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When defining success in social media, every client is different. From local B2B to national consumer packaged goods companies, there's a huge difference in what each brand and each industry is looking for.
Some need hard nose facts and figures to see success. For one client, every last dollar spent and earned directly affects wether or not thousands in the community have wellness programs. At the start of this year we were happy to create a campaign that was aimed directly at improving their bottom line through new membership. I'm proud to say that we had a 200% ROI for the total cost they invested in our campaign. Not only did they have short-term awareness gain, but in the end, we were able to retain a great amount of the new members, who have since renewed their membership (which is where the 200% figure comes from). For a brand like that, their relationships happen naturally once you enter the building, but for many other brands there's a value that you can't directly measure to an investment, because it's measured in relationships.
This Return on Relationships or ROR is no new concept. At the Democrat and Chronicle, we created a social college community. Our goal was to foster meaningful relationships not only between the D&C as a news entity, but among the college students themselves. The goal was not to drive newspaper sales or to drive online ad revenue, (we traded ads on the site for product give aways) but to create a network where students in the eight Rochester-area colleges could come together on one digital platform to share information pertinent to their daily lives.
We measured success in numbers AND quality of photos and comments on our community blogs (which were school-specific). Students came to the site because they knew first off their classmates were creating it, but also because we reported on what mattered on each campus. Partnering with a College Blogger Network only amped up the voice of our students nationwide. As a result, more and more traffic came to the site, but also more students wanted to get involved, be it writing for the site, joining the marketing team, or just telling friends to come out to certain events we put on.
Fast forward to June 2011 and I'm sitting on a conference call with one noteworthy CPG brand whose product is in almost every grocery store in almost every state. They're not the top seller in their product category, but spend significantly less on advertising yet are on the short list of "name brands."
After going through their current strategy and goals, their marketing director said something that was positively refreshing to my ears:
"We know that we'll never be the leader in our category because of our competitor's price…and we don't care honestly. What we know is that we understand our customers better than any of these other brands. They love us for us…so when we're thinking about how to define the success of this campaign…we really only care about the quality of relationships that we see with our customers as a result."
Return on Relationship is something that you can't measure by simply looking at the number of coupons redeemed or Facebook fan growth over time. Sure you can give people a good deal and win over their pocketbooks, or promise a trip or a giveaway to the Nth fan, but these might only yield short-term success…not building bonds.
Going back to the CPG Brand example above, they're not worried about getting 10,000 new fans with a coupon giveaway. Would it boost their numbers and bring new business? Sure. But they'd much rather spend the time and energy on a project that will bring enrichment to their consumer's lives, not just their wallets. I can almost guarantee that their board would be much happier knowing someone posted a photo on the Facebook wall enjoying our product, than someone who liked the page just for a coupon.
So think about it…how are you measuring your success in social media? Is it sheer volumes like many brands? Or is it about the quality of the conversations taking place around it?
Remember that these people are working for your brand as soon as they make the conscious decision to click that "like" button. So what kind of workers do you want to attract? 10,000 people who show up when they feel like it, or 1,000 die-hards who show up just because they love working with you?


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Bioshock Infinite Action Figures
Infinite fun
- New figures for Bioshock Infinite
- Over 20 points of articulation
- Series 1: Elizabeth & Boy of Silence
"Experimented upon since youth and sealed away from sight behind masks of copper, the Boys of Silence rank among the most bizarre and fearsome inhabitants of Columbia. Uniquely sensitive to both sound and motion, the Boys of Silence are capable of detecting all but the stealthiest of intruders."
The Bioshock series is one that never fails to entertain in it's delightfully disturbing sort of way. With the release of Bioshock Infinite coming soon, we're already starting our collection of figures. After all, Big Daddy and Little Sister need some friends on our shelves, right?
Series 1 includes Elizabeth, the protagonist of Bioshock Infinite, and one of the "Heavy Hitter" villains, the Boy of Silence. These figures contain over 20 points of articulation each and are full of details that fans of Bioshock will love. The Boy of Silence even has a hidden opening mouth mechanism. Thankfully, he doesn't scream when you open it.
Product Specifications
- Elizabeth:
- Over 20 points of articulation
- Real fabric skirt
- Boy of Silence:
- Over 25 points of articulation
- Hidden opening mouth mechanism
- Dimensions: 6.5" (Elizabeth), 7" (Boy of Silence)

subset: commoncrawl


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Are you ready for a trip down the rabbit hole? Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Disney are adding a strange new chapter to the Lewis Carroll classic with their "Alice in Wonderland," a film that presents a young woman who finds herself in the world of the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen. She is welcomed as a returning visitor — but is she, in fact, the same Alice who roamed the trippy realm as a child? Time will tell. Here at the Hero Complex, we're counting down to the film's March 5 release with daily coverage.
"Alice in Wonderland" will stage its world premiere on Feb. 25 at Odeon Leicester Square in London with Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Avril Lavigne, Alan Rickman, Anne Hathaway and Christopher Lee among the famous faces that will be on hand for the gala event, as will Mia Wasikowska, the Australian starlet who portrays the title character.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will also attend the premiere, which is being staged as a fund-raiser for The Prince's Foundation for Children & the Arts. The film opens wide on March 5. The Burton-directed film is a hybrid of animation, live action and green-screen digital effects and will be shown in 3D. The themed celebration for the premiere will tap into the imagery of the film but the details are being kept under wraps at this point.
Other cast members expected to attend are Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Timothy Spall, Paul Whitehouse, Barbara Windsor and Michael Sheen. "Alice in Wonderland" dips into the classic surreal imagery of Lewis Carroll's writing but it is not a remake of any of the films or musicals presented under that familiar title through the years — it's a new tale of an older Alice who goes through the rabbit hole to Wonderland and is greeted as a return visitor. But is she the same Alice who took a magic journey through the strange realm as a child?
The film is based on the script by Linda Woolverton.
— Geoff Boucher
Burton and stars will be at "Alice" fan event in L.A. on Feb. 19
"Alice" screenwriter is ready for the haters
Burton took a "Shining" to Tweedledee and Tweedledum
"Alice in Wonderland" as silent film, musical and … porn?
Mia Wasikowska on Depp: "He's so brave and smart"
"Alice" star says "Wonderland" is a sequel, not remake
Danny Elfman searches for the sound of "Wonderland"
Johnny Depp picks his poison for "Alice"
Tim Burton and "Alice" feel the love at D23 Expo
Depp: "There's a crack in my enthusiasm" for "Pirates" 4
Tim Burton's graveyard cabaret
Burton on past "Alice" films: "There wasn't anything underneath"
Tim Burton on working with Depp on a darker "Alice"
PHOTO: Johnny Depp at London's Leicester Square on June 29 at the British Premiere of "Public Enemies" (Max NashGetty Images)


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LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission has criticized the nation's secret police for detaining two journalists for days without charges.
Commission chairman Chidi Odinkalu issued a statement Saturday saying the detention of Musa Mohammed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, journalists with the weekly Hausa language newspaper Al-Mizan, did "not pass constitutional muster." Odinkalu called on the secretive State Security Service to allow commission staff to have access to the men, as they've been denied opportunities to meet with the lawyer or receive medical attention.
The two journalists were arrested early Monday morning at their homes in Kaduna. Their newspaper has published a series of stories about alleged military abuses and the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram.
Boko Haram is waging an increasingly bloody guerrilla fight against Nigeria's weak central government.


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After the debacle at Cannae, Scipio Africanus has discovered a plot among some Roman nobles to desert Italy. He has hurried to them, and, waving his sword around, threatened them with death unless they promised to desist from their treachery.
"Iūrāte," inquit, "vōs neque ipsōs rem pūblicam populī Rōmānī dēsertūrōs, neque alium cīvem Rōmānum dēsere passūrōs; quī nōn iūrāverit, in sē hunc gladium strictum esse sciat." Haud secus pavidī quam sī victōrem Hannabilem cernerent, iūrant omnēs custōdiendōsque sēmet ipsōs Scīpiōnī trādunt.
"Promise," he said, "you lot, that neither will you desert the Roman republic, nor suffer any other Roman to desert; let him who will not swear know that he will feel this naked blade in himself." Just as terrified as though they were seeing the conquering Hannibal, they all swear and yield to Scipio those who should be locked up, themselves themselves.
I can't work out why there are two selves - semet and ipsos. Are they both necessary? It seems like duplication to me. Do they all refer to the same people? semet can't possibly be nominative, can it? They themselves (the plotters) yielded the actual people that should be locked up to Scipio. But I think I'm clutching at straws there. And I can't decide if the custodiendos refer to the actual plotters, or whether they are dobbing other people. And I'm not sure if omnes goes with iurant, or with custodiendos. Other than that, I've pretty much got this sentence nailed!
Cheers, Phil


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Shumlin asks for US review of oil pipeline change
Head of corp. says no new plans
Shumlin asks for US review of oil pipeline change
Head of corp. says no new plans
MONTPELIER, Vt. —
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin has asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to require a detailed federal environmental review if the owner of an oil pipeline that runs through Vermont seeks to reverse its flow and move so-called tar sands crude oil from Montreal to Portland, Maine.
Deputy Natural Resources Secretary Justin Johnson tells Vermont Public Radio the administration is concerned that extracting and burning tar sands oil would add to climate change and the state would be hurt if a pipeline ruptured and spilled the oil.
The head of the Portland Pipe Line Corporation has said there are no current plans to reverse the flow of the pipeline, but he's open to new business and that the pipeline could safely carry tar sands oil.


