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Locksmiths In Eaglesfield – Fast, Affordable, Quality Work
- 1 What Is a Locksmith and Where Can I Find One In Eaglesfield?
- 2 Definition of a Locksmith
- 3 What They Do?
- 4 The Types of Locksmith
- 5 What Can You Hire Them For?
- 5.1 Lock Installation
- 5.2 Lock Repair
- 5.3 Install and Repair Security Safes
- 5.4 Car Keys
- 5.5 Lock Rekeying
- 5.6 Ignition Replacement
- 5.7 Key Programming
- 5.8 Car Door Lock Replacement
- 5.9 Key Extraction
- 5.10 Mailbox Locks
- 5.11 Key Duplication
- 5.12 Key Recovery
- 5.13 Unlocking Locks
- 5.14 Access Control
- 5.15 24-Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
- 6 Where Can I Find a Reliable Locksmith Near Me?
- 7 How to Choose a Locksmith Near Me
What Is a Locksmith and Where Can I Find One In Eaglesfield?
If you value your possessions and are concerned about their safety, then a locksmith can be invaluable. Here is where you can find one in Eaglesfield.
Are you searching for a locksmith in Eaglesfield? Of course, you are or else you wouldn't be here. So, why are you searching for one? Locked yourself out of your house or car? Misplaced your keys? Or there's another reason for it? Another reason I say but why? Isn't unlocking homes or cars and providing spare keys the only thing that locksmiths do? This, my friend, is the biggest misconception out there.
While unlocking homes and cars and providing spare keys is something locksmiths most definitely do, they are just a small part of the wide range of services provided by a locksmith. There are other disciplines within the locksmithing realm that locksmith services specialize in as well. So, what are the other areas that locksmiths specialize in? We'll get to that in a bit, right after we provide you with an elaborate definition of a locksmith.
Definition of a Locksmith
Most people wrongly assume that a locksmith in Eaglesfield is required only in an emergency lockout situation. While emergency lockouts are the most common reason for hiring a locksmith, there are not the only service provided by a locksmith in Eaglesfield. Instead, a locksmith is someone who can work with and solve issues with any type of locks, doors, windows, safes, cars, and keys.
Locksmiths are trained for the job as they need to work with different types of locks and keys. In addition to knowledge about the various types of locks and keys, a locksmith in Eaglesfield needs to have the following skills:
- Coordination and dexterity
- Good depth perception and eyesight
- Skill to work quickly and accurately under pressure
What They Do?
So, you know the definition of a locksmith but what do they do? Locksmiths can practice in a variety of areas, but some of them choose to focus on just one discipline. Examples of this are emergency locksmith and auto locksmith. However, the option to work in a variety of disciplines is always available to a locksmith in Eaglesfield. While there is no limit on the number of services a local locksmith can provide, many locksmiths market themselves as specialist in one area or another.
Nonetheless, all locksmiths—yes all of them, are trained to provide a range of services. We already know that they can help in an emergency lockout but what else are they useful for? They can re-key a home that you've just purchased, replace the locks in the same home with locks of your choice, fix a door that is inviting the bugs in or causing gaps for A/C to escape, add additional security to your door and windows, unlock your car and replace its ignition in case it starts giving you trouble, among other things.
The Types of Locksmith
As mentioned earlier, there are locksmiths that specialize in a particular area of locksmithing. Some common types of locksmith include residential, commercial and automotive locksmiths. There are other types of locksmiths as well and we will list them here. Once you know the types of locksmith services that exist today, you will be clear about the local locksmith you need. Without any further ado, here are the types of locksmith.
Residential Locksmith
A variety of services concerned with the safety of your home and everything it houses are offered by a residential locksmith in Eaglesfield. Any item in your home requiring a lock such as your doors and windows are the primary focus of a residential locksmith. So, how can this type of local locksmith secure your home and the valuables inside it? The locksmith will secure them by adjusting hinges, fixing sagging doors, installing deadbolts and re-keying existing locks.
In addition to the above, a residential locksmith can add additional security to sliding glass doors and install alarm systems and even electronic deadbolts. Moreover, the list of services provided by a residential locksmith may include garage door locks and high-security lock upgrades.
Commercial Locksmith
In addition to providing all the services offered by a residential locksmith, a commercial locksmith can perform electronic lock servicing such as the implementation and use of access control systems and creating keys for transponder-equipped vehicles. A commercial locksmith can handle door closers and exit devices including installation and repairs.
Compared to residential units, master key systems are much more prevalent in commercial setting and they can have multiple access levels to manage. By offering a business a restricted keyway, a commercial locksmith can make it difficult for anyone other than the locksmith who originally installed the lock to duplicate the lock's key. Many businesses today are concerned about who enters their premises. A commercial locksmith can install locks that keep a trail on those who enter the business premises and what times.
Auto Locksmith
One of the most hired locksmiths today, an auto locksmith can unlock your car when you've locked yourself out of your car or have lost/misplaced your keys. Additionally, an auto locksmith can make a new key for your vehicle or replace your ignition and provide you with new keys. Another service provided by this type of locksmith is cutting and programming keys for your car. An auto locksmith can cut and program any car key—usually at a lower cost than the dealer.
Safe Locksmith
Though it is rare, there are some locksmiths that only work on safes. A safe locksmith is a locksmith who has undergone extensive training to work with safes. Thanks to their training, they are well-equipped to unlock and repair any safe. A safe locksmith can install and maintain safes in both residential and commercial environments.
With the types of locksmith discussed and explained, it's time to look at the things you can hire a local locksmith for.
What Can You Hire Them For?
This is probably the most important question to answer since you'd want to know if a locksmith in Eaglesfield can help you with your problem or not. Dating back nearly four thousand years, locksmithing is one of the oldest professions in the world.
There was a time when locksmiths dealt solely with locks, keys and safe. However, technology has expanded the scope of the profession to include far more than what most people realize. From traditional doorknobs to digital access systems, locksmiths have to be knowledgeable about many things today. Nonetheless, there are some services that locksmiths have been providing since ages and they provide them even today. What are these services? You'll know about once you've gone through the following list of services that a locksmith in {city) can provide you.
Lock Installation
One of the basic services provided by a locksmith in Eaglesfield is lock installation. A local locksmith can create space for the new lock and adjust the lock to the door.
Lock Repair
A Locksmith can repair broken or damaged window and door locks. A locksmith in {city) has the expertise to put the lock parts back together. If some parts are broken, the locksmith will replace and fix the lock back to working order to protect the residential or commercial property.
Install and Repair Security Safes
A locksmith in Eaglesfield can provide, install, and repair all types of vaults and security safes.
Car Keys
If you lose your car keys or get locked out of your car, then the first person you should call is a locksmith. A locksmith will unlock your car or provide you with a replacement key in no time.
Lock Rekeying
In addition to increasing the security of your home, lock rekeying can help save you money. A locksmith in {city) can perform lock rekeying expertly.
Ignition Replacement
You will need to repair or replace your car ignition if it gets damaged or is broken. To ensure that your car isn't exposed theft, get the replacement done by a licensed and reputed locksmith.
Key Programming
A locksmith can come to your location to provide the key programming service. With key programming, you can program your key to the vehicle, which will ensure that vehicle starts when you use the key.
Car Door Lock Replacement
If you've lost your keys and suspect that someone has them, then a local locksmith can replace the door locks of your vehicle to prevent your old keys from unlocking the car.
Key Extraction
A locksmith in Eaglesfield can remove any key stuck in a door lock or the ignition of a car.
Mailbox Locks
If you've lost the keys to your mailbox, then a local locksmith can unlock the mailbox and install a new mailbox for you.
Key Duplication
Is there a key that you want to create a duplicate of? If yes, then a locksmith in {city) can help you with that.
Key Recovery
If you've lost the only key to your home or car, then a locksmith in {city) can recover the old key with a key code.
Unlocking Locks
Locked yourself out of your car or house? No worries! Call a locksmith in {city) and you'll be back in your home and car in no time.
Access Control
There are some locksmith services that provide access control installation.By allowing you to manage doors and locks, access control ensures that only authorized people have access to restricted areas in your home or office.
24-Hour Emergency Locksmith Service
A 24-hour emergency locksmith can service you anywhere and at any time. They operate round the clock and arrive within a few minutes to unlock your home or car.
Where Can I Find a Reliable Locksmith Near Me?
You can find them on Yolex—a website that makes it easy to find local experts, who specialize in exactly the type of work you need done. One you complete the short form on the site, Yolex will find the best local locksmiths and you then choose the best expert depending on the quotes they give you. The service is totally free to consumers. With that clear, you may want to know how you can choose a reliable and trustworthy locksmith in Eaglesfield. If that is the case, then continue reading to get answers.
How to Choose a Locksmith Near Me
You know how a locksmith can help you and have decided to go for a local locksmith in Eaglesfield. Using Yolex, you shortlist emergency locksmiths in the area that match your criteria. Now what? How do you choose from them? You can make the process simple by using the following tips to choose a local locksmith.
Do Your Research
Once Yolex provides you with best locksmith services in your area, do some research on your own to determine which among them is best for you. Taken into consideration your specific needs and most importantly, your budget. Once you do that, you'll find it easy to choose a suitable local locksmith.
Choose a Licensed and Reputed Locksmith
For the safety of your home, car, valuables or loved ones, it is important that you choose a licensed and reputed locksmith in Eaglesfield. The reason is that certified locksmiths have proper training, possess the required skills and tools, and are insured. One way to ensure that you're working with a reliable locksmith in {city) is looking for MLA certification.
The MLA inspects approved/licensed companies on a regular basis for quality purposes as this is one of criteria set by it to approve/license locksmiths in the UK. To ensure they stay licensed, the locksmiths approved by the association constantly update their skills through training and continuing education, providing you with reliable and high-quality car locksmiths.
