text:
|MLB Career Stats
|San Antonio
|San Antonio
|16th in NL
|November 7, 2016
|RHP Jeremy Hefner elected free agency.
|July 27, 2016
|Memphis Redbirds activated RHP Jeremy Hefner from the 7-day disabled list.
|July 14, 2016
|Memphis Redbirds sent RHP Jeremy Hefner on a rehab assignment to GCL Cardinals.
|May 30, 2016
|Memphis Redbirds placed RHP Jeremy Hefner on the 7-day disabled list.
|December 30, 2015
|RHP Jeremy Hefner assigned to Memphis Redbirds.
|December 21, 2015
|St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Jeremy Hefner to a minor league contract.
|December 21, 2015
|RHP Jeremy Hefner roster status changed by St. Louis Cardinals.
|September 23, 2014
|St. Lucie Mets activated RHP Jeremy Hefner from the 7-day disabled list.
|August 7, 2014
|St. Lucie Mets placed RHP Jeremy Hefner on the 7-day disabled list. right forearm strain
|July 27, 2014
|RHP Jeremy Hefner assigned to St. Lucie Mets from Las Vegas 51s.
|July 12, 2014
|Las Vegas 51s sent RHP Jeremy Hefner on a rehab assignment to GCL Mets.
|April 2, 2014
|Las Vegas 51s placed RHP Jeremy Hefner on the 7-day disabled list.
|January 22, 2014
|RHP Jeremy Hefner assigned to Las Vegas 51s.
|January 6, 2014
|New York Mets signed free agent RHP Jeremy Hefner to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
|December 2, 2013
|RHP Jeremy Hefner elected free agency.
|October 31, 2013
|New York Mets activated RHP Jeremy Hefner from the 60-day disabled list.
|September 7, 2013
|New York Mets transferred RHP Jeremy Hefner from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. August 2013 Tommy John surgery.
|August 14, 2013
|New York Mets placed RHP Jeremy Hefner on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 10, 2013. Partially torn right elbow ligament.
|August 14, 2013
|Jeremy Hefner roster status changed by New York Mets.
|August 11, 2013
|New York Mets optioned Jeremy Hefner to Las Vegas 51s.
|August 24, 2012
|New York Mets activated RHP Jeremy Hefner from the paternity list.
|July 21, 2012
|New York Mets recalled Jeremy Hefner from Buffalo Bisons.
|July 5, 2012
|New York Mets optioned Jeremy Hefner to Buffalo Bisons.
|May 19, 2012
|New York Mets recalled Jeremy Hefner from Buffalo Bisons.
|April 24, 2012
|New York Mets optioned Jeremy Hefner to Buffalo Bisons.
|April 23, 2012
|New York Mets recalled Jeremy Hefner from Buffalo Bisons.
|March 18, 2012
|New York Mets optioned Jeremy Hefner to Buffalo Bisons.
|December 12, 2011
|New York Mets claimed Jeremy Hefner off waivers from Pittsburgh Pirates.
|December 9, 2011
|Pittsburgh Pirates designated Jeremy Hefner for assignment.
|November 18, 2011
|Pittsburgh Pirates claimed RHP Jeremy Hefner off waivers from San Diego Padres.
|October 6, 2011
|Jeremy Hefner roster status changed by San Diego Padres.
|November 19, 2010
|San Diego Padres selected the contract of Jeremy Hefner from San Antonio Missions.
|April 6, 2010
|Jeremy Hefner assigned to San Antonio Missions from Lake Elsinore Storm.
|March 21, 2010
|RHP Jeremy Hefner assigned to San Diego Padres.
|June 19, 2009
|Jeremy Hefner assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from Portland Beavers.
|June 18, 2009
|RHP Jeremy Hefner assigned to Portland Beavers from Lake Elsinore Storm.
Jeremy Scott Hefner graduated from Perkins-Tryon High School in Perkins, OK...Attended Oral Roberts University after two years at Seminole State College...Was originally drafted by the Mets in the 46th round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft and again in the 48th round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign either time.2013
Underwent Tommy John surgery on August 28 at the Hospital for Special Surgery...Mets Medical Director Dr. David Altchek performed the procedure...Was placed on the 15-Day Disabled List on August 10 with a partial tear of the MCL in his right elbow...His last start came on August 9 at Arizona... Allowed two or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts from June 4-July 12, the longest such stretch by a Met since Johan Santana had 13 straight such starts from 2008-2009 and the longest single-season since Masato Yoshii had a nine-game streak in 1999...His streak of allowing two or fewer earned runs over eight starts was tied for the 10th-longest stretch in team history...14 of his 23 starts were quality starts... Posted a 1.76 ERA (10 earned runs/51.0 innings) from June 4-July 12, a span of eight starts...His 1.76 ERA was the lowest in the majors during that time...Oakland's Bartolo Colon was second (1.80) and Francisco Liriano was third (1.89)... Held the opposition scoreless from the second inning of his start against the Dodgers at Citi Field on April 25 through the eighth inning of his start against the Marlins at Marlins Park on April 30...The 14.0-inning scoreless streak is the longest of Hefner's career and was tied for the longest by a Mets pitcher with LaTroy Hawkins... Established several career highs during the year, including strikeouts (eight, done twice, last, July 7 at Milwaukee) and winning streak (three games, June 21-July 7)...Equaled his career best with 8.0 innings on April 30 at Miami... Opposing hitters batted .153 (23-150) against him with two outs...That was the best mark for any pitcher in the majors (minimum 100 batters faced)...His .235 opponent on-base percentage with two outs was the third-lowest behind Clayton Kershaw (.218) and Kevin Slowey (.226)... Was the second starter in franchise history to allow two or fewer earned runs and two or fewer walks in eight straight starts (June 4-July 12)...Only Tom Seaver had a longer such streak, 11 games from July 9-August 25, 1973...Hefner and the Dodgers' Zack Greinke (August 21-September 29) were the only pitchers in the majors to pull off the feat in eight straight starts this season... Was one of 18 NL pitchers to allow at least 20 home runs...Allowed 1.38 home runs per nine innings, the fourth highest mark in the NL (minimum 100.0 innings)...Allowed a career-high three home runs on July 24 vs. Atlanta...Allowed seven home runs in his first four starts (April 5-April 20) and at least one home run in five straight starts (seven home runs total) from July 2-July 24... Issued only 17 walks in his last 14 starts dating back to May 29 but five of them came at Miami on July 29...His July 29 outing snapped a streak of 13 straight starts with two walks or fewer, which was tied for the second-longest Mets streak since 2001...Jonathon Niese went 17 straight starts with no more than two walks in 2012... Posted a 1.80 ERA (six earned runs/30.0 innings) in June, the seventh-best mark in the majors that month...Issued five walks and notched 23 strikeouts... In his final three starts before the All-Star Break, became one of three pitchers in this season's first-half to allow fewer than 10 hits in a three-game span in which he went at least 7.0 innings in each start...Matt Harvey (April 3-April 13 and April 8-April 19) and Lance Lynn (April 20-May 1) were the others... Allowed a career-high eight runs and equaled his career high surrendering 10 hits in 2.0 innings of work on July 19 vs. the Phillies...Allowed 10 earned runs over his previous 51.0 innings in his previous eight starts... Made his only relief appearance of the year on April 18 at Colorado...Worked 1.0 innings, allowed two hits (both home runs), two runs, earned, with one strikeout.2012 Made his major league debut on April 23, 2012 vs. San Francisco...Pitched 3.0 scoreless innings in relief in the Mets' 6-1 loss...Allowed three hits and one walk...Struck out three...Ranked ninth in the NL in ERA (5.09), tied for 10th in wins (four) and eighth in innings pitched (93.2) among qualifying NL rookie pitchers...Had three stints with the Mets in 2012...Recalled from Buffalo (AAA) of the International League on April 23, and optioned to Buffalo (AAA) on April 24...Was recalled from Buffalo again on May 19 and stayed with the Mets until being sent down on July 4...Recalled for the final time on July 21, where he remained on the big league roster...Made 13 starts, going 4-6 record with a 5.32 ERA (41 earned runs/69.1 innings)...Struck out 53 while issuing just 14 walks...Earned his first major league win on May 29 when the Mets beat the Phillies, 6-3, at Citi Field...Tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs with four strikeouts...Became the first pitcher in franchise history to earn his first major league win and hit his first major league home run (off Joe Blanton) in the same game on May 29 vs. Philadelphia...The last major leaguer to accomplish that feat was Dennis Tankersley, for San Diego vs. Montreal, on May 15, 2002...Hefner was the first Mets pitcher to hit a home run since Johan Santana went deep off Cincinnati's Matt Maloney on July 6, 2010...Was the only Mets pitcher to hit a home run in 2012...Tossed a career-high 12.0 scoreless innings over his final two starts (September 26-October 3)...Went 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA (two earned runs/14.1 innings pitched) in his final two starts...Pitched at least 7.0 innings in both starts...Recorded a career high-tying seven strikeouts in both starts (14 total)...Opponents hit .160, and with righthanders hitting .129 (4-31) with one double and eight strikeouts...Established his career-high with seven strikeouts on July 25 vs. Washington...Matched that total three more times, August 26 vs. Houston, September 26 vs. Pittsburgh and October 3 at Miami...Made 13 relief appearances, going 0-1 with a 4.44 ERA (12 earned runs/24.1 innings)...Walked four and struck out nine in those 23.1 innings...His lone loss in relief was in Toronto when he pitched 5.0 innings on May 19...Threw 5.0 innings of relief with five strikeouts in a 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on May 19 at the Rogers Centre...The 5.0 innings were the most by a Mets reliever since Raul Valdes also went 5.0 innings on May 20, 2010...Tossed a career-high 8.0 innings on August 28 vs. Houston...After the All-Star break, he was 3-4 with a 4.83 ERA (34 earned runs/63.1 innings) in 15 games, 10 starts...Pitched to a 5.64 ERA (19 earned runs/30.1 innings) in 11 games, three starts before the break...Sixteen of Hefner's 18 walks came after the All-Star break...Walked 18 in 93.2 innings this season, including 14 walks in 13 starts...Had a strikeout per nine innings ratio of 6.00 and a walk per nine innings ratio of 1.70 in 2012. 2011 Posted a 4-1 record in six June starts and was 2-0 in five starts in July. ... Worked at least 6.0 or more innings in 17 of his 28 starts, including his last six games of the year. ... Went 7.0 innings five times during the season. ... Struck out 10 in 7.0 innings in his last start of the year, September 3 at Reno. ... Went 0-4 with a 5.68 ERA (28 earned runs/44.1 innings) in his first nine starts of the year (through May 23). ... Won four straight decisions, May 29-June 14. ... Posted a 2.49 ERA during that span (seven earned runs/25.1 innings). ... Over his final 19 starts of the year, he went 9-3 with a 4.70 ERA (59 earned runs/113.0 innings). 2010 Spent the entire season at Double-A San Antonio, posting a 2.95 ERA (55 ER/167.2 IP) over 28 starts...Tossed two complete games, 6/14 at Corpus Christi and 7/11 vs. Tulsa...allowed two hits in his first complete game and just one vs. Tulsa...Ranked second among qualifying Texas League pitcher in ERA...also ranked among league leaders in innings pitched (1st), strikeouts (4th), opponent batting average (5th) and WHIP (2nd)...Named to both the Texas League's Southern Division All-Star team and the Texas League Postseason All-Star team. 2009 Split his season between Single-A Lake Elsinore and Triple-A Portland...made 27 starts with the Storm before a promotion and one start with the Beavers. 2008 Spent the majority of the season with Single-A Fort Wayne, making 29 appearances (24 starts) for the Wizards...also made one start for Single-A Lake Elsinore...Named Padres Minor League Pitcher of the Year...Finished third among Midwest League pitcher in strikeouts. 2007 Made his professional debut with Short-A Eugene...appeared in 17 games (11 starts), finished tied for third in the Northwest League in strikeouts.


