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WikiDoc Resources for Bland-White-Garland syndrome
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Synonyms and keywords: Abnormal septation of the conotruncus into the aorta and pulmonary artery; Anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery; ALCAPA; BWG; Persistence of the pulmonary buds together with involution of the aortic buds that form the coronary arteries
This syndrome is a rare congenital abnormality of coronary artery and refers to origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. Normally both right and left coronary artery originate from the aorta. Classified under the Anomalous Pulmonary Origin of Coronaries(APOC) by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons-Congenital Heart Surgery database it is amongst the 3 most common clinically significant congenital coronary anomalies treated surgically, the other two being Anomalous Coronary Origin of Coronaries(AAOC) and Coronary Arteriovenous fistula(CAVF)
The Bland-White-Garland Syndrome was first described as an autopsy report by a Russian pathologist Aleksei Ivanovich Abrikossoff in 1911. There was no any clinical correlation in this report. The subject of his report was “a left ventricular aneurysm with abnormal originated left coronary artery from pulmonary artery in a five months old child”.
The first comprehensive clinical description of this congenital syndrome was published in 1933 by three American physicians; Edward Bland, Paul Dudley White and Joseph Garland.
An American surgeon, David Coston Sabiston described the most important diagnostic and hemodynamic components of this syndrome in 1960. His findings and hemodynamic descriptions became a cornerstone of the diagnosis and treatment in this syndrome.
In 1962, Fontana and Edwards reported a series of 58 postmortem specimens that demonstrated that most patients had died at a young age.
Developmentally, failure of the normal connection of the left coronary artery bud to the aorta results in an abnormal connection to the pulmonary artery. The abnormal origin can be situated in the main pulmonary artery or proximal branches. Associated abnormalities are rare but important to recognize because lowering of the pulmonary artery pressure by ligation of patent ductus arteriosus or closure of a ventricular septal defect can be fatal if the Bland-White-Garland Syndrome or ALCAPA is not noted.
Other extremely rare variations of anomalous origin of the coronary arteries listed below:
- The left anterior descending artery or left circumflex branches originate from the main pulmonary artery,
- The right coronary artery originates from main pulmonary trunk; more often this is an incidental autopsy finding,
- Both of the right and left coronary arteries originate from the pulmonary artery; this circumstance is not compatible with survival.
Classification of Bland-White-Garland Syndrome (ALCAPA, BWG Syndrome)
Infantile Syndrome Form
Mitral Valve Regurgitation Form
This form occurs in asymptomatic patients with angina pectoris. A continuous heart murmur results from great volume of blood flowing through collateral branches between left and right coronary arteries.
Sudden Death in Adolescents or Adults Form
Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA or Bland-White-Garland Syndrome) is not considered as an inheritable congenital cardiac defect and there are no known additional risk factors regarding the occurrence of this syndrome. It has no any known relation with any non-cardiac and/or genetic disorders.In utero exposure to teratogens, chromosomal abnormalities or other risk factors are unrelated to anomalous origin of the left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery (Bland-White-Garland Syndrome).
The clinical expression of ALCAPA (anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery) or Bland-White-Garland Syndrome results from morphological changes, as well as functional and dynamic alterations in pulmonary circulation that occur immediately after birth.
- By the reason of two favorable fetal physiologic mechanisms as relatively equivalent oxygen concentrations in coronary and pulmonary vascular bed (due to parallel circulations) and equivalent pressures in the main pulmonary artery and aorta (secondary to a non restrictive patent ductus arteriosus), symptoms of BGW syndrome do not present during the prenatal term.Therefore myocardial perfusion is in the normal range and no stimulus exists for collateral vessel formation between the right and left coronary artery systems.
- In a newborn; the resistance in pulmonary artery is so high it permits antegrade blood flow to left coronary artery (LCA), which perfuses the entire left ventricle.
- As pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary artery pressure gradually reduce in following days and weeks, and flow from pulmonary artery fails to supply left coronary artery, thus collaterals from right coronary artery to the left one becomes the only resources of left ventricular perfusion.However,this results in the left ventricular myocardium being perfused by relatively desaturated blood flow under low pressure, leading to myocardial ischemia.
