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Dru Sjodin Found
Aired April 17, 2004 - 13:59 ET
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. It's a busy news day here, in addition to continuing to watch for details about a car explosion involving a Hamas leader who has been sent to hospital Gaza City, another breaking story we're following for you in this country. After a five-month search, 22-year-old Dru Sjodin apparently has been found. Associated Press reporter Dave Kolpack recently spoke with the Polk County sheriff, Mark LeTexier, to give us a little bit more detail about the circumstances of the find of Dru Sjodin. And Dave, if you're on the phone with us, OK, you can hear me all right, what does this mean? What exactly did the police share -- the Polk County sheriff tell you? DAVE KOLPACK, ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER: Well, they haven't said much. They had a search today here, an organized search of about 100 people. Several of them were gathering for lunch at Crookston High School. A tearful Sheriff (UNINTELLIGIBLE) came in and told people the search was over. He said, "Dru is home." They have scheduled a 3:00 p.m. Central news conference to give more details. WHITFIELD: What did he mean, "Dru is home"? And the tearful explanation of Dru as being home. What's the interpretation of what that means? KOLPACK: Well, she's believed to be dead. The family members right now are gathered in a trailer in an emergency center outside of the Crookston (ph) High School, and there are a lot of tears there as well. WHITFIELD: The last time anyone heard from Dru Sjodin, she was on the telephone, on a cell phone, talking to her boyfriend, Chris Lang. That was November 22, and then he just heard her say, "Oh, my god." And then the phone went dead. Kind of back track for us and give us some details about what has happened since then. KOLPACK: Well, back then they went through several organized searches, hundreds of people turned out for two or three searches before the weather turned bad. It became more difficult once winter hit in Minnesota. So there were no organized searches since December. They have been planning this search today for months and months. And before the searchers went out today Alan Sjodin, Dru's father, said he believed that today would be the day because conditions were right. WHITFIELD: And after the search had kind of waned involving some of the police authorities, the friends and family members were determined to conduct their own kind of search. Describe for me how it involved so many communities and the resources they used to try to keep, you know, the search alive. KOLPACK: The last search in December, both in Minnesota and North Dakota called out the National Guard. So the states basically spared no expense on the search. Both Alan Sjodin, Chris Lang, Dru's boyfriend, and a family friend, Bob Silas (ph), a private investigator, they have basically been searching most of the winter. Alan Sjodin had said back -- basically in November he wasn't going to leave here without his daughter. WHITFIELD: And consequently, even in the midst of all the searching on December 1, a man, a registered sex offender, Alfonzo Rodriguez, Jr., was actually arrested and charged with abducting her. Why is it that police felt they had enough evidence to actually charge him with the abduction of Dru Sjodin -- even though she was still missing? KOLPACK: They found physical evidence, both in his car and in the garage of his mother's home in Crookston, where he had been living. So they felt they had enough evidence -- the blood type matching Dru's DNA was found in that car, as well as the sheath belonging to a knife and several other clues that they thought they had enough evidence to arrest him. It is my understanding now that the U.S. attorney from North Dakota was heading to Grand Forks later this afternoon. So there may be federal charges awaiting him as well. WHITFIELD: And he is still being held on $5 million bond. And no trial date has been set on that. But as you say, there is still potentially other evidence that may direct some other charges or something else on that case. Now, you mentioned you spoke with the sheriff on the telephone. He was very tearful as he was trying to describe that Dru is home. What else did he say? KOLPACK: Oh, not much. I mean, he said that police were still gathering information. They were hoping to have more details at 3 o'clock. It was very tough for him. He had a hard time keeping his composure and it has been very difficult on him as well. WHITFIELD: You felt by hearing him on the phone that this has become very personal. He's been involved, all the resources that his sheriff's department has been involved. It sounds as though he's reacting Dru Sjodin is one of his family members. KOLPECK: That's correct. I mean, it has become personal to people in two states here. This morning I talked to a searcher (AUDIO GAP) Northern Minnesota, he (AUDIO GAP) he said 150 miles. He said he was itching to do something all winter and he felt it was the right thing to do. So this was something that is has drawn the attention two of states and basically just engulfed everyone's attention for five months. WHITFIELD: We know even as recently as, you know, early April, that friends and family members were conducting their own search, a loose search. What do we know about the kind of resources that were being used on the law enforcement level to keep this search ongoing? And was there a particular targeted area that it seemed most of the resources have been concentrating on lately? KOLPACK: Yeah, lately it has been right here in Polk County. She was abducted in Grand Forks, North Dakota, right on the North Dakota- Minnesota line. First county east of Minnesota is Polk County. So that's where they've been concentrating most of the searches on. As far as the resources go, the state has said they would be willing to help. They haven't been real specific on what they're going to do. But the sheriff's department has put in a lot of overtime on this case. And Sheriff -- when I talked to him earlier this morning said that he wasn't concerned about that he wanted to find Dru. And they have. WHITFIELD: And you had mentioned -- you had mentioned Grand Forks being close to the Minnesota line, which also explains why just as recently that is past February bloodhounds used in this search had picked up a scent or at least officials believed the bloodhound was able to pick up a scent near a city owned storage shed. What is the proximity of that location to where Dru Sjodin may have been located most recently? KOLPACK: Today they had basically targeted seven areas that they were sending searchers to. I know there was a lot of action this morning around that area that you refer to, where the dog had picked up a scent. Seemed like -- that was probably the area they were concentrating on. But I'm not sure exactly where she was found. I know law enforcement authorities were very interested in that part of the city. WHITFIELD: We're looking some file tape, showing some of the people involved, and the bloodhounds used in this search. And people had gone as far as they were wearing buttons, they had their license plates -- you know, that they were driving around with, "Find Dru". Describe for me how involved the community had become along this Minnesota and North Dakota state lines in the search for her. KOLPACK: Dru was a student at the University of North Dakota. So there was a lot of support gathered at the University of North Dakota, even today as I drove through North Dakota, on Dru's fraternity house, there was a sign that said Dru, you know, we're looking for you. And there were still signs hanging from fraternity houses saying that, you know, showing their support. Yes, it is something that everybody has been involved with. The searchers today came from all over North Dakota and Minnesota. And something even though happened five months ago, there it was still on everybody's mind. WHITFIELD: You've been covering this case for a long time. When you had spoke within other law enforcement investigators, including the sheriff for Polk County, what did those conversations -- what were those conversations like? And why did you know today something was different? KOLPACK: Well, probably because of the conditions. I think most law enforcement officials were kind of targeting river areas. There are two major rivers in this area. One is the Red Lake River between Crookston and Grand Forks. The other is the Red River of the North located on the North Dakota-Minnesota border. I think they figured once the ice went out on those rivers, that would be their best shot. And the weather was good today and they figured with the searchers helping, -- they also had dogs from the U.S. Border Patrol helping today. And they had several boats on the Red Lake River. And I think that's where they thought they could -- they would find her. WHITFIELD: Can you give us a sense as to what is being described for you, beyond the many more law enforcement personnel at the Red Lake area? KOLPACK: Well, right now they're -- they're tight lipped. They're all gathered together. And they're not saying much at all. Unfortunately, too, they have returned from their searching and are very grim faced and very stoic about what is going on. WHITFIELD: Did you get a sense, Dave, that even though five months now have elapsed as you were talking to law enforcement, investigators, did you ever get a sense from them that there was a feeling that perhaps by chance they just might find her alive? Or had they always been fairly grim because of some evidence that had been located that perhaps she wouldn't be? KOLPACK: I think after a couple of months had gone by, and, you know, the winter has really set in here, and temperatures plummeted to 30, 40 below zero, they had lost a lot of hope. I think everybody was resigned to the fact that they were looking for a body here, today. And but they were optimistic they would find something. They were really -- they felt that, you know, once spring hit, that they were going to be able to find her. WHITFIELD: You mentioned the Red Lake area is now where they're focusing on. You hear lake it conjures up images of weekend homes, of vacation areas, perhaps even an area where hunters frequent. Is that what this area is like? KOLPACK: For the most part. A lot is flat farmland. But the Red Lake River area is cut in between there and there are a lot of wooded areas. A little bit of rough territory. Just around the river area. And that's why they kind of concentrated on those areas. Those areas were very difficult to search in the wintertime especially. WHITFIELD: So a rough area meaning not a lot of roads, mostly trails, things like that? KOLPACK: Correct. Mostly trails (AUDIO GAP). Kind of -- heavy grass area and just places where they were very difficult to walk through, especially during the wintertime. WHITFIELD: OK, and now, Dave, what about your location. What is your proximity to this Red Lake area. How close are you able to get given you know many law enforcement agents, they're used to seeing you since you covered this case a long time. KOLPACK: The Red Lake River flows right through downtown Crookston, for the most part. What they're doing today is they start two of the boats on the Red Lake River from Crookston heading west to North Dakota, and then another two boats run the river at East Grand Forks, Minnesota, heading east So, yes, the area is very close to where I am right now. WHITFIELD: So one more time, if folks are now just joining us. Dave Kolpack has had a personal conversation and very revealing conversation with Polk County Sheriff Mark Le Texiera (ph), out of Minnesota, near Crookston. And in that conversation, a very tearful Sheriff LeTexiera (ph) was able to say, "Dru is home". And, Dave, you were able to discern that the point it meant that 22-year-old Dru Sjodin, who has been missing now since November 22 that her body has been found and that unfortunately it does not look like she has been found alive. KOLPACK: That is my understanding, correct. WHITFIELD: You're in the Red Lake area or the search now is focusing in the Red Lake area. That's just outside of Crookston, Minnesota. And, Dave, you're describing this as a location frequented by weekenders. I guess, some cabins there, weekend homes, hunters sometimes frequent there as well. Now this area has been cordoned off. There is no traffic except for law enforcement officials, correct? KOLPACK: Yes. I believe so. Where the bodies are found, correct, yes. WHITFIELD: Are there any other details that the sheriff is willing to give you about the -- the condition of the body or in any sense any kind of evidence they're finding in that location where the body was found? KOLPACK: No details that the point. They've scheduled a 3 o'clock press conference to discuss those details. WHITFIELD: When I ask about the condition, really in that -- does it appear as though they can tell, you know at this juncture if indeed, you know, how long she may have been dead? KOLPACK: Right, right. We have no other details that the point. WHITFIELD: OK. Dave Kolpack, Associated Press reporter, thank you very much for joining us with those details. I hear that the battery on your cell phone is about to die there. So, thanks for hanging with us for so long. Twenty-two-year-old Dru Sjodin, according to a conversation that Dave Kolpack, an AP reporter, was able to have the Polk County Sheriff Mark LeTexier (ph), out of Minnesota, out of Crookston, Minnesota, apparently Dru Sjodin has been found. The body of Dru Sjodin has been found. She's the University of North Dakota student who had been missing since November 22. The last contact he had had made was with her boyfriend, Chris Lang. They were talking on a cell phone. She was leaving work. After having shopped in a mall apparently, all Chris Lang then suddenly heard was, "Oh, my god." And then the phone went dead. Since that time, for over five months now, an entire community has exhaustively been looking for any kind of clue, looking for Dru Sjodin, as have the law enforcement agencies in that area. A search that ended up crossing state lines from North Dakota into Minnesota. And now, according to Dave Kolpack, with the Associated Press, is hearing from the sheriff that they have been concentrating their efforts in Crookston, Minnesota, an area they have surrounded, an area known for camping and hunting as well. It is the Red Lake area and it is believed that Dru Sjodin's body has been found in that location. And now they're looking for any other evidence and sanitizing the area to make sure they can get all the details possible. There is a 3 o'clock, local time, Central Time in Minnesota and Grand Forks area, a press conference expected. And, of course, CNN will be covering that live at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to find out any more details about the case of Dru Sjodin, 22-years old, of the University of North Dakota, missing since November of last year. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