text:
|This article is written from a
Real World perspective.
|Conrad Coates
|Date of birth
|July 12, 1970
|Place of birth
|London, England
Conrad Coates is an English born Canadian actor who plays the role of Bartik in TRON: Legacy.
Coates has acted in theatre, film, television and radio, with extensive work in Canadian and American television and performing in more than forty stage productions. His work also expands to include writing, producing, teaching and mentoring.
In 2003, he wrote, produced and directed a short film titled Dakota, and for several years, Coates was a drama teacher for Toronto's multi-discipline "SuiteLife Arts for Youth Program."
He has primarily been cast as bit parts, but has carried supporting character roles in several television series, including Kyle XY, The Zack Files, La Femme Nikita, and These Arms of Mine. He played Warden Morgan in several episodes of The Dresden Files, appeared in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as Hephaestus and in Unnatural History as Samuel Tolo, and made a guest appearance in the Fringe episode "What Lies Below" as Vincent Ames. He has also appeared in Supernatural as one of Crowley's demons in the episode "Caged Heat". In 2010 he played Bartik in TRON: Legacy.
Coates currently appears in Saving Hope as Bryan Travers, as well as commercial and film work. He also teaches an acting school under the name "Coates and Company."
Biography and Personal LifeEdit
Coates was born in London, England. At a young age he moved to Canada, where he was educated. After school, he worked in local and regional theaters and at the Stratford (Shakespeare) Festival. He is married and has at least one daughter whom he delivered himself.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Arizona jury has found Jodi Arias guilty
May 08. 2013 4:53PM
PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona jury found Jodi Arias guilty on Wednesday of first-degree murder in the death of her ex-boyfriend in a sensational capital case involving "sex, lies and dirty little secrets" that has snared media attention since January.
Arias, 32, has admitted to shooting 30-year-old Travis Alexander, whose body was found in the shower of his Phoenix valley home in June 2008. He had been shot in the face, stabbed multiple times and his throat had been slashed.
Arias, who could face the death penalty as her case goes into the penalty phase of the trial, had said her actions were in self-defense after he attacked her because she had dropped his camera while taking photos of him in the shower. She teared up as the verdict was read.
Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi argued Arias suffered physical and emotional abuse by Alexander during a chaotic relationship defined by "sex, lies, and dirty little secrets."
The trial, which began in early January and was punctuated by graphic testimony and evidence including a sex tape, was streamed live on the Internet and drew widespread media attention.
During the trial, the court heard how the petite, dark-haired Arias met and began dating Alexander, a businessman and motivational speaker, in 2006.
During 18 days of often gripping and salacious testimony, Arias said that she and Alexander continued to have sex despite their break-up from a relationship that was marked by emotional and physical abuse.
Arias said Alexander had made her feel "like a prostitute" and that he kicked and attempted to choke her, although she admitted never reporting the alleged abuse to the police, seeking medical treatment or documenting it in her journal.
Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi said Arias had snapped in the "sudden heat of passion" in the moments between a final photograph she took showing Alexander alive and taking a shower and a subsequent picture showing him covered in his own blood.
But prosecutor Juan Martinez painted a different picture of Arias, portraying her as manipulative and prone to jealousy in previous relationships, and said she had meticulously planned to kill Alexander.


text:
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Could James Loney be in the Nationals' sights?
This brings us to James Loney. The Nationals were said to be interested in him at the Winter Meetings, but nothing obviously came from it.
With Adam LaRoche going down with season-ending shoulder surgery today, the Nats could make a play for LaRoche. It'd make sense.
*Hat tip to Speedy8 of the Scout.com Dodgers' Message Board*
Loney would be under team control through the 2012 season and he's owed less than the $4.875 million he signed for in February. He could make in the neighborhood of $6-7 million next season, which isn't as attractive to the Nats. However, Loney is in dire need of a scenery change. He's hit a lot better in the last couple months (.293/.350/.413 in May, .271/.333/.354 in June), but he's still not providing enough offense for the Dodgers.
Nationals' Park has a park factor of .901, which tends to favor pitchers (anything less than 1.0 favors pitchers). By comparison, Dodger Stadium has a park factor of .782.
In nine career games at Nationals' Park, Loney has a slash line of .429/.500/.629 (15 hits in 35 ABs). It's a small sample size, but a change could improve both teams.
So, what would the Dodgers be looking for in return? Well, certainly not Jordan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond, as was reported when the Nats first had interest in Loney. However, Washington has some good depth at catcher. They acquired Wilson Ramos last year when they sent Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. Ramos is the team's primary catcher. They also have Derek Norris, who was rated by Baseball America as the team's No. 2 prospect (No. 72 overall) and Jesus Flores.
Norris, 22 is in Double-A and is hitting .211. It's not all bad, though. His OPS, despite the low batting average, is .822. His walk rate is an amazing 24.1 percent and he's actually scored more runs (33) than he has hits (28). He threw out 51 percent of would-be basestealers in 2010. To snag Norris, the Dodgers would likely have to sweeten the proverbial pot.
Flores, 26, has 200 games of Major League experience, with a .260/.314/.406 slash line. Not great, but certainly exponentially better than Rod Barajas and Dioner Navarro. He had a nice 29-game run in 2009, but suffered a torn labrum in September 2009 and is just now getting back. He didn't play at all in 2010 and has just a .597 OPS and a 4:39 BB/K ratio in Triple-A.
The Nats could choose to include Ramos instead if they'd rather keep Norris. Ramos was the team's No. 5 prospect and has a .730 OPS in 49 games.
To Washington: Loney, Chris Withrow
To Los Angeles: Norris
- Throwing in Withrow is a high price, but if it means getting a frontline catcher, I wouldn't hesitate one bit.
To Washington: Loney
To Los Angeles: Flores
- This deal actually makes the most sense for both teams. The Dodgers open up a spot for Jerry Sands at first base while acquiring a decent starting catcher for a guy who is likely to be non-tendered this winter.
To Washington: Loney, Josh Lindblom or Javy Guerra
To Los Angeles: Ramos
- The Dodgers lose a piece of the bullpen, but Ramos is well worth it.
Loney's time with the Dodgers will come to an end after game 162 is played (barring something unforeseen), so if he has any trade value whatsoever, they need to cash in on it now. A team on the cusp of contention like the Nats could be willing to take a flier on Loney and his .303/.359/.478 mark away from Dodger Stadium.
The Ogden Raptors announced their roster. The Pioneer League season starts in less than a week. Here are some players on the roster all Dodger fans should be interested in:
OF James Baldwin (My prospect rank: 23)
- Fourth-round pick last year, Logan White is said to be "Matt Kemp-high" on him.
RHP Ralston Cash (20)
- Second-round pick, ranked as high as No. 13 on Kevin Goldstein's Top 20 Dodger prospect list.
OF Scott Schebler (36)
- The Dodgers' 26th-round pick in 2010, Baseball America picked him as its "breakout" prospect.
3B Scott Woodward (NR)
- The Dodgers just selected him in the draft a couple weeks ago in the seventh round.
I'll be making the 35-mile trek to Stockton tomorrow night to see the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in action against the Stockton Ports. Matt Magill is pitching right now. He's holding the Ports to four hits, two walks and two strikeouts in four innings. I'm interested in seeing Jake Lemmerman, Blake Smith and Angelo Songco in action in person. I'll post a recap and photos Friday night or Saturday morning.
3 comments:
If I'm Ned, I'm making that deal with Washington now. Unfortunately, I don't think Ned is that smart.ReplyDelete
Take pics at the game tomorrow, and some video too.
- NatsJack in FloridaJune 20, 2011 at 11:38 AM
I don't think you people know much about the current Nats. First off it's 4 days later (6/20) and they are tied for 3rd in the East only 4 1/2 out of the wild card and second, have you not heard of Michael Morse? Check out his stats and error free play at first base.ReplyDelete
Morse was brought to my attention after I wrote this post. While he's been on fire, the Nats are still relying on two part-time players in the outfield (Nix and Bernadina). Morse has the ability to play LF, allowing Loney to slide in at first.ReplyDelete
Now, I'm not saying Loney is an upgrade over Nix and Bernadina, but he's certainly an upgrade over Morse defensively at first (errors be damned).
Just floating some stuff out there for conversation. Thanks for reading and commenting.


