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New Filing Deadlines
August 06, 2015
A number of significant changes to the current filing deadlines for partnership, corporation and trust tax returns were included within the Surface Transportation and Veterans Health Care Choice Improvement Act of 2015, which was signed into law on July 31, 2015 by President Obama.
Effective generally for tax years beginning after December 31, 2015:
Partnership and S corporation returns will now be due March 15, with an automatic 6 month extension available.
C corporation returns will now have a due date of April 15, with an automatic 5 month extension. For C corporations with fiscal years ending June 30, the change will not apply until after 2025.
Trusts filing Form 1041s will now have a longer extended period of 5 1/2 months, due September 30.
Individual filing dates remain unchanged; however, FBAR ("Foreign Bank Account Report") filings will now be due April 15, with a 6 month extension available.


text: Some Precious Moments in Alindahaw Posted on October 19, 2013June 2, 2015 by legendharry Well, I was supposed to chase some waterfalls in Pagadian City but my Aunt Carmelita had other plans for that day. She suggested that we go to a lakeside resort somewhere south of the city. The past t... Read More

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Does your dam safety program need an objective review?
The ASDSO Peer Review provides professional guidance to improve the performance and management of dam safety programs. A Peer Review evaluates the mission, objectives, policies and procedures of a dam safety agency or company/organization. The dam safety program is evaluated relative to the organization's own governing regulations, and other guidelines such as the FERC dam safety program guidelines for licensees, the Model State Dam Safety Program (FEMA 316), or the Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety (FEMA 2004), as well as commonly accepted standards of practice.
ASDSO and the Dam Safety Peer Review Program
Through the cooperative efforts of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), founded in 1984, and the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS), a committee of six professionals representing state dam safety programs, electric utilities, and engineering firms developed a peer review program. The ASDSO Board of Directors adopted the Peer Review Program and conducted pilot reviews for the New Mexico, Tennessee, and Wisconsin dam safety programs. Based on the success of the pilot reviews, ASDSO began offering peer reviews as a regular service to states, federal agencies and private dam-owning companies in 1992.
The Peer Review is limited in scope and cannot determine or guarantee that a program complies with all applicable state, federal or provincial regulations or standards of practice. The Peer Review is performed by a team of engineers and dam safety professionals who produce a technical opinion, not a legal opinion.
The Peer Review Team provides a written report that documents its findings and recommendations. The Team does not perform follow-up or impose sanctions for not following recommendations. Implementation of recommendations is at the discretion of the organization's decision makers, its state legislature, Congress, or other enabling body. Peer Review teams do not inspect dams during reviews, and are therefore not involved in evaluating any Program's inventory of dams.
How to Obtain a Review
To get a cost quote or to schedule a peer review, contact Lori Spragens at ASDSO. 859-550-2788 X 106 or [email protected].
Qualifications of Reviewers
Reviewers are appointed by the ASDSO. Peer Review Committee. The reviewers are engineers, project managers and other experts with significant experience in the design, construction, and operation of dams; and program management of dam safety programs. In addition, they must have made significant contributions to the profession through involvement with technical and professional societies, licensing boards, and/or other professional activities. Finally, they must have a keen interest in improving dam safety. Reviewers typically have more than 30 years of experience. All reviewers receive training in the ASDSO Peer Review process.
ASDSO's Qualifications
Since 1990, ASDSO has completed peer reviews in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Since 1996, ASDSO has performed reviews for federal dam safety agencies including the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Department of Interior and its six bureaus including the Bureau of Reclamation; the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the Bureau of Land Management; the National Park Service; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Office of Surface Mining. ASDSO has performed peer reviews for several private dam owning companies including Ontario Power Generation, BC Hydro, Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light. ASDSO will perform FERC-required Owners Dam Safety Program (ODSP) audits. As of 8-2019, ASDSO has completed 3 ODSP audits including the California Department of Water Resources.


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Today's Tarot card is the Ace of Wands
A branching stick stands in a field of grain. A butterfly floats nearby. The sun is bright overhead with Stonehenge in the distance.
I am kind of itching to get out of the house today.
Also, I watched Schindler's List as part of my 3rd 101 Things in 1001 days.
Also planted spring flowers, cleaned the kitchen and finished writing the list for the 4th 101 Things in 1001 Days


