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Statement by Minister Tuomioja at The Conference on Disarmament
Statement by H.E. Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, The Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, on 19 June 2012
Mr President, Mr Secretary-General, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here today and to have this opportunity to present Finnish thoughts on disarmament at this forum now that our Presidency is drawing on its end. It has been some seven years since the last time I addressed this conference back in 2005. It is nice to be back here at the "UN in the Heart of Europe".
In my statement seven years ago I noted that the Conference on Disarmament can justifiably be proud of having managed to create international norms on disarmament. This, of course, remains valid today – this body has achieved much in the past. However, back in 2005 I further noted that for the past years the CD had done little but rested on its laurels and that this immobility was a source of concern for us. Unfortunately, also this is very much true today. Efforts to revitalize the CD have not borne fruit – time flies but the impasse continues and our concern remains.
We believe that the Conference should without further delay begin negotiations on key issues. We are fully prepared to proceed on all four core issues in a balanced and equitable manner, with notably our own preference being commencing negotiations on the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT). An FMCT would take us a step closer to our goal of a world without nuclear weapons and would also be essential for our nonproliferation efforts.
But how do we get forward from the current stalemate? Interesting ideas and proposals, including those presented by you Mr. Secretary-General, have been presented. It is true that practical steps, such as streamlining the CD's processes, increasing its transparency, as well as enhancing its accessibility to civil society organizations, could possibly take us further – but that is not enough. The impasse in the CD is not the result of its procedural rules. Political will is needed to make the Conference to do what it is mandated to do: negotiate. Thematic discussions, like the ones we are having today, do not replace negotiations, but at best they can pave the way for negotiations.
By resuming negotiations, the Conference on Disarmament could regain its authority as the single multilateral negotiating body on disarmament while now its very existence seems to be jeopardized. The CD must redeem itself before it is too late. Because if we lose the CD, we stand to lose a lot. The Conference as a single multilateral negotiating forum that takes different national security concerns into account is indeed something that we as a smaller country do not want to lose. It is only in the CD and as a CD member that a country such as Finland has a permanent right to participate on equal footing in negotiations on potential new treaty instruments in the field of nuclear disarmament.
Mr President,
Based on the Schedule of Activities that the CD agreed upon last month, the plenary today is concentrating on nuclear disarmament. Let me stress that Finland is a strong supporter of disarmament and we continue to urge all states to work towards concrete nuclear disarmament through concrete actions. I would also like to note that Finland continues to assess that short range tactical nuclear weapons systems (SNF) remain in a blind spot of the multilateral disarmament and nonproliferation scenery. We consider that the time would be ripe to introduce treaty-based and verifiable measures on SNF and to thus codify and build upon the unilateral steps announced in 1991, over twenty years ago.
Being one of the original States Parties to the NPT, Finland has attached great importance to that Treaty from its inception. Now that the current review cycle of this cornerstone of international security and stability is well under way, Finland is fully committed to further strengthen the NPT regime and all its three pillars. We are ready to do our utmost in supporting disarmament and actively promoting safer world, in any possible way we can. Let me touch upon one example.
Mr. President,
In October last year, Finland was designated as the Host Government for a Conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction to be held in 2012. Simultaneously, Under-Secretary Laajava of the Finnish MFA was appointed as the Facilitator for the Conference preparations.
The Facilitator gave his first report on the consultations to the first Preparatory Committee in Vienna in May. The Facilitator was able to report that while substantial progress has been made, further and intensified efforts are still needed in order to ensure the convening of a successful Conference. The goal itself, the establishment of a zone, is shared by everyone, but views differ on how and in what timeframe to get there. Work is also still ahead as regards meeting the expectations of all States of the region in order to ensure their participation at the Conference.
The urgency of the issue has been raised in the consultations, as have the recent regional developments. Against this background, it is clear that intensified cooperation between the Facilitator, Conveners of the Conference and the States of the region is required, although, ultimately, the responsibility for a successful Conference lies with the States of the region. The Facilitator will continue doing his utmost in fostering common ground in this process.
Finland as the Host Government is ready to host the Conference at any time in 2012. December has been frequently mentioned in the consultations as a possibility. We now look forward to further concrete input by the States of the region as regards the substantive and organizational aspects of the Conference.
The Facilitator has a clear goal and commitment to continue working towards the organization of the Conference in 2012 as agreed. In order to reach our shared goal of establishing the zone, now is the time to ensure that a successful Conference in 2012 marks a starting point in the process leading to this.
Mr President,
Let me also use this opportunity to spend a few minutes with the developments related to "everyday weapons of mass destruction" – that is conventional arms, including small and light weapons.
Irresponsible transfers of conventional arms can easily lead to destabilization of security in various states and regions, contribute to human rights abuses, especially those of women and children, and add to internal conflicts. It is unfortunate that international trade in conventional arms from the most technologically sophisticated weaponry to more common arms has remained outside global binding rules. Today no set of commonly agreed norms exists.
In the past years we have worked hard to fix this gap. Preparations for an International Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) began already in 2006. Finland, as one of the original co-authors of the ATT, has aimed actively to further the preparations and negotiations of the ATT towards a universal regulation of the international arms trade. The ATT is now really within our reach and this momentum must not be lost.
An efficient Treaty shall include a clear aim, wide definition of various types of arms transfers like brokering and a widest possible and modern arms scope. In addition to the most sophisticated and technologically advanced conventional arms the scope should also include small arms and light weapons (SALW), as well as ammunition which are often diverted to others than to intended end users.
ATT enjoys wide support in number but important open questions still remain. Concluding the Treaty in the UN Conference is, therefore, not to be taken as granted. However, personally I am very hopeful of the successful conclusion of the ATT at the end of July. This would mean an important step forward and a means with which the international community can try to reduce problems caused by arms trade and enhance respect for human rights.
It needs to be stressed that an ATT in July would not mean an end to our work. We need to continue to promote actively a universally effective Treaty. The universality and efficiency of the ATT requires wide adherence from all of us. This is why the Treaty should include provisions on assistance to those states which need it. States like Finland need to assume responsibility to assist to facilitate the adherence to the Treaty, if so desired.
The Arms Trade Treaty would regulate the legal trade in conventional arms, and also indirectly address the problem of illegal arms trafficking, which results in alarming number of casualties each year, and has harmful and destabilizing effects on societies.
There is a direct link between security and development - armed conflicts deny development. It is of utmost importance that we give our full support to all efforts trying to prevent conflicts arising. Regulating the trade and preventing illicit circulation of weapons are crucial means of this support.
Mr President,
I am very pleased to bring to the attention of this Conference Finland's accession to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, the so called Ottawa Convention. Finland deposited the instrument of accession with the UN Secretary-General on January 9 this year and the Government of Finland has finalized all the national constitutional measures required for the entry-into-force of the Convention.
The Ottawa Convention will enter into force for Finland in just about week's time, on 1st of July. We will fully comply with obligations of the Convention. Key obligation for Finland is to destroy its anti-personnel mines by 2016. Humanitarian aspects of the Convention we have respected already for a long time.
So, let me use this opportunity to recapitulate some key points of Finland's humanitarian mine action policy. Finland has always had a responsible mine policy and we have always promoted Ottawa Convention's objectives. The Government of Finland started funding of humanitarian mine action in 1991. Since the entry into force of the Ottawa Convention in 1999, Finland has contributed over eighty million euro to humanitarian mine action.
For us, mine detection and clearance, assistance for the care, rehabilitation and social and economic integration of mine victims, as well as support to mine awareness projects are mutually reinforcing and complementary. Mine action is also an important element of post conflict reconstruction efforts. As a member of the Ottawa Convention, we will follow this same responsible policy. In spite of pressure for budget cuttings, Finland will continue its funding to humanitarian mine action and in fact we are hoping to increase mine action funding to reach the level of 6 million euro annually by 2014.
Mr President,
We have now entered the last week of the Finnish CD Presidency and still before concluding I would like to use this opportunity to thank our P6 predecessors for the 2012 session - Ecuador, Egypt and Ethiopia – for their hard work and commitment to get the Conference back on track again. Let me also extend my best wishes to the two remaining CD Presidents for the 2012 session – France and Germany. You can count on Finland's cooperation and support.
Let me end with the same remark that I began with. The CD remains regrettably still in a stalemate - but it has achieved much in the past. There is no good reason why this body should not be allowed to do so also in the future. Therefore, I join others in once again urging Members of the CD to take the necessary steps to take us forward.
Thank you.


