text: Mother Nature has subtle ways of reminding us that winter is quickly coming to an end. The trees are beginning to bud, and early bulbs are peeking through the earth where just a few weeks ago snow was piled high. Mother Nature is also telling us to listen. Do you hear the birds and frogs singing? Yes, frogs. They are quite good singers! Frogs are emerging to announce the new season. Each winter frogs go into hibernation. Wood frogs actually freeze, but do not die. As the temperature drops, a wood frog will bury itself. It stops breathing, its heart stops beating, and the water in its body turns to ice. Come spring, these frogs are the first to emerge, as early as February and March, even with ice still on the ponds. Listen for the males calling. It sounds something like quacking or clucking. The spring peepers are the next group to begin their chorus, and they are extremely vocal. This small frog, the size of a thumb nail, can produce sounds louder than a vacuum cleaner. An entire chorus of peepers (120dB) can top the decibel level of a rock concert (115 dB)! Though nocturnal, the peeper gets its name from its call. It peeps once a second! Spring has arrived and the frogs are calling for you to get outside and enjoy the weather. Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out the DC Environmental Film Festival. This year the festival is proud to present 155 diverse and thought-provoking films that celebrate the wonder of the natural world and illuminate the growing challenges to life on earth. Join our own expert - Leah Neal as a guest speaker. You can find out more about the film and screening here. We'd love to know what you are doing to celebrate the start of spring. Please share with us! Tags: birds, dc-environmental-film-festival, frogs, spring Categories: Animals, News Previous Post Next Post


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Balenciaga confirms Alexander Wang as new designer Presented by Fashion OneBalenciaga on Monday announced the appointment of New York star Alexander Wang as its new top designer, taking over from Nicolas Ghesquiere at the helm of the French fashion house.
"Balenciaga and PPR are pleased to announce the appointment of Alexander Wang to the post of Creative Director of the Balenciaga fashion house, as of today," said a joint statement from Balenciaga and its owner, the PPR luxury group.
One of the hottest names in US fashion, Wang will be responsible for designing the brand's women's and men's ready-to-wear and accessories collections, as well as for Balenciaga's image, the text said.
The 28-year-old, born in California to Taiwanese parents, will continue with his independent New York-based house, turning out relaxed chic with a streetwise edge, alongside his new duties at Balenciaga.
"I am deeply honoured to embark on this new role for a brand and house that I have such great admiration and respect for," Wang was quoted as saying in the statement.
PPR took the fashion world by surprise last month by announcing the departure of Ghesquiere, its designer of 15 years, who put the house founded by Spaniard Cristobal Balenciaga in 1919 back on the fashion map in his time there.
The trade magazine Women's Wear Daily had reported Friday -- the last day of Ghesquiere's contract -- that Wang had been picked to succeed him.
Isabelle Guichot, Balenciaga's chief executive, paid tribute in the statement to Wang's "proven talent, modernity and individual and cosmopolitan vision of design."
She predicted he would "naturally embrace and enrich the unique heritage of this fashion house which will soon be one hundred years old."
PPR, whose fashion labels include Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney has owned Balenciaga since 2001.
Turnover had been multiplied by 11 since the house was acquired by PPR, with two-figure growth for the first nine months of this year.
Industry experts suggested the choice of Wang, who speaks Mandarin and whose own-name brand has been pushing into Asia, could signal a willingness to focus on the vast Chinese market, building on PPR's strong presence in the region.
In Paris meanwhile, the designer has already received a high-profile endorsement after Karl Lagerfeld let slip at an exhibition launch this month that he was wearing an Alexander Wang overcoat.

subset: commoncrawl


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In an exclusive interview that aired on TODAY Tuesday, former Vice President Dick Cheney said that although Barack Obama appears to be learning counterterrorism on the job and handled himself "well" in response to the shooting tragedy in Arizona this month, he will still be a one-term president. The former vice president also said he has "no regrets" about the Bush administration's response to the 2001 terrorist attacks, and believes that Obama is finding out just how difficult such decisions are.
In a wide-ranging interview with TODAY national correspondent Jamie Gangel at his home in Maryland, Cheney also disclosed that he offered to step aside as vice president three times at the end of George W. Bush's first term in office but was told "No, Dick. You're my guy."
'No regrets'
Appearing to have lost much weight since doctors installed a heart pump after his fifth heart attack last February, Cheney, who turns 70 on Jan. 30, said he has not decided yet whether to undergo a heart transplant.
U.S. & World
Cheney hasn't had a change of heart about counterterrorism, either, and said that Obama is coming closer to his point of view.
"I think he's been through the fires of becoming president and having to make decisions and live with the consequences," Cheney said. "I think he's learned that what we did was far more appropriate than he ever gave us credit for while he was a candidate ... I think he's learned from experience."
Asked specifically about former President George W. Bush's remark in his memoir that Cheney hardened his views on national security after the 9/11 attacks to the extent that he was viewed as a "Darth Vader," Cheney said he wasn't worried about labels then, and isn't now.
"I've met a lot of friends who publicly have made the claim or the charge, 'That's not the Dick Cheney I knew.' I was tough, aggressive. But the notion that somehow I changed — that I became tough, mean and nasty — no, I don't think so," Cheney said.
"But I also recognized it at the time, that my public image would suffer," he continued. "It went with the turf. And I didn't worry about it. I wasn't out there to sugarcoat my image. I wasn't running for anything; I was there to do a job. And if it meant I had to break some china to get the job done, I did it."
Cheney is writing a memoir, and promised it will contain some "regrets." He declined to divulge many details, but did disclose that he offered on multiple occasions to step aside as vice president if Bush thought that would help him win a second term. "I actually went in about three different times, because I didn't think he took me serious the first time," Cheney said.
"The reason I did it was I thought he needed to have the ability to do whatever was necessary to make sure he won," Cheney added. "I said, 'Look, Mr. President, you know, I've taken a lot of incoming fire. It goes with the turf. But if you have any desire to make a change here, I'll be perfectly happy to step aside so you can put somebody else in this job."
Cheney said Bush thought about his offer for several weeks and finally decided against it. Bush was re-elected with Cheney as his running mate in 2004.
One and done?
Cheney reiterated his belief that a growing deficit and dissatisfaction among voters with Obama's health care legislation will be the Democratic president's undoing.
"I think he embarked upon a course of action when he became president that did not have as much support as he thought it did once he got into the business, for example, of health care reform," Cheney said. "I think his overall approach to expanding the size of government, expanding the deficit — those are all weaknesses, as I look at Barack Obama. And I think he'll be a one-term president."
But Cheney did praise Obama for his public comments calling for calm and civility in the wake of the Jan. 8 shooting tragedy at a Tucson political gathering that left six dead, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords fighting for her life, and 12 others injured.
"When I first heard the news, I was shocked, I think like everybody else," Cheney said. "I thought the president handled it well. And I'm not an Obama supporter by nature, but I thought this was one of his better efforts."
Heart transplant?
Cheney appeared gaunt, but when he talked about his health, he spoke in the same frank, matter-of-fact tone that he was known for as vice president. He showed Gangel his new heart pump, which helps his damaged heart circulate his blood.
"I'd reached the point, after 30 years and five heart attacks, where I really needed to do something. And it's a wondrous device; it's really a miracle of modern technology," Cheney said, patting the vest that held the pump. "And now I'm here today because we have that kind of technology."
Cheney said that he has not decided whether to seek a heart transplant and gave no timetable for a decision. Meantime, he exercises moderately by taking short walks outside his home on Maryland's Eastern Shore, where he has been working on his memoir.
Regarding the upcoming book, Gangel asked: "Word is it will be candid, blunt, and some scores will be settled?"
"Well, I have a bit of a sense that I'm gonna get the last word," Cheney said.
Asked whether the book will address some of his widely publicized disagreements with Bush, Cheney said, "Yeah, we had some policy differences and sometimes personnel differences, and I'll be forthright with my comments on those."


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Sunday, October 13, 2013
York Region Ancestors Fall Issue
The first two articles involve land records in Upper Canada, and gives very good advice in finding people within the microfilm.
We are reminded that there are two places to check (FREE) and they are Janice Nickerson's website at http://www.uppercanadagenealogy.com and Michael Stephenson's website http://www.ontariogenealogy.com/uppercanadasundries.html for sundries files.
If you have had difficulty finding aliens in the 19th century in the Township of Markham, maybe you should look at the list in this newsletter. There are fifteen names on the list for the year 1815, and they were taken from the sundries list.
The City of Vaughan Archives are putting together a Memory Project and Exhibit, and are asking people who use to live, or are living in the area to collect oral histories, and send them to the archives once finished.
The person in charge of this project is Brenda Hicock and she can be reached by firstname.lastname@example.com
If you would like to receive this newsletter four times a year, you can join the York Region by going to the http://www.rootsweb.com/~onyrbogs
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


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Monday, March 11, 7:00pm
Rigorous Honesty meets weekly, year-round.
Open to all.Our 12-step recovery meetings are a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, in hopes that, with God's help, we may solve our common problem and help each other to recover from our addictions and compulsive behaviors. The only requirement for attending is a desire to stop our self-destructive patterns.


