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Backfilling The Blog
On May 10th 2014 around 100 people gathered to celebrate the Past In Mind project and the launch of Kate Lack's fascinating book: Past In Mind: A Heritage Project and Mental Health Recovery.
Whitbourne Village Hall was buzzing with excitement and anticipation as faces old and new filled up the room.
Dash, my new guide dog, greeted people with his usual enthusiasm and helped everyone to feel at ease.
It was very heartwarming to meet up with people we hadn't seen since last year, and to hear their news. Past In Mind became a very close-knit group and we all believed in the project so much that it has left a definite imprint on each of us.
After some luxurious refreshments there were a few short presentations from a cross-section of people involved with the project. True to the ethos of Past In Mind this included some thoughts from volunteers…
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Talking Taboos: Should I live or should I die?
Hanging Up The Harness
I have had my guide dog Trudy (AKA The Hereford Hoover) for just over five years, and we've reached the time that I've been dreading most – her official retirement.
When Trudy bounced into my life I was living in a residential home and had got used to the fact that I would probably be there forever. I rarely went out on my own, and feared strangers to the extent that I could not tolerate busy streets or crowded rooms. I spent most of my time indoors listening to music or the radio. The big wide world was virtually inaccessible to me.
Of course the furry whirlwind that filled my small room in May 2008 changed all that. Time for a cliché – it really was love at first sight. I knew Trudy was special. I knew she would radically change my life. It was breathtaking. Three days after that momentous first meeting we began our four weeks training together, and life has never been the same since.
Less than two years after training with Trudy I moved into my own flat and immersed myself in a new life. With Trudy's help I overcame my fear of people and trained as a volunteer Speaker for Guide Dogs. Sometimes I wonder if I am the same person when I give a talk to an audience. I remember the me who refused to go into a room if there were more than two people in it.
Before I had even met Trudy I was told that she was a stubborn dog who loved her food. I had no concept of the Hereford Hoover then. Trudy's trademark is her pinkish brown snout, glued to the ground wherever she goes, sniffing, snorting, and snuffling her way forward. There has been countless occasions where the Hoover has been offered cleaning jobs in various public buildings. (And as many where she has narrowly escaped being ordered off the premises). But despite her penchant for hoovering, Trudy was always a first-class guide dog. She has guided me to Scotland, London, Devon, Essex and all over the West Midlands. Together we have mastered ferries, trains, buses, trams, the London Tube and even a carousel in Hereford High Town at Christmas. Before I met Trudy, I would have preferred to die than go anywhere via public transport. (And I definitely never would have tried the carousel!)
Trudy stopped walking in harness about three months ago, but is due to retire officially next week. Her guide dog harness will be taken away for good.
Five years ago I never envisaged the emotional turmoil this would throw me into. A guide dog provides so much emotional and practical support that as a team you begin to function as one being. Picking up the harness and fastening the buckle under Trudy's stomach is second nature to me. We just used to get up and go out. Being out and about with a guide dog is a real joy. I was forever finding reasons to go out with Trudy just to experience the unbroken communication between us.
I loved the feel of her body bobbing up and down under the harness, the different signals she used to give me through the harness handle as we explored the streets of Hereford, and her sneaky attempts to procure food from the pavements wherever we went. Hoovering aside, I knew that I could trust Trudy with my life. The trust between us is mutual and it unites us. In her guide dog heyday Trudy was a keen worker and would always fly into her harness (quite literally!). She used to cock her head as if to ask me what our plans were for the day. No two days were ever the same. One day we could be in Worcester, the next in the park, the next on a coach to London and the next in the theatre. (I regret to say that Trudy often graced musical performances with her own vocal arrangements, so I always made sure we were right at the back near the exit!)
Reflecting over the past five years brings home to me how much Trudy has transformed my life. In 2010 she was runner-up in the Life Changing category of the Guide Dog of the Year Awards, and in 2011 she won the Life Changing category. The 2011 award was in recognition for Trudy's role in helping me to cope with Breast Cancer. She unquestionably speeded up my physical and emotional recovery.
Trudy is notoriously inappropriate on official occasions. She nearly ruined the photo shoot in the 2010 ceremony when she dived to retrieve an apple stalk and refused to drop it. And far worse, when we met the Duke of Edinburgh last year during the Royal visit to Hereford, she stuck her snout inside his raincoat to sniff a certain part of his anatomy… Less said of that the better. (For the curious among you, he remarked: "Something must smell nice in there!".)
Our precious moment of un-glory.
It's very hard to acknowledge the end of an era with such a character as the Hereford Hoover. Trudy is not quite ten, and probably could have continued as a guide dog for longer had she not effectively retired herself. About a year ago I began to notice subtle changes in her demeanour when we were out together. She seemed fed up, and became more and more distracted. She started meandering instead of walking in straight lines, and frequently led me up the garden path (in fact every garden path in the street!). I got the distinct impression that she was no longer enjoying walking in harness. Eventually this was confirmed when she lay down in the middle of the pavement on strike. (Not once, but three times on three separate walks!) A guide dog on strike needs to be listened to.
So three months ago I decided to stop taking her out on harness. Since then Trudy has found her inner puppy, and bounces through the park revelling in her well-earned freedom. I know I have made the right decision.
But although Trudy is benefiting from the redundant harness, I am finding our new way of life quite difficult. The guide dog harness is a freedom ticket, and without it I have lost a lot of confidence. I still have my lovely dog and she gives me so much in the way of affection, humour and companionship. But our roaming area has shrunk from UK unlimited to a small corner of Hereford.
I am reasonably competent at using a long cane but this way of getting around ignites my old fears and anxieties about going out. I find using a long cane quite an ordeal, and it makes me incredibly nervous. After being dependent on a guide dog a long cane seems clumsy and lonely. I have tried taking Trudy with me on my various practise expeditions. It is better than being out on my own, but the slow walking speed and numerous crashes into bins, bollards and boards continue to put me off. In addition (and this may sound ridiculous) relying on a long cane is a constant reminder to me that I cannot see, whereas walking with a guide dog enables me to forget it. So my current solution is to go to the park every day with Trudy, but nowhere else. And after five years of freedom and increasing confidence, this is a set-back. If you imagine someone who has been used to walking with a prosthetic leg suddenly losing that leg and having to rely on crutches – that is how I feel without a working guide dog. Thankfully I still have Trudy, and she has prevented me from becoming a recluse.
And that brings me onto the pivotal question. What next? This is the question that has caused me untold agonies. My first decision was to keep Trudy as a pet and train with a new guide dog. Guide Dogs have been very supportive and in March they loaned me a dog for a week to see how I would manage with two dogs. The week went well and I coped.
But I knew deep down that I would not be able to sustain it. When you have a guide dog on harness you're not allowed to walk another dog at the same time. I tried to imagine myself on a really bad day where I
struggle to make it out of bed. Could I honestly say that I would be able to go out and about with the guide dog and then come back and take Trudy to the park? There are days when I just manage to take Trudy out to the grass and then to the park gate where I let her off the lead. With a young guide dog raring to go, and Trudy needing and deserving a quality retirement, I know the pressure would get to me eventually. Not only that, I remember so clearly my first year with Trudy. The first year in a new partnership takes every ounce of time, patience, energy and determination. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that it would not be fair on either Trudy or the new guide dog to have the two of them.
So the reluctant decision I have had to make is that when the right guide dog is found for me Trudy will go to live with a friend in Hereford. Subject to approval by Guide Dogs, this would be a brilliant compromise. Trudy will have a fantastic retirement with people she knows and loves. I will still have contact with my Hereford Hoover, whilst benefiting from having a guide dog to help me fulfil my remaining dreams. This way Trudy and I will both be winners. Someone advised me recently to imagine that Trudy is going off to University rather than leaving for good. (Look out St. John's College, Oxford!). Bizarre as it may seem, this has helped me with the heartache. Trudy will still be a huge part of my life.
In the meantime, Hoover and I are spending some quality time together and I have no regrets about her retiring. I have my fingers crossed that my new guide dog will be an anti-establishment, rule-bending and reliably subversive canine with a character to rival the Hereford Hoover. As Miranda Hart might say; "Such fun".
To find out more about Guide Dogs for the Blind, please click here: http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/scarlett3/?gclid=CI_KgorL9bcCFfLHtAodYyYAqw
Standing By My Wife Through Her Cancer Journey (by Cameron Von St. James)
I was contacted in December by someone who wishes to share his family's personal story. This truly inspiring account written by Cameron Von St. James demonstrates the power of hope. It has also inspired me to revitalise this blog. Thank you Cameron.
Standing by my Wife Through Her Cancer Journey
On November 21, 2005, my family's lives changed forever. On this day, my wife Heather found out that she had malignant pleural mesothelioma. It had only been three months since we celebrated the birth of our first child, and instead of getting ready to celebrate our first Christmas together, our lives were heading into a chaotic period.
Before we even left the hospital, I knew that I would have an important job ahead. Caring for a cancer patient would be extremely difficult. After the doctor told us about mesothelioma, he gave us three places we could go for treatment. My wife was speechless after learning about her diagnosis; therefore, I made the decision to go to Boston under the care of Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned specialist in the treatment of mesothelioma.
During the next two months, we were living in a very chaotic situation. Heather and I both used to work before she was diagnosed with cancer; however, after her diagnosis, she could no longer work. As for me, I could only work part time. I had to care for my wife, travel to Boston, and take care of our daughter. I was so overwhelmed and often thought about the worst possible outcomes. I was terrified of losing my wife and being left alone to raise a daughter who would never really know her mother. On several occasions, I found myself breaking down and crying when I was alone. However, I never cried around Heather because I knew she depended on me to be strong for her.
We were blessed to have so many people to help us. Many people would give us both words of comfort, and financial assistance which we so desperately needed. I was so hesitant to accept their help at first, but as soon as I let go of my pride and started accepting the generous offers that were coming our way, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. If there is anything that I would tell people dealing with cancer, it would be to take any offers of help offered to them.
Caring for someone with cancer is difficult, and most people will experience a ton of emotions; however, it is important to not let the fear and anger take control. By continuing to have hope, life is easier to manage. It was the most difficult journey of either of our lives, but after Heather's intense treatment involving surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, she miraculously beat mesothelioma, a feat so rare it is almost unheard of.
After this ordeal, I decided to go back to school to study Information Technology. My experience as Heather's caregiver helped prepare me. I graduated with high honors, and at my graduation, I was the student graduation speaker. During my graduation speech, I informed the audience that I would have never imagined giving a graduation speech five years prior; however, by having hope and never giving up, people can accomplish more than they have ever dreamed of accomplishing. Heather and Lily were in the audience to cheer me on, and that was the best reward of all.
The Hoover and Bag Go Forth!
I'm writing this post in some haste. Trudy and I are embarking on an adventure early tomorrow morning which is making me feel electric with excitement and apprehension.
In November last year when life was pretty bleak I responded impulsively to an e-mail which was offering a discount on a Murder Mystery Weekend in Dunoon.
I realised today that I have been wanting to go to Scotland for thirty-five years, so this trek across the border feels momentous. Trudy and I have been told to arrive at Gourock Railway Station by 4.30pm tomorrow. The whole trip has such a thrilling, mystifying, alarming uncertainty about it that I am almost beside myself.
The sense of adventure is gripping. I have no idea what to expect – or even if we will get there. This journey is truly putting Assisted Travel to the test! My public transport experiences have been so varied that I am prepared for anything.
I do not know anyone in the holiday group so that too is fuelling my imagination. Who will be there, and what on Earth am I doing? Whether I'm experiencing some mid-life crisis or latent travel bug is immaterial now, for I am all packed and about to go to bed so that I won't sleep past the alarm (set for 5.30am).
No time to think about the whys and wherefores. The Hoover and Bag go forth!
Monday Melancholy Is On The Dole
Monday – it always brings a flavour of melancholy as it peeps through the bedroom curtains. Today's Monday emptied an entire dessert spoon of gloom into my morning coffee.
I had to get up earlier than usual – never a great start to the day. Trudy got up too, wondering if breakfast was going to be extra early. After some tense anticipation she grumbled and slumped into her day-bed in the lounge. How I envied her, lying curled up in all that fur just waiting for breakfast to be served.
An engineer from the Housing Association was supposed to be coming to fix my shower which is slowly detaching itself from the bathroom wall. So while it was still dark outside and the birds were feebly trying out their vocal chords, I was polishing taps and shower fixings, and almost got to the point of cleaning the floor. But procrastination filed away that noble idea before it had time to flourish.
I was told the engineer would arrive "AM". According to the Tenancy Handbook, that can be any time between 7am and 1pm. So I waited. And waited. And waited even more until AM turned to PM. No engineer! When I phoned to ask what was afoot, I was given no explanation, just an apology and a re-scheduled appointment for tomorrow morning. The waste of an entire morning and the likelihood of a repeat performance tomorrow fuelled my Monday melancholy into despair.
But today is one of those cold days with an icy sun baring its bald head in the sky. So I decided to take Trudy to the park to give her a free run and to give me a blast of cold January air. Even before I had reached the metal gate at the park entrance my spirits had risen in line with the sun. The sharp breeze was flushing out my lungs and giving them new life. I gulped like a goldfish to take in as much air as possible.
Standing still in the open field which spans the bottom of the park, I felt invigorated. Monday melancholy was insignificant here. She began to lose her power and before long I could no longer sense her shadow. Trudy was tucking into an earthy molehill, her back-end was vertical and her collar-bells were clinking rather than ringing. When I whistled her she was reluctant to come, but eventually the prospect of a titbit was more alluring than a mound of earth and she bounced towards me with her ears flapping.
Within seconds she was off again, investigating some new scents which she had not noticed before. If only I could learn from my Labrador and live for the moment. No anxieties about the long-term future, no regrets about the past, just the here and now. Something about Aylestone Park in Hereford always brings me back to the here and now. There's a magic in this park that stills Time, calms the spirit and frees the soul.
Minutes later Trudy came brushing by in the hope of another titbit. I ruffled her fur, it was damp and smelt of winter grass. Her wagging tail thumped against my legs and I counted the beats – one, two, three, four. It was like a slow drum-roll at the start of a dance. While we stood there together the ice on the sun began to thaw and I felt a warm glow drizzling over my shoulders. I realised that I was truly happy.
When Trudy and I ventured home we were both transformed. Trudy was tired and slow, and could only manage a very slight wag with the tip of her tail. I was at peace and ready to start my Monday afresh, even though it was half past two in the afternoon.
As I write this, Monday has ebbed into the early hours of Tuesday. Trudy is stretched out on her bed lost in Labrador dreams. Before I start to slide into my own dream-world, I thank God that I am alive.
Thriving on Stage Fright
Stage fright is a sickening, draining, sudden rush of terror that causes our hearts to hyper-beat. Stage fright steals our composure and threatens to steal our credibility. Stage fright makes us feel as if we're about to die, right there on that cursed stage. Stage fright causes us to shake and sweat, to stumble and stutter. Stage fright attacks the strongest man as well as the weakest child.
The feelings associated with stage fright are unpleasant, but that does not mean we have to fight them. Neither does it mean that we need to avoid them at all costs. I recently heard an established Comedian recount in a radio interview that he has died on stage a number of times. That gave me heart, for I realised that dying on stage is commonplace yet it does not signify the end. Death on stage is nothing more than a temporary phenomenon. It only becomes permanent if we never stand on stage again.
As a volunteer Speaker for Guide dogs I have experienced dying on stage. I have been so terrified that my whole body quivers, the sweat pours off me and I cannot control my shaking voice. Yet even on these occasions the talks were not disastrous. I have been incredibly moved by the spontaneous generosity of some of the audiences who have witnessed my raw fear. So it is fair to say that success cannot always be accurately measured by our own perceptions and feelings. I might consider a talk to be a disaster because I experienced terror, but the outcome of the talk may be extremely positive. .
Giving a presentation or lecture is very similar to doing stand-up comedy. Both Comedians and Speakers seek to get the audience on their side and then keep them interested and entertained. An audience is like a blank sheet of paper, and it is up to us whether we leave it untouched or bring it to life.
Experiencing stage fright may well lead people to think they can never stand up in front of an audience again. But avoiding the unpleasantness of stage fright is no solution. Equally if we become confident in Public Speaking it does not necessarily mean that stage fright will never return. Accepting that stage fright is normal, temporary and indiscriminate might help to restore self-belief. Experiencing it does not signify failure or incompetence, but succumbing to it by running away from it allows the beast to continue its reign of terror.
Stage fright is powerful and emotional, but that visible emotion could possibly captivate an audience. My shaking voice which I know to be a symptom of my terror, has been described as passionate and emotional by people listening, and at times it has moved them to tears. Is it possible then that stage fright can help us to stir the hearts of an audience, or to reach people in a way that we had not anticipated?
This week I gave two talks to two very different audiences. Both times I experienced the familiar symptoms of terror beforehand, but even though I could hear my voice quivering, stage fright did not dominate either talk. The adrenalin buzz which raced through me afterwards completely annihilated my memories of previous stage deaths. I know that stage fright may decide to suffocate me in future, but for the moment I am enjoying my exhilaration.
To thrive on stage fright we need to face the monster head-on, allow it to roar and even knock us to the ground, but walk away afterwards knowing that it has not beaten us.
Metal Mama's Verdict
A Basket of Toy Amputees
All dogs have their favourite toys, but unfortunately these toys are the ones whose lives are destined to be short and painful. They must endure being tugged, chewed, disemboweled and ultimately decapitated or mortally wounded. Some manage to escape into the depths of the dog's bed or under the fridge, but even these are eventually sniffed out to meet their fate. It is never play time for a dog's toy.
When I trained with Trudy, my Guide dog Instructor warned of the dangers of giving dogs soft toys because their inner stuffing can potentially choke a dog. Likewise if a squeaker from a toy becomes lodged in your dog's throat it can be fatal.
I took note of my Instructor's advice and endeavoured not to buy Trudy any soft or squeaky toys. But Trudy is a seasoned thief, and it wasn't long before I caught her stealing my own cuddly toys from the bedroom. (Yes, I do love teddy bears, and frogs, and beanies..!). My old favourites began to lose the shine on their fur and to develop a slightly bedraggled, manky appearance. Occasionally I would discover one of them lying dead in another room. In the end I decided that I would buy Trudy a couple of soft toys to play with under supervision.
Three and a half years later I have some gruesome scenes imprinted on my memory. Last Summer for example I bought a large dog-shaped doorstop. One morning I was shocked to discover that Trudy had blinded the dog and totally defaced its snout. I have had to remove it from my lounge because it is too disturbing. Its empty eyes and ripped snout speak of dastardly deeds. Was Trudy ensuring that the doorstop dog would never take her place as my Guide dog?! Suffice to say that the motives of Labradors are not always clear-cut.
In addition to the eye-gauging incident there have been numerous spontaneous massacres resulting in limbs and heads strewn all over the floor. Wads of stuffing have appeared in the most unlikely places. Eyes, ears and tails are frequently left abandoned in the hallway. Many toys have ended their sad lives in the bin. But there are some characters which have been consigned to the Sick Room, AKA "The Invalid Box". These are the all-time favourites which have treasured memories embedded in their remaining body parts, and which I am unable to throw away. The Invalid Box is a very macabre collection indeed. Several of Trudy's "Invalids" are in fact headless, and many are just a torso.
Trudy's Invalid Box is now bursting at the seams. With this in mind I have reached a momentous decision. I have decided to undertake a mammoth project to repair those Invalids which have enough body mass to tolerate a needle and thread. I am hoping that Trudy's excitement at being reunited with some of her loved-ones will overcome her critical eye – for the truth is I cannot sew to save my life. In fact, I cannot even thread a needle. But with the help of the RNIB shop (from which I've purchased an automatic needle-threader), Amazon and Google, I have high hopes.
Some of the torsos may find themselves attached to different limbs from before, and some may even end up with more limbs than they started with. But Trudy (fingers crossed!) will be gobsmacked to see the return of such legends as Myrtle the Turtle (the prize she won at the Guide dog of the Year Awards 2011). Myrtle unfortunately suffered multiple organ failure in the early Autumn.
If the Invalid Project is a success, I may progress to sewing up holes in my own skirts and darning my Trudyfied socks. The days of asking friends to mend things for me could soon be a thing of the past. That would really boost my confidence. Who knows what lies ahead in the sewing sphere of 2012? Watch this crafty space!


