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Under federal law, lenders are specifically prohibited from making extortionate extensions of credit. In fact, even conspiring to do so is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a substantial fine, so if you are being investigated for making an extortionate extension of credit or another fraud-related offense, you should consider speaking with an experienced white collar crime attorney who can explain your legal options.
Necessary Elements
Before a person can be convicted of making an extortionate extension of credit, prosecutors must establish a series of specific elements. Specifically, they must demonstrate the following:
- The payment of the credit extension would not be enforceable against the debtor in court;
- The offer of an extension was made with an interest rate in excess of 45 percent per year; and
- The total outstanding amount of extended credit, including unpaid interest exceeded $100.
Finally, prosecutors must prove that at the time the extension was offered, the debtor thought that either:
- An extension of credit had already been collected by the lender using extortion, or nonpayment had been punished by extortionate practices; or
- The creditor had a reputation for using extortionate methods to collect extensions of credit or to punish debtors for a failure to pay.
When these elements are fulfilled, courts will consider it prima facie evidence that an extension of credit was extortionate in nature. Further, when there is no direct evidence as to the debtor's belief regarding the creditor's collection practices, courts do permit the introduction of evidence attempting to establish the creditor's reputation in the community.
Financing Extortionate Extensions of Credit
Aside from prohibiting the actual use of extortionate methods when extending credit, federal law also makes it unlawful to finance such extensions. Specifically, the law prohibits willfully advancing money or property, regardless of whether it is a gift, a loan, an investment, or pursuant to a partnership agreement, if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the recipient will use the assets either directly or indirectly to make an extortionate extension of credit. Those who are convicted of this offense will be fined an amount equal to twice the value of the money or property advanced and could also spend up to 20 years in prison.
Call Today to Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced White Collar Crime Attorney
If you are being investigated for committing a white collar crime or have already been charged with a similar offense, please contact Jeffrey S. Weiner, P.A., Criminal Defense Attorneys in Miami at (305) 670-9919 to speak with a dedicated and skilled white collar crime lawyer about your case. Our legal team has the experience and resources necessary to help you navigate an investigation, trial, and potential plea deals. You can also reach a member of our team by sending us a brief online message.


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Check out this awesome tip from CNET on getting FREE eBooks of the web and onto your Amazon Kindle for easy and cheap reading. They show you the exact process for getting free ebooks for your Kindle, so watch and learn. It's worth it!
Feedbooks lets you download free e-books right to your Kindle device, and it's perfectly legal.
First, make sure your Kindle's on and the wireless connection is active.
Press menu and select experimental.
Then select basic Web.
Press menu again and select enter URL.
Then enter www.feedbooks.com/mobile.
Now you can browse through books by title or author. It's a little tedious using the navstick to move down and select the titles.
Once you've found the book and clicked, it will ask if you wish to download it. Say OK.
It downloads. And once it is finished--press Home and the book will show up on your list of books. No charge! The full public domain book is there, absolutely legal.
Feedbooks.com also makes a Kindle Guide that you can download and use instead of the browser. When you download the guide, it shows up in your list of books on the home page. And then you can open that guide and browse for books from there.
Want to help support Gadget Hacks and get a great deal on some sweet new tech? Check out all the deals on the new Gadget Hacks Shop.

subset: commoncrawl


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American Kestrels are the smallest and most abundant falcon in the United States. Male Kestrels are brightly colored; they have a rusty chest and slate blue wings with heavy black streaking. Females lack the slate blue color and are almost entirely rust colored. The heavy black stripes (malar stripes) on the side of their face can be seen from a distance. Kestrels hunt for small rodents, birds, and insects from a perch or by hovering in the air over open fields.
The ODC acquired this male as a juvenile in 2008. He was captured illegally as a young bird and kept as a pet in the Chicago area. Because he was tame and "imprinted" to humans, he is no longer able to survive in the wild. He does not have any physical injuries.
American Kestrels can fly 20-40 mph in level flight and up to 60 mph in a dive.
They typically nest in old woodpecker holes or hollow trees but also use nest boxes or old buildings; little or no nesting materials are added.
Merlins are small falcons that are found in grasslands and open woods where they can capture small birds and insects in midair. They have long, pointed wings and long, banded tails. Merlins are less distinctively marked than other falcons. They have dark brown or slate-colored backs and heavily streaked buff-colored chests. Females tend to be darker colored than males. Merlins hunt from the air where they mainly pursue other birds, they will occasionally catch insects or rodents.
Merlins can fly at speeds of 30-45 mph in level flight and faster when pursuing prey in horizontal flight using bursts of speed.
They typically nests in trees; using old nests of crows, hawks, or squirrels.
The ODC acquired this male Merlin in 2017. He was found near Lansing after likely colliding with a power line. The damage to his right wing was severe enough that it had to be amputated. With only one wing, he is now unable to fly.
Peregrine Falcons are stocky falcons that are designed to fly at extreme speeds while chasing prey. They have long pointed wings, a short tail, long slender talons and dark eyes. Peregrines are typically slate gray on the back and buff or bronze color on the belly with black barring. Peregrines primarily eat birds, especially waterfowl and pigeons. They hunt from very high perches or while soaring and dive to strike prey in the air, usually killing on impact.
The ODC acquired this male Peregrine Falcon as a juvenile in 2015. He was born in Detroit, Michigan. It has a left wing injury, it may have been attacked by another peregrine falcon while trying to establish its own territory. It can no longer fly well enough to hunt and survive in the wild.
They can fly 40-60 mph in level flight, up to 70 mph when pursuing prey and 200+ mph in a dive.
They nest in simple depressions in dirt or debris on a high ledge; suitable sites include cliffs and sky scrapers.


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Eating to lose weight
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High quality sketchbook made in Germany: The Molotow One4All Professional artbook in A4 portrait!
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Allegany County Public Schools has built a new data network using equipment from Extreme Networks to support voice, video, and data communication across its 22-school district.
In a statement, the district said it considered solutions from multiple network vendors, evaluating availability, interoperability in terms of voice convergence, and bandwidth capacity. The district also examined performance, particularly in regards to supporting IP video for the district's physical security system, consisting of surveillance cameras that provide centralized safety monitoring.
The system chosen by Allegany County consists of about 200 switches, including Extreme's BlackDiamond 8810, Summit X450a, and Summit X450e.
"We were looking at Extreme Networks to help us collapse a lot of old networks into one high performance infrastructure," said Jeff Blank, supervisor of networking with the district. "We were able to gain the converged network we needed, while saving costs and retiring older, unreliable network devices."
Blank said one aspect of the gear that was important to the decision was Extreme's Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching (EAPS) protocol. The company claims that EAPS provides sub-50-millisecond service recovery across the network, allowing for continuous operation, even in the event that a fiber ring is cut or interrupted.
"EAPS was really important to our decision to go with Extreme Networks," Blank said. "When you rely on the infrastructure for everything from VoIP to the schools' public address systems, it has to be resilient. EAPS provides us with that assurance. The network supports voice, video, and data, and we can easily offset the cost of the solution with the collapsing of the three old infrastructures that we no longer need."
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @schaffhauser.
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As users clamor for more applications and data usage grows in your schools, the hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) offers a way for you to simplify your data center operations and speed up your response times. Learn how from K12 IT experts.
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Special Patrick Preemptive Prose intro:
"We are Sea Monkeys and cycling proves it. As a bike wheel spins, it is rotating around an imaginary horizontal line that goes through its center, creating a force in the direction of its spin. If you try to change the horizontal axis by falling left or right, the spin translates that push into a turning motion. Lean right – turn right, lean left. Sea Monkeys employ the same momentum and horizontal axis force to motor, turn direction and dance about while pursuing food and a mate. This hydro-dynamic motion with a purpose is called Cyclocrossing."
We are Sea Monkeys and cycling proves it.
"The human cerebellum is responsible for coordination, motor control, balance, and much more. Your cerebellum is at the heart of any skill that becomes automatic with practice such as tying your shoe laces, driving a car, serving a tennis ball, typing on a keyboard… and riding a bike. The cerebellum is only 10 percent of brain volume but holds over 50 percent of your brain's total neurons. The modern Sea Monkeys don't have a brain to bother with, they breathe through their legs, their kidneys are in their head and they have hemoglobin just like us. Uncanny".
"There are many stories about the origins of bicycle oriented Cyclocrossing. One is that European road racers in the early 1900's would race each other to the next town over from them and that they were allowed to cut through farmers' fields or over fences, or take any other shortcuts, in order to make it to the next town first. This was sometimes called "steeplechase" as the only visible landmark in the next town was often the steeple."
"Modern cyclocross usually consist of many laps over a short course, ending when a time limit is reached rather than after a specific number of laps or certain distance.
Most recent developments in contemporary Cyclocrossing have included the use of adult tricycles in short course configurations that involve no time limit and no laps per say. This new cyclocrossing is commonly referred to as Patrick Cup International and the goal of these three wheeling elite racers is the Glory of the Cup. Event racing may include sophisticated props like potatoes, giant scissors or a out of control downhill decent. But they will always include specific sock wear (check with the PCI handbook). The International elite racing community agrees on few things, but they have agreed that the Patrick Cup is the future of bicycle racing.
We are Sea Monkeys and the Patrick Cup proves it."
Thanks so much for the always prolific Patrick for his palabric prose, we now resume normal rambling commentary now:
After the hurricane (Irma) delayed Central Florida cyclocross season opener weekend, when the stakes are being pulled, the coolers loaded, the winners and not-winners having laughs together ('cuz they're cool like that), after the podium pageantry, off in the far corner of the storm torn park a small group of Elite Racers are discreetly gathering. As discreetly as one can be while wearing ostentatious striped socks.
This weekend was also the kickoff for The Patrick Cup International, a shady collective of deep rooted hessians steeped in the art of having raucous fun at all costs. The tiny tertiary tired transports are prepared for battle, the competitors chosen and the treacherous toppled timber trajectory is revealed.
Chunky style….The Tree Amigos, The unbeatable Father/Son Legg duo and Mr. Patrick himself, after a tough day on the beech.
video blatantly stolen from the exclusive and reclusive Patrick Cup International media vault.
The schedule of mayhem is:


