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Clearance rates go for broke
Melbourne recorded its highest auction clearance rate for the year on Saturday, bolstering claims that the residential market is on a new growth trajectory.
The clearance rate was 82 per cent for the 540 results reported to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. A further 123 results are still to be reported to the industry group.
On this weekend last year, the clearance rate was 57 per cent from 467 auctions. The previous high for auction sales this year – 74 per cent – was recorded on both of the past two weekends.
The residential market kicked off a recovery last September, and there are now two schools of thought on the likely shape of things to come.
One is that we are on the cusp of a boom.
Analysts, including Bell Potter Securities, say huge sums currently held as savings are set to be invested in housing and shares amid expectations that Australia's historically low interest rates will remain at low levels for the next few years. This, it is forecast, will spur an investor-fuelled spending spree on property similar to the 2010 market, when Melbourne prices surged 30 per cent.
But other commentators are concerned about the outlook for Victoria's economy and see modest and sustainable growth.
Advantage Property Consulting managing director Frank Valentic said a boom market occurred when clearance rates hit 85 per cent to 90 per cent.
"The bidders are definitely increasing per auction," he said. "The better quality properties are getting five-plus bidders, but you can't compare the 2010 market with this market.
"It's steady … the buyers still have opportunities, the sellers still have opportunities and it's a more balanced market."
Melbourne's median house price jumped 5 per cent in the June quarter to $553,447, according to Fairfax-owned Australian Property Monitors. The REIV and other analyst groups have also recorded price growth since March.
But these median results may mask the real state of play.
Hocking Stuart director Rob Elsom said the rising median house price had been driven by high-quality homes selling in the inner and middle suburbs. "The reason we are seeing a lot of these good houses come on the market is that everyone has been holding off for three years," he said.
By contrast, many outer-suburban areas had low levels of price growth.
"Our other offices are still seeing properties sell but they're not seeing the runaway results we are having in the inner city," Mr Elsom said.
There is more caution and well-researched buying in today's market. Buyer's advocate Monique Sasson Wakelin said most home owners had responded to interest rate cuts by paying down their existing mortgages rather than by purchasing new properties.
She said demand for inner-city property had increased because of stock shortages over winter. "Come the next five or six weeks, I think a lot of that demand might well be soaked up by the increased supply that is typical in September. But it is probably going to be more of a vendor's market than a buyer's market because of the pent-up demand."
APM's senior economist, Andrew Wilson, said population growth was intensifying demand for property, but this was being tempered by a lacklustre economic outlook. "I think Melbourne and Victoria are one of the more exposed economies if we do get this downturn that [the federal Treasury] are predicting next year," he said.
Meanwhile, the auction market is shifting into top gear. There are 850 auctions scheduled next weekend and nearly 1600 on the following two weekends.


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Reston License Plate Proposed
Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs
12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 551
Fairfax, VA 22035-0065
Contact: Merni Fitzgerald, Director of Public Affairs
703-324-3187, TTY 711, Fax 703-324-2010
Media Pager: 703-324-NEWS (6397)
Nov. 27, 2006
Reston License Plate Proposed
Design Submissions Accepted Until Nov. 30
The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) is accepting design submissions until Nov. 30 for art and a slogan for a proposed Reston license plate. The RCA is looking for entries that will "show off to all the world what a great place Reston is!" All entries must be from Reston residents.
To produce the special license plate, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles requires a minimum of 350 pre-paid applications by Jan. 30, 2007. The RCA will hold all applications and checks until the special license creation process is complete and then forward one large check to the VA DMV.
The link to the license plate application and further information on where to send the application, in addition to instructions for the design contest, are available from the Reston Citizens Association's Web site at www.restoncitizensassociation.org. Information is also available by calling 703-437-4386, TTY 711.
For more news and information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.

subset: commoncrawl


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LIVE Music Mark Yannie LLCWRITE A REVIEW Texas & Minnetonka Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55426 VIEW ON Map
About LIVE Music Mark Yannie LLC
Memorable quality Live Music.
Watch VIDEOS of our groups in action. Jazz, Swing, and Classical groups for am... Read MoreRead More bient background or dancing.
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--Jazz bands--Solo, Duo, Trio, Quartet, or Big Band (7-piece)
for special events, weddings, parties, dancing or background music.
--Chamber ensembles--for ceremonies or formal affairs.
Contact: 952-933-0350


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A former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament has cautioned against making the June 4th uprising an annual event.
Professor Mike Oquaye, in an interview with Okay FM stated that former President Rawlings was rather rubbing salt into the wounds of generations whose family members suffered under his tyrannical regime anytime talks about the celebration comes up.
He advised him to simply 'shut up' and thank his stars for the amnesty the 1992 constitution guarantees him.
'He (Rawlings) has shed uncountable human blood. Recently, I had an encounter with a gentleman whose dad was murdered by Rawlings' men.
I regretted listening to the story and invoking the painful memory the man kept. If I should reveal what he said to me, many spirit would be dampened', he revealed.
'Many are grieving because of this same June 4th uprising commemoration and it is sad to see ex-president Rawlings glorifying the event yearly. The constitution tells us to pardon him but it appears he doesn't see the evil he committed.
He should bear in mind that if he hadn't sin, he wouldn't have been given the indemnity condition stipulated in the 1992 constitution. '
Professor Mike Oquaye posited as a nation, we need to scrap out the June 4th celebration if we want to progress and live in peace.
This article has 0 comment, leave your comment.


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Strictly Come Dancing professional partners Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone have said they are "delighted" to be the joint winners of the Rear of the Year award in the UK.
The ever-modest Simone said he had been waiting "all my life" to win and said his Strictly colleagues would be "devastated" by his triumph.
"I think it was about time," he said. "I haven't seen any other men with amazing rears like me, so I don't have much competition. My bum is eternal. It will last forever."
Cacace said: "Normally we have to really work hard to win something, so to actually be awarded without even knowing is really satisfying."
She added: "I think it's really lovely to actually be known for what you do, and be recognised for our dancing is incredible, and we're so thankful to the audiences more than anything who come and watch our show Midnight Tango.
"We're doing what we love because of them so we're eternally grateful."
"Most of the people who come and see the show - they come for me really. It's my rear," added Simone.


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By October, JPMorgan had placed redemption orders for $78 million it had invested into Madoff feeder funds. Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, JPMorgan then sought to redeem all of its remaining Madoff exposure, and unwind some of the structured products it had written.
All told, through the fall of 2008, JPMorgan's position in Madoff feeder funds fell from $369 million at the beginning of October to about $81 million by Madoff's arrest on Dec. 11, 2008.
Obviously, it could have been worse... and this from a bank that went on to lose in excess of $6 billion on a similarly complex credit derivatives trade now known as the "London Whale."
On Tuesday, JPMorgan agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement on two counts of fraud and $2.6 billion in total fines. The bank, which has already reserved $23 billion for its disparate legal exposures from the housing meltdown, trading losses and LIBOR-related investigations, said in a Tuesday filing it will boost its litigation reserves by $400 million. Since Tuesday's settlement is not tax-deductible, JPMorgan forecasts a $850 million reduction against its fourth quarter net income.
-- Written by Antoine Gara in New York


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The foundations for the Tahanto Regional Middle/High School's new school building are in place, and the roofing for the new building will constructed in the next month, according to the building project website. The steel structure is also in place for the new middle and high school wings, as well as the new art room.
- Matt Gunderson
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.


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Personalised Star Sign
We all read our horoscopes in the paper but have you ever wondered what the star signs really are? Do Gemini's really depict two sides? Are those born under the Capricorn star sign really the origin of calm and stability? Now you can find out exactly what any star sign actually means, as this beautiful certificate presented in a black aluminium frame defines each sign under the zodiac, specific to any ones exact sign!
This gorgeous framed certificate makes a great gift for any lover of astronomy in your life, personalised just for them they will hang it in their home in pride!
Personalise the recipient's certificate with their name, date of birth and a personal message of your choice making a great gift for any special occasion! The certificate will show this as well as their star sign followed by a description of what their star sign means! Presented in black it also shows the star alignment of their sign too making a visually stunning effect that will take the recipients breath away!
- Name
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- Do not include accents and special symbols as some of our processes will not allow this.
Personalised Star Sign Customer Reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have an un-answered question about this product? Simply ask us a question and we'll do our best to help.