- Frequently this causes papillary muscle dysfunction and therefore variable degrees of mitral insufficiency.
- The improvements in collateral circulation between right and left coronary arteries and markedly reduced pulmonary vascular resistance results in coronary steal phenomenon.
- Instead of supplying left ventricular myocardium, oxygenated blood from left coronary artery (which has acquired from the right coronary artery through collateral vessels) goes to pulmonary trunk and results in significant myocardial perfusion failure. Consequently, the combination of left ventricular dysfunction and significant mitral valve insufficiency leads to congestive heart failure (CHF).
- Prolonged myocardial ischemia results in the development of patchy area of fibrosis in the left myocardium leading to ventricular dysfunction, large ventricular aneurysms or mitral regurgitation.
Although, insufficient collateral development may result decompensation and death in this stage, improvement of coronary collateral circulation supplies left ventricular myocardium and may help to survive.  .
- Factors influencing survival into adulthood include
- Increased physical or mental stress in this group may exacerbate the coronary steal phenomena from LCA to Pulmonary artery leading to ventricular arrhythmias and death.
Bland-White-Garland Syndrome (ALCAPA) is usually an isolated congenital cardiac abnormality but rarely has been reported with occurrence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), ventricular septal defect (VSD), tetralogy of Fallot, and coarctation of the aorta.
Bland-White-Garland Syndrome is not considered as an inheritable congenital cardiac defect.
Epidemiology and Demographics
The incidence of this rare, congenital cardiac anomaly does not vary geographically, and has no inheritance. Occurrence is generally similar between males and females. There is no race difference in its prevalence. The frequency of Bland-White-Garland Syndrome is approximately 0.25 - 0.5% of all congenital heart diseases. It occurs 1/300,000 births.
In adults it is twice as common in females than males
Differentiating the Disorder from other Diseases
One key disorder to distinguish ALCAPA from is dilated cardiomyopathy. This disorder also presents with moderate to severe congestive heart failure,cardiomegaly on chest roentgenogram, ischemic signs on the electrocardiogram and a systolic murmur of mitral insufficiency.
Johnsrude and associates defined electrocardiographic criteria distinguishing ALCAPA from myocarditis or dilated cardiomyopathy. They found a Q wave depth of >3 mm, a Q wave width >30 ms, and a QR pattern in at least one of leads I, aVL, V5–V7, to be present in 100% of the ECGs of patients with ALCAPA. The absence of Q waves in leads II, III, and aVF was also universal.
In a model relying on the Q wave depth in aVL, the ST segment amplitude in aVL, and the Q wave width in lead I, ALCAPA was correctly diagnosed in 98% of their patients, conferring a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 96%, and a positive predictive value of 85%.
Other disorder in the differential diagnosis include:
In initial period, there is a transient myocardial ischemia. It depends on myocardial oxygen demands and occurs during feeding and/or crying. Further increase in myocardial oxygen consumption may lead to myocardial infarction. Frequently this causes papillary muscle dysfunction and therefore variable degrees of mitral insufficiency and congestive heart failure (CHF)
The rapidity of this functional sequence led investigators to classify patients on the basis of their respective survival patterns into two subsets of coronary circulations: the infantile or the Adult type.
- The infantile type of circulation has little or no coronary collateral development, a condition leading to the early onset of severe myocardial ischemia, left ventricular dysfunction and dilatation, and mitral regurgitation due to papillary muscle ischemia, dilatation of the annulus or both.
- The Adult type has well developed collateral circulations between the RCA and LCA.Symptoms often occur at times of increased myocardial oxygen demand.
In general, approximately 85% of patients present with clinical symptoms of CHF within the first 1-2 months of life. In unusual cases, the clinical presentation with symptoms of myocardial ischemia may be delayed into early childhood.
History and Symptoms
Infants usually do well for a short period then gradually become restless and irritable. Characteristic symptoms include
- Diaphoresis after breast feeding
- Failure to thrive.
- Infantile colic (The moderate chest pain and discomfort due to inadequate myocardial perfusion frequently misinterpreted as colic)
A subset of patient with good collaterals might be asymptomatic into adulthood.ALCAPA often manifests in Adult population as
- Acute myocardial Infarction
- congestive heart failure (CHF) (due to combination of mitral valve regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction)
- Malignant arrhythmias
- Sudden cardiac death
Appearance of the Patient
Pallor is common
