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If you've ever passed a kidney stone, you do not want to repeat the experience! The sharp and irregular stones travel down the slender tube (ureter) leading from the kidney to the bladder, and from the bladder to the urethra, following the path by which urine exits the body. While tiny stones may pass unnoticed, a larger stone can induce some of the worst pain that humans experience.
Most kidney stones are composed of calcium and oxalic acid, substances present in the urine that can crystallize inside the kidneys. Although these chemicals occur in everyone's urine, our natural biochemistry is usually able to prevent them from crystallizing. However, sometimes these protective methods fail and a stone develops. This article focuses mainly on these
calcium oxalate stones.
Less commonly, kidney stones may be made from calcium and phosphate, from another substance called struvite (usually the result of an infection) or, rarely, from uric acid or cystine.
It isn't known why some people develop kidney stones and others do not. However, once you've had a stone, you are fairly likely to develop another.
Low fluid intake greatly increases the risk of developing virtually all types of stones.1,2,3 For this reason, individuals at risk of developing stones are often advised to increase their fluid intake. However, while there is evidence that fluids in the form of coffee, tea, beer, and wine can decrease risk of kidney stone development, apple juice and grapefruit juice may have the opposite effect.4,5
High intakes of sodium
6,7 and protein (particularly animal protein) may also increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones,8,9 although some studies have found that protein has no such effect.10
Oxalate-rich foods, such as spinach,
rhubarb, and cocoa may also increase the risk of developing calcium oxalate stones. Indirect evidence suggests that regular use of cranberry concentrate tablets might also increase risk of kidney stones.11
In addition, vitamin D affects calcium levels in the body, and prolonged use of extremely excessive doses of vitamin D has been known to cause kidney stones. Strangely, however, high-calcium foods don't seem to increase the risk of calcium oxalate stones. (See
Other Proposed Treatments for Kidney Stones
Conventional treatment for kidney stones varies depending on symptoms as well as the location and chemical composition of the stones. For those who pass a stone spontaneously, the main treatments are painkillers and fluids. The chemical composition of passed stones can be analyzed to determine their cause. Other stones may be detected earlier, when they are still in the kidney. Treatment depends on their location and symptoms. Those causing problems may be treated with
extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, a technique that can break up these stones from outside the body, allowing them to pass more easily. Occasionally, however, surgery may be necessary.
"Silent" stones, or those causing no symptoms, are often treated with preventive measures alone. These methods include increasing fluids, modifying the diet, and taking drugs or supplements to alter the chemistry of the urine.
Citrate, or citric acid, is an ordinary component of our diet, present in high amounts in citrus fruits. Citrate binds with calcium in the urine, thereby reducing the amount of calcium available to form calcium oxalate stones. It also prevents tiny calcium oxalate crystals from growing and massing together into larger stones. Finally, it makes the urine less acidic, which inhibits the development of both calcium oxalate and uric acid stones.
One form of citrate supplement, potassium citrate, was approved by the FDA in 1985 for the prevention of two kinds of kidney stones: calcium stones (including calcium oxalate stones) and uric acid stones.
In a 3-year,
study of 57 people with a history of calcium stones and low urinary citrate levels, those given potassium citrate developed fewer kidney stones than they had previously. In comparison, the group given
placebo had no change in their rate of stone formation.12
Potassium-magnesium citrate was studied in a 3-year trial involving 64 participants with a history of calcium oxalate stones.13 During the study, new stones formed in only 12.9% of those taking the potassium-magnesium citrate supplement, compared to 63.6% of those taking placebo. Benefits have been seen in other small studies as well.56,60
Citrate is available in the form of calcium citrate. Besides increasing citrate in the urine, this supplement has the advantage of being a readily absorbed form of calcium for those seeking to increase their calcium intake for other health reasons.14
However, calcium citrate has not yet been studied as a preventive for kidney stones.
Some physicians have proposed drinking citrus juices as a means of increasing urinary citrate levels. Like potassium citrate, orange juice decreases urinary acidity and raises urinary citrate, but it also raises urinary oxalate, which might tend to work against its beneficial effects.15 Lemon juice may be preferable, as it has almost five times the citrate of orange juice. A small study found that drinking 2 liters of lemonade daily doubled urinary citrate in people with decreased urinary citrate.16 Avoid regular consumption of grapefruit juice, though: in one large-scale study, women drinking 8 ounces of grapefruit juice daily increased their risk of stones by 44%.17
It was first thought that citrate supplements were only helpful against kidney stones in individuals who didn't excrete the normal amount of citrate in their urine.18 However, some researchers now suggest that citrate treatment may also be useful for those at risk for stones whose citrate excretion is normal.19
The proper dosage of citrate depends on the chemical form and should be individualized under medical supervision.
Potassium citrate can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing upset stomach or bloating in 9% to 17% of people.20 Potassium-magnesium citrate may potentially cause the same problem, although one study found it to be no more irritating than placebo.21
Supplements containing potassium have the potential to raise blood levels of potassium too high, primarily in people with impaired kidneys or those taking a
potassium-sparing diuretic
such as triamterene. Taking too much citrate can also result in overly alkaline blood, again particularly in people with kidney disease.
Citrate-induced reduction of urinary acidity can lead to decreased blood levels and effectiveness of numerous drugs, including
oral diabetes drugs,
and other salicylates, and
tetracycline antibiotics.22
In addition, the urinary antiseptic methenamine is less effective in alkaline urine. Conversely, the blood levels of other drugs could increase, possibly increasing risk of toxicity. These drugs include stimulants, such as
and methamphetamine, as well as the drugs flecainide and mecamylamine.
, in the form of magnesium oxide or magnesium hydroxide, may help to prevent calcium oxalate stone development. Magnesium inhibits the growth of these stones in the test tube
23 and decreases stone formation in rats.24 However, human studies on magnesium have shown mixed results.25-28
In one 2-year
open study, 56 participants taking magnesium hydroxide had fewer recurrences of kidney stones than 34 participants not given magnesium.29 In contrast, a double-blind (hence, far more reliable) study with 124 participants found that magnesium hydroxide was essentially no more effective than placebo.30
Two studies performed in Thailand hint that
pumpkin seeds might help prevent kidney stones among children at high risk for developing them.57-58
However, this research only looked at chemical changes in the urine suggestive of a possible preventive effect, not actual reduction of stones. Furthermore, the design of the studies did not reach modern standards.
The herb
rose hips might also improve the chemical composition of urine and thereby reduce kidney stone risk.59
However, rose hips are very high in
vitamin C, and vitamin C itself has shown potential risks in people with a tendency toward stones. (See
Safety Issues.)
Vitamin B6 might help prevent calcium oxalate stones in certain individuals. Deficiencies in this vitamin increase the amount of oxalate in the urine of animals and humans,31 and a small uncontrolled study found that supplementation decreased oxalate excretion in people with a history of stones.32
In addition, a 14-year
study of more than 85,000 women with no history of kidney stones found that women with high intakes of B
6 developed fewer stones than those with the lowest intake.33
On the other hand, a large-scale observational study of more than 45,000 men found no link between B
6 and stones.34
Keep in mind that observational studies are notorious for producing misleading results. Only double-blind trials can actually provide evidence of benefit. (For information on why this is so, see
Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?) Several supplements, including
fish oil,
(GAGs), and
vitamin A
aloe, are also sometimes recommended for kidney stones, but there is only scant preliminary evidence to suggest that they are helpful.36-39,65-66
A variety of herbs are often recommended for kidney stones, on the theory that they increase urine flow, which will help pass kidney stones. These include asparagus, birch leaf, bishop's weed fruit,
cleavers, couch grass,
horsetail, java, lovage,
parsley, petasites, shiny restharrow, and stinging nettle herb and root combinations.35
However, there is no meaningful evidence that they are really effective.
One study claimed to find trigger point injection (a form of treatment somewhat related to
acupuncture) helpful for reducing the pain of kidney stones,51
but because it lacked a
placebo group
the results mean very little
According to some, but not all research, use of
vitamin C supplements can slightly raise levels of oxalate in the urine,40,41,53 which could, in turn, increase risk of kidney stones. However, large-scale observational studies have found that people who consume large amounts of vitamin C have no increased risk or even a decreased risk of kidney stone formation.42-44 Nonetheless, it seems that in certain people, high vitamin C intake can lead to a rapid increase in urinary oxalate, and in one case stones developed within a few days.45 The bottom line: People with a history of kidney stones should probably limit vitamin C supplements to about 100 mg daily.46
Calcium supplements also present concerns, because they could conceivably increase formation of calcium oxalate or other calcium-based stones. Observational studies and other forms of preliminary evidence do suggest that use of calcium supplements may slightly increase kidney stone risk.48,52,54,61
Interestingly, though, increased intake of calcium from
food does not seem to be associated with increased risk of kidney stones and could even help prevent them.47,48 Therefore, individuals with a history of kidney stones might be best advised to get their calcium from food rather than supplements. Alternatively, one study suggests that if calcium supplements are taken with food, no harm results.54 Furthermore, use of calcium as calcium citrate may present no increased risk, presumably because the citrate portion of the supplement has activity against kidney stones.55
Some evidence hints that excessive consumption of phosphorus in the form of soft drinks might increase kidney stone risk, but study results are contradictory, and if there is an effect, it appears to be small.62-64
As noted above, regular consumption of grapefruit juice may significantly increase risk of stones.17
Trinchieri A, Mandressi A, Luongo P, et al. The influence of diet on urinary risk factors for stones in healthy subjects and idiopathic renal calcium stone formers.
Br J Urol. 1991;67:230-236.
Ruml LA, Pearle MS, Pak CY. Medical therapy, calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
Urol Clin North Am. 1997;24:117-133.
Parivar F, Low RK, Stoller ML. The influence of diet on urinary stone disease.
J Urol. 1996;155:432-440.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al. Prospective study of beverage use and the risk of kidney stones.
Am J Epidemiol. 1996;143:240-247.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Speizer FE, et al. Beverage use and risk for kidney stones in women.
Ann Intern Med. 1998;128:534-540.
Terris MK, Issa MM, Tacker JR. Dietary supplementation with cranberry concentrate tablets may increase the risk of nephrolithiasis.
Urology. 2001;57:26-29.
Barcelo P, Wuhl O, Servitge E, et al. Randomized double-blind study of potassium citrate in idiopathic hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis.
J Urol. 1993;150:1761-1764.
Ettinger B, Pak CY, Citron JT, et al. Potassium-magnesium citrate is an effective prophylaxis against recurrent calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis.
J Urol.
Pak CY. Citrate and renal calculi: an update.
Miner Electrolyte Metab. 1994;20:371-377.
Seltzer MA, Low RK, McDonald M, et al. Dietary manipulation with lemonade to treat hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis.
J Urol. 1996;156:907-909.
Tatro D, ed.
Drug Interaction Facts.
St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons; 1999.
Li MK, Blacklock NJ, Garside J. Effects of magnesium on calcium oxalate crystallization.
J Urol.
Johansson G, Backman U, Danielson BG, et al. Biochemical and clinical effects of the prophylactic treatment of renal calcium stones with magnesium hydroxide.
J Urol. 1980;124:770-774.
Wilson DR, Strauss AL, Manuel MA. Comparison of medical treatments for the prevention of recurrent calcium nephrolithiasis.
Urol Res. 1984;12:39-40.
Ettinger B, Citron JT, Livermore B, et al. Chlorthalidone reduces calcium oxalate calculous recurrence but magnesium hydroxide does not.
J Urol. 1988;139:679-684.
Murthy MS, Farooqui S, Talwar HS, et al. Effect of pyridoxine supplementation on recurrent stone formers.
Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther Toxicol. 1982;20:434-437.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Speizer FE, et al. Intake of vitamins B6 and C and the risk of kidney stones in women.
J Am Soc Nephrol. 1999;10:840-845.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al. A prospective study of the intake of vitamins C and B6, and the risk of kidney stones in men.
J Urol. 1996;155:1847-1851.
Blumenthal M, ed.
The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines.
Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 1998:429.
Baggio B, Gambaro G, Marchini F, et al. Correction of erythrocyte abnormalities in idiopathic calcium-oxalate nephrolithiasis and reduction of urinary oxalate by oral glycosaminoglycans.
Lancet. 1991;338:403-405.
Buck AC, Jenkins A, Lingam K, et al. The treatment of idiopathic recurrent urolithiasis with fish oil (EPA) and evening primrose oil (GLA)—a double blind study.
J Urol. 1993;149:253A.
Tulloch I, Smellie WS, Buck AC. Evening primrose oil reduces urinary calcium excretion in both normal and hypercalciuric rats.
Urol Res. 1994;22:227-230.
Bichler KH, Kirchner C, Weiser H, et al. Influence of vitamin A deficiency on the excretion of uromucoid and other substances in the urine of rats.
Clin Nephrol. 1983;20:32-39.
Gerster H. No contribution of ascorbic acid to renal calcium oxalate stones.
Ann Nutr Metab. 1997;41:269-282.
Traxer O, Adams-Huet B, Pak CY, et al. Risk of calcium oxalate stone formation with ascorbic acid ingestion. Presented at: American Urological Association 2001 Annual Meeting; June 2-7, 2001; Anaheim, CA.
Simon JA, Hudes ES. Relation of serum ascorbic acid to serum vitamin B12, serum ferritin, and kidney stones in US adults.
Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:619-624.
Auer BL, Auer D, Rodgers AL. Relative hyperoxaluria, crystalluria and haematuria after megadose ingestion of vitamin C.
Eur J Clin Invest. 1998;28:695-700.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al. A prospective study of dietary calcium and other nutrients and the risk of symptomatic kidney stones.
N Engl J Med. 1993;328:833-838.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Speizer FE, et al. Comparison of dietary calcium with supplemental calcium and other nutrients as factors affecting the risk for kidney stones in women.
Ann Intern Med. 1997;126:497-504.
Borghi L, Schianchi T, Meschi T, et al. Comparison of two diets for the prevention of recurrent stones in idiopathic hypercalciuria.
N Engl J Med. 2002;346:77-84.
Iguchi M, Katoh Y, Koike H, et al. Randomized trial of trigger point injection for renal colic.
Int J Urol. 2002;9:475-479.
Heller HJ, Doerner MF, Brinkley LJ, et al. Effect of dietary calcium on stone forming propensity.
J Urol. 2003;169:470-474.
Traxer O, Huet B, Poindexter J, et al. Effect of ascorbic acid consumption on urinary stone risk factors.
J Urol. 2003;170:397-401.
Domrongkitchaiporn S, Sopassathit W, Stitchantrakul W, et al. Schedule of taking calcium supplement and the risk of nephrolithiasis.
Kidney Int. 2004;65:1835-1841.
Sakhaee K, Poindexter JR, Griffith CS, et al. Stone forming risk of calcium citrate supplementation in healthy postmenopausal women.
J Urol. 2004;172:958-961.
Mattle D, Hess B. Preventive treatment of nephrolithiasis with alkali citrate-a critical review. Urol Res. 2005 May 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Suphakarn VS, Yarnnon C, Ngunboonsri P. The effect of pumpkin seeds on oxalcrystalluria and urinary compositions of children in hyperendemic area.
Am J Clin Nutr. 1987;45:115-121.
Suphiphat V, Morjaroen N, Pukboonme I, et al. The effect of pumpkin seeds snack on inhibitors and promoters of urolithiasis in Thai adolescents.
J Med Assoc
(Thai). 1993;76:487-93.
Grases F, Masarova L, Costa-Bauza A, et al. Effect of "Rosa Canina" infusion and magnesium on the urinary risk factors of calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
Planta Med.
Allie-Hamdulay S, Rodgers AL. Prophylactic and therapeutic properties of a sodium citrate preparation in the management of calcium oxalate urolithiasis: randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Urol Res.
2005 May 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Wactawski-Wende J, Kotchen JM, Anderson GL, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of colorectal cancer.
Curhan GC, Willett WC, Rimm EB, et al. Prospective study of beverage use and the risk of kidney stones.
Am J Epidemiol
Rodgers A. Effect of cola consumption on urinary biochemical and physicochemical risk factors associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis.
Urol Res
Shuster J, Jenkins A, Logan C, et al. Soft drink consumption and urinary stone recurrence: a randomized prevention trial.
J Clin Epidemiol
Kirdpon S, Kirdpon W, Airarat W, et al. Effect of aloe (Aloe vera Linn.) on healthy adult volunteers: changes in urinary composition.
J Med Assoc Thai. 2006;89(suppl 2):S9-14.
Kirdpon S, Kirdpon W, Airarat W, et al. Changes in urinary compositions among children after consuming prepared oral doses of aloe (Aloe vera Linn).
J Med Assoc Thai. 2006;89:1199-205.
Last reviewed December 2015 by
EBSCO CAM Review Board
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