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CARDIFF, Wales -- France fought back from 13-0 down to pull off an astonishing 20-18 victory and send favorites New Zealand crashing out of the Rugby World Cup in Cardiff.
Jauzion leaves four All Blacks in his wake as he crosses the line to make it 18-18.
Against all the odds it will be France against England in the semifinal at the Stade de France next Saturday rather than the Australia v New Zealand encounter most people expected.
The game turned on a controversial decision by English referee Wayne Barnes early in the second half when the All Blacks led 13-3. He ruled that Luke McAlister's collision with Yannick Jauzion was worthy of yellow card for the All Black center.
Lionel Beauxis kicked the penalty and France piled on the pressure to make the one-man advantage pay over the next 10 minutes.
In the 53rd minute they drew level when Vincent Clerc sent Thierry Dusautoir in for a great try, which Beauxis converted.
McAlister returned but New Zealand then lost fly-half Dan Carter, who limped off to be replaced by Nick Evans.
The All Blacks, who had never before failed to reach the last four in a World Cup, came roaring back to regain the lead when a period of pressure ended with No. 8 Rodney So'oialo forcing himself over in the 62nd minute.
McAlister's conversion attempt was wide and France then pulled off a master stroke by bringing on Frederic Michalak to replace Beauxis.
After 68 minutes Damien Traille took the ball at speed and fed Michalak, who sprinted through the defense before pirouetting to pass to Jauzion, who surged over. Jean-Baptiste converted to send France ahead for the first time.
There was little sign of what was to come during the first period.
Carter kicked a 12th minute penalty as New Zealand put France under immense pressure. In the 16th minute a desperate tackle by Clerc just prevented a try in the corner from Ali Williams, whose foot went into touch just before he grounded the ball.
The let-off was brief however. Two minutes later McAlister cut through the French defense and exchanged passes with Jerry Collins before plunging over for a superb try, converted by Carter.
When Carter kicked a long-range penalty after 30 minutes the New Zealand fans could have been forgiven for looking forward to returning to France for the semifinal.
Beauxis, who had missed some early kicks, finally found the target with the last effort of the first half to make it 13-3 but even then an All Blacks defeat appeared remote.
At the end French coach Bernard Laborite said: "Bravo to all the players. After losing the first match to Argentina, we suffered a lot of things but tonight the response was there. We beat a great team and we want to go further." E-mail to a friend

