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When Bouncing Souls frontman Greg Attonito and his wife, Shanti Wintergate, performed at a bowling alley in Asbury Park, N.J.,to launch their debut record as Play Date, a female employee remarked that there really wasn't much difference between a 4-year-old and a 30-year-old drunk guy. Attonito, who has no doubt performed for his fair share of drunks and, more recently, children, says she's right. Punk-toddler crossover music is on the rise, due in large part to ska producer Mike Park's Fun Fun Records, which features punk and ska veterans such as himself, Attonito and Jess Wagner of The Aggrolites performing music for munchkins. It's an easy fit as punk has always been about unbridled expression and just having fun, something kids wholeheartedly embrace. Initially inspired to write for children after spending an afternoon with their nephew, Wintergate wrote a poem, "I Went For a Walk," which she and Attonito later expanded into a book. The couple's knack for entertaining kids naturally progressed into Play Date, which will perform at Zoey's this weekend. Attonito took a few minutes during his travels to speak to VCReporter.
You guys are from New Jersey; how are your people back home doing?
Greg Attonito: Everyone is doing well. No major devastation, just dealing with no power. All our good friends and family haven't had massive devastation.
You don't have kids. What in the world inspired you to write for them?
We're artists and musicians, so it happened kind of by accident. Shanti wrote a story which became our children's book, and we have a nephew and we were invited to play music at his second grade class, and that's the moment the idea was born, I think. Afterwards, we were, like, "That was fun, we could do this." But when the book came out we went on a book tour . . . the teachers asked if we had a CD and we [realized] we really should. Finally, this year Mike from Asian Man Records started his kids' label and that gave us the extra motivation, so we finished writing and recorded. We care about music and families and good music in the world, whether for kids or adults, so in that sense we are completely in the spirit of encouraging families to listen to music together, like The Muppet Show was when I was a kid. So with that spirit in mind is what we're about and what the music's about and we're going to keep having fun with it. The world needs it right now more than ever — expressing ourselves through music and art and teaching kids how to express.
How do kids compare to adults as an audience?
They're awesome! In one sense the uninhibitedness is cool. If you lose their attention they are gone, they're off. That's the biggest difference. It's been a good challenge as an entertainer and performer to figure out how to interact with them and keep their attention. And that's fun — we're getting better at it.
It must be somewhat liberating to write playful music. Does it enhance your creativity overall?
It really is! We discovered that in an awesome way. Songwriting can be self-indulgent and I think this jumping out of that and into this world of it's not about you — even if it's about current issues, that can be burdensome too — it's just letting go of all that, and its very liberating and the energy reflects that, too.
If Bouncing Souls fans wants to come see Play Date, will they feel out of place?
I don't think so. In Boise and in Asbury Park we had a few show up some with kids. Some of the Bouncing Souls fans with kids were beside themselves that we're doing it. It's just getting together family-style and having a good day.
What if Play Date gets bigger than The Bouncing Souls?
That would be great because it would be great for the Bouncing Souls. That can't be bad. Hopefully, we all get bigger and better.
What should audiences expect from your show at Zoey's?
We are going to bring good music and get everyone together and have a good time. We have interactive drawing and some games like ring toss and bean bag toss and a face painter. It will be a good time and opportunity for anyone with kids to get out and listen to good music instead of doing the same old thing.
The Play Date Family Party will take place at Zoey's on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. CDs, books and other items will be available for sale with 50 percent of sales allocated to purchasing supplies for those affected by Hurricane Sandy.


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The Voice: Who Should Make the Top 12?
Nov 7, 2012 10:21 PM EST
After months of performances, The Voice is finally ready to reveal Season 3's Top 12 singers on Thursday. This elimination is far more crucial than in years prior since, for the first time, there is no guarantee that every coach's team will have a sl… Read more

subset: commoncrawl


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Last year, Coca-Cola sent a $70,000 check to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for its share of bottled water and soda sales at the historic stadium.
Then, said people familiar with the arrangement, the beverage giant got a curious call from a Coliseum representative with new instructions: Void that check. Coke was told to write a new one to a private firm -- a business owned by the Coliseum's events manager, Todd DeStefano.
Coca-Cola complied, cutting a fresh check to DeStefano's company after receiving an invoice from him on the commission's letterhead, said the sources, who are not authorized to speak publicly.
The redirected money was part of at least $1.7 million that companies owned by DeStefano received in about two years of making his own deals with firms that had business before the Coliseum Commission, according to interviews and agency records. The sum far exceeds the tens of thousands of dollars previously disclosed in a widening scandal surrounding DeStefano.
Other firms that paid him while he oversaw them in his government job included moviemakers, liquor vendors and the producer of the Electric Daisy Carnival rave. That event was marred by scores of drug arrests and ambulance calls, and led to the death of a teenage girl.
After The Times reported DeStefano's financial relationships, state and county authorities launched conflict-of-interest investigations into his affairs. DeStefano quit his Coliseum job in January.
In addition to his extra income, he billed the commission last year for $1,584 in massages, was paid a $600 monthly car allowance and received $21,000 in free tickets to concerts, football games and other events at the taxpayer-owned Coliseum and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Those perks are detailed in copies of his expense reports and other documents obtained under the California Public Records Act.
An attorney for DeStefano, James Blatt, said his client has done nothing wrong. Blatt said Coca-Cola sent its original check to the Coliseum Commission by mistake, and DeStefano's company was entitled to the $70,000 for negotiating the contract that allowed the bottler to sell beverages at the Sports Arena and Coliseum, the former Olympics site that is home to USC football.
The lawyer said DeStefano's boss at the time, former commission General Manager Patrick Lynch, approved the Coca-Cola payment to the private company. Lynch's attorney, Tony Capozzola, denied that but acknowledged that his client ordered the first check returned to Coke.
Lynch did not know the money would go to DeStefano's separate firm and never told Coca-Cola to write a new check, Capozzola said. Others with knowledge of the matter said they did not know the name of the commission employee who gave those instructions.
The Coliseum Commission's finance director said Lynch told him last year that DeStefano's firm had a contract with Coca-Cola that would earn the commission about $20,000.
"I asked him several times after that, 'Where's our money? Where's our money?'" said the financial officer, Ronald Lederkramer. "He would say, 'I'll talk to Todd.' But we never got any money."
DeStefano, in fact, had no authority to sign the contract and the Coliseum's concessions arm never received proceeds from it, the commission's interim general manager, John Sandbrook, told The Times earlier this month.
Coca-Cola spokesman Bob Phillips said his company was "disappointed to discover that Mr. DeStefano may not have been authorized to act on behalf of the L.A. Memorial Coliseum in his recent dealings with Coca-Cola. We are making every effort to work with the L.A Memorial Coliseum Commission and other public entities to rectify this situation."
The $70,000 from Coke is a fraction of what two companies owned by DeStefano, LAC Events and Private Event Management, pulled in while he was on the commission's payroll.
The firms were paid about $800,000 last year by the rave company Insomniac Inc., to help it stage rave concerts, said people familiar with the outlays -- productions that fell under DeStefano's normal responsibilities in his government job.