A locksmith can be invaluable for anyone who values the safety of their home, car, possessions and/or loved ones. If you're searching for a locksmith in Eaglesfield, then visit us today!
We often get people searching for Locksmiths near me. Below are a few other areas that have locksmiths, for you to try.Eaglesfield
Broughton Cross
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Items where Author / Artist / Editor is "Ghodse, A. Hamid"
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Clancy, Carmel, Ghodse, A. Hamid and Oyefeso, Adenekan (2007) Role development and career stages in addiction nursing: an exploratory study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 57 (2). pp. 161-171. ISSN 1365-2648
Clancy, Carmel, Ghodse, A. Hamid, Oyefeso, Adenekan and Rosinger, C. (2003) The impact of methadone substitution therapy (MST) on illicit drug use and drug abuse-related quality of life: A European Study. Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems, 5 (1). pp. 5-16. ISSN 1592-1638
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- Sauber news
Perez expects Sauber to challenge for wins
- Drivers:
- Nico Hülkenberg
- |
- Sergio Perez
- Teams:
- Alfa Romeo
Sergio Perez believes Sauber will be able to challenge for victories in 2013 due to the stability of the regulations.
Perez impressed for Sauber in 2012 and challenged for victory in Malaysia while also threatening to win at Monza. Those performances were enough to earn him a move to McLaren for this season, but with little changes in the technical regulations Perez expects Sauber's new car to be quick enough to be in the hunt for race wins on occasion once again.
"They will be strong again," Perez is quoted by Autosport. "The regulations don't change, so there's no reason for them not to be at a very competitive level.
"I am sure they will have some races where they will be fighting for wins. If they get a good result, I will be happy for them. I would prefer them to have a good result than other teams [except McLaren]."
Perez's replacement Nico Hulkenberg is more reserved in his predictions, saying it's "too early" to try and forecast how competitive Sauber can be.
"I wouldn't talk about scoring podiums [with Sauber] at this point because it's too early," Hulkenberg said. "Nobody knows where the cars are going to be next year. But I see the potential there and I hope that we can achieve good things, whatever that may be."


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Alabama Softball Earns No.2 Overall Seed in NCAA Tournament
Alabama softball will enter the 2014 NCAA Softball Tournament as the No. 2 overall seed, hosting South Alabama, USC Upstate and SIU Edwardsville in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Three days of games will start on Friday, May 16.
This will be the 10th consecutive year and12th overall in which Alabama has earned a hosting seed and it is the sixth time in the last seven years the Tide have been ranked in the top four. Alabama has been the No. 2 seed in three of the last four years, including the 2012 national championship season. The Tide holds a 67-34 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament.
Alabama is one of just 10 schools in the country to own an active NCAA Tournament appearance streak of at least 16. Only four other SEC schools besides Alabama have NCAA Tournament appearance streaks of at least 10 years: Georgia (13), Texas A&M (13), Florida (12) and Tennessee (10).
Joining Alabama in Tuscaloosa will be South Alabama (40-12), USC Upstate (45-7) and SIU Edwardsville (30-21). USC Upstate will play South Alabama at 3:30 p.m. CT on Friday, May 16 with Alabama playing SIU Edwardsville at 6 p.m. The full tournament schedule is listed below:
Friday, May 16
3:30 pm USC Upstate (Visitors) vs. South Alabama (Home)
6:00 pm SIUE (Visitors) vs. Alabama (Home)
Saturday, May 17
1:00 pm Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
3:30 pm Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
6:00 pm Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 18
1:00 pm Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
3:30 pm (if necessary) Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6
This season, Alabama earned its fifth SEC Championship with a 19-5 record in conference play, winning seven of its eight SEC series. The Tide entered the 2014 SEC Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, defeating Auburn in the quarterfinals, 8-4, before falling to eventual tournament champion Georgia, 5-3, in the semifinals. Head Coach Patrick Murphy was named the SEC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in his career while senior Jaclyn Traina earned her second career SEC Pitcher of the Year Award, along with All-SEC First Team accolades. Sophomore Haylie McCleney was named All-SEC First Team and All-Defensive, while seniors Molly Fichtner and Kaila Hunt were both named All-SEC Second Team. Traina and McCleney are both Top 10 finalists for the USA Softball Player of the Year Award.


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- Announcements
- enewscast
- Library
- Contact
- Sciops
- Gemini Home
- Telescopes and Sites
- Science Visitors at Gemini
- Observing With Gemini
- Instruments
- Future Instrumentation & Current Development
- Queue and Schedules
- Data and Results
- Gemini Research Staff
- Helpdesk
- Statistics
Change page style:
Adaptive Optics
Adaptive optics (AO) forms an integral part of the Gemini telescopes' current and future suite of instrumentation. The facility AO system, ALTAIR, has been offered at Gemini North since 2003 and is now available for use with both natural and laser guide stars with NIRI and NIFS.
At Gemini South, Gemini Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics System (GeMS) with FLAMINGOS-2 and the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI) provides uniform, diffraction-limited image quality to arcminute-scale fields of view (download the science case for MCAO).
The pages in this section are organized as follows:


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LeTourneau University Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Dr. Seung Kim has been awarded a National Science Foundation Early Career Development Award (CAREER) of $400,000 over the next five years, beginning June 1, 2014. The NSF CAREER Program is a foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards for early career faculty.
The grant is in support of his biomedical research to develop a low-cost, highly sensitive and portable biosensor device which will be able to test for multiple diseases such as cancers using a small amount of a biological sample, usually blood.
"Research work like Dr. Seung Kim is doing here at LeTourneau University is a great example of the cutting-edge research and hands-on education that our students participate in, even as undergraduates," said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. "The work he is doing could have a life-changing impact on our students as well as on people in developed and developing countries around the world."
Dr. Kim's design is composed of a biosensor with a simple, two-reflecting-mirror structure (optical resonance cavity) constructed using well-known microfabrication processes. The simple design of the device ensures it will be low cost, making it accessible to patients in both developed and developing countries.
Since early detection of diseases is key to treating them effectively, it is crucial for patients to be tested regularly. This device will enable tests to be conducted by patients in their homes or at a physician's office, in lieu of extensive and time-consuming tests, allowing the patient to regularly monitor for the presence of diseases.
Enabling patients to test themselves regularly will allow diseases to be discovered early and allow for more effective and less expensive treatments.
"My educational goals are to educate engineers with a very strong background and hands-on experience in the demanding fields of micro-, nano-, and biotechnology and to provide female and minority high school students the opportunities to learn about this exciting field," Dr. Kim said.
To accomplish these goals, Kim will provide summer research experiences for undergraduate students at LeTourneau University as well as local high school students through this grant. He also will offer a course in microfabrication and semiconductor/microfluidic processes and a senior design capstone course through which undergraduate LeTourneau students can gain broad knowledge and hand-on experience in the micro-, nano-, and biotechnology fields.
Kim received his bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of Suwon, South Korea, and his master's degree in Electrical Engineering and his doctorate in Optical Science and Engineering both from University of Alabama in Huntsville.
"Dr. Kim's is the first NSF CAREER grant awarded to an engineering professor at LeTourneau University, and may well be the first NSF CAREER grant awarded to any professor in the Council of Christian Colleges and Schools, which comprises over 100 universities," said Dr. Ron DeLap, dean of engineering at LETU. "We are extremely proud of the work he is doing and the educational opportunity it affords to our engineering students to be involved in this cutting-edge research."
The first year of this faculty early career development grant provides over $140,000 for equipment, with funding for the second through fifth year contingent on progress reported in annual reports due to the NSF each March. For more information on Dr. Kim's research at LeTourneau, visit: www.letu.edu/biosensors.
About LeTourneau University
LeTourneau University is a Christ-centered, interdenominational institute of higher learning offering more than 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a range of academic disciplines and delivery models. Students are enrolled in programs on ground at LETU's residential campus in Longview, Texas, as well as hybrid and fully online options at educational centers in Dallas and Houston.
Academic majors include aviation, business, communication, computer science, criminal justice, education, engineering, health care administration, health science-nursing, human services, kinesiology, the liberal arts, psychology, the sciences and theology.
Claiming every workplace in every nation as their mission field, LeTourneau University graduates are professionals of ingenuity and Christlike character who see life's work as a holy calling with eternal impact. For additional information, visit www.letu.edu.
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The default version of gcc shipped with Solaris 10 is 3.4.3 and is found in /usr/sfw/bin
The current available version of gcc (released is) 4.3
So the version Sun makes available dates from 2005...
One assumes that Sun has no interest in letting Solaris users use more modern versions of gcc and would rather we use their own compiler.
Hmm so much for Sun and open source...
But to properly compile on Solaris 10 with 64bit see notes from gcc.gnu.org
Use this for Solaris 10 or later on x86 and x86-64 systems. This configuration is supported by GCC 4.0 and later versions only.
It is recommended that you configure GCC to use the GNU assembler in /usr/sfw/bin/gas but the Sun linker, using the options --with-gnu-as --with-as=/usr/sfw/bin/gas --without-gnu-ld --with-ld=/usr/ccs/bin/ld"
So gcc 4.0 is the lowest version you can use for cross-compiling 32bit and 64bit applications on Solaris 10...So we have to build our own gcc to do the firebird compilation, here's how you do it....
