text:
Inflammation in Retinal DiseaseView this Special Issue
Editorial | Open Access
Scott M. Whitcup, Robert B. Nussenblatt, Susan L. Lightman, David A. Hollander, "Inflammation in Retinal Disease", International Journal of Inflammation, vol. 2013, Article ID 724648, 4 pages, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/724648
Inflammation in Retinal Disease
1. Introduction
Ocular inflammation and its related complications are important causes of vision loss. Inflammatory processes have long been implicated in the pathogenesis and sequelae of noninfectious uveitis and understood to underlie the macular edema which may arise following even uncomplicated intraocular surgeries [1]. More recently, evidence has also arisen supporting a prominent role for inflammation underlying the pathogenesis of a wide array of retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) [2], diabetic retinopathy (DR) [3], retinal vein occlusion (RVO) [4], and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) [5], and has suggested a role for anti-inflammatory therapies to potentially alter the severity and course of these disorders. The goal of this special issue is to highlight the latest understanding of the role of inflammation in retinal diseases, to address current questions and controversies, and to facilitate future research.
Traditionally, the eye has been considered an immune privileged site. Contributing to this immune privilege is the blood-retinal barrier which consists of both an inner barrier formed by the tight junctional complexes between retinal vascular endothelial cells and an outer barrier formed by the tight junctions between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells. Research over the last 30 years has demonstrated that mechanisms beyond tissue barriers contribute to ocular immune privilege and an immunosuppressive intraocular environment. In fact, the pigment epithelial cells which line the iris, ciliary body, and retina serve an immunomodulatory role through both the secretion of soluble immunosuppressive factors as well as contact-dependent mechanisms [6].
Vision is dependent on the exquisite and precise structure of the retina, and any process which significantly disrupts retinal architecture can have a profound impact on vision. The immune response, when controlled, is an adaptive response to restore homeostasis. Alterations in retinal homeostasis secondary to aging, metabolic abnormalities, altered vascular perfusion, or degenerative genetic conditions may initiate various inflammatory cascades. In all of these settings, a prolonged, dysregulated immune response may itself be pathologic, contributing to both the pathogenesis of retinal diseases as well as vision threatening complications.
2. Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the western world. AMD can manifest as both a "dry" form (90% of cases) featuring geographic atrophy of the RPE which currently has no treatment as well as an exudative "wet" form (10% of cases) which is responsible for the majority of cases of vision loss due to choroidal neovascularization which may now respond to treatment with antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. While genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors may all be contributing factors, recent evidence supports a more central role for the immune system in the pathogenesis of AMD.
Aging is associated with a decrease in the number of RPE cells as well as the number of photoreceptors [7]. With aging, oxidative stress secondary to the accumulation of oxidized lipoproteins and free radicals in retinal and choroidal tissues may trigger a tissue adaptive response, recently described as "para-inflammation," in which cells of the innate immune system mount a low-grade inflammatory response in order to restore tissue homeostasis [8]. Sustained injury or chronic inflammation may lead to an imbalance in the local inflammatory response and contribute to AMD.
Drusen, extracellular deposits located between the RPE and Bruch's membrane, are most commonly seen in individuals over 60 years of age and represent the clinical hallmark of AMD. Though once considered simply to be waste products consisting of lipid and carbohydrate, drusen are now understood to also consist of byproducts of local active inflammation and complement activation (C3, C5a, and C9) [9]. The etiology of drusen and the progression of AMD are likely multifactorial, though a primary mechanism may be related to RPE cell injury. Injured RPE cells release cytokines and chemokines that recruit and activate choroidal dendritic cells. Dendritic cells may amplify the inflammatory process via cell to cell contact, immune complex formation, and complement activation leading to additional RPE cell damage, potentially producing a state of chronic inflammation [9].
In addition to elements of the complement system being found in drusen, both genetic and animal studies have also strongly supported a pivotal role of the complement system in the pathogenesis of AMD. While complement is active at a low basal level in the normal retina as a protective mechanism, alterations in the regulation of the complement system can trigger significant pathology. Strong associations with AMD have been identified in association with particular mutations in the complement factor H (CFH) protein (Y402H), a key regulatory component of the alternative pathway in distinguishing self from nonself [10–13]. Thus, a growing body of histopathological, preclinical, and epigenetic data now supports a key role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of AMD, a disease which was not classically described as inflammatory in origin.
3. Diabetic Retinopathy
Over 285 million individuals worldwide are estimated to have diabetes mellitus [14]. Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common complication of diabetes, increases in prevalence with duration of disease. DR has traditionally been considered a disease of the retinal microvasculature and has been categorized into an early nonproliferative stage and an advanced, proliferative stage based on the natural history. The most common causes of vision loss in diabetics are diabetic macular edema (DME), typically seen early in the course of DR, and proliferative retinopathy.
The mechanisms by which high glucose levels directly lead to diabetic retinopathy have not been fully elucidated. Chronic hyperglycemia leads to a series of biochemical changes, including activation of protein kinase C, accumulation of polyols through the aldose reductase pathway, increased formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and overproduction of free radicals. These metabolic changes increase proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and other inflammatory mediators that stimulate an influx of leukocytes and alter vascular permeability [15]. Elevated levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), VEGF, interferon-induced protein-10 (IP-10), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) have been demonstrated in eyes with DR [15].
Inflammatory processes may underlie many of the functional retinal vasculature alterations observed histologically in early diabetic retinopathy, such as pericyte loss, saccular microaneurysms, and occluded and degenerated capillaries. An increase in the attraction and adhesions of leukocytes has been observed in experimental models of diabetes within 1 week of disease onset [16]. This leukostasis is a direct result of the interactions between elevated expression of ICAM-1 on retinal vessels and the CD18 adhesion molecule on monocytes and neutrophils [16]. Increased leukocyte stiffness may also contribute to capillary nonperfusion [17]. Experimental models of diabetes in mice deficient in the genes encoding for ICAM-1 and CD18 have revealed fewer adherent leukocytes in the retinal vasculature, a reduced number of damaged endothelial cells, and less vascular leakage [3].
In addition to the leukocyte-mediated endothelial cell damage, increased vascular permeability leading to DME also arises due to conformational alterations in the tight junctional proteins. The tight junctions consist of over 40 different proteins and various inflammatory mediators, including VEGF, TNFα, protein-kinase-C, IL-1β, and IL-6, alter particular proteins via phosphorylation, redistribution, or alteration in content thereby reducing the endothelial barrier [18]. As inhibition of different inflammatory mediators has been shown to limit the degeneration of retinal capillaries characteristic of early stages of DR, continued investigations into the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of DR are warranted.
4. Retinal Vein Occlusion
Retinal vein occlusion is the second most common ocular vascular abnormality, following diabetic retinopathy, resulting in vision loss. The occlusion may occur at or proximal to the lamina cribrosa of the optic nerve involving the central retinal vein or occur more commonly at an arteriovenous intersection involving a branch retinal vein. The origin of the occlusion likely stems from compression and local retinal vascular damage, followed by stasis and thrombosis. In some patients, inflammatory conditions may play a role in contributing to the vascular injury and thrombus formation [4]. Increased hydrostatic pressure proximal to the occlusion commonly leads to vascular leakage and subsequent macular edema, the most frequent cause of vision loss in the setting of RVO.
Vascular endothelial damage in the occluded vein may result in a low-grade, chronic inflammation and the production of inflammatory mediators that exacerbate and prolong the edema. A number of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors may be elevated in RVO patients, including IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-) AA, and VEGF relative to control eyes [19–21]. These factors contribute to the transition from an acute to chronic inflammation, the recruitment of monocytes to the site of injury, an increase in vascular permeability, and the development of ocular neovascularization. The severity of macular edema secondary to BRVO has been correlated with both elevated vitreous and aqueous levels of VEGF and IL-6 [22].
5. Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal degenerative diseases which lead to photoreceptor cell death and severe vision loss. Clinically, RP is characterized by a pigmentary retinopathy, optic nerve pallor, progressive visual field loss, and nyctalopia. Additional clinical findings may include vitreous cells, posterior subcapsular cataract, and macular edema. Lymphocytes have been detected in the vitreous gel of RP patients, further characterizing the inflammatory nature of the vitreous cells [23]. While RP is now known to be primarily a hereditary disease caused by mutations in over 45 different genes, investigators have continued to examine the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis and progression of the disease.
It has been suggested that the observed immune responses are likely secondary to the release of retinal proteins by the underlying degenerative disease [24]. First, major differences in immune responses have not been detected across different subtypes of RP [24]. Secondly, it has often been in those patients with severe vision loss that significant cellular immune responses have been shown [25]. In a recent clinical study of RP patients, greater inflammation in the anterior vitreous correlated with worse VA as well as lower mean deviation on visual field testing [5]. Elevated proinflammatory markers, most notably MCP-1, have been detected in both the aqueous and vitreous [5]. MCP-1 is known to activate microglia as well as recruit monocytes, memory T cells, and dendritic cells to sites of injury. While the chronic inflammation in RP patients may be secondary to a primary genetic mutation leading to photoreceptor loss, the immune response to the shed proteins may subsequently exacerbate the retinal destructive processes in RP and other retinal degenerative diseases [26].
6. Conclusion
We believe that the papers included in this issue will offer readers a greater appreciation for the role of inflammation in a variety of retinal diseases, many of which were not traditionally considered to be inflammatory in nature.
Whitcup et al. summarize discussions from the 5th annual conference of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Initiative for Macular Research by the Inflammation and Immune Response Task Force in which they review data supporting the dysregulation of immune response as a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of AMD and propose a series of experimental approaches to address unanswered questions.
In a mouse model of AMD, Cruz-Guilloty et al. demonstrate a link of AMD-like histopathological changes with the presence of macrophages in the outer retina during early stages of disease. The authors suggest that immune modulation may play a role in the future in either the prevention or treatment of patients with early signs of AMD.
Jain et al. address the evolving pharmacologic treatment options for DME, focusing on the multifactorial nature of the disease in their review of major studies of both corticosteroids and anti-VEGF therapies.
Deobhakta and Chang summarize the laboratory and clinical studies supporting the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of RVO. The authors also review the latest clinical studies of anti-inflammatory treatments for patients with macular edema secondary to RVO. Using ultra wide field fluorescein angiography, Tsui et al. report late peripheral retinal leakage in the fellow eyes in patients with BRVO and suggest that these findings may represent underlying systemic inflammation, hypertension, or bilateral BRVO.
Viringipurampeer et al. review the preclinical and clinical evidence linking inflammatory mediators to genetic retinal diseases, specifically RP and AMD, and summarize the latest anti-inflammatory interventional studies. The authors conclude that anti-inflammatory agents are likely to play significant roles in the future treatment algorithms of these diseases.
Schoenberger and Kim review the role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as inhibitors of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of prostaglandins. The authors review the scientific rationale and provide an update on the interventional studies that have been conducted with NSAIDs in postoperative cystoid macular edema, AMD, DME, and DR.
The ideas discussed in this issue should demonstrate that immune responses, while often beneficial in the acute setting, can have undesirable effects if they result in a state of chronic inflammation. Ultimately, as the roles of different inflammatory pathways in retinal diseases become more clearly elucidated, greater emphasis can be placed on new targets for future treatment options.
We would like to dedicate this special issue to Stephen J. Ryan, MD, who passed away on April 29, 2013. Dr. Ryan was an expert in retinal diseases and a leader in ophthalmology. He was the president of the Doheny Eye Institute from 1974 to 2012, the first full-time chairman of the University of Southern California (USC) Department of Ophthalmology, and the dean of USC's school of medicine from 1991 to 2004 which later became the Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Ryan also was a member of the Institute of Medicine and a member of the National Advisory Eye Council and founded the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR). Dr. Ryan devoted his career to understanding the pathogenesis of diseases of the retina including age-related macular degeneration. In addition to his own pioneering research, Dr. Ryan trained and educated countless scientists and clinicians around the world. It is therefore befitting that we dedicate this collection of manuscripts discussing the role of inflammation on the pathogenesis of retinal diseases to Dr. Ryan.
Scott M. Whitcup
Robert B. Nussenblatt
Susan L. Lightman
David A. Hollander
- M. W. Johnson, "Etiology and treatment of macular edema," American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 147, no. 1, pp. 11–21, 2009. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- E. Buschini, A. Piras, R. Nuzzi, and A. Vercelli, "Age related macular degeneration and drusen: neuroinflammation in the retina," Progress in Neurobiology, vol. 95, no. 1, pp. 14–25, 2011. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- A. M. Joussen, V. Poulaki, M. L. Le et al., "A central role for inflammation in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy," FASEB Journal, vol. 18, no. 12, pp. 1450–1452, 2004. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- J. P. Ehlers and S. Fekrat, "Retinal vein occlusion: beyond the acute event," Survey of Ophthalmology, vol. 56, no. 4, pp. 281–299, 2011. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- N. Yoshida, Y. Ikeda, S. Notomi et al., "Clinical evidence of sustained chronic inflammatory reaction in retinitis pigmentosa," Ophthalmology, vol. 120, no. 1, pp. 100–105, 2013. View at: Google Scholar
- S. Sugita, "Role of ocular pigment epithelial cells in immune privilege," Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 263–268, 2009. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- T. C. Nag and S. Wadhwa, "Ultrastructure of the human retina in aging and various pathological states," Micron, vol. 43, no. 7, pp. 759–781, 2012. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- H. Xu, M. Chen, and J. V. Forrester, "Para-inflammation in the aging retina," Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 348–368, 2009. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- G. S. Hageman, P. J. Luthert, N. H. V. Chong, L. V. Johnson, D. H. Anderson, and R. F. Mullins, "An integrated hypothesis that considers drusen as biomarkers of immune-mediated processes at the RPE-Bruch's membrane interface in aging and age-related macular degeneration," Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 705–732, 2001. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- G. S. Hageman, D. H. Anderson, L. V. Johnson et al., "A common haplotype in the complement regulatory gene factor H (HF1/CFH) predisposes individuals to age-related macular degeneration," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 102, no. 20, pp. 7227–7232, 2005. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- A. O. Edwards, R. Ritter III, K. J. Abel, A. Manning, C. Panhuysen, and L. A. Farrer, "Complement factor H polymorphism and age-related macular degeneration," Science, vol. 308, no. 5720, pp. 421–424, 2005. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- J. L. Haines, M. A. Hauser, S. Schmidt et al., "Complement factor H variant increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration," Science, vol. 308, no. 5720, pp. 419–421, 2005. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- R. J. Klein, C. Zeiss, E. Y. Chew et al., "Complement factor H polymorphism in age-related macular degeneration," Science, vol. 308, no. 5720, pp. 385–389, 2005. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- J. E. Shaw, R. A. Sicree, and P. Z. Zimmet, "Global estimates of the prevalence of diabetes for 2010 and 2030," Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 4–14, 2010. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- J. Tang and T. S. Kern, "Inflammation in diabetic retinopathy," Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 343–358, 2011. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- A. M. Joussen, T. Murata, A. Tsujikawa, B. Kirchhof, S.-E. Bursell, and A. P. Adamis, "Leukocyte-mediated endothelial cell injury and death in the diabetic retina," American Journal of Pathology, vol. 158, no. 1, pp. 147–152, 2001. View at: Google Scholar
- A. G. Harris, T. C. Skalak, and D. L. Hatchell, "Leukocyte-capillary plugging and network resistance are increased in skeletal muscle of rats with streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia," International Journal of Microcirculation, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 159–166, 1994. View at: Google Scholar
- N. Bhagat, R. A. Grigorian, A. Tutela, and M. A. Zarbin, "Diabetic macular edema: pathogenesis and treatment," Survey of Ophthalmology, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 1–32, 2009. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- W. J. Lee, M. H. Kang, M. Seong, and H. Y. Cho, "Comparison of aqueous concentrations of angiogenic and inflammatory cytokines in diabetic macular oedema and macular oedema due to branch retinal vein occlusion," British Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 96, no. 11, pp. 1426–1430, 2012. View at: Google Scholar
- M. J. Koss, M. Pfister, F. Rothweiler et al., "Comparison of cytokine levels from undiluted vitreous of untreated patients with retinal vein occlusion," Acta Ophthalmologica, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. e98–e103, 2012. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- H. Noma, H. Funatsu, M. Yamasaki et al., "Pathogenesis of macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion and intraocular levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-6," American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 140, no. 2, pp. 256–261, 2005. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- H. Noma, H. Funatsu, M. Yamasaki et al., "Aqueous humour levels of cytokines are correlated to vitreous levels and severity of macular oedema in branch retinal vein occlusion," Eye, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 42–48, 2008. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
- D. A. Newsome and R. G. Michels, "Detection of lymphocytes in the vitreous gel of patients with retinitis pigmentosa," American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 105, no. 6, pp. 596–602, 1988. View at: Google Scholar
- C. J. J. Brinkman, A. J. L. G. Pinckers, and R. M. Broekhuyse, "Immune reactivity to different retinal antigens in patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa," Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 743–750, 1980. View at: Google Scholar
- J. H. Yamamoto, O. Okajima, M. Mochizuki et al., "Cellular immune responses to retinal antigens in retinitis pigmentosa," Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, vol. 230, no. 2, pp. 119–123, 1992. View at: Google Scholar
- S. A. Tamm, S. M. Whitcup, I. Gery, B. Wiggert, R. B. Nussenblatt, and M. I. Kaiser-Kupfer, "Immune response to retinal antigens in patients with gyrate atrophy and other hereditary retinal dystrophies," Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 75–84, 2001. View at: Publisher Site | Google Scholar
Copyright © 2013 Scott M. Whitcup et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