A second rave promoter, Go Ventures, has paid his firms about $876,000 since 2008 for work on Sports Arena shows, said the company's chief executive, Reza Gerami.
DeStefano's businesses also received tens of thousands of dollars from enterprises that shot film, rented space or had vendor contracts at commission properties. That income is shown in four years of state-mandated financial disclosures that DeStefano filed recently, after The Times reported that he had failed to submit them.
Blatt acknowledged that DeStefano's take through his two firms -- on top of a government paycheck of as much as $189,000 a year -- "appears to be a significant number." But he said it was justified by the years DeStefano devoted to drawing business to the site.
"Instead of being praised for bringing profitable events for the Coliseum on a continuous basis, he's become a victim of his own success," Blatt said.
The Coliseum and Sports Arena have been in the red since fiscal 2008-09, about the time that DeStefano's side income began to grow substantially, according to county and state records and interviews.
The $800,000 in fees from Insomniac equaled the profit the commission hoped to earn this year from an Electric Daisy rave, according to agency financial documents. The event was canceled in the wake of the DeStefano controversy and has moved to Las Vegas.
The Los Angeles County district attorney's office and state Fair Political Practices Commission are investigating DeStefano's relationship with Insomniac. Three weeks ago, authorities took computers and other items from the homes of DeStefano and Lynch.
The Times has learned that district attorney's investigators also have served search warrants at the office and home of Insomniac head Pasquale Rotella. And they have seized information from five banks, a district attorney's spokeswoman confirmed.
An attorney for Insomniac and Rotella said investigators told him Rotella and the company are not subjects of the probe. Insomniac hired DeStefano's firms in the belief that he "was the authorized representative of the Coliseum," said the lawyer, Gary Jay Kaufman. "Insomniac has done nothing wrong and always conducted itself in a legal and ethical manner."
In February, Lynch resigned under pressure because he approved DeStefano's side work with Insomniac. DeStefano left after the current president of the commission, David Israel, ordered him to choose between his government job and his work for Insomniac.
The Go Ventures executive, Gerami, said he, too, got Lynch's go-ahead to retain DeStefano's firms. Gerami said he was concerned that DeStefano had a conflict of interest, but Lynch assured him that DeStefano had his blessing. "I do business by the book," Gerami said.
Lynch's lawyer expressed doubt that his client had the conversation Gerami described. Capozzola said Lynch "was aware" that DeStefano worked for Go Ventures while employed at the Coliseum, but Lynch did not know how much money his firms were being paid.
Go Ventures agreed to pay DeStefano's LAC Events a percentage of its concert grosses at the Sports Arena, from which the DeStefano firm covered certain expenses, including the $25,000 cost of leasing the venue, Gerami said. He said DeStefano did a good job, and no one at the commission advised him that DeStefano's government duties included the same tasks.
DeStefano's massage expenses were for a back injury he suffered on the job, his lawyer said. DeStefano billed them as expenses because it was easier and less costly than filing a workers' compensation claim, according to Lederkramer, the financial officer.
DeStefano received the car allowance because he drove to meetings on commission business, said Sandbrook, the interim general manager.
Commission policy allows staff members to get free tickets to "obtain firsthand knowledge" of event operations.
He also received a 50% rental discount and free guest parking -- breaks generally not available to the public -- when he held his 2009 wedding reception at the state's California Science Center, next to the Coliseum.
A spokeswoman for the center, which cooperates with the commission on various events, said DeStefano received the discounts -- worth an estimated $3,400 -- as a "good neighbor courtesy."
The discounts are normally restricted to center employees, said spokeswoman Shell Amega.
The manager of a state office that oversees parking at the center said he regrets waiving the fees for DeStefano. "It's something that shouldn't have been done," said the manager, Eddie Kouyoumdjian.


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Views: 1609
I'm not sure about the study personally, but there was an episode of "House" in which someone said there was, and we all know that if it's on TV, it has to be true.
actually there was a study that showed that people who knew people were praying for them did worse... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060403133554.htm
I would ask to borrow it --
Once I used a local minister as a reference. It came to my attention that every time someone called for a reference, the minister used it as an opportunity for soul saving, putting me in a rather bad light. Sadly, I see this as yet one more brick in the wall....;p)...
8 year old Tammy Belanger was abducted on her way to school in Exeter, New Hampshire 28 years ago. For all these years her mother has had to go to bed every night not knowing the whereabouts of her lovely daughter. One can only try to imagine the pain.
This past spring I had several dozen posters with her picture printed and gave them to the Ministerial Alliance of Whitney, Texas. I asked that they be distributed to all (about 40) of the churches in the area and have the pastors ask their congregations to ask God to reveal her whereabouts. God is omniscient, God knows everything. Today, on the 28th anniversary of her abduction, she is still missing. A local pastors explanation; God works in mysterious ways. I have come to the conclusion that God only answers prayers for two kinds of people; winners and survivors.
RE: "God works in mysterious ways."
I'm sure that's what the Republican Party is mulling over right now, along with the Religious Right. Maybe they need to realize that, "No way in hell!" is also an answer.
This causes me to wonder:
Was Tammy's mother such a nice person? That 'God The Omniscient!' thought it was a good idea for Tammy to be abducted by a very bad child abuser, for her own good?
That Tammy, during a very early moment of extream youthful clarity, ran away from home to join the Circus, or some religious cult that has love bombed her into a useful member of society?
Or that prayer being a useful, but blunt instrument, has not been informed by 'God the Omniscient!' of the where-a-bouts of now a 36 year old woman. Alive or dead. Sadly not all tools can cut the mustard, like a well trained mind. I expect they need to look for a 36 year old woman, not an 8 year old kid.
no, im not using something thats not there as a crutch. its a complete and total waste of time. instead of praying to some god to heal them, (come on. like thats gonna happen) id rather do something useful and raise money to get them treated. put faith in something that works not something thats wishy washy
"Two hands working can do more than a thousand, clasped in prayer."
thats bull. god isnt real. im not wasting my time praying to an imaginary friend


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What's up?
Oh my gawd, people, I am back to the homework wars. Last night, DH and I checked Ari's homework and it was only halfway done. If we hadn't reminded him, none of it would have been done for this morning. This was after he had been grounded for not turning in homework, after insane lecturing on our part and tears on his end, and after he had an entire week off school. Ugh!!! This homework thing is going to be the bane of our existence.
Once again, we took away the iPad and video games for a week and playdates on school nights. Every day after school this week, I will be closely monitoring to make sure that he completes it. Ay.
A group of moms in Montserrat, Spain, have gone topless for a racy calendar to raise money for their school buses, according to the TODAY Show moms blog. In case you are wondering, they have raised the money needed to keep bus service for 600 elementary school kids, which begs the question, how far would you go to fundraise for your kids' school?
In other news: a Caucasian mom at BlogHer with an African American daughter wrote about the nuances of travel in this country — finding "friendly" places where non-white people can stay. I understand where she is coming from. I can think of two places, in which I felt uncomfortable being the only brown person that day. One of those places was in the deep south where people around me waved confederate flags and dropped the "n" word quite casually. I learned very quickly to keep my mouth shut — and never returned. It's sad that in this day and age we still have that in this country. I applaud this mother for recognizing it and protecting her daughter.
