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Ardmore Shipping Corporation (NYSE:ASC) (the "Company") announced today that it has filed its 2013 Annual Report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The 2013 Annual Report on Form 20-F is available through the Company's website, www.ardmoreshipping.com. Alternatively, shareholders may also receive a hard copy of the 2013 Annual Report on Form 20-F, free of charge, by request to The IGB Group using the contact details provided at the end of this press release. About Ardmore Shipping Corporation Ardmore Shipping Corporation owns and operates a modern, fuel-efficient fleet of mid-size product and chemical tankers. The Company is engaged in the seaborne transportation of petroleum products and chemicals worldwide to oil majors, national oil companies, oil and chemical traders, and chemical companies. Additional information is available at the Company's website www.ardmoreshipping.com, which is not a part of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.
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CORONET PEAK, New Zealand (Aug. 22 - Ski Racing Magazine News Service) Much as he did last season Warner Nickerson has turned an August New Zealand ski race into a low point opportunity as he collected the win in the opening salvo of the NZ Winter Games in a GS at Cornet Peak with Colby Granstrom on the podium in third and five Americans packed into the top 10 finishers. Those results pleased coach Peter Korfiatis no end considering where the guys were starting.
"This is a Continental Cup," said Korfiatis, "so anyone without Continental Cup points starts outside of the first seed. While our buys have essentially better FIS and world ranking, they were starting in the 28, 38, 48 range and that makes it difficult to hammer in there and stay close to that leader."
The leader, as it turned out, was Nickerson who started 11th. "I was pleased with the first run but the second was difficult," he said. "The snow didn't hold up super-well and I just had to keep fighting it the whole was down. I did that and here I am in the winning spot."
For Granstrom, in third behind Austrian Marcel Mathis, the race and result helped put a capper on a productive camp. Starting 27th Granstrom said, "It feels awesome to performed well in a Europa Cup caliber field. It was also really cool to accept the bronze medal in downtown Queenstown. It was a great honor and a little bit of a surprise. I am still along away from my goals this season, so the hunger is still there, but it does relieve a little stress to have success this early in the year."
Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Will Gregorak tied for seventh the former from the 40th start. Dave Chodounsky was ninth. David Donaldson again led the Canadians, but was in 11th.
The U.S. group is nearing the end of their camp and both coaches and athletes seem pleased with the work accomplished.
Koriatis said, "Camp itself has been very productive for sure. The weather cooperated, all the hills we worked on were in great shape. It's been a great mixture, we're right on pace with volume... huge amount of runs and we're not seeing effects of fatigue. Better yet, we'll know what to do next year."
Granstrom added, "The training has been spectacular, I came into this camp with a back injury but was able to get a lot done and get substantially faster. We have had really nice injection the entire camp and it has been extremely productive."
For complete results: http://www.fis-ski.com/

subset: commoncrawl


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Katy Pervy Trailer {VIDEO}
Flat-out hilarious movie trailer. Watch as Elmo gets laid and Snoop, well lets just say the "pornizzle is the shizzle" to him. Here's the trailer descrp~
Pop sensation Katy Pervy knows what sells her music: SEX! Well, that and a sexy voice that could only get that way via daily deep throat vocal exercises. So, Katy Pervy goes on a XXX adventure, from her cleavage-filled appearance with everybody's favorite red puppet, Elmer, to kissing a girl and liking it so much that it evolves into a hot & heavy lesbian party!
Featuring parodies of all of Katy's famous horny friends, Ka$$ha, Rihandjob, Lady Gagger, Snoop Dong, and Russell Gland, as they f___ their way up the charts!


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Updated: November 30, 2011
A few days ago, I posted my rather negative review of openSUSE 12.1 64-bit, regrettably installed on my high-end desktop. Not only was the experience full of bugs and crashes and inconsistencies, I was unable to use my Nvidia card problem, had an incomplete multimedia experience and could not use the web camera. Hardly a promising start.
Today, I will give openSUSE a second chance and retest on my T60p laptop, a dual-core 32-bit machine with an ATI card that was forged on Mount Doom with hammer and anvil, so olden it is. What more, I will test the much praised BTRFS and the rollback capabilities, allowing you to revert important system files and drivers back to their original state. And there should be a nice, friendly frontend. So let's do that.
I will not repeat every single thing I did the last time, instead I will focus on the important differences, as well as items that explain some of the problems encountered in the first test. Now, let's see what openSUSE 12.1 can or cannot do.
The problem with duplicate entries, Amarok missing from the Multimedia section and other weird inconsistencies remain, so this has nothing to do with my sort-of upgrade from openSUSE 11.4 to 12.1. It seems to be a packaging problem, or who knows what else.
Surprisingly, they worked fairly well, so this is kind of an unexpected bonus. But comparing to Kubuntu 11.04 and the latest Ocelot, Ubuntu still wins in terms of the desktop responsiveness, especially with the effects turned on.
This turned out to be a full plate of problems. First, the initial suggested setup was really without a hitch. openSUSE smartly identified the Linux partitions. In fact, it selected the biggest one to be used as /home. This also explains the preselected filesystem formatting option, normally turned off on /home partitions. I have no complaints so far.
However, I wanted to try BTRFS, so I marked both / and /home this way. The installer threw a warning, informing me that this could be buggy and that I should use a small, separate /boot partition formatted with EXT4 instead. All right, I relented and marked the root partition with EXT4. Then, I proceeded with the installation.
The installer failed, complaining about not being able to format the home partition with BTRFS, something about bad partition type in the superblock. Geeky lingo. No worries. We try again. This time, it complained about root being mounted. Checking, indeed, I found that /dev/sda3 was mounted and in use, with no ability to unmount.
I rebooted the system and tried again, booting directly into the installation. I repeated the steps above, choosing BTRFS as the default option. openSUSE recommended deleting the two Linux partitions and then recreating them with a small difference, the tiny /boot partition. This time, the installation succeeded. Eventually, the system settled into a dual-boot configuration with Windows 8.
On first boot, I tried connecting to one of my Wireless networks. As it happens, I accidentally input a wrong passphrase. When I tried editing the network connection, the network manager complained about insufficient privileges and would not let me make the change. And then it crashed. In fact, a lot of thing crashed. I had PolicyKit die first, closely followed by KDE Control Module. KSnapshot crashed later, too.
It took me almost ten minutes to initiate the connection to that specific router, including no less than fifteen prompts from KDEWallet, another five or six root prompts, two more crashes, seven more insufficient privileges errors, two logins out and into the session, plus turning off/on the network and Wireless and restarting the service. I believe the Space Shuttle has a simpler launch sequence. All because of one small typo.
Encouraged by the system rock-solid stability not, I tried the much praised BTRFS. Supposedly, I could now configure snapshots, make my system immune to undesired changes, easily roll back versions, and whatnot.
When installing from CD, you do not get Snapper, so you must install it using YaST. This step went smoothly and without problems. But then, I tried launching Snapper and it simply failed. So much for great technology made easy.
It seems that BTRFS is not designed for low-end machines. The system was not really fast and took time responding. There was a marked difference in the overall feel compared to some other distributions I have recently tested.
Moreover, the system resources pattern observed with openSUSE 12.1 is unlike any other I have seen before, and the only significant difference is the filesystem choice on the local partitions. While I'm used to occasional CPU spikes, I have never observed an almost perfect abs(sin) wave with an average of 40-50% utilization for both cores combined. There's an almost identical network pattern, but it did not stem from anything I have initiated or the package manager updates, so it makes we wonder what was going on in my box. Either way, it was bad, and I don't care why. They pay me to debug this kind of stuff at work, not at home.
openSUSE 12.1 32-bit failed the second test on the T60p machine, but given the earlier review, this was not that much of a surprise. One bad thing follows another, and with so many errors and bugs, there is no way you can possibly enjoy this latest release without feeling anger or disappointment. It's simply no go. Use the older release as long as you can or consider alternatives. For now, openSUSE has kicked itself back to 1998. Overall grade, something like meager 4/10, end of review.


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potentially you mean Leptin Resistance and not insulin resistance? Or both?
Burn fat before building muscle?
Is it better to burn fat before building muscle or should I just focus on building muscle and burn the fat after. I'm relatively fit already, just a little excess around the edges. What's the best approach, as I know you can't really do both at the same time.
The Best Answer
If you're already fairly lean (under 16 percent for women and 10-12 percent for men), then it's okay to work on building muscle while minimizing fat gain. When you're leaner, your body will put on more muscle than fat (provided you eat correctly). However, if your body fat is higher than the above, it's best to get leaner first so your body won't put on more fat when trying to put on the muscle. Men with 15 percent body fat or higher that try to gain muscle end up putting on a lot more fat since insulin resistance is higher the more body fat you contain.
All Answers
You can do both at the same time. Building muscle is probably the best way to burn fat.
I've found its easier to lean out and then build up. It'll give you less fat to lose after you gain muscle.
I personally started by loosing fat even though I'm a pretty skinny dude. I had a little tire around my waist that I wanted to get rid of. Once I did that along with some Kettle Bell swings and situps for a few weeks, I felt as though I had built a strong core and I was really confident and excited to start building muscle.
I've been doing Geek To Freak for about 2 weeks and am getting similar results - meaning I'm putting on muscle. I'm a bit more confident in G2F because the other diet and workout went so well. If I had the confidence I have now, then, I probably would have started with Geek to Freak.
Let me shorten that for you. If I could do it again I'd probably start with building muscle then loosing fat, but if you don't have a strong core yet think about starting with a the slow carb diet and some kettle bells.
Teorethically, it would be better to build muscle first, since more lean muscle means a higher basal metabolic rate, making the job easier later.
What I did was lose about 30 pounds first, and then add muscle, because the results get more visible quicker, and you can stay motivated more easily.
So, you should choose between both.
Great answers everyone. I was wondering the exact same thing.
I have the same question. Are you doing Geek to Freak or Occam's Protocol? Also, are you following slow-carb plus some good starches and milk?
I should probably be just losing fat instead of gaining muscle but I need to work out so therefore I am gaining muscle as I lose fat. Its just slower to show on a scale.
Definitely build muscle - muscle increases metabolism and causes you to burn fat 24/7
So it makes no sense and makes it even harder to just lean up first, effective workout will replace the fat with some toned muscles
Everyone had some good answers... one thought I have is that if you are very overweight, its probably better to focus on losing that fat first to help avoid injury
Perhaps some would disagree but that's my approach and one of the main reasons I am taking it.
Building muscle actually helps you burn fat faster, I've read that 1lb of muscle mass will burn 100 cals per day. More muscle, more fuel=more calories burnt, therefore it actually helps you lose weight.
In your case you can do both, or you can focus on muscle right now, for people like me (way overweight) it's better to lose first the fat and then build muscle
While it's possible to just burn pure fat, you will probably burn muscle too. Similarly, you won't ever put on pure muscle, you'll gain a little fat with it. Before you guys reply and tell me this is incorrect, at least agree with me that this is true for the average person who is not very very high or very very low in body fat.
I have tried both before and I think the way to go is lose fat first and then slowly put on muscle. The increased metabolism you'll get from increased muscle mass is HIGHLY overstated.
What about doing the exercises from Occam's protocol as resistance training while trying to burn fat on the slow carb diet?
That's what I am doing and seeing good results
Me too....It's working out fine for me. I am getting leaner and stronger and noticing in visually too.
I'm doing the same thing. Occam's while slow carbing. Admittedly, I have to rely on measures besides weight for motivation and tracking progress, but as long as you stick to the program, I don't think it hurts to do both at the same time. If I'm not seeing the results I want in a month, I will switch to more cardio/toning routines.
Join the 4 Hour Body Superhumans!


