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SEC760: Advanced Exploit Development for Penetration Testers
Access Period: 4 months · Price: 7,620 USD · Instructor: Staff
Vulnerabilities in modern operating systems such as Microsoft Windows 7/8, Server 2012, and the latest Linux distributions are often very complex and subtle. Yet, when exploited by very skilled attackers, these vulnerabilities can undermine an organization's defenses and expose it to significant damage. Few security professionals have the skillset to discover, let alone even understand at a fundamental level, why the vulnerability exists and how to write an exploit to compromise it. Conversely, attackers must maintain this skillset regardless of the increased complexity. SANS SEC760: Advanced Exploit Development for Penetration Testers teaches the skills required to reverse-engineer 32-bit and 64-bit applications, perform remote user application and kernel debugging, analyze patches for 1-day exploits, and write complex exploit, such as use-after-free attacks against modern software and operating systems.
You Will Learn:
- How to write modern exploits against the Windows 7/8/10 operating systems
- How to perform complex attacks such as use-after-free, kernel exploit techniques, one-day exploitation through patch analysis, and other advanced topics.
- The importance of utilizing a Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) or Secure SDLC, along with Threat Modeling.
- How to effectively utilize various debuggers and plug-ins to improve vulnerability research and speed.
- How to deal with modern exploit mitigation controls aimed at thwarting success and defeating determination.
Course Syllabus
SEC760.1: Threat Modeling, Reversing and Debugging with IDA
Many penetration testers, incident handlers, developers, and other professionals lack reverse-engineering and debugging skills. This is a different skill than reverse-engineering malicious software. As part of the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) and Secure-SDLC, developers and exploit writers should have experience using IDA Pro to debug and reverse their code when finding bugs or identifying potential risks after static code analysis or fuzzing. Failure to perform proper threat modeling and SDL tasks results in security gaps that can be exploited by attackers. During this section you will learn how to get started with implementing the Microsoft SDL, perform threat modeling, perform local and remote debugging with IDA, as well as how to write your own IDAPython scripts.
CPE/CMU Credits: 8
- Security Development Lifecycle
- Threat modeling
- Why IDA is the #1 tool for reverse-engineering
- IDA navigation
- IDA Python and the IDA IDC
- IDA plug-ins and extensibility
- Local application debugging with IDA
- Remote application debugging with IDA
SEC760.2: Advanced Linux Exploitation
The ability to progress into more advanced reversing and exploitation requires an expert-level understanding of basic software vulnerabilities, such as those covered in SEC660. Heap overflows serve as a rite of passage into modern exploitation techniques. This day is aimed at bridging this gap of knowledge in order to inspire thinking in a more abstract manner, necessary for continuing further with the course. Linux can sometimes be an easier operating system to learn these techniques, serving as a productive gateway into Windows.
CPE/CMU Credits: 8
- Linux heap management, constructs, and environment
- Navigating the heap
- Abusing macros such as unlink() and frontlink()
- Function pointer overwrites
- Format string exploitation
- Abusing custom doubly-linked lists
- Defeating Linux exploit mitigation controls
- Using IDA for Linux application exploitation
- Using format string bugs for ASLR bypass
SEC760.3: Patch Diffing, One-Day Exploits, and Return-Oriented Shellcode
Attackers often download patches as soon as they are distributed by vendors such as Microsoft in order to find newly patched vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities are usually disclosed privately, or even discovered in-house, allowing the vendor to more silently patch the vulnerability. This also allows the vendor to release limited or even no details at all about a patched vulnerability. Attackers are well aware of this and quickly work to find the patched vulnerability in order to take control of unpatched systems. This technique is also performed by incident handlers, IDS administrators and vendors, vulnerability and penetration testing framework companies, government entities, and others. You will use the material covered in this day to identify bugs patched by vendors and take them through to exploitation.
CPE/CMU Credits: 8
- The Microsoft patch management process and Patch Tuesday
- Obtaining patches and patch extraction
- Binary diffing with BinDiff, patchdiff2, turbodiff, and DarunGrim4
- Visualizing code changes and identifying fixes
- Reversing 32-bit and 64-bit applications and modules
- Triggering patched vulnerabilities
- Writing one-day exploits
- Handling modern exploit mitigation controls
- Using ROP to compiled shellcode on the fly (Return-Oriented Shellcode)
SEC760.4: Windows Kernel Debugging and Exploitation
The Windows Kernel is complex and intimidating, so this day aims to help you understand the Windows kernel and the various exploit mitigations added into recent versions. You will perform kernel debugging on various versions of the Windows OS, such as Windows 7 and 8, and learn to deal with its inherent complexities. Exercises will be performed to analyze Ring 0 driver vulnerabilities, look at exploitation techniques, and get working exploits.
CPE/CMU Credits: 8
- Understanding the Windows kernel
- Navigating the Windows kernel
- Modern kernel protections
- Debugging the Windows 7/8 kernels and drivers
- WinDbg
- Analyzing kernel vulnerabilities and vulnerability types
- Kernel exploitation techniques
- Token stealing and HAL dispatch table overwrites
SEC760.5: Windows Heap Overflows and Client-Side Exploitation
The focus of this section is primarily on Windows browser and client-side exploitation. You will learn to analyze C++ vftable overflows, one of the most common mechanisms used to compromise a modern Windows system. Many of these vulnerabilities are discovered in the browser, so browser techniques will be taught, such as modern heap spraying to deal with IE 8/9/10/11 and other browsers such as FireFox and Chrome. You will work toward writing exploits in the Use-After-Free/Dangling Pointer vulnerability class, and bypass ASLR and DEP.
CPE/CMU Credits: 8
- Windows heap management, constructs, and environment
- Understanding the low fragmentation heap (LFH)
- Browser-based and client-side exploitation
- Remedial heap spraying
- Understanding C++ vftable/vtable behavior
- Modern heap spraying to determine address predictability
- Use-After-Free attacks and dangling pointers
- Using custom flash objects to bypass ASLR
- Defeating ASLR, DEP, and other common exploit mitigation controls
SEC760.6: Capture the Flag Challenge
Day six will feature a Capture the Flag event employing different types of challenges from material taught throughout the week. Test your reverse-engineering, bug discovery, and exploit-writing skills in a full day of Capture the Flag exercises!
CPE/CMU Credits: 6
Additional Information
Lab Requirements
You must bring VMware to run multiple operating systems when performing class exercises. Linux virtual machines with all necessary tools will be provided on the first day of the course. Tools needed for Windows will be issued in class, but you are required to build and bring the Windows virtual machines as listed below under Option 1 or Option 2. The virtual machines must be unpatched, as we will be installing and removing patches in class. If possible, please bring the English Language Pack versions of the designated Windows virtual machines so that everyone is running the same images. If you do not bring the specified OS and/or Service Pack versions, you may experience different outcomes during exercises.
Make sure that you have the administrative ability to disable all security software and protections, including antivirus and personal firewalls. You will likely not be able to complete the exercises without this level of control. In addition, make sure that you can install software that may be blocked by administrative or security controls due to its nature. You will be installing various debuggers and vulnerable applications onto the virtual machines.
Adherence to the following requirements is mandatory:
- A minimum of 4 GB+ of physical memory (RAM), preferably 8 GB to 16 GB+
- VMware Workstation, Fusion, or Player. A 30-day free trial is available at http://www.vmware.com. VMware will send you a time-limited serial number if you register for the trial on its website. VirtualBox is also acceptable, though not thoroughly tested.
- The following four (unpatched, base install) virtual machines, preferably not Enterprise Version. This is mandatory!
- Option 1: Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), Windows 7 32-bit (SP1), Windows 7 64-bit (SP1), and Windows 10 64-bit
- Option 2: Windows XP SP3, Windows 7 32-bit (SP1), Windows 8.0 64-bit - (No Windows 8.1), and Windows 10 64-bit
- Bring your own copy of Backtrack or Kali Linux
- Download Adobe Flex 4.6 SDK from the following link and bring it to class: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/flex-sdk-download.html
- Download and install the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 7 or Windows 8. DO NOT USE THE SDK FOR Windows 8.1. You only have to install debugging tools for Windows when prompted. The kit is available at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/hh852363.aspx
- 50 GB of free hard disk space.
- PIII 1Ghz CPU minimum/M Series 1.5 GHz or higher is recommended
- It is strongly recommended that you bring a licensed version of IDA Pro. A 20% discount is available to students signing up for SEC760. Please e-mail the course author, Stephen Sims at email@example.com. You may choose not to purchase a license and use only the trial and free versions; however, if you do that you will not be able to complete some of the exercises because these versions have limitations. You may also bring BinDiff for patch diffing exercises. It is available at http://www.zynamics.com/software.html and is now free. If you do not bring BinDiff, alternate tools will be provided.
***Attention Mac/OSX and Linux Users***
Due to various difficulties when performing Windows Kernel debugging between virtual machines using VMware Fusion, we strongly recommend that you bring a laptop option with a Windows host OS either as your only device, or in addition to your Mac. If you choose to bring only a Mac, or a Linux host, you are required to set up kernel debugging before attending class. Specifically, you must have fully tested your ability to successfully run a kernel debugging session from one Windows virtual machine in Fusion to another Windows virtual machine. You will need to be able to perform kernel debugging against all systems named in Option 1 or Option 2 from above. This also applies to Linux users running VMware.
For assistance you can go to the following link: http://deadlisting.com/files/Remote_Kernel_Debugging_Vmware_Fusion_and_Linux.docx
Note: Your experience with these instructions may vary, depending on your version of OSX, Fusion, and other factors. We will not have time in class to troubleshoot these issues.
If you have additional questions about the laptop specifications, please contact email@example.com.
Who Should Attend
- Senior Network and System Penetration Testers
- Secure Application Developers (C and C++)
- Reverse-Engineering Professionals
- Senior Incident Handlers
- Senior Threat Analysts
- Vulnerability Researchers
- Security Researchers
It is mandatory that students have previous exploit-writing experience using techniques such as those covered in SANS SEC660: Advanced Penetration Testing, Exploit Writing, and Ethical Hacking. This includes experience with stack-based buffer overflows on both Linux and Windows, as well as experience defeating modern exploit mitigation controls such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), canaries, and SafeSEH. Experience with or an understanding of fuzzing tools such as the Sulley Fuzzing Framework and Peach is required. Programming experience is important, preferably with C/C++. At a minimum, scripting experience in a language such as Python, Perl, Ruby, or LUA is mandatory. Programming fundamentals such as functions, pointers, calling conventions, structures, classes, etc. will be assumed knowledge. Experience with reverse-engineering vulnerable code is also required, as is the ability to read x86 disassembly from within a debugger or disassembler. Experience with both Linux and Windows navigation is required, as well as TCP/IP experience. If you do not meet these requirements you may not be able to keep up with the pace of the course.
Courses that lead in to SEC760:
- SEC660: Advanced Penetration Testing, Exploit Writing, and Ethical Hacking
- FOR610: Reverse-Engineering Malware: Malware Analysis Tools and Techniques
Courses that are prerequisites for SEC760:
SEC760 is a very challenging course covering topics such as remote debugging with IDA, writing IDA Python and IDC scripts, SDL and threat modeling, Linux heap overflows, patch diffing, use-after-free attacks, Windows Kernel debugging and exploitation, and much more. Please see the course syllabus for a detailed listing, and be sure to take a look at the recommended prerequisites and laptop requirements. You are expected to already know how to write exploits for Windows and Linux applications, bypass exploit mitigation controls such as DEP and ASLR, utilize return-oriented shellcode (ROP), etc.
SANS gets a lot of questions about this course. Am I ready for SEC760? Should I take SEC660 first? I have taken SEC660 but am I definitely ready for SEC760? I have taken SEC560, so can I jump right to SEC760 if I only want the exploit development material? I have not taken any SANS pen testing courses, so which one should I start with? I have taken a course through Offensive Security or Corelan, is the material the same?
There is no "one size fits all" reply to these types of questions, as everyone has a different level of experience. SANS's recommendation is to thoroughly read through the course syllabus and prerequisite statements for any course you are considering. The course author, Stephen Sims, is available to answer any questions you may have about the subject matter in order to help you make an informed decision. You can reach Stephen Sims at email@example.com
SANS has prepared written a 10 question exam that will help you determine if you are better suited for SEC660 or SEC760. Remember that this is purely from an exploit development perspective. SEC660 includes two days of material on introduction to exploit development and bypassing exploit mitigation controls. Much of the other material in SEC660 is on a wide range of advanced penetration testing topics such as network device exploitation (routers, switches, network access control), pentesting cryptographic implementations, fuzzing, Python, network booting attacks, escaping Linux and Windows restricted environments, etc. Many students of SEC760 have taken training from Offensive Security, Exodus Intelligence, Corelan, and others. Though there will certainly be overlap in some sections, there are many unique sections without overlap.
What You Will Receive
- Various preconfigured *NIX virtual machines; however, you are required to bring the Windows virtual machines discussed in the Laptop Requirements section.
- Various tools on a course USB that are required for use in class.
- Access to the in-class Virtual Training Lab with many in-depth labs.
- Access to recorded course audio to help hammer home important network penetration testing lessons.
You Will Be Able To
- Discover zero-day vulnerabilities in programs running on fully-patched modern operating systems.
- Create exploits to take advantage of vulnerabilities through a detailed penetration testing process.
- Use the advanced features of IDA Pro and write your own IDC and IDA Python scripts.
- Perform remote debugging of Linux and Windows applications.
- Understand and exploit Linux heap overflows.
- Write Return-Oriented Shellcode.
- Perform patch diffing against programs, libraries, and drivers to find patched vulnerabilities.
- Perform Windows heap overflows and use-after-free attacks.
- Use precision heap sprays to improve exploitability.
- Perform Windows Kernel debugging up through Windows 8 64-bit.
- Jump into Windows kernel exploitation.
Hands-on Training
- Perform labs to reverse-engineer Microsoft patches from 2007-2014 to identify the patched vulnerability and take them through exploitation.
- Perform use-after-free exploit labs against popular web browsers such as Internet Explorer.
- Bypass ASLR through the creation of custom Flash objects and UAF bugs.
- Remote-debug both Linux and Windows applications, and remote-debug the Windows 7 and 8 Kernels.
- Exploit Linux heap overflows.
- Perform threat modeling against applications.
- Bypass modern exploit mitigations.
- Write your own IDA Python scripts.
- Navigate the Windows front-end (LFH) and back-end heap allocators.
- Debug drivers.
Press & Reviews
"SEC760 is a kind of training we could not get anywhere else. It is not a theory, we got to implement and to exploit everything we learned." - Jenny Kitaichit, Intel
Author Statement
As a perpetual student of information security, I am excited to offer SEC760: Advanced Exploit Writing for Penetration Testers. Exploit development is a hot topic as of late and will continue to increase in importance moving forward. With all of the modern exploit mitigation controls offered by operating systems such as Windows 7 and 8, the number of experts with the skills to produce working exploits is highly limited. More and more companies are looking to hire professionals with the ability to conduct a Secure-SDLC process, perform threat modeling, determine if vulnerabilities are exploitable, and carry out security research. This course was written to help you get into these highly sought-after positions and to teach you cutting-edge tricks to thoroughly evaluate a target, providing you with the skills to improve your exploit development.
- Stephen Sims
Additional Resources
Take your learning beyond the classroom. Explore our site network for additional resources related to this course's subject matter.


