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SPIVA® Latin America – Active Versus Passive in Latin America ESG Meets Behavioral Finance – Part 2 Mexican International Sovereign Debt Structure Mind the Gap: Corporate Carbon Disclosure in EMEA Blog - Mar 20, 2018 Managing Director, Index Investment Strategy Categories Equities, S&P 500 & DJIA Tags concentration, consumer discretionary, equal weight, Index Investment Strategy, information technology, S&P 500 Sectors, sectors, Tim Edwards It has not been a great start to the week for the technology sector, with large-cap tech stocks dragging down equity indices across the globe. With the current media focus on the industry behemoths, suitably arranged into fun acronyms (“FANGs” and so on), investors in the U.S. tech sector might be concerned about the risks of over-concentration. But is the tech sector the right part of the market to be worried about? Certainly, the risks of concentration are present in tech: the top five issues account for a shade under half of the total S&P 500 Information Technology index. As we have argued previously, more concentrated portfolios can have unfortunate characteristics. Equal-weight indices can help investors manage sectoral concentration risk; they tend to limit a portfolio’s exposure to single issues, and logically outperform as concentration decreases from higher to lower levels. Should the overall level of concentration within sectors mean-revert, then the current level of concentration – when compared to historical norms – offers a potential guide as to whether an equal- or cap-weighted strategy may be more effective at generating returns. Which makes it important to notice that the present level of concentration is not unusual for the tech sector. By the “top-five” measure, the S&P 500 Information Technology index is neither more, nor less concentrated than was typical over the past decade. In fact, another sector is displaying far greater warning signs. Concentration in the consumer discretionary sector, while less dramatic in absolute terms, is reaching unusual levels relative to recent history. Just one issue (Amazon) presently accounts for over 21% of the sector, while the next four (Home Depot, Comcast, Disney and NetFlix) account for another 23%. Accordingly, while tech may retain the headlines, investors worried about unusual levels of concentration may be better off applying their discretion in other sectors – and perhaps worrying about the CHANDs, not the FANGs! Equities, S&P 500 & DJIA concentration, consumer discretionary, equal weight, Index Investment Strategy, information technology, S&P 500 Sectors, sectors, Tim Edwards Phillip Brzenk Head of Multi-Asset Indices Tags Brazil, Brazil equity funds, Chile, Chile equity funds, Mexico, Mexico equity funds, S&P/BMV IPC, SPIVA, SPIVA LATAM The SPIVA Latin America Year-End 2017 Scorecard, which tracks the performance of active funds in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico relative to category benchmarks, was recently released. To ensure that the report is as relevant as possible to market participants, the S&P/BMV IRT, the total return version of the S&P/BMV IPC, is being introduced as the category benchmark for Mexico Equity Funds, starting with this year-end 2017 report. The S&P/BMV IPC is widely considered to be the de facto benchmark for Mexican equities, hence the change. The recent rise in the markets didn’t lead to outperformance by active fund managers against category benchmarks, as the majority of managers underperformed across all categories measured. The percentage of funds outperformed by benchmarks in each category for the one-, three-, and five-year periods are shown in Exhibit 1. The 2017 year-end report marks the fourth calendar year of publishing the SPIVA Latin America report. To track the historical performance of broad equity fund managers in Latin America, Exhibit 2 shows the average excess return relative to the respective country benchmark on a calendar year basis. In the strongest bull market years—2016 and 2017—the average performance of the broad equity fund managers trailed the benchmarks in all three markets. The most significant underperformance was seen in Brazil, where the excess return of the manager average was -10.9% in 2016 and -4.6% in 2017. This enforced the notion that fund managers were unable to keep pace with the market in robust market periods. In 2014 and 2015, which were bear or neutral markets for Latin American equities, fund managers fared relatively better. In Brazil, the average fund performance had positive excess returns in both years. For Chile and Mexico, the average fund performance slightly beat the respective benchmark return in one of the years (2014 for Chile, 2015 for Mexico), while lagging behind in the other year (2015 for Chile, 2014 for Mexico). While active managers did relatively better in periods of low or negative market return years, the magnitude of outperformance was significantly lower than the magnitude of underperformance observed in bull markets. Brazil, Brazil equity funds, Chile, Chile equity funds, Mexico, Mexico equity funds, S&P/BMV IPC, SPIVA, SPIVA LATAM Lauren Smart Managing Director, Global Head Financial Institutions Business Trucost, part of S&P Global Categories ESG Tags behavioral finance, green investing, S&P 500 Carbon Efficient Index, S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Free Index, sustainability Behavioral economics has had a transformational effect on the fortunes of millions of people saving for retirement through the introduction of auto-enrollment, default plans, and “save more tomorrow” schemes. In a series of blogs, I explore how insights from behavioral economics could be used to revolutionize ESG investing and facilitate critical finance flows to a more sustainable economy. In part 1, I explored how we could harness the power of inertia to address the intent-action gap for sustainable investing. In part 2, I explore some of the behavioral biases we exhibit about green investing. The Big Green Elephant in the Room: Why Do We Assume That “Green” Investing Means Sacrificing Returns? In an era of information overload, competition for our attention causes us to take mental shortcuts leading to errors and biases. As behavioral economists have pointed out, investors are not immune, which could account for the disconnect between science and investor action on climate change. The World Economic Forum’s 2018 risk report highlights the failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation as one of the most impactful and probable issues facing the global economy[1] and the Financial Stability Board asserts that climate is “the most significant” risk investors face.[2] So why is it that in the 2017 CFA Society ESG survey only 50% of respondents admitted incorporating environmental issues into their investment process, and the main reason cited was immateriality?[3] The big green elephant in the room is the pervasive belief that investing in a way that considers climate requires financial sacrifice. While this can partially be explained by limited knowledge about climate impacts on asset valuations and how environmental issues can be integrated into portfolio construction, behavioral finance provides insights into additional factors at play. The “no free lunch” heuristic is at the root of our automatic response that “green” or sustainable finance requires a returns sacrifice. To lose weight, you must diet, to pass your CFA, you must sacrifice your social life; there is no reward without risk and “good” things (like “green” products) require sacrifice. Even when there is abundant evidence to the contrary, we are less likely to take it into account because of confirmation bias, which is the tendency to prioritize or interpret new information in a way that confirms our existing beliefs. Confirmation bias is stronger for more emotive and deeply entrenched beliefs, which could explain the slower adoption[4] of sustainable finance in markets where issues like climate change are politically polarized, such as the U.S.[5] Listening to our reflective systems may lead us to a more logical judgement. We are entering an era of unprecedented population growth, placing huge pressure on the finite resource base for food, water, and energy. At the same time, more volatile weather and increasing pollution is depleting our “natural capital” base and governments globally are working to change the cost-benefit dynamics of polluting industries. Against this macroeconomic backdrop, it is logical that more resource-efficient companies and ones more responsive to changing consumer demand for greener products should do better. Indeed, to make the case more powerfully, try reversing the argument—do we believe more resource-inefficient, polluting companies will outperform going forward? A meta-study by Oxford University seems to confirm the thesis. It found that in 90% of cases, environmentally efficient companies have lower costs of capital and superior stock market performance.[6] This is reinforced by a Stanford University study demonstrating that carbon-efficient companies perform better on traditional financial metrics, such as higher ROI, cash flow, and coverage ratios.[7] This data can feed into portfolio construction for both environmentally themed strategies and the greening of “mainstream” strategies. For example, the S&P 500 Carbon Efficient Index tilts rather than excludes companies and has outperformed the underlying index over the past five-year period—as have versions that exclude fossil fuels, widely perceived to be the economic “losers” of a low-carbon transition. By addressing our cognitive biases, we can remove a key blocker to the flow of capital to a more sustainable economy. If you liked this blog, you might also enjoy the blog, “Can ‘Being Green’ Deliver Enhanced Returns?” You can also register to attend the Discover the ESG Advantage event on May 17, 2018, in London. [1] The World Economic Forum (2018), “Global Risk Report 2018” [2] https://www.fsb-tcfd.org/ [3] The CFA Institute (2017), “ESG Survey 2017” [4] Benjamin, Jeff, “Is ESG investing going mainstream?” Feb. 10, 2018. [5] Dunlap, Riley E., McCright, Aaron M., and Yarosh, Jerry H., (September 2016) “The Political Divide on Climate Change: Partisan Polarization Widens in the U.S.” Environment Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 58(5): 4-23. [6] Clark, Gordon L., Feiner, Andreas, and Viehs, Michael, “From the Stockholder to the Stakeholder: How Sustainability Can Drive Financial Outperformance,” University of Oxford, September 2014. [7] In, S., Young, Park, K., Young, and Monk, A., “Is ‘Being Green’ Rewarded in the Market? An Empirical Investigation of Decarbonization Risk and Stock Returns,” 2017. If you enjoyed this content, join us for our Seminar Discover the ESG Advantage in London on May 17, 2018. behavioral finance, green investing, S&P 500 Carbon Efficient Index, S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Free Index, sustainability Jaime Merino Director, Asset Owners Channel Categories Fixed Income Tags Mexican international bonds, Mexico, S&P/BMV Fixed Income Index series, S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index, S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index (USD), sovereign bonds To continue my last post about the Mexican sovereign debt structure, I will talk about the international debt issued by Mexico. The issuance of government securities in international markets is critical to achieve the Mexican federal government’s funding objectives. The process of the federal government’s securities allocation in international markets is as follows. The federal government agrees with investment banks to issue securities in the market. The investment banks announce the transaction and promote it to investors. Investors purchase, through the investment banks, securities issued by the federal government. Investment banks deliver proceeds from the transaction to the federal government. Simultaneously, the federal government instructs the fiscal agent to deliver the securities to investors. According to the Mexican Ministry of Finance, unlike domestic debt, there is no timetable for the issuance of securities denominated in foreign currency, since the decision to issue external debt is linked to the public debt strategy as well as to market conditions. Currently, the federal government has debt in U.S. dollars (USD), euros (EUR), British pound sterling (GBP), and Japanese yen (JPY) with 20, 2, 11, and 11 bonds by currency, respectively. Of note, Mexico has issued three bonds with maturities of 100 years (perpetual bonds). The latest was issued in April 2015 in euros and will mature in 2115; the one issued in USD matures in 2110 and the one issued in GBP matures in 2114. This last bond was actually the first sovereign bond issued by any country in GBP with that maturity, and it had a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.5, which indicates the acceptance of Mexican issuances in global markets. With USD 68,500 million of outstanding debt in the four currencies, Exhibit 1 shows the structure for these bonds, and we can see that 65% of the total amount is issued in USD. Almost 40% of the total debt has a maturity of more than 20 years and 30% between 5 and 10 years (see Exhibit 2). The 10 different indices in the S&P/BMV Fixed Income Index series are designed to track the performance of bonds issued in U.S. dollars. Exhibit 3 shows the returns of the S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index and the S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index (USD), with the returns of the former expressed in Mexican pesos and the latter in U.S. dollars. Mexican international bonds, Mexico, S&P/BMV Fixed Income Index series, S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index, S&P/BMV Sovereign International UMS Bond Index (USD), sovereign bonds Soren Stober Director of Business Development ESG & Sustainability Tags africa, carbon disclosure, carbon risk, Europe, middle east, Paris Agreement, Trucost Many companies in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region appear not to be fully disclosing their carbon emissions—especially from their supply chain and use of products. For many sectors, this is often where most risks lie. Nevertheless, across EMEA there are encouraging signs that companies are investigating these gaps and taking action to prepare for the low-carbon transition and compliance with emerging voluntary disclosure requirements or potential legislated disclosure requirements. The findings come from Trucost’s analysis of the latest data on carbon disclosure gathered by the investor-led CDP environmental data disclosure initiative from companies in 2017. Some 1,900 companies worldwide responded to the CDP’s data request, of which over 40% are headquartered in the EMEA region. Trucost’s analysis suggests significant gaps in emissions disclosure among EMEA companies. Across all sectors, companies tend to underreport their carbon emissions by 7%, on average. To dig deeper, Trucost sampled emissions data from firms in two sectors—health care and financials—comparing their actual disclosed emissions with expected emissions, given their business activities. The results show a significant shortfall (see Exhibit 1). Scope 3 emissions are of notable concern and complete reporting in this area remains a challenge. Scope 3 emissions include business travel, and companies may be most likely to report emissions in this scope because they are easier to measure. Emissions from supplies of goods and services and use of products tend to be harder to measure but are often of greater importance—in some sectors, they could account for 80% of a company’s emissions. This blind spot is a risk to companies, as costs from carbon pricing measures such as carbon taxes, fuel duties, and emissions trading schemes could be passed up the supply chain or make carbon-intensive products more costly to own and hence less attractive to buy. The good news is that businesses are increasingly trying to understand scope 3 risks, and our analysis of CDP data found that companies were using techniques such as input-output modeling to calculate their supply chain emissions. Two-thirds of EMEA respondents were also engaging their suppliers to implement measurement and reduction initiatives. In further good news, Trucost’s analysis found that about 80% of EMEA companies responding to the CDP set an internal price on carbon in 2017, and 50% are adopting science-based targets that are aligned with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius. Although progress is being made, EMEA companies need to continue improving their reporting. Carbon disclosure is evolving due to demand from investors for financially relevant carbon data and forward-looking metrics that assess exposure to carbon risks. The disclosure of such data is being encouraged by the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), whose membership includes EMEA financial policymakers and regulators. From 2018 onwards, the CDP is set to align its annual climate change information request with the TCFD recommendations. In addition, the EU High-Level Expert Group on Sustainable Finance’s report, “Financing a Sustainable European Economy,” makes wide-ranging recommendations that could affect how EU companies will be required to disclose environmental as well as social and governance information. Although the initial focus of the report is on how financial institutions and regulators should support the transition to a more sustainable economic model, recommendations made in the report could inform how companies are expected (or required) to disclose their carbon emissions to the financial market in future. africa, carbon disclosure, carbon risk, Europe, middle east, Paris Agreement, Trucost

Coelacanth: A Living Fossil From Eons Past (2023 Update) Lance Wilkins Coelacanth Editor @ CallOutdoors. Outdoor gear-head and adventure addict. I fish, camp and enjoy to writing about my adventures. Casting Mastery Blueprint Longer, more accurate casting in just 10 days! Do coelacanths hold a priceless secret to longevity? Given it’s been swimming our oceans for around 360 million years, it’s a fair bet that it’s mastered the cream of core survival skills. Perhaps its ability to keep a low profile is part of its strategy… Science believed it was extinct until a living specimen was caught in 1938… Let me show you what those scholars discovered. History & Distribution… Daily Routine, Feeding, & Threats… Interactions with Humans… Introduction: Back From The Dead? Before 1938, our only knowledge of the coelacanth or latimeria chalumnae came from fossils… As you might expect… Hauling up a fish that has supposedly gone extinct sent a host of scientific disciplines into meltdown. This is a biologist’s equivalent of all your Christmases coming at once! You see, once you’ve earned the prestigious title of extinct, it kinda stays with you—like…forever… Your secrets die with you also, leaving the detectives with little more than a fossil record and painstaking speculation. A Joyous Comeback For Science! This apparent extinction fake-out was a cause for scientific celebration… Why we hear you ask? Well, it’s because these creatures are strongly linked to life’s progression from the oceans to the land. The living coelacanth discovery represented significant potential for evolutionary revelations. Science heaven! Let’s go swimming with a very rare yet not-so-missing link. The coelacanth… Physical Features: Fish with Lungs? Before we discuss its good-looks or otherwise, let’s get the pronunciation correct… Coelacanth is pronounced “SEEL-uh-Kanth.” Top points for those who got it right from the get-go – it’s a tough one. Now that we got that all cleared up… A Big Fish with a Big Mouth and a Little Brain In anybody’s language, the coelacanth latimeria is a big fish… When fully grown it can be more than 6 feet long, and weigh in at more than 200 pounds…. To put that in perspective, that’s longer and heavier than the average American human male! A coelacanth has a proportionately big mouth too. However, it has a unique feature called an intracranial joint. Essentially, an intracranial joint is a hinged mouth. Its head can pivot upwards, allowing its mouth to open extra wide, presumably for eating large prey. Coelacanth Brain the coelacanth brain is minuscule… Conversely, the coelacanth brain is minuscule. Most of their brain cavity is full of fat, only 1.5 percent of this space is brain. It seems a big brain has little to do with longevity. A 12-foot saltwater crocodile has a brain the size of a walnut, yet has been around for over 240M years. Given these facts alone, it would appear longevity is all about having a big mouth and a small brain. Hmmm… definitely something to think about right? Preserved Coelacanth from SAIAB exhibition in Makhanda Grahamstown (2) Coelacanth Weird Bits Most of the other fishes we are familiar with are actinopterygians. This means “ray-finned”. Salmon, mackerel and trout, for example, are “ray-finned”. Their pelvic fins are supported by spines. Coelacanths are sarcopterygians or “lobe-finned” fishes. There are no spines or solid bones in their fins. These lobe-finned fish have fins that are a fleshy protrusion. It is this feature that holds the evolutionary links, which we’ll discuss later… Links to Evolution Interestingly, the four fleshy paired fins move in an alternating pattern more like four-legged land living animals, such as a horse or dog. Therein lies another hint to the sea-to-land evolutionary link. If you want to know more about interesting Coelacanth features… Watch the cool video below… A Scientist Demonstrating Features of a Preserved Coelacanth While these creatures are vertebrates, their spine is actually hollow and filled with fluid. Called a notochord, the spine is much the same as the early vertebrate lineage of millions of years from the past. Coelacanth is Greek for hollow spine, this is where it got its tricky name. Electro-Sensory Perception? Many fishes use an electric sensory receptor / rostral organ on their snouts to find prey and navigate. This includes but is not limited to sharks, dolphins, countless fish species, and weirdos such as the Australian platypus. The coelacanths too, use electroreception to find its dinner. However, where other fish have thousands upon thousands of sensory canals, they have only three paired sensory canals. Other species send electronic messages to different parts of their bodies, such as the head. They send messages directly to the dorsal snout – their top lip, more or less. Researching scientists believe this is the first discovery of a low-resolution electro-detector designed specifically for catching prey. It is also speculated that a coelacanth will use this snout mounted sensory rostral organ to avoid running into doors and falling down the stairs. Simple navigation stuff. Nothing to Look at Here…Or is there? Relative to some of the fish that live in its neighborhood, most coelacanths aren’t really that weird-looking. A little prehistoric, yes. But pretty ‘normal’ nonetheless. These creatures have a grey/brown color with interesting pale blotches. Its scales are very thick, looking like medieval armor, but that’s not so strange… It uses normal-looking fish gills to breathe, and most of its body parts look proportionate. Coelacantheformes Fossil From the Natural History Museum of Bamberg (3) Not so common Its eyes appear to be symmetrically placed on its head, not too big, or small, and it would appear to swim gracefully if a little lethargically. Compared to the sunfish, or the barreleye and the angler fish, it’s really only its limb-like fins that stand out as odd. In fact, it’s really a very attractive sea creature… However, when we open these creatures, that is, dissect it, we find a superfluous lung inside its belly? History, Distribution, and Breeding: How They Lived To Tell The Tale When scientists discovered an obsolete lung inside the abdomen of coelacanths… They concluded that millions of years ago the coelacanths likely used the lung to breathe. They suggest that some of these creatures moved out into deep waters… Triggering the change over time in the breathing mechanism. The lung became superfluous in the new species and those with lungs that remained in the shallower depths… Probably were wiped out with nearly all other life on earth, during the big extinction event over 65 million years ago. Yes… the one that took out the dinosaurs. So how are they still alive? The Evolution Plot Thickens It was the Sarcopterygians or lobe-finned critters, that took life out of the water to breathe air on land. They’re known as tetrapods, Greek for 4 feet. About 400M years in the past… It was one of these tetrapods, that gave rise to all vertebrates, including the dinosaurs and, yes, human beings. Somewhat later of course. It is understood that these creatures are ancestors of the tetrapods, which probably explains the lung and the lobed fins. More recent studies suggest that it is the lungfish, a close relative of coelacanths that is more closely related to the first land-dwelling tetrapods. The African coelacanth genome also provides insights into tetrapod evolution. Lungfish, the oldest coelacanth, and tetrapods are all assumed to have diverged, or branched off on a separate evolutionary path about 390 million years in the past. Science speculates with some authority… That coelacanths are closely related to the tetrapod. It simply took a different path. Diver Taking Photographs Underwater Distribution and Lifestyle of the Ancient Coelacanths The coelacanth latimeria chalumnae is particularly rare… The first coelacanth latimeria chalumnae was discovered in the Western Indian Ocean on the coast of South Africa in 1938. 60 years later, another type of its species called Latimeria menadoensis was discovered in Indonesia. Analysis showed that the coelacanth latimeria chalumnae and latimeria menadoensis are closely related and likely share a common ancestor. However, there are significant differences between the living species. Geographical Distribution of Coelacanths (4) Modern coelacanths live mostly off the eastern coast of the African continent… Locations include the waters off Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Indonesia, Comoros Islands (off the east coast of Africa) and the Indian ocean. The Latimeria, or Indonesian coelacanth species is found off the coast of Manado Tua Island, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia in the Celebes Sea. Coelacanths can be found in water as deep as 2300 feet… Live coelacanths can be found in deep sea in water depths of up to 2300 feet, that’s nearly half a mile! The regular haunt is more like 300 to 600 feet mark, feeding and living in the benthic zone. That is the ocean floor. This is still very much deep sea territory, and relatively cold. It appears cold water is more suitable for its breathing, and their sensitive eyes are more suited for the dark… In fact, they are rarely seen during full moons. At some point in time, coelacanths were thought to have become extinct, but live specimen were rediscovered in 1938 off the coast of South Africa Relatively Little is Known About Love and Breeding of Coelacanths It is understood that a Sulawesi coelacanth can live up to 60 years. However, it is believed they do not reach sexual maturity until age 20. This would support the notion that they were never a prolific living species at any time in their considerably long evolutionary history. Preserved Juvenile Coelacanth SAIAB exhibition in Makhanda Grahamstown (5) Coelacanth Gestational Period Once mature, the male will fertilize the eggs, which are retained inside the female. After a 13 month gestation period,fully formed live young are released into the water. Mom can expect from 5 to 25 pups each time. The pups are completely independent and able to survive on their own from the moment they are born. To give you an idea of size, one pregnant mom was found to have 26 young pups inside her with each measuring over 12 inches long. Daily Routine, Feeding, and Threats: A Night with a Coelacanth These creatures are nocturnal… It heads out to feed in the evenings. During the day, however… The coelacanth latimeria chalumnae aggregates in caves and large rock crevices doing not much at all. It is often found residing in a regular place with up to a dozen coelacanth friends… Scientists have observed that they’re pretty chill. There appears to be no fighting or territorial disputes. In fact, they tend to keep to themselves… If these creatures touch one another, they kind of retreat as if respecting the others personal space, or retreating to its own. Interestingly, other coelacanths are known to retreat when approached by large things such as research submersibles. Scientists surmise that this flight behavior suggests caution. It may indeed be the prey of predators such as sharks. A Casual Feed Coelacanths head out to feed in the evenings. It’s not a predatory feeder, it’s more of an opportunist, drifting with the current and eating anything that comes into its path, swallowing it whole. It swims lethargically as if it’s in no hurry at all. However, it is known to cover as much as 5 miles a night while feeding. Menu items include other fish and cephalopods. Cephalopods include creatures such as octopus, squid, and nautilus, for example. Metabolism of the Coelacanth They have a very sluggish metabolism. This certainly has benefits in an ocean zone like the twilight zone, as finding food can be pretty tough. It’s believed that its slow metabolism and ability to do without food for longer periods, may have saved it from extinction. Food was tough to come by when most of the life on earth went extinct 66 million years ago. Coelacanth as Prey Every yin has a yang. While they may have survived Armageddon, it is slow and lazy – every day’s a holiday – disposition, may have its drawbacks. Scientists and divers have observed shark bites on them. One would have to assume that some got it a lot worse than just a few scars. Plenty of other fish eating animals are also poised to do the same. Major Threats Like so much of the marine life in our oceans, the coelacanth’s greatest threat is from commercial fishing by-catch. The oil fish trade was particularly destructive… Because oil fish inhabit the same waters as the coelacanth, and feed at night, as coelacanth do. Many were just fish caught unintentionally. Sold for Research Before the ’80s these creatures were simply thrown back. However, following the growth of scientific interest… Fishermen began trading them with scientists. To encourage fishermen to avoid catching them… Incentives were offered to local fishermen in the form of more seaworthy boats. This allowed them to fish beyond the habitat where coelacanths rest. Unfortunately, over time the motors for the new boats fell into disrepair… The fisherman simply returned to the original fishing grounds, putting further pressure on the population of coelacanth specimen. New Conservation Methods In 2014, a method of deep water release was devised for returning fish caught unintentionally like living coelacanths… A hook and weight were connected to the fish that would release from the fish when it hit the ocean floor of the coelacanth’s resting habitat. Unfortunately, the jury is still out as to whether the intervention was successful or otherwise. Data is not readily available. Various countries have funded or provided habitat protection… This includes broader habitat protections for many living fishes, including that of the coelacanth. Interactions with Humans: Our Effect on Coelacanths Having remained out of public view for literally millions of years, it’s now somewhat of a celebrity. Owing to its location and habitat, these sea creatures are not so easy for the masses to access… But still, there’s plenty of divers that want to swim with a living fossil. How does that affect the coelacanth population? Check out this cool video of divers finding a Coelacanth… Divers Finding a Coelacanth Unregulated fish tourism doesn’t seem to be an issue for these creatures… The stresses of tourism has had significant impact on species such as the whale shark, and other easily accessed tropical reefs, and its inhabitants. Coelacanths are not harmful in any way to humans. In fact, they are considered a very gentle and peaceful creatures. The Coelacanth for Human Consumption …coelacanths can consider themselves very lucky that it evolved with a horrible flavor. Given the way we humans ravage the ocean’s resources, coelacanths can consider themselves very lucky that it evolved with a horrible flavor. It’s completely unsuitable for human consumption. Its flesh contains a delicious cocktail of oil, urea and wax esters… Its flesh contains a delicious cocktail of oil, urea and wax esters. While you might be able to polish your car with these bony fishes, eating them is out of the question. If those wonderful ingredients weren’t enough, there’s a host of other nefarious compounds that will make diners sick. Its scales ooze mucus, the flesh is slimy, and it smells disgusting. Hungry yet? Wanna coelacanth BBQ? Unfortunately, Coelacanths are Endangered Species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified Latimeria chalumnae, the African (West Indian Ocean) Coelacanth, as critically endangered species. It is estimated that there are only 500 left in the wild. Latimeria menadoensis, the Indonesian coelacanth species, is listed by the same official body as vulnerable… It is estimated that there is a much healthier population of around ten thousand individuals. Nonetheless, considering the size of the ocean and the expanse of their habitat, ten thousand still seems like a precarious number. Few in Numbers Scientists suggest, that even in their heyday millions of years in the past, their species were not such prolific creatures. It would seem a horrible twist of fate, that their species could survive over 300M years, including a major, almost complete extinction event, only to succumb to human carelessness. Conclusion: Wrapping Up The Coelacanth Surviving over 300 million years of evolutions, fickle twists, and a meteor-driven partial Armageddon… It surely deserves some sort of fancy commendation. Coelacanth fishes are true survivors. Does it hold the secret to longevity? Is a small brain, a low social profile, a big mouth, and a profoundly lazy disposition the meaning of life? These creatures pose a pretty strong argument in the affirmative. Or, is it a twist of fate and a bunch of dumb luck, that sees them cruising leisurely about the contemporary benthic zone? These species have a pretty significant heritage and bloodline… In fact, when you think about it, if evolution twisted a little differently, it may be their species paying taxes, driving cars and losing itself in its mobile phone. A Different Path At some point around 400M years in the past, the coelacanth diverged from their ancestors. They managed to stay in the ocean, and its ancestors became us. It truly mind-blowing when you think about it. Having survived all of this time and unimaginable chaos, it seems ridiculous that now its future hangs precariously in the balance. Surviving global extinction events obviously requires some serious survival skills. However, there are few, if any species that possess the capacity to survive humankind. Can you see the irony here? Having endured for millions of years, changing very little, if at all… The fate of these creatures lies in the hands of the evolved ancestor it diverged from over 400M years ago. Now that you’ve discovered how this supposedly extinct fish came back to life. If you think that people you know might be intrigued by the Coelacanth’s rise from the dead Feel free to share this content to let your friends discover this living fossil too! (Featured Image) Preserved Coelacanth from Numazu Deep blue-Aquarium Shizuoka Japan – by Kentaro Ohno さん – https://www.flickr.com/photos/inucara/ – https://www.flickr.com/photos/inucara/8442067878/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26348779 Preserved Coelacanth from SAIAB exhibition in Makhanda Grahamstown – By A3 Baard – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80591778 Coelacantheformes Fossil From Natural History Museum of Bamberg – By Ghedoghedo – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63980943 Geographical Distribution of Coelacanth (4) – By Anaxibia – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7709497 Preserved Juvenile Coelacanth SAIAB exhibition in Makhanda Grahamstow – By A3 Baard – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80591779 Best Fly Fishing Reels After testing 7 exceptional reels, we found that the best fly fishing reel is the Orvis Hydros Sl Fly Reel. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: hi, I am having lower abdomen and urinal pain since last night. Today after taking alkasol medicine urinal problem is no more but now suffering from mild lower abdomen pain with hip pain in the back and having stomach problem... Is this any indication of having kidney or urinal bladder stone or any kind of cyst?? kidney or bladder stones cause lower abdomen and hip pain? output: Hello, Welcome to Health Care Magic. I read carefully your query and I understand your concern.From your description probably you can have bladder stone, it can be a kidney stone that has travel down the ureters to bladder and during this it causes pain and then from the bladder it can be removed by urinating. During the movement of the stone through the urinary tract it cause: lower abdominal pain; frequent urination especially during night for the bladder stone; painful urination; blood in urine; nausea and vomiting.I recommend you to determine well the problem to do an abdominal echo and a urinary lab test.Hope this answers your question. If you have additional questions or follow up questions then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your questions. Kind regard,Dr .Marsida Janko..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: sir i m using Nebistar 5 mg since 1year, i feel pains in left chest area, as hearth area is stressed and when gas in coming form mouth i feel pain in hearth. i took all test like echo, thread mill are normal i m 37 years old. what make me like this can u expain output: A gastroesophageal reflux or hiatal hernia could be the cause of this clinical situation. So it is necessary to perform a careful physical examination and some tests: - a resting ECG- a chest X-ray study - a fibrogastroscopy to examine your gastroesophageal junction-some blood lab tests (complete blood count, PCR, sedimentation rate, blood electrolytes, kidney and liver function tests) to exclude other causes. You should discuss with your attending physician on the above-mentioned issues. Hope to have been helpful! Best regards!.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Have a five year old boy with mild hepatomagelly according to the Abdominal ultra sound scan that was done. but the liver functioning tests are as follows. Alkaline phosphate 113 iu/l Alanine transaminase 21iu/l Aspartate transaminase 38 iu/l Total bilirubin 3 mmol/l Direct bilirubin 0 mmol/l Gamma GT 13 iu/l Albumin 38 g/l output: Hi there, his LFT suggest that his ALP are raised and there is no conjugated bilirubin with hepatomegaly and hypoprotenemia. There is derangement in his liver function which point to an in born error of metabolism occurring due to deficiency in certain liver enzyme. You need to get your son thoroughly investigated preferably by a pediatrician trained for this purpose. The hepatomegaly is also due to this reason. Take care..

The Rock Church Contact the church office for additional infomation about each meeting and their leaders. For nearly 20 years, ROCK Out – Outreach has been reaching out to hurting people in our city. Campbell Rd. The Rock Worship Center believes that Evangelism is the cornerstone of our mission. We believe in the power of God’s Word to change lives and value the practical application of His Word to make a difference in who we are and what we do. Changing the size of the photo may cause some loss in detail. Rock Springs Baptist Church - Greenbrier Tennessee. Come and worship the Lord with us!. Taken from Matthew 28:18-20 our mission is to PREACH the Good News of Jesus Christ, BAPTIZE new believers and DISCIPLE them in all that Jesus teaches. Solid Rock Ministries is a Myrtle Beach church that offers two Sunday services at 9:30am and 11:15am. welcome to rock city. We pray that as you experience the Presence of God that your heart is prepared to receive His Powerful Word. 313 Views 0 Comments 0 Likes. This course is a collection of basic studies of the most fundamental doctrines that every disciple must study, believe and obey. Your Church Rock real estate search starts here. Humble, honest Christians who work on themselves and don’t have to pretend they don’t have faults. Welcome to Eagle Rock Church. The Rock Church Elmhurst NY service times, driving directions and parking information, church photos and videos, children and youth programs and more. Church on the Rock 1780 W. Our foundation is His Word, the Bible. Harold Oliver, 75, was arrested at John F. Rock Church * * * Email or Mobile Number. We invite you to become a member of the St Alphonsus Liguori 'Rock' Church Faith Community. Get directions, reviews and information for The Rock Church in Eustace, TX. Rock -- one of 300 Pennsylvania priests named in a 2018 grand jury report and. Sorry, we haven't any reviews about company Blue Rock Church. I see a church that loves people and is passionately in love with Jesus. History of the Church. com - Rock Harbor Church. Women’s Christmas Brunch. SCC is a Christian Church in Colorado Springs, CO with a focus on the being part of the God's Kingdom and living Kingdom Life today. Your faithful giving is an act of worship and support the present and future ministries of River Rock Church. Oklahoma City, OK 73134. Rock Church in Rockford Illinois is a non-denominational church that has been serving the Rockford community for over 70 years. The Rock is a friendly and accepting place where you can build a real relationship with God and with others like yourself. “See I am sending you out,” Jesus boldly announces to seventy of his disciples in the Gospel of Luke. Experience full volume worship, humorous, inspirational, and challenging messages; and an experience for your kids that will be their favorite 70 minutes of the week!. Leave stress at the door and find love, hope, joy, peace, and a real chance to change your life for the better. Kids and Students programming is available as well, ages 6 weeks - 8th grade. Heidi Truax is our Rector. The Rock Church is a diverse congregation of people who love Jesus. House on the Rock Family Church is dedicated to teaching the life-changing principles that we find in God's Word, as well as building a community, a family. George Greek Orthodox Church. We sincerely hope you feel welcome and have a pleasant experience. We believe that the Inland…. Dating from the late 12 th or early 13 th century AD, the construction of the church is ascribed to King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, one of the last kings of the. Christ the Rock Community Church. I began working at The Rock as the office administrator. If you travel this road you will be able to understand how to be saved. We are a genuine family - we love our Heavenly Father and we love each other. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Dec 05, 2019 · About the Rock Academy. Church on the Rock Training Ministry, 133 Hill Loop Rd, Goldsboro, NC, 27534, United States 1-855-386-3145 [email protected] Iron Men is The Rock Church’s group of MEN with a passion and drive for the kingdom, for their church, and for their families. We are blessed that you found us. welcome to house on the rock We welcome people from all walks of life, cultures, and church backgrounds. WELCOME TO ROCK BAPTIST CHURCH. Watch Latest sermon. We hope you find your time spent here a blessing. Address: 11630 S 700 E Draper, UT 84020 Contact:. At CRBC we believe world change comes by loving God well, and loving people well. The Rock is located in Napa, CA. John Carter (Padre Juan) ministers to our Latino congregation. The Rock Church of Fenton, Linden, Michigan. Bald Rock "Learning the Word. Anne's Catholic Church Highfield Rd Rock Ferry Birkenhead Merseyside CH42 2BY Tel: 0151 645 3996. The Rock Christian Church has been established in the Redlands since 2001. The Rock Church 4027 Trail Creek Rd Riverside CA 92505. Temppeliaukio Church (Finnish: Temppeliaukion kirkko, Swedish: Tempelplatsens kyrka) is a Lutheran church in the Töölö neighborhood of Helsinki. The brunch will be held at our Rock Church Plaistow location at 90 Newton Road in Plaistow on Saturday Dec.   Welcome to The Rock A Christian Church website. At The Rock Church we believe that everyone has a future, we understand that people need real hope. Choose Your Experience. Built directly into solid rock, it is also known as the Church of the Rock and Rock Church. The headstone photos are available to anyone who wishes to use them for personal, non-commercial use. You owe it to yourself to find a church that feels like home, feeds you spiritually, and gives you the help you need to make it through life. Powered by InstantPage® from GoDaddy. History of the Church. 0 bath property. Chimney Rock. The Rock Church and World Outreach Center is a Christian church located in San Bernardino, CA with Senior Pastor Dan Roth. The internet home of Solid Rock Baptist Church, Memphis Bartlett Tennessee TN. We want to thank you for visiting our website and let you know that we would love for you to spend your Sunday mornings with us. GOD'S WORD FOR OUR LIFE. Cornerstone Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) 2607 5th Street, Castle Rock, CO 80104 | 303-660-0267 ©2019 Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. However, the LLC lost its formal registration nearly five years later. Campbell Rd. At Quarry Rock, we offer a fresh, authentic and spiritual experience with messages straight from the Bible that you can apply directly to your daily life. Back to website Get the App Share. We know that you will sense this from the very moment you enter into the sanctuary. Welcome to The Rock Church. RockChurch is a growing and thriving congregation. The Rock is a Bible-based and Spirit-empowered church filled with people of all ages and backgrounds. 1040 N Sherman Ave. The Rock Church and World Outreach Center is a Christian church located in San Bernardino, CA with Senior Pastor Dan Roth. the rock lutheran 237 s. Powered by Squarespace. In 2005 the Rock began construction on their new building at Liberty Station and two years later, the new campus was open. Rock Island Family Church was established Sept. The Rock Church is San Diego's largest church. Our Beliefs. Two years later, Rock Academy opened its doors to students. You will love church at Red Rock! Colorado Springs favorite church. Northern Headquarters. Built directly into solid rock, it is also known as the Church of the Rock and Rock Church. marshals have arrested a man accused of swindling Orrick church members out of tens of thousands of dollars. Welcome To White Rock Baptist Church1657 140th Street, Surrey Bc V4a 4h1604 531 2344 [email protected] Our Mission is to reach the hurting in our community and around the world by equipping disciples for Christ and serving one another. This course is a collection of basic studies of the most fundamental doctrines that every disciple must study, believe and obey. We are a Spirit filled congregation that is multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-generational in membership and leadership. The Rock is Summed up in a single word: Love. Christ the Rock Church was founded by Austin Hetsler (Senior Pastor). Billy Wilson ministering at the rock church International on "Empowered for A New Dimension. Learn more about our mission and passion for faith. However, the LLC lost its formal registration nearly five years later. We are a casual, contemporary church in the heart of St. I was deeply disturbed when our tour group visited modern-day Bethlehem. Visit our family this Sunday!. Church Office Hours: Mon-Fri: 9 AM until Noon. Please join us for Bible study, worship, and prayer. Louis and around the world. November 24th, 2019 |. George (Bet Giorgis), Ethiopia, represents one of the wonders of the medieval world. A man of modest beginnings obeyed God's mandate to birth a church that will reach the lives of his generation and beyond. We believe that the Inland Empire shall be saved through loving people to life, giving powerful altar calls, and feeding people both spiritually and physically. Luke's Episcopal Church | North Little Rock, AR 72116. Faithlessness, As Disobedience Cornerstone God, The Rock Christ, The Head Of The Church Faith, Necessity Of Capstone Masons Prophecies Concerning Christ denial of Jesus Christ Messianic Prophecies Occupations Christ, Names For Building Builders. Roseland United Methodist Church. FORMID 5717 DOES NOT EXIST Advertisement Area CODE FOR BANNER HERE. At Solid Rock you will find a laid back, unpretentious atmosphere. True church family. The heartbeat of Church on the Rock is to help people discover how they can LOVE God and LOVE one another, LIVE with passion, purpose and freedom, and LEAD others to this same experience in Jesus. Castle Rock Colorado Church Directory - List of Churches near Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Franktown, Sedalia and Larkspur, Colorado. It takes a great team to make a great difference. Photo shows all that remains of Rock Church. 2 days ago · The church also released renderings showing what several rooms inside the temple will look like after renovations are completed. Worship is important to the Rock Church. (You can read more about Pastor Heidi HERE). Nov 24, 2019 · God's Grace in Everyday Life | December 1, 2019 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Overcoming Faith (part 2) Do Not Grow Weary - Jerry Dirmann. Learn more about our mission and passion for faith. Description: The Constitution and By-Laws of Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church in the year 1972. Rock, who now lives in Bethlehem, Pa. We are glad you found us. 20th St La, Ca 90007. The Rock Community Church welcomes you! Whether you are new to The Rock family or have held membership since we were established in 2005, we thank God for your presence! At The Rock, we seek to capture that word family, doing life together as a body of Christ. Solid Rock Church is a family church located about 15 minutes north of Birmingham, AL. therockchurch. Church of God (Cleveland, TN) 4003 Roundup Drive North Little Rock, AR 72117. Give on the Rock Church mobile app. The Rock is a multi-campus, multi-language, church with eighteen congregations. Rock Hills Church is a great church in Bowling Green, KY. Are you looking for a Church in Salinas? You’ve found it! We offer prayer, counseling, and a new family life. A Bible based Church, with awesome worship, dynamic youth and a k-8 Christian school. solidrockchurch. The Rock Church is a gathered group of people committed to knowing God, serving God, and loving those around them. ©2019 The Rock Church. The rain came down, the streams rose, the wind blew and beat against that house yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. pieces of the temple rock for guest to touch and furniture from. Iron Men is The Rock Church's group of MEN with a passion and drive for the kingdom, for their church, and for their families. We want to be a Colorado Springs church that everybody loves to attend. The Rock Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Oct 23, 2017 · The Lutheran church has operated in Sri Lanka since the 1920s. Church on the Rock - Worship 8:30 and 10am Sunday mornings at Dipson's Cinema 8 Theaters, Lakewood, NY 14750. PORTSMOUTH, Va. Join us on our mission of seeking God & growing in faith. Description: The Constitution and By-Laws of Little Rock Missionary Baptist Church in the year 1972. We are a growing Church serving the Rockwell, China Grove, Landis and Kannapolis area of NC. This year, we have a huge opportunity to give gifts to hundreds of children for Christmas! Choose a tag from the Hopetown giving treen in the lobby at TRC and return with a new unwrapped gift by 12/22. Dec 01, 2019 · the|rock church exists to see lives transformed by the love of Jesus. Let us know of any new Rock locations so we will reach out with resources, love, and help. Pastor John-Paul Miller is the pastor who delivers the sermons every Sunday. The headstone photos are available to anyone who wishes to use them for personal, non-commercial use. From blogs to testimonies, there are many ways for you to be encouraged and refreshed today. The Episcopal Church is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We would love to meet you at one of our upcoming services! Read more about Pastor Eric & Kim. We at The Rock Christian Church are a very welcoming group of caring and friendly people who love God and each other. The Rock is a non-denomination Christian church that meets Friday nights in South Minneapolis. He is a man who loves people and the Word of God. RockPointe Church Online - Extra Showings. To learn more about what we believe you can visit our About Us page. Matt is married to our C3 Conway manager, Amanda and is originally from Tampa, FL. The Rock is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, and written by David Weisberg and Douglas S. This year, we have a huge opportunity to give gifts to hundreds of children for Christmas! Choose a tag from the Hopetown giving treen in the lobby at TRC and return with a new unwrapped gift by 12/22. 7000 John F. Louis and around the world. We love our kids & students! It's one of our core values - to love, lead, serve, and disciple the next generation. 455 Hands Mill Hwy, Rock Hill, SC 29732 : We are a Baptist church believing in salvation of sinners by Grace and through Faith alone. Our goal is to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone around us through what we say, how we think, what we do, and how we live. ©2019 by The Rock Church. RockFish Church wants to see a radically abandoned people given to the advancement of the Gospel and succeeds when all members are connecting relationally, growing spiritually and engaging in the cause of Christ; believing that the Bible is the irrefutable word of God. Where is ROCK Church? Sunday Worship Services. We have a vision to reach the unreached. Want one? Rock Church Memphis. 6 PM Sunday Live Service Dr. Find Rock hill, South Carolina SC churches in our online church directory with address, phone number, website, denomination, map and more details. Roseland United Methodist Church. Chimney Rock. Are you looking for a Church in Salinas? You’ve found it! We offer prayer, counseling, and a new family life. If you're new to the Dallas/Fort Worth area and looking for a new church home, feel free to visit us at the Solid Rock Church in Arlington, Texas. The ROCK Church, located in Centralia IL, strives to present the ALMIGHTY GOD as a SAVIOR who will RESCUE, a SPIRIT who will LEAD, and a FATHER who will LOVE. The Rock Church is a myriad of mixed races, ages and genders. Jesus taught In Luke 9:23-24 that if anyone wanted to follow Him they must deny them self and that whoever wanted to save their life must lose it and lose it for His sake. Rock Church exists to reach the world with a message of hope through the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ. Get Involved; Coming Up Weekly Bulletin; Calendar. Oct 31, 2019 · Church Rock is a large formation in the middle of a meadow just off the highway. George (Bet Giorgis), Ethiopia, represents one of the wonders of the medieval world. We are committed to helping you understand what it means to belong to Jesus, grow in your relationship with Him and reach the world with his life-changing message. We love our kids & students! It's one of our core values - to love, lead, serve, and disciple the next generation. We are a Christian community and would love to have you join our family. The Rock Campus Church in Columbia, MO exists to make fully devoted followers of Christ out of college students and to plant like-minded churches. Powered by InstantPage® from GoDaddy. com is not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rock Church and has no official or unofficial affiliation with Rock Church Based on public records. Faith Baptist Church 8th Ave, Aynor, SC 29511 The Rock Church - Conway Campus 2:00pm The Rock is proud to partner with the Tim Tebow Foundation as an. ROCK of Salvation Church, is an Non-denominational Multicultural full gospel International Christian Church, founded on apostolic doctrine and the fundamental principles of the Word of God. 6624 [email protected] River Rock Church, PO Box 184, Belle Plaine, MN 56011. A Bible based Church, with awesome worship, dynamic youth and a k-8 Christian school. We are looking for people who may share our vision. Looking for a church to join? Visit your local Seventh-day Adventist church in Round Rock, TX and see how you and your family fit in to the Christian community provided by this SDA church. At Rock Family Church, you might see people dressed in their Sunday best, some dressed casually, and some wearing shorts, a t-shirt and flip flops! Makes no difference to us – wear whatever works for you!. Call the Parish Office to set up an appointment to register (314-533-0304) or email parish130archstl. tv Directions. Built directly into solid rock, it is also known as the Church of the Rock and Rock Church. Not enough can be said about Church Windows Support. Pastor John-Paul Miller is the pastor who delivers the sermons every Sunday. Rock Springs United Methodist Church, Church Lawrenceville, Buford, Traditional service, Sunday School, Fellowship Hall, Mall of Georgia, Methodist,. We are a community committed to loving God, loving people, and loving the world. We are blessed that you found us. The Rockhouse is a contemporary christian church based in Long Beach California. Our vision is clear: a Rock church in every town, every city, and every country all around the world. The Rock Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Started the Solid Rock Baptist Church in 1981. RockFish Church wants to see a radically abandoned people given to the advancement of the Gospel and succeeds when all members are connecting relationally, growing spiritually and engaging in the cause of Christ; believing that the Bible is the irrefutable word of God. The ROCKS Church is located in Cannington, Perth Western Australia and we are here to help you grow to be wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ. The Rock Church of Fenton, Linden, Michigan. Don't have a church home of your own? Welcome home! The church in every family. Dating from the late 12 th or early 13 th century AD, the construction of the church is ascribed to King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, one of the last kings of the. Ours is a church of people from many different countries, ethnic backgrounds and from all levels of life drawn together by God's love and changed forever by His mercy and grace. We call it Christianity in Motion! We do this through sermons with real-life examples, interactive messages on Wednesday nights, LIVE online streaming and small groups where we discuss how to apply what we've learned to our every day lives to grow closer to Jesus and improve our witness to the. Shadow Rock UCC. The Rock is Summed up in a single word: Love. Welcome Home to the Rock Church! We’re a spirit-filled Christian Church in Walsall, near Birmingham, with a heart to love God, love people, and serve our community together. Gilead Church, organized in 1824, in Dekalb County, now Fulton, is approximately 7 miles from the Owl Rock Church. Dana Carson. Christianity is relevant, church can be meaningful, and a relationship with Jesus is life-changing. As the world's oldest and largest continuously functioning international institution, it has played a prominent role in the history and development of Western civilisation. The Rock Church. ” We strive to be a place where church and community meet and where all people are welcome. The Rock began in 2001 as a church plant in the city of Manhattan Beach by Rolling Hills Covenant Church. Iron Men is a group that enjoys getting together for mens camping, fishing, sports, and just having a good time in fellowship. Why The ROCK Initiative? Eastern Star Church is compelled by the church’s mission and faith to reach out and work to improve the quality of life in the 46218 community. Thanks for your interest in our developing community here in Springfield, Missouri! We are in the process of replanting a faith community in the urban center of our city. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. We pray that as you experience the Presence of God that your heart is prepared to receive His Powerful Word. The Rock Church Media. 728 Rock Creek Church Road NW is currently listed for rent at $3,800 and was received on December 02, 2019. 3/F ESNA Bldg, No. We believe God has directed you here to find friendships, family, and purpose. Visit Church Angel. Choosing a church home is an important step in your life. We believe in the biblical principles of tithes and offerings. Heidi Truax is our Rector. " I John 4:18. [1] This incident was a result of the breach and then failure of one of United Nuclear Corporation's disposal ponds for mine tailings from their uranium mill. We take the Bible seriously and seek to grow in our faith through God's Word and Sacraments at church as well as our personal study at home. Welcome to Shelter Rock Manhasset! I am so glad you are interested in visiting Shelter Rock Manhasset. " - Richard Young,. com - Rock Harbor Church. Join us on Thursday, December 5th at 6:30PM in the SRBC Youth Loft to kick off the Christmas Season together! Wear your favorite PJ’s, slippers, comfy sweatpants, or a fun Christmas sweater!. Welcome to Rock Christian Centre We are a lively, growing multi-cultural church located in the inner-city area of Burngreave in Sheffield, England. The Rock Bible College offers a two year program to earn an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies. It's a proven innovation platform with active community support. Living Rock Church is a vibrant and family-friendy church. 909-825-8887 [email protected] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 20th St La, Ca 90007. Hunker Down!. Love others. Tyson was born and raised in rural northeastern Colorado and is wired for pastoral ministry. Pastor Tim has been in the ministry for many years, and felt a calling from God to start a church. Church of God (Cleveland, TN) 4003 Roundup Drive North Little Rock, AR 72117. Catholic Church, Boy Scouts hit with dozens of sex abuse suits under new N. Rock -- one of 300 Pennsylvania priests named in a 2018 grand jury report and. Anointed, Bold, God-focused, Insightful, Innovative, and Creative are all terms used to describe Eric C. About our Pastors; What we Believe; Mission & Vision; Our Team; Our Covering; Location & Service Times; Ministries. The spirit of the holy ghost can truly be felt through the music and inspirational sermons of Pastor Leon Patillo, former lead singer of Santana. If you are planning on moving to the Little Rock area or if you live in the vicinity of Little Rock, Mabelvale, Bauxite, Bryant, Benton or any of the surrounding areas, please visit Christ Church at 11800 Vimy Ridge Road, Little Rock, AR. Every aspect of our lives together, both corporate life and individual, is to be given fully to God. A contemporary non-denominational "come as you are" church with a relaxed welcoming feel for people of all ages. (You can read more about Pastor Heidi HERE). Welcome to Rock Springs. Sermon Videos; Vision 20/20 Devotions; Vision 20/20 Testimonies; All Videos. Jerry is also the author of Operation Solid Lives, a discipleship system that has served tens of thousands of students in hundreds of churches in fifteen countries. Dec 03, 2019 · At Rock Harbor Church, we teach the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and seek to apply its truth to our daily lives. The Rock Church is a Discipleship-Movement. Rock Spring United Methodist Church Website. The Rock Church Temecula Valley is a community of Christian believers committed to the development of people to their full leadership potential. Whether you are checking us out for the first time or are looking for ways to get connected, we consider it an honor you are here. As we are in the process of putting everything together, if there is information missing that you are looking for, please accept our apology. 5,348 likes · 795 talking about this · 6,652 were here. 1 Peter 2:6. Want one? Rock Church Memphis. We have a vision to reach the unreached. We come from a tradition of witness and service and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we seek to continue to learn, live, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with each other, our children, the community and the world. Welcome to the Rock Our mission is to grow in relationship with JESUS and make disciples. The Rock is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, and written by David Weisberg and Douglas S. The Rock Church is a gathered group of people committed to knowing God, serving God, and loving those around them. Rock Church is an evangelical megachurch located in San Diego, California, with five campuses located in Point Loma, San Marcos, El Cajon, San Ysidro, and City Heights. RockChurch is a growing and thriving congregation. At The Rock Church we believe that everyone has a future, we understand that people need real hope. We love the community of Plymouth and want everyone to understand just how much Jesus loves them, too. Covering 85 acres, the cemetery is sited on high ground, its undulating terrain falling away to the north from the main gate. Welcome to Solid Rock Baptist Church. Thanks for your interest in our developing community here in Springfield, Missouri! We are in the process of replanting a faith community in the urban center of our city. Growing Christians of the first church studied in depth the teachings of the Bible. We are a non-denominational church based on God's. Back to website Get the App Share. Weekend Encounter. Then, on Saturday, a celebration of life ceremony will be held at noon at Second Baptist Church on Broad Rock Boulevard. Wednesdays, 7:30 PM in the Youth Building. We believe in the biblical principles of tithes and offerings. The Rock Church Queens, NY 5702 Hoffman. Hours Closed for renovations. Faithlessness, As Disobedience Cornerstone God, The Rock Christ, The Head Of The Church Faith, Necessity Of Capstone Masons Prophecies Concerning Christ denial of Jesus Christ Messianic Prophecies Occupations Christ, Names For Building Builders. However, the LLC lost its formal registration nearly five years later. ROCK - Reaching Others for Christ's Kingdom – For teens from 9th to 12th grades. The ROCKS Church is located in Cannington, Perth Western Australia and we are here to help you grow to be wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God and the only authority for the governing of the local church. Welcome to Caprock Church. This year, we have a huge opportunity to give gifts to hundreds of children for Christmas! Choose a tag from the Hopetown giving treen in the lobby at TRC and return with a new unwrapped gift by 12/22. Our community displays a passion for worship, scripture, prayer, and the supernatural. PASTOR: Lee Griggs "Where Jesus Is Lord" In a world where everything is falling apart there is a bright spot, there IS hope, there can be peace in your life, come visit with us and find out how!. Nov 24, 2019 · Welcome to Redemption Rock in South Chatham, Massachusettes on Cape Cod. Welcome to Rock Springs. Neal holds the offices of chaplain of the Missionary Baptist Sunday School Union and is the third moderator of the Reedy Creek Association.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I am Nalini Tripathi fron New Delhi, with 5.2 ft height and weighing 65.4 kg. I have been on Haemodialysis since 1st July, 2008. I am suffering from Hepatitis C, genotype 1a since November, 2009.. For six months, I was put on Pegasys nterferon injections of 180 mg, but in vain. The viral liad increased to 4,33,000. Recently, I was diagonosed with Liver Cirrhosis. The right lobe of the liver is conmpletely scarred but the left lobe is within the normal limits. There is also mild Spleenomegaly with Ascetis. output: .. In cirrhosis liver can't produce albumin. So edema is present... Take low salt diet. If needed diuretic is helpful.... If still portal hypertension not controlled TIPS like shunt placement can be done...Meanwhile, take low fat diet. Fruits more... Avoid alcohol... Take crushed papaya seed with lemon juice one tsp daily. Grind carrot and spinach leaves juice daily... Take care.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hii. I am age 35 male. I am suffering from erectile Dysfunction and low sperm count which is leading to infertility. I got myself examined and found out i have Varicocele grade I. Please suggest me good medicine which gives good benefit and no side effects. Sunny output: Hello,If you have low sperm count then you could benefit from Varicocele surgery. Varicocele is known to cause low sperm count. So, you should go ahead with the surgery. It's not a very major surgery and has the potential to increase your sperm count. But, there are no guarantees. If you opt against surgery, then you can try medications. I usually prescribe a product from Himalaya ayurvedic called Speak. I give it for three months and usually find a rise in Sperm count after three months. Choose what you want, but I would advise in favor of surgery. Thank you..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: hi my 7yrsold son is having caugh,running nose and fever and moreover fever is especially evening 5-6 and early morning 1-2 after that it subsided itselft,i gave him cough syrup and paracetamol.morning ,afternoon he is ok ...during time he keep upon crying.advice pls output: Hello. Thanks for posting your query at our health forum. It seems your son has developed an upper respiratory tract infection (mostly viral) and hence has developed cough, cold and runny nose. It is better to wait for 2 days because antibiotic usage due to chances of developing resistance, is not prescribed right away.

Escalation of coronary atherosclerosis in younger people by comparison of two autopsy studies conducted a decade apart Kusuma Venkatesh1, DC Deepak2, VT Venkatesha3 1 Department of Pathology, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India 2 ESIC Model Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India 3 Department of Forensic Medicine, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Dr. Kusuma Venkatesh No. 28, 2nd Cross, Maruthi Seva Nagar, Banasawadi Road, Bengaluru - 560 033, Karnataka DOI: 10.4103/HEARTVIEWS.HEARTVIEWS_49_17 Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death worldwide which includes coronary heart disease (CHD) as the major contributor. The foremost cause of CHD is atherosclerosis of coronary arteries leading to angina to sudden deaths which is sharply increasing in India; sadly more in the younger people. In this study, results were compared to an autopsy result performed a decade earlier. Aims: Both autopsy studies were conducted to assess the frequency of coronary atherosclerosis, morphological types of lesions and the degree of stenosis in three major coronary arteries. The association of the disease to age, sex, socio-economic status, diet and obesity were studied along with correlating the severity with major risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and smoking. Materials and Methods: 60 hearts in the 1st study and 120 in the 2nd study were studied after collecting from Forensic department with details of the deceased. Hearts were dissected by Virchow's method and three major coronary arteries were studied by making serial sectioning. The atherosclerotic lesions were examined histopathologically and typed according to American Heart Association classification along with grading of the luminal stenosis. Results: The second study showed an alarmingly higher incidence of atherosclerosis (90.83%), especially in younger age. Compared to the older study in which 68.33% had coronary atherosclerosis. In both studies coronary atherosclerosis was more in males, severity increased with age and proximal segment of left anterior descending coronary artery was the most commonly affected part with higher grade lesions. Conclusion: The frequency of occurrence of coronary atherosclerosis has definitely increased steeply in the past two decades and alarmingly more in the younger people, with the severity being common in the fourth decade of life itself. There is strong positive correlation with major risk factors reiterating the importance of clinical screening and preventive programs. Keywords: Atherosclerosis, autopsy study, coronary atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease Venkatesh K, Deepak D C, Venkatesha V T. Escalation of coronary atherosclerosis in younger people by comparison of two autopsy studies conducted a decade apart. Heart Views 2018;19:128-36 Venkatesh K, Deepak D C, Venkatesha V T. Escalation of coronary atherosclerosis in younger people by comparison of two autopsy studies conducted a decade apart. Heart Views [serial online] 2018 [cited 2019 Jul 18];19:128-36. Available from: http://www.heartviews.org/text.asp?2018/19/4/128/256236 Heart is a vital organ working incessantly in supplying blood to all parts of the body. Impairment of heart function due to an inadequate blood flow to the cardiac muscle because of obstructive changes in the coronary circulation is termed “coronary heart disease” (CHD) or ischemic heart disease. More than 95% of such cases are due to atherosclerosis of one or more of the three coronary arteries, leading to stenosis and known to cause angina to myocardial infarction, and sudden death. The WHO has called CHD as the modern “epidemic” as it is the major disease accounting for 25%–30% of deaths in most industrialized countries.[1] Although CHD is described as a disease of modern times, studies have shown its presence in Egyptian mummies.[2] For many years, pathogenesis of coronary artery disease was elucidated and pathologists such as “Virchow” and “Ludvig Hektoen” contributed in the understanding of myocardial ischemia.[3] In India, Sushruta a reknowned surgeon described circulation of vital fluids from heart and gave a vivid account of “Hritshoola” meaning heart pain 150 years before Hippocrates.[4] The scenario of atherosclerosis in India is appalling with highest loss in potentially productive years of life (deaths in people aged 35 and 64 years of life). The reported loss was 9.2 million years in the year 2000 and projected to reach 17.9 million years by 2030 which is 9.4 times greater than loss in the USA. The incidence of CVD is reported to be 2–3 times higher in urban than in rural people.[1] The coronary artery disease has doubled in Indians during the past three decades.[5] Understanding the pathology of coronary atherosclerosis in the living persons with imaging and other techniques is expensive. Autopsy study is recommended and valued when it is done efficiently rather than as an exercise of tradition.[6] The objectives of both studies were to find out the overall frequency of coronary atherosclerosis occurring in randomly selected medicolegal autopsies, to assess the frequency of coronary atherosclerosis in relation to age, sex, socioeconomic status, and diet, to analyze the role of risk factors, namely, smoking and alcoholism, diseases such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension in the development of coronary atherosclerosis and to study the distribution, morphology, and severity of atherosclerotic lesions in the three major coronary arteries, namely, left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, right coronary artery (RCA), and left circumflex artery (LCX). The first study also included comparison of atherosclerosis in coronary arteries and aorta.[7] A descriptive analysis comparing results of two autopsy studies is presented. The first study was done from February 1991 to January 1992 in which sixty hearts with aorta up to the iliac bifurcations were studied to analyze both aortic and coronary atherosclerosis. In the second study, 120 hearts were studied between December 2010 and January 2013. These studies were done in two hospitals located close to each other in a South Indian cosmopolitan city. The hearts were collected from the Department of Forensic Medicine after medicolegal postmortems were conducted. Specimens from unidentified cases, those for which the required history was not available and decomposed specimens were excluded from the study. Details about the case's, socioeconomic status categorized as per Kuppuswamy classification,[8] dietary habits, history of illnesses such as hypertension, hypercholesterolism, and diabetes mellitus, information about habits such as tobacco smoking and alcoholism were obtained from the closest relative of the deceased and from autopsy protocols. The hearts were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and gross examination with recording of weight, measurements, amount of pericardial fat, hypertrophy, or any other abnormalities. The hearts were dissected by Virchow's method which follows the flow of blood and the coronary ostea were examined for obstruction. The three major coronary arteies, the LAD artery, RCA and the LCX were studied by making serial cuts along their entire course at an interval of 3 mm. A minimum of two bits taken from the proximal and distal segments of each coronary artery and more bits were processed whenever required. Routine processing of tissue was done and 4–5 μ thick paraffin sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin were studied. Special stains such as Verhoeff's, Van Gieson, Masson's trichrome, von Kossa, and Alizarin Red were also used when necessary. The coronary atherosclerotic lesions were examined histopathologically and typed according to American Heart Association (AHA) classification.[9] The degree of luminal stenosis was graded by White and Edwards method.[10] Accordingly, the artery was typed normal when there was no obstructive lesion and when luminal stenosis of the artery was present it was graded as shown in the [Table 1]. Table 1: Grades of stenosis of lumen due to coronary atherosclerosis The overall frequency of atherosclerosis in the first (older) study was 68.33% for coronary atherosclerosis and in the second study it was 90.8% which shows an alarming increase in occurance of the disease [Table 2]. In first study, there were 45 males and 15 females in the ratio of 3:1, aged from stillborn to 80 years and in the second study there were 96 males and 24 females in the ratio of 4:1, and age group ranged from 6 to 79 years. Maximum number was in the fourth decade. Table 2: Overall frequency of coronary atherosclerosis in the two autopsy studies In the first study, atherosclerosis of aorta and coronaries were studied and compared. All cases in the first decade of life were free from aortic and coronary atherosclerosis. Second decade onward all cases showed lesions in aorta, mainly fatty streaks in the second and third decades and advanced lesions after the fourth decade. Twenty-five percent showed coronary atherosclerosis in second decade, 45.45% of Grade I coronary lesions in the third decade, 75% in fourth decade of which Grade III and higher lesions were seen in only 16%. In fifth decade, 88.88% coronaries showed lesions of which 33.33% were Grade III and IV. In the sixth decade all the cases had lesions, 75% had Grade III and higher lesions in aortas with similar lesions in 66.77% of coronaries. In the seventh and eighth decade, severe degree atherosclerosis was seen in both aorta and coronaries [Table 3]. Table 3: Age-wise distribution of coronary atherosclerosis in the first study Distribution of coronary atherosclerosis in different age groups in the second study is shown in [Table 4]. The significant difference between two studies was noted in the age group of 31–40 years and in the second study with 100% frequency of coronary atherosclerosis compared to 75% in the first study. About, 100% involvement was noted in the sixth decade in the first study. Table 4: Age-wise distribution of coronary atherosclerosis in the second study Coronary atherosclerosis showed its preference to males clearly in both studies who also had higher grade lesions. In the first study, of 15 females 26.6% showed coronary atherosclerosis as against 61.66% males and much higher frequency was noted in the second study with 83.33% females and 92.70% males having coronary lesions [Table 5]. Table 5: Gender-wise distribution of coronary atherosclerosis in the second study Analysis of the role of socioeconomic factors as contributory factors in the first study revealed overall 75% had coronary atherosclerosis in higher class, 72.72% in middle class and 60.86% cases in low class. In the second study, according to Kuppuswamy classification[9] 93.75% of Class I and II, 92.10% of Class III, 90.00% of Class IV and 78.57% of Class V cases showed coronary atherosclerosis. These social classes also indicate to an extent the sedentary life style which is more in the higher classes. Analysis of nutritional status in the first study revealed that 92.30% of obese persons, 64.86% of averagely nourished persons, and 50% of the poorly nourished having coronary atherosclerosis. In the second study, all the 13 (100%) obese persons and 89.71% of nonobese persons had showed the disease. The role of habits such as tobacco smoking and alcoholism as risk factors in the first study, 91.17% of smokers had coronary atherosclerosis against 38.46% nonsmokers. Nearly, 84% alcoholics and 57.14% nonalcoholics had coronary atherosclerosis. Out of 52, 51 smokers (98.07%) in comparison with 85.29% of nonsmokers and 43 out of 45 alcoholics (93.03%) compared to 88% nonalcoholics in the second study showed coronary atherosclerosis [Figure 1]. Figure 1: Association of high risk factors, graphs show higher incidences of coronary atherosclerosis with tobacco smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia The role of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia as risk factors: in the first study, 91.66% of hypertensives compared to 62.5% of nonhypertensives and 83.33% of diabetics compared to 66.66% of nondiabetics had coronary atherosclerosis. The second study revealed all 37 (100%) cases with hypertension compared to 86.74% in nonhypertensives and all 23 with diabetes mellitus (100%) were having the disease compared to 88.65% in nondiabetics. All the 14 cases (100%) with hyperlipidemia showed coronary atherosclerosis as compared to 89.62% without hyperlipidemia [Figure 1]. Hence, both studies show a higher incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in all persons associated with risk factors which was much higher in the second study. Analysis of the diet and its relation to atherosclerosis in the first study showed 75.55% nonvegetarians (mixed diet) and 46.66% of vegetarians having coronary atherosclerosis compared to 94.28% nonvegetarians and 86% vegetarians, respectively, in the second study. In the first study, coronary atherosclerosis was noted in 68.33% and 95% cases had aortic atherosclerosis with lesions of varying severity. Analysis of all three major coronary artery lesions revealed single artery involvement in 14.63%, involvement of 2 arteries in 26.82%, and all the 3 coronaries in 58.53% of cases. LAD of left coronary artery was the most commonly involved with 92.68%. Cases followed by 80.48% cases of RCA and 70.73% cases of LCX. Degree of stenosis was of higher grade as age advanced. In the second decade, only 25% had involvement with Grade I coronary atherosclerosis and 45.45% participants in the third decade had Grade I lesions. In the fourth decade, 58.33% had Grade I and 8.33% had Grade II, Grade III, and Grade IV lesions each. In the fifth decade, 22.22% had Grade I, 33.33% had Grade II, 22.22% had Grade III, and 11.11% had Grade IV lesions. In the sixth decade, 16.66% had Grade I and Grade II lesions, 41.66% had Grade III, and 25% had Grade IV lesions. Seventh decade onward 50% had Grade III and remaining 50% had Grade IV stenosis due atherosclerosis. All these cases had narrowing of coronary ostea due to atheromatous plaques [Figure 2]. Figure 2: Gross specimen of heart, (a) showing hypertrophied left ventricular wall with aorta and major branches showing multiple protruding atheromatus plaques, (b) shows close up view of the same heart with arrow pointing toward narrowed right coronary ostea (taken from the first study - with permission) Grading of stenosis of coronary arteries depending on the percentage of obstruction of the lumen was done as shown in the [Figure 3]. Complicated lesions were seen mainly as calcified atheromas in 43.9%, followed by hemorrhage and thrombus formation. One case had completely occluding thrombus in the RCA, which showed very good recanalization and surprisingly this person did not die due to myocardial infarction [Figure 4]. Figure 3: Grading of stenosis of coronary arteries depending on the obstruction of the lumen, (a) grade I stenosis, (b) Grade II, (c) Grade III and (d) Grade IV stenosis (a) shows <25% block, (b) shows <50% block, (c) shows <75% block and (d) shows >75% block with an overlying thrombus (H and E, ×25) Figure 4: Gross specimen of heart (a) and (b) show serial sections of the right coronary artery which shows gradual complete block and (c) shows sections of the same artery showing occluding thrombus with very good recanalization (H and E, ×25) Pattern of vessel involvement in the second study is shown in the [Table 6]. in which triple vessel having atherosclerosis was maximum, LAD was the most commonly affected coronary artery and all 109 cases (100%) showed atherosclerosis of this artery compared to 92.7% in the first study. When two vessels were involved the combination was LAD with RCA. Special stains for demonstrating splitting of internal elastic lamina by Verhoeff's, Alizarin Red for calcium Van Gieson, Masson's trichrome, and others highlighted the histological pictures [Figure 5]. Table 6: Pattern of vessel involvement in the second study Figure 5: Sections showing (a) normal artery with H and E, (b) special stain, Verhoeff's which highlights splitting of internal elastic lamina, ×25 (c) Alizarin Red for calcium, ×40 and (d) Verhoeff - Van Gieson highlighting fibrous tissue in an atheroma with calcification, ×25 Types of atherosclerotic lesions in the second study according to AHA in different coronary arteries are shown in the [Table 7]. Type III and IV lesions were found as the maximum types, more common in males in third to sixth decade. Type V and VI lesions were seen more in the age above 60 years [Figure 6]. According to AHA classification, there are six types of atherosclerotic lesions. Type I lesion shows presence of isolated macrophages and foam cells in the intima, Type II lesion shows mainly intracellular lipid accumulation or fatty streaks, Type III lesions have intracellular lipid along with small extracellular lipid pools also called as intermediate lesion, Type IV lesions have Type II changes along with a core of extracellular lipid or called a classical atheroma, Type V lesions have lipid core and fibrotic layer or multiple lipid cores and fibrotic lipid layers; mainly calcific or fibrotic and type also called as fibroatheroma and Type VI lesions have along with changes of previous Types IV or V “complicated” with added surface defect or ulceration, hematoma, hemorrhages, or thrombus formation. Table 7: Distribution of types of coronary atherosclerosis in the second study in relation to age and sex in left anterior descending artery according to American Heart Association Figure 6: Types of lesions according to American Heart Association, (a) sections showing Type I, initial lesion with isolated macrophages, (b) Type II with mainly intracellular lipid, (c) Type III with small extracellular lipid pools, (d) Type IV with core of extracellular lipid, (e) Type V with lipid core and calcification and (f) Type VI with hemorrhage (H and E, ×40) 7 Degree of stenosis in the second study depending on the amount of luminal block in relation to age and sex in the proximal segment of LAD is shown in the [Table 8]. Table 8: Degree of stenosis of left anterior descending in relation to age and sex in the second study The most common cause of death noted was due to accidents in both studies followed by suicides, sudden natural deaths, and homicides in the decreasing order of frequency. Seven out of 12 cases (58.33%) of natural deaths in first study and 10 out of 11 cases of sudden natural deaths (90.90%) in the second study were reported as deaths due to CHD. Six cases had signs of healed myocardial infarction in second study and only two cases were of this type in first study. All these cases of CHD and the nine cases with left ventricular hypertrophy had Grade III and IV stenosis of LAD and Type V and VI atherosclerosis in the both studies (P = 0.322). Incidentally, there was one rare case of aortic aneurysm presenting in the arch of aorta due to severe atherosclerosis and damage to the wall and in this case all three coronaries showed higher grade atherosclerosis. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India has stated that “noncommunicable diseases including CVDs, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancers account for over 60% mortality. According to World Economic Forum India stands to lose Rs. 311.94 trillion ($ 4.58 trillion) between 2012 and 2030 due to these diseases.”[11] Cardiovascular disease is projected to be the most common cause of death worldwide by 2020. Ironically, it is declining in the developed countries as a result of better prevention, treatment, and changing life style. CHD is on the rise in the middle and low income countries.[1] Both studies included cases aged from newborn to 80 years. As in previous studies by Bhargava and Bhargava, Murthy, and Padmavati and Sandhu, males were more than females.[12],[13],[14] This is because of more accidental deaths among males and majority of the cases were between 20 and 60 years of age. The first study showed overall incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in 68.3% cases compared to the 90.8% the second study which is significantly higher. The more alarming finding was the 100% frequency of coronary atherosclerosis in the age between 31 and 40 years as compared to the 75% in the first study. Padmavati and Sandhu, Murthy, Singh et al., Garg et al., and Puri et al. reported overall incidence of coronary atherosclerosis as 67.3%, 73%, 78.8%, 84.34%, and 86%, respectively.[13],[14],[15],[16],[17] A study by Vyas et al. found 73.45% incidence of coronary atherosclerosis in 113 noncardiac deaths.[18] The major cardiovascular risk factors are similar for both sexes although men developed CHD 10–15 years earlier than women. Most of the studies have reported a higher frequency of coronary atherosclerosis in males. A study by Singh et al. showed higher frequency of the disease in smokers and alcoholics.[15] A study by Alexander shows strong association between central obesity and CHD.[19] An autopsy study by Reed et al., high cholesterol was associated with advanced lesions of atherosclerosis.[20] Goraya et al. reported higher incidence of atherosclerosis in diabetics.[21] McGill et al. found higher incidence of lesions associated with diabetes and hypertension.[22] The second study showed triple vessel involvement in 65.13%, followed by double vessel in 23.85% and single vessel in 11% and which is in same order of frequency in other studies. These studies also showed that LAD artery was the commonest to be involved followed by RCA and LCX.[5],[16],[18] Acute coronary syndromes are associated with atheromatous plaques which are said to be vulnerable when they are associated with thrombus mediated progression causing more (88%) of sudden deaths compared to the random cases (55%).[5] The AHA classified atherosclerotic lesions from Type I to Type VI and stated that these lesions progress from one type to the next.[9] The most common coronary involved was LAD artery and the common type of lesions being Type I to Type IV. Atheromatous plaque vulnerability has been stated to be associated with thrombus mediated acute coronary syndromes by Virmani et al., using specific criteria such as thin fibrous cap of <65 μm, the fibrous cap with inflammation, fissuring, calcification, intraplaque vasa vasorum or intraplaque hemorrhage.[23] Autopsy studies are helpful in understanding the disease process in CHD and this knowledge can be utilized in planning of screening programs. The rising cardiac death rate definitely indicates that it is the price being paid for the industrialization and rising socioeconomic status which are required but increased tobacco smoking, alcoholism, having fat rich diet and sedentary life style are not good. Improvement in healthcare by making the screening, coronary angiograms, angioplasties, and such procedures economical and available to the needy in developing countries is of prime importance. We acknowledge with respect Professor and HOD of Pathology, (Late) Dr. C. M. Jayakeerthy and Dr. L. Thirunavukkarasu the former professor and HOD of the Forensic Medicine Department, Bangalore medical college, Bangalore, for their guidance in doing the first autopsy study in 1992. We are thankful to the 180 deceased honorable people whom we did not know personally but studied their hearts after the postmortems and expanded our understanding of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Park K. Epidemiology of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Conditions. In: Park K, Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 22nd ed. Jabalpur, India: M/S Banarsidas Bhanot; 2013. p. 338-40. David AR, Kershaw A, Heagerty A. Atherosclerosis and diet in ancient Egypt. Lancet 2010;375:718-9. Hajar R. Evolution of myocardial infarction and its biomarkers: A historical perspective. Heart Views 2016;17:167-72. Dwivedi G, Dwivedi S. Sushruta – The clinician – Teacher Par excellence. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 2007;49:243-4. Sudha ML, Sundaram S, Purushothaman KR, Kumar PS, Prathiba D. Coronary atherosclerosis in sudden cardiac death: An autopsy study. Indian J Pathol Microbiol 2009;52:486- 9. Fausto N. Atherosclerosis in young people: The value of the autopsy for studies of the epidemiology and pathobiology of disease. Am J Pathol 1998;153:1021-2. Venkatesh K, Jayakeerthy CM. Aortic atherosclerosis as a reflection of coronary atherosclerosis – An autopsy study with historical review. J Evid Based Med Healthc 2014;1:937-49. Park K. Medicine and social sciences. In: Park K, editor. Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 21st ed. Jabalpur, India: Banarasidas Bhanot; 2009. p. 638-9. Stary HC, Chandler AB, Glagov S, Guyton JR, Insull W Jr., Rosenfeld ME, et al. A definition of Initial fatty streak and intermediate lesions of atherosclerosis – A report from the committee on vascular lesions of the council on arteriosclerosis, AHA. Arterioscler Thromb 1994;14:840-56. White NK, Edwards JE. Anomalies of the coronary arteries; report of four cases. Arch Pathol (Chic) 1948;45:766-71. Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India. Health Ministry to Launch Population Based Prevention, Screening and Control Programmes for Five Non Communicable Diseases; 21 January, 2017. Bhargava MK, Bhargava SK. Coronary atherosclerosis in North Karnataka. Indian J Pathol Microbiol 1975;18:65-79. Murthy MS. Coronary atherosclerosis in North India (Delhi area). J Pathol Bacteriol 1963;85:93-101. Padmavati S, Sandhu I. Incidence of coronary artery disease in Delhi from medico-legal autopsies. Indian J Med Res 1969;57:465-76. Singh H, Oberoi SS, Gorea RK, Bal MS. Atherosclerosis in coronaries in Malwa region of Punjab. J Indian Acad Forensic Med 2005;27:32-5. Garg M, Agarwal AD, Kataria SP. Coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction an autopsy study. J Indian Acad Forensic Med 2011;33:39-42. Puri N, Gupta PK, Sharma J, Puri D. Prevalence of atherosclerosis in coronary artery and internal thoracic artery and its correlation in North-West Indians. Indian J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2010;26:243-6. Vyas P, Gonsai RN, Meenakshi C, Nanavati MG. Coronary atherosclerosis in noncardiac deaths: An autopsy study. J Midlife Health 2015;6:5-9. Alexander JK. Obesity and coronary heart disease. Am J Med Sci 2001;321:215-24. Reed DM, Strong JP, Resch J, Hayashi T. Serum lipids and lipoproteins as predictors of atherosclerosis. An autopsy study. Arteriosclerosis 1989;9:560-4. Goraya TY, Leibson CI, Palumbo PJ, Weston SA, Killion JM, Pfeifer EA, et al. Coronary atherosclerosis in diabetes mellitus: A population based Autopsy study. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;40:946-53. McGill HC, McMahan CA, Zeiske AW, Sloop GD, Troxclair DA, Malcom GT, et al. Associations of coronary heart disease risk factors with the intermediate lesions in youth. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2000;20:1998-2004. Virmani R, Kolodgie FD, Burke AP, Farb A, Schwartz SM. Lessons from sudden coronary death – A comprehensive morphological classification scheme for atherosclerotic lesions. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2000;20:1262-75. [Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4], [Figure 5], [Figure 6] [Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3], [Table 4], [Table 5], [Table 6], [Table 7], [Table 8] Venkatesh K Deepak D C Venkatesha V T autopsy study coronary atherosclerosis ischaemic heart disease Materials and Me... Article Figures

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Is it possible to experience uterine contractions in the context of pyelonephritis? output: Yes, it is possible to experience uterine contractions in the context of pyelonephritis. This is because the infection can cause the release of cytokines and prostaglandins, which are signaling molecules that can stimulate contractions of the uterus. These contractions can be uncomfortable or painful, and may be mistaken for signs of preterm labor or other obstetric complications. It is important for pregnant women with pyelonephritis to be closely monitored by their healthcare provider to ensure that any uterine contractions are properly managed and do not lead to premature delivery or other adverse outcomes.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Recently my doctor tested me for Epstein Barr and I was reactive and levels of 8.1, .60 and 8.1, and my white cell count is 1.78 and my spleen is 100% oversize. What is up with me? Doctor wants to start me on combo shots of B-12 and Lysine (not sure if it is L or D), do you have any ideas? t does enlarged spleen with wbc count 1.78 suggest? output: Hello,Welcome to HCM,Enlarge spleen is called as splenomegaly and it is almost always secondary to other disorders. The most common causes are Myeloproliferative disorders,Lymphoproliferative disorders,Storage diseases,Connective tissue disordersand infectious diseases (eg, malaria, kala-azar).If splenomegaly is massive the cause is usually CLL, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, CML, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis and infectious mononucleosis.There is no specific treatment for infectious mononucleosis. People with this disease will be as active as they want. However, because of the risk of rupturing the spleen, heavy lifting and contact sports should be avoided for 1 month, even if the spleen is not noticeably enlarged. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen can relieve fever and pain.Some complications, such as severe swelling of the airways, may be treated with corticosteroids. Currently available antiviral drugs have little effect on the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis and should not be used.Thank you...

A floating gate transistor has a reduced barrier energy at an interface with an adjacent gate insulator, allowing faster charge transfer across the gate insulator at lower voltages. Data is stored as charge on the floating gate. The data charge retention time on the floating gate is reduced. The data stored on the floating gate is dynamically refreshed. The floating gate transistor provides a dense and planar dynamic electrically alterable and programmable read only memory (DEAPROM) cell adapted for uses such as for a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or a dynamically refreshed flash EEPROM memory. The floating gate transistor provides a high gain memory cell and low voltage operation. This application is related to the following co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent applications: “DEAPROM HAVING AMORPHOUS SILICON CARBIDE GATE INSULATOR,” Ser. No. 08/902,843, “DEAPROM AND TRANSISTOR WITH GALLIUM NITRIDE OR GALLIUM ALUMINUM NITRIDE GATE,” Ser. No. 08/902,098, “CARBURIZED SILICON GATE INSULATORS FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS,” Ser. No. 08/903,453, “SILICON CARBIDE GATE TRANSISTOR AND FABRICATION PROCESS,” Ser. No. 08/903,486, “TRANSISTOR WITH VARIABLE ELECTRON AFFINITY GATE AND METHODS OF FABRICATION AND USE,” Ser. No. 08/903,452, and “TRANSISTOR WITH SILICON OXYCARBIDE GATE AND METHODS OF FABRICATION AND USE,” Ser. No. 08/902,132, each of which is filed on the same day as U.S. application Ser. No. 08/902,133, filed on 29 Jul. 1997, and each of which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. 4. G. Comapagnini et al. “Spectroscopic Characterization of Annealed Si 1-xCx Films Synthesized by Ion Implantation,” J. of Materials Research, Vol. 11, No. 9, pp. 2269-73, (1996). 5. A. L. Yee et al. “The Effect of Nitrogen on Pulsed Laser Deposition of Amorphous Silicon Carbide Films: Properties and Structure,” J. Of Materials Research, Vol. 11, No. 8, pp. 1979-86 (1996). 6. C. D. Tucker et al. “Ion-beam Assisted Deposition of Nonhydrogenated a-Si:C films,” Canadian J. Of Physics, Vol. 74, No. 3-4, pp. 97-101 (1996). 7. H. Zhang et al., “Ion-beam Assisted Deposition of Si-Carbide Films,” Thin Solid Films, Vol. 260, No. 1, pp. 32 -37 (1995). 8. S. P. Baker et al. “D-C Magnetron Sputtered Silicon Carbide,” Thin Films, Stresses and Mechanical Properties V. Symposium, pp. Xix+901, 227-32 (1995). 9. N. N. Svirkova et al. “Deposition Conditions and Density-of-States Spectrum of a-Si 1-xCx:H Films Obtained by Sputtering,” Semiconductors, Vol. 28, No. 12, pp. 1164-9 (1994). 10. Y. Suzaki et al. “Quantum Size Effects of a-Si(:H)/a-SiC(:H) Multilayer Films Prepared by R F Sputtering,” J. Of Japan Soc. Of Precision Engineering, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 110-18 (1996). 11. I. Pereyra et al. “Wide Gap a-Si 1-xCx:H Thin Films Obtained Under Starving Plasma Deposition Conditions,” J. Of Non-crystalline Solids, Vol. 201, No. 1-2, pp. 110-118 (1995). 12. A. S. Kumbhar et al. “Growth of Clean Amorphous Silicon Carbon Alloy Films By Hot-Filament Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique,” Appl. Phys. Letters, Vol. 66, No. 14, pp. 1741-3 (1995). 13. J. H. Thomas et al. “Plasma Etching and Surface Analysis of a-SiC:H Films Deposited by Low Temperature Plasma Enhanced Vapor Deposition,” Gas-phase and Surface Chemistry in Electronic Materials Processing Symposium, Materials Research Soc., pp. Xv+556, 445-50 (1994). 14. Y. Yamaguchi et al., “Properties of Heteroepitaxial 3C-SiC Films Grown by LPCVD”, in the 8 th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators and Eurosensors IX. Digest of Technical Papers, page 3. vol. (934+1030+85), pages 190-3, Vol. 2, 1995. 15. M. Andrieux, et al., “Interface and Adhesion of PECVD SiC Based Films on Metals”, in supplement Le Vide Science, Technique et Applications. (France), No. 279, pages 212-214, 1996. 16. F. Lanois, entitled “Angle Etch Control for Silicon Power Devices”, which appeared in Applied Physics Letters, Vol 69, No. 2, pages 236-238, July 1996. 17. N. J. Dartnell, et al., entitled “Reactive Ion Etching of Silicon Carbide” in Vacuum, Vol. 46, No. 4, pages 349-355, 1955. 18. R. Martins et al., “Transport Properties of Doped Silicon Oxycarbide Microcrystalline Films Produced By Spatial Separation Techniques,” Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 41-42, pp. 493-517, June 1996. 19. R. Martins et al., “Wide band-gap microcrystalline silicon thin films,” Diffusion and Defect Data Part B (Solid State Phenomena), Vol. 44-46, Pt. 2, pp. 299-346, 1995. 20. V. M. Bermudez et al. “The Growth and Properties of Al and AlN films on GaN” J. Appl. Physics, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 110-119 (1996). 21. I. Akasaki et al. “Effects of AIN Buffer Layer on Crystallographic Structure and On Electrical and Optical Properties of GaN and Ga 1-xAlxN Films Grown on Sapphire Substrate by MOVPE,” J. Of Crystal Growth, Vol. 98, pp. 209-19, North Holland, Amsterdam (1989). The memory cell of the present invention, having a barrier energy between the floating electrode and the insulator that is lower than the barrier energy between polysilicon and SiO 2, provides large transconductance gain, an easily detected signal, and reduces the required data storage capacitance value and memory cell size. The lower barrier energy increases tunneling current and also advantageously reduces the voltage required for writing and erasing the floating gate transistor memory cells. For example, conventional polysilicon floating gate transistors typically require complicated and noisy on-chip charge pump circuits to generate the large erasure voltage, which typically far exceeds other voltages required on the integrated circuit. The present invention allows the use of lower erasure voltages that are more easily provided by simpler on-chip circuits. Reducing the erasure voltage also lowers the electric fields, minimizing reliability problems that can lead to device failure, and better accommodating downward scaling of device dimensions. Alternatively, the thickness of the gate insulator can be increased from the typical thickness of a silicon dioxide gate insulator to improve reliability or simplify processing, since the lower barrier energy allows easier transport of charge across the gate insulator by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. FIG. 5 is a graph that illustrates generally the relationship between Fowler-Nordheim tunneling current density vs. the barrier energy Φ GI at various parameterized values E1<E2<E3 of an electric field. The present invention discloses a memory cell such as, for example, a dynamic electrically alterable programmable read only memory (DEAPROM) cell. The memory cell has a floating electrode, which is defined as an electrode that is “electrically isolated” from conductors and semiconductors by an insulator such that charge storage upon and removal from the floating electrode depends upon charge conduction through the insulator. In one embodiment, described below, the floating electrode is a floating gate electrode in a floating gate field-effect transistor, such as used in flash electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs). However, a capacitor or any other structure having a floating electrode and adjacent insulator could also be used according to the techniques of the present invention described below. According to one aspect of the present invention, a barrier energy between the floating electrode and the insulator is lower than the barrier energy between polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) and silicon dioxide (SiO 2), which is approximately 3.3 eV. According to another aspect of the present invention, the shorter retention time of data charges on the floating electrode, resulting from the smaller barrier energy, is accommodated by refreshing the data charges on the floating electrode. In this respect, the memory operates similar to a memory cell in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). These and other aspects of the present invention are described in more detail below. FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic/block diagram illustrating generally one embodiment of a memory 100 according to one aspect of the present invention, in which reduced barrier energy floating electrode memory cells are incorporated. Memory 100 is referred to as a dynamic electrically alterable programmable read only memory (DEAPROM) in this application, but it is understood that memory 100 possesses certain characteristics that are similar to DRAMs and flash EEPROMs, as explained below. For a general description of how a flash EEPROM operates, see B. Dipert et al., “Flash Memory Goes Mainstream,” IEEE Spectrum, pp. 48-52 (October 1993), which is incorporated herein by reference. Memory 100 includes a memory array 105 of multiple memory cells 110. Row decoder 115 and column decoder 120 decode addresses provided on address lines 125 to access the addressed memory cells in memory array 105. Command and control circuitry 130 controls the operation of memory 100 in response to control signals received on control lines 135 from a processor 140 or other memory controller during read, write, refresh, and erase operations. Command and control circuitry 130 includes a refresh circuit for periodically refreshing the data stored on floating gate transistor or other floating electrode memory cells 110. Voltage control 150 provides appropriate voltages to the memory cells during read, write, refresh, and erase operations. Memory 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, has been simplified for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and is not intended to be a complete description. Only the substantial differences between DEAPROM memory 100 and conventional DRAM and flash EEPROM memories are discussed below. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, one floating gate transistor embodiment of a memory cell 110. Other structural arrangements of floating gate transistors are included within the present invention. Also included are any memory cells that incorporate a floating electrode (such as a floating electrode capacitor) having, at an interface between the floating electrode an adjacent insulator, a barrier energy that is less than the barrier energy at a polysilicon-SiO2 interface. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, memory cell 110 includes a floating gate FET 200, which is illustrated as an n-channel FET, but understood to include a p-channel FET embodiment as well. FET 200 includes a source 205, a drain 210, a floating gate 215 electrode, and a control gate 220 electrode. A gate insulator 225 is interposed between floating gate 215 and substrate 230. An intergate insulator 235 is interposed between floating gate 215 and control gate 220. In one embodiment, substrate 230 is a bulk semiconductor, such as silicon. In another embodiment, substrate 230 includes a thin semiconductor surface layer formed on an underlying insulating portion, such as in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) or other thin film transistor technology. Source 205 and drain 210 are formed by conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing techniques. Source 205 and drain 210 are separated by a predetermined length for forming an inversion channel 240 therebetween. FIG. 3 is an energy band diagram that illustrates generally the conduction band energy levels in floating gate 215, gate insulator 225, and substrate 230. Electron affinities χ215, χ225, and χ230 describe floating gate 215, gate insulator 225, and substrate 230, respectively, when measured with respect to a vacuum level 300. A barrier energy ΦGI, which describes the barrier energy at the interface between floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225, is given by a difference in electron affinities, as illustrated in Equation 1. A barrier energy Φ GI which describes the barrier energy at the interface between substrate 230 and gate insulator 225, is given by a difference in electron affinities, as illustrated in Equation 2. Silicon (monocrystalline or polycrystalline Si) has an electron affinity χ 215≈4.2 eV. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) has an electron affinity, χ225, of about 0.9 eV. The resulting barrier energy at a conventional Si-SiO2 interface between a floating gate and a gate insulator is approximately equal to 3.3 eV. One aspect of the present invention provides a barrier energy ΦGI that is less than the 3.3 eV barrier energy of a conventional Si-SiO2 interface. According to one aspect of the invention, the interface between floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225 provides a smaller barrier energy ΦGI than the 3.3 eV barrier energy at an interface between polysilicon and silicon dioxide, such as by an appropriate selection of the material composition of one or both of floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225. In one embodiment, the smaller barrier energy ΦGI is obtained by forming floating gate 215 from a material having a smaller electron affinity χ215 than polysilicon. In one embodiment, for example, polycrystalline or microcrystalline silicon carbide (SiC) is used as the material for forming floating gate 215. In another embodiment, the smaller barrier energy ΦGI is obtained by forming gate insulator 225 from a material having a higher electron affinity χ225 than SiO2. In one embodiment, for example, amorphous SiC is used as the material for forming gate insulator 225. In yet another embodiment, the smaller barrier energy ΦGI is obtained by a combination of forming floating gate 215 from a material having a smaller electron affinity χ215 than polysilicon and also forming gate insulator 225 from a material having a higher electron affinity χ225 than SiO2. The smaller barrier energy Φ GI provides current conduction across gate insulator 225 that is easier than for a polysilicon-SiO2 interface. The present invention includes any mechanism of providing such easier current conduction across gate insulator 225, including, but not limited to “hot” electron injection, thermionic emission, Schottky emission, Frenkel-Poole emission, and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. Such techniques for transporting charge carriers across an insulator, such as gate insulator 225, are all enhanced by providing a smaller barrier energy ΦGI according to the techniques of the present invention. These techniques allow increased current conduction, current conduction at lower voltages across gate insulator 225 and lower electric fields in gate insulator 225, shorter data write and erase times, use of a thicker and more reliable gate insulator 225, and other advantages explained below. FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating generally barrier energy versus tunneling distance for a conventional polysilicon-SiO 2 interface having a 3.3 eV barrier energy. FIG. 4 also illustrates barrier energy versus tunneling distance for an interface according to the present invention that has a barrier energy of ΦGI≈1.08 eV, which is selected as an illustrative example, and not by way of limitation. The smaller barrier energy ΦGI reduces the energy to which the electrons must be excited to be stored on or removed from the floating gate 215, such as by thermal emission over the barrier. The smaller barrier energy ΦGI also reduces the distance that electrons have to traverse, such as by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, to be stored upon or removed from floating gate 215. In FIG. 4, “do” represents the tunneling distance of a conventional floating gate transistor due to the 3.3 eV barrier energy represented by the dashed line “OLD”. The tunneling distance “dn” corresponds to a floating gate transistor according to the present invention and its smaller barrier energy, such as ΦGI≈1.08 eV, for example, represented by the dashed line “NEW”. Even a small reduction in the tunneling distance results in a large increase in the tunneling probability, as described below, because the tunneling probability is an exponential function of the reciprocal of the tunneling distance. For a conventional floating gate FET having a 3.3 eV barrier energy at the interface between the polysilicon floating gate and the SiO 2 gate insulator, A=5.5×10−16 amperes/Volt2 and B=7.07×107 Volts/cm. One aspect of the present invention includes selecting a smaller barrier energy ΦGI such as, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, ΦGI∓1.08 eV. The constants A and B for ΦGI≈1.08 eV can be extrapolated from the constants A and B for the 3.3 eV polysilicon-SiO2 barrier energy using Equations 4 and 5. The barrier energy ΦGI≈1.08 eV yields the resulting constants A=1.76×10−15 amperes/Volt2 and B=1.24×107 Volts/cm. FIG. 5 is a graph that illustrates generally the relationship between Fowler-Nordheim tunneling current density vs. the barrier energy GI, such as at various parameterized values E1<E2<E3 of an electric field in gate insulator 225. The tunneling current density increases as electric field is increased. The tunneling current also increases by orders of magnitude as the barrier energy ΦGI is decreased, such as by selecting the materials for floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225 or otherwise reducing the barrier energy ΦGI according to the techniques of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 5 illustrates a comparison between tunneling current densities at the 3.3 eV barrier energy of a conventional polysilicon-SiO2 interface and at the illustrative example barrier energy ΦGI≈1.08 eV for which constants A and B were extrapolated above. Reducing the 3.3 eV barrier energy to ΦGI≈1.08 eV increases the tunneling current density by several orders of magnitude. FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram, using rough order of magnitude estimates, that illustrates generally how the barrier energy affects the time needed to perform write and erase operations by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling for a particular voltage, such as across gate insulator 225. FIG. 6 also illustrates how the barrier energy affects data charge retention time, such as on floating gate 215 at a temperature of 250 degrees Celsius. Both write and erase time 600 and data charge retention time 605 are decreased by orders of magnitude as the barrier energy is decreased, according to the present invention, from the conventional polysilicon-SiO2 interface barrier energy of 3.3 eV to the illustrative example lower barrier energy ΦGI≈1.08 eV for which constants A and B were extrapolated above. In Equations 7 and 8, V 220 is the voltage on control gate 220, E225 and E235 are the respective electric fields in gate insulator 225 and intergate insulator 235, d225 and d235 are the respective thicknesses of gate insulator 225 and intergate insulator 235, and ε225 and ε235 are the respective permittivities of gate insulator 225 and intergate insulator 235. FIG. 7 is a graph that illustrates generally charge density vs. write/erase time for three different embodiments of the floating gate FET 200, each of which have a polysilicon floating gate 215, by way of illustrative example. Line 700 illustrates generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, the charge density vs. write/erase time obtained for a floating gate FET 200 having a 100 Å SiO2 gate insulator 225 and a 150 Å SiO2 (or thinner oxynitride equivalent capacitance) intergate insulator 235. Line 705 is similar to line 700 in all respects except that line 705 illustrates a floating gate FET 200 in which gate insulator 225 comprises a material having a higher electron affinity χ225 than SiO2, thereby providing a lower barrier energy ΦGI at the interface between polysilicon floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225. The increased tunneling current results in shorter write/erase times than those illustrated by line 700. Line 710 is similar to line 705 in all respects except that line 710 illustrates a floating gate FET 200 in which gate insulator 225 has a lower barrier energy ΦGI than for line 705, or intergate insulator 235 has a higher permittivity ε235 than for line 705, or control gate 220 has a larger area than floating gate 215, such as illustrated by way of example by the floating gate FET 800 in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8. As seen in FIG. 8, the area of a capacitor formed by the control gate 220, the floating gate 215, and the intergate insulator 235 is larger than the area of a capacitor formed by the floating gate 215, the gate insulator 225, and the inversion channel 240 underlying gate insulator 225. Alternatively, or in combination with the techniques illustrated in FIG. 8, the intergate insulator 235 can have a higher permittivity than the permittivity of silicon dioxide. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the barrier energy Φ GI can be selected to reduce the write/erase time. In one embodiment, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, the barrier energy ΦGI is selected to obtain a write/erase time of less than or equal to 1 second, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In another embodiment, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, the barrier energy ΦGI is selected to obtain a write/erase time of less than or equal to 1 millisecond, as illustrated in FIG. 7. Other values of write/erase time can also be obtained by selecting the appropriate value of the barrier energy ΦGI. The lower barrier energy Φ GI and increased tunneling current also advantageously reduces the voltage required for writing and erasing the floating gate transistor memory cells 110. For example, conventional polysilicon floating gate transistors typically require complicated and noisy on-chip charge pump circuits to generate the large erasure voltage, which typically far exceeds other voltages required on the integrated circuit. The present invention allows the use of lower erasure voltages that are more easily provided by simpler on-chip circuits. Reducing the erasure voltage also lowers the electric fields, minimizing reliability problems that can lead to device failure, and better accommodating downward scaling of device dimensions. In one embodiment, the barrier energy ΦGI is selected, as described above, to obtain an erase voltage of less than the 12 Volts required by typical EEPROM memory cells. Alternatively, the thickness of the gate insulator 225 can be increased from the typical thickness of a silicon dioxide gate insulator to improve reliability or simplify processing, since the lower barrier energy ΦGI allows easier transport of charge across the gate insulator 225 by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The lower barrier energy Φ GI also decreases the data charge retention time of the charge stored on the floating gate 215, such as from increased thermal excitation of stored charge over the lower barrier ΦGI. However, conventional polysilicon floating gates and adjacent SiO2 insulators (e.g., 90 Å thick) have a data charge retention time estimated in the millions of years at a temperature of 85 degrees C., and estimated in the 1000 hour range even at extremely high temperatures such as 250 degrees C. Since such long data charge retention times are longer than what is realistically needed, a shorter data charge retention time can be accommodated in order to obtain the benefits of the smaller barrier energy ΦGI. In one embodiment of the present invention, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, the barrier energy ΦGI is lowered to ΦGI≈1.08 eV by appropriately selecting the composition of the materials of floating gate 215 and gate insulator 225, as described below. As a result, an estimated data charge retention time of approximately 40 seconds at a high temperature, such as 250 degrees C., is obtained. According to one aspect of the present invention, the data stored on the DEAPROM floating gate memory cell 110 is periodically refreshed at an interval that is shorter than the data charge retention time. In one embodiment, for example, the data is refreshed every few seconds, such as for an embodiment having a high temperature retention time of approximately 40 seconds for ΦGI≈1.08 eV. The exact refresh rate can be experimentally determined and tailored to a particular process of fabricating the DEAPROM. By decreasing the data charge retention time and periodically refreshing the data, the write and erase operations can be several orders of magnitude faster, as described above with respect to FIG. 7. FIGS. 9A and 9B are schematic diagrams that respectively illustrate generally a conventional DRAM memory cell and the present invention's floating gate FET 200 embodiment of memory cell 110. In FIG. 9A, the DRAM memory cell includes an access FET 900 and stacked or trench storage capacitor 905. Data is stored as charge on storage capacitor 905 by providing a control voltage on control line 910 to activate FET 900 for conducting charge. Data line 915 provides a write voltage to conduct charge across FET 900 for storage on storage capacitor 905. Data is read by providing a control voltage on control line 910 to activate FET 900 for conducting charge from storage capacitor 905, thereby incrementally changing a preinitialized voltage on data line 915. The resulting small change in voltage on data line 915 must be amplified by a sense amplifier for detection. Thus, the DRAM memory cell of FIG. 9A inherently provides only a small data signal. The small data signal is difficult to detect. In FIG. 9B, the DEAPROM memory cell 110 according to the present invention includes floating gate FET 200, having source 205 coupled to a ground voltage or other reference potential. Data is stored as charge on floating gate 215 by providing a control voltage on control line 920 and a write voltage on data line 925 for hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. This is similar to conventional EEPROM techniques, but advantageously uses the reduced voltages and/or a shorter write time of the present invention. The DEAPROM memory cell 110 can be smaller than the DRAM memory cell of FIG. 9A, allowing higher density data storage. The leakage of charge from floating gate 215 can be made less than the reverse-bias junction leakage from storage capacitor 905 of the DRAM memory cell by tailoring the barrier energy ΦGI according to the techniques of the present invention. Also, the DEAPROM memory cell advantageously uses the large transconductance gain of the floating gate FET 200. The conventional DRAM memory cell of FIG. 9A provides no such gain; it is read by directly transferring the data charge from storage capacitor 905. By contrast, the DEAPROM memory cell 110 is read by placing a read voltage on control line 920, and detecting the current conducted through FET 200, such as at data line 925. The current conducted through FET 200 changes significantly in the presence or absence of charge stored on floating gate 215. Thus, the present invention advantageously provides an large data signal that is easy to detect, unlike the small data signal provided by the conventional DRAM memory cell of FIG. 9A. In Equation 9, I DS is the current between drain 210 and source 205, CO is the capacitance per unit area of the gate insulator 225, W/L is the width/length aspect ratio of FET 200, VG is the gate voltage applied to control gate 220, and VT is the turn-on threshold voltage of FET 200. For an illustrative example, but not by way of limitation, a minimum-sized FET having W/L=1, can yield a transconductance gain of approximately 71 μA/Volt for a typical process. In this illustrative example, sufficient charge is stored on floating gate 215 to change the effective threshold voltage VT by approximately 1.4 Volts, thereby changing the current IDS by approximately 100 microamperes. This significant change in current can easily be detected, such as by sampling or integrating over a time period of approximately 10 nanoseconds, for example, to obtain a detected data charge signal of 1000 fC. Thus, the DEAPROM memory cell 110 is capable of yielding a detected data charge signal that is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the typical 30 fC to 100 fC data charges typically stored on DRAM stacked or trench capacitors. Since DEAPROM memory cell 110 requires a smaller capacitance value than a conventional DRAM memory cell, DEAPROM memory cell 110 can be made smaller than a conventional DRAM memory cell. Moreover, because the CMOS-compatible DEAPROM storage capacitor is integrally formed as part of the transistor, rather than requiring complex and costly non-CMOS stacked and trench capacitor process steps, the DEAPROM memory of the present invention should be cheaper to fabricate than DRAM memory cells, and should more easily scale downward as CMOS technology advances. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a DEAPROM having a storage element including a gate insulator 225 that includes an amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC). For example, one embodiment of a memory storage element having an a-SiC gate insulator 225 is described in Forbes et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/903,453, entitled CARBURIZED SILICON GATE INSULATORS FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS, filed on the same day as the present patent application, and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. The a-SiC inclusive gate insulator 225 provides a higher electron affinity χ225 than the approximately 0.9 eV electron affinity of SiO2. For example, but not by way of limitation, the a-SiC inclusive gate insulator 225 can provide an electron affinity χ225≈3.24 eV. An a-SiC inclusive gate insulator 225 can also be formed using other techniques. For example, in one embodiment gate insulator 225 includes a hydrogenated a-SiC material synthesized by ion-implantation of C2H2 into a silicon substrate 230. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes an a-SiC film that is deposited by laser ablation at room temperature using a pulsed laser in an ultrahigh vacuum or nitrogen environment. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes an a-SiC film that is formed by low-energy ion-beam assisted deposition to minimize structural defects and provide better electrical characteristics in the semiconductor substrate 230. The ion beam can be generated by electron cyclotron resonance from an ultra high purity argon (Ar) plasma. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes an a-SiC film that is synthesized at low temperature by ion beam sputtering in a reactive gas environment with concurrent ion irradiation. According to one technique, more than one ion beam, such as an Ar ion beam, are used. A first Ar ion beam is directed at a Si target material to provide a Si flux for forming SiC gate insulator 225. A second Ar ion beam is directed at a graphite target to provide a C flux for forming SiC gate insulator 225. The resulting a-SiC gate insulator 225 is formed by sputtering on substrate 230. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes an SiC film that is deposited on substrate 230 by DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature using a conductive, dense ceramic target. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes a thin a-Si1-xCx:H film that is formed by HF plasma ion sputtering of a fused SiC target in an Ar-H atmosphere. In another embodiment, radio frequency (RF) sputtering is used to produce a-SiC films. Bandgaps of a-Si, a-SiC, a-Si:H, and a-SiC:H have been found to be 1.22 eV, 1.52 eV, 1.87 eV, and 2.2 eV respectively. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 is formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and includes an a-SiC material. According to one technique, gate insulator 225 includes a-Si1-xCx:H deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). According to another technique, mixed gases of silane and methane can be used to form a-Si1-xCx:H gate insulator 225. For example, the source gas can include silane in methane with additional dilution in hydrogen. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes a clean a-Si1-xCx material formed by hot-filament assisted CVD. In another embodiment, gate insulator 225 includes a-SiC formed on a crystalline Si substrate 230 by inductively coupled plasma CVD, such as at 450 degrees Celsius, which can yield a-SiC rather than epitaxially grown polycrystalline or microcrystalline SiC. The resulting a-SiC inclusive gate insulator 225 can provide an electron affinity χ225≈3.24 eV, which is significantly larger than the 0.9 eV electron affinity obtainable from a conventional SiO2 gate insulator. Gate insulator 225 can be etched by RF plasma etching using CF4O2 in SF6O2. Self-aligned source 205 and drain 210 can then be formed using conventional techniques for forming a FET 200 having a floating (electrically isolated) gate 215, or in an alternate embodiment, an electrically interconnected (driven) gate. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a DEAPROM having a memory cell 110 that includes a FET 200 having an at least partially crystalline (e.g., monocrystalline, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, nanocrystalline, or combination thereof) SiC floating gate 215. For example, one embodiment of a memory cell 110 that includes a memory storage element having a polycrystalline or microcrystalline SiC floating gate 215 is described in Forbes et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/903,486, entitled SILICON CARBIDE GATE TRANSISTOR AND FABRICATION PROCESS, filed on the same day as the present patent application, and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. The SiC floating gate 215 provides a lower electron affinity χ215≈3.7 to 3.8 eV and smaller resulting barrier energy ΦGI than a polysilicon gate material having an electron affinity χ215≈4.2 eV. For example, using a SiO2 gate insulator 225, a barrier energy ΦGI≈2.6 to 2.7 eV is obtained using an SiC floating gate 215, as compared to a barrier energy ΦGI≈3.3 eV for a conventional polysilicon floating gate material at an interface with an SiO2 gate insulator 225. According to one aspect of the invention, floating gate 215 is formed from a silicon carbide compound Si1-xCx, in which the material composition x is varied. One embodiment of a memory storage element having a variable SiC composition floating gate 215 is described in Forbes et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/903,452, entitled TRANSISTOR WITH VARIABLE ELECTRON AFFINITY GATE AND METHODS OF FABRICATION AND USE, filed on the same day as the present patent application, and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. For example, but not by way of limitation, an SiC composition of about 0.75<x<1.0 yields an electron affinity of approximately between 1.7 eV<χ215<−0.4 eV. For an SiO2 gate insulator 225, a barrier 0.8 eV<ΦGI<−1.3 eV is obtained. In one such embodiment, floating gate FET 200 provides a data charge retention time on the order of seconds. In one embodiment, floating gate 215 is formed by CVD of polycrystalline or microcrystalline SiC, which can be either in situ conductively doped during deposition, or conductively doped during a subsequent ion-implantation step. According to one aspect of the invention, for example, floating gate 215 is formed of an SiC film that is deposited using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The LPCVD process uses either a hot-wall reactor or a cold-wall reactor with a reactive gas, such as a mixture of Si(CH3)4 and Ar. Examples of such processes have been disclosed. In other embodiments, floating gate 215 is formed of an SiC film that is deposited using other techniques such as, for example, enhanced CVD techniques known to those skilled in the art including low pressure rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (LP-RTCVD), or by decomposition of hexamethyl disalene using ArF excimer laser irradiation, or by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Other examples of forming SiC film floating gate 215 include reactive magnetron sputtering, DC plasma discharge, ion-beam assisted deposition, ion-beam synthesis of amorphous SiC films, laser crystallization of amorphous SiC, laser reactive ablation deposition, and epitaxial growth by vacuum anneal. The conductivity of the SiC film of floating gate 215 can be changed by ion implantation during subsequent process steps, such as during the self-aligned formation of source/drain regions for the n-channel and p-channel FETs. In one embodiment, patterning and etching the SiC film, together with the underlying gate insulator 225, forms the resulting individual SiC floating gates 215. The SiC film is patterned using standard techniques and is etched using plasma etching, reactive ion etching (RIE) or a combination of these or other suitable methods. For example, the SiC film can be etched by RIE in a distributed cyclotron resonance reactor using a SF6/O2 gas mixture using SiO2 as a mask with a selectivity of 6.5. Such process is known in the art and is disclosed. Alternatively, the SiC film can be etched by RIE using the mixture SF6 and O2 and F2/Ar/O2. An example of such a process has been disclosed. The etch rate of the SiC film can be significantly increased by using magnetron enhanced RIE. Self-aligned source 205 and drain 210 regions can then be formed using conventional techniques for forming a FET 200 having a floating (electrically isolated) gate 215, or in an alternate embodiment, an electrically interconnected (driven) gate. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a DEAPROM having a memory cell 110 that includes a FET 200 having an at least partially crystalline (e.g., monocrystalline, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, or nanocrystalline) silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) floating gate 215. For example, one embodiment of a memory cell 110 that includes a storage element having a polycrystalline or microcrystalline SiOC floating gate 215 is described in Forbes et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/902,132, entitled TRANSISTOR WITH SILICON OXYCARBIDE GATE AND METHODS OF FABRICATION AND USE, filed on the same day as the present patent application, and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. In one embodiment, a material composition w of the SiO ( 2-2w)Cw floating gate 215 is selected such that floating gate 215 provides a lower electron affinity approximately between 0.9 eV<χ215<3.7 eV and smaller resulting barrier energy ΦGI than a polysilicon gate material having an electron affinity χ215≈4.2 eV. For example, using a SiO2 gate insulator 225, a barrier energy approximately between 0 eV<ΦGI<2.8 eV is obtained for an SiOC floating gate 215 as the SiOC composition w varies between w≈1 (i.e., approximately SiC) and w≈0 (i.e., approximately SiO2). By contrast, a conventional polysilicon floating gate material provides a barrier energy ΦGI≈3.3 eV at an interface with an SiO2 gate insulator 225. In one embodiment floating gate 215 is formed of a monocrystalline, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, or nanocrystalline, SiOC thin film that is CVD deposited, such as by a Two Consecutive Decomposition and Deposition Chamber (TCDDC) system. One such example of depositing microcrystalline SiOC is disclosed in the unrelated technological field of solar cell applications. In other embodiments, the SiOC film is deposited using other techniques such as, for example, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), or enhanced CVD techniques known to those skilled in the art including low pressure rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (LP-RTCVD). The conductivity of the SiOC film floating gate 215 can be changed by ion implantation during subsequent process steps, such as during the self-aligned formation of source/drain regions for the n-channel and p-channel FETs. The SiOC film can be patterned and etched, together with the underlying gate insulator 225, such as by using plasma etching, reactive ion etching (RIE) or a combination of these or other suitable methods. The etch rate of SiOC film can be significantly increased by using magnetron enhanced RIE. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a DEAPROM having a memory cell 110 including a FET 200 having an at least partially crystalline (e.g., monocrystalline, polycrystalline, microcrystalline, nanocrystalline, or combination thereof) gallium nitride (GaN) or gallium aluminum nitride (GaAlN) floating gate 215. For example, one embodiment of a memory storage element having a GaN or GaAlN floating gate 215 is described in Forbes et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/902,098, entitled DEAPROM AND TRANSISTOR WITH GALLIUM NITRIDE OR GALLIUM ALUMINUM NITRIDE GATE, filed on the same day as the present patent application, and which disclosure is herein incorporated by reference. In one embodiment, a composition v of a polycrystalline Ga 1-vAlvN floating gate 215 is selected approximately between 0<v<1 to obtain a desired barrier energy, as described below. The GaAlN floating gate 215 provides a lower electron affinity than polysilicon. The GaAlN floating gate 215 electron affinity can be approximately between 0.6 eV<χ215<2.7 eV as the GaAlN composition variable v is decreased from 1 to 0. As a result, the GaAlN floating gate 215 provides a smaller resulting barrier energy ΦGI than a polysilicon gate material having an electron affinity χ215≈4.2 eV. For example, using a SiO2 gate insulator 225, a barrier energy approximately between −0.3 eV<ΦGI<1.8 eV is obtained using an GaAlN floating gate 215 as the GaAlN composition v varies between v≈1 (i.e., approximately AlN) and v≈0 (i.e., approximately GaN). By contrast, a conventional polysilicon floating gate material provides a barrier energy ΦGI≈3.3 eV at an interface with an SiO2 gate insulator 225. In one embodiment, substrate 230 is bulk silicon, although other bulk semiconductor and semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) materials could also be used for substrate 230 such as, for example, sapphire, gallium arsenide (GaAs), GaN, AlN, and diamond. In one embodiment, gate insulator 225 is SiO2, although other dielectric materials could also be used for gate insulator 225, as described above, such as amorphous insulating GaN (a-GaN), and amorphous insulating AIN (a-AIN). The FET 200 using a GaAlN floating gate 215 has mobility and turn-on threshold voltage (VT) magnitude parameters that are advantageously influenced less by charge at SiO2-GaAlN interface surface states than at a conventional SiO2-polysilicon interface. In one embodiment floating gate 215 is formed of a polycrystalline, microcrystalline, or nanocrystalline, GaN thin film that is CVD deposited on a thin (e.g., 500 Å thick) AlN buffer layer, such as by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), which advantageously yields improved crystal quality and reduced microscopic fluctuation of crystallite orientation. In one embodiment, floating gate 215 is formed from a GaN film grown in a horizontal reactor operating at atmospheric pressure. Trimethyl gallium (TMG), trimethylaluminum (TMA), and arnmonia (NH3) are used as source gases, and hydrogen (H2) is used as a carrier gas. The TMG, TMA, and NH3 are mixed just before the reactor, and the mixture is fed at high velocity (e.g., 110 cm/s) to a slanted substrate 230 through a delivery tube. The desired GaAlN composition v is obtained by controlling the concentration ratio of TMG to TMA. In one embodiment, a 500 Å AIN buffer layer is obtained by growth at 600 degrees Celsius at a deposition rate of 100 Å/minute for approximately 5 minutes, then a epitaxial crystalline or polycrystalline layer of GaN is deposited at 1000 degrees Celsius. In another embodiment plasma-enhanced molecular beam epitaxy (PEMBE) is used to form a GaN or GaAlN floating gate 215, for example, by using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma during molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The background pressure in the MBE chamber is typically less than 10−10 torr. Ga flux (e.g., 99.99999% pure) is supplied by a conventional Knudsen effusion cell. The semiconductor substrates 230 are heated to a temperature of approximately 850 degrees Celsius, and exposed to a nitrogen plasma (e.g., 35 Watt plasma power level) to clean the surface of the substrate 230 and form a thin AlN layer thereupon. The temperature is then lowered to approximately 550 degrees Celsius for growth of a thin (e.g., 300 Å) GaN buffer layer (e.g., using 20 Watt plasma power level for growth in a low active nitrogen overpressure environment). The temperature is then increased, such as to approximately 800 degrees Celsius, to form the remainder of the GaN or GaAlN film forming floating gate 225, such as at a deposition rate of approximately 0.22 microns/hour. Each memory cell described herein has a floating electrode, such as a floating gate electrode in a floating gate field-effect transistor. According to one aspect of the invention, a barrier energy between the floating electrode and the insulator is lower than the barrier energy between polysilicon and SiO 2, which is approximately 3.3 eV. Each memory cell also provides large transconductance gain, which provides a more easily detected signal and reduces the required data storage capacitance value. According to another aspect of the invention, the shorter retention time of data charges on the floating electrode, resulting from the smaller barrier energy, is accommodated by refreshing the data charges on the floating electrode. By decreasing the data charge retention time and periodically refreshing the data, the write and erase operations can be several orders of magnitude faster. In this respect, each memory operates similar to a memory cell in DRAM, but avoids the process complexity, additional space needed, and other limitations of forming stacked or trench DRAM capacitors. refreshing data based on a data charge retention time that depends upon the barrier energy. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing data by changing charge on a storage electrode includes storing data by changing charge on the storage electrode adjacent to another insulator having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing data by changing charge on the storage electrode transconductively provides an amplified signal between ends of a current path above which the storage electrode is disposed. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes reading data by detecting a current flowing through a current path above which the storage electrode is disposed. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting a current is based on charge on the storage electrode and a transconductance gain of a component element that includes the storage electrode. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operating with a write/erase time of less than about 1 second. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operating with a write/erase time of less than about 1 millisecond. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes applying less than 12 volts to a control electrode to erase the charge on the storage electrode. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operating with a data charge retention time of about 40 seconds. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operating with a data charge retention time of about 40 seconds at a temperature of about 250° C. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein operating an electronic device includes operating a system having a processor that sends data that is stored on the storage electrode. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein storing data by changing charge on a floating gate includes storing data by changing charge on the floating gate having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further including providing a reference potential to a source of the floating gate transistor. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein storing data includes providing a control voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further includes placing a read voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and detecting a current conducted between a source of the floating gate transistor and a drain of the floating gate transistor. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a data charge signal of about 1000 fC. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting a change in current includes sampling or integrating over a time period. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein sampling or integrating over a time period over a time period includes sampling or integrating over about 10 nanoseconds. 21. The method of claim 12, wherein operating an electronic device includes operating a system having a processor that sends data that is stored by changing charge on the floating gate. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein activating a floating gate transistor includes activating the floating gate transistor having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further includes providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change the charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 25. The method of claim 22, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein detecting a change in current includes sampling or integrating over about 10 nanoseconds. 27. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further includes operating the memory with a write/erase time of less than about 1 millisecond. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further includes applying less than 12 volts to the control gate of the floating gate transistor to erase the charge on the storage electrode. 29. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further includes operating the memory with a data charge retention time of about 40 seconds. 30. The method of claim 22, wherein operating a memory includes sending data for storage in the memory under control of a processor. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein activating a floating gate transistor includes activating the floating gate transistor having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the method further includes providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change the charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 34. The method of claim 31, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein detecting a change in current includes sampling or integrating over about 10 nanoseconds. 36. The method of claim 31, wherein operating a memory includes sending data for storage in the memory under control of a processor. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein storing data by changing charge on a floating gate includes storing data by changing charge on the floating gate having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 39. The method of claim 37, wherein storing data includes providing a control voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 40. The method of claim 37, wherein the method further includes placing a read voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and detecting a current conducted between a source of the floating gate transistor and a drain of the floating gate transistor. 41. The method of claim 40, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 42. The method of claim 41, wherein detecting a change in current includes sampling or integrating over about 10 nanoseconds. 43. The method of claim 37, wherein the method further includes operating the memory with a data charge retention time of about 40 seconds at about 250° C. 44. The method of claim 37, wherein operating a memory includes sending control signals to the memory from a processor. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein storing data by changing charge on a floating gate includes storing data by changing charge on the floating gate having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 47. The method of claim 45, wherein storing data includes providing a control voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 48. The method of claim 45, wherein the method further includes placing a read voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and detecting a current conducted between a source of the floating gate transistor and a drain of the floating gate transistor. 49. The method of claim 45, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein detecting a change in current includes sampling or integrating over a period of time. 51. The method of claim 45, wherein operating a memory includes providing addresses from a processor. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein storing data by changing charge on a floating gate includes storing data by changing charge on the floating gate having an intergate dielectric disposed on the floating gate, the intergate dielectric having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of silicon dioxide. 54. The method of claim 52, wherein storing data includes providing a control voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and providing a write voltage to a drain of the floating gate transistor to change charge on the floating gate by hot electron injection or Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. 55. The method of claim 52, wherein the method further includes placing a read voltage to a control gate of the floating gate transistor and detecting a current conducted between a source of the floating gate transistor and a drain of the floating gate transistor. 56. The method of claim 52, wherein detecting a current includes detecting a change in current related to an absence or presence of charge stored on the floating gate. 57. The method of claim 52, wherein changing charge on a floating gate of a floating gate transistor includes changing the charge on the floating gate of the floating gate transistor configured such that the energy barrier at an interface between the floating gate and the gate insulator on which the floating gate is disposed has a barrier energy of less than approximately 2.8 eV. 58. The method of claim 52, wherein changing charge on a floating gate of a floating gate transistor includes changing the charge on the floating gate of the floating gate transistor configured such that the energy barrier at an interface between the floating gate and the gate insulator on which the floating gate is disposed has a barrier energy of less than approximately 1.8 eV. 59. The method of claim 52, wherein changing charge on a floating gate of a floating gate transistor includes changing the charge on the floating gate of the floating gate transistor configured such that the energy barrier at an interface between the floating gate and the gate insulator on which the floating gate is disposed has a barrier energy of less than approximately 0.8 eV.

Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD) The pharmaceutically funded “patient’s rights group” CHADD, received $1.2 million in pharmaceutical funding in 2008 alone… As early as 1995 the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) raised the alarm over the ‘patient’s rights group’ CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD) actively lobbying for the use of methylphenidate (Ritalin) for children labeled with ADHD while being funded by Ciba Geigy’s (now Novartis), the manufacturer of Ritalin. INCB said that this promotion of sales of an internationally controlled substance could be identified as covert advertising in contradiction of the provisions of the 1971 Psychotropic Drugs Convention.[1] The same year, the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) added its concerns that “the depth of the financial relationship with the manufacturer was not well known to the public” and that a spokesperson for Ciba had stated, “CHADD is essentially a conduit for providing information to the patient population.”[2] In 1987, members of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) voted to include ADHD as a mental disorder in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The same year, CHADD was formed. The financial relationship between CHADD and Ciba Geigy (then manufacturer of Ritalin) was formed… CHADD came under scrutiny in 2002 at a hearing of the Government Reform Committee, where Committee Chairman Dan Burton (R-IN) lambasted CHADD and its CEO, E. Clarke Ross, for the group’s ties with drug companies, noting that it had received $848,000 from “from one methylphenidate manufacturer” [Ciba Geigy] alone.[3] “The appearance is that they’re feeding you to deal with this problem [of product advocacy],” Burton said, his voice rising. “And I would just suggest, if there is a better way to fund your organization … it would be helpful.”[4] Between 1991 and 1994 alone, the national CHADD office received almost $1 million from pharmaceutical companies.[5] This included support from Cephalon, Eli Lilly, McNeil, Ciba Geigy, Pfizer, Shire and UCB Pharma.[6] CHADD’s 2000–2001 annual report disclosed that the group received 19.6% of its budget from drug makers. [7] In 2005, that rose to 22% ($1,035,000) and within a year had jumped to 28% ($1,401,000)—a 35% increase in just five years.[8] As of June 30, 2008, in addition was $1.2 million in drug company donations and grants, 64% of CHADD’s sales and advertising was derived from such companies ($466,104). Total pharmaceutical support from companies such as Eli Lilly, McNeill, Novartis and Shire US represented $1,205,000 or 21.9% of CHADD’s total revenue.[9] In 2009, the total pharmaceutical donation support of CHADD was 26.6% ($1,174,626). This included donations received from Eli Lilly, McNeil, Novartis and Shire US. The drug companies paid another $412,500 to CHADD in sales and advertising. Thus, the total financial support of CHADD by the drug manufacturers was $1.6 million, or 36% of total revenues that year. Here’s how CHADD’s history pans out: In 1987, members of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) voted to include ADHD as a mental disorder in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The same year, CHADD was formed.[10] The financial relationship between CHADD and Ciba Geigy began a year later.[11] CHADD used Ciba’s money to build its membership and to “promote awareness” of the “diseases” ADD/ADHD.[12] The number of CHADD chapters exploded from 29 to 500.[13] In 1988, the number of American children labeled with ADHD exploded with it, from zero to 500,000 and has steadily increased since then. Despite INCB/DEA concerns, and a clear conflict of interest with pharmaceutical companies, in 2002, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave $750,000 of taxpayer dollars to CHADD to act as a national resource center on ADHD, including a website that advocates biological (drug) approaches to treatment. In 2004, this increased to $1 million.[14] More than half of the drugs endorsed on the CHADD website are manufactured by drug companies that fund it. One of the largest growths in psychotropic drugs is stimulants prescribed for “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (ADHD). Approximately 94% of ADHD stimulant global sales were derived from the US in 2004. In 2004, the value of the ADHD market was $2.4 billion and had become one of the fastest growing (40% plus year-on-year).[15] By 2008, it reached almost $4.4 billion, helped by “advocacy” groups—the most prolific being Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD)—marketing for Pharma.[16] Targeting Teachers and Schools In 1991 CHADD lobbied for the Individuals and Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to amend eligibility rules for federal special education programs and federal education grants, providing schools with $400 for each child diagnosed with ADHD. The same year, the Department of Education formally recognized ADHD as a handicap and directed all state education officers to establish procedures to screen for ADHD and provide those identified with special educational and psychological services.[17] A decade later, with soaring Special Ed costs, a President-directed investigation into special education found that more than 50%, or 3.2 million children, had been placed in special education due to subjective categories such as “Non Specific Learning Disorder” costing an estimated $28 billion per year. As was established, the real problem was not that the kids had learning disabilities—including ADHD—but that they had never been taught to read. In an article published in PLoS Medicine, Christine B. Phillips writes that CHADD tries to make teachers “sickness brokers for ADHD,” marketing “educational” programs for them, including acting as the lead editorial consultant of a special issue on ADHD in “Health in Action,” a quarterly publication of the American School Health Association.[18] Teachers are now expected to diagnose students using such instruments as the Conners Teacher’s Rating Scale Teachers—based on the APA’s diagnostic manual—and often agree to administering psychostimulants to students during the school day.[19] Phillips further stated: “A subtle incentive for teachers to administer medication in the middle of the day may be the assurance of a tractable child in the afternoon.”[20] Shire Pharmaceuticals, which makes stimulants Adderall and Vyvanse, funds CHADD. In November 2009, the FDA also approved a new “nonstimulant” INTUNIV produced by Shire, which CHADD already lists on its website.[21] Shire also funds “ADHDSupport.com Teacher Discussion Guide,” copyrighted by Shire (2009), which has parents fill out their child’s name on a form and directs them to ask questions to elicit teacher collaboration to label the child, such as: “Could the school counselor/psychologist provide support in addition to what you’re doing in the classroom?” and “Would you be willing to fill out symptom checklists, to help monitor progress, on a weekly basis?”[23] The Guide is promoted on what looks like a consumer education website called “ADHD Support,” described as an ADHD Resource Center. However, it is just another marketing online site set up by Pharma—Shire Pharmaceuticals. It includes “checklists” for determining ADHD in children and adults and provides a Discussion Guide and refers readers to the CHADD website and its conferences.[24] Adult ADHD—The Latest Cash Cow “Disease” Shire and CHADD market “Adult ADD” or ADHD—a major Shire market. Shire told potential investors at a merchant bankers’ meeting in New York in the early 2000s that a whole new “adult market” was about to open up, assuring healthy growth in drug sales for many years to come. A slide shown the attendees was a pyramid divided into layers representing the different categories of people the company was seeking to influence. At the bottom of the pyramid were the bulk of the patients Shire was attempting to influence with direct-to-consumer advertisements. In the middle, the most significant groups included “Patient Advocacy Groups.”[25] Matthew Emmens, the CEO of Shire displayed a graph of Adderall sales, surging from just $10 million in 1996 to almost $520 million six years later. This single amphetamine product constituted more than 40% of the company’s total revenues.[26] Ray Moynihan, Alan Cassels, authors of Selling Sickness: How the World’s Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies are Turning Us All into Patients point out, “Coincidentally, the same month as the Shire presentation suggesting there may be 8 million potential new adult drug users, CHADD’s drug-company sponsored magazine Attention ran a feature story entitled “Dads with ADHD.” About the same time as a Shire-sponsored CHADD charity event was held, Shire released the results of a survey at a giant APA congress in New York, detailing what were described as the devastating emotional difficulties facing millions of adults with ADHD. Shire was also one of the sponsors of the psychiatrists’ congress.[27] At the time of these marketing activities, Shire did not have regulatory approval to promote its drug for adult use.[28] CHADD’s 2004 annual conference focused on ensuring the public understood that ADHD was now a “lifespan disorder.” “Medications for Adults with ADHD” was the title of one of the planned presentations. Key drug company sponsors were Shire, Lilly and Novartis, “who are all competing aggressively for a share of the this expanding, and now maturing, market,” noted Moynihan and Cassels.[29] In August 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Adderall XR (extended release) to treat Adult ADHD. Shire claimed that up to 65% of children with ADHD could still exhibit symptoms into adulthood, so they had a potential 4.4 million person to which they could sell Adderall.[30] In 2008, the FDA approved another Shire stimulant, Vyvanse, to treat adults with ADHD.[31] In 2009, Shire announced “two initiatives reinforcing their commitment to the care of adults” with ADHD. The first initiative, “RoADHD Trip,” is a multi-city “self screening tour”—involving just six questions—visiting eight cities across the country.[1] The second initiative, ADHD Clinical Education (ACE) Program, includes a field-based team of psychiatric nurses providing “in-office education to physicians and their staff on ADHD in adults.” Shire had already had 52,000 adults in 2008 “self screen.” For further information, the contact number in the press release is a Shire employee.[32] [1] The states are: Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Indianapolis, IN; St Paul, MN; Pomona, CA; Oklahoma City, OK; and Dallas, TX. [1] “Methylphenidate (A Background Paper),” U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Oct. 1995; Report of the International Narcotics Control Board, 1995, http://www.undcp.org/reports/incb95en.htm, p. 28. [2] “Methylphenidate (A Background Paper),” U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Oct. 1995. [3] Thomas Sowell, “Federal Dollars Wasted on ‘Diseases’ that Don’t Exist,” Freedom Magazine. [5] Dr. Mary Ann Block, No More ADHD, (Block System, Inc, Texas, 2001), p. 13; House Government Reform Committee Hearing On The Overmedication Of Hyperactive Children, 26 Sept. 2002. [6] http://www.chadd.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Reports1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=1771. [8] http://www.chadd.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Reports1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2632; http://www.chadd.org/Content/CHADD/AboutCHADD/Reports/default.htm. [9] “CHADD’s Income and Expenditures (2007-2008),” CHADD, 2008, http://www.chadd.org/Content/CHADD/AboutCHADD/Reports/default.htm. [10] Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders III-R, Published by the American Psychiatric Association Washington, DC, 1987, p.50; “Welcome to CHADD—The CHADD Information and Resource Guide to AD/HD,” CHADD website: http://www.chadd.org. [11] “A.D.D.— A DUBIOUS DIAGNOSIS?,” The Merrow Report, PBS, 20 Oct. 1995. [13] Richard DeGrandpre, Ritalin Nation, (W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1999), p. 18. [14] http://www.chadd.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Reports1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=1771. [15] http://www.piribo.com/publications/diseases_conditions/cns/cns_drug_discoveries_attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_adhd.html. [16] http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS105098+22-Jul-2009+BW20090722. [17] John Merline, “Public Schools: Pushing Drugs?”, Business Daily, 16 Oct., 1997; Genevieve M. Young, “The ‘Child’s Initiative’:,” March 1996, p. 4 of 12, Internet URL: http://www.townhall.com/crc/trends/ot-0396.html; Special Education Legislation 1958-1991, http://specialed.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa040797.htm (accessed: 6 July 1998). [18] Christine B. Phillips, “Medicine Goes to School: Teachers as Sickness Brokers for ADHD,” PLoS Med 3(4): e182. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0030182, 11 Apr. 2006, http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pmed.0030182. [21] http://www.chadd.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Releases1&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=13126. [23] “ADHDSupport.com Teacher Discussion Guide,” http://www.adhdsupport.com/teacher-discussion-guide.pdf. [24] http://www.adhdsupport.com/adhd-resources.aspx; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/116519.php. [25] Ray Moynihan, Alan Cassels, Selling Sickness, (Nation Books, New York, 2005), p. 56. [30] http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/12048.php. [31] “New adult ADHD drug receives FDA approval: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first prodrug designed for once-daily treatment of adults with ADHD,” 24 April 2008, http://www.physorg.com/news128247002.html. [32] “Shire Initiates Two Adult ADHD Outreach Programs,” http://www.shire.com/shire/mobile/news/newsItem.jsp?ref=1036. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health (CACMH) Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD) Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) DBSA Advisory Board Herbert Pardes: Creating The Front Group Pipe Line Mental Health America (Formerly National Mental Health Association) National Association for Research on Schizophrenia And Depression (NARSAD) Australian Psychiatrist Patrick McGorry's Brave New World of Pre-Drugging Kids Screening for Mental Health, Inc Signs of Suicide (SOS) Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN) TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups TMAP: The Psycho-Pharma Front Business The Jed Foundation

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Which laboratory tests are essential for monitoring heparin therapy? output: Monitoring heparin therapy, particularly unfractionated heparin (UFH), requires specific laboratory tests to ensure therapeutic efficacy and safety. The primary tests used are: 1. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT): This is the most commonly used test for monitoring UFH. The American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend adjusting the UFH dose to achieve an aPTT that is 1.5 to 2.5 times the control value, which typically corresponds to a heparin level of 0.3 to 0.7 U/mL by anti-factor Xa determinations.[1-2] 2. Anti-Factor Xa (anti-Xa) Assay: This test directly measures the inhibition of factor Xa by heparin and is less affected by biological and preanalytical variables compared to aPTT. It is particularly useful in cases where aPTT results are unreliable due to interfering factors such as lupus anticoagulants or consumptive coagulopathies.[3-4] 3. Platelet Counts: Regular monitoring of platelet counts is essential to detect heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), a serious complication of heparin therapy.[5-6] 4. Hematocrit and Tests for Occult Blood in Stool: These tests are recommended to monitor for potential bleeding complications during heparin therapy.[5-6] In summary, aPTT and anti-Xa assays are the cornerstone tests for monitoring UFH therapy, with additional monitoring of platelet counts, hematocrit, and occult blood in stool to ensure comprehensive patient safety.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: discovered a hard round lump in my left breast a few days ago that was not there two weeks ago, there is a smaller one in my right breast. Did some resaerch on my own and it sounds like fibroadenoma. The lumps are moveable and located near the surface, and the came up out of no where fibroadenoma, related with movable lumps on breast? output: Hi,Dear thanks for the query to HCM virtual clinic.I studied your query in full details updated from you.I understood your health concerns.Based on your query data, In my opinion ,You should not worry and do as follows-Get the Surgical opinion soon. Get FNAC biopsy of the Breast Hard Lump(Mostly-Fibroadenoma-Mouse lump)and of the Neck Lump.Second lump in right breast-seems to have come no-where but as these lumps are known as Mouse of the Breast,its normal complaint from patients like you.Get Mammogram/CT study of the Breast lump.If things suggest,that these lumps are non-malignant forget till that time.Do FNAC biopsy of these breast Lumps.Don't worry till You get these reports.So answer to your question is YES,they are MOUSY breast lumps.Hope this would resolve your query and worry.Welcome for any further query in this regard to ME.I would love to help you outAwaiting for any further query.Wish you fast recovery from this intriguing health problem.Have a Good Day.N.M.S.Genl-CVTS -Senior Surgical Consultant..