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It arrived today! I prodded James the past week or two and he assured me it would be shipped Monday and it was, and it arrived today via UPS. In summary, I placed the order 3/18, was quoted a 14 to 17 business day lead time before shipping, and it arrived today, 5/1. Total of 32 business days from order to receiving, about 28 days between the order and till it was shipped, so as others have said just plan on waiting a good month and half. I ordered far in advance of when I was expecting to actually need it (still working heavily with dry wall/wood in the area that the screen will be going so I don't want to put it up yet and get it all messy with dust etc).
Special shipping note: the UPS guy just left it on my porch (luckily I was home), but for those working normal work hours it may not be ideal to have a 6 foot long giant box sitting on your porch for 5 hours before you get home. I would hope no one would steal it, it is pretty heavy, but I managed to move it inside by myself (Mine is 148" screen) so just a word of caution.
Haven't opened the box up yet, but it's pretty impressive that everything fits in it. While it is long, it is rather slender so I am hoping everything is there. Will put together in the next few weeks and post results and impressions. Currently using a beat up light tan wall as a screen, and the Sony VPL-HW50ES looks fantastic as it is, so I am hoping this puts it over the top!
"Smart enough to know better, to old to care" ------ Dedicated Home Theater, Mitsubishi HC7900DW Projector, 110" 16:9 Jamestown screen with variable power masking for CIW 2.50:1 to 16:9, Marantz 7009 with 7.1.4 Atmos with Ohm mains,3 DIY Subs (2 15" (1 ported, 1 sealed and a 12" 4th order bandpass), 1 DIY butt kicker, Custom Built HTPC, 10TB DroboFS NAS
Has anyone got the Jamestown installation instructions scanned that they could scan and share here? I'm trying to assemble a used screen and having some trouble. If I can't get it soon I'm going to forgo the tension fit and install grommets and redo the system. The previous owner cut the tabs off short and I can't hardly pull it tight. I have to use needle nose pliers on some tabs. When I think I've got it tight I stand it up and it's all saggy. I know there is an order - I need some guidance.
I've got a 130" assembled not in use, your welcome to come take a look at it. I also have the assembly instructions you can take a look at, or I can make you a copy.
do you like your screen Archaea?
(2)JTR Cap 4000---(6) Enclosures Seal SI HT-18's---Behringer iNUKE 6000DSP--- Behringer iNUKE 3000DSP---Denon AVR-4250CI---(5)Behringer Eurolive B215XL---(2)Klipsch SS-1 Surround---JVC RS500---Sony HW50es---VApex Fixed frame 135" 16:9---Oppo BDP-93---Toshiba HD DVD-XA2---Xbox 360---PS4---Darbee Darblet DVP-5000---Harmony 1100 remote
yeah I got it figured out finally. It looks nice...The Seymour XD, acoustic transparent fabric is nice. I'd exercise caution when buying used. If the previous owner says he cut off the tabs - then think twice. It was difficult to put it back together for my wife and I because the tabs were too short, but Jamestown did a great job of wrapping the mdf with velvet, and the assembled product looks nice. If you can do DIY at all - I might recommend that route. My previous 106" screen was DIY and it wasn't hard to do. I just did staples.
What material did you order? That would help us help you. If it is the Seymour material, you can use either side but that material does not have a yellowish side to it.
http://www.computertechnologieslab.com/ Website Design Professionals
The Thompson Theater
RIP William Alexander
I hope so. Both sides should be the same white.
http://www.computertechnologieslab.com/ Website Design Professionals
The Thompson Theater
RIP William Alexander
So yeah, it was a bit of an effort to get it. But it came, and as it was I was too busy to get the theater up and running for a few weeks anyways. So it worked out fine for me and I wasn't too bothered since I kind of knew what to expect. My advice to others is to order knowing that it will be later than he claims. And to start contacting him once your initial estimated date approaches. The reason I ordered so far in advance was to give him plenty of time to build it, assuming he had a backlog, and he said he would hold it for me until my new house was ready, but I don't think he actually did any work until I contacted him in May.
As for the resulting screen, well I'm very pleased. I ordered a 120" AT screen and it came just as I expected. The only issue I had was the way the center supports fit, I thought they seemed off, as they were not exactly in line with the rest of the frame. Turns out that was intentional so they weren't making contact with the screen material and possible showing lines on the screen. I sent him an e-mail late one night asking about that and he responded in minutes. So his support response time is excellent.
Like others I wasn't entirely comfortable with just one french cleat for hanging it. It might have been fine, but I wanted two supports. So I bought a pair of matching cleats from Home Depot and attached near the center supports. I removed one of the screws attaching the aluminum frame to the wood and used that to anchor the cleat, then used two self tapping sheet metal screws for the other holes in the cleats.
I had no trouble stretching the screen out using the nylon zip ties and other parts he provided. It was very easy to do on my own and I never ran into any problems with wrinkles or other signs of unequal tension in the screen. I assembled the entire screen on my own and only needed help hanging it on the wall. It took a few hours but I could have done it quicker, I was just overly cautious, also my room was a bit tight to work in as I maneuvered around the screen tensioning it.
It came out pretty square, I haven't bothered taking measurements, as I can tell with a level and a square it's pretty close, certainly no visible error. With my Epson 5030 I have to zoom in a bit so that the image goes over each side a hair in order to fill the screen top to bottom, but a few others have this problem two with the Epson. So either the screen or the projector isn't perfect, but it's not really a problem. While it would be nice if there was a method to cover the center seam for the top and bottom parts of the frame I did find those handy for aligning the projector.
So would I recommend him? Sure, why not. He seems like a decent fellow, and I like supporting small business when I can, and it's a good product for a good price. But I only recommend him with the caveat that you have to have a flexible schedule. If you need a screen by a fixed date that is 3-4 weeks or less out just don't bother with Jamestown, save yourself the stress and go elsewhere. If you are working on a new theater and have two months or more before completion, or if you are looking to replace an existing screen and have no set schedule, go for it. The box it arrived in is remarkably small. My 120" screen was in a box less than 6' long, and only maybe 6" x 6" or a little bigger. It was awkward to move on my own, but not bad. So if it actually arrives early than you anticipated you won't have much trouble finding someplace to store it until you are ready to put it together.
Thanks for your review of Jamestown. It is good to know that the material is of high quality. It's too bad, that he struggles with time management. Luckily, I will not need to screen for a while. I am actually looking at the screen you bought (AT 120). So it is good to hear that you are happy with it. It looks like you can't beat the quality for the price...assuming you have the patience to wait.
So if all goes well he should have it built by the first week of May, and hopefully my house will be done that week or the next. I've ordered a 120" 16x9 AT screen. Also, after placing the order I asked if he has top and bottom masking. I'll update y'all when I hear back on that.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Projector: BenQ w1500 + ES Sable 135" Screen AVR: Marantz SR6011 ATMOS/DTSX + Darbee 5000s
Speakers: Polk Audio TSX550t (FL/FR), CS2 Series II (C), Monitor40 Series II (RL/RR),
Polk Audio TSx110B (Ceiling FL/FR RL/RR), (2) JL Audio 12" Subs + (2) Dayton 15" Subs + (2) ButtKicker LFE
Arrangement: 5.1.4 Source: OPPO UDP-203 4k Bluray Player, Roku 4, HTPC, Nexus Player
Last edited by Daniel Chaves; 07-19-2014 at 07:51 PM.
I called and they say Seymour AV has not shipped the material yet. If I don't get it soon I might just cancel my order and get a AccuScreen from Costco
We shipped some on the 3rd, and the order we received today is going out Monday. We're for the most part staying caught up here...
Thanks, was hoping to get this up tonight!
A slightly bigger issue is I wasn't able to tighten the ties until I put the mounting brackets on because the aluminum pieces were not pressing down low enough to keep the spacers from slipping through. Anyone else have THIS issue? I'm going to have to figure out exactly where it's mounting and put the brackets in place before I can full tighten the screen down with the ties.
Also, note to anyone trying to completely maximize your space - I got a little over zealous and went with exactly big enough screen size to maximize my particular situation. Turns out the total height is about 1/2" larger than I expected which doesn't sound like much, but when everything is exact on paper it can really throw things off in reality. I will be chopping an inch of dry wall out of a block of ceiling that is limiting. Certainly I should have expected some slight variations, but just a word of caution to anyone trying to do the same thing and get the biggest possible screen for your area.
When I do get the point of ordering Im gonna swing up there and see what his operation is. Ill keep ya posted
When I do get the point of ordering Im gonna swing up there and see what his operation is. Ill keep ya posted
I ordered a few weeks ago and got a UPS notification today that it's coming.
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Bullock gets a boost from young co-stars in 'Murder by Numbers'
Published 10:00 pm, Thursday, April 18, 2002
By now you're tired of hearing Sandra Bullock screeching "The profile doesn't fit the profile!" in commercials for "Murder by Numbers," a film that will undoubtedly benefit from the success of the forensic TV drama "CSI."
It's not as good as "CSI" but it's still better than it looks in those previews: an entertaining, evenly paced thriller. It doesn't bank on cheap plot twists or unrealistic betrayals, but rather the subtle, juicy roles bestowed on two young actors.
However, the name above the title is Bullock's, crusading to break out of the Girl Next Door Club (of which Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts are members). While she gum-snaps and lip-quivers as a Gumshoe With Issues -- you know, the kind no one will work with because she's a loose cannon -- Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt, as teen killers executing the perfect murder, quietly steal the picture.
How they banded together remains foggy, but the picture's focus is on how they fool everyone by planting carpet fibers and reporting the guilty boots missing weeks before. The two suspects even represent opposite sides of the high-school social spectrum: Richard (Gosling) is rich, popular and bashes everyone around him, including bookish, reserved Justin (Pitt). Yet secretly they meet at an abandoned house to plan and conceal the crime, then patiently observe the investigation.
Bullock is Cassie Mayweather, a homicide detective accompanied by a wet-behind-the-ears rookie (Ben Chaplin). The moment she's misty-eyed over the victim, you know there's a back story we're inclined to visit, presumably to give Bullock something meaty to contend with. (She also gets the film's lion's share of witty lines.)
But the spotlight remains elsewhere. Pitt ("Hedwig and the Angry Inch," "Dawson's Creek"), whose Justin is an encyclopedia of forensics, displays an uneasiness that suggests his underlying desire to be embraced by the more confident, cocky Richard. Gosling ("Remember the Titans"), who graduated from "The Mickey Mouse Club" (is it me, or does that show have stars crawling out of its ears?) to the controversial Sundance flick "Believer," is effectively smarmy and has better chemistry with Bullock than Chaplin does.
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Barbet Schroeder, who slid from "Reversal of Fortune" to "Desperate Measures," directs a neat, evenly paced tale. His misstep is trying hard to please his star, whether it be her character's empathetic past or one very fake-looking action climax. His greatest service is keeping her toe-to-toe with her talented co-stars ... and both are the better for it.


