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In a study described in the January 13 issue of Cancer Cell, Marikki Laiho, M.D., Ph.D., and her colleagues say their work focused on the ability of a chemical dubbed BMH-21 to sabotage the transcription pathway RNA Polymerase pathway (POL I), shutting down the ability of mutant cancer genes to communicate with cells and replicate.
Laiho's research linked the pathway to p53 gene activity. P53 is a tumor suppressor gene, a protein that regulates cell growth, and it is the most frequently mutated suppressor gene in cancer.
Transcription pathways are the means by which certain proteins that direct cell division are put into action by cells. Uncontrolled cell division is a hallmark of cancer, and BMH-21 has demonstrated an ability to bind to the DNA of cancer cells and completely shut down this transcription pathway.
"Without this transcription machinery, cancer cells cannot function," says Marikki Laiho, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences at Johns Hopkins and senior author on the study.
Laiho said BMH-21 was identified using by screening a library of chemical compounds known to have potential for anticancer activity based on their chemical structure and capabilities. Specifically, they looked for the ability of those compounds to interfere with transcription in human tumor cells obtained through the National Cancer Institute's collection of 60 human tumor cell lines of nine different cancer types, including melanoma and colon cancer.
BMH-21 first jumped out, Laiho said, demonstrating potent action against melanoma and colon cancer cells. In fact, in these studies, the drug functioned better in upsetting these cancer cells' activities than many FDA-approved cancer drugs.
BMH-21 also appears to overcome the tendency of cancer cells to resist chemotherapeutic agents because it finds and targets proteins and shuts down the communication pathways that cells use to continue dividing.
"One of the challenges of current cancer therapies, including new targeted therapies, is a cancer cell's ability to overcome a treatment's anticancer properties. The characteristics of a cancer cell and its circuitry is very complex and results in many changes and mutations that allow the cells to continue to thrive despite cancer treatments," said Laiho.
While the findings with BMH-21 are promising, Laiho cautions much more study of the compound is needed before it would be ready for studies in patients. She and her team are continuing studies of the drug in animal models to further reveal the drug's potential against cancer and possible toxicities, and to determine dosage.
The transcription machinery the compound shuts down is common among all cancer cell types, so the researchers believe it has therapeutic potential across many tumor types.
source : http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140113152629.htm