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Item Code: VC479BM330SL
Suggested Price: Cdn $8105.00 or US $6484.00
This self loading cement mixer comes in 9 different sizes to fit any loader or excavator. Standard mount is universal skid steer but others are available. Has hydraulic bottom/side delivery door.Capacities from 6 cu.ft up to 39 cu.ft. Available options include 8 or 14 pin electrical connector and weighing system.Made in Italy. The SL mixing bucket is equipped with: safety rounded grill with bag breaker, auger with mixing paddles made of HB 400 steel, fully protected hydraulic motor, electric valve with hydraulic hoses, electrical connection kit, hoses with flat face couplers, hydraulic opening of the bottom slide with 6" hose. Productivity BM250 SL 1 cubic meter= 20 minutes BM600 SL 5 cubic meters = 45 minutes.For product literature click here You will need adobe acrobat to open the file.For product video click here.PLEASE NOTE LOADED WEIGHTS IN LITERATURE AND MATCH WITH THE ROC OF YOUR SKID STEER
For more information about this product, please use our online contact form, call Eastern Farm Machinery at (519) 763-2400, or contact one of our dealers.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Lots of stuff people want is going to pegwarm. The same applied 10 years ago, so it's not something I even consider when voting.
I always vote for what I want, even if it seems like retail pegwarming poison. There are plenty of ways to get around "peg-warmer" anyway - short-pack, exclusive, box set, etc. Are Senators/Separatists/Padmes potentially boring and potential peg-warmers? Probably. However like others have said, if they mix them in with some sort of army builder / battle pack, anything is possible...
I agree on the Outlander Club... The street outside had more interesting looking characters than the club itself, and even then... I also agree on Senators/Separatists but they're suicide like you said Scott... One here and there gets made, and I'm ok with that kind of pace on that stuff.
1. Foul Moudama (Movie Style)
I'm pretty sure Foul Moudama exists in the movie style (2006 ROTS wave).
Page created in 0.074 seconds with 19 queries.


text:
Guavafitness necesitaba un nuevo diseño de impreso o envases y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 118 diseños de 20 diseñadores freelance.
Release the Body Fat: The Accelerated Weight Release Program TM
I am the Owner of a Fitness Studio in Richmond, Canada that is launching the Weight Release (TM) Boot Camp program and expanding fast. We help people of all shape, sizes and age feel amazing about themselves through releasing unwanted body fat by exercise and the Accelerated Weight Release (TM) Diet Program.
Looking for a designer who can get past the tape around the waist photos. A design that would stand out online and in a book store.
This is an all encompassing book. It is about the Journey they are about to take through exercise, nutrition, goal setting, measurements and lifestyle changes to reach their goals.
Weight Loss clients. Someone who is unhappy with their current health, body fat, weight or appearance regardless of how much they want to lose. I wish I could say a very specific target for my designer but the truth is we have such a variety of people in our program however it makes us able to target more and more people and grow faster.
I would love for the cover design grab my target audience's attention, raise their curiosity and immediately cause them to think, " I want to buy this book, it has been the program I have been searching for."
I want readers to connect to the cover, to see it captivate them through the clean crisp layout and make them want to open it up.
The front cover can contain a picture/illustration if you feel it brings the book to life or a design that can do the same.
The program is about educating clients to make a committment to themselves by being inspired to change their life.
I like bright colors, blues, greens etc.
Design the cover for print and ebook. (also need an ebook icon of the book for the website)
Front: title (Release the Body Fat), subtitle: The Accelerated Weight Release Program, picture/illustration, author's name (Rachel Seay)
Spine: title, subtitle, author's name, picture/image
Back: summary, biography ( about the author, I will provide once I see potential winning designs), ISBN and bar codes
I will supply ISBN and bar codes once I approve final cover
file format: pdf, jpeg, ai, vector, png
Resolution: 300 dpi
book size: 8 1/2 by 11
Color space: CMYK
No Spine needed for the actual print copy but for the website image, it will need to look like a spiral bound book like this example
Full Bleed Size
8.63" × 11.10"
219mm × 282mm
2588 × 3331 pixels
Thank You!