Community Health Plans Take Action on COVID-19 The rapidly evolving COVID-19 public health crisis is impacting every community across the country. In this time of uncertainty, the Alliance of Community Health Plans’ (ACHP) nonprofit, community-based health plans are quickly assessing local needs, nimbly adapting coverage and care and innovating to protect the public health. On the ground in the communities they serve, ACHP members are leading efforts to address the very real challenges presented by this crisis, prioritizing prevention, testing and treatment. ACHP plans and their affiliated systems are taking steps to ensure their members get access to the care and coverage they need during this public health crisis. AultCare | AvMed | CDPHP | CommunityCare | Dean Health Plan | Fallon Health | Geisinger Health Plan | Group Health Cooperative South Central Wisconsin | Harvard Pilgrim Health Care | Health Alliance | Health Alliance Plan (HAP) | HealthPartners | Independent Health | Kaiser Permanente | Martin’s Point Health Care | Pacific Source Health Plans | Presbyterian Health Plan | Priority Health | Sanford Health | Scott & White Health Plan | Security Health Plan | SelectHealth |UCare | UPMC Health Plan AultCare has launched an information hub designed to keep their members up to date on COVID-19. AultCare Provides Reopening Resources (June 3, 2020) AultCare, in partnership with the Aultman Health Foundation, is offering “Essential Workplace Solutions” for regional service areas in Ohio. AultPlan, will offer back-to-work support and solutions including: Social distancing workplace re-design, staff training/education, monitoring and PPE procurement. The customized services offer area employers a safe return-to-work transition plan. AvMed continues to take proactive response to COVID-19 (May 21, 2020) AvMed is taking proactive action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to increase access to care and removing potential cost barriers for its members. This includes: zero-cost diagnostic testing; zero-cost treatment; no specialist referral requirements; increased access to prescription medications; zero-cost virtual visits; and expanded behavioral health access. AvMed Expands Access to Care for COVID-19 (April 7, 2020) AvMed is waiving out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 treatments for its fully-insured commercial and Medicare Advantage members through May 31, 2020. In addition, AvMed will continue to provide its members with zero-dollar diagnostic testing, zero-dollar virtual visits, including behavioral health, and waiver of specialist referral requirements. CDPHP Coverage of COVID-19 The health and safety of members and the community is a top priority at CDPHP. With this in mind, CDPHP is waiving cost-sharing (copays, coinsurance, and deductibles) for all coronavirus (COVID-19) related treatment. This change is retroactive for all COVID-19 treatment, including hospitalizations, testing, and office visits. CDPHP provides first responders preventive resources during COVID-19 (May 19, 2020) CDPHP, MVP Health Care and Quick Response announced a partnership to provide the cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy with essential sanitation equipment to protect local first responders from COVID-19. Each city will receive two Defense Soap Cordless Electrostatic Hand or Backpack Sprayers for use by the police and fire departments. Each sprayer provides up to 23,000 square feet of disinfectant in a single tank. CDPHP Patient Care Team Connects Patients, Doctors, and Loved Ones during COVID-19 Crisis (April 16, 2020) The CDPHP Patient Care Team, which moved into a virtual setting as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, is reaching out to patients and their family members to assist with the following providing emotional support to members, families, and caregivers; providing daily communication updates between hospital staff, patients, and families; collaborating with hospital care teams to customize discharge planning; odentifying any barriers to care, such as access to food, medication, and transportation; identifying any community resources/support services needed post-discharge; and facilitating post-discharge phone calls and support. CDPHP, MVP Health Care Partner to Expand Access to Critical Services (March 16, 2020) CDPHP and MVP Health Care are teaming up to offer their entire membership (including MVP’s members throughout New York and in Vermont) access to virtual emergency medicine services that allows patients to connect with a physician 24/7 from the comfort of their home. The emergency medicine trained providers – powered by United Concierge Medicine – can assess a patient’s need for COVID-19 testing and prescribe appropriate treatment. The following telemedicine services are being made available to CDPHP members at no cost-share: ER Anywhere– An emergency telemedicine app available to members 24/7 for consultations, triage, testing, and treatment. Doctor On Demand– A telemedicine app available 24/7 for consultation, testing, and treatment. Doctor On Demand is a safe and convenient alternative to urgent care. CommunityCare CommunityCare Coronavirus Testing and Treatment Coverage (March 25,2020) CommunityCare is committed to addressing the challenges presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) and is prioritizing prevention, testing and treatment. To help ensure members have access to the care they need, CommunityCare is providing most members with coverage and waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing, for all telemedicine services and for medically appropriate COVID-19 treatment through May 31, 2020. Early refills of maintenance medications from the pharmacy will also be covered, and longer fills up to 90 days for employer group members and many medications up to 100 days for our Medicare Advantage members are available. Dean Coronavirus Coverage Dean Health Plan is waiving in-network cost-sharing, including copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, for COVID-19 diagnostic testing during this public health emergency. Dean Health Plan will cover the test and doctor visit at no cost to members when the basis for the visit is related to testing for COVID-19. Dean Health Plan will also cover in-network hospitalizations for COVID-19 treatment with no member cost sharing. To limit potential coronavirus risk, Dean Health Plan is expanding its coverage of telehealth services. This will allow additional methods of health care access for members, such as Skype, FaceTime or Zoom. This policy applies to Commercial (fully-insured, including ACA), Medicare and Medicaid members. To provide members earlier access to prescription medications, Dean Health Plan has relaxed its refill policy. Members can get early refills of maintenance and non-maintenance medications, both at a retail pharmacy and through mail order. Dean Health Plan Offering Free Meals to MA Enrollees (April 23, 2020) Dean Health Plan is partnering with Food Fight Restaurant Group and Epic to offer free weekly meals to seniors in the Medicare Advantage Program. SSM Wisconsin report surge in online, phone visits (April 22, 2020) SSM Health Wisconsin has seen a telehealth surge amounting to about 20,000 total visits this year. The initial push was done to care for patients who might have COVID-19 to keep them safe at home, but SSM is now handling acute care and routine follow-up visits via telehealth where physical examinations aren’t necessary. Fallon Health Awards $100,000 to Address COVID-19 (May 8, 2020) In addition to the $25,000 Fallon Health previously donated to “Worcester Together”—a fund established to address the immediate community relief efforts across their key service areas—the organization has awarded $75,000 in emergency relief funding for organizations that support food insecurity and/or senior isolation and support services. Fallon Health Accelerates Access to Health Care Services for Members Impacted by Coronavirus (March 31, 2020) Fallon Health is waiving cost-sharing COVID-19 testing and counseling and waiving co-pays for COVID-19 related treatment. They are also waiving cost-sharing for telehealth services and allowing early refills on maintenance medications. Fallon Health pledges $25,000 to “Worcester Together” to address COVID-19 community needs (March 26,2020) Fallon is pledging $25,000 to aid those impacted in the Worcester, Massachusetts area. The funds will go directly to “Worcester Together,” a joint fund led by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and United Way of Central Massachusetts fund that will address immediate basic needs and long-term local relief efforts. Geisinger channels donated funds to increase testing capacity (July 9, 2020) Geisinger Health has used donated funds to purchase a new Hologic Panther Fusion System. The new equipment aligns with existing instruments to increase capacity and efficiency for the Geisinger laboratory. The new equipment increased Geisinger’s testing capacity by more than 70 percent, a jump from the processing 5,528 tests per week to 21,278 tests per week. That larger capacity provides greater access to testing for the community, allowing for faster diagnosis and effective containment and contact tracing. Geisinger receives $979,000 to bolster telemedicine services (July 7, 2020) Geisinger has been awarded $978, 935 from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Geisinger will use the award to purchase telemedicine carts, tablet computers, and telemedicine peripherals such as hand-held cameras and stethoscopes. Geisinger offers telehealth visits for primary care appointments and 72 specialties. Geisinger Health provides guidance on safely reopening businesses (May 14, 2020) As businesses prepare to reopen across Pennsylvania, Geisinger is providing tools, information and guides to help employers keep their staff and patrons safe and healthy. Geisinger expands telehealth services amid COVID-19 pandemic (April 10, 2020) To give patients continued access to primary and specialty care while slowing the spread of COVID-19, Geisinger has expanded its telehealth services to include primary care and more than 70 specialties. Geisinger Health Plan waiving member cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment (April 3, 2020) Effective April 3, 2020, Geisinger Health Plan will waive member cost-sharing for in-network, in-patient treatment of COVID-19. The cost waivers will be in effect until further notice. This is applicable to all Geisinger Health Plan members. Self-insured/TPA groups may opt-out Geisinger Chatbot Screens Helps Screen for COVID-19 Remotely (March 27, 2020) Geisinger Health has developed a chatbot to help triage and screen patients remotely. In addition, it’s setting up video chat capabilities for admitted patients allowing them to contact their families at home, which helps to minimize person-to-person contact. Telehealth services available to Geisinger Health Plan members (March 19, 2020) Geisinger is partnering with Teladoc on telehealth services. Cost-sharing waived for members until June 15 and applies to all treatments, not just COVID-related treatment. Geisinger to process tests for coronavirus (March 16, 2020) Geisinger Health System is processing tests for COVID-19. Geisinger’s test results are available in a matter of hours, as opposed to the 24- to 48-hour wait when tests are sent to the state laboratory. GHC-SCW developes desktop droplet barrier (March 19, 2020) Using only everyday items, Dr. Alison Craig has created a barrier that will help protect clinicians while examining and testing patients who may have COVID-19. What You Need to Know About Coronavirus and Group Health Cooperative South Central Wisconsin (March 13, 2020) GHC-SCW is waiving cost-sharing (including copays, deductibles, and coinsurance) for COVID-19 testing for all insured members. Members are encouraged to use GHC Care on Demand, a virtual clinic that members can access 24/7; the program is free for most members. GHC-SCW’s pharmacy department will be also be able to fill member prescriptions through the mail. Your Guide to COVID-19 Care: Havard Pilgrim Health Care Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is waiving cost-sharing for in-network and out-of-network emergency care related to COVID-19. Telemedicine and remote consultations will also be covered by these waivers. The plan is also allowing some members early refill on maintenance medications, some of which can be filled for 90-days instead of 30. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Announces $32 Million in Premium Credits to Employer Groups and Medicare Supplement Members (June 18, 2020) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced today that it will be providing $32 million in premium credits to all its fully-insured employer groups, as well as to Medicare Supplement members. Harvard Pilgrim is awaiting regulatory approval for this action in Connecticut which it expects to receive shortly. Additionally, the nonprofit health plan announced it will provide $3 million in financial support to independent primary care physicians, $3 million to support community health centers, and the insurer will waive all primary care and specialty care copays for office visits for Medicare Advantage members through the end of the year. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation contributed $50,000 to Families in Transition-New Horizons (April 24,2020) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation contributed $50,000 to Families in Transition-New Horizons to sponsor its Relief Meal Delivery Project. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation Gives $40,000 to Sponsor New Bedford COVID-19 Relief Meal Delivery Project (April 7, 2020) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation will contribute $40,000 to Coastal Foodshed to sponsor and coordinate the New Bedford COVID-19 Meal Delivery Project. Tia Maria’s European Cafe and Destination Soups will prepare 100 daily meals for older adults and others in need in New Bedford, MA. As part of this project, meals will be delivered to homes by New Bedford-based Yes! We Van commuter transportation services. Harvard Pilgrim Presses Federal Authorities for Premium Relief (April 2, 2020) Harvard Pilgrim Health Care President and CEO Michael Carson is proposing a sequel to the Paycheck Protection Program. Small- and mid-sized businesses could access loans to cover their insurance bills, but those loans could be forgiven if they keep workers on their insurance plans. Harvard Pilgrim is waiving all cost-sharing for COVID-19 related treatment (March 31, 2020) Harvard Pilgrim is waiving co-pays, deductibles and coinsurance for COVID-19 at in-network facilities and out-of-network emergency care. Telemedicine, or remote consultations, also will be covered by these waivers. The policy is effective immediately through June 1, 2020. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation Gives More Than $3 Million for Covid-19 Relief Efforts (March 21, 2020) Pilgrim Health Care Foundation today announced it will give more than $3 million for COVID-19 relief efforts by supporting community and nonprofit organizations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. As part of its initial $3 million distribution of funds, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation has committed dedicated resources to community-focused initiatives including the engagement of select restaurants throughout the region to provide and deliver take-out meals to families in need and helping to put people back to work. Additionally, these resources will assist communities in facilitating access to COVID-19 testing. Health Alliance COVID-19 Information and Updates Health Alliance is providing coverage for and waiving cost-sharing for the medically appropriate testing for COVID-19. Most Health Alliance and Health Alliance-administered plans provide benefits for telehealth and/or virtual doctor visits. In addition to what is normally provided, Health Alliance is temporarily broadening telehealth codes to cover additional services, including behavioral therapy, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Members can also receive early refills on certain prescription drugs and can enroll in Health Alliances prescription mailing service. Carle, Grainger College of Engineering develop working prototype of emergency ventilator (March 27, 2020) A team led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering and Carle Health has produced a prototype emergency ventilator to help address the expected surge in the need for respiratory care associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Alliance Plan (HAP) HAP COVID-19 Updates HAP will waive member cost-sharing for testing and treatment of COVID-19. This waiver is currently in effect through June 30, 2020. All cost-sharing for telehealth services is waived for HAP individual, fully-insured group and Medicare members through June 30, even if the service is not related to COVID-19. Members who use telehealth services for COVID-19 related questions and other medical or behavioral health concerns won’t be charged a copay. Medicaid members aren’t included at this time, but HAP is in daily discussions with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on how HAP can provide telehealth to Medicaid members. HAP is allowing some members to refill prescriptions early to ensure they have an adequate supply on hand. HAP also offers free in-home delivery of medications through Pharmacy Advantage. The standard shipping costs on your medications are free. Henry Ford Health System opens outdoor testing sites to address COVID-19 (March 16, 2020) Henry Ford Health System has set up triage tents in hospital parking lots in Detroit, Wyandotte, Clinton Township, West Bloomfield, and Jackson to divert patients for COVID-19 screening and testing. Hospital staff will also provide acute care treatments inside the tents. HealthPartners tests 50,000 people during COVID-19 pandemic (June 18, 2020) In its ongoing effort to contain COVID-19, HealthPartners this week tested its 50,000th patient since it began testing in March. About 8,000 people were asymptomatic and received tests after participating in large community gatherings, following recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health. This short-term temporary expansion of testing was among the largest number of asymptomatic tests administered in the Twin Cities in the last two weeks. The number of tests in this category reached a daily high of 1,484 on June 8 and declined to 488 on June 17. HealthPartners increases COVID-19 testing capacity seven fold (May 1, 2020) HealthPartners is increasing its laboratory capacity to more than 2,000 COVID-19 tests a day beginning the week of May 4, a seven-fold increased since April 22. The organization has created new high-volume, drive-up testing sites in St. Louis Park and White Bear Lake where care teams can test 300-400 symptomatic patients a day. In addition, capacity has been increased at existing drive-up testing locations in Plymouth, Lakeville, St. Paul, Stillwater, Hutchinson and Olivia where more than 6,000 tests have been performed since mid-March. HealthPartners waiving costs for all Virtuwell visits (April 24, 2020) HealthPartners has announced it will be waiving costs for all Virtuwell visits. The cost-waiving will be effective through May 31 for HealthPartners commercial fully-insured plans. A standard Virtuwell visit usually costs $49. HealthPartners and University of Minnesota Team Up to Develop Hot-Spot App (April, 22, 2020) HealthPartners and researchers at the University of Minnesota have teamed up with developers to create a mobile app that provides users with data about the health of their neighborhood, helping them avoid potential COVID-19 hotspots. HealthPartners Selected as Partner Organization for Minnesota Testing Initiative (April 22, 2020) HealthPartners has been selected as one of the partner organizations to help support Minnesota’s initiative on expanding testing and contact tracing throughout the state. Social Distancing and HealthPartners (April 18, 2020) HealthPartners is adapting to COVID-19 by finding new and creative ways to leverage technology–like Google Duo–to ensure patients continue to receive routine care and treatment when possible. HealthPartners Waives Cost-Sharing on COVID-19 Treatment (April 3, 2020) HealthPartners will waive copayments and coinsurance requirements for COVID-19 testing and in-network hospitalizations, and to grant expanded access to telemedicine services so people can receive care at home. The waivers will last through at least May 31. HealthPartners Expands Mental Health Care Access through Video Visits (March 31, 2020) HealthPartners is harnessing technology to provide critical mental health care and primary and specialty care to patients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The health system trained more than 2,000 clinicians across multiple care specialties in only three days on how to use video visits to assess, serve and treat patients. HealthPartners covers testing for COVID-19, encourages use of free telehealth tools (March 12, 2020) Independent Health and COVID-19 Independent Health will cover all laboratory testing and services related to the diagnosis of COVID-19 with no member cost share. Additionally, the health plan will cover all services and treatment for members with no member cost share through at least May 31, 2020, including in-person, telehealth, urgent care center, outpatient hospital or emergency room visits. This includes all plans, including HSA-qualified high deductible health plans (HDHPs). To encourage social distancing and help reduce the risk of spreading this virus, Independent Health will cover any in-network telehealth/telemedicine services, whether or not COVID-19 related. There will be $0 copay or cost-sharing* for members for these services. When members can’t reach their primary care physician, Independent Health’s telemedicine benefit will allow members to use Teladoc to talk with a doctor anytime, anywhere by phone, mobile app or online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Indepednet will waive the cost share for Teladoc services during the COVID-19 outbreak. Independent Health Partners with Brook Personal Health Companion (April 1, 2020) Independent Health announced it is expanding its partnership with Brook, an innovative Seattle-based technology company, to offer the Western New York community free access to the Brook Personal Health Companion App for the duration of the COVID-19 health emergency All Independent Health employees will work from home (March 15, 2020) Kaiser Permanente COVID-19 Information Center Kaiser Permanente has waived all member cost-sharing for COVID-19 related treatment and testing. Kaiser Permanente also offers robust telehealth options and will fill member prescriptions by mail. Members are always encouraged to use the prescription mail service, and with most prescriptions can get a 3-month supply for the price of 2 months. Kaiser Permanente extends waiver for out-of-pocket costs related to COVID-19 (May 28, 2020) Kaiser Permanente has announced that it will extend its waiver for most out-of-pocket costs for inpatient and outpatient services related to the treatment of COVID-19 through December 31, 2020. This waiver, put into effect on April 1 and originally set to expire on May 31 is intended to alleviate the cost burden and stress for paying for care, allowing members to focus on recovery. Kaiser Permanente provides members access to Calm meditation app (May 19, 2020) Starting May 19, 2020, the Calm meditation app will be available for free to all Kaiser Permanente members as part of a way to help customers manage anxiety as they deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Costs waived for members receiving COVID-19 treatment (April 3, 2020) Kaiser Permanente has announced that it will waive all member out-of-pocket costs for inpatient and outpatient services related to the treatment of COVID-19 through May 31. This is intended to alleviate the cost burden and stress on impacted members of paying for care. Kaiser Permanente staff use baby monitors to keep eye on ICU (April 1, 2020) Burses have begun using two-way baby monitors to interact with isolated patients showing symptoms associated with COVID-19. Those who have used the baby monitors say it’s a practical solution for staying connected to patients — a novel way to fight the novel virus. Kaiser Permanente began introducing the idea at its facilities in California’s Santa Clara County, where the hospital beds were already filling up with possible COVID-19 patients. First COVID-19 vaccine trial at Kaiser Permanente Washington (March 16, 2020) On March 16, 2020, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute gave the first-ever injection of an investigational vaccine for the 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, to volunteers participating in phase one of the federally sponsored clinical trial. This is the first vaccine trial for this virus, which causes COVID-19, in humans. The KPWHRI trial began recruiting participants on March 3. Kaiser Permanente pledges $1M to treat homeless for COVID-19 (March 16, 2020) Kaiser Permanente has pledged $1 million toward efforts to prevent and treat COVID-19 cases among the nation’s homeless population. The Oakland, CA,-based health system is partnering with the advocacy group National Health Care for the Homeless Council to fund at least four housing activist groups in California, Seattle and Portland, OR. Kaiser Permanente supports public health response to COVID-19 with $1 million donation, collaboration with CDC Foundation (March 11, 2020) Kaiser Permanente is contributing $1 million to 10 leading public health organizations and collaborating with CDC Foundation to strengthen the United States’ public health infrastructure and response systems to stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Martin’s Point Health Care Martin’s Point Health Care and COVID-19 Medicare Advantage members will not pay any cost-sharing on COVID-19 related treatment or testing. For patients admitted to a hospital, the standard inpatient copay will still apply. If members must see an out-of-network provider for any covered service, they will receive the in-network cost share. This applies even if a members’ MA plan does not normally include out-of-network coverage. Martin’s Point Health Care Medicare Advantage plans covers all telehealth services covered by Original Medicare. PacificSource PacificSource Waives Member Costs for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Diagnosis and Treatment (April 6, 2020) PacificSource will waive all out-of-pocket costs for coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, diagnosis and treatment for its fully insured commercial, Medicare Advantage, and health savings accounts (HSA) members. This waiver will apply to those members who have received or will receive care between Jan. 31 through June 30, 2020, regardless of place of care. PacificSource donates $25,000 to nonprofit relief fund (March 29, 2020) PacificSource has donated $25,000 to a COVID-19 relief run by the Helena Area Community Foundation and the United Way of the Lewis & Clark Area. The fund will provide financial resources to nonprofits responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. PacificSource Benefit Updates to Combat Coronavirus (March 13, 2020) PacificSource will eliminate out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 testing and testing-related visits for our members at out-patient care sites (including primary care, urgent care and emergency rooms). PacificSource will allow members a one-time early refill for prescription drugs. (Vaccination—when it becomes available—will also be offered at no cost to members.) Presbyterian Health Presbyterian Health Services COVID-19 Information Center Presbyterian Health Services is providing free screening and testing for COVID-19. Treatment for COVID-19 will be free for Presbyterian Health Plan members. Presbyterian Health Plan members can also get early refills on maintenance medications. Presbyterian Expands Virtual Care Options (April 17, 2020) Presbyterian has increased virtual care options during this time of uncertainty, offering most patients a virtual care visit, which can be done by telephone or through MyChart Zoom video. Members can also request an appointment, message their care team, view test results and request prescription renewals using MyChart. Priority Health provides all members free access to Livongo’s myStrength mental health and wellness app (July 8, 2020)Priority Health provides all members free access to Livongo’s myStrength mental health and wellness appPriority health has partnered with Livongo Health Inc, the leading Applied Health Signals company empowering people with chronic conditions to live better and healthier lives, to offer its members free access to myStrength, a digital behavioral health solution with a breadth of evidenced-based activities to manage stress and bolster mental health and wellness. Priority Health offers $0 cost share treatment for COVID-19 and virtual visits through 2020 (June 29, 2020) Priority Health has announced that it will continue to waive all copays, deductibles and coinsurance for treatment and medically-necessary testing of COVID-19 as well as expand its $0 cost share virtual visits offer, including behavioral health visits, through December 31, 2020. Spectrum Health hospital offering antibody tests (May 27, 2020) Spectrum Health Lakeland is now offering COVID-19 antibody tests for those with a physician’s order. Spectrum Health has the capacity to do up to 1,000 antibody tests per day, with results available within about 24 hours. The antibody, or serology, test is a blood test designed to detect a previous COVID-19 infection through the presence of disease-fighting antibodies. Priority Health to offer financial relief to members (May 12, 2020) Priority Health announced plans to provide financial support to members and employers facing challenges amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It plans to offer premium credits and waive cost sharing for its most heavily impacted populations. Priority Health plans to return any revenue above the company’s low, ten percent administrative rate back to employers and members. Free access to COVID-19 mental wellness tools (April 17, 2020) Self-care and coping skills are critical to mental health and wellbeing. To empower members, Priority Health has partnered with a digital health specialist to offer free access to mental wellness resources specifically focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. Priority Health waives all member cost sharing for the treatment of COVID-19 (April 10, 2020) Priority Health will waive all copays, deductibles and coinsurance for the treatment of COVID-19 through June 30. Covered treatment may be inpatient or outpatient from an in-network provider. Priority Health further expands home medication delivery for all members (March 27, 2020) Spectrum Health has begun giving out as many as 28 take-home doses of methadone and other treatments to patients who come to Spectrum’s 14 outpatient locations for addiction treatment. Spectrum, in coordination with the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, has also eliminated the requirement that people be in treatment for six months before receiving take-home doses. (March 22, 2020) Priority extends free telehealth through April (March 20, 2020) In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Priority Health announcedwill its existing $0 copay telehealth, also known as virtual care, to include all lines of business through April 30. This means that essentially all of the company’s nearly one million members across Commercial, Individual, Medicaid and Medicare plans, will now have virtual access to medical professionals for non-emergency care, at no additional cost. Sanford Health Sanford Health Coverage Information, COVID-19 Sanford Health Plan will waive all cost-sharing for testing and treatment of COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. This means members will receive care and treatment and Sanford Health Plan will cover all of their out-of-pocket costs related to COVID-19. This provides for coverage of testing and treatment, including outpatient treatment and inpatient hospital stays. All Sanford Health members also have access to telehealth and virtual care services. To ensure members have access to vital medication, Sanford Health Plan is extending prior authorizations an extra 90 days for all existing maintenance prescriptions with prior authorizations that will expire in 90 days or fewer. Sanford Health Deploys COVID-19 Mobile Testing Lab (May 8, 2020) Sanford Health has deployed a mobile testing unit equipped with the laboratory technologies to process COVID-19 tests on-site, with results completed in one hour. The unit can be deployed to potential hot spots to expedite testing and results, which has proven to give health officials an advantage in containing the spread of the illness. Sanford Opens Drive-Thru Testing Center in Minnesota (April 23, 2020) Sanford Health has installed three lanes of drive-thru style testing inside the ice arena to minimize wait times. This testing location is only for JBS employees. Employees must bring their JBS work identification to be tested. In all, more than 2,000 tests should be completed in the coming days. Sanford Gets Helmsley Grant to Buy Mechanical CPR Devices (April 21, 2020) Sanford Health has received a $620,895 Helmsley grant to purchase 51 additional LUCAS mechanical CPR devices. 90-minute rapid coronavirus tests now available (April 3, 2020) Sanford Health can now use a test for COVID-19 with results available in 90 minutes. These rapid tests will be used for the highest priority patients including those who are hospitalized, health care workers and elderly adults living in long-term care facilities. The rapid tests are now available in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota. Sanford Health launches in-house testing for coronavirus (March 24, 2020) anford Health has launched a test for the COVID-19 virus using an FDA-approved method under Emergency Use Authorization. Tests will be available at Sanford clinics and medical centers, and processed at the Sanford laboratory in Sioux Falls. Patients will receive results in 24-48 hours. Coronavirus: Sanford Health prepares for new strain (March 9, 2020) Scott and White Health Plan – COVID-19 Effective March 6, 2020, and until further notice, Scott and White Health Plan is waiving all member cost-sharing for care related to COVID-19, which includes testing, telehealth services, outpatient office visits, and inpatient hospital stays. All telehealth medical care is also covered at a $0 copayment, whether the service is provided through the member’s in-network physician, or through BSWHealth.com or the myBSWHealth app. In conjunction with our pharmacy benefit manager, OptumRx, Scott and White Health Plan is amending its prescription drug policies to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medication during the COVID-19 threat. Members may obtain an early refill of prescription medications if they have refills remaining on file at a participating retail or mail-order pharmacy. The refill obtained will stay consistent with the standard days’ supply previously filled as allowed by your plan (e.g., 30- or 90-day supply). Extended Authorizations: Scott and White is extending prescription drug approvals (prior authorizations) for most medications for an additional 90 days, for members whose authorizations expire on or before May 1, 2020. Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Exploring Potential Prevention Options (April 23, 2020) Baylor Scott & White Research Institute has activated five clinical trials, each of which is available at multiple Baylor Scott & White sites, with work ongoing to launch additional studies. These trials range from examining prophylactic drugs as preventative measures, to studying the efficacy and safety of potential therapeutic medications for infected patients, to performing longitudinal surveillance to understand the emotional impact of COVID-19 over time – contributing to the global effort to learn more about the SARS-COV-2 virus causing the pandemic. Security Health Plan coverage information and resources Security Health is fully-covering COVID-19 testing with no cost sharing, has authorized a one-time early refill on medications, will facilitate prescription drug delivery/mailing and has established a COVID-19 Community Support Fund in conjunction with Marshfield Clinic Health System. Marshfield Clinic Research Institute receives $22.5 million to be CDC reference lab for COVID-19 research (July 1, 2020) The Integrated Research and Development Laboratory at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute has received a $22.5 million grant to serve as the sole central reference lab in the nation to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on several COVID-19 studies across the country for the next year. The Laboratory will focus on three objectives for this award: Establishing an effective means of assessing SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infections in the context of prospective cohort studies. Designing effective specimen processing and molecular testing procedures that are adapted to the needs of CDC’s cohorts. Full implementation and refinement of high throughput molecular diagnostics. Marshfield Clinic Health System, Security Health Plan helping business reopen safely (May 28, 2020) As Wisconsin businesses re-open, they are partnering with the Marshfield Clinic Health System Occupational Health Team on their full range of customizable services to help employers safely get their employees back to work during the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Marshfield Clinic Health System collaborates in statewide testing initiative (March 27, 2020) Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers announced on Monday that the state has initiated a new public-private partnership to increase its laboratory testing capacity for COVID-19. The partnership includes laboratory support from Exact Sciences, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Promega, and UW Health. These organizations, along with the Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network, will share knowledge, resources, and technology to bolster Wisconsin’s testing efforts. Marshfield Clinic Health System Alters Pharmacy Services During COVID-19 Pandemic (March 20, 2020) Members may obtain a one-time early refill supply for each medication for the maximum quantity defined in their plan benefits. SHP is continuously monitoring the COVID situation and will re-evaluate if further quantities or early refills may be necessary. Security Health Plan suggest members contact their pharmacy to request medication be delivered by mail. If a pharmacy does not mail, Marshfield Clinic Pharmacies can obtain the prescription and mail the refill to member homes. Security Health Plan Waives Copays on Medically Necessary COVID Test Costs (March 12, 2020) SelectHealth COVID-19 Coverage Cost-sharing for in-network treatment and testing has been waived for most members. When members’ 30-day medication is 60% finished, they can call the pharmacy for an early refill request. Regular copay/coinsurance is still required. This early refill option does not apply to opioids. SelectHealth has also extended telehealth options to help members seek services safely and to help ensure important continuity of care. This includes adding temporary coverage for digital and telephonic services for medical and behavioral health needs. Intermountain Healthcare Begins Limited Antibody Testing (May 5, 2020) Intermountain Healthcare has started to use a COVID-19 antibody test offered by ARUP which may help identify previous COVID-19 infections. An antibody blood test will be given to carefully selected Intermountain Healthcare patients and caregivers who meet specific criteria. First COVID-19 Patient in Utah to Receive Convalescent Plasma Transfusion Leaves Intermountain Medical Center (May 1, 2020) Just 13 days after receiving Utah’s first convalescent plasma transfusion for treatment of COVID-19 at Intermountain Medical Center as part of a new national treatment protocol, Cynthia Lemus, 24, has been discharged from the hospital and is now home with her family. Intermountain Healthcare adding vital COVID-19 testing services for people experiencing homelessness (April 23, 2020) Intermountain has developed a comprehensive approach to helping the homeless community with increased testing, coordinating with local and community partners, and helping to enhance the safety of the vulnerable population during the pandemic. Intermountain is taking a multi-pronged approach: Intermountain is sending a mobile unit to local area homeless resource centers to support COVID-19 testing. Intermountain is coordinating with multiple county health departments to ensure the transition of homeless individuals to community isolation and quarantine as needed. Intermountain is providing 14 days of medication for homeless patients after they are discharged from their hospitals. Intermountain caregivers and community partners are deploying to support healthcare services for the homeless. People without housing need to have an isolated area while waiting for their COVID-19 test results to process. Intermountain will provide hospital waits to our non-housed patients when they cannot be discharged to a quarantined or isolated area while awaiting results. Intermountain Healthcare Joins National Protocol to Give COVID-19 Patients Access to Plasma Donations; Performs Utah’s First COVID-19 Transfusion (April 21, 2020) In an effort to expand access to investigative treatments for COVID-19, Intermountain Healthcare is participating in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s newly launched National Expanded Access Treatment Protocol to allow use of convalescent plasma donated by patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to be processed and given to patients with the virus. As part of the treatment protocol, a team of Intermountain Healthcare transfusion experts arranged the state’s first plasma transfusion on April 17 at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Intermountain Healthcare COVID-19 Response Teams to Provide Support to New York Hospitals (April 11, 2020) Hundreds of Intermountain Healthcare clinicians recently expressed interest in providing assistance to states facing major surges in COVID-19 cases that are also currently experiencing severe staffing shortages. In response, Intermountain has created two COVID-19 Response Teams that will deploy to the New York City area to assist hospitals the week of April 13. Intermountain Healthcare Launches Emotional Health Relief Hotline (April 9, 2020) Intermountain Healthcare has launched a free, new community call-in resource to help support patients, clinicians, and the public who are seeking to address emotional health concerns during these challenging times. The Intermountain Emotional Health Relief Hotline offers callers guidance, tools, and referrals for people experiencing issues related to their mental wellbeing. Intermountain Healthcare and U Health Launch COVID-19 Clinical Trials to Determine Effectiveness, Safety of Drugs (March 8, 2020) Researchers from Intermountain Healthcare and University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City have launched two vital clinical trials to test the effectiveness and safety of two drugs –hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin – to treat patients with COVID-19 (infection with the novel coronavirus). Researchers from the two health systems plan to enroll nearly 2,300 patients who are COVID-19 positive or suspected of being positive for the virus. Intermountain Healthcare is protecting — not cutting — the jobs and incomes of its people during COVID-19 (April 6, 2020) Intermountain Healthcare has taken several steps to protect the incomes and jobs of physicians and employees. Their goal is to ensure their financial stability so staff can focus on providing care to our patients and communities. Intermountain Healthcare to ramp up coronavirus testing to process 1,000 tests per day (April 2, 2020) Intermountain will collect as many as 1,500 samples every day at its 20 curbside testing locations, and hopes to turn out more than 1,000 test results per day. UCare COVID-19 Update Through May 31, UCare is waiving coinsurance, copays an deductibles for in-network COVID-19 treatment and testing. UCare will cover a 90-day supply of maintenance medications (except for controlled substances or specialty drugs for Medicaid members). Medicare and Individual & Family plan members can also get early refills. Medicare plan members can use their Healthy Savings over-the-counter benefit to purchase preventive care items such as masks, gloves or hand sanitizers at participating stores. UCare provides financial relief to members (May 19, 2020) UCare will be offering its members financial relief by: reducing premiums by 20 percent in July and August; removing copays for Medicare primary care and mental health clinic services during the pandemic; continuing to waive most out-of-pocket costs associated with treatment for COVID-19; and offering $25,000 grants to small provider groups and community clinics to build infrastructure during the public health crisis. UCare Waives Cost-Sharing on COVID-19 Treatment (April 3, 2020) UCare will waive copayments and coinsurance requirements for COVID-19 testing and in-network hospitalizations, and to grant expanded access to telemedicine services so people can receive care at home. The waivers will last through at least May 31. UPMC and COVID-19 Until June 15, UPMC is waiving all cost-sharing for in-network testing and treatment for COVID-19 and for all telehealth services. UPMC Health Plan will also ease access to needed prescription medications by waiving early refill limits on medications filled at any of our network pharmacies until June 15. UPMC extends cost-sharing waiver for telehealth services (May 28, 2020) UPMC Health Plan, a leader in providing innovative coverage and flexibility for its members and providers to choose how they engage in care, is extending $0 cost-sharing for all covered telehealth through September 30, 2020. UPMC, Pittsburgh explore Virtual-Triage System (April 23, 2020) UPMC and Pittsburgh paramedics for the first time are using secure video links that permit emergency room doctors to visually examine and assess potential covid-19 patients through smartphones and tablets. UPMC to pay patients’ out-of-pocket costs for covid-19 treatments (April 2, 2020) UPMC waiving all deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance costs for insurance members who receive in-network, inpatient care related to COVID-19 through June 15. UPMC School of Medicine developing potential COVID-19 Vaccine (April 2, 2020) University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists today announced a potential vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. When tested in mice, the vaccine, delivered through a fingertip-sized patch, produces antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 at quantities thought to be sufficient for neutralizing the virus. UPMC Develops New COVID-19 Test, Offers Testing to Select Patients (March 14, 2020) UPMC has developed a test for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — UPMC will use this test to diagnose select, symptomatic cases. The health system plans to rapidly increase capacity at its central laboratory and, if there is a need, could test hundreds of patients per week in the near future, filling a critical gap before other commercial tests come online. Updated July 10, 2020; Original post March 10, 2020

How Community and Creativity can be our best Medicine for navigating these challenging times George Kao – Today, I’m with Ruth Toledo Altschuler, and she is such a supportive member of my community and of the various communities that she’s part of. And she reached out to me about what’s going on in our world right now and how can we approach it in a more mindful and productive way. So, Ruth, thank you so much for having this conversation. I’m sure that this is going to be relevant for a lot of people. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – You’re very welcome. George Kao – So there’s a lot we can talk about, but I’ll let you start this conversation and then I’m sure I’m going to have questions for you. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yes. OK. I welcome all your questions and comments as well, and thoughts, so that this is more of a both way sharing. George Kao – Yeah. Yeah. And just for those who are watching this at some time in the future, we are in the midst of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. You know, lots of countries, cities, states, countries are in lockdown. A lot of us are in quarantine and the economy is going through a freefall. You know, the stock market, of course, everyone has heard, has dropped dramatically, which affects so many people’s retirements and so many people have lost jobs. George Kao – I mean, millions of people have lost jobs. And of course, it’s not easy for us small business owners. So, Ruth, you have so many tools and kind of. Yeah, modalities, tools that you learned over the years and practice, that help in times like this. So what’s one that comes to mind for you? What’s one tool or what’s a way of thinking about this. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – One of the things that I thought, when I imagined that we were going to have this conversation, was about how to meet a situation that you wish wasn’t there? George Kao – Yeah. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – What do you do with it? You know, like when at first things come our way and we say: oh, no! This is NOT happening! We can’t. So there is this resistance, and we would rather not have to deal with it. And yet.. and of course, what we are living now, at this time, I think for most of us, it feels surreal. It feels like almost we want to pinch ourselves and say : I’m going to wake up from this dream. George Kao – Yeah, I was just saying to somebody like I feel like we’ve somehow gotten into an alternate universe like something happened here. It’s like the timeline shifted and we’re in a different world. And the whole world is experiencing this, which is what makes us so dramatic. It’s not just one country or one city. It’s the whole world is going through the exact same things. So I think that also creates maybe some kind of energetic.. there’s something in the air. I keep thinking there’s something in the air that’s different that affects all of our emotions, right? And our thoughts. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Absolutely. So on one hand, there is this intensity, this kind of, It’s like the air, almost like the air that the ceiling is low and we feel it. And I’ve been through situations that were somewhat like this before, but never so huge and world wide. But but I’ve experienced these waves of fear and and concern and this real pressure. And in this sense of perspective kind of lost, you know. So what is it going to be now? And how? And one of the tools that I’ve learned, one of the teachings that for me has been very, very foundational has been that when an experience comes our way, If we’re able to, for a moment, hold it in front of us and get a sense of the two sides of the polarity. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – So. OK. And I see a lot of people doing this. On one hand, we have this whole unsettled situation where everything that we were relying on and that we took for granted is shaking. And on the other hand, we do have the learning opportunity. So what can be, what are we learning with this? What are the qualities that are being called forth, that we need to develop. And when we’re able to really feel that there is the two sides in it, and we’re able to accept the experience, then it begins to work through us and and we begin to be able to listen in and allow certain qualities to arise within us to meet the situation. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – So that would be one of the first things: is finding the two sides, finding the polarity in the experience and find how you can accept, yes, it’s happening. It’s inevitable. I just have to surrender to what is. Because, it is right now! George Kao – That’s a very wise way of looking at it, because a lot of people, especially on social media and the news, are only looking at one side of the polarity. It’s the disaster, it’s the fear, it’s the, you know, the depression, the discouragement. That’s really easy to make news and the pending doom, but the polarity, you’re saying that there’s always two sides, isn’t there? There’s always two sides to a situation. So what would you say? Tell us more. Maybe you can help balance it out a little bit. Like what? Tell us more about that other side. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yeah. And I would actually like to bring up the fact that I also see in and in my Facebook feed, you know, there’s also some people that are saying, oh, and we stopped for these weeks and now there’s no pollution and the planet is already healing. And in some ways it might be, but it may be a little bit of an idealized version of it? George Kao – Because there’s more there’s more trees being cut down for toilet paper now than ever before. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yeah. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And, you know, it’s not like the climate change heals in in in two weeks. And so I think we also need to be very careful around our idealized projections of say, oh, and this is happening and nothing is gonna be like it was and it’s going to be a changed world after that, and everyone will awaken, and we’re all brothers and sisters in this world. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Wait. It’s it’s a big process. And yet there is this opportunity. So I think in terms of the other polarity, I think it applies very much to each person. What are the qualities that I need to develop and and bring forth? Into how I can serve, right now? What is happening to me internally in terms of how I’m reassessing what I really value in life? Or maybe, you know, what are the things that are, that I want to really have and see nurtured in my world, and what is not. And I’m sure a lot of people of all different levels of consciousness, they’re also going through this reassessment of what’s really valuable for me and what’s not. But I think it’s an individual thing for each one, because it hits us in different ways. George Kao – Can you. You know, you work with clients on things like this. They’re their own personal development journey, their soul, journey their own healing. Have you noticed any themes that are coming up recently in the work? Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yes, I noticed. Yeah. Thank you for the question. I notice it. And I also notice it in myself, in my own journey, that for different people, depending on where they have layers of trauma, of instability triggering different experiences that they’ve had in their foundational years. A lot of things can emerge and this is a moment for a lot of us to embrace, wherever we have these areas within us that, when we’re unsafe, we tend to respond in ways that are conditioned by our early trauma patterns. And so it is also a big opportunity for people to go deeper into their own healing, to address these patterns that have been there for a lifetime, and even ancestral patterns as well. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – people, right? George Kao – Yeah. Right. Right. Yes. It brings that up, unlike times where things are more stable. So this is. Yeah. And this is the kind of stuff that you have been working with people on. Do you want to mention a little bit about the modalities you use to help people with this? Yes. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And I think one of the big gifts that I’ve had in my journey was to learn the language of flower essences. And the language of flower essences is just so educational, because it really teaches us about the polarities and how we can find, the movement between one extreme and the other. And then find how we want to navigate. And so, for instance, when we’re dealing with a situation of that triggers fear, there’s the opportunity to also grow in our courage and our ability to confront that fear and to master that fear. And as we transit between one side and the other, eventually we we know when we’re experiencing the fear that is healthy and helps us protect ourselves. When you’re crossing a street and you hear that noise and then you just step back and ask you where you can go, OK, I’m safe. I was able to protect myself. That’s the really healthy sane fear that one needs to have. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – There’s caution and healthy fear. Yes. And yet, if they’re being motivated by fear that they stop going, doing things that they’re afraid of confronting situations. it’s just so good to develop that muscle of courage and ability to go for things that they need to be bold and go for them. And so the flower essences have really taught me a lot around these different polarities that we meet in our life and in our healing journey as well. George Kao – Yes. I’m glad you brought up courage, because a lot of people now, I mean, myself included, have needed courage in our work right now because. Yeah. People’s work is being turned upside down. They’re either being laid off or they have to to work in a totally different way. Those of us who are small business owners who have done in person work, now we have to figure out how to support most or all clients online. Yeah, I just think about all the body workers, all the massage therapists, acupuncturists, healers. You know that now that’s, I mean. Yeah. And all the people doing workshops, you know, etc. that are being canceled. Now the courage is OK. Now we’re gonna bring this because the work can be, always be. And part of the I think one the qualities is that we’re having develop now is innovation, creativity. Yeah. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – I want to talk more about this. George Kao – So let’s talk about this because. Yeah. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – But before I would like to tell you one piece, because I think that creativity is our grand finale. It is. I think that’s one of the biggest opportunities that we have at this time. But I would like to bring one piece that I think is really essential, which is that we need to hold space for what’s happening with us emotionally and also neuro-physiologically, because that’s something. What we’re going through these weeks, and even more so as things progress and escalate, stirs up so much within us. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – So I think we really need community at this time. And even though community can’t be gathering and hugging people, but it can be so wonderful to feel that we can meet others who are going through the same thing, and that we are able to hold some circle space in which people can say, even if just a tiny bit of what’s going on with them. I think this ability to to share, and to feel that there is a space being held for one another, it creates this sense of solidarity that ultimately also enhances the production of the good neuro transmitters within us, that truly help us in terms of our health to balance the more noxious effects of stress. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – So there’s there’s a great lecture by a woman. I’ll remember her name at the end, but she has a lecture called How to Make Stress Your friend. Kelly McGonigal. George Kao – There’s these two sisters. They do. They both have great TEDTalks. I know. Exactly. Yeah. But yes. Kelly McGonigal, I think. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Exactly. And she talks about the difference between people who experience stress and yet they feel separate and isolated, and how stress can really be bad for the immune system, for the body and all of that, under those conditions. But when we’re experiencing stress, but we also have this sense of companionship and solidarity, even neuro physiologically, as well as emotionally, it shifts because of what we generate really helps the body to cope in a much healthier way, and it also helps, of course, the mind. Helps this integration between the different minds, so that we operate at full capacity. Because one of the worst things is that when we’re paralyzed by fear or when we’re feeling cut off and isolated and in we’re not in our hearts, what happens is we tend to operate in that loop of survival mode. And then we don’t really have access to the richness of our capacities and ultimately to our creativity, which is what we need the most at this time. George Kao – Yes. Yes. It’s so interesting. You said the d two different ways of being with stress. Because. Yes. So wise, like you could be isolated and spiral or you can be within the community. It’s almost like we’re built for being in teams. Right. Its like it’s like we evolved in teams and tribes to be able to survive. And there were many dangers, as we evolved as humanity, that we helped each other to survive through. And now, more than ever, now, we’re doing this online. Do you have, I know you facilitate various online communities. Is there one that you want to talk briefly about that that’s available for people? Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Well, I actually have some free online events. George Kao – That’s what I was thinking about, Ruth Toledo Altschuler – For people who really love plants as well. And it’s a situation in which we gather. These are free events and we gather to, together, attune to one plant archetype each time. And then we share our impressions and we receive the healing of that plant archetype and then we share that healing with the collective. And those have been very special, and at this time, I think people are getting even more from these experiences. George Kao – I want to either be sure to get the link or put the link in the notes or the video. So those of you who are interested, I mean, Ruth has a beautiful presentation. So check it out and sign up for the upcoming one. So just we have just a few minutes left. I want to definitely talk about creativity, right? And the importance of that. So I’ll let you I’ll let you start on this. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yes. So besides holding space for people’s feelings and emotions, which I think we should all do in every kind of session that we hold, you know, like, OK, how’s it going today? And and just holding that space for what’s going emotionally and really enhancing that heart connection and that sense of solidarity. And that brings our intelligence levels in sync again, which allows for creativity, because when it we’re in the loop of survival mode our creativity is not really accessible to us. And so it is when we’re more in our heart space, that all of these levels of our intelligence come together. And then we can use the full powers of being connected to our, let’s say, rational thinking, our ability to plan, but also to our intuition, and to our inner knowingness, and also to this ability of channelling our Higher Self. Like you say, like you like to say, where there’s all these resources. I mean, we are Souls that have been living hundreds and hundreds of lives. And there’s so much that we as souls, even ourselves, there’s so much that we know about surviving, re-creating, and being able to meet the most adverse circumstances and rebound and come back. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And so if we’re able to operate in our full intelligence, and that means being in our hearts, accessing our inner knowing, using the best of the fullness of our rational mind and our spiritual guidance, that is when we’re able to serve at the fullest capacity. That’s what we were made for, as far as the evolved human being. And that is the opportunity that I think each one of us has, and we as communities and as humanity have at this time. George Kao – Yeah. Yeah. Thank you for that. Yeah. It’s so good. What a great reminder that we are way more capable than we typically think of ourselves as. And when we are, you know, kind of stuck in the fear or in the dismay or discouragement of a situation, that is where we’re not creative, we’re not tapping into the whole thing. So do you want to say a bit as we complete this conversation, like what’s something that all of us can do to access more of the whole? How can we open the heart more and access the whole of our creativity? Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Yeah, I would say at this time, holding space to really be with our emotions, whatever they are, is one of the things, because if we can’t just push it down and say it’s not there. So, allowing ourselves to feel sometimes we just need to cry, you know, and and sometimes we just need to to be with whatever we’re feeling. That’s one thing. And so that allows things to flow, so they’re they’re not stuck in our system. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And then if we’re able to, from there really breathe and be in our hearts and feel that we are supported by the body of the earth, by being, the living being of the earth, to feel that the living being of the earth, the earth is not going anywhere. The earth is here, it’s holding us. And also to feel that we’re being guided, and that there’s millions of souls on the other side, some of them have gone to just be helping us at this time. So there’s so much guidance that is available. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – So when we are in this space that we know we have community and we know the earth is really here and wants us to evolve with it, and we are able to also ask and listen to the guidance that comes. I think that really enhances our ability. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And it’s an moment-to-moment thing – at each moment: how can I be in my heart? How can I feel the earth is supporting me? How can I ask for guidance for this situation now? Ruth Toledo Altschuler – You know, like, oh, I’m going to have this conversation with George. I didn’t prepare anything. But please, you know, help me. The Iris wildflower is prepared as a flower essence by FES. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – And then it comes, and the words come out from you, and you will know what to say and you will know how to create this different offering that you never thought of, but that you can bring forth because it wants to come to the world through you. George Kao – Yes. That’s a beautiful way for us to send send the viewers on their way. And so if any of you are feeling some healing and some grounding based on this, I encourage you to check out the links in the video, because, you know, please to go and experience Ruth’s events and check out her Web site. George Kao – Ruth, thank you so much for just reaching out and being willing to share these kind of nurturing thoughts and perspectives that are so needed at this time. I feel better because of the conversation. So thank you so much. Ruth Toledo Altschuler – Thank you, George. Because I’m I’m just so very grateful for the quality of the communities that you create. And for all the many worldwide friends that I’ve made, including you for the partnership that we have in this bigger transformative journey that we’re all in. George Kao – Yes. We are in this together, for sure. Thank you.

For beginning electric guitarists—or experienced players who want something inexpensive and portable—we think the Fender Champion 20 is the ideal amplifier. We researched 24 models, then put the 10 most popular to the test for 20 hours with two professional instructors, a guitar student, and our Wirecutter West Coast musical instrument testing team. With a colossal variety of sounds, plus built-in effects and intuitive controls, the Fender Champion 20 was a nearly unanimous top pick. The Champion 20 offers lots of great sounds—and makes each easy to access. *At the time of publishing, the price was $100. In our testing, the Fender Champion 20 was the only amp that offered a wide variety of amplifier sounds and special effects while also keeping them all easy to access. Beginners can get a great sound easily and experiment with different effects without having to invest in separate effects pedals. Experienced players can get most of the sounds they want with nothing more than a guitar, an amp, and a cable. The Spider Classic 15 offers a great variety of sounds, but beginners may find it a bit complicated to operate. The Line 6 Spider Classic 15 offers an impressive array of amplifier sounds and special effects, enough for practically any guitarist to find a sound they like. However, its controls work in a fashion that students and pros may find unfamiliar and confusing, and it’s somewhat large and heavy compared to similar amps. Easier to operate, but not as versatile as our other picks. It won’t frustrate beginners who don’t yet understand the basics of getting a good sound. The Orange Crush 12 is small and simple to operate. It doesn’t offer the variety of sounds our main picks do, but the sound it does create is great. It doesn’t play particularly loud, but it’s a solid option for those looking for something that sounds great with minimal knob turning. All of our panelists commented that any of the amps we tried for this article would be good enough to get a budding guitarist started. Some of the ones we didn’t choose might offer a feature (or color!) unavailable in our top picks, so we encourage you to check out the Competition section below, where we include comments on all the amps we tested. The focus of my career has been audio journalism, but I’ve been active as a musician since taking up guitar seriously in the 1970s. I’ve played various stringed instruments with jazz, rock, and folk groups in New York and Los Angeles, and I currently play double bass in three jazz groups in Los Angeles. (I sub regularly in a couple more groups.) Having conducted innumerable multi-listener comparisons of audio products over some 25 years, I have a good idea of how to conduct fair product tests. I own two guitar amps, which I loan to visiting guitarists and use with my electric ukuleles, and I’ve even built a couple of guitar amps, so I understand how they work. Ken Rosser is a guitar instructor at Musicians Institute in Hollywood. His career includes work with jazz artists Billy Higgins, Bennie Wallace, and Vinny Golia, and he recently played in the Grandmothers, a group featuring alumni of Frank Zappa’s band. Fred Sokolow is a well-known multi-instrumentalist and author of instructional books for stringed instruments. He has played with innumerable rock, jazz, and folk acts; currently performs with his retro jazz group in Los Angeles; and frequently travels to conduct stringed instrument clinics. Fred’s wife Lynn Shipley Sokolow served as our student tester. She plays double bass and banjo in the Americana quartet Sugar in the Gourd but is just starting to learn her way around the electric guitar. I also got Wirecutter’s John Higgins to give me his opinions of the amps; he is a Los Angeles session musician and frequent Wirecutter contributor who has a master’s degree in music from the University of Southern California and more than 10 years’ experience teaching music at private schools. Electric guitar is still the most prominent instrument in rock music, and it’s a key component in many country, R&B, pop, and jazz groups. Every electric guitar player needs an amplifier because most electric guitars are barely audible without one. You’ll need one to play with other musicians, which is one of the most important ways to develop your musical skills. Because the amp is as important to a guitarist’s sound as the guitar, most teachers consider it essential to use an amp at least part of the time when you’re practicing. You can’t develop your own sound without spending some time experimenting with the controls on your amp and guitar. Fortunately, high-efficiency, low-cost overseas manufacturing has made it possible to buy an amp for less than $100 that’ll give you all the power you need for practice and small jam sessions. Thanks to digital audio processing, some of these amps are versatile enough to deliver a huge range of sounds. Although most of us who participated in this article have years of experience with guitar amps, none of us was particularly familiar with all the latest beginner models. There are few reliable professional reviews of beginner amps, but I sorted through what we found, searched through music stores and websites, and sampled numerous models at the recent National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Los Angeles. This experience gave me a good idea of what’s available now. My visit to NAMM showed me that we’d definitely find at least a couple of good beginner’s amps for less than $100, so we decided to make that our price ceiling for this test. That’s enough to buy an amp loud enough to play with a small combo, compact enough to fit easily into a small bedroom, and light enough for kids to carry. Beginners don’t need more than that. And when you consider that most people who take up a musical instrument don’t stick with it long, it’s wise to limit the expenditure until one really needs a larger or more fully featured amp. Although I left it up to our panelists to decide what they think is most important in a beginner’s amp, we all agreed on a few parameters. First, the amp should have no glaring technical flaws—it shouldn’t produce excessive amounts of noise or hum, and it shouldn’t exhibit audible signs of distress, such as buzzes or rattles. Second, it should produce enough volume that the guitarist can jam with instruments such as piano, saxophone, and a small drum kit. Third, the amp should be easy to use: If the controls are hard to figure out, they’ll likely frustrate those who’d rather spend their time playing than trying to figure out how their amp works. Also, every guitarist will at some point have to use someone else’s amp, so starting with an amp that has a fairly common control set will help you learn to dial in your sound when using an unfamiliar amp. Last, the amp has to sound great. Of course, what sounds great to a country guitarist may not sound great to a heavy metal guitarist, so we gravitated toward amps that deliver a wide range of good sounds. After we decided on our parameters, I selected the models by scanning Amazon and the websites of music stores such as Guitar Center and Sam Ash. We didn’t test battery-powered models because they tend to put out less volume and usually deliver lower sound quality. (Plus, most beginners probably won’t be busking on the streets.) We also didn’t test some of the super-cheap, no-name amps available on Amazon, figuring that these were unlikely to produce a really good sound that would keep a beginning guitarist interested in playing. I found 24 models that fit our criteria. I then rejected any amp that had a lot of quality-control complaints in user reviews, that wasn’t available through at least a couple of online or brick-and-mortar outlets, or that the manufacturers were unable or unwilling to provide. The amps we tested were the Blackstar ID:Core 10v2, Fender Champion 20, Ibanez IBZ15GR, Line 6 Spider Classic 15, Marshall MG10CF, Orange Crush 12, Peavey Rage 258, Stage Right 611705, Stage Right 611800, and Vox Pathfinder 10. Because we were testing beginner’s electric guitars at the same time as the amps, I let the panelists use whatever guitars they wanted from our selection to do the amp testing. I offered to let them use their own guitars, but only John took me up on the offer; he used his Gibson Les Paul Standard. Figuring they know what they want in an amp far better than I do, I gave our panelists no instructions, other than to keep in mind that these amps were primarily for beginners and secondarily for more experienced players looking for a cheap portable amp. After each panelist tried all the amps, I asked their opinions of them. We didn’t discuss the prices since they were all so similar, but we did discuss some other practical considerations such as weight and size. Note that we paid little attention to the power ratings of these amps. Judging a guitar amp by its power rating is usually a bad idea for many reasons. First, small increases in power have almost no effect on a guitar amp’s maximum volume. All other things being equal, doubling the power gets you only a 3-decibel increase in output, which is barely noticeable. To get double the perceived volume, you need 10 times as much power. A 100-watt amp might be twice as loud as a 10-watt amp, but a 20-watt amp will only be slightly louder than the 10-watt amp. The second reason it’s a bad idea to judge an amp solely on its power rating is that the sensitivity of the amplifier’s speaker has a large effect on how loud the amp can play. Two different amps rated at 20 watts don’t necessarily offer the same output; one might play substantially louder if it uses a more sensitive speaker. Third, the power ratings of guitar amps tend to be nebulous because the power is measured at a certain distortion threshold, yet most guitar amps are specifically designed to create distorted tones. Even with home audio gear, which isn’t designed to distort, it’s difficult to compare numbers across brands because each manufacturer comes up with their numbers in a different way. With guitar amps, it’s nearly impossible to make apples-to-apples comparisons of power ratings. Fortunately, our testing panel felt that all the amps we tested were at least loud enough for small jam sessions with a drummer and bass player. One, the Stage Right 611800, was considered loud enough even for fairly large gigs. While our panelists all agreed that any of the amps we tried would be adequate for practice and small jam sessions, they also agreed that certain models in this bunch are true standouts that offer big advantages at little or no additional cost. Of our five testers, three picked the Fender Champion 20 as their favorite, one ranked it second, and one ranked it the best of the three amps that included digital processing. It simply has everything a beginning guitarist needs. Even if you don’t know much about guitar amps, it’s easy to get a good tone fast. At 12.2 pounds, measuring 13 by 13.7 by 7.5 inches (HWD), it’s easy to carry around or tuck into a corner of a small bedroom. The amp has the usual basic controls: Volume, Bass, and Treble, plus a Gain knob that adjusts the amount of distortion. Once you start turning some of the Champion 20’s other knobs, all sorts of additional tonal possibilities arise. The Voice knob accesses simulations of different amps: Tweed (1950s-era Fender amps heard on early R&B records such as “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” and “In the Midnight Hour”), Blackface (mid-1960s Fenders, often used by Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan), British (reminiscent of the classic Vox amps used by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and U2), and Metal (somewhat like the sound of the Marshall amplifiers favored by rock and metal players from Jimi Hendrix to Slash). Each of these four simulations has three different variations that alter the tone a bit. John demonstrates some of the Champion 20’s amplifier simulation modes and effects. On top of that, the Champion 20 offers built-in effects, including reverb, chorus, flanging, delay, auto wah, vibrato, and tremolo. All of these effects can be chosen using a single knob, with an additional FX Level knob to control the mix of the unprocessed sound with the effect. These effects can’t match the flexibility and adjustability of separate effects pedals—for example, with the exceptions of reverb+delay and reverb+chorus, effects can’t be combined—but they can at the very least give beginners an idea of how these effects work. Many guitarists may find the Champion 20’s built-in effects to be all they need. With 20 watts of rated power and an 8-inch speaker, the Champion 20’s sound output capability is a little above average for this class of amplifier. Those who like the features but need more power can check out the 40-watt version with a 12-inch speaker, the Champion 40, which costs twice as much but should be powerful enough for most jam sessions and gigs. The Champion 20 also includes a 3.5 mm line input for connecting a smartphone (good when you want to play along with recorded music or a music instruction app) and a 3.5 mm headphone output. There aren’t a lot of professional reviews of inexpensive amps, but James at Guitar Verdict raved about the Champion 20, saying, “For an amp of this price, the Fender Champion 20 watt offers a massive amount of value,” and calling it “a hard to beat offering.” At last count it had earned an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars in 595 Amazon user reviews and earned an A for review integrity from FakeSpot. In some ways, the Champion 20 isn’t quite as versatile as the other digital amps. For example, the Line 6 Spider Classic 15 has two effects selector knobs, allowing a guitarist to mix modulated effects such as phaser, flanger, and chorus with different types of reverb and echo. However, our panelists generally felt the Champion 20’s ease of use outweighed this disadvantage, and the Champion 20 does offer 12 different amp models as opposed to 4 on the Spider Classic 15. The Champion 20 also doesn’t play as loud as the Stage Right 611800, but all of our panelists thought it played plenty loud enough for beginners. The Line 6 Spider Classic 15 is similar in many ways to the Fender Champion 20. It offers digital simulations of various amplifiers and built-in special effects. The two amps are usually priced identically. The reasons we didn’t make the Spider Classic 15 our top pick is that it’s much larger and heavier than the Fender (about 40 percent overall, at 14.7 by 15.7 by 8.3 inches and 18.4 pounds), and its controls work in an unusual fashion that sometimes frustrated our panelists. The amplifier includes buttons for four different amplifier simulations: Clean, Crunch (a typical rock/blues sound), Metal (self-explanatory), and Insane (a version of Metal that our panelists found so distorted as to be nearly unusable). Like the Champion 20, it has a gain control (which is labeled Drive), and it adds a midrange control to its bass and treble controls. John Higgins demonstrates the four amplifier modes and numerous effects available on the Spider Classic 15. Effects on the Spider Classic 15 are a little easier to handle than those on the Champion 20. One knob accesses the chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo effects, while a separate knob accesses the reverb and echo effects. This arrangement makes it easy to blend different types of effects and makes the Spider Classic 15 a little more versatile than the Champion 20 if you are interested in coloring your sound more. What our panelists didn’t like about the Spider Classic 15 is the weird operation of its controls. Because Line 6 uses digital processing to model not only the basic sound of different amplifiers but also the way all of their controls work, whenever you switch amp sounds, the operation of the tone controls shifts radically. Thus, when you go to turn the treble down just a smidge, the sound of the amp changes quite a bit, and you have to spend some time experimenting to find the treble setting you want—or even get it back to how it sounded before you touched it. It also automatically adds reverb and perhaps a bit of chorus effect whenever you switch to the Clean sound; to shut off this effect, you actually have to use the effect knobs to turn the effect on, then turn it off again. So, to sum up, the Spider Classic 15 has some advantages over the Champion 20: a midrange control and more flexible effects controls. But it also has some disadvantages: larger size, fewer amp simulation modes, and confusing controls. With an amp rated at 15 watts and an 8-inch speaker, the Spider Classic 15 is more or less in the same power class as the Champion 20. Like the Fender, it also has a 3.5 mm line input for connecting a smartphone, so guitarists can play along with recorded music or a music instruction app, plus a ¼-inch headphone/recording output, a built-in tuner, and a jack for an optional footswitch that switches between clean and distorted tones. For those students who want a simple path to good sound and don’t want to confront a wide range of tone and effects options, we recommend the Orange Crush 12. It’s a fairly traditional amp with controls for Bass, Midrange, Treble, Volume, Gain, and Overdrive (distortion). There’s nothing on the Crush 12 that can’t be sorted out with a few twists of a knob and strums of the strings. Our panelists generally liked the sound of the Crush 12, although it’s definitely tilted toward a classic, somewhat distorted rock sound. If you’re looking for a clean sound for jazz or light pop, the Crush 12 can deliver, but it won’t be very loud. “It’s a pretty basic amp, but you can get some nice sounds out of it,” John said. John Higgins shows the range of clean and distorted sounds available on the Orange Crush 12. Jacob Sundstrum of Soundreview.org called the Crush 12 “one of the best practice amps you can find for the price.” At last count, the Crush 12 had earned an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars in 43 Amazon reviews, with a FakeSpot rating of A. Note that the competition for our pick in this “simple beginner’s amp” category was much more hotly contested than our other picks in this guide. The Crush 12 just barely edged out two other amps that our panelists liked. One is the Stage Right 611800, a very loud, 40-watt amp with built-in reverb that’s a great choice for those who need a powerful amp on the cheap (although that person probably isn’t a beginner). The other is the Vox Pathfinder 10, an amp with a simple control setup that our panelists loved, but a rather bright and blaring sound that some liked and some didn’t. Both are mentioned in the competition section below. We considered more than 20 amps for this guide and gave the 10 most promising models a hands-on test. Our testing panel agreed that any of these amps would at least be good enough to get a beginner started, and that for reasons of personal taste, some players might prefer one of the ones we didn’t pick. Here are the others we tried, with a couple of notes about our panelists’ impressions. Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 10 V2: This digital amp offers a wide variety of sounds, but all of our testers were confused by its unusual control system. Ibanez IBZ15GR: Our testers thought this amp delivered a great distorted sound for metal but didn’t offer much else. Marshall MG10: This little amp puts out a good sound for heavy rock, but its single Contour control offers very little tonal variation. Peavey Rage 258: “A fine amp, but not a beginner amp,” John said, summing up our panelists’ consensus. They liked its clean sound but not its distorted sound, and they found the controls to be confusing. Stage Right 611705: Our testers were amazed to find this pure tube amp selling for less than $100, but only one was enthusiastic about the sound, and its single tone control limits sound options. Stage Right 611800: With 40 watts of power and a 12-inch speaker, the 611800 has a fuller, louder sound than any other amp we tested, and it has built-in reverb, too. But our panelists generally felt that most beginners would want a smaller, more portable amp. Vox Pathfinder 10: This amp’s controls—four knobs and one switch—have enough power to dial in a good tone, and they are simple enough for anyone to figure out. However, it has an inherently bright sound that limits its versatility. As we began planning for this review right after the January 2018 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show in Anaheim, California, where most of the new amps for 2018 were introduced, we don’t expect a lot of new entrants in this category in the coming months. But we’ll keep an eye out. Our group of students, instructors, and musicians think the Squier by Fender HSS Bullet Strat is a terrific choice for a beginning electric guitarist. We tested 10 basses, and the classic-sounding, well-made Yamaha TRBX174 is our pick for beginners; the short-scale Ibanez GSRM20 Mikro is great for kids. We had music teachers, students, and a tech test seven guitars, and we think the easy-playing, great-sounding Fender CC-60S is the best for beginners. You can also send us a note or a tweet, or find us on Facebook.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I have had lumpectomy /and axcilla clearance as they found a tumour in the sentinel node . I have seenthe Oncologist and he went through the options radiotherapy hormone therapy and then he said chemo but that s up to you ? I am so confused. Can you help me I have a stage 2 output: Hi, Thanks for writing in. Cancer is a challenging condition to treat and every patient might have a different manifestation of the disease. It is always better to over treat a cancer than under treat it and wait for the disease to recur. The final choice of continued treatment is given to patients at times and your doctor wants you to take an informed decision on whether to proceed with another round of chemotherapy to treat the sentinel node or wait and watch. Having worked in a cancer institute for years I feel that you might proceed with the chemotherapy to safeguard your health. This requires to be discussed with your treating doctor. Please do not worry..

Home › Rape Culture › What We’ve Learned from Steubenville by Gina Messina-Dysert What We’ve Learned from Steubenville by Gina Messina-Dysert By Gina Messina on March 20, 2013 • ( 30 ) The nation has watched over these last several months as the rape case in Steubenville, Ohio has unfolded in the media. On March 17, 2013 the verdict was announced and the two teenage boys accused of raping a 16 year old girl were found guilty on all counts. Although the verdict was just, all other circumstances surrounding the case, including the sentence, support the existence of a rape culture. What we have learned from Steubenville is that the humanity of women and girls continues to be of little importance in today’s society. To begin, the assault itself was horrific. While two teenage boys took turns raping and abusing the body of Jane Doe, the other boys present took great pleasure in watching, taking pictures, texting, tweeting, facebooking, and video recording the brutality. It was a scene out of The Accused (the film that recounted the real life rape of a woman while a crowd watched a cheered) all over again–this time with the “benefit” of modern technology. Not only were those in the room witnesses to this gruesome attack, the entire world became voyeurs as video, pictures, and text went viral. With star athletes at the center of this case, the community has been split and countless persons have shown support for the rapists. Protecting Steubenville’s football players has been at the forefront for many and the humanity of a teenage girl has been of little concern. Jane Doe, it has been argued, “put the football team in a bad light and put herself in a position to be violated.” One tweeter commented “her vag would have been fine” but the lives of these boys will be forever destroyed. During the trial Good Morning America offered a report titled “Steubenville Rape Case: What You Haven’t Heard” offering the perspective of the rapists. These young men talked about how they partied too hard after winning a big game and that their fun happened to include objectifying and violating a teenage girl. Carla Gibson explains that “Their only passing mentions of the victim were intertwined with either how much she was coming on to her rapist at the first party, or how drunk she was as the night went on, and even how gentlemanly her rapist had been when he chivalrously gave his rape victim his coat so she wouldn’t get cold.” Although these teen boys were 16 and 17 years old when the rape occurred, they were both tried as juveniles. With a guilty verdict on all counts each rapist was sentenced to a minimum of one year and a maximum of less than four years as they must be released by their 21st birthdays. As one tweeter pointed out, the “convicted Steubenville rapists are getting less jail time than Aaron Swartz was facing for downloading academic papers.” News reports following the verdict sympathized with the rapists crying that their lives have been ruined by these convictions. CNN reporter Poppy Harlow stated that it was “incredibly difficult” to watch “as these two young men who had such promising futures, star football players, very good students, literally watched as they believed their life fell apart.” What about Jane Doe? What about her life? What about her future? Dignity? Safety? Health? Personhood? People around the nation quickly took to social media to also lament the verdict. While the futures of these boys were the great concern of many, the brutalization of Jane Doe was of no consequence to most. Some claimed there was no justice and that Jane Doe had terrorized the town with her accusations. Others called for Jane Doe to be prosecuted for drinking under age and causing her own rape. Are we really to think that Jane Doe deserves to be punished for being raped? Are we really to think that a person who chooses to rape is not responsible for his own crime? The attitudes that have prevailed throughout this case are promoted, supported, and condoned by rape culture, a culture where the humanity and dignity of a teenage girl is of no concern but the futures of men are viewed as the foundation of society. As Laurie Penny states, “What makes these men so sure of their inviolable right to stick their fingers and cocks into any part of any female they can hold down that they actually make and distribute images of each other doing so? Rape culture. That’s what rape culture is. The cultural acceptance of rape.” So what have we learned from Steubenville? That rape culture is alive and well, that patriarchy continues, and that violence against women is not only acceptable, but encouraged. We have learned that the humanity of women continues to be denied and although some claim men and women have achieved “equality,” in fact women and girls live in constant fear and rape is a primary, acceptable, and even celebrated means of maintaining our male dominated society. Grim, but it’s true. Gina Messina-Dysert, Ph.D. is a Feminist theologian, ethicist, and activist. She is Director of the Center for Women’s Interdisciplinary Research and Education at Claremont Graduate University, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Loyola Marymount University, and Co-founder of Feminism and Religion. Gina has authored multiple articles and the forthcoming book Rape Culture and Spiritual Violence. She is co-editor (with Rosemary Radford Ruether) of the forthcoming anthology, Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century and is a contributor to the Rock and Theology project sponsored by the Liturgical Press. Her research interests are theologically and ethically driven, involve a feminist and interdisciplinary approach, and are influenced by her activist roots and experience working with survivors of rape and domestic violence. Gina can be followed on Twitter @FemTheologian and her website can be accessed at http://ginamessinadysert.com. ‹ Dialogues With Our Children by Kelly Brown Douglas Standing in Cautious Optimism with the Election of the First Jesuit Pope by Michele Stopera Freyhauf › Categories: Rape Culture, Sexual Violence, Violence Against Women Tags: CNN, Gina Messina-Dysert, patriarchy, rape, Rape Culture, sexual assault, sexual violence, Steubenville, Steubenville rape case, The Accused, violence against women People don’t like to hear it, but this is also the culture of football as the “symbol system” that promotes and legitimates patriarchy and rape as patriarchal privilege. Some wonder if this is new, but I remember hearing stories of heaving drinking after a football game and gang rape of a drunk girl when I was but a girl myself. At the time, I didn’t even know what was being talked about, but I do remember fragments of the story. This occurred at Northview High School in Covina, California, in the early 1960s. Laura Looomis I think it’s not so much football as the culture of celebrity worship, the same way people make excuses for Chris Brown or Roman Polanski. In a small town, successful football players are the closest thing they have to celebrities. Hi Laura, I think you are on the right track but I also think there is something particular about sports culture. I think this is what Carol is pointing to. I was thinking of your post about football as I was writing this, Carol. https://feminismandreligion.com/2011/11/18/football-as-a-ritual-re-enacting-male-domination-through-force-and-violence-by-carol-p-christ/ Jassy Watson The rape culture is very prevalent here in Australia too, overly so in the football scene. Many of our elite football players are treated like Gods, they set a moral standard and are role models for so many young men. Rapes get swept under the carpet, the victims often blamed. Not only have many been accused of rape, but drugs, gambling & violence are deeply entrenched in so many of our sporting codes. I can’t stand football myself. I’m sorry, but all I see is a bunch of thugs running around on a field chasing a ball. They earn so much money & status yet there are so many ‘real’ issues, concerns & people who are doing incredible things in this world that warrant the respect, the financial status & praise that these so called ‘stars’ recieve. Hi Jassy, thank you for sharing. It is interesting, isn’t it? Why do we – our society – give so much attention to football? It certainly represents patriarchy, doesn’t it? My mom almost committed suicide when I sold my season ticket to the Stanford football games after attending one. No dates, and I sure didn’t enjoy it just for the “fun” of it. hee hee. I am sure there were lots of date rapes after football games at Stanford, which luckily for me as a nerd I avoided. Onoosh Gahagan I attended one football game when I was an undergraduate at San Jose State: I had friends in the band, and we went to root for them. More advantage to being nerds. I also avoided frat parties. Good thing. I do think you’re all absolutely right about the linkage between the “sports”–a secular religion–mindset (violence, domination, hierarchies, crowds cheering the mayhem, women debased, as “cheerleaders” to Barbies; I could go on but know I don’t have to because you all get it) and acts like the Steubenville rape, the Indian rape/murder, and countless unrecorded and unpunished acts of violence, sexual and otherwise, against women. The rapists have had their lives ruined? Football loses a couple of thugs? The community is more worried about them than about the victim, who, as is the case so often, is the one blamed? Events like this–and media commentary sympathetic to the criminals–nauseate me. Physically. We as women and as feminists need to refuse to be marginalized or trivialized on this issue, and I’m very grateful to, and proud of, you, Gina, and others like you, for speaking so strongly and well about outrages like this to women, and about cultural acceptance of rape. Gina: thanks for talking about the case on the blog. Rape culture is indeed alive and well; I am thoroughly disgusted by this case for many of the reasons you cite. You might already know of the following two links, but in case not, let me share. (1) The Onion two years ago basically “predicted” the Steubenville story, particularly the portion of the public sympathy dedicated to the juvenile rapists and not the survivor (http://gawker.com/5991175/this-two+year+old-onion-story-perfectly-predicted-cnns-shocking-steubenville-rape-trial-coverage), (2) Henry Rollins’ worthy-of-a-read comments about the verdict: http://www.underthegunreview.net/2013/03/18/henry-rollins-comments-on-steubenville-rape-verdict/. Thank you for sharing these, Grace! The Onion piece is so interesting but I really appreciate Rollins comments…putting Women’s Studies or Gender Studies classes in high schools – there is a novel idea. Katharine Bressler Patriarchy is a disease of our society, and sports – especially football and ice hockey – are merely symbols of war/conflict that serve to feed the disease. Rape is just one symptom of the disease. Women are objects to be owned and used – much like animals – in patriarchy. Competition is the religion of patriarchy. Wherever groups of men gather and exclude women, trouble ensues (patriarchal religion, sports, even the Boy Scouts). Women are a civilizing influence on men. It is high time we step up and take our rightful places as the leaders of civilization, before patriarchy takes it down. My question is this: how/where do we start to change the male-dominated culture so that domination/subordination/rape/murder of women is no longer tolerated? I would like to hear success stories from mothers who have raised compassionate, caring sons who believe in “power with” rather than “power over” as a paradigm for living. Hi Katharine, These are really important questions. I usually try to look for options for change and I have to say that I feel so frustrated right now that I don’t know what the answer is. You are right – we need to hear from these mothers, and these sons. I attended one football game when I was an undergraduate, too. My date and I left at half time. I don’t get professional sports, and I especially don’t get football. Not only do people cheer large animals doing intentional damage to other large animals, but football has also been turned into a patriarchal religion with its own national holiday. Let us pray for Jane Doe. And let us not forget that nice coach in Pennsylvania who spent years abusing little boys while the football religion hid him. Oh, yeah–and that “real” religion whose priests abused little girls and boys and whose bishops enabled them. The rape culture is indeed alive and well. It needs a whole lot of strong warrior women to hex rapists. Gina, thanks for another thoughtful blog. Hi Barbara, thank you for your comments. Yes, it is so incredibly frustrating! And YES! Let’s pray for Jane Doe. I can only imagine the horror she is experiencing. The linked Laurie Penny article made the connection with lynching photos from the early 20th century. The bodies were displayed like trophies, with the white mob around them smiling. some of these photos were sold as souvenir postcards. This is what happens when one part of the population is viewed as less than human. Mary Healey Sports are used to “numb” the minds of the masses,so that the wealthy who run the country and eventually the world,can implement the structures needed to keep them in power. Until all women are willing to refuse to participate as cheerleaders to these male sports,not much will change. Until religions such as the Catholic church, puts women on a par equal to men, as was intended by our Creator,who is all TRUTH, nothing will change. Until women walk out of these games and churches, leaving men to cheer for themselves,this patriarchy will never be seen for what it actually is, and for what it has done to women. It seems pretty natural to me, that men who are told they are “images of God”, should feel they can pretty much do as they please. We all talk about the “violence” in our culture, etc. etc. but until a systemic change is made, beginning with eliminating POVERTY,DISCRIMINATION in ANY form,and NEPOTISM which allow people to “PURCHASE ” high political positions we will continue to go around in circles. I started teaching in 1964 and …………….are dealing with the same problems today in 2013. !! Such an important point Laura. And Mark, thank you for your comments. It is so disappointing to think that the same issues that existed in 2013 still exist today. After watching this case unfold I have felt so angry, frustrated, and hopeless. How do we achieve change? I think an important point you make here is that as long as our religious traditions treat women as being subordinate society will follow. If God ordains rape culture then… Sarah Whitworth Mary Frank, a contemporary American artist, created the first sculpture I’ve ever seen of Persephone as rape victim, utterly broken apart. All the other sculptures I looked at or paintings through history romanticized the scene of her abduction in her myth in one way or another. Frank’s work, created in 1998, is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is online. I linked my name to it here. 1,000 thank you’s to Mary Frank for representing the Persephone persona in a way that stands in profound solidarity with every woman, against the plight of abuse, and somehow manages in that sculpture to extend great caring, respect and love. Sarah, what an incredible piece. Thank you for sharing the link. I know the story of Persephone well – such an important story. Your voice will set you free. Gina (and everyone): have you seen the op-op piece by Rachel Simmons on today’s CNN website? Its title is “In Steubenville, why didn’t other girls help?” It brings up another (and disturbing) side to the “rape culture” which I think is important for feminists to address. Worth reading in its entirety. Onoosh, thanks for sharing! Here is the link for others who are interested: http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/20/opinion/simmons-steubenville-girls Gina: I’m glad you wrote about this. I have learned not only everything you said in this post, but also that respect for women must be taught. I haven’t read the Rollins’ story, but I do think teaching WGS in high school is a *start,* but I also think about the students (usually white guys) in those obligatory intro to WGS or intro to Black Studies type of college courses who sit in the back with baseball caps on and sleep. The idea of respecting women has to be taught earlier than that. I’ve come to understand that I learned much of what I know about women’s strength and about feminism through observing my matriarchal family. I wrote today about a friend who learned respect for women in much the same way (http://www.redboneafropuff.com/2013/03/21/how-my-friend-learned-rape-is-wrong/). The answer to “How did Steubenville happen?” has many responses, but bottom line to me: Of course this happens when boys don’t know any better. Thank you so much for sharing this, Mariam. Very important advice! Hi Mariam, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts here; I think you offer some interesting points. But I wonder, do boys, men really not know any better? That would be to say that every man and boy would rape and I don’t think that is true. Thoughts? Good question. No, I don’t think that’s true across the board. I do believe there are some “bad seeds” and people, male and female, who will do horrible things no matter what, but when it comes to rape, we see boys, men who are otherwise upstanding individuals committing it with impunity. For example, there was a boy in Steubenville who witnessed his friends standing over a naked, sprawled out Jane Doe and just said goodnight to his friends–moments after taking the keys from another boy who was too drunk to drive. He looked out for the guys, so where does his lack of respect for a woman too drunk to consent come from? I don’t think every man would hide in the bushes and attack unwitting female joggers. (As the friend I wrote about said, “That’s what men think of when they hear the term ‘rapist,’ and no man wants to be that.” But between this case and several others that reveal rape culture, images of women in the media, and attacks on women through legislation, I have to wonder how many heterosexual men understand they don’t have a right to any woman’s body without being explicitly told they don’t. I know they can learn the opposite, so maybe they’re just blank slates until one or the other is taught? And now that I see comments on the op-ed Onoosh referenced, I wonder how many girls just know men and boys don’t have a right to their bodies without learning it. Onoosh, thanks for sharing Rachel Simmons on the collusion of girls in the rape culture. That may be the saddest part of this whole story, reminding us that women and girls often identify with the oppressor rather than with their oppressed sisters. I want to cry. Carol: I was upset by the piece, too. It opened up a very unpleasant vista of poor education/socialization of young women leading to a complete lack of sisterhood with other young women. It also brought back memories of being bullied in elementary school by a mixed gang of boys and girls because I was the “different” one who liked school, reading, and other “nerd” pursuits. The girls were as bad as the boys, but always had an eye out for the boys’ approval. I have read that this seeking of male approval has led, in the Muslim world, to an increase in female suicide bombers over the years, although I have no statistics on this. I do remember being in Kuwait before Gulf War I and having a Kuwaiti tell me “the young girls veil more now, because the boys like it.” Innocent enough on the surface, but with disturbing undertones. This cross-cultural socialization toward masculine approval is one of many reminders of the pervasiveness of patriarchal structuring. It’s everywhere, from Steubenville to the ends of the Earth. It’s scary, sad, and seemingly overwhelming. IMO, this female complicity is one of the things that encourages criminal, and just plain stupid, behavior in males: it leads to explicit cooperation with oppressive power structures and fosters the behavior that both flows from and supports them. In 1989, Robin Morgan wrote a book entitled, “The Demon Lover: On the Sexuality of Terrorism.” In it, she explores women’s cross-cultural attitudes towards violence. She sees it as connected to patriarchal societies’ emphasis on power, control, domination and violence. She traces the seeds of terrorism to the mythic hero-warrior, god-king, liberator who glorifies vengeance. Morgan detects a sexual component in man’s penchant for violent means. On a more personal note, she analyzes “token terrorist” women and considers herself to have been one in the late ’60s. She hopes for a future in which the patriarchal thirst for death is finally slaked, and a new, woman-centered Politics of Eros is established. May it be so. http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/03/23/my-open-letter-to-the-steubenville-survivor/ Melissa Harris Perry’s moving letter to the steubenville survivor. Sean Huze | Real Men Don’t Rape!

StaceyCon - A Life Changing Adventure This time last year, I was sipping back a gin caesar, my brain still going a million miles an hour, recovering from one of the greatest weekends/experiences/adventures I have ever had in my entire life. Whabammers would come together from across North America, the champagne was sabred, the maple syrup flowed, the chicken nuggets broke records, and we celebrated the launch of my first TV show… and it happened in Las Vegas, so I can’t tell you about any of it… oh, that’s not how blogs work? Nevermind then! Let’s talk StaceyCon 2018!!! Vegas, baby! It's hard to believe that it's only been a year since the dazzling lights of Vegas flashed in my eyes. In some ways, it feels like it was forever ago, and in other ways, like it was just yesterday. I remember when the idea first started to float through Chatland; it was more like a "wouldn't-it-be-cool-if" concept than an actual thing that was possible... I mean, who in their right mind would travel to meet (and party) with random people from the Internet, and a girl who makes nerdy cocktails from Canada? Apparently a lot of people! We literally ran the bar out of jello-syringes! Pictured (Left to Right) GaryGotBlended, DarkWizVelonese, AppleFanBoy, JackJackLive, Kathy, ZeroPointProps, MikeItSo, Sir_Gforce, Sevrahn, TheSoleMan, Clasicmac, Papa Roy, Stacey Roy, Imrtlsn, DayneCody, Mama Roy, Vertikal_Few, Shelley, SmartMouse. (Not pictured: shadowgirl_few, MattEatsMochi, colourmoichic, RaivenDelaCruz, rumplestiltskin, armyhutchings) One of the scariest things about organizing any event, especially one at this scale, is "what if no one shows up?" or scarier: "what if EVERYONE shows up?!" It takes a tremendous amount of resources to put on something like this, and the number of attendees could make it all for naught or be not near enough to meet expectations. But, after many, many sleepless nights and long days of planning, StaceyCon started to take shape. ...I kid you not, when we signed for the suite, the manager asked: “will you be throwing any parties?” My answer may or may not have been less than truthful. I made a list of all the things that I would want if I were going to attend something like this, and the very first thing that popped into my mind was swag! I always look forward to getting goodies that can remind me of all the fun I had at an event, and since we almost immediately decided that Vegas would be the location of this shindig (mostly due to the fact that it’s one of the cheaper places to go that most cities fly to); the customized StaceyCon shirt was born. So, we designed several variations and eventually settled on the old-school Vegas sign design. But I knew a shirt wouldn’t be enough, so I did everything I could to jam-pack the SwagBags full of items like Whabam tattoos, glow in the dark Whabam wristbands, ketchup chips (because Canada), and even a Nerdy Bartender tumbler with RGB ice cube for everyone to use while they wandered the strip!. When planning events, there always has to be the "main event," the thing that most people are the most excited for; in this case it was simple: we do a Nerdy Bartender Live in Vegas with Whabammers as the live audience (and also live guests). SPOILER ALERT: It was pretty much the greatest thing in the world. Ever. Better than a cold mojito on a hot day. Better than a spiked hot chocolate on Christmas morning. Better than- you get the idea. So, where does one have such a fantastic event? A board room is too dull; a hall is too impersonal, a restaurant’s bar would be impossible to close down on a Friday night… I guess that means we have to get a gorgeous executive suite at the Golden Nugget! It would have enough room for the audience, the streaming equipment, a special little bar corner (that turned out to be an echo nightmare for the microphones), and it could double as the location for the Saturday morning brunch. Despite being the most expensive hotel room I have ever been in, it was 100% worth it. Also, I kid you not, when we signed for it, the manager asked: “will you be throwing any parties in the suite?” My answer may or may not have been less than truthful. So, Day 1 has begun, my Mods, my parents, Mike and I start to take the boxes upon boxes, suitcases upon suitcases and elevator trip after elevator trip (thank the Vegas gods for elevators, if it had been stairs, I think I would have been finished before StaceyCon even opened its doors!) of gear and supplies to the suite. But why start with Nerdy Bartender LIVE on the first night? Isn't the main event supposed to be at the end? Why not save the best for last? Well, there are a few reasons for it! Let me tell you my secrets: Most of the people coming didn't know each other in real life, so by bringing people together to something already familiar to them was a great way to make everyone feel comfortable. Plus, we had the ever-charming (and very handsomely dressed, might I add) Clasicmac and Soleman greeting the new faces as they came through the doors, and were immediately branded with Whabam temporary tattoos. Then right on their tails were Mama and Papa Roy welcoming them and offering up food and drink in typical Roy fashion. So, right away, we have a familiar event, familiar faces, and hospitality to shake off any jitters that may have arisen. The event sets the tone for the weekend (this was a three-day event, after all, because Vegas, obviously.) I knew that the show would be fun, and the memories and bonds that were formed that night would not only last the weekend but possibly for months and years to come! (Spoiler alert: I was right.) Those Whabammers who couldn't be there in person would be there in Chatland. This also would help bring the community together, as they shared their experiences with the Chat. And of course, they would be able to say “Hi” on the stream itself, since everyone got to be on the show and have a part in creating the infamous “GaryGotBlended” Mudslide. So, people were able to feel like they were a part of something special (which they were!), and that makes everyone feel good. Have you hugged your Mods today? If I had made Nerdy Bartender last, not only would everyone have been exhausted, but we wouldn’t have had all the stories to talk about throughout the weekend. And trust me, there were stories… I can confirm that at no point was there a loose tiger in the room, though there may have been a unicorn, whatever else you heard cannot be confirmed nor denied… because Vegas. For instance, StaceyCon’ers, remember when ZeroPointProps broke the chair? When spinning for Whip Cream? What about performing Rock calls with random Blackjack tables? Ziplining over a crowded street yelling “WHABAM!”? Yeah! Vegas, baby! But I digress. I officially started off StaceyCon with a toast to you, the Whabammers, to my parents, mods, and MikeItSo. Everything I do and have is because of you. The ability to throw an event like this, is because of you. I will forever be grateful and forever be humbled by you. Stacey Chat is Best Chat. And with that, StaceyCon had begun, and the "Start Streaming" button had been pushed! What came next was one of the greatest weekends of my life. The show was an absolute blast! I've never done a Nerdy Bartender LIVE in front of this many people, so it was beyond exhilarating! As new subs came in, every single person in the room would shout our sub call at the top of their lungs! I was CERTAIN we would get noise complaints, but they never came! Naturally, we played the Odds vs Evens game where we split the Whabammers into two teams, and with every donation adjusting the total to an odd or even number, different alcoholic ingredients were polled by the Chatland to eventually create a shooter... or should I say shooter'S'! This was the longest row of shots I have ever seen, and because the Internet is a cruel beast- MY team, Team Odd, had to take the shot at the end of the show. But we were brave and proud, and we took it with dignity and finesse... Hey, this is how I choose to remember this story and I'm sticking to it! (It was NOT good.) After the show, those who were still up for it (and not jetlagged or exhausted from partying), joined me in hitting the old Vegas strip. We explored the sights, saw some amazing performances, took plenty of photos and selfies, and took full advantage of the open alcohol laws. A yardstick of slushie-booze to walk down the street with? Don't mind if I do! As the night grew late, one by one, the Whabammers headed back to the hotel, and by 5 am, Day 1 had wrapped. It was a massive success. Day 2 started at 8 am (yes, just 3 hours later) for me because we had to prepare a feast for our famished! After cleaning up the aftermath of Nerdy Bartender (MASSIVE thank you to my parents!), we set up for "Brunch by Mama and Papa Roy." They not only made a spread that would make a Vegas buffet blush, but without them, StaceyCon would never have happened. They worked SO hard to make it all come together! Staceys Parents Are Best Parents! There were eggs, bacon, bagels, waffles, sausages, and enough maple syrup to turn everyone in the room into a Canadian. If that wasn't enough, the famous Papa Roy caesar was there too Canadianize and de-hangover those who were moving a little slower from the night before. But we didn't stop there: in true Nerdy Bartender fashion, there were bottles of champagne that I sabred with Dayne Cody from Geekoholics, who somehow managed to screw this up but without shattering the bottle… I am still amazed by how this feat was possible... anyway, bottomless mimosas for everyone! Well, “everyone” is relative. Bottomless mimosa for everyone who could wake up and be at the suite by 11 am! Once the dedicated had had their fill, we packed up and checked out of the suite for noon...-ish. I'm so lucky to have such loving and supportive parents <3 Before I get into the rest of Day 2, I need to go back to the unsung heroes of Day 1. ZeroPointProps, SirGforce, and MikeItSo deserve medals of honour, or statues, or at least a bottle of whiskey each, for pulling off the stream. It wasn’t easy! Not only did we have to fly much of our gear from up here in Canada, but ZeroPointProps also had to bring a ton of gear from down in Texas. And of course, tech equipment is notorious for becoming fussy and fickle when introduced to a new environment (much like traveling with a cat), so after several hours, MikeItSo and Zero were able to get the microphones, cameras, and computers talking, only to have the computer ignore the premium-paid Internet signal. The funny thing about live streaming: you need the Internet! Enter: Sir_Gforce. He sat down and starting pushing buttons that caused screens to appear that I have never seen before, Windows of text, sounds of cursing, and many whiskeys later, he solved the Internet issue, and the stream was saved! After this, the Mods took out their pre-assigned teams on a photo scavenger hunt down Fremont St using cans of Brewdog PunkIPA as props. Their mission? Bring attention to The Nerdy Bartender TV show, and The Brewdog Network by being, what would later be coined as, Wha-bassadors. These are just a few of the many photos that were captured on this task! (Search #staceycon on Instagram to find more!) But this was also a delay tactic for a big surprise I had planned... At 5:30, everyone showed up exactly on time, well, almost everyone- I’m looking at you JackJack, and we boarded a HUGE stretch-limo that drove us down the Main Strip to the Las Vegas sign where we got a big group photo! It was so much fun, we shouted “WHABAM!” out the windows and drank champagne. With the disco lights flashing, and the music bumping, we even got to see TheSoleMan rock out harder than anyone to “Seagulls”- it was the best! For many Whabammers, it was their first time in a limo! After the photos, we got dropped off in the heart of sin city. A huge thank you to VegasVIP for being so accommodating and professional with our drive, we will definitely call you for next time! Speaking of professional, this is when we officially made the largest single order of chicken nuggets that this Vegas McDonalds had ever had: 260! I’ve never been so excited to order food as I was at this moment. And the manager was absolutely wonderful, she even made sure all the fries that came with the orders were fresh! After filling our bellies, it was time to take on the Strip! We explored several of the most impressive hotels like the gorgeous Venetian with its painted ceiling, sculptures, and gondolas. We marveled at the magnificent Volcano Show in front of The Mirage, followed by the magical Bellagio lights from both behind the fountains and then the front. It was at this point that I finally admitted that both heels and flip-flops were a poor choice of footwear, and Sevrahn (who drove 34 hours just to attend StaceyCon) put me on his shoulders and carried me. Who am I to say no to such an offer? The night was not short of shenanigans. With almost everyone wearing our swag, we couldn't go far without someone asking what Whabam was, or having people shout "Whabam!" at us. And when asked, the Whabammers were quick to educate them on StaceyCon, Nerdy Bartender, Whabam, and more- we even had people at card tables asking us to shout our sub call in the middle of the casino for good luck! Vegas knew that the Whabammers were in town! Day 3 started later because it was a pool day! It was time to take a break from the go-go-go of the weekend, so we grabbed a big section, spread out our WHABAM towels, relaxed beside the giant shark tank, and literally ran the bar out of jello-shot-syringes! By the way, whoever decided to put hot tubs in the desert is a genius; it felt SOOOOOO good on our aching feet! But just because we were taking it easy, doesn’t mean we weren’t racing upstairs to zoom down the waterslide that goes THROUGH A GIANT TANK OF SHARKS WITH FRICKIN’ LASER BEAMS ATTACHED TO THEIR HEADS. Believe it or not, only a part of that sentence isn’t true. After working up an appetite, we treated ourselves to a "fabulous" all-you-can-eat buffet (it was okay) before heading out to Fremont St for one last stroll. In some sort of weird, poetic, Ocean’s 11 way, we wanted to watch the lights to close down the weekend, but since we weren’t near the Bellagio, we settled for the Fremont Light Show that happens on the ceiling. As we wandered, a promoter approached us and invited us to their bar. We decided to check it out, and while we expected the place to be dead, no one expected to walk into a place that had two people dancing by themselves on the dance floor surrounded by absolutely nobody. It was laughable, but I knew right away that this meant they were desperate, so we talked them into giving us their VIP balcony for free! A balcony that overlooked the street below, and gave an unobstructed view of the light show. It could not have been more perfect, and it summed up StaceyCon in a way I could never have dreamed. Mods checking out the VIP Balcony and giving it their a-okay By this point, several people had to leave to catch their flights, and it was so sad to say goodbyes, but at the same time, it was heartwarming to see Whabammers who only met each other just days before, hugging and wishing each other safe journeys. Most of you arrived as Internet acquaintances, but after the adventures, the nuggets, and a little Nerdy Bartender action, you left as friends, and in some cases, family. And while there were a few more adventures and stories that happened after the Light Show, this is where everything officially came to a close in my mind. To me, this was more than a convention, more than a meetup; it was a firm reminder of how I want to live my life, how I want to build my career, how I want to grow relationships with my fans, friends, and family. This was more than the sum of its parts. This was StaceyCon. Now, who wants StaceyCon 2.020? (2020, get it?) Huge thank you to Dragonflight Photography and Papa Roy for capturing the essence of this incredible weekend! Photo Credits to Dragonflight Photography, Kurtis Roy, ZeroPointProps, Clasicmac, Mike Parkerson Now, THIS is a website! World Cocktails: Caipirinha

SANCTITY OF LIFE SATURDAY Transcript and Video of 1997 Interview of Nat Hentoff by Brian Lamb Transcript and Video of 1997 Interview of Nat Hentoff by Brian Lamb Nat Hentoff on His Life in Journalism, Social History, Civil Rights and Antiwar Movements (1997) BRIAN LAMB, HOST: Nat Hentoff, author of “Speaking Freely: A Memoir,” can you remember in your lifetime when you were the maddest about anything? Mr. NAT HENTOFF (Author, “Speaking Freely: A Memoir”): Well, it happened so frequently. I think what I was most maddest about–and it’s in the book–when the House and the Senate, back in 1984, were debating a bill that would –at least delay and maybe stop some of the ex–summary execution of disabled children–infants. And the Down syndrome kids and other kids had been, in some cases, routinely let die, to use the euphemism. And I saw the debate on the floor of the House. And I considered myself, at the time, a liberal; I don’t know what I consider myself now. And here are the leading liberals at the time Geraldine Ferraro, Don Edwards, who I’m–I admire enormously, Henry Waxman–saying, `You can’t do that. That’s an interference with the doctor-mother’–not the doctor-infant, but doctor-mother–`relationship.’And I figured, `My God, these are –the–this isn’t fetus time. This is–they’re born children.’ And–and as Harry Blackmun said when he wrote Roe v. Wade, `Once a child is born, the child has basic constitutional rights: due process, equal protection of the laws.’ And they were acting as if you could just dispose of these kids. I was angry. LAMB: You said that you thought yourself to be a liberal. What would that mean to you? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I grew up in a household in which we had a clock that we won at Revere Beach during the Depression–one of those brass clocks that didn’t work–but it showed Franklin D. Roosevelt standing at the wheel of the New Deal. Even though the clock didn’t work, we kept the clock because of how we felt about FDR. A lot since then I knew about FDR I wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic.But a liberal was somebody who expected and hoped that government would help the poor–you know, that whole routine. I did not know then and I’ve learned since that in an area that means a lot to me, free speech, liberals are as bad as many conservatives in trying to censor speech. The whole politically correct movement, if it–if that’s what it is, was spawned by liberals. So I try to avoid categorizing myself. LAMB: How did you get to the memoir? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I had written a book called “Boston Boy” some years ago, and that took me from the time I could speak, I guess, in Boston through the time when I finally left to come to New York. And a lot–that book had a number of sort of rites of passage for me. One was understanding and coping with anti-Semitism. Boston, at the time, was the most anti-Semitic city in the country. And I found out when I was an adolescent that you have to be crazy to go out after dark all by yourself; you’d get your head bashed in. More fulfilling, I was introduced to jazz, and that’s become a basic concern and passion of mine ever since.This book, “Speaking Freely,” starts when I came to New York. And the first chapter is about a man who became a friend of mine, much to our mutual surprise, Malcolm X. And it goes through other rites of passage, I guess you’d say, including the–what I just spoke about, the learning that liberalism isn’t quite as liberal as it pretends to be. And it goes through my adventures with the FBI during the anti-war period and the civil rights period. And a particular moment–and I’m not, to this day, quite sure how I feel about it–I had always wanted to be in the law books–you know, Hentoff vs. something or other. And then Congressman Icord headed a House on American activities committee. It was called the House Internal Security Committee. And he put out a report, and he named a number of very destructive people who lectured at colleges and left arson in their wake and did other terrible things. And he mentioned me and he ascribed to me three organizations to which I’d never belonged, and I decided I would do something about this. When the ACLU took my case and we got a ruling I think, for the first time, they could–the Congress could put out the report internally but they couldn’t put it out at taxpayers’ expense around the country. And I felt odd about that because I, in a way, I was interfering with free speech, but then, you can’t always win. LAMB: When has a liberal been the most upset with you to your face? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, well, the most controversial subject-issue I’ve ever gotten involved in to this day was when I became pro-life. And liberals are very–many liberals are very angry at me because of that. In part, because–they could understand it, they say, if I came to it from a religious kin–a Catholic perspective. But I’m still a Jewish atheist, and that really bothers them. And I come to it entirely from the point of view of biology. And what Roe v. Wade has led to, I–what I did in the 1980s–I tracked all of the state Supreme Court decisions concerning people who wanted to have their relatives–their husband, their wife, their child–taken off of feeding tubes or respirators.Every time the Supreme Court of a state would say, `That’s OK,’ they based it on Roe v. Wade. And it turned out when–the–in terms of the physician-assisted suicide, the first federal district judge in the history of the United States out in Washington–state of Washington–came to the same conclusion, basing it on Roe v. Wade. And around that time, I met the angel of death, Derrick Humphrey, who introduced the whole concept of assisted suicide, and he was exultant. He was talking about things that had happened to him for the good. He said, `When I came to this country, I couldn’t get my ideas across to anybody, practically, but then a wonderful thing happened and the door opened.’ I said, `What was that?’ He said, `Roe v. Wade, because when Roe v. Wade said that you can remove a fetus for privacy, and privacy is the safeguard of that, then it was extended through the courts to, “You can take the respirator off your husband’s–your husband,” or whatever and, finally, physician-assisted suicide.’ So when I say I’m pro-life, I mean pro-life across the legal board. LAMB: How do you make your money today? Mr. HENTOFF: I write a syndicated column for The Washington Post that goes to about 200, 250 papers. I write a column for The Village Voice, which I’ve done since time immemorial, and occasionally–and books. And I occasionally write minor notes for record albums and occasional articles. LAMB: You wrote some liner notes for Bob Dylan once. Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. I’ve always been amused by Dylan; I don’t think he’s been amused by me. When I first knew him, he lived in the Village. And for a man who, years after, would disdain publicity or any attempts at interviews, whenever I’d write something about him, he’d be on the street corner saying, `When’s it going to run? When’s it going to run?’ But I must say that album that was–it was the second album he did, and though I’ve never been a fan of his guitar-playing, he did–I have to admit, he did catch the Zeitgeist of the time. LAMB: But what made him mad with you? And what kind of relationship do you have with him today? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, that was–he was really mad with my wife. I had asked by Rolling Stone–the only assignment I ever had for them–to do a story on the Rolling Thunder Review, which was Bob Dylan, Alan Ginsberg, Joan Baez and a host of stars. My wife, some weeks before, had written in The New York Times that The Kid wasn’t The Kid anymore and he wasn’t all that winning anymore.So when I approached one of his secretaries for an interview, I was told that Bob didn’t want to see me anymore because of what my wife Margot had written. So I went ahead and did the piece anyway. A reporter is never put off by somebody not wanting to be interviewed. And I got Joan Baez to talk and Alan Ginsberg and some of the guys in the band. And by the end of the piece, another emissary came and said, `Bob is willing to speak to you now.’ And I said with great pleasure, `No, thanks. The piece is over.’ LAMB: When was the last time you talked to him? Mr. HENTOFF: That–well, I guess I haven’t talked to him since before then. I follow his career. And… LAMB: When was the date of that? Do you remember? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, gosh, my chronology is not always very good. That was at least–let’s see–at least 30 years ago, maybe more. LAMB: Where do you live today? Mr. HENTOFF: I live in the Village right near NYU, which is taking over most of the Village. I’ve lived there for most of my time in New York. One of the things I like about the Village is, it’s considered the kind of area where you can’t have skyscrapers or, actually, many tall buildings. So you can see the sky which, I think, is a benefit. LAMB: You say that Margot is your third wife? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. The first one–a very nice person–that didn’t last terribly long. We’d lived together before then. The second one… LAMB: What was the–how long were you married the first time? Mr. HENTOFF: Where? LAMB: How long? Mr. HENTOFF: How long? About eight months, I think. LAMB: When? Mr. HENTOFF: That was back in 1951–’50, ’51. Then the second wife–the best part of that union, our two daughters, and that lasted about five years. And I’ve been married to Margot now for about 38 years. LAMB: And does Margot have a byline somewhere regularly? Mr. HENTOFF: I wish she did. She used to write regularly for The Voice, for The New York Review of Books, for Harper’s Bazaar, and she really had the most distinctive writing style, even more than mine, than I’ve ever seen in this business. But she stopped. She decided that she had nothing more to say. And yet, every day, she has a whole lot to say, and I wish she’d write it down. LAMB: Where are you two politically now together? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I think one thing we share is a complete bottomless disdain for Bill Clinton. My–mine is based on the fact that he has done–and I’m–this sounds like hyperbole, but he has done more harm to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights than any president since John Adams. And he outshines John Adams in that regard. Margot dislikes him because he’s totally untrustworthy, and you really ought to have some faith in whoever’s going to be your president. LAMB: What proof do you have that he’s done harm to the Constitution? Mr. HENTOFF: All right. To begin with, when John Adams–when– James Madison was writing–pretty much writing the Constitution, he got a letter from Thomas Jefferson, who was then-ambassador to France. And Jefferson said–I am paraphrasing–`Do not forget to keep habeas corpus and strengthen it.’ That–in–that’s the oldest English-speaking right. It goes back to the Magna Carta in 1215. LAMB: What’s it mean? Mr. HENTOFF: But in our country, it means that if you’ve been sentenced and convicted in a state court, either to death or to some other kind of sentence, you have the right to petition a federal court to review what happened to you. Was it fair? Did you get due process? Was there prosecutorial misconduct? There are any number of things that could happen. And until Clinton, you had three, four, five, even more years I collect records of people who have been on death row for eight, 10, 12, 14 years–this is before Clinton–who finally got a decent lawyer, usually a pro bono lawyer, and an investigator, and were able to find out–they–they’re but approved that they’re–that they were innocent. And now, these days, with DNA, that happens even more often.But under Clinton–under this part of the anti-crime bill that he– had passed with the Republicans–they’re just as bad, but he was the power. Under Clinton, you’re limited to one year. You have one year to petition. If the court doesn’t want to hear it, too bad. And that is outrageous. LAMB: Do you think he’s doing this consciously? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, I think–I don’t think he does anything–I don’t think it’s ill will. I don’t think he’s evil in the sense that he hates the Bill of Rights. He does what he figures will help him politically. It’s like when he was running for president. I’ll never forget this one. He was running in New Hampshire. He was not doing well. And he suddenly, over a weekend, rushed back to Little Rock to execute a guy who had killed a cop, but in the process, the policeman had shot him in the head and he was out of it. He didn’t know today from tomorrow, good, evil, whatever. His lawyer begged–his lawyer was an old friend of Clinton. He begged Clinton not to have this guy executed. It was absurd. But he did it anyway. And that was to show that he wasn’t tough on crime. And the habeas corpus business, that’s to show that he’s not tough on crime. And you have an electorate that wants to see people who are not tough on crime.Oh, and other things he’s done. The immigration bill–the new immigration bill–he has stripped the courts, which Congress can do under the leadership of the president, so that people who had a right to asylum or to petition –for asylum who were legal residents are now unable to go through because that part of the bill has been taken out. I mean, he has called for expanded wiretaps for the FBI. I mean, he goes on and on and on. And he was the man, as a matter of fact, who, in terms of the Communications Decency Act, which would have made the Internet, the whole concept of cyberspace, vulnerable to rampant censorship–he pushed that bill, and I know the man in the Justice Department whom he persuaded — the guy didn’t want to lose his job–to write the bill. And, of course, the Supreme Court, 9-to-nothing, said it was unconstitutional. I mean, did this happens on a regular basis. And what–the crucial part of it to me is, I–the press is practically uninterested in this. In the last campaign, the ’96 campaign, I can’t remember this coming up in any of the television interviews that were done, the presidential debates that Jim Lehrer held and the like, except for Tony Lewis of The New York Times and maybe one or two other people. Now that is dangerous, when the people don’t know what’s happening to their Constitution. LAMB: Go back to your wife, Margot. You agree on Bill Clinton. Do you disagree on politics and anything right now? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, we disagree heavily on abortion. She thinks–first of all, she –this I hear from a lot of people beside her. She thinks that men have no business getting into this argument at all unless they’re going to be pro-choice. But it turns out that a fair number of fetuses are male, and besides that, we are all one part of humankind, it seems to me. LAMB: Where’d you meet her? Mr. HENTOFF: We had–well, I met her on Fire Island when I had a house there many years ago. And then I was co-editor of the magazine called The Jazz Review, which was a pioneering magazine because it was the only magazine, then or now, in which all the articles were written by musicians, by jazz men. They had been laboring for years under the stereotype that they weren’t very articulate except when they picked up their horn. Anyway, she was the–I guess, the coordinator or the production manager, and we got to know each other and we married. LAMB: How many children have you had with her? Mr. HENTOFF: Two boys. One, Nicholas, is a criminal defense attorney in Phoenix in which he –gets into –a lot of very controversial cases. He has sued Sheriff Arpaio, the famous sheriff who keeps people in tents, gives them green bologna and the like. My other son Tom is with Williams & Connolly in Washington, where he does intellectual property defamation cases. LAMB: You say in the book he fights political correctness? Mr. HENTOFF: Tom? LAMB: Yes. Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, yeah. Tom–it started when he was the editor of the paper at Wesleyan and the–members of the staff. This was the first wave of political correctness. The editors of the staff members came and said he must–he must, from now on, stop using `freshmen’ and–in-as part of the policy of the paper. It had to be `freshperson.’ Therefore, you don’t–you’re not discriminating against males or females. They were very fervent about that, and he was equally fervent about not politicizing language. So until he left, `freshmen’ stayed. It is no longer in use there. LAMB: What about Jessica? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, Jessica is–she is a–one of the great risk-takers in –my experience. When she was at State University of New York at Purchase, they had a 4014 system. You go to –you have four semesters. Then, in between the other four semesters, you can take whatever courses you want. And a pied piper came along, a circus performer–a professional circus performer–and Jessica found her vocation and she became, to my great alarm, a trapeze artist with a friend. She played all over the United States. I boycotted her for a while. I couldn’t stand it because–for example, I’d say, `Why don’t you use a net?’ `Oh, we don’t use a net. Europeans don’t use a net. We don’t use a net.’ And I said, `But people come and expect you to break you neck.’ And I bought her a net, which, of course, was never used. But then I figured, after all, I have my obsessions; she’s entitled to hers. And I did –see her perform, and she was very good. Fortunately, however, she now has three small children; she’s now on the ground. She runs her own everyday circus in St. Louis. LAMB: Who got her interested in being a circus performer? Mr. HENTOFF: The pied piper. LAMB: I mean, is there anything in your background or your wife’s background… Mr. HENTOFF: No, not at all. No. She’s singular in that respect. I mean, in terms of the boys, I always wanted to be a lawyer and would often talk law with them, but I certainly never wanted to be a trapeze performer. LAMB: What about your daughter Miranda. Mr. HENTOFF: Miranda is a complete musician. She’s a composer, a singer. She writes scripts along –with her projects. And she’s a superb teacher. Her teaching pupils have ranged from Itzhak Perlman to Sting. And, it’s one of the great, great pleasures of my life–I mean, talk about vicarious satisfaction from –your kids. She was teaching once at Lincoln Center, and the hall was full of other professionals–musicians, professors, teachers. And she was explaining how Bartok composed his second piano concerto. And she explained how the music was interwoven with the rhythms and what he had in his mind. And I was just stunned. This is a kid who used to work –on a piano with a cracked keyboard. LAMB: Four children. Mr. HENTOFF: Four children. LAMB: Go back to someone you talked about in the book by the name of A.J. Muste. Mr. HENTOFF: Ah. LAMB: Who is he? Is he alive? Mr. HENTOFF: No. A.J. was a–as he likes to say, a radical pacifist; that is, he never engaged in violence but he believed, as Gandhi did–and he knew Gandhi slightly–he believed that a pacifist had to be active in the community. And in that respect, Martin Luther King, whom A.J. advised in the civil rights movement, was also a radical pacifist. He–A.J. never got much credit, never got much attention. For example, I wrote a biography of him and nobody ever heard of it. But he was very influenced–in–influential in the peace movement, in the civil rights movement. And he was extraordinarily calm–the most–I couldn’t–I’ve never known a man who would go through–I mean, the cops would be arresting him. There’d be turmoil around him. And he was just watching and… LAMB: Where’d he live? Where was he from? How old was he when he died? Mr. HENTOFF: He was from Michigan and he grew up in the Dutch Reform Church there, which is a fairly strict church. He later came to New York. He was the minister of a labor temple in the–on the East Side. Then he founded, to my knowledge, the first, maybe the only, labor school; that is, Cornell has a labor department and other schools. But this was a school for–entirely for labor organizers, and he was the–the chairman.He was–and this was funny in a way. Trotsky found out about him–Leon Trotsky–because A.J. worked. He was an activist. And he organized the first sit-in strike in Toledo in a factory. And Trotsky was very impressed with that. And… LAMB: What year would that have been? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, ’33, ’34, something like that. LAMB: When did A.J. Muste die? Mr. HENTOFF: A.J. died in the late ’60s, I think. He was 81, something like that. LAMB: And you knew him? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, I knew him very well. I tried for a while to be like he was, and that is a total pacifist. But then Margot hit me hard in the stomach one day to prove to me that I wasn’t as perfect a pacifist as I thought I was. LAMB: Tell more about that story, ’cause it’s in the book. She literally hit you? Mr. HENTOFF: She literally hit me as hard as she could, which is pretty hard. LAMB: Did she surprise you? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah, that was the whole point. And I didn’t– hit back, but I knew that if it had been anybody else, I would have hit back, and that was the point of her metaphorical blow. LAMB: Is she not a pacifist? Mr. HENTOFF: No. LAMB: And you said that when she was at The Voice, she had a contrarian attitude about some of these political issues? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, yeah, The Voice–to begin with, The Voice has been politically correct in many of its aspects since before that term was ever used. It’s always been–well, I’ll give you an example. I found out–the paper used to go to bed on Tues–on Monday. I found out that on Monday nights, the editors would cut out–literally cut out passages, sometimes whole paragraphs, of some of the writers that might possibly offend blacks, lesbians, gays, radicals. And I wrote a couple of columns about that. And they’re–of course, they were annoyed that I had written about it, but, I mean, it –another example–and she always also conjured that. She was an editor there for a time as well as a writer.But Jules Feiffer once wrote a strip. He was then, as now, a syndicator. Of course, he’s not at The Voice anymore. But his strip would come to The Voice first. And the strip showed an Archie Bunker-type sitting in the kitchen–speaking of stereotypes–with a can of beer, saying, `I can’t say “kike” anymore. I can’t say “fag” anymore. About the only think I can say anymore is “nigger.”‘ There was an uproar at The Voice. Great pressure was put on the editor, David Schneiderman, to not run the strip. It was offensive. It was racist. And nobody apparently read the strip and saw what it was about. And I wrote a column about that. So the –obviously, the–there have been other very good reporters at The Voice. We’ve done good muckraking stuff, good political stuff. But the–spirit of the paper, until fairly recently, with a new editor who doesn’t go on that route, has been, well, politically correct. LAMB: What was the story about the column you wrote about Clay Felker when he ran The Voice? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, Felker took over The Voice… LAMB: Who is he, by the way? Mr. HENTOFF: Clay Felker was then–he had–to his credit, he had created New York Magazine, which was the first of the city magazines that covered the city and gave all kinds of advice and all that sort of stuff. And there were copies all over the country by the time he left. He had, however, a view of journalism that was very much, I must say, like Tina Brown’s at The New Yorker. You hit ’em hard, fast, give ’em something to talk about the day after the paper comes out, as contrasted with William Shawn, who gave them something to talk about two or three years from then. LAMB: Who was William Shawn? Mr. HENTOFF: William Shawn was the editor of The New Yorker and for whom I worked for, God, 27 years; a man I respected enormously because of what he did, –what the magazine was about. Anyway, I got a letter. He took over The Voice and tried to turn it into New York Magazine–very glitzy covers that promised practically nothing in terms of what was inside, very rushed paper anymore. You–not very contemplative, thoughtful or whatever.So I got a letter one day from somebody saying, `You’re always criticizing the press. Why don’t you talk about what Clay Felker is doing to your own paper?’ And my 10-year-old son Tom, now with Williams & Connelly, put in a legal opinion, not –an opinion from the back of the car saying, `You know why? What are you, afraid?’ So I wrote the column. I–you know, –the column simply said that Felker is destroying this paper. And I heard that he was about ready to fire me, but two other people on The Voice interceded and, fortunately, he had a very short attention span, so I wasn’t fired. LAMB: Any of that being done today? Mr. HENTOFF: The… LAMB: Being that contrary with your own publication where you’re… Mr. HENTOFF: Did I do… LAMB: Where you being paid–no, anybody. I mean, were you being paid at the time, by the way… Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, yeah. I was… LAMB: …because –there was a time when The Village Voice didn’t pay. Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah, but I was getting a big fat $100 a week at that time. No, it’s being done–I mean, the most recent example and the most, I think, appalling example was when Martin Peretz, the owner–and I stress owner–of The New Republic fired a journalist who I think was uncommonly skilled and full of integrity and passion and all that stuff. But he had criticized regularly the former pupil and friend of Martin Peretz, Al Gore, so he was fired. That’s contrarianist that went around–that did–that was not rewarded. LAMB: What’s wrong, though, with an owner of a publication like that firing somebody that won’t support his views? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, it’s perfectly within his rights. It’s a private–you know, th–it’s not censorship. The First Amendment doesn’t come into play because it’s a private magazine. What’s wrong with it is, it lowers, to say the least, the credibility of the magazine. And if I were writing for it, I would feel diminished because the owner had done such a thing. LAMB: What does it mean to you to be an atheist? Mr. HENTOFF: It means that I was never able–I mean, I really envy, in some respects, some of the people of faith I’ve known–A.J., for example. LAMB: What was his religion? Mr. HENTOFF: He was–he–I don’t know what he finally came out believing in, but it was some kind of higher being. But Kierkegaard said it for me a long time ago. He said, `You can’t really think yourself into a faith, into a religion. It’s something you have to make a leap into faith.’ And I’ve never been able to do that. I wish I could. Then maybe I could believe in an afterlife. LAMB: What was it like in your family growing up? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, we were–I mean, my parents were Orthodox Jews but not very regular Orthodox Jews. I was bar mitzvahed and all that. But God was hardly ever mentioned in my family. Franklin D. Roosevelt was. LAMB: They liked him. Mr. HENTOFF: They liked him a lot. LAMB: And what about your kids? What are they? Mr. HENTOFF: I think at least two of them–and I’m–I better not speak them by name because I’m not sure where they are these days, but at least two of them believe in some kind of higher force. The–another is an atheist and the other is still pondering. LAMB: You had a friendship or still have a friendship with John Cardinal O’Connor? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, I like him a lot. He–I started a–to know him–when I asked William Shawn at The New Yorker, `Sh–can I do a profile of Cardinal O’Connor?’ He said, `All right. Find out what he’s like.’ So I went to his office, and I heard somebody–and it turned out to be O’Connor–yelling outside, and I’ve never heard him since raise his voice.At the time there was a hospital strike in New York and the Catholic hospitals were part of a general consortium, and the head of the consortium had decided that they were finally going to replace some of the striking workers. And I hear O’Connor yelling, `Over my dead body will you replace any of those workers! They have a right to strike.’ So I figured, `This is interesting.’ Here is a guy who’s supposed to be the Genghis Khan of the church, the pro-choice people hate him, and I don’t know about his labor background so I figured there must be more to him, and there is. I wrote a book about him. My favorite story about O’Connor–one of them–is I was in Toronto at a pro-life conference. And I was –I had a session before he was to come on, and I was explaining–I thought very moderately, calmly–that the best way to not have unwanted abortions was to have much more research on contraception. And two very large, true-faith people came out of the audience, wrested the microphone out of my hand and said, `That is im–inappropriate, improper. Pro-lifers do not believe in contraception.’ And O’Connor’s watching this. I get up again and introduce him, and O’Connor said, `I want to tell you I’m delighted that Nat is not a member of the Catholic Church. We have enough trouble as it is.’ LAMB: How close did you get to him? Mr. HENTOFF: I guess pretty close. He had Margot and me over for drinks a couple of times. That was something I never could have envisioned back when I was a kid in Boston, that a cardinal and I would be, if not breaking bread, at least breaking Scotch. And I’ve I call him from time to time and he calls me. And when I think there’s something he ought to think about doing, I call him and he usually does it. LAMB: How many books have you written? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, counting the ones I’ve co-edited, I guess about 28 or 29. LAMB: Can you make a living off of doing… LAMB: No? Mr. HENTOFF: No. I–this sounds corny, but I once told a kid when I was in a the library conference, the best–not the best, what I really hope for is that someday 20, 30 years from now, some kid, 12-year-old, 15-year-old, in Des Moines will be going through the stacks, if they have stacks anymore–they probably won’t–and find a book of mine and get something from it. But in terms of money, no. LAMB: Have you been able to make a living–a decent living writing? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, it depends on what you mean by decent. I’m–you know, it’s comfortable. We live in the village. We have a summer place in Westport, Connecticut. We don’t spend a lot on all kinds of things. But I have no complaints. LAMB: Has your wife worked anymore since she left The Voice? Mr. HENTOFF: No. Again, I wish she would because–especially now the kind of–I mean, honesty is hardly the word. She writes with a ferocity of clarity that–nobody else around has now. LAMB: So you’re the breadwinner? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. And she has some investments and stuff. LAMB: Where did you go to school originally? What did–how did you train to be a writer? Mr. HENTOFF: I read like everybody–like every other writer. I’ve been reading since I could read, which was about four or five years old. And I’d pick–my father would bring home about six newspapers. We had 10 in Boston at the time. I went to the library as soon as I could walk. So the training came from reading all kinds of people, from fairy tales and later on to–I don’t know why–Schweitz’s “Life of Christ.”And the book that really, really shaped my politics and has forever is Arthur Koestler’s “Darkness at Noon,” which is a novel based on terrible fact about what it was like in Russia during Stalin’s time when people actually believed that to get to the point where the Proletariat would triumph, anything that was necessary to be done should be done; the means didn’t count. And, of course, that’s not–that’s just not Russia. But I went to school at a place that also shaped my life, Boston Latin School. Sandra Day O’Connor–once she said that there are–there were no public schools in America until the 18th century, and she overlooked my alma mater because we started–I say we–in 1635. And among the people who went there–and they’re on–the walls in the auditorium, the names are: Ralph Waldo Emerson and Cotton Mather, Benjamin Franklin, except he split when he was 10 years old to go to work. But it–Santiana, all that sort of–but the marvelous part of that school was all kinds of kids went. It was a competitive examination. Poor kids, Brahmans, middle-class kids. The masters, as the teachers were called, didn’t give a damn about –how we felt, what was– things like at home. I mean, this goes against the current grain. All they thought about was: `You’re here. You made the exam. You can do the work. And if you can’t, we’ll throw you out.’ And it was a great lesson because I found out, and as the other kids did, that I could do the work. LAMB: But what about your parents? What were they doing then for a living? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, my father–my mother’s always been–well, my mother, when she was younger, worked at Filene’s in Boston. And she was chief cashier. And I always wondered why she never went back to some kind of work ’cause that was a very responsible position. My father had always been a traveling salesman–New England, the South, whatever. He was very impressed when he saw “Death of a Salesman,” I must say. He recognized himself to some extent. LAMB: In your life, how many different publications have you worked for? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, that’s hard to figure. LAMB: How about the main jobs? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, the main jobs would be The New Yorker, The Village Voice, The Washington Post and–I’m thinking of the–stray one… LAMB: You did The Reporter. Mr. HENTOFF: The Reporter when Max Askeli was there, but I got fired from The Reporter. Max Askeli was a very courageous, principled man up to a point. He had left Italy before he was thrown in jail by Mussolini. And he started this very good magazine. In fact, Meg Greenfield, who’s now the editorial page editor of The Washington Post, was one of the star reporters there. I was in the back of the book doing music. I once did a–the first piece on Malcolm X that anyone had ever seen in the– white press.But I was very much against the Vietnam War, and Max Askeli was visiting Lyndon Johnson in the White House cheering him on, writing editorials. And in The Voice one day I once referred to him as Commander Askeli. And I called in to The Reporter to go over the galleys of a music piece I had written, and the editor whispered to me, `It’s not gonna run. You’re not gonna run. Max Askeli has fired you because of what you said about him.’ You see, the person who has the strong ownership of free speech is the one who owns the press. LAMB: Why did you–you did that more than once in your life where you had–we just talked about a couple of them. Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. LAMB: What makes you do that? Mr. HENTOFF: I don’t know. It seems to be the thing to do. I don’t like to feel intimidated by where I make a living. LAMB: Have you ever pulled your punches? Mr. HENTOFF: I suppose I have. I think it–yeah, I must have. I can’t remember, but it’ll come to me later. LAMB: And, again, –did you have people in your life, in your family at all that were like this: always kind of flaunting authority or… Mr. HENTOFF: My father was pretty independent. He was–he was arrested once in Nashville when he was on one of his sales trips because he had a black — guy to lunch. So that took a fair amount of courage at the time. Otherwise, no, I guess not. But I don’t… LAMB: Did you ever regret doing it? Mr. HENTOFF: Did I ever… LAMB: Regret doing that, like criticizing–calling him Commander Askeli? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, I thought it was funny. I mean, I’m sor–I was sorry I lost the gig, but, I mean, I felt better about myself that I did it, rather than have–rather than thinking it and not writing it for being afraid of what might happen to me. LAMB: You do a chapter on William Shawn, and he comes up all the time over the years. LAMB: When did he die? Mr. HENTOFF: Again, you can see my chronology is terrible. It must have been about seven or eight years ago. It was after he was fired by Newhouse. After New–when Newhouse bought The New Yorker, he said in one of those grand press conferences that `Bill Shawn will stay here as long as he wants to be here.’ Well, he wanted to be here until he died, but he wasn’t allowed to. LAMB: What was he like? Mr. HENTOFF: I’ve never met anybody quite like him. He created–and I’m sure it was conscious–an aura about him of quietude. But inside that quietude there was the firmest of wills. He knew exactly what he wanted to do. He–I mean, he didn’t, at least in my case and I think most of the others, he didn’t edit the writers very strongly, but he knew what he wanted. And if he liked the piece, then he would run it. But he wanted the magazine to be something that was more than just a weekly event. And as a result you could pick up a New Yorker under him, as I mentioned before, a year from then or 10 years or 20 years and there would always be something worth reading in it. LAMB: You say that you had something to do with getting him fired. Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. I’ve–that I regret. That was stupid and ignorant on my part. I went to a party as a guest of a friend of mine, a lawyer. And he had a client who I didn’t know, except–maybe I’m pretending I didn’t know, but he was a big investor in The New Yorker. And as I found out later in a book about The New Yorker, this guy was very unhappy about Shawn. He thought Shawn was spending out–spending too much money on writers.And then I told him–I was complaining the way writers complain. You know, I said, you know, `He pays very well, but a lot of my pieces don’t get in,’ and that was true of most of the writers there. And then he–but he pays you for them. That’s very–that was very nice of him. This guy didn’t think it was very nice of him. He figured, `Oh, my God, that’s more of my investment gone,’ and paying money to writers for not printing them. So that became, apparently, one of his weapons against Shawn when he–in the corporate skirmishes that went on. It was a bad mistake on my part. LAMB: But you ran into Mr. Shawn later. Mr. HENTOFF: That was–he had been fired. And he had always been in The New Yorker immaculately dressed–quietly, immaculately dressed, very soft-spoken. On the phone I could hardly hear him sometimes. And after he was fired, I was going to the YMHA on the Upper East Side to do a talk on free speech. LAMB: What’s YMHA? Mr. HENTOFF: Young Men’s Hebrew Association. YM–yeah. And I went into a coffee shop to get a piece of pie and a coffee, and I was reading a paper and I hear a voice. And it was -it was not a voice I was familiar with, but I looked across the table and I saw Lilian Ross. Lilian Ross was a –veteran writer for The New Yorker. She, in fact, brought me to The New Yorker many years ago. And sitting next to her was William Shawn–no tie, needed a shave. His voice was kind of coarse and rather loud. He wasn’t drunk, but I was just stunned. LAMB: Did you talk to him? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. There wasn’t mu–much said, but I was thinking, perhaps unkindly–not unkindly, but on–inaccurately of Theodore Dreiser’s “Carrie,” when the main character in “Carrie” has been brought down by Carrie and his–he– dress is disheveled and all that sort of thing. And that’s the last I ever saw of him. LAMB: Who was Carl Armstrong? Mr. HENTOFF: Carl Armstrong was one of those people in the anti-war years who had been so convinced of the righteousness of their cause that he and some friends decided they would blow up a building at the University of Wisconsin, in which they said research was being done to help the war against the Vietnamese. What they blew up at three or four in the morning was a young scientist, who was married and had a couple of kids, who wasn’t working on war stuff at all. And he was killed.And I was less angry at Armstrong, though I was angry at the people who came to his trial: Dan Ellsberg, who ordinarily I respected a lot; Philip Berrigan; the guy who teaches at Princeton still–I can’t remember his name. And they were saying–well, they were saying, really, what Arthur Koestler had people saying on “Darkness at Noon.” The means were unfortunate and, sadly, someone died, but the end is what is important and this was a great symbolic–something or other–sign against the war in Vietnarm–nam. And I thought that was utterly disgusting. Fortunately most of the people who were involved in anti-Vietnam activity did not con themselves into being like the violent people they didn’t want. LAMB: You mentioned Arthur Koestler again. When did he live? Mr. HENTOFF: Let’s see… LAMB: And did you ever know him? Mr. HENTOFF: I went to a lecture of his once, I never met him. I’m trying to — I know he–he fought in the Spanish Civil War. He was in prison, I think, in Spain and in–and in Russia. He came to the United States; that’s when I saw him in the mid-1940s. Then he went to England where he lived and died, but I’m not sure of the dates of his death. He wrote some other very interesting books, but that book–I mean, if I were teaching, I don’t care what the course is, I would say you really have to read “Darkness at Noon.” LAMB: And is it still available? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. It’s in paperback. LAMB: You remember who gave you the book? Mr. HENTOFF: I gave me the book. I saw it lying around somewhere. In the library, I guess. LAMB: Just read it? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. Sure. LAMB: You also once decided you wanted to look at your FBI file. Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. I was writing–at least beginning to write Boston Boy and there were a lot of holes in my so-called research. I didn’t know the towns my mother and father came from in Russia. I didn’t know the name of the clothing store I went to work for when I was 11 years old. I didn’t know a lot of things. So I called for my FBI files, not expecting to have that stuff there, but I wanted to know what they had on me. And–but they did have the towns my mother and father lived in in Russia. They had the grocery store I worked in when I was 11 years old.Then they had a lot of clippings, a lot of articles I’d written. And to me the–the funniest one was–I had done a piece for Playboy about J. Edgar Hoover. I had not been very kind to J. Edgar Hoover. And the field agent had written on –it was sent directly to Hoover–that–the director should see this–`And, besides, Hentoff is a lousy writer.’ And I thought that went a bit far. LAMB: Can anybody see their FBI file? Mr. HENTOFF: I think you can apply under the Freedom of Informa… LAMB: How did you do it? Mr. HENTOFF: I went through the Freedom of Information Act. LAMB: What… Mr. HENTOFF: You know, then they re–as they say, they redact it. If they don’t want you to see something, it comes out black. Then you can appeal. If you have enough money, you can appeal again. But they showed me a lot of stuff. LAMB: And what year did you do it? Mr. HENTOFF: Let’s see, I guess 1980, something like that. LAMB: You have a lot of other people that you talk about in the book, including William Brennan, the former justice of the Supreme Court. Mr. HENTOFF: Right. LAMB: What did you think of him? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I never expected to get to know him as well as I did. I called his chambers once. I’d gotten the go-ahead from Shawn to do a profile of him. I didn’t even know if he’d agree because most of the justices do not sit for profiles. And he answered the phone and he said, `Sure, come up.’ Gave -a date. And I saw him quite often from time to time.He–I mean, my two heroes are Brennan and, even more so, a man I didn’t able–wasn’t able to write about, but–at least then was William O. Douglas because they both really–they lived the Bill of Rights. They believed, you know, as if it were religious faith, that everybody had the right to speak, the right to assemble; all those things that Clinton has a very dim view of. And he was–the thing that impressed me about Brennan, he’d been on the court a long time; he had really shaped the jurisprudence of our times until the last 10 or–years or so, and yet he had, as the British say, no side, no pretentiousness, very easy guy. He laughed a lot. He could take criticism. Very impressive fellow. The one thing he did that I never–I understood it, but I didn’t like it. There was a case against Ralph Ginsberg. Ralph Ginsberg edited a magazine called Eros. Eros was about –erotic material, both in print and pictures, etc. I wrote a piece for it on Sam Hyakowa and his very useful distinction between the lyrics of the blues–the black blues and popular lyrics. Black… LAMB: Who was Sam Hyakowa? Mr. HENTOFF: He was a semanticist who later became a rather sleepy United States senator. But he was a good semanticist. And all of a sudden at my door one day, at my office, there appeared a detective from the district attorney’s office carrying a gun. And I was to go forthwith to an interview in the DA’s office about Eros magazine. I was not hip then to the task–I mean, you know, `Where’s your warrant?’ and all that sort of stuff.So there was a real press on to get Eros. And finally, Ginsberg himself was indicted and convicted of pandering. And Brennan, of all people, read the decision from the bench, and Brennan had been the key man on the court to get away from obscenity, let alone pornography, and to say that it also–it’s also subjective it oughtn’t to be justicable. And as he read the decision, his neck grew redder and redder and he was furious. I mean, he could have hit Ginsberg, I guess, except he wasn’t that sort of fellow. And I asked a clerk, `What is this all about?’ And he said, `Oh, well, Justice Brennan has a daughter, and she’s of the age where he feels she might have been shaped in some way by this magazine.’ So even Brennan at a crucial point–and it didn’t last beyond that decision–succumbed to his visceral feelings rather than his liberal–libertarian feelings. LAMB: How do you, in your opinion, stay consistent with–I mean, we’ve started talking that you thought you were a liberal, you’re not sure what you are today, and you find yourself, you know, being opposed by the different sides at strange times and being on all different sides of the issue. How do you stay, in your mind, consistent? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I –first of all, I do believe that everybody, including people I abhor, have the right to speak and not be censored. LAMB: How far can they go? Mr. HENTOFF: As far as you want. I can–the only exceptions, I would think, is if someone were to threaten somebody–specifically, a person and say, `I’m gonna see you at dawn and I’m gonna knife you.’ That’s not protected speech. LAMB: Any language, any words you want to use? Mr. HENTOFF: Any words at all. Words are–I mean, there is a great–there was a great scene in New York once when Lenny Bruce, who was a friend of mine, was on trial for his words. And Richard Cue, the assistant district attorney, was making a name for himself trying to blast all of the witnesses for the defense. And he got Dorothy Kilgallen, who was a very famous then syndicated columnist, a devout Catholic, a conservative and a great admirer of Lenny Bruce. And he con–he strung together, Cue did, all of the words in Lenny’s monologues that could be considered terribly offensive, and he hit her with them. It was a barrage. `What do you think then, Ms. Kilgallen?’ `Well,’ she said, `they’re words. They’re words. That’s all. Words.’ That’s the way I feel. LAMB: You resigned from the ACLU. Mr. HENTOFF: I did, indeed. I had differed with the ACLU in the past, as most of the people in the ACLU do from time to time. But I had a lot of respect for much of what they’re doing, and I still do. I still call the affiliates from time to time to get stories. But they did one thing that was beyond the possibility of my staying.The Centers for Disease Control, since 1988, had been testing infants at birth for various diseases–sickle-cell anemia, syphilis, whatever, and HIV that leads to AIDS. HIV was not allowed to be the results of that test was not told to the parents or the physician–the attending physician because of political reasons. The gay groups and the feminist groups didn’t want that sort of violation of privacy to go on. And the ACLU went along with that. And, finally, a very brave assemblywoman in New York, who was pro-choice, Nettie Mayersohn, finally got a bill through that made this testing mandatory so that people–for example, if a woman took her child home and the woman was infected and didn’t know it, but the child was not, the child–the woman would breast-feed the child and the child would die. And I kept saying to the people I knew in the ACLU, `How can you allow people to die for the sake of an utterly rigid, wrongheaded principle?’ And they wouldn’t budge, so I left. LAMB: They ever try to get you back? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, they wouldn’t try to get me back. Like Cardinal O’Connor, I think they’re delighted I’m not there. I’m too much trouble. LAMB: I’m gonna name a bunch of folks in the time remaining. I just want you give us a little, short snippet of what you think of them… LAMB: …and how you knew them. Stokely Carmichael. Mr. HENTOFF: Stokely was a very bright young man who was active in the Southern civil rights movement, took over SNCC and became what I call a tribalist. He is all for blacks and is a–become a terrible anti-Semite and I think is one of those people who has done a lot of harm not only — to integration, but to the whole sense of possible communality between whites and blacks. LAMB: How well did you know him? Mr. HENTOFF: Not well. Too well. I didn’t know him, hardly. LAMB: Murray Kempton. Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, Murray Kempton was, you know, perhaps the most singular journalist of our time. He was another person who wrote beautifully with great understanding of jazz, as well as politics, as well as what it was like to live. LAMB: Why was he your mentor? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, one of the things he told me, the way Izzy Stone did, was, `Don’t go to press conferences ’cause it’s a PR thing to begin with. Anything you want to know, they’re not gonna tell you.’ That’s why they have a press conference is not to tell you things. And also Izzy then said, `Go see some middle-level bureaucrat whom nobody ever asks about–asks to see, and then you’ll find out things,’ which was true. But I liked Murray ’cause of his personality. He –he was quirky and continually interesting. LAMB: Adlai Stevenson. Mr. HENTOFF: Adlai Stevenson–you know, I–when he was running for president, I thought he was going to be the hope of our time. But then when he became part of the Johnson administration and was UN ambassador, –our ambassador to the UN–and lied. He lied again and again on the basis of policy that was set for Washington. And a bunch of us went to see him because we wanted–we were trying to get some people of stature to come out against the Vietnam War. And he was marvelously graceful, charming and dishonest. So I didn’t like him. LAMB: Martin Luther King. Mr. HENTOFF: I hardly knew him. I interviewed him once. I–the thing about King that–that I especially admire–I mean, obviously what he did in the South. But when he decided to expand his influence to go against the Vietnam War, and this went against the advice of Roy Wilkins and other black leaders and naturally a lot of white politicians, he said, `No. That’s–that’s what I have to do. I mean, that’s the thing we have to talk about.’ LAMB: Dizzy Gillespie. Mr. HENTOFF: Dizzy was a very warm, brilliant trumpet player, general wise man. I mean, –I don’t mean that in a derogatory sense. It sounds funny, but the thing I most remember about Dizzy–I hadn’t seen him for several years, and I went to a rehearsal of his at Lincoln Center. And as he came down the hall he was talking to somebody, and then he saw me and he gave me a big embrace. And he said to the guy, `It’s like seeing an old broad of yours.’ I thought, `Gee.’ LAMB: Duke Ellington. Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, Duke was–I was–I– got to know him quite well, but I was almost always in awe of him, first because he was the most original composer this country’s ever had; I think Charles Ives is a close second. But there was–the– presence of the man, the– grace, the steel behind the grace–he was an extraordinary person. LAMB: Was there a difference between Father Coughlin and Louis Farrakhan? Mr. HENTOFF: Not so it matters to me. And they’re both pre-eminent anti-Semites. Father Coughlin perhaps had a wider range of hatred and bitterness. I mean, he–although now that I think of it, when–I remember when I was a kid I listened to Coughlin, and Coughlin would say that the Jews are the international bankers who take away the widows’ might. At the same time, the Jews run the Politburo in Moscow, which made us very busy. And Farrakhan says pretty much the same thing: `The Jews run the Federal Reserve Board. The Jews get us into wars. The’–I mean, the fact that Farrakhan was named by Time magazine last year as one of the 25 most influential Americans I found chilling. LAMB: You missed anything in your life that you wanted to do? Mr. HENTOFF: Yeah. Play the clarinet well so I could be in Duke Ellington’s band, but that’s now impossible. And the other thing I miss is teaching. I did teach for awhile and I love teaching ’cause that’s the fun of getting interplay of ideas, not just talking to your typewriter. LAMB: Do you have another book you want to write? Mr. HENTOFF: Well, I’m working on one now. It’s called “Living the Bill of Rights,” and it’s about people–well, it starts with Brennan and Douglas as people who not only live the Bill of Rights, but try to shape the reason for that. But then–the–these are people who–there’s a valedictorian in a high school in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a born-again Christian, who got into a lot of trouble because she wouldn’t let her principal–this is a public high school–censor or see her valedictorian speech. She said, `No. That’s First Amendment right. I’m gonna do that.’ And the whole school closed against her almost physically.Then there’s a black lawyer in Galveston, Texas, who was the unpaid NAACP general counsel in Texas. He had a great record in housing discrimination, labor discrimination. He decided to take as a client a member of the Ku Klux Klan because the state wanted to get the membership lists of the Klan to find out if they could get something on the Klan. And he said, `I got to take you. I despise you. But we, the NAACP, won that case; NAACP vs. Alabama in the 1950s. Nobody has the right to get your membership lists.’ He was fired from the NAACP. He became a pariah, until he stopped his practice and went around the state talking to black church groups and other black groups explaining why he had done what he had done. To me, he’s a hero. LAMB: Where was this picture taken? Mr. HENTOFF: That was taken at the studio of a photographer in Chelsea. LAMB: What year? Mr. HENTOFF: Oh, about–let’s see, this year, I think. Yeah, earlier this year. LAMB: On that note, Nat Hentoff, we’re out of time. “Speaking Freely” is the book. It’s a memoir. And we thank you for joining us. Mr. HENTOFF: Thank you. Francis Schaeffer “BASIS FOR HUMAN DIGNITY” Whatever…HTTHR Dr Francis Schaeffer – Whatever Happened to the Human Race – Episode 1 Dr. Francis schaeffer – The flow of Materialism(from Part 4 of Whatever happened to human race?) Dr. Francis Schaeffer – The Biblical flow of Truth & History (intro) Francis Schaeffer – The Biblical Flow of History & Truth (1) Dr. Francis Schaeffer – The Biblical Flow of Truth & History (part 2) Open letter to President Obama (Part 633) Pro-life atheist Nat Hentoff quotes wise 9 yr kid concerning abortion, “It doesn’t matter what month. It still means killing the babies.” Open letter to President Obama (Part 633) (Emailed to White House on 6-12-13.) President Obama c/o The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, I know that you receive 20,000 letters a day and that you actually read 10 of them every day. I really do respect you for trying to get […] By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, Francis Schaeffer, President Obama, Prolife |Tagged Nat Hentoff | Edit | Comments (0) Open letter to President Obama (Part 621) Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff on the 19 yr old Ana Rosa Rodriguez the survivor of an abortion attempt “Sanctity of Life Saturday” Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff on the 19 yr old Ana Rosa Rodriguez the survivor of an abortion attempt Nat Hentoff is an atheist, but he became a pro-life activist because of the scientific evidence that shows that the unborn child is a distinct and separate human being and even has a separate DNA. His perspective is a very intriguing one that I thought you would be interested in. I have shared before many […] By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, Francis Schaeffer, Prolife | Tagged Nat Hentoff | Edit | Comments (0) Open letter to President Obama (Part 541) Atheist Nat Hentoff USED TO THINK that abortion is part of a woman’s fundamental right to privacy March 18, 2014 – 1:33 am Atheist Nat Hentoff USED TO THINK that abortion is part of a woman’s fundamental right to privacy By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, Prolife | Edit | Comments (0) Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff: Mr. President, did you mean what you said at Notre Dame about “working together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions”? Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff: Mr. President, did you mean what you said at Notre Dame about “working together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions”? Nat Hentoff is an atheist, but he became a pro-life activist because of the scientific evidence that shows that the unborn child is a distinct and separate human being […] By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, President Obama, Prolife | Edit | Comments (0) Pro-life atheist Nat Hentoff: With Obama you will get more abortions!!! November 6, 2013 – 12:47 am Pro-life atheist Nat Hentoff: With Obama you will get more abortions!!! Nat Hentoff is an atheist, but he became a pro-life activist because of the scientific evidence that shows that the unborn child is a distinct and separate human being and even has a separate DNA. His perspective is a very intriguing one that I […] Pro-life atheist Nat Hentoff quotes wise 9 yr kid concerning abortion, “It doesn’t matter what month. It still means killing the babies.” October 23, 2013 – 12:36 am The pro-life atheist Nat Hentoff wrote a fine article below I wanted to share with you. Nat Hentoff is an atheist, but he became a pro-life activist because of the scientific evidence that shows that the unborn child is a distinct and separate human being and even has a separate DNA. His perspective is a […] Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff on the 19 yr old Ana Rosa Rodriguez the survivor of an abortion attempt By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Cato Institute, Prolife | Tagged Nat Hentoff | Edit | Comments (0) “Sanctity of Life Saturday” Pro-life Atheist Nat Hentoff: “Link between pro-lifers (of today) to the Abolitionists of 19th century who would not be deterred from their goal of ensuring equal rights for all human beings in this land” By Everette Hatcher III, on October 24, 2015 at 1:22 am, under Prolife. No Comments « FRIEDMAN FRIDAY Milton Friedman on the NEGATIVE INCOME TAX (from a 1973 interview) “Schaeffer Sunday” Debating Kermit Gosnell Trial, Abortion and infanticide with Ark Times Bloggers Part 8 »

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi doctor,I am 14 years old. I have pain in my canine tooth due to a cavity. I have a sensitivity problem when I brush my teeth and when I eat ice cream. Is it normal? output: Hi, Thanks for your query. Yes, sensitivity is because of decayed tooth or filling. It could be due to improper brushing technique or wrong choice of toothpaste. You should consult dentist and get clinical examination done. Your dentist will examine the tooth and prescribe you appropriate treatment. Dentist may suggest you to go for RCT(root canal treatment) if there is any infection. It is better to get treated at early stage as it will help in saving your tooth. Hope this helps you. Take care..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I have hep c and have had for 30 plus years . I have a viral load of 955,000 and inflammation, and the liver is not uniform in the surface as opposed what would be considered normal. I have a local doctor and he suggest that I have a ultra sound in 6 mo. I just had one a week or so ago. The wait and see attitude is making me fill up with anxiety. please answer should I get a second opinion? output: Dear Friend. I understand your anxiety. See i won't hide truths from you. Hepatitis C in most cases is a chronic infection. And treatment is indicated, especially if you have liver inflammation on biopsy and/or high viral load. However, guidelines state that Hepatitis C should be treated irrespective of liver biopsy as Hep C is usually a chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis C can cause Chronic liver disease, which has its wide spectrum of presentation. It can also cause Hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent guidelines suggest Ultrasound and Alpha Veto Protein surveillance regularly to detect hepatocellular carcinoma at an early stage. Look I am not saying you have all this. But Yes, you can have. So I would like to know, when was your Hep C infection detected and What treatment you were given for that. I need to know you're all viral load reports, I want to see your all ultrasounds and all liver function tests, Upper GI endoscopy report if done. Review with all above-mentioned records attached. I wish you a happy and healthy life.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor,I had unprotected sex last March but took emergency contraceptive afterward. Six days after, I had the bleeding associated with the emergency contraceptive. Two weeks after that, in the first week of April, I had my period for six days (my usual period lasts five to seven days). In May, I had five days of the period although the last two days were only very light bleeding.Now I was due for my period four days ago, but I still have not got it. What are the chances that I am pregnant and if not should I be worried about my late period? output: 1) I would suggest you to get an ultrasound done to rule out any ectopic pregnancy.2) There is no need to worry as your periods might get delayed by few days for many reasons like stress, hormonal imbalance etc.3) Take progesterone tablets daily for 7-10 days to help induce menstruation.4) If you do not get your periods within next 5 to 6 days then take another urine pregnancy test..

