, Assange said the government has not addressed the concerns raised by Snowden.
"It has been six months now since the Edward Snowden revelations started to occur," Assange said. "In that time, have we seen the commencement of a criminal investigation against [Director of National Intelligence James] Clapper for lying to Congress, or anyone in the National Security Agency for violating the law, the U.S. Constitution? No. Have we seen the firing of a single person associated with those breaches of the rights of American citizens and arguably others as well? The answer is no."
Assange said the lack of response raises questions about who is in control.
"So who really calls the shots in the executive? Is it Barack Obama? Is it Clapper? Is it [NSA Director Gen. Keith] Alexander? Is it the intelligence complex as a whole?" Assange said. "We know when the government takes something seriously. It starts a formal investigation, it fires people, it reduces its budgets. We haven't seen that. So the question is, does the civilian leadership have effective control of the 16 agency intelligence group under Clapper, under the DNI?"
WikiLeaks has been supporting Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia after fleeing the U.S.
Assange's extradition order is due to an arrest warrant in Sweden over sexual assault allegations against him, though he claims his group is being persecuted for publishing leaked documents.


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Tumbling Waters
First Light
West Prong Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge, Charleston, South Carolina
Cascades on Sweetwater Creek
Sweetwater Creek is located 19 miles west of downtown Atlanta. The creek is a tributary of the Chattahoochee River and flows through Sweetwater Creek State Park.
Current Issue
Sotol Vista Monochrome
Blue Ridge Wilderness
Chisos Mountains from Green Gulch
Desert Color
Terlingua Badlands
I have this image in a 2 x 3 crop also. Please email me if you would like to see it.
Jacksonville Skyline Panorama
This is a stitch of 5 frames and is 45" wide at native size.
Gold in the Hills
Aruba Rocks
Tonglen Lake, Alaska
Alaskan Meadow
Sunset Surf
Chicago's Bean with Sunburst
Otter Cliff, Acadia National Park, Maine
Sunrise at Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park
Winter in Acadia National Park, Maine
The Day After the Storm
Paradise Light
A view of the Tatoosh Range from the Paradise section of Mount Rainier National Park.
ChicagoJames Duckworth PhotographyMillenium ParkThe Beanarchitectureblue hourbuildingscloudslight starsnobodyreflectionskyskylinesunburstsunrise


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AppFog's add-on program for third-party service providers launches this week with options for developers to view technology from partners including MongoLab and New Relic through a single interface. The PHP Fog service displays partner information for users to integrate additional functionality from these third-party services into the applications they build on the AppFog platform.
AppFog USP is its scalable infrastructure for application scalability. The company says that the AppFog service supports "tens of thousands" of application developers who have collectively created and deployed thousands of applications using its platform. The company has collaborated with these developers to understand their pain points and build an infrastructure that with a solid service and support offering.
"Our goal is to provide the best, most comprehensive user experience for developers," said Lucas Carlson, founder and CEO of AppFog. "We are partnering with a number of industry-leading ecosystem offerings through this new program, starting with these three, and expect the program to significantly increase the options available through the AppFog interface for developers."
Ben Wen, vice president of marketing and sales at MongoLab, has gone on the record to say that his company's backup and monitoring services, data manipulation tools, and "mad-dog" support allow developers to feel at ease. Meanwhile, New Relic VP Bill Lapcevic has said that his firm's web application performance tool gives developers "deep 24x7 visibility" from the end user experience all the way to a line of application code.


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As everyone was focused on when and if unsigned Giants receiver Victor Cruz will rejoin the team, the other big-name player at that same position who has a contract opted to skip OTA practice on Wednesday.
The situation, and the head coach's reaction, create some potential problems for the Giants.
Throughout the offseason, we've pointed out the link between Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Cruz has no contract now, Nicks will have no contract in a year. If Cruz ultimately signs his one-year restricted free agency tender, both will be hitting the market in 2014 — and the team will have only one franchise tender to apply.
It has been believed in some circles that Nicks' demands will be driven by what Cruz gets. As one league source with knowledge of the situation has explained it to PFT, Nicks doesn't care what Cruz gets, because Cruz is a slot receiver. Nicks, an outside receiver, had his value set by Mike Wallace's contract in Miami.
While this doesn't mean Nicks will be looking for $12 million per year, it does mean that Nicks doesn't regard Cruz's deal as being relevant to his.
Nicks' absence from practice on Wednesday undoubtedly means that Nicks isn't happy with the team's efforts, or lack thereof, to address his contract with one year remaining on his rookie deal. With Nicks saying nothing to dispel that notion, it's safe to assume Nicks was sending a clear message to the team.
The other problem for the Giants comes from the message coach Tom Coughlin sent in response to Nicks' decision to skip practice.
"He should be here," Coughlin said. "I expect everybody here. We're trying to get our team better."
Under the pre-2011 labor deals, coaches routinely made public comments suggesting that voluntary workouts aren't truly voluntary, and the NFL and the union rarely if ever did anything about it. As time went by, with more coaches saying things like "he should be here" and the league and the NFLPA doing nothing, coaches were emboldened to keep doing it.
The new CBA, however, added significant restrictions to offseason workouts, along with a clear commitment to eradicate contact from offseason drills. The CBA also repeated the unequivocal statement that "[n]o Club official may indicate to a player that the Club's offseason workout program or classroom instruction is not voluntary."
Last week, Jets coach Rex Ryan danced toward that line by calling out linebacker Quinton Coples for his perceived lack of effort at voluntary lifting sessions. This week, Coughlin jumped over the line by saying that Nicks and every other player "should be here." If the league and union allow those comments to stand uncorrected, other coaches will follow suit, either this year or in the future.
The fact that the comment came from the coach of the team co-owned by John Mara adds some intrigue to this specific situation. For more than a year, Cowboys and Redskins fans have been riled up by Mara's role in the stripping of $46 million in total salary-cap space from two of the Giants' NFC East rivals. The Cowboys and Redskins, however, broke no rules.
Here, Coughlin clearly did. The only question is whether the rule will be enforced. Cowboys and Redskins fans, whose teams were punished for rules they didn't break, surely will be watching closely.


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Minecraft Masks
Minecraft, sans crafting
- Minecraft masks for Halloween or cosplay
- 12" x 12" x 12" - fits all heads!
- Steve, Creeper, and Enderman heads available
We've seen a lot of DIY Minecraft masks out there, but they all depend on one very crucial skill: being able to draw and paint in straight lines. Those of us who measure twice and still draw crooked could never dress up as a Creeper because we'd drive our OCD brains crazy. (We're the people they made those lightly-lined posterboards for... and the wrapping paper with cutting lines on the back. That too.)
Don't try to paint straight lines; get a Minecraft Mask instead! These masks were produced by 8-bit robots in our very own factory in the Nether. (Why yes, the Zombie Pigmen do have a union. No, because they are Pigmen they do not eat pork chops. That would be cannibalism. We feed them the brains of people who ask too many questions.) Who would you like to be this Halloween or at your next convention? Steve? Enderman? Or maybe sssssssssssssssssssssss... sssssssssssssssssssss.... ssssssssssssssssssssss....
Product Specifications
- Your Minecraft costume is complete!
- Dress up as a Creeper, as Enderman, or as Steve himself
- Eye holes conveniently located roundabouts where your eyes are
- Materials: Cardboard
- Dimensions: 12" x 12" x 12"