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A 1902 Victorian home in a quiet neighborhood in Sturgeon Bay but close to all the Door County attractions.From the cozy decor of the natural hardwood floors and antique furniture to the warmth and inviting fireplaces and whirlpools,we have your comfort in mind.
5 on May 30, 2014
We stayed three nights at the Sawyer House. Ruth is a gracious hostess and a wonderful cook. The breakfasts were delicious and the brownies at night were a treat. I would recommend this bed and breakfast to all of my friends.
4.4 on September 16, 2013
Was very satisfied with the breakfast. Had a goodtime during our stay, very friendly people we meet. My second time at a Bed and Breakfast. We will come back soon.
5 on September 16, 2013
Sawyer house was outstanding. Exactly what we were looking for. From the moment you walk in smelling the morning baking and cooking. Everything is just so inviting. Innkeeper was just so nice. For accommodations, it is astounding! Beautiful house built in 1902. Very Spacious, quiet. Would definitely come again. Recommend it to anyone.
4.2 on September 16, 2013
We enjoyed the tour of this huge house. Our room "The Rose" was a lot bigger than expected. Location is excellent! Ruth was very informative and friendly, and made us feel like at home. Our bed was very comfortable. Breakfast was great! We enjoyed our stay and hope to be back someday.
5 on September 16, 2013
A nice getaway -- Peaceful, quiet, and relaxing, yet close enough to many quaint towns in Door County. Comfortable bed great food and a beautiful home -- all come with a gracious house by the name of Ruth who makes you feel right at home.
4.8 on July 11, 2013
This charming establishment delivered a wonderful experience for our first time visit to Door County Wisconsin. We stayed in the "Wild Rose Room" located upstairs with a lovely view of Sturgeon Bay. Our innkeeper was charming, and her preparation of breakfast made our stay memorable. By the way, those delicious chocolate brownies waiting for her guests in the living room was the perfect end to a beautiful day.
4.4 on June 26, 2013
This was a pleasant place to stay. I would recommend it to others.
5 on May 01, 2013
My sister and I stayed at Ruth's beautifully restored Bed & Breakfast and enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing stay. The Victorian room we stayed in (The Wild Rose) provided comfort, as well as wonderful conveniences like a fireplace and whirlpool tub. We will definitely come again.
5 on May 01, 2013
Excellent! Great innkeeper, tidy & clean rooms, absolutely delicious food!
5 on May 01, 2013
This was my first visit to Sawyer House and to a bed and breakfast. The house is beautiful and very charming. The rooms are nicely decorated andclean. Wonderful breakfast is served by Ruth, the innkeeper. Would definitely come back again for a weekend of relaxation.
A cozy room with a soothing yellow and green decor complete with an antique Queen size black iron bed with gold accents, the original hardwood floor, cable TV, wireless internet, double whirlpool with shower and bathroom.
This lacy white room is graced with an antique white Queen iron bed with brass accents, gas fireplace, cable TV, and soft carpeting. The bathroom is a short distance down the hall and has a claw-foot tub with shower.
Relax in the antique high-boy bed and unwind in front of the gas fireplace on youir full size couch. The color scheme is white and red tones. The attached large bathroom has a double whirlpool with a separate shower. Our largest room, ideal for a special occasion or just relaxing on vacation.
As the name suggests, the decor is a delightful green and white with an antique four-poster mahogany bed, gas fireplace and soft carpeting. Veiw the beauty of the outdoors or relax in the double whirlpool with shower.
Nightly Rate: $0 - $140
Nightly Rate: $0 - $140
Door County, Small town
Green Bay, WI (GRB-Austin Strauble Field)
Travel north on Highway 42-57 to Sturgeon Bay and take the first business exit into Sturgeon Bay. Continue on that road, down the hill and before the next stop light,turn left on Oak Street. Go to end of block, turn left onto Lansing Ave. and trun in the first driveway on the right.
Antique Shopping, Art Galleries, Beach, Concert venue, Gourmet/Fine Dining, Historical interests, Lake, Live Music, Movie Theater, Museum, National/State parks, Nature area, Lighthouses, Performing Theater, Picnic area, Religious Services, Winery
Bed and Breakfast
DVD Player, Telephone, Videos
Air conditioning, Alarm clock, CD player, Ceiling fans, Fireplace, Fridge, Hot tub/whirlpool tub, Radio, Satellite/Cable TV, Wi-Fi
Bicycle rental, Bicycle riding trails, Boating, Cross-country ski trails, Fishing, Golfing, Hiking trails, Horseback riding, Sailing, Shopping, Sight-seeing, Ski rentals, Snow shoe rental, Water sports
per request


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Offset lithography is one of the most common ways of creating printed matter. A few of its Read more ›
Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital-based image directly to a va Read more ›
The digital revolution has forever changed the world of graphics. But that doesn't mean Read more ›
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We are pleased to introduce to you - AL Qabas Printing Press as one of the leading printing presses in Oman with sophisticated machinery located centrally in Al Khuwair behind the Mc Donald`s building.
Some of the services that we provide are Offset printing, Graphic designing, Gold foiling, Box printing, all types Envelope and Folder printing, T-shirt printing, Gift item printing, Sunshade printing, and Stickers and Banners customization and printing.
We have major contracts with clients such as Galfar Group of Companies, United Engineering Services LLC, Carillion Alawi, Al Nawras Telecomm, Omantel, Bank Dhofar, Bank Muscat, Oman International Bank, Oman Flour Mills, Royal & Sun Alliance, Assarain Groups, Luban Trading, Arabian Industries, OTI, Saud Bahwan Group, Al Falaj Hotel and Ruwi Novatel. Read more ›


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When Robert Karlsson used the phrase "brain freeze" to describe a quite debilitating case of the yips, he probably found kindred spirits among the golf writers.
Battering away remorselessly here at the Hoylake Open, for instance, the mangled minds often become as barren as a polar ice cap.
Two years ago, on the eve of the Open just up the coast at Royal Lytham, Karlsson withdrew from the championship with one major problem; he simply could not swing the club.
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The process which had come so naturally to him from childhood, right through to those glory years when he was competing in Ryder Cups and topping the European order of merit, suddenly became an anguish-laden palaver and one that he feared he would never fully recover from.
These days, he is working his way into full swing. A neatly assembled three-under 69 yesterday, which was bolstered by a profitable thrust on the inward half, hoisted him up among the early movers and shakers in the 143rd Open and provided another positive sign that this canny Swede is on his way back.
It has not been an easy journey. "I had to do some soul searching for myself to see if I wanted to keep doing this," said the 44-year-old, as he reflected on a mental mash up that took some three months to cure.
"I just couldn't swing the club back [at Royal Lytham]. It was so weird because I knew how to hit shots, it just wasn't happening. It was a total brain freeze. It was health problems, but more in the brain. I would start to stand too long over the ball, thinking too much. All of a sudden I've been standing there for a minute and it just went from bad to worse."
Karlsson reached the giddy heights of sixth in the world when he was at the peak of his powers back in 2008 but he has found himself languishing outside of the leading 200 in recent seasons. At the moment, he is 140th but, as each week passes, the Swede continues to haul himself up the ladder. A fourth-place finish in the French Open, which earned him a tee-time for this week's showpiece, and a top-10 in the Scottish Open have aided this determined clamber.
"Two weeks ago, I was 199th," he said. "So trying to get back up there is inspiring me. When I was struggling I was just beating myself up. Now I take a little step as a big positive. If I was 270th in the world then it was great to get to 260th. Of course, I'd like to be 15th, 10th or fifth but I'm not. I can't compare myself to the guys playing in the Ryder Cup or winning the order of merit because I'm not there at the moment. It's step by step."
A leaf through the archives has also helped him prepare for a brighter future. "I had a bit of a team talk with the guys I'm working with in June last year and we decided to have a look at some old pictures, [from] when I did well in 2008, and use some of those as a benchmark and we went from there," he said of that rummage through the albums that documented his most successful season on tour. "I've been working very hard since and things are kind of coming together nicely now."
Things certainly came together yesterday as Karlsson marched out in the very first group of the day and returned as the clubhouse leader, albeit fairly briefly.
Up at 4am for his 6.25 tee-off time, Karlsson finally got into his stride in the perfect conditions once he had turned for home. One-over through nine, he knocked in a six-footer for birdie on the 10th before chipping in on the 12th during a four-under inward stretch. "The stands were full on the first tee and I was very impressed by that; I certainly wouldn't have been there at that time," he said with a smile.
Karlsson has been a fixture at the Open for a quarter of a century. He shared fifth in the 1992 championship at Muirfield but then missed the cut in his next eight appearances. Indeed it was only really on his last visit to Hoylake, in 2006, that he finally felt like he had got to grips with the nuances of the links game.
"I used to put myself under way too much pressure but that year I just played comfortably," he said. "At the end of the day, it's 18 tees and 18 holes that have to be conquered four times. That was a huge step forward for me."
Having conquered those mental demons too, Karlsson continues to make significant strides.


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DADE CITY — They took a collective knee near the south end zone, got words of consolation from their coach and recited the Lord's prayer a final time. Then, a group of cheerleaders sent a strand of black balloons floating into the frigid sky.
With those helium-filled orbs went the dreams of the 2008 Pasco Pirates.
One of the most magical autumns Dade City has experienced ended Friday night, but not before overlapping into winter. The Pirates' 28-14 loss to Tallahassee Godby in the Class 3A state semifinals — before a packed W.F. Edwards Stadium audience — put a sobering end to a season even second-year coach Tom McHugh never imagined would last this long.
"These guys have hearts of champions," McHugh said. "There's nothing really else I can say. I didn't think they could do it. I think we overachieved just based on a team effort."
On a night when temperatures flirted with the high 30s, the overachievement darned near continued. Down 28-7 with just under 10 minutes to play, Pasco (12-2) scored three plays after a Cougars fumble to make it a two-touchdown game, and had first and goal at the Godby 4-yard line with 3:17 remaining, but failed to punch it in.
The outcome was sealed when linebacker Justin Jones batted away D.J. Clower's fourth-down pass into the end zone.
"We've exceeded everyone's limits they put on us," senior two-way lineman Zach Faza said. "And really that's a victory in and of itself."
Until Clower's final pass, Godby's self-destructiveness (three lost fumbles, two errant field-goal tries) and Pasco's defensive strategy had kept the Pirates' aspirations alive.
Against the most prolific passing attack they had encountered all season, the Pirates successfully clogged the secondary with nickel and dime packages, holding Godby (12-2) to 138 passing yards. In essence, Pasco dared Godby to run.
And the Cougars took them up on it. Behind junior Lavorie Johnson (24 carries, 149 yards), the Cougars ran effectively enough to give their passing game some breathing room, scoring twice in the first 2:06 of the fourth quarter to pull ahead 28-7.
Before that spurt, Godby had begun third-quarter drives on the Pasco 16 and 9, but failed to score either time. One 30-yard field goal try ended with a botched snap; another sailed wide right.
"We were our own worst enemy tonight from time to time," Godby coach Shelton Crews said. "We've seen a little bit of what they were doing earlier in the year, and we were just trying to take what they gave us. …You noticed we ran the ball more tonight than we've been running."
Pasco scored on its second possession of the night when junior Chaise Dunn got behind Godby's secondary and lunged for a 25-yard touchdown catch from Clower, but could muster little else until the fourth quarter. Pasco had only 58 first-half yards and failed to get a first down on the next five possessions after Dunn's touchdown.
Godby tied the score on Johnson's 8-yard touchdown run with 5:48 to play in the first half, then scored on the half's final play when FSU commitment Willie Downs — a distant cousin of Pirates senior Josh Johnson — took a direct snap and made a 1-yard scoring plunge.
Godby quarterback A.J. Graham, a 3,500-yard passer, managed only 103 aerial yards, but scored both of the Cougars' fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 35-yard run two plays after a Pirates fumble that made it a 21-point game.
"We wanted him to run and that's what he did," McHugh said. "Sometimes you get a little blood in your eyes and you live by the blitz and you die by the blitz. … They did what they were told to do and it didn't work out for us tonight."