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Gibson's Gold is the epitome of the Gibson family's wine making perfected by three generations of Gibson's. Gibson's Gold is constructed with our Australian Honey and Grape wine with an infusion of 96% pure 23 Karat Gold Leaf. It is refreshingly dry with a distinct metallic bite when you crush the Gold with your teeth. This product is virtually unmatched in quality or beauty, the slightest shake of the bottle sends mesmerising swirling Gold flakes dancing in the wine.
Presented with an individual serial number and beautifully handmade wooden case and letter of authenticity.
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Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia
Print version ISSN 0066-782X
Arq. Bras. Cardiol. vol.99 no.4 São Paulo Oct. 2012 Epub Aug 30, 2012
Insulin resistance can impair reduction on carotid intima-media thickness in obese adolescents
Priscila de Lima SanchesI; Marco Túlio de MelloI; Francisco Antonio Helfestein FonsecaI; Natália EliasII; Aline de PianoI; June CarnierI; Lian TockI; Lila Missae OyamaI; Sergio TufikI, II; Ana DâmasoI
Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP
IIAssociação de Fundo de Incentivo Pesquisa - AFIP, São Paulo, SP - Brazil
The atherosclerotic process at the endothelial level begins in early ages and
seems to be associated with obesity and its comorbidities as insulin resistance.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the influence of insulin resistance on inflammatory and subclinical markers of atherosclerosis in obese adolescents.
METHODS: Sixty-six post-pubescent obese adolescents were divided in two groups according to homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) measurement: with insulin resistance (IR) n=39 and without insulin resistance (NIR) n=27, and submitted to an interdisciplinary intervention over the course of 1 year. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue was determined by ultrasound. Body composition, blood pressure, HOMA-IR, lipid profile and adipokines concentrations [leptin, adiponectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type (PAI-1)] were analyzed before and after the therapy.
RESULTS: Both groups presented significant improvements in body composition, inflammatory state (reduction of leptin and PAI-1 concentration; increasing of plasma adiponectin) and reduction of cIMT. Only NIR group showed positive correlation between changes in visceral fat (∆Visceral) and changes in cIMT (∆ cIMT) (r = 0.42; p < 0.05). Simple linear regression analyze revealed ∆Visceral to be an independent predictor to reduction of cIMT in this group (R2 adjusted = 0.14, p = 0.04). The final values of cIMT remained significantly higher in IR group when compared to NIR group.
CONCLUSION: The presence of insulin resistance can impair changes in cIMT leading to early development of atherosclerosis in obese adolescents submitted to an interdisciplinary intervention.
Keywords: Atherosclerosis; risk factors; obesity; adolescents; insulin resistance.
Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) measurement is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and its increase has been associated with the presence of risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity1,2. Some studies have shown that the atherosclerotic process at the endothelial level begins in early ages3,4. There are evidences that cIMT is higher in children with obesity than in healthy controls, and the effects of childhood obesity on the adult vasculature are cumulative1,3,5.
Obesity is the most prevalent pathophysiological cause of insulin resistance (IR) that is defined as a decreased tissue response to insulin-mediated cellular actions, referring to whole-body reduced glucose uptake in response to physiological insulin concentration6,7.
Moreover, the adipose tissue, mainly the visceral fat, is related to an increase in cardiovascular risk and morbimortality besides producing several pro-inflammatory adipokines including leptin and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) which play important regulatory functions in a variety of biological processes, including atherosclerosis, apart from their role in IR6,8-12.
Studies involving different kinds of interventions (pharmacological, nutritional, lifestyle changes) have shown significant results in reducing cIMT in children and adolescents13-16. Previous study of our group demonstrated that the improvement of IR was an independent predictor to reduce cIMT in obese adolescents submitted to an interdisciplinary intervention over the course of 1 year14. However, the role of biomarkers associated with insulin resistance and obesity in both the development and treatment of subclinical atherosclerosis is not well elucidated.
Therefore, the aim of the present study was to verify whether the presence of insulin resistance exerts influence on response and association among inflammatory and subclinical markers of atherosclerosis in obese adolescents submitted to 1 year of interdisciplinary intervention.
Study subjects
A total of 66 post-pubescent17 obese adolescents (BMI > 95th percentile on the CDC reference growth charts)18, aged from 14 to 19 years (16.75 ± 1.63 years), including 39 with insulin resistance (IR) and 27 without insulin resistance (NIR), were recruited for an interdisciplinary weight loss program during 1 year. Hyperleptinemia was defined by leptin baseline values above 20 ng/ml for boys and 24 ng/ml for girls, as based on reference values cited by Gutin et al. (1999)19. The inclusion criteria for the post-pubertal stage were based on the Tanner scale (stage five) for both boys and girls. Non-inclusion criteria were as follows: other metabolic or endocrine diseases, chronic alcohol consumption, previous use of drugs such as anabolic-androgenic steroids or psychotropics, which may affect appetite regulation, and pregnancy. Informed parental consent and the adolescents' assent to participate as volunteer in an interdisciplinary weight loss program were obtained. This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and was formally approved by the ethics committee of the Federal University of São Paulo (Number: 0135/04) and registered in the Clinical trial (NCT01357883).
Anthropometric measurements and body composition
Volunteers were weighed while wearing light clothing and no shoes on a Filizola scale to the nearest 0.1 kg. Height was measured to the nearest 0.5 cm with a wall-mounted stadiometer (Sanny, model ES 2030). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as body weight divided by height squared (wt/ht2). Body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography in a BOD POD body composition system (version 1.69; Life Measurement Instruments, Concord, CA).
Measurements of visceral and subcutaneous fat
All abdominal ultrasound procedures and measurements of visceral and subcutaneous fat were performed by the same blinded diagnostic imaging specialist using a 3.5 MHz multi-frequency transducer (broad band). This procedure allowed a reduction in the risk margin for misclassification. The intra-examination coefficient of variation for ultrasound was 0.8%. Ultrasound measurements of visceral and subcutaneous fat were taken. Ultrasound-determined subcutaneous fat was defined as the distance between the skin and external face of the rectus abdominis muscle, and visceral fat was defined as the distance between the internal face of the same muscle and the anterior wall of the aorta20.
Measurements of carotid artery intima-media thickness
The carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured by the same experienced radiologist who was blinded to the participant's laboratory values and risk factor levels, before and after intervention, using high-resolution ultrasound equipment (Logic 5 and Logic 7, General Electric) with a 7-14 MHz linear array transducer. The intra-examination coefficient of variation for the cIMT was 4.36%. Patients were examined in the supine position with the neck in hyperextension. The protocol involved repeated manual measurements of the right and left common carotid far wall at 2 cm proximal to the bulb bifurcation. On a longitudinal B-mode image, the far wall of the common carotid artery appears as two bright parallel lines separated by a hypoechoic space. The distance between the leading edge of the first bright line on the far wall (lumen - intima interface) and the leading edge of the second bright line (media - adventitia interface) indicates the cIMT of the far wall as previously described21. Three measurements of the left and right common carotid were taken and the mean the higher measures of each side represented the cIMT in this study2.
Serum analysis
Blood samples were collected at the outpatient clinic around 8 a.m. after overnight fast. After collection, the blood was centrifuged for 10 min at 5,000 r.p.m. and stored at - 70°C for future analyses. The materials used for collection were disposable, adequately labeled and of recognized quality. Blood was collected by a skilled and qualified technician.
Insulin resistance was assessed by the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). HOMA-IR was calculated as the product of blood glucose (fasting blood glucose) and immunoreactive insulin (I): (fasting blood glucose (mg/dl) × I (mU/l)/405). QUICKI was calculated as 1/(log I + log FBG). The cutoff of HOMA-IR adopted for adolescents was 3.1622.
The leptin, adiponectin and PAI-1 concentrations were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit from R&D Systems (Minneapolis, USA), according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Blood pressure
Blood pressure (BP) was measured at least twice on the right arm using a mercury-gravity manometer with proper cuff size, with the volunteers in the seated position. The first appearance of sound (phase 1 Korotkoff sound) was used to define systolic BP, and the disappearance of sound (phase 5 Korotkoff sound) was used to define diastolic BP14. Hypertension was determined by reference values of BP percentiles for gender, according to age and height percentile23.
Research design
The interdisciplinary weight loss program combined exercise training (aerobic plus resistance training) with clinical, nutritional and psychological therapy. All measurements were performed before and after one year of intervention.
Clinical therapy
To address the health and clinical parameters, obese adolescents visited the endocrinologist once each month. Medical follow-up and treatment were based on an initial patient and family history, physical examination and intervention in any health problems that had developed over the course of the therapy.
Exercise protocol
The combined exercise-training program was performed three times per week for 1 year and included 30 minutes of aerobic training plus 30 minutes of resistance training per session. The subjects were instructed to reverse the order of the exercises (aerobic and resistance) at each training session.
The aerobic training consisted of running on a motor-driven treadmill (Life Fitness - Model TR 9700HR) at a cardiac frequency intensity representing ventilatory threshold I (±4 bpm), according to the results of an initial oxygen uptake test for aerobic exercises. The exercise program was based on guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), 200924.
Resistance training was also designed based on ACSM recommendations. Exercises targeted each of the main muscle groups. All adolescents had 2 weeks for adaptation to training to learn the movement (three sets of 15 - 20RM). After this introductory period, the load of training was adjusted and each eight weeks volume and intensity were adjusted inversely, decreasing the number of repetitions from 15-20 to 10-12 and 6-8 respectively, for three sets. All sessions were rigorously supervised by an experienced physiologist.
Nutritional therapy
Energy intake was set at levels recommended for subjects with low levels of physical activity of the same age and gender, following a balanced diet. Once a week, adolescents received dietetics lessons covering the topics related to a healthy eating pattern. All patients received individual nutritional consultation during the intervention program. At the beginning of the study and at 12 months into the program, a 3-day dietary record was collected. Because most obese people under-report their food consumption, each adolescent was asked to record their diet with help from their parents. The degree of under-reporting may still be substantial; however, this is a validated method for the assessment of dietary consumption20. These dietary data were transferred to a computer by the same dietician and the nutrient composition was analyzed by a PC program developed at the Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista Medicine School (Nutwin software, for Windows, version 1.5, 2002).
Psychological therapy
Psychological therapy treatment plans were established based on validated questionnaires taking into account some of the psychological problems caused by obesity, as described in the literature. These included depression, eating disorders, anxiety, decreased self-esteem, and body-image disorders. Interdisciplinary therapy consisted of a weekly 1 h group session. Individualized psychological therapy was recommended when weight problems were found.
Statistical analysis