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Hypertension in goldminers
Sir Albert Medical Centre, Rant-en-dal, Krugersdorp
LM Maepe, MB ChB, DA
Department of Pharmacology, University of Pretoria
K Outhoff, MB ChB, MFPM
Corresponding author: LM Maepe (email@example.com)
Background. Reliable information about the prevalence of hypertension, which is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease in general and to coronary heart disease in particular, in different geographical regions is essential for its prevention and optimal control. In the mining industry, which comprises mainly urbanised black African men, the prevalence, impact, treatment and control of hypertension remains unexplored.
Methods. We conducted a retrospective, descriptive 1-year hypertension prevalence study in Gauteng Harmony Mine Operations in South Africa. Patient profiles and blood pressure (BP) measurements were retrieved from the company electronic data systems. Follow-up entries made at all the different health facilities that serve this population were examined. Continuous variables were summarised using means or medians with standard deviations. Categorical deviations, including ethnicity, were summarised using percentages and/or frequencies.
Results. Of the 4 297 subjects (100% of the mining population in the study period), 4 286 (99%) were black Africans; 90% were men; mean age was 44.62 years; and 39.5% (N=1 696) had hypertension, for which 42% (N=719) received pharmacological treatment, of which 31% (13% of the total hypertensive population) achieved an adequate BP control target of <140/90 mmHg. Pharmacological treatment included diuretics (38.5%), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (30.16%), calcium channel blockers (26%), beta-blockers (4.47%), angiotensin-receptor blockers (0.17%) and centrally acting agents (0.07%), usually taken in combination.
Conclusion. We confirmed that hypertension is an important health challenge for the mining industry in South Africa. Detection, treatment and adequate control of hypertension should receive high priority from the mining authorities.
S Afr Med J 2012;102:30-33.
Hypertension is an important worldwide public health care challenge, owing to its high prevalence and because it is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal disease.1 The total number of adults with hypertension worldwide in 2000 was estimated at 972 million; it has been predicted to be likely to increase by approximately 60% to a total of 1.56 billion by 2025.4 Hypertension is the leading risk factor for mortality and is ranked third as cause of disability-adjusted life years.5 In South Africa cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death after HIV/AIDS, with hypertension the predominant contributor to the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.
People with hypertension are frequently unaware that they have the condition, and it is often only detected incidentally during screening. Hypertension is therefore referred to as a 'silent epidemic' which is universally underdiagnosed and /or inadequately treated, resulting in extensive target-organ damage and premature death. Li et al.6 showed that only 26% of populations were aware of their hypertension, only 3.9% achieved BP control of ≤140/90 mmHg, and lack of knowledge about hypertension and the importance of BP control were associated with poor compliance with both non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment.6
In persons older than 50 years, systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg is considered a greater cardiovascular risk factor than raised diastolic BP (DBP). The risk of cardiovascular disease beginning at 115/75 mmHg doubles with each increment of 20/10 mmHg, and individuals who are normotensive at age 55 have a 90% lifetime risk for developing hypertension.7 The importance of adequate treatment cannot be over-emphasised, e.g. 17 completed randomised controlled trials of BP-lowering drug treatment in a total of 47 000 patients with hypertension recorded 1 360 strokes over a 5-year period.8 , 9 Overall a net reduction of 5 - 6 mmHg in DBP and 10 - 12 mmHg in SBP achieved a 38% reduction in stroke risk.8 The impact of hypertension on all-cause mortality in a rural Nigerian population assessed by Kautman et al.10 in 1996 found that the risk of death increased by 60% with each increase of 20 mmHg in diastolic pressure. The estimated population attributable risk (the reduction in total mortality that would have been observed if hypertension were not present) was 7%.
The prevalence and severity of hypertension and the response to treatment differ in different ethnic groups. A study in randomly selected practices across South Africa, after age and gender standardisation, found that the overall prevalence of hypertension was 55%, which included a prevalence of 59% in black African (95% confidence interval (CI) 57 - 61), 55% in Indian and coloured (95% CI 52 - 59 and 52 - 58, respectively) and 50% in white people. In this study, hypertension was defined as a BP ≥140/90 or having a history of hypertension.11
Hypertension seems to be a more aggressive disease in black patients. Black people are more likely to develop hypertension and, compared with hypertension in other ethnic groups, the disorder is more severe, more resistant to treatment and more likely to be fatal at an early age.12 , 13 This has important implications for the choice of an antihypertensive agent. Many drugs are available for reducing BP, notably thiazide diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (BBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), alpha-blockers and direct vasodilators. In a study of predominantly black hypertensive patients conducted more than a decade ago in a predominantly urban population, Seedat14 found that black patients responded best to diuretics, vasodilators or CCBs; their response to BB and ACEIs was poor, unless these agents were combined with thiazide diuretics. Current treatment guidelines recommend either thiazide diuretics, CCBs or vasodilators in black patients,15 but it is unknown to what extent these guidelines are being followed.
More recently, the Heart of Soweto Study found a prevalence of hypertension of 56% in an urban South African community.16 Most patients were black Africans (85%, N=1 359), and the study population comprised more women (59%) than men. Most patients reporting to the Baragwanath Hospital cardiac unit showed late clinical presentations with established heart disease of more than one cause. Overall, the four most common diagnoses were hypertension, heart failure, valvular disease and coronary disease. Patients with hypertension and heart failure were a decade older than those with valvular heart disease. The three common forms of heart failure included dilated cardiomyopathy (35%), heart failure secondary to hypertension (33%) and right heart failure (27%) associated with cor pulmonale.16
Information regarding the prevalence and absolute burden of hypertension in the mining industry is lacking. We aimed to assess the 12-month prevalence, treatment and control of hypertension in goldminers working at Gauteng Harmony Gold Operations. Mining in South Africa is predominantly undertaken by black people, although the numbers of miners from other ethnic groups are increasing. In this setting hypertension is believed to contribute to morbidity and mortality and is a major contributor to absenteeism and decreased productivity. The complications of hypertension are reduced when BP is well controlled. Establishing the burden of hypertension would enable mining authorities to assign sufficient priority and resources to its management and prevention.
A literature search of primary and secondary sources provided background information. We undertook a retrospective analysis of the comprehensive electronic database of Harmony Health Centre to establish the 12-month prevalence of hypertension in goldminers at Gauteng Harmony Gold Operations from 1 February 2009 to 31 January 2010.
The study population included all goldminers who attended Harmony health centres, which provide free primary health care, occupational services and admissions to hospital for its category 3 - 8 employees. Category 3 - 8 employees, as classified by the Chamber of Mines agreement, are non-officials, most of whom have attained 7 years of schooling, although a minority, especially women, have completed 12 years of schooling. It is compulsory for all goldminers to visit the occupational health centre, where their BP is routinely measured. Comprehensive data were therefore obtained. Most of the miners share the same daily hostel menu and hospital menu when admitted.
All the files of patients who attended the occupational health centre during the designated period were retrieved and the data were analysed. The prevalence of hypertension was obtained from the occupational health centre, and it included all study patients. The study comprised a total of 4 297 patients between the ages of 18 and 69 years. Data included all patients with abnormal BP readings who were therefore referred to the primary health care centre for management.
All employees' BP was measured with an electronic BP device. Two readings were taken and their average was recorded. Smoking, exercising or drinking coffee/tea 30 minutes before the BP measurement was not permitted.
Hypertension was defined as an SBP of at least 140 mmHg or DBP of at least 90 mmHg, or current use of antihypertensive medication irrespective of the level of BP. Poorly controlled hypertension was defined as BP of ≥140/90 mmHg. Well-controlled hypertension was defined as BP of <140/90 mmHg on treatment.
We collected data electronically and manually. Electronic data were retrieved by an information technology specialist from the Harmony Health systems database and used to establish the prevalence of hypertension. Manual data were collected by the researcher from patient files and used to ascertain which antihypertensive drug classes were used in this population and to determine the percentage of well-controlled and poorly controlled patients by pharmacological drug class category.
For the prevalence of hypertension, the entire study population was used as the denominator. The Excel Microsoft Office 2007 computer programme was used for data analysis; it generated tables, graphs, pie diagrams and representation characteristics or values, such as averages and percentages.
Permission to obtain the data was obtained from Harmony Health Services authorities and study ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the University of Pretoria. Patient confidentiality was maintained throughout the research.
A total of 4 297 mine workers attended Harmony health centres during the period February 2009 - January 2010; 99.7% were black Africans, 0.09% were coloured and 0.16% were white (Fig. 1); 3 866 (90%) were male and 431 (10%) were female (Fig. 2). The majority (69.8%) of the miners were older than 40 years. On average, women (33.27 years) were younger than men (45.89 years). Overall, their education level was low.
Prevalence of hypertension
The overall prevalence of hypertension was 39.5% (N=1 696), with a higher prevalence among males (40.5%) compared with females (29.9%). The prevalence of hypertension increased with age, ranging from 15.97% in the 18 - 29-year-old age group to 83.02% in the 60 -69-year-old age group (Fig. 3).
Antihypertensive medication and BP control
Only 42% (N=719) of patients diagnosed with hypertension received pharmacological treatment for this condition (Fig. 4). In the hypertensive group taking medication, 13.35% (N = 96) were on monotherapy, while 86.65% (N=623) were taking two or more antihypertensive agents. Only 31% (N=223) reached their target level of BP control on treatment; 18% of these received monotherapy and 82% combination antihypertensive drug therapies. Despite pharmacological treatment, 69% of patients were poorly controlled. Of these, 11% were on monotherapy and 89% were taking multiple antihypertensive agents.
Pharmacological drug class
When the number of drug classes used per individual was assessed, 13% of patients were treated with 1 drug class, 39% with 2 drug classes, 42% with 3 drug classes and 6% with 4+ drug classes (Fig. 5). Pharmacological interventions in descending order included diuretics (38.5%), ACEIs (30.16%), CCBs (26%), BBs (4.47%), ARBs (0.17%) and centrally acting agents (0.07%) (Fig. 6).
The large study population comprised predominantly black middle-aged men who were experienced goldminers of low education, and presumably fit, in an urban setting. This provided a unique study population that to our knowledge has not been studied previously.
The prevalence of hypertension in this population was 39.5% which is at the upper end of the range (15 - 59%) of previously reported studies in black patients that included men and women.16 , 17 The worldwide overall prevalence of hypertension is 26.8%. The prevalence of hypertension in the South African Heart of Soweto Study was 56%,16 in which the majority of the participants were urbanised and female, and possibly not as physically fit as our study population. This may impact on the differences seen in the prevalence of hypertension.
Only 42% of hypertensive patients in our study received antihypertensive treatment. This underlines the point that although the screening methods and detection of hypertension were excellent, 58% of patients received no pharmacological therapy for this potentially lethal condition.
Of greater concern is that only 31% (N=223) of hypertensive patients on therapy, representing 13% of the total hypertensive study population, achieved an optimal BP control of <140/90 mmHg. This is an improvement on the 3.9% quoted by Li et al.,6 but remains far short of the recommendation that 50% of people with hypertension should attain proper BP control on treatment. This poor figure possibly reflects inadequate monitoring tools, lack of knowledge about hypertension, poor adherence to therapy and low levels of education among the employees. It may also reflect a gap in effective health programmes in the company. More could be done to control hypertension and thereby limit its complications.
The high use of diuretics, ACEIs and CCBs and low use of BBs is reassuring, as this is in line with hypertension treatment guidelines found in the 7th Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC-7) and international hypertension guidelines.15 Yet the most recent National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines advise against the use of ACEIs in black patients, and recommend that ARBs be used instead, as second-line agents in combination with the first-line CCBs. Thiazide diuretics are recommended after the combination of CCBs and ARBs has failed, or in some instances as first-line therapy when CCBs are contraindicated.18 Prescribing practices in the mining population must be re-evaluated in this context.
Approximately two-thirds of hypertensive patients cannot be controlled on one drug alone, and will require two or more drugs from different classes.19 , 20 In the ALLHAT study, 60% of those whose BP was controlled to target (<140/90 mmHg) received two or more antihypertensive agents. Only 30% were controlled on one drug.19 In our study in predominantly black patients, 18.4% were controlled on monotherapy, which was low in comparison to the ALLHAT study. Furthermore, in our study 45.7% were controlled on two drugs while 35.9% of those controlled required three or more drugs, reflecting the difficulty in effectively treating hypertension in black patients. Of note is that miners are not allowed underground if their BP is not adequately controlled.
We did not examine non-pharmacological means of BP control. Lifestyle interventions such as restricting salt intake, reducing body weight and limiting alcohol, tobacco and caffeine use decrease BP and improve antihypertensive drug efficacy. Other important lifestyle measures include a low-fat, high-fibre diet and regular moderate-intensity exercise.18 , 21 Although the miners had access to dieticians, it is not known whether dietary advice was followed or whether other lifestyle modifications were implemented. This is an important area for additional research.
The study also failed to elucidate other potential causes of uncontrolled BP, e.g. poor adherence to treatment because of long duration of therapy, complicated regimens, side-effects of drugs, misunderstanding instructions and the asymptomatic nature of hypertension, among others.18 , 21 The South African guidelines for the treatment of hypertension emphasise this point succinctly.21 Further studies are also required to assess interventions to support adherence.
Despite these limitations, the study presents information on the prevalence, treatment and control of hypertension in Harmony North Operations, which is unusual in South Africa as it has excellent screening and medical facilities.
Hypertension is a 'silent killer' affecting millions of people worldwide despite advances in its diagnosis and treatment. This study confirms the high prevalence of hypertension in a largely black mining population and provides first-time analysis of its prevalence, treatment and control in this setting. These findings highlight the urgent need to implement cost-effective strategies, targeting individuals and health care providers to prevent hypertension and improve treatment and BP control in this population.
Acknowledgements. Mr Werner van Zyl (IT specialist), Harmony Health Service Authorities and the mine patients.
1. He J, Whelton PK. Epidemiology and prevention of hypertension. Med Clin North Am 1997;81:1077-1097.
2. Chobanion AV, Bakris GL, Back HR, et al. Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood pressure. Hypertension 2003;42:1206-1252.
3. Poulter N. Global risk of cardiovascular disease. Heart 2003;89(2):ii2-ii5.
4. Kearney PM, Whelton M, Reynolds K, Muntrer P, Wholton PK, He J. Global burden of hypertension: analysis of worldwide data. Lancet 2005;365:217-223.
5. Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, van der Hoorn S, Murray CJ. Selected major risk factors and global and regional burden of disease. Lancet 2002;360:1347-1360.
6. Li H, Meng Q, Wang XS, Briggs E, Hiller JE. Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in rural China. J Hypertens 2010;28:432-438.
7. Vasan RS, Beiser A, Seshadri S, et al. Residual lifetime risk for developing hypertension in middle-aged women and men. The Framingham Heart Study. JAMA 2002;287:1003-1010.
8. MacMahon S, Rodgers A. Blood pressure, antihypertensive treatment, and stroke risk. J Hypertens 1994;12(10):S5-S14
9. Collins R, MacMahon S. Blood pressure, antihypertensive drug treatment and the risk of stroke and of coronary heart disease. Br Med Bull 1994;50:272-298.
10. Kaufman JS, Rotimi CN, Brieger WR, et al. The mortality risk associated with hypertension: prospective study in rural Nigeria. J Hum Hypertens 1996;10:461-464.
11. Connor M, Rheeder P, Bryer A, et al. The South African risk in general practice study. S Afr Med J 2005:95:334-339.
12. Fray JC, Douglas JG, eds. Pathophysiology of Hypertension in Blacks. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.
13. Hajjar I, Kotchen TA. Trends in prevalence, awareness, treatment, control of hypertension in the United States, 1988-2000. JAMA 2003;290:199-206.
14. Seedat, YK. Hypertension in black South Africans. J Hum Hypertens 1999;13:96-103.
15. JNC-7.The 7th Report of Joint National Committee on prevention, detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure. JAMA 2003;289:2560-2572.
16. Sliwa K, Wilkinson D, Hansen C, et al. Spectrum of heart disease and risk factors in a black urban population in South Africa (the Heart of Soweto Study): a cohort study. Lancet 2008;371:915-922.
17. Cooper R, Rotomi C, Ataman S, et al. The prevalence of hypertension in seven populations of West African origin. Am J Public Health 1997;87:160-168.
18. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Hypertension: management of hypertension in adults in primary care. http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG127 (accessed 1 September 2011).
19. Cushman WC, Ford CE, Cutler JA, et al. Success and predictors of blood pressure control in diverse North American settings. The Antihypertensive and Lipid Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial. J Clin Hypertens 2002:4:393-404.
20. Black HR, Elliot WJ, Neaton JD, et al. Baseline characteristics and early blood pressure in the CONVINCE trial. Hypertension 2001;37:12-18.
21. Seedat YK, Croasdale MA, Milne FJ, et al. (Joint National Hypertension Guideline Working Group 2006). South African Hypertension Guideline 2006. S Afr Med J 2006;96(4):337-362.
Accepted 5 September 2011.
Fig. 1. Ethnic groups expressed as a percentage of the study population.
Fig. 2. Gender of the study participants.
Fig. 3. Prevalence of hypertension per age group, and age of study participants expressed as a percentage of the study population.
Fig. 4. Prevalence of hypertension and treatment profile of study participants.
Fig. 5. Distribution of number of antihypertensive drug classes used per individual.
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Fernando Alonso has committed his future to Renault, ending speculation over a possible move to Ferrari in 2009.
Renault has become the seventh team to announce an unchanged line-up for 2009 with Nelson Piquet Jnr remaining alongside Alonso.
Alonso had been linked to Ferrari, BMW and Honda at different stages during the season. But after the first two teams confirmed they would stay with the same drivers for the foreseeable future, Alonso was increasingly expected to stay at Renault.
He has enjoyed an excellent end to the season with the team, winning two of the last four races. He scored 33 points in the final four rounds, 13 more than any other driver (Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa each scored 20).
Piquet has not enjoyed a very successful a season in his first year of F1. He had more non-mechanical DNFs than any other driver (seven) and was the only driver to be out-qualified by his team mate at every round.
Earlier rumours suggested Renault might promote Lucas di Grassi or Romain Grosjean in his place. Piquet's retention is not going to diminish suggestions that, after 2007, Alonso doesn't want to share a team with a competitive driver again.
But with Renault clearly enjoying a resurgence, the prospect of Alonso facing down Hamilton and the Ferrari duo for the 2009 championship is an enticing one…
Fernando Alonso biography
Nelson Piquet Jnr biography
2009 F1 drivers and teams
2009 F1 season