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Following up on reports that first surfaced Thursday, Alabama confirmed in a press release today that offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland is leaving Tuscaloosa for a position with the Philadelphia Eagles.
While the release didn't explicitly state it, it's expected that Stoutland will serve as Chip Kelly's line coach.
"Coach Stoutland did an excellent job with our offensive line along with each and every responsibility he had while he was here at the University of Alabama," head coach Nick Saban said in a statement. "We appreciate all that he did in terms of his time and his dedication in contributing to the success we've had over the last two years.
"He's an outstanding coach and he will do a great job with the Eagles. We wish him and his family the best."
Stoutland had been at Alabama for the past two years, coming to the Tide from Miami. In February of last year, Stoutland reportedly turned down an opportunityto join former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano's Tampa Bay Buccaneers staff.
With the departure, Stoutland becomes the second assistant Saban has lost since the end of the regular season. In late December, it was announced that Jeremy Pruitt was leaving as the Tide's defensive backs coach to become Florida State's defensive coordinator. That hole has already been filled (giggle).
How soon Saban will fill the other hole on his staff (chuckle) remains to be seen.

subset: commoncrawl


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By Edric Thompson, RDECOM CERDEC Public AffairsMay 30, 2012
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (May 30, 2012) -- Engineers from the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's communications-electronics RD&E center, CERDEC, hosted the Defense Information System Agency's chief technology officer here, May 25, to discuss the Global Energy Grid -- a concept being promoted by CERDEC to leverage civilian smart grid technologies to more efficiently deliver energy to U.S. forces worldwide.
The GEG, which is modeled on and enabled by DISA's Global Information Grid, will allow energy sources and users to more effectively and efficiently provide, schedule and use conventional and alternative energy sources and storage.
This is an important step towards actualizing the foundation and infrastructure for intelligent power management at the tactical edge, said Thomas F. Podlesak, Ph.D., a supervisory electronics engineer in CERDEC's Command, Power and Integration Directorate.
"Military operations are becoming more and more net-centric, but current energy use in the field is stove-piped with minimal coordination. Our goal is to interface power generation and utilization with data systems so we know where things are and where we have to go. The GEG concept would use DISA-owned data command and control links to coordinate and schedule the generation and usage of military power sources," Podlesak said.
"This is going to coordinate everything so it can maximize the delivery of power from available sources to where it is needed, and it will manage them effectively. Once everything is interfaced, it should be fairly easy to manipulate the data. It's pretty much what happened when we went from individual PCs to a networked system -- it vastly increased capabilities," he said.
In addition to unifying existing programs/technologies, the GEG would leverage energy storage from conventional and alternative power sources, alternative fuels and the onboard power storage of electric hybrid vehicles -- ground, ship or aircraft. The efforts would support forward operating bases, tactical operations centers and possibly dismounted units.
A future meeting is scheduled with DISA's technical director for the Office of the Component Acquisition Executive and their director of Emergency Preparedness.
"The military is in a unique position to advance Smart Grid technology, which is predicated on Informational Assurance due to the development of the Global Information Grid. CERDEC welcomes the opportunity to partner with DISA and other services to advance these goals," Podlesak said.
For more information, contact CERDEC Public Affairs: firstname.lastname@example.com or (443) 861-7566.


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We are a UK based business dedicated to specialist items. We specialise in Etymotic Accessories, Violin strings, Blue Magic waterbed care items and various high-tech gadgets.
We mainly use Royal Mail, but on occasions will use other partners if the customer requires.
We parther with Paypal for all payments. You can use Paypal to make instant card payments. You do NOT have to join Paypal.
Handmade Standard (Tulip) Model Boxwood Double-Bass Tailpiece with Ebony Accents. For full size or 3/4 siza
These tailpieces are made from professionally finished boxwood with added ebony accents to levels of production superior to most other tailpieces you will see.
Product 2/2
This product was added to our catalog on Sunday 31 December, 2017.


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+1 858-427-5055
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Say goodbye to the days of traveling to overcrowded membership pools that are filled with chlorine. No more bumping elbows during your exercise routine or relax time. Our lap swimming pools fit into almost any existing or new space, indoors or outdoors. Quite often, the swim spa and other exercise pools display so well that they become a showcase in your home.
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Playable CD-i Demo Discs
>> Saturday, May 8, 2010
Like Nintendo, the CD-i platform never experienced a lot with sharing demo versions of retail games to the public. However, in The Netherlands it was tried two times. The first playable demo disc was offered by the dutch retail CD store 'Free Record Store', one of the few places that sold CD-i in the Netherlands, along with 'Van Leest', 'Superclub', 'V&D' and 'Bijenkorf'. Anyway, it was called 'Gold Club Disc' because it was shared to members of the CD-i Gold Club. The Gold Club was set up by Philips to share a monthly catalogue of all CD-i discs and to let people know of any special sales and discounts, which were very scarce by the way! The disc was made by SPC Vision and holds demo versions of Dimo's Quest, The Apprentice and to my surprise even Accelerator! The disc was shared in 1994 if I believe and in my opinion it was the best gift they ever gave CD-i Gold Club members.
In 1995 the dutch and UK CD-i magazines shared a 3 level demo version of Micro Machines. I've never heard if sharing these king of demo discs actually increased software sales or the opposite (people might not buy the game because they already got the demo for free). This demo actually had some features that were not implemented int he final retail version, like the opportunity to quit the game!