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A strong showing by Republican J. Paul Brown in late-reporting Archuleta County narrowed the vote margin in the race for the 59th Colorado House district but did not appear enough to overtake Democratic challenger Mike McLachlans lead.
With all six counties in the district reporting as of Wednesday afternoon, McLachlan led Brown 21,169 votes to 20,389, a difference of only 780. It reduced McLachlans edge to 51 percent to 49 percent.
Brown gave a concession speech at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday night at the Durango Elks Lodge. Archuleta County votes still were pending then.
Results remain unofficial because provisional ballots need to be counted for each county. La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee Parker said that should happen by early next week.
A recount would be triggered if the difference between the number of votes cast for the two candidates is equal to or less than half a percent of the votes cast for the leading candidate.
Right now, the difference is 3.7 percentage points, so Brown would have to claim a disproportionate share of provisional votes to turn the tables and recapture the overall lead from McLachlan. Parker said that is unlikely but that nothing can be ruled out.
The (provisional) ballots probably wont make a difference. But well watch and see what happens, Brown said Wednesday.


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Watch The ::God Is Imaginary Videos On YouTube ::
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Then what was Romney doing at both of those places???
Sarah supports them!
Her husband's smile looks really forced. Must be having to hear that nails-on-a-blackboard voice of hers all day and night. Can you imagine?
be as that may be, but all i've been saying is nobodsy knows the accurate statistic.
I think the biggest issue with the accuracy of these statistics is that this is a subject about which folks may not be very honest. I guarantee you there are people (mostly men, I would guess) out there that will never admit they've had homosexual feelings and/or experiences, no matter how anonymous the survey is purported to be. The only question is, how much do these holdouts skew the results?
I really like their food but I may have to rethink going there.
Then we are talking about two different ideas of accuracy. I am talking about who self identifies and the statistical confidence of that. From that perspective, those in denial do not skew the results at all. They do not self identify. You are talking about their deepest, most hidden desires. Does that really matter for the purposes of the survey? I don't know. I'd say, probably not. Those who deny homo feelings are not invested in gay marriage, do not have to worry about gay rights, etc and so are not part of the demographic being quantified. But I do agree that sexuality is not black and white. I think it is a sliding scale.
The bottom line is that we will never really know the true percentage of gays out there as long as homosexuality remains so persecuted and stigmatized in our society.
Quote from: Nick on July 19, 2012, 12:05:36 PMI really like their food but I may have to rethink going there.As a fast food chain, their level of quality and consistency is superb, but I definitely don't agree with their openly anti gay views. Just seems bad for business IMO, but they thrive in conservative states so I doubt their statements will have little impact in those states but I can see them having some problems expanding north and rightly so. I don't see a problem with them personally being Christian conservatives but being anti gay is just uncool.
However, if we are trying to determine a true and accurate representation of the actual percentage of the populace that is homosexual, we must consider the variable of people who would otherwise be considered homosexual refusing to classify themselves as such.
I always say what I mean. But sometimes I'm a sarcastic prick whose tone can't be properly communicated via text.
Well, it seems to me that there are quite a few companies out there who recognize the the LGBT population is significant enough to be a market they want to court...
The only "actual" homosexuals that matter are the ones who admit it. As I said, the ones who don't are not part of the group.
but I think it is short sighted to write off the entire "closeted" portion of the gay populace.
...but due to various outside pressures or influences are unwilling or reasonably unable to identify themselves as such.
So while these folks are not necessarily "part of the group", they certainly can and do exercise their influence by voting for/against candidates and measures that support/oppose their views, by donating time or money to gay-friendly organizations, and by being very particular about where they might purchase a chicken sandwich.
Our local Chik-Fil-A was completely jam packed with traffic yesterday evening. On one side, it was a disgusting site to behold, thinking that perhaps all of those people were there to support bigotry and homophobia. But then I started thinking that there may have been people there just supporting free speech - you know, the kind of free speech that we hold so dearly, that allows the owner of a business to openly and actively speak against and fund efforts to deny human rights.
I decided that most were there to support homophobia and bigotry. Fuck those Christians. If they can't stand strong against homophobia and same-sex marriage, then they don't deserve any respect at all for their religion.
I'm confused. Are you talking about people who are unwilling to publicly admit to being gay or people who won't even say it on a confidential survey? I thought it was the latter we were talking about.
If the goal is to understand a demographic - homosexual men and women - for political messaging, then the ones who are in denial and do not think of themselves as gay are not your target audience and should not be counted. While they may sometimes engage in homosexual acts, they are not members of the gay community and not part of this demographic.
Closet gays - those who think of them selves as gay and may secretly "indulge" but publicly portray themselves as straight - may be part of that demographic and are not being "written off" - at least, not by me. They would have an opportunity to be privately and confidentially counted. If they chose to falsely answer, they are writing themselves off and are effectively excluding themselves from the community.


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CEA Takes Away CNET's Role In Picking CES Best In Show; Awards Dish Hopper 'Best In Show'
from the ouch dept
You see, CNET's "Best in Show" award wasn't just for CNET itself, but for the official CES show. Part of CNET's deal with CEA was that its picks for "Best of CES" were the official awards for CES. Until now. CEA boss Gary Shapiro first slammed CBS in an editorial, and then CEA followed that up by officially ending CNET's position as the official picker of the "Best in Show" for CES. In trying to save face, someone from CBS told The Verge (in the link above) that it "had already determined it would not attempt to partner with CES for the awards again." Yeah, sure.
Oh yeah. CES also has now officially named the Dish Hopper with Sling as "Best of Show" saying it's now the "co-winner" with the Razer Edge gaming tablet that CNET chose after CBS suits stepped in and decimated their editorial independence.


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Ex-rebel fighters become officers in Nepal's army
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Seventy former communist rebels graduated from Nepal's military academy on Monday and became officers in the national army they once fought.
The 66 men and four women wore Nepal army uniforms and were given the rank of lieutenant by the head of the country's interim government, Khilraj Regmi, at a ceremony at the academy just outside Katmandu.
Many of the 70 will eventually receive higher ranks after they complete further training.
Maoist rebels fought against government troops from 1996 until 2006, when a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of former rebels wanted to join the national army but many gave up because of delays in the peace process.
Yam Bahadur Adhikari, a former rebel who graduated Monday, said they will have no problems working with the people they once fought.
"I hold no grudge against them. I believe there will be no problems for us to work together. We are now part of the same army," Adhikari said.
About 13,000 people are believed to have died in the decade-long conflict.
After the peace agreement was signed, thousands of former rebels spent years in U.N.-monitored camps because politicians were unable to agree on their future. They finally were handed over to the national army for training last year.
"This successfully ends the process of integrating our combatants into the national army and marks an important part of the peace process. They are no longer combatants but officers of the Nepal army who will serve the nation," said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a senior leader of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the former rebels.
An additional 1,352 former rebels will also serve in the national army in lower ranks once they complete basic training.