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SNOW HILL – Two brothers arrested in August for allegedly stabbing two other men during a fight in Ocean City had their days in Circuit Court this week resulting in modest amounts of jail time and fines.
Joseph Franklin Hill, 27, of Laurel, Md., appeared in Circuit Court on Tuesday to face serious charges including two counts of attempted murder, two counts each of first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment among others. Hill entered Alford pleas on both counts of second-degree assault and was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail with all suspended on one count and five years in the other with all but 18 months suspended. Hill was also ordered to pay over $17,000 combined in restitution to the two victims.
Yesterday, Christopher Hill, 29, of Jessup, Md., appeared in Circuit Court for a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree assault in January. He was sentenced to six months in jail with five months and nine days suspended, resulting in a net 21 days in jail. Hill was also fined $500 and ordered to pay over $4,000 as his part of the restitution agreement for the victims.
The Hill brothers were identified and later arrested as the assailants in an altercation near a mid-town hotel on Aug. 20. The investigation revealed the incident started as a chance meeting between the Hills and their group and another group of people including the victims on a nearby bus stop. One of the Hill brothers allegedly asked the other group for a cigarette, which was provided, but the otherwise innocent exchange nearly turned deadly when the two groups engaged in a fist fight. When the dust settled, the two victims had been stabbed and staggered toward the nearby hotel, while the Hills had fled on foot.

subset: commoncrawl


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In the event of a natural disaster such as flooding, your sump pumps must be ready to take charge and prevent further damage. The functioning of a sump pump is simple; it collects all the flood water into the basin under the basement. The sump pump is installed to ensure that the flood water is prevented from getting to the foundation and cause a damage.
Since flooding cannot be predicted, that means the sump pump must always be in top shape all year round. Maintenance must be regularly carried out by our professionals to ensure it functions as needed.
Common Issues with Sump Pumps
1. Blocked Discharge Line
You cannot know the discharge line of your sump pump is blocked until flooding occurs. To prevent this occurrence, a maintenance by a professional is pertinent.
2. Incorrect Installation
Not every sump pumps is installed correctly. When there are issues with installation, the functioning will be faulty also. A professional must look into the sump pump to be sure that it is correctly installed.
3. Wrong Size
The sump pump size must be determined by the size of your structure from the ground floor. You must be sure that the sump pump is neither too big nor too small for your building.
4. Loss of Power
When there's a natural disaster the power supply might be affected and this prevents the sump pump from working. Call on our professionals in recommending alternative and back-up power for your sump pumps.
You don't have to wait till when flooding occurs before you look into your sump pumps. Our professionals are just a call away from you. They are ready to help avert a structural damage to your property.


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From times immemorial till now, people have had bulky cars and scooters and there was always a need to store them in a place which is quite huge yet not a part of the house, so came the concept of having garages. Garages are quite popular worldwide, some are small, yet some are really spacious and people also store iron boxes and other kinds of stuff which are not used frequently. The garage doors are generally made of a metal or strong wood so that rain or wind cannot cause major harm to it. The doors could be single panelled or even double panelled depending on the need and the space available.
Let us have a look at the materials that are used for the garage door to be able to study further the steps or tips that can be used for repairing them.
Materials used for constructing garage doors-
• Aluminium – If made of aluminium, the cost is quite low, nonrusting and require less maintenance. But they are likely to get damaged.
• Glass and Vinyl- Doors made of these materials are fused units. These are more expensive than the aluminium ones.
• Steel- These doors are more prevalent and also come in a number of sizes and polishes, these are sturdy, safe and economical. Additional power is obtained due to many layers of electrified steel which has a low indicator
• Wood – These doors provide a beautiful and visual appeal but require high maintenance and are very heavy on the pocket. The ones on the lower budget are of inferior quality,
After having a look at the types of materials that are put to use while constructing the doors, we will now ponder about the steps of garage repair and its benefits.
Steps for Garage Door Repair
• Step 1: Door needs to be locked and fix it to the trail.
• Step 2: Untie the steady spring.
• Step 3: Unravel the endless spring.
• Step 4: Detach the springs present in the central bracket.
• Step 5: Protect the twisting tube.
• Step 6: disconnect the former spring.
• Step 7: Fix the spring on left.
• Step 8: Mount a new bearing in the centre.
Even though we have seen the steps, yet a lot of issues can still crop up and all problems associated to springs are not so easy to handle, require a lot of risks and can even be dangerous, so its best to get it done through professionals and it even has its own benefits.
Few of them are listed as below:
Benefits of Garage Door Repair
• Since the professionals are well trained, they are adept at fixing the issues.
• They can identify the nature of the problem and solve it on spot or replace a part if needed.
• Some specific types of tools are required for fixing which could be of a high price and not easily available to the customers but are available to the professionals.
• The experts are well conversant with all sorts of risks which come with the repair, so it is highly recommended to be safe and acquire professional services designed for this.
• Not only will the experts give a new life to the door, but will also offer a guarantee for the same and that way any problems in future can be easily taken care of by just calling them.
Thus, it can be said that even though the repair looks to be a simple process, yet for everybody's safety it is best to get it done with professionals since doors are very heavy and serious injuries could happen, making life more difficult.


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Hop Hoang, 26, and his brothers, Tony Hoang, 23, and Huynh Hoang, 20, were arraigned Thursday in an Alameda County courtroom. Each brother was charged with one count of grand theft, one count of conspiracy and four counts of receiving stolen property.
"Digital piracy is theft. It is a serious crime that harms one of California's most important economic engines - our entertainment industry," Attorney General Kamala Harris Harris said Friday in a written statement. "This case sends a clear message that the California Department of Justice will investigate digital piracy and prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law."
The brothers, who live in Fremont, are accused of illegally streaming more than 1,000 TV shows and movies at http://mediamp4.com and other websites for more than a year and a half after ignoring demands by the Motion Picture of Association of America to shut them down.
The brothers earned about $150,000 through advertising revenue and allowing the public to illegally watch popular TV shows such as "How I Met Your Mother," and movies such as "Black Swan" and "Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows: Part 1," prosecutors said.
Hop Hoang pleaded not guilty during his court appearance Thursday. His lawyer, Mike Thorman, declined to discuss specifics of the case Friday. Hop Hoang is due back in court in July.
His brothers, Tony and Huynh Hoang, are due back in court June 18. They have not yet been assigned attorneys.
There was no answer Friday at two phone numbers listed in the brothers' names, and another number was disconnected.


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RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. voters are more likely to view an endorsement by the National Rifle Association negatively than positively, a Public Policy Polling survey indicates.
A bare majority also support a ban on assault weapons.
The PPP poll found 39 percent say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate who had the NRA's backing, compared to 26 percent who say they'd be more likely to vote for a candidate with NRA backing.
The poll said 32 percent said it wouldn't influence them one way or the other. Among independents, 41 percent consider an NRA endorsement negatively compared to 27 percent who view it positively.
The PPP poll indicated 53 percent of voters say they support stricter gun laws in the country, compared to 39 percent opposed.
In a statement, PPP said the figures are basically identical to a 53/40 percent spread a month ago -- indicating the desire for stronger legislation has not receded as the Newtown, Conn., massacre fades from voters' minds.
The poll also said 51 percent of voters back an assault weapons ban, compared to 42 percent opposed.
Congressional Republicans saw some improvement in their support in the last month: They have a 22 percent approval rating with 68 percent disapproving -- up from a 15/75 spread a month ago, the poll said. Most of the improvement came from GOP voters, with anger over the fiscal cliff subsiding, the poll said.
On the immigration front, 64 percent of voters nationally think illegal immigrants should be given a chance to apply for citizenship, compared to 27 percent who think they should be deported.
PPP surveyed 800 voters nationally Jan. 31-Feb. 3 through automated telephone interviews. The margin of error for the survey is 3.5 percentage points.
PPP said the poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization.


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If you are satisfied with the current assignment of images in your Quick Shopping Cart storefront, you can keep these settings.
However, if you would like to increase the number of images associated with a certain product, you can assign additional images to that product.
For additional information about the Quick Shopping Cart Media Gallery, see Using the Media Gallery.


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We've been waiting a long time for this one folks – an actual, shipping Thunderbolt external hard drive for mere mortals.
Western Digital has announced pricing and that it is now shipping 4TB and 6TB versions of its My Book Thunderbolt Duo external hard drives. I first looked at these at CES 2012, while they were still getting them ready for final production.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyt6jwohQ_M&w=640&h=360]The dual-drive system is configurable as a RAID 0, RAID 1 or JBOD. As a RAID 0 drive, the Thunderbolt connection puts a single unit in the 280MB/s transfer range. Additionally, a daisy-chained series of 6 drives configured in RAID 0 will deliver transfer speeds up to 780MB/s.
The 4TB model is priced at $600, while the 6TB model is priced at $700. WD says it is now shipping the drives. Check B&H Photo, Amazon and WD's online store for availability. I should have my hands on one soon and will report back as soon as I get a first look at its performance.
More info in the full press release below. [Read more…]


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Pharmacy leaders come to the aid of UH Hilo College of Pharmacy
February 25, 2009
The College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is meeting with the Pharmacists Advisory Council for Development this week. The group, which meets quarterly, meets on February 26 and is assembled from pharmacy professionals in Hawaiʻi in order to help guide the new pharmacy college through the steps to graduating its inaugural class in 2011.
Members are Joy Matsuyama, past president, Hawaiʻi Pharmacists Association and pharmacy director, Straub Clinic and Hospital; Kathy Hirano, Eli Lilly & Company; Roy Yamauchi, consultant pharmacist, SynergyRx; Mel Kumasaka, retired pharmacist, Longs Drugs; Ron Okamura, retired pharmacist, Kaiser Permanente; Byron Yoshino, president & CEO, Pharmacare LLC; Todd Inafuku, government affairs, CVS/Caremark; and Brian Fukunaga, director, Health Systems & Alternative Care, AmerisourceBergen.
"These leaders in the field provide us with an invaluable tool as we train future pharmacists to join their ranks," said Dr. John M. Pezzuto, dean of the College of Pharmacy. Hosts for the group include Dr. Ronald Taniguchi, director of community partnerships for CoP and Clinical Education Coordinator Dr. Carolyn Ma, chair of pharmacy practice.
Ortho-McNeil Janssen Pharmaceutical Services is providing funding for the meeting.
See more news from 2009.