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A chip off the old Hook Champ
It's no secret that one of my favorite iOS games of all time is RocketCat Games' Hook Champ. It perfectly captures the concept of a touchscreen control scheme, by giving you the simple ability to grab onto pretty much anywhere on the screen, and flip your way to victory without the frustration of a clunky virtual d-pad.
In another corner of the world, a small group of people felt the same way, but they took their appreciation a bit further. They created Mikey Hooks as an homage to Hook Champ, striving to re-create the experience RocketCat nailed so perfectly.
Mikey Hooks (iPad [reviewed on an iPad Mini], iPhone [tested on an iPhone 5])
Developer: BeaverTap Games
Publisher: BeaverTap Games
Released: August 8, 2013
MSRP: $1.99 (Universal)
As a follow-up to Mikey Shorts, Mikey Hooks modifies the original's formula in a big way -- it adds the ability to grab onto aerial blocks and swing to your heart's content. The setup is still the same, as you're tasked with geting from one end of the level to the other, using a minimal virtual d-pad that allows you to move left or right, and slide and jump.
As many of you know virtual d-pads have the opportunity to ruin a game, but the fast-paced nature of Mikey Hooks really lends itself to the control scheme, and I had very little issues doing what I needed to do. Whether it's on an iPad or an iPhone, I was able to control Mikey perfectly, and every time I died, it was my own fault. The "hook" physics work really well, allowing you to press the jump button in the air to grab onto specific blocks, with the ability to let go and launch yourself forward.
The levels are very well designed, to the point where nearly all of them can be completed by running forward constantly, and jumping/sliding at all the right moments. Everything just feels incredibly fluid and decidedly action based, which makes for a pretty exciting and clean experience.
But as soon as you start having fun, the game is pretty much over. Mikey Hooks' campaign is very brief, and you can finish it in about an hour's time, or under an hour if you don't go for a three star rating (based on your clear time) in every level. After all was said and done, although the game has a very solid foundation, I couldn't help but feel a tad underwhelmed.
It didn't really ramp up the difficulty until the end, and in many ways, the campaign felt like a tech demo for a more fleshed out title. Part of the reason why it doesn't reach its potential is due to the lack of enemy variety, as the only three foes are robots who have spikes on their sides, spikes on their heads, or spikes on both. With a few more enemy types the game would force players to adapt a bit more to its world, and would add a whole new dimension to the game. Leaderboards and hidden "Golden Shorts" tokens in every level help, but they didn't compel me to keep playing.
Thankfully, there's a bit more to experience, because once you're done with the fairly brief story mode you'll have the opportunity to tackle race mode, which offers up a more challenging take on the formula. Here, you'll have to race three ghost bots across new levels, as you devise a way to reach the end as fast as possible while avoiding all of the hazards along the way. One mistake could mean the difference between first and second, so I really enjoyed the difficult nature of the mode, as it puts your precision platforming skills to the absolute test. If any content is added post-launch via updates, I hope it involves more races.
There's tons of content here if you're keen on collecting all of the game's hats, faces, and hooks -- but the vast majority of your replay value (if not all of it) lies purely in cosmetic items. The only real extra in Mikey Hooks is the "retro mode," which is included in a $0.99 IAP bundle that also comes with a coin-doubler, a coin magnet, and a bigger life meter. None of these extras is essential in any way and all of them can be turned off, but the retro filter is a nice touch that adds a new way to look at the game.
Despite having a virtual d-pad and buttons, Mikey Hooks is a great addition to any platformer fan's portable library. Although I don't think it surpasses Hook Champ as an absolute must-buy, it's a really fun game in its own right, and a perfect example of a serviceable platform game on iOS.
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Mikey Hooks reviewed by Chris Carter
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
How we score: The destructoid reviews guide

