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Adam LaRoche ended an 0-for-15 start to the season with homers in consecutive at-bats, Jayson Werth and Ian Desmond also homered, and the Washington Nationals opened an early interleague series by edging the Chicago White Sox 8-7 Tuesday night.
Werth and LaRoche hit two-run shots off Jake Peavy in the sixth, an inning after Desmond went deep.
LaRoche added a solo homer in the eighth off Matt Thornton, Chicago's fifth pitcher. LaRoche had missed the previous two games with a back muscle problem.
The Nationals have 10 homers in their past three games.
Werth tacked on an RBI single off Matt Lindstrom for an unearned insurance run in the seventh.
The Nationals scored in their last five innings. That allowed Washington to hold on even though Alex Rios took closer Rafael Soriano deep for a two-run shot with two outs in the ninth. Soriano got Paul Konerko to fly out to end it and record his third save in four chances - barely.
Bryce Harper and Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez, who left after five innings and didn't factor in the decision, were thrown out by Rios from right field while trying to stretch early singles into doubles.
Reliever Craig Stammen (2-0) got the win despite allowing a run and three hits in his lone inning of work, the sixth.
Desmond connected off Peavy (1-1) leading off the fifth.
Then, with the score 2-all, Denard Span started the sixth with a double. That's when Peavy got a mound visit from bullpen coach Bobby Thigpen, filling in for pitching coach Don Cooper, who missed the game because he went to the hospital with a stomach illness.
Thigpen returned to the dugout, and Werth promptly sent Peavy's first pitch of the at-bat over the wall in left for his third homer.
Peavy struck out Harper, but walked Ryan Zimmerman, bringing up LaRoche, who hit a 1-1 pitch near the 402-foot sign in straightaway center to make it 6-2.
Peavy went 5 1-3 innings, giving up six runs and nine hits.
Paul Konerko answered for the White Sox, hitting a three-run homer off reliever Tyler Clippard in the seventh to get the visitors within 6-5.
But a walk and errant pickoff throw by reliever Donnie Veal preceded Werth's hit in the seventh, adding to Washington's lead, before LaRoche padded it even more.
The Nationals entered the day averaging 3.5 runs - and, in manager Davey Johnson's judgment, "pressing a little bit" - and some attempts to create offense did not pay off.
With two outs in the first, Harper closed an 11-pitch at-bat by singling to right, but he tried to turn it into a double and was easily thrown out by Rios. Washington's next hit came in the third - and the result was the same. It was Gonzalez who singled this time and was caught by Rios.
Even the fifth ended with a Nationals runner tagged out at second base. This time, it was Wilson Ramos, who had singled earlier and was thrown out at second by catcher Tyler Flowers as pinch-hitter Chad Tracy struck out.
Gonzalez threw 99 pitches, allowing one run, four hits and two walks while striking out seven. That run scored on a balk in the first. After Jeff Keppinger's single ended an 0-for-19 stretch, a single by Rios and walk for Konerko loaded the bases.
On a full count, Alexei Ramirez fouled off a pitch. Before Gonzalez threw his next pitch, he stepped on the mound, then backed away, and was called for a balk.
NOTES: White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham left in the third inning, replaced by Angel Sanchez. The White Sox said Beckham had nerve irritation in his left wrist and listed him as day to day. ... Johnson said Soriano tweaked his leg during Saturday's game at Cincinnati but "it's a non-issue." ... Johnson, on playing an interleague series in early April: "I don't have any control over that, but it is strange." ... With Thigpen filling in for Cooper, bullpen catcher Mark Salas handled Thigpen's duties. ... With no DH in an NL park, and a lefty starter on the mound for Washington, White Sox slugger Adam Dunn was out of the lineup - a rest day he didn't really want. Asked about the different DH rules in baseball's two leagues, Dunn said: "I do have an opinion. But I'd like to keep it to myself, because I like my job."
Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich


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(written from a Production point of view)
This summary is of a story arc from the newspaper comic strip Star Trek.
Summary Edit
Captain Kirk, Spock, and Lt. T'Yee are about to beam up with medical supplies from Manark V, a Federation member, when they are attacked by a man wielding a mace on a chain. T'Yee is injured, Spock stuns the man with a phaser, and the Manarkite ambassador apologizes profusely. The man is a terrorist, opposed to Manark V's Federation membership. After the USS Enterprise leaves orbit, they proceed to the Vanowen colony, which is plagued by Rigellian fever. When Dr. McCoy learns of the attack, he explodes in anger, calling the Manarkites savages and completely irrational. His eyes also have an unusual glow about them, which is unnoticed by the crew. Storming out rather than discuss things with Spock, McCoy returns to sickbay.
Dr. Chapel is examining T'Yee's wound in sickbay when Chapel is stunned and a shadowy figure removes her from sickbay. Spock and Kirk, engaged in a game of three-dimensional chess, discuss that many of the crew have reported "aberrational behavior" in Dr. McCoy. Kirk grants Spock's request to investigate, guessing it is probably little more than stress. After the investigation, Spock is convinced "that the Dr. McCoy now aboard the Enterprise is not the Dr. McCoy we know". Moreover, he can prove it. At the same time, Chapel – now with glowing eyes – is attempting to give T'Yee a sedative. T'Yee screams, sensing that Chapel is not whom she appears to be. Outside in the corridor, McCoy hears the screaming. But he is quickly rendered unconscious by a nerve pinch administered by Spock, who does not hear T'Yee's cries for help. Spock then examines McCoy in sickbay in private, with the data access restricted to Kirk and himself. His scan shows "that brain structure matches no known patterns in humanoids. In sum: entity is not Dr. McCoy... but is evidently an alien duplication of him."
Spock returns McCoy to consciousness, but uses a mind meld to erase memory of his examination. Chapel then introduces a duplicate T'Yee to McCoy, saying she is "one of us now". As Kirk is sending a message that the ship is delayed due to an ion storm in the sector, Spock informs him of what he's found out. Looking over the data with Spock, Kirk feels the ship shake and after a harrowing ride in a free-fall turbolift, discovers that they are "bracketed" by Romulan cruisers of the K't'inga design. The Romulans claim the Enterprise has violated their territory and are moving to destroy the ship. Kirk is confused, since they should be nowhere near Romulan space. Spock confirms their position: in the Romulan Neutral Zone. "It would seem the Romulans have developed a new weapon with which they not only evaded our sensors, but also temporarily incapacitated them... causing a navigational error that allowed the Enterprise to proceed into the Neutral Zone". Warp drive is offline due to the attack, but rather than press their advantage, the Romulans leave the sector at maximum warp. Casualty reports come in, with Scotty being among them. He has a concussion and first-degree burns, and despite his protest that they don't seem quite normal, is treated by the medical staff. The treatment includes being placed in a scanner so that a duplicate can be made of him – one with glowing eyes. The intention is to duplicate all the injured and discard the originals.
Kirk decides not to do anything about McCoy until they can figure out what the alien is trying to accomplish. As he makes that choice, the duplicate T'Yee determines she is to distract Kirk so the duplicate Scott can accomplish a task on the bridge. Her solution: offer to bring Kirk his dinner in his quarters, since Kirk's personal aide was injured in the attack. Kirk is flustered by the offer, but agrees.
Starfleet's answer to the problem of a damaged Enterprise is to have the Enterprise rendezvous with the USS Potemkin, which will finish the mission. Kirk then has his dinner delivered to him in his quarters by the duplicate and casually attired T'Yee. She tells him that she has arranged to be assigned as his personal aide because she is "fascinated" by him. Kirk replies that he is finding himself being "drawn" to her. Kissing T'Yee, Kirk calls Uhura and asks not to be disturbed.
Uhura contacts Spock. She is concerned that the computer shows that various injured personnel are returning to duty much sooner than she would have anticipated. Meanwhile, the duplicate Chapel states that "32.2% of the crew has been replaced by members of our race". The duplicate Scott arrives on the bridge to correct a computer malfunction, but Sulu doesn't believe him and activates a channel to Spock without Scott's knowledge. Spock goes to the bridge and orders Scott to stop. When he doesn't, Spock places Scotty under arrest; rather than comply, Scott attacks. Spock easily defends himself, destroys the station to prevent further tampering, and contacts Kirk. Kirk is bothered in that he had asked not to be disturbed, but Spock tells him that unless immediate action is taken the ship may be taken over by hostile alien forces. Kirk asks Spock to meet him in the briefing room, and tears himself away from T'Yee, who is seen in silhouette with a transparent cape.
Spock explains that Scott tried to tamper with the computer only after Kirk gave orders not to be disturbed. He does not think it a coincidence and believes that T'Yee, Scott, and others are conspiring to take over the ship. Since McCoy was first to be duplicated, they head to sickbay. On the way, they reason that the casualty list would tell them who has been replaced with duplicates, and that that was the data Scott was trying to erase.
Rendezvousing with the Potemkin (a Miranda-class ship), Sulu tells the transporter room to get the medical supplies ready to beam over. The crew finds only empty crates, though. Spock scans the crates and learns that a microscopic alien embryo was inside the containers and escaped detection. It then fed on the medicines and escaped, living inside the medical computer. Just then, a large alien bursts out from behind the medical computer wall and is shot at by Kirk. He misses, and the creature morphs into something able to fly; it is a "shape-changer" and can take on the shape of anyone or anything whose physical data is in the medical computer bank. Chekov and a security guard arrive. The guard tries to shoot Kirk instead of the alien, as the guard is a duplicate. Spock "nerve-pinches" him, but the activity allows the alien to hide.
The alien, in the shape of a snake, attacks Kirk again but this time Kirk fires on target. Stunned, the creature reverts to its natural form: a native of Manark V, where they originally picked up the medical supplies. Learning of this, T'Yee tells her fellow duplicates that their discovery means they must abandon the ship and deal "death to the crew!" T'Yee begins to transport the duplicates to Murakam, a planet to which the ship has been diverted as duplicates were in control of the bridge. The plan: leave the real crew aboard and have the ship crash into the planet. Just in case, the duplicates arm themselves with phasers. Kirk, Spock, and Chekov rush down to confront the duplicates who are left and find themselves in a fire fight. Kirk sets his phaser to overload and uses it like a grenade. It explodes and takes out several duplicates. The sensors show where the Manarkites beamed down, and Kirk remarks that they have to pursue them "or we'll never see our friends alive again!"
Spock notices that internal sensors show Human lifeform readings still on the Enterprise. Spock goes in search of the crew and finds Scott sealed in his own quarters. The orbit decaying, Scott goes to work with Spock to find more of the crew and restart the engines. Meanwhile, Kirk and Chekov beam down to confront the "alien impostors". They enter a cave and Chekov falls down a hole. Kirk sees T'Yee, but doesn't realize she is a duplicate because her limited telepathic ability – sufficient to cloud his mind – was also duplicated. She reaches for him as to kiss him. Suddenly, a Manarkite alien appears, as does Chekov. Chekov shoots at the alien, but the duplicate T'Yee leaps into the path of the beam. It slices through both her and the alien, killing both. In her death, T'Yee assumes her true form as a Manarkite alien, which Chekov can tell was the leader of the alien impostors.
A rumble is heard in the caves. The phaser blast triggered a cave-in, and the men run for the exit only to find a dozen Manarkite aliens waiting. Kirk calls Spock and orders a wide beam phaser blast at his coordinates, on stun. It works. The Manarkites are interrogated by Starfleet and it is discovered they were in league with the Romulans. The plan was for them to take over the Enterprise. The ship speeds to Organia to pick up more medical supplies, and Kirk confesses to McCoy that he is as fond of the real T'Yee as her duplicate. Kirk invites her to dinner, which she refuses, saying "That would be improper, Admiral". The story ends with McCoy saying in response to T'Yee's resistance to Kirk's charms, "Got your work cut out for you, Jim!"
Memorable quotes Edit
"Uhura, I don't want to be disturbed for the next hour."
- - Kirk, ensuring some privacy with T'Yee
Background information Edit
This is the third time the comic has returned to the theme of secession from the Federation, the second time McCoy has been replaced by a lookalike, and the second time it has invoked Rigelian fever as a plot device. It also hearkens back visually to the duplication sequence in TOS: "What Are Little Girls Made Of?". There are a few nice touches. One is the reference to an ion storm, not heard of since the original series. Also, a wide area phaser shot on the ground from the ship was used in TOS: "A Piece of the Action", but had not been seen again prior to this. The communicators from the second film were used as well. Another nice touch would have been a more compelling reason for not immediately arresting the McCoy duplicate once found out. Or why the crew was kept alive at all. And one wonders what McCoy's reaction would have been to the surprise nerve pinch had he not been an alien duplicate but just grouchy.
The aliens themselves look remarkably like the alien from the movie Alien, which had come out four years prior to this story arc. But the most troubling bit is the subplot of the normal, unduplicated Kirk expressing affection and lust for a young lieutenant under his direct command; it is both forced and somewhat difficult to accept. In a nice change, Uhura and Sulu are shown as being among the most prudent and professional of officers, much more so than Kirk is shown to be in this story. Pasko originally intended to use the character of Saavik, but was apparently prohibited to do so by Paramount Pictures; Lt. T'Yee took her place for story purposes. For unknown reasons, possibly related to an attempt at cost-savings due to poor distribution, the Sunday color comic was no longer produced beginning with this story arc.
This story was given the title "Taking Shape" in Star Trek: The Newspaper Comics, Volume 2.
Links Edit
Regular Cast Edit
Other Characters Edit
- Lt. T'Yee
- Captain Kro-Regas
- Zaia
|Previous strip:
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|Story Arc #14
| Star Trek Comic Strip (US)
Story Arcs
|Story Arc #16