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You can create this comparator as nested static class, because they require access of private members of class.
Once you create these Comparator implementations, all you need to do is to override compare() method accordingly e.g. in compare() method of NameComparator compare name of two employee and return positive if name of first employee is greater than second, and return negative if name of first employee is less than second and return zero if name of both employees are equal.
By using Generics, you can avoid casting of object into Employee inside compare() method, as shown in example of this article. Once you have your Comparator classes ready, you can create a bunch of employee and sort them using any Comparator by passing List of employees and Comparator into Collections.sort(List, Comparator) method.
By the way this Java example also implements equals(), hashcode(), compareTo() and toString() method for Employee object, along with JUnit test for testing various Comparator implementation in file EmployeeTest.java.
Custom Sorting in Java using Comparator Exampleint id, String name, int salary, int age and Date field to represent date of joining. Our requirement is to sort a List of employee based upon their name, age, salary and date of joining. For this purpose we have created four different comparator classes namely NameComparator, AgeComparator, SalaryComparator and DOJComparator. All classes implements java.util.Comparator interface but their compare() method are overridden differently e.g. first one compares name of two employee object, second compares their salary, third compare their age and last one compare their age. When overriding compare() method, if you find an object, which overrides compareTo() then invoke that, for example for comparing String and Date we are invoking their compareTo() methods.
Files to run this Example
In order to run this program, simply copy paste following two classes in two different Java source file. Then name them according to name of public class e.g. Employee.java and EmployeeTest.java. You also need JUnit to run test file, which test the code you have written for implementing Comparator and overriding compare() method. You can run it on Eclipse or command prompt as per your convenience. If you are not using JUnit then you just put the test code inside main method of any class and run it accordingly.
That's all on this Java Comparator example tutorial. We have learned how to create multiple Comparator in a class for comparing object in different parameters. This allows you to sort object in any custom order, depending upon business requirement. You can provide custom Comparator as nested static class, because a Comparator is closely associated with the object it compare. This is one of the genuine usage of nested static class in Java. It's good to provide natural ordering of object via compareTo() method and provide additional compare() methods for custom sorting of object in Java. Always use Generics while overriding compare(), this will make your program as now your compare() will accept two Employee object, instead of two java.lang.Object parameters.
Further Learning
Java In-Depth: Become a Complete Java Engineer
Java Fundamentals: Collections
Data Structures and Algorithms: Deep Dive Using Java
Other Java Collection tutorials you may like
How to sort a Map by keys and values in Java? (tutorial)
How to sort an ArrayList in ascending and descending order in Java? (tutorial)
What is the difference between ArrayList and HashSet in Java? (answer)
What is the difference between TreeMap and TreeSet in Java? (answer)
What is the difference between HashMap and ConcurrentHashMap in Java? (answer)
The difference between HashSet and TreeSet in Java? (answer)
The difference between ArrayList and LinkedList in Java? (answer)
The difference between Vector and ArrayList in Java? (answer)
Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like this article then please share with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback then please drop a comment.


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I hope this question is appropriate for MO - I cannot decidedly tell with soft questions. I was wondering what are the strategies people use when searching for literature on a subject. I shall clarify my question with an example. Suppose, for instance, I want to learn more about $\star$-independence or $\star$-spread and assuming I already do not have a reference for it, how do I go about searching for literature on it. If the latter assumption is relaxed (that is I already have a couple of references on the concept), presumably I can keep looking for cross references and that might, in a small number of steps, exhaust all the literature on the subject. However, I find frequently this is not the case. The problem here is two fold:
1) If I am looking at exploring about a mathematical object/theorem which does not have a name and does not involve any objects which have exotic names, for instance, "A finite union of subspaces of a vector space is a proper subset of the space if the ambient field is infinite" (I hope this is not a bad example and even if it is, that it conveys the underlying issue). Google searching any keywords for an example like this only yields tons of irrelevant entries. This is especially true in cases where the mathematical objects involved have other meanings in english (which can be said about almost every other thing in math e.g. ring, field, ideal, module, etc) and even when this is not the case, it could be a ubiquitous word in mathematics (e.g. vector, space, manifold, etc). So if the concept or theorem does not contain a distinguished word, searching about it is difficult.
2) If the object/theorem is exotic or contains an exotic object like $\star$-independence, google and other search engines suppress special characters and the situation defaults to that in (1). Finally, I find it especially hopeless if you are looking to find say, class number computations of $\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt{2},\sqrt{7}]$.
I would like to know if anyone has any thoughts on getting around these problems. If it's a misplaced question, I would be happy to delete it.


text: Last week was our annual conference, ForumCon, and what a conference it was! Here are the most important takeaways from each of the day's sessions.What does "Mobile-Optimized" Mean for Communities? In the opening session, moderator John Boitnott led panelists Tyler Smith, Zach Hobbs, Craig Dalrymple and Howard Steinberg in a discussion on increasing Internet consumption via mobile devices and the effect that is having on forums. The panel emphasized that forums will need to adapt as users increasingly use mobile devices to consume forum content but less so to create new content. Developing countries in particular have many users who access the Internet solely through their mobile devices.The Lean Community: Simple Tactics for Building Thriving CommunitiesDavid Spinks spoke about his first experience in building an online community that was centered around Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. David argued that forums are far more likely to succeed if they are built as an outlet for an existing community, rather than an attempt to build a new community based on corporate interest. Additionally, David informed the audience, despite conventional wisdom, debates between community members could be key to developing stronger community bonds.The Top 5 Forum Insights that Changed Our BusinessCrista Bailey emphasized the importance of encouraging community members to openly share their content. As the CEO of TextureMedia, Bailey has built the largest online community for women with curly hair. If TextureMedia weren't an environment where women in this historically-marginalized community felt comfortable sharing their stories and pictures, the brand would not be what it is today.Moderation and Management of Your CommunityDan Gill moderated the talk about managing online community with panelists Greg Childs, Justin Isaf and Patrick Clinger. The panel members had important insights about who ought to be responsible for electing community managers. One great example was, if someone asks to be a community manager, they probably aren't a good choice. Instead, ask an active and influential member of your forum to be a manager. There's a good chance that they are the type of member who plans on being a part of the community for an extended period of time.Conversation about Online CommunityConversations about Online Community gave attendees the chance break into groups and answer assigned questions. They then chose their best insights to share with the entire ForumCon conference. Attendees made a series of clever suggestions such as, making sure that each community manager receives individual attention and emphasizing the importance of randomized checks on manager decisions. There was also plenty of discussion about whether to remove "downvote" features altogether.ForumCon Tech FestThis year's ForumCon featured the first ever Tech Fest competition with a series of entrepreneurs pitching their products to a panel of expert judges. Each of our presenters had a great pitch, but Panjo and their advertising marketplace for forums ultimately prevailed.Using Proven Science to Create Highly Addictive CommunitiesAttendees had the opportunity to learn about proven methods that increase their community's retention rate from Richard Millington. One of his most interesting pieces of advice was messaging someone right after they join your community might not necessarily the most effective use of your time, especially if your goal is to get them to contribute to the site. Instead, Millington found that responding within five hours to a new member's first contribution resulted in a 53% increase in the chance that they would contribute again. Additionally, responding within the first hour increased that figure even further.The Future Discussion of the Web PanelForumCon's final panel was moderated by Nellie Bowles and featured Jeff Atwood, Josh Miller, Daniel Ha and Thomas Plunkett. Our most forward-looking panel spoke about the need to encourage civil discussion online and some of the ways previous efforts to do so had fallen short. For example, insisting that users login through Facebook doesn't seem to have any effect on their being civil to one another. What's most important is for people participating in online communities to realize that even without face-to-face interaction there is someone on the receiving end of their comments.How Purposeful Design Increases EngagementCourtney Couch explained the power of purposeful design (the holistic approach you take to your site). Couch suggested that every design decision ought to be evaluated on the basis of its benefit for users and not simply because it "could be done" or might look "cool". His talk tied to previous comments made at ForumCon that the most successful forums are very basic with user-friendly designs.Special thanks our MC John Rampton.Thank you to all of you who came and a special thanks to our wonderful sponsors: FORUMS.net, tapatalk, Vanilla, BoardReader, Panjo, Internet Brands, Hi-def Ninja, Vbulletin, Verticalscope and Topix. Other great wrap-ups have been written byJessica Malnik and Evan Hamilton. You can also check out a great collection of content from the ForumCon Storify and visit our blog for videos of the sessions.Written by Hanna Fritzinger


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Stalled efforts to bring in big donors could put San Francisco taxpayers on the hook for upward of $20 million for the America's Cup.
With the 55 days of steroidal sailing just six months away, fundraising efforts to cover the estimated $31 million to $34 million cost for police, cleanup, transportation and other expenses have pretty much hit the wall at $14 million.
Originally pitched as a competition between as many as 12 international teams, the race is now down to three entries. The shrinking size of the event has helped reduce costs, but it also substantially cut into corporate interest in sponsorships, which city officials originally thought would bring in $300 million.
Recreation and Park Commission President Mark Buell and his group have managed to raise $9 million from local donors and another $5 million from the race organizers in the form of a loan that may not have to be repaid.
Now those sources are about tapped out. So Mayor Ed Lee has personally taken up the drive to raise money.
"He's optimistic that with a concerted effort, he can keep fundraising on par with expenses as they come in," said Lee's spokeswoman, Christine Falvey.
The mayor is also enlisting help from Sen. Dianne Feinstein, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Board of Supervisors President David Chiu. In other words, everyone is on this and hoping it works out. But if it ends in a bailout, the feeling at City Hall seems to be that it's worth it.
"Between the money that will come in from tourists and the crowds and the sales taxes it will generate," Buell said, "I still think that, no matter what, it will come out a boon for the city."
Still, time is short, money is tight – and those who have been working the phones tell us it's not easy asking for money to help finance a yacht race being put on by Larry Ellison, one of the richest men in the world.
Texas treat: Publicly, Gov. Jerry Brown is calling Texas Gov. Rick Perry's three-day trip to try to lure California businesses to the Lone Star State "barely a fart." But privately, he's kind of happy about it – figuring the poaching threat plays right into his desire to streamline California's environmental laws to make the state more business-friendly.
"The stage is set – he's opened the umbrella wider than any other Democratic governor has ever done before," said one key aide. "Now he'll stand back and let the Legislature make their moves."
Betting line: Now that San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has announced he intends to appoint Supervisor Carmen Chu as city assessor, speculation is growing about her likely replacement in District Four.
The mayor said he plans to spend the next month hearing from the community and various political constituencies before announcing his pick, but we're hearing he may be leaning toward Chu's aide, Katy Tang. She is well-regarded in progressive circles and would have a strong chance of being re-elected in a district where Asian Americans make up the majority.
Another top contender is former prosecutor Suzy Loftus – who not only would be the lone white woman and mother on the board, but is seen as someone not afraid to speak her mind.
Burned: Peninsula school districts weren't the only losers in a failed lawsuit against San Mateo County seeking to recover $20 million in lost Lehman Bros. investments – so were the county's taxpayers.
A dozen school districts accused the late county Treasurer Lee Buffington of ignoring prudent investment standards by putting so much of their money into Lehman before the company's 2008 collapse.
A three-judge state appeals court panel, however, ruled otherwise.
So now, in addition to the $20 million loss, taxpayers are on the hook for the county's legal bills – which, as of Dec. 31, totaled $1.2 million to the high-powered San Francisco law firm Keker and Van Nest, which the county hired to fend off the school suit.
Keker was brought in because the county counsel's office works for both the county and the school district.
"That was our point all along," said winning lawyer Stuart Gasner of Keker's firm – it "was a lot of robbing Peter to pay Paul. What a waste of time."
By the way, there may be more legal bills.
Farley Neuman, the San Francisco attorney who filed the case on behalf of the schools – and who gets paid only if he wins – said he is still mulling an appeal to the state Supreme Court.
"In our view, there is an important public policy issue here," he said.
San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX-TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or e-mail email@example.com.