subset: commoncrawl


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Plain Chain Necklace Silver
The trend of layering was already spotted last season, however we can tell you it is here to stay. Why only wear one beauty, when you can show of everything you own!
Probably you still have some basic necklaces laying around from last year. And that is a good thing tho, because you can use them over and over.
This minimalistic 'plain' design causes a subtle effect, which makes it easy to mix and match. This chain necklace can be combined with a black mesh top, silk slip dress or just a basic tee to get that urban feeling.
|Plain Chain
|The longest is 404 mm with a 47 mm chain extender


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Inspired by Stevie Nicks and made from three tiers of dot chiffon with pom-pom trim, the Stevie skirt is full of volume and ideal for unleashing one's inner bohemian rockstar.
Fully lined to the ground with an invisible centre back zip fastening.
Contact us to discuss our Made-to-Measure service for this skirt.
Please refer to our Size Guide and Terms of sale
If you are ordering Made-to-Measure, we will send you a PDF measuring guide once you have placed your order.
Contact us


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THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 239(d)(2), SCACR.
In The Court of Appeals
Kenneth S. Pinckney, Appellant,
Robert J. Salamon, Lowcountry Chiropractic, Respondent.
Appeal From Charleston County
Mikell R. Scarborough, Master-In-Equity
Unpublished Opinion No. 2007-UP-023
Submitted January 1, 2007 – Filed January 12, 2007
Kenneth S. Pinckney, of Cross, Pro Se Appellant.
N. Keith Emge, Jr., of Charleston, for Respondent.
PER CURIAM: Kenneth S. Pinckney appeals the trial court's award of summary judgment in favor of Dr. Robert J. Salamon. We affirm.[1]
On March 11, 2003, Kenneth S. Pinckney received chiropractic treatment for lower back pain from Dr. Robert J. Salamon. After leaving Dr. Salamon's office, Pinckney experienced great discomfort in his throat, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, and the loss of his voice. Pinckney associated the problems in his neck and throat with the care he received from Dr. Salamon, particularly a procedure that involved Pinckney turning his head from side to side while lying on an examination table.
As a result of his alleged injury, Pinckney filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Salamon. The complaint claimed Dr. Salamon was grossly negligent in the care he administered. Additionally, Pinckney alleged Dr. Salamon failed to receive Pinckney's informed consent in regard in any treatment that involved his neck and throat.
After his visit to Dr. Salamon, Pinckney saw Dr. Robert Marwick, an ear, nose and throat specialist. Dr. Marwick evaluated Pinckney's condition and, although equivocal in his diagnosis, believed that Pinckney may have a fractured hyoid. In his answer to interrogatories, Pinckney indicated that he intended to call Dr. Marwick as a witness. Shortly after the interrogatories were filed, Dr. Marwick stated in a letter to Pinckney: "I could not establish a causal connection between your medical condition and any treatment that you had received from a chiropractor. Therefore, I will not be able to help you in your potential case as a witness."
Pinckney also proffered Dr. Jerald Yaden as an expert witness. However, in his affidavit, Dr. Yaden stated he had no personal knowledge of the injury Pinckney allegedly sustained and that he could not testify to a reasonable degree of professional certainty that Dr. Salamon's treatment deviated from the standard of care in the field of chiropractics. Specifically, Dr. Yaden stated:
- I have not treated Kenneth S. Pinckney since April of 2001.
- I have no personal knowledge of the alleged injuries sustained by Mr. Pinckney in March of 2003.
- If called to testify in this matter, I could not testify to a reasonable degree of professional certainty that Dr. Salamon's treatment of Mr. Pinckney deviated from the standard of care in the chiropractic profession or that Dr. Salamon's treatment of Mr. Pinckney was most probably the cause of the injuries alleged by Mr. Pinckney.
Pinckney listed a number of other physicians who could serve as witnesses. However, upon being subpoenaed, these doctors all indicated they had only treated Pinckney prior to his visit with Dr. Salamon and had no involvement with the injury at issue in this case.
Dr. Salamon moved for summary judgment, citing Pinckney's failure to proffer expert testimony proving the standard of care had been breached and was the proximate cause of his injury. The master-in-equity granted this motion, to which Pinckney now appeals.
When reviewing the grant of a summary judgment motion, this court applies the same standard which governs the trial court under Rule 56(c), SCRCP: summary judgment is proper when there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Baughman v. Am. Tel & Tel. Co., 306 S.C. 101, 114-15, 410 S.E.2d 537, 545 (1991). The moving party may discharge the burden of demonstrating the absence of a genuine issue of material fact by pointing out the absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party's case. Lanham v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of S.C., Inc., 349 S.C. 356, 361, 563 S.E.2d 331, 333 (2002).
Although "the court must view the facts and inferences therefrom in a light most favorable to the nonmoving party," Bravis v. Dunbar, 316 S.C. 263, 265, 449 S.E.2d 495, 496 (Ct. App. 1994), in order to withstand a motion for summary judgment, the nonmoving party must establish specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of material fact for trial. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 106 S. Ct. 1348 (1986). This court has previously held:
A party opposing a properly supported motion for summary judgment, however, may not rest on the mere allegations or denials of his pleading, but must set forth or point to specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue of material fact. Thus, the existence of a mere scintilla of evidence in support of the nonmoving party's position is not sufficient to overcome a motion for summary judgment.
Dickert v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 306 S.C. 311, 313, 411, S.E.2d 672, 673 (Ct. App. 1991) (internal citations omitted), rev'd in part on other grounds, 311 S.C. 218, 428 S.E.2d 700 (1993). Thus, the nonmoving party cannot rest solely on its pleadings.
A physician commits malpractice by not exercising that degree of skill and learning that is ordinarily possessed and employed by members of the profession in good standing, acting in the same or similar circumstances. Durham v. Vinson, 360 S.C. 639, 650-51, 602 S.E.2d 760, 766 (2004). In order to recover in a malpractice action, a plaintiff must prove: (1) a duty of care owed to the defendant by the plaintiff; (2) a breach of that duty by a negligent act or omission; and (3) damages proximately resulting from the defendant's breach. See Crolley v. Hutchins, 300 S.C. 355, 387 S.E.2d 716 (Ct. App. 1989). Failure to conform to the standard of care must generally be shown by expert testimony, unless the subject matter is within common knowledge and experience. Jernigan v. King, 312 S.C. 331, 440 S.E.2d 379 (Ct. App. 1993).
As the standard of care owed by chiropractor for the treatment of lower back pain is not within the common knowledge, Pinckney must present expert testimony in order to establish his claim. In regard to negligence, the expert must provide the duty of care owed in treating the condition and that through a negligent act or omission, Dr. Salamon breached this duty, proximately causing Pinckney's injury. Similarly, Pinckney's claim for lack of informed consent must be proven by expert testimony establishing the professional standard for disclosure for Dr. Salamon's branch of medicine, the doctor breached that standard in regards to Pinckney, and Pinckney was harmed as a result.
In the context of medical malpractice, South Carolina has the following burden for showing causation:
[W]hen opinions of medical experts are relied upon to establish causal connection of negligence to injury, the proper test to be applied is that the expert must, with reasonable certainty, state that in his professional opinion the injuries complained of most probably resulted from the alleged negligence of the [defendant].
Billups v. Leliuga, 303 S.C. 36, 40, 398 S.E.2d 75, 77 (Ct. App. 1990). Thus, the "test for the admissibility of expert testimony on a causal connection requires the expert to state that the result most probably came from the cause alleged." 32 S.C. Juris Witness § 79 (referencing Clark v. Greenville County, 313 S.C. 205, 437 S.E.2d 117 (1993)). Medical expert testimony that the injury "possibly," "could have," or "might have" resulted from the alleged negligence is insufficient to prove causation. See Billups, 303 S.C. at 40, 398 S.E.2d at 77.
The uncontested statement of Dr. Marwick, the only physician known to have evaluated Pinckney after visiting Dr. Salamon, was that he cannot meet South Carolina's standard for expert testimony pertaining to causation. None of the other doctors Pinckney listed as experts examined him subsequent to the alleged injury. Pinckney failed to proffer any expert testimony regarding a breach of the standard of care or that the breach was the proximate cause of the injury. As a result, there are no genuine issues of material fact as to his causes of action. Because the issue discussed is dispositive, we need not address any other issues.
Accordingly, the grant of summary judgment is
ANDERSON, HUFF, and BEATTY, JJ., concur.
[1] We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.