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It is such a usual situation to experience. Coming up with words you wish you'd said, or planning to reveal yourself but not being able to say anything. It's either regret in the future, or lost confidence in the past. Both share the same endless friction: the present.
Why do we hold ourselves back? What does? Maybe the absence of anything urging us to act. Maybe these aren't actions that we postpone, but thoughts. It's easier to cope with the stillness of our mutism than with the possible reactions, or even answers.
A mystery takes its power from the eternity of unsaid feelings. We should learn to irritate this state of comfort in which we indulge.
I never encountered the truth of saying 'I love you'. But I wonder if I might be able to crush the sick silence that precedes the announcement.
- Passion & Reclusion The deceptive feelings that close relations induce.
- The Silent Promise How a girl's tone and speech can break your heart.
- Half-mast Don't mourn the enduring; embrace it.
- Commited to transitions When the only espace is to escape oneself.
- Fundamental & Overtones On the other side of a kiss


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My blog is focused primarily on the Theory of Constraints and how to use it to maximize the profitability of any company. I also discuss why integrating TOC with Lean and Six Sigma is the most dynamic improvement methodology available today.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
The Ultimate Improvement Cycle
I've gotten quite a few emails in the past several weeks asking why I've not written any new blog posts. Today I want to share with you what's been keeping me busy and away from my blog. As I've mentioned previously, Bruce Nelson and I have been working on the second edition of Epiphanized as well as the sequel. We've submitted all of our materials, so I will have more time to write blog posts.
The other reason is that a wonderful company who produces business management software (i.e. ERP software) has hired me to help educate their customers and the industry on how to become more profitable. I author a weekly educational post for them on the "Manufacturing Breakthrough Blog" and have been doing so since December. Last year this company also hosted me so I could teach a classroom-based continuous improvement boot camp for their customers. In late May and early June, this same company will sponsor me in Australia to hold four one-day workshops on continuous improvement. I have just finished writing a whitepaper with this company on continuous improvement and I want to share a link to their website so you can download it. You'll also be able to read my posts on the Manufacturing Breakthrough blog.
This company, ECi Software Solutions, is unlike any company I have ever been associated with. While many companies care about their customers, ECi takes it a step further and revinvests their own money to help the customers they serve improve profitability. ECi provides M1, an ERP specifically for growing manufacturers. If you are a manufacturer who needs to improve your on-time delivery and profits, I know they can help you. I'll be writing more about them in the future, but until then, here's the link to download the whitepaper:
WHITEPAPER: The Ultimate Improvement Cycle
Bob Sproull
Posted by Bob Sproull at 6:02 PM
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- Research article
- Open Access
Characterization of the enhancement of zero valent iron on microbial azo reduction
© Fang et al.; licensee BioMed Central. 2015
- Received: 12 August 2014
- Accepted: 27 March 2015
- Published: 10 April 2015
The microbial method for the treatment of azo dye is promising, but the reduction of azo dye is the rate-limiting step. Zero valent iron (Fe0) can enhance microbial azo reduction, but the interactions between microbes and Fe0 and the potential mechanisms of enhancement remain unclear. Here, Shewanella decolorationis S12, a typical azo-reducing bacterium, was used to characterize the enhancement of Fe0 on microbial decolorization.
The results indicated that anaerobic iron corrosion was a key inorganic chemical process for the enhancement of Fe0 on microbial azo reduction, in which OH−, H2, and Fe2+ were produced. Once Fe0 was added to the microbial azo reduction system, the proper pH for microbial azo reduction was maintained by OH−, and H2 served as the favored electron donor for azo respiration. Subsequently, the bacterial biomass yield and viability significantly increased. Following the corrosion of Fe0, nanometer-scale Fe precipitates were adsorbed onto cell surfaces and even accumulated inside cells as observed by transmission electron microscope energy dispersive spectroscopy (TEM-EDS).
A conceptual model for Fe0-assisted azo dye reduction by strain S12 was established to explain the interactions between microbes and Fe0 and the potential mechanisms of enhancement. This model indicates that the enhancement of microbial azo reduction in the presence of Fe0 is mainly due to the stimulation of microbial growth and activity by supplementation with elemental iron and H2 as an additional electron donor. This study has expanded our knowledge of the enhancement of microbial azo reduction by Fe0 and laid a foundation for the development of Fe0-microbial integrated azo dye wastewater treatment technology.
- Azo reduction
- Shewanella decolorationis S12
- Zero valent iron (Fe0)
Azo dyes are widely used in the textiles, leather, plastics, cosmetics, and food industries, with a global annual production of more than 5,000 tons. Approximately 10% of azo products are discharged into the environment, resulting in a negative impact on the environment and human health because most azo dyes are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and highly persistent in the environment [1-3]. Conventional physicochemical methods for treating azo dyes have severe limitations, including incomplete removal, formation of hazardous products, and high operation costs, and biological techniques enable complete mineralization of the azo dye in a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner [4,5]. Azo dyes are not readily degraded by biological methods under aerobic conditions, and thus, they are normally decolorized by reductive cleavage of the azo bonds (−N = N-) under anaerobic conditions and then converted to aromatic amines, which are subsequently mineralized aerobically [6,7]. The decolorization process is typically rate-limiting, which hinders the biological treatment of azo dyes [8].
Zero valent iron (Fe0) can enhance anaerobic microbial azo reduction, but the exact mechanism of Fe0-assisted microbial reduction remains unclear [9-11]. Because azo dyes are decolorized by functional microorganisms, characterizing the Fe0-assisted decolorization of azo dyes using a pure decolorizing bacterium may provide some exact information about the reaction mechanism, and understanding how the microbes interacts with Fe0 will facilitate the elucidation of the mechanisms of enhancement and optimize the biodecolorization process.
Fe2+, OH−, and H2 are the products of the anaerobic corrosion process [19]. The electrode potential of the redox couple Fe2+/Fe0 is −0.44 V, and hydrogen production from corrosion exhibits autocatalytic behavior, attaining a maximum rate of 1.9 mol kg−1 d−1 over 2 d of reaction in a study by Reardon et al. [20]. Based on these knowledge, it is hypothesized that anaerobic Fe0 corrosion may be accelerated in the azo dye biodecolorizing system, then (i) the microenvironmental conditions are altered to produce more favorable redox/pH conditions for the growth of microbes; (ii) the additional electron donor (H2) from Fe0 corrosion facilitates a greater microbial biomass yield; and (iii) the activity of the azo-reducing bacteria is stimulated by the supplementary elemental iron, resulting in the acceleration of the azo bioreduction.
To test these hypotheses, S. decolorationis S12, an azo-reducing bacterium isolated from a textile wastewater treatment system [21,22], was used as a model organism to characterize the enhancement of microbial azo reduction by Fe0 in this study. Specifically, we investigated (i) the effect of Fe0 dosage on the decolorization rate, pH change, and H2 release to determine whether Fe0 affects azo reduction by strain S12 indirectly; (ii) the morphology of Fe solids outside and inside the cells to determine whether a direct interaction between microbes and Fe0 occurs in the decolorization process; and (iii) the effect of Fe0 addition on the ratio of live versus dead cells and protein contents to determine whether the addition of Fe0 influences the growth and survival ability of strain S12. This study provides new insights into our understanding of the interactions between Fe0 and microbial cells in the decolorization process and lays a foundation for further optimization of Fe0-microbial integrated processes for efficient azo dye treatment.
Chemicals, organism, media, and cultivation
Amaranth (Am), a typical water-soluble azo dye, was purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, MO, USA). S. decolorationis S12 is a rod-shaped, gram-positive facultative bacterium that was isolated from the activated sludge of a textile-printing wastewater treatment plant by Xu et al. [22].
Strain S12 was cultivated by transferring a single colony to a 100-mL conical flask containing 50 mL of Luria-Bertani medium (10 g/L peptone, 5 g/L yeast extract, 10 g/L NaCl), which was then incubated in a shaking incubator (160 rpm) at 30°C. The cells were harvested in the middle of exponential growth phase (approximately 8 h) by centrifugation, washed twice with phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.4), and re-suspended in the buffer prior to inoculation. The cells were inoculated into a defined medium (pH 7.0) containing Na2HPO4, 7.64 g/L; KH2PO4, 3.00 g/L; NH4Cl, 0.50 g/L; NaCl, 1.00 g/L; sodium lactate, 5.00 mM; yeast extract, 0.5 g/L; and amaranth, 1.0 mM. The initial cell density was approximately 107 CFU/ml (the protein mass was approximately 0.023 mg/mL). The cells were statically cultivated at 30°C in an anaerobic workstation (BugBox, Ruskinn Technologies). Standard anaerobic technique was used throughout the study for anaerobic cultivation as previously described [23]. The medium was prepared by adding concentrated stock solutions containing various medium components in O2-free distilled water. The medium was then bubbled with N2 gas for 10 min to remove residual air from the head space. All gases used were passed through a 0.2-μm filter prior to use. All batch experiments were conducted in 100-mL serum bottles with a culture medium volume of 40 mL under anaerobic conditions. Three independent experiments with triplicate bacterial samples were performed in each experiment.