<?php # Generated by the protocol buffer compiler. DO NOT EDIT! # source: google/spanner/v1/result_set.proto namespace Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1; use Google\Protobuf\Internal\GPBType; use Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField; use Google\Protobuf\Internal\GPBUtil; /** * Partial results from a streaming read or SQL query. Streaming reads and * SQL queries better tolerate large result sets, large rows, and large * values, but are a little trickier to consume. * * Generated from protobuf message <code>google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet</code> */ class PartialResultSet extends \Google\Protobuf\Internal\Message { /** * Metadata about the result set, such as row type information. * Only present in the first response. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetMetadata metadata = 1;</code> */ private $metadata = null; /** * A streamed result set consists of a stream of values, which might * be split into many `PartialResultSet` messages to accommodate * large rows and/or large values. Every N complete values defines a * row, where N is equal to the number of entries in * [metadata.row_type.fields][google.spanner.v1.StructType.fields]. * Most values are encoded based on type as described * [here][google.spanner.v1.TypeCode]. * It is possible that the last value in values is "chunked", * meaning that the rest of the value is sent in subsequent * `PartialResultSet`(s). This is denoted by the [chunked_value][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.chunked_value] * field. Two or more chunked values can be merged to form a * complete value as follows: * * `bool/number/null`: cannot be chunked * * `string`: concatenate the strings * * `list`: concatenate the lists. If the last element in a list is a * `string`, `list`, or `object`, merge it with the first element in * the next list by applying these rules recursively. * * `object`: concatenate the (field name, field value) pairs. If a * field name is duplicated, then apply these rules recursively * to merge the field values. * Some examples of merging: * # Strings are concatenated. * "foo", "bar" => "foobar" * # Lists of non-strings are concatenated. * [2, 3], [4] => [2, 3, 4] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are strings. * ["a", "b"], ["c", "d"] => ["a", "bc", "d"] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are lists. Recursively, the last and first elements * # of the inner lists are merged because they are strings. * ["a", ["b", "c"]], [["d"], "e"] => ["a", ["b", "cd"], "e"] * # Non-overlapping object fields are combined. * {"a": "1"}, {"b": "2"} => {"a": "1", "b": 2"} * # Overlapping object fields are merged. * {"a": "1"}, {"a": "2"} => {"a": "12"} * # Examples of merging objects containing lists of strings. * {"a": ["1"]}, {"a": ["2"]} => {"a": ["12"]} * For a more complete example, suppose a streaming SQL query is * yielding a result set whose rows contain a single string * field. The following `PartialResultSet`s might be yielded: * { * "metadata": { ... } * "values": ["Hello", "W"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Af65..." * } * { * "values": ["orl"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Bqp2..." * } * { * "values": ["d"] * "resume_token": "Zx1B..." * } * This sequence of `PartialResultSet`s encodes two rows, one * containing the field value `"Hello"`, and a second containing the * field value `"World" = "W" + "orl" + "d"`. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>repeated .google.protobuf.Value values = 2;</code> */ private $values; /** * If true, then the final value in [values][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.values] is chunked, and must * be combined with more values from subsequent `PartialResultSet`s * to obtain a complete field value. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bool chunked_value = 3;</code> */ private $chunked_value = false; /** * Streaming calls might be interrupted for a variety of reasons, such * as TCP connection loss. If this occurs, the stream of results can * be resumed by re-sending the original request and including * `resume_token`. Note that executing any other transaction in the * same session invalidates the token. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bytes resume_token = 4;</code> */ private $resume_token = ''; /** * Query plan and execution statistics for the statement that produced this * streaming result set. These can be requested by setting * [ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode][google.spanner.v1.ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode] and are sent * only once with the last response in the stream. * This field will also be present in the last response for DML * statements. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetStats stats = 5;</code> */ private $stats = null; /** * Constructor. * * @param array $data { * Optional. Data for populating the Message object. * * @type \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetMetadata $metadata * Metadata about the result set, such as row type information. * Only present in the first response. * @type array<\Google\Protobuf\Value>|\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField $values * A streamed result set consists of a stream of values, which might * be split into many `PartialResultSet` messages to accommodate * large rows and/or large values. Every N complete values defines a * row, where N is equal to the number of entries in * [metadata.row_type.fields][google.spanner.v1.StructType.fields]. * Most values are encoded based on type as described * [here][google.spanner.v1.TypeCode]. * It is possible that the last value in values is "chunked", * meaning that the rest of the value is sent in subsequent * `PartialResultSet`(s). This is denoted by the [chunked_value][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.chunked_value] * field. Two or more chunked values can be merged to form a * complete value as follows: * * `bool/number/null`: cannot be chunked * * `string`: concatenate the strings * * `list`: concatenate the lists. If the last element in a list is a * `string`, `list`, or `object`, merge it with the first element in * the next list by applying these rules recursively. * * `object`: concatenate the (field name, field value) pairs. If a * field name is duplicated, then apply these rules recursively * to merge the field values. * Some examples of merging: * # Strings are concatenated. * "foo", "bar" => "foobar" * # Lists of non-strings are concatenated. * [2, 3], [4] => [2, 3, 4] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are strings. * ["a", "b"], ["c", "d"] => ["a", "bc", "d"] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are lists. Recursively, the last and first elements * # of the inner lists are merged because they are strings. * ["a", ["b", "c"]], [["d"], "e"] => ["a", ["b", "cd"], "e"] * # Non-overlapping object fields are combined. * {"a": "1"}, {"b": "2"} => {"a": "1", "b": 2"} * # Overlapping object fields are merged. * {"a": "1"}, {"a": "2"} => {"a": "12"} * # Examples of merging objects containing lists of strings. * {"a": ["1"]}, {"a": ["2"]} => {"a": ["12"]} * For a more complete example, suppose a streaming SQL query is * yielding a result set whose rows contain a single string * field. The following `PartialResultSet`s might be yielded: * { * "metadata": { ... } * "values": ["Hello", "W"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Af65..." * } * { * "values": ["orl"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Bqp2..." * } * { * "values": ["d"] * "resume_token": "Zx1B..." * } * This sequence of `PartialResultSet`s encodes two rows, one * containing the field value `"Hello"`, and a second containing the * field value `"World" = "W" + "orl" + "d"`. * @type bool $chunked_value * If true, then the final value in [values][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.values] is chunked, and must * be combined with more values from subsequent `PartialResultSet`s * to obtain a complete field value. * @type string $resume_token * Streaming calls might be interrupted for a variety of reasons, such * as TCP connection loss. If this occurs, the stream of results can * be resumed by re-sending the original request and including * `resume_token`. Note that executing any other transaction in the * same session invalidates the token. * @type \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetStats $stats * Query plan and execution statistics for the statement that produced this * streaming result set. These can be requested by setting * [ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode][google.spanner.v1.ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode] and are sent * only once with the last response in the stream. * This field will also be present in the last response for DML * statements. * } */ public function __construct($data = NULL) { \GPBMetadata\Google\Spanner\V1\ResultSet::initOnce(); parent::__construct($data); } /** * Metadata about the result set, such as row type information. * Only present in the first response. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetMetadata metadata = 1;</code> * @return \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetMetadata|null */ public function getMetadata() { return $this->metadata; } public function hasMetadata() { return isset($this->metadata); } public function clearMetadata() { unset($this->metadata); } /** * Metadata about the result set, such as row type information. * Only present in the first response. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetMetadata metadata = 1;</code> * @param \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetMetadata $var * @return $this */ public function setMetadata($var) { GPBUtil::checkMessage($var, \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetMetadata::class); $this->metadata = $var; return $this; } /** * A streamed result set consists of a stream of values, which might * be split into many `PartialResultSet` messages to accommodate * large rows and/or large values. Every N complete values defines a * row, where N is equal to the number of entries in * [metadata.row_type.fields][google.spanner.v1.StructType.fields]. * Most values are encoded based on type as described * [here][google.spanner.v1.TypeCode]. * It is possible that the last value in values is "chunked", * meaning that the rest of the value is sent in subsequent * `PartialResultSet`(s). This is denoted by the [chunked_value][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.chunked_value] * field. Two or more chunked values can be merged to form a * complete value as follows: * * `bool/number/null`: cannot be chunked * * `string`: concatenate the strings * * `list`: concatenate the lists. If the last element in a list is a * `string`, `list`, or `object`, merge it with the first element in * the next list by applying these rules recursively. * * `object`: concatenate the (field name, field value) pairs. If a * field name is duplicated, then apply these rules recursively * to merge the field values. * Some examples of merging: * # Strings are concatenated. * "foo", "bar" => "foobar" * # Lists of non-strings are concatenated. * [2, 3], [4] => [2, 3, 4] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are strings. * ["a", "b"], ["c", "d"] => ["a", "bc", "d"] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are lists. Recursively, the last and first elements * # of the inner lists are merged because they are strings. * ["a", ["b", "c"]], [["d"], "e"] => ["a", ["b", "cd"], "e"] * # Non-overlapping object fields are combined. * {"a": "1"}, {"b": "2"} => {"a": "1", "b": 2"} * # Overlapping object fields are merged. * {"a": "1"}, {"a": "2"} => {"a": "12"} * # Examples of merging objects containing lists of strings. * {"a": ["1"]}, {"a": ["2"]} => {"a": ["12"]} * For a more complete example, suppose a streaming SQL query is * yielding a result set whose rows contain a single string * field. The following `PartialResultSet`s might be yielded: * { * "metadata": { ... } * "values": ["Hello", "W"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Af65..." * } * { * "values": ["orl"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Bqp2..." * } * { * "values": ["d"] * "resume_token": "Zx1B..." * } * This sequence of `PartialResultSet`s encodes two rows, one * containing the field value `"Hello"`, and a second containing the * field value `"World" = "W" + "orl" + "d"`. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>repeated .google.protobuf.Value values = 2;</code> * @return \Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField */ public function getValues() { return $this->values; } /** * A streamed result set consists of a stream of values, which might * be split into many `PartialResultSet` messages to accommodate * large rows and/or large values. Every N complete values defines a * row, where N is equal to the number of entries in * [metadata.row_type.fields][google.spanner.v1.StructType.fields]. * Most values are encoded based on type as described * [here][google.spanner.v1.TypeCode]. * It is possible that the last value in values is "chunked", * meaning that the rest of the value is sent in subsequent * `PartialResultSet`(s). This is denoted by the [chunked_value][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.chunked_value] * field. Two or more chunked values can be merged to form a * complete value as follows: * * `bool/number/null`: cannot be chunked * * `string`: concatenate the strings * * `list`: concatenate the lists. If the last element in a list is a * `string`, `list`, or `object`, merge it with the first element in * the next list by applying these rules recursively. * * `object`: concatenate the (field name, field value) pairs. If a * field name is duplicated, then apply these rules recursively * to merge the field values. * Some examples of merging: * # Strings are concatenated. * "foo", "bar" => "foobar" * # Lists of non-strings are concatenated. * [2, 3], [4] => [2, 3, 4] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are strings. * ["a", "b"], ["c", "d"] => ["a", "bc", "d"] * # Lists are concatenated, but the last and first elements are merged * # because they are lists. Recursively, the last and first elements * # of the inner lists are merged because they are strings. * ["a", ["b", "c"]], [["d"], "e"] => ["a", ["b", "cd"], "e"] * # Non-overlapping object fields are combined. * {"a": "1"}, {"b": "2"} => {"a": "1", "b": 2"} * # Overlapping object fields are merged. * {"a": "1"}, {"a": "2"} => {"a": "12"} * # Examples of merging objects containing lists of strings. * {"a": ["1"]}, {"a": ["2"]} => {"a": ["12"]} * For a more complete example, suppose a streaming SQL query is * yielding a result set whose rows contain a single string * field. The following `PartialResultSet`s might be yielded: * { * "metadata": { ... } * "values": ["Hello", "W"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Af65..." * } * { * "values": ["orl"] * "chunked_value": true * "resume_token": "Bqp2..." * } * { * "values": ["d"] * "resume_token": "Zx1B..." * } * This sequence of `PartialResultSet`s encodes two rows, one * containing the field value `"Hello"`, and a second containing the * field value `"World" = "W" + "orl" + "d"`. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>repeated .google.protobuf.Value values = 2;</code> * @param array<\Google\Protobuf\Value>|\Google\Protobuf\Internal\RepeatedField $var * @return $this */ public function setValues($var) { $arr = GPBUtil::checkRepeatedField($var, \Google\Protobuf\Internal\GPBType::MESSAGE, \Google\Protobuf\Value::class); $this->values = $arr; return $this; } /** * If true, then the final value in [values][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.values] is chunked, and must * be combined with more values from subsequent `PartialResultSet`s * to obtain a complete field value. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bool chunked_value = 3;</code> * @return bool */ public function getChunkedValue() { return $this->chunked_value; } /** * If true, then the final value in [values][google.spanner.v1.PartialResultSet.values] is chunked, and must * be combined with more values from subsequent `PartialResultSet`s * to obtain a complete field value. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bool chunked_value = 3;</code> * @param bool $var * @return $this */ public function setChunkedValue($var) { GPBUtil::checkBool($var); $this->chunked_value = $var; return $this; } /** * Streaming calls might be interrupted for a variety of reasons, such * as TCP connection loss. If this occurs, the stream of results can * be resumed by re-sending the original request and including * `resume_token`. Note that executing any other transaction in the * same session invalidates the token. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bytes resume_token = 4;</code> * @return string */ public function getResumeToken() { return $this->resume_token; } /** * Streaming calls might be interrupted for a variety of reasons, such * as TCP connection loss. If this occurs, the stream of results can * be resumed by re-sending the original request and including * `resume_token`. Note that executing any other transaction in the * same session invalidates the token. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>bytes resume_token = 4;</code> * @param string $var * @return $this */ public function setResumeToken($var) { GPBUtil::checkString($var, False); $this->resume_token = $var; return $this; } /** * Query plan and execution statistics for the statement that produced this * streaming result set. These can be requested by setting * [ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode][google.spanner.v1.ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode] and are sent * only once with the last response in the stream. * This field will also be present in the last response for DML * statements. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetStats stats = 5;</code> * @return \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetStats|null */ public function getStats() { return $this->stats; } public function hasStats() { return isset($this->stats); } public function clearStats() { unset($this->stats); } /** * Query plan and execution statistics for the statement that produced this * streaming result set. These can be requested by setting * [ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode][google.spanner.v1.ExecuteSqlRequest.query_mode] and are sent * only once with the last response in the stream. * This field will also be present in the last response for DML * statements. * * Generated from protobuf field <code>.google.spanner.v1.ResultSetStats stats = 5;</code> * @param \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetStats $var * @return $this */ public function setStats($var) { GPBUtil::checkMessage($var, \Google\Cloud\Spanner\V1\ResultSetStats::class); $this->stats = $var; return $this; } }

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi.I am 36 years old femail ,have 2 kids.. I do have pain in my right side it hurt all side. When pressing pain goes to belly button. Doctor did a blood test and found H. pylori IgG ,Abs. I was on antibiotics for a 14 days. But now things got worse. I started to have more pain and about 2-3 days I am very thirsty.An the right side rely hurt. Sometimes is under my ribs,sometimes it is lover. Doctor sending me to Gastroenterolog, but appointment so far away and I do feel bad, and starting to panic that something rely bad is going on. Thank you for help output: Hi, welcome to heart care magic family, from your history it seems you might have attached of acute appendicitis. Long course of antibiotic might suppress the symptoms, but now it is possible that pus is formed and localized to fix part, mostly underneath the appendix. There are all chances that there is rupture of appendix. Of course, these are the possibilities I conclude from history. Without waiting for appointment of gastroenterologist, you immediately consult surgeon..

Children, Education and Families PDS Committee Tuesday 17 October 2017 7.00 pm To Follow Agenda PDF 666 KB Venue: Committee Rooms, Bromley Civic Centre Contact: Philippa Gibbs 020 8461 7638 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Chris Pierce. Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Nicky Dykes. The Chairman led Members in thanking Jane Bailey, Director: Education who had recently left the Local Authority for her excellent contribution to education in Bromley. The Chairman also welcomed Gillian Palmer, Interim Director: Education to the Local Authority. There were no additional declarations of interest. MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION SELECT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 28 JUNE 2017 PDF 206 KB RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 28th June 2017, be agreed and signed as an accurate record. MATTERS OUTSTANDING FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS PDF 370 KB View the background to item 16a Report CSD17118 The Committee considered a report setting out matters outstanding from previous meetings, as well as matters outstanding from previous meetings of the Care Services PDS Committee relating to the scrutiny of Children’s Services. The Portfolio Holder confirmed that letters raising concerns identified by the Select Committee on elective home education and the 50% admissions figure for faith schools would be sent to Lord Agnew and the Prime Minister following the meeting. The Portfolio Holder would also follow up outstanding matters relating to requests for Members to receive the minutes of the Children’s Service Improvement Governance Board and contribute towards an online resource being developed to assist teachers in identifying young carers. The Deputy Chief Executive and the Interim Director: Education would provide responses to the recommendations developed as part of the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee 2017/18 on the Children’s Services landscape in Bromley. In response to a question from the Chairman, the Deputy Chief Executive reported that the Schools Partnership Board had been replaced by a Schools’ Executive Group that included representation by Head Teachers from primary, secondary and special schools and would meet on a termly basis. RESOLVED that matters outstanding from previous meetings of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee and Care Services PDS Committee relating to the scrutiny of children’s services be noted. QUESTIONS TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 11th October 2017 and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee. Six oral questions were received from members of the public and these are attached at Appendix A. QUESTIONS TO THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 11th October 2017, and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio. Four oral questions and one written question were received from members of the public and these are attached at Appendix B. EDUCATION SELECT COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME PDF 412 KB The Committee considered its work programme for the 2017/18 municipal year. The Vice-Chairman advised Members that there were places available on the scheduled visit to Harris Girls’ Academy Bromley on 19th October 2017. RESOLVED that: 1) The work programme 2017/18 be approved; and, 2) The nomination of Councillor Mary Cooke to the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee be approved. PORTFOLIO HOLDER UPDATE The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work in progress across the Education, Children and Families Portfolio. Work to deliver the Children’s Service Improvement Plan was ongoing, with a continued emphasis on recruitment and retention and the delivery of the ‘Caseload Promise’. A highly successful social work practice week had recently been held which provided an opportunity for Members and senior managers to get a first-hand view of issues and practice in social work. The final report of the Commissioner for Children's Services in Bromley had been published and was very positive about the progress made by the Local Authority and its partners in improving children’s services across Bromley. The Portfolio Holder offered his thanks to all Members, Officers and partners for their work in delivering wide-ranging improvements across the service. There had been a number of Ofsted Inspections of Bromley schools with Chislehurst C.E. Primary School, Trinity C.E. Primary School, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and St Philomena’s R.C. Primary school all being rated as ‘Good’. Work to increase the number of school places across the Borough was ongoing and planning applications for Langley Park Primary School and Bullers Wood School for Boys had recently been approved. Approved academies looking for sites in the Bromley area included the Science, Health and Wellbeing (SHaW) Futures Academy and Harris Sydenham Academy. The Chairman requested that an updated list of Bromley schools seeking to expand be provided to Members following the meeting. Work was underway to review A Level and GCSE performance at schools across the Borough for the 2016/17 academic year and this would be provided to Members when available. An issue around performance-based exclusions in relation to AS Level results at St Olave’s Grammar School had been reported in the national media, and the Local Authority had written to the new Chairman of the Governing Body raising a number of concerns. In response to a question from the Chairman, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that a review of special educational needs transport had been completed and the findings of this review would be reported to the Education, Children and Families Select Committee when available. The Chairman requested an update on the Independent Travel programme for children and young people with special educational needs be provided to Members following the meeting. RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted. EDUCATION, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES PORTFOLIO PLAN 2017/18 PDF 139 KB MASTER DRAFT Education Children and Families Portfolio Plan 2017-18 , item 20a PDF 892 KB Report ED18033 The Committee considered a report setting out the draft Education, Children and Families Portfolio priorities and aims for 2017/18 which reflected the new Portfolio structure agreed in May 2017 and brought Education oversight in line with the financial planning cycle as opposed to the academic year. The draft 2017/18 Education, Children and Families Portfolio Plan comprised two priority outcomes to secure the health, wellbeing and achievements of vulnerable children and provide the best possible service to deliver appropriate support to all children and young people. These priorities were underpinned by four Outcome Statements and 35 Aims which defined the supporting Education, Social Care, Health and Housing action plans and measures. In considering the Portfolio Plan, a Member queried why targets in certain areas appeared to be less ambitious than for 2016/17, and underlined the importance of ensuring there were clear measures in place to monitor performance. The Portfolio Holder requested that Members provide details of any performance measures to be reviewed and would clarify targets within the plan following the meeting RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree the 2017/18 draft Education, Children and Families Portfolio Plan. MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING SUB-COMMITTEE MEETINGS HELD ON 18 JULY 2017 AND 26 SEPTEMBER 2017 PDF 258 KB Minutes , 26/09/2017 Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee , item 21. PDF 225 KB The Committee noted the minutes of the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee meetings held on 18th July 2017 and 26th September 2017. FIRST REPORT OF THE EDUCATION, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SELECT COMMITTEE 2017/18 PDF 366 KB View the background to item 22. The Chairman advised the Committee that the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee 2017/18 had been considered at the meeting of Council on 25th September 2017 where a motion to approve the recommendations had been carried. RESOLVED that the first report of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee be noted. LIVING IN CARE COUNCIL PRESENTATION The Committee received a presentation from seven representatives of the Living in Care Council about being in care, which included a short film created by children looked after that expressed their feelings and experiences about being in care and was used to support other young people on their journey into care. The presentation also gave details of the work of the Living in Care Council, which was open to children looked after aged 11-21 years to consider issues impacting children looked after and work with Officers and Members to improve the care experience. Members were advised of the success of the Corporate Parent Fun Day on 30th July 2017 which had been organised by the Living in Care Council in partnership with Officers and Members. Over 200 people had attended the event which enabled children looked after to meet their Corporate Parents and Senior Officers. Work was underway to plan a similar event for Summer 2018, and Councillors Peter Fortune, Kim Botting FRSA and Angela Wilkins would represent the Education, Children and Families Select Committee at a forthcoming planning meeting. Members were also notified about a forthcoming initiative where Corporate Parents would live as a Child Looked After for a day and Councillor Mary Cooke agreed to participate. In response to a question from a Member, the Vice-Chairman of the Living in Care Council advised that the key aim of the Living in Care Council was to continue to improve the care experience for all children looked after. Members were invited to contact the Living in Care Council with any issues they wished to explore or to attend meetings of the Living in Care Council. The Chairman informed the Living in Care Council that the support of children looked after was a key area within the future work programme of the Education, Children and Families Select Committee and that the Living in Care Council would be invited to contribute towards this review. The Chairman was pleased to note an update on the progress of previous Chairs of the Living in Care Council who had moved on to higher education, training and employment and requested that similar information be provided for the wider membership of the Living in Care Council as it was important for Corporate Parents to be aware of the outcomes for young people as they moved towards independence. The Chairman led Members in thanking Tia, David, Lola, Millie, Scott and Callum for their excellent presentation and the work of the Living in Care Council. RESOLVED that the presentation be noted. YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE UPDATE PDF 134 KB The Committee received an update on the performance of the Bromley Youth Offending Service (YOS) and progress made since the recent inspection and as a result of other operational and strategic developments. There were approximately 110 cases within the Youth Offending Service at the present time, 22% of which involved conditional cautions or triage. The work within the Youth Offending Service was delivered by a team of senior officers and caseworkers, and was further supported by specialist colleagues including a part-time school nurse and those working in the areas of substance misuse, wellbeing and parenting consultation. The current focus of the Youth Offending Service was on securing positive outcomes for young people that reduced levels of offending, the need for custody and the numbers entering the criminal justice system. Bromley’s quarterly performance data for the October 2014 to September 2015 cohort showed a reduction of 7.6% in the rate of reoffending on the previous year, although the actual number of young people accessing the service had increased by five. With regard to future service provision, the reviewed and updated Youth Offending Service Operational Improvement Plan was based around seven key priority areas comprising reducing reoffending, protecting the public, protecting the child or young person, ensuring that the sentence is served, governance and partnership arrangements and the effectiveness of YOS interventions and had been approved by the Youth Offending Service Governance Board on 11th October 2017. Bromley Youth Offending Service had also been successful in a recent bid to NHS England to develop a Forensic Service Pilot Scheme in recognition of the high proportion of young people entering the youth justice system identified as having complex needs that required significant levels of specialist intervention and support. The scheme would enable these young people to access specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) as well as other wellbeing support services from across a range of agencies, and support would also be provided to their families and carers where appropriate. The Forensic Service Pilot Scheme would initially be funded for one year, but an application could be made for further funding if the scheme was successful. In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Youth Support and Youth Offending Services confirmed that there was no CAMHS worker seconded to the team; however a Bromley Y worker was based in the team for two days a week and the Youth Offending Service was also able to refer young people directly to CAMHS where a need was identified. The part-time school nurse worked one day a week and a bid was being developed to provide additional capacity. The Head of Youth Support and Youth Offending Services provided a case study example of a young person within the Youth Offending Service who required a range of support relating to their mental wellbeing, and noted that undiagnosed mental health or wellbeing issues could be a cause of challenging behaviour in some young people. A Member queried how the Youth Offending Service delivered ... view the full minutes text for item 24. CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES (CAMHS) WITNESS SESSION (A) DANIEL TAEGTMEYER - BROMLEY CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (B) HILARY ROGERS – JOINT COMMISSIONER, LBB (C) CLAIRE ELY – DIRECTOR, BROMLEY Y (D) BEVERLY MACK - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, OXLEAS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST The Committee had been provided with a range of written evidence in advance of the meeting. This included a report outlining the tiered approached to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) in the Borough, overviews of the support services provided by Bromley Y and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, a submission from Impact Multi Academy Trust, and an article from The Times newspaper dated 18th September 2017. The Chairman was pleased to welcome Daniel Taegtmeyer, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation (Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group), Dr Jenny Selway, Consultant in Public Health Medicine (LBB), Claire Ely, Director (Bromley Y), Ernest Noad, Chairman (Bromley Wellbeing Service), and Beverley Mack, Associate Director and Stephen Whitmore, Director: Children and Young People’s Services (Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust) to the meeting. Daniel Taegtmeyer, Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation (Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group) The Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation advised Members that the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group worked in partnership with the Local Authority and a range of strategic and voluntary partners to support the delivery of the referral and treatment pathway for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). There had been an increasing demand for emotional wellbeing and mental health needs services over recent years. It had been projected at a national level that approximately 10% of the 0 to 18 years population had diagnosable emotional wellbeing and mental health needs which equated to a potential cohort of 7500 children and young people in Bromley. The key challenge was to identify how children and young people could be supported to keep mentally well and to ensure that the pathway to access services enabled the right care to be provided in the right place at the right time to those requiring support. The children and young people’s emotional wellbeing and mental health referral and care pathway in Bromley had undergone a significant redesign in 2014/15. Previously based on a structured model of tiers, the single point of access model established a clear treatment pathway to meet the needs of children and young people with emotional wellbeing and mental health needs, strengthening service pathways across a range of partners and providing additional capacity. The early intervention emotional wellbeing service delivered by Bromley Y was launched in December 2014 and worked to triage referrals, providing interventions where appropriate and referring service users to other specialist services such as CAMHS, Bromley Children’s Project or substance misuse services. The CAMHS Transformation Plan had been developed to invest additional resources in the local system to increase capacity and help address key issues including waiting times as well as improving access to a range of specialist services including those for eating disorders and autism spectrum disorder. In considering a range of information provided regarding the social and complexity factors identified in children and young people accessing the wellbeing service and specialist Oxleas CAMHS services, the Head of Integrated Commissioning and Transformation confirmed that this information was collected and collated by separate organisations. The Chairman underlined the potential to ... view the full minutes text for item 25. COMMITTEE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The Committee agreed that a further meeting of the Select Committee be arranged once the provisional report had been drafted to enable Members to contribute to the report before it was presented to the next meeting of Council. Appendix A: Questions to the Education, Children and Families Select Committee Chairman from Members of the Public PDF 193 KB Appendix B: Questions to the Education, Children and Families Portfolio Holder from Members of the Public PDF 128 KB Written Questions to the Education, Children and Families Portfolio Holder , item PDF 48 KB

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: my uncle is having pancreas infection and got the surgery done twice to remove the infection but still not cured.he was treated in Surat and now moved to Saifee hospital,Mumbai under treatment from Dr Prasanna Shah.What are the chances of being cured? gest treatments for pancreatic infection output: Hi, I had gone through your question and understand your concerns.It would have been great had I examined your uncle on my own.WHat I can make out from your description is that your uncle may be suffering from chronic pancreatitis with calcifications and dilated pancreatic duct.Chronic pancreatitis can be treated by medications like pancreatic enzymes like creon and surgeries like Puestow's operation, Whipple's operation , distal pancreatectomy depending on the percentage of pancreas involved.I would suggest you to write back to us with a more detailed history , a bit of O.T note , last CECT abdomen.Hope this answers your question. If you have additional questions or follow up questions then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your questions. Wishing your uncle's good health...

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor,Is fever found only in children with RA or can adults get this symptom also? I have had a fever (low grade) for nine days, but enough to make me feel more horrible. My rheumatologist said only children get fever from RA. I am 45 years old and was diagnosed years ago but only started with symptoms a little over a year ago. I take Cimzia and Hydroxychloroquine. My doctor said not to do my injections until I am three days without a fever. Can only children with RA get fever or adults as well? output: Hello. In rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation is present. So, mild fever can occur. But mostly in adults, fever is not as high-grade like that of a child. You are taking disease-modifying drugs and biological drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. These two medications should be continued as per your doctor's instruction. If no improvement, then other disease-modifying drugs like Methotrexate can be started in place of Hydroxychloroquine. For relieving pain and inflammation, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug can be prescribed. A steroid is usually reserved only for high-grade inflammation. Consult a rheumatologist for examination and medicines accordingly..

Home Crime and Punishment Self Defense Tip: STFU Self Defense Tip: STFU This much we know: Jerome Ersland, an Oklahoma City pharmacist, kept at least two guns within easy reach. On May 19, 2009, Antwun “Speedy” Parker (16) and his gun-wielding pal came into the pharmacy attempting to rob the place, Ersland shot Parker in the head from behind the counter. At the time, Parker was trying to put on a mask. Parker’s partner in crime fled the scene. Ersland briefly went outside in pursuit. When he came in, he walked past the immobilized Parker, who was laying on the floor of the pharmacy. Ersland set down his gun and picked up another gun, then walked over to Parker and put five more bullets in Parker’s guts. A picture is worth a thousand words. A surveillance video is worth many thousands of words and also many thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees. Knee-jerk reaction: Ersland shot parker in self-defense and in the defense of others. Not a hard presumption to make and likely one that would fly in any court in the country. BUT an additional quintuplet of ventilating bullets on a perp who is already down and apparently out to count daisies does not sit well with Oklahoma City District Attorney. David Prator charged Ersland with first-degree murder. Take a look at the surveillance video. What would you do? Parker was also unarmed, but in the moment, one could hardly have expected Ersland to know that. It’s also interesting that Jevontai Ingram (14) appears to have racked the slide four times while inside the pharmacy but never fired a shot. It’s been two years since the attempted robbery and shooting. Ersland’s trial starts on Monday, May 16th. And here’s the problem: Ersland keeps changing his story. According to newsok.com: Prosecutors . . plan to point out to jurors that he gave different accounts about when he shot Antwun Parker five more times. He told police at first it was before he chased the other robber, Jevontai Ingram, out the store. He later said it was after he followed Ingram outside, came back inside and got a second gun. Prosecutors say the change proves a consciousness of guilt. In other words, despite the “extra” gut shots, chances are Esrland might have walked if he didn’t talk to The Oklahoman, Fox News and, especially, the Oklahoma City police. He violated the three post-shooting rules: 1. Say nothing to the police except that you believed your life was in danger and “I will make a full statement after I talk to my lawyer.” Nothing else. Nada. No details. None. Not a one. Niente. Nada. Nix. 2. Talk to your lawyer. [Pre-1: have a self-defense shooting-experienced lawyer on speed dial.] 3. Say nothing. Do not talk to the media. Do not blog about the incident. Do not talk to your friends or family. If your lawyer gives you the all-clear, then you can talk about what happened. Even then, think very carefully about what you say. jerome ersland Previous articleWhat Could Possibly Go Wrong: Glock Around the Clock Edition Next articleKel-Tec KSG in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Florida Man Would-Be Carjacker Is Shot and Killed After Emerging From an Outhouse to Attack a Woman Wrong Store: Three Armed Customers Stop a Holdup in a North Georgia Convenience Store Hunter S. May 16, 2011 At 08:39 I think I would have left it at the head shot. Of course, this man was actually there and was at the time dealing with the massive amounts of adrenaline in his system, a loud ringing in his ears and a ton of other things. Who the hell knows what I would have done… tdiinva May 16, 2011 At 08:56 Under the law he is guilty of manslaughter. The perp was down and out. A call to 911 was in order plus he lied to the police. If I were a juror I would be voting thumbs down on the guy. An adrenaline rush is not a defense. Robert Farago May 16, 2011 At 09:24 A good lawyer will be able to incorporate the facts or the case into a plausible, coherent narrative. All Americans are entitled to a legal defense. And the right to remain silent. The success of the first often depends on exercising the second. I'm An Attorney May 16, 2011 At 11:27 No, he’s guilty of murder. It’s not imperfect defense because there is no way to reasonably assume that someone who is on the ground with a likely mortal wound and no visible weapon is posing an IMMEDIATE threat to your or others. Moreover, if he had assumed that, he could have simply stayed outside of his store until police arrived. Even in states with Castle Law/”stand-your-ground” laws, use of force needs to be reasonable and proportionate. Shooting a downed person five times isn’t. Rich T May 16, 2011 At 16:00 I’m not a lawyer, but you can’t see the perp on the ground. Head shot or not, the biz owner might have saw movement and was in fear. Other than that zip the lip. Paul R May 16, 2011 At 09:26 Four “mistakes” in my view; 1) He followed the B/G out of the store thus needlessly exposing himself. Stay inside, call 911 and keep the downed B/G covered until the po-po arrive. 2) Putting 5 more into the 1st B/G after coming back into the store. He might have gotten away with putting 1 or even 2 more into the guy before leaving the store but not after coming back in and retrieving a second gun. 3) Not confiscating and destroying the video tape. 4) Opening his mouth not once, not twice but at least 3 or 4 times. The title of the blog says it all STFU no mater who you are talking to (except your “mouthpiece” of course). JOE MATAFOME May 16, 2011 At 09:47 I’m all for self defense, but this guy crossed the line. Now if he had double tapped this guy the first time, that would have been acceptable but what he did was wrong. mikeb302000 May 17, 2011 At 14:53 I love it when I agree with Joe. What I find a little surprising is all this talk about STFU. Is that to say it’s OK to shoot a downed guy as long as you get away with it by keeping quiet? I think you guys are going too far even in your Monday morning quarterbacking. No that is not to say that. That is to say that it’s up to the DA, and then the jury, to decide guilt or innocence. Chris May 16, 2011 At 09:47 Shooting the guy in the ground took this from a self defense shooting to murder, and it is indefensible. He simply should not have done it. TTACer May 16, 2011 At 09:59 He could argue that he went outside to make sure there weren’t other accomplices and that the bad guy wasn’t coming back. The next scene looks pretty bad, it looks like an execution. Unless there is another angle showing the perp reaching in his jacket or something the pharmacist is (rightly) toast. Ryan Finn May 16, 2011 At 10:20 Yea I’m with the three comments in front of me; unless that other kid was reaching for a gun, he executed him. He’ll get his day in court and most likely lose. Despite that unpleasantness, the STFU comment is one to be heeded. You have a right to be silent and seek counsel, so use it, politely of course. There’s nothing wrong with telling the authorities that you will cooperate with their investigation and give a statement, but that you would like to speak with your attorney first. CUJO THE DOG OF WAR May 16, 2011 At 10:21 I’m curious as to what all the woman in the first scene saw. I think he simply flew into a rage having a weapon pointed at him, struck the 2nd suspect-oh, well, but then stormed out to finish the 1st suspect. Returning, rearming and executing the 2nd-not good. As for the rest-Oh, hell yes-call a good lawyer. Losing your control is what is going to put him in prison. I once had a struggle with a junkie in a hospital room. The idiot deputy I’d relieved left the bed to arm restraints off. Junkie tried to bite me, I threw an elbow. For a few shocking moments I thought it was all over…as I saw his lower bridge slide in his mouth, I thought I’d broken his jaw. Turned out that meth had left him toothless and with dentures at 30. Luckily-no bite, as it later turned out he had hepatitis B and C. Ralph May 16, 2011 At 10:39 “If your lawyer gives you the all-clear, then you can talk about what happened.” If your lawyer gives you the all-clear, get a new lawyer. I mean post-legal wrangle (not Charlie) That’s just it. There’s no “post-wrangle” after a deadly shooting. State charges, civil actions, federal charges . . . it goes on and on. The best tactic is to STFU. If anything needs to be said at any time, your lawyer should do all the talking. His or her comments do not constitute evidence. His or her comments do not constitute evidence. Excellent point. Chris Dumm May 16, 2011 At 14:00 The right to STFU is a right most of my criminal defense clients forget to exercize. Don’t be like (most of) my clients. STFU. Brad Kozak May 30, 2011 At 16:12 It’s like what comedian Ron White said of his arrest for public intoxication: “I had the right to remain silent, but I did not have the ability.” Blake May 16, 2011 At 14:14 Aaron or Robert F., are you sure the perp wasn’t dead before Ersland unloaded on him? Parker took a shot to the head. Yes, I know it’s possible he was just knocked out, however, I have to wonder. I know AP says the perp was unconscious, but, it’s still AP and it’s not that unusual for prosecutors to pursue a questionable case. My point being that if the perp was dead before Ersland shot him a few more times, Ersland is not guilty of murder. Very difficult to kill a person who is already dead. Aaron Jossie May 17, 2011 At 00:04 The prosecution is saying the kid wasn’t dead, though at the same time, a “blood spatter expert” says while Parker was on the ground, he wasn’t moving. Maybe he’ll get manslaughter, but if Parker was dead from the first shot to the head, the other five shots could technically be considered “abuse of a corpse.” The trial will last a couple weeks. We’ll see what happens. Okay, thanks for the reply. Just to clarify, whether or not Parker was dead, Ersland’s actions were grotesque. Gunnutmegger May 16, 2011 At 19:50 Blake raises an interesting point. We can’t see the downed perp, and we can’t even really see the pharmacist shooting him again. RJTravel May 16, 2011 At 22:08 Why is this guy being charged? I don’t get it. Lessee…two murderous thugs storm in screaming threats – one pointing a gun and the other with a backpack bomb. Ersland heroically discharges his Judge in their direction – luckily hitting one of the hoodlums. In an effort to protect the ladies (and himself) he puts himself in great danger by exiting the door to confront an unknown number of the gang. He returns and hurries to obtain his defensive 3AT, obviously unable to spin around or run any faster due to his condition. The thug with the backpack bomb is an immediate threat to kill everybody in the building. Ersland neutralizes the killer with 5 rounds to center of mass – exactly what he should have done. He demonstrates tremendous restraint by not exhausting the 7 rounds in the 3AT. All if this is clear on the vid. The DA then makes the insane charge. What’s the matter with this DA??? The only acceptable outcome is a not guilty verdict, complete restitution to Ersland for all time and monies, removal of immunity to allow Ersland to sue in civil court, and retire this power-hungry DA coupled with revocation of license to practice. Gerald May 16, 2011 At 23:43 “In other words, despite the “extra” gut shots, chances are Esrland might have walked if he didn’t talk to The Oklahoman, Fox News and, especially, the Oklahoma City police. ” Don’t forget: he talked to NRA News and the president of Taurus too. killer99 May 17, 2011 At 03:34 I’m not saying it was right but after being shot in the head (if he survived) life gets kinda shitty, almost better to put him out of his misery. brian May 17, 2011 At 16:53 That video shows 2 kids attempting to commit armed robbery, and one man committing an execution. Working behind a counter and owning guns for the purpose of self defense does not make you a white hat. There are no white hats: just people who have not committed murder and people who have. Anyone in the world can use their gun to move from the first group into the second. I suspect that there are lots of people walking around with the attitude of some of the above posters — basically that as long as someone else initiates the situation, all further actions are ethically justified. The video above shows murder, Walter Mitty style. It exactly what the gun grabbers are terrified of, and sorry folks but this mindset is real and everyone needs to be vigilant against it. I would go so far as to state that there are members of the Armed Intelligentsia who are actually just would-be murderers, fantasizing about the moment of their kill. They have pseudo-ethical justifications, which makes them even more dangerous. My Uncle was an RCMP (Canadian Federal Police) officer in small towns up north, and has stories of saving his own life that would curl your hair. He said that unstable people have a story that they tell themselves — a story about something that will happen and how they will respond. You have to make sure that you don’t give them the first half of that story, because they will make the second half real for you. No thinking involved. The killer above had such a story; he’d probably rehearsed the scenario in his mind a thousand times. He probably told himself cutesy slogans like “if you’re going to shoot someone, make sure they’re dead because dead criminals can’t sue which is why the police use hollowpoint bullets”. He probably still doesn’t realize what he is. (Although I bet his cellmate will help him understand eventually.) Yeah, sure…everybody is out to get you eh? Hardly. Look, the vid is very clear – one thug waiving a gun in his face and the other getting a grip on the cord to pull the detonator. Some bleeding hearts think he should have gotten behind the females so they would be the first to be shot. This was in broad daylight with traffic clearly evident – very desperate and dangerous hoodlums…the kind who kill for no reason. Given his disability I doubt if Ersland could have wrestled away the pull cord shown in the vid. He may have saved not only himself and the ladies, but all others in the vicinity. Anyone with two brain cells to rub toghther will declare him not guilty after viewing that vid. Not only so, but full and complete restitution must be made to this hero. Ersland does run his mouth, but wait a sec…ever had a gun held to your head? I have. Lack of focus and diarrhea of the mouth is a psychological quirk which affects all of us. Statements under duress are given little weight if even admissible. It is apparent that his actions were fault-free, honorable, and heroic. ^you’re the guy I’m talking about. You’re the guy who’s walking around with access to deadly force and a half-told story about when you would be morally justified in executing someone. Never mind the fact that he is lying at your feet with a bullet in his brain: he was the original belligerent party and you believe that you are therefore justified in any harm that you choose do to him. You’re waiting on someone, anyone, to make the first half of the story happen. So that you can fulfill your fantasy of the second half. Just keep in mind that that attitude can land you in jail for a very long time, likely fulfilling someone else’s fantasy while you’re at it. In most states the ‘home’ definition extends to your auto and business premises. In the view of above poster it is better not to prepare and stand idly by while vicious thugs rape and beat your wife and daughters, with only a kind word such as “thank you kind sirs for not killing everyone in the neighborhood…we love you”. Moron. Earnan September 8, 2011 At 01:32 Yes, we ARE justified in killing violent criminals when they attack us. Don’t like it? We don’t care. Maybe you’ll understand some day, if you’re unfortunate enough to lose someone you care about to a violent criminal who was spared by a bleeding heart like yours. ^Dude you used the same username for both posts I notice there is no sound attending the vid. It would be very revealing to know what was screamed during the initial attack by the thugs. Having myself been in extreme situations I think Ersland himself may be unclear. Did the words “kill”, “blow you to pieces”, “shoot”, “bomb”, etc escape their lips amid the expletives? If I were offering defense I would want to know. Any of these words would trigger a response to the horrid bomb threat evidenced by the backpack and cord for which one of the perps continued to grasp. That would be terrifying and mandatory to neutralize the terrorist/thug ASAP. If it were me I think I would have emptied the .380. We can’t see if the downed thug was moving in an attempt to detonate a bomb, but it is clear Ersland did only that which he had to do and did not empty the magazine. Alive or dying one may thrash around and remain dangerous. Kudos to Ersland. Dude, this isn’t Israel. Who in North America builds or knows how to build a cord-activated suicide bomb, and then takes it into an inner-city pharmacy as a way of stealing the cash from the till? You might as well claim that those kids were obviously going to use black magic, were from another planet, or were demons. Any such defenses will only help you if you’re entering an insanity plea. As I understand it, all you need to do is to claim you have a weapon (bomb, gun, whatever) and the charge goes from “robbery” to “armed robbery.” If a perp tells me he has a bomb, and I have the means to stop him from blowing us all up, I’m really not going to stop and ponder the odds of him REALLY having a bomb, nor would I take into account the likelihood that he has the smarts to build one. Ever heard of the book “The Anarchist’s Cookbook?” I’ve not read it, but from what I hear, it’s got some pretty detailed plans for bombs and such. Then of course, there’s the Internet, where all sorts of dangerous stuff is at your fingertips. Also remember Tim McVey? I don’t think he was a member of Mensa, yet he figured out how to bring down a large Federal building with a truck, some fertilizer and a few other ingredients. And you think some gang-banger couldn’t rig some kind of explosive device? I wouldn’t bet my life on it. I guess I’d try it out on a jury if I really liked taking long, soapy showers with groups of athletic men. I’m not saying it’s technically impossible for some disaffected urban street thug to build a suicide bomb and then use it to rob a pharmacy for cash and drugs. I’m saying that it’s so preposterous that it’s silly. If my lawyer told me to tell a jury that I executed (that’s right) an inner-city black kid in Oklahoma (who already had a bullet in his brain before I came in the door) because I “thought he was a suicide bomber”, I’d ask the lawyer if the whole thing had been an MTV prank. Imagine the precedent they’d set: empty a magazine into anyone with a backpack or a briefcase, then tell the jury that he screamed that he was going to blow the place up before you put him down. On the bright side, I bet that there are lots of openings for pharmacists in prison. He’ll be popular for a number of reasons. RJTravel June 7, 2011 At 02:39 …thug to build a…bomb and then use it…I’m saying that it’s so preposterous that it’s silly..If my lawyer told me to tell a jury…who already had a bullet in his brain…Imagine the precedent they’d set… Whew, glad that couldn’t happen. Think Columbine (and many many such) – I wouldn’t be writing this if they had been successful. Not “preposterous” – an everyday threat. If the lawyer “told me to tell” I would suggest court and bar sanctions, yank his license to practice, and demand return of all monies. I’m sure the backpack and cord for which the thug was grasping merely contained storybooks he was going to read to his ill grandmother, and he wanted to obtain some pain meds for her. Noble thug that Speedy. Glad to see it is certain he had a “bullet in his brain”…a .45 slug in the brain is certain instant death and settles the charge. It would serve us well if we were not to defend ourselves against thugs with guns waiving in our faces and/or bomb threats. To do so would set a precedent whereby every child with a capgun or pointing with his finger would be a a target. C’mon! This is asanine. The vid is patently clear – gun had a purpose – backpack had a purpose – defense was the only option. There was neither prosecution nor defense. It is incredible that a room full of jurors with this shallow mindset could even be found. Ersland does not need a pardon, he has done nothing for which he needs to be pardoned. We’ll see if/when the ‘Jerome Ersland Act’ becomes law and if it will be retroactive. In either case US citizens should hang their collective heads in shame. rian says: “Dude (sic), this isn’t Israel. Who in North America builds or knows how to build a cord-activated suicide bomb, and then takes it into an inner-city pharmacy… Surely you are not serious. Consider…who in this age of easy info would have any trouble whatsoever? A child could do it. Possibly even Brian could do it. If indeed threats of a bomb attended the attack it would be a totally effective defense – however Ersland’s witnesses were ruled inadmissible by the judge. This is in itself grounds for a new trial. I trust he will soon be afforded a fair trial, and that he will seek competent counsel. GrandLaker June 24, 2011 At 07:38 Parker gave Ersland the perfect right to be Judge, Jury, and Executioner when he and his bud walked into the place with a gun to threatened the Very innocent lives of all those in the store. It does not matter if Ersland was stupid and talked and talked, changed his story once or 20 times, or even shot once or 20 times. It does not matter if he calls or does not call 911 or his grandmother to talk about a Sunday dinner. The fact is Parker ( I do not care if Parker is black, white, or green) came into the store with his buddy to threaten lives of those in that store on this earth. Parker took it upon himself when he got involved and HE decided HIS existence, and HIS needs were much more important than those in that store. Mr Ersland was the only person prepared to confront Mr Parker and his aggression and put to an end Mr Parker risk taking. Any other dissecting of these facts is designed to be smoke and fog the issue. The District Attorney needs to be fired next election by the good citizens of OKC for his decision to prosecute this case, has now threatened the lives a little bit more than they already are. The very fact our state legislation by the 21st Century does not have a law to protect the lives of those in a commercial business the same as a residence against life threatening intruders and shielded from lawsuits from these all of a sudden “loving family”, should provide evidence as to why we need to rid the legislative bodies of attorneys. When they made the “Make My Day” law for your residence, why did they not make for those in a commercial business? Are they bumbling fools, or leaving grey areas for a purpose? In any case, this is why we need those out of the “LAW” business. The business of “LAW” leaves grey areas where none need to exist. Grey area leaves room for argument. No argument, no case. No case, no money. As for the “Jury”, it is further reason for disappointment when those in this society do not comprehend that they are the “LAW” when the door closes behind them for deliberation. Otherwise, our system would dictate the room be filled with lawyers in the first place. This is where Ersland’s attorneys lost this case. Jury selection is everything in a non-politically correct such as this. For reasons beyond my comprehension, let a bunch of easily swayed personalities get thru selection process. rt66paul January 3, 2017 At 18:56 Usually, when a drug store is robbed, it it for other reasons thatn the till. While most would take advantage of it, the original reason is to get drugs, which is why anyone goes back to see the pharmacist.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I am a 51 year old woman. I started having swelling and rashes on my legs a couple years ago. The swelling and rashes over time have consistently gotten worse. I have an almost constant pressure on the left side of my chest. I have also had spasms in my lower back that actually felt deep like it was my kidneys spasming and not my actual back. I have been having persistent heartburn and more headaches than usual. Could these be symptoms of an underlying heart condition? output: Hi, Swelling on the legs may be due to a cardiac problem or renal problem or anemia or liver insufficiency. Also, possible with eczema of lower limbs or atomic dermatitis or cellulitis or deep vein thrombosis etc. Please get examined for cardiac or renal problems. Get it done color Doppler of both lower limbs. If symptoms not improved please consult your doctor, he will examine and treat you accordingly. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further..

Revolutionary new cruise line 100% focused on sports & wellness blueworldvoyages.com Coral Gables Florida Entertainment Adventure Athletes Leisure B2C Imagine an entire cruise ship deck designed just for sports + fitness. Another for spa amenities. Add local farm-to-table cuisine and healthy, active shore excursions and you have a cruise experience like no other. As the former President of Starbucks and EVP of Four Seasons Hotels, I've personally seen how great concepts make for great investment opportunities. Join us and become a charter member of our FoundersClub, where your future perks and discounts outweigh the cost of yourinvestment. John B Richards Co-Founder and CEO @ Blue World Voyages Last Funded November 2018! total funds raised total investors Ask a Question 56 Why you may want to support us... 1 CEO John B Richards is the former President of Starbucks and led growth there from 300 to 3,000 stores in 3 years. While Sr. VP of Four Seasons Hotels, the brand grew from 8 to 42 properties and from $400M to $2.5B inrevenues. John is also the former President of Dean and Deluca. 2 In addition to stock in the company, all investors become part of our FoundersClub, where the future perks and discounts outweigh the cost of the initial investment. 3 We have a sales agreement on a 900-passenger ship that we plan to downsize to175 cabins after a $26M re-fit. This will result in standard cabins roughly twice the size of industry standards. Post-refit, our cost per berth is 1/3 that of our 5-star competitors, providing a very comfortable break-even point along with significant price flexibility. 4 Co-Founder Fredy Dellis is the former CEO of a successful 200 unit residence ship called The World at ResidenSea and will lead the sale of 26 luxury one and two bedrooms residences that will be marketed by three of the top-five global realtors. These sales are projected to net $50M+ after build-out and sales expenses and will be used cover refit and operating capital. 5 Each week, our ship will have 350 like-minded passengers on board, an experience unmatched by other cruise lines. 6 We've established strategic marketing partnerships with leading U.S. sports + media companies including Outside Magazine, Hank Haney Golf, well+good, Gaiam, Yoga Journal, and more to come. When combined, thesecompanies have a targeted active audience of over 30M. A conversion to passenger rate of less than .0005% fills our ship in Year 1. 7 Our full executive team has held C-Level positions with leading Spa, Hospitality, Cruise, and Fitness brands. And Our Major Accomplishments John B Richards Former president of Starbucks. Instrumental in Four Seasons and Elizabeth Arden Spas global growth Gene Meehan Founder and Chairman Health, fitness, and spa entrepreneur. Rower, climber, golfer. 30 years managing projects up to $50M Fredy Dellis Former President & CEO, The World at ResidenSea, President Intl. Burger King, President Intl. Hertz Hal Gassenheimer Treasurer of Cunard and Seabourn, Cruise Lines, Harvard MBA Award-winning marketing strategist, Launched iconic brands: Kia Motors, EA Sports, Holland America Vice President Planning and Development Principal at USG Compliance Consultants, Appointed by President Obama as Inspector General of USAID Diane Trieste VP Wellness VP Business Development at Saltability, Former Director of Spa & Product Development, Canyon Ranch Joyce Landry Advisory Committee, Groups & Charters Founded Landry & King- largest cruise ship charter in the U.S., 2006 “Cruise Industry Hall of Fame" Rick Atwood Design Director Branding & design programs for The Venetian Resort LV, Intel, American Heart Assoc., Disney Tim Andriola Chef-owner of Basil Park and Timo restaurants, specializes in sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine Megan Jasso Danny Tarr Why people love us I'm very excited to see some new and big ideas in the equity crowdfunding space. My wife and I are not ordinarily cruisers – but this ship sounds perfect for us! I’ve met Gene and was impressed. Their plan is thoughtful, ambitious, and well-timed and they've got a dream team of talent to make it happen. Count me in when the investment opens! CEO Legion M Entertainment, Raised $4M+ to date via Equity Crowdfunding This is not your ordinary cruise ship. When Blue World came to us to get our help in designing their sports shore excursions, from hiking and cycling to kite-surfing and mountain biking, we knew it had the potential to be the perfect experience for our readers. Scott Parmelee Vice President of Outside Magazine Maintaining healthy regimens while traveling has become a way of life for so many. We’re already seeing this emphasis, in a long-term way, on cruise ships today. The significant focus that cruise lines have already put on this niche proves that it’s one that certainly has an audience, and is most likely more than just a passing trend. It will be interesting to see how Blue World taps into that audience. Carolyn Spencer Brown Editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.com Our activities are designed to enable people already energized and healthy to have the time of their lives. But also to welcome people who want to be energized, healthy and have the time of their lives. Vice President of Wellness at Blue World Voyages See more on Buzz Some of our investors we've raised $898,719 from 145+ investors since our founding Pamela Almand Former international 747 pilot for Delta, award-winning voice talent and narrator Rae Lynn Nettles Newly investing to grow personally and financially Kim Thomas Retired from electronic sales in the Bay Area. Enjoying some high country backpacking and spending time with the grandkids. Conor Keenan VP, Marketing @ LendingTree, Growth Marketer, Successful Acquisition @ CompareCards, Husband, Brother, Son, and Dear Friend. Evan J SEGAL Philanthropist, Social Entrepreneur, Mentor, Angel/Seed Investor, Business Leader, Venture For America. ., Author, Public Speaker. Juan P Cuevas Voice actor, musician, and media producer. Takeo Aso Athlete Investor from London. Private equity and debt financing, entrepreneur, small business strategy consultation, real estate investment and tax strategy, commercial lending Kamal Robinson I'm a family man, a skilled union iron worker and aspiring, successful investor and entrepreneur striving for financial freedom. along with 136 other investors BWV-Investor-Deck.pptx Ship To Shore, A Radically Different Cruise Experience No water slides or slot machines? What kind of cruise ship is this? The kind that 41 million healthy, active adults have been waiting for. It’s designed for the next generation of health-conscious professionals, sports + fitness enthusiasts, and those in search of personal discoveries. Welcome to Active Lifestyle Cruising. An entire deck devoted to sports and fitness. Spacious functional training gym, bike fitting station, pro-style batting cages, golf, soccer and hockey simulators; spinning and TRX studios, and more (including a sea-water lap pool). Plus, another entire deck devoted to a state-of-art spa and wellness facilities. You’ll also discover farm-to-table cuisine, wine pairing lounges, a juice bar, and much more. A Sample of Our Ship's Amenities Beautiful, spacious standard cabins. Luxurious Owners Suites. Sports Deck Panorama. The largest functional training center at sea. The industry's first sea-water lap pool. Our Bali Beds let you sleep under the stars. The Solarium. The Therapy Pool. As a smaller vessel, we take you to places in the Mediterranean the big ships can't go - so you'll see and experience things they can't show you. And you get the latest, highest-quality equipment and supervision from experts in each activity (with one of our many partners, such as Outside Magazine and Hank Haney Golf) - whether you bike, hike, snorkel, scuba, surf, kayak, paddleboard, play golf or tennis. All Investors Become Members of Our Founders Club Prepare to be pampered. We Start Sailing in Summer of '19 We don’t plan to be that cruise line that floods your mailbox with unending brochures ... we source many of our passengers from strategic partnerships with major sports and media partners. (See some of our sponsor companies below) When combined, these partners reach over 30M active, healthy consumers - all potential Blue World passengers. A conversion rate from these partnerships of just .001% will fill our first ship. This is a ground floor opportunity to own a part of a cruise ship designed perfectly for you! While we are doing this raise, we will begin the sale of 26 one and two-bedroom owners residences aboard our ship. After that, we start our refit, and by early summer of the new year, we will be sailing. Our Year One occupancy is projected at 80% occupancy. This will generate $49M in sales and put us well on our way towards a 2nd and then 3rd ship. Three ships in five years – that’s our goal. That will bring us to a $400M+ market cap (See attached pitch deck for more details). Finally, Your Ship Has Come In! Dear Investors, Within the last few years, I have presented Blue World to thousands of people. So, very often I hear the same reply, “You know Gene, my husband (or wife) and I are not cruisers, but this, we would do." And I can tell you, I never get tired of hearing it! We’re not setting out to ‘disrupt’ the cruise industry, in fact, the industry couldn’t be stronger. What we are doing, however, is creating a new and much-needed cruise product – one for active, healthy travelers. Little by little, we have put together an amazing executive team. These very talented folks have grown major brands including Four Seasons, Starbucks, The World at ResidenSea, Hertz Rental Car, Burger King, Cunard and Seabourn Cruises, Canyon Ranch, and Apple. Everyone on my team has been drawn not to me, but to the concept, because they all personally ‘walk the walk’... they all lead active lives and see the great potential for this product. I am honored to work with such a talented group of people. We've got great opportunities ahead. Our select media partners have a following of over 30M highly targeted consumers, and they are all anxious to help us grow our brand. We have agents in beautiful European ports excited about breaking the traditional cruise excursion mold to serve a more active crowd. And we have available ships of the perfect size for Blue World coming on to the market just as we need them, in time to expand our fleet. This is going to be an exciting voyage! With your investment, you become a member of our 'Founders Club.' We will ask for your help in designing our cabins, choosing our itineraries, and planning our excursions. You become part of our community. And together we explore the world, stay active and healthy, learn and do new things, and get to help others along the way. We sincerely hope you will join us! Our Progress So Far At the beginning of January 2018, we closed our seed-round for a total of $450K. We have a sales agreement for our target vessel plus a refit cost. Many of our ship's renderings are in place; additional renderings plus a virtual walk-thru of the vessel are underway. Several of our media partners are now under contract with 3-4 additional to be completed before the end of June '18. The combined total of the targeted media following from strategic partners is in excess of 20M. We have a $5M commitment from an industry source towards our final funding round. Our present goal is to attract 5,000 investors to join our crowdfunded Founders Club. If successful, we expect this effort to raise $4.5M. A portion of this capital will be used as a deposit on the ship. Additional funds will also be used to prepare marketing materials for the sale of 26 Owners Residences. We have three leading international real estate firms who will represent us in the sale of these residences. See timeline below for additional information: Seed Round Closes $450,000K raised from 6 investors. Strategic Partners Signed Over 20M readers from companies like Outside Magazine, Gaiam Yoga, Hank Haney Golf, and more. Wefunder Reg CF Round Goes Live We start selling our VIP "Founders Club." Early August 2018 Commence Sales of 26 Owners Residences Crowdfunded Reg A+ Round Continues Complete sales of VIP "Founders Club." Mid-August 2018 70% of Year 1 Occupancy Pre-Sold Founders Club members, plus 12 sports-themed charters by strategic partners. Late August 2018 Commence Booking for 2019 Sailing Season Open Miami Office; Start Early Reservations Early reservations for all Founders Club members. Take Delivery of Ship and Begin Retrofit Retrofit estimated at $26M to be completed in 6 months. Inaugural Voyage Read More of the story The Cruise Industry is Lucrative Last year, cruise lines recorded their best profits in a decade. In the first nine months of the year, Carnival's net profit margin was 15.5%, earning $2.06 billion. In the same time period, RCCL's net profit margin was even higher – 19.7%. Potential Market Size 2018 cruise market size Growth in 'specialty' cruise market each year for last 5 years U.S. health-conscious consumers ages 35-65 Highly Targeted Market There are 41 million health-conscious adults ages 35-65 in the U.S. alone. When you add other countries like Europe, Asia, Canada and South America, we have a large pool of potential customers. Blue World Strategic Partners We have partnered with leading media, manufacturing, and service companies in the sports and wellness industry. Combined, these partners have a very targeted reach to over 20M active, healthy consumers - all potential Blue World passengers. A conversion rate of just .001% will fill our first ship. Our Revenue Model in Year 1 Assumed ticket revenue per passenger Revenue per year at 80% capacity with 50 trips Gross margin (operating cost is $30M per year) At 80% capacity with a single ship, our revenue would be $49 million a year, which leaves $19 million for sales, marketing, management, and accounting. Our goal is to increase our profit margin by adding more ships and keeping on-share costs relatively static. With three ships owned and in operation, our company will have a market value of approximately $400M+ What does your company do? Where will your company be in 5 years? People are tired of the crowded mega-ships that make up the traditional cruiseexperience. The market for specialty, single-focus cruises has grown by 105% over thepast 5 years, and in the U.S. alone, there are around 41M people ages 35 - 65dedicated to healthy lifestyles. To serve this growing population, we're creating a newmarket in specialty cruises: ‘active living cruises.’ We plan on serving this marketwith 3 ships in 5 years – and we have the executive leadership to make it happen. What is Blue World Voyages? Blue World Voyages is the world's first luxury cruise ship 100% dedicated to sports, fitness, and good health. Each week, we sail with like-minded passengers who already lead active, healthy lives, and others who are looking to move in this direction. We are the opposite of one-size-fit's all cruising. This common purpose of our guests offers a unique environment for motivation, new friendships, and personal discovery. There are currently 42 million 'conscious consumers' in just the US alone. These are people who eat well, exercise, and are actively interested in staying healthy, learning new things, and traveling the world. This is not a trend, it's a lifestyle, and it's growing quickly all around the world. There are no ships in the global cruise fleet that cater exclusively to this market! Blue World has the opportunity to be the first, and will scale up to lead this new niche market with a highly qualified executive team. What differentiates Blue World Voyages from other cruise lines? If you have ever visited a resort spa, you know how different the experience is from a hotel spa, or a day spa. At a resort spa, everyone is there for the same reason. The synergy created by an entire group of like-minded people becomes both a powerful motivator, and an environment for new and positive friendships. With the exception of themed-charters, this like-minded passenger environment did not exist in the industry - until now. The current trend for the majority of cruise lines calls for the ship itself to be the 'destination'. We take the very opposite approach. We choose our itineraries based on where we can find the best cycling, hiking, water sports, yoga, golf, tennis, running and other active adventures. But, equally important is where can we find the best food and fresh-provisions our ship and the best wines for our passengers to enjoy, plus unique educational and personal enrichment travel experiences. It is very unusual to 'downsize' a cruise ship. Many cruise lines cut ships in half or add additional decks to make them larger. Yet, if you ask anyone who has been on both a large ship and a smaller luxury vessel, the answer is always the same. "I prefer the smaller ship experience". By reducing the passenger capacity of a larger vessel, we can build new cabins, twice the conventional size, with beautiful large bathrooms and walk-in closets designed for all kinds of active gear and equipment. Unlike most cruise lines, Blue World guests will not be constantly charged every time they turn around. Many of our excursions will be included in the price of our cruise; the same with restaurants, drinks, and other activities. In fact, on each 7-day sailing, we will offer three 'Signature Events". These are designed to be once-in-a-lifetime activities, both on land and onboard, and free of charge to all passengers. What else makes us different? We have the largest spa to passenger ratio in the cruise industry, plus the largest sports deck at sea, including a unique floating sea-water lap pool. Blue World will have better and more inclusive on-ship amenities for active passengers than any other ships afloat - by far! How will you acquire your first ship? We have inspected several ships to date, and have a sales agreement on one vessel that we like very much. There are a few others coming to market soon, and we will consider them as well. Our target ship has been managed by one of our investors over the past few years, so with that, we know the ship well. We have agreed on a purchase price for this ship, and it is possible that the owner may offer some amount of financing. This is very common to the industry. It is also common practice for shipyards to offer partial financing on substantial refits or newbuilds. For now, our financial model does not anticipate any ship financing. We started this company with very close to $500K of seed-capital in the form of short term notes. This amount covered traditional start up expenses to date. A 10% deposit will be submitted to the ship's owners within 90 days. This will secure the vessel and a delivery date will be established (ideally for end of year 2018) The ship will then undergo an extensive refit in a ship yard to be announced. It is expected that this refit will take approximately 5-6 months. Prior to submitting this deposit, we will review the potential of all other available vessels and can, if necessary, purchase a different ship should we find one to be more suitable for our project. The ideal size vessel for our project is in the category of 20,000 - 30,000 gross registered tons (GRT). Our research shows that there are several vessels of this size that will be coming to market within the next few years. Therefore, the availability of additional ships to add to our fleet will not be an issue. Prior to any ship purchase, a full inspection will take place. This is carefully performed by a qualified and insured third party. The benefits of utilizing an existing ship for this project vs. a newbuild are substantial. After refit, our per-berth cost will be approximately $160K. This is between 1/2 and 1/3 of the cost per-berth of a 4-5 star vessel. This cost allows for a lower break-even point and as operators, offers us tremendous pricing flexibility. The current re-fit estimate is $26M USD. Who are your target customers? There are 41M in the US alone who are considered 'conscious consumers'. These are people who eat well, exercise and are focused on healthy lifestyle choices. This number increases exponentially when you add other countries, also with a growing healthy population. These include: Europe, Canada, South America, and Asia. As we are most interested in an international audience, we will market for passengers from these countries as well. We anticipate that the majority of our guests will fall between the ages of 35-65. However, we will attract passengers both younger and older than that range, and they will be most welcome. Our product will fall into the 'specialty segment' of the cruise industry This is one of the fastest growing and highest yield (per passenger) in the industry. Over the past 5 years, the specialty segment has seen annual growth of 21% per year. Our target customers will be the following: 1) Past cruisers who have tried the big ship experience but (for many reasons) are looking for a smaller and more suitable cruise product that better fits their lifestyle. 2) First time passengers who have shunned the traditional cruise experience as too sedentary and are not interested in overindulging on their vacation. 3) Sports enthusiasts who participate in our top 7 activities. These include: hikers, cyclists, runners, yoga practitioners, golfers, tennis players, water-sport athletes, and general fitness enthusiasts. 4) We will also market to adults who are looking to get into better shape. Blue World will offer a motivational environment along with an experienced team of nutritionists and exercise physiologists for coaching and lifestyle change. 5) Past active vacationers. We offer an interesting option to the growing market of bike touring, backpacking and other active vacation categories. The benefit of a ship-based program vs. traditional land-based active outfitters is the important issue of quality lodging with no need for constant packing and unpacking as you change locations. Our goal will be to attain one of the highest repeat rates in the industry. If passengers enjoy their trip with us on our Spain/Portugal route, we want them to return the following year and try our England/Ireland/Scotland tour. Our #1 job is to provide a high quality product that keeps passengers coming back! How will you find your first ticket buyers? Our crowdfunding goal is to attract 5,000 investors/early adopters to our concept. If successful, these investors, plus passengers coming from our sponsor companies and first year themed cruises, will put us at 70% occupancy prior to launch. We will also be a travel-agent friendly product. Travel agents in the US account for the majority of today's cruise bookings. Our sponsor companies have a combined total of over 20M followers. A small fraction of these very well targeted affluent consumers are more than enough to fill our first ship and will quickly create the need for additional vessels. How are your media partnerships structured? We are working with a select group of leading media, manufacturing and service providers, each geared towards active lifestyle products. All agree that Blue World will be of interest to their consumers. We have asked these companies to assist Blue World through a combination of promotional support and paid advertising. Currently, we have signed contracts with some and are in final stage discussions with others. Each of our strategic partners can reach an audience of over 2M targeted followers. Many of these partners will be offering annual theme-based cruises targeted to their consumers. Blue World will assist in the marketing of these special events. We have also asked our sponsor companies for their advice and support to ensure that our product offerings, both on and off our ship, are of the highest quality possible, using the best equipment and latest techniques. Our sponsors have a wealth of knowledge in their specific fields, and can provide us access to leading experts as needed. Wherever possible, we will also be promoting our sponsors' products on board our ship as well. How will the media partnerships work? Media companies are always looking for ways to create revenue. Take Outside Magazine. They have 2.5 million print readers and 5 million visitors to their website every month. If just 0.1% of their readers come on a cruise every year, that’s worth $2 $3 million in commissions to them. We’re looking for a long-term partnership with these companies. As long as they keep promoting us and writing about us, we'll keep commissioning them. If an Outside Magazine reader comes on one of those specific cruises, or cruises with us at any time, then when the reader come back and sails with us again, Outside will get the commission. We're essentially turning the media companies and manufacturers who are aligned with our product into our travel agents. What destinations are you considering? We choose our itineraries based on where we can find the best cycling, hiking, water sports, yoga, golf, tennis, running and other active adventures. But, equally important, are places where can we find the best food for fresh-provisions for our ship, the best wines for our passengers to enjoy, plus unique educational, cultural, and personal enrichment travel experiences. Our first ship will be positioned primarily in Europe where we have an abundance of great food, wine and active shore-side options. Our plan is to change the itinerary of our ship on a monthly basis. For example; one month sailing in Spain and Portugal, then the next in France and Corsica, then move to Italy for a month, then Greece. Following this, we would re-position the ship to sail perhaps in Ireland/England/Scotland then up to the Baltic countries. We have not yet decided if we will spend an entire year in Europe and face the colder weather, or re-position the ship to either the Caribbean or South America. We will make this decision shortly. Describe a typical day on board. Wow, that's a lot to write about! Let's say we're in Corsica. The ship will have at least a dozen different things going on. If you're a runner, we'll have an early morning run starting from the ship, but guided by a local Corsican runner who will offer us the most scenic yet safest routes to take. If you like yoga, we may have a sunset yoga class at a beautiful historic Monastery overlooking the Mediterranean. Or, you may start the day with a personal trainer onboard the ship. We will have a few cycling trips planned for our passengers; each based on different skill levels and ride lengths. The same with guided hikes. Similar to running and cycling, here too we will hire local guides who know the area. If you are a golfer or tennis player we have arranged for you to play at a local country club against some of their members, and we will invite your competition back to ship for lunch. And this all happens before lunch! Depending on the activity, you still may have plenty of time left for local sightseeing, shopping, beach time, or to sip a beer at a local pub. You can spend your mornings and afternoons any way you like; perhaps spend some time in our spa or salon. Or, just stay by the pool and get some sun. In most ports of call we won't leave until evening, so if you choose to have dinner ashore - there's plenty of time. If you dine onboard, you have three themed restaurants to choose from. We will have live entertainment at night, movies on deck and lots of other options. What's most important to us is that you have fun, and leave our ship feeling better than ever! Why limit your ship to 350 passengers? In some cases our ship will dock, but in others we will use the ship's tenders to transport our passengers ashore. With a smaller number of passengers (as opposed to 3,000) this is easily done. Plus, tendering allows us to seek out the more exotic and interesting ports where larger ships are prohibited. Back onboard, a smaller number of passengers will allow us to provide a 5-star level of service in terms of cabin service, restaurants, training center, spa and salon. A more intimate environment, highly personalized service... this is hard to do with 3,000 passengers. How many passengers do you need to break even? Our projections call for 80% occupancy in year 1, which will generate approximately $49M in revenues. If we can exceed this capacity in our starting year while maintaining a very high level of service, we will. But we will not push the 80% level until we, and our passengers, are 99% satisfied with our product. Our fixed operating costs are approximately $30M annually; this results in an operating margin of about 38%. The clear benefit of using an existing ship vs. a newbuild is in our breakeven number. After refit, we break-even at around 53% occupancy at average per diems of $350 per person. Our goal is to add two additional ships to our fleet within the first 5 years. This allows us to expand our inventory and spread fixed land-based expenses over a larger fleet. All of which will increase our profit margin. Where do you want to be in five years? In five years we hope to have three ships in operation and be the leading provider in an exciting new niche category for 'active lifestyle cruising'. We have the right funding strategy and management team to make this happen. Where did the idea for this company come from? Gene Meehan: As founder of Blue World, I "walk the walk". My wife and I were married on top of Mount Kilimanjaro. I'm a competitive rower, and a 7-handicap golfer. I have been involved in sports and fitness all of my life, and I intend to stay active for a very long time ahead. But cruising is also part of my life. I "married into" the industry. By now, I've been on at least 50-60 ships, and in truth, I have enjoyed them all. But 9 times out of 10, I eat too much, drink too much, and don't get as much exercise as I do at home. So Blue World was created for people like me - and there's a lot us out there - who are looking for a more active, healthier vacation. But, I am not alone. Everyone of our partners and executive team are healthy active individuals, and we understand our market because we are the market. So maybe we are creating a product just for us. It's possible... but why not invite the other 42M in the US that live the same way we do! What are you worried about? We have no control over what could go wrong in the outside world. We have seen the economy take a nosedive before, and while the cruise industry, like every other industry, slowed down, it recovered just as quickly. One thing that I have discovered from being in the health/fitness business all of my life is that even in a downturn, and sometimes especially during hard times, people tend to internalize. What's most important to them is personal health and family. What I love most about taking a crowdfunding approach in creating our Founders Club is that we are building a community. A community that will, we hope, be loyal to us (if we do a good job) and we will be loyal to them. In good times and in bad. We are all living a very high-stress world. It's important, it's healthy, to take a break every now and then. Yes, we are taking a different approach to cruising, but I know from 30+ years in business, sports and wellness is far past being a trend - it's a lifestyle. How much capital do you have? Like most start-ups, cash is like kryptonite, and we have been very careful with it. To date, we’ve raised nearly $500,000 of seed capital in the form of short term notes. Our goal with crowdfunding is to attract 5,000 investors to join our Founders Club. If successful, this should raise about $4.5 million. Following this, we will commence the sale of 26 one and two bedroom Owner Residences on our ship. To accomplish this, we have three of the largest real estate firms in the world representing us. After expenses, these sales will generate $51 million. Finally, we have a third-round capital raise of $20 million. We currently have a commitment for 25% of this amount, but we have intentionally held off on the rest for a very good reason. Within a short time, we hope to have 5,000 Founders Club members, all with stock in our company and credits towards their first sailing. Then adding to this, 12 sports-themed cruises, hosted by our select group of leading media companies. Add this together and we have 70% occupancy before selling our first ticket. If/when investors ask about 'proof of concept' - there it is. What makes you the right team to do this? You've all heard the expression, "if you want to be successful, surround yourself with people smarter than you". Well, I am living proof of that! I am truly flattered by the amount of talented people who have joined my team and the combination of their past accomplishments. Our CEO and Co-Founder, John B. Richards started out in the cruise industry as VP of Marketing of one of the best cruise lines ever - Royal Viking. But he didn't stop there. He went on to lead the marketing effort for Four Seasons Hotels and helped grew the company from 8 to 42 properties. While President of Starbucks he opened a store every 19 minutes taking them from 500 to 3,000 locations, all within 3 years. And after that President of Elizabeth Arden Spas. Another of our Co-Founders Fredy Dellis, was the President and CEO of the World at ResidenSea, the successful and first-ever residential ship to enter the cruise industry. Prior to that, Fredy was President of Hertz Corporation International and the International President of Burger King. We have a brilliant CFO, Hal Gassenheimer. After receiving his MBA from Harvard, he spent many years with Exxon and then served as CFO for several companies in the Miami area, also serving as Treasurer for Cunard and Seabourn Cruise Lines. Our Spa specialist Di Trieste held a top executive position at Canyon Ranch for many years, overseeing operations in Lennox, Tucson and Las Vegas. Creative Director, Brian O'Neill has received all of the top awards in the advertising industry: 8 CLEO's and 4 Cannes Lion Awards. He has launched brands such as Apple Computer, Reebok and many others. Also on our development team is Mike Carroll. Mike served many years in the State Department and was appointed by President Obama as Inspector General of USAID. Over the years, Mike has managed billion dollar budgets and has supervised several international aid programs. Like me, Clarice Macgarvey, married into the cruise industry. Her husband Doug was the Vice president of Cunard and President of Sea Escape. Clarice is passionate about the cruise industry and excited to tell our story as the head of our in-house PR efforts. And that's just the start... we also will be working with the top cruise industry concessions. Apollo Ship Chandlers will operate our Food/Beverage & Hotel programs; Steiner Leisure will operate our Spa and Salon operations, and Sunstone Ships, owned by one of our investors, Niels-Eric Lund, will provide our deck, engine and technical operations. As mentioned earlier, it is an honor for me to work with such talented individuals. All involved have joined me because they see the potential in Blue World. And all individually understand the market because they too 'walk the walk' and want to help others to do the same. Gene Meehan Founder Blue World Voyages has financial statements ending December 31 2017. Our cash in hand is $17,000, as of April 2018. Over the three months prior, revenues averaged $0/month, cost of goods sold has averaged $0/month, and operational expenses have averaged $15,000/month. January 1 to December 31 -$26,169 $307,774 +5% Short Term Debt Raised in 2017 You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this offering. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis, including information regarding the strategy and plans for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should review the "Risk Factors" section for a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. Goodbye buffet lines and slot machines. Our 350-passenger luxury cruise is for people who care about active living. Join us for cycling, hiking, water sports, golf, and yoga as we sail the Mediterranean, visiting the smaller, more intimate ports the big ships can't. While on board, enjoy farm to table food, and the largest sports and spa deck at sea. This is your chance to join our VIP “Founders Club” and own a piece of this brand new kind of cruise experience. Consumers are tired of the traditional, one-size-fits-all cruise experience. The market for specialty, single-focus cruises has grown 21% each year for the last 5 years. At Blue World, we're creating a new market within specialty cruises: active living cruises. In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 42 million people ages 35 to 65 dedicated to healthy lifestyles. To serve this growing market, we plan to have three ships in 5 years – and we have the executive leadership to make this happen. Given the Company’s limited operating history, the Company cannot reliably estimate how much revenue it will receive in the future, if any. Blue World Voyages, LLC was incorporated in the State of Florida in April 2016. There was a previous entity also called Blue World Voyages, LLC, this was dissolved in 2015 and liabilities were carried over to the new entity. Since then, we have: As President, our CEO grew Starbucks from $400M revenue to $2.5B in 3 years. Our CEO grew Four Seasons Hotel from 8 to 42 hotels. Media partners have 20M+ readers. A conversion of less than 0.1% fills our occupancy for the first year. Largest fitness/sports deck and largest spa deck in the industry. Our cabins are at least twice the size of standard cabin sizes. All investors become part of our Founders Club. Historical Results of Operations Our company was organized in April 2016 and has limited operations upon which prospective investors may base an evaluation of its performance. Revenues & Gross Margin. For the period ended December 31, 2017, the Company had revenues of $0 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016, when the Company had revenues of $0. Assets. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had total assets of $164,834, including $0 in cash. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had $176,253 in total assets, including $26,021 in cash. Net Loss. The Company has had net losses of $26,169 and net losses of $33,841 for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Liabilities. The Company's liabilities totaled $307,774 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and $293,024 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. Related Party Transaction Refer to Question 26 of this Form C for disclosure of all related party transactions. Liquidity & Capital Resources To-date, the company has been financed with $409,834 in debt and $200,000 in convertibles. After the conclusion of this Offering, should we hit our minimum funding target, our projected runway is 5 months before we need to raise further capital. We plan to use the proceeds as set forth in this Form C under "Use of Funds". We don’t have any other sources of capital in the immediate future. We will likely require additional financing in excess of the proceeds from the Offering in order to perform operations over the lifetime of the Company. We plan to raise capital in 6 months. Except as otherwise described in this Form C, we do not have additional sources of capital other than the proceeds from the offering. Because of the complexities and uncertainties in establishing a new business strategy, it is not possible to adequately project whether the proceeds of this offering will be sufficient to enable us to implement our strategy. This complexity and uncertainty will be increased if less than the maximum amount of securities offered in this offering is sold. The Company intends to raise additional capital in the future from investors. Although capital may be available for early-stage companies, there is no guarantee that the Company will receive any investments from investors. Runway & Short/Mid Term Expenses Blue World Voyages LLC cash in hand is $17,000, as of April 2018. Over the last three months, revenues have averaged $0/month, cost of goods sold has averaged $0/month, and operational expenses have averaged $15,000/month, for an average burn rate of $15,000 per month. Blue World Voyages borrowed an additional $200,000 to enable us to get to crowdfunding round. We will not have revenues until May 2019. Additional funds will be raised to purchase and refit the ship and hire personnel to commence operations. A note from Wefunder. Unlike companies on the NASDAQ, early-stage startups have little operating history. Financial analysis is not as useful when there is limited data. It's more important to predict the size of the future market. If the founder achieves their vision, will enough customers pay the company enough money? It's also common for fast-growing startups to lose money even faster: they are investing in future growth. In these cases, it's often better to check if the Cost of User Acquisition (CAC) is lower than the Lifetime Value (LTV) of that customer. If one spends $1000 today to make $10,000 over the next five years, that may be a smart bet. Amazon is a famous example of re-investing potential profits to maximize growth over 20 years. Net Margin: Gross Margin: Return on Assets: Revenue per Employee: Cash to Assets: Revenue to Receivables: Debt Ratio: Blue World Voyages 2016-2017 Review issued .pdf This is a start up cruise line. Although its principals have experience in operating cruise lines, the company has no operating history on which to forecast revenues and operating results. The Company may never receive a future equity financing or elect to convert the Securities upon such future financing. In addition, the Company may never undergo a liquidity event such as a sale of the Company or an IPO. If neither the conversion of the Securities nor a liquidity event occurs, the Purchasers could be left holding the Securities in perpetuity. The Securities have numerous transfer restrictions and will likely be highly illiquid, with no secondary market on which to sell them. The Securities are not equity interests, have no ownership rights, have no rights to the Company’s assets or profits and have no voting rights or ability to direct the Company or its actions. We only have an option on a ship. Funds raised will be used for down payment. We also have knowledge of other ships that are available and but this has not yet been secured. The markets in which we operate are highly competitive and rapidly changing, and we may not be able to compete effectively, especially against competitors with greater financial resources or marketplace presence. Any significant decrease in consumer confidence, or periods of economic slowdown or recession, could lead to a curtailing of discretionary spending, which in turn could reduce our revenues and results of operations. Changes in laws, regulations and other requirements could adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. Our company represents a new business model for the cruise line industry; you must consider the challenges, risks and difficulties frequently encountered by early-stage companies using new and unproven business models in new and rapidly evolving markets. Our future success depends on the efforts of a small management team. The loss of services of any member of this team may have an adverse effect on the company. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining other personnel we require to successfully grow our business. All membership interests are currently held by Gene Meehan and Harold Gassenheimer, as such all voting power and managerial decisions will be made by the managing members. The success of our company depends on our ability to attract and maintain customers. A failure to do so would be detrimental to our business. Harold Gassenheimer and John Richards are currently part-time officers. Their other responsibilities may result in diminished time being committed to Blueworld Voyages and could potentially impact company performance. Read More Risks Gene Meehan President @ Blue World Voyages 2016 John B Richards Advisory Partner and Principal @ The New England Consulting Group 2017 E. Harold Gassenheimer CFO & Treasurer @ Reefbreak Management 2016 Gene Meehan President President 2016 John B Richards CEO 2017 E. Harold Gassenheimer CFO 2016 Securities Held Eugene Meehan Membership Interests 50.0% E Harold Gassenheimer Membership Interests 50.0% Past Equity Fundraises $0 SAFE 12/2017 $164,834 Loan 07/2015 $25,000 Loan 01/2018 $200,000 Convertible Note Convertible Notes Outstanding Valuation Cap 01/31/2018 $200,000 None Outstanding Debts Oustanding Current? Joseph Cresci 09/14/2014 $35,000 $43,638 5.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Corey Hoffman 03/24/2015 $10,000 $12,272 5.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Manuel Diaz 05/15/2015 $50,000 $60,650 5.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Robert Rohr 07/06/2015 $25,000 $29,970 5.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Michael Carroll 10/07/2015 $50,000 $50,000 0.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Niels Erik Lund 04/13/2016 $50,000 $56,090 5.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Gene Meehan 12/31/2017 $164,834 $164,834 0.0% 12/31/2017 Yes Name Gene Meehan Amount Invested $164,834 Transaction type Loan Outstanding principal plus interest $164,834 as of 05/2018 Outstanding Yes Current with payments Yes Relationship President These advances to the Company bear no interest and are considered payable on demand. Use of Funds $100,000 95% will go towards continuing the development of Blue World including additional renderings, marketing and development of the Blue World owner residence project. 5% Wefunder Intermediary fee $1,070,000 9.3% will go towards continuing the development of Blue World including additional renderings, marketing and development of the Blue World owner residence project. 85.7% will provide funds for marketing of the Reg A round and cabin sales as provided for in our business plan. 5% Wefunder Intermediary fee Class of Security (or Amount) Common Units 500,000 0 Yes Form C Filing on EDGAR The Securities and Exchange Commission hosts the official Form C on their EDGAR web site. Final Days on Wefunder Blue World Voyages, the first cruise line dedicated to “Active Lifestyle Cruising”, is preparing to transition to our next level of investor funding prior to... Gene Meehan on Nov 20 2018 Tabatha Atoa-Jakobs, Ada Chi, Lucia Romanov, and 2 others November Update Letter Delighted to share with everyone on Wefunder our latest Blue World Voyages Update. We invite your feedback and comments. Just follow the link below. https:/... Gene Meehan on Nov 9 2018 Video Tour of Blue World Voyage: "Ship to Shore" I'm excited to share with you a first look at our new video tour of Blue World Voyages “Ship to Shore”. We hope you enjoy! To all of our Founders Club memb... Gene Meehan on Oct 29 2018 Joseph C. Oliver, Gene Meehan, Julia Dempsey, and 4 others Blue World Voyages Announces Newest Partnerships As we continue to expand our network of partners, I am pleased to share with you that we have partnered with Yoga Journal to develop the finest, most authe... Gene Meehan on Oct 4 2018 Carol Ann Scarbrough, Joseph C. Oliver, Tabatha Atoa-Jakobs, and 3 others A cruise focused on fitness and wellness http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/583394... Blue World Voyages co-founders Gene Meehan and Fredy Dellis on the company's cruises catering to people interested in fitness and health. Fredy Dellis and I... Gene Meehan on Sep 12 2018 Tabatha Atoa-Jakobs, Mustafa Aday, and Rebekah Wilks Oxygen Magazine Partners with Blue World Blue World is pleased to announce our new partnership with Oxygen Magazine. For more than 20 years, Oxygen has been at the forefront of women’s health and fi... Gene Meehan on Aug 13 2018 Tabatha Atoa-Jakobs, Mustafa Aday, Rebekah Wilks, and 7 others Blue World Voyages Previewed on Nation's #1 Business News Network Fredy Dellis and I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Maria Bartiromo on her new show, "Mornings with Maria", on the nation's top business news channe... Tia L A Brown, Tabatha Atoa-Jakobs, Mustafa Aday, and 6 others August 31 Newsletter https://www.blueworldvoyages.com/pr-b... Based on our current investment level, we will have room for a total of 500 members in our VIP Founders Club. Aside from owning stock in our company, there a... Gene Meehan on Sep 6 2018 Cruise Into Fitness: New Options To Take Your Workout On Vacation https://www.forbes.com/sites/allisono... Share to facebook Share to twitter Share to linkedin Midnight buffets on cruises have mostly gone by the wayside, but the plethora of opportunities to eat, o... Mustafa Aday, Rebekah Wilks, Clarice MacGarvey, and 1 other Blue World Voyages Sets Sail on Wefunder: Sports & Wellness Cruise Line Captained by World Class Team | Crowdfund Insider https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2018... Blue World Voyages, a cruise line designed for the next generation of health-conscious professionals, sports + fitness enthusiasts, has paired with Wefunder ... Blue World featured in Travel Weekly https://www.travelweekly.com/ Gene Meehan on Aug 5 2018 Mustafa Aday, Rebekah Wilks, Clarice MacGarvey, and 4 others Blue World featured in Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/irenelevine/2018/07/11/blue-world-voyages-a-new-cruise-line-for-health-... Mustafa Aday, Rebekah Wilks, Chia I Lin, and 5 others Blue World Signs Two Major Partnership Agreements in Past Two Weeks “From the start, it has always been our plan to work with active media and service compa... Mustafa Aday, Rebekah Wilks, Rae Lynn Nettles, and 1 other Your commitment was sent wefunder.com/blueworldvoyages is managed by Wefunder Portal LLC. Wefunder Inc. runs wefunder.com and is the parent company of Wefunder Advisors LLC and Wefunder Portal LLC. Wefunder Advisors is an exempt reporting adviser that advises SPVs used in Reg D offerings. Wefunder Portal is a funding portal (CRD #283503) that operates sections of wefunder.com where some Regulation Crowdfunding offerings are made. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Doctor, I have a swollen eye and fluid retention, what could be causing this? output: It sounds like you may be experiencing an allergy. Have you been exposed to any new allergens recently?

July 1, 2013 by Elmarie Why the Early Church Finally Rejected Premillennialism By Charles E. Hill Modern Reformation, Jan/Feb 1996, p. 16 Chiliasm is the ancient name for what today is known as premillennialism, the belief that when Jesus Christ returns he will not execute the last judgment at once, but will first set up on earth a temporary kingdom, where resurrected saints will rule with him over non-resurrected subjects for a thousand years of peace and righteousness.1 To say that the Church “rejected chiliasm” may sound bizarre today, when premillennialism is the best known eschatology in Evangelicalism. Having attached itself to funda-mentalism, chiliasm in its dispensationalist form has been vigorously preached in pulpits, taught in Bible colleges and seminaries, and successfully promoted to the masses through study Bibles, books, pamphlets, charts, and a host of radio and television ministries. To many Christians today, premillennialism is the very mark of Christian orthodoxy. But there was a period of well over a “millennium” (over half of the Church’s history), from at least the early fifth century until the sixteenth, when chiliasm was dormant and practically non-existent. Even through the Reformation and much of the post-Refor-mation period, advocates of chiliasm were usually found among fringe groups like the Münsterites. The Augsburg Confession went out of its way to condemn chiliasm (Art. XVII, “Of Christ’s Return to Judgment”), and John Calvin criticized “the chiliasts, who limited the reign of Christ to a thousand years” (Institutes 3.25.5). It was not until the nineteenth century that chiliasm made a respectable comeback, as a favorite doctrine of Christian teachers who were promoting revival in the face of the deadening effects of encroaching liberalism. But how are we to view the Church’s earliest period up until the first decisive rejection of chiliasm in the Church? By most accounts this was the heyday of chiliastic belief in the Church. Many modern apologists for premillennialism allege that before the time of Augustine chiliasm was the dominant, if not the “universal” eschatology of the Church, preserving the faith of the apostles.2 Some form of chiliasm was certainly defended by such notable names as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus of Lyons in the second century and Tertullian of Carthage in the third. How and why then did this view finally fall into disrepute? The answer given by modern premillennial apologists usually suggests that premillennialism was overcome for illegitimate reasons. They cite the rise of an unbiblical and dangerous allegorical hermeneutic (by such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen) which took a sad toll on sound biblical exegesis. They explain that the prophetic excesses of the Montanists gave chiliasm a bad name. They note that the peace of Constantine led the Church to the false belief that the millennium had already arrived. And, finally, they suggest that the authoritative repudiation of chiliasm by Augustine, who formerly had held such a belief, “put the nails in the coffin” of premillennialism. But are these the real factors? The hermeneutical question is indeed an important one, but to put the debate in terms of literal against allegorical is overly simplistic. Both sides used literal exegesis and both used allegorical exegesis when they deemed it best. For example, despite Origen’s intentional use of the allegorical method, his essential critique of chiliasm had real theological and traditional motivations. These motivations were not his alone but belonged to large segments of the Church. The early Montanists, it turns out, were not chiliasts and were never criticized for being so.3 Tertullian, who became a Montanist, did not get his chiliasm from them, but from Irenaeus. There is no evidence that chiliasm was hurt by any association with Montanism. By the time Constantine proclaimed Christianity the state religion in the fourth century, a non-chiliastic eschatology was surely the norm in most places, and in many it had been so ever since Christianity had arrived there. Many signs thus tell us that even without the aid of Augustine, chiliasm was probably in its death-throes by the time he wrote the last books of The City of God in a.d. 420­26. So why did the Church reject chiliasm? As with most historical questions, the answers are complex and have social as well as hermeneutical and theological aspects. It would take a long time to compare and evaluate the exegesis of individual biblical passages by a number of given authors. One common criticism, however, can serve as a convenient organizer for what are probably the most important factors in chiliasm’s demise. That common criticism, known from Origen to the Augsburg Confession and beyond, is that chiliasm is a “Jewish” error.4 This criticism is open to grave misunderstanding today if one views it as part of the Church’s shameful legacy of anti-Semitism. But this is not what lay at the base of such criticism of chiliasm as “Jewish.” Jesus was a Jew, as were all of his apostles. “Salvation is of the Jews,” Jesus said, and all the Church fathers knew and agreed with this. There is no embarrassment at all in something being “Jewish” and the ancient and honorable tradition of the Jews, in monotheism, morals, and the safeguarding of Holy Scripture, is something Christian leaders always prized. Another modern misunderstanding of this criticism must also be avoided. Certain current forms of premillennialism, particularly dispensationalism, might seem “Jewish” to some because they promise that the kingdom of God will be restored to ethnic Jews as the just fulfillment of the Old Testament promises to Abraham and his descendants. But this was not the case with ancient Christian chiliasm. The New Testament’s revelation of the Church as the true Israel and heir of all the promises of God in Christ was too well-established and too deeply ingrained in the early Christian consciousness for such a view to have been viable. Ancient Church chiliasts like Irenaeus did indeed argue that some of God’s promises to Israel had to be fulfilled literally in a kingdom on earth, but they recognized that the humble recipients of this kingdom would be spiritual Israel, all who confessed Jesus as God’s Messiah, regardless of their national or ethnic origin.5 Ancient chiliasm was not criticized because it “favored” the Jews as having a distinct, blessed future apart from Gentile Christians. What then did critics mean by calling chiliasm “Jewish”? Their use of the label meant “non-Christian Jewish,” or even, “anti-Christian Jewish.” These early critics believed that chiliasm represented an approach to biblical religion that was sub-Christian, essentially failing to reckon with the full redemptive implications of the coming of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. They saw it as an under-realized, a not-fully-Christian, eschatology. We can outline at least three aspects of this criticism. Its Sources Were Non-Christian Jewish Sources First, critics of chiliasm point out that Christian chiliasts got their chiliasm not so much from the apostles as from non-Christian Jewish sources.6Irenaeus cites a tradition from a book written by Papias of Hierapolis about the millennial kingdom.7 The tradition purports to reproduce Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom as related through the Apostle John to those who remembered the latter’s teaching. It is the famous report about each grapevine in the kingdom having ten thousand branches, each branch ten thousand twigs, each twig ten thousand shoots, each shoot ten thousand clusters, and each cluster ten thousand grapes, etc., with talking grapes, each one anxious that the saints would bless the Lord through it.8 As it turns out, this account seems to be a development of a tradition recorded in the Jewish apocalypse 2 Baruch in its account of the Messiah’s earthly kingdom (Ch. 29). Some scholars note that the chiliasm of Justin, though it derives the number 1,000 from Revelation 20, springs more from a certain approach to Old Testament exegesis (particularly on Is. 65:17-25) than from the eschatology of Revelation.9 And this approach is in basic agreement with that of Trypho, his Jewish interlocutor. This is in keeping with the role chiliasm plays in Justin’s Dialogue with Trypho, where it functions as part of an apologetic which sought to claim everything Jewish for Christianity. The issue of the fulfillment of the prophets’ predictions of glory for Israel was very much a part of the atmosphere of the discussion between these representatives of Christianity and Judaism, for their encounter took place not long after the failed attempt by Bar Cochba to take Jerusalem back from the Romans (a.d. 132­35). Chiliasm Was “Jewish” in its View of the Saints’ Afterlife Second, we now know that early chiliast and non-chiliast Christian eschatologies had to do with more than an expectation of a temporary, earthly kingdom, or lack thereof. They encompassed other beliefs about eschatology. It may seem curious to us today, but the ancient Christian chiliasts defended a view of the afterlife in which the souls of the righteous did not go immediately to God’s presence in heaven at the time of death, but went instead to a subterranean Hades. Here souls, in refreshment and joyful contemplation, waited for the resurrection and the earthly kingdom before they could enter the presence of God.10 The only ones exempted from Hades were men like Enoch and Elijah who, it was thought, had not experienced death but had been translated alive to paradise. This view of the afterlife on the part of the chiliasts Papias, Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Victorinus, and Lactantius was connected directly to their chiliasm. We know this both from the coexistence of these beliefs in Jewish sources (2 Baruch, 4 Ezra, Ps. Philo’s Biblical Antiquities, and some rabbinic traditions) and from the internal connection between the doctrines drawn by Irenaeus.11 Yet most of the Church (and at times even the chiliasts themselves in spite of themselves) knew and treasured the New Testament hope of an immediate enjoyment of the presence of God in heaven with Christ at death (Luke 23:42-43; John 14:2-4; 17:24; Phil. 1:22-23; 2 Cor. 5:6-8; Heb. 12:22-24; 2 Pet. 1:11; Rev. 6:9-11; 14:1-5; 15:2; 18:20; 19:14). But this aspect of the Christian eschatology, this “hope of heaven” made possible only by the completed work of Jesus the Messiah and his own ascension to heaven, shattered the mold of Jewish chiliastic eschatology. Such a vision belonged to a non-chiliast (what we would today call amillennial) understanding of the return of Christ. This vision essentially saw the millennium of Revelation 20 as pertaining to the present age, wherein the righteous dead are alive in Christ and are now participating with their King and High Priest in the priestly kingdom in heaven (Rev. 20:4-6).12 In the new light of this fully Christian expectation, a return to an earthly existence, where sin and bodily desires still persisted and a final war (as in Rev. 20:8-10) still loomed, could only be a retrogression in redemptive history.13 We can observe then two competing patterns of Christian eschatology from the second century on: one chiliastic, which expects an intermediate kingdom on earth before the last judgment and says that the souls of the saints after death await that earthly kingdom in the refreshing underworldly vaults of Hades; the other which teaches instead that departed Christians have a blessed abode with Christ in heaven, in the presence of God, as they await the return of Christ to earth, the resurrection and judgment of all, and the new heaven and new earth. Why did the chiliastic view of the afterlife appeal to some of the most prominent defenders of Christianity? As noted, for Justin, it functioned as a way of claiming all the Jewish inheritance for Christians. Did the prophets promise a kingdom of peace, bounty, and righteousness as the Jews insisted it did? Then these prophecies could be claimed for Christianity, for Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism. But by the time of Irenaeus (later in the second century) there was another motivation. Orthodox believers were battling Marcionism, Valentinianism, and various other gnosticisms, which were devastating portions of the Church. All these heterodoxies rejected any notion of the salvation of the physical body through resurrection and any notion of a restored creation, since they all claimed that the material creation was inherently evil (or at least destined for annihilation), because it was not the creation of the highest God. They also claimed that their adherents would mount up to the highest heaven (beyond the orthodox) at death.14Both aspects of eschatology were designed to “do the orthodox one better.” Chiliasm provided an ideal response for Irenaeus, for it emphasized the goodness of the material creation as the good product of a benevolent God. It also refuted the inflated afterlife boasts of the heretics about direct ascension to the highest God as soon as they died. The true believer instead would follow the course of the Lord and remain in Hades until his soul was reunited with his body at the resurrection.15 But despite its usefulness in helping to claim the mantle of Judaism and in fending off matter-denying Gnosticism, chiliasm was at odds with aspects of the Church’s hope handed down from the apostles and made so clear in the New Testament writings. As such, the chiliastic eschatology could not survive intact. Tertullian, after embracing chiliasm, tried some minor modifications. Even as a chiliast he remained more open to understanding the “earthly” prophecies of the Old Testament in a more “spiritualized” way.16 He also argued that some Christians–but only those who literally suffered martyrdom–could be spared a stay in Hades and could inhabit the heavenly paradise before the resurrection.17 But even Tertullian’s admirer Cyprian could not accept this ameliorated form of chiliasm, and comforted his congregations in the face of a raging plague with the Christian hope of the heavenly kingdom when they died.18 With Lactantius in the early fourth century we see a determined attempt to revive a more “genuine” form of chiliasm.19 But by the fourth century these views could not stand long among educated clergy. The Christian hope of union and fellowship with Christ after death was too strong for the chiliastic eschatology to flourish ever again in its original form. The work of Tyconius, Jerome, and Augustine at the end of the fourth century and in the early fifth simply put the exclamation point on the inevitable. Chiliasm’s Old Testament Hermeneutic Led to the Crucifixion Finally, the chiliastic alternative on the intermediate state of the Christian soul between death and the resurrection was a problem which in itself could have led to chiliasm’s demise. But there was another problem which, when clearly exposed, had the potential of being downright scandalous. It was recognized by Origen and has been seen by non-chiliasts down to the present day.20 It is the realization that the “literal,” nationalistic interpretation of the prophets was the standard that Jesus, in the eyes of his opponents, did not live up to, and therefore was the basis of their rejection of his messiahship. One of the prophecies that Irenaeus had insisted will be literally fulfilled in the kingdom on earth was Is. 11:6-7, which speaks of the wolf dwelling with the lamb and the leopard with the kid, etc. Origen specifically mentions this passage as among those which the Jews misinterpret: “and having seen none of these events literally happening during the advent of him whom we believe to be Christ they did not accept our Lord Jesus, but crucified him on the ground that he had wrongly called himself Christ.”21 This “Jewish” approach to the Old Testament prophecies and its role in the Jewish rejection of Jesus was recognized even by Tertullian and was no doubt one of his motivations for taking a more “spiritualized” approach to those prophecies than Irenaeus had done.22 Why did the Church reject chiliasm? Essentially because chiliasm was judged not to be a fully Christian phenomenon. We have organized three faults of chiliasm around the theme of its so-called “Jewish” character. These faults include its sources; holding out an attenuated hope of blessing for the Christian after death, for it was based in a pre-Christian system which as yet lacked a Savior who had raised humanity to heaven; and clinging to an interpretation of Old Testament prophecies which did not comport with the Christian approach but which could be used to justify the crucifixion. Instead the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah had effected a momentous change which Jewish chiliasm was not well-adapted to accommodate. But it was not these “faults” alone that fatally injured chiliasm. It might have lasted longer if there had not always existed in the Church another, more fully “Christian,” eschatology sustaining the Church throughout the whole period. That eschatology, revealed in the New Testament writings, proclaimed Jesus Christ’s present reign over all things from heaven, where his saints were “with him” (Luke 23:42-43; John 14:2-4; 17:24; Phil. 1:22-23; 2 Cor. 5:6-8). It saw the culmination of that reign not in a future, limited, and provisional kingdom on earth where perfection mingled once again with imperfection, but rather in the full arrival of the perfect (Rom. 8:21; 1 Cor. 13:10) and the replacement of the present heaven and earth with a heaven and earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21-22). Evidence of this eschatology runs throughout the post­New Testament period, from Clement of Rome to Augustine. Modern premillennialism, in its several forms, has indeed undergone certain transmutations from its ancient ancestor, some of which are improvements, some arguably not. It may be possible to develop a premillennialism which obviates the worst of chiliasm’s pitfalls in antiquity. But the more challenging question will always be whether any form of chiliasm can ever be shown to be the view of the New Testament writers. Dr. Charles E. Hill is associate professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He is the author of Regnum Caelorum: Patterns of Future Hope in Early Christianity (Oxford, 1992). http://www.preteristarchive.com/dEmEnTiA/1996_hill_fathers-rejected-premill.html This entry was posted in Bible, Bible reading, Biblical, Biblical Discernment, Biblical Doctrine, Digital media, Discernment, Escahtology, Escathology, Eschatological, Globalisation, God, Gospel, Hal Lindsey, Harold Camping, Jesus, Mark of the Beast, Meadows, Pope Benedict, Pope Francis, Post Modern, Premillennialism, Prophecy in the Book of Daniel, Rapture, Sacred Name movement, Salvation, Scripture, Social Media, The will of God, theology and tagged 666, 70th week, AD70, Amillennialism, and the Second Coming of Christ, antiChrist, Assumptions, Assumptions of Dispensationalism, augsburg confession, bible colleges, Bible prophecy, charles e hill, chiliasm, Christian orthodoxy, dispensation, Dispensational Premillennialism, Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, End Times, Escathology, Four Views of the End Times, fulfilled prophecy, future antichrist, Futurism, gap, God's promise, God's special people, Grant Swart, Great Tribulation, Historical Premillennialism, Historicism, Idealism, Israel, Jesus did it all, Jewish nation, Messiah, millenium, Modern Reformation, national Israel, natural Jews, Old Testament, Postmillennialism, Preterism, Preview, prince of Daniel 9:26-27, quickly, Rapture, reject false teaching, sensationalistic, seven dispensations, seven year tribulation, soon, The History of Dispensationalism, this generation (Matt. 24:34), twisting Scripture, two Second Comings, Video clips. Bookmark the permalink. ← Give No Access/Encouragement to False Teachers Die Bloed van die Here Jesus Christus → 3 thoughts on “Why the Early Church Finally Rejected Premillennialism” Pingback: Why the reject Premil - Christian Forums Pingback: Premil ain’t Chill | Feileadh Mor Pingback: Why the Early Church Finally Rejected Premillennialism - Christian Forums

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: What is autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and what are some possible symptoms or complications associated with it? output: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder that causes the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys, which can eventually lead to kidney failure. In addition to kidney-related symptoms such as high blood pressure, back pain, and urinary tract infections, some people with this condition may also develop diverticulosis of the colon and sigmoid colon, which is the formation of small pouches in the lining of the intestine. Other possible complications of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease include liver cysts, aneurysms in the brain, and heart valve problems. Treatment for this condition usually involves managing symptoms and complications as they arise, and may include medications, dietary changes, and in some cases, kidney transplantation.

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Handbook Of International Economics Edition 1 Author: wiki.ctsnet.org-Nicole Bauer-2020-11-13-02-27-49 Subject: Handbook Of International Economics Edition 1 Keywords: handbook,of,international,economics,edition,1 Created Date: 11/13/2020 2:27:49 AM PDF | On Jan 1, 2018, Andreas Nölke and others published Handbook of the International Political Economy of the Corporation | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate Download full-text PDF. Handbook of Global International Policy, edited by Stuart S. Nagel 81. Jones P.B. Handbook of International Economics, vol 4. File Type PDF Handbook Of International Economics Volume 3 Handbooks In Economics Handbook Of International Economics Volume 3 Handbooks In Economics Recognizing the quirk ways to acquire this ebook handbook of international economics volume 3 handbooks in economics is additionally useful. Edited by Gita Gopinath, .Helpman and Kenneth Rogoff () . Stanford Institute for International Studies HADFIELD, GILLIAN K. Professor of Law and Co-Director Center for Law, Economics and Organization University of Southern California JOSKOW, PAUL L. ... C. Menard and M. M. Shirley (eds. Handbook of International Economics, vol 3. This handbook is a detailed exploration of the theories, policies, and issues stemming from the field of International Trade. Edited by Gene Grossman and Kenneth Rogoff () . Grossman Kenneth Rogoff. This handbook aims to foster a better understanding of the interlinkages between international trade, the environment and the green economy. Many people now, from any level can use internet. Handbook ISBN: His main research areas are experimental economics and applied game theory. ISBN 9780444543141, 9780444543158 He holds a PhD from the University of Bonn. 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tv BBC News BBC News June 11, 2018 2:00am-2:31am BST welcome to bbc news — broadcasting from singapore to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is sharanjit leyl. our top stories: on the eve of the historic us—north korea summit, donald trump says he feels "very good" about the talks. it will be the first face—to—face meeting between him and kim jong—un. north korea says it's willing to discuss denuclearisation and a permanent and durable peace. the world's media are watching their every move... but can the two sides find enough common ground to strike a deal? welcome to singapore for our special coverage on the eve of the historic summit between us president, donald trump, and the leader of north korea, kimjong—un. both men are already here, preparing for the big day on tuesday. it will be the first time a sitting us president will meet a north korean leader. the white house hopes the meeting will begin a process that will lead to pyongyang giving up its nuclear weapons. kimjong—un, for his part, wants security guarantees, respect on the global stage and an end to international sanctions in order to build the economy. north korean state media is now reporting that the two leaders will discuss a way of creating permanent and durable peace, and de—nuclearization, on the korean peninsula. our correspondent, laura bicker has the latest: the waiting is over. the hard work starts now. donald trump has arrived in singapore to try to do a deal that has eluded past us presidents. he hopes his unconventional political style will persuade kimjong—un to disarm. i think within the first minute, i'll know. reporter: how? just my touch, my feel, that's what i do. the north korean leader doesn't look like he's feeling his way. considering this is his debut on the world's diplomatic stage, he looked calm and relaxed as he discussed his hopes for peace with the singaporean prime minister. he's taking no chances with security. his hand—picked bodyguards have flown with him, along with his bullet—proof limousine. thousands took the chance to catch a rare glimpse of this usually reclusive leader. if mr kim is trying to transition from nuclear armed dictator to global statesman, this summit is offering him the perfect platform. at this church in singapore, south koreans pray for the possibilities this may offer. and tears for the years of war the peninsula endured. some have criticised south koreans for being overly optimistic about this meeting. but after a year of brinkmanship, most see the summit itself as progress. translation: there's a korean saying that the first spoonful of food will not make you full. i know the summit will be the first step to much bigger changes, so even if the results aren't significant, i'll be thankful. while every detail is being dealt with on the island where they'll meet, no—one is really sure whether they'll be in this secluded spot for two minutes, two hours, or even two days. the hopes of nearly 70 million korean people lie here. it's their best chance of peace in decades, and it's fallen to an unpredictable us president and an untested north korean leader. perhaps the calm waters of this luxury resort will compel them to take tentative steps towards a deal. but rarely has there been a summit with higher steaks and greater uncertainty over its outcome. laura bicker, bbc news, singapore. we know the us president arrived last night he has had one night to rest. our correspondent mariko oi is outside the shangri—la hotel where president trump is staying in singapore. have you seen any movement so far or heard from the president? no. let me clarify that you can probably see the american and singapore flags behind me and i am outside the hotel but in case our viewers are wondering, this is not where he is staying. he is in a different wing with a presidential suite. we were there earlier this morning but we we re there earlier this morning but we were told to move as the hour went by because of security concerns. the police officers told us that we don't know what time president trump will make a move and they wanted to make sure that no—one was in the area. no. we have not heard a lot from president trump. we believe that the hotel was chosen because it has experiences in accommodating many global leaders including two former us presidents. this is also where many other historic summits have taken place including the meeting between the chinese president and the then taiwanese leader. a few weeks ago you were here for all the defence ministers gathering at the shangri—la summit. the hotel definitely has experience with dealing with security and vip guests. we have had not a single scoop from them. doing much about the president's schedule for the rest of today? tomorrow was when the talks will happen. indeed. there have been many questions and speculations as to what president trump and kimjong—un are doing because that summit is on tuesday. we know that officials from the us and north korea are meeting in about one hours time to come up with some kind of agreement that maybe they can present to those leaders. maybe tomorrow but all the details are quite unknown. as for president trump, he will meet the singaporean prime minister who met with kim jong—un yesterday. we don't know what time that will happen. the bilateral meeting between the singaporean prime minister and the north korean leader was streamed live on the prime minister ‘s page yesterday. thank you so much for that, in front of the shangri—la hotel where president trump and his delegation are staying and you will keep us up—to—date with any movement through the day. with me is k shanmugam, singapore's minister for home affairs. he has been quite busy preparing for this summitand he has been quite busy preparing for this summit and particularly his security. thank you for taking time from your very busy week preparing for this. much investment has gone into this. we know that the summit was on again and then off again and then you will have a relatively short span of time to prepare for it. can you tell us about the scale of the parent was that singapore has in terms of security? —— scale of preparedness. this is one of the highest security threats that people have faced. the logistics of it, they staying in two different places and meeting in a third, there are so many security requirements to meet within two weeks. it normally takes months to prepare for this but we mobilise thousands of security personality and —— personnel and police. we also have the army assisting so they are quietly confident. many people are saying out there that if any country could pull this together, any city could pull this together, any city could pull this together, it would be singapore. i am told you have already had to turn away some potential suspects. how safe are we likely to be over the next few days? my likely to be over the next few days? my people are quietly confident. in this business you never say never. it is not just this business you never say never. it is notjust people attacking the meeting all the individuals or the delegations, it is an opportunity when the world ‘s eyes are turned on singapore for extremist others to create an incident in other locations. so security people and police have had to think about a variety of possible situations. we heard from the singaporean prime minister who said this cost the country about $20 million to host this event. half of that going into security and logistics. he says it isa security and logistics. he says it is a price that singapore is happy to pay. is at a price they are willing to pay and where is the other half going? i look at it like. firstly, if something... we don't determine the outcome. we just provide a platform. but if something positive emerges, even the reduction of tension, it is good for everyone. i also made the point that we are at 20 minutes missile time and seven—hour flight time. our external trade is four times when internal trade. it is in our interest to not have tension. singaporeans, by and large are proud that we are creating, providing the platform for peace. i am singaporean but i have heard from various other singaporeans over the last few weeks that have been balking at the idea that have been balking at the idea that singaporean taxpayers will need to pay for kim jong—un and his delegation. this is a man known as a human rights violator who has pursued his nuclear weapons regime in spite of his people. howdy you address their concerns. you will have a variety of viewpoints. my belief is that the majority of singaporeans are proud and happy that they are doing it some for commercial reasons. they know the value of branding. many for what i suggest as reasons relating to the reduction of tension, peace and stability. 0thers reduction of tension, peace and stability. others will say why should we pay to provide a platform for either donald trump or kim jong—un mrmark for either donald trump or kim jong—un mr mark both are different viewpoints. the government needs to decide what is the right thing to do andi decide what is the right thing to do and i believe the majority of singaporeans believe that this is the right thing to do. thank you so much for making time for us this week. ‘s it is a hot day, as eve ryo ne week. ‘s it is a hot day, as everyone here can see. we have another guestjoining us everyone here can see. we have another guest joining us now. patrick mceachern is a council on foreign relations international affairs fellow in residence at the wilson centre. he has held a number of senior us government posts injapan and south korea. hejoins me now from washington. presumably it is a lot cooler there in washington. it is interesting because your background is really looking into security as well. really around some of the concerns about cyber hacking and other issues that north korea has been involved in over the last few years. you said that kim jong—un has in over the last few years. you said that kimjong—un has had a variety of roles, a long career including intelligence roles within the north korean apparatus. tell us about that and how that may play into some of these talks that we are closely watching. the person who came to washington, the north korean envoy, ahead of the summit had a variety of senior intelligence roles and had beenin senior intelligence roles and had been in government for a long time. that kim jong—un has been in government for a long time. that kimjong—un has his position, the nature of his position as the son and grandson of the countries previously the and founder. is legitimacy and basis as leader comes from his bloodline rather than expertise and of these talks tomorrow, there is still so much mystery over what will be set between trump and kim jong—un. mystery is brought on by the fact that the us intelligence parrot is looking into north korea to find out what is happening their cashback intelligence apparatus —— intelligence apparatus —— intelligence apparatus —— intelligence apparatus looking into north korea finds nothing but a black hole of information.” north korea finds nothing but a black hole of information. i think we can sketch out the broad para meters we can sketch out the broad parameters of this meeting we will see tomorrow with a degree of confidence. the us has made clear that president trump is coming in and looking for a deal on the nuclear issue. in contrast, the north korean ‘s are coming in wanting economic pressure relief as well as an advancement of the peace regime, the peace treaty, that may adjust the nature of the us military footprint in south korea. each side has something they want from the other and that is a broad context to begina other and that is a broad context to begin a diplomatic process to narrow some of these differences. in terms of these talks tomorrow, in your eyes what would be seen as a successful outcome? there has been a tremendous amount of hype around the summit. understandably so. it is historic. the first time that the us and the north korean leader have met. the best outcome from this meeting would be a boring one, really. an agreement for the two sides to meet again. usually went to leaders get together and the only thing they can agree on is to meet again it is a sign that the talks have broken down and they failed to reach agreement. in this case it is the beginning of a process. a different sort of scenario. chairman kim and president trump are trying to start off a diplomatic process where they can sketch the broad para meters where they can sketch the broad parameters of what they want their subordinates to pursue and then they can move forward with that. it is important for our viewers to remember that the last few nuclear agreement with the north korean have fallen apart on highly technocratic issues. the 2012 issue —— agreement fell apart over the definition of the word missile and the six party talks negotiated for five years ultimately failed in 2008 over the question of whether the us could collect soil samples. these are things we cannot expect the two leaders to be expert on. it really will be a success if there are experts can get in the same room with the support of their top leader to move forward. thank thank you so much for your insight and forjoining us. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: what does north korea want from the summit and what is it prepared to give in return? we'll take a look at what might be on the table in tuesday's talks. the day the british liberated the falklands, and by tonight, british troops had begun the task of disarming the enemy. in the heart of the west german capital, this was gorby—mania at its height. the crowd packed to see the man who, for them, has raised great hopes for an end for the division of europe. michaeljackson was not guilty on all charges, the screams of the crowd testament to his popularity and their faith in his innocence. as long as they'll pay to go see me, i'll get out there and kick 'em down the hill. what does it feel like to be the first man to go across the channel by your own power? it's pretty neat. feels marvellous, really. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: 0n the eve of the historic us—north korea summit, donald trump says he feels "very good" about the talks. both he and kim jong—un are in singapore. north korea says the summit will discuss de—nuclearisation, and a permanent and durable peace. we will be giving you live coverage of this summit which kicks off on tuesday, tomorrow. today, it is monday. both leaders are here in singapore. to get some analysis, we have a guest. daniel pinkston is an international relations lecturer at troy university. he's in seoul. you are a bit of an expert on this, having watched the north korean regime for quite a while. do we have any idea at all what will transpire at these talks tomorrow? thank you for having me. i think i have to agree with much of what your previous guest said, a good friend of mine, patrick, a great analyst. this will be the beginning of a process. right now, at the working levels, i am sure in rooms and talks in the past few weeks, the two sides are trying to hash out the details ofan are trying to hash out the details of an agreement. the north koreans wa nt of an agreement. the north koreans want some kind of peace regime both with the north and south, broader than simple denuclearisation. the us is concerned about the nuclear programme. the us wants to see the denuclearisation of north korea. if they can reach a broad agreement, and that would begin a process with the working level bureaucrats working out the details, of course. we know that north korea, as eve ryo ne we know that north korea, as everyone knows, they are a reclusive authoritarian regime, is there any negotiating with them? we always have to try to negotiate. that is what we pay diplomats to do. in some space, interests will converge. we can agree on something that we a lwa ys can agree on something that we always have to test where we can co—operate. and of course if we cannot, we have to look at that reality as well and come up with an appropriate policy response. i am very sceptical myself of the denuclearisation of north korea. i think it will be be a very long process. a necessary condition would be some kind of revolutionary change in north korea whereby they change their worldview, the world perception, ideology, and their interactions with the rest of the world. they need to think there are other pathways to stability other than nuclear weapons. we are not there yet, and we have to explore other opportunities. thank you very much. speaking from seoul. you all appear to know each other, because daniel knows our next guest as well. with me is professor robert kelly from pusan national university of south korea. he has beenjoining us on all of our coverage in the past few hours. daniiljust told coverage in the past few hours. daniil just told us coverage in the past few hours. daniiljust told us that no one knows about what will be on the table tomorrow. —— daniel. no one can guess what will be talked about. donald trump famously said he can summer bay person in five second. this could go very right or go wrong. —— this could go very right or go wrong. “ sum up a person this could go very right or go wrong. —— sum up a person in five seconds. the president admitted he has not prepared. it is wide open. will there be a breakthrough, will he give something away? we do not know. the expert committee, and my friends, they feel they should have been more time to put this together. it isa been more time to put this together. it is a good idea to have a summit but it was very rushed and i think we are going too fast. there are certainly issues around denuclearisation and they are not easy to resolve, as we have seen in past talks. they have always collapsed or failed after north korea claimed they would abide by whatever rules they agreed to. what is the best scenario you see coming out of this? that they establish some kind of friendship or bond or something like that which leads to further talks on the future. donald trump said the other day this is his one and only chance. i worry about that kind of language that we can go back to one year ago, six months ago. there is no reason it has to go well. they might meet and say they do not like each other. if this goes well, we can have the staff work to narrow the difference 22. donald trump can get the ball rolling today, but he cannot bridge the gap. —— between the two. today, but he cannot bridge the gap. -- between the two. a few weeks ago, we know that the americans were asking for irreversible, verifiable, permanent denuclearisation. they have now stepped back from that somewhat. what is really the best we can expect, and there has also been talk about a formal end to the korean war. is that on the cards? president moonjae—in is not here, for example. south korea is a major player. there could be some kind of shadow statement which says we are working towards that, it is on the cards, or something. but working towards that, it is on the cards, orsomething. but it working towards that, it is on the cards, or something. but it was thrown together so quickly it is not clear they can actually do that. we will probably get a solid statement of principle towards peace, which we got in the interim a few weeks ago. perhaps a commitment to meeting again in the future. it is just happening so fast major denuclearisation deals would be so ha rd to denuclearisation deals would be so hard to do. you have a view of how south koreans feel about this. the rest of the region, of course, is concerned, and watching this closely, not just south concerned, and watching this closely, notjust south korea, japan, china as well, and the fact china is absent this time around, what does that say? the chinese are a silent partner in this. they want to see this happen. they want north korea to not have nuclear weapons, or have them under control. the chinese do not like north korean provocations and human trafficking and things like that. they want north korea to survive but they do not want them to be so erratic and awful, to be honest. the chinese wa nt awful, to be honest. the chinese want this to happen. that is why they have not said much. they are pushing himjohn they have not said much. they are pushing him john unaided they have not said much. they are pushing himjohn unaided a bit to do this, but they are hoping this is the breakthrough the president himself has argued for. 0k. -- kim jong—un to do this. we have seen a different kim jong—un in jong—un to do this. we have seen a different kimjong—un in recent weeks, someone vastly changed from the diabolical leader portrayed by the diabolical leader portrayed by the west. how will he come across tomorrow? mature. he put that on a few weeks ago. the south korean public love that, and even said he was lovable. i think you will be the same. and that is all for us in singapore. we will give you ongoing special coverage of this summit throughout the day. headlines are coming up next. i am sharanjit leyl in singapore. goodbye for now. hello there. on sunday we saw heavy thunderstorms and showers across northern england into south—east scotland, but the majority of the country was warm, dry and sunny, which led to a lovely day for many. some glorious sunday evening sunsets. we start monday morning off on a fine and dry note. we've lost the overnight showers and storms across northern areas, but we're ready to do it all again. plenty of sunny spells as those temperatures rise. that could set off a few heavy showers and thunderstorms, namely a high—grade feature. through monday morning there will be plenty of sunshine. a bit of cloud in central and eastern scotland, showers developing here but the heaviest will be over the pennines and maybe into the high ground of wales in the south—west of england. elsewhere, dry again, top temperatures 2a or 25 degrees. a bit cooler across the north—eastern coasts. we have a ridge of high pressure across the country for tuesday. a bit of a northerly breeze as well, so that will take the edge off the temperatures somewhat across the eastern side of the country. you will notice that breeze, especially close to the coast. a bit more cloud around. across the board it will feel a bit fresher on tuesday, with some sunshine breaking out here and there. high temperatures generally in the upper teens, celsius, with a top temperature of around 20 degrees. so, we move out of tuesday into wednesday. this is where we start to see the changes. this area of low pressure is pushing into the north—west corner of the country later on in the day. for most of wednesday, another fine and dry one. some good spells of sunshine around. the odd shower may develop over the high ground, especially across wales. a dry and warm afternoon, warmer than tuesday. temperatures bouncing back up into the mid—20s celsius across central and southern areas. across western, central and southern scotland, more persistent cloud and rain pushing in, which will hurtle across the country wednesday night and into thursday. a deep area of low pressure, something we have not seen for a long while. that leaks into the north of the uk and we're likely to see gale force winds, 50 or 60 mile an hour gusts of wind. tending to weaken as it reaches south—eastern parts of england. elsewhere, good news for gardeners and growers. in the afternoon, sunshine and showers. these will be blustery across northern areas, where it will feel fresher. we could make 20 or 21 across the south—east, given some brightness, after the rain clears. the main message for the week ahead is that we will see changes. it starts out warm and dry but turns unsettled with a spell of wet and windy weather moving through and also turning fresher for all of us. this is bbc world news, the headlines: us president donald trump and north korean leader kimjong—un are in singapore ahead of tuesday's historic summit. the white house says it hopes the meeting will begin a process that will lead to pyongyang giving up its nuclear weapons. mr trump says he has a good feeling about the talks. it will be the first face—to—face meeting between him and kim jong—un. north korean state media says the summit will discuss a permanent and durable peace and denuclearisation on the korean peninsula. the fall—out from president trump's decision to withdraw his support from a g7 communique is continuing, with the german chancellor, angela merkel, describing it as sobering and depressing. mr trump's advisers said the president believed he'd been stabbed in the back by the canadian prime minister, justin trudeau. now on bbc news it's time to look back at the week in parliament. <div class="tv-ttl"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news">BBC News</a><div>BBC News June 11, 2018 2:00am-2:31am BST</div></div> Twenty four hours a day - the latest national and international stories as they break. Also in HD. [S] Us 18, North Korea 18, Singapore 17, Kim Jong 12, Donald Trump 10, North Korean 9, Trump 9, Singaporean 5, Bbc News 5, South Korea 4, Shangri 3, England 3, Scotland 3, Korean 3, Washington 3, White House 2, Sharanjit Leyl 2, Laura Bicker 2, Daniiljust 2, Daniel 2 Uploaded by TV Archive on June 11, 2018