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Often the most challenging performances an actor must give involves feigning enthusiasm for a show they'd rather not be associated with.
Thankfully Robyn Malcolm has no such worries when talking about Top of the Lake, the new six-part TV series from Jane Campion that screens on Sky later this month. Quite the contrary - she's positively fizzing about she what she describes as "one of most amazing experiences" of her professional life.
"I could carry on about it like a pork chop!" she laughs.
There were several things that attracted Malcolm to the project. One was "ohmygod, the chance to work with Jane Campion!" (Malcolm enunciates the Oscar-winner's name with a mixture of affection and awe); another was the quality of the screenplay Campion and co-writer Gerard Lee had produced.
"I've never read a script like it," she says. "It's just an astounding, beautiful, complex, dark, funny story."
Filmed in and around Queenstown and set in the fictional town of Lake Top, the series centres on the search for a 12-year-old girl who vanishes soon after it's discovered she's pregnant.
"What's so great is that although the story gets more and more intense as it progresses, you actually start to care less about the plot and more about the existential stuff; you start reflecting on your own story, your own life ... It's a mark of great storytelling.
"There were a number of moments during the shoot when we'd finish a scene and palpably feel we were part of making something quite unique and profound."
One of the key things Malcolm attributes the success of the shoot to is the way in which Campion, Lee and co-director Garth Davis "simply got a whole bunch of people around them they wanted to work with, and created an environment where you could bring everything you are as an individual to the project. And if that meant they had to shift characters around a bit to make them mesh better with particular actors, they'd do that.
"There was an enormous sense of equality and collaboration; that we were all in the same sandpit together."
That collaborative spirit included allowing time for the cast to improvise, rather than insisting they always stuck slavishly to the letter of the script.
"They were so sure of their story, they could afford to be quite relaxed and give us lots of rope to play with," Malcolm says. "And that's when actors are at their best - by nature we love to be anarchic and muck around and try stuff out, bugger it up, try something else, not worry about getting it right."
The success of this creative strategy is evident in the uniformly excellent performances of the ensemble cast, which is packed with Kiwis, even if the leads are played by well-known offshore actors such as Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Peter Mullan (My Name is Joe) and Holly Hunter (The Piano).
"Of course we weren't going to be the leads because we don't have that sort of cache internationally," says Malcolm. "But the local actors in supporting roles all get a moment to shine at various points throughout the series, and they all come up with the goods and do great work. For instance, wee Jacqueline Joe, who plays the missing girl, is a truly mesmerising young talent."
Malcolm's Top of the Lake character is Anita, an American member of a women's commune led by Hunter's cryptic guru GJ. Refugees from romantic rejection and other of life's disappointments, the group provide many of the lighter moments in a story that involves intimidation, murder and incest.
Described by Malcolm as "just a blip of hopelessness", Anita is a world away from her now iconic screen roles of Cheryl West in Outrageous Fortune and Ellen Crozier in Shortland Street; indeed, Anita's chronic lack of self-esteem makes even the meek eponymous character Malcolm played in the recent Agent Anna seem a model of confidence.
Malcolm is currently waiting to hear if TV One will grant Agent Anna a second season. The portents are positive: it rated well and the network is making encouraging noises.
"Fingers crossed Anna does come back," she says. "What's wonderful about the real estate industry is it's neither sexist nor ageist, so when you're portraying it you don't have to follow the usual, intensely boring television casting parameters. I'd love to continue to work with that great collection of actors, who were cast for their talent, not necessarily on the basis of age or appearance - which isn't to say they're not youthful or good-looking!" she laughs.
In the meantime, Malcolm's looking forward to observing how Top of the Lake is greeted at home, having already witnessed the rapturous reception it's received in the US and Germany.
"I hope New Zealanders will feel really proud," she says, "to see the part their landscape, their performers and their crew play in a piece of storytelling I think is moving, weirdly funny and completely gripping."
Top of the Lake starts screening on Sky's UKTV on Monday 25 March, 8.30pm.