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Once a Day (QD) - Twice a Day (BID) Clinical Trial: Didanosine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz Versus Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz in the Starting Treatment of HIV
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00256828
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : November 22, 2005
Last Update Posted : October 16, 2007
|Tracking Information
|First Submitted Date ICMJE
|November 21, 2005
|First Posted Date ICMJE
|November 22, 2005
|Last Update Posted Date
|October 16, 2007
|Study Start Date ICMJE
|June 2004
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Current Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Percentage of patients with HIV-RNA levels < 50 c/ml (intent-to-treat [ITT])
|Original Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|% patiets with HIV-RNA levels < 50 c/ml (ITT)
|Change History
|Complete list of historical versions of study NCT00256828 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
|Current Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Descriptive Information
|Brief Title ICMJE
|Once a Day (QD) - Twice a Day (BID) Clinical Trial: Didanosine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz Versus Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz in the Starting Treatment of HIV
|Official Title ICMJE
|A Multicenter, Randomized, Open Label, Clinical Trial Comparing a QD Regimen of Didanosine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz With a Standard BID Regimen of Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Efavirenz in the Starting Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (GESIDA 39/03)
|Brief Summary
|The purpose of this study is to compare the antiviral activity of two treatment groups for HIV chronic infection: a QD regimen of didanosine, lamivudine and efavirenz versus a BID regimen of zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz. Both will be administered with food in the starting treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection at Week 48.
|Detailed Description
The inhibition of HIV replication mediated by HAART causes an actual immunological reconstitution that has been clinically evidenced as a dramatic reduction in mortality, incidence of opportunistic diseases, hospital admissions and costs associated with healthcare in HIV-infected patients, which has been shown since the year 1996. Unfortunately, the eradication of HIV is not feasible with the therapies available; therefore, treatment of HIV infection is currently approached as a "life-long" strategy. HAART is not free from middle and long-term adverse events.
It must be considered that, until relatively recently, the HAART regimens required taking a high number of tablets several times daily, frequently with diet restrictions, which made compliance difficult and improved the quality of life of the patients. In any case, it must be noted that insufficient compliance with HAART can have harmful consequences for the patient, public health and health resources.
The factors predicting compliance with ART can depend on the patient, the healthcare team and the therapeutic regimen.
As mentioned above, until recent dates, HAART has gathered all factors making compliance difficult: long-term duration, over one drug, over one dose daily and presence of adverse events. Therefore, the adequate compliance is an actual challenge for patients and for the health staff and has been considered, with a good criterion, the weak point of antiretroviral treatment.
For all the above, it can be stated that the ideal HAART regimen would be that with few tablets and that could be taken once daily. The expected advantages of QD regimens could include mainly three: first, they will improve compliance, which will have a highly positive effect on the antiviral efficacy of HAART. On the other hand, QD regimens will enable that HAART is better adapted to the lifestyle of the patient and will have a low interference with working hours, so they will be more convenient and improve quality of life. Finally, it must be noted that QD regimens will enable for monitoring HAART directly, and will allow for a relatively significant group of patients in our setting to follow the treatment with a greater guarantee of success, such as those with problems of drug addiction, lack of social support, mental disease and those admitted to penitentiary centers.
The main disadvantage of QD regimens is the virtual lack of large clinical trials comparing this therapeutic approach to other potent, well-established BID regimens. Therefore, it is very interesting to examine this approach in a randomized clinical trial with an adequate design such as that proposed.
The second problem is the consequences that result of missing a dose since this could entail that for some time - in the 24 hours following the failure - the drug concentrations could decrease enough to stop inhibiting viral replication; this could also promote the emergence of viral strains resistant to the drugs. In principle, the implications of missing a dose depend substantially on the pharmacokinetic properties included in the QD regimen (Cmin, half-life, intracellular concentrations, and the IC50 of the HIV of each patient), so that, the higher the drug half-life and the higher the Cmin/IC50 ratio, the higher the probability that alter missing a dose the Cmin persists above the IC50 of the HIV strain of the patient. Therefore, it is important to select drugs with pharmacokinetic profiles and an antiviral potency enough for QD administration (vide infra).
BID regimen (efavirenz + zidovudine + lamivudine):
In this study, we have chosen as BID regimen that containing NNRTI efavirenz (Sustiva®) and Combivir® which is the commercial combination of the NRTI zidovudine + lamivudine, that will lead patients to take one tablet in the morning and 2 tablets at night. We have chosen this regimen (zidovudine + lamivudine + efavirenz) because it is the starting treatment regimen for HIV chronic infection best studied and considered by many as the gold standard for this indication.
QD regimen (efavirenz + didanosine + lamivudine):
The QD regimen will be made up by didanosine (capsule-CT) + lamivudine + efavirenz, a regimen containing three tablets that must be taken together at night and which is the QD regimen with most experience to date. We have chosen as combination of NRTI didanosine and lamivudine, drugs authorized for QD use with a very good safety profile and no interactions with each other and with efavirenz. The combination of didanosine and lamivudine is highly attractive and is in fact recommended for the starting HAART by various agencies though not at the same level as the combination of zidovudine and lamivudine (which can be only administered BID) just because there are less randomized clinical trials with the former than with the latter combination of NRTI. Therefore, one of the strengths of the study is that it proposes the possibility of assessing the combination of didanosine and lamivudine in a starting HAART regimen.
In this study, the patients allocated to the QD regimen containing didanosine (capsule-CT) + lamivudine + efavirenz will take all tablets together at night with dinner. In principle, this involves a minor deviation from the data sheet of didanosine where it is specified that the drug must be taken fasting.
Didanosine is the second antiretroviral drug marketed and, in the last decade, the presentation and dosage form of this drug have improved remarkably, from bags with buffered powder for twice daily administration, with dispersible tablets with buffer, to the current dosage form which is a gastroresistant capsule (capsule-CT) which allows for administration in once daily doses and that, since it has no buffer, has improved substantially the gastric tolerance to the drug.
The formulations of didanosine as powder or buffered dispersible tablets must be taken fasting for absorption to be optimum, since its administration with food reduces significantly drug absorption and plasma concentrations. However, the effect of food on the absorption of capsules-CT does not cause an unequivocal reduction in drug exposure.
Primary Objective:
Secondary Objectives:
Randomization Procedure:
The randomization will be centralized and stratified by the baseline viral burden level, being higher or lower than 100,000 cop/ml. The patients giving their written informed consent will be included in the study. To include a patient, the clinical trial agency Gesida will be contacted by phone.
Study Procedures:
HIV-RNA, CD4 and routine labs will be collected at screening, baseline, w1, w4, w12, w24 and w48. Quality of life will be measured with a self-patient report questionnaire (MOS-HIV).
|Study Type ICMJE
|Study Phase
|Phase 4
|Study Design ICMJE
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Condition ICMJE
|HIV Infections
|Intervention ICMJE
|Drug: didanosine + lamivudine + efavirenz
|Study Arms
|Not Provided
|Publications *
|Berenguer J, González J, Ribera E, Domingo P, Santos J, Miralles P, Angels Ribas M, Asensi V, Gimeno JL, Pérez-Molina JA, Terrón JA, Santamaría JM, Pedrol E; GESIDA 3903 Team. Didanosine, lamivudine, and efavirenz versus zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz for the initial treatment of HIV type 1 infection: final analysis (48 weeks) of a prospective, randomized, noninferiority clinical trial, GESIDA 3903. Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Oct 15;47(8):1083-92. doi: 10.1086/592114. Erratum in: Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Dec 15;47(12):1611.
* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
|Recruitment Information
|Recruitment Status ICMJE
|Enrollment ICMJE
|Original Enrollment ICMJE
|Same as current
|Study Completion Date
|November 2006
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Eligibility Criteria ICMJE
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers
|Contacts ICMJE
|Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
|Listed Location Countries ICMJE
|Removed Location Countries
|Administrative Information
|NCT Number ICMJE
|Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE
|Has Data Monitoring Committee
|Not Provided
|U.S. FDA-regulated Product
|Not Provided
|IPD Sharing Statement
|Not Provided
|Responsible Party
|Not Provided
|Study Sponsor ICMJE
|Clinical Trial Agency of HIV Study Group
|Collaborators ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Investigators ICMJE
|PRS Account
|Clinical Trial Agency of HIV Study Group
|Verification Date
|November 2005
ICMJE Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP


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Teachings are the way The Journey likes to communicate.
We don't like to talk at each other, instead, we talk with each other. There is not one teacher or one speaker with all the answers. We understand that there is gray area that needs explored, understood, and thought through. This, is what our teachings are.
Teachings (67)
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Paul Sullivan Hearts Aaron Miles and Joey Gaithright
In yesterday's Tribune, Paul Sullivan offered the following guess at the Chicago Cubs' opening day lineup:
1. Miles 2B
2. Gathight CF
3. Lee 1B
4. Ramirez 3B
5. Bradley RF
6. Soriano LF
7. Soto C
8. Theriot SS
9. Zambrano SP
Sullivan is obviously making two large assumptions about opening day in the creation of this lineup:
1.) We are facing a lefty; and
2.) Lou Piniella will have developed a paint thinner addiction.


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Selena Gomez: UNICEF Snowflake Ball 2012
Selena Gomez glams up for the 2012 UNICEF Snowflake Ball held at Cipriani 42nd Street on Tuesday evening (November 27) in New York City.
The 20-year-old actress sparkled in a Dolce & Gabbana dress with Giuseppe Zanotti heels. Selena completed her look with a Judith Leiber clutch and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of
Selena joined Caryl Stern, President and CEO U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and signer Katy Perry at the annual event which celebrates the organizations work and helps to create a healthier and safer life for children all over the globe.
20+ pics inside of Selena Gomez…
Posted to: Selena Gomez


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"We wanted to create something similarly graceful, athletic and confident, but not aggressive or overbearing," says Gregory Guillaume, Kia's European design chief. And it's abundantly clear with the introduction of the new Kia GT concept that they have achieved just that.
While almost every new Kia design has been created for a front-wheel-drive platform, the new GT concept design has expanded to the rear-wheel-dive realm.
While some may take issue with the exterior design of the new Kia GT concept (some displeasure has been voiced over in particular of the headlamp design) there can be no question that what is under the hood is sure to impress. The GT concept is powered by a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6, producing 389 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, with an eight-speed automatic transmission.


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Fall Out Boy is back.
Ending a three-year hiatus that commenced following a 2009 greatest-hits set, the popular emo-rock band announced Monday that it would release a new album and launch a North American tour in May.
"This isn't a reunion, because we never broke up," the group said in a statement. "We needed to plug back in and make some music that matters to us."
Fall Out Boy -- singer-guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley -- is scheduled to release "Save Rock and Roll" on May 7; it will be the band's first studio disc since "Folie a Deux" in 2008. The album's lead single, "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)," was released to iTunes on Monday and is available to stream via YouTube below.
PHOTOS: Top nominees | Ballot | Snubs | Concert | Complete list | Full coverage
On May 14, the group -- which after forming in 2001 went on to platinum sales and a nomination for the new artist Grammy Award -- is to begin a six-week tour in Milwaukee. First, though, it'll return to the stage this week with three small-scale club gigs: Monday night in Fall Out Boy's hometown of Chicago, Tuesday in New York and Thursday at L.A.'s Roxy. (Tickets for the Roxy show appeared to be sold out early Monday afternoon.) The band is set to return to L.A. for a concert at the Wiltern on June 13.
During their time apart, Fall Out Boy's members pursued a variety of side projects. Wentz led the electronic outfit Black Cards, while Trohman and Hurley played with the Damned Things, a heavy-metal supergroup also featuring members of Anthrax and Every Time I Die. Most promisingly, Stump released an excellent solo album, 2011's "Soul Punk," that nonetheless sank without a trace.
AEG moves to battle Ticketmaster head on
Beyonce announces world tour, with a stop at Staples Center
So Justin Bieber lacks a Grammy nomination? It's the awards' loss
PHOTOS: Concerts by the Times
PHOTOS: Unexpected musical collaborations
PHOTOS: Musician feuds: The dirt & details


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NEW YORK — Brook Lopez scored 20 points, Thaddeus Young had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets ended their 10-game home losing streak with a 110-104 victory over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
The Nets also ended a five-game overall skid with their first victory under interim coach Tony Brown, who took over when coach Lionel Hollins was fired and general manager Billy King was reassigned on Sunday.
Joe Johnson made two key jumpers in the final two minutes and finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Nets in their first home victory since beating Philadelphia on Dec. 10.
Derrick Williams tied his career high with 31 points for...