Statistical analyses were performed using STATISTICA (version 7.0 for Windows). The Gaussian distribution of variables (including ∆ values) was verified with a Kolmogorov Smirnov test. Variables with normal distribution were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) while variables without normal distribution were expressed as median [quartile range] in a descriptive table. Analysis of variance for repeated measures (ANOVA) was used to compare the data from baseline and after therapy between the two groups for parametric variables, and Mann-Whitney U test followed by Wilcoxon signed rank, for non-parametric variables. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to assess possible relationships between non-normally distributed variables. Simple linear regression analysis was used to verify possible interrelationships between the measurements.
Entire group
After 1 year of interdisciplinary intervention, both groups presented significant improvements in body composition (Table 1) [reduction of total body mass, body mass index (BMI), fat body mass (% and kg), visceral and subcutaneous fat and increasing lean body mass (%)]; lipid profile (Table 2) (reduction of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides); and inflammatory markers (Table 3) (reduction of leptin and PAI-1 concentration as well as increasing plasma adiponectin). Leptin/adiponectin ratio was also reduced (Table 3).
Both groups presented significant reduction in cIMT and increased in QUICKI values, as showed in Tables 3 and 2, respectively.
Non-insulin resistance group (NIR)
Significant reduction in visceral/subcutaneous fat ratio was observed at the end of weight loss therapy. After analyzing the correlation between ∆cIMT with changes (∆) in body composition, lipid profile and inflammatory factors, a positive correlation was found only between ∆ cIMT and changes in visceral fat (∆ visceral) (r = 0.42; p < 0.05). To identify possible cause-effect relationship in the correlation found, a simple linear regression analyze was performed and revealed that ∆Visceral to be an independent predictor to reduction of cIMT in this group (R2 adjusted = 0.14, p = 0.04).
Insulin resistance group (IR)
At baseline conditions, this group presented positive correlation between cIMT and visceral/subcutaneous fat ratio (r = 0.37, p < 0.05), but the cIMT reduction did not associated itself with improvement of any variables.
Significant improvements in insulin concentration, HOMA-IR, VLDL and lean body mass (kg) were found after 1 year. Moreover, the final values of cIMT and QUICKI remained significantly higher and lower, respectively, in this group, when compared to NIR group.
One of the most important finding of this study were significant reductions in hyperleptinemia, PAI-1, and leptin/adiponectin ratio, as well as an increase in adiponectin concentration (Table 3) in both groups. High PAI-1 concentration is related to increased expression of cellular/vascular adhesion molecules and decreased insulin sensitivity, which are implicated in the initiation of endothelial dysfunction25,26. On the other hand, adiponectin exerts potent anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic role. Moreover, at the end of therapy there was reduction in the prevalence of hyperleptinemia in 36% (from 100% to 64%) associated to a reduction in 32% (from 59% to 27%) in insulin resistance in all analyzed patients (data not shown). The attenuation of inflammatory state promoted by this interdisciplinary therapy is relevant, once the altered concentration of these adipokines participates in the inception and progression of atherosclerosis25,27.
In the NIR group, there was a significant reduction of visceral/subcutaneous fat ratio. This measure has being considered an important index of cardiovascular risk. Visceral fat is strongly associated with obesity-related complications like Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease28,29.
Another relevant finding in the present investigation was the positive correlation between changes in visceral fat (∆Visceral) and changes in cIMT (∆ cIMT) verified in this group. Studies have shown that the association between visceral adiposity and atherosclerosis development is independent of age, overall obesity or the amounts of subcutaneous fat. In addition, visceral adipose tissue and its adipose-tissue resident macrophages present increased pro-inflammatory adipokines release and less adiponectin28,29. However, it is unclear how much visceral fat reduction is needed to induce favorable metabolic changes.
In this study, a mean reduction of 1.66 ± 0.77 cm in the visceral fat thickness presented a positive correlation with ∆cIMT in the NIR group, suggesting that insulin resistance could influence the association between visceral fat and cIMT, since this correlation was not found in the IR group. To better understand this association, simple regression analysis was performed. It was found that change in visceral fat was an independent predictor of improvement in cIMT, emphasizing the importance to develop strategies to avoid abdominal obesity and atherosclerotic disease29. These outcomes also suggest that the presence of IR could be contributed to positive correlation between cIMT and visceral/subcutaneous fat ratio.
Although both groups presented reduction on cIMT, it is important to observe that, in the IR group, this measure maintained significantly higher than in the NIR group, reinforcing that the frame of insulin resistance could corroborate the early development of atherosclerosis in obese adolescents.
One year of interdisciplinary therapy also promoted a significant improvement in body composition independently of the presence of insulin resistance (Table 1). These findings corroborate with literature evidences, that demonstrate the efficacy of weight loss programs in improving insulin sensitivity and avoiding that insulin resistance impair weight loss process in obese children and adolescents30,31.
This study shows that the presence of insulin resistance seems influence on response and association among inflammatory and subclinical markers of atherosclerosis in obese adolescents submitted to an interdisciplinary intervention. Further studies are required to better comprehension of mechanisms involved in the association among obesity, insulin resistance and subclinical atherosclerosis, their early prevention and enhance clinical treatment.
Sources of Funding
This study had the support of the following funding sources: AFIP, FAPESP 2006/00684-3, FAPESP 2008/53069-0, FAPESP 2011/50356-0, FAPESP 2011/50414-0; FAPESP (CEPID/Sleep #9814303-3 S.T) CNPq, and CAPES.
1. Reinehr T, Kiess W, de Sousa G, Stoffel-Wagner B, Wunsch R. Intima-media thickness in childhood obesity: relations to inflammatory marker, glucose metabolism, and blood pressure. Metabolism. 2006;55(1):113-8. [ Links ]
2. Rabago Rodriguez R, Gómez-Díaz RA, Tanus Haj J, Avelar Garnica FJ, Ramirez Soriano E, Nishimura Meguro E, et al. Carotid intima-media thickness in pediatric type 1 diabetic patients. Diabetes Care. 2007;30(10):2599-602. [ Links ]
3. Le J, Zhang D, Menees S, Chen J, Raghuveer G. "Vascular age" is advanced in children with atherosclerosis-promoting risk factors. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2010;3(1):8-14. [ Links ]
4. Dalla Pozza R, Beyerlein A, Thilmany C, Weissenbacher C, Netz H, Schmidt H, et al. The effect of cardiovascular risk factors on the longitudinal evolution of the carotid intima medial thickness in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2011;10:53. [ Links ]
5. Beauloye V, Zech F, Tran HT, Clapuyt P, Maes M, Brichard SM. Determinants of early atherosclerosis in obese children and adolescents. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007;92(8):3025-32. [ Links ]
6. Reyes M, Gahagan S, Díaz E, Blanco E, Leiva L, Lera L, et al. Relationship of adiposity and insulin resistance mediated by inflammation in a group of overweight and obese Chilean adolescents. Nutr J. 2011;10:4. [ Links ]
7. Levy-Marchal C, Arslanian S, Cutfield W, Sinaiko A, Druet C, Marcovecchio ML, et al.; Insulin Resistance in Children Consensus Conference Group. Insulin resistance in children: consensus, perspective, and future directions. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95(12):5189-98. [ Links ]
8. Mathieu P, Lemieux I, Després JP. Obesity, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2010;87(4):407-16. [ Links ]
9. Filková M, Haluzík M, Gay S, Senolt L. The role of resistin as a regulator of inflammation: implications for various human pathologies. Clin Immunol. 2009;133(2):157-70. [ Links ]
10. Beltowski J. Leptin and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. 2006;189(1):47-60. [ Links ]
11. Oliveira MA, Fagundes RL, Moreira EA, Trindade EB, Carvalho T. Relação de indicadores antropométricos com fatores de risco para doença cardiovascular. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2010;94(4):478-85. [ Links ]
12. Costa GB, Horta N, Resende ZF, Souza G, Barreto LM, Correia LH, et al. Índice de massa corporal apresenta boa correlação com o perfil pró-aterosclerótico em crianças e adolescentes. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2009;93(3):261-7. [ Links ]
13. Ferreira WP, Bertolami MC, Santos SN, Barros MRAC, de Matos Barretto RB, Pontes SC Jr, et al. One-month therapy with simvastatin restores endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic children and adolescents. Pediatr Cardiol. 2007;28(1):8-13. [ Links ]
14. de Lima Sanches P, de Mello MT, Elias N, Fonseca FA, de Piano A, Carnier J, et al. Improvement in HOMA-IR is an independent predictor of reduced carotid intima-media thickness in obese adolescents participating in an interdisciplinary weight-loss program. Hypertens Res. 2011;34(2):232-8. [ Links ]
15. Woo KS, Chook P, Yu CW, Sung RY, Qiao M, Leung SS, et al. Effects of diet and exercise on obesity-related vascular dysfunction in children. Circulation. 2004;109(16):1981-6. [ Links ]
16. Meyer AA, Kundt G, Lenschow U, Schuff-Werner P, Kienast W. Improvement of early vascular changes and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children after a six-month exercise program. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006;48(9):1865-70. [ Links ]
17. Tanner JM, Whitehouse RH. Clinical Longitudinal standards for height, weight, weight velocity and stages of puberty. Arch Dis Child. 1976;51(3):170-9. [ Links ]
18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hyattsville: National Center for Health Statistics. [ Links ] [Acessed on 2007 Jan]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm.
19. Gutin B, Ramsey L, Barbeau P, Cannady W, Ferguson M, Litaker M, et al. Plasma leptin concentrations in obese children: changes during 4-mo periods with and without physical training. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69(3):388-94. [ Links ]
20. de Piano A, Prado WL, Caranti DA, Siqueira KO, Stella SG, Lofrano M, et al. Metabolic and nutritional profile of obese adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2007;44(4):446-52. [ Links ]
21. Guardamagna O, Abello F, Saracco P, Baracco V, Rolfo E, Pirro M. Endothelial activation, inflammation and premature atherosclerosis in children with familial dyslipidemia. Atherosclerosis. 2009;207(2):471-5. [ Links ]
22. Keskin M, Kurtoglu S, Kendirci M, Atabek ME, Yazici C. Homeostasis model assessment is more reliable than the fasting glucose/insulin ratio and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index for assessing insulin resistance among obese children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2005;115(4):e500-3. [ Links ]
23. I Guidelines of prevention of atherosclerosis in childhood and adolescence. Int J Atheroscler. 2006;1(1):1-30. [ Links ]
24. Donnelly JE, Blair SN, Jakicic JM, Manore MM, Rankin JW, Smith BK.; American College of Sports Medicine. Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Med Sci Spor Exerc. 2009;41(2):459-71. [ Links ]
25. Zhang H, Cui J, Zhang C. Emerging role of adipokines as mediators in atherosclerosis. World J Cardiol. 2010;2(11):370-6. [ Links ]
26. Muniyappa R, Iantorno M, Quon MJ. An integrated view of insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2008;37(3):685-711. [ Links ]
27. Tian L, Luo N, Klein RL, Chung BH, Garvey WT, Fu Y. Adiponectin reduces lipid accumulation in macrophage foam cells. Atherosclerosis. 2009;202(1):152-61. [ Links ]
28. Hamdy O, Porramatikul S, Al-Ozairi E. Metabolic obesity: the paradox between visceral and subcutaneous fat. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2006;2(4):367-73. [ Links ]
29. Lakka TA, Lakka HM, Salonen R, Kaplan GA, Salonen JT. Abdominal obesity is associated with accelerated progression of carotid atherosclerosis in men. Atherosclerosis. 2001;154(2):497-504. [ Links ]
30. Birkebaek NH, Lange A, Holland-Fischer P, Kristensen K, Rittig S, Vilstrup H, et al. Effect of weight reduction on insulin sensitivity, sex hormone-binding globulin, sex hormones and gonadotrophins in obese children. Eur J Endocrinol. 2010;163(6):895-900. [ Links ]
31. Tompkins CL, Moran K, Preedom S, Brock DW. Physical activity-induced improvements in markers of insulin resistance in overweight and obese children and adolescents. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2011;7(3):164-70. [ Links ]
Mailing Address: Manuscript
received October 10, 2011
Profª Dra. Ana R. Dâmaso
Rua Professor Francisco de Castro, 93, Vila Clementino
Postal Code 09020-050, São Paulo, SP - Brazil
E-mail: email@example.com
Manuscript revised October 13, 2011
Accepted March 15, 2012
Mailing Address:
received October 10, 2011