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- Home
- Our Community
Our Community
Oil, Oranges & Opportunities
Brea, one of the oldest communities within Orange County, was incorporated in 1917 as the city of oil, oranges, and opportunity. Already well established as an oil producer, Olinda Village in Brea's rolling northern hills continued to draw workers and it was time to organize a town and prepare for future growth. Today, Brea is a bustling, but close-knit community of almost 47,000 residents, who enjoy a high level of public services rarely found in a smaller community.
The City of Brea operates as a "full service city," providing a wide range of services including police and fire protection, water and sanitation services, construction and maintenance of streets and infrastructure, recreational, human services, and the cultural arts, as well as a proactive communication and community outreach program. Brea also supports an outstanding Brea Olinda Unified School District including campuses recognized as California Distinguished Schools and a National Blue Ribbon high school.
Community Involvement & Feedback
Brea encourages community involvement and feedback. Stay informed on community news - bookmark this website, visit regularly, and sign up to receive our Brea news email updates. Watch Brea City Council meetings live and replayed on Brea Channel 3 and webcast online. Read the city newsletter, the Brea Line, published six issues yearly and mailed to your home. Have a question, or comment? We'd love to hear it, just tell us.
New Residents
Welcome to Brea; your new home town! Make your move easier by viewing helpful new resident information.
Helpful Phone Numbers
City Contact | Phone Number |
Comment Line (24-hour message line) | 714-990-7707 |
Brea Civic and Cultural Center | 714-990-7600 |
Brea Community Center | 714-990-7100 |
Brea Senior Center | 714-990-7750 |
Public Information | 714-990-7673 |


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Bubble 3
Blown Glass jewelry. created by designer Laura Daili
chain - 50cm
5 Item Items
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
Dailidesign exclusivity – is a clear concept of its purified and European quality, while the inspiration comes from nature and fills in minimal, beautiful creations.
Daili designers are making fashion and trendy things , to make you look fabulous!


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NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein declined Wednesday to testify before the New York grand jury that is weighing whether to indict him on rape and other sex charges, with his lawyers saying there wasn't enough time to prepare and "political pressure" made an indictment unavoidable.
A statement issued through a Weinstein spokesman said the former movie mogul learned the specific charges and the accusers' identities only after turning himself in Friday, with a deadline set for Wednesday afternoon to testify or not. His request for more time was denied, the statement said.
"Finally, Mr. Weinstein's attorneys noted that regardless of how compelling Mr. Weinstein's personal testimony might be, an indictment was inevitable due to the unfair political pressure being placed on Cy Vance to secure a conviction of Mr. Weinstein," the statement said, referring to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.
His office declined to comment.
Weinstein was charged Friday with rape and criminal sex act charges involving two women in New York, as a grand jury continued hearing evidence in the case; the panel has been at work for weeks. Defendants have the right to testify in a grand jury's secret proceedings but often don't, for various reasons.
Weinstein faces rape and criminal sex act charges involving two women in New York. Dozens more women have accused him of sexual misconduct ranging from harassment to assault in various locales.
He has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex, and his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said Tuesday that Weinstein was "confident he's going to clear his name" in the New York prosecution.
Brafman called the rape allegation "absurd," saying that the accuser and Weinstein had a decade-long, consensual sexual relationship that continued after the alleged 2013 attack.
The woman, who hasn't been identified publicly, told investigators Weinstein confined her in a hotel room and raped her.
The other accuser in the case, former actress Lucia Evans, has gone public with her account of Weinstein forcing her to perform oral sex at his office in 2004. The Associated Press does not identify alleged victims of sexual assaults unless they come forward publicly.
Vance, a Democrat, came under public pressure from women's groups to prosecute Weinstein after declining to do so in 2015, when an Italian model went to police to say Weinstein had groped her during a meeting.
Police set up a sting in which the woman recorded herself confronting Weinstein and him apologizing for his conduct. But Vance decided there wasn't enough evidence to bring charges.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, also a Democrat, ordered the state attorney general to investigate how Vance handled that matter.


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"Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred" Premieres October 22 on Nickelodeon
via Nickelodeon press release:
Oh My Gammit! Internet Sensation Lucas Cruikshank aka "Fred" Returns to Nickelodeon in Brand-New TV Movie, Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred, Premiering Saturday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)
Modern Family's Ariel Winter, WWE Superstar John Cena and Victorious' Daniella Monet Also Star in Sequel to Nickelodeon's Smash Hit Movie
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 29, 2011 — Internet sensation Lucas Cruikshank is back as the fast-talking, hyperactive teenager "Fred Figglehorn" in a brand-new TV movie, Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred, premiering Saturday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Kicking off the Halloween season and based on one of the most popular internet characters of all time, the two-hour sequel follows Fred on his latest quest to expose his new music teacher, Mr. Devlin, as a vampire.
Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred stars Cruikshank in the title role and showcases Modern Family's Ariel Winter as Talia, WWE's John Cena as Fred's dad and Victorious' Daniella Monet as Bertha. The movie follows Fred Figglehorn after he discovers that his favorite music teacher has been replaced by a new instructor, Mr. Devlin (Seth Morris). Fred gets even more upset when he finds out that Kevin (Jake Weary), his arch enemy, is Mr. Devlin's star pupil. Just when Fred thinks his situation couldn't get any worse, Mr. Devlin moves next door and begins dating his mom. After seeing his new neighbor bury something in his backyard, it dawns on Fred that Mr. Devlin is a vampire! Fred's new mission is to convince the rest of the school of Devlin's true identity.
"Lucas is a hilarious screen presence who resonates with his legions of fans whether it be on television, in movies or on his internet show," said Marjorie Cohn, President, Original Programming and Development, Nickelodeon. "This movie showcases his unique brand of comedy while treating viewers to a superb supporting cast."
Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred is produced by Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett of Varsity Pictures, Michael Green, Gary Binkow and Evan Weiss of The Collective and Lucas Cruikshank. The movie is directed by John Fortenberry and written by David A. Goodman (Family Guy).
Lucas Cruikshank made his TV debut as Fred Figglehorn in the mega-hit series iCarly in 2009. The episode, "iMeet Fred," drew 5.1 million total viewers (P2+) and averaged 10.0/2.1 million kids 6-11, 9.6/2.1 million tweens 9-14 and 8.1/2.8 million kids 2-11. Cruikshank brought Fred to life in a new way in the 2010 smash hit Fred: The Movie which drew 8.7 million total viewers and averaged a 17.8/3.8 million K6-11 and 13.0/4.6 million K2-11, landing the two-hour premiere in the top spot as the number-one TV cable movie with kids 6-11 and kids 2-11. The Nickelodeon TV movie also ranked as the year's number-two entertainment telecast (behind iCarly's "iSaved Your Life") with kids 6-11 and kids 2-11 on all TV. In 2010, he was named one of "10 Comics to Watch" by Daily Variety and was listed among the 50 Top Digital Power Players by The Hollywood Reporter. Cruikshank recently premiered the latest digital iteration of FRED on YouTube with the brand-new six-episode web series, "Figgle Chat."
Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred will be supported by a new site at www.Nick.com/fred and will serve as a first-look location for fans to get information and fun facts about the movie and view exclusive footage of Fred and his world. New content will be added to the site regularly leading up to the movie premiere and over the next several weeks, the site will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, quizzes, teaser clips, photo galleries and more. Following the premiere, Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred will launch in a dedicated category on Nick's video-on-demand.
Producer Brian Robbins, founder and president of Varsity Pictures, is one of entertainment's most prolific producers. In features, Robbins has directed and/or produced films such as Disney's Wild Hogs, Dreamworks' Norbit, Paramount's Coach Carter, Disney's The Shaggy Dog, Sony's Radio, Paramount's Varsity Blues, and the upcoming Dreamworks movie, A Thousand Words, starring Eddie Murphy, which Robbins directed and produced. Robbins is also responsible for numerous popular and critical television hits, including the long-running CW series Smallville and One Tree Hill, Disney Channel's series Sonny With A Chance and Spike TV's new original scripted comedy, Blue Mountain State. Robbins was also the producing force behind series such as Nickelodeon's All That, WB's What I Like About You and HBO's Arli$$.
Producer/manager Michael Green founded The Collective in 2005 with a vision of creating a true 21st century management and production company. His model: a collaborative approach to generating unmatched opportunities for clients, creating a diverse and dynamic portfolio of assets and cultivating new avenues for the distribution of content that ultimately clients would be empowered to control. The Collective has a staff of more than 70 employees, including some of the industry's most respected senior executives, who collectively pursue the company's primary objective – to provide the client with a single full-service, multi-media management and production company. Under the leadership of CEO Michael Green, The Collective has expanded into five divisions comprising feature film packaging, digital media, home entertainment, music, live entertainment, television production and the representation of clients including Martin Lawrence, Emile Hirsch, John Leguizamo, Eddie Izzard, Emile Hirsch, Lucas Cruikshank, Linkin Park, Slash, and Enrique Iglesias, among others.
Nickelodeon, now in its 32nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
SOURCE Nickelodeon