1. Download a copy of the gcc source (e.g. gcc-4.1.2.tar.gz) from gcc.gnu.org
2. Install gnu tar, solaris tar has problems extracting the source from the gcc tar file.
3. You will probably need to install libintl too (you can get a pre-built version of this froim www.sunfreeware.com)
4. gunzip gcc-4.1.2.tar.gz
5. /usr/local/bin/tar -xvf gcc-4.1.2.tar
6. cd gcc-4.1.2
7. mkdir objdir
8. cd objdir
9. ../configure --with-gnu-as --with-as=/usr/sfw/bin/gas --without-gnu-ld --with-ld=/usr/ccs/bin/ld --enable-shared --enable-languages=c,c++
10. gmake
11. as root - make install
Your new version of gcc will be installed in /usr/local/bin


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Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research
versão On-line ISSN 2219-0635
versão impressa ISSN 0030-2465
Onderstepoort j. vet. res. vol.80 no.1 Pretoria Jan. 2013
Selected haematological changes in Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) infected with a Trypansosoma sp. from the Vaal Dam, South Africa
Maryke L. Ferreira; Annemariè Avenant-Oldewage
Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
The use of haematological techniques to assess fish health is generally accepted. The aim of the current study was to determine selected haematological changes that occur in Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822). infected with trypanosomes. Blood films were prepared according to standard techniques to confirm trypanosome infections and whole blood was collected, the serum and plasma separated, and prepared for albumin and total protein concentration analysis. Plasma albumin levels were significantly higher in infected wild caught fish than in uninfected wild caught fish and uninfected breeding stock. Serum albumin levels were significantly lower in infected wild caught fish when compared to uninfected breeding stock. The total plasma and serum protein levels were within the normal range for C. gariepinus, that is, 3 g - 6 g/100 mL. The total plasma protein levels varied significantly between the three groups. However, the total serum protein levels were only significantly different between uninfected breeding stock and uninfected wild caught fish, as well as uninfected breeding stock and infected wild caught fish. The total protein levels were significantly higher in infected wild caught fish than in the other groups, a possible indication of an infection or inflammatory host response.
To date, approximately 200 species of piscine trypanosomes are known (Gupta & Gupta 2012). In nature, trypanosome infections are common, especially where the leech vector is abundant. The effect of a trypanosome infection depends solely upon the host's energy resources, and the impact ranges from physiological (Tandon & Chandra 1977), metabolic, pathological (Lom & Dykova 1984), biochemical (Gupta & Gupta 1986) and asymptomatic, to behavioural anomalies and syndromes (Barber, Hoare & Krause 2000). Haematological techniques are important for the assessment of the impact of trypanosome infections on fish health (Shah & Altindag 2004). Osman, Fadel and Ali (2009) reported that Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) infected with Trypanosoma mukasai Hoare, 1932 showed significant decreases in total serum protein, albumin, globulin levels, albumin/globulin ratios and cholesterol concentrations. These authors also noted an increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzyme activities. However, no significant effect was noted for serum urea, creatinine and uric acid concentrations (see Osman et al. 2009). Gupta and Gupta (2012) recorded erythropenia due to piscine trypanosomiasis in various fish hosts. Symptoms of piscine trypanosomiasis range from anaemia (Woo 1981; Islam & Woo 1991) to leucocytosis, hypoglycaemia and hypocholesterolemia (Gupta & Jairajpuri 1983; Gupta & Gupta 1986). Several authors have reported on the effect of trypansome infection on albumin (Osman et al. 2009; Kharat & Kothawade 2012; Kovyrshina & Rudneva 2012) and total protein levels (MLay et al. 2007; Osman et al. 2009; Kharat & Kothavade 2012). According to Gupta and Gupta (2012), increased erythroblasts, haemoblasts and macrophages can also occur as clinical manifestations. The aim of the current study is to determine whether any haematological changes occur in the African sharptooth catfish, C. gariepinus infected with trypanosomes.
Materials and methods
Twenty-one C. gariepinus were collected from the Vaal Dam (26°52.249'S 28°10.249'E), South Africa, using gill nets. The fish were kept in fully prepared aquaria. Non-infected C. gariepinus breeding stock were maintained at the University of Johannesburg aquarium, South Africa. Blood films were prepared from all fish. Infections were confirmed by observing haemoflagellates in methanol fixed and Giemsa stained films prepared according to the method described by Davies et al. (2005). Blood samples were collected from both trypanosoma infected (wild caught) and non-infected (wild caught and breeding stock) fish and centrifuged to concentrate cellular components. Serum was obtained by allowing blood to clot for 30 min - 45 min (yielding serum without fibrinogen) and then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 min. In a duplicate set, the plasma was separated by centrifuging unclotted blood at 3000 rpm for 10 min. Plasma and serum were respectively transferred to separate Eppendorf tubes and stored in liquid nitrogen until further examination. Samples were thawed at room temperature. BCG albumin (DIAG-250) and total protein (QCPR-500) values were measured following standard operating procedures supplied by BIOCOM biotech. Data are presented as mean ± standard error. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done to calculate any significant differences between infected and uninfected groups using Graph Pad prism 6, version 6.01, significance was set at 95%.
The trypanosomes in C. gariepinus blood films resemble T. mukasai. Morphological characteristics include a nucleus anterior to the mid-line, similar to the descriptions of Baker (1960), Negm-Eldin (1997), Smit, Davies and Van As (2000) and Ferreira and Avenant-Oldewage (2013). Of the 21 C. gariepinus collected from the Vaal Dam, only 19% (4/21) were infected. Parameters between plasma and serum were similar (Table 1). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were noted between albumin and total plasma protein levels. The two-way ANOVA indicated significant differences between plasma albumin levels between uninfected breeding stock and infected wild caught fish, as well as between uninfected wild caught fish and infected wild caught fish (Table 1). Serum albumin levels differed significantly between uninfected breeding stock and uninfected wild caught fish, as well as between uninfected breeding stock and infected wild caught fish (Table 1). Significant differences in the total plasma protein were seen between all three groups of fish, although total serum protein differed significantly only between uninfected breeding stock and uninfected wild caught fish, uninfected breeding stock and infected wild caught fish, and uninfected wild caught and infected wild caught fish. Total protein in uninfected wild caught fish was significantly higher than in uninfected wild caught fish or uninfected breeding stock fish serum and plasma.
It was also noted that some of the fish collected from the Vaal Dam and Vaal Barrage were infected with Proteocephalus glanduligerus (Janicki, 1928), Tetracampos ciliotheca (Wedl, 1861) and unidentified nematodes, and the parasitemia in these fish was very low. The presence of cestodes was previously recorded from this locality (Madanire-Moyo & Avenant-Oldewage 2013).
Blood parameters are patho-physiological indicators of the whole body and are thus important in diagnosing the health status of fish (Maheswaran et al. 2008). The albumin concentration in fish plasma and serum reflects the health of the animal, liver function, metabolic status and stress conditions (Kovyrshina & Rudneva 2012). Plasma albumin levels were significantly higher (Table 1) in trypanosome infected wild caught fish than in uninfected wild caught and uninfected breeding stock. The lowest levels were observed in uninfected fish reared as breeding stock. In a study done by Kharat and Kothawade (2012) on the haematology of Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) with trypanosomosis, higher levels of albumin were reported in infected fish. However, these levels were not significantly different from those of uninfected fish. Osman et al. (2009) reported low serum albumin levels in trypanosome-infected C. gariepinus, which resulted in generalised oedema and haemodilution. In the current study, serum albumin levels were significantly lower for infected wild caught fish when compared to uninfected breeding stock, indicating haemodilution caused by the trypanosome infection. Parasite infection is most likely not the only factor responsible for variation in albumin levels, since it has been noted that diet composition (Chukwuma, Obioma & Christopher 2010; McQueen et al. 2011; Kovyrshina & Rudneva 2012), fish species, age, life cycle stage, sexual maturity, health and environmental factors (Kovyrshina & Rudneva 2012) also affect albumin levels. Thus the high albumin levels observed in uninfected breeding stock may also be attributed to their diet and/or their age (Hasnain et al. 2004).
Low plasma protein levels are often linked to starvation and depletion of energy stores (Lockhart & Metner 1984; Cunjak 1988). Plasma proteins include globulins, fibrinogens and albumins, and are vital in transporting materials via the circulation system (Inyang, Daka & Ogamba 2010). Adams, Brown and Goede (1993) recorded the normal range for total protein to be between 3 g - 6 g/100 mL and Adeyemo et al. (2003) recorded the reference value to be 3.8 mg ± 0.11 mg/100 mL. In the current study, total protein values for all groups were within the range proposed by Adams, Brown and Goede (1993) (Table 1). Uninfected breeding stock levels (plasma and serum) were the lowest, indicting depletion of energy stores (Table 1). Fish infected with trypanosomes had a higher total protein plasma and/or serum levels. According to Khan (1977, 1980), a decrease in plasma protein is associated with trypanosome infections. This was also noted by Smirnova (1970) for serum protein levels of burbot, Lota lota (Linnaeus, 1758), infected with Trypanosoma lotae (Smirnova, 1970) and similarly by Tandon & Joshi (1973) for fish infected with Trypanosoma vittati (Tandon & Joshi, 1973) and Trypanosoma maguri (Tandon & Joshi, 1973).
Wild fishes are frequently infected with a variety of pathogens and are regularly subjected to various stress factors, thus it is difficult to assign abnormalities to any one particular cause (Woo 2006). Future studies should include assessment of other parasites (internal and external) to exclude their effect on blood parameters. Hence the present study should be seen as preliminary.
The University of Johannesburg is thanked for providing infrastructure and funding to Annemariè Avenant-Oldewage.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Author's contributions
M.L.F. (University of Johannesburg) was a post-doctorate student and performed analysis on blood and provided the first draft of the manuscript. A.A-O. (University of Johannesburg) was the supervisor and provided input on various drafts of manuscript.