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- Arrive and depart any day you choose and stay as long as you like - from one night to one hundred!*
- Enjoy two or more locations in one holiday - perfect if you fancy creating your own tour.
- Feel free to simply book your parc and accommodation with us, or we can look after your travel and transfer, too.


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Matzek solid, but Belisle gives up big homer
McKenry crushes three-run shot, but it's not enough to lift Rockies
WASHINGTON -- Left-handed rookie starter Tyler Matzek spent 95 pitches Wednesday night giving the Rockies a competitive 6 1/3 innings, only to see it all erased two pitches later.
In a year when an injury-depleted starting rotation has rarely given good starts, another Rockies problem has been formerly dependable relievers struggling. This time, Matt Belisle watched Ian Desmond swat his second pitch to right-center for a home run that gave the Nationals a 4-3 victory at Nationals Park in front of 28,943, and a three-game series sweep.
The Rockies completed the road trip 1-6, and they've lost 14 of their last 16. Wednesday's result threw a worrisome pattern in the face of good news.
Some of their better injured players are on the way back. Third baseman Nolan Arenado should return Thursday against the Dodgers to start a 10-game homestand, lefty Boone Logan is on the edge of being activated and star left fielder Carlos Gonzalez is close to a rehab assignment, but those returns will be no remedy for the plague of the ill-fated pitch late in the game.
Belisle has been with the Rockies since 2009 and has pitched often, but on occasion over the last two seasons he has struggled with consistency and the ability to deliver at the key times. Belisle, lefty Rex Brothers (3-4, 4.37 ERA) and righty Adam Ottavino (0-3, 4.34), all expected to be stalwarts, have had trouble holding leads or keeping runs off the board.
"It was just a mistake, sloppy slider to a hitter who is going really well this series," Belisle said. "That one's on me. I've got no excuse.
"Execution is all it is, especially late in tight ballgames like that. That game's got to be won or got to be held, or you've got to be beat by your best stuff."
Matzek turned in his second straight encouraging start and third good one in five outings since being called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
He was staked to a 3-0 lead on Michael McKenry's first homer of the season, a three-run shot in the second off Doug Fister. Matzek shook off early command struggles and finished with six strikeouts against six hits and one walk.
"I felt good, and 'Mac' [McKenry] came in and reminded me of arm speed," Matzek said. "He could see something where I wasn't as aggressive with the off-speed pitches and the arm speed, and the hitters were able to pick that up."
In the fourth, Jayson Werth cut the Rockies' lead to 3-2 with a two-run shot for his seventh homer of the year, on a 3-1 pitch that Matzek called "a stupid pitch." With two down in the frame, Matzek yielded two soft hits -- a bloop double by Bryce Harper and a soft Desmond RBI single for a 3-3 tie.
Matzek retired the next eight. He fanned Harper to open the seventh before manager Walt Weiss went to Belisle.
"He [Matzek] was about at his ceiling for the year, a real hot night," Weiss said.
Matzek said, "I felt good, could've gone more, but it was the right call. Get the righty in there with a right-hander up late in the game."
Belisle enticed Desmond to chase a high fastball, but his slider backed over the plate and ended up Desmond's 15th homer.
Desmond's hit seemingly bounced off the top of the padded wall and was played as a triple. However, instant replay awarded the homer because the ball touched the railing above the wall.
Fister held the Rockies to three runs on seven hits in seven innings.
"Doug felt really strong, which is an indication for him that the ball gets up in the zone a little bit," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "They made some nice plays behind him. The three-run homer from McKenry early put us in a hole. But he battled through."
The Rockies played crisply defensively.
Second baseman DJ LeMahieu made a grab and glove flip of an Anthony Rendon grounder and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki pulled off a spinning throw for a first-inning double play. Tulowitzki dazzled on Jose Lobaton's grounder in the hole in the third and made a spinning throw to stop Rendon in the eighth. Desmond's homer was the Nats' only hit after the fourth.
The Rockies think that a second-half run is in them. But to realize that dream, Belisle said the game-turning mistake like his on Wednesday must be eliminated.
"There's just no one thing that can be omitted if you expect to win," Belisle said. "We don't cower from that and we know there's going to be faults by each part of the Rockies' game at some time. But who's ready to come the next day and get after it?"


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Difference between revisions of "St. Nick's Holiday Mini-Workshops"
From Bloominglabs
(→Shopping bags)
(→Shopping bags)
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==Shopping bags==
==Shopping bags==
*[http://www.morsbags.com/get-involved/pattern-download-links/ Make a Mors
*[http://www.morsbags.com/get-involved/pattern-download-links/ Make a Mors ]
==Bean bags==
==Bean bags==
Revision as of 00:47, 14 December 2013
First held on December 2, 2010, we usually run this workshop early in December each year.
2013 Workshop
- Soap molding
- Mold making
- Woven wrapping paper
- Pop up cards
- Paper wallets
- Fridge magnets
- Shopping bags
- Santa hats
- Purses
- Open ended making:
- If you see some materials you want to work with and have an idea, then we'll try to help you craft your project!
- If you feel like bringing your own materials to include into any of the above crafts, or any crafts you would like to do, we can incorporate that somehow as well.
Previous Workshop Activities
Molding soap
- We make our own molds with our vacuum former!
Shopping bags
Bean bags
Popup cards
- Robert Sabuda's Popup Cards
- Christmas Tree
- Stack of gifts


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In the world of hair envy, I don't think anyone has developed a cult following like the Dutchess of Cambridge, with her smooth, soft, and ever-so-shiny curls. And now she's made her hair even more interesting by adding bangs and fringe to frame her face. Everyone needs a change once in a while, right? What do you think of her new look?
Image: Stylebistro.com


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Broadcom Beats Q4 Expectations, Revenue Outlook Misses Q1 Target
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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Irvine-based chipmaker Broadcom Corp. on Tuesday reported fourth-quarter sales and earnings that beat Wall Street expectations and provided a revenue target below estimates for the current quarter.
Broadcom reported revenue in the December quarter of $2.08 billion, up 14.3% from a year ago.
Analysts on average had forecast sales of $2.07 billion.
Adjusted profits topped $462 million, up 26% from a year earlier.
Wall Street had expected an adjusted profit of $411.7 million for the quarter.
The strong quarterly gains pushed Broadcom's revenue in 2012 to a record $8.01 billion, up 8.4% from 2011.
Net income for the year hit $1.76 billion, up 4.1%.
The company's shares were down slightly in afterhours trading to a market value of $19.01 billion.
Broadcom specializes in communication chips that go in tablets, smart phones, set-top boxes, broadband modems, networking gear and other products.
The company provided guidance on revenue, gross margins, and research and development for the current quarter.
The company projected sales of about $1.9 billion in the current quarter, below analyst expectation of $2 billion.
Gross margins in the current quarter are projected to be about 49.5%, flat from the recently ended quarter.
Research and development is projected to range from $797 million to $812 million, up from $762 million in the recently ended quarter.
Broadcom said separately that its board approved a 10% increase to its quarterly dividend to 11 cents a share.