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Automating Cell Biology
Create Your Own HCS Assay Using Trusted Molecular Probes® Dyes
(See a complete list of products discussed in this article.)
High-content screening (HCS), or high-content imaging, is an automated imaging technique that enables simultaneous assessment of multiple cellular parameters, in turn enabling the effects of tens of thousands of compounds to be measured in cells by a single laboratory in a single day. The cost of high-content instruments has decreased rapidly in recent years, making HCS technology more accessible to academic laboratories. While we offer a broad assortment of kits designed specifically for HCS, many researchers have used our classic Molecular Probes® fluorescent reagents to develop and validate their own HCS assays. We highlight a selection of these probes that have been cited in recent publications, demonstrating their utility in HCS assays for both basic research and drug discovery applications.
What Makes a Dye Suitable for HCS?
Because HCS platforms are typically used for multiparametric analyses, one of the most desirable attributes of an HCS probe is a narrow emission spectrum. Many of our probes meet this criterion and are offered in a variety of emission colors, making multiplexing easier. Also important are both brightness and photostability, which improve image and data quality and thus facilitate the automated image analysis. For optimal image segmentation (demarcation of cells from background), it is critical that the staining be as accurate as possible. In addition, because most high-content work is performed with fixed cells, the HCS probe must be compatible with fixed-cell imaging. Many of our traditional probes satisfy all of these criteria and are thus well suited to a variety of HCS applications.
Alexa Fluor® Dyes: Essential Antibody Labels for HCS Applications
The Alexa Fluor® family of dyes is widely used by researchers as a component of "home brew" HCS assays. To visualize specific proteins as part of a single-parameter or multiplex HCS assay, we offer a number of labeling kits for the direct attachment of intensely fluorescent Alexa Fluor® dyes to less than 10 μg up to 1 mg of primary IgG antibody. One of the advantages of directly labeled antibodies is that you can use more than one same-species antibody in a single staining experiment.
Three recent studies illustrate the use of Alexa Fluor® dye–labeled antibodies in HCS applications across various research disciplines. In a cancer research study, Pedersen and coworkers fluorescently labeled EGFR antibodies with Alexa Fluor® 488 and Alexa Fluor® 647 dyes in an HCS assay to assess antibody internalization, degradation, and growth inhibition of cancer cell lines [1] (Figure 1). In a neurobiology application, Alexa Fluor® 488 dye was conjugated to secondary antibodies to visualize β-tubulin; the probe was used in the development of an automated imaging analysis platform for neurons, for which measurements of complex cell morphology changes are both time consuming and labor intensive [2]. In a stem cell study by Low and coworkers, Alexa Fluor® 488 dye–conjugated secondary antibodies were used in HCS assays to track the neural stem cell markers nestin and Sox2 [3].
Figure 1. Internalization of an anti-EGFR antibody. (A) Confocal images (400x) of Alexa Fluor® 488 dye–labeled Sym004 and cetuximab (two anti-EGFR antibodies) in HN5 cells after 15 min and 4 hr of incubation. Cells were treated with the labeled antibodies, fixed, and stained with Hoechst 33342 and HCS CellMask™ Blue Stain. (B) Number of spots per cell at different time points after treatment of HN5 cells with 10 μg/mL of the indicated antibodies (points, mean; bars, SE; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; Student's t test, Sym004 vs. cetuximab). Imaging was performed with the PerkinElmer Opera® LX high-content confocal imaging system. Images reproduced with permission from Mikkel Pedersen, Symphogen A/S, Lyngby, Denmark, and from the American Association for Cancer Research [1].
HCS Probes for the Cytoskeleton
In addition to acting as a cellular scaffold, the cytoskeleton plays a pivotal role in organelle transport, cell division, motility, and signaling, making it central in both normal and disease processes including cancer. Thus, changes in cytoskeletal morphology and dynamics are commonly measured parameters in HCS studies. Phalloidin conjugates are widely used in HCS imaging applications to selectively label F-actin in fixed cells (Figure 2). Recent studies illustrate the use of phalloidin conjugates to model stem cell lineage fates (Alexa Fluor® 488 phalloidin [4]) and responses to various cytoskeleton-disrupting drugs (Texas Red® phalloidin [5]).
Figure 2. Morphological changes and cytoskeletal rearrangements in HeLa cells after cytochalasin D treatment. Cells were treated with 10 μM cytochalasin D for 3 hr, then stained with HCS CellMask™ Blue Stain, Alexa Fluor® 488 Phalloidin, and anti–α-tubulin followed by an Alexa Fluor® 647 secondary antibody. (A) Untreated cells. (B) Treated cells. (C) Comparison of cell size in untreated vs. treated cells.
HCS Probes for Organelles
For accurate labeling of organelles in HCS assays, the MitoTracker®, LysoTracker®, and ER-Tracker™ dyes and the fluorescent ceramide analogs can be used to label the mitochondria, lysosomes, ER, and Golgi apparatus, respectively (Figure 3) in either live- or fixed-cell applications. Peng and coworkers leveraged the accuracy of the MitoTracker® and LysoTracker® probes in training their algorithm to estimate fluorescent signal in different subcellular compartments [6]. This feat represents a major advance for studies of proteins that are localized to more than one compartment.
For imaging live cells using HCS platforms, we offer a wide selection of organelle-targeted CellLight® reagents. CellLight® reagents are prepackaged baculovirus particles encoding GFP or RFP fusions that localize to specific organelles or other subcellular structures. CellLight® reagents are also compatible with antibody-based detection protocols in cells treated with formaldehyde-based fixatives.
Figure 3. High-content imaging of mitochondria, lysosomes, ER, and Golgi apparatus. Live HeLa cells were loaded with 1 µg/mL Hoechst 33342 to stain nuclei, and stained with (A) 100 nM MitoTracker® Red CMXRos, (B) 200 nM LysoTracker® Red DND-99, or (C) 10 µM ER-Tracker™ Red for 10 min at 37°C in DPBS (+ 2 mM CaCl2 and 1 mM MgCl2) or with (D) 10 µM BODIPY® TR Ceramide complexed to BSA for 30 min at 4°C in DPBS (+ 2 mM CaCl2 and 1 mM MgCl2). Following loading, samples were washed in DPBS, incubated for 15 min at 37°C in prewarmed MEM (containing 10% FBS), and imaged on a Thermo Scientific Cellomics® Arrayscan VTI with a 20x objective and a TRITC filter set.
Solutions Tailored for HCS
In addition to the selection of "home brew" reagents discussed in this article, many of our other probes and kits for cell function are compatible with HCS platforms, including our assays for apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle, cytotoxicity, and intracellular trafficking.
We also offer a wide selection of validated assays and reagents tailored specifically for HCS platforms. For image analysis strategies based on nuclear segmentation, the HCS NuclearMask™ stains are available in three different colors and stain live or fixed cells; the HCS NuclearMask™ Red Stain is "tunable" for nuclear versus cytosolic intensity by optimizing the concentration. For image analysis strategies requiring whole-cell segmentation, the HCS CellMask™ stains label the entire cell (i.e., cytoplasm and nucleus) and are applied to cells immediately after fixation and permeabilization. Available in five different colors, the HCS CellMask™ stains are bright and photostable with narrow emission spectra.
Our HCS reagents and kits are packaged in automation-compatible formulations, validated on multiple imaging platforms, and compatible with multiplex applications. See all of our products for High Content Screening.
- Pedersen MW, Jacobsen HJ, Koefoed K et al. (2010) Cancer Res 70:588–597.
- Wang D, Lagerstrom R, Sun C et al. (2010) J Biomol Screen 15:1165–1170.
- Low J, Blosser W, Dowless M et al. (2012) J Biomol Screen 17:152–162.
- Treiser MD, Yang EH, Gordonov S et al. (2010) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107:610–615.
- Ng AY, Rajapakse JC, Welsch RE et al. (2010) J Biomol Screen 15:858–868.
- Peng T, Bonamy GM, Glory-Afshar E et al. (2010) Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107:2944–2949.
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text: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 CMS Clarifies Revalidation of Provider Enrollment Over the coming months and years, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) will be asking physical therapists (PTs) and other providers to revalidate their enrollment by submitting a complete and up-to-date enrollment application. Providers should wait for the request from the MACs before submitting the revalidation. Upon receipt of the revalidation request, providers have 60 days from the date of the letter to submit complete enrollment forms. Failure to submit the enrollment forms could result in the deactivation of a provider's Medicare billing privileges. A provision in the Affordable Care Act required certain providers who are revalidating to pay an application fee of $505. This fee does not apply to PTs in private practice who are revalidating. It does apply to all institutional providers who are revalidating (eg hospitals, SNFs, rehabilitation agencies, etc). The most efficient way to submit your revalidation information is by using the Internet-based PECOS, available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Web site. If using PECOS, once submitted, you must print, sign, date, and mail the certification statement along with all required supporting documentation to the MAC. More information can be found in a Medlearn Matters article issued by CMS. Comments If the application fee is required of all institutional providers can anyone explain why on the CMS website under Medicare Application Fee Downloads there is an Application fee requirements for Institutional Providers Matrix that has 'NO' under Outpatient PT/OT/SLP Services Providers in all 4 columns that indicate what enrollment actions will trigger the application fee? Notice it is a matrix defined as for 'Institutional Providers' not private practice providers? I have tried to get anyone from CMS Provider Enrollment to explain it to me and no one has been able to do so yet. Thank you for your input. Posted by Debbie Baxter on 11/1/2011 12:43 PM