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- Parent Category: News
War Veterans Invited to Info Program
Area veterans are invited to a scheduled Veteran's Meet and Greet in Kankakee. It's planned for Friday, Aug. 17 from 5-7 p.m. at Nini's Brew, 1805 S. Schuyler Avenue.
At the event, veterans can meet and learn more about veteran organizations and the services they provide. Organizations participating in this event include: Veterans Assistance Commission of Kankakee County, Marine Corps League, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the American Legion.
The meet and greet is sponsored by the KCC Veteran's Club. Admission is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Jim Ryan, club advisor at 815-935-1936 or email


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But it got us thinking. The dictionary definition of "community" goes something like this: "A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality and share government." I suppose that's technically accurate, but it misses the true flavor of what makes a community special.
A special community is made up of people who care for one another and who care about their surroundings - the type of people that turn out to help one another. People such as those I have just described came out last Friday for the benefit to fight Alzheimer's at the Forest Park Carousel.
A couple of hundred people visited Forest Park that evening, riding the carousel, buying raffle tickets, or just making small donations to the cause. New York Carousel Entertainment generously donated all proceeds from the evening to the New York City Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
It's a great feeling that never gets old, watching the Forest Park Carousel spinning again after nearly four years of inactivity. And if you haven't seen it at night yet, let me tell you something, it looks absolutely glorious. Children lined up to take the ride time and time again, sometimes dragging their parents with them.
In total, close to $2,000 was raised. More importantly, the event (and the publicity in the weeks leading up to it) helped raise awareness about this awful disease, as well as the help and assistance that is available through the Association. Queens resident Carol Lacks, who came up with the idea for the fundraiser, said she was grateful to everyone who came out and showed that they care.
This event was barely over before Carol began working to publicize the next fundraiser, the "Queens Walk to End Alzheimer's" on September 30th from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at Flushing Meadows Corona Park (111th Street and 55th Avenue). You can join Carol's team (Team Rose), or you can start your own team or walk as an individual.
And here's the carousel connection: New York Carousel Entertainment also runs the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Carousel. If you've never seen it, it's a real treat. (Something to keep an eye on – the entire roof spins as well as the carousel.) And anyone wearing a wristband issued by the Alzheimer's Association gets a free ride. Email email@example.com or Google "Queens Walk to End Alzheimer's" for more information.
It was great to see so many people coming out to show that they care, but it wasn't something we haven't seen before here in Woodhaven. In fact, it's something we see over and over here in our special little community in the city. We see people coming forward to support our Little League teams. We see people coming out to clean up the neighborhood. We see people reaching out to help one another.
In short, we see people caring about each other.
Now, there are residents of Woodhaven who will read this and wonder what neighborhood I am writing about; residents who do not view our community the same way. It's quite simple. You aren't going to find a caring community sitting in your living room. You need to make that leap of faith and reach out to your community. Get involved.
Looking for a place to start? Try the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association. Visit our website at woodhaven-nyc.org and read up on the things we care about. Reach out to us and you will find people who care. And you'll find yourself caring about your community just a little bit more.


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Apr. 8 - HB 603 is one of the most dangerous school privatization bills ever introduced in the MT Legislature.
Below are facts that demonstrate if this bill passes, every school community in Montana could – at least theoretically – be for sale to the highest private sector bidder, from almost anywhere in the world, over which the community itself may exercise no authority, and all at tax payer expense.
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This Week's Rare Bird Alert
June 21. 2013 10:16PM
This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday, June 19.
Two sandhill cranes were seen feeding in a field along Plains Road, and visible from both Plains Road and Coppermine Road, in Monroe on June 12.
An Acadian flycatcher was seen north of Horseshoe Pond in Concord on June 9. To try to see this bird, follow the railroad track and then the river path north of Horseshoe Pond — the bird was seen foraging in and around a large tree at the foot of the railroad embankment, beside a large meadow.
Two soras, three Virginia rails, and a possible least bittern were reported from the marsh on Geremonty Drive in Salem on June 12.
Two marsh wrens were reported from the Surrey Lane marsh in Durham on June 15.
Birders on the coast reported seven great egrets, eight snowy egrets, a green heron, three willets, six Bonaparte's gulls, six roseate terns, two Nelson's sparrows, and a saltmarsh sparrow on June 15 and a black-crowned night-heron was seen on the 16th.
Two Bicknell's thrushes were seen on Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch on June 16.
A pair of black-backed woodpeckers and a single chick continue to be seen along the forest road at the Trudeau Road wetlands in Bethlehem, and were last reported on June 18.
A peregrine falcon was seen along Pleasant Street in Concord on June 15.
Six purple martins, and a merlin were reported from Great East Lake in Wakefield on June 16.
An orchard oriole was reported from Pickering Ponds in Rochester on June 16.
This information is also available by phone recording: call 224-9909 and press 2 as directed or ask to be transferred. If you have seen any interesting birds recently, you can leave a message at the end of the recording or send your sightings to the RBA via e-mail at: email@example.com. Please put either "bird sighting" or "Rare Bird Alert" in the subject line and be sure to include your mailing address and phone number. The RBA is also available on-line at the New Hampshire Audubon web site, www.nhaudubon.org.


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Saw Sky Captain and the World Of Tomorrow last night, in IMAX.
It was very, very, cool. I hope this is a new trend in films.
william gibson: neuromancer
I was too busy getting outta high school and looking for chicks n stuff to read this when it first came out...so, now I'm reading it. (****)
ray kurzweil: The singularity is near
mankind/machine convergence. Everybody loves robots that tell jokes! (****)
rudy rucker: the lifebox, the seashell, and the soul
I'm always a sucker for philosophy + machines. (****)
perl for bioinformatics
perl rules for text processing, and genetic sequences are assloads of GATC text strings. Here is how to use both to peer into the code of life. (*****)
Ray Jackendoff: Foundations of Language: Brain, Meaning, Grammar, Evolution
I like linguistics; but, I always have to read this stuff like 3 times before I get what they're talking about. Very cool stuff nonetheless. (****)
The Year's Best Science Fiction Twenty-first Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)
Just starting... It's really hard to find science fiction that doesn't suck.
Professional php5
Excellent php5 (and web app development in general) resource. (*****)
Ruby in a Nutshell
Ruby, Rails, and the general coolness of this language. (*****)
Michael Chabon: The Final Solution: A Story Of Detection
A master of literature...summerland and kavalier and clay were outstanding...this is shaping-up to be gripping as well. (****)
Simon Winchester: Krakatoa : The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883
Much to love about this book...cool geography, history of the spice trade, salty sea captains, wallace vs. darwin...what more could you need? (*****)
Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1)
I loved cryptonomicon so much, I had to start this. So far, so good...nice and dense. (*****)
Clayton M. Christensen: Seeing What's Next: Using Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change
The first two book were nice...we'll see how this one goes.
Frans Johansson: The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts, and Cultures
Just started.
BO PEABODY: Lucky or Smart? : Secrets to an Entrepreneurial Life
Short and perfectly sweet.
Evan I. Schwartz: Juice: The Creative Fuel That Drives World-Class Inventors
I love this kind of stuff.
Michael Chabon: Summerland
Reading this book to Catherine. This is a great book, and right up my alley (I wish I was still 10).
Robert Charles Wilson: The Chronoliths
Just started...the concept sounded interesting, and it's hard for me to find sci-fi books that don't make me say,"Oh, jesus H. Christ." and throw them away after the first 2 chapters.
John H. Holland: Hidden Order: How Adaptation Builds Complexity
this book is ruling so far...
Brian Greene: The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
dense and excellent.
Paul Graham: Hackers and Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age
Loved the article...now loving the book.
Kyle D. Dent: Postfix : The Definitive Guide
Perfect, but could use some more info on courier IMAPD. (*****)
Cricket Liu: DNS & BIND Cookbook
Perfect DNS companion. All the stuff you need to do, but always forget how to do (cuz once you setup named, you usually don't have to touch it for months at a time) (*****)
Jeff Hawkins: On Intelligence
Great stuff on A.I. (****)
Mark Pilgrim: Dive Into Python
Perfect Python book for beginning and intermediate hackage. (*****)
John Goerzen: Foundations of Python Network Programming (Foundations)
Another juicy Python book with all the junk you need to know for web apps. (*****)
Jeremy D. Zawodny: High Performance MySQL
Exactly what you need to know about the subject. Linux hacks has some good mysql hackalapooza too. (*****)
George Schlossnagle: Advanced PHP Programming
Hard to find PHP books that give you some new insight. This is one of them. (*****)
Guy Kawasaki: The Art Of The Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide For Anyone Starting Anything
Great book...just the kind of stuff I read to get the start-up juices flowing. Like entrepreneur work-out tapes for lame-o's like me. (****)
Stanislaw Lem: Solaris
This is the best Lem book I have read so far; however, His Master's Voice is pretty close. Incredibly written with outstanding concepts. Intelligent, with the added bonus of not having stupid-ass aliens speaking english. I love this stuff. (*****)
Stanislaw Lem: His Master's Voice
Quite simply some of the best science fiction I have ever read. When Arthur C. Clarke said,"If Lem originally published in english instead of polish, we (Clarke, Asimov, etc) would all be in trouble." He was not kidding. Lem is incredible. (*****)
Melanie Mitchell: An Introduction to Genetic Algorithms (Complex Adaptive Systems)
Donna Tartt: Secret History
Mark Buchanan: Nexus: Small Worlds and the Groundbreaking Science of Networks
Howard Rheingold: Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution
Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon
Steven Strogatz: Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order
Howard K. Bloom: The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History
« Che Trooper | Main | GLAT »
The comments to this entry are closed.
Magnetic Fields: Holiday
Man, I just love these dudes. Dreamy pop stuff. Desert Island and Strange Powers are my favorite songs from this album. (*****)
William Shatner: Has Been
Nice n trippy. Plus, you so totally know I can't NOT buy a Shatner album. (****)
Ozzy Osbourne: Blizzard of Ozz
Juicy Geetar licks n Ozzy 2. (****)
Polyphonic Spree: Together We're Heavy
These guys rule. Somebody should do a mash-up of Polyphonic Spree and Rage Against The Machine. (****)
Radiohead: Hail To The Thief
Radiohead, please always supply me with music. Thank you, Mike. (*****)
The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin
Classic badass Flaming Lips. (*****)
R.E.M.: Fables Of The Reconstruction
I wish these guys would start making albums like this again. (*****)
Guster: Keep It Together
"Jesus On The Radio" sounds exactly like REM. (****)
Van Halen: fair warning
Mean Streets, Sinners Swing! = some of the gnarliest guitar ever. Game over. That's it. Everybody go home. CYLENCE! (*****)
grandaddy: sumday
more wonderful robot love songs. (*****)
Filter: The Amalgamut
Another album best served at 11+. (*****)
deltron 3030: Deltron 3030
Ginormous robotic sci-fi fun. (*****)
Green Day: american idiot
This is one hell of an album. Crisp sound, killer lyrics, and the trademarked green day riffs. (*****)
Rage Against the Machine: renegades
this gets turned-up to 11. (*****)
radiohead: ok computer
Mf Doom: Operation Doomsday
I love this kind of stuff. Don't miss "Hey!" for extra coolness. (****)