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Supercell, Chillingo, Rovio, Wooga, Big Fish and PlayFirst talking at Winter Nights conference
And what better way to kick it off than the self-styled 'only international event in Eastern Europe devoted exclusively to mobile game marketing and development'.
That's the Winter Nights conference in St Petersburg, which follows on from last year's successful White Nights event in June.
Sweet talkin'
Granted things will be cooler in February, but the conference schedule is already filling up fast.
Hot speakers including PlayFirst CEO Marco DeMiroz, Chillingo's Ed Rumley, Big Fish's Chris Williams, Ville Heijari from Rovio, Michael Schade from Fishlabs plus speakers from Supercell and Wooga.
Oh, and some bloke from Pocket Gamer is talking about '9 tricks to ensure your mobile game gets the best PR'. Sounds familiar...
Neatly, the conference operates in a novel fashion, running across the afternoons and evenings of Friday 8 - Saturday 9 February (2.30pm to 9pm).
Early-bird registration, starting at $200, is available until 25 December, and you can check out the conference program here.


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Sunset Photo and News; London Ent / Splash News online
Over last weekend, Lauren Conrad and Hayden Panettiere stepped out showing off shiny new bags, and it seems the two California girls have a lot more in common than just boys — both have dated Laguna Beach alum Stephen Colletti. They love the same black D&G purse! The Hills star brought her patent satchel shopping with her friends in West Hollywood, while the Heroes cheerleader lugged her matte bag to a studio in Culver City. We love how chic the bag looks with their casual outfits, but the price tag is way too hefty for us. Check out how to get Lauren and Hayden's actual D&G lock satchel and some similar looks for less.
Get Lauren and Hayden's Bag!
For Real:
D&G large patent satchel with lock, $1110, neimanmarcus.com
D&G Allyson matte bowling bag, $990, neimanmarcus.com
For a Steal:
Elliot Luca patent satchel, $338, nordstrom.com
Hype black pebble leather Costa del Sol satchel, $160, target="_blank">bluefly.com
Tango large tote, $110, guess.com
Quilted Patent Lock Shopper, $59 at anntaylorloft.com


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Lots of data can be daunting – how do we know quickly and easily what it all means? Technology is helping us to explore the vast quantities of information we now collect. There are many technologies to choose from – from the humble graphic calculator or spreadsheet, all the way to inputting data into open […]
Posts Tagged 'dynamic'
Amazing data representation
Posted by admin on May 7th, 2013


text: My New Social Media Opportunity By Mike McCready On 22 March 2011 In Social Media, Web Strategy share Social media will not be going away. This is largely due to the mobile market. According to comScore, 25% of US mobile subscribers used their devices to access social networks sites or blogs in January, 2011. Olivier Blanchard in his great book, Social Media ROI, had this to say: We did not grow tired of the telephone, of the television, of the Internet, or of our ever-evolving portable devices. We will not grow tired of the social web either. Just as e-mail and the telephone have been baked into society as accepted forms of communications, so too will social media. Companies that will see success in the next few years will be those that truly embrace and leverage social media to its full capacity. I don't mean simply maintaining a Twitter account or running a few social media campaigns. I mean fully integrate social media into every facet of the organization; customer service, recruitment, legal, marketing… everywhere. This is why I'm excited that the leadership at Lethbridge College has seen fit to establish a new role that I will be transitioning into – a Web & Social Media Strategist. If you want some insight into the role of a social media strategist, check out this post from Jeremiah Owyang. There is a lot of opportunity over the next few years and I look forward to working with stakeholders to develop strategies that will ensure Lethbridge College is successful in this ever-changing landscape. Related Posts When Does Social Media Stop Being Social? Web Strategy… Adding Intelligence to Web Design Weekly Video: Publishing is Dead… Or is It? How I Landed my First Speaking Invitation Tracy Edwards We look forward to your leadership, Mike! http://twitter.com/ConnieMcKnight Connie McKnight Congratuations Mike – sounds like a very interesting position. I totally agree that Social Media is not going away. If business don't embrace it, they are going to be left behind. Connie Michael Stoner Mike, I'm really delighted to hear this news. And kudos to Lethbridge for recognizing your talent and passion. You'll do a great job: congratulations! Ron Shewchuk Congrats Mike! I'm sure you'll bring a lot to your new role and I look forward to following your adventures. No shortage of opportunity indeed! Shannon Bowen-Kelsick (sbk) Congratulations Mike – sounds like a fabulous opportunity and a great fit, and a great challenge! I agree, social media / online marketing will just be something we do everyday in the future. And people will start getting all the terms right too, instead of staying "I am getting on that Tweeter thing" http://twitter.com/ronbronson RB Congrats on the new role!


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The Center for the Study of Social Difference and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Council are co-hosting a spring 2017 Keywords Roundtable Discussion on the keyword "justice" on Thursday, March 23, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. in Butler Library 203.
The emphasis in the Keyword Conversations is, indeed, on conversation, so we ask each participant to prepare only about ten minutes of critical reflections, which are followed by dialogue among participants and audience members.
Inaugurated in 2010, Keywords: Interdisciplinary Roundtable Conversations was inspired by the innovative interdisciplinary scholarship promoted by the Center for the Study of Social Difference. Currently a collaborative effort of CSSD and the WGSS Council, the Keywords series draws participants together from a wide range of disciplinary homes in order to explore the various ways we think about fundamental critical/theoretical ideas and to generate new vocabularies and new methodologies.
The Center for the Study of Social Difference is committed to creating an environment that includes and welcomes colleagues, students, and guests with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations, please contact email@example.com at least one week in advance of the event. If you have further questions about campus accessibility, please contact Disability Services at (212) 854-2388.
Please go to socialdifference.columbia.edu to learn more about CSSD. Visit irwgs.columbia.edu/wgsscufor information about the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Council.


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New Zealand Toddler Eats Leftovers For 2 Days After Her Mother Suddenly Died
Police in Wellington, New Zealand were called to the home of 28-year-old Lauren Silbery when a neighbor, acting on the request of Lauren's family, looked into a window only the see 3-year-old Shylah, but not her mother. When the police arrived, they were able to get Shylah to drag the coffee table to the front door and unlock the door to let them in. Shylay told the police, "Mummy won't wake up."
When the police searched the house, they found Lauren face-down next to her bed, having died two days earlier. Shylah had been able to open the fridge and ate cheese and leftover lasagna, and drank milk for the two days until the police arrived.
Results of an autopsy are still pending, but authorities do not believe the death is supicious. Given the position of her body, it is believed Lauren suffered a stroke or heart attack and fell out of bed.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Shylah has been in the custody of Child, Youth and Family, but her family is planning to get custody.
Shylah's uncle Pete Silbery has said that Shylah seems to be doing fine and is acting cheerful, though at the funeral she was aware of what was going on,
"When we lowered the coffin into the grave at the cemetery, though, she pointed at it and said 'Mummy's in there.' It was pretty heartbreaking."
via MSNBC


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- Member since: May 11, 2011
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- Height: 5'10"
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- Body Type: athletic
- Hair Color: brown
- Hair Length: short
- Facial Hair: goatee
- Body Hair: shaved
- Eye Color: green
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Washington, February 8 (ANI): Surveys conducted by Rice University's Kinder Institute have found that U.S.-born Asians (about 60 percent) are much more likely to be college-educated than U.S.-born Anglos (under 40 percent).
This is the first systematic look at the local Asian population based on three surveys conducted over a 16-year period.
The surveys, conducted in 1995, 2002 and 2011 in conjunction with the annual Kinder Institute Houston Area Survey, directed questions about demographics, life experiences and societal issues to all of Houston's varied Asian communities.
The surveys explored the similarities and differences among the Houston area's four largest Asian communities: the Vietnamese, Indian/Pakistani, Chinese/Taiwanese and Filipino populations.
The surveys found that growing proportions of Harris County's Asian adults are now the U.S.-born children of Asian immigrants, and they are even better educated than their parents. In the 2011 survey, 31 percent of the Asian respondents were born in America, compared with only 10 percent in 1995, when the first Asian survey was conducted.
U.S.-born Asians are more likely than the Asian immigrants to be college-educated (58 percent of first-generation Asians and 61 percent in the second generation). In sharp contrast, only 37 percent of Harris County's U.S.-born Anglos have college degrees.
The American-born Asians are earning higher incomes than their first-generation counterparts: 42 percent of the U.S.-born Asians aged 25 and older are making 75,000 dollars or more per year, compared with 29 percent of first-generation immigrants.
U.S.-born Asians (91 percent) are also more likely than first-generation immigrants (79 percent) to have close personal friends who are Anglo, and 84 percent of U.S.-born Asians are more likely than first-generation immigrants (60 percent) to have close friends who are African-American. Moreover, 61 percent said they had been in a romantic relationship with someone who was non-Asian, compared with just 32 percent of the Asian immigrants.
Despite levels of education that are much higher on average than those of Anglos, Asians generally have lower household incomes. Thirty-six percent of Anglos report household incomes of more than 75,000 dollars, compared with only 28 percent of all Asians.
"Part of this difference may be due to being younger and having arrived as immigrants with educational credentials that may be difficult to transfer into a new society," said Stephen Klineberg, Kinder Institute co-director and Rice sociologist.
"Part of it also may reflect the impact of continuing discrimination that makes it harder for Asians to reach the top positions in the American economy," he added.
Klineberg released the findings at an event hosted by the institute at the Asia Society Texas Center. (ANI)