text: If you know me, you know the sentiments I have for these French sweets run deep... Ever since my first bite, back in 2010, I've been hooked! French macarons, if done right, are as beautiful as they are delicious. The perfect macaron should never be too chewy or crunchy. Rather, this delicate cookie should have … Continue reading Mastering The Macaron | Recipe with Chocolate Ganache & Rose Buttercream


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When should you not hit the action?
When you see on-screen action (fighting, running etc…) the music tends to follow along in some way. It might hit some of the action or play along with some cool action music.
But when do you not follow the action?
I am currently scoring the feature film "Comforting Skin", and there is a moment where a short fight occurs that did not need musical emphasis.
Without giving away too much, I can describe the scene this way: the protagonist has just revealed something important to her friend. This is a climactic moment in the film, an important part of the story's arc, and the music is a part of it.
Then a secondary character attacks the friend from behind and a short and violent struggle ensues. (Only about 4 seconds of screen time.)
I initially tried music that followed along the short fight, a short burst of musical violence, but it was immediately clear that it didn't work.
So I thought about it for a minute and asked myself some questions:
Q: This climactic moment is about who? What is important? What is this scene about? (All variations of the same question.)
A: The scene is about that climactic revelation between the two main characters who have the central relationship in the film. This moment is an important one in the arc of their relationship. It is not about that secondary character fighting.
Q: How does this fight relate to this moment?
A: It ties up that secondary character's role in the story as she gets almost knocked unconscious, but does not affect the core of that scene.
With that in mind I wrote a cue which responded to the climactic reveal; light, ethereal, surreal music. And I played right through the short fight, completely ignoring it, and it worked wonderfully- because it made dramatic sense!
If music hit the action it would emphasize what was not important to that scene and would take away from the important story element.
So, what is the answer to: When should you not hit the action?
The answer is: When it is not driving the story.
Case Study: Jurrasic Park – keeping the tension.
One of the important uses of music in film is to provide tension and momentum. This is especially useful when the tension is in the subtext and not in the visuals or dialogue.
Jurrasic Park are a great example of this.
At 55:27 the character of Dennis Nedry begins the shutting down of the computer systems to allow him to steal the dinosaur embryos. This sequence is dramatically important, but the visuals are somewhat static and intercut with the characters of Alan Grant and Ian Malcolm humorously getting aquainted in the Jeep, oblivious to the danger ahead.
It's all pretty quiet stuff which requires music to drive it along and give the right tone. The music is percussive, rhythmic and filled with tension, giving this sequence the necessary propulsion and the right sense of dread.
The Jeeps stop, the fences fail, Nedry escapes. It all is important to the plot but the dialogue and visuals are mostly static or slow with benign dialogue, so the music is important here and carries through it all. (This is not a failure on Spielberg's part, but rather shows understanding of how to use music as part of the story telling.)
And then we cut to the goat at 1:00:21 and the music stops, leaving silence. We know the goat, it lets us know where we are and it also as a foreshadowing tool that lets us know something bad is going to happen. Music is not needed.
There is no music at all during the entire T-Rex attack.
Spielberg and Williams were smart to not put any music here. They knew that the audience was seeing something they had never seen before, a truly believable onscreen T-Rex. The shock of it was made even more intense by the relatively "empty" soundtrack, which must have bee especially powerful in a theater.
And there is context to consider as well. The shot of the goat which starts the T-Tex sequence was preceded by a long stretch of music. Silence makes a bigger impact when it is preceded by lots of sound.
After the T-Rex attack is done, we cut back to the control room with a slow zoom-in to dialogue about lines of code. Not the most exciting stuff. The tension here is in their obliviousness to what is happening outside, the subtext, so the music returns here to keep the tension and momentum going.
As a side note, when adding rhythmic music to a scene, it is always amazing to me how the music changes the tempo of a scene, making it seem to go by much faster.
Bottom line: Music is great at keeping tension and momentum going, especially when there is a subtext of tension that is not necessarily present on screen. Music is not always necessary when there is strong and dramatic on-screen action.


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1850 Lake Whatcom Boulevard, Bellingham
When it comes to real estate the Sudden Valley area has some of the finest homes. Located in Whatcom County, Washington, Sudden Valley is one of the nicest areas of the state to call home. There are many homes for sale in the area. If you are looking to build a new home, the area also has many different sized of lots to choose from. Land in the area is very flat and easy to build on.
|All Listings
|Under $100,000
|$100,000 - $200,000
|$200,000 - $300,000
|$300,000 - $400,000
|$400,000 - $500,000
|$500,000 - $600,000
|$600,000 - $700,000
|$700,000 - $800,000
|$800,000 - $900,000
|Over $1,000,000
If you are looking for a house on the lake, you can't ask for a more beautiful location than Sudden Valley. Views from the lake are simply stunning. A perfect blend of modern living located in the heart of nature, this area of the state is breath taking. Many of the homes in the area have been there for quite some time but the majority of them have been beautifully maintained. There are also many newer homes on the market if that is what you are looking for.
Homes in the area range from modest 1800 square foot homes to lavish estates with many different bedrooms. Homes in the area have been carefully selected to blend in with the surroundings giving the area a natural look. Residents here in Sudden Valley take pride in their ownership and most of the houses are well kept. Keeping up with their homes has allowed residents to maintain the values of their homes and make other real estate in the area sell quickly. So if you are looking to purchase a home in the area, you should keep this in mind.
Parks and play grounds can be found throughout the area and there are many hiking trails for everyone to enjoy. The local YMCA has a top of the line fitness center so that residents can stay healthy. An Olympic sized pool is also located at the YMCA and is the perfect place to take a dip. There is also an outdoor adult pool for those looking for a more relaxing experience.
A marina is locked in the area and is the perfect place to launch or store your boat. Many different amenities are available at the marina for the residents' convenience. So if you own a boat this is the perfect chance for you to spend more time on the water. Many of the residents are avid boaters so you will make a lot of new friends while enjoying your favorite pastime.
Lot sizes range from a few thousand square feet to over an acre. So no matter what size home you are planning to build, you will find the perfect tract to fit your needs. Lots range in price depending on the proximity to the lake. But if you are looking for a premiere piece of land to build your dream home you can find it on the shores of Lake Whatcom. Just imagine waking up every day to the gorgeous views of this very beautiful lake.
If you are looking for something a little smaller than a house, the area also offers some really nice condos. Condo living here at Sudden Valley is very laid back. There are many different units to choose from so no matter what sized condo you are looking, for you can find it here. Many people who have retired to the area have chosen condo living because of its hassle free living. This is perfect for those looking for a second home and these condos are very affordable.
A close net community of just over 7000 people, this area of the state has that small town feel that many people are looking for. Crime is very low in the area and you can feel safe walking down the street. A perfect place to raise a family, Sudden Valley has a modern school system that has good ratings. So if you have a family or planning to start one, this is the perfect place to settle down.
One of the best features of the area is beautiful Lake Whatcom. Here residents can enjoy boating, fishing and wildlife viewing. This pristine lake is home to many different species of wildlife. This is the perfect place to enjoy a day out with the family. Fresh air and beautiful views are two reasons the residents love this area so much. Quality of life here at Sudden Valley is very high and many people enjoy the benefits of living so close to nature.
Many people in the area enjoy outdoor activities such as camping, kayaking, fishing and hiking. If staying active is appealing to you then you will be right at home here in Sudden Valley. An afternoon stroll along one of the neighborhoods' streets is the perfect way to unwind.
Stimpson Family Nature Reserve is the perfect place to get away from it all and is located close to Sudden Valley. There are many different trails that stretch for many miles giving visitors plenty of opportunity to enjoy nature. This large natural area has been preserved for everyone's enjoyment and will always be a place of wonder for those who visit.
Another feature that residents get to enjoy is the Sudden Valley golf course. This golf course is one of the most beautiful in the area and rates are affordable. This 18 hole golf course has many different tee time options that will fit anyone's schedule. So if golf is your game, this is the place for you.
Once only a ranch, Sudden Valley has grown over the years to be a thriving little community. With lots of different activities to choose from this area is the perfect place to call home. So if you are looking for a new home, why not consider this area of the state?
So if you are looking for a home in the Sudden Valley area, contact your realtor today and get the process started. You will find a wide range of homes to choose from at several different price ranges. So no matter what sized home you are looking for, you can find it here.
Listing information last updated on October 22nd, 2020 at 11:00pm PDT.