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" The noviciate is a period in which candidates, under the guidance of a master, are initiated into the life of special
consecration on our Order" ( Can.646)
– An adequate Knowledge of religious life and of its demands, along with a verification of the consistency of the motive that brings a person to consecrate his life to God in the Camillian Order.
– To deepen the personal experience of God.
– To develop affective maturity and a sense of personal responsibility.
– To initiate to a life centred on the Word of God.
– Initiation into the mission in of our Order through the experience of the Charism of Charity towards the sick.
– To grow in Camillian identity and a sense of Belongingness to the Order by living together.
– Being in contact with St. Camillus in order to garner from his spiritual experiences a way to the concrete realisation of following Christ.
– Fraternal life in community
– Growing deeper in personal prayer, familiarising with traditional modes of prayer and meditation and Indian Spirituality.
– Developing a deep relationship of trust with Novice Master who in turn guides each novice personally.
– Involvement in the ministry
– Daily journal writing and periodical evaluation of activities.
– Reflection on religious vocation-Theological and Psychological aspects.
– Classes and group works on human values.
– Classes in Human Affectivity, Sexuality maturity and Psycho-Spiritual Integration.
– Classes on Religious life, Evangelical Counsels, History of Religious life, etc.
– Classes on Virtues, Sacraments and Christian life, Liturgy, Spiritual classics, Documents of the Church.
– Classes on Marian Spirituality.
– Classes on Camillian Brotherhood
– The Study of the Charism and Camillian Spirituality, the life and writing of the Founder, the Foundational Bulls and the
First Rules, the history of the Camillian Order and its mission in the Church.
– Study of the Constitution of the Order, General Statues. Spiritual Accompaniment, Classes on Discernment, Examination of conscience and Spiritual Direction.
– Participation in different types of retreats ( Retreats on Indian Spirituality, Inner healing retreats, , intensive Journal, etc….) and methods of Meditation.
Fr. Sunil Pattakudilil (Novice Master)
Fr. Savari Sundar Raj ( Assist.Novice Master)
St. Camillus: Saint of the Red Cross I
23rd December 2016
story of St. Camillus I read more
St.Camillus: A Humble Brother II
24th December 2016
Camillus returned to the monastery read more
St.Camillus: The Priest III
25th December 2016
Reassured by the miracle of the Crucifix read more
St.Camillus: Advocate of the Poor IV
26th December 2016
The Red Cross of the Ministers read more
Heart of St.Camillus V
27th December 2016
He lived the last six months read more
Poor & Sick: St.Camillus Thoughts
"The poor and the sick are the heart of God. In serving them, we serve Jesus the Christ." St. Camillus De Lellis read more
Serving: St.Camillus Thoughts
The sick we are serving will one day cause us to see the face of God. St. Camillus De Lellis read more
Sick are our Lords and Masters. Hospitals are the mystical vineyard of the Lord. St.Camillus de Lellis read more
Think well. Speak well. Do well. These three things, through the mercy of God, will make a man go to Heaven. St. Camillus de Lellis read more
Commitment: St.Camillus Thoughts
Commitment is doing what you said you would do, after the feeling you said it in has passed. Saint Camillus De Lellis read more
who was st.camillus


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ITU sort by issue
Standards are key to the evolution of smart citiesInternational Forum promotes cooperation of standardization organizations
Around the world, urban populations are booming. An estimated 54.5 percent of global populations lived in urban settlements in 2016 and this number is expected to increase to 60 by 2030, according to research by the United Nations.
Successful leaders adapt in fast changing worldIEC President James Shannon addresses Council
Our world is changing rapidly and technologies are converging all around us. Enhancements in communications, renewable energy, medical devices and many other areas have improved health, economic safety and development, which can benefit everyone.
Driving the futureAutonomous and greener means of transport to become ubiquitous
Vehicle makers, telecoms operators and local authorities are planning our future means of transport in big cities, with the help of some key IEC Standards. Self-driving tractors and agribots are changing agriculture in the countryside as well.
The importance of testing against International StandardsEveryone benefits from using efficient, safe products and services
Today, many devices and services found in homes, hospitals, the workplace and industry run off electricity. Such machines and equipment can be dangerous if they malfunction, causing explosions, fires or electrocuting users or anyone who comes into contact with them, in addition to damaging property.
Battle for the connected carCar manufacturers and telecoms operators disagree on the future for connected cars
Automotive giants and telecoms outfits must work together to make way for the connected car but they have opposing views of how it should come about. One of the friction points is cyber security. The IEC is working with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on standards addressing this issue.
Are we driving or ride sharing?Reshaping personal transport and the automotive industry
In the next decade, cars will be well on the way to, or have reached the goal of becoming fully self-driving. As the industry continues to develop new levels of autonomous vehicles, the whole notion of personal transport is being turned on its head.
Building strong relations with industryIEC President Dr Junji Nomura addresses Council
Manufacturing continues to expand its geographic reach. Electrical and electronic goods now represent 17,7% of global trade and more companies than ever need to be able to collaborate and participate in the value chains that span the globe. IEC work uniquely enables this type of cooperation. Industry is a high priority for IEC, since most experts participating in our work come from it.
A year of brand building and increasing visibilityIEC General Secretary addresses Council
During his address to Council, IEC General Secretary and CEO Frans Vreeswijk highlighted the main achievements since Minsk and talked about important ongoing projects.
Innovative technology cleans up transport on land and at seaDriverless vehicles – soon a reality or just a dream?
Authorities worldwide face the challenge of ensuring improved road safety and providing efficient transport systems to address congested roads and pollution in growing cities. They are also tasked with providing large aging populations and people with disabilities greater mobility.
Building trust is a mustFocus on conformity assessment at WSC Workshop
What is conformity assessment (CA)? Why is it important? Why is it inevitably linked to standards? Does it really add value to products and systems? Does it have a role in fighting counterfeit goods? Does it facilitate access to markets and trade? Those are just a few of the many questions that were raised during the World Standards Cooperation (WSC) Workshop on Conformity Assessment that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 1-2 December 2015.
- conformity assessment (278)
- sensors (106)
- safety (105)
- IoT (99)
- IECEx (93)
- cyber security (72)
- energy efficiency (68)
- renewable energy (59)
- International Standards (59)
- electronic components (53)
- healthcare (47)
- batteries (46)
- explosive atmospheres (45)
- internet of things (43)
- Smart Cities (43)


