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Therapeutic Poop: Hope For Cure Of Childhood Diarrhea Comes Straight From The Gut - 07/29/2013
Therapeutic Poop: Hope For Cure Of Childhood Diarrhea Comes Straight From The Gut
Johns Hopkins Children's Center begins fecal transplants in children with a type of drug-resistant diarrhea
Release Date: July 29, 2013
Call it therapeutic poop, if you will, but the best hope yet for an effective treatment of childhood infections with the drug-resistant bacterium C. difficile may come straight from the gut, according to recent research.
This is why pediatric gastroenterologists at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center are launching a fecal transplantation program for patients with recurrent diarrhea caused by what they say is a wily pathogen that is increasingly impervious to drugs and a rapidly growing problem among children and adults.
Over the last 20 years, cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea have more than doubled, with nearly three million new infections each year, with up to a fourth of patients not responding to antibiotics, research shows. Most such cases, the researchers say, stemmed from infections with C. difficile.
Enter poop transplants. Studies in adults show that more than 90 percent of patients are cured following such therapy and, experts say, they have every reason to believe the numbers would be equally impressive in children.
"Fecal transplantation — or the transfer of 'good' bacteria from the colon of one person into the colon of another — should be considered for all children with C. diff infections who don't respond to two standard courses of antibiotics," says Maria Oliva-Hemker M.D., director of pediatric gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
The rise in refractory C. difficile infections has been fueled by the growing use of antibiotics, experts say.
"Antibiotics are lifesavers, but anytime we give them to a patient to eradicate one pathogen, there's collateral damage, in that along with the bad bacteria we wipe off some good organisms that help keep the complex workings of our gut in perfect balance," Oliva-Hemker says.
Such beneficial bacteria work by keeping rogue players in check, Oliva-Hemker explains, so any shifts in gut environment — such as ones caused by antibiotics — can have dire consequences. When good bacteria are killed off by antibiotics, the bad guys multiply causing an imbalance or "dysbiosis," Oliva-Hemker says. Typically, gut infections caused by one antibiotic are treated with another one to eradicate the overgrowth of harmful pathogens, but drugs often fail to do so fully or permanently because they only treat part of the problem.
"When we administer an antibiotic to treat the C. diff infection, we destroy some of the bad bacteria, but that does not address the other half of the problem — the loss of good bacteria that might have led to the infection to begin with, so we never truly restore the balance in the gut and often the diarrhea returns with a vengeance in a matter of weeks," says Suchitra Hourigan, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterology fellow at Hopkins with a special interest in fecal transplantation.
The concept of treating poop woes with poop is hardly new. The method originated with ancient Chinese healers who gave their diarrhea-ravaged patients "yellow soup," a concoction of fecal matter and water. Thousands of years later, the delivery approach has evolved. Nowadays, fecal transplants are often performed during a colonoscopy, and improvement can be seen in as short as two weeks, as beneficial bacteria start to repopulate the patient's gut, Hourigan says. Fecal donors, usually parents or relatives, are carefully screened for risks much like any blood donor, Hourigan says. The donor's blood is tested for infectious pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis C. People with autoimmune diseases or other chronic conditions, such diabetes or obesity, may not qualify as donors.
"The gut microbiome plays a major role in immunity and overall health, and right now we simply do not know whether fecal matter can somehow inadvertently also transfer the propensity toward such disorders from donor to recipient," Hourigan says.
The new pediatric protocol makes Johns Hopkins Children's Center one of a handful of pediatric hospitals in the country to offer this therapy for a condition that can cause dehydration, anemia and pain, and can seriously affect a child's quality of life, leading to absence from school. In its more extreme form, recurrent diarrhea can cause life-threatening colon inflammation, which is for some 14,000 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beyond the human toll, refractory diarrhea drains the health care system of more than $3 billion each year, research has shown.
Its great therapeutic success notwithstanding, some important questions remain: How precisely do donor bacteria change the recipient's gut microbiota and which bacteria make the best poop transplants? And because poop contains trillions of bacteria and hundreds of bacterial species, scientists have not quite figured out which ones are our best friends and worst foes and which ones are mere bystanders. These are some of the questions Oliva-Hemker and Hourigan's ongoing research is attempting to answer. And with the growing understanding of gut dynamics, better therapies should emerge. In a decade or so, Oliva-Hemker predicts, scientists would be able to design the perfect fecal concoction in a lab, obviating the need for fecal transplants.
"In less than a decade, we'll have lab-cooked poop that we can administer to restore balance in the guts of people with a wide array of conditions caused by the imbalance between good and bad germs."
Related on the Web
CDC Report: Vital Signs: Preventing Clostridium difficile Infections
Treatment of First Recurrence of Clostridium difficile Infection: Fidaxomicin Versus Vancomycin
Systematic Review of Intestinal Microbiota Transplantation (Fecal Bacteriotherapy) for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection
Treating Clostridium difficile Infection With Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Plugged Up: Doctors See Signs of Worsening Constipation in Children
Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition at Johns Hopkins Children's Center
For the Media
Media contacts:
Ekaterina Pesheva
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Helen Jones
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Story highlights
The rapper was reportedly detained in Texas
He tweeted a pic with the caption "Jail selfie"
Fans started hashtag "Free Trap Wiz"
Allow us to take a moment to recognize Wiz Khalifa as the new king of #selfies.
According to TMZ, the rapper – who has a well-documented penchant for toking – was arrested early Sunday morning at a Texas airport after a "green leafy substance" was found during a security check.
But it looked like Wiz, who was born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, wasn't too stressed about the situation as he tweeted a pic of himself in jail with the caption "Jail selfie."
Talk about making lemonade out of lemons.
He also tweeted a picture of the barred jail door saying "Free Trap Wiz." That cry was quickly picked up by fans on social media who turned it into a hashtag, naturally.
MTV reported that he was released after a few hours and charged with being in possession of 0.5 grams of marijuana. He has been cited for simple possession of marijuana in the past, including in 2012 before one of his concerts in North Carolina.
The rapper's new project is titled "28 Grams" and is expected to be released soon.

subset: commoncrawl


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
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Frisco's landscape requirements are included in the Zoning Ordinance (PDF). Tree removal permits can be submitted electronically through the Land Development portal. Contact a Landscape Architect at (972) 292-5352 or (972) 292-5351 if you have any questions.
The City Secretary's Office processes and coordinates all Alcohol Permit Applications, including zoning verification and site distance verification. Applicants are required to apply with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) prior to submitting an Alcohol Permit Application to the City Secretary's Office. For more information, please contact the City Secretary's office at (972) 292-5024 or (972) 292-5020.
Population and demographics are updated on Planning's Population webpage. For additional information, please contact (972) 292-5361.


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According to the Associated Press President Barack Obama will meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican as part of a European trip scheduled for March.
The White House says Obama "looks forward to discussing with Pope Francis their shared commitment to fighting poverty and growing inequality" during their March 27 meeting. Obama also plans to meet in Rome with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and Prime Minister Enrico Letta.
Obama's trip begins March 24-25 in The Hague, Netherlands, where he will participate in a nuclear security summit hosted by the Dutch government and meet with Dutch leaders.
On March 26, Obama will travel to Brussels for an U.S.-European Union summit with the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, as well as meetings with Belgian leaders and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. MORE..