Micrometer-sized iron (Fe0) particles (mean size of 18.51 μm) were obtained from Tianjin Guangfu Technology and Development Co., Ltd., China, and were pretreated by rinsing with 1 M HCl for 3 min, followed by washing with distilled water for 1 min. Different dosages of Fe0 (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 mM) were added to the defined medium (40 mL) to examine the effect of Fe0 dosage on the decolorization reaction. The cell-free abiotic control (no strain S12 cells) received 60 mM Fe0. For the other tests, the dosage of Fe0 particles was maintained at 60 mM. Before and after decolorization (a reaction period of approximately 30 h), the size (hydrodynamic diameter) of the particles was determined using dynamic light scattering in a laser particle size analyzer (Eyetech, Ankersmid, USA).
Growth and activity assays of microbial cells
Cells were grown in medium with and without 60 mM Fe0 for 12 h and then collected for cell yield and activity assays, including protein content and live/dead ratio. The protein content was determined by the Coomassie brilliant blue method [24] with slight modification. Briefly, NaOH solution (1 M, 40 mL) was added to the serum bottle containing the cell culture in 40 mL of medium, and the mixture was incubated in a water bath for 10 min at 95-99°C with gentle end-over-end inversion every 2 min. After centrifugation at 12,000 × g for 5 min, the supernatant was collected in a new centrifuge tube at room temperature and reacted with Bradford solution containing 0.01% (w/v) Coomassie brilliant blue G-250, 4.7% (w/v) ethanol, and 8.5% (w/v) phosphoric acid for 10 min prior to measuring the absorbance at 595 nm. Bovine serum albumin was used as a protein standard.
A LSM700 laser scanning confocal microscope (Zeiss, Braunschweig, German) was used to examine the activity of S. decolorationis S12 after a 12-h reaction. A rapid fluorescence staining method using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight™ Viability Kit (Molecular Probes Inc., Eugene, Oregon, USA) was applied to estimate both the viable and total counts of bacteria according to the manufacturer's recommended protocol.
TEM and SEM analyses
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to observe the structures of the bacterial cells and the iron precipitates. Bacterial cell samples were collected for TEM analysis after a 12-h incubation, and Fe0 samples for SEM analysis were collected after a 30-h incubation. The suspended bacterial cells and Fe0 samples were collected separately. The cell pellet was separated from the medium by centrifugation at 12,000 × g for 5 min, and the pellet (containing cells and Fe0) was washed twice with 0.1 M phosphate buffer before fixation in 3% glutaraldehyde for 5 h. Then, the pellet was washed twice with phosphate buffer and dehydrated in a gradient series of ethanol solutions from 30 to 100% by incubation at each ethanol concentration for 15 min. For TEM analysis, the sample was treated with acetone and embedded in epoxy resin. Thin sections (80–90 nm) were cut with a diamond knife mounted on a Leica EM UC6 ultramicrotome and collected on carbon-coated Cu grids. TEM observation was performed with a JEOL JEM-2010HR TEM at 200 kV or a Hitachi H-7650 TEM at 80 kV. For SEM observation, the sample was treated with tert-butanol and then freeze dried. After sputtering with gold, the sample was deposited on the Cu carrier and observed with either a Hitachi H-3000 N SEM or a FEI Quanta 400 F SEM. The EDS measurement was performed with an Oxford INCA EDX spectrometer coupled with a JEOL JEM-2010HR TEM or an FEI Quanta 400 F SEM.
Chemical analysis and calculation
The pH of the solution was measured using a digital multi-parameter 3430 meter (WTW, Germany). The Fe2+ concentration in the aqueous phase was measured using the HCl extraction ferrozine assay method as previously described [25]. The H2 concentration in the medium after a 12-h reaction was examined by hydrogen microelectrodes (model H2-50, Unisense A/S, Denmark) polarized at +1000 mV.
where A is the initial absorbance, B is the absorbance after the reaction, C is the initial concentration of amaranth (1 mM), and t is the decolorization reaction time (12 h). All assays were performed in triplicate.
Statistical analysis was conducted with Office Excel 2010, Origin V8.0, and SPSS V17.0 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA) software. Treatment P values < 0.05 were considered significant.
Results and discussion
Effects of Fe0 on azo dye decolorization by strain S12
To determine if the H2 evolved from Fe0 can serve as an electron donor for strain S12 during the decolorization process, the concentration of H2 in the experimental systems after 12-h reactions with different Fe0 dosages was determined. As shown in Figure 1b, the H2 concentration increased with Fe0 dosage in both the presence and absence of strain S12 (from 36 to 93 μmol L−1 and from 129 to 148 μmol L−1, respectively), indicating that H2 was generated from the anaerobic corrosion of Fe0. However, the H2 concentrations in the presence of strain S12 were significantly lower than those measured in the cell-free tests (P < 0.001), suggesting that the produced H2 was consumed as an electron donor by strain S12 during azo reduction. In addition, as shown in Figure 1b, the dosage of Fe0 was a rate-limiting parameter for azo reduction when the dosage of Fe0 was less than 40 mM, which could be due to the limited H2 supply for strain S12. However, when the dosage of Fe0 was greater than 40 mM, the supply of H2 became adequate, and the decolorization efficiency reached a steady state. This study thus confirmed the presence of a dosage threshold for Fe0 (40 mM) for strain S12 in azo reduction. Previous study of the effect of Fe0 dosage on hexavalent chromium and carbon tetrachloride removal also reported a dosage threshold for Fe0 due to the H2 supply [26].
Furthermore, we also measured the Fe2+ concentrations in the absence and presence of strain S12 cells in the presence of 60 mM Fe0 (no rate limitation of azo reduction was observed at this dosage, as described above) because Fe2+ is one of the products of anaerobic Fe0 corrosion. After a 30-h incubation, the Fe2+ concentration in the experiments with strain S12 was 13.0 ± 0.5 μmol L−1, which was significantly higher than that of the abiotic control (2.1 ± 0.1 μmol L−1) (P = 0.03), suggesting that strain S12 promoted the dissolution of Fe0 particles. The same phenomenon was also observed by De Windt et al. [27] for anoxic Fe0 corrosion coupled with nitrate reduction by S. oneidensis MR-1. The mechanism of Fe0 consumption remains unclear. There were two likely explanations: (i) the consumption of H2 released from the Fe0 surface by strain S12 allowed the reaction described in Equation (1) to occur and shift to the right, or (ii) strain S12 reacted with Fe0 directly (such as from the uptake of iron discussed below) and accelerated the transformation of iron. The data in this study indicate that both explanations are correct and complementary, but more work is needed to clarify the exact mechanism.
Shifts in the size distribution pattern of Fe0 particles during biodecolorization
Effects of Fe0 on cell morphology and viability
The TEM/EDS images demonstrated differences in cell morphology in the Fe0-supplemented culture (Figure 5d,e) and the control (Figure 5f). In the Fe0-supplemented culture, extracellular and/or intracellular fine-grained Fe precipitates or clusters formed outside and/or inside the cell membrane (with mean sizes of 80.52 ± 15.82 nm and 25.90 ± 6.53 nm, respectively) (Figure 5d,e). These results indicated direct interactions between Fe0 and strain S12, providing good evidences for microbial-driven biogeochemical cycling. These direct interactions promoted the transformation of iron as well as the removal of contaminants. First, for contaminant removal, Fe precipitates provided more Fe sources for the synthesis of enzymes and thus enhanced microbial activity. Elemental iron assimilated by strain S12 was an active ingredient for multiple dehydrogenases and hydrogenases (such as [Fe-S] cluster-containing lactate dehydrogenase and [Ni–Fe] and [Fe–Fe] catalytic site-containing hydrogenases), ensuring higher cell physiological and azoreductive activities [14,34,38]. Second, strain S12 cells, which were attached to the surface of Fe0, coupled the consumption of H2 (released from Fe0 corrosion) and the reduction of azo dye by azo respiration. For iron transformation, the process included several steps as follows: (i) Fe2+ released from Fe0 corrosion and reversibly adhered to the surface of Fe0 or strain S12 cells; (ii) Fe2+-containing precipitates formed (e.g., Fe(OH)2, Fe3(PO4)2, FeCO3) when anions presented, and (iii) the small size and high surface-to-volume ratio of fine-grained particles (Fe0-Fe2+ [solid]) enabled significant adsorption of Fe precipitates to the outer membrane of strain S12 cells and the intracellular uptake of Fe precipitates to the cytoplasm of strain S12 cells. Fe0 corrosion was accelerated because the concentration of Fe2+ [aqueous] was diluted by strain S12 through steps (i) and (iii), suggesting that strain S12 contributed to the transformation of iron, although a quantitative analysis could not be performed here. The biosorption of Fe precipitates has also been observed for other Shewanella spp. [27] and Dehalococcoides spp. [39] involved in Fe0-assisted bioremediation, revealing universal direct interactions between bacteria and minerals during containment removal [40].
Mechanisms of Fe0-assisted biodecolorization
The results of batch experiments of azo decolorization by combining the use of Fe0 and the azo-reducing bacterium S. decolorationis strain S12 expanded our knowledge of the enhancement of microbial azo reduction by Fe0. A conceptual model for Fe0-assisted microbial azo reduction was established based on the direct and indirect interactions between microbes and Fe0 after characterizing the changes in the morphology of the Fe0 particles, the physiological activities of the bacteria, and the physicochemical properties of the azo reduction system. This model will facilitate the development of azo dye remediation technology. However, to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying these processes, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses should be performed to track the dynamics and adaptive responses of strain S12 during Fe0-assisted azo reduction processes.
We thank Yinghua Cen for the suggestions during manuscript preparation. This research was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CB22307), the National Natural Science Foundation for Outstanding Young Scholars of China (51422803), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21207019), Guangdong Provincial - Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Cooperation Projects (2013B091500081), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong, China (2014A030308019), and the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (201503108).
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This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.