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Yet Another Country Proposes Ban On Full-Face Veil
In a proposed restriction not unlike France's recent ban on the burkini, Germany will soon be drafting up a plan for the partial prohibition (or "burka ban lite") of full-face veils in public areas.
These public places, according to Thomas de Maizière, refer to "government offices, schools and universities, courtrooms, demonstrations and behind the wheel" or anywhere "it is necessary for our society's coexistence."
De Maizière added, "We all reject the full veil — not only the burka but also other types of full veil that only leave the eyes visible. They have no place in our society."
This is believed to help create a safer and more cohesive country as a whole.
But, as Rebecca Vineyard puts it, "Despite the insistence that the intentions behind the proposal are good, there is a clear dissonance between promoting a "tolerant, free society," as Henkel says, and de Maizière's demands that women show their faces."
While many deem it a "long overdue" ban, others are seemingly appalled, like these Twitter users whose tweets are going viral:
The lottery of indecency - En anglais, merci @bitofkit pour la traduction ! pic.twitter.com/y1fYq5rGh5— La sauvage jaune (@LaSauvageJaune) August 22, 2016
1925 vs 2016. 90 years later and we're still policing women on what they wear to the beach. #BurkiniBan pic.twitter.com/gOUKM8H8NZ— Matthew Ruddle (@RuddleMatthew) August 24, 2016
Here are all the other countries, according to a CNN report, which have proposed, partial, local, or national bans on full-face veils.
So, what do you think about this proposed ban? Should government be able to determine what one wears? We'll leave that up to you to decide.
NEXT: Meet the 23 Year Old Mobilizing Muslim Girls Voices On the Internet »
Related Stories:
• Malala Condemns Donald Trump's Proposal for Muslim Exclusion
• This Muslim Woman Just Turned Hate Tweets Into an Inspiring Deed
Photo Credit: Godong/UIG via Getty Images


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Wineries set to toast to new venue for sales
Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:20:36 GMT —
Your trip to the farmers market for fresh fruits and veggies could soon also include samples of wine.
Lawmakers in Lansing are nearing final approval on Senate Bill 79 which would allow small winemakers to offer tastings and sell wine at farmers markets.
Wineries would have to apply for a permit and pay a $25 fee. The legislation defines a small wine maker as one which manufactures or bottles no more than 5-thousand gallons of wine a year.
Under the legislation, the tasting samples provided to a customer would not exceed three servings of 2-ounces or less of wine in a 24-hour period.
The bill was approved by the House Wednesday and returned to the Senate before heading to Governor Snyder.


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Free Sewing Projects
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Free sewing projects from beginner to expert are either here, or coming soon. Also categories like retro sewing pattern projects and costume sewing projects can be found here. Many learning experiences, tips and techniques in these pages.
New to Sewing?
If you're learning to sew, be sure to check out free sewing instructions. These pages will prepare you for the beginner sewing projects, then ease your way into the easy sewing projects. Although they are considered easy for an intermediate or advanced sewer, they can be challenging for someone who has never sewn, so be sure to take advantage of all the learning pages.
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Glu may consider whether significant non-recurring items that arise in the future should also be excluded in calculating the non-GAAP financial measures it uses.Glu believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when taken together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures, provide meaningful supplemental information regarding Glu's performance by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of Glu's core business, operating results or future outlook. Glu's management uses, and believes that investors benefit from referring to, these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing Glu's operating results, as well as when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate comparisons of Glu's performance to prior periods. Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, including those regarding our "Business Outlook as of February 5, 2013" ("First Quarter Expectations – Quarter Ending March 31, 2013" and "2013 Expectations – Full Year Ending December 31, 2013") and the statements that: we anticipate seeing momentum accelerate as new titles launch incorporating our new monetization systems; we believe Glu is strongly positioned to lead in a Social Gaming 2.0 landscape; we will continue to deliver engaging core gameplay, industry leading production values, and outstanding global reach; our new product roadmap is designed to drive higher monetization and lifetime value; every game we release in 2013 is designed to have the potential to outperform our best titles of years past; while we expect first quarter results to be impacted by a combination of seasonality and further delays in title launches, we remain in position to benefit from increasing monetization trends as we implement our new strategy; and that we are confident in our ability to end 2013 with approximately $14 million in cash and without the need to raise additional capital or incur debt. These forward-looking statements are subject to material risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Investors should consider important risk factors, which include: the risks identified under "Business Outlook as of February 5, 2013"; the risk that consumer demand for smartphones, tablets and next-generation platforms does not grow as significantly as we anticipate or that we will be unable to capitalize on any such growth; the risk that we do not realize a sufficient return on our investment with respect to our efforts to develop freemium games for smartphones, tablets and next-generation platforms, the risk that we will not be able to maintain our good relationships with Apple and Google; the risk that our development expenses for games for smartphones, tablets and next-generation platforms are greater than we anticipate; the risk that our recently and newly launched games are less popular than anticipated; the risk that our newly released games will be of a quality less than desired by reviewers and consumers; the risk that the mobile games market, particularly with respect to freemium gaming, is smaller than anticipated; and other risks detailed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 9, 2012 and our other SEC filings. You can locate these reports through our website at http://www.glu.com/investors. We are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 2008 Equity Inducement Plan In connection with the hiring of our new VP of 3rd Party Development, Glu has agreed that its Compensation Committee will award our new VP of 3rd Party Development a non-qualified stock option to purchase 150,000 shares of Glu's common stock pursuant to Glu's 2008 Equity Inducement Plan. Glu's historical policy with respect to new hire stock option grants is to award a newly hired employee his or her stock option on the second Tuesday of the month following his or her employment start date; accordingly, the grant date for our new VP of 3rd Party Development's option grant will be February 12, 2013. The stock option will have a six-year term, vest on a four-year schedule (25% of the underlying shares will vest on the first anniversary of our new VP of 3rd Party Development's hire date, and 2.083% of the underlying shares will vest monthly thereafter), and have an exercise price equal to the closing price of Glu's common stock on the NASDAQ Global Market on the February 12, 2013 grant date.
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As I explained back in August when I went to Tom Colicchio's 'wichcraft, I have a bit of a pop culture blind spot when it comes to Top Chef. I watched a bit of Season 7 in the Fall, although I missed more episodes than I watched. So when the All-Star edition started in January, I was committed to watching the whole thing. Kristine gave me the low-down on all the cheftestants (h/t Entertainment Weekly), and how they did during their seasons. I watched the show all the way through and loved it. I definitely don't think I'd eat half of the food on the show (my own hang-ups over seafood mostly), but it was super fun to watch. Like any other reality show, I think they cast just as much on personality as on ability, because they have to make sure interesting/engaging/crazy individuals are in the running.
So! This brings us to tonight's premiere of Top Chef Canada! Because I don't have the long viewing history that Kristine & Debbie do, I won't really know if they're following the traditional format, although I'm guessing it won't really deviate too much from a Quickfire Challenge followed by an Elimination Challenge, with some sassy guest stars and judges thrown into the mix. I thought I'd try to briefly recap the episodes, along with my thoughts on the cheftestants I love and those who annoy me.
So here we go! Right off the bat we are introduced to Thea Andrews, our Padma for the show, as well as some background on Mark McEwan, our Tom Colicchio (Side Note: I went to McEwan Foods for the first time after work on Monday, but I'll get to that another time). Our other resident judge is Shereen Arazm – who? – exactly. I read a bit about her on Wikipedia, and she was born in Toronto and waitressed at Terroni while in university. Fast forward to now, and she's part of the Dolce group that owns Geisha House in L.A. among other restaurants and bars, in addition to the L.A. branch of Terroni. We also get a quick glimpse at some of the guest judges for the season; not surprisingly many Food Network Canada personalities (Michael Smith and Lynn Crawford, but where is Chuck?) and more (Susur! GAIL SIMMONS! I'm obsessed with Gail!). Up for grabs for are a GE Monogram Kitchen, $100,000, and bragging rights as Canada's Top Chef. Not too shabby.
We begin with a pimp slot for Porter Airlines and a quick introduction to selected cheftestants:
Todd, 40, St. John's – tied for oldest competitor, only chef from the East Coast (why?!)
Rob, 27, Toronto – Executive Chef for Mercatto, which is up the street from my office, but I've never been
Patrick, 40, Toronto – originally from Chicago, where he was a chef for Oprah, he now lives in Toronto with his husband
Rebekah, 29, Calgary – owner and Executive Chef of Nectar Desserts, she calls herself Calgary's dessert queen (but can she cook?)
Connie, 29, Calgary – Co-owner and Co-Executive Chef at Charcut, can de-bone a pig's head in 4 minutes or less (!)
Andrea, 27, Toronto – Executive Chef and Director of Great Cooks Culinary Centre
Steve, 35, Toronto – Chef de Cuisine at Origin! Wants to bring the Latin Flare! He is my favourite right away, because I went to Origin at Christmas and LOVED IT.
Derek, 30, Montreal – wants to rep his city, no formal culinary school training
Francois, 32, Vancouver – french canadian, but living and cooking in Vancouver
Darryl, 29, Winnipeg – former hockey player, turned to cooking after a shoulder injury forced him to retire
Dustin, 29, Toronto – Executive Chef at Grace (on College, still haven't been here either), big smiley face, worked for Susur for 6 years
Dale, 30, Vancouver – has worked for Gordon Ramsey, now working the single dad angle.
+ 4 others they did not show (Clayton, Jamie, Chris, Michael)
Chef whites on! Here we go! First a pimp spot for GE Monogram appliances in the TCC Kitchen. Thea and Mark announce the first Quickfire Challenge, which will have 4 rounds, with the winner getting immunity:
1st round: Fillet a fish, cut into portions, first 8 move on.
2nd round: Peel as many artichokes as you can in 5 minutes, first 4 move on.
3rd round: Make the perfect hollandaise sauce, 2 move on (valuable lesson here: don't put tarragon in your hollandaise people! This turns it into bernaise sauce).
4th round: Dale vs. Connie, competing for immunity. 20 minutes to make a unique dish with the ingredients from the previous rounds.
Dale wins immunity!
The first Elimination Challenge is to create a dish that defines your personality. Pimp spot for Loblaws in Queens Quay! Cheftestants have $100 and 30 minutes to shop. All I have to comment on here is that you are obviously not going to find venison at a freaking Loblaws, Clayton. Duh. Back in the TCC Kitchen, they have 90 minutes to prepare, where Chris wants to express his hopes and dreams through a trio of scallops and Francois is making lobster because he's tough and hard on the outside, but tender on the inside, and by the way EVERYONE is sweating. Can they turn on the AC in there, please?
Our guest judge for today is Vikram Vij, of Vij's restaurant in Vancouver. Cheftestants present their dishes in groups of four, and then we move to the Judge's Table (Pimp spot for SmartWater!), while the others wait in a supply closet, surrounded by many mortgage payments worth of Le Creuset. Thea pulls in Rob, Francois, Andrea and Derek, and they have the best dishes of the night! Rob is a fly fisherman, so he made a BC halibut, with butter poached lobster and a mushroom puree. Mark loved it! Francois made a pan-roasted lobster with sweet corn ravioli, but didn't have time to add his sauce – the judges said he didn't need it. Andrea made a pierogi with pickled onion and pork tenderloin to reflect her Ukrainian heritage. Derek wanted to bring the Quebecois, and made maple glazed salmon on buckwheat pancakes. Shereen was a fan, because she likes chicken and waffles, so she can get down with the sweet & savoury together.
The winner: Rob! He wins $2,500 of Le Creuset (drool).
He calls in Michael, Clayton, Chris and Jamie, who had the least favourite dishes. Coincidentally (or not?) these are the four cheftestants not highlighted at the beginning of the show. Clayton's dish was immature, and while an aggressive application of blueberries might work on venison, it doesn't really work with pork tenderloin. Chris' scallops were burned, and his three elements did not connect. Michael's lamb was so rare that the gamey taste really came through. He also had some broth that congealed on the plate because of the addition of chevre, and it was confusing and unappetizing. Shereen said it looked like vomit. Don't hold back Shereen! Jamie's dish lacked flavour, and Mark told him that he needs to push through his boundaries.
Going home: Michael
Next Time: Canadian cheese!
My favourites based on this episode are Connie, because she's super intense, and Steve, because I was obsessed with the tostones at Origin. Who do you like the best? Who do you think the early frontrunner is? How did I make it through this whole recap without mentioning Todd's seal flipper? Is Shereen the female Anthony Bourdain? Let me know in the comments!