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With the economy as it is, it has never been more crucial for small companies and organisations to keep the tightest of grips on their expenditure, in all areas of their work. This is especially true for aspects of their business that are important, but not integral to the day-to-day running of the business, and many small companies take the route of cutting all such expenditure entirely.
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Related: The Black Dog runs circles around your small business advertising strategy
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Printers often offer good discounts for large quantities of work, and there are plenty of leaflet distributors in South London and other places besides who can take care of the distribution for you at an excellent rate. If you're prepared to pay the initial cost of printing and distribution, then you can really reap the rewards of this oft overlooked form of advertising.


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I belong to a cooking forum that has become a tremendous resource for recipes – and also a close knit group of friends who I could not imagine not having in my "cyber" life. It is amazing how you can obtain this feeling of closeness and caring for people you have never met in you life! One of these cooking friends recently submitted some recipes for veggie burgers. They all look delicious, but the one I chose to make for dinner last evening was AWESOME! I want to thank you Edlear for bringing this recipe to my attention as it is one I intend to make over and over again! I asked Edlear if it was ok to submit her recipe here and she gave me permission to use it, stating that she couldn't remember where it came from. Well, I'm just glad she had it to share and I now would like to pass the favor on to you with hopes that you can "spice" your life up as enjoyably as I did last evening! I enjoyed mine without a bun and fresh sweet cold cantaloupe on the side!
Spicy Black Bean Burgers
from my friend Edlear
1/2 c flour
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dry oregano
1 small jalapeno, minced
1 T olive oil
1/2 medium red pepper, diced
2 c cooked black beans
1/2 c corn niblets
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t salt
2 t chili powder
2 T minced parsley
Saute the onion, garlic, oregano and jalapeno in the oil until the onions are translucent. Add the red bell and saute another 2 minutes until tender. Set aside. Mash up the beans abit and stir in the vegetables, including the corn, bread crumbs, cumin, salt, chili powder and parsley. Divide up into 5-6 patties, coat each side in the flour. cook on a lightly greased saute pan until done. Enjoy!


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Use our weather guide to plan your Palawan vacation.
3 Days & 2 Nights
Palawan Hotel Package
(Ok to add additional night, contact agent!)
Palawan Hotel Overview
Hotel Fleuris in Palawan is conveniently located in the heart of the Puerto Princesa City, Palawan Philippines. It is near the city's commercial and entertainment district that gives you a balance stay with nature. The Fleuris Hotel Palawan will guarantee you a remarkable relaxation place after exploring the beauty of the city. This beautiful hotel main commitment is to provide a home away from home accommodation for the travelers. Guests are assured of an excellent experience of luxury, comfort, and professional service.
The Fleuris Hotel is one really special place, you will really enjoy kicking back and relaxing at the piano bar, here you can ask the piano player to play some of your favorites, you will be impressed with his talent. The Hotel Fleuris in Palawan is also very close to the city proper, so renting a small tricycle to take you around to a few of the city's attractions is no problem, you will reall enjoy this lovely Palawan hotel.
Fleuris Hotel provides 48 well-equipped rooms that are elegantly styled for your comfort. The hotel has 38 deluxe rooms and 8 suite rooms. There is also specially designed room for the disabled on the first floor for their convenient access.
All Rooms Provide
- Air-conditioning
- Cable Television
- Hot & Cold Shower
- Private Bathroom
- Mini-bar
- NDD & IDD Telephone
- Complimentary Toiletries
Deluxe Room – This air-conditioned room offers One (1) King Size Bed or Two (2) Single Size Beds with Cable television for entertainment, International and National Direct Dial Phone, Hot & Cold Shower, Private Bathroom and Mini-bar that will fit your needs.
Suite Room – It offers One (1) King Size Bed with Air Conditioning Unit, Hot & Cold Shower, Cable Television, IDD/NDD Telephone, Receiving Area, Mini-bar, Receiving Area, Sofa Bed and Bathtub that will surely provide you a peaceful good night's sleep.
Concierge Service
Their concierge services include tour assistance, 24-hour reception, airport shuttle, housekeeping, and massage service.
We Be Sushi Restaurant
It is a Japanese Restaurant offering delightful Sushi, tempting Sashimi and other authentic Japanese specialties.
Coffee Shop
The coffee shop is ideal venue for a quick bite offering variety of tea, coffee and freshly baked pastries, as well as free high-speed Wi-Fi internet connection.
Piano Bar
With free internet Wi-Fi connection, a cozy Piano Bar is inviting you to unwind. A couch and a balcony on the third floor awaits you whether to relax or read your favorite book.
Function Halls
Fleuris Hotel's function hall caters parties, conferences, meetings and other special events. It is fully equipped with modern facilities and free Wi-Fi internet access.
Swimming Pool
In the midst of serene setting, soothe and unwind in a spacious swimming pool of the hotel. It is also best for debut party, outdoor dining, banquet shows, and garden weddings.