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Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
Thu January 03, 2013 - Midwest Edition
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) Ohio's governor spent the past two years talking about how much money could be pocketed by selling or leasing the Ohio Turnpike despite a loud chorus of complaints over potential toll increases and job losses.
That's why it was a bit of surprise when the governor himself announced that he instead wants to borrow against future toll revenue to generate up to $3 billion for highway and bridge construction projects.
By deciding against handing the toll road over to a private operator, Gov. John Kasich quieted some of his critics and likely avoided a lengthy political battle. While the decision also opened him up to questions about taking on more debt and how the new construction money will be divided, it showed a willingness to adjust his goals in the face of criticism.
It's clear that objections over privatizing the turnpike from both Republicans and Democrats impacted Kasich's decision, though he insisted the outcry wasn't the ultimate factor.
The governor said the proposal he settled on — raising $1.5 billion through bond sales — was a perfect solution because it addressed the worries over leasing the turnpike and satisfied his goal of getting more revenue out of toll road and fill a huge highway budget deficit.
"You want to listen to people," Kasich said while making the announcement Dec. 13. "This was the right answer based on, were we going to maintain control, what the public was concerned about. This was the sweet spot."
It wasn't the first time that one of Kasich's grand plans was influenced by public pushback.
In 2011, voters handed Kasich and fellow Republicans a stinging defeat when they repealed a newly passed collective bargaining law that would have stripped many bargaining rights from public worker unions. After that, Kasich was conciliatory.
"You have a campaign like this, you give it your best, if you don't win and the people speak in a loud voice, you pay attention to what they have to say and you think about it," he said publicly the next day.
As debate had raged over the issue, Kasich's plan to privatize state prisons, which had additional implications for public employees, emerged as far less ambitious than he'd originally envisioned.
Kasich also has expressed little interest in reopening collective bargaining debate, for example, by pursuing limited collective bargaining reform or right-to-work legislation, since that loss.
Gary Tiboni, president of the Teamsters local that represents close to 800 turnpike workers, said he thinks Kasich learned from his failed attempt to limit collective bargaining rights when weighing what to do with the toll road that carries about 50 million vehicles each year across northern Ohio.
Broad opposition to leasing the turnpike that crossed party lines was a factor too, he said. "Those kinds of things really helped," Tiboni said.
But Statehouse Democrats said Kasich still isn't listening. They believe he wants to use the turnpike deal to fund high-profile highway projects that will make him look good in any re-election bid while failing to free up state funding vital to local communities and schools.
The governor has not shown such enthusiasm for finding funding sources in those areas, said state Sen. Nina Turner of Cleveland.
"I hope we bring that same kind of zeal and zest when it comes to looking at what is happening to the Local Government Fund and what is happening to education in this state [in next year's budget debate]," she said.
Democrats called for using money from an unanticipated state budget surplus to restore budget cuts to municipalities and schools, but Kasich decided to leave the money in Ohio's nearly tapped-out Rainy Day Fund.
Despite the partisan criticism, Kasich's proposal seems to satisfy those who feared that a private turnpike operator would eliminate jobs, spend less on maintaining the road and impose higher tolls that would drive traffic onto local routes that meander through small towns.
The idea of a lease didn't sit well in the state's northwest corner because residents there had seen tolls nearly double since investors took over the nearby Indiana Toll Road, said Brian Davis, a commissioner in Williams County.
"They did not want that for the state of Ohio," Davis said.


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4 posts tagged with kumailnanjiani and ZachWoods.
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Silicon Valley: Fiduciary Duties First Watch Season 1, Ep 4
Richard drunkenly promises to make Erlich a board member, which he regrets the next morning. Big Head finds others at Hooli, who like him, have made careers out of doing nothing. Richard struggles to put Pied Piper's vision into words. [more inside]
Silicon Valley: Articles of Incorporation First Watch Season 1, Ep 3
The guys find themselves in trouble with their company name when they find out it's already taken. So whilst Richard tries to find a solution, Erlich searches for a new name in another dimension of his consciousness. [more inside]
Silicon Valley: The Cap Table First Watch Season 1, Ep 2
Richard hires Jared to design a business plan. Big Head is asked to work for Gavin Belson, where he discovers that Hooli has stolen the Pied Piper algorithm and calls it Nucleus. Meanwhile Richard struggles to get his money from Gregory. [more inside]
Silicon Valley: Minimum Viable Product First Watch Season 1, Ep 1
Richard is a computer programmer. He has to choose between a $10 million deal with Gavin Belson and a $200 deal with Peter Gregory, in exchange for his cooperation to make the idea of a super compressing algorithm change the world. [more inside]


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A spokesman for the Wet'suwet'en hereditary clan chiefs says they have delivered "directives" to the RCMP, and provincial and federal politicians over the treatment of those opposed to a gas pipeline.
Speaking after a rally in Smithers, Na'moks says he and other chiefs have met with RCMP Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, as well as local New Democrat MP Taylor Bachrach and Forests Minister Doug Donaldson.
Na'moks says the chiefs have asked Strachan to ensure that officers maintain the peace and do not take violent action against pipeline opponents, who have set up camps and felled trees along the road toward a construction site for the natural gas pipeline.
READ MORE: Wet'suwet'en evict Coastal GasLink from work site near Houston
Coastal GasLink has signed agreements with all 20 elected First Nation councils along the planned 670-kilometre route from northeastern British Columbia to LNG Canada's export terminal in Kitimat on the coast, but hereditary chiefs say the project does not have their consent.
RCMP spokeswoman Dawn Roberts confirmed that a series of meetings is scheduled and ongoing.
But she says in an email that out of respect for those involved and in the spirit of what they are trying to accomplish, she will not share what is discussed until all the meetings have taken place or decisions have been made.
"We remain hopeful that these efforts will result in a resolution. This has been our focus and continues to be our focus," she says.
The RCMP issued a statement Wednesday saying it's investigating traps likely to hurt someone after patrolling the area where trees were felled across the road.
Officers found stacked tires with jugs of fuel inside, as well as bags of fuel-soaked rags. They also found trees along the side of the road that had been partially cut, which the RCMP say could be knocked down by wind.
Na'moks says the trees were felled for the safety of supporters of the Wet'suwet'en hereditary clan chiefs.
Coastal GasLink responded to an interview request with an emailed statement.
"Coastal GasLink is approved, permitted and under construction today with more than 1,000 people working to build it, safely and responsibly," Suzanne Wilton says in the statement.
She pointed to a news release that says clearing, grading, workforce accommodation, construction and other activities are planned for January between Chetwynd and Kitimat.


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Reminder to nominate wines for the 2010 Wine of the Year and 2011 Wine to Watch. Read how here.
A round-up of stories on Washington wine from November 22nd to 30th. See previous round-ups here.
From around the world…
The Toronto Sun writes about the Woodinville Warehouse District inspiring a Toronto winery.
From around the country…
Wine Spectator writes a cover article on Washington wine – a must read for any Washington wine lover (Note: May require subscription. Highly recommend picking up the hard copy).
Wines & Vines writes about an early ice wine harvest.
From the blogosphere…
Vinotology writes about the Rattlesnake Hills. Ben also writes about things he's thankful for, and the 20Something event.
Nectar Tasting Room & Wine Blog writes about holiday season ideas. Josh also writes about Nodland Cellars, ten blogging mistakes learned from year one, and hijacked blog content.
Sips & The City writes about a recent Bordeaux tasting at Esquin Wine Merchants.
The Oregon Wine Blog writes about Beverly's Restaurant in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They also write about Idaho wineries, many of which source fruit from Washington.
Woodinville Wine Update writes about the grand opening of Wine World in Seattle. Shona also writes about the Taste of Tulalip.
Wine Peeps writes about DuBrul Vineyard. They also write about a cellar party, Chateau Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek Vineyard Riesling, and Judy Phelps of Hard Row to Hoe.
Paul Gregutt says tis the season for giving – Washington Wines & Wineries: The Essential Guide Second Edition.
Through the Walla Walla Grapevine writes about Thanksgiving wine. Catie also writes about the new WineTrails of Walla Walla book.
Sip of Spokane writes about ice wine from the Pacific Northwest. They also write about Taste Café in Spokane, Thanksgiving wine, and give a recap of the Holiday Wine Festival in Spokane.
WINO Magazine writes part deux of being a party animal.
Wine & Dine Walla Walla writes about a night out in Waitsburg.
The Seattle Weekly says Washington wines make the grade.
Luxist.com recommends gifts for wine lovers with a callout to Gramercy Cellars.
AgInfo.net writes about the recent Wine Spectator article on Washington wine.
La Carmina writes about Hotel Vintage Park.
Zester Daily writes about the Poet's Leap Riesling.
Family Wineries of Washington State write about recent wine industry news.
Wallyhood.org writes about Wine World's grand opening in Seattle.
Crosscut.com writes about loving French wine in eastern Washington.
Snooth.com writes about Maryhill Winery.
RJ's Wine Blog writes about the Tamarack Firehouse Red.
From the locals…
The Bellingham Herald writes about 'best of the best' Northwest reds.
The Tri-City Herald gives a 2010 vintage report.
The Yakima Herald writes about snow keeping wine travelers down on Thanksgiving weekend.
WSU Today writes about mapping range of flavor.
The Seattle Times says be grateful for the bounty of Washington agriculture.
Writing for the Spokesman-Review, Paul Gregutt says to find the wine that blends best with the occasion.
Wenatchee World On-line writes about picking the right wine for Thanksgiving.
That's all folks!