A systolic (due to mitral valve regurgitation) murmur and a diastolic rumble (relative mitral valve stenosis) may occur. Rarely, a soft continuous murmur (coronary artery fistula or a small patent ductus arteriosus) might be detected at upper left sternal border. The left ventricular apex may palpable (usually shifted to lateral side and to inferior). There is a splitting of second heart sound (a narrow splitting) and pulmonary component is getting harder in patient with pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH).
Findings of Congestive Heart failure may occur.
Hepatomegaly is present if congestive heart failure occurs.
Electrolyte and Biomarker Studies
Blood tests have not definitive role in the diagnosis of Bland-White-Garland Syndrome (anomalous origin of the left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery). Elevation of cardiac enzymes can only be used in diagnosis of periprocedural myocardial injury or infarction.
Chest X Ray
There is an old anterolateral myocardial infarction pattern with abnormal deep (>3 mm) and wide (>30 msec) Q waves in leads I, aVL, V5, and V6. Q waves are absent in leads II, III, and aVF. There is poor R wave progression in precordial leads, with a quick qR pattern.
The electrocardiogram (ECG) may detect ventricular repolarization abnormalities (ST segment depression or elevation) in both inferior and lateral area.
The QRS axis is typically in normal range. Undetermined axis may seen in some cases.
Two dimensional echocardiography with Doppler color flow mapping is helpful for diagnosis and may replace the need for cardiac catheterization and angiography.
- Echo without Doppler may identify abnormal origin of the left coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery.
- Color flow velocity mapping may be a helpful diagnostic tool. It shows retrograde flow (from left coronary artery) to pulmonary trunk. This finding is important to distinguish from patent ductus arteriosus.
- In unusual circumstances, echocardiographic examinations and therefore diagnosis is difficult if the coronary artery arise from a pulmonary artery branch.
- Doppler mapping of an abnormal color flow jet will usually identify abnormal retrograde flow within the main pulmonary artery in both late systole and diastole.
- The mapping image is partially dependent on pulmonary artery pressure. The presence of retrograde flow is dependent on collateral development. If collaterals are not present this finding may be absent.
- Abnormal dilation of proximal right coronary artery; when present, it reflects extensive collateral development in patients in infancy or in childhood.
- Abnormal "brightness" of left ventricular papillary muscles not sensitive but highly specific.
- Variable degrees of mitral valve regurgitation, left ventricular dysfunction, and wall motion abnormalities may be identified.
Diagnosis of Bland-White-Garland Syndrome = ALCAPA was achieved with 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity; when including QT patterns in aVL, echocardiographic evidence of a right coronary artery (RCA) to aortic annulus ratio >0.14, increased papillary muscle echogenicity, and Doppler color flow through the left coronary artery.
Coronary CT and MRI angiography allows a non-invasive method for diagnosis . Additionally, it offers a three-dimensional assessment of the anatomic relations between coronary arteries and adjacent structures, useful for surgical planning.
MRI has the additional advantage of demonstrating communication and flow from the LCA into the PA, is useful in assessing mitral valvular function, and delayed gadolinium enhancement may help determine myocardial viability
Coronary Angiography Findings
Coronary angiography or ventriculograms are not routinely necessary in the current era. Aortic root injection is a valuable diagnostic tool if echocardiography fails to diagnose.
Coronary angiogram should be performed despite a negative echocardiogram if either the history or ECG is strongly suggestive.
Hemodynamic measurements are usually consistent with low cardiac output and elevated left atrial pressures secondary to reduced left ventricular compliance or significant mitral valve insufficiency.
Oximetry may show a small left-to-right shunt into the pulmonary arteries.
Aortography or selective right coronary arteriography usually demonstrates an enlarged right coronary artery system with collateralization to the left coronary artery and eventual reflux of contrast into the pulmonary arterial system. If there is no collateralization, identification of the anomalous left coronary artery may not be evident by aortography or selective right coronary angiography.
Stop flow angiography
After a balloon occlusion in distal pulmonary trunk, the forceful injection of large amount of contrast is an alternative approach to perform an angiogram to see the retrograde filling. Incomplete occlusion of the pulmonary artery or balloon malapposition may cause a false negative result.
All three criteria listed below required for diagnosis:
- Retrograde filling of left coronary artery
- Absence of left coronary arterial origin in aortic root
- Pulmonary arterial connection to left coronary.