Adams, S.M., Brown, A.M. & Goede, R.W., 1993, 'A quantitative Health Assessment Index for rapid evaluation of fish condition in the field', Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 122, 63-73. [ Links ]
Adeyemo, O.K., Agbede, S.A., Olaniyan, A.O. & Shoag, O.A., 2003, 'The haematological response of Clarias gariepinus to changes in acclimation temperature', African Journal of Biomedical Research 6, 105-108. [ Links ]
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Barber, I., Hoare, B. & Krause, J., 2000, 'Effects of parasites on fish behavior: A review and evolutionary perspective', Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 10, 13-165. [ Links ]
Chukwuma, E.R., Obioma, N. & Christopher, O.I., 2010, 'The phytochemical composition and some biochemical effects of Nigerian tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) tuber', Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 9, 709-715. [ Links ]
Cunjak, R.A., 1988, 'Physiological consequences of overwintering in streams: The cost of acclimatisation?', Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 25, 443-452. [ Links ]
Davies, A.J., Gibson, W., Ferris, V., Basson, L. & Smit, N.J., 2005, 'Two genotypic groups of morphologically similar fish trypanosomes from the Okavango Delta, Botswana', Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 66, 215-220. [ Links ]
Ferreira, M.L. & Avenant-Oldewage, A., 2013, 'Notes on the occurrence of Trypanosoma sp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) in freshwater fishes from South Africa', Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 80, http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.529 [ Links ]
Gupta, N. & Gupta, D.K., 1986, 'Trypanosome infectivity and changes in the glucose level of two freshwater fishes', Indian Journal of Parasitology 10, 213-215. [ Links ]
Gupta, N. & Gupta, D.K., 2012, 'Erythropenia in piscine trypanosomiasis', Trends in Parasitology 1, 1-6. [ Links ]
Gupta, N. & Jairajpuri, D.S., 1983, 'Trypanosoma batrachi Qadri, 1962 and its effect on the biochemical composition of the blood of Clarias batrachus', Acta Protozoologica 22, 79-85. [ Links ]
Hasnain, A., Ahmad, R., Jabeen, M. & Khan, M.M., 2004, 'Biochemical characterization of a protein of albumin multigene family from serum of African catfish Clarias gariepinus Bloch', Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics 41, 148-153. [ Links ]
Inyang, I.R., Daka, E.R. & Ogamba, E.N., 2010, 'Effects of sub-lethal concentrations of diazinon on total protein and transaminase activities in Clarias gariepinus', Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2, 290-295. [ Links ]
Islam, A.K.M.N. & Woo, P.T.K., 1991, 'Anemia and its mechanism in goldfish Carassius auratus infected with Trypanosoma danilewskyi", Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 11, 37-44. [ Links ]
Khan, R.A., 1977, 'Blood changes in Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) infected with Trypanosoma murmanensis', Journal of Fisheries Research Board of Canada 34, 2193-2196. [ Links ]
Khan, R.A., 1980, 'The leech as a vector of a fish piroplasm', Canadian Journal of Zoology 58, 1631-1637. [ Links ]
Kharat, S. & Kothawad, S., 2012, 'Haematological study of Clarias batrachus with reference to trypanosomiasis', Trends in Fisheries Research 1, 6-9. [ Links ]
Kovyrshina, T.B. & Rudneva, 2012, 'Comparative study of serum albumin levels in round goby Neogobius melanostomus from Black Sea and Azov Sea', International Journal of Advanced Biological Research 2, 203-208. [ Links ]
Lockhart, W.L. & Metner, D.A., 1984, 'Fish serum chemistry as a pathological tool', in. V.W. Cairs, P.V. Hodson & J.O. Nriagu (eds.). Contaminant effects on fisheries, p. 73-85, Wiley, New York. [ Links ]
Lom, J. & Dykova, I., 1984, 'Pathogenecity of some protozoan parasites of cyprinid fishes', in J. Olah (ed.), Fish, pathogens and environment in European polyculture, proceedings of an international seminar on fish pathogens and environment in European polyculture, 23-27 June 1981, Szarvas, Hungary. Symposia Biologica Hungarica 23, 99-118. [ Links ]
Madanire-Moyo, G. & Avenant-Oldewage, A., 2013, 'Occurrence of Tetracampos ciliotheca and Proteocephalus glanduligerus in Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) collected from the Vaal Dam, South Africa', Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 80, http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.522 [ Links ]
Maheswaran, R., Devapanl, A., Muralidharan, S., Velmurugan, B. & Ignaeimuthu, S., 2008, 'Haematological studies of fresh water fish, Clarias batracus (L) exposed to mercuric chloride', International Journal of Integrated Biology 2, 49-54. [ Links ]
McQueen, H.A., Wassif, W.S,. Walker, I., Sadler, D.A. & Evans, K., 2011, 'Age-related biomarkers can be modulated by diet in the rat', Food and Nutrition Sciences 2, 884-890. [ Links ]
MLay, P.S., Seth, M., Balthazary, S.T., Chiunda, R.T., Phiri, E.C.J.H. & Balemba, O.B., 2007, 'Total plasma proteins and hemoglobin levels as affected by worm burden in freshwater fish in Morogoro, Tanzania', Livestock Research for Rural Development 19, 1-8. [ Links ]
Negm-Eldin, M.M., 1997, 'Trypanosoma mukasai (Hoare, 1932) in its biological vector Batracobdelloides tricarinata (Blanchard, 1897) and their life cycles', Deutsche Tierarztliche Wochenschrift 104, 215-219. [ Links ]
Osman, H.A.M., Fadel, N.G. & Ali, A.T., 2009, 'Biochemical and histopathological alterations in catfish, Clarias gariepinus infected with trypanosomiasis with special reference to immunization' Egypt Journal of Comparative Pathology and Clinical Pathology 22, 164-181. [ Links ]
Shah, S.L. & Altindag, A., 2004, 'Hematological parameters of tench (Tinca tinca L.) after acute and chronic exposure to lethal and sublethal mercury treatments', Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 37, 911-918. [ Links ]
Smirnova, L.I., 1970, 'Trypanosoma in the blood of Lota lota L. (Trypanosoma lotae sp.n.)', Parazitologiya 4, 296-297. [ Links ]
Smit, N.J., Davies, A.J. & Van As, J.G., 2000, 'A trypanosome from the silver catfish (Schilbe intermedius) in the Okavango Delta, Botswana' Bulletin of the European Association of Fish Pathologists 20, 116-119. [ Links ]
Tandon, R.S. & Chandra, S., 1977, 'Physiology of host parasite relationship: effect on serum alkaline phosphatase levels of fish hosts parasitized by trypanosomes' Zeitschrift für Parasitenkunde 52, 195-198. [ Links ]
Tandon, R.S. & Joshi, B.D., 1973, 'Studies on the physiopathology of blood of freshwater-fishes infected with two new forms of trypanosomes', Zeitschrift für Wissenschaftliche Zoologie 185, 207-221. [ Links ]
Woo, P.T.K., 1981, 'Acquired immunity against Trypanosoma danilewskyi in goldfish, Carassius auratus', Parasitology 83, 343-346. [ Links ]
Woo, P.T.K., 2006, 'Diplomanodida (Phylum Parabasalia) and Kinetoplastea (Phylum Euglenozoa)', in Fish diseases and disorders, vol. 1, Protozoan and metazoan infections 2nd edn., p. 17-115, CABI Publishing, Wallingford. [ Links ]
Annemariè Avenant-Oldewage
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Postal address:; PO Box DXXIVAuckland Park MMVISouth Africa
Received: 04 Feb. 2013
Accepted: 04 May 2013
Published: 13 June 2013


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Fall Books For Kids
10 Fantastic Fall Books For Tots
10 Fantastic Fall Books For Tots
Autumn themes — falling leaves and forest animals preparing for the long Winter — make for perfect stories for kids. From beginning listeners to budding readers, learning about Fall is lots of fun with these vibrantly illustrated and sweetly written books. Click through for a sampling of Autumn stories that will keep your tot warm and cozy during the Fall season.


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GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Cleveland Indians were batting and Nick Swisher's name blared over the public address speakers at Goodyear Stadium on Monday afternoon. Like actors on a stage, the Angels' infielders took their places on cue.
First baseman C.J. Cron moved a few feet inside the white chalk of the foul line, on the deep edge of the infield dirt. Second baseman John McDonald went to shallow right field. Shortstop Andrew Romine and third baseman Grant Green stood at double-play depth on either side of second base. Green was separated from the left-field foul line by at least 70 feet.
These infield shifts aren't new to baseball, but the Angels rightfully get attention for theirs.
According to data recently released by TheHardballTimes.com, Angels infielders shifted 217 times when a ball was hit in play in 2013, which ranked 17th in MLB. By one measure, the Angels' shift was more effective than all but two major-league teams.
Opponents registered a .235 batting average on balls in play against the Angels' shift; only the A's (.222) and Braves (.232) posted lower numbers in 2013. Remarkably, only four teams allowed a higher batting average on balls in play than the Angels (.311) when the infielders didn't shift.
Put differently, infield shifts were more essential to the Angels' success turning hits into outs than any team in baseball.
"From Day 1, we always had our reference point on the defensive side," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't know what other teams did, but we always had our reference points on the defensive side on the infield which we called the 'V' and would work off of that."
This year, Scioscia added, "we're going to be able to slice the field up a little bit more with some information, but it's not a dramatic deviation from the template we've used on the defensive end before."
Shortstop Erick Aybar, who broke in with the Angels in 2006, said he hasn't seen the shifts change much over the years. That's a contrast to some of the newcomers to the clubhouse.
Third baseman David Freese spent the last six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, who were among baseball's least frequent infield shifters last season.
"With St. Louis we would do it every now and then depending on how pull-happy some big hitters were," Freese said. "Playing Boston (in the World Series) we did it with (David) Ortiz, guys like that."
Veteran catcher Chris Iannetta compared the size of the Angels' batted-ball data packets on opponents to that of a college textbook. Those packets simply didn't exist when he was a rookie with the Colorado Rockies in 2006.
Infielder Ian Stewart, a non-roster invitee in Angels camp, came up through the Rockies organization at the same time as Iannetta.