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- Long time since a post. We moved to North Carolina. I got into a new schedule and just really haven't felt up to posting, because I honestly didn't and still don't know where to start. After some thinking and pondering over a phone conversation over a week (or two) ago, I am now ready to get back in the groove–OR–at least do this weekly post.
- The "Y". Wow. Since we moved here I have joined the YMCA. This is where Afton attends preschool and since I was dropping him off everyday I figured I could go in and walk or do something, and leave Myer in the Child Watch there. So, because I was going to the "Y" I started the Couch to 5K again.
- Couch to 5K. I am technically on the last day of week 6. Ready to run for 25 minutes straight. I've been taking a little more time in between runs for my body to recuperate. I do feel like I have more endurance and I can run for a longer period of time without stopping now. I'm going to pick a 5k in the area and work toward running my first race this summer.
- The kids have adjusted well. We live across the back field of the elementary school and Mastewal has been able to walk with friends to and from school. She has also made friends with neighbors, who are also in her class and even had sleepovers. Mastewal actually went to her first school dance tonight, I know she had a great time. Afton loves his preschool as well. The teacher stated that "it's like he's been here all along".
- The Beach. We live less than two hours from Myrtle Beach. We've been twice since we moved here. I think I am going to like that perk 🙂
- Myer has been participating in speech therapy here as well. We've actually been doing two sessions a week. He really enjoys his time with his therapist and seems to be vocalizing a lot more.
- Last but not least I'm headed to Ethiopia NEXT WEEK, I will be visiting with CFI Drop In Center and visiting the school. I will also be visiting Grace for Ethiopia and last but not least I will get to visit with the family and our child that we sponsored through Childrens Hopechest/Hope for His Children.
7 Quick Takes Friday: #6/2011
So on this day two years ago, we landed in Ethiopia.
Today, I am reminded that I REALLY need to complete my post-adoption reports for M & A. I am procrastinating.
I am wrapped up in the details of our move and the hopeful sale of our house.
The details are wearing me out.
I am tired at the end of the day.
Feeling exposed as many people involved in the move/sale have began to invade our home.
Trying to keep it looking "as good as it gets" for those visitors.
Wanting to hear about the place we hope to call home in NC tomorrow, but realizing that I may now have to wait until Thursday–because of one more piece of paper.
This feels familiar. Waiting.
7 Quick Take Fridays: #5/2011
so i went ahead with this post, even though i never finished. my mind went missing. those were things i intended on elaborating on, but never did.
- Our house is on the market! It's kind of weird, but I'm excited. Time to get movin' on this move.
- We may have our home in NC lined up. We will probably find out next week. Excited about this! It was one that we were told was not available last week.
- Stuff
- pimped out wheels
- roper
- ethiopia trip
From NC:
So we ended up leaving around 1:30am early Saturday morning and arrived in NC at my friends house in the morning. We were so tired. After showering we did a ride around of the area. Ummm. I slept through most of it and felt terrible, with sore throat and headache. We have mexican for lunch and then Heather had some friends over and we had chili! It was so nice visiting and staying with my friend.
On Sunday, we attended church, had lunch and went around looking at different areas and taking down information. We ended the day with moving to the hotel and grabbing some snacks for our stay.
On Monday, Heather met me at the hotel and we went to the property management company and I picked three homes to check out. I already had my mind set on one of them. I loved the second property and I think it was evident that this was the place I wanted based on location, school, the home…everything. Heather, her daugther and I had a nice lunch downtown at Pierro's (sp) and then met up with Seth. Seth and I then went back to "the house" and looked around a little more. Upon returning the keys they receptionist informed us that someone had put that property "on hold" and that I could call back on Wednesday afternoon to see if they had followed through. Ugh. I was crushed.
7 Quick Take Fridays: #4/2011
- Afton's Birthday: We had a wonderful party today for Aftio! He turned 5 years old. We enjoyed a good time with some family and friends.
- I was able to ship 15 shirts/onesies for Mandie in Uganda!
- Today was a hectic day. Party planning. Cleaning the house or shifting stuff around so it doesn't appear that 5 people, a dog and a tornado live here…because a realtor also came today. AND I'm still not packed to leave tonight for North Carolina–and it's 11:26. We're not leaving tonight, it will be early morning.
- Illness. Yuck. I am tired of it. We making our rounds again with congestion, runny noses and coughs. We've had our share, I'd like for it to move out of this household.
- Stuff. Wow. Isn't it funny how much stuff we all have? I've noticed that we still seems to have a lot of "stuff" even though I feel like I make a weekly run to the Goodwill.
- Househunting. We are going
tonightearly morning to NC to house hunt/check the area out. We will be staying two nightsone night with my friend Heather who I've known since second grade. How fun is that? To end up in the same place after these years that our lives have taken us in different directions. I look forward to the "break".
- Roper. We need to find him a home. He needs more attention than what we are able to give at the moment. He's a wonderful dog. He's great with kids. He's an enthusiastic greeter and housetrained. You know anyone?
You can participate by going here.
7 Quick Takes Friday: #3/2011
- thanks to readers: Thanks for all the emails, facebook messages etc. regarding the rockin' mama challenge. I'm just putting myself out there, because I know there are other families that may have similar struggles and I think there comfort in knowing you are not alone.
- illnesses: whew. this week has set me back a little. I feel like I've had a little bit of everything and now as I finish up this post (on Sunday instead of Friday) I have some type of eye irritation that has my eye looking a little pink and bloodshot.
- africa: I'm ready to go back. haha. no surprise there. maybe whenever this move happens i'll be able to work on that a little more 🙂
- tax return: completed. happy about this. i'm always relieved to get it done.
- myer is coming along with his speech. he's made significant progress since we began therapy in the fall. my favorite right now is when i pick him up from preschool and he runs to me saying "momma". he said "momma" before but he just seems to be putting more thoughts and words together.
- sleepovers. i found myself getting choked up when i dropped mastewal off at a sleepover this weekend. she has good friends here. it really makes me happy to see how people love and accept her….and how enthusiastically they greet her.
- afton: he made it one night without an accident. it was awesome. we're working on this. he also seems really interested in new york right now. he actually read the words the other day on a sticker and has been talking about it since. he's even gone to the bookshelf and grabbed the new york tourist book to read over.


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Music at the Piano Year 2 Guild Prep (7-8 Year Olds)
Age: 7-8 years of age
Class Length: 1 hour, once a week
Duration:Â 3 weeks
Description: Music At the Piano Year 2 Guild Prep is designed as a three week review to prepare children participating in the National Guild of Piano Teachers Annual Exam. No new material will be introduced.
Musical Goals: Play a melodic instrument (piano); Further ensemble skills; Read, write and sing advanced musical notation; Demonstrate a steady beat through the playing of melodies and harmonies individually and in an ensemble; Develop concepts of form, dynamics, tempi, articulation and timbre; Develop the ability to memorize mastered songs and perform them individually and/or in a group performance; Demonstrate the ability to transpose melodies learned to other musical positions; Further develop home practice skills
Developmental Goals: Increase bilateral gross and fine motor skills; Advance cognitive and language development; Demonstrate symbolic thinking; Set and accomplish goals through practice; Strengthen body awareness and self-regulation; Build on social, emotional, and self-help skills


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Student Orientation: Placement Instructions
Before attending New Student orientation, we require that you complete a short online Math Questionnaire and timed Writing Placement Essay so that we can place you into appropriate level math and writing courses.
How to Complete the Placement Tests
1. Log in to WebAdvisor. Use your Philadelphia University username and password.
2. Once logged in, click New Students. Make sure you read over all of the information presented on the page, as it will answer many of your questions.
3. Scroll down to the box labeled Getting started-Required. Click on either Complete Math Questionnaire or Timed Writing Placement. You will be taken to the Blackboard LogIn.
4. Use the SAME username and password that you used to log in to WebAdvisor.
5. Once logged in to Blackboard, locate the My Courses box on the right-hand side. Choose either the Math Placement or Writing Placement link. Then, please read all instructions for beginning the tests.
6. The Math Questionnaire consists of 3 Yes or No questions.
7. Though you have a choice of two topics for the Writing Placement, you will only need to complete ONE essay. Please read the example essays and directions BEFORE you begin the timed test.


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Your phone model is: Huawei 7100
Version for your phone is: UC Browser 126.96.36.199
Updated date: 2010-11-03
Change phone model:
Because of the consideration on the performance, UC Browser is popular. It's memory space is little. If your phone configuration is not the mainstream or the latest, it can also be compatible is very good. Let us watch video and play web game.
UC Browser is the leading mobile internet browser with more than 400 million users across more than 150 countries and regions. This product is currently available on all major operating platforms in 7 different languages.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It is the largest telecommunications equipment maker in the world, after having overtaken Ericsson.
Huawei 7100 is a touchscreen phone manufactured by Huawei, with a resolution of 240X320.Huawei 7100 users can download the latestUC browserfor Huawei 7100 via UCWeb's official website.