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Message for U.S. Citizens: U.S. Embassy Panama City, Panama (May 11, 2020)
Location: Panama
Event: Planned Commercial Humanitarian Flights
At present the Department of State is making every effort to assist U.S. citizens overseas who wish to return to the United States. As the COVID-19 situation develops, our ability to provide such assistance may become more limited or even unavailable. There is no guarantee that the Department of State will be able to continue to provide repatriation assistance and transportation options to the United States may be unavailable in the future. If you choose to remain overseas, you should be prepared to remain where you are for the foreseeable future.
The Embassy arranged for two commercially-operated humanitarian flights for any U.S. citizen or other qualified traveler able to enter the United States who had expressed wishes to depart Panama. Those flights are now full. There are no other planned flights. We encourage you to be prepared to remain in Panama for the next 30-60 days, or perhaps more.
For now, please closely monitor Spirit's website (www.Spirit.com) for any openings due to cancelations on the May 15 or May 19 flights from Panama City, Panama (PTY) to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA (FLL).
NOTE – The Embassy is continuing its efforts to identify future flights. However, it is most likely that they will be with the same airline and the same route. All domestic travel arrangements are the sole responsibility of the traveler.
If you have not already done so, please express your interest in consideration for future evacuation flights by emailing: firstname.lastname@example.com . If you have previously expressed your interest, you do NOT need to resubmit.
Please enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Embassy Panama City security updates: https://step.state.gov/
Consult the Embassy's website (https://pa.usembassy.gov/) for additional information on the situation in Panama and the Department of State's COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- U.S. Embassy Panama City, Panama
Building 783, Demetrio Basilio Lakas Avenue
Clayton, Panama
+507 317-5000
https://pa.usembassy.gov/ - State Department – Consular Affairs
+1 (888)407-4747 or +1 (202)501-4444 - Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates.
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The Bento Three is perfect for children who prefer sandwiches, wraps or salads but still like some variety.
The individually sealed compartments in the Bento Three allow you to pack a sandwich or wrap next to wet foods such as yoghurt, dips or fruit without the risk of spoiling.
Why choose the Bento Three?
- This easy clean lunch box has a child friendly latch with no removable parts to get lost and is made from durable BPA free products.
- Store wet foods* next to dry foods without the risk of spoiling.
- The Bento Three is dishwasher safe (top rack).
- It is great for the environment and will save you money by allowing you to buy in bulk, which is cheaper and creates much less waste compared to individually packaged food.
- The fun designs on the outside will make your children eager for meal time to arrive.
Because the Bento Three has no removable parts it is compact yet holds a deceptively large amount of food to help fuel growing bodies. It is even suitable for adults.
*Refer to packing instructions from the Little Lunch Box Co HERE regarding packing *wet foods
Product Specifications
Capacity – 1L
Dimensions – 17.5cm x 17.5cm x 5.6cm
Care instructions:
Little Lunch Box Co products are all made of durable hardwearing BPA free food safe materials. They are top shelf dishwasher safe, although we do recommend hand washing when time permits to prolong the integrity of the seal.
To keep your Little Lunch Box Co products looking their best avoid prolonged direct contact with sunlight.
We do not recommend you use Little Lunch Box Co products in the microwave, oven or freezer.
We recommend that you store your lunch box with the lid open to allow the seal to fully dry.


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Photo postcard featuring bathing beach in Quogue, Long Island NY, postmarked August, 1922:
Dearest Minnie,
We are having a perfectly lovely time here and wish you all were here with me! Are my two darlings with you? Our dearest love to you all -
**Devotedly, Ethel
Found in "He's Gone With 'Poop' Dalong" by David Crane. Published by the author, no date listed, circa 1990.
**Thanks for the help, readers.
-Click to enlarge photos-


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The Seahawks are giving Travis Beckum a look.
Beckum, the former Giants and University of Wisconsin tight end, was among three players signed to reserve/future contracts by Super Bowl champion Seattle on Monday, the club said.
A Wisconsin product, the 27-year-old Beckum last appeared in an NFL regular-season game with the Giants in 2012. A third-round pick of the Giants in 2009, Beckum has hauled in 26 passes for 264 yards and three TDs in regular-season play.
As a member of the Giants, Beckum suffered a torn ACL in the club's Super Bowl XLVI victory against New England. In the previous game, he caught four passes as the Giants defeated the 49ers for the NFC title.
The Seahawks also signed linebacker Mike Taylor and defensive back Terrance Parks to contracts. Taylor (6-2, 222) was on the Seahawks' practice squad for a stint in December, while Parks (6-2, 218) was with the Chiefs in the summer of 2012. Taylor played collegiately at Wisconsin, while Parks played at Florida State.


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[ by Charles Cameron — wondering whether it can ever be possible to expect the unexpected, and if so, what exactly that might mean? Libya & Mali ]
Alex Thurston at Sahel Blog: Covering Politics and Religion in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa posted Libya and Mali, Part I today. The topic is one I am not qualified to comment on, although I'm trying to learn from those (such as AT) who are — but this sentence caught my eye and got me writing:
A failure to soberly consider the possible unexpected consequences of intervention and transition has helped chaos to develop in post-Qadhafi Libya.
I wonder if that's a koan?
Is it ever possible to "soberly consider the possible unexpected consequences" of anything? Consider Donald Rumsfeld's remark:
There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.
Throw in the missing fourth category, supplied by somebody for Wikipedia:
Moreover, one may criticize Rumsfeld statement for omitting the most dangerous type of unknown: the "unknown known". That is, as Mark Twain famously expressed it, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you think you know that just ain't so". Indeed, Rumsfeld was really discussing an "unknown known" which provided faulty justification for the war — members of the Bush administration claimed that the Iraqi government possessed weapons of mass destruction (see Rationale_for_the_Iraq_War), but it just wasn't so.
Now allow for what you might call informed guess-work, what CS Peirce called abduction – I'm just now introducing my elder son to Eco & Sebeok's magnificent book, The Sign of Three: Dupin, Holmes, Peirce — and "non-predictive" attempts to lay out a spread of possible outcomes by means of scenario-planning, as Tom Barnett wrote in his Year 2000 International Security Dimension Project Final Report:
By "decision scenario approach," we mean using credible scenarios to create awareness among relevant decision-makers regarding the sort of strategic issues and choices they are likely to face if the more stressing pathways envisioned come to pass.
Again, none of our material here is meant to be predictive in the sense of providing a step-by-step "cookbook" approach to Y2K and Millennial Date Change crisis management. Our fundamental goal in collecting and synthesizing this analysis is to avoid any situation where US military decision makers and/or operational commanders would find themselves in seemingly uncharted territory and declare, "I had no idea . . .."
We (myself at times included) seem to be busily employed making non-predictive predictions.
Black swans… Nassim Nicholas Taleb may have been the one who most recently crept up behind us and clapped loudly to alert us to the unexpected, but Stéphane Mallarmé was there first in 1897 with the great graphical poem Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le hasard, featured in the lower image of the pair at the top of this post.
My own "zen telegram" version, for those who neither know the poem nor read French:
not even when tossed sub specie aeternitatis from the depth of a shipwreck
— now there's a koan for our times — and always.
Listen to the poets…
Hear the voice of the Bard!
Who Present, Past, & Future, sees;
Whose ears have heard
The Holy Word
That walk'd among the ancient trees…
Sources and links:
Un Coup de Dés Jamais N'Abolira Le Hasard from Wikipedia le début de la typographie moderne by Étienne Mineur with page images Un coup de dés, French original and English translation, by AS Kline See that voice of the Bard, William Blake…


