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If you're from Chicago, the first part of this headline probably conjures up images of two pretty good sports teams. However, for the rest of the country, it represents the ups and downs of the stock market over the past 12 years. Last week the bulls reigned, while a week earlier, the bears had bragging rights. For advisors who used the 1980s or 90s as a reference point, the past decade has provided a whole new learning experience. This see-saw market has many people seeking answers.
It's rather obvious that Europe didn't solve its problems overnight, but last week saw the markets have one of their best weeks in a long time. What was the catalyst? What propelled stocks? More buyers than sellers? Was it the testimony of Fed Chair Ben Bernanke? Although he didn't actually say anything about QEIII, his silence seems to have been taken as a positive sign. This reminds me of how some used to read former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan by the way he carried his briefcase. We are, you see, creatures in need of answers. And when there is no absolute answer, we sometimes opt to invent one.
Let's take a closer look at QEIII, or should I say, the markets' most likely reaction to quantitative easing. Japan, which has had over 20 years of fighting deflation, has used quantitative easing on several occasions. Each time, stocks rose. Then when QE was finished, stocks fell. The same thing has already occurred here.
What is QE and what exactly does it do? QE is the printing of money. It expands the money supply, devalues our currency and causes inflation, commodities and stocks to rise. In theory, it puts more money into the system, thereby causing it (the money) to be cheaper (lower interest rates). All this is intended to cause an increase in borrowing and a boost to the economy.
However, as I discussed in a past article for Investment Advisor, due to low consumer demand and tighter lending standards, much of this "excess" money remains in the Federal Reserve banks. The Fed's balance sheet, which has risen from a pre-crisis $800 billion to well over $3 trillion at present, has not made it into the general economy. Again, there's not much more the Fed can do. That's why Bernanke has stated on more than one occasion that Congress must address its fiscal policy. Translation: Get your spending in line! Another round of QE will only cause a temporary spike in prices, but will not solve the problem. If you begin to hear talk about the risk of deflation, then look for QEIII. In the meantime, last week's rise could have something to do with the upcoming election.
This period in history is remarkably similar to the end of the 1970s. I wonder if Eureka College has another good candidate for us today? After all, Reagan's supply-side, low-tax policies worked out pretty well, didn't they?


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Sheriff praises teachers for professionalism, quick thinking
School goes into lock down
One school is receiving praise from local law enforcement after using a crisis plan to avoid what could have been a dangerous situation.
The Lavaca Elementary School followed procedures that are practiced regularly, when a couple drove up to the school with two guns in the car, one of which was an assault rifle.
The Sebastian County Sheriff says it was one teacher's quick thinking and professionalism that kept students safe Thursday afternoon.
"Their crisis plan worked perfectly," says Sheriff Bill Hollenbeck. "I was very proud and impressed with the school district in Lavaca."
Hollenbeck says one teacher alerted the school's resource officer, who then called local law enforcement. Teachers brought students inside the school and locked all doors and windows. The school was then placed on lock down.
Hollenbeck says the Sheriff's Department held a meeting earlier this year to help educators develop crisis plans for their schools.
"We had a safe school initiative course," says Hollenbeck. "We invited local law enforcement and area educators to come downtown to start the discussion on how we can do better. Part of the course was planning and developing a good crisis plan."
The sheriff says crisis plans require help from many different people. He says that was clear after the incident Thursday.
"It was a great piece of teamwork between educators and law enforcement in protecting our children," says Hollenbeck.
Police arrested Esteban Arreola and Vanessa Barrett after the couple attempted to pick up two students from the elementary school. Police seized several fire arms and $20,000 worth of methamphetamine when the couple was arrested Thursday.
Arreola is being held at the Sebastian County Detention Center without bail.

subset: commoncrawl


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| 6.9°C Belfast
BlackBerry has launched the new smartphones and software it hopes will help turn a corner and restore it to the top table in mobile technology.
The BlackBerry 10 operating system, the Z10 touchscreen phone and Q10, the first BlackBerry smartphone with a Qwerty keyboard, were launched at an event in New York that was beamed live to London and other venues around the world.
Thorsten Heins, president and chief executive of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM), said the new software system was centred around the BlackBerry Hub, whose key feature is the ability to amalgamate information from multiple apps, like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn simultaneously within your phone in "real time".
"We intend to lead the move from mobile communication to mobile computing," he said.
The unveiling was designed to appeal to BlackBerry's core business users as much as social users of systems like BlackBerry Messenger (BBM).
It also allows you to use your phone for both work and personal use but keep them separately secure, Mr Heins said, with the hope of encouraging people to "go from using two devices to one". It will also allow video calls within its BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) instant messaging system.
A new app called Screenshare that works with BBM will allow you to give the person you are chatting with virtual access to your phone's screen to look at pictures and other content you might have on it.
A high-tech camera with the ability to capture high-quality stills from a sequence of video, plus a new picture editing system, is also included. There are 70,000 apps available for the new system already via Blackberry World, the firm said, with Skype, Amazon Kindle and Angry Birds amongst those committed to the system.
Mr Heins also revealed Canadian firm RIM will immediately rebrand itself as BlackBerry in line with its biggest product..
The Z10 will be available from Thursday in the UK, the first country in the world where it will be on sale, Mr Heins said. It will run on the EE, Vodafone, O2 and 3 networks and be available from Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U. It will also be enabled to run on 4G, the next generation of high-speed mobile internet. The Q10 is expected to arrive in April.


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Trinket Tray - Gray - No. 2
Made in Morocco
by artisans preserving Moroccan culture
$ 20.00
Display your trinkets on this stylish tray. Perfect for coffee tables, nightstands, bathroom counters, and dresser tops alike. Each purchase empowers artisans at Chabi Chic in Morocco.
Trinket Tray - Gray - No. 2
As with all handmade items, no two pieces are the same. Variations in size, color, and design will occur.
- Approximate diameter: 5.9"
- Materials: ceramic, lead-free paint
- Food-safe
- Do not use in the microwave or in the dishwasher. Hand wash.
- As with all handmade items, variations will occur.
Chabi Chic
Located in Morocco, Chabi Chic works with talented artisans with a mission of protecting Moroccan culture, preserving beautiful traditions and techniques, and improving the quality of the artisans' lives. Chabi Chic's story began in Marrakesh with a former architect and a former home decorator. Their goals include creating high quality and handmade home goods that are ethically made from natural materials; benefiting the artisans' livelihoods, creativity, and vast skill sets; and sharing the traditions nationally and globally.
Chabi Chic works with approximately 18 artisans and suppliers between the ages of 20 to 60. While some of the artisans, such as those who work on pottery and ceramics, are based out of workshops, some also work out of their homes. They work hard to preserve a tradition that has been passed down through generations and that is facing competition in today's environment. Chabi Chic is part of the Marrakesh Cultural and Creative Industries, a program started by the United Nations. Through this program, Chabi Chic is given access to funds for the artisans looking to improve their skill sets and sell their work. Each purchase of the products in this collection empowers these skilled artisans and their families.
Learn More
Artisans working at Chabi Chic practice traditional, culturally specific techniques in Morocco to create beautiful ceramics and pottery. The pottery is hand-molded and hand-painted from the beginning of the process until the end. The earth and the paint used by the artisans are edible and unleaded, and they do not contain foreign objects, which helps to prevent natural breaks. Artisans shape the clay or the ceramic, cook the material, hand-paint it, and cook it again in the process of making these products; when shaping the clay and ceramics, they use a pottery wheel.
Learn More
Morocco, or the Kingdom of Morocco, is a North African country with a fusion of cultural heritage, including Arab, Berber, European, and African influences, according to the BBC. Located along the Strait of Gibraltar, it is the only country in Africa to have coastlines along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The highest population density is along both coasts, while some dense segments are spread out through the Atlas Mountains.
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Fair Trade Products
Fair Trade is an approach to international trade centered around equitable partnerships, transparency and respect. It seeks to empower marginalized producers by providing them safe working conditions, fair pay, and a means to establish a sustainable business free from exploitation. As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, we are committed to the Fair Trade principles.
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No. 8 Arizona holds off Southern Miss 63-55
Nick Johnson scored 23 points, Kevin Parrom had 13 of his 14 in the second half and No. 8 Arizona overcame a season-high 27 turnovers to hold off Southern Miss 63-55 Tuesday night.
Arizona (6-0) struggled against Southern Miss' zone defense, throwing passes into traffic, to open spaces, even one that sailed over the coaches on the bench into the crowd.
The Wildcats survived behind their defense, forcing Southern Miss into 17 second-half turnovers to pull away to their best start since opening the 1999-2000 season with six straight wins.
Southern Miss (6-2) used its swarming zone while building an eight-point halftime lead and kept forcing Arizona into mistakes.
The Golden Eagles struggled against Arizona's pressure in the second half, though, missing all eight of their 3-point attempts while nearly quadrupling their turnovers from the first half.
Neil Watson led Southern Miss with 17 points.
The Wildcats rolled through the early part of their schedule, winning every game but one by double digits - the other was by nine - while ranking fifth nationally shooting at 52.3 percent and sixth in scoring at 85.2 points per game.
Arizona easily passed its first road test on Saturday, blowing out Texas Tech 85-57 in Lubbock behind Johnson's 18 points.
Defense has been the key to Southern Miss' strong start in its first season under coach Donnie Tyndall.
The Golden Eagles have yet to give up 70 points and are holding opponents 38 percent shooting, including 28 percent from 3-point range.
Southern Miss came to the desert off its first loss of the season, allowing New Mexico State to shoot 56 percent in a 68-60 loss on Saturday.
The clash of strengths went to the Golden Eagles early.
Southern Miss' quick-moving zone gave the Wildcats fits from the start, resulting in three turnovers - two on offensive fouls by Kaleb Tarczewski - two missed shots in three attempts and a pair of clanked free throws by Mark Lyons in the opening 5 minutes.
Even after coach Sean Miller called a timeout shaking his head in disgust, Arizona didn't get a whole lot better, missing four shots with three more turnovers to fall behind 10-3.
The trend continued the rest of the half.
Arizona went more than five minutes without a field goal and made 7 of 20 shots in the half, including 4 of 13 from 3-point range. What really hurt the Wildcats were turnovers; they had 13 - two fewer than the entire game against Texas Tech - most on passes that had little chance of being completed.
Southern Miss wasn't exactly sharp offensively until hitting a few shots late in the half, including Cedric Jenkins' off-balance 3-pointer at the shot clock buzzer, but turned Arizona's turnovers into 18 points for a 35-27 lead.
Arizona turned the turnover table around in the second half.
Johnson, who hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer, snapped the McKale Center to life with a steal and a breakaway dunk, then passed to Tarczewski for a dunk after the Golden Eagles stepped over the line on the inbound play for another turnover.
Southern Miss continued to struggle against Arizona's pressure, turning it over 11 times in the first eight minutes - eight on consecutive possessions - as the Wildcats raced to a 49-44 lead.
The Golden Eagles fought back to tie it, but Parrom scored on a pair of shots inside, then hit a 3-pointer in transition to put Arizona up 54-51. Solomon Hill followed with a 3-pointer and Arizona held Southern Miss off down the stretch for its most difficult win of the season.