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Re-Creating Raphael
Susan L. Vasquez 5/30/2005 10:50:02 AMIsn't this just wonderful! The art and the art of the photograph! Excellent work! #255823
Brinn MacDougall 5/30/2005 11:34:38 AMThis is great, Pat! Wonderful photo op, I go after the crowds.. #1411918
Jeff Robinson 5/30/2005 11:55:35 AMWhat a great capture Patricia! Beautiful colors and great comp! Jeff #1411974
Terry R. Hatfield 5/30/2005 12:41:28 PMHi Patricia!!What a Neat Capture With Excellent Comp!! #1412115
Noel Baebler 5/30/2005 12:46:00 PMTerrific, Patricia! #1412125
William C. Raco 5/30/2005 1:27:32 PMExcellent perspective on this artist giving tribute to an artist giving tribute to an artist.
bill #1412224
Gerda Grice 5/30/2005 3:31:54 PMWonderful colours and very good choice of POV, Patricia! I agree with bill, too! This is a great example of an artist paying tribute to another artist doing the same. #1412468
Stephen Zacker 5/30/2005 5:39:05 PMI always found them amazing. Great composition and colors #1412737
KHAWLA Haddad 5/30/2005 5:47:13 PMPatricia great capture love how your preseted this shot wonderful image!!!! #1412752
Nobu Nagase 5/30/2005 7:30:27 PMOMG, Patricia, I love the way you have captured this!!!
S J 5/30/2005 9:07:26 PMLooks like a WINNER to me, Patricia!! Excellent perspective and framing!! Love it!! #1413146
Patricia Marroquin 5/31/2005 12:28:44 AMThank you very much, Susan, Brinn, Jeff, Terry, Noel, Bill, Gerda, Stephen, Khawla, Nobi and Sanjay! This was my first experience at such a festival, and I was awestruck! Plus, it was a photographer's paradise, and I certainly wasn't alone. It was nice to be surrounded by so many other photographers. :-) And with a $3 bowl of pasta and a $3 glass of wine on the gorgeous grounds of the mission, I really was in heaven! ;-) #1413298
Joyce ONeil 6/13/2005 5:05:39 PMI love this photo! The color is wonderful. Congratulations on YOUR eye for art! #1466327
Patricia Marroquin 6/14/2005 8:54:28 AMThanks, Joyce. :-) It wasn't difficult to make these works of art look good. I truly enjoyed this festival. :-) #1469088
KHAWLA Haddad 6/21/2005 5:06:25 PMCongratulations on your finalist!!! #1499591
Kerby Pfrangle 6/21/2005 5:31:36 PMPatricia
Best of luck in the finals.
Kerby #1499915
Damian P. Gadal 6/21/2005 6:37:23 PMCool shot - Congrats Patricia! :-) #1500610
Terry L. Ellis 6/21/2005 6:41:14 PMGorgeous Patricia! Congratulations!!! #1500658
Phil Sauvey 6/22/2005 12:08:16 AMCongratulations on your well deserved finalist! Very colorful! #1502456
Jordi Delgado 6/22/2005 12:57:01 AMCongratulations, Patricia!!
:-) #1502540
S J 6/22/2005 5:43:11 AMI knew it!!!!! Congratulations on this outstanding Finalist, Patricia!! #1503759
Noel Baebler 6/22/2005 6:31:17 AMThis is soooooo beautiful!!! Congratulations, Patrcia!!!! #1504204
bob cornelison 6/22/2005 9:50:09 AMGreat Shot!
Susan T. Evans 6/22/2005 9:59:27 AMcongrats #1505542
Patricia Marroquin 6/22/2005 10:26:27 AMThank you, Kelly, Kerby, Damian, Terry, Phil, Suann, Jordi, Sanjay, Noel, Bob and Susan! I'm very happy this is a finalist because it was such a joy to photograph. :-) #1505727
Stanley J. Contrades 6/22/2005 2:55:29 PMCONGRATULATIONS and the very best of luck in the next judging with this gorgeous and colorful Finalist, Patricia!! Beautifully done!!
Bonnie C. Lackey 6/22/2005 5:29:13 PMOh, this is wonderful and certainly deserves to be a finalist at the very least! Will be looking for this among the winners... #1507643
Marta Azevedo 6/22/2005 9:31:55 PMHi Patricia. Great composition and colors. Congrats #1508445
Patricia Marroquin 6/23/2005 12:05:45 PMThanks, Stan, Bonnie and Marta! This didn't go any farther, but that's OK. #1511555
Nobu Nagase 6/26/2005 9:29:14 PMCongratulations, Patricia, it's no surprise here.
Patricia Marroquin 6/27/2005 12:40:01 AMThanks, Nobi! I haven't had a finalist image go any farther here in years, so I wasn't expecting this one would. #1523953
Jill Odice 10/2/2005 11:18:38 PMNot only is the woman a fantastic artist, your photo is beautifully done too! I love your work, it is so colorful and vivid! #1910269
Anne Marie Darrach of Valencia re-creates Italian master painter Raphael's work, "Bindo Altoviti," in chalk at the "I Madonnari" Italian street painting festival at the Santa Barbara Mission over the holiday weekend.
Uploaded on 5/30/2005 10:46:10 AM
Camera: Canon EOS 20D Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Patricia Marroquin. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text:
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwired – Apr 25, 2013) – Theravance, Inc. (NASDAQ: THRX) (the "Company") reported today its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2013. Revenue for the first quarter of 2013 was $1.3 million. Net loss for the first quarter of 2013 was $37.4 million or $0.39 per share. Cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and marketable securities totaled $558.4 million as of March 31, 2013.
"Theravance is off to a strong start in 2013 highlighted by the recent FDA Advisory Committee meeting which recommended approval of BREO™ ELLIPTA™ for the treatment of COPD," said Rick E Winningham, Chief Executive Officer. "This positive outcome marks another important milestone for Theravance in a year of transformation and potential growth. Today we issued a press release announcing our intention to separate the late-stage respiratory assets partnered with GSK from our biopharmaceutical operations to create two independent publicly traded companies. We believe this will provide investors with the opportunity to unlock potential value from two disparate sets of assets. Overall, we believe that Theravance is extremely well positioned both strategically and financially."
Respiratory Programs with GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK)
RELVAR™ or BREO™ ELLIPTA™ (Fluticasone Furoate/Vilanterol, FF/VI)
FF/VI is an investigational once-daily inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta2 agonist (LABA) combination treatment, comprising FF and VI, for the maintenance treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and patients with asthma. FF/VI is administered by a new dry powder inhaler called ELLIPTA™. RELVAR™ (FF/VI for the European Union (EU) and Japan), BREO™ (FF/VI for the United States (U.S.)), and ELLIPTA™ (for the EU, U.S. and Japan) are proposed brand names and use of these brand names has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority.
On April 17, 2013, the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended approval of BREO™ ELLIPTA™ for the treatment of COPD. The FDA Advisory Committee provides non-binding recommendations for consideration by the FDA, with the final decision on approval made by the FDA. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) goal date for FF/VI is May 12, 2013.
On April 19, 2013, an article on the two replicate double-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trials comparing three doses of FF/VI with VI alone on the annual rate of exacerbations in patients with COPD became available in the online publication of the Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
In May 2013, GSK will be presenting data from Phase 3 studies of FF/VI at the American Thoracic Society International Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ANORO™ ELLIPTA™ (Umeclidinium Bromide/Vilanterol, UMEC/VI)
UMEC/VI is a once-daily investigational medicine, combining a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), UMEC, and a LABA, VI, for the maintenance treatment of patients with COPD. UMEC/VI is administered by the ELLIPTA™ dry powder inhaler. ANORO™ and ELLIPTA™ are proposed brand names and use of these brand names has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority.
In February 2013, GSK and Theravance announced that the New Drug Application (NDA) for the investigational once-daily LAMA/LABA combination medicine, UMEC/VI, for patients with COPD, was accepted by the FDA indicating that the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. The PDUFA goal date was confirmed as December 18, 2013. In addition, the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for UMEC/VI has been validated for assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). On April 22, 2013, GSK and Theravance announced the submission of a regulatory application to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for UMEC/VI for patients with COPD. Regulatory submissions for UMEC/VI are planned in other countries during the course of 2013.
In May 2013, GSK will be presenting data from Phase 1 and Phase 3 studies of UMEC/VI at the American Thoracic Society International Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Inhaled Bifunctional Muscarinic Antagonist-Beta2 Agonist (MABA)
GSK961081 ('081) is an investigational, single molecule bifunctional bronchodilator with both muscarinic antagonist and beta2 receptor agonist activities. Based on the results from the Phase 2b study, GSK and Theravance plan to advance '081 monotherapy into Phase 3 and the '081/FF combination into Phase 3-enabling studies, later in 2013.
Bacterial Infections Programs
VIBATIV® (telavancin)
VIBATIV® is a bactericidal, once-daily injectable lipoglycopeptide antibiotic approved in the U.S. and Canada for the treatment of adult patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by susceptible Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, both methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) strains. In November 2012, Theravance announced a favorable outcome of the FDA's Anti-Infective Drugs Advisory Committee meeting on VIBATIV® for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) due to susceptible isolates of Gram-positive microorganisms. Theravance remains in dialogue with the FDA on the NP indication and is working toward re-establishing consistent product supply.
Glycopeptide-Cephalosporin Heterodimer – TD-1607
In April 2013, Theravance initiated a Phase 1 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled single-ascending dose study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of TD-1607, administered intravenously. Discovered by Theravance, TD-1607 is an investigational glycopeptide-cephalosporin heterodimer antibiotic for the treatment of serious, difficult-to-treat Gram-positive infections due to resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. TD-1607 has demonstrated potent activity in vitro and in preclinical in vivo models of infection.
Central Nervous System (CNS)/Pain Programs
Oral Peripheral Mu Opioid Receptor Antagonist – TD-1211
TD-1211 is an investigational once-daily, orally administered, peripherally selective, multivalent inhibitor of the mu opioid receptor designed with a goal of alleviating gastrointestinal side effects of opioid therapy without affecting analgesia. In July 2012, Theravance announced positive topline results from the Phase 2b Study 0084, the key study in the Phase 2b program evaluating TD-1211 as potential treatment for chronic, non-cancer pain patients with opioid-induced constipation. The Phase 2b program consisted of three studies (0074, 0076 and 0084) designed to evaluate doses and dosing regimens for Phase 3. We are currently evaluating our Phase 3 strategy due to potentially evolving FDA requirements for this class of drug.
In May 2013, Theravance will be presenting data from Phase 2 and Phase 2b studies of TD-1211 at the American Pain Society 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana and from a Phase 2b study of TD-1211 at the Digestive Disease Week 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
Monoamine Reuptake Inhibitor – TD-9855
TD-9855 is an investigational norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of central nervous system conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and chronic pain. TD-9855 is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase 2 study in adult patients with ADHD and in an ongoing Phase 2 study in patients with fibromyalgia. Both studies are progressing and results from the Phase 2 study in ADHD are anticipated to be reported late this year or in early 2014.
Theravance Respiratory Program
Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonist (LAMA) – TD-4208
TD-4208, an investigational LAMA for the treatment of COPD, is being evaluated in an ongoing randomized, double-blind, multiple-dose Phase 2b study to examine pharmacodynamics, safety and tolerability, and pharmacokinetics. Enrollment is on track and results from the Phase 2b study are anticipated to be reported late this year.
GI Motility Dysfunction Program
Velusetrag, an oral, investigational medicine dosed once daily, is a highly selective agonist with high intrinsic activity at the human 5-HT4 receptor. In October 2012, we entered into an exclusive development and commercialization agreement with Alfa Wassermann for velusetrag, our lead compound in the 5-HT4 program, covering the EU, Russia, China, Mexico and certain other countries. In January 2013, Theravance and Alfa Wassermann announced the initiation of a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of velusetrag for the treatment of patients with diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis.
Corporate Development
Clinigen Group plc
In March 2013, Clinigen Group plc (Clinigen) and Theravance announced that they have entered into an exclusive commercialization agreement in the EU and certain other European countries for VIBATIV® (telavancin) for the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia (hospital-acquired), including ventilator-associated pneumonia, known or suspected to be caused by MRSA when other alternatives are not suitable. Under the terms of the agreement, Theravance has granted Clinigen exclusive commercialization rights to VIBATIV® in the EU and certain other European countries (including Switzerland and Norway). In exchange, Theravance received a $5.0 million upfront payment from Clinigen and is entitled to receive tiered royalties on net sales of VIBATIV®, ranging from 20% to 30%.
Financial Results
Revenue was $1.3 million for the first quarter of 2013 compared with $127.1 million for the same period in 2012, a decrease of $125.8 million primarily due to the January 6, 2012 termination of our global collaboration arrangement with Astellas Pharma Inc. for the development and commercialization of VIBATIV®.
Research and Development
Research and development expense for the first quarter of 2013 decreased to $26.4 million compared with $33.2 million for the same period in 2012. The decrease in the first quarter over the same period last year was primarily due to a decrease in outside services costs related to the completion of our Phase 2 studies in our program for opioid-induced constipation with TD-1211 and, to a lesser extent, from an increase in collaborative partner RD reimbursements. Total external research and development expense for the first quarter of 2013 was $7.1 million compared with $13.2 million for the same period in 2012. Total research and development stock-based compensation expense for the first quarter of 2013 was $3.8 million compared with $3.5 million for the same period in 2012.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expense for the first quarter of 2012 increased to $8.3 million from $7.9 million for the same period in 2012. The increase in the first quarter over the same period last year was primary due to higher external legal costs in connection with strategic initiatives and higher facilities-related costs partially offset by a decrease in employee related costs driven by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense. Total general and administrative stock-based compensation expense for the first quarter of 2013 was $2.3 million compared with $2.7 million for the same period in 2012.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Short-Term Investments and Marketable Securities
Cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and marketable securities totaled $558.4 million as of March 31, 2013, an increase of $214.7 million during the first quarter. The increase was primarily due to the closing of a convertible subordinated note offering with net proceeds of approximately $244.4 million on January 24, 2013 and net proceeds of $2.6 million received from the Company's private placements of common stock to an affiliate of GSK, partially offset by cash used in operations.
Conference Call and Webcast Information
As previously announced, Theravance has scheduled a conference call to discuss this announcement beginning at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time today. To participate in the live call by telephone, please dial (877) 837-3908 from the U.S., or (973) 890-8166 for international callers. Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the internet may do so by visiting Theravance's web site at www.theravance.com. To listen to the live call via the internet, please go to the web site 15 minutes prior to its start to register, download, and install any necessary audio software.
A replay of the conference call will be available on Theravance's web site for 30 days through May 25, 2013. An audio replay will also be available through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 2, 2013 by dialing (855) 859-2056 from the U.S., or (404) 537-3406 for international callers, and entering confirmation code 21878794.
About Theravance
Theravance is a biopharmaceutical company with a pipeline of internally discovered product candidates and strategic collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. Theravance is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule medicines across a number of therapeutic areas including respiratory disease, bacterial infections, and central nervous system (CNS)/pain. Theravance's key programs include: RELVAR™ or BREO™ ELLIPTA™ (FF/VI), ANORO™ ELLIPTA™ (UMEC/VI) and MABA (Bifunctional Muscarinic Antagonist-Beta2 Agonist), each partnered with GlaxoSmithKline plc, and its oral Peripheral Mu Opioid Receptor Antagonist program. By leveraging its proprietary insight of multivalency to drug discovery, Theravance is pursuing a best-in-class strategy designed to discover superior medicines in areas of significant unmet medical need. For more information, please visit Theravance's web site at www.theravance.com.
THERAVANCE®, the Theravance logo, and MEDICINES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE® are registered trademarks of Theravance, Inc.
RELVAR™ or BREO™ ELLIPTA™ (FF/VI) and ANORO™ ELLIPTA™ (UMEC/VI) are investigational medicines and are not currently approved anywhere in the world. RELVAR™, BREO™, ANORO™ and ELLIPTA™ are trademarks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. The use of these brand names has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority.
VIBATIV® is a registered trademark of Theravance, Inc.
VIBATIV® Important Safety Information (U.S.)
Fetal Risk
Women of childbearing potential should have a serum pregnancy test prior to administration of VIBATIV®. Avoid use of VIBATIV® during pregnancy unless the potential benefit to the patient outweighs the potential risk to the fetus. Adverse developmental outcomes observed in three animal species at clinically relevant doses raise concerns about potential adverse developmental outcomes in humans. If not already pregnant, women of childbearing potential should use effective contraception during VIBATIV® treatment.
New onset or worsening renal impairment occurred in patients who received VIBATIV®. Renal adverse events were more likely to occur in patients with baseline comorbidities known to predispose patients to kidney dysfunction and in patients who received concomitant medications known to affect kidney function. Monitor renal function in all patients receiving VIBATIV® prior to initiation of treatment, during treatment, and at the end of therapy. If renal function decreases, the benefit of continuing VIBATIV® versus discontinuing and initiating therapy with an alternative agent should be assessed. Clinical cure rates in telavancin-treated patients were lower in patients with baseline CrCl ≤50 mL/min compared to those with CrCl 50 mL/min. Consider these data when selecting antibacterial therapy for use in patients with baseline moderate/severe renal impairment.
Geriatric Use
Telavancin is substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of adverse reactions may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection in this age group.
Infusion Related Reactions
VIBATIV® is a lipoglycopeptide antibacterial agent and should be administered over a period of 60 minutes to reduce the risk of infusion-related reactions. Rapid intravenous infusions of the glycopeptide class of antimicrobial agents can cause "Red-man Syndrome" like reactions including: flushing of the upper body, urticaria, pruritus, or rash.
Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with nearly all antibacterial agents and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. CDAD must be considered in all patients who present with diarrhea following antibiotic use.
Development of Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Prescribing VIBATIV® in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria. As with other antibacterial drugs, use of VIBATIV® may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms, including fungi.
QTc Prolongation
Caution is warranted when prescribing VIBATIV® to patients taking drugs known to prolong the QT interval. In a study involving healthy volunteers, VIBATIV® prolonged the QTc interval. Use of VIBATIV® should be avoided in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, known prolongation of the QTc interval, uncompensated heart failure, or severe left ventricular hypertrophy.
Coagulation Test Interference
VIBATIV® does not interfere with coagulation, but does interfere with certain tests used to monitor coagulation such as prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, activated clotting time, and coagulation based factor Xa tests. Blood samples for these coagulation tests should be collected as close as possible prior to a patient's next dose of VIBATIV®.
Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (≥10% of patients treated with VIBATIV®) observed in the Phase 3 cSSSI clinical trials were taste disturbance, nausea, vomiting, and foamy urine.
In the Phase 3 cSSSI clinical trials, serious adverse events were reported in 7% of patients treated with VIBATIV® and most commonly included renal, respiratory, or cardiac events. Serious adverse events were reported in 5% of vancomycin-treated patients, and most commonly included cardiac, respiratory, or infectious events.
For full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide in the US, please visit www.VIBATIV.com.
This press release contains and the conference call will contain certain "forward-looking" statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, statements relating to goals, plans, objectives and future events. Theravance intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of such statements include statements relating to the status and timing of clinical studies, data analysis and communication of results, statements regarding the potential benefits and mechanisms of action of drug candidates, statements concerning the timing of seeking regulatory approval of our product candidates (including, with respect to VIBATIV®, statements regarding any expectation (a) that we will be able to respond fully or adequately to FDA's requests using currently existing clinical data, (b) that the FDA will approve the VIBATIV® nosocomial pneumonia NDA on the basis of existing preclinical and clinical data or at all or (c) regarding the timing of the European Commission releasing the suspended marketing authorization for VIBATIV®), statements concerning the enabling capabilities of Theravance's approach to drug discovery and its proprietary insights, statements concerning expectations for the discovery, development and commercialization of product candidates, projections of revenue, expenses and other financial items, and plans for effecting a separation of the late-stage respiratory assets partnered with GSK from our biopharmaceutical operations to create two separately traded public companies. These statements are based on the current estimates and assumptions of the management of Theravance as of the date of this press release and the conference call and are subject to risks, uncertainties, changes in circumstances, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results of Theravance to be materially different from those reflected in its forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements include, among others, risks related to delays or difficulties in commencing or completing clinical and non-clinical studies, the potential that results of clinical or non-clinical studies indicate product candidates are unsafe or ineffective, our dependence on third parties in the conduct of our clinical studies, delays or failure to achieve regulatory approvals for product candidates, risks of relying on third-party manufacturers for the supply of our product and product candidates, risks of collaborating with third parties to discover, develop and commercialize products, difficulties or delays in effecting the registration as a public company of the company to be separated, failure to obtain necessary consents from third parties for the separation, changes in our development or operations prior to the separation that could affect the plans for the separation or the cash available for the initial funding of the independent companies, and the possibility that alternative transactions or opportunities could arise or be pursued which would alter the timing, or advisability of, or the ability to consummate, the anticipated separation transaction. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Theravance's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 26, 2013 and the risks discussed in our other period filings with SEC. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Theravance assumes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements.
(In thousands, except per share data)
Three Months Ended
March 31,
Revenue from collaborative arrangements
Operating expenses:
Research and development (1)
General and administrative (1)
Total operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Interest and other income (expense), net (2)
Interest expense
Net income (loss)
Net income (loss) per share:
Weighted-average shares:
Three Months Ended
March 31,
Research and development
General and administrative
Total stock-based compensation expense
(In thousands)
March 31,
December 31,
Cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, and marketable securities
Other current assets
Property and equipment, net
Other assets
Total assets
Liabilities and stockholders' equity (net capital deficiency)
Current liabilities (2)
Deferred revenue, non-current
Convertible subordinated notes
Other long-term liabilities
Stockholders' equity (net capital deficiency)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (net capital deficiency)
Contact Information:
Michael W. Aguiar
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
[email protected]