subset: commoncrawl


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There were 42 bookings at the San Joaquin County Jail in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Sunday. At that time, there were 1,400 people held at the jail, which has an official capacity of 1,411. When the jail is full, some inmates may be released early.
There were 42 bookings at the San Joaquin County Jail in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Sunday. At that time, there were 1,400 people held at the jail, which has an official capacity of 1,411. When the jail is full, some inmates may be released early.
Armed robbery: A woman walking her dog was robbed by a man wielding a machete, police said. The 27-year-old victim had parked just after 7 p.m. Saturday on the 3400 block of South Manthey Road and got her dog out for a walk. A purple PT Cruiser pulled up and a man with a machete got out and approached the woman, police said. She backed away, but the man took her purse from her car and then fled. Officers found the robber's car on the 100 block of West Mosswood Avenue and towed it. He was described as black, in his 40s, 5 feet 9 inches tall and 200 pounds.
Robbery: A 52-year-old man who refused to give up his bicycle was stabbed by a man armed with a box cutter, police said. The robber left with the red bicycle after the attack, about 8 p.m. Saturday on Pershing Avenue near Oak Street. The victim was treated at a hospital for what police said was not a life-threatening injury. The robber was described as Latino, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, and 170 pounds with black hair.
Burglary: Three people were arrested after attempting to steal off-road motorcycles just after 4 a.m. Sunday, police said. When officers arrived at the garage on the 400 block of East Churchill Street they saw three people attempting to start the bikes; two of them ran away and were arrested. The third, a 17-year-old juvenile, got the motorcycle started and drove off, leading officers on a one-minute chase at speeds up to 80 mph. He was arrested near Wright Avenue and American Street. The other two suspects were identified as Logan Schaffner and Mario Golde, both 18; they were held on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and vehicle theft.
Stolen vehicle: Two men were arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy about 7:45 a.m. Sunday on the 2300 bock of East Sonora Street. Officers went to the scene after getting a report that a stolen vehicle was being stripped. They said they found the men inside a different stolen vehicle. Police said parts from the stripped vehicle were recovered and that both vehicles were returned to their owners.
Robbery: A 19-year-old man trying to sell a phone was robbed after a dispute over how well it worked, police said. The victim met the two men about 11 a.m. Sunday on the 1700 block of West Charter Way. The men began to argue, and while the victim checked the phone to make sure it worked, he was punched several times, police said. The robbers fled in a black late-model four-door Honda. Both men were described as black, 19 to 20 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and 150 pounds; one was said to have short curly hair while the other wore a burgundy baseball cap.
The California Highway Patrol did not report the number of injury accidents, DUI arrests or stolen vehicles recovered in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Sunday.
The Stockton Fire Department responded to 95 calls for service in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Sunday, including five vehicle accidents, 70 medical calls and three structure fires.


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Wildcraft bags are designed for the quick commute as well for the long journey. Essentially commute bags, these backpacks can be used as laptop bags, adventure bags and so on. Your favorite travel companion, the backpacks come with enough storage space to carry all your requirements. A laptop along with your essentials for your daily commute, while packing your belongings to get out and explore the outdoors make Wildcraft backpacks versatile and multi-functional more than ever. You can buy these Wildcraft bags at the online store to help you take on both your personal and professional life be it at office, school or college. Suitable for any challenge life seems to throw at you, these backpack bags from Wildcraft will help you through it all so make sure to buy a bag. Available on the online store to buy, these bags help you stay organized while providing comfort and efficiency.
The backpacks help you carry your laptop, accessories and other essentials while heading out for the day. A must for travel, the Wildcraft bags come in a wide range of colors and styles to suit your very own personality and suits the conditions that you have to take on at home, school, college or through the great outdoors. Compact and sturdy, the laptop backpacks falls back perfectly giving the carrier support and safety and ease to carry whatever it may be whether it's your laptop or other essentials. The ideal travel partner, these backpacks come with features for both short journeys to school or college and long adventures through the outdoors.
The backpacks are made up with a back system that prevents perspiration and promotes breathability while carrying your requirements such as a laptop. A complete backpack for days on the run through crowded cities on school, college and work days or for the quick getaway from town, Wildcraft backpacks are designed for you to live life on-the-go. Giving you all day comfort, hit the road with Wildcraft backpacks. Head to the Wildcraft online store to buy Wildcraft bags for your every need.


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Herbal Baths
An herbal bath is as much of a treat as it is a treatment. There are several ways to prepare an herbal bath.
If you are using a soluble ingredient, such as baking soda or aloe vera gel, simply dissolve it in hot bath water.
If you are using oatmeal, you can either whirl it into a powder in your blender or bag it (see below). Oatmeal seems soft, but it doesn't dissolve completely unless it has first been very finely milled.
If you are using fresh herbs, you can bag them in a square of cheesecloth or a washcloth. A two- or three-thickness square of cheesecloth is ideal. The loose weave permits maximum release of the herbal essence, yet keeps the parts from floating free in the bath water. One method of bagging herbs is to stitch three sides of a cheesecloth square closed and run a drawstring through the top, or tie the bag closed with a sturdy string. An easier and quicker method is to place a suitable quantity of herbs in the middle of a cheesecloth square. Then simply pull the four corners of the square together and secure them with string. (You can do this with a washcloth or small towel, too, but cheesecloth is easier to manage.) For a full bath, use approximately 6 ounces of dried or fresh herbs.
Fill the tub, placing the bagged herbs under a forceful stream of comfortably hot water. As the tub fills, swish the herbs through the bath water. During the bath, gently squeeze an essence-rich stream of water from the herb bag directly on the part of the body you wish to treat. Your child may enjoy soaking and squeezing the bag. If you are treating an itchy skin condition, you may gently rub the bag across the affected areas. Unless you can trust your child not to rub itchy places raw, however, you may want to do this gentle scratching yourself. If you are using dried herbs, you will have to guard against rough parts, which may be irritating.
If your child is comforted and soothed by an herbal bath, you may want to be ready with a pre-prepared
herbal infusion. Soak 6 tablespoons of dried or fresh herbs overnight in 3 cups of water. Start with very hot water and allow it to cool naturally. The following morning, heat the infusion and strain out the residue. No bag is needed; just pour the strained infusion directly into the bath water.
Herbal Infusions (Teas)
Medicinal herbs are most often administered in tea form. The Chinese, who have a 5,000 year history of herbal medicine, teach that the heat of the water and the taste of the herb enhance its effectiveness. Steeping an herb in hot water draws out the therapeutic essence of the plant.
To prepare hot tea from herbs, measure out 2 heaping tablespoons of herb for every cup of tea (unless the label directs otherwise), and place them in a china or glass teapot or cup (plastic and metal containers are not suitable for steeping herbs). For each cup of tea, pour 8 ounces of freshly boiled water over the herbs. Cover the container. As a general rule, teas made with the leaf or flower of the herb should be allowed to steep for five to ten minutes; teas using roots or bark should be simmered for ten minutes and allowed to steep for an additional five minutes. After steeping, strain the tea, cool it to a comfortable temperature, and serve. If you prepare more than one cup of tea at one time, you can keep it at a comfortable sipping temperature in a thermos bottle.