In people who are completely off the mark: Keli Goff at the Huffington Post wrote a piece about "why bad parents oppose kid-free flights." I liked this comment by a self-described 52-year-old gay man with no children:
Here's the million dollar answer. People of all ages travel by plane for medical reasons. Banning children from flights could be challenged on the basis of the Americans with Disabilities Act if a child with cancer needs to fly to a cancer center for chemotherapy.
Yes, this. I would add that children are still people and it is a slippery slope to start deeming who is "too annoying" to fly. There are plenty of adults who arguably belong in this category, too. Unlike a private beach or club, air is public. Flying is just one of those things we all suck up because we have to — a funeral, an illness, visiting family, going on vacation, etc..
And that's all I got. What else is in the news? What's up with you?


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SICHUAN PROVINCE, China, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Earlier this week, the basketball player currently known as Metta World Peace announced that not only will be taking his talents to China, he will also be changing his name, again.
World Peace last played in the NBA with the New York Knicks, but was waived in February.
Although World Peace has had some decent years since changing his name, the best portion of the 34-year-old's career was when he was still going by Ron Artest.
Perhaps in an effort to get things going again, World Peace announced that he will once again be changing his name -- but not back to Artest. After signing with the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association, World Peace alerted the Twitterverse that he will be taking a new Chinese name.
I'm excited to announce I'm officially a member of the Sichuan Blue Whale Basketball Club! Big season ahead for us! pic.twitter.com/xOmCUW28D5— mettaworldpeace.com (@MettaWorldPeace) August 4, 2014
New Chinese name coming soon. You guys are going to love it!!!!— mettaworldpeace.com (@MettaWorldPeace) August 5, 2014
MWP made up his mind and he will soon be known as "'Panda Friend' in honor of his move to China," China Daily reported. "[He] now plans to name himself after China's giant panda, a precious animal based in Southwest China's Sichuan province, where his new team is also based."
Watch...the back of everyone's jersey is going to say "friend" soon enough. @MettaWorldPeace— Tiffany Andrea™ (@_itsbusiness_) August 7, 2014
Someone should have seen this one coming...
First thing I am doing when I get to china will be visiting Pandas with my daughter @BabyGirl_Sade— mettaworldpeace.com (@MettaWorldPeace) July 31, 2014


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Ahoy, Critterfolk!
New entry Dec 07
Critter Notices
Critters is 23!
Yes, 23 years ago Critters was born. Wow! Thanks so much to all of you, who've made it such a resounding success!
Critters no longer accepting European Union members :(It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce Critters can no longer accept people in the European Union as members. This is a result of the "GDPR" privacy laws going into effect. I'm a big fan of privacy, and applaud the general idea behind the GDPR, but the way it's implemented forces me to close the door to EU writers. [read more why...]
Books from Critters!
Check out Books by Critters for books by your fellow Critterfolk, as well as my list of recommended books for writers.
The Sigil TrilogyIf you're looking for an amazing, WOW! science fiction story, check out THE SIGIL TRILOGY. This is — literally — one of the best science fiction novels I've ever read.
Space Travel for SF Writers
Hot off the presses from ReAnimus Press! Space Travel - A Science Fiction Writer's Guide— An indispensible tool for all SF writers that explains the science you need to help you make your fiction plausible. (Also via Amazon)
P&E Has a New Caretaker!
I'm very happy to announce that P&E has been handed off to a new caretaker! Check out the site for news and such. Hurrah!
I'm being interviewed live on public radio for Critters 20th birthday. For those who want to listen, it's on the 10am (Mountain time) show on Thursday, 11/19/16, on Colorado Public Radio - www.cpr.org has streaming on the site or it's 90.1 FM in the Denver area. [Interview is done, you can listen on the site]
Free Web Sites
Free web sites for authors (and others) are available at www.nyx.net.
ReAnimus Acquires Advent!
ReAnimus Press is pleased to announce the acquisition of the legendary Advent Publishers! Advent is now a subsidiary of ReAnimus Press, and we will continue to publish Advent's titles under the Advent name. Advent was founded in 1956 by Earl Kemp and others, and has published the likes of James Blish, Hal Clement, Robert Heinlein, Damon Knight, E.E. "Doc" Smith, and many others. Advent's high quality titles have won and been finalists for several Hugo Awards, such as The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Heinlein's Children. Watch this space for ebook and print editions of all of Advent's current titles!
Network speeding up
I'm switching the connection over to a new, shiny 10X faster network because of all the load. There might be bits of downtime as your boxes learn new addresses and things. Should be brief. Let me know of any prolonged outages you see.
Preditors & Editors Changeover
With the very sad passing of Dave Kuzminski, who ran P&E, I've taken over the P&E duties. Lots of what I hope are improvements; check it out at pred-ed.com.
Critters Server
is Dying has been Replaced
See important details here in my blog. Let me know if you find anything that isn't working right. (Manuscripts are now available for this week, FYI.)
Book Recommendation
THE SIGIL TRILOGY: The universe is dying from within... "Great stuff... Really enjoyed it." — SFWA Grandmaster Michael Moorcock
Announcing ReAnimus Press
If you need help making ebooks from manuscripts or print copies—or finding great stuff to read—look no further! An ebook publisher started by your very own Critter Captain. (And with a 12% Affiliate program.) [More]
PublishAmerica Sting
Would they publish the worst book ever written?
To dispel PublishAmerica's statements that they are a "traditional publisher"[*] and claims that they inspect submitted books for quality like a true traditional publisher does, such as--
a collection of SFWA authors (and, ahem, non-authors) concocted to write a very poorly written book. Under "direction" of James D. Macdonald, each author was given minimal information from which to write a chapter (with no idea of the chapter's location in the book, time of year, background of the characters, what the plot was, etc.), and encouraged to write poorly. It's a truly awful book, a serious contender for Absolute Worst Book Ever Written. The result was submitted "for review" by PublishAmerica to see if "has what this book publisher is looking for." It did. :-) PublishAmerica offered a contract.
PublishAmerica will publish any work, regardless of quality, despite their claims.
Here's the book, "Atlanta Nights" by "Travis Tea" (say the author's name quickly...) Be aware, as Allen Steele has said, "A note of caution: reading this thing may cause temporary brain damage." :-)
- The manuscript itself (PDF)
- The acceptance letter from PublishAmerica (PDF)
The contract offered by PublishAmerica (PDF)
Other links of interest:
- TravisTea.com - Travis's official web site
- The press release at PRweb
- Purchase a print copy via LuLu.com (a Print On Demand publisher that doesn't pretend to be otherwise; the book may prove useful to you as a doorstop, or as a teaching aide, illustrating the worst writing mistakes professional authors could concoct; proceeds from sales go to SFWA's Emergency Medical Fund)
- Read some of the blurbs
(Some of the authors and others have contrived humorous blurbs to describe
how bad it is without specifically saying it's bad... :-)
This is not to say that authors can't be successful via non-traditional publishing!—but because the author bears the financial risk, authors should be careful to avoid companies that charge high fees (before or after publication, or pay poor royalty rates, or engage in other author-unfriendly behavior) yet produce results that could have been accomplished for a lot less, or even for free. The goal is to protect authors from predatory behavior.