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Their discovery might ultimately lead to an alternative treatment for jaundice, such as a new drug or supplement, says Daniel Kim, a research technician in Guelph's Department of Biomedical Sciences.
He is lead author of a paper published recently in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. Co-authors are biomedical sciences professor Gordon Kirby, former research associate Monica Antenos, and Prof. Jim Squires of U of G's Department of Animal and Poultry Science.
Almost two out of three newborns contract jaundice, with its telltale skin yellowing. Normal treatment involves use of ultraviolet light. UV treatment doesn't always work.
Although the condition is usually benign, severe cases can cause permanent brain damage and lead to cerebral palsy and hearing loss.
Jaundice can also affect people with liver disease or increased breakdown of red blood cells, as in malaria.
In all cases, a substance called bilirubin collects in the blood. High amounts can be toxic and can cause permanent brain damage, said Kirby.
Other researchers had already found a naturally occurring enzyme that breaks down bilirubin. Called cytochrome P450 2A5, the enzyme is known to increase in people with liver ailments.
The Guelph team has shown that more bilirubin in the blood activates the gene to make this enzyme. The enzyme helps remove bilirubin and prevents liver cells from dying, said Kirby.
The U of G researchers used cultured liver cells from mice for their study.
Scientists need to determine safe and effective levels of the enzyme before developing any treatment, said Kirby.
"We need to fine-tune our ability to manipulate this enzyme and fully understand its role in bilirubin removal," he said. Kirby has long studied the enzyme's role in nicotine addiction in smokers.
For more information:
Prof. Gord Kirby
Associate Dean, Research and Innovation
Ontario Veterinary College
519-824-4120, Ext. 54948
[email protected]
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, or [email protected]; or Kevin Gonsalves, Ext. 56982, or [email protected]


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After a nine-month investigation, a Norwich police sergeant has been found justified in shooting and wounding a man who drove a car at him.
After a nine-month investigation, a Norwich police sergeant has been found justified in shooting and wounding a man who drove a car at him.
"The use of deadly physical force was appropriate," New London State's Attorney Michael Regan wrote in a June 7 report saying the Division of Criminal Justice would take no further action.
The incident involving Norwich police Sgt. Patrick Mickens and Gino Nicasia happened shortly after 6 a.m. on Aug. 28 in a parking lot at The William W. Backus Hospital.
The investigation was conducted by the state police Eastern District Major Crime Squad and inspectors from Regan's office.
Five Norwich police officers, including Mickens, responded to the parking lot after receiving a report of that Nicasia had locked himself inside his car. Three hospital security guards also were in the parking lot.
Nicasia's mother told police that she had brought him to the hospital for a psychological evaluation because he was hearing voices telling him to do bad things.
As Norwich officers talked to Nicasia, attempting to get him to unlock the doors, roll down the windows or leave the car, the report said, he turned on the motor. After he did that, a Norwich officer moved a police cruiser behind his car to block it into its parking space.
Mickens and Nicasia's mother were standing next to the driver's side of the car, trying to speak to him, when he put the car in gear and backed up into the police cruiser, the report said.
Then Nicasia rapidly accelerated forward and to the left toward Mickens and Nicasia's mother, the report said.
According to Mickens' account, as he backed up to avoid the car, he pushed Nicasia's mother out of the way.
"Mickens believed that individuals in the area, including himself, were in imminent physical danger," the report said. "In response, Mickens drew his duty weapon and fired what he believed was one round toward the black car's windshield." The report is unclear about where that shot went.
Nicasia continued to advance, and the car hit Mickens' right hip and knocked him backwards, the report said.
Mickens "believed that he would be run over by the vehicle," the report said. He fired three shots toward the car's left front door. According to a later examination of the car, one of the bullets may have hit a hubcap; the other two appeared to have gone through the door, and one of them hit Nicasia.
The car slowed, then stopped when it hit a curb, the report said. Norwich officers said they saw Nicasia "upside down on the passenger seat with his head under the dashboard."
Nicasia had a gunshot wound in his right thigh. Both he and Mickens, who had minor hip injuries from being hit by the car, were treated at Backus.
Nicasia is facing several charges as a result of the incident, including assault on a police officer. He is scheduled to appear in Norwich Superior Court on Aug. 30.
Mickens was put on desk duty after the incident, but has long since returned, Norwich Police Chief Louis Fusaro said.
"I want to thank the New London County State's Attorney Michael Regan for the thorough and independent review of the incident," Fusaro said. "I agree with him that Sgt. Mickens' action was appropriate."
Fusaro said Mickens' actions kept him from getting more seriously hurt and kept Nicasia's mother from getting hurt at all.
"These are very fast-evolving situations, and quick actions are necessary," Fusaro said.
Norwich police have been involved in two later shooting incidents.
Officer 1st Class Jonathan Ley was shot and badly wounded in a Jan. 7 confrontation with Jason Razzino outside Razzino's Cedar Street home. Razzino shot himself after an hours-long confrontation.
On Feb. 26, eight police officers were involved in the shooting death of Michael Dugas, 52, of Laurel Hill Avenue, after he pointed a handgun toward officers.


text: The night sky seems unchanging to the naked eye, but beauty is hidden beyond the limits of unaided human perception. As Earth rotates, the sky moves, revealing astronomical events that only time-lapse photography -- a series of exposures lasting for minutes apiece -- can truly capture. "There are so many things you don't normally see that you can with time-lapse," said photographer Randy Halverson, who created the video above. Halverson's work even attracted the attention of Bear McCreary, a composer who wrote the music for TV shows Battlestar Galactica, Eureka and The Walking Dead. He scored Halverson's for fun. The surge in amateur popularity of time-lapse videos, caused in part by cheaper access to quality technology and video services, hasn't gone unnoticed by Wired. Dim the lights, crank up the volume and watch some of our favorite clips in this gallery. Above: Temporal Distortion Halverson, who recently won a time-lapse video competition with one of his Milky Way clips, photographed this sequence during the summer and fall of 2011 in South Dakota, Utah and Colorado. "What you see is real, but you can't see it this way with the naked eye. It is the result of 20-30 second exposures, edited together over many hours to produce the time-lapse," Halverson wrote. At 0:53 and again at 2:17, for example, meteors with persistent trails twinkle into view. Video: Randy Halverson/VimeoThe Mountain Landscape photographer Terje Sorgjerd trekked to El Teide, Spain's highest mountain and home to an observatory, to record this video in April 2011. On April 9, a large sandstorm swept through the Sahara Desert. Part of it reached the mountain while Sorgjerd filmed the night sky. (This footage starts 32 seconds in.) "I was sure my whole scene was ruined," Sorgjerd wrote on his video's page. "To my surprise, my camera had managed to capture the sandstorm which was backlit by Grand Canary Island, making it look like golden clouds. The Milky Way was shining through the clouds, making the stars sparkle in an interesting way." Video: TSO Photography/VimeoFinding Oregon Six months of time-lapse photography went into this sequence created by stargazers trekking across Oregon on a 1,600-mile road trip. "Here in Oregon ... we have three months in the year, with a 5 day window each month to plan with fingers crossed for epic star shooting conditions," wrote the video's creator Bill Price. "That's only 15 days in a year." Video: Uncage the Soul Productions/VimeoThe City Limits Photographer Dominic Boudreault spent half a year photographing Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, New York City and Chicago at night. He ended up with this dramatic sequence capped with crisp night-sky images toward the end. Video: Dominic/VimeoYosemite HD Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty, two time-lapse photographers who became friends through Vimeo, collaborated on this video featuring Yosemite National Park and its crystal-clear night skies. Video: Project Yosemite/VimeoAurora Borealis in Finnish Lapland 2011 During the northern winter of 2011, a Finnish production company created this nearly two-minute-long sequence of dancing auroras for Finland's tourism board. Video: Flatlight Films/VimeoTimeScapes 4K Combining traditional videography with time-lapse techniques, Tom Lowe offers a sample of his upcoming video about the American Southwest. Video: Tom Lowe/VimeoMidnight Sun Not all astronomically focused time-lapse videos are shot at night. At the peak of Icelandic summer, the sun barely dips below the horizon because the country lies so far north. "For 17 days I travelled solo around the entire island shooting almost 24 hours, sleeping in the car, and eating whenever I had the time," wrote the photographer, Joe Capra. "During my days shooting this film I shot 38,000 images, travelled some 2900 miles, and saw some of the most amazing, beautiful, and indescribable landscapes on the planet. " Video: SCIENTIFANTASTIC/Vimeo