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United States › IA › Iowa City › Buzz
- Contact
115 S Dubuque St (Ped Mall)
Iowa City, IA 52240
United States
(319) 466-4270
- (Rated 5/5 based on 9 Reviews)
- http://buzz-salon.com/
User Reviews (9)
Stylist: Sean IllianRating:
I went to Buzz after seeing everyone recommend Sorayah. However, as a poor grad student, I can't fork over $125 every 6 weeks to see her. So I asked if they had any other stylists who specialized in curly hair but were slightly more economical for my budget. The receptionist recommended Sean Illian, and OMG he was amazing. He was super enthusiastic about cutting my hair and giving me the style I wanted, which was essentially "something non-triangular." I'd had a bad boxy cut at another salon and was looking to have a bouncy but also rounded shape to my chin-length hair. Sean dry-cut my curls at first, and then trimmed some more after washing my hair, which worked well for my 2a hair. He knew all about the curly-girl method, and used sulfate and silicone-free products on my hair when I asked, which was great of him. He's fun, so knowledgeable and really knew how to work with my curly hair. I will definitely be going back to see him.
Stylist: SorayahRating:
Sorayah is a gem! My haircuts from her are beautiful and stay that way for at least 6 months. Even better, her wonderful advice and extensive knowledge about curly hair has helped me keep my hair healthier and grow it 4 inches longer since I started seeing her. As if that weren't enough, she is also incredibly talented at creating up-dos for curly hair - I have, and will continue to, go to her for styling when I want my hair to look as amazing as possible. I cannot recommend Sorayah more highly!
Stylist: Sorayah
I love Sorayah! If you have curly hair and you live in the Iowa City area, go to her. I have never had a stylish haircut until Sorayah got her hands on my hair. She completly understands curly hair and has great ideas for styles. And she is supper fun! I love my new short fun curly hair.
Stylist: Soraya
Soraya is not only a wonderful stylist, but a fabulous teacher and cheerleader! I have straight hair but my 11-year-old daughter has very curly (3B) hair, and I've never known how to take care of it or style it. Soraya took the time to explain curly hair care and gave us several styling tips and suggestions. She demonstrated some skills, then had me try styling my daughter's hair, giving me plenty of pointers and encouragement along the way. The end result: my daughter's hair looks more beautiful than ever, she feels terrific, and I have more knowledge and confidence. Thanks, Soraya!!!
Stylist: Soraya
Soraya recently gave me the best haircut I have ever had in my life. I've never gotten a good curly cut; I find most stylists don't know what to do with my natural curls. I found Soraya, and am so happy that I did. After five minutes of chatting, she had diagnosed everything that I disliked about my hair without me even having to tell her - a lack of shape, not enough framing of the face, too much volume in the back and not enough on top, and the "yarmulka" flat top. After about a twenty minute dry cut, I got my hair washed and styled, and she refined any out-of-place curls. Soraya even taught me how to style it different ways so that I could re-create the salon style at home. The end result is beautiful. I haven't ever loved my hair so much, or gotten so many compliments. I've worn it down every day since I got it done, and it's so much easier to work with. I am so happy with my curls! I can't wait for my next appointment.
Stylist: Soraya
I have been a client of Soraya since 2001. I started with my hair at the middle of my back, to my current short do. She is good with both lengths, and I get so many compliments on my hair. My curly haired friends also love her. My short do is fun and also professional, and I LOVE IT. I also appreciate the fact that when I had long hair she would cut it in a way that looked good when I didn't do anything to it, when I did or when I straightened it.
Stylist: Saraya
I went to this salon based on the recommendation from this website. Saraya had no idea how to cut curly hair. I walked out of the salon totally embarassed because my hair was so extremely frizzy and sticking out all over. There were no curls left, you would think a hairstylist would know that you cant brush through curly hair when its dry. The salon was very very expensive.. $98 for a simple hair cut.. that was absolutely horrible. Then she told me I had to come back a week or 2 later so she could trim it up. Why wouldnt she just trim it at the appointment? For another $98, I dont think Im going back. I will never go back to this salon and have had bad haircuts before.. but this one was the worst.
Stylist: Saraya
Saraya is the best stylist I've been too. I just happened on this site, but since I've moved to Michigan, I've been scheduling my appointments with her when I travel the 7 1/2 hours to visit friends back in IC. She is a huge fan of the curly girl routine, and though she has straight hair, I have never had a better cut than hers. She also does amazing work with color. There was one time when the color was a little off, that when I went to see her the next day about it, she spent an hour fixing it until I liked it. The salon is a bit pricey, but since curly girls don't need to get their hair cut as often, it evens out over time. She cuts dry and cuts each curl. Her specialty is long curly hair.


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Men's college basketball: Bluejays lose in tourney opener
COON RAPIDS — Cold shooting hampered the Minnesota West men's basketball team Friday in the first round of the Region 13 tournament at Anoka-Ramsey Community and Technical College.
The Bluejays made good on only 24 percent of their shots in the first half against Central Lakes College and fell behind 37-20 at intermission. Things went better for the Jays in the second half, but not better enough in a 78-63 setback.
"We did not shoot very well at all in the first half," said West head coach Justin Heckenlaible. "The second half we played much harder, much better. We just dug ourselves into too big a hole."
The Bluejays managed to pull within eight points of Central Lakes as they hit 44 percent of their second half field goals. But their setback forced them into the tournament's consolation bracket, where they will face Northland today at 10 a.m.
Northland lost to Rochester in another first round game Friday.
Minnesota West, 18-10, was led Friday by Jackson Seitzinger with 16 points, Cyrell Hodges with 10 and Cody Harris with 10.
Bryan Gichaba scored 21 points for Central Lakes, now 17-11 on the year.
Central Lakes 37 78
Minnesota West 20 63
CENTRAL LAKES (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) — Subah 0-1-1-3, Brown 0-1-0-2, Martin 0-3-0-6, Holm 1-1-1-6, Briggs 1-0-4-7, Gichaba 0-8-5-21, Bethea 0-1-1-3, Jedneak 1-5-1-14, Tarpeh 0-1-0-2, Koch 3-1-3-14. Totals 8-10-16-78.
BLUEJAYS (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) — Hodges 0-3-4-10, Thomas 0-3-1-7, Murry 0-2-2-6, Seitzinger 2-4-2-16, Buysse 0-1-0-2, Fischer 0-2-2-6, Lupton 0-3-0-6, Harris 2-2-0-10. Totals 6-17-11-63.