text: Village of Oswego receives CAFR Award for 2011 AuditSikich, LLP presented the Fiscal Year 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) to the Village Board at the November 1st Committee of the Whole meeting. The Auditors announced that the Village of Oswego received the Certificate of Achievement Award for the Fiscal Year 2011 CAFR. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting representing a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. The Auditors also noted the issuance of the unqualified audit opinion which stated the financial statements were presented fairly in all material respects. Also mentioned was the General Purpose External Financial Statements section of the CAFR. This section provides a broad overview of the Village's financial picture as of April 30, 2011 including Management's Discussion and Analysis of the fiscal year. The entire CAFR is available for review on the Village's website; www.oswegoil.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PapayaMobile Has 50 Million Users, New Social Development Tool
Nine months ago, PapayaMobile, the creators of "Papaya Farm" and "Papaya Fish," stopped publishing their own games. Since then, the company says it has reached 50 million users and has just launched a new development tool called "Social Splash" that will make it easier to put games on the Android.
PapayaMobile is now an open mobile social network for Android and iOS. The company has seen a 260 percent increase in users with the help of third party mobile developers that have used the SDK and Game Engine platforms to integrate social features and virtual currency into their games for the Android.
The new tool, "Social Splash," will make it simpler to port HTML5 and Flash games to Android. Because the compilation is done in the cloud, Google+ and Facebook developers will not have to install anything or learn any new code to use it. There will also be a native extension that connects all social features for games using Adobe Air.
Social features include newsfeeds, notifications, leaderboards, achievements, friend lists, avatars, check-in, and private messaging; and can be incorporated into a game with a JavaScript API. With the tool's virtual currency and billing system, developers will be able to monetize their apps right away.
"This tool is for every developer that has felt abandoned by Flash and crowded out by Zynga," said Si Shen, CEO and co-founder of PapayaMobile in a statement.
To download "Social Splash" for free, click here.
Image by Ratikova via Shutterstock.