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I've been reading research on organizational size and performance as it is pertinent to the book that Huggy Rao and I are writing on scaling-up excellence. In doing so, I also have been following the debate about banks and whether the assertion that both a cause of the meltdown and a risk for future fiascoes is that banks are "too big to fail." Of course, the debate is hard to sift through because there is so much ideology and so many perverse incentives (example: the bigger the bank, the more the CEO, top team, and board will -- in general -- be compensated).
Although bankers have been generally silent on this, some have started speaking-up since former Citigroup CEO Sandy Weil -- the creator of that huge bank (which lives on courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers) -- joined the chorus and argued that big banks ought to be broken-up. Simon Johnson -- an MIT professor -- had an interesting editorial in the New York Times yesterday where he reviews some of the recent arguments by bankers and lobbying groups that very big banks are still a good idea -- and refutes their arguments (and points out that both Democrats and more recently Republicans are starting to challenge the wisdom of mega-banks).
I especially want to focus on the "economies of scale argument," that there are more efficiencies and other advantages enjoyed by larger systems in comparison to smaller ones. This appears to be the crux of an editorial in defense of large banks published in the NYT on August 22nd by former banking executive William B. Harrison Jr. I was struck by one of Johnson's retorts:
As I made clear in a point-by-point rebuttal of Mr. Harrison's Op-Ed commentary, his defense of the big banks is not based on any evidence. He primarily makes assertions about economies of scale in banking, but no one can find such efficiency enhancements for banks with more than $100 billion in total assets – and our largest banks have balance sheets, properly measured, that approach $4 trillion.
Although I am interested in -- and an advocate -- of the power of growing bigger and better organizations at times, doing so is only justifiable in my view if excellence can at least be sustained and preferably enhanced, and the side-effects and risks to do not overwhelm the benefits. Unfortunately, the optimism among the bigger is better crowd often outruns the facts. For starters, I would love to see sound evidence that really really big organizations enjoy economies of scale and other performance advantages -- Wal-Mart might be such a case, they certainly have market power, the ability to bring down prices, and brand recognition -- but I can't find much systematic evidence for economies of scale across really big organizations. If Mr. Harrison is correct, for example, there isn't any evidence of increased efficiencies for banks over 100 billion in assets.
This debate reminds me of some fascinating research on the differences between cities and companies. Luis Bettencourt and Geoffery West of the Santa Fe Institute present fascinating evidence that larger cities are more efficient and effective than smaller ones. As they conclude in this article in Nature:
Three main characteristics vary systematically with population. One, the space required per capita shrinks, thanks to denser settlement and a more intense use of infrastructure. Two, the pace of all socioeconomic activity accelerates, leading to higher productivity. And three, economic and social activities diversify and become more interdependent, resulting in new forms of economic specialization and cultural expression. We have recently shown that these general trends can be expressed as simple mathematical 'laws'. For example, doubling the population of any city requires only about an 85% increase in infrastructure, whether that be total road surface, length of electrical cables, water pipes or number of petrol stations.
OK, so it seems that economies of scale do exist for at least one kind of social system, cities. Does this provide hope for those bankers? Apparently not. Check out West's Ted Talk on "The Surprising Math Cities and Corporations." He concludes several interesting things about scaling. First, the bigger the biological system, the more efficient it becomes. Second, following the above quote and the logic that follows from organisms, cities become more efficient (and creative and financially successful too) as they become larger. Third, that cities rarely die, but organizations almost always do (he claims always). Fourth, he shows that companies do scale -- in fact he talks about Wal-Mart, shows their economies of scale, and describes his dataset of 23,000 companies. But the twist is that as companies become larger and older they become weighted down with bureaucracy and -- unlike cities -- the resulting internal friction both outweighs the benefits of economies of scale and renders them unable to to pull-off the radical innovations required to stay alive.
Here is this conclusion in more detail, from an article in The New York Times:
This raises the obvious question: Why are corporations so fleeting? After buying data on more than 23,000 publicly traded companies, Bettencourt and West discovered that corporate productivity, unlike urban productivity, was entirely sublinear. As the number of employees grows, the amount of profit per employee shrinks. West gets giddy when he shows me the linear regression charts. "Look at this bloody plot," he says. "It's ridiculous how well the points line up." The graph reflects the bleak reality of corporate growth, in which efficiencies of scale are almost always outweighed by the burdens of bureaucracy. "When a company starts out, it's all about the new idea," West says. "And then, if the company gets lucky, the idea takes off. Everybody is happy and rich. But then management starts worrying about the bottom line, and so all these people are hired to keep track of the paper clips. This is the beginning of the end."
The danger, West says, is that the inevitable decline in profit per employee makes large companies increasingly vulnerable to market volatility. Since the company now has to support an expensive staff — overhead costs increase with size — even a minor disturbance can lead to significant losses. As West puts it, "Companies are killed by their need to keep on getting bigger."
There are still advantages to size despite these rather discouraging data: market power, legitimacy, the ability to do complex things that require multiple disciplines, and brand recognition come to mind. And there are studies by economists that show economies of scale help under some conditions. Some organizations are also better than others at limiting the burdens of bureaucracy as they grow-- Wal-Mart is one of them.
As a practical matter, when I think of Bettencourt and West's data and combine it with Ben Horowitz's amazing post on scaling, it appears his advice to "give ground grudgingly," to add as little structure and process as you can get away with given your organization's size and complexity, is even more sound than I originally thought.
As with many researchers, West has a healthy ego and states his findings with more certainty than is probably warranted. But these are -- unlike the bankers -- evidence-based statements, and when I combine them with what Huggy and I are learning about how hard scaling is to do well (there are big differences between companies that do it well versus badly), the lack of evidence for economies of scale in really big banks, and a system where the primary defenders of really big banks have strong incentives and weak evidence to support their positions, I am hoping that in a political season where my country seems hopelessly split on so many issues, perhaps this is one where both sides can come together and hold an evidence-based position.


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"Cloud Atlas," with an estimated price tag of $100 million, is among the most expensive independently-financed movies ever made. So its underwhelming opening weekend at the U.S. box office — it made just $9.6 million in 2,008 theaters — is no doubt sending ripples of anxiety through its backers.
But "Cloud Atlas" should still reach profitability if it can finish its North American run with about $30 million. How does that math work? Think foreign box office.
Producers believe it will do about three times better at foreign cinemas than it will in the United States. And that's been their strategy all along, or at least since the funding for the film came together.
"This film doesn't fit in a box," said DDA Consulting's Dennis Davidson, who represents several of the film's producers, including writer-directors Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, Grant Hill, Steven Arndt and several foreign stakeholders. "That can be a positive and a negative. But it is intelligent, complicated and nuanced, and all of that resonated with our foreign investors, and they believe it will resonate in their countries." he told TheWrap.
Also read: Cannes: Wachowskis, Tom Tykwer Talk 'Cloud Atlas' to Buyers
More than half of the film's backing comes from abroad. Warner Bros. put up just $20 million and is handling marketing and distribution in the U.S. and in the U.K., Japan, Australia, France and Spain. About 25 percent of the budget came from Asia and another 25 percent from Germany, with most of the balance coming from the selling of foreign distribution rights by Focus Films.
The film's subject matter — through six interwoven tales it attempts to show how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future — and its source material (David Mitchell's 2004 novel) has heightened its international appeal.
"The fact that the much of the book is set in Asia, and the film's sensibilities definitely helped foreign investors to spark to it," Davidson said. "They're very anxious to show this film in their home countries, and this has a lot to do with how we'll roll it out overseas."
"Cloud Atlas" will debut internationally on 1,500 screens in Russia on Nov. 8. That's a lot of screens for that market, reflecting the confidence of the distributors, said Davidson, who represents Russia's A-Company. Germany, where X-Verleigh was a major investor, will be the next to see "Cloud Atlas," which will go out on 750 screens on Nov. 15.
Also read: 'Cloud Atlas': What the Critics Think of 'The Matrix' Team's Divisive Epic
Each distributor has, to a degree, been able to pick its spot in their respective markets. It will be on screens for the Christmas holidays in Mexico and Latin America. China, where "Cloud Atlas" will debut around the Chinese New Year in February, will be one of the most important territories. The film's foreign rollout will culminate in March of next year with some of Warner Bros.' territories: the U.K., France and Japan.
"Everyone associated with this project is well aware of how important foreign will be to its success," Davidson said, noting that the filmmakers and cast members will be globetrotting for the rollouts. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry top the ethnic- and race-bending ensemble that plays multiple roles. It's an international cast. In addition to Susan Sarandon, the co-stars include Brits Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant, Hugo Weaving is British and Australian, Doona Bay is Korean and Zun Zhou is Chinese.
"It always had a few built-in factors working against it, making it a tough sell to American audiences," Jeff Bock, Exhibitor Relations senior analyst, told TheWrap. "It's R-rated, doesn't have a traditional narrative… and has a plump running time of 2 hours and 45 minutes."
There's no guarantee that "Cloud Atlas" will connect to a greater degree overseas, but Bock thinks it will.
"Challenging films with non-traditional narratives are more widely accepted, and Tom Hanks is still a huge draw," he said. "Imax will certainly help, as international audiences will be impressed with the spectacle, and let's face it, more in touch with the aura of spirituality that 'Cloud Atlas' possesses."
It's clear "Cloud Atlas" isn't "The Matrix," the 1999 sci-fi saga that launched the $1.6 billion franchise for the Wachowskis and Warner Bros. The original film cost $63 million to make and brought in $171 domestically and $463 million worldwide.
And while it's hard to find films that directly compare to the opening of "Cloud Atlas," 2007's "The Golden Compass" might offer some perspective.
It was a sprawling, epic adventure based on a best-selling novel and starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Its budget was $185 million and after topping out at $77 million it was considered a bust in North America. But it made $300 million overseas.


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The front lifts up parallel to the cabinet
AVENTOS HL lifts up small fronts parallel to the cabinet, making it the ideal solution for mid and high wall units with cabinets positioned above them. The front moves up and out of the user's way so it can be left open during cooking.
Different cabinet dimensions
For cabinet heights of 300 to 580 mm and cabinet widths of up to 1800 mm.
Compact range
Just 5 lift mechanisms and 4 lever arms for all applications. Lift mechanisms and front fixing brackets have been designed for symmetrical use.
Design of fronts
For wooden fronts and fronts with wide or narrow aluminium frames.
Cover caps
AVENTOS HL cover caps come in silk white or light grey.
Silk white
Light grey
Mitred and rebated applications
AVENTOS HL can also be used for mitred and rebated applications. Minor adjustments need only be made to the position of standard fittings.