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Cosmetic Surgery Edison New Jersey
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Graduated with honors from Baylor College of Medicine in 1994 after which he completed a training program in head, neck, and facial plastic surgery at Tulane University in New Orleans.
Edison plastic surgeon, Dr. Miller, is board certified in facial plastics by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. He developed a special interest in facial plastic surgery during his training, which he has continued to cultivate in private practice. He believes that the complexity of the face requires a specialist in this area so that the highest quality care and latest techniques can be given to all patients.
Dr. Miller, cosmetic surgeon in Edison, has published several journal articles and book chapters on the topic of facial plastic surgery. He has also given many lectures at national conferences.
Edison Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Miller, was listed as one of the top 50 doctors for cosmetic surgery in New Jersey in the February issue of New Jersey Savvy Magazine. He is also listed as one of the best surgeons in America in "The Consumers Research Council Guide of America's Top Surgeons."
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Plastic Surgeon Edison New Jersey
Edison cosmetic surgeon, Shain A. Cuber, MD obtained his medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. He completed his General Surgery Residency at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Cuber, plastic surgeon in Edison, then received his advanced training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas where he also served as Chief Resident. He then pursued an additional year of Fellowship training in Hand and Microsurgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Edison cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Cuber is board certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is licensed in both New Jersey and New York. Dr. Cuber has numerous publications in medical journals and textbooks, and has given presentations on the national level. He continues to study new methods in plastic and reconstructive surgery with special interests in all aspects of Cosmetic Surgery.
Staff Privileges:
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Newark, NJ
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
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BREAST PROCEDURES Breast Augmentation Edison
Breast Augmentation (breast enlargement, breast implants, breast enhancement)
Breast augmentation is a procedure where the appearance of the breasts are enhanced by placing implants under the breast tissue and/or chest muscle. It is important to understand that this is not always a simple procedure and significant preparation must be made to determine the correct approach and type of implant that is to be used. The surgeons at Associates in Plastic Surgery will take the time with each patient during the consultation to determine the best procedure to perform.
Breast Lift/Breast Reduction
A woman's breast can lose their youthful firmness due to age, pregnancy or breast feeding. Overly large breasts can be a cause of extreme discomfort in the neck, shoulders and back. Incisions are created to lift the breast and give a firmer, tighter appearance. The incisions usually fade within 6-12 months.
Male Breast Reduction
A combination of liposuction and laser telescopic surgery can effectively reduce "gynecomastia", or enlarged male breasts. Our pioneering technique gives immediate results with resumption of normal activity in 1-2 days.
Scarless Breast Reduction
We now offer 'scarless' breast reduction. The breasts are made smaller though the use of ultrasonic liposuction with only a tiny incision, resulting in a rapid recovery.
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Liposuction in Edison
Liposuction is the process where various areas of the body are contoured by removing excess fat to create a smoother, natural form. A large number of people undergo liposuction every year because certain areas of the body simply do not respond completely to weight loss techniques such as exercise and diet. The most common areas addressed are the stomach, hips, and inner or outer thighs. However many other areas such as the buttocks, knees, arms, and chin are frequently liposuctioned.
Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck, Body Contouring Surgery)
The abdominoplasty procedure is a wonderful surgery that can make a dramatic difference in the contour of the tummy. Sometimes, no matter how hard you work out or diet, you just cannot lose that extra bulge in the midsection. This can be especially true in women who have children because the abdominal muscles are stretched and sometimes separated during pregnancy. Lets look at an example.
Rhinoplasty (Nose Reshaping, Nose Job)
Rhinoplasty is one of the most frequently performed procedures in plastic surgery. The size and shape of the nose has a great impact on how a person looks and the correct improvement can greatly enhance ones appearance.
Facelift in Edison
Aging of the face is a process that involves many factors. The two primary factors are the downward pull of gravity and the loss of fullness (fatty tissue) in the face. Gravity causes jowls to form due to sagging in the jawline. It also causes the neck to droop which is sometimes called turkey neck. The loss of fatty tissue can accentuate the smile lines, and cause a hollow appearance in the cheeks and around the eyes. Each person is different in how he or she ages and the approach for each patient needs to be individualized for the best result.
Cheeklift in Edison
The cheeks begin to fall as aging occurs and as the effects of gravity become apparent. This produces "heavy areas" in two main places. First, extra tissue gathers at the line between the nose and lips called the nasolabial crease. Second, bags can form in the area of the cheekbone near the eyes. Also, as the facial tissue droops, the bone around the eyes become more apparent. All of these things contribute to a less youthful look. A regular facelift does not address these problems very well, and while the cheeks may look better immediately after a facelift, in a few months they usually begin to look the same as before the facelift. A facelift is done primarily to improve the lower cheek, jawline, and neck. A cheeklift specifically addresses the areas of the cheek that need improvement and two different procedures are performed:
Eyelid Surgery & Endoscopic Browlift (Blepharoplasty and Forehead lift)
The eyes are the focal point of the face, and therefore the eyes can be a true marker of beauty when they look fresh and youthful. As the face begins to age, the skin above the upper eyelids start to sag and the lower lids become heavy and form bags. Several other things happen to the area around the eyes as the face starts to age. The eyebrows and the cheeks begin to fall as a result of gravity. The heavy eyebrows contribute to a tired appearance of the eyes. The cheek drooping along with a loss of fat in the face results in the skeletonization of the bone under the eyes and the creation of a crease and dark shadows, which make the eyes look hollow and sunken.
Otoplasty (Ear Reshaping)
"Lop" ears are a source of embarrassment and self-consciousness to many people. With otoplasty, a hidden incision behind the ear is used to reposition the ears closer to the face, often performed in young adults. This process is extremely psychologically uplifting.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank ARCAB.UL gained court approval on Wednesday for a $125 million bankruptcy loan from Fortress Investment Group FIG.N, believed to be the first such loan consistent with sharia, Islamic law.
The loan, approved by Judge Sean Lane in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, New York, will fund Arcapita as it tries to restructure debt after filing for bankruptcy in March.
Wednesday's hearing was delayed two hours as Arcapita, its creditors and Fortress negotiated over the price of the deal, Dennis Dunne, a lawyer for Arcapita's creditors' committee, told the judge.
The loan was originally set at $100 million, but Dunne said the committee pushed to raise it.
"We thought there was a significant chance the company would need more" funding, he said.
Lane's approval brings some closure to what has been a difficult attempt by Arcapita to obtain bankruptcy funding.
In September, the bank sought a $150 million loan from Silver Point Capital, but creditors balked at its high commitment fees and terms that would have given Silver Point broad authority to back out of the deal.
The Fortress agreement, which can be increased to the same $150 million, lowers commitment fees, allows Arcapita to shop for better terms from other lenders, and limits the circumstances under which Fortress can terminate the loan.
Weather also posed an obstacle in finalizing the deal. Wednesday's hearing had originally been set for Monday, but was delayed after superstorm Sandy ravaged much of the Eastern Seaboard.
Arcapita in a court filing last week said it believes the bankruptcy loan is the first ever to comply with sharia, which prohibits borrowing money with interest.
The so-called murabahah structure effectively treats the matter as a sale, incorporating a profit margin and exit fee instead of interest.
Arcapita, which manages real estate and other investments that are sharia-compliant, had about $7.4 billion in assets under management when it filed for Chapter 11. Hedge fund creditors had been pressuring it in the preceding weeks to pay back a $1.1 billion loan.
Wednesday's hearing took place in White Plains after being moved from a Manhattan courthouse that still lacks heat, Internet service and phone service in the wake of Sandy.
The Manhattan courthouse, which sits near the city's southernmost tip, could be out of service for "another week or so," Stephanie Cirkovich, a spokeswoman for the federal court system in the Southern District of New York, told Reuters on Wednesday.
The Arcapita bankruptcy is In re Arcapita Bank BSC et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-11076.
Editing by Matthew Lewis


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Tough day in the big leagues, as they say. Really tough first day, especially the first few innings.
As things usually do for Jedd Gyorko, it got better, if just a bit.
Making his major league debut on Opening Day in the Big Apple, the 24-year-old Padres infielder came into "The Show" with a solid reputation for not just hitting, but hitting .330 with runners in scoring position. In each of his first two at bats Monday, though, Gyorko left runners stranded at second and first.
Gyorko ended a rally in the top half of the first with a ground-out to All-Star third baseman David Wright. Coming up again in the third with Everth Cabrera on second and Carlos Quentin on first, Gyorko struck out against New York Mets starter Jonathon Niese.
"I've gotta drive in those runs when they're out there on the bases," said Gyorko, asked what he most took away from his debut. "I'll remember that."
He avoided further frustration, however, by pulling out a defensive play on the first ball sent his way. A looper by Mets leadoff Collin Cowgill was held up in the wind, Gyorko needing to actually come back in toward the infield after first breaking out into the outfield grass, then bobbling the ball slightly before making the catch.
Gyorko was moved from second base to third when manager Bud Black worked a double-switch in the fourth. Immediately after Yonder Alonso opened the sixth inning of a blowout loss with a home run, Gyorko doubled down the line for his first big league hit.
"Got that out of the way," said Gyorko. "Just glad I got that and my first game out of the way."
For the record, Gyorko was the 28th rookie to make his major league debut for the Padres on Opening Day. Only six of them – Ramon Vasquez, Xavier Nady, Khalil Greene, Josh Barfield, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Yonder Alonso – have done so since 1995.
Headley staying handy
The bearded, blond-haired fellow taking warm-up grounders at third base before Monday's game was familiar enough – none other than Chase Headley -- though his Opening Day won't come for another couple weeks.
Big difference? The right-handed Headley was wearing a left-handed first baseman's mitt.
"Just trying to keep my footwork sharp over there," said Headley. "Maybe I'll end up a left-handed knuckleballer. You never know."
Already a switch-hitter, Headley was switch-fielding. His broken left thumb taped, Headley actually was pretty smooth in handling grounders with his opposite hand, removing the glove al la Jim Abbott and flipping the ball with his right.
The hard part – first pitch -- was still hours away for Headley. He said he knew it was going to be a tough day, the first Opening Day in which he wasn't starting.
"I'm not a very good bench guy," said Headley. "I don't know what to do with myself, so I'm the guy flicking seeds at everybody else. (Pitching coach Darren) Balsley said I'm like a little boy who's been put in the corner for a timeout."
Headley's place at third was taken by Cody Ransom, a 37-year-old journeyman making only his second Opening Day lineup.
• On Tuesday, righthanded pitcher Casey Kelly will have ligament-replacement surgery, a procedure to be done by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla.
• Before the game, the infield was ringed by emergency personnel involved in the local recovery from Hurricane Sandy last fall. Citi Field was used as a staging area for the relief effort, a fact not lost on Padres pitcher Jason Marquis, whose family rode out the devastating storm in their Staten Island home.
• David Wright's single kept intact his streak of getting a hit in each of the Mets' season-opening games since his debut in 2005.
• The Padres clearly picked the wrong place to start a season. The Mets are 34-10 in their last 44 Opening Day games, 10-4 in the last 14, though the Padres did beat the Mets in their first-ever game at Citi Field in 2009.
• Must be something about New York that brings out the romance. Given a day off Sunday, both outfielder Will Venable and pitcher Brad Brach used the opportunity to get engaged to girlfriends who are now fiancees. Quickly noted the competitive Venable, "I asked mine first."


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Blue Jays sign Tolleson
The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have agreed to terms with INF STEVE TOLLESON on a 2014 minor league contract with an invitation to attend Major League spring training.
Tolleson, 30, spent last season in Charlotte (AAA), playing in the White Sox system, batting .288 with 28 doubles, eight home runs and 53 RBI. The 5th round pick of the Twins in 2005 has appeared in 54 Major League games for Oakland (2010) and Baltimore (2012), hitting .225 with three home runs and 10 RBI. Tolleson owns a career .372 OBP over nine minor league seasons.
Read More: Toronto Blue Jays


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Fractal figures
Origami cranes? Easy peasy – Robby Kraft was making them as a child. Since then, the multi-talent has progressed to ele-phants, weird skulls and abstract origami figures. How does he do it? With exceptionally fine motor skills and a computer algorithm that designs instructions for fascinating new shapes.