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New screening added for Volunteers and Members
As a way to say mahalo to our great members and dedicated volunteers, we have added a screening of DANCE OF THE DRAGON (shown at our festival last fall) on Thursday April 9th at 12:00 PM (Regal Dole Cannery theaters). This screening is for HIFF Ohana members & volunteers only, not the general public. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Members, please show your membership card to gain entry to this screening.
DANCE OF THE DRAGON Synopsis:
Tae (Korean heartthrob Jang Hyuk) has always fantasized about becoming a ballroom dancer. He's a natural and completely self-taught, but eventually, the young man realizes there's only one way to take his dancing to the next level – he must leave Korea. His lifelong dream takes him to Singapore where he's able to take lessons from Emi Lim (Fann Wong), a former ballroom dancing champion. Before long, Tae falls deeply in love with Emi. Sadly, the timing just isn't right. Emi is focused on the upcoming national ballroom dancing championships. What's more, Emi's dreadful boyfriend Cheng (Jason Scott Lee) is the jealous type, and a former martial arts champion. As the affection between Tae and Emi grows, Cheng becomes wildly possessive and will stop at nothing to quash the budding romance…
— Jason Soeda


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TAMPA — Leto couldn't stop an opponent's run game for the second straight week, falling 50-0 to host Blake.
After a safety to start the game, the Yellow Jackets returned the ball all the way to the Leto 5, with running back Joshua Bell taking it in for a touchdown.
The Yellow Jackets' slash-and-dash ground game split apart Leto's defense. Blake finished with 194 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Bell did most of the damage, with two touchdowns and 89 yards.
Blake held Leto to 141 yards of total offense.
Leto did manage to catch Blake off guard on a few plays. The Falcons had a 43-yard kickoff return to gain good field position, but couldn't get onto the scoreboard. And they inched closer to the red zone on a 26-yard run only to fumble the ball away on Blake's 1.
Kyle Beckett, Times correspondent


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Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs: Instant analysis
Draft dumbie Farmington, UTJan. 1, 2012 12:56 a.m.
I agree with the New Year's theme of "out with the old and in with the new." Play the young guys! It's especially glaring that Bell no longer has what it takes. It's puzzling that Corbin continues to play Bell instead of putting him out to pasture and giving Burks some playing time. Is this the "Bizzaro" world?
shaybo Richfield, UTDec. 31, 2011 9:51 p.m.
The 2 guard spot is giving us nothing, Corbin needs to put Burks in the game and let him play and deal with some of the rookie mistakes he will make, we are going nowhere with Bell and CJ. Same with Kanter, play him and let him make a few mistakes, even as a raw rookie he plays better defense than Jefferson. This team needs to look to the future and go young.
toddfromsantaana Santa Ana, CADec. 31, 2011 9:38 p.m.
You forgot one main thing....3 point Defense. This Defense could not guard me and I cannot go to my left


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The Wingtip Ghillie Moc earns its name from the distinctive Irish dance shoe-inspired ghillie eyelet design. The all-leather looped eyelets serve as an alternative to standard punched metal eyelets and in combination with the shoes' hand-perforated wingtip toe detail and collar, give the shoes their unique character.
Each pair of Yuketen's American-made genuine moccasin-construction footwear is hand-sewn by leather artisans in the northeastern United States who have mastered their craft through decades of experience. The Wingtip Ghillie Moc also features Horween's Chromexcel leather, expertly tanned in U.S.A. Chromexcel leather is particularly suitable for moccasin construction footwear because the double tanning process (combination chrome tanning and vegetable tanning) produces luxurious malleable pull-up leather with rich pleasantly aromatic liquor notes.
Although the Wingtip Ghillie Moc is one of Yuketen's lower-profile silhouettes, it still enjoys the structural benefits of a vegetable-tanned leather tuck and steel shank. These components form a stable bridge along the arch of the foot, distributing weight more evenly across the footbed for increased comfort and support. The shoe's upper sits atop a lightweight Vibram 2060 outsole and full vegetable-tanned leather midsole, allowing the shoes to be resoled for years of prolonged wear.
- Genuine moccasin construction
- Hand-sewn plug, overcast and heel
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Available in: Chromexcel Black
- Available with: Vibram 2060 Sole
Where to Buy
American Rag Cie Japan
Multiple Locations