"A lot of times we'd be asking 'does anybody know this guy? Does anybody know this guy?' Now the scouts have all that info on every player," Stewart said.
The fact the Angels have been shifting for years under Scioscia doesn't mean they shift more than most teams, as the 2013 data indicates. And just because the Angels have a dedicated player information coach (Rick Eckstein) and a major league player information coordinator (Nick Francona), doesn't mean they have more data either.
"I think the real difference is how teams are able to process and manipulate the data to gain an advantage," Francona said. "Everybody's watching the same games. There's not a ton of information that's terribly secret."
A player's capacity to process the data hasn't changed over the years. The Angels hired Francona last November to distill those mountains of data into digestable pieces for players and coaches. Once the information has been distilled, infield coach Alfredo Griffin, bench coach Dino Ebel and Scioscia all have input from the bench during the game.
Infield shifts aren't merely the result of players studying data or receiving direction from coaches, veteran infielder John McDonald said.
"A lot of times it's the coaching, it's the information you get, the feel of the hitter, where he's hit the ball in the past, how his swings are, who's pitching," he said. "It's not always exactly the same. It changes from pitcher to pitcher with the same hitter."
McDonald acknowledged that the data is interesting, but questioned whether infielders shift more now than when he broke in with Cleveland in 1999. Then, he said had just bought his first computer and cell phone, but he already knew how to shift.
"We didn't call it shifting," he said. "I just played where the guy was going to hit the ball."
Angels beat Tribe
Right-hander Jered Weaver gave up five hits, three runs and two walks in 4 1/3 innings of the Angels' 8-3 win over the Indians. C.J. Cron and Grant Green went 2 for 4, while Matt Long (4 for 5) fell a home run short of the cycle.
Buddy Boshers, Robert Carson, Josh Wall, Brandon Lyon and Michael Kohn combined to toss 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Angels (5-6-1), scattering two hits and two walks.
Dodgers tie A's
Andre Ethier and Juan Uribe hit home runs in the Dodgers' 8-8 tie against the Oakland A's. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched five innings and allowed three hits, one run, walked one and struck out four in his penultimate spring start for the Dodgers (4-6-4).
Dodgers right-hander Brandon League allowed a home run to Josh Donaldson while recording just two outs in relief. Brian Wilson allowed two runs in one-third of an inning, while Kenley Jansen (1 IP) and Chris Perez (2/3 IP) didn't allow a run.
The Dodgers optioned Matt Magill and reassigned J,C, Boscan, Carlos Frias, Brendan Harris and Clint Robinson to their minor-league camp. … Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke threw a bullpen session to catcher A.J. Ellis two days after pitching a two-inning simulated game. Greinke's next Cactus League outing will be his first since he strained a muscle in his right calf in his debut Feb. 28. … The Angels optioned left-hander Michael Roth to Triple-A Salt Lake, and reassigned four pitchers to their minor-league camp: Jarrett Grube, Michael Morin, Mark Sappington and Justin Thomas. … Angels left-hander Sean Burnett threw 30 pitches off a mound for the first time in seven months. He did not throw with full intensity and was "a little fatigued" by the time he finished by his own admission, "but that's normal." … Freese had a blood blister on his right foot popped Sunday. He participated in workouts Monday and could play in a game as early as today.


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MIAMI — Josh Beckett tried to carry his weary Dodgers teammates, until he tired, too.
Beckett pitched into the seventh inning but remained winless since the end of the 2012 season, and the travel-logged Dodgers lost to the Miami Marlins 6-3 on Friday night.
The Dodgers arrived in Miami at 6:30 a.m. after playing for more than 8 hours Thursday at Minnesota to earn their first doubleheader sweep in 12 years, and they looked spent while falling behind 6-0.
"I watched both those games," said Beckett, who flew to Miami a day ahead of his teammates. "I was pretty much the only guy that got any sleep last night. The guys played really hard behind me. It wasn't a perfect situation for them."
The score was 2-0 before Miami added four runs in the seventh. Beckett departed after throwing 113 pitches.
"Josh Beckett battled," manager Don Mattingly said. "He knew the situation we were in tonight. I think he was determined to staying out there all night, getting that pen a rest. He kept us in the game."
But Tom Koehler outpitched Beckett, and the Marlins extended their home winning streak to seven games. If Koehler has figured out why he and the Marlins are so tough to beat at home, he's not saying.
"I just know we've got a good thing going right now," Koehler said. "I don't want to jinx it by saying anything else."
The Marlins' 13-4 home record is the best in the majors, while their 2-10 road mark is the worst. They've outscored opponents 29-10 in the first four games of their homestand.
Koehler is 0-2 on the road, but he has won all three of his starts in Miami, where his ERA is 0.90. He limited the Dodgers to three hits in seven scoreless innings.
Beckett (0-1) struck out eight but gave up four runs in 6 2-3 innings. He fell to 0-6 in his past 13 starts, but his ERA this year is a solid 3.14.
Is the victory drought frustrating?
"If you've got an arbitration case, yeah," Beckett said. "But I'm past that point. I want the team to get the victory. I don't care who gets the win. For me, if the team wins, I'm happy."
The game was Beckett's second against the Marlins, who made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft.
Los Angeles' Dee Gordon had three hits, scored and drove in a run. The major-league stolen-base leader was thrown out for only the second time this year but also stole his 16th base.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit his sixth homer in the second inning against Beckett, his former battery mate when both played for the Boston Red Sox.
"Obviously I've seen Josh a little bit," Saltalamacchia said. "He looked good. I remember him throwing a lot more fastballs when I caught him. Tonight he was mixing his curve in a lot, and it made hitters look off balance."
Miami's Garrett Jones had three doubles, scored and drove in a run. Giancarlo Stanton drove in a run with a two-out infield single and leads the NL with 32nd RBIs.
That was plenty of support for the surprising Koehler, who began the year with a career record of 5-11, made the rotation as a fifth starter and now has an ERA of 2.41.
"He pitched excellent," manager Mike Redmond said. "He was up in the zone a few times and got behind a few hitters, but he seemed to bounce back and did a great job."
Jones hit a two-out RBI double that deflected off the glove of a retreating Yasiel Puig in right field to make it 2-0 in the fourth.
The Marlins scored four times with two out in the seventh, with the first run scoring on a single by Reed Johnson, his fifth pinch hit this season. Christian Yelich followed with an RBI triple, and Stanton and Casey McGehee hit RBI singles.


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Light, summery, fresh, fruity!!!ALL that I had in mind while baking this gorgeous Cake for mum's birthday, and I am so hooked to Bavarian cream!!
The cake is a light as a feather sponge soaked in all the delicious fruit juices, filled with the cocktail fruit and the Bavarian cream and the top lavished with more of the same, indulge!
for the fatless sponge-
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp powdered sugar
2/3 cup sifted cake flour
zest of 2 lemons
reserved juice from the Cocktail fruit can
Vanilla Bavarian Cream
5 egg yolks
Vanilla custard powder-1 tbsp
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
Vanilla extract-1 tsp
1 ¾ cups whipping cream
for filling and topping-
1 can Cocktail fruit
a handful of chopped toasted walnuts
some mint leaves
1.Preheat oven to 450F. Butter and flour the sides of large springform pan. Line bottom of pan with a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit bottom pan exactly.
2.Beat eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest and ¾ cup sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and light. Beat in the vanilla.
3.In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar and beat until whites begin to form peaks. Add the 2 tbsp sugar and beat until the whites hold stiff, glossy peaks(do not over beat).
4.Sift flour over the egg yolk mixture and fold in . Stir in one fourth of the whites. Then carefully fold in the remaining whites.
5.Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until light brown and springy to touch. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife along edge to loosen.let cool. Cake may be frozen at this point.
6.To assemble cake: Slice cooled cake carefully into half and Center one layer of the cake at the bottom of serving tray. Brush the cake with some of the reserved syrup to just moisten(not drench) the cake; set aside.
7.Prepare Vanilla Bavarian Cream. Immediately pour about half of the Bavarian Cream over the first layer of cake in the pan, layer with half of the Cocktail fruit bits Set the next layer of cake on top of the cream. Pour remaining Bavarian Cream over cake and smooth top of the cream with spatula, top up with the remaining cocktail fruit arranged decoratively.Sprinkle chopped walnuts and add mint leaves.
Prep Work
Vanilla Bavarian Cream
1.Combine egg yolks, custard and sugar in a bowl' beat until light. Bring milk to a boil in sauce pan. Pour hot milk into yolk mixture and stir with a wooden spoon(it doesn't say so but I would temper the egg mixture first to be safe). Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until your finger leaves a clear trail in sauce when drawn across the back of the spoon.(Do not boil or mixture will curdle.) Immediately remove from heat. Pour into a stainless steel bowl places over a bowl of ice water. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla extract. Cool over ice water, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to the consistency of softly whipped cream.
2.While mixture is cooling, whip the whipping cream until it holds soft peaks. When cool, fold the whipped cream into the mixture.
Adapted from Cakes and Pastries At The Academy by the California Culinary Academy 1993
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Totally off topic: About your small business site or blog, and getting it noticed - what not to do
This has nothing at all to do with Japan, or food, or anything else that I normally write about here. But I am putting it on this site in the off chance that it will be read by regular folk. That is, people who just happened to land here, looking for a recipe perhaps. It's not for web designers or developers or people who built stuff for the web. And it's certainly not for so-called "SEO experts".
But I just couldn't take it anymore.
(What is SEO, you ask? It's an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. We'll get to that later.)
Why can I tell you about these things?
I am not an 'SEO expert', and I am no longer a web designer. So why listen to me?