subset: commoncrawl


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President Barack Obama gave remarks on the looming "fiscal cliff" at a manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania, the same day Republicans are panning his initial offer.
Obama spoke after touring the Rodon Group manufacturing facility in Hatfield Township, which most notably has manufactured more than 30 billion parts for the K'NEX toy company.
"I've been keeping my own naughty and nice list in Washington, so you should keep your eye on who gets K'NEX this year," he quipped.
He moved onto the fiscal cliff, which he said was "not some run of the mill debate." He said to expect some "prolonged negotiations."
"All of us are going to have to get out of our comfort zones," Obama said.
Referring to the tax hikes set to take effect on Jan. 2, Obama said they were "sort of like the lump of coal you get for Christmas."
"That's a Scrooge Christmas," he quipped.
Like he did in a press conference in Washington two weeks ago, Obama invoked the idea that he had a "mandate" on raising taxes on incomes above $250,000.
"Understand this was a central question in the election — maybe the central question. You remember! We talked about this a lot."
He urged Congress to act quickly, saying "I've got a bunch of pens ready to sign this bill."
"There are no shortage of pens in the White House," Obama said. He said he walks around with a pen, hoping for the chance to sign something.


text:
- Details
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The Flameless Pillar Candle with Timer is also available in these sizes:


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Yeah, the way I've heard it described is the low ref (below goal line) keeps his eye on the net and the crease and any play that drops below the line into the corners. The far official watches the slot and everything on the wings.Aaronp18 wrote:Good point, the back ref should be watching the play away from the puck.donlever wrote:..why are both of them watching the same fucking thing?
But we see how well that's working.
If they give the refs the ability to waive off calls it would be great, maybe we see the first ref vs. ref fisticuff!! That's entertainment.
In a perfect world.....


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EA has brought the Need For Speed franchise back once again, this time with Need for Speed The Run, a game that for the first time involves you getting out of the car. Wait, what? That's right there are elements you control that aren't behind a wheel, but is that one step to far, and how will the franchise fair against the likes of Forza 4, Driver San Francisco, and the plethora of other driving and racing games already on the market? We jumped on a one level demo of the game at this year's E3 in Los Angeles to find out.
Need for Speed The Run
What platform is it on?
3DS, PC, PS3, Wii, X360
When's it due out?
18 November 2011
What other game is it like?
Outrun, Burnout Paradise, previous Need For Speed games
Does it use any new tech like 3D, PlayStation Move, or Kinect for Xbox 360?
The pitch
Get ready to rip up the road! Adrenaline junkies and speed fiends will find themselves on the wrong side of the law this November when they race for their lives in Need for Speed The Run from Electronic Arts. The hottest blockbuster this holiday is a game that takes players on a heart-pounding cross-country race from San Francisco to New York. Powered by DICE's state-of-the-art Frostbite 2 engine, Need for Speed The Run takes the action racing genre to new heights with stunning visuals and car physics that hug the road even at top speeds all built around a gripping storyline. The cars are hot, the racing is intense and the story will have you at the edge of your seat… all the way from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Empire State building.
The storyline
You're on the run and have to get from San Francisco to New York dodging the police and the mafia along the way to earn your freedom.
Trailers, demoes, and video
Our first impressions
For our E3 quick play we played a level mid way through the game set in Chicago. On the run from the mob, our character had just stolen a police car and had a set time to get out of the city avoiding on coming traffic, oh, and a helicopter with the mafia in it trying to shoot us off the road.
Mixing cutscenes and live action in seamlessly, the game constantly delivers extravagant over the top cutaways that give you a sense of being in a movie rather than just being stuck in the cockpit.
It's an experience that worked well in our brief play, although was slightly disjointing the first time it happened as you aren't sure who (i.e., you or the console) is controlling what.
"The police car is very heavy to drive," warned our demo dude on the EA booth, and having thrown said police car into the wall on our first corner he is right.
Need For Speed The Run has, as you might expect, a variety of cars at your disposal and each have their own characteristics.
We weren't able to test any other cars, however take our word for it when we say the police car is sluggish, very sluggish. Hopefully this won't be the case for all the other vehicles in the game, and before you ask there are no bikes.
Graphics will depend on the console you play it on, we played it on the PS3, and it looked great.
EA has used its new Frostbite 2 engine for the game also used in Battlefield 3, and that gives better destruction and damage options in the game. That said, EA have included the usual tale tail signs that it's an NFS game and those that have enjoyed the franchise in the past (excluding Need For Speed Shift) will enjoy Need For Speed The Run.
Being seasoned pros (we wish) we crossed the finish line with time to spare although ended up flipping the car thanks to an exploding oil tanker - it's meant to happen. The end result is that we are trapped in the police car upside down on a train track with a train hurtling towards us at high speed.
It's here that we get to experience the out of the car element of the game.
Spun to feel like Heavy Rain, you have a series of choices to make, which ask you to make a series of button presses. In our case finding which window to smash that will allow us to climb out of the car to safety.
Our demo dude tells us that this element of the game accounts for under 10 per cent and that it is there to break up the cutscenes and get you involved. It works, it's a little of extra engagement, but we can see this being a nice distraction to the fast paced racing action in the rest of the game.
Our time was brief, but Need for Speed The Run looks to be EA returning back to the fun elements of the series with the consistent push of getting across America being the driving force here (sorry we couldn't resist) that should save you from getting lost and bored in a single city.
Please note
The E3 games convention is a fantastic chance to see the latest games due out over the coming year, as well as, letting us get a glimpse into what is going to be the big titles and the ones to avoid like the plague.
The big problem however is that for most of the titles that glimpse is, well, just that. At the show you'll get to play a level here or a multiplayer map there or even have a product manager walk you through a specific level.
So with that in mind we present you with our Quick Play.
What we've done is broken down the key facts you need to know and then given you our first impressions based on around 15 minutes of gaming. For us that 15 minutes isn't enough to do a First Look review or even a review. How can you rate a game that offers over 30 hours of gaming on just 15 minutes of play? However it should hopefully give you an idea, a feeling, a notion, of what to expect come launch day.