Although Bland-White-Garland Syndrome (ALCAPA) is very rare, a high index of suspicion is required during the workup of any infant or child with global myocardial dysfunction.
- If left untreated (without surgical correction), the mortality rate in the first year of life is 90% secondary to myocardial ischemia or infarction and mitral valve insufficiency leading to CHF.
- Sudden death may occur within weeks to months after birth because of inadequate collateral circulation between the left and right coronary artery systems.
- In the adult type, accounting for only 10% to 15% of patients, intermediate to long-term survival is aided by a large dominant RCA with extensive inter coronary collaterals, as well as a restrictive opening between the ALCAPA and the PA which reduces the coronary steal phenomenon.
- These patients can remain asymptomatic until adulthood, despite ongoing sub clinical myocardial ischemia.
- In this subset of patients, there is an estimated 80% to 90% incidence of sudden death at a mean age of 35 years
Presently, the prognosis for patients with ALCAPA is dramatically improved as a result of both early diagnosis utilizing echocardiography with color Doppler flow mapping and improvements in surgical techniques, including myocardial preservation.
- Inotropic agents - These agents are used to improve myocardial systolic function and increase preoperative or postoperative systemic blood flow..
- Diuretics - These agents promote excretion of water and electrolytes by the kidneys. They are used to treat heart failure or hepatic, renal, or pulmonary disease when sodium and water retention has resulted in edema or ascites.
- Afterload reducing agents - These agents improve preoperative or postoperative cardiac output by reducing systemic vascular resistance and increasing systemic blood flow resulting from myocardial dysfunction and/or significant mitral valve insufficiency.
- Nitrates are peripheral and coronary vasodilators used in the management of angina pectoris, heart failure, and myocardial infarction.
- ACE inhibitors are beneficial in all stages of chronic heart failure. Pharmacologic effects result in a decrease in systemic vascular resistance, reducing blood pressure, preload, and afterload. Dyspnea and exercise tolerance are improved.
Surgery and Device Based Therapy
- Simple ligation of anomalously originated left coronary artery at its origin was historically the first definitive surgical correction for this condition, with operative mortality rates ranging between 20% and 50%
- Direct re-implantation of the anomalously originated left coronary artery into the aorta is the most frequently adopted surgical technique, and it has gained popularity through increased experience with coronary artery transfer techniques adapted from the arterial switch operation. The reported mortality rate in direct r-implantation ranges between 0% and 16%.
- The Takeuchi procedure
- It involves creation of an aortopulmonary window and an intrapulmonary tunnel that baffles the aorta to the ostium of the anomalous left coronary artery.
- Often routine mitral valve repair is performed at the time of coronary artery revascularization on the grounds that early postoperative cardiac output is improved with a resultant decrease in morbidity.
- Saphenous vein bypass grafting has yielded operative mortality rates of 0% to 38%. Disadvantages of this procedure in infants are the scarcity of vein grafts, both at initial and at redo operations, small vein caliber, and most importantly, late graft occlusion.
- Bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting to the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries
- Surgical Treatment of Coronary Artery Anomalies Report of a 371⁄2-Year Experience at theTexas Heart Institute Tex Heart Inst J. 2002; 29(4): 299–307
- Cowles R, Berdon WE, Bland-White-Garland syndrome of anomalous left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA): a historical review, Pediatric Radiology, Volume 37, Number 9, September 2007 , pp. 890-95.
- Mancini CM, Weber HS, Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery, e-medicine (http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2484.htm)
- Dodge-Khatami A, Mavroudis C, Backer CL, Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: collective review of surgical therapy, Ann Thorac Surg 2002;74:946–55.
- ALCAPA Syndrome: Not Just a Pediatric Disease1 Elena Peña, MD • Elsie T. Nguyen, MD • Naeem Merchant, MD • Carole Dennie, MD
- An adult case of Bland-White-Garland syndrome with collaterals from giant right coronary artery and bronchial artery 10.1016/j.jccase.2017.04.006
- An adult case of Bland-White-Garland syndrome with collaterals from the bronchial artery. Heart Vessels. 1994;9(4):218-22.
- J Cardiol Cases. 2016 Mar 31;14(1):1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jccase.2016.03.006. eCollection 2016 Jul.
- J Cardiol Cases. 2016 Aug 3;14(5):145-148. doi: 10.1016/j.jccase.2016.07.001. eCollection 2016 Nov.
- Clin Cardiol. 2011 Apr;34(4):204-10. doi: 10.1002/clc.20848.
- BMJ Case Rep doi:10.1136/ bcr-2018-224307
- Clin Cardiol. 2011 Apr;34(4):204-10. doi: 10.1002/clc.20848.
- Pediatr Cardiol. 2012 Oct;33(7):1115-23