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Hot Hatch Wars TATA INDICA VS HYUNDAI i10
The HOT HATCH WARS are ON and this time it&rsquos the Tata Indica VS the Hyundai i10. Let&rsquos take a look at how the following new hatchback cars compare in terms of price, model derivatives, standard features and colour choices.
1. Tata Indica VS Hyundai i10
Our Favourite Standard Features
Colour Choices
Lagoon Blue &ndash Gold
From R145 900 &ndash R159 900*
Model Derivatives
Our Favourite Standard Features
Colour Choices
Alpine Blue &ndash Carbon Grey&ndash Electric Red &ndash Sleek Silver &ndash Phantom Black
*All content, including prices, based on March 2016 information.
We all know that windscreens aren't cheap to replace and you'd rather just hold out with a bit of damage to it than to have to deal with the extra expenses that fixing it will bring. But is it safe to drive around with a crack in your windscreen, and if so, to what extent? Here are a few key things you need to know about windscreen damage and what you can - and should - do when faced with a cracked or chipped windscreen.
Is It Safe To Drive With A Cracked Windscreen?
This depends on several factors, including the following
1. Size
If the crack is small and doesn't cover a large portion of your windscreen, it should be safe to drive with it for a while. Small cracks are also easier to repair or patch up to keep it from worsening or growing larger.
2. Position
Small cracks on the passenger side of the car are generally safer as it doesn't distract the driver as much as one right in front of them. This is because it creates much less of a distraction and visual obstruction, which may very likely draw the driver's attention away from the road.
3. Severity Of The Damage
If your car's windscreen was battered and left with numerous chips and cracks, you'll have to replace the entire unit. This is also the case if you have a crack that extends beyond a few centimetres or a chip that's left a large fragmentation or even a hole.
4. A Rapidly Spreading Crack
Cracks can rapidly worsen due to temperature changes causing the glass of the window to expand and contract. Patching up the crack right away may prevent this but always consider the good possibility that it won't hold indefinitely.
While windscreens can and do crack, you won't have to worry about glass shattering and falling on you. This is because windscreens are made to remain structurally intact in case of a break, to keep you safe. If you do get a cracked windscreen, it's best to get it assessed by a specialist, just to be safe. Book your car service at Imperial Select.
Most vehicles offer a diesel version of their models, but do you know what the differences are and why it might matter when you decide what fuel-efficient car to buy? We look at the main aspects to consider.
Cost Of Diesel VS Petrol Vehicles
Diesel vehicles are always more expensive to buy than their petrol-based counterparts. This is because diesel engines are technically and mechanically more complex and typically require specialised maintenance. However, diesel vehicles consume significantly less fuel than petrol ones - in fact, you're looking at a saving of between 25-30% on fuel expenses if you often drive long distances. Another benefit of diesel vehicles, in particular 4x4s, is that they have a lot more pulling power than petrol versions. So if you're looking for a powerful and fuel-efficient bakkie or SUV, a diesel would be your best bet. If you are aiming at getting a smaller vehicle that won't need serious power to just drive around to work and back, you'd be better off getting a petrol model.
The Future Of Diesel And Environmental Impact Something To Bear In Mind
Due to rising concern about air pollution and goals to improve emission ratings for vehicles of all kinds, diesel has come under scrutiny in recent years. While both diesel and petrol are fossil fuels which create toxic emissions as by-products, diesel is significantly more harmful and toxic to humans and other organic lifeforms. Inhaling diesel fumes have proven to drastically reduce human lifespan and yet many South African consumers choose to invest in and drive diesel vehicles because of their lower fuel consumption rates. Should diesel engines become penalised locally, we're very likely to see the resale value of diesel vehicles plummeting, in stark contradiction to their current reputation for generally returning more cash to your pocket than a petrol vehicle would once you trade it in or sell it.
South Africa isn't likely to see these strict regulations implemented for quite a few years though, so, for now, the choice of whether you want a petrol or diesel version of the local selection of fuel-efficient cars is still very much up to you.
Contact us at Imperial Select to book an appointment at our car repair workshop.
During a recent public announcement on 24 January, Transport minister Fikile Mbabula announced that there will soon be a drastic change in South African drunk driving laws, which will impact anyone who drives under the influence of alcohol. The current law permits driving if your blood alcohol level is less than 0.5%, but due to the high accident rates on our roads, this has now been revised to enforce an absolute zero-tolerance policy. As of June this year, anyone drinking and driving, regardless of how little they may have had to drink, will be breaking the law. This means that you won't legally be allowed to drive if you've drunk any alcohol, even getting behind the wheel after just one tot of whiskey will carry serious consequences.
How Will This Impact Drivers?
From June 2020, if you test positive for alcohol, regardless of what fraction of a percentage it may be, you will be fined a minimum of R2000 and could face a two-year jail sentence on top of that, depending on the particular circumstances at the time. Drivers will have their drunk driving offences on their permanent criminal record and could very likely have their driving license suspended or entirely revoked. This clampdown on drunk driving comes in conjunction with the new point demerit system that will be implemented later this year, leaving a very tight margin for error for motorists in the country. For example, should you be caught driving after drinking and possibly committing a traffic offence at the same time, you'll have to face the good likelihood that you may not only be fined but also arrested and lose your license as a result.
What Are My Alternative Options?
Your best and the only real choice is to not drink at all if you know you'll need to drive anywhere. Otherwise, select a friend to be the designated and completely sober driver, or get an Uber to transport you if you're planning on a night out. Alternatively, you could just stay at home and have a braai and beer there without worries - just be sure to have your friends stay over or catch a cab home.
While these new laws will cause inconvenience for many South Africans who enjoy a casual beer after work before heading home, the aim of these new policies is to improve safety on our roads and reduce the alarmingly high fatality rates we see each year.
Being a proud car owner, you do your best to keep your car clean, safe and running smoothly. Unfortunately, there are times in life when the unforeseen happens, leaving you either having to fork out money for repairs or insurance excess from a claim, or perhaps even being in an accident where you are not the responsible party. Aside from being a responsible driver and car owner, there are a few extra things you can do to keep yourself safe on the roads or even while you're away from your parked car. Here are a few things which will give you even greater peace of mind when it comes to car security on and off the road
Get A Dash Camera
While they were initially not so commonplace, having an onboard camera in your car to record everything while you drive is fast becoming a very wise investment and precautionary measure in South Africa. Most countries in Europe have entirely banned the use of dashcams in vehicles due to extremely strict data protection laws, but locally there hasn't been any such development - and this means you'll benefit from having one, while it's still legal here. Car accidents, fender benders, collisions with pedestrians or any other road incidents where your car is involved always carry the possibility of being implicated in an offence you weren&rsquot involved in or were not responsible for. Having footage of the incident can be of immense value to help you prove your innocence, contest a liability claim or be irrefutably excused from having involvement in the incident. Dash cameras aren't very expensive to buy, but they could potentially save you a huge amount of money and inconvenience in future.
Tracking Devices
Our country is equipped with a network of very advanced vehicle tracking and recovery services that are able to constantly keep an eye on your car, even when it's not in transit. Having a tracking device installed will give you complete peace of mind that you'll always know where your car is and if there's any tampering or suspicious activity happening to it while you're not there. Another bonus benefit of having a tracker is that it will bring down your car insurance premiums quite significantly.
'Smash-and-grab' Window Film
A security investment that South Africans have trusted for many years, getting your car windows coated with the protective smash-and-grab film will help prevent unexpected attacks while on the road, keeping you and your loved ones safe. Most glass installation companies offer this service and after application of the treatment, you can drive with the confidence that your windows will not shatter if impacted and you are much less likely to suffer theft or hijacking. Because the film coats both the inside and outside of your car's windows, you won't suffer injury from glass shards because the film keeps the glass contained even if it shatters.
We hope these tips on how to improve your car security features will help guide you towards making improvements to ensure your own safety on the road. For more information on car security or used cars for sale at Imperial Select, contact us today.
You and your car spend many hours a week together, year after year, and you'd surely want to keep it in great running condition so that it doesn't let you down unexpectedly. It&rsquos a good idea for you, as a responsible car owner, to know what signs to look out for and act quickly if you spot any of them. While you don't have to be a mechanic and know all the complicated details of your vehicle, being able to self-identify certain issues can save you a lot of time and money, so we've compiled a list of the 5 biggest things to be on the lookout for so that you know that you need to get it to the best Car repair workshop in your area.
Electronic Glitches
While they don't seem serious, if you start noticing your car isn't behaving quite the same with the little things like your radio or electric windows, pay close attention. Examples of this are your radio not turning on as quickly as usual, your electric windows opening and closing slower than they should or moving at an erratic speed, or your indicator lights suddenly not keeping pace. These small signs can be a warning that there are further issues with your car's electronics system as a whole, so getting it checked out early might well save you a lot of headaches down the line.
Your Car Doesn't Accelerate The Same Anymore Or Guzzles Petrol
If you've had your car for long enough to drive it quite consistently and smoothly, but you're suddenly experiencing issues with it over-revving or not accelerating like it always does, there may be something wrong with your car's electronics or damage to the fuel line. In the same line, if you notice that your usual tank of petrol isn't lasting nearly as long as it normally does and you haven't been taking unusually long trips or made any real changes to your driving routine, there may be several causes that need to be looked at. Whatever the issue, it's best to get your car checked out as you'll soon probably be spending the cost of the repairs in feeding your thirsty petrol tank anyway.
Don't Ignore Warning Lights
It seems fairly obvious that you should pay attention when the warning lights on your car's dashboard suddenly light up, as they're specifically put there to help stop your car from suffering further damage and so that you know it needs to be taken in for inspection immediately. They are called warning lights, after all, not suggestion lights. Unfortunately, some people seem to overlook or just ignore the orange warning lights when they appear, and not much longer after that they're probably stuck on the side of the road with serious and sometimes irreparable damage to their car. Check engine lights, oil warning lights and all the other indicators should never be ignored as these are considered critical errors. If any of them go on while you're driving, get to an automotive specialist workshop immediately or pull over your car and call to arrange for it to be collected instead.
Fog Or Smoke Suddenly Appearing
Unless you're driving through a veld fire or find yourself on a misty road, seeing smoke, fog or steam appearing around your car is a sure sign that you need to stop and find out what the problem is. Sometimes it's not a serious issue and your car is just burning up some excess oil, but most of the time the problem tends to be much more serious. You'll very likely to also smell an odd odour such as something burning, which should be a big sign to pull over immediately... or as soon as it's safe to do so, anyway. Overheating engines need to be stopped and left to cool down as soon as possible as overheating will very likely cause permanent damage to your car, possibly even leaving it a complete write-off from a mechanical perspective.
Unusual Liquid Leaks, Foreign Sounds And Odd Sensations
The last warning is a triple threat which should not be ignored, even if any of them occur individually. Always check under and around your car when it's been stationary for a while and look out for oil leaks or any other liquids that look suspicious - you may have one of several issues with broken or cracked seals or other components that have broken down. While driving or even idling, turn your radio down and listen carefully for any odd sounds that don't sound right or have never been there before. Anything from rattling to buzzing, scraping or chugging noises are tell-tale signs that something isn't right. Finally, if your car ride feels a lot bumpier all of a sudden, you should get it looked at. It&rsquos quite common on our roads to encounter obstacles and potholes, which may have caused damage to your car's axel or thrown off your wheel alignment.
As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure, and while nobody enjoys forking out cash for an unexpected glitch with their car, doing it as soon as possible will save you from a lot of extra expenses if you leave it long enough for the damage to worsen. If you're looking for the best Car repair workshop to entrust your beloved car to, remember that Imperial has service and repair shops around the country and our experts are always happy to help get you back on the road as soon as possible.