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New Lens Roadmap Revamped? (5 New Lenses? Leak?)
SPY photos come again! It seems that brilliant Pentax/Hoya marketing is in action!
DFA* 20mm F2.8 SDM? DFA 645 25mm F2.8?
DFA* 50mm F1.0 SDM?
DA 135mm F2.8 Limited?
DA* 400mm F4 ED[IF] SDM?
DFA lenses come back again!? Preparing for a Full Frame Body and System???
Why that guy covered the lens images with his finger(s)? .. IF he is just a "spy"? ;-D
Update (5-27):
Hot discussions have been instigated in a thread started by me at the PentaxForums which points to my this blog post. People have been wondering if these pictures are fake or not and some do insist those are.
Whilst I am neutral to the realness of these "leaks", I do have some internal filters set up within myself for what I post at my blog. If you have been a reader of mine for long enough, you could actually find that I have actually been 99% accurate and correct for what I reported! ;-D And I usually do not post those rumours that I could not believe or just found them fake myself.
To be even more objective, I have compared the above four "leaked" pictures against the last officially published roadmap dated March 3, 2009, which is most updated one by now.
For your easy reference, I copy again the link to the above mentioned roadmap as below:-
(Click to download the roadmap pdf file from Pentax's website)
After careful inspection on the positions of the new lenses, bullet colours of those (orange for DA lenses, blue for DFAs, purple for DAs), fonts and distortion, neighbourhood lenses/gridlines (both vertical dotted ones for focal lengths and the thick horizontal separators) and etc., I actually find almost no "discrepancy" of the "leaked" roadmap!
The only suspicious thing is only about the DA*400 F4 lens, beside which in the left neighhourhood I should see portion of the DA*300 F4 block, or it should be positioned higher or lower owing to the typesetting conflict with the neightbouring lens, but I cannot see any of such. However, this doesn't necessary mean that it is fake, maybe it is just that Pentax have changed the typesetting.
In contrast, the insertion of the the DFA*50 F1.0 lens looks almost real to me! :-) The DFA 645 55mm standard lens has now been shifted to a lower position underneath the new DFA*50.
So, if I had to bet for the realness of this "leak", I would say it is true - by my best judgement.
Any more sensible counter arguments this time? :-))


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With users constantly reporting any bugs and the continual improvements to the software, you can rest assured that the software will always be working.
Software is ready for download! If you do happen to come across any bugs (there will most likely be enough) please report them!


text:
Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Emergency Department (ED) attendances are an excellent opportunity for education interventions. A variety of written information is given to patients in EDs. There is some evidence of this working well in other areas but it is unproven in first aid. The study seeks to question if there is an improvement in confidence in the first aid treatment of injuries if patients are given written information while in the ED.
Who can participate?
Adult patients coming to the ED with limb injuries, wounds and head injuries
What does the study involve?
Patients are randomly allocated to one of two groups: the intervention or the control group. Intervention group patients will be asked to complete two questionnaires: first, in person in the ED while waiting to be seen by a doctor or nurse practitioner, and second, 4 weeks later a questionnaire is completed by phone. Control group patients receive normal care.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefit to participants would be an improved confidence in managing first aid problems. There is minimal risk to the patients. The questionnaire is designed to be simple and take very little time. Research team members will not have clinical commitments while recruiting patients so ED staffing levels will not be affected. Should a patient be identified as in significant distress or pain, the researchers will inform the clinical staff responsible in preference to completing the study consent and survey. During the follow-up questionnaire, should clinical advice be sought by the patient, they will be directed to their own GP, out of hours services, or ED. This is because the research team may not be familiar with giving clinical advice by phone, and the inability to generate medical documentation from these discussions. Should any complaint be raised by the patient during follow-up questioning, the patient will be directed to the Patient Advice Liaison Service.
Where is the study run from?
The ED at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield (UK) and the Minor Injuries Unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
It is due to recruit in March-April 2014 with follow-up questionnaires in April-May 2014 and records checked for re-attendances to the ED in June-July 2014
Who is funding the study?
The British Red Cross (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr David Pallot
Trial website
Contact information
Primary contact
Prof Suzanne Mason
Contact details
Health Services Research
School of Health and Related Research
Regent Court
30 Regent Street
United Kingdom
+44 (0)114 2220694
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
Version 1.1
Study information
Scientific title
Written information providing first aid advice for patients presenting to the Emergency Department: a randomised controlled trial
Study hypothesis
Giving written first aid information will result in an improvement of patients' confidence in managing injuries in future. This may lead to better self-care and potentially even fewer attendances to the Emergency Department.
Ethics approval
NRES Committee East of England - Cambridge South, 28/02/2014, REC ref: 14/EE/0072
Study design
Single-centre randomised controlled interventional trial questionnaire study
Primary study design
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Trial type
Patient information sheet
Patient information can be found at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxEofEMwq3fNQVVDZkJoMUk2ZzA/edit?pli=1
Minor injuries: wounds, limb injuries, and head injuries
Patients will be randomised in clusters by the day they attend the ED to either the intervention arm or the control arm. The intervention group will receive an additional information leaflet giving information on first aid for the injury they have sustained; this will be in addition to normal care which would not be altered. The control group will receive all normal care, including any other verbal or written information they would normally receive about the after-care for their injury. Both arms will be followed up at 4 weeks by telephone. ED records will be checked at 3 months for reattendances for both arms.
Intervention type
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Confidence in first aid management if the patient were to suffer the an injury again, assessed at baseline and follow-up
Secondary outcome measures
1. Confidence of first aid management to someone else. Confidence in first aid will be measured on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being 'Not confident' and 10 being 'Very confident' with half measures being accepted.
2. Improvement in the correct knowledge of first aid. Correct knowledge of first aid will be assessed based on an answer to an open question; answers will be marked correct if key words or phrases are used in the absence of any treatments which would be harmful.
3. How useful the written information was rated. Use of the material will be assessed using a series of yes/no questions and asking them to rate its usefulness on a scale of 0 ('not useful') to 10 ('very useful').
4. The use of other first aid information; related and unrelated reattendances to the Emergency Department within 3 months. The reattendance outcomes will be measured at 3 months by reviewing ED records at that time.
Most outcomes will be measured during the patients' attendance to the ED by a researcher in person, and at 4 weeks by telephone. Questionnaires will be used.
Overall trial start date
Overall trial end date
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Presenting to the Emergency Department at the Northern General Hospital, or Minor Injury Unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital during the study period between 9am and 8pm.
2. Book in to reception with the presenting complaint of a head injury, limb injury, or wound between the hours of 9am and 8pm during the study period.
Participant type
Age group
Target number of participants
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Patients who do not themselves read English
2. Patients who are unable to consent
3. Patients who are resident in a care home
4. Patients with self-inflicted injuries
5. Patients with serious injury requiring immediate resuscitation or treatment
6. Patients over the age of 65 with suspected fractured neck of femur
7. Healthcare professionals
Recruitment start date
Recruitment end date
Countries of recruitment
United Kingdom
Trial participating centre
Northern General Hospital
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Herries Road
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (UK)
Sponsor details
Clinical Research Office Sheffield
11 Broomfield Road
United Kingdom
Sponsor type
Hospital/treatment centre
Funder type
Funder name
British Red Cross (UK)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
No current plans for further publication.
IPD sharing statement
The datasets generated during and analysed during the current study are not expected to be made available due to lack of consent of the participants (the study took place before recent guidelines about data sharing, and participants were informed that their data would be kept confidential).
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not expected to be available
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2015 abstract in: http://emj.bmj.com/content/32/12/1000.1