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Yemen's new president, Abdo Rabbu Mansour Hadi, has confounded pessimistic forecasts about his ability to bring change to his impoverished country.
Yemen is facing myriad threats to its stability and security – not least of all, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and many assumed the country's politics would trundle on as before.
But appearing increasingly comfortable in his position two months into his term, Mr. Hadi has begun what many characterize as a steady if cautious process of reform after taking over from Ali Abdullah Saleh, who had held the country together for 33 years by shrewd maneuvering and a deeply entrenched patronage network.
Hadi, a long-time but relatively obscure Saleh deputy, was brought to power in late February under a Western-backed deal aimed at ending a year-long uprising. Since then he has sacked numerous governors appointed by Mr. Saleh, and initiated reform of the civil and public sector. But most notable, perhaps, has been his cautious entrée into the sensitive process of military restructuring.
This all comes as a surprise to many observers. Hadi was largely seen as a loyal part of the former regime and, many Yemenis worried, a figure who would be unwilling or unable to tackle the issues facing Yemen.
He became president through a one-man election according to a power-transfer deal, negotiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council to force Saleh, the target of a year-long nationwide uprising, out of office.
Hadi's decade and a half as Saleh's vice president had earned him a reputation as a largely powerless, if enigmatic figure. He was sarcastically referred to as "the statue" by much of Yemen's intelligentsia for his frequent, silent presence behind Saleh at public events.
Hadi, a military man who hails from Yemen's turbulent south, was also seen as loyal to Saleh: His appointment as vice president was widely seen as a reward for supporting Saleh during Yemen's north-south 1994 Civil War. And even as crackdowns on demonstrators prompted scores of members of the GPC to break ranks with the former president, Hadi stood by Saleh's side.
So when Hadi came to power with the backing of both Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC) party and the nation's establishment opposition parties, few expected him to make a definitive break from the past.
Saleh playing the role of spoiler?
But Hadi appears intent on reform, though many challenges lie ahead.
The restructuring of Yemen's divided military is among the chief tasks facing Hadi and the unity government, which is also expected to preside over a process of national dialogue and the rewriting of the nation's constitution.
Largely led by the former president's family members and tribal allies, Yemen's military once served as one of the primary foundations of Saleh's rule. But over the past year, the defection of a number of powerful military leaders has left Saleh's inner circle divided. Clashes between loyalist forces and troops led by powerful defector Gen. Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar transformed swaths central Sanaa into a virtual war zone last fall. The threat of factional violence has temporarily dissipated, but divisions within the military have thwarted efforts to restore order in Yemen.
While Hadi's steps towards military reform have already earned him plaudits in some quarters – one government spokesman enthusiastically characterized a swarm of decrees issued on April 6 as "the biggest military shakeup in modern Yemeni history" – the reactions of some of his targets have underscored the thorny nature of the process of military restructuring.
Two military leaders reassigned on April 6 – outgoing Air Force head Mohamed Saleh al-Ahmar, the former president's half-brother, and Tareq Mohamed Saleh, a nephew of the former president who commands the Presidential Guard – refused Hadi's orders. While the Air Force chief eventually bowed to international pressure and accepted the order, the situation of Saleh's nephew remains unclear.
Saleh, who remains in the country and still heads the GPC, appeared to condone his relatives' insubordination in his public statements, raising fears that he could play spoiler over course of Yemen's transition. The formerly cordial relationship between Hadi and his predecessor has grown increasingly tense.
Many of Saleh's relatives remain in control of key military and intelligence positions, as do powerful defectors like Ali Mohsen. With such heavily armed adversaries still in their positions, Hadi will be forced to continue to perform a delicate balancing act as Yemen prepares for the process of national dialogue, which could pave the way for the rewriting of Yemen's constitution.
The state-builder that Yemen needs?
The tasks of the transitional period are just part of a litany of challenges facing Yemen's post-Saleh government. Government forces remain locked in a fierce battle with Al Qaeda-linked militants who have seized control of a number of towns in the nation's south, while the lingering effects of a year of conflict and uncertainty have pushed Yemen's already weak economy to the brink of collapse.
And while analysts have characterized Hadi's first two months in office as reason for cautious optimism, they say that the new president's work has only just begun.
"So far, Hadi has shown credibility and leadership, but still, he has shown little concrete evidence that his rule will represent a true break from the past," said Abdulghani al-Iryani, a Sanaa-based political analyst, noting that Hadi's actions so far represent a small step in the right direction. "We are still looking for signs that he will be the state-builder that Yemen so badly needs."
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Research Technician (BIO 17-00)
The West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) seeks to hire a full-time Research Technician for the Department of Biology at West Virginia University. The purpose of this position is to support research activities in the Gallagher Lab related to genetic variation and cellular response to stress. This position will also provide part-time support to the BioNano Research Facilities (BNRF), a spectrometry and spectroscopy core providing services to researchers across WVU.
A bachelor's degree in biology, or related scientific field, and 0 - 2 years of experience in molecular and cellular biology are required. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered. Experience with mass spec and next-generation sequences is advantageous.
Competitive salary and full benefits package offered. For a complete job description and to apply for this position, please visit https://rew31.ultipro.com/WES1016/JobBo ... 1BEA70A37E. AA/EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability/E-verify compliant employer
Research Technician
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The Best Shoes From Paris Fashion Week
Peep Our Top 50 Shoes From Paris Fashion Week!
Peep Our Top 50 Shoes From Paris Fashion Week!
There was definitely no shortage of gorgeous footwear during Paris Fashion Week — we were dazzled by Alexander McQueen's sky-high, inverted platforms, Lanvin's pencil-thin stiletto heels, and the shiny, sophisticated kitten-heel loafers from Jean Paul Gaultier. It's been a whirlwind, but now it's time to say farewell to Fashion Month with 50 of our Fab-approved picks. Click through to see the gorgeous pairs, and let us know your favorites!


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Individual lessons, group instruction, clinics and golf schools are all offered at Newcastle's beautiful practice facility. Lessons are provided by nationally known PGA professionals on staff with The Golf Club at Newcastle. Take your game to the next level!
The state of-the-art practice facility encompasses a practice range, teaching center and equipment shop. The practice range provides both grass tees and mats, 30 of which are covered and heated for practice in all playing conditions. All range pins and targets are laser-measured to ensure accurate distances. For short game practice, there are three putting greens and several bunkers located at the back end of the range next to the grass tees.


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Pay in 4 Interest Free Installments with AFTERPAY! •• Text Ascher to 81787 for 10% Off •• Download the James Ascher App for 10% Off •• Take 50% Off Sale Section with Discount Code: Clearance50
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Discover the best Mobile Affiliates companies in Taiwan. As a Mobile Affiliates firm in Taiwan, you can build up and customize your own professional Mobile Affiliates company profile. You will be able to showcase your works, list your clients and add all information about your Mobile Affiliates company
Mobile Affiliates networks offer platforms for app owners to find affiliates to help them with their advertising strategy. This way, the apps can be monetized and gain mobile web traffic.
With the increasing number of mobile apps in the different app stores, it has become essential for app owners to have a mobile app marketing strategy that includes the affiliates. Marketers can take advantage of the traffic offered by different advertisers. This model is also positive for those marketers that don't have enough experience or that need a very specific target and don't have the tools to find it.
Mobile affiliates work under CPA (Cost per Action) so, for example, if the app is installed, the app owner has to pay the affiliate network. Some mobile affiliates can also use the Revenue Sharing model, they take a percentage of the revenue generated.
MobileFirms is the right place to find mobile app marketing companies worldwide. From advertising and testing to analytics, the best firms are listed in our directory. Boost your mobile app on app stores with the marketing services you will find in MobileFirms.


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Editorial: Clarity needed on online taxes
The hotly disputed question of whether online retailers can be compelled to collect sales taxes in states where they don't have a bricks-and-mortar presence has played out around the nation with differing results.
The contradictory outcomes could mean the issue of so-called Amazon taxes will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. And we hope that it does.
Though federal lawmakers could settle the matter if they would pass legislation giving states collection authority, the Supreme Court could bring clarity to some of the disputed issues.
If, for instance, the court ruled that online retail affiliates are the "nexus" necessary to allow states to compel collection, it could change the legal landscape.
On the other hand, if a patchwork of Amazon tax decisions are allowed to stand without judicial or legislative intervention, it will only further confuse an issue that is begging for a national solution.


text:
Early this morning, 30,000 players logged into the MMO AdventureQuest Worlds to find that the entire game had been converted to black and white. Free to play games have to cut costs somewhere, so replacing 16 million colors with an 8-bit palette should help.
"Players were presented a message that the game forgot to pay its color bill," said Adam Bohn, CEO and Founder of AdventureQuest Worlds. "The staff is working hard to restore color to the game as soon as possible."
It is April Fool's Day, and Artix Entertainment, the force behind crazy web games, has released a new April Fool's joke every year since it was founded in 2002. In previous years, Artix turned every player into a Moderator, replaced the entire game with doodle sketches, and swapped out monsters and in-game NPCs with Mechs from its fantasy giant-robot battling game. Check out the full list at: www.aq.com/gamedesignnotes .