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Today's post is by Aron Utecht. Aron is the Sr. Pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church. He's also written Putting God in His Place: Exalting God in the iCulture with three colleagues, which is about how western cultural assumptions steal God's glory. You can contact Aron at ontheirshoulders.com.
It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. Most of us have been told that at one time or another, but usually as a way to mollify a loss. Closer to the truth, we all want to win. Sometimes desperately.
It isn't just sports that stoke my desire to win. In addition to the entertainment industry called professional sports, competition is something that impacts us every day of our lives. Competition is also an underlying motivator in education, and is the principle driver of our economic system. Even our politics are often more about competition than what is truly best for all.
The conventional wisdom is that competition is good. It pushes us out of our natural slothfulness toward excellence. This is often true. But there is a dark underside to completion that can go unnoticed. It's a dark underside that if we're not aware of it can compromise our life as disciples of Jesus.
Consider Ephesians 5:3, where greed is grouped with impurity and sexual immorality. The believer is instructed to avoid any appearance of these. Yet everywhere I turn, my greed for acquisition, accomplishment, and accolade is nurtured and encouraged. The economic system of capitalism is particularly good at harnessing human greed, which Paul calls idolatry (Colossians 3:5).
Does this mean that if I'm successful in business that I'm an idolater? Well, maybe. Maybe not. What it means for sure is that sin is battling against me more than I realize. Simply living in the system I do will shape my thinking, and my spiritual formation, and if I don't intentionally find ways to push back against those influences, they will undercut my spiritual life, and my faithfulness to Christ.
Competition harnesses my desire for acquisition, accomplishment, and accolade. But instead of nurturing these impulses I should be crucifying them.
I'm not trying to create a new rule, or say that we should drop out of life and refuse to participate in our economic system. But I do think we need to be attuned to the influences in our lives, and push back accordingly. By identifying how competition affects me negatively I can keep things like sports and academics in perspective. Keeping that perspective can be exceptionally difficult when money is involved though.
Regardless of the difficulties, spiritual health demands that I push back on the sin of avarice. I need to constantly check my motives, and ask myself often: Am I too emotionally involved in sports? Does my academic achievement reflect my love for Christ, or my love for recognition? Is my business big enough to support my family? And, perhaps even… Is my church big enough to glorify God as we are?
Unfortunately, I don't have to weigh any of these for very long to find myself wanting.
Tomorrow I'll explore some of the ways that competition affects us corporately.
Aron is married to Jenn, and father to Abigail, Elizabeth and Benjamin. They live in Beulah, ND where he is the Sr. Pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church. Aron has an MDiv from Denver Seminary, an MA in American History from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and loves to study the Bible. Aron doesn't have free time, but if he did he would enjoy cycling, camping, and exploring the outdoors with his kids, in addition to reading on theology, history, culture, and leading better in ministry.


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It is not easy to choose the right lingerie for your honeymoon. A woman wants to be alluring without revealing too much of herself. Items from lap dancer is best left to lose. The perfect recipe is a right balance between modesty, elegance, sensuality and mystery.
That's it. Impossible to resist.


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Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap
Australian Rock Band AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was arrested this week in New Zealand on four counts of attempting to procure a murder for hire.
AC/DC is known for its hard rock late seventies and early eighties albums Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap, Highway to Hell, and Back in Black.
UPDATE: It turns out that AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has now been cleared of charges that he solicited a murder. His lawyer reports that the New Zealand resident has had the charges dropped, a day after he was arrested.


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Kids Adjustable Diffuser Bracelet Sets
$7 $14
Adjustable Kids Diffuser bracelets are a great way for little ones to benefit from essential oils everywhere they go.
- Adjustable- ranging in size from 12-15 cm
- Set of 2 complimentary colors
- Unique faux suede material to diffuse essential oils for hours
- Two sets of 2 available
- Meadow Set- Blush and Gold Metallic
- Glacier Set- Frosty Mint and Silver Metallic
Gently spot clean all products with warm water and a mild detergent. Do not soak or machine wash, as it will damage the faux suede. Failure to follow instructions will damage the product. Darker colors may bleed when wet. Make sure to remove before showering or water-related activities


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20 Great Reasons To Invest Money In Stock Markets
Stock markets can attract almost any investor. These great reasons to invest money in stock markets are unbeatable in nature.
If your investment is done in the right stock at the right time then it can perhaps generate huge returns within a short period of time.
You can invest your money in stock markets with a long-term horizon. It will help you to reap the compounding benefits of growth. It will also nullify the effect of short term downtrend in a stock.
Stocks are always known to outperform government bonds, corporate bonds, property as well as other types of assets. However, share prices of a company can go up as well as down.
It mostly depends on the fundamentals of a company and prevailing economic scenario. You just need to select fundamentally solid value stocks at the right time.
You can do it after thorough analysis by your own efforts. You can also follow some professional stock analyst to gain good returns. Here are 20 great reasons to invest money in stock markets:
(1) Good Long-Term Returns
It is one of the best & genuine reasons to invest money in stock markets. Share investment can reward huge return over the long term despite regular ups & downs in the equity markets.
These huge returns are quite impossible from any other sources of investment. Stocks usually offer more potential for growth over long term as compared to bonds, & other short-term investments.
You just need to invest in fundamentally strong stocks after thorough analysis at the right time. There are good shares that have given manifold rewards to its investors within a short period of investment.
Image Source
- Reasons To Invest In Stocks: Shutterstock


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HRD 685: CAS Completion Project in Adult Learning
Course Description. Students will undertake a major project of their own design as a final requirement for completion of the certificate of advanced study in adult learning. Students will participate in a support seminar and will make a formal presentation to an audience of program peers, faculty, colleagues, family and friends. There are four options for projects: (1) field-based study, (2) public policy initiative, (3) publishable theory paper, or (4) personal learning curriculum for adults.
Support Seminar. All students taking HRD 698-Directed Study, HRD 699-Independent Study, HRD 687-Internship, or HRD 685-CAS Completion Project in Adult Learning participate in an online support seminar that meets five times during the semester for the purpose of providing a regular group context within which to discuss progress, problems, and related issues associated with learning in these field-based and self-directed learning courses.
Each member of the support seminar will be asked to provide regular updates of her/his work. Occasionally, didactic sessions may be offered on areas of common interest to members and common readings will frame some discussions.
Dates for the support seminar are set in advance, typically five sessions are held each semester, although more may be appropriate depending on the nature of the group. One-on-one meetings between the participants and faculty supervisor are also strongly encouraged.
Proposal Form. Prior to registration, a Proposal Form must be approved by the student's advisor, the course instructor, and the department chairperson. When students preregister for this course the proposal must be approved prior to the first class meeting. The approved proposal will be placed in the individual's department file, with one copy provided to the course instructor.
Click here for a copy of the HCE 685 Proposal Form (pdf) and Proposal Guidelines (pdf).


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As a musician that plays a lot of cover gigs, it's easy to lose sight of why we do what we do. I have always enjoyed writing music and lyrics as a form of expression. It's been a constant outlet in my life for many struggles and hardships. 'Give it all' is an original song of mine I had put together over the past couple of years. The lyrics are in the youtube description in the video if you'd like to follow along. The song started out as some sort of a ballad that quickly turned slightly political and directed towards those with power. It's not that I'm against power, I'm voicing my opinion against what is being done with that power. I never thought how relevant this song would end up being to how things are unraveling in our government right now. A lot of people have given so much to literally have it all taken away from them. It makes my heart ache to see our country divided and to see so much hate directed toward minorities in our country. These people are human beings and should be treated like so, whether legally here or not. Compassion does still exist among some of us. Anyhow, I don't want to get on a political rant here, so go check out the song. Follow my blog here, give me a like on facebook, and/or subscribe to my Youtube channel.
I have been shooting most of my videos lately using this super lightweight and portable camera, the Sony HDR-MV1 Music Video Recorder (Black) with Sony 32GB Micro SDHC Card plus Camera Case and Accessory Kit. The audio from this little guy is excellent and the video is def not too shabby as you can see in the video. It works great in almost any environment and does exceptionally well in low light conditions. I picked mine up on amazon and got a nice little bundle of accessories to go with it which work well to get you started. If you are looking for something similar to what I've been using it for, follow the link above and it will take you right to it. I've also included the link to these Martin MSP7200 SP Lifespan 92/8 Phosphor Bronze Medium Acoustic Guitar Strings
I have found that the tone and playability of these guys last significantly longer than any other strings I have used while agressively playing four nights a week. Go and give those a try. I guarantee you will love them!
Stay tuned for more performances of original songs and more of my favorite covers. If you'd like to hear me cover one of your favorites, leave me a comment and I'll see what I can come up with.