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Intel is leading a chip sector rally after J.P. Morgan upgraded the stock based on "a leap of faith" that the PC market is about to improve.
Intel is up nearly 4%, the stock's best day so far this year. Other semi stocks are also on the rise, with Advanced Micro Devices , Texas Instruments t and Nvidia Corp each up more than 2%.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index also climbed 2%.
The gains were based on a fairly upbeat view from J.P. Morgan analyst Christopher Danely who said he was "making a leap of faith" on PCs.
To be sure, PCs continue to struggle, according to the latest market data. Total shipments fell 10% year-over-year in 2013, "a record drop reflecting the changes in mobility and personal computing affecting the market," IDC reported last week
But the battered PC market was showing signs of improvement, Danely argued, telling clients in a note, "For the first time in two years, there have been several positive datapoints in the PC food chain. While the data points are not universally positive, in our experience a slew of positive datapoints after years of decline generally leads to at least a few quarters of stability."
Danely noted how companies like Hewlett Packard, Microsoft and Lenovo "have stated PC demand is improving with HP, Microsoft, Lenovo and Asus all beating consensus estimates on their PC businesses for the first time in years."
RBC Capital's Doug Freedman also cited "multiple signs that PCs are doing better than expected."
"Near term the semi supply chain looks to provide a good December quarter and likely guide okay," he told MarketWatch.
On the other hand, Bernstein Research's Stacy Rasgon stuck to a more muted view of Intel, reiterating his view that the company is going through a tricky business transition.
"PCs have been weak for several years now as computing has gotten 'good enough,' and consumers have found alternative options to spend their computing budgets on," Rasgon told clients in a Tuesday note.
"While PCs have been weak, the bear case is not simply 'PCs stink, short the stock,'" he also said. "Rather, we believe Intel is undergoing the beginnings of a structural business model transition that carries significant risk."
That transition is focused largely on the rapidly expanding mobile market, where Intel is competing with entrenched players and with a different pricing dynamic.
"The bigger issue faced by Intel is price," Rasgon continued.
"These new markets support an average selling price that is about a fifth of what Intel earns on a mainstream notebook [processor] today. This implies that Intel needs to sell about five chips into new smartphone and tablets markets to equal one PC (and of course, if PCs really are entering secular decline, they would have to sell even more). This implies a need to take an enormous amount of market share simply to move the needle."
— Benjamin Pimentel
Follow Ben on Twitter @benpimentel.
Follow MarketWatch on Twitter @marketwatch.
More tech stories from MarketWatch:
Apple battles with e-book monitor