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Feeling lucky? The first of two batches of tickets for Blizzard's big BlizzCon gaming convention go on sale this week (Thursday, May 10 and Sunday, May 13). If you want to attend in person and see the Level ?? Mike Morhaime up close, you'll be facing off against a Zerg rush of eager gamers who are also looking to score tickets. Here are a few tips you can try to max out your odds.
Photo: David Murphy
Set an alarm
See that grey "get tickets" box? YOU ARE NOT PREPARED to mash it right now, but you should be ready to cast haste on your clicking just before tickets go on sale. Screenshot: David Murphy
Obviously, you aren't going to get any tickets for BlizzCon if you ignore or otherwise sleep through your alarm. And while Blizzard's first on-sale time for its Anaheim, California convention is pretty friendly to Australians, those who miss out will have to wake up early to get in on the second round.
BlizzCon tickets go on sale at 12PM AEST Thursday, May 10 and 3AM AEST Sunday, May 13. You're going to want to be on the Universe website - the service Blizzard is using for ticketing this year - at least 10 minutes before the on-sale time.
Pro tip: Hit up time.gov and have the official, synchronised US time playing in the background so you'll know exactly when you should start mashing F5 (or clicking your browser's refresh button) on the ticketing website. As you get closer and closer to the ticket sales time, your process will look a little something like this:
Create a Universe account right now
You'll save a lot of time if you get a chance to buy tickets by creating a Universe account in advance.
Click on this link, enter an email address and password you want to use, and... that's it. Check your inbox for an email verification link and confirm your account, and make sure you're logged into Universe's website early on the day you're looking to buy tickets.
You can't pre-populate your Universe account with your payment information in advance - alas - so don't bother looking for this option anywhere in your account settings.
Tickets are your top priority - care about nothing else
If you're lucky enough to make it past BlizzCon's virtual waiting room and onto an actual page where you have to enter information to purchase tickets, don't let any other side quests distract you from your primary mission.
Since you set up a Universe account in advance, your name and email address should automatically populate on the ticket purchase page. You'll have to select how many tickets you want - you get up to four - and you'll need to enter your credit card information to complete the purchase.
Don't dawdle. It almost goes without saying, but don't be a level one who sits there and manually hunts-and-pecks in a long credit card number. Copy your credit card information to your clipboard while you're waiting in line, and paste it as quickly as possible into Universal's ticket purchasing window once you're in. Then, just type in the much-smaller expiration date (which you've already memorised, right?)
If Universe asks you for your character's name, don't worry about it. You can provide that information later, if not at the convention itself when you go to pick up your badge. Don't miss out on purchasing tickets because you were too busy trying to remember the spelling of "Acererak", your level 110 Undead Warlock, or whether your "Caelestrasz" server has two Es or three.
Assign all your tickets to yourself
If you have the unenviable task of purchasing tickets for your BlizzCon group, here's a quick tip: Just put all the tickets in your name. As in, when the ticketing system asks you what name you want to put on each ticket, use yours. The name on the ticket only matters for picking up your badges, and it's a lot easier to manage group logistics if they're all in your name - as long as you know, without any doubt, that you'll be attending BlizzCon this year.
Otherwise, you'll waste valuable time typing in the names of your three friends. And if a friend finds out they can't attend the convention in a few months, you might not be able to edit the name on the ticket after a certain date. Then, to pick up that ticket, you'll have to deal with the hassle of getting copies of their identifying information (and ticket barcode) to present at the pick-up booth, and it just isn't worth it.
Put all the tickets in your name. Your friends can then have Blizzard reprint the tickets with their names (and characters' info) on site.
Try using more than one laptop, desktop or browser to queue for tickets
People multibox in World of Warcraft all the time. Why shouldn't you try the same approach for BlizzCon tickets?
You can increase the odds of you getting past Universe's virtual waiting room by signing into your account (or making multiple accounts on Universe - just add "+[text]" to the end of your regular gmail address, for example) and signing in from different browsers on the various desktops and laptops within arm's reach of your primary system.
Each browser's "normal" and "incognito" mode should get you two spots in the virtual queue, multiplied by however many browsers you use, multiplied by however many systems you use multiple browsers on.
I wouldn't go crazy, though. Since tickets are first-come, first-serve, having too many options in play might add an unnecessary delay as you figure out which browser, on which machine, successfully made it into the BlizzCon ticket-purchasing window.
Phone a friend (or guildmate)
Photo: David Murphy
One of the best ways to get BlizzCon tickets is to enlist others to help - your loved ones who don't care about gaming, your roommates, or even members of your World of Warcraft guild. Sit in a chat room, a Slack, a Discord, a group-texting thread or even a quick conference call (so you don't accidentally purchase multiple pairs of tickets at the same time).
If one of you gets into the ticket-purchasing screen before the others, make them the raid leader that has to buy tickets for everyone else.
Don't concede to failure
GIF: Giphy
If you don't kill the ticketing boss on your first attempt, retry the raid. Don't forget about Sunday's sale. Keep tabs on Blizzard's social media accounts to see if they offer up any other ticket sales beyond this week's.
Check out the sites LFBlizzCon, /r/Blizzcon, /r/BlizzconPassExchange, the BlizzCon Discord and the unofficial BlizzCon 2018 Facebook group to see if anyone has any tickets they're willing to part with (for face value; screw scalpers).
You might also want to consider ponying up $US750 ($998) for the BlizzCon charity dinner, which goes on sale May 17, if you absolutely need a BlizzCon ticket at any price. You'll have a much easier time buying charity tickets, given their higher price, than the mad rush that is BlizzCon general ticketing.


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One of the wonderful ways to nurture yourself and to look after your body, mind and spirit during your stay here at La Crisalida Retreats is to book one or more of our holistic treatments.
All the treatments on offer work alongside La Crisalida's approach to health and well-being, by looking after your body, mind and energy, and bringing balance back to the whole you. There is plenty of time in the programme to enable you to relax in our dedicated tranquil beauty suite, enjoying luxurious aromatic organic essential oils and creams, and the treatment(s) of your choice.
Our therapists are special. All are highly gifted and well trained. They deliver personalised treatments at times to suit you. Some guests choose to book in a number of sessions during their stay, finding relief from back pain, shoulder pain, hip aches, whiplash, to name a few! Sessions are generally one hour in length, but you can take longer (some are 90 minutes). You can choose from a wide range of treatments to leave you feeling relaxed and pampered, including: deep tissue massage, sports massage, relaxing massage, hot and cold stone massage, chakra balance, Reiki, magnetic therapy, manicure, pedicure, facial, threading, ayurvedic massage, bioresonance, life coaching and others. In order to plan a holistic or beauty therapy session that is safe and effective, the therapist will need some general information about your medical history. When booking a treatment, one of the reception team will give you a short medical form to complete and return before confirming your treatment. We ask that you share any relevant medical conditions. With some health conditions, for example cancer, or if you are pregnant, not all of the treatments will be available. We can provide more information upon request.
More information on the therapies and all of the therapists are available in reception at the retreat.
Common questions about treatments
How do I book a treatment and can I book before I come?A.
You can book a treatment by speaking to one of our reception team. They will check which times the therapists are available and arrange the session for you. We usually suggest waiting to book a treatment until you arrive at the retreat, so that you can decide your preferred time, to make sure you will not miss any activities you really want to do.
If you know you want a massage or treatment soon after you arrive, you can also contact one of our reception team and they can arrange this in advance for you – what a lovely start to your relaxation time!
What is the price for a treatment?A.
The treatments vary in price, ranging from 50€ to 100€. Treatments are not included in the cost of your retreat, so are payable locally (at reception) in Euros. You can pay by cash or card.
Please see the price list above.
When can I do the treatment?A.
It´s up to you. We arrange treatments between you and the therapist, around the activities in the programme that you wish to participate in. Some therapists are available most of the week, some work certain days or times. Not to worry, we will arrange it for you! Just speak to one of our receptionists.
What massages do you offer?A.
Massage is a wonderful way to relax and to release tension that is held in your body and each massage contributes to your overall sense of well-being. It is one of our most popular therapies here at La Crisalida Retreats. Here you can choose your preferred massage maybe combining deep tissue, sports, relaxing, healing and Swedish massage to ensure you receive the treatment best for you. You can choose whether you want a back, neck and shoulders massage, full body, feet and hands (good for releasing energy blocks) or any combination. We also offer Indian Head massage, to release discomfort in the neck, shoulders, upper back, face and scalp. One of our therapists is a qualified osteopath so can work with you to remedy any alignment or other structural issues that you might have. Combining massage with organic essential massage oils makes this the ideal personalised massage to help you feel relaxed and wonderful. Guests tell us that they float from their sessions, feeling looser and moving more freely than when they went in!


text: Living Legends is a rap group composed of eight hip hop artists from California. Beginning in the early 1990s, the crew garnered a following by recording, promoting, and performing their music independently. The crew is considered by LA Weekly to be "one of the biggest success stories of the indie-rap movement, sold close to 300,000 units of their various solo and group efforts — all by them-damn-selves."


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"All expenses paid, bitches!"
If someone has insufficient (read: zero) insurance, they don't get turned away at the emergency room when a stop sign is sticking out of their eye. Doctors are still going to help them, because of that whole oath thing. But they're not doing it for free, so the cost of their visit is passed on to people who do have insurance, in the form of higher premiums or higher deductibles. In the years before Obamacare, a whopping $42 billion in health care costs was left unpaid. Families were paying an average of $1,017 more each year to cover that cost.
"Honey, you'll have to walk this off. Our premiums are too high this month."
It's not just citizens that are adding to this burden, either. Turns out that undocumented immigrants also get sick every so often, and they don't patch themselves up with makeshift first aid kits like action movie heroes. About 18 percent of uninsured injury-and-illness-havers are undocumented Hispanic immigrants, according to the Census Bureau, and doctors are rudely giving them as much help as they would a patriot. But before you go blaming them for selfishly bleeding all over your hospitals for free, remember that these folks are legally barred from getting insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Some lawmakers tried to change that earlier this year, with the important caveat that immigrants could never receive government subsidies, but for some reason, we're going to assume that this proposal won't be gaining any traction in this administration.