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Booked: Apres la fete
It was a book fest marked by anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Festival of the Book; the 30th of its parent, the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, and the 50th anniversary of the defining court decision of the 20th century, Brown v. Board of Education.
Such momentous occasions resulted in even more authorly star power than usual. Garrison Keillor, Michael Chabon, Michael Ondaatje, and Clyde Edgerton joined festival regular David Baldacci, civil rights hero John Stokes, and more than 300 others connected with the word in the five-day adulation to all things literary.
The events ranged from utter hilarity to somber reality, from the how-to's of publishing to the sheer pleasures of the published product.
For five days, Charlottesville celebrated joie du livre.
You can tell it's an important event if Rob Vaughan is there: At the festival's opening March 24, the head of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities does the first of many introductions. "That's what I do for five days," he says at Ondaatje's event on March 27, and he manages to maneuver through the festival without repeating himself– mostly.
Let them eat cake: The festival kicks off with 10 birthday cakes, including the crowd favorite: a replica of the fest's open-book-with-flowers logo by HotCakes.
Finally, some good budget news: Albemarle Board of Supes Chair Lindsay Dorrier mentions that Albemarle's just-passed budget includes $10,000 for next year's festival.
Three men who can rest on their laurels: Vaughan presents festival founders Tom Dowd, Paul Collinge, and Cal Otto with a poem by George Garrett.
Oh yeah, one more anniversary: It's Prairie Home Companion's 30th birthday as well, Vaughan notes in his March 24 introduction of Garrison Keillor at the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center.
He is whistlin' "Dixie": Only Keillor could get away with singing the politically incorrect tune in front of a huge NPR crowd.
Who knew a recitation of "Frankie and Johnny" could be so moving: Keillor pays homage to a literary influence from the fourth grade.
Why the French are different: "In France, everyone walks like they're a star in their own movies," Keillor observes after a recent trip. Even if going to pick up a baguette, "They move forward as if bound for an assignation or an assassination."
"You should never tell a writer anything": Keillor admits he picked up enough material to continue Prairie Home Companion for two or three more years after plying his siblings with good wine on their European vacation and writing down everything they said.
Flattery will get you anywhere: North Carolinian Clyde Edgerton tells the sold-out March 25 festival luncheon crowd at the Omni, "In North Carolina, we always looked up to Virginia and down on South Carolina and that doesn't just have to do with geography."
Festival trend– the singing author: Keillor isn't the only writer to belt out a tune. Edgerton serenades with songs like "I'm Fat from Shame" and "All I Wanted Was a Can of Pork and Beans" and offers CDs for sale along with his books.
Seeing double: Literary twins Robert and Richard Bausch read at Barnes and Noble March 25.
Book we were most tempted to buy: Robert Bausch's Gypsy Man.
Reading that had us closest to tears: Richard Bausch's short story, "Byron the Lyron."
Rare sighting: The late UVA prof Bill Elwood's The Road to Brown, the story of Charles Hamilton Houston, "the man who killed Jim Crow," is screened March 25.
Ah-ha moment: National Geographic photographer Sam Abell demonstrates to a standing room-only crowd March 26 at Vinegar Hill the art of seeing by showing the rejected photos that lead to the one that appears in the pages of National Geo.
Unread book on our shelf that's moved to the top of the heap: The Known World, after UVA alum Edward P. Jones' reading from his award-winning story of fictitious Manchester County in 1844 where freed blacks owned slaves.
Response we've been waiting to hear from a writer: "People want me to analyze the things I do, and I can't do that," Jones tells the packed crowd at UVA Bookstore March 26.
We wish it were a fictitious story about a fictitious county in Virginia: Prince Edward County, called the only county in the western hemisphere that closed its schools for five years, is the topic of the March 26 Brown v. Board of Education panel, with firsthand accounts of slavery's legacy in the struggle to integrate its schools.
Chant of the students who challenged Jim Crow segregation: "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar. All for a strike stand up and holler," student leader John Stokes recalls of that day in April 1951, when students walked out of the Robert R. Moton High School and into history as part of the Brown case.
No buses to get to the back of: Stokes had to walk 4.5 miles along U.S. 15 in the first grade, and panelist Dorothy Holcomb, in the fourth grade in 1959 when the Prince Edward schools closed, had to walk three miles.
How to go to school in Appomattox: Holcomb's father rented a house in the county 15 miles away that "wasn't fit to live in," and 17 children waited to get on the bus there every morning.
The difference between integration and desegregation: Respect, according to Gerald Foster, author of Silent Trumpets of Justice: Integration's Failure in Prince Edward County.
"I'm the moderator here": VFH's Amy Tillerson, who graduated from Prince Edward High, has to control her audience when the discussion on race gets a little testy.
Michael Ondaatje myth dispelled: The author of The English Patient denies that forensic anthropologist and senior VFH fellow Victoria Sanford is the model for the "much more badly behaved" protagonist in his new book, Anil's Ghost. He shares the stage with Sanford, author of Buried Secrets, whom he met in Guatemala, where she was taking testimony from the survivors of massacres in that country.
Question that sends the Ondaatje audience running toward the doors and prompts a moderator to raise a card that says, "End session": "Is your work transformative?"
What Michael Chabon wants written on his tombstone: "He wrote an unused treatment for X-Men," courtesy of Virginia Quarterly Review editor Ted Genoways' introduction. Chabon reads an unpublished chapter from The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, and plugs the Review that carries it as sure to be a collector's item.
That's the thing about short stories: "I was tired of slice of life, the key fragile moments in a character's life," confesses Chabon, who was inspired to "revivify" the genre and who edited the short story collection, McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales.
One more Chabon pet peeve: He doesn't like it that writers are categorized and put into their own sections for example, sci-fi– in bookstores. "The whole idea of sections bothers me. I think it should just be fiction."
Sneak preview of Chabon's new novel: The Yiddish Policeman's Union, the what-if story of 2.5 million Jews settling in southern Alaska after World War II to form a Yiddish-speaking part of the United States. "And an otherwise conventional murder mystery," the author reveals.
National Book Award finalist Edward P. Jones didn't get a totally free ride from UVA: "They gave me a scholarship but I still had to pay a lot of money," he says, following a glowing introduction by former teacher John Casey.


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DailyDirt: Simulations For Living On Mars
from the urls-we-dig-up deptManned missions to Mars aren't going to happen for decades (if ever?), but in the mean time, we have awesome robots roaming the surface of Mars for us. We also have some simulations of living on Mars -- like the Mars500 project -- and the unforgettable original Total Recall movie. Here are just a few more Martian simulations if you need some help escaping from the realities of Earth.
- Will Wright, the creator of SimCity, has imagined what the first Mars settlement might look like in 2047. A Martian town with a population of 8,000 inhabitants sounds somewhat unlikely in less than 50 years, but it might happen someday. [url]
- An open source Mars Simulator built in Java has been around since 1998. SimMars was never commercially released, so this open source project was the only game in town -- until the mod for SimCity 4. [url]
- FMARS is a simulated Mars habitat project, located near an impact crater on Devon Island. The Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station was created by the non-profit Mars Society in 2000 -- and it would be cool if they rented it out on AirBnB... [url]
Filed Under: colony, fmars, mars, mars500, settlement, simcity, simulation, space


text: A Blue View is a weekly perspective on the life aquatic, hosted by National Aquarium CEO John Racanelli. From the smallest plants and animals invisible to the human eye to entire ecosystems, every living thing depends on and is intricately linked by water. Tune in to 88.1 WYPR every Tuesday at 5:45 pm as John brings to the surface important issues and fascinating discoveries making waves in the world today. May 29, 2013: Understanding Ocean Acidification Click here to listen to John discuss how the changing global climate is impacting on our oceans. Say you visit the same spot on the same ocean every year. You take a swim, and it feels pretty much like the last time. The temperature doesn't seem all that different. You certainly can't tell that the pH is changing. Yet just as the global climate is changing, so too is the ocean's chemistry. Alongside atmospheric climate change, ocean acidification is one of the most serious issues affecting the waters of our planet and all of its inhabitants. Ocean acidification has only recently entered the public's consciousness, though scientists have been studying and predicting the phenomenon for some time. Many estimate that the ocean absorbs approximately 30 percent of human-generated carbon dioxide, which reacts with sea water to form carbonic acid. The resultant decrease in pH means the water becomes more acidic, with disastrous effects on animals that depend on their shells and exoskeletons to survive. Though the media has taken to calling ocean acidification our "new climate threat," it is not a new problem. Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide has been increasing in our atmosphere and therefore our seawater. Now, over 200 years later, we can no longer ignore the threat. Even conservative estimates suggest that by 2100, global ocean waters will warm nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit on average and acidity will increase by 150 percent. So what does this mean for ocean wildlife? Clearly, the sea's complex food web will be disrupted. Highly mobile animals will be forced to expand their home ranges as they search for more hospitable waters. Sadly, coral reefs as we know them will be forever altered and could even disappear. Animals will struggle to build skeletons and shells in waters that literally dissolve them. And growth and reproductive capabilities of numerous marine animals will be at risk. Ocean acidification has caused coral bleaching on parts of the Great Barrier Reef. Photo via CS Monitor The Chesapeake Bay watershed is not immune to these dramatic changes. In fact, according to NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office, the Bay is being affected at a faster rate than the global average because land in this region is already subsiding naturally. Bay temperatures have already increased almost 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1960 and are projected to increase by an additional 3 to 10 degrees by 2100—a tremendous change that will have a profound effect on the nation's largest estuary. Increased acidification of the Bay will alter its delicate balance in other ways. For example, according to marine geologist Justin Ries of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, blue crabs could grow larger, while the creatures they eat, including oysters and clams, could suffer from weaker, slower-growing shells. These bivalves, in addition to being an integral part of the food chain, also contribute to healthier water quality by filtering huge quantities of Bay water. The moral: damage one small species and you affect the entire Chesapeake Bay. We cannot simply undo the impacts of ocean acidification. The carbon dioxide we are putting into the atmosphere today will continue to accumulate for decades. There is hope, however, and as always, it starts with each of us. Reducing our consumption of fossil fuels and minimizing our collective carbon footprint isn't just the best way forward, it's the only way. As Fyodor Dostoevsky said in The Brothers Karamazov, "For all is like an ocean. All flows and connects. Touch it in one place and it echoes at the other end of the world." Tags: a-blue-view, acidification, climate-change, Conservation, national-aquarium-2, national-aquarium-in-baltimore, national-wildlife-federation, noaa, nwf, ocean-acidification, ocean-conservation, ocean-wildlife, water-temperature Categories: Animals, Behind-The-Scenes, Conservation, News Previous Post Next Post


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19 March 2012 at 3.49pm | 13 Comments
Beatriz Stix-Brunell and Nehemiah Kish are to perform the roles of Alice and Jack/Knave of Hearts for performances of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland on 24 and 29 March and 3 April.
Both dancers will make their Royal Opera House debuts in the roles.
Beatriz Stix-Brunell joined The Royal Ballet in 2010 from Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company. Prior to this the Miami, Florida born dancer trained at the School of American Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet School and completed her studies with Fabrice Herrault in New York.
Nehemiah Kish joined The Royal Ballet as a Principal in 2010, formerly dancing with the Royal Danish Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada. His other upcoming roles include performing in Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia - part of a triple bill with Wayne McGregor, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt's Carbon Life and a new work from Liam Scarlett - as well as in The Prince of the Pagodas.