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Filmogs is a community-driven site, and as such, everyone is welcome and encouraged to contribute. With that in mind, we have a few rules and guidelines that we ask that you familiarise yourself with in these guidelines first.
Read about the purpose and scope of Filmogs.
The General Rules and Guidelines contain guidelines that should be adhered to for all fields and all submission types on Filmogs.
The submission form guidelines provide detailed information on how to enter data correctly on a field-per-field basis.
The Code of Conduct contains information on how to behave as good denizens of Filmogs.


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We live in a "green" world today. Individuals need regular items without all the contaminants. This is particularly valid with individual consideration items like shampoos, cleansers, toothpastes, and antiperspirants.
With antiperspirants there is a worry about the security of the aluminum contained in them. Wellbeing cognizant people need to make tracks in an opposite direction from the general stock found on store racks, and to utilize an option sort of antiperspirant. Numerous are starting to make their own antiperspirant at home. Loads of individuals as of now make their own cleanser, so it just bodes well to make some antiperspirant too.
On the off-chance that your issue is underarm skin affectability, then you would need to add regular fixings to your natively constructed antiperspirant that redress that issue. You can discover mitigating bases including immaculate herbal oils like castor oil/heating pop blends, shea margarine, cornstarch, fundamental oils, and soybean oil, to give some examples. These fixings can be utilized as a part of the making of custom-made antiperspirant and be compelling in securing against skin affectability.
Sweating is a characteristic body work and ought to never be 'ceased up.' With regular antiperspirants you won't quit sweating, then again, the scent battling fixings will keep you from noticing. As your body frees itself of waste (poisons) and rinses itself, you can be sans scent and sure. Your regular body procedures are not meddled with. They piece smells by killing the microbes contained inside of the sweat.
A great many people who make their own antiperspirant at home are finding that their characteristic antiperspirants containing crucial oils are more successful following a weeks worth of utilization.


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Section 8: Prejudice attempts to reinvigorate itself with a new pricing structure, maps and campaign. For under a tenner you get a fantastic amount of content with robust gameplay that rivals the likes of Battlefield and Halo. It's a typical arena based shooter a la Tribes but on a Battlefield scale. You have a number of different tools available which can be used to capture turrets, repair yourself and throw grenades. Talking of turrets, the game can be entirely won with the strategic capture of turrets throughout a map, and is a massive positive tick in favour of this game scope of options.
It makes you think in a mindset of capturing turret points to mow down the opposition rather than mowing them down yourself.
The ways you get around in this game make you feel like a real badass. When entering the map or spawning you crash land into the map head first, allowing you to spawn anywhere – watch out snipers. Additionally you also have an "overdrive" mode, which is pretty much a glorified run button that zips you across the map ridiculously fast. With the maps being around the same size as the ones you see in the Battlefield titles, you can tell this feature is used a lot and is extremely helpful for getting yourself around a map easy and fast. You also get a jetpack for aerial assault and, as we all know, jetpacks are always appreciated.
You have seven basic weapons with six other items to help you in the game, with a tool that can help repair turrets, team mates and yourself, mortars and more. Upgrades can also be used that enhance damage, recharge times and armour efficiency. You are able to unlock a slew of other armours and customise your weapon loadout, which is an integral part of the experience.
Swarm Mode is a Multiplayer Co-operative mode where you and your buddy team up and kit yourselves out to defend against waves of enemies for 15 minutes. It's hard as nails and will take you hours to master. Conquest mode takes the form of a more "free" structure, with primarily competitive play. It combines elements of different gameplay into one well rounded game mode, setting you objectives and rewarding you with Victory Points which are both integral for strategic equipment drops that affect the game massively. There are quite a few of these missions, Aptly named Combat Dynamic missions or CDM's in short, this not only gives the games more modes to experiment with but it also enhances the replayability.
It's strange for a cheaply priced, downloadable game to have a fully fledged campaign, you can see how much the developer Timegate spent into cramming this game with features, however the campaign is definitely not one of the game's strongest points. The narrative is incredibly weak, with voice acting like you've pulled someone off the side of the road and had them talk very unnaturally into a mic. However it is redeemed by its ridiculously cool structure, bringing you set piece after set piece, however the bits in between – getting from place to place – were horrific, and very much felt like preparation of the multiplayer. It feels rushed and pointless, especially compared to the stellar multiplayer. The game would have been enough with a simple tutorial and all the multiplayer modes. Adding in a campaign just for the sake of it was unnecessary.
Timegate has not pulled any punches when it came to making a downloadable multiplayer shooter. The amount of content included can rival full retail releases and puts many other download-only titles on the market to shame. It's got an immense amount of bang for your buck and is a fantastic multiplayer shooter with modes that feel fresh and dynamic every single time you play it. While the campaign is nothing to shout about it's a robust shooter and I'm honestly surprised that Timegate has released it as a downloadable title and not as a full retail release, because it can sure as hell stand on its own against the likes of Battlefield and Halo. If you are into multiplayer shooters, this game is fantastic and chock full of content. It has the styling and polish of a AAA title in a tiny package.
MLG Rating: 8/10
Platform: PC/XBLA/PSN Release Date: 20/04/2011 (XBLA) 04/05/2011 (PC) Summer 2011 (PSN)
Disclosure: Midlife Gamer were provided with a digital copy of Section 8: Prejudice for review purposes. The title was reviewed over the course of one week on PC. For more information on what our scores mean, plus details of our reviews policy, click here.
Tags: PSN, Section 8: Prejudice, Steam, Timegate Studios, XBLA