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STOCKTON - McNair girls basketball coach Anthony Matthews wanted his No. 2 Eagles to force No. 7 Rocklin out of its game plan in their Sac-Joaquin Section Division II quarterfinal Thursday.
STOCKTON - McNair girls basketball coach Anthony Matthews wanted his No. 2 Eagles to force No. 7 Rocklin out of its game plan in their Sac-Joaquin Section Division II quarterfinal Thursday.
But foul trouble forced McNair out of its typical up-tempo game and the Eagles had to outlast the Thunder's second-half rally to earn a 59-49 victory at McNair High.
The win earned McNair a semifinal matchup against No. 6 Sacramento-Florin - a 68-56 winner over No. 3 Modesto-Gregori - on Feb. 28 at Spanos Center with game time to be announced.
"We had to pull off our press because we were in foul trouble," said Matthews, who lost senior Kiara Williams with her fifth foul with 5:21 remaining in the game and his squad leading 43-29. "Our girls kept their cool, though. We knew Rocklin was going to come in and play hard. We weren't shooting well in the second half, but we hit some key baskets at the end."
McNair was whistled for 19 fouls compared to Rocklin's nine.
Eagles junior Mandy Coleman made three baskets in the first quarter and added four more in the fourth quarter for a team-high 14 points.
Coleman wasn't slacking, as she grabbed 12 rebounds and had eight steals for the Eagles (26-3) to go with three blocked shots, the last of which she took coast-to-coast for a layup in traffic to push McNair's lead to 52-41.
"(Rocklin) slowed us down," Coleman said. "We're excited with the win. We just want to keep playing hard so we can keep moving on in the playoffs."
The Thunder (20-9) cut the lead to nine after trailing by 22 (33-11). Sophomore Lydia Summers and senior Kelsey Summers scored 14 and 12 points, respectively. Rocklin made 15 of 20 free throws in the second half to climb back.
But McNair senior Bre Wilson scored on a layup and sophomore Brandi Hornsby made a 3-pointer to counter the rally. Wilson finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Hornsby scored eight points.
"I felt we were a little intimidated by (McNair's) size early," Thunder coach Rob Ferraro said. "Once we relaxed and settled down we started to play our game. We needed to get some stops, but every time we needed one, (McNair) would make a big shot to stem the tide."


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LUNENBURG — A crowd of more than 100 people — parents, football players and coaches — packed the Board of Selectmen's meeting Tuesday night to voice their concerns that the high school football season was canceled.
School Superintendent Loxi Jo Calmes announced Monday the decision to cancel the season in the wake of an investigation into racial slurs painted on the home of 13-year-old football player Isaac Phillips last week.
Although the discussion was not on the agenda, the board listened to the concerns of the community, with many people expressing their feelings that all the players and cheerleaders should not be punished.
"They should be allowed to play the Thanksgiving game. We can't blame the acts of one person on the whole team," said Les Szabady.
Thomas Alonzo, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, reminded the group several times that the decision to cancel the season lies with the School Committee and the school administrator. �
Resident Steve Powell placed much of the blame on the media.
"These kids are friends with Isaac and want to play football with Isaac," he said. "Whoever has done this has turned the town upside down and they need help."
Rick Hill, president of Lunenburg Youth Football and Cheer, said: "Cleats get thrown in the trash and flat tires happen across America. These kids all deserve to play football on Thanksgiving. The school committee made a mistake. You shouldn't punish them."
School Committee Chairman Gregory Berthaiume also attended the meeting. He said he had just come from an emergency meeting of the School Committee.
At the emergency School Committee Tuesday night, members released a statement supporting Ms. Calmes' and the administration's decision to forfeit the Thanksgiving game.
"We base this recommendation on our concerns for the safety and well-being of our students, players and fans in the emotionally-charged environment that has been generated by these recent acts," the statement said. "We also believe it would be highly inappropriate to play the remaining games while there is an ongoing investigation."
The statement also confirms that two investigations are underway over allegations of racist slurs uttered by Lunenburg players at Worcester's South High varsity and junior varsity football games and the racial slur "scrawled on the home of Mr. Phillips and his family."
At the selectmen's meeting, Mr. Berthaiume said the School Committee would meet Wednesday night and residents are welcome to attend.
Staff reporter Paula J. Owen contributed to this report