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This sequencer, called Drumssette, uses audio tape to churn out some beats. [Mike Walters] built this around a Tascam four track cassette recorder. The tape inside has a different drum sound on each of the tracks, with a corresponding row of red buttons. Pushing a button adds the drum sound to the loop on that beat. He's using a series of digital logic gates to patch through the sounds as well as clocking the device from one of the tape's tracks. It's pretty neat to see the focus selector used in the video after the break to sync up the beginning of the repeated drum patterns. This isn't the first time we've seen [Mike's] work. If you missed it last year take some time to review the Melloman.
Hardware walk through
Audio demonstration


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This article is more than 1 year old
Windows Phone dev GM splits with Microsoft
'Remember, every time you use Google, a puppy dies'
Charlie Kindel – the general manager of the Windows Phone Developer Ecosystem and a 21-year Microsoft veteran – is leaving the company for a mystery startup. But he still forbids his kids to use Google.
"No, just because I don't work at Microsoft anymore you may not use Google," he told his children. "Remember, every time you use Google, a puppy dies."
Kindel announced the move on his personal blog, saying he will remain in the Seattle area as he builds a new company that "has to do with sports, advertising, mobile, social-networking, and, of course, the cloud." Our best guess is that he plans to challenge Android by building smartphones into jock straps.
In his blog post, Kindel did admit that after leaving Microsoft, he may stop using some Redmond products, but this will not include Windows Phone, which he called "the BEST product Microsoft has ever built".
"Do not let up," he told the Windows Phone team.
Charlie Kindel in 1990
As the general manager of the Windows Phone Developer Ecosystem, Kindel led the design and development of the Windows Phone 7 Application Platform, which now runs about 27,000 apps. That' a far cry from what you see running on iOS and Android, but Windows Phone 7 is less than a year old.
In an interview with Geekwire, Kindel said he "stepped away from day to day Windows Phone work " earlier this year to "focus on what I wanted to do with my career next".
Though Windows Phone 7 received quite good reviews when it was first released, it lost some serious momentum when Microsoft botched an update to customer phones. The first major upgrade to the platform, codenamed Mango, is due this fall. ®


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Community Court
On December 8, 2013, the innovative criminal justice initiative known as Community Court opened its doors at the Downtown Spokane Public Library – a cooperative collaboration that has resulted in low barrier access to social service providers of every variety. The Spokane Municipal Community Court seeks to reduce and properly address quality of life offenses in the downtown area by utilizing a collaborative, problem-solving approach to crime. Since 2013, Community Court has served more than 1,130 individuals on cases arising out of low level criminal violations or quality of life crimes in the downtown corridor.
The foundation of Community Court is a collaboration of court and social service professionals, dedicated to helping participants reach practical and targeted solutions. Community Court is held every Monday starting at 10:30 am at the Downtown Library.
Community Court Northeast
In late December, 2017, the Community Court expanded to a new location in the Hillyard area. Community Court Northeast is held every Tuesday from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm at the Northeast Community Center, located at 4001 N. Cook, Spokane, WA 99207. Many community partners also attend this event.
Community Partners
The success of Community Court depends on our strong partnerships with local resources that provide the following services. Most providers are available every Monday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Criminal charges are not required to access services.
- Healthcare/Insurance
- SSI / Disability assistance
- Education and job training
- Clothing
- Behavioral Health
- Housing
- ID cards
- Food
- Library services
- Crime victim assistance/advocacy
- Trauma therapy
- Veteran programs
- DSHS assistance
- Nutrition education
- Payee assistance
For questions, please contact:
Download Community Court Brochure
Download Community Court Statistics as of January 2017


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Moving into residential care represents a big change, and you want to be sure you have made the right choice.
So how do you go about choosing a new home? We have covered key points which may help you decide.
The first step is a care needs assessment, a free service from your local authority's social services department. This is particularly important if you need financial help, as the local authority will only fund care that has been assessed as needed. It also gives a professional view of the level and type of care required, which will help you to shortlist homes in your area.
Word of mouth will help you. Does the home have strong links with local community groups, schools and volunteers? At Canford Healthcare, we think that enabling our residents to continue to play an active part in the community is important, even if they can't get out and about as much as they used to together with compassionate care helps our residents to experience greater quality of life.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regularly inspects care homes, and grades them on the quality of care they provide. Reports on care homes are published by the CQC, and you can download them from www.cqc.org.uk or the individual home's website.
For independent advice on what to look for in a care home please click the following link.
Website management by Supersonic Playground
Original website by Boom Solutions


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Announced alongside Pioneers wireless DJ Sysyem, XDJ-AERO a couple of weeks ago. The mobile version of rekordbox has finally hit the Android and iOS app stores.
Both apps are available for free and let you do all the usual rekord box shenanigans, including setting cue points, quantizing grids, loops, track labeling and more. Plus, you can connect to the new XDJ-AERO syste, via wifi
Grab it for iOS on iTunes and android at the Google Play store
rekordbox is a music management App for Pioneer DJ products.
- You can transfer music files from your Mac/PC to this App to prepare for your DJ performance such as creating playlists, setting cue points, and so on.
- Changes and settings that have been made on your iPhone can be written back to rekordbox on your Mac/PC for further editing and playback.
- You can also play music files in the iPhone version of rekordbox with Pioneer DJ products that support Wi-Fi (currently only XDJ-AERO supports Wi-Fi).
Main feature :
- Transferring music files from rekordbox on your Mac/PC to this App via Wi-Fi.
- Setting memory cues/loops, hot cues/loops, and beat grids. (Please note that features such as memory cues/loops and hot cues/loops are not included in XDJ-AERO.)
- Editing comments and rating tracks.
- Creating and editing playlists.
- Playing music files in rekordbox with Pioneer DJ products that support Wi-Fi.
- Importing existing music files from your iPhone.
- We recommend you install Mac/PC version of rekordbox on your computer to use this App more effectively.
- The Mac/PC version of rekordbox can be downloaded for free from Pioneer rekordbox web site: http://www.rekordbox.com


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In an era of high education and specialty degrees—from psychology to political science—perhaps it was inevitable for simple common sense to fall by the wayside. The embassy attacks across the Muslim world, especially the most savage in Egypt and Libya, are a testimony to this: U.S. policy towards these countries fundamentally exacerbated their wild reactions. To understand all this, one need only turn to the classic "schoolyard bully" paradigm, that any child can understand.
Not especially large or strong, the schoolyard bully—generally a prickly, nasty fellow—picks on two groups: 1) those who are obviously weaker than him and 2) those who, while larger or stronger than him, willingly give in to him—willingly appease. Bullying the first group, the weak, is an easy matter for the bully. As for the second group, whose capacities and responses are unclear, these he must first determine through a few bully trial-runs—to see whether they will fight back, or whether they will give in. He begins small—a shove and harsh word here and there—and takes it from there, always seeing how far he can go.
The bully will receive one of two responses from the second group, those not smaller or weaker than him: either appeasement and giving in, or a punch to the nose. If he receives the former, he continually ups the bullying to see how much more he can get away with: harsh words and shoves become demands for lunch money and stolen jackets. His work becomes complete with the absolute subordination of his victim.
As for the one who does not put up with his bullying—who gives him a swift punch to the nose—not only does the bully leave him be, he even begins to respect if not befriend him.
For centuries, people from all walks of life knew this—from experience if not common sense. Children knew it.
Now consider how the Schoolyard Bully paradigm helps explain America's relationship to the Muslim world, especially in the last four years, culminating with the U.S. embassy debacles in the Muslim world.
To set the stage, here are the main characters: the Muslim world represents the bully and the international arena is the schoolyard where his shoves and demands are made; the Muslim world's religious minorities, Christian and otherwise, represent the weak—they who are bullied incessantly because there is nothing they can do about it, and whose plight is proof of the bullying mentality of the Muslim world; the U.S. represents the ostensibly strong figure in the international-schoolyard, whose response to the bully is not wholly known and needs to be tested.
Soon after taking office, Barrack Obama made it clear in numerous ways that he was intent on appeasing the Muslim world—whether by bowing to the Wahabbi King, commanding NASA to make Muslims feel better about themselves, censoring security language deemed insulting to Muslims, or giving terrorist Osama bin Laden an Islamic funeral. No American president has been more appeasing to the Muslim world than Barrack Obama.
Of course, much of this may not be naïve appeasement; it may be something much worse. But the Muslim masses interpret it as appeasement.
Obama's most recent concessions were unprecedented: he betrayed America's longtime secular allies—whose existence was fundamental to U.S. interests, not to mention the interests of the secular and non-Muslim segments of their societies—to appease the Islamists of the world, those groups that share the same ideology, if not always tactics, of the terrorists who struck the U.S. on 9/11; those groups that are fundamentally hostile to the U.S.; those groups renowned for bullying the weak in their midst.
Of all Middle East nations, it was his policies in Egypt and Libya that were especially appeasing to the Islamists. In Egypt, he threw Hosni Mubarak—a staunch 30-year-ally of the U.S.—under the bus and helped empower the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis; in Libya, he provided military aid to the al-Qaeda-affiliated "rebels" who overthrew Gaddafi.
And what thanks did America receive from Egypt and Libya? More bullying and more demands—of the worst kinds. Like the proverbial schoolyard bully used to getting what he wants, during the embassy riots and protests across the Muslim world, it was the Islamists of Egypt and Libya—precisely those two groups which Obama did so much for, the al-Qaeda affiliated rebels in Libya and the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis—who went on the most violent sprees, made bolder demands (including the release of the Blind Sheikh or else), stormed and terrorized embassies, burned American flags, and murdered and raped American diplomats.
Thus, as all the talking heads analyze how and why the embassy attacks occurred, the greater lesson is obvious for those with common sense: nothing short of a punch to the nose—or at this very late date, when the image of an appeasing America is so ingrained, several punches—will ever cease the bullying and earn some respect for the United States.