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- Birthday Catering Menus
- Please select from the menus below:
- Barbecue Menu
- Spit Roast Menu
- Cold Platters
- Hot Platters
- Finger Food Menu
Birthday Catering Sutherland - Sydney
So, you're having a Birthday party around Sutherland... well us here at Birthday Catering specialise in planning your special event. All you need to do is enter your details in the "FREE QUOTE" form above, and we will get back to you ASAP. You can either create your own menu or we can advise you with our Chef's special selections. So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a free quote today!
Birthday Catering can provide catering for all suburbs in the Sutherland area. Including the following suburbs:
Alfords Point, Audley, Bangor, Barden Ridge, Bonnet Bay, Bundeena, Burraneer, Caringbah, Caringbah South, Como, Cronulla, Dolans Bay, Engadine, Grays Point, Gymea, Gymea Bay, Heathcote, Illawong, Jannali, Kangaroo Point, Kareela, Kirrawee, Kurnell, Lilli Pilli, Loftus, Lucas Heights, Maianbar, Menai, Miranda, Oyster Bay, Port Hacking, Sandy Point, Sutherland, Sylvania, Sylvania Waters, Taren Point, Waterfall, Woolooware, Woronora, Woronora Heights, Yarrawarrah, Yowie Bay,
Birthday Catering can also provide catering services in other areas of Sydney:
Sydney City, Ashfield, Botany Bay, Burwood, Canada Bay, Canterbury, Hunter's Hill, Hurstville, Kogarah, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, North Sydney, Randwick, Rockdale, Strathfield, Sutherland, Waverley, Willoughby, Woollahra, Auburn, Bankstown, Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Holroyd, Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Ryde, The Hills, Warringah,
Birthday Catering can also provide catering services in other Cities in Australia:


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1950 Chevy Truck - Balance Of Power
Decisions, Decisions
When building one's ideal custom truck, it all boils down to balance of power. Whether it's money, design, stance, or the left and right side of one's brain battling over whether creativity or function should be the key theme, it's always a balance of power between two sides. In the end, either one side caves in or a mutual agreement is established. For Quinton Bryant of Adair, Oklahoma, it was a balance of style and cents.
Originally, Quinton set out to build a '50s-style low-buck daily driven '50 Chevy truck. Nothing fancy, just simple, tasteful and, most importantly, cool. As the project unfolded, he kept throwing more money into the truck to perfect the imperfections, and even more hours of work to ... well perfect the imperfections. Then one day it hit him: His plan of building a budget-themed ride was out the door. He had spent too much time and money at this point to undercut the final product. At that point Quinton gave into both sides and decided to build a stylish show-quality truck for the street.
Perhaps the biggest toss-up Quinton faced was what to do with the body. On one hand he wanted to build a mild custom with subtle hues here and there. On the other hand he wanted to take things a bit further by shaving most of the ornamentation, and even going as far as chopping the top. What he settled on was what he thought Chevy would have done, along with a few ideas of his own, if they had offered a "custom" version of this model truck. Before any creative work could be carried out, the basic rust and dent repair was in order. All of the panels were first sandblasted. Next, Quinton fixed and patched as much of the original tin as possible. However, new doors, a bedbox, rear fenders, and running boards all had to be ordered from the aftermarket, as they were not salvageable. Next, Quinton pursued the custom touches he had in mind. First the hood was taken down and louvers were punched in. Then the filler neck located on the cab was 86'd. Out back the stock taillights were ditched for a set of frenched-in '39 Ford taillights. (Maybe not something Chevy would have offered, being that the taillights are Blue Oval products, but Quinton figured something along that vein would have been worked into the mix.) Next, the rear bed floor needed to be raised to avoid having a bridge worked into it. Originally Quinton had planned on painting the truck flat black and throwing on a set of nice wheels, solely because the truck was built to be a driver and he didn't want to worry the entire time he was behind the wheel. But with all the work, time, and money he had already spent, Quinton hated to throw a quick and easy paintjob on the truck. It was decided that a new paint scheme was needed, and Quinton took a gamble on painting the truck Sikkens Lime Gold. Although family, friends, and even Quinton's wife, Jennifer, thought he was crazy for his paint choice, he plowed through and had Waymond Williams of Champion Collision in Pryor, Oklahoma, spray the Chevy. "The first time I put the truck together, painted, I was hoping I made the right decision. Then I put on the wheels and tires, rolled it outside in the sun, and let the air out ... and I knew I made the right decision," Quinton told us.
On the inside Quinton wanted to keep things tasteful and traditional, so it was pretty much kept the way Chevy intended. Although, he did add some Classic Instrument gauges, a Gennie shifter, and a Mooneye's steering wheel. The rest of the interior was handled by Massy Trim Shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Massy stitched up the black-and-white vinyl seat and door panels, a perfect touch for the truck's theme. Although things may not have turned out like Quinton had planned, the overall finished product is 10-fold what was originally in store for the Chevy. As for everyone thinking Quinton had lost his mind on the color choice, well, even they agreed he nailed it.


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A running discussion on the Cincinnati Reds and everything else in the baseball universe.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Top Prospect List: #11 Neftali Soto, ss
When Neftali Soto first caught my eye with his performance in the Gulf Coast League, I thought Soto was yet another example of our Latin America Baseball Academy bearing fruit. However, Soto is from Puerto Rico, which made him draft eligible. Regardless of how the Reds got him, it's a good thing that they did.
Soto is 6'3 tall, 180 lbs, bats right, and throws right. He attended Colegio Marista High School in Puerto Rico, where he broke the youth homerun record of Juan Gonzalez. Obviously, he has a great deal of power potential.
Gulf Coast League Reds
Soto made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast League Reds and acquitted himself admirably for an 18 year old. Soto got into 40 games and in 152 ABs posted a line of .303/.355/.454/.809. He hit 2 homers and was successful in his 2 stolen base attempts. His 31/11 K/BB ratio wasn't bad for a young ballplayer in his first professional season. However, his on base skills are far from ideal, so hopefully more experience will lead to a more disciplined approach at the plate.
As to be expected, Soto was more effective against southpaws (.366/.409/.488/.897) than right-handers (.279/.336/.441/.778).
On the positive side was that Soto got better in the more crucial situations, hitting .311/.342/.527/.869 with runners on base and .340/.370/.640/1.010 with runners in scoring position. That's the kind of situational hitting you like to see out of all your players, but it's impressive to see in a young prospect.
His 2007 season was shutdown early due to minor elbow inflammation in August, but it shouldn't be of long term concern.
Soto has a long, smooth swing that should generate even more power when he fills out. Not to suggest in any way, shape, or form that he has similar offensive potential, but his style reminds me a bit of Joe DiMaggio. He has a wide batting stance which provides a solid base. The wide stance limits the length of his stride, which is essentially just picking up his foot and putting it right back down. He gets good extension in his swing. For some reason, lefthanders always seem to have longer, more flowing swings, but DiMaggio had it from the rightside and I see a bit of it in Soto's swing.
Of course, a longer swing can simply mean more holes for the pitcher to exploit, so it may not be such a good thing for Soto. Soto's swing is a bit inconsistent and he'll need to refine it a bit to be successful. It'll be interesting to see if more advanced competition can exploit his longer swing or if Soto can maintain his level of performance by adding strength. His strikeout totals should tell the tale. Either way, it seems unlikely that Soto will ever hit for a high average, but his power potential could offset it. Improvement in his on base skills would also help offset a low batting average, but it's too soon to tell if he'll be able to do so.
You can access the link to Soto's MLB scouting video here.
Scouting reports grade Soto's arm as average, but it appears to be a tick below average. He utilizes a high three-quarters motion, which can cause the ball to sail. In the field, his footwork is good, but he takes long, deliberate strides which may ultimately force him to move off shortstop. His first step quickness isn't good and bulk added from maturity will likely reduce his already borderline range.
In 2007, Soto posted a .913 fielding percentage at shortstop and played 4 games at 3rd base, which may be his ultimate destination.
Soto probably isn't a shortstop, but he has good offensive potential. His career got off to a nice start, but it was a fairly small sample size and he's got a long way to go to reach the majors. Ultimately, more advanced competition may expose more weaknesses and reveal that Soto isn't a blue chip prospect.
There are a lot of wrong turns on the road to the majors and Soto could easily take one, but at this stage it's difficult to overlook his upside, which is why Soto gets the nod at #11.
Labels: 2008, Baseball, N.Soto, Reds, Top 15 Prospects
7 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 30, 2009 at 4:21 AM
he's from puerto rico yeeeeaaaaahhhhhReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 26, 2009 at 5:03 PM
You make it to the bigs Soto! Go PRReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 16, 2009 at 7:58 AM
Saludos a ti y a tu papa. Si mantienes tu etica de trabajo y tu objetivo te veo en MLB en par de anos.ReplyDelete
Roberto Rivera
Florida, PR
PD Saludos a Wicho
- AnonymousAugust 11, 2010 at 11:24 PM
Keep up the good work, and don't take NO for an answer. See you in Washington when you play against the Nationals!!ReplyDelete
Your Cuz,
R. Jimenez
sigue jugando pelota y te veo cuando vengas a floridaReplyDelete
I knew this guy was Boricua. Reds.com says he's from Manati, Canada. I thought: Neftali Soto, Canada? No way.ReplyDelete
- vergaraFebruary 29, 2012 at 3:48 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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ALUMNI PROFILE: Jason Evans '02
Residence: Pittsburgh
Year of Graduation.: 2002
Major: Sport Management/Business Administration
Current position: Head Ice Hockey Coach, Chatham University Cougars
Tell us about your RMU experience:
I worked full-time during my college days, while playing hockey, and couldn't have been supported more by faculty and staff. I enjoyed it enough that I brought both of my brothers to RMU – Justin '06 (education) and Jesse '10 (graphic design).
Why did you choose RMU?
I was looking at RMU and Pitt, but I decided the class sizes suited me better at RMU. The sport management program was also a heavy determining factor.
How long have you been into hockey?
I played locally and began coaching high school hockey in 1998. At RMU I played for the club team and later coached the ACHA Division III team (2004) and the ACHA Division I team (2005-10). There were a few coaches before me that lead the way. We had a great team and won three conference championships, four conference playoff championships, and enjoyed four trips to ACHA National Championship tournaments. We had a lot of great moments along the way, and I still think about them often. Interesting note: Our entire staff on the Cougars hockey team is comprised of Robert Morris alumni (Jon Hoffman '08, assistant ice hockey coach; Jerry Hillman '07, equipment manager), and we're looking to add another recent RMU graduate to the 2013-14 staff.
Did you take part in any other activities/groups at RMU?
I didn't leave much time to join other groups. But communication classes with Prof. Jim Vincent and management classes with Dr. John Clark were plenty entertaining.