Tip to aspiring authors: See General Guidelines & Tips on Avoiding Scams.
Also see: The Preditors & Editors web site and Writer Beware.
--Andrew Burt (author of chapter 11 and the software used to machine generate chapter 34, :) chair of Preditors & Editors, as well as author/creator/purveyor of other things you might find interesting)
If you liked this, you might also like:
Say No to the Feeconomy (warning, humorous fees may apply)
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VANCOUVER — Annalea Krebs started her daily deals company two years ago when Groupon was still flying high.
Today, as critics slam Groupon and the daily deal model as a fad whose time is up, Krebs and ethicalDeal are celebrating an online marketing award from Small Business B.C.
"They say the business model is broken, but I disagree," Krebs said. "It's the how and the why behind the business model that needs to be re-evaluated."
In the standard model, small businesses offer products or services at a deep discount and pay a deal company a commission to post the deal on their site. The hope is to attract long-term customers. But since Groupon's co-founder and CEO Andrew Mason was fired last week following another quarter of poor financial results, the model has come under renewed fire for attracting only deal seekers who never return. At the same time, competition for merchants is fierce as the number of deal companies has soared due to the low cost of entry and Groupon's initial dazzling success.
Krebs' goal is to make green mainstream by offering greener choices at a deep discount. The daily deal model works "perfectly" as an introductory engine to address the top three reasons that prevent people from making greener choices — namely to find greener products, discover whether they are trustworthy, and try them at a reduced cost.
Krebs sees her promotions as marketing campaigns with a cost that should be factored into marketing budgets. To that end, she builds integrated online marketing campaigns around each deal to help clients find qualified buyers.
"Annalea is a forward thinker who understands the integration of online marketing and engagement marketing," said Small Business B.C. representative Sara Couper.
"Throughout the Successful You Awards, ethicalDeal demonstrated clever and effective engagement of their clients and community through social media and online campaigns. EthicalDeal understands their customers and how to connect with their values and lifestyle — they then use email marketing, social media and blogging to share information and products that match those values.
"Rather than directly selling to their clients, they've created a community around green values and allow that community to promote the company for them. The sophistication of ethicalDeal's marketing practices has helped drive revenue and growth at impressive levels."
Krebs said in the two years since she started her business, ethicalDeal has done about 2,000 promotions with almost 1,000 green businesses. More than half of the businesses have run two or more promotions, she said. On the consumer side, with each campaign, about half the customers are new and a quarter become repeat buyers.
She aims to produce content that will bring potential buyers to her site through their own Google searches for green choices.
"Before we even promote a product, we release a blog post about that product. This week we're promoting coconut oil. We've released the blog with five ways you can use coconut oil. A couple of days later, our promotion is up for 50-per-cent off coconut oil.
"We're providing value to the business because we are sending them qualified customers, someone who has not only searched for cloth diapers (or coconut oil), read about them and tried them through a promotion we've offered," she said. "That's a very highly qualified customer. They haven't necessarily come to us with a deal in mind."
Krebs started ethicalDeal in late 2010 with five government grants totalling more than $75,000, a couple of years after graduating in commerce from Royal Roads University. Since then, she's tried a variety of grassroots marketing strategies.
She's learned it is important to humanize her brand.
"You can only automate so much," Krebs said. Having a Q and A discussion board, posting pictures of the team on Facebook, writing personal blog posts, and admitting to mistakes have such an impact on people's trust, she said.
She narrowly escaped selling fake merchandise. She launched what promised to be a very successful promotion selling Toms Shoes, but shoppers started asking if the shoes were genuine. Unable to get a straight answer from the retailer, she pulled the deal.
"I wrote to 600 buyers apologizing," she said. Two weeks later, she learned another website had run the same promotion and the shoes were fake. "That was a real wake up call for us," she said. Now ethicalDeal works only directly with manufacturers.
In early 2012, she introduced the blog and started seeding deals with content. She now produces not only a promotion calendar but an editorial calendar to complement it. "People come to us for healthy recipes, gluten-free or vegan recipes and then cooking tips," she said. She uses both staff bloggers and guest contributors.
She has also restructured her shopper referral process to tie it into the purchasing process. Consumers who buy are prompted to "share" a trackable link with a friend in return for shopping credits. One in four of her shoppers shares a link with friends via social media.
The company also makes heavy use of Twitter hashtags so it can leverage people searching for key terms.
One of Krebs' latest strategies is to partner with independent natural and organic grocery stores. In her current coconut oil deal, for instance, the client is the manufacturer. The coconut oil is offered to consumers at essentially a wholesale price. Consumers pick up the product at participating grocery stores where, it is hoped, they will linger and shop. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has a new channel to market directly to the end consumer that's targeted, trackable and likely less expensive that trade shows and store trials, Krebs said.
She has just arranged a deal with greenmommy.com where her deals will be promoted through the site, which has 100,000 registered users. "That's huge for us. It would have taken us forever to acquire that many new users."
The company has 10 employees and promotes offers in a number of cities across North America. Krebs said 70,000 people visit her site each month, of whom 50,000 sign up to read the blog and other content and 25,000 make a purchase.


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Tropical Depression Dorian expected to weaken
August 3, 2013
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Depression Dorian is still moving off the east coast of Florida, but forecasters expect it to weaken.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Dorian is likely to weaken later Saturday. The depression's maximum sustained winds late Saturday morning were 35 mph (55kmh). The depression's center was about 200 miles (320 kilometers) east of Jacksonville.
Dorian is moving northeast at 14 mph (22 kph).
No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
All contents © copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


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Miami Criminal Defense LawyerWith a proven track record of success, The Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh guarantees aggressive and zealous representation for all of your Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Wrongful Death matters! South Florida Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Representation
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The Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh have handled thousands of cases and are known for providing the very best representation for those under investigation or charged with any criminal matter in both state and federal court. We have the very best Miami Criminal Lawyers, Fort Lauderdale Criminal Lawyers, and West Palm Beach Criminal Lawyers. Our practice also offers extraordinarily zealous advocacy to those with personal injury and/or wrongful death cases.Choosing the Right Attorney
Choosing the right attorney can often be an arduous and confusing task. As a former prosecutor, Mark Eiglarsh is uniquely positioned in the South Florida criminal defense field. He has succeeded in securing the very best outcome possible for his clients. He is known for his ability to provide innovative and powerful legal representation in all his criminal, personal injury, and wrongful death cases.
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When you retain the services of the Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh you will have more than 20 years of experience on your side! Miami criminal defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh was selected by his peers as "Best of the Bar" and named one of Florida Trend's "Legal Elite" (a title given to less than 1% of lawyers in our state). He also has received an "AV Rating" (An AV rating is the highest rating attainable, voted on by other attorneys and judges) from Martindale-Hubbell for high ethical standards and legal abilities. Attorney Mark Eiglarsh is also a highly admired adjunct law professor at the University Of Miami School Of Law.
By retaining The Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh, you have retained the services of the best in Miami Criminal Law, Personal injury and Wrongful cases.Hiring a Local Attorney
Though The Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh has litigated cases all over the country, Mark's main passion is to focus on the local South Florida community, where he was born and raised. There's a distinct advantage in hiring an experienced attorney who knows the ins and outs of the South Florida jurisdictional system.