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Masschusetts brothers stopped in Niagara Falls turn out to be tourists
Two young brothers, one of them a high school student, were the subject of an intense police stop and search in Niagara Falls this morning, but they apparently were nothing more than tourists from Massachusetts.
"It seems that their only crime was that they were from Massachusetts, and one of them looked similar to the [Boston Marathon] bombers," a police source said.
However, the young man driving the car was ticketed by Niagara Falls police for passing a stop sign and failure to use a turn signal, authorities said during an early afternoon news conference.
The brothers, one 17 and the other 20, were stopped on their way to Niagara Falls. They later headed to visit the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Authorities said the brothers' father was born in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. They both were born in the United States.
A member of the Air National Guard spotted the two men traveling on the Thruway early this morning and noticed the car's Massachusetts license plate. The guardsman called police while tailing the car into Niagara Falls, and eventually police stopped it on Elmwood Avenue, west of 19th Street, at about 7:20 a.m.
"There was no chase – they complied," said Niagara Falls Police Superintendent Bryan DalPorto.
The guardsman was dressed in uniform. "He felt that they attempted to evade him," DalPorto said, noting that they avoided eye contact with the guardsman.
Local, state and federal officers swarmed the car, took the brothers into custody and inspected the car, but nothing suspicious was found. A State Police bomb squad was called to the scene.
Law enforcement officials interviewed the brothers throughout the morning. "They have been completely cooperative throughout the whole investigation and we have to thank them for it," DalPorto said.
Meanwhile, a State Police robot was used to open the doors on the driver's side of the car. It pulled out two backpacks, a pillow and a fourth item.
Authorities said there was nothing in the backpacks, other than papers and personal belongings. When pressed about the contents, the captain said: "It really would be inappropriate for us to say."
The car is owned by the young men's father, DalPorto said. "The father was the one that consented to the search – as well as the driver and the occupant," he added.
Given the developing situation in the Boston area, authorities were taking no chances. That's why they called the State Police, U.S. Border Patrol agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force.
"Any time you're involved in an operation like this, you have to have an abundance of caution," said Hanesworth.
"I think we handled it appropriately," DalPorto said.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com and email@example.com


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Win Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes' Stitch's Jeans!
Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes got into the holiday spirit as they celebrated July 4th two years ago in Stitch's Denim Jeans in Telluride, Colorado.
Also, Jason Trawick, Britney Spears' boyfriend stepped out in Los Angeles last month with his leading lady in a pair of Stitch's Jeans as well.
JustJared.com is giving away TWO pairs of men's Stitch's Barfly jeans and TWO pairs of women's Stitch's Lynx Jeans for free or you can order them yourself at StitchsJeans.com!
�" FOLLOW: Follow JustJared and StitchsJeans on Twitter
�" TWEET: Tweet the contest to your friends. Remember to do this or you won't be able to win!
�" COMMENT: Leave a comment here with a valid email address (will not be published), your Twitter name and the link of your tweet. Comment as many times as you want to increase your chances of winning!
FOUR winners will be chosen at random at the end of the contest. This contest ends Monday August 9th @ 11:59PM EST. USA Only. Good luck!


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Rev. Richard LePage
Thursday, November 7, 2013 11:47 AM
Rev. Richard LePage, 68, of Rockford, OH, and having ties to Huntington, IN, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013, at his home.
He was the pastor of numerous churches, including the Loon Creek Church of the Brethren, Huntington. He also pastored churches in Willshire, OH; LaPlace, IL; and in Bobo, Decatur and Goshen.
Rev. LePage graduated from Clear Creek High School in 1963 and earned a bachelor's degree and Master of Christian Ministry from Huntington College. He served in Vietnam with the United States Army. He was a member of Praise Point Community Church, in Wilshire, OH, and the Rockford, OH, Lions Club.
He was born Jan. 6, 1945, in Warsaw to Rev. Herbert and Donnabelle Thomas LePage. He married Roberta Beeks on July 12, 1970, and she survives.
Additional survivors include a son, Randy (Amy) LePage, of Wabash; a daughter, Rachael Annette (David) Brodbeck, of Huntington; a sister, Carolyn (Larry) Welborn, of Delphi; two brothers, Danny (Glenda) LePage, of Delphi, and Larry (Sarah) LePage, of Lafayette; and four grandsons, Michael Allen LePage, Gabriel Douglas LePage, Garrett Wade Brodbeck and Ethan Robert Brodbeck.
Calling is Thursday, Nov.7, 2013, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home, 111 W. First St., Rockford, OH. A service will be held on Friday, Nov. 8, 2013, at 10 a.m., with calling one hour prior to the service, at the Praise Point Community Church, Wilshire, OH, with Rev. Brad Kittle officiating. Burial will be at Stringtown Cemetery, Rockford, with military rites conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter of Celina, OH.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Gideons International Bible ministry, State of the Heart Hospice or Praise Point Community Church.