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This section describes memory and performance issues that you can manage by increasing JVM heap space and by managing the size of your messages. It covers the following topics:
You can also improve performance by having the administrator set connection factory attributes to meter the message flow over the client-broker connection and to limit the message flow for a consumer. For a detailed explanation, please see Reliability And Flow Control in Oracle GlassFish Message Queue 4.4.2 Administration Guide.
A client application running in a JVM needs enough memory to accommodate messages that flow in from the network as well as messages the client creates. If your client gets OutOfMemoryError errors, chances are that not enough memory was provided to handle the size or the number of messages being consumed or produced.
Your client might need more than the default JVM heap space. On most systems, the default is 64 MB but you will need to check the default values for your system.
Consider the following guidelines:
Evaluate the normal and peak system memory footprints when sizing heap space.
You can start by doubling the heap size using a command like the following:
java -Xmx128m MyClass
The best size for the heap space depends on both the operating system and the JDK release. Check the JDK documentation for restrictions.
The size of the VM's memory allocation pool must be less than or equal to the amount of virtual memory that is available on the system.
In general, for better manageability, you can break large messages into smaller parts, and use sequencing to ensure that the partial messages sent are concatenated properly. You can also use a Message Queue JMS feature to compress the body of a message. This section describes the programming interface that allows you to compress messages and to compare the size of compressed and uncompressed messages.
Message compression and decompression is handled entirely by the client runtime, without involving the broker. Therefore, applications can use this feature with a pervious version of the broker, but they must use version 3.6 or later of the Message Queue client runtime library.
You can use the Message.setBooleanProperty() method to specify that the body of a message be compressed. If the JMS_SUN_COMPRESS property is set to true, the client runtime, will compress the body of the message being sent. This happens after the producer's send method is called and before the send method returns to the caller. The compressed message is automatically decompressed by the client runtime before the message is delivered to the message consumer.
For example, the following call specifies that a message be compressed:
Compression only affects the message body; the message header and properties are not compressed.
Two read-only JMS message properties are set by the client runtime after a message is sent.
Applications can test the properties (JMS_SUN_UNCOMPRESSED_SIZE and JMS_SUN_COMPRESSED_SIZE) after a send returns to determine whether compression is advantageous. That is, applications wanting to use this feature, do not have to explicitly receive a compressed and uncompressed version of the message to determine whether compression is desired.
If the consumer of a compressed message wants to resend the message in an uncompressed form, it should call the Message.clearProperties() to clear the JMS_SUN_COMPRESS property. Otherwise, the message will be compressed before it is sent to its next destination.
Although message compression has been added to improve performance, such benefit is not guaranteed. Benefits vary with the size and format of messages, the number of consumers, network bandwidth, and CPU performance. For example, the cost of compression and decompression might be higher than the time saved in sending and receiving a compressed message. This is especially true when sending small messages in a high-speed network. On the other hand, applications that publish large messages to many consumers or who publish in a slow network environment, might improve system performance by compressing messages.
Depending on the message body type, compression may also provide minimal or no benefit. An application client can use the JMS_SUN_UNCOMPRESSED_SIZE and JMS_SUN_COMPRESSED_SIZE properties to determine the benefit of compression for different message types.
Message consumers deployed with client runtime libraries that precede version 3.6 cannot handle compressed messages. Clients wishing to send compressed messages must make sure that consumers are compatible. C clients cannot currently consume compressed messages.
Example 3–1 shows how you set and send a compressed message:
//topicSession and myTopic are assumed to have been created topicPublisher publisher = topicSession.createPublisher(myTopic); BytesMessage bytesMessage=topicSession.createBytesMessage(); //byteArray is assumed to have been created bytesMessage.writeBytes(byteArray); //instruct the client runtime to compress this message bytesMessage.setBooleanProperty("JMS_SUN_COMPRESS", true); //publish message to the myTopic destination publisher.publish(bytesMessage);
Example 3–2 shows how you examine compressed and uncompressed message body size. The bytesMessage was created as in Example 3–1:
//get uncompressed body size int uncompressed=bytesMessage.getIntProperty("JMS_SUN_UNCOMPRESSED_SIZE"); //get compressed body size int compressed=bytesMessage.getIntProperty("JMS_SUN_COMPRESSED_SIZE");
When a message is deemed undeliverable, it is automatically placed on a special queue called the dead message queue. A message placed on this queue retains all of its original headers (including its original destination) and information is added to the message's properties to explain why it became a dead message. An administrator or a developer can access this queue, remove a message, and determine why it was placed on the queue.
For an introduction to dead messages and the dead message queue, see Using the Dead Message Queue in Oracle GlassFish Message Queue 4.4.2 Administration Guide
For a description of the destination properties and of the broker properties that control the system's use of the dead message queue, see Chapter 18, Physical Destination Property Reference, in Oracle GlassFish Message Queue 4.4.2 Administration Guide
This section describes the message properties that you can set or examine programmatically to determine the following:
Whether a dead message can be sent to the dead message queue.
Whether the broker should log information when a message is destroyed or moved to the dead message queue.
Whether the body of the message should also be stored when the message is placed on the dead message queue.
Why the message was placed on the dead message queue and any ancillary information.
Message Queue 3.6 clients can set properties related to the dead message queue on messages and send those messages to clients compiled against earlier versions. However clients receiving such messages cannot examine these properties without recompiling against 3.6 libraries.
The dead message queue is automatically created by the broker and called mq.sys.dmq. You can use the message monitoring API, described in Chapter 4, Using the Metrics Monitoring API, to determine whether that queue is growing, to examine messages on that queue, and so on.
You can set the properties described in Table 3–2 for any message to control how the broker should handle that message if it deems it to be undeliverable. Note that these message properties are needed only to override destination, or broker-based behavior.Table 3–2 Message Properties Relating to Dead Message Queue
A boolean whose value determines what the broker should do with the message if it is dead.
The default value of unset, specifies that the message should be handled as specified by the useDMQ property of the destination to which the message was sent.
A value of true overrides the setting of the useDMQ property and sends the dead message to the dead message queue.
A value of false overrides the setting of the useDMQ property and prevents the dead message from being placed in the dead message queue.
A boolean value that determines how activity relating to dead messages should be logged.
The default value of unset, will behave as specified by the broker configuration property imq.destination.logDeadMsgs.
A value of true overrides the setting of the imq.destination.logDeadMsgs broker property and specifies that the broker should log the action of removing a message or moving it to the dead message queue.
A value of false overrides the setting of the imq.destination.logDeadMsgs broker property and specifies that the broker should not log these actions.
A boolean value that specifies whether the body of a dead message is truncated.
The default value of unset, will behave as specified by the broker property imq.destination.DMQ.truncateBody.
A value of true overrides the setting of the imq.destination.DMQ.truncateBody property and specifies that the body of the message should be discarded when the message is placed in the dead message queue.
A value of false overrides the setting of the imq.destination.DMQ.truncateBody property and specifies that the body of the message should be stored along with the message header and properties when the message is placed in the dead message queue.
The properties described in Table 3–3 are set by the broker for a message placed in the dead message queue. You can examine the properties for the message to retrieve information about why the message was placed on the queue and to gather other information about the message and about the context within which this action was taken.Table 3–3 Dead Message Properties
An Integer that pecifies the most number of times the message was delivered to a given consumer. This value is set only for ERROR or UNDELIVERABLE messages.
A Long that pecifies the time (in milliseconds) when the message was placed on the dead message queue.
A string that specifies one of the following values to indicate the reason why the message was placed on the dead message queue:
If the message was marked dead for multiple reasons, for example it was undeliverable and expired, only one reason will be specified by this property.
The ERROR reason indicates that an internal error made it impossible to process the message. This is an extremely unusual condition, and the sender should just resend the message.
A String used for message traffic in broker clusters: it specifies the broker name and port number of the broker that produced the message. A null value indicates the local broker.
A String used for message traffic in broker clusters: it specifies the broker name and port number of the broker that placed the message on the dead message queue. A null value indicates the local broker.
A String that specifies the name of the exception (if the message was dead because of an exception) on either the client or the broker.
A String used to provide an optional comment when the message is marked dead.
A Boolean: a value of true indicates that the message body was not stored. A value of false indicates that the message body was stored.
When creating a topic or queue destination, the administrator can specify how the broker should behave when certain memory limits are reached. Specifically, when the number of messages reaching a physical destination exceeds the number specified with the maxNumMsgs property or when the total amount of memory allowed for messages exceeds the number specified with the maxTotalMsgBytes property, the broker takes one of the following actions, depending on the setting of the limitBehavior property:
Throws out the lowest priority message in memory (REMOVE_LOW_PRIORITY)
If the default value REJECT_NEWEST is specified for the limitBehavior property, the broker throws out the newest messages received when memory limits are exceeded. If the message discarded is a persistent message, the producing client gets an exception which should be handled by resending the message later.
If any of the other values is selected for the limitBehavior property or if the message is not persistent, the application client is not notified if a message is discarded. Application clients should let the administrator know how they prefer this property to be set for best performance and reliability.


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a launch for Joanne Schwartz and Sydney Smith's Town Is by the Sea > MAR 22
Groundwood Books invites you to meet author Joanne Schwartz and illustrator Sydney Smith at the launch for their new book, Town Is by the Sea. In Town Is by the Sea, a young boy enjoys a summer day while his thoughts constantly drift back to his father, currently digging for coal deep under the sea. Ask Schwartz and Smith questions you may have and get your books signed!
Joanne Schwartz was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Her first picture book, Our Corner Grocery Store, illustrated by Laura Beingessner, was nominated for the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. Her other books include City Alphabet and City Numbers, with photos by Matt Beam, and two Inuit folktales with Cape Dorset elder Qaunaq Mikkigak ― The Legend of the Fog, illustrated by Danny Christopher, and Grandmother Ptarmigan, illustrated by Qin Leng. Her most recent book is Pinny in Summer, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant. Joanne has been a children's librarian for more than twenty-five years. She lives in Toronto.
Sydney Smith was born in rural Nova Scotia and has been drawing from an early age. Since graduating from NSCAD University, he has illustrated multiple children's books, including the highly acclaimed wordless picture book Sidewalk Flowers, conceived by Jon Arno Lawson, which won a Governor General's Award, was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book and has been long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. He is also the illustrator of Grant and Tillie Go Walking by Monica Kulling and The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogart, both highly acclaimed. Sydney has received a number of other awards for his illustrations, including the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration. He now lives in Toronto and works in a shared studio space in Chinatown.
launch for Town Is by the Sea
Type Books, 883 Queen Street West
Wednesday March 22, 7-9pm