I run two fairly successful blogs. They are both 'niche' blogs as they say in the website-creating world - they each concentrate on a fairly narrow topic. The one you are reading now, Just Hungry, mainly focuses on Japanese home cooking, though I do allow myself to stray from that topic a bit. It's about 80% Japanese food and Japan-related stuff, 20% other things, mostly of a personal nature. My other blog, JustBento has an even narrower focus: compact portable meals, aka bento boxes. I suppose neither topic is going to gather a huge audience, but I am very happy with the number of visitors I get on both.
Both have great positions on Google searches, for the terms that people are likely to use when looking for what's on them. If you search for 'bento recipes' for example, JustBento is at or near the top. If you search for 'Japanese home cooking' or 'Japanese recipes', the same applies for this site.
Comment spam, aka inserting your site links into comments
Every day, I spend a good amount of time going through the comments on both sites. A large number of comments have links to other sites in them. Most such comments get flagged and dumped automatically by the blogging software. You can imagine what those are - links to sites selling v**gra, sex sites, hair loss treatments, dodgy diet pills, and the like. However, a number of other comments containing links to get through. Most such links are to what look like legitimate business sites. Recently there have been links to things like a site for a company that makes custom iron gates in Arizona, a doctor's office in California, and a furniture company in the UK. And there are always lots of links to 'web design company' sites and various blogs. All not related in any way to the subjects Just Hungry and JustBento cover. (Note: I do allow some links to be published if the subject is related; however, I don't allow blatant 'advertising' links. If you're posting about your Japanese learning site on an article about how to make tofu, that's advertising.)
I'm here to tell you, such links do not work. They do not work. If you hired a web designer or other 'expert' who told you they do work, they are lying to you, or they have no clue. There are no widely recognized, certified credentials needed to call onesself a 'web designer' or an 'SEO expert'. If you are getting charged for dodgy practices that are supposed to raise your site's visibility in the eyes of Google and other search engines, you may be getting ripped off.
Why don't comment links work? For one thing, sites such as mine that hold all comments in a moderation queue will not even publish them. So no one will get to see them.
"But", you may be saying, "there are plenty of other sites that do publish these comments". Well, if a site's comment section is neglected enough to allow all such links to pass through, your site link is probably mixed in with the ones for [insert popular medication name here] or fake [insert Swiss watch maker name here] watches and Hot [insert your favorite nationality/ethnicity/age here] Girls. It's like moving your storefront into the seediest part of town. Would you want your lovely custom staircase company next to a peep show parlor?
But some sites do a half-hearted job of screening the most obvious links, mainly with automated screening solutions, so the medical/x-rated stuff gets dumped. So then, you might think your link will get noticed by the search engines. Wrong! All modern blogging and content management systems (most blogs and many other sites are built using one of these) have a system where links in comments are automatically tagged like so:
What that little tag means to search engines is that the link in question should not be 'voted up', so to speak. Google rankings are largely based on how many incoming links there are to a site for a particular search term, so 'link juice' as its called, legitimate links from other sites to your, are very valuable. But if all your comment-links get tagged with that nofollow, it's useless.
Morever, savvy internet users are absolutely sick and tired of internet spam, whether it's in their email, their Twitter streams, or on the websites they read. So if they see your site linked to in such a manner, they are both very likely to even click on it, and to think much the worse of you.
I know that it's very hard to get attention on the web, and how anxious you might be to get noticed. But there's a wrong way and a right way. Don't waste your time and money doing it the wrong way.
A couple of more don'ts besides comment spamming
- Do not write to an established blog (or other site) asking for a 'linkback' or 'link exchange'. I hate those and most other blog owners do too. If we really like your site organically, we may link to you, but if you push it we will ignore you. (This may sound arrogant, but it's the truth.)
- A recent tactic is asking if you can write a guest post for a site, in which you will include links to your site. You should check first to see if the site you're writing to even accepts guest posts. (Mine do not, unless I put out a specific call for them - and the last time I did that was on JustBento about 3 years ago. Just Hungry has never had a guest post.) Morever, if your site's subject matter is totally unrelated to the site you're writing to, forget it. (A warning for new blog owners: be very wary of accepting such 'guest post' requests. The requester is only in it for the link juice.)
A very short list of the right ways to do it
In closing, here's just a very short list of the right ways to get more attention:
- Make sure your site is clear about what it is selling/what the subject matter is. This information should be in text, and displayed prominently on your site.
- The most important page on your site is the home or front page. If you have a flashy Flash 'entry page' that has not been appropriately text-optimized, you are making your site harder to find. If your web designer proposes a Flash- or graphic-only entry page, fire them. (I'm talking to you, restaurant site owners!)
- A site that is frequently updated has a better chance to get search engine attention. If you have the time, incorporating a blog on your site, that you update regularly, can be a way to fairly painlessly keep your site fresh.
- Making comments on other blogs can work - but make sure you are making relevant comments not just there to plug your site/blog. Then, casually include a link to your site. If it looks like you know what you are talking about, and the subject matter of your site is somehow related the site where you're commenting, chances are you will get more eyeballs on your site from that.
- Read Search Engine Watch and educate yourself.
So, that's it for this special announcement. Now back to your regular programming in the next post!
Addendum: For food bloggers (or any blogger), especially if you are just starting out
Food Blog Alliance is a site by and for food bloggers, about the ins and outs of running a food theme blog. The articles are written by experienced food bloggers, some who have have had successful, even profitable, food blogs for years. There are plenty of tips there that pertain to general blogging too, so it's well worth checking out. (I have a couple of articles there: Startup costs for a food blog is a bit outdated but still viable, and Welcome visitors to your blog with an About page is still pertinent.)
(A bit of history: Back when I was a working web designers, I used to use Just Hungry to test out various search engine theories and such. Some worked, some definitely did not. It was very educational to see how things worked in on a real, live site. But now that Just Hungry is an important part of my writing business, it's no longer an SEO guinea pig.)
12 January, 2012 - 17:12
Nice summary for folks needing to learn to deal with this stuff. I would also warn folks about selling links. By the way, this comment has triggered your anti-spam thing several times. I'll now try submitting it without a link to my site (a cooking one...)
13 January, 2012 - 00:10
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Informative post here Maki. I would generally agree, except the one point regarding updating the blog regularly. I've been to a lot of blogs, which only get updated once a month, and they manage to keep me engaged. Whereas, there are some which are updated regularly, but would totally turned me off due to the non-content. So, I guess what I'm saying is, great to update regularly, but it's gotta be of quality content, right?
Stephanie W.
13 January, 2012 - 01:29
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Awesome! Thanks for the tips! I've been debating starting a blog on blogspot but the over saturation of blogs makes me hesitate. As a recent college grad I feel at a loss with what to do with all of my spare time (as opposed to the good ol' college days where every single minute was booked), so I'll probably take a shot at it and see where it goes. :)
I should start reading your bento site since I pack a lunch every day.
In my world we'd call you the Subject Matter Expert. Thanks for the tips, I think it is really hard to create a small business or really get noticed unless you do some ground work into the world. I know it's taken me a bit to even get someone to let me take pictures of them for free!
Once again thanks for those tips! That was something I really needed to read! I'll keep this information for sure.
Trae C
13 January, 2012 - 09:39
Re: Totally off topic
Thank you so much for this post! I help my husband maintain his business website, and we often argue over the best way to get higher rankings. I've taught myself what little SEO I know, so I'm glad to know I'm doing things "right." I'll have to check out Search Engine Watch - it looks like a very good resource to have.
13 January, 2012 - 22:22
Timing couldn't be better
Thank you for your prudent advice. As I read your suggestions of do's & dont's I happen to be sitting in my car about to head to a meeting with a web designer and social media consultant. I'm taking on the project of redesigning my site this year since it was built for me 6 yes ago by a friend who's a computer programmer and is now a dinosaur. Lots to learn so thanks for the info!
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Off topic yet completely interesting to me. My blog has been ramping up in readership fairly well over the last year, at least by my modest standards, and I'm definitely champing at the bit to see some really big gains this year in hits (and tiny increases of ad revenue) and the timing of this post couldn't be better. I really need to take these lessons to heart to avoid being too spammy.
I've actually had a couple of guest posts, but only by personal friends, who happen to not have any interest in food blogging on their own per se, so I will add that as a tiny tiny exception to the rule.
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Indeed, I was agreeing with you! I haven't yet received a scarily out of nowhere guest blogging request. But with your article in mind, I shall not be horribly flattered and get myself into something I rather not!
16 January, 2012 - 16:15
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
I happened on this blog to look up a zucchini miso soup (which I found and will try making, thank you). I have a food blog and am not interested in SEO although it is obviously gratifying to get new followers and readers. I get enough readers to satisfy me without linking to my blog in a comment section etc. I recently have started getting some comments that I think are spam but seem to be personalized and mention the content of my blog. I wonder if it is spam or not? I haven't set up a spam detectore because I hadn't really gotten spam yet. Thanks for the informative post.
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Thank you for this! I just started a food-related blog last month as a reason to write everyday. My former blog, which I sadly neglected, became over-run with spam comments (THOUSANDS)and Google became upset with me. I laughed out loud at your descriptions of the types of links that end up showing up. Thank you for this information. Webmaster tools at Google has a lot of info about blocking bots from your site as well.
On a note related to your blog, I visit often. I lived in Japan for 4 years and every time I get an longing, your recipes have helped immensely! Thank you!
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
There is no way I can start a food blog since my sense of smell is impaired. I happened to be one of Maki-san's "regular folk".
I received many emails from "SEO experts" which immediately go to the delete folder. I mean, if you can make a site rank high, why not help your own website instead of others?
Oh, I love what you said about flashy entrance buttons! It's so funny and true!
4 February, 2012 - 21:30
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
Thank you so much for this post. I am new to the food blogging/website world (in fact am also building my site on my own without the techie background) and so appreciate your straightforwardness and suggestions. It's both very helpful and nice. Again, thank you.