text:
Introducing Watkins
As more of us today strive to improve our quality of life with natural-based products, at Watkins we have proudly been committed to using the finest natural ingredients since 1868. Whether it's our line of 100{63a01ab6ce2321448543e87a1027c94816ebbed55b061bb2e8c347af87dc644e} pure organic spices or our all-natural hand salves and body oils, we have been blending nature's finest ingredients with cutting edge science for more than 142 years. Although we proudly still offer many of the same natural products (such as Liniment) that have been trusted since we first began, we are proud to continually remain on the forefront of product development and innovation. We hope that as you continue to enjoy our tried and true products that have been connecting generations for so many years, you will also take a look at the many new natural products that our talented research and development team has formulated for you, like the all new natural earth friendly Home Care line introduced in 2007. This exciting new line-up offers 17 chemical free cleaning products that you will love. Although our product line is always evolving, our steadfast commitment to superior quality never changes.
We are quite proud of our rich past, but we are even more proud of our commitment to the future. In addition to bringing our customers the finest products all backed by our original money-back satisfaction guarantee, we are committed to making a difference in the communities we touch. As more and more customers are enjoying our products, we are proud to consistently contribute a significant amount of our profits to support the great work being done by so many non-profits. Our gifts to support the disabled, the arts, education, hospitals and numerous other worthy causes are very important to us. We believe that being a good corporate citizen committed to giving back and improving our communities is vital to the health and sustainability of our planet. We are honored that through our many loyal customers who span multiple generations, we have been able to make a difference in so many lives. All of us at Watkins thank you for being our customer and look forward to improving your life with our diverse line of natural products.
Mark Jacobs,