domain: health


Director Abhishek Kapoor proved that he’s a master storyteller by translating novelist Chetan Bhagat’s bestseller 3 Mistakes Of My Life into a riveting film, Kai Po Che!.
Now tabloid! has learnt that he has moved on to a more ambitious literary venture: He will condense India’s revered Mahabarata — the world’s longest mythological text — into a Bollywood film.
“The Mahabharata expresses the universal truth; it has defined my understanding of spirituality and of all humanity. I aim to translate this onto the big screen, engage minds and deliver a world class cinematic experience,” said Kapoor in a statement. Mahabharata has 100,000 verses and chronicles the feud in a warrior dynasty between the five Pandava brothers and their 100 cousins, the Kauravas.
Backing him in his venture is production house Disney India.
“As we all know, this epic has a deep emotional connection with every Indian. We intend to tell the story in a manner it deserves to be told on screen, and are thrilled to have the incredibly talented Abhishek Kapoor at the helm, with one of the most knowledgeable and talented writers on the subject, Ashok Banker scripting it,” said Siddharth Roy Kapur, managing director of Disney India.
Banker is no stranger to Indian mythology and is a master at re-telling Indian epics. The Mumbai-born novelist has published books on the Ramayana and the Mahabharata and is credited with introducing Indian mythological texts to young readers. His books have sold more than two million copies. Banker also wrote the script of India’s first English television series, A Mouthful of Sky, which enjoyed a successful run on small screen on state-owned Doordarshan channel.
Filming will begin after the completion of Kapoor’s next venture with the studio, Fitoor.