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Banner Health is acquiring full ownership of the Union Hills Surgery Center in Glendale. With this change, the Union Hills Surgery Center has been renamed the Banner Del E. Webb Surgery Center and will operate as the outpatient surgery department for Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in nearby Sun City West.
The surgery center, located at 18301 N. 79th Ave., #E-150 in Glendale, will allow the 373-bed Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center to consolidate some of its outpatient surgeries to the Glendale location providing urgently-needed inpatient surgical capacity within the hospital's 10 operating rooms.
"The added capacity should make it easier for our surgeons to schedule OR time that meets their needs and the needs of their patients," said Debbie Flores, chief executive officer of Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center. "We are very excited about this for the Banner Del E. Webb community."
To ensure that surgery outpatients get the same safe and effective care available on the main campus, Banner Health will be investing more than $900,000 into the surgery center over the next few months. This investment will include the installation of a new state-of-the-art electronic medical record system for nursing staff and physicians, as well as new equipment and instrumentation. The improvements are projected to be completed in early September. The center will remain operational during the equipment transition.
The facility was majority owned by Banner Health with minority ownership by a small group of surgeons. As part of the transition, Banner Health is purchasing the physicians' minority ownership stake and will be transitioning the center under Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center's operating license.


text: thanks very much, Ellie. that's very kind of you. My kids are able to help, but the apt needed cleaning first and I can't do it all, cleaning and cooking, especially since I felt so awful. my daughter doesn't care about the holiday because she's depressed and wishes we were up north with family. And my son is allergic to any kind of housework, lol. I even offered to pay them a little for helping but neither of them took the offer. so, we'll see how it goes tomorrow. I just want us all working together and making it nice, but it can be awfully hard when you don't get cooperation. My son is all excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas, but he doesn't seem to understand how much I need for them to pitch in and make it a happy , team effort. And I don't want to be the wicked witch of the south and start meting out punishments and help ruin the mood of the holiday. anyway, I should have gone to bed about 4 hours ago and I am rambling because I am tired. thanks for reading


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Leri Pleonosteosis is an extremely rare inherited disorder characterized by unusual, flattened facial features, abnormalities of the hands and feet, skeletal malformations, short stature, and/or limitation of joint movements. Characteristic abnormalities of the hands and feet may include unusually broad and/or short thumbs and great toes (brachydactyly) that may be bent outward from the body (valgus position); as a result, the hands may have a "spade-shaped" appearance. Skeletal malformations may include knees that are bent backward (genu recurvitum) and abnormal enlargement of the cartilaginous structures that surround the upper portion of the spinal cord (posterior neural arches of the cervical vertebrae). In addition, affected individuals may develop thickened tissue on the palms (palmar) and forearms. Symptoms may vary from case to case. Leri pleonosteosis is inherited as an autosomal dominant genetic trait.
Infants with this disorder typically have a flattened facial appearance that may be similar to that of infants with Down syndrome. In rare cases, affected infants may also have an abnormally narrow distance between the upper and lower eyelids (blepharophimosis) and/or an unusually small part of the eye through which light passes (microcornea).
Children with Leri pleonosteosis may not grow at the expected rate and eventually exhibit short stature. They may also exhibit various skeletal abnormalities including stiff joints and, in severe cases, joints that are fixed in a permanently flexed position (contractures). In some cases, the cartilage that surrounds the upper portion of the spinal cord (posterior neural arches of the cervical vertebrae) may be unusually thick and overgrown. In addition, affected individuals may have knees that are bent backward (genu recurvatum). Such skeletal abnormalities may result in limitation of movement, and affected individuals may have an unusual shuffling, short-stepped manner of walking (gait).
Other skeletal malformations associated with Leri pleonosteosis typically affect the hands and feet. Many infants with this disorder have abnormally short and/or broad fingers (brachydactyly), giving the hands a "spade-shaped" appearance; the toes may also be affected. In addition, the thumbs and great toes may be bent outward from the body (valgus position). In some cases, affected children may develop abnormally dense fibrous tissue (fasciae) on the palms, forearms, and/or feet. Overgrowth (hyperplasia) of fibrous tissue may, in some cases, cause compression of nerves of the feet and/or wrists, resulting in pain, tenderness, and/or other symptoms (e.g., Morton metatarsalgia and/or carpal tunnel syndrome). (For more information on these conditions, see the Related Disorders section of this report.) In some rare cases, affected individuals also develop compression of certain nerves of the upper part of the spinal cord.
When it was first identified, researchers believed that the signs of the disorder were due to the premature hardening (pleonosteosis) of the end portions of the long bones (epiphyses). However, since that time, some researchers have speculated that the basic abnormality may be the pulling away of specialized connective tissue (periosteal traction) from the shafts of the long bones (metaphyses).
Leri pleonosteosis is inherited as an autosomal dominant genetic trait. Chromosomes, which are present in the nucleus of human cells, carry the genetic information for each individual. Human body cells normally have 46 chromosomes. Pairs of human chromosomes are numbered from 1 through 22 and the sex chromosomes are designated X and Y. Males have one X and one Y chromosome and females have two X chromosomes. Each chromosome has a short arm designated "p" and a long arm designated "q". Chromosomes are further sub-divided into many bands that are numbered. For example, "chromosome 11p13" refers to band 13 on the short arm of chromosome 11. The numbered bands specify the location of the thousands of genes that are present on each chromosome.
Genetic diseases are determined by the combination of genes for a particular trait that are on the chromosomes received from the father and the mother.
All individuals carry a few abnormal genes. Parents who are close relatives (consanguineous) have a higher chance than unrelated parents to both carry the same abnormal gene, which increases the risk to have children with a recessive genetic disorder.
Dominant genetic disorders occur when only a single copy of an abnormal gene is necessary for the appearance of the disease. The abnormal gene can be inherited from either parent, or can be the result of a new mutation (gene change) in the affected individual. The risk of passing the abnormal gene from affected parent to offspring is 50% for each pregnancy regardless of the sex of the resulting child.
Leri pleonosteosis is an extremely rare inherited disorder that affects males and females in equal numbers. Approximately 20 cases have been reported worldwide, with most of these outside of North America. The symptoms and physical characteristics associated with Leri pleonosteosis usually become apparent during infancy or early childhood.
The diagnosis of Leri pleonosteosis may be established by a thorough clinical evaluation, characteristic physical findings, detailed patient history, and/or specialized tests including advanced imaging techniques (e.g., various x-ray methods). For example, enlargement of the cartilage that surrounds the upper spinal cord (posterior neural arches of the cervical vertebrae), is an important characteristic of this disorder and is potentially detectable by x-ray studies.
The treatment of Leri pleonosteosis is directed toward the specific symptoms that are apparent in each individual. Treatment may require the coordinated efforts of a team of specialists. Pediatricians, specialists who diagnose and treat skeletal abnormalities (orthopedic specialists), and other healthcare professionals may need to systematically and comprehensively plan an affected child's treatment.
Children with Leri pleonosteosis should be observed for possible spinal cord compression that is sometimes associated with this disorder. Physical therapy may be recommended to help improve an affected individual's ability to walk and perform other movements independently (mobility). Other treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
Genetic counseling will be of benefit for affected individuals and their families. A team approach for infants and children with this disorder may be of benefit and may include special social, educational, and medical services.
Research on genetic disorders and their causes is ongoing. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is sponsoring the Human Genome Project which is aimed at mapping every gene in the human body and learning why they sometimes malfunction. It is hoped that this new knowledge will lead to prevention and treatment of genetic and familial disorders in the future.
Information on current clinical trials is posted on the Internet at www.clinicaltrials.gov. All studies receiving U.S. government funding, and some supported by private industry, are posted on this government web site.
For information about clinical trials being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, contact the NIH Patient Recruitment Office:
Tollfree: (800) 411-1222
Email: [email protected]
For information about clinical trials sponsored by private sources, contact:
(Please note that some of these organizations may provide information concerning certain conditions potentially associated with this disorder [e.g., short stature, skeletal deformities, etc.].)
Buyce ML., Editor-in-Chief. Birth Defects Encyclopedia. Blackwell Scientific Publications. Center for Birth Defects Information Services, Inc., Dover, MA; 1990:1045-46.
Beighton P., ed. McKusick's Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue. 5th ed. Mosby-Year Book, Inc. St. Louis, MO; 1993:523-24.
Metcalfe RA, Butler P. Spinal cord compression in Leri's pleonosteosis.
Br J Radiol. 1985;58:1117-9.
Shaw DG. Leri's pleonosteosis. Br J Radiol. 1981;54:819.
Friedman M, Lawrence BM, Shaw DG. Leri's pleonosteosis. Br J Radiol. 1981;54:517-8.
Hilton RC, Wentzel J. Leri's pleonosteosis. Q J Med. 1980;49:419-29.
McKusick VA, ed. Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM). The Johns Hopkins University. Entry Number;151200 : Last Edit Date;3/18/2004.
Leri pleonosteosis. Orphanet. nd. 1p.
The information in NORD's Rare Disease Database is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional.
The content of the website and databases of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is copyrighted and may not be reproduced, copied, downloaded or disseminated, in any way, for any commercial or public purpose, without prior written authorization and approval from NORD. Individuals may print one hard copy of an individual disease for personal use, provided that content is unmodified and includes NORD's copyright.
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
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For the best Tarmac Dublin company, call Sandyford Landscaping Dublin.
In every part of the world, domestic air conditioning is a common feature, especially in the heat of the summer and in the cooler months, fireplaces are almost the central feature of every household.
air conditioners, furnaces, heating, air conditioning, fireplaces, accessories, indoor air quality,
To find the best Tarmac Dublin company, click here for Sandyford Landscaping Dublin.
Ask anyone from any part of the world if he/she can survive the chill of the winter months without furnaces or fireplaces or if they can spend the scorching summer afternoons, without switching on the air conditions. If the answer is a big No, then we can easily say that having air conditions and furnaces in the room is indeed not a luxury – it is a necessity. In every part of the world, domestic air conditioning is a common feature, especially in the heat of the summer. The demand of the air conditions is especially high in areas where most of the people live in small high rise flats.
Toronto is located in the southern part and in close proximity to Lake Ontario. This makes the climate of Toronto is little bit moderate from the rest parts of Canada. Toronto enjoys a humid continental climate, which means hot and humid summers and chilly winters. Thus, it is understood that Toronto people need air conditioning to maintain the indoor air quality in summer and fireplaces and furnaces in winter to survive the cold.
In the cooler months, fireplaces are almost the central feature of every household. It is certainly a much needed part of the survival strategy in the extended winter. Still in the age of electric room heater, the traditional wood fireplace has an exceptional appeal with the sensuous direct heat and the flickers. Fireplaces have a remarkable place in the traditional culture of Toronto and also in places like Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Thornhill, and Brampton and other parts. There is no comfort that can be compared to a family conversation surrounding a fireplace in a winter evening.
Fireplaces were also much popularized in the past, when the then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "fireside chats", a weekly radio addresses became popular during the great depression. It was meant for the family gathering around the fireplace. Fireplace is obviously not just a structure occupying some places. The mantels are the places to be decorated. If these places are decorated properly, the fireplaces and the accessories add an aesthetic appeal to the interior of a household. The decoration often carries its own statement that adds a unique charm to the room.
One of the widely used fireplace accessory is the fireplace screen. These screens are used in all the Toronto households in winter to prevent the burning embers from spoiling the rugs or carpets or injuring someone around when it pops out. A clean and finely structured screen can change the complete ambience of the room. No matter you are using one or not, the screen is a must for fireplace. In order to maintain the new look of the screen it is important that the ashes and the smoke marks are removed from it regularly. Fireplace accessories are mainly made for the wood fireplaces including poker to move the logs, tongs to pick the burning logs, shovel and broom to clean the ashes and racks to hold the logs. There are some others like, grates, chimney caps, and fireplace candles. A fireplace blower is another important accessory for fireplace. It is necessary to increase the heat the fire produce and to spread it through the room. With the accessory, the heat does not go into the chimney or in the bricks only, but it spreads heat equally through out the room and gives warmth in the chilly night.
Fireplace accessories are available in several materials and numerous fashions. But the most fashionable and most popular are the ones that are made of cast iron. These are long lasting, and are available within an affordable price range. Some other materials are nickel, brass, chrome, and pewter. You can select anything that is best for your requirement.
In the homes of Toronto two types of air conditions are used mainly window and split. Split ACs is comparatively new additions to the domestic households. But this kind of air conditioner is more expensive than the other types. Window air conditioners are based in a window as the heat enters the room and it cools the heat wave in the room. It can make the air cool and comfortable only in the room where it is located. More expensive and more powerful system can cool the room surrounding it. Spilt air conditioners are to be put on the walls of a room. It does not need any wall to be placed. Window models are common feature of old households.
The office buildings and some new households have central air conditioning system. Central air conditioning system cools the air of the whole area concerned though the actual cooling unit is located somewhere outside the construction. There is a thermostat to check and control the temperature in the house. In the older model the temperature is adjusted manually whereas in the latest models the temperature is programmed to change at different times of the day. It helps to save the electricity bill and also make the house comfortable with a balanced temperature between hot and cold. It keeps the house warm when the house is empty. Though this system is thought to consume more electricity among the three mentioned here, the central air conditioning system is more energy efficient than the other two.
One can find air conditioning in the car as well today. This keeps the interior of a car comfortable, especially when you are on a long drive. People often try to get the comforts with rolling down the glass. But it is not at as much comfortable as air condition. Often the wind outside is noisy that can spoil your concentration while you are driving. If you are driving through a colder zone, rolling down the window will not be a wise idea. The air condition inside can offer you much warmer surrounding than the chilly outside.
Sometimes the air condition may not work properly. At such times, it is better to go for the repairing work when the damage is low. If the problem becomes grave it means more hazards and more expensive repair and replacement at times.