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- Home
- Community
- San Marcos Cemeteries
- San Pedro Cemetery
San Pedro Cemetery
At San Pedro, the list includes Luis Rosales, a farmer and founder of the cemetery; Jose Valdez, farmer in the Center Point area from 1905 until his death; Irineo Torres, cemetery caretaker and president for more than 40 years until his death on July 7, 2001; and others.
At San Marcos-Blanco, the deceased selected for reflection include two of the five original founders, both farmers and ranchers during their lifetimes -Wyatt Newman, who died in 1906 at the age of 60, and James Langdon, who died July 4, 1930 at the age of 84 - and teacher and civic leader Katherine Hardeman, who was born September 18, 1900, and died February 11, 2001. Mrs. Hardeman was president of the San Marcos-Blanco Cemetery Association for many years and is credited with helping keep the cemetery together.
According to Vasquez-Philo, the San Pedro Cemetery gets its name from the original founder, Pedro Carrillo, according to old records held by Mrs. Elena Carillo Contreras, a granddaughter. A mutual society was formed in May of 1909, with Antonio Sanchez as president. Burials there began the same month.
Minutes of meetings held by the society, which numbered more than 300 in 1915, show a well-organized group. Dues were one dollar a year. The money was used for both up keep of the cemetery and to pay for burials for those who could not afford it. Records show that the officers of the association at the time of organization were Octaviano Carrillo, presidente; Agapito Valdez, vice presidente; Pablo de la Rosa, secretario; Jaun Garcia, pro-secretario; Ramon Rivera, tesorero; Felix Villanueva, collector; and Felix Mendoza, encargado del cemeterio.
Current officers in charge of San Pedro are cousins Tirso Torres, Toribio Torres and Ireneo Torres Jr., co-chairs; Helen Carillo Contreras, secretary; and John Torres, treasurer. Please note: This cemetery is not owned, managed or maintained by the City of San Marcos.
To reach San Pedro, take the Center Point Road exit off IH-35 and turn right on Old Bastrop Road. Go about two miles to the cemetery entrance, which is on the right.


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New from Jost Chemical Company is a proprietary process to produce a unique calcium magnesium citrate co-salt. The co-salt offers calcium and magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. This ingredient is a unique compound, not a simple dry blend of calcium citrate and magnesium citrate. The co-salt maintains fluidity and resists thickening.
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Published in WholeFoods Magazine, February 2013


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New study shows pregnant women can drink some alcohol
(CNN) -- Don't drink while you're pregnant, not even in moderation. It's wisdom that major medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have repeatedly emphasized. But researchers are still looking into the specific effects of different quantities of maternal drinking on children.
A new study in the British Medical Journal is the latest to look at whether moderate drinking during pregnancy is associated with adverse effects on children. The researcher's measure for detrimental fetal neurodevelopment - children's ability to do various balance tasks at age 10.
Researchers found that mothers who drank between three and seven glasses of alcohol a week during pregnancy did not, on average, have children who had balance problems at age 10, and there were even some observed benefits. However, these are associations, not a proof that alcohol causes any outcomes.
This also doesn't mean that it's now generally OK to drink during pregnancy, experts said. There is no safe dose of alcohol that has been established for pregnant women, so best not to take a chance.
Researchers looked at 6,915 children who participated in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. These children had a balance assessment at age 10, and information on how much alcohol their mothers consumed was available.
Most of the mothers - about 70% - did not consume any alcohol during pregnancy. About 25% drank between one to two and three to four glasses a week, and about 5% drank seven or more glasses per week.
Researchers rated the children on various ways of balancing, including walking on a beam and standing on one leg for 20 seconds.
Researchers did not find evidence that alcohol consumed during pregnancy was detrimental to childhood balance. In fact, higher use of alcohol during pregnancy had some correlation with better outcomes of children particularly in the static balance measurements (balance without moving).
But wait - the study authors noted that higher total consumption of alcohol was associated with "social advantage" --- in other words, wealth and education. "Social disadvantage," meanwhile, was associated with binge drinking and abstinence.
Given that disparity in socioeconomic status is related to factors such as stress and health care, it could be that those were responsible for any benefits seen here - not the alcohol.
How to interpret?
The correlations in this study do not prove that alcohol caused any of the effects observed.
Previous studies in animals and humans have shown that alcohol exposure is related to a decrease in the size of the cerebellum, said Rajesh Miranda, associate professor of neuroscience and therapeutics at Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Dr. Robert Sokol, professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, said this study is similar to others that have been published in the past. It doesn't mean that alcohol leads to better or worse outcomes; there could be other factors about the mothers who drank.
This is a large sample of people, but some women are more sensitive to alcohol than others, and some fetuses are more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol than others. You can't be sure what effect alcohol will have on any particular baby, so it's best to not take a chance, he said.
"We don't know a safe level, so the smartest advice is what the ACOG says: Don't drink," Sokol said. "If I were pregnant, I wouldn't drink."


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10 mini oat bran raisins freshly baked this morning! happens to make some apple puree for my gal, therefore added some apple puree into the muffins instead of using apple sauce as suggested by the original recipe :D My 2 kiddos each taken 1 for afternoon snack, yum yum...yes my 14mths old gal finished the whole muffin as it is small, therefore just nice for her lil tummy :D
- 90gm oat bran
- 90gm plain flour
- 40gm brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup apple puree (2 apples steamed & mashed)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp raisins
- Sift plain flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder & baking soda in a mixing bowl. Add in brown sugar, oat bran and salt. Stir to mix evenly.
- Add in beaten egg, apple puree & olive oil. Mix until well-blended. Fold in raisins. Set aside for 10mins.
- Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 12-15mins until golden brown.


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Let me talk for a minute about younger daughter, or DD2, as I often refer to her on this blog. She is 17 and about to enter her senior year of high school. This kid, who marches to her own drummer, decided sometime around January, that she had a burning need to learn Swedish. No, there is no Swedish ancestry anywhere in either family tree. It just came out of nowhere. (For the record, both her parents are monolingual, as was she.)
She covered her bedroom with yellow stickies, labeling everything in Swedish. She downloaded the Pimsleur Swedish language course to her iPhone and practiced every day - she contacted the Pimsleur people to ask if they planned to add more advanced courses, such as they have for Spanish and Italian. (She tells me that Pimsleur is much better than Rosetta Stone or other language courses she looked into.)
She converted her computer and iPhone to Swedish. She found some Swedes online to Skype with. She read books in Swedish and watched Swedish news and television programming via the Internet. Much to my surprise, she found a Swedish preschool near my home (I didn't believe, at first, that there was a Swedish preschool near my home and I've lived here over 20 years) and she started volunteering twice a week, speaking in Swedish with the toddlers, their parents, and the teacher. She began working for several families as a babysitter, house cleaner, and errand runner, in Swedish.
She learned to speak Swedish in three months and cheerfully informed me that it's much easier to learn a language once you start thinking in it.
She then decided that she had to go to Sweden this summer. Her father donated some frequent flyer miles, and she used her savings, plus her babysitting/house cleaning money, to pay for her trip. She found a program to attend in Sweden, but also plans to do some couch surfing, some with a college friend of mine who lives near Stockholm, and also with some of the folks she has been working for here in the states who summer in Sweden.
Yes, she is going by herself.
I decided to make her a few items for her trip.
I had large chunks of sweater knit scraps left over from this Sandra Betzina sweater jacket, that I used for several of these projects.
First, I realized she could use a sleep mask. She wants to sleep on the 14-hour plane flight and can't sleep when it's light. I found this free Prudent Baby Sleep Mask pattern. I made a couple, using a rayon batik scrap from FabMo, as well as some scraps in my own stash. I have enough scraps to make 5000 sleep masks. :)
This sleep mask is reversible. It uses 2 fabrics for the front and back, fusible fleece for each side, and two pieces of 13" elastic. Easy peasy, it takes only minutes to sew.
Next, I decided she needs a u-shaped neck pillow for the flight. Rather than figure it out on my own, I bought a PDF pattern from urbansparrow. This nice little pattern includes a loop at center back (I used a piece of rayon grosgrain ribbon) so you can attach the pillow to a rolling suitcase, for example, with a caribiner - a nice little touch. This also uses the sweater knit.
I then made her a zippered pouch for makeup (or whatever) out of FabMo fabrics. It's a bit thick, so I may make her another one out of lighter weight fabrics.
It's been raining quite a bit in Sweden this summer and the weather has been on the cool side, so she wanted to take a warm scarf. I used an 18" by 44" piece of the same sweater knit to make a Koos infinity scarf, with one twist. I really like this scarf out of the sweater knit and need to make one or two for myself.
The weather in San Francisco recently has been typical "summer in San Francisco weather". Meaning it has been in the 50s and 60s, at least in my part of town, and the fog has been so thick that you almost need an umbrella, particularly when walking under trees and a gust of wind causes large droplets to pelt you. You do need to use the windshield wipers when driving. I love it.
However, this morning, while standing in line at JoAnn's waiting to buy polyfill stuffing, I heard folks complaining about the weather. I had to wonder what they were hankering for: wildfires, floods, or 106° F heat. Wherever you are, I hope you are comfortable and safe.
Barbara de Jounge - RIP
Last week I was saddened to learn of the death of one of my favorite lagenlook designers. Barbara de Jounge was a designer I truly admired. She was especially well known for her creative sweaters, often closed with her trademark giant safety pins, her interesting use of wool felt, and her clever jewelry from unusual materials.
And, correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like the necklace she is wearing in her photo might be made from those little plastic sizing tags used on hangars at some department stores...
The photo at the top of this post is from her website. In addition to her amazing creativity, she was elegant, stunning, and incredibly gracious. She was always one of my favorite designers at Artistry In Fashion and, last year, I bought a sweater from her, as did Margy.
I am sorry I don't own more of her work.
You can learn more about her life from her obituary. She will be missed.