text:
Indie Rock 3 brings you 10 more fully loaded rock construction kits ranging from emotive indie rock ballads through to high-tempo, in your face, rock-meets-metal meltdown. With multiple musical sections within each construction kit, you have everything you need to produce a complete track – intros, verses, chorus, breaks and outros – just create your arrangement and add your vocals.
Each construction kit features full drum kit recordings with both pre-mixed stereo loops plus individually mic'ed loops for kick, snare, hihat, overheads, room and cymbals so you can create your own drum mix to perfectly match your project needs. These are complemented by big, characterful bass loops and then multiple guitar parts. As well as fully produced guitar loops with great rock tones, DI'ed versions are also included; apply your favourite guitar amp sim plugin to dial in whatever tonal variation you require.
Indie Rock 3 contains 3.84 GB of material with 10 construction kits and 1263 loops. Each kit offers between five and eight parts. The tempo ranges from 86 to 210 BPM.
The following instruments are included in the construction kits: electric bass, synth bass, electric and distortion guitar, pads, synths and SFX sounds. Additionally, all guitars and basses offer a line version.
The drums are available as single tracks. These include: acoustic and electric bassdrum, snare top and bottom, snare trigger, hihat, ride, toms, cymbals, overheads and room mics. A mixed version of the drums for immediate use is also available for each part. The drum section is rounded out by several percussion loops.
Elastik Player
Ueberschall's Elastik Player is the best available tool for loop-based music production. With just a few mouse clicks all loops of Indie Rock 3 can be matched to any existing project in pitch and tempo. All installed Elastik libraries share a clearly arranged browser, granting immediate access to all installed products.
Functions such as resample, formant and reverse as well as the effective multimode filter with a slope of up to 72dB per octave offer lots of possibilities for creative sound design.
5 stars
Free ELASTIK 3.5 Player is included in this product.
- macOS: 64 bit, VST 2/3, Audio Units, AAX, Stand-Alone
- Win: 32/64 bit, VST 2/3, AAX, Stand-Alone
System requirements (minimum):
- macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or higher
- Windows 8 or higher
All information is subject to change. The system requirements can change at any time due to the fact that software products are continuously evolving. If in doubt please consult the software manufacturers website for details or write an email to email@example.com before purchasing.
Product activation:
An internet connection is required to authorize / activate the product.


text:
Lololol. Shep Smith is such a loser. Can't wait to watch his face over the next while. Good times.
Why is this step necessary? social.quodverum.com might not be the server where you are registered, so we need to redirect you to your home server first.
Don't have an account? You can sign up here


text:
I know, we've been a little bit on the quiet side, but I wanted to get the app in before the rush of open student/teacher season, and didn't want to bring Eliot himself in until after the BDE.
Anyway. Meet Eliot Spencer, of TV's Leverage.
He's just your average, everyday hardcore ex-soldier with Pantene hair, a professional quality singing voice, and ace gourmet cooking abilities.
He's very, very good at beating people up. No, really. The show starts out trying to pretend his job title is "retrieval specialist", but it quickly just turns into "hitter". His job is to beat the crap out of people so the rest of his team doesn't have to. Just being near his hand turns anything into a deadly weapon. He once took out the Butcher of Kiev with an stuffed mushroom cap appetizer.
But don't get me wrong. He's not just a meathead bruiser.
(Yes, that's him beating up Mark Sheppard. That guy is in everything.)
He's also a Jerk With a Heart of Gold and a soft spot for children from broken homes and probably puppies. No, really, he's basically the embodiment of that trope. Like, picture that trope, with not-quite-Fabio hair, and you have Eliot Spencer.
He's really perceptive. He can identify what para-military organization you're a part of based on the smallest, Sherlocky details.
(Yeah, I wasn't really going for subtlety with that username)
He can speak and understand several languages, primarily of the Middle Eastern and Eastern European variety. He sings like -- well, like Christian Kane, because if you've got him on your show, you might as well hand him a guitar at some point. He can pick up pretty much any sport and become a star, from baseball to hockey to horseback riding to MMA, and secretly adores the fame that comes along with it -- even though he has to downplay his public persona, what with all the enemies he's made punching people over the years. He dabbles in chess, but if you tell him that's a sport, you'll get at the very least glared at. This is in part because he's grumpiness personified. He has the premiere resting bitch-face. He will wonder out loud what is wrong with your character and mock their geekier pursuits. This mostly means he likes you.
(ugh, don't lie, Eliot, you're a marshmellow)
Uhhh, let's see. So he's coming in post-canon, which means he's got all those grifting skills he learned from his buddy Sophie Devereaux, and he knows how to check his own email, thanks to his
(Not actually grifting anybody)
Basically, after the events of the Long Goodbye Job, Parker decided Portland was too hot for them and moved the team to Baltimore, where Eliot has chosen a nice cozy little island to live on between gigs.
That can't possibly go wrong, right?
What else? Oh, yes, he doesn't like guns. Most of the time, if he's touching one, it's to remove the magazine and throw it far away. Don't get me wrong though, that doesn't mean he can't use them. He'd just rather incapacitate a bad guy using literally anything else he can get his hands on. Technically, the show is Earth-standard non-magical, so he's just suuuuuuper well conditioned? But let's face it, Eliot is fucking magic. He can take a bullet in the shoulder and one in the leg and just brush them off to charge the bad guy and punch him out. It takes an amusement park ride to the face to take him down even briefly. And when he does decide to get into a gun fight?
(look, just because your para-military organization didn't teach you how to do this. . . .)
And did I mention the hair?
. . . Honestly, that's pretty much the important stuff. I really just want to post a bunch of gifs.
(characters with three syllable names, beware the "dammit")
Gif party time!
To sum up: grouchy badass perceptive chef puppy-cuddler polyglot who tends to become an overnight celebrity when put into the public spotlight, believes in down-home good ol' country values, with a price on his head in at least three countries, who isn't D.B. Cooper (watch the shoooooooooow).
(You gotta love it when Tumblr does your TVtropes homework for you.)
Whelp? Questions? Comments? Further giffitude?