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We know that during the events of The Dark Knight Rises, at least some of the inmates of Arkham Asylum slipped their mad house bonds. The fan film Arkham Rising shows how the release of the Arkham inmates might have gone down, and hints at the fate of Joker.
Tito Guillen wrote and directed Arkham Rising. It's great to see Harleen Quinzel hanging around Arkham, apparently one of the few staff members not to flee after the uprising at Black Gate Prison. Hopefully, Guillen can be convinced to make a sequel that indicates how the Joker decided to spend his time in Bane-"liberated" Gotham.


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via press release:
New Series STAR-CROSSED Premieres
Monday, February 17, at 8:00 PM
New Series THE 100 Premieres
Wednesday, March 19, at 9:00 PM
Second Cycle of WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? Premieres
Friday, March 21 with New Episodes at
8:00 and 8:30 PM
December 12, 2013 (Burbank, CA) – The CW announced its midseason schedule today, including the premiere of two new dramas, STAR-CROSSED and THE 100, and the second cycle of the hit comedy/improv series WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY?
In February, the futuristic story of an alien/human romance begins with the premiere of STAR-CROSSED on Monday, February 17 (8:00-9:00pm ET), leading into another epic romance, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
In March, the human race returns to planet Earth in the post-apocalyptic adventure drama, THE 100, which will premiere on Wednesday, March 19 (9:00-10:00pm ET), following hit drama ARROW. THE TOMORROW PEOPLE will transport to its new night and time on Mondays (9:00-10:00pm ET), beginning March 17, following STAR-CROSSED. After the March 10th telecast, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will go on hiatus and will return to the schedule with original episodes at a date to be announced.
The hit comedy/improv series WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? will be back with a second cycle on Friday, March 21 with new episodes (8:00-8:30 and 8:30-9:00pm ET). Subsequent weeks will feature original episodes at 8:00pm and encore episodes at 8:30pm. Encore episodes from the first season of WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? will air Fridays at 8:00pm and 8:30pm from February 14 through March 14. Following a brief hiatus, HART OF DIXIE will return with a new night and time on Fridays (9:00-10:00pm ET), beginning March 21.
Following is The CW's revised midseason premiere schedule:
Monday, February 17
8:00-9:00pm "Star-Crossed" (Series Premiere)
9:00-10:00pm "Beauty And The Beast"
Monday, March 17
8:00-9:00pm "Star-Crossed"
9:00-10:00pm "The Tomorrow People" (New Night)
Wednesday, March 19
8:00-9:00pm "Arrow"
9:00-10:0pm "The 100" (Series Premiere)
Friday, March 21
8:00-8:30pm "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (Cycle Two Premiere)
8:30-9:00pm "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
9:00-10:00pm "Hart of Dixie" (New Night)
All Times ET


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I started hacking on the transport settings. The idea here is to have a generic scheme for how to control playback (start, stop, seek) externally. This can be a midi-controller, but also qjackcontrol or a MPRIS applet. The setting now show the available modules and allow to enable master and slave mode as well as mode specific settings. I could remove the combobox from the toolbar again.
As a next big thing I started to refactor a big chunk of duplicated code in core. Machines have global parameters, per voice parameters and per incoming wire parameters. Now we have a parameter-group class that deals with those.
I spend the rest of the month cleaning up the test suite and the autofoo setup. On the latter I bumped the required versions. The policy now is to support the linux distributions from about the last two years. This allowed me to remove large chunks of conditional code. Unfortunately it is not easy to do that. The easy part is to check what versions we require, by looking at the pkg-config macros in configure.ac. Then we can also grep for conditional section in the code:
find . \( -name "*.c" -o -name "*.h" \) -exec egrep -o "[A-Z]*_CHECK_VERSION\(.*\)" {} \; | sort | uniq
Now the tricky part is to figure what distributions ship. It is somewhat easier for debian/ubuntu as they have pages like:
For fedora Company suggested to look at the spec files in git and iterate over the branch names
For opensuse Vuntz suggested to use an osc query at which I failed misserably and in the end checked the packages in the repo and iterated over the versions:
Anyone know better tricks? Please share them!
One more motivation for doing this is upcomming gsoc. If I am lucky to get a student who will port buzztard to gstreamer 1.0. We'll release a 0.7 of buzztard before we switch to the new gstreamer api.
212 files changed, 7954 insertions(+), 7778 deletions(-)


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Diaries are an irreplaceable source of information about ancestors. Unfortunately, as far as I know, none of my own forebears were committed keepers of journals.
Today, in a bookstore, I found a bound copy of the diary written by Frederick Watkins. I purchased the document for $10. The first diary entry, pictured above, states that he was born on November 25, 1865 and is 21 years. The diary begins on October 4, 1885 and is a day by day account of this young man's trip from home, first by train and then the voyage by ship. The diary concludes at the end of Frederick's first day spent in Maryborough, Queensland.
I will post interesting pieces of Frederick Watkin's writing in my blogs as his words are a poignant insight into every part of the long voyage to Australia from sleeping, bathing, washing of clothes, discomforts, illness and the sights and experiences he lived through on his journey. Now, my challenge is to find out who Frederick Watkins was, and to perhaps trace some descendants who might be interested in the diary. This is 21 year old Frederick's first diary entry:
'1885 To Queensland Page one. [Born 25 Nov 1865 Aged 21 years] My Voyage and life to Maryborough Queensland x Monday October 4th Left Butleigh 7,30 to Glastonbury Station at 8.35 left in third class carriage for Waterloo arrived at 3 o'clock .....then to Fenchurch Street by cab Took train to Black-wall arrived at 4 o'clock which after a long day's ride was very tired and weary and in with a lot of strange people made me ..... [worse?] I took some tea at the home at 5 o'clock then out looking about for some time to the ships and boats which was a lot of excitement
all though it is raining we stayed in London for some time then to bed there were about 200 or more to sleep This has been a day of very lonely hours All though I enjoyed the country ride. I am afraid you will never read this queer writing'


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First responders prepare for race weekend
As 140,000 rabid race fans fill Dover International Speedway this weekend, a number of emergency personnel will be there as well, keeping a watchful eye on the festivities. According to Paul Strochine, assistant chief with the Dover Fire Department, six or seven firefighters will be staffed in shifts that begin at 9 a.m. Thursday and last until the traffic subsides after the race Sunday. Dover firemen won't be on the grounds during off-peak hours between 1 and 7 a.m. each day, but they will respond to the speedway area from their two city fire stations. This year, all firefighters on site will have triage training in the event of a mass casualty incident. The first responders' arsenal includes four firefighters on an engine, two roving the grounds in a brush truck and a supervising officer. The brush truck serves a twofold purpose — helping to quash small campground fires and doing reconnaissance through the throngs of people to keep an eye on any road closures. Strochine added their job is to make sure everyone is safe, and that most fans are receptive to the firefighters, which is important as it's necessary to build relationships in the event of a large-scale disaster. As far as what firefighters get to see, Strochine said the spectators can make it quite an interesting weekend. "You see everything from large parties and a lot of antics to a lot of chaos," he said. Firefighter Matt Carey said the fans treat them with first-class respect and has never had a problem keeping them in check. "They know we're not out there to be hard-nosed," he said. "They work with us." Assistant Chief Glenn Whitt said throughout the years, emergency workers have seen gas leaks in trailers which have lead to fires, and lightning strikes that killed a couple of fans. "We can have life threatening emergencies out there to someone cutting their finger and need a Band-Aid or need directions. We do a lot of that," he said. It's fun to meet fans, and the firefighters oftentimes see the same faces each year, people who welcome them with plenty of sodas, coffee and barbecue from the grill. Paramedics ready to respond Meanwhile, Chief Colin Faulkner, director of Public Safety for Kent County, said he'll deploy 29 to 30 paramedics and six dispatchers over the four-day period. During the race, some paramedics work on rescue trucks in the event of a wreck on the Monster Mile. He said they received specialized training to attend to the drivers. "There is nothing typical about a racecar on the track," he said. And depending on how high the mercury can rise, Faulkner said they could deal with heat-related incidents and problems such as the worsening of pre-existing medical conditions including diabetes and chest pain, along with cardiac arrests. On site they will have a command communications truck serving as a portable 911 center, golf cart-like vehicles with stretchers and medics on bicycles. "The whole idea behind the service where it involves advance life support is to get the medical care to them as quickly as possible," he said. Since the Dover area's population increases dramatically in the days before a race, Faulkner said it's a balancing act to keep paramedics staffed at the speedway, while maintaining a level of service to the citizens in the county. For this reason, he hires medics from New Castle and Sussex for the weekend. "We look at this as creating a city within a city," he said. "We try to set it up so they function independently." Faulkner said the many emergency agencies prepare months in advance for each race weekend, and often function as a well-oiled machine. Strochine works with Dover International Speedway representatives, sifting through changes to traffic patterns, maps and additions to the hotel. They also prepare documents and action plans for use in the event of a catastrophic incident. Echoing Faulkner, Strochine said that despite the increased manpower at the racetrack, at no point during the weekend is service compromised in the city. Many of the volunteer firefighters rearrange their schedules to accommodate staffing at the city's two fire stations. He added while working on site at the racetrack, firefighters are compensated per each hour they work. Although it takes months of preparation in advance for the race weekend, the day-to-day operations don't really change each year, Strochine said. Ed Klima, director of emergency services for Dover International Speedway, said they stand up a lot of resources and it takes a lot of teamwork between many first-responders. As an example, he noted that if a 911 call is made on the speedway grounds, the patient contact time is 1 minute and 20 seconds. They've been keeping track of that time since 2000, he said. "The cooperation here in central Delaware is unbelievable," Klima said. Dover Post