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Used by over 6,000 integration companies in the Residential and Commercial AV, Security, Education, and Corporate IT industries, D-Tools provides the premier software solution for integrators of low voltage systems. D-Tools System Integrator (SI) software's data-driven workflow ties together the entire system integration process into one complete solution, enabling system integrators to generate fast, accurate project estimates and proposals, detailed system designs and client documentation through a complete data-driven process.
D-Tools helps companies manage every important aspect of the system integration process more efficiently, providing a high degree of synchronization, increased productivity, better communication, and reduced time and costs. Whether you are a residential or commercial integrator, business owner, sales professional, project manager, designer, engineer or installer, D-Tools SI is the ultimate solution that can have a dramatic, positive impact on business efficiency and profitability.
D-Tools has helped thousands of residential and commercial AV integrators design, estimate, install audio/video systems
D-Tools brings together audio/video, automation, lighting control and networking into the same base environment for security integrators.
D-Tools helps education system integrators and IT teams design, install and manage interactive and multi-media learning systems that today's educational institutes require
Download our Free Guide to Increased Revenue and Improved Operational Efficiency


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Angels by Dr. David Jeremiah
The Remarkable Truth about the Agents of HeavenGiveaway copies available through Goodreads.
People have long been fascinated by stories of angel sightings, yet many contemporary beliefs about angels are based on misconception and myth rather than solide, biblical truth.
As he's done so brilliantly for decades, respected Bible teacher Dr. David Jeremiah uses Scripture to unveil the remarkable truth about these agents of heaven and their role in our world and our lives.
What are angels? What is their role in God's plan? Are they present? Do they appear? Do they give us personal insight about our work and our worship?
In this broad and thorough survey of Scripture, Dr. Jeremiah clearly and simply separates fact from fiction as it relates to angels. His enlightening findings are supported with illustrations and insights from prominent teachers, such as Billy Graham, Corrie ten Boom, C. S. Lewis, and more.
Dr. Jeremiah's down-to-earth style guides readers around the hype about angels and directly into the "substance of things unseen!"
Giveaway dates: Jan 26-Feb 26, 2010
20 copies available, 218 people requesting
Countries available: US
Through out the pages of this book Dr. David Jeremiah leads readers on an in depth conversation about what the Bible provides on the topic of angels. There is a what, when, why and often how about angels and included is a scriptural index that makes your own referencing much less complicated.
I have always had a personal belief in angels, but not put much thought to it. There are some people who have become fascinated with the angelic beings and it is interested how Dr. Jeremiah puts this into perspective. The book is a little hard to chew, meaning that you can really only absorb bits of it at a time. Yet after mulling through the details the educational value is high and it really drives you back to scripture.
I admit I enjoy their choice of font for the book as well.
*Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing a copy for review.*


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Editor's View The Homestead Exclusion amendment
Tuesday, October 31, 2017 by DEBRA PALMIERI LV Press editor in Opinion
Voters in Pennsylvania will decide on Nov. 7 whether to pay less money for their school [or county or municipal] real estate taxes.
Sounds simple, doesn't it? Who would vote "no" to paying less money in taxes?
The Constitutional Amendment Question on the ballot states: "Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to permit the General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction, rather than limit the exclusion to one-half of the median assessed value of all homestead property, which is the existing law?"
Wow! When I read "to exclude from taxation up to 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property" I jumped for joy.
To exclude "100 percent of assessed value ..." I immediately thought of all the ways I could spend that extra money.
My next thought, however, was more disheartening – if school real estate taxes [or county, municipal and/or school] would not be paid via a property tax bill, where would the money come from?
My search sent me to Ellen Millard-Kern, chief of staff for Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th.
According to information provided by Kern via Stacey M. Connors Esq. Browne's chief counsel, majority chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee, "If the ballot question is approved by the voters, the General Assembly will still need to pass additional legislation to allow this.
"The language of Senate Bill 1285 provides: "The General Assembly may, by law: "Authorize local taxing authorities to exclude from taxation an amount based on the assessed value of homestead property. The exclusions authorized by this clause shall not exceed [one-half of the median assessed value of all] 100 percent of the assessed value of each homestead property within a local taxing jurisdiction.
"A local taxing authority may not increase the millage rate of its tax on real property to pay for these exclusions..."
OK, the millage rate cannot be increased.
But, where will the money come from?
Connors' email continues: "Senator [Mario] Scavello (R-40th) has circulated a cosponsor memo for legislation to do just that – to fix the dollar amount at 100 percent of assessed value for the Homestead Exemption.
"A second bill in Senator Scavello's proposed legislative package provides for an increase in the PIT to offset owner-occupied residential school property taxes."
OK, so Scavello is thinking about the possibility of increasing the Personal Income Tax to pay for the loss of revenue.
"Senator [Kim] Ward, R-39th, has also circulated a cosponsor memo for a constitutional amendment to allow the General Assembly to adopt legislation that would grant any local government in Pennsylvania, with voter approval, the option to eliminate property taxes and choose from alternative taxing options to make up for the loss in revenue, such as PIT, sales and use tax, or any other tax under the Local Tax Enabling Act.
"Senator Ward's legislation would allow the General Assemble to enable property tax elimination in areas where it is needed, but hold harmless the taxpayers and school districts in parts of the state that don't think paying more in income and sales tax is the best answer for them."
Now, Ward is adding alternative taxing options, including PIT, sales and use tax, or any other tax under the Local Tax Enabling Act.
Hmm, the Municipal Election is on Nov. 7 and how to make up the loss in revenue is still not decided.
According to the Lehigh County League of Women Voters Voting Guide, "Proponents say the amendment would be the first step in changing the system so that an inability to pay property taxes could never again result in the loss of homes that people have worked their whole lives to pay for.
"Opponents say that the amendment allows taxing authorities to replace a stable tax source (property) with unstable ones (income and sales taxes) that fluctuate with the economy and could be subject to legislative manipulation. Additionally, opponents fear that allowing districts to eliminate property taxation could lead to a loss of local control of education and to a significantly diminishing commitment to public education."
And finally, more information from Connors: "... The sponsor of the legislation authorizing the constitutional change notes that this legislation provides the potential for "the elimination" – not just the reduction – of residential school property taxes via the homestead exclusion.
"The impact the proposed Homestead Exclusion expansion will have on a person's property taxes and the sources of replacement revenue will ultimately depend on the legislation adopted by the General Assembly and how much of the additional exemption a local taxing authority decides to use.
"The only thing that cannot happen is that a local taxing authority may not increase the millage rate of its tax on real property to pay for the exclusion.
"During this process, local property taxpayers will have the opportunity to lobby their state and local elected officials to craft the property tax structure that best suits their local needs."
Now that I like ...
Control is ultimately is the hands of the local taxpayer, the local voter.
We, the people, will be given the opportunity to tell our elected officials what is best for us, what is best for our local community.
Don't drop the ball. Depending on the vote on Nov. 7, there may still be more work to do.


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Given the current state of world affairs, it's safe to say that seeing an exploding green fireball streak across the night sky would be unsettling, if not downright terrifying. Turns out a bunch of people near Chicago witnessed exactly that in the early hours of Monday morning and, well, freaked out accordingly.
The fireball was, in fact, a meteor and dozens of people in Illinois, Wisconsin, and surrounding states reported witnessing the startling phenomenon around 2:30am ET, according to a report by Mashable. As you can see in the video above, at least a few people managed to capture the spectacular incident on camera, and of course, their hilarious reactions.
In fact, the American Meteor Society said it has received more than 200 reports from witnesses in several Midwestern states, some of whom claimed they heard explosions, too. The organization also created a map of the reported sightings, along with the meteor's trajectory. The hunk of space rock traveled from the Southwest to the Northeast and is thought to have ended its flight somewhere over Lake Michigan, the AMS said.
Art of the Meal: Chloe Rose Makes Super Mario Bros Art With Hot Sauces
The fireball was also captured by police dashboard cams and security cameras throughout the area. Here are a handful of clips showing the meteor descend, explode, and disappear:
h/t Mashable
Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, and get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.