If you were arrested in Miami, you need the best criminal defense attorney in Miami to assist you. If you were arrested anywhere in South Florida, whether it be West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Hollywood, Hallandale, Boca Raton, Aventura, North Miami Beach, North Miami, Miami Shores, Miami Beach or any surrounding city, Attorney Mark Eiglarsh is able to utilize his vast experience to obtain the best outcome for you.No Case is too Big or too Small
With over two decades of litigation experience, Attorney Mark Eiglarsh's belief in the presumption of innocence has led him to take on criminal defense and personal injury cases of all sizes and complexities. There is no case too small or too complex. From DUIs, Rape, Battery, Grand Theft, Manslaughter, Murder, and Fraud to complex 'white collar' matters, Mark Eiglarsh has successfully defended them all in both state and federal court.
Here at the Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh we take to heart the American principles of equal justice and the right of every human being to have a powerful legal defense!What Penalties are You Facing?
At the Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh, we stay current on the latest changes to sentencing laws. It is our mission to keep our clients informed of all aspects of their case, including any potential sentencing options.
During the initial free and confidential consultation, we encourage you to ask as many questions as you need, so that you can gain a thorough understanding of what you're facing and what outcomes we will aggressively and passionately pursue on your behalf.
Criminal charges are generally either misdemeanors or felonies. What specific misdemeanor crime you were charged with is determined by how many days the potential penalty may be. The typical range is between 60 days to 1 year of incarceration time. The maximum sentence you can receive for each misdemeanor count is one year in jail. How much time you're facing for a felony, depends on the nature of the charge and what degree the charge is. The chart below may assist in understanding these charges:
- CAPITAL FELONY (e.g. First Degree Murder): The only two sentencing options are either life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
- LIFE FELONY (e.g. Armed Robbery, Kidnapping): Punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole + $15,000 fine.
- FIRST DEGREE FELONY (e.g. DUI Manslaughter): Punishable by up to 30 years in prison, 30 years of probation + $10,000 fine
- SECOND DEGREE FELONY (e.g. Aggravated Battery): Punishable by up to 15 years in prison, 15 years of probation + $5,000 fine
- THIRD DEGREE FELONY (e.g. Possession of Cocaine): Punishable by up to five years in prison, 5 years of probation + $5,000 fine
- FIRST DEGREE MISDEMEANOR (e.g. DUI): Punishable by up to one year in jail, one year of probation + $1,000 fine
- SECOND DEGREE MISDEMEANOR (e.g. Driving With Suspended License): Punishable by up to 60 days in jail, six months probation + $500 fine
Felony defendants are sentenced pursuant to the Florida criminal punishment code, also known as "CPC" or "a score sheet." Each felony is given a numerical value based on a ranking system created by the Florida legislature. The higher the crime's ranking, the more points will be assessed. Once the score sheet is tallied, any total point value of less than 44 means that prison is not required, even though the judge may still chose to impose a prison sentence. Any point total over 44 points means that a state prison sentence must be imposed unless the prosecutors agree or the judge chooses to depart below the mandatory prison term as called for by legal guidelines.Other Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Charge
Other collateral consequences of a criminal charge other than incarceration include:
- Losing your civil rights
- Losing your right to bear arms
- Difficulty renting an apartment
- Inability to obtain state and/or federal aid
- Ineligible to hold a public office
- Ineligible to obtain certain licenses
- Difficulty in getting and/or keeping a job
At the Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh, we recognize that these potential harms can have a devastating affect our clients. We make it our personal mission to try and prevent them!Contact Us Today
Being under investigation or arrested can be an extremely nerve-wracking and overwhelming experience. If you have been arrested or charged with a crime don't hesitate to call us. We are available around-the-clock to protect your Constitutional rights and to evaluate your criminal, personal injury or wrongful death case. The sooner an attorney gets involved in your case, the better it will be for you.
Whether you're charged with DUI, domestic violence, battery, marijuana possession, theft, drug trafficking, rape, murder, fraud, cyber-crime etc., you can be assured that your case will be handled by a criminal defense attorney in Miami with the utmost care and experience. Also, if you've been injured in any way, be it a car or boating accident, slip and fall, dog bite, etc., call us so we can assist you.
When you call our firm you will get to speak directly with veteran Miami criminal defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh. With over two decades of litigation experience, Attorney Mark Eiglarsh will provide you with a free analysis of your case.
We have satellite offices throughout the state of Florida, including Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Weston, Hollywood and Miami. Anywhere in South Florida, The Law Offices of Mark Eiglarsh is ready to assist you.
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This guideline covers identifying and treating primary hypertension (high blood pressure) in people aged 18 and over. It aims to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and strokes by helping healthcare professionals to diagnose hypertension accurately and treat it effectively. It also aims to reduce unnecessary treatment by improving the way blood pressure is measured.
NICE has also produced a guideline on hypertension in pregnancy.
In November 2016 a footnote about 2 MHRA drug safety alerts was added to recommendations in section 1.6 covering angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These alerts cover ACE inhibitor use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
This guideline includes recommendations on:
- measuring blood pressure
- diagnosis
- assessing cardiovascular risk and target organ damage
- lifestyle interventions
- initiating and monitoring antihypertensive drug treatment, including blood pressure targets
- choosing antihypertensive drug treatment
- patient education and adherence to treatment
Who is it for?
- Healthcare professionals
- People who have or may have high blood pressure, their families and carers
Is this guideline up to date?
We reviewed the new evidence in October 2016 and we are updating this guideline.
Guideline development process
How we develop NICE guidelines
This guideline updates and replaces NICE guideline CG18 (August 2004) and NICE guideline CG34 (June 2006).
Your responsibility
The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian.
All problems (adverse events) related to a medicine or medical device used for treatment or in a procedure should be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency using the Yellow Card Scheme.
Local commissioners and providers of healthcare have a responsibility to enable the guideline to be applied when individual professionals and people using services wish to use it. They should do so in the context of local and national priorities for funding and developing services, and in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, to advance equality of opportunity and to reduce health inequalities. Nothing in this guideline should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with complying with those duties.
Commissioners and providers have a responsibility to promote an environmentally sustainable health and care system and should assess and reduce the environmental impact of implementing NICE recommendations wherever possible.


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I'm so sorry for the unintentional hiatus! I've caught up on blog header orders, gone out of town, and lost my camera charger, but I'm back now!
A week or so ago I tried to dye my hair blonde, and the result wasn't *quite* what I was expecting!
With blonde on top, pale pink in the middle, and brown at the bottom, it reminds me of neapolitan ice cream and I kind of love it, as silly as it is!? Now, all I need is the NeaPAWlitan bow from Locketship! ;D
Fall is on the horizon, and I'm trying to make the most of what's left of summer weather. This dress, with it's sheer elements and Peter Pan collar, is absolutely adorable, and I found these shoes for only $3 at a thrift store!
What have you been up too - are you excited for Fall?!