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In 2011, US Lacrosse had registered membership of roughly 300,000 (which has grown to 400,000 now). USA Rugby had over 98,000 registered participants. USACA had fewer than 17,500.
Now, you can get all the USA Cricket updates via Facebook. Also follow us on Twitter via @dreamcricket
By Venu Palaparthi
This month marks the tenth anniversary of Gladstone Dainty's reign as president of USACA. It was on June 4, 2003 that Gladstone Dainty was elected president for the first time.
In the first article of this series, I noted how, during Dainty's ten years in office, USA slipped in the world rankings from 13th to 23rd. Throughout the last decade, Team USA suffered the effects of hurriedly convened teams, inadequate high level practice and inconsistent selection.
A major reason for this slide was USACA's inability to achieve financial stability under Dainty's leadership. In this second article, I take a look at Dainty's success as a leader in enhancing participation rate, increasing revenue from its membership, and maximizing the potential for sponsorship and commercial development.
Participation and Membership Revenue
Among emerging sports, lacrosse and rugby have left cricket in the dust over the last decade. In fact, lacrosse (+41.8%) and rugby (+37.7%) showed highest participant gains over the 2007-2011 period according to Sports and Fitness Industry Association's 2012 survey of team sports.
In 2011, US Lacrosse had registered membership of roughly 300,000 (which has grown to 400,000 now). The sport also had 565,000 core participants in 2011 - players who played at least 13 games during the year. USA Rugby had over 98,000 registered participants and over 289,000 core participants.
In comparison, according to the 2011 ICC Census, USACA reported 16,680 core adult players and 750 junior players. USACA's registered membership and fees from membership are miniscule and many of the leagues are no longer members in good standing following the election year shenanigans from 2011-2012.
Outside of USACA's sphere of influence, participation rates for cricket in the USA have increased dramatically, mainly because of a continued influx of immigrants. During the last decade, numerous cricket leagues were formed, but they operate autonomously beyond the USACA radar.
Membership revenue has not kept pace with the growth in the number of cricketers in USA. In 2009, USACA reported that it received less than $30,000 in membership dues. As Stephen Rooke noted in this analysis of USACA's financials between 2000 and 2009: "If 2006 is omitted from the dataset, the average non-ICC revenue falls by sixteen percent to $46,522.57. This average is less than the revenue generated in 2002 and 2003, indicating that the USACA has been largely unable to increase its domestic revenue."
Just to give you an idea of how bad USACA has been in this area, consider this: USA Rugby received $3.2 Million from membership during 2011, up from $2.8 Million in 2010. That translates to roughly 40% of its overall revenues. For USACA, a bulk of its revenue came from ICC and from loans.
Overall, participation in cricket under Dainty's leadership is a story of - you heard it before - unrealized potential.
Corporate funding by US companies is what makes American sport tick. Cricket at the world level benefits hugely from sponsorships by US-based multinational companies such as Pepsi. USACA's track record in raising sponsorship dollars for the sport in USA has been abysmal.
Pic (Right): Show us the money
It would be untrue to say that there are no sponsors for cricket in the USA. A smattering of small businesses - technology companies, a community bank or two, a few doctors - have faithfully supported and helped sustain local and regional level cricket events over the years. Cricket has also benefited from the generosity of a few individuals within the administrative ranks. Dainty himself is known to have spent a small fortune in addition to a considerable investment of time on cricket. USACA Treasurer John Thickett, 1st Vice-President Michael Gale and former 1st Vice-President Nabeel Ahmed have all supported cricket causes. Name a region and I can name individuals who have been involved in administrative capacity who have underwritten costs of tours, air tickets, lodging, meals, etc.
The New Inning Foundation started by Ram Varadarajan, Dainty's opponent in the last two elections, has donated money to cricketers and to cricket causes. Other altruistic donors such as Apple Pickers Foundation and ACF have supported certain events.
In the last month, USACA announced its first two sponsors in recent memory - a Houston-centric auto business and a Pakistani cricket equipment manufacturer. This is a modest start.
However, when it comes to the typical sports sponsors among the big corporations, there simply has not been an ambitious and energetic effort to generate sponsorship interest in the USA Cricket Association or the USA national team. In fact, American Collegiate Cricket supported by Coca Cola and TV Asia and USYCA, whose sponsors have included MetLife and Reebok, have outdone USACA on the sponsorship front.
It is pointless to even attempt a comparison of USACA with other sports that were similarly placed ten years ago. USA Lacrosse's sponsors include Champion, Marriott, Nationwide, Sports Authority and US Bank.
The trouble is that with corporate sponsorships come reasonable expectations surrounding return on investment, assurances of brand visibility and a level of accountability. Such expectations indicate that USACA needs to lift its game is an area where they have been found lacking.
Over the last three years, I have personally met or spoken to a half-dozen major sponsors, including a major airline and a big insurance company, who were stunned by the unresponsiveness of USACA. I once received a call from an acquaintance who worked at an industry leading marketing agency - he was on the USACA website but was unable to find any information on sponsorship.
Why is Dainty responsible for any of this? Well, besides being the supreme leader of USACA, he also sits on the USACA Commercial Committee.
In 1999, Ricky Craig, then President of USACA told Cricinfo: "We have got to become more savvy at what we do. There are a lot of corporate sources in the USA interested in sponsoring cricket. We have never approached them in a professional manner."
Under Dainty's leadership, the organization has struggled to get the basics right. Sample this: besides not having any sponsorship related information on the USACA website, there is no designated marketing contact, no information on the cricketing demographic, no list of specific event related sponsorship opportunities. There simply hasn't been a compelling plan to provide revenue-generating exposure to a potential sponsor.
Development of Commercial Rights
We have heard so many times of USA's great potential - how it is home to millions of cricket fans and the source of the second largest population of internet surfing cricket aficionados. Since the advent of T20 cricket, we have also seen proclamations regarding how well positioned USA was to take advantage of this format. Not to forget the untold riches that could be harnessed by organizing neutral venue cricket and a T20 league in the US.
As far back as 1996, Mark Mascarenhas' Time Out negotiated and signed a three-year contract with USACA that resulted in advance payments to USACA totaling $230,000 in 1996 and 1997. It was said that, for another payment of $39,000, Time Out was granted an extension of its rights until 2002.
"Essentially, our company would advance monies to the USACA and earn back this investment from fees received from the sale of television and sponsorship rights to international matches played here," Mascarenhas told Cricinfo in 1999. Around this time, there were also discussions that ICC was having with Disney directly to host cricket matches at the Wide World of Sport, prompting TimeOut to issue a "legal threat of action" to ICC for $10 million. In any event, long before Mascarenhas died in a car crash in 2002, the Time Out and ICC-Disney proposals faded in a storm of accusations. Even though these discussions preceded Dainty's tenure as president, he was most certainly aware of these deals. He was also the Treasurer for some of that time.
During Gladstone Dainty's tenure, major game-changing deals were announced on three occasions. If you will permit a cricketing analogy, this is how these efforts have progressed. The field was always set correctly, the run-up was perfect, the bowler was among the best, the ball was on target, but each time, the result was a no ball.
Project USA: In March 2003, almost the same time as when Dainty first entered office, the ICC announced the "Project USA" initiative with a start date of June 2003. The project entailed organizing four triangular ODI events in the USA at a cost of $12 Million. The ICC forecast revenue of $22 Million from organizing these events with the surplus of $9 Million going to USACA.
Infrastructure was a key issue that Project USA attempted to solve through the import of eight drop-in turf wickets from Australia and New Zealand. The idea was to store these drop-in pitches in green-houses in the off-season.
By March 18, 2005, the project was scrapped. An ICC statement said that "in light of the inability of the United States of America Cricket Association to address the fundamental governance issues of the game in the USA, the executive board decided to immediately terminate its initiative to stage international cricket in the USA to generate funds to develop the game in this country."
Ehsan Mani, the then ICC President, said: [T]he success of this project relies on having an effective governing body for cricket in the United States. Our experience in dealing with the USACA and the current controversy over the governance of the game in this country has convinced the board that it cannot support investing ICC members funds in this project and it has been terminated." The controversy in question was the one surrounding the 2005 election.
Centrex: After the demise of Project USA came news of a proposed agreement that USACA inked with Centrex International. The two were to form a joint venture marketing company - US Cricket Properties - that was to "revolutionise the way cricket is marketed in the USA." The joint venture would handle sponsorship, broadcast, media, promotional, merchandise and new media. In return, an amount in excess of $10 million was to be invested over a 10-year period in USA cricket.
"This is about investing and building a sport from the grass roots up," Archie Paton, a director of Centrex, said at the time.
Speaking about Centrex in an interview with Cricinfo in February of 2007, Dainty said: "Centrex share our desire to build a solid foundation for sustained success. They are capable partners as we strive to reach non-traditional cricket centres." "This will have a great impact on cricket in the USA," he said.
"It gives us the financial support and resource to really make a difference in how the sport is run at every level. It equally brings to the organisation a wealth of professional sports business experience that is critical if we are to succeed in expanding our sport. The board gave its unanimous support to the initiative and is very excited about the future."
The Centrex deal eventually vanished without a trace. A look at USACA tax statements from the period reveals that Centrex contributed a total approaching $25,000 in 2006 and 2007. In the 2011 Notes to Financial Statements, USACA's auditor noted that USACA actually took $50,000 in advance payments from Centrex, which was marked as a loan.
CHALLC: In July of 2009, USACA made another fresh start and its request for proposals received 102 expressions of interest. By December of 2009, USACA and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the commencement of formal discussions with the intention of establishing a strategic partnership agreement.
(L to R) Neil Maxwell, Insite; John Thickett, USACA Treasurer; Gladstone Dainty, USACA President; Justin Vaughan, former CEO of NZC and Rajiv Podar of Podar Enterprise sport USA Cricket caps at the conclusion of the signing agreement in Beverly Hills.
Exactly a year later, in December 2010, Gladstone Dainty, President of USACA announced the creation of Cricket Holdings America LLC (CHALLC) : "I am delighted the hard work has resulted in a well-resourced outcome that provides USACA with the ability to grow the game from "grassroots" to the elite level. We are very excited about this partnership. It should open the door for private investment into cricket in America, one of the more exciting new market opportunities for the ICC."
"This partnership will provide cricket in the US two very clear benefits. Importantly, it will provide a sustainable revenue stream for the development of the game and secondly, we shall be supported by the knowledge and expertise that comes from a Full Member country like New Zealand. These two compelling benefits will assist us to give cricket a strong foothold in the United States," Dainty added.
Once again, the field was set. Only, this time the stakes were higher. USACA can no longer afford another failure.
Two and a half years have passed since the deal was signed. As for progress, you be the judge. According to USACA's 2011 Financial Statements, USACA received $770,000 in advances during 2010 and another $1.1 Million in 2011 from Top Bloom and Insite, both of which are CHALLC's stakeholders. These amounts were being treated as commercial loans. USACA has not received any fees so far and CHALLC has not yet earned any revenue from its rights. According to news reports, the rights for the last set of T20 matches in Florida between West Indies and New Zealand in 2012 were sold by CHALLC for $1. The planned US T20 league has been pushed back from 2012, first to 2013 and it now hopes to launch in 2014.
There is also no positive news yet about CHALLC's success with persuading another investor to join, an event that could potentially result in a $3 million bonus payment to USACA.
The present sentiment about USACA is not exactly bearish as in the past, but that of cautious optimism, in large part due to the involvement of New Zealand Cricket and the approval of the ICC. It also helps that CHALLC's primary investor is still backing the deal.
"There have been some delays, mainly due to detailed planning and putting a proper structure and plan together. Given the magnitude of the project and our desire to have a world-class event, delays are normal. Frankly, I do not see how this is going to be a potential danger in ending the league. The company is being financed and progressing as planned," CHALLC's primary investor Rajiv Podar was quoted in ESPNCricinfo in December 2012.
Overall, if you consider membership revenue and sponsorships, the impact of Dainty's presidency has been negligible. The verdict is not out yet on Dainty's performance on commercial deals. Maybe USACA will be fourth time lucky and Dainty's ten years will eventually yield something long-lasting.