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ROCKFORD, Ill. - A former city bookkeeper was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison Thursday for embezzling more than $53 million from her Illinois community, in what ranks as one of the worst abuses of public trust in the state's corruption-rich history.
"You stole an astronomical amount of money from the city, you crippled the city," U.S. District Judge Philip Reinhard told Rita Crundwell, as he sentenced her to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison - just shy of the maximum 20 years. She was handcuffed and led away sobbing after he ordered her into custody immediately, saying he was concerned she could have money hidden and flee.
Crundwell, 60, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling money from the city of Dixon from 1991 until her arrest last April. She tearfully apologized in the Rockford federal courtroom.
"I am truly sorry to the city of Dixon, to my family and my friends," Crundwell said in court, her voice quivering.
For more than two decades as comptroller for Dixon, a northern Illinois community best known for being the site of Ronald Reagan's boyhood home, Crundwell siphoned city funds to pay for properties, vacations, luxury cars and a horse-breeding operation that became nationally renowned.
"You showed a much greater passion for the welfare of your horses than you did for the people of Dixon, who you represented," the judge said before imposing a sentence that means Crundwell will not be eligible for release until she is 77 years old.
Crundwell's apology marked the first time she spoke publicly about her massive theft. Before she got her turn in court, she had to listen to people testify about the damage she had done.
Heads of various departments took turns describing how Crundwell's scheme devastated the city, forcing them to put off needed repairs and equipment purchases. Police didn't get radio equipment, and there wasn't enough money to mow the grass at the cemetery.
Michael Stichter, longtime superintendent of Dixon's streets department, said miles of roadway could not be resurfaced and aging vehicles could not be replaced.
He said Crundwell told him repeatedly the city simply did not have the money.
Officials in Dixon remain baffled by Crundwell's scheme, which averaged more than $5 million a year during the last few years.
"She drove on the streets that didn't get repaired or replaced because of her theft," Mayor Jim Burke told the judge. "She saw city employees every day that had gone over two years without raises because of her theft."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Pederson said Crundwell "callously sat quietly at budget meetings year after year while the city had to make painful cuts."
Pedersen described Crundwell's "extravagant lifestyle" and showed the judge pictures of expensive vehicles, boats and jewelry. He said she criss-crossed the nation attending horse shows and acting every bit the wealthy horse owner, while Dixon had to borrow $3 million to pay city bills.
"She even paid for a mariachi band at a horse show," Pedersen said.
Pedersen said after the hearing Crundwell would have continued stealing if she hadn't been caught.
"There was no evidence she was going to stop," he said.
Crundwell still faces 60 separate but related state felony charges for theft in Lee County. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges.
Crundwell's public defender requested a sentence of about 13 years, which would have been on the lower end of sentencing guidelines. But prosecutors sought closer to the maximum sentence of 20 years, agreeing with Pedersen's characterization of Crundwell's "20-year crime spree."
The judge also ordered Crundwell to pay full restitution - $53.7 million - as per the terms of her deal, but prosecutors said they only expect to recover about $10 million of that. Over the past several months, U.S. Marshals have been auctioning off Crundwell's assets, including houses, horses and jewelry.
Officials said while money will continue to come in from the auctions, the total is not expected to climb. That's because the government's costs have climbed as well, with Jason Wojdylo of the U.S. Marshals Service saying it cost $1.7 million to care for hundreds of Crundwell's horses.
After the hearing, Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said if other cases are any indication, the search for Crundwell's assets will continue for years.
"We've had cases where we dig for assets 20 years after the defendant is released from prison," he said.
Prosecutors said Crundwell began depositing Dixon's money in a secret bank account in January 1991 and continued doing so until her arrest in April 2012, months after the FBI began monitoring her transactions.
Her scheme began to unravel when she went on an extended vacation in 2011, and the person filling in for her stumbled upon her secret account, prompting the mayor's call to the FBI.
Crundwell began working for the city, which is about 100 miles west of Chicago, when she was 17 and began overseeing its finances in the 1980s. Prosecutors said residents, many of whom work in factories and on grain farms, came to trust her.
Besides the luxurious homes and vehicles she bought over the years, Crundwell spent millions on her horse-breeding operation, RC Quarter Horses LLC, which produced 52 world champions in exhibitions run by the American Quarter Horse Association.


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Low EPA linked to depression, and omega-3 and DHA shown to help symptoms of Alzheimers disease, in four new studies.
In a depression study, researchers measured blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in about 1,400 men and women with an average age of 75 and symptoms of depression and compared results to a matching group of healthy adults. Those with depressive symptoms averaged 16 percent lower EPA levels than healthy adults and among those taking antidepressants, the higher the level of EPA, the less severe the depression.
In a related study, researchers measured blood levels of EPA and other fatty acids in about 1,200 healthy participants. After four years, doctors found that the 65 who had developed mental decline (dementia) had lower EPA levels than those who remained healthy. Doctors noted that those who had too much omega-6 compared to omega-3 were more likely to develop dementia, particularly those who also had symptoms of depression.
In an Alzheimer's disease (AD) study, 23 participants with mild or moderate AD and 23 participants with mild mental decline took 1,800 mg of fish oil per day or a placebo. After 24 weeks, those who had taken omega-3 had better mood, mental clarity, judgment, and physical control compared to placebo. Those with mild mental decline who took omega-3 also scored better in a test for AD than those in the placebo group. Doctors observed that as EPA on red blood cell membranes increased, mental condition improved.
In another AD study, researchers measured blood levels of nutrients in 36 participants with AD. Those with moderately severe AD had much lower levels of the carotenoid antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene compared to those with mild AD. Participants with lower levels of lutein, beta-carotene and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and higher levels of LDL cholesterol scored lower on recall, math, attention and language skills than those with healthier levels.
Reference: Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry; 2008, Vol. 32, No. 6, 1538-44.
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Thursday, April 23, 2009
Five-Tier Wedding Cake:Roses - April 2009
40 comments:
- Asha said...
Gorgeous. Love the blue color in contrast with cream, great work! :)
- Thursday, April 23, 2009 11:05:00 PM
- Steph said...
Simply amazing!! It must be such a great feeling when you see the joy on the bride's face.
- Thursday, April 23, 2009 11:43:00 PM
- Cham said...
How re U? Fantastic drape style love the color .
- Friday, April 24, 2009 12:00:00 AM
- Pilarh said...
Is gorgeus!
- Friday, April 24, 2009 12:03:00 AM
- Anitha said...
Hi Anamika,
Nice to see you after a long time.
The cake is absolutely stunning. Flawless fondant, nice contrasts in designs, yet everything blending in so well.
- Friday, April 24, 2009 3:13:00 AM
- None said...
I´vejust discovered your blog. You are amayzing . So much work....Congratulations!
- Friday, April 24, 2009 9:01:00 AM
- The Caked Crusader said...
So much to admire! So much work and skill!
The colour combination reminds me of wedgewood porcelain - incredibly beautiful
- Friday, April 24, 2009 9:01:00 AM
- lubnakarim06 said...
Wow awesome....the detail deco on each tier is gr8!
- Friday, April 24, 2009 10:22:00 AM
- Priya said...
Very pretty and well done girl.
- Friday, April 24, 2009 3:12:00 PM
- luckysanjana said...
hi thanks for dropping by. YOurs was one of the first few blogs i dropped by when i joined blogspot..............i have really no words to express how impressed i am by the stuff you do................seriously........i wish i could learn to craft.........though i doubt id be any good..........im not so good with my fingers unless it is to write something..........amazing what different things we can do with our hands........you use them to create masterpieces and i use them to write poetry..............If you were in India doing those cakes......youd really do amazingly well..........I have yet to see sugar craft of this kind......when and where did you learn........and one more request next tiem could you post some pictures while you are creating..............that would give us a wonderful insight as to how you make it all work.
- Friday, April 24, 2009 5:07:00 PM
- Dhanya Ganesh said...
Looks gorgeous. You are very creative.
- Friday, April 24, 2009 10:45:00 PM
- krystyna said...
Hi Anamika!
Why I didn't visit you and your amazing, professional artwork???
This wedding cake is FANTASTIC!
My lovely colors!
Have a wonderful weekend!
- Friday, April 24, 2009 11:08:00 PM
- Dewi said...
Beautiful and classic design is always timeless.
- Saturday, April 25, 2009 12:46:00 AM
- Uma said...
looks fantastic! What a pretty detailing! Simply great! :)
- Saturday, April 25, 2009 1:28:00 AM
- Jerri at Simply Sweet Home said...
Lovely color. And I love how each tier has it's own unique design. Interesting!
- Saturday, April 25, 2009 10:48:00 PM
- Unknown said...
darling!!!!!you are fantastic artist
- Monday, April 27, 2009 10:29:00 PM
- Onedia's Workshop Blog said...
so nice to see another of your beautiful creations.
- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 12:51:00 AM
- Homecooked said...
Wow...this is absolutely gorgeous! The bride is one lucky girl :)
- Tuesday, April 28, 2009 11:09:00 AM
- panettona said...
smak! :-)
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:00:00 AM
- Emilio said...
Good Bloog my friend!! Congratulations!!
good luck!! See you!
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:49:00 AM
Soni, need I say more... simply fabulous! Joys
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:17:00 PM
- Malar Gandhi said...
Gorgeous, brethtaking pictures...I salute ur creativity...awesome!!!
Everything looks unique and nice...it was like feast to my eyes. How come I missed ur blog for so long time!:(
Will visit urs regularly...have a great day.
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 3:09:00 PM
- farida said...
Absolutely gorgeous. Art, art, art, beautiful art.
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 8:19:00 PM
- Pavithra Elangovan said...
first time here..Wow u have done all the work very beautifully ... U have good skill and very talented...nice collections...WIll visit regularly
- Wednesday, April 29, 2009 9:41:00 PM
- Ivy said...
It's been some time I have visited your blog. I've been quite busy and taken a short break as well. Your creations are getting better each time.
- Thursday, April 30, 2009 8:07:00 PM
- Natasha said...
very pretty
- Monday, May 04, 2009 10:15:00 PM
- Unknown said...
The cake is spectacular, what else can I say.. I'm sure the bride was so happy.
- Tuesday, May 05, 2009 3:18:00 AM
- arunsubru said...
I was searching for blogs related to india tourism, india travel found your blog as an interesting one with relevant information. Most of the time i wont comment on blog especially on blogspot.com blogs, but with regard to this i cant resist myself from commenting. I enjoyed reading your post. India is truly a great place with lots of diversity and is a unique place in the world. Even in adverse economic situation india tourism industry has performed well. Being a person who is always eager to know more about India and india tourism, i thought that i would share my twitter and my india tourism blog with you. You can follow my updates on @india_tourism in twitter or find my india tourism new and updates in india travel blog.
- Thursday, May 07, 2009 9:12:00 AM
- Supriya said...
that must have been quite a challenge to do different designs on each tier and yet make the cake come 'together'...u pulled it off and with such style! very elegantly done! U r a cake goddess!!
Supriya H
- Thursday, May 07, 2009 9:22:00 PM
- Cynthia said...
I want you to make me a birthday cake for my birthday next month! :)
- Saturday, May 09, 2009 12:28:00 AM
- shona said...
hey.. hi anamika.. amazingly beautiful fantabulous work u doin...:)
i ws searching fr sugarcraft classes in india.. n den came across ur blog..
plssss do tell me if u know where 2 learn dis art in india.. will b eagerly waiting fr ur reply..
keep up d gud work..
- Monday, May 11, 2009 10:36:00 PM
- Maggie said...
This is a most beautiful creation. The colours work so well together. Wow!!!
- Tuesday, May 12, 2009 11:06:00 PM
- ♥Rosie♥ said...
Absolutely amazing!! So much skill and craft gone into this beautiful cake - well done!
Rosie x
- Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:28:00 PM
- panettona said...
bellissima, complimenti!!! :-)
- Wednesday, May 13, 2009 11:48:00 PM
- yuha said...
Hi Anamika,
Fabulous looking cake. I have not visited yr blog in awhile. I love the colour you have used for yr blog. Nice!
- Friday, May 15, 2009 6:54:00 AM
- Karen R Mendonca said...
love the detailing on ur cakes, they are very beautiful!!
- Friday, July 17, 2009 6:29:00 PM
- Bentley Middle East said...
You are welcome back! You doing an excellent job !!!!!cake looks WOW........
- Monday, November 23, 2009 11:52:00 AM
- Zaaras said...
Love the details. Each layer is unique. I've just started taking cake decorating classes. Wonder how long it will take for me to reach this level of perfection. I write about children's fashion. Do drop by my blog www.zaarascloset.com.
- Thursday, June 09, 2011 11:28:00 PM
- Zaaras said...
Love the details. Each layer is unique. I've just started taking cake decorating classes. Wonder how long it will take for me to reach this level of perfection. I write about children's fashion. Do drop by my blog www.zaarascloset.com.
- Thursday, June 09, 2011 11:29:00 PM
but not to 200 years of history. Wedding dress on the moon discount homecoming dress ought to be the prototype of 1700 BC to 1550 BC, ancient Greek aristocratic discount homecoming dresses dynasty of generations of females Minnow worn bare chest, sleeves to the elbow, discount little black dress
- Monday, June 27, 2011 9:21:00 AM