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RECENTLY THERE HAS been a spate of books about God from scientists responding to the debate over intelligent design. These books raise a chorus of scepticism about the existence of God. Science stands for rational thought; faith, for superstition and unreason. The latest bestseller in this vein is Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion.
Dawkins has written extensively on evolution, holds a chair at Oxford University, and speaks out against any possibility that God is real. He makes many points to support his claim that religion is nonsense and that there isn't a shred of rational proof for God, miracles or the soul. Since this is such an important issue, I want to argue against him point by point.
DAWKINS STATES, "SCIENCE is the only valid way to gain knowledge. Nothing about God is needed to explain the world. Eventually science will uncover all mysteries. Those that it can't explain don't exist."
This is the bedrock of Dawkins' argument, as it is of most sceptics and scientific atheists. Yet there's no doubt that with current advances in genetics and brain research, scientists have more confidence than ever that mysteries are being unravelled as never before. By the same token, something as primitive as faith in God looks more and more pointless and misguided. At best God is a matter of personal belief; at worst, a superstition that blocks progress.
The unfairness of this argument is that it squeezes God into a corner. Dawkins makes it an 'us versus them' issue. Either you are for science (that is, reason, progress, modernism, optimism about the future) or you are for religion (that is, unreason, reactionary resistance to progress, clinging to mysteries that only God can solve). He goes so far as to tar with the same brush as extreme religious fanatics
anyone who believes in God. Sadly, the media often follow his lead, erasing the truth, which is that many scientists are religious and many of the greatest scientists (including Newton and
Einstein) probed deep into the existence of God. Not to mention the obvious fact that you don't have to go to church, or even belong to a religion, to find God plausible.
But let's leave Dawkins' heated rhetoric aside. Is science the only route to knowledge? Obviously not. I know that my mother loved me all her life, as I love my own children. I feel genius in great works of art. I have seen medical cures that science can't explain, some seemingly triggered by faith. I know that I am conscious and have a self, even though Dawkins – along with many arch-materialists – doesn't
believe that consciousness is real or that the self is anything but a chemical illusion created in the brain. The world in general has meaning; deep meaning at times. This cannot be dismissed as a delusion, an artifact of chemicals.
For thousands of years human beings have been obsessed by beauty, truth, love, honour, altruism, courage, social relationships, art and God. They all go together as subjective experiences; if God is the delusion, then so is truth or beauty. God stands for the perfection of both, and even if you think truth and beauty (along with love, justice, forgiveness, compassion and other divine qualities) can never be perfect, to say that they are fantasies makes no sense.
Science knows about objective reality: the matter that our five senses detect. But the mind goes beyond the five senses. In fact, insofar as brain research can locate centres of activity that light up whenever a person feels love or pleasure, these subjective states leave objective traces behind that make them more real, not less. In the same way, the brain lights up when a person feels inspired or close to God; therefore, we may be getting closer to the connection between inner and outer states.
DAWKINS MAKES ANOTHER sweeping claim: "God is unnecessary. Science can explain Nature without any help from supernatural causes like God. There is no need for a Creator."
To many people this argument sounds convincing because they believe in science and find God hard to believe in. But Dawkins has pulled the same trick that he resorts to over and over. This is the either-or trick. Either you think there is a personal God, a superhuman Creator who made the world according to the Book of
Genesis, or there is no God at all.
This assumption is false on several grounds. The most basic one is that God isn't a person. In a certain strain of fundamentalist Christianity God looks and acts human, and creating the world in six days is taken literally. But God isn't a person in any strain of Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, the branch of Hinduism known as Vedanta, and many denominations of Christianity – God is not a person in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. Therefore, reducing God to a Sunday school picture and claiming that the Book of Genesis – or creationism in general – competes with science isn't accurate. Einstein pointed out that he didn't believe in a personal God but was fascinated by how an orderly universe and its physical laws came about.
Nor is it fair to present God as a Creator standing somewhere outside the universe. Dawkins ridicules this notion by saying that such a God didn't need to create the cosmos through the Big Bang and billions of years of evolution. Such a God could have created it whole and perfect to begin with. Thus if we observe evolution at work – as of course we do – then God is irrelevant and unnecessary.
This attempt to second-guess God again reduces God to a person who thinks like a human being and would carry out creation the way a smart scientist would. God is universal, existing at all times and places, pervading creation both inside the envelope of space-time and outside it. To use a word like 'He' has no validity in fact: we are forced into it by how language works. A better word would be 'the All', which in Sanskrit is 'Brahman', and 'Allah' in Islam. Not every language is stuck with 'He' or 'She'.
The real debate is between two worldviews:
a) The universe is random. It operates entirely through physical laws. There is no evidence of innate
b) The universe contains design. Physical laws generate new forms that display intention. Intelligence is all-pervasive.
The second worldview can be called religious, but it's a trap to say that only a Christian God explains intelligence in the universe. There is room for a new paradigm that preserves all the achievements of science – as upheld by the first worldview – while giving the universe meaning and significance.
ONE OF THE reasons that Dawkins' book has touched a nerve is that many scientists are outraged by the religious tide in world affairs. Using theology as a shield, politicians are undermining the whole rational structure of scientific progress. This brings us to another major point for Dawkins: "The universe is a complex machine whose workings are steadily being demystified by science. Any other way of viewing the world is superstitious and reactionary."
What is so strange about this argument is that Dawkins himself is totally reactionary. His defence of a material universe revealing its secrets ignores the total overthrow of materialism in modern physics. There is no world of solid objects; space-time itself depends upon shaping forces beyond both space and time. Arch-materialism is just as superstitious as religion. Someone like Dawkins still believes there are solid objects randomly colliding to haphazardly form more and more complex objects, until over the course of billions of years the universe produced human DNA with its billions of genetic bits.
What's wrong with this argument is that if you trace DNA down to its individual atoms, each is more than 99.9% empty space. If you take an individual electron, it has no fixed position in either time or space. Rather, ghostly vibrations wink in and out of the universe thousands of times per second, and what lies beyond the boundary of the five senses holds enormous mysteries.
Enough mysteries, in fact, to be consistent with God. I don't mean a personal God, or a mythic one, or any God with a human face. Set aside all images of God. What we observe once we get over the superstition of materialism is that random chance is one of the worst ways to explain how the universe evolved. Why?
• The various constants in nature, such as gravity and the speed of light, are too precisely fitted with each other for this to happen by chance.
• If any one of six constants had been off by less than a millionth of 1%, the material universe couldn't exist.
• Events at opposite ends of the universe are paired with each other, so that a change in the spin of one electron immediately produces a twin effect in another electron. This ability to communicate instantly across millions of light years cannot be explained by materialism. It defies all notions of cause and effect. It defies chance.
• Every electron in the universe exists as a wave function that is everywhere at once. When this wave function collapses, we observe a specific isolated electron. Before the wave collapses, however, matter is non-local.
The ability of objects and events to be everywhere at once seems like an attribute of God-omnipresence. The ability of electrons separated by millions of light years to 'talk' to each other seems like another attribute of God-omniscience. This doesn't mean that God explains the universe. It means that there may be governing forces at work which allow the existence of universal consciousness. The self-aware universe is a plausible theory.
If the universe is self-aware, it would explain the formation of a self-replicating molecule like DNA far more elegantly than the clumsy, crude mechanism of random chance. As the astronomer Fred Hoyle declared (Hoyle was one of the first to seize on the notion of an expanding universe in the 1950s), the probability that random chance created life is roughly the same as the probability that a hurricane could blow through a junkyard and create a Boeing 707.
At a certain point we must leave Dawkins behind, since he is riding a hobby-horse. Without screaming that the sky is falling down, one can say that two broad rivers of human experience have run into each other. One river carries science and objective observation of the world. The other river carries subjective experience and our craving for meaning, beauty, love and truth.
There is no reason why these two rivers need to be separated, and what we are seeing is a merging. Within a generation there will be accepted theories that integrate the world 'out there' with the world 'in here'.
THIS BRINGS US to another of Dawkins' major points: "The universe is neither intelligent nor conscious. Science doesn't need those ingredients to explain Nature and its workings. Starting with atoms and molecules governed by strict physical laws, we will eventually explain everything."
This argument has to be made in a very loud voice with total conviction to sound plausible. Dawkins holds that humans are conscious because chemicals randomly collide in the brain to produce a phantom we ignorantly call the mind. This is a fashionable view and in fact is the logical outcome of arch-materialism. Where else could mind come from if not molecules, assuming that molecules are the basis of the brain and therefore of reality itself?
Common sense finds it hard to take this argument seriously, because it leads to nonsense. The brain contains an enormous amount of water and salt. Are we to assume that water is intelligent, or salt is conscious? If they aren't, then we must assume that throwing water and salt together – along with about six other basic building blocks of organic chemicals – suddenly makes them intelligent. The bald fact is that Dawkins defends an absurd position because he can't make the leap to a different set of assumptions, such as:
• Consciousness is part of existence. It wasn't created by molecules
• Intelligence is an aspect of consciousness
• Intelligence grows as life grows. Both evolve from within
• The universe evolved along intelligent lines.
The instant the word 'intelligent' comes up, sceptics rush in to shout that one is defending intelligent design, which is a stalking-horse for creationism, which is a stalking-horse for fundamentalist Christianity, which is a stalking-horse for Jesus as the one and only son of God. Such is the heated climate of debate at the moment.
However, if consciousness is innate in the universe, so is intelligence. That absolutely has nothing to do with God sitting on a throne in heaven creating Adam and Eve. If we remain sane and clear-headed, the reason to assume that consciousness exists is simple. There's no other way to account for it. Without a doubt there is enormous design, complexity, organisation and interconnectedness everywhere in Nature. You can either say, "I see it; let me explain it," or you can say "Ignore it; it's just a byproduct of randomness."
Consciousness isn't just plausible as part of Nature; it's totally necessary.
SCIENCE HAS PROGRESSED through experiments that convince people about the truth of what results. If it's true that consciousness is everywhere in Nature, there needs to be an experiment to prove it. Dawkins claims that no such experiments exist and therefore no proof of either consciousness or intelligence. Life proceeds by chance, survival and adaptation. That's the creed of Darwin, and there's no need to alter it. This can be stated as another major point: "Consciousness is a byproduct of matter."
There are many philosophical ways to disprove that statement, but since science believes in experiments, here is one. It's a thought experiment.
Think of a yellow flower. Can you see it? If so, then the experiment has been successfully completed. When you see a flower in your mind, there is no flower inside your brain. That seems simple enough. But where is that flower? There's no picture of it in your brain, because your brain contains no light. How about the colour yellow? Is there a patch of yellow inside your brain? Obviously not.
Yet you assume – as do all who fall for the superstition of materialism – that flowers and the colour yellow exist 'out there' in the world. In fact, they do not. The entire experience of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell is created
in consciousness. Molecules don't assemble in your head to make the sound of a trumpet blaring in a brass band. The brain is silent. So where does the world of sights and sounds come from? Materialists cannot offer any reasonable explanation. The fact is that an enormous gap exists between any physical, measurable event and our perception.
That's why Dawkins can never find God. He's looking in the wrong place. The physical world can't deliver God. One must look inside consciousness itself to find what God is about. If God is a universal intelligence, that will turn out to be a fact. It
won't be superstition.
When you get to the primal
state of the universe, what is it? A universal field that encloses all matter and energy. This field is
everywhere, but it also localises itself. A molecule in the brain is one expression of the field; so is a thought. The field turns out to be the common ground of both the inner and outer world. When Einstein said that he wanted to know the mind of God, he was pointing us towards the field, which science continues to explore.
Fortunately, as the two rivers begin to merge, we won't be plagued by either the superstition of religion or the superstition of materialism. We will begin to link brain and mind through new concepts that will explain how the colour yellow exists in our brain as the same phenomenon as a yellow flower in the meadow. Both are experiences in consciousness.
That covers the basic refutation of the anti-God argument. It doesn't prove God by any means; much less does it degrade science. The damage that anti-God rhetoric does is to cloud reality. In reality there is ample room for both God and science.
Part Two of this article, to be published in the July/August issue of Resurgence, discusses how evolution fits into this new paradigm.