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Meet Kathryn Hornick. She's a young stylist – and a creative force to be reckoned with. With a little over a year in the industry under her belt (unbelievable, right!), there's no doubt she's well on her way to navigating the complicated waters of social media to grow her personal brand.
You may recognize Kathryn as one of the Procter & Gamble Salon Professional "Team I.C.A.N"members who won the RAW competition last year, and since then, she's been using her social prowess to take her career up a notch. Here's a look at her social persona and why Kathryn believes social media education should be taught at every level of the game.
Looking back on the last year, tell us what it has been like.
This past year has felt like a dream. It has been a lot of work, and I have learned so much. Every time I think back to what has happened, I am tremendously grateful. Having only been in the industry for a little over a year and being surrounded by so many different people has broadened my horizons as to what you really can learn and achieve; the possibilities are endless.
You were part of the winning "Team I.C.A.N.," P&G Salon Professional's RAW Team at one of the nation's biggest show competitions. Where do you find your inspiration to continuing exceling as a young stylist?
I find a lot of my inspiration through music, whether it's the underlying bass or emotion the song brings out - everything is possessed through movement. I also love the ever-changing world of fashion. As you know, looks are constantly changing but ever so slightly from season to season. Fashion portrays many different textures, patterns, colors and shapes that I find inspiring. And finally, nature, much like fashion, it constantly changing (especially here in Minnesota!) so I'm able to take those seasonal palette and draw from those. I always carry my 'Inspiration Book' with me so I can be ready to sketch my next look at a moment's notice.
One thing that I love about young artists is their creativity and flexibilitybecause it transfers so well into a successful online presence. What social media tools do youuse to promote yourself as an artist as well as your salon?
I tend to use Facebook as my go-to tool.I also feel like Instagram is the easiest and fastest way to put out new work with a simple image and the right hashtags. It's great for following your "hair idols" and seeing what they are up to. These tools allow you to source daily inspiration.
I love following your Pinterest boards, by the way, how do you keep your social media content hip, current and relevant?
Thank you! I am a bit obsessed with Pinterest. On the platform, my bio reads that I am (of course) a hairstylist, but also a fashion entrepreneur. I feel it's so important to stay up to date with fashion trends that are happening all over the globe – and social media is the perfect way to do so. I enjoy browsing other boards and love finding DIY blogs that associate with someone's personal style. It gives you a well-rounded look at what's hot.
Do you think social media should be a skill taught during beauty school?
Definitely. I think social media should be taught in beauty school, if not before! In today's connected world, we all turn to Facebook or Instagram to see what brands or other artists are up to. We should be teaching the basics of how to get started building your professional brand on social media. I believe it's something that students should be aware of both during school and after beauty school. It's a great way to showcase what they have done (by building a portfolio) and document how far they have come with their skillsets. It's also a great tool when looking for employment.
Do you believe social media will play a big role in your continued success?
I believe so! Social media is the quickest way to showcase your work and eventsto mass quantities of people. It is all about growing in this industry. Growing your professional brand – and your skillset.
And, finally – what is your advice to other up-and-coming stylists?
Take criticism with an open mind, then learn from it….don't fight it. Participate in every competition you can, find a mentor that will push you and at the same time teach you the ropes. Don't be afraid to ask for help because after all, we don't know everything…just yet!
Another great interview with a young, up-and-coming stylist! Shout out to Kathryn for her amazing talents and how she's been able to grow her professional brand in very short timeframe!
For more tips and tricks on building your brand check out StyleSync, our online social media training, personal branding and business education platform designed specifically for salon owners and stylists. We're also serving up daily tips on our Facebook page!
Connect with Kathryn here:
As always, feel free to contact me at: email@example.com with any questions or comments.
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About www.StyleSync.me:
Style Sync is an on-line social media training, personal branding and business education platform designed specifically for salon owners and stylists to help them magnify their image and multiply their results.
Style Sync, a division of Evoke Brand Strategies, is an on-line, subscription based social media training, personal branding and business education platform designed to help individual stylists and salon owners turn social media prowess into more clients and more money for your salon.
About www.EvokeBrands.com:
At Evoke Brand Strategies we develop digital, social and mobile strategies for salon professional, beauty, hospitality and entertainment brands. As branding and public relations veterans, yet early adopters of all things digital, we understand the importance of creating measurable, buzz-worthy campaigns that generate bottom-line results.
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From Proteopedia
Structure of acid-beta-glucosidase with pharmacological chaperone provides insight into Gaucher disease
Structural highlights
DiseaseGLCM_HUMAN Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease (GD) [MIM:230800; also known as glucocerebrosidase deficiency. GD is the most prevalent lysosomal storage disease, characterized by accumulation of glucosylceramide in the reticulo-endothelial system. Different clinical forms are recognized depending on the presence (neuronopathic forms) or absence of central nervous system involvement, severity and age of onset.[1] [:][2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] [46] [47] Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) [MIM:230800; also known as adult non-neuronopathic Gaucher disease. GD1 is characterized by hepatosplenomegaly with consequent anemia and thrombopenia, and bone involvement. The central nervous system is not involved.[:][48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease type 2 (GD2) [MIM:230900; also known as acute neuronopathic Gaucher disease. GD2 is the most severe form and is universally progressive and fatal. It manifests soon after birth, with death generally occurring before patients reach two years of age.[58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease type 3 (GD3) [MIM:231000; also known as subacute neuronopathic Gaucher disease. GD3 has central nervous manifestations.[66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease type 3C (GD3C) [MIM:231005; also known as pseudo-Gaucher disease or Gaucher-like disease.[73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] Defects in GBA are the cause of Gaucher disease perinatal lethal (GDPL) [MIM:608013. It is a distinct form of Gaucher disease type 2, characterized by fetal onset. Hydrops fetalis, in utero fetal death and neonatal distress are prominent features. When hydrops is absent, neurologic involvement begins in the first week and leads to death within 3 months. Hepatosplenomegaly is a major sign, and is associated with ichthyosis, arthrogryposis, and facial dysmorphism.[79] [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] Note=Perinatal lethal Gaucher disease is associated with non-immune hydrops fetalis, a generalized edema of the fetus with fluid accumulation in the body cavities due to non-immune causes. Non-immune hydrops fetalis is not a diagnosis in itself but a symptom, a feature of many genetic disorders, and the end-stage of a wide variety of disorders.[85] [86] [87] [88] [89] [90] Defects in GBA contribute to susceptibility to Parkinson disease (PARK) [MIM:168600. A complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, resting tremor, muscular rigidity and postural instability. Additional features are characteristic postural abnormalities, dysautonomia, dystonic cramps, and dementia. The pathology of Parkinson disease involves the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the presence of Lewy bodies (intraneuronal accumulations of aggregated proteins), in surviving neurons in various areas of the brain. The disease is progressive and usually manifests after the age of 50 years, although early-onset cases (before 50 years) are known. The majority of the cases are sporadic suggesting a multifactorial etiology based on environmental and genetic factors. However, some patients present with a positive family history for the disease. Familial forms of the disease usually begin at earlier ages and are associated with atypical clinical features.[91] [92] [93] [94] [95] [96] FunctionEvolutionary ConservationCheck, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedGaucher disease results from mutations in the lysosomal enzyme acid beta-glucosidase (GCase). Although enzyme replacement therapy has improved the health of some affected individuals, such as those with the prevalent N370S mutation, oral treatment with pharmacological chaperones may be therapeutic in a wider range of tissue compartments by restoring sufficient activity of endogenous mutant GCase. Here we demonstrate that isofagomine (IFG, 1) binds to the GCase active site, and both increases GCase activity in cell lysates and restores lysosomal trafficking in cells containing N370S mutant GCase. We also compare the crystal structures of IFG-bound GCase at low pH with those of glycerol-bound GCase at low pH and apo-GCase at neutral pH. Our data indicate that IFG induces active GCase, which is secured by interactions with Asn370. The design of small molecules that stabilize substrate-bound conformations of mutant proteins may be a general therapeutic strategy for diseases caused by protein misfolding and mistrafficking. Structure of acid beta-glucosidase with pharmacological chaperone provides insight into Gaucher disease.,Lieberman RL, Wustman BA, Huertas P, Powe AC Jr, Pine CW, Khanna R, Schlossmacher MG, Ringe D, Petsko GA Nat Chem Biol. 2007 Feb;3(2):101-7. Epub 2006 Dec 24. PMID:17187079[97] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences