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I am done watching 5 Seasons of Breaking Bad back-to-back, without really giving my eyes or my rattled brain a break. But I am clearly feeling the pangs of withdrawal that no other social-crime drama has evoked. I zoned out from my surrounding world as Walter White's existential dilemmas clouded my thoughts ever since. In a way I was glad the show ended because I couldn't handle sleepless nights anymore, wondering what would happen next!
Sadly, I am a bit late in uncovering the Breaking Bad phenomenon. I say sadly, because I am a year too late in discovering intricately woven plots that give you the highest highs and the lowest lows; complex characters with evolving morality as if personal choices exist only in shades of grey; and a fast-paced script that gives you jitters in daylight.
Breaking Bad is possibly the MOST captivating series in American television, and also possibly the BEST one yet. There have been some brilliant and commercially successful Drama series in the past decade worthy of mention – The Sapranos, Mad Men, House Of Cards, The Wire and so on. But Breaking Bad is class apart – unpredictable, edgy and realistic. Yes, realistic!
Breaking Bad is an antithesis of the popular genre of American shows – it's not glamorous, isn't really staged to appease any demographic group, it's gory and gut wrenching. Unlike Mad Men's dramatically essayed and glamorous characters from the 60s, Breaking Bad is replete with grungy and messy sketches of otherwise unglamorous people – teachers, medical professionals, drug dealers, DEA agents etc. Unlike House Of Cards, they are no manic ambitious political nuts who are anti-heroes from day one. Characters in Breaking Bad always swing in shades of grey – they themselves don't know when they "break bad" – morality is a mere convenience!
So, if you're thinking of which show to watch next, invest your hard earned leisure time on Breaking Bad. You will constantly find yourself living vicariously through Walter White – a crystal-meth-making, middle-aged, cancer ridden, genial Chemistry teacher played by Bryan Cranston (of Malcolm in the Middle fame). We are hurled into Walter White's lackluster life of a genius, with a less than handsome career as a high-school teacher and an inability to provide for his impending cancer treatment. He decides to partner with the street savvy, yet naive ex-student – Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul). The two cook up a plan to craft the purest form of meth.
The money from the deals is to provide for cancer treatments and a nest eggs for wife, Skyler (played by Anna Gunn) and his two children. Greed, shifty morality and massive egos clash as Walter White takes on drug lords, cartels and eventually his own family. The show ends with the disintegration of life, keeping in line with themes of karmic balance. "What goes around comes around" is the central idea being reinforced throughout the series, and each of the character is dealt with cards she or he deserves.
Unlike other dramas on TV, Breaking Bad is different because it's not a story about Walter White – it's a story about you and I, and what we would do if we were Walter White. During the entire length of the show, I embodied Walter White, Jesse Pinkman and Skyler. I was all of those characters and constantly asked myself existential questions:
Would I sell drugs to build a retirement nest egg? Obviously not. But what if I had cancer, had no savings, had to provide for my disabled child, an infant and a spouse, and in my mid-50s had no real financial means to face all the misery life hurled at me? Would I change like Walter White did?
Though the viewers may not agree with Walter's choices, they understand him. Viewers similarly might understand why Skyler despises her husband for making meth, but may not agree with her acceptance for the blood money meth provides. Lastly, it is hard not to feel sympathetic for Jesse, a petty peddler, whose innocence and kind-heartedness makes you fall in love with diverse shades of humanity within each one of us.
In the end, the show forces us to think if people hustling drugs or selling their bodies for money a whole lot different then you and I? Or are we – "respectable citizens", just a personal tragedy away from being derailed?
The show hits us where humans are the weakest – our insatiable greed. We are a greedy bunch, us humans, and often we do not know when to stop. For example, over the first 2 seasons Walter White had made enough money to pay for his treatment and built a decent nest egg, but he continued cooking meth at the expense of his family's safety. Money – millions of it, became his identity. He couldn't walk away, nor could Skyler despite knowing well that Walter even killed people to secure money for the family.
In fact, greed espouses cruelty. Further if morality becomes malleable, it is easier for humans to hurt others for personal gain. Nothing else explains the evolution of Walter White from being a compassionate family man, to a cunning, calculating murderer, who is addicted to the idea of being dangerous, bad-ass and a money-making machine. Though he keeps telling everyone including himself, he is cooking meth to provide for his family, he couldn't unentangle the demands of his ego to make millions at the expense of innocent lives.
But the evolution of Walter White is not the crux of the show. It's the evolution of the viewer's perception of morality that's at the heart of the show.
Just like Skyler, we come to understand that personal relationships are messy. Even if our significant others are making immoral choices in life, abandoning a loved one is often not that easy. Similarly, walking away from messy situations in life is easier said than done. Walking away requires immense internal courage, social support networks, financial support systems, and a clarity about how we envision our lives to be.
The show is not about the disintegration of life and humanity – it's about the highlighting the best in all of us. For example, lessons on kindness and selflessness from Jesse are the most unexpected. Walter's dedication to his family and blind love for his wife is endearing. Skyler's lust for money yet her constant inner struggle is feeling we all can empathize with.
In the end, the show holds a mirror to our ideas of morality. We are all an amalgam of the good and the bad. In the end however, we are all guided by humanity that connects us all and may be only saving grace for our species.
So watch the show because it will leave you a better human at the end. It will leave you more compassionate and empathetic. We may not agree with a lot of decisions people make, but we can at least attempt to understand their life story.


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After skimming all the above posts, I would strongly consider working from 50-60+ while you are receiving your pension and postpone withdrawals from your retirement accounts until later in life.Assuming compounding, the best years of possible growth in your retirement dollars will come in the last 10 years of your accumulation. You will severely restrict your future cash flow from those accounts if you: 1 - are no longer working (and no longer contributing to those accounts), and 2 - pulling out monies early.The Rule of 72 would have your money doubling every 10 years if you receive a 7% return. If your TSP account grows to $500,000 by age 50*, it would double in value to $1,000,000 if you could earn just a little over 7% a year for the next 10 years.I don't know about you, but I would happily work some parttime or even full time easy job for 10 years if it allowed me to have an extra half a million dollars when decided to stop working.* $6k (your current balance) invested every year from age 25 through age 50 (25 years) and compounded at 7% would equal about $438,000. I assume you will invest more than $6k a year as you get older, hence the $500k amount at age 50.
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Avengers: Age Of Ultron - Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver Blend
>> Thursday, May 7, 2015
Hey guys! I can't believe it's May! It's been so long!!! It's been so difficult to get inspired to design but i'm here now! :D
Here is the new design!
You can also find this as the layout on my designs site Peridot Dreams.Read more...