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Our 2015-2016 Secretary is Ben Vizzachero.
Major/Year: Senior, Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Wildlife Option
Outdoor sports: Hiking, Backpacking, Birding, Tree Climbing, Tree Identification
Favorite Gear: A fresh, dry pair of Smartwool Socks
Favorite Campsite: Rocky Mtn. Shelter, on the Appalachian Trail near Franklin, PA
Dream Trip: The Arizona Trail
Favorite Things: Noise Rock, Cats, Songwriting, Trees, Penn State Dairy


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Glen Campbell Moves Into Facility for Alzheimer's Care
As his battle with Alzheimer's disease progresses, Glen Campbell has been moved into a facility to receive full-time care.
The move happened recently, three years after Campbell first revealed his diagnosis, according to People magazine.
"He was moved to an Alzheimer's facility last week," a family friend confirms to the magazine. "I'm not sure what the permanent plan is for him yet. We'll know more next week."
The 77-year-old country legend, whose hits include 'Gentle on My Mind,' 'Rhinestone Cowboy,' 'Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in LA)' and 'By the Time I Get to Phoenix,' among many others, revealed his diagnosis in 2011, announcing that he would embark on a Goodbye Tour while he was still capable of performing.
Campbell's daughter, Ashley, traveled and performed with him on that tour, and she expressed fears that his disease would progress faster after it wrapped.
"He functions the best on stage," she explained in 2012. "I think it's where he feels the most comfortable, because everything is the same for him on the stage. He knows where he is, where the band is, where the audience is and what he's supposed to do."
The Goodbye Tour is documented in a new film, 'Glen Campbell . . .I'll Be Me,' which is slated to debut at the Nashville Film Festival on Friday (April 18).