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Maturity brings wisdom, and, at the age of 150, the Y's have big plans for the new millennium.
From what ostensibly began as a Bible study group in 1844 for 12 evangelical Protestants in England, the Young Men's Christian Association has evolved into one of the largest social institutions in the United States, as well as a heavy contender internationally.
In our own country, the first Y opened its doors in Boston on Dec. 29, 1851. Today in the United States, more than 2,400 neighborhood YMCAs with approximately 600,000 volunteers serve 17.5 million members (half of them children) in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In fact, more than 33 percent of Americans have participated in a YMCA program in their lifetimes, according to the not-for-profit organization.
In addition to all of the YMCA's social and charity work (for instance, the Y provides low-cost daycare for 450,000-plus), many of America's most valued traditions began at these institutions. According to YMCA of the USA, Y's invented and/or pioneered basketball, volleyball, racquetball, softball, and even modern in-door swimming and filtered pools. The first professional football game featured a YMCA team.
To commemorate these and other milestones, the YMCA will host its 150th Anniversary General Assembly on June 28 through July 1 in New Orleans. Volunteers and staff from all across the continent will converge in the Big Easy for the largest meeting in the history of the YMCA in North America — and they won't just be celebrating the past. They'll also be focusing on the future.
With such tremendous growth and outreach on the Y's part over the past 150 years, what's the organization going to do for its encore? After all, this new century presents unique challenges for an institution committed to building stronger families and communities. Family and social structures are becoming more fragmented, leaving many feeling isolated. And children, who need the most structure, are often without a guiding hand.
"Hillary Clinton coined the phrase, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' The YMCA is going to need to play a more important role with children and families," says Jim Letts, CEO of the Greater Waterbury YMCA in Connecticut.
"The YMCA is one of the few places a family can go every day to be together. I don't see life getting easier, by measuring the past 100 years. It will probably get more complicated. The YMCA needs to be there for the wayward teenager, and people with problems. It needs to be the center of the community where two-parent and single-parent families can go. The YMCA will need to invest more resources in childcare."
And more resources in children, period. That's why the Y is collaborating with Minnesota's Search Institute, an independent, nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the well-being of adolescents and children.
The institute conducted a research project that identified the 40 elements critical to a child's mental, social and physical development. These elements (from parental support to safe environments) clearly show the important roles that families, schools, congregations, neighborhoods, youth organizations, and others in the community play in shaping young people's lives.
"We live in a very different community than we faced in the 1850s," says Ken Gladish, Ph.D., the national executive director for YMCA of the USA. He points out that no single organization can meet the needs of children. His hope is that the Y's social work will become part of a community-based effort to benefit children.
Besides the challenge of trying to connect with the community's children and families, the Y's have the nation's collective physical health weighing heavily on their minds as well. Childhood (and adult) obesity is at an all-time high, and as the baby boomer generation ages, there will be an increased need for older adult programming. Furthermore, teens are vastly marketed to by the U.S. media, yet are often ignored by many social institutions.
Kristen Wilde, communications manager for the Eastern Metro Atlanta YMCA, believes that Y's can help people of all ages and abilities. "The Y is a cornerstone in the community," she states. "We're inclusive. We don't exclude anybody…. Our focus is on building strong kids, families and communities."
The young and elderly, in particular, feel at home in Y's, according to Dr. Wayne Westcott, the fitness research director for the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Mass. "I have respect for them, but the major fitness chains, the majority of the [members] would be young, fit, men and women," he says. "The YMCA still addresses to a greater degree children, the middle-aged and elderly — as well as our work with the handicapped — than the average fitness club."
Dave Cason, the executive vice president/COO of the YMCA of Metro Los Angeles, agrees with Westcott's sentiments. "We've worked with large segments of the population that weren't typically addressed by other institutions," he says.
Cason adds that Y's take a more holistic approach to well-being. "We're not only emphasizing physical health, but also social, emotional, spiritual and mental health," he says.
"The YMCAs always try to provide a comfortable and supportive environment for those who want to get into a healthy lifestyle," Cason continues. "Very large portions of our society are inactive…and YMCA programs aim to impact those groups. If they were being impacted by other institutions, there wouldn't be such large groups [still inactive]."
While the YMCAs are looking to help the community at large, they are also looking at ways to improve themselves. For instance, the "George Program," a high-tech project designed to offer top-scale communication and computing to Y's across the country, ran aground, and now the YMCA of the USA is exploring other options.
"Though we have recently ventured into [technology] unsuccessfully, I think the national organization realizes we lag in this area and will need to spearhead projects that are effective in taking us into the 21st century," says Letts of the Greater Waterbury YMCA.
To address technology and other issues, a task force of YMCA leaders — with input from more than 4,500 stakeholders (e.g., focus groups of Y CEOs, staff members, volunteers, retired Y executives, former National Board chairs and more) nationwide — has developed a strategy over the course of the last two years. Endorsed in September of 2000 by the National Board of the National Council of YMCAs, this strategy (called "One for the Movement") is designed to enhance the Y's service-delivery structure in the new millennium.
Moral Obligations
Gladish laid the groundwork for the strategy in a speech that he gave to the national staff last June. "Unless we change for the circumstances that we now face, we will have prepared our organization for the last third of the last century instead of the next third of the new one…," he said. "[W]e have a moral obligation, if we really believe in this movement called the YMCA, to prepare it for the next generation and the generations which will follow it."
This is the reason why "One for the Movement" was devised. "The YMCA of the USA is right now engaged in a reorganization of how the YMCA of the USA delivers support and technical services to the local associations of the YMCA," Gladish says.
The movement will emphasize four areas: networking, movement advancement, leadership development and association resources. By focusing on these areas of the organization, the YMCA hopes to revitalize itself for the new century.
At the same time, the strategy can bring consistency to an organization that, as Westcott points out, has "no real national governing body." "YMCA's biggest strength and its biggest weakness is every YMCA is autonomous," he says.
"You can go to one facility and it's great, but then you could go to another and it's not so good," he continues. "If you're a good Y, [the autonomy] is good because there is no minimum standard. The sky's the limit. But if you're a bad Y…"
Since "One for the Movement" emphasizes networking, the strategy will encourage the best Y's to share their expertise with others. This type of networking will be part of the Y event in New Orleans. And, by celebrating 150 years of accomplishments, the gathering will strive to revitalize YMCA volunteers and staff.
Cause for Celebration
"It isn't very often an organization has the opportunity to say they have been around 150 years and growing, but we can!" enthuses Letts. "It is going to be an opportunity to meet YMCA professionals, volunteers and families from across the country.
"One of the great things about a conference this large is the sharing of ideas and what is going on at different YMCAs. Everyone who goes is going to come away energized and reinvigorated with a more positive attitude about the organization they work for and the meaning of the work they do."
And before they leave, they'll also enjoy themselves. The 150th Anniversary General Assembly will include such festivities as a tribute concert by Peter, Paul and Mary; a benefit concert by Ray Charles; speaking engagements by Peter Jennings, Art Linkletter and Fred Rogers (yes, that's Mr. Rogers, a Y alumnus), among others; more than 30 workshops; and a host of other festivities and events, including a large gala party.
"As I said before, this is going to be a big celebration and it should be!" Letts says.
Not only will the attendees celebrate, but they'll also discuss plans for the new millennium. The YMCA hopes to play a prominent role in the lives of kids, teens, older adults, the deconditioned and disabled, and the community in general. In fact, the greatest challenge the Y's may face in this century is just trying to be everything, for everyone, all at once.
"Keeping up for the demand for the YMCA services, as well as continuing to respond to the changing program needs," may very well be the Y's biggest obstacles, Gladish says.
"If there were any negative thing I could say, [it's] that the YMCA has tried to do too much," adds Letts, "which is a great backhanded compliment."