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BMW Motorrad has achieved an all-time annual sales high for the third time in succession. Worldwide the company supplied 115,215 (prev. yr.: 106,358 units) motorcycles and maxi scooters – an increase of 8.3 % as compared to the previous record year 2012. 6,343 vehicles were sold in December. This represents an increase of 4.5% as compared to the equivalent month of the previous year.
Stephan Schaller, President BMW Motorrad: "Never before in the 90-year history of the company have we supplied so many vehicles. With a significant increase of 8.3% as compared to the previous year, we have achieved an all-time sales high and supplied more than 115,000 vehicles to our customers worldwide. I should like to thank all our customers most sincerely for the trust they have placed in us.
Due to the high level of popularity of our motorcycles and maxi scooters we have been able to achieve growth in all sales regions. This demonstrates that our product offensive has put us on the right course. In some markets growth reached double figures, such as the USA and Russia. Germany remains our most successful individual market. However, we saw very positive sales developments in South America and Asia, too. And despite the difficult market environment that persists in Europe, we once again asserted and further extended our market leadership in the relevant capacity segment over 500 cubic centimetres in Germany, Spain and Italy. In the crisis-ridden markets of Italy and Spain we were able to achieve growth for the first time in years despite the fact that the market as a whole was heavily in decline in those countries."
With 21,473 vehicles sold (prev. yr.: 20,516 units), BMW Motorrad achieved growth in Germany of 4.7% as compared to the previous year. This has meant further expansion of market leadership in the segment over 500 cc in the domestic market. The market share in the past fiscal year was 25.5%.
The USA follows in second position with 14,100 vehicles sold. Here, 2,000 more BMW motorcycles were sold than in 2012. This represents an increase of around 17%.
Next in order of the largest individual markets come France and Italy, each with over 10,000 vehicles sold, and these are followed by Brazil and the UK. In the latter market, BMW Motorrad achieved growth of almost 15% as compared to 2012, moving up to second position in the market ranking with a share of 15.8% (prev. yr.: 3rd position).
R 1200 GS – the most successful BMW motorcycle.
The most successful model in 2013 with almost 30,000 vehicles sold was once again the R 1200 GS. Well over 25,000 units are accounted for by the new water-cooled travel enduro, making 2012 the best first sales year of a new model ever to be recorded in the history of BMW Motorrad.
It is followed in second place by the BMW F 800 GS with 10,166 units sold. Third place goes to the F 700 GS, of which 7,155 were sold. Sales of the 1000 cc supersports models S 1000 RR and HP4 were also exceptionally successful. In 2013 just under 6,800 Double R and almost 2,700 HP4 were supplied to customers. In addition to this, the R 1200 RT and the R 1200 GS Adventure likewise achieved excellent sales figures in their last year before the model change. The new mid-range models F 800 GT and F 800 GS Adventure were also well received. Meanwhile the maxi scooters C 650 GT and C 600 Sport as well as the 6- cylinder touring bikes K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL continue to enjoy a high level of popularity.
A look ahead to 2014 for BMW Motorrad
BMW Motorrad gets started in 2014 with a powerful product portfolio and is in excellent shape all round. The segments Sport, Tour, Roadster, Enduro and Urban Mobility provide fascinating motorcycles to suit every taste. What is more, a range of new products are due to go on the market in 2014. BMW Motorrad reflects the breadth of the Roadster segment with the new models BMW R nineT and S 1000 R. The BMW S 1000 R is the new dynamic BMW Motorrad roadster based on the S 1000 RR. It stands for an emotional roadster look combined with riding dynamics in supersports style. The BMW R nineT offers fascinating manufactory-style character, high-quality materials and elaborately designed surfaces, with a modular concept which allows for a vast range of customisation options.
The successors to the volume models R 1200 RT and R 1200 GS Adventure are also due to go on the market as of this spring. The same applies to the new BMW K 1600 GTL Exclusive, featuring six cylinders and a particularly luxurious range of fittings.
BMW Motorrad also ushers in a whole new era in the area of urban mobility with the BMW C evolution . The BMW electro scooter combines riding fun and dynamic performance with all the benefits of a zero-emissions vehicle to create a novel riding experience on two wheels. The model range is supplemented with an extensive range of accessories and innovative BMW Motorrad rider equipment.
Stephan Schaller, President BMW Motorrad: "On the basis of our ongoing product offensive, we can look ahead to the upcoming motorcycle season with positive expectations. We are confident of being able to achieve our fourth all-time sales high in succession."


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Where would be the best place to test out an unhackable netbook? The NSW department of education in Australia thinks that college is perfect . They plan on distributing netbooks, preloaded with Windows 7,and iTunes. They also have bios level tracking and security, allowing them to be remotely shut down on command. With 20,000 of these in circulation, we would think that we'll see someone proving the "unhackable" statement wrong. We can only hope.
[via slashdot]


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People who have thought about public speaking or presentations usually know that silence is one of the most powerful tools in conversation, speaking and negotiation. Think about any memorable speech. The power comes from pauses. Look at any accomplished comedian. They use timing. What is timing if it isn't the use of silence? Music is punctuated by silence. Storytellers will often use their pauses in very real ways, the best using it in a way that borders on hypnotism.
Yet roleplaying is a medium that, to my experience, abhors silence. Think about it, we have a group of players and usually a GM. 3 and up people. That usually means that there are one or more conversations going on at the table. Thinking back to most gaming sessions there is usually one of the following types of conversations:
- GM to all players
- GM to one player
- All players
- Player to Player
- Any breakdown above.
But I think at any gaming table I've ever been there hasn't be silence. Well except for the odd moment of very uncomfortable silence and that's usually broken very quickly.
So how do I effectively create and utilize silence in a game?