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Merck has pulled back the covers on its Phase Ib dose-escalating study for MK-8931, a BACE inhibitor for Alzheimer's which demonstrated a positive effect in reducing the level of toxic proteins flowing through patients.
The data secures Merck's ($MRK) leading position in the BACE-inhibition crowd, which includes AstraZeneca ($AZN), Eli Lilly ($LLY)--which recently had to scrap its top candidate--and others. The pharma giant has already begun a bigger, longer study for MK-8931, recruiting 200 patients for a Phase II leg which is designed to grow into a Phase III study--provided the efficacy and safety profiles stay in line with expectations.
The BACE-inhibition theory is simple. Investigators see this as a route to preventing the production of amyloid beta, a toxic protein found clustered in the brains of patients. The idea here is that if you can reduce the level of amyloid beta going into the brain, you can influence the course of the memory-destroying disease, which now afflicts millions of people around the world.
To determine if it's working, Merck checks on the flow of amyloid beta 40 and 42 in cerebral spinal fluid, key biomarkers for the study. Over the course of 7 days of treatment, investigators say they could see a noted, dose-dependent response in protein levels in the fluid. For the top 60 mg dose, investigators say they found an 84% drop in ab40, according to a spokesperson for Merck. There was an 81% drop for ab42.
Just as importantly, though, there were none of the adverse events that could destroy a drug early on, something that Lilly has just had to deal with. Lilly says that it believes the tox issues that blew up its program were related to the design of the drug, though, rather than a problem with the target itself.
Investigators in the field say that one of the chief concerns with BACE inhibition is that it raises the prospect of interfering with other functions, including myelination. Merck is also including patients with a moderate level of the disease along with patients suffering from mild, early forms of the disease, raising the prospect that they're including patients whose disease has progressed for years, causing significant and irreversible damage.
With a treasure trove waiting for any drug developer capable of developing a new drug worth approving, contenders in this field are pushing ahead as fast as possible.
"The amyloid β reduction observed with MK-8931 may offer an opportunity to further understand the role BACE1 inhibition plays in the underlying pathology of Alzheimer's disease," said Darryle Schoepp, Ph.D., vice president of Neuroscience Early Development and Discovery Sciences, Merck.
Alzheimer's has long reigned as the biggest disease target with the most consistent track record for failure. Dozens of drugs have failed in the clinic, most notably the Phase III trials for solanezumab and bapineuzumab, antibodies designed to remove the plaque from brains. Lilly, though, is going back into a third Phase III study of solanezumab after seeing a hint of efficacy in patients with mild disease.
- here's the press release
Special Reports: The Alzheimer's pipeline: What's next? | The Top Phase III Disasters of 2012
Related Articles:
Luminex to collaborate with Merck on Alzheimer's biomarker diagnostic
In Alzheimer's mystery, key biomarker will determine success of pivotal studies
Merck ignores red flags and throws dice on PhII/III Alzheimer's gamble


text: Nighttime in Paris – Taking to the night for Mango's fall campaign lensed by Terry Richardson, model Isabeli Fontana plays femme fatale in these seductive images. The September advertisements showcase Mango's dress line complete with fire engine red gowns and dark as night minis. / See more Isabeli for Mango here.


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This Monday's Word on the Street column includes details on the concerns about an appointment to the Historic Preservation Commission. There has been a lot of conversation going on about the appointment at C.J. Summers' Peoria Chronicle blog. It appears the appointment will be deferred for a couple of weeks because Pierz cannot replace Diana Joseph. That's because only a Realtor can replace Joseph, since the commission must have one Realtor on it. Pierz is not a Realtor. But that doesn't mean he won't be part of the discussion and it appears he will be replacing a member on the commission in the coming weeks.
Also on Monday
– We'll provide an update on U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock's activities in Washington, D.C.
– The column will also update readers on redistricting activities in central Illinois outside the immediate Peoria region.
– A list of interesting quotes from the past week.
I hope everyone has a safe and satisfying weekend.


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Multi-Grid Methods and Applications
Part of the Springer Series in Computational Mathematics book series (SSCM, volume 4)
Part of the Springer Series in Computational Mathematics book series (SSCM, volume 4)
Multi-grid methods are the most efficient tools for solving elliptic boundary value problems. The reader finds here an elementary introduction to multi-grid algorithms as well as a comprehensive convergence analysis. One section describes special applications (convection-diffusion equations, singular perturbation problems, eigenvalue problems, etc.). The book also contains a complete presentation of the multi-grid method of the second kind, which has important applications to integral equations (e.g. the "panel method") and to numerous other problems.
Readers with a practical interest in multi-grid methods will benefit from this book as well as readers with a more theoretical interest.


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House Of Eternity: The Tomb Of Nefertari
John K. McDonald
Nefertari, the favorite queen of Rameses II, was buried about 3,200 years ago in the most exquisitely decorated tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Queens. Discovered in 1904 by Italian explorer Ernesto Schiaparelli, the tomb had deteriorated to a disastrous extent when emergency consolidation began in 1986. The six-year conservation project of the GCI and the Egyptian Antiquities Organization was completed in 1992. In this fascinating exploration of the tomb, John McDonald takes the reader through each chamber, describing the hieroglyphic messages depicted in the brilliant wall paintings and discussing the images within the context of Egyptian beliefs. He also offers insights into the life of Nefertari, the development and symbolism of royal tombs, and the construction and decoration of the tombs. House of Eternity is illustrated with historic black-and-white images and more recent color photographs that reveal the vibrant beauty of the wall paintings. In November 1995 the tomb was reopened to the public. Because of the potential for damage and deterioration to the fragile wall paintings caused by increased humidity, carbon dioxide, and microbiological activity introduced by visitors to the tomb, the number permitted to enter daily is strictly controlled by the Egyptian authorities. This book results from a desire of the GCI to enrich visitors' experience by providing a detailed descriptive walk-through of the tomb while conveying a strong message regarding the need for conservation and continuous monitoring to ensure the long-term survival of the tomb's paintings. Visitors to the tomb and the armchair traveler alike will find House of Eternity to be an excellent resource for understanding Nefertari's journey to the afterlife and for appreciating the extraordinary depictions of that journey on the walls of Nefertari's tomb.


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Add some style and colour to your living room with the Roger!
Combining comfort with wooden legs and an eye-catching design.
Finance plans are available through GE Money and Certegy.
*Fees, terms and conditions apply.
Pay less with cash is available for all products.
Disclaimer: Not all stores carry all stock at all times. This is correct at time of publishing, all prices are subject to change.


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I love nothing more than perfectly warm fall days and the nap-deprived humor of my little man. His crooked grin is courtesy his own camera catch phrase of "silly wiggleworms" – I can just imagine his internal dialogue that he cracks himself up!
Tag Archives: leaves
Theme Thursday ~ Fall
The weather has been simply marvelous lately. The slight bite to the air warrants a comfy sweatshirt or chunky sweater, but the warmth of the sun affords mid-afternoon walks, crunching through the leaves, or enjoying a few more back-and-forths on the swing.
While I'm well aware that flip-flops aren't the most practical, supportive, or fashionable shoes, they are a staple I've grown to love. The fact that I can still wear them well into October is happiness indeed.
This was a test shot I took for my first "official" photoshoot for some friends. I thought the colors were too pretty to toss into the recycle bin.
Taken at dusk and perhaps photographically unimpressive, I can't help but smile when I see those chubby cheeks. Knowing his upturned eyes are gazing admiringly at his daddy makes my heart flutter!
Drop by Stacy's for more Theme Thursday!


text: This is my wonder glaze for 1220c. It has a soft satin shine that is not harsh at all.There is a trick to it!!!. You have to first go out and buy a block of low temp. porcelain clay. (1250c not 1300c ) Cut it up and dry. Then make a mix of 50 % of the dry porcelain and 50 % Wollastonite, by weight. Blend it up well and use. Put it on real thick and it gives the best small crackle. Also looks good with a hint of a color oxide in. Normal soak time i use is 35 min.