text:
I listen to some podcasts. I thought I'd tell you which ones because I'm nice, like.
Iain Lee on Absolute Radio
Iain Lee is sadly no longer on the radio, but you can still get podcasts of his manic phone-in show (technical term.)
Being a late night show, there are a lot of nutters. For years it was the best thing on the radio, Iain Lee is a master of his craft. Well worth a listen.
iTunes link / non-iTunes link / archives


text:
OSI Creative Completes Purchase of New Dimensions Research Corp. Assets
OSI Creative expands its presence on the East Coast Irvine, Calif., February 11, 2019…..OSI Creative, a leading provider of global supply chain managed solutions for point-of-purchase (POP) displays, consumer product packaging and branded merchandise programs, today...
OSI is Named in 2018s Top 50 POP Companies for 6th Time
OSI Creative Recognized as One of Creative Magazine's 2018 Top 50 POP Companies Leading point-of-purchase solutions provider honored for the sixth consecutive year Irvine, Calif., July 9, 2018…..OSI Creative, a leading provider of global supply chain managed solutions...
OSI Creative – Building Brands, Growing Business
Our in-house creative and production team will work closely with you to create a high-impact design that will help you gain the competitive edge needed to surpass your rivals. To this end, our list of comprehensive services include:
Branded environments
These displays provide shoppers with the opportunity to touch and learn about your brand.
Permanent displays
Using creative design, thorough research, and budget conscious engineering, our experts will create a unique and effective permanent display and fixture for your specific retail location.
Interactive displays
When incorporated into your POS system, these displays will boost customer engagement and your revenue.
Temporary displays
Perfect for use at retail stores where your brand is popular, these affordable displays will easily capture and keep the attention of your audience.
Great packaging is what helps your brand stand out amidst a sea of other similar products. But, getting this component right isn't always easy. This is where we come in – we have over 30 years of experience in this field and we know what works. Whether you are interested in folding cartons or blister packaging, we can help you find an affordable, innovative, and comprehensive solution that will elevate your brand and leave your competitors reeling.
Branded Merchandise
Today's competitive business market requires a creative approach and busy entrepreneurs don't always have the time needed to do this right. But, with our help, this is no longer a problem. We have been in business for over 30 years and our time-tested, creative, and compelling solutions can help you reach your business goals. From innovative catalogs to innovative merchandising systems to comprehensive order processing and fulfillment services, we will do the hard work for you. In this way, you have the time needed to focus on other important aspects of your business.
Retail Solutions
Innovative packaging, display, and branded merchandise solutions have been proven to increase brand awareness and sales. To help you in this respect, our retail solutions department seamlessly integrates traditional POP displays and consumer goods packaging with custom products to boost revenue and get your products off the shelves. We also offer specialty product marketing programs, these comprehensive solutions will give you the added boost you need to raise your brand above the rest of the pack.
Since 1984 OSI has been a world leader in providing customized, award winning, supply chain managed solutions for displays, packaging, and promotional products through effective communication, dedication, and teamwork.


text:
Joist Setter is very similar to another occupation for which we have
a full profile.
Check out our full profile for:
Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.
Apprentice, Iron Worker
Apprentice, Ornamental Iron Worker
Apprentice, Ornamental Metal Erector
Apprentice, Structural Iron Worker
Apprentice, Structural Steel Worker
Assembler, Metal Buildings
Billboard Erector
Billboard Installer
Bridge Maintainer
Erector, Structural Steel
Fitter / Welder
Fitter, Structural Steel
Guard Rail Installer
Guzzler Builder
Iron Erector
Iron Setter
Iron Worker
Ironworker, Construction, Buildings
Ironworker, Structural Steel
Joist Setter
Layout Worker
Mechanic, Awnings
Mechanic, Billboard
Metal Tank Erector
Metal Trim Erector
Oil Field Rig Builder
Ornamental Iron Erector
Ornamental Ironworker
Ornamental Metal Worker
Playground Equipment Erector
Sheet Ironworker
Sign Board Erector
Sign Builder
Sign Erector
Sign Hanger
Sign Installer
Steel Construction Worker
Steel Erector
Steel Fabricator
Steel Fitter
Steel Hanger
Steel Layout Worker
Steel Rigger
Steel Worker
Structural Iron Erector
Structural Ironworker
Structural Layout Worker
Structural Metal Worker
Structural Rigger
Structural Steel Erector
Structural Steel Fitter
Structural Steel Worker Apprentice
Structural Worker
Tank Builder, Metal
Tank Erector, Metal
Tank Setter
Tower Hand


text:
Township fire in South Africa kills 3
South African media say three people died and 4,000 were displaced when fires swept through shacks in poor settlements in the Cape Town area on New Year's Day.
Citing disaster management officials, the South African Press Association says the blazes broke out in Khayelitsha and Thembeni, densely populated areas where many residents live in makeshift homes.
The worst fire started just before 5 a.m. in Khayelitsha, when many people were still asleep. Three people died, and another suffered serious burns and was taken to a hospital.
The causes of the fires are under investigation.


text:
The Internet of Things: Coming soon to a park near you
Soon enough, everything from espresso machines to city transit systems will be connected. Traditionally "dumb" objects like doors, heaters, and dishwashers will come online, much like computers did with the advent of the internet.
The implications are huge. Cities will be smarter, using the GPS data from your phone to coordinate traffic patterns and ease congestion. Homes will be automated, with thermostats that respond to your presence and fridges that know when you're out of milk.
At least, that's the promise of the "Internet of Things."
Cisco predicts that by 2020, the number of "things" connected to the internet will exceed 50 billion. Others feel that estimate is modest. But whatever the reality may be in 2020, here in 2014, progress is slow. Most people have only heard of the Internet of Things in passing, and couldn't describe it if you asked them.
But one Cambridge startup is fed up with all the talk, and wants to start building these smart cities we've always dreamed of, one "thing" at a time.
Changing Environments, an offshoot of MIT's famed Media Lab, recently released the Soofa—a smarter take on the age-old park bench. It's a connected, solar-powered bench that can charge any USB-connected device. iPhones, Android tablets, Kindles, and even digital cameras are all welcome. The only caveat is that users have to bring their own cables.
The first Soofa was unveiled at the White House last month, and since then more than a dozen have been planted in and around Boston, with each averaging about 17 charges per day. Changing Environments has roughly 100 more benches ready to go, and has its sights set on Europe and Asia as well.
But the ability to charge your phone from a solar-powered park bench is just the tip of the iceberg. Soofa's promise—and the reason it's seen as an early, real-world example of the Internet of Things—is its connectivity.
Each of the high-tech benches connects wirelessly to the internet to upload environmental data (like noise levels and air quality) directly to Soofa's website.
"We can measure how much solar power is generated, exactly how much shadow falls on the panels, and how many people are charging per day," Soofa co-founder Sandra Richter told us.
All of that information is what drives—or will drive—the Internet of Things. The ability to accumulate environmental data and remotely translate it into useful information is the backbone of the smart city concept. And Richter thinks it's about time we start taking that concept seriously—not just in Boston, but everywhere.
"There's no smart infrastructure in the city at the moment," she says, adding that smart traffic lights and even solar-powered trash compacters are notable but hardly transformative. "[Soofa] is a first step in terms of smart urban furniture."
This initial stage is critical to the success of Soofa, smart home gadgets, and ultimately the entire Internet of Things. It's about discovering what people really want from these smart devices.
"It's also just an exploration platform to see what sensors makes sense, what people really want to know, and how can we make it as social as possible so that it's actually meaningful to people," Richter adds.
Soofa has the backing of big names like Cisco, Verizon, and MIT, but it's still just one "thing" in a vast urban ecosystem of dumb, disconnected devices. Even trying to conceptualize the vast infrastructural changes needed to make the smart city concept a reality is overwhelming. But that's why early innovators like Soofa are so important.
"I think that it's time that we stopped talking about the Internet of Things and just do it," Richter says. "For us, this is a first step toward connectivity that makes sense."


text: Arien's work is a testament to the Western-Middle Eastern dialectic and explores his identity of an Iranian—American through his work in the hybridization of Orientalist mystique and Western aesthetics, pointing to the non—essentiality of each culture. The artist "Islamisizes" the Western pop comic in his latest works entitled Passions in the Sand: A Terrorist Romance Novel, de—familiarizing the Western viewer in their own form, revealing social and political function in the everyday. This is then deconstructed further through the "blowing up" as the artist puts it, of the novel into collages, suggesting the aftermath of a fragmentation, abstraction, commensurate to the language of colonialism. Arien Valizadeh consciously fulfills the exotic Orientalist demand within the Western framework, much like the unobtrusive Arabic boy knows of his "act" in a Sunny Delight commercial. Arien Valizadeh has shown work in galleries across the U.S. and exhibited his first solo show at the RVCA gallery in SF.


text:
Slow Summits is the culmination of all the music The Pastels have been engaged in since their 1997 set, Illumination. Not quite as shadowy a presence as sometimes suggested, their music has continued to grow by way of other activities; a well regarded film soundtrack (The Last Great Wilderness, Geographic, 2003), some theatre pieces (for 12 Stars) and a collaboration with Japan's Tenniscoats (Two Sunsets, Geographic, 2009). Slow Summits gathers on all these works but moves off in newer and older ways too with its flowing montage of autumn instrumentals, pop songs, slow motion build ups and suddenly optimistic melody lines.
Recorded in Glasgow by John McEntire and Bal Cooke, and mixed in Chicago by McEntire, Slow Summits features the core Pastels lineup of Stephen McRobbie, Katrina Mitchell, Tom Crossley, Gerard Love, Alison Mitchell and John Hogarty. Guests include original member Annabel Wright (Aggi) and Norman Blake. Two-thirds of To Rococo Rot (Stefan Schneider and Ronald Lippok) contribute and Tenniscoats too. Kicking Leaves features a memorable string arrangement from Craig Armstrong, the Glasgow-based composer. It features a two drum sets approach to music, a love of elongated jams and the turnaround.
- The Pastels share details of European shows
- The Pastels 'Summer Rain' cassette for Cassette Store Day
- Pastelism Update
- The Pastels Insane Energy Drop Competition
- The Pastels share video for 'Check My Heart'
- The Pastels 'Check My Heart'
- Pastelism 2013
- The Pastels - Slow Summits trailer
- The Pastels Play Bush Hall in November
- Pastels concert with To Rococo Rot, new album.
This band shares a member with The Nu Forest and Sandy Dirt. This artist is a collaboration with Pastels and Tenniscoats.