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Paul - Ehrlich - Gesellschaft
by Antibacterials in Meningitis
Despite effective antimicrobial chemotherapy, bacterial meningitis is still associated with a high rate of mortality and neurological sequelae. Without antibacterial treatment the mortality rate is about 90 %, by use of bactericidal antibacterials it still is 20 to 25 % (1, 2). Surviving patients are often affected by neurological sequelae such as hearing loss, epileptic seizures, and paresis (2). Following the onset of antibacterial treatment a burst of meningeal inflammation is frequently observed (3, 4). This inflammatory reaction occurs despite rapid sterilisation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is considered to be caused by a rapid release of bacterial components induced by the bacteriolytic action of the antibacterials (5). ß-lactam antibiotics are rapidly bactericidal. As the main aim of chemotherapy in bacterial meningitis is the sterilisation of the CSF (6), ß-lactam antibiotics are used for standard therapy. Their mechanism of antibacterial action is affecting bacterial cell wall synthesis. They are acting by lysing the bacterial cells. Thus, the therapy leads to a strong release of bacterial subcomponents as a result of cell lysis. Many of the subcomponents such as lipopolysaccharides in case of Gram-negative bacteria (7) or peptidoglycan fragments and teichoic and lipoteichoic acids in case of Gram-positive bacteria (8) are pro-inflammatory in animal experiments. The high amount of released bacterial subcomponents can induce the secondary inflammatory reaction and result in a deleterious outcome for the patient (8, 3).
In the brain, the released bacterial subcomponents induce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 1b (IL-1ß). These cytokines are triggering the expression of selectin molecules on the endothelial cell surfaces which enables neutrophils to bind to the endothelial cells. Continuous exposure to TNF-alpha and IL-1ß induces the endothelial cells to release IL-8. IL-8 causes a shift from the expression of selectin molecules to the expression of integrins. This enables the neutrophils to traverse the capillary endothelium. In the CSF, inflammatory cytokines stimulate the neutrophils to produce molecules such as radicals that contribute to the impairment of the blood brain barrier (5). The inflammatory reaction can result in brain oedema and increased intracranial pressure (5). In humans, 20 to 30 % of the meningitis patients that do not survive die from brain herniation (2). Furthermore, heat-inactivated rough pneumococci and pneumococcal cell walls produced direct toxicity on microglial cells and astrocytes cultured in vitro and neurons co-cultured with glial cells (9, 10). Several approaches were made to improve the therapy of bacterial meningitis. One approach is to mitigate the deleterious inflammatory reaction by administering immunosupressive drugs such as glucocorticoids prior to antibacterial treatment. In an animal model of E. coli-meningitis this therapy was shown to reduce several parameters of inflammation and the development of brain oedema in rabbits (6, 7, 3). Children suffering from bacterial meningitis - mainly H.-influenzae-meningitis - were treated with dexamethasone adjunctively and showed significantly reduced frequency of hearing loss and overall neurological sequelae compared to a group of patients only treated with the antibacterial (11). In adults there is a lack of randomised studies documenting a beneficial effect from dexamethasone. Whether glucocorticoids are beneficial in adults and in children suffering from meningitis caused by other pathogens is still a matter of debate. Furthermore, animal experiments suggest that dexamethasone may increase neuronal damage in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation (12). Another effect of an immunomodulating therapy is that the blood-brain-barrier tends to be less disturbed than without this treatment. However, in meningeal inflammation a disturbed blood brain barrier facilitates the entry of hydrophilic ß-lactam-antibiotics into the central nervous compartments and assure a high concentration in the CSF required for effective and rapid killing of the bacteria. Treatment with dexamethasone decreases the concentration of hydrophilic antibacterials in the CSF in meningitis and affects CSF sterilisation in a negative way, particularly in the case of pathogens with a decreased sensitivity to antibacterials (13, 14).
A therapeutic
approach that circumvents immunosuppression is to decrease the liberation
of bacterial pro-inflammatory cell wall components into the CSF. Therefore
antibacterials must be selected which kill the bacteria effectively but
do not lyse them or at least delay lysis. Then the killed bacteria
remain normally shaped and can be phagocytosed without releasing great
quantities of proinflammatory subcomponents.
Treatment of
Streptococcus-pneumoniae-cultures with ceftriaxone (ß-lactam)
and rifampin (ansamycin) lead to effective killing of the bacteria. However,
the scanning electron microscopy revealed obvious differences between
both cultures (Fig. 1). The ceftriaxone-treated cells showed blebs and
filaments whereas the rifampin-treated were normally shaped.
Fig. 1. Representative scanning electron micrographs of S. pneumoniae type 3 after in vitro exposure to 10 µg of ceftriaxone (A) or rifampin (B) per mL for 6 h. The horizontal bar represents 500 nm. Note the numerous defects of the pneumococcal cell wall after exposure to ceftriaxone. Magnification, x 15,600.
With this ELISA we investigated
the release of teichoic and lipoteichoic acids by drugs belonging to different
classes of antibacterials. A pathogenic strain of S. pneumoniae
(type 3) was grown in vitro. After resuspension in fresh medium, drugs
were added during the logarithmic phase of growth. In the first
set of experiments, ceftriaxone, rifampin, rifabutin, quinupristin-dalfopristin,
trovafloxacin, or meropenem at concentrations of 10 µg/mL each were added
to the bacterial suspension. The uniformly high concentration of
10 µg/mL was applied to assure a maximum bactericidal effect for all drugs
studied. Samples for the detection of free lipoteichoic acid and teichoic
acid were collected every hour up to 12 h after the addition of drugs.
|The in vitro experiments showed that despite similar bactericidal rate the release of teichoic and lipoteichoic acid to the culture supernatant was significantly lower in cultures treated with antibacterials not primarily acting on cell wall synthesis than in cultures treated with the standard therapy antibiotic, the ß-lactam ceftriaxone.
Release of lipoteichoic and teichoic acids by S. pneumoniae type
3 during treatment with 10 µg of ceftriaxone (A), rifabutin (B),
Lowering the antibacterial concentration in the in vitro experiments led to increasing release of teichoic and lipoteichoic acids (Tab. 1). This effect was observed with all six antibacterials tested. Only rifabutin and rifampin caused, even at the MIC, relatively low release of bacterial subcomponents compared to the untreated control. These in vitro data do not support the concept of using a low first antibiotic dose to prevent the release of proinflammatory cell wall components (19).
In the rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis several antibacterials tested in the in vitro experiments were used in vivo. Teichoic and lipoteichoic acids as well as several parameters of inflammation and neurological sequelae were determined for each treatment group compared to the standard therapy with ceftriaxone.
Table 1. Release of LTA and TA by S. pneumoniae type 3 during treatment with antibacterial agents at different concentrations
a first set of experiments the quinolone trovafloxacin was investigated
as an antibacterial for pneumococcal meningitis (20). Animals were injected
intracisternally with pneumococci that were precedingly treated with antibacterials
in vitro. Following injection of ceftriaxone-treated bacterial cultures
consistently higher CSF leukocyte counts (median 2568/µL versus 543/µL at
6 h; p = 0.03; 4560/µL versus 2207/µL at 18 h, p = 0.03) were observed than
with trovafloxacin-treated bacterial cultures.
After intracisternal injection of live pneumococci and subsequent antibacterial treatment, the amount of teichoic and lipoteichoic acids in the CSF was lower in the trovafloxacin-treated group than in the ceftriaxone-treated group. At two hours after initiation of antibacterial therapy the difference was significant (21). The IL-1ß concentration in the CSF was lower at two and five hours after initiation of antibacterial therapy in the trovafloxacin-treated group of animals than in the ceftriaxone-treated group (455 pg/mL and 2921 pg/mL versus 1399 pg/mL and 4302 pg/mL; P = 0.02 at 2 hours, difference not significant at 5 h). The TNF concentration in the CSF was also significantly lower than in the standard group two hours after initiation of the antibacterial treatment (26 U/mL versus 141 U/mL; P = 0.02)). However, the maximum TNF and IL-1ß concentrations were only delayed, but not decreased in comparison to ceftriaxone. The lactate increase in CSF during therapy was significantly lower in the trovafloxacin-treated group. Yet, the parameters of neuronal destruction (CSF neuron specific enolase [NSE] and density of neuronal apoptoses in the dentate gyrus; 12) were nearly identical. This indicated that trovafloxacin delayed but did not inhibit the inflammatory burst induced by the initiation of antibiotic therapy and did not influence parameters of neuronal damage.
et al. (22) tested the new quinolone moxifloxacin for antibacterial treatment
of pneumococcal meningitis in the experimental animal model. At a concentration
of 10 mg/kg/h it was found to be as bactericidal as the ceftriaxone standard
(10 mg/kg/h) whereas it was less effective at 2.5 mg/kg/h. Following antibacterial
treatment the TNF release was delayed versus treatment with ceftriaxone
reaching its maximum at 17 h versus 14 h. The CSF leukocyte density, lactate
and protein were similar in both groups. No significant difference in CSF
NSE concentration was observed. Despite a reduced release of proinflammatory
bacterial subcomponents in vitro and a delayed production of TNF
in vivo the inflammatory reaction following antibacterial treatment of pneumococcal
meningitis could not be avoided.
In the CSF of animals treated with rifabutin (5 mg/kg/h) in the rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis, significantly lower concentrations of teichoic and lipoteichoic acid than in the CSF of ceftriaxone (10 mg/kg/h) treated animals were found at two, five and eight hours after initiation of antibacterial therapy while the bactericidal rates of both antibacterials were comparable (21). Consistently, the TNF concentration in the CSF of rifabutin-treated rabbits was significantly lower than in the CSF of ceftriaxone-treated animals at two and five hours after initiation of the antibacterial therapy (23). No difference was found after 12 hours (Fig. 3). Other parameters of inflammation such as CSF lactate, protein, and IL-1ß were found to be similar to those obtained with ceftriaxone-treated rabbits. The median leukocyte density was lower 2 h after initiation of therapy, the difference not reaching statistical significance. The CSF concentration of NSE and the density of apoptotic neurones in the dentate gyrus did not differ significantly (23).
Fig. 3. Time course of CSF TNF-alpha activity during S. pneumoniae meningitis with rifabutin 5 mg/kg/h (n = 8) and ceftriaxone (CRO) 10 mg/kg/h (n = 10).
conclusion, rifabutin was rapidly bactericidal in vivo and caused a lower
release of proinflammatory bacterial subcomponents and a lower level of
production of TNF. The probable reason is the dissociation between bacterial
killing and lysis. As trovafloxacin, rifabutin did not diminish parameters
of neuronal damage in comparison to ceftriaxone.
In the CSF of rabbits treated with a bolus dose or a continuous infusion of the streptogramin quinupristin-dalfopristin, respectively, the teichoic and lipoteichoic acid concentrations were lower than in the CSF of animals treated with ceftriaxone (21, 24). The difference was significant at five and eight hours after initiation of therapy. The TNF concentrations were lower, too. The differences were significant at two and five hours after initiation of antibacterial therapy in both groups and at eight hours after initiation in the group treated with a bolus of quinupristin-dalfopristin. The CSF lactate and protein concentrations were similar in all groups. After 12 h of treatment with quinupristin-dalfopristin, however, the NSE concentrations in the CSF as a parameter of neuronal damage were significantly lower with both applications than in the ceftriaxone-treated group (Fig. 4). The density of apoptotic neurones was also lower in quinupristin-dalfopristin-treated rabbits, yet, the difference did not reach statistical significance (24).
Fig. 4. Neuron-specific enolase concentrations in the CSF 12 h after initiation of antibiotic therapy were significantly lower in quinupristin-dalfopristin-treated animals (with continuous (a) or short duration (b) infusion) than in ceftriaxone-treated animals. *, P = 0.03; **P = 0.009.
bactericidal rate of quinupristin-dalfopristin was lower than that of ceftriaxone,
probably due to low CSF concentrations, in particular, of dalfopristin.
In vitro quinupristin-dalfopristin was as active as ceftriaxone. The very
low release of proinflammatory bacterial components, the low TNF concentrations
produced, and the delayed increase of leukocyte density as well as the significantly
lower CSF NSE values observed, altogether suggest an attenuated inflammatory
response and a reduction of the extent of neurological sequelae. Therefore,
streptogramins should be taken into account as an alternative antibacterial
option, provided that modified dosing regimens or agents reaching higher
CSF concentration and a rapid bactericidal activity in the CSF will be available
in the future.
Antibiotics not primarily affecting cell wall synthesis reduce the concentrations of proinflammatory pneumococcal sub-components in vitro and in vivo in comparison with ß-lactam antibiotics following initiation of therapy. In vivo, the levels of several
of inflammation and with quinupristin-dalfopristin even the CSF NSE concentration
as a parameter of neurological sequelae were reduced following treatment
with less bacteriolytic antibacterial.
In the mouse model of pneumococcal meningitis we recently demonstrated that treatment with the ansamycin rifampin reduces the early mortality rate significantly compared to treatment with ceftriaxone (26 % versus 49 %, P = 0.04; 25). Correspondingly, the teichoic and lipoteichoic acid levels were lower in serum samples and pooled CSF of the animals treated with rifampin than in the specimens of the animals treated with ceftriaxone 8 h after the initiation of therapy.
In conclusion, the present experiments demonstrate that the use of antibacterials that act bactericidally without lysing bacteria is a promising approach toward reducing the secondary inflammatory reaction following antibacterial treatment and early mortality in bacterial meningitis.
1.Wenger, J.D., Hightower, A., Facklam, R.R., Baventa, S. & Broome, C.V. 1990. J. Infect. Dis. 162:1316.
2.Durand, M.L., Calderwood, S.B., Weber, D.J., Miller, S.I., Southwick, F.S., Caviness, V.S. & Swartz, M.N. 1993. N. Engl. J. Med. 328: 21.
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8.Tuomanen, E., Liu, H., Hengstler, B., Zak, O. & Tomasz, A. 1985. J. Infect. Dis. 151: 859.
9.Kim, Y. S., Kennedy, S. & Täuber, M. G. 1995. J. Infect. Dis. 171: 1363.
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11.Odio, C.M., Faingezicht I., Paris, M., Nassar, M., Baltodano, A., Rogers, J., Sáez-Llorenz, X., Olsen, K.D. & McCracken JR., G.H. 1991. N. Engl. J. Med. 323: 1525.
12.Zysk, G., Brück, W., Gerber, J., Brück, Y., Prange, H.W. & Nau, R. 1996. J. Neuropath. Exp. Neurol. 55: 722.
13.Paris, M.M., Hickey, S. M., Uscher, M.I., Shelton, S., Olsen, K.D. & McCracken JR., G.H. 1994. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 38: 1320.
14.Cabellos, C., Martinez-Lacasa, J., Martos, A., Tubau, F., Fernández, A., Viladrich, P.F. & Gudiol, F. 1995. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 39: 2158.
15.Dofferhoff, A.S.M. Nijland, J.H., DeVries.Hospers, H.G., Mulder, P.O.M., Weits, J. & Bom, V.J.J. 1991. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 23:745.
16.Prins, J.M., Speelman, P., Kuijper, E.J., Dankert, J. & van Deventer, J.H. 1997. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 39, 13.
17.Evans, M.E. & Pollack, M. (1993). J. Infect. Dis. 167: 1336.
18.Prins, J.M., Kuijper, E.J., Mevissen, S.L.C.M., Spellman N.P. & Van Deventer, S.J.H. (1997). Infect. Immun. 63: 2236.
19.Stuertz, K., Schmidt, H., Eiffert, H, Schwartz, P., Mäder, M. & Nau, R. 1998. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42: 277.
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21.Stuertz, K., Schmidt, H., Trostdorf, F., Eiffert H., Mäder, M., Nau, R. 1999. Lower lipoteichoic and teichoic acid CSF concentrations during treatment of pneumococcal meningitis with non-bacteriolytic antibiotics than with Ceftriaxone. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 31: 367.
22.Schmidt, H., Dalhoff, A., Stuertz, K., Trostdorf, F., Chen, V., Schneider, O., Kohlsdorfer, C., Brück, W. & Nau, R. 1998. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42: 1397.
23.Schmidt, H., Zysk, G., Reinert, R.R., Brück, W., Stringaris, A., Chen, V., Stuertz, K., Fischer, F., Bartels, R., Schaper, K.-J., Weinig, S. & Nau, R. 1997. Chemotherapy 43: 264.
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25.Nau, R., Wellmer, A., Soto, A., Koch, C., Schneider, O., Schmidt, H., Gerber, J., Michel, U. & Brück, W. Rifampin reduces early mortality in experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meninigitis. J. Infect. Dis., in press.