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Recently I've become interested in purchasing a bit heavier saw for the shop, preferably a decent Unisaw or Powermatic, to replace my aluminum Ryobi BT3000 (which I've used quite a bit since I originally bought it in 1993). I started watching Craigslist and one at a reasonable price came up - it was in Columbus GA and was listed as a 3HP Unisaw in working condition for $500 - this same saw was originally listed at $750 and I figured the guy was ready to make a deal. When I talked to him on the phone he indicated he would take $450 for it, so I took a trip down to Phenix City AL (right outside of Columbus, which is on the border of GA and AL). When I got there I was very dissappointed, as it wasn't the saw I thought I was getting - the 3HP units started becoming available in the 70's and are still made today - I thought that was what he had - instead I found an old 50's Unisaw with a 1HP motor.
I basically told him I didn't want it, but he asked me what I would offer him - I replied that I would pay $300 for the saw and he told me that it wasn't enough, etc. I started to drive off when he came back and offered to split the difference with me - I said no and he relented, so my trip wasn't wasted. I got a working saw for $300, and while it's not exactly what I wanted, I decided to start researching the saw and see what I needed to do to get it in fine woodworking condition. That's when I refound the Old Woodworking Machines forum. What I read there got me interested in fully restoring the saw. I had visited it previously to download a Dewalt catalog for my 790 Radial Arm Saw - which I found at an estate sale for $60. I started to restore the saw and have put if off for now, as the Unisaw is more interesting.
So here are images of the saw - only real issues: saw has been heavily painted, first red then gray, so it will require stripping to bare metal to make it right. The motor label is missing, one of the tables has a chunk busted out on the edge, and when I peeled off the top I found a welded front trunnion bracket. Here are the pics:
More images to follow as I start stripping down the saw for sand blasting.
-- John
This blog is all about my interest in woodworking, particularly in regards to modern and mid-century design. It will also house my on-going efforts in refurbing and restoring old woodworking machinery and hand tools, and may go off track occasionally as I see fit.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Unisaw - the Beginning
Posted by John Eaton at 6:25 PM
1 comment:
- Mike Andrews said...
Nice Unisaw... unusual to see one with the original Delat Unisaw switch cover in good shape. You can find more info at Delta Unisaw
- January 31, 2010 at 11:13 AM
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Everlook Photography is the combined photographic vision of husband and wife team, Dylan Toh and Marianne Lim.
We are based in Adelaide, Australia, and photography is our shared passion. We love to travel and bring back images that capture the essence of the time and place, and it is our hope to evoke the same emotional response in you.
Our blog will be a combination of showcasing images and random musings about life and photography in general. Our writings will be purely our opinion only, based on our experiences. We make no recommendations on photographic equipment, software or techniques; we simply have preferences for personal use.
For more images, visit us on our website, www.everlookphotography.com.
If you're into social networking, follow us on Facebook or have a peek at Dylan's Flickr site by clicking on the icons above!


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We've added the ability to use a variety of Python debuggers: pdb, PuDB, and PyCharm (professional version). Each has its pros and cons, but all are a significant improvement over self.debugLog()...
In the Plugins Preferences tab, there is a new Development section:
(bet you didn't even remember that tab was there). Because we need to start plugins in a special way for debugging to work, we need to show some special debugging menus. Check the checkbox to see those menus in each plugin's submenu. Next, each debugger needs to be started in a specific way, so select the debugger that you want to use.
By enabling debugging menus, each plugin will have some additional menu items on their submenu:
- Enable/Reload in Debugger
- Enable/Reload in Interactive Shell (discussed next)
Selecting the first will enable or restart the plugin with the plumbing enabled for the debugger you selected. We'll talk about the specifics for each next.
pdb is a command line debugger that's built-in to Python. We'll let you read the docs to find commands and features. What you do need to know is when you select Enable/Reload in Debugger, Indigo will restart your plugin and open a terminal window running pdb:
To add breakpoints to your code, you just add indigo.debugger() method calls where ever you want plugin execution to pause in the debugger. Trying to interactively add breakpoints from pdb or PuDB is hit-or-miss because of the threaded way in which Indigo plugins run. The most reliable to way to force a breakpoint is by manually adding the indigo.debugger() call to the python source and restarting the plugin. Also note indigo.debugger() calls are ignored (NOPs) when the plugin is not launched in debugger mode, so don't lose sleep over leaving an indigo.debugger() call in a shipping plugin.
PuDB is a more graphical debugger, much like to the old Borland Turbo debugger from many years ago:
As with pdb, you add breakpoints to your code by adding indigo.debugger() method calls where ever you want plugin execution to pause in the debugger.
Finally, we were able to use PyCharm's remote debugging feature to enable plugin debugging. It requires a bit more setup, but if want to use a fantastic modern IDE, this is the choice for you. Note that because we're using the remote debugging feature, you can only use the professional version of PyCharm as the community edition doesn't support it.
With your plugin's project open in PyCharm, create a run configuration of type Remote Python Debug:
There are three important config parameters in this dialog (you can name the configuration anything you want). The first two tell how to connect: specify localhost in the Local host name box and 5678 in the Port field. The next field you need to adjust is the Path mappings field.
Recall that the recommended way of developing Indigo plugins is to put your plugin in a central location (not inside the Indigo folders), then make a symbolic link to it in the Plugins directory. We do this because the Indigo server moves a plugin between two different folders when enabling/disabling. An IDE/editor will get confused when this happens, so by putting the actual code in a place that never moves and allowing the Indigo Server to move a symbolic link around, you get around this issue.
Because of this, you need to tell PyCharm where the actual path to the source is when the plugin is enabled and being debugged. Click the ellipsis button at the end of the Path mappings field to add a mapping. On the Local path side, you want to specify the actual path to your plugin's source (i.e. /Users/you/path/to/myplugin.indigoPlugin). On the Remote path side, you want to specify the path to your plugin's symlink when the plugin is enabled (i.e. /Library/Application Support/Perceptive Automation/Indigo 7/Plugins/myplugin.indigoPlugin). Tip: to get the path to a file in the Finder, right click on the file to show the contextual menu, then press the Option key. The Copy item will change to Copy as Pathname which is exactly what you want.
One other option is the Suspend after connect checkbox: if you have that checked, then when your plugin restarts with the debugger, it will pause execution in the __init__ method. We don't recommend doing this since you can add breakpoints anywhere you want in the code, including in the __init__ method.
That's it for setup! To debug, just run the remote debug configuration and then restart your plugin in the debugger. Unlike when using pdb and PuDB, you don't need to add explicit breakpoints to the source code using indigo.debugger() – rather, just interactively add breakpoints in PyCharm:
You can step through code, inspect, etc., just like you are debugging any other Python project.
We hope that you'll find a great debugging solution for your needs in one of these options. We've added a couple of new API methods on the plugin objects that are part of this change:
- plugin.isRunning() – will return true if the plugin is enabled, initialized, and running
- plugin.restartAndDebug() – a parallel to the restart() method except that it starts the plugin running in the selected debugger
Plugin Specific Interactive Shell
Another great debugging tool is the ability to open a scripting shell that's specific to your plugin's context. This shell is like the more general shell you get when you select the Plugins->Open Scripting Shell menu item, except that because we launch it as part of your plugins startup, it has access to everything in your plugin. You can call methods that your plugin implements, inspect your plugin's objects, etc.