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Hello everyone.
Here are some photos of the rest of the house decorated for Christmas.
Kitchen and Breakfast Nook:
Santa doll I made a few years back.
Wonderful snowman doll made by Marie, Olde Lady Morgan.
Chair on the left hand side is my newest one, as talked about in previous post.
Hubby bought it for me.
Here are some close-ups.
I love the design of it!
Mud Room – 1/2 Bath - Laundry:
These areas are more retro than primitive.
*This year I didn't put out Santa's bag of toys. The bag is just too big.
And That's All Folks!
Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting.
If you missed any of my other Christmas decor post you can view them by clicking "previous post".
I'll be back soon with some ornies to show off.
I received another set of adorable ornies from a swap.
Running a bit behind lately.
I do enjoy the Christmas season, but I must admit….
There is a part of me that will be happy to see it over with.
Life is just too hectic right now.
So much to get done and too little time and money! :)
Talk soon!
Take Care,


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My Nonprofit Reviews
172 profile views
1 reviews
Review for Global Links, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
I think Global Links is a wonderful place. The work they do is amazing. Their warehouse is full of perfectly good hospital equipment which would end up in a landfill somewhere if global Links didn't recycle , package and ship to clinics and hospitals in South America. It's a shame what we waste and Global Links is doing a terrific job of making use of perfectly good merchindise that would otherwise be discarded. I love volunteering for them , helping to sort and package items. The people are friendly and very compitent.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
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Role: Volunteer


text: MEMBERSHIP FORM – TC3 Toronto Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Consortium Last Name* Last First Name* First Academic Rank*ProfessorAssociate ProfessorAssistant ProfessorProfessor EmeritusLecturer/InstructorInstitution*Faculty of primary appointment at the University of Toronto*Department of primary appointment at the University of Toronto*Email* Phone*Research Site Address* Street Address City AlbertaBritish ColumbiaManitobaNew BrunswickNewfoundland and LabradorNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaNunavutOntarioPrince Edward IslandQuebecSaskatchewanYukon Province Postal Code School of Graduate Studies Appointment*Yes-FullYes-AssociateDon't holdDepartment(s)/academic unit(s) of cross-appointment at the U of T*Department/division at the affiliate teaching hospital (if applicable)*Include up to 10 key words that describe your research*Please indicate which of the following research pillars and subpillars align with your research (Press and Hold "CTRL" key and left click for multiple selections).*Preclinical: Pharmacology and ToxicologyPreclinical: ChemistryClinical: Mental HealthClinical: TherapeuticsHealth Policy / Public HealthPlease provide below a brief description of your health research as it relates to cannabis and cannabinoid research* (max. 250 words)Website link to research/lab EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


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Located in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Bueckert, Cooper & Company is a small personable firm, that has been serving its customers since 1983.
With the simple mission of providing cost efficient, professional accounting services tailored to the needs of our clients, we have directed our business to specialize in three important areas for the benefit of your business interests.
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We strive for excellence and we provide our clients with the very best in customer service.
For a more detailed overview of the services we provide, please click on one of the options below.
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Gary Nicholson and Lee Roy Parnell, "Tin Pan South"
Nashville Hall of Fame songwriter Gary Nicholson celebrates his birthday tonight at Dosey Doe in the Woodlands. Nicholson is known primarily as a songwriter, having had more than 450 different songs cut by an ridiculous array of artists across almost all popular genres: Bonnie Raitt, James Cotton, John Mayall, Irma Thomas, Fleetwood Mac, Dave Edmunds, BB King, Neil Diamond, Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Dixie Chicks, Ann Murray, etc. - the list is unlistable. And for the past quarter-century, Nicholson has been a constant on Delbert McClinton's records.
What many don't know is what an excellent live performer and string-ripping guitarist Nicholson is. For his birthday bash, according to Dosey Doe owner Steve Said, "there's no telling who might drop in in the special guest category." According to Said, the audience can also expect Nicholson to do some of his alter-ego 'Whitey Johnson' material. - William Michael Smith
8 p.m. tonight, Dosey Doe Coffeehouse, 25911 I-45, The Woodlands, 281-367-3774
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We are an 11 bedroom provider of Guest Accommodation in the town center of Harrogate, we have a selection of twin, double, family and single rooms and have secure storage for bikes.
The Camberley
We are an 11 bedroom provider of Guest Accommodation in the town cente of Harrogate - a mere stone's throw from the Tour de France route. We have a selection of twin, double, family and single rooms and are happy to provide secure bike storage. We are also happy to wash and dry wet or muddy kit should you require it. Harrogate also makes an excellent base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales.
From around £35.00
- Parking
- Children Welcome
- Tea/Coffee
- Secure Bike Lockup
- Dry Room
- Bike Washing
- Clothes Washing
- WiFi
- Garden
- Credit Cards
- Breakfast
- Patio
Enquire Online
ContactHelp us help you, please mention that you saw this ad on Beds for Cyclists!
52-54 Kings Road, Harrogate, HG1 5JR
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Nidderdale Cycle Hire Low Laithe Pateley Bridge, HG34BU | 8.39 miles
Directions to Here
|National Cycle Route
|Regional Cycle Route
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|Other Crossings


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HAMPTON — Eight fire departments responded Thursday night to a blaze at 19 Lafayette Road, where the two residents living above Super Floorz escaped without injury through a window.
HAMPTON — Eight fire departments responded Thursday night to a blaze at 19 Lafayette Road, where the two residents living above Super Floorz escaped without injury through a window.
According to officials, the situation was complicated by the unusual number of power lines, about 15 within 30 feet, running very close to the building on Route 1 near the Hampton Falls town line.
"That's a giant lightning rod," said Deputy Fire Chief Jameson Ayotte, gesturing to a junction of wires.
The Hampton ladder truck that was first to respond — five minutes after a four separate passersby called 911 to report seeing smoke at 7:14 p.m. — was situated carefully, but by that time, the occupants of the second-floor apartment had already used an emergency ladder to exit through a window, Ayotte said. They couldn't use the primary exit, since the fire was mainly in that area of the house, he said.
Smoke could be seen from across the marsh at Hampton Beach at 7:25 p.m. The fire was under control at 7:54 p.m., by which time mostly tanker trucks from Hampton, Hampton Falls, Exeter, North Hampton, Greenland, Kensignton and Stratham, and a Rye ambulance, were already on scene.
Ayotte said the number of vehicles were required because there are very few fire hydrants in the area, which is a sparsely populated stretch of Route 1 with marsh on either side.
Because the second-floor windows were relatively high up, the man and woman inside had to climb acrobatically down a shifty rescue ladder that ended about 6 feet above the ground.
The flooring business on the first floor of the building, which received some smoke and water damage, will be closed today.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, Ayotte said Thursday night, and will not be determined until today, since it was dark and footing was dangerous in the interior of the apartment, which also received smoke and water damage.
Unitil was called in to cut power to the apartment before firefighters went inside. Firefighters quickly climbed onto the roof of the structure to cut holes to help evacuate smoke, and as many as 30 others were on the ground, many with pikes in hand, willing to offer assistance.
A Hampton emergency medical service officer, Peter Wahl, entered the building once it was safe, to retrieve wallets and keys for the occupants.
"They have relatives that will be helping them," Ayotte said.
Route 1 was closed at the interchange with Route 101 minutes after the fire was reported, as well as south of the burning building. The road reopened for traffic at 8:42 p.m.
The Salisbury, Mass., fire department provided station coverage for the Hampton Beach fire station, and Portsmouth, Newfields and Seabrook covered the town fire station.


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While we had Angela Hunt and council member-elect Ann Margolin on the phone yesterday, Unfair Park asked for their evaluations of the city's $190 million budget deficit. Hunt says right now it's hard to pinpoint the cut resulting in the biggest impact to residents because it's early in the process, and things are about to get worse before the council votes on a final budget in September.
"We've only hit the tip of the iceberg of what we're cutting," she says.
With approximately $1 billion in the general fund to work with, Hunt says roughly $300 million is not tied to police, fire, code and sanitation, leaving little room to find the $100 million remaining after City Manager Mary Suhm's suggestions to slice $90 million off the shortfall. One item concerning Hunt at this point is the lack of funding for city prosecutors included in Suhm's recommendations to close the rest of the gap.
Hunt has also been examining an Excel spreadsheet of the budget in an attempt to get a better handle on what should stay and what should go, in addition to chatting with council member Dave Neumann.
"He and I have commiserated about how devastating this budget is and how it's somewhat frustrating to hear folks say, 'I want this back in and that back in,' because it indicates to me that they're not quite understanding how devastating this budget is," she says.
Margolin says the budget cuts will be "extremely significant" as the council will be reducing or eliminating funding to programs and services provided to residents for years.
"There are going to be people who are personally affected by it who have a particular interest or stake in something that are going to be very upset with what happens," she says. "I see it as unavoidable, and I hope we can mitigate it as much as possible."
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Margolin, a former Park Board member, wants to make sure reduced funding for parks is temporary and doesn't ruin the progress the city has made to improve them since the 1980s. But she's unwilling to back off her campaign stance that she won't support a tax increase in order to save parks or anything else from the chopping block.
"While we can look at an individual who benefits from a given program and say, 'How can we take that away from that person,' other people are invisible," she says. "There are people for whom $50 a month in tax increase is a real problem, but they're not as visible as people who will come down and lobby for the XYZ program."
A lot of residents are worried about a tax increase given the down economy, Margolin says, and she's hopeful it will rebound soon so next year's budget will allow the council to reinstate funding removed this year.
"I'm really willing to let some things suffer for a year or so, and then reevaluate and see what we need to do," she says. "This could really hurt some people, and if there's any way to avoid it, I want to avoid it."