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Asian Dinner Delights
Page 1 of 2
We have traveled to the land of the Rising Sun and indulged in sushi; have visited the beautiful French coast and were treated to a mussel feast; and recently got stuffed with pasta from Italy. What could possibly be next? How about what most Americans refer to as "Chinese"? You see calling such food Chinese is doing it an injustice, as Oriental food is as diverse as it gets.So break out the chopsticks, and let us indulge in different types of food you may have referred to as Chinese (up to now, of course). There are five main classifications, so let us begin with some appetizers.
vietnamese style
The most memorable Vietnamese style dish is actually a soup, or Pho. I spent almost half my salary at my previous job on the most succulent broth-like soups you will ever have at a local Vietnamese joint. A popular way of preparing Pho is to have a boiling vegetable water base, and add some meat (either chicken or strips of beef — not ground), green onions and noodles. This soup is best served by adding a couple of dashes of spicy sauce; soya (who could get enough of that?); limejuice; srpouts; and you are on your way. Carry a napkin or two, as the heat and spice will have you sweating like a madman.thai style
I was not a big fan of Thai at first because I dislike satay sauce (a peanut butter base sauce). Now, despite the many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I have had, they were consumed in the morning, not after drinking binges when you want something sour, salty or spicy. Nonetheless, if you like peanut butter sauces, then this is for you. I am sure you will enjoy it.That was then and this is now. A very special woman re-introduced me to Thai not too long ago: grilled vegetables and (sometimes fried) meat, always reinforced with a hint of ginger.
cantonese & hong kong style
I have a bias. I grew up on rice, so rice is very non-exotic to me. Whenever I have the choice, I go with noodles. Not soft noodles (or Low Mein ), but rather the crispy fried ones (or Chow Mein ). Chow Mein has a greasy taste (in a great way) and fried texture that is rather irresistible.Several variations come with vegetables, and various meat and seafood. A popular dish is Cantonese style Chow Mein (fried noodles, vegetables, chicken, beef, shrimp, and a great 'creamy' sauce). There are two points that I must elaborate on however:
First; the vegetables. Some restaurants impose red and green peppers, onions, and Chinese broccoli. I can live with the Chinese broccoli, but please, spice that baby up. I recommend baby corns, mushrooms, regular broccoli, and even eggplant.
And of course, the sweet, succulent sauce...
Dinner Date


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Mon, 18 June 2012
An interview with Dr. Alfred Mele, the William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy at Florida State University, and author of Backsliding: Understanding Weakness of Will. I've been looking forward to this interview for quite awhile, as I have read most of Al's books up to this point (he has 7 other books focused on topics such as human agency, motivation, free will and self-deception), and his work speaks directly to the weakness of will we commonly call procrastination. He's a brilliant scholar, prolific writer and an important philosopher who helps us understand why we act contrary to our better judgment. I know you'll enjoy the interview, as he draws on everyday examples from our lives to explain the concepts. If you want to learn more about procrastination, visit procrastination.ca or The Procrastinator's Digest: A Concise Guide to Solving the Procrastination Puzzle. I close the podcast with a song entitled "Procrastination" by Matt Weidinger. |


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Russian authorities should withdraw the charges against a protester on trial in relation to the 2012 mass protest. The protester, Mikhail Kosenko, faces indefinite detention in a psychiatric institution on charges of mass rioting and an act of violence threatening the life of an official.
Moscow's Zamoskvoretski District Court is expected to deliver a verdict in the case against Kosenko on October 8, 2013. A prominent psychiatrist told Human Rights Watch that he considers the case a stark example of the use of psychiatry for political purposes.
"The Russian authorities should end the injustice against Kosenko," said Tanya Lokshina, Russia program director at Human Rights Watch. "Kosenko should never have been forced to spend 16 months behind bars on grossly disproportionate charges, and now he faces indefinite, forced psychiatric treatment."
The prosecutor should drop the charges against Kosenko, request his release from custody, and ensure that he is not under any circumstances sent for forced psychiatric treatment, Human Rights Watch said.
Kosenko, who has been in pretrial detention for 16 months, was one of tens of thousands of demonstrators who protested in central Moscow's Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012, the day before President Vladimir Putin's inauguration. There were scattered clashes between a small number of protesters and police.
Kosenko, who has a mental disability, is one of 25 people charged in relation to the protest. But he was tried separately because the prosecution is seeking his incarceration in a psychiatric institution for forced treatment.
Kosenko is accused of hitting a police officer, Alexander Kozmin, "at least once with his leg and once with his arm" during the protests and tearing off the officer's protective gear. However, at Kosenko's trial, which Human Rights Watch attended, Kozmin testified that he could not identify Kosenko as the man who hit him, and stated that he did not want Kosenko to be punished for a crime he did not commit. Another police officer testified that he did not remember Kosenko from the rally and could not recognize him on a video recording of the events.
Three prominent Russian human rights defenders who were standing near Kosenko when Kozmin was attacked also testified that Kosenko did not hit the policeman.
Human Rights Watch scrutinized the video recording the prosecution presented in court and could not find any indication that Kosenko took any part in the violent clash. Amnesty International has named Kosenko a "prisoner of conscience."
The only witness who supported the prosecutor's accusation was a policeman who said Kosenko "moved his hands in the direction of" Kozmin. The witness claimed that he recognized Kosenko in the video by the color of his clothes and hair.
"The majority of the evidence, including from the police officer himself, indicates that Kosenko never touched him," Lokshina said. "The court heard nothing that would justify the charge of threatening the life of the official."
Kosenko is also charged with participation in "mass riots," whichunder Russian law involves "violence, pogroms, arsons, destruction of property, use of firearms and explosives, and putting up armed resistance vis-à-vis an official." The prosecutor's office filed the same charge against a number of Bolotnaya protesters, citing beatings of about 40 policemen, damage to police protective gear, destruction of six portable toilets, and an incident in which a Molotov cocktail broke against the road, setting a protester's pants on fire.
The prosecutor contended that Kosenko acted unwillfully, claiming he was "mentally incompetent," and asked the judge to commit him to forced confinement in a psychiatric institution.
In 2001 Kosenko was diagnosed with "sluggishly progressing [i.e. mild] schizophrenia." Since then, his mental health has been regularly monitored by doctors, and he has been on medication. His sister told Human Rights Watch that Kosenko regularly and willingly took his medication, and never showed aggression, needed special assistance, or required hospitalization.
Kosenko had no police record before the Bolotnaya events. His sister and lawyers told Human Rights Watch that throughout his 16 months in custody, Kosenko showed no aggression toward prison staff and inmates, even after learning, through the media, about the death of his mother in September. Authorities did not allow Kosenko to attend her funeral.
In July 2012, forensic psychiatrists from the Serbsky Institute, Russia's state psychiatric research center, evaluated Kosenko and diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia, a more serious condition that, they claimed, made Kosenko "a danger to himself and others." They recommend confining him for psychiatric treatment.
In August 2012 Dr. Yuri Savenko, the head of Russia's Independent Psychiatric Association, a Russian nongovernmental organization, told Kosenko's lawyers that the Serbsky Institute's evaluation was deeply flawed. Savenko, a prominent psychiatrist with 50 years of clinical practice, said that the Serbsky Institute experts overlooked 12 years of observations by Kosenko's doctors, who clearly indicated in Kosenko's medical history that he was not prone to aggression and had no violent episodes. He said the Serbsky Institute specialists also ignored the fact that Kosenko's medications were very mild and that he had never required hospitalization.
Kosenko's lawyers presented this evidence in court and petitioned the court to order the Serbsky Institute to carry out a new evaluation. The court dismissed the petition.
Dr. Savenko told Human Rights Watch that the Serbsky Institute's assessment of Kosenko was "punitive" and specifically aimed at justifying forced treatment. "The case is emblematic of the use of psychiatry for political purposes," Savenko said.
The United Nations special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, specifically noted in his report to the UN Human Rights Council in March that "free and informed consent [for psychiatric treatment] should be safeguarded on an equal basis for all individuals without any exception. He also said that the "severity of the mental illness cannot justify detention nor can it be justified by a motivation to protect the safety of the person or of others" and that "deprivation of liberty that is based on the grounds of a disability and that inflicts severe pain or suffering falls under the scope of the Convention against Torture."
"Kosenko has needlessly spent more than a year behind bars," Lokshina said. "Committing him to forced psychiatric treatment would be a grave violation of his rights."


text: One of Los Angeles' most relied-upon voice coaches, Rachael Lawrence has been teaching voice and musicianship skills to a multitude of artists for twenty years. Dedicated to fulfilling each client's specific needs, Rachael is known for shaping and customizing each session to help artists realize their true potential. Her work in the entertainment industry spans coaching for Broadway shows, TV, film and recording artists. Her sessions encompass more than standard voice "adjusting." Rachael offers services that range from vocal technique to music theory, songwriting and piano playing. Moreover, the atmosphere at her studio is fun, professional, and always positive. Her mission is for all of her clients to feel confident in their craft and well equipped to achieve their successes in the entertainment industry. Rachael is also a published singer and songwriter for film and television. Please visit Perfectune Productions for more info. Contact : firstname.lastname@example.com