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
I actually just stumbled upon your blog because I searched for "easy miso soup" and decided to explore a bit further. Love your blog! My fiance and I have been trying to cook more Japanese food at home lately, so we'll definitely be back for more recipes!
Also, this post was super helpful. I bookmarked search engine watch and food blog alliance and look forward to reading them. Thanks!
13 July, 2014 - 20:13
Re: Totally off topic: About your small business site or ...
I hope you don't mind me asking but what career options should one take to be able to travel and live in different places like you and your family?
My boys will be off to university in a couple of years and I want them to read different career paths. Thanks


text:
Coopeerstown Weekend
Phillies Nation invaded Cooperstown's Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum over the weekend. Wasn't quite the sea of red when Ashburn and Schmitty were inducted in 1995. But, Phillies gear was dominant in the village and Hall's museum.
The Hall of Fame saluted the Phillies, the first time they have ever dedicated a weekend to a World Champion.
The World Series trophy was on display Saturday and Sunday, bringing down the curtain on a six-month journey. It was fitting that the final public tour would take place in Cooperstown.
In addition to the trophy, special tours were held for Phillies fans. Noah Becker, one of the Hall's interns, was one of the tour guides. He grew up a Phillies fan in Wayne, PA, and did a terrific job during the 45-minute tour that included Phillies history and history of baseball in Philadelphia. His enthusiasm matched that of the Phillies faithful.
On Saturday afternoon, my wife and I were privileged to represent the Phillies and present a World Series ring to the Hall, a long-time tradition. The presentation took place in front of the Autumn Glory exhibit (2008 World Series). The ceremony came at the end of Becker's 10 a.m. tour.
Bill Hasse, Sr. VP, received the ring. During and after the ceremony, Phillies faithful couldn't take enough close-up photos of the ring. Glad my fingernails were clean. My wife was wearing a WS pendant and she became the subject of more photos than the winner of Top Model.
Fans with their cameras, cell phone cameras and video cameras swarmed around the trophy the entire weekend.
Fans were so enthused to see the trophy and the ring. You could feel their sincerely, excitement and pride in being a Phillies fan.
MLB Production's World Series video was shown several times in the Bullpen Theater. It was cool knowing the ending.
Phillies Trivia sessions were scheduled in the same Theater twice each day. I chose to pass. Didn't want to flunk and be embarrassed. Games for kids were held there once each day. I wanted to sneak in but couldn't pass for being a kid.
While wondering through the Plaque Gallery, I noticed a man who looked like Paul Byrd, former Phillies pitcher (1998-2000). I wasn't sure but decided to ask. Yep, it was Paul.
He, his wife Kym and sons Grayson and Colby were in Cooperstown for the weekend. Youth baseball programs are held at the Cooperstown Sports Dream complex east of the village. Grayson was playing baseball there in a 12-year-old tournament. The complex includes 30 baseball fields.
1 Comment
It's nice to hear good things happening for the Phillies they have worked long and hard for it. Unfortunately I am unable to attend these things like I used too, but being able to read the positive side of the Phillies from an insider is a good replacement. Thanks


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Sales Supervisor Full-Time Job
DATE: Aug 20, 2019
CITY: Lakewood, CO, US, 80226
Company: DSW
Req #: 87120
Location Name: Belmar Shopping District, Lakewood
Department: Stores
At DSW, we believe in the power of shoes. We understand shoes bring out something great from within, and since 1991 we've been helping everyone feel the rush of finding that perfect pair. So when you work for DSW, you become a part of all that. A family whose core values are comprised of passion, accountability, collaboration, and humility. You become one of us, You become a Shoe Lover!
Acts as an MOD, leading by example to ensure delivery of an inspiring and uniquely responsive customer experience through service that is friendly, enthusiastic, passionate and real. Demonstrates behaviors that align with the company values of Accountability, Collaboration, Humility and Passion. Partners with the management team to understand daily/weekly/monthly store priorities. Participates and supports merchandise placement, shipment processing and store recovery. Participates in monitoring associate compliance to all company policies and procedures and Loss Prevention Compliance. Assists in assigned projects and tasks that meet service levels including opening and closing the store.
- Sales and Service: Models MOD behaviors, leading associate engagement. Drives results and KPI performance. Conducts huddles, reinforces behaviors, provides coaching and recognition that support Check, Check, Match and the values of the company. Responds to customer feedback with a sense of urgency.
- Associate and Team Development - Assists with the on-boarding of associates. Helps identify and communicate associate goals and provides coaching and feedback to support the growth of the Company. Provides feedback to Store Manager on associate performance. Seeks opportunities for personal performance growth and demonstrates interest in building leadership skills. Assists with daily associate relations issues and annual performance review process.
- Merchandising: Participates in and supports associates in merchandise placement, shipment processing and store recovery. Participates in the communication and execution of presentation standards that are consistent with brand image. Ensures store is compliant with established "Brand Experience" standards.
- Operations: Participates in monitoring of associates' compliance to all company policies and procedures. Participates in inventory control functions – including shipping and receiving, financial processes and building maintenance. Participates with the management of processes related to clearance merchandise, unit markdowns and damaged products. Identifies and responds to store housekeeping issues. Participates in shrink awareness training. Leads others in LP compliance. Uses monthly LP Assessment to identify and correct operational deficiencies in the store. Opens and closes store in rotation with management team. Participates with the upkeep of store back office/stockroom, front register area and administration of store procedures. Collaborates with the Store Manager with the maintenance requests and resolutions.
- Performs other duties as assigned by the Store Manager.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Proven ability to motivate others
- Basic computer skills, including e-mail, MS Word or other word processing program and Excel or other spreadsheet program
- EDUCATION : Minimum High School graduate
- EXPERIENCE: Minimum 1 year retail experience
- PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Some college preferred
DSW believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities. We do not discriminate against any protected class including race, color, religion, religious creed, gender, sex, national origin, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (defined as genetic information or impairments related to cancer), ancestry, marital status, family care leave, military and veteran status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or based on any protected category under federal, state, or local laws. DSW also makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and associates with disabilities unless doing so creates an undue hardship, in accordance with all legal requirements. Any applicant or associate who requires an accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job should contact Human Resources to request that accommodation.
Nearest Major Market: Denver
Job Segment: Manager, Merchandising, Compliance, Loss Prevention, Management, Sales, Retail, Legal


text: Tougher finish offers superior abrasion resistance for extreme conditions. New formulation offers tensile strengths up to 200% of stated line tests. Superior knot strengths the most critcal factor in choosing a monofilament. Unique "High Vis Yellow, Brilliant Blue & Diamond Clear" colors combine the benefits of high visibility line and the clarity of clear line. Economical new spool sizes offer closer match to reel capacities


text:
The 2014 political season is just beginning to ramp up, and, for fans and the professionals, it's time to start gauging which races to watch—and guessing which candidates can go all the way. Thursday will mark the emergence of one of the hottest Democratic prospects to come out of Texas in more than a decade: State Senator Wendy Davis, who's set to announce her candidacy for governor. But hold on to your hats, sports fans, 'cause this one is gonna get messy.
Davis garnered national attention this summer when she successfully filibustered an abortion ban that was passed in a later special session of the state legislature. Over 100,000 people watched a live feed, and in Texas thousands stormed the capitol in a show of support unprecedented in recent memory. By all accounts, today Davis will tell the world that she'll be the standard bearer for a team with that's lost more than 100 consecutive races statewide: the Texas Democratic Party.
But Texas Democrats are in the midst of a major set of changes, many of which aren't easy to see or assess, particularly from outside the state. There are the steady demographic shifts; the state is becoming less and less white, as the Latino population, which leans two-to-one Democratic, continues to grow. At the beginning of the year, the Obama campaign's national field director Jeremy Bird announced his soon-ballyhooed plans to turn Texas blue, creating the group Battleground Texas. The group promised to invest in field organizing and build strong volunteer-driven grassroots—a strategy state Democrats had been notably slow to embrace, despite low turnout among the groups most likely to vote for them.
With that work just getting underway, and the demographic changes not translating yet into a critical mass of new voters, Davis's campaign is a serious long shot. "It would take a pretty cosmic alignment of things going right for her and a lot of things going wrong for [the Republicans]," says Jim Henson, a political scientist who directs the University of Texas's Politics Project. Two polls, including one released Wednesday, showed Davis within eight points of Attorney General Greg Abbott, the leading Republican candidate with a war chest of nearly $20 million—and eight points was better than many expected. At The New Republic, Nate Cohn appears to be writing a piece each week about the hopelessness of Davis's candidacy. But Democrats' dreams for Davis don't rest solely on her winning the election. Given how weak the party has been for so long, if she can come within single digits of Abbott next year—and build a strong grassroots network that will last beyond her race—then she will have done more for the Democratic cause in Texas than anyone else has in a decade.
Untested and on a perpetually losing team, even a hot rookie like Davis is bound to face challenges. After all, this is a team sport. She'll need to capitalize on her own strengths and play her game—and hope the team can back her up if they're going to move the ball forward. The question is, how does she stack up?
She's a veteran of competitive races.
Davis may just be graduating to the big leagues, but she's got a long history of duking it out till the end. In a state where just about every legislative race is decided in the primaries, Davis won and then held one of the only competitive districts in Texas—no small feat. After serving on the Forth Worth City Council, Davis managed to unseat GOP senator Kim Brimer, one of the more powerful senators and good ol' boys in the state. The race was tight—she took 49.9 percent of the vote and a Libertarian candidate with 2.6 percent helped give her the plurality. During redistricting in 2011, Republicans tried to make her district impossible to win, but thanks to court intervention, it remained a tough, but competitive, district. Last year, she narrowly won again, this time without the help of a third party.