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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
On-line version ISSN 2078-5135
Print version ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.102 n.7 Cape Town Jul. 2012
The relationship between trough concentration of vancomycin and effect on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in critically ill patients
J Y CheongI; M Makmor-BakryII; C L LauIII; R Abdul RahmanIV
IBPharm (Hons), MClinPharm. Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
IIBPharm (Hons), MPharm (Clin), PhD. Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
IIIBSc (Pharm), MClinPharm. Department of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur
IV MB BCh, BAO, MMed (Anaes). Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur
OBJECTIVES. The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in intensive care units in Malaysia is significant. Invasive MRSA infections are commonly treated with vancomycin. In clinical practice, the serum vancomycin trough concentration is used as a surrogate marker of vancomycin efficacy. A low concentration of vancomycin may result in less effective therapy and increase the risk of bacterial resistance. We evaluated the relationship between the resolution of MRSA infections and trough concentrations of vancomycin.
METHODS. A total of 76 patients admitted between January 2005 and February 2011 were included in the study. Serum vancomycin trough concentration data were collected from the microbiology records. The clinical response was evaluated on the basis of clinical notes and culture test results.
RESULTS. A total of 262 appropriate trough concentration data was included, with a median of 3 trough concentrations per patient. Fifty-four patients responded to vancomycin therapy. The initial trough concentration did not differ between responders and non-responders (p=0.135), but the corrected trough concentration was higher among responders than among non-responders (11.64±1.50 mg/l and 9.25±1.59 mg/l, respectively; p=0.036). The average total daily dose of vancomycin was significantly higher among the responders (p=0.008).
CONCLUSION. In this critically ill population, a vancomycin dose of 15 mg/kg/day was found sufficient to produce optimal trough concentrations to eradicate the MRSA infection. This study demonstrated the significant relationship between response to treatment of MRSA infection and serum vancomycin trough concentrations.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first identified in Malaysia in early 1970.1 The MRSA infections rate was 10 per 1 000 hospital admissions in a local teaching hospital between 2002 and 2007.2 More than 70% of S. aureus isolates in intensive care units (ICUs) in the USA are methicillin-resistant.3 Vancomycin (a glycopeptide antibiotic) has been used for nearly 50 years in treating MRSA infection. It remains first-line therapy against invasive MRSA infections.4 Vancomycin has a narrow therapeutic index and shows a time-dependent killing profile.5 Guidelines on recommended dosing of vancomycin have been published.4,6
The ratio of the area under the serum drug concentration-versustime curve (AUC) and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) are among the most useful pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters for predicting vancomycin efficacy. However, measurement of multiple serum concentrations for AUC calculation is not practical in the clinical setting; therefore, the serum trough concentration is used as a surrogate marker of AUC and represents the most practical method for monitoring the potential efficacy of vancomycin. Maximum killing occurs at sustained concentrations approximately 4 - 5 times above the MIC.5 In Malaysia, MRSA strains with higher MIC at 1 mg/l, 1.5 mg/l and 2 mg/l were found at the rate of 41%, 51% and 30%, respectively, in 6 major hospitals.7 Low serum concentrations of vancomycin may result in less effective therapy and increased risk of bacterial resistance.8 Vancomycin resistance may be less likely to develop when serum trough concentrations are maintained above 10 mg/l.9
Serum vancomycin trough concentrations of 15 - 20 mg/l have been recommended for severe MRSA infections such as bacteraemia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, meningitis and hospital-acquired pneumonia.6 However, a trough concentration >15 mg/l has not been clearly associated with favourable outcomes.10 An initial response rate of 74% was achieved when target trough concentrations of at least 4 times the MIC were attained.11 Vancomycin trough concentrations >15 mg/l were also associated with a higher risk of nephrotoxicity.11
Little information is available regarding the clinical response of MRSA infections to serum vancomycin concentrations in critically ill patients. We evaluated the relationship between the resolution of MRSA infections and the trough concentrations of vancomycin and documented the dose regimen of vancomycin received by patients in the ICU.
This retrospective study of critically ill adult patients with MRSA infections was conducted in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) by using the microbiology records from the Infectious Control Unit to identify all appropriate patients admitted between January 2005 and February 2011. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM 22.214.171.124/244/NF-001-2011).
Inclusion criteria were: patients age ≥18 years; who had microbiologically isolated MRSA; who were treated with vancomycin for >72 hours; who had serum vancomycin trough concentrations monitored during therapy; whose baseline white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts with >2 serial readings were monitored during therapy; and whose baseline body temperature with serial body temperature readings during therapy were recorded. Patients concurrently treated with other antibiotics for MRSA infections (including linezolid, rifampicin, fusidic acid and teicoplanin) were excluded.
The medical and laboratory records of eligible patients were reviewed. Using a structured data collection form, demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were recorded, including: age, sex, body weight, diagnosis on admission to ICU, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score on ICU admission, date of ICU admission, date of discharge from ICU and hospital, co-morbid conditions, WBC/neutrophil count, culture and sensitivity, daily body temperature, type of ventilation support, use of inotropic agents, vancomycin dosing regimen (dose and frequency), serum vancomycin trough concentrations achieved, and concurrent non-MRSA-sensitive antibiotics. The average value was used if there were more than one result per day for any laboratory investigation.
Information pertinent to vancomycin therapy was also collected, including dose, frequency, timing of doses, timing of missed doses, serum vancomycin concentrations, and timing of assay of the concentrations. An appropriate serum vancomycin trough concentration was defined as the concentration before the next scheduled vancomycin dose at steady-state level. All serum vancomycin concentrations were measured by fluorescence polarisation immunoassay (COBAS Integra 800 System, Roche, USA).
The dosage regimen of the patients was classified as 'stat dose basis' or 'multiple-dose basis'. Stat dose basis referred to a convenient method of dosing for patients with marked renal impairment, who are given an initial dose of at least 15 mg/kg, followed by a maintenance dose of 250 - 1 000 mg once every few days based on the measurement of serum trough concentrations. Multiple-dose basis is the traditional method of giving a dose at a fixed frequency, e.g. 8-hourly, 12-hourly and 24-hourly.12,13
A primary outcome measure was clinical response at the end of vancomycin therapy. Clinical responses were evaluated daily after 72 hours of vancomycin administration. Based on the clinical outcome, subjects were divided into 'response' and 'non-response' groups. 'Response' was defined as improvement of infection-related parameters (such as decreasing WBC/neutrophil count, improvement of local signs of infections, decreasing body temperature, de-escalation of the use of invasive ventilation support to non-invasive ventilation support, and discontinuation of inotropic agents, with or without negative culture of MRSA at the end of vancomycin treatment). 'Non-response' was defined as no improvement, or worsening of signs and symptoms of infection, with or without persistent positive culture, or a switch from vancomycin to an alternative agent based on the clinical judgement of clinicians and with or without persistent positive culture.
Initial serum vancomycin trough concentration referred to the first steady-state trough concentration. For each patient, a corrected average serum vancomycin trough concentration was calculated as the trough concentration achieved using the sum of each measured trough concentration multiplied by the number of days at that level, then divided by the total number of treatment days.11 Clinical outcomes for all patients were analysed using the initial vancomycin trough concentration achieved and the corrected serum trough concentration.