Pandya dynasty (Redirected from Pandyan Empire) "Pandya" redirects here. For the surname, see Pande. The Pandya dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, one of the three Tamil dynasties, the other two being the Chola and the Chera.[5] The kings of the three dynasties were referred to as the Three Crowned Kings of Tamilakam.[6] Pandya Empire 300 BCE–1650 CE Extent of the Pandya Territories c. 1250 CE Madurai (3rd century BCE – 1345 CE) Korkai (ancient second capital)[1] Tenkasi (1345 – 1630 CE, part of Tirunelveli. Medieval second capital)[2] Tamil, Sanskrit [3][4] Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism • 560–590 CE Kadungon • 1309–1345 CE Vira Pandyan IV Jatavarman Parakrama Pandyan Historical era Iron Age to Renaissance • Established • Disestablished Preceded by Succeeded by Kalabhra dynasty Chola dynasty Delhi Sultanate Madurai Nayak dynasty Jaffna kingdom Sambuvaraya Today part of The Early Pandyas ruled parts of Southern India from at least 4th century BCE. Pandya rule ended in the first half of the 16th century CE.[7] They initially ruled their country Pandya Nadu from Korkai, a seaport on the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in later times moved to Madurai. Pandyas had diplomatic relations as far as Rome.[8] The country of the Pandyas was described as Pandaie by Megasthenes, Pandi Mandala in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea and described as Pandya Mediterranea and Modura Regia Pandionis by Ptolemy.[9][10] The Pandya empire was home to temples including Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, and Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli. Jainism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism flourished during the reign of the early Pandya kings, but after the revival of the Pandya power by Kadungon, the Shaivite Nayanars and the Vaishnavite Alvars rose to prominence and the non-Hindu sects declined.[11] Strabo states that an Indian king called Pandion sent Augustus Caesar "presents and gifts of honour".[12] Traditionally, the legendary Sangams were held in Madurai under their patronage, and some of the Pandya Kings were poets themselves. The early Pandya Dynasty of the Sangam Literature faded into obscurity upon the invasion of the Kalabhras. The dynasty revived under Kadungon in the early 6th century, pushed the Kalabhras out of the Tamil country and ruled from Madurai.[13][14] They again went into decline with the rise of the Cholas in the 9th century and were in constant conflict with them. The Pandyas allied themselves with the Sinhalese and the Cheras in harassing the Chola empire until they found an opportunity for reviving their fortunes during the late 13th century. The Later Pandyas (1216–1345) entered their golden age under Maravarman Sundara Pandyan and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (c. 1251), who expanded the empire into Telugu country, conquered Kalinga (Orissa) and invaded and conquered Sri Lanka. They also had extensive trade links with the Southeast Asian maritime empires of Srivijaya and their successors. The Pandyas excelled in both trade and literature. They controlled the pearl fisheries along the South Indian coast between Sri Lanka and India which produced some of the finest pearls in the known ancient world. During their history, the Pandyas were repeatedly in conflict with the Pallavas, Cholas, Hoysalas and finally the Muslim invaders from the Delhi Sultanate. The Islamic invasion led to the end of Pandya supremacy in South India and in 1323, the Jaffna Kingdom of Sri Lanka declared its independence from the crumbling Pandya Empire.[15][16] The Pandyas lost their capital city Madurai to Madurai Sultanate in 1335. However, they shifted their capital to Tenkasi and continued to rule the Tirulnelveli, Tuticorin, Ramanad, Sivagangai regions. Meanwhile, Madurai sultanate was replaced by Nayaka governors of Vijayanagara in 1378. In 1529 Nayaka governors declared independence and established Madurai Nayak dynasty. The word Pandya is thought to be derived from the Tamil word "Pandu" meaning "old".[17] Robert Caldwell derives the word Pandya from Pāṇḍu, the father of the Pandavas from Mahabharata, and believed that the name was intended to establish a claim of descent from the Pandavas.[18] Another theory suggests that in Sangam Tamil lexicon the word Pandya means old country in contrast with Chola meaning new country, Chera meaning hill country and Pallava meaning branch in Sanskrit. The Chera, Chola and Pandya are the traditional Dravidian siblings and together with the Pallavas are the major Kings that ruled ancient Tamilakam. Historians have used several sources to identify the origins of the early Pandya dynasty with the pre-Christian Era and also to piece together the names of the Pandya kings. The Pandyas were one of the longest ruling dynasty of Indian history.[19] Historian Gustav Solomon Oppert derives the Pandi word from the Tamil word "Pallandi " meaning "king of Pallas". The name "Pandi' is a contraction of Pallandi which is a composite of two Tamil words "palla" and "andi". In Sangam Period, the word "andi" means " king" or "ruler ".[20] MythologyEdit According to Tamil legends, the three brothers Cheran, Cholan and Pandyan ruled in common at Korkai. While Pandya remained at home, his two brothers Cheran and Cholan after a separation founded their own kingdoms in north and west.[21] According to the Epic Mahabharatha the legendary Malayadhwaja Pandya, who sided with the Pandavas and took part in the Kurukshetra War of the Mahabharata, is described as follows in Karna Parva (verse 20.25):[22][23] "Although knowing that the shafts (arrows) of the high souled son of Drona employed in shooting were really inexhaustible, yet Pandya, that bull among men, cut them all into pieces". Malayadhwaja Pandya and his queen Kanchanamala had one daughter Thataathagai alias Meenakshi who succeeded her father and reigned the kingdom successfully.[24] The Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple was built after her. The city of Madurai was built around this temple.[25][26] Local folklore attributes Alli Raani as one of the Sangam age queens of the Pandya kingdom. She is attributed as a amazonian queen whose servants were males and administrative officials and army were women.[27] She is thought of ruling the whole western and northern coast of Sri Lanka from her capital Kudiramalai, where remains of what is thought of as her fort are found.[28] She is sometimes seen as an incarnation of the Pandya associated deities, Meenakshi and Kannagi.[29] SourcesEdit Main article: Early Pandyan Kingdom Mangulam inscription Sangam literatureEdit Pandya kings find mention in a number of poems in the Sangam Literature. Among them Nedunjeliyan II, 'the victor of Talaiyalanganam', and Mudukudimi Peruvaludi 'of several sacrifices' deserve special mention. Beside several short poems found in the Akananuru and the Purananuru collections, there are two major works – Mathuraikkanci and the Netunalvatai (in the collection of Pattupattu) – which give a glimpse into the society and commercial activities in the Pandya kingdom during the Sangam age.[30][31] In the work Maduraikkanci, the author Mankudi Maruthanaar, refers to his patron, king Nedunchezhiyan, as the lord of Korkai and the warlord of the southern Parathavar.[32] Silappatikaram mentions that the emblem of the Pandyas was that of a fish.[33] The Pandyas assumed several titles, one of them being Meenavan meaning "He of the Fish".[34] This seems to indicate a fishermen origin of the Pandyas.[35] Four-armed Vishnu, Pandya Dynasty, 8th–9th century CE. EpigraphyEdit The earliest Pandya king to be found in epigraph is Nedunjeliyan, figuring in the Tamil-Brahmi Mangulam inscription assigned from the 2nd to the 1st centuries BCE.The record documents a gift of rock-cut beds, to a Jain ascetic.[36] Silver Punch-marked coins with the fish symbol in the Pandya country dating from around the same time have also been found.[37] Pandyas are also mentioned in the Pillars of Ashoka (inscribed 273 – 232 BCE). In his inscriptions Ashoka refers to the peoples of south India – the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas and Satiyaputras – as recipients of his Buddhist proselytism.[38][39] These kingdoms, although not part of the Mauryan Empire, were on friendly terms with Ashoka: The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred yojanas (5,400–9,600 km) away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as far as Tamraparni river.[40] Kharavela, the Kalinga king who ruled during the 2nd century BCE, in his Hathigumpha inscription, claims to have destroyed a confederacy of Tamil states (Tamiradesasanghatam) which had lasted 132 years, and to have acquired a large quantity of pearls from the Pandyas.[39] Foreign sourcesEdit Muziris, as shown in the Tabula Peutingeriana, with a "Templum Augusti". Pandyas are also mentioned by Greek Megasthenes where he writes about southern kingdom being ruled by women.[41] Megasthenes knew of the Pandya kingdom around 300 BCE. He described it in Indika as occupying the portion of India which lies southward and extends to the sea. According to his account, it had 365 villages, each of which was expected to meet the needs of the royal household for one day in the year. He described the Pandya queen at the time, Pandaia as a daughter of Heracles.[42][43] The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 60 – c. 100 CE) describes the riches of a 'Pandian Kingdom': ...Nelcynda is distant from Muziris by river and sea about five hundred stadia, and is of another Kingdom, the Pandian. This place also is situated on a river, about one hundred and twenty stadia from the sea.... [44] The Chinese historian Yu Huan in his 3rd-century text, the Weilüe, mentions the Panyue kingdom: ...The kingdom of Panyue is also called Hanyuewang. It is several thousand li to the southeast of Tianzhu (Northern India)...The inhabitants are small; they are the same height as the Chinese.... John E. Hill identified Panyue as Pandya kingdom.[45] However, others have identified it with an ancient state located in modern Burma[46] or Assam.[47] The Roman emperor Julian received an embassy from a Pandya about 361. A Roman trading centre was located on the Pandya coast at the mouth of the Vaigai river, southeast of Madurai. Pandyas also had trade contacts with Ptolemaic Egypt and, through Egypt, with Rome by the 1st century, and with China by the 3rd century. The 1st-century Greek historian Nicolaus of Damascus met, at Antioch, the ambassador sent by a king from India "named Pandion or, according to others, Porus" to Caesar Augustus around 13 CE (Strabo XV.4 and 73).[48][49] The Chinese traveler Xuanzang mentions a kingdom further south from Kanchipuram, a kingdom named Malakutta, identified with Madurai described by his Buddhist friends at Kanchipuram.[50] In the later part of the 13th century Venetian traveller Marco Polo visited the Pandya kingdom and left a vivid description of the land and its people.[51][52] Polo exclaimed that: The darkest man is here the most highly esteemed and considered better than the others who are not so dark. Let me add that in very truth these people portray and depict their gods and their idols black and their devils white as snow. For they say that God and all the saints are black and the devils are all white. That is why they portray them as I have described.[53] Literary sourcesEdit Sculpture of Lord Rama Although there are many instances of the Pandyas being referred to in surviving ancient Hindu texts including the Mahabharata, we currently have no way of determining a cogent genealogy of these ancient kings. We have a connected history of the Pandyas from the fall of Kalabhras during the middle of the 6th century. Tamil literary sourcesEdit Several Tamil literary works, such as Iraiyanar Agapporul, mention the legend of three separate Tamil Sangams lasting several centuries before the Christian Era and ascribe their patronage to the Pandyas.[54] The Sangam poem Maduraikkanci by Mankudi Maruthanaar contains a full-length description of Madurai and the Pandya country under the rule of Neduncheliyan III.[55] The Nedunalvadai by Nakkirar contains a description of the king's palace. The Purananuru and Agananuru collections of the 3rd century BCE contain poems sung in praise of various Pandya kings and also poems that were composed by the kings themselves.[56] Sanskrit literary sourcesEdit The Sanskrit grammarian Kātyāyana mention in his commentaries on Pāṇini's Astadhyayi (4th century BCE) make references to the Pandya kingdom.[57] The Arthashastra compiled by Kautilya (4th century BCE) mentions pearls from Pandya Kingdom and cotton textiles from Madurai.[58] The Ramayana makes a few references to the Pandyas. For instance, when Sugriva sends his monkey warriors to search Sita, he mentions Chera, Chola and Pandya of the Southern region.[59] Kalidasa's Raghuvamsha, an epic poem about Rama's dynasty, states that Ravana signed a peace treaty with a Pandya king.[60] The Mahabharata mentions the Pandyas a number of times. It states that the Pandya country was located on the sea shore, and supplied troops to the Pandava king Yudhishthira during the war (5:19). The Pandya king Sarangadhwaja commanded 140,000 warriors (7.23). Pandya warrior Malayadhwaja had a one-to-one fight with Drona's son Ashwatthama (8:20). Mahabharata mentions that tirthas (sacred places) of Agastya, Varuna and Kumari were located in the Pandya country.[61] See also: Pandya Kingdom Early Pandyas (3rd century BCE – 3rd century CE)Edit The following is a partial list of Pandya emperors who ruled during the Sangam age:[62][63] Vettuvan Koil, Pandyan Empire, 8th century CE Koon Pandyan Nedunjeliyan I (Aariyap Padai Kadantha Nedunj Cheliyan) Pudappandyan Palyagasaalai Mudukudumi Peruvaludhi Nedunjeliyan II Nan Maran Nedunj Cheliyan III (Talaiyaalanganathu Seruvendra Nedunj Cheliyan) Maran Valudi Kadalan valuthi Musiri Mutriya Cheliyan Ukkirap Peruvaludi First Pandyan Empire (6th – 10th centuries CE)Edit Manikkavacakar, Minister of Pandya king Varagunavarman II (c. 862 – 885 CE) Jatavarman Veera Pandyan II's double fish carp black granite bas-relief of the Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee, reminiscent of the dynasty's coinage symbols found on the island from the pre-modern era, installed after defeating the usurper Chandrabhanu of Tambralinga. Pandya affairs in Northern Sri Lanka grew stronger following the intervention of Srimara Srivallabha in 815 CE[64] After the close of the Sangam age, the first Pandya empire was established by Kadungon in the 6th century by defeating the Kalabhras. The following chronological list of the Pandya emperors is based on an inscription found on the Vaigai riverbeds. Succeeding kings assumed the titles of "Maravarman" and "Sadayavarman" alternately, where Sadayavarman denotes themselves as followers of Lord Sadaiyan ("The one with Jata", referring to Siva).[65][66] After the defeat of the Kalabhras, the Pandya kingdom grew steadily in power and territory. With the Cholas in obscurity, the Tamil country was divided between the Pallavas and the Pandyas, the river Kaveri being the frontier between them. After Vijayalaya Chola conquered Thanjavur by defeating the Muttarayar chieftains who were part of Pandya family tree around 850, the Pandyas went into a period of decline. They were constantly harassing their Chola overlords by occupying their territories. Parantaka I invaded the Pandya territories and defeated Rajasimha III. However, the Pandyas did not wholly submit to the Cholas despite loss of power, territory and prestige. They tried to forge various alliances with the Cheras and the Kings of Lanka and tried to engage the Cholas in war to free themselves from Chola supremacy. But right from the times of Parantaka I to the early 12th century up to the times of Kulottunga Chola I the Pandyas could not overpower the Cholas who right from 880–1215 remained the most powerful empire spread over South India, Deccan and the Eastern and Western Coast of India during this period.[67][68] List of kings with dates as estimated by K. A. Nilakanta Sastri:[69] Kadungon (r. c. 590–620 CE) Maravarman Avani Sulamani (r. c. 620-645 CE) Jayantavarman alias Seliyan Sendan (r. c. 645–670 CE) Arikesari Maravarman (r. c. 670–700 CE) Kochadaiyan Ranadhiran (r. c. 700–730 CE) Maravarman Rajasimha I (r. c. 735–765 CE) Jatila Parantaka Nedunjadayan (r. c. 765–815 CE) Maravarman Rajasimha II (r. c. 815–817 CE) Varaguna I (r. c. 817–835 CE) Srimara Srivallabha (r. c. 815–862 CE) Varaguna II (r. c. 862–885 CE) Parantaka Viranarayanan (r. c. 880–905 CE) Maravarman Rajasimha III (r. c. 905–920 CE) Kalugumalai Jain Beds, Pandya Empire, King Parantaka Nedunjadaiya (768–800 CE) Under Chola Influence (10th – 13th centuries)Edit The Chola domination of the Tamil country began in earnest during the reign of Parantaka Chola II. Chola armies led by Aditya Karikala, son of Parantaka Chola II defeated Vira Pandya in battle. The Pandyas were assisted by the Sinhalese forces of Mahinda IV. Pandyas were driven out of their territories and had to seek refuge on the island of Sri Lanka. This was the start of the long exile of the Pandyas. They were replaced by a series of Chola viceroys with the title Chola Pandya who ruled from Madurai from c. 1020 CE. Rajadhiraja III aided Kulesekhara Pandya III by defeating the Sinhalese army and crowning him as king of Madurai.[70] The "Chola yoke" started from about 920 and lasted until the start of the 13th century.[71] The following list gives the names of the Pandya kings who were active during the 10th century and the first half of 11th century. Sundara Pandya I Vira Pandya I Vira Pandya II Amarabhujanga Tivrakopa Jatavarman Sundara Chola Pandya Maravarman Vikrama Chola Pandya Maravarman Parakrama Chola Pandya Jatavarman Chola Pandya Seervallabha Manakulachala (1101–1124 CE) Maaravarman Seervallaban (1132–1161 CE) Parakrama Pandyan I (1161–1162 CE) Kulasekara Pandyan III Vira Pandyan III Jatavarman Srivallaban (1175–1180 CE) Jatavarman Kulasekaran I (1190–1216 CE)[71] A Pandya Style[citation needed] sculpture Second Pandya Empire (13th and 14th centuries)Edit The 13th century is the greatest period in the history of the Pandya Empire. This period saw the rise of seven prime Lord Emperors (Ellarkku Nayanar – Lord of All) of Pandya, who ruled the kingdom alongside Pandya princes. Their power reached its zenith under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan in the middle of the 13th century. The foundation for such a great empire was laid by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan early in the 13th century.[72][73] Parakrama Pandyan II (king of Polonnaruwa) (1212–1215 CE) Maravarman Sundara Pandyan(1216–1238 CE) Sundaravarman Kulasekaran II (1238–1240 CE) Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II (1238–1251 CE) Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251–1268 CE) Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I (1268–1310 CE) Sundara Pandyan IV (1309–1327 CE) Vira Pandyan IV (1309–1345 CE) The Pandya kingdom was replaced by the Chola princes who assumed the title as Chola Pandyas in the 11th century.[74] After being overshadowed by the Pallavas and Cholas for centuries, Pandya glory was briefly revived by the much celebrated Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I in 1251 CE.[75] Pandya power extended from the Telugu countries on banks of the Godavari river to Sri Lanka, which was invaded by Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I in 1258 and on his behalf by his younger brother Jatavarman Vira Pandyan II from 1262 to 1264.[76] They ruled the whole peninsula and reduced the power of the Cholas and the Hoysala, also making Chera Nadu and Sri Lanka Pandya provinces.[77] Later Jatavarman Sundara Pandya appointed his brother to rule Kongu country, Chola country and Hoysala country.[78] The marital alliance of Kulothunga Chola III and one of his successors, Rajaraja Chola III, with the Hoysalas did not yield any advantage in countering the Pandya resurgence, who got defeated by Maravarman Sundara Pandya I, who after the victory burnt down Uraiyur and Thanjavur.[79] The Cholas renewed their control with the help of the Hoysalas under Hoysala king Vira Someshwara.[80] The later successor of Maravarman Sundara Pandya I, Maravarman Sundara Pandyan II got defeated by Rajendra Chola III around 1250.[79] Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I subdued Rajendra Chola III around 1258–1260 AD and was an equal antagonist of the Hoysalas whose presence he absolutely disliked in the Tamil country.[79] He first vanquished the Kadava Pallavas under Kopperunchinga II, who had challenged the Hoysala army stationed in and around Kanchipuram and killed a few of their commanders.[81] Pandya power in South India Around 1260, Jatavarman I first dragged the Hoysalas into war by routing Vira Someshwara's son Ramanatha out of Tiruchirappalli. Vira Someshwara Hoysala, who had given the control of the empire to his sons tried to challenge Jatavarman. Between Samayapuram and Tiruchy, the armies of Vira Someshwara were routed with Vira Someshwara losing his life in this battle to Jatavarman Sundara Pandya I in Kannanur.[75][82] Jatavarman I next concentrated on completely wiping out the Chola empire. Rajendra Chola III had been counting on Hoysala assistance in case he was challenged by the Pandyas, keeping in mind the earlier marital alliance of the Cholas with the Hoysalas. Initially, Jatavarman consolidated the Pandya hold on Tiruchirappalli and Thiruvarangam and marched towards Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.[83] The Hoysala king Narasimha III joined hands with the Pandyas, opposing alliance with the Cholas.[80] When challenged by Jatavarman Sundara Pandya, Rajendra III marched against the Pandyas between Tanjore and Tiruchy, hoping for assistance and participation in war from the Hoysalas. However, the already vanquished Hoysalas were in a defensive position. They did not want to go to war and risk yet another defeat by the resurgent Pandyas. Jatavarman Sundara Pandya who defeated the Kadava Pallavas, Hoysalas and also the Telugu Choda, forced Rajendra III to become his tributary vassal.[84] Jatavarman Sundara Pandiyan invaded Sri Lanka in 1258 and took control over Jaffna Kingdom by defeating the Javaka king Chandrabhanu, making the Javaka king paying tribute to him.[85] Chandrabhanu and two Sinhalese princes revolted against the Pandyas in 1270, and got his final defeat in 1270 by the brother of Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I, Jatavarman Vira Pandya II.[86] Around 1279 the combined force of Hoysala Ramanatha and Rajendra Chola III was defeated by Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I, giving an ultimate end to the Chola dynasty.[87] Pandya Civil War (1308 to 1311 CE)Edit After the death of the king Maravarman Kulashekhara, his sons Vira and Sundara fought a war of succession for control of the kingdom. Kulasekhara had two sons Sundara Pandya, the legitimate heir, and Vira Pandya, an illegitimate son who was nominated to the throne by their father. So, Sundara Pandya killed his father and then ascended the throne but this victory lasted only for a short time as Vira Pandya soon defeated his brother and occupied the throne in 1310 AD.[88] This caused Sundara Pandya to take refuge with the Delhi Sultanate and the former wasted no time and invited Malik Kafur, the eunuch general of Allaudin Khilji to come to his aid.[89] Taking advantage of this situation, the neighbouring Hoysala king Ballala III invaded the Pandya territory. However, Ballala had to retreat to his capital, when Malik Kafur invaded his kingdom at the same time.[90] After subjugating Ballala, Malik Kafur marched to the Pandya territory in March 1311.[91] His army raided a number of places in the kingdom, massacring people and destroying temples. The Pandya brothers fled their headquarters, and Kafur pursued them unsuccessfully, hoping to make one of them a tributary to the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khalji. Nevertheless, the invaders obtained a large number of treasures, elephants and horses.[92][93] According to the 14th century Sanskrit treatise Lilatilakam, a general named Vikrama Pandya defeated the Delhi King. Some historians have identified Vikrama as an uncle of Vira and Sundara, and believe that he defeated Malik Kafur. However, this identification is not supported by historical evidence: Vikrama Pandya mentioned in Leelathilakam appears to have defeated a Muslim army during 1365–70.[94] By late April 1311, the rains had obstructed the operations of the Delhi forces, and the invading generals received the news that the defenders had assembled a large army against them.[95] Kafur gave up his plans to pursue the Pandya brothers, and returned to Delhi with the plunder.[96] After Kafur's departure, Vira and Sundara resumed their conflict. Sundara Pandya was defeated, and sought help from the Delhi Sultanate. With their help, he regained control of the South Arcot region by 1314.[95] An aerial view of Madurai city from atop the Meenakshi Amman temple Decline and fallEdit Subsequently, there were two other expeditions from the Khalji Sultanate in 1314 led by Khusro Khan (later Sultan Nasir-ud-din) and in 1323 by Ulugh Khan (Muhammad bin Tughluq) under Sultan Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. These invasions shattered the Pandya empire beyond revival and coinage discoveries made imply that the Later Pandyas were left with the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu. While the previous invasions were content with plunder, Ulugh Khan annexed the former Pandya dominions to the Delhi Sultanate as the province of Ma'bar. Most of South India came under the Delhi's rule and was divided into five provinces – Devagiri, Tiling, Kampili, Dorasamudra and Ma'bar.[97] Jalaluddin Ahsan Khan was appointed governor of the newly created southern-most Ma'bar province of the Delhi Sultanate by Muhammad bin Tughluq. In 1333, Sayyid Jalaluddin Ahsan Khan declared his independence and created Madurai Sultanate, a short lived independent Muslim kingdom based in the city of Madurai. Hoysala king Veera Ballala III, from his capital in Tiruvannamalai, challenged the Madurai Sultans at Kannanur Kuppam near Srirangam and died fighting them in 1343.[98][99] Bukkaraya I of Vijayanagara Empire conquered the city of Madurai in 1371, imprisoned the Sultan, released and restored Arcot's Tamil prince Sambuva Raya to the throne.Then Koneri Raya succeeded the throne. Bukka I appointed his son Veera Kumara Kampana as the viceroy of the Tamil region. Later, Nayaka governors were appointed who would continue ruling till 1736.[100] ArchitectureEdit Further information: Pandyan art and architecture The Gopuram of Nellaiappar Temple Rock cut and structural temples are significant part of pandya architecture. The Vimana and mandapa are some of the features of the early Pandya temples.[101] Groups of small temples are seen at Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu. The Shiva temples have a Nandi bull sculpture in front of the maha mandapa.[102] In the later stages of Pandyas rule, finely sculptured idols, gopurams on the vimanas were developed. Gopurams are the rectangular entrance and portals of the temples.[103] Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai and Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli were built during the reign of the Pandyas.[104] CoinageEdit See also: Pandya coinage The early coins of Tamilakam bore the symbols of the Three Crowned Kings, the tiger, the fish and the bow, representing the symbols of the Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras.[105] Coins of Pandyas bear the legend of different Pandya ruler in different times. The Pandyas had One of the early coins of the Pandyas showing their emblem of the two fishes. issued silver punch-marked and die struck copper coins in the early period.[106] A few gold coins were attributed to the Pandya rulers of this period. These coins bore the image of fish, singly or in pairs, which where their emblem.[107] Some of the coins had the names Sundara, Sundara Pandya or merely the letter 'Su' were etched. Some of the coins bore a boar with the legend of 'Vira-Pandya.[108] It had been said that those coins were issued by the Pandyas and the feudatories of the Cholas but could not be attributed to any particular king. The coins of Pandyas were basically square. Those coins were etched with elephant on one side and the other side remained blank. The inscription on the silver and gold coins during the Pandyas, were in Tamil-Brahmi and the copper coins bore the Tamil legends.[109] The coins of the Pandyas, which bore the fish symbols, were termed as 'Kodandaraman' and 'Kanchi' Valangum Perumal'.[110] Apart from these, 'Ellamthalaiyanam' was seen on coins which had the standing king on one side and the fish on the other. 'Samarakolahalam' and 'Bhuvanekaviram' were found on the coins having a Garuda, 'Konerirayan' on coins having a bull and 'Kaliyugaraman' on coins that depict a pair of feet.[111] Government and SocietyEdit TradeEdit Temple between hill symbols and elephant coin of the Pandyas Sri Lanka 1st century CE. Roman and Greek traders frequented the ancient Tamil country, present day Southern India and Sri Lanka, securing trade with the seafaring Tamil states of the Pandya, Chola and Chera dynasties and establishing trading settlements which secured trade with South Asia by the Greco-Roman world since the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty[112] a few decades before the start of the Common Era and remained long after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.[113] As recorded by Strabo, Emperor Augustus of Rome received at Antioch an ambassador from a South Indian King called Pandya. The country of the Pandyas, Pandi Mandala, was described as Pandya Mediterranea in the Periplus and Modura Regia Pandya by Ptolemy.[114] They also outlasted Byzantium's loss of the ports of Egypt and the Red Sea[115] (c. 639–645) under the pressure of the Muslim conquests. Sometime after the sundering of communications between the Axum and Eastern Roman Empire in the 7th century, the Christian kingdom of Axum fell into a slow decline, fading into obscurity in western sources. It survived, despite pressure from Islamic forces, until the 11th century, when it was reconfigured in a dynastic squabble. Pearl fishingEdit Pearl fishing was another industry that flourished during the Sangam age. The Pandya port city of Korkai was the center of pearl trade. Written records from Greek and Egyptian voyagers give details about the pearl fisheries off the Pandya coast. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions that "Pearls inferior to the Indian sort are exported in great quantity from the marts of Apologas and Omana". The Silk Road map showing ancient trade routes. inferior variety of pearls that the Tamils did not require for their use was in very great demand in the foreign markets. Pearls were woven along with nice muslin cloth, before being exported. The most expensive animal product that was imported from India by the Roman Empire was the pearl from the Gulf of Mannar.[116] The pearls from the Pandyan Kingdom were also in demand in the kingdoms of north India. Several Vedic mantras refer to the wide use of the pearls. The royal chariots were decked with pearls, as were the horses that dragged them. The use of pearls was so high that the supply of pearls from the Ganges could not meet the demand.[117] Literary references of the pearl fishing mention how the fishermen, who dive into the sea, avoid attacks from sharks, bring up the right-whorled chank and blow on the sounding shell.[118] Convicts were according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea used as pearl divers in Korkai.[119] Megasthenes reported about the pearl fisheries of the Pandyas, indicating that the Pandyas derived great wealth from the pearl trade.[120] ReligionEdit Historical Madurai was a stronghold of Shaivism and Vaishnavite. Following the invasion of Kalabhras, Jainism gained a foothold in the Pandya kingdom. With the advent of Bhakti movements, Shaivism and Vaishnavism resurfaced. Pandya Nedumchadayan was a staunch Vaishnavite.[121] Pandyan Civil War (1169–1177) History of Tamil Nadu History of Kerala Economy of ancient Tamil country Industry in ancient Tamil country Tamilakam Tammuzh List of Tamil monarchs Indo-Roman relations Indo-Roman trade relations Indian maritime history ^ Arunachalam, S. (1952). The History of the Pearl Fishery of the Tamil Coast. Ananamalai University. p. 32. ^ Journal of Annamalai University: Humanities. Part A. Annamalai University. 1991. p. 17. ^ Aiyar, R. Swaminatha (1987). Dravidian Theories. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 265, 273. ISBN 9788120803312. ^ Singh, Upinder (2008). A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century. Pearson Education India. p. 46. ISBN 9788131711200. ^ Zvelebil, Kamil (1992). Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature. BRILL. p. 23. ISBN 9004093656. ^ Inc, Encyclopaedia Britannica (1 March 2009). Britannica Guide to India. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. p. 57. 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Studies in Indian history and culture: volume presented to Dr. P. B. Desai ... on the occasion of his completing sixty years. Prof. P. B. Desai Felicitation Committee, Karnatak University; [for copies write to the printer: K. E. B's Print. Press]. p. 125. ^ Rajan, K. V. Soundara (1 March 1998). Rock-cut temple styles: early Pandya art and the Ellora shrines. Somaiya Publications. p. 58. ISBN 9788170392187. ^ Allen, Margaret Prosser (1991). Ornament in Indian Architecture. University of Delaware Press. p. 350. ISBN 9780874133998. ^ Mansingh, Surjit (9 May 2006). Historical Dictionary of India. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 430. ISBN 9780810865020. ^ Sircar, Dineshchandra (1970). Early Indian indigenous coins. University of Calcutta. p. 98. ^ The Journal of the Numismatic Society of India. Numismatic Society of India. 2005. p. 67. ^ Savariroyan, Pandit D. (2004). Dravidian kingdoms and list of Pandiyan coins. Asian Educational Services. pp. 48–49. ISBN 9788120617520. ^ Shastri, Ajay Mitra; Kumar, Manmohan S. (1 January 1996). Numismatic Studies, Vol. Harman Publishing House. p. 46. ISBN 9788185151922. ^ Nākacāmi, Irāmaccantiran̲; Nagaswamy, R. (1981). Tamil Coins: A Study. Institute of Epigraphy, Tamilnadu State Department of Archaeology. p. 102. ^ Desikachari, T. (1991). South Indian Coins. Asian Educational Services. p. 164. ISBN 9788120601550. ^ Lindsay (2006) p. 101 ^ Curtin 1984: 100 ^ The cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia By Edward Balfour ^ Holl 2003: 9 ^ Venkata Subramanian 1988, p. 55. ^ Iyengar, P.T. Srinivasa (2001). History of the Tamils: From the Earliest Times to 600 AD. Asian Educational Services. p. 22. Retrieved 15 July 2007. ^ Caldwell, Robert (1881). A Political and General History of the District of Tinnevelly. p. 20. Retrieved 15 July 2005. ^ Subrahmanian, N.; Hikosaka, Shu; Samuel, G. John; Thiagarajan, P.; India), Institute of Asian Studies (Madras (1997). Tamil social history. Institute of Asian Studies. ^ Kulke and Rothermund, p99, p107 ^ Ridgeon, Lloyd V. J. (2003). Major World Religions: From Their Origins to the Present. Psychology Press. p. 23. ISBN 9780415297967. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pandyan Dynasty. Balambal, V. (1998). Studies in the History of the Sangam Age. Kalinga Publications. ISBN 978-81-85163-87-1. Carswell, John. 1991. "The Port of Mantai, Sri Lanka." RAI, pp. 197–203. Curtin, Philip D. (1984). Cross-Cultural Trade in World History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-26931-5. Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilüe 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation. Holl, Augustin (2003). Ethnoarchaeology of Shuwa-Arab Settlements. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-0407-1. Husaini, A.Q. (1972). History of The Pandya Country. Keay, John (2000) [2001]. India: A history. India: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-3797-0. Kulke, Hermann; Dietmar Rothermund (2004). A History of India (4 ed.). Lindsay, W S (2006). History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 0-543-94253-8. Nagasamy, R (1981). Tamil Coins – A study. Institute of Epigraphy, Tamil Nadu State Dept. of Archaeology. Purushottam, Vi. Pi. (1989). Cankakala Mannar Kalanilai Varalaru. Ray, Himanshu Prabha, ed. 1996. Tradition and Archaeology: Early Maritime Contacts in the Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the International Seminar Techno-Archaeological Perspectives of Seafaring in the Indian Ocean 4th cent. BC – 15th cent. AD New Delhi, 28 February – 4 March 1994. New Delhi, and Jean-François SALLES, Lyon. First published 1996. Reprinted 1998. Manohar Publishers & Distributors, New Delhi. Reddy, P. Krishna Mohan. 2001. "Maritime Trade of Early South India: New Archaeological Evidences from Motupalli, Andhra Pradesh." East and West Vol. 51 – Nos. 1–2 (June 2001), pp. 143–156. Tripathi, Rama Sankar (1967). History of Ancient India. India: Motilal Banarsidass Publications. ISBN 81-208-0018-4. Sastri, K. A. Nilakanta. The Pandyan Kingdom: From the Earliest Times to the Sixteenth Century. Shaffer, Lynda (1996). Maritime Southeast Asia to 1500 (Sources and Studies in World History). Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 1-56324-144-7. N. Subrahmanian (1962). History of Tamilnad (To A. D. 1336). Madurai: Koodal. OCLC 43502446. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Venkata Subramanian, T. K. (1988). Environment and Urbanisation in Early Tamilakam. Issue 92 of Tamil_p Palkalaik Kal_aka ve?iyi?u. Tamil University. p. 55. ISBN 978-81-7090-110-5. Banarsi Prasad Saksena (1992). "The Khaljis: Alauddin Khalji". In Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami (ed.). A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206–1526). 5 (Second ed.). The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House. OCLC 31870180. K.K.R. Nair (1987). "Venad: Its Early History". Journal of Kerala Studies. University of Kerala. 14 (1): 1–34. ISSN 0377-0443. Kishori Saran Lal (1950). History of the Khaljis (1290–1320). Allahabad: The Indian Press. OCLC 685167335. Peter Jackson (2003). The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-54329-3. Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pandya_dynasty&oldid=906705994"

Industry Research integrity WHO cures cancer in Photoshop? The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a cancer research unit in France, IARC. Some papers from there contain impressive manipulations. The works of art are authored by Massimo Tommasino and his former junior colleague there Uzma Hasan, now tenured group leader at INSERM. Some of this research took place at the Schering-Plough Research Institute which was taken over by German pharma giant Merck. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently included Traditional Chinese Medicine into its global medical compendium, thus recognising that dried and powdered bits of rare and endangered animals can cure all possible ailments and diseases. But of course Modern Medicine remains valid also, and in fact the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), with its seat in Lyon, France, uses modern technologies to find new cancer therapies. One such digital technology, applied very efficiently all very the world, is based on Photoshop, where images of western blots and other research data get artistically modified to facilitate the publishability of the postulated cancer therapy ideas in respected peer reviewed research journals. It does not really help cancer patients, but the beneficial effect on the academic and industry careers of such scientists is extremely significant and has been extensively validated and reproduced over the years. The cancer researchers at WHO whose papers contain such impressive manipulations, are Massimo Tommasino, head of Infections and Cancer Biology Group at IARC, and his former junior colleague there Uzma Hasan, now tenured group leader at INSERM in Lyon. Some of their best or worst papers (depending how you judge it) were authored together with an industrial researcher, Jaromir Vlach, working for the Schering-Plough Research Institute which was eventually taken over by the German pharma giant Merck (known in USA as EMD).The evidence was posted on PubPeer by anonymous commenters, one of whom was the pseudonymous Clare Francis, who also alerted me to that case. Update 3.12.2019: WHO now pronounced that their investigation: “Found no evidence of scientific misconduct and concluded that the allegations made on PubPeer are not adequately supported and are therefore unfounded” This was for example what Hasan, Tommasino and Vlach published on the topic of immune system responses, in the elite journal PNAS, Hasan et al 2007: This figure contains a plethora of duplicated gel bands, so much that it is actually almost funny. Who is responsible, we do not know. The contributions say that Tommasino only contributed “new reagents/analytic tools”, while research was designed by Vlach and the two first authors. The first and corresponding author Hasan was at that time already in Tommasino’s IARC department for Infections and Cancer Biology. That PNAS paper of hers contains many other examples of Photoshop activities, like this Figure 5 here: The industry researcher Vlach is the last author and the project designer, but it seems the work was done at IARC, since that this Photoshop tour de force was publicly funded: “This work was supported by grants from La Ligue Contre le Cancer (Comité de Savoie) and the grant “Applied Tumour Virology” German–French cooperation, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg–Cancéropôle du Grand-Est, Besançon.” The afore-ridiculed Figure 1A of Hasan et al PNAS 2007 contains elements which previously appeared in a different context, in a different paper and likely also in a different lab where Hasan worked until 2005, at Schering-Plough with Vlach (Hasan et al JBC 2005): That 2005 paper appeared in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, which is known to be tough on data manipulation, might become a problem for this paper’s three authors. Good for Tommasino that he is not one of them. There is even a duplicated flow cytometry measurement, quantified slightly differently, maybe to obscure similarities. Also this Hasan et al JBC 2005 study contains more of creative tricks which helped the authors elucidate the molecular pathway of Toll-signaling in immune cells. Who knew it happens through post-experimental digital data duplication? Hasan’s work at Schering-Plough before her move to IARC with Tommasino was truly productive. Look at this interesting figure from Hasan et al J Immunology 2005: The framed western blot two images for Flag/HA are very similar, except the upper gel band. How can this be? Can someone accidentally reuse same image twice, while accidentally erasing the top band in one of them? There is more to find in that paper also. Tommasino is not coauthor, but is credited with having provided “invaluable advice on this manuscript”, just like in the other Hasan et al JBC 2005 paper from Schering-Plough, now part of Merck. With Tommasino as last author, but now without Vlach and his pharma industry input, Hasan authored same year 2007 this paper, Hasan et al J Immunology 2007. Also here, Hasan is corresponding author. This IARC study helped us understand how cervical cancer develops and offered “future promise for the prevention of infectious diseases, cancer, and autoimmune diseases“. This is how this promise works, and this is just one example from that paper: Apparently, by re-using certain western blot bands, a potential prevention therapy for cervical cancer can be established. Amazing research, done by WHO scientists at IARC, with public support: “The study was supported by grants from La Ligue Contre le Cancer (Comité de la Savoie), “Applied Tumour Virology” German-French cooperation, and Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum-Cancéropôle du Grand-Est.” 2007 was a particular year in Tommasino’s IARC lab, with a particularly rich harvest of Photoshopped papers in prestigious journals. Also this paper features Hasan as one of coauthors, Mansour et al, Virology 2007., Tommasino is the corresponding author. The study offers insights into mechanisms of cervix cancer progression and suggests how this cancer can be early detected. This is how the clinical approach would work: Female patient at risk of cervical cancer will be asked to sit upon the printout of these Photoshopped western blot images, or other examples from that paper. Any resident cervical cancer cells inside the patient will be appalled by such pathetically crude data manipulations of loading controls and die in shame. In case you wonder, why some authors need to manipulate such allegedly unimportant bits of the figure like loading controls: it’s probably because the correct loading controls would have rendered the entire figure as useless or even fraudulent. Hence, cancer is being attacked not with science, but with Photoshop. This is probably exactly what EU Commission had in mind when funding this travesty : “The study was partially supported by grants from European Union (LSHC-2005-018704) Deutsche Krebshilfe (grant N. 10-1847-To I), and Association for International Cancer Research to MT and a grant from La Ligue Contre le Cancer (Comité du Rhône)” Tommasino never had a high opinion of loading controls anyway, it seems he saw them as nuisance and tried to make a point of this by publishing such ridiculously Photoshopped stuff. Who is interested in how much sample was loaded where, if the end picture of signal differences and its scientific message is what matters? Nobody, that’s WHO. This is why we find in older Tommasino papers figures like this, in Malanchi et al 2004 or Giarre et al 2001, both passed peer review in Journal of Virology: Unfortunately such attitude to research integrity in Tommasino’s department at IARC is not ancient history. The following comes from two relatively recent papers from that lab, Shahzad et al J Virology 2013 and Siouda et al PLOS Pathogens 2014: We learn that viruses play a key role in carcinogenesis, and the correct way to clinically intervene on viral infection to prevent cancer is to reuse loading controls for various experiments, to placate some pesky peer reviewers. Even the EMBO fellow and newly minted INSERM group leader Dr Hasan was back at publishing copy-pasted cancer therapy ideas, at Journal of Experimental Medicine, Hasan et al, JEM, 2012: We now see how such creative approach to cancer research literally paid out for Hasan: “This study was supported by the EMBO Fellowship Program (U.A. Hasan), La Ligue Régionale de la Loire contre le Cancer (U.A. Hasan), la Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (U.A. Hasan), l’Association Research sur la Cancer (U.A. Hasan), and CLARA Procan Axe II innate sensors platform, Lyon (M. Tommasino)”. The penultimate author Ruslan Medzhitov is elite HHMI-funded researcher at Yale, USA, he is also thanked for his advice in several manuscripts by Hasan, Vlach and Tommasino. What will he say of such unconventional approach which as the authors assure, “may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for cervical cancers”? I informed Merck and WHO Ethics team about those issues in August 2018. Merck replied that they “take such inquiries seriously” and are reviewing the information on Vlach’s publications which I sent them. From WHO, a request for more information arrived, because the PubPeer information was deemed insufficient as such: “from the links you have posted, we can see the titles of a number of publications but it is difficult to assess what may have happened. We would need to know specifically which data may have been changed, in which publications, when and by whom.” I replied immediately with explanatory examples, but have not heard from the WHO Ethics Team ever again. My recent two requests for an update went unanswered as of yet. Update 3.12.2019 In November 2019, I wrote to WHO again. I received a reply: WHO expects PubPeer to remove slanderous evidence against their scientists who did absolutely NOTHING wrong. This is the statement I received: “Thank you for bringing your concerns to the attention of WHO. We have reviewed them and an investigation was undertaken into the matter. The investigation looked at each allegation made and a rigorous approach was adopted further to the IARC Policy on Scientific Misconduct, as publicly available on the IARC internet site. The allegations relate entirely to gel and blot “splicing”. This was and to a large extent still is common practice to reduce the size and complexity of figures which are illustrations derived from multiple experiments, and not intended to show the results of those individual experiments. Cell Press (http://crosstalk.cell.com/blog/common-pitfalls-in-figure-prepartion) say, “it is OK to remove irrelevant or blank lanes from a gel in order to present your data in a streamlined way to readers, but when you do it, you need to mark it clearly so that there is obvious transparency about how the figure was prepared” (2015). The Journal of Cell Science have suggested that “Any grouping or consolidation of data (e.g. removal of lanes from gels and blots or cropping of images) must be made apparent (i.e. with dividing lines or white spaces) and should be explicitly indicated in the figure legends.” (see http://jcs.biologists.org/sites/default/files/Revisionattachment_JCS.pdf ) It is noted that the splicing was not hidden deliberately, though on occasion it is noted it was less obvious in the printed figure and the figure legends did not always make the splicing clear. These minor errors are common in papers and should be avoided. The authors in question have been informed of what IARC expects and a policy on gels and blots from the Journal of Cell Science has been adopted. Noting all this, the investigation: Found no evidence of scientific misconduct and concluded that the allegations made on PubPeer are not adequately supported and are therefore unfounded, Identified a small number of individual cases where errors in the figures require corrections, and Advised the authors to provide all available original data for the papers cited on PubPeer to the journal editors for their information. Further to the above and in line with the IARC Policy on Scientific Misconduct and the investigation, it was determined that the matter could be closed.” Tagscancer research • Clare Francis • data manipulation • France • Immunology • Industry • Jaromir Vlach • Massimo Tommasino • Uzma Hasan • WHO 123 comments on “WHO cures cancer in Photoshop?” 虎仔 (@TigerBB8) That’s shameful for WHO, in addition to the shame they crowned themselves by endorsing TCM. These are the type of things that totally put an end of any truthful and truly useful cancer research other scientists may want to perform and let many patients keep dying of cancer and some donating their samples unfruitfulless This is as bad as it can be! If WHO accepts research fraud, we have only God left to trust. Unfortunately I am not a Christian. A chairman of the Governing Council has this to say. http://www.iarc.fr/en/about/friendsofiarc.php Dr Mark Palmer Director of International Strategy, Medical Research Council, United Kingdom. ” It was a privilege to have chaired the Governing Council of IARC for four years. The work of the Agency is even more important now than when it was first established, and the continuing increase in the number of Participating States supporting the Agency demonstrates its global relevance and reach. ” Lyon is known for its food, but did he look at any of the data? Dr Mark Palmer is Director of International Strategy at the Medical Research Council (MRC). He has a degree in biochemistry from the University of Oxford, where he also completed his doctorate on the murine immune response to influenza. He has responsibility for MRC′s international policy and coordination of global health strategy. Dr Palmer has served as Chairperson of the IARC Governing Council, Chair of the General Assembly of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of the Human Frontier Science Programme (HFSP), and Vice-President of the Korea–United Kingdom London Health Forum. He serves on the Governing Council of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) and on the Board of ELIXIR. Dr Palmer is also the United Kingdom lead for Societal Challenge 1 (Health, Demographic Change and Wellbeing) of the European Commission′s Framework Programme Horizon 2020. Is Mark Palmer the right man for all these jobs? I vehemently disagree, MRC is very much the right people to cover for Tommasino and Hasan at IARC. They did an impressive work in enthusiastically endorsing every regenerative medicine circus freak show UCL et al choose to roll out, most notably Birchall’s cadaveric larynges and tracheas. Now read this: How pioneering #stemcell tech helped two patients with the most common cause of sight loss in the UK read again @London__Project: https://t.co/YH8ANEX4B7 #EyeWeek #VisionMatters pic.twitter.com/2XW6FIVIGr — The MRC (@The_MRC) September 28, 2018 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-08-d-liver-tissue-implants-human.html “Dr. Rob Buckle, Chief Science Officer at the MRC, commented: “This research brings us a step closer to harnessing the potential of stem cell ‘reprogramming’ technologies to provide renewable supplies of liver tissue products for transplantation.” Pingback: Solidarietà femminili - Ocasapiens - Blog - Repubblica.it If WHO supports all of these research misconduct I quite can understand now how has been so difficult for myself to move forward with my research as I have seen people with I work with making these type of data manipulations (and others) and these people indeed keep being invited as keynote speakers for conferences WHO has an enormous ethical responsibility and should consider taking adequate measures to solve this case and thus contribute to fair and clean research useful for all of us Any of us can suffer of cancer or other serious illness….even the cheaters are not rid of it…will they test their cheated therapies on themselves eventually if they develop a cancer? As was pointed out on the Twitterbox, Piero Anversa was still an honoured guest at the 2016 AHA meeting, long after everyone knew that his laboratory had operated as a fabrication factory. blatnoi Great, now I can’t get that ‘Frankengel, gel gel gel gel gel gel, gel gel Gel! Frankengel!’ song out of my head, sung in the tune of ‘Baby Shark’ after I started singing it to my child right after reading this post. I already was sort of expecting to definitely die of my future cancer with the type of Frenkengels I keep seeing on websites like this for the last five years, but is there a way for them to pay for any mental hospitalization I might require from this Frankenshark fiasco? Will it help you to read some fake nanotechnology by Smut Clyde? No gels there. As an outsider to both fields (so my thinking might be wrong), the nano stuff is a welcome change, but it still is kind of weird to me how you need to copy and paste these particles since if you take enough pics, you just show one of them. Maybe some particle pictures where you need to show regularity, but some of those look like they were just too lazy to keep scanning. The gels seem to show a lot of thought and knowledge that the person doing the manipulating possesses. Like they are familiar with pathways and protein names, and are theoretically a good scientist. With nano-stuff, it’s so basic that I’m not so sure that the people faking data understand what they are doing. Oh well… That’s what happens when nano is the Latin word that means ‘funding’. By the way I know an expert in gel manipulation, Hector Peinado He already had to make corrections in two papers and has a couple of papers signaled at PubPeer for gel manipulations Someone as mentioned in PubPeer warned CNIO about this without success Honestly I think Hector Peinado should give good explanations about all of the gel manipulations (and other comments) which appear in PubPeer A good opportunity for him to do this will be UKEV2018 conference at Sheffield on December 11, 2018 where he is invited as a keynote speaker “From WHO, a request for more information arrived, because the PubPeer information was deemed insufficient as such: Members of WHO could take a look at the annotated images in Pubpeer, then check these against the original publications. Which people have changed data and when this happened is for members of WHO to figure out. Surely the WHO has a research integrity officer, who should be au fait with such matters? Elia Marin You wrote Tommasino” in three different ways. I know that Italian double letters are a pain, but which one is correct? 😉 No I didn’t, it says correctly “Tommasino” everywhere!!! Joking, thanks for pointing it out. One is always a bad editor if you proof-read your own texts. I corrected all now (I hope) Reply to blatnoi October 15, 2018 “The gels seem to show a lot of thought and knowledge that the person doing the manipulating possesses. Like they are familiar with pathways and protein names, and are theoretically a good scientist.” Akin to a religion: as long as you do not offend any of the central tenets you can publish. People can know how it should work by looking at papers, getting to know what what people in the field believe. You might make a reasoned guess at what should go up or down, even be correct in your guess, but no experiments are done. And would you be happy with guesses and no experiments? I submitted a complaint with some original data from the time I coincided with Hector Peinado at Cornell and these data does not have nothing to do with what was published….so their guesses are very poor When you see image duplication it means that they do not have enough data to support their claims. Being “clumsy” once or twice, but beyond that it wears thin as an excuse. I am not happy about it at all. I am glad to hear that I am exposing myself and telling my history and I hope this inspires other PhD students, postdocs, researchers not to stay silent and to denounce and to gather so that we can improve the uselfuness of science and and avoid wastage of resources ” and avoid wastage of resources”. The saddest part of this is that scientists are displaced (unemployed) because such behaviour is either not detected, or if it is, nothing is done. At present image manipulation is rewarded. Much easier to make it up, more publications, more grants…more likely to valued by universities/institutions. Massimo Tommasino is co-author. There are several pieces of problematic data. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36909. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036909. Epub 2012 May 16. Interferon-β induces cellular senescence in cutaneous human papilloma virus-transformed human keratinocytes by affecting p53 transactivating activity. Chiantore MV1, Vannucchi S, Accardi R, Tommasino M, Percario ZA, Vaccari G, Affabris E, Fiorucci G, Romeo G. Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. Figure 6E. Figure 6D. Another Giovanna Romeo/Massimo Tommasino co-production. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2016 Aug;142(8):1751-63. doi: 10.1007/s00432-016-2189-1. Epub 2016 Jun 14. Human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncoproteins affect the expression of cancer-related microRNAs: additional evidence in HPV-induced tumorigenesis. Chiantore MV1, Mangino G2, Iuliano M2, Zangrillo MS2, De Lillis I3, Vaccari G4, Accardi R5, Tommasino M5, Columba Cabezas S6, Federico M7, Fiorucci G3,8, Romeo G3,2,8. Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy. mariavincenza.chiantore@iss.it. Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 04100, Latina, Italy. Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immune-mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy. Infections and Cancer Biology Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, 69372, Lyon, France. Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy. National AIDS Center, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161, Rome, Italy. Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 00161, Rome, Italy. https://pubpeer.com/publications/DD9B9F8212398AB85858299126AC96 Figure 3E, thanks to Hoya Camphorifolia. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36909 continued. Bit more problematic data figure 3 PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36909. Pingback: Científicos de la OMS usaron Photoshop para manipular imágenes en sus investigaciones - tuexperto.com https://www.tuexperto.com/2018/10/18/cientificos-de-la-oms-usaron-photoshop-para-manipular-imagenes-en-sus-investigaciones/ I have sent an expression of concern to WHO and I will encourage all readers to do the same. Quite easy and you get an confirmation that they have received your message. You can also chose to be anonymous. http://www.who.int/about/ethics/en/ An independent investigation is highly needed! That PNAS paper of hers contains many other examples of Photoshop activities, like this Figure 5 here: Some of the examples are so flagrant, they seem to be gestures of contempt. https://pubpeer.com/publications/7954D730B35DF13A053ACA5B301779#18 PNAS papers are as safe as houses. Notoriously difficult to get PNAS to shift anything. “As for Dr. Croce’s work, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has reversed its stance. After being contacted by The Times, the journal’s editor, Ms. Sullenberger, consulted with Dr. O’Brien at Berkeley and other analysts. The expert who in 2014 thought the duplication was unlikely, she said, now “accepts the new analyses because of their sophisticated nature.” The journal, Ms. Sullenberger said, is now planning to issue a notice to readers about concerns regarding the WWOX paper.” PNAS, too big to fail? AJ Levine published his discovery of p53 two months after DP Lane. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Oct 16;104(42):16633-8. Epub 2007 Oct 5. Declining p53 function in the aging process: a possible mechanism for the increased tumor incidence in older populations. Feng Z1, Hu W, Teresky AK, Hernando E, Cordon-Cardo C, Levine AJ. Cancer Institute of New Jersey, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. https://pubpeer.com/publications/D927999EB49E5C74BD2BFA1861F7AF Arnold Levine begat Moshe Oren. https://pubpeer.com/search?q=moshe+oren Levine’s output could be entertaining to examine in more detail. Problematic papers Arnold J Levine here (many self-contributions to PNAS):- Already mentioned, More problematic publications https://pubpeer.com/publications/D06844F99F3087CCF8EFA4986ED99B https://pubpeer.com/publications/70FB838EB58E435B619CF0AB5D6B57 https://pubpeer.com/publications/DCF7CCC20997A71368E1DA7DEA19F6 https://pubpeer.com/publications/0C9309BDDF091E165990F63692B4E1 https://pubpeer.com/publications/3EBF11395DC4F262E38BB699DBF87D https://pubpeer.com/publications/839F03109B8EAF7A67941CA3486EF8 https://pubpeer.com/publications/AB184C5E6E7F009ACD0EA2FD750840 https://pubpeer.com/publications/54D3BF6A339254AC3E7AA6AA8E19BC https://pubpeer.com/publications/BF1B938FE587EEB92EAA321275A23D That Pubpeer thread is still active and finding easter-eggs. https://pubpeer.com/publications/D927999EB49E5C74BD2BFA1861F7AF#32 No wonder there are so many publications on p53, one of its discoverers has set the standard for image manipulation and the others follow. Mature self-supporting religion, good at gathering funds from cancer charities (front organisations for members of their scientific advisory boards, e.g. prof Nick Lemoine sits of the scientific advisory board https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/research/our-policies-advisory-board/scientific-advisory-board/ “Professor Nick Lemoine, Director of the Barts Cancer Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, UK” and his institute receives funds from the same charity, people know what to believe, don’t rock the boat. Evidence of image duplication and reuse as different things by the aforementioned prof. https://pubpeer.com/publications/E76D4CD96F41333C88C84A8EFBC57C Does p53 really have all the functions claimed for it, or are some functions (changes in function) inventions of careerists? For example “declining p53 function in the aging process [as] a possible mechanism for the increased tumour incidence in older populations” is a statement, which is not supported by the evidence. Pingback: WHO Researchers 'Creatively' Used Photoshop To Doctor Cancer Images - New Investigation Reveals https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/10/25/iarc-retraction-watch-begins-they-faked-images-controversial-claims-13532 “And some scientists who engage in public outreach are critical thinkers about studies everywhere, like molecular biologist Leonid Schneider and microbiologist Dr. Elisabeth Bik, who have called out groups who do this and also journal editors who enable them with a desire to publish provocative claims that will bring international media links. A recent analysis of both journals and IARC involvement, titled WHO Cures Cancer In Photoshop, went into detail about the cultural flaws that allowed IARC to lose its way but more broadly about how easy it is to duplicate or reuse or slightly change graphics to look original in a science study. “ J Christopher States There is more in Fig 7 panel E. JARED1B (upper set) is reverese image of ERα (lower set). Very obvious! This activity hurts all of science and the perpetrators should be banished, including the ‘unobservant’ PIs. Another leading member of the p53 crowd, who cannot spot problematic data in p53 ,or p73 papers for that matter. https://forbetterscience.com/2017/09/21/carol-prives-innocent-victim-of-susana-gonzalez-data-manipulations/ Is it any wonder that people like Massimo Tommasino cannot spot problematic data in the same field?

I Want to Destroy Your Equilibrium June 11, 2012 • By MaryAnne Kolton SO MUCH HAS BEEN said and written about this stunning, prolific author that many of us have strong perceptions of her, be they right or wrong. I tried to bring an open mind, and a sincere desire to know her better to this conversation. It was difficult to leave my feelings of awe, extreme admiration, and a fair amount of hero worship at the door… – Mary Anne Kolton MAK: Kathryn, it’s hard to know where to begin with you. I’ve read and loved all of your books and just finished reading most of the interviews you’ve done. You are an iconic, truth-telling writer who has given us much to consider, including your newest book, Enchantments. After encouraging all of us to rake through the ashes of your personal life in Seeking Rapture: Scenes From a Woman’s Life, The Mother Knot: A Memoir and The Kiss: A Memoir, you leave us wondering: how have you managed to maintain your equilibrium? KH: I admit I encourage you to look, but I’m the one who does the raking. And I’m doing that for me. I feel I’m unusually fortunate in having a genuinely symbiotic relationship with my work — it exists because of me, and I because of it. Certainly it’s the only means I have to approach anything like balance. The phrasing of the question makes it sound as if I leave readers struggling to find balance, or maybe I’m just projecting. Because that’s what I want. I want to write well enough to seduce you into watching me unfold the story. And when the story has ended I mean for it to have destroyed your equilibrium. I love it when people write to tell me what weird and disturbing dreams they’ve had after reading something I’ve written. That response is better even than the praise, because it means that my words slipped past that reader’s defenses and into his or her unconscious. There are soothing books, books to which I return when I’m tired and want to be diverted from one or another tribulation. I like them — at times I depend on them — but I don’t write them. I don’t intend to, and I wouldn’t know how. MAK: Almost all the authors I’ve interviewed have had less than ideal childhoods — some bordering on the horrific and appalling. Most of them don’t or can’t write about them. The symbiosis you describe is perhaps one of the reasons your work is deeply seductive. You were raised by your grandparents? What were you reading as a child? KH: I was raised by my mother’s British parents, and my grandmother’s conviction that hers was the superior culture meant that most of the books my mother read as a child were British. They remained on the shelves and beckoned all the more for being from another culture — I could get all the American books I wanted from school or the library. And they offered a tangential connection to my seductive and elusive mother. Most of them had to do with magic. Andrew Lang, especially The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie. E.M. Nesbit. Enid Blyton — both The Enchanted Wood and Wishing Chair series and her Holiday collections of short stories. Most of these concerned naughty children and their comeuppance. A girl whose punishment for pulling the cat’s whiskers was to grow a set herself — that kind of thing. P.L. Travers’ Mary Poppins books, which are a lot scarier than the movie. I went on to discover C.S. Lewis and Tolkien and Madeleine L’Engle, especially A Wrinkle in Time. I can see Mrs. Who’s illustration of the ant crossing the thread to illustrate the tesseract. The Phantom Tollbooth. A Cricket in Times Square. The Borrowers. But stories didn’t have to be fantastic. I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books over and over. Harriet the Spy. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Black Beauty. The series that begins with The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew. Cherry Ames, Student Nurse. Cherry was a precursor for Nancy Drew, whom I also liked. MAK: The wonderful mists of magic realism. I found Enchantments to be a carefully woven tapestry of Russian history, magic, innocence, and the drumbeat of what is to come. You also weave strong threads of another compelling father-daughter relationship throughout. The unknowable Rasputin and his child, Masha. This theme appears in so many of your novels. Is this done by design or subconsciously? Word traveled quickly, more quickly than it would had any other man’s body been dragged from the river…A crowd of people had come running to where we’d stood before, on the frozen river. They came from their homes with bowls and jugs and cast-iron kettles — anything that would hold water…I saw an old woman lugging a chamber pot. Now that would have made Father laugh until he hooted and howled and dried his eyes with the heels of his hands — the idea of a withered crone ladling his ghost into a chamber pot. KH: Because I’m aware of it, I think of it as more helpless than unconscious. But I don’t have much more control over how a novel unfolds than I do over how a dream plays out while I’m sleeping, so in that sense what I write is certainly steered by my unconscious. And, on a conscious level, my relationship with my father still torments me — I expect it always will. MAK: You have said that you read and enjoy Freud’s writings. Does it make a difference that many of Freud’s theories have now been discounted as a basis for psychological thought as we know it? KH: Well, Freud remains a monolithic figure, the father of psychology, a flawed father, with his blind spots — he was, after all, human — but a thinker of profound influence, his centrality proved by the seemingly endless urge to contradict or disprove his theories. I think if Jung’s insights are collated with those of Freud, together they offer an unparalleled means of understanding the unconscious, which — post analysis — is not only a personal preoccupation but a means of understanding human action and relationships. That said, Freud’s lexicon — unconscious, repression, sublimation, libido, transference, id, ego, super-ego, oedipal, neurosis, anxiety, obsession, anal, traumatic hysteria, defense, projection, reaction formation, repetition compulsion (and these are just off the top of my head) — has so permeated our language and our way of approaching the psyche that one reason I set novels in eras that predate his influence is to work in a world in which the unconscious remains hidden and I am not allowed to use any of the terms on the page. But even in that world my thinking is informed by his (and Jung’s and many other of his inheritors) vision. MAK: I was hypnotized by the lyricism and elegant, passionate prose of your book Exposure: A Novel, but it pained me, and suggests that a reader might want to approach your work carefully. Should readers start with a book like Envy prior to delving into the darker side of your writing? KH: I don’t know about beginning with Envy: A father and mother try, with limited success, to recover from the drowning death of their young son. Will, the husband, makes a grief-addled foray into a past overshadowed by his doppelganger, a disfigured twin who is an Olympic swimmer, and who, Will discovers, has betrayed him in an insidious and truly malevolent manner. And then the unrepentant bad girl appears, bent on vengeance. I enjoyed writing that character — how could I not when she sexually manipulates a father-figure and nearly destroys his life? — and I hope she affords the reader amusement in her endless capacity for sexual mayhem. But I don’t know that there’s much else to celebrate. In fact, had I the chance to revise the ending once more, I’d finish on a bleaker note, without any apparent hope for the marriage’s recovery. Maybe The Seal Wife would be a better starting place? At least it has an ambiguous, Gone With the Wind kind of closure: will Bigelow’s mute lover stay with him, or will she leave again and break his heart once and for all? I don’t think of Exposure as being particularly dark, at least among my novels. Maybe because the shoplifting is fun? Sexual abuse; life-threatening illness; death; suicide; betrayal; murder: at least two of these advance the plot of each of my novels. But despite my dark preoccupations, I think I can be playful, and in that way provide solace and even pleasure. For a novel that ends in the assassination of an entire family, Enchantments is almost lighthearted. At least it does consistently lift the characters out of their dire predicament, if only by using “magical realism.” I do wish there were a better term for fiction that’s informed by the conventions of folk tales and myths. The kind of stories that unfold around a fire as the night presses in. The kind that require some form of alchemy to spite the darkness. MAK: Can you tell me how you came about the idea for the Seal Wife? So spare and lovely. KH: I was fortunate to have been raised by two elderly European Jews, both of whom had lived in far-flung places, and who loved to tell stories. Just as The Binding Chair plundered my grandmother’s history, The Seal Wife was based on the early life of my grandfather, whose wanderlust carried him to Anchorage Alaska in 1917, before the city was a city. He was there at the land auction, lived in the tent city. As a young man (he was 18 in 1917) from very humble circumstances, he had the freedom to travel because of his unusual math abilities — in the age before adding machines, he was just as fast and accurate; it didn’t matter how long the numbers or how many. Wherever he went he found work as a bookkeeper, and I gave that mathematical genius to Bigelow, the character modeled on my grandfather. In Anchorage, my grandfather knew a woman called Six Mile Mary (she lived 3 miles out of town, so six was the round trip) and he had photographs of her. He took a lot of pictures of Alaska, very beautiful, black and white. He developed them himself. When I saw the one of Six Mile Mary smoking a pipe, I fell in love. I was six, maybe seven, and I knew I’d discovered something important, an independent female power that stood in contrast to all I understood from my mother — her vanity table, the perfumes and cosmetics. I wouldn’t have been able to articulate exactly what held me as a child, but it kept me returning to the image: a woman, all alone, with a pipe in her hand, a dog, a hovel, that was it. She seemed self-contained, silent, content in her isolation. Her life seemed both grand and mysterious. When I began The Seal Wife I had Bigelow marrying the tent singer, as my grandfather had in real life. But I couldn’t keep Six Mile Mary out of the story; she’d had a great impact on me over the years and still lived — and lives — within me. By the second draft she’d taken over, as the silent Aleut woman: the seal wife. And, of course, the novel was also inspired by the fairy tale of the same name. MAK: How do you answer those who would say you should have written the personal books as novels? That you did not have to expose your family in the way you did, and did so only because someone encouraged you to do it, or because there was more money to be made in disclosing the personal aspect of the stories. KH: Well, you’re asking about one book, really, aren’t you? The Kiss. Not that I haven’t written other things that are personal, and have invited judgment, just that that book is the real lightening rod. I don’t listen much to “those who would say” whatever they say. I strove for years, and failed, to win my tormented young mother’s love and admiration; then, to keep what I believed was my father’s love, I gave him whatever he demanded. I emerged from my father’s grasp changed: I understood that my desire for love had cost me my integrity, and, as I hadn’t ended my life, I would live it differently. Even if, as my father told me and I believed, no one would ever love me. I knew, at great cost, that what I understood about myself was more important than what anyone else might think or say about me. I tried writing the story as fiction — Thicker than Water, my first novel — and discovered, too late, that I had betrayed myself again. One of the motivations for writing The Kiss was my increasing discomfort over having presented the story of what happened between me and my father as fiction: I’d done as society dictates a daughter should: I’d said, in essence, “I made it up. It didn’t really happen.” But it did. And that’s an important difference in this case. To me, it was. As for exposing my family, I didn’t. I exposed myself. No one encouraged me to allow the story to be published as nonfiction — on the contrary, anyone who cared about me tried to warn me what the public response would be like. I guess I’d lived with my history so long I’d lost the ability to imagine other people’s outrage over incest. Which is proper — this is how taboo functions in society: shaming/shunning/exile. I was surprised by the virulence of some of the attacks, and of strangers’ eagerness to judge me on the basis of a book they hadn’t read. But ultimately, none of that matters. The book has many more ardent supporters than enemies. And I don’t write anything to put in a drawer. Especially not that book; as a human being as well as a writer I had to tell the story as it was, in nonfiction: it had to be heard. So much of what I write — female characters in particular — are about giving a voice to the silenced. Had my father not been able to depend on my keeping his secret, he’d never have been able to manipulate me into sex. But I’d learned what the world taught me: what had happened was unspeakable. And then, later, I learned the cost of keeping such a secret. Of being silenced about what had nearly ended my life. And I knew there was value in having such an account out there — I’d looked for one myself, desperately, when I was involved with my father. The one thing that did surprise me about the publication was some people’s insistence that I should never have spoken up. One review even ended with the words “Shut up.” It was by a woman. I guess her life had been a lot different from mine. It’s easy to judge a person whose experience you refuse to acknowledge. To say she’s lied, she’s not thinking of her children, she did it for the money. And of course those are all the standard slurs made against a woman who gets out of line: call her a liar, a bad mother, a whore for doing it for the money. As to that, the big advance was a rumor. There was no money involved. My publisher expected a novel for which they’d already paid an advance and agreed to swap in a memoir. MAK: Is there a new book we should know about? KH: I am currently working on a biography of Joan of Arc. Our Interview archive MaryAnne Kolton MaryAnne Kolton’s fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in myriad literary publications including the Lost Children Charity Anthology, Thrice Fiction, and Connotation Press, among others. Her story “A Perfect Family House” was short listed for The Glass Woman Prize. Author interviews have appeared most recently in the Herald de Paris, Los Angeles Review of Books, Her Circle Zine, The Literarian/City Center, January Magazine, Word Riot and Prime Number. MaryAnne can also be found on Facebook and Twitter. The LARB Interview: Francesca Lia Block An audio interview with Francesca Lia Block, author of the beloved Weetzie Bat series, by LARB Senior Editor Clarissa Romano. Producer/Engineer: Oliver Wang Music: Iggy Pop Click here to subscribe to our podcast series on iTunes.... The Long Embrace It's Good To Be Pragmatic: An Interview with Helen DeWitt Forget about writing. There’s a debate, a conflict, a dilemma, that everyone faces.... Delight and Delectation: An Interview with Anne Germanacos Two risks I court are keeping the fourth wall permeable and sticking closely to recognizable, lived stories....

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: hi my name is navneet i have irregular periods since starting i am also suffering from thyroid and after marriage i have not been able to concieve yet because of irreregular periods my doctor suggest me to have these medicine :glyciphage 850 and regestone 5mg . (My husband is also suffering from diabetes and also having problem of sperms .what should i do?) my id is YYYY@YYYY roid, irregular periods, difficulty in conceiving, prescribed glyciphage, regestrone. Partner with diabetes, low sperm count. What can be done? output: Hi Navneet Welcome to HealthcareMagic Presence of irregular period suggests hormonal dysfunction leading to absence of ovulation which needs to be evaluated . You need to undergo tests like FSH,LH,Testosterone,Prolactin,TSH,blood sugar and pelvic ultrasound apart from gynecological examination to reach at the diagnosis. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is common cause of irregular periods in asian population. Thyroid and prolactin disorders need to be corrected. You may require ovulation induction drugs like clomiphene to induce ovulation and follicular monitoring ( by ultrasound ) to look for growth of egg and ovulation. Plz post semen report of your husband for appropriate diagnosis and management advice. Wish u all the best...

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I have had a slight bump on the left side of my lower lip for some time. I understand this is quite common in older folks (I am in my eighties). Last night my lower lip on the right side began to bleed profusely. I was able to staunch the blood flow and now there is a very small scab in that spot. Is this related to the bump on the left side and should I be concerned at all? t causes a lip lump with bleeding and scabbing? output: Hi Dear,Welcome to HCM.Understanding your concern. As per your query you have slight bump on lower lip along with bleeding and scabbing which is mainly due to lip biting which is leading to formation of hemangioma , it could be due to minor salivary glands rupture in lips and it could be due to mucocele. Need not to worry about it. I would suggest you to apply lubricating petroleum jelly on lips. You should drink 7-8 glasses of water daily. You should visit oral physician once and get it examined. Go for fine needle aspiration cytology of these lumps for proper evaluation and diagnosis and start treatment accordingly. Apply moisturizing agent on lips. Avoid exposure to sun light a sit will leads to more peeling. Apply apple cedar vinegar with the help of cotton to prevent bleeding and fasten healing.Hope your concern has been resolved.Get Well Soon..

Medieval Studies Research Blog: Meet us at the Crossroads of Everything Hosted by the University of Notre Dame's Medieval Institute A Scientific Analysis of the Pearl-Gawain Manuscript Medieval Poetry Project Tag: witch-hunt Magical Thinking: Plague, Pandemic & Unconventional Cures from the Black Death to the Covid-19 When the pandemic strikes, and the trusted authorities are without a sure remedy, people extend their search for a cure, and in their desperation many resort to more unorthodox means of healing associated with alternative forms of authority and knowledge. Some of the most famous medieval tales are set in times of plague when folk fled to the countryside to avoid exposure to pestilence, as in Giovanni Boccaccio‘s Decameron and Geoffrey Chaucer‘s grim “Pardoner’s Tale” from his Canterbury Tales (which were themselves modeled on Boccaccio‘s collection of stories). Portrait of Geoffrey Chaucer from the Ellesmere Manuscript ( The Huntington Library, MS EL 26 C 9, f.153v). Medieval historian John Aberth writes of the plague known as Black Death, “for this pestilential infirmity [of 1348], doctors from every part of the world had no good remedy or effective cure, neither through natural philosophy, medicine [physic], or the art of astrology.” Aberth adds that although there were no medical solutions, those peddling in various cures could profit from a plague, and he argues that “To gain money some went visiting and dispensing their remedies, but these only demonstrated through their patients’ death that their art was nonsense and false” (The Black Death, 37). In the Middle Ages, whenever plagues hit, people’s fear of the disease quickly resulted in a lack of faith in traditional authorities, at times followed by scapegoating. The later phenomenon has been observed with respect to xenophobic conspiracy theories targeting marginalized groups, which alleged that Jews were poisoning wells (and sometimes gypsies and witches) in order to spread the Black Death during the later part of the medieval period. And, as Samuel K. Cohn observes, it was then, “Not until the late sixteenth century did authorities once again arrest people suspected of spreading the plague through poisons and tampering with food; these later waves of fear, however, did not target Jews as the principal suspects; instead, witches or hospital workers were now persecuted” (“The Black Death and the Burning of Jews,” 27). Image of priest instructing the sick (lepers). James le Palmer, “Omne Bonum” in The British Library, Royal 6 VI f.301r. Of course, in the earlier medieval period, when plague descended and church authorities—with all their medical knowledge and spiritual wisdom—were without a cure, medieval people might understandably turn to the other major source of authority in their lives, their kings and secular rulers, for guidance. We see this phenomenon manifest in the medieval belief that French and English monarchs (including saint-kings such as Saint Louis IX and Edward the Confessor) possessed miraculous healing powers. In time of plague, this gesture served to legitimize royalty as divinely sanctioned and win favor with the people, who could understandably become more restless during times of epidemic and pandemic. Although kings and queens were often unskilled with respect to medical knowledge, especially by comparison to the clergy and university doctors, this sort of magical thinking and desire to imbue a leader with supreme knowledge and boundless inherent wisdom (despite their often limited information and experience) presents a totalitarian image of a ruler, which relies on public ignorance in order to reinforce the notion of a divinely organized, rigidly hierarchical society. It is a form of hero worship which knows no bounds. The Royal Touch, in British Library, Royal 16 G.VI, f.424v. As J. N. Hays points out, “the healing touch was a product of political motives, at least in part. But it coincided with a widespread belief in kings as magicians, endowed with near-divine powers” (The Burden of Disease, 33). This political motive leveraged popular belief in the royal touch to solidifying the claim that monarchs were chosen by God and thus superior in both the spiritual and political realms. If the king’s touch failed to heal, or one simply did not have access to a royal hand, there was always the other—unspoken and taboo—source of power: magic and witchcraft. As Catherine Jenkin notes “During Venice’s plague outbreaks, notably 1575–1577 and 1630–1631, the population, desperate for a cure, turned to both sanctioned and unsanctioned healers. The wealthy consulted physicians; the less wealthy consulted pharmacists or barber-surgeons; the penitent consulted clergy; and the poor or desperate consulted streghe, or witches” (“Curing Venice’s Plagues: Pharmacology and Witchcraft,” 202). Desperate times called for desperate measures, and without any effective treatments available, everything was on the table. Image depicts the two witches on a broomstick and a stick, in Martin Le Franc’s “Ladies’ Champion”, 1451; see W. Schild. Die Maleficia der Hexenleut’, 1997, S. 97. Still, the Middle Ages suffers from a somewhat inaccurate reputation with respect to religious and learned views on the magic, which until the later period regarded folk healing and herbal remedies as mere superstitions, though throughout the period, “witchcraft was universally illegal under both sacred and secular law and even healing magic might be considered heretical” (Jenkins, 204). Nevertheless, folk traditions were generally considered relatively unthreatening by church authorities, especially compared to popular medieval heresies, which argued for unorthodox, though often quite learned, interpretations of Christianity, such as the Catharism & Lollardy, and heretical groups such as the Knights Templar, Hussites & beguines to name a few that drew special attention in the period prior to the advent of the Protestant Reformation. Furthermore, folk healing was sometimes efficacious, and Helen Thompson has recently argued for a connection between herbal remedies and modern pharmacies and drug markets. Old English medical practices, The British Library, Cotton Vitellius C III, f.22v. Richard Kieckhefer famously categorizes magic in the Middles Ages as either “natural” or “demonic” in orientation. Folk healers, and most so-called witches, (especially during the earlier period) are regarded by Kieckhefer as practitioners of the former, while seemingly more learned necromancers, who adapt and pervert Christian rituals, are considered practitioners of the later category of magic (and feature later in the period). Scholars such as Aberth, Kieckhefer, Jenkins, Brian Levak and others have each demonstrated a relationship between a rise in magic and the Black Death in Europe (Aberth, The Black Death; Kieckhefer, European Witch Trials; Jenkins, “Curing Venice’s Plagues: Pharmacology and Witchcraft”; Levak, The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe). Desperate people might pursue illicit measures to procure a remedy for pestilence, and as a result interest in magic cures, protections, spell, talismans and wards increased alongside demand. Indeed, it is possible that this contributed to theories that witches poisoned wells and ultimately the hysteria surrounding early modern witch-hunts. Annales de Gilles Le Muisit, Black Death at Tournai, 1349; France Bruxelles, Bibliothèque royale. It is important to note that, while the church authorities generally maintained that magic was demonic illusion, the rise of universities gave way to a learned study of “natural magic” in the form of the pursuit to unlock the occult powers in the natural world [i.e. God’s creation]. Hayes observes how “Natural magic, which attempted to understand the hidden powers of nature, was bolstered by philosophy as well as by religion. These relations were clearest in the late Middle Ages and the period of the Renaissance, when neo-Platonic doctrines gained wider currency among thinkers. Neo-Platonic beliefs insisted on the complete interrelation and mutual responsiveness of the different phenomena of the universe” (The Burdens of Disease, 81). This approach became more widely acceptable leading up to and during the scientific revolution, especially the medical theories of the ancient physician Galen [130-210 CE], and so what Kieckhefer might categorize as natural magic in the later period bifurcates into two distinct subtypes—the highly learned, quasi-medical and folk traditional healing practices. Moreover, the university study of medicine rooted in classical theories of the four humors remained a medical authority, and one which generally held the approval of the church authorities and royal authorities alike. It is worth acknowledging that none of these authorities appear entirely “correct” by modern medical standards, and even the most learned methods involved practices that were toxic and harmful to the body. Physician letting blood from a patient. Attributed to Aldobrandino of Siena: Li Livres dou Santé. France, late 13th Century. The British Library, Sloane 2435 f.11v. Still, while some medieval and early modern medical practices were undeniably ineffective or even counterproductive, it’s worth pointing out that some practices were helpful, such as quarantine measures during plague. Even the spooky plague doctor outfits from the early modern era—equipped with cloth masks and a leather suit for personal protection—reveal growing awareness with respect to contagion by contact (prior to germ theory), which overlapped with conventional medical theories that alleged the classical notion of miasma or “bad air” was polluting infected spaces with plague and pestilence. Mark Earnest contends that “Despite its fearsome appearance, the plague doctor’s costume—the ‘personal protective equipment’ of the Middle Ages—had a noble purpose. It was intended to enable physicians to safely care for patients during the Black Death” (“On Becoming a Plague Doctor“). The plague doctors‘ cloth beak contained perfumed herbs to purify the miasma, their waxed robe were designed to shield the practitioner, and their cane allowed physicians a quick means by which to measure their proximity and maintain distance from sick patients during examinations and treatments. Although Earnest seems to regard plague doctors as a medieval phenomenon, historical evidence suggests that these practitioners were primarily a fixture of the early modern period. Paulus Fürst’s 1656 satirical engraving called ‘Doctor Schnabel von Rom,’ or ‘Doctor Beaky from Rome.’ Although there is ample evidence for widespread medieval belief in learned scientia “science” (often knowledge from classical sources or universities), many historians maintain the narrative that since the scientific revolution in the early modern era, there has been a gradual trend toward belief in science and medical professionals, and the public has generally come to accept doctors’ advice over the opinions of political leaders, when it comes to issues of health and medicine. However, even if one were to accept this notion of historical progress, today’s pandemic problematizes this grand narrative by demonstrating how similar medieval and modern people can be. Like so many established institutions and professional authorities in the age of (dis)information and the rise of Trumpism in America, medical professionals are under attack, and their recommendations and expert advice have become limited by the president of the United States. As during some medieval and early modern monarchies, it seems that the political leader of the United States feels his position entitles him to an opinion on everything and bestows him with innate wisdom. And, like the royal touch, Trump is not afraid to offer his own unconventional and unsubstantiated remedies for the novel coronavirus which has resulted in an unprecedented global pandemic during his presidency. Despite no medical training or credentials, Trump has publicly sparred with NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease) Director, Dr. Fauci, and with his own CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines and recommendations. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), known to slow the spread of this highly contagious and robust virus, has become politicized in the president’s attempt to deny the issue and deflect blame and responsibility by minimizing the perceived impact and threat of the disease. US President Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases attend a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland on March 3, 2020, following up on the COVID-19, coronavirus, outbreak. Photo by Brendan Smialowski /AFP via Getty Images. Indeed, our modern pandemic is not without its scapegoats, as president Trump continues to refer to the coronavirus as the “China virus” in a racially-loaded reference to the place of the virus’ origin in Wuhan, China (briefly referenced in my recent blog on internet trolling). Additionally, calling the coronavirus the “Chinese” or “Wuhan virus” fuels conspiracies theories, including that the virus was engineered in a lab in Wuhan. In addition to xenophobic scapegoating, today’s imaginative responses include now-discredited virologist Judy Mikovits, who asserts that the novel coronavirus is being wrongly blamed for many death and even implicates Fauci in a “plandemic” that alleges masks “activate” the virus. There is no evidence for viral engineering, nor any “plandemic” orchestrated by Fauci, but nevertheless these modern conspiracy theories persists online and ultimately in the minds of those persuaded by their unsubstantiated claims. CREDIT: COURTESY OF CDC/ ALISSA ECKERT, MS; DAN HIGGINS, MAM. Trump has himself given a couple of jaw-dropping recommendations, the first being his personal endorsement of the use of untested malaria drug hydroxychloroquin in treating the symptoms of covid-19, which Dr. Fauci repeatedly cautioned Americans against taking unless recommended by medical professionals. Some have raised the issue of Trump’s own small investment in hydroxychloroquin and allege a financial conflict of interest may lay behind his endorsement of the drug, though this claim has been widely discredited. Still, despite clear evidence to the contrary, Trump continues to insist on using this drug as a treatment for the novel coronavirus. The president’s second and more startling suggestion was that perhaps an “inside injection” of disinfectants, such as Lysol and other Bleach products, directly into the body might do the trick, considering these chemical we so effective at killing the virus (and also people who ingest them). Trump then pointed to his head, adding: “I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what.” As expected, the CDC and Poison Control (as well as manufacturers and eventually social media platforms) responded by contradicting the president’s objectively harmful recommendation, enthusiastically pushed by some of his more ardent supporters. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies CEO Martin Meeson [right], speaks as President Donald Trump wears a face mask during a tour of Bioprocess Innovation Center at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, Monday, July 27, 2020, in Morrisville, N.C. AP Photo/Evan Vucci. Even some at the conservative media outlet Fox News, often friendly to Trump and his agenda, in this instance challenged the president’s uninformed suggestion. Fox Business Network’s Neil Cavuto described Trump’s recommendations as “unsettling,” and the news anchor plainly acknowledged that “The president was not joking in his remarks yesterday when he discussed injecting people with disinfectant.” Cavuto also delivered a sober warning to his viewers: “From a lot of medical people with whom I chat, that was a dangerous, crossing-the-line kind of signal that worried them because people could die as a result.” Indeed, when viewed in this light, Trump’s continued magical thinking with respect to covid-19 seems to mirror medieval responses to plague and the Black Death in certain ways, especially in the tendency to reach for unconventional remedies, from often unqualified authorities, in the search for a cure. But, as president Trump explains, if you’ve got the virus, already: “what do you have to lose?” Richard Fahey PhD in English (2020) Aberth, John. The Black Death. Palgrave, 2005. Barzilay, Tzafrir. “Early Accusations of Well Poisoning against Jews: Medieval Reality or Historiographical Fiction?” Medieval Encounters 22 (2016): 517–539. Brittain, C. Dale. “The Royal Touch.” Life in the Middle Ages, 2016. Clark, Dartunorro. “Trump Suggests ‘Injection’ of Disinfectant to Beat Coronavirus and ‘Clean’ the Lungs.” NBC News (2020). Cohn, Samuel K. “The Black Death and the Burning of Jews.” Past & Present 196.1 (2007): 3–36. Durkee, Alison. “Nearly A Third of Americans Believe Covid-19 Death Toll Conspiracy Theory.” Forbes (2020). Earnest, Mark. “On Becoming a Plague Doctor.” The New England Journal of Medicine (2020). Enserink, Martin and Jon Cohen. “Fact-checking Judy Mikovits, the Controversial Virologist Attacking Anthony Fauci in a Viral Conspiracy Video.” Science Magazine (2020). Hays, J. N. The Burden of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western History. Rutgers University Press, 2009. Hetherington, Marc and Jonathan M. Ladd. “Destroying Trust in the Media, Science, and Government Has Left America Vulnerable to Disaster.” Brookings (2020). Jenkins, Catherine. “Curing Venice’s Plagues: Pharmacology and Witchcraft.” Postmedieval: A Journal of Medieval Cultural Studies 8 (2017): 202-08. Kickhefer, Richard. European Witch Trials: Their Foundations in Popular and Learned Culture, 1300-1500. Routledge, 1976. —. Magic in the Middle Ages. Cambridge University Press, 1989. Levack, Brian. The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe. Routledge, 2016. Mark, Joshua J. “Medieval Cures for the Black Death.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2020. Murphy, Mike. “Trump Again Touts Unproven Drug to Treat Coronavirus: ‘What Do You Have to Lose?'” MarketWatch (2020). Murray, J., H. Rieder, and A Finley-Croswhite. “The King’s Evil and the Royal Touch: The Medical History of Scrofula.” The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (2016). Rudy, Kathryn. “Medieval Medicine: Astrological ‘Bat Books’ That Told Doctors When to Treat Patients.” The Conversation (2019). Thompson, Helen . “How Witches’ Brews Helped Bring Modern Drugs to Market.” Smithsonian Magazine (2014). Departments & Disciplines Arabic Languages & Literatures Celtic Languages & Literatures East Asian Languages & Cultures German and Russian Languages & Literatures Manuscript Studies Public Medievalism Medieval Women You Should Know Monsters & Magic North Seas Prose Translations Puzzles & Enigmas Undergrad Wednesdays Working in the Archives The Future of the Humanities Medieval Lover, Modern Martyr: Celebrating St. Dwynwen The Medievalism of Dorothy L. Sayers A Matter of Time: Medieval Recipes for a Modern Christmas, or Fantastic Feasts and How to Plan Them The Meeting in the Middle Ages Podcast: Asking What Medievalists Do, and How they Came to Do it. Pilgrimage and Public Humanities Bigger House: Cost of Living and Medieval Byzantium Grendel the Vampire? 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The Northman and the Beasts of Battle Canterbury Tales Exeter Book Gawain Gawain-author hagiography Langland Literary London Marie Borroff medievalism Medieval Literature Old Norse Piers Plowman reading practices Archives Select Month January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 June 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 The views and interpretations set out in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Medieval Institute or the University of Notre Dame. John Mandeville writing his travelogue. This image comes from a unique, Bohemian picture book version of the Voyage d’outer mer. London, British Library MS Additional 24189, fol. 4.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi there, I have been having problems with my stomach for the past few weeks! I feel bloated and vomit after food but I don't throw anything up. I have also felt some lumps on my upper stomach right under my chest bones mainly my right side. The lumps are getting more and when I touch they hurt! Can you please give me some advice. e lumps on stomach which hurts. What is the remedy? output: Hi and welcome to HCm. Bloating and vomiting are nonspecific symptoms,but these lumos you re feeling are definitely something that must be evaluated! You should do at least ultrasound to rule some serious diagnosis out. Usually such symptoms are caused by gastritis,gErd or hiatus hernia so gastroscopy should be performed too. There is no specific cure. If you have only gastritis this is treated by changing dietary habbits. You should avoid alcohol,coffee,smoking,fats and fast food, carbonated drinks and eat more milk and milk products, fruit and vegetables,boiled food and natural beverages and teas. 1 hour after meal you should not sit or lay. Also lay with elevated upper body. If you are overweight you should do often exercise. But as I said, i really suggest to di some imaging tests do investigate these lumps. Wish you good health...

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor, After I ate some food, I had a piece of chewy candy and felt a hole on one of my bottom right molars. I immediately spit the candy out, to find a piece of my tooth, and when I shone a flashlight into my mouth, I saw that a chunk of my molar was missing, on the area right next to my back molar. I am not sure if the chunk is a filling or an actual piece of my teeth, but the gaping hole looks pretty deep and there was a lot of sensitivity when I rinsed out my mouth with cool water. Should I be worried, and what can I do to minimize the sensitivity before I see my dentist? What can be done to manage sensitivity after tooth fracture? output: Hello. I have read your query and it seems that the filling portion of the tooth is broken (attachment removed to protect patient identity). No need to worry as the tooth seems to be vital. Sensitivity is normal here because dentin of your tooth has been exposed due to broken piece. I would suggest to get this cavity filled soon as the delay would cause problems like food lodging and over time caries. Atleast have a temporary filling done for time being. Sensitivity can be minimised by brushing with fluoride toothpastes. Take a fluoridated paste on your finger tip and massage it gently over the whole involved tooth, brush after 2 minutes with a regular toothpaste after that...

MJ fans Boycott $ony WE DID NOT PRODUCE ANY OF THE WORK CONTAINED BELOW. THIS IS TAKEN FROM A WEBSITE THAT IS NO LONGER PUBLISHED. WE TAKE NO CREDIT WHAT SO EVER: He cannot continue to be used & abused in death, as he was in life. “I’m afraid for my life & my children. I am so scared.”~Michael Jackson (late 2008) Q from Jesse Jackson: If you had to tell people,what has changed since this happened? What do you want people to know? A: “My level of trust will change~There’s a lot of conspiracy going on~A LOT OF IT~All AROUND me. It’s A VERY SERIOUS THING~I dont want to say too much, with the wrong flavor. IT’S A VERY DELICATE AREA”.Q from Jesse: Michael where did this broke thing come from? People say it’s all about this $ony catalog? A: “It’s (the ATV catalog) worth A LOT of money. And there is a BIG fight, going on RIGHT NOW about that catalog. Now I cant comment on it, but there’s A LOT of conspiracy going on as we speak!”~MJJ (2005) “I want to clarify a silly rumor. The Beatles catalog is not for sale, has not been for sale and will NEVER be for sale.” ~ MICHAEL JACKSON (2001) “I’m not just fighting for myself I’m fighting for all artists. Those great artists who pioneered [in] entertainment business as well as songwriting as well as incredible staging. The fact that they have been taken by the system. Totally broken them financially, you know, and this has to stop, it’s a conspiracy!” ~ Michael Jackson (2002) ” The entertainment industry is full of sharks, charlatans and impostors. Michael Jackson (Paris deposition 2007) “They want my Catalog and they will kill me for it” -Michael Jackson For a quick introduction as to why you should support this, watch the videos below. As Michael Jackson believed & said, “The main thing that I hate most is ignorance.” “The record companies really do conspire against the artists. Especially the black artists. They lie, they steal, they do everything they can.“~Michael Jackson (July 2002) “The tradition of great performers, from Sammy Davis Jr. to James Brown to Jackie Wilson to Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly… The story is usually the same though, you know, these guys worked really hard at their craft, but the story ends the same. They usually are broken, torn and usually just sad and the story very sadly ends… because the companies take advantage of them, they really do. We can’t let them get away with what they’re trying to do. I’m a free agent now.”~Michael Jackson (June 2002 Killer Thriller Speech) Q:Do you want to grow old in the music industry? A: “Not the way James Brown did or Jackie Wilson did.” ~Michael Jackson (the link for this article is under ‘why you should boycott’) ♫ She innocently questioned why… Why her father had to die… ♫ ~Michael Jackson (song lyric) Do you care? HAVE YOU A HEART?”~Michael Jackson (song lyric) “I’m putting my heart & soul into it [Invincible] because I’m not sure I’m gonna do another one after this. This will be my LAST ALBUM”- Michael Jackson (1999) “Fans who truly love *MICHAEL* will fight for justice and refuse to help $ony profit from his death. I can’t see how it’s MJ’s work if HE isn’t involved w/ final release & approval. & knowing HIStory with $ony et al & that they’re doing it for $$$ only. MJ did it for the art+love+humanitarian.& then there’s the odd circumstances of his death, the will, etc. The way they treated MJ – I can’t reward them for that. . .by buying a “ba$tardized” version of his work that he may have never wanted released just so they can make $$$. Disrespectful. I would never boycott JUST MJ-things-I boycott EVERYTHING $ONY. Especially electronics.Anyone who buys MJ music from $ony is spitting in Michael’s face IMO. He’d never have wanted this.“~Seven “Michael’s artistic legacy is already written. If no one ever bought another MJ-related item, it would not hurt his legacy. It’s already HIStory. To me it would be a BETRAYAL too, to buy any $ony product. I could NEVER reconcile it with my conscience. No way.” ~ChildSaskia “His vocals will be there, but do you really think that’s all an album was about to MJ? Im surprised by some of those who cant wait for it?? Artwork is wrong, songs which could be fake, songs written for others by MJ, songs scrapped by him.. it may be called MICHAEL but its NOT!!! The dedication some have to make this album succeed, should have been there in 2001.. WHEN MICHAEL WAS ALIVE AND NEEDED YOU THEN!! If the album doesn’t do well only idiots would say it was MJ Flop.. How the fuck can MJ be responsible for other peoples work?? Get real!! Its not about just one song, its about all his unreleased music.. it belongs to his children.. it all has to be stopped!!!! Anyone who BUYS THIS ALBUM, will be shitting on MJ and PPB from a great height. I won’t take what Michael didn’t willingly share! Dont you care you will be aiding MURDERERS PLANS!! Think on! Those who protest they ‘are doing it for MJ’ (those involved in album), clearly tell us by being involved at all, its NOT for MJ! Sony is culpable for start of all this hoax shit.. to keep focus off murder and to confuse grieving fans to part with money! Sony omitted in their statement that MJ never released these songs because 1. They wasn’t good enough to him &/or 2. He wanted to release on label other than $onyl!! Instead of being away with the fairys, its about time you started living in the real world.. Its 2010, in 2009 Michael Jackson was Murdered! People really need to grow up and realize a man was murdered! And your fawning over a music release!? Do you care? No one has sat back and actually grieved.. its been a money making venture from within the hour MJ drawn his last breath!! Next breath they are protecting MJ’s legacy!! I thought I realized the depth to how USED and LONELY in life MJ was, but I wasn’t even close!The only way to have a voice is with your money!! MJ was murdered, merchandise is not going to help get one iota of justice!! We have to protect what he left us, his music, his message, HIM! The ones who got rich because of MJ will just get richer because of his fans.Its time to break the cycle of the money leeching and the fight for a piece of him that he had all his life, DONT ADD TO IT! Legacy~this is how they try to GUILT you!! MJ’s legacy is set in stone in the history books forever.. MJ WILL NEVER BE OVER!! Please I plead to get back to the issue.. MJ was murdered, his Estate has been hijacked, his children have no rights. What can we do??” ~dllz “They took him away from us. They expect us to take every morsel they churn out because of it. Don’t!! I will choke! Now people line up to pay $ony their blood money. How soon people forget. Sony, you did what you did, then you have the audacious temerity to dance all over Michael’s grave.$ony does everything Michael would be against because they can~because he is dead only – pure evil. Sick sick sick Sony are handing out penny’s for you to toss into the fountain to wish Michael is alive. Its no game. They think we are fools.”~Shortslovesmjj “What credibility do MJ fans give their idol when they do not stand by his words!? Remember how much Michael was hurt by $ony, remember his statements and don’t let $ony use us. They don’t care about Michael, they only see us as obsessed grieving fools willing to buy anything that has Michael’s name on it, they don’t really care about us! #BOYCOTTSONY! For those saying you want him to succeed & not flop, you are actually helping $ony to succeed with their agenda, lies & betrayal. CONGRATULATIONS ! You cannot make MJ music, only HE can make it, anything else will always sound like anyone else but MJ, fans need to get a grip on reality. The reality that fans need to get a grip on is that MJ is GONE, MURDERED, there can never be anything more important than demanding JUSTICE! I DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT NEW MUSIC. “~KarlaJorge “No one should release any MJ’s song! HE’s gone on June 25! Period! Not Sony anyway! I do not want to hurt you but this is the truth.His legacy is something more than songs. Maybe Prince,Paris and Blanket will release something one day,but no one else!“~Rossmile “To buy a so-called-MJnewalbum: are you keeping his legacy alive, or to keep your MJcollection updated? I am not trying to tell anyone what to do, but at least try to educate ourselves about this CORE issue. To understand the truth about what really happened, one must educate oneself.” ~MJacksonwords “Michael felt bad putting his name on songs because they came from GOD. Now $ony calls album ‘Michael’ because the songs came from GOD KNOWS WHERE!“ ~Opalite_Heart “If you have ANY clue, you would know that the upcoming MJ album is a joke! Why buy something he can ´t approve of himself? Why do people have such a desire for NEW material, didn ´t he do enough??? You want to save his legacy? Focus on THAT then! OPEN YOUR EYES!!!!! Stop feeding the vultures, the ones who HURT him and then KILLED him!!! Be thankful for what he GAVE! Michael gave his fucking life to the fans and now they just think about themselves… It’s so fucking exhausting…When did the fans forget what really matters, we lost him and he didn’t WANT HIS SONGS OUT THERE!!!!! If so, he would have released them!!! What is WRONG with waiting a couple of years until his kids are old enough to do the decision? Afraid that you’ll forget him or what??“~AlexSalazarNo1 “Since MJ left, not only does $ony get what they want, some fans too. And they call it LOVE. Is that’s why they support $ony & feel happy now? SMH “~LoveCannotLie “Anyone who thinks MJ only had issues with Motolla needs to listen to the Killer Thiller speech (youtube video on why to boycott page)…. since when was Motolla a company?? MJ said ” the story is usually the same because the COMPANIES take advantage of them”….Motolla is a person….Sony is a company.”~Liesrunsprints “I dont want new MJ games, music, books, shows, OR any merchandise! I want justice for Michael Jackson! Where’s the fight for truth & justice for MJ?!“~mylove4MJ “Many people are happy about the new MJ projects–but don’t forget, he’s at Forest Lawn. All of this came with a price–his life. Wake up, Sony has you exactly where it wants you–believing they are the saving grace in Michael’s life, whoops he is dead now, so I guess they are his Estate’s saving grace now. Michael is saving Sony. Go look at their earnings and see for yourself. If you defend Sony and their relationship with Michael Jackson then you are defending the deterioration of MJ’s life-long career. So many are concerned with “Michael” being #1 on the charts, his image being on top, instead of Michael, the man, being #1 in your HEART.”~gatorgirl “‘Do not despair.’ The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass~Don’t give yourselves to brutes – men who despise you~Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts. In the seventeenth chapter of St Luke, it is written the kingdom of God is within man not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful – to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world – a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed and their brutality.”~Charlie Chaplin Quote from The Great Dictator (Mirrors these circumstances, no?) “If you don’t believe Michael’s own words here, then I feel very sorry for you. The exploitation continues! I hope more fans are involved in the boycott, we would be SO powerful, if more fans cared enough. Stop judging people who cannot reconcile the purchase of $ony marketed MJ products with their conscience. MJ3 dragged into the spotlight,MJ’s wishes disrespected, his legacy trampled on & you only care about the new CD, new game&cirque du soleil? Those who buy the “new album” not only betray themselves, they betray MJ. These people just don’t get what the boycott is about! They are celebrating, while MJ’s murderers bath in blood money! Why do people think MJ’s legacy must be kept “alive”? MJ’s legacy has already been written and his legacy is beyond “being kept alive”. This whole controversy about the authenticity of the songs,to buy or not to buy.It distracts from Murray & co – wasn’t there a trial? Many ‘Fans’ are fishing for justification & excuses to OWN Michael. They don’t care about MJ, the human being, they only care about the brand. These “fans” will take every cheap excuse as long as they can OWN Michael. ‘Fans’ are happily dancing on MJ’s grave while his murderers are bathing in blood money and Murray hasn’t even stood trial yet. Think! They don’t want to give up their illusions and buy every excuse that justify their urge to own of piece of Michael. MJ fans just want to OWN, it doesn’t matter to them what Michael WENT through, they just want to put MJ into their collection. THINK! Bottom line: The Estate & Sony lie to the public/fans. Conclusion: don’t buy their SHIT! #BOYCOTTSONY” ~MJ777HealTheWorld This video is available in Spanish, Italian, French~curtesy of hardworking MJ-fans. “The incredible machinations of the men from Japan & their American allies were designed to ensure nothing less than the destruction of Michael Jackson & billions of dollars of profit for Sony. The dark underbelly of the entertainment world is not a pretty sight. It’s time to hold it up to the light. Yet far from being coincidental, everywhere we detected the hidden hand of the $ony corporation attempting to orchestrate events. My account has never been refuted. If anything, the information I unearthed has gained more currency in the three years since the original book was published. Could it be that a continuation of the events I described, or something similar, was somehow involved in the singer’s death?“~Lynton Guest “He is honesty personified–painfully honest– & vulnerable to the point of pain. He is so giving of himself, that–at times–he leaves himself very little to protect that beautiful inner core that is the essence of him.”~Dame Elizabeth Taylor When asked (by UK yahoo) about the high demand for ANY “new” Jackson music, Will I Am replied: “So what? You don’t disrespect someone when they’re gone. How much can you suck from his energy?…Freaking parasites!” “What’s wrong with what he already contributed to the world?””I don’t think that should ever come out. That’s bad,” Will said. “He was a perfectionist and he wouldn’t have wanted it that way. When asked (by EW) about the “new MJ album”, Will I Am replied: Whoever put it out and is profiting off of it, I want to see how cold they are, he says, to say that what [Michael] contributed during his life wasn’t enough. He just wasn’t any ordinary artist. He was a hands-on person. To me it’s disrespectful. There’s no honoring. Michael Jackson songs are finished when Michael says they’re finished, Will says. Maybe if I never worked with him I wouldn’t have this perspective. He was very particular about how he wanted his vocals, the reverb he used.he was that hands-on.[Will] still maintains that none of [the songs he recorded with Michael] them will ever be released, because Jackson didn’t give them a final okay. He kept his vocals and I kept the music, he says. We had that understanding. The ones making money from Michael’s blood will use his children as the reason for exploiting him forever. ~MJAllForLove MJFansBoycottSony These provide further proof to boycott $ony, in the form of fan-made & researched vidoes, links, & articles. Another effective way to boycott $ony, is to research BEFORE you buy products & check labels carefully, $ony’s tentacles reach far & wide..While it is the opinion of this site’s creators, to boycott ALL $ony products; some people will only do so to MJ-related products. It’s an option which you decide on. Fans have the power, NO ONE is forcing you to buy. Yet you let it slip through your fingers, while $ony & co. have ALREADY earned HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS off of FANS. DONT GIVE THEM MORE! Make a stand for what you believe in! FURTHER PROOF OF HOW interconnected & POWERFUL Michael’s enemies were and STILL ARE. It’s a Small World After All: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=3830 MICHAEL’S DEMISE BEGAN WAY BEFORE 2002, $ony’s been plotting since Mattolla got into power in 1992/1993! READ EVERYTHING HERE~many quote Linton Guest’s book. (all links are below, actually reading them would help) This is a document where Joe Jackson pointed out blatant conflicts of interest w/ Branca as executor or Michael’s estate: http://www.etonline.com/documents/et_jjackson_filing_091110.pdf Judge Beckloff inexplicably tossed it out. But reading the document, the conflicts are pretty blatant – and even moreso when we consider the sweetheart deals Branca has made with $ony since MJ’s death – all benefiting $ony and Branca/McClain of course. http://mjthekingofpop.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/back-in-2002-why-invincible-became-invisible/ AMAZING article, done a few years ago,around the time it happened! Explaining all about $ony & Michael Jackson, a must-see!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW1T1DZdWrA The video that started it all for fans, Michael speaking in London in June 2002, with fans, about $ony. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4wYJxXb4Ec The other video from that protest in June 2002, Michael outside with fans protesting $ony. http://michaeljackson.ae/truth/SONY-thru-the-years.pdf $ony pdf-file that outlines history of them as well. More articles about $ony’s treachery & history with Michael, from Seven~MUST READ THESE WELL RESEARCHED ARTICLES: John Branca attempts to Rewrite History regarding MJ & $ony http://www.mj-777.com/?p=2759 http://www.mj-777.com/?s=Tohme+Tohme MUST READ paragraph on $ony here & why you should boycott is touched on. Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough? When is enough ENOUGH? For $ony – Never. Some links to make you THINK: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=2636 Why Invincible became Invisible and other musings on the flock of vultures surrounding Michael Jackson. $ony & conflict of interest: Former $ony music executive: “I really think he got blackmailed in that whole scandal thing. I think at some point, the truth will come out”. http://www.mj-777.com/?p=859 Evading the Obvious. Perpetuating the Ignorance. I ‘Never Can Say Goodbye‘ to MJ but I can say goodbye to $ony because Michael said goodbye to $ony years ago. They also used, abused him throughout his life, not to mention they helped MURDER HIM! http://www.mj-777.com/?p=2542 One Year later: What happened in March 2009? You decide: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=2074 What more could he give? God, what more could he take? http://www.mj-777.com/?p=4886 The QOUTE that stands out from Seven’s above article, is from evil Tommy Mattolla talking about Michael’s death: “It’s amazing to me that he was able to withstand even this long”. MJ dangerously under-ate much of his life & on tour. How could they NOT know they needed to be concerned in 2009? http://www.mj-777.com/?p=5135 $ony and AEG: They had him trapped in ‘financial bondage’: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=5310 Michael liked snakes, but this is ridiculous: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=6250 Wanna be Startin’ Somethin’: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=8438 $ony is partnering Discovery and O’s new network “OWN”, and the programmes they make such as autopsy(MJ), death reenactment(MJ) and Oprah shows! They make these programmes to send home to public MJ was an addict.. to discredit any trial or any murder intention.. its pure propaganda. The Oprah/Discovery/$ony hydra dissects Michael as spectacle. NOT acceptable. http://www.mj-777.com/?p=6607 http://corporate.discovery.com/blog/tag/sony/ Here’s a quote from Lynton Guest that might help illustrate (for those who haven’t read his book) $ony’s tentacles: “In writing this book I investigated how, in his later years , Michael was beset with trials and tribulations which , on face of it, were unconnected to each other. There was the prosecution on child abuse charges, the downturn in record sales, the financial catastrophes and the struggles to retain ownership of assets such as Sony/ATV, his back catalogue of recordings and Neverland. Yet far from being coincidental, everywhere we detected the hidden hand of Sony Corporation attempting to orchestrate events.” -Lynton Guest, author of The Trials of Michael Jackson This is a link to Lynton Guest’s book (“The Trials of Michael Jackson”) would be required reading for those visiting this site(READ Seven’s research FIRST & WATCH MUZIKfactoryTWO’s videos FIRST. LG’s book has a lot of distortion & bs mixed in with facts that newcomers might not notice. READ HIS BOOK FOR INFO ON $ony, BUT THE REST IS FALSE OR OPINION JUNK): https://www.teammichaeljackson.com/archives/2016 Mr. Guest delves fairly deep into $ony’s machinations against Michael over the years. BUT don’t expect it to be objective on Michael. Mr. Guest includes his opinion on Michael throughout, & without researching who Michael is as a person (his childhood, history etc..). Main reason to READ IT, is FOR THE detailed $ony/ATV information. MORE quotes from Lynton Guest’s book: “Strange thing happened. Paul Russell, despite being retired from $ony for 2 yrs received letter from corporation’s legal division; warning him not to reveal any more of what he knew. $ony seemed to be afraid of what might be revealed by Paul Russell” “What on earth they were trying to hide?” “Who else, apart from $ONY, has benefited from the death of MJ? The most obvious beneficiary is AEG” “When Bashir was forced into the Santa Maria Court to testify in 2005, he was accompanied by a bevy of lawyers, provided & paid for by ABC. My investigation failed to turned up one example of similar support from $ony to MJ” “What $ony wanted was ownership of MJ’s back catalog. Ohga & Morita were also negotiating a deal to acquire half of MJ’s ATV publishing to get rid of the singer while gaining control of his back catalog, more importantly acquiring a controlling interest in Sony/ATV to achieve that objective, MJ had to fail in a way that enabled $ony appear blameless” “My sources within $ony told me that after MJ’s trial, those in the know were happy simply to wait for the singer to default on his loan” “Deal allowed them first refusal should MJ be forced into selling his Sony/ATV share” “THOSE WHO HIDE BEHIND THE RESPECTABILITY OF CORPORATIONS-THERE CAN BE ONLY 1 VERDICT” “Michael Jackson was beset with trials & tribulations which, on the face of it, were unconnected. Yet far from being coincidental we detected hidden hand of $ony. Yet far from being coincidental, everywhere we detected the hidden hand of the $ony corporation attempting to orchestrate events. My account has never been refuted. If anything, the information I unearthed has gained more currency in the three years since the original book was published. Could it be that a continuation of the events I described, or something similar, was somehow involved in the singer’s death? (pg. 159 epilogue) “still ‘owned’ half of $ony/ATV. In reality THE WHOLE COMPANY now belonged to $ony. Their desire to have complete control finally fulfilled” “In five yrs, $ony’s annual revenues from MJ related activities will exceed $5 BILLION” “Many people have sought to take the credit for ‘persuading’ Michael Jackson to buy ATV Music. In fact, he needed no persuading and although the deal with Holmes Acourt was hammered out by Jackson’s lawyer, John Branca, it was Jackson himself who was always the prime mover.” (pg. 11) “As Paul Russel put it, “I remember in the early days just after he (Jackson) bought the Beatles catalog, he was so enthusiastic and earnest about owning what he saw as part of music history. He wanted to be a guardian of the Beatles’ memory, not make a fortune out of them.” (pg.12) Katherine Jackson speaks in her book Jackson Family Values (1989), of how he bought the ATV catalog in 1985….Here is her recollection of it: “Ironically it was Paul who first gave Michael the idea of investing in fine songs. One day during Michael’s visit with Paul in Scotland, Paul handed him a book containing all his copyrights, among them Buddy Holly’s classics. Michael was amazed at Paul’s collection…..and inspired. Paul had wanted to buy the ATV catalog as well, but he dropped out of the bidding LONG BEFORE MICHAEL. I’m sorry if my son’s purchase of ATV meant that he and Paul could no longer be friends. Investing is one of his (Michael) favorite topics. “Joe Louis made a lot of money and he died broke. I dont want that to happen to me,” I recall Michael telling John H. Johnson, the chairman of Johnson Publications, publisher of Ebony and Jet. “Would you share with me what your secret has been in keeping your business successful for years?” Read AEG’s court papers.. http://alturl.com/ve3gq Michael Jackson was NOTHING to them apart from a money making machine!! “What Michael said about a conspiracy makes logical sense, but I have no evidence of it. If Michael were in jail or in prison, how would he defend his ownership in the catalogue? How would he defend all these frivolous lawsuits? Sony had so much to gain if there was a conviction…” -Tom Mesereau “The record companies really do conspire against the artists. Especially the black artists” ~ Michael Jackson In his own words: “TOMMY MATO SABOTAGED ME BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE BEATLES CATALOG” http://www.mj-777.com/?p=3858 Was Michael An Addict?: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=2921 Michael was not an addict, and it wasn’t an accidental overdose: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=4172 One of the most detailed explanations as to why MJ did not administer propofol to himself: http://bit.ly/bvt3QT Dr. Barry Friedberg, “Michael’s Death: A Predictable, Avoidable Tragedy” http://www.mj-777.com/?p=7534 Michael did not die because of prescriptions “pills” or any addiction. The autopsy reports are clear, the manner of death, & what was found inside of MJ–AUTOPSY REPORT www.scribd.com/doc/37663074/Michael-Jackson-Autopsy-Report-Complete CLICK to see larger! Caption from Lynton Guest’s book pg 12 CLICK to see larger! Lynton’s book caption is abt Stringer pg 13 “They (Janet,Toya, & Rebbie) were telling me what was going on, & I was shocked. It was as if, there was this big plan in place that we didnt know about”~Randy Jackson (CNN interview June 10 2010) ‘My Brother Was Being Threatened’: http://www.mj-777.com/?p=4011 Michael Jackson’s trust. WHICH IS FAKE, NOT CREATED BY MJ! http://www.probatelawyerblog.com/2010/06/michael-jackson-living-trust-revealed.html/ Quote from ABOVE article: This means that Michael Jackson’s children and mother actually get less than 40%, each, because the estate taxes and other expenses of the estate and trust are paid from their shares only, not the charities’ shares. It turns out that Michael Jackson’s Trust does not limit how much his trustees are to be paid. Rather, the trust allows them to receive “reasonable compensation”, without needing a court order. Michael Jackson Saves $ony http://www.this-is-not-it.com/en/reference-articles/173-michael-jackson-saves-sony.html This article mentions McLain as well as a blurb about Tommy Mottola engineering the 2005 trial against Michael. http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/05/03/new-michael-jackson-album-may-pose-legal-problems This article speaks of McLain & more “ties to gangsters”, as well as outlining that McLain & Trudy Green co-managed MJ in the early 1990’s(WHICH WAS WHEN MATTOLLA AND CO WERE PREPARING TO SLAUGHTER MJ’S REPUTATION AND TRY TO JAIL HIM/DESTROY HIS CAREER): http://articles.latimes.com/1998/mar/26/business/fi-32786 Have you wondered why Sony who “helped’ MJ in 2005, didn’t come to his aide in 2009, when Neverland faced foreclosure? http://bit.ly/djaqXL Mattolla steps up spin on http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,57640,00.html THIS IS IT DANCER TESTIMONY: “What struck me the most devastated is the loss of this man, shot like an animal, stung like a dog. Those who are responsible have enough power to hide the truth.” http://www.twitlonger.com/show/6q6lre I guess this is another good paper to print & paste in places http://www.scribd.com/doc/33682473/Press-Statement-Regarding-TII-Info “$ony wants the first single out by June 25th to capitalize on the huge press for the 1 year anniversary of his death” <–OUTRAGEOUS!! How Michael Jackson Went From Being A Partner of Sony to A Sony Product http://www.superstarofpop.com/archives When asked about the high demand for ANY “new” Jackson music, Will I Am replied: “So what? You don’t disrespect someone when they’re gone. How much can you suck from his energy?…Freaking parasites!” “What’s wrong with what he already contributed to the world?””I don’t think that should ever come out. That’s bad,” Will said. “He was a perfectionist and he wouldn’t have wanted it that way. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100803/ten-will-against-new-jackson-album-5f8abb3.html “Who was forcing bank’s hand?” -> $ONY “What did they stand to gain?” -> $ony/ATV Catalog “Who was forcing bank’s hand, what did they stand to gain?” – 2005 http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-06-13-jackson-finances_x.htm “I am putting my heart & soul into it [Invincible] because this will be my LAST album” – MICHAEL JACKSON, April 1999 http://bit.ly/dxKzeI How Michael Got Gangsta With Sony Music Over Black Music & Racism: http://bit.ly/cIZAFT Interesting read! Life without Michael Jackson could be bad for Sony Music. CD sales are declining and Michael Jackson can’t die again. $ony whining about ‘flat’ sales: “MJ can’t die again!”, they whine. Rather telling,isn’t it? Keep up the boycott. http://bit.ly/cVnPgl Inside Secrets of the Goldman Deal http://t.co/io5jgzx #BoycottSony – and they want fans to think this is MJ’s work? I dont think so! “It’s unclear whether so many producers can affect a consistent sound.” http://fb.me/x3gXofi8 (much less a sound like MJ’s talent!!) “Sony & estate ALREADY have plans” SAID Branca http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-michael-jackson16-2010mar16,0,7082645.story Articles discussing the “huge deal between $ony & The Estate”: http://www.zimbio.com/Michael+Jackson/articles/ag_cy7roz32/Sony+Jackson+estate+inks+250mln+deal Michael Jackson Estate Deal Raises Questions http://www.probatelawyerblog.com/2010/03/michael-jackson-estate-record-deal-raises-questions.html/ New Michael Jackson Album May Pose Legal Problems – http://www.showbiz411.com/2010/05/03/new-michael-jackson-album-may-pose-legal-problems http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2393364/michael_jacksons_new_album_to_be_released.html?cat=33 $ony article about the deal with the Estate, the quote in it is stellar: “can anyone tell me how this is NOT conflict of interest?”. “Thriller 25″ will be issued by Sony because its part of that catalog. But MJ has no recording contract & frankly, no interest from record companies.” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,302533,00.html Michael Jackson -on 25th anniversary of Thriller album, has revealed his days of dancing are behind him – because he doesn’t want to kill himself on stage like his hero, soul singer James Brown, who died On December 25th 2006 from congestive heart failure. When asked if he thinks he’ll grow old in the music industry, Michael, 49, explained: “Not the way James Brown did or Jackie Wilson did.” Dec.2007 http://tl.gd/35escm Connect the dots people! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/arts/music/16jackson.html?_r=4 Article on Sony/ATV from their own site! http://www.sonyatv.com/index.php/news/549 http://michaelsguardian.blogspot.com/2010/03/catching-up-with-tommy-mottola-march-17.html Article discussing Tommy Mattolla & $ony Michael Jackson’s Battle with $ony http://www.mjfiles.com/more/politics/michael-jacksons-battle-with-sony-part-1 Private Investigator reveals MJ Conspiracy http://www.mjfiles.com/interviews/michael-jackson-private-investigator-speaks-out “We OWE it to him NOT to accept this music SONY & AEG are trying to sell us” http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/node/328971 WHAT YOU WON’T SEE IN TII http://www.examiner.com/x-9259-Celebrity-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Michael-Jackson-fans-allege-This-is-not-it Quote from Terry Harvey interview: “Everyone knew he was dead at least two hours before he officially pronounced dead at the hospital.” “When he came onto the scene, he was taking care of the kids….” Garcia said.(bodyguard) He added that he thinks Murray is a “scapegoat.” Rob Stinger mentions “projects I don’t know about happening in 2015”~that’s when Prince will be 18! This is what LaToya and her manager Jeffrey Phillips said in Germany,on 29th… http://bit.ly/ctnHBl Letter firing Branca. http://twitpic.com/5223mv/full For Embezzlement http://twitpic.com/4kxc4t/full << THE ONE TIME HE WAS CAUGHT, I WONDER HOW MANY TIME HE GOT AWAY WITH IT! HOW MANY MILLIONS DID BRANCA AND MOTTOLA ROB FROM MICHAEL JACKSON! CLICK to see larger! Also from Lynton’s book this one is abt MJ & Jesse Jackson interview The video BELOW is a part of Michael’s interview in 2005 with Jesse Jackson. THIS PART in particular, MICHAEL SPEAKS ABOUT $ony, “the great conspiracy going on, all around, even now.” AS IF ANY TRUE MJ fan needs any more proof of the conspiracy to murder MJ! Question from Jesse: Michael all these people keep saying you’re broke. They are calling in and asking. So Michael, are you broke? A:”That’s NOT TRUE AT ALL. It’s just one oftheir MANY SCHEMES to embarrass me and to just drag me through mud. & it’s the same pattern, like I told you with those other people (great black artists) so DONT BELIEVE it.”~MJJ Q from Jesse: Michael where did this broke thing come from? People say it’s all about this $ony catalog? “It’s worth A LOT of money. And there is a BIG fight, going on RIGHT NOW about that catalog. Now I cant comment on it, but there’s A LOT of conspiracy going on as we speak!”~MJJ This is the interview of Cory Rooney and Chris Apostle soon after MJ’s murder, this was summed up in a video on the home page, but read this article for more insights. They most just HINT, & if one can read between the lines you get the picture of what they are saying…but they also are UNAWARE of the conspiracy against MJ http://www.thesportsinterview.com/mjackson.html http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,319537,00.html This link is from EW.com~& I must add a disclaimer: *Entertainment Weekly, along with MANY OTHER magazines (People mag, Newsweek, Life & Style ect.. aka Tabloids) were incredible viscous & venomous in their attacks & lies on MJJ in life. We do not support this magazine, but the article suits our purpose* Interesting: ‘MJ Betrayed After Death” from People Magazine. Names $ony as culprit. http://peoplemagazinedaily.com/?p=5164 I must add a disclaimer: *Entertainment Weekly, along with MANY OTHER magazines (People mag, Newsweek, Life & Style ect.. aka Tabloids) were incredible viscous & venomous in their attacks & lies on MJJ in life. We do not support this magazine, but the article suits our purpose* http://www.mjshouse.com/stories/invincible_mirror.html Another article outlining MJJ & $ony. http://mjjrealrealm.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!A679A9B694DD1478!2869.entry?sa=944668766 Another amazingly researched article on Michael Jackson & $ony. http://www.this-is-not-it.com/en/external-links/reference-articles.html This link you have to scroll through to find ones pertaining to $ony, but it has evidence that corroborates against them, remember that all this evil connects (“connect the dots & follow the money”). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip_-Dhljn2Q Dick Gregory interview discussing the 2005 trial, $ony & things related to it. His quotes from Michael ARE POINT BLANK WHAT HAPPENED. The BELOW photos are screen-caps showing the opinion of two friends of MJJ, & dedicated to truth & justice. Here are some links to where we found them, we agree with their opinion. http://twitter.com/wingheart/status/20989656325 http://twitter.com/wingheart/status/20990742298 http://twitter.com/wingheart/status/20990538474 Click to englarge A BOYCOTT $ony BLOG NOT FROM AN MJ FAN~LOOKS LIKE MJJ FANS ARENT THE ONLY ONES WHO BOYCOTT $ony: http://www.boycottsony.us/ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2209653829&ref=mf http://www.quietvoice.org/2005/11/03/no-sony-for-me/ An article on George Michael & his problems with $ony, AGAIN it seems they have a checkered history: http://www.articlealley.com/article_70025_50.html Seven outlines FURTHER, why true MJJ fans should boycott $ony. ***What follows below, is STRAIGHT from Seven’s site, & the link is provided here http://www.mj-777.com/?p=3005 & under Why You Should Boycott. MJ was done with $ony a long time ago. Or so he thought. Now they’re selling a bunch of his unreleased music. Doesn’t that tell you maybe something’s wrong? It should. Care to know what? Or, do you just want to blindly buy from an entity that badly abused someone you “love”. What is “love”? Is it giving money to a victim’s abuser? Because that’s what you’re doing. And there are no excuses for it. There are only excuses for you to buy from $ony so you can get what *you* want. Because what *you* want matters to you more than Michael Jackson. If that’s the case, fine! But don’t say you “love” Michael Jackson when what you love more is what you can get from him by rewarding entities that abused him all his career – by giving them your money. Michael’s legacy has already been written in HIStory. If not one person bought another song of his, nothing would change that. NOTHING. So that excuse doesn’t wash. The media? TWO words will ‘explain’ the issue to them. And it’s a short enough soundbite that even they’ll understand and it will be impossible for them to twist it. Those two words: “SONY SUCKS!” Why should people who truly love Michael Jackson be cowed by the media into financing his abusers? That’s horse pucky. What did $ony do that was so bad? To find out, you have to be willing to READ. And ditch the excuses. Learn more: http://bit.ly/db5Ku1 In regards to efforts to ‘boycott’ or thwart $ony’s profiteering off of Michael Jackson’s death, I’ve seen some pretty ignorant statements against it. For instance: Rewarding $ony with record sales of MJ merchandise isn’t going to do anything to ‘prove the media wrong’ or change their memes or negativity about him. His record sales in the past have done nothing to change the media’s opinions or tactics against him. The media have made an entire industry out of negatively defining Michael Jackson and no matter how “his” new record sells, they aren’t going to stop. They make too much money bashing him. Again, record sales won’t affect this. If they did, the media would have stopped denigrating him long ago! Right after he died, his record sales when through the roof. Did they stop bashing him then or become less negative? I don’t believe they did. In fact, after Thriller, that’s when some of the worst bashing and media negativity against him actually began! He became a huge, easy target for them way back then and he still is – and now his family and children are too. That’s not going to change based on record or merchandise sales. The public’s opinion, shaped by decades of media denigration and Oprah’s propaganda, isn’t going to change just because his records sell big now – if it would, that would have already happened in the months since he died. Likely much of the media will use it as an opportunity to bring out their old mantras about “freaky” dead Michael and how the “fact” that he was weird and a child molester somehow didn’t affect his record or merchandise sales. I could almost guarantee you that many of them will frame it just that way or in similar ways as they did after his death – and if you noticed it wasn’t kind and it never will be, no matter how his records sold. So, I’m not convinced that rewarding $ony with huge sales numbers from MJ stuff somehow will silence or change the mantra of the media about Michael. All it does is make $ony rich, which is all they’re after – knowing they can always count on grieving MJ fans to pony up megabucks for anything with his name on it. What rewarding $ony with huge sales of MJ merchandise will do, is prove that $ony is right – that they can always count on grieving MJ fans to pony up megabucks for anything with his name on it. We needn’t cow to the media. They are not going to change and if they do it will be due to media ethics laws, not Michael’s record sales or lack thereof. Don’t set your compass by them. They are (along with $ony) another of Michael’s abusers. Why would we set our compass by any of these entities or what they might think? Thinking isn’t their forte, obviously. But it should be ours. What’s “bad for his legacy” is when fans, worried about what the lame$tream media might think or say (which is always going to be negative), buys up anything and everything with Michael’s name on it, no matter how cheesy or badly done. That cheapens his legacy, which bytheway is already written well before he died and nothing (except perhaps it being now cheapened due to $ony’s profit-making tactics a la ‘Breaking News’) will change that. Oh noo! If we boycott $ony we can’t buy all this other music from these other artists and it will hurt these other artists too! Boycotting $ony’s sales of Michael Jackson merchandise and music means simply not buying anything they’re selling with Michael Jackson’s name, likeness, images, music, videos in or on it. It does not mean boycotting the work of other artists from them. If you choose to boycott $ony due to the suspicious nature of Michael’s death and $ony’s treatment of Michael through the years – then just don’t buy anything they’re selling that is Michael Jackson-related. That doesn’t hurt ‘other artists‘. $ony has manipulated Michael Jackson in life and to death to get and keep control of $ony/ATV and the MiJac catalogues. These items are what is worth most in his estate. The dollar figure is in the billions (with a ‘B’). It is my firm belief (and it seems it was also Michael’s suspicion before he died, see quotes below) that he may have been murdered for this ie: for money, profit, control/ownership of his estate and particularly those catalogues. Here’s another pretty ignorant statement: Oh but it’ll hurt his legacy if we don’t buy any more MJ stuff! Where have the people claiming this been for the past 50 years? Michael’s artistic legacy is already written. If no one ever bought another MJ-related item, it would not hurt his legacy. It’s already HIStory. And nothing will change that now. And – yet another one: But – Boycotting $ony will hurt Katherine and the kids! That money is theirs! Profits go to $ony, John Branca, and John McClain Katherine and the kids get a monthly allowance from the estate. That amount is the same each month. That won’t change no matter how much $ony sells of Michael’s unreleased music or other things with his name and likeness on it. Speaking of what’s theirs though, what is theirs is Michael’s legacy: all of that released and unreleased music and in particular and most importantly, those catalogs (Sony/ATV and MiJac). Those catalogues are the part of the estate that is worth the most. If we want to balk about what’s theirs that’s what we ought to be balking about. These catalogs of Michael’s own recording masters and the $ony/ATV rightfully ought to belong to Michael’s children at some point when they’re old enough. But lo and behold those are – as planned by Branca + $ony – slated to go to $ony at first chance that it can be arranged without looking too suspicious. Click on the link and you can read it at the $onyATV site itself. So you got no problem with that? Well you should. $ony is the one entity that has profited most from Michael’s murder. $ony is the one entity that didn’t bother to show up at his memorial – even the public one – even after all the money they’ve made from his work through the years – Millions if not Billions of dollars. They showed him zero support during the trial in 2005 and they were nowhere to be seen when he died – until there was money to be made from his fans via sales due to their grief over his death, and then they were right there with their hands out. The hearts of MJ’s fans are a direct line to their wallets and $ony knows it. $ony made it obvious through the years that it in no way intended to let ownership or control of $ony/ATV or Michael’s own MiJac catalogue to remain with Michael. They have manipulated him incessantly to keep those catalogues in their sites and under their control. Having him conveniently ‘out of the way’ now clears the path for them to carry out their well-known long-term plan to get complete ownership and control of both of those catalogues, with the added convenience of help from John Branca and John McClain. I guess we should just ignore all that though, in favor of ignorance and for drooling over what we’ll get out of Michael’s demise – new releases, new music, some new concert footage, or whatever. Is that what it’s all about? What we get for ourselves? Michael wrote a song called ‘What More Can I Give?’. I guess for some MJ fans, it’s ‘What More Can I Get?’ Nevermind the incredibly odd circumstances surrounding his death, the ethical issues with the execution of his estate, $ony’s past and present moneymaking machinations, and the theft of the biggest part of his legacy from his children. Just gimme. That certainly is $ony’s mantra when it comes to Michael Jackson too: ‘What More Can We Get?’ That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? But it’s the very antithesis of all Michael was and was and what he was about. He died because of this. In a word: greed. What will change if enough of Michael’s fans wield their power of refusing to buy MJ merchandise from $ony is not the amount of money Katherine and the kids will get — but rather the amount of profit $ony and John Branca/John McClain will make off of Michael’s death. And that profit going to Branca$ony is what I would like to see minimized. Why? Because it seems to me that Michael was very likely murdered for it. For the money, for control and ownership of the catalogues, for the profit that could be made from his death. He was worth more dead than alive and various vultures that had surrounded him all his life knew that. This flock of ‘regulars’ suspiciously constellated in his life once again in the weeks before his murder and that 2002 will is highly suspect. Those catalogs are worth billions (with a ‘B’) and $ony has been manipulating Michael to get at them for years. Incessantly. They rightfully belong to his children, not $ony. But with things as they stand now, his children will likely never have any ownership or control of them because they are apparently being stolen from them by $ony with John Branca’s help. Just personally, I am not going to pay what could be his murderers for what they’ve done to him – in life, or death. And I’m not going to help them steal their father’s legacy from his children. Are we trying to bring $ony down? Heck no. That’s impossible. It would be ludicrous to even try. But I’m not going to help them profit off of Michael’s murder – whether they are involved themselves or not. And I have no interest in whether they survive as an entity or not. All Michael Jackson fans have the power to prevent $ony from profiting off of Michael’s death by simply not buying any MJ merchandise from them. And just in my own opinion, if they truly love Michael Jackson (the human being, not the commodity) they have not only the power, but the obligation to see that $ony does not profit off of his murder, particularly if there is any suspicion that they may have been involved in it. Based on Michael’s own comments through the years before he died, $ony’s rabid penchant to keep control of him and his catalogues over the years, the questionable circumstances in which Michael died, and the ethical issues with the will, it’s certainly possible. • WHEN YOU BUY MICHAEL JACKSON MERCHANDISE FROM $ONY JUST BE AWARE . . . You are being manipulated for profit! $ony and Branca/McClain are manipulating Michael’s fans – getting to their wallets and credit cards though their hearts – capitalizing on their grief about Michael’s death/murder to make profit for themselves. (themselves – not for the estate or the children, mind you). I don’t know about you but I don’t like being manipulated. Especially by $ony – a sneaky, silent entity that abused and manipulated Michael for years behind the scenes. No matter WHAT John Branca says. Let’s clarify something right now: John Branca speaks for John Branca and $ony, NOT Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson is dead. And when he was alive, we saw and heard what Michael had to say about $ony. And it was a VERY different story. I don’t care if we’ll get 2 CDs of his new unreleased music and some unreleased video footage and a game — or 7 CDs of new music or whatever. What we get is irrelevant. If it’s dripping in Michael Jackson’s blood, I don’t want it. I don’t care WHAT it is. Distractions from ‘anonymous’ commenters on this site into discussion of such petty details is irrelevant and does not change the fact that Michael was very likely murdered for money and control of his catalogues. It does not change the fact that $ony corporation is the one entity profiting most from his death. It does not change the fact that his will and executors of the estate and the conflicts of interest inherent in them are very suspect. Nor does it change the fact that in the years before his death, he knew this might happen. It is evident in many quotes from him and events going on around him. These things can not and should not be ignored – if we indeed care about Michael Jackson the human being at all. And NO it’s not going to hurt ‘other artists‘ to boycott $ony’s Michael Jackson merchandise. That makes no sense. And NO it’s not going to hurt Katherine and the kids to boycott $ony’s Michael Jackson merchandise. They’ll get the same amount of $ each month regardless. And NO it’s not going to hurt Michael’s legacy if we don’t buy blood-soaked Michael Jackson merchandise from $ony. His artistic legacy is written in HIStory and nothing will change it now. Nothing. In monetary and legal terms though, his legacy is his back catalogue. And John Branca is set to give $ony first dibs on that. Did it ever occur to anyone that this belongs to Michael’s children and it’s being stolen from them? Did it ever occur to anyone that by buying MJ-related merchandise from $ony that you are helping the entities who are stealing Michael’s legacy from his children? Hello. Pfft. Do you get it yet? Refusing to buy MJ-related merchandise from $ony might hurt $ony/Branca/McClain’s collective ability to PROFIT off of Michael’s death/murder. And so it should! You know sometimes, it’s got to be about more than what we’ll get for ourselves. A beautiful man who gave much to this World has been murdered for profit and control of his estate. His death was no ‘accident’. His will is extremely suspect. His children are orphans and all they have of their father is his legacy (music catalogues, personal items and profits therefrom) and that is being stolen from beneath them by $ony and their lawyers who are now executors of his estate. Where is the respect? Where is the care for him and his family and what rightfully belongs to his family, namely his children? Sometimes, people need to think about something beyond themselves and getting their next new CD or TV or fancy new outfit or whatever. We hesitate or refuse to buy stuff made in sweatshops or by slave labor. But many are clamoring to buy merchandise containing the music and likeness of a man who was murdered for money and profit, and to buy it from what may have been his murderers who are also apparently in the process of stealing his legacy from his children. Wow • Just • Wow . . . That music could be released years from now by his children when they’re of age. But apparently many MJ fans would rather give blood money to the entity that possibly murdered him and are stealing his children’s legacy, so they don’t have to wait that long. And as I’ve pointed out here, the justifications and excuses they use for doing this just don’t hold water. To each his / her own. I’m not telling anyone else what to do. But personally, I am having NO PART of this. I DO NOT WANT a CD of unreleased music if it’s dripping in BLOOD. And I highly suspect that it would be. I won’t give blood money to greedy corporates. Even Michael’s dad, Joe, won’t go see Cirque de Soleil’s Michael Jackson shows – because once again, $ony will make a killing (pun intended) on royalties – since Cirque is allowed to use anything they chose out of the entire Catalog including unreleased material. Even Joe knows. And on this, I agree with him. ALSO, consider these quotes: My level of trust will change. And there’s a lot of conspiracy going on. I’ll say that much. A lot of it. All around me-Michael Jackson Don’t leave me, they are trying to kill me-Michael Jackson I am afraid of my life and for my children. I am so scared -Michael Jackson I’m very concerned about my life” -Michael Jackson As concerns Michael’s releasing other albums and songs via $ony after Invincible and Number Ones (when his contract with them was supposedly ended) . . . Sony didn’t want him leaving, owning a part of Sony. He was so excited when his contract was over..then he discovered his contract was manipulated so he couldn’t leave when he believed he could. Branca was his lawyer @ the time. (This person was a close friend of MJ for many years and knew how he felt about $ony) ~~~~~~~ Be aware too, that even after 2002 $ony could still release any of Michael’s previously-released music without his involvement. His attorney at the time, Peter Lopez, now (interestingly) dead, also asserted in 2007 that Michael had no new contracts with $ony or any record label nor did he intend to have. They had distribution rights. So there was little possibility that ‘MJ and $ony kissed and made up‘. But there was – as per usual with $ony – some manipulation going on in regards to Michael’s contract with them. The estate and particularly Michael’s catalogs and all his unreleased music and concert footage should be placed in trust and control given to his children when they are adults. They are Michael’s family and that is who it rightfully belongs to, along with any subsequent profits. Not $ony and not John Branca et al. But interestingly, there is no provision for this in that old will that John Branca himself wrote . in which he is named executor of MJ’s estate and which he just happened to have a copy of after Michael died and which was allegedly signed by Michael in LA while Michael was in NYC that day. NO. 1 + 1 does not equal 5. Since when does a lawyer who writes a will name himself the executor of the estate named in the will? My lawyer is not the executor of my estate. My mother’s lawyer is not the executor of her estate either. The thought would be ludicrous. Most lawyers I know would refuse to be put in such a position even if asked due to the ethical issues. How did Michael sign this document in LA when he was on the other side of the country that day? Should we ignore the seemingly obvious logistical and ethical problems with this? I don’t think so. Considering all this, do you see the problem yet? The ruse? And John Branca just expanded and extended $ony’s distribution rights in his (not Michael’s) recent $250 million deal with them. And, he increased the percentage of royalties $ony receives. But not before ensuring that 10% of any profits ‘the estate‘ made would go to him and McClain, first. Section 9657 of California Probate Code reads: The personal representative shall not make profit by the increase, nor suffer loss by the decrease or destruction without his or her fault, of any part of the estate. Thus, this 10% profit these men have been allowed to make off of Michael’s estate seems to be a direct violation of this code. Do I/we know all the facts surrounding Michael’s murder? No. And we may never know. We do know that many, many things certainly don’t add up. And we do know who many of the vultures were who surrounded Michael over the years and how they were trying to manipulate and control him for money, and how some of them once again suspiciously constellated around him just before his death – seemingly ready to take control. Many, many questions are unanswered and those likely involved are tight-lipped about their bloody ruse. $ony in particular has often been the quiet manipulator behind the scenes in Michael’s life, their tentacles reaching into the smallest and most unsuspected corners of his affairs, particularly his financial affairs. Just remember, the cruelest lies are told in silence. Those ‘powers that be‘ – the same ones who dealt such barbaric injustice to Michael in 1993 – 2005 are the now in charge of meting out justice in his murder. It’s pretty obvious therefore, that there will be no justice done in his murder. Here are some more links, below. See if you can make sense of Michael’s murder if you care enough to bother. One thing is certain: the official ‘party line‘ we’re being fed by the ‘powers that be‘, AEG, $ony, Branca and the estate, and certainly the garbage we’re daily fed by the medialoids – is not the truth. What seems obvious is that Michael Jackson was murdered for money and control of his estate and particularly his music catalog. Just as he always feared he’d be. And now, a second suspicious death in his circle. Mr. Peter Lopez, who was MJ’s lawyer until February, 2009 (apparently replaced with John Branca) has been found shot. Authorities are terming it a suicide but this is the second death in the group of people who surrounded Michael Jackson in the weeks and months before he died himself. What are they trying to hide? Did Lopez have or know something (such as Michael’s latest will) that those involved don’t want out there? What did Peter Lopez know about Michael Jackson’s last days and about this death and when did he know it? Was he slated to testify in Conrad Murray’s trial? Read the information at the first link I’ve provided in this paragraph. It corroborates what I’ve written above re: $ony. It confirms that Michael Jackson had no new contracts with $ony after 2002 nor did he have any intention of signing any new contracts with them. It also confirms that Michael never intended to tour again, as has been asserted before, and adds to the suspicion that Michael was somehow manipulated into the AEG/O2 deal.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: What is the method of administration for amphotericin B when treating fungal infections in the central nervous system (CNS)? output: When treating fungal infections in the central nervous system, amphotericin B is often administered intrathecally. This involves injecting the medication directly into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Intrathecal administration allows for the medication to be delivered directly to the site of the infection, where it can work to eliminate the fungus. This method of administration is often used when the infection is not responding to other treatments or when high doses of the medication are required. Intrathecal administration of amphotericin B is a specialized procedure that should only be performed by a healthcare provider with experience in this technique.