Winning in a competitive district—rather than a Democratic stronghold—has given Davis valuable experience pushing turnout in nonwhite communities and persuading white voters, both tasks key to running a competitive gubernatorial campaign. FiveThirtyEight marked Davis's home of Tarrant County, where Forth Worth is located, as a bellwether for the state.
She does well with suburban women—a group ripe for Democratic inroads.
The Democratic brand has become toxic among white voters in Texas; upwards of 70 percent vote Republican in any given election. "Obviously she's got to win back some of the Anglo voters we've lost," says longtime Democratic consultant Glenn Smith. She's got a chance.
According to research from Henson and others, suburban white women in Texas are beginning to move away from the GOP. In the last three years, the percentage of suburban women identifying as conservative dropped from 49 percent to 38 percent. They're less likely to identify with the Tea Party than voters overall. This fits nicely with Davis's celebrity, born largely out of her filibuster over abortion rights. While abortion remains divisive, suburban women are among the most consistent supporters of abortion rights, with 45 percent believing the procedure should be allowed in all circumstances.
There's still time to define Greg Abbott on her terms.
Wendy Davis may get a chance to play the game on her own terms. After a decade as attorney general, Abbott is still largely unknown among rank-and-file Texas voters. A June poll from the University of Texas/Texas Tribune showed that over half of Texas voters had no opinion of the guy—including 46 percent of Republicans.
While Abbott is familiar with running statewide, he's never done so against a formidable opponent in a competitive year. Smith sees plenty of opportunity for Davis to force Abbott into making errors that can drive more voters to the Davis camp. Already, he came under fire for tweeting thanks to a supporter who referred to Davis as "retard Barbie," and one of his chief advisors fell under similar criticism for retweeting that Davis was "too stupid" to run. By increasing the political pressure—through everything from press conferences to political stunts—Smith hopes voters may start hearing about Abbott through these gaffes. Abbott, meanwhile, has started his own efforts to introduce himself to voters, most notably with a feature in Texas Monthly that includes a cover photo of the wheelchair-bound candidate outdoors, with a gun slung over his shoulder.
She's never been outspent before.
While Davis has won two hotly contested legislative races, she's done so by out-raising and out-spending her opponents. That's not going to happen this time. Even if money pours in from across Texas and out-of-state—hardly unlikely given her national acclaim on the left—there's almost no way Davis will have more than Abbott, whose got the biggest bank account of any Texas candidate. That will leave Davis on new, difficult terrain. In her last race, Davis spent nearly $25 per vote. This time, she's got to find more cost-effective ways of mobilizing supporters and getting her message out—though of course she also will need help from outside groups. (More on that below.)
She's got some ethics skeletons in her closet.
Since her first election to the part-time state legislature, Davis has faced fire for her day job. She and Brian Newby, the former chief of staff for Republican Governor Rick Perry, are partners in a law firm that offers services to government contractors and local and county governments. Davis has refused to identify her public-sector clients, citing attorney-client privilege. However, the Texas Tribune has reported she's worked for a toll authority, school district, and a water authority, all impacted by her legislative work. Her office dismisses the charges and argues she voted on measures before she actually began work for the clients. During her 2012 race, a series of ads accused Davis of peddling her influence to the highest bidder.
Davis has strenuously denied all claims of impropriety, and her campaign points to ethics legislation she championed this past legislative session as evidence of her commitment to transparency. The negative ads weren't enough to defeat her in 2012, but the charges aren't likely to go away—instead they may get louder. Abbott's currently the frontrunner and unlikely to want to draw any more attention to Davis. But if she starts to come close, the attorney general will likely deploy some of his considerable funds to ensure everyone with a TV, radio, or computer hears about the flaps. The question will be if the charges will stick or if Davis can effectively combat them. "The microscope on politicians dials in higher" when they run statewide, notes Bryan Eppstein, a GOP consultant who helped manage the opposing campaign in 2012. The criticism politicians face at the legislative level, he says, "is less than half the scrutiny they're gonna get if they run statewide."
Texas is still really conservative.
While Texas is certainly in the midst of a political and demographic change, it's a slow process. This spring, before any candidates had emerged, Battleground Texas executive director Jenn Brown declared to a group of volunteers, "If 2020 is the year we turn this state around, that is OK with me." Between building turnout and registering and persuading voters, it usually takes years to change a political culture. Davis is hoping to do it in months. While there are obvious areas to focus on—driving up Latino turnout, motivating those suburban women—it's hard to see how she can get enough votes to add up to a victory. "She's going to have to fight to get 50 plus one and she's going to have to do everything right and force some errors on the Abbot campaign," explains Smith, waxing optimistic.
Davis made her name through a fight for abortion rights and garnered praise from folks like Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi—and California liberals ain't too popular in Texas. While Davis won her state senate races as a business moderate, her newfound celebrity comes with some challenges back home. Eppstein reflects what's likely to be a common Republican position: "She's trying to be Hillary Clinton," he says, "but she's not doing what Hillary did: Leave Arkansas and move to New York." He estimates Davis will struggle to get 40 percent of the vote.
Her Team
Perhaps Davis's strongest asset is having marshaled the kumbaya spirit that's descended on Texas Democrats in the last several months. After two decades of losing, the party has atrophied, and allies who should be teammates have often fought amongst themselves. But that seems to be shifting. Smith noted he runs a weekly call for around 24 partisan organizations, including Battleground Texas, the House and Senate Democratic caucuses, and Annie's List, which supports Democratic female candidates. "Everyone is on the same page [and there's] a surprising amount of cooperation and unity," he says. "Let's just say that has not always been true."
But harmony within a party that's a distinct minority in its state won't be enough. Battleground Texas has begun work on a robust field operation, employing much of the technology and tactics the Obama campaign used to win swing states like Ohio. According to several consultants, Battleground Texas is upping the grassroots game in Texas beyond anything the state has seen before. Davis's candidacy will give Battleground Texas a 2014 rallying cry and boost an operation that could last longer than a single political cycle.
But a win—or even moving the ball forward—will require a perfect game. And ask any baseball player; those require a stunning pitcher, flawless defense, and some mistakes from the other side.
"At the end of the day, can the Democrats execute as a party?" asks Henson. "I fully expect Wendy Davis will do her part, but a lot of other pieces have to do their part too."


text:
I wrote this letter to Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois today. I hope that you will take the time to write a letter of your own to your senator and tell them that you will hold them responsible for their actions come election time should they vote to pass these two horrible bills.
Senator Durbin,
Making websites like facebook, youtube, google, imgur, and others be responsible for user uploads is absurd and impossible. The claim that corporate America loses money from these activities is false for two reasons. 1) Most of the time this user content is not used for the original purpose the content was put together for (i.e. A song played in the background while a small child dances was removed from youtube because the company that claimed ownership of the music didn't want it there). 2) The people that are infringing would never have purchased rights to use the material to begin with, it was only because it was available that it was used. There is no loss as no one made money on it, and no one would have purchased it to begin with. When people want to watch a movie, or listen to music they buy it and listen to it or watch it, they don't go to youtube to hear it (poor quality) or see it for free. They go to you tube to see some little girl dance and make a funny expression, the fact that the music was used is arbitrary.
Giving a company the power to remove a website domain from active status on the Internet does two things. It opens up a situation where a company can take out a competitor by hiring other companies to file false reports to hamper their services. (especially smaller companies that can't afford to fight them) It does not stop piracy. Pirates don't use DNS (web domains) to trade real pirated materials. There is a consumer side that engages in this activity but it is very small.
The real pirating happens on newsgroups, and through binary ftp transfers that use IP addresses. This will not be changed if this bill comes into effect. I have personally worked with the FBI in Chicago on some very high profile pirating cases in the 1997-1998. I worked with Agent ***** *******. My work was responsible for some of the largest pirating group arrests in the History of the State of Illinois.
In the United States I can tell you that 90% of pirating happens because kids age 8-24 (College kids on the upper end of that spectrum) use these materials. They can't afford the price of admission and so they download this stuff. They were NEVER customers of these corporate giants to begin with. Therefore there was never a loss, since the property is a copy and not an original item. I'm not saying it is right, because it is not, but what I am saying is the financial loss claimed by these software companies is INFLATED and constitutes fraud on their part. They right off these huge amounts as loss but the fact is they do not represent actual loss at all. (Because the people that used them are generall kids that wouldn't ever purchase them to begin with for lack of fund or valid reason other than general curiosity).
Instead these companies release software products that are laden with bugs, expect the consumer to find the bugs, they fix 50% of them and release a new version with more features that address the other 50%. The new version is of course another purchase. They have no accountability for claims their software does a, b and c when it only actually does a and sometimes c. This is fraud.
We need a smart representative of the people that will write a bill that will start holding these companies responsible for the promises they make. Something that will hold them responsible for the billions of tax dollars they steal from us by claiming that this issue represents a loss at this magnitude. Something that will address the outright robbery that they are committing by releasing product that does not do what they say it will do. A Product that is insecure and responsible for people losing their whole life to identity theft.
In short Senator… do you represent the people or corporate America? I'll be voting against SOPA and PIPA come election time by voting for candidates that vote against SOPA and PIPA. I will be vocal on the internet, and through my circle of friends. I hope I can count on you to represent my interests sir. Thank you for your time.
-ReviewCrew Member (I left my name out in this writing because of the nature of the case I referred to with the FBI).


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6 February 2012 at 4.39pm | 4 Comments
Looking ahead towards the coming Olympic summer, this week the Royal Opera House launches its new World Stage Campaign for Spring 2012.
Following last season's Lauren Cuthbertson film, we've created a trailer starring Royal Ballet Principal Artist Edward Watson. As with last season's promo, the film will feature an exciting contemporary soundtrack, to be revealed later this week. Ahead of the release, here's an exclusive look behind the scenes:
See previous season's World Stage films