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The findings from the ENEST (Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in clinical Trials) clinical research program were presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in San Diego.
ENESTcmr is the first exploratory randomized trial to investigate the impact of switching adult patients with residual disease after a minimum of two years of treatment with Gleevec to Tasigna to determine if a deeper level of response could be achieved(1).
The study showed that twice as many patients switched to Tasigna 400 mg twice a day achieved undetectable Bcr-Abl levels by 12 months compared to Gleevec (23% taking Tasigna 400 mg twice daily and 11% taking Gleevec 400 mg or 600 mg once daily; p= 0.0202). The primary endpoint, which is more stringent than conventional measures, is undetectable Bcr-Abl level in two consecutive samples. Samples with any detectable level were not considered to be in complete molecular response (CMR). The lowest detected Bcr-Abl value was 0.00073%.This endpoint showed a two-fold difference in confirmed undetectable CMR for 13% of patients on Tasigna versus 6% of patients on Gleevec, although statistical significance was not achieved (p=0.108). The study has a planned follow-up of four years(1).
After 36 months of follow-up, data from the Phase III ENESTnd clinical trial in adult patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase continued to show significantly more patients achieved CMR, defined in this study as at least a 4.5 log reduction from baseline or a trace amount of 0.0032% or less of Bcr-Abl compared to Gleevec (32% taking Tasigna 300 mg twice daily and 15% taking Gleevec 400 mg once daily). The ENESTnd study also continued to show that first-line treatment with Tasigna resulted in significantly fewer patients progressing to advanced phase and blast crisis (AP/BC) stages of disease compared to Gleevec, leading to a significantly lower number of CML-related deaths in patients taking Tasigna versus Gleevec (p=0.0356)(2).
"Data from both ENESTnd and ENESTcmr reinforce that patients taking Tasigna have a greater chance of achieving CMR, the deepest level of response measurable today, compared to those taking Gleevec," said Timothy P. Hughes, MD, ENEST study investigator and Clinical Professor at the University of Adelaide, Australia. "We are encouraged by what we saw in ENESTcmr and further follow-up on both trials should help to determine if more patients can reach undetectable levels of CML over time, which could have important implications for determining criteria for future studies on discontinuation of therapy."
CML is a disease in which the body produces cancerous white blood cells. Almost all patients with CML have an abnormality known as the Philadelphia chromosome, which is comprised of a protein called Bcr-Abl that causes malignant white blood cells to proliferate(3). The success of treatment for CML can be measured by a test called real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR). A molecular response means RQ-PCR shows a reduction in Bcr-Abl in the blood; a CMR means no Bcr-Abl is detected(4,5).
"Data from the ENESTnd 36-month update and the ENESTcmr trial at ASH continue to reinforce the benefits of Tasigna over Gleevec, and support the use of Tasigna for adult patients with chronic-phase Ph+ CML," said Herve Hoppenot, President, Novartis Oncology. "We look forward to even more progress in the future as we observe the impact of achieving deep and sustained molecular response with Tasigna for people living with this cancer."
CML is responsible for approximately 10% to 15% of all adult cases of leukemia in the US, with an incidence of one to two cases per 100,000 people per year(6,7).
ENESTcmr study details
ENESTcmr is an open-label, randomized, prospective, multi-center Phase III study of Tasigna 400 mg twice daily versus standard-dose Gleevec (400 mg or 600 mg once daily) comparing kinetics of CMR for patients with Ph+ CML in chronic phase who had achieved complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) but were still Bcr-Abl positive (i.e., had evidence of residual leukemia) after at least two years of treatment with Gleevec. The study enrolled 207 patients. The patients were randomized into one of two treatment arms: Tasigna 400 mg twice daily versus continuing Gleevec 400 mg or 600 mg once daily (same dose as at study entry)(1).
The primary endpoint was the rate of confirmed best cumulative CMR by 12 months of study therapy with Tasigna or Gleevec. Samples with any detectable level were considered not to be in CMR. The lowest detected Bcr-Abl value was 0.00073%.Secondary objectives included the kinetics of CMR, duration of CMR, progression-free survival and overall survival in both arms. CMR was defined at three levels: CMR (CMR greater than or equal to 4.5-log, undetectable Bcr-Abl by RQ-PCR at a sensitivity of less than 0.0032%), CMR4 (CMR greater than or equal to 4-log, undetectable Bcr-Abl by RQ-PCR at a sensitivity of 0.01% or less) and CMR4.5(CMR greater than or equal to 4.5-log, undetectable Bcr-Abl by RQ-PCR at a sensitivity of 0.0032% or less)(1).
These data showed that 23% of patients taking Tasigna achieved undetectable disease (24 patients) by 12 months, compared to 11% (11 patients) taking Gleevec(1).
A majority of patients in both treatment arms received prior Gleevec treatment for at least three years before entering the trial. Patients randomized to receive Tasigna were given a new treatment while the others continued to receive a therapy that they had been taking for a minimum of two years(1).
During this study, discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) occurred in 8.9% and 1% for Tasigna- and Gleevec-treated patients, respectively. The majority of these were asymptomatic laboratory adverse events. The most commonly reported AEs in the Tasigna arm were headache (36.6%), rash (23.8%) and pruritus (23.8%), while in the Gleevec arm the most commonly reported AEs were diarrhea (12.6%) and headache (9.7%)(1).
ECGs were measured at baseline (both treatment arms), at day 8 (Tasigna arm only) and at early discontinuation from study treatment (both treatment arms). No patients in the Tasigna treatment arm were reported to have QTc prolongation intervals greater than 480 msec at baseline or at day 8; four patients (4.0%) had reported QTc prolongation intervals greater than 450 msec on day 8. No patients who discontinued early had QTc prolongation intervals greater than 450 msec(1).
ENESTnd study details
ENESTnd is a Phase III randomized, open-label, multicenter trial comparing the efficacy and safety of Tasigna versus Gleevec in adult patients with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML in chronic phase. It is the largest global randomized comparison of two oral therapies ever conducted in newly diagnosed Ph+ CML patients(2).
The study is being conducted at 217 global sites with 846 patients enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive Tasigna 300 mg twice daily (n=282), Tasigna 400 mg twice daily (n=281) or Gleevec 400 mg once daily (n=283). The primary endpoint was major molecular response (MMR) at 12 months; the key secondary endpoint was durable MMR at 24 months (patients having MMR when evaluated at both 12 and 24 months). MMR was defined in this study as 0.1% or less of Bcr-Abl as measured by RQ-PCR. Planned follow-up is for five years. Patients on the Gleevec treatment arm who had suboptimal response or treatment failure were allowed to escalate dose and/or switch to Tasigna in a separate extension study. These data, presented at ASH, were the 36-month minimum follow-up(2).
Results showed that fewer patients in the core treatment group progressed to accelerated phase or blast crisis while on treatment with Tasigna at 300 mg twice daily (n=2) and 400 mg twice daily (n=3) versus Gleevec at 400 mg once daily (n=12) with 36 months of minimum follow-up. Analysis of the broader study group, including patients followed after discontinuation of the study, showed 9 patients on Tasigna 300 mg twice daily, 6 patients on Tasigna 400 mg twice daily and 19 patients on Gleevec progressed(2).
Over the past three years a total of 38 patients (5%) died during the ENESTnd study (17 patients taking Gleevec, 13 taking Tasigna 300 mg twice daily and 8 taking Tasigna 400 mg twice daily). Tasigna treatment was also associated with significantly lower rates of CML-related deaths (5 patients taking Tasigna 300 mg twice daily, 4 patients taking Tasigna 400 mg twice daily and 14 patients taking Gleevec) consistent with the significant improvement observed with progression to AP/BC. Since the last data cut-off there were a total of five CML related deaths (4 with Gleevec 400 mg once daily and 1 with Tasigna 400 mg twice daily)(2).
The median follow-up for this study was 36 months. Overall, 90% and 88% of patients remained in the study on Tasigna 300 mg twice daily and Gleevec 400 mg once daily, respectively(2).
Rates of discontinuation due to adverse events or laboratory abnormalities continued to be lowest for Tasigna 300 mg twice daily (10%) compared to Tasigna 400 mg twice daily (14%) and Gleevec 400 mg once daily (11%). The most commonly reported adverse events in the Tasigna 300 mg arm were rash (38.0%), headache (30.5%) and increased alanine aminotransferase (24.7%), while the same adverse events for Tasigna 400 mg were 43.3%, 32.9% and 29.2% respectively. In the Gleevec arm, the most commonly reported AEs were diarrhea (43.6%), nausea (39.6%) and vomiting (25.0%)(2).
There were two new cases of QTc prolongation increases greater than 60 msec from baseline observed since the last data cut-off, one each in the Gleevec arm and the Tasigna 400 mg arm (total of 1, 1, and 3 patients in Gleevec, Tasigna 300 mg and Tasigna 400 mg arms, respectively). With the 36-month data cut-off, no patient in any treatment arm had a QTc prolongation greater than 500 msec(2).
*Known as Glivec®(imatinib) outside the US, Canada and Israel.
About Tasigna
TASIGNA® (nilotinib) is approved for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase. The effectiveness of TASIGNA for this indication is based on major molecular response and cytogenetic response rates at 12 months. The study is ongoing and further data will be required to determine long-term outcome.
TASIGNA is also approved in more than 90 countries for the treatment of chronic phase and accelerated phase Ph+ CML in adult patients resistant or intolerant to at least one prior therapy, including Gleevec. The effectiveness of TASIGNA for this indication is based on hematologic and cytogenetic response rates.
BOXED WARNING and Important Safety Information for TASIGNA (nilotinib):
TASIGNA prolongs the QT interval. Prior to TASIGNA administration and periodically, monitor for hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia and correct deficiencies. Obtain ECGs to monitor the QTc at baseline, seven days after initiation, and periodically thereafter, and follow any dose adjustments.
Sudden deaths have been reported in patients receiving nilotinib. Do not administer TASIGNA to patients with hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or long QT syndrome.
Avoid use of concomitant drugs known to prolong the QT interval and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Patients should avoid food 2 hours before and 1 hour after taking dose.
Treatment with TASIGNA can cause Grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and anemia. Complete blood counts should be performed every 2 weeks for the first 2 months and then monthly thereafter.
Caution is recommended in patients with a history of pancreatitis.
The use of TASIGNA may result in elevations in bilirubin, AST/ALT, and alkaline phosphatase.
TASIGNA can cause hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, and hyponatremia (see Boxed WARNING).
The concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or anti-arrhythmic drugs (including, but not limited to, amiodarone, disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine, and sotalol) and other drugs that may prolong the QT interval (including, but not limited to, chloroquine, clarithromycin, haloperidol, methadone, moxifloxacin, and pimozide) should be avoided. Grapefruit products should also be avoided.
The concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided (including, but not limited to, dexamethasone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampin, rifabutin, rifapentin, phenobarbital, and St. John's wort).
TASIGNA must not be taken with food.
TASIGNA exposure is increased in patients with impaired hepatic function.
Cases of tumor lysis syndrome have been reported in TASIGNA treated patients with resistant or intolerant CML. Due to potential for tumor lysis syndrome, maintain adequate hydration and correct uric acid levels prior to initiating therapy with TASIGNA.
The exposure of TASIGNA is reduced in patients with total gastrectomy.
Since the capsules contain lactose, TASIGNA is not recommended for patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, severe lactase deficiency with a severe degree of intolerance to lactose-containing products, or of glucose-galactose malabsorption.
Women of childbearing potential should avoid becoming pregnant while taking TASIGNA and should be advised of the potential hazard to the fetus if they do. The safety and effectiveness of TASIGNA in pediatric patients have not been established.
In newly diagnosed Ph+ CML-chronic phase, the most commonly reported nonhematologic adverse drug reactions (>10%) were rash, pruritus, headache, nausea, fatigue, and myalgia.
In resistant or intolerant Ph+ CML-chronic phase, the most commonly reported nonhematologic adverse drug reactions (greater than or equal to 10%) were rash, pruritus, nausea, fatigue, headache, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and myalgia.
In resistant or intolerant Ph+ CML-accelerated phase, the most commonly reported nonhematologic adverse drug reactions (greater than or equal to 10%) were rash, pruritus, and fatigue.
TASIGNA may need to be temporarily withheld and/or dose reduced for QT prolongation, hematologic toxicities that are not related to underlying leukemia, clinically significant moderate or severe nonhematologic toxicities, laboratory abnormalities, or concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors.
Please see full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning.
About Gleevec
Gleevec® (imatinib mesylate) tablets are indicated for newly diagnosed adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in the chronic phase (CP). Gleevec is also indicated for the treatment of patients with Ph+ CML in blast crisis (BC), accelerated phase (AP), or in CP after failure of interferon-alpha therapy.
GLEEVEC Important Safety Information
GLEEVEC is often associated with edema and occasionally serious fluid retention. Patients should be weighed and monitored regularly for signs and symptoms of fluid retention, which can be serious or life-threatening. Be advised to carefully investigate and provide appropriate management for unexpected weight gain. The probability of edema tended to be increased among older patients (>65 years) or those taking higher doses of GLEEVEC. If severe fluid retention occurs, GLEEVEC should be withheld until the event has resolved and then resumed depending on the initial severity of the event.
Cytopenias have been reported. Complete blood counts should be performed weekly for the first month, biweekly for the second month, and periodically thereafter as clinically indicated (for example, every 2-3 months). Dose reduction or treatment interruption may be required for severe neutropenia or thrombocytopenia (see full Prescribing Information for dose adjustment recommendations).
Severe congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction have occasionally been reported. Most patients with reported cardiac events have had other comorbidities and risk factors, including advanced age and previous medical history of cardiac disease. Patients with cardiac disease or risk factors for cardiac failure should be monitored carefully, and any patient with signs or symptoms consistent with cardiac failure should be evaluated and treated.
Hepatotoxicity, occasionally severe, may occur. Cases of fatal liver failure and severe liver injury requiring liver transplants have been reported with both short-term and long-term use of GLEEVEC. Assess liver function before initiation of treatment and monthly thereafter or as clinically indicated. Monitor liver function when combined with chemotherapy known to be associated with liver dysfunction. A 25% decrease in the recommended dose should be used for patients with severe hepatic impairment. If severe hepatotoxicity occurs, GLEEVEC should be withheld until the event has resolved and then resumed depending on the initial severity of the event.
In the newly diagnosed CML trial, 1.8% of patients had (NCI Grades 3/4) hemorrhage.
In patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome and cardiac involvement, cardiogenic shock and left ventricular dysfunction have been associated with initiation of GLEEVEC. The condition was reported to be reversible with the administration of systemic steroids, circulatory support measures, and temporarily withholding GLEEVEC.
Bullous dermatologic reactions (eg, erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome) have also been reported. In some cases, the reaction recurred upon rechallenge. Several postmarketing reports describe patients able to tolerate the reintroduction of GLEEVEC at a lower dose with or without concomitant corticosteroids or antihistamines following resolution or improvement of the bullous reaction.
Clinical cases of hypothyroidism have been reported in thyroidectomy patients undergoing levothyroxine replacement during treatment with GLEEVEC. TSH levels should be closely monitored in such patients.
Consider potential toxicitiesspecifically liver, kidney, and cardiac toxicityand immunosuppression from long-term use.
Fetal harm can occur when administered to a pregnant woman; therefore, women of childbearing potential should be advised to not become pregnant while taking GLEEVEC tablets and to avoid breast-feeding while taking GLEEVEC tablets because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants. Sexually active female patients taking GLEEVEC should use adequate contraception. If the patient does become pregnant while taking GLEEVEC, the patient should be advised of the potential hazard to the fetus.
Growth retardation has been reported in children and pre-adolescents receiving GLEEVEC. The long-term effects of prolonged treatment with GLEEVEC on growth in children are unknown; therefore, monitoring of growth in children taking GLEEVEC is recommended.
Cases of tumor lysis syndrome (TLS), including fatal cases, have been reported. The patients at risk of TLS are those with tumors having a high proliferative rate or high tumor burden prior to treatment. These patients should be monitored closely and appropriate precautions taken.
In Ph+ CML trials**, severe (NCI Grades 3/4) lab abnormalitiesincluding neutropenia (3.6%-48%), anemia (1%-42%), thrombocytopenia (<1%-33%), and hepatotoxicity (approx 5%)and severe adverse experiences (NCI Grades 3/4), including hemorrhage (1.8%-19%), fluid retention (eg, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, and ascites) (2.5%-11%) and superficial edema (1.5%-6%), and musculoskeletal pain (2%-9%), were reported among patients receiving GLEEVEC. Severe fluid retention appears to be dose-related, was more common in the advanced phase studies (where the dosage was 600 mg/day), and is more common in the elderly.
There have also been reports, including fatalities, of cardiac tamponade, cerebral edema, acute respiratory failure, and gastrointestinal (GI) perforation.
GLEEVEC is metabolized by the CYP3A4 isoenzyme and is an inhibitor of CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Significant reductions in imatinib concentrations may occur when GLEEVEC is administered concomitantly with agents that are strong CYP3A4 inducers such as rifampin, St. John's wort, and enzyme-inducing anti-epileptic drugs, eg, phenytoin. The use of concomitant strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided. If patients must be administered a strong CYP3A4 inducer, the dosage of GLEEVEC should be increased by at least 50% and clinical response should be carefully monitored. Caution is recommended when GLEEVEC is administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors such as ketoconazole, with CYP2D6 substrates that have a narrow therapeutic window, or with CYP3A4 substrates that have a narrow therapeutic window. Other examples of commonly used drugs that may significantly interact with GLEEVEC include acetaminophen, warfarin, erythromycin, and metoprolol. Grapefruit juice should also be avoided in patients taking GLEEVEC. (Please see full Prescribing Information for other potential drug interactions).
Patients with moderate renal impairment (CrCL = 20-39 mL/min) should receive a 50% decrease in the recommended starting dose and future doses can be increased as tolerated. Doses greater than 600 mg are not recommended in patients with mild renal impairment (CrCL = 40-59 mL/min). For patients with moderate renal impairment, doses greater than 400 mg are not recommended. GLEEVEC should be used with caution in patients with severe renal impairment.
Common Side Effects of GLEEVEC Tablets
Almost all adult Ph+ CML patients who received GLEEVEC in clinical studies experienced adverse reactions at some time, but most were mild to moderate in severity. The most frequently reported adverse reactions (all Grades) were superficial edema (60%-74%), nausea (50%-73%), diarrhea (43%-57%), musculoskeletal pain (38%-49%), rash and related terms (36%-47%), muscle cramps (28%-62%), and vomiting (23%-58%)(+).
Supportive care may help reduce the severity of some mild-to-moderate adverse reactions. However, in some cases, either a dose reduction or interruption of treatment with GLEEVEC may be necessary.
For daily dosing of 800 mg and above, dosing should be accomplished using the 400-mg tablet to reduce exposure to iron.
GLEEVEC tablets should be taken with food and a large glass of water to minimize GI irritation.
Patients should be informed to take GLEEVEC exactly as prescribed, and not to change their dose or stop taking GLEEVEC unless they are told to do so by their doctor. If patients miss a dose, they should be advised to take their dose as soon as possible unless it is almost time for their next dose, in which case the missed dose should not be taken. A double dose should not be taken to make up for any missed dose.
**For more detailed study information, please see full Prescribing Information.
+Numbers indicate the range of percentages in 4 studies among adult patients, with newly diagnosed Ph+ CML, patients in blast crisis, accelerated phase, and in the chronic phase after failure of interferon-alpha therapy.
The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "should," "could," "look forward to," or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential new indications or labeling for Tasigna or regarding potential future revenues from Tasigna or Gleevec. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results with Tasigna or Gleevec to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Tasigna will be submitted or approved for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that Tasigna or Gleevec will achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding Tasigna or Gleevec could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; unexpected clinical trial results, including unexpected new clinical data and unexpected additional analysis of existing clinical data; the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual protection; unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general; government, industry and general public pricing pressures; unexpected manufacturing issues; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group's assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group's consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Novartis
Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis AG, which provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2010, the Group's continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 50.6 billion, while approximately USD 9.1 billion (USD 8.1 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges) was invested in R&D throughout the Group. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 121,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.
Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis.
Novartis Media Relations