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SOURCE: Pearson
February 07, 2013 16:44 ET
New Instructional Improvement System Is Next Big Step in Sunnyside's One-to-One Learning Initiative
New Instructional Improvement System Is Next Big Step in Sunnyside's One-to-One Learning Initiative
TUCSON, AZ--(Marketwire - Feb 7, 2013) - The Sunnyside Unified School District, already one of the leading school districts in America in converting to one-to-one digital learning for students, now will give teachers real-time data to provide immediate interventions to students with academic issues under a new partnership with the world's leading education company.
Sunnyside Superintendent Manuel L. Isquierdo announced that the Sunnyside District Governing Board approved a ground-breaking proposal to partner with the Pearson education company to give Sunnyside teachers up-to-the-minute information on student performance as part of the district's One-to-One Computing initiative, which is putting digital learning devices into the hands of all students in grades four through 12. The new partnership with Pearson will continue Sunnyside's work to overhaul the traditional classroom to use interactive, digital technology to help students learn more effectively.
The school board unanimously approved Dr. Isquierdo's proposal to use Pearson's Schoolnet management system and PowerSchool student information system to give teachers the fastest information available about how students are performing in class and to help them provide individualized learning for every student.
"This is a game changer," Dr. Isquierdo said of the school board's decision. "We already are putting digital devices into the hands of our students and using those devices in the classroom to help our students learn. Now, the next big step in this process is to know how every single student is learning, and where their strengths and weaknesses are. Thanks to this partnership with Pearson, for the first time we will be able to very carefully track the academic achievement of every student, and we will intervene aggressively with extra academic help for every student who needs it. Sunnyside already is one of the national leaders in digital learning. This move will help our outstanding teachers take learning in our classrooms to the next level."
Sunnyside teachers will be trained on the new systems and using the real-time data to help students beginning in 2013, and the new high-powered student information and data systems will be operational in Sunnyside beginning July of 2013.
"This will help guide our teaching in every classroom," Dr. Isquierdo said. "This new partnership with Pearson will help us to know every area in which a student is succeeding, every area where a student needs extra help, and will help the teachers to provide that support. This also will help us to communicate very effectively with parents about how their children are doing and how exactly they can help. We have great parents who want to be involved and help their children make progress. This partnership will help us provide that path for parents."
Pearson's 1:1 Learning programs apply a research-based 1:1 Learning Framework to help districts successfully implement and run mobile learning programs. Pearson 1:1 Learning will provide the Sunnyside District with training to help teachers and staff with the shift to the new learning management system. Pearson will help with the implementation of the program, including planning and management of the student achievement and assessment systems.
Pearson 1:1 Learning works closely with school districts making the transition to digital learning with instructional programs on digital devices. The Pearson assessment tools help teachers determine in real-time each student's level of performance, identify academic strengths and weaknesses, and intervene to help the student immediately.
Sunnyside launched its groundbreaking digital learning initiative three years ago; voters supported technology improvements with the passage of a bond in 2011 to provide $30 million for technology. About 86 percent of Sunnyside students live at or near the poverty line, and 94 percent are minorities.
Dr. Isquierdo said Sunnyside has made the bold move to digital learning, in part, because so many of the district's students did not have access to the latest technology and interactive learning resources.
"Our vision has been to bridge the digital divide, to provide access to the computer hardware and software, the digital curriculum and the learning opportunities of the 21st century to our students who didn't have these things," Dr. Isquierdo said. "Our great school board believes in that vision, and our community has stood strong with us and voted to support this all-out effort to give our students the kind of education they deserve."
Superintendent Isquierdo said the school district is excited about where the partnership with Pearson will take Sunnyside's digital learning initiative.
"We have admired Pearson's leadership in this area and thought it was important to leverage Pearson's expertise to move our One-to-One initiative to the next level. With Pearson's integrated data systems, we're confident we'll be able to customize learning and instruction like never before possible," Superintendent Isquierdo said. "Having PowerSchool and Schoolnet combined is tremendously powerful.
"We will have a better student information system to serve as our foundation, and will have a much more customizable system to give teachers real-time data about student performance. We are committed to high-quality instruction, and this is a huge step for us in that direction. Our community has never seen this kind of amazing personalized learning for their children, and they will see the tremendous improvement in communication with parents about the needs of our students."
Scott Drossos, head of Pearson's 1:1 Learning, praised the Sunnyside leadership's focus on improving student achievement.
"Dr. Isquierdo and the Sunnyside District are among the leaders of the nation in using digital resources to help greatly improve learning and opportunities for students," Drossos said. "We look forward to helping accelerate learning and assisting with SUSD's One-to-One Computing initiative in the months and years ahead."
Mary Veres
Sunnyside Unified School DistrictEmail Contact
Mary Veres
Sunnyside Unified School DistrictEmail Contact
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text: Hello! I am currently nursing my 6 month old, and in the last 3 weeks, I have been having difficulty in my milk letting down. It first started in the middle of the night only. Seeing as she only nurses once at night, I didn't think it was that critical. I would still try to nurse for 10 minutes before finally giving up and putting her back to bed. But in the last week, I have been having the same problem during the day now. I will sit there and try to nurse her for a half hour, and still no milk let down. The worst part is, she won't take formula in the meantime. She HATES it. So now I am worried that she will starve to death soon if I don't do something quickly. I have a sneaky suspicion the reason may be due to a decrease in my milk supply. I am not sure why my milk supply has decreased, but it is enough that my milk is having trouble letting down. I am a stay at home mother, but I have begun pumping to try and increase supply, and I have always been really good at staying hydrated. She nurses every 3 hours. However, even pumping doesn't cause my milk to let down anymore. The only thing I can think of that might have caused my decrease in milk supply is my recent progestin IUD implant. It finally regulated itself a few weeks ago, and it also seems that is when my milk let down troubles started. Does anyone have any insight as to why this is happening, and if it is perhaps the IUD causing my decreased milk supply? Anything I can take that will increase my supply? I have already contacted my doctors, but unfortunately, they were not much help. I need to do something fast, so any help is much appreciated, thank you!


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Marco Kunz
Many thanks to you, Sarah, for this article.
As I am just about to conquer the ways of publishing websites to mobile devices over the x-mas holidays here, it is nice to have a different approach to this as with the @media querys.
I always love to have more than one way to achieve my goals to have some flexibility.
Greetinkz from ze Germany.


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Ron Guth: The original release date for the new 2000-P Sacagawea was March 1, 2000, but was changed later to January 27. 100 million Sacagawea dollars were shipped to Wal-Mart stores throughout the nation, 100 million were sent to the Federal Reserve for distribution, and 600,000 sold in sealed bags over the Mint's website. Some coins were released by Wal-Mart as early as January 20, but official distribution began on January 27, when Wal-Mart began giving the coins as change (limited to 10 coins per customer). Production of the 2000-D Sacagawea dollar coin began later in the year.
Sources and/or recommended reading:"Golden Dollars Flood Nation From Wal-Mart" by William T. Gibbs, COIN WORLD, February 14, 2000, pp. 1 & 30
"Mint To Ship 100s Of Millions Of Sacagawea Golden Dollars" by Paul Gilkes, COIN WORLD, February 14, 2000, pp. 1 & 8
Jaime Hernandez: This is the first year of issue for the Sacagawea Dollars. The Mint had the notion that the new gold colored dollars would be extremely popular within our monetary system. Consequently, it struck over 760 million coins just for this date and mint mark alone. Compare this mintage to the 2002-P, where the Mint struck less than 4 million Uncirculated coins.
After the first year of striking Sacagawea Dollars, the Mint realized that the coins were not very popular. Banks and institutions still had most of them in their inventory while a very small amount of the total mintage actually went into circulation. Due to the very high mintage of this issue, coins exist in very high grades including in MS69 condition.
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


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Motive known in Quesada assault caseBy KATHRYN MARCHOCKI
New Hampshire Union Leader
March 30. 2013 12:05AM
BEDFORD - Police are making progress investigating last November's violent home invasion that left a local anesthesiologist and his wife severely wounded and now know why the couple's 7 Proclamation Court home was broken into, the county's top prosecutor said Friday.
"We have a motive for the crime," Hillsborough County Attorney Patricia M. LaFrance said Friday.
LaFrance would not reveal the motive for the attack on Dr. Eduardo Quesada, 52, and his wife, Sonia, 29, last Nov. 24. Nor would she say if this means police determined whether the intruder targeted the upscale house or chose it at random.
"I'm not going to comment at this time whether it was random or not," she added.
In addition, recently-released preliminary autopsy results confirm Sonia Quesada's death inside her mother-in-law's Bedford condominium six weeks after the home invasion was not a homicide, LaFrance said.
The couple moved into the 49 Kensington Lane unit after the home invasion. Police were called to the private, over-55 community to check on the couple's welfare Jan. 7. Inside they found Dr. Quesada unconscious, his wife dead, and a pile of prescription drugs nearby.
LaFrance would not comment on whether autopsy results show Sonia Quesada committed suicide.
Once she receives the "full medical report" from the state Medical Examiner's office, LaFrance said she and Bedford Police Chief John J. Bryfonski will meet with the family to discuss the results.
"I don't have anything in writing from them yet," she explained. "As soon as we do, we probably will make some type of press release available."
LaFrance also would not comment on whether the crime had anything to do with Dr. Quesada's work as an anesthesiologist at the Pain Management Center at Elliot Hospital and Amoskeag Anesthesia PLLC in Manchester.
Investigators insist the Jan. 7 incident at 49 Kensington Lane is completely unrelated to the Nov. 24 violent home invasion that took place at the couple's 7 Proclamation Court home.
Authorities noted the couple's Proclamation Court home was broken into while there were no signs of forced entry at the Kensington Lane condominium and no visible signs of trauma to either spouse. They are investigating the Jan. 7 incident as "an untimely death" of Sonia Quesada, she explained.
It's been 4 1/2 months since Dr. Quesada and his wife came home about 10 p.m. to find an intruder in their home. Both were severely wounded in the attack and had to be hospitalized. Their 2-year-old daughter also was home, but was not hurt. She remains with relatives.
"I can't comment on the specifics of the investigation other than to say we are making progress and continue to make progress," LaFrance said.
She would not say if authorities have any suspects or developed any "persons of interest" in the Nov. 24 home invasion. She also would not say whether an arrest is imminent.
"When, and if, we make an arrest, we will hold a press conference," LaFrance said.
Reactions from Bedford residents interviewed Friday ranged from disappointment the public was not kept better informed to allegations of a cover up.
"I'm worried about it. They (police) told us to lock our doors and they haven't told us to unlock our doors. So I'm not really sure they are making progress," said one woman who refused to give her name "because I'm a widow and I live alone."
She said she wished police would be more forthcoming about some details about the crime.
"I would like to know if they (Quesadas) were targeted because if I am not involved in any illegal activities, should I still be concerned?" she added.
"It's one of the reasons we live here. To be safe. And I don't feel that way anymore," the woman said.
Nicole Forrest, 27, agreed police should at least tell residents whether the home invasion was random.
"I think we deserve to know," said the Bedford native who grew up in town and whose family still lives here. "I think we should know if we need to be alert to this type of thing...and if this is going to keep happening,"
Another resident said "fishy comes to mind" when he thinks about the crime and police investigation. Another woman, noting speculation about the crime is rampant, said "I think it was a break-in that was designed not to look like a break in." Neither would give their names.
LaFrance said authorities have been particularly "tight-lipped" in this case because it has received so much media attention.
"If we do an investigation and any of those details leak out about the progress we are making or the specifics of the crime, it could jeopardize the investigation," she explained.