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The 17th Century: not an easy period for a farmer!
Players start the game with two family members living in a two-room wooden hut. In each round, each member of their family may choose one action. If they collect wood and reed, that can extend their hut and then add to their family. Family growth allows additional actions, but has the disadvantage that more food must be produced. And to get food, the players plow fields and plant seeds. The planted gran and vegetables are harvested during the Harvest, when animals breed as well. To raise animals, pastures must be fenced to allow sheep, wild boar and cattle to graze. Occupations of Improvements can ensure a family's upkeep; Each of these cards allows the player a small advantage in the game. Victory Points are earned when players renovate their wooden hut to a clay hut and later even a stone house. But everything else to do with balancing food requirements or making everyday life a little more comfortable can earn Victory Points Ò especially Family growth.
Each game uses a different group of the 166 different Occupation cards and 146 different Improvements, ensuring that no two games are exactly alike. Additional rules for Solo game and a shortened family game ensure appropriate challenges for each gaming table.
For 1-5 players. Recommended for ages 13 and older.
Duration: 30 minutes per player.
Contains: 9 double sided game boards, 138 Goods tokem, 36 food tokems, 54 animal cubes, 25 person tokens, 75 fences, 20 stables, 24 hut tiles, 33 stone house/field tiles, 3 guest/claim markers, 9 multiplication tokens, 1 scoring pad, 1 game rules, 1 starting player marker, 2 deck cards, 169 occupation cards, 1490 improvement cards, 14 round cards, 16 actions cards, 5 begging cards, 5 summary cards.
Ages 12+


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Ultra opens after stage collapse
Ultra Musical Festival opens at Bayfront Park
MIAMI – The Ultra Music Festival opened at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami after a row of LED video screens collapsed onto the main stage, injuring three people.
Two men were trapped underneath the debris when the stage collapsed about 7:50 p.m. Thursday, according to Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Ignatius Carroll.
The two men were transported in critical condition to Jackson's Ryder Trauma Center, where they've since stabilized.
"It looks like their prognosis is going to be pretty good," added Carroll.
A third person sustained minor injuries. One of the victims, Joseph Green, is listed in stable condition. Two others were released.
It's unclear what caused the accident. Carroll said inspectors checked all six stages at Bayfront Park before the music festival began Friday. The opening of the festival was pushed back one hour because of the accident.
"It's not about, 'Well, the show must go on.' It's all about making sure they don't have anyone else getting hurt," said Carroll.
"I'm a little worried but I'm sure they'll get it figured out before they let anyone in," said Max Flynn, who flew in from Colorado to attend.
Ultra Music Festival runs through Sunday. It will also be held next weekend.
Copyright 2013 by Local10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Show Description:
Flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny returns with an all-request virtual house concert!
How Stageit Works
Stageit is a LIVE online video concert that is never recorded or archived. Fans can chat with each other in real time and interact with the performer. To get a ticket to this show, click the "Get Ticket" button above. The tip jar also allows you to show your support at anytime. Top Supporters are ranked by their contribution to a specific show (this includes the total value of both your ticket price and tips).
Important info: Tipping does not secure you a ticket for the show. You must get a ticket to enjoy the performance. This is not a ticket to a brick & mortar event in your home town. This show takes place LIVE on the internet and will not be made available for later viewing.
Browser: Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari are preferred. We support Internet Explorer 9 and above.
Internet Speed: Typically, Stageit requires a minimum download speed of 400 kbps. However, we recommend a download speed of at least 1 mbps. You can test the speed of your internet connection at www.speedtest.net.
Media Player: Adobe Flash Player is required when viewing from a laptop or desktop computer. Please check to ensure you have the latest version of Adobe Flash by clicking here.
Mobile: Available on mobile devices, including iOS and most Android devices.


text: It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not?"


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HIV traps Asian households in vicious circle0
BANGKOK (Dec. 1, 2011) — Households in Asia that include people living with HIV exhaust their savings and liquidate assets at a disproportionately high rate, often plunging into "irreversible poverty," according to a new UN Development Program study, released Thursday.
Catastrophic health care costs, stigma, unemployment, and bad credit also mean these households — which start out with fewer assets — consume less food of lower quality and keep fewer children in school, the report said.
The report, Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia: A Regional Analysis, calls for urgent mitigation measures, including HIV-sensitive social protection, to arrest this rapid socio-economic decline of tens of thousands of households in the region.
"The study clearly demonstrates the severity of the impact of HIV on households and the need for sustainable impact mitigation steps, ideally integrated into the social protection schemes targeted at vulnerable and marginalized populations," said Nicholas Rosellini, Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. "Without intervention, many of them will slip into irreversible poverty," she added.
Reduced enrollment and higher drop-outs rates among children from HIV-affected households demonstrate HIV's toll on human capital.
Children in HIV-affected households in China, India, Indonesia, and Viet Nam are less likely to attend school than those from non-HIV-affected households, the study found. Children from the poorest households, as well as girls, suffer more. Girls fare particularly badly in terms of school drop-outs as well.
Within households of people living with HIV, the impact on women is considerably higher – taking care of the ill at home and working outside the house to earn extra income needed to cope with the economic burdens of HIV.
The study found that HIV-affected household members in China, Indonesia, and Viet Nam are also more often jobless, frequently because they are infected with HIV.
Stigmatised and Trapped in Debt
In all the countries surveyed, HIV-affected households extinguish their savings and liquidate assets far more commonly than non-HIV-affected households, particularly in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, and India.
While most households end up in debt, many also find borrowing difficult because of their adverse "creditworthiness," forcing them to borrow from money-lenders at higher interest rates that trap them in debt.
"The answer lies in HIV-sensitive social protection," Clifton Cortez, Regional Practice Leader for HIV, Health, and Development, said. "It's a question of tailoring social protection initiatives to address the socio-economic vulnerability of HIV households."
The report also notes pervasive stigma and discrimination in all spheres of life, including in community and state institutions, employment, and domestic and social spaces. Discrimination most commonly occurs as social isolation, verbal abuse, and harassment.
The report is based on national studies undertaken by UNDP in partnership with national institutions in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam over the last six years. National studies compared HIV-affected and non-HIV-affected households with similar socio-economic backgrounds, comprising 17,000 households and 72,000 individuals.
With the exception of Cambodia, health spending as a share of overall consumption is substantially higher in HIV-affected households compared to non-HIV-affected households: HIV-affected households in India, Indonesia, and Viet Nam spend three times more on health than non-HIV-affected-households.
In Cambodia, HIV-affected-households spend less on health, most likely because of the country's near-universal coverage of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV. Cambodia's ARV coverage among women and lesser discrimination at health facilities are also notable.
The reports The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia: A Regional Analysis can be downloaded at http://www.snap-undp.org/elibrary/Publication.aspx?id=571.
The Socio-Economic Impact of HIV at the Household Level in Asia: A Regional Analysis of the Impact on Women and Girls: http://www.snap-undp.org/elibrary/Publication.aspx?id=572.