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Juveniles must appear in open Court before the Judge, accompanied by a parent or guardian. A hearing date will be scheduled and a notice will be mailed to the Juveniles address on your citation. A court hearing is also required to request Driving Safety Course or Deferred Disposition. DO NOT MAIL PLEA OR PAYMENT TO THE COURT. If the juvenile fails to appear, their driver's license may be denied or suspended until they do appear in court with a parent or guardian. Pursuant to HB 2319(h): You and your parent have a legal obligation to provide the Court in writing with your current address and residence. The obligation does not end when you reach the age of 17. On or before the seventh day after the date you or your parent changes residence, you or your parent shall notify the Court of the current address by completing a "Juvenile Change of Address" form. A violation of this requirement may result in arrest and is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by fine up to $500.00. The obligation terminates only on full discharge and satisfaction of the judgment.
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If you are found guilty and are not satisfied with the judgment of the court, you have the right to appeal your case. To appeal you must file an appeal bond with the Municipal Court within 10 days of the judgment.
Your due date is listed on your citation. The judge cannot discuss the merits of a pending judicial proceeding prior to actual trial (Canon 6 (c), Code of Judicial Conduct). This means that the judge is forbidden from discussing your ticket with you before trial.
Yes, a driver safety course may be used to dismiss 1 moving traffic offense.
Payment alternatives may be available to you. All payment alternatives must be approved by a judge. Proof of income and expenses is required. If you or your dependent(s) receive federal assistance (i.e. food stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Medicaid, Section 8, disability), please be sure to indicate the type of assistance received on the financial affidavit and bring proof of the assistance received to court.If you'd like to learn more about payment alternatives click here or contact the Court by calling 940-497-2226 Ext 119.
If you wish to contest your ticket, you must come to the clerks window on or before your due date and request a court date.
The City of Lake Dallas allows payment for citations in person, by mail, by phone, and online.