text:
GREENWICH — A fatal crash involving two tractor-trailers and a service truck closed northbound I-95 near exit 3 in Greenwich early Friday, but the roadway is expected to reopen soon.
State police closed the highway to conduct their investigation and clear the damaged vehicles.
The crash was reported about 2:40 a.m. and initial reports are that a northbound tractor trailer struck a service truck that was on the shoulder behind a second tractor trailer that had a flat tire. The service truck was pushed into the trailer of the truck on the shoulder.
State police reopened the roadway's left lane about 7 a.m.


text:
The last linkfest of 2017! Let's exorcise this miserable year with some amusing and edumacational links. And have yourselves a merry little Festivus.
Drew Magary is back with the 2017 edition of his Hater's Guide to the Williams-Sonoma catalog: "More than any reindeer parable or silly children's rhyme, it is THIS catalog and its splendidly useless items wherein you and I can discover the TRUE meaning of Christmas, which is that it delays the pain and horrors of this shit world at least until after New Year's."
"You listen to me, Williams-Sonoma: There will NEVER be a fondueassaince. Ever."


text:
Although it's not as bad as last year, the heat of the summer is upon us and since the beginning of July, the City's has seen a significant increase in water consumption.
"The spring rains were helpful and set us up for a better summer than 2011, said Bob Price, Southlake's Director of Public Works. "But now we aren't seeing as much precipitation, so people are using more water and we are seeing the levels in the elevated storage tanks drop."
The elevated storage tanks are a critical component to the City's water system. Through a system of tanks, pumps and water lines, City residents and businesses receive their water. When the levels in the elevated storage tanks drop below a 18 feet, three days in a row, the City is required by ordinance to go into Stage 1 restrictions, meaning twice a week landscape watering for all users among other restrictions.
Last year, the City entered Stage 1 restrictions on July 25th. This year, as that date approaches, and temperatures and consumption increase, City water management staff are working with the system to maintain tank levels so that consumers have the water they need for daily life.
"While the news is better than last year, we still need people to incorporate conservation in their everyday routine," said Price. "We are actively working with residential customers to help users save water."
The major area of consumption for Southlake customers is irrigation. That's why the City introduced the W.I.S.E. (Water Irrigation System Evaluation) Guys program to Southlake last year. Since the partnership started in 2011, many residential customers have taken advantage of the service and have already seen significant reductions in consumption levels.
The W.I.S.E. Guys Program is operated through a partnership with Vepo, LLC, and has been designed to increase the efficiency of your irrigation system and possibly lower your monthly water bill. Through the City's contract with Vepo, several licensed irrigators have been secured to perform a one-time evaluation of participants' irrigation systems for efficiency, free to you.
Once an evaluation has been completed on your irrigation system, you may consider having any inefficiencies found in your system repaired. The City is offering an incentive of up to a $200 credit on your water bill to make the repairs.
"Since 2011, the WiseGuys licensed irrigators have worked with more than 275 Southlake customers," said Price. "This summer as more people become aware of the program, I would like to see more residents take advantage of this free program so that irrigation consumption rates come down."
"What's important about cutting consumption now is how it can help us in the future," continued Price. "As more and more people move to the Metroplex our supplier TRWD must find ways to meet demand."
The Tarrant Regional Water District has already looked into buying water from Oklahoma to supply North Texas. And while that effort has run into roadblocks, it very well could be an option for the future, but not without significant costs.
"In the mean time, we are asking people to do all they can to conserve, especially with landscaping irrigation" said Price.
To learn more about the City's conservation efforts, lawn watering tips and the current water conservation conditions, please visit www.CityofSouthlake.com/Water Conservation.


text:
Rodeo. The word alone is enough to ignite a firestorm of discussion and debate.
Indeed, there seems to be little middle ground when it comes to the world of bull riding and barrel racing, especially at a time when its mere existence is being questioned by a vocal animal welfare protest movement.
Passionate fans and those involved in the industry provide a stout defence of rodeo as a legitimate sport.
They maintain the welfare of the animals involved is paramount, that rodeo participants - like farmers - are animal lovers, that instances of animal injuries or deaths through rodeo are statistically extremely small, that their business is intensively, and independently, scrutinised.
In short, they think rodeo is here to stay, and its entertainment value and strong community links make it an important part of rural New Zealand.
At the other end of the spectrum is the growing - at least in profile and impact, if not sheer numbers - number of protesters who are calling for the sport to be banned.
Led by Green Party MP Gareth Hughes, who has referred to rodeo as ''animal cruelty dressed up as entertainment'', members of the movement claim animals involved in rodeo are subject to unacceptable levels of fear and distress, and that rodeo is a relic of the past and should be consigned there alongside bear baiting and cock fighting.
Fuel is poured on the protest fire by instances of animals dying at rodeos. Such events appear to be rare, but they do happen.
At a rodeo in Gisborne earlier this year, a bull had to be euthanised, and animal welfare groups later claimed a horse was also put down, although rodeo organisers said that was from an unrelated incident.
The protesters believe rodeo has been given a ride much cushier than that experienced by riders on the backs of bulls.
In contrast, the pro-rodeo types believe their sport has been unfairly targeted. They have hammered the media, claiming the protesters get disproportional coverage, and they have painted the protest movement as an extremist sect.
There seems to be a level of paranoia on both sides, but it is not a bad thing to be having this debate.
Rodeo aficionados do not have the right to exist in a bubble, or to have their activities and views swallowed without critical evaluation. Their sport is covered by a code of welfare, for example, but there are no requirements to report publicly on animal deaths and injuries. That lack of transparency could be seen as problematic.
Concerning, too, have been reports of peaceful protesters being manhandled by rabid rodeo fans. That does nothing for the image of the sport.
Equally short shrift must be given to the extreme fringes of the protest movement, and those who twist the facts to suit their argument.
Does rodeo have a secure future in New Zealand? That is not certain. For now, it is an activity that must be prepared to be subject to plenty of scrutiny.
- Otago Daily Times