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Zathura is a lightweight viewer for pdf which works on plugins. Here is shor description :
Zathura is a highly configurable and functional PDF viewer based on the Poppler
rendering library and the GTK+ toolkit. The idea behind zathura is an
application that provides a minimalist and space saving interface as well as
an easy usage that mainly focuses on keyboard interaction.
But the viewer will not work unless you install the plugins to display the correct plugin. So, if you want to use it for any real purposes then you will have to install the appropriate plugin as well, so here is what you need to do:
sudo yum install zathura zathura-pdf-poppler
And you have the lightweight viewer working for pdf. Its very good option if you like a viewer alone with not many features, but doing just what it is designed to do 🙂
Related articles


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The Last Dime Band, Emily Minor & Blake Kearney; Shana Tucker; Elliot Engel; Earle Abernethy, Carol-Ann Tucker, Jimmy Aycock and Dave Aduddell
The Last Dime Band will perform live at The DugOut Saturday. Cover charge is $5. On April 19, Emily Minor & Blake Kearney will perform live. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The DugOut is at 674 Stratford Blvd., in Stratford Plaza. For more information, call 252-208-0304.
CHAMBERSOUL CELLO & SONGS/Kinston
Shana Tucker is a cellist and singer/songwriter whose music is a mix of acoustic pop and soulful, jazz-influenced contemporary folk. She will spend Saturday in Kinston, conducting an �informance� for free from 1 to 2:30 p.m. for high school students and adults. Her evening concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., all at the Community Council for the Arts, 400 N. Queen St. Concert tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Light hors d�oeuvres are included. For information, call 252-527-2517 or go to kinstoncca.com.
ELLIOT ENGEL/Kinston
Literary lecturer Elliot Engel will give his 50th presentation in Kinston at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Schechter Auditorium of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library, 510 N. Queen St. In his program, �The Vanderbilts: All of Them,� Engel traces the amazing tale of this American dynasty, from Cornelius, born in 18th century, to Gloria of the designer jeans. Engel�s lecture will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. The Friends of the Library is sponsoring the program and reception, both of which are free and open to the public. For more information, call 252-527-7066, ext. 130.
SECOND SUNDAYS/Kinston
Grainger Hill�s Second Sunday Series will present �Big Band Sounds, Ballads and Broadway,� featuring Earle Abernethy, drums; Carol-Ann Tucker, vocals; Jimmy Aycock, piano; and Dave Aduddell, bass. The performance will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, with doors opening at 2 p.m., at the Community Council for the Arts, 400 N. Queen St. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at door, available at the arts center. The series, and each concert, is presented by the Grainger Hill Performing Arts Center in conjunction with the CCA, with all performances at the CCA. All proceeds, after expenses, will benefit Grainger Hill. For information, contact 252-527-2517 or kinstoncca.com; or 252-527-8515, Total Experience.


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Your Library Online
MFRL is open 24 hours a day on the web!
There is no charge for accessing Your Library Online. Choose a category from the menu on the left to get started, or scroll down to browse it all. Users not in the library buildings may be redirected to our Find It Virginia portal which requires a valid MFRL Library Card
Help and Training
MFRL has partnered with to bring you some great video tutorials making it easier than ever to download and enjoy eBooks, Audiobooks, Movies, Music, Graphic Novels and Magazines.


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The McGill University Health Centre's Institute for Strategic Analysis and Innovation (MUHC-ISAI) aims to promote health care innovations within and beyond the MUHC by exploring ideas, technologies and practices that can raise the bar on health system performance. The goal is to bring stakeholders in the health field together to explore approaches that respond to current needs and consider the full range of possibilities available for the future.
- From patient to volunteer to member of the Board: What motivates personal engagement in our hospitals?
Featuring Ms. Gwendolyn Andrews Nacos
Sixth Annual Director General's Lecture — September 25, 2013
- Using Globalization Strategically to Expand Knowledge, Seize Healthcare Opportunities and Improve Care
Fifth Annual Conference of the MUHC Institute for Strategic Analysis and Innovation - November 21, 2012
- Where Does the MUHC Fit in the Global Healthcare System?
Fifth Annual ISAI Director's Lecture - June 14th, 2012
- The Scope of Medicare - What makes sense today?
Fourth Annual ISAI Conference - 2011
- Medicines, Long-term Care and Home Care - The Impact of Keeping Them Out of the Medicare Model
Fourth Annual Roundtable Discussion of the McGill University Health Centre's Institute for Strategic Analysis and Innovation
- Realizing information technology's promise to improve health care
Third Annual ISAI Conference - 2010
- Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Discusses A/H1N1 Experience (2010)
Third annual MUHC-ISAI Director General's Lecture: Lessons learned.... read more
- The role of government in health care delivery - 2nd annual ISAI Conference - (2009)
Second Annual Conference of the McGill University Health Centre's Institute for Strategic Analysis and Innovation, 2009, Montreal... read more
- Health Innovation Forum Round Table: Nursing in an evolving health system (2009)
The second annual Health Innovation Forum provider round table hosted by ISAI and the McGill University Health Centre... read more
- MUHC hosts first international ISAI conference on the Canadian health care system (2008)
THE CANADIAN HEALTH SYSTEM COMES OF AGE. A framework for 21st century care.
Welcome to the first annual conference of the Institute for Str... read more


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hammers66 wrote:Iron Man (2008) SCR-DiVX5-NoGRP
Image linkGenre : Action / Adventure / Drama / Romance / Sc- Fi / Thriller
Tagline : Fully Charged.
Plot : Tony Stark is the complete playboy who also happens to be an engineering genius. While in Afghanistan demonstrating a new missile he's captured and wounded. His captors want him to assemble a missile for them but instead he creates an armored suit and a means to prevent his death from the shrapnel left in his chest by the attack. He uses the armored suit to escape. Back in the U.S. he announces his company will cease making weapons and he begins work on an updated armored suit only to find that Obadiah Stane, his second in command at Stark industries has been selling Stark weapons to the insurgents. He uses his new suit to return to Afghanistan to destroy the arms and then to stop Stane from misusing his research.
- Code: Select all
Filesize : 828 MB
Video Codec : DX50
Video Bitrate : 779
Resolution : 576 x 432
Framerate : 23.976
Audio Codec : MPEG-1 Layer 3
Audio Bitrate : 128 kb/s tot , Stereo
Runtime : 2:06:22
Language : English
Samplerate : 48000Hz
ed2k: Iron.Man.2008.SCR.DiVX5-NoGRP.avi [828.75 Mb] [Stats]


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Clan Recruitment
Glory is a new custom private server, it is based on the revision 667 with custom items, whether they be modified OSRS items, Glory allows the ability for players to login and pk or go against creatures within the game.
Feel free to check them out!
Global events such as tournaments and the world boss offer unique items! you can participate in them for free!
Your vote means so much to us, you can vote to help us reach the top list of private servers, and receive awards!


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Soulcalibur V
SoulCalibur V gets official Mad Catz Arcade FightStick
SoulCalibur is back in a big way. Fight fans looking to recreate the arcade experience in their living rooms will be pleased to hear about the Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Soul Edition for Namco Bandai's weapons-based brawler.
Soulcalibur V headlines
Namco Bandai at TGS - Vita, 3DS, Soulcalibur V
Famitsu already spoiled some of the big announcements to come out of the Namco Bandai pre-TGS press conference, but there were still some details to be chewed over and enjoyed. Expect big things for the PlayStation Vita launch lineup, Tekken, Ace Combat, Katamari Damacy and – of course, Soulcalibur V.
Early Soulcalibur games being considered for DLC release
With Soulcalibur V on the way soon, game director Daishi Odashima is getting pretty chatty on Twitter. While some of his posts relate to game design theory and the reasons behind certain decisions, he's also getting awfully close to letting certain cats out of certain bags.
Soul Calibur V to be quicker than previous titles
Soul Calibur V producer Hisaharu Tago told gamesradar that the game's design aims to be "faster, lighter, and more elegant" than its precursors.Sould Calibur V will feature up to 30 characters, half of whom will be brand new. It's due on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012; check out the latest screens here.
Next Soulcalibur won't be Siegfried-centric
Soulcalibur director Daishi Odashima has revealed the upcoming new entry in the weapons-based fighting series will oust Siegfried from prime position.


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Killswitch Engage React to 2014 Grammy Nod
2013 has been a great year for Killswitch Engage. It's the band's first full year with vocalist Jesse Leach back in the lineup, and with Leach, Killswitch released 'Disarm the Descent' and embarked on some awesome tours. To cap off the year, Killswitch Engage have been nominated for a 2014 Grammy, with Leach announcing his excitement in a press release.
After longtime Killswitch vocalist Howard Jones departed the metalcore band in early 2012, many were unsure if a new singer could command the power Jones gave Killswitch Engage for 10 years. However, when original vocalist Jesse Leach returned, those worries were squashed from Day 1. The triumphant comeback of Killswitch Engage is worthy of accolades, and the group may win their first Grammy at the 2014 ceremony.
Killswitch Engage was nominated in the Best Metal Performance category in 2005 for 'The End of Heartache,' but lost to Motorhead's 'Whiplash.' As for the band's 2014 nod, Jesse Leach says:
All of us in Killswitch Engage are pleased to be nominated for a Grammy! We are also honored to share this nomination with such great bands. No matter what the outcome, it means even more to us to be able to do what we love and have such amazing fans. Huge thanks to everyone that has supported us and to all the hardworking people who help make this band what it is --we can't do this with out you! It is refreshing to see metal being noticed by the Grammys and we hope in the future it receives even more exposure and recognition. Cheers to all!
Along with Killswitch Engage's 'In Due Time,' Anthrax's cover of AC/DC's 'TNT,' Black Sabbath's 'God is Dead?,' Dream Theater's 'The Enemy Inside' and Volbeat's 'Room 24,' which features King Diamond, are also nominated in the 2014 Best Metal Performance category.


text: In 2008, Opera Omnia put on a feisty staging of Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea at (Le) Poisson Rouge, then brand-new. The company is back with a new production, of Cavalli's Giasone, which has lately become something of a pop hit; I wrote about the Yale Baroque Opera Project's staging in 2009. The Opera Omnia show opens at LPR tomorrow and runs through Sept. 7.... A new company called Opera Moderne is setting up shop at Galapagos in DUMBO. The inaugural program, tonight, consists of Libby Larsen's Songs from Letters, George Crumb's Ancient Voices of Children, and Britten's searing vocal scene Phaedra. Next May the company is planning a rare stateside performance of Gustave Charpentier's opéra-vérité masterpiece Louise.... Also tonight is a showing of Nixon in China in the Met's Summer HD Festival in Lincoln Center Plaza.... The Cage-Wagner nexus? Robert Moran's Buddha Goes to Bayreuth, which will have its premiere at the Ruhr Triennale on Oct. 1, manipulates sixty-four chords from Parsifal according to the I Ching. Cage's Ryoanji is also on the program.... Those who live in or near Woodstock NY will have a chance to hear Othmar Schoeck's sublime vocal cycle Notturno at Maverick Concerts on Sept. 4. The Daedalus Quartet is joined by Andrew Garland, baritone.... The pianist Daniel Beliavsky has made a documentary film about the composer Donald Harris, a somewhat overlooked figure in the American modernist tradition; it recently aired on CUNY TV. Above is a video of Beliavsky playing Harris's Sonata (1957).... Are you, like me, trying to come to grips with Spotify, the new streaming music service? Steve Smith, quite possibly the wisest music critic in America, assesses its strengths, limitations, and moral quandaries in characteristically deft fashion.