China IPR – Intellectual Property Developments in China China: patents, trademarks, copyright, infringement, piracy, innovation policies 2012/11/12 by Mark Cohen （柯恒） New Draft of Service Inventor Remuneration Regulations Open for Public Comment On November 12, 2012, SIPO made publicly available a draft of the proposed Service Invention Remuneration Regulations (职务发明条例草案(征求意见稿). Comments are due at SIPO by December 3. An earlier draft reportedly contained numerous problematic provisions for foreign investors, including in areas regarding mandatory ownership and compensation, as well as extending reach beyond patents into software copyright and other areas. The draft and an explanation of the draft are available at http://www.sipo.gov.cn/tz/gz/201211/t20121112_769843.html. Here is an unofficial English translation of the draft: Draft Regulations on Service Invention (For soliciting public opinion) The Regulations are formulated for the purpose of protecting the legal rights and interests of the inventor of service invention and the entity, fully mobilizing the enthusiasm of the inventor of service invention and the entity, improving the ability to innovate, promoting the application and implementation of the service invention and its intellectual property right, promoting the economic and social development and constructing an innovative and talents-powerful country. The State encourages service invention and the creation, implementation, protection and management of its intellectual property right. The people’s governments at all levels and their related administrative authorities in charge shall actively take effective measures to increase the intensity of promotion and popularization of the service invention system, strengthen the guidance and assistance to entities and inventors in implementing the Regulations, support and promote application and implementation of service invention and its intellectual property right. The patent administration department under the State Council, the agriculture administration department, the forestry administration department (hereinafter generally referred to as “Administrative Departments for IP Affaires”), the science and technology administration department and the labor administration department are responsible for supervision and administration of country wide service invention system in accordance with division of their respective responsibilities. Administrative department for IP affairs, science and technology administration departments and labor administration departments at the local people’s government at or above the county level are responsible for, according to the division of their respective responsibilities, supervision and administration of service-invention systems of respective administrative regions. Article 4: In the Regulations, “invention” refers to the achievement of mental-creation, which is made within the territory of People’s Republic of China and is eligible subject matter of patent right, right of new varieties of plants, exclusive right of layout-design, or know-how. “Inventor” as mentioned in the Regulations means any person who makes creative contributions to the substantive features of an invention. Any person who, during the course of accomplishing the invention, is responsible only for organizational work, or who only offers facilities for making use of material and technical means, or who takes part in other auxiliary functions, shall not be considered as an inventor. The state encourages the entity which engages in research and development to establish the intellectual property management system for service invention and set up specialized department or designate specialized staff responsible for the IP management, or commission a professional gency to manage IP related affairs on behalf of the entity. Entity engaging in research and development shall establish the invention reporting system, or reach agreement with inventors, clearly define the entity and the inventor’s rights, obligations and responsibilities upon completion of an invention, and timely determine the ownership of the rights and interests relating to the invention. Entity engaging in research and development shall establish award and remuneration system for service invention or reach agreement with inventors on the award and remuneration. When an entity establishes the above systems, it shall listen to and consider the opinions and suggestions of relevant persons, and disclose the invention reporting system and the award and remuneration system to research staff and other relevant persons. Chapter 2 Ownership of Invention The following inventions belong to service invention: 1, the invention made in execution of the duties assigned by the entity to which he belongs; 2, the invention made in execution of any task, other than his own duty, which was assigned to him by the entity to which he belongs; 3, the invention made within one year from his retirement, resignation or from termination of his employment or human resources relationship with the entity to which he previously belonged, where the invention relates to his own duty or the other task assigned to him by the entity to which he previously belonged, but except new varieties of plans which are subject to other provisions made by the state; 4, the invention made mainly by using the money, equipment, spare parts, raw material or technical materials which are not disclosed to the public of the entity he belongs to; but except there is an agreement on returning funding or fees for the usage to the entity to which he belongs, or using the material technical means of the entity to which he belongs merely for verification or testing upon completion. For the service invention, entity is entitled to the right of applying for intellectual property right, protecting as know-how or publish and the inventor is entitled to the right of inventorship and the right of getting the award and remuneration. For a non service invention, inventor is entitled to the right of inventorship, the right of applying for intellectual property right, or protecting as know-how or publish. The entity may enter into an agreement with the inventor on the right regarding the invention which is relevant to the business of the entity, such as the right of application for intellectual property right, or protecting as technique secret, or making public. The provisions in this Chapter of the Regulations shall apply in the absence of the above mentioned agreement. Chapter 3 Report of Invention and Application for Intellectual Property Right Article 10: Where the inventor makes an invention relevant to the business of the entity to which he belongs, he shall, except there is an agreement or other provisions made by the entity otherwise, report the invention to the entity within two months from the date the invention is completed. Where the invention is made by two or more inventors, the report shall be made by the inventors jointly. An invention report shall specify below details: 1, the name of the inventor; 2, the title and content of the invention; 3, whether the invention is a service invention or a non service invention and the reason thereof; 4, the other matters which the inventor considers should be stated. Where an inventor claims the invention he reports is a non service invention, the entity shall, within two months from the receipt of the report which is in conformity with Article 11, give a written reply; failure of giving such a reply within the above mentioned time period is deemed as entity’s acceptance that the invention is a non service invention. Where the entity claims the reported non service invention to be a service invention in the written reply, it shall state the grounds. Where the inventor presents a written counterclaim within two months from the receipt of the reply from the entity, the parties involved may resolve the dispute in accordance with Article 42 of the Regulations; where no counterclaim is presented, the inventor is deemed as in agreement that the invention is a service invention. The entity shall, within 6 months from the service invention reporting date, decide whether to apply for intellectual property right, protect as know-how or publish and shall inform the inventor of the decision in a written notice. Where the entity fails to inform the inventor within the time limit as provided in the above paragraph, the inventor may send a written inquiry urging the entity to reply; if the entity fails to reply after 1 month of the inventor’s written inquiry, the invention shall be deemed to be protected as know-how by the entity, and the inventor has the right to have the compensation as provided in Article 25. If the entity afterwards applies and obtains domestic intellectual property right of this invention, the inventor is entitled to get award and remuneration as provided in the Regulations. Where the entity applies for intellectual property right of the service invention, it may, for the application documents intend to be filed, seek the opinion from the inventor. The inventor shall actively cooperate with the entity for the application for intellectual property right. During the application process for intellectual property right, the inventor is entitled to request information on the progress from the entity. Where the entity intends to stop the process of applying for intellectual property right or abandon the intellectual property right of a service invention, it shall inform the inventor 1 month in advance. The inventor may negotiate with the entity to get the application right to intellectual property right or intellectual property right for a fee or free of charge. The entity shall assist the inventor actively to complete the assignment formalities. If the parties fail to reach an agreement, they may solve the disputes in accordance with the Article 42 of the Regulations. Where the inventor obtains the relevant right in accordance with the above paragraph free of charge, the entity is entitled to implement the service invention or its intellectual property right free of charge. The inventor has the confidentiality obligation on service invention he made, and shall not disclose it to public without the authorization of the entity, or apply for intellectual property right or assign to any third party on his own. The entity has the confidentiality obligation for the non service invention disclosed thereto, and shall not disclose it to public without the authorization of the inventor, or apply for intellectual property right or assign to any third party on it own. Chapter 4 Award and Remuneration of Service Invention Where the entity is granted the intellectual property right of a service invention, it shall grant award to the inventor in a timely manner. Where the entity assigns, license others to exploit, or exploits on its own the service invention which is granted the intellectual property right, it shall pay the inventor an reasonable remuneration in time based on the economic benefits yielded and the level of contribution made by the inventor. The entity may enters into an agreement with the inventor, or provide it in its policy formulated in accordance with the laws, on the procedure, manner and amount of the award and remuneration. The agreement or policy shall inform the inventor the right he is entitled to, the way to seek relief, and in accordance with Articles 20 and 23 of the Regulations. Any agreement or policy eliminating or limiting the right which the inventor is entitled with in accordance with the Regulations are invalid. When the entity decides the procedure, manner and amount of the award and remuneration given to the inventor, it shall listen to the opinions of inventors. The entity shall, inform the inventor of the information on the economic benefit earned by the entity by exploiting, assigning, licensing of service invention. Where the entity has not entered into an agreement with the inventor on the award to the service invention, and has not provided the award to the service invention in its policy formulated, it shall, for the service invention granted an patent right or the right of new varieties of plants, award all of the inventors a sum of money as prize which shall not be less than 200% of the monthly average wages of the workers in the entity; and for the service invention granted other intellectual property rights, award to all of the inventors a sum of money as prize which shall not be less than the monthly average wages of the workers in the entity. Where the entity has not entered into an agreement with the inventor on the remuneration and has not provided the remuneration in its rules and Regulations, it shall, upon the exploitation of the intellectual property rights, provides the remuneration to all related inventors by one of the following ways: 1, within the valid term of the intellectual property, extract a sum of money which shall be no less than 5% from the operating profit of exploiting the patent right or the right of new varieties of plants, or no less than 3% from the operating profit of exploiting the other intellectual property right; 2, within the valid term of the intellectual property, extract a sum of money which shall be no less than 0.5% from the revenue of exploiting the patent right or the right of new varieties of plants, or no less than 0.3% from the revenue of exploiting the other intellectual property right; 3, within the valid term of the intellectual property, references the amount of the above two items, determine the amount of annual remuneration in accordance with the reasonable multiple of the personal salary of the inventor; 4, references the reasonable multiple of the amount of the above items 1 and 2, determine the lump sum amount of remuneration to be paid to the inventor. The accumulated amount of the remuneration above will not be more then 50% of the accumulated operating profit of exploiting the intellectual property right. Where the entity has not entered into an agreement with the inventor on the remuneration and has not provided the remuneration in its policy, it shall, upon the assignment, license to the third party of the intellectual property right, shall extract a sum of money which shall be no less than 20% from the net income of assignment or license as a remuneration to the inventor. When deciding the amount of the remuneration, factors shall be considered such as the economic contribution to the entire product or process made by each service invention, and the contribution into each service invention made by every inventor, etc. Where the entity has not entered into an agreement with the inventor on the time limit for paying award and remuneration, and has not provided the time limit for paying award and remuneration in its policy formulated in accordance with the laws, it shall, pay the money of prize within three months from the date of granting of the intellectual property right; where the intellectual property of a service invention is assigned or licensed to others, the entity shall pay the remuneration within three months upon the assignment or license fee is received; where the entity exploits the service invention on its own and pays the remuneration yearly in cash, it shall pay the remuneration within three months upon the expiration of each accounting year. Where the remuneration is paid in stock form, the entity shall pay dividend in accordance with laws and regulations and entity policy. Where the entity decides to protect the service invention as know-how, it shall pay a reasonable compensation to the inventor in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. Where the employment or human resources relation between the inventor and the entity is terminated, the inventor shall fulfill the obligations for the invention completed before the termination and relevant with the business of the entity as provided in Article 10, 15, and 17 in the Regulations while the inventor shall remains entitled to the inventorship and to receive award and remuneration. Where the inventor is deceased, his heir or devisee is entitled to enjoy the right of receiving award and remuneration. Except there is an agreement between the entity and the inventor, or provisions in the entity policy which is formulated in accordance with the law, where the intellectual property right granted on service invention is announced to be invalided or revoked, it will not be retrospective to the award and remuneration which the inventor received. The award and remuneration given to the inventor by enterprises shall be listed into cost of the enterprise. The award and remuneration given by other entities shall be categorized in accounting book as provided in relevant rules. Chapter 5 Exploitation of Intellectual Property Right in Service Invention Where an entity intends to assign intellectual property rights of a service invention, the inventor is entitled to the right of first refusal under the same conditions. Where state-owned enterprises and institution, within 3 years from obtaining the intellectual property right on the service invention, neither exploit or have necessary preparation for implementing without any justifiable reasons, nor assign or license others to exploit, the inventor shall, under the situation that the ownership of the service invention is not changed, may implement or license others to exploit the intellectual property right and enjoy the relevant benefit in accordance with the agreement with the entity. The State adopts a preferential tax policy, regarding the income obtaining from transformation and carrying out of the service invention and its intellectual property of the entity, and the award and remuneration awarded to the inventor; the concrete measures will be established by the financial department of the state council jointly with the tax authorities of the state council, the administrative department for science and technology of the state council, the competent departments of intellectual property of the state council. Where the relevant competent departments of the state establishes the policies and measures following the standard of examination and evaluation of the technique or intellectual property of the entity, it shall, consider the implementation of the service invention made by the entity as the factor for examination or evaluation. The situation of establishing and managing the service invention system of the state-owned enterprises and institutions shall be brought into the performance assessment considerations on its leaders. The state will establish the fund to promote the implementation of the service invention made from the projects by using the science and under technology fund and science and technology plans which are established by the fiscal fund. Chapter 6 Supervision, Inspection and Legal Responsibility The supervisory management supervises and inspects the implementation of the service invention system made by the entity in accordance with the laws. During the supervision and inspection, the supervisory management has the authority to examine the work contracts, entity policy, etc. relevant to the service invention, and inquire the parties involved. Both of the entity and the inventor shall provide the relevant materials and situation faithfully. While the supervisory management doing its supervision and inspection, it shall produce documents of certification, conduct its duties in accordance with the laws, and be confidential to the business secrets which were informed of during the process of supervision and inspection. Where it is found in supervision and inspection that the entity does not follow the service invention system in accordance with the laws, the supervisory management may, order the entity to make corrections within a time limit; if the entity fails to do so, it shall be warned. Where the inventor violates the provisions of the Regulations and applies intellectual property for the service invention, the right granted under the application will be entitled to the entity, and all of the benefits obtained by the inventor shall be returned to the entity. Where the entity violates the provisions of the Regulations and applies for intellectual property right for the non service invention, the right granted under the application will be entitled to the inventor, and all of the benefits obtained by the entity shall be returned to the inventor. Below are deemed as infringement of right of inventorship： 1,fail to name the inventor as inventor 2, name the non inventor as an inventor. Where the inventor claims that his authorship has been infringed, he may, request the administrative department of intellectual property right of the people’s government at the county level to handle it, or institute legal proceedings before the People’s Court. Where the administrative department of intellectual property right of the people’s government at the county level or People’s Court finds the infringement of inventorship, the infringer will be ordered to stop the infringement, apology and compensate for loss. The authorities for granting or registering intellectual property right shall correct the inventorship recorded in the relevant documents and make an announcement based on the effective ruling. Where infringement of inventorship of two or more inventors or infringement of inventorship for twice or more times is found, infringer shall be imposed on a penalty under 50,000 RMB and be announced for the infringement by the administrative department of intellectual property right f the people’s government at the county level. Any organization or individual is entitled to report, complain the behavior of infringement over the right of authorship of the inventor to the administrative department of intellectual property right of the people’s government at or above the county level, and the department received the report or complaint shall investigate and handle it timely. Where the entity policy or the agreement entered into with inventors is not in accordance with Article 19.1 of the Regulations, or considered to be invalid according to Article 19.2 of the Regulations, and a loss to the inventor is caused, the entity shall be liable for damages. Where the entity fails to provide award and remuneration timely and in full amount to the inventor in accordance with the entity policy or the agreement, it shall be ordered to make a correction by the administrative department of intellectual property right of the people’s government at the county level; where a loss of the inventor is caused, the entity shall be liable for damages. Where dispute is caused by the ownership of the right of the invention or the award and remuneration, it will be consulted and solved by concerned parties. If concerned parties fail to do so, they may request the mediation from the administrative department of intellectual property right of the people’s government at the county level, or may institute legal proceedings before the People’s Court, or request arbitration in accordance with the laws. Upon the application for intellectual property of the invention, where the involved parties have dispute over the ownership of the invention, the department granting the intellectual property right may, based on the request of the concerned parties, discontinue the relevant process of the intellectual property right. Upon the settlement of the dispute over the ownership, the concerned parties may, with the effective legal instruments, request for restoration of the relevant process of the intellectual property right. Chapter 7 Supplementary Articles Where an entity makes an agreement with the inventor regarding the ownership of the invention or the award and remuneration, the entity may file the related contract and company policy for records with the local administrative department of the intellectual property right. The Regulations are applicable for the service works of computer software. The Regulations are effective from the date of . Feel free to share this post This entry was posted in China IPR, Legislation, Patents, Service Invention and tagged Inventor Reumuneration, Service Invention, SIPO. 5 thoughts on “New Draft of Service Inventor Remuneration Regulations Open for Public Comment” chinaipr2 says: Here is a translation, provided by the Business Software Alliance, of the explanatory note to the Service Invention Regulation (draft for public comment):https://chinaipr2.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/revised-sipo-draft-regulation-on-service-inventions-explanatory-note.doc. Understanding Service Inventions – Data « China IPR – Intellectual Property Developments in China says: […] proposed service invention regulations for public comment, which I have separately blogged about. https://chinaipr.com/2012/11/12/new-draft-of-service-inventor-remuneration-regulations-open-for-publi…. Comments are due December 3. My blog on this issue resulted in a new high here for hits, […] China Solicits Comments on New Draft Employment Invention Regulation | InsideTechMedia says: […] regulation (in Chinese), an explanation accompanying the draft regulation (in Chinese), and this unofficial English translation of the draft […] CHINA LAW BLOG » The importance of building an IP Portfolio says: […] inventions (the “Draft Regulation,” an English version is available at the following web-site: https://chinaipr.com/2012/11/12/new-draft-of-service-inventor-remuneration-regulations-open-for-publi&#8230;). The term “employment invention,” sometimes translated as “service invention,” is defined […] CHINA LAW BLOG » IP Portfolio in China: Subsidies and incentives and the use of an HK SPV says: […] the State Intellectual Property Office (“SIPO”) governing employment inventions (available at :https://chinaipr.com/2012/11/12/new-draft-of-service-inventor-remuneration-regulations-open-for-publi&#8230;). Today I would like to complete the theme about the importance of building an IP portfolio in […] Unwired Planet and the Role of Chinese Courts: A Perspective from Shenzhen IPO’s Comments on Draft Amendments to Patent Law Implementing Regulations Recent Research of USPTO MofCOM’s New Blocking Rule: A Dangerous Weapon or a Necessary Remedy? Berkeley-Tsinghua Transnational IP Litigation Program Launches Soon Calligraphy in Banner by: Harrison Tu The opinions reflected here are not necessarily the opinions of any organization, company, or government. They solely reflect the personal opinions of Mark Cohen and other named authors. When referring to this blog in the media, please do not attribute any opinion or comment to anyone other than the author(s). ChinaIPR in the media China IP. The Blog. Introducing the West to Chinese IP Law China IP Litigation Exploding And What That Means For Those Doing Business In China IPO's Comments on Draft Amendments to Patent Law Implementing Regulations MofCOM's New Blocking Rule: A Dangerous Weapon or a Necessary Remedy? “I’m Lovin’ it!” – A “Wrong Way” for McDonalds? State Council Legislative Affairs Office Releases NCA Draft of Copyright Law for Public Comment Due Process and ASI's: Wuhan and Texas Wuhan and Anti-Suit Injunctions Across the Fault Lines: Chinese Judicial Approaches to Injunctions and SEP's

Drama Milk We cater to the Obsessed Previously Recapped Home > Boyfriend > Encounter: Episode 1 Live Recap V November 28, 2018 Recaps Encounter: Episode 1 Live Recap Sigh, I did not know I loved a short title until we recapped all the amazingly long titled dramas this year. Thank you for giving that to me Encounter, hopefully your drama will be just as tight. I know that is a lot to ask though, so let’s at least hope this drama will be pretty. *Cheers* To a pretty drama! It is battle of the dramas on Wednesday and Thursday between one of the top female actresses, Song Hye-kyo (Encounter), and one of the top writers, Kim Sun-ok (The Last Empress) so this should be fun. We are recapping both, though we need to do a little bit of catchup for The Last Empress which will hopefully all happen today. But Encounter is first! Let’s get this (recap) party started! Twitter for updates, raves, and rants! Instagram for reviews and randomness Pinterest for all the pretty! Shorthand Chart: Encounter Character Chart How we do this: We update the post around every 10 minutes. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later depending on the scene. There will be typos which we have fantasies of fixing once the episode finishes airing. Also, there might be lovely updates at the bottom, so check back in! Recap Countdown: Recapping!…Check twitter for updates! KOREAN DRAMA ENCOUNTER RECAP EPISODE 1 ——-dramamilk.com——- We open with Soo-hyun walking around and helping her fathers election to become mayor of Seoul. We see her from the back like an avatar. Then we cut to her meeting her father at his mayors office, he won. Then we cut right to her wedding day where she marries Woo-seok and became a cheobal daughter in law of a cheabol. The news is voicing over this entire thing. They had a divorce two years later and it became a huge issue. Then we cut to her avatar of her with short hair walking alone up a street. Then the camera scrolls to show her side profle in front of a gallery with an alice in Wonderland or Cinderella princess stuck in a castle style painting. The door to the painting suddenly opens and the camera is sucked into the life of this painting with a King that arrogantly drinks his alcohol and pegasus flying outside. There are people who dance outside the castle and then we leave the castle gates and pass through a forest and then to a man reading a book peacefully. He stands when he sees a woman. Then we leave the fantasy painting and are back in the avatar view with three people looking at Soo-hyun who is looking out the window at the sea. The man starts talking. Man – Today is opening day, we have full reservations and it is off season but this kind of response is really good. I think we used the best in everything, even in tiny furniture pieces and it appealed to the consumers. The camera cuts to show us Soo-hyun’s face. She looks sad. She tells them it is the best view. Cut to her being driven in the car with Nam Myung-sik and Jang Mi-jin. They stop at a rest stop. Soo0hyun wants to stay in the car. Jang asks if she can get a ramen, they had trauma last time. If they take hotos again then it will be troublesome. Soo-hyun tells her it is okay, she can get some. The driver says he wills tay, but Soo-hyun tells him that he can go too. She stays in the car. But she sighs and says that rest stop ramen is the best. They all get back into the car and drive back to Soo-hyun’s office. They pullup and she is let out and greeted by everyone as she walks in casually. Upstairs, she changes into another outfit but wonders how long she will have to live like this. Until I am 60? The dresser says that Hwa-jin (mother in law) will be 100 when Soo-hun is 60. Even though she eats healthy, that would be too much. Soo-hyun says that the mother in law enjoys those things, but he dresser just continues and says that HJ is an annoying person. Soo-hyun tells her that her words make her uncomfortable, but they also make her feel good. The dresser thinks SH should not have those things in her contract to attend her ex mother in laws events. But SH says that she would not have been able to get a divorce if she did not agree to it. The dresser says that she thought it would end when her father in law died, but the even scarier mother in law became the chairman. It is all bad. Outside, SH shows up at the mother in laws event to a flash of cameras. We are back to the avatar view as she walks through this cheabol event. She walks all the way to Her mother in law who is launging and wishes her a happy birthday. They small talk about her father the mayor who is now head of the political party (maybe he is not mayor anymore). The mother in law excuses herself but tells SH that her bag is too flashy even though her clothes look good on her. She walks away and sees ehr ex husband who brightly walks up to her to say hello. SH tells him that they are not in that kind of relationship. He happily tells her that he thought she was stupid when she asked for the almost bankrupt hotel business in the divorce, but I heard that your hotel is #1 in the country. COngratulations. SH tells him thanks you and asks if he is getting married again. He is happy that she is interesteed in him (sarcastically). She says that if there is a new daughter in law then she will not be called there anymore. But the ex says that his mother will put new and old daughter in law together. SH tells him that she is not joking. He laughs and tells her that she is still atractive with her serious face. SH tells himthat he said he met the woman in his fate and tried to get divorced by doing all those dirty things. So what are you talking about? The ex just smiles and tells her that they should eat, the food is good for the old ladies birthday. But it does not look like SH wants to join. She asks him if he han just go away, he makes her uncomfortable. he tells her that everyone in the house in uncomfortable. he leaves and the camera cuts out to show her standing alone. Later on, we see her leaving in her car. Next to her is a tablet with a news article that says: News: Divorce custom of cheabols, Chae Soo-hyun attends the birthday again this year. Her driver and secretary talk to each other about going through the tunnel again. Nam says the tunnes is too stuffy. Soo-hyun asks Nam if he has been to Nam san tower? He says a long time ago with her father, they went to Namsan library. Your father was bugging me to go out, I told him that we should go out together. I heard it is better now, have you been there before? SH – No. MS – WOuld you like to go there to get fresh air? SH – No, I had enough photos taken today. MS – Do you think there are reporters there today? MJ – Well, people have SNS now, that is faster than newspaper articles. SH asks to open the windows. MJ tells her it is a cold day today and she has a long trip so she should not catch a cold. SH asks what time she will leave tomorrow. the driver tells her 9pm. Cut directly to Soo-hyun on the airplane. We first see her reflection in the window and then the camera scrolls to show her in her seat, reading about Cuba. The image she looks at on the next page turns into the real life mural in person in Cuba. Suddenly we are filled with the sights and sounds of Cuba and we are introduced to our Hero, Kim Jin-hyeok who is in the middle of it all and taking photos happily with all the Cubans. he walks around and gives us an introduction to Cuba through his lens as he takes photos of everything, rests along the shore, and walks around everywhere as he enjoys the vibrant life of Havana. Then the music cuts and we cut to Jin-hyeok walking through a gate into a conservatory style house with plants all around and an old stone building. he continues taking photos. An old man comes out and asks if it is beautiful? In English. JH – Yes it is beautiful Man – Blegh, it is just an old garden JH – This garden seems to have been loved by someone a long time ago Man – It was a beautiful time, everything was pretty before Jh – Everything seems to be as it was Man – We had a difficult time keeping up with it. It was my wifes garden. Our love started here and we completed it here. Cut to Soo-hyun driving around Havana and then back to Jin-hyeok enjoying a tea at a an outdoor table. A bird flys to his table so he takes a quick photo of it and smiles. Back in Soo-hyun’s car, the Havana driver texts and drives. Mi-jin tells him that it is dangerous to do that, you should not text and drive. But the driver ignores her and starts talking in Spanish to his person on the phone. Mi-ja apologizes to Soo-hyun, the driver was supposed to speak Englsih, she will find another driver that speaks English. But then they are suddenly in an accident when a tourist steps intot he street. To avoid the tourist they swerve and hit Jin-hyeoks table. Everythone is fine, but Jin-hyeoks camera is broken. Soo-hyun sees it from the car and tells her secretary that they need to take care of that first. She hops out and starts talking to Jin-hyeok. She tells him that she can send him another camera if he gives her the model of it. He is a bit curious about that but tells her that it is okay. She wants to give him a new one but he says it was his birhtday gift, she can’t replace a memory, right? She apologizes and says they can’t go back, she can give him a new one though. But there is pilled up traffic around so the secretary gives Jin-hyeok her business card that he puts in his back pocket with his wallet. They head out. NEW HOTEL OPENING Soo-hyun is in town for the opening of the first Korean Hotel in Havana. She steps to the stage and speaks in English about all the wonderful things about Havana and why there are happy to be there. It is a short speak. Afterward, a man tells her that her speach was great. She thanks him but her attention is caught by a sunset on a screen. He then tells her that she should see the sunset at Malacon beach, she should spare some time to see it because the color of the sunset changes everyday. I proposed to my wife over there. Scene change to Jin-hyeok who is reading a book (END OF THE WORLD GIRLFRIEND By Kim Yeon Soo). He happily reads but then his attention is brought to a lot of people in the street who are happily dancing with each other. A little girl goes up to Jin-hyeok and starts dansing with her. She is a tiny little adorable 5 year old so he can’t say no to her. Elsewhere, Soo-hyun is in her car again and makes sure that her secretary took care of the incident with the camera and that man. The secretary said that she gave her card to him but he refused it because he did not care about a new camera, his old one could not have been replaced. Soo-hyun is a bit stunned. The secretary says, if we offer him $100k then he will accept it right away. they drive right by Jin-hyeok dancing with a little girl on the street. the secretary keeps complaining about JH but Soo-hyun sees him happily dancing and says that he might not accept that offer. She smiles and sits back in her seat but catches another look at JH. Later on, the secretary tells Soo-hyun to rest, she will prepare dinner later. But Soo-hyun tells her that she will do something else today. They talk jongdaemal to each other but it is friendly jongdaemal. They talk back and forth about not eating dinner and SH taking a sleeping pill and sleeping all night. SH says yes, it is good to adjust to the time now. They talk back and forth about that for a bit but then SH tells her that she will have a good rest and then she will have a good breakfast in the morning. You know a good breakfast right? The secretary smiles and says yes. Soo-hyun goes to her room and plops on the bed. She is about to take her sleeping pill but stops and looks at a post card of the sunset that the man talked about. Then she wonders for a moment and makes a decision. She gets up and asks what her secretary is doing. The secretary is in her regular clothing with her hair down, she tells her that she is relaxing outside, she wants to meet a guy. Soo-hyun asks her if she has been to Malacon beach? How about going with me? The secretary playfully tells her that they should go there with their boyfriend, not with each other. I don’t want to spend my play time with you. They keep playfully talking. Soo-hyun asks her if she is ready to write her resignation letter? MJ tells her, YAY! You are starting this again? I wrote my resignation letter millions of times but you never accepted it. Why are you threatening me now? SH tells her it is because she is bored, play with me. But the secretary wants to have fun on her own this evening. Soo-hyun tells her to enjoy and take the economy flight back tomorrow. Click. Soo-hyun takes a sip of water and then heads out. As she is walking through the hotel it returns to the avatar view as the hotel head tells her that he did not know she was headed out. Soo-hyun tells him that she wants to see the sunset on Malacon beach so he tells her that she needs to go to Morolacabaya, that is the perfect place to fall in love. He gets a taxi and tells them Morolacabaya (I need help with this name). He gets her safely into the taxi and tells good luck. But the taxi breaks on the way out and starts smoking. The driver hops out right away and tells her not to worry. He pops the hood to fix it but then tells Soo-hyun that he is sorry, she will have to take a ferry. it will be faster. Cut to Jin-hyeok wondering if his camera still takes pictures. He tries it out and we see it from the cameras broken angle. It still takes photos. he takes a few and then sees Soo-hyun walking in the backround along the waterfront as she heads tot he ferry. He is taken by her and looks at her walking, he does not even take photos of her, he just wathes her. Soo-hyun takes the ferry Morocabana and asks the ferry captain how to get to Morocabana exactly. he tells her to go up. So she starts walking off in her high heels and red dress to this mysterious place. But it becomes a chore as her shoes dig into her heels. She takes a break to check out her heel but then two men suddenly sneak from the wall and sneak away her purse. She notices them too late. They tell her thank you senorita and happily walk off. Back at the hotel, Mi-jin goes to Soo-hyun’s room and sees tha she is not there and did not take her pills. On the beach area, we are back tot he avatar view of Soo-hyun walking around. She passes through various amazing areas , but when the camera scrolls around to her face we see that she is overwhelmed. But she does get to the spot that she is looking for. It is fille with couples. she is all alone and sits on the wall alone between all these couples. But it looks like she is fainting? Did she take the pills? Her eyes start to close, she is about to fall off this wall, y’all. She tips over as her eyes close, her body goes limp. But she is caught by Jin-hyeok who looks at her as if she is crazy. She isn’e crazy though, just sleepy so she falls asleep right on his shoulder. Her heels falls off the wall but she does not notice. Jin-hyeok apologizes to the tourists hit by it. In the hotel, Mi-jin asks the concierge if she saw the VIP from Korea. He says yes, beautiful woman, she went to see the sunset in Malacor beach~. The secretary thanks him and runs off. But the concierge says that actually she went to Malacorbana. At Malacorbana, Soo-hyun wakes from her very nice nap on Jin-hyeoks shoulder. But she is stunned and wonders why she is there. He tells her that she was about to fall off the wall an hour ago. She looks down at her feet and wonders where her shoe is. He tells her that he did not do it, it just fell off. he tells her, just in case she has a misunderstanding, I will explain it all. You were about to fall, I caught you so don’t worry. He tells her goodbye but she tells him to help her. Can you get my high heels? He looks at it then smiles and says it is a little dangerous so wait here a little bit. But then she sees the sunset and is taken by it. She says something about it not being that color and then says, it’s pretty. Jin-hyeok stops leaving and keeps sitting with her. he looks at her instead of the sunset. She says it is prettier than the postcard in the hotel right? Was it in your hotel room? They keep looking at the sunset together. He pulls out his cell phone. SH – Malacon beach sunset will be better enjoyed with this music, 200% more. He motions for her to try it. So she puts the earbuds in and he plays Omara, which is the same mural that was in her book. She listens to Omara and looks at all the lovely seens of Cuba with people talking and couples and the gorgeous sunset. But she starts to think of her life as everything turns to grey with her life helping her father and marriage and the divorce. When it goes back to Malacon beach, it is all colorful again and we see that she has a few tears falling. Then a violin starts to play and the trumpets kick in. She is transported to this happy lala land place where everyone is dancing around her as if choreographed. She smiles, possibly the first smile in a long time, then the music stops. Jin-hyeok left when he saw that she was tearing up and went to get the high heel. he smiles at her from the bottom as he waves the heel. Then he starts to walk back up and wonders to himself that he has seen her before. Meanwhile, the secretary has arrived at the beach, but it is the wrong beach. Back to the sunset beach, Soo-hyun says that she will pay for all the Jin-hyeok did for her. He says he did not do too much and it was an honor for his shoulder as well. It happened on his last night in Cuba so it was an honor. He is about to tell her good bye, but she stops him and asks if he has any money. He asks how much money? She looks around at the people drinking and asks for one bottle of beer. He starts to laugh and says, beer int his situation? You are cute. Wait here, I will get some. He walks off to fetch it happily. She thinks to herself, I am cute? That sounds like a good thing, but~. Jin-hyeok checks his pockets, he has some money so he tells himself it is good to be stingy. Soo-hyun looks at Jin-hyeok and wonders how old he is. She comments that he is like a green grape. he gets back to the wall and they drink their beer together. She drinks quickly so he tells her that she will get drunk quickly. But she says that she is sronger than him. Jh – How come you have no money and dozed off here? That was pretty dangerous. SH – It is a business trip. I took my sleeping pill to steel early, but I saw the picture of the sunset. It is a bad day, robbers took everything. JH – Ah, it is a bad day for you. Do you remember what hotel you stay at? We can go to the bottom of the motocabana and take a taxi. I can take you there. Let’s go? SH – yes. He gives her his arm and takes her drink. She is hesitant at first, but takes it to hop off the wall. But her heels still hurts so he tells her to go barefoot. A few people walk barefoot here. And my neighborhood halmoni and halabogi walk barefoot in to excercise in the mountain. But she says that she cannot do that. He takes off his shoes and tells her that it is easier to do things together. Then you can be brave and not lonely. She asks him if he is sure that his neighborhood halmoni and halabogi walk barefoot in the mountain? He tells her that it is 100% real. She tells him that she will take it as if she is under a magic spell. They walk off barefoot and are giggled at by some people, but shake it off. They keep talking to each other instead. he tells her that he sells fruits so she asks if he is a fruit merchant? he is all like, well, yeah, I guess that is true. She asks him if his carma is old. he says it is, 28 years old. She is surprised that it is still working. He says yes, he has fixed it a few times. It is still good but today it is injured a little bit. She asks if he liked that model a lot? Aren’t there any more of that model? He says yes, they still produce it, but he does not like it due to the model. His father’s friend used to have a photo studio, but he closed the business and gave that camera to his father as a present. I was born at that time. He gave it to his father to take a lot of pictures of him when he was born. JH – Actually, my father cares about this camera a lot even though he did not take too many photos of me. According to him, he was too busy making a living. So as soon as I went to primary school I took a lot of photos of my parents. Soo-hyun keeps walking ahead which is when Jin-hyeok gets a good look at her red heels. He takes her to a market and tells her that they should not walk on the next street because it is dirtier. he pulls her to the shoe seller and tells her to pick one. But they both feel a bit awkward with the touch. Jin-hyeok apologizes she tells him it isn’t about that. Then she walks up to the merchant. He guesses her shoe size and tells her that this will be his present to her. She says she will repay him for everything. he jokes and says that he needs to write all of this down then. he asks which design she likes. She says it is just to the hotel so anything is fine. he says, anything? That is the most difficult order….anything. He looks aorund and picks a pare of braided sandals. He asks her if it is a funny design? She says that is anything so she likes it. he sets them on the ground for her to step into. This is a moment as she puts them on. He tells her that it looks good and they smile at each other happily. Meanwhile, the secretary is going crazy running around the beach front. But she does not see Soo-hyun walking along the street right behind her with Jin-hyeok. Soo-hyun touches her stomach, she is pretty hungry. He tells her that he has enough money to fill up her empty stomach just a little bit. Cut to them eating at a little cafe. She says this is better than the hotel food. He thinks it is because she is so hungry, but she says her tastebuds are not one dimensional. he is all like, if you say so. They eat a bit but then she asks if he has enough money to watch a salsa dance for two? he thinks for a money and then looks at his emerency money in a fim case. She laughs a bit. He puts the money back and says he is mad becuse he is not a funny guy but she laughed at him. She tells him that he laughed at her too because she is cute, but he is cute too so he laughed. is this the secret pocket money that I have just heard of? he says it is little kids booger money. SH – If you say that then it makes me like a thug (like bullys taking little kids money) JH – hey, little kid booger money is funnier than pocket money. Youa re too serious. SH – It is not funny to me. JH – DOn’t you want to see the salsa? SH – Keep all your reciepts. JH – Yes, you have to pay everything back. She grabs the tiny cute coffee and tells him that she would like one more coffee. They leave and go to a hole in the wall place. She is a bit taken aback, salsa dance here? he smiles knowingly and pulls her inside. it looks shady as they pass guards at the door. But then they arrive at the inside area which looks magical. They sit at a table to watch and happily toast to a mojito style drink as they watch the dancers. Soo-hyun smiles brightly again and looks around at all the people going out to dance. Jin-hyeok tells her that they sould too and leads the way. She is nervous at first, but takes a huge swig of her drink to gain a bit of liquid confidence and then heads out to dance with him. They cutely dance in the middle of all the other people dancing. They are horrible and they know it which adds to the fun. Then everyone claps as the song ends. Later on, they both walk back. She happily asks for his contact information back in Korea. He tells her it is okay, lets just take it as same country comraderie while traveling. She laughs and says that he sounds like an old person from another era. My father uses that word, comradship. he laughs and says that he heard that he is like a little boy. She tells him to give her his contact information but he says that it would feel like he had a personal purpose. Like he did all of this to get a contact number from a pretty woman. it was a joke but it lead to awkward happy smiles. They finally get to a taxi, but neither one wants to say good bye. They arer both a bit awkward at the moment as they wonder what to say to each other. Finally Jin-hyeok asks her when she is leaving? If you have time tomorrow morning, bye me breakfast ant that cafe. She smiles and agrees. He tells her that tomorrow breakfast is everything that you can pay back and I also have questions for you. She tells him to ask them now. He says no, he will ask them tomorrow so he can polish them up. She thinks and says she might not be able to make it because she does not know her schedule tomorror. He says he will wait for 30 minutes so no pressure if you cannot make it. He opens her taxi door and they say their goodbyes and meet you tomorrows. She happily rides away and looks at her new shoes. He remebers that he has her shoes on his bag, but think that it is good, they will meet together tomorrow morning. He walks away happily as well. She gets back to her place and is let inside, She looks calmer and as peace. But her friend is there and screams insanities at her but in a friendly way. She yells, why didn’t you pick up the phone! I came back to hang out with you but I saw that your pill was gone and you were gone! hey, I can play Secretary jang well but I never knew that I would run around everywhere. What happened to your shoes? SH smiles as she realizes that her heels are gone. She tells her friend that she is like Cinderella. But her friend tells her to get real! She is still upset. We cut to scenes of Jin-hyeok and Soo-hyun in their different hotels. He is in a tiny hostel like place and she is in her luxury hotel, but they are both smiling. Spit screen to a holga style image of the two of them looking at it. Then the holga image zooms out to a fantasy like image that moves to the dark twinkling night sky that turns into a bright blue morning cloud scape. In the morning Soo-hyun asks Mijin if there is any trouble. Mijin says there is a little trouble because they want to add one thing in the countract, they want to keep the garden as is (OMG maybe it is that conservatory looking place). They would like to keep this in the contract, it will not take long, their people will come here and we will still have enough time for the plane. But Soo-hyun looks like she might miss the meeting with Jin-hyeok. Cut to Jin-hyeok getting to the cafe, it is closed until 9am so he thinks he should wait. He waits for it to open and Soo-hyun waits for the contract people to show up. A gorgeos soundtrack starts to play as we see Jin-hyeok waiting in this adorable eclectic cafe. The contract people get to meeting, so soo-hyun signs the paperwork. Jin-hyeok keeps waiting, but then he thinks he should leave and starts to write a letter for her. Soo-hyun gets finished with the contract and heads out to the cafe. Letter: I am leaving, princess in Rome (they show an image of Audrey Hepburn so they might be refrencing Roman Holiday). Jin-hyeok runs off to catch an old train. he hops into the un-airconditioned train and heads off as the soundtrack plays. he gets to the airport and hands over his ticket. But then he looks to his left and sees her standing in line as well! he also sees the secretary and wonders, what is this? She looks sad, but then she looks to her right and sees him. She also looks like she is happy and yet sad to see him but smiles when he smiles. He nods at her to say goodbye and she slightly nods back. Then he walks off. But she finds him as he sits in the airport and apologizes for not keeping the promise, she had an urgent business matter. he says it is okay, he is happy that they met there. She also says that she is sorry, she knew about his camera but could not tell him. he says, ah, you were there? It is okay, it didn’t break that much. SH tells him that her secretary is finding a seat for him, think of it as me returning the favor. He says it is okay, he can sit in his seat, but she says that she did not buy him breakfast to return the favor, so he should give her the chance. JH – I am really raelly okay, also I did not help you that much for you to pay anything back. SH – From the worst moment yesterday I could come here thanks to your help. So I just want you to accept my kindness. He thinks about it and smiles. JH – I took a part time job to prepare for this trip. I saved up money for one year and came here. I was thinking about how much I can travel within my budget and spent more than one month to plan it. Becuase of you I am finishing up the last trip in my twenties happily. It is a difficult thing to sit in an economy seat for more than 18 hours. But that is part of my travel plan. I want to finish up my back packing trip nicely without vearing from my plan that is not complete yet. Is that a good answer to you? She also thinks for a moment and smiles. SH – Yes, okay, I will take it as if I have paid you back in my heart. She walks off happily and smiles. he looks at her as if he would like to follow her, but he sits back in his seat. SH looks at her watch and we see another split screen Holga image of her watch on the lft and scenery on the right. The watch rewinds two hours and the scenery also rewinds to the street of the cafe. SH actually ran to the cafe! She steps inside but does not see him there. She is sad and walks out. We see her reflection of her leaving in the clock on the wall and then we start to see all the memories of last night in the reflection as well as the clock rewinds. Back int he airport, we are now in Seoul and Jin-hyeok is getting his bag. he looks different and sees Soo-hyun walking with her secretary. But he does not approach them and kind of avoids them instead. But he does get the business card out and sees that it is Dong-hwa hotel. He looks up Dong-hwa hotel on his phone and reads an article about Soo-hyun starting a hotel in Cuba and going there personally. He is stunned. Elsewhere in the hotel, Soo-hyun tells Mijin to prepare the camera. Also, do not be rude to him because 28 years is improtant for him. The secretary asks how she knows it is that old. Soo-hyun says it is just her feeling. Jin-hyeok sees them walking again and checks the image on his phone with Soo-hyun. It looks like the same person. But he gets a call and aswers. It is Dong-hwa hotel. he has passed the new employee interview. he is all like, what? He looks in the direction of Soo-hyun walking away and sees her awlking on the other side of the airport window, toward him. The phone falls away from his ear, the person on the other end says, hello? hello? But it is slow motion time as Jin-hyeok watches Soo-hyeun walking toward him and yet away. It is black and white and the style is that of an old fashioned silent film. Jin-hyeok sits in one seat at the outdoor cafe. But another man comes out and says that he always sits there, can you sit in another seat please? Jin-hyeok says of course. he gets up and moves to another table then he settles in and grabs his camera. it is the same table that the car almost swerved into on accident. Wow, the director is amazing! This first episode can really just be a movie by itself. It has a beginning, middle, and end to the story with you begging for more and hoping that their love life continues in Seoul. I really enjoyed it a lot. It really had a lot of magical beats and special camera tricks that enhanced the magic instead of taking it away. So impressed. So so so impressed. SH – Umma is calling mea ll of a sudden MS – Well, your mom wants to see you a lot SH – Of course not JH – I have good news HI – Do you really have a woman? VO – The frozen princess (or Ice Princess?) VO – Doesn’t smile. JH – I worried about you a lot. SH – Does this bother you because I am your boss? JH – Not at all to me. Shorthand Character Chart The top Image is by tvN and edited using PicMonkey. Drama Milk contains ads and affiliate links that keep the lights on over here. The ads use cookies to aid in your viewing experience. If you like what you see then consider whitelisting us from your adblocking software so we can keep doing what we do! Encounter: Episode 15 Live Recap Previous Post Clean With Passion For Now: Episode 2 Recap Next Post The Last Empress: Episodes 1-4 summary and 5 and 6 recap I’m first!! thanks for the recap 😍😍😍 You’re welcome anonymous! Btw V, thank you for providing the initials of the characters at the end of the recap. It helps a lot! And thanks for the recap! Now back to reading…..next is #9 😄 You’re welcome, Rose! We try to give that for every drama at the very top where it says “Character Chart” but it is also always great to show it at the bottom of the page. How did you like this episode? I loved it! I love the phasing of this drama: fast but doesnt miss a beat. Cant wait to watch the sub later so i can also enjoy what V is enjoying right now hahaha! 😄 I hope the beauty of this drama continues up to the end (lord please!) 😄 Oh my goodness, right! Please keep the prettiness up to the end! …..and dont give us Third Charm 2.0 😂😂😂😂😂😂 Jammmm OMG!!! I’m hooked! I can’t wait to watch it tonight… I LOVE PBG!!! I couldn’t even breath while I was reading the recap, so romantic… thanks V for the recap, you are the best!!! 👍🏻😘 Im not a fan of PBG but i do love the flow of this drama so far. Cant react yet about the cinematography coz cinematography has a big impact on how i judge the drama sometimes. But on how V reacted and described it, it seems the director really put a lot of effort to make this a high quality drama. 😍 Sam(gyupsal) The camera storytelling is great. The dialogue is a little stiff, but the cinematography is amazing. If they edit the first episode into a movie, it will be a big hit! I loved those Holga split screens and the opening avatar like camera view. It really showed us her life in a condensed and lonely way. Dang! It seems youtube doesnt want to show clips of this episode (party pooper! 😤) TradeWinds44 Aw man, maybe they are trying to get people to watch it before posting clips Most probably. I also went to tvn website earlier and i cant even see it there. Anyways, i just finished watching the sub….damn! First of all, i thought i was watching a movie. The quality of filming is not for tv drama at all! 2nd, how much is their budget for this drama? the film they used was expensive just for tv drama. I really hope that this quality of drama continues up to the end. Cant wait for the next episode. Thanks again V! 😊 The film they used did look expensive! Hopefully they can keep it up, but if they can’t then hopefully the story goes well. 🤞🏽 Miss H December 1, 2018 / 12:31 pm what is song played in 57′ ? MONDAY + TUESDAY Dr. Romantic 2 | SBS | 21:40 (live) WEDNESDAY + THURSDAY t.b.d FRIDAY + SATURDAY Stove League | SBS | 22:00 (overnight) Chocolate | jtbc | 22:00 (live/overnight) SATURDAY + SUNDAY Crash Landing on You | tvN | 21:00 (live) Advertise With Us in 2020! Contact us here for sponsorships! Premiering in 2020 Dr. Romantic 2 (Jan) The Game: Towards Zero (Jan) Money Game (Jan) Touch (Jan) Itaewon Class (Feb) Hyena (Feb) Good Casting (March) Kingdom Season 2 (March) Memoir of the Man (March) Welcome (March) Wings, Fly Up (March) Yoobyeolna! Chef Moon (March) 7 Rage Inducing Korean Dramas to Avoid or Watch at Your … Our Best, Worst & WTF Drama Watches of 2019! 8 Fun & Romantic Korean Drama Romantic-Comedies to Binge Watch this Holiday 8 Award Winning Korean Dramas to Binge Watch on Netflix 5 Romantic-Fantasy Korean Dramas to Binge Watch on Netflix (2019) 7 Best Contemporary-Romantic Korean Dramas to Binge Watch on Netflix (2019) Our Favorite Korean Dramas of 2018 and How to Watch We Edit all our Photos With PicMonkey Love our photos? We edit all of them using PicMonkey! Did you find us? Welcome to Drama Milk! We do things a little differently over here: live Recaps, lots of text, no images, and preview updates at the bottom of posts. It’s strange we know, but we like it. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello my son is having some trouble thinking clear and rational thoughts. He asked me if I was his real mother and if I loved him. He tells me that he experiences attacks where he feels like he is in hell and can feel the fire. He says it scares him he usually is in tears with accelerated heart beats. This has been going on since Friday with bouts everyday that lasts for an hour or two, which during that time he is unresponsive to an extent just seemingly somewhere else in his brain and looks of distrust what do you suggest, does he need hospitalization tonight or can I wait to make an appointment tomorrow? output: Hello, Your sons' symptom need further test to clarify if it is only psychological or neurological. You should get his EEG and an MRI brain to see if there is any problem. Also, if the symptoms of auspiciousness is only for that one hour in whole day, and he is almost unresponsive to relevant communication during that time-this to suggest neurological cause. Only if the above two investigation turns to be normal, I would suggest that you take him to a psychiatrist for thorough interview. Only after personal detailed interview one may say if it is psychosis only. I hope you understand that tests are must and without them, it is inappropriate to proceed further. So, you take him to doctor at earliest. Wish you good health..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi. I have been feeling a little weird lately. It first started off with my throat, as I swallowed it felt like a big gulp. Then I gargled with warm salt water and it went away. After that I started not having much of an appetite. I have a minor pain when I turn a certain way in my right lower back. I am also having minor cramps on the left side of my stomach below my belly button. Any idea what this could be? output: You have not stated your age. Pain and cramps in your abdomen might be due to some chronic infection like amoebas or even because of any stone in kidneys or ureters or even gall bladder as you are having it on the right side. Cramps plus loss of appetite might be due to chronic infection like tuberculosis. Is all this associated with weight loss? If so and if you are above 40 years, get yourself examined to rule out cancer. So first you need to do an ultrasound of abdomen and consult a medical practitioner..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor,I am a smoker for the past 10 years. Now reduced from last two to three months. During morning cough I can see tar kind of things after brushing. Why is it so? I can see a tar kind of thing when I cough in the morning. Why? output: Hello. You have been a smoker for 10 years, and I am not sure how many sticks or packs you consume in a day, that may help in quantifying your pack year. Now this cough is productive of dark tar stained mucus. Going by your symptoms and body weight, it seems you have really lost so much weight. I want to know for how long your cough has lasted whether it is more than three weeks or three months. I want to know if you have drenching night sweat, and anorexia that is loss of appetite. Is there any change in your voice like hoarseness, do you have pains in your chest when you cough, any halitosis (smell mouth) difficulty with breathing or any pains with breathing. Do you get breathless on mild or moderate exertion, any dwellings of your feet? Is your fever continuous and not relieved by Paracetamol or Ibuprofen? From all these, based on the history of long years of smoking, and the obvious wasting (weight loss) it is suggestive of a possible COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder), to rule out malignancy also possible ptb (pulmonary TB). Try and do a sputum microscopy culture and sensitivity, do a chest X-ray, but if you can afford a chest CT scan that will give a better image of your lungs. Do sputum AFB for TB get the results of the test for further review. Chronic bronchitis, pulmonary cancer, TB (tuberculosis), congestive cardiac failure, and bronchiectasis...

The Potential and Coupling Effect of Compost and Mucuna for Quarry Site Restoration: A Study ... Jonathan N. Hogarh, Philip Antwi-Agyei, John L. Terlabie, Otuo-Akyampong Boakye, Patrick Addo-Fordjour Science and Education Publishing From Scientific Research to Knowledge AEES» Archive» Volume 3» Issue 2»Research Article OPEN ACCESS  PEER-REVIEWED The Potential and Coupling Effect of Compost and Mucuna for Quarry Site Restoration: A Study at the YongwaLimestone Quarry in Ghana Jonathan N. Hogarh1, , Philip Antwi-Agyei1, John L. Terlabie2, Otuo-Akyampong Boakye1, Patrick Addo-Fordjour2 1Department of Environmental Science, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana 2Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana Follow the Authors 2. Methodology 3. Results and Discussion This study evaluated the potential and coupling effect of compost and Mucuna pruriens for soil fertility improvement of degraded soil at the Yongwa Limestone Quarry site in Ghana. Compost was produced from a mixture of pig manure and cassava wastes collected from nearby communities, applying simple open windrow technique. The compost was used to cultivate Mucuna, a leguminous climbing plant on degraded plot at the Quarry site. The experimental design included a second plot where Mucuna was planted without compost and a control plot without any intervention. The growth rate of the Mucuna on the plot with compost was about twice its growth rate on the plot without compost. Plot treatment was observed over a period of three months. The control plot with no intervention attracted only one kind of plant species, but planting of Mucuna without compost attracted five different colonising plant species. When the Mucuna was planted with compost amendment, eleven different plant species colonized on the plot, which also showed relatively elevated contents of nitrogen, phosphorous and organic carbon. The increments in the respective soil nutrients were significant. It created a somewhat fertile ground for dispersed seeds of early colonizers to flourish. Another hypothesis was the possibility of broader Mucuna leaves to offer limited but useful protection for shade loving seeds to germinate. The colonizers thrived in close proximity to well-growing Mucuna plants. A symbiotic association was subsequently suggested in which rapidly growing colonisersprovided support for the Mucuna to climb, in return for the benefits these new colonies received from the Mucuna. The potential of the compost/Mucuna intervention in revitalizing degraded land could be applied during decommissioning work to restore quarry or mine sites. The concept could also be extended to local farming communities to help improve soil fertility for crop cultivation. This would limit the dependence on costly chemical fertilizers, while encouraging the production of organic crops. At a glance: Figures Keywords: composting, Ghana, leguminous plant, quarrying, revegetation, soil fertility Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 2015 3 (2), pp 30-35. DOI: 10.12691/aees-3-2-1 Received February 20, 2015; Revised February 28, 2015; Accepted March 05, 2015 Copyright © 2015 Science and Education Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Hogarh, Jonathan N., et al. "The Potential and Coupling Effect of Compost and Mucuna for Quarry Site Restoration: A Study at the YongwaLimestone Quarry in Ghana." Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences 3.2 (2015): 30-35. Hogarh, J. N. , Antwi-Agyei, P. , Terlabie, J. L. , Boakye, O. , & Addo-Fordjour, P. (2015). The Potential and Coupling Effect of Compost and Mucuna for Quarry Site Restoration: A Study at the YongwaLimestone Quarry in Ghana. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 3(2), 30-35. Hogarh, Jonathan N., Philip Antwi-Agyei, John L. Terlabie, Otuo-Akyampong Boakye, and Patrick Addo-Fordjour. "The Potential and Coupling Effect of Compost and Mucuna for Quarry Site Restoration: A Study at the YongwaLimestone Quarry in Ghana." Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences 3, no. 2 (2015): 30-35. Import into BibTeX Import into EndNote Import into RefMan Import into RefWorks Quarrying is a very important economic activity for the extraction of various kinds of gravels that are utilised in the construction industry. During quarrying, fertile top soils are lost, while various chemicals otherwise locked up or buried in the earth’s crust are extruded to the surface and inadvertently released into the ecosystem. Quarry activities, thus, cause significant changes to the physico-chemical properties of the soil and degrades the soil’s potential to support plant growth [1]. For this reason, a key consideration in land reclamation of a quarry site is to restore the soil properties to a level that would ensure re-vegetation. Given the loss of topsoil during quarry activities, it is important to amend the soil with organic matter to help re-establish microbial communities and initiate mineralization processes in the soil. An innovative way to achieve this is to apply compost [2]. The amendment process is relatively simple, environmentally friendly, cheap and potentially effective for most degraded soils. Compost has numerous benefits; it improves soil properties, helps to maintain stable soil moisture, prevents soil-borne diseases, acts as a buffer for gradual release of plant nutrients, and ensures that plant nutrients are not easily lost through runoffs [3]. There is also evidence to suggest that applying compost may immobilize contaminants in soil and limit their bioavailability [4]. Another way of boosting soil fertility during reclamation activity is by planting leguminous species, considering that they contain symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria in their root region, which helps to fix atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrogen [5, 6]. Thus, individually, both compost and leguminous plants provide unique benefits when applied for land reclamation purposes. In this study, we explored the potential of combining these two approaches to accelerate re-vegetation at the Yongwa Quarry site in Ghana. The Mucuna pruriens, a leguminous climbing plant, was applied in combination with compost and investigated from the perspective ofre-vegetation and site colonisation for the first time. The M. pruriens is an annual shrub and its foliage is known to degrade quite fast, enriching the surrounding soil with nutrients. It produces pod bearing seeds that are easily released when the pods are dry. This phenomenon would naturally propagate the Mucuna, initiating new cycles of growth with the benefits of soil nutrient enrichment and restoration. The concept is one that could be applied to initiate re-vegetation during decommissioning work to restore a quarry site. The compost applied in this study was produced from organic wastes sourced from the immediate villages surrounding the Yongwa Quarry. As farming communities, the villages surrounding the Yongwa Quarry in Ghana generate a lot of putrescible organic wastes. Some of these wastes include the peels of plantain, cassava and various fruits, corncob, wastes from livestock such as fowl, goat, sheep, pig, etc. These wastes when left unattended attract rodents that are destructive to both farm produce and domestic properties. It is therefore of immense benefit to the community that the organic waste generated was collected and composted, much as it is of benefit to the Quarry company that the compost could be applied for reclamation work. It ensures a win-win situation for both company and community. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of using a combination of compost and leguminous creeping plant (Mucuna pruriens) for soil amendment and re-vegetation of degraded quarry site.The study sought to demonstrate that a combined compost/Mucuna intervention has the potential to initiate and quicken re-vegetation exercise at a degraded quarry site, while promoting richness in the diversity of plant species that colonize on the site. 2.1. Study Area The study was conducted at the Yongwa Limestone Quarry site in Ghana. The Yongwa Quarry is located near Oterkpolu (latitude: 6o 33' 00'' / longitude: 0o 04' 40'') in the Eastern Region of Ghana (Figure 1). The Yongwa Quarry is operated by Ghacem Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of HeldelbergCement Group. The limestone extracted from the Yongwa Quarry is used by Ghacem to produce cement in Ghana. The people of Oterkpoluand nearby villages that surround the Yongwa Quarry are farmers. The major food crops produced in these villages are maize, cassava and plantain. Animal husbandry is also practiced in this village, with piggery, sheep, goats and poultry farms as some of the main engagements. A major environmental problem arising from these farming activities is organic waste disposal. In our survey of the community, we realized that animal wastes from farms were disposed of close to animal pens. Since the pens were located close to human habitation, it created significant environmental health issues for those households. Cassava wastes from cassava processing plants were also disposed of close to these plants. Figure 1. Location of the Yongwa quarry site in Ghana Veiw figure View current figure in a new window 2.2. Compost Production Pig manure and cassava wastes were obtained from villages near the Quarry and composted at the plant nursery of the Quarry, applying an open-windrow composting technique [3]. The composting process involved heaping a mixture of pig manure and cassava wastes in a ratio of 2:1. That is, each composting windrow consisted of about 100 kg of pig manure and 50 kg of cassava waste. These were mixed and heaped into a cone (Figure 2). The composting windrow was watered occasionally to maintain appropriate moisture for microbial action. It was also turned twice a week to facilitate temperature distribution and uniform decomposition of organic material. It took one and half months for the compost to mature. 2.3. Soil Sampling The site where the experiment was conducted was bare and somewhat rocky. With the aid of a shovel, initial soil samples (up to a depth of 5 cm) were collected from the site into polythene bags for soil analysis. The site was then divided into three plots, each with an approximate dimension of about 20 x 8 m. Thus, the initial soil samples were collected prior to dividing the site into plots. Final soil samples were collected from each plot approximately three months after treatment. All the soil samples were sent to the laboratory for analysis. 2.4. Field Treatment and Re-vegetation There were two experimental plots (Plots 1 and 2) and one control plot (Plot 3) (Figure 3). The compost produced was applied to plant M. pruriens seeds on one experimental plot. On the other experimental plot, the Mucuna was planted without the application of compost. The control plot was left blank, without any intervention. As a creeping plant, the Mucuna provided potential for protection against erosion. It has the added advantage of being a leguminous plant capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrogen [5, 6, 7]. Therefore the choice of Mucuna species for re-vegetation in combination with compost application, was anticipated would help improve the fertility of the soil and facilitate plant growth. This is critical for future food production on such re-vegetated lands, once decommissioning has taken place. The compost application was done at pointsof planting. The advantage of this approach is that it allows judicious use of the compost when reclaiming very large tract of land such as a quarry site. Three seeds of M. pruriens were planted at each point and planting was spaced at an interval of about half a meter. There were approximately 80 planting points per plot. The planting was done on 13th June, 2014. The Mucuna seeds were obtained from the Crop Research Institute of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research located at Fumesua, Kumasi, Ghana. Figure 2. Composting windrows Figure 3. Experimental design 2.5. Growth Rate of Mucuna and Biodiversity Assessment The growth rate of the Mucuna species was evaluated using changes in leaf size with time. Twenty M. pruriens leaves were sampled from each of the experimental plots once a month on 13th July, 13th August and 13th September, 2014 to evaluate the growth rate of the plant. The species richness of plants that colonised the experimental sites within the three months of planting the Mucuna species was noted and identified by plant taxonomists. 2.6. Soil Analysis Soil samples were analysed in the laboratory for various soil fertility parameters including (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and carbon (C)). The initial samples as well as samples from each plot were analysed in triplicates. One hundred grams (100g) of each soil sample was weighed and oven dried at a temperature of 105°C for 3 hours. This enabled maximum removal of moisture from the samples. Each sample was subsequently allowed to cool at room temperature (about 25 °C). The samples were then ground with a porcelain mortar and pestle and sieved through pores of diameter 0.1 mm. Total N was analysed using an Automated Kjeldahl Distillation System (model KA-ZDDW-II). Total P was determined by first acid digesting the samples [8] followed by colorimetric measurement applying spectrophotometer. Total K was determined after acid digestion with Ternary mixture (20 ml HClO4:500 ml HNO3:50 ml H2SO4) using flame photometer. Organic carbon was determined by the wet oxidation method [9]. 3.1. Growth Rate of Mucuna and Colonisation of Plots The Mucuna species grew at a faster rate on the plot where the compost was applied, using change in leaf size as a measure of growth rate (Figure 4). The growth rate of the Mucuna on the plot with compost was about twice its growth rate on the plot without compost. There was a gradual increase in plant species richness according to the order: control plot < plot of Mucuna without compost < plot of Mucuna with compost (Figure 5). That is, the rate of colonisation of the plots was least on the control plot and highest on the plot planted with Mucuna applying compost amendment. While only one species of plant was observed on the control plot, five (5) different plant species colonised the plot where the Mucuna was planted without using compost. There were eleven (11) different species that colonised the plot where the Mucuna was planted with compost amendment (Table 1). The control plot was colonised by only Axonopus sp., a grass that also thrived on the experimental plots. It is worth noting that several of the colonisers have economic benefits. For instance, Talinumtriangulare is a commonly eaten vegetable in Ghana. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of Tridaxprocumbens have been shown to possess anti-malaria properties[10], while Euphorbia hirta is reportedly potent against various types of pathogenic bacteria and plasmodium, which causes malaria [11, 12]. Figure 4. Changes in leaf size of Mucuna species on plots with and without compost over a period of three months Table 1. Plant species that colonised experimental and control plots View current table in a new window View next table 3.2. Effects of Treatments on Soil Fertility Presumably, the plot treatment affected soil characteristics, which in turn influenced the diversity of plant species that colonised the plots. Soil analysis was done to ascertain this hypothesis. The soil was generally alkaline, irrespective of treatment, with pH range approximately 8.3 – 8.6. (Table 2). But Mucuna species has also been reported as tolerant to acidic soils [13]. The Mucuna, thus, could be useful in treating soils in a broad pH range. The nutrient content (N, P, K, C) of the soil was expectedly low, considering that the top soil was removed and it was left with a somewhat rocky surface. The treatment with compost however showed a relatively increased content in soil nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon. Electrical conductivity was also relatively high in the compost treated soil and may portend increased mineral content. The concentrations of potassium and organic carbon in the initial soil (i.e. before treatment) were not different from the contents of the respective nutrients in the soil from the plot of Mucuna without compost. This suggests that treatment of the soil by planting Mucuna without any further treatment did not vary potassium and organic carbon in the soil. However, when compost was applied to cultivate the Mucuna, the concentration of potassium and organic carbon increased significantly, p<0.001 in each case. Figure 5. Image of site before experiment and plant species diversity attracted to experimental and control plots over a period of three months (A = before experiment; B = control plot; C = plot of Mucuna without compost; D = Plot of Mucuna with compost) Comparing the level of nitrogen in the soil before the experiment (initial soil samples) to the levels in soil from the control plot after three months, it appeared that the control plot got naturally enriched with nitrogen from sources that cannot be immediately explained (Table 2). Planting of the Mucuna without application of compost marginally increased the nitrogen content above the levels in the control soil. The soil appeared further enriched with nitrogen when the Mucuna was planted with compost. The variations in soil nitrogen among plots was statistically significant (p=0.002). It is assumed that there was a double dose of nitrogen enrichment on the plot where Mucuna was cultivated in the presence of compost. The compost has the ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen [14], while the Mucuna, as a leguminous plant, was expected to also fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil [7]. Thus, although the Mucuna has the ability to fix nitrogen into soil, cultivating it with compost amendment provided further enrichment of soil nitrogen, as well as relative increase in soil phosphorus and organic carbon (Table 2). This relative increase in soil fertility perhaps influenced the growth rate of the Mucuna with compost amendment (Figure 4). Table 2. Soil characteristics at experimental site before and after treatment View previous table 3.3. Hypotheses Explaining Plant Species Richness on Plots An intriguing aspect of the results is the increased richness of plant species that colonised the plot with compost/Mucuna treatment. Was it by chance or were there key factors that perhaps favoured early colonisers to flourish on this plot? If we assume the latter, then there could be two plausible explanations per the present study design, with the Mucuna behaving as a quasi-nurse plant. This is because its development seemed to facilitate the growth and development of other plants that invaded the plots [15, 16]. First, the relative increase in soil fertility regarding the coupled intervention of compost/Mucuna treatment possibly provided favourable grounds for dispersed seeds of colonisers to flourish. The second plausible explanation is that seeds of certain invasive species in forest regions might require a bit of shade to germinate. Considering the increased growth rate of the Mucuna with compost amendment, the broader Mucuna leaves derived from this treatment perhaps provided limited but useful shade for the protection and germination of certain dispersed seeds. These hypotheses appeared more apparent given that the colonisers thrived in close proximity to well-growing Mucuna plants (Figure 5). It may be a symbiotic association in which the colonisers benefited from nitrogen fixed by the Mucuna and probably the shade provided by the Mucuna leaves as discussed earlier. In return, colonizers grew relative fast and provided support for the Mucuna (a climbing legume) to climb. The present study has provided clear evidence that M. pruriens, especially when grown with compost amendment on degraded land, is an innovative way to kick start a re-vegetation process. The Mucuna has shown good potential to do well in a stressed environment when the soil was amended with compost. The compost/Mucuna combination provided relative improvement in soil fertility characteristics. For instance, soil N, P and C showed relatively elevated content creating quite fertile grounds for other plants species dispersed to this plot to flourish. Given the general supporting role of the Mucuna to the growth of the other species that invaded the plot, it was concluded that the Mununa is potentially a quasi-nurse plant that can establish symbiotic relationship with new plant colonies to initiate ecological restoration of a degraded quarry site. The potential of the compost/Mucuna intervention of revitalizing degraded land could be extended to the adjoining farming communities to improve soil fertility for crop cultivation. This would limit the dependence on costly chemical fertilizers, while encouraging the production of organic crops. This study was conducted with sponsorship under the Quarry Life Award by the HeldelbergCement Group. We also acknowledge Envaserv Research Consult for assisting with the chemical analysis. [1] Wong MH (2003) Ecological restoration of mine degraded soils, with emphasis on metal contaminated soils. Chemosphere 50 (6): 775-780. In article  CrossRef [2] Nason M, Williamson J, Tandy S, Christou M, Jones D., Healey J(2007) Using organic wastes and composts to remediate and restore land: best practice manual. School of the Environment and Natural Resources, Bangor University. [3] Hogarh JN, Fobil JN, Ofosu-Budu GK, Carboo D, Ankrah NA, Nyarko A (2008) Assessment of heavy metal contamination and macro-nutrient content of composts for environmental pollution. [4] USEPA (2007) The use of soil amendments for remediation, revitalization and reuse. www.clu-in.org/download/remed/epa-542-r-07-013.pdf‎. Accessed on December 3, 2013. [5] Chaer GM, Resende AS, Campello EFC, de Faria SM, Boddey RM, Schmidt S (2011) Nitrogen-fixing legume tree species for the reclamation of severally degraded lands in Brazil. Tree Physiology 31 (2): 139-149. In article  CrossRef PubMed [6] Diagne N, Arumugam K, Ngom M, Nambiar-Veetil M, Franche C, Narayanan KK, Laplaze L (2013) Use of Frankia and Actinorrhizal plants for degraded landsreclamation. Biomed Research International. [7] Sanginga N, Ibewiro B, Houngnandan P, Vanlauwe B, Okogun JA, Akobundu IO, Verteeg M (1996) Evaluation of symbiotic properties and nitrogen contribution of Mucuna to maize grown in the derived savanna of West Africa. Plant and Soil 179: 119-129. [8] Okalebo JR, Guthua KW, Woomer PJ(2002) Laboratory Methods of Soil and Plant Analysis—A Working Manual. TSBF-CIAT and SACRED Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 128 pp. [9] Walkley A, Black CA(1934) An examination of the Detjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science 37: 29-38. [10] Appiah-Opong R, Nyarko AK,Dodoo D, Gyang FN, Koram KA,Ayisi NK (2011) Antiplasmodial activity of extracts of Tridaxprocumbens and Phyllanthusamarus in in-vitro plasmodium falciparum culture systems. Ghana Medical Journal 45 (4): 143-150. [11] Tona L, Cimanga RK, Mesia K, et al. (2004) In vitro antiplasmodial activity of extracts and fractions from seven medicinal plants used in the Democratic Republic of Congo. J Ethnopharmacol93 (1): 27-31. [12] Sudhakar M, Rao ChV, Rao PM, Raju DB, Venkateswarlu Y (2006) Antimicrobial activity of Caesalpiniapulcherrima, Euphorbia hirta and Asystasiagangeticum. Fitoterapia77 (5): 378-380. [13] Hairiah K, Noordwijk MV, Setijono S (1993) Tolerance to acid soil conditions of the velvet beans Mucuna pruriens var. utilis and M. deeringiana. Plant and Soil 152 (2): 175-185. [14] Adamtey N, Olufunke C, Ofosu-Budu GK, Ofosu-Anim J, Laryea KB, Forster D (2010) Effect of N-enriched co-compost on transpiration efficiency and water use efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.) under controlled irrigation. Agricultural Water Management 97 (7): 995-1005. [15] Castro J, Zamora R, Hodar JA, Gomez JM (2002) Use of shrubs as nurse plants: A new technique for restoration in the Mediterranean mountains. Restoration Ecology 10 (2): 297-305. [16] Rens H, Yang L, Liu N (2008) Nurse plant theory and its application in ecological restoration in lower subtropics of China. Progress in Natural Science 18 (2): 137-142. DOAJ XML PubMed XML Citation-(RIS Format) Citation-(BibTeX Format) Citation-(EndNote Format) Alert me when cited Alert me if commented Like() IBAAS VIRAL HEPATITIS CONGRESS

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I think I have an ingrown hair at the base of my penis. I shave regularly and I heard this may cause the problem. It is a pea sized bump that started like a pimple. I have been married for 20 years so std out of the question. It is not painful but looks very unattractive. Can it be fixed? ld pea sized bump at the base of penis be ingrown hair? output: HelloI share your concern, I had gone through your question diligently and I will try to help you out in best possible wayPus filled pimples on the testis can be caused by infection from urine or stool or multiple sebaceous cyst and can be allergic as wellIf you can upload me a photograph and answer my these questions I will be able to help you betterYour age and relevant medical history if any like diabetes or liver disease?Have you ever had similar problem in pastIn my opinion you should see your doctor for physical check up and investigation to rule out infective conditionMeanwhile you can apply antibacterial or antiseptic ointment like mupirocinMaintain good hygieneyou can take Ibuprofen for pain.Hope this answers your question, Please feel free to ask for more clarification, I will be happy to help youBest wishesThanks and regards..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi - i am 41, i had my child at the age of 24, and no children thereafter. we are planning for a child desparately now, but my gyna says my egg quality is poor, one miscarriage happened, one IUI failed, one IVF failed. doctors are saying i should go for donor egg, i am not in favor of this. my DH is health, he is 42, his sperm is perfectly fine. what should we do? SS output: Hello SST hanks for writing to us with your health query. You should have testing of ovarian reserve. This is tested by measurement of a hormone called AMH (anti Mullein Hormone). It is also measured by AFC (astral follicular count) - counting number of astral follicles on ultrasound on day 2 of your cycle. Also, your capacity to produce good quality eggs can be judged easily by your response to the stimulation injections given for GUI and IVF. If your doctors have opined that your ovarian reserve is poor, you have to accept that. Supplements like DHEA might slightly improve this, but it is not proven conclusively. Yes, the answer for you is egg donation / adoption. Of course, the alternative is following your heart and going for more costly attempts at IVF knowing fully well that the odds are in favor of failure, not success. Hard as it is to arrive to terms with this, the earlier you do, the better. Take care..

IP Update, Vol. 17, No. 12 December 2014 | Collateral Estoppel in Claim Construction Reissue Patents Must Be Drawn to the Same Invention as ... Stays of Litigation Warranted Even When the CBM Review ... Obviousness Must Be Supported by Analysis and Factual F... "Nonce" Words and Means-Plus-Function Analysis Patent Owner Without Control of Licensee Has No Standin... USPTO Releases Interim Examination Guidelines for Deter... The Advocate General of the EU Clarifies Position on En... American Invents Act Post-Alice—Claims Directed to an Abstract Idea Must H... Standing Requires Articulation of Jurisdictional Facts Identifying the Real Party in Interest Get Your Prior Art Ducks in a Row Before Filing Your In... Requests for Additional Discovery Governed by Garmin Fa... Cost of Combination Doesn't Obviate Obviousness Prior Art Reference Does Not “Teach Away” if It Fai... Person of Skill in Art Depends on Claim Scope *Web Only... Same Prior Art May Be Considered Differently in Connect... Serial Objections to Evidence Are Not Required if Suppl... PTAB Issues Rare Dissent in Non-Institution Decision *W... Patent Owner Must Distinguish Universe of All Known Pri... Navigating Degrees of Separation: Impermissible Incorpo... Deposition of Declarants Is Limited after Routine Disco... Pro Se Not Welcome at PTAB Nothin' from Nothin' Leaves Nothin' First Amendment Protects Use of Third-Party’s Tradema... Supreme Court of Arizona Weighs in on the Preemption Pr... Cert Alerts Back to the Future—Supreme Court to Review Rule On Po... Supreme Court to Consider Scope of “Good Faith” Bel... Intellectual Property Antitrust Copyright Counseling and Litigation EU Competition Law Patent Litigation Intellectual Property Post-Grant Proceedings Trademark Counseling Trademark and False Advertising Litigation Technology & Commercial Transactions Patents / Issue Preclusion Mandy H. Kim Addressing the issue of collateral estoppel as it relates to an earlier claim construction, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed-in-part and reversed-in-part a district court’s finding that a party was collaterally estopped from seeking a construction of a claim limitation that was different from another court’s construction of that same term in a previous case. e.Digital Corp. v. FutureWei Technologies, Inc., Case No. 14-1019 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 19, 2014) (Moore, J.). Prior to the present case, e.Digital brought suit against Pentax in the U.S District Court for the District of Colorado, asserting infringement of its patent. The asserted claims recited a “flash memory module which operates as sole memory of the received processed sound electrical signals.” The Colorado court construed the “sole memory” limitation to require “that the device use only flash memory, not RAM or any other memory system” to store the “received processed sound electrical signals.” Based on this construction, the parties stipulated to dismiss the case with prejudice, which the Colorado court granted. In an ex parte reexamination, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) subsequently reexamined another claim of the patent that included the identical “sole memory” limitation. e.Digital later brought suit against GoPro, Pantech, Huawei and Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, asserting infringement of the reexamined patent and an unrelated patent (in the sense that they were not members of the same patent family). Based on the Colorado court’s previous construction, the defendants moved to apply collateral estoppel to the construction of the “sole memory” limitation in both of the asserted patents. The district court granted the motions to adopt the Colorado court’s construction reasoning that the two patents were closely related, at least in the sense that the reexamined patent incorporated the other patent by reference. After the California court rendered a final judgment of non-infringement, e.Digital appealed. The Federal Circuit concluded that the district court correctly applied collateral estoppel to the reexamined patent because the “sole memory” limitation in the reexamined claim was identical to the term in the claims construed by the Colorado court and further, because the reexamination focused on limitations unrelated to the “sole memory” limitation. However, the Federal Circuit concluded that the district court erred in applying collateral estoppel to the unrelated patent because the “claims of unrelated patents must be construed separately.” While the reexamined patent incorporated the other patent by reference, the Federal Circuit noted that it disclosed a separate invention, it had a distinct prosecution history and different written description. The Federal Circuit explained that “a court cannot impose collateral estoppel to bar a claim construction dispute solely because the patents are [subject matter] related.” Rather, “[e]ach case requires a determination that each of the requirements for collateral estoppel are met, including that the issue previously decided is identical to the one sought to be litigated.” Patents / Reissue Reissue Patents Must Be Drawn to the Same Invention as the Original Patent Addressing the original-patent requirement, tracing vintage Supreme Court cases and interpreting the statutory purpose of 35 U.S.C. § 251, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a denial of preliminary injunction and a determination of patent invalidity, finding that reissue claims must be tied to a “clear and unequivocal” disclosure in the specification of the original patent. Antares Pharma, Inc. v. Medac Pharma Inc., Case. No. 14-1648 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 17, 2014) (Dyk, J.). After Antares Pharma (Antares) filed suit accusing Medac Pharma (Medac) of infringing a reissue patent, Antares moved for a preliminary injunction. The asserted claims, which related to automatic injection devices used to self-administer pharmaceuticals, were drawn to safety features on injection devices. The reissue claims were broader than the claims of the original patent, which were limited to “jet injection devices.” In opposing the request for a preliminary injunction, Medica argued, inter alia, that the reissue claims were invalid under § 251, because the reissue claims violated the original-patent requirement and the recapture rule. The district court agreed with Medica that the claims violated the recapture rule because the broadened the scope of the reissue claims impermissibly covered subject matter that was surrendered during the original prosecution. Because the recapture analysis was sufficient to deny the motion for a preliminary injunction, the district court did not address the original-patent requirement. Antares appealed. On appeal, Antares challenged the recapture analysis, while Medica contended that the district court was correct, but even so, maintained that failure to satisfy the original-patent requirement provided an alternative ground for affirmance. The Federal Circuit opinion focused on the original-patent requirement, declining to address the district court’s recapture ruling. The Federal Circuit opinion provides several significant clarifications regarding the invalidity inquiry for reissue patents. First, the Court expressly stated that the recapture rule and the original-patent requirement, both falling under 35 U.S.C. § 251, are separate requirements for patentability. Second, citing to the 1942 Supreme Court decision in U.S. Industrial Chemicals v. Carbide & Carbon Chemicals, the Federal Circuit articulated the standard to satisfy the original-patent requirement, finding that the original specification must clearly disclose the newly claimed invention—hints, suggestions or indications in the specification are not sufficient. The Federal Circuit began its discussion by distinguishing between the grant of a reissue patent under § 251 and securing a patent that is a continuation or divisional of an earlier application under § 120. Reissue claims are necessary only when an applicant has delayed seeking amendment until after the original patent application has issued. The Federal Circuit therefore reasoned that additional requirements will attach to reissue claims to ensure consistency between the original specification and the reissued claims. The analysis traced Supreme Court cases dating back to 1854 to support the proposition that a reissue claim must be drawn to the “the same invention as the original patent.” The holding in U.S. Industrial Chemicals was touted as the “definitive explanation” of the requirement, setting forth a test wherein reissue claims would be invalid if the original patent specification did not “fully describe” the broader reissue claims. After reconciling that § 251, as enacted in 1952, was analogous to the statute being addressed in the earlier U.S. Industrial Chemicals case, the Court proceeded to address the elements of the asserted claims. Importantly, the specification of the original patent only envisioned “jet”-type automatic injection devices, but the asserted reissue claims covered non-jet-type injectors. According to the Federal Circuit, the asserted reissue claims “focused on particular safety features” not contained in the “jet injection limitation,” thus compelling the finding that the original claims were significantly different in scope. Indeed, as Antares argued in its opening brief, the reissue claims are a “different invention than that originally claimed.” After concluding that the “present invention” language in the original patent specification was limited to jet-type automatic injection devices, the Federal Circuit explained that the absence of express written description disclosure for the reissue claims compelled the conclusion that there was a failure to satisfy the original-patent requirement. Because the question presented on appeal was a pure issue of law, the appellate court affirmed the denial of the preliminary injunction, confirmed the invalidity of the asserted claims, and noted that a remand was not required. Practice Note: This decision appears to be the first time the Federal Circuit has indicated that the original-patent requirement is distinct from recapture. Attorneys prosecuting reissue applications before the PTO will need to pay particular attention to the scope of the original specification in drafting broadened reissue claims to ensure that the subject matter of the reissue claims is adequately (i.e.,expressly) disclosed. Patents / Stays Pending CBM Review Stays of Litigation Warranted Even When the CBM Review Does Not Address All Asserted Claims or All Invalidity Defenses Alexander P. Ott Addressing the denial of a stay pending the covered business method (CBM) review of some, but not all, asserted claims in a district court action, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that it was an abuse of discretion to not stay the entire case. In its decision, the Federal Circuit embarked on its own analysis of the four factor test for granting a stay pending CBM review and concluded that each factor strongly favored a stay. Versata Software, Inc. v. Callidus Software, Inc., Case No. 14-1468 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 20, 2014) (Chen, J.). Versata Software sued Callidus Software for infringement of three patents related to the management and tracking of sales information by financial services companies, and Versata counterclaimed for infringement of its own patents. Before Versata identified the asserted claims, Callidus filed petitions seeking CBM review under § 101 of all claims of one patent and some claims of the other two patents. The district court declined to consider a stay until the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) made a decision on whether to grant institution based on the petitions. The PTAB ultimately granted the petitions, but Versata had since identified the asserted claims, which included claims that were not the subject of any CBM petition. Callidus then filed another set of petitions seeking CBM review of the remaining claims. After, the district court granted a stay on the first patent, but denied a stay on the remaining two patents, Callidus filed an interlocutory appeal to the Federal Circuit. The Federal Circuit noted that the America Invents Act (AIA) permits de novo review of decisions on stays pending CBM review, but concluded that the district court was wrong even under an abuse of discretion standard. On the first stay factor, simplification of the case, the Federal Circuit explained that a stay may be warranted even when the CBM review does not address all claims or invalidity defenses in the litigation, particularly because estoppel attaches to invalidity defenses that are advanced in the CBM review. The Court took judicial notice that the PTAB had since granted the second set of CBM petitions on all remaining claims and concluded that the first factor strongly favored a stay. On the second factor, whether discovery is complete and a trial date has been set, the Federal Circuit explained that the district court erred by evaluating the circumstances at the time of its decision rather than at the time the stay was requested. The Court concluded that while a trial date had been set, the case had not yet progressed to a point that disfavors a stay because fact discovery was still ongoing, no depositions had been taken, expert discovery had not yet begun, and no claim construction had issued. On the third factor, undue prejudice or tactical advantage, the Federal Circuit disagreed that Callidus was seeking a tactical advantage by staying Versata’s case while moving forward on its own claims because Callidus had asked for a stay of the entire case. On the fourth factor, reduced burden of litigation, the Federal Circuit explained that the district court erred by looking backwards to Callidus’ preliminary motions to transfer venue and dismiss the case. The Court instructed that district courts should consider the matter prospectively and on that basis concluded that the fourth factor was tied to the first factor and also favored a stay. Patents / Obviousness Obviousness Must Be Supported by Analysis and Factual Findings Addressing the need for factual findings to support a finding of obviousness, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated the lower court’s decision invalidating a patent, determining that the requisite findings to support an invalidity determination of obviousness were not made. Malico Inc. v. Cooler Master USA Inc., Case No. 13-1680 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 17, 2014) (Chen, J.) (non-precedential). Malico sued Cooler Master and LSI Logic for infringement of its patented heat sink technology for cooling electronic components. Cooler Master and LSI introduced prior art and expert testimony that Malico’s patent was obvious in view of pre-existing heat sink technology and moved for summary judgment on invalidity. In opposing defendants’ motion, Malico offered no rebuttal expert testimony and failed to present admissible evidence of secondary conditions. The district court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment of invalidity and concluded that Malico’s patent was merely an obvious improvement over the prior art. Malico appealed. Reviewing the invalidity determination, the Federal Circuit found that the district court failed to explain how the prior art either disclosed or could be modified in an obvious manner to meet three limitations recited in the claims of the Malico patent. The Federal Circuit stated that its precedent is clear that obviousness is a question of law based on underlying factual findings. Even when the prior art does not teach each claim limitation, a claimed invention may be obvious so long as the record contains some reason that would cause one of skill in the art to make the modifications needed to obtain the claimed invention. The Federal Circuit observed that the district court made no factual findings comparing certain claim elements of the Malico patent with the prior art, and that no analysis of why a skilled artisan would modify the prior art was performed. Though some invalidity analysis was provided in defendants’ expert report, the district court did not adopt the expert’s opinions as its own. But even if it had, the Federal Circuit explained that where the expert’s analysis fell short, the district court must make findings sufficient to support its determination that Malico’s patent was an obvious improvement over the prior art. Consequently, the Federal Circuit remanded the invalidity portion of the case. Patents / § 112(f) Paul Devinsky Where the word “means” is not actually recited in a patent claim, case law provides a strong presumption that the claim is not a means-plus-function claim under § 112(f). If it is shown, however, that the claim uses language or a word—a “nonce” word—that substitutes for the word “means,” the presumption can be rebutted. Addressing whether the presumption was rebutted by use of the words “module for . . . ,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit concluded that, in the context of the asserted patent, it was not. Williamson v. Citrix Online, LLC, Case No. 13-1130 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 5, 2014) (Linn, J.) (Reyna, J., dissenting). The plaintiff, Richard A. Williamson, acting as trustee for the bankruptcy estate of At Home Corporation Bondholder’s Liquidation Trust, asserted a patent against a number of defendants, including Citrix. The patent relates to methods and systems for “distributed learning,” using networked computer systems to provide virtual classroom environments where presenters can present to remotely located audience members. As issue with respect to § 112(f) was claim language that recited a “distributed leaning control module for receiving communications transmitted between the presenter and the audience member computer systems and for relaying the communications to an intended receiving computer system and for coordinating the operation of the streaming data module.” The district court concluded that the word “module” was a “nonce” word for “means” and that the claims were indefinite for failure of the patent to provide corresponding structure. Williamson appealed. The Federal Circuit reversed, explaining that in order to rebut the presumption that § 112(f) does not apply, the challenger must show that “skilled artisans, after reading the patent, would conclude that [the] claim limitation is so devoid of structure that the drafter constructively engaged in mean-plus-function claiming.” In its analysis, the Federal Circuit cited Lighting World v. Birchwood Lighting (Fed. Cir., 2004) for the proposition that “[a] claim expression cannot be said to be devoid of structure if it is used in ‘common parlance or by persons of skill in the art to designate structure, even if the term covers a broad class of structures and even if the term identifies the structure by their function.’” Technical dictionaries “may inform whether claim terms connote structure.” Finally, “it is important to consider the claimed expression as a whole, and not merely any single word, as well as its surrounding textual context.” The Federal Circuit concluded that in this instance the presumption (i.e., that § 112(f) did not apply) was not rebutted because the definitions in technical dictionaries for “module” had “structure-connoting meanings,” including hardware or software structure; the modifier “distributed learning control,” showed that that the module was a as part of a definite structure, the “distributed learning server,” and that it “‘receive[s] communications . . . ,’ ‘relay[s] the communications . . . ,’ and ‘coordinat[es] the operation of the streaming data module,” such that the “claimed interconnections and intercommunications” did “connote structure”; and the specification explained “that the distributed learning control module operates as a functional unit of the distributed learning server and coordinates the operation of the streaming data module through input from the presenter computer system.” In dissent, Judge Reyna agreed with the district court, that the claims should be considered means-plus-function claims, with the respective functions being recited after the words “module for,” a phrase that the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) expressly cites as an example of a placeholder for the word “means.” Pointing to Bosch v. Snap-On (Fed. Cir., 2014) where the Federal Circuit noted that “[t]he question is whether the claim language names particular structures or, instead, refers only to a general category of whatever may perform specified functions,” the dissent found that the dictionary definitions failed to provide structure, because they only provided general categories, hardware or software. Patents / Standing Patent Owner Without Control of Licensee Has No Standing to Sue Applying patent licensor-licensee standing law to defendants’ motion to dismiss a plaintiff, the Federal Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling that a patent owner had transferred sufficient rights to an exclusive licensee that it no longer had the right to file an infringement lawsuit. Azure Networks, LLC v. CSR PLC, Case No. 13-1459 (Fed. Cir., Nov. 6, 2014) (Chen, J.) (Mayer, J., dissenting-in-part). After passing through many hands, the patent-in-suit was acquired by Azure Networks, a Texas company located in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. In 2010, Azure donated the patent-in-suit to Tri-County. The two companies then executed an exclusive license that transferred back to Azure a number of rights in the patent. In 2011, Azure and Tri-County jointly filed a patent infringement lawsuit against multiple parties, including CSR, Atheros, Qualcomm, Broadcom, and Marvell Semiconductor. The defendants moved to dismiss Tri-County from the lawsuit for lack of standing, arguing that Tri-County had transferred all substantial rights in the patent to Azure. Among the rights transferred were the exclusive, worldwide and transferable right to practice the patent, the full right to enforce and sublicense the patent and the authority to reach settlements without Tri-County’s consent. Further, Azure could assign any of its rights under the agreement without Tri-County’s consent. Finally, the agreement specified that Azure had the right, but no obligation, to control future prosecution or pay maintenance fees related to the patent family. Because the rights transferred were so substantial, defendants argued that Azure was the effective owner and Tri-County had no right to enforce the patent. Tri-County argued that it had retained substantial rights in the patent, including a share of proceeds from Azure’s litigation and licensing activities, as well as a non-exclusive and non-transferable right to practice the patent. Further, Tri-County could terminate the agreement under certain conditions, including breach by Azure. Also, the license agreement would automatically expire two years before expiration of the patents, though Tri-County could extend the agreement. In analyzing the list of rights transferred to Azure, the Federal Circuit found that the most significant factor was that Tri-County reserved no right to control Azure’s litigation or licensing activities, which the Court’s Propat and Speedplay decisions cited as an indication that a licensor reserved substantial rights in the patent. Tri-County’s economic interest and non-exclusive right to practice the patent was given little weight by the Court, and even the termination clause for a breach of good faith did not outweigh Tri-County’s inability to veto or direct Azure’s actions. Finally, the panel majority noted that while the Court in Aspex Eyewear had held that agreements with hard termination dates could show that the licensor retained an ownership interest, because the Azure agreement terminated only two years before expiration of the patent and could be easily renewed for the remainder of the patent’s term, the termination date did not suggest that Tri-County retained ownership. Accordingly, the Federal Circuit held that Azure was the effective owner of the patent-in-suit, and that because Tri-County was effectively a non-exclusive licensee, it had no standing to join the suit as a co-plaintiff. Patents / Patent Examination USPTO Releases Interim Examination Guidelines for Determining Patent Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. § 101 *Web Only* Bernard P. Codd On December 15, 2014, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) released examination guidelines titled 2014 Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility (the interim guidelines). The USPTO issued the guidelines in view of the recent Supreme Court decisions, Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc. (IP Update, Vol. 16, No. 6), Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. and Alice Corp. Pty. v. CLS Bank International, et al. (IP Update, Vol. 17, No. 7). The interim guidelines supplement the June 25, 2014 Preliminary Examination Instructions and supersedes the March 4, 2014 Subject Matter Guidelines. The USPTO is seeking written comments on interim guidelines. The period for submitting comments expires March 16, 2015. The USPTO summarized the guidelines in a two-step flowchart (see here). The first step is the same as the prior guidelines: determine whether the claim is directed to one of the four statutory categories, i.e., a process, machine, manufacture or composition. The second-step is a two-part analysis for claims directed to laws of nature, natural phenomena and abstract ideas (the judicially recognized exceptions). In Step 2A, the examiner determines whether the claim is directed to any of the judicially recognized exceptions. If no, the claim is eligible and examination should continue for patentability. If yes, the examiner proceeds to Step 2B to analyze whether the claim as a whole amounts to “significantly more” than the exception. In Step 2B, the examiner determines whether any element, or combination of elements, in the claim is sufficient to ensure that the claim as a whole amounts to significantly more than the judicial exception. If not, the claim is ineligible and should be rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101. If yes, the claim is eligible. The additional elements should be considered both individually and in combination. Individual elements, on their own may not add significantly more, but when taken in combination may amount to significantly more than the exception. Each claim should be separately considered based on the particular elements recited therein. If a claim is directed to a plurality of judicially recognized exception and fails the eligibility under at least one exception, the claim is ineligible, and no further eligibility analysis is needed. The interim guidelines listed six non-exclusive types of limitations that may qualify as “significantly more” when recited in a claim with one of the judicial exceptions and four non-exclusive types of limitations that were not sufficient to qualify as “significantly more.” The six types of limitations that may qualify as “significantly more” include: improvements to another technology or technical field; improvements to the functioning of the computer itself; applying the judicial exception with, or by the use of, a particular machine; effecting a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing; adding a specific limitation other than what is well-understood, routine and conventional in the field, or adding unconventional steps that confine the claim to a particular useful application; other meaningful limitations beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. The four types of limitations that were found not to qualify as “significantly more” include: adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer; simply appending well-understood, routine and conventional activities previously known to the industry, specified at a high level of generality, to the judicial exception, e.g., a claim to abstract idea requiring no more than a generic computer to perform generic computer functions that are well-understood, routine and conventional activities previously known in the industry; adding insignificant extra solution activity to the judicial exception, e.g., mere data gathering in conjunction with a law of nature or abstract idea; or generally linking the use of the “apply it” judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use. Patents / Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) / EU The Advocate General of the EU Clarifies Position on Enforcement of SEPs Despite the fact that standard-essential patents (SEPs) have been on the agenda of the European Union (EU) competition law debate for some time now, little guidance has actually been provided to intellectual property right (IPR) holders and implementers of technologies as regards the licensing and protecting of essential technologies. With two decisions on the abusive use of SEPs having been issued by the European Commission (Commission) earlier this year, the time is ripe to discuss the EU competition law understanding of the law on the matter. The much-awaited opinion of Advocate General (AG) Wathelet in case C-170/13, Huawei v ZTE does just that—it explains how the highest court in the EU might interpret the law on the seeking and enforcing of injunctions by SEP holders in the EU. Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd v. ZTE Corp., ZTE Deutschland GmbH,Case C-170/13. Huawei, the holder of a patent essential to the LTE standard, entered into discussions with ZTE which had expressed an interest in signing a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing agreement allowing it to implement the technology. Given that negotiations between the companies were unsuccessful, Huawei brought an action for infringement against ZTE, seeking an injunction prohibiting continuation of the infringement. In adjudicating on the matter, the Regional Court of Düsseldorf referred the following preliminary question to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU): whether—and, if so, in what circumstances—an action for infringement brought by a SEP holder against a manufacturer of products that comply with that standard constitutes an abuse of a dominant position for the purposes of EU competition law where the patent holder has made a commitment to grant licences on FRAND terms. AG Wathelet issued his opinion in the case on November 20, 2014. Although not binding, this opinion sheds some light as regards the likely scope of the final judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The AG devoted most of his attention to the two most persistent issues, namely whether SEPs confer market power and therefore create a presumption of dominance and whether the seeking of an injunction against an alleged infringer might be deemed as an abuse of dominance by the SEP holder under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). It is almost too tempting for a national court to simply proceed with an Article 102 TFEU case on the assumption that the SEP implies that its holder enjoys dominance. In this respect, however, the AG reiterated that a company does not necessarily hold a dominant position when it owns standard-essential technology. He argued that any presumption of dominance should be rebuttable by reference to “specific, detailed evidence,” and that this should ultimately be assessed by national courts on a case-by-case basis. That said, against the above (enthusiastic) deliberations of the AG, it is difficult to imagine a situation in which the SEP holder would not enjoy dominance on the relevant market. In other words, although it should in theory be possible to rebut the presumption that SEPs confer dominance, in practice this would not normally be the case. Injunctive Relief Sought by the SEP Holder According to the AG, if the potential licensee is “willing, ready and able” to enter into a FRAND licence and to pay an appropriate royalty, the SEP holder must take certain specific steps before seeking an injunction. AG Wathelet justifies this position by the fact that the technology implementer will not always know if the IPR in question is infringed, valid or essential. The AG outlined what steps the SEP holder ought to take before seeking an injunction in order to limit the risk of his conduct being perceived as abusive. First, the SEP holder should send to the implementer a written notice, specifying the SEP in question and how it is allegedly being infringed. Crucially, the AG explained that the SEP holder should not be obliged to alert the alleged infringer of the infringement if it has been established that the implementer was fully aware of the infringement. Second, and regardless of the above point, the AG suggests that there must always be a written licence offer containing all terms which are “normal” for the industry as well as detailing the amount of royalty and how it was calculated. In relation to this guideline, it must be noted that contractual conditions will inevitably differ across industry sectors and jurisdictions. It is not difficult to envisage therefore that in certain circumstances this requirement could lead to the situation whereby the SEP holder is led to include specific clauses that will not be necessary (or “normal”) in every jurisdiction. The AG clarifies that once these steps have been taken, the alleged infringer should respond to the offer in a diligent and serious manner. If the SEP holder’s offer is not accepted, it must present him with a reasonable counteroffer relating to the terms with which the licensee disagrees. The idea behind this mechanism is that it decreases the likelihood of the infringer’s conduct being tactical or dilatory, in which case it would not constitute an abuse under Article 102 TFEU for the SEP holder to seek an injunction. Similarly, if a potential licensee requests that a court or an arbitral tribunal determine the terms of the licence, its conduct should not be considered as dilatory or non-serious. One other consideration by the AG merits closer attention. He notes in his opinion that it is reasonable for a FRAND-bearing SEP licence to be negotiated and obtained “ex post”, i.e., following the licensee’s exploitation of the underlying technical specifications. In other words, the AG sees it as a legitimate step that the potential licensee would start using the patented technology even before negotiating and entering into the licence agreement with the SEP holder. The opinion of AG Wathelet, together with the Commission’s decisions in the Samsung and Motorola cases, constitutes another piece of the SEP puzzle. The opinion contains some valuable guidance that makes the overall picture much clearer, but it is still far from being full and final. As pointed out above, this opinion will not be binding on the CJEU, which can take a different stance on the issue, although in the majority of cases AG opinions tend to be followed. That said, given the complexity of the issues and the inherent difficulty in striking the right balance between the competing interests of the stakeholders concerned, it would not at all be surprising to see the CJEU suggesting yet another solution. Pending the final judgments, SEP holders are therefore advised to take caution in their dealings with implementers of the patented technologies and vice versa. AIA / CBM / Subject-Matter Eligibility / Section 101 Post-Alice—Claims Directed to an Abstract Idea Must Have Meaningful Limitations Addressing patent eligibility in a covered business method (CBM) patent review, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) concluded that the claims of the patent at issue did not include any significant meaningful limitations beyond an abstract idea. LinkedIn Corp. v. AvMarkets, Inc., CBM2013-00025 (PTAB, Nov. 10, 2014) (Tierney, APJ.). The petitioner, LinkedIn, challenged the patent, which describes generating sales leads on the Internet through the creation of web pages, as being directed to patent-ineligible subject matter under § 101. The claims recite, among other things, receiving and listing data items (sales leads) as hyperlinks on a web page and, on activation of a hyperlink, generating a web page showing the data item in a title, URL, meta-tag or text of the generated web page. Under Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, (IP Update, Vol. 17, No. 7), determining whether claims are directed to patent-eligible subject matter requires a two-story process determining whether the claims are directed to a patent-ineligible concept such as laws of nature, natural phenomena and, if they are, considering the claim elements individually and as an ordered combination to determine whether there are additional elements that transform the nature of the claim into a patent-eligible application. The patent owner, AvMarkets, did not dispute the claims were directed to an abstract idea—namely, a product catalog—but, rather, asserted that the claims included meaningful limitations beyond the abstract idea. AvMarkets presented evidence that the claimed invention required specially programmed web servers. The Board, however, found that servers and desktop computers are effectively identical except in their external form factors, and thus the specific claim limitations merely required the use of a general-purpose computer. The Board also found that the limitations directed to the generation of web pages upon activation of a hyperlink and including a title, metadata and text in a web page such that it would be indexed were all disclosed as being well known in the patent’s specification. Consequently they were not meaningful limitations. AvMarkets also argued that the claims did not preempt the abstract idea of creating a product catalog because others could provide product catalogs via the internet that differ from the claimed invention. However, the Board explained that the fact that “claims could be written differently does not demonstrate that the limitations added to the abstract idea are meaningful” —the additional limitations here were routine steps and merely post-solution activity. The Board found that the additional limitations relied on to narrow the claim to the application of an abstract idea were merely an attempt to limit the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment (e.g., a server on the internet), which is insufficient to render the claim patent eligible. Practice Note: A claim directed to an abstract idea requires meaningful limitations if the claim is to be considered patent-eligible, post-Alice. Also, see note entitled “USPTO Releases Interim Examination Guidelines for Determining Patent Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. § 101” (this edition of IP Update). AIA / CBM / Standing Addressing a petition for a covered business method (CBM) patent review, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) denied institution of the review for lack of standing. E*Trade Financial Corp. v. Droplets, Inc., CBM2014-0013 (PTAB, Oct. 30, 2014) (Gaudette, APJ.). The petitioner, E*Trade, initiated the patent challenge, asserting that a CBM patent review was the appropriate vehicle to challenge the patent at issue. The patent included “computerized method” claims directed to delivering interactivity over the web to a client device. In order for a challenged patent to be subject to CBM review, the petitioner must demonstrate that the patent is not for a technological invention. Particularly, the petitioner is required to show that the “claimed subject matter, as a whole, does not recite a technological feature that is novel and unobvious over the prior art,” as well as that the claimed subject matter does not solve a technical problem using a technical solution. Regarding the first prong of the test, the petitioner argued that the claims recited computer technologies (i.e., a “client device,” “server” and “web browser”) that were all well known in the art and relied on its anticipation and obviousness arguments (in the petition) to show that the subject matter of the claims, as a whole, was not directed a novel and unobvious technical feature. In response, the patent owner, Droplets, described how the specific combination of hardware and software elements found in the specification and covered by the claims changed a fundamental technical operation of a computer system in a manner not found in the prior art. In denying institution, the Board indicated that the first prong is “separate and distinct” from the requirement that the petitioner specify where each claim element is found in the prior art. Rather than focusing on specific claims or claim elements, the Board referenced the patent owner’s (more detailed) discussion of how the technical features of the patent were not found in the prior art, and concluded that the petitioner had not demonstrated in its petition that the claimed subject matter, as a whole, did not recite a technological feature that was novel and unobvious over the prior art. Specifically, the Board found that the “[p]etitioner has not shown by its arguments or supporting evidence that [the combination of steps disclosed by the prior art] would be expected to affect the way a computer system engages in interactivity over the web in the same manner as the claimed subject matter.” With regard to the second prong—whether the claimed subject matter solves a technical problem using a technical issue—the petitioner summarized the subject matter of the independent claims and concluded that none of the technologies recited in the claims “solve a technical problem using a technical solution.” The Board found that this single conclusory statement was insufficient to meet the petitioner’s burden. Practice Note: Petitioners should clearly articulate why a challenged patent is subject to CBM review or risk having the Board accept the patent owner’s version of why it is not. AIA / IPR / Real Party in Interest Two recent decisions from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) clarify the test for identifying the real party in interest. Both decisions addressed situations in which inter partes review (IPR) petitions supposedly omitted a real party in interest, an error that could be grounds for the PTAB to deny institution. In Samsung, the PTAB determined that an indemnification clause and a motion to intervene in an International Trade Commission (ITC) proceeding did not show that indemnitor (Google) was a real party in interest. In Medtronic, the PTAB determined that additional discovery was warranted when earlier IPR proceedings involved the same patents, the same counsel and similar prior art, but those earlier IPR proceedings identified an additional real party in interest. Together, these two decisions illuminate the PTAB’s views on the strength of various types of evidence, as well as the role of “control,” in identifying real parties in interest. Samsung Elecs. Co. v. Black Hills Media, LLC, IPR2014-00737 (PTAB, Nov. 4, 2014) (Hulse, APJ); Medtronic, Inc. v. Robert Bosch Healthcare Sys., Inc., IPR2014-00488; -00607 (PTAB, Nov. 5, 2014) (Arbes, APJ). In Samsung, the patent owner, Black Hills, argued that the PTAB should deny Samsung’s petition for failing to identify Google as the real party in interest. Black Hills based its argument on two pieces of evidence: a Google and Samsung distribution agreement containing an indemnification clause, under which Google agreed to “defend, or at its option settle, any third party lawsuit or proceeding brought against Samsung”; and Google’s motion to intervene in a related ITC investigation. As the Board explained, whether a non-party is a real party in interest depends on whether the non-party “exercised or could have exercised control over a party’s participation in a proceeding” and “the degree to which a non-party funds, directs and controls the proceeding.” Here the Board concluded that neither the distribution agreement or the ITC motion to intervene made Google a real party in interest. The indemnification clause did not grant Google control over Samsung’s actions in the IPR. Further, the motion to intervene in the ITC proceeding was a mere “expression of an interest” by Google, and did not show that Samsung and Google’s interests were aligned. The PTAB therefore determined that the petition had adequately identified all real parties in interest. In Medtronic, the PTAB addressed a different situation. Medtronic, the petitioner, named itself as the sole real party in interest, but omitted Cardiocom, one of Medtronic’s subsidiaries. In two earlier IPR petitions—which were similar to the instant IPR petitions in that they challenged the same patents, shared the same counsel and declarant, and relied on similar prior art and arguments—both Medtronic and Cardiocom were named as real parties in interest. In order to more fully understand whether Cardiocom should have been identified in the instant petitions, Bosch propounded discovery requests seeking communications between Cardiocom and Medtronic. The PTAB ultimately granted Bosch’s motion for the additional discovery, citing various factors including whether the additional discovery would be “useful”; i.e., more than merely “relevant” or “admissible,” but “favorable in substantive value.” Because Cardiocom was identified as a real party in interest in the earlier and similar IPR petitions, the PTAB determined that there was “more than a mere possibility” that the additional discovery would be “useful.” Practice Note: These two decisions also reveal the various roles that “control” plays in identifying real parties in interest. In Samsung, the PTAB relied almost exclusively on a lack of “control” in deciding that Google was not a real party in interest. In contrast, in Medtronic, the PTAB granted Bosch’s motion for additional discovery despite the fact there was obviously no evidence to the effect that (the subsidiary) Cardiocom controlled (the parent) Medtronic. AIA / IPR / Supplemental Information Get Your Prior Art Ducks in a Row Before Filing Your Inter Partes Review Petition In two recent decisions demonstrating that amending a petition for inter partes review (IPR) with supplemental information can be difficult, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) denied attempts to amend petitions, finding that amendments to petitions are limited to correcting clerical or typographical mistakes. National Environmental Products Ltd. v. DriSteem Corp., Case No. IPR2014-01503 (PTAB, Nov. 4, 2014) (Kalan, APJ.); PNC Bank National Ass’n v. Secure Axcess, LLC, Case No. CBM2014-001000 (PTAB, Nov. 5, 2014) (Ward, APJ.). In the National Environmental decision, the petitioner filed a petition for IPR, challenging a patent owned by DriSteem. National subsequently submitted a supplemental filing requesting supplementation of its petition with a “recently discovered prior art patent” on which it intended to rely. After a conference call with the parties the Board concluded the supplemental filing should not be allowed. The Board explained that the petitioner was effectively seeking authorization to substantively amend its petition and that amendments are typically limited to correcting clerical or typographical mistakes. The Board was unpersuaded that the petitioner should be authorized to submit supplemental information to bulk up its petition. The Board noted that petitioner’s supplemental filing was filed without first obtaining Board authorization, which is required before motions can be entered. The Board also noted that the applicable law requires that the petition include all of the asserted grounds of unpatentability at the time of filing. Although the prior art patent was known to the petitioner at the time of filing, and the petitioner was identified on the face of the supplemental prior art patent, the petitioner was nonetheless unable to explain sufficiently during the call why the information was not included in its original petition. Accordingly, the Board denied National’s request to file an amended petition. In the PNC Bank decision, the petitioner filed a petition for IPR challenging a patent owned by Secure Axcess. PNC Bank subsequently requested a conference call to discuss a request for authorization to submit supplemental information to the petition and thereby enter at least five new references into the record. The Board informed the petitioner that motions to submit supplemental information must show why the supplemental information reasonably could not have been obtained earlier and that consideration of the supplemental information would be in the interests-of-justice. The petitioner explained that the new references were discovered as a result of a change in prior art search strategy. While acknowledging that each of the new references was publically available prior to filing its petition, petitioner explained that it would only have discovered the references had it used the alternate search strategy. The Board was not persuaded by PNC Bank’s explanation and concluded that the petitioner could not sufficiently establish why the supplemental information could not have been obtained earlier, or why consideration of the supplemental information would be in the interests of justice. Accordingly, the Board denied PNC Bank’s request to amend the petition. AIA / IPR / Additional Discovery Requests for Additional Discovery Governed by Garmin Factors Addressing the issue of whether a patent owner’s motion for additional discovery was justified based on a newly-filed exhibit, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) denied the request for failing to demonstrate the need for additional discovery in view of the Garmin factors. Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd., et al. v. Enplas Corp., IPR2014-00605 (PTAB, Nov. 5, 2014) (Arpin, APJ). The Board had previously granted the patent owner’s request for additional discovery with respect to specific portions of an expert declaration directed to a “hand-drawn tracing analysis and [. . .] computer simulation”. However, without the authorization of the Board, the patent owner filed a new exhibit and requested additional discovery from the petitioner with respect to the new exhibit rather than the exhibit on which the Board had previously granted additional discovery. The Board had previously cautioned the patent owner about filing unauthorized motions, denied the patent owner’s request for additional discovery on the new exhibit and ordered the exhibit expunged. The Board further cautioned the parties that any future unauthorized motions shall be subject to sanctions. With respect to the original exhibit, the Board applied the factors set forth in Garmin v. Cuozzo Speed Tech (IP Update, Vol. 17, No. 9; IP Update, Vol. 16, No. 12) in determining whether the additional discovery was needed to satisfy the interests of justice. In doing so, the Board considered several of the Garmin factors. The first Garmin factor requires that the party requesting discovery should already be in possession of evidence showing, beyond mere speculation, that something useful will be uncovered by the discovery requests. Here, the patent owner had only established the “mere possibility” that something useful would be found, which was not enough. The next factor considered, the third Garmin factor, provides that it is not in the interest of justice to require a party to produce information the other party can reasonably figure out or assemble on its own without additional discovery of the opposite party. The Board concluded that the experts’ declaration disclosed all of the information necessary for the patent owner to figure out or assemble the information being sought without additional discovery and that the patent owner had failed to show that the information provided in the declaration was incomplete or inaccurate. Finally, the Board applied the fifth Garmin factor, which provides that any additional discovery should be “sensible and responsibly tailored according to a genuine need.” The Board determined the patent owner’s additional discovery requests seeking “any and all experiments and work . . . , or any similar documents referring to [Parkyn] . . .” was too broad and overly burdensome and was not properly tailored to demonstrate the need for additional discovery. AIA / IPR / Priority Date and Obviousness Addressing the issues of patent priority dates (where the asserted priority document did not share an inventor with the challenged patent) and motivation to combine, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board), in a final written decision concluded that ordered the claims at issue were not entitled to the claimed priority date and were unpatentable as obvious over “intervening” prior art. The Board explained that a patent cannot claim an earlier priority date if it does not share a common inventor with earliest application in the priority chain, and that added complexity and expense alone are not enough of a reason to show that a person of skill in the art (POSITA) would not have a motivation to combine references. Polaris Wireless, Inc. v. TruePosition, Inc., Case No. IPR2013-00323 (PTAB., Nov. 3, 2014) (Kim, APJ). Polaris filed an IPR petition, challenging certain claims of TruePosition’s patent relating to locating wireless devices, which can be used to locate cell phone and other wireless users in an emergency. After construing a number of claim terms, the Board determined that the patent at issue could not claim a priority date earlier than a piece of prior art that predated the filing date of the application that matured into patent at issue. The Board explained that a patent at issue and the earliest application in the priority chain did not have a common inventor, notwithstanding that each application in the priority chain had a common inventor with the preceding application in that chain. Analyzing 35 U.S.C. § 120 and 37 C.F.R. § 1.78(c)(1), the Board concluded that a patent and the earliest application in the priority chain must share a common inventor and that the patent at issue was not entitled to a priority date earlier than the asserted prior art. The Board further explained that TruePosition could not claim priority to the earlier application because it had failed to meet its burden of showing how each application in the chain of continuing applications met the written-description requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph. Accordingly, the Board found the claims at issue were anticipated by the “intervening” prior art. The Board also found that claims at issue were obvious. TruePosition made multiple, arguments that a particular reference was missing an element where the challenge was based on the combination of references that did include the “missing” element. The Board also rejected TruePosition’s argument that a POSITA would have not combined the references because the combination would have caused more complexity and expense. The Board held that this did not address why the combination would not have been predictable and within the abilities of a POSITA. Finally, the Board rejected TruePosition’s motion to exclude an expert’s declaration based on hearsay. The Board explained that TruePosition had an opportunity to cross-examine the expert, and therefore, (whether or not it availed itself of that opportunity) the declaration was not hearsay. Although the Board also rejected TruePosition’s argument that the declaration should be excluded for bias, it noted that in any event bias would only go to the weight of the testimony, not its admissibility. AIA / IPR / Obviousness and Expert Qualification Prior Art Reference Does Not “Teach Away” if It Fails to Criticize, Disclaim or Discourage the Claimed Technique *Web Only* Addressing the obviousness issue whether an asserted secondary reference impermissibly changes the principle of operation of a primary reference, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (Board) determined that some of the challenged claims were unpatentable, finding that the secondary reference impermissibly changes the primary reference’s principle of operation only if the secondary reference requires a change that is incompatible with the utility of the primary reference. Ultratec, Inc. v. CaptionCall, L.L.C., Case IPR2013-00288 (PTAB, Oct. 30, 2014) (Zecher, APJ). CaptionCall owned a patent directed to a closed-captioning error correction technology, to be used primarily by deaf or hearing impaired users. Ultratec filed a petition for inter partes review (IPR) challenging some of the claims. In its IPR petition, Ultratec argued that the disputed claims were obvious in view of two patents by Engelke II and Cervantes. Patent owner argued that Engelke II incorporated by reference another patent—Engelke I—and that Ultratec relied on Engelke I for some of the teachings that allegedly correspond to the features of the challenged patent. The patent owner further argued that a skilled person in the art would not combine Engelke I and Cervantes because the combination renders Engelke I inoperable for its intended purpose and changes the principle of operation of Engelke I. Specifically, the patent owner argued that the system of Engelke I is directed to a system where a remote caller telephones a hearing-impaired user. The words spoken by the remote caller are automatically transcribed, and an assistant can view the transcription and make corrections before the transcription is provided to the hearing-impaired user. Cervantes is directed to users in an instant messaging environment being able to edit previous messages and resend the edited versions of the previous messages. The patent owner argued that one of skill in the art would not combine Engelke I with Cervantes because the purpose and principle of operation of Engelke I are to correct a voice transcription before it is displayed to the hearing impaired recipient. Cervantes requires modifications to instant messages after they are transmitted to the recipient, which is not compatible with the purpose and principle of operation of Engelke I. The Board disagreed, finding that the purpose and principle of operation of Engelke I are to have an assistant review an automatic transcription that is provided to a hearing impaired user, regardless of whether the assistant makes corrections before or after the transcription is presented to the hearing impaired user. Using this purpose and principle of operation, the Board found that the post-presentation corrections of the secondary reference, Cervantes could be incorporated into the system of Engelke I. The Board also addressed the issue of expert qualification. The petitioner argued that patent owner’s expert witness was not qualified as an expert because he had never worked on a text captioning system for the hearing-impaired prior to the filing date of the challenged patent. Also, patent owner’s expert failed to specify the level of skill of a person having ordinary skill in the art. In response, the patent owner noted that its expert had a master’s degree in electrical engineering and over 30 years of experience in telecommunications, information technology engineering, and voice and text transmissions, and that the level of skill of the person having ordinary skill in the art could be discerned from other evidence in the record. The Board agreed with patent owner, finding that the petitioner’s arguments went to the weight and value of the expert’s testimony, not to whether he was qualified as an expert. AIA / IPR / Level of Skill in the Art / Expert Person of Skill in Art Depends on Claim Scope *Web Only* The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) has explained that arguing a high-level of skill in a narrow art, even in cases involving complex technology, will not exclude an expert who has expertise within the scope of the claimed invention. Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH v. Nikon Corp., IPR 2013-00362 (PTAB, Nov. 14, 2014) (Clements, APJ). After Carl Zeiss filed a petition requesting inter partes review, the Board granted review all challenged claims. After institution, the patent owner, Nikon, filed a Motion to Exclude Evidence contending that “[b]ecause of the highly specialized nature of projection optical systems,” the level of ordinary skill in the art would have required at least two years of experience in the lithography optics industry and experience in the specification of projection optical systems. Nikon further contended that Carl Zeiss’ expert, Mr. Juergens, whose CV included a master degree in optical systems, was not an expert in the relevant field because he did not have the experience required to be a person of even ordinary skill in the lithography art and moved to exclude his expert testimony. Carl Zeiss countered that Nikon’s expert, Dr. Jose Sasian, regularly invites Mr. Juergens to guest lecture Dr. Sasian’s class on lens design and that Dr. Sasian conceded that Mr. Juergens is an expert on many aspects of optical design. In its final written decision, the Board determined that Mr. Juergens was qualified as a person of ordinary skill in the art. Particularly, the Board was not persuaded that the level of ordinary skill in the art required at least two years of experience in lithography optics in addition to experience in projection optical systems, explaining that the claims were not limited to the field of lithography, but more broadly to projection optical systems. Based on Mr. Juergens 40 years of experience in the field of optical system design, the Board determined that he was of at least ordinary skill in the art in the art of projection optical systems. Practice Note: With regard to expert declarations, while a Daubert challenge to an expert might be used tactically to “educate” a panel—it is not likely to result in an exclusion remedy. AIA / IPR / Institution Decisions Same Prior Art May Be Considered Differently in Connection with Different Petitions In a request for a rehearing of an earlier decision denying institution of inter partes review, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) ruled that IPR petitions that challenge the same patent and cite to the same prior art but use different arguments, may result in different institution decisions. In re Petition for Inter Partes Review by Mitsubishi Plastics, Inc., IPR 2014-00524 (PTAB, Nov. 21, 2014) (Crumbley, APJ). Petitioner Mitsubishi requested a rehearing of an earlier PTAB decision denying institution of a proceeding on a patent that had been challenged earlier by two other petitioners, both of whom cited to the same prior art and relied on the same expert as Mitsubishi. The Board concluded that the evidence three different expert declarations presented in the three petitions was not the same. Rather, “[t]he differences between [the expert’s] declaration in the present case and the one submitted in the [prior and related] proceeding are material, and lead to the different results in our institution decisions.” In its request for rehearing, Mitsubishi also argued that denying institution of an IPR based on its petition would “undermine the predictability and uniformity of decision making by the PTAB.” The Board disagreed, stating that the decisions in the various IPR petitions were not in conflict “because of the different records presented in each case . . .” In rejecting the petitioner’s argument, the PTAB explained that the “rule [Mitsubishi] proposes—that every Petition citing the same art must be decided identically, regardless of the arguments set forth in the Petition—ignores the adversarial, adjudicative nature of an inter partes review.” In a different case touching on a similar issue, the PTAB denied institution on the petition precisely because it presented substantially the same arguments and prior art in a related proceeding. Canon Inc. v. Intellectual Ventures I LLC, IPR 2014-00952 (PTAB, Nov. 21, 2014) (Boucher, APJ). Canon had earlier filed a petition to institute an inter partes review of a challenged patent. Later, Canon filed a second petition to institute another IPR of the same claims of the same patent. The PTAB instituted an IPR on the earlier petition but “because the same claims [were] challenged on the same grounds in [the later filed petition], [it] decline[d] to institute a second inter partes review of the claims on that ground.” Practice Note: The same prior art reference(s) may be used in different or related inter partes review proceedings as long as the theories and arguments advocated in each are materially different. The PTAB has discretion as to whether to institute where successive IPR petitions relying on the same prior art or similar argument are presented. See IP Update, Vol. 17, No. 11. AIA / IPR / Motion to Exclude Serial Objections to Evidence Are Not Required if Supplemental Evidence Is Filed and Served *Web Only* The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) concluded that a party need not renew an objection to evidence if the opposing party serves supplemental evidence intended to cure the objection. American Honda Motor Co., Inc. v. American Vehicular Sciences LLC, Case No. IPR2014-00633 (PTAB, Nov. 3, 2014) (Parvis, APJ). In the course of an inter partes review (IPR) the patent owner, American Vehicular Sciences, objected to an exhibit filed by the petitioner, Honda. In response, the petitioner filed and served four supplemental exhibits intended to cure the patent owner’s objection to the original exhibit. The patent owner then timely filed a motion to exclude the original exhibit. After a conference call to discuss whether serial objections to the original exhibit were required to preserve the original objection, the Board ordered that the IPR rules do not require an additional objection so as to preserve a right to file a motion to exclude simply because supplemental evidence has been filed and served. AIA / IPR / Institution PTAB Issues Rare Dissent in Non-Institution Decision *Web Only* In a decision denying institution of an inter partes review (IPR), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeals Board (PTAB or Board) decided that the threshold for institution had not been met regarding the petitioners’ two prior art–based grounds. One administrative patent judge issued a dissenting opinion, and, in doing so, may have set the stage for a rehearing on the institution decision. AOL Inc., et al. v. Coho Licensing LLC, Case No. IPR2014-00771 (PTAB, Nov. 10, 2014) (Quinn, APJ) (Capp, APJ, dissenting-in-part). Petitioners AOL and Cloudera filed a petition seeking IPR of Coho’s patent directed to distributed computer processing in a network environment. According to the claimed invention, for this distributed computing, a computer that has been allocated a portion of a task may reallocate a portion of its task to another computer in the network. The petitioners challenged the claims of the patent based on three grounds, anticipation based on the Spawn reference, obviousness based on the Spawn reference in light of the Kisor reference and obviousness based solely on the knowledge and skill of a person of ordinary skill in the art. In the majority decision, the Board stated that the petitioner had failed to sufficiently demonstrate that Spawn disclosed the transfer and allocating limitations. The majority also expressed belief that the Kisor reference failed to remedy the shortcomings of the Spawn reference. The majority decision rejected the third ground, obviousness based on the knowledge and skill of one of ordinary skill in the art, as being conclusory and failing to provide a detailed explanation of the significance of the evidence and for failing to identify where each element of each challenged claim is found in the prior art. As to the supporting declaration testimony for the latter ground, the Board characterized the declarant’s testimony as referring “generally to voluminous excerpts from three computer science treatises.” In his dissent, Judge Capp agreed with the majority decision as to the third ground, but argued that the petitioner had made a sufficient threshold showing that Spawn discloses each and every limitation of the challenged claims and thus anticipates. Noting that the claims at issue utilized the open-ended transition phrase “comprising,” Judge Capp explained that the Spawn reference was actually more sophisticated than the challenged invention. The dissent also noted that under the applicable broadest reasonable construction, the term “allocating computer” should be no narrower than “a user’s computer from which a distributed processing task originates.” The dissent faults the majority who, in turn, faulted the petitioner for not detailing “how” the date processing task is allocated and distributed (in the prior art) but that such a fault allocation was inappropriate as the claims only required “that” the data processing task is allocated and sub-allocated while the only “how” requirement was that “all the foregoing transferring occurs by network connection.” The dissent stated “[g]iven the breadth of the claim language, I do not believe that a detailed showing of ‘how’ the transfer occurs is or should be required as part of a threshold showing institute trial in this case.” The dissent relied on essentially the same logic for the obviousness position (based on the combination of Spawn and Kisor) noting that, based on the record, the challenged patent does nothing more than arrange old elements with each performing the same function it had been known to perform. AIA / IPR / Motion to Amend Patent Owner Must Distinguish Universe of All Known Prior Art to Substitute a New Claim Detailing the requirements for amending claims in an inter partes review (IPR), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) explained that a patent owner must establish patentability of a new claim over all known prior art, not only the references raised in the proceeding. Corning Optical Commc’ns RF, LLC v. PPC Broadband, Inc., Case No. IPR2014-00441 (PTAB, Oct. 30, 2014) (Lee, APJ.). Corning Optical initiated an IPR of PPC Broadband’s patent. During the proceeding, the parties telephonically discussed with the Board PPC’s intent to move to amend the claims. The PTAB offered PPC verbal guidance about the requirements of such a motion, which was transcribed by a court reporter. The PTAB also provided additional written guidance to PPC in its order. The PTAB specified its universal expectations (and requirements) for amending claims during an IPR proceeding. Only two amendments are permissible—cancellation and substitution. Although a claim may be cancelled without condition, a substitution may only be made if the claim being replaced is first deemed unpatentable or cancelled. Barring special circumstances, each substitute claim must be tied a single original claim. The substitution—usually an addition of an element to the original claim—should respond to the ground of unpatentability applicable to the original claim. Because a substitute claim would not otherwise be examined, the patent owner must further establish the patentability of the claim. Even if the substitution is premised on a ground of unpatentability over specific prior art, the patent owner must show patentability over all known prior art. It is not sufficient for the patent owner to distinguish only over those references raised by the petitioner. Rather, the patent owner must explain whether the newly added matter “was previously known anywhere, in whatever setting, and whether or not the feature was known in combination with any of the other elements in the claim.” If it were known, the patent owner must explain why the combination of the added and original claim elements would not have been obvious. Even though a patent owner is not expected to know everything, it is expected to reveal its relevant knowledge. The PTAB also identified other requirements for substituting a claim. For example, the patent owner must identify written description support for the entirety of a substitute claim in the original disclosure, not the issued patent specification. In another example, the PTAB noted that if a substitute claim introduces a new term whose meaning can be reasonably anticipated to be in dispute, the patent owner must propose a construction for that term. If the plain and ordinary meaning should apply, then that meaning must be defined and supported by evidence. AIA / IPR / Incorporation by Reference Navigating Degrees of Separation: Impermissible Incorporation by Reference *Web Only* Following a conference call held with respect to three separate proceedings presenting an identical issue, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) issued an order on the conduct of the proceeding, clarifying its rule relating to incorporation by reference. T-Mobile USA, Inc. v. Mobile Telecoms. Technologies, LLC, Case Nos. IPR2015-00015; -00017 and -00018 (PTAB, Nov. 3, 2014) (Chang, APJ). In each of its petitions for inter partes review (IPR), the petitioner filed two separate expert declarations as exhibits—one created by the petitioner’s own expert and one filed by another petitioner in a different matter. The petitioner cited to both expert declarations for support in its petitions. At issue, the declaration of the petitioner’s expert witness incorporated by reference “a large portion” of the declaration of the expert witness from the separate matter. 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(a)(3) states that “[a]rguments must not be incorporated by reference from one document into another document. Combined motions, oppositions, replies, or other combined documents are not permitted.” The petitioner argued that the rule did not apply to the declaration of its expert witness, because the rule was directed only to incorporating arguments by reference, and the declaration itself contained testimonial evidence, not arguments. The PTAB closed down the argument, noting that the petitioner’s rationale focused on “only the first word of the first sentence of the rule, and failed to consider the rule as a whole.” Instead, the PTAB determined that the petitioner had essentially combined the two expert declarations that it filed, which is impermissible under 37 C.F.R. § 42.6(a)(3). After receiving the clarification, the petitioner requested leave to file a corrected expert declaration. The patent owner opposed the request, arguing that the petitioner was obligated to conduct its own legal research earlier in the matter and therefore should have made the necessary corrections before filing petitions. Further, the patent owner took the position that granting the petitioner’s request to correct the declaration would prejudice the patent owner because such a correction would be substantive. The PTAB did not find the patent owner’s objections to be persuasive. As an initial matter, the PTAB noted that the petitioner had filed both declarations with its petitions and had clearly cited to the declarations for support. Additionally, each petition provided “direct citations to the Declaration of [the expert] and to the prior art references.” Given the early state of the proceedings, the PTAB did not find that correcting the expert declaration would prejudice the patent owner, provided that any corrections did not introduce substantive changes to the declaration. To the contrary, the PTAB determined that “the corrected Declaration, most likely, would clarify the record and simplify discovery.” AIA / IPR / Discovery Deposition of Declarants Is Limited after Routine Discovery *Web Only* In an Order on Conduct of the Proceedings, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) denied a patent owner’s request to depose a petitioner’s declarant whose declarations had been served but not made of record. Valeo, Inc. v. Magna Electronics, Inc., Case Nos. IPR2014-00221, -00227 (PTAB, Nov. 13, 2014) (Clements, APJ). In a Petitioner’s Reply to Patent Owner Response, the petitioner submitted new evidence that it contended was directly responsive to arguments made by the patent owner in its Patent Owner Response and directed to the credibility of the patent owner’s expert, rather than to bolster the underlying grounds of unpatentability on which the IPR was instituted. The patent owner disagreed with the petitioner’s characterization and further asserted that one of the cited references did not constitute prior art. The Board reserved the issue of whether the new evidence was outside the proper scope of a reply to the final written decision. Meanwhile, in response to the challenge that the new evidence did not constitute prior art, the petitioner served the patent owner with two declarations directed to the authenticity of the prior art reference, but did not make the declarations of record by filing them in the Patent Review Processing System (PRPS). The patent owner timely objected to each of the declarations. During a teleconference, the patent owner indicated that it intended to file a Motion to Exclude regarding the new evidence and expected that the petitioner would rely upon the declarations as exhibits to oppose the Motion to Exclude. The patent owner stated it had not yet tried to depose the declarant because it believed that it was not entitled to do so until the petitioner relied upon the declarations by entering them in the record. The patent owner requested an order from the Board indicating that it was entitled to depose the declarant either before filing the Motion to Exclude or a reply in support of the motion. The Board noted that “the declaration was not served recently” and that the patent owner had been in possession of the declarations “for some time.” The Board explained that even though the declarations were not filed in PRPS, the patent owner was not precluded from pursuing a deposition of the declarant. Cross-examination of an opposing party’s declarant is available as routine discovery, regardless of whether the petitioner had actually filed the declaration. Accordingly, the Board denied the request for deposition as improper additional discovery. Practice Note: Depositions of known declarants within a PTAB proceeding should be sought during the period of routine discovery, even if the declaration at issue has not yet been made of record. AIA / IPR / Representation by Counsel Denying a request from patent owner’s counsel to withdraw from an inter partes review (IPR), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) refused to allow the inventor to proceed pro se because the real party in interest was a juristic entity. Shire Development LLC v. LCS Group, LLC, Case No. IPR2014-00739 (PTAB, Nov. 21, 2014) (Green, APJ). LCS Group, LLC, a juristic entity, was designated as the patent owner and real party in interest in the Patent Owner’s Mandatory Notices and represented by counsel in the IPR proceeding. The inventor of the patent at issue, ostensibly with patent owner’s approval, wanted to represent himself in the proceeding. Counsel’s withdrawal from an IPR proceeding requires authorization from the Board. 37 C.F.R. § 42.10(e). The Board refused to allow patent owner’s counsel to withdraw because the patent owner and real party-in interest was a juristic entity. The Board also indicated that the request may not succeed even if the patent owner were to assign ownership back to the inventor because a mere reassignment of ownership may not be sufficient to establish the inventor as the only real party in interest, citing Case No. IPR2013-00010 to assert that patent ownership is not the proper test for determining the real party in interest. Suggesting its reluctance to allow pro se representation notwithstanding the issue of real party in interest, the Board noted that pro se representation could carry significant risk in view of the complex and very technical nature of the proceedings. Trademarks / Infringement The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s $1.32 million judgment in favor of a medical device maker, ruling that it never owned the trademarks in question and therefore could not have passed the rights in the trademarks to a successor. Axiom Worldwide Inc. v. Excite Medical Corp. et al., Case No. 13-13900 (11th Cir., Nov. 17, 2014) (Rosenbaum, J.) Axiom Worldwide, Inc. (Axiom, Inc.) developed, manufactured and sold medical products and owned various trademarks for use in connection with its products. In 2007, Axiom, Inc. transferred all of its assets, including its “goodwill,” to non-party Axiom Worldwide, LLC (Axiom, LLC) via a warranty bill of sale. The bill of sale was made retroactive to January 3, 2006. Axiom, LLC later transferred the acquired assets to Progress Bank, and in July 2010, HTRD purchased all of the assets from Progress Bank. HTRD, set up by a former employee of Axiom, Inc., produced generic medical devices sold as authorized Axiom products. The former employee had forged Axiom, Inc. CEO’s signature on a document claiming that HTRD had been given the rights to Axiom, Inc.’s intellectual property in China. HTRD also believed that the assets purchased from Progress Bank included Axiom, Inc.’s intellectual property rights. However, it had been determined in an earlier ruling by another court that the intellectual property rights was not part of the transfer of assets to Axiom, LLC, and therefore the trademarks in question still belonged to Axiom, Inc. In 2011, Axiom, Inc. filed a lawsuit for trademark infringement, copyright infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets against HTRD and its affiliated companies and several former Axiom, Inc. employees (collectively, the defendants) arguing that the defendants made counterfeit devices and tried to steal its trademarks. Axiom, Inc. also claimed that HTRD had submitted false and misleading information to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in an attempt to steal Axiom Inc.’s trademarks. The district court found that the rights in the trademarks had not been transferred from Axiom, Inc. in connection with the warranty bill of sale and that the defendants infringed Axiom, Inc.’s trademarks. The district court further found that the former employee Saleem Musallam was individually liable for $85,000 in statutory damages and that HTRD’s U.S.-affiliated Excite Medical Corp. was liable for $1.32 million. The defendants appealed, claiming they had rights in the trademarks and contesting the amount of damages set by the district court. The 11th Circuit affirmed the district court, noting, “[b]ecause we agree with the district court (and Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher, for that matter) that ‘nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin’,’ and because we find no error in any of the district court’s other challenged rulings, we affirm.” Trademarks / First Amendment First Amendment Protects Use of Third-Party’s Trademark in Video Game Sarah Bro Confirming that video games, including customizable multi-player games, qualify as expressive works entitled to First Amendment protection, a California district court granted summary judgment in favor of video game publisher on trademark infringement claims brought by the owner of a trademarked military patch design, which appears in the video game publisher’s military combat themed video game. Mil-Spec Monkey, Inc. v. Activision Blizzard, Inc. et al. Case No. 3:14-cv-02361 (N.D. CA, Nov. 24, 2014) (Seeborg, J.) Plaintiff Mil-Spec Monkey, Inc. (MSM), a military supply and outfitting company, brought claims of copyright and trademark infringement against Activision Blizzard (Activision) for its inclusion of MSM’s “angry monkey” military morale patch in the multi-player edition of Activision’s “Ghosts” video game, the tenth game in the defendant’s “Call of Duty” series. MSM’s morale patches are worn by military personnel in unofficial contexts to express personal interests or identity, and MSM’s “angry monkey” patch is the most well-known and popular of its morale patch designs. MSM owns a federal trademark registration for the “angry monkey” design and claims that it has used the “angry monkey” trademark in commerce since 2007. In the “Ghosts” game, an image similar to MSM’s “angry monkey” patch appears as one of 32 standard issue patches (and one of over 600 patches that can be “unlocked” throughout the game) that are available for players to customize their soldier avatars, among other customization options including gender, uniform style, and gear accessories. Patches then appear within the “Ghosts” game to identify player characters, as well as in certain game menus. Because the patches and other customizable options are not mandatory, however, it is possible that the “angry monkey” patch would never appear during a particular game play series. Outside of the game itself, the “angry monkey” patch image appears for two seconds in Activision’s promotional trailer for the video game. In response to MSM’s claims of trademark infringement, Activision moved for partial summary judgment on the theory that use of the “angry monkey” design in the “Ghosts” video game is protected by the First Amendment, and does not cause consumer confusion as to the source or sponsorship of the game and the patches depicted in the game. Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, the court explained that video games are core speech entitled to safeguards of the First Amendment. To determine whether the First Amendment precluded MSM’s trademark infringement claims, the court relied on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s two-pronged analysis from Rogers v. Grimaldi, which explained that an artistic work’s use of a trademark that would otherwise violate the Lanham Act is not actionable unless the use of the mark “has no artistic relevance to the underlying work whatsoever” or if it has some artistic relevance, but “explicitly misleads as to the source of the content of the work.” On the issue of artistic relevance, the court noted that the “Ghosts” video game, as with each of the “Call of Duty” games, incorporates real combat force names, military gear, known locations and other “real-world” references to create an authentic universe consistent with the game creators’ vision. Therefore, the court determined that the video game’s inclusion of the well-known “angry monkey” morale patches that are worn by military personnel in real life bears “some artistic relevance” to the creators’ goal of offering players a feeling of personal identity and authenticity during game play. The court concluded held that MSM failed to demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Activision used the “angry monkey” trademark in an explicitly misleading manner. Instead, the court noted that Activision’s video game packaging was clear as to its source and origin and that Activision’s use of the trademarked patch design in promotional materials did not mislead consumers, nor did it affirmatively purport in any way to share a relationship with MSM, and was therefore protected by the First Amendment. Trade Secret / Preemption Supreme Court of Arizona Weighs in on the Preemption Provision of the State’s Trade Secrets Act The Uniform Trade Secrets Act’s (UTSA) displacement provision creates an exclusive cause of action for claims based on misappropriation of trade secrets and preempts conflicting tort and other causes of action that provide civil remedies for trade-secret misappropriation. Currently, there is a split of authority on whether the Uniform Act displaces all common-law tort claims based on misappropriation of confidential information, whether or not the information at issue constitutes a statutorily defined “trade secret.” The Arizona Supreme Court, interpreting Arizona’s Uniform Trade Secret Act (AUTSA), narrowly interpreted the relevant preemption terms and held that the AUTSA does not displace common law claims for misappropriation of confidential information if that information falls outside the Act’s definition of “trade secret.” Orca Communications Unlimited, LLC v. Noder, Case No. CV-13-0351 (Ariz., Nov. 19, 2014) (Pelander, J.). Public relations firm Orca Communications brought a claim for unfair competition against Ann Noder, its former president, when Noder started her own public relations company and allegedly urged Orca’s customers to do business with her new firm. Unfair competition was the only cause of action at issue, and Orca claimed that Noder had learned “confidential and trade secret information” such as Orca’s “business model, operating procedures, techniques, and strengths and weaknesses” and intended to steal and exploit that information to gain a competitive advantage for her business. The state superior court dismissed Orca’s complaint concluding that the AUTSA entirely preempted Orca’s common law tort claims with respect to the misappropriation of all confidential information, even if that information did not rise to the level of a trade secret. The state court of appeals reversed in part. Because the scope of the AUTSA’s displacement provision was found to be a “legal issue of statewide importance,” the Arizona Supreme Court granted review. The Court then reviewed the plain language of the AUTSA and determined that, on its face, AUTSA’s displacement provision preempts only conflicting tort claims for “misappropriation” of a “trade secret”—two terms that are specifically defined by the Act—and leaves undisturbed claims “that are not based on misappropriation of a trade secret.” Because Orca’s unfair competition claim was not limited to trade secrets, the Court determined that the lower court erred in dismissing that claim on preemption grounds. The Court did not decide what aspects, if any, of the confidential information alleged in Orca’s unfair competition claim might fall within the AUTSA’s definition of “trade secret,” and the Court refrained from deciding whether Arizona even recognizes a common-law claim for unfair competition. The Court also reversed the superior court’s dismissal of Orca’s unfair-competition claim and remanded the case for further proceedings on those undecided issues. Practice Note: It is unlikely the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision will resolve the national split of authority on the displacement issue, as the Court was clear to explain that its holding did not take into consideration decisions from other jurisdictions. Furthermore, the Court noted that the AUTSA does not contain the directive language included in the UTSA, which states that the Act shall be applied and construed to make uniform the law among the states enacting it. Cert Alert Back to the Future—Supreme Court to Review Rule On Post-Expiration Patent Royalties The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in affirming a district court decision that toy maker Marvel was not required to make payments after the expiration of a patent, criticized the Brulotte rule that “a patentee’s use of a royalty agreement that projects beyond the expiration date of the patent is unlawful per se.” (See IP Update, Vol. 16, No. 8.) The U.S. Supreme Court has now granted the patent owner’s (Kimble) petition for writ of certiorari seeking to overturn 50-year-old Supreme Court precedent that a patent owner cannot enforce a license requiring patent royalty payments after the patent expires. Kimble v. Marvel Enterprises, Case No. 13-720; (Supr. Ct., Dec. 12, 2014). The question presented in Kimble’s petition is simply “Whether this Court should overrule Brulotte v. Thys Co.” Note: The Solicitor General urged the Supreme Court not to accept the case, arguing that there “is no sound basis for casting aside a 50-year-old interpretation,” i.e., Brulotte v. Thys Co., (Supr. Ct., 1964). Supreme Court to Consider Scope of “Good Faith” Belief and the Intent Requirement of § 271(b) Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that a good-faith belief that a patent is invalid may negate the element of intent required to prove induced infringement. In that split-panel decision (with Judge Newman dissenting), Judge Prost explained that “[w]e see no principled distinction between a good-faith belief of invalidity and a good-faith belief of non-infringement for the purpose of whether a defendant possessed the specific intent to induce infringement of a patent.” Commil USA v. Cisco Systems, see IP Update, Vol. 16, No. 7. Now the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review whether a good-faith belief that a patent is invalid is sufficient to avoid liability under the active inducement statute. Commil USA v. Cisco Systems, Case No. 13-896 (Supr. Ct., Dec. 5, 2014). The sole issue to be decided by the Supreme Court is whether the Federal Circuit erred in holding that a defendant’s belief that a patent is invalid is a defense to induced infringement under 35 U.S.C. § 271(b). The solicitor general had urged the Supreme Court to take this question for review but to deny review of the second question originally proposed, which went to an issue relating to the jury instructions in the case. Justice Breyer did not participate in the order granting certiorari. Counsel | Washington, DC

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Why is a chest x-ray important in cases of Brucellosis? output: There are no specific chest x ray findings associated with brucellosis. If focal pulmonary complications occur, findings on chest x-ray include bronchopneumonia, empyema, hilar and paratracheal lymphadenopathy, interstitial pneumonitis, lung nodules or pleural effusions.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor, I have developed a darkish bruise like rash on my skin over my rib - on lower left side. This rash has been there for many years. It can become extremely irritated and itchy many times a day. The rash has progressed from a mild state of being a small reddish area to now a brownish leathery scaly area. I believe the change of appearance to be caused by the constant scratching to obtain relief from this irritation. output: Hello have read your query. There is possibility of atomic dermatitis or eczema leading to rash. I will advise you clinical examination and further investigation like CBC, ESR, CRP.your doctor may prescribe local steroid after clinical examination. Laser therapy may help for small patch. I hope I have answered your questions. If you have further questions please feel free to contact us. I will be happy to answer. Take care..

HOKEYBLOG! Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is. — Francis Bacon My Film Diary [Letterboxd.com] Homoerotica My SPOTIFY Playlists Jeff Galloway Tips Running Disney! Race Review: 2016 Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon (10/29/2016), or: “In the chilly hours and minutes of uncertainty…” Hokeyboy / 11/01/2016 So on the morning of October 29th, 2016, I ran the 2016 Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon, in what has become an annual tradition for us here at Hokeyblog. This particular race is almost always a fun ride; I say “almost” because the 2013 race — my first time — had some serious bumps in the road. And they weren’t the race’s fault; the city forced the race organizers to shift the course at the last-minute, making us run a mile on the beach and giving a 1 mile fake-out at the Finish Line. I bring that up because, while the 2016 Half Marathon was as a fun time, there were situations outside of the race’s control that made it a lot harder and less enjoyable than previous years. And by that I mean the freakin’ weather. Yeesh. The race elements and overall organization were mostly just fine, albeit with one issue I’ll bring up later in this review. Hundreds of runners showed up at Parrot Jungle Island, most of them in costume, and took off running down the MacArthur Causeway into South Beach, then up the pathways adjacent to Ocean Drive, up the boardwalk and back again, finishing in South Pointe Park. It’s a scenic route, providing dazzling views of the Atlantic Ocean as you find yourselves flanked by sexy vampires, sexy zombies, sexy superheroes, sexy anthropomorphic animals, and so forth. Say what you want about South Florida, but the people here are damned good-looking. The limiting factor that morning was the wind, rain, and humidity. Gusts that blew upward of 30 mph off the coast meant that, for the entirety of the race, you were battling strong winds while running to and coming back from the turnaround point on the Boardwalk. The effort expenditure required to traverse the race distance was significantly amplified, and you could see it in the faces of the participants. And it wasn’t just the wind itself, but the sand blowing off the beach that pelted us so intensely that most runners were treated to a complimentary dermabrasion procedure, courtesy of Mother Nature. Yowch. There was some rain; it wasn’t particularly heavy, but the strong wind made it sting a little harder than it should have. And then when the rain stopped, the resulting humidity made the otherwise reasonable temperature seem oppressive. So yeah. The weather sucked. Nothing you can do about that, and certainly nothing that its attributable to the race itself. This is the sub-tropics, after all. Anyway, let’s take a look at my experience at the Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon. Things started out at Parrot Jungle Island, where Boots dropped me off at 5:45 AM (the race was scheduled to start at 6:30). My usual running buddy Kristi was sitting this one out, and since we usually do a group costume together, I decided to eschew dressing up this year. Instead, just wore a Batman tech shirt. Captain Cheapass this year… On the way to the Start Line, I saw a big group of Rainbow Brites posing for a picture, so I had to grab a pic for myself. A large group of attractive women in costume together? There’s some things in life you NEVER pass up on! I headed over to the Start Area, which was filled with costumed runners, pulsing music on the sound system, and a general festive atmosphere. Raging egomaniac Then I bumped into my pal Jackie, who was decked out in her best Kryptonian duds. We posed for this pic, which in a single frame is loads more entertaining than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: “SSSAVE MMMMARTHA!!” Right about that time a funny thing happened: I was accosted by the Rainbow Bright brigade. As it turns out, they were also the group of Waldas from last year’s race: The Waldas from last year One of them asked me, “Are you the blogger? Nia told us we had to find you and take a picture!” If I ever were to say no to an offer like that, feel free to hit me in the face with a frying pan. My race highlight moment What a moment. Alas, but it was all downhill from here… Jackie and I went into the start chute and waited for the race to begin. So here’s our Start Line selfie! Because traditions! Finally the countdown started and the race had begun. I dialed up my latest Zombies, Run! mission: “Lullaby” (Season 4, Episode 11), high-fived Jackie for luck, and crossed the Start Line. It was on! The 2016 Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon Let’s take a look at our race course, courtesy of Google Maps and my trusty Garmin 920 watch: In the exact same course as almost every year, the race took us 3 miles eastward on the MacArthur Causeway, then on a path adjacent to Alton Road heading south, curving around South Pointe park (past the Finish Line, which at Mile 4 seems almost like teasing), and northbound on Ocean Drive as we enter the heart of South Beach, right on the wide sidewalk with views of the beach and the sun rising over the Atlantic. Miles 7 through 10 are almost entirely on a narrow wooden boardwalk as we reach the turnaround portion of the race past mile 8. Then we return southbound on the same path, curving up and around South Pointe amphitheater before finally hitting the same Finish Line we passed at Mile 4. As we already established, there wasn’t anything really different this year, except for the weather. While heading down the MacArthur, we didn’t feel much in terms of deleterious climate. Oh sure, it was breezy enough but hardly anything to worry about. The turn southbound (adjacent to Alton Drive) was its usual sharp turn onto an elevated curb, but there wasn’t too much crowding or local meandering about the race course. If anything, my only issue during this portion of the race was the wall of runners that surrounded the pacers. Guys, come on. You can be in front, behind, or even beside the pacer, but don’t crowd the course making it impossible for other runners to pass you. Right in front of the now-defunct Starbucks on Ocean, I managed to find Boots who took some pics of yours truly: Blurry yes but I’m still mostly recognizable The runner behind me thought she was an official race photographer and was miffed that I was jumping into his shot. Silly mortal! We really started to feel the wind around Mile 4, as we got to the beach itself. There it started to blow pretty hard, and we could feel the sand tearing into our flesh at gale force. Yikes! But we weathered this Epidermopocalypse and soldiered on. I was running my usual Half Marathon intervals — run one mile, walk one minute — and managed to stay around the 9:40 min/mile range throughout. A little slower than my general half pace of late, but given the weather elements I was OK with it. Anyway, one thing I did notice was that there didn’t seem to be enough water stops roughly between Miles 6 and 10. There was one Boardwalk water station for the entire three-mile out-and-back, and then another stop a mile south of the Boardwalk. There should have been another water stop at the turnaround point. A lot of people — your narrator included — were really starting to feel parched, and more than a few were heard wondering aloud where the hell the water was. Jackie’s post-race battle against the wind… The Boardwalk section is as it always was: a little narrow, sometimes crowded, very shaded, and loaded with people who aren’t participating in the race. Thankfully, they were mostly very respectful of the race and its participants, walking single file on the sides. Of course, bicycles are never allowed on the boardwalk, but this didn’t stop a few of your typical Miami d-nozzles. They were few and far in between, but enough to wonder if a little security on the Boardwalk would go a LONG way to keeping these jerks in line. Otherwise, it was your basic run back to the Finish Line, with the usual detour taking you up and over the South Pointe Amphitheater. Having a sudden, sharp incline near the end of the race might seem sadistic to some, but given all the bridge training I’ve been doing in anticipation of the New York Marathon, I was in my element. My pace had slowed dramatically because of the strong winds and rain — miles 10 and 11 averaged just over the 10 min/mile mark, and mile 12 took nearly eleven minutes! I was pretty drained and tired; fighting against the wind was taking a lot out of me. Turning eastbound off Ocean onto South Pointe Drive was probably the gustiest wind corridor of the race. I could barely make any real running progress against those headwinds. A couple of spectators sitting out at cafes were cheering us on, and I turned and did my best Marcel Marceau, man-against-the-wind impression. Most of them gave me bemused stares. I don’t blame them. Boots caught me again right before the turn to the Finish Line (the Finish arch was taken down due to the high winds, so the line itself was just a timing mat): “Dig me!” And then of course the money shot. Check out that makeshift Finish Line! I finished with a Net Time of 2:07:59, which wasn’t too bad, considering the weather. It’s still my 8th fastest half out of 34, but I also have to be honest here: I was completely DRAINED. My energy reserves were depleted and I was feeling the soreness, bigtime. That’s OK, though. At least I was done. I walked over and got my medal from a volunteer dressed as Iron Man, and the thing was a beaut. The Halloween Half Marathon always has fantastic looking medals, and this one was no exception: Afterward I walked over to Boots and cheered runners coming in as we waited for our buddies to finish. It seemed to get rainier and windier as the morning progressed, which meant it was going to be a hard finish. But a finish nonetheless! Rainbow Brites bringing it home No sweat! (The wind blew it all away…) There was very little food at the finish line; basically fruit and water. The free after-party at Nikki Beach had a full buffet spread for runners and their ilk, but we skipped out on that and did what we always do, post-race: beers in the park! (BYOB) I wonder what caught Jackie’s attention… I can’t say that the 2016 Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon was my favorite year of the race, but the race organizers nonetheless put on a great event despite all the elements outside of their control. Rain is one thing — this is South Florida, after all — but epic gusts of wind just produces havoc for any and all runners. There was still plenty to enjoy, both before, during, and after the race. And even though I’m not of a fan of medals, the ones they produce always deliver. I’ll be back next year for sure. I’m hoping Mother Nature takes the morning off, ya know? Here’s the video: Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2016 Matthew Millheiser 11/01/2016 in Fitness, Race Review, Running. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I have been trying to concieve for over a year. I am 36years and I once had a child in 1998 and I lost her at birth and I was told it has been a foetal distress. I have seen two Gynecologist and they told me I do not have a problem. They asked me to ask my husband to check his sperm in a laboratory and he is not willing at all. He has a child from previous relationship. I am feeling very bad and confused. He is 37 years old. output: HI, Thanks for the query. I have read your query & understand your concern. For conception, healthy ovum & healthy sperms coming in contact around ovulation day is essential. - Ovulation day is 14 days prior to the expected day of menses, provided the menses are regular. - You have been checked by gynecologist & declared to be fit for conception. _ Ovulation study confirming ovulation date/ Patient fallopian tubes (confirmed by Hysterosalpingography/ tube testing are minimum things required in female partner. - Husbands semen analysis/ physical examination by a urologist confirms fitness of a male partner. You do need to convince your husband for his checking up take help of your doctor if needful./ If he is very much adamant you can go for GUI. * You are already 36 years.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi I have been lacking in b 12 for about ten years and so I have an injection into my muscle every month which hasworked very well, recently my doctor wants me to have a blood test to check my b 12 levels and my intrinsic factor . Has something new been found out about the treatment of pernisios anemia as I don t think I would be able to absorb tablets ? e vitamin B12 deficiency. Taking injection in muscle. Blood test suggested. New treatment found? output: Hi, Let me try to address your concern by starting to give some more information about "PERNICIOUS ANEMIA" in simple terms. PERNICIOUS ANEMIA - its a anemia which occurs due to deficiency of "INTRINSIC FACTOR" - which is kind of chemical released by stomach, which in turn increases the absorption of vitamin B12. B12 plays very important role in process of formation of normal size and shape of RED BLOOD cell. In pernicious anemia the cell size increases due to lack of vitamin B12, which is why this kind on anemia is know as "LARGE- red blood cell anemia" (megaloblastic anemia). 1) As far as the treatment is concern replacement of the store of B12 can be done rapidly by VITAMIN B12 INJECTION which you already have taken . 2) A number of studies have shown long-term vitamin replacement treatment may be maintained with high-dose oral B12 supplements, since sufficient B12 is absorbed from these by a normal intestine, even without any intrinsic factor. So to answer your question, YES, you will able to take "VITAMIN B12 TABLETS" once your stored B12 level comes to normal and you need to replace the loss/ used B12 by high dose B12 ORAL TABLETS. HOPE IT HELPS...

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hi I felt fine then I was out on my bike and held my urine and had severe lower abdominal pain. I have had it for 6 hours now and I have taken paracetamol and ibuprofen which has not eased the pain. They are sharp cramps, I want to hold knees to chest, pain mainly in lower left adbomen output: Hi. Thanks for your query and an elucidated history:You have to hold the knees to the chest-this means the pain is so severe. Since the pain is in the left lower abdomen, the most probable causes I can think of are :Testicular torsion, Volvulus of the sigmoid colon, Left ureteric stone with colic. All of these are emergency problem, need urgent accurate diagnosis and may be an urgent treatment. Like-Testicular torsion needs immediate correction. I would advise you to rush to the ER / Hospital with a Surgical facility and a Surgeon has to examine you and get urgent ultrasonography and color Doppler of the testis and abdomen, Standing X-ray of the abdomen. Once the diagnosis is made you may need urgent surgery. If the pain is due to colitis or so, one can get medical management and get well..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I fooled around with a male friend on July 29, 2015. He rubbed his penis before rubbing my vagina but there was no penetration or ejaculation. I fear that there might have been precum so I took the morning after pill around 26 hours later. I ve had three periods since then, but lighter than usual. Now my period was supposed to come in the past two or three days. What are my chances of being pregnant? output: HI, I understand your concern. Firstly you did not have ejaculation/ penetration. Even pre-cum deposited externally on vulva . Can not cause pregnancy. - You also had taken plan B after 26 hours. * taking into consideration above things, you do not have a chance to conceive with said sex, * The menstrual irregularity is following plan B consumption (which is a high hormone dose) tends to cause hormonal imbalance & disturbed periods for few months. Thanks..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: how is epilepsy diagnosed output: People who are concerned they may be having seizures or other neurological signs or symptoms should be evaluated by a neurologist. The diagnosis of autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) is made on clinical grounds. The key to diagnosis is a detailed history from the affected person, as well as witnesses. Sometimes video- EEG monitoring is necessary.