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Strathview Cottage is a lovely, traditional detached holiday cottage just minutes from the famous Gleneagles Hotel and Golf Resort in Perthshire, Scotland. Very comfortable cottage for 2 (plus baby). Beautiful landscaped garden.
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domain: travel


Ghanaian actor and TV personality Akwasi Boadi popularly known as Akrobeto has made waves on the international scene.
One of his videos on his comic news presentation aired on UTV, ‘The Real News’ has been featured on the Twitter page of Chelsea Captain, César Azpilicueta.
The video has Akrobeto on set and reading news on UTV about Chelsea involving their captain.
But when it got to the point where he had to mention the name of the Spanish player, Akrobeto could not mention it.
The video was first posted by a verified Twitter account, @Falcons, which was obviously making fun of Akrobeto’s struggle to mention the name.
The post caught the attention of Azpilicueta after it was shared and he retweeted and shared an old post in which he teaches how to pronounce his name.
Azpilicueta’s tweet to his over 2.5 million followers has stirred very funny reactions on the social media platform.
Checkout his tweet below.
— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) November 16, 2020
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Impostor syndrome is the silent saboteur – learn its meaning, its impact, and a way through!
Impostor Syndrome impacts 70% of highly-accomplished professionals at some point in their careers. Unable to internalize their achievements and success, they fear being found out as the fakes they believe themselves to be. This includes interior designers.
Learn about Impostor Syndrome and how it can sabotage creativity and confidence, and contribute to self-doubt and procrastination. Find out how to move through impostor feelings to accepting yourself as the highly competent, credible, and trustworthy professional you are.

domain: psychology


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If he does it will be another nail in the coffin for Britain's tradition of free speech, a tradition much finer than anything Islam has to offer.
Islam has a very ugly history of conquest, genocide, and enslavement, and unrelenting persecution of those with different beliefs.
None of this has ever been renounced nor is it likely to be since it is the inevitable outcome of Islam's core beliefs and the behavior of its prophet, Muhammad.
When I see a niqab-wearing woman (at least, I assume it's a woman), what I see is both a symbol of this history and the beliefs that inspired it and a statement of identification with and adherence to those beliefs and their consequences. The niqab suggests a strong adherence and identification; an unquestioning allegiance.
As I see it, the niqab is worn as a political weapon, not a religious observance.
This is why I am so averse to the sight of this garment.
There is another related feeling that I have towards the niqab. The garment is depersonalizing.
Persecution of others is often accompanied by an element of depersonalization (e.g. "the filthy kuffar"), and the depersonalizing experience triggered by the niqab makes me feel they are more capable of being persecutors. Psychological studies of anonymity have shown that people are far less inhibited when their identity is hidden and the evidence that Muslims persecute non-Muslims is overwhelming, see Raymond Ibrahim's Bulletin of Christian Persecution.

domain: sociology


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The United States government has announced a project that would boost the war against illicit drugs in Nigeria.
The support will strengthen forensic and chemical analysis, intelligence gathering and prosecution capability of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is coordinating the intervention.
NDLEA Director of Media, Femi Babafemi made the announcement in a statement on Monday.
The support followed requests by the Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) during a series of meetings with American officials in Abuja and Washington, D.C.
The approval letter to Marwa indicated that the project will be implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, in Nigeria.
The support will boost NDLEA’s intelligence-led investigations through diverse resources, legal books, e-library for prosecution and others.
Babafemi said the agency would be better equipped to prosecute cases with strong evidence, using improved collection, handling and custodial procedures.
The U.S. government’s communication expressed confidence that the project “will be an important step in advancing our shared goal of a united, peaceful and stable Nigeria.”

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House Passes Short-Term Debt Deal: In a 316-90 vote, the House passed a short-term bill to raise the debt ceiling and fund the government through December 8. The bill also includes more than $15 billion in hurricane and disaster recovery aid. The 90 votes in opposition were all from Republicans. This legislation previously passed the Senate and the president is expected to sign the bill quickly.
Miscellaneous Guidance: Revenue Ruling 2017-18 provides the interest rates for tax overpayments and underpayments for the third calendar quarter of 2017, beginning October 1. The interest rates remain unchanged from last quarter at 4% for overpayments (3% in the case of a corporation), 4% for underpayments, 1.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000, and 6% for large corporate underpayments.