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Nostalgia drives liturgical change as much as it drives musical entrepreneurship. What songs warm our hearts? What reminds us of grandmother? A song might symbolize an imagined, more perfect, time in the church. Nostalgia and utopian dreams of the past collude and what emerges is new liturgy.
The new is born of ideations of the old. The new is born of nostalgia as much as anything else.
Of course, most of us are nostalgic for times and places that are irrecoverable. How we partake of the table feast is predicated on what moves our heart. And it is mediated by the liturgical power structures of our own traditions. Perhaps you have a prayer book like the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. So, you try to create a liturgy for both you and your grandmother even though your grandmother still perceives the 1979 Book of Common Prayer as an innovation and not the church of her childhood for which she too is very nostalgic. She misses her parents. She misses her grandparents.
And on and on this goes. We can sing "great cloud of witnesses" until we're as blue in the face as the cover of our hymnals, but the truth is that the words don't always meet the nostalgic yen. Still, we try. We play songs. We offer prayers. We appropriate the cultures of the past retooling them for our own nostalgic proclivities.
This is, as Elodie Roy, the author of " Cassette Fever in the Age of Bandcamp," reminds us, all mediated by a marketplace. "Nostalgimania" is a "consumeralgia." I suggest that this is as true for the ongoing (dare we say, emergent) liturgical renewal movements as it is for the music industry.
The return of tapes, however, is not an isolated or idiosyncratic phenomenon. It belongs with a larger age of retromania, to use Simon Reynolds' expression: cultural objects from the past become desirable once more. Past technologies are feverishly recycled and sold again. Nostalgia is, in other words, a consumers' disease – a 'consumeralgia' – a longing to hold and own things, to collect tangible remainders of the 'old world'. It is, moreover, a particular disease of the Western World.
We are retooling liturgies left and right. This practice is neither good or bad, but there is an ethical ambiguity that may need to be addressed.The new is born of ideations of the old. Then sold in the liturgical marketplace.
Transmission and change are increasing. We can barely keep up. Mumford Masses happen. U2charists are already passe and most of us haven't heard of them. The sale of the same (when they are sold and not "borrowed") pads the coffers of denominational retirement plans as well as individual bank accounts.
What's next is what was.
And it's making some people a lot of money.
Thanks be to God.
Tripp Hudgins is a doctoral student in liturgical studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Palo Alto, Calif. You can read more of his writings on his longtime blog, "Conjectural Navel Gazing; Jesus in Lint Form" at AngloBaptist.org. Follow Tripp on Twitter @AngloBaptist.
Image: Historic church organ, FooTToo / Shutterstock.com
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The Islanders topped the Rangers 2–1 as the rivals shifted their longtime battle to a new borough.
The first meeting between old rivals in the fresh setting of Brooklyn's Barclays Center delivered on the hype. The Rangers and Islanders attacked Wednesday's inaugural Battle of the Boroughs with playoff-worthy intensity, and while it wasn't always pretty the result was an energetic and action-packed gem that required overtime and a shootout before the hometown Islanders came away with a 2–1 win.
Some quick thoughts on the new look for an old rivalry:
• The Rangers have succeeded almost in spite of themselves this season, relying heavily on a string of Vezina-caliber performances from Henrik Lundqvist to compensate for inconsistent defensive-zone coverage and a frustrating propensity for coughing the puck up in dangerous areas.
They certainly weren't perfect Wednesday, especially on the penalty kill breakdown that allowed John Tavares to skate in on Lundqvist untouched for the Islanders' only goal in regulation. But taken as a whole, the Blueshirts delivered a more disciplined and structured effort than any time I've seen them this season.
It helped that they spent a good part of the game's first half in the offensive zone, controlling possession and keeping the Isles on their heels. But even as the hosts slowly reeled it back in, the Rangers responded with smart positioning (20 blocks on the night) and excellent decision making. There's no questioning the effort or the execution after this one.
Coach Alain Vigneault might want to keep the film handy. When this team needs a reminder of what they can be when they're at their best, this will be the game to show them.
• Tavares had a glorious chance to win the game in OT, coming out of the box after serving a bench minor only to be stoned by Lundqvist. He was at his best in this one, ramping up his intensity to deliver a playoff-caliber performance. I was asked the other day if Team Canada might suffer at the upcoming World Cup if Sidney Crosby can't find his game. The way JT is going, that won't be a problem.
• I know how tough Rangers fans are on Tanner Glass, but I thought he was really solid tonight. He skated hard, was physical with five hits and landed three shots on net. Sure, he sailed his best chance of the night wide, but offense is gravy from a player like this. Vigneault had him in the lineup to bring some energy and he delivered in a big way.
• POWER RANKINGS: Rangers take tumble out of top spot
• Hard to figure the decision by Vigneault to send Dan Boyle out for the first 1:32 of New York's overtime power play opportunity. Keith Yandle was having a very effective night and while he was coming off a 23 second shift at the time of the Islanders' too many men on the ice call, he would have been a better option to at least start the man advantage. The Rangers landed three shots on net during that stretch, but none of them were from closer than 45 feet and none were particularly challenging for Halak. If Yandle is quarterbacking from the point, maybe they create something down closer to the net.
• That final, failed shootout attempt by Boyle is one people will be talking about for awhile. The aging defender almost walked the puck in, taking nearly seven seconds from the time he picked it up at center ice before ending his slow-motion bid by bobbling his shot attempt to the left of Jaroslav Halak. It looked awful–Halak's bemused reaction after the attempt was priceless–but the fact is, it almost worked.
• The NBC crew mentioned that Halak is now 7–0 in his last seven head-to-head meetings with Lundqvist, and he was full value for the win tonight. He made 33 saves on the night, including a perfect 9/9 on the penalty kill, to earn Second Star honors. If it wasn't his best performance of the season, it was certainly one of his most economical. His positioning was on point and he did an excellent job of controlling his rebounds. He needed to be sharp early on as the Rangers dominated, and his confident play eventually carried over to his teammates.
• MUIR: New cap estimate will affect the trade market
• Ryan Strome was guilty of the bad change that led to that Rangers OT power play, but he turned in the sort of effort that suggests he won't be going back to AHL Bridgeport any time soon. He wasn't used heavily, just over 12 minutes, but was quick to the puck, used his body effectively and displayed an intensity that was missing from his game leading up to his demotion.


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Gain a deeper biblical perspective on the spiritual disciplines, Christian living, and the Davidic psalms with timeless teaching from Matthew Henry—one of the most influential Bible teachers of all time. This collection combines some of his most sought after works with a stirring account … more
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) was an English Presbyterian Minister. His father, also a minister, was ejected under the Act of Uniformity of 1662. Matthew Henry abandoned legal studies for theology and became the minister of a congregation in Chester. He founded the Presbyterian Chapel in Trinity Street. He is best known for his Commentary on the Bible.


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An Insider at Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) is Selling SharesBy Carrie Williams
Today, an Insider at Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR), David Marriott, sold shares of MAR for $449.1K.
In addition to David Marriott, 5 other MAR executives reported Sell trades in the last month.
See today's analyst top recommended stocks >>
MAR's market cap is $49.09B and the company has a P/E ratio of 36.84. Currently, Marriott International has an average volume of 1.66M. The Company has a Price to Book ratio of 13.7652.
Based on 5 analyst ratings, the analyst consensus is Moderate Buy with an average price target of $150.40, reflecting a -8.0% downside.
The insider sentiment on Marriott International has been negative according to 107 insider trades in the past three months. This sentiment is lower than the average sentiment of company insiders in this sector.
David Marriott's trades have generated a -35.4% average return based on past transactions. DailyInsider proprietary algorithm detects trades by the most influential insiders and selects attractive trading opportunities daily. To subscribe to the DailyInsider visit this page.
TipRanks has tracked 36,000 company insiders and found that a few of them are better than others when it comes to timing their transactions. See which 3 stocks are most likely to make moves following their insider activities.
Marriott International, Inc. is a diversified global lodging company, which engages in the operation and franchise of hotels, corporate housing properties, and timeshare properties. It operates through the following business segments: North American Full-Service; North American Limited-Service; and International.