Archive for the ‘sovereignty’ Tag October-December 1939: The Not-so-Phoney War at Sea & in Poland and Finland. Leave a comment Above: HMS Royal Oak at anchor in 1937 The Royal Oak & the Graf Spee; Orkney to Montevideo: Eighty years ago, On 14 October 1939, HMS Royal Oak was anchored at Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scotland, when she was torpedoed by Lieutenant-Commander Günther Prien’s submarine U-47. It got through a fifty-foot gap in the defences of Scapa Flow and fired seven torpedoes at the 29,000-ton battleship, of which three hit the ship, capsizing it. After the sinking of HMS Courageous the previous month, this was an almost equally spectacular symbolic success for the Kriegsmarine. Of Royal Oak‘s complement of 1,234 men and boys, 835 were killed, 810 in only thirteen minutes that night, the others dying later of their wounds. While the loss of the outdated ship, the first of the five Royal Navy battleships and battlecruisers sunk in the Second World War, did little to affect the numerical superiority enjoyed by the British navy and its Allies, the sinking had a considerable effect on wartime morale. The raid made an immediate celebrity and war hero out of Günther Prien, who became the first German submarine officer to be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. Before the sinking of Royal Oak, the Royal Navy had considered the naval base at Scapa Flow impregnable to submarine attack, and U-47‘s raid demonstrated that the German Navy was capable of bringing the war to British home waters. The shock resulted in rapid changes to dockland security and the construction of the Churchill Barriers around Scapa Flow. One task of the U-boats was to place magnetic mines in the sea-lanes around the British Isles; this could be done by low-flying Heinkel He-IIIS and by E-boats (motor torpedo boats, shown in the painting on the right) and destroyers. Lacking a large surface fleet, the German Navy used small vessels for fast hit-and-run attacks. By the end of November, these had sunk twenty-nine British ships, including the destroyer HMS Gipsy and had also put the brand-new cruiser HMS Belfast out of action for three years. Through the immense bravery of bomb-disposal experts Lieutenant-Commanders R C Lewis and J. G. D. Ouvry, who removed the two detonators, one of which was ticking audibly, from a mine spotted in the Thames Estuary, the secrets of the steel-hull activated device were discovered. Within a month, Admiralty scientists had discovered ways of counteracting the mines by fitting electric cables around ships’ hulls, to create a negative magnetic, or ‘degaussed’ field. Soon afterwards a means of blowing up the mines, using wooden-hulled trawlers towing buoyant electrical cables, was also invented. The map above shows the early stages of the Battle of the Atlantic, from 1939 to 1941, with the green line showing the areas of severe U-boat impact. While in the U-boat Germany had deployed a potentially war-winning weapon and it also had three purpose-built ‘pocket-battleship’ commerce raiders and two powerful modern battleships, the Bismarck and the Tirpitz, launched early in the war, there were always too few to challenge the Royal Navy directly. Instead, as in the First World War, Germany was once again made use of its limited naval resources to attack Britain’s sea communications. Its formidable capital ships were used as raiders against British commerce. Tracking down and destroying these threats severely stretched British resources. It was the spotting, disabling and forced scuttling of the German pocket battleship the Admiral Graf Spee that was the RN’s greatest victory during the so-called Phoney War. Operating off South American coast, Captain Hans Lansdorff’s ship had enjoyed considerable success at the beginning of the war, sinking ten ships totalling more than fifty thousand tons. The term ‘pocket’ battleship is somewhat misleading, however, since although a limit of ten thousand tons had been imposed on German warships by the Treaty of Versailles, once the Graf Spee was loaded up with her six eight-inch, eight 5.9-inch and six 4.1-inch guns, as well as ammunition and stores, she weighed more than half as much again. In the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December, off the coast of Uruguay, the German ship took on the eight-inch guns of the cruiser HMS Exeter, along with the six-inch guns of the light cruisers HMS Ajax and the New Zealander-crewed HMS Achilles, badly damaging the first two ships. However, she was eventually outfought by the three British cruisers and was forced into the harbour of Montevideo, capital of neutral Uruguay, on 15 December by the pounding she had received. Langsdorff then magnanimously released the Allied sailors he captured from ships he had sunk, who reported they had been well-treated. Then, mistakenly trusting to BBC radio broadcasts about the imminent arrival of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal and the battlecruiser HMS Renown, and unable to hire a small plane to see whether this was in fact so, Langsdorff then sailed the Graf Spee to the entrance of Montevideo harbour just before dusk on Sunday, 17 December and scuttled her. The explosions were watched by over twenty thousand spectators on the shore and heard on the radio by millions around the world. In fact, only the cruiser HMS Cumberland had managed to reach Montevideo; the BBC had patriotically participated in releasing a giant ‘fake news’ story. Five days later, Langsdorff shot himself. Back to Europe: Poland, the Baltic States & Finland: Meanwhile, in Poland, by 5 October, resistance to the Nazi-Soviet Pact forces had ended; 217,000 Polish soldiers taken captive by Soviets, 619,000 by Germans; up to 100,000 escaped via Lithuania, Hungary and Romania to join Free Polish forces under General Wladyslaw Sikorski, Prime Minister in exile in Angers, France. Seventy thousand Polish soldiers and twenty-five thousand civilians had been killed, and 130,000 soldiers lay wounded. A hundred thousand Poles in the Russian ‘sector’ were arrested by the NKVD and sent to concentration camps, from which hardly any returned. Adolf Hitler travelled to Warsaw by special train to visit victorious troops. Then, on 10 October, Admiral Erich Raeder urged Hitler to consider invading Norway as a way of protecting the transportation of iron ore from northern Sweden to Germany and establishing U-boat stations along the fjords, especially at Trondheim. Hitler ordered the OKW to start planning for an invasion in January 1940. At that point, Hitler did not want to divert troops from the attack he was planning in the west and was persuaded to do so only by signs that the Allies were planning to invade Norway themselves, possibly using aid for Finland as a cloak for their actions. Posted October 26, 2019 by TeamBritanniaHu in Assimilation, Axis Powers, Baltic States, BBC, Britain, British history, Churchill, Colonisation, Communism, Compromise, Education, Elementary School, Europe, Finland, First World War, France, Germany, Great War, guerilla warfare, History, Marxism, Navy, phoney war, Poland, Population, Russia, Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland, Second World War, South America, USSR, Versailles, Winter War, World War One, World War Two Tagged with 'fake news', 'Royal Oak', 'White Death', Admiralty, Anders, Angers, Arctic, artillery, Battle of River Plate, Battle of the Atlantic, Battleships, Blenheim bombers, Brest-Litovsk, cruisers, Erich Raeder, Finns, fjords, Gallivere, Graf Spee, Guderian, Hans Frank, Hans Lansdorff, Harold Nicolson, Helsinki, History, Hitler, Hjalmar Siilasvuo, Karelia, Kriegsmarine, League of Nations, Leningrad, Mannerheim, Molotov, NKVD, Norway, OKW, Petsamo, politics, Red Army, Ribbentrop, Scandinavia, Schlieffen Plan, Social Democratic Party, society, sovereignty, Stalin, Sweden, Thames Estuary, The Bismarck, Tirpitz, Tomoshenko, torpedo boats, Trondheim, Uruguay, Versailles Whither Hungary? An Interested Observer’s Rejoinder to Reflections on the Outcome of the 2018 Elections. Leave a comment Reactions from Home & Abroad: It’s been four months since the Hungarian general election (on the 8th April), so I’ve been interested to discover what Hungarians make of their country’s direction since the Orbán government was returned with two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. I have Hungarian Christian friends in Britain, working in the NHS, with young children, who have decided to return in advance of ‘Brexit’. Whether this is partly because of the ‘return to power’ of Viktor Orbán and his family-friendly policies I have yet to discover. Others, single professionals with different lifestyles, have decided to stay in the West, concerned about what sort of Hungary they would be returning to, defined as an ‘illiberal democracy’ by its Prime Minister. Yet the country has been a net recipient of funding from the European Union, an organisation which is built on ‘liberal values’ through the co-operation of countries which have been proud to describe themselves as ‘liberal democracies’ with pluralist parliamentary systems accommodating parties across the mainstream political spectrum. It’s not a scientific survey, but those who are socially conservative Christians seem unworried by this evolving ‘atmosphere’, whereas those with more ‘liberal’ attitudes seem keen to remain, especially in London, even after Britain leaves the EU. Tourists are still welcome of course since they bring with them much-needed additional income. The MTI and Index.hu reported last month (July) that the Hungarian Parliament building had a record-breaking number of visitors in 2017. Nearly 650,000 people wanted to see the interiors of the famous sight in Budapest. The Parliament had never had so many visitors before. Among them were some left-wing friends from Wales, on a weekend break in the capital, whom I recommended should certainly include this on the brief itinerary. They did and wrote that they were greatly impressed by what they saw. The statistics show that a total of 647,000 people visited the Hungarian Parliament in 2017, up by eleven per cent from the year before. Twenty per cent of these were Hungarians, compared with eighty per cent from abroad. Of this latter number, nearly seventy per cent were from other EU countries. In the first four months of 2018, before the election, 201,000 people visited the building, eighteen per cent more than in the first four months of 2017. Tourists generated a revenue of HUF 1,188,000,000 (circa 3.7 million Euro) just by visiting this most popular tourist attraction in the Hungarian capital. So, the unsavoury atmosphere reported by the OSCE* observers as prevalent in the country’s election campaign had little effect on foreign tourists. Quite rightly, Hungary has continued to polish its front gates and to proudly display its ‘Hungaricums’ in its shop window. Behind the this magnificent facade, the election slogans have not been so welcoming to ‘the west’. Of course, since very few visitors understand Hungarian, they were unlikely to pick up on the anti-Semitic trope inherent in the orange Fidesz election posters pointing to a ‘Soros Plot’, (térv in Hungarian). The American financier and philanthropist, George Soros (pictured below), not being a politician, is largely unknown outside Hungary though British people of middle age may recall his role in ‘Black Friday’ and the collapse of sterling in the early nineties. Even fewer would be aware of his Jewish-Hungarian origins. The ‘slogan’ has not gone away since the election either, as a proposed law designed to stop international charities and church groups from working with asylum-seekers and migrants has been introduced to Parliament known as the ‘Stop Soros’ Bill. They run the risk of being charged with ‘people smuggling’ and other offences for providing food and water, clothes and even bibles to ‘illegal immigrants’. Of course, all ‘asylum seekers’ from Syria and Iraq are illegal, having left their neighbouring refuge in Turkey, until they have been granted asylum elsewhere. They are not seeking to settle in Hungary, simply to cross it on their onward ‘trek’ to ‘northern Europe’. However, applications can take years to process, during which time the ‘illegals’ of all ages are held in tin boxes at the southern border, in all weather and temperatures, within high steel fences. Interestingly, a British friend who visits Hungary for extended periods on a regular basis could pick up on these ‘hate messages’ when he visited during the campaign. What was most noticeable for me was the way that most of my Hungarian friends in the town where I live, a Fidesz stronghold, clammed up during the campaign, and have continued to be unwilling to discuss the outcome of the election. Those who do comment have either ‘swallowed’ the government propaganda on ‘the vagrants’, or are dismissive of all politicians: like my wife, they recall the 1970s and 1980s when it was an unwritten rule that ordinary people did not discuss politics, certainly if they were not members of the Communist Party. Even ‘millennials’, not born until Hungary had emerged from the Kádár years, shared their parents’ view. John O’Sullivan, the Associate Editor of the Hungarian Review and President of the Danube Institute in Budapest, ran into the large political demonstration of tens of thousands which took place in Kossúth tér, the square outside Parliament on the Saturday after the election. Those invited included supporters of ‘Jobbik’, the former ‘hard’ Right party, now by-passed by Fidesz, as well as the Left Opposition. The demonstration was, however, mainly the Left-wing protest of an election landslide for the Right (or, to broaden the analysis, by the elites against “populism”). In the May edition of the journal, he points out that, largely because of the numbers involved, criticism in the national and international media switched from the election process itself, still questioned in the case of the Brexit vote and Trump’s election, to the nature of the campaign. Here the most authoritative criticism was made in the preliminary report of the OSCE (election monitors, invited by the Hungarian government to observe) which can be read at: *https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/hungary/377410?download=true. The report distinguishes between the conduct of the election itself, which it describes as professional and transparent and the campaign, which it concluded provided limited space for substantive debate. It also claims that media coverage of the campaign was extensive, yet highly polarised and lacking critical analysis. It further criticised the overlap between state and party spending. Whatever the merits of the OSCE’s criticism of the popular political discourse, O’Sullivan points out that these arguments were, in turn, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the Fidesz victory which entrenched the post-2010 political culture in Hungarian society for the foreseeable future. It became clear, he argues, that this new culture and orientation arose more from the pressure on Hungary of international organisations, such as the EU, and from foreign governments, such as the Obama administration in the US, which produced Viktor Orbán’s justification of his policy that Hungary is reasonably entitled to protect its national character as a European and Christian society against mass immigration. That justification ran counter to the prevailing EU orthodoxy that Europe’s future should be rooted in post-nationalism, multiculturalism and official secularism. If Orbán’s policy had been one representing only a minority, O’Sullivan suggests, it would surely have been defeated, but it won the day by a hat-trick of landslides. The Strange Death of Liberal Democracy?: These insights are confirmed and fortified by two articles on the election result by Gáspár Gróh and András Lánczi. The latter sees it as a contributory wave in an internationally significant sea-change that is now transforming the broad Western consensus on how we should be governed. Liberal democracy, as it is currently interpreted by global élites, is both splintering between radical progressives and disheartened centrists and running up against popular resistance which generates its own… alternative courses. Lánczi argues: Anyone who is not committed or enchanted by the latest liberal ideas concerning gender or radical egalitarianism, will be reduced to refurbishing ideas of the discarded past, especially the natural right or natural law theories, and traditions which are seen on the Left as obsolete or untenable. But they are neither obsolete, nor untenable… Epoch-making changes are underway in political thought. The political symbol of Orbán’s political world is the new constitution enacted in 2011. It is based on regained national pride, a re-interpretation of Hungarian history, and a complete system of democratic institutional arrangements based on classical liberalism, while rejecting the goals of modern radical liberalism. However, as O’Sullivan points out, this contains an inherent conflict and contradiction in the understanding of both Orbán and Lánczi of the developed world outside Hungary, and especially of Western European states. In fact, both of them have misunderstood liberalism in this context as being polarised between a classical form and a modern radical form. The historical development of liberal institutions in Europe, both within and between nations, has been a mostly gradual progression from the classical to the radical over the past century and a half, with the radical form providing renewal during and after periods of rapid social change and war. Hungary’s ‘absorption’ first by the German axis and then by the Soviet Empire during the latter half of this period cut it off from western influences and delayed its transformation from one type of liberalism to the other. In the last decade, the breakdown of the twenty-year transition to liberal democracy has forced it back into traditional regressive forms of nationalism and authoritarianism. In his review of two books on Europe since 1989, Nicholas T. Parsons argues that enabling the countries of Central Europe to develop politically and economically in accordance with their own customs and traditions would have better results than forcing all of them to adapt their quite different societies to the same Euro-style approach of centrally planning a free market. He may have a point, but again his mischaracterization of this as The Hapsburg Option indicates a reactionary view. His view of the ‘Single Market’ as a ‘centrally planned free market’ is a contradiction in terms. It has to be pointed out, as it has been in the ongoing ‘Brexit’ debate, that the strongest advocate of both the creation of the single market and Hungary’s early accession and integration into the EU was Margaret Thatcher, who, although a strong ‘free-marketeer’, was hardly an advocate of central planning in economic matters. Lánczi is also mistaken in dismissing all those who point to the growing mood of authoritarianism of the past eight years over the past eight years as heirs of the intellectuals of the Communist period… poignantly described by Czeslaw Milos as “captive minds”. Whilst he may not like ‘liberal’ or ‘libertarian’ thinking, he is himself guilty of the same lazy thinking which places all legitimate democratic criticism as Left-Liberal or Leftist. He argues that In a post-Communist country like Hungary many intellectuals are still in a state of “captive mind”. He acknowledges that this may seem ‘Paradoxical’, but does not confront the central conundrum to which I have already referred, that the current antagonism towards Left-Liberalism in Hungary would seem to be the product of the eighty years of authoritarianism, ending in fascist and communist dictatorships which Hungarians endured, through few if any faults of their own. The twenty years of transition to 2010 were hardly enough for Hungary to take its place as a European liberal democracy, in the broadest meaning of that term. Libertarians are, by definition, not ‘captive minds’ but ‘free thinkers’, and the only ‘Method’ they employ is, in Aristotelian terms, their willingness to entertain ideas without necessarily accepting them. If they are not convinced by ideas from within Hungary or from outside, why should they be expected to accept them? The coalition may have won the election, but it would still seem, on the evidence of results themselves, to have a major task before it in winning over large sections of public opinion within Hungarian society, including those who are naturally conservative in social matters. The simple repetition of campaign mantras will not be sufficient to achieve that and ‘libertarianism’ should not be confused with ‘liberalism’ in this respect. Populists, Realists & Utopians: Certainly, all European political thinkers and politicians need to concern themselves with the current perceived revolt against ‘liberal democracy’, including that in the name of a rather dim concept of “illiberal democracy” as voiced by Viktor Orbán. The populist ‘revolt’ against ‘liberal democracy’ if that is, indeed, what the political events of the last decade represent, has to be set in the historical context of the development of pluralistic, liberal democracies across Europe and America over the past century and a half. These histories reveal that there is more than one way of developing an independent and inter-dependent nation-state within a variety of supra-national structures. As Lánczi himself suggests, the common element to all of these experiments with liberal democracy is the concept of a ‘social contract’. This contract may or may not be expressed on a solitary piece of parchment or paper, but it has to be continually renewed and refreshed. Lánczi rightly points out that élites fail to respect this mostly unwritten rule at their peril. He claims, with some justification, that… … Most public intellectuals are… inclined to forget that in order to run a society you need to ensure the majority of votes, and this job is more than endless moralising and playing out the authority of the intellectuals. It is easier to denigrate the succesful politician as “populist” than to work for the active support of the people, and suffer intellectually for the more profound understanding of the conditions of the world. To that we may add that to be ‘populist’ does not mean being right or wrong, but being in the moment. However, sooner or later, the ‘populist’ politician – whether of the Right, Left or Centre – must also deal with truths which are not simply contemporary or contextual, but timeless and universal, especially if they claim to be Christian Democrats. After all, these are what give us the fundamental notion of a social contract, made up of basic absolute rights and duties. Politicians may be in the moment in responding to popular concerns, but they are not ‘of it’, and they must use their wider experience, wisdom and judgement to create sound public policy. ‘Populist’ should not be an insult or even a negative label for an ‘unprincipled’ form of politics. It might even be a compliment for a less dogmatic approach to governing. But by itself ‘Populism’, like ‘Patriotism’ (to paraphrase Edith Cavell), is not enough. Any teacher will tell you that being popular with students will only go so far in winning their respect and promoting their success. Sometimes the ‘tough love’ approach of stating the unpalatable truth is required. In dealing with the masses, politicians sometimes need to remember this. Majorities are, in any case, made up of minorities who may not all want the same thing, as the difficulty over the ‘Brexit’ vote shows, and – even if they do – the strength of a libertarian democracy is not revealed in its rewarding of the majority, but in the respect it shows to the minority/ minorities. That is how it will form new majorities in the future, by going beyond ‘Populist Majoritarianism’. Otherwise, like the ‘Bolsheviks’ (the ‘Majoritarians’ in Russian) we end up with ‘popular’ dictatorship rather than any recognizable form of democracy. Another ‘obsession’ which Lánczi seems to possess is the idea that there is an irresolvable dichotomy between the development of the nation-state and transnational organisations as agents of the political community. In practical terms, there are certainly tensions, of which we are only too well aware, but such tensions can also be creative and constructive. Lánczi argues that the nation-state has legally, socially and culturally determined limits or boundaries and that only economic development exists outside these boundaries as an activity to be regulated by supra-national mechanisms. In doing so, he posits both a false dichotomy and an abstract, artificial division of the aspects of governance. In reality, it is impossible to separate the social, cultural and economic dimensions of human activity, whether local or global. He quotes those who argue that if the dominant nation-state system of the day remains the only political framework, the global economic and technological developments would prevail without any political control. In the era of global finance, mass media, mass migration, advancing new technologies and ecological trauma, they argue that we have to create transnational organisations capable of operating on the same scale. The current political system, they say, needs to be supplemented with global financial regulations in order to control economic globalisation, which is still dangerously unregulated. The political infrastructure required to complete globalisation has not even been conceived of, they argue. In particular, Lánczi highlights several of Rana Dasgupta’s references to Viktor Orbán in which the former observes that… … similar varieties of populism are erupting in many countries. Several have noted the parallels in style and substance between leaders such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi, Viktor Orbán and Recep Tayyip Erdogan … Like Putin or Orbán, Trump imbues citizenship with new martial power, and makes a big show of withholding it from people who want it: what is scarcer, obviously, is more precious. Lánczi argues that the dominant view on Orbán’s policy in the ‘world press’ is embedded in a context biased towards the mainstream ‘liberal’ interpretations of politics, that ‘liberal democracy’ is good and that ‘the idea of progress’ should triumph in all debates. He claims that “populism” should be viewed as a political paradigm which presents a new model of democracy which is neither liberal nor demagogic, in which the focus has been removed from the ‘liberal intellectuals’ and ‘expert institutions’ to the people and their concept of ‘leadership’. ‘Populists’ are therefore seen by him as realists, concerned with the actual framework of political developments, common sense judgements and the actual series of events in the past narrative. ‘Liberals’, on the other hand, are ‘utopians’, seeking to convince the electorate about the most desirable outcomes to be achieved in the future. The ‘Realist View’ begins by pointing out that Fidesz got 650,000 more votes in 2018 than in 2014 and had 336,000 more votes than total votes of the opposition parties. The people voted for Orbán in an undisputable proportion and manner after two terms full of reforms and decisions, all derived from political principles, and amid what Lánczi regards as an often rude and threatening international reception. From this point of view, he asserts, Communism and today’s liberal democracy are easy ideological bedfellows since both allow utopian ideas to occupy the arena of practical politics. Both Communism and liberalism are not just utopian ideologies, but both claim that they know what is to come and therefore what is to be done. This explains how an arch anti-Communist like Viktor Orbán could also become anti-liberal in the sense of the reaction against all forms of modernism. However, this analysis ignores the accepted definitions of both ‘classical’ and ‘radical’ liberalism in western Europe, as they evolved in the practical political contexts of the previous century and a half, for more than half of which Hungary was under the authoritarian rule of varying descriptions. If there is a misunderstanding here between ‘East’ and ‘West’, it is certainly a mutual one. In any case, the ‘reality’ is that Orbán’s disagreements with those he identifies as ‘liberals’ in the 1990s, to which Lánczi himself refers in his essay, were far from being ideological in nature. My recollection of the SZDSZ (the ‘Free Democrats’) in 1990-94 was that they were neither ‘classical’ nor ‘radical’ liberals, in British terms neither Gladstonian nor Lloyd Georgian, a remark I made to the late Charles Kennedy MP when I met him in the early nineties on his visit to Hungary as their guest (he later became the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in Britain). It was Fidesz who, at that time, was seen as the ‘Young Liberal’ party of Hungary. The ‘SZDSZ’ were commonly spoken and written about, in the Hungarian English language press at least, as being ‘Thatcherite’ free-marketeer centrists. In that sense, in western terms, they were economic neo-liberals, but we were careful not to use too many western descriptors for the politics of post-Communist Hungary. It would be more accurate to say that they were in favour of a complete opening up and deregulation of the Hungarian economy at that time, whereas other parties were more concerned to cushion to blows to employment and social benefits which might result from the conversion to capitalism. Their decision to go into coalition with the MSZP (Socialist Party) in 1994, abandoning Fidesz, was born not to ideology but out of the need to manage the economic and social transition at that time. Like the Socialists, they recognised that political and cultural transition would have to wait until after Hungary had joined the EU, which it did in 2004, securing the economic assistance that it needed. But the young Viktor Orbán never forgave them for this ‘betrayal’ of the ‘liberals’, and thus began his journey to the ‘hard right’ and an alliance with the centre-right Christian Democrats. Aftermath & Analysis – What’s Left for the Left? Orbán certainly won the 2018 election with evenly distributed votes from every category of society – blue-collar workers, intellectuals, rural workers, and middle-class professionals. He also won among both religious and non-religious voters and across all demographic groups. But not all of Hungary voted for the victors in the election, and even those who did didn’t all support the fulfilment of the entire Fidesz programme if indeed we can call it such. In fact, Fidesz did not produce election programmes in either the 2014 or 2018 elections. In 2014 Orbán simply sent out a message, We Carry On! In the last election, the main slogan was For Us, Hungary is First! Otherwise, all the Fidesz posters and publicity were simply anti-immigration, re-running the government plebiscite campaign (‘national consultation exercise’) of a few months earlier. Lánczi maintains, rather unconvincingly, that the lack of an explicit programme or set of promises did not mean that Orbán had no policies to present to the electorate. Apparently, he has central goals which are continually defined and re-defined in his frequent talks about ideas. In his ‘acceptance speech’, the returned PM was able for once to be magnanimous and statesmanlike rather than triumphalist. In an article that otherwise stresses the legitimacy conferred on the new government by the vote, Gáspár Gróh draws a cautionary lesson for both Fidesz and its Prime Minister: The voter turnout of some seventy per cent suggests that the government enjoys the active support of about one-third of Hungarian society. This shows that humility would not be out of line. In order to secure the survival of the nation and accomplish the momentous tasks it faces, we need even broader co-operation. Indeed, the most complex and most daunting task of the new-old administration lies in figuring out how to convert its overwhelming parliamentary majority into winning the support of society on a similar scale. Many on the Hungarian Left have perhaps been too quick to denounce their own leaders as more responsible than Fidesz for the landslide result. After all, there was no landslide in Budapest, where Fidesz had done badly even in those middle-class areas where the former MDF (Hungarian Democratic Forum) had predominated in the past. The victory had been largely achieved in the countryside, with its small provincial towns and cities, than among the conservative metropolitan intelligentsia, many of whom had voted for minor parties. The wholesale victory in the countryside was the product of an eight-year project of the party network to take control of the local institutions; town and county halls, schools and churches, through a system of popular patronage and quiet coercion which would have been the envy of Kádár’s cadres. Those who do not declare for Fidesz are not necessarily declared to be against the ruling party, but those who are known to be opposed to it find themselves moved sideways or even demoted. I have watched this happen over the past eight years in the significant provincial town where I live and work, where the opposition has been cowed and the ruling party’s control is now almost absolute, so much so that, as an almost inevitable product of this evolution, in-fighting has broken out in its ranks since the election victory. Following the election, there were two further demonstrations in Budapest, all three having the aim of getting the elections annulled, gradually shrinking in size. Then the disgruntled intellectuals put their placards away for another four years. Opposition politicians have now, generally, backed away from challenging the result and started the painful process of internal blood-letting, demanding that their own parties look critically at themselves and why they lost. Meanwhile, oblivious to all that, the tourists continue to flock in and with the added support of EU loans, and the re-building is continuing, both in the capital and the countryside. The false boom continues, with no sign of bust in sight as long as Fidesz and Viktor Orbán can stay on the ‘right’ side of the Conservatives and Christian Democrats in the rest of Europe who subsdise their project of constructing illiberal Hungary. As Gróh points out, however, we have become, sadly, inured to American-style negative campaigning, and increasingly accept that, in the populist era we live in, campaigns do not cease when the elections are over. Almost inevitably, a new one begins just as the previous one has ended. In Hungary, this is not quite the norm, but we are now ‘looking forward’ to two other rounds of elections within the space of just a year: one being for the EU Parliament, and the other in local elections, both of which extend the franchise to other EU nationals living here. Any appeasement by Fidesz will not, therefore, last long. Gróh suggests that it would be vain to expect the sentiments to subside or to hope for an impending period of calm, peaceful governance and an attendant constructive political rivalry focused on real substantial issues. ‘Campaign psychosis’ will continue to define the public discourse in Hungary for the foreseeable future. Fidesz will continue to retain its clinch on the majority of the middle classes with nationalist leanings and of regressive persuasions, as well as win over voters from other camps. Gróh suggests that, despite their self-flagellation, there was little the opposition parties could do to shore up a united front in order to oust the government. In doing so, they would have been risking winning votes from conservative-minded citizens from the Right by offering them right-wing policies with which other centre-left parties could not agree. This would likely have produced an even more serious haemorrhaging of votes to the centre-right parties. This was particularly the case with the centre-left LMP’s strategy. In any case, the re-election of the ruling Fidesz-led coalition could easily be predicted from the fact that the Hungarian Forint exchange rate had shown no appreciable fluctuation as election day neared. International markets, always sensitive to major political changes, was clearly banking on the ‘devil’ they knew being returned to power. Nevertheless, Gróh maintains that the opposition parties were prevented from winning by their own incompetence, as the leaders like Ferenc Gyúrcsány, the former Prime Minister (pictured on the right, below), have been ready to admit. Altogether, the centre-left opposition parties garnered 320,000 fewer votes in 2018 than in 2014. The reasons for this sharp decline are complicated, but Lánczi suggests that it is because both the post-Communist left and the liberals have always looked to the West to borrow ideas indiscriminately from and implement them on home soil. He claims that the merging of liberal and ‘leftist’ ideologies has resulted in an emaciated content of leftism based on the amelioration of the free market and “capitalism” through redistributive policies. Yet, these have always been the policies of the centre-left in Hungary since the 1990s, as the Communist period, for all its faults, had already provided a universal, comprehensive if basic, health, social welfare and education system from ages three to eighteen. There was little left for social democrats and liberals to achieve. However, gender egalitarianism can hardly be dismissed as the latest liberal idea to be imported from the West. Surely it is a matter of universal ‘Common Sense’ that fifty per cent of the population of any country should enjoy equal rights with its other half? A century-long campaign for female emancipation, equal rights and equal pay is hardly a leftist fad. It is a political priority for all mainstream parties across Europe, in government or in opposition, if no longer in the US. If by gender Gróh is referring to more recent demands for transgender rights he may have a point, but the assertion of these has met resistance from feminists, liberal or otherwise, on the grounds that it threatens hard-won women’s rights to female-only spaces in society. Gróh is probably more justified in his assertion that Conservative ideas have become more attractive in Europe recently, partly because much of the agenda of the left has been fulfilled in many of its liberal democracies, and partly because social conservatism, as distinct from political ‘Conservatism’ is a resurgent though not dominant force in many of them. Orbán’s Conservatism, based on regained national pride and a re-interpretation of Hungarian history (which has sometimes ignored, distorted or falsified the facts, however), is not so different from changes underway in politics elsewhere, though these can hardly be described, yet, as epoch-making. Whether the legitimate concerns, both within Hungary itself and in the EU, about his apparent unwillingness to maintain a complete system of democratic institutional arrangements based on classical liberalism, will now evaporate remains to be seen and will largely depend on whether he now abandons his efforts to restrict the freedom and pluralism of the press and media and demonstrates his commitment to the independence of the judiciary. Migration, the EU & Economic Policy: The key to the success of the Fidesz-Christian Democrat (KDNP) coalition had little to do with their performance in government, but much to do with its ability to campaign effectively. Consequently, their main campaign message was not about their achievements over the previous two consecutive terms, but on a platform built on their handling of the single issue of mass migration, and their handling of it during and after the summer of 2016, when large numbers of Syrian asylum seekers and migrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan crossed Hungary and Austria en route to Germany and Northern Europe. In reality, this had been an issue of transit, which was temporarily resolved by Angela Merkel and the German government when it opened its borders to those crossing Hungary on their ‘Great Trek’ across the Balkans. Most of these ‘migrants’ had been in refugee camps in Turkey, Syria’s neighbour, having fled from the war across the border. Many of them were professional people and students in the process of gaining qualifications. When the war showed no signs of being brought to an end after three years, and with the advent of the Islamist Caliphate in northern Syria and Iraq, they gave up hope of returning home, determining instead to pursue their aspirations in western Europe. In doing so, they were following a natural impulse to secure human rights that those in Europe take for granted. In reality, very few had any intention of settling in Hungary, and to this date there are only a small number of them in the Hungarian capital, running successful businesses and services. Nevertheless, the experience of the ‘Great Trek’, with its bottle-necks at the railway stations in Budapest, haunted the Hungarian imagination, with its folk-memory of the Ottoman occupation of centuries before, and led to the building of a ‘steel curtain’ along Hungary’s thousand-kilometre Balkan borders and its claim to be protecting ‘Christian Europe’ from ‘marauding Muslims’. Of course, much of this argument was ‘fake’, drawing on the Islamophobia which has been on the increase since 9/11, and some would argue since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the ongoing wars with the Taliban in Afghanistan since then. As Hungary has no recent experience of interaction with Islamic cultures itself, references were made to isolated incidents of loss of control in German cities, to the social and cultural problems of integrating so many migrants, the situation at Calais and the Islamist terror attacks in Brussels, Barcelona, Paris, London and Manchester. The coalition parties in Hungary simply used the more recent tidal wave of Islamophobia hitting Europe to retain the upper hand they had gained on the issue of migration in 2016. This in itself was enough to lock in the coalition’s victory for the third time running, and since the election there has been no let-up in this anti-Muslim rhetoric and propaganda at every level, and especially in the government-controlled press and media. In the election, no reference to the government’s record on the economy was required since the influx of EU funds had disguised its shortcomings to control inflation and improve wages and living standards among ordinary Hungarians. Had the election been fought on this record, Gróh comments, it would hardly have sufficed for the kind of sweeping victory we have seen. The Fidesz-KDNP coalition pulled of its ‘hat-trick’ with unprecedented mass backing on the ‘fake’ issue of migration, though with almost a third of voters staying at home. The latter-day exodus to Europe in recent years is a historic challenge far too momentous to be considered as a mere campaign theme. The phenomenon has increasingly come to shape the outcome of elections across Europe, most recently in Italy. Gróh believes that this will continue, with implications for peace and prosperity in Europe. The corollary global issues of environmental damage, overconsumption and the impending demographic collapse of native populations are provoking the most general intellectual crisis in Europe since the seventeenth century. These emerging global issues emerging in recent years have now manifested themselves in more than just the influx of the masses from the destitute and war-torn continents in search of a better life. Nevertheless, they are ‘external’ to national elections since the problems they create can neither be solved nor even contained at a purely national level. They are beyond the control of national governments, which are only capable of mitigating the effects on their populations. Although its seemingly tough stance on immigration policy was a clear vote-winner, in reality, the coalition government has little control over this issue independent from the other twenty-seven EU member states, acting in concert. It remains to be seen whether, and for how long, Hungary can continue to ignore its obligations as a member state to accept its quota of asylum seekers without jeopardising its central funding from the EU, or whether it can engineer an alternative, less humane strategy with other central European states and the recently elected Eurosceptic government in Italy. Viktor Orbán is making overtures to former Yugoslav and Balkan states, but many of these are not yet integrated into the EU, and are unlikely to be accepted any time soon. They are also suspicious of Orbán’s long-stated goal of reasserting Hungary’s influence in countries which were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire a century ago, and still have significant though dwindling, ethnic Hungarian populations. This remains a major ‘plank’ of the nationalist government’s foreign policy. Nevertheless, the re-election of Hungary’s incumbent government bodes well for bolstering the leverage of the revived Central European co-operation of the ‘Vísegrád’ countries as a means of seeking answers to strategic regional questions rather than simply as a means of ‘Saying No to Brussels’, another of the campaign slogans. The consolidation of central Europe as a distinct region within the EU should be welcomed by the western European states as it has far-reaching consequences for the European continent as a whole. As Gróh comments, however, the psychology of campaigns will continue to override the otherwise desirable limits of sober public affairs and responsibility. Meanwhile, Hungary still has its own internal problems to confront, some of which may have a European dimension or context, but most of which are distinctly within the control of the government. It is not enough that the Orbán governments had to cope with the economic problems it inherited in 2010, including the spiralling triple debt traps at personal, corporate and national levels, the passivity of overall society, the unjust distribution of tax and national insurance, and corporate and structural forms of corruption. Voters tend only to be really irritated by individual instances of corruption, even though these are dwarfed by entrenched corruption on a structural level, even now. The institutionalised corruption of the 1990s has now fallen into oblivion, and the danger for the current ‘régime’ is that, in continuing to utilise the campaigning tactic of blaming past administrations for the loss of billions of forint to the national treasury, it will increasingly draw the spotlight onto individual ‘oligarchs’ among its own associates and their corporate relations. Certainly, it took a major effort by the Orbán governments to overcome institutionalised corruption between 2010 and 2018 and to dislodge the labour market and domestic consumption from stagnation, setting the country on a path to growing wages and bringing about a period of prosperity for some of its citizens. Hungary has yet to reach this destination for most of its citizens, however, and without prosperity, none of the problems in the public services can be solved, especially in health and education, because the new tax structure restricts its revenue. The foreign-exchange loans for housing purposes taken out before 2008 have finally been paid off with the help of the financial measures of the last Orbán government. Wages have risen steadily in the private sectors, and the government has begun to address the gap between those sectors and the public services, especially for teachers. Higher wages at home may yet have the ancillary benefit of keeping more of the workforce from seeking better wages in other EU countries, and in persuading those who have already done so to return. Higher earnings and tax incentives at home may enable more citizens to enter the housing market, enabling them to pay the rent or the mortgage without their dwelling becoming their only asset. Much remains to be done in closing the gap for regions and social groups lagging behind, and in improving demographic trends and family policy, and it is in these areas, as much as in the restoration and retention of Hungary’s unique cultural values, that the next general election will most likely be fought. In other words, on the legacy of the Orbán administration in every area that matters in the life of a modern nation and which is within the control of its national government. All of this may be taken care of by the two-third parliamentary majority of the newly re-elected coalition, which is surely enough for good governance, but will it prefer to continue its shadow-boxing with external issues and policies it has a say in, but no real control over? Orbán’s Goals – Family, Sovereignty & Community: So, what are the central goals of the new Órban government? Lánczi has read between the lines of the PM’s speeches to identify three central ‘areas’ from which the star striker will aim to score: ‘Family’, ‘Sovereignty’ and what he calls a meritorious moral system based on a shift to an ethic of individual responsibility. The first two areas are nothing new in Fidesz’s programme. Lánczi admits that the idea of ‘family’ has played a central role in all of Orbán’s governments, affecting economic, financial, social and educational policies. The fundamental political idea was framed in the new Hungarian Fundamental Law (or ‘constitutional amendment’) of 2011: Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman established by voluntary decision, and the family as the basis of the survival of the nation. This places great emphasis on the role of the nation-state in ‘family affairs’ and what many would consider as being ‘private matters’ and questions of individual, universal human rights. In particular, the question of mutual recognition of same-sex marriages and civil partnerships across the member states of the EU under this law has not been addressed either in the Hungarian Parliament or in the General Election. Lánczi agrees that the Law, in general terms, runs counter to developments within the EU, although decisions on social matters are still considered to be the territory of the individual states. Many have eulogised Orbán for his ‘courage’ in this respect, particularly among socially-conservative religious people, but even among these it needs to be questioned whether the institution of Christian marriage needs to be protected and ‘enshrined’ in the law of the land, or whether the state should simply continue to concentrate on the legal requirements and relationships of marriage in the secular sphere. The Law, as currently written, may yet lead to lead to an unnecessary conflict over the rights of EU citizens resident in Hungary to have their legal relationships recognised here, with implications for property and pension rights in particular. Nevertheless, as Lánczi points out, the centrality of the family in the policies of the ruling party has important demographic motivations: Almost all European countries have been facing the economic, social and cultural consequences of their declining populations. The smaller a nation is, the less likely they are to share the view of bigger nations’ seemingly comfortable solution to the problem: migration. However, Lánczi then poses another false dichotomy, between the individual and the family as the smallest unit of society. The former leads, he suggests, to the organisation of society into a liberal democracy, whereas the latter leads to the strengthening of the nation-state. Viktor Orbán, he claims, is one of the few European political leaders who can see the correlation between the weakening institution of the family and the growing antipathy against the idea of the nation. But are the western liberal democracies really weakening the institution of marriage and the family by opening it up to a broader interpretation of what a family actually is, or can be, in modern society? Leaving aside religious concerns, at least for a minute, does the exact gender formation of a family really matter in societal and demographic terms? Evidence published to date suggests a negative answer, although we have yet to see the longer-term effects of changes in marriage law on wider society. There is also a bigger social ‘demographic’ issue which we might refer to, in colloquial terms, as the elephant in the room. It could be argued that an insistence on one ‘traditional’ model of ‘the nuclear family’ might be detrimental to another ‘traditional’ model, still prevalent in Hungary, that of the ‘extended’ family. In placing all the emphasis on nation-state help for 2.4 children, are we not in danger of marginalizing the increasing numbers of elderly people, many of them living alone or in care homes, rather than with younger family members? At the same time, where is the help for those family members who are willing and able to care for their parents at home, in addition to continuing to care for their own children as well as holding down full-time employment? Surely, they need to be encouraged to remain economically active. In Hungary, as elsewhere, and as a member of such a family, I don’t see this support as forthcoming. Perhaps that will be the next step in the government’s family-friendly policies. It is certainly long overdue, and a challenge that needs somehow to be confronted. On the question of ‘sovereignty’, a term which also continues to be much in use in the ‘Brexit’ debates, Lánczi has pointed out that this concept has been a central ‘instrument’ of the Orbán governments. Among his early campaign slogans, Orbán used the statement, Small victory, little changes; big victory, big changes! We might balance this with the concept employed in many other European democracies, The bigger the majority, the greater the respect shown to minorities! However, this concept is unlikely to find its way into Orbán’s political vocabulary. On the other hand, the people’s will has to be assessed not only by pure numbers but also, according to his supporters, by the intensity of emotions, expectations and passions expressed. Sovereignty, the wielding of power on behalf of the people, needs to meet two criteria: the reasonableness of the political goals and the reliability of the political background. Orbán drew a lesson from his 2002 defeat that it was not enough to have popular goals and policies, but that he must organise the political machinery without which the leader would turn out to be a mere puppet of the civil service, very soon losing control over political developments. In particular, however, the issue of sovereignty which has preoccupied the administration since 2016 has been that of whether the EU or the Hungarian state should have the largest measure of sovereignty in the management of the mass migration across the member states. As mentioned elsewhere in this essay, there seems to be little prospect of a resolution to this issue in the near future. Until the 2008 economic crisis the moral foundations of liberal democracy, “justice as fairness” and human rights had no viable alternative. Political arguments were supposed to be based on the idea that there were certain inalienable rights which every individual should be able to enjoy. But the monopoly of the modern liberal interpretation of rights is being widely challenged, not least in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary. Here, the renewed basis for political discourse involves the resuscitation of the traditional moral ties which are seen as binding Hungarian society together in the face of external threats and challenges. Egalitarian concepts of justice, both post-Communist and liberal, still have a strong grip on society, but it is increasingly questioned whether western individual-based moralities can and will hold the Hungarian nation-state and the European Union together. Lánczi argues that the emphasis has now shifted from one on the rights of the individual in society to the rights of the community. According to him, rights are nothing if there is no community that warrants them. The primary issue is, therefore, the unity of the community in which individuals can trust each other to a reasonable extent. In particular, Lánczi questions whether immigrants should expect to immediately be given the same rights as natives in the communities to which they move. Apparently, Orbán believes in the evolution of a system of ‘meritorious moral relationships’ in which individuals are given rights only when they have fulfilled their obligations. In other words, individuals must ‘fit in’ and integrate themselves into the community first before the latter will ‘reward’ them with rights. This effectively turns rights into privileges which must be earned. Rights are no longer absolute or universal, as in the ‘classical liberal’ sense, but ‘mutual merits’ defined relative to a national or local moral code which is seen as the basis of the harmony between the individual and the community. In Hungary, this is the basis for the lowering of personal income tax to 15% for all. Those who work more and risk more are rewarded. There is no longer any system of graduated taxation in which the richer pay a higher proportion of their income to support the poorer in the community. In addition, those on social benefits are required to do ‘workfare’, performing tasks for the community in return for those benefits. So the central moral virtues in Hungary are the ‘senses’ of obligation and responsibility, and individual rights are regarded as being dependent on them. This is seen as the secret of an illiberal morality which underpins Viktor Orbán’s illiberal democracy. It is therefore incumbent on newcomers to ‘discover’ this secret since expectations are not always clearly articulated or, indeed, static. Again, this reveals a fundamental misreading of the first principles of classical liberal democracy, in which there has always been an understanding between individuals and the state of the need to balance rights and responsibilities or obligations, and to earn or merit privileges. However, in European liberal democracies, there has also always been, at least since the seventeenth century, an understanding that there are certain fundamental human rights which are either believed to be God-given or part of the social contract between the state and the individual. In addition, there is the question as to how ‘merits’ are to be valued and rewarded, and who determines what these should be and how they should be awarded, assuming that the concept of “justice as fairness” still applies. Otherwise, society is in danger of being dragged back into moral relativism, or an essentially Medieval morality underpinning a system of feudal patronage in which ‘rights and dues’ are determined and arbitrated by an individual ‘lord’. This renewed social contract between ‘the people’ and Viktor Orbán is therefore founded on a new top-down ‘meritorious’ moral code. Wherever Next then… ? For the time being, at least, ‘Leftists’ and ‘Liberals’ are not popular in Hungary, seen as being in the pay of alien forces. What Lánczi refers to as the intellectually exhausted post-Communist Left and the dogmatic liberals have been marginalised within the new national community. If these principles and processes ring alarm bells for western democrats, Lánczi assures us that Orbán’s political model has managed to see off both leftist and rightist radicalism. His politics, we are told, is about the political centre defined in terms of national history and identity, the Christian context of our way of living, and a view of the good life. This is what provides the stable political background against which the people’s aspirations can be fulfilled by their governers. Perhaps, in time, there may also be a coral growth of more popular centrists, as in France, whether progressive liberals or pro-European social democrats, untainted by past associations. The Centre-Right also shows signs of splitting into Christian conservatives and more radical nationalists, led by ‘Jobbik’, who still attracted one million voters out of 5.6 million. But the reactionary and regressive elements in political life, both local and national, are likely to remain in control for much of the next four years, and perhaps beyond. They are deeply entrenched in Hungarian society, and it will take a seismic shift among younger generations, including those returning from abroad, to supplant them. The next four years will be crucial to Hungary’s survival as an open, pluralistic democracy at the heart of Europe. Gyula Kodolányi & John O’Sullivan (eds.) (May 2018), Hungarian Review, Vol. IX, No. 3. Articles by Gáspár Gróh and András Lánczi; essay by Nicholas T. Parsons; editorial note by John O’Sullivan. Posted August 18, 2018 by TeamBritanniaHu in anti-Semitism, Assimilation, Britain, Christianity, Communism, David Lloyd George, democracy, Demography, Discourse Analysis, Edith Cavell, Egalitarianism, Empire, English Language, Europe, European Union, Family, Germany, History, Humanism, Hungarian History, Hungary, Immigration, Jews, liberal democracy, Marriage, Medieval, Migration, morality, Mythology, Narrative, National Health Service (NHS), nationalism, Ottoman Empire, Population, populism, Poverty, Refugees, Russia, Statehood, Syria, terrorism, Uncategorized, Utopianism, Welfare State Tagged with Afghanistan, Alliance of Free Democrats (Hu), Angela Merkel, Aristotle, asylum seekers, Balkan, Bolshevism, Brexit, Brussels, Budapest, Charles Kennedy, Christian Democrats, Christianity, current-events, Donald Trump, election, Erdogan, Faith, Fidesz, forint, Gladstonian, health, housing, Hungaricums, Iraq, Islam, Islamist, Islamophobia, Italy, János Kádár, Jobbik, KDNP, Liberal Democratic Party (GB), liberalism, libertarians, LMP, Margaret Thatcher, MDF, millennials, Modi, MSZP, Obama Administration, OSCE, Parliament, politics, post-Communist, Putin, religion, Soros, sovereignty, Taliban, tourism, Turkey, Viktor Orbán, Visegrád Six of the best British reasons to keep saying ‘Yes!’ to Europe… 1 comment I have already voted in the Referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union. Tuesday 7 June was the last day for registering to vote in the EU referendum. However, if you are a Brit living abroad and you voted in the 2015 General Election, you will almost certainly still be registered to vote in your former constituency (only). Or if you’re away from the UK/ unable to get to the polling station on 23 June, you still have time to request a postal vote from your local authority, via http://www.gov.uk. When your envelope arrives, inside you will find a ‘postal voting statement’ which you complete with your date of birth and signature. You don’t need a witness for this. You then fill in your ballot paper by putting a cross next to one of the two statements, based on ‘Leave’ and ‘Remain’. You then put this into an envelope, marked A, seal it and place it, together with your completed postal voting statement, into the pre-paid postage envelope (B). You then simply post this (you don’t need to pay postage whether in the UK or abroad, neither do you need to register it or ask for recorded delivery) or you can deliver it by hand at any time before polling day to the local electoral services office, or on the day, 23 June, at any polling station within your electoral area, up until 10 p.m. Given that a small number of problems have arisen with the German Post Office (wrongly) not accepting pre-paid IBRS envelopes, it may be an idea to pass it over the counter, rather than putting it in the box, if you are posting from abroad. Voting by post is as simple as A, B, C, and it’s important that everybody eligible to vote within the EU does so. Unlike in a General Election, expatriates from the UK have even greater reason to vote in the Referendum than residents. Apart from the EU citizens from other countries living in the UK who don’t have a vote (unlike in the Scottish Referendum), UK subjects in the EU are the group of Brits most directly affected by the result, especially if it goes in favour of the UK leaving the EU. The decision to restrict voting rights to those who have been resident abroad for fifteen years makes it even more necessary for those of us who do have a vote to use it both for ourselves and our children, but also on behalf of people who may have been disenfranchised. Deciding how to vote may not be so simple, just as it wasn’t in the 1975 Referendum (see the picture below). This came just before my eighteenth birthday, so I didn’t have a vote, but many of my school mates did, and I well remember the debates and discussions which led up to polling day, even though I was doing my A Level exams at the time. The result is as important now as it was in 1975, perhaps more so, especially for today’s young Britons. Then we were joining an Economic Community, now we are considering leaving a Union which offers them major cultural and educational opportunities as well. While the economic reasons for remaining in are as clear as they were in 1975, my reasons for voting to remain are far broader and deeper, as they were back in the mid-seventies. I’ve set them out below. 1. Integration is not assimilation: ‘‘Visit the great churches and cathedrals of Britain, read our literature and listen to our language: all bear witness to the cultural riches which we have drawn from Europe and other Europeans from us.” – Margaret Thatcher 1988 in Bruges – When Mrs Thatcher made this speech, she also spoke very determinedly of the need to reunite all the countries of Europe, at a time when the Berlin Wall was still standing and Warsaw, Prague, Budapest and all the old capitals of central-eastern Europe, still lay behind the ‘iron curtain’. Two years later, the dictatorships in those countries had fallen, along with the walls and fences dividing them from their western European ‘siblings’ and cousins. Mrs Thatcher had departed from office too, following the fallout from the Maastricht Treaty debácle in the Tory Party. It was this departure which came as the greatest surprise to many in central Europe, where the ‘Iron Lady’ was regarded with great affection for her steadfast support for their peoples’ bringing down of the old Soviet-style regimes. Above: Margaret Thatcher with G7 Heads of State at Paris in 1989 Although it’s true that the Maastricht Treaty marked a period of deeper integration in western Europe and a transition from an economic community into a more political union, it is easy to forget that it also came just before the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a period of transition in central-eastern Europe which led to the political reintegration of the European continent as envisaged by Margaret Thatcher had envisioned in her Bruges speech. Over the following quarter century, the two processes have worked in tandem, so that the broadening of the Union to 27 countries has been rooted in institutions which have evolved, not always easily, to accommodate more divergent needs. This process has been one of integration, not assimilation. The EU is not some giant Leviathan trying to swallow up all countries great and small. Countries seeking accession have had their terms of entry negotiated on an individual basis, and existing countries like France have been able to opt out of the arrangements for freedom of movement from these new member states. Since 2004, their intake of migrant workers from Poland, Hungary and (more recently) Romania has thus been far less than that of the United Kingdom. The UK is now able to apply an ’emergency brake’ on these migration streams itself, and to add conditions to the entry of future migrants, while still remaining at liberty to withdraw from any arrangements involving new accessor states like Croatia or Serbia. The fact that David Cameron has been able to maintain and extend the very different terms of the UK’s membership shows that sovereignty and self-government can be maintained as well as, in chosen circumstances, pooled by individual member states. 2. Freedom of Movement can be managed for everyone’s benefit: The voluntary movement of Labour within an internal market has long been a feature of successful economies, including Britain’s. A hundred years ago, the majority of the working population was concentrated in the industrial areas of Scotland, the North of England and South Wales. Some of these areas in 1911-1921 were continuing to attract labour from impoverished rural areas at a net in-migration rate second only to that of the United States. When the older industries which attracted these workers then went into decline, many of them moved to the light engineering centres of the Midlands and South-East of England. This included a mass migration of half a million coal-miners and their families from South Wales alone in the twenty years between the wars. Most of these workers fulfilled a need for their skills and capacity for hard manual work, adapted to their new environment and integrated into their new neighbourhoods. From the 1950s, they were added to by streams of migrants from the Empire and Commonwealth, again bringing their own cultural traditions to integrate themselves into their new environment. Again, these were, economically, ‘internal migrants’ from within Britain’s traditional trading areas overseas who were actively invited and recruited to come to Britain. Now that trading area is determined largely by the decision taken by the British people in 1975, when the UK decided by 2:1 to remain within the European Economic Community. The logic of joining a ‘free trade’ union has always been that it would lead on to ‘free movement’ not simply of goods, but of services and therefore of people as well. This basic economic ‘mechanism’ of free markets cannot be denied by economists and economic historians, but it can be managed by politicians. There is nothing to stop British politicians doing what the French ones did in 2004. All they have to say is that they want to be able to channel the migration streams from both EU and non-EU countries to match demand, given that, like France, they have strong ties to the latter. The idea that the EU does not allow us to control our own borders and our own immigration policy is a myth (convenient for many), but belonging to a single trading market does mean, in principle, that the British government accepts and upholds both the rights of people from elsewhere in that market to work in the UK and of British people to work abroad. At the moment there are 1.2 million EU migrants who have moved to Britain since 2010, compared with 600,000 moving out, a rate of 2:1. This gives an average of a hundred thousand per year. Last year, this number increased but was still less than the number of those longer-distance migrants coming to the UK to settle permanently from non-EU countries, out of total net in-migration of 330,000. The rights of EU migrants have nothing to do with the rights of illegal immigrants to the EU from the Balkans and the Middle East, or with the very distinct rights of the Syrian Refugees. We don’t know yet how many of the EU migrants are intending to settle in the UK permanently, but anecdotal evidence both from the UK and from Hungary tells me that, for home-loving Hungarians at least, they will be in a small minority. The majority of EU migrants, by contrast with those from further afield, are on temporary contracts and are intending to return when their contracts expire, many having done so already, to be replaced by others. They arrive in the UK often with jobs already to go to, or with clear intentions in finding employment. They rarely claim unemployment benefit, at least not until they have paid into the National Insurance system, and then only for short periods. Nearly all make a net contribution in taxation as soon as they start working. In the future, they will not be able to claim either unemployment benefits or in-work tax relief for four years, as a result of David Cameron’s renegotiation. The Poles who are fruit-picking in Kent, the Hungarians in restaurants in London, and the doctors and nurses working in Bristol are all making up for shortages in local labour. In terms of their impact on local services, evidence also suggests that, while language problems have a temporary implication for schools, most EU children settle quickly into a fairly familiar system, and learn/ acquire English very quickly, so that they are not as ‘high impact’ as students from other continents and cultures. Once they have learnt the medium of their education, these ‘bright’ children, from traditional European school backgrounds, more often than not go on to gain better GCSE results than their British peers. Health services are funded differently in the UK than in other EU countries, where workers pay into a National Insurance scheme, but since most migrant workers in the UK are young and single, it is unlikely that they are making disproportionate demands compared with the ageing native population. Far from being a drain on resources, EU migrants are major contributors to maintaining and extending economic growth in Britain. Indeed, politicians in their home countries frequently express their fears that the temporary loss of these young workers means, for them, a loss of skills, talents and revenues which are much in need back home. English teachers from Hungary are washing-up in London restaurants because, even at minimum wage rates, they can earn more in a forty-hour week in the kitchens than they can in their schools. It is the UK which is benefiting from EU migration, whereas the ‘donor’ countries are dealing with the negative impact, but progressive politicians seem unwilling to make this case in the face of populist scare-mongers in UKIP and elsewhere. Freedom of movement also includes many things that we take for granted, like freedom from work permits and work visas, intrusive medical tests, transit visas, unfair phone tariffs, border checks, currency exchange charges, etc. It also encourages cheaper and cleaner travel options. 3. Peace and Security are continuous processes which have to be worked on: John F Kennedy once remarked that ‘peace is a process’ which requires the daily, weekly, monthly breaking down of barriers and the building up of new bridges. That image has much to commend it, but too often people regard peace as ‘a period of cheating between battles’ (at worst) and as an ‘absence of war’ (at best). Yet all the world’s truly great peacemakers have seen it as ‘the presence of justice’. If this is so, why do the Brexiteers bear so much antipathy towards European Courts in general (some of which, like the European Court of Human Rights, are not part of the EU’s institutions) and to the European Court of Justice in particular? Can you think of any organisation or club which allows individual members to set its own their own rules, or which doesn’t try to apply some standard code of conduct for all its members to follow? Even if we simply take the definition of peace as ‘the absence of war’ we can see that the EU has been instrumental in keeping the peace in Europe over the last sixty years. Of course, NATO, founded a decade earlier, has been more important in overall strategic terms, due mainly to its nuclear capabilities, and despite the fact that on at least two occasions it has led us to the brink of Armageddon. The EU has itself made important strategic contributions in Europe, in the wars of the Former Yugoslav territories in the 1990s and most recently in sending a clear signal through sanctions in response to Putin’s aggression in the Ukraine. This latter situation, together with that in the Baltic states is being watched very carefully by both the EU and NATO. I hear people saying, ‘but why should Britain be concerned about what is happening in far-away European countries?’ I would want to remind them that this was precisely the position of those who appeased Mussolini and Hitler in the 1930s. First they went to war in Africa, and Britain and France took part in a carve-up. Then they went to war in Spain, and Britain actually aided Franco’s troops. Then Czechoslovakia was considered a ‘far-away country’, even though Prague is far closer to London and Paris than Berlin and Vienna. The warning is clear. Appeasement of dictators is not peacemaking. Little less than a century ago, both the PM, Lloyd George, and the economist John Maynard Keynes pointed out what they predicted The Economic Consequences of the Peace of Paris would be, especially the crippling reparations it placed on Germany, and to some extent Austria and Hungary. By placing such a huge financial burden on these ‘losing’ governments, together with the additional losses of land and resources, the Allies prevented these countries, especially Germany, from becoming a strong trading partner, helping to contribute to the conditions for ‘economic nationalism’ and another war. The peacemakers after the Second World War were determined not to make the same mistake, and the reason that our present-day EU began life as an Iron and Steel Community, followed by the EEC, was precisely because of the recognition that peace cannot be ‘decreed’, but has to be worked at through establishing trading agreements and arrangements. Trading relationships make the antidote to war. 4. Educational, Language and Cultural Exchanges are essential for all our futures: The reintegration of Europe has not happened by chance, but by exchanges of goods, services and people. At first, ‘people’ exchanged were instigated by people themselves, run on a shoestring with the help of local councils and charities. These exchanges began in the early 1990s with the help of the EU through its TEMPUS programmes which helped fund universities and colleges from both western and central-eastern Europe who were looking to establish relationships for mutual training and study. More recently, permanent programmes like Erasmus and Comenius have enabled students of all ages to develop their language skills through extended placements in each other’s countries. I have written about the personal benefits of this to my own family elsewhere, but, again, people have suggested that Britain, through the British Council and other organisations, could easily set up alternative programmes if the UK votes to leave. This ignores the fact that multilateral, if not bilateral cultural exchanges would be much harder to establish from scratch, and would not be as effective as centrally funded networks, whether at student level or among academic researchers. The impact on schools, colleges, universities and young people in general of these programmes is impossible to measure simply in financial terms. There is a huge multiplier effect in the pooling of linguistic skills alone, apart from the inter-cultural benefits which exchanges can bring to the creation of long-term, peaceful cooperation. 5. The European route is the way to a broader internationalism: One of the long-standing criticisms of the EU, heard since at least 1975, is that it is a ‘rich man’s club’. Having experienced the re-integration of the poorer, ex-Communist countries of Eastern Europe at first hand over the last 25 years, this is easier for me to dismiss as an argument than it was in 1975. However, the current Migration Crisis in south-eastern Europe reveals that the EU is on the cusp of an almost ‘tectonic’ shift in human resources and relations. Just as the twentieth century has moved Europe on from a patchwork of nation states and land empires to a continent-wide confederation of inter-dependent states, the twenty-first century will be one in which our common identity as Europeans – whether we are Christian Democrats, Social Democrats or Liberal Democrats – must serve as the basis for reaching out to create fuller and fairer trading relationships with other continents, and especially with our neighbours in Africa and the Middle East. Britain has its own historic responsibilities in the world, through its Commonwealth, but it can do far more to address the major inter-continental issues in the twenty-first century by working ‘in concert’ with its European allies to produce joint, caring foreign policies. 6. Britain is at its best when leading, not when leaving: Much has been made in this campaign of Britain’s ability to stand alone in Europe, as it did from the Fall of France to Operation Barbarossa. However, even then, it could not have stood for as long as it did without American supplies of food, yes, but also of key military equipment, not to mention the help forthcoming from its Empire and Dominions. By December 1941, Britain was fighting a in global war, the first shots of which were fired in the Far East in 1937. The first American troops arrived in Britain at the beginning of 1942, and when the ‘Second Front’ was finally opened in May 1944, the British Army, composed in large part of Indian troops, fought its way back across the continent with our friends. Despite the wartime propaganda which metamorphosed into popular mythology, Britain never really stood alone, neither before nor during the Second World War. Even in the Blitz propaganda of 1940-41, Coventry was thinking not just of its own suffering, but of that of other cities around the world, many of which became twin cities after the war. The Cross of Nails has become an international symbol of peace and reconciliation, present even when we feel most separated from the Light. I believe in this version of national mythology, that Britain has a destiny among nations, proven down the ages. Its vocation is to lead where the Light takes it, to extend its peaceful influence through language, trade and culture. True Britons don’t leave. In Churchill’s words, they ‘never, never, never give up!’ They are sometimes called upon to ‘give way’ voluntarily, however, to make compromises. The European Union is, in part, a product of this other, much-admired facet of British character. It is also a work in progress, with many unresolved conflicts, and the UK is an integral element in this joint endeavour. If you believe, like me, that ‘Endeavour and Endurance’ are good English words which contain true British values, join me in voting for the UK to remain in the European Union after 23 June. Help keep the ugly word ‘Brexit’ out of the English language for good! Posted June 7, 2016 by TeamBritanniaHu in Africa, Assimilation, Britain, British history, Churchill, Cold War, English Language, Europe, European Economic Community, European Union, First World War, France, German Reunification, Germany, Hungary, Integration, Middle East, Migration, Mythology, Narrative, Remembrance, Russia, Second World War, USSR, World War Two Tagged with Britain, Bruges Speech, Budapest, Christian, Comenius, Commonwealth, Coventry, Coventry Blitz, Croatia, Dominions, economists, Empire, England, Erasmus, historians, Hungary, Leviathan, London, Maastricht Treaty, middle-east, Migration Crisis, Northern Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Serbia, sovereignty, Syrian Refugees, Tempus, Thatcher, United States, Wales

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I fell on a set of marble stairs three weeks ago and hit my left knee directly on the corner of the step. I immediately saw stars and became very light headed. I also felt nauseous. I went home and iced/elevated my knee. I was unable to bend it nor walk up/down stairs for one week. It was very swollen, bruised, and had a large cut. After a week I gained mobility back in the knee but it still hurts. This past week I noticed that a large lump formed and is very predominate when I bend my knee. What is this? Should I see a professional? output: Hi, dear. I have gone through your question. I can understand your concern. You have history of trauma. You may have some injury to your ligaments or meniscus. So that hematoma formation occurs and it causes lump. Then you should take treatment accordingly. Hope I have answered your question, if you have doubt then I will be happy to answer..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: my brother is slightly mentally retarded, with a stubborn nature . He wont obey anything and torture others if gets violent. he is having hormonal imbalance, 40% retardation, always want to eat food, he is a having type 2 diabetes , he is obese. What can be done with him? output: Hi dear, For mental retardation patient difficult to accept changes in environment. For behavior disturbance in mentally retarded patient there are many medications but choosing depend on personal profile and behavior problem. So consult psychiatrist for detail history and treatment. For diabetes you should consult physician. Medication to control behavior are Mood stabilizer like carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, sodium valproate, also antipsychotic like olanzapine, risperidone, haloperidol etc., also behavior therapy works best with medication. Thank you.

Jimquisition: Mass Effect 3: A Gay Erotic Love Story Pages PREV 1 . . . 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 NEXT Mangue Surfer 526 POSTED: 28 Feb 2012 21:11 trollnystan: Volf: rape in US male prisons Rape in male prisons have nothing, NOTHING to do with homosexuality. The rape is, with very few exceptions, committed by heterosexual men TO heterosexual men. Rape in any setting seldom has anything to do with sex or sexuality, but has to do with having power, dominance, and control over the other person. Seriously man, you're practically saying only gay men get sent to prison to commit this "gay rape" or that prison somehow turns you gay. No, just... NO. OT: Jim, don't ever change. No man, never heard this in my country. Stab, beating, hot water, cut the tongue off, forcing to eat shit, lynching, even dismemberment but sex with another man is gay dude. How not?! RolandOfGilead cool, he used a PS Vita. Malgan Just for the sake of bringing in my cents, and saying stuff that has probably been said and phrased differently once again: I'm a gay Mass Effect fan. I felt left out when gay male relations were excluded in the previous games, and I welcome the gay relationship (Even though my relationship with Tali went exellently). I'm a customer, and a fan. Just like you. I'm not alone in wanting this option. For people getting angry about continuity; Maybe non of the previous squadmates were gay, so no flirting or he's bisexual, or a late bloomer. No one is forcing you to change the character you made. As for the "might reduce overall quality of the game due to redistribution of resources"-argument I ask you: Do you think the heterosexual relationship add anything to the game? The lesbians? Well, for quite a big demographic of the fans, a gay relationship would too. The relationships are an important piece of the Mass Effect games, as it gives more depth, so cutting them all together would be a horrible decision. Due to the large support of the gay community and the political norm of 2012, I think they did the right call on this one. As for the video, it made me chuckle, but I'm a bit of a prude, so didn't watch more than five minutes. Therumancer Okay, as I've said I'm done with this thread. I am not going to keep coming back for one more, even if I get more private messages or whatever, this is not going anywhere. From your perspective your probably trying to be quite diplomatic and reasonable, but seriously, pay attention to what your saying here. Your basically saying "well, I want proof, but only from sources I personally happen to already agree with", which is by and large not REALLY looking at an alternative point of view because you've already heard from any source your willing to accept. To be blunt I wouldn't use conservapedia, as they happen to be a joke even as far as right wing sources go, but generally speaking any source that could be used would probably warrent a similar omission simply by being representitive of the other side. The mainstream media by and large being left wing, and right wing media being largely underground. While I wouldn't use them either, let's say for the sake of arguement I decided to bring up research conducted by say... Stormfront. Your response would be "OMG, they don't count, they are a bigoted hate group!" by definition they happen to be a bigoted hate group because they tend to have the kind of information that is contrary to what you want to believe. Stormfront is simply a well known example, I just use them as an example of why it's a catch 22. In comparison, bringing up information compiled by a human rights coalition, under any name, is by definition just as tainted as conservapedia, stormfront, or other extreme wingnut sources, just in the other direction. Something that identifies itself as being about "human rights" by definition isn't going to publish or support anything that goes against their stated agenda. Such groups tend to go out of their way to cover up the other side when it's inconveinent (just as right wing groups do) believing it's for the greater good. Right now the left wing can make more noise, having more control of mainstream media, but the issue actually breaks down 50-50 more or less. The left wing groups will say that support gor gay rights is on the rise, and the extreme right wing groups on the other end will point to stuff like what is going on in Uganda as proof that they are slowly picking up steam, especially given that western business interests seem reluctant to get involved in putting pressure in the issue. I remember reading something about human rights appeals being made for Citigroup to pressure Uganda, which were being met more or less with silence. The thing is that being in the middle of things, pretty much a "gay rights centrist" I actually consider the right wing conservapedia/stormfront crap insane, just as I consider the stuff you tout as being equally insane just from the other direction. I concede good points on both sides, with the truth being somewhere in the middle, which is the position I personally hold. When it comes to subjects like "peer reviewed sources" that is an inherantly ridiculous request when applied to any big issue, and to be honest I think that's the entire point of making it. It SOUNDS good, but in reality you wouldn't have a major issue like this if you were seeing many universally accepted sources appearing. With media trends you do find an easier time finding propaganda in favor of gay rights availible in the mainstream fairly easier, but that doesn't actually equate to universal acceptance. Anything that could be called "peer reviewed" in a case like this is probably holding it's weight on the authority of people that say the leadership of Conservapedia, Stormfront, or others holding the rather substantial other side would question the validity of. That said, understand that this entire discussion is not me trying to make some kind of massive academic point to change people's world views. It's me, explaining what I happen to think, upon request no less, abou tthe subject of gay rights in general, which is a spin off of discussing Jim's "comments" on Mass Effect 3. Trying to act like I should have to be able to sell my case before a Yale review board or I'm inherantly wrong and shouldn't be able to say my piece on an internet message board is pretty bloody stupid all on it's own, and really that is where a lot of these demands go.... and as I pointed out, if I *DID* invest that much effort into an internet discussion thaty people are going to forget about in a week or two, it would be pointless because the very nature of the debate means that people would insist any source reinforcing part of what I say would be discredited by being a source that reinforces what I say in the eyes of the people making the demands. An intentional catch 22, so why bother? As far as statistics go, that was a general point, I merely used the point about gay men and compiling statistics with homosexuals in general to convey a specific image, as an example of something I've seen done before. Is someone currently employing that specific gimmick, I have no idea, I'd have to go digging through tons of studies, and look at how the data was compiled. If it was worth the time, I could probably find an example, but really would the work be worth it? Would anyone care? Not really. The point is pretty much that if someone happens to see statistics like that, as I have in the past, they will perhaps notice something that didn't think to look at before. Not to mention providing an example of how statistics can be made to lie in general, and might actually say something differant than what the person using them says they do. If you bothered to read what I wrote, you'd also noticeI said BOTH sides do that and that statistics in general are entirely worthless when dealing with any big issue. When it comes to first hand experience, as I said, playing semantics with me doesn't matter becayse I know what I know. Having seen things with my own eyes, no amount of academics or internet arguements is going to change what I know to be true. As I said, in the end this all comes down to whether you think I'm lying, or not. In the end it really doesn't matter, but that's the bottom line. Hence why I have been saying for quite a while no that I'm just going to let this drop, because everything that can be said in a debate like this, has been said, and really it's not going to go anywhere. If you think I'm a liar, fine, nothing I say on the subject matters. If you don't, then there is iikewise no reason to continue the topic at this point. I'm done now, especially seeing as I'm pretty exhausted. Private mail or whatever else, I'm probably just going to delete it if it's connected to this topic. Give it a month or so and we'll probably be at it again, with a similar ending. If Jim wants to write again (but he's busy) I might respond, but really I don't want to piss him off any more since he's one of my favorite Escapist conributors at the moment so maybe not even then. Also in general, not nessicarly related to this subject, if it seems like I overlook something, don't assume I didn't read it, though it might have been missed during skimming if I'm getting a lot of messages. In all likelyhood if it's a debate, chances are your clevery intellectual trap was something I recognized and just pretty much figured "meh" and moved on. See, I don't take semantics games, straw men, and attempts at verbal manipulations very seriously, and prepfer to stay on topic. So yeah, if by sidestepping something I avoided some clever bit of online gamesmanship you though could win you some points, especially with me facing a hostile crowd, chances are it was intentional. Likewise, this is an internet debate on a big issue, basically if your "counterpoint" is to try and demand sources, citations, proof of common knowlege, and similar things, it's not worth the time. Especially when done the way it normally is in these debates. If someone's response is the two words "citation needed" then I'm just going to ignore you, since chances are anything I just left hanging is veriiable with a minimum of effort OR has been covered in another post I wrote recently. I write huge, rambling posts, and if I just spent 3 paragraphs explaining something to another guy yesterday, I'm not going to humor some guy who jumps in arrogantly like he's an expert, who didn't bother to do his research on the flow of the conversation so far.... oh yes, and I try and be polite, if someone is rude, condescending, or insulting, you can pretty much guarantee I'm not going to refuse to acknowlege at least the part of the message where that was done. I mean if you do something like snip my message with the words "ignorant rant" for example as some have done, don't be surprised if i'm not going to humor your "clever" commentary from then out by writing a small book in response debating it's virtue. WTF should I? you called me ignorant... Just an explanation on how I do things, it migt not make me the most popular poster on the forums at times, but I go through periods of a lot of traffic since I am not shy about expressing unpopular (for this site) opinions on big issues, I have to deal with it somehow espexially given my horrible, inflated writing style, and as arrogant as it sounds some people and points just don't strike me as being worth the time.... and again, also remember that what seems new and clever input to you, might have already been covered by something else I said elsewhere. You might not agree with me being right in how I covered it, but I don't see the point of rehashing the same arguement 40 times for 40 differant people in the same thread every time someone comes up with a slightly differant way of raising the same point.... ... and finally, I almost dismissed this (despite the huge amount of writing) not only because of your "clever" attempts at Catch-22, because of the bit at the end about saying "you know, there are non-gays who support this too you know"... no offense, but with all the things I've said about political trends, specifying "the movement" as seperate from homosexuals themselves, and who knows how many other things, it's borderline insulting. It also shows that the guy sending private mails about someone not reading his posts, himself hasn't actually read what the other guy has written, and probably doesn't even correctly understand the position he's fighting. Genuine Evil: Ok I will try and lay off the insults this time because you actually made a response that addresses what I've said ( the wrong post but hey , baby steps) also if you actually give me compelling evidence to change my mind I will, there is no truth worth fearing and if you can prove something ill change my world view according to the evidence. Therumancer: What I actually said was that there was a tendency for gay men to be more likely to be pedophilles and attack children. I even specified myself that this does not mean all, or even the majority of them. Indeed the point I made was originally in relation to statistics, and one of the reasons why I seperate lesbians and gay men into differant groups. A typical technique being to prove that gay men are not pedophilles by using statistics compiled using homosexuals in general. One thing you'll notice is that when it comes to pedophilles or homosexual assault you'll have a VERY hard time finding a case where lesbians have attacked children, or anyone for that matter. That is not to say it doesn't happen, just that it's nearly unheard of. In comparison you'll have a relatively easy time with some searches finding documentation of gay men attacking kids, to the point where it's *almost* exclusively the only sort of homosexual pedophillia just by paying attention. If you remove the lesbians from the equasion due to their tendency to not be involved in this at all, statistics saying "no more likely than anyone else" actually come up with gay men being twice as likely. Ok then please point me towards those statistics ( and preferably from a site other then conservapedia). Also you separate gay man and gay woman because it supposedly makes your point more valid but you didn't explain why you can actually do that(outside of it suits you world view ). because it is the same "underlying condition" give me a reason why men and woman should be treated as different groups . and saying one is more violent than the other isn't goon enough because (1) you need evidence to support you claim and (2) you simply can't split results every which way you like unless you have reasons to do so . You are the man making the claim and as you said before saying I have experience simply doesn't cut it a debate . because I also have experience and it's completely different to yours. You need to support your claims by peer reviewed papers (Or at least evidence from respectable sources ) were no one can claim that there is a bias towards one opinion or another . It was about statistics in general, and their nature. Not to mention the simple fact that people on both sides of any major conflict compile data but tend to only release the data that supports what their message is. If a group like say ABIGAYLES decides to do studies on gay men attacking children they simply aren't going to release data saying the opposite of what they want, and with the guys compiling the data working for them it's their desician. Rather they simply release the information that supports what they say when they get it, with as much authority as possible. Basically "this study conducted here with this representitive sample has shown that gays are no more likely to attack children than homosexuals" if they did 9 other studies that had opposite results they will just sit on them. The other side of course does the same thing, rendering any statistics on an issue like this meaningless since the very issue makes neutrality impossible True and that's why im asking for peer reviewed papers that have passed the scrutiny of the scientific community . and if you are going to claim that papers like that are also bias and unfair then don't bother responding to what I wrote because you are clearly ..... ( I promised ill be nice) .... I mean seriously... I'm not stupid enough to think someone who with apparent conviction insists that both there is an overwhelming support for gays that will change the world in 30 years when the small minority of ignorant people like me are silenced, while at the same time saying overwhelming majority pressure has the homosexual suicide rate at 40% (yes, 40% think about this) is going to engage in a reasonable debate. That kind of inherantly contridictory "in the same breath" How does the fact that support for gay rights is on the rise (you do realize e that support comes from straight people as well right?) http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/stats-on-human-rights/statistics-on-discrimination/statistics-on-discrimination-of-homosexuals/ (Link I gave sites source at the bottom of every claim) and the fact that 40% of LGBT youth are attempting suicide connected ? these are 2 unrelated facts , yes there is still a lot of hatred as you clearly demonstrate but there is also a lot of good people out there too. Also my original post is number 445 and was the post addressing my problems with your original response ...im still waiting for any type if acknowledgment of that front (I did not spell check this because it late and I have work ) trollnystan that's quite a nice straw-man you have there Where's the straw man? Please specify. Mangue Surfer: Human sexuality is complicated. For example, some self-identifying straight men have recreational sex with with other men - both with other self-identifying straight men and gay men. Some of those men may actually be in denial about their sexuality, but I'm a big fan of the Kinsey Scale and so I'm willing to consider that otherwise straight men/women might have (consensual) sexual relations with other men/women. Rape on the other hand, as I've already stated, is seldom about one's sexuality or sexual desires.[1] Much like domestic abuse, it's about asserting control over the victim and the situation, and gaining power and dominance. Sexual release is merely icing on the cake, so to speak. [1] True, this is mostly my own opinion, formed from having worked a short while as a text translator at an centre for abusive men, reading various reports and accounts by professionals and victims, etc. Swifteye My goodness graciousness. When I saw this vid all I thought was "oh. That happened. Next week a real video then." I kinda knew what the point was but I can't imagine getting into a discussion about anything if the topic is stirred by a weird slashfic. But woah. So many comments. About homosexuality. I've played the mass effect games and the dragon age games and I have to say. Sex doesn't really seem like an interesting aspect of the game. But I don't know. I'm still a virgin. Why people care so much about sex still eludes me. Helmholtz Watson The part that I have made bold. I never said that. Akimoto Swifteye: Why people care so much about sex still eludes me. 1) It feels VERY good 2) They may take away our freedom but they will never take away our seeexx! Sex feels very good and it's one of the things we hold the most private - pun not intended. I'll bet more private than our secret hobbies, IP addresses and SSN. OT: H1y sh8t that was crazy! But it seems more like a hidden jab at the fans who continue to buy from EA despite the DRMs and Origin. Another job well done Jim. I apologise, that is true, but in a way you implied it by saying that rape in prisons occurs because of: Zachary Amaranth: Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I'm saying that heterosexuality/homosexuality=sexual crimes, it just means that a persons sexual desire/lust/preference has hurt a few people. [citation needed] (bolded the pertinent line) I'm saying that rape in prisons - rape in general - usually have nothing to do with said person's sexual desire/lust/preference - most of the men/women who do so would say they were straighter than a ruler - but has to do with his/her need to dominate and assert control. Especially in such a freedom-robbing place like prison the need to feel in control and in charge is probably pretty high. The men (and women) who rape their fellow inmates in prison probably asserted their dominance/control/etc in other ways before coming to prison - beating their partner, beating people of colour, raping women, shooting people from another gang, etc. As I mentioned in my reply to the other fellah, the sexual release gained from the rape is really just icing on the cake, if not practically incidental. EDIT: added a line. agreed, but there are homosexuals in prison that have raped people, which is why I provided that as a example Again, the fact that they are homosexual is (most likely) NOT why they raped. It was (most likely) not their sexual desire that made them want to rape someone, but their need for control/dominance/etc. There ARE exceptions of course, but from what I've read/heard those are few in comparison to the ones that rape for control/dominance/etc. The fact that they may or may not be gay is completely incidental in the majority of cases. In fact, you're probably more likely to find that a homosexual in prison is targeted to be raped by his heterosexual fellow inmates than the other way around. Orekoya secretsantaone: This is game 3, not game 1. What they originally intended to do isn't relevant, they have already created 2 games. If they had originally intended to give Shepard the option to speak with a lisp it would be just as jarring to put it in now. Ok, the relationship OPTIONS are already established if it makes you feel any better. The point is, the last game should be about resolving the issues, not creating more. Let me ask you a question. Do you think that Bioware are adding in the option to make Shepard gay in the last game in the series either because they genuinely believe it would add to the story, or because they want to try and appeal to the gay audience for a quick buck? The average gamer stats of the us: 37% adult women, 5% adolescent women, 45% adult men, 13% adolescent men. Now let's use that ever lovely nonsensical 10% of the population being gay and apply it - meaning 4.5% of the total gaming population would be targeted by such a ploy. Please explain how you genuinely believe that the motivation for Bioware to "appeal to the gay audience for a quick buck" and possibly piss off their established fanbase could even exist (or for that matter how EA would even allow it). Also I say nonsensical 10% because it was a number generated by Alfred Kinsey back in the 1930s and they were only questioned if they've ever engaged in sex activity with the same sex. Sexuality isn't about your practices; it's about your preferences. If you've only had sex with women your entire life but was attract to men, you're still gay. The latest study I believe put that number closer to 6% of the population. Let's have a study here. Afterwards you can enjoy an odd little read courtesy of New Jersey's latest plan to eliminate prison rape. Akimoto: People make this much of a deal about sex because it is private and it makes people feel good? Is it truly that unique an experience that it matters more than anything else that generates a powerful positive emotional response? Or is it that sex is an easy emotional response to undergo? That one can control. Or impose laws or abstract doctrines on? Just from observation it seems like sex is more trouble than it's worth. Just a few minutes of fun or less and then it's completely over and you're left wanting more. It doesn't seem to make anyone happy or content for any real period of time. well then, I'm referring to the exact cases where a gay man rapes in prison out of lust Zoe Castillo Andy Shandy That was some master satire Jimothy. Although now I need some brain bleach for some of the imagery, especially Wrex's bright green anus. dietpeachsnapple Rainboq: dietpeachsnapple: -It is not shallow to include homosexual relations in a game. It is shallow to include any sexual relations in a game. That's a wee bit 'No True Scottsman'. Sexuality is a core component of human relations, and as such, sexuality can and should a part of more adult games that talk about the human condition, like Mass Effect. Hell, even TES and Fallout have sex, just heavily implied. The point being that sex is an incredibly simple thing made incredibly complex by the context that it is placed in by society. It is easy, therefore, to put it in a game, but notably difficult, in my opinion, to make it justified. We barely understand our own motivations most of the time, philosophically, genetically, and socially. It requires an artful hand to put it into a multimedia while doing justice to that context. I will retract my prior universal, and submit that it is possible to include sexuality without being shallow. I will contend, as a needed qualification, that we should not call one form of consensual sexual expression shallow in a game, while vindicating others. (I see the "wee bit" of the no true Scotsman in my statement, and I appreciate the reference.) Yes.Somewhat but mostly yes. Yes Yes and Yes. Sex is as troubling as how you go about getting it but that's really my personal opinion. If you're interested you can look up sexology - I belief it's called, but I digress from the topic already. From your perspective your probably trying to be quite diplomatic and reasonable, but seriously, pay attention to what your saying here. Your basically saying "well, I want proof, but only from sources I personally happen to already agree with", which is by and large not REALLY looking at an alternative point of view because you've already heard from any source your willing to accept. Have you linked any studies at all? From any half reputable source? The only thing that can prove a statistical increase of something like this is a study, or an omniscient god. Trying to act like I should have to be able to sell my case before a Yale review board or I'm inherantly wrong and shouldn't be able to say my piece on an internet message board is pretty bloody stupid all on it's own, and really that is where a lot of these demands go No but maybe you should be able to sell it to a highschool review board. When it comes to subjects like "peer reviewed sources" that is an inherantly ridiculous request when applied to any big issue, and to be honest I think that's the entire point of making it. It SOUNDS good, but in reality you wouldn't have a major issue like this if you were seeing many universally accepted sources appearing. Quite frankly if studies can't be trusted than no one has any business stating anything about statistics relating to this. Also, you spoke of men picking up little boys in casinos more than girls, did you follow them home and find out that they had gay lovers? If they are not gay in their day to day life and are only gay for little boys than your argument about gay men generally being pedophiles and that they shouldn't be allowed near arcades/schools/whatever is invalid because they're generally a completely different mostly unrelated set. You working security detail only shows half of the picture, you state that the majority of child molestation is male on male but you don't know if said males perpetrating the act are actually really gay in day to day life, which is all that matters if you're going to discriminate against all gay people. If a man with a wife molests a little boy the odds are he's straight. Also, if a large portion of child molesters were molested themselves, should we discriminate against children who were molested? (Here is the most reputable source I could find in 4 minutes, and even then I can't find a study at the moment, not much time: http://articles.latimes.com/2002/may/18/local/me-molest18 ) Of course not, it is wrong to discriminate against someone because they're statistically more likely to do something reprehensible. evilthecat There's very little evidence that that happens in any significant number though. Men raping each other in prison doesn't imply lust, it doesn't even imply that the attacker is gay. It very seldom translates into an openly gay identity inside of prison, even less so outside of prison. Most of the research which has been done on prison sexuality is outdated and dodgy, much of it is so because it operates on the same assumptions you're putting out now. I'm not stupid enough to think someone who with apparent conviction insists that both there is an overwhelming support for gays that will change the world in 30 years when the small minority of ignorant people like me are silenced, while at the same time saying overwhelming majority pressure has the homosexual suicide rate at 40% (yes, 40% think about this) is going to engage in a reasonable debate. Okay, you've taken the SPRCs upper estimate on the rate of suicide ideation among LGBT youth (not the 'homosexual suicide rate', if you've done research you should know better than to be inspecific). Suicide ideation means basically 'contemplating suicide', and most research doesn't put the number at 40%. It's between 30 and 40 percent, making LGBT youth under the age of 24 between twice or three times as likely to contemplate suicide as heterosexuals. Assuming a similar ratio of ideation/attempt, the actual rate of suicide attempt among young LGBT people would be about 10%, though that probably won't be accurate at all. If this is how badly you handle one statistic which you probably got from wikipedia (where it is mislabelled as the rate of suicide attempt, so I still don't know where you got the idea that it is the suicide rate), I don't think you have any right to present yourself as having done any research on this. When you pull this shit, you're just outright lying. It's lying to present an upper estimate as a generally accepted fact, it is lying to present a suicide ideation rate as a suicide rate. What else have you lied about to try and make this ridiculous case? Your typical Pedo doesn't look like the movie stereotype, he's basically the ordinary looking, "acceptable" gay dude, and almost guaranteed he says all the right things about hating pedos, and supports the community in exactly the right and acceptable ways. This is why saying it's not true, and producing statistics gather with that specific intent is meaningless. No, your typical "pedo" (by which I assume you mean child sex abuser, not just a paraphiliac because we have no reliable evidence in that regard) is someone the child already knows. Usually it's a family member, a close family friend or someone else with unrestricted access to the child, not some dude who hangs around at the arcade. Please learn this before making completely incorrect generalizations. If the average child molester is a gay man, then explain to me why reported rates of child sex abuse are twice as high for young girls, and that this pattern crops up globally. It's not even confined to a single country, practically anywhere where there is child sex abuse girls are suffering it more, or at least reporting to do so. If you're talking about "personal experience" then please bother to factor in visibility issues. The guy who hangs around in the arcade may be obvious, but you have no evidence that he's "typical" of child abusers. Techno Squidgy I thought this was a fantastic episode. Not really sure why Americans seem to have such a massive problem with homosexuality. Maybe it's just the vocal minority of morons over-riding the common point of view again. Krion_Vark XDravond: Jimothy Sterling: El Luck: Ok this doesn't have anything to do with the video but why am I being asked to verify my age? According to the people in charge, this week's video blurred the line between editorial and erotica. There is no question this is pure erotica. And it's gay GAMING erotica. It's horrible! Oh the horror! :P And just got the minor feeling this is might be minor nudge at the "scandal" Mass Effect 3 will allow homosexual relationship between men! They already managed sex and lesbians so the last thing really needed this... or something.. I'm not American or easily upset by sexuality in general, and I find this vid rather fun, so I'm in the camp that doesn't really understand why it's controversial with having "gay-relationship" in games is all about. The game already stars a 18+ rating so what is the problem? I'm straight and I don't care what other people are in to be that bi/homo/straight/or other more usual thing, just don't force it on me. And either you're drawn to ladies, men, something else (or all of them..) when you get to that age, a game/book/film/and so on will not change this, and neither of these feelings are "wrong"/"bad"/... I can in ME play as whatever I want straight/bi/homo/asexual/or not caring about relationships whatsoever... And that is the way I want my 18+ RPG's. That is, NOT child friendly. PS. Found the age verification rather fun part of this and surprised that Jim didn't make a joke about it... Oh the Mass Effect games have had gay relationships before its just that gay relationships between two woman is apparently perfectly fine while gay relationships between men causes outcry. Odin311 I completely agree with the point that Jim was making. Though there are many more entertaining ways of getting that point across. I prefer my Jimquisition as a raging rant on the correcting the wrongs of the world. XDravond Krion_Vark: Hehe, I know ME had gay relationship before and it was almost fine just because it were between women... Played it that way for fun (much to see what any outcry is all about...) But still anyone that thinks choice is wrong in a RPG game that sports 18+ are, well weirder than the average weirdo.... Nicolaus99 targren: Nicolaus99: Already feeling alienated by the gay-creep in Dragon Age, this episode inclines me to swear off anything Bioware. However good the RPGs, is it really worth it to endure the company it keeps? I feel like the subject of a social experiment. And this, boys and girls, for those of you too thick to have made the connection yourselves, is exactly the mentally defective thought process that was being satirized by our beloved Mr. Sterling. Seriously, Poe's Law is definitely in play on this one. Raise your nose in arrogant superiority as high as you like, stand on your very tippy toes. Observe Proposition 8 from California. You can find all like minded judges and politicians your heart desires but when you can't even carry the public vote in California, you know - that state is totally a simmering hotbed of conservative evangelical anti gay vast right wing conspiracies just ask San Francisco or UC Berkley, that's sad. The silent majority don't like gay culture and are not comfortable around it. Being a step up from bestiality while inspiring a mental gag reflex in most people might be tolerated - its a free country after all, toleration is a very long way from accepted or even welcome. When one's entertainment becomes something to be tolerated, it usually stops being entertaining. Why are they called the silent majority? Maybe they have better things to do than put up with arrogance like yours either. They vote and get on with their lives. targren Raise your nose in arrogant superiority as high as you like, stand on your very tippy toes. Observe Proposition 8 from California. *snip drivel* I love it! Not only is NOT being an ignorant bigot "arrogant superiority" but you actually use an appeal to popularity as an excuse? Protip: If you're looking to set up a defensible position, rhetorical or otherwise, it's generally not the wisest of moves to rely on the intelligence of the average American public to build your walls. Of course, if you'd been blessed with any semblance of wisdom in the first place, we'd probably not be having this conversation. So build on and I will continue to mock you AND those like you, "silent majority" or not, for the poor examples of human beings that you are. evilthecat: Again it can't be ruled out that it never happens, hence my point that a homosexual man has raped another man out of lust. trollpwner Ah....escapist. That Jewel of the internet that descends into disgusting hate and homophobia comments at the first sign of an attack on aggressively forced heterosexual values. Thanks guys. This made my day. chiefohara Tanakh: Your arguing over symantics now. No, he is saying gay assholes don't do fucked up shit due being gays, but due being assholes, same as straight assholes don't ruffie girls due being straight. It's not him, though. It's Shepard. It's still his image, and he should have final say over that. Actually if Bioware really want this option in the first game, why not just get a model that was ok with it? I did a bit of research, Mark Meer never objected to it at all. He even recorded the dialogue for the gay Kaiden scene's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPMOlEfhWGE hooksashands I completely lost my shit at 4:27. "It was so GAY what he was doing... and he loved every GAY second of it." There is no other video on the Escapist that has made me laugh so hysterically. I had tears streaming down my face by the end. sanguinator ........wut? Seabear Zhukov: Oh Jesus, that was fucking hilarious. Although it would be awfully difficult to explain if someone were to see it in my browser history. Also, I am totally har Also, I would dearly like to know how he managed to keep a straight face while reading it. I agree, fantastic job, my stomach kills from the endless violent laughter... Ow. Agente L THANK YOU BASED JIM! THANK YOU! DayDark njsykora: When you watch the video, you'll know. Yeah I'm watching it and I get the reason for it. But if they're able to see if i'm a pub club member or not to give me the advertising accordingly, surely they can use the same thing to see that I'm old enough without needing me to put in the information. Well you see, everybody knows that when you make your account you can just write a fake age, but when prompted suddenly with the imminent question about your birthday, it leaves you completely flabbergasted, and compels the truth from your finger tips. I'm not re-entering this discussion, but I want to clarify two things for a related point, about why I'm not even really bothering to try and make a point here. You sit here and say the 40% suicide rate is stupid, and present it as my information and attack it that way. The thing is, that's not MY information, that's something someone else claimed. Yet here you are jumping down my throat because that claim isn't specific, and is in fact quite ridiculous. It's especially ridiculous in the context I mentioned it in since one of those using the figure (it showed up more than once) did so pretty much in the same breath that they mentioned an overwhelming support for homosexuals that was going to change the world utterly in a couple of decades, the implication being that it's really a small group of people that can somehow force a 40% suicide rate. I don't bother because your not even paying attention to what is being said, or where that information came from in the course of this conversation. You see a fact that is wrong, or at least presented out of context, and you attack ME as being the one who presented it when that came from YOUR side I've mentioned it largely for th same reasons, where it was actually presented in a far more ridiculous way than what you accuse me of when you get down to it. Otherwise, I'm going to ask a simple question... how many Pedophilles have you dealt with? I mean seriously. What kind of training have you received for dealing with situations like that? What kind of authority or pseudo-authority did you have that lead to you getting that training and entering into a situation where you would routinely deal with such people? See, the thing is I used to have to deal with people as part of my job, and did it for close to a decade. You quote a hollywood-type profile about things, and but actually don't know anything because you've never been trained, you don't even stop to think about how the profile YOUR spouting makes little or no sense. Yes, there is a profile for people who use a relationship with a child to exploit them, however that's FAR less common than you might think. It has a high statistical representation because the risks in exploiting someone your that close to are substantial, leading to people being caught, so there are a lot of people like that to study. In reality your typical predator, sexual or otherwise, will hunt outside their immediate area, to increase the chances of getting away with it. A fairly random attack with no pre-existing ties makes the criminal FAR harder to catch especially if they have nothing on record to begin with. Your typical "stalking" is nothing like in the movies either, while these long, drawn out period of cat and mouse with a killer or rapist learning everything about their victim to be make for compelling drama, the simple fact is that crimes work best the less variables are involved. You go to a high traffic area with children left along, watch one for a short period of time, and then take action. Most people who do this kind of thing, tend to be charismatic because they need to inspire confidence to be able to get the victim in position. Your typical pedo rapist isn't going to be that creepy loner, prison inmate stereotype, pathetic fatso or the quiet guy nobody notices, like on TV. it's going to be a guy people haven't generally seen before, but left behind a generally positive impression. If he's openly gay he's going to make the guy who makes it seem like a good thing, or at least acceptable in his case (ie the guy bigots in denial will be referring to when they say "I have this gay friend, but otherwise...). It's about inspiring trust, acting quickly, and moving around.... Predators, real ones, very rearely shit where they eat so to speak because it makes it too easy to create a pattern. The thing is though that with all of the politics and civil liberties out there proof, especially if the guys are careful, can be tricky, and even in cases where your right about the accusation and win, there can be bad press involved. At the casino where I worked forever the casino really cared less about protecting kids than making money, as long as nobody got raped so they wouldn't deal with liability issues, they really didn't care. Groups like NAMBLA which were at the time hiring a lot of lawyers to defend pedophilles were creating bad press and such for people who caught them behind the scenes. As a result the casino didn't really want to see many Pedos caught and put into police custody, and have the resulting battle fall back on the casino. Indeed from a certain pragmatic sense the liability from an occasional failure/rape and bad press if it went public, was worth the price of the press that could come from say 10 Pedos being actually caught, even if they don't cause all kinds of problems by claiming discimination (and being falsely accused) with or without groups like NAMBLA, at the very least they are going to have press out there making it look like they are a magnet for sexual predators (which they are, the fault of management for not forcing parents to have their kids attended despite policies, it cares more about the money the parents are spending than the safety of the children which creates the whole issue of how Security is forced to deasl with the situation because we're the guys who take the blame for anything that happens). The point of the above is that if you catch a dude trying to lure a young boy into a stairwell, and chase him off, your typical security guy not just at a casino like I worked out (the casino is simply copying general policies intending to avoid the fate of businesses that got themselves eaten alive by liability in doing the right thing due to the way the system works nowadays) isn't going to have him arrested, and that's something predators tend to keep in mind in selecting their hunting grounds as well. Buisnesses that will put press and risks of liability ahead of seeing justice done. The guy is going to be chased off, perhaps even walked out of the building with a security escort, and then we might not see that one again specifically, but at the same time there is no record of him being caught anywhere official because the idea is for nobody to know it happened. The thing is that Code Adam training, will usually come along with a pretty solid reality check on what your employer actually wants you to do with this information. As a security officer for any big place, not just a casino, your not a cop, your there to protect your employer and that means their money. Their concern about the safety of kids and stuff is entirely based around a fear over liability, and how far your going to go is dependant what benefits the employer most. Employers generally want security to keep things quiet, and make it so nothing happens, any kind of noise, catching someone or not, is by definition bad. The employer wants to forget there is a security department (and not shockingly that happens, do your job too well and they cut you back until you don't have the people to do your job... then they realize it was only quiet because you had enough security and the right policies, things quiet down again, and then the beancounter starts to think your a waste of money again.... ad infinium). Now yes, people can play semantics about gay and pedo not being synonomous because I'm not adding more paragraphs explaining my thoughts there yet again, and that I know the differance, and am simply writing it that way for the sake of simplicity, or whatever else. It doesn't matter because I'm pretty much done, but you might as well no waste the time feigning ignorance just the same when the intent should be painfully obvious, and if it's not read the thread to this point to catch up (nobody seems to). The point I'm making is that while you can call me a liar, what I say about how gay pedophilles act, their numbers in relation to say straight pedophilles, and similar things, all comes from experience and training. As in people have taught me what to look for and how to deal with this (in a certain context) and I have gone out doing my job, seen this with my own eyes, not just someone elses assurances, and dealt with real pedophilles trying to lure real children, for real rape. Don't tell me it's not so, because I know otherwise. If you don't believe me, then we really have nothing to say to each other here anyway I'm done, save argueing the specifics of anything above for another time (it will doubtlessly occur). The point is that if your going to get into a serious topic, at least try and verify what the guy your talking to is actually saying. Don't put someone else's factoid into my mouth, and really if I tell you I'm speaking from experience, it's kind of pointless to try and throw out a profile. I mean either your wrong, or I'm going to say you are as I'm already saying that I'm speaking from experience, and if you think I'm lying, why bother? I don't deny the profile exists in this case, just that reality has shown it's not as applicable as hollywood makes it out to be. Of course anyon who has learned anything about the old VICAPS system and it's later successors (ie profiling in a very basic way, it wasn't the focus of what I was learning in school) should probably be able to recognize the problem with some of these profiles especially when they have been around for a while. For example there used to be a lot of focus on the "least effort" principle, which is to say that a criminal who wants to committ a crime can be typically found around the area of the crime because someone who say wants to rob a store isn't going to go to a store accross the state any more than they would if they wanted a gallon of milk instead. There is a certain kind of logic to that in specific situations, but for the most part someone who actually plans a crime like a rape, murder, or robbery and isn't absolutly desperate is going to want to do it someplace where they are less likely to be recognized. You don't generally rob the store you shop at every week because even with a mask someone might recognize or remember you far more likely than someplace you don't normally go. If your a pedophille sexual predator you don't go after a kid from the local school or one you know well as a general rule for the same reasons. Likewise guys who do this kind of thing are usually ones confident enough to get away with it and have the tools. Guys who can make people trust them, not some creepy old dude in a van cruising along saying "hey kid, want some candy" or just trying to grab a kid in an arcade and wrestle them into a bathroom or whatever.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Could you explain what Guillain-Barré syndrome is? output: Guillain Barre syndrome may be classified according to the underlying pathophysiology into four groups: Acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy and Miller Fisher syndrome.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: My grandson is one year old and he seems to get like red marks on his legs as if they are bites. Is it some type of allergy. When an ointment is put it disappears but comes back after a few days. Can Pears soap be used. He was using only Johnson soap. output: Hi...it could be an eczema or some form of allergy. To be frank with you, skin conditions are best diagnosed only after seeing directly. I suggest you to upload photographs of the same on this website, so that I can guide you scientifically. Hope my answer was helpful for you. I am happy to help any time. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your kid good health..

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: hii.. I am Praveen from India.... In the month of Jan or Feb 2012 my wife got attached with White jaundices, now she is losing her blood count... Last month her hemoglobin count was 8.5 and now it got reduced to 6.2%. Wht further actions need to take up?Pl suggest me.... output: Hi, there are many causes for low hemoglobin level. They are iron deficiency, it b12 deficiency or may be due to some other cause like decrease production or destruction. You should go for investigation first. You can go with CBC, PS examination. Then according to results you can go with iron or b12 level or other investigation. Consult your doctor and investigate and take treatment accordingly. Hope I have answered your question, if you have doubt then I will be happy to answer..

Hulunbuir Hulunbuir Travel Guide Hulunbuir Overview Hulunbuir Attractions Hulunbuir Tours Hulunbuir Shopping Hulunbuir Culture Hulunbuir Festivals and Events Hulunbuir Entertainment and Nightlife Hulunbuir Travel Tips Hulunbuir Climate Hulunbuir Transportation Hulunbuir Maps Hulunbuir Photos Hulunbuir Dining Hulunbuir Accommodation Hulunbuir Education Hulunbuir Administrative Divisions 20 Days Shangri-la Meili Snow Mountain Pilgrimage Trekking Tour 1 Day Shangrila Tour to Shika Snow Mountain and Songzanlin Monastery 3 Days Great Walls Hiking and Camping Tour: Huanghuacheng, Xishuiyu, Jiankou, Mutianyu, and Jinshanling Great Wall 5 Days Miao’s New Year Festival Tour in Guizhou 1 Day Huashan Mountain Tour from Xian by Speed Train 4 Days Lanzhou and Linxia Tour with Xiahe Labrang Monastery 10 Days East Xinjiang and Kumul Photography Tour 19 Days Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Ethnic Minorities Discovery Best known for its vast and excellent pastures, as well as the amazing green landscape, diverse ethnic customs and exotic nomadic culture, Hulunbuir has always been the hot destination attracting millions of tourists every year. With sound economic development, the transportation of Hulunbuir is getting more conveniently, making it easier to travel in Hulunbuir. This part will give you overall information about Hulunbuir such as location, climate, attractions, festivals and travel tips, etc. Chinese Name: 呼伦贝尔 Location:Northeast of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Northeast of China. Government Seat: Hailar Area: 252,777 square kilometers Population: 2,530,100 (2018) Minorities: Han, Mongol, Hui, Manchu, Daur, Evenki, Oroqen, Korean, etc. Language: Mongolian, Mandarin Airport: Hulunbuir Dongshan International Airport, Manzhouli Xijiao International Airport Railway Stations: Hailar Railway Station, Manzhouli Railway Station, Zhalantun Railway Station Famous Attractions: Hulunbuir Grassland, Genhe Wetland(根河湿地), Hulun Lake, Buir Lake, Hulunbuir Nationality Museum, Mammoth Park(猛犸公园), Zhalanaor Museum(扎赉诺尔博物馆), Golden Horde Mongolian Tribe(金帐汗国蒙古部落), Taiping Village in Hulunbuir City,Aoluguya Ewenke National Township( 敖鲁古雅鄂温克民族乡) Hulunbuir city is located in east longitude of 115 ° 31 '- 126 ° 04', north latitude of 47 ° 05 '- 53 ° 20', with its width of 630 kilometers from east to west and 700 kilometers from south to north, covering an area of 252,777 square kilometers, accounting for 21.4 percent of the autonomous region and equivalent to the total area of Shandong and Jiangsu provinces. It is connected with the Hinggan League in the south, Nenjiang river in the east and Heilongjiang province in the east, Ergun river in the north and northwest and Russia in the north, and Mongolia in the west and southwest. The land form of Hulunbuir: The western part of Hulunbuir lies in the northeast of Inner Mongolia plateau, 550-1000 meters above sea level, and is called Hulunbuir Grassland; Daxing’anling passes through the central Hulunbuir city from northeast to southwest, with an elevation of 700-1700 meters, forming the forest region of Hulunbuir. The eastern part is the eastern foot of Daxing’anling, there is an agricultural economic zone dominated by planting industry distributed in the northeast plain -- the edge of Songnen plain, with an altitude of 200-500 meters. The terrain generally features in high west and low east, with a slow transition from west to east. Hulunbuir enjoys a marked continental climate which features in long and cold winter, short and warm summer, dry and windy spring as well as autumn with sudden drop in temperature and early frost, as well as lack of heat, large temperature difference between day and night, high utilization rate of effective accumulated temperature, short frost-free period, abundant sunshine, large difference in precipitation, and the precipitation period mostly concentrated in July and August. The best time to travel in Hulunbuir is from mid-May to mid-September, Hulunbuir at that time is a summer resort for tourists, and they can fully enjoy the grassland scenery. Another high time to visit Hulunbuir is from November to February, for tourists can have a pleasant ice and snow tour in Hulunbuir. Up to 2018, Hulunbuir has jurisdiction over 2 districts, 4 banners , 3 autonomous banners and 5 county-level cities, covering 68 towns, 19 townships (including 13 ethnic townships), 19 sumus (including 1 ethnic sumu), 36 sub-district offices. The people's government of Hulunbuir is located in Hailar district. 2 Municipal Districts: Hailar District(海拉尔区), Jalainur District (扎赉诺尔区) 4 Bannners: Arun Banner(阿荣旗), New Barag Right Banner(新巴尔虎右旗), New Barag Left Banner(新巴尔虎左旗), Old Barag Banner(陈巴尔虎旗) 3 Autonomous Banners: Oroqen Autonomous Banner(鄂伦春自治旗), Ewenki Autonomous Banner(鄂温克族自治旗), Morin Dawa Daur Autonomous Banner(莫力达瓦达斡尔族自治旗) 5 County-level Cities: Manzhouli City (满洲里市), Zhalantun City (扎兰屯市), Yakeshi City (牙克石市), Genhe City (根河市), Ergun City (额尔古纳市) Hulunbuir is home to 42 ethnic minorities including Han, Mongolian, Hui, Manchu and Korean, with the Mongol, Daur, Evenki and Oroqen as the major ones. The ethnic minorities with a large population have their own relatively concentrated residence; however it is not the residence of a single ethnic group, but a living area for multi-ethnic groups. People in Hulunbuir also celebrates their traditional festivals such as Nadam Festival, Aobao Meeting, Yi Mu'er Festival, Mi Kuolu Festival and Sebin Festival as well as other folk activities like Yangko dance, Errenzhuan, solo performance, ice sculpture, ice lantern and lantern exhibition. Tourists can have an indepth experience to the nomandic cultures if coming at the right time just for the festivals and activities. Hulunbuir can be available by air, train and long-distance bus from other major cities, through its major public transportation facilities: two major airport, Hulunbuir Dongshan International Airport and Manzhouli Xijiao International Airport, which have flights to most of the domestic cities and several neighbouring outbound cities such as Beijing, Harbin, Chengdu, Shanghai, Sanya, Xiamen, Seoul(Korea), Irkutsk(Russia), Choybalsan(Mongolia), etc.; three railway stations, Hailar Railway Station, Manzhouli Railway Station and Zhalantun Railway Station; two major long distance bus stations, Hailar Bus Station and Manzhouli International Terminal, all these offer tourists more accesses to get in and out Hulunbuir. Things to Do in Hulunbuir Hulunbuir Grassland (呼伦贝尔大草原) As the birthplace of Genghis Khan and China’s renowned pasture, Hulunbuir Grassland gives tourists amazing scenery by its vast and best-preserved pastures; it also holds the name "The Purest Prairie" since there is hardly any pollution there. You can try horse riding on the vast grassland to experience the horse-back lifestyle of the nomad. Genhe Wetland(根河湿地) Covering an area of 126,000 hectares, Genhe Wetland is said to be the largest wetland in Asia. It is currently the best-preserved wetland located in the intersection area of the Genhe River, Ergun River, De’erbu’er River and Hawu’er River. As the most complete and largest wetland in China, it boasts extraordinary beautiful landscape, with the Horseshoe Island as the typical one. The wetland presents different scenery in four seasons. Wetland covers almost all types of natural ecosystems in Erguna, except the primeval forests.During the dry season, it is an important refuge for many birds due to its stable water conditions and abundant wetlands.The limpid root river flows quietly, the winding water encircles the meadow, with fastidious bush and green scenes; while in autumn, the vegetation turns yellow, it looks glden from afar, presenting another magnificent scene. Hulun Lake and Buir Lake (呼伦湖、贝尔湖) Hulun Lake and Buir Lake, it is the origin of the naming of Hulunbuir. Hulun Lake is one of the five largest freshwater lakes in all of China, covering approximately 2,339 km². It is a summer resort attracting thousands of tourists every year with its cool climate, blue sky and white cloud constituting a wonderful landscape. Buir Lake themed for white sand beach, it is also the fertile water resource for fishery products, joining in the winter fishing is an exciting and unforgettable experience for tourists. Mammoth Park(猛犸公园) Jalainur Mammoth Tourism Area is themed of Jalainur culture, which is a multi-functional tourist attraction integrating sightseeing and leisure, cultural experience, sports and entertainment, folk culture display, environmental protection, etc. It is also named Jalainur Mammoth Tourism Area (Mammoth Park).Mammoth sculptures in various shapes and poses, reflecting the ancient mammoth migration scene; the largest mammoth sculpture is 15 meters high, looking spectacular with high art value. The scenic spot was named the largest mammoth sculpture group in China by Guinness world records. Golden Horde Mongolian Tribe(金帐汗国蒙古部落) Established by Batu Khan, a grandson of Genghis Khan, Golden Horde, also called Kipchak Khanate, Russian designation for the Ulus Juchi, the western part of the Mongol empire, which flourished from the mid-13th century to the end of the 14th century. The Golden Horde was the group of settled Mongols who ruled over Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and the Caucasus from the 1240s until 1502. By visiting the tribes, tourists can know more about the rise and fall of Mongol as well as experience the most authentic and original Mongolian customs. The history of Hulunbuir dated back to ancient times, and it has gone through many dynasties. In ancient times, the ancestors of Jalainur lived on Hulun Lake and created the original culture of Hulunbuir. During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Hulunbuir was part of the Liaodong Commandery. During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), Hulunbuir was part of Heilongjiang province. From 1912-1949, during the Republic of China (ROC) period, Hulunbuir was part of Xing'an and Heilongjiang provinces. In 1929, the Soviet Union broke this agreement and invaded Hulunbuir. After the Japanese invasion of China, Hulunbuir became part of the Japanese puppet state Manchukuo, which was not recognized by the Chinese. In the Chinese Civil War, the Communist Party of China gained the support of Inner Mongol leaders like Ulanhu by promising the irredentist expansion of Inner Mongolia into areas that had majorities of Han and Manchu peoples. After the 1949 Communist revolution, Hulunbuir was annexed into Inner Mongolia, but the region kept economic ties to the rest of the northeast via the Chinese Eastern Railway. During the Cultural Revolution, the parts of historical Manchuria inside Inner Mongolia were briefly restored to their original provinces; Hulunbuir was given back to Heilongjiang from 1969 to 1979. Until October 10, 2001, Hulunbuir was administered as a League. The area is 263,953 km2 (101,913 sq mi) and had a population of 2.710 million in 2004, while the gross domestic product was RMB 21.326 billion. The jurisdiction area of the city is larger than all but 8 Chinese province-level divisions (and 42 U.S. states), although the actual urban agglomeration is just a very small part of the region, and the average population density of the area is very low. Hulunbuir city boasts a total water resource of 31,619 billion cubic meters, accounting for 56.4% of the autonomous region; wherein, 29.819 billion cubic meters are surface water and 1.8 billion cubic meters are underground water. The theoretical reserves of water energy resources are 2.46 million kW, covering 483,200 hectares of water area, accounting for 1% of China's surface water resources and 73% of the region's surface water resources. The total groundwater resource reaches 1.46 billion cubic meters. The city's per capita water resource is 11,000 cubic meters, higher than the world's per capita water resources, and 4.66 times China's per capita water resources. More than 40 kinds of minerals have been discovered in Hulunbuir, with more than 370 mineral sites. 57 of them have been proved, including coal, petroleum, iron, copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, silver, rhenium, beryllium, indium, cadmium, pyrite, mirabilite, fluorite, barite, bromine and cement limestone, among which, the proven coal reserves are 30.67 billion tons, accounting for half of the northeastern economic zone and a prospective reserves of 100 billion tons. Now the city's annual output of raw coal is 13.886 million tons. The proven reserves of precious metals and other metals are: 32.9 tons of gold, 4,071 tons of silver, 1.36 million tons of copper, 623,100 tons of lead, 1,017,400 tons of zinc and 73.66 million tons of iron ore. Hulunbuir is rich in wild plant resources. There are more than 1600 kinds of wild plants, belonging to 165 categories and 615 families, with more than 1400 species of higher plants and 200 species of lower plants. There are more than 600 species of wild plants with economic value, including more than 540 species of medicinal plants. Hulunbuir boasts 190 million mu of forest land, accounting for 50% of the total land area of the city and 83.7% of the total land area of the autonomous region. The forest coverage rate of Hulunbuir city reaches 49%, and the total volume of live forest is 950 million cubic meters. The total volume of live forest in Hulunbuir city accounts for 93.6% of the autonomous region and 9.5% of China. Animal Resources Hulunbuir is home to various wildlife species in large quantity. According to incomplete statistics, there are 489 species of vertebrates in Hulunbuir city, accounting for 68.92% of the total number in the whole region and 11% of the total number in China, including 17 national key protected wild animals such as Siberian musk deer sika deer, wolverine, martes zibellina bear, Chinese merganser, golden eagle, eastern imperial eagle, etc. In addition, 264 species of wild animals have been included in China's list of useful terrestrial wild animals with important economic and scientific value, 166 species of migratory birds have been included in the "Agreement between China and Japan on the Protection of Migratory Birds and Their Habitats", and 49 species of migratory birds have been included in the "Agreement between China and Australia on the Protection of Migratory Birds and Their Habitats". Inner Mongolia Overview Baotou Overview Xilingol Overview Ordos Overview Hohhot Overview Ulanqab Overview Hinggan League Overview Wuhai Overview Tongliao Overview Chifeng Overview Bayannur Overview Alxa League Overview Economy of Hulunbuir Economy of Hulunbuir describes the Economy and environment including Income and Living Standards, Regional economies, Hulunbuir GDP, Development, Investment cycles, Agriculture, Housing and construction, Energy and mineral resources, Industry... Overview Veiw Geography of Hulunbuir History of Hulunbuir During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), Hulunbuir was part of the Liaodong Commandery. During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), Hulunbuir was part of Heilongjiang province. The 1858 Treaty of Aigun established today’s approximate Sino-Russian border, at... Culture Veiw

HomeTata Steel Chess Tournament 2017Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017: Eljanov Keeps Lead After 4 Rounds Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017: Eljanov Keeps Lead After 4 Rounds Ukrainian GM defeats Adhiban with Black. Carlsen & So also win. Ragger leads challengers with 4/4. January 18, 2017 John Lee Shaw Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017 image © www.tatasteelchess.com Round 4 of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017, on January 17th, would be the final round before the first rest day. One never really knows what to expect in such instances, it is possible that the players will make extra effort to score due to having a day off the day after — but it is equally possible that they will take it easy, wanting to maximise their rest opportunity and come out fresh for the following round. All eyes descended on Wijk aan Zee to see what fortunes would bring. And the round would not disappoint — there were a couple of quiet draws, but we saw points scored also. World Champion, Magnus Carlsen scored his second point of the tournament, with a win over Yi Wei. Carlsen set out his stall immediately in the game, playing 1.e4 and 2.Bc4 in order to avoid his opponent’s Petroff Defence. Magnus clearly wanted to play. His 15.Bxg5 seems to be a novelty, and after 15…Bxg5 16.d4, he was getting the kind of position that he enjoys. When the Queens came off the board, White had the advantage (though ever so slight), with more space on the Kingside. The question was whether Magnus could make it count and carry out one of his famous squeezes. In the end, he actually didn’t need to, his opponent erred with 28…Ne4(?). The problem with the move, was that it placed the knight in a very precarious position and, after Carlsen’s 29.b4!, without safe squares to retreat to. Black had problems. And these problems very quickly worsened. There followed, 29…g5 30.c4 c5(?) relinquishing support of d5. 31.Nb5 brushed away the threat to Carlsen’s own knight and he was threatening to simply capture cxd5 and win a a piece. There was little that Black could do against this and after 31…gxf4 32.Kxf4, reality bit and Wei resigned. Carlsen vs Wei, after 28…Ne4? White continued 29.b4! leaving no safe squares left for the knight. Dutch Grandmaster, Loek van Wely is not having the best of times in Wijk aan Zee and in this round his fortunes were not to improve. He faced Wesley So, who must be feeling that the chess gods are with him after his lucky escape against Richard Rapport in the previous round. Playing White, van Wely chose the English opening, obtaining the bishop pair and a nice solid position. Less ideal were double b-pawns, but Black was not in a position to get at these immediately. So equalised no problem, and some slow play by van Wely allowed Black to make good progress, posting a good knight on e4 and lining his rooks up along the a-file, ready to push where White was weakest. 24.d5(?) was an ill-advised choice by Loek, who after Wesley’s 24…c5 had done nothing but inflict an isolated pawn upon himself. Black mobilised against White’s weaknesses very quickly, the doubled b-pawns coming under fire and Loek decided to ditch them in order to push his d-pawn. And he didn’t do too badly from this, until 31.b3(?) which allowed So to mobilise his Queenside pawn majority, which started to advance like there was no tomorrow. White’s position deteriorated very speedily from here and it was all a bit of a rout in the end, with Black on the verge of Queening. Van Wely threw everything he could at his opponent, but was resigning very swiftly. The other win of the round came from Pavel Eljanov, who defeated Baskaran Adhiban with the Black pieces. The opening was a Queen’s Indian Defence. After Adhiban’s capturing of a pawn with 8.dxc5, Eljanov’s novelty of 8…Be7 delayed recapturing in order to focus on development. Previously the pawn had been regained immediately with 8…Bxc5 but then White’s usual follow up is to develop his bishop to g5, with tempo on the Black Queen. Eljanov’s move stops that and forces White to come up with something else at the same time as being a good developing move anyway. This is illustrated by Adhiban’s 9.Bd2, which transposes to a position that has been seen a few times before. White got the better of things out of the opening, with a nicely placed knight on e5 and his bishops sweeping across from the Queenside towards Black’s King. When the Queen’s came off, the endgame was quite equal, White had an extra pawn, but doubled pawns on the h-file. By contrast, Black’s pawns looked nice, and among these was an advanced passer on the a-file. Unfortunately for Baskaran, he ended up misplaying this ending completely, 40.f3(?) was the start of his problems. White really had to play 40.c4 to maintain the equilibrium, not only giving White an advancing passer to be dealt with, but also freeing the c3-square to so that White’s own King could take some ground. Not playing this gave Black the upper hand on a plate, White was saddled with weak pawns on the h-file and two passed Black pawns to deal with. To make matters worse, these pawns were a few files apart and the White pieces were soon over worked. Very limited as to what he could do, White’s 55.Kb3 allowed Black to seize his chance with both hands — 55…Bxc4! There followed 56.Bxc4 a2! and White resigned. Adhiban vs Eljanov, after 55.Kb3. Black played 55…Bxc4 56.Bxc4 a2! Black cannot be prevented from Queening. Anish Giri chose the Scotch in his game against Dmitry Andreikin. The early novelty of 8…Nge7 produced rapid development for both sides. White had a little more space, expanding quickly on the Queenside to where Black had a nice bishop on the g1-a7 diagonal, aiming right at White’s King. This was quickly liquidated and the other minor pieces soon followed. The resulting position saw both players with risky King positions, due to the g-file being open, whether either of them could use this to their advantage was the issue at hand. White was always in control of the position, first due to a passed b-pawn that needed dealing with and then when his Queen obtained a good position on the f6-square, Black erred very badly. 36…Rb8 was a serious mistake that handed a very powerful opportunity to White, with 37.e5! Giri-Andreikin, after 36…Rb8? White played 37.Rd2 and the game ended in a draw. 37.e5! would have won! Or would have, but Giri missed it. It has to be said, that the Dutchman was short on time and had the clock situation been slightly better, I have no doubt that he would have found this move. The point about e5, is that it gives White powerful access to the Black King. Should Black take the pawn, with 37…dxe5, then White has 38.Qh8+ which forces the King onto the e-file. After this, White can recapture on e5 with check and the Black King has nowhere to hide from the attack with the open files at White’s disposal. Not only this, but Black’s pawns are all isolated and there for the picking, which is what would happen should Black not take on e5: 37…Qd4 (for example) 38.Qg7+ Ke8 39.Qg8+ Ke7 40.exd6+ Qxd6 41.Re2+ Kd7 with Qxf7 to follow. Unfortunately for Giri, his own move of 37.Rd2 was less potent and after Black’s wise 37…Re8, there was nothing left and the game ended in a draw soon after. Richard Rapport was in no mood to be photographed at the start of this round, and after his disappointment in the previous round (where he should have defeated Wesley So but ended up losing) this is totally understandable. How would he fair in this round against Radoslaw Wojtaszek? The game was a Sicilian Dragon in which 9.Nd5 seems to be a novelty. It did not really do White any favours, however, Black managed to equalise without too much trouble and soon ended up better, his rooks mobilised and doubled along the e-file. White’s rooks occupied the d-file, but found themselves muted, mainly by their own pawn. When Black’s Knight found a good square on e4, White began to look quite restricted. However, on the other hand, Black had no more potential and sooner or later White would be playing f3 in order to boot the Ne4 out. Thus Black turned his attention to the Queenside, switching his rooks to the b-file in order to support an intended b5-b4 advance. When this happened, White took it in his stride and the position was about level. 41…Nf6 was not the best move by Black, it was a little backward and out of context and should really have given way to the more appropriate …Qc2. White seized the initiative with 42.Rc1 and 43.Bb5 which shut Black’s b-pawn away from its protectors and left it hanging. All of a sudden, it was White with the initiative. There followed 43…Re7 44.Qd2 b3 and here, White should maybe have taken a moment to tidy up and play 45.f3, removing the e4-square from Black’s knight. Instead, Rapport went for 45.Rd3 and after …Ne4 46.Qe3 Nc5 Black had things covered. The result was a draw in 52. Aronian-Nepomniachtchi: Nepomniatchi familiar with the position, had it before against So in Dortmund 2015 and against Sanikidze at this year’s Eurasian Blitz Chess Cup. In each case he had continued with 10…h5 and this had brought him mixed success — a loss against So and a win against Sanikidze. Against Aronian, he deviated with 10…Nbd7 and the game followed Filgueira-Garcia from Buenos Aires 1995. That was until Nepomniachtchi varied again with 15…f5 (…Nf6 had been played in the previous game, for a rather quick draw). Van Wely-So: English Opening, 9.cxd5 a novelty. Black managed to equalise fairly comfortably, exchanging Queens early on. White obtained the bishop pair — would this be relevant later on? Perhaps Van Wely was hoping for a nice safe position after his ‘gamus-horribialis’ in the previous round? Ian Nepomniachtchi took up the Modern Benoni in response to Levon Aronian’s 1.d4. The game followed Filgueira-Garcia, Buenos Aires 1995, until Black’s 15…b5 (…Nf6 was played in the previous game, which was drawn). It did not really produce a game of any event and the players repeated after a little bit of exploration and split the point. Harikrishna-Karjakin was a Giuoco Piano which left theory on Black’s 14…Bxb3. Further exchanges happened rather quickly, leaving a rook ending that neither could really be bothered with and they shook hands on move 30. The game was quite boring as Pentala said himself on Twitter. All of this leaves Pavel Eljanov leading the Tata Steel Masters at the first rest day. The Ukrainian Grandmaster has a near perfect 3.5/4 score. However, So and Carlsen are hot on his heels, just a half point behind. Wednesday is a rest day, with play resuming on Thursday. This will take place at the stadium of Dutch football team, Feyenoord as part of the tournament’s ‘Chess On Tour’ initiative. The games will start a little later, at 14:00 local time. Masters Group Standings after Round 4. Eljanov — 3.5 Carlsen, So — 3.0 Harikrishna, Karjakin — 2.5 Giri, Andreikin, Aronian, Wei — 2.0 Nepomniachtchi, Wojtaszek — 1.5 Rapport, Adhiban — 1.0 Van Wely — 0.5 Masters Group Round 5, Thursday 19th January, 14:00 local time. Eljanov – Aronian Karjakin – Adhiban So – Harikrishna Wojtaszek – Van Wely Andreikin – Rapport Wei – Giri Nepomniachtchi – Carlsen. In the Tata Steel Challengers, every game was decisive! Markus Ragger is leading the group with a perfect 100% score. On the way to this score, he had already chalked up wins against Jeffery Xiong, Tingjie Lei, and Eric Hansen. In round 4 he defeated Vladimir Dobrov in a symmetrical English. Black was equal very quickly, and some overly aggressive play by White allowed his opponent to seize the upper hand. When Black’s rook took control of White’s second rank, there was nothing that could be done to prevent the Queen from joining it and mate would soon have followed, the Russian resigned. Other winners in round four, were Shanglei Lu, who defeated Benjamin Bok in a very aggressively played Sicilian Najdorf. Bok will be disappointed with the game as he was substantially better at one point and possibly on the verge of winning. Unfortunately for him, his 33…Rc8 undid all of his hard work in one fell swoop. Lu didn’t look back from here. Bok’s countryman, Jorden van Foreest, took to the Taimanov Sicilian against Eric Hansen of Canada. Van Foreest was playing catch-up for the whole game really, Hansen was in full control and Black was quite crushed in the end. Nils Grandelius didn’t have the best of times against Jeffery Xiong, who answered 1.e4 with 1…d5 — fancy playing the Scandinavian against a Swede! It very nearly backfired on the American, however, as White got a very nice position from it. Had Grandelius gone for 17.hxg6(!) the result could have been very different. As it was, White sought too many complications, which included sacrificing the exchange of rook for knight. This was unnecessary and costly. It allowed Black important time to sought out his position and gain activity after which White’s position lost its bite and he was simply an exchange down. Black later gave the exchange back, but with White having to stop a back rank mate, at the same time as having his knight en-prise, there was nothing left but to resign. Erwin l’Ami gave the Dutch fans something to cheer about by taking a point in this round. Good grief, though, he did his very best not to! He chose the Modern Benoni against Tingjie Lei and it produced all kinds of craziness. It was a bit of a scrappy game, full of complications and in the end White found herself completely overwhelmed by Black’s Queenside pawns and resigned. Black equalised very rapidly in Guramishvili-Smirin and was soon very much better. However, thanks to good defence from White and a missed chance or two by Black, things equalised. Sopiko, having obtained two very nice advanced passed pawns, will be very disappointed with her 39.a6(? Kf3!) which allowed Black to pick up a pawn while hampering White’s King activity at the same time. While White was unable to get her King to her pawns in time to help them Queen, Black found himself with the luxury of two passers himself, and with White unable to cover both of them this proved terminal. Gawain Jones outplayed his opponent, Aryan Tari in a very tense endgame, in which the activity of White’s rooks and King decided the day. Challengers Group Standings after Round 4. Ragger — 4.0 Smirin — 3.5 Xiong, Lu, Jones — 2.5 Dobrov, l’Ami, Grandelius, Hansen — 2.0 Bok — 1.5 van Foreest, Tari, Lei — 1.0 Guramishvili — 0.5 Challengers Group Round 5, Thursday 19th January, 13:30 local time. Smirin – Grandelius Tari – Guramishvili Bok – Jones Ragger – Lu van Foreest – Dobrov l’Ami – Hansen Xiong – Tingjie. All smiles after his win in round four, World Champion, Magnus Carlsen. Not really in the mood for attention, Richard Rapport. Feeling the cold? Temperatures well into minus figures in Holland at the moment. Russian Grandmaster, Ian Nepomniachtchi. A winner in round 4, Dutch Grandmaster Erwin l’Ami. Chess Event Coverage About John Lee Shaw 291 Articles Total chess nut! I enjoy following the chess world and giving my two-penneth. I don't pretend to be an expert, I'm more a knowledgeable enthusiast. My chess writing can also be seen at www.chessimprover.com. Website Instagram Twitter Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017: Eljanov Leads After 3 Rounds Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2017: Round 5 Sees Eljanov Lose, So Seizes Lead Fischer vs Larsen, Portoroz Interzonal 1958 Tal Memorial Round 7: Full House of Draws Sees No Change In Standings Get Ready For Tata Steel Chess 2018! Tradewise Gibraltar International Chess Tournament: Round 7 New York City to Host World Championship 2016 Ivanchuk vs Jobava: 2010 Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk

Collapsed crypto exchange FTX investigating ‘unauthorized transactions’ Megan Johnson Collapsed crypto exchange FTX said on Saturday it was moving funds into offline storage following a series of “unauthorized transactions,” with analysts saying millions of dollars worth of assets had been withdrawn from the platform. FTX U.S. general counsel Ryne Miller said in a tweet on Saturday that the exchange was expediting the process of shifting all digital assets into cold storage “to mitigate damage upon observing unauthorized transactions.” Cold storage refers to crypto wallets that are not connected to the internet to guard against hackers. Late on Friday, Miller tweeted that he was “investigating abnormalities with wallet movements related to consolidation of FTX balances across exchanges.” Hundreds of millions Figures from Singapore-based analytics firm Nansen showed a one-day net outflow from FTX of about $266 million US, with $73 million US withdrawn from FTX U.S. alone. FTX did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Prior to Miller’s tweets, FTX officials appeared to confirm rumours of a hack on the firm’s Telegram channel, according to a CoinDesk report that said that the exchange had instructed customers to delete FTX apps and avoid its website. “FTX has been hacked,” an account administrator in the FTX Support Telegram channel wrote in a message, according to CoinDesk. Reuters could not immediately verify the details posted on FTX’s private Telegram channel. FTX, affiliated crypto trading firm Alameda Research and about 130 of its other companies have filed for bankruptcy court protection from creditors in Delaware, FTX said on Friday. The distressed crypto trading platform had struggled to raise billions as traders withdrew $6 billion US in crypto tokens from the platform in just 72 hours and rival exchange Binance abandoned a proposed rescue deal this week. Oil jumps as China eases COVID curbs in potential boost to demand Wall Street surges, Dow up 1200 points on cooling inflation U.S. stocks tumbled Monday as investors await a blockbuster week that includes the latest Fed meeting, a flurry of heavyweight earnings reports, and jobs data. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) was down 1.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) lost nearly 0.8%. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) declined by roughly 2%. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note ticked up to 3.546% on Monday morning. The dollar index ticked up 0.32% to $102.26. Stocks closed a winning week Friday following data that pointed to stronger-than-expected U.S. economic growth. All the major market averages finished higher for the week, with the S&P 500 gaining 2.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial average ending up 1.8% and the Nasdaq climbing north of 4%. The Commerce Department said Friday the personal consumption expenditures price index, excluding energy and food, showed prices rose 4.4% from a year earlier. Friday’s report came in a day after the government reported a better-than-expected 2.9% gain in gross domestic product for the fourth quarter, boosting hopes that the Federal Reserve may head toward the elusive “soft landing” scenario. Fed officials will be meeting in Washington, D.C., Tuesday and Wednesday. The meeting will wrap up with Fed Chair Jerome Powell holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon as he offers signs of the central bank’s path forward on rate hikes. “The FOMC’s work is not yet done, even if the recent declines in inflation and wage growth give it more time to assess the effects of past policy actions. A key challenge for the FOMC will be to execute its transition to smaller rate hikes without furthering expectations that an end to its hiking cycle is imminent,” the team at Barclays wrote. At the end of week, investors will get another clue of the Fed’s path as the government’s January jobs report is set to be released Friday morning. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect 185,000 jobs were added to the economy last month, a slowdown from the gain of 223,000 jobs in December. Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Jerome H. Powell participates in a panel during a Central Bank Symposium at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, January 10, 2023. TT News Agency/Claudio Bresciani/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. Meanwhile, it’s the biggest week of the fourth-quarter earnings season, with Big Tech results taking the spotlight amid thousands of layoffs in the industry. Despite the already announced job cuts, the tech companies’ are in part to blame for the disaster, Yahoo Finance’s Dan Howley writes. The heavy earnings slate includes reports from tech heavyweights Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOG), and Meta Platforms (META). Elsewhere in markets, shares of Lucid (LCID) sank nearly 9%. On Friday, the electric-vehicle maker surged more than 88% following speculation that a Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) is considering buying its remaining stake in the company. Alibaba (BABA) shares fell 6% Monday after reports that the Chinese e-commerce site is moving its headquarters out of the country, suggesting the new campus could be in Singapore, according to reports. SoFi Technologies (SOFI) shares rose 12.5% Monday after the digital financial services company posted an upbeat earnings guidance for the year ahead. Shares of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) fell nearly 4% Monday after an appeals court said the company can’t use bankruptcy to end cancer lawsuits. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin (BTC-USD) has fallen over 1% to $23,168 over the last 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap. However, the largest token is on its way for its best January since 2013, per Bloomberg, on bets that monetary tightening and the sector’s crisis are both receding. Dani Romero is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @daniromerotv Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube J&J Can’t Use Bankruptcy to End Cancer Suits Over Baby Powder, Court Says – Yahoo Finance (Bloomberg) — Johnson & Johnson can’t use bankruptcy to resolve more than 40,000 US cancer lawsuits over its now-withdrawn baby powder, a federal appeals court ruled. Most Read from Bloomberg The three-judge panel in Philadelphia sided with cancer victims, who argued J&J wrongly put its specially created unit, LTL Management, under court protection to block juries around the country from hearing the lawsuits and handing out damage awards. The ruling means J&J will most likely need to defend itself against claims that tainted talc in its baby powder causes cancer. The company has lost a number of such cases — including one that was appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, before J&J was forced to pay more than $2 billion to one group of victims. Shares of J&J dropped as much as 7.2% in New York on Monday before closing down 3.7%. J&J removed its iconic talc-based baby powder from the US market in 2020 and is slated to have it off markets across the globe by the end of this year. The judges found only companies directly threatened with financial troubles can use bankruptcy. Since J&J itself never claimed to be in immediate danger, it can’t benefit from Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code by putting a unit under court protection, the judges found. “Good intentions — such as to protect the J&J brand or comprehensively resolve litigation — do not suffice alone,” to file for bankruptcy, Judge Thomas Ambro wrote. “What counts to access the Bankruptcy Code’s safe harbor is to meet its intended purposes. Only a putative debtor in financial distress can do so. LTL was not. Thus we dismiss its petition.” The ruling may drive a settlement, according to Holly Froum, a litigation analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. A settlement of the more-than 40,000 suits could total $5 billion, according to Froum, who in a note Monday pegged the chances of a deal at 70%. J&J plans to challenge the ruling. The bankruptcy was filed in good faith to “equitably resolve” talc claims, it said in a statement. If the company’s appeals aren’t successful, plaintiffs’ lawyers predicted Monday J&J could face a wave of talc trials starting this summer. J&J can now ask that all judges on the Philadelphia appeals court hear their appeal of the three-judge panel’s decision. If that’s denied, the company has the right to ask the US Supreme Court to hear its arguments that the Chapter 11 case should be allowed to proceed. “The doors to the courthouse, which had been slammed shut by J&J’s cynical legal strategy, are once again open,” said Leigh O’Dell, a lawyer representing thousands of talc users whose claims have been consolidated in New Jersey for pre-trial information exchanges. Plaintiff lawyers will be scrambling to get talc suits back on trial dockets across the US in the wake of the appeals court’s ruling, O’Dell said. A J&J lawyer Monday indicated the company was preparing for more talc litigation in a trial against consumer-products maker Colgate-Palmolive Co. Allison Brown, one of Colgate’s attorneys who has represented J&J in past talc cases, asked a California judge to put on hold Francis Coit’s case against multiple defendants over injuries allegedly tied to talc-based powders. “Given plaintiff’s allegations in the complaint about Johnson’s Baby Powder, and that if they are permitted to do so, they will seek to bring J&J into the complaint, Colgate would request a continuance, Your Honor, to see what happens with the J&J bankruptcy and if J&J truly will need to come into this case to defend itself against the allegations” against its baby powder, Brown told Judge Richard Sebolt, according to a copy of a court transcript. The bankruptcy case had put all talc litigation on hold while the appellate court decided whether the so-called Texas-Two Step technique J&J relied on for its talc bankruptcy was flawed. Texas Two-Step After several talc litigation losses, J&J turned to the maneuver, which is designed to block the cases from trial and force claimants to negotiate in the Chapter 11 case of LTL. In 2021, the health-care giant sought to funnel the suits into what it acknowledged was a “shell company” without any operations. That unit, LTL, immediately filed for bankruptcy to block the litigation while trying to negotiate settlements. J&J has long argued that there is no good scientific evidence linking its baby powder to cancer. The company argued LTL’s case was the only way of managing talc litigation costs and ensuring victims get a fair payment. US Bankruptcy Judge Michael Kaplan, who is based in Trenton, New Jersey — not far from J&J’s headquarters in New Brunswick — ruled last year that LTL’s bankruptcy was legitimate and a better solution than continuing to have juries weigh claims nationwide. Cancer claimants appealed Kaplan’s decision. A handful of companies, including Koch Industries’ Georgia-Pacific unit, used the strategy before J&J. Those cases remain in bankruptcy court in North Carolina. The Philadelphia court’s decision will not have any direct impact on the North Carolina cases. Last year, a bankruptcy judge in Indianapolis refused to halt about 230,000 lawsuits against 3M Co. even though its subsidiary, Aearo Technologies, had filed a legitimate Chapter 11 case. 3M has appealed that decision. LTL’s bankruptcy was the first Texas Two-Step to reach an appeals court. After victim groups challenged Kaplan’s ruling, the appeals court in Philadelphia agreed to expedite the case. J&J’s strategy has been condemned by some legal scholars and members of Congress because the company received a major benefit of Chapter 11 rules — a halt to lawsuits — without filing for bankruptcy, where it would be subject to court oversight of its spending and other practices. The handful of the companies that have used the strategy since it emerged in 2017 have faced suits targeting their use of asbestos, a toxic industrial material. The cases take advantage of special rules set up by Congress for companies threatened with insolvency by such litigation. There have been ongoing talks aimed at settling the talc cases filed in both state and federal courts. Prior to J&J putting its unit into bankruptcy in 2021, the company offered to resolve the suits as much as $5 billion, according to Monday’s decision. In Chapter 11 filings, J&J’s lawyers acknowledged the LTL subsidiary had a value of more than $61 billion and those funds could be tapped to satisfy talc liabilities, if necessary. Analysts, however, aren’t predicting the company will pay out anything near that figure to settle the cases. The J&J bankruptcy case is LTL Management LLC, 21-30589, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey (Trenton). (Updates with $5 billion settlement offer in 24th paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Title fraud a one-in-a-million threat in B.C., officials say Homeowners in B.C. should rest easy: the chance they will ever have their homes stolen out from under them is literally one in a million. While there have been a flurry of media reports in recent weeks about title fraud in Greater Toronto, there is no indication homeowners in B.C. are vulnerable to having their homes fraudulently sold by someone else, according to real estate professionals. “It’s such an exaggerated possibility,” said Mike Holmes, a lawyer and owner of Pemberton Holmes Real Estate. Holmes said given the safeguards in place in this province — what he called a world-class land-title registry system and a number of gatekeepers keeping watch — it would take an incredible set of circumstances to pull it off. “It was tried in Victoria last year,” he said. “It was stopped by the various gatekeepers that protect the system — the realtors, the banks, the lawyers and the land-title system.” The numbers back him up. According to the the province’s Land Title and Survey Authority, in the past three years there have been three reported attempts at title fraud. Two are now before the courts, and the third was thwarted by identification safeguards. The authority typically sees more than 800,000 real estate transactions in a year, but last year it dealt with over one million. “I don’t want to say it’s a one-in-a-million thing, because there may be frauds out there that we’re not aware of, but we certainly haven’t seen a huge proliferation in fraud claims,” said Carlos MacDonald, director of land titles for the Land Title and Survey Authority. In most instances of title fraud, the scam artists look for homes that are vacant or have absentee owners and have clear title, which means no mortgage or charges against the title. The fraudsters, who will often rent the property, may impersonate the owners using false identification, quickly list the property for sale and take an early, reasonable offer. Holmes said in the Victoria case, real estate agents and lawyers thwarted the attempt when they went to verify the identification. The fraudster “may have gotten to the first base of 20, [but] it was never going anywhere,” he said. “We have an extremely good land-title system in British Columbia, and by and large the lawyers and notaries operating here are well trained in identifying people and to look for suspicious activity and to report it,” added Kate Roome, a Duncan-based notary public. Roome said fraudsters tend to avoid properties that have any kind of charge against them, such as a line of credit or mortgage. “When there is a lender on title already, it makes committing that fraud just that much more complicated,” she said. When a fraud does happen, MacDonald said, it’s typically because there have been a series of mistakes. He notes one of the cases currently before the courts alleges some of the real estate professionals did not live up to the required standard of care. Property owners being around and involved also tends to put off the scam artists, he said. “Absentee owners are more vulnerable to all sorts of things. If you’re a landlord and you’re checking on your place on a regular basis, you’re less likely to end up with a marijuana grow-op in your house and you’re probably less likely to end up with this type of issue,” he said. For homeowners concerned about title fraud, there are several things they can do — including buying title insurance, which will help recover legal fees if they do experience a fraud. MacDonald said there are two assurance funds, one run by the province and the other by the Land Title and Survey Authority. “If an innocent homeowner loses their home or loses an interest in their title as a result of either fraud or a mistake of the registrar or his staff, the assurance fund is there to compensate the victim,” he said. The LTSA also offers Parcel Activity Notifier subscriptions, which provide alerts if any application is submitted against a title. “It’s a very effective way of preventing land-title fraud,” he said. Holmes said another old-school method is also effective — the duplicate certificate of title. “It’s hardly ever used today, but still is available where a person takes a duplicate certificate of title and lodges it with a lawyer or a bank,” he said. “Every title has a duplicate that is normally just lodged with the land-title system, but an owner can apply to take out that duplicate certificate of title. The title cannot be touched until that duplicate certificate title is put back into the land-title system.” The downside is that reinstating a lost duplicate is not a straightforward process. Mortgage broker Scott Travelbea advises clients with clear titles to take out a secured line of credit on their homes. “Once it’s set up, if they ever want to borrow funds, they’ve got access to them and they generally pay nothing for it,” he said. “And it creates that layer of security because to discharge the mortgage, the lawyer has to remove it from the title of the home.” MacDonald said since the recent media reports, the LTSA has been fielding a lot of of calls about people concerned about fraud. “For them it’s absolutely scary, but it is uncommon,” he said. Investment3 mins ago Investment funds that are moving to defensive positions, and some that are not – The Globe and Mail Real eState6 mins ago Ottawa Valley real estate ends on a high in a dismal year – Ottawa.CityNews.ca Business9 mins ago