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Sweet Moment Thank You Card
Sweet Moment Thank You Card, Item# TYCM1290
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Sweet Moment Thank You Card, Item# TYCM1290
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Sweet Moment Envelope Seals
Sweet Moment Return Address Labels
Sweet Moment Candy Wrapper
Sweet Moment Postage Stamps
Frame Photo Stamps
Sweet Moment
This fold-over note card, "Sweet Moment" features an adorable African-American young lady holding an enormous bouquet of daisies (yellow-white-dark pink-magenta). Wearing a frothy, lilac-pink toned dress, she sits on the steps of her home. Grey and white tones comprise the background made up of an iron railing, the house facade and the garden.
A custom message can be printed with flat printing inside the fold-over card (for an additional $0.50), to acknowledge that special gift.
You will be able to select the typestyle and ink colors to use for your personalized text during the design process. Start by clicking on the green 'Personalize and Continue' button. We recommend using the default typestyle and ink colors.
|Estimated Postage Required:
|$0.55 stamp - if other items are not added into the Envelope. Click here for additional postage information.
|Item Type:
|Foldover Notecard
|Card Dimensions:
|5 1/2" X 4 1/8" (W x H)
|Printing Process:
|Digital Press
|Paper Weight:
|Multiple Stock Options
|Typestyle Shown:
|English Vivace
|Matching Ink Color:
|White Envelopes included. Printed return address and/or Calligraphy is available for an additional cost.


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When the people of Scandinavia aren't eating pickled fish and sitting in the dark, they like to build 800+ horsepower Jeeps and drive up sheer cliffs and quarries. It's called Formula Offroad and it's the craziest racing on four wheels.
There are tons of awesome Formula Offroad videos beyond this run in Norway, and we want you to post your favorites in the comments. You can never have enough ear-splitting V8s somersaulting off a cliff.


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Terug naar overzicht
Basico yaku blanco
€79,95 Incl. btw
white sneaker
Slick, sharp, simple. Our Basico collection portrays the beautiful colour spectrum of the Peruvian culture. This handmade canvas sneaker displays lovely colours which are accented by South American textile designs on the heel of the sneaker.
- Premium handmade quality sneaker with padded collar
- High quality vulcanized rubber sole with MIPACHA print
- Embossed MIPACHA leather logo patch on tongue and heel
- Fits true to size


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And next up…this wonderful MAGIC THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY submitted by Lydia Menzies of The Party Wagon! SOOOO cute! I love, love, love the vintage magician tags by Loralee Lewis. Everything was put together so nicely, Lydia! Thanks for your submission! Congratulations on being chosen as today's feature!
The colors were blue, red, yellow, and black. My son's favorites are blue and red and so I incorporated them as much as possible. I asked my son to choose the cape colors and design- I thought he would choose red and blue but he wanted red and black with a yellow G and a star. The excellent capes were made by First Crush Designs. Graham's cape was reversible with a G on one side and a star on the other. All other capes were red with a black shiny star and reversed to black. Graham chose to wear his cape with the G showing. I loved it that First Crush Designs made his cape extra-special!
The party signs, banners, favor tags, straw flags. rosettes, etc. were by Loralee Lewis. Loralee designed these especially for this party, and I was thrilled when the package arrived. I loved what she created! She made us feel so special!! We used Abracadabra! Graham is 6! for the banners and the straw flags, rosettes, and food flags.
Large, modular origami stars in red, blue, and yellow were used for the centerpieces at the tables. I put them in white pots and filled the pots with magic crystals (rock candy crystals) Small, customized origami stars were sprinkled around the pots. The small stars read, "Happy Birthday" and "Graham is 6". I also had 3 of the large, modular stars hanging together over the "Magic Potion" table, just above the silver bowl that billowed with steam from dry ice. Placed on a mirrored cube out of reach of the children, the smoking bowl had a magical effect. The stars hanging above it was a fun and perfect touch. We all loved these stars made by Origami Delights! They were sprinkled on each table at the party. I loved seeing how the children played with them and rearranged them all around the tables. I think there was some color sorting going on! I saved them to use over and over.
The Magic Potion Table had cream soda as the potion. The customized labels were by Loralee Lewis. I loved these labels and the little rabbit for the top of the bottle! Striped straws with flags made the potion more fun! I used a red tablecloth and placed 20 orbs around the bottles to light up the table. The bottles glowed against the orbs for another magical effect.
The food table had the beautiful birthday cake as the focal point. The topper was a rabbit coming out of a black hat made by Brittany of Edible Details. The cake was baked by Chef Patrick Dezii and he added fondant circles cascading down the 3 tiers and flowing to the word "Abracadabra". I loved how the word Abracadabra was off center- it added to the mystique! He also added cards scattered about the circles. The cake was really adorable. The table sign read… "Vanishing Birthday Cake…watch it disappear!" It disappeared fast!
Chef Patrick also made Full Moon Magic (moon pies/whoopie pies), Magic Wands (fruit kabobs topped with star fruit slice), Alakazam Cookies, Lucky Star sandwiches. All of those were plated on a bed on magic crystals in red, blue, and yellow. We also served popcorn, pretzels, and bugles in "Floating Wizard Hats" which were hung on a metal stand using fishing wire to seem invisible. The cones were kindly sent to me by Deanna of Mirabelle Creations. Stickers by Loralee Lewis.
When the cake was served, the children could also "pull a rabbit from the hat" which was a push pop with vanilla ice cream with a cardstock bunny on the front. They were served from a black top hat and the rabbits peeked over the top of the hat.
For favors, the children could take home their capes, hats, and magic carpets- we also gave each child a magic wand and cookies that were decorated to look like a card with the number 6 on it. Chef Patrick also made one with a joker on it. They were bagged, tied with ribbon and raffia, and topped with a favor tag from Loralee Lewis.
It was a magically fun time! The best part was the conversations my children had for at least a week after the party about "what if I were magic and…"
I also love it that my son wants to wear his cape and hat for Halloween! Maybe he will turn all the goblins into candy!"
Party Styling- Lydia at The Party Wagon www.party-wagon.com
Party Signs, banners, flags, stickers, tags- Loralee Lewis http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoraleeLewis
Magic Capes- First Crush Designs http://www.etsy.com/listing/65050831/reversible-magicians-cape-customized
Cake Topper- Edible Details http://edibledetails.com/
Origami Stars- big and small- Origami Delights http://www.etsy.com/shop/Deliverance05
Wizard Hat Cones- Mirabelle Designs http://www.etsy.com/shop/dtalwalkar
Cake and all baked goods- Patrick Dezii at Athens Country Club
Magician- Mark the Magic Man www.markthemagicman.com
Photography- Deanna at Zoomworks Photography http://zoom-works.com/html_home.cfm?menu_itemID=605705&load=html
Orbs- Save on Crafts http://www.save-on-crafts.com/
Hats, Wands, Coin Tricks- Oriental Trading www.orientaltrading.com
Balloons- Balloons Fast http://balloonsfast.com/
Invitations (discontinued)- by Meri Meri http://www.merimeri.com/