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A Pilot Study of Fludarabine Plus Cyclophosphamide in Refractory Severe Aplastic Anemia
This study has been completed.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Danielle Townsley, M.D., National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: August 20, 2010
Last updated: February 3, 2016
Last verified: February 2016
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Show Detailed Description
- Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) can lead to problems with bone marrow health and result in low blood cell counts, which require frequent transfusions. Standard initial treatment for SAA involves injections of antithymocyte globulin (ATG) plus cyclosporine (CsA). Patients with SAA who do not respond to initial treatment with ATG (refractory) have a high risk of dying without additional treatment. In these cases, for those who do not have a matched bone marrow transplant donor there is no well-defined standard therapy. In our experience with patients who do not respond to horse ATG + CsA, only about one-third of patients who are re-treated with rabbit ATG + CsA improve. Experience with cyclophosphamide in the treatment of refractory severe aplastic anemia suggests that this drug is able to improve blood counts in about 50% of cases. However, the cyclophosphamide regimen has been associated with a significant infection risk (mostly caused by fungus) in studies conducted over 10 years ago due to the lowering of the white blood cell levels.
- Better antibiotic drugs against fungus have been developed and are widely used to treat patients who have low white blood cell counts and are at risk of developing infections. In SAA patients in particular, these newer antibiotics have had a large impact in preventing and treating fungus infections. Researchers are revisiting the use of cyclophosphamide at lower doses to minimize its side effects given in combination with another immune suppressant, fludarabine.
- To determine the safety and effectiveness of the combination of fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide in treating severe aplastic anemia that has not responded to initial treatments.
|Aplastic Anemia Neutropenia Pancytopenia Severe Aplastic Anemia
|Drug: Cyclophosphamide Drug: Fludarabine
|Phase 1 Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|A Pilot Study of Fludarabine Plus Cyclophosphamide in Refractory Severe Aplastic Anemia
Resource links provided by NLM:
Genetics Home Reference related topics: cyclic neutropenia
MedlinePlus related topics: Anemia Aplastic Anemia
Drug Information available for: Cyclophosphamide Fludarabine Fludarabine phosphateU.S. FDA Resources
Further study details as provided by Danielle Townsley, M.D., National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Response Rate at 6 Months [ Time Frame: 6 months ]The primary objective is to assess the Flu/Cy hematological response in SAA.The primary endpoint will be response at six months.
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Secondary Endpoints Will Evaluated for the Study to Include: (a) Hematologic Response at 3 and 12 Months and Yearly Thereafter; (b) Relapse (c) Clonal Evolution to Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH), Myelodysplasia or Acute Leukemia; (e) Survival. [ Time Frame: 12 months ]
|Study Start Date:
|August 2010
|Study Completion Date:
|July 2012
|Primary Completion Date:
|July 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Flu/Cy Response at 6 months
The primary objective is to assess Fludarabine/ Cyclophosphamide (Flu/Cy) hematological response in SAA.The primary endpoint will be response at six months.
Drug: Cyclophosphamide
60 mg/kg
Other Name: CyDrug: Fludarabine
125 mg/m squared
Other Name: Flu
Show Detailed Description
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|2 Years and older (Child, Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Severe aplastic anemia characterized by:
Bone marrow cellularity < 30 percent (excluding lymphocytes)
At least two of the following:
- Absolute neutrophil count < 500/ microL
- Platelet count < 20,000/ microL
- Absolute reticulocyte count < 60,000/ microL
Failure to respond to an initial course of h-ATG/CsA at least 3 months post-treatment or a suboptimal response to initial h-ATG/CsA defined by both platelet and reticulocyte count < 50,000 /microL at 3 months post-treatment
- Refractory SAA unresponsive to both horse and rabbit ATG-based regimens
- Age greater than or equal to 2 years old
- Weight greater than or equal to 12 kg
- Diagnosis of Fanconi anemia
- Cardiac ejection fraction < 30 percent (evaluated by ECHO)
- Evidence of a clonal hematologic bone marrow disorder on cytogenetics. Patients with the presence of trisomy 8, loss of Y or del(20q) will not be excluded in the absence of dysplastic changes in the marrow. Patients with very severe neutropenia (ANC < 200 /microL) will not be excluded initially if cytogenetics are not available or pending. If evidence of a clonal disorder is later identified, the patient will go off study)
- Prior immunosuppressive therapy with high dose Cy
- Infection not adequately controlled with appropriate therapy
- Serologic evidence of HIV infection
- Moribund status or concurrent hepatic, renal, cardiac, neurologic, pulmonary, infectious, or metabolic disease of such severity that it would preclude the patient's ability to tolerate protocol therapy, or that death within 30 days is likely
- Subjects with cancer who are on active chemotherapeutic treatment or who take drugs with hematological effects
- Current pregnancy or unwillingness to take oral contraceptives or refrain from pregnancy if of childbearing potential
- Not able to understand the investigational nature of the study or to give informed consent
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01187017
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01187017
|United States, Maryland
|National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
Sponsors and Collaborators
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
|Principal Investigator:
|Danielle M Townsley, M.D.
|National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
More Information
Keywords provided by Danielle Townsley, M.D., National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
Rosenfeld S, Follmann D, Nunez O, Young NS. Antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine for severe aplastic anemia: association between hematologic response and long-term outcome. JAMA. 2003 Mar 5;289(9):1130-5.
Passweg JR, Pérez WS, Eapen M, Camitta BM, Gluckman E, Hinterberger W, Hows JM, Marsh JC, Pasquini R, Schrezenmeier H, Socié G, Zhang MJ, Bredeson C. Bone marrow transplants from mismatched related and unrelated donors for severe aplastic anemia. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2006 Apr;37(7):641-9.
|Responsible Party:
|Danielle Townsley, M.D., Hematology Clinician, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01187017 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
10-H-0177 ( Other Identifier: NIH NHLBI )
|Study First Received:
|August 20, 2010
|Results First Received:
|June 5, 2014
|Last Updated:
|February 3, 2016
Keywords provided by Danielle Townsley, M.D., National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Severe Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic Anemia
Immunosuppressive Therapy
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Anemia, Aplastic
Hematologic Diseases
Leukocyte Disorders
Bone Marrow Diseases
Fludarabine phosphate
Immunosuppressive Agents
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Antirheumatic Agents
Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating
Alkylating Agents
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Antineoplastic Agents
Myeloablative Agonists
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


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Australia's women's 4x100m freestyle relay team have smashed the world record in winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
A team of Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Emma McKeon and Melanie Schlanger clocked three minutes and 30.98 seconds in Thursday night's final.
The Olympic champions eclipsed the previous world mark of 3:31.72 set by a Dutch team of Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Frederike Heemskerk, Marleen Veldhuis in super suits at the controversial world 2009 championships in Rome.
England were second in 3:35.72 and Canada (3:40.00) third.
It was Australia's third gold medal of the opening night at the pool after McKeon won the 200m freestyle and Rowan Crothers set a new world record in winning the men's para-sport 100m freestyle.
It is the first Australian team to break the women's sprint relay world record since Alice Mills, Libby Lenton, Petria Thomas and Jodie Henry did at the Athens Olympics a decade ago.


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Photos are for members only!!
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Penn Museum welcomes Penn students to access its collections for class projects, independent research or other student projects. The Museum's nearly one million artifacts are primary sources of the cultures that made and used them, from which students can draw information or inspiration whether for a senior thesis, master's thesis, dissertation, journal article, conference poster, or independent study.
Penn students are able to engage in Museum research in a variety of ways:
- Enroll in an Object-Based Learning class or internship.
- Through the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials (CAAM).
- Conduct Fieldwork with support of the Museum's Student Field Funds.
- Develop a Digital Student Curated Exhibition.
- As an Academic Year Intern or Penn Museum Fellow
Student Field Funds - Due March 24, 2017!
The Penn Museum provides support for current Penn undergraduate and graduate students to pursue field research related to Archaeology and Anthropology. Read about past projects funded by Museum grants under Students in the Field on the Penn Museum Blog.
The Penn Museum accepts applications twice a year for winter and summer projects. Requests for grant support up to a maximum of $1050 will be considered.
Applications should include the following:
- a signed letter of application from the student, including contact information
- personal statement of experience and interests (1-2 pages)
- summer field research project proposal (1-2 pages)
- project budget (1 page) indicating how requested funds will be expended and noting other funding for the project (funds secured or requested from other sources)
- a letter of support from a Penn Museum-affiliated faculty or adjunct faculty member (e.g., Curator, Associate Curator, Assistant Curator, Consulting Curator, or Consulting Scholar)
For summer field work, applications are due 5:00 pm at the end of March.
For winter field work, applications are due 5:00 pm the first Friday of October.
Field funds may not be used for laboratory analysis, personal computers or photographic equipment.
Students awarded grants will be required to submit a 2-page summary report on their research activities and to complete all travel expense reporting according to university policies by no later than March 15 for winter grants and September 15 for summer grants.
Students receiving field research grants are invited to present on their research projects as part of the Penn Museum public programming schedule.
Please note that students receiving support from either the Kolb Foundation or the Niarchos Foundation administered through the Penn Museum will not be eligible for these summer field research grants.


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Social sites threaten juror impartiality
Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:26:33 GMT —
The jurors are all too familiar by now about the details in this case.
In December 2008, Roberto Rojas killed his two stepsons, his son and his mother in law.
He also beat and shot his wife, Amelia Flores, but she survived.
"We the jury, find the defendant, Roberto Rojas, guilty of capital murder," Judge Aida Salinas Flores read out loud.
Having found Rojas guilty on four charges of capital murder and attempted capital murder, the jury is now tasked with sentencing him on Monday morning.
Judge Salinas advised all jurors to stay away from any media reports, including social sites like Facebook and Twitter, new information platforms that have become so engrained in our daily lives.
"If they don TMt follow the judges ruling, than that could be used to reverse the case," Alberto Garcia, a former Harlingen municipal judge, said.
He added that impartiality from jurors is essential to the judicial process, and social sites only make it harder for them to avoid any influences from the media.
"You just have to take your oath very seriously," he said.
Until Monday, it TMs up to the jurors to honor that oath and stay away not just from traditional news sources, but an ever-growing arsenal of information tools.


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First of all I would like to answer that where I was so many days and why no updates and what's next. Actually there have been many instances where I committed myself to come back for blogging with regular updates and sharing my ConfigMgr production experiences and stories. But unfortunately it did not happen as life at work & personal side was going very busy with planning, changes, releases one after other and did not allowed to focus on my blogging. And after hrs. & weekend I was busy with my new born cutie Eshaan and going through new parenting experiences…last facebook and twitter was also good excuse for the not being active in blogging.
Anyway coming back to the ConfigMgr07 topics, here is what you can expect in upcoming updates from my blogging…
· Best Practices for deploying ConfigMgr07 Management Pack
· How Microsoft IT is monitoring ConfigMgr07 hierarchy – a 360 degree approach
· Implementing role based security model in ConfigMgr07 – Part 2
· ConfigMgr07 SP2 upgrade experiences
· Microsoft IT ConfigMgr07 Virtualization Story
Stay tuned for the updates..