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We've had Obi-Wan Kenobi, yesterday was General Grievous, and today it's Anakin Skywalker! This is the one that may have a running change to "Darth Vader" on the nameplate, so you may as well get this special version if you're here. And if you aren't? Well, you're dead to me.
Just posted: a gallery of the slides from Hasbro's collector presentation... another gallery with photo highlights from the presentation... and for the completists out there, click on "Read More" for this article to download the whole presentation as a PDF. (Edit: Fixed PDF link; was only showing up for some users.)
I live-tweeted the panel, but if you missed it, here are my posts in reverse order-- included are highlights from the slides as well as commentary. Big news: 3-Packs 3-Pack, Kohl's Galactic Heroes AT-ST, Vintage AOTC wave! It's messy.
Hundreds more pictures from the show floor! Check out this ShopStarWars.com Mara Jade (and Darth Bane) as well as dozens of fans, toys, panels, and other goodies! Seriously, go now! And don't miss the dozens of photos from the entire Ralph McQuarrie exhibit, which we shot and freaking loved!
On sale at Celebration V-- with practically no line at all-- is a two-pack with Fixer and Camie Marstrap. This is a great set-- the comic is nice, but the fact that you're getting action figures of a legendary scene you've likely never seen is pretty amazing. She's well-done too, so read on!
StarWarsShop now has the Cami and Fixer Comic Pack and 4-LOM Zuckuss set exclusive to Celebration V now IN STOCK and available for $14.99 each. Click here to order!
Catch a bunch of pictures from Celebration V! Click here to see 222 images from the show floor that took about an hour and change to get up. What fun! Seriously though, check out the dioramas and new addtions!
Hey everybody! I'm in the bowels of the convention center snapping photos and doing research, and I have good news-- sort of. There isn't much new on display, other than the first "official" look at the Slave I set coming to Toys "R" Us. Hasbro's booth is giving away a Galactic Heroes Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot and a foil edition Obi-Wan Kenobi cardback. I'll have more for you later, but so far, there's not much new here!
Star Wars Celebration V is almost upon us and Her Universe will be there in a big way! If you plan on being in Orlando for the biggest Star Wars party this side of the galaxy come meet Ashley and see her new line of Star Wars apparel for female fans at our special Celebration booth, #1111. In addition, to honor the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and the 5th Star Wars Celebration, Ashley wanted to do something special! Only at Star Wars Celebration V will you be able to purchase the exclusive, Her Universe Limited Edition Empire Strikes Back necklace featuring Ashley's favorite poster art from the film.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, LEGO Systems, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. are summoning the force of LEGO® and STAR WARS fans and families to participate in a three-day collaborative build of an eight-foot tall, 15-foot wide LEGO mystery mural to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The mural will be constructed by attendees of Star Wars Celebration V and a LEGO Master Builder at Orlando's Orange County Convention Center from August 13-15.
So here's the thing, we're literally HOURS (I'm counting them) from Celebration V in Orlando, FL. and friends keep asking me what is the must-have Celebration V exclusive, and, while I'd LOVE a Wampa Rug/Tauntaun Sleeping Bag — which I'd have to use if I brought them home (I'd take pictures of my exile) I know in my bones that the 4-LOM/Zuckuss Retro-Vintage Mix-Up Combo by Hasbro is the one thing I cannot live without.
With one week to go, NiubNiub's Universe is preparing for the Battle of Hoth, and here's a flashback to 2005's monster-sized diorama to get you ready. Don't forget, you can still donate Battle of Hoth toys (Rebellion or Imperials) for all the cool kids to display with, and then take home (along with the diorama pieces they've built). It will be a lot of fun (as always).
The guys at Endor Express have a story on the two exclusives that Disney will be offering at Celebration V. One is a sneak peek at the Starspeeder 1000, and it's a lot oranger than the current model. The other is an all-black Donald Duck in Shadow Trooper outfit. You want to know about pricing and edition sizes, right? Better go check the full story at Endor Express!
Five of the largest Star Wars collecting clubs in the US are pleased to announce a set of five themed patches for Star Wars Celebration 5. Theparticipating clubs are The Washington DC Area Star Wars Collecting Club (DCSWCC), The Kentucky Star Wars Collectors Club (KSWCC), The Ohio Star WarsCollectors Club (OSWCC), The Pennsylvania Star Wars Collecting Society (PSWCS), and the Star Wars Grand Florida Alliance (SWGFA). The five triangular embroidered patches, each sponsored by one of the clubs, fit together like a puzzle to form a larger image of Boba Fett, the show's de facto mas


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Although it has already launched on the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Diablo III is getting yet another release — this time on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and legacy consoles. For gamers who haven't boarded that train to Sanctuary, this is the best time to hop on now. Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition features the Reaper of Souls expansion and along with a host of other improvements.
This week, I checked it out and came away with an itch to return to the hack-and-slasher. On the console, the game features four-player couch co-op, which is perfect for lazy summer days with friends. (There is remote play via the PlayStation Vita.) The game feels as though it's built from the ground up for the next-gen consoles with a camera angle that's zoomed closer to the action and combat that feels satisfying, especially for melee characters.
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Albany Professional Spray Foam Insulation
Albany's most professional spray foam insulation installers. With combined experience of 20+ years.
Albany Professional Spray Foam Insulation is where you will find professionalism. Our spray foam insulation installers are qualified and certified to use high-end products so you can rest assured that we will insulate your building or home with precision. Seeking to provide our customers unbeatable comfort and protection, Albany Professional Spray Foam Insulation is who you can trust for the best spray foam products and service in the northern Hudson Valley area.
Albany ( (listen) AWL-bən-ee) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 10 miles (16 km) south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about 135 miles (220 km) north of New York City. The city is known for its architecture, commerce, culture, institutions of higher education, and rich history. It is the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of the State of New York, which comprises the Albany–Schenectady–Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area, including the nearby cities and suburbs of Troy, Schenectady, and Saratoga Springs. With an estimated population of 1.1 million in 2013, the Capital District is the third most populous metropolitan region in the state.
Albany County, Altamont, Arbor Hill, Averill Park, Bellevue, Bethlehem Center, Better Community Neighborhoods, Inc., Beverwyck, Bishop's Gate, Buckingham Lake, Buckingham Lake, Capital District, Castleton-On-Hudson, Center Square & Hudson/Park, Central Avenue


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Contractor Tip of the Month
Who Will Load the Truck?
When a position comes open in your company, do you promote someone from the inside, or go outside to find the talent?
At Lang Masonry, we got a surprise near the end of 2012, when a project manager (PM) decided to leave the company. Although we understood why the employee left as he had family issues, that never made it any easier to find a replacement – especially, when he was doing a good job for us. So, for weeks, my top staff and I studied whether to fill the position by promoting from within or looking outside the company.
Both options had advantages and disadvantages. The positives of hiring outside were: We could bring in someone who already had the skill set to be a PM, so he would not need training and could hit the ground running. He may also bring in outside knowledge from experience with other companies that could be incorporated into our systems. Negatives: An outsider may not be as loyal to our company as someone who grew up in the company. I had a huge concern as to whether he would fit into our company culture when, after all, our existing foremen are the culture.
Positives of promoting from within: An existing foreman would be very dedicated to the company, as the foremen who were being considered have 14 or more years with our company and tremendous people skills. They would already know all our incentive and management systems. Negatives: The paperwork required for high-profile jobs today is intense, and none of our foremen have more than a high school education. Therefore, extensive training is needed to become a PM instead of a field foreman. The two jobs have quite a different understanding of what is needed in managing a project. It would require more of my time, personally, during the training process, and I was already buried trying to manage four companies.
This had to be one of the most difficult decisions I have made in my 28 years of business. I kept going back and forth, while soliciting advice from my staff and peers. I also had to consider my past experiences. Over the years, when I had brought people in from the outside, they would work well for a while, but they always wanted to go home as they were not comfortable living in Waterford, Ohio. I guess that what I considered paradise was just an old country hick town to them.
Another thought kept running through my mind: "Who will load the truck at 2 a.m.?" That came from an oil and gas conference I attended during which the speaker, Brooks Miller – a young guy who was a growing star in his father's very successful business – told us what his father kept beating into him time and again. His father, Ken Miller, would say, "Son there is only one thing worse than having to load a truck at 2 a.m. – having a competitor load it."
I knew that if I picked one of our own foremen, that person would be willing to "load the truck." Therefore, after considering all the advice of others, and going back and forth several times, I picked one of my foremen – an inside guy.
Who we promote to help run our companies is a big deal. Time will tell if I have made the right decision. There are some foremen who have been with me longer; however, in the end, it isn't about tenure, it's about who I believe deep in my gut has what it takes, right now, to do what I need done.
In the past, I have talked about promoting from within and the importance of it, but the bottom line is this: You can only promote from inside if you have someone who is qualified (or has the potential and willingness to be trained to become qualified) to do the job. If not, you must go outside. In my case, I luckily had options to explore both scenarios. It was just a matter of gathering the information, then having the courage to do what was best for the future of the company. It may not be the most popular choice among all of my people, but one way or another, we will keep "loading that truck."