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Baltimore, Md., May 16, 2012 / 01:20 pm MT ().- At his May 16 installation in the "Premier See" of the U.S. Church, new Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori urged believers to proclaim their faith to the nation while standing up for the Church's freedom.
"Let us not shrink from entering the public square to proclaim the person of Christ, to teach the values that flow from reason and faith, to uphold our right to go about our daily work in accord with our teachings and values," he told the 2,000-strong congregation at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.
"By its nature, the profession of faith is a public matter," said the archbishop, who also leads the U.S. bishops' religious freedom committee.
He indicated that the Catholic faith cannot be confined solely to privately-held beliefs and acts of worship, since it is "meant to be spread far and wide and acted upon, in and through Church institutions and in the witness of individual believers."
"Let us never imagine that the faith we profess with such personal conviction is merely a private matter," he said to the congregation.
Instead, he told them, "we must be loyal Americans by being bold and courageous Catholics."
Known for his religious freedom advocacy during his past appointment as the Bishop of Bridgeport, Conn., Archbishop Lori was installed amid ongoing controversy over the federal government's contraception mandate and other moves seen as hostile to religion by Catholics and other believers.
Over 300 priests and bishops, joined by representatives of 150 parishes and 70 Catholic schools, heard Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano proclaim the decree establishing the new archbishop, a 61-year-old Kentucky native, as the leader of the archdiocese's 500,000 Catholics.
Archbishop Lori's installation homily drew inspiration from the public witness of Saint Paul, as well as the missionary journeys of Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. He recalled Bl. John Paul II's own words, delivered at Baltimore's cathedral during a 1995 visit to the city.
In words delivered on that occasion, and quoted by Archbishop Lori, the late Pope spoke of America's "precious legacy of religious freedom," telling Catholics "to defend that freedom against those who would take religion out of the public domain and establish secularism as America's official faith."
The archbishop also paid tribute to those who led the nation's first Catholic diocese before him – including Archbishop John Carroll, the United States' first Catholic bishop; and Cardinal James Gibbons, who led the Church in Baltimore during a period of anti-Catholic suspicion.
Archbishop Carroll, he said, led a "generation of believers and patriots," whose legacy "has enabled the Church to worship in freedom, to bear witness to Christ publicly, and to do massive and amazing works of pastoral love, education, and charity in ways that are true to the faith that inspired them."
Archbishop Lori also recalled how Cardinal Gibbons, Baltimore's archbishop from 1877 to 1921, opposed "those who said it wasn't possible to be a practicing Catholic and a loyal American."
He recalled Cardinal Gibbons' description of the U.S. as a country "where the civil government holds over us the aegis of its protection, without interfering with us in the legitimate exercise of our sublime mission as ministers of the Gospel of Christ."
As he reaffirmed the Second Vatican Council's teaching on the human right to religious liberty, Archbishop Lori made it clear that the U.S. bishops "do not seek to defend religious liberty for partisan or political purposes, as some have suggested."
Rather, the religious freedom committee chairman said, "we do this because we are lovers of a human dignity that was fashioned and imparted not by the government but by the Creator."
"We defend religious liberty because we are lovers of every human person, seeing in the face of every man and woman also the face of Christ," he explained. "We uphold religious liberty because we seek to continue serving those in need while contributing to the common good."
As he reflected on a variety of public and internal challenges, Archbishop Lori urged the faithful to pray for his leadership and the good of the Church.
He asked the congregation to pray "that, as the Year of Faith announced by Pope Benedict XVI, unfolds, I shall not only teach the faith but bear witness to it in a manner that helps to heal the breach between faith and culture."
"Pray that, in God's grace, I might foster that unity of faith which makes the Gospel credible," he urged, " so that together, we may always warmly invite those who have left the Church … and together may we continue to invite and welcome those sincerely searching for the truth."
Tags: Religious freedom, Bishop Installation
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Hazoor continued with the subject of the Divine attributes of Al-Shahid and Al-Shaheed The Observer, The Witness. Hazoor elucidated the subject with reference to Quranic verses, ahadith and various writings and said that Allah the Exalted is indeed sufficient as a Witness for the prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him). Hazoor recounted that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) wrote that the Quranic verses also bear witness to the fact that the second coming of the Messiah will be like Jesus (on whom be peace) in spirit and that Islam's triumph will come about through him, whether in person or through his followers.
As regards the connotation of the word Shaheed that signifies a martyr, Hazoor recounted the incidence of the battle of Uhad and said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) would instruct to bury the martyrs without giving them the traditional wash and that he had two martyrs wrapped in a single sheet and instructed to lower the body of the one of the two who knew the Holy Quran most first in the grave.
Hazoor added that there are many who profess to believe in Allah and His Messenger but their actions do not match their words and that Allah bears witness that these people are liars. Hazoor recounted that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said that the angels are witnesses of God in the heavens and that believers are witnesses of God on this earth. Hazoor said that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) would say to his ummah around him that he was to bear witness for them and that he feared that his witnessing would cause punishment for their ill deeds.
Hazoor said that that Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) has indeed been appointed as a witness over his ummah and that he brought a message that is to unite all the nations of the world as one, in that everyone acknowledges the unity of God.
The Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer is one form of congregational worship in Islam. It takes place every Friday. Regular attendance at the Jumu'ah prayer is enjoined on the believer. According to a Saying of Muhammad(sa) this congregational prayer is twenty-five times more blessed than worship performed alone. (Bukhari)
"O ye who believe! When the call is made for Prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off all business. That is best for you, if you only knew." more
"… (He who) offers the Prayers and listens quitely when the Imam stands up for sermon, will have his sins forgiven between that Friday and the next" (Bukhari)


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Current Version: 1.1.0
Requires Android: 4.0 and up
Category: Personalization
V1.1.0 update:
Apex Launcher Pro is now on Google Play!
Added pinch in gesture option
Launch shortcut option for gestures
Added vertical dock margin option
Added Root Helper (see tips)
Wallpaper mode option (see tips)
Improved performance and reduced redraws
Improved gestures
Fixed a landscape dock bug
Fixed a bug with vertical drawer
Various optimizations and bug fixes
Updated translations
New permissions are used for unread count notifications in the pro version.
Powerful, fast, and highly customizable home replacement for Android 4.0+.
Apex Launcher helps you create a customized homescreen experience on your Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) device.
– Customizable homescreen grid size and up to 9 homescreens
– Scrollable dock with up to 7 icons per page and up to 5 pages
– Infinite & elastic scrolling (homescreen, drawer and dock)
– Fancy transition effects (tablet, cube, etc.)
– Hide elements as you want (persistent search bar, status bar, or even the dock)
– Customizable icons and labels for shortcuts and folders
– Choose different folder preview styles and background
– Multiple drawer styles (transparent/opaque, horizontal/vertical, paginated/continuous)
– Drawer apps sorting (title, install date, mostly used)
– Hide apps from the drawer
– Lock your desktop to prevent accidental changes
– Enjoy homescreen gestures (pinch, swipe up/down, double tap)
– Backup/restore settings and data
– Optimized for both phones and tablets
– Lots of other customization options!
Apex Launcher Pro (Paid Version) Features:
– Multiple configurable drawer tabs
– Unread count notifications
– Dock swipe gestures
– Two finger gestures
– More transition effects
– Batch add option for folders
– Option to merge folder contents
– Widgets in dock (1×1 only)
– Overlapping widgets
– More features on the way!
Note: Due to limitations of the Android framework, you won't be able to add widgets from the app drawer without root access. If your device is rooted, please enable the Root Helper via Settings > Advanced settings > Enable Root Helper.
– Pinch the screen to access screen previews (like Exposé or HTC Sense).
– Long press an icon to drag and drop it over another one to create a folder.
– Long press icons/folders on the desktop and choose edit from the popup menu to customize icons and labels.
– Drag, hover, and drop app icons over the delete button at the top of the screen to quickly uninstall apps.
– Long press an app in the hide apps list to quickly launch that app.
– Switch to single screen wallpaper mode to fix wallpaper zooming issues.
– Enable the Root Helper in advanced settings (root required) to add widgets from the drawer.
– BIND_APPWIDGET: Required to add widgets from the drawer (only if installed as system app).
– CALL_PHONE: Create direct-dial shortcuts on the homescreen.
– EXPAND_STATUS_BAR/SET_WALLPAPER/SET_WALLPAPER_HINTS/VIBRATE: Standard launcher functions.
– INTERNET/ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: Check for updates and anonymous usage/error reporting (optional).
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– READ_CONTACTS/READ_SMS/GET_ACCOUNTS/READ_CONTENT_PROVIDER: Missed call and unread SMS/Gmail notifications (pro version).