text:
A sarcastic fringehead… your first thought is probably that this is some kind of insult. But in reality, it's the name of a fish. How could a fish earn such a low blow of a name? Well, once you learn a bit more, you'll understand why.
The sarcastic fringehead is a tiny fish, usually measuring in at less than 10 inches. Don't, however, let their size fool you. These are some of the most aggressive fish you'll ever meet. If they see anything approaching the holes in which they burrow, they will charge. They pay no mind to the size or ferocity of the opponent and have absolutely no fear.
To dissect the name a bit, the first part, 'sarcastic', is obviously not about their sense of humour. It rather refers back to the old meaning of sarcastic; 'flesh tearing' or 'to tear apart'. This pays homage to their vicious behaviour. The second part, fringehead, is talking about these small antenna like protrusions above their eyes.
You would think that such a small fish would be easy prey, but as of now, scientists know of almost no predators that hunt for these ferocious small fry. These fish will typically live up to 6 years and are presumed to survive on smaller fish and crustaceans.
One of the only animals foolish enough to get into a fight with a sarcastic fringehead is another sarcastic fringehead. These fish are able to open their mouths to frightening diameters, showing off their sharp teeth. They use this as an intimidation method. When two sarcastic fringeheads run into each other, they will bump their opens mouths together to compare size. The larger one displays its dominance and the other slinks off.
Should you be curious enough to want to see one of these little guys in the wild, you'll have to go diving off of North America, California in particular. These tiny fish prove to be harmless to humans unless you should happen to put an exposed finger near one of their homes.
Two Sarcastic Fringeheads Fight


text:
In 1998, Congress passed the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), replacing the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) as the largest single source of federal funding for workforce development activities. WIA established a universal access system of one-stop career centers, which provide access to training and employment services for a range of workers, including low-income adults, low-income youth and dislocated workers.
On July 22, 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law, reauthorizing WIA for six years, from 2015 through 2020. WIOA opens the door to states' greater use of sector partnerships and career pathway models and includes higher levels of accountability and outcome data reporting.
This page contains overview materials on WIOA, as well as news, analysis, and recommendations for implementation developed by the National Skills Coalition.
Highlighted Resources:
- Coordinating Across Perkins V and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act | October 2018
- Fact Sheet: Why Congress should invest in adult basic education
- WIA to WIOA: Side-by-Side Comparison of Occupational Training and Adult Literacy Provisions
- NSC Comments on WIOA Notices of Proposed Rulemaking
- Unpacking Proposed WIOA Regulations Analysis, Webinar, and FAQs
- NSC Legislative Agenda


text:
22 October 2018
Galaxy Chocolate Rounds (Asda) By @Cinabar
There are a lot of fancy new products trickling on to the shelves for Christmas, and I have managed to pick up a few items for future review. In amongst the new adventurous items I spotted these new biscuits called Galaxy Chocolate Rounds. They don't have any fancy weird flavour combinations but sometimes simple works, and Galaxy chocolate is always silky smooth so I thought I would give them a go.
Inside the packet the biscuits are stacked in piles of two, so there were notables less than I had hoped for in the box. I think this type of plastic tray covered in an outer wrap always seems to make you think there will be more than there actually are.
I broke one of the biscuits in half and could see small golden yellow bits inside the biscuit, but I couldn't quite work out what they were. I checked the packet again and it says the biscuits are just shortcake, no mention of an additional ingredient. I decided to give them a try. The biscuit part is lovely and buttery, so again I thought maybe the yellow bits were butter, but I've not seen that in a biscuit before. The chocolate was quite generous and the Galaxy flavour was spot on, sweet and very smooth, it worked with the buttery biscuit too. As I said sometime simple just works, and these were spot on. I just wish there were more in the pack.


text:
The future will belong to those who learn, unlearn and relearn..
Friday, September 05, 2008
Play Our Part In The World
"If we are to be a really great people,
we must strive in good faith to play
a great part in the world.
We cannot avoid meeting great issues.
All that we can determine for ourselves is
whether we shall meet them well or ill.
Theodore Roosevelt
Posted by
Wayne Mansfield
5:05 pm
No comments:
Post a comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
The following are Erin's favorite items often recommended to friends, family and clients. These items are in no certain order, it's just a list of loves.
Workouts/Meal Replacement Drinks
- Beachbody – I can help you pick the right workout for your needs: I'm a Beachbody Coach 🙂
- Shakeology – many flavors, many nutrients. Not organic, but it's only $4 a serving… that's a cheap meal!
- Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain – for Life – Dr David Pearlmutter
- The Elimination Diet – Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre
- Why Isn't My Brain Working: A Revolutionary Understanding of Brain Decline and Effective Strategies to Recover Your Brain's Health – Dr Datis Kharrazian
- Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms When My Lab Tests Are Normal: Dr Datis Kharrazian
- The Adrenal Reset diet – Alan Christianson ND
- Gut and Physiology Syndrome – Natasha Campbell-McBride
- Soil not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis – Vananda Shiva
- The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food – Kaayla T. Daniel
- Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System – Raj Patel
- Silent Spring – Rachel Carson
- Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Diet – Eric Schlosser
- The World According to Monsanto – Marie-Monique Robin
- Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health – Marion Nestle
- Seeds of Deception:Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating – Jeffrey M. Smith
- Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods – Jeffrey M. Smith
- The Autoimmune Solution: Prevent and Reverse the Full Spectrum of Inflammatory Symptoms and Diseases
- Altered Genes, Twisted Truth: How the Venture to Genetically Engineer Our Food Has Subverted Science, Corrupted Government, and Systematically Deceived the Public – Steven Druker
- Appetite For Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back – Michele Simon
- Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills – Russell L. Blaylock
- The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick – And What We Can Do About It – Robyn O'Brien
- The World According to Monsanto: Pollution, Corruption, and the Control of the World's Food Supply – Marie-Monique Robin
- Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System – Raj Patel
- Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World – Joel Salatin
- Healing with Whole Foods: Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition – Paul Pitchford
- Genetic Roulette
- Super Size Me
- Bought
- Farmageddon
- King Corn
- Food, Inc
- Ingredients
- Fed Up
- Forks over Knives
- Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
- Fast Food Nation
- Blue Gold: World Water Wars
- The World According to Monsanto
- Vanishing Bees
- Hungry for Change
- Unacceptable Levels
- Trashed
- The Corporation
- The Gerson Therapy
- Gas Land
- Food Matters
Websites: The following all support the Paleo diet.. it's easy to add grains, it's harder to find vegetable based recipe's, which Paleo excels at.
- www.ThePaleoMom.com – Science of food and eating Paleo
- www.CivilizedCavemanCooking.com – great paleo crockpot recipies
- www.SavingDinner.com – menus with shopping lists
- www.fastpaleo.com – quick and easy healthy recipes