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Emotionology Founder
Certified Emotionology Coach
Certified Emotionology Trainer
Where: Denver, Colorado & San Diego, CA
Phone: 720-301-0377
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Mary Nestle-Hallgren is the founder and developer of Emotionology. She has over 35 years experience as a consultant, life coach and business coach. She has been a member of the National Speaker's Association, was listed in Who's Who in Professional Speaking and had her own TV show, "Change Your Mind, Change Your Life". She holds certifications as an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) coach and trainer and was one of the first coaches to receive an MCC (Master Certified Coach) designation from ICF (International Coach Federation). She received a BA in Business and Organizational Development from Union Institute, an MBA from the University of Phoenix and a PhD (ABD) from Capella University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Hallgren has devoted many years to synthesizing NLP and other methodologies into a reliable method for creating lasting personal change as well as culture change in business systems. Along the way, Hallgren developed a model for a "constructive system". The desire to make this work more widely available resulted in the first Emotionology coach training in 1991 and the publishing of her first book "Emotionology- How To Improve Your EQ" (1996). Four models combined with a philosophy that works for a happy life, serve as the framework for Emotionology coaching.
Currently Hallgren directs and facilitates training for The Emotionology Institute. She presents talks and demonstrations to groups regarding effective workplace and family systems and works with individuals to clear emotional imprints and learning blocks. Clients include individuals, coaches and small entrepreneurial companies to large governmental entities.
Hallgren can be reached for personal appointments at the above number or via email email@example.com. She is also available for seminars and workshops to create a new model of success for your company.
"Mary has helped me tremendously through the grief process after my sister's passing and also after my father's passing. She has a deep insight into people. Her Emotionology techniques are great for quickly solving relationship issues and business building. I would recommend her to anyone. Thanks, Mary, for all your help over the years!"
Lisa Temple, Colorado Licensed Acupuncturist


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Scheduled .EU Registry Maintenance: June 17th, 2015
16/06/2015 11:08
This post contains important information about a system-wide maintenance that is scheduled for the 17th June, 2015 at 04:00 GMT/UTC.
The .EU Registry has announced the following downtime:
Scheduled Maintenance:
- Date: June 17th, 2015
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During the above maintenance window, you would not be able to register, renew, transfer, manage or perform Whois lookup for .EU domain names.
This outage shall have no impact on the resolution/working of your already registered domain names. Please feel free to get in touch with our support team, in case of any queries.


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Probability Moon offers some tasty science fiction with a hard edge. It involves humans visiting another planet, with a well-realized society. Some of the alien culture and turns of phrase are simply delightful. The human characters are more complex than they first appear. Two related plotlines are deftly handled. I found them equally interesting. All in all, it's a cracking good tale that sets the stage for two more books in a trilogy.
In some ways, the alien society reminds me a little of what the Sparrow could have been in more capable SF hands, and shorn of its preoccupation with religious issues. Although I guess that wouldn't leave much, would it.
I've also read through one of her short story collections, which I enjoyed. I'm part way through another. Based on what I've read in those collections, I'll be passing on her Beggars in Spain trilogy, whose founding novella gives way more time than needed to dispose of Ayn Randian philosophical nonsense. (That novella won both Hugo and Nebula awards? Seriously?)
No comments yet!


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1. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
I'm always working on something new ;) Right now, I'm working on the next book in the Denazen series, as well as the second book in the Darker series, the first book of which is tentatively scheduled for release this coming June.
2. Which is your favourite cover of all the books you have written?
Hmm… That's tough cause I love all my covers. But if I had to pick, I think it's a tie between Touch and a mock up for Darker Days that I saw a few days ago!
3. Do you have a playlist in mind for any of your books?
All my books have playlists. Hell, every character has their own playlist ;) Some scenes, too. You can find a full list here.
4. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
Well, I'll always love paperbacks. I'm a sucker for trade. But, I have grown attached to e-books if for no other reason than my shelves - and my husband - thank me. There's no room left in the house for more book shelves :D
5. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I think I've read all my books more than once :D I have a few though, my comfort books, that I read over and over and over… Nightlife by Rob Thurman, Bitten by Kelly Armstrong, and The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West by Mary Stanton are my big three.
6. What is your opinion of novellas?
To tell you the truth, I never really gave much thought to them. I'd never read one, and never thought about writing one. But my agent and editor came to me and suggested I write one for the series, and poof! A new novella fan.
7. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
I just started reading Slashback by Rob Thurman in e-book. If you've never read anything by her, you're totally missing out!
8. If you could invite any four celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?
Poe would be at the top of the list, because, well, he's POE! I think I'd also love to sit down with Chuck Norris and find out what he really thinks about all those Chuck Norris jokes… Also, David and Raymond Belle. Why? One word. Parkour.
9. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what's the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
My advice would be don't give up.
10. Do you have any hobbies that aren't related to reading & writing?
I'm a huge World of Warcraft junkie and I love to cook.
11. Where can your readers follow you?
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJusAccardo
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4996736.Jus_Accardo
Twitter: @JusAccardo
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jusaccardo/
Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!


text: For hundreds of years the theological argument between those who hold to the Arminian and Calvinist view of soteriology has been raging. I could mention great men of God on both sides of the argument that have served God with distinction. The purpose of this paper is to express why I believe as I do. There are two main illusions that I can state firmly that I am not under. I realize that this paper will not resolve the argument that has gone on for so long, nor do I believe that this alone will change the mind of most […]Read More


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So, it's three days into the new semester and my personal time bubble is going all wonky. It seems like these three days have sped by, yet I'm also left thinking, "it's only Wednesday?"
I have no deeper thoughts on that. Just an observation.
I do, however, have a gift for all of us who miss Calvin and Hobbes: a wonderful, funny, occasionally biting, often sweet but not at all icky webcomic called "Little Dee." You can read the archives here — be sure to go to the first strips and read in sequence, which can be done in one lovely evening. New daily strips may be found here. What makes this strip for me is the character Vachel….an ill-behaved, roadkill-eating (and sometimes roadkill-causing) vulture who reads a lot and knits.


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Friday, Aug. 20, 2010 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
575 Madison Avenue10th FloorNew York, NY
Or attend by conference call or webinar!
JOIN US Join us for this informative round table session on Friday, August 20, 2010! Ask other professionals about best practices, get feedback and insights into topics that matter to you. Bring your questions and topics of interest.
Some discussion topics to bring to the table:
Human Resources
Benefits Vacation/PTO Conflict Management Professional Development Reviews Gift Giving Morale Policy & Procedures Wellness Plans
Vendors and Vendor Management Office Moves Offsite Storage Furniture and/or cubicles OSHA Fire & Safety Plan Emergency Preparedness Ergonomics"Greening" the Office
Event Planning
Event Planners Annual Meetings Event Management Software Internal Events Venue Selection
Airports Travel Agents vs. Booking on the Web Calendaring International Travel Issues Visas and Passports Travel Insurance Chartered Jets
Microsoft Office Products (like Office 2007) Password ManagementPhone and/or Cell Service Blackberries, Google Phones, and iPhones Records Retention Policy Teleconferencing & Conference Calls Copy Repair and Maintenance Archiving & Data Recovery Video Conferencing A/V Consultants Spam VoIP
You may also email topic of interest to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Space is limited - RSVP by 8/13
Lunch will be provided.
Can't stay for the entire meeting? Come and participate in the time you can get away - your input is important to us! For those of you who want to do some extra networking, come early or stay late.
CAN'T MAKE THE MEETING but want to participate? Attend by conference call or webinar! (Registration for this feature is a member's only benefit)
Special thanks to our annual sponsors for making this event possible!
Thanks to the following event sponsor!
Thanks to the following event sponsor!
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Another Good Article from the Left
Joanne Wypijewski, writing in Counterpunch:
Some of the black T-shirts told me they believed that if only Americans did the research there would be a mass uprising in this country and all the other things I was talking about would suddenly be on the table. But about a third of Americans already believes 9/11 was an inside job. I asked if they really thought "Do the Research" was a galvanizing slogan, to which I was corrected that the more popular slogan was "Ask Questions, Demand Answers". To which the neophyte might ask, What questions? And then be answered with a barrage of details about NORAD and the burning point of steel and what Larry Silverstein said about Building 7 and what a firefighter said he'd heard at what hour and how there'd been "repairmen" working on a World Trade Center elevator in the weeks or days before the attack. At this point the neophyte walks off, with literature and a DVD, never to be heard from again. One of the people in the black T-shirts agreed that it was a complex message to lay on people, but the fault lay, naturally, with the people. "It's not a sound bite, and people have been conditioned to hear only sound bites."
Highly recommended!