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Event Details
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*LearnBop is offered for students in grades 3–12. The free LearnBop subscription expires December 31, 2016. This offer is not available in all states. Terms and Conditions apply. Speak to an enrollment consultant for more information.


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I am really at my wit's end with my 10 month old's nursing behaviour. It is getting so bad that I honestly just want to quit.
Biting: he's been biting me on and off for months, since the first teeth sprouted around 6 months. But, now...oh my word, it HURTS. BAD. There is no discernable trigger to this and he is completely unresponsive to my reaction. He will invariably bite me if the light is on and/or if I smile at him--it's like an invitation to play. He sometimes bites if he is done but doesn't want to just roll away. Sometimes he just bites for no apparent reason. I have tried firmly saying no and taking him off the breast. No reaction. AT ALL. I have tried pulling him in towards me and saying no. Again, no reaction (he doesn't even let go in that instance). Sometimes I yelp in pain. No reaction. Today, just now, I screamed. REALLY loud. I was really angry about it (it was like the 11th bite in a short period of time). Can you guess..no reaction.
Nipple playing: This makes me more irritated than the biting and it is CONSTANT. He honestly cannot nurse if he is not playing with the unused nipple. It hurts and it annoys me to no end. I try to keep the unused nipple covered but I swear he can find it...under my clothes, under my bra, under a bathrobe, you name he can get to it. And, he does. And, when I try to move his hand, he gets really mad and it goes right back so it ends up being a major battle. I cannot stand the nipple playing. I'd rather him bite me.
Distraction: He is SO, SO, SO distractible and has been since about 4-5 months. The only place we can successfully nurse is in the bed, in the bedroom with the lights off. No noise, no talking. I can rub his head, back or feet but no other interaction. NIP is impossible. The only way I can get him to eat in public is to go to a single user bathroom, turn off the lights and hold him while pacing or swaying (in the dark public bathroom). I have tried a nursing necklace and it makes the problem worse. I have tried giving him something else to play with and then he won't nurse because he gets so busy playing (or then starts biting).
Breast switching: He's been doing this for ages too. He constantly switches back and forth between breasts for the entire nursing session. Usually he'll spend about 5-10 seconds on one breast before switching to the other (sometimes less). The only times he doesn't do this is during the night and the first two feeds of the day (right when he wakes up and one hour later). I have tried breast compressions, but this usually makes him come off the breast quicker. I am not really convinced it's a flow problem anyway, as I can often hear him gulping and I have had trouble in the past with OALD. I try to put him back on the same breast when he comes off, which sometimes works, but often this causes a struggle and he can move himself between breasts without my help.
Strange positions: He often moves around and around and around while nursing. I don't mind this except that he is often stretching and pulling the nipple he is sucking on while he is doing it. It doesn't really hurt in the moment but my nipples are becoming pretty raw.
I'd really like any and all suggestions. I have been so committed to BFing him and have made it through a lot of early problems. I really wanted to go well beyond a year, but honestly, it something doesn't start changing I think I'm going to quit. It is not a nice experience at all and I hate that I am loosing my temper and yelled at him today. I feel like such a failure.


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Moose International files suit to claim Claremont lodgeBy MEGHAN PIERCE
Union Leader Correspondent
July 30. 2014 8:35PM
CLAREMONT — Moose International has filed a lawsuit claiming ownership of the former Moose Lodge on Broad Street.
"They don't have a dime in the building," said lawsuit defendant and former Claremont Moose Lodge Administrator Howard A. Bowie Jr. "If they own the building, why aren't we paying them rent, and why aren't they fixing everything in the building?"
In May, Moose International revoked the charter of the Claremont Moose Lodge Family Center on Broad Street, stripping it of its status as a Moose Lodge.
Earlier this month, former members of the Moose Lodge gathered at the 209 Broad St. building and voted to become an Eagles Club.
The lodge has the largest function hall in the city and renting it out is how the new Eagles Club will support itself, Bowie said.
In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Concord on July 10, Moose International of Mooseheart, Ill., claims the Lodge Hall is the rightful property of Moose International.
In 2012, the Claremont Moose Lodge had a dispute with Moose International over $34,000 in past due liability insurance payments.
The Claremont lodge agreed to make payments, but this year asked Moose International for a new court-negotiated payment agreement because of the high interest rates Moose International was charging, Bowie said.
Instead, the Claremont charter was revoked.
At the time, T. Michael Leuer, general counsel for Moose International, Inc., would only confirm that the charter had been revoked May 29, based upon the Lodge's intentional failure to comply with Moose International general laws.
"Pursuant to the terms of the General Laws and the Articles of Agreement, upon revocation of the Claremont Lodge charter, Plaintiff is entitled to all property of the Claremont Lodge, including the Lodge Hall, after the payment of all indebtedness of the lodge," the lawsuit says.
The defunct Claremont lodge owes Moose International more than $40,000, according to the lawsuit.
The building was assessed at $301,100 in 2013, according to the lawsuit.
Named in the suit is the Claremont Lodge No. 1201, Loyal Order of Moose, and the five former board members, Bowie, his son Howard A. Bowie III, Kevin Blaine, Patrick McCann and Harold Hall.


text:
Learn how an elementary school science fair transformed into an annual three-day math and science extravaganza at the Tucson Convention Center.
The idea was sparked by Sharon O'Neal, a parent of twin daughters at Ventana Vista and Program Manager at Raytheon Missile Systems, along with Caryl Jones, a recently retired K - 5 Library and Technology teacher at Ventana Vista.
Together, they created a community gathering that invites over 300 professional scientists and engineers to teach and inspire more than seven thousand students (4th - 8th graders), teachers and parents. Through a collaborative effort between Raytheon, the University of Arizona, IBM, Honeywell, and other private and public sponsors the Funfest is available to the public for free. However, the demand has been so overwhelming that registration for last years event was filled in only three hours.
The Math, Science and Technology Funfest will be held this fall, and it is open to the public. Registration begins on Sept 1st.
To hear more stories, visit the Teachers' Voices archive.
(Funding for the production of Teachers' Voices is provided by Wells Fargo and the University of Arizona College of Education. The series is produced by Matt Felix for Arizona Spotlight.)


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We asked our Facebook friends to pour out their best memories of Andy, and they responded with a flood of love for him, the rawest of Irons. He is gone. He isn't forgotten. Here are just a few of the many remembrances we received.
Head over to our Facebook feed of 80+ responses from friends and fans remembering Andy, and add your own.


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Skip Cocktail Measuring with the ReJigger
It was Cinco De Mayo, and my friends and I wanted to celebrate. Fajita making was underway, and the guacamole was coming together. Margaritas (obviously) came to mind next. After looking up a recipe and seeing "ounces" and "splashes" involved, we got discouraged. We ended up settling on a neon-colored bottle of Margarita mix and added tequila until it tasted "right." It never tasted all that right.
Now, this is no way to celebrate, but frankly, precisely measuring cocktail ingredients can get in the way of a good time. To solve this common frustration, inventor Marcus Wang has created a new cocktail-measuring tool called the ReJigger, and he's looking to Kickstarter for some help getting it off the ground.
What the ReJigger does is simple: it has a compartment for the right quantity of each ingredient for a mixed drink. (Wang claims it makes an 'endless number' of different cocktails, but he starts with 9 basic recipes.) The tool is made out of BPA free, dishwasher safe plastic that is sectioned into three compartments.
So, if you're aiming for those Margaritas, you pour Cointreau, tequila, and lime juice in each of the compartments, following the color-coded recipe guide. It's sort of like Painting by Numbers, but instead of paint, there's booze, and instead of a pretty picture at the end, you've got a pretty cocktail. The Rejigger then caps onto a standard pint glass so you can shake the drink, and then works as a strainer to get the chilled cocktail into your serving glass.
If all goes as planned, the ReJigger is set to pack and ship in mid October. The project will be funded if at least $75,000 is pledged by this Friday, July 12.
About the Author: Amalia Safran is an intern at Serious Eats. You can follow her on Twitter @amaliasafran.
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.