Of 217 patients with MRSA infection and treated with vancomycin, only 112 had serum trough concentrations available. Of these patients, 76 fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Table 1 shows overall patient demographic data. Male patients comprised 75%. On admission, the APACHE II score was 18.76±8.18 (mean±SD). Most isolates were obtained from the respiratory tract (46 (60.5%)). There were 17 (22.4%) patients with multiple sites of MRSA infection, and 93.4% patients had other concurrent infections. All patients with concurrent infections were treated with other antibiotics based on culture and sensitivity tests and appropriate dose regimen. A total of 262 appropriate trough concentration data were included in the study, with a median of 3 trough concentrations per patient.
Responders to vancomycin therapy (N=54) were categorised into 2 groups: those who responded clinically with negative culture at the end of therapy (n=44), and those who responded clinically but without culture result at the end of therapy (n=10). Non-responders to therapy (n=22) were classified as: clinically not improved with persistent positive culture (n=8), clinically not improved without culture result (n=6), changed to alternative agent with persistent positive culture (n=7), or changed to alternative agent without culture result (n=1).
Table 2 shows patient demographics and serum vancomycin trough concentrations for responders and non-responders. All aspects of demographic data were similar in the 2 groups. Initial trough concentrations did not differ between responders and non-responders (p=0.135) but the corrected trough concentrations were higher among responders (p=0.036). There was no difference between the responders and non-responders distribution as regards patients on multiple-dose basis and stat dose basis. The average total daily dose was significantly higher in the responders (p=0.008).
The initial and corrected vancomycin trough concentrations were higher among responders than non-responders, but statistical significance was only observed in corrected trough concentrations.
This could be explained by the time-dependent bacterial killing characteristic of vancomycin. The corrected trough concentration was estimated by using all measured trough concentrations during the entire course of therapy instead of only one measurement of initial trough concentration. As such, the corrected trough concentration gives a better picture of the vancomycin trough concentration throughout the course of therapy. This finding implies that serum vancomycin trough concentrations should be monitored throughout the course of therapy in critically ill patients. Studies have found inter-individual variability in vancomycin disposition in critically ill patients owing to factors such as age, renal function and underlying illnesses.14,15 Concurrent use of haemodynamically active drugs such as inotropes and furosemide have been suggested as enhancing vancomycin clearance in this population.14 Therefore, close monitoring of trough concentrations is imperative in adjusting vancomycin dosage to optimise the treatment effect.
The corrected trough concentration of 11.64±1.50 mg/l among the responders compared with 9.25±1.59 mg/l among non-responders showed the importance of maintaining vancomycin trough concentration above 10 mg/l throughout the course of therapy for optimal efficacy. As the maximum killing effect of vancomycin depends on sustained concentrations 4 - 5 times above the MIC, it is postulated that there is a higher prevalence of MRSA strains with higher MIC in the present study location, and may be similar to that in other major hospitals in Malaysia.7 Similar findings were reported by Zimmermann et at.,16 who found that patients were more likely to have WBC counts return to normal and become afebrile within 72 hours if trough concentrations of vancomycin were 10 mg/l or above.16 This finding also supports other reports that trough concentration of vancomycin should be maintained above 10 mg/l for treatment to be successful and to prevent the development of vancomycin resistance.9
The doses of vancomycin given to the critically ill patients were determined and adjusted according to the patient's renal function, creatinine clearance and the vancomycin trough concentration achieved with the earlier dose. Based on our study findings, a vancomycin dose of 15 mg/kg/day would be sufficient to produce optimal trough concentrations to eradicate MRSA. This dose was estimated to produce the corrected vancomycin trough concentration of 11.64±1.50 mg/l, which is between 10 and 15 mg/l as previously recommended.9 Others also failed to demonstrate the benefits of recently recommended higher serum vancomycin trough concentrations >15 mg/l in achieving better clinical outcomes.10,11,17 The current findings may justify the vancomycin trough concentration between 10 and 15 mg/l as an effective and safe target for MRSA infection in critically ill patients. However, this observation has not been interpreted in the presence of MICs, and caution must be exercised before applying this finding to other study populations.
In conclusion, this study demonstrated the significant relationship between treatment response of MRSA infection and serum vancomycin trough concentrations. In our critically ill adult population, a vancomycin dose of 15 mg/kg/day would be sufficient to produce an optimal trough concentration of 10 - 15 mg/l that is effective against MRSA.
1. Lim VKE, Zulkifli HI. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Malaysian neonatal unit. Singapore Med J 1987;28:176-179. [ Links ]
2. Al-Talib HI, Yean CY, Al-Jashamy K, Hasan H. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial infection trends in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia during 2002-2007. Ann Saudi Med 2010;30(5):358-363. [ Links ]
3. Klevens RM, Edwards JR, Tenover FC, McDonald LC, Horan T, Gaynes R. Changes in the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in intensive care units in US hospitals, 1992-2003. Clin Infect Dis 2006;42(3):389-391. [ Links ]
4. Liu C, Bayer A, Cosgrove SE, et al. Clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in adults and children. Clin Infect Dis 2011;52(3):e18-e55. [ Links ]
5. Mueller M, Pena A, Derendorf H. Issues in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anti-infective agents: kill curves versus MIC. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2004;48(2):369-377. [ Links ]
6. Rybak M, Lomaestro B, Rotschafer JC, et al Therapeutic monitoring of vancomycin in adult patients: a consensus review of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2009;66(1):82-98. [ Links ]
7. Ahmad N, Nawi S, Rajasekaran, et al. Increased vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration among Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Malaysia. J Med Microbiol 2010;59(12):1530-1552. [ Links ]
8. de Hoog M, Mouton JW, van den Anker JN. Vancomycin: pharmacokinetics and administration regimens in neonates. Clin Pharmacokinet 2004;43(7):417-440. [ Links ]
9. Sakoulas G, Gold HS, Cohen RA, Venkataraman L, Moellering RC, Eliopoulos GM. Effects of prolonged vancomycin administration on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a patient with recurrent bacteraemia. J Antimicrob Chemother 2006;57(4):699-704. [ Links ]
10. Lodise TP, Graves I, Evans A, et al. Relationship between vancomycin MIC and failure among patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia treated with vancomycin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008;52(9):3315-3320. [ Links ]
11. Hidayat LK, Quist R, Shriner KA, Wong-Beringer A. High-dose vancomycin therapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections - efficacy and toxicity. Arch Intern Med 2006;166(19):2138-2144. [ Links ]
12. Eli Lilly & Company. Vancocin package insert, 2003. [ Links ]
13. Hospira Incorporation. Sterile vancomycin hydrochloride USP package insert, 2008. [ Links ]
14. Pea F, Porreca L, Baraldo M, Furlanut M. High vancomycin dosage regimen required by intensive care unit patients cotreated with drugs to improve hemodynamics following cardiac surgical procedures. J Antimicrob Chemother 2000;45(3):329-335. [ Links ]
15. del Mar Fernandez de Gatta Garcia M, Revilla N, Calvo MV, Domínguez-Gil A, Navarro AS. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis of vancomycin in ICU patients. Intensive Care Med 2007;33(2):279-285. [ Links ]
16. Zimmermann AE, Katona BG, Plaisance KI. Association of vancomycin serum concentrations with outcomes in patients with gram-positive bacteraemia. Pharmacotherapy 1995;15(1):85-91. [ Links ]
17. Jeffres MN, Isakow W, Doherty JA, et al Predictors of mortality for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus health care-associated pneumonia: specific evaluation of vancomycin pharmacokinetic indices. Chest 2006;130(4):947-955. [ Links ]
Accepted 6 January 2012.