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AFG Application tips
If you're applying for AFG funding this year, there's a number of critical things you need to know before beginning your application. FireGrantsHelp Program Manager Sarah Wilson outlines the key areas you should consider. Get free grant help today!
Fire schedules are hectic. Fire training shouldn't be. With over 300 on-demand fire and EMS courses, FireRescue1 Academy allows you to train anytime, anywhere. Based on current NFPA and CAPCE standards, we offer engaging CEUs and training management for departments designed to fit you and your agency's busy schedule See how: get a free demo now
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- Fire Grants


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Personalized Ivory Lace Wedding Photo Album, handmade, custom, wedding book, glassine
$255.00 On sale
This is an Ivory Lace, on Ivory Silk Wedding Photo Album makes a great Wedding Gift, Wedding guest book, or combination of all wrapped in Alencon Lace and Tulle. Other ideas for use of this book include wedding scrapbook album, guest book, wedding album books are just a few ways to use this book. This book is handbound, handsewn, and handmade and lay flat reinforced linen binding. Makes a great unique photo book or memory/guest book. Convo me for an invoice if you want to customize. 100 pages (100 sides ) of heavy weight 190 gsm ivory/cream Archival Papers (other colors available) . 9 x 12 Landscape book. This Book comes with Alencon lace over a cloud of tulle. My own crocheted pearls covered button make this a dream on a cloud. Made to Order Book.
Rush custom jobs* with materials in house are available for an additional $100. *any job under the standard time of 10-15 working days.
Sent by USPS Priority Mail Domestic, Rush Shipment available via Fed Ex or USPS Express Mail.
All International orders are shipped USPS Express International at a flat cost. International customs charges are responsibility of the buyer. Delays in customs are not the responsibility of the vendor. If you know that it takes 6 weeks to get through customs in your country please allow for this when ordering
I post weekly to:
Twitter: ArtByChapin Twitter
Blog: ArtByChapin News
Facebook: ArtByChapin Facebook


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This weekend I decided that I needed to destash my hoard, I haven't really sewn in FIVE years! I'll also be selling my Juki TL-2000Qi and vintage machines locally but keeping my Bernina 550 QE.
Some fabric I'm selling includes Heather Ross' Far Far Away III and Crafty Chloe, Kayo Horaguchi Japanese prints , Better Gnomes and Gardens and more! Visit my Etsy shop, I'm always adding more fabric!


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At Leshine, we specialize in rapid prototyping, rapid tooling and low-volume manufacturing of custom parts. Our professional team of engineers and technicians use advanced equipment and techniques like 3D printing, multi-axis CNC machining and plastic injection molding, to turn your designs into reality quickly, accurately with a competitive price.
308 Excellence Times Building,Central Road,ShaJing,ShenZhen,China


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Can Lotus Domino be setup as a reverse proxy server? I have 1 Domino server (web facing) which I would like to configure as a reverse proxy server for an IIS application running on another server?
Is this possible, or do we need to use an apache (or another) web server to do this?
I have checked the IBM docco - they speak about it for iNotes however I do not think it's the same thing.


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Buying a condo in Florida is a reliable option, when the main area of concern is associated with the zone of condo insurance quotes Florida. There are different options, which you need to follow, when it is associated with insurance quotes. If you start browsing through the internet, you will come across some independent insurance companies, which can help you with the best possible options associated with quotes. However, if you are a novice, it might be a difficult task for you to get the best possible option, among so many reliable areas. You can check the credentials of the companies, before jumping for a final say.
Focusing Towards Condo Association
You can start browsing through the internet and focus towards the condo associations of Florida region, in order to get the best quotes related with condo insurance Florida. There are some reliable issues, which are going to be focused by these condo associations and some of the units are associated with lobbies, walkways, pools, elevators, grounds and also there are some other common areas, which are to be focused at. Some of the common areas are additional coverage, related with the various parts of the properties. On the other hand, there are reliable condos insurance policies, which you need to focus with the individual units and these are going to cover up the personal property along with the liability segment.
Policies Related With Condo Insurance
Whenever you are planning to search for the best condo insurance Florida, related with your specific needs, you must try and focus towards the condo insurance policies, which can cover up various segments under the same roof. Some of the products, which deserve special mention, are appliances like dryers, washers, dishwashers and also refrigerators. There are some other products, which you need to deal with and some of those are personal and clothing accessories, entertainment products like cell phones, media players and more. You must try and focus towards those policies, related with both interior and exterior furniture, and last but not the least, the personal belongings of the loan taker.
Dealing With Personal Liability Coverage
Apart from the point mentioned above, there is some reliable personal liability coverage under the notion of condo insurance Florida. This is going to protect the zone against the claims or the lawsuits, which is related with the property of somebody else, which is damaged. In case, you have suffered from any bodily injury related with the property and condo segment, you can easily take help of this policy zone, for the betterment of the clients.
Some Options to Focus At
There are some options, which you can easily enjoy with the help of condo insurance Florida. These insurances are associated with various forms of coverage options, and the insurance agents will help you to choose the right option among so many available. There are some specific requirements for you to deal with along with coverage preferences, to make you deal with the special segments of your need. Some of the areas, which the policy covers, are identity theft, content replacement, personal injury, personal articles Floater and also liability insurance, under the zone of pleasure boat.
Protection Of The Condo Insurance
When the main area of concern is associated with condo insurance services in the area of Florida, you can get coverage under the zone of falling objects, collapse, hurricane, fire, theft, windstorms and water damage. There are some additional coverage areas, which you can avail, once you paid a little bit extra. However, you can also try and focus towards the positive aspects of necessary policy options, before jumping for a final say. These are some of the positive points for you to deal with.


text: Intergenerational projects seek to find ways to improve relationships within society. As a result of the economic, social and political situation that we are living through, the welfare state is struggling to ensure that the most disadvantaged groups receive the support they need. With intergenerational projects, we seek to connect two groups of people with the intention of promoting healthy relations between them, looking for positive results and underlining the importance of belonging.


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Our celebration cakes are really popular. Each one is made individually to order with just three days' notice. You can collect from our shop in Cavendish Place. Alternatively we offer a £3.95 delivery service to addresses within Eastbourne.
We offer a simple, modern design or a traditional style with decorative overpiping and the top can be personalised with your choice of image and wording.
Then choose vanilla, lemon or chocolate sponge or fruit cake.


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INTERACT CLUB PRESIDENT excels in style
Chamanjeet was not only the Head Prefect of Sek Sri Dasmesh Kuala Lumpur, but also the Interact Club President and an active member of the school Netball Team. Her winning combination of balancing studies with extra curricular activities is an example for all high aspiring students to emulate. She always found time to participate in camps and competitions in school. She was a member of the school's Choral Speaking team which bagged 2nd prize at the National level competition last year.
Ms Jaya, her English teacher says, 'if you want a job well done, give to Chaman; she will bend over backwards to see it happen!" And it is no surprise that Chaman would frequently stay back in school to plan and organize prefects' activities and attend brainstorming sessions during weekends.
Her many talents include playing the violin and singing. Her recipe for success: consistency and excellent time management. Her advice to students: never complain about not having time, MAKE TIME!
The school was also proud to have Delvinderjit Singh score a total of 13As and Manpreet Kaur scoring 12As, while other top scorers achieved 8As. Both Delvinder and Manpreet aspire to become doctors, and like Chaman, they did not depend on tuition to score.
It was a wonderful present for the school to celebrate the 1st term holidays with 100% passes, including 100% As in English, 90% As in Modern Maths and Chemistry. When the results were announced, students from the classrooms, poured onto the corridors and into the courtyard area to celebrate and cheer their 'heroes'. And the teachers, they were a picture of smiles all day.


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Customer Engagement
Synchronised Communications Execution
Monitor, synchronise and manage true omnichannel communications in customer channels of choice
What is communication management?
Communication management solutions drive more personalisation and relevance for customer content and messaging across print and digital channels. You can act on a customer's channel preferences and enable interactions to be true two-way communications.
How you benefit:
Make every interaction relevant and engaging and you will increase the lifetime value of your customers. Increase relevance of customer communication across print and digital channels. Boost cross-sell and grow relationships. Foster long-term loyalty and convert more prospects into profitable customers.
Benefit from real-time storage and instant retrieval of all customer interactions to create rock-solid compliance and inform customer engagement strategy
Create more personal connections with customers, prospects, partners and others with individual, interactive, real-time video and other types of online experiences.
Strengthen customer relationships – and maximize postal savings – with unified, efficient and reliable delivery of customer communications across all channels