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RETURN TO CHILDHOOD
on 18 October 2006
My favourite Marillion album from the Fish era has always been Fugazi but 'Misplaced Childhood' certainly has to be one of the most accomplished rock albums of the 1980s. For long time fans like me, it also takes one back to that great year (I was ten), when Marillion seemed to be in every paper and magazine, and on the radio constantly. We also got to see Fish in tartan suits and his kilt.
Again, only Marillion would be brave enough to attempt to make a concept album in 1985, but it is a triumph of music over people that it performed so well, and still sounds so good now.
Modern Marillion fans may harp on about the merits of 'Brave', but for me, 'Misplaced Childhood' will always win hands down when it comes to the better concept album.
The concept is alot less straightforward here than on 'Brave' however. It's based on a bad acid trip suffered by Fish, which caused him to have some spooky 'visions' which in turn caused him to envisage a drummer boy. He went on to scribble down his experiences as a child and a young adult with the young boy acting almost as a muse.
'Pseudo Silk Kimono' starts things off with some lush, misty sounding keyboards, and links superbly to the band's mega hit signature theme, 'Kayleigh'.
'Kayleigh' may still be a perennial radio favourite a la Van Halen's 'Jump', but it still remains an almost perfect four minute rock song. Lyrically romantic and powerfully played, 'Kayleigh' is highly unrepresentative of the band's sound, but it opened the eyes and ears of the nation to Marillion and their overall style as countless people went out and bought the album.
'Lavender' is very similar to 'Kayleigh' in terms of the commercial success it helped the band to achieve. It provided them with another top ten single and remains a lovely piece of rock whimsy.
'Bitter Suite' is very much the spine of the first 'side' and shows the band returning very much to the type of atmospheric, moody music which made their debut 'Script For A Jester's Tear' so absorbing. Lyrically enthralling with effective musical pastel shadings, it's an understated piece which reels you in as the listener.
'Heart Of Lothian' closes the first suite of linked music and is still a joy to these ears with it's football stadium chant style and soaring guitars and keyboards. It lifts the gloom of the previous track beautifully and provided the band with a top thirty single.
'Waterhole (expresso bongo)' is a stark piece with plenty of underlying menace as Fish continues to rant about his obvious dislike of 'wide boys', as mentioned in the previous track.
'Lords Of The Backstage' has the potential to be a top tune with an oddball rhythm section and a memorable theme. However, it seems to end just as it's begun which is a shame.
'Blind Curve', like 'Bitter Suite' on the first half of the album is a dark, moody atmospheric piece which shows the lyrical concept of the album gaining in depth, as a drug addled Fish sees the image of the drummer boy on his staircase. It ends as a political rant which leads into the excellent 'Childhood's End?'
'Childhood's End?', like 'Heart Of Lothian' is effective in that it brightens up the subject matter, which on the previous track is very dark indeed. It's a lively track with lots of top guitar and keyboards and a soaring chorus.
'White Feather', like every closing track on Marillion albums up to this point has a highly anthemic, almost military feel. It closes the record perfectly and makes you want to press play once again.
It's difficult to dissect 'Misplaced Childhood' track by track. You have to look at it as a whole, and 'Kayleigh', 'Lavender', 'Heart Of Lothian' and 'Childhoods End?' notwithstanding, the album is a wonderfully moody, atmospheric, epic work that flew in the face of fashion then (despite reaching number one in the album chart), and continues to do so now. The great thing is that 'Misplaced Childhood' is all the better for it.