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An official website of the United States government
News Release 2010-26 | March 1, 2010
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WASHINGTON—Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan said today that the central challenge for bank regulators over the coming year will be to strike the right balance between capital and credit availability.
"On the one hand, we need to adopt the kinds of real prudential reforms—to capital, liquidity, and risk management—that will fortify the financial system to prevent inevitable future problems from mushrooming into the type of meltdown we sustained in the fall of 2008, with devastating effects on the real economy," he said in a speech to the Institute for International Bankers.
"On the other hand, if we swing the pendulum too far too fast – requiring banks to hold too much capital and liquidity – we risk a significant and suboptimal restriction of credit, which can also have dire consequences for the real economy," he said.
Mr. Dugan said it is important to make sure the system can stand up to shocks such as the ones that led to the recent financial crisis.
"We simply have to make the financial system more resilient to future shocks, which means we cannot let the mere possibility of reduced credit availability in the future thwart our efforts for change," he said. "The issue should not be whether we strengthen the system, but instead, how much we do so, and how quickly we do so, given the credit tradeoffs we face."
In his speech, Mr. Dugan said it is important to work on an international basis, given the global scope of the crisis, and cited recent work by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision as providing a basis for addressing capital and liquidity issues.
Two papers issued in July describe final changes to the international Basel II framework, while two December papers outline additional proposed changes. "Taken together, they are intended to promote a more resilient banking sector by strengthening the standards for capital, liquidity, and risk management," he said.
Of particular importance, Mr. Dugan said, the Basel Committee is focusing on the quality of capital, as well as the amount of capital banks must hold. "This is a very important change that will place a much greater focus on holding higher proportions of the most loss absorbing capital, i.e., common stock," he said.
Also important is the focus on liquidity. "A key characteristic of the financial crisis was a massive withdrawal of liquidity and the inability of banks to deal with the liquidity shortage," he said. The Basel Committee attempted to address that issue by proposing a global minimum liquidity standard for internationally active banks that includes both a 30-day liquidity coverage ratio and a longer-term structural liquidity ratio.
"This new regime is designed to strengthen liquidity risk management, measurement, and supervision, but in many ways, designing a widely applicable liquidity standard is more challenging than designing a capital standard, because liquidity risk can be much more idiosyncratic," he said.
The Basel Committee has also begun a new Quantitative Impact Study that will be used in conjunction with the comments received on the December consultative papers to better evaluate and assess individual aspects of the proposals.
"But more importantly, its purpose is to help answer the critical 'how much' questions," Mr. Dugan said. "How much additional capital and liquidity should be required for each of the proposed new standards, and how much higher should overall capital and liquidity be for each bank? And how do the myriad new proposed standards fit together and work together?"
"This 'calibration' exercise, as it is sometimes called, will be a hugely difficult and important challenge for the Basel Committee as it moves forward," Mr. Dugan said. "But this is the right approach, because considering how the proposals work together as a whole will give us a better understanding of how the reforms will work in practice. It should also help us fine tune the rules to ensure that they really are appropriately reflective of risk."
Mr. Dugan said the Basel proposals generally strike the right balance, but added that much work lies ahead in fine tuning and implementing them.
"Getting them right won't be easy, and calibrating them correctly will be more difficult still," he said, urging bankers and others to comment on the proposals. "We need the best possible input to make our financial system strong, resilient, and able to safely provide the funding fuel that is so critical to all parts of the global economy."
Robert M. Garsson (202) 874-5770


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Tell Those Sick Employees to Stay Home
Dr. Vicki Bralow tells her employees to stay home, guilt-free. That is, if they're sick.
And this year, the odds are they'll be taking her up on the offer. With the country suffering what's being called the worst flu season in a decade, workplace productivity is being impacted at companies of all sizes.
The Centers for Disease control estimates that on average, seasonal flu outbreaks cost American employers $10.4 billion in direct costs of hospitalizations and outpatient visits. This does not account for lost productivity costs and absenteeism.
So far this year, out of 41 states reporting flu cases, 29 say the outbreak is at "severe" levels, according to a release from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The NY Daily News reported the number of cases throughout New York has reached more than 15,000, compared to just 4,400 reported cases throughout the entirety of last year's flu season. The city of Boston has also declared a public health emergency, with 18 people reportedly dead from the flu, according to Massachusetts public health officials.
Bralow operates two practices in the Philadelphia area and has eight employees. The typical advice doctors give for prevention such as covering your mouth when coughing, washing hands frequently and not sharing items like pens or phones with those who are sick, should be distributed to your employees, Bralow said.
More importantly, drive home the fact that those who are sick should not be in the workplace, period.
"We encourage people not to feel uncomfortable or worry that we are angry with them for being sick and staying home," she said. "If someone is truly sick, they should stay home and not be penalized. The atmosphere should be that managers and supervisor should not be harsh on their employees."
As both a small-business owner and doctor, Bralow has seen the impacts of this season on both sides of the job.
"We have been inundated this year with this terrible influenza virus lasting a good seven-to-ten days," she said. "Managers need to realize these people cannot come to work."
The CDC is also encouraging employers to host a flu vaccination clinic in the workplace and also promote vaccination in the office.


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Romeos | Coastal Country
From fashionable to functional, Coastal has what you need. Workwear from top brands like Carhartt, Dovetail, and Dickies. Fashionable western wear from Wrangler, Ariat, Miss Me and Levi's. We have you covered.
When it comes to your feet, you can find boots for work, casual, western and more. Men's, Women's and kid's farm and fashion boots, we have it all!


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Promotional Labels
One of the UK's Leading Suppliers of Promotional Labels!
Lotus Labels are one of the UK's leading suppliers of Promotional Labels, specialising in providing you with a high quality, affordable solution for all of your Promotional Labels needs.
Our state of the art presses are the ultimate choice for manufacturing Promotional Labels for large, medium or small runs! Our excellent standard has made us renowned throughout the industry for both affordability and exceptional quality. We cater for companies throughout the UK and beyond!
We are constantly aiming to ensure that our superb origination quality and studio equipment are amongst the highest in the United Kingdom and in addition to this you will be hard pressed to find better value for money anywhere in the country!
In addition to our unbeatable production quality and great prices for Promotional Labels- we also produce a vast number of alternative label products.
Our excellent label range includes asset, bakery, barcode, beer, booklet, cake, chemical, drinks, electrical, fishing, flexographic, food & drink, ice cream, healthcare, pharmaceutical, plain, tag, thermal transfer, variable data, window sticker, water bottle, and wine bottle labels.
Call our sales teams for more information on 0044(0)1323 737888 or [email protected]
**labels shown are for visual representation only**


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To prevent possible damage to library facilities and property, and possible injury to library users and staff, animals (as defined in § 3.2-6500 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended) are not permitted in any Williamsburg Regional Library facility, except for:
- Use or exhibition for a valid purpose, as determined by the library director or the director's designee, only when such use or exhibition has been pre-approved by the library director or the director's designee, who shall provide such approval on a case-by-case basis; or
- Service animals in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and accompanying regulations. See 28 CFR § 35.104 for definition of a service animal.
- Control of Service Animal;
A service animal must be under the control of its handler. A harness, leash, or other tether should be used unless;
- A disability prevents the handler from use of a harness, leash, or tether; or
- The harness, leash, or tether would interfere with the work of the service animal. In such cases, voice control, signals, etc. must be used.
- Removal of Service Animal;
The library director or the director's designee may request that a service animal be removed from the facility, and further deny access, if the animal;
- Is out of control and the handler cannot regain control of the animal;
- Is not housebroken; or
- Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
[Approved by WRL Board of Trustees February 14, 1990. Approved as amended by WRL Board of Trustees March 27, 2002. Approved as amended by WRL Board of Trustees December 1, 2004. Approved as amended by WRL Board of Trustees October 24, 2007. Approved as revised by WRL Board of Trustees September 28, 2011. Approved as amended by WRL Board of Trustees June 24, 2015, Approved as amended May 23, 2018. Reaffirmed as of June 23, 2021.]


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- Home
- Departments
- Fire Department
- Brochures & Information
- Home Fire Drills
Home Fire Drills
From National Fire Protection Association. You can survive a fire in your home if you plan and practice your escape. Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year.
Plan Your Escape
- Draw a floor plan of your home. Show 2 ways out of each room. Discuss escape routes with everyone in your home.
- Agree on a meeting place outside where everyone will gather once you've escaped.
Be Prepared
- Make sure everyone can clearly hear and recognize the sound of all smoke alarms at all times.
- Studies have shown that some children may not waken to the sound of the smoke alarms. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs.
- Once you have escaped use a neighbors phone or a portable phone to call 911.
- Teach everyone in your household how to unlock and open all windows and doors.
- If your windows have security bars, equip them with quick-release devices.
- Keep stairways and exits clear and free from clutter.
Install & Maintain Your Smoke Alarms
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. For the best protection install interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and throughout the home. When 1 sounds, they all sound.
- Test smoke alarms once a month and replace their batteries twice a year. An easy way to remember to change your batteries is when the seasonal times spring forward or fall back its time to change your batteries.
- Replace any alarm that's more than 10 years old.
- Install smoke alarms with strobe lights for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Multi-Story Buildings
- Your building's management should post an emergency evacuation plan on every floor. Make sure people with disabilities are included in escape planning and practice.
- Your plan may instruct you to:
- Leave immediately.
- Stay where you are and wait to be rescued.
- Move to an area away from the fire and wait to be rescued.
- Follow instructions given over your building's public address system, if you have one.
- Keep a portable phone with you during a fire emergency.
- React immediately if you are trapped. Seal vents and cracks around doors with a wet cloth.
- Do not assume that you can or will be rescued from the roof.
- Learn and practice your building's evacuation plan.
- Know the location of all the buildings exits and fire alarms.
- Report any locked or blocked exits to your building's management.
- If you hear the smoke alarm, leave immediately.
- Use the stairs, never use elevators, during a fire.
- Do not go back inside once you've escaped a fire.
Escape Tips
- Feel the door. If the door is hot, use your 2nd way out. If it's cool, open it slowly. Close it quickly if smoke pours through.
- If you have to escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit.
- Close doors behind you as you escape to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
Mike Cardwell
Fire Chief/Emergency Preparedness Director
Fire Department
Physical Address
3927 121st Street
Urbandale, IA 50323
Phone: 515-278-3970Fax: 515-278-3972
Office Hours
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.