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Goldbet BMW
Parked toWorld Superbike
byBMW Motorrad
Vehicle Info: 2013 BMW S1000RR
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Project Concept 90
Garage Adventure is an understatement
Garage F800 - the balance of perfection


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RealNetworks Destroying Dutch Webmaster's Life Because He Linked To A Reverse Engineered Alternative
from the seriously? dept
However, in this case, it seems pretty clear that they've gone way too far. They sued a Dutch webmaster, Hilbrand Edskes, not because he was hosting or distributing the software, but because he had a link to the software on a webpage he maintains that lists a variety of freeware programs. It's not hard to find all sorts of sites, including big names like CNET, that still distribute Real Alternative. Yet for whatever reason, it appears Real Networks chose to go after this guy for maintaining a list of freeware programs.
Making matters even more confusing and ridiculous, is that it appears that Edskes actually did remove the link when asked. Real claims he did not, but the company who seized his computers (after a judge ordered it, following a court filing from Real) admits that the links were actually removed right after he was told to remove them, and Edskes' hosting company also confirms, via its backups, that he removed the link. But Real still saw the link at a later date due to some DNS caching... so it's pushing ahead with the lawsuit. The article details how it's already cost Edskes €66,000 in legal fees, and Real is asking for about €210,000 in fines and for its own €75,000 legal fees.
Even if Real Alternative is infringing (a claim that I think is pretty questionable in its own right), it's pretty ridiculous to then sue someone just for linking to it, and to continue to sue him even after he shows that he removed the link in question. Real Networks was famous for having some nasty business practices and for forcing crapware on people, and it seems to be continuing that trend in the legal world as well.


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Hey World! first of all apologies if you found this page and were expecting the website of the West London Students Union. They don't have the web address anymore, it has been bought by me. I don't know why they didn't want it, maybe they have got a new website somewhere which is better than this one. Or maybe they just didn't pay the guy who did their website so he didn't renew it. I really have no idea, but anyway, I am the owner of this site now, yeaaah, power to the people. WLSU didn't deserve it anyway, after all what did they ever do for us?
So with that out of the way i'd like to let you know about my plans for the site. Pay attention here cos this is gonna be exciting. I mean really exciting. I mean wet your pants kind of exciting so go get a change of knickers ready before reading any further.
Please tell me I hear you saying. Yes OK I'll tell you. So what I'm gonna be doing here is basically posting all kinds of fun and interesting stuff aimed specifically at students. Yes you read that right. Aimed specifically at students! That means you. You are a student right? I mean if not why would you even be looking at a student union website?
So yeah this is gonna be one wild ride. Talking of wild things (and weird) a friend of mine recently got a hair transplant. He doesn't have a lot of money (he's a student) so he went to this guy called dr griffiths who's a hair transplant surgeon in Spain. Well as you can imagine I was sceptical at first but after I did some research I found out that this dr griffiths guy is actually the best hair transplant surgeon in Spain. Yeah some magazine even did an article on him which you can even read for yourself if you can read Spanish – mejor cirujano de trasplante capilar de España
So anyway I thought this was gonna be a disaster for my friend at first. I thought he was gonna come back looking like some kind of circus freak with an OBVIOUS and stupid looking hair transplant. Boy was I wrong cos much to my surprise the result was actually pretty amazing, i couldn't even tell any difference between the transplanted hairs and his natural hairs.
Really i'm happy for him because, just between you and me he's not the best looking guy and then with losing his hair on top I felt bad for him. Not anymore though cos now I'm the one who looks stupid and he has a great head of hair again. So yeah, if you're becoming follicularly challenged then check out this Dr Griffiths guy. My friend told me that prices in Spain are much lower for this type of surgery.
Yeah so enough about hair dudes, I just threw that little story in as an interesting aside. But what i really want to talk about is how amazing this site is going to be. Here's an amusing image to prove it –
Ok later dudes, please check back to this page regularly and you're gonna be happy you did. If not please make a formal written complaint to the dudes at the West London Student's Union. That'll teach them to sell their web page to total strangers! https://www.facebook.com/drgriffithstransplantecapilar


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Fine Arts Drive in front of the Museum is closed to vehicle traffic. Parking lots are open, and the garage is accessible from Government Drive.
More info.
Study Room
Schools and Teachers
Tours and Group Visits
Youth Classes
EDUCATOR e-NEWS
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Monet's Water Lilies
for Teachers
The Saint Louis Art Museum is delighted to share with teachers the featured exhibition,
Monet's Water Lilies
. On view from October 2, 2011 to January 22, 2012, this exhibition reunites three mural-sized panels created between 1915 and 1926 from Claude Monet's iconic Water Lilies series. In addition to the water lilies triptych, the exhibition includes archival photographs of Monet and his garden at Giverny, a selection of Monet's preparatory studies, and rare film footage of the artist painting outdoors en plein air.
Over the past year, members of the Museum's Teacher Advisory Group worked with Museum staff as co-authors and consultants on a collection-based Monet resource intended to help educators develop and facilitate meaningful experiences, discussions, and lessons for students. Click
for teacher workshops offered in conjunction with this featured exhibition and new educational resource.
Teach Green!
Bringing the Environment into your Curriculum
The Museum offers a series of teacher and school programs which promote the use of the natural environment as a teaching tool and source of artistic inspiration.
Voyagers Academy of Learning
is an experiential 'summer camp' for teachers that offers direct exposure to the natural resources of Forest Park and the cultural institutions therein. Throughout the eight-day adventure, teachers develop a sense of place in the park through interdisciplinary units on forestry, grasslands, prairies, and the ecology of aquatic systems. Organized by Forest Park Forever.
Inspired by Nature
(for 1st through 3rd graders) kindles interest and curiosity among young learners about the environment and artists' creative responses to it. Arts-integrated approaches to habitats, animals, and natural phenomena provide students with fun, meaningful learning experiences.
Observing Nature
(for 4th through 6th graders) stimulates hands-on student investigation of and engagement with the natural world. By the completion of the program, students will gain greater understanding of their role as responsible environmental stewards.
In conjunction with the Museum's soon-to-be completed expansion, Education will further broaden its arts-integrated environmental program offerings with the addition of new galleries and outdoor spaces.
Contact us at
for more information about these and other programs.
Master Teacher Summer Fellow Update
Shortly after joining the Museum as the 2011 Master Teacher Summer Fellow, Nicole Post, an elementary teacher and special education consultant at The Soulard School, immersed herself in a variety of projects focused on the theme of ecology-based education. Over the four week fellowship, she refined an experiential multi-visit science program for elementary students, led informal workshop activities during a summer teacher institute held at the Museum, and formulated a series of professional development workshops for her teaching colleagues, among other projects. Nicole says of the experience, 'I have so appreciated my time learning, collaborating, and playing in the Museum. I am delighted by the partnership with my school and even more excited to come back and implement some of the plans I've developed.'
Watch for Nicole's upcoming teacher workshop,
Observe, Record, Create: The Artist as Scientist
, to be held December 13, 2011 5:00 – 8:00pm.
If you are a teacher with an education, humanities, physical sciences, foreign language, social sciences, visual or performing arts background and would like to learn about the 2012 Master Teacher Summer Fellowship, click
for additional information.
Teacher Workshops: Fall Roster
Saint Louis Art Museum 2011-2012 teacher workshops and professional development programs will emphasize a return to basics, as the Museum explores core curriculum connections to science, language arts, history, and mathematics. Workshops will continue to foster experiential learning through open-ended discussion, cooperative group experiences, and kinesthetic activities. This approach reflects the Museum's increased focus on accessing the visual arts through multiple intelligences, inter- and intrapersonal relationships, and cross-curricular approaches to learning and teaching. In this way the Museum will enable both teachers and students to think aesthetically, culturally, and creatively while connecting to classroom learning.
Registration for workshops will open approximately one week prior to each workshop date.
to view a list of Fall Teacher Workshop offerings.
Saint Louis Art Museum on YouTube
The Museum is pleased to offer educational video clips for online viewing via YouTube. Featured materials include film coverage of previous exhibitions including 'New Ireland: Art of the Pacific', 'Remote Viewing: Invented Worlds in Recent Painting and Drawing', and 'Rembrandt: Master Etchings from St. Louis Collections'. Also featured are artist profiles and KETC-TV interviews with Museum curators.
to access these videos and more on the Museum's YouTube channel.