text:
Matsukaze can deliver as a banker in the anchor leg of Sunday's Triple Trio at Sha Tin and the likely front-runner represents apprentice Dicky Lui Cheuk-yin's best chance of a maiden win in his short career.
Lui has ridden the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained grey at his last two starts, and they could be both be termed "learning experiences" for the young rider, as he went too fast on the seven-year-old in front, carving out speedy sectionals in the first half of events and leaving nothing for the finish.
Matsukaze has run mighty races despite the early pressure, finishing second and third behind some handy types - Grand Elite and Calling With Love - and with some more mindful tactics from his jockey, can win over his pet course and distance against a moderate field.
Yiu will have sat down and watched the replays with Lui and his instructions again will be to find the rail and rate as best he can, which he will be able to do with minimum effort from gate three, with the only chance of pressure being from out-of-form Classic Figure, with Brett Prebble perhaps trying to bluff the youngster into handing up easily, hoping to pinch a soft lead from gate nine.
All five of Matsukaze's wins have been over the course and distance and he has been left alone by the handicapper, going up just one point in the last two starts.
His 53-rating has him near the top of the weights with 129, but Lui's 10-pound relief means he carries just two pounds more than the bottom weight in this event, the Class Five-bound Loving All.
Lucky Chevalier (Richard Fourie) is the biggest danger - and another option as a banker - drawn four and capable of running a race after some solid lead-up gallops. He will be stalking the speed and should be in the money.
Lucky Nistelrooy (Tye Angland) has drawn badly, but comes in third-up. His blood issues are a worry, but he needs to be included. Throw in Caga Spirit (Tim Clark) and Floral Man (Olivier Doleuze) in the calculation.
Rather than risk a banker in a wide-open first leg, go with a straight four or five selections. Forget All Bountiful (Douglas Whyte) went around last start - he was sent out favourite partly because of the John Size-Whyte factor - but was three-deep with no cover for the trip and dropped right out. A week later from gate two and stepping up in trip, he will be in the market again and the stable must be respected.
Cosmo One (Weichong Marwing) was the victim of an indecisive ride from apprentice Lui at his last start and, while gate seven is awkward, he should be included.
Richard Gibson's Expectator (Doleuze) will be fancied at his fourth start following a solid first-up effort at Happy Valley, albeit after a soft run in transit - with a low draw he will be there.
Theheroinmyheart (Tim Clark) has been disappointing, but surely he is better than a rating of 44, and what should be a genuine pace will help. The other options are Kingston Spartacus (Angland) and Suisse D'Or (Matthew Chadwick).
The middle pin is the hardest - go with Elegant Frames (Marwing) as a banker after his solid debut up the straight, from Winsome (Doleuze), Golden Gunners (Derek Leung Ka-chun), Super Brother (Chadwick) and Heartland (Ben So Tik-hung).
(1) Humongus, (8) Noble Flier, (10) Medic Champion, (11) Watch First.
(1) Jun Dao, (2) Xi Ying Men, (10) Well Fit, (14) Duo Glory.
(4) Taknam, (5) Holy Mac, (8) Grand Elite, (11) Winning Instinct.
(2) Suisse D'or, (3) Kingston Spartacus, (4) Public Figure, (5) Wild Force.
(1) Happy Ceramibo, (5) Elegant Frames, (6) Spectacular Award, (7) Winsome.
(2) Matsukaze, (8) Lucky Chevalier, (12) Floral Man, (14) Loving All.
(2) Costa Del Sol, (4) Sterling City, (5) The Peak, (13) Corporal Jones.
(4) Sea Diamond, (10) Dance For Gold, (12) Happy Champion, (14) Highland Dragon.
(1) Liberator, (3) Familists, (7) Dan Excel, (8) Little Dreams.
(1) Fat Choy Oohlala, (2) New Vision, (5) Amigo, (11) Cheers Joy.
Read Michael Cox's blog – The good, the bad and the ugly. Go to: http://www.scmp.com/author/michael-cox-0


text:
found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
I am already spayed, up to date with shots, declawed, and good with kids.
Hi, my name is Abby. I used to live in Minneapolis with my family, but mom lost her job and they had to move. They couldn't take me with them. I miss them very much. Now I am staying at Cat Nap Lodge in Michigan. It's OK. They take good care of me, but I really want a family of my own again. I would love to lay in your lap and purr! I am a big, beautiful girl who loves human companionship. Can I com home with you!
Abby has been tested for Feline Leukemia and has had her FVRCP and Rabies shots. She has had her flea and worm treatments. She has been spayed and declawed.
Please call us at 269-567-0328 to make an appointment to visit Abby.
Thank you for your interest in one of our Cat Nap Lodge cats!
Abby, a Richland Domestic Shorthair cat was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Domestic Shorthair for sale in Richland, or seeking a Domestic Shorthair cat from a breeder in Richland.