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Currently living in Cambodia
benjamindarrowvalentine At gmail DOT com
I hold a B.A. in Studio Art from Earlham College, where I graduated in 2009 with Academic and Departmental Honors when I was just 19 years old.
Freelance Writer (2008 – Present)
Over the last decade I have worked as a freelance writer, publishing articles for both print and online, exhibition catalogues, as well as contributed chapters to two books. While I’ve covered topics ranging from technology to activism, I’ve focused most extensively on contemporary art practices, especially in Southeast Asia.
- SFAQ, Contributing Online Editor (June 2015 to June 2016)
- The Civic Beat, Strategist and Contributing Writer (Feb 2013 to October 2015)
- Hyperallergic, Staff Writer (January 2012 to March 2013)
- Notable publishers: Art Asia Pacific, Salon, Motherboard, Hyperallergic, Rhizome, Los Angeles Review of Books, VICE, The New Inquiry, and more.
Special Projects Organizer (2009 – Present)
I believe that manifesting my words and ideas physically is sometimes necessary, and I have organized events in various settings, ranging from museums to community centers spanning three continents. I have organized two symposiums, one with over 700 people in attendance. However, as with all of my work, I strive to engage a wide variety audiences, and I am most proud of the range of audiences I have worked with over the last decade.
- Co-Founder, Art Writer’s Retreat, Kampot, Cambodia (April 2018 – ongoing)
- Public Programming, SA SA BASSAC, Cambodia (August 2016 – April 2017)
- Advisor for Sammaki Community Arts, Cambodia (March 2015 to March 2016)
- Curator, Gullkistan: 20 Years, at Hveragerði Art Museum, Iceland (2015)
- Curator, symposium series, SFAQ (Project) Space, San Francisco (2015)
- Curator, Unmasking the Network, A Simple Collective, San Francisco (2014)
- Co-curator and panelist, Tumblr Art Symposium, 319 Scholes, NYC (2013)
- Curator, Global Space, the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art (2012)
Speaking/Workshops (2009 – Present)
I am deeply committed to bringing ideas into a public dialogue. Whether lecturing at prestigious universities and museums, or leading workshops at local community art events in rural USA or Cambodia, I am gifted at meeting audiences where they are, and making the ideas I write about accessible and relevant to a greater public.
- Art History Teacher, STEP IT Academy, Phnom Penh, (Nov 2016 to April 2017)
- Presenter for SXSW, SAIC, UC Santa Cruz, Herron College of Art, Museum of the Moving Image, YBCA, de Young Museum, and more.
- Workshops for SA SA BASSAC, the ACLU of Northern California, Sammaki Community Arts, and more.
- Researcher in residence at Hue Arts Residency, Hue, Vietnam. (2016)
- Researcher in residence at 98B, Manila, Philippines. (2016)
- Writer-in-residence for ART21’s Future issue. (2014)
References available upon request

domain: artistic


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The publisher of 1C Entertainment presented a new development diary for King’s Bounty 2. In the video, the developers answered some of the players’ questions that the studios in one way or another ask the studio personally or on social networks.
- The game will be released simultaneously on all platforms in full (the content in all versions will be the same)
- King’s Bounty 2 is closer to high fantasy than dark. Partly done in order to stay within the 12+ rating
- There will be several races in the game: people, dwarves, griffins, dragons, magic constructs and trolls. Each race is divided into factions with unique units
- There are more than 70 types of units in the game
- Artifacts can only be worn on the main character, although their characteristics will apply to all units
- All soldiers within one squad differ not only in faces, but also in armor
- Units’ appearance changes when leveling up
- No more than five units can be deployed on the battlefield
- King’s Bounty 2 is not related to the previous part, but the game will have Easter eggs
- At the moment, the developers have no plans for multiplayer
King’s Bounty 2 is a fresh take on one of the oldest fantasy RPG series ever. In addition to turn-based tactical battles, the game will offer an exciting adventure with a non-linear storyline.
Every decision of the player matters here – whether in battles with hordes of undead or in communication with the locals. Immerse yourself in an amazing world where fantasy and reality are mixed.
King’s Bounty 2 will be released in March on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

domain: entertainment


(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - "American Idol" executive producer and "So You Think You Can Dance" head judge Nigel Lythgoe is getting an Emmy.
Lythgoe, 62, who returned as "Idol"' executive producer last season, will be given the honorary International Emmy Founders Award on Monday night at the Hilton New York Hotel in recognition of his work as "a major reality show innovator" as well as for "his