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I have medication for my mental problem. I have to take my medicin in the morning and in the evening. This evening medicin makes me tired and sometimes I can't wake up for suhuur and then I miss my morning medicin. And it is late to take iftaar time my morning medicin. What I should do? I have been fasting few days now but I stoped today because of this medication. Is it possible that I pay sadaqa in the end of Ramadhan?.
We ask Allaah, the Lord of the mighty Throne, to heal you and to reward you.
In the answer to question no. 12488 we described the kind of sickness which makes it permissible for a person to break the fast. This is any sickness that causes intense hardship for one who fasts, or there is the fear that his sickness may become worse or his recovery may be delayed if he fasts. If your situation is like this, then it is permissible for you not to fast in Ramadaan.
If you can take the medicine once when breaking the fast and once at sahoor, then this is what you have to do, and it is not permissible for you to break the fast in that case, because there is no excuse that makes it permissible not to fast.
But if that is not possible, and you have no choice but to take the medicine during the day, then it is permissible for you not to fast.
With regard to giving charity instead of fasting, you have to refer to trustworthy doctors. If there is the hope of recovery from your sickness, then you have to make up the fasts and it is not permissible for you to feed others instead, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days" [al-Baqarah 2:184]. So you should wait until Allaah heals you then make up the days that you did not fast.
But if there is no hope of recovery from your sickness, then you do not have to make up the missed fasts, and you have to feed one poor person for every day.
It should be noted that what is required is to give food, and giving money instead of food does not count. This has been explained in the answer to question no. 39234
And Allaah knows best.


text:
for momSunday, May 11, 2008
To my mother, the most incredible woman I know.
And to all of the women out there who nurture, care and protect.
Have a lovely day!
23 comments
Leslie--is that a picnik shot? I love it! Happy Mother's day to you:)ReplyDelete
Happy Mother's Day!ReplyDelete
And wonderful moms make other wonderful moms :-)
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
happy mother's day leslie! thanks for sharing your journey with all of us.ReplyDelete
same to you!ReplyDelete
Oh Leslie, I aspire to be talented, inspiring, loving and lovely a mom as you, happy belated mother's day!ReplyDelete


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- Why Colby?
- Request Information
- College Profile
- Scholars Programs
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What is comedy? Seriously. Is it more than laughter and humor? How is comedy related to other artistic genres, and how is it expressed in different languages, literatures, and art forms? Is comedy specific to culture, or are some forms of comedy universal? How does comedy undermine or reinforce our attitudes towards race, gender, religion, class and ethnicity? Does what makes us laugh reveal our deep social norms and taboos? What can biology and the social sciences tell us about what laughter means? Philosophers and literary theorists have argued that comedy is a structure of feeling built on biological patterns and the seasonal promise of new life. Can these theories help us to explore a phenomenon we think we know so well?
"Comedy, Seriously," the Annual Humanities Theme for 2012-13, is a year-long, campus-wide initiative designed to foster interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration. Through course work, performances, lectures, film series, exhibits and collegial conversation, Colby faculty, staff and students celebrate the richness of the comic tradition and the vibrant place of comedy in our contemporary world.
Upcoming Comedy, Seriously Events
No upcoming featured events are currently scheduled. Please check back to view the full list of featured events.
Past Comedy, Seriously Events
Contact: Lydia Moland


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Pats survive sleepy effort, tip Jags 23-16The Sports Xchange
December 23. 2012 8:24PM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Tom Brady overcame two interceptions and three sacks and safety Patrick Chung picked off Chad Henne twice in the final minutes to preserve New England's 23-16 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at EverBank Field.
The game was in doubt until the Patriots held off the Jaguars on two possessions in New England territory in the last four minutes. Both ended on Chung interceptions, aided by a heavy pass rush on Henne.
The Jags had a first-and-goal from the 6 and then gained five yards in two plays with 4:06 left. However, tight end Zach Potter jumped offside on third-and-goal from the 1, linebacker Dont'a Hightower sacked quarterback Chad Henne and on a fourth-and-goal from the 10, Henne was intercepted by Chung at the 1 after being hit by Chandler Jones.
Jacksonville (2-13) forced a punt and Henne hurried the Jaguars from their own 38 to the New England 12 in 51 seconds. With time for two more plays with eight seconds left Henne (29-of-49, 348 yards) overthrew Toney Clemson and was then picked off again by Chung when he had to hurry a high throw into the end zone under pressure from Rob Ninkovich.
"They were dropping eight people so there were going to be tight windows," said Henne of his two late interceptions. "They did a good job. They covered us up."
Brady (24-of-41, 267 yards) is now 6-0 in his career against the Jaguars. He threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Danny Woodhead on the Patriots last offensive play of the first half, then flipped a 2-yard scoring pass to Wes Welker on the first play of the fourth quarter to rally from a 13-3 second-quarter deficit and give the Patriots (12-4) a 23-13 lead.
New England, which had already clinched the AFC East and playing without three starters, is now 6-0 lifetime against the Jags in the regular season and 9-1 counting playoffs.
"This is two weeks in a row ... you get very concerned when you don't play well and it was very evident by the way we performed," said Brady. "We couldn't make any plays and they made plenty of them. We were lucky to be in it at halftime."
The Jaguars, going nowhere but a top-three selection in the 2013 draft, got the team's first interceptions ever against Brady, weathered New England's comeback and got within one score in the fourth quarter on Josh Scobee's third field goal of the game.
"I am very disappointed for our team ... I am very, very, very, very proud of this football team," said Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey. "Fifteenth game, they (the Patriots) were playing for a (playoff) bye, we were playing for respect. Our guys, every one of them, showed up today to win that game."


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For more information on any of the equipment featured on this page or other custom engineered solutions, call us at 905.945.9661 and ask to speak to a member of our sales team.


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An interesting exercise is to compare the relative web traffic between the largest advisory analyst firm (Gartner), the largest IT market research firm (IDC) and a very visible analyst who has his own blog. Using the site comparison feature of Compete here is the graphic showing Forrester analyst extraordinaire and social media poster boy Jeremiah Owyang's (bio, Twitter handle, blog) personal blog Web Strategy by Jeremiah, Gartner.com and IDC.com:
Click here or on the graphic to enlarge. The top blue line is Jeremiah's blog, the green middle line is Gartner.com and the bottom orange line is IDC.com. There is not a single month in the past year where Web Strategy by Jeremiah did not receive more unique visitors (an average of 136,000 per month) than Gartner.com and IDC.com combined.
Not an apples-to-apples comparison… and that is the point
Of course, comparing two very different types of websites, a blog vs. corporate sites, is not an apples-to-apples assessment. Rather this illustrates how a savvy analyst can leverage a personally branded blog to obtain unique access to a broader audience than he could even on the regular research website of a $1.2bn but very traditional analyst firm. This is because the analyst blog is easily Continue reading
Filed under: Social media | Tagged: A Software Insider's Point of View, analyst list, analyst relations, AR, blog, blogging, Forrester, Gartner, IDC, Jeremiah Owyang, Ray Wang, tweets, Twitter, Web Strategy by Jeremiah | 8 Comments »