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Another day, another Kardashian controversy.
The latest involves Kim Kardashian of course following the release of a Turkish Cosmopolitan Magazine cover featuring her. The problem? Kim is Armenian and the Turks committed genocide against the Armenian people nearly 100 years ago, and still refuse to acknowledge it.
Plus the magazine did not get Kim's permission before splashing her on the Turk cover at a time that coincides with the Genocide Remembrance Day, which commemorates the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide.
TMZ adds that Kim was completely unaware she was on the Turkish cover until they did a story about it yesterday. Sources tell TMZ that Kim was very upset and would never have approved the use of her photo in the Turkish version.
But fret not folks as it all ends well for Kimmy. A new TMZ report today states Kim and Cosmo have kissed and made up already with a new photo shoot already in the works, that could take place as early as this week. Sources however make it clear Kim really struggled with her decision to work with Cosmo again because even though she has an "amazing relationship" with the mag, she's very passionate about her Armenian heritage.
In other Kardashian news, Khloe Kardashian and hubby Lamar Odom visited the Ellen DeGeneres Show in a new interview airing today, during which they both revealed Lamar actually tried to quit their new reality show Khloe and Lamar during filming.
"I thought it was going to be easy. It's really tough," admits Lamar. "I knew from doing my family's show how intense and grueling and how much they are really in your face," Khloe, 26, says. "I personally didn't want to do the show. I love taping. I just didn't want to put Lamar through that pressure and Lamar was like, 'let's do it.'"
Khloe then reveals that Lamar had a tough time with the cameras and tried to quit the show 3 days into filming. "He said, 'Can you tell your mom to get us out of this contract?' I go, 'Absolutely not. That ship has sailed,'" Khloe said.
But fret not again folks as this story also has a happy ending. "Lamar loves the finished product," added Khloe.
And finally, Kim is also gracing the latest cover of UK Cosmopolitan. Photos from that issue are below –


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Jenny McCarthy guest hosts Thanksgiving episode
The heart-tugging, original feel-good series, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," returns to ABC with four special holiday-themed episodes. The first episode will premiere Monday, Nov. 26 (9 to 11 p.m.), immediately following the "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars" Performance Finale on the ABC Television Network. The remaining three episodes will air on the following three Mondays: Dec. 3, 10 and 17.
Monday, Nov. 26: Watson family - Guest host Jenny McCarthy visits the Watson Family of Knoxville, Tenn., in a special Thanksgiving-themed show. The Watson family has adopted children and runs a home for single mothers in need called Restoration House. The episode features a visit to the "Wipeout" set and an appearance by UFC Champion fighter Jon "Bones" Jones.
Monday, Dec. 3: Zdroj family - In a special Christmas-themed episode, host Ty Pennington visits the Zdroj Family of Smithville, Texas. Mizzy Zdroj is a female firefighter volunteer whose own home was destroyed by the largest wildfire in Texas history. The episode features an appearance by BMX biker Matt Hoffman, Chef Art Smith and some special guests from "Star Wars."
Monday, Dec. 10: Friday family - Pennington brings a special holiday surprise to the Friday family of Lincolnton, N.C. The Fridays have been foster parents to more than 30 children, including adopting a family of five siblings. The episode features an appearance by race car driver Michael Waltrip, the NBA Charlotte Bobcats' female dance troupe, and even The Grinch shows up to help with the build.
Monday, Dec. 17: Harris family - Pennington and the team of designers visit the Harris family of Smithville, Texas, for a Christmas-themed wounded veteran episode. While on patrol in Iraq, Shilo Harris was wounded by a massive IED blast. Shilo now fights for other wounded warriors to find jobs and emotional support upon their return to civilian life. The episode features appearances by J.R. Martinez ("Dancing with the Stars," "All My Children") and Country Music superstar Lee Greenwood, who performs "God Bless the U.S.A."
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which aired for nine seasons on ABC, transformed the lives of thousands of deserving families and galvanized communities and businesses to help their neighbors in need. "EM:HE" also put a spotlight on causes that touched these families, ranging from the treatment of serious illnesses or accident victims and the importance of foster care & adoption, to helping veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and the plight of the homeless, to campaigning against texting while driving and building coalitions to end bullying.
Celebrities including first lady Michelle Obama, Elton John, Robin Williams, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Glenn Close, Tyler Perry, Mary J Blige, Carrie Underwood, David Duchovny, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Usher, KISS, Rihanna, Jessica Alba and Derek Jeter are among the many who "got on the bus" over the years to join the show. In addition, the series won multiple Emmys for Outstanding Reality Program, won two People's Choice Awards and an NAACP Image Award, in addition to other honors.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Hamm is going from a presenter to host of the ESPY Awards, a natural segue for the former three-sport prep athlete who is unabashed in his love for his hometown St. Louis Cardinals.
Hamm called himself a "pretty good" high school player, but is quick to note he was never a threat to make it in the professional ranks.
That's why the 42-year-old actor best known as Don Draper on AMC's "Mad Men" wants to keep the focus on the athletes when he hosts the annual show honoring the year's best sports moments. It airs live on ESPN on July 17 from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
"When you look at someone else who is excellent at what they do, you can't help but be jealous," Hamm said Thursday. "When you look at what David Freese did in the 2011 World Series, that's performance at the highest level with all the chips on the table."
Freese had two key hits in the late innings of Game 6 against Texas that year, helping the Cardinals force a Game 7, which they won.
"I don't want to disrespect any Blues fans, but the Cardinals are No. 1 in my heart," he said, adding that the Cardinals and NHL's Blues are "1 and 1-A" in his rooting order.
At John Burroughs High in suburban St. Louis, Hamm was on the football, baseball and swimming teams, lettering in all three sports.
"I loved it. A lot of those guys I played on those teams with I'm still pretty good friends with," he said. "It's important for young kids to get out there and move around, especially in the kind of high-fructose environment we have these days."
Hamm is hosting the ESPYs just as he wraps filming on the Disney movie "The Million Dollar Arm," in which he plays a sports agent.
Hosting an awards show is not like hosting "Saturday Night Live," he noted. "But I've never had a problem standing up in front of people making a fool of myself, and I'm sure that will happen at least once during the telecast."
As someone who's been nominated for his share of acting trophies, Hamm knows what it's like to sit in the audience for an awards show.
"You kind of want it to go fast because there's fun parties afterwards," he said, noting that the best hosts "always kind of keep it moving, keep it light, and give you some laughs."
Among the scheduled presenters are LeBron James, Ben Affleck, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Selena Gomez, Danica Patrick, Maria Sharapova, Jason Sudeikis, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen.


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My name is Missy and I am also a member of the Mom Bloggers Club. I have a blog,www.luxurybeautyproducts.blogspot.com and I also run the blog hop network.
I wanted to let you know that I am following you, and hoping when you get a chance you can follow me back. I also want to invite you to join my groups, The Blog Hop Network, Beauty Bloggers, and Children's businesses. Also, I would love to place a link to your site on my blog if you want to do the same with my blog on yours. Please let me know by sending me an email regarding this and it has been nice meeting you via the web.
Welcome to Mom Bloggers Club! I'm so glad you're here! I write a blog called The Adventures of J-man and MillerBug and I wanted to invite you to be part of some of the awesome things going on there right now!
First, is your blog in need of a new look? If so, I am currently giving away 5 Custom Design Blog Packages from some of the most talented designers in the biz. Whether you have Blogger or Wordpress or are looking to make the change from Blogger to Wordpress, there is a package for you! Entry is super easy and quick! Be sure to enter soon though, this giveaway ends on 6/26! To find out more, click HERE!
Also, if you are looking for new followers, I'd like to invite you to link up this weekend for the Finding New Friends Weekend Blog Hop. It's a laid back, fun way to meet new friends and find new followers! Feel free to link up your blog, facebook, twitter, whatever! To find out how to join, click HERE!
Be sure to let me know if you stop by so I can follow you back! I look forward to reading your blog and being your friend! Let me know if I can help you in any way!
Hello, welcome to Mom Bloggers Club. MBC is one of the largest social network for mom bloggers. It is a place where moms who blog converge to talk about the latest trends in blogging and support each other in their blogging endeavors and a place to make new friends. I review, blog and sell children's books & gifts. My blog link is http://mymcbooks.wordpress.com. I will be stopping by your blog.
Have a great week.
Become a Fan on facebook
Hi Nikolai! Welcome to the club and feel free to check out my blog: Swanky Baby - swankybaby.net. I'm looking forward to checking yours out too!
I'm fairly new to MBC myself and wanted to welcome you. I am a part-time family doctor and full-time mom of 4 boys. I have a parenting website. On the site I accept questions from parents about their kids' behavior and offer suggestions about difficult situations. I hope you will check it out, perhaps leave a question or recommend it to a friend who has a problem.