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Stages II-III Multiple Myeloma
Stage II or III multiple myeloma is characterized by an intermediate or high amount of cancer in the body. Patients with these stages of multiple myeloma typically have bone complications as a result of their disease and usually experience symptoms that require treatment.
With current therapy, curing patients with multiple myeloma is uncommon; recent advances in treatment, however, have prolonged survival by several years. The only potentially curative treatment for multiple myeloma remains high-dose therapy followed by a stem cell transplant using donor cells (allogeneic stem cell transplant). This treatment, however, is associated with significant side effects and is only appropriate for younger patients or those who have failed other therapies.
There are a large number of effective chemotherapy drugs now available for initial, standard-dose treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. The main goal of initial therapy of multiple myeloma is to produce a complete or near complete disappearance of myeloma cells in the body. Approximately 30-50% of patients can expect to achieve this goal.
About this Treatment Information
The following is a general overview of conventional and investigative treatments for stage II-III multiple myeloma. Cancer treatment may consist of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, high-dose therapy and stem cell transplant, or a combination of these treatment techniques. Combining two or more of these treatment techniques has become an important approach for increasing a patient's chance of cure and prolonging survival.
In some cases, participation in a clinical trial utilizing new, innovative therapies may provide the most promising treatment. Treatments that may be available through clinical trials are discussed in the section titled Strategies to Improve Treatment.
Circumstances unique to each patient's situation influence which treatment or treatments are utilized. The potential benefits of combination treatment, participation in a clinical trial, or standard treatment must be carefully balanced with the potential risks. The information on this website is intended to help educate patients about their treatment options and to facilitate a mutual or shared decision-making process with their treating cancer physician.
Planning Treatment for Multiple Myeloma
Before beginning treatment for multiple myeloma your physician may discuss with you the option of undergoing high-dose chemotherapy with an autologous stem cell transplant, which utilizes the patient's own stem cells. Most of the clinical trials conducted over the past two decades have shown that patients who undergo autologous stem cell transplantation after they have achieved a remission with conventional chemotherapy are more likely to experience a prolonged time to disease progression compared to patients who undergo only conventional therapy.
It is important discuss the possibility of a future autologous stem cell transplant at the time of diagnosis because stem cells have to be collected and frozen early in the disease course even if the treatment plan involves reserving the transplant for treatment after the disease recurs.
The other reason it is important to have this discussion is that opting to plan for an autologous stem cell transplant determines which chemotherapy drugs will make up the initial treatment. Alkeran® (melphalan) damages stem cells making collection difficult or impossible. Thus, patients who elect to have stem cells collected and stored are frequently treated with a Thalomid® (thalidomide)-based regimen that does not include Alkeran. Patients who elect not to receive a stem cell transplant, or who are not candidates for stem cell transplantation because of advanced age or poor health, are often treated with an Alkeran-based regimen.
Standard-Dose Systemic Therapy for Multiple Myeloma
Most patients with stage II or III multiple myeloma will initially receive standard-dose chemotherapy. The main goal of initial treatment is to induce a complete or near complete disappearance of myeloma cells, and this treatment is sometimes referred to as induction therapy. The selection of initial therapy depends largely on patient age and general medical condition. Patients in good health irrespective of age are often treated aggressively to produce a complete remission while more debilitated patients receive less aggressive therapy at the beginning of treatment.
There are a large number of chemotherapy drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for initial treatment of multiple myeloma, including the following:
- Prednisone
- Dexamethasone
- Alkeran® (melphalan)
- Adriamycin® (doxorubicin)
- Oncovin® (vincristine)
- Thalomid® (thalidomide)
- Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide)
- Velcade® (bortezomib)
These agents are usually administered in combination with other drugs. Some of the common combinations include:
- Thalomid and dexamethasone
- MP (Alkeran and prednisone)
- MP plus Velcade
- MP plus Thalomid
- VAD (Oncovin, Adriamycin and dexamethasone)
- Cytoxan, Thalomid and dexamethasone
Thalomid-based therapy: Currently more than 70% of newly diagnosed patients receive a combination that includes Thalomid. Results of clinical trials indicate that combination treatment with Thalomid and dexamethasone produces anticancer responses in approximately two-thirds of patients, which is significantly improved over dexamethasone treatment alone.1,2
Alkeran-based therapy: Prior to the widespread use of Thalomid the most frequently used regimens were Alkeran and prednisone and Oncovin, Adriamycin and dexamethasone (VAD).3 Alkeran-based therapy is still the most common treatment for patients who do not plan to undergo autologous stem cell transplant at some point in their disease course.
Alkeran and prednisone has been shown to produce anticancer responses in more than half of patients (60%), and that response lasts for a year and a half, on average. Patients typically survive two to three years after treatment with Alkeran and prednisone.4 While patients may respond more quickly to combination chemotherapy such as VAD, overall, anticancer responses are the same with Alkeran and prednisone.5
Alkeran, prednisone, and Velcade: A benefit of Velcade among patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma was demonstrated by the phase III VISTA trial. Study participants received treatment with either MP (Alkeran and prednisone) alone or MP plus Velcade. A complete response (complete disappearance of detectable myeloma) occurred in 30% of patients treated with MP plus Velcade, but only 4% of patients treated with MP alone. Patients treated with Velcade also had better progression-free survival.6
Alkeran, prednisone, and Thalomid (MPT): The addition of Thalomid to Alkeran/prednisone appears to produce quick and lasting anticancer responses in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Clinical trial results indicate that patients responded to MPT treatment within four months and nearly three-quarters of patients experienced a partial or near-complete disappearance of their myeloma. Approximately nine out of 10 patients (91%) survived two years or more after treatment.7
The addition of Thalomid to Alkeran/prednisone also appears to improve outcomes in the treatment of elderly patients compared to Alkeran/prednisone alone. More than three-quarters (76%) of patients treated with the three-drug combination experienced complete or partial remissions compared to less than half (47.6%) of patients treated with Alkeran/prednisone.8
MPT also appears to produce longer survival compared to intermediate-dose Alkeran followed by autologous stem cell transplantation in the treatment of elderly patients with multiple myeloma.
High-dose Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant for Multiple Myeloma
High doses of chemotherapy are more effective at killing cancer cells than lower doses. However, high-dose therapy destroys many other cells in the body. A dangerous side effect of administering high-dose therapy is damage to the stem cells in the bone marrow that develop into mature blood cells. Without functioning stem cells in the bone marrow, the body cannot produce red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets, which leaves patients vulnerable to infection and bleeding, and unable to supply adequate oxygen to their tissues.
However, bone marrow function can be restored after high-dose therapy by replacing the damaged stem cells with healthy ones. This is a procedure known as a stem cell transplant.
There are two possible sources of stem cells for transplantation; they may be collected from the patient prior to undergoing high-dose therapy or they may be collected from a donor. A stem cell transplant that utilizes the patient's own cells is called an autologous stem cell transplant. When the stem cells are from a donor the procedure is called an allogeneic stem cell transplant.
High-dose therapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) is a standard approach to treating patients with stage II or III multiple myeloma. Following an initial ASCT, some patients may benefit from a second ASCT. This is known as a tandem, or double, transplant. Studies have suggested that patients who do not achieve a complete or very good anti-cancer response to the first ASCT are the most likely to benefit from a second ASCT.9
In general, autologous transplants are performed much more frequently than allogeneic transplants. This is due to the fact that there are relatively few patients with suitable donors and because allogeneic transplants are associated with more treatment-related complications. In an attempt to reduce treatment-related side effects which can be significant, some researchers have explored the role of reduced-intensity (RIC) allogeneic stem cell transplantation. This approach carries a lower risk than conventional allogeneic stem cell transplant, but has also been linked with a higher risk of relapse.10 Nevertheless, one small study has reported that ASCT followed by RIC allogeneic stem cell transplantation resulted in better overall survival than tandem ASCT.11
Initial High-Dose Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant or Wait Until After Relapse?
ASCT is a treatment that is often reserved until multiple myeloma recurs after initial treatment or progresses with treatment. Results of clinical trials indicate that patients did not live longer if they opted for this treatment early in their disease course as opposed to waiting until their myeloma recurred. 1213 Based on these findings, a recent review of multiple myeloma concluded that the timing of ASCT "is based on patient and physician preference and the ability to cryopreserve stem cells."9 A potential advantage of early ASCT is that it involves a shorter duration of chemotherapy.
It is important to note that undergoing transplantation later in the treatment strategy is more likely to be successful if it is planned for. Stem cells must be collected prior to any other initial treatment because the bone marrow becomes damaged even with conventional-dose chemotherapy.
Supportive Care: Managing the Side Effects of Myeloma
The treatment of multiple myeloma is focused on treating the underlying disease (the increased number of abnormal plasma cells). Managing the symptoms and other medical problems resulting from the increased numbers of plasma cells and abnormal proteins is equally important.
The following complications of multiple myeloma have specific treatments available:
- Bone complications
- Hypercalcemia
- Decreased blood cell production
- Anemia
- Infection
- Kidney dysfunction
Bone complications: In 70% of multiple myeloma cases, the bones develop multiple holes, which explains why the disease is referred to as "multiple" myeloma. The holes are referred to as osteolytic lesions, which cause the bones to be fragile and subject to fractures. Osteolytic lesions are caused by the rapid growth of myeloma cells, which push aside normal bone-forming cells, preventing them from repairing general wear and tear of the bones. Under normal circumstances, cells called osteoclasts destroy dead and dying bone. Multiple myeloma causes the secretion of osteoclast-activating factor, a substance that stimulates osteoclasts.
Multiple myeloma involving the bone can cause pain, fracture and other significant problems for patients. Management of bone involvement is an integral part of the overall treatment strategy for multiple myeloma. The first objective of treatment of bone complications is to prevent new bone disease from developing or progression from existing bone lesions to occur.
Bisphosphonate drugs can effectively prevent loss of bone that occurs from metastatic lesions, reduce the risk of fractures, and decrease pain. Bisphosphonate drugs work by inhibiting bone resorption, or breakdown. Bone is constantly being "remodeled" by two types of cells: osteoclasts, which break down bone; and osteoblasts, which rebuild bone. Although the exact process by which bisphosphonates work is not completely understood, it is thought that bisphosphonates inhibit osteoclasts and induce apoptosis (cell death) in these cells, thereby reducing bone loss. There is also evidence that these drugs bind to bone, thereby blocking osteoclasts from breaking down bone.
Bisphosphonate drugs that are FDA-approved for the treatment of cancer-related skeletal complications include Zometa® (zoledronic acid) and Aredia® (pamidronate). Of these two drugs, Zometa appears to demonstrate the strongest activity. An added benefit of Zometa is that it is administered in a dose ten times lower than Aredia, which considerably reduces the administration time from several hours to 15 minutes, resulting in a more convenient regimen for patients.
Patients with progressive bone involvement from multiple myeloma may experience worsening pain and/or fracture of the bone from the progressive cancer. Low-dose radiation therapy, as well as analgesics, can help control the pain from bone progression of multiple myeloma.
To learn more about bone complications and bone health, go to the Bone Complications and Cancer.
Hypercalcemia: Many multiple myeloma patients develop hypercalcemia, which is an increased level of calcium in the bloodstream. Hypercalcemia results from the destruction of bone from osteolytic lesions or sometimes from the development of generalized osteoporosis, in which all the bones are soft and porous and have lost calcium. Hypercalcemia in patients with multiple myeloma causes fatigue, lethargy and other symptoms. Severe hypercalcemia is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. Typically, hypercalcemia is treated with bisphosphonates and hydration.
Decreased blood cell production: The multiplication of the plasma cells in the bone marrow eventually crowds out and suppresses the normal production of blood cells. This may cause a significant decrease in red blood cells, causing anemia; in platelets, causing abnormal bleeding and in white blood cells, causing neutropenia.
Anemia: Anemia, or a decrease in the red blood cell hemoglobin concentration necessary for the transport of oxygen to the body's organs, is a common complication of multiple myeloma. Anemia may cause patients to experience tiredness, fatigue, shortness of breath and/or a reduced tolerance to activity. Anemia resulting from multiple myeloma can often be treated with erythropoietin (Procrit® (epoetin alfa) or Aranesp® (darbepoetin alfa). To learn more, go to Anemia.
Infections: The depletion of normal white blood cells compromises the patient's immunity in several ways. First, the number of monocytes and granulocytes are greatly reduced so that the patient is at risk from infections. Second, the delicate and complex balance between the different types of lymphocytes is distorted. Patients with multiple myeloma often have reduced levels of normal immunoglobulin necessary to fight certain types of infections. Patients experiencing recurrent infections may need to have immunoglobulin levels replenished. Patients who experience recurrent infections may want to ask their physician about immunoglobulin replacement therapy. To learn more, go to Neutropenia.
Kidney dysfunction: In 75% of patients, the plasma cells also produce monoclonal incomplete immunoglobulins, called light chains. These are excreted in the urine and are the so-called Bence Jones proteins. Bence Jones proteins are named after a British physician, Henry Bence Jones (1813-1873), who first discovered them. Bence Jones proteins may deposit in the kidney, clogging the tubules. Ultimately, this damages the kidney and can cause renal failure. Hypercalcemia may exacerbate kidney problems because excess calcium in the bloodstream causes excessive fluid loss and dehydration. Because the abnormal proteins produced by the plasma cells are eliminated from the body through the urine, they may accumulate in the kidneys and cause kidney dysfunction. In addition to treating the underlying cancer, it is important for patients to maintain adequate oral intake of fluids to help avoid kidney failure and avoid using over-the-counter medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can worsen kidney function.
Strategies to Improve Treatment
The development of more effective cancer treatments requires that new and innovative therapies be evaluated with cancer patients. Clinical trials are studies that evaluate the effectiveness of new drugs or treatment strategies. Future progress in the treatment of multiple myeloma will result from the continued evaluation of new treatments in clinical trials.
Patients may gain access to better treatments by participating in a clinical trial. Participation in a clinical trial also contributes to the cancer community's understanding of optimal cancer care and may lead to better standard treatments. Patients who are interested in participating in a clinical trial should discuss the risks and benefits of clinical trials with their physician. Areas of active investigation aimed at improving the treatment of stage II-III multiple myeloma include the following:
New Targeted Therapy
Revlimid® (lenalidomide): Revlimid is a derivative of thalidomide which has shown significant activity for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The combination of Revlimid and dexamethasone has been shown to be effective in previously-treated myeloma patients, and studies suggest that this combination may have a role in induction therapy as well.14 In this setting, the combination of Revlimid with low-dose dexamethasone appears to result in better survival than the combination of Revlimid with high-dose dexamethasone.
Revlimid is also approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for patients who have failed one line of therapy and will probably be approved in the near future for first-line therapy.
New Combinations of Drugs:
The identification of new drugs with activity against multiple myeloma raises the question of whether new combinations of drugs will increase response rates and survival. For example, Velcade – a drug approved for both first-line and subsequent treatment of multiple myeloma – has demonstrated effectiveness when combined with Alkeran and predisone in patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma. Promising results have also been observed for Velcade in combination with Thalomid and dexamethasone prior to stem cell transplantation.15
The role of ASCT in the Era of New Drugs:
Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a standard treatment for many patients with multiple myeloma. Nevertheless, the role of ASCT in the era of newer drugs such as Thalomid, Velcade and Revlimid is unclear. New combinations of drugs may further improve the results of ASCT, or may eventually replace ASCT in the initial treatment of multiple myeloma.16
More Individualized Treatment
There is no longer a "one-size-fits-all" approach to cancer treatment. Even among patients with the same type of cancer, the behavior of the cancer and its response to treatment can vary widely. By exploring the reasons for this variation, researchers have begun to pave the way for more personalized cancer treatment. It is becoming increasingly clear that specific characteristics of cancer cells and cancer patients can have a profound impact on prognosis and treatment outcome. Although factoring these characteristics into treatment decisions makes cancer care more complex, it also offers the promise of improved outcomes.
In the case of myeloma, specific chromosomal changes can be used to identify patients with "high-risk" myeloma. These high-risk patients have relatively poor survival even with ASCT, and may be candidates for alternative approaches to treatment.17
1 Weber D, Rankin K, Gavino M, et al. Thalidomide alone or with dexamethasone for previously untreated multiple myeloma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2003;21:16-19.
2 Rajkumar SV, Blood E, Vesole D, et al. Phase III clinical trial of thalidomide plus dexamethasone compared with dexamethasone alone in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a clinical trial coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006;24(3):431-6.
3Alexanian R, Dimopoulos M. The treatment of multiple myeloma. New England Journal of Medicine. 1994;330:484-489.
4 Gregory WM, Richards MA, Malpas JS, Combination chemotherapy vs. melphalan and prednisolone in the treatment of multiple myeloma: An overview of published trials. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 1992;10:334-342.
5 Gregory WM, Richards MA, Mlpas JS. Combination chemotherapy vs. melphalan and prednisolone in the treatment of multiple myeloma: An overview of published trials. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 1992;10:334-342.
6Millennium Pharmaceuticals. FDA approves Velcade® (bortezomib) for injection for patients with previously untreated multiple myeloma. Available at: https://investor.millennium.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=80159&p=irol-newsmediaArticle&ID=1168334&highlight=. Accessed June 2008.
7 Palumbo A, Bertola A, Musto P et al. Oral Melphalan, Prednisone, and Thalidomide for Newly Diagnosed Patients with Myeloma. Cancer. 2005;104:1428-33.
8 Palumbo A, Bringhen S, Caravita T, et al. Oral melphalan and prednisone chemotherapy plus thalidomide compared with melphalan and prednisone alone in elderly patients with multiple myeloma: randomized controlled trial. The Lancet. 2006;367:825-831.
9 Kyle RA, Rajkumar SV. Multiple Myeloma. Blood. 2008;111:2962-2972.
10 Harousseau J-L. Role of stem cell transplantation. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2007;21:1157-1174.
11 Bruno B, Rotta M, Patriarca F et al. A comparison of allografting with autografting for newly diagnosed myeloma. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1110-1120.
12 Fermand J-P, Ravaud P, Chevret S, et al. High-Dose Therapy and Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: UP-Front or Rescue Treatments? Results of a Multicenter Sequential Randomized Trial. Blood. 1998;92:3131-3136.
13 Barlogie B, Kyle RA, Anderson KC et al. Standard chemotherapy compared with high-dose chemoradiotherapy for multiple myeloma: final results of phase III US Intergroup Trial S9321. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2006;24:929-936.
14 Rajkumar SV, Jacobus S, Callander N et al. A randomized trial of lenalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone (RD) versus lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone(Rd) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (E4A03): a trial coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, Atlanta, Georgia, December 8-11, 2007. Abstract 74.
15Cavo M, Patriarca F, Tacchetti P et al. Bortezomib (Velcade®)-thalidomide-dexamethasone (VTD) vs thalidomide-dexamethasone (TD) in preparation for autologous stem-cell (SC) transplantation (ASCT) in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology, Atlanta, Georgia, December 8-11, 2007. Abstract 73.
16 Attal M, Harousseau J-L. Role of autologous stem-cell transplantation in multiple myeloma. Best Practice & Research Clinical Haematology. 2007;20:747-759.
17 Dispenzieri A, Rajkumar SV, Gertz MA et al. Treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma based on Mayo Stratification of Myeloma and Risk-adapted Therapy (mSMART): consensus statement. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2007;82:323-341.
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David W. Scheller 1954 - 2008 Basehor
Services for David W. Scheller, 54, of Basehor, were Tuesday Sept. 23, at Alden-Harrington Funeral Home, Bonner Springs, with burial in the Mt. Muncie Cemetery, Lansing.
Mr. Scheller died Saturday Sept. 20, 2008, at his home.
He was born Jan. 20, 1954 in Leavenworth, the son of Edward and Betty (Van Tuyl) Scheller.
Mr. Scheller had worked at the Kansas City Star, Spotle$$-Cleanup, and most recently as a truck driver for Schneider National, a job that became his passion.
Survivors include his wife of 27 years, Carolyn Scheller of the home; four children, Vanessa Moloney, Olathe, Andrea Irons Kansas City, Mo., Edward, Shawnee, and Keith, of the home; his mother, Betty Scheller, Basehor; a brother, Larry, Tonganoxie; and two grandsons.
Arr.: Alden-Harrington Funeral Home, Bonner Springs.
- E-mail this obituary
- Contact Alden-Harrington Funeral Home by phone: 913-422-4074