text:
Slow-Cooked Beer and Cheddar Bisque
- Heartwarming Meals
- 11/06/16
- Share
Here's a flavor combination that makes a perfect flavor pairing: beer and cheese. Take your two favorite things and combine them with potatoes in this bisque for a truly incredible comfort food recipe. You can even get creative by experimenting with different cheeses and your favorite selection of beers. Try an IPA or lager for a more robust bisque or your favorite blonde ale for something light. No matter which combination you choose, you can't go wrong!
Slow cooking this bisque is what truly brings out its unique flavors and with the Crock-Pot® Single Hand Cook & Carry® 6-Quart Oval Slow Cooker you can easily bring this soon-to-be famous dish to any party or gathering with ease. Simply lock, grab and go with just a single hand!
Beer and Cheddar Bisque
Creamy and soft with an aromatic punch from the beer, this bisque serves great with a complementary grilled cheese or toasted sandwich.
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 12 ounces beer
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Chives, chopped for garnish if desired
- Wash, scrub and dice potatoes.
- Place in the bottom of your slow cooker and toss with the flour.
- Add chicken broth, beer, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme and celery salt.
- Stir everything until mixture is well combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Before turning off slow cooker, add sharp cheddar cheese and heavy cream.
- Let bisque heat through for another 15 to 30 minutes.
- Serve in bowls and top with chives for garnish, if desired.
- Enjoy warm!


text:
Update: English docs available.
This project is a generator for XBRL taxonomies. The aim of this tool is to help the taxonomy designer in two ways:
an user-friendly data entry tool, allowing to paste elements from existing Office documents;
a controlled generator, that helps the novice to fill the knowledge gap required to produce an FRTA-compliant taxonomy.
Currently the tool is used in my bank for an internal-use taxonomy, and helped us to generate a DTS for more than 7,000 concepts. The tool (currently only in italian language — I am working on an english translation is available at http://taxogen.sourceforge.net. Comments and suggestions are welcome.


text:
Speaking at a press conference, Anthony Martial has answered questions on Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jose Mourinho. The striker is a favourite player of our new manager's, and Martial reckons the introduction of them both could only make United better.
Zlatan is a good player and a great striker – he would improve us with his experience. Mourinho is a great coach, one of the best in the world.
Martial missed France's 3-2 win over Cameroon earlier in the week with injury and is a doubt for their final game ahead of Euro 2016 against Scotland on Saturday.
It's a little difficult as we've had two training sessions a day. I talked about this with the coach and we've tried to ease my training sessions. Now I feel much better.


text:
The Connecticut Insurance Department is getting its health product form and rate filing system ready for the day when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is supposed to start taking full effect.
The department has given the form and rate filing rules in Bulleti HC-90.
The department wants to get the policies and certificates for the plans to be sold through the Connectic Health Insurance Exchange — HIX — this month.
The form number for an exchange plan should start with the prefix HIX, officials said in the bulletin.
If an insurer is selling the same plan outside HIX, the non-exchange form should use the same number as the HIX form, but without the HIX prefix, officials said.
The department "will provide some flexibility regarding the timing of health filings subject to this bulletin to facilitate the process and meet the needs of HIX," officials said.
PPACA calls for the states and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to set up a system of health insurance exchanges, or Web-based health insurance supermarkets, for individuals and small groups by Jan. 1, 2014.
Insurers are supposed to start selling coverage on a guaranteed issue, mostly community-rated basis on that date, and they're also supposed to use a standardized "essential health benefits" (EHB) package as the basis for the benefits that they offer.
To help consumers shop for coverage, carriers must classify a plan as a bronze, silver, gold or platinum plan. The plan's "metal level" will depend on the percentage of the actuarial value of the EHB package that the plan provides.
The Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) — the agency responsible for implementing much of PPACA — has been developing an actuarial value calculator that's supposed to simplify the process of estimating a plan's actuarial value, but the calculator is not yet available.
The Connecticut department wants an insurer to indicate whether a form is for a bronze, silver, gold or platinum product by using a B, S, G or P.
The department is not saying whether the HIX prefix should come before the metal level prefix or if the metal level prefix should come before the HIX prefix.
"The filing should include a certification by a member of the American Academy of Actuaries regarding the calculation of the actuarial values of the metal levels," department officials said.
Because the CCIIO has not yet published a calculator for determining the actuarial value of the EHB package, "policy forms and certificates may be filed without the schedule of benefits so as not to delay the review and approval of these forms," officials said. "The schedules of benefits may be filed at a later date with a target date not later than January, 2013."
See also:
- Kansas rep lobbies for HSAs
- PPACA: IRS Offers 3 Plan Valuation Methods
- CCIIO Proposes HSA Plan Valuation Approach


text:
The charity founded by the previous owner of frozen dessert-maker Sara Lee in the United States said it would invest its entire $440-million asset pool in ways that drive social change.
The New York-based Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF), which in 2016 agreed grants of $23 million, said its decision would make it "one of the largest foundations to commit 100 per cent" to so-called impact investing.
Impact investing takes into account financial returns as well as the effect such investments have on people's lives.
"The problems we are working on—the climate crisis and growing inequality—will not be solved by grantmaking alone," NCF president Sharon Alpert said in a statement.
We know that companies doing better in the marketplace are companies where CEO compensation is not completely out of whack with overall compensation of wages.
Sharon Alpert, president, Nathan Cummings Foundation
"How we invest our assets and leverage our influence as an investor are powerful tools to make that change to happen."
Nathan Cummings rose from an impoverished childhood to become the founder and guiding force of the Sara Lee Corporation that became part of his company until his death in 1985. The company has since been divided and sold off.
Part of NCF's revised remit will see it invest in companies that do not pay inflated executive salaries, are mindful of gender pay differences, and have a narrower gap between the highest-paid and lowest-paid employees.
"We know that companies doing better in the marketplace are companies where CEO compensation is not completely out of whack with overall compensation of wages," Alpert told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.
Charities commonly invest their assets to generate returns they spend on their objectives. Under US law, they must each year allocate at last 5 per cent of their asset value as grants.
The NCF, which over the last 27 years has awarded almost $500 million, said it would still issue grants. However, it said, foundations have trillions of dollars in collective assets yet employ only a fraction in grants to further their aims.
"This move asks the question of what is possible if foundations begin using the other 95 per cent," it said.
NCF's move follows last year's decision by the Ford Foundation—the country's second-largest grantmaking foundation with $12.4 billion in assets—to commit up to $1 billion to impact investing over a decade.
The Ford Foundation said at the time that its decision was the largest by a private foundation, and that it would focus on "affordable housing in the United States and access to financial services in emerging markets".
The amount of money going into impact investing is growing, the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), a trade group, said. In 2016, it said impact investing accounted for at least $113.7 billion of assets under management.
"We will continue to see more announcements like this one … as more foundations realise that they are leaving their resources on the sidelines instead of putting all of their assets to work," said Amit Bouri, GIIN chief executive.
This story was published with permission from Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Thanks for reading to the end of this story!
We would be grateful if you would consider joining as a member of The EB Circle. This helps to keep our stories and resources free for all, and it also supports independent journalism dedicated to sustainable development. For a small donation of S$60 a year, your help would make such a big difference.