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Photograph by Jim Kasson
Maestro: Bruno Weil led the Carmel Bach Orchestra over the weekend.
Bach Takes Off
The annual Carmel Bach Festival led with its namesake's 'St. Matthew Passion'
By Scott MacClelland
SUNDAY'S matinee performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion, a signal feature of the 70th anniversary season of the Carmel Bach Festival, memorialized the late Sandor Salgo. In so doing, music director Bruno Weil demonstrated a lack of insight into the work's dramatic arch, exactly the thing Salgo was famous for during his long tenure at the festival's helm. This notwithstanding Weil's huge advantage over the resources available to Salgo in the caliber of musicians and singers as well as the acoustic sophistication of the totally renovated Sunset Center, the festival's home.
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Salgo died earlier this year at age 97 and is a prime focus of the souvenir program book's survey of the festival's six decades. Long-timers remember the Salgo years with fondness and nostalgia, and especially his way of pacing the St. Matthew to achieve maximum emotional release among performers and audience alike. A lifelong student of Bach before modern historical scholarship, Salgo recognized that our current understanding of emotion in music descends, with compelling authenticity, from this work, more than any other from its time or earlier.
Meanwhile, Sunday's performance unfolded with high standards of execution by orchestra, choirs and soloists alike. Aria vocalists Kendra Colton, Sally-Anne Russell, Benjamin Butterfield and Sanford Sylvan—all veterans in these roles—produced their best work. The Christus of Michael Dean was portrayed with authority, and Alan Bennett was well cast as the hard-working, underappreciated Evangelist. Instrumental solos and cameos also got their due. This is Andrew Megill's first season as associate conductor—meaning director of the elite chorale—and he inherited a substantial number of voices handpicked by his predecessor, William Jon Gray. Under Gray's leadership, the chorale spit out consonants with an articulate vengeance that diction-lovers applauded. That cutting edge had gone soft in this festival's opening two programs.
Weil has long since delegated programs to others, including concertmaster Elizabeth Wallfisch (the Monday main program among others) and recitalists like keyboardist Andrew Arthur, lutenist Richard Kolb and cellist Allen Whear. Under that scheme, it has taken longer for programming bugs to get worked out, but now the festival's presentations overall are running smoothly. Megill does in fact have full responsibility for the Wednesday and Thursday "main" programs, respectively at Carmel Mission and Sunset Center, affording the first real opportunity to evaluate his impact.
One huge plus for festival patrons is the wide range of composers represented, including Weil's personal favorites: Haydn and Beethoven. Some years back, the marketing people began promoting the festival under the rubric "Bach and Beyond." Megill's Mission program includes works by Poulenc, Gesualdo, Richard Rodney Bennett and Randall Thompson. His Thursday program includes choral masterpieces from circa 1707 by the three 1685 "birthday boys," Bach, Handel and Domenico Scarlatti.
In this season alone, audiences can hear rare works by the likes of Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, Dieterich Buxtehude, Wilhelm Hertel, Jean Joseph Mouret, Christian Pezold, Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, Tarquinio Merula, Luigi Rossi, Christopher Simpson, Tobias Hume, Nicholas Lanier, Louis Antoine Dornel, Jean Gilles, and many more. Even Fritz Kreisler pops up on a recital by violinist Emlyn Ngai.
The Carmel Bach Festival continues at various venues in Carmel and Pebble Beach through Aug. 4, with repeats of the first week's main programs in the second and third weeks. See www.bachfestival.org or call 831.624.2046.
Send a letter to the editor about this story.


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When you think of Mark McGwire, you think of numbers, but not those numbers.
You don't think of 583 career homers, or 70 homers in 1998, or one homer in every 10.61 at-bats.
You think, instead, of 19.5.
That is the percentage of baseball Hall of Fame votes he received last winter. He received 19.5% when 75% is required for entry. His name will appear for nine more years on the regular ballot, but it could be there 90 years, he still has zero chance of ever entering Cooperstown, a notion that is important now that he's entering Chavez Ravine.
The man whose career highlights were carved from steroid use is now being eternally punished for it. The thick goateed mug that was once the face of baseball's steroid era has become the thinner, remorseful visage of baseball's steroid retribution.
Mark McGwire has paid a huge price for his crime against sport. He will continue to pay a price for the rest of his life, his monstrous achievements stained, his sterling reputation sullied.


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CPR Faculty
Paul F. Crits-Christoph, PhD (Director)
Paul Crits-Christoph received his PhD in Psychology (Clinical) from Yale University in 1984 and has been on the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania since completing his degree. He is currently professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and director of the Center for Psychotherapy Research at the University of Pennsylvania. He is an author of over 185 journal articles, over 60 book chapters, and 5 books on topics related to research on the process and outcome of Psychotherapy. After receiving the Early Career Award (1992) from the International Society for Psychotherapy Research, he subsequently served (1996) as president of the Society. In addition, he has been on the editorial board of five journals. His primary interests are in the process and outcome of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety, affective and personality disorders, psychosocial treatments for substance use disorders, and methodological and statistical issues in treatment research. More recently he has been focusing on research on treatments for depression and substance use disorders in community settings.
Mary Beth Connolly Gibbons, PhD
Mary Beth Connolly Gibbons is an associate professor at the Center for Psychotherapy Research in the Department of Psychiatry. She is currently funded by three federal grants to study the effectiveness of interventions for depression in the community mental health system. Her studies evaluate the comparative efficacy of psychotherapies in the treatment of major depressive disorder and the effectiveness of a therapist electronic feedback system in the community. Her interests include training of therapists in community settings, disseminating and evaluating the efficacy of interventions in community mental health, and evaluating the mechanisms of treatment effects. In addition to research, she is also involved in training psychiatry residents in models of time-limited, relationship-focused psychotherapy.
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well, tomorrow we fly out and i figured id go out on this note:
this has been alot of fun talking and bs'ing with alot of you about coachella. yes we are looking at 100 degree weather but im really excited for this and am looking forward to having some beers and good food and listening to some great music. like most ill be back in here after the festival to talk about the experience but for now i want to say take care to everyone and i hope u stay safe and have a great time. if u get loaded, do it with a smile! peace, love and strength to all of us coachella geeks!
see u out there!


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By Lisa Curtis, Washington
I was in Lahore, Pakistan, two weeks ago, and it's clear that the thin layer of liberal thinkers in Pakistan is getting thinner by the day. Academics and moderate politicians express fear about the current situation in the country and a sense of not knowing what's coming next.
The murder of Pakistani Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti by religious extremists establishes a pattern of growing religious intolerance. It is undermining Pakistan's struggling democracy by shutting down free speech and political expression in the name of a ruthless ideology disguised as religion.The murderers left pamphlets at the scene of the crime, explaining that they killed Bhatti because of his opposition to controversial blasphemy laws, which are often misused against Pakistan's religious minorities. Some Pakistani officials had sought to argue that the murder of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer at the hands of his own security guard in January was an anomaly and unreflective of broader societal trends. They were wrong.I was in Lahore, Pakistan, two weeks ago, and it's clear that the thin layer of liberal thinkers in Pakistan is getting thinner by the day. Academics and moderate politicians express fear about the current situation in the country and a sense of not knowing what's coming next.The case of Raymond Davis, the American embassy officer who is accused of killing two Pakistanis in late January, has energized the religious political parties in the country. They carry out regular protests shouting down America and are beginning to tie the issue of support for blasphemy laws with that of the jailed American. The rapidly developing political dynamics in Pakistan are a dangerous witch's brew that could portend a significant shift in Pakistani politics to a regime that is more insular, less engaged with the international community, and more repressive toward its own people. There are signs that the opposition Pakistan Muslim League/Nawaz (PML/N) Party may seek to exploit the Davis case to its political advantage. Last week the party dismissed all Pakistan People's Party leaders from the Punjab provincial cabinet, which it controls. This signals that the PML/N may be preparing to make a power grab for the center. Riding on the coattails of public anger over Davis would spell disaster for the future of U.S.–Pakistan relations. The rising tide of extremism gripping the country—as evidenced by the assassination of the second top official in Pakistan over the blasphemy issue in the space of less than two months—demands that the civilian leaders of Pakistan who still value the principles of democratic governance stand together to keep the country from lurching further toward lawlessness and instability.Lisa Curtis is Senior Research Fellow for South Asia at the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation