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By Laura Reiley
Times Food Critic
Xuan "Sing" Hurt, 29, and Lynn Pham, 30, grew up in the Tampa Bay area, both in Vietnamese families with avid home cooks. They wondered why the healthful, fresh and flavorful cuisine of Vietnam wasn't better represented by local restaurants.
"We love to dine out. We decided a couple years ago that South Tampa needed something different and full of flavor," Hurt says. They felt downtown was especially in need of an energetic outpost of what they're calling "Vietnamese fusion."
If the long lines at the 6-week-old Bamboozle are any indication, the women should always trust their hunches. Downtown is smitten — most impressively, even those who wouldn't know pho from bun are lining up. It's Vietnamese quick-service in all its vibrant, punchy glory, but served up in a way that's accessible and not intimidating.
Step in line and order from the board. Fresh rolls ($2.25) are customized to suit, a water-moistened rice paper round cradling vermicelli, green leaf lettuce, chives and mint, and then whatever you point to. Choose four veggies (bean sprouts, vinegary daikon and carrot, cucumber, and maybe a few lengths of jicama?) and a meat (lemongrass beef, or maybe bouncy steamed prawns?), then watch as the agile-fingered women behind the counter wrangle it all into a tidy roll. The "sauce bar" offers up dunkables like spicy Sriracha, sweet/salty nuoc mam, or a sophisticated ponzu dipping sauce.
Three rolls add up to a meal at lunch, but then you'd miss the vermicelli bowls ($6.95-$8.95), the same roundup of veggies, fresh herbs and meat choices, sprinkled with tiny salted shrimp and roasted peanuts, over which you pour a bit of fish sauce-spiked nuoc mam. Daily specials further muddy decisionmaking, with a fabulous chicken curry ($6.95), thin and studded with potatoes, or the France-meets-Vietnam banh mi barbecued pork sandwich ($5.95) on crunchy baguette.
With all this, sip a zingy housemade ginger ale ($2.50) or a lush Vietnamese sweet coffee ($2.50). Spare, no-nonsense decor means animated voices ricochet across hard surfaces, creating a lively party-time atmosphere at breakfast (beignets, coffee) and lunch. Dinner service is in the plans for Bamboozle, and downtown Tampa can't wait.
Laura Reiley can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or (727) 892-2293. Her blog, the Mouth of Tampa Bay, can be found at www.blogs.tampabay.com/dining. Reiley dines anonymously and unannounced. The St. Petersburg Times pays all expenses. Advertising has nothing to do with selection for review or the assessment.


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The Source magazine, often referred to as "the Bible of hip-hop," didn't have the most traditional work environment back in the early 2000s, as rap music was allowed to permeate the airspace at any given time and the use of profanity was a common occurrence. Although that was all part of the culture the staffers covered, that didn't mean misogyny and sexual harassment were acceptable in the workplace. Still, The Source offices became the scene of one of the biggest gender discrimination cases to hit the industry.
In April 2005, Kimberly Osorio, the first female editor-in-chief of The Source, and then-vice president of marketing, Michelle Joyce, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing then-Chief Brand Executive Raymond "Benzino" Scott and magazine owner David Mays of committing gender discrimination, sexual harassment and unlawful retaliation against women at the company. A jury later rejected Joyce's case, but Osorio's went to trial, where a defamation charge was added on. Although Osorio and Joyce were the only two to file with the EEOC, there were reports of more incidents.
Interns all the way up to the editor-in-chief were reportedly subjected to sexual harassment, in the form of sexually charged verbal commentary and inappropriate behavior, which led some female employees to quit—if they weren't already forced out. According to court documents, male employees were given the upper hand when it came to benefits, compensation, work hours, hiring and promotions. Instead of promoting or hiring females, Scott appointed people from his inner circle to positions for which they were ill prepared and uncommitted. Unfortunately, any of the males' shortcomings were blamed on the female staffers. Women at the company felt the abuse was so severe they preferred to stay in their offices rather then move about the halls of the publication, according to the females' claims.
Whenever an employee feels discriminated against in any form, the employee should report the incidents to their human resources department immediately. "Typically, once an employee reports discrimination, it is human resources responsibility to investigate the allegations," says Donita Wilks-Sing, MHR, who has 16 years of HR experience working at various financial institutions. "The employee should understand that the information is kept confidential within the realm that it can be."
That wasn't the case at the hip-hop publication. Court documents list an incident where Scott remarked, "You got a fat ass," to an unidentified female employee. Although the employee filed a complaint with HR, the claim was not followed up on and that female later resigned. Scott also made inappropriate comments towards Osorio, going so far as to pressuring the writer into spending a weekend away with him in Atlantic City.
It's this behavior that had Osorio's case in Manhattan Federal Court, starting in October of 2006. After a nearly two-week trial, Osorio, who has a degree from New York Law School, won on two claims—retaliation and defamation. The retaliation charge stemmed from Osorio's abrupt firing after refusing to recant the email complaint she sent to human resources. After her firing, Scott accused the journalist of extortion and went public with comments accusing Osorio of having sexual relations with artists. The jury awarded her $7.5 million in damages.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Kidney tuberculosis is infectious or not?
One of my close relatives is suffering with kidney tuberculosis. He has been diagnosed by the group of doctors one week back that he is sufereing with kidney tuberculosis. He used to pass the urine with blood. He used to take more time to pass the urine. He is suffering with high b.p also. He got married 8 months back. The wife is living with him. Our question is, is this kidney tuberculosis infectious or not? Please answer. If it is infectious, what are precautionswe have to observe? And also we have another doubt can his wife lead family life with him while he is suffering with kidney tuberculosis. Thanking you.
Tuberculosis of the kidney is not infectious to others. Because the tuberculosis infection is only spread through the air, it is not possible to pass the infection through urine. In addition, there is no risk to having sexual relations with a person suffering from tuberculosis of the kidney.
However, tuberculosis of the kidney sometimes occurs at the same time as tuberculosis of the lung. If tuberculosis is present in the lung then it would be possible to transmit the TB germs to others when you cough. The best way to prevent transmission is for the person who is sick to take the tuberculosis medications exactly as prescribed. Within just 2 days of starting TB treatment a patient with TB of the lung becomes markedly less infectious.
Catherine A Curley, MD, MS
Assistant Professor of Medicine
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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Will surgery 2 months after septorhinoplasty, interfere with nose healing, prolong nose swelling and affect end result?
The other surgery is abdominal myomectomy combined w tummy tuck procedure. Will be performed approx 2 month and 3 weeks after rhinoplasty.
Doctor Answers 1
Second Procedure
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You should not have a problem proceeding with your surgeries. Just remind your anesthesiologist that you had a recent rhinoplasty. Sometimes rubber tubes called nasal trumpets are placed by Anesthesiologist and they will often use a mask to ventilate you at some point in the anesthesia. Best to remind them to be gentle. Good Luck. .
Learn more: http://vipplasticsurgery.com/procedures/rhinoplasty/
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Ask an Eye Doctor and Get an Answer ASAP
Hello and thanks for your question.
Adult strabismus is essentially a surgical problem. Unlike children who may receive some benefit in straightening the yes from wearing a particular prescription of glasses, adults don't respond to any particular glasses as far as straigtening the eyes. If the strabismus is solely from a predisposition for the eyes not to work together (this may have been evident at a younger age, or may have been a problem at a younger age), then the decision as to whether or not to do surgery depends on function (whether or not you can do your visual activities of daily living without double vision) and on cosmesis (some people deem it cosmetically unacceptable to have a misaligned eye). If the strabismus is acute (just happened), then depending on what caused it (a nerve going out, trauma, or other diseases such as myasthenia gravis), the treatment has to be tailored to the cause. Does this help address your concerns?
I am happy to be able to help you today. If you would be so kind, please help me get credit for my efforts in answering your questions and press the ACCEPT button for this encounter. I would also be happy to continue to answer any more questions you have until we have resolved your concern.
Also, any positive feedback and/or bonus you may feel prompted to provide would be welcomed and is appreciated.
My opinion is solely informative and does not constitute a formal medical opinion or recommendation. For a formal medical opinion and/or recommendation you must be examined by your doctor.
This problem has gotten worse gradually over the past 4 years. I need some guidance to a medical professional in Sydney Australia
The eye has been moving over the past 4 years. It is now critical and the discomfort is present all of the time. I need a reference to a medical professional in Sydnet Australia
It sounds as though you probably do have a predisposition for the eyes to not stay aligned. Unfortunately, being an ophthalmologist in the U.S., I don't have any contacts with ophthalmologists in Sydney, Australia. But after doing a quick search for strabismus trained ophthalmologists in Sydney, I found a Dr. Harry Leung who is trained to do this. His website is: http://www.southernophthalmology.com.au/harry-leung.html. I hope that is helpful.
Thank you very much - the information that I could find on the local inernet was mainly for children
You're welcome. I hope that it is helpful and that you are able to get the help you need.