Cardiovascular complications in patients with community-acquired pneumonia Marta Di Pasquale, Sonia Henchi, Nicolò Vanoni, Francesco Blasi Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Unit and Regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy Dr. Marta Di Pasquale Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan; Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Unit and Regional Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center, IRCCS Fondazione Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan DOI: 10.4103/cai.cai_7_17 Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most frequent infectious disease, responsible for a great morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is known that poor outcome in CAP patients is not only directly related to pneumonia but also to comorbidities both during hospitalization and long term after discharge. Evidences show a high correlation between acute respiratory infections and increased risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs), such as acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and stroke. The excessive systemic inflammatory response is responsible for hypoperfusion and activation of cytokines causing endothelial dysfunction, pro-coagulant effects, and atheroma instability. An established diagnostic tool to identify high-risk patients is not yet available, but cardiovascular biomarkers seem to be more effective than inflammatory molecules. Early identification of patients at higher risk for CVEs is mandatory to treat them effectively with prophylaxis medications, to establish adequate clinical surveillance and prevention with vaccinations. The present article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, risk factors, diagnosis, outcomes, and prevention of CVEs in patients hospitalized for CAP. Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, cardiovascular events, community-acquired pneumonia, heart failure, stroke Di Pasquale M, Henchi S, Vanoni N, Blasi F. Cardiovascular complications in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Community Acquir Infect 2017;4:23-31 Di Pasquale M, Henchi S, Vanoni N, Blasi F. Cardiovascular complications in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Community Acquir Infect [serial online] 2017 [cited 2022 Jan 17];4:23-31. Available from: http://www.caijournal.com/text.asp?2017/4/2/23/215802 Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is still an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in the elderly.[1] In the last decades, mortality rates have not changed, despite advances in diagnostic and supportive methods.[2],[3] It is now known that poor outcome in CAP patients is not only directly related to pneumonia but also to comorbidities,[2],[4] both during hospitalization and after discharge,[5],[6],[7] with an absolute rate of events varying broadly from 10% to 30% across different cohorts.[8] Evidences show a high correlation between acute respiratory infections and increased risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) [Table 1]. The occurrence of a CVE in a hospitalized patient with CAP may significantly affect clinical status and a severe CVE could be the primary cause of clinical failure.[9],[10] Table 1: More recent studies on cardiovascular events and community-acquired pneumonia The aim of this study is to evaluate epidemiology, clinical presentation, physiopathology, outcomes, risk factors, and prevention of CVEs in patients with CAP. Search Strategy and Selection Criteria We searched Medline for papers published from January 1, 2000 to April 30, 2017. We used the search terms "community acquired pneumonia" or "pneumonia," in combination with the terms "cardiovascular events," "acute myocardial infarction," "arrhythmia," "heart failure," "stroke," and their variations. We restricted the search strategy to adults. We also searched the reference lists of articles identified by this search strategy. Review articles and book chapters are cited to provide readers with more details and more references. Different epidemiological and primary care studies demonstrated an increased risk of CVEs in the first 3 months after an acute respiratory infection.[17],[18],[19],[20] The increased risk for cardiac events in hospitalized patients may be 8 folds higher in the first 15 days from admission and reach 100 folds within the first 2-3 days.[21] At long-term follow-up of patients with a previous episode of CAP, studies reveal that cardiovascular mortality contributes to 30% of deaths.[2],[7],[22],[23] A study by Musher et al. including 170 patients found that 19.4% of patients hospitalized with CAP developed cardiovascular complications such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), severe arrhythmias, or acute congestive heart failure (CHF).[15] Another study by Ramirez et al. found that 15% of patients with AMI on admission had severe CAP. During hospitalization, among patients with clinical failure, 20% of cases developed CVEs.[24] A retrospective cohort study of 206 patients followed up to 15 days after discharge showed that 11% of CAP patients had acute coronary syndrome, with an 8-times higher risk for occurrence of CVEs in comparison to controls.[25] Occurrence of AMI or unstable angina is reported to be 5% among patients with pneumonia in a recent meta-analysis.[26] Mechanisms causing myocardial ischemia (plaque rupture and in situ thrombus formation) are triggered or worsened during acute pneumonia.[8] A multicenter, prospective observational study published in 2015 found that AMI had a prevalence of 2.3% versus 11.7% of other CVEs, but it was associated with a significantly higher severity of the disease on admission and a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (43%).[16] In addition, this study showed that female sex, severe sepsis, and previous history of liver disease are independent risk factors for the occurrence of AMI. Clinicians should promptly identify patients with CAP at risk for AMI, to give them adequate cardiovascular therapy, such as acetyl-salicylate acid, and to strictly monitor them for ischemic events both during and after the resolution of the acute infection. Several explanations have been proposed to justify the association between acute respiratory infections and the risk of arrhythmias. Some studies refer to the increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in serious infections[24] or to disturbed hemodynamic homeostasis, pro-thrombotic conditions, and increased catecholamine release.[21] Other studies describe a direct inflammatory effect on coronary arteries, myocardium, and pericardium, as well as direct infection of cardiomyocytes, as provocative mechanisms of acute arrhythmias.[27],[28],[29],[30],[31],[32],[33] Finally, acute disturbances, such as hypo/hyperthermia, electrolyte abnormalities, and hypoxemia, may cause arrhythmias. A study by Soto-Gomez et al.[34] found new-onset arrhythmias in 12% of cases among a large number of patients with pneumonia, especially in severe and elderly patients. In addition, authors found that arrhythmias were associated with an increased 30- and 90-day mortality. Older age, CHF, and septic shock were independently associated with the onset of arrhythmias. On the contrary, use of beta-blockers prior to admission seemed to prevent arrhythmias, thanks to their pharmacological effect.[34] Further studies in this field are needed to understand how long these patients remain at risk for arrhythmias after acute pulmonary infections, which could be the causative mechanism and what kind of therapy may be prophylactic against these CVEs.[34] Incidence of new or worsening CHF is the most frequent cardiac complication among patients with pneumonia. A meta-analysis by Corrales-Medina et al.[26] reported an incidence of CHF of 14% versus 5.3% of acute coronary syndrome and 4.7% of arrhythmias. Results also show an association between CHF and female sex, older age, and preexisting coronary artery disease.[26] Studies with a high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia found a higher incidence of CHF. Association between stroke and acute respiratory infections seems to be known. A case-control study published in 2009 demonstrates that patients who suffered from stroke had a significantly higher incidence of respiratory infections in the year before CVEs, especially CAP. Furthermore, in multivariable analysis adjusting for major vascular risk factors, respiratory infection was independently associated with stroke.[35] Physiopathology During an acute respiratory infection, inflammation is both local and systemic in the lungs. Thus, inflammatory processes and molecules can affect other organs, such as the heart. Locally, ventilator-perfusion mismatching and intrapulmonary shunt cause hypoxemia. On the other side, a significant systemic inflammatory response may cause severe hypoperfusion with a consequent multiorgan failure.[36],[37] This systemic process is mediated by the high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause endothelial dysfunction, atheroma instability, rupture of the atheromatous plaque, increased fibrinogen levels, and prothrombotic vascular conditions[38],[39],[40] [Figure 1]. Figure 1: Pathogenesis of cardiovascular events in community-acquired pneumonia The majority of cardio- and cerebro-vascular events are associated with platelet activation.[41] One of the mechanisms consists in the interaction between platelets with neutrophils and vascular endothelium. Adhesion of neutrophils to activated vascular endothelium provokes anti-inflammatory activities of endothelial cells, exacerbating microvascular coagulation.[42],[43] In bacterial CAP, it seems to exist an interaction between Gram-positive cell wall or Gram-negative endotoxin and receptors expressed by platelets, which activates fibrinogen cascade, production of thromboxanes, and consequent aggregation of platelets and vasoconstriction. In particular, some Staphylococcus and Streptococcus strains seem to have this property on platelets, mediated by CXC chemokine which also has antibacterial activity.[44],[45] In animal models of invasive pneumococcal disease, Pneumococcus cause microlesions into the myocardium that affect cardiac function.[45],[46] Since an established tool to estimate long-term outcomes of CAP patients is still unavailable, several studies address the topic of biomarkers as screening tests for the presence of structural heart diseases or for short- and long-term prognosis in CAP. Actual evidences seem to show that cardiovascular biomarkers are more effective predictors of mortality than inflammatory biomarkers, both in short and long-term follow-ups. This could be explained by different reasons. Cardiovascular biomarkers are increased during sepsis, which is a known risk factor for a poorer outcome in CAP patients. In addition, they can reveal the underlying preexisting cardiac disease or septic cardiomyopathy, which may be aggravated by acute inflammatory activation caused by pneumonia. CAPNETZ studies (the German Competence Network for Community-Acquired Pneumonia) addressed, in particular, this topic. Pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and pro-vasopressin (copeptin) levels were significantly independently associated with short- and long-term mortality among 1170 CAP patients, in comparison to inflammatory markers.[47] Further studies showed that proadrenomedullin had the best performance and the strongest independent correlation to short- and long-term mortality[48] and was a good prognostic factor for mortality almost 1 year after discharge from hospital,[49] probably because of its multiple functions, such as cardiovascular activity, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial functions. The use of these cardiovascular biomarkers could help in identifying patients at higher risk for CVEs and mortality, who may need a closer medical follow-up for complications. Another potential diagnostic tool consists in the measurement of cardiac autonomic control (CAC), assessed by heart rate variability, as an altered sympathovagal balance, may play a role in the occurrence of CVEs during CAP and it is associated with poor outcomes.[16],[50],[51],[52],[53] An Italian multicenter study published in 2016 hypothesized that a deregulation of CAC with a reduction of total variability and loss of sympathetic rhythmical property could be related and/or predict CVEs and mortality in CAP patients.[54] Authors found an alteration of CAC on CAP patients, especially severe cases, consisting in a lower sympathetic modulation, and a predominant parasympathetic oscillatory rhythm, suggesting that these measurements could be useful to stratify patients by severity and cardiovascular risk. Patients admitted with CAP who present or develop a CVE are at higher risk for in-hospital and long-term mortality. An observational cohort study of 500 patients with CAP found that all CVEs together were the first cause of clinical failure related to CAP.[55] A more recent multicenter prospective study showed increased mortality in patients with CAP with CVEs compared with those without CVE (15.3% vs. 2.8%, respectively; odds ratio, 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-5.2).[26] In-hospital mortality The study by Ramirez et al. disclosed that patients who developed AMI had a longer time to clinical stability and length of stay and a significantly higher rate of clinical failure and in-hospital mortality in comparison to patients without AMI (52% vs. 11% and 28% vs. 7%, respectively).[24] Thirty-day follow-up The same observational study cited before showed an increased mortality in patients with coronary artery occlusion and AMI also at 30 days after discharge (31% vs. 10%, respectively).[24] Another study by Viasus et al. reported that CVEs were independently associated with 30-day mortality, with an odds ratio of 2.18 (95% CI, 1.38-3.42).[10] Occurrence of a CVE in an early phase of pneumonia is associated with a lower rate of survival at 30 days from hospital admission also in another study in 2012.[14] Long-term follow-up Patients hospitalized with CAP are known to have a higher risk of long-term mortality.[5],[56] Several studies found CVEs as one of the main causes of long-term mortality among these patients. A study published by Yende et al. reported CVEs as the first cause of death over 1 year after an episode of pneumonia, along with higher levels of inflammatory markers, especially interleukin (IL)-6, suggesting that a persisting inflammatory response may have some role in the increased risk for mortality in this population.[22] In another study conducted in Canada, CVEs were the second cause of re-hospitalization after a first episode of pneumonia in 5-year follow-up.[7] A study by Mandal et al. underlined the association between CVEs and cerebrovascular disease and increased mortality at 90 days among 4408 patients hospitalized with CAP.[13] An Italian study published in 2015[12] found that almost 50% of patients who died during the follow-up had intrahospital cardiac complications, confirming that intrahospital cardiac complications increase the risk of mortality not only after a short-term but also after a long-term follow-up. Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Events To prevent CVEs, it is important to promptly identify patients at risk, as these events are still underdiagnosed.[14],[13] Many risk factors were identified in literature. In a large prospective cohort study of patients hospitalized for CAP, the presence of age >65 years, chronic heart disease, tachycardia, septic shock, multilobar pneumonia, hypoalbuminemia, and pneumococcal pneumonia were independent predictors of acute cardiac events.[10] Moreover, some authors have created a practical clinical score to stratify the risk of acute cardiac events in these patients. The low- and moderate-risk groups had rates of positive events of 0 and 4.4% and 9.5 and 9.9%, respectively, and the high-risk group had a rate between 18.7% and 34.6%, with a good accuracy (area under curve 0.73).[10] Other studies on CAP have found that the major risk factors for CVEs are older age, nursing home residence, preexisting chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, severity of CAP, and smoking.[21] Recently, Corrales-Medina et al. also reported that older age, nursing home residence, a history of heart failure, prior cardiac arrhythmias, previously diagnosed coronary artery disease, arterial hypertension, tachypnea, acidosis, elevated urea, hypernatremia, anemia, pleural effusion, and inpatient care were factors independently associated with CVEs. Similarly, in another study, risk factors for AMI were age, previous AMI, COPD, and chronic renal disease.[14] In addition, age, diabetes mellitus, and prior AMI were predictors of atrial fibrillation. Griffin et al. demonstrated that, apart from age, also a history of hyperlipidemia, pneumonia severity, or causative pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus or Klebsiella pneumoniae were associated with an elevated risk for CVEs.[14] Adjunctive Treatments Different adjunctive therapies with anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet effects have been studied in patients with CAP at risk for CVEs [Table 2]. Table 2: Adjunctive and preventive therapies for patients with community-acquired pneumonia at risk for cardiovascular events Macrolides are now widely known as immunomodulatory medication, already used in chronic respiratory diseases such as bronchiectasis, asthma, COPD, and diffuse panbronchiolitis.[73] Use of macrolides in CAP is not established yet, but some studies showed that they can improve clinical outcome in sepsis.[74],[75] Macrolides not only possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, but also possess an inhibitory activity on platelet-activating factor (PAF) that mediates platelet aggregation.[57] Patients with CAP, especially with severe presentation, treated with macrolide-based antibiotic regimens, have been reported to have clinical benefit on outcomes.[76],[77] On the contrary, a study published in the UK in 2013 found that the use of clarithromycin in CAP patients was independently associated with higher risk of CVEs, increasing with the duration of treatment.[78] The evidence for corticosteroids as an adjunctive therapy in CAP (usually in severe CAP and septic shock) is still controversial.[58],[59],[60],[61],[62] Interestingly, prednisolone, which appears to be the most effective corticosteroid in the adjunctive therapy of CAP, has been reported to inhibit platelet activation in vitro.[63] Medical aspect Some medications normally used in standard therapies for cardiovascular diseases seem to have a potential positive effect on systemic inflammation and incidence of CVEs in CAP patients [Table 2]. Statins might reduce mortality in CAP patients by their immunomodulatory effect and plaque stabilization properties.[64],[65] They seem to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, improvement of endothelial function, and increased nitric oxide bioavailability. The anti-inflammatory effect seems to decrease the rate of incidence of severe sepsis in patients with CAP pretreated with statins, subsequently improving the survival rate.[79],[80] In addition, statins have been reported to suppress platelet activation by various mechanisms, which also appear to be largely attributable to inhibition of hydrated to o-methyl-8-hydroxybutyryl CoA reductase.[66] A systematic review evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of statins in patients with CAP and found a reduction in the release of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines in patients with CAP, in both the pulmonary and systemic compartments.[81] Moreover, authors found a decreased risk of pneumonia and an improved survival of pneumonia in patients taking statins.[81] Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors also seem to reduce 30-day cardiovascular mortality in CAP.[82] A retrospective study published in 2013 suggests that the beneficial effects of statins, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers are due to other mechanisms other than preventing future CVEs.[83] For example,[84],[85] anti-inflammatory response of both statins and ACE-I, antibacterial and antiplatelet activities of statins,[67] and protective pulmonary effect showed by ACE-I, as an increased activity of the renin-angiotensin system, are associated with a higher incidence and mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome.[68],[69] Antiplatelet drugs may also be protective in severe sepsis and septic shock. Nevertheless, there are few studies evaluating their potential benefits on CAP outcomes.[26] A study by Cangemi et al. found no effect of aspirin administration on the occurrence of CVEs in CAP patients.[12] On the contrary, in a retrospective study of 886 patients in Intensive Care Unit, patients who received acetyl-salicylic acid had a significantly lower in-hospital mortality.[70] Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are the two main available prophylaxes for respiratory infections and are highly recommended for patients affected by chronic cardiovascular diseases. Studies are available regarding the association between influenza vaccination and a reduction in AMI and stroke.[74],[73] A large multicenter study of 31,546 high-risk patients of at least 55 years showed an association between influenza vaccination and a lower cardiovascular risk during influenza season, when the circulating influenza matched the vaccine antigen.[71] Studies regarding the association between pneumococcal vaccination and CVEs are conflicting, and by now, there are no randomized controlled trials on this topic. Some observational studies failed to find a positive association between pneumococcal vaccination and decreased CVEs.[86],[87] A large prospective population-based study to evaluate the effectiveness of the polysaccharides 23 vaccine against myocardial infarction and stroke found a marginally significant reduction in the adjusted risk of ischemic stroke (35%, 95% CI: 1%-58%), suggesting a possible protective role of vaccination against some acute thrombotic events. No protective effect was found for AMI in this population.[72] On the contrary, a Chinese study found that patients who underwent both influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations had a significantly lower mortality for stroke and AMI.[88] A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in 2015 evaluated 332,267 patients with pneumococcal vaccine, followed up for 20 months. Results showed that vaccinated patients have a significantly lower risk by 14% for total CVE events and 8% for cardiovascular mortality, especially in older patients and in patients at major cardiovascular risk.[89] Vaccination were proved to be more effective in this cohort with a high frequency of cardiovascular comorbidities or COPD. The occurrence of CVEs in patients presenting with CAP is frequent both during acute respiratory event and after its resolution, up to even 1 year after hospitalization. They carry a worse prognosis and a higher short- and long-term mortality. It is mandatory to evaluate every single patient for risk factors for CVEs, identifying the subgroup of high-risk patients in which diagnostic methods, closer monitoring, and preventive strategies may be considered. World Health Organization. The Top Ten Causes of Death. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310.pdf. [Last accessed on 2017 Jan 31]. 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Prevention of acute myocardial infarction and stroke among elderly persons by dual pneumococcal and influenza vaccination: A prospective cohort study. Clin Infect Dis 2010;51:1007-16. Vlachopoulos CV, Terentes-Printzios DG, Aznaouridis KA, Pietri PG, Stefanadis CI Association between pneumococcal vaccination and cardiovascular outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2015;22:1185-99. 1 New-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with pneumococcal pneumonia. Impact of timing and duration on short- and medium-term mortality. Luis A Ruiz,Leyre Serrano,Pedro P España,Lorea Martinez-Indart,Ainhoa Gómez,Beatriz González,Amaia Artaraz,Rafael Zalacain Journal of Infection. 2020; Di Pasquale M Henchi S Vanoni N Blasi F cardiovascular events Search Strategy ... Clinical Present... Risk Factors for... Adjunctive Treat... © Spring Media Publishing Co. Ltd | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow

Latin expression, roughly meaning 'in fact' For other uses, see De facto (disambiguation). In law and government, de facto ( /deɪˈfæktoʊ,di-/ day FAK-toh, dee -⁠; [1] Latin : de facto [deː ˈfaktoː] , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, even though they are not officially recognized by laws. [2] [3] [4] It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with de jure ("by law"), which refers to things that happen according to law. National languages Relationships not recognised outside Australia Non-marital relationship contract Family law – custody Other uses of the term Main article: De facto standard A de facto standard is a standard (formal or informal) that has achieved a dominant position by tradition, enforcement, or market dominance. It has not necessarily received formal approval by way of a standardisation process, and may not have an official standards document. Technical standards are usually voluntary, such as ISO 9000 requirements, but may be obligatory, enforced by government norms, such as drinking water quality requirements. The term "de facto standard" is used for both: to contrast obligatory standards (also known as "de jure standards"); or to express a dominant standard, when there is more than one proposed standard. In social sciences, a voluntary standard that is also a de facto standard, is a typical solution to a coordination problem. [5] Several countries, including Australia, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States, have a de facto national language but no official, de jure national language. Some countries have a de facto national language in addition to an official language. In Lebanon and Morocco the official language is Arabic, but an additional de facto language is also French. In New Zealand, Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are de jure official languages, while English is a de facto official language. In Singapore, English is a de facto language, but Chinese, Malay and Tamil are the de jure languages. Russian was the de facto official language of the central government and, to a large extent, republican governments of the former Soviet Union, but was not declared de jure state language until 1990. A short-lived law, effected April 24, 1990, installed Russian as the sole de jure official language of the Union. [6] De-facto map of control of the world, May 2019. Further information: List of states with limited recognition, Proto-state, and De facto embassy A de facto government is a government wherein all the attributes of sovereignty have, by usurpation, been transferred from those who had been legally invested with them to others, who, sustained by a power above the forms of law, claim to act and do really act in their stead. [7] In politics, a de facto leader of a country or region is one who has assumed authority, regardless of whether by lawful, constitutional, or legitimate means; very frequently, the term is reserved for those whose power is thought by some faction to be held by unlawful, unconstitutional, or otherwise illegitimate means, often because it had deposed a previous leader or undermined the rule of a current one. De facto leaders sometimes do not hold a constitutional office and may exercise power informally. Not all dictators are de facto rulers. For example, Augusto Pinochet of Chile initially came to power as the chairperson of a military junta, which briefly made him de facto leader of Chile, but he later amended the nation's constitution and made himself president until new elections were called, making him the formal and legal ruler of Chile. Similarly, Saddam Hussein's formal rule of Iraq is often recorded as beginning in 1979, the year he assumed the Presidency of Iraq. However, his de facto rule of the nation began earlier: during his time as vice president; he exercised a great deal of power at the expense of the elderly Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, the de jure president. In Argentina, the successive military coups that overthrew constitutional governments installed de facto governments in 1930–1932, 1943–1946, 1955–1958, 1966–1973 and 1976–1983, the last of which combined the powers of the presidential office with those of the National Congress. The subsequent legal analysis of the validity of such actions led to the formulation of a doctrine of the de facto governments, a case law (precedential) formulation which essentially said that the actions and decrees of past de facto governments, although not rooted in legal legitimacy when taken, remained binding until and unless such time as they were revoked or repealed de jure by a subsequent legitimate government. That doctrine was nullified by the constitutional reform of 1994. Article 36 states: (1) This Constitution shall rule even when its observance is interrupted by acts of force against the institutional order and the democratic system. These acts shall be irreparably null. (2) Their authors shall be punished with the penalty foreseen in Section 29, disqualified in perpetuity from holding public offices and excluded from the benefits of pardon and commutation of sentences. (3) Those who, as a consequence of these acts, were to assume the powers foreseen for the authorities of this Constitution or for those of the provinces, shall be punished with the same penalties and shall be civil and criminally liable for their acts. The respective actions shall not be subject to prescription. (4) All citizens shall have the right to oppose resistance to those committing the acts of force stated in this section. (5) He who, procuring personal enrichment, incurs in serious fraudulent offense against the Nation shall also attempt subversion against the democratic system, and shall be disqualified to hold public office for the term specified by law. (6) Congress shall enact a law on public ethics which shall rule the exercise of public office. In 1526, after seizing power Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi made his brother, Umar Din, the de jure Sultan of the Adal Sultanate. Ahmad, however, was in all practice the de facto Sultan. [8] Some other notable true de facto leaders have been Deng Xiaoping of the People's Republic of China and General Manuel Noriega of Panama. Both of these men exercised nearly all control over their respective nations for many years despite not having either legal constitutional office or the legal authority to exercise power. These individuals are today commonly recorded as the "leaders" of their respective nations; recording their legal, correct title would not give an accurate assessment of their power. Terms like strongman or dictator are often used to refer to de facto rulers of this sort. In the Soviet Union, after Vladimir Lenin was incapacitated from a stroke in 1923, Joseph Stalin—who, as General Secretary of the Communist Party had the power to appoint anyone he chose to top party positions—eventually emerged as leader of the Party and the legitimate government. Until the 1936 Soviet Constitution officially declared the Party "...the vanguard of the working people", thus legitimising Stalin's leadership, Stalin ruled the USSR as the de facto dictator. Another example of a de facto ruler is someone who is not the actual ruler but exerts great or total influence over the true ruler, which is quite common in monarchies. Some examples of these de facto rulers are Empress Dowager Cixi of China (for son Tongzhi and nephew Guangxu Emperors), Prince Alexander Menshikov (for his former lover Empress Catherine I of Russia), Cardinal Richelieu of France (for Louis XIII) and Queen Marie Caroline of Naples and Sicily (for her husband King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies). The term "de facto head of state" is sometimes used to describe the office of a governor general in the Commonwealth realms, since a holder of that office has the same responsibilities in their country as the de jure head of state (the sovereign) does within the United Kingdom. In the Westminster system of government, executive authority is often split between a de jure executive authority of a head of state and a de facto executive authority of a prime minister and cabinet who implement executive powers in the name of the de jure executive authority. In the United Kingdom, the Sovereign is the de jure executive authority, even though executive decisions are made by the indirectly elected Prime Minister and her Cabinet on the Sovereign's behalf, hence the term Her Majesty's Government. The de facto boundaries of a country are defined by the area that its government is actually able to enforce its laws in, and to defend against encroachments by other countries that may also claim the same territory de jure. The Durand Line is an example of a de facto boundary. As well as cases of border disputes, de facto boundaries may also arise in relatively unpopulated areas in which the border was never formally established or in which the agreed border was never surveyed and its exact position is unclear. The same concepts may also apply to a boundary between provinces or other subdivisions of a federal state. In South Africa, although de jure apartheid formally began in 1948, de facto racist policies and practices discriminating against black South Africans, Coloureds, and Indians dated back decades before. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] De facto racial discrimination and segregation in the United States (outside of the South) until the 1950s and 1960s was simply discrimination that was not segregation by law (de jure). "Jim Crow laws", which were enacted in the 1870s, brought legal racial segregation against black Americans residing in the American South. These laws were legally ended in 1964 by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. [21] [22] [23] A de facto monopoly is a system where many suppliers of a product are allowed, but the market is so completely dominated by one that the others might as well not exist. The related terms oligopoly and monopsony are similar in meaning and this is the type of situation that antitrust laws are intended to eliminate. A domestic partner outside marriage is referred to as a de facto husband or wife by some authorities. [24] In Australia and New Zealand, the phrase "de facto" by itself has become a colloquial term for one's domestic partner. [25] In Australian law, it is the legally recognized, committed relationship of a couple living together (opposite-sex or same-sex). [26] De facto unions are defined in the federal Family Law Act 1975. [27] De facto relationships provide couples who are living together on a genuine domestic basis with many of the same rights and benefits as married couples. Two people can become a de facto couple by entering into a registered relationship (i.e.: civil union or domestic partnership) or by being assessed as such by the Family Court or Federal Circuit Court. [28] Couples who are living together are generally recognised as a de facto union and thus able to claim many of the rights and benefits of a married couple, even if they have not registered or officially documented their relationship, [29] although this may vary by state. It has been noted that it is harder to prove de facto relationship status, particularly in the case of the death of one of the partners. [30] In April 2014, a federal court judge ruled that a heterosexual couple who had a child and lived together for 13 years were not in a de facto relationship and thus the court had no jurisdiction to divide up their property under family law following a request for separation. In his ruling, the judge stated "de facto relationship(s) may be described as ‘marriage like’ but it is not a marriage and has significant differences socially, financially and emotionally." [31] The above sense of de facto is related to the relationship between common law traditions and formal (statutory, regulatory, civil) law, and common-law marriages. Common law norms for settling disputes in practical situations, often worked out over many generations to establishing precedent, are a core element informing decision making in legal systems around the world. Because its early forms originated in England in the Middle Ages, this is particularly true in Anglo-American legal traditions and in former colonies of the British Empire, while also playing a role in some countries that have mixed systems with significant admixtures of civil law. Due to Australian federalism, de facto partnerships can only be legally recognised whilst the couple lives within a state in Australia. This is because the power to legislate on de facto matters relies on referrals by States to the Commonwealth in accordance with Section 51(xxxvii) of the Australian Constitution, where it states the new federal law can only be applied back within a state. [32] [33] There must be a state nexus between the de facto relationship itself and the Australian state. [34] If an Australian de facto couple moves out of a state, they do not take the state with them and the new federal law is tied to the territorial limits of a state. The legal status and rights and obligations of the de facto or unmarried couple would then be recognised by the laws of the country where they are ordinarily resident. See the section on Family Court of Australia for further explanation on jurisdiction on de facto relationships. This is unlike marriage and "matrimonial causes" which are recognised by sections 51(xxi) and (xxii) of the Constitution of Australia [35] and internationally by marriage law and conventions, Hague Convention on Marriages (1978). [36] A de facto relationship is comparable to non-marital relationship contracts (sometimes called "palimony agreements") and certain limited forms of domestic partnership, which are found in many jurisdictions throughout the world. A de facto Relationship is not comparable to common-law marriage, which is a fully legal marriage that has merely been contracted in an irregular way (including by habit and repute). Only nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia still permit common-law marriage; but common law marriages are otherwise valid and recognised by and in all jurisdictions whose rules of comity mandate the recognition of any marriage that was legally formed in the jurisdiction where it was contracted. De facto joint custody is comparable to the joint legal decision-making authority a married couple has over their child(ren) in many jurisdictions (Canada as an example). Upon separation, each parent maintains de facto joint custody, until such time a court order awards custody, either sole or joint. [37] Examples of a de facto General Manager in sports include Syd Thrift who acted as the GM of the Baltimore Orioles between 1999 and 2002. Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots in the NFL does not hold the official title of GM, but serves as de facto general manager as he has control over drafting and other personnel decisions. In finance, the World Bank has a pertinent definition: A "de facto government" comes into, or remains in, power by means not provided for in the country's constitution, such as a coup d'état, revolution, usurpation, abrogation or suspension of the constitution. [38] A de facto state of war is a situation where two nations are actively engaging, or are engaged, in aggressive military actions against the other without a formal declaration of war. In engineering, de facto technology is a system in which the intellectual property and know-how is privately held. Usually only the owner of the technology manufactures the related equipment. Meanwhile, a standard technology consists of systems that have been publicly released to a certain degree so that anybody can manufacture equipment supporting the technology. For instance, in cell phone communications, CDMA1X is a de facto technology, while GSM is a standard technology. List of Latin phrases (D) Unenforced law In law and government, de jure describes practices that are legally recognised, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, de facto describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally recognised. A head of state is the public persona who officially embodies a state in its unity and legitimacy. Depending on the country's form of government and separation of powers, the head of state may be a ceremonial figurehead or concurrently the head of government and more. Sovereign immunity, or crown immunity, is a legal doctrine whereby a sovereign or state cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution, strictly speaking in modern texts in its own courts. A similar, stronger rule as regards foreign courts is named state immunity. The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom whose modified versions are now domestic law within Australia and Canada; it has been repealed in New Zealand and implicitly in former Dominions that are no longer Commonwealth realms. Passed on 11 December 1931, the act, either immediately or upon ratification, effectively both established the legislative independence of the self-governing Dominions of the British Empire from the United Kingdom and bound them all to seek each other's approval for changes to monarchical titles and the common line of succession. It thus became a statutory embodiment of the principles of equality and common allegiance to the Crown set out in the Balfour Declaration of 1926. As the statute removed nearly all of the British parliament's authority to legislate for the Dominions, it had the effect of making the Dominions largely sovereign nations in their own right. It was a crucial step in the development of the Dominions as separate states. The Family Court of Australia is a superior Australian federal court of record which deals with family law matters, such as divorce applications, parenting disputes, and the division of property when a couple separate. Together with the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, it covers family law matters in all states and territories of Australia except for Western Australia, which has a separate Family Court. Its core function is to determine cases with the most complex law, facts and parties, to cover specialised areas in family law, and to provide national coverage as the national appellate court for family law matters. Common-law marriage, also known as non-ceremonial marriage, sui iuris marriage, informal marriage, or marriage by habit and repute, is a pseudo-legal framework in a limited number of jurisdictions where a couple may be considered legally married, without that couple having formally registered their relation as a civil or religious marriage. A domestic partnership is an interpersonal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life, but are not married. People in domestic partnerships receive benefits that guarantee right of survivorship, hospital visitation, and others. A state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. A state with an official religion, while not secular, is not necessarily a theocracy, a country whose rulers have both secular and spiritual authority. State religions are official or government-sanctioned establishments of a religion, but the state does not need be under the control of the religion nor is the state-sanctioned religion necessarily under the control of the state. An ex post facto law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions that were committed, or relationships that existed, before the enactment of the law. In criminal law, it may criminalize actions that were legal when committed; it may aggravate a crime by bringing it into a more severe category than it was in when it was committed; it may change the punishment prescribed for a crime, as by adding new penalties or extending sentences; or it may alter the rules of evidence in order to make conviction for a crime likelier than it would have been when the deed was committed. In many Commonwealth jurisdictions, the phrase "peace, order, and good government" (POGG) is an expression used in law to express the legitimate objects of legislative powers conferred by statute. The phrase appears in many Imperial Acts of Parliament and Letters Patent, most notably the constitutions of Barbados, Canada, Australia and formerly New Zealand and South Africa. The Victorian Government is the executive administrative authority of the Australian state of Victoria. Section 51(xxxvii) of the Constitution of Australia is a provision in the Australian Constitution which empowers the Australian Parliament to legislate on matters referred to it by any state. As Australia is a federation, both states and the Commonwealth have legislative power, and the Australian Constitution limits Commonwealth power. Section 51(xxxvii) allows for a degree of flexibility in the allocation of legislative powers. Australian family law is principally found in the federal Family Law Act 1975 as well as in other laws and the common law and laws of equity, which affect the family and the relationship between those people, including when those relationships end. Most family law is practised in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Family Court of Australia or the Family Court of Western Australia depending on the location and complexity of the matter. Australia recognises marriages entered into overseas as well as divorces obtained overseas if they were effected in accordance with the laws of that country. Australian marriage and "matrimonial causes" are recognised by sections 51(xxi) and (xxii) of the Constitution of Australia and internationally by marriage law and conventions, such as the Hague Convention on Marriages (1978). The supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and highcourt of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of a supreme court are not subject to further review by any other court. Supreme courts typically function primarily as appellate courts, hearing appeals from decisions of lower trial courts, or from intermediate-level appellate courts. Marriage law refers to the legal requirements that determine the validity of a marriage, and which vary considerably among countries. See also Marriage Act. The Family Law Act 1975, referred to as the FLA by legal practitioners, is an Act of the Australian Parliament. It has 15 parts and is the main Australian legislation dealing with divorce, parenting arrangements between separated parents, property separation, and financial maintenance involving children or divorced or separated de facto partners. It came into effect on 1 January 1976, repealing the Matrimonial Causes Act 1961, which had been largely based on fault. Same-sex marriage in Australia has been legal since 9 December 2017. Legislation to allow same-sex marriage, the Marriage Amendment Act 2017, passed the Australian Parliament on 7 December 2017 and received royal assent from the Governor-General the following day. The law came into effect on 9 December, immediately recognising overseas same-sex marriages. The first same-sex wedding under Australian law was held on 15 December 2017. The passage of the law followed a voluntary postal survey of all Australians, in which 61.6% of respondents supported legalisation of same-sex marriage. Calder v. Bull, 3 U.S. 386 (1798), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court decided four important points of constitutional law. Sources of law are the origins of laws, the binding rules that enable any state to govern its territory. This article summarizes the same-sex marriage laws of states in the United States. Via the case Obergefell v. Hodges on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States legalized same-sex marriage in a decision that applies nationwide, with the possible exception of American Samoa and some tribal nations. ↑ Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary. S.v. "de facto." Retrieved January 12, 2018 ↑ "de facto". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 25 February 2017. ↑ See I. 3. "de". Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 1989. ↑ Harper, Douglas. "de facto". Online Etymology Dictionary . ↑ Edna Ullmann-Margalit: The Emergence of Norms, Oxford Un. Press, 1977. (or Clarendon Press 1978) ↑ "USSR Law "On the Languages of the Peoples of USSR"" (in Russian). April 24, 1990. Archived from the original on 2009-06-18. ↑ 30 Am Jur 181. Law Dictionary, James A. Ballentine, Second Edition, 1948, p. 345. ↑ "Aḥmad Grāñ". Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2014-05-04. ↑ R.W. Lee. "Introduction to Roman-Dutch Law". Oxford, Clarendon Press. Retrieved 27 March 2011. ↑ A. Du Toit, H.B. Giliomee (1983). Afrikaner political thought: analysis and documents. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-04319-0. ↑ Gish, Steven (2000). Alfred B. Xuma: African, American, South African. New York University Press. p. 8. ↑ Hoiberg, Dale; Ramchandani, Indu (2000). Students' Britannica India, Volumes 1–5. Popular Prakashan. p. 142. ↑ Allen, John (2005). Apartheid South Africa: An Insider's Overview of the Origin And Effects of Separate Development. iUniverse. p. xi. ↑ Nojeim, Michael J. (2004). Gandhi and King: the power of nonviolent resistance. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 127. ↑ Leach, Graham (1986). South Africa: no easy path to peace. Routledge. p. 68. ↑ Tankard, Keith (9 May 2004). Chapter 9 The Natives (Urban Areas) Act Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine . Rhodes University. knowledge4africa.com. ↑ Baroness Young – Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (4 July 1986). South Africa House of Lords Debate vol 477 cc1159-250. Hansard. ↑ The Representation of Natives Act. sahistory.org Archived 13 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine ↑ Reddy, E.S (n.d.). "Indian passive resistance in South Africa, 1946–1948". sahistory.org.za. SA History. Retrieved 23 February 2015. ↑ Ambrosio, Thomas (2002). Ethnic identity groups and U.S. foreign policy. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 56–57. ↑ "Civil Rights Act of 1964". Archived from the original on 2010-10-21. Retrieved 2010-11-04. ↑ Woodward, C. Vann; McFeely, William S. (2001). The Strange Career of Jim Crow. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 7. ISBN 0-19-514689-1. ↑ King, Desmond (1995). Separate and Unequal: Black Americans and the US Federal Government . New York: Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 0-19-828016-5. ↑ Walker Lenore E. "Battered Woman Syndrome. Empirical Findings." Violence and Exploitation Against Women and Girls, November 2006, p. 142. ↑ Gulliver, Katrina (31 January 2003). "De facto is a defective description – just say living in sin". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2016. I am curious about the use of the term "de facto". It is an adjective meaning "in fact" – as opposed to "in law". It is used by Australian journalists when describing (other people's) domestic partners. I have never heard anyone say "my de facto". It is a brief way of saying "living with someone but not actually married". Despite being an adjective, it never seems to be used with a noun, but on its own... ↑ "What are your rights when a de facto relationship ends?". ABC News. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017. ↑ "Family Law Act 1975 – Sect. 4AA". austlii.edu.au. ↑ "De facto Relationships". Family Court of Australia. ↑ "De facto Relationships". The Law Society of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 2017-02-10. Retrieved 2017-09-16. ↑ Elphick, Liam. "Do same-sex couples really have the same rights as married couples?". SBS News. Retrieved 15 September 2017. ↑ "De facto couples have differences to married counterparts, judge says". The Australian . 23 April 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2014. ↑ French, Justice (Feb 2003). "The Referral of State Powers Cooperative Federalism lives?". Western Australia Law Review. . ↑ Thomas (2007) 233 CLR 307, [208] (Kirby J). ↑ See sections 90RG, 90SD and 90SK, section 90RA, of the Family Law Act. ↑ Section 51, Australian Constitution ↑ Hague Convention on Marriages 1978 ↑ What you should know about Family Law in Ontario Attorney General ↑ "OP 7.30 – Dealings with De Facto Governments". Operational Manual. The World Bank. July 2001. Retrieved 2010-11-28.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I suspect that somwhere in my house there are live wires not grounded i definately was electrocuted in my hand now eerytime i touch something or move my index finger a certain way it is like me being electrocuted again and sometimes worst it also just goes numb with no feeling. Is this normal or can I possible have some type of damage done it has been a week now. output: I suggest you not to worry much. You got electrocuted some days ago, and you have this electrocution and numb feeling in index finger for a week or so. Electrocution sometimes damages some nerves because they suddenly are made to carry heavy electricity. It is possible that the damage is permanent. Sometimes after a week or so the feeling should die down. Anyhow do visit a physician who can give you proper advice after having you checked up. Hope this answers your query. Available for further clarifications. Good luck..

This site is best viewed with javascript enabled. For help enabling javascript please click here. Jump to news feeds Get in touch: Tel: +44(0)1202 597400Email: websales@amtecgroup.co.uk Why Amtec Policy for WEEE Amtec Careers Support/Maintenance Engineering & Installation Advantages of Partnering Amtec Computer Corporation Limited 13. Consequences of Termination 2. Orders and Scope of the Services 3. The Customer’s Responsibilities 15. Assignment and Sub-Contracting 4. Website/Software Development and Acceptance 16. Confidentiality and Publicity 5. Supply and Installation of Goods 6. Charges and Payment 7. Warranties and Indemnity 8. Limitation of Remedies and Liability 10. 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Amtec shall notify the Customer when the tests have been passed. 4.4 If any failure to pass the Acceptance Tests results from a defect which is caused by an act or omission of the Customer or by one of the Customer’s sub-contractors or agents for which Amtec has no responsibility (“Non-Supplier Defects”), the Software shall be deemed to have passed the Acceptance Tests notwithstanding such Non-Supplier Defect. Amtec shall provide assistance reasonably requested by the Customer in remedying any Non-Supplier Defects by supplying additional services or products. If so requested, the Customer shall pay Amtec in full for all such additional services and products at Amtec's then current fees and prices. 4.5 Acceptance of the Software shall be deemed to have taken place upon the happening of any of the following events: 4.5.1 the Customer uses any part of the Software “live” (that is for any purposes other than for internal test purposes); or 4.5.2 the Customer unreasonably delays the start of relevant Acceptance Tests or any retest for a period of 7 (seven) working days from the date when Amtec is ready to commence running the Acceptance Tests or retests. 4.6 All times quoted for delivery or work are estimates only and shall not be of the essence. 5.1 Risk in the Goods shall pass to the Customer on delivery. 5.2 The Customer shall prepare the site for installation and provide all necessary facilities. If Amtec is unable to install when planned due to the act or omission of the Customer, it may invoice the Customer for all additional time which may be incurred at its standard day rates and for all expenses incurred. 5.3 The Customer shall inspect the Goods on delivery or installation (as applicable) and unless the Customer notifies any defects within 7 days of such date shall be deemed to have accepted them. After acceptance the Customer shall not be entitled to reject Goods which are not in accordance with the Terms. In no event shall the Customer be entitled to reject the Goods on the basis of any defect or failure which is so slight that it would be unreasonable for the Customer to reject. 5.4 Where Amtec is an accredited reseller, the Third Party Products will be supplied in accordance with the relevant licensor’s standard terms. Where applicable, the one-off licence fee for such Third Party Products is included in the Charges payable pursuant to clause 6. 5.5 Notwithstanding delivery and the passing of risk in the Goods, or any other provision of these Terms, the property in the Goods shall not pass to the Customer until Amtec has received in cleared funds payment in full of the price of the Goods and all other items agreed to be sold by Amtec to the Customer for which payment is then due. 5.6 Until such time as the property in the Goods passes to the Customer, it shall: 5.6.1 hold them as Amtec's fiduciary agent and bailee, shall keep them separate from those of the Customer and third parties and properly stored, protected and insured and identified as Amtec's property but may use them in the ordinary course of its business; 5.6.2 it shall deliver up the Goods to Amtec on demand and, if the Customer fails to do so immediately, Amtec may enter any premises of the Customer or any third party where the Goods are stored and repossess them and charge the Customer for all costs and expenses associated with the repossession. 6.1 Amtec shall issue an invoice in respect of the Charges, and the Customer shall pay to Amtec the Charges set out in Amtec’s invoice within 30 (thirty) days of the date of delivery or Amtec’s invoice (whichever is the sooner). Time of payment shall be of the essence. Late payment shall result in withdrawal of credit and subsequent orders must be paid for on order 6.2 All Charges are exclusive of VAT. Rates of tax and duties on the goods and services will be those applying at the time of delivery. 6.3 All quotations given by Amtec lapse after 30 days (unless otherwise stated) if Amtec does not withdraw them earlier. 6.4 The price for services is based on work carried out between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Amtec may charge premium rates for out of hours work. 6.5 If the Customer fails to pay any amount payable by it under these Terms, Amtec shall be entitled but not obliged to charge the Customer interest on the overdue amount, payable by the Customer forthwith on demand, from the due date up to the date of actual payment, after as well as before judgment, at the rate of 2% a year above the base rate for the time being of Barclays Bank plc. Such interest shall accrue on a daily basis and be compounded quarterly. Amtec reserves the right to claim interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. 6.6 The Customer does not have the right to withhold any retention money or to set off any money the Customer may claim from Amtec against anything the Customer may owe Amtec. 6.7 While the Customer owes money to Amtec, Amtec has a right to keep any property it may hold of the Customer’s until the Customer has paid Amtec in full (a lien). 6.8 Payment shall be applied to invoices in the order in which they were issued and to the Goods and Services in the order in which they are listed in the invoice(s). 7.1 Each of the parties warrants to the other that it has full power and authority to enter into and perform these Terms. 7.2 Amtec shall perform the Services with reasonable care and skill. 7.3 Except as set out in clause 10.1, Amtec gives no warranty (and excludes any warranty, term or condition that would otherwise be implied), including without limitation as to the quality of the Goods or Software or their fitness for any purpose or the potential performance of the Software. Amtec does not warrant that the operation of the Software will be uninterrupted or error free. 7.4 These Terms set out the full extent of Amtec’s obligations and liabilities in respect of the supply of the Goods and Services. All conditions, warranties or other terms concerning the Goods and/or Services which might otherwise be implied into these Terms or any collateral contract (whether by statute or otherwise) are hereby expressly excluded. 7.5 The Customer agrees to fully indemnify Amtec from and against all actions, costs, claims, demands, expenses, liabilities, losses and proceedings (including, where relevant, fines, penalties, legal fees, fees of consultants or experts) whether direct or consequential (including, but without limitation, any economic loss or other loss of turnover, profits, business or goodwill), incurred by Amtec as a result of or in connection with the Customer Data, breach by the Customer of any term of these Terms or any relevant law, or the use of the Software or any website by the Customer’s employees, agents or contractors. 7.6 The Customer expressly acknowledges that the provisions of clauses 7, 8 and 10 satisfy the requirements of reasonableness specified in the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and that the Customer shall be stopped from claiming the contrary at any future date in the event of any dispute with Amtec concerning liability under these Terms. 8.1 Nothing in these Terms shall operate to exclude or limit Amtec’s liability for: 8.1.1 death or personal injury caused by its negligence; 8.1.2 any breach of the terms implied by section 12 of the Sale of Goods Act 1979 or section 2 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982; 8.1.3 fraud; or 8.1.4 any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law. 8.2 Subject to condition 8.1, Amtec shall not be liable to the Customer for any increased costs, expenses, loss of profits, loss of or corruption to data, loss of goodwill, business, contracts, revenues or anticipated savings or any type of special, indirect or consequential loss (including loss or damage suffered by the Customer as a result of a claim made by a third party) even if such loss was reasonably foreseeable or Amtec had been advised of the possibility of the Customer incurring the same. 8.3 Subject to clause 8.1, Amtec’s aggregate liability in respect of claims based on events in any calendar year arising out of or in connection with these Terms or any collateral contract, whether in contract or tort (including negligence) or otherwise, shall in no circumstances exceed the total Charges paid by the Customer to Amtec under these Terms in that calendar year. 8.4 The Customer acknowledges that no representations were made prior to entering into these Terms. The Customer agrees that, in entering into these Terms, it did not rely on any representations (whether written or oral) of any kind or of any person other that those expressly set out in these Terms. The Customer shall have no remedy in respect of any representation (whether written or oral) made to it upon which it relied in entering into these Terms and Amtec shall have no liability otherwise than pursuant to the express terms of these Terms. 9.1 All Intellectual Property Rights in the Goods and Software, but excluding the Customer Data, arising in connection with these Terms shall remain the property of Amtec or its licensors and Amtec hereby grants the Customer a non-transferable non-exclusive licence of such Intellectual Property Rights for the purposes of operating the Goods and/or Software in accordance with these Terms only. On any breach of these Terms the licence shall immediately terminate. 9.2 The Customer shall fully indemnify Amtec against all damages, losses and expenses arising as a result of any action or claim that the Customer Data infringes Intellectual Property Rights of a third party. 9.3 The Customer shall have no right to copy, adapt, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or modify the Software in whole or in part except as permitted by law; and/or to the extent that such action is legitimately required for the purposes of integrating the operation of the Software with the operation of other software or systems used by the Customer where Amtec is not prepared to carry out such action at a reasonable fee. 9.4 Without prejudice to the right of the Customer or any third party to challenge the validity of any of Amtec’s Intellectual Property Rights, the Customer shall not do or authorise any third party to do any act which would or might invalidate or be inconsistent with Amtec’s Intellectual Property Rights and shall not omit (or authorise any third party to omit) to do any act which could, if not done, invalidate or be inconsistent with any Amtec’s Intellectual Property Rights. 10.1 Unless otherwise stated by Amtec and subject to the terms of any warranty given to Amtec by the manufacturer of the Goods (details available on request), Amtec warrants that the Goods (excluding any Software) will perform substantially in accordance with the Specification for a period of 12 (twelve) months from delivery. Subject to clause 10.2, if the Goods do not so perform, then Amtec shall for no additional charge ensure that the Goods substantially comply with the Specification or refund the charges paid in respect of the Goods. The Client shall have no other remedy. 10.2 The above warranty does not apply in respect of any defect arising from fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence (including improper storage), improper use or maintenance, abnormal working conditions, failure to follow Amtec's instructions (whether oral or in writing), alteration or repair without Amtec's approval, Customer Data, any Third Party Products for which Amtec is not an accredited reseller, if any sum owing by the Customer to Amtec has not been paid, if the Customer moves the System, use of the Goods in combination with any equipment or software not provided by Amtec or any fault in any such equipment or software, any act or omission of any person for which Amtec is not responsible and any breach of the Customer’s obligations under these Terms. 10.3 Unless otherwise stated by Amtec, the Charges exclude maintenance, and the hosting of any website by Amtec. Following Acceptance or delivery (as applicable) Amtec may provide maintenance/support services on the terms of the maintenance agreement entered into by the parties on or around the date of these Terms. Amtec warrants that to the extent it processes any Personal Data on behalf of the Customer: 11.1 it shall act only on instructions from the Customer; and 11.2 it has in place appropriate technical and organisational security measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing of Personal Data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, Personal Data. 12. Terms and Termination 12.1 These Terms may be terminated by either party on 30 days’ notice. 12.2 Each party shall have the right, without prejudice to its other rights or remedies, to terminate these Terms immediately by notice to the other if the other: 12.2.1 is in material or persistent breach of any of its or its obligations under these Terms and either that breach is incapable of remedy or it shall have failed to remedy that breach within 30 days after receiving written notice requiring it to do so; or 12.2.2 is unable to pay its debts (within the meaning of section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986); or becomes insolvent; or is subject to an order or a resolution for its liquidation, administration, winding-up or dissolution (otherwise than for the purposes of a solvent amalgamation or reconstruction); or has an administra­tive or other receiver, manager, trustee, liquidator, administrator or similar officer appointed over all or any substantial part of its assets; or enters into or proposes any composition or arrangement with its creditors generally; or is subject to any analogous event or proceeding in any applicable jurisdiction. 12.3 Amtec shall have the right, without prejudice to its other rights or remedies, to termi­nate these Terms immediately by notice to the Customer, if the Customer: 12.3.1 sells all of its assets or is merged or re-organised in circumstances where it is not the surviving entity; or 12.3.2 disputes the ownership or validity of Amtec’s Intellectual Property Rights. 13.1 On termination of these Terms: 13.1.1 the Customer’s right to receive the Goods and/or Services shall cease automatically; 13.1.2 each party shall immediately return to the other all property and materials containing Confidential Information belonging to the other; and 13.1.3 all amounts due from the Customer under these Terms shall be paid immediately by the Customer. 13.2 Any termination of these Terms (howsoever occasioned) shall not affect any accrued rights or liabilities of either party nor shall it affect the coming into force or the continuance in force of any provision of these Terms which is expressly or by implication intended to come into force or continue in force on or after that termination. Amtec shall not be liable to the Customer for any delay or non-performance of its obligations under these Terms arising from any cause or causes beyond its reasonable control including, without limitation, any of the following: act of God, governmental act, war, fire, flood, explosion or civil commotion. 15.1 The Customer may not assign, sub-license, sub-contract, mortgage or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under these Terms without the prior written consent of Amtec. 15.2 Amtec may sub-contract any of its obligations under these Terms on notice to the Customer provided that it shall remain liable to the Customer for the performance of all such obligations. 16.1 The Customer agrees and undertakes that during the term of these Terms and thereafter it will keep confidential all, and will not use for its own purposes nor without the prior written consent of Amtec disclose to any third party any, information of a confiden­tial nature (including trade secrets and information of commercial value and the technical details of the code in the Website or Software or any of it, and the content of the Training) which may become known to the Customer in the course of the Services (“Confidential Information”) unless such information is public knowledge or already known to the Customer at the time of disclosure or subsequently becomes public knowledge other than by breach of these Terms or subsequently comes lawfully into the possession of the Customer from a third party. 16.2 For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in these Terms shall prevent Amtec from referring in its literature, website and advertising and marketing material or elsewhere to the fact that Amtec supplied the Goods and/or designed and developed the Software, and including details. 16.3 The provisions of this clause 16 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any termination of these Terms. 17.1 The Customer shall not either on his own account or in conjunction with or on behalf of any person, firm or company and whether directly or indirectly invite solicit or induce any officer, employee, agent or contractor of Amtec involved with any of the Services to terminate their employment or engagement with Amtec, or attempt to do so. 17.2 The restriction in clause 17.1 shall continue in force during the continuance of the Services, supply of Goods, or licence of any intellectual property rights under these Terms (whichever is the longer) and for a period of six months thereafter. 17.3 The Customer: 17.3.1 agrees that its obligations arising pursuant to clause 17.1 and 17.2 are separate and severable; and 17.3.2 acknowledges that, while such obligations are considered by the Customer to be reasonable in all the circumstances as at the date of the contract under these Terms, they may by their nature become invalid because of changing circumstances or other unforeseen reasons; and 17.3.3 agrees that if any of the obligations arising pursuant to clauses 17.1 and/or 17.2 shall be judged to be void or ineffective for whatever reason but would be judged to be valid and effective if part of the wording of the relevant undertaking were amended to reduce the extent of the obligation, the relevant obligation shall apply with such modifications as may be necessary to make it valid and effective. 17.4 The obligations under this clause 17 shall survive the expiry or the termination of these Terms for whatever reason. 18.1 By placing an order with Amtec, the Customer is expressly waiving any printed terms the Customer may have to the extent that they are inconsistent with the Terms. 18.2 No forbearance or delay by either party in enforcing its rights will prejudice or restrict the rights of that party, and no waiver of any such rights or of any breach of any contractual terms will be deemed to be a waiver of any other right or of any later breach. If any provision of these Terms is judged to be illegal or unenforceable, the contin­uation in full force and effect of the remainder of the provisions will not be prejudiced. Any amendment, waiver or variation of these Terms shall not be binding on the parties unless set out in writing, expressed to amend these Terms and signed by or on behalf of each of the parties. No term of these Terms is intended to confer a benefit on, or to be enforceable by, any person who is not a party to these Terms. Notices (regarding, for example, termination of or claims under these Terms) shall be in writing, and shall be sent to the other party marked for the attention of the person at the address set out for such party in these Terms. Notices may be sent by first-class mail or facsimile or electronic mail transmission provided that facsimile and electronic mail transmissions are confirmed within 24 hours by first-class mailed confirmation of a copy. Correctly addressed notices sent by first-class mail shall be deemed to have been delivered 72 hours after posting and correctly directed facsimile transmissions shall be deemed to have been received instantaneously on transmission provided that they are confirmed as set out above. Unless stated otherwise, the provisions of this clause 22 shall not apply to day-to-day communications relating to the performance of the Services. 23.1 These Terms and the documents annexed hereto or otherwise referred to herein contain the whole agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements, arrangements and understandings between the parties relating to that subject matter. 23.2 All brochures, catalogues and other promotional materials are to be treated as illustrative only. Their contents form no part of any contract between Amtec and the Customer should not rely on them in entering into any contract with Amtec. Any typographical, clerical or other error or omission in any sales literature, quotation, price list, acceptance of offer, invoice or other document or information issued by Amtec shall be subject to correction without any liability on the part of Amtec. 23.3 Amtec's employees or agents are not authorised to make any representations concerning the Goods and/or Software unless confirmed by Amtec in writing. In entering into this agreement the Customer acknowledges that it does not rely on, and irrevocably waives any claim it may have for damages for or right to rescind this agreement for any such representations which are not so confirmed (unless such representations were fraudulently made). 23.4 Any advice or recommendation given by Amtec or its employees or agents to the Customer or its employees or agents as to the storage, application or use of the Goods and/or Software which is not confirmed in writing by Amtec is followed or acted upon entirely at the Customer's own risk and, accordingly, Amtec shall not be liable for any such advice or recommendation which is not so confirmed. 23.5 Nothing in these Terms affects or limits Amtec’s liability for fraudulent misrepresentation. These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with English law and each party hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. © Copyright. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: What is the explanation for the physiological abnormalities caused by meningococcemia? output: Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus. About 10% of people have this type of bacteria in the back of their nose and throat with no signs or symptoms of disease; this is the carrier state. But sometimes Neisseria meningitidis bacteria can invade the body causing certain illnesses, which are known as meningococcal disease. Neisseria meningitidis bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions. The bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningococcal disease has been. Sometimes Neisseria meningitidis bacteria spread to people who have had close or lengthy contact with a patient with meningococcal disease. People in the same household, roommates, or anyone with direct contact with a patient's oral secretions, such as saliva, would be considered at increased risk of getting the infection. The bacteria attach to and multiply on the mucosal cells of the nasopharynx. Adhesive factors like pilli helps to get it attached itself to nonciliated epithelial cells. IgA protease, factors that inhibit ciliary activity and polysaccharide capsule enable it to avoid host defence mechanisms. Newborn, individuals deficient in terminal components of complement pathway and properdin deficiency have recurrent infections. Mutations in mannose binding lecithin gene have increased risk of infections Shock is due to lipooligosaccharide which is a potent toxin. This toxin initiates release of inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen radicals, prostaglandins, arachidonic acid, complement activated products, platelet aggregating factor, and perhaps nitric oxide. In a small proportion (less than 1%) of colonized persons, the organism penetrates the mucosal cells and enters the bloodstream. The bacteria spread by way of the blood to many organs. In about 50% of bacteremic persons, the organism crosses the blood – brain barrier into the cerebrospinal fluid and causes purulent meningitis. An antecedent upper respiratory infection may be a contributing factor. The meningococci after getting attached, gets endocytosed by parasite directed endocytosis across epithelium. The alteration in the gene expression induce a specific structural change which causes endocytosis. Meningococci once it enters the circulation survives and multiplies in it causing systemic circulation. Major damage is induced by host immune mechanisms. N. meningitidis has blebs of endotoxin rich vesicles which are released into the blood stream which activitates host immune response. Endotoxin binding protein binds and alters the conformation of endotoxin enabling it to bind it to macrophages. CD14 in the endothelial cells act as receptors for endotoxin and activates macrophages which trigers an intense inflammatory response through the release of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, GM-CSF and interferon gamma. The more number of cytokines involved greater the severity of the disease. Endotoxin and the complements activate the neutrophils which release inflammatory proteins through respiratory burst and degrade the tissue. The inflammatory process induced by meningococcal pathogen alters vascular permeability. Proteinuria, hypovolemia and nephrotic syndrome are results of this event. Pulmonary edema and respiratory failure are consequence of increased vascular permeability. Due to hypovolemia, intense compensatory vasoconstriction occurs which manifest as cold, pale, ischemic limbs. Sevre patholgical vasoconstriction causes thromobosis within the microvasculature and gangrene. Some patients develop vasodilation after resuscitation, yet maintain severe hypotension, acidosis and organ impairment known as warm shock. Most severe complication of meningococcemia is widespread purpura fulminans, thrombosis and hemorrhagic necrosis in large areas of the skin and infraction of limbs resulting in gangrene. Procoagulation pathways are upregulated in sepsis causing intravascular generation of thrombin. Acute myocardial failure may manifest as hypotension, tachycardia and shock. Pro inflammatory mediators can have a negative ionotropic effect depressing the myocardial function. Tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 1beta and nitric oxide have a negative ionotropic effect. Electrolyte imbalance also plays a vital role in cardiac dysfunction. The above pictures shows the hands and feet affected by gangrene in meningococcemia. Impaired renal perfusion causes elevated urea and creatinine levels. Vasomotor nephropathy and acute tubularr necrosis occurs in severe cases. Neutrophil adhesion, coagulation activation and platelet activation causes microvacular obstruction resulting in pulmonary function impairment. It may manifest as tachypnea in early stages. Pulmonary edema and respiratory failure are the late complications of the sepsis. Impaired blood flow causes dysfunction of gastrointestinal tract. Prolonged ileus can cuase ischemic ulceration and perforation. Direct invasion of meninges by bacteria causes meningitis. Organ underperfusion causes signs and symptoms of shock. Raised intracranial tension may cause cerebral hernation. Direct bacterial activity, indirect inflammatory mediator activity and cerebral edema causes neurological damage. The toll like receptor system (TLR) protects the body from invasive pathogens and also causes destruction of host in fulminent infections. The cell wall of Neisseria meningitidis has molecules that activate the TLR system in a dose dependent manner. This causes the release inflammatory mediators which can cause organ dysfunction and meningococcemia. The lipopolysacchrides in the outer membrane is another factor that illicits immune response. Peptidoglycan, bacterial lipoprotein and genetic polymorphism are factors that help contribute to broaden the inflammatory response. There is a close association between the load of meningococci, (alive or dead in CSF), plasma and magnitude of inflammatory response to the patient. Neisseria secretes IgA1 protease which splits IgA1 at the hinge region. Meningococci after entering the systemic circulaion get seeded to different parts of the body mainly meninges and skin. Sites like eyes, joints, pericardiucan also be seeded by the organism. When the breeding bacteria reaches a threshold it produces systemic symptoms like musche ache, fever and malaise. The TLR4 and TLR2 from the preoptic area of anterior hypothalamus are expressed which produces the fever causing cytokines like interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha. They activate the cycloxygenase system which produces prostaglandin E2 and activates the hypothalamic prostaglandin E2 and the hypothalamic thermoregulation center raises the body temperature, increases muscle work and alter skin perfusion. Meningococcal lipopolysachride in plasma Meningococcal lipopolysacchride in CSF. Meningococcal DNA copies. Patients who were diagnosed to have massive disseminated intravascular coagulation or disseminated septic shock had almost 1000 fold higher amount of LPS in plasma and CSF and copies of DNA of meningococcus than those with only meningitis with the same incubation period. Meningococcal meningitis presents as headache, fever, nuchal rigidity. Kernig sign will be present. A hemorrhagic skin rash is usually found which is less than 10 mm in diameter. As the organism grows in the blood stream, it transverse blood brain barrier and invade subarachnoid space. There they multiply and produce the signs and symptoms of meningitis. Approximately 50 % of the patients will have a positive blood cultures. The endothelial cells and Kupffer cells forms a complex receptor system that helps to remove the whole bacteria, lipopolysacchrides (LPS) and DNA molecules.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Hello doctor, I have multiple small cysts in both ovaries (PCOS). Our family friend suggested me to consume Kalarchikai medicine, powdered mixed with pepper and honey to have it for one mandalam (48 days). I have completed nearly 44 days by consuming one small ball of the mixture every morning and before two weeks I got my periods. Then I had checked whether the cysts were dissolved by having an abdomen scan. But still, small multiple follicules have been seen in it with both ovaries enlarged. Kindly suggest me what I can do further. I got married before one and a half years and I am much worried about my pregnancy. I have gallstones as well. Will Kalarchikai cure multiple ovarian cysts in PCOD? output: Hello. I just read your query. See Kalarachi Kai choornam is helpful in amenorrhea. As far as small cysts are concerned they are unmatured eggs which failed to induce menstrual cycle previously, as a result, they got collected in the ovary and they will remain in the ovary. Now, you have got your periods you can start trying for conception. But I advise you to do it under the supervision of a nearby gynecologist because egg size is important while conception and that you can know by ovulation study. Ovulation study is performed under the supervision of a gynecologist. For gall stones, surgical intervention is required generally. Medicine is not of much help...

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To cancel the booking, clients should contact our services through the following e-mail address: servicoscomerciais@ana.pt. The Voucher can be used only once. The “ANA Lounge” was created with comfort and convenience in mind for frequent flyers seeking a unique experience. It offers a wide range of Portuguese beverages, snacks and products for you to enjoy. If you want to use your waiting time to get ahead, the “ANA Lounge” has everything you need to work comfortably and efficiently. While waiting for your flight, you can also stay in tune with the latest news with channels, newspapers and magazines telling everything that’s going on, everywhere. This service is available at the airports of Lisbon and Porto, and may be reserved through the website www.ana.pt. The service operates between 5:00 AM and 11:00 PM, with a maximum use time of 3 hours. Whenever a client books a service they will receive a confirmation e-mail with the voucher and an e-mail with the invoice. 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instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: Doctor, I have been experiencing some strange symptoms lately. My mouth is always dry and I have noticed a skin growth. My menstrual periods have also been very long and my skin is looking abnormal. What could be wrong with me? output: Based on the symptoms you described, it is possible that you have a breast infection (mastitis). We may need to perform tests to confirm this diagnosis. It is important that you seek prompt medical attention to prevent any complications.

Knowledge is power: How to train better around your menstrual cycle Kate Carter 10 January 2023, 4:53 am ·15-min read How your menstrual cycle affects your runningCarol Yepes - Getty Images A few years ago, GB runner Jessica Judd (listen to our podcast with Jess) made a startling admission: depending on the stage of her menstrual cycle, her 3,000m time could vary by as much as 15 seconds – the difference between first place and glory, and finishing last. It made for headline news – no surprise, given the lingering omerta around the issue – but it’s not just elite athletes who find their cycle affects their performance. Leading distance coach Tom Craggs tells the story of one of his runners who started taking iron when a doctor finally diagnosed anaemia, which is frequently caused by heavy periods. Three weeks later she took 15 minutes off her half-marathon PB. This shouldn’t come as a shock, either, considering the hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle can cause stomach issues, cramps, insomnia, elevated heart rate and shortness of breath. There is even evidence that you are more prone to certain injuries – such as ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tears – at certain times of the cycle. And that’s before you factor in state of mind: confidence levels can be affected, too. In one recent survey, 54 per cent of women said they stopped exercising as a result of their menstrual cycle – that figure rose to 73 per cent in 16-24-year-olds. Furthermore recent research by PureGym found that one in three women (35%) say they have no understanding of their menstrual cycle, or how it impacts their daily life. And yet, for most women, there is absolutely no physical reason to stop being active. Unfortunately, discussion of the menstrual cycle largely remains taboo: ‘Auntie Flo is visiting’, ‘the painters are in’, ‘the curse’ – the language is certainly creative but almost entirely euphemistic. Even the direct approach – ‘I’m on my period’ is strange – why would you be ‘on’ it rather than ‘having’ it? What is clear, however, is that everyone’s cycle is different and that the female body’s reaction to it is complex and under-researched. For most girls, menstruation begins at around 12 and continues until the menopause at around 50-55. Yet cycles of anywhere between 21 and 35 days – and bleeding for anywhere from two to 10 days – are all within what is considered a ‘normal’ range. For those who can’t remember their GCSE biology, the menstrual cycle is defined as the time from the first day of a woman’s period to the day before the next one, and is controlled by hormones. During the first half of each cycle, levels of oestrogen gradually rise, causing the ovary to develop and then release an egg. Then, in the second half, progesterone helps to prepare the womb for implantation of a developing embryo. During a period, the egg travels down the fallopian tube, but if pregnancy does not occur, it is reabsorbed into the body. Levels of oestrogen and progesterone then fall, the womb lining comes away and leaves the body in the form of blood and tissue. It is an entirely normal physiological process, which a woman will go through around 480 times in her lifetime, yet it can also have profound effects on performance. Should cramps and pain stop you from running? Most women will be keenly aware of the cramps menstruation can bring and elite athletes are not immune. Top GB marathoner Aly Dixon says her cramps are so bad they have often left her curled into a foetal position. ‘I’ve been very lucky that, in the last few years, races have fallen at the right time in my cycle,’ she says. ‘I’ve found that I can race quite well on day three, but the previous four days are not so good. I always try to make day one an easy or a rest day, as I often suffer with cramps so bad I can’t move from a curled-up ball on the sofa. I also get an achy back and heavy quads in the two days leading up to my period, which makes running hard a bit tougher, but my sessions still tend to go well.’ Yet while cramps are certainly horrible, they don’t need to ruin your race; exercise itself can actually help to alleviate them. Paula Radcliffe proved the point when she broke the world marathon record in Chicago in 2002, despite suffering period cramps during the latter stages of the race. Some women might resist the idea that a natural process such as the menstrual cycle is something we should feel ‘enslaved’ by. Yet the effects that changing levels of hormones can have is demonstrable. ‘I had amenorrhea [lack of periods] and had to have lots of hormone treatment when I wanted to get pregnant,’ says top club runner Gill Bland, a 2:53 marathoner. ‘The treatment had a massive impact. It made me a lot hotter, and my heart rate rise a lot quicker. I’ll never forget a 10K race I trained for – the week before I was running fast reps and I had to stop because I just couldn’t breathe properly. On race day itself I just felt so much hotter and couldn’t get the same speed for the effort.’ Can PMT effect performance? In Bland’s case, the hormonal changes were artificially induced, but the natural hormone changes in the second half of the cycle can result in similar symptoms. Runners who track their cycles soon start to see familiar patterns. ‘Every 28-29 days, at approximately 2pm, my period arrives and to be honest, the world becomes a better place,’ says Gemma Hockett, another top club runner. ‘Approximately seven days out I tend to get ratty and short tempered and my appetite starts to increase. I get restless during the night, and feel considerably warmer in bed. Two days out it’s like an animal takes over, and I cannot stop eating. I become bloated. I also struggle with headaches.’ This, of course, is PMT, and the effect on Hockett’s training is considerable: ‘I feel particularly flat two days out until two days after it begins,’ she admits. ‘I can still achieve marathon pace, but it feels so much harder. My breathing is also heavier. I struggle to run speed sessions. However, by day three and four it’s like a sudden transformation and I can run well.’ ‘My training is typically the best during phase one [just after her period] of my cycle,’ Hockett continues. ‘Racing a marathon during phase one and two is where I feel I can run well and do myself justice. Early phase three I would still consider it, but it would not be ideal. Phase four: sweet baby Jesus, forget it! Before I sign up to marathons I always check where it fits in with my cycle!’ How can running change at different points of the cycle? Hockett’s symptoms fit exactly with what we know about the cycle and performance: declining hormones in the premenstrual stage cause an inflammatory response, which can affect mood, sleep and energy levels, and compromise recovery. Then, when the period comes, hormone levels start to rise and energy returns.That inflammatory response also leads to a potentially higher risk of injury, another element scientists are only now starting to explore. For example, it’s already known that women are more likely to suffer an ACL tear than men. A key reason for this is oestrogen and the role it plays in the tissue surrounding and stabilising the knee. Perhaps unsurprisingly, as oestrogen fluctuates through the menstrual cycle, so does risk of this particular injury – study reviews published in Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal and The Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that the greatest risk is in week two of a normal cycle – the days just leading up to, and including, ovulation. Around a quarter of women suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding But what if it’s more than just cramps? Much attention recently has – rightly – surrounded the issue of endurance athletes not having periods for months or years on end, and the terrible impact this can have on their health. But at the other extreme, heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) – or menorrhagia – affects around a quarter of women. Yet we know almost nothing about its frequency among regular exercisers as there’s very little research on it. When the research scientist Georgie Bruinvels, herself a 2:37 marathon runner, surveyed over 1,000 female runners at the London Marathon expo, she found that 36 per cent reported HMB. Around a third of runners also reported a history of anaemia. However, while half of them had supplemented with iron, only 22 per cent had sought medical advice. Anaemia symptoms can include fatiguing easily, loss of energy and a rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath with exercise. You can see how it would be easy to pass this off as lack of fitness, but as Craggs discovered with his runner’s huge PB, adjusting iron to normal levels can have a massive positive impact on performance. But how do you know what constitutes ‘heavy’ and whether you have HMB? Clinically, the definition is 80ml blood loss per cycle. But as Bruinvels says, ‘How do you even measure that? Realistically, who wants to measure that? And even if you did, not all menstrual fluid is blood – perhaps only about half. It’s just not very helpful.’ The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have their own criteria: ‘Excessive menstrual blood loss which interferes with a woman’s physical, social, emotional and/or material quality of life’. This is also vague and subjective, so when Bruinvels was researching the area for her PhD, she came up with her own four-part criteria: bleeding through clothing or bedding; passing large clots; needing double sanitary protection; needing to change sanitary products more frequently.‘Because people don’t talk about it, they don’t know if their situation is abnormal,’ says Bruinvels ‘Women often experience symptoms and just accept them and think, “I’m a woman, that’s what happens.”’ But she stresses that you should see a doctor if you suspect anaemia. Peter Dazeley - Getty Images If my cycle is normal, can that still affect my running? Heavy bleeding and anaemia can be significant detrimental factors in athletic performance. But can a perfectly ‘normal’ cycle still affect performance? Yes, says Bruinvels, if you don’t understand and adapt to it properly. ‘Many runners just don’t prepare for their menstrual cycle,’ says Bruinvels. ‘They prepare for everything else, but not for their period. When I was interviewing women at the London Marathon, so many of them said – just a few days before the race – “I’m going to be on the worst day of my period on race day. What am I going to do?”. It was all last-minute panic.’ But what can you do? Many women may have heard of, or taken, norethisterone, the ‘period delay’ drug. This synthetic form of the hormone progesterone stops the womb from shedding its lining by keeping up hormone levels. It’s a pretty common way of ensuring bleeding arrives at a less inconvenient moment, whether that’s your wedding day or marathon day. The trouble is that side effects of hormonal treatments can end up affecting your performance, too. This was what caused Jess Judd to talk about her period back in 2013: as a British hopeful in the 800m at the World Championships she was worried about the timing of her big race. So she took the drug. ‘I think it played with my hormones more,’ she said afterwards. ‘I had to risk that. I thought, whatever happens it’s going to be better than being on my period. But it still affected me, I still felt heavy-legged. And I was very emotional, especially after the race. I wasn’t myself that day.’Other elite athletes have also spoken out. Paula Radcliffe said at the time she felt that it made things ‘a hundred times worse’ and was critical of British Athletics for not listening to female athletes’ feedback. Bruinvels isn’t a fan either. ‘Effectively you’re elongating your premenstrual state, but that’s typically when you feel rubbish,’ she says. If you are going to take it, she adds, then it should be done in advance. Ideally – and, of course, this does rely on a predictable cycle – do it a few months before, when potential side effects matter less, but it still shifts your cycle for the big day. How does the contraceptive pill impact running performance? While norethisterone is taken as an occasional one-off, two to three million women in the UK take one of the hormone-based contraceptive pills daily. Could this, too, affect your running performance? Frustratingly, even though the pill has been in common use for more than 50 years, there’s not a large amount of research either way. Certainly, a huge number of athletes have taken it for many years to no obvious detriment – a 2008 survey found that more than 80 per cent of elite female athletes were on the pill. But there are few studies large enough to draw any firm conclusions – some, such as a study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine have found a slight decrease in VO2 max among female athletes on the pill, while another, published in the same journal, found no difference in performance. But while we wait for more studies, there are options. Many women are moving away from long-term use of hormonal pills owing to more general concerns, such as the impact on mental health. LARCs – long-acting reversible contraceptives such as the copper coil or IUD – are increasingly popular (39 per cent of women accessing contraceptives from NHS sexual health clinics in England now choose an LARC, up from 21 per cent in 2007). From a performance point of view, Bruinvels recommends them, because her research suggests that taking certain types of pill increases levels of underlying inflammation and oxidative stress. ‘There is also a suggestion that it may blunt an adaptation to training,’ she says, ‘so just from a performance perspective, it may not be the best option. Using data to understand and adapt Knowing all this, should you adapt your training depending on your cycle? Definitely, says Bruinvels. ‘We know that oestrogen, for example, influences adaptation. So research demonstrates that resistance training in the first half of your menstrual cycle is more beneficial than in the second half.’ Bruinvels, along with colleagues at Orreco, which focuses on applying data to improve sports science, created FitrWoman, an app that tracks the cycle of female athletes and is full of tips as to when and why certain related symptoms might occur, how to mitigate them and what type of training might be best at different times of the month. And what if race day falls at a bad time? For Bruinvels, understanding is key: ‘The first thing to do is to work out why that is the worst day for you, and what you can do to help naturally control your cycle and reduce the symptoms,’ she says. ‘I worked with someone last year who gets really bad sleep disruption at certain points, and it had really affected her races. So we put a sleep strategy in place, which meant we didn’t have to do anything to (medically) deregulate her.’ Using your diet to help Focusing on diet can also help. ‘Premenstrually, as oestrogen and progesterone levels decrease, there’s an increase in hormone-like substances called prostoglandins, which drive an inflammatory response,’ says Bruinvels. ‘Diet at that time is very important because you might avoid having anything that’s pro-inflammatory in your diet, like processed meats, or even dairy, which has been shown to exacerbate symptoms. Then you can include anti-inflammatory foods, antioxidants and fibre.’ The key message here is that while all the potential issues might appear worrying, there’s no reason to stop training. Adjusting your rest days or easy days according to your own cycle can work really well, and just being informed can help. ‘Knowledge is power,’ says Bruinvels. ‘Loads of women tell us that just understanding makes them feel much better. There are so many simple things that can be done – optimising your diet, looking after your general health and wellbeing – that can reduce the severity of symptoms.’ It is also, though, a good idea to avoid making assumptions about how you might feel. A day after talking to us about her terrible cramps, Dixon got back in touch with RW. ‘After all I said, today I got my period three days early,’ she explained. ‘I had a 10-mile tempo planned, so I thought I’d warm up and see how I felt. I didn’t feel bad, so I went for it – and it ended up being my best tempo since this time in 2017! ‘I think, like a lot of things, you can get an idea in your head and it controls you. I know in the past I’ve had some real shockers, and if I really looked into it, it might be more to do with training fatigue. But now I just associate it with my period. Having said that, I also haven’t had my normal restless night’s sleep that I tend to get. The body is very complicated!’ Meanwhile, Bruinvels also has a message for female athletes who fear that their menstrual cycle could cost them a PB, or even an Olympic medal. ‘I think if you don’t do something about it, it could,’ she says. ‘But if you are savvy and understand your cycle, there is no reason why you can’t perform at your best on any one day. Best running shoes 2019: the best men's and women's running trainers, tested in the lab and on the road 7 of the best dumbbells for your home workouts Best coaching headphones for runners ‘For those who are worried that I’m starving myself, don’t worry. I’m not,’ Irwin wrote Joe Marchant is set to be recalled to England’s starting line-up to face Scotland on Saturday, with Manu Tuilagi in line to be left out of the squad entirely. Sue Cleaver won the hearts of the nation during her stint in I'm A Celebrity in 2022 and during her time in the jungle, the 59-year-old lost weight as a result of their meagre camp meals. Since leaving the show, Sue has said she isn't focusing on maintaining her new figure and doesn't worry about her weight. "Life is hard enough!" the Coronation Street star told Prima. "There's always going to be outside pressure and unfair expectations placed on women, but I refuse to get pulled into it," she s Loose Women star Kaye Adams says she 'wasn't functioning' amid three-year health woe Loose Women star Kaye Adams struggled with her health for three years, admitting it impacted her career and left her feeling vulnerable. The 60-year-old presenter spoke on the Boots Taboo Talk podcast, opening up about her hearing loss and sharing that it made her feel like she "wasn't functioning" and led her to question if she could carry on with her career. WATCH: Kaye Adams invites fans to her hearing aid fitting Kaye also detailed the reasons she left it three years before addressing the is Eilish McColgan on trans debate: One per cent advantage is too much Eilish McColgan, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000 metres champion, says it is “too much” for transgender athletes to compete in women’s elite sport even if they have retained only a one per cent advantage.

Board index » Roleplay » General Roleplay Page 1 of 4[ 160 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4 Next Fire Emblem: The Heroes' Legacy General Luigi In Justice We Trust OOC thread link The streets of Radom were teeming with people, pilgrims from all over Duat who had come to participate in the Heroes’ Journey, priests and monastics bearing holy icons and relics, merchants hoping to take advantage of the abundance of potential customers, guards trying to maintain order, mercenaries hired to escort the pilgrims, and onlookers who had simply come to see the annual spectacle. The ringing of church bells could always be heard over the clamor of the crowded streets as processions made their way to monasteries and churches that had agreed to host them while they rested and waited for the Journey to begin. For some, the joyous atmosphere bore with it a sense of foreboding. King Laomedon of Hicaz was expected to attack Sandomir, Belzen’s ally to the south, and some people, particularly the rulers of the seven kingdoms on the Sabaean Peninsula, were worried that the impending war might cause problems for the pilgrims, to say nothing of the regular citizens who were threatened. In the hope of discouraging a war, the rulers of what had come to be called the Sabaean Coalition had arranged a meeting at Radom Castle and had asked Emperor Marduk of Plocs, the de facto leader of the Central Alliance, to join them. Unfortunately, short of protecting the procession once it entered Dulkadir, the Central Alliance was unwilling to aid the Sabaean Coalition against Hicaz. “Your Majesty, please reconsider,” Queen Suzianna of Sandomir begged. “Our coalition is but a diversion. A war between Hicaz and the Central Alliance is not a question of if, but one of when. Our coalition is the only force in this region that stands a chance against Hicaz, and even then, things do not look good. We are significantly outnumbered. Should Hicaz defeat us, their next target will inevitably be Dulkadir, and through them, the Central Alliance as a whole.” “We are sorry, but we cannot afford to aid you at the moment,” Emperor Marduk replied. “Have you forgotten that there is another empire that threatens the Central Alliance? Said empire is far closer to regional supremacy. Once Nauplia falls—and let us face it, unlike your coalition, the once-mighty Achaean Empire truly stands no chance against Arwad. Once Nauplia falls, it is very likely that Arwad will attack us. Splitting our forces at such a time would be disastrous. Should Hicaz attack Dulkadir or any other member of the Central Alliance, then—and only then—will we involve ourselves. Arwad is a much more pressing concern for us at the moment. We know you only invited us here in order to ask us to help you, so unless there are other matters to discuss, we will take our leave.” Not waiting for a response, the Emperor turned and left the reception hall. “That’s it, then,” King Amphion of Gonder commented. “The Sabaean Coalition stands alone. But Gonder is prepared to fight to the end. Hicaz will have to place their banner atop every mountain, atop every castle in our realm, before we will even consider surrender. Should Hicaz force their way into Gonder, they will find that the land itself opposes them.” “Yes,” King Ezekiel of Belzen replied. “Even with Nauplia on the verge of falling, Achaea fights on. Should it come to that, so shall we. If nothing else, our effort will be so costly for Laomedon that he would have to be a fool to start any more wars.” He looked at the other rulers one by one, then walked to the windows and gazed out at the processions. “You all have my thanks for your devotion to our cause. Though I had never sought to make a secret of it, I do not believe I have mentioned that I originally planned on joining the Journey this year. With war likely, it appears I will only be able to go as far as Sandomir. I doubt Laomedon would allow me into his territory, even for a pilgrimage. Nevertheless, I and my retinue will be going with the procession until we reach the border with Hicaz. Laomedon will not be able to attack me without risking incurring the ire of the entire Church of Ashunera, and through them, the Goddess herself.” Re: Fire Emblem: The Heroes' Legacy Ardan signed as he gathered his belongings around him waving goodbye to the guards from his village, good folks he'd known many of them since they were children, as they prepared for the journey back to South Duat. Some of the men spared him a little gold to aid his pilgrimage in farewell, the journey to the city of Radom had been relatively uneventful but Ardan had been healing their wounds for years so far. It wasn't long before his friends disappeared into the depths of the bustling city. Ardan silently said a prayer for their safe return before adjusting his gear. On his own the priest looked horribly cluttered, a suitcase bearing gifts at side from Media, a heavy backpack with travel gear and clothes on his back and behind that attached a heavy banner bearing the crest of his town and church. Groaning Ardan turned and staggered towards the church square when other excited people were gathering to make the Heroes Journey. In truth Ardan was just as eager as them, it was a great honour for him to be allowed this opportunity for Bishop Briggans was poorly at the time and so could not set out on the Journey in time and as such he had nominated Ardan in his place. Settling down on the steps of the church the aging priest sighed relieved to lighten the load on his back as the weight lifted from him slightly, unfortunately the Media patrol wasn't willing to accompany him the entire way understandably since they had their own duties back in town. As such Ardan was expected to either hire his own mercenaries to guard him or, preferably, be provided with assistance from the Church of Radom. Glancing around the edges of the square Ardan grimaced slightly, sure enough a mixed cloud of unruly, grim and battle-prepared people were waiting eyes eagerly flickering between the various holy banners and priests, mercenaries waiting for an opportunity to make a little coin. Ardan gave a quick glance down at his money purse and jingled it slightly knowing it soon might be a great deal lighter soon should the churches protection be inadequate. Cold52 It had been a week since Dorran had arrived in Radom, unfortunately having run out of funds, he had to find any job he could to make some income. it had been helpful to have Durandal around at some jobs, others he had cause problems at causing him to lose jobs. Having no place to keep him while he worked he'd lost many job opportunities and had nothing for two days. The day before he'd overheard a conversation about the pilgrimage and had decided that this might be his best bet thus he prepared for the day. Arriving at the town square he began questioning if he'd have any luck, for one thing he didn't look so good (he hadn't ate anything in the past two days), worse there was many who had come out also looking work which had been made worse that he hadn't put his skills to use much since his days as a wyvern rider which might have been his only saving grace as he was probably one of few around with his own wyvern (or at least with them at the time). Blak The Great ☆☆☆ Kira ☆☆☆ Location: Nippon-Weeb-Land Lucius entered the city of Radom atop a horse he had secured when a group of bandits attempted to ambush him. Mercilessly, Lucius killed them with ease and left their bodies on the blood soaked earth. Upon reaching the gates of Radom, he gave his newfound horse to an elderly man and his daughter. The man had trouble walking, so the horse would make the journey on him much easier. The daughter expressed her delight and offered to pay Lucius for the horse, but she was met with an intense glare and backed off. Lucius coldly walked past the two while the old man assured her that Lucius was really a good man, and entered Radom. Equipped with his custom armor and a bronze lance he found shortly after leaving the Royal Guard of Paphlagonia (he wasn't able to keep his silver lance), Lucius whistled as he looked onward at the city square. The lone traveler was met with a bustling marketplace filled with mercenaries and pilgrims. "So this is Radom? Duat's pretty quaint compared to home, but I guess that's expected." Lucius thought to himself while he stroked his beard. "First thing's first. Where's the bar? It's hot, and I need a drink...badly. And some information wouldn't help either." Determined to get alcohol into his stomach to escape the heat, Lucius took further steps into the city. As he pushed with frustration past the the crowd of people in the marketplace, Lucius found himself standing in front of the church. He noticed a rather discouraged priest sitting on the steps. "Tch. All that work, and I end up in front of a church with a vagabond of a priest sitting out in front." "Oi! Father! I need some directions to the nearest bar, so could you help me out? I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'm not wholly interested in hearing your sermon for today." Lucius said as he walked up to the lone priest. He notices that the priest is a traveler such as himself. "Oh sorry Father, I didn't realize you weren't from around here. That explains why you also look a little dejected. How's about we help each other out. You accompany me to the bar, I buy you a few rounds, and I'll help you with what you need. Sounds good?" I'm Blak, and I have shit taste. DoMaya A growl from the woods, bouncing off the trees and stretching for miles. "Man you need to get some food in you, your stomach is almost as empty as your head." The swordsman walked with his armor halfway off, the chestplate was pushed forward and the rest of the top half was leaning backwards. the arms were attached to the back part of the armor and they shook as the Swordsman walked. "No, I'm serious. Nobody's gonna want a suit of armor with a dead guy in it. At that, the back part of the armor leaned forward, and the arms tapped the shoulder of the swordsman wearing it. "Don't you hear me buddy? It's me! Baalphonse!" The swordsman continued to ignore the voice as he walked on. "All right, I know when I ain't wanted. Just dont expect me to drag your dumba-" The swordsman took his knife and flung it towards a tree, pinning a snake mid pounce to it. It's mouth still held the bird it had successfully grabbed, a beautiful red and white bird with small black eyes oblivious to the 30 pound snake bleeding death. "I'm telling you man, if it wasn't for me you'd be dead. I was all: "Crelarus! look out it's a big a*cough* snake!" And you just sit there and eat it like it was just a gift or something." Crelarus continued to eat, watching the people flocking towards Radom. "And why did you let the bird go? It would have tasted better than the snake." "I like birds." Ardan looked up from his thoughts snapped out of them by the strange young spearman in front of him. Giving the man a once over lingering slightly on the man's hair and custom armour crest, he forged a slight weary smile as possibilities crossed his mind. A noble from back home, wonder why he's come to find fame out here? Still I wonder if he truly knows the weight of what he asks he thought as he hefted his bag and suitcase in an attempt to stand up. With a little struggle he forced himself to his feet "Fear not friend, I am not as dejected as I seem" he said dusting himself down and straightening the banner attached to his backpack. "However I certainly can aid you in your task for such a generous offer" he said with a smile as he began to move gesturing for the spearman to follow. When his previous guard had went their own way some of them headed straight for the nearby tavern. Ardan glanced up at the sun making a rough estimation of how long he had. "Time enough," he muttered aloud glancing back at the spearman as he walked "My name is Ardan Nivean, a priest from the far-off town of Duat, what might your name be ser?" he asked while he struggled to frantically place where the man's crest came from. He was disrupted from his thoughts by a slight commotion on the edge of the town square however as a rarity among men, a wyvern rider emerged trailing his beautiful beast behind him. Other mercenaries shifted aside, some in fright from the man and his mount as they found their own place in the ring of mercenaries. "Well that is certainly a rare sight" Ardan said pausing to examine the beast before adjusting his path so he wouldn't have to pass close to it. As he slowly made his way through he had spotted a priest who like many others had been taking notice of his wyvern Durandal. Full of hope, he was about to go up to the man and introduce himself in hopes for work when he noticed he was adjusting his path moving past him perhaps to avoid him and his wyvern. giving a dejected sigh he was about to move on but before advancing he had seen the looks in durandal's eyes, he could tell he was smelling something which he thought was likely food. he noticed he began moving in the priests direction. Quickly reacting to his friends desire, he got in front of durandal and began to push him back "I know your hungry just calm down" Durandal had quickly noticed what it was doing and had snapped out of it...of course not before it had pushed him in front of the priest. "ah sorry if he startled you good priest he wouldn't hurt a fly...well maybe a pig or fish but not a person...unless i ordered him to" he gave a chuckle. "Not that im begging or anything but...would you happen to have any food on you or something? Perhaps recently eaten somthing strong smelling...I only ask as those are the only reasons that i can think of why he would start to act as he did?" Lucius crossed his arms and chuckled as he walked alongside Ardan. "That's the spirit Father! Ain't nothing like a good drink to get a man back on his feet! Forgive my manners as I've forgotten to introduce myself. I am Lucius Drake from Paphlagonia. I'm an ex-soldier of the Royal Guard sworn to protect the King. I'm sure after a few drinks I'll be confessing my life story to you." Lucius followed Ardan's and marveled at the passing wyvern. Having read about them only in books, Lucius was fascinated by this rare spectacle. Much like a child, Lucius walked up to the wyvern ignoring the owner's voice, and placed his hand firmly on the winged beast's leathery snout. Lucius gazed into the black eyes of the creature. The hungry wyvern started to growl, but Lucius stood firm. He continued to stare down the wyvern until it backed down. The wyvern known as Durandal looked away from Lucius' cold gaze and sat down. Lucius smiled happily at what he accomplished. "Ah ha! Just as I was taught as a kid! I can't believe it worked!" Lucius exclaimed as he enthusiastically patted Durandal's snout. "Ahh! I believe I didn't catch your name good sir or the name of this gallant beast. I'm Lucius Drake. It's a pleasure to meet a man who's tamed a wyvern. The Father and I were just on our way to the local tavern for some drinks and possibly food. Would you care to join us?" Lucius politely says as he extends his hand out toward the wyvern rider. Ardan froze for a moment in surprise and a slight panic when the wyvern lunged in his direction. By now a few onlookers were gazing at the spectacle curiously "My my...heh...such a strong sense of smell" Ardan said nervously as he reached into his pocket "He must be smelling some of the dried bacon I had left over from this morning" he said pulling out a small bundle of salted bacon rashers and waving it somewhat frantically at the Wyvern's owner. It was at this point he noticed his companion, now introduced as Lucius, petting the Wyvern's nose and Ardan relaxed somewhat "Well it seems the creature is friendly enough I suppose" he said with a sigh of relief as he regained his composure "Still yes like my friend said we are currently going to procure some food before the great Journey later on, Lucius has kindly pledged his service in exchange for a few beverages" he said deciding it was probably best not to lead Lucius on. durran gave a light chuckle as he saw the priest wave the bacon "well i suppose its true when they say hunger is the greatest spice" giving one last laugh. unfortunately as you could probably guess by my friend here im short on funds and unless i find work i might not even have a place to sleep tonight though I suppose if I or my large friend here wont be a bother I would be grateful for your kindness". "Ahh...before I forget I should introduce myself my name is Dorran Baine of calis a traveler and ex-wyvern rider and this guy here is my good friend durandal a wyvern who i've helped raise and grew up with since I was just a young lad" he said with a smile. Lucius gave Dorran a healthy slap on the back. "It's settled then! Time to hit the bar! Drinks and food are on me! Oh and I think I've got some food on me somewhere..." Lucius digs in his brown leather rucksack and finds a small piece of preserved raw meat. "Here ya go Durrandal." Lucius tosses the meat in the hungry wyvern's direction. Durandal snaps it out of the air and quickly gobbles it down. Spurred on by hunger, Durandal starts nudging Lucius repeatedly in search of more food. "Sorry boy, but that was all I had left. I pilfered that off some poor bandits who thought they could get away with robbing me. Don't worry, we can buy some more food once we get to the bar." Lucius places a reassuring hand on Durandal's lowered head. Twiddling with the strand of hair in front of him, Lucius addresses Ardan who was still overcoming the shock of meeting Durandal. "Father Ardan, you seemed to have been here longer than I have. Did you happen to see any establishments where we could rest and drink?" Ardan sighed and nodded to himself "Well then I suppose you two shall make excellent guards, and it pleases me to hear you are more than a match for a couple of bandits wanderer" he said to Lucius hefting his staff again as some of the mercenaries parted to allow the small retinue past once again beckoning for the men to follow noticing an even wider clearing for the wyvern followed by a few 'ooohs' and 'ahhs' in awe from the crowd "Yes Dorran, unlike our friend Lucius here I trust you know the purpose for us holy men gathering here and are probably looking for some employment," he said pausing to let Dorran catch up and walk abreast of him. It was slightly awkward moving through the crowds, most of whom were gathering to see the pilgrimage's start. While there was no need for them all to leave at once often many of the priests would leave at once with their banners and retinue in order to ensure greater safety, however it seemed Ardan's guard-to-be were hungry and so he would miss such an opportunity but the trade off seemed worth it to Ardan as he glanced back at the Wyvern. "That's an impressive steed, no doubt any troublemakers will steer clear of us just on sighting such a majestic creature" he said choosing his words carefully when speaking to Dorran. The thought of such a creature actually still put Ardan on edge a little but he hoped it would serve as a greater deterrent to any opposition and indeed the sight of Durandal seemed to be making passage through town easier as people cleared a path for them. "Well here we are, the Laughing Cat" he said looking up at the small bar his men had recommended upon approach to the town. A rather dilapidated looking sign swung with a caricature of a seemingly drunk cat with a huge grin rolling on it's back. "If you'll come inside gentlemen we can discuss the Journey ahead and your payment" he said giving Durandal an uncertain glance "Though uh....I'm not sure your friend will be welcome inside" he said aware the door was clearly not designed for creatures of his size. Lucius' demeanor changes. He now wears a stern expression with his smile twisted into a violent grimace. His hand is unconsciously placed on his "Do not mistake my eagerness to drink for ignorance. I know full well about the Journey and its significance. I'm chasing after the woman who took everything from me, and a long pilgrimage is bound to yield at least SOME information regarding my target." Lucius explains assertively as he quickly walks to the entrance of the Laughing Cat. Lucius places his hand firmly on the wooden door and pushes. The door creaks open and a flood of noise escapes the bar. Laughing and the clinking of glasses fill the party's ears. Before entering Lucius turns his head to the left, his good eye giving off a tragic air around him, and states, "I'm not interested in your payment. All I want is information. I will accompany you on your pilgrimage only to benefit myself. However, I will remain true to my word and help you with whatever you need after drinks. When the last drop of spirits leaves your mug, my lance is yours." In an attempt to clear the uncomfortable atmosphere the others may be feeling, Lucius breaks into a smile and shouts while entering the bar, "Barkeep! A round of your finest ale for my compatriots and I and the best dish your cook can make! I'd also like a slab of meat for our hungry wyvern sitting outside!" "I'll need a moment, sir!" one of the people tending the bar hollered to Lucius over the patrons' chatter. A skinny man, looking to be in his forties, passed some mugs and a single plate of some sort of red meat to a group of mercenaries sitting at a table. He glanced over at a young woman who was near the kegs. "Anissa, could you bring these fellows at the door some Blacktooth?" Anissa nodded and turned to one of the kegs as the man looked back at Lucius and his comrades. "We'll need some time to get your food, but you'll have your ale in a bit. Why don't you find a seat while you wait?" though he had been greatful of the generous offer, he probably could have lived without the slap on the back from lucius...though he wouldn't admit it...it really stung. durring there walk to the bar dorran had begun to notice the priests worry written on his face and decided to try and help put his mind at ease. "I can tell your still worried about my friend here...but trust me when I say there are probably few better trained then him...my father was pretty well known back home for his talent in raising them...though I suppose id be wary of him two if I had seen something like him approaching towards me for the first time with the look of hunger in his eyes" he chuckled. As they approached the laughing cat the priest had asked him about durandal unsure where he could be. "ahh hell be fine outside, most keep away and anyone foolish to try and do anything to him soon meet his teeth and claws best part is barkeepers tend to be happy to have um around...most drunks don't tend to stick nearby or at least cause problems for long with him around." Before they entered lucius had begun talking seriously about a woman one who as he sounded had caused serious problems for him. He begun to think to himself "well looks like we both have issues...he decided to question Lucius about what he said...who knows perhaps he could finally catch a lead on the group of bandits his mother once led...after all she might have been his mother who he still was greatful for...but she still got what came to her in the end and someday the rest of those bandits will as well. "lucius if i may ask who is the woman your talking about...if i may say so myself ive been traveling for quite some time so theres a possibility i may have heard somthing." Lucius adheres to the barkeep's words and beckons the party to an empty table in the corner further in the back of the bar. "Now that we have a seat, I think now's a good time as any to talk a bit more about myself. I grew up in the city of Zantiac in Paphlagonia in which my family held a lot of power. I grew up with my twin sister Estelle, and my two older brothers were enlisted in the Royal Army, My eldest brother's position in the Royal Army forged a close tie between our household and the Royal Family. We had a maid named Cecilia. One night she betrayed us, and allowed a small group of female bandits to infiltrate the city. They opened the gates late at night in order for a much larger force to overwhelm Zantiac. Nobles were killed while the poor and middle class were left relatively unharmed. The boys from noble families were to be sold as slaves, and the girls were forced to join their ranks against their will. Cecilia led the leader of the bandits to our secure bunker underneath the house. That's where we met Reine the self-proclaimed leader of the all female group of bandits. She killed my parents in front of me, and took my sister. She was about to kill me as well, but Cecilia interfered and spared my life..." Lucius pauses and rests his chin on his raised folded hands. Then he traced the X-shaped scar on his right eye. "Her loyalty was questioned and Reine turned her sword on Cecilia. To prove that she would not betray Reine, Cecilia took my right eye and left me on ground. Reine laughed as she held my severed eye while I was helpless on the ground. The bandits left with my sister and Cecilia turned her back on me without even a single glance my way. They burned the house to the ground and I escaped my death by using the escape exit that even Cecilia was aware of." "I later followed my brothers and became a member of the Royal Army. I then trained as a Guard to protect the King. One day, I stopped an assassin who revealed to me that Reine was last seen somewhere on this continent. I left Paphlagonia and here I am getting ready to drink with you two." Lucius's facial expression softens, and turns remorseful. "My goal is not revenge, but rather reuniting with Estelle. If Reine has indeed turned my dear sister into a heartless bandit, then not even the Gods could inflict wrath equal in power to what I will do to that fiend." "Here you are, gentlemen," Anissa said as she passed out mugs of a very dark ale. "Blacktooth ale. According to the brewer, the hops were fabulous this year. As for our finest dish, I'm not entirely sure what you had in mind, but since the cook's preparing boar pies for some of the other patrons, shall I ask him to make one for you? We also have plenty of pheasants in the storehouse, if you would prefer one of those." She paused, appearing to look at Lucius's eye. She stopped once she realized she was being rude. "Ah. Sorry, sir. I'll also have someone give your wyvern something in a moment. As you can see, we're very busy." Lucius's resentment towards women gets the better of him. His armored fists tremble with rage and he snaps at her aggressively when he catches Anissa gazing at his eye. "You've delivered our ale what more do you want? Did you want me to show you what's behind this eyepatch?! Perhaps you're looking for some extra gold from me! Women are all the same. Constantly expecting something from a man just because they bat their eyes in their direction. Bring us our food and leave us. Your presence is bothersome to me, and I don't want it spoiling this occasion." Lucius closes his eye as a means to meditate and calm down. "M-my apologies, sir!" Anissa yelped, stumbling back, but quickly regaining her balance. "I-I... I..." She seemed about to explain why she looked at Lucius's eye, but stopped herself, probably thinking it was better not to risk making him angrier. "I'll see what the cook can do about preparing a boar pie for all of you." She turned around and scampered toward the kitchen. Several of the other patrons had overheard Lucius's outburst and were staring for a bit. One by one, however, they returned to their meals. A moment later, a young man came out of the kitchen, carrying a very large slab of meat, and took it out the front door. He was shocked to see his behavior towards the lady though after his story he could surmise why he might take such actions and decided to just look towards the waitress "sorry you'll have to excuse my friend here...hes just really tense right now and thank you for your service". he gave the waitress a sincere smile. afterwards he sad down and he began to show a more serious look on his face. "it would seem you and I both have similar trait in our background...since you've told me yours...allow me to say mine. Before I was born my mother had been the leader of a group of bandits herself having destroyed and plundered much in her time. In the end though she was later betrayed by her own group and though injured managed to flee and go into hiding...but the thing was she was betrayed on a night she and her group had attacked a town...at least what my sources have told me. " "anyways it was far later in life that she was assassinated along with my father and as i later found out was due to her raid on said village on that night a survivor had by chance found her and decided to hire an assassin to kill her, me and my dad...and likely would have succeeded if not for my good friend out there...bit the guys arm clean off and got me out of my then burning house...still got the burns to show it" he held up his burn-scar written hand. "although I hated the assassin its also only thanks to him I was able to find out the reasons for that night...and have been traveling since in order to destroy that particular group of bandits." Lucius massages his temples in frustration with one hand. He takes a big gulp from his mug and speaks. "I see where you're going with this story, but I will say this. I know for a fact that your mother and Reine are not the same person. The attempt on my King's life was but a few months ago, and the assassin was sent by Reine herself. The assassin was supposed to have met up with Reine and the group by taking this pilgrimage. The assassin herself didn't even know the exact location of where she was to meet..." Lucius strokes his beard and continues. "Another detail about your story proves that Reine cannot have been your mother. Her attack on Zantiac was eight years ago when I was eleven. If she had quit being a bandit that very year, got married, and had you then you'd have to be at least eight years younger than I am..." He pauses and says with a wry chuckle, "And something tells me that you aren't a child anymore my friend." Satisfied, the tragic noble finishes his glass and calls for another. He attempts to apologize to the woman he yelled at earlier. "Lady Anissa I believe your name was. I'd like to have a moment of your time if you would." Anissa nervously approached Lucius. Worried about setting him off again, she avoided direct eye contact. "I-I'm sorry about before, sir. I... please forgive my bluntness, but the gem on your eyepatch caught my attention. I meant no disrespect. ...Ah... Anyway, is there something I can help you with? The boar pie will not be ready for a while, but my brother should have tended to your wyvern recently. I hope you don't mind that the venison wasn't given the same... attention... we give to our usual customers' meals." "ow I had already known my mother wouldn't have anything to do with this...and you'd be correct about my age...i am 52 after all" he gave a good laugh. "its it wasn't my mothers involvement I was after it was the group itself i was curious about...you see though my mom has long since been gone the groups activity has risen especially in recent years...what I was hoping for was knowledge of the group you were referring to...it wouldn't be out of the question for groups of bandits to split from one another forming new groups...as such it wouldn't be impossible for members of the group i seek to have formed or became apart of the group you spoke of." as he was saying such the young waitress from earlier approached and spoke of the food he decided to speak up. "don't worry about it, durandal my wyvern's never been particular with how his food was prepared "he smiled at the waitress and speaking of venison i would love to get some myself if i may. Lucius mustered mental stability and coughed into his shoulder. "I must apologize for my savagely behavior. I'm extremely uncomfortable around women, and my eye is a testament to that. My behavior towards women isn't normally as beastly as I displayed to you, but today you just caught me in the middle of me retelling my past to my guests which isn't a particularly happy one at that. And.... I do suppose my eyewear is a little garish and does tend to warrant attention every now and then." Lucius is clearly sweating now, but he plays it off calm and collected as he continues talking to Anissa. "I would just like to emphasize that you are not at all at fault for setting me off. This is a weakness that I hope to overcome, and as a gesture of goodwill I will give you a generous tip. Considering the clientele you deal with here, I don't think you are paid well enough here. But keep this between you and I." Lucius whispers that last statement, and puts a medium sized bag of gold into her apron pocket. "Now then, if you would be so kind I would like another glass of your Blacktooth ale." Lucius humbly bows his head to bewildered girl. Lucius addresses Dorran next with a warm smile, "Ahhh so you are looking into the group itself that your mother led. Our interests may possibly be linked, so I see that we'll be relying on each in the future." Anissa was speechless for a moment, though it wasn't clear whether it was out of gratitude or confusion. She managed to snap out of it, though. "I'll be back in a moment with the ale." She glanced at Dorran. "The venison will need time. Right now, our cook's working on the boar pies I mentioned earlier." An elderly man tapped Anissa on the shoulder. She whipped her head over to see who it was. "Is your father here?" the man asked. "I think he's in the storehouse." Anissa smiled. "I'm glad to see you're okay, Gennady. When you didn't arrive last month, we assumed the worst." "Well, we came pretty close to it. I'd probably be dead if it wasn't for the Budinites showing up. Anyway, it's a bit less than I promised, but I've got the wine if your father's got the gold." "I'll see if he can come out. As you can see, we're very busy." "I'll be waiting out front, then." Anissa glanced back at Dorran as Gennady left. "Sorry about that. Anyway, if you're willing to wait, I'm sure the cook would be able to prepare some venison for you." he looked at the waitress once again "its no trouble take as long as you need, Ive waited for quite some time for a meal...so awile longer wont kill me". he then looked back to lucius "sounds good then...but for now lets put that to rest after all were here to enjoy the night" raising up his mug "to the journey ahead and the fortune it brings." he then began to drink not waiting for a toast. "it looks like it'll be quite a nice and uneventful night after all...I was begging to think id be sleeping hungry in the streets tonight...and let me tell that isn't easy with a starving wyvern by your side" he chuckled. With snake blood still on his hands the swordsman walked into town. As he walked the armor started to re-assemble around his chest, but he paid it no mind. "I bet we can get us something strong to drink in there." His limp arm allowed the armor to move itself and point towards a bar sign with a picture of a cat that obviously found the aspect of it's own intoxication absolutely hilarious. He walked towards it, passing by the tame wyvern as it smelled the snake blood on him. He opened the door to be welcomed by a particularly flustered waitress who didn't get a good look at him. He nodded to her and he walked to an empty table near a group consisting of an obnoxious spearman, a scatterbrained priest, and a guy who looked out of place without his wyvern. When the waitress eventually got to him, you could tell she wasn't used to people walking in with blood all over their face. "Ah!" Anissa yelped when she noticed Crelarus staring at her. She shut her eyes tightly and shuddered as she tried to regain her composure. She breathed in deeply through her nose and let out an audible sigh, seeming to grow a bit calmer. "Would you like something, sir?" she asked. Though she had managed to prevent her voice from shaking, the expression in her eyes betrayed her nervousness. What kind of crime she suspected the young man had recently committed was something she chose to keep to herself. "Milk, please" He felt the blood sticking to his face and the inside of his gauntlets. "and some warm water with a rag." "and some Sun Slammer if you have any!" Either ignoring the second voice or unable to hear it, the Waitress walked off. I bet she was wondering how an ugly chimp like you got armor this fine" Crelarus looked around, letting the people nearby get a good look at his face. Ardan sighed snapping back to reality after his brief daydream finding himself with some rather melancholy-looking companions, he glanced down at the mug in front of him. A deep dark ale, hardly a fitting drink for a man of the cloth but it would be rude to turn down something that had been ordered for him already so he took a slight swig of the ale. It smelt rank and burned his throat on the way down but he managed to avoid from making a face having seen how easy it was for Lucius' mood to swing to turn down his hospitality might not be the best of plans at the moment. Indeed Ardan's doubts about Lucius increased more as time progressed watching with indifference at his furious outburst at the poor waitress who had approached before watching him fumble over to the waitress later on to make a half-hearted apology. Perhaps I would be better off without someone so volatile on the road, man's just as likely to stab me for some minor infraction against him as an enemy he thought to himself watching the alcohol swill in his mug while his two companions twaddled on about some tragic backstory or some such tales. Taking another sip in silence, They'd do best to let go of such vengeful intentions, tales with heroes of that motivation often end up somewhat sad he thought to himself and had he not witnessed Lucius' barely-constrained rage he would have offered counsel but at that point in time he did not think such advice would have been well received. Eventually a gasp from the door drew his attention as a bloody and tattered man staggered in uttering some words to the waitress in passing before half-collapsing into a chair not far from them. Being somewhat tired of Lucius' company Ardan stood up stretching his legs seeing an opportunity. "Excuse me gentlemen but I do have my duties after all," he said apologetically to them as he reached for his staff before going to approach the bleeding swordsman. "Pardon me for interrupting your meal ser but I can't help notice you seem to be wounded, would you like some treatment for your injuries?" he offered standing opposite the bleeding man. Normally for healing he preferred to sit beside the patient, to put them at ease and comfort them somewhat more but this was far from the clergy he was used to with patrons far more inclined to violence than his usual congregation so he felt the distance was suitable. "This blood isn't mine" He continued to wait for the waitress to boring him his milk. "I bet he could fix your head though, some crazy stuff going on in here" Ardan tilted his head frowning slightly not expecting a rebuttal "I see...well I hope they died justly" he said quietly making a small sign in respect for the fallen before glancing the man over once more. That's a great deal of blood, it must've been an intense battle I'm surprised if he would've made it out entirely without a scratch Ardan mused to himself before bowing slightly "Well please excuse me ser for I must prepare for the pilgrimage if you should need any healing you can find me at the St. Lahar Monastery now I shall take my leave" he said feeling somewhat easy standing in the bloodied man's presence before returning to his own table. "I hope that man is ok, I understand some denizens of the city are certainly rather rough looking but walking around like that is certainly going to attract the attention of the authorities before long" he muttered to his companions. At that moment, Anissa came out of the kitchen, carrying a large platter with several smaller plates on it, each plate adorned with a steaming pie. The same young man who delivered the venison to Durandal came out a moment later, carrying another platter. As Anissa stopped in front of Lucius, placed the platter on the table, and passed one of the pies to him, a man looking to be in his fifties came out of the kitchen with a cup of milk, stopping to hand it to Crelarus before walking out the door. "The venison will be ready in about half an hour," Anissa said to Dorran as she picked up the platter. "The cook is carving it right now." She walked off and began passing pies to other patrons, the young man who left the kitchen with her already doing the same. Lucius gruffly thanked Anissa for the pies just before she left. Just before digging into the succulent pastry, Lucius studied the bloodied man with fascination. Crelarus seemed to be the type of man who reveled in the thrill of battle, but his face and behavior seemed to give off a feeling of childlike innocence. Ardan had taken his seat once again at the table. Lucius acknowledged his comment and replied, "Father Ardan I can tell that man finds the idea of fighting pleasurable. He's giving me this impression of a child that plays with his toys a little too roughly. While a bit disturbing, and I hope I'm wrong, I can sympathize with him. He must have seen some traumatizing things to make him what he is today." Lucius took another swill of his frosty mug. This was already his 6th round, and he was still quite sober. As he finished the last drop of his ale, he looked longingly at the empty mug and sighed. "Ahhh... Such a pity. This ale's so weak compared to the stuff they served us in the Guard. One swig of that would turn your head upside down in an instant. Oh well you can't win every battle." Lucius finally took a bite out of the steaming meat pie. "By the Gods! This pie's amazing! The boar just melts when I bite into it, and the crust's flaky but firm texture compliments the juices of the meat." The dignified man scarfs down the pie, with proper etiquette of course, while also savoring the taste of the delicious meal. "Food was great, and ignoring my past experience, the ale was good." Lucius says as he dabs the corners of his mouth with a napkin. "Now then. Now's a good time as any to try to get an idea of bandit activity around here." He stands up, pushes in his chair, and walks straight to the bartender. He asks him kindly, "Excuse me sir, have you possibly heard any news of activity of an all female bandit group around these parts? Or anything about a woman named Reine?" "Got a daughter-in-law named Reine," the bartender replied, "but something tells me that's not the woman you're looking for. As for bandits... can't say I remember hearing anything about an all-female group." He glanced at the six mugs at Lucius's table. "You know, if you're here to get drunk, we've got stronger stuff. Blacktooth is some of the best ale I've ever tasted, but it's not exactly going to... I believe you said 'turn your head upside down?'" Disappointed, Lucius twiddled his strand of hair. "That is most unfortunate to hear... I certainly hope your daughter-in-law ISN'T a murderous bandit leader. Still, not all hope is lost I suppose." He met the bartender's gaze and said with a smirk, "I'll take you up on your offer! I would like to try the strongest ale you've got! And are there any fine class inns around here where we could rest after such a long journey?" "I'll just need a moment." The bartender turned around, went to one of the kegs, and filled a mug with a dark ale. "Dressler," he said as he handed Lucius the mug. "Not exactly tasty, but it's the strongest ale we've got. 'Course, when I said 'stronger stuff,' I meant liquor, not ale. I wouldn't be surprised if that Guard you mentioned did something funny with their drinks. I've never heard of any ale strong enough to get someone drunk on one cup of the stuff, 'specially someone like you. Most of the people I've seen start getting at least a little tipsy after three or so cups of Blacktooth. As for inns, we're one, but I wouldn't call us 'fine class.' I think that fellow in brown you were with said something about St. Lahar Monastery. If you're his escort, you should be going with him." Ardan smiled wearily "Yes indeed our bartender here is correct, we need to be up early tomorrow if you want to accompany me on the pilgrimage and it wouldn't do to shame the church with drunken behaviour come the morrow" he said hoping to dissuade his companion from overdrinking "Still why do you think this pilgrimage will give you answers to your questions about Reine?" he asked curious sitting down beside him leaving Dorran to eat. During his time drinking he saw one after another his two companions had got up and started to do there own thing dorran had decided to keep out of it as anything important could come later, besides that he though since he still had a few minutes before the venison was done, he would go outside to check on Durandal. when he popped outside it had appeared someone had done something to him as Durandal was now sitting on to of someone...he had soon realized it was one of the town's guard. "Durandal move off him for now." moving his head to show he understood he moved off of the guard. giving a serious look at the guard "so...what did you do to make cause you harm, he might be a little playful but he certainly is smart enough to tell when hes hurting something." The guard climbed to his feet and dusted himself off. He pointed at a merchant's stand further down the street. "A small scuffle broke out when someone tried to extort money from the owner of that stand. When the would-be thieves bolted, I tried to hit one of them with my javelin. Unfortunately, I missed, and the javelin sailed right by your wyvern. I couldn't tell from where I was, but it might have nicked him. When I got near him, he jumped on me and pinned me to the ground. He probably thought I planned on attacking him." He walked over to where his javelin was lying and picked it up. There didn't appear to be any blood on it. "Don't worry about the thieves, though. Some mercenaries saw what happened and were kind enough to catch them. Other than my uniform now smelling like a wyvern's behind, no harm done." Page 1 of 4 [ 160 posts ]

new poetry book Thunder, Lightning and Urban Cowboys by g emil reutter Thunder, Lightning and Urban Cowboys has just been released by Alien Buddha Press. The book is the final volume in a quadrilogy written over 13 years. You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09HFXSD2F/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1633437563&refinements=p_27%3AG+Emil+Reutter&s=books&sr=1-1&text=G+Emil+Reutter What others have said about Thunder, Lightning and Urban Cowboys: In Thunder, Lightning, and Urban Cowboys, wilderness is never far from the urban setting, a wilderness in its own right. The Urban Cowboy is surrounded by nature: “…a tree of warped candelabra branches…”; “…a conspiracy of sooty ravens…”; “sound of leaves kissed by wind…” Nature pauses and waits for us to pass through in our moment of struggle and triumph and defeat. The machinery of the city: “…diesel engine revving and revving, as if a struggle to stay alive…” g. emil reutter takes us from youth when “unbridled hope leaked from our pores…” to the far end of life “… the waiting, the heaviness of what is to come…” The poet paints a landscape haunted by the tragedies of others and the tragedies of ourselves. Haunted by the fallen gravestones “sinking into the earth…” Haunted by spirits lingering in the trees because “heaven and hell are full and purgatory is closed…” In this poetic juxta positioning of humanity and nature, the poet puts us in our place in an unkind, uncruel universe and leaves us somehow grateful. -Mike Cohen Throughout, the poems are very well crafted, precise and insightful. reutter is most certainly an engaging poet, whether he is writing of train journeys, of love and friendship and loss, of nature, of time passing: each poem sustains a reflective beauty that refreshes like walking into a cold mountain spring: they permeate and linger with a rare clarity and a sense of humour that will ensnare and take you by surprise. The book takes you on a journey of wonderful variations and consistently offers imagery that transport the reader into the poem and this is something that is not easy to achieve. Thunder, Lightning and Urban Cowboys is stark evidence that reutter is a master craftsman of his art form: cool: crisp: clear: quality. -John D Robinson Poet and Publisher: (Holy&intoxicated Publications) A sampling from the book: https://alienbuddhapress.wordpress.com/2021/10/05/spotlight-thunder-lightning-and-urban-cowboys-by-g-emil-reutter/ Posted in Uncategorized and tagged g emil reutter, new poetry book, new release, philadelphia poet, poems, poetry, poetry book, Thunder Lightning and Urban Cowboys by g emil reutter on October 5, 2021 by North of Oxford. Leave a comment Catastroika by Charles Rammelkamp Available for Pre-Order “Whether Rasputin was charlatan or saint remains ambiguous, but Catastroika casts the larger-than-life character in new light (or shadow). Told from the perspectives of Rasputin’s daughter and a fictional Russian Jew –both settled in America–this book reflects on Russia’s past through their experiences. Intimate and insightful, Charles Rammelkamp will have you saying “da!” to Catastroika.” — Eric D. Goodman, author of Setting the Family Free, Womb: a novel in utero and Tracks: A Novel in Stories “Like Woody Allen’s Zelig, Charles Rammelkamp’s fictional witness to history, Sasha (Alexander Federmesser), was there, and can tell us lucky readers all about it, from the assassination of Tsar Alexander II, the Russian Revolution, through the murder of the Romanov family. Throw in Maria, Rasputin’s daughter and her amazingly picaresque real life in Russia, Europe, and Hollywood, and you’ve got a tale for the ages. Rammelkamp’s diction is pitch perfect for the times he writes about. Read this amazing collection, then read it again.” — Robert Cooperman, winner of the Colorado Book Award for Poetry, for In the Colorado Gold Fever Mountains “What a fabulous witches’ borscht! It’s fabulous in a strict sense: what seems to be the stuff of fable is firmly rooted in the real world. Catastroika, a historical novel-in-verse opening with a poem in the author’s own voice–his response to viewing a famous part of Rasputin’s anatomy in a glass jar in a St. Petersburg museum–moves to a narrative alternating between the voice of Maria, Rasputin’s adoring daughter, and that of Sasha, a Russian Jew acquainted third-hand with Rasputin and first-hand with young Maria. Their stories take us from the Romanovs through the Bolshevik revolution to the present day in the US. Meticulously researched, Catastroika is peppered with shocks, from the horrors suffered by Jews and “White Russians” in post-Romanov Russia, to the astounding US careers of Maria Rasputin, first as a lion tamer with the Ringling Brothers circus and then–but no, I will commit no spoiler here by revealing her final career. Equally delicious is the later life of Sasha in the US city of –but no, that too would be a spoiler. Suffice it say that Catastroika, to borrow a show-biz phrase for a bravura performance, really brings it home.” — Clarinda Harriss, author of Innumerable Moons and other books of poetry and fiction “Was recent Russian history a matter of perestroika (reform), or was it more of a catastrophe? It was a combination of both, as shown in Catastroika, a collection of poetic accounts of events that are sometimes ordinary, and other times shattering. The tellers of these deeply felt, often wrenching tales are Maria Rasputin, daughter of the mystic, healer, and ladies’ man Grigory Rasputin, and Sasha Federmesser, a Jew who lives through persecution, escapes Russia, and settles in Baltimore. These poems will open your eyes to truths about rulers, revolutionaries, and the people caught between them.” — Thaddeus Rutkowski, author of Border Crossings You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Catastoika-Charles-Rammelkamp/dp/1627202986/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=charles+rammelkamp&qid=1586693601&s=books&sr=1-1 Posted in Uncategorized and tagged amazon poetry book, Apprentice House, Catastroika by Charles Rammelkamp, charles rammelkamp, clarind hariss, eric d goodman, new poetry book, poetry book, poetry book available for pre order, robert cooperman, thaddeus rutkowski on April 12, 2020 by North of Oxford. Leave a comment Eating Raw Meat and Other Nuances of Life by g emil reutter Eating Raw Meat and Other Nuances of Life has just been released by Alien Buddha Press. What Others Say About Eating Raw Meat and Other Nuances of Life “g emil reutter writes the poem the way I like it – sharp, detailed imagery, paintings in black ink carved into the page – the minutiae of life under the microscope. There’s clarity and depth here in this book but there’s power too – the power to move the mind and the soul. These words are fine words. My kind of poems. They should be yours too.” -Adrian Manning- Poet and Publisher at Concrete Meat Press “Beneath dark shadows of maples, this watcher observes unnamed strangers and lovers beneath a generous moon, sympathetically and precisely with the eye of an oil painter. The night turns to day, the seasons change, and the cycles renew. A fine collection for any palate”. – Russell Streur – Editor, The Plum Tree Tavern In Eating Raw Meat, g emil reutter proclaims, “I stand on the rubble that is left / of the American dream”; looking out from that prospect, he tells us, “I think of the hard working class.” Yet, even as these poems show us hard labor and trashed dreams, reutter affirms how close attention to those lives and to the natural world serves to redeem us on this “beautiful brutal blue planet.” “I work the / garden the way I work a poem,” he tells us; and, centered among existences, “I … listen to what they say, watch what they do and write what I can.” This attention results in poems of integrity and of beauty: “rhythm / of rain, cadence of thunder, lyrical / hissing of wind.” -Nathalie F. Anderson – Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of English Literature and Director of the Program in Creative Writing – Swarthmore College Check out the book here: Eating Raw Meat and Other Nuances of Life https://gereutter.wordpress.com/about/ Posted in Uncategorized and tagged adrian manning, alien buddha press, Eating Raw Meat and Other Nuances of Life by g emil reutter, g emil reutter, nathalie anderson, new poetry book, poems, Poet g emil reutter, poetry book, poetry collection, russell streur on July 13, 2019 by North of Oxford. 3 Comments New Release from Poet Stephen Page Congratulations to North of Oxford contributor Stephen Page on the release of his new book, The Salty River Bleeds ! The Salty River Bleeds by Stephen Page Praise for The Salty River Bleeds The Salty River Bleeds is a juicy tale in verse that draws us into the teeming world of a large Argentinian ranch. This world is populated by herds of horses and cows, nefarious ranch hands, foxes, bees, bats, parrots, carnivorous ants, Andean flamingoes, cattle rustlers, horse thieves, to name but a few of its many denizens. The narrative reveals the complicated web of woes in the life of a land manager, the tyranny of weather patterns, and one man’s battle against the encroachment of pesticides. In this world, nature’s staggering beauty and naked brutality are constantly in evidence. A stallion “learns the phases of grass.” Trucks struggle through “the butter of mud.” Cows can explode with bloat, and rain that the narrator prays will be called down from the sky by the croaking of tree frogs can make or break you. As its title suggests, The Salty River Bleeds is packed with the drama of birth, death and eternal conflict. –Amy Gerstler, author of Bitter Angel The Salty River Bleeds is ambitious in its scope and its execution, with a relevance to contemporary environmental issues. Stephen Page deftly combines poetry, prose, and letters…and relies on highly refined, compressed imagistic language and strong character development to tell his tale. –Jim Daniels, author of Places Everyone The Salty River Bleeds is a continuation of the story of Jonathan and Teresa that Stephen Page began in A Ranch Bordering the Salty River. These poems speak of the visceral life of farming on a fictional ranch in Argentina. Page’s narrative is a journey of perseverance through a physical and psychological wilderness where loveliness and brutality abide together. Here, the likes of a raw and wet “afterbirth slopped into a steamy pile” leads to the mother straining to “stare at her calf until breath raised its ribs.” Page walks us through vulture-ravaged carcasses into pastures and wood and marsh; walks us into the solace of bees, mockingbirds and “a flock of black ibis” that “lift/and cloud away.” This is poetry told with an unflinching, yet reverent eye. –Carolyn Welch, author of The Garden of Fragile Beings The Salty River Bleeds is equal parts parable and fable, examining humankind’s destructive and self-defeating tendencies, particularly with regard to caring for the land human beings and animals rely on. Here where the Salty River bleeds, you will find that Myth swims, Old Man lingers on your peripheral vision only to disappear, and Black Dog follows you into the mythic Wood. On the ranch, you will encounter Tattler, Excuse Maker, and Bad Guy, archetypal figures standing in for all those whose motives are to be questioned. By turns imaginative and inventive, gritty and grisly, gorgeous and ephemeral, this is a book that will linger long after you have finished. There are inherent truths laid bare here that we would all do well to pay heed. –Cati Porter, author of Seven Floors Up In Stephen Page’s The Salty River Bleeds, the spiritual journey of Jonathan continues from A Ranch Bordering the Salty River. Looking for a story to explain his life, Jonathan meditates on nature, in particular Wood, a place of testing, a place of mysteries ripe to be discovered, and the people who work his land without reverence. With an observant eye for detail, Page brings together striking images of the elements of earth and human life that become both obstacles to and medium through which the speaker of these poems understands his world. –Caroline Malone, author of Dark Roots Stephen Page’s The Salty River Bleeds is a pastoral and violent account of ranch life. His poetic collection blends agricultural and rustic contention with eco-rural insight and directness. His delivery is candid and un-floral, thus bestowing the music of his perception an energy of seized quotidian acuity. These poems dare the readers to care about the animals, the daily activities of surviving rurally, and the grammar of the land exploited by genetic modified commerce and industrialization. The work invites the geography of natural breeding life to marry the perennial charm of ranch hardship. There, in his work, exists the sensual preservation of humanity, but also diurnal desires. Page’s bucolic poems “may take you to an unlit alley at night” or “sound like buckets of water being poured on the corrugated roof.” Regardless of the rustic tempo his work imbues you, through Page’s percipient, omniscient eyes, we see and hear everything he observes and feels and yearns. Like sheep hides “salted in the transit room” – Page’s work is designed to ambush us, not with the forcefulness or melancholy of existence, but, as seen here, with the authoritative authenticity of his persistent fervor. –Vi Khi Nao, author of Fish in Exile Stephen Page’s The Salty River Bleeds is a collection of connections. Page explores relationships, ethics, and economy through environmental images that ooze the intricacies of farm life. His thoughtful, sensory-rich prose and varied expressions of poetic form delve into the inner workings of losses and discoveries. –Savannah Slone, Author of Hearing the Underwater Stephen Page is a true poetic chronicler of the complex business of ranching, that mythic journey. The Salty River Bleeds is iconic storytelling; a hybrid of poems, letters, and prose. Filled with rich images, “wood walks” and myth finding. “Life takes you into some unplanned territory.” Follow Page and we are “wading into wheat” and “working all week to save the corn.” The tractor is broken, the fences need mending, but still we are watching and waiting for Old Man walking by the side of the road, the one who never stops. Follow Page into his dreamscape of visceral reality to satisfy a curiosity, an unspoken desire. –Elaine Fletcher Chapman, author of Hunger for Salt In The Salty River Bleeds, Stephen Page poetically and unapologetically reveals the real, harsh truths of running a ranch in Argentina. Johnathan’s daily stressors, created by unreliable employees, weather, and Teresa’s greedy son, Damien, find us anxiously watching him “run across pastures with my sword / Raised, looking for someone to decapitate.” Page softens Johnathan’s persona by peppering the pages with love, beauty, mate, and the whimsy of Wood and Myth as “A wooddove pops / its wings as it departs eucalypti mist auraed by / a vanilla sunrise.” The juxtaposition of the hard and the soft leaves us with a longing to know how Jonathan and Teresa’s story ends. The Fauna of this collection proves to be a mesmerizing sequel to the Flora of the initial introduction of Johnathan and Teresa in his earlier collection, A Ranch Bordering the Salty River. –Laurie Higi, author of The Universe of Little Beaver Lake Posted in Uncategorized and tagged amy gerstler, caroline malone, carolyn welch, cati proter, elaine flectcher chapman, finishing line press, jim daniels, laurie higi, new poetry book, new release from poet stephen page, poems, poet stephen page, poetry, poetry book, poetry collection, savannah sloane, stephen page, the salty river bleeds by stephen page, vi khi nao on May 28, 2019 by North of Oxford. 1 Comment

Molecular magnetic resonance imaging By John D. MacKenzie, MD Dr. MacKenzie is currently a fourth-year Radiology Resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. He earned his BS double major in Computer Science and Biological Science and his MS in Biological Science from Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, and his MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY. Dr. MacKenzie is an American Board of Radiology B. Leonard Holman Research Pathway Resident with a focus on Molecular Imaging applications for arthritis. Dr. MacKenzie will start a Fellowship in Musculoskeletal Radiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, in July 2005. Molecular imaging may be defined as the imaging of specific biological processes at the molecular and cellular level in living organ-isms. 1,2 The goal is to reveal the early underlying biochemical and genetic events responsible for disease rather than indirect and late changes (eg, altered blood flow or tumor size) as seen with most current clinical diagnostic imaging modalities. Direct imaging of events fundamental to disease processes with molecular imaging should ultimately translate into better patient care through earlier and more specific detection and intervention. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is uniquely suited to play a large role in molecular imaging. When compared with other imaging modalities, the excellent anatomical resolution 3 and multiplanar capabilities make MRI particularly worthy to pinpoint molecular events (Table 1). 4 With molecular MRI, there is no radiation exposure or need for coregistration of molecular activity with anatomic structures as there is with positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (PET/CT). The expense and the relatively large and possibly toxic concentrations of contrast probe required to detect molecular events are some of the challenges facing molecular MRI. 5 In recent years, there has been intense interest in molecular imaging with MR techniques. This growing research discipline has emerged, in a large part, due to rapid advances in our understanding of specific molecular pathways from contributions in fields such as biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular biology, and genetics. Numerous examples illustrate the recent advances that have been critical in transitioning the concept of molecular MRI into a working reality. The human genome provides a map of the fundamental building blocks for the biomarkers that may be detected with molecular imaging; molecular cloning allows for the rapid production of novel DNA and proteins that may be suitable imaging targets or probes; X-ray crystallography creates a 3-dimensional (3D) structure of biomolecules that may serve as imaging probes or targets. Chip arrays, bioinformatics, gene therapy, and proteomics are other important advances in the mainstream or near horizon of basic science investigation. The list of tools available to aid in the development of molecular imaging techniques continues to grow. Advances in our understanding of the molecular and genetic basis for disease have led to the need for noninvasive imaging techniques that can reveal molecular events in vivo. In general, there are 3 criteria that must be met for successful molecular MRI applications: 1) sufficient production of MR contrast to depict the molecular event; 2) favorable pharmacokinetics for the molecular probe; and 3) proven usefulness of the probe- that is, validated for basic science or clinical applications. Production of contrast on MRI Three different classes of contrast agents may be tailored for molecular applications to produce visible signal changes on MR images: paramagnetic contrast agents, superparamagnetic particles, and metabolite detection with MR spectroscopy. Each class has unique properties that must be considered for the contrast agent to be useful for molecular applications. The majority of MR images are based upon the nuclear MR signal from water protons. The signal intensity produced in any given voxel (3D volume) is a function of the imaging sequence (eg, gradient echo, spin echo, fast spin echo, etc.) and the selected sequence parameters, such as the repetition time (TR), and echo time (TE), as well as of the intrinsic tissue properties. These are primarily the water proton spin density, and water relaxation times T1, T2, and T2*. Local variations in these intrinsic tissue parameters provide the image contrast offered by MR. The paramagnetic and superparamagnetic contrast agents primarily affect the local microenvironment to produce image contrast by altering the tissue relaxations times, in particular T2*, which dramatically decreases the signal intensity in typical gradient-echo acquisitions. 4-7 A third, and substantially different, means of imaging molecular events is with MR spectroscopy. In MR spectroscopy, instead of using image contrast, a metabolite that is produced by or heralds the molecular event is detected by the metabolite's spectroscopic peak at a precise anatomic location. Although MR spectroscopy may not be considered molecular imaging when the molecular event is rigidly defined as a ligand-receptor interaction, 8 systems have been designed with MR spectroscopy to detect precisely controlled genetic events such as genetically engineered conversion of a prodrug into its active chemotherapeutic agent. 9 Molecular probe design and development Most current molecular probes for MRI combine either a paramagnetic or superparamagnetic contrast agent with a high-affinity ligand that is specific for a particular molecular target or receptor. The ligand on the molecular probe is specific for a molecular target, an imaging biomarker, used to help establish the presence or severity of disease. 10 Targets may be any molecular process and range from 2 copies of DNA per cell to hundreds of thousands of intra- or extracellular proteins or metabolites (Figure 1). 1 High-affinity imaging probes are fundamentally different from nonspecific contrast agents, such as the widely used intravenous gadolinium diethylenetriamine penta-acetic acid (Gd-DTPA). Molecular contrast agents are generally distributed throughout the body based on a dynamic interplay between the physiochemical properties of the probe and the physiology of the body. While physiologic parameters primarily regulate the distribution of Gd-DTPA (eg, blood flow, ability to diffuse into the extracellular space), the ligand on the molecular probe helps the contrast agent to accumulate at the site of interest. 7 An understanding of the pharmaco-kinetics of the molecular probe is essential for successful implementation. The ability of a probe to detect the target molecule is governed by classic pharmacology: the route of administration/absorption, distribution/delivery to the target, and elimination through metabolism or excretion. An ideal molecular probe is one with favorable pharmacokinetics such that the probe can be administered easily, distributes efficiently to the biomarker, and is cleared from the patient with minimal side effects. 5-7 Clearly, the ligand-receptor interaction is a dynamic interaction and will affect the MRI parameters. The timing of imaging after the probe administration is paramount. For example, many contrast agents require a 24-hour delay after administration before sufficient quantities of the probe have accumulated at the target, necessitating careful registration of pre- and postcontrast images. Resolution and speed of image acquisition required to detect signal changes from the molecular probe are also equally important considerations. Many examples illustrate the various factors that must be considered when developing the imaging parameters and can be found in applications of oncologic and arthritis imaging, thrombosis detection, and genetic and cell-based therapies. Tumor imaging Many aspects of tumor biology are governed by molecular events, and it is likely that molecular MRI will enhance tumor detection, provide accurate pretreatment staging, monitor response to therapy, and survey for reoccurrence after remission. The molecular MRI application that has been best described and has the potential for widespread clinical practice is the use of lymphotropic superparamagnetic nanoparticles 11 in the nodal staging of prostate cancer (Figure 2). Harisinghani and others 12 found that the majority (71%) of malignant nodes detected with the superparamagnetic nanoparticles were smaller than the threshold size (10 mm) used to identify nodal disease on conventional CT and MRI. MRI with super-paramagnetic nanoparticles had a high overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy on both a per-patient and a node-by-node basis, and the negative predictive value of the test was very high (100%). The implications of detecting metastasis are considerable, because patients with positive lymph nodes receive androgen-deprivation therapy with radiation and are spared a radical prostatectomy. 13-17 A goal of molecular MRI contrast agents is to improve the detection of malignant cells both at the primary site of development and at locations of metastasis. For example, the formation of de novo blood vessels is a common characteristic of many tumors. MRI probes specific to molecules responsible for angiogenesis have been used to assess tumor growth and malignant potential. 18 Another means of improving the early detection of malignancy could be with gadolinium (Gd)-encapsulated liposomes that preferentially target tumor cells. Similar to 2-18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) that measures increased glucose metabolism to mark areas of tumor, an MRI contrast agent was developed that presents ligands bearing glucose conjugates at the liposome surface. 19 Active targeting of tumor cells with liposomes is attractive not only because high concentrations of MRI contrast material can be delivered in the liposome, but also because liposomes can encapsulate drugs. 20-22 Thus, a liposome approach could simultaneously show tumor burden and deliver chemo-therapeutic agents. Although potential pitfalls include immunogenicity and a relatively large size that may prevent liposome access into the extracellular compartment, 23 methods have been devised to decrease immunogenicity 24,25 or increase delivery of bulky molecular probes into the extracellular compartment or across the blood-brain barrier. 26-29 A novel MRI contrast agent has also been developed to monitor tumor progression and response to treatment. Zhao and coworkers 30 developed a superparamagnetic probe specific to cells expressing synaptotagmin I, a molecule that binds to cell membranes of apoptotic cells. The degree of programmed cell death after chemotherapy and radiotherapy has been shown to correlate with tumor growth delay and cure 31,32 and the superparamagnetic probe conjugated to synaptotagmin I showed good correlation with apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Arthritis imaging The spectrum of diseases that comprises inflammatory arthritis is largely mediated by immune mechanisms, some of which are well characterized on the molecular level and are ripe for molecular MRI probe development. Activated macrophages in areas in which inflammation can be labeled with superparamagnetic agents, presumably through macrophage phagocytosis, can be detected with MRI. 33 For example, the use of superparamagnetic particles in a rat model of antigen-induced arthritis showed potential in detecting the degree of macrophage infiltration. 34 The superparamagnetic particles indicated areas of early inflammation and correlated with treatment response, suggesting that molecular MRI might provide advanced detection for early intervention before the development of irreversible bone erosions. Detection of thrombosis Molecular imaging approaches for the detection of arterial or venous thrombosis would benefit patients by providing a specific, noninvasive test. Current MRI methods of clot detection have limitations. Blood on traditional MRI sequences shows variable signal characteristics depending on the age of the clot, which makes interpretation of MR images for thrombosis challenging. 35-38 Furthermore, many clinically significant thrombotic events occur in small, distal coronary or pulmonary arteries that are prone to motion artifact and are below the resolution of current fast MR sequences. 39 In these scenarios, a molecular probe would provide a specific marker to improve the detection of small thrombi. One approach by Botnar and colleagues 40 shows the potential for a Gd-based probe to detect acute and subacute thrombosis. Four atoms of Gd-DTPA were attached to a peptide specific for fibrin, and this molecular probe showed high contrast among thrombus, thrombus-free vessel wall, and blood (Figure 3). This probe combines high molecular specificity for thrombus formation by binding the product of an activated coagulation system, with an MRI contrast agent with excellent signal due to the increased T1 relaxivity conferred by multiple atoms of Gd per probe mole-cule. 5 Long-circulating ultrasmall superparamagnetic contrast agents have also been used to image macrophage and monocyte activity in atherosclerotic plaques. 41,42 As clinical applications for gene therapy are developed, molecular MRI is expected to play a role in multiple areas. MRI may monitor the progression and quantify the amount of gene delivered to the site of interest as well as report on the efficiency and duration of transgene expression. One example is EGadMe, a "smart" molecular imaging probe that irreversibly transitions from a weak to a strong relaxivity state in the presence of a common reporter gene product, β-galactosidase (β-gal). 43 Cells that express the therapeutic gene generally also express the reporter gene β-gal and produce MRI contrast enhancement as a result of β-gal cleavage of EGadMe to the strong relaxivity state (Figure 4). EGadMe is important because before inducing the therapeutic transgene, the efficacy of most viral vectors is first tested with a reporter gene such as β-gal. In addition, noninvasive imaging with a probe specific for transgene activity may evaluate which tissues are preferentially transduced and quantify gene expression over time without having to sacrifice test organisms. Molecular MRI may also quantify and localize gene activity by detecting the metabolites that are produced by a transgene. For instance, the transgene for tyrosinase has been incorporated into cells and its activity measured by its production of melanin. Tyrosinase catalyzes the production of melanins, which have a remarkably high metal-binding capacity (up to 35% by weight). During tyrosinase expression, investigators have shown a resulting bright signal of iron containing melanin on T1-weighted images. 44,45 MR spectroscopy has also been used to measure cytosine deaminase transgene expression in vivo by quantifying the transgene's enzymatic production of 5-fluorouracil (Figure 5). 9 Similar to gene therapy, cell-based therapies are becoming increasingly more common options, and molecular MRI may speed development and augment treatment monitoring. Bone marrow transplant is in wide clinical practice and may benefit from in vivo tracking of transplanted hematopoietic cells 46 as therapies are improved and new treatment regimens are tested. Currently, the amount of MR contrast agent delivered to cells can be increased with transfection techniques, 47 and single cells may be imaged. 48 As more cell-based therapies are envisioned and tested (eg, transplanting cardiac myocytes to rescue cardiac function 49 ), the increasing momentum for in vivo and noninvasive monitoring will further develop the field of molecular MRI. The success or failure of molecular MRI lies in the validation of the particular MR-based probe as a clinically useful tool. A molecular probe generally detects a surrogate end point, a marker of the natural history and factors associated with disease progression rather than clinical outcome measurements such as morbidity and mortality (Table 2). 10,50 There should be a strong link of the biomarker with the true end point sought-usually decreased morbidity and/or mortality. 51 Generally, validation through extensive patient experience is required for a surrogate to be accepted for clinical use to minimize the uncertainty of unexpected and inaccurate information that may result from limited experience with a relatively untested biomarker. 10 The biomarker should reflect the effect of therapy, and the detection of the biomarker must be accurate, reproducible, and feasible over time. 10 Furthermore, the side effect profile or toxicity should be balanced with the benefit gained from the information provided by the molecular imaging study. It follows that the molecular MRI probes most likely to be successful will be those that target surrogate end points that have been well studied and characterized in large groups of patients. The enormous potential for molecular MRI is the reality that the fundamental basis for most medical disease is the alteration of molecular parameters that may be readily visualized with sophisticated imaging techniques. Unlike most current clinical diagnostic imaging modalities, the aim of molecular MRI is to reveal the biochemical and genetic basis of disease in addition to demonstrating altered anatomy and physiology. The success of molecular MRI will rely on the synergy of sophisticated MRI techniques and the development of novel contrast agents that not only take advantage of our expanding knowledge of molecular process/disease, but also show well-validated clinical or basic science applications. The author wishes to thank Drs. Frank Rybicki and Philipp Lang for their thorough review and insightful comments regarding the contents of the manuscript and Drs. Philipp Lang, Frank Rybicki, David Lee, and Prof. Ashfaq Mahmood for their mentorship and support (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School). Many thanks are due to Prof. René M. Botnar (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School), who kindly contributed a sample of her work for reproduction here. Frontiers of cerebral perfusion magnetic resonance imaging Imaging of cerebral hemodynamics is valuable for clinical... Interventional magnetic resonance imaging: The revolution begins Magnetic resonance-guided interventions offer the promise of... High-field human imaging The attraction of high magnetic-field imaging is a theoretical... Magnetic resonance imaging of fetal thoracic abnormalities Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) extends in utero imaging... Molecular magnetic resonance imaging. Appl Radiol.