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Suffolk, ss. DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW APPEALS
Appeal of:
Gail Ruocco,
v. CR-05-298
Teachers' Retirement System,
Appearance for Petitioner:
Gail Ruocco, pro se
5 Sherwood Drive
Bradford, MA 01835
Appearance for Respondent:
Aaron Morrison, Esq.
Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System
One Charles Park
Cambridge, MA 02142
Administrative Magistrate:
Joan Freiman Fink, Esq.
Pursuant to G.L. c. 32 §16(4), the Petitioner, Gail Ruocco, is appealing the April 13, 2005 decision of the Respondent, Teachers' Retirement System, denying her request to purchase creditable service for the period of time that she served as a teachers' aide in the Danvers Public School System as a Northeastern University Cooperative Education Program student (Exhibit 1). The appeal was timely filed in accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 32 §16(4).
A hearing pursuant to G.L. c. 7 §4H was held on May 6, 2008 at the offices of the Division of Administrative Law Appeals, 98 North Washington Street, Boston, MA Various documents were entered into evidence at the hearing (Exhibits 1 -10). The Respondent's Pre-hearing Memorandum was marked as "A" for identification. The Petitioner testified in her own behalf. One cassette tape recording was made of the hearing.
Based on the testimony and evidence presented, I make the following findings of fact:
1. The Petitioner, Gail Ruocco, d.o.b. 7/20/47, graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA in June of 1970 with a degree in education (testimony of the Petitioner).
2. While a student at Northeastern University, the Petitioner participated in the Cooperative Education Program, a five year program combining work with classroom instruction. During four separate three month periods in 1967 and 1968, the Petitioner worked as a teachers' aide in Danvers, MA Public School System as part of the Northeastern University Cooperative Education Program (Exhibit 3, testimony of the Petitioner).
3. The Petitioner received compensation for this work as a teachers' aide in the Danvers Public School System. Her paychecks were issued by Northeastern University (testimony of the Petitioner).
4. While she was working as a teachers' aide, Northeastern University Professors visited the schools in Danvers where she worked in order to evaluate her performance (testimony of the Petitioner).
5. The Petitioner could not have graduated from Northeastern University without successfully having completed these four periods of work in the Cooperative Education Program (testimony of the Petitioner).
6. After graduation from Northeastern University in June of 1970, the Petitioner accepted employment as an elementary school teacher in the Lowell, MA Public School System commencing in September of 1970. She became a member of the Teachers' Retirement System at that time (testimony of the Petitioner).
7. The Petitioner taught in the Lowell, MA Public School System for the next thirty-four years (testimony of the Petitioner).
8. On September 7, 2004, the Petitioner filed with the Teachers' Retirement System a request to purchase her service as a teachers' aide in Danvers in 1967 and 1968 (Exhibit 3).
9. The Petitioner applied for superannuation retirement benefits and was retired effective September 30, 2004 (stipulation of the parties).
10. On December 9, 2004, the Teachers' Retirement System wrote to the Town of Danvers inquiring as to whether it would accept liability for the Petitioner's service as a teachers' aide in the Danvers Public School System during 1967-1968 (Exhibit 6).
11. On March 10, 2005, the Town of Danvers sent the Teachers' Retirement Board a response indicating that it would not accept liability for Ms. Ruocco's service as a teachers' aide as she "did not contribute deductions and was not a member of the Danvers Contributory Retirement System" (Exhibit 7).
12. On April 13, 2005, the Teachers' Retirement System sent the Petitioner formal notification that her request to purchase creditable service for her service as a teachers' aide in Danvers, MA during 1967 and 1968 had been denied (Exhibit 1).
13. On April 20, 2005, the Petitioner filed a timely appeal of this decision with the Contributory Retirement Appeal Board (Exhibit 2).
In this case, the Petitioner, as a member of the Teachers' Retirement System, sought to purchase creditable service for her teachers' aide work with the Danvers Public School System (work that would have come under the Danvers Retirement System and not the Teachers' Retirement System) in accordance with the provisions of G.L. c. 32 §3(5).
G.L. c. 32 §3(5) provides in pertinent part that:
Any member of any system who had rendered service as an employee of any governmental unit other than that by which he is presently employed, in a temporary, provisional, or substitute position and who was excluded from membership by the rules of any board, may, before the date any retirement allowance becomes effective for him, pay into the annuity savings fund of the system…an amount equal to that which would have been withheld as regular deductions from his regular compensation for such previous period, or most recent portion thereof, as he may elect,…had such service been rendered in the governmental unit by which he is presented employed and in a position subject to the provisions of this chapter, or to corresponding provisions of earlier laws (emphasis supplied).
In order to be eligible to purchase such prior service pursuant to G.L. c. 32 §3(5), the intended service must have been rendered as an employee, as defined by the statute. G.L. c. 32 §1 defines employee as "persons whose regular compensation …is paid by any political subdivision of the commonwealth." Regular compensation as defined by G.L. c. 32 §1 includes "salary, wages or other compensation in whatever form, lawfully determined for the individual service of the employee by the employing authority." In this case, the Petitioner was paid directly by Northeastern University, a private university, and not by a political subdivision of the commonwealth. Thus, at the time that she rendered service as a teachers' aide in the Danvers schools in 1967 and 1968, Ms. Ruocco was not employed by a governmental unit as required by Section 3(5) for eligibility for purchase of such service.
This determination is fully supported by case law. In McKeon v. Teachers' Retirement System, CR-05-572 (DALA dec. 8/7/07; no CRAB dec.), a Northeastern University Cooperative Student, like Ms. Ruocco, who had worked periodically as a teachers' aide in the Brookline Public School System, was deemed ineligible to purchase this service since Northeastern University and not the Town of Brookline paid the wages. Similarly in Benham v. Teachers' Retirement System, CR-01-679 (DALA dec. 5/10/02, no CRAB dec.) a Northeastern University Cooperative Student performing duties in the Weston Public School System was deemed ineligible to purchase this prior service as Northeastern University, and not the Town of Weston, paid her wages. Based on the foregoing, the decision of the Respondent, Teachers' Retirement System, denying the Petitioner's request to purchase her prior service with the Danvers Public School System while she was a Northeastern University Cooperative Student is hereby affirmed.
Joan Freiman Fink
Administrative Magistrate
Dated: 6/27/08
This information is provided by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals .


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1080p - No filters
The image looks good, but its a bit too sharp. This is because the resolution is too high and you can really see how the scanlines overlay is interacting with the image. However, if you love the artificial, blown-up pixel look - this mode, minus scanlines, probably would be for you.
1080p - w/ video smoothing
This is with video smoothing activated. This is a bilinear filter. (I think) More than likely, this is how the game would look on a consumer TV from the time this game was released, if not better. However, I noticed that it was a bit too much when compared to real 240p output to a RGB video production monitor....
I found 480p mode, without any filters to best reproduced the look of the SNES on a RGB 15khz monitor. You will see its not quite as sharp as the pure 1080p image, but not as blurry as the filtered on either.
As we all know, 480p on an Xbox is very possible and helps games like STAR FOX run well in SNES9x.
If I have time later today, I'll add one more picture of Madmab's newest SNES emulator outputing 240p (15khz) via the Extron Emotia to my PVM.
Edited by PhilExile, 18 September 2011 - 05:00 PM.


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You can't beat a system you can't understand
Last week I ventured down to Ft. Lauderdale to do a little business, as I do from time to time, and in the land of eternal summer, I found spring. Ah yes . . . the wonderful season of spring does exist in Ft. Lauderdale, and for those of us living in the cold country, springtime in party town is a real eye opener, or should I say, eye strainer?
The temperature does not change in the springtime in Ft. Lauderdale. It's about the same as it is all winter - warm. Wonderfully warm. So how do those living in this utopian area of the world know when spring has sprung? Fortunately, the wise founders of party town USA provided for this tidbit of important information many years ago.
They knew that the first day of spring could go by unnoticed if they didn't do something so people would know when the blessed event was happening. Soooooo . . . they invented the event of events, the mother of all parties, the grand basharoonee of all basharoonees - Spring Break!
It's the only way to celebrate the beginning of spring.
Nothing, but nothing, can compete with spring break in Ft. Lauderdale. For decades, the city has set the undisputed world standard for party intensity and extreme funnism. And if funnism isn't a word, it should be. Just say fun and add nism; it says it all. Funnism is what spring break in the sunny city on the beach is all about. And Floridians know how to do it up right.
They start with miles and miles of pristine sand. Constantly bleach it with all day sunshine. Cover it with bathing suit clad bodies lathered in sunscreen, moving to the thumpa-thumpa of really loud music designed to inspire mating rituals among primates. And the throngs are kept entertained by everything from wet T-shirt contests to the most attractive belly button competition at hundreds of bars lining the beach. Good formula, huh?
What's that? Did I stop a few hearts out there? Are some of you suddenly experiencing dry-mouth, and palpitations of the old ticker? Oh my . . . hmmm . . . I'm sorry . . . I didn't know.
You say you have a kid in college and he mentioned something about leaving for a week to take a break from the unrelenting demands of unreasonable professors who have the audacity to fill their students' heads with a ridiculous thing called knowledge? And you sir, say the kid isn't a "he," you have a "she," who allegedly went south with friends to catch a little sunshine, but she wasn't real specific about exactly where she was going . . . I see.
And as I understand it, you are concerned about the thumpa-thumpa of the ritualistic mating music sort of, shall we say, influencing the impressionable minds of your offspring. Is that what's bothering you as you freeze your butt off up north while they are enjoying the sweet aroma of coconut oil and all you can smell is Vicks? That is sad . . . so very, very sad.
Now, just to be clear, are you saying you are worried about your daughter possibly being one of the hundreds of thousands of gorgeous young co-eds on Ft. Lauderdale beach? Does it disturb you that your friend's son is probably suffering from the eyestrain that I mentioned earlier from witnessing such visions?
If the aforementioned scenario is what you are experiencing, you are the victim of a little thing called - payback. Oh yes, you are paying for the sins of the father, and the father is you.
Your kids are doing exactly what you did 30 years ago. Only they're doing it with style. They're making you look like a rank amateur. They are enjoying party time on your dime, just as you did to your parents when you were the age of your children. If you don't believe me, and you know you do, go down there - take a look. They don't care if you're over 40. They'll just ignore you.
You might even be jealous, because these kids really know how to have a good time. Unlike you, they are young, healthy, and in fabulous shape.
So if you're worried about your kid waking up in the morning after partying all night long to the last man standing, stop acting like an old fossil and get over it. There is no point worrying about it, because that is exactly what they are doing, and they are better off for it.
Allow them to enjoy one of the few wonderful events that life has to offer as they grow up in this system we just can't understand.


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Value Line is regarded as the best independent research available. More than just recommendations, Value Line provides the rationale behind its picks for greater understanding.
Among the many features found in each week's Issue of Value Line's Selection & Opinion service is a list of the seven best and worst performing industries over the past six weeks. These rankings can be found on the inside back cover of Selection & Opinion. The roughly 1,700 stocks in the Value Line universe are currently divided among about 100 industries. Notably, for the purposes of calculating these results, the performance of each stock is equally weighted to the others in its industry (i.e., irrespective of market capitalization).
Despite ever-present concerns about the "fiscal cliff," the final six weeks of 2012 were rewarding ones for investors. For the period November 20th through December 31st, the Value Line Arithmetic Average rose 6.4%. During this stretch, roughly 20 of the industries we follow rang up double-digit gains. Human Resources was the top performer, clocking with a 15.7% increase. Steel and Metal Fabricating were not too far behind, rising 13.5% and 12.9%, respectively. Rounding out the top seven was perhaps the most surprising name on the list, the Power industry, which advanced 12.3%. This group has been out of favor with investors for a number of years, making numerous appearances on our worst-performing list, most recently in early December.
The industry's poor performance has been broad-based. Not a single one of the power-related stocks we cover has been to able to keep pace with the Value Line Arithmetic Index over the past three years, with many losing more than 50% of their value during that stretch. Moreover, we continue to have reservations about the near- and long-term prospects of many of these companies and think that investors should proceed cautiously before making commitments in this space.
Solar-energy stocks, for instance, enjoyed a hot streak in the closing weeks of 2012, and the resulting share-price gains were a big factor behind the Power industry's presence on this week's best-performing list. News out of China no doubt provided some of the spark for the market's recent burst of enthusiasm. Most notably, reports in mid-December indicated that the country would be sharply increasing subsidies for its solar power sector.
Developments closer to home have helped to sustain the share-price momentum into the opening days of the new year. Indeed, the first week of 2013 was marked by the news that a subsidiary of Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK/B) had made a deal to purchase two solar projects from SunPower Corp. (SPWR), an announcement that caused its stock, and a number of others in the space, to be bid up.
Nonetheless, we suspect this sector of the power industry will continue to face hard times ahead, and the downside risks mean that most investors will want to remain on the sidelines. Notably, we recently dropped coverage of one of the companies, Suntech Power, due to its poor operating performance and unreliable financial information. Suntech rang up heavy losses in 2011, and concerns of fraud at a company in which it had invested has prevented it from reporting detailed financial results since the March 2012 quarter. (Incidentally, shares of this China-based company were among the biggest beneficiaries of the recent news that the Chinese government would be boosting its support for the industry.)
Meanwhile, we continue to follow a number of other solar-energy companies, such as First Solar (FSLR), GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT), and SunPower Corp. (SPWR). When the final results for last year are tallied, though, we expect all three of the aforementioned to report a significant deterioration in their operating performances from 2011 to 2012.
Business for the industry has actually been fairly brisk in the U.S., where solar installations have been setting new records in 2012. For the solar companies, though, the benefits from this activity have been more than offset by excess supply and weak prices. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the average cost of a completed Photovoltaic system fell by 33% year over year in the September quarter. In this environment, SunPower has resorted to selling its products at a loss in order to gain market share.
These are trying times for GTAT Advanced Tech., as well. Earnings there likely dipped into the red in the December quarter, and management's recent guidance suggests 2013 will be a fairly dismal year, too, as its customers, mostly solar companies in China, struggle with declining prices and steep declines in demand from Europe. For the year, we expect sales to decline about 18%, while share net is likely to be cut in half, to $0.35.
Elsewhere, First Solar, which designs and manufactures solar modules using a proprietary thin-film semiconductor technology, also faces its share of challenges. The company is making a transition from a module manufacturer to a project-based business, which results in more unpredictable revenues streams. Overall, its revenues likely exceeded $3 billion in 2012, and its backlog, though down modestly since the end of 2011, looks comparatively healthy, exceeding $9 billion. Earnings, though, have slumped noticeably over the past two years, and we expect share net will remain under pressure in the 3 to 5 years ahead.
At the time of this article's writing, the author did not have positions in any of the companies mentioned.