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Fiddlin' around: Irish fans dance and jam
Ryegrass Rollers
at Miller's
Sunday, March 16
Sunday night was St. Patty's Eve, a night usually reserved for anti-pinch prep talks and little else. But despite the lack of green beer, the folks at Miller's were exceptionally cheery and pub-like. The responsible party? The Ryegrass Rollers, who made merry with two hearty sets of traditional tunes.
Before Sunday, my knowledge of the history of Irish music reached only as far back as Shane MacGowan's battles with the bottle. However, the Rollers' lively introduction to the Gaelic/Celtic old-school stuff was impressive and intriguing.
All four members share a great passion for, and scholarly interest in, the culture and music of Ireland. What's most admirable is their energy and focus; it's obvious that each member has spent countless hours of precious free time learning and exploring the genre.
In addition to her day job as a web page designer, Michaux Lowry is also an accomplished fiddler and vocalist, and a constant presence at the Blue Ridge Irish Music School. Heather Trout, a biology teacher at Greene County High School, moonlights as the Rollers' self-taught chief flautist and multi-instrumentalist (on their CD, she's credited with playing the bones!).
Alex Caton, another excellent fiddler, spends her non-band time pursuing her doctorate in Archaeology at UVA. And finally, Phil Audibert, guitarist and vocalist, has been both innkeeper and radio news director.
At Miller's, the melodies the Ryegrass Rollers "covered"– with the exception of the occasional lament– were of the spirited jig and reel variety... and they had great names, such as "The Luck Penny," "The Humours of Whiskey," and my favorite, the "Star of Munster."
The characteristic beat, simple but strong, was struck quickly on the bodhran, a Celtic frame drum that Lowry and Trout played with a double-ended stick. The fiddles and flute bobbed over the notes at a dizzying pace (only the slower nostalgic odes featured vocals).
At times, several kids eagerly demonstrated their Riverdancin' skills in front of the stage. The moves appeared to combine the concentration of sword-dancing and the agility of ballet, requiring much nimble-footed hopping and toe-pointing. I'd heard that Irish music fans take their fun seriously.
If you're interested, ryegrassrollers.com contains more information and downloadable samples from their new CD, Rue the Day. Their inspired performance Sunday helped me realize one thing... weeding the sham from the rockin' doesn't have to be such a challenge, after all. Even to a newbie.


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Congregation Anshei Lubawitz, built in 1906, is the oldest synagogue in Borough Park. Its architectural beauty and uniqueness among the square apartment buildings surrounding it make it a local landmark. However, under suspicious circumstances, the Shul's current trustees are attempting to have it demolished, to be replaced by a luxury apartment building.
The synagogue, led for many years by the famed Rabbi Yitzchok Dov Ushpal, OBM, is of great significance to Chabad history. It is the oldest synagogue in Borough Park, and was visited by the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe during his visit to the United States in 1929, as well after his permanent arrival in 1940.
However, an April 27, 2017 petition filed by Chevra Anshei Lubawitz of Borough Park with the Attorney General, sought approval for the sale of the Synagogue's Property, located at 4024 12th Avenue, to 4024 12th Ave LLC, an entity that is owned and controlled by Moses Karpen, which will result in the demolition of the Building. The petition was approved on May 3, 2017.
Now, members of the Shul's are crying foul, saying they were unaware of the sale, and have petitioned for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to prevent the Shul's demolition, which was granted today, August 24, 2017, by the Hon. Judge Marsha Steinhardt of the New York State Supreme Court.
The petition was filed after the Crown Heights Beis Din issued a Halachic ruling (see below) allowing the congregants to take the trustees to court to prevent the building's demolition.
According to the TRO petition filed by members of the Shul, the sale of the building and demolition cannot go ahead because:
1. Contrary to paragraph 6 of the AG Approval, the Synagogue has not "complied with the provisions of the Religious Corporation Law and the Not for Profit Corporation Law applicable to the sale of its real property" because the full membership of the Synagogue (rather than selected members) did not receive notice of the Special Meeting that purportedly approved the Sale in accord with either Section 194 of the Religious Corporation Law or the Constitution of the Synagogue;
2. The only reason that there were "no objections to the proposed transaction," was because the petitioners (and other members who oppose the Sale) were not made aware of the proposed transaction in time to register their objection to the Sale, and instead learned of the Sale after a Deed had been delivered to the Purchaser and after an attempt to cover up the entire transaction as a mere "temporary closure" for the Summer months of the Synagogue;
3. The Application contains numerous material misstatements and omissions, including a statement that the condition of the Current Building is "old, dilapidated, in need of extensive renovation and is no longer able to house the Synagogue adequately and safely", when in fact the condition of the Building, which is the oldest operating Synagogue in Borough Park, is perfectly adequate and furnishes the membership with a beautiful space to conduct services and a complete failure to disclose the architectural beauty of the interior and exterior of the Current Building;
4. The purchase price of $3.1 million is grossly inadequate and does not represent the actual fair market value of the Property, and was not arrived at through an arms-length negotiating process and a solicitation of a number of competing offers, but was instead the product of a personal relationship between a trustee and Karpen; and
5. The best interests of the Synagogue and its membership would be served by continuing the operations of the Synagogue in the Current Building and permitting the membership to continue to pray in a beautiful setting, rather than abandoning the Current Building, occupying temporary quarters for as long as four years, and then, relocating to a floor and basement in a box residential structure.
Now that the TRO has been granted, time will tell if the shul's members will prevail in preventing its sale and demolition, which will be decided by the courts over the coming months.


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I'm not quite sure the marketing for this film could get any better and/or more whimsical. Everything is awesome, indeed.
Not only is the film's irreverent humour on full display in this featurette, as the characters talk shop about their thoughts on starring in Lego's first feature film outing (President Business' reaction to being played by Will Ferrell is particularly good), but it also really lets you get a good look at the films splendid animation, a mix of CGI and stop motion that completely sells the 'Lego-ness' of it all. There's just enough jankiness to the movement that it that it really does feel like a Lego movie, rather than a CGI film featuring Lego - and it's an absolute delight to watch it in motion.
The Lego Movie hits theatres next month.


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The Dishwasher Scholar
Behind every tragedy there is a heartbreaking story that adds to the pain. Such is the case of 26-year old Doron Maharela of blessed memory, one of the eight students of Yeshivat Mercaz Harav who died at the hands of an Arab terrorist on March 6th.
Doron's early schooling in Ethiopia hardly qualified him for admission to the yeshiva he wished to enter. When his application was rejected he asked for a job as dishwasher in the dining room. For a year and a half he washed dishes and spent most of his nights and all of his Shabbatot learning gemara until he felt he was ready to try again for admission.
The Rosh Yeshiva's initial reluctance to test him soon gave way when Doron initiated a Torah discussion and the next day he was transformed from a dishwasher to a full-fledged yeshiva student. When he visited his family in Ashdod on weekends he would spend the entire Shabbat steeped in Torah study. Three weeks before his tragic passing he reportedly completed learning the entire Shulchan Aruch and its main commentaries.
May G-d avenge his blood and those of his fellow martyrs.


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- Stocks To Watch
Halliburton: Buy the Frac King
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
Raymond James analysts J. Marshall Adkins and Collin Gerry are big believers in the U.S. oil revolution and, as an extension, Halliburton (HAL) and Baker Hughes (BHI).
Adkins and Gerry explain why they like Halliburton, which they upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform:
Halliburton derives 52% of revenues from North America and currently holds the market-leading position in the pressure pumping industry. We are updating our y/y NAM revenue growth assumptions to 20% in both 2014 and 2015 (versus prior estimates of 10% and 3%). Likewise, we now model exit rate 2014 NAM margins of 20.6%, up from our prior estimate of 19.3%. The net result is our new 2014 EPS estimate of $4.30, 10% higher than consensus and a $5.85 EPS estimate for 2015, 17% higher than consensus...
In the last upcycle, Halliburton's FCF margin (FCF over revenues) was close to 4%. We expect it could be closer to 6-10% in 2014 and 2015 due to 1) significant working capital initiatives and 2) lower international capex. This should facilitate continued dividend and share buyback increases.
Baker Hughes' rating got an even bigger boost from Adkins and Gerry, who upgraded the stock to Strong Buy from Market Perform. They explain why:
Who wins? Right now land drillers, but the next domino is completion services: The horizontal rig count has surged 10% since mid-2013, taking many by surprise. We think this trend will continue through the rest of 2014. For now, the bottleneck in service land is high-end drilling rigs. We think the next domino to fall is completion services, specifically pressure pumping. Pressure pumping utilization fell from >100% in 2010 to roughly 75% currently. Our model indicates utilizations tightening back to the 90% range by 4Q13, which should spur a long-awaited pricing recovery.
And that should benefit Baker Hughes, which could grow its North American business at a 17% clip in 2014, Adkins and Gerry say. They initiated put an $80 price target on Baker Hughes.
Shares of Baker Hughes have risen 3.2% to $62.99, while Halliburton, which also got a positive mention in Barron's this weekend, has gained 2.9% to $56.89.


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Mr. Speaker, the numbers are out. The Prime Minister's office budget has ballooned by 30% to $10 million per year.
Residents in the Ingonish, Cape Breton area have been waiting for a new federal building, at a cost of $10 million. The building would house the RCMP, DFO and Parks Canada. Year in and year out the government has said no, resulting in increased costs and delay.
Why can the Prime Minister find $10 million for his own office when he cannot find $10 million for Ingonish?