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One of the defining moments of my traffic safety education was a story in Road & Track magazine a million years ago which reported on research indicating that traffic drives at the speed of the road was designed to handle, not according to a random number painted on a sign by the side of the road.
No, it doesn't go as fast as it possibly can - drivers seem to have a built-in sense of survival.
But if the road is designed to accommodate, say, 100 km/h, that's about the speed at which most drivers will choose to drive.
I don't know if that research has been replicated since.
But a perfect example of the concept is currently on display on the 401 eastbound near the Hurontario Street construction. It remains three lanes wide as you enter the signed construction area, although there is no evidence that any construction is being done, other than that the 'Jersey Barrier' - the trapezoidal cross-section concrete wall - is moved closer to the edge of the left lane, thereby removing the shoulder.
The speed limit changes at that point from 100 km/h to 80 km/h.
But does anybody even lift from the 120 - 130 most everyone is doing there?
I think it supports that old research - the road doesn't change, it still looks like it was designed to be driven at 130, and that's what most people will drive.
Unless there's a police car there, but with no shoulder to park on, that's unlikely.
A neighbour of mine - the person who got me into this business in the first place, as a matter of fact - became a municipal politician. At the time, the municipality had recently rebuilt a stretch of a major road to 'modern' standards - wider, smoother, with bigger shoulders - but they found cars were going faster than traffic planners wanted.
No kidding!
To paraphrase the Kevin Costner movie catch phrase, "Build it faster and they will come faster."
She asked me if there was anything they could do to slow people down.
"Sure!'' I said.
"Dig a one foot wide, one foot deep ditch across the road every 100 yards or so."
"We can't do that!" she exclaimed.
"I know," I replied.
"But you asked me how to slow people down, and that's the only way to do it. Even speed bumps just provide a challenge to good suspension."
So if you want people to drive slow, don't build fast roads.
If however you do want people to get where they are going quickly, efficiently and safely - and isn't that what our road network is supposed to do? - then build good roads, apply relevant speed limits, and use our scarce police resources to ensure people drive properly on them.
Yes, it really is that easy.
So, why don't we do it?
Maybe you should ask our new Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Glen Murray.
I already have, and am awaiting his response...


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The LEGO NINJAGO Movie (Free Family Show)
Six young ninjas are tasked with defending their island home of Ninjago. By night, they're gifted warriors using their skill and awesome fleet of vehicles to fight villains and monsters. By day, they're ordinary teens struggling against their greatest enemy....high school.
CAST: Olivia Munn, Justin Theroux, Dave Franco, Jackie Chan
DIRECTOR: Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan
RUN TIME: 101 min


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Spring, I once read somewhere, is not guaranteed to be in the best of taste. That is especially true of that period of the season we're in now — what might be called "High Spring" — Spring just before it overflows into Summer. Spring at the point of its most unstinting haste and gush. Its colours clash. Its chaos of greenness is in overload. It has no skill whatsoever in the art of understatement.
This year the season has progressed with restraint, lingering with some dignity through careful, almost contemplative stages. But now, tossing all care to the winds (and the rains), it "comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers." I am not quite as disenchanted with Spring as was Edna St. Vincent Millay. In fact, I still find its "rush with richness" a stirring, if startling, business, and I happily re-engage with Gerard Manley Hopkins on the subject. "What," he asks, "is all this juice and all this joy?"
This returning season remains an insistent reminder of an underlying and profoundly constructive inevitability. All the same, if we forget what it is like from year to year, and expect Spring to be kempt and polite, we are liable to find ourselves rudely taken by storm. I have been, this year.
Earlier today, I looked around and thought "It's here!" It has been for a while, actually, although one might be forgiven for forgetting, what with the recent drop in temperatures we've had. But as I went for a walk in the woods, I suddenly felt ambushed by a banditry of greenness — all manner of greenness, from moss to lime, from butter-yellow to emerald, from copper verdigris to tarnished gold. And not only greens, but also russet and peach, rust and ochre, and even the glorious soft red of new copper-beech hedge leaves fresh against the dark purple-black of last year's growth. How could I have overlooked this arrival?
I don't know if it was merely a pressing absorption in work and other important matters this last week that meant I was not really focussing enough on things outside. Forgetting, mistiming or miscalculating is an exigent dread for a project manager. It concentrates the mind like imminent hanging. In no time, you can stop noticing that outside the sun happens to be brilliant and that trees, shrubs and grass are scintillating in a swiftly developing natural drama. It makes our indoor efforts slightly pathetic. What on earth are we all doing inside on a day like this?
But my walk in the woods today fixed that. There, in all its utter, upstaging, overacting, candy-floss glory I beheld a double-flowered pink prunus in full bloom. It is a tree with a trunk that has developed into an impressively big bole, wrinkled and seemingly age-old like an elephant's leg. Yet out of this unpromising column of wood — as if it were a gigantic plain brown cardboard canister for an immense public-display firework — spattered and exploded with astounding extravagance billow upon billow of strawberry ice-cream blossom, an overblown accumulation of excessive flowering.
I should have realised what it portended. It represented High Spring, this outrageous canopy, this impossible dowager-duchess hat. A crass shout of oversweetness. Implausible, preposterous… and (although I was reluctant to admit it) somehow glorious.


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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – From dirt floors to gilded walls might not be the experience students expected studying German immigration into Indiana. But the stark contrast in homes is what Wabash College students experienced Monday as part of their German-American Experience tutorial class.
The Wabash men began the third day of their Immersion learning experience with a drive to New Harmony. The students took a more than 2-hour walking tour of the town and the historic New Harmony sites.
New Harmony began in 1814 as George Rapp's desire to form a utopian society and await the coming of Jesus Christ. After 10 years of thriving and building more than 180 buildings, the Harmonites returned to Pennsylvania and sold the property to Robert Owen. The wealthy industrialist had similar ideas of a perfect society but instead of religion his utopia would be driven by education and culture. That experiment lasted only two years.
Students toured the town and saw some of the 40 structures which remain and learned its history from Jan Kahle, the state-owned site's education director. Southern Indiana University now operates the museum while the state owns pieces of property throughout New Harmony.
There are a few original cabins or reproductions from the very early 1800s and many with dirt floors. The Harmonite homes were far nice with more amenities.
An afternoon trip into Evansville included an informal walking tour of the city's historic riverfront area and a visit to the Reitz House Museum. John Augustus Reitz built the home in 1815. He and his ancestors failed and prospered in a number of businesses before becoming one of the area's most successful and influential businessmen.
Many of the home's original furnishings remain today. But the home is the showplace more than its furniture. The entrance way walls feature gold, elaborate lighting fixtures, wood carvings and heavy wooden doorways. The woodwork and other fixtures throughout are eye-popping examples of the luxury lifestyle of the 1800s into the last century.
A brief walking tour of the city's west side with Evansville Reitz teacher Jon Carl preceded dinner at the Gerst Haus Bavarian Restaurant.
"Today was different for me because I was with people who had never been to Evansville before," said Evansville Reitz graduate and Wabash freshman Andrew Deig. "I have a different appreciation for the town and for what it has to offer. The study we're taking in Dr. Redding's class is a lot different than the study I took in high school from Mr. Carl. Dr. Redding's class is more of the big picture and now I understand more how this history happened."
Deig took the usual good-natured ribbing from classmates about being the big man in his home town, but the football player took the responsibility of being host seriously.
"Whenever we go to another city in Indiana I'd say if somebody in our group was from there that they should know more about their local history than anyone else in the group," Deig said. "And that's the way I feel. I've had a pretty good education from my teachers about Evansville history."
Deig was also willing to admit he's becoming a fan of immersion learning.
"The immersion experience is definitely different," he said. "I thought it would be a lot more jam-packed but it's really not, it's more laid back. I was actually not looking forward to this trip at all, but it's actually gone pretty well. I've had a good time so far and it's been pretty fun."
The students leave Indiana Tuesday for an overnight trip to Cincinnati, a key port of entry for many German immigrants. The group will join up with Don Heinrich Tolzmann, who wrote the textbook for the class, and take a walking tour of the city's Over-the-Rhine area. Their day will conclude Tuesday with dinner and a visit to Newport, Kentucky's Hofbrauhaus. The Hofbrauhaus is a famed beer hall and restaurant in Munich, Germany.
Hewitt is Wabash College's Director of New Media and Web Content Editor.
In photos:
Above right: Reitz Museum tour guide Carol Winslow and students admire an onyx mantle in a parlor. The photo is their reflection as they admire the artwork and fireplace.
Above left: The Wabash men hear New Harmony education coordinator Jan Kahle talk about a 1700s-era cabin.
Above right: The students ate Monday evening at the Gerst Haus Bavarian Restaurant, which once was a hardware store.
On homepage: Wabash men listen to Evansville Reitz High School teacher Jon Carl talk about the historic nature of the city's westside which has been heavily shaped and influenced by Germans.


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The Beechwood Collection employs superior construction including mortise and tenon joinery of solid beech components. Solid hardwood drawer parts are assembled with English dovetail joinery, reinforced drawer bottoms and silent wheel bottom mounted glides. File drawers have full extension side glides. Keyboard drawers have friction lock open position. Drawer fronts are fitted with choice of recessed pulls, black matte, or satin nickel metal handles for ease of operation. High pressure plastic laminate tops have mitered solid beech profiled edge bands. Wardrobe doors are hung with full rotation 270 degree hinges. Wood finish is commercial grade polyurethane for the ultimate in moisture and ultra violet protection.
» Download product information here
» Request a printed catalog here
Double DresserDimensions:56 5/8"W x 20"D x 30"HWeight: 119 lbs.Item No: 9135044


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Please check out the event calendar for the Parkesburg Borough Police Department by clicking here. Also, you can sign up for email alerts to new events posted by clicking here.
Welcome to the Parkesburg Borough Police Department's web portal on the CRIMEWATCH Network. We ask that you use the information found on this site responsibly. Working in partnership with the community we can proactively prevent crime, support victim recovery and hold offenders accountable.
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CRIMEWATCH® and the Eye Design are registered trademarks of CRIMEWATCH Technologies, Inc. © 2020 CRIMEWATCH Technologies, Inc.
To follow Parkesburg Borough Police Department, click the button below.
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Leather Tassel Keyring
We ship to the Continental US and Canada.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.
Returns Policy
We accept exchanges and returns from any customer who is not fully satisfied. Each handcrafted piece of jewelry is unique just like the women who make them. As no two pieces are exactly alike, your one-of-a-kind creation may vary slightly from the photographs on this website.