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North Cyprus Property
Student Accommodation Investments<
Flats and Apartments for Sale, Rental Properties, Villas, Bungalows, Land… North Cove Estates is here to help you make an informed decision.
We have a vast collection of properties for you to take a look at – take a look, phone us up, let us know what you want!
North Cove Estates has over 12 years experience in the North Cyprus Propertymarket. We bring to you a new and fresh approach to buying and selling property and land on this beautiful island.
North Cyprus Property
As an award-winning North Cyprus Estate Agent, holding good family values. We have invested in Northern Cyprus on many levels. The island has been our home now over many years we thrive on helping others. To enjoy the wonders this charming island has to offer. Our staff will advise all of our clients personally and in a constructive and informative manner. We do not believe in 'hard sell'.
What we do believe in is the North Cyprus property we sell. Our team of experienced professionals and the way we conduct our business. If you want to buy a property in North Cyprus we will guide you through the entire process of purchasing. so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the experience.
Our aim is to show you the best North Cyprus Property on the market. You can depend on us. We build our reputation on client satisfaction and delight and we treat buyers and sellers with courtesy, honesty and a professional approach at all times.
It is our aim to bring the best property for sale in Northern Cyprus to our clients, with an emphasis on quality over quantity. Some of our competitors display a much wider array of TRNC properties within their portfolio. It is then your job to sift through them and uncover the one or two good ones.
At North Cove Estates, we do all the hard work by ONLY dealing with the best developers. Being selective on which property resales will take onto our books. This ethos ensures that when you view North Cyprus properties with North Cove estates, you are guaranteed to be viewing the best properties on the island. The only difficult thing will be deciding which one you like the most.
If you are looking to buy, sell, rent or invest in property around the beautiful island of Cyprus, we are the leading Estate Agents based in Kyrenia.
We have more quality villas, houses, apartments / flats and bungalows for rent and sale than anyone else – and all of them quality properties. We won't waste your time looking at properties which are not up to our high standards of value and quality.
For those of you looking for the perfect spot to invest and build, we offer premiumland plots for sale in North Cyprus too.
Buying property in Northern Cyprus is so easy with North Cove Estates
A' similar' property for sale in North Cyprus may be priced lower elsewhere. We will not be swayed from our belief that the quality. This is far more important than saving a few pounds. The end result is the most important thing.
Whether it is for an investment property, a holiday home in the sun or a place to retire, North Cyprus offers all that is great about a Mediterranean lifestyle, combining the beauty and tranquility of the Cypriot landscape with the hospitality of the Turkish Cypriot people.
As the leading Estate Agents in Northern Cyprus so if you are looking to buy a holiday home or somewhere to retire in the sun (and Northern Cyprus provides the perfect environment) then North Cove Estates provides the perfect service through our friendly and experienced staff.
Many people now benefit from the wonderful lifestyle that they experience through retiring in Northern Cyprus, and we will guide you through the process with ease to ensure that your stress-free retirement is one to enjoy.
Our website has been designed with the user in mind. We hope you find our website informative and easy to navigate when dream home searching. We are constantly adding new content, therefore please feel free to come back and visit us. Make sure you keep your finger on the pulse of the Real Estate market we offer.
Student Accommodation Investments


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Taurus (April 20-May 20): Even as we speak, a talent scout who has the power to change your life is getting goose bumps. Figure out why, and capitalize on it. Meanwhile, a few miles away, a chameleon who's always had your number just lost it. Find out more, and take advantage of it. If that's not enough to keep you busy, I'll clue you in to the fact that two cool fools only recently realized you have something they want. Discover what, and exploit it. (P.S. I should also mention that there's a wild thing out there who would love to lick your hand. Ascertain who and why, etc.)
Gemini (May 21-June 20): The colors I usually associate with the sign of Gemini are sky blue, lemon yellow, and shiny silver: airy, adept, adaptable hues. These days, though, my mind's eye is awash in a lush swath of grassy green whenever I turn my psychic attention to you. I'm convinced that's because you're in the throes of one of your all-time greatest growing periods. You're a teeming flurry of blooms; a lavish swarm of exuberance; a fertile flourish of succulence.
Cancer (June 21-July 22): Although I regard TV as the most ingenious poison ever designed, I'll never put a "Kill Your Television" bumper sticker on my car. No matter how morally justified my anger is, hating hateful things just perpetuates the "Us vs. Them" thinking I crusade against. My 8-year-old daughter seems to have taken my stance one step further. On those rare occasions when we watch TV, she'll sometimes jump up and start dancing and singing along with the commercials. I don't think I'm reading too much into it when I say she's doing a mock celebration. And that's exactly what I recommend for you this week, Cancer. In the face of forces that oppose your values, show off your most cheerful, uproarious self.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): Do you know the difference between bullshit and horseshit? Village Voice writer Alan Cabal defined the former as "creative, inspired mythmaking intended to provoke growth," and the latter as "pernicious carny scams" or "bottom-feeder derivative manipulation." My horoscopes, for example, are fine examples of bullshit, while the lyrics and shtick of Marilyn Manson embody the essence of horseshit. I'm sure you'll soon be deluged by both, Leo, so start cultivating your power to tell them apart now.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): If you've been angling for a Fulbright scholarship, an invitation to play in a celebrity golf match, or a chance to get away with insulting a dude on a Harley-Davidson, this is the time of all times it's likely to come to pass. The planetary influences are inciting your ambitions to the max, while at the same time conspiring to maneuver the whole world into helping you quench those ambitions. So save the milk-and-cookie marathons in front of the TV for a less opportune moment. For now, give yourself gleefully
to the task of building your legacy.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In his book The World's Wasted Wealth, J.W. Smith notes that despite all of our supposed conveniences, we modern folks do more hard labor than any society in history. The average workday of the world's surviving hunter-gatherers is barely four hours, for instance. I realize it may be impossible for you to stage a permanent rebellion against the oppressive workload you're expected to shoulder, Libra, but it's crucial that during the next two weeks you carve out far more playtime than usual. Try to live up to Benjamin Franklin's proposal that if everyone toiled efficiently, five hours a day would be plenty.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I saw the Burmese priestess kiss the king cobra three times, stilling the beast's predatory fever with the grace notes of her dance. I watched the paramedic lower herself precariously off the bridge to nab the child in shock on the tiny rock island. In a dream I beheld you staring down a slimy gargoyle that had crawled out from under your bed, and I marveled as you summoned the gall to ask for and receive a boon from that ugly thing.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Two talking Sagittarian porcupines are making love in a cactus garden. It's a prickly experience, but that's how they like it. Amid the love moans, one porcupine is heard to mutter, "I always get horny when things get thorny." Next door in a rose garden, a Sagittarian unicorn wearing a crown of thorns receives acupuncture from a Sagittarian hornet. The unicorn coos, "It only hurts when you stop." What's it all mean? It might be time for you Centaurs to gamble on a ramble through the brambles.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your thought for the week comes from Michael Grosso's book Millennium Myth: Love and Death at the End of Time. "The great challenge to self- knowledge," he asserts, "is blind attachment to our virtues. It is hard to criticize what we think are our virtues. Although the spirit languishes without ideals, idealism can be the greatest danger." What I'm trying to tell you, Capricorn, is that your wonderful qualities, not your flaws, will be at the root of any difficulties you face in the next couple of weeks. In fact, the best way to prevent problems from erupting in the first place is to set aside a time to take a stern and critical inventory of your goodness and talents.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The makers of the rules would never admit it, but they'd perish without the breakers of the rules. Cliques become moldy without the cleansing action of mavericks and dissidents. And that's why, my creative troublemaker, I'm calling on your rebel skills now. Nobody calls bluffs and busts phonies better than you. No one can spearhead an insurrection with as much panache as you. So rise up, all you heretics and pioneers and rabble-rousers! It's your social duty to subvert the tyranny of the old-boy network. It's your righteous obligation to crack down against the crimes of mediocre traditions. Be the lone wolf who blazes all the trails the scaredy-cats are afraid to tread.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20): "Dear Dr. Brezsny: Help! My old Buick's transmission is dead, my credit cards are maxed, my kid's got to see the dentist real bad, and the one-speed bike I ride to work is about to collapse. I'm working two jobs already but I've applied for another as a strip-club dancer, only I'm having so much mysterious pain in my joints I'm not sure how sexy my gyrations could be. Please pray for me, or let me know when a good-luck streak is coming so I can pace myself. -- Pickled Pisces" Dear Pickled: You should have asked sooner! Just as the flapping of a butterfly's wings in Bangkok can impact the cloud patterns in Baltimore, your forcefully articulated plea for help has diverted a riptide of cosmic blessings in the Piscean direction. Its waves should start crashing over you no later than June 14.


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Ph: 870-245-5240
Research Interests:
Research in my lab has two foci and utilizes multiple techniques, including cell culture, Quantitative Real Time PCR (Q-RT-PCR), RNA sequencing, and bioinformatics. One research focus is in understanding how biologically-inspired nano-structures can serve as an extracellular matrix for neuron growth and development. Currently, we are looking at the role exosomes play in neuron differentiation. The second research focus of my lab is on the use of Synthetic Biology to examine bioinformatically-identified regulatory genetic sequences. As increasing amounts of bioinformatic software are developed, each with a unique algorithm utilized for prediction, more discrepancy between putative results occurs when examining novel genomes. By physically validating predicted results we can provide insight into effective utilization of bioinformatic methods and comparative genomics. Additionally, this work serves to generate new Bio-Bricks that can be used in other Synthetic Biology projects. Since research is an extension of the classroom, my research is also incorporated into each of my courses through the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE).
Synergistic Activities:
Current Funding:
Previous Funding:
Selected Publications: * indicates articles with undergraduate authors


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