text: It is that time of the year again when the clocks go forward, the golf season commences and the year's first major is just days away. If you are anything like me, you are busy clearing your schedule for Masters weekend and preparing to soak up the allure of Augusta. Here at Golfalot, we love the Masters and we love equipment, so what could possibly be better than limited edition Masters equipment? Here is a few of the pieces of limited edition gear made in preparation for this year's event. Cobra AMP Cell DriverColourful drivers have become the norm in the market in recent months and Cobra have taken that to Augusta with this green and yellow accented Cobra AMP Cell driver.Nearly 2,000 are available at select shops.Cobra AMP Cell DriverColourful drivers have become the norm in the market in recent months and Cobra have taken that to Augusta with this green and yellow accented Cobra AMP Cell driver.Nearly 2,000 are available at select shops.Cobra Puma Cap HeadcoverWhat better way to protect your Masters Edition AMP Cell driver, than with a Rickie Fowler-styled Cobra Puma Golf headcover.Available to buy in the US at cobragolf.com.Wilson Staff D100 IronsWith more major wins than anyone brand, it seems fitting that Wilson would customise equipment for the year's first major. This set of green and yellow Wilson Staff D-100 irons is not for sale, but very cool.FootJoy Limited Edition GreensFootJoy's have released an "Augsta Inspired" limited edition MyJoys range that will be worn by Luke Donald at The Masters. Fans can design their own shoes from April 8th in time to watch FJ Ambassador Bubba Watson defend his title in FJ ICON shoes.Golf Pride GripPerhaps the best way to get your hands on some limited edition Masters gear is to get a hold of a set of these Golf Pride grips. The WhiteoutTM feature Golf Pride's cord and Multicompound design.Fujikura Fuel ShaftIf green and yellow clubs and grip aren't enough for you, then maybe you should consider giving your shafts a Masters feel with the Fujikura Fuel green and yellow shaft. Each shaft will set you back around £300 and may be hard to find.Bettinardi Highway 20The Bettinardi Highway 20 Invitational LE Putter features a Tour blast finish, tradition style plumbers neck and original Honeycomb Face milling. Highway 20 is the main road leading to Augusta and the putter is named after I-20, also with Azalia's on the sole. Just 120 made, available but already sold out.Callaway Tour BagPerhaps the number piece of gear you are most likely see when you're watching the Masters from home is the players bags. This Callaway Staff bag will be in play for some of Callaway's biggest names.You can share in the fun, with 500 available at select shops worldwide.TaylorMade Tour BagTaylorMade players will not miss out either. This TaylorMade Tour bag will be parking itself across the course throughout the week at Augusta, complete with TaylorMade's custom Masters logo.Sadly, it will not be on sale to the public.Adidas adizeroThe Adidas adizero shoe hit the market earlier in the year offering players ultra-lightweight performance. Adidas designers have joined in the Masters fun with this pair of custom green adizeros available at adidasgolf.com.Ashworth CardiffAshworth are known for making classic apparel and shoes designed to be stylish, understated and comfortable. For the 1st major of the year, they added green detail to this pair of Ashworth Cardiff street-style shoes.They will be worn by Justin Rose at this year's event.Nike TW '13Perhaps the best golfer in the world will be walking the best golf course in the world, wearing these custom shoes. The limited edition Nike TW 13 shoes will be on Tiger Woods' feet as he attempts the feat of winning his 4th green jacket.Nike say a limited quantity are available at select shops. Comment below and let us know which piece of gear you would like in your locker (I have my eye on the Ashworth shoes by the way).


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I live in a small city of about 60,000 people. It's not particularly picturesque, but there are some pretty areas. One of them is the old town green. I live down the street and around the corner from it. I decided to take a walk today, as I'm tired of being inside (another snow day) and take some pictures of the green. I walked around the whole green.
It boasts the oldest church, the Congregational church and also a catholic church on the other side of the green, St. Joseph.
See that street in the middle of this picture? The one that goes up and up and up…that is where my brother's family lives, including the winggirl. It's the highest straight street in town. They live at the top. We have a lot of hills. I took the picture by the green which is also on the top of a hill.
I was able to wander into the green, as someone had actually plowed a lane through.
Some people didn't plow or shovel all the way to the end of the street corners.
Some people need to dig the fire hydrants out that are in front of their house.
When I got home I headed down my driveway to get the shovel, to shovel the steps…nope would not have been able to get out today.
Those are my UGGS…I love them…They are not typical Uggs, I don't like how those feel on my feet. These have pink and blue flowers embroidered up the sides…


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A Vancouver-based businessman who played a key role in Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum's two previous election campaigns is suing Surrey Councillor Jack Hundial for defamation.
The lawsuit centres on comments made by Hundial at a Sept. 16 council in which he asked questions about Bob Cheema's apparent attendance at a Nov. 2, 2018 meeting between McCallum and the Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, according to the minister's online itinerary.
Hundial asked that city staff advise council at its next meeting in what capacity Cheema attended, why he was present, and what advice he provided at the meeting. He also asked why the mayor's personal friend, with no official status with the City of Surrey, would meet with the solicitor general, noting the topic of the meeting was listed as traffic fine revenue sharing.
In a Notice of Civil Claim filed Oct. 4, Cheema alleges Hundial's assertions implied he was of "unethical, dishonest and of disreputable character" and denies being at the meeting in question.
"Prior to tabling the Motion and publishing the Statement, Hundial failed to verify whether the plaintiff was present at the Meeting," the suit states.
READ ALSO: Businessman sues over tweets regarding his connection to Surrey mayor, policing plan
SEE MORE: B.C. cabinet minister denies that Surrey mayor's friend attended government meeting
The day after Hundial raised the comments, Farnworth's office told the Now-Leader via email that the minister "did not meet with Bob Cheema."
"Mr. Cheema's name was referenced in the calendar as he was the one who reached out to book the meeting during the interim period that Mr McCallum was Mayor-elect," the statement read.
The mayor also denied Cheema's attendance, saying any suggestion he was is "categorically false" and that Cheema "has never been present at any meetings I've had with the minister."
Cheema argues that by reason of Hundial publishing the motion and making comments to the media he "has been exposed to public scandal and contempt, all of which have caused him personal embarrassment, distress and humiliation."
He also takes issue with Hundial "implicating" him "in a dispute about municipal politics and public policy" in Surrey.
Cheema's suit states he asked Hundial, through his lawer, to apologize and retract his comments but that Hundial has not agreed.
Cheema is seeking an injuction to restrain Hundial from speaking to the media, writing, or posting any further comments in the matter. He's also seeking general, punitive and aggravated damages, arguing "the malicious, high-handed and arrogant conduct of Hundial" warrants it.
Hundial has 21 days from Oct. 4 to file a response, which he had not yet done as of Oct. 9.
"If Mr. Cheema is seeking an apology, he should perhaps take it up with Minister Farnworth or those responsible for posting his schedule with incorrect information," Hundial said in a statement to the Now-Leader. "Regardless, the underlying question is still in what capacity is an unelected, non City of Surrey employee who is not a registered lobbyist arranging meetings for government officials. And why is Mr. Cheema, a Vancouver resident, continually sending defamation letters to Surrey residents who voice an opinion and are exercising their democratic rights of free speech in their local government."
Hundial said any further comments he'll make on the matter will come through his counsel.
Cheema played a key role in McCallum's last two election campaigns and the mayor-elect thanked the businessman in his acceptance speech last October, referring to him as a friend.
Meantime, Cheema is also suing former Surrey city council candidate Brian Young for defamation over a series of tweets regarding his connection to the mayor.
Several tweets are mentioned in Cheema's suit, including six sent by Young from this past May and one from April.
"Doug and Bob hide their hand picked police Chief who just happens to be a deputy chief at #vpd," one tweet alleges. Several refer to Cheema as "#backroombob."
"The Tweets are false and defamatory," Cheema's suit states.
The civil claim states Young's tweets implied Cheema was "unethical, dishonest and of disreputable character" and "encourages, facilitates and supports the abuse of power by elected representatives of the City of Surrey."
Cheema is seeking an injunction to stop Young from posting further comments, as well as general, punitive and aggravated damages.
The claim was filed on June 3 and Young's response was submitted on June 24.
In his reponse to the suit, Young argues the statements constituted a comment on a matter of public interest and were based on fact and denies the tweets caused actual loss, damage or expense to Cheema.
He claims that "on or about August 2018" Cheema told him he had already picked the chief of police.
"The Defendant made the tweet on an occasion of qualified privilege," Young's response states. "The Defendant has a legal, moral and social right, duty and interest as being involved in the Mayor's campaign and possessing information relating to the Surrey Police transition."
Further, Young alleges Cheema said he spent over $300,000 on McCallum's campaign and, that he said "I control the South Asian media by paying host to report my stories."
Young alleges Cheema also said he "paid cleaning staff at Surrey city hall and they retrieved items from councillors garbage."
On Aug. 9, Young submitted a Notice of Application seeking Cheema's civil claim be struck.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
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If you see a pirate this Mardi Gras, don't call my name because it won't be me. Most often in recent years I've dressed like a rogue from the seas for several reasons:
• I have by now collected a bag full of pirate-like costume parts.
• Pirate costumes are not too cumbersome, possibly because the pirates often had to make quick getaways.
• When you meet another pirate coming down the street on Mardi Gras, they often go, "Arrrggghhh!" I reply with a similar response, which is about as deep in conversation as I want to get with a passing pirate.
• Though no one confuses me for Johnny Depp, I do get to wear a Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean, wig.
• I also get to wear one of those cool tri-cornered hats.
Nevertheless, my act has gotten stale. "Not a pirate again?" acquaintance would say. I could have countered by saying, "No, I'm a privateer," but that's so UNO, no one would believe it.
One year, with the help of a friend who's a great costume maker, a new costume was made. Thinking ahead to the city's tricentennial in 2018, I intended to be Bienville. The costume was quite imaginative, complete with a vest and breeches made with gold-colored fabric, but the tri-corner hat did me in. I could have been George Washington but people still saw me as a pirate, albeit a well-dressed one.
Bienville will make an appearance again on another Mardi Gras, but this is the year I have to break the pirate image totally.
For a Twelfth Night party, I searched through a costume shop not wanting to get one of those velveteen pre-made costumes of Dracula or a medieval executioner, but hoping I could find parts from which a new costume would be fashioned. I was about to give up when I spotted a pilot's helmet like the type that the early aces, such as the Red Baron, wore. I bought that and a pair of optional flight goggles. There was no pilot jacket per se, but there were camouflage shirts that had nothing to do with flying, but that when combined with the helmet and goggles looked like something that might have been worn during a dogfight over Prussia. All aces wore a long scarf, so I grabbed one from a selection near the helmets. So there I had it, a more or less complete costume. Then I noticed that the scarf I had picked was green. Once I wrapped it around my neck I pronounced myself to be the Green Baron.
At that Twelfth Night party most all of the other costumes were far better than mine, but the getup did earn a certain amount of positive reaction, if for no other reason than it was not a pirate. One woman, who actually is a pilot, was especially impressed with it.
So this Mardi Gras, the Green Baron will be patrolling the streets of the French Quarter. And should he meet another flying ace the response will be obvious: "Arrrggghhh!"