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#Activateldn: Why Facebook is a key reporting tool for Zimbabwe's SW Radio Africa
After being fired from one job and finding her house surrounded by Zimbabwean paramilitaries six days after she set up Capital Radio and aired a test broadcast, Gerry Jackson then launched SW Radio Africa.
And Facebook has become a key tool for finding stories, Jackson told today's Guardian Activate London conference in a talk called "media in exile".
Jackson spoke of the human rights abuses, corruption and repression in the country, and how the radio station and SW Radio Africa website aim to expose wrongdoings.
She told the conference that Zimbabwe is "trapped" as "nothing changes".
We are groundhogs [like in the Bill Murray film Groundhog Day]. We are reliving the same day over and over. That's what it feels like in Zimbabwe.
But although we are groundhogs and do the same stories over and over again, we do highlight stories that rest of the world doesn't seem pick up on.
Jackson is particularly proud of the radio station's exposes. The website published a leaked list of the names of 450 individuals who had allegedly committed acts of violence.
The expose received a "huge response on Facebook", Jackson said. But explained that "people were very frightened to write publicly" so instead messaged the journalist who worked on the story to report details of further atrocities.
The reporters at SW Radio Africa also arrange most of their interviews via the platform. They are also aware that the ruling party "keeps a close eye on Facebook".
Jackson said around one million people in the country of roughly 12 million are on Facebook, with two million internet connections and nine million mobile phones with 700,000 of those being used for internet access.
It's impossible to underestimate how much Zimbabweans love Facebook.
She said that not only includes those within the country but Zimbabweans living in exile, which is perhaps one third of the total population.
And key political figures are on Facebook, including members of the Zanu-PF party.
Tags: #Activateldn, SW Radio Africa, Zimbabwe
It's interesting to see their list of [Facebook] friends.
Similar posts:
- Media Guardian: Internet radio attracting weekly audience of 8 million
- Malcolm Coles: Michael Jackson's kids made the Daily Mail the most visited UK newspaper site in June
- CPJ: Journalists in Exile 2009 – special report
- RSF is calling for EU ministers to further protect journalists in exile
- Peaceful elections just ain't news – the dire state of world reporting on Africa


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Reading the forum on your cell phone? There's an easier way. We've enabled a Tapatalk app that makes browsing the forum a whole lot easier. Check it out in the iPhone or Android store if you don't own it already.
however bad my day was, it was NOTHIN' like that...
Al- last time I saw you driving to the base of Whitehorse, I just knew that something was gonna break.
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Katie Holmes: 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' Charades Player!
Katie Holmes is all smiles during her appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Thursday (November 15) in New York City.
The 33-year-old actress chatted with Jimmy about her new Broadway play Dead Accounts and also played a fun game of charades with some lucky audience members. We can't wait to check out the video!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Katie Holmes
The day before, Katie commuted to work on the subway with a male friend.
FYI: Katie is wearing a Holmes & Yang tank, ALC pants, and an Isabel Marant sweater.
10+ pictures inside of Katie Holmes appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon…


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Trusted services only contracts certified professionals, trained according to national standards of excellence. In this way, we guarantee you top quality service at affordable prices. Regardless of speciality, all our UK contractors have undergone rigorous training, follow health and safety protocols and are certified to handle paperwork such as building permissions if required. Letting strangers into your home can be daunting, but we guarantee professional, reliable and safe services that you can trust.
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Trusted services West Midlands also contracts certified professionals such as architects, structural engineers and interior designers available to help you through every stage of your West Midlands home improvement project from how to lay foundations to what colour to paint the walls. We also have access to administrative and legal professionals to help you take care of the paperwork associated with certain types of construction. We can also help you find affordable alternatives for additional items such as scaffolding or refuse removal.
Trusted Services doesn't only provide contractors for residential projects. Our specialists are ready and able to work on commercial projects too. Whether you want to make over your retail floor space, install air conditioning in your office or build entirely new premises, we can put you in touch with the right professionals for the job.
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text: Hello! I am a single mother and this is my first child. I live alone, just me and my 2 and 1/2 week old daughter. My mother stayed with my for the first week, but she is a school teacher and had to return to work. I have some family and friends here in VA, which is why I moved back here to have my baby. I am finding that I am losing patience during breastfeeding. I find myself constantly checking the clock. That overwhelming good feeling I had when breastfeeding in the beginning is being overshadowed by exhaustion and anxiety. I am seeing a counselor right not to ensure I am not suffering from post pardum. I am sad a lot and very lonely. I don't have the energy to search for a job, but I will not be able to support myself and the baby come November if I don't find something. I want to keep breastfeeding because I know it's so much better for my baby...but I see how easy formula is. I don't want to just take the easy route, but with no one helping me with feedings (a father giving her breastmilk through a bottle at night would be awesome) I feel like I will give up soon. I am producing enough milk and she is gaining weight nicely. Sometimes I feel like I can't stand the way it feels when she is eating. And with her eating every 2-3 hours... I am not sleeping for longer that 2 hours at a time! I don't want to feel like this anymore. Please help.


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Cat Power – Love and Communication16 Sep
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Committees clash over architect for Nashua school projectBy BARBARA TAORMINA
Union Leader Correspondent
September 06. 2013 10:33PM
NASHUA — School and city officials have bucked the Construction Projects Committee's recommendation for an architect for the Broad Street School renovation and saved the city $114,000 in fees.
The Joint Special School Board Committee last week rejected the proposal to hire Lavallee Brensinger Architects, the firm that designed both the city's high schools, and opted instead to go with Harriman Architects. The JSSBC, which includes both the school board and the Board of Aldermen, objected to Lavallee Brensinger because its $546,000 proposal for the job was one of the two highest bids on the table.
And some members of the JSSBC were troubled by an 11th hour offer by Lavallee Brensinger that came in before the vote to cut their fees by $21,840.
"I'm pleased we gave the contract to an architect with a great track record at a good fee," said Board of Education member Dennis Ryder, who is also a member of the Construction Projects Committee.
Ryder had criticized the construction committee for what he called "a poor job in architect selection." He was not only concerned about the fees, he also felt the Construction Projects Committee was limiting its choices and continually doing business with just one or two firms.
"The committee members expressed a preference in the local company simply because they're local," Ryder said during a school board meeting in August. "So that means we're never going to get somebody from outside to come and bid on our schools."
Alderman Brian McCarthy made the case for hiring Lavallee Brensinger, reminding members of the Joint Special School Committee that they were not required to choose the lowest bidder. He also said the firm has had a long and successful history of construction projects in Nashua.
"We used Lavallee for this (Nashua High North), the other high school and some other projects. All of those projects came out sensational," he said.
But not all the members of the special committee agreed that Lavallee Brensinger's designs have been sensational.
"Some parents have been critical of (Nashua High North), saying it feels gloomy. I agree with that," said Board of Education member David Murotake. "This building is gloomy. It feels like a prison. The ceilings in the hallways are black; there's a lot of structure overhead."
McCarthy said some of those design elements were the result of significant cost- cutting measures.
Board of Education Chairman David Hallowell said he preferred Harriman Architects over Lavallvee Brensinger because of the unique approach the firm took to redesigning the entrances at Broad Street School.
"If Lavallee were to win their vote, I'm sure I'll be happy with their work," said Hallowell. "But I thought Harriman really did the leg work to really think about the problem, and I think it's really good for us to have another architect in the stall to do these projects."
There were also other problems surrounding the choice of an architect for the Broad Street School renovation. Alderman David Deane was concerned that Lavallee Brensinger had reviewed its fees and reduced them by $21,840.
"I don't think it's right," said Deane. "Was there fear that this issue would come up and there was a possibility they wouldn't land this contract? Is that why this letter was sent out with a reduction in the base cost? And were the other firms that were interviewed given an opportunity to reduce their cost as well?"
Deane suggested that Lavallee Brensigner was aware of the rumbling about its high bid, and cut the price to make sure they won the contract.
But McCarthy said that Lavallee Brensinger had always be open to negotiating its fee, and the firm assumed that after being selected by the Construction Projects Committee that its had the job.
"I don't think it was intended to influence the bid process," said McCarthy, who nevertheless added he wished the firm had waited before offering a new fee.
The Joint Committee voted 8-4 to pass on Lavallee Brensinger with Aldermen McCarthy, Richard Dowd, Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja and Michael Tabacsko voting in favor of the Construction Projects Committee's pick.
The Joint committee then voted unanimously to hire Harriman Architects to design the Broad Street School renovations.