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A growing global population, increased urbanisation and an expanding middle class: Each of these represent a new market opportunity for food and beverage producers. The challenge is to take advantage of these opportunities while navigating rising costs, and an increased diversity of consumer wants. And, of course, how to stand out from the competition.
A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer enough. Brands need to tailor their products and packaging in a variety of ways if they want to stay relevant to today's consumer. This means understanding consumer trends. Consumers want a renewed focus on value - and they want products that fit into their busy lifestyles. They are also increasingly health conscious and concerned about food safety and environmental impact.
Below, Tetra Pak explains the products and solutions it has developed to enable food and drink producers to address these trends.
1. 24/7 Lifestyle
Today's consumers lead busy lifestyles. Their eating routines are less fixed than in years gone by. For example, many people opt to skip breakfast to go to the gym or for a few extra minutes in bed. This means many people have their first meal of the day while on-the-go.
They are also increasingly likely to snack between lunch and dinner. The rise of this out-of-the home, on-the-go consumption creates a real opportunity for brands to launch products that make it easier. It's leading to the creation of specialised, ergonomically designed packaging that brings improved comfort and convenience by being easier to open and close, as well as improved grip.
Take the new Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 500 Edge with DreamCap™. It's specifically designed to meet the growing demand of consumers who want to enjoy their liquid dairy products, juices, nectars and still drinks on-the-go. The carton has a raised neck and over-the-edge design that provides easy access to the spout and a comfortable experience when drinking directly from the package. The cap's large (26mm) opening and ridge means that there is improved control of the liquid flow into the mouth. Opening and closing is easy, with a one-step screw cap allowing secure, fully re-sealable convenience that's perfect for the consumer on-the-go. Consumer feedback shows that the package is appealing as an innovative and modern design, easy and comfortable to drink from, highly portable, simple to dispose of and safe.
24/7 Lifestyle - Fast Facts:
2. Health Consciousness
Recently consumers around the globe have become increasingly interested in their health and healthy living. These consumers take a proactive approach to health and nutrition - using food and drink to prevent illnesses or health issues.
This is particularly the case in developing markets. For instance, 68% of developing market consumers are interested in food and drink products that have proven medical or health benefits, and 43% believe they need to feed themselves and their family healthy meals. This ever-growing consumer demand for healthy products has been met by daily dose drinks, energy boosters and probiotics.
To help customers respond to this consumer demand, Tetra Pak launched the new Tetra Evero® Aseptic package. This can be used for drink categories, which are growing in popularity and have associated health benefits such as dairy alternatives, dairy drinks with enrichments including vitamins, minerals and omega. The package has been launched in several countries, including Spain, Portugal and Russia, following a successful pilot with Italy's leading dairy company, Granarolo, for their enriched lactose-free product range, Accadi.
Health Consciousness - Fast Facts:
3. Engaged experience
Consumers want products and experiences that are tailored to their specific needs. They are used to being exposed to new things and being emotionally engaged by brands. There is therefore an expectation of an 'added' experience from every product that they purchase. Put simply, they want the opportunity to express themselves as individuals through their purchases. This means that the look, feel and smell of a product is becoming increasingly important.
Tetra Pak launched the Tetra Gemina® Aseptic to address this need. The unique top and 360° graphic design space, is shaped to attract - consumer's attention. It comes in various package shapes - square, leaf and crystal - and sizes, helping brands successfully stand out on the crowded beverage shelf.
The launch of Teatone's first apple flavoured ice tea in Turkey in a Tetra Gemina Aseptic Cyrstal shaped package is an example of how the package helped a brand differentiate itself from its competitors, win shelf space and grab a shopper's attention. This crystal shaped package is a distinctly different package to other ice tea flavours available on the market and lining the shelves, making it easily distinguishable to the consumer.
In future we can expect to see more unique shapes gain traction in the industry, whether this is a refinement of popular designs like the Tetra Brik® Aseptic Edge or a completely novel approaches to the carton format entirely.
Engaged experience - Fast Facts:
4. One size does not fit all
Changes in consumer demographics lead to demands for different package functionality. So brand owners want to target specific demographics with tailored packaging - rather than pursuing a simple 'one-size-fits-all' approach.
For example, older people may require products which are easy to open and pour from whilst still sealing safely. With an ageing population, this becomes more important.
An example of how Tetra Pak is addressing this particular consumer group needs is Tetra Pak's LightCap™ 30 closure. This has been approved by the Swedish Rheumatism Association (SRA) for use by people with reduced hand strength, including the elderly, children and people with rheumatism or other injuries. Providing consumers with a customised solution such at the LightCap can help alleviate frustration with packages that are difficult to open and thereby establish a dependable customer base.
One Size Does Not Fit All - Fast Facts:
5. Food safety and quality
Consumers everywhere want reassurance that the products they buy are safe. Almost 60% of consumers globally are worried about how safe the food they buy is, while nearly 35% of consumers around the world feel that where and how a product is made is very important to them.
Food safety and quality relies on the ability to trace the source of foods throughout the supply chain. Traceability requires transparency, complete automation control and monitoring of every step throughout the production process from reception to the finished goods warehouse.
Tetra Pak product traceability is enabled through its integrated Tetra PlantMaster™ and the PLMS Centre packaging line monitoring system, which keep track of various factors such as ingredients, raw materials and operational procedures.
This collection and visualisation of unprecedented amounts of information allows producers to plan production, monitor efficiency and trace the lineage of all raw materials. At any stage in the process, reports can be generated giving up-to-date information on any aspect of the process, including how many packages are being produced, how many litres are being processed, production performance, machine efficiency and even cleaning-in-place.
The key to Tetra Pak traceability is the unique printed code on each package and distribution unit. Traceability can be made transparent to retailers and consumers via an internet portal where the consumer can key in the code from their package. A webpage opens up displaying all relevant information including a Google map where each collection point/farmer is pinpointed, indicating where the raw materials are sourced from.
Food Quality and Safety - Fast Facts:
6. Environmental consciousness
Consumers care about the environment - and they want to know that the businesses they buy from share this concern. More than half of global consumers believe that it is important that companies take environmentally responsible actions such as the use of environmentally friendly materials or ingredients, according to our environmental research.
In fact, 80% tend to buy products with environmentally sound packaging while 40% of consumers state that environmental logos help them understand the environmental impact of packaging and make products more appealing. There is therefore a significant opportunity for businesses to attract customers by taking environmentally responsible actions.
On average, over 70% of the material that makes up Tetra Pak packages is paperboard. 100% of the paperboard used at Tetra Pak is now sourced from FSC certified and controlled materials, ensuring that the wood fibre is sourced from responsibly managed forest.
Beyond using renewable and recyclable materials, Tetra Pak also focuses on improving the environmental impact of how a product is created. Take the Tetra Pak® E3, a filling machine that uses electron beams, not hydrogen peroxide, to sterilise packaging material.
One of the key benefits of this revolutionary filling machine is increased environmental performance. The use of the electron beams instead of hydrogen peroxide means that less chemicals are used, leading to reduced water treatment and energy consumption. Water recycling is therefore made much easier, because hydrogen peroxide does not need to be removed from the water during production. Electron beams use less energy to sterilise the packaging material because no H2O2 preheating, heating or drying is necessary. It also cuts packaging and product waste that happens during the set up for the hydrogen peroxide sterilisation process.
Environmental Consciousness - Fast Facts:


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Data is often stored in a format that's optimized for speed and efficiency but not necessarily understandability. Making sense of long lists of numerical codes might be second nature for some, but most people prefer to have more meaningful information displayed. Using T-SQL's CASE function, you can quickly transform data from one format to another. Before I tell you about the two types of CASE functions and give examples of how to use them, you need to make sure you have the right tables to run the sample code.
The Prerequisites
To run the sample code in this lesson, make sure your MyDB database contains the following tables:
- The Employee table created in Lesson 3
- The Movie table created in Lesson 5
- The revised MovieReview table created in Lesson 6 (and not the original MovieReview table created in Lesson 4)
If you haven't created these database objects, you'll find the code in the 100152.zip file. To download this file, click the 1"Download the Code" hotlink at the top of the page.
The Two Types of CASE Functions
The CASE function is a powerful tool for evaluating several conditions and returning a single value for the first condition met. This function comes in two types: simple and searched. The simple CASE function examines an expression and compares it to a list of expressions. If a match is found, a specified result is returned. The searched CASE function examines a set of Boolean expressions. If a Boolean expression evaluates to true, a specified result is returned.
The simple CASE function consists of the following components:
- The CASE keyword
- The input expression to be evaluated
- One or more WHEN clauses that specify a comparison expression
- For every WHEN clause, one THEN clause that specifies the expression to be returned when a match is found
- An optional ELSE clause that specifies the expression to be returned when no matches are found
- The END keyword
The searched CASE function consists of the following components:
- The CASE keyword
- One or more WHEN clauses specifying a Boolean expression to be evaluated
- For every WHEN clause, one THEN clause that specifies the expression to be returned when the Boolean expression evaluates to true
- An optional ELSE clause that specifies the expression to be returned when no Boolean expressions evaluate to true
- The END keyword
When you're writing a CASE function, you need to pay special attention to the ordering of the WHEN clauses. CASE functions evaluate WHEN clauses in sequential order and terminate on the first match found.
An Example of a Simple CASE Function
To see a simple CASE function in action, execute the code in Listing 1 in the MyDB database.
This query uses the Movie and MovieReview tables to produce a list of short reviews for the movies seen by a particular employee. The query's CASE function adds a short review based on the value in the Movie table's Stars column.
Note the use of the RIGHT OUTER JOIN clause in callout A in Listing 1. As I discussed in "T-SQL 101, Lesson 5," this type of join causes all records
in the Movie table to be included in the result set, even if there are no corresponding records in the MovieReview table. Non-corresponding MovieReview records are represented by NULL values. Because this code is filtering the records to only show reviews conducted by the employee whose ID is 1, you have to include the code OR EmployeeID IS NULL in the WHERE clause. Otherwise, these non-corresponding MovieReview records would be removed from the result set. The CASE function's ELSE clause transforms each NULL in the Stars column to the string Not yet rated in the Short Review column. Figure 1 shows the results.
An Example of a Searched CASE Function
To see a searched CASE function in action, execute the code in Listing 2 in the MyDB database.
This query produces a "career advice" report based on the salary information stored in the Employee table. The CASE function examines the salary of each employee and produces a custom message depending on the range the salary falls within. I wrapped the salary ranges in parentheses for readability and to indicate that each range statement is a Boolean expression. Figure 2 shows the results.
In Figure 2, note that Garret Testerson's salary is $100,000, which matches the upper range specified in the BETWEEN 75000 AND 100000 portion of the WHEN clause highlighted in callout A in Listing 2. Because the BETWEEN clause is inclusive (i.e., both the upper and lower values specified are included in the range), this Boolean expression evaluates to true. Garret's salary also meets the condition in the last WHEN clause, but by this point, the CASE function has already found a match and has terminated.
The Case for Using CASE
Simple and searched CASE functions let you easily transform and categorize data stored in databases. As the code in Listing 1 and Listing 2 show, you can use CASE functions in SELECT statements. However, you aren't limited to SELECT queries. You can use a CASE function to transform data in an UPDATE statement, in an INSERT statement, or wherever a valid SQL Server expression is required. So, the next time you're faced with having to transform data, try using a CASE function. You'll be glad you did.