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Day 1 of Vacation Week!
First thing this morning I made some granola.
My Pumpkin Granola Recipe
4 cups of oatmeal
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
¼ cup honey (or maple syrup….whatever you have available!)
¼ cup flax seed
2 TBS chia seeds (or more if I'm feel like it)
½ cup sunflower seeds
2 TBS canola oil
¼ cup shredded coconut
½ cup dried cranberries or other dried fruits
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Mix all ingredients (except the coconut and dried fruit) in a large bowl.
- Spread into a baking dish – make it a thin layer.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Personally, I'd check it at 30 minutes, stir it up, then watch closely for the remainder. It burns quickly!
- Sometimes I add in the coconut near the end of baking – around 10 minutes left or sometimes I just wait until I pull it out of the oven and add it with the dried fruit and mix well. I like to see that there is coconut in my granola. I add the dried fruit after the baking because I've had really bad luck with burnt fruit.!
With the 10 miler rescheduled for this Sunday, this is my rest week. Which is good, I think, because I'm pretty sure my IT band is acting up again. I plan using the foam roller and stretching quite a bit this week.
Instead of using the thin, foam roller imposter I borrowed from the PE department at school. I get to use my new foam roller which came today!
Today's workout:
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I've never been one for a DVD workout, but I do like Jillian Michalels and I like that it's a fast moving workout. Not the same as running, but it's something.
And after dinner, I went over to Jill & Wade's house to use their exercise bike. I took Ward's iPad to catch up on my Grey's Anatomy! I got in 11 miles in 40 minutes. I need to figure out how to the programming on that bike works because I hit some killer hills.
Dinner tonight – not eggs. I had Portland Pizza Pie and I was really craving my favorite – spinach, carmalized onions, and feta. I know I could have made a breakfast pizza, but I just wasn't feeling it tonight. Perhaps tomorrow!