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Deutsche Version: www.bio-based.eu/news/nova-institut-durchbruch-beim-naturfaser-spritzgiessen/
The results of a project promoted by the DBU (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt), entitled "Development of industrial scale natural fibre pellet production using natural fibres to reinforce bioplastics in injection moulding and extrusion techniques"(ref. no. 27717-34) has generated significant interest within the industry: At the final event of the project 21st of May 2012 in Cologne (Germany) compounders, injection moulders, extruders and users from the plastics and automobile industries have expressed great interest in the hemp fibre pellets. Production and optimisation of the natural fibre pellets to resolve the problem of dosing natural fibres in plastic industry processing was achieved by project partner BaFa (Malsch, Germany).
The extensive range of trials by industry partners FKuR (Willich, Germany, www.fkur.com), H.Hiendl (Bogen, Germany, www.hiendl.de), Linotech (Waldenburg, Germany, www.linotech.de) as well as by the Fraunhofer WKI (Braunschweig, Germany, www.wki.fraunhofer.de), which were evaluated by the Bremen technical university of applied sciences in Germany (www.bionik.hs-bremen.de), showed that natural fibre pellets can not only be accurately dispensed but also blend well and evenly into the melt.
Prof. Dr. Jörg Müssig (HS Bremen, Bionik) and his team tested the properties of the hemp fibres before and after pelletisation, within the granulate and in the end product, as well as checking the mechanical values of test specimens and end products. It was only in this way that the project could ensure a progressive improvement in the natural fibre pellets.
Generally natural fibres bring more mechanical strength and rigidity to a plastic material. The infeed of natural fibres in form of optimized pellets brings further advantages, like a more homogenous distribution of the fibres, lower fibre damage and thus more intact and long fibres. Fibre shortening mainly occurs during the compounding step and not during pelletisation. Overall it was shown: The higher the fibre content and the better the quality of the applied fibre, the better the properties of the compound material.
Project leader Michael Carus of the nova-Institute (www.nova-institute.eu) expressed his satisfaction: "At last the bottle-neck presented by natural fibre infeed has been overcome. Now even companies with relatively little experience can dose natural fibres in pellet form. The pellets are already firm enough to resist the stresses of transport and storage, and soft enough to blend well into the melt."
The producer, BaFa, offers pure natural fibre pellets as well as pellets that during pelletisation have been blended with up to 40% of a plastic such as PP or PLA, as well as having additives included if required by the customer. A surprising result of the project is, that pellets made from 60% natural fibre and 40% PP were able to be fed directly into the extruder without previous compounding, which saves a significant level of cost and process energy.
The nova-Institute tested the pellets with regard to the process energy used and with regard to their anticipated market price.
The need of primary energy for the production of hemp fibre pellets is with its 5.2 GJ/t rather low compared to other materials. Typical plastics usually need ten times as much. Also interesting is, that the process step of the pelletisation only requires 0.2 GJ/t (4%). The biggest share is needed for fertilizer (38%) followed by farm machinery (25%) and the fibre processing (17%). Pesticides are usually not required when cultivating hemp; in other agricultural products they constitute a relevant share of the energy need.
This means for the application of the hemp fibre pellets: the energy need for the production of hemp fibre pellets is only marginally higher than that for the production of the hemp fibres. Thus, with regard to ecology, the application of the pellets gets the "green light". It also has to be considered that technical effort in order to feed unpelletized hemp fibres also requires further energy which might even shift the balance to the pellets' favour. In case the pellets are additionally mixed with plastics or additives already in the pelletisation step, later process steps may become obsolete.
Here it was seen that the market prices depend up to about 70% on the material cost (hemp fibres and, where relevant, plastics with an even higher share). Depending on the composition, prices for natural fibre pellets lie between 1.00 and 1.20 €/kg, which for most companies would be an attractive price as a solution to their infeed problems.
Bernd Frank, managing director of BaFa GmbH, has been enjoying a lively level of interest since these results were made public. The pelletisation plant is already running at a high rate to produce natural fibre pellets to customer requirements, with and without plastics or additives.
The comprehensive report on the project, including a range of process details and material tests of all project partners, are available for free download at (only in German language): www.bio-based.eu/technology
Download this press release as PDF file: 12-10-17_PR_Natural_fibre_pellets
nova-Institut GmbH, press release, 2012-10-23
BAFA Badische Naturfaseraufbereitung GmbH
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)
FKuR Kunststoff GmbH
Fraunhofer-Institut für Holzforschung Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI
Hiendl Kunststofftechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Hochschule Bremen
nova-Institut GmbH
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s Hardy's correspondence from 1880 makes plain, George du Maurier was not in fact his first choice as illustrator for the Harper's New Monthly Magazine serialisation of A Laodicean. On 4 June, 1880, he wrote directly to the bride of poet William Allingham, Helen Paterson Allingham, the illustrator of Far From the Madding Crowd in its Cornhill serialisation, enquiring as to whether she were interested in providing a similar pictorial programme for "a serial story of mine that will begin in the Autumn of this year in a prominent American Magazine" (Letters I: 73). Hardy implies that the quality of her work will play a part in Harper's achieving its aim of achieving "an English circulation equal to that of our native magazines" (74). Not merely to flatter her but certainly to induce her to take the commission, Hardy notes that "The payment would be liberal; & my great admiration for your drawings induces me to address you in hope that you may be able to undertake the work." As editors Richard L. Purdy and Michael Millgate add at the foot of Hardy's letter, she replied the next day, declining his "flattering invitation" because "she had entirely given up book illustration" (74). On 11 June, 1880, Hardy proposed to Harper and Brothers that George du Maurier be awarded the commission, indicating he has already approached the artist himself:
As I felt, with you, that it would be important that the [new] English edition should start with every possible advantage in the way of an artist, I applied to Mr. George du Maurier (who has often told me he would like to illustrate another story of mine) & who, as you are aware, is by far the most popular illustrator here — especially since he has achieved such wide celebrity by his "English society at home" sketches, reprinted in Punch. He agrees to do the drawings, provided I can instruct him soon for the early ones. [Letters I, 74]
In his previous letters to Harper and Brothers regarding A Laodicean (16 April, 1880) Hardy had promised to "furnish the artist with hints, rough sketches &c. Precisely as I should do for an English magazine" (72), but the artist he had had in mind at that point seems to have been Helen Paterson Allingham and not George du Maurier. In the 11 June, 1880, letter to his American publishers, Hardy proposes that they remunerate du Maurier at twenty guineas for each of the thirteen large drawings required for the wood- photogravure process. Hardy informed du Maurier in a letter dated 22 June, 1880, of Harper's decision (just received via telegram from New York) of the publisher's awarding of the commission to him, promising to give the artist "a photograph or two for the chief characters" (76) when they lunch together at the Savile Club in London. On 12 July, 1880, Hardy, acceding to Du Maurier's request, proposes to Henry Harper that they have lunch at the artist's house in order "to see the grouping of his drawing for the story, before he finishes it off" (76). Presumably, this was the drawing for the initial plate, which du Maurier has produced after reading the first instalment in manuscript. By 10 September, Hardy was already returning the corrected proofs for Part I of the novel to Richard Rogers Bowker, Harper and Brothers's London representative, and promising to forward the corrected proofs for Parts II and III by September 20th. On September 16th Hardy wrote Bowker about providing proofs of Part III for Du Maurier. Although Hardy's correspondence with Bowker throughout the period of August, 1880, to October, 1881, deals exclusively with proofs and revises of the various monthly parts of A Laodicean, he ventures no criticism of du Maurier's work.
Conclusions about du Maurier's Ethelberta and Laodicean Illustrations
Given his choice of holiday destinations, du Maurier's utilizing seashore settings in five out of twenty-two pictures (plates 2, 7, 10; and vignettes 9 and 10) is hardly surprising in The Hand of Ethelberta (1876). In the same serial he has a drawing room as the backdrop for four out of twenty-two pictures (plates 4, 5, and 9; and vignette 6). Five years later, du Maurier shifted his preference from exterior or outdoor scenes, of which there are five (plates 3, 7, 11, 12, and 13), to interior or indoor scenes, of which there are eight (plates 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10), mostly of fashionable interiors, drawing- rooms and dining-rooms in particular. Jackson contends that du Maurier did not favour doing scenes of two people conversing (in contradiction to the author whom he illustrated); however, the plates in these novels suggest that he favoured scenes involving the romantic hero and heroine. In The Hand of Ethelberta, the eponymous character is in ten of the eleven full-size plates; in A Laodicean, Paula Power appears in eleven out of thirteen plates. Although Julian Christopher is not so significant a figure in the 1876 novel, in whose eleven full-size illustrations he appears but three times, the romantic male lead in A Laodicean is featured nine times--all but one of the plates in which he does not occur feature Somerset's romantic rival, Captain de Stancy, and the object of their affections, Paula. Two of the eleven Ethelberta plates contain six or more figures, du Maurier's preference in that novel being scenes of two figures (seven out of eleven full-size plates), whereas seven out of the thirteen Laodicean plates contain seven or more figures, and only three plates two figures each. Thus, over the course of five years as his eyesight failed, du Maurier shifted his narrative-pictorial interests from scenes of dialogue containing two figures towards scenes in which the speakers are observed by or interact with a number of other characters
Related Masterials
The Collected Letters of Thomas Hardy. Eds. Richard Little Purdy and Michael Millgate. Oxford: Clarendon, 1978. Vol. One: 1840-1890.
Last modified 11 May 2001


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Storage products Kodak deserves your trust
Since 1884, Eastman Kodak has been the brand customers associate with high-quality imaging products. Kodak's long history in photography has made it one of the most widely recognized and trusted brands in the world. Kodak\'s current portfolio is based on deep technological expertise developed over the years in materials science, deposition and digital imaging science. "With our world-class R&D capabilities, innovative solutions portfolio, and highly trusted brand, Kodak is helping customers around the globe to sustainably grow their businesses and enjoy their lives."