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At Last! An Original songs for Fathers! Everyone in the family will Love it.
This will make a wonderful gift, or just to bless your husband.
Great to listen to. I know you are going to love it.
Order your "Richest Man On Earth" MP3 single from the album "Richest Man On Earth" for your dad, husband, or friend today.
Your downloadable MP3 single is available right now for Only $0.99
Here's our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee...
Order your Downloadable MP3 file(s) today. Listen to it, and examine the contents for a full 30 days. If after examining the MP3 you feel that this material is defective, call us and tell us you'd like to receive a replacement MP3 file.
We'll send you a new downloadable MP3 file(s) right away.
You may request a store credit refund within 30 days of delivery. Since this is electronic media that is easily copied, we will not issue a money refund for merchandise.
You can reach us Toll free in the US at 877-729-9861. If you live outside of the US please use 931-729-9861.
Office Hours are from 9am - 4pm, Monday - Friday, Central Standard Time
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(PROVIDENCE, R.I.) A Miriam Hospital researcher has joined forces with international colleagues to call for new strategies to better manage and improve assessment and treatment for hepatitis C (HCV) infection in individuals who inject drugs.
Lynn E. Taylor, M.D., an HIV specialist focusing on HIV and viral hepatitis coinfection at The Miriam Hospital, was the only American physician invited to join the expert international panel that issued these first-of-its-kind recommendations. They were published online yesterday by the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, just ahead of World Hepatitis Day on July 28.
The recommendations are part of a supplement entitled "Prevention and Management of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among People Who Inject Drugs: Moving the Agenda Forward," developed in collaboration with the International Network on Hepatitis Care in Substance Users.
"In well-resourced parts of the world, most hepatitis C exists among people who currently inject drugs and those who have injected drugs in the past. However, treatment access and uptake among this population remains low even though we increasingly have effective treatments for hepatitis C, which is a curable disease," said Taylor.
"Research supporting our recommendations the first international set ever released for treating hepatitis C in people who inject drugs demonstrates that treatment can be successful when barriers to care are addressed within a supportive environment," she added. "In fact, the burden of liver disease worldwide could be dramatically reduced by increasing treatment for hepatitis C infection among people who inject drugs, by preventing forward transmission."
An estimated five million people in the U.S. have chronic HCV infection, a liver disease that may result in long-term health problems, including liver scarring, liver failure and liver cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 12,000 people die every year from HCV-related liver disease.
Until recently, HCV treatment guidelines excluded people who inject drugs, due to concerns about poor adherence, adverse events and re-infection. However, successful HCV treatment studies among this population have challenged this paradigm. The new international guidelines present evidence-based recommendations for treating HCV among individuals who inject drugs with appropriate evaluation and support.
Taylor is also lead author on a separate paper, appearing in the same supplement of Clinical Infectious Diseases, which focuses on the need for improved HCV care of another subset of the HCV-infected population: those who inject drugs and are also infected with HIV.
Chronic HCV infection has become a leading cause of non-AIDS related illness and death among individuals infected with HIV. Due to overlapping routes of transmission, dual infection is common: in the United States, 30 percent of HIV-infected people have chronic HCV, which is spread via contaminated blood, often through injection drug use. However, newer research suggests it may also be transmitted sexually among HIV-infected men who have sex with other men.
"HIV-infected individuals contending with injection drug use are the most likely to be affected by HCV, but the least likely to have access to treatment for HCV," said Taylor. "They should have equal and universal access to HIV/AIDS, HCV and addiction prevention, care and treatment."
She says essential but basic steps include improving prevention and screening for both infections and engaging co-infected individuals who inject drugs in HIV and HCV care early after diagnoses.
"The benefits of therapeutic advances in HCV will be limited for this group until barriers such as cost and access are overcome," she added. "Even with HCV cure rates approaching 100 percent with newer medications, effectiveness at population level will require expanding HCV therapy on large scale. These recommendations are an important step towards the goal of elimination of hepatitis C."
Taylor is also director of the HIV/Viral Hepatitis Program at The Miriam Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
|Contact: Jessica Collins Grimes


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Shakira Closes Out the 2014 FIFA World Cup [VIDEO]by Thomas Chau | PopCrush
After a month of matches in Brazil featuring the world's best international football players, the 2014 World Cup came to an end yesterday when the two teams left standing, Argentina and Germany, fought it out to a thrilling end. Germany ended up being the victor, having scored the game's only goal during the match's extra time period.
Before the teams took the field, however, several acts took the field at the Macarana in Rio de Janeiro to perform for the closing ceremony. including Shakira, who closed out the 2006 and 2010 World Cup ceremonies as well.
Shakira told the BBC, "I have an intricate relationship with football for obvious reasons, and I truly understand what the World Cup means to so many people, myself included."
The 37-year-old Colombian native was given the honor of releasing the 2010 World Cup's official anthem, 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),' which became the best-selling World Cup song of all time. While her song for the Brazil games, 'La La La (Brazil 2014),' wasn't named the official anthem, it does appear on FIFA's official soundtrack album.
In addition to Shakira, Wyclef Jean, Carlos Santana, and Brazilian singers Alexandre Pires and Ivete Sangalo performed for the stadium as well. Santana, Wyclef and Alexandre Pires performed their anthem for the games, 'Dar Um Jeito (We Will Find a Way).'
Click on the video above to watch Shakira's performance, and check out the collage of photos from the event that she shared with fans on Instagram.


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A bunch of "entrepreneurs, engineers and dreamers" have turned their backs on headline-grabbing e-cars to come up with an electrically powered shrunken penny-farthing.
Yike Bike has supposedly been designed to "dramatically change" urban transport by providing city dwellers with a fast, safe and easy way to get around town.
Can't see the video? Download Flash Player from Adobe.com
Safety conscious consumers look away now, though, because instead of sitting firmly on a saddle with handlebars in-front of you, Yike Bike asks you to perch atop in 20in wheel and grab onto a pair of rear-mounted handlebars.
Yike Bike: the future of urban transport?
The travel gadget's frame is constructed from carbon composite, weighs in at 9.8kg and folds away into a compact 43l unit once you reach your destination.
An integrated lithium-ion battery lets the rider travel at speeds of up to 14mph, but Yike Bike only has a maximum distance of six miles. Its battery can be fully recharged in 30 minutes, the designers said.
Yike's short range and high price could put some off
Online advance orders are currently being taken for the Yike Bike, which will cost up to €3900 (£3480). A UK launch is planned, but an arrival date hasn't been announced. ®
Sponsored: Ransomware has gone nuclear


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Arthur Shostak Award Statement
The Distinguished Career Award for the Practice of Sociology is presented each year in recognition of outstanding contributions to sociological practice. The award recognizes work that has facilitated or served as a model for the work of others, work that has significantly advanced the utility of one of more specialty areas in sociology and, by so doing, has elevated the professional status or public image of the field as a whole, work that has been honored or widely recognized outside the discipline for its significant impacts, particularly in advancing human welfare. The selection committee selected Arthur B. Shostak as the 2006 recipient of the Practice award.
Arthur Shostak taught at Drexel University from 1967 to 2003. Before retiring in the fall of 2003, he introduced courses at Drexel in applied sociology, futurism, race and ethnic relations, social implications of 20th century technology, and urban sociology. Previously, he was on the faculty of the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania (1961-67). As an Applied Sociologist, Shostak has been a futurist consultant for various levels of government, labor unions, and companies. As well, he has regularly assisted k-12 school systems and colleges and universities. In this context, Shostak has pioneered the study of Labor's use of computer power, coined the term CyberUnion, and written the major book to date on the subject. From 1975 to 2000, Shostak served as an Adjunct Sociologist with the National Labor College degree program at the AFL-CIO George Meany Center for Labor Studies. He has consistently connected his studies to projects of collaboration with the American Federation of Government Employees, the American Federation of Teacher, the IBEW, the Painters Union, the Postal Workers Union, the Steelworkers Union, and many others. Further, Shostak has promoted reforms in the ways in which waiting room males are treated in abortion clinics. He is the principal author of the only book on this subject and has self-financed three field studies now involving nearly 3,000 such men located in over 50 clinics. Presently, he is busy working with educators across the country in improving a blueprint that he has prepared for the nation's first high school focused on long-range forecasting. Shostak is the author, co-author, or editor of 31 books and 146 articles which are all, in one form or another, concerned with demonstrating the value of using sociology.


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The IET Lesson Collection
This is a series of resources created by the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) as part of their highly successful IET Faraday brand to support the use of the BBC micro:bit in Design and Technology lessons. The micro:bit is used as a component part of a wider design and technology activity in order to add coding, logic, and automation into the wider context of product design. As such, the micro:bit forms an integral part of the solution to real world problems.
Each resource provides a starter activity focusing on analysing requirements and writing the design brief, a main activity that develops the system, and an extension that challenges students to integrate or further develop their system. Complete working sample programs in blocks and Python are provided for all resources, and these can be used as a starting point to further develop the product idea. Additionally, there is a short supporting video for each resource, which is accompanied by powerpoint slides and lesson handouts.


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Romanian artist Mihai Marius Mihu spent seven months recreating the hellish visions of the nine circles of hell from Dante's Divine Comedy using almost 40,000 Lego bricks.
I. LIMBO: "A place of monotony, here the souls are punished to wander in restless existence while they moan helplessly in echoes between the ruins of a temple."Picture: Mihai Marius Mihu / Rex Features