text:
Search for Certification Services. Find Fairtrade, Organic and Sustainable Companies at Ekobai.com
Search results for Certification Services
Companiesekobai.com returned 1 items the first 1 listed below for Certification Services
QMS Korea Certification Services Co., Ltd. (Korea, Republic of)
Certifications and Memberships: Organic Trade Association North America, Other Organic Standards
Products and Services: Certification services,
Non-Profitsekobai.com returned items the first listed below for Certification Services
Productsekobai.com returned items the first listed below for Certification Services
Standardsekobai.com returned 4 items the first 4 listed below for Certification Services
International Featured Standard IFS (Food Safety)
... non-food products and related services. IFS Standards help to comply with... standards to all concerned suppliers and service providers as well as a concrete and strong...
BS 25999 Business Continuity (Quality)
"Continued operations in the event of a disruption, whether due to a major disaster or a minor incident, is a fundamental requirement for any organization. BS 25999, the world's first British standard...
OHSAS 18001 (Worker Welfare)
OHSAS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification. It comprises two parts, 18001 and 18002 and embraces BS8800 and a number of other publications.  ...
CEN Keymark (Quality)
...Keymark is a voluntary European certification mark, demonstrating that a product...also be used for services. The ... At the moment 29 certification bodies located in 16 different European...
Newsekobai.com returned 40 items the first 40 listed below for Certification Services
Accreditation Services International to provide oversight of RSB certification system
...accreditation and oversight services, ensures the credibility of its certification system for ... the provider of accreditation services to other ecolabels and certification programs such as the...
Sustainable sugarcane certification reaches Central America
... Global Services (SCS), the accredited third-party certification body that... first in India to achieve MSC certification Can Bonsucro be a transformative force...
IPsoft Achieves Cisco Master Managed Services Certification
IPsoft announced today it has achieved the Cisco® Master Managed Services Certification. This certification recognizes IPsoft's investment in the ITIL® processes, practices and too
Net Positive: Major review article shows small farmers are benefiting from certification
...and schools: Certification tended to stimulate their access to these services and their ...children's attendance of schools. Farmer income: Certification tended to...
SGS Expands Food Supplier Certification to Global Food Safety Initiative, Reducing Costs by Allowing One Standard to ... (Centre Daily Times)
... Initiative (GFSI) auditing and certification services to its longstanding certification program for food suppliers.... The new services will enable ...


text:
My opinion about HAML/SASS
This is my response to Kyle Simpson's post about HAML.
Let's start with a disclaimer of my own: I haven't used HAML (or SASS) in a real environment, so I don't know how useful it can be.
Now, with that out of the way, here's my opinion, based on Kyle's post:
HTML (and CSS) are two languages that are easy enough to learn. Of course, there are certain intricacies related to how browsers handle HTML and CSS, but that doesn't change the difficulty of writing in those languages. A link will always be marked up with an a tag, and you'll always use the background property to set background styles on an element. Once you get the basic syntax, there's not much you can do wrong (luckily Geocities doesn't exist anymore to disprove my point ;)).
I agree with Kyle that templates should contain as little logic as possible. This allows for them to be easily changed to be used with a different server side language and makes them easy to maintain for people that have little to no knowledge of the server side language that's being used. And of course, there's the whole separation thing; client side developers are always very adamant about separating HTML, CSS and Javascript, so why should you mix HTML and server side languages (above a certain level)? So, to keep things simple, a templating language should, in my opinion, probably only offer simple variable replacement.
And to round off my response, here's a little analogy: I prefer reading books by English authors in their native language instead of a Dutch translation, because I can understand all the subtle nuances and jokes the authors make as they intended them when they wrote them down. However, if my English wasn't that good, I'd probably prefer the Dutch translation.
It's the same with HTML versus HAML. To really understand what's going on, it's easier to look at the HTML code that's being put out, as long as you have a good understanding of HTML. However, if you're not really that good at HTML, but understand HAML very well, you'll probably prefer reading the HAML code. But that will always mean that you won't always get the subtle nuances of HTML (granted, there aren't that many, but if you look at CSS vs SASS, then it starts to make more sense).


text:
Publication Date
Publication Details
Leitz, J. R, Morgan, C. J, Bisby, J. A, Rendell, P. G & Curran, HV. (2009). Global impairment of prospective memory following acute alcohol. Psychopharmacology,205(3), 379-387. Springer: Springer. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-009-1546-z
Rationale: Whilst the deleterious effects of alcohol on retrospective remembering have been widely documented, no study has yet objectively determined alcohol's effects on prospective memory (PM)—remembering to do something in the future.
Objectives: With this aim, the present study determined the acute effects of alcohol upon PM using a laboratory measure that simulates the PM tasks in everyday life—'Virtual Week'—both (a) in its standard form with regular, irregular, event-based and time-based PM tasks; and (b) an adapted version which enabled exploration of how future event simulation at encoding impacted upon subsequent PM.
Methods: Forty healthy volunteers were administered 0.6 g/kg ethanol or a matched placebo in a double-blind fashion and completed the two versions of Virtual Week along with prose recall (to tap retrospective memory) and an executive function task.
Results: Alcohol acutely produced global impairments across all (regular, irregular, event-based and time-based) PM tasks. It also produced impairments of episodic memory which positively correlated with PM performance of irregular tasks. Future-event simulation tended to enhance PM in the placebo but not in the alcohol group.
Conclusions: These findings on an objective measure of PM suggest that 4–5 units of alcohol will compromise PM abilities in everyday life.
School of Psychology
Document Type
Journal Article
Access Rights
ERA Access
Access may be restricted.