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The hungry judges soon the Sentence sign,
And Wretches hang that Jury-men may Dine.
The heroic couplet, lines in iambic pentameter rhymed in pairs, appeared early in English — it was Chaucer's favorite meter — and came into vogue in poetic drama in the seventeenth century, but in the eighteenth century, in the hands of masters like Dryden, Pope, and Johnson, it became for many years the dominant English verse form. In the Neo-classical period the heroic couplet consisted of a couplet of end-stopped lines which formed a short stanza, and substituted for the Greek and Latin heroic hexameter.
Why should this meter, with its strongly symmetrical grammatical structure, be perceived by poets like Pope and Johnson as an ideal structure to embody and convey the emphasis on form and sense and wit which they sought so insistently in their work? And why would the rebellious Romantics, in their quest for personal and poetic freedom, (with a few important exceptions, such as Byron, and, to a lesser degree, Keats) react so strongly against these same qualities?
Originally created 1987; last modified July 2000


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The Whole Life Cost Forum
Represented the construction and property industry for the development of Whole Life Costs.
We operated between 1999 and 2005 and is now suspended having delivered all our targets and projects.
This web site will be kept online as long as possible as a reference source.
In closing the WLCF Brad Bamfield, the Chairman, thanked all the past members for their financial support and hard work.. He also noted that we were ahead of our time and that maybe the industry has still to catch up with the WLCF.
You can email here


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Nutcracker Christmas White Tissue Pack - 4 Sheets
Caspari's patterned and metallic tissue paper selections feature bold prints and highly pigmented colors. Available in a large variety of palettes, patterns, and finishes, the collection provides options that perfectly coordinate with Caspari gift bags, gift wrap, and bows. Use a single style or mix and match our prints and solids to express your unique style and create themed gift presentations. Packs include 4 sheets of tissue.
- This beautifully printed tissue paper features a unique Caspari print or metallic finish that is designed to perfectly coordinate with our gift bag and gift wrap collections.
- Designed and Manufactured in the USA
- 4 Tissue Sheets per Pack
- 50.8 cm x 76.2 cm Sheets
Product Type: | Tissue Paper |
Product SKU: | 10056TIS |
Product UPC: | 0025096975131 |
Collection Name: | Nutcracker Christmas White |
Quantity Included: | 4 Sheets Included |
Product Dimensions: | 50.8 cm x 76.2 cm Sheets |
Country of Origin: | United States |


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Did you know that a researcher at the CNPRC developed the drug that prevented HIV infected mothers from transmitting HIV to their unborn fetus? Well we do and that is just the beginning of the many life changing research strides made at the CNPRC Infectious Disease Research Program. Our team of researchers have made and continue to make critical advancements in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Zika virus and CMV research. Your support will provide the necessary resources to continue to make significant strides every day by our team in the area of infectious disease. We are advancing both animal and human health through our groundbreaking work and our team is poised to address the next virus outbreak in our ever more complex and connected global society.
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Prelude in e minor, BWV 548
Nicholas Danby, Feldberg pedal-harpsichord
Fugue in G Major BWV 577
Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue BWV 903
Isolde Ahlgrimm, Ammer pedal-harpsichord
Total Time: 75:44
The pedal-harpsichord, a harpsichord with an organ-type pedalboard as illustrated above, was invaluable for domestic organ practice.
But performance of pieces written for keyboard only could always benefit from the availability of pedals either to add bass, or to assist with a long hand-span. On this disc we offer a selection of works written for organ (BWV 548, track 1), for pedal-hrpsichord, and for keyboard only. The organ pieces benefit here from greater clarity, while judicious use of the pedal introduces extra drama into the keyboard works. Like the Fugue, the Passacaglia was a popular format during the baroque era, in which the melody is generally featured as a repeating bassline, though it can appear in any voice. In his Passacaglia & Fugue in c minor, Bach shows us clearly the two forms, of Passacaglia, and Fugue side by side in a piece of music which has rarely been excelled in contrapuntal and musical power. The bass motif is stated at the outset. Throughout the variations which follow it remains clearly discernible, either in the pedal, or on the manuals. When all the possibilities of variation on the bass tine have been exhausted, Bach repeats the theme with an added counter-theme, and proceeds to create one of his most magnificent fugues. This work is not only a musical masterpiece, it is also a master-lesson for those who seek a clear and easy-to-follow initiation into these two important forms of baroque musical pattern. We would also add that in this particular rendition by Nicholas Danby on the pedal-harpsichord, the inherent clarity of the instrument, the interpretation, choice of registration and steady tempo make this one of the clearest, most transparent performances of this great work we have yet encountered. The Trio Sonata IV in e minor BWV 528 is one of six which Bach wrote for practice by his son Wilhelm Friedemann. All three movements are extremely melodic, and the tunes soon become enjoyably familiar. One might think that Wilhelm Friedemann must have had some very enjoyable lessons - but do not be deceived! These Trio Sonatas are immensely difficult to play; Wilhelm Friedemann must have reached a considerable degree of proficiency to succeed in playing these works at all, particularly on the pedal-harpsichord, which requires much greater accuracy than the organ. All six are now available on BACH 759 The Passacaglia and the Trio Sonata were intended for organ or pedal-harpsichord, as were the three fugues BWV 575, 576 and 577 which are regarded as early works dating from Bach's Arnstadt period. The catchy melody of the last of the three nicknamed the Jig Fugue, has become understandably popular in arrangements for orchestra or brass group (BMC 35). The remaining items in our program may be regarded as pure harpsichord works, that is, intended for manuals only, though the stately Fantasy & Fugue in a minor, BWV 904 lends itself perfectly to the greater power and sustaining capability of the organ, and assuredly benefits here from the additional reinforcement from the pedal. The bright and highly virtuosic Chromatic Fantasy & Fugue in d minor BWV 903 is a magnificent piece of improvisational writing, as much admired by Bach's contemporaries as it is by performers and listeners today. Like the Harpsichord Toccatas (performed by Isolde Ahlgrimm on BACH 726 in the Baroque Music Club's Collection), the Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue is a virtuosic piece demanding an individualistic, personal interpretation by each performer - a challenge to which Ms Ahlgrimm rises with her usual flair and virtuosity.
Illustrated article: The Pedal-Harpsichord in Baroque Germany


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My first contribution towards the ongoing Kapoor Khazana which is going on around some of the bolly blogosphere is this much lauded love Triangle which left me, well we'll see in a minute
This much lauded classic of course marked the reunion of Raja (Rishi Kapoor) and his Bobby (Dimple Kapadia) who had eloped 12 years earlier in that 1973 classic Bobby, but for me i found it really hard to appreciate this classic say apart from the songs by R.D Burman, I felt zero sympathy for the characters.
Kamal Hassan's character i found way too pitiful and lacking in conviction especially in the way he dealt with expressing matters of his heart, as well as his deceit when he was confronted by Mona about his feelings. I also could not overlook the ending which in this case, like many other love triangles (see here) someone dies just so the decision making process can be made easier, I'd have liked Saagar even more if the female lead, in this case Mona (Dimple Kapadia) really got to examine her heart and make her choice rather than end up with one of her potential suitors just because the other potential Mr Right was killed off.
Smouldering Dimple!!! |
Overall watch Saagar mostly for the songs and then for the actors if you're a fan of anyone here, acting wise everyone puts in a good job but the classic love triangle trope just killed things for me, needless to say I 'd rather Dimple was awarded the Filmfare Best actress award for Zakhmi Aurat where i felt her acting prowess, the same goes for Kamal Hassan who was awarded the Filmfare Best Male actor for his role in this, I'd rather he won it for Ek Duuje ke liye than this