text:
Intel Launch Optane SSD
Intel recently launched their 3D XPoint non-volatile memory (NVM) under the brand name of Optane. The SSD label in some of the branding might imply that it's a different type of durable storage, but the technology is aimed at applications that would normally use RAM. This marks the beginning of the end of the compromise between in memory and persistent.
Using Deep Learning Technologies IBM Reaches a New Milestone in Speech Recognition
The research team at IBM recently announced they've reached a new industry record at 5.5%, using the SWITCHBOARD linguistic corpus. This brings us closer to what's considered to be the human error rate, 5.1%. They used deep learning technologies and acoustic models to accomplish this milestone.
HelloFresh's Migration to a New API Gateway to Enable Microservices
HelloFresh recently migrated their applications to a new API gateway with zero downtime. Their Director of Engineering, Ítalo Lelis de Vietro, shared the challenges and the migration process in a recent article.
Netflix Demonstrates Big Data Analytics Infrastructure
At QCon San Francisco, engineers at Netflix discussed their big data strategy and analytics infrastructure. This included a summary of the scale of their data, their S3 data warehouse, and Genie, their big data federated orchestration system.
NGINX Plus R12 Brings Master-Peer Configuration Sharing, Improved Scripting, and More
Nginx has announced release 12 of NGINX Plus, the paid version of the popular NGINX open source web server. NGINX Plus R12 brings a new configuration-sharing feature aimed to simplify clustering, official support for the nginScript language, and improvements in monitoring and instrumentation, caching, and reliability.
Apache Ranger Graduates to Top-Level Project
Apache Ranger, a security management framework for Apache Hadoop ecosystem, graduated to top level. Ranger is used as a centralized component to define and administer security policies that are enforced across supported Hadoop components such as Apache HBase, Hadoop (HDFS and YARN), Apache Hive, Apache Kafka, Apache Solr, among others.
How JD.com Moved to Kubernetes from OpenStack
JD.com, one of China's largest e-commerce companies, recently shared their experience in adopting Kubernetes to evolve to an application container based infrastructure from an OpenStack-managed IaaS one. The move, that also includes an in-house component for networking, improved resource utilization by 30%.
Testers Should Think Like Marketeers
Testers should be sharing stories and talking about the things they care about, to get people interested in what they are doing. The future of testing needs testers to think like marketeers. They can start by making or writing something such as a blog, article, talk, or video, and share it.
Common Reasons for Failed Kubernetes Deployments
A recent series of articles highlighted the 10 common reasons for failed Kubernetes deployments. These range from missing and incorrect inputs, to exceeding resource limits. In most cases, the kubectl describe command can help to pinpoint the underlying reason.
Lightbend Speaks to InfoQ on Their Acquisition of OpsClarity
Nine months after acquiring BoldRadius, Lightbend announced their acquisition of OpsClarity, a company specializing in monitoring reactive applications. InfoQ interviewed Mark Brewer, president and CEO at Lightbend and Alan Ngai, co-founder of OpsClarity and now VP of cloud services at Lightbend to learn more about this new partnership.
Beam Graduates to Top-Level Apache Project
Beam exits incubation period and graduates to top-level Apache project, Google support and contribution to open source integration for various data processing backends and more.
Relearning Functional Service Design for Microservices: Uwe Friedrichsen at microXchg
The opening talk of the microXchg microservices conference was delivered by Uwe Friedrichsen, and discussed "Resilient Functional Service Design". Key takeaways included: microservice developers should learn about fault tolerant design patterns and caching; understanding Domain-Driven Design (DDD) and modularity is vital; and aim for replaceability of components rather than reuse.
Deep Learning at Gilt
Deep Learning is a rapidly evolving subfield of Machine Learning originating from Neural Networks. Recent algorithmic advances and utilization of GPU parallelization have resulted in Deep Learning based algorithms mastering the game of Go as well as several practical applications. The fashion industry is one of the target sectors for Deep Learning. Gilt is using Deep Learning for real world apps
Microsoft AirSim, a Simulator for Drones and Robots
Microsoft has developed and open sourced AirSim, a tool that can be used to simulate the flight of drones around the world. The simulator is built on the Unreal Engine and Microsoft will soon add support for robots and other types of vehicles.
Apache Flink 1.2 Released with Dynamic Rescaling, Security and Queryable State
Apache Flink 1.2 was announced and features dynamic rescaling, security, queryable state, and more. The release resolved 650 issues, maintains compatibility with all public APIs and ships with Apache Kafka 0.10 and Apache Mesos support. Flink's dynamic rescaling allows one to change the parallelism of a streaming job or of an operator within the job.
Fastly's edge cloud platform powers fast, secure, and scalable digital experiences. Discover how we can help you keep pace with customer expectations.
How to build a CI/CD pipeline with Terraform
Join Fastly web performance and browser engineer Patrick Hamann — formerly of The Guardian and The Financial Times — as he walks you through creating a continuous deployment pipeline using Travis, Terraform, Fastly, and GitHub.
Threat modeling, incident command, & DDoS mitigation
This metaplaybook draws from real-world experiences and tactics, offering your team the tools necessary to implement your own response to impending threats.
Guide to reducing your CDN bill
Fastly Principal Developer Advocate Andrew Betts — formerly of the Financial Times — walks you through how to dramatically reduce bandwidth consumption for a site hosting versioned downloadable assets.
4 Things to Consider When Delivering Apps in Hybrid or Multi-Cloud Environments
There's a multitude of benefits and challenges when considering hybrid and multi-cloud strategies — let leading industry experts walk you through how the cloud is changing, including key considerations for cloud adoption.


text:
A CHRISTMAS tree farm is stepping in to help a hospice with its annual tree collection service.
Since opening for the festive season on December 1, staff at Croft Christmas Trees, near Darlington, have been encouraging their customers to sign up for the St Teresa's Hospice Christmas tree collection service.
The service allows people to dispose of their Christmas trees after the holidays in an environmentally friendly way and raise money for the hospice.
With support from Darlington Rotary Club, last year's collection raised £2,406 for St Teresa's Hospice.
Hospice director Jane Bradshaw said: "Last year's Christmas tree collection was a runaway success, thanks to the support of Darlington Rotary Club and our local Christmas tree sellers.
"In fact, we collected twice as many trees in half the time, due to gaining experience the year before, and we're hoping to do even better this year.
"The message is simple - let us take the hassle out of your Christmas clear-up, in an environmentally friendly way, which helps your local hospice."
Christmas tree collections will take place on January 5 and 6 next year. To register a Christmas tree, visit darlingtonhospice.org.uk


text:
The Best of Notable Quotables; December 16, 1996
Table of Contents:
- The Best of Notable Quotables; December 16, 1996
- Craig Livingstone Award
- Freddy Krueger Award
- Chris Dodd Talking Points
- Good Morning Morons
- Until Every Child is Dead
- Politics of Meaninglessness
- Blaming Reagan
- I Am Woman
- Fear of the Competition
- Al Gore Tax Cut Scheme
- Damn Conservatives
- Which Way Is It?
- Media Hero
- Timothy McVeigh Award
- Bryant Gumbel Award
- If the Bias Fits Award
- What's the Frequency
- Quote of the Year
- 1996 Award Judges
Fear of the Competition Award (for Impugning Talk Radio)
NBC's Bryant Gumbel: "You mention talk radio. They [relatives of
Oklahoma bombing victims] have some very hard feelings about talk
radio and the hate being spewed by some of those on the far end
of the spectrum."
Bill Moyers: "If anything, talk radio in that part of the world
is more anti-government today than ever. The airwaves are
saturated with hostility, it's just an unremitting vilification
of government. Sometimes it's, sometimes it's, you know, the
government makes mistakes and there are justifiable grievances
against government. But this is, this goes beyond that, it's
excessive. And these people take it like salt in the wound. They
drive around, they turn on their radio, they hear some vicious
attack on government, and they think, `You know, if you strike
the government, you kill my daughter.'"
-- Bill Moyers on the April 12 Today promoting that night's Dateline on the families of and victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. [105 points]
"Limbaugh's draft-avoiding, non-churchgoing, non-voting, non- fact-checking, painfully insecure triple-wife lifestyle all are topics delicately touched upon by Franken. Where I think he really hits the jackpot, though, is when he actually quotes Limbaugh directly as in: ...`I'm sick and tired of playing theone phony game I've had to play and that is this so-called
compassion for the poor. I don't have compassion for the poor.'
He may not have cancer, either, and I would pray that he never
have to walk that particular path of pain: Yet who am I to say,
or how can any of us know, the ways of God in unlocking a heart
grown hard? It could happen more gently; I notice a couple of
weeks ago, for instance, they shut down that `Rush Room' at
Blackie's House of Beef. Limbaugh `is fading right now' in
popularity among the restaurant's patrons, according to catering
manager Paul DeKoning. Is this a great country, or what?"
--Washington Post reporter Phil McCombs (whom Limbaugh ridiculed in
1994) on Saturday Night Live writer Al Franken's new book Rush
Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, January 19
Style section. [64]
"When I heard the quote it sounded to me like it was Limbaugh or
Liddy or Ollie North. It was like wacko talk radio. It didn't
sound like Brinkley. In other words, Brinkley's always been
irreverent, but always kind of classy."
-- CNN's Larry King on David Brinkley's election night comments that Clinton is a "bore"and his speech delivered "more goddamn nonsense," November 7 Larry King Live. [57]


text: For somebody who has a Super Tak 50mm / 1.4 lens with bad glass or who has Super Tak lens parts, this could be a great deal. Actually it could be a terrific deal. What we have here are two Super Tak lens bodies. The glass in both is very good. Some might say excellent, but there are some cleaning marks on the front elements. I honestly do not think they'd make any difference at all, and I would have no hesitation to use either of them. One has the aperture blades. One does not have the aperture blades. Then there also is a lens barrel. It is missing the front trim piece (the filter ring), but the action is fine, and the aperture actuator works also. As I said, if you have Super Tak lens parts or working lenses with bad glass, here is your chance. If you have a Super Tak lens with a bad helical, stiff action, damaged barrel, etc...please don't miss this. The barrel in this offer looks like it saw very little use. $30 for everything plus actual cost of shipping. PayPal ok for international buyers, check/cash/money order for domestic buyers please. If questions, please ask. I'd be willing to consider trades for a Pentax K mount 1.4 lens. Jon


text:
The postmodern scandal
A great Chait point, in defense of Tony Hayward:
Nobody really wants to make the case that Hayward can never relax, or that he can't spend his own money as he sees fit when he does relax. So instead the "controversy" is that it creates an appearance of a controversy. It's a fully postmodern scandal. Here is every portion of the AP story on Hayward's yachting that comes close to explaining why this is a problem:
BP chief executive Tony Hayward, often criticized for being tone-deaf to U.S. concerns about the worst oil spill in American history, took time off Saturday to attend a glitzy yacht race off England's Isle of Wight. ...
That is likely to be a hard sell in Gulf states struggling to deal with the up to 120 million gallons of oil that have escaped from a blown-out undersea well. ...
British environmental groups immediately slammed Hayward's outing. Charlie Kronick of Greenpeace said Hayward was "rubbing salt into the wounds" of Gulf residents whose livelihoods have been wrecked by the disaster.
"Clearly it is incredibly insulting for him to be sailing in the Isle of Wight," he said.
Hugh Walding, the coordinator of the Isle of Wight Friends of the Earth, said Hayward's choice of venue was sure to arouse anger.
"I'm sure that this will be seen as yet another public relations disaster," Walding said.
All these phrases -- tone deaf, hard sell, public relations disaster -- are fundamentally a dodge. Nobody can make the case that Hayward has done anything wrong here, so instead they make the case that other people will believe that Hayward has done something wrong.


text:
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