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California will seek to move thousands of inmates to private prisons in a last-ditch attempt to avoid releasing violent offenders to ease prison crowding, the state corrections chief said Monday.
The state will take the step after the U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to delay a lower court order requiring California to free nearly 10,000 inmates by year's end, Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard told The Associated Press.
Beard said the state will soon ask a lower federal court to permit the state to house at least 4,000 inmates in privately operated cells in California and other states.
There are enough additional beds available to avoid most if not all of the early releases that would otherwise occur, he said. The beds are in two community correctional facilities within California, in private prisons in other states, and in several county jails with excess capacity, he said.
The state already houses nearly 9,000 inmates in private prisons in other states.
Although it's expensive to do, Beard says it's a better option than freeing inmates before they complete their full prison terms.
California already reduced its prison population by more than 46,000 inmates since 2006, the majority because of a 2-year-old state law that sentences lower level offenders to county jails instead of state prisons.
"We don't have an awful lot of these low risk, less serious people left in our system and so we're very concerned about who we might have to release if we go that way,'' Beard said in a telephone interview.
State officials don't like paying to keep offenders in out-of-state prisons where they are far from home, yet, "I'd prefer to do more of that than to early release inmates,'' he said.
Beard said the lower court would have to give its permission for the state to add more prison beds as an alternative to other approved options that would lead to early releases. The alternatives include expanding good-time credits leading to early release for more than 4,000 inmates and granting early parole to 400 sick and elderly inmates.
The state has said it could take those steps along with other measures, including expanding firefighting camps, opening a new health care facility in Stockton, and slowing the return of inmates housed in other states. The options together would be more than enough to meet the courts' requirement that the state reduce the prison population to about 110,000 inmates, yet each also has financial or public safety complications.
The court would have to waive state law and the state constitution to permit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to spend money to house the inmates in private facilities without an appropriation from the Legislature, Beard said.
He said the administration is likely to ask lawmakers to approve spending the money.
Legislative leaders have said they are reluctant to do so, but Assembly Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, told reporters Monday that lawmakers plan to work with Gov. Jerry Brown on the state's response. Leaders of both political parties and in both the Assembly and Senate must discuss with the Democratic governor "what all is possible and what there is the will to get done,'' Perez said.
California Seeks to Move Inmates to Private Prisons
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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Go Daddy's "Perfect Match" Super Bowl spot, in which viewers watched Bar Refaeli make out with a tech nerd at an uncomfortably close angle, might have come in last place in USA Today's Ad Meter, but the commercial managed to win the company its single best sales day ever.
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Protecting Skyscraper Occupants |
When the Twin Towers FellOne month after the attack on the World Trade Center, M.I.T. structural engineers offer their take on how and why the towers came down.by Steven Ashley
When New York City's giant World Trade Center towers plunged to earth following successive suicide terrorist attacks on September 11th, the world was confronted with one of most shocking—and sickening—sights of modern times. The mechanisms by which these huge and seemingly solid edifices suddenly collapsed, snuffing out the lives of thousands, was the subject of a preliminary postmortem conducted last week in Cambridge, Mass. A panel of Boston area-based civil and structural engineers convened to discuss the fate of the superskyscrapers, struck by hijacked passenger planes, in front of an overflow audience on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Their starkly sobering analyses highlighted the vulnerabilities of ultra-tall buildings to fire and pointed out steps that could be taken to lessen them. After first describing the highly redundant structural system that kept the 110-story twin towers standing for decades despite hurricane-force winds and a terrorist truck bomb, the engineers then delineated how that system was breached and finally overcome on that fateful day when America was attacked. The main culprits in bringing the famously lofty buildings down, they concluded, were the two intensely hot infernos that erupted when tens of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel spilled from the doomed airliners. Once high temperatures weakened the towers' supporting steel structures, it was only a matter of time until the mass of the stories above initiated a rapid-sequence "pancaking" phenomena in which floor after floor was instantly crushed and then sent into near free fall to the ground below. Significantly, the panel stated that any mitigating reinforcements and redundancies added to these buildings could have only delayed the inevitable failure, though they would have bought more time for the evacuation of the occupants. No existing or foreseeable economically viable skyscraper structure, they agreed, could have withstood this kind of cruel onslaught. Clearly, prevention is the best defense against this kind of assault. "Though the twin towers were not much taller than their famous uptown predecessor, the Empire State Building, the World Trade Center rose during the late 1960s, a new era of construction characterized by rapidly erected, lightweight steel structures rather than heavy masonry walls," explained Robert Fowler, senior engineer at the structural engineering firm of McNamara and Salvia. Fowler was then a junior member of the WTC's engineering firm of record, Worthington, Skilling, Helle & Jackson, later renamed Skilling Helle Christiansen Robertson. "As the Trade Center was so much lighter in comparison to earlier designs, it was a watershed building in the history of skyscrapers," he added. Leslie E. Robertson, then the project manager, was the engineer most responsible for the superskyscraper's design, Fowler noted. He is currently principal partner at Leslie E. Robertson Associates, the current structural consultants to the WTC. The late Seattle-based architect Minoru Yamasaki designed the World Trade Center. As with all large buildings, the main structural engineering design criteria for the facility's 1,362-foot-tall south tower and 1,368-foot-tall north tower centered on two things: ensuring resistance to the gigantic gravity loads of the buildings themselves as well as to sideways or lateral forces caused by high winds and earthquakes, which can generate huge overturning forces at the bases. The former condition, Fowler explained, depends on specifying strong vertical columns that can efficiently transmit the mass of the building to the ground. The latter consideration concerns not only structural integrity but also "requires developing an acceptable comfort level for the occupants" by avoiding too much swaying. Opposition to lateral motion is controlled by "the design's structural mass [weight], the stiffness of its lateral members and the degree of structural damping employed," Fowler said. "Though the WTC towers stood over 1,360 feet above the street level, the structures' bases were actually set 70 feet into the ground, and one had a 100-foot-tall antenna atop it, so with 205-foot widths, they had a lot of [exterior] area facing the wind," the engineer stated. He calculated that the approximate maximum wind shear force that a single face needed to withstand to be somewhere around 11,000,000 pounds. The gravity loads (weight) produced by the towers at their bases were on the order of 500,000 tons, Fowler said. To handle these immense forces, the engineers "designed the World Trade Center essentially as a large beam section," explained another panel member, Robert McNamara, president of the engineering firm McNamara and Salvia. Called structural tubes in the business, each twin tower was strongly framed in structural steel. The frame comprised inner and outer rectangular box tubes consisting of closely spaced steel box columns connected by steel spandrel members or truss beams that supported 40,000-square-foot cross-braced floors, each nearly an acre in area, the empaneled engineers said. This configuration created a complete exterior tube around the building and a center tube down the middle. The 90-foot-long central core, formed of massive vertical steel columns that held most of the building's weight, contained elevator shafts, stairways and utility spaces, they said. The core's columns were thicker toward the base to support huge accumulated gravity loads. The outer perimeter tube, a tight prefabricated latticework with 61 14-inch steel box columns (spaced 39 inches on center) on each building face, provided all the bracing resistance against lateral and twisting forces from wind and seismic action. This exterior grid served as a moment frame, providing a large moment arm (of torque) against overturning and deflection forces. The outer tube bore part of the gravity-induced downward load as well as, they noted. The huge inner and outer rectangular tubes "needed to be protected to maintain their structural integrity, so the floors acted as reinforcing diaphragms or bulkheads [the term used in shipbuilding]," said panel member Jerome Connor, professor of civil and environmental engineering at M.I.T. The office floors, which each comprised a 35- to 60-foot clear span from the core to the exterior grid, were panelized structural members supported by open web joists with steel decks above them, he said. The horizontal truss struts, bolted and welded to the exterior grid and the core column structures, included viscoelastic stringers that provided increased damping to help make the structure less lively in the wind, according to Connor. Each steel floor deck was covered with four inches of concrete. "With almost an acre of area for each floor and figuring about 100 pounds per square foot of area," he estimated that "each floor system weighed about 3,200,000 pounds." With all of its structural redundancies, "the World Trade Center was probably one of the more resistant tall building structures," McNamara said, adding that "nowadays, they just don't build them as tough as the World Trade Center." His statement is bolstered by the fact that the support structures of both twin towers withstood the initial hits of the two kamikaze airliners despite the breaching of many levels of framing. After the deletion of key structural members from about the 90th to 96th floors on the north face of the north tower, One WTC, and from about the 75th to the 84th floors of the south, east and north faces of the south tower, Two WTC, the buildings' skeletons found alternative paths to take the loads. Each impact and following explosion imparted first a large local lateral force and then an omnidirectional force to the structures, together causing massive initial damage to the columns and floor systems at the elevation of the crash. Despite shocks and explosions estimated to be equivalent to that of the 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City (about 400 tons of TNT), the towers remained upright. "The buildings displayed a tremendous capacity to stand there despite the damage to a major portion of the gravity system, and for an hour or so they did stand there," McNamara said. "The lateral truss systems redistributed the load when other critical members were lost. It's a testament to the system that they lasted so long." Newspapers and TV newscasts reported that the twin towers had been designed to withstand a collision with a Boeing 707. The events of September 11th show that this was indeed the case. "However, the World Trade Center was never designed for the massive explosions nor the intense jet fuel fires that came next—a key design omission," stated Eduardo Kausel, another M.I.T. professor of civil and environmental engineering and panel member. The towers collapsed only after the kerosene fuel fire compromised the integrity of their structural tubes: One WTC lasted for 105 minutes, whereas Two WTC remained standing for 47 minutes. "It was designed for the type of fire you'd expect in an office building—paper, desks, drapes," McNamara said. The aviation fuel fires that broke out burned at a much hotter temperature than the typical contents of an office. "At about 800 degrees Fahrenheit structural steel starts to lose its strength; at 1,500 degrees F, all bets are off as steel members become significantly weakened," he explained. Some have raised questions about the degree of fire protection available to guard the structural steel. According to press reports, the original asbestos cementitious fireproofing applied to the steel framework of the north tower and the lower 30 stories of the south were removed after the 1993 terrorist truck bombing. Others have pointed out the possibility that the aviation fuel fires burned sufficiently hot to melt and ignite the airliners' aluminum airframe structures. Aluminum, a pyrophoric metal, could have added to the conflagrations. Hot molten aluminum, suggests one well-informed correspondent, could have seeped down into the floor systems, doing significant damage. "Aluminum melts into burning 