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BANGKOK - Foreign Affairs in Ottawa has confirmed reports that a Canadian has died in Thailand.
The Bangkok Post reported on its website that a Canadian man was found in a Bangkok hotel room this week along with an Australian national.
The Post said police discovered several bottles of alcohol and a "white powder" believed to be a drug in their room.
Thai police say it's believed the two died of a drug overdose, adding that an autopsy is being done to confirm cause of death. They say tests have also been ordered to identify the white powder.
In a statement Friday night, Foreign Affairs said only that Canadian consular officials were in contact with local authorities to gather information, and were providing assistance to the family of a Canadian citizen who passed away in Thailand.
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Experimental Drug Trains Immune System to Shrink Tumors
Drug targets the immune system, shrinking tumors in hard-to-treat cancers.
June 2, 2012 -- An experimental cancer drug successfully shrank tumors in patients with different kinds of cancer, including typically hard-to-treat lung cancers, according to a new study. Oncologists said the research was encouraging, but more study was needed to know whether the drug would prolong life for cancer patients.
The study, led by Dr. Suzanne Topalian, was presented today at the Super Bowl of cancer professionals, a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
In a small, early phase study, researchers used a drug targeting a portion of the body's immune system, a pathway called PD-1, which usually works to stop the body from fighting cancerous tumors. By shutting down the pathway, the drug stokes the body's immune system to fight tumor cells.
Researchers gave the drug to nearly 240 patients with advanced melanoma, colorectal, prostate, kidney and lung cancers. All the patients had tried up to five other treatments, which failed. After up to two years on the drug, tumors shrank in 26 of 94 patients with melanoma, nine of 33 patients with kidney cancer and 14 of 76 patients with lung cancer.
The drug was not without side effects. About 14 percent of patients in the trial reported conditions such as skin rashes, diarrhea or breathing problems.
Alan Kravitz, 70, took the drug for two years to treat his melanoma, which had been diagnosed in the spring of 2007. He said the drug gave him a sunburn that lasted for two months and some mild fatigue. But the tumors that had spread to his lungs were gone.
"My first CT scans showed that the tumors in my lungs basically disappeared," he said. "It enabled my own immune system to kill the tumors. Quite an amazing drug."
Cancer specialists said the fact that the drug caused tumors to shrink, rather than simply to stop growing, is an important measure of success.
"Traditionally in cancer medicine, a tumor that shrinks is an indication that you're killing the cancer," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology and oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La.
To see that kind of success against several different kinds of cancer, particularly against melanoma, kidney and lung cancers, which are notoriously unresponsive to many of the usual treatments doctors use to thwart them, was also unusual,.
David Gobin, 62, a retired Baltimore police officer, underwent nearly three years of unsuccessful chemotherapy and radiation for his lung cancer before taking the drug in February 2011. Now, he said his tumors hadn't totally disappeared, but they are much smaller than they were.
"How lucky can a person be? This is better than anything that I have had before," Grobin said.
"To see this kind of response in cancers that are so difficult to treat is very encouraging," said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.
The study did not show whether patients lived longer after taking the drug, but experts said early phases of drug trials typically aren't designed to determine improvements in survival. As scientists study the drug in larger numbers of patients for longer periods of time, the drug's success in prolonging life for cancer patients will become clearer.
Lichtenfeld also noted that early trials of drugs are intended to show whether a drug is safe, and don't usually find impressive numbers of patients who respond to the drug. To see those numbers emerging early in drug trials is encouraging, he said.
The difference in the drug's early success may lie in the approach it takes in delivering targeted cancer therapy. Cancer researchers have been chasing more targeted ways to deliver cancer treatments for decades now, in search of a method more refined than the "slash, burn and poison" approaches available with traditional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Usually, targeted therapies home in on a particular part of the cancer itself – a particular kind of cell or a process vital to a tumor's survival.
The current drug is a different because it targets the body's own immune system, training it to recognize tumor cells as foreign, malicious agents.
"In spite of everything we've done so far with cancer drugs, chemotherapy and the rest, what could be more powerful than having the body's own immune system attack the cancer?" said Dr. Roy Herbst, chief of medical oncology at Yale Cancer Center.
Still, doctors remain cautiously optimistic about the drug's early promise.
"In all new studies, there's usually a lot of optimism and hope, but this should all be tempered with a dose of realism," Brooks said. "What's initially reported may not necessarily pan out with time."