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August 15, 2012
David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., is a substance abuse expert, certified sex therapist and clinical hypnotherapist in private practice in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Todd sat slumped on the sofa in my office. He avoided eye contact and described a particularly painful experience with stigma. He had recently come around the corner at his part-time job and heard several co-workers speaking about him and his HIV positive status. More specifically, they were discussing how he might have acquired the virus by speculating about the nature and frequency of his sexual activities. It was meant as a cheap laugh among themselves, but for Todd it meant much more. Although he made no effort to hide his HIV status and was "out" at the office about being gay, hearing his co-workers making disparaging remarks about his sex life and his health status in such explicit terms felt like a strong punch in his gut. He had a brief flash of anger, telling them to shut up, and then stormed out, pulling inward and automatically falling into the old habit of numbing himself by detaching from the emotional pain.
For Todd, the words of his colleagues echoed hurtful messages he had gotten his entire life. When he came out as a gay man he had alienated some friends and family. After finding out he was HIV positive, his partner left him. He struggled to cope with the psychological adjustments necessary for living with the virus and, although most of the time he had decent self-esteem, such hurtful words consistently pushed him out of emotional balance. Over the years a small part of him began to think they might be true. At work that day he berated himself for not defiantly rejecting their words, but he could not bring himself to speak up. They resonated because at some deep level Todd believed that he was indeed "damaged goods."
He was experiencing one of the great, untreated aspects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic: stigma. And Todd's version was one of the more insidious: internalized or "felt" stigma. Years of living in a society that proclaimed certain behaviors or characteristics to be tainted had left their mark. Like many, Todd had several layers of stigma. He was a gay man and a person living with HIV. Some people have even more layers: gender, race, age, ethnicity, poverty, sexual minority, nationality, immigration status, and almost anything else that can be used to classify and judge. The personal costs are enormous. Years of experiencing such stigma creates a defensive shell into which a person retreats, excessively alert for any sign of judgment, at times flushed with shame, and believing at a deep internal level that they are indeed flawed.
Sharing a characteristic, then, doesn't necessarily imply unity or safety from stigma. For example, gay men can be particularly harsh with each other. Personal ads are filled with an emphasis on "masculine only" and abbreviations such as "DDF" (drug and disease free) and UB2 (you be, too). It is true that people have preferences, but these words uncomfortably echo the language of oppression.
Stigma first caught the attention of researchers in the 1960s, when Erving Goffman studied groups of "deviants": prisoners, mental patients, and homosexuals (I guess we have made some progress). He found that those who hold the power in any society define certain characteristics as undesirable and then link those characteristics to certain other groups of people. Those stigmatized groups then become "tainted" and vulnerable to various forms of discrimination (and even criminalization). At the root of stigma, then, is power: those who have it often stigmatize. Recent theorists have taken this one step further. Not only do those in power stigmatize, but the act of stigmatizing certain groups of people may be necessary to actually hanging on to that power.
How does stigma affect HIV? Experiencing stigma increases someone's vulnerability to acquiring the disease in the first place. Fear, poverty and countless other factors reduce a person's willingness or ability to sexually protect themselves. HIV stigma itself prevents many people from getting tested because they worry about the assumptions that others will make about their behavior. Multiple "layers" of stigma can also have an impact. Where I live, for example, the gay and lesbian community center provides free testing. That is the closest testing site for the nearby Haitian community, but very few Haitians get tested at that center (if they are inclined to be tested at all) because of gay-related stigma.
Stigma prevents others from following through on treatment. One study found that 36% of people living with HIV had experienced some form of discrimination from a health care provider. People also worry that if their status becomes known the result will be rejection and an adverse effect on their social support network. Medication adherence can also be impacted. One client of mine routinely missed his medications when he had dinner with his parents, who didn't know his HIV status. Another woman I know wouldn't take her medication at certain times when her children were home because they made her sick for several hours.
There are stigma reduction programs in place, although their effectiveness is difficult to measure. Most focus on interpersonal dynamics such as decreasing a person's fear of being around someone with HIV. They provide the opportunity for healthcare providers, family, and friends to get both information and work through their own feelings of fear or judgment. Studies show that the most effective programs of this variety combine several approaches. For example, a presentation by someone living with HIV is most effective when accompanied by a second type of intervention, such as an exercise to allow people to process their own feelings.
For persons experiencing stigma, interventions mostly focus on cognitive behavioral approaches. These work by changing internalized negative beliefs about oneself and building components of self-esteem and a sense of personal control. Stigma interventions acknowledging the role of power need to be developed. As noted earlier, stigma and discrimination are intertwined with societal power and control. More needs to be done in terms of education, legislation, and advocacy to reduce stigma at this "macro" level.
Familiarity with a member of a stigmatized group can increase empathy and thereby reduce stigma. If I am in a situation where declaring my own status might help reduce stigma, I try to do so. I led a workshop at a recent professional HIV conference and, in the course of my presentation, mentioned my own HIV positive status. Reactions ranged from shocked to indifferent, but, most importantly, several people who were HIV positive approached me afterwards to say how empowering it felt for them to hear a trainer at a crowded conference declare his status.
Can mass media help in reducing HIV-related stigma? There is little objective research, but a clever study recently caught my eye. The American soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" apparently followed an HIV-positive character over a two year period. The show is broadcast in a variety of countries, and one researcher tracked changes in HIV-related stigma in, of all places, Botswana. Remarkably, at least in that country, simply being exposed to a HIV-positive character on television increased empathy toward persons living with the virus and reduced stigma. Damaged goods? Definitely not.
Read David's blog, Riding the Tiger: Life Lessons From an HIV-Positive Therapist.
Get e-mail notifications every time David's blog is updated.
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Copyright © 2011-2016 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
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Stoneware Crockery
For over six years online (and decades in print!), Interweave has been the place to learn jewelry-making techniques, be inspired, and enjoy other metalsmiths and jewelry makers, just like you. We bring you expert advice from our magazine and book editorial staff, as well as from independent jewelry artists from around the globe. Our contributors love to fabricate metal jewelry, do wire work, and create jewelry as much as you do! And we enjoy helping you grow as a jewelry artist and inspiring you to create your next jewelry-making project.
There is so much to see and learn for jewelry makers here–something for everyone, whether you're a beginner or have been making jewelry for years.
Learn from video instruction. Videos are a great way to learn how to make jewelry, and we've got them for you. From setting up your very first torch to finishing your own handmade jewelry designs and everything in between, there's a jewelry-making video here to instruct and inspire you.
Enjoy our articles and tutorials. Get to know us and what we do; we love taking you behind the scenes of our magazine photo shoots, going in-depth about a favorite jewelry technique, sharing what's on our workbench, demonstrating essential jewelry skills, and so much more
Download a free eBook. We have over 30 free eBooks for jewelry making, each one full how-to projects for all sorts of handcrafted jewelry, accessories, and other crafts. If you're interested in metalsmithing projects, metal clay jewelry making, how to make necklaces, rings, or earrings, enameling, resin jewelry making, or how to start and manage a successful jewelry business–you name it, we've got a free eBook for you. We've even got an eBook to help beginners learn basic jewelry-making techniques!
Grow with new jewelry-making techniques. Whether you want to learn how to solder jewelry, more about specific lapidary and gem-cutting techniques, or how to use certain jewelry tools, we've got you covered.
Check out the projects in our magazines. With every new issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist or Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry, we'll show you more photos, more projects, more technique tips, more inspiration.


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Los Alamos National Laboratory
We have a new Community Commitment Plan
I am pleased to announce that the Board of Governors of Los Alamos National Security, LLC unanimously approved our Community Commitment Plan 2.0 proposal for Northern New Mexico and the Laboratory (see the lead article this month for more information). Reasons to approve a new plan were many, and I'm especially appreciative of the Board's decision because the Plan is no longer a specific contractual obligation.
We listened to many Northern New Mexicans and worked diligently to demonstrate that the previous $3 million LANS spent each year since 2006 in education, economic development, and community giving had a meaningful return on investment for the community and LANL.
Let's take a moment to thank our regional program partners who helped implement quality programs and collect data through accountability reviews, economic reports, surveys, and interviews. I'd also like to thank our "Red Team Review" members who helped ensure that the information was accurate and the business case was strong. The LANS Board of Governors is made up of intelligent and savvy business leaders, and we needed to "do our homework" in advance of our presentation and request for continued full funding.
We also spent considerable time quantifying and qualifying our initiatives and their effectiveness to further ensure that they were they all they could be.
As we have for the past six years, we'll continue to meet with the Board of Governors each year to report our progress and impacts and request a budget that will provide the maximum benefit for everyone involved.