'goblet puddles' that would pool around depressions, [such as] beam joints, service openings in the floor, stair wells and so forth...The goblets are white hot, burning at an estimated 1800 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the water of hydration in the concrete is vaporized and consumed by the aluminum. This evolves hydrogen gas that burns. Aluminum burning in concrete produces a calcium oxide/silicate slag covered by a white aluminum oxide ash, all of which serve to insulate and contain the aluminum puddle. This keeps the metal hot and burning. If you look at pictures of Iraqi aircraft destroyed in their concrete shelters [during the Persian Gulf war], you will notice a deep imprint of the burned aircraft on the concrete floor. Though the Boeing 767s airliners that hit the towers were somewhat larger than the Boeing 707 (maximum takeoff weights: 395,000 pounds versus 336,000 pounds) the structures were designed to resist, the planes carried a similarly sized fuel load as the older model—about 24,000 gallons versus 23,000 gallons, according to Kausel. "Most certainly," he continued, "no building has or will resist this kind of fire." The sprinkler system, which was probably compromised, would have been are useless against this kind of fire, he said, adding, "The World Trade Center towers performed admirably; they stood long enough for the majority of the people to be successfully evacuated." Kausel also reported that he had made estimates of the amount of energy generated during the collapse of each tower. "The gravitational energy of a building is like water backed up behind a dam," he explained. When released, the accumulated potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. With a mass of about 500,000 tons (5 x 108 kilograms), a height of about 1,350 ft. (411 meters), and the acceleration of gravity at 9.8 meters per second 2, he came up with a potential energy total of 1019 ergs (1012 Joules or 278 Megawatt-hours). "That's about 1 percent of the energy released by a small atomic bomb," he noted. The M.I.T. professor added that about 30 percent of the collapse energy was expended rupturing the materials of the building, while the rest was converted into the kinetic energy of the falling mass. The huge gray dust clouds that covered lower Manhattan after the collapse were probably formed when the concrete floors were pulverized in the fall and then jetted into the surrounding neighborhood. "Of the kinetic energy impacting the ground, only 0.1 percent was converted to seismic energy," he stated. "Each event created a (modest-sized) magnitude 2 earthquake, as monitored at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Observatory, which is located about 30 kilometers away from New York City." Kausel concluded that the "the largest share of the kinetic energy was converted to heat, material rupture and deformation of the ground below." Despite the expert panel's preliminary musings on the failure mechanisms responsible for the twin towers' fall, the definitive cause has yet to be determined. Reportedly, the National Science Foundation has funded eight research projects to probe the WTC catastrophe. The American Society of Civil Engineers is sponsoring several studies of the site. Meanwhile the Structural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Structural Engineers has established an investigative team to analyze the disaster and learn from the failure. W. Gene Corley, senior vice president of the Construction Technology Laboratory in Skokie, Ill., is said to be heading the ASSE study team through its initial phase of data gathering, and then William Baker, a structural engineer at the Chicago-based firm of Skidmore Owings & Merrill in Chicago, will lead the following analysis phase. The Structural Engineering Institute is to partner with the American Institute of Steel Construction, the National Fire Protection Association and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been invited to join as well. Given the lack of firm conclusions regarding how the collapses occurred, the M.I.T. panel participants asked their audience to consider various theories they put forth. In general, it was agreed that as the structure warped and weakened at the top of each tower, the frame, along with the concrete slabs, furniture, file cabinets and other materials, became an enormous consolidated weight that eventually crushed the lower portions of the structure below. The details of how the frame members failed remain under contention. Professor Connor's theory focused on weaknesses in how the vertical and horizontal structural members were tied together. During construction, he explained, each prefabricated floor system was lifted into place by a crane and "supported at the ends like a hinge, where they were bolted and welded to the inner and outer framing tubes" so that part of the gravity load went through the core and the other part through the exterior structure. "The floor trusses sat on beams and were tied down so the core was locked to the exterior," he said. "It was an unusual system and very lightweight. If you lose the connection between them, however, you lose the ability to carry the floor loads and allow the floors to slide back and forth under stress. If a damaged floor system were to fall, it would break the end connections in the lower floors and down and down the floors would go." "In my theory, the hot fire weakened the supporting joint connection," Connor continued. "When it broke, one end of a floor fell, damaging the floor system underneath, while simultaneously tugging (pulling) the vertical members to which it was still attached toward the center of the building and down." This phenomenon started a parasitic process that accelerated until total failure and the structure fell in on itself, he said. Eduardo Kausel proposed an alternative failure explanation that he acknowledged was independently developed by Zdenek Bazant, a professor at Northwestern University. "I believe that the intense heat softened or melted the structural elements—floor trusses and columns—so that they became like chewing gum, and that was enough to trigger the collapse," he said. "The floor trusses are likely to have been the first to sag and fail. As soon as the upper floors became unsupported, debris from the failed floor systems rained down onto the floors below, which eventually gave way, starting an unstoppable sequence. The dynamic forces are so large that the downward motion becomes unstoppable." Via two simple models, Kausel was able to determine that the fall of the upper building portion down onto a single floor must have caused dynamic forces exceeding the buildings' design loads by at least an order of magnitude. He also performed some computer simulations that indicate the building material fell almost unrestricted at nearly the speed of free-falling objects. "The towers' resistive systems played no role. Otherwise the elapsed time of the fall would have been extended," he noted. As it was, the debris took about nine seconds to reach the ground from the top. "It's difficult to judge which of these failure mechanisms occurred first; probably all occurred and interacted," said panel member Oral Buyukozturk, professor of civil and environmental engineering at M.I.T.. "The prolonged effect of high heat is likely to have led to the buckling of the columns, collapse of the floors, as well as to the shearing of the floors upon the failure the joints." He noted that videotapes of the catastrophe showed some tilting of the top portion of the south tower before it collapsed. "This indicates the buckling of one building face while the adjacent face was bending [placed into tension]." After that, the upper portions of the tower are shown disintegrating, with "a dynamic effect and amplification process" following that led to a progressive collapse—"a kind of pancaking or deck of cards effect"—down to ground zero, Buyukozturk stated. Kausel addressed the oft-asked question of why the towers did not tip over like a falling tree. "A tree is solid, whereas building is mostly air or empty space; only about 10 percent is solid material. Since there is no solid stump underneath to force it to the side, the building cannot tip over. It could only collapse upon itself." Robert McNamara said his failure mechanism theory "focuses on the connections that hold the structure together," but he cautioned that "we really need to wait for a detailed investigation, before we decide if we have to up the code ratings for these connections in signature structures." Protecting Skyscraper Occupants The expert panel then turned its attention to changes for future tall structures in the wake of what has been learned. Though the recent "disaster couldn't be envisioned as a design scenario in the 1970s, it means we have to change the way we design and construct tall buildings in the future," Buyukozturk said. Existing skyscrapers should probably be retrofitted with some additional safety measures, but the professors say that it doesn't make sense economically—and aesthetically—to protect them all physically from similar catastrophes. "Retrofitting is very expensive and is therefore usually done only for monumental buildings," Connor said. "There will never be a building that won't fall," Kausel noted. "The best we can do is to ensure that it will stand long enough for all the people to escape." Back when the WTC was built, no one seems to have anticipated the need to evacuate an entire large building at once. To do so successfully means boosting a building's structural redundancy—the provision of additional means to assist system function. Panel members discussed providing improved fire protection for the structural elements, alternative load paths to stand in for damaged structures and fixing diaphragm floor beams more strongly to vertical members. Also mentioned was the idea of installing blast-resistant, energy-absorbing materials such as concrete-encased steel exterior columns and/or cavities (reinforced concrete cores) in future large structures that could help them survive or at least promote failure in certain slower, less deleterious sequences. One audience attendee, a West Coast-based structural engineer who did not give his name, created a provocative moment when he claimed that it would cost about 10 percent more than the original building cost to install floor joint reinforcements for greater redundancy. "According to our analysis, it could add several more hours to the evacuation period," he stated. "If each tower cost about $1 billion to build, then an extra hundred million dollars could have saved most of the occupants. Though it's horrible to contemplate," he continued, "a human life is valued for insurance purposes at about a million dollars apiece, so this helps put the extra investment into perspective. After all, the World Trade Center was retrofitted with 10,000 viscoelastic dampers to reduce its swaying, so safety improvements can't be ignored. Building clients have to become more demanding, even if the probabilities of a repeat disaster are very slim...." The panel also considered the need to improve the effectiveness of building safety systems. Kausel pointed out problems with the twin towers' emergency communications systems ("just when coordination was most critical, the people didn't know what to do"), the emergency illumination system and protection against smoke ("the great killer in building fires is smoke inhalation"). He also suggested that more effort should be expended to create "alternative escape routes, so evacuees aren't faced with a wall of smoke. If two stairwells are close together," he noted, "one explosion could block them both." Other ideas floated included installing better fire-suppression systems, using the aqueous film-forming foams employed in aviation fires, and creating protected access ways for firefighters. There was also mention of the need to harden stairwells and egress pathways, and perhaps develop "deployable evacuation systems" for building occupants. Beyond robotic stairway evacuation devices, deployable systems might include escape tubes deployed out windows, exterior people-lowering machines, flying platforms or even parachutes." One audience member asked the assembled experts whether a reinforced concrete skyscraper such as the current height record-holder, the 452-meter Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, would have better resisted a collision with a fuel-filled airliner. Their response indicated that a concrete structure would have probably lasted for a couple of more hours than did the steel World Trade Center towers. Robert McNamara stated that many of the more recent superskyscrapers were constructed of reinforced concrete mainly because of the high cost of steel in Asia. He also mentioned that the Petronas Towers contain "safe refuge floors" to allow building occupants to reach fresh air during fires. McNamara said that this concept was now somewhat discredited, as similar refuges in the WTC would not have ultimately saved anyone. A lively discussion then ensued about whether the terrorist pilots knew where to hit the buildings for maximum effect. McNamara opined that the position of impact seems significant. "They hit them at just the right place—about two thirds to three quarters of the way up. The earlier [truck bomb] attack showed that the explosion at bottom had little effect and that it's much easier to collapse a building from the top than the bottom. If they had hit the very top of the building, the fire damage wouldn't have had such a catastrophic effect. At the bottom, the columns are much heavier and stronger and so they would have taken a much larger load." Connor offered that one would "need graduate-level engineering training to choose the prime target location." In the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster, questions arose whether superskyscrapers should be built in the future. Clearly, these top engineers would reply in the definite affirmative. Inevitably, they said, new tall towers will rise.