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South African Journal of Surgery
On-line version ISSN 2078-5151
Print version ISSN 0038-2361
S. Afr. j. surg. vol.52 n.1 Cape Town Jan. 2014
Understanding the reasons for delay to definitive surgical care of patients with acute appendicitis in rural South Africa
V Y KongI; C AldousII; D L ClarkeIII
IMB ChB; Department of Surgery, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
IIPhD; Research Facilitator, Postgraduate Committee, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
IIIFCS (SA); Department of Surgery, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis in rural South Africa is associated with significant morbidity due to prolonged delays before definitive surgical care.
OBJECTIVE: This audit aimed to quantify the delay in our healthcare system.
METHODS: From September 2010 to September 2012, all patients with confirmed acute appendicitis were interviewed and asked about the onset of symptoms and subsequent events in the disease process. Events before and after contact with the healthcare system were referred to as the pre-hospital or behavioural domain and the in-hospital or assessment domain, respectively.
RESULTS: Of the 500 patients, 350 (70.0%) experienced a delay of >48 hours from onset of symptoms to definitive surgical care. The mean time before treatment for this group was 5 days (range 3 - 7), while the mean for the group without delay was 1.6 days (range 1 - 2) (p<0.0001). Of 463 delays, 291 were in the behavioural domain and 172 in the assessment domain; 178 patients (50.9%) experienced delay in the behavioural domain only, 59 (16.9%) in the assessment domain only, and 113 (32.2%) in both domains. The mean ambulance transport time from the district hospital to the regional hospital was 4.9 hours.
CONCLUSION: There are barriers that prevent patients with acute appendicitis from accessing care. There are also prolonged delays within the system once care has been accessed. Both these sources of delay need to be addressed by quality improvement programmes.
Acute appendicitis in South Africa is associated with prolonged delays to definitive surgical care and significant morbidity due to intra-abdominal sepsis.[1-3] This is a directly causal relationship, as delayed source control has repeatedly been shown to be the variable most closely associated with poor outcomes from intra-abdominal sepsis.[4,5] Strategies and quality improvement interventions designed to reduce the morbidity associated with acute appendicitis must attempt to reduce delays to definitive care.[2] However, there is a paucity of research on the reasons for these delays. If the treatment of appendicitis is thought of as a process of care, there are a number of distinct areas or domains within the process where delay can be experienced.[6] There may be a significant delay between the onset of symptoms and the patient making contact with the healthcare system. Once the patient has made contact with the system, further delays can be experienced. These include delayed recognition of the need for surgical care and subsequent logistical delays in transferring the patient to the regional hospital. This audit quantifies the delay to definitive surgical care of acute appendicitis in our system and attempts to increase our understanding of where in the process of care the delay was experienced and the factors that contributed to delay in each area or domain. It is hoped that this information may allow for the development of targeted quality improvement programmes.
Ethics approval for the study was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the Umgungundlovu Health Review Board. It was conducted from September 2010 to September 2012 at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Edendale Hospital receives patients from the city of Pietermaritzburg and surrounding peri-urban settlements and is the regional hospital for the four rural hospitals in Sisonke district. None of the rural hospitals performs appendectomy. All patients with acute appendicitis confirmed at operation were eligible for inclusion. Basic demographic data were collected, and each patient was interviewed by the principal author and specifically asked about the onset of symptoms and subsequent events in their disease process. All events before the patient made contact with the healthcare system were referred to as the pre-hospital or behavioural domain, while events from making contact up to recognition of the need for definitive surgical care were referred to as the in-hospital or assessment domain. We asked the patients whether they had been sent home after making initial contact with the healthcare system. All such cases were classified as inappropriate discharges. Fig. 1 schematically demonstrates the timeline of the disease process. Detailed questioning was used to classify the reasons for any delay in the assessment domain, e.g. whether patients were discharged home, or admitted to hospital for inappropriate management. A significant delay was defined as >48 h from the onset of symptoms to definitive surgery.
Statistical analysis
Pearson's x2 test was used when the sample size assumption was adhered to, Fisher's exact test was used in cases where the x2 assumption was not fulfilled, and the Mann-Whitney U test was performed to identify any significant difference between the two groups after data distributions were proven to be asymmetrical. Non-parametric (asymmetrical) data were described in terms of a median and interquartile range (IQR Q1 - Q3). Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 19.
A total of 500 patients presented to our unit with acute appendicitis during the 2 years of the study. The mean age was 22 years (standard deviation (SD) ±6.1), and 316 (63.2%) were male and 184 (36.8%) female. Of all patients, 70% (350/500) experienced a delay of >48 h from onset of symptoms to definitive surgical care.
In the delay group, 64% were males (224/350) and 36% females (126/350), and the mean age was 22.4 years (range 12 - 29). The mean time from onset of symptoms to definitive surgical care for this group was 5 days (SD ±1.6), while the mean for the group without delay was 1.6 days (SD ±0.5) (p<0.0001). Table 1 summarises the demographics of these patients.
There were 463 delays in total, of which 291 were in the behavioural domain and 172 in the assessment domain; 178/350 patients (50.9%) experienced delay in the behavioural domain only, 59 (16.9%) in the assessment domain only, and 113 (32.2%) in both domains. The mean duration of illness from the onset of symptoms to first contact with the healthcare system in the behavioural domain group was 4.4 days (SD ±1.5). Tables 2 and 3 provide a summary of the above. Fig. 1 provides a narrative of the reasons for delay from onset of symptoms to definitive surgery.
Of the 172 patients with delay in the assessment domain, 71% (122/172) were inappropriately discharged from the hospital, and 29% (50/172) were admitted prior to referral for definitive surgical care. For the 122 who were inappropriately discharged, a mean of 2.5 days (SD ±1.0) elapsed between discharge and re-presentation at the hospital. For the 50 who were admitted to hospital for observation, the mean duration of stay prior to referral was 2.3 days (SD ±1.0). The mean ambulance transport time from the district hospital to the regional hospital was 4.9 h (SD ±2.1). Of the total of 500 patients, 49 (9.8%) had taken traditional medicine at some point during the course of the illness; of the 172 patients who experienced delay in the assessment domain, 20.4% (n=35) used traditional medicines, while the figure for the 328 without a delay in assessment was 4.3% (n=14) (p<0.0001).
Acute appendicitis in South Africa is associated with significant morbidity due - to intra-abdominal sepsis.[1] Intra-abdominal sepsis is a time-dependent condition, and delayed surgical source control is directly associated with adverse outcomes.[4,7] We demonstrated a significant delay from onset of symptoms to definitive care in our cohort. The reasons for this delay are almost certainly multifactorial. We broke down the process of care of acute appendicitis into two broad domains where delay may be experienced, and showed that each domain contributes to the overall delay to definitive care. This is a significant finding, because strategies and avenues of research to address deficits differ according to the domain in which the deficits occur.
The majority of patients in our series did not make contact with the healthcare system until long after the onset of abdominal symptoms. Making contact with the healthcare system is referred to as health-seeking behaviour and is influenced by a multitude of factors, such as gender inequalities, educational levels, awareness, inadequate infrastructure, endemic poverty and cultural factors.[8-10] Factors that deter health-seeking behaviour are collectively referred to as barriers to care and have been divided into cultural (acceptability), financial (affordability) and structural (accessibility) issues.[11] Dissecting out and understanding the barriers to care requires a nuanced methodology incorporating culturally appropriate qualitative techniques. It is doubtful that our methodology would be able to do this complex problem justice. We have, however, illustrated the point that there is a long delay between the onset of symptoms and seeking medical opinion. Further public health and sociological research is required to improve understanding of the reasons for late presentation following the onset of symptoms in our environment, and the barriers to care.
A significant number of the patients in our series sought advice from traditional healers, and this was directly associated with subsequent assessment failure. Developing a programme that integrates traditional healers into the healthcare system may be a potential intervention.[12] In Pietermaritzburg we run a course with local traditional healers, attempting to educate them on the warning signs of acute appendicitis and encouraging them to refer specific groups of patients to the healthcare system earlier.
Our findings indicate that patients with acute appendicitis are at risk for delayed diagnosis after they have made contact with the healthcare system. A significant number were discharged home inappropriately, and a further sub-group were admitted for excessive periods of observation. Acute appendicitis, although - common, is a difficult clinical diagnosis, and the classic clinical features may only be present in a third of patients.[13] This is especially true among black Africans, many of whom present with nonspecific abdominal pain.[1,14] Female patients have a wider differential diagnosis, and gynaecological causes of abdominal pain and symptoms associated with pregnancy need to be excluded.[15] The situation is made still more complex by the high prevalence of infectious diseases, such as abdominal tuberculosis associated with HIV disease.[16] The relatively junior level of the staff at the rural hospitals in our drainage area exacerbates the clinical dilemma.[17] Addressing this deficit is complex and requires a multifaceted strategy that may include the use of educational initiatives, 'tick box'-type clerking sheets, and possible telemedicine support.
Patients with acute appendicitis experience significant delays between the onset of symptoms and definitive surgical treatment, resulting in major morbidity. The reasons for this situation are multifactorial and include barriers to healthcare, delays in assessment, and logistical problems with patient transfer. Understanding these reasons may help in developing targeted quality improvement interventions. There are delays associated with health-seeking behaviour and delays associated with failure of healthcare workers to recognise the need for surgery. Delay related to health-seeking behaviour is difficult to modify, and improvement initiatives must focus on improving access to care. Improving the diagnostic capability of healthcare workers in rural district hospitals must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
1. Kong VY, Bulajic B, Allorto NL, et al. Acute appendicitis in a developing country. World J Surg 2012;36(9):2068-2073. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00268-012-1626-9] [ Links ]
2. Kong VY, Aldous C, Handley JJ, Clarke DL. The cost effectiveness of the early management of acute appendicitis underlies the importance of curative surgical services to a primary health care program. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2013;95(4):280-284. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1308/003588413X13511609958415] [ Links ]
3. Fulton J, Lazarus C. Acute appendicitis among black South Africans. S Afr J Surg 1995;33(4):165-166. [ Links ]
4. Bickell NA, Aufses AH Jr, Rojas M, et al. How time affects the risk of rupture in appendicitis. J Am Coll Surg 2006;202(3):401-406. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2005.11.016] [ Links ]
5. Sartelli M, Viale P, Catena F, et al. 2013 WSES guidelines for management of intra-abdominal infections. World J Emerg Surg 2013;8(1):3. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1749-7922-8-3] [ Links ]
6. Jablonski KA, Guagliardo MF. Pediatric appendicitis rupture rate: A national indicator of disparities in healthcare access. Popul Health Metr 2005;3(1):4. [ Links ]
7. Papaziogas B, Tsiaousis P, Koutelidakis I, et al. Effect of time on risk of perforation in acute appendicitis. Acta Chir Belg 2009;109(1):75-80. [ Links ]
8. Ahmed SM, Adams AM, Chowdhury M, et al. Gender, socioeconomic development and health-seeking behaviour in Bangladesh. Soc Sci Med 2000;51(3):361-371. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00461-X] [ Links ]
9. Akande TM, Owoyemi JO. Healthcare-seeking behaviour in Anyigba, North-Central, Nigeria. Research Journal of Medical Sciences 2009;3(2):47-51. [ Links ]
10. Titchener JL, Zwerling I, Gottschalk L, et al. Problem of delay in seeking surgical care. JAMA 1956;160(14):1187-1193. [ Links ]
11. Grimes CE, Law RS, Borgstein ES, et al. Systematic review of met and unmet need of surgical disease in rural sub-Saharan Africa. World J Surg 2012;36(1):8-23. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00268-011-1330-1] [ Links ]
12. Nxumalo N, Alaba O, Harris B, et al. Utilization of traditional healers in South Africa and costs to patients: Findings from a national household survey. J Public Health Policy 2011;32(Suppl 1):S124-S136. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2011.26] [ Links ]
13. Paulson EK, Kalady MF, Pappas TN. Clinical practice. Suspected appendicitis. N Engl J Med 2003;348(3):236-242. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp013351] [ Links ]
14. Chamisa I. A clinicopathological review of 324 appendices removed for acute appendicitis in Durban, South Africa: A retrospective analysis. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2009;91(8):688-692. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1308/003588409X12486167521677] [ Links ]
15. Dunn EL, Moore EE, Elerding SC, et al. The unnecessary laparotomy for appendicitis - can it be decreased? Am Surg 1982;48(7):320-323. [ Links ]
16. Clarke DL, Thomson SR, Bissetty T, et al. A single surgical unit's experience with abdominal tuberculosis in the HIV/AIDS era. World J Surg 2007;31(5):1087-1096; discussion 1097-1098. [ Links ]
17. De Villiers MR. The knowledge and skills gap of medical practitioners delivering district hospital services in the Western Cape, South Africa. S Afr Fam Pract 2006;48(2):16a-c. [ Links ]
Corresponding author:
D L Clarke