December 13, 2010 | 44:24 | Public Domain Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 12/13/2010 MR. GIBBS: Mr. Feller. Q Two topics. On the health care ruling, the passage here in which the judge says that the unchecked expansion of congressional power to the limit suggested by the minimum coverage provision would invite unbridled exercise of federal powers. And this is not about -- just about health care, but it’s about individual right to choose to participate. Doesn’t this vindicate or validate a central argument of skeptics, which is that despite your intentions you can't require people to participate in a law like this? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think a couple of important things for perspective, Ben. First and foremost, obviously the administration argued on the other side of this case and disagrees with the ruling. I do think it is important to keep some perspective about the fact that there are now 20 or so cases making their way through federal courts. This was the Eastern District of Virginia; 115 miles away, the Western District Court of Virginia ruled November 30th to uphold the same provision that the Eastern District and its judge had ruled against. So I think the other court -- the Eastern District of Michigan on October 7th ruled in favor of the law as it was passed. So, again, we disagree with the ruling. Obviously the individual responsibility portions of the Affordable Care Act are the basis and the foundation for examining and doing away with insurance company discrimination on behalf of preexisting conditions. Obviously, without an individual responsibility portion in the law, you could not find yourself dealing with preexisting conditions because the only people that would likely get involved in purchasing health care would be the very sick. And obviously, that would be enormously expensive. Q So given that it is so fundamental to the whole law and you have these different court rulings, is it clear to you that this is going to go to the Supreme Court? And if so -- MR. GIBBS: I am not a legal scholar, Ben. I think it is safe to say that because there are several other cases in the pipeline and because of -- again, you’ve got disparate court rulings 115 miles away -- that the bill will continue to have its day in court. I do think it is important that even this judge ruled that the bill continues to move forward in terms of its implementation. And obviously, the individual responsibility aspects of this legislation weren’t to go into effect until 2014 so there’s some time to work this through. Q Well, just to wrap up this part, what gives the White House confidence that ultimately it will prevail if this case continues to go to the -- MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think -- and I’m certainly not, Ben, a lawyer in terms of the legal arguments that underpinned each of the briefs. But I would say that challenges like this are nothing new in terms of laws that have come before the courts in the past in which our position has prevailed. We’re confident that it is constitutional. And quite frankly, of the three courts that have rendered decisions on this question, two have ruled in our favor. Q Real quick question on the tax deal. Democrats in the House are talking of targeting the estate tax provision that they're unhappy with and maybe dealing with that in an amendment or legislatively trying to change that language. Is the White House urging those Democrats not to do that out of fear it could cause the whole deal to unravel? MR. GIBBS: Well, I will say this, Ben, obviously, the Senate is going to vote on -- have a procedural vote a little bit later on this afternoon. I think the President is encouraged by what we hear in the Senate and believe that the legislation will pass that hurdle and be one important step closer to passage. In terms of -- I’m not going to get involved in sort of what the amendment process might be in the House at this point. I think you have seen, whether it was in here on Friday with former President Clinton, or whether you have seen just this morning that this is something that has broad bipartisan support in the public, it’s an excellent -- it’s a good agreement. It’s an excellent agreement on behalf of millions of Americans who won’t see their taxes go up. Those that are impacted in having lost a job in this recession will have the security of knowing that their unemployment benefits won’t fall victim to politics. And the middle class will enjoy a significant tax cut in the payroll tax portions of this bill. So we are encouraged that we get closer and closer each day to having this agreement become law. Q Can you talk about the initial reaction to the health care ruling? Were you surprised by it? Q And how concerned are you about the fact that there’s a lot of other lawsuits out there? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, this is the third federal court that’s rendered a decision on this portion of the Affordable Care Act. And two of those courts have upheld it. So I think we are confident that the Affordable Care Act will be upheld. Q So what’s the next step for you? MR. GIBBS: Well, the Department of Justice, obviously, is going to have to make some decisions about appealing this particular case. My sense is that that appeal decision is something they’ll likely make, but I would point you over to them. Q And just a question -- Larry Summers gave a farewell speech today at a think tank, and I’m just wondering how the decision-making is going on his replacement. Do you still hope to do that before the end of the year? MR. GIBBS: Look, I will say that it is -- I’m not sure that that’s going to get done by the end of the year. Obviously, a whole host of legislative -- lots of legislative work around the lame duck with a budget, taxes, START, “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the DREAM Act -- there are a whole host of things that have taken up a bunch of bandwidth and a bunch of time. And it’s unclear to me whether that will get done before the end of the year. Q It appears that one of the main reasons why the judge ruled this way -- ruled that Congress exceeded its constitutional power -- is because, for what I can only imagine were political reasons, the word “tax,” in terms of the penalty for those who don’t have insurance who can afford it, was replaced by the word “penalty.” And he said, because the legislators who drafted -- MR. GIBBS: I have been getting ready for this. I have not had a chance to read that. And I know our folks in here are taking a look at it as well as at the Department of Justice. I don't have a direct response to the judge’s -- some of the individual reasoning in the judge’s decision just because I have not had an opportunity to look at it. Q I mean, this is how it is. I'm just reading his own -- MR. GIBBS: No, no, I'm not doubting what you're reading. I'm just saying we have not -- I have not had a chance to read it and I've not had a chance to talk to counsel here about how they take it. Q All right, well, the question would be was it, in retrospect, a mistake to change the terminology from -- I understand you're not ready to answer it right now. Maybe you could get back to me. MR. GIBBS: I need some time to have somebody take a look at it. Q Okay, but can you get back to me on that point, though? MR. GIBBS: I'll see whether they can, yes. Q You keep talking about the two other cases where a judge ruled otherwise. In those, it’s my understanding that those were Democratic-appointed judges, and in this case this judge was appointed by a Republican. Is politics, you think, playing into any of this? MR. GIBBS: I, Dan, don't know the answer to that. The judges clearly make different decisions based on different points of reasoning. I think -- our belief is that the health care act is -- will go forward and that it is constitutional; that it improves people’s lives, and particularly this is the basis, as I've said, of the provision that allows us to finally address the lingering discrimination against those who have a preexisting condition. It also, by the way -- your health care, my health care, everybody who has health care in this room pays the uncompensated -- the cost for the uncompensated care when somebody doesn’t have health insurance, gets into a car accident, becomes sick and ends up going to the doctor through the emergency room or because of the seriousness of their illness and not having regular checkups or primary care. All of that is -- that's paid for by you and me. We seek to address that in the Affordable Care Act. That's why I think the progress that we've made in offering tax credits for those to afford to be able to have a minimum set of health care -- a minimum standard of health care that allows us not to pay for their health care in that sense, and to get the health care that they need. Q Can you tell us what the President’s reaction was when he was briefed? MR. GIBBS: I have not seen the President since the ruling came down. Q And is it any annoyance at all that this signature item for the President and for this White House continues to be challenged -- something that the President says is critical for all Americans, yet it continues to be challenged in a court? MR. GIBBS: Again, I don't -- I can’t speak to the motives of -- I would appeal only this basis -- I don't remember quite the coverage when both courts upheld the law, but that's just from the cheap seats of being -- Q It was a plane that landed safely. MR. GIBBS: -- an armchair executive producer. Well, you do mention that -- sometimes when planes land safely there’s not breaking news. Q Can I get another crack at a question? MR. GIBBS: You can try. Q Okay. Do you -- MR. GIBBS: You’re sort of like the district court. One court ruled -- go ahead. Q The Congress that's about -- the House that's about to take office in January is much more predisposed to oppose the health care law. Do you worry at all this ruling politically will help provide momentum for either starvation of the health care law through lack of funding or stronger action against the health care law? Do you think this politically will be ammunition? MR. GIBBS: I don't because I think the position that's held by those that seek to repeal the law I think has been their position both when courts ruled against their position and when courts rule in a way that upholds their larger position. So I don't think that impacts it. I think is important to understand, though, when you roll these provisions back, or when you repeal these provisions, the impact of that is, as I said -- if you are somebody that cannot get health care because of a preexisting condition, the guarantee that when this is fully implemented in 2014 that you’ll be able to do that, that's wiped away in a ruling like this. And I think that's important for everyone to understand. Chip. Q Thanks, Robert. Given the signals that Henry Hudson had sent in previous writings on this, back in October for example, would you have been surprised if he had done anything other than what he did in this -- MR. GIBBS: As I said earlier, I don't think this was -- I don't think the decision today and how he decided it was a surprise to anybody here. Q And you said you're not a legal scholar, and I'll accept that, although -- the President is -- MR. GIBBS: I didn’t go to law school like you did, Chip. And that's worked out so well, you're here in the front row of the briefing room. (Laughter.) Q I'm not even the only one -- MR. GIBBS: Savannah as well. Q Yes, we're both trying to forget it. MR. GIBBS: I hear the theme music to L.A. Law playing in the background. (Laughter.) Q That's exactly what it was like, too. (Laughter.) But the President was a legal scholar and still -- and you said you haven't talked to him since this came down -- MR. GIBBS: I have not. Q -- but has he been keeping up on this, talking to the Attorney General? Does he get personally involved in making the arguments and discussing it with Justice? MR. GIBBS: Well, I'll say this. Not that I'm aware of with Justice. Obviously in our regular meetings with him, White House Counsel Bob Bauer will update him on where different courts are, a few -- not long ago in terms of the Western District of Virginia, that was something we covered. I don't honestly remember, and I can go back and ask and see if whether or not he’s read rulings before. Q Not just whether he’s read and whether he gets briefed on them, but does he put in his two cents and make suggestions about how to argue these things? MR. GIBBS: Let me take that question. Not that comes to my memory, but let me go flesh that out with others who may. Q I don't think this has been asked -- START, where do we stand on START? And is it still the President’s position that he’s going to stay here until it’s done? MR. GIBBS: Yes, to the second question. I think -- quite frankly, I think it’s probably one of the next couple of pieces of business that the Senate will move to, not long after the procedural vote and then -- obviously it’s unclear yet the number of hours of debate after the procedural vote today before the Senate takes up for final passage of the tax agreement. But I think fairly soon after, the Senate will move to the debate on START ratification. Our belief is, as you’ve seen a number of Republican senators come out, that this is a treaty that has the votes to pass the Senate and I believe will pass the Senate before Congress goes home for the holidays. Q Will he stay here until Christmas Eve or beyond if necessary? MR. GIBBS: If that's what it takes. Q Will he -- right up till New Year’s Eve if that's what it takes? MR. GIBBS: I think the President is hopeful to spend a little time with family and friends in Hawaii, but if Congress is here the President will be here. Q Sounds like any chance of getting out this weekend is -- MR. GIBBS: I think you’ve got a few extra days to pull together those Christmas presents that you put off buying. I think obviously there’s a decent amount still left that getting out of here Friday or Saturday is probably not the day I'd pick in the pool. Q And would he also stay until "don't ask, don't tell" is -- MR. GIBBS: I'll say this. I think the President will be in Washington and in the White House for as long as Congress is in session. Q Any comments on the Boehner interview last night? MR. GIBBS: I only saw some clips of it, so I don't have anything on it. Q Don't want to go there -- (laughter.) MR. GIBBS: I wasn’t going to talk about -- (laughter.) Q Does the administration view the mandate to purchase health insurance as a tax? MR. GIBBS: Look, again, Mike, I'm not a lawyer. I think we look at it as the basis by which we can address important issues like the discrimination against those who have a preexisting condition. We look at it as how you deal with uncompensated care as a result of people going to the emergency room and everyone’s health insurance going up as a result of that. Q Because one of the legal arguments against this ruling seems to be that it goes against Congress’s ability to issue a tax. MR. GIBBS: Again, I've not, as I said to Jake, I have not had an opportunity to speak on the merits of some of what the judge ruled. Q CEOs are coming to meet with the President on Wednesday. Can you talk a little bit about what he’s hoping to accomplish in that meeting? MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think the President has over the course of the last several years, last two years, at fairly regular intervals had CEOs in for meetings, discussions, for lunches. Over the past few weeks the President has met with what I think you would consider economists on the left, economists on the right. He has and will have an occasion to have similar meetings with labor and discuss a whole range of ideas that are out there in terms of continuing our fragile economic recovery. And I think if you look at something like the South Korea free trade agreement, I think it’s an issue -- there are clearly issues that Congress is going to deal with and the administration is going to deal with where we share the opinions of those in business as to how to expand our economy, how to create jobs, and how to keep things going. Q Mr. Donohue from the Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with FOX on Friday, suggested that the relationship with the business community -- he’s seeing signs of improvement. Do you have reaction to that? Because obviously there have been some tense times between the administration and the Chamber of Commerce. MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think whether it’s -- I mean, obviously one of the biggest proponents of the Korea free trade agreement was the Chamber of Commerce. I think that whether it’s individuals at the Chamber, whether it’s members of the Chamber, whether it’s CEOs that aren't members of the Chamber or belong to other organizations, again, I think there are a series of issues that are important to the business community, that are important to getting our economy moving again, and I think those are issues that the President is eager to work on. Q Just to follow up -- you know the administration is taking a legal position in its papers that the authority for the individual mandate lies in the power to tax. Is that inconsistent with your political arguments that health care reform will not raise taxes on the middle class? Q How so? MR. GIBBS: Again, I think it is -- again, it’s the basis for -- I guess would you presume that you pay a tax right now on your health care for -- would you consider the thousand dollars that you pay as part of your health care a tax because somebody who does not have health care is paid for by you? Q No, but I'm not paying it to the government. MR. GIBBS: No, you're paying it to an insurance company. Q The administration states that the individual mandate and the fees raised, the penalty, constitutes a tax -- leaving aside how much revenue -- MR. GIBBS: You went to law school, not me. I -- we think, and based on the rulings of two other courts and the belief of this administration that the law will be upheld. Q You just said a couple of minutes ago when Dan asked, you said you didn’t know if politics motivated Judge Hudson’s decision. You also said to Chip you weren't surprised by the result. Just to clarify, some Democrats are saying this is a case of judicial activism -- MR. GIBBS: Again, I think what -- Chip mentioned that there had been earlier writings that I think led most people to believe and understand that this would be the ruling that he would make. So, again, I don't -- Q You're not signing onto Democrats who are saying this is a case of judicial activism by a Bush appointee? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I'm not rendering a decision on that. I'm just saying that I think some of what we've heard about this case -- look, I don't think there’s -- 115 miles away a different judge in a different district rendered a different decision. So I think there are obviously a number of different viewpoints on this. Our belief is that when all of the legal wrangling is said and done, that this is something that will be upheld. Q On the tax deal, there was a poll this morning from the Pew Center that found that there was support for the tax compromise fairly evenly distributed with Democrats just as likely as Republicans to support that. Do you think that that -- MR. GIBBS: I think I tried to make that point last week. Q Do you think that that's a sign, and does the White House believe that the rancor that we've heard from liberal Democrats in Washington is not reflective of how the country as a whole, how Democrats in the country feel about it? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think -- look, I think whether you -- we sent out the statements from a number of people across the country that represent Democrats, Republicans, and independents -- mayors, governors, governors-elect. You heard from in this room former President Bill Clinton. I think the notion that the view of some in Congress is monolithic to the viewpoint of every person in the party -- I didn’t think that then. I'm not surprised by the polling that shows that a vast majority of people don't want to see their taxes go up at the end of the year. Q So do you think that the protest, very loud protest -- in fact, so loud that they’ve put passage in the House in some doubt -- are -- what’s behind that if it’s not reflective of how people really feel? Is it just politics? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, that's a question for them. Look, I understand -- Q -- your analysis is. MR. GIBBS: I understand that people are frustrated that, as a result of a whole series of things, we find ourselves having to make an agreement that contains things that the President finds less than satisfactory. That's the nature of how this place works. But again, I didn’t think last week that it was the monolithic viewpoint of every person in the party or every person even in the progressive wing of the party. Q Robert, is the administration inclined to seek an expedited Supreme Court ruling on this health care matter? MR. GIBBS: Mark, again, I think I'd leave that to the Department of Justice, who will make some legal decisions on that. Q On tax cuts, why is the President doing this mini media blitz, this afternoon with four TV stations? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think this is -- I think the President is just looking for more ways and more opportunities to talk to the American people about what he thinks is important and what’s good in this agreement. And I said this a lot last week and I should start this week by saying it again, and that is if you look at the individual components of this agreement, they make sense economically. We are -- by preserving the rate for middle-class taxpayers, we're providing them certainty in not having their taxes go up at the end of the year. We're taking the politics out of unemployment insurance for the 2 million people that would stand to lose those benefits this year and the millions more next year that could see those benefits threatened. The payroll tax cut is important for middle-class families. It’s obviously a tax that -- you pay taxes on Social Security up to $106,800 of your income. By reducing the amount that an employee is required to pay into that, that's money that's going to come into -- that money will be in the pockets of those middle-class families. This makes sense for the economy. It contains things that the President doesn’t like, but it contains much more of what we think is necessary and what we like than there is to dislike. Q How did you choose the cities that get the interviews? MR. GIBBS: Finkenbinder with a dart and -- Q No, really. I know you're not a lawyer. (Laughter.) MR. GIBBS: But I'm a good dart-thrower. Look, truthfully, we picked a few markets around the country that represent some geographic diversity -- the South, the Midwest, the West. We had animated discussions with scheduling. I would like to do 14, not four. So I think it’s a good opportunity to talk to the American people. Q Who said he wanted -- he said he wanted to do 14 not four? MR. GIBBS: No, this is a sort of argument that we were having with scheduling. Q Robert, to follow up on that, were they in districts where there are members who are undecided? MR. GIBBS: I have not heard any discussions about that so I don't -- they were not picked because of that. Q I'd like to shift to the Afghan review. That's coming up I believe this week. What’s the outline, what’s the plan? Is there like a final NSC meeting that the President attends -- and will we hear from him? MR. GIBBS: The President’s regular monthly AfPak review meeting will be Tuesday, tomorrow morning at 11 a.m., as it’s scheduled now, in the Situation Room. That will have the people that you are used to seeing at that meeting. The President will make a statement on Thursday and we will have -- there will be a public release for the December review. That will happen on Thursday -- Q Of the document? MR. GIBBS: Of the document. And I think it’s our hope that after that we'll have in here, schedule permitting, Secretary Gates and Secretary Clinton and others to take some questions on the review. Q And should we expect any broad changes in policy or -- MR. GIBBS: I don't want to get ahead of all the meetings. I think we are -- as you’ve heard the President say on his most recent trip to Afghanistan, I think we are seeing some progress. We still have -- and I think you know many of them -- we have many challenges in both security and governance. We have -- well, we have progress and we have challenges. That is something that is talked much about when we go into these meetings in the Situation Room. Obviously there will be another meeting before the review is released, so I don't want to get ahead of where we are on that. But I think the President feels confident that we're on track on where we should be and that we can certainly meet our commitments to begin a conditions-based drawdown of our forces next July. Q Just to be clear, he'll get the review tomorrow? He'll see the review tomorrow? MR. GIBBS: He’s been -- there are different aspects of and drafts of this, some of which he has seen. Tomorrow obviously is the normal meeting that generally takes about an hour and a half to two hours. Obviously some part of that will be based on the review and some part of that will go through in his briefing some of what has been talked about both in the review and in the weekly memos that he gets from commanders and ambassadors. Q So, I'm sorry, will there be a meeting that's just focused on the review, or is that tomorrow? MR. GIBBS: There have been a number of those. It will be covered in tomorrow’s meeting, too. Q Is there any reaction to the comments from President Karzai in The Washington Post today, which -- he’s quoted, “If I had to choose sides today, I'd choose the Taliban”? MR. GIBBS: I have not talked to anybody about that, no. Q And as the House Democrats talk about what they want to change in the tax deal, are Geithner, Lew and Vice President Biden an active part of those discussions as they were in the initial conference with Republicans and Democrats? MR. GIBBS: I don't -- look, I think a number of people are having discussions with members of Congress. The President is having discussions with members of Congress. So I think that subset of people is likely involved as well as others. Q But it’s not as though it’s round two of negotiations with regular meetings on the Hill? Q And then, about the health care fight, when you’ve got a full plate of things that you want to accomplish in the next two years, how much of a distraction is it to have to keep litigating your major fight from the last two years at the same time? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, people challenging the constitutionality of different laws is nothing new and nothing that’s unexpected. Q Just a quick one on the health care ruling. You said that you remain confident that it’s going to -- that the law will be upheld. But the judge that just ruled against the administration was appointed by a Republican; the two who ruled for the administration were appointed by Democrats. How can you stay confident when this could end up in front of the Roberts Supreme Court? MR. GIBBS: I think we have a good argument. I think the merits of the case are strong and I think its constitutionality will be upheld. Q Two aspects on the tax -- for the House Democrats who have said they cannot vote for the language as it’s currently in the Senate, has anybody in recent days brought the President language, particularly on the estate tax, some kind of changes in language that might be proposed on the House side that could still work on the Senate? MR. GIBBS: Again, the President has talked with members and heard their concerns, but I do not know of -- I don’t know of anything that would fit the requirement that you just said about language for both. Q Are there some changes being kicked around or at least run by the White House? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the biggest changes that we’ve seen in the agreement are the addition of the energy credits for production and that’s the basis by which the legislation is written that will be voted on by the Senate. Q And on the Senate vote this afternoon, what will you take from that -- a measure of what? Of strength, or of where people are? MR. GIBBS: I mean, I think -- look, I think this will give you a sense of where people are in the overall agreement. I think -- again, I think if you look at -- I think there’s broad bipartisan support in the Senate for this. I think there is clearly broad bipartisan support throughout the country, and I think and believe that that will be reflected in the vote that the Senate makes. Q Thanks, Robert. As you look at what’s achievable in the rest of the lame duck session, where does the DREAM Act and “don’t ask, don’t tell” sort of come into play? How is the President going to prioritize those? MR. GIBBS: Peter, there’s not a list of one, two, three, four; there’s a series of things that I think the President believes are important and can be done this year. I think the Senate is likely to move not long after taxes to the START -- ratification of the START treaty. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” and DREAM, along with government funding, are all in a basket of issues that are likely to come after that. Q Very much alive? MR. GIBBS: Absolutely. Q Is there anything else that you want -- Q Can I ask a follow-up? MR. GIBBS: Let me come around. Well, let me just -- there’s judicial nominations. There’s Senate confirmations. This is not an exhaustive list. Q Robert, two questions. There’s a considerable likelihood here on this tax vote that Speaker Pelosi is going to vote no. It’s really going to be the first example that I can think of on a major legislative initiative where the President and her have been at variance. How does he feel about that and what does it say about the respective directions they’re moving in? MR. GIBBS: I, Glenn, have not spoken to the President about that. I have not heard a ton about vote counts in the House. I think obviously the first procedural hurdle will be encountered this afternoon in the Senate and I think that’s where a decent amount of our energy has been directed. Again, as I said, the President has reached out and talked to individual members of Congress. And, look, I think each is going to have to evaluate what they feel is -- or how they feel about the agreement and whether they think it’s important for the economy. Q Is he actively trying to convince her, or vice versa, to deal with this differently? I mean, are there ongoing conversations between the two of them? MR. GIBBS: I don’t know when the last time they spoke. I can check on that, but -- Q What were his thoughts to the Bernie Sanders lengthy filibuster on Friday? MR. GIBBS: I have not talked to him about that. Q Robert, one other quick thing. There was a sense that there were going to be some personnel announcements and some various moves prior to Christmas, prior to the end of the year. You’re now telling us that NEC is not likely going to be announced until the beginning of the year. Are we going to see any really significant -- MR. GIBBS: Look, I think that because of the volume of the work that’s been done in the lame duck, that most of this is going to get pushed over. Sam, let me address just tangentially that what you said about Sanders. Look, I think the President will be the first to agree that there are aspects of this that he doesn’t like, as I’ve said before and as he said before. Our preferred method was to make permanent the tax cuts for the middle class. The votes weren’t there in the Senate to do that. And rather than threaten our economic recovery, the President believed that this bipartisan agreement was the best way to go. And he respects and he understands the frustration of those that have a different viewpoint on the agreement. I think, at the same time, he believes that it is important for our economy, it’s important for middle-class families and important to get done. Q Robert, just to be clear on “don’t ask, don’t tell,” will the President direct the Senate to stay in session longer for this week if work on repealing that law isn’t finished by the end of this week? MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think the Senate is going to be in longer than this week. And I think there’s no doubt that based on the votes last week, it’s clear that a majority of the Senate supports the President’s position of doing away with “don’t ask, don’t tell,” repealing that. And our -- certainly our hope is that the Senate will take this up again and it will see this done by the time the year ends. Q Can I follow up on that? New litigation was filed in courts today challenging the constitutionality of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” What does the President have to say to opponents of that law who feel like they need to pursue litigation to get that off the books? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President would say the same thing that I’ve said and the same thing that Secretary Gates has said, that one of the two entities, either Congress or the courts, is going to repeal or do away with “don’t ask, don’t tell.” The best way to do it would be to do it through Congress. And the House has passed that legislation. And it is clear that a -- well more than a majority of -- well above a majority of U.S. senators believes that’s the case as well. And I think that -- I think we’re closer than we’ve ever been to making repeal a reality. Q A slightly different take on the question -- the President has pledged to stay in town himself until START is done. Would he pledge to stay in town until “don’t ask, don’t tell” is done? MR. GIBBS: Let me be clear, the President isn’t -- if START gets done, the President and Congress is here, the President is not leaving. I said earlier that the President will be here as long as the Congress is here. Q I thought he pledged specifically, though, to stay in town until START was done. MR. GIBBS: No, I think that we always envisioned it that if the Congress was here, the President would be here. There’s a whole host of important things beyond the tax agreement and START -- “don’t ask, don’t tell” being one of them -- that the President believes can be dealt with before Congress leaves town. Q If the legislative effort fails, are there other options on the table? I mean, this is a distinct possibility now. MR. GIBBS: Well, I should say this. I think it’s a distinct possibility that “don’t ask, don’t tell” will be repealed by the end of this year and that’s where our effort is focused. Q Robert, the American Legion -- MR. GIBBS: Tommy. Q The American Legion opposes legislation that would open up -- Q I have three quick ones. MR. GIBBS: Tommy -- Q Can you come back to me, Robert? MR. GIBBS: Go ahead. Tommy passed to you. Go ahead. Q All right, thank you. MR. GIBBS: I’ll come back. Q Thank you very much. MR. GIBBS: Your name is Tommy. Q Yes. (Laughter.) Q The American Legion, “opposes legislation” that would offer up to 2.1 million illegal aliens amnesty by meeting educational or military requirements. And my first of two questions: Will the President defy the Legion on this or try some sort of compromise? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President understands the viewpoint of the Legion, but also is getting advice from military commanders and those at the Department of Defense right now that the legislation is important and believes it should be passed. Q What is the White House reaction to what both FOX and CBS reported as a Ralph Nader statement, including -- and this is a quote -- it’s not my quote -- MR. GIBBS: I bet it’s not. Q “The President has no fixed principles. He is opportunistic. He is a con man. I have no use for him.” What is your reaction to that? They both reported it. MR. GIBBS: Well, and we’ve had that discussion about what people report and what is true. Right, Lester? But we won’t -- I digress. Q Are you claiming it’s not true? MR. GIBBS: No. I don’t know when the last time I talked to Ralph Nader was. I don't know when the last time you have. I don't have any specific comment to that. I think the President -- the President’s viewpoint on this, Lester, is that we have to make decisions each and every day -- and he makes decisions every day on what’s in the best interests of the American people and of this country. Q Thank you, Robert. Thank you, Les. (Laughter.) I have three quick questions. First one, last week during his special comment, Keith Olbermann compared the President’s tax compromise to Nazi appeasement. I wanted to see if you guys had a reaction to that. Did the President hear that, or what do you think about that? MR. GIBBS: I doubt the President heard that. I obviously have given a number of answers that would denote that we think it’s a good agreement. And I would say this to Democrats or Republicans. I think whenever you compare anything to what the Nazis did, if you ever get to that point in your speech, stop, because nothing does. And hopefully, God willing, nothing ever will. Q Fair enough. Second, over the weekend, Sarah Palin was visiting Haiti. She told reporters that she thought that anyone who was considering freezing aid to Haiti should go down there and visit first. I think she was referring to a statement by Senator Leahy. Does the White House have a position on that, on freezing aid? MR. GIBBS: Let me look at what the statement is and whether or not there is some reasoning. Obviously, our response to the earthquake in Haiti was and has been befitting a disaster of that magnitude and our response has been at the forefront of all the international responses on this. Q So you’re not aware of Senator Leahy’s comment? MR. GIBBS: I have not seen it. Q Finally -- I did have three. (Laughter.) Do you have a reaction to the Bill Sammon, FOX News memo that was -- I had to throw in -- MR. GIBBS: I feel like I’m -- no, I don't. Q You don't have a comment on a FOX News memo? Come on. MR. GIBBS: No, I don't. Thanks, guys. (Laughter.)

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: I broke my right humerus 2 years ago (long story) 15 months later it was found that the rod was to far up in my shoulder and causing pain second opp replaced rod into correct position but the screws came out 3rd opp to correct that,they are still out slightly which brings me to my question ,can it still be stable when screws are out a little bit ? I have a pulse machine that I was advise to use to heal the bone that I use once a day? why only once a day ? after the 3rd opp I have a nerve problem in my thumb and four finger, both numbness and stinging, hot water feeling,How long would you estimate the recovery time will be now ? output: Helloit depends on what your orthopedic surgeon diagnosis-whetherrr non-union is there ....the details you provide indicate still union is incomplete that repositioning of nail done again with screws fixation. If I were to treat, I would prefer to put bone graft also and, if your bone not weak due to osteoporosis, like to do a bridge plating instead of nailing. However, under the circumstances, your surgeon is the best judge as he has seen the inside, and x-rays etc. and if, screws are now fixed in place, trust his judgement for now, slight bit of protrusion of screws may not matter. Regarding nerve symptoms, of thumb and index finger, means, radial nerve slightly implicated at the humerus level in mid-arm.90% recovery of nerve is spontaneous, just keep up with exercises of thumb and fingers and wrist. Pulsing once a day to promote healing may be sufficient clinically if your doctor thinks so. Musce-nerve stimulation helps in rebuilding nerve and muscle tissues best wishes.

Best Touchscreen Laptops for Drawing by Demi July 7, 2022 by Demi July 7, 2022 0 comment Looking for a concise guide on the Best Touchscreen Laptops for Drawing? A brush, pencil, canvas and paint used to be the conventional materials for every artist. But we now live in an era where using a pen or pencil to sketch out your designs on a canvas or paper is considered outdated. There are now gadgets for doing everything art and these make drawing, sketching, and designing tremendously easier. If you’re an aspiring artist, digital artist or even just an art student, you can agree that working on a tablet gives you a good feel. But a lot of professionals enjoy using touchscreen laptops that combine the features of a tablet and a laptop as well as one that comes with a stylus pen. Unarguably, the best touchscreen laptops make your work a lot less stressful. However, the number of touchscreen laptops available in the market can leave you feeling overwhelmed. With so many appealing features and specifications, getting a laptop for your art can get you confused. In this article, we’re making the work easy for you by providing you with the best touchscreen laptops for designing and drawing. Let’s dive in! The Best Touchscreen Laptops for Drawing With a good touchscreen laptop, you can draw, create animations, make 3d as well as 2d art and also create graphic art. Here, we’ve provided you with a few of the best touchscreen laptops to help improve your artistic prowess; Acer Spin 3 Hp Spectre x360 Asus Zenbook Duo 14 Dell Inspiron 14 Hp 15 is a great laptop for students and professionals. It’s very affordable and very compact and so, can be easily carried about. It comes with both high productivity and a touch screen. It is a 3.92lbs, medium-weight laptop that has 12GB RAM which allows art students, illustrators and graphic designers great multitasking capacity. This laptop has a minimalist but elegantly compact design, seemingly peculiar to the HP brand, with a silver chassis. The Hp 15 has a comfortable 15.6-inch, micro-edge bezel, FHD touch screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution. It also comes with a Windows 10 Pro edition that has inbuilt security features that are great for designers. The keyboard is full-sized and comfortably spaced. This is vital for art students and other art professionals. It also has a wide enough and smooth touchpad for comfortable hand gestures. Hp comes with about 4 ports including 2 x USB Type-A ports, 1 x USB Type-C port and 1 x HDMI 1.4b. This laptop also has a 64GB flash stylus that is important to transfer data and designs. It comes with a multi-format card reader as well as WiFi-5 and Bluetooth 4.2 for your wireless connectivity. CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-1135G7 Storage: 512GB SSD + 1TBB HDD Battery: Up to 5 hours GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Full HD Display with Touch Screen Plastic Used for the Body The Surface Pro 7, which is a laptop from Microsoft, is an upgrade from the Surface Books but with some new and interesting features. This laptop is Microsoft’s flagship touchscreen laptop for both amateur and professional artists including architects. It provides a long term and reliable addition to your artistic devices. This laptop has become one of the most popular laptops among its other competitors for writing, drawing and designing. It’s not only because it has an amazing display and great performance but also because it has a super-fast CPU that runs heavy software, apps etc. It’s a 2-in-1 series that has a 1.3GHz 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor as well as the Intel UHD i3 coprocessor that allows you to launch heavy applications on your system. The front camera of this laptop has extraordinary image resolution quality. And its Intel Iris Plus GPU allows you to draw with smooth accuracy. The Surface Pro 7 has an 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD storage that prevents lag and no lag means you can design and draw easily at an incredible speed. It also allows for additional storage capacity of up to 1TB which can store a large amount of downloader exe run files. These storage features also mean you can perform multiple functions on the laptop with ease. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 comes with a signature magnesium-alloy design. It has a slim and the bezels are thick. This model is thin and versatile and weighs just about 1.7 pounds, making it easy to carry and transport. It has a 12.3-inch display with a 2736 x 1824 pixels resolution. This laptop provides you with a sense to automatically adjust based on the light or darkness in your surroundings. It also allows a balance of brightness and colors. Although the keyboard and stylus pen doesn’t come as part of the package and you’d be required to purchase both separately, the keyboard is backlit and quite sturdy. And it provides an effective and comfortable typing experience. The Surface Pro 7 comes with two ports; a USB-C port and a USB 3.1 Type-A port. It charges very fast and also has a battery life of up to 10-11 hours, meaning, your creative juices can keep flowing without you worrying about low battery. CPU: 1.3GHz Intel Core i5 1035G4 Storage: 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD Battery: 11 Hours Durable Battery GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Plus 3 Inch Touch Screen Display Slim design and portability Good CPU and GPU Capacity Long-Lasting Battery Life Stylus and Keyboard Come Separately Acer Spin 3 is one of the best convertible laptops. It provides both accuracy and durability for drawing enthusiasts. This quiet 2-in-1 model has an array of specifications that are perfect for tech-savvy artists. This laptop has quite a sophisticated look with its double-toned interiors in black and grey around the bezels and deck. It’s also quite resistant to accidental falls. This 3.7-pound machine provides a very powerful and speedy processing system with its 1.1GHz Intel Core i5-1035G1 CPU processing power. Artists are drawn to this laptop because of its Integrated Intel UHD 620 GPU that allows for its smooth performance. It has an 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB PCle NVMe SSD internal storage that allows you to run drawing and editing apps such as Premiere Pro or Photoshop without worrying about lagging. Its 14-inch touchscreen provides good color vibrancy and this feature also allows you to draw pain on a large screen because its bezel is narrow. However, it doesn’t have a wide brightness range. The Acer Spin 3 comes with an array of ports, such as; a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, an SD card slot, an HDMI port, a charging port, a stylus charging port, a headphone jack and a Kensington lock port. It comes with a sturdy and responsive keyboard with backlit features which provides a smooth typing experience. The battery life on this machine is also very impressive. The laptop can last up to 12 hours which will allow for a hassle-free experience while working for a long time. Storage: 512GB SSD + 8GB RAM GPU: Integrated Intel UHD 620 Battery: 12 Hours Battery Life Fast Performance Due to SSD Storage Comes With a Built-In Active Pen Very Good Battery Life Not Expensive Heavy and Not Portable Hp Spectre 360 This laptop is one of the most widely recommended touchscreen laptops for artists. This is because the HP Spectre 360 was designed especially for artists and has a lot of drawing features and can run graphic-intensive tasks. With this laptop, Hp has produced a top-notch convertible that can efficiently serve all your needs. The HP Spectre 360 has a CPU that has been upgraded to quad-core and so its 4GHz Intel Core i7-10510U processor adds an extra advantage to its performance. With the added power of the NVIDIA GeForce MX330, this laptop becomes a power-house for all your drawing, painting and designing. This laptop has a 16GB LPDDR3-2133 SDRAM that regulates and stabilizes the speed output. You can also multitask and also don’t ever have to worry about your system lagging while working because this system comes with a 512GB SSD + 32GB Intel Optane. This allows your apps to run fast and with ease. This Hp laptop has a unique square-cut, sharp design. And it has an aluminum base and skid resistance that makes it a hardy device to work with. It is a convertible laptop that can bend up to 360 degrees, making work in tablet mode. It also weighs about 4.3 pounds, making it an average laptop. As for the ports on this machine, it comes with a USB Type C port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI port, an audio jack, a microSD card reader and a fingerprint reader. It has a 4K UHD display and a 3840 x 2160 pixels resolution. It has a wide brightness range and color display with an IPS micro-edge 15.6 inches touchscreen. This provides ample smoothness for creating designs and drawings. The keypad that comes with this laptop has incredible spacing between the keys which improves your experience while typing. It also has a very good battery life which lasts up to 14 hours. All these features are what make the HP Spectre 360 one of the best laptops for drawing and design. Storage: 512GB SSD + 32GB Intel Optane + 16GB RAM Battery: Up to 14 Hours Battery Life GPU: 2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX330 CPU: 1.8Hz Intel Core i7-10510U Very Impressive Battery Life Includes Thunderbolt Very Good Speed Quality Multitasking Slots to Connect with Third-Party Devices Expensive to Purchase Spaces on Keyboard are Too Wide The Asus Zenbook Duo 14 combines two high-quality screens in one laptop. It’s powered by an 11th generation processor. It’s also created with Asus new Active Aerodynamic System Plus that uses the ErgoLift hinge mechanism. It also has a tilting ScreenPad Plus that helps the overall cooling airflow by about 50%. This laptop has a multi-threading quad-core processor in Intel Corei7-1165G7 and NVIDIA GeForce MX450 which helps balance the work of the dual-screen and also delivers silky-smooth visuals. It combines a 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD which works hand in hand with the processor that allows it to run design applications. It also runs on Windows 10 Home edition. The Asus Zenbook Dou 14 has ultra-slim bezels and a 15.6 inches FHD touch screen display. Its primary screen has a 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution with stylus support and the secondary screen has a 4K resolution. The laptop is powered by a new ScreenXpert 2 software which makes it easier to multitask and be creative. The laptop comes with several built-in apps and a Control Panel app that allows you to draw and design with ease. With the Control Panel, you can easily switch your brush size, layer opacity, saturation etc. You can also use buttons on the Control Panel for Adobe After Effects, Lightroom, Premiere Pro and Photoshop. The system comes with a very spacious keyboard but doesn’t have a numeric panel. The infrared camera that is built with it keeps your log in quick and easy for online classes and video conferences. The Asus Zenbook comes with two Thunderbolt ports, four USB Type-C ports, a card reader, an audio jack, one USB 3.2 Type-A port, and an HDMI port. It also has WiFi-6 and Bluetooth 5. It, however, doesn’t have ethernet but that is substituted by the WiFi-6. Its 70WHr 4-cell battery allows it to last up to 10-11 hours even with the dual-screen. Storage: 1TB SSD + 16GB RAM Doesn’t Come with an Ethernet Port The Lenovo Ideapad 5 is a newer model that has a better performance than its predecessors in the Ideapad family. This laptop has a power of a 10th generation quad-core processor that was designed for both work and play. The 45WHr battery of this device can last up to 11 hours giving you ample time to let the inspiration flow. With its 12GB RAM, the laptop can handle high-quality work that is large. It allows you to handle computations of large data and codes. It uses Windows 10 Home which loads faster with its 512GBSSD storage. It also uses Intel Core i7-1165G7 which has four multi-threading cores that can process up to 4.7GHz for intensive design software. The Lenovo Ideapad’s Integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics allows you to design and draw with accuracy and ease. It has a 15.6inch FHD Touch Screen to buttress the shortcoming of the 1920 x 1080 pixel display. It weighs just about 4.44 pounds which makes it light and travel friendly as well as a 180-degree flexible design. As for the keyboard, it has a full-sized keyboard with a special numeric pad with sufficient key travel and a good response so you can work for a long time without any hassle. The laptop comes with an array of ports ranging from two USB Type A 3.1 ports, one USB Type C 3.1 port, a card reader, a 3.5mm audio jack as well as one HDMI port. It also comes with a WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. Storage: 512GB SSD + 12 GB RAM Uses WiFi 6 Battery Lasts Long No Ethernet port Display isn’t Bright Dell Inspiron is unarguably one of the best laptops for designers, educators and graphic designers. This is your go-to laptop if you’re working with a budget and it doesn’t compromise in its quality and ability to perform. The laptop has four modes including, modes for typing, gaming, entertainment and a tablet mode for writing or drawing. This device runs on a quad-core Intel Core i7-1165G7 at a speed of 1.2GHz to about 4.7GHz which is quite impressive compared to other laptops in its price range. The GPU’s Intel Iris Xe Graphics allow you to smoothly run applications like Art Weaver, Corel Painter etc. The 12GB SDRAM and 512GB SSD supports the processor to enable easy and seamless boot-ups and processing. This helps the laptop cope with various drawing and design demands. Dell Inspiron 4 uses Windows Pro which comes with security features like BitLocker, allowing designers to work remotely easily. It boasts of a display of 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution on a 15.6 inches screen which can turn landscape. The FHD also has a very good array of colors. The laptop has a full-size keyboard with good key spacing and depth. It also comes with an S-Pen and has a large touchpad which also serves as a wireless charger for your phones. It packs a number of ports including a USB Type-C port, an audio jack, a USF/MicroSD combo port and an S-Pen about 3.39 pounds. It lacks an ethernet port but makes up for it with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5. The Dell Inspiron has a 4-cell battery that lasts just about 6 hours. Its compact design and light weight make it portable and travel-friendly. It’s also incredibly flexible due to its dynamic, narrow-border design. Summarily, the Dell Inspiron 14 is one of the best budget touchscreen laptops to handle all your drawing needs. GPU: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics Battery: Up to 6 Hours Battery Life Storage: 512GB SSD + 12GB RAM Flexible Design Up To 360 Degrees Uses Thunderbolt Support Provides Very Fast Performance Lacks Proper Ventilation Microsoft recently launched one of its largest upgrades of its Intel-powered Surface Pro; Surface Pro 8. This model is one of the best laptops if you’re looking to draw architectural designs. This upgraded version boasts an 11th gen Intel Core i5 super-fast CPU that allows you to run heavy software and apps. The laptop comes with a premium design with a standard matte black color that just oozes sophistication. You can even use this device in both tablet mode and studio mode. It has bezels that are quite thick compared to the other models but with its 1.96 pounds weight, it’s very easy to carry around. The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 has an impressive 13 inches PixelSense display with a vibrant 2880 x 1920 pixels resolution. It has a range of colors provided by the sRGB color gamut that will just blow your mind if you’re particular about your accuracy while drawing. The battery on this laptop can last up to 11 hours. The laptop comes with an Integrated Iris Xe Graphics GPU. And to add to the beauty of the Surface Pro 8, it’s configured with an 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD storage. This prevents interruption while working on your projects. The keyboard comes with a 1.3 mm key travel with a thin Type Cover. This device has a touchpad that allows precise navigation and responds to multi-touch gestures very well. However, the Thin Type Cover has to be bought separately. The Surface Pen which adds to the power and precision of the laptop also has to be bought separately. The Pen is incredibly sensitive and has an eraser at the top. It also features two Thunderbolt 4 ports as opposed to the USB-A port and microSD car feature the other models have. The Thunderbolt 4 ports allow the laptop to support 4K displays with a 60Hz refresh rate or an 8K monitor at 30Hz. CPU: 2.4Gz Intel Core i5-1135G7 Battery: Up to 10.5 Hours Very Strong Processor Portable Design Two Thunderbolt 4 Ports Surface Pen Has to Be Bought Separately The Samsung Chromebook Plus is the first of a new generation of Chromebooks that run Chrome OS. This Chromebook supports Android apps and also works better on tablets. It also accepts stylus input. This Chromebook is suitable mostly for students and upcoming artists. The Chromebook’s Intel Celeron 3965Y has dual cores that operate at 1.5GHz. This is adequate to run Android applications like Sketchbook, Painter etc. The Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU helps to process images and videos easily. Although, the Chromebook only has a 4GB RAM which might hinder its ability to run multiple operations, it can adequately handle the optimized load. It also has a storage of just 64GB eMMC flash memory. However, it still allows your system to boot fast as well as boots your applications quick. The display of the Samsung Chromebook plus boasts a 12.2 inches FHD display screen with 1920 x 1200 pixels resolution. With a weight of just 3 pounds, you can easily travel with this device. The laptop has a very spacious keyboard with adequate key travel but lacks a numeric pad. The touchpad is also spacious and can accommodate multi-hand gestures. It has one USB 3.0 port, one USB Type-C port, a headphone port and a card slot in case you need additional storage. It, however, has no Ethernet or HMDI port. The Chromebook also has space for the stylus and comes with WiFi 5 and Bluetooth. And the battery lasts up to 10 hours thanks to the light processor. CPU: 1.5GHz Intel Celeron 3965Y Storage: 64GB eMMC + 4GB RAM Built-In Pen Has No Ethernet Port Very Small Storage Capacity Buyer’s Guide-How to Choose the Best Touchscreen Laptops When you’re trying to get a good touchscreen laptop for your work or yourself, it’s important to consider a few important factors. These factors help you to narrow down your search seeing as there are so many options available in the market. Use the following tips to when next you’re purchasing a laptop for drawing; Wide, High-Resolution Screens As an art enthusiast or professional you need a screen that’s wide enough for you to go crazy with your art on. A small screen can limit your designs and can get you frustrated trying to fit the whole design to no avail. The resolution and brightness range are also very important. This allows you to have bright and crisp colors and details while working. Good Graphics Card A good GPU is very important because it can manipulate and process a large number of pixels at once. The graphics card helps improve the graphics and video experience as well as helps to free up memory. It also helps improve your gaming experience if you’re also a gamer. If you’re an artist that likes to travel or you’re a student or professional always on the go, a laptop that is portable and lightweight is your best bet. Such laptops come in various sizes and weights, make sure you find the one that’s right for you. Strong Processor While working with your laptop, it can be quite frustrating to have to wait for a few minutes or seconds for it to load or process. Having a laptop that lags can be very annoying when your creative juices are flowing. So, it’s important to get a laptop with a very good processor that can keep up with your creative demands. And one that can easily run software like Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, etc. Strong Battery Life A laptop that you always have to charge every few hours can hinder your progress while working. Especially if you’re always on the go. Therefore, make it a point to get a laptop that has a very strong battery life: at least 8-10 hours battery life if you can afford it. Can you draw on a touchscreen laptop? You can draw on any touchscreen laptop provided it can read an external pen such as Stylus, Windows Ink or Lenovo Pen. The gestures of the pen will help you draw efficiently on the laptop’s screen. You must also make sure that the external pen is compatible with its display. However, note that the level of work you can do depends largely on the compatibility of the applications. Can I use a Stylus on any touchscreen laptop? Because your laptop has a touchscreen doesn’t mean that a stylus will automatically work with it. So, the simple answer is that you can use a stylus on any touchscreen laptop as long as it’s Windows compatible. The good thing is that some touchscreen laptops come with a stylus. What is the best processor for laptops for drawing? The best processors for drawing laptops are Intel i5 or i7 CPU configurations. These configurations produce the best drawing outputs on the laptop and they help increase the speed and performance of your laptop. This helps ensure good productivity and efficient work for art enthusiasts and professionals. While trying to get the best laptop for your art and designs, you should make sure you look for a product that can efficiently run digital art-based software. To ensure you don’t get confused take your time to read through each laptop’s specifications before you make a decision. AUTHOR’S BIO – Naomi Oseni is an irreverent freelance writer who covers lifestyle and tech-related topics. When she isn’t using her words to help people live a stress-free life, she’s serving as an event assistant with Tix Africa. Contact Naomi for content-related gigs and projects via email – naomioshoke@gmail.com Demi is a professional writer, published author, and digital marketing aficionado for Liveandwingit Digital marketing agency. Het has explored several opportunities across the internet ecosystem. When Demi is not crafting mind-boggling content, he is binge-watching Game of Thrones, Money Heist and Suits. DOWNLOAD BROILER LAYERS POULTRY BUSINESS PLAN 7 Fascinating Destinations to Visit In The World Top 10 Money Transfer Companies for Sending Money... FRONT-END DEVELOPMENT SKILLS TO LEARN IN 2022 What Do Healing Crystals Do? Top 5 Affordable Smart Gadgets for Your Home Simple Meditative Practices to Help You Relax HOW TO CREATE JAMB PROFILE CODE ALL ABOUT INSOMNIA AND HOW YOU CAN TREAT... LIVING THROUGH A PANDEMIC – MY COVID 19... L’embouteillage à Lagos

Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans – 01 Posted by Guardian Enzo on October 6, 2015 October 6, 2015 First Impressions / Gundam / Series Introduction Home First Impressions Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans – 01 Kowabon – 01 Bleach 646 – Open Your Eye 「鉄と血と」 (Tetsu to Chi to) “Iron and Blood…” Whatever one might think this series will ultimately become, it’s not one to be dismissed easily. This series probably has more baggage than any other this season. There are so many eponymous words attached to it – Gundam, Sunrise, Nagai, Okada – that it’s impossible to go into it with an open mind, no matter what anyone might claim to the contrary. Unless, of course, one isn’t an anime fan to begin with – and it’s hard to imagine there are too many viewers like that in the audience for a show like this one. Where does one even begin, then, to try and analyze what happened on screen here? I suppose they would have to start with the most basic, elemental point – the premiere of Tekketsu no Orphans was good. It was very good, in fact – not brilliant, but solidly entertaining from start to finish. The setup here is as familiar to Gundam viewers as an old shoe – tension between a wealthy Earth and a poor Mars colony roiled by an independence movement. Child soldiers exploited by adults on both sides. Political intrigue and betrayal. It really is like a song where you know all the words. The difference from the stock Gundam show, of course, is the presence of director Nagai Tatsuyuki and writer Okada Mari. Both are about as famous as anyone in their field, and they have a track record together – AnoHana and the movies attached to it, Toradora. Okada also has a track record writing original material for existing franchises, and it’s an abysmal one – Rurouni Kenshin, Kuroshitsuji, Lupin III. Most relevant here is Aquarion Evol, her spectacularly misguided take on another beloved (though very different from Gundam) mecha franchise. Like I said – more baggage than an Airbus A380. If one chooses to accentuate the full half of the glass, it’s in partnership with very strong directors – especially the stalwart Nagai – that Okada has tended to do her best work. And again, this first ep is excellent – she has a way of scene-setting that’s very effective, and while there are moments of clumsy exposition, the episode does a very good job of setting up the premise. But I’ve been fooled by strong first eps with Okada before only to be brutally disappointed, so I’m going try to keep my expectations very much in-check. Okada and Nagai have 25 episodes to work with (that was announced today) which should be ample time to flesh out this story of the iron-blooded orphans at the heart of the story, and the conflict they’re caught up in. The major players appear to be the quietly GAR Augus Mikazuki (Kawanishi Kengo) – the one who pilots the Gundam this week – and his best friend Itsuka Orga (Hosoya Yoshimasa). There’s also the requisite chubby mechanical genius Biscuit Griffon (Hanae Natsuki) – seriously Tomino, where do you come up with these names? – among others. Critically, there’s also Kudelia Aina Bernstein (Terasaki Yuka), the MacGuffin and catalyst for now. She’s the daughter of the president of the Mars colony (Kinoshita Haruyuki), and she’s hand-picked four boys from the Third Squad of abused orphans to escort her to Earth to mediate a peace conference. There’s certainly the usual Okada silliness here – all the buff boys pilot their tanks with their shirts off justbecause, for example – but there’s some real bite and poignancy to the story. I especially liked the way Kudelia came off as more of a villain than the men doing all the betraying here (including her father and the boys’ adult comrades) in some ways. Her arrogance and sense of rich woman’s burden here is really despicable, and her intent to relate to the boys on a so-called equal level really insulting and demeaning. No doubt as she’s educated as to just how naive and sheltered she is she’ll grow as a character, but Okada and Nagai have certainly given her plenty of room to do so. All of this as chestnut as it gets in anime, of course – not just Gundam, but sci-fi anime in general. We’ve seen stories of child soldiers exploited as expendable tools by craven adults over and over and over again, and it’s surely going to be a challenge to find anything really original in telling that story yet again. But even as she jumps the shark, one thing Okada is generally good at is finding the new angle, the original twist – and she’s pretty fearless. I’m loathe to get my hopes up, believe me, but especially with the unassailably great Nagai-sensei on board I really think this has a chance to work. Enough so that I’m going to be disappointed if it doesn’t, anyway. OP Sequence OP: 「Raise your flag”」by (MAN WITH A MISSION) Guardian Enzo I love travel, but I either have time and no money or money and no time. I live in Japan, and I love almost (but not) everything about it. I started writing when I was about 5, though, and I've never been able to stop. Random Curiosity was the first anime blog I regularly visited, and helped inspire my blog Lost in America. Lost in Anime: Anime Planet Profile: Twitter: View all posts by Guardian Enzo → Not a bad start. Hopefully this series will succeed where Reconguista in G had failed. Gundamvid October 6, 2015 at 6:23 pm 5 years ago Reconguista was a once in a life-time perfect storm of horrible. deVaras From what I’ve seen, most of the blame comes from the fact that Reconguista originally was not supposed to be a “Gundam” series, but Tomino got convinced to turn it into one, but all things considered, I don’t think it was a complete failure. It definitely would’ve been a lot better if things got reworked from the ground up to better incorporate the Universal Century and to allow deeper explanations into things, but I did take away some things by the end of the series. Primarily the idea that it’s pretty much the final nail in the coffin for Zeon Zum Deikun’s (and subsequently Char’s) belief that mankind leaving Earth to live in space would evolve all of mankind into Newtypes, allowing Earth to heal from all that humanity had done to it while also, through becoming Newtypes, allow humanity to understand one another, which would lead to “true” peace. (Though, they seemed to ignore the whole time that even if humans could “understand” one another, that doesn’t mean they’ll agree on everything, believe the exact same things, etc., so there would still be wars.) As those living near Venus can attest to, while they did manage to end up living longer than ordinary humans, that’s pretty much all that came from generations of living deeper in space like that, and coming at the cost of becoming physically deformed and forced to wear “suits” to cover it up, which is why they were so desperate to return to live on Earth again rather than remain in space. HalfDemonInuyasha October 6, 2015 at 10:44 pm 5 years ago compared to the weak bitch in the Gundam Wing catchphases, placed at the middle of the design. another one needed to be protected, https://randomc.net/image/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2008.jpg GN drive rapes everything than electric cables, 00 raiser giant beam sword, and NOCLIP underhanded cheats no more crybaby in gundam series, just like in gundam AGE and SEED Can you try speaking English please? Tarage See this girl here? She’s a prime candidate for a death flag like Hare and Shirley. I will translate for him as I had issues with several Gundam series. Age had Asemu who was a crybaby trying to get his dad’s (Flit) affection. So instead of manning up and dealing with his emo issues. He actually runs away and abandons his wife and child making him a deadbeat dad in the start of the third arc. Seed Destiny at least you had Athrun which he can’t just figure out what he wanted to fight for, so he bounced to every faction imagined. I can’t say how he was in Gundam Seed as I have yet to see it. SilentCid October 7, 2015 at 9:25 am 5 years ago Athrun wasn’t the crybaby of Gundam Seed, it was Kira. magoiichi October 12, 2015 at 8:12 am 5 years ago The shirts off thing is because they plug in to their mechs, literally. They have implants in their spines that require that. I’m not saying that that in itself isn’t silly, but there is a reason for it in universe. The strange thing is, why they just can’t make uniform that conform to that? Of course, they could also said budget as reason….. kerfirou If you look closely there’s actually an oval shaped device they put on over the whiskers which plugs into the mech. So, there’s no reason for the pilots to not be wearing proper flight suits… unless they’re too poor/unimportant to be issued some. Or fanservice. Doctor Hochmeister Well you forget that they’re seen as expendable. Its obvious their command wouldn’t afford them such luxuries as pilot suits. Barzam Yeah, I get that obviously, but come on – you can’t wear a tank top or cut a hole in the back of the uniform? It’s just Okada silliness really, pretty much harmless but kind of funny nonetheless. They’re poor Enzo, that’s what it means, since no other pilots were shirtless. One, why ruin a good shirt. Two, a Tank Top doesn’t work because as we saw with Orga, they have a overly bulky device attached to the node. When they get some specialized uniforms then it’ll be fine, but being shirtless is NOT pointless, it emphasizes the social divide. KrimzonStriker Simple, Heat.. Real Soldier has surly an Pilot Suit, with Cooling device.. But this Suits are to good for this Kids… WorldwideDepp Maybe those mobile worker units has nothing resembling air conditioning i suppose 😡 Eien October 8, 2015 at 12:53 am 5 years ago That’s pretty much what I got too. And it’s not like their boss would shell out the dollars for customized outfits. I mean, if you look closely, you see that the 3rd Company doesn’t even eat as well as the First, only getting bowls f some kind of mushy stuff, while the First Company were eating tacos and burgers. If they won’t even give them the same food, I can’t see them giving them special suits, especially since they are using an anachronistic system in the first place. Irenesharda What I was waiting for in this Gundam show: 1. The mooks/redshirts/cannon fodder who’ll say “IT’S A GUNDAM!” (Thanks, Captain Obvious!), then die in an explosion 2. The Char Clone character. This_Is_No_Zaku_Boy_No_Zaku I miss explosions, it’s weird seeing tanks get shot at and take damage but no blow up in pink smoke, or a Gundam wielding a huge sword and using it more as a blunt object than a Ginsu knife slicing through a MS like a tomato. bknight lmao at your name :)) GO GOUFS I’m waiting for 1 thing: Dem GOUF tier fodders flCer Serious question Enzo… are you contractually obligated to blog Okada Mari scripts? It feels like you couldn’t get away from her even if you tried. XD And I think the word I’d use to sum up this premiere is comforting. This has been a godawful decade for Gundam with the only highlights being the Unicorn OVAs and the spinoff Build Fighters, so to finally have a TV series give us a solid premiere for the first time since 00 is… comforting. It certainly remains to be seen how it will play out, but I find myself hopeful that I won’t end up hating yet another Gundam series. Purple Bomber What about the Origin? The first ep was pretty good. We’ll see how the second turns out at the end of the month. zrnzle500 But Okada had some serious wins on her side! Well, I don’t recall having blogged too many Okada shows over here. I always give an Okada show a chance, because at her best she can be pretty darn good. But when it goes wrong it can spiral out of control pretty fast, and I’ve never hesitated to drop a series when that happens. Besides – in Nagai we trust. Hmm, this looks similar to a real-life activist group I’ve seen somewhere before (probably on SanCom), but for the life of me, I can’t remember the name… (“Femen”? Feel free to correct me on that one.) Also, discount Heero Yuy (child soldier) and Relena Darlian (sheltered aristocratic daughter who knows nothing of the real world or the hell of war)–minus the “I’ll kill you” catchphrase. *ding* Anyway…what Heavy Object did in one episode (that is, convince me that the show is worth watching), Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans will have to do within the next two episodes–or less. And with the 25-episode limit, one can only hope that Okada and Nagai got that memo from Sunrise very early and get the pacing for G-Tekketsu down pat–as opposed to Tomino apparently pacing for a 40-plus episode run in G-Reco. (While I definitely don’t know what exactly went on behind the doors of Sunrise, that’s the vibe I got when G-Reco ended.) I agree with Enzo, the first episode of Gundam: Tekketsu was solid, but didn’t blow me away. The action, animation, and above all the tone of the episode were all excellent, and there’s clearly a lot of room for both the setting and characters to grow and become fleshed out… assuming the show is willing and able to do so properly. While the individual small scale scenes were well directed, I felt like they did a rather poor job of depicting the overall situation be it action or political. Whereas many shows these days suffer from an overabundance of exposition, Tekketsu went the exact opposite route and rapidly switched between characters, organizations, and conflicts that I had and learned very little knowledge about. In the end I had to watch the PV’s just to get an idea of who was who and what was going on in the setting. Furthermore, I’m left wondering at several apparent plot holes, such as how a 300 year old mech can keep up with modern designs, why the solar system’s economy depends on a “washed up backwater,” and why a supposedly dictatorial police force would allow a colonial PMC independent of its control to even form. This isn’t necessarily bad though; it demonstrates that the show is making me think about it and hopefully will lead to some intriguing plot points in the future. The biggest concern I have with this show is that it already seems to be settling neatly into the ruts blazed by previous Gundam series; there’s the taciturn edgy kid prodigy main character, the inexplicably influential teenage “princess,” the good ‘ol European space-aristocracy, and the (at the moment) poorly explained space-colonialism conflict. None of these are inherently bad, but after seeing them so many times they make the show feel rather stale and recycled, and don’t inspire much confidence in its ability to deliver something unique and engaging further down the line. I’m still hopeful that Gundam: Tekketsu will turn out well, and if nothing else it’ll at least have entertaining action, but the first episode had enough issues that I’m not completely confident in its future success. Yeah, I’m hoping this will follow a more Universal Century style and actually delve deeper into the politicking, give us explanations for stuff, decent/believable/meaningful plot and character development, and whatnot, while the mobile suit battles are more awesome icing on the cake (balanced rather than completely one-sided in favor of protagonists outside of the plot demanding it or simply as an excuse to hand the protagonist an even better mobile suit). In terms of how such old mechs can keep up with modern ones, I guess it can depend on situations. Like, with the Universal Century, the Earth Federation still continued to use the Jegan in its main mobile suit forces for over thirty years partly because it most likely got cheaper to produce and maintain over the years, but also due to the lack of any serious conflicts that urgently required any sort of new, modern, top of the line mobile suits to be designed/produced (and this was after it was shown that enemy mobile suits they fought against were largely overall superior to the Jegan as it was). Obviously, this leads to the Jegan, or the more recent, modern, and scaled-down Heavygun (UC 0109), to be greatly outperformed by the Crossbone Vanguard’s mobile suits in UC 0123 (Mobile Suit Gundam F91). I’d also guess pilot training didn’t involve much combat training for similar reasons. After the Crossbone Babylonia conflict, the Federation once again had this mindset when it came to things like the, at the time, modern Jamesgun and Javelin, using them as their primary mobile suits for thirty more years due to lack of conflict through the Zanscare Empire conflict in UC 0153, which left most of the fighting up to the League Militaire protagonists with their own, modern mobile suits like the Gun-EZ, Gunblaster, and Victory Gundam series. So I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a similar mindset here – three hundred years of no real conflict after the Calamity War, so no urgent need to produce any (super) advanced, modern mobile suits. Of course, the Gundam Barbatos (the “main” Gundam) is just one of seventy two “Gundam” frames that were produced during the Calamity War, so aside from others (two of which having had some very basic info revealed, available on the wikia), as the conflict spreads and becomes more serious, it will end up pushing the powers in charge to push forward mobile suit design and development. Of course, that’s probably a real stretch given twenty to thirty years hardly compares to three hundred, but ya know never know, right? lol https://randomc.net/image/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans%20-%2001%20-%2039.jpg ‘Dat Gundam is one of the finest looking pieces of mass murder I’ve seen since 08th MS Team. Love it. 🙂 Dunno ’bout the rest, really. It was a solid opening, to be sure. Here’s hoping they don’t blow it. Ryan Ashfyre I’m not concerned about the first episode not being spectacular, so long as it was competent and not an utter fail. My real concern is that girls hair. She’s got at least 4 sets of bangs and it’s driving me absolutely nuts cause I hate hate hate her hair. Kabble Out of everything that this spoiled, arrogant princess whose heart is admittedly in the right place has, it’s her hair that bothers you? RLY? What about this adorable ball of cowlick here? And this? The sheer amount of gel one would have to put into that on a daily basis should make you shudder. And, really, let’s be frank here. Considering the proverbial tree that this particular apple fell from, let’s be grateful that she turned out as well as she did and leave it at that. ^_^ it seems that while resources on mars are tight, everyone has access to the same hairdresser…. and he. is. FAAABULOUS!!!! defunkt_bots Someone from Shiki (the vampire anime) has survived and lived in Mars. That’s why. As a big mecha nerd, I was extremely pleased when the Gundam Barbatos dug that giant spear/mace/ruin-your-day weapon into that Graze’s neck. NoS Gundam In what ways does Kudelia come of as worse than the actual villains? It’s not necessarily unreasonable to hold would be do-gooders to a higher moral standard, but its a bit much to say that they’re worse for missing the mark. Deuswyvern This so much. That comment in the review made no sense. She’s clearly neat to be one of those well-meaning activist types that don’t know what they’re talking about. The quality there is NAIVE, not evil. In what possible way does she even remotely to the villains of the episode, from her cowardly father, to the traitorous Martian militia and the monstrous earth soldiers. “Oh no, she’s rich and she wants to help! Run!” KaleRylan i have to say im impressed so far we will have to see -i do like its starting on mars and going to earth -at least i presume thats the plan of the series and it will be interesting Very relieved with the opening of this show especially after that last Gundam series. This feels more like a Gundam series with a subtle difference that makes you look forward to seeing where they will take it There’s certainly the usual Okada silliness here – all the buff boys pilot their tanks with their shirts off justbecause, for example Yeah, I think I’ve made up my mind. I’m gonna steer clear of this one and see what folks are saying after 10-15 episodes or so. If Nagai’s influence seems to be keeping Okada’s fondness for flamboyantly probabilistically implausible melodrama in check, then I’ll jump back into this one. Barring that, it’s pass… I hate to be a dick, but. How the hell did this entry took this long to be written? Surprised the Aldnoah references aren’t being made yet considering the setting and likely chance of SHTF very soon 😛 Tongue in cheek aside, the confirmation of two cours and the solid nature of the opener gives me high hope that we won’t see this turn into a train wreck. Will need a few more episodes to get an idea for the direction however. Also about time someone stops using CG for the mechs! The artwork is fantastic here. Solid but not adrenaline inducing. The soundtrack when the Gundam moved out was terrific. Fanservice protest. Wrong! That’s protesting done right. Heh, you’re right! Look up Femen. Ayle I think this is the best first episode of this season and the one series I am really looking forward to each week. The concepts aren’t new, but I loved the characters’ dynamics, especially between Mikazuki and Orga. And nice soundtrack. WarriorsHeart The one highlight imo, besides the Barbatos in action, was that epic burn from Mika when talking to that girl about handshakes. I love him already. Me, too. 😀 I like his relationship with Orga. And, for once, there seems to be a chubby guy who is quite competent and smart. I don’t mind the princess at the moment, she seems like a great improvement to the previous flat, uninspiring pacifistic princesses that are done to death in mecha shows. Let’s hope she doesn’t become an overly dramatic character. Is it not a gundam series without a Char Clone? Blahto I’m getting a serious Kamina and Simon vibe from the two MCs. >> I’m loathe to get my hopes up, believe me, but especially with the unassailably great Nagai-sensei on board I really think this has a chance to work. Enough so that I’m going to be disappointed if it doesn’t, anyway. It seems like their collaboration works because Nagai is able to rein in Okada from putting too much (melo)drama and other bad ideas into the narrative. 😀 Magnus Tancred Honestly, the only thing I liked this pilot were the mecha. I especially like the Mobile Workers, as it gives this whole retro vibe with the GM Balls and Guntanks. I’ve always liked those designs for some reason. I was saddened the moment they established that they were inferior to a Mobile Suit, as that means we will be seing less of that as the series progresses. Barbatos is great though, I like the gritty feel the whole MS gives compared the flash and pomp other Gundams give. That being said the characters just feel cartoony. Mika and Orga are fine, as they are the clearly building a complex relationship around them. The rest though, I don’t whose fault this is, Nagai or Okada, but every time there was a scene with anyone else, they’re practically caricatures. Especially the first squad who are very on the nose on how incompetent they are. Between them visibly wiping their own sweat or doing silly things like trying to slam shut an overstuffed suitcase it felt ridiculous. WE GET IT, they’re incompetent cowards. At least Reconguista established its light-hearted tone very early. Here we are given heavy themes, of child soldiers, abuse and exploitation. Just putting stuff like that here makes me take it less seriously. And Aina just makes me cringe. I’ll wait to see how she develops but the whole Pacifistic Princess and Gundams rather dubious treatment of female characters has left me skeptical. They NEVER get these kind of characters right, often making them the worst characters of the show. Yeah, the mobile workers definitely gave off a vibe of things like the Rib from Turn A Gundam (worker not really meant for combat, but used for it anyway), or something like the cobbled together Zaku Tank models from The 08th MS Team, so it’s understandable why they would be no match for a full mobile suit. As I said, I only hope the Gundam Barbatos and other Gundam models don’t completely overpower everyone else in imbalanced, one-sided battles (for too long anyway) and only other “Gundam” models can fight them. As for Kudelia, why I thought Relena could’ve been an interesting character if she had remained more like how she was earlier in Wing (even trying to kill Lady Une in revenge for her adopted father’s death), but as soon as she started down the whole “total pacifism” route, she just became…well…boring, and was constantly used or in the back rather than actually accomplishing anything herself. She was even willing to let her own country (the Sanc Kingdom) be attacked and burned to the ground by OZ without a fight because of wanting to follow that “total pacifism” route to the letter, prompting Noin to create a defense force right under her nose without her knowledge. (Even Zechs was angry when he heard her capitulating broadcast to OZ when rushing there in the Wing Gundam Zero.) We can only hope that Kudelia actually learns and grows in a more realistic and believable fashion from her experiences and that they subsequently shape things she does later. I feel like Aina is getting a lot worse of a reaction than she deserves. So far we’ve seen that she: 1) Actively makes an effort to improve social conditions, despite familial opposition, at some personal risk. 2) Has an earnest desire to associate with and understand poorer/less fortunate classes. 3) Responds to a battlefield like a normal person without training + trys to help. Sure the fact that she thought she had to personally establish an equal relationship was subtly arrogant, but at least it wasn’t intentionally so. Mikazuki was of course justified in his response, but at the end of the day, don’t you think the fact that she’s sincerely trying makes her a better option than all the rest of the people in power? She has a lot to learn, but that’s not entirely her fault, and I think that she’s already shown the personality necessary for significant growth. StormyAngel There are Persons, that seeking others to point their Hatred on them, for no real Reason. And no, i am like you. She is trying to understand the ones “under her Feet!”, she has her Heart in the right place, and is slowly understanding the World under her. I think her Maid will be a Party popper. She looks suspicious for me. She is to cold I wonder if Barbatos is a stress for Mika. At the end when it was showing him in the cockpit, there was blood was dripping down his chin. What is with the bizarre hate of Kudelia? What arrogance are you talking about? She has an upper class upbring and manners, that doesn’t make her arrogant. She sympathetic about the plight of the people and whats to get first hand experience about their struggles. That makes her a noble person, not villain. “and her intent to relate to the boys on a so-called equal level really insulting and demeaning” How on earth is that insulting? Would you prefer her to look down on them as lower class trash? Treating people as equals is the very least she could do to respect them. She was respectful of them and want to shake hands as a sign of respect. I fail to see the insult in her actions. Seriously, if the daughter of the president fo your country asked for a hankshake, people would take that as an insult? SERIOUSLY?! O.o The deal with the handshake is that if you feel the need to establish equality with someone, then you probably weren’t equal to begin with. In terms of social status the two of them aren’t equal and pretending otherwise isn’t going to help. It’s a rookie move and kind of patronizing, but I didn’t really see it as that awful. She’s had a sheltered life so it would honestly be weird if she was perfect in her early attempts. What a bizzare notation that a handshake someone ignores the social equality of those involved and is somehow insulting. A handshake is just common courtesy. It why a boss hiring a minimum wage worker for the lowest level job in a company will still shake hands with said employee because its the least he can do show respect and decency. Would the boss be condescending for offering to shake hands with said employee? No, of course not. I have never heard of a handshake being considered condescending. This is really bizarre to me. Its not the handshake itself that’s the issue, but the idea that she needs to go out of her way to prove their equality is a bit patronizing. She wouldn’t have tried to shake his hand as much if he were equal in rank to her. She’s unintentionally telling him that he’s beneath her in the social hierarchy. I don’t think he was that offended however, just indifferent. “She wouldn’t have tried to shake his hand as much if he were equal in rank to her” I think thats reading way too much into her actions. Damn, people are super cynical and easily offended these days. Not really. She told him that she wanted to shake hands so she could be equal with him. He’s just commenting on what she said. He probably is cynical though, the life he leads will do that to you. And I already said that he wasn’t offended. Oh I know Mika wasn’t offended but some people watching the show were which I find werid. You’ve got to be very cynical to take offense to Aina saying she wants to be equals. I think its less that people are taking offense, and more that people are being excessively critical of her character. Idealistic characters, especially if they are the princess type, tend to bring that out in viewers for whatever reason. I think that some criticism is warranted by the material, but I was also taken aback by how hostile some people are towards her. I’d also chalk it up to cynicism and/or paranoia in real life. People have it in their mind that rich, influential, etc. families just “can’t” be decent and nice people. They ALL must be evil, shadowy, corrupt, greedy, etc. grifters who would NEVER do anything nice for anyone (not even their own family) unless it involved getting themselves a lot of positive attention or something good out of it for themselves. Basically, they see anything “good” such people do as some sort of disguise for an unsavory ulterior motive. Such people probably see Kudelia’s good-hearted, but naive attempts as just trying to somehow make herself look good, better than the rest of her family and such. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to help/relate to others. In her case, however, it (for now; it seems almost a certainty they’re building her this way to show her change as the show progresses) seems it’s not really about the poor/orphans/etc, but for her own…well, self-esteem might be too strong, but this is a classic case of looking at people who go volunteer at soup kitchens on Thanksgiving. Sure, they’re probably doing some good, but it’s generally more to do with making themselves feel good. As another poster put it, it’s patronizing, and while it could be argued the down-trodden aren’t really in a state where they can choose what type of help they get, it can also be argued that if you want to help, that should be the priority, not one’s self esteem. I honestly don’t know what to think about this line of thought. If you genuinely care about someone else’s well being, then helping them should make you feel better. The only way I could draw the line between self interest and selflessness is if you were willing to try with the knowledge that it might not make you feel better. Most people don’t really have the ability to tell if they themselves could do this, let alone to judge others. Sort of like bravery, you need to actually be in peril to find out what you are made of. Basically I think it would be too soon to decide that her concern is of a lesser degree. The show itself will be the test of her sincerity. She’s out of her depth right now, but if she keeps trying anyway, then it should be clear that her feelings were not superficial. I really don’t get the hate either, it seems really illogical and more then a bit bias against well off people in general. The girl knows she lives a sheltered life and personally puts herself within close contact with those of “low” standing in order to better understand them, and people somehow treat this like she is asking them to fling themselves at her feet and grovel due to her generosity. Her character is clearly meant to be a naive but well meaning princess type. People may not like the archetype, but that doesn’t mean she even remotely comes off as a villain without putting on some extremely warped glasses. Zeru ” Her arrogance and sense of rich woman’s burden” What rich womans burden are you talking about Enzo? She recognizes she has a sheltered life and wants to learn first hand what the people are going through. How is that a rich womans burden? To me, it was in reference to Kipling’s famous poem, “The White Man’s Burden”, and I think if you take it more from that angle, you’ll see where he’s coming from. My problem with that is the poem is supposed to be pro-imperialism, and Kudelia is clearly trying to remove Mars from imperial control. It’s about the need to educate those beneath you, but she wants to learn more from them. It seems like a hazy connection at best. I’m just hoping it works out better than Aldnoah Zero. Riktol seriously Tomino, where do you come up with these names? Is Tomino really working on G:TnO? R334_S7 Boring and dull opening. No interesting characters, and cartoon mustache-twirling villains. The combat, in particular, was dreadful. No sense of gritty realism or tactics, with people running around blasting away at point blank range for some reason, but also lacked any of cinematic exuberance of some gundam spinoffs. Just dull and bland. Good show if you like shirtless muscular young men, though, so may be aiming for that particular viewership (but at least Gundam Wing had good music…) Aren’t we tired of “princesses from Mars” these days? Nope. “Princesses from Mars” never grows old. I say bring’em! Your criticisms feel more generic and reactionary then the episode. And going point blank was the point in order to better penetrate the enemies superior armor, and take advantage of their mobile workers smaller drama to maneuver through them. Thats what Sunrise war doctrine made of. When they employ the units to engage the enemy front they always acting on their own. No proper coordinating there unit, the absence officer in charge to command the squad. But we are talking about security company its job to protect the govt. facility, guarding the embassy, protecting business govt. i dont know about that job in Mars. Another valid point is the fact that CGS are armed with light tanks their guns could do little with a heavy tank that can take punishment and shoot from a farther distance. The CGS boys only hope to do damage is to employ old style tank tactics. In the Second World War, the Allies tanks could barely do any damage to German-made tanks. Their only hope to cause damage was to shoot at near point-blank ranges. Not quite point blank, but definitely much closer than needed for the German tanks to take them out. The foremost method was to simply bypass enemy tanks and let tank destroyers, like the M18 Hellcat, artillery, and air strikes take them out; the US was still using older style tank doctrine where light/medium tanks were used for bypassing/breaking through/supporting infantry while tank destroyers are supposed to engage enemy tanks from a distance. That kind of thinking is largely why the US didn’t even have a heavy tank in Europe until the M26 Pershing in January, 1945, and also why it took so long before the Sherman got its much more effective 76 mm gun with the later M4A3E8/Easy 8 model. Otherwise, the tactic was to outflank enemy tanks by using superior speed and mobility (and usually smoke rounds), and hit them from the side or rear where the armor was much thinner compared to the front. @Private Don’t forget the ones, who are all kids, sent out are pretty much the expendables of the CGS that were just thrown out with no plans all just to distract the attackers, hopefully take a few out, all just to allow the so-called “important” people to run away. It’s not like the more typical Gundam formula where a kid(s) just stumbles across a Gundam and just takes it out by themselves. I am not a Gundam fan but I like this episode yet it looks like a fujoshi-bait episode to those who are not acquainted with the franchise. Well, I don’t care that much. I followed this because I saw Okada’s name in the staff. I am quite curious as to what she can do with the series. Unlike you, Enzo, I absolutely adore Okada’s “original” takes on existing franchises (especially Lupin). In fact, it’s when she’s not doing gag-inducing “slice of life” where she’s at her best, ironically due to the little elements of that genre that she tends to inject in her other works (Michiko to Hatchin is criminally underrated, and one of many poster child examples of how gender skews opinions, imo). I never expect something revolutionary from Gundam; it has a lot of weight and tradition, but I do expect that weight and tradition to be treated competently, and I have a difficult time seeing this staff failing at that. Episode 1 was filled with great competence, and with the sad state of sci-fi anime over recent years, that’ll be enough to make this a hit-at least if there wasn’t such a ridiculous level of anti-Okada rabidness among anime fans. 😉 And, putting aside Unicorn, it’s been a number of years (and series) since we had a more traditional Gundam to watch. I was glad Sunrise was willing to experiment with the franchise, but as those experiments were all quite bad, I’m even more glad to see them turn a bit more to their core this time around. 🙂 Now lets all guess who’ll be the character with the mask…there is always someone in every Gundam anime who dons a mask. Gemsy-chan My bet is on either Eugene or McGillis, but especially McGillis, he has the entire demeanor of a Char Clone down, plus when he’s standing there with Galieo, it really is very similar to Char and Garma from the original series. Also, he’s blond, he seems pretty elite in Gjallarhorn, and he has a customized mech. All he needs is a white/red/gold or something in between uniform. And looking at the leader of the Mars base, they do have such a uniform. He’s already blond, all he needs is the mask. Let’s hope they don’t come up with mask men with silly aliases like “Mr Bushido”. XD This was way overkill Enzo, you can’t compare Kudelia to her inactive and willfully blind parents, especially her father who literally sold her and the people under his care/administration down the river https://randomc.net/image/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans/Gundam%20Tekketsu%20no%20Orphans%20-%20OP1%20-%20Large%2003.jpg Gundams with swords are overrated, it’s time for Gundams with Spears to shine! Please be good Iron Blood Orphans, I was hyped for Recognista, then I watched the first episode and dropped that garbage like a bad habit. It’s sad when spinoff gundams are better than mainline gundams. Gundam Build Try Fighters was better than Recognista and that was just an ok spinoff that wasn’t as good as Gundam Build Fighters. There’s a game coming out the first week of December where I’ll be able to make a giant robot look as similar as possible to any Gundam, Barbatos, you’ll be the first I’ll try to replicate, spear bros for life!

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: My friend had a bridge done near the canine teeth on the right side. The bridge broke and she had gone to a dentist to take an opinion. They had asked her to take a x Ray and the doctor says that she has to redo all the root canals which has already been done. She is confused as to what to do. Is it possible to have a permanent bridge. Plus she has dentures in the front six teeth can they be done permanent. Will it give problems in future. The cost is rs.40,000. Can you advice. gest treatment for bridge between teeth output: Hi.Welcome to HEALTHCARE MAGIC..I have gone through your query and can understand your concerns..As per your complain as the bridge has broken and if there is no pain associated with the teeth over which the bridge was cemented then redoing of root canal treatment in all the teeth seems a bit questionable and I would like to see the x-ray of the region for guiding you better as then only I can rule out that whether there is need of repeating the root canal treatment or not..You can also take an advise from an Endodontist who can take an x-ray and and advise you what to be done..After the confirmation only that whether the teeth needs root canal treatment done again or not, the bridge can be replaced..For the front 6 teeth which seems to have removable dentures a permanent bridge can be placed only in case if the remaining teeth over which the bridge will be cemented are in sound condition or not as they are having sound bone support or not so that they can bear the forces and this can also be confirmed by a clinical evaluation and an x-ray of the teeth that has to be prepared for cementing the bridge..A properly fabricated bridge which is cemented on sound teeth which has a good bone support will have a long life and will not cause any problems after placement..If you wish to get a proper advise before you proceed with the treatment you can send the concerned x-rays to me directly by going to my profile and writing your question there with concerned x-rays so that I can advise you correctly so that you can get treated properly..Hope this information helps..If you find the answer helpful please give me a Five Star Review and click on found the answer helpful as a token of appreciation..Thanks and regards.....

Synova’s True Crime Stories "You Don't Have to Be Italian To Be A Wiseguy" – Synova The Tangled Tale of Tina and Tom by synovacantrell December 31, 2020 December 30, 2020 Tina Marcotte disappeared in June 1994 after completing her work shift in Rapid City, South Dakota. Four days later, Tom Kueter, the last person believed to have seen her, was found dead at his place of employment. A year-and-a-half later, the remains of Tina were found buried on the same premises. In 2016, Rapid City police officially closed both cases. The official determination is that the latter killed the former and later took his own life. If the account is correct, it is one of the more unique murder-suicides. Thirty-year-old Tina Marcotte and 29-year-old Tom Kueter knew each other through their employment with Black Hills Molding, a company on the outskirts of Rapid City that made and supplied kitchen cabinet parts to manufacturers. Tina was last seen in the early morning hours of June 24, 1994, after completing her late-night shift at the processing plant. At 12:30 a.m., she called her friend, Vicky Riddle. Vicky said Tina was distraught and apologized for waking her. Tina explained she had a flat tire and asked Vicky to pick her up at the plant. As Vicky agreed to do so, Tina told her someone had pulled up to the factory door, and she was going to see who it was. When she returned to the phone, she told Vicky it was “Tom,” who used to work at the plant, and that he had offered to give her a ride home. Tina apologized for disturbing Vicky, thanked her, and hung up. When Vicky awoke later that morning, she called Tina’s home to inquire about her friend. Tina’s live-in boyfriend, Patrick Gleason, who had just awoken, told Vicky that Tina had not come home the previous evening. Vicky told Patrick about the conversation. The only “Tom” either knew to have previously worked at Black Hills Molding was Tom Kueter. Patrick called Tom, inquiring of Tina’s whereabouts. Tom agreed to meet him at Vicky’s home. Both Vicky and Patrick said Tom became defensive when Vicky implied that he was the “Tom” Tina had mentioned in the phone call. Tom denied being at the factory and giving Tina a ride. At Tom’s urging, he and Patrick went to the police station and reported Tina as missing. When police checked Tina’s car, still in the Black Hills Molding parking lot, they confirmed it had a flat tire, which had likely been slashed with a knife. When police questioned Tom Kueter, he again denied giving Tina a ride from the factory. Tom claimed he had played in a softball game the previous evening and had given a friend a ride home. Tom said his car had broken down on his way home, and he had spent nearly three hours under a street light fixing it, finally arriving home around 3:30 a.m. He said he did not call his wife, Nancy, to say he had been delayed because he did not want to awaken her or their two children. Fellow softball players confirmed Tom had played in a game that evening. The friend also confirmed Tom had given him a ride home. The game ended a little before 11:00 p.m., and the friend said Tom dropped him off at his home at approximately 11:30 p.m. Nancy told investigators that Tom washed all of his softball clothes, including his shoes and shoelaces, immediately upon arriving home. During a formal interrogation, Tom named the location where he said he spent nearly three hours trying to fix his car. However, police could find no one who could corroborate his claim. Police scheduled another interview with Tom. Three days later, just after the 9:00 a.m. shift change at the Forest Product Distributors lumberyard, several employees discovered Tom’s body. His head had been crushed beneath the rear wheel of his forklift. I don’t know too many suicidal people who have the wherewithal to lay behind a forklift and wait until it crushes their skull. In October 1995, sixteen months after her disappearance, Tina’s body was found buried beneath some woodpiles on Forest Product Distributors’ property. She had died from a blow to her head from a heavy object. Police believe Tom slashed her car tire with a knife in the Black Hills Molding parking lot to prevent her from leaving. Tom then offered to give Tina a ride home. Once she was in his car, police theorize Tom made sexual advances told her. When Tina rejected them, an enraged Tom murdered her. His plan went awry, police believe, because Tina had called Vicky and mentioned his name to her, which ultimately led to his being a suspect in her disappearance. Police theorize that, as the net was closing in on him, Tom Kueter killed himself in a bizarre manner to make his death appear accidental. The police believe Tom Kueter committed suicide because he feared he would soon be arrested for Tina’s disappearance. His life insurance policy would pay a substantial amount to his wife if his death were accidental, but it would pay nothing if his death were a suicide. Therefore, police believe Tom tried to make his death look like an accident. They contend he loaded at least a ton of lumber onto the forklift, which he set on an incline to make it appear it had fallen on him accidentally. Instead, police believe he jumped from the cab and positioned himself in the machine’s path. Police ruled Tom’s death a suicide instead of an accident because they found nothing indicating a struggle and say the absence of drag marks indicates he purposefully placed himself in front of the forklift. A court, however, did not confirm the police’s determination. In 2000, four-and-a-half years after Tom’s death, his widow Nancy was granted insurance death benefits after a judge ruled the evidence was insufficient to prove Tom had committed suicide. In 2016 the Rapid City police closed their investigation into the deaths of Tina Marcotte and Tom Kueter. Despite the judge’s finding, the official ruling of law enforcement is that Tom murdered Tina then committed suicide. THIS LIST OF LINKS IS NOT AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING SOURCE CITING. ALL OF THE INFORMATION USED IN THIS ARTICLE CAN BE EASILY FOUND ONLINE. LINKS BELOW WERE USED AS SOURCES AND ARE RECOMMENDED READING FOR SYNOVA’S READERS. SYNOVA STRIVES TO CITE ALL THE SOURCES USED DURING HER CASE STUDY, BUT OCCASIONALLY A SOURCE MAY BE MISSED BY MISTAKE. IT IS NOT INTENTIONAL, AND NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED. Further Info: • Unsolved Mysteries More photos for this case can be found on Synova’s Patreon page! Check them using the button below Synova’s Patreon Page Synova’s Patreon Support Synova’s Cause: EACH WEEK SYNOVA HIGHLIGHTS OBSCURE COLD CASES ON HER BLOG AS A VICTIMS’ ADVOCATE WITH MISSOURI MISSING ORGANIZATION. SHE NEVER CHARGES FOR HER SERVICES. IF YOU’D LIKE TO SUPPORT HER IN THIS WORTHY CAUSE, PLEASE CHECK OUT THE AFFILIATE LINKS ON THIS PAGE. BY PURCHASING ONE OF HER BOOKS, OR USING THESE LINKS YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING SYNOVA’S WORK ON COLD CASES AND WILL ENSURE HER ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE VICTIM’S FAMILY. Check out My Friend Ori Spado’s new book! The Accidental Gangster: From Insurance Salesman to Hollywood Fixer In this revised edition of The Accidental Gangster, author Orlando “Ori” Spado honestly recounts his humble beginnings from the small town of Rome in upstate New York to becoming known as The Mob Boss of Hollywood. This candid account documents his fall from the life of a well-known Hollywood fixer who mixed with A-List celebrities to serving 62 months in a federal prison and ultimately making a determined comeback. The Accidental Gangster: From Insurance Salesman to Hollywood Fixer includes personal letters, new photos, additional text and corrected material from The Accidental Gangster: From Insurance Salesman to Mob Boss of Hollywood. If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for The Racketeer, Synova’s Weekly True Crime Newsletter. You will receive exclusive content directly in your inbox. As a gift for joining you will also receive the Grim Justice ebook free. More About Our Wonderful Guest Blogger: Ian Granstra is a writer and a native Iowan now living in Arkansas.Growing up, he enjoyed watching real-life crime shows and further researching the stories featured. He wrote about many of them on his personal Facebook page, and several people suggested he should start a group featuring his writings. Ian founded the Facebook group “Murders, Missing People and More Mysteries” in August of 2018 he writes about many cold cases. The group also features many current criminal cases in the news. When Ian isn’t writing, he enjoys exercising, traveling and collecting sports cards. He’s also a big animal lover (his Facebook nickname is “beagle lover.”) ALL INFORMATION USED TO CREATE THIS CONTENT IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD AND CAN BE EASILY FOUND ONLINE OR CAN BE VERIFIED BY THE GUEST BLOGGER. ANY PARTICIPATION OR ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT OF ANY PARTY MENTIONED WITHIN THIS SITE IS PURELY SPECULATION. AS THE LAW STATES, AN INDIVIDUAL IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. I DO NOT OWN THE PHOTOS USED IN THIS POST. ALL PHOTOS ARE USED UNDER THE FAIR USE ACT. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ANY AND ALL OPINIONS ARE THAT OF THE GUEST BLOGGER AND DON’T NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF SYNOVA INK©2017-2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Wilma Norwood – Missing in Missouri by synovacantrell December 21, 2020 Date Missing: December 21, 2001 Wilma Norwood was last seen leaving her home in St. Louis, Missouri, on December 21, 2001. She has never been heard from since. There are few details available in her case. If you have information, please contact the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department at 314.231.1212 or the Missouri State Highway Patrol Missing Persons Unit at 800.877.3452 or 911 On June 18, 1977, the body of 39-year-old businessman Charles Morgan was found in the desert approximately 40 miles west of his Tucson, Arizona, home. He had been shot once in the back of his head. The investigation into his death would prove one of the most complicated in Arizona history. Morgan himself emerged as a murky figure who may have literally been running for his life. The life and death of Charles Morgan and the investigation into his murder sounds like a story concocted by Hollywood screenwriters. But this movie does not yet have an ending. Who was Charles Morgan is a hard question to answer. Who killed Charles Morgan is a question that may never be answered. Tourism is one of Arizona’s biggest industries as it attracts some of America’s wealthiest people. It is important for the economy, but it also brings some unsavory characters. During the 1970s, Tucson became a favorite mafia haven as more than five-hundred racketeers moved to “The Old Pueblo,” including former New York crime boss Joseph Bonanno. The warm climate was pleasant, but for the dons, the best feature of the Grand Canyon State was its criminal justice system. One particular state law allowed the mafia leaders to buy land through numbered blind trust accounts, allowing them to remain anonymous as they laundered money. Charles Morgan was the President of his own real estate escrow agency in Tucson. He is known to have done escrow work for at least one Mafia “family,” and he was a potential witness in a land fraud case involving an organized crime boss. After driving two of his daughters to school on March 22, 1977, Morgan disappeared. At 2:00 a.m. on March 25, he stumbled into his home, discombobulated and unable to speak. He was missing one shoe, had one plastic handcuff around his ankle, and both hands cuffed. He could not talk but managed to write a note to his wife, Ruth, saying his throat had been doused with a hallucinogenic drug. Morgan wrote if the drug didn’t kill him, it could drive him terminally insane or destroy his central nervous system. He adamantly conveyed to Ruth that she was not to call the police because, he said, if she did, “they” would kill them both, along with their four daughters. Morgan refused to say who “they” were. For the next week, Ruth nursed her husband back to health. Before his voice returned, he alluded to a secret identity. Ruth said her husband wrote, “They took my treasury identification.” Morgan explained that he had been secretly working for the United States Treasury Department for 2-3 years. Two months later, in May, Charles Morgan disappeared again. Nine days later, Ruth received a phone call from a woman who said Charles was all right and would be home soon. The woman, who refused to identify herself, quoted the Bible passage Ecclesiastics 12: 1-8. 12 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. Three days later, Morgan again returned home, this time he was uninjured. He refused to say where he had been and insisted the authorities not be contacted. Three weeks later, Charles Morgan disappeared for the last time. He came home in a coffin. On June 18, 1977, Morgan was found shot to death in the desert approximately 40 miles west of Tucson. He had died from one gunshot wound to the back of his head. The bullet had come from his own .357 magnum, which was beside him. No fingerprints were found on the gun. Morgan was also wearing a bulletproof vest and a belt buckle, which concealed a knife and holster. Items found inside Morgan’s car indicated the businessman was preparing for war. Besides containing a cache of ammunition and weapons, Morgan’s car had been modified so it could be unlocked from the fender. Also found inside the vehicle were several CB radios and a pair of sunglasses not owned by Morgan. The crime scene had the appearance of suicide. Still, investigators had a hard time fathoming that a successful businessman and happily married father of four would have put on a bulletproof vest to drive 50 miles from his home to the Arizona desert in the middle of the night and, once there, shoot himself in the back of the head. The Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Morgan’s death a murder. As the medical examiner removed the clothing to conduct an autopsy, he found a $2 bill clipped inside Morgan’s underwear. Seven Spanish names, numbered 1-7, were written on the front of the bill. Written above the names was the same Ecclesiastics biblical reference the unknown female had quoted to Ruth. On the back of the bill, the Declaration of Independence’s signers were numbered 1-7. On the back of the bill was a crudely drawn map of several roads between Tucson and the Mexican border. All roads led to a place called Robles Junction. From there, they headed south to the town of Sasabe and ultimately to a ranch with landing strips likely used for drug smuggling. On June 20, two days after Morgan’s body was found, an anonymous woman calling herself “Green Eyes” phoned the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. She told them Morgan had met her at a motel shortly before his death and that she was the same woman who had contacted his wife, Ruth. “Green Eyes” claimed Morgan had shown her a briefcase containing what she guessed was between $50,000-$100,000. Morgan told her the cash would buy him out of a contract that had been put on his life. “Green Eyes” has never been identified, and her relationship with Charles Morgan has never been learned. Phoenix investigative journalist Don Devereux began investigating the Morgan murder in 1986. He found Morgan lived a double life as he was on the edges of a couple of large crime families at his death. Morgan was known to have done real estate escrow work for at least one mafia family, but Devereux believes that was only the tip of an illicit iceberg. Devereux concluded the Mafia was using Morgan for escrow work for gold bullion purchases and platinum, convenient means to launder money. These transactions existed only on paper. The money changed hands by changing escrow accounts in Los Angeles and Atlanta banks. Devereux believes organized crime, worried about Morgan’s testifying against them in an upcoming trial, put out a contract on his life. Devereux theorizes a hitman told Morgan about the deal referenced by “Green Eyes,” and Morgan acquired the money to pay him off. However, when the two men met in the desert, the hitman double-crossed Morgan by killing him and taking the money. In a perverse way, Devereux believes Morgan paid for his own death. Devereux concluded Morgan was working for someone in the government who blew his cover. Using the Freedom of Information Act, Devereux contacted the FBI to get more information on the Morgan case. He said the FBI denied knowing who Morgan was, even though agents had interviewed his lawyer. Devereux’s investigation determined Morgan was extensively involved in money laundering activities through his escrow company. From 1973 until his murder in 1977, Devereux says Morgan facilitated illegal gold and platinum transactions in excess of $1 billion. Much of the loot appeared to be coming from southeast Asia, beginning at the end of the Vietnam War. Devereux contends many intelligence community operatives appear to have been involved, including renegades in the CIA and Defense Department. Perhaps they were operating undercover for the agency, but they were more likely lining their own pockets. Devereux says exiled Vietnamese officials may also have been involved. The case of Charles Morgan was profiled on Unsolved Mysteries on February 7, 1990. Don Devereux was interviewed in the segment, and his articles about his investigation into Morgan’s death were soon published. Three months later, just after midnight on May 15, Doug Johnston of Phoenix was found dead in his car in the company parking lot of ICM Inc., the computer graphics company where he worked. He had been shot once behind his left ear. Similar to the Charles Morgan crime scene, Doug’s death appeared to be a suicide at first glance. However, no gun was found, and his hands contained no residue. The only evidence at the scene was a .25 caliber bullet casing. The murder weapon has never been found. Johnston’s death, ruled a homicide, is still unsolved. Devereux’s office was across the street from ICM Inc. He was struck by several similarities between Doug Johnston and himself. The men resembled each other, and they drove similar Toyotas. Devereux’s home and Doug’s work address differed by only one number. Six months later, in November of 1990, Devereux was contacted by a fellow investigative journalist who told him he had heard from a “high place” CIA source that Devereux’s suspicions were correct; the bullet that killed Doug Johnston was meant for him. According to the journalist, the “source” said there was still a contract out on Devereux’s life because of his investigations involving the CIA and organized crime, i.e., the Charles Morgan case. Devereux says two other sources, one from the CIA and the other from Israeli intelligence, later confirmed the death threats. He has the warnings from the sources on tape. In August 1991, Devereux was contacted by Washington, D.C. investigative journalist Dan Casolaro. Casolaro told Devereux that he had uncovered information about Charles Morgan’s illegal gold transactions while researching another story. Casolaro agreed to share the information with Devereux. Shortly after that, Casolaro was found dead under strange circumstances. Devereux believes the same network of people, including the mob and the renegade intelligence community officials involved in the 1970s money laundering transactions, killed Dan Casolaro and tried to kill him for his investigation into Charles Morgan’s murder. Charles Morgan claimed he was working against organized crime, but it appears he was instead involved with the mob. He probably started legitimately but could not resist the bribes and temptations. Perhaps he tried to go straight but was coerced into staying in the Mafia’s pocket. By the time he tried to get out, it was too late. Charles Morgan was in way over his head, and for that, he got a bullet in his head. Forty-three years later, his murder remains unsolved, and no suspects have been named. Verses taken from Bible Gateway True Crime Stories#charlesmorgandeath #conspiracy The Disturbing Disappearance of Shirley Hyman-Hickman Shirley Hyman – Hickman A young single mother goes missing from a local bar in Philadelphia 38 years ago. Her daughter was a teenager who couldn’t understand why no one was actively pursuing this case. Why didn’t anyone care about her mother? Shirley Hyman-Hickman Was last seen leaving the Park Avenue Cafe Bar in Philly on August 28th, 1981. Witnesses say she was upset and crying and left with two men in a Blue Van. She had been at the bar playing pool with friends and family members, but they ended up leaving the bar before Hickman. Police found the two men when they were questioned, but both claimed to have dropped Shirley off safe and sound. She lived only a short distance away and could have walked home. Why did she get into the van with these men? How did she know them? Did she know them? Why was she upset? Shirley was raised in a big family with many siblings, but her lifestyle didn’t match that of her loved ones. She had trouble with men and was now an unmarried single mother. Back in the 80s, this wasn’t overly accepted, and life was challenging, to say the least. Her daughter went to stay with her family, fully expecting to see her mother in a day or two. When she didn’t show up, she never could understand what happened. She couldn’t understand why the police weren’t bringing her mother home. She couldn’t understand why no one seemed to actively pursue this case. To this day, she is still not sure why no one seemed to help her mother. Very little is known on this case, but we know that 38 years have passed without Shirley. For a while, the family wondered if Hickman had been a victim of the infamous serial killer Samuel Littles. she resembled some of his drawings, but when they reached out, Little verified that she wasn’t one of his victims. Now, after four decades, they’re right back at the beginning. If you have any information on this case, please reach out and contact someone. You can submit a tip anonymously if you so choose. But please reach out this family needs answers. I recently interviewed the family for my YouTube show. Check out the video for more information. And please share this story so we can bring some answers to this family. Award-winning crime writer, Synova Cantrell interviews the family of Shirley Hickman about her disappearance nearly four decades ago. The Secret Service’s First Female Fatality by synovacantrell December 3, 2020 December 2, 2020 The United States Secret Service is synonymous with the protection of the President. The legislation creating the agency was on Abraham Lincoln’s desk when he was assassinated on the evening of April 14, 1865, and the organization was formally established ten weeks later. The Secret Service, however, was not initially given the task of protecting the President; that responsibility came thirty-seven years later following the assassination of President William McKinley. As the Civil War ended in April 1865, a currency war was still being fought. Over a third of the currency in circulation was believed to be bogus. The Department of the Treasury established the Secret Service to combat the counterfeit currency crisis. Though it is now under the Department of Homeland Security, investigating counterfeiting crimes is still one of the Secret Service’s primary responsibilities. Twenty-six-year-old Julie Cross was one of the few female Secret Service Special Agents in 1980. While investigating a counterfeiting operation on June 4, she became the first female Secret Service Special Agent to be killed in the line of duty. Julie Cross seemed destined for a law enforcement career, first in her community and then serving her country. Her interest in police work started when she was young. She lost both of her parents by age ten and was raised by her brother, a reserve police officer. After graduating with a Criminal Justice degree from San Diego State University, Julie became an officer with the San Diego Police Department. Three years later, she was accepted by the United States Secret Service. On June 1, 1980, Julie was assigned to a team of agents investigating a man suspected of producing counterfeit currency in Los Angeles. Three days later, on June 4, eight Secret Service Agents were scattered in a section of Westchester, an area of Los Angeles near the International Airport. The agents were staking out the apartment complex of the suspected counterfeiter. Julie and her partner, Special Agent Lloyd Bulman, were in an unmarked car at the street’s end. They were assigned to follow the suspect if he exited the apartment and entered his vehicle. Another Secret Service Agent sat in an unmarked van across the street from the residence. The agents were awaiting word that the warrant had been signed to arrest the suspect. Agents Bulman and Cross noticed a brown vehicle, either an early ’70s Buick or Pontiac, drive past them and turn a corner. Approximately five minutes later, they saw the same vehicle drive past them again, but this time the driver parked 100 feet in front of them. Two black men exited the vehicle and went into a different apartment complex from the one under surveillance. Approximately five minutes later, the agents saw the men exit the apartment complex, enter their vehicle, and drive off again. Five to ten minutes later, after darkness had fallen, Agent Cross, sitting on the passenger side of the surveillance car, noticed a man with a gun approaching from the rear. Another armed man approached the driver’s side of the vehicle. Julie was able to exit the car and get her gun drawn on her assailant. She had him place his hands on the vehicle, but the second gunman got the drop on Agent Bulman and held a gun on him before he could get out. A standoff ensued. With his gun aimed at Bulman, the driver’s side assailant ordered Agent Cross to let his partner go; she refused. Bulman tried to reason with his assailant; the gunmen seemed surprised and panicked when he told them he and Cross were Secret Service Agents. Agent Cross’s assailant came to the driver’s side of the car, took the key out of the ignition, and removed a shotgun from inside. Agent Bulman did not see what occurred, but the assailant had somehow freed himself from Agent Cross. What happened next is also not clear. The next thing Agent Bulman noticed, his partner jumped into the front of the car, and three gunshots rang out. As Bulman then fought with his assailant outside the car, Agent Cross’s assailant shot several times but did not hit him. Bulman pretended he had been hit and feigned being dead. As he did so, the assailants made their way to their car and fled. Bulman ran back to his car to radio for help. None of the other Secret Service agents had heard the gunshots, which were drowned out by the roar of low-flying jets. Police and ambulances arrived quickly, but not in time. Special Agent Julie Cross was pronounced dead three days after beginning her assignment in Los Angeles. She was the first female Special Agent to be killed in the 115-year history of the Secret Service. The attackers made off with two weapons from the agents, a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum Revolver and a Remington Model 870 shotgun. Under hypnosis, Agent Bulman recalled details enabling composite sketches of the suspects to be developed. Both assailants were black. One stood around 6’2″ and the other around 5’10”. Each weighed approximately 180-190 lbs. The men were driving a brown 1970-72 Buick or Potomac two-door car. In 1992, twelve years after the murder of Julie Cross, Andre Alexander was arrested for a 1978 triple murder in Palms. The victims, coincidentally, were involved in counterfeiting. Alexander was operating a money-order forgery scheme and had not paid his cohorts. After they threatened to go to the police, he murdered them. Alexander was convicted of the triple murder. In their investigation of Alexander, authorities found evidence suggesting his involvement in the murder of Julie Cross twelve years earlier. He bore a resemblance to the composite of one of the suspects, and a pair of prescription glasses found at the scene was identical to a pair he wore in 1980. Lloyd Bulman identified Alexander as the passenger-side assailant from a photo line-up. Vehicle records showed Alexander drove a medium-sized faded brown car at the time of the murder. At his trial, Alexander’s former girlfriend testified a blood-splattered Alexander arrived at her house on the evening of the murder carrying a shotgun in a blood-soaked bag. She also said he told her he had murdered someone near the airport but pressured her not to say anything. Terry Brock, a long-time friend of Alexander, was identified by Special Agent Bulman as the second gunman. At the time of the shooting, Alexander’s girlfriend was Brock’s sister. Andre Alexander was convicted of the murder of Secret Service Special Agent Julie Cross in 1996 and was sentenced to death. His final appeal was exhausted in 2010. He remains on death row and is incarcerated at California’s infamous San Quentin prison. I could not find any source stating what punishment Terry brock received. Investigators are certain the murder of Secret Service Agent Julie Cross was a random act unrelated to the counterfeit operation she was investigating. It was only a coincidence that Andre Alexander was later involved in counterfeiting. I found nothing indicating he was associated with the counterfeiter Special Agents Cross and Bulman were staking out on the evening of her murder. • Associated Press • United State Secret Service GET YOUR COPY HERE: https://amzn.to/2I18WoQ https://amzn.to/3qoiDyU Guest Posts Historic Cases Homicide True Crime Storiescounterfeit Homicide julie cross SECRETSERVICE T.C. Blog Synova’s FB Author Page #corruption America's Most Wanted Chicago Outfit Cold Cases Criminal News Dixie Mafia FBI Top 10 ART Crimes Guest Posts Historic Cases Homicide Human trafficking Kansas City Mafia MISSING PERSONS Missouri's Missing Mobster Mondays New Jersey Mafia NY Mafia True Crime Book Recommendations TRUE CRIME BOOKS True Crime Stories Uncategorized

Harry Browne on RKD’s Submission to Dublin City Council’s Draft Development Plan 2022-2028 By Harry Browne 13 mins read in Insight RKD have prepared a submission to the Public Consultation for the Draft Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028. The response is based on the issue paper by Dublin City Council. The response also refers to The National Planning Framework and Project Ireland 2040. The background papers and consultation issues prepared by DCC covers ten different themes around how we develop the future of Dublin City. The policies outlined in the background papers have good sustainable goals and priorities for more compact urban growth that is needed for the city and surrounding suburban areas. Working with David Browne and Karolina Backman of RKD, our proposals in this submission support the policies and supplement them with research. The policies promote higher density urban environments and have sustainable development goals. There is a compelling need to achieve balanced regional growth and compact urban development to counter current unsustainable sprawl around cities and towns. These issues are having such a negative effect on the lives of many of our citizens. The research and information outlines comparisons of good examples of integrated planning and sustainable mobility in similar European countries and cities. We recommend that these strategies, institutional arrangements, and funding mechanisms are seriously considered in the development and planning policies for the Greater Dublin Area. Image: The Ha’penny Bridge, DCC Strategic Issues Paper Our submission supplements a section at the start about leadership and governance structures to reinforce some of the positive goals and initiatives already set out by the council. Cohesive and effective leadership is the most important factor to deliver the vision of the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028. Delivering a sustainable future for Dublin requires integrated planning and collaboration between the four Dublin local authorities and the peripheral surrounding local authorities as well as with the Eastern and Midlands Regional Authority. The Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 should suggest necessary initiatives to ensure such collaboration, stakeholder engagement and delivery of best practice governance and sustainable development in the Dublin City Region. Dublin City Council should continue to seek an elected Dublin City Mayor with the power and autonomy to effectively govern and lead Dublin City and its hinterland. The City Councils should be combined into a city municipality, like city governance structures in other European capital cities. We strongly believe that this would regain more authority and decision making to each council and to the city as whole. We feel it would be a positive change that would better combine resources. It would cohesively knit the city together to help provide the infrastructure Dublin needs to grow and adapt as required towards a sustainable future. The themes that our response cover include: Leadership, Shaping the City, Climate Action, Quality Housing and Sustainable Neighbourhoods, Sustainable Movement and Transport, The City, Urban Villages and Retail, Green Infrastructure, Open Space, Recreation and Natural Heritage, Built Heritage and Archaeology. The City plan should set clear guidelines and standards for what defines built environment leadership. The plan should set up independent funding and establish autonomous decision-making powers under a new mayoral office. This would give more autonomy and governance at a local level to improve the quality of the built environment and the life of its citizens. Our northern European neighbours are successfully using municipal tax that goes directly to local authorities. They benefit from direct funding based on the number of their citizens and are incentivised to create high-quality built environments that attracts people and enterprises to live in their municipalities. The current funding of local authorities in Ireland does not offer similar incentives. Image: Example of good documents to help define standards The council should continue to create more public awareness of the value that good architecture and urban design provides to our city. This can be done by recognising and rewarding design excellence and showcasing the value this provides to society. The plan should establish a policy to set up independent design review panels to review all development proposals to ensure that the support the Dublin City Development Plan 2022-2028 visions for our urban futures. The proposed design review panel should also review all Dublin City Council development plans, future growth strategies and proposals, masterplans, SDZ proposals etc. The panel should encourage the role of the architect as central in all infrastructural and place making projects in the Dublin City Council area. The council should continue to look to other countries for best practise in the role of independent architectural oversight in projects of all scales. For examples, the role of the Swedish Council for Sustainable Cities and the public body Architecture and Design Scotland. The plan should propose continued engagement with the citizens in a meaningful and structured way through a series of localised planning forums both for development plans, LAPs and SDZs. It should take adequate time to work through realistic development plans for specific areas in three dimensions that will be readily understandable by citizens. The plan should examine setting up an Urban Wealth Fund to fully exploit value of hidden assets in the Dublin City Council area. This has been done with great success in Copenhagen with collaboration between the City and National government and has enabled and powered the sustainable development of the city over the past three decades. A professionally managed fund like this will compile all the cities land assets into a portfolio that can be used to take low interest rate loans to build transport, housing, and other infrastructure. Examples of these funds include: City of London Corporation, Hong Kong Sovereign Wealth Fund, Singapore GIC Sovereign Wealth, Perspektive Munich and Copenhagen City and Port Authority. Image: Copenhagen City Municipal Land Development Areas Shaping the City The development plan draft references the 15-Minute Cities that has all amenities and services within a 15-minute walk or cycle of where everybody lives. The plan should develop this thinking further and map out what a 15-minute city could look like in Dublin. This would identify the gap areas and a plan can be formed from this to achieve a wholly interconnected city of 15-minute neighbourhoods. Image: PARIS EN COMMUN The 15-minute city will involve reshaping the streets of Paris The plan should consider population growth and sustainable urban expansion within the city’s limits. The shape of the city should consider: Sustainability, health, and wellbeing. Tackling low density issues and increasing population density in the right way. Moving away from car dominated planning policy. The need to put urban design ahead of traffic design. Reducing congestion and high levels of CO2 emissions. The focus should be on moving people not cars. Connected neighbourhoods within the city with the required density to make them viable. Well-designed high-density neighbourhoods can improve quality of life instead of reducing it. High density with a good balance of public and private space. Encourage better use of public space for a positive city environment. More space for people activities and culture. Promote activity and social interaction. Promote physical movement and well-being Accessibility and inclusion. Green infrastructure and trees. Create places for people to make stronger urban communities. Urban form, density, and height – Urban blocks should have a mix of height. Building higher to the north and facing residential uses to the south, east and west is good for daylighting. Commercial uses that need less quality of light can sit to the north of the taller blocks. The city blocks in Dublin, existing and new should be analysed and be given a clear framework around building form and height. The city has made great progress in recent years to embrace height in a positive way. This thinking and learning should be formed into clear objective policy that relates to urban form, use, density, and daylight. Image: RKD urban block form and height diagrams The city development plan policy can proactively provide a framework for better buildings that satisfy the global climate and biodiversity emergency, responsible resource management and the health and wellbeing of humans. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are focused on meeting the needs of our growing society, without breaching the Earth’s ecological boundaries that we rely on to survive. In this context, it is crucial to highlight that designing for sustainability is more than designing for energy efficiency and low-embodied carbon. This definition of sustainability supports the consolidation and reuse of existing cities, towns, villages, and buildings whilst encouraging consideration of important aspects for long-term wellbeing in doing so. Standards that should be adhered to are: Supportive, Inclusive & Attractive Environments focused on social wellbeing, including affordability and preservation of cultural heritage. Safe & Healthy Environments focused on physical wellbeing, including climate resilience. Responsible Use of Land & Water Resources focused on efficient land-use, infrastructure and enabling circular systems. Enhanced & Optimised Ecosystems focused on preserving and restoring ecosystems. Lifecycle Carbon Elimination focused on reducing operational and embodied energy and supporting renewables. Integrating above standards to achieve a sustainable built environment is a complex and multifaceted challenge. It requires collaboration across departments, and between stakeholders. Other countries have established governmental bodies to support this necessary collaboration i.e.: Council for Sustainable Cities (Sweden) working across the different departments, and Good Growth by Design (London, UK) an initiative bringing together design advocates, London boroughs and other public bodies. Left: UN SDG’s and how they all relate to the continuing health and wellbeing of humans Right: Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics Diagram of a safe and just space for humanity. We need to fulfil the social foundation without breaching the planetary boundaries humanity relies on to survive. Baseline for UN SDG’s Quality Housing and Sustainable Neighbourhoods The plan should establish a framework that prioritises the safety and comfort of pedestrians, cyclist, and public transport. Healthy mixed-use neighbourhoods that ensure adequate access to daylight internally and externally, promote activity and have healthy air quality. The plan should be specific about creating activated streets with active use frontages. Active streets should have seating and break out areas that will create passive surveillance. Neighbourhoods and community groups should identify distinct characteristics that are celebrated. Variation in character and building form will help wayfinding and avoid monotony. Flexibility that allows for natural bottom-up growth and will encourage the community to take ownership of their neighbourhoods. Permeability between neighbourhoods is essential to ensure connectivity and freedom of movement. This avoids dead end spaces which can become dangerous and negative spaces in the city. Our public spaces and streets should be encouraged to be used for cultural celebrations. The city currently has an issue of a lack of people living in the city centre. The building uses have been limited to commercial activity which has created a monoculture. This has been starkly evident with Covid restrictions and remote working. The city buildings and streets are now mostly empty with no life. It should be encouraged to change the use of the upper floors of buildings to be converted into residential apartments. Most continental European cities are designed to have active use on the ground floor with a mix of residential on the first two floors and residential apartments above up to 8 storeys or more. This intensive type of mixed use will ensure a consistent flow of people will always inhabit the city. The city’s pre-Covid monoculture meant that the city was overly busy during the day and then mostly empty at night. Post Covid the city centre is mostly empty, and the suburbs tend to be very busy. Image: Illustrations from UK National Design Guidelines Sustainable Movement and Transport Left: Integrated Transport Network in Copenhagen Right: Existing and Proposed Rail Networks in Dublin Dublin City can build an integrated train network by reactivating and intensifying existing railway lines and build new underground and overground railway lines. Urban Wealth Funds can be used to borrow low interest rate funding to build infrastructure to connect the whole city. The current plan to build one metro line and enhance the DART lines is a welcome improvement and must be prioritised and delivered quickly and effectively. This plan should be considered a starting pint and further plans to build a fully integrated network of trains, trams and buses should be made. An integrated transport network like that in Copenhagen is achievable for a city the size of Dublin. A network like this would reinforce and enhance the City’s goals for compact urban growth. Metro Dublin is a new mass rapid transit development plan for Dublin. It is designed to meet the existing and growing demand for fast, reliable, integrated, and sustainable mobility for the Greater Dublin Area. This plan includes 62 station stops comprising 39 new underground stations, 13 new surface stations and an upgrading of 10 existing stations. This is a more ambitious network than Metro North and should be seriously considered. Studies show that disconnected transport systems do not adequately take up as much passengers as connected networks. The more connected the transport networks are will attract more users of it and make the projects more viable from a financial perspective. The city plan should continue to clearly define safe cycle lanes with a safe zone to adjacent traffic which allows the safe movement of all road users. The new cycle lanes installed around the city have been very welcomed by users. More cycle lanes should continue to be built and connected appropriately to create network across the whole city. Photo: Åsa Svensson The City, Urban Villages and Retail Due to online retailing and the new working arrangements emerging, the quantum of retail in Dublin City Centre is going to be significantly diminished and altered. Given the major issue with the lack of life and vibrancy in many city centre areas outside office working hours and weekend days, this suggests that a focus must be put on transforming redundant city centre retail units and, more importantly, upper floors of buildings, to other uses including residential, but also office hubs and spokes and community uses. This would require a reset of Dublin City Council thinking and policies in relation to regulations and planning and would have to be encouraged with special targeted schemes providing financial support to prospective occupiers. One possible initiative to encourage retail demand in the city centre and major urban centres would be to prohibit or significantly deter any further new retail warehouse or shopping centre within the Dublin City Council area. This approach has been applied to other European cities leading to adaptation of existing retail space in their city centre and major urban centres to accommodate the needs of large box retailers. Retail is transforming to be more experiential then for buying goods. This means that food, beverage, entertainment, and culture will be the retail space of the future. Dublin, unlike many major cities, has no retail market food halls. These could enliven areas of the city in which they might be located (perhaps 2 or 3 locations), act as catalysts for redevelopment and help enliven city neighbourhoods. A combination of improving the public realm combined with the designation of large areas of the centre city as pedestrian dominant areas. Photo: Mercado de San Miguel People will still wish to come to the city centre for engagement, entertainment and food and drink. There is an opportunity to reimagine one or two city centre areas as entertainment centres and this needs further investigation in developing plans for Dublin City Centre. There are major urban centres in Dublin such as Phibsborough, Fairview, Clontarf, Sandymount, Donnybrook, Rathgar, Rathmines, Ranelagh etc. There are also minor centres such as Pelletstown, Merrion, Milltown, Cabra West, Cabra East etc. For large and small urban centres, the principles of the 15- or 20-minute neighbourhood should be embraced and studied through LAP or other processes. Networking the major urban centres with each other and the city centre with reliable public transportation connections will support the viability of these centres to help get them established as sustainable locations for markets, niche, and independent retailing. Supporting the development of a 24-hour city with cross generational appeal and promoting residential development will include ideas set out include: Encourage development of substantial residential reuse of existing buildings in the city centre and major urban centres. Encourage several retail market food halls in strategic locations. Reimagine one or two city centre areas as entertainment centres. The plan can support the commercial viability, social and physical environments of Key District Centres, District Centres and Urban Villages by: A combination of improving the public realm combined with the designation of large areas of these centres as pedestrian dominant areas. Networking the major urban centres with each other and the city centre with reliable public transportation connections. Encourage multi-generational residential use as close as possible to the centres of these areas with provision of social areas for seniors facing streets and squares with the possibility for engagement. Green Infrastructure, Open Space, Recreation and Natural Heritage The plan should continue development of greenways along all major waterways, Liffey, Dodder, Tolka and other smaller rivers, Grand and Royal Canals, Port, Coastline, and major parks and identify and implement opportunities to link them into a comprehensive city network. As with Melbourne, consider implementing an urban forest to become an important urban asset for Dublin. This has the potential to make our city a beautiful place to live and visit, and to have the trees play a crucial role in keeping a healthy environment, helping to remove pollution and keeping a balance in city temperature. See urban forest is one of our most important assets. As well as making our city a beautiful place to live and visit, our trees play a crucial role in keeping a healthy environment, helping to remove pollution and keep our city cool. urban forest is one of our most important assets. Image: Superblocks Model Barcelona (www.industrytap.com) Development standards should require new and existing districts to be planned around green transportation as with other cities known as a global beacon of green urban planning such as Freiburg in Germany and Curitiba in southern Brazil. Transportation is the hardest ecological impact of development to reduce. While districts will include street, such green transportation requirements can mean that cars will hardly ever pass through, and car parking immediately adjacent to residences should not be catered for. Community parking on the edge of districts can be provided for residents who do own vehicles where they can park in unsubsidized by the car-free households. The plan should effectively manage our natural environment as the population of Dublin continues to grow, set policies, and undertake initiatives to promote a strong orientation to walking, bicycling, and public transport, with car-free areas and high levels of accessibility for people of all ages. Policies should seek to make Dublin ‘a city of short distances. Prioritise the redevelopment of brownfield sites over greenfield sites recognising the savings which result from the use of brownfield sites instead of greenfield sites including less road and utility infrastructure, reduced transportation costs and emissions, citizen wellbeing from less sprawl and congestion and better, more vibrant urban environments. Built Heritage and Archaeology Our built heritage is a key source of future sustainability, enabling both the protection of the environment and the social wellbeing of our communities. It is important to highlight the need to identify more than the physical value of our heritage. To allow necessary modernisation for sustainable futures we should not blindly preserve neighbourhoods and buildings as is but reimagine how they can fit and serve a neighbourhood for the future. The knowledge of communities is the source to making the most use of our past whilst shaping our future. The policy should outline how to encourage community regeneration and meaningful engagement. Dublin City Council: Illustration of proposal for Dame Street Link to the full submission is here. With a very creative, collaborative, and open approach to design concepts, Harry’s pragmatic methods to effectively develop the design and coordination of complex buildings with the design team allow for successful delivery of built projects. He specialises in high-density mixed use commercial residential projects with experience in masterplanning, urban regeneration, office buildings, and interiors.

instruction: You are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description. input: hi i am 30 years old my weight is 60 and my height is 5"2 i am married since 4 yers no kids i am having irregular period mean once i get registrone cycles become regular for 1 year and again irregular and having no other signs of pcod i am worried whether it is actually pcod or can i conceive output: Hi, Have you had other test for infertility done? Some couples have more than one problem and all need to be looked into. We would need to do a sperm count, your tubal function, and pelvic ultrasound. If some specific factor is identified it can be treated. If you do have PCs, it can be seen on the ultrasound and /or hormonal tests, we can give you egg forming medications like camphene. If known cause is found, and you have been trying for 4 years now, you could consider IVF, after analyzing all factors. Hope this helps. Regards..

23/01 - Insomnium 31/01 - Ian Paice 12/02 - Geoff Tate 14/02 - Left Hand of D.. 14/02 - Ultra Silvam 21/02 - Rockfest On To.. 28/02 - House of Metal Norway Rock 2011 review | FESTIVALPHOTO Norway Rock 2011 review My second year in Kvinesdal, in the South of Norway, has been one of the most amazing festival experiences one can ever have. I believe I managed to meet the best photo crew that can share the same tent and press area for some days and make each second go away with an incredible amount of laughter. Therefore my good musicwise experience at the festival is highly increased by the mood around me. Norway Rock festival used to be known, until 2008 as Kvinesdal Rock festival and is currently arranged by the foundation Norway Rock Kvinesdal, and, according to its website, it is mainly arranged by volunteers who think it is cool to have world stars play in a field in Kvinedsdal. There is no age limit for the weekdays of the festival, Wednesday and Thursday. The location is absolutely stunning, being surrounded by hills/mountains on all sides, a river running right by the backstage area and the grass in the camping make it a perfect location to spend few nights. This year we didn’t seem to please quite all the gods, so we had plenty of rain in the area. Yet, the response from the organisers was rather fast with sand and straws being thrown over the areas where most of the swamps would form. It still led to a lot of ballet among the audience, but I’ve seen much worse. Other than that, not being a very oversized festival, it’s very pleasant to have space to move around, not to have to spend years in queue for drinks or food and most of all to just end up knowing everyone who already knows everyone around you. Also having only two stages to worry about is very peaceful for your legs and energy levels. The concerts have started on the main stage on Thursday with the melodic/power/progressive/death music of the Danes from Mercenary. I saw them few months ago as support act for Power of Metal and they made a good impression back then as they did now, of a daring power metal that has dared to go borrow the meaning aspects of death rhythms. Although their show seemed much more fit on a small stage since the vocalist also plays the bass and it’s not easy for him to move around too often. It was a good and energic kick start for the upcoming days of metal music. They were followed in the small stage by one of local surprises of the festival (for me at least). Breed, a Norwegian band who released two albums so far and who delivered an excellent stage show, with very powerful vocals and stunning riffs in a melodic yet brutal mix of sounds that made you think you see AC/DC, In Flames and Black Label Society playing at once. Before Breed, I actually saw few minutes of the performance of a very young band called Switchblade Love who should keep up their work on the punk/alternative metal they have delivered for about half an hour and through which they proved their talent. The madness went on on the main stage where other Norwegians, this time Kvelertak, offered one hour of fury. If it could be thrown, it was thrown, if it could be jumped, it was jumped, if there was place to run, climb up or down, they would run, climb up or down. Too bad the drummer was stuck to his chair, but else I bet he would have joined his other 5 colleagues in the insanity. I found it hard to pay attention for more than 2 seconds to let’s say, the bass player who was throwing the instrument in the air, since the singer would run around and make something even more extreme, all of their actions fitting perfectly with their dark punk/metal style. After so much testosterone, it was time to cool off a bit by watching the Djerv show in the tent, whose singer, Agnete, also participated in the latest Dimmu Borgir album and shows. She has an incredible powerful voice and they work hard on offering a good experience to the crowd, but honestly after the two ones I previously described, it wasn’t at all too exciting to watch them. Neither were the Germans from Blind Guardian or U.D.O. on the main stage afterwards. it’s always cool and funky to listen to their famous songs, hear the crowd singing along, but they were not the kind of shows to blow you off the ground through their energy. They were beautiful and would only be enjoyed from the perspective of watching some metal legends live. I went back to the small tent for another portion of extreme and harsh metal, also from Norway, this time the band Insense. I find it hard to place them in any genre whatsoever, I can just say I had the feeling of hearing a slowed down Meshuggah with vocals borrowed from metalcore, yet managing to surprise with the intensity of their growls. It didn’t seem like the kind of music concentrating on being too technical or so, but the songs they put together are really interesting to listen to. The last band I watched in the small tent were another Norwegians, Ingenting (meaning Nothing, whose website actually redirect you to nothing.no and offer you a short history about the Nothing). They are a popular local rock band with the kind of party songs that people love and would scream together with the singer for the duration of the whole set. They had light problems for the first 3-4 songs, so my photographing experience was ruined by the lack of light, cutting off my mood to watch the rest of the show. The night was ended in style with the Swedes from In Flames whose melodic/alternative death metal was well spiced with pyro effects both on stage but also on its sides and even some lovely fireworks after the show. The festival had offered the chance to four people to win a meet and greet with In Flames members before the show so that increased their popularity among the crowd. They’re a good live act altogether that would easily make you sing or jump along, despite the tiredness gathered during the day. The second day in Kvinesdal announced itself quite unstable weather wise, but it turned out better than expected. The shows were opened by the local Norwegian progressive band, Pagan’s Mind whom I haven’t notice to have too many shows in their home land. But I noticed quite some enthusiast fans among the few ones gathered in the mud in front of the stage. With an album out at the beginning of the year, Heavenly Ecstasy, the band played a mix of songs from this release but also hits that previously brought them media attention and recognition. The audio was really good from where I stood and even if due daylight their light show had an impact close to zero, it was not a boring show as every musician in the band is equally talented and a joy to watch when they perform solos and riffs. I’ll briefly go through the bands in the small stage and then go back to the main stage. The biggest surprise of the festival for me were the Norwegian/Swedish mixed band Saint Deamon who uses ex Highland Glory singer on vocals. Their power metal that avoided any sign of ridiculousness and sounded close to perfection. Especially the vocals. But also the fun on stage was something that easily made the crowd love the show. After the festival I saw some videos of the vocalist Jan Thore Grefstad who participated in the Norwegian Idol show and left everyone with their mouths wide open after his performance. It had the same effect in Kvinesdal. His voice is so versatile, strong and melodic and is backed up by a very pleasant power metal sound that doesn’t exaggerate with any instrument, yet all of them can easily be noticed and appreciated. Do all you can to listen to this band. Later on I checked out few songs from the hardcore/punkish Blood command and was pleasantly impressed by the their tiny singer, Silje, and her powerful voice. Yet, I don’t remember being too much caught by their music, so I left quickly. Even later on the day I watched a bit of the performance of the Brits from Quireboys’, who used to be famous at the beginning of the 90s and who had one hour to deliver a fun hard and heavy metal show and keep the spirits up between two concerts on the main stage. After the progressive opening from Pagan’s Mind, it was time to really wake up with the punk/hardcore four piece from Canada, Cancer Bats whose singer – Liam Cormier – I don’t recall seeing him in the same place for more than 5 seconds. Everyone in the band feels like living for playing live and gives each atom of energy in their body for this show. There’s roars, screams, pounding riffs, low notes, fast grooves and harmonies, and the drummer seems ready to break some world records. Cancer Bats sounded heavy as hell. For more musicians who love to be on stage we get to experience the Swedes extreme metallers from Meshuggah. Intense headbanging, although the rhythms of their music are so atypical that it’s hard to keep track, especially when each of the drummer’s limbs seem to beat at a different rate. Their music belongs to a genre that they pretty much pioneered, with slight touches of jazz at times and vocals that sound almost robotic at times. Jens Kidman took his time to joke with the crowd at times and altogether created a great mood during their show. A band that was promised for 2010 and who couldn’t make it, returned in 2011 to the excitement of the fans: Black Label Society. For over 20 years their frontguy has served as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist and he is one of the biggest men I saw performing on stages. They were allowed 75 minutes to deliver their sludge/heavy and groovy metal to the enthusiast crowd. It all started with Zack Wylde coming on stage wearing an indian feather headdress and then he kept on changing guitars that seemed like Barbie dolls accessories in his big arms. The setlist consisted of band’s its that got the crowd singing at all times and cheering whenever a familiar tune would start pouring from the speakers. The man must know most of the tricks needed both when singing and when delivering solos, so that he fascinates everyone who witness his concert. The second night had a current Danish sensation as headliners – Volbeat. I’ve seen this band live quite few times now and each time it’s almost like they’re playing one of their first shows. The songs and their rockabilly metal rhythms are powerful, the energy is at max, everyone keeps making funny faces, expressing the lyrics of the songs or simply smiling and laughing at something they’re pointing at in the crowd. The vocalist (maybe the second biggest singer at the festival), Michael Paulsen, has an incredible pitch being able to mix elements reminding of famous singers that inspired him, such as Elvis and Johnny Cash. Their songs are catchy, can be danced on and as well can lead to madness in the crowd. I am not too fond of the new album yet, but I only heard it a couple of times. Yet the songs they picked seemed to fit very well in keeping an amazing mood all along their show and made many people dance and sing on the way to their tent. By the way, I think Volbeat was the most listened band in the camping for the duration of the festival. The night from Friday to Saturday was not the driest one I ever experienced, hence the mud and fixing whatever was damaged overnight was probably the main reason for the little amount of crowd gathered to watch the black metal band who participated in the pre selection for Eurovision, Keep of Kalessin. Of course, I guess the blame can also be shared with the ingested liquids. They play a rather melodic black metal with a lot of technical elements, perfectly fit for their fast windmills which make for good photo material. I didn’t spend the whole concert in front of the stage, but from what I heard towards the end when they played some of their hits, the audience gathered more members and they were awake enough to cheer and clap. We went on with musicians from Trondheim on the mains tage, this time the a Norwegian hard rock/glam metal band TNT, with a history of 12 albums since they formed back in 1982. It was a nice time with good heavy metal/hard rock rhythms on the main stage and really powerful harmonies scattered along the songs. I was even hoping for a second that their previous singer, Tony Harnell, would show up on stage as I saw him live on the same stage the previous year. It didn’t happen though, but this doesn’t mean it was less of a show. Alas, due the fact that the skies opened and it was raining like crazy, I ran to the cozy cover of the press area a bit after the second song or so. But I returned to watch another German power metal legend in the person of Tobias Sammet who performed now with his Edguy band (he is also the creator of the metal opera Avantasia). A very charismatic appearance in himself, with a fantastic voice that conquered the hearts of the public after few seconds of singing. He got even more popular because the sun started shining right when they begun playing and also by stating that Norway is the most beautiful country he saw (with the shittiest weather, of course) and that he’s going to release an album which will be the best in the history of rock. The band even performed a song from the upcoming album. The backdrop was representing a huge castle and it fit very well with the atmosphere of the music. I wish I didn’t have to run away for few songs and dry camera and all, since it seemed like a very nice and cozy performance, with a vocalist who really knows how to press the right buttons to set the right mood. And I enjoyed watching how the drummer keeps throwing the stick in the air most of the time and trying to always catch it back. I had seen Brits from The Darkness few weeks before Norway Rock in Austria, at Nova Rock. I had no idea about them or their music, but I found their show extremely funny, hence I spent some time listening to their glam/heavy rock/metal in between the two festivals. It’s not my all times favorite, yet catchy enough to make you go back to it occasionally. And to surprise you that the singer, Justin Hawkins, actually manages to hit those high notes during his live performances. Some might say that the tight pants do help with that. I have to admit that their stage presence is rather genuine,w ith their hippie like looks and especially the singer’s silly behavior on stage – ‘egyptian walking’ body stances, funny jumps, standing on his arms by the drum kit, the way he throws and spins the microphone, the way he dresses and especially the way he takes his voice to some high notes, almost unknown for majority of mankind. The only band I saw in the tent this day was Mongo Ninja, a project of a Norwegian famous character, Kristopher Schau. I have seen him in Kvinesdal last here with another project, the Cumshots. Actually he even mentioned on stage that he played here in 2010 and since Gary Moore was still playing and his band couldn’t start singing, he got all the crowd to scream ‘Fuck Gary Moore’. And then G. Moore died. But life and music go on anyway, and despite the sad memory, he did the same insane show as he does each time I see him live. It usually starts with coming on stage smoking a cigarette, then spending most of the time during shows doing tricks with the microphone stand, jumping around and joining the other members on stage in acting crazy. All these don’t really stop you from hearing some very interesting riffs in their heavy music that makes you feel closer to the apocalypse with each drum beat. 2011 edition of Norway Rock festival was ended in an amazing fashion by a 63 year old Vincent Damon Furnier whose show, no matter you want to call it cheesy, creepy, lovely, awesome, scary, etc, it’s one of the most extraordinary I ever witnessed on a stage. He had 90 minutes to deliver us with his famous hits from Brutal Planet, Billion Dollar babies, to Poison, Elected and Shcool’s out spiced with Pink Floyd rhythms. I remember the presence of guitarists on stage, I don’t recall anything sounding bad or wrong. I recall a great drum solo during which the drummer was making quite fancy stick tricks. But all these really faded away in front of all the stage crops, effects and acting used. It started with Alice Cooper having spider arms/legs spreading from his back during the first song. Then a walking stick with which he stabbed a guy who was wearing a ‘Rock press’ jacket. Actually this guy got quite often kicked from the stage. Then Alice Cooper was holding a dog on his legs and singing to her. Then he summoned Frankenstein who was walking on the stage from one guitarist to another. Then he got decapitated. Then he came on stage with a jacket saying ‘new Song’ and took it off and the shirt was saying ‘I’ll byte your face off’. We got huge balloons floating over the crowd during School’s out. And probably few hundred more things happened on stage that I simply don’t recall due how overwhelming the whole experience was. So that was my side of the story on how the festival went this year. Talking the next day with some friends and reading comments online I saw a lot of negative feedback related to the way the security is handled when it comes to people accessing the festival area. People have to wait too much in queues and as well as I understand that security people have to do their job, yet when people are on their way to enjoy a concert and especially after having had had some drinks in the camping, well, any such delay is not a pleasant experience. On the other side, during the Alice Cooper show and idiot threw a light stick, luckily not in the audience but between the fences. Such behavior leads to increased security unfortunately. I hope the issue gets fixed soon and it won’t have an impact on the festival’s future editions. For the end, I feel like sending big thanks to everyone who worked to make the event possible, to those responsible with press who helped us with a neat press area, but most of all to those who actually spent time in that area and made the moments between concerts so full of fun and laughter. Would really love to meet the same crew again. Writer: Andrea Chirulescu