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Welcome to the City of Waterbury website. We are constantly striving to keep the website fresh and technologically advanced in order to provide solid two-way communications between our city government and our citizens. Within this site you will find information on events, services, available commercial properties plus efficient ways to interact with government, all in an easy-to-navigate format. Please feel free to leave your comments and questions here at any time. You can expect a response. Thank you for visiting our city website.
In observance of Memorial Day, Monday May 25 2020 the following schedule changes will be in effect for the Bureau of Refuse.
No trash or recycling collection on Monday. Normal Monday collections will occur on Tuesday and Tuesday collection will occur on Wednesday.
There will be no Yard Waste collection this week. Yard Waste will be collected on June 3rd.
The Mark Lane Transfer Facility will be closed on Saturday May 23rd and re-open Tuesday May26th.


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Sounds good. I will attempt to make it out there! =)
Have a great one. Roderick
Sorry about not being where I said we would be. I dont drive the buss. lol We also will not be ther tonight as our friends live off Moss and Dolphin.(basically a mile away) I do know for sure that we will be at the store on Friday 12-11-09. As we are starting a new game.
Hi there! My name is Tery and we will be playing at Diehard Games 1667 s. Hwy 17-92 Longwood. From 7pm till midnight. And again (maybe) on Saturday same time. You are more than welcome to come meet&greet the group. I personaly am interested in Pathfinder and LFR. But we all pretty much play 4e right now.
Special Guest


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Chris Elsberry \ Blake staying involved with tennis, looking forward to New Haven return
Recommended Video:
After putting your heart and soul into something for 14 years, after practicing for thousands of hours and traveling hundreds of thousands of miles playing in tennis tournaments all over the world, you cannot simply just walk away when you decide it's time to retire.
James Blake understands this.
Last September, at age 33, he said goodbye to the grind -- and man, it was a grind -- of ATP Tour tennis. But he didn't just walk away. His body might have said thank you for the rest and recovery, but his mind, and more importantly, Blake's heart, said, "What are you doing?" And over the winter as he enjoyed time with his wife, Emily, his daughter, Riley and waited for his second daughter, Emma, to come into the world, Blake tested the waters of other aspects of the sport.
And you know what? Those waters felt pretty good.
Over the past few months, in between Emma's diaper changes, Blake has stayed involved by playing the occasional TeamTennis match with the Springfield (Mo.) Lasers. He also played some Champion Series matches against guys like John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Pete Sampras. He's been working with up-and-coming American player Jack Sock and preparing for his upcoming "Legend" matches with Courier and Andy Roddick in a couple of weeks at the Connecticut Open in New Haven.
"I've retired from competitive tennis, but really, it's part of a transition to whatever the next part of my career is going to be," Blake said in a recent phone interview. "Right now, that's playing some exhibitions. The PowerShares (Seniors) Tour was a great time. TeamTennis ... I've been doing since my first year on Tour and I love it.
"I'm helping out Jack as well and that's been a great experience for me, to help a young player. I definitely love still being involved in tennis. I just don't exactly know how I'll be involved in it the rest of my life, but I love still being a part of it. It's the sport I grew up playing, it's what I love. It's what brought my family together. It's just been a huge part of my life and always will be."
At the Connecticut Tennis Center, Blake will return to the place where he won his second ATP Tour title -- the 2005 Pilot Pen, in case you were wondering -- and will go against Courier on Aug. 21 and Roddick on Aug. 22. The pair of exhibition matches might bring the J Block, Blake's contingent of fans, back out in force and get the CTC rocking like it hasn't been in years.
"I really think it's going to be a lot of fun," Blake said. "I was pretty heartbroken when the tournament went back to being just women, but I understood the economics and everything of it & but for me, it was a great event. I loved playing close to home, the J Block came out. It was crazy and a lot of fun.
"Anne Worcester is, in my opinion, the best tournament director out there. She came up with this idea to make it possible for the guys to come back and we can play as seniors and hopefully we'll get some crazy and raucous fans coming out. It might not be the same exact intensity on the court, but we're going to have some fun and we're going to hopefully put on a pretty good show." Especially against Roddick, who, according to Blake, still has a ton of competitive drive flowing through his veins.
"He doesn't like to lose," Blake said. "We've actually practiced a couple of times in L.A., and he still gets (ticked) every time I break him. He occasionally throws his racket over the fence after I break him, he's that competitive. I think you'll definitely see some competitive spirit out there."
Before both matches, there will be a one-hour pro-am event with Blake and Courier on Wednesday and Blake and Roddick on Thursday. Tickets will include dinner, an opportunity for autographs and photos and box seats for the matches on that evening. For more information, visit www.ctopen.org.
Blake, for one, feels like this could be a major exhibition event that the Connecticut Open continues to highlight for years to come.
"I really hope so. I hope a lot of people show up," Blake said.
"I think that fans miss the men not being here for the last couple of years and this gives them a little bit of a reason to come back out and watch us play. I'd love to keep doing it. If they want us to keep coming back, I'd like to keep doing it," he said.
email@example.com; http://Twitter@elsctpost


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
1863 - 1949
Historical Period:
The 20th Century and Beyond
Frank Albert Fetter (1863-1949) was the leader in the United States of the early Austrian school of economics. Born in rural Indiana, Fetter was graduated from the University of Indiana in 1891. After earning a master's degree at Cornell University, Fetter pursued his studies abroad and received a doctorate in economics in 1894 from the University of Halle in Germany. Fetter then taught successively at Cornell, Indiana, and Stanford universities. He returned to Cornell as professor of political economy and finance (1901-1911) and terminated his academic career at Princeton University (1911-31), where he also served as chairman of the department of economics Fetter is largely remembered for his views on business "monopoly" and for a unified and consistent theory of distribution that explained the relationship among capital, interest, and rent.