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Welcome! Last time on the Pre-Dev Diaries, we got to meet a few of the on screen baddies of Project Raga. Those minions explored the nature of fitting function into an appealing design and how those designs fit into the puzzle that is the overarching story. This week, I wanted to introduce a bunch of characters who are more important to the world of Project Raga, to help build it and/or help usher along story.
As you've been seeing, Project Raga builds its core visual direction around East Asian influence. Primarily, India is largely inspiration, but China, Japan, and even the Middle East get in on the action too. This allows me to reach into cultures that are both very unique to one another yet also shares a lot of similarities.
Sometimes, characters feature clothes/gear/weapons from a specific heritage, or sometimes they're fused to create something new for this universe. Speaking of which, I still gotta come up with a name for the country/continent among other elements of the world. For now, let's take a look a quick look at some designs that have been conceptualized in a line up (Expand!):
There are a lot of characters there I've yet to introduce, and I'll admit now that many of them won't be revealed through these diaries as it'd be best to meet them in game one day, hopefully! In that line up, I threw in civilian types, bosses, and inmates that I've designed so far. A piece of advice for designing characters that has always stuck with me is to create a figure with an interesting silhouette. Hopefully, this line up gets you excited as to what's to come!
Now then, let's meet some new characters!
Sahib, the Wanderer / Age: Really Super Duper Old
Sahib is a world renowned drifter, and a friend to literally everyone that walks his way. He is a walking encyclopedia, and keeps his large ears to the ground, ready and willing to learn more about the world and its people while living off the land. Mirza and Yamini are good friends of Sahib, thanks to an early introduction through Rukh. Sahib isn't a merchant per se, but often barters with people for various reasons, as it is in his nature to always lend a hand.He needs no reason to help others and greatly disapproves of violence.
It looks like Mirza's taken some offense with Sahib inspecting a potential treasure for bartering! Yamini let's her husband bark away only knowing that Sahib seems to be getting a laugh out of it. The three of them are quite close so it's all fun and games.
Sahib is the second character I designed after Rukh. I knew I wanted a gentle giant character, and an elephant was the obvious choice. With cultures like India, it's hard to separate culture and religion, so I had to be careful with a character based on an elephant. The hindu god Ganesha is known as "The Remover of Obstacles", and is known to detest violence, so I greatly built off of that nature as homage. Elephants in general are amazingly intelligent so giving him a sage like flair came natural.
In the Raga universe, elephants are amongst the largest creatures, so it'll be easy to spot Sahib! It was important for me to create a sort of reference for size, which was partially what that line up was for above. I do take some creative liberties with making certain creatures larger than they are, (those inspired by birds, for example) but I managed to fit the characters into tiers where it was easier to assign heights in contrast to one another.
Next up, here's another merchant! This fellow has no name yet, and expect a bunch of these types to also show up throughout the game!
Would you trust this dude? The Karmic Tides will greatly affect their stock and pricing, so don't go and kill every guard you see if you're looking to spend that loot you find!
Greedy merchants like this frog fellow are a dime a dozen in the palace. Looks like they got caught up in the mess as their greed followed the adventurers that were drawn to the trap of the Djinn! Expect a wide variety of designs for merchants (I wanted to go with a frog for the first greedy merchant because they're "slimy" in more ways than one!) and be sure to have your wallets ready.
Nidha, the Baby Sister & Firecracker / Age: 16
So remember when we met Rukh and found out a tiger-man was the foster father of Yamini, a fox-lady? Well, Rukh also took in Nidha, another orphan like Yamini. It seems that over the years, Rukh has taken in many students as a mentor and given them a new lease on life. Perhaps it has to do with penance to face guilt for his actions from his youth..
Nidha is based on a golden monkey, indigenous to China, so here in Project Raga she's raised by another from a foreign land in the universe equivalent.
With Nidha, I wanted to create a sort of "fish out of water" scenario. While Yamini and Rukh are from "India", despite their forms they still have a sense of unity knowing they come from the same country. For a baby from another land, she won't know she's any different at an early age but will grow to eventually know where she came from. While she does wear clothes from her homeland, Nidha treasures her name deeply.
I imagine a cute relationship between the two sisters with a slight age gap and gave them opposing personalities; Yamini is clearly Rukh's daughter and Nidha is more of a firecracker and loose cannon. I thought it would be adorable to see how they're always fighting to be their dad's favourite. In the end, I wanted to let three different kinds of creatures could come together under the banner of family.
Finally, we reach a pivotal story character and "villain!"
Malik Salim, Next Generation Tribe of Assassins Leader/ Age: 20
Salim is a prodigal son to a revered leader of Cobras who live in the desert. They are seen as outsiders and rarely mingle with others outside of their race, and as such have a poor reputation with the people of the continent.
As the son of the current head of the tribe, Salim was given near impossible standards to aim for. He shattered all expectations and took the golden mask that he wears from his father by force, far ahead of schedule and disregarded ceremony. Salim is a master of all weapons and combat styles, but simply prefers to engage in close quarters combat.
He wears his scars like medals, seeing them as gifts that give him pride. Currently, he is being hunted by Rukh, for reasons unknown to the player!
Having just created a character based on a tiger and elephant, I wanted to create another main character born from a distinctive creature from India. The challenge this time however, was figuring how to anthromoroph a slithering string of ribbon!
I decided to give Salim an incredibly svelte appearance, as thin as I could muster without making him look frail or sick. I might go back and try and make him even thinner but for now, the Bruce Lee inspired form is what I think works best.
Visually, Salim sort of communicates an Egyptian theme, especially with golden "mask" that slides along the Cobra hood. I decided to use a gold mask/helmet to create a play towards creating a "King" Cobra that runs the tribe. The bandages also gives a mummy vibe, but that was also carefully considered for the design. I envision the bandages to be sort of "alive", that Salim uses to whip out and grab, like a snake strike. He can also use the bandages to choke his victims, and whip them like sharp knives. This all differentiates his fighting style, of which I made him the opposite of Rukh, using his bare hands to fight whereas Rukh is an accomplished weapons master.
And that concludes this week's write up! I apologize for being a day late - I was working on this yesterday as I usually do but found that when I finished writing/drawing/compiling and cleaning up, it was really late and better saved to post today.
For next week, we'll look at...Well, I'm not sure yet for the first time so far. I'll figure out what to talk about when the day gets closer and make sure to have some fun pictures in there.
Thanks for reading. See you later and have a lovely week!


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Rohingya Crisis - Medair sends a team to Bangladesh
Lausanne, Switzerland – 16 September 2017.
Following renewed tensions in northern Rakhine State in Myanmar on 25 August, entire villages from the Rohingya community started fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh. It is estimated that approximately 400,000 Rohingyas have crossed the border in the past three weeks, arriving by foot and boat. UNHCR camps are already full and resources are being stretched. The incoming refugees are staying in makeshift tents and urgently need shelter, food, safe drinking water, and medical care.
Medair has been closely monitoring the situation since the start of the crisis to assess how best to meet the needs of the affected people. The Medair emergency response team will travel to Dhaka tomorrow and look at assessing needs in the area around Cox's Bazaar, where most refugees are pouring into. Prior to this new influx, the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh was already hosting approximately 213,000 Rohingya refugees.
"It is estimated that the number of refugees could increase to one million in the next few months. With the monsoon season currently ongoing and the winter starting in October, the situation is urgent", says James McDowell, Head of Medair's Global Emergency Response Team. "The key needs at the moment are shelter and safe drinking water. Consequently, we are deploying a team to assess how best we can provide assistance as soon as possible."
Medair is also working in Myanmar, providing shelter, cash, and disaster risk reduction services to vulnerable communities.
Photo: © Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Medair is an international relief agency headquartered in Switzerland. We help people who are suffering in remote and devastated communities around the world survive crises and recover with dignity, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or nationality.
For media
Media enquiries should be directed to: Paola Barioli, Press Relations Officer, +41(0)78 635 30 95
For regular updates, please check medair.org or our twitter feeds @MedairInt, @MedairPress and @Medair_SDS


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Samsung Galaxy S4 reportedly set for early May launch in India
There's a lot of folks all around the world that are excited for the Samsung Galaxy S4. Following on from the massively successful Galaxy S3, there's no doubts that this is going to be one of the biggest sellers in mobile this year. Since the official unveiling in New York City, we're gradually beginning to build up a picture of availability, and next up is news for our friends over in India.
According to AndroidOS.in, Samsung is set to launch the Galaxy S4 in India in the first week of May. They go on to say that a press event is likely in late April to officially launch the device in the country. Considering global availability is slated to begin from the end of April, this is great news for Indians eager to get their hands on one of the hottest devices of the year.
India's Galaxy S4 will also be carrying the new Exynos 5 Octa inside, and not the Snapdragon 600 of the U.S. version. There are no details of pricing or any word on carrier partners for the Galaxy S4, but considering we're still 6 weeks or so out from launch, there's still plenty of time yet.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Forums | Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S4 |Samsung Galaxy S4 Details
Source: AndroidOS.in


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I just logged into facebook and my friends are contemplating staying completely offline tomorrow (Jan 18, 2012) to protest the SOPA and PIPA "laws". Here
are the facts from PC World.
I heard on the news today that Wikipedia is blacking out their English site worldwide.
I wanted to double check for myself and yes, here's a screenshot of my browser taken a few minutes ago.
I admire them!
I'm wondering what action I can take… I could black out my personal sites but what about the sites where I work? Unlikely that I can get consensus on this by midnight.
For now, I will continue to dream of a thriving "gift economy" (you know, where you download a song for free and if you love it and want to support the artist, you make a donation). The artists gift you their art with love, and if you love the art (say it's music), you gift the artist in return… No strings attached.
Yes, I know there are some that will abuse this. But passing closed-minded laws out of fear is not the answer. No matter what laws exist, those who are stealing will continue to find ways to steal.
Oh, and my dream is not only for artists… Can you imagine a world where business is conducted with the principles of a "gift economy"? Ah! I can dream.
All decisions (law making is decision making) are made in one of two ways: Out of love, or out of fear. I want to speak up for Love!