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MUSIC; The Pilgrim's Progress of Bob Dylan
By JON PARELES
Published: August 20, 2006
THE title of Bob Dylan's new album, ''Modern Times,'' is mostly subterfuge with a little irony thrown in. The particulars of the present mean less and less to the songwriter who radically and irrevocably changed popular music in the 1960's. Back then Mr. Dylan transfigured pop songwriting with the shocks and disjunctions of modernism: ideas he found equally in the avant-garde and in old, weird folk songs. But lately he has made himself an emissary from a reinvented yesteryear, where he finds clues to eternal truths in both the blues and the Bible.
For Mr. Dylan there's no difference now between an itinerant bluesman and a haggard pilgrim. ''I practice a faith that's been long abandoned,'' he sings. ''Ain't no altars on this long and lonesome road.''
Mr. Dylan's three studio albums over the past decade all have music grounded in the blues and lyrics as wildly nonlinear as anything from his 1960's zenith, but weighted with a deep sense of mortality. ''Time Out of Mind,'' in 1997, broke a seven-year songwriting drought, followed by '' 'Love and Theft' '' in 2001 and now ''Modern Times.'' With these three albums Mr. Dylan, now 65, has made himself rock's proudest codger.
He doesn't pretend to be young or hip. His lyrics, and sometimes his music, are studded with quotations and allusions spanning more than a century of Americana. He magnifies every scrape, crack and scar in his voice, and he ignores the latest recording styles by sticking to handmade, realtime music. (''Modern Times'' was recorded with his road band, and it suggests live after-hours rehearsals, complete with stumbles.)
Musically -- and only musically -- Mr. Dylan is conservative verging on classicist, holding on to rootsy forms; ''Modern Times'' is an album of blues, ballads and latter-day parlor songs. Philosophically he's far more tangled. He's variously an absurdist and a moralizer, a populist and a loner, and an iconoclast haunted by God.
For the bluesy stretches of ''Modern Times'' Mr. Dylan plays a spurned lover, heartsick and vindictive. There's pain in his tattered voice but also the adamant, inscrutable, almost impersonal tone of bygone rural blues singers. His rewrite of ''Rollin' and Tumblin' '' (which is credited to Mr. Dylan, although it uses the venerable riff, the melody and some lines from the familiar blues) flips from hope to wrath in an instant. ''I got up this mornin', seen the rising sun return/Sooner or later, you too shall burn,'' he sings, pausing just long enough to fling the word ''burn'' with an implacable sneer, a blues singer turned hellfire preacher.
''Modern Times'' doesn't announce a conversion like the evangelical Christian phase Mr. Dylan went through as the 1970's ended. He's not proselytizing now; faith doesn't offer him anything as clear as a satisfied mind. (The new songs are even further away from the hints of Orthodox Judaism he dispensed in the mid-1980's; in the album's first track, he's eating pork chops.) Yet a longing for salvation surfaced in songs like ''Tryin' to Get to Heaven'' on ''Time Out of Mind'' and ''Cry A While'' on '' 'Love and Theft.' '' The new album moves thoughts of God closer to the foreground: they show up in at least 7 of the 10 songs this time. Two gently swaying love ballads -- ''When the Deal Goes Down'' and ''Beyond the Horizon'' -- can also be taken as avowals of faith, thinking about death and an afterlife.
Or maybe it just seems that way right now. As evangelical Christians have seized political power and cultural visibility, religious messages have moved into mainstream pop, with openly Christian rockers on MTV and shout-outs to God by everyone from Jessica Simpson to Underoath. But Mr. Dylan is anything but trendy. In his songs faith is no panacea; it's personal and convoluted, the reckonings of a man who's contemplating death with no certainty of redemption. ''Today I'll stand in faith and raise the voice of praise/The sun is strong, I'm standing in the light,'' he sings in ''Nettie Moore,'' only to follow with a twist: ''I wish to God that it were night.''
There was a 19th-century song called ''Nettie Moore,'' about a slave sold away from the man who loved her. Mr. Dylan took its title and the first line of its chorus and also borrowed some lines made famous by Robert Johnson and W. C. Handy, surrounded them with his own images of separation and restlessness, and constructed an eccentric song; with alternating sections of 11 and 14 beats, its melody climbs painstakingly and then tumbles down. Mr. Dylan writes now as if American historical memory washes through his consciousness only to leave him more isolated.
He hasn't been a recluse. In the five years between studio albums, Mr. Dylan has toured steadily while offering more personal glimpses than he has in decades. He wrote the autobiographical ''Chronicles, Volume One'' (Simon & Schuster); its poetically explosive prose describes those episodes it chooses to cover while evading long, crucial stretches of Mr. Dylan's life.
He appeared as a creaky outlaw rock star in the movie ''Masked and Anonymous,'' a shaggy-dog parable that shows how well Mr. Dylan understands his public image. He spoke directly about his early years in ''No Direction Home,'' the Martin Scorsese documentary that focused on the way Mr. Dylan hit New York and rock culture like a fireball in the early 1960's. And he has been doing a weekly show for XM Satellite Radio, his ''Theme Time Radio Hour,'' where he spins a lot of old, crackly, startling songs -- on themes like drinking, fatherhood or the devil -- and makes gnomic comments. Perhaps he decided that was enough candor for a while: ''I've already confessed, no need to confess again,'' he sings in ''Thunder on the Mountain.''
''Modern Times'' sounds more tentative than either of its predecessors. Onstage Mr. Dylan's touring band regularly supercharges his songs. But on ''Modern Times'' the musicians play as if they're just feeling their way into the tunes. Mr. Dylan (under the pseudonymn Jack Frost) produced ''Modern Times'' himself, as he did with the more aggressive '' 'Love and Theft.' '' So the new album's just-jamming style is clearly a deliberate choice. Perhaps it's intended to make the songs more approachable; with the drummer using brushes, Mr. Dylan can sing quietly.
One song, ''Workingman's Blues #2,'' rises to the hymnlike majesty of the Band. (If there's any connection on this album to the Charlie Chaplin film ''Modern Times,'' it's in the song's complaints about low wages.) But many of the tracks turn out lackadaisical instead. A savage kiss-off, ''Someday Baby'' (which is a crafty 15-bar blues), isn't cutting enough, and the lovelorn ''Spirit on the Water'' just putters along. ''The Levee's Gonna Break'' -- another old blues commandeered by Mr. Dylan -- becomes almost blas?despite lyrics that hint, now and then, at the catastrophe of New Orleans: ''Some people on the road carryin' everything they own/Some people got barely enough skin to cover their bones.'' The songs will only get better on tour. This month Mr. Dylan is playing minor-league ballparks.
Yet the album's subdued tone perfectly suits its last, best and spookiest song: ''Ain't Talkin.' '' It too is a blues variant, fingerpicked in a minor key as Mr. Dylan sings in a narrow, embittered voice. He's on foot, just ''walking through the cities of the plague.'' There's a woman he left behind, a father's death to avenge. He vows to slaughter his opponents; he wonders if he can get heavenly aid. ''The suffering is unending,'' he sings. ''Every nook and cranny has its tears.'' He's a weary traveler, a bluesman and a pilgrim, on a dark and unforgiving road.
Photo: ''Modern Times,'' the new album by Bob Dylan, shown performing in June, suggests that he has grounded himself in blues, ballads and myth. (Photo by Peter Elmholt/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images)


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Clint Riese
Staff Writer
Her children watched as she boarded the plane. Her grandchildren watched. Her great-grandchildren watched. They all waved.
Minutes later, Mary Pat Sullivan jumped out of the plane.
Indeed, the octogenarian from Forest Lake went skydiving on Sunday, Aug. 12, an adventure which failed to appeal to the 30 or so family members and friends of Sullivan who cheered her on that day at Skydive Forest Lake.
"My grandkids say, 'Grandma, I can't believe you did that,'" she says. "Yeah, grandma went a little crazy."
The Way Up
Truth be told, it was not the first such flight of fancy for the mother of three, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of six. She flew with her cousin, a cropduster, in the late 1930s.
After several decades at a lower altitude, Sullivan a few years ago briefly piloted a sea plane and rode along as it made a water landing on Lake Vermilion.
So when Sullivan and her canine companion, Max, a rescue dog from Joplin, MO, happened upon skydivers while walking near their home on Fenston Avenue, it made sense for her curiosity to be piqued.
When Sullivan witnessed a friend take the dive at the new business located at the Daniel DePonti Airport, her mind was made up.
"I decided right then and there, 'I'm doing it,'" she says.
Her jump date of August 12 happened to work for her family, including one contingent that was visiting from China. The family of Sullivan's daughter Kelly (Bill) Lamwers of Wyoming also turned out for the occasion.
Sullivan knew her family would be at the airport but was surprised by the turnout of friends. As the hour neared, she worried whether there would be enough food at the dinner she planned to host upon her safe arrival on the ground.
Cloudy skies that morning also gave her reason for pause.
"The weather was not that great," she recalls. "I said, 'I think I'll throw a hissy fit if can't do it today.'"
Then there was the fact that Sullivan was preparing to take on a challenge that would force her to overcome a significant fear.
"I get three rings up on a ladder and I get a nosebleed," she says. "I am terrified of heights."
The Way Down
While being prepped for the dive, Sullivan overheard a mother use her as motivation for a boy who was trying to find his courage.
"Look over there," the lady said, pointing. "And you're not going?"
The child ended up jumping, and so did the 80-year-old. After the intimidating initial leap, it's all gravy, Sullivan found.
"The first step out of the plane, that was the scary one, but what you can see…Just a magnificent view," she says.
The staff's gentle touch made Sullivan comfortable and her tandem partner "took the brunt of everything."
Sullivan, who moved to Forest Lake from Florida three years ago, thought the sky had cleared for her jump. Once down, though, she realized that she had noticed the sunshine from above the clouds.
Her children had even planned for the extra guests, so there was plenty of chicken and potato salad for all at dinner.
Sullivan can check skydiving off her bucket list, but she may not be done with the hobby. She's interested in going again now that she knows what to expect.
Her schedule might book up fast, though, because she also wants to ride in a hot air balloon and a helicopter.
"If I can go in a cropduster, I can go in anything," she says.


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Dickens Literary Salon - A Tale of Two Cities
Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Department
Thursday, July 19, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (EDT)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
Join us for a discussion of Dickens's twelfth novel: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." The book with perhaps the most famous opening line in the English language, A Tale of Two Cities is Dickens's second historical novel, published weekly in Dickens's new journal All the Year Round. It is set in London and Paris against the backdrop of the French Revolution.
When & Where
Free Library of Philadelphia
1901 Vine Street
Thursday, July 19, 2012 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (EDT)
Add to my calendar
Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Department
The Rare Book Department, among the largest in American public libraries, maintains collections of rare and valuable printed books, manuscripts, and works on paper and parchment from the ancient world through the 20th century.