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Hudson, NH — The owner of a fitness club that closed its doors on Dec. 19 faces criminal charges for unlawfully charging $14,000 to another person's credit card and for improper business practices, according to the Nashua (NH) Telegraph.
A judge ordered the eviction of Elite Fitness and its owner, Sean Corriveau, because the court found that Corriveau failed to pay nearly $14,000 in rent to the owner of the retail plaza that housed the club, according to the Telegraph.
The New Hampshire Attorney General's office says a grand jury handed up the felony charge of fraudulent use of a credit card. Corriveau also faces two misdemeanor charges: taking membership fees and failing to deposit them into an escrow account, and failure to follow the standard practice for new businesses in assuring a $50,000 bond with the state, the newspaper reported.
Corriveau, who co-owned Elite Fitness with his brother-in-law, Dave Eddy, also is being sued for trademark infringement. Elite Fitness had operated under the name Powerhouse Gym since opening in August. But Powerhouse Gym claimed in federal court in November that Elite Fitness did not have permission to use the brand name, the newspaper reported.
The lawsuit, filed by Powerhouse Gym in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan, accuses Corriveau of trademark infringement, unfair competition and trademark dilution. The suit claims Corriveau never entered into a licensing agreement with Powerhouse Gym and has been selling unauthorized Powerhouse merchandise and sportswear.
The plaza owner told the newspaper that three fitness clubs say they will honor any Elite Fitness memberships should one of the clubs open in that location.


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• Headliners include Busta Rhymes, Barrington Levy, Horace Andy, DJ Premier, Buraka Som Sistema, Goldie, Andy C, Moodymann, David Rodigan, DJ Marky, Andy C, Chronixx & Zinc Fence Redemption, Digital Mystikz, MJ Cole, DJ EZ, Floating Points, Special Request and many more, with a further 200 names to be revealed soon.
• Outlook returns for its 7th season on the stunning Croatian coast
• The festival takes place from Weds 3rd – Sun 7th September 2014
Outlook Festival returns to Croatia this September after last year's best ever event to date, a celebratory fusion of dub, reggae, hip-hop, drum 'n' bass, garage, house and more on the dazzling Adriatic coast. Joining the dots between musical legends right through to the next generation of up and coming talent, again some of the finest live acts and DJs descend upon a 19th century fort for five days and nights of amazing music. Close to the historic city of Pula in Croatia's northern region of Istria, the now iconic Outlook sets the agenda with a world-class array of performers in a collection of truly spectacular locations, set in and around an abandoned fort. Choose from a dungeon, a courtyard, a moat, a boat, the beach or the festival's main stage set on a harbour. Outlook combines a heady mix of fun in the sun and under the stars as a dedication to sound culture, which has just revealed its first wave of names.
Outlook Festival 2014 – The Lineup So Far
Busta Rhymes, Barrington Levy, DJ Premier, Buraka Som Sistema, Horace Andy, Jah Shaka, Goldie, Moodyman, David Rodigan, Digital Mystikz, Michael Prophet & Dub Asante Band, DJ Marky, Andy C, DJ EZ, DJ Zinc, Submotion Orchestra, Chronixx & Zinc Fence Redemption, Ranking Joe, MJ Cole, Floating Points, The Bug feat. Iration Steppas, Dillinja, Spy, Dbridge, Calibre, Onra, Mungo's HiFi, Youngsta, Pinch, Special Request, Andres (Slum Village), Kaytranada, Dub Phizix & Strategy, Icicle, Spectrasoul, Grooverider, The Heatwave, Channel One & Prince Fatty, Wookie, Author, Jonwayne, Eliphino, Bishop Nehru, Stwo, Applebottom, Hannah Wants, Andrew Ashong, Stylo G, Mickey Pearce, Daddy Freddy, Eglo Band, High Focus, My Nu Leng, Fatima, Kutmah, Doc Scott, Skeptical, Total Science, DJ Die, Source Direct, Radikal Guru + Cian, The Mouse Outfit, Necessary Mayhem, Goth-Trad, Hatcha, Mr Williamz, Alex Nut, Flako, Vivek, J:Kenzo, Commodo, Sunship, OBF, Blackboard Jungle, MC GQ, Stamina MC, SP: MC, DLR, Sticky, Klose One, Fracture, Bushkin, DJ Q, Ant TC1, Wilfred Gieroux, Charlie P, Sam Binga, Lowqui, Maffi, Seven Davis JNR, Proxima, Chimpo, Gantz, Logos, Wen, Compa, Fokus, Rich Reason, Finwa and Onset, with over 200 more names to be announced.


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The leader of Hezbollah said Saturday that he would not comment on a recent report from Bulgaria that said members of the Lebanese militant group carried out an attack that killed five Israeli tourists last summer, saying only that the "issue is being followed calmly and closely."
Speaking to hundreds of supporters via video link, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Israel had already accused his militant group of being behind the attack before the Bulgarian report.
Nasrallah also warned the Jewish state against attacking Lebanon, saying Hezbollah's response in such a scenario would be harsh.
The July 18 bombing at an airport in Bulgaria's Black Sea resort of Burgas killed five Israelis as well as a Bulgarian bus driver and the suspected bomber.
Three men are suspected in the attack, including the bomber.
The latter's identity has not been established. The names of the two other suspects, believed to still be alive, have not been made public.
The European Union, of which Bulgaria is a member, which regards Hezbollah as a legitimate political organization and has resisted calls to blacklist the group or declare it a terrorist organization.
Nasrallah's speech was given to mark the anniversary of the death of three Hezbollah leaders, including top military commander Imad Mughniyeh who was killed in a car bomb in the Syrian capital of Damascus in 2008. Hezbollah blamed Israel for Mughniyeh's death and vowed to avenge him.
Nasrallah warned that anyone who thinks Hezbollah is vulnerable because of Syria's civil war is mistaken. He also said that the group has all the weapons it needs in case war breaks out with Israel, and it would not need to import them from allies Syria and Iran.
His comments came two weeks after Israeli warplanes carried out an air raid near Damascus.
U.S. and regional officials said Israel struck a military research center and a convoy carrying sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles from Syria to Hezbollah. Israel has not officially confirmed it carried out the airstrike, though its defense minister this week strongly hinted at Israeli involvement.
The Syrian military denied that the target of the attack was a weapons convoy. It said a military research center was hit.
Israel and Hezbollah have a violent history. The two fought an inconclusive monthlong war in 2006, when Hezbollah fired nearly 4,000 rockets at Israel. Israel's heavy aerial bombardments caused much damage to Lebanese civilian infrastructure but ultimately were unable to stop Hezbollah from continuing to amass a large stockpile of rockets just beyond Israel's northern border.
"The resistance will not be silent regarding any aggression against Lebanon," Nasrallah said. Adding that Hezbollah had the capability to strike at Israel's "ports, airports and power stations."
"A few missiles would plunge Israel into darkness," Nasrallah said, referring to plans to attack power stations. "From Kiryat Shemona to Eilat," Nasrallah said, referring to a northern Israeli town near the Lebanese border, and a southern Red Sea resort.


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Look, gambling addiction is a serious thing and, really, this anti-gambling spot from the National Council on Problem Gambling only proves the point. In it, several young boys sit around yakking about the World Cup and who they want to win. Each kid has a favorite—one likes Brazil, another likes Argentina and Messi—but then there's poor Andy. Andy's dad, a degenerate gambler, actually told him he bet all of his life savings on Germany. Andy is sad and ashamed; a forlorn piano plays.
But Andy's dad had a feeling, you know? He had a feeling about Germany and after a crushing defeat of Brazil, that feeling is one game away from paying off, big time. Imagine the rush! Cheer up, Andy. This could be your big break.
Anti-gambling ad's message backfires after big Germany win [Dirty Tackle]