Corresponding author: M Makmor-Bakry (firstname.lastname@example.com)


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Who was Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest? Few tourists visit his tomb, but his modern obscurity obscures his ancient importance.
One of the sites in Israel least visited by Western tourists is the tomb of Ishmael, the last high priest ("Kohen Gadol") of the Jewish temple of Jerusalem. And there is good reason for this. The tomb, in the small Druze village of Sajur (Sagur) in upper Galilee, halfway between Acre and the Sea of Galilee, is a sparsely decorated modern building, essentially an empty room surrounding the purported cenotaph of Ishmael.
But this unprepossessing building obscures the significance of Ishmael in rabbinic Jewish tradition. Ishmael was the son of Elisha, but other details of his background are obscure. Ishmael's father, Elisha, is not among the high priests of the temple during the first century A.D. as identified by Josephus.
Ishmael's dates can be approximated because he is said to be one of the "Ten Martyrs" — rabbis who were executed by the Roman emperor Hadrian, presumably during the Bar Kokhba rebellion (A.D. 132-136). Ishmael was flayed alive by the Romans, and the skin of his head stuffed with straw as a trophy. Another of the Ten Martyrs was the prominent rabbi Simeon, the son of Gamaliel the Elder. This Gamaliel was the teacher of Paul (Acts 22:3), who famously opposed the persecution of Christians during the trial of Peter and the apostles (Acts 5:38-39).
It should be noted, however, that Jewish traditions are generally vague and ambiguous about dates from this early period, sometimes confusing rabbis of the same name who lived at different times. Since Gamaliel died around A.D. 52, his son Simeon would have been approximately 83 in A.D. 135 even if (as seems unlikely) he had been born in the last year of Gamaliel's life. It is more probable that Simeon was martyred during the first Jewish rebellion in A.D. 70, or perhaps that he was the grandson or great-grandson of Gamaliel.
If the tradition of Ishmael's martyrdom by Hadrian has any basis in history, then Ishmael would have lived during the early second century A.D. and died in roughly A.D. 135, around 65 years after the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. Why, then, was he universally called the "High Priest," if at best he was a young child when the temple was destroyed? During the revolt of Bar Kokhba, the Jews began to offer sacrifices on the altar of the ruins of the temple. Presumably, Ishmael acted as high priest at this partially restored temple of Jerusalem during the Bar Kokhba revolt and, hence, was the last functioning high priest of Israel. This would explain his ubiquitous title in rabbinic tradition.
But Ishmael's significance does not end there. He is the purported author of 3 Enoch, anciently known as "The Book of Rabbi Ishmael the High Priest," or "The Revelation of Metatron." In it, Rabbi Ishmael asks God for a vision of the divine "Merkaba" — the "chariot" throne of God as described in Ezekiel 1. God responds by sending the archangel Metatron, who leads Ishmael to the celestial temple, where he learns the mysteries of God. Much of the book consists of Ishmael asking questions of Metatron, who reveals that he is the deified Enoch. God clothed Enoch in "a robe of glory" and gave him a new name, "Lesser Yahweh (Lord)," because God's "name is in him" (3 Enoch 12). Enoch was then given power over all the angels, and all the angelic names were revealed to him. Enoch, here, is a Jewish version of the celestial Christ. Enoch/Metatron serves in the celestial temple as God's high priest, and Ishmael is permitted to worship there with him, singing the angelic Trishagion/Qedusha hymn from Isaiah 6. After this, the future of the world is revealed (3 Enoch 45). (A translation can be found online at archive.org/details/pdfy-lFh2SRV-tLJq15wg.)
In 3 Enoch, then, Ishmael plays the role of John the Revelator, and Enoch/Metatron that of John's angelic guide (or perhaps Christ), who reveals the mysteries of the celestial temple where John sees God and Christ seated on his celestial throne.
The import of this tradition is that, although the earthly temple had been destroyed by the Romans, the righteous faithful could still worship and serve God in the celestial temple, just as John does in the book of Revelation. Thus, Ishmael was the last high priest to officiate in the ruins of the earthly temple (during the Bar Kokhba revolt) and the first to serve with Enoch in the celestial temple.


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Let me guess, you have been playing New York Times crossword and got stuck on the clue Plane's landing stat. Well, you have come to the right place to find the answer to this clue.
While some crosswords are much simpler than others, most require that players have a vast knowledge of the language and possibly even various topics. So while crossword puzzles are seen as a more intelligent game, they can be very frustrating for players to complete and even experienced crossword players need some help occasionally.
When finding the answers to the clues becomes too difficult, there's no shame in looking for them online.
Now you have the answer to your clue. Its time to move on to the next clue. You can browse through the list with all the answers to the New York Times crossword of December 16th, 2008. Or you can use the search form below to find the answer (no matter if its New York Times Crossword or any other crossword).
|New York Times crossword of December 16th, 2008 other clues
|'Bye Bye Bye' boy band
|'Do ___ favor'
|'Goodness gracious!'
|'Oh, goody!'
|'What did I do to deserve this?'
|'Without delay'
|Actress Collette
|Alder or elder
|As a result
|Big Board letters
|Bouquet ___ (herb bundle)
|Burn treatment
|Charles Atlas, for one
|Civil War nickname
|Curved molding
|Curved trajectories
|Declares void
|Didn't allow
|Durable do
|Eagerly accept
|Enough, for some
|Entrance to a botanical display
|Fair ___ (copyright issue)
|Firefighter's tool
|Forget to include
|Frau's partner
|Gen. Bradley
|Gift that almost killed Snow White
|Hägar the Horrible's hound
|Hindu title of respect
|It's handed down from generation to generation
|Kindergarten tune, with 'The'
|Low grades
|Lox holder
|Military flotilla
|Mimicry expert
|Mixologist's workplace
|Narc's org.
|Neighbors of Croats
|Numbers game
|Org. that once used the slogan 'In Service for the Girls of the World'
|Ornamental jug
|Petty dispute
|Place to live
|Plumlike fruit
|Procter & Gamble best seller
|Rap sheet letters
|Right-angle joints
|Say no, with 'out'
|Shoulder muscle, briefly
|Sign of healing
|Simple shirt
|Soda shop freebie
|Some E.R. cases
|Some lounge combos
|Some motel prohibitions
|Something a cat doesn't like
|Sporty Chevy, for short
|Standby passenger's salvation
|Stop for a motor coach
|Teri of 'Tootsie'
|Think the world of
|Time worth remembering
|U.S. 1 and others: Abbr.
|Unruly crowds
|Unwanted publicity
|W.W. II arena
|What the ends of 17-, 27- and 48-Across each represent
|When Hamlet dies
|Words from sponsors
|Workplace stds. enforcer
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