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Alumni Report: Davis preparing for potential pro career
Aaron Davis is a shining example that being undersized and without a scholarship out of high school is hardly a death sentence to a football career.
The former Elsinore High standout is now generating interest as a NFL prospect after completing his four-year career at Southern Methodist University.
Davis, a defensive tackle, competed in Saturday's NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at Carson. Coached by Super Bowl XXXIV champion coach Dick Vermeil, Davis' National team rolled to a 34-0 win over the American squad.
The game, which features some of the nation's top performing college seniors, was a week-long event where Davis was subjected to intense professional-style practices and given an orientation on life in the NFL.
"You get a taste for what's expected out of you and what you have to do to play at the next level," Davis said. "You obviously get taught new techniques and you have to be coachable. It was just overall a great experience."
But Davis' biggest hurdle still lies ahead of him. Like all perspective prospects, he will eventually have to work out in front of NFL scouts where he'll be tested on various physical tests, which include the 40-yard dash, 225-pound bench press and the vertical jump.
Now that Davis is finished with classes at SMU, he has been rigorously training with the football program's strength and conditioning coach, Mel deLaura.
"Every day, I have been going into the facility at SMU, anywhere from 4-6 hours a day," Davis said. "I've been stretching, running, lifting weights, watching film, getting treatment. It's nice to be able to focus on (nothing) but training right now. That's all I am doing every day."
If anybody knows the value of training to get desired results, it's Davis.
Despite winning Sunbelt League defensive MVP at Elsinore in 2006, Davis wasn't the exactly the Division I prototype in terms of his size.
"I was kind of a tweener," said Davis, who played linebacker and tight end at Elsinore. "My senior year, I was probably 190, 185 (pounds). I had a lot of success playing linebacker. I was fairly athletic, very fast. A lot of people thought I might end up being a safety."
Davis eventually attended Fresno State at the urging of Bulldogs linebackers coach Tom Mason. Davis attended school, but wasn't involved with the football program during the 2007 season.
When Mason left to become the defensive coordinator at SMU, he encouraged Davis to follow him to Dallas as a walk-on.
It didn't take long for Davis to convince head coach June Jones and his staff to reward him with a scholarship.
"I had a great year on special teams and they put me on scholarship," Davis said. "I felt like I was very fortunate to play for a head coach like Coach Jones because he rewards guys who walk on and work hard. He gives out scholarships if you get on the field."
Davis, who entered the program as a 215-pound linebacker, eventually put on mass to play defensive tackle at 290 pounds.
"We didn't have a lot of depth at on the d-line at the time," Davis said.
"I bought into the strength program, worked my tail off," said Davis, nicknamed "Spike" because of his resemblance to the character from the movie 'Little Giants.'
"I ended up gaining a lot of weight. I felt like I was a late bloomer. I had a lot of growing up to do and I probably didn't start really growing up until I was 19, 20-years- old."
In his four years, Davis enjoyed SMU's renaissance as it reached four consecutive bowls following a 25-year bowl drought and the program's infamous 1987 death penalty.
Davis' first career sack occurred during the Mustangs' 45-10 thumping of Nevada in the 2009 Hawaii Bowl. And what might be of interest to NFL scouts is that Davis brought down the elusive Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback of the Super Bowl-bound San Francisco 49ers.
"That's kind of my claim to fame right now," Davis said.
• Joe Burton (West Valley) is going through difficult times with his Oregon State Beavers enduring a five-game losing skid, but he's thriving as an individual. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound senior had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the Beavers' 74-64 loss to UCLA on Jan. 17. Two days later, Burton scored 16 points as Oregon State was nudged 69-68 by USC.
• Austin Quick (Murrieta Valley) had 12 points and seven assists in UC Riverside's 91-82 overtime loss to Long Beach State on Jan. 17. It was his second-highest point total of the year.
• Center Aubrey Davis (Murrieta Valley) has been a steady, senior presence in the paint for Northern Arizona, averaging 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in 16 games.
• Last week, 174-pound wrestler Patrick Martinez (Temecula Valley) made his debut for Division II-program Nebraska-Kearney and is already off to a 3-0 start. He tallied 11 points, including one win by technical fall.
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When you are in the inspection process of your home buying transaction, there are several items that need to be done before the inspection. In this article I am going to list and explain these items for a seller, buyer, and real estate agent. With this information you will be more prepared for your home inspection, thereby helping the inspector perform a more thorough and complete home inspection.
Home Sellers
Let's start off with the sellers' inspection. Many homeowners today are having their homes inspected before they are put on the market. This is a very savvy marketing tool to help your home sell quicker and more profitably. For your home inspector to do the best job possible, he or she will need several things to be done before they arrive to check the house over.
- If it happens to be winter, please make sure the driveway is clear of ice and snow. An inspector cannot see through this stuff, thereby limiting the inspection.
- Please make sure that all utilities to the home are in operation mode. Inspectors do not light pilot lights, turn on water mains, or main panel breakers. If these are not in regular operating mode, the inspection will be limited and less beneficial to you.
- Make sure attic access is not obstructed in any way. You inspector will need to get in here to check insulation, roof sheathing, trusses, etc.
- I realize that if you are selling, you will be packing. However, please do not have every packed box crammed into a corner in the basement, or else your inspector will not be able to see the walls and foundation.
- If permits are needed in your area for remodeling have copies of these ready. In some areas an inspector will need these.
Home Buyers
Now, if you are a buyer, your list will be a little shorter. But, it is still just as important to do your homework. You are paying for the inspection, so stay on top of everything.
- Once you call the inspector and set a date and time, call your real estate agent and verify this time. Some inspectors do this for you and some don't (I call the agent myself, and they relay to the seller when we will be there).
- If this is a vacant foreclosure or bank owned property, find out who you need to contact in order to get ALL utilities turned on and into normal operation mode. Again, inspectors will not turn these items on for you at the time of the inspection. If they are not on, they will be disclaimed as not inspected.
- If you are having any specialty testing like lead, mold, water, septic done, try to do these on the same day if the house is occupied. Sellers will thank you for not making too many trips and inconveniencing them.
Real Estate Agents
Now let's focus on what the real estate agent needs to do before each home inspection. Some buyers may not realize what these people do for you.
- If the inspector has not verified the appointment before 3:00 the day before the inspection, call to verify.
- Help the buyer with getting utilities and the like into normal operating mode. This will allow a more thorough inspection and speed up the sale. It will work out better for you.
- If you will not be attending the inspection, please let the inspector know how to gain access.
- If there are going to be items not operating please call the client and explain this to them, so they may decide whether or not to reschedule the inspection. Most inspectors do not come back a second time for zero fee. Your buyer will be liable for this return fee, and probably upset about it.
I hope everyone can take something from this list and use it. I really do feel bad sometimes when the inspection is limited due to a lack of communication between all parties involved. If any of you have items that you feel should be on this list, please feel free to let me know. I am always willing to listen and learn how others operate.
Ian A Niquette
WI Home Inspector


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Josh Pastner committed a no-no the other night: He tweeted the name of a recruit from the University of Memphis's official men's basketball Twitter account. NCAA rules prohibit coaches from discussing recruits until they sign, and even though the tweet was deleted quickly, the damage had been done. Pastner's offense qualifies as a secondary violation, and the rules require Memphis to report itself to the NCAA's integrity police.
Pastner was trying to do a Twitter search for Lithonia, Ga., center Tony Parker, but he accidentally tweeted Parker's name instead. Pastner just had an assistant coach take another job, and that guy took one of Pastner's staffers with him, so, Pastner told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, he was a bit overwhelmed. But he also attributed his confusion to this:
"My wife was yelling at me because I was on the phone too loud. I was waking (the couple's infant daughter) up and waking my wife up because I had the TV on. She was complaining that I not only woke my daughter up, but I also woke the baby inside her up because she's pregnant.
"So I was waking everybody up, I was getting yelled at and on top of that I was thinking, 'What's going on with recruiting?' and 'Who am I going to hire?' and I made a mistake."
NCAA rules say penalties for secondary violations "may be more than a 'slap on the wrist'" but that they're "tailored to specific situations." If I were Pastner, I'd be more worried about the sanctions I'd be facing at home.
Photo via AP.
Errant tweet lands Tigers coach Josh Pastner in dog house [Memphis Commercial-Appeal]
Memphis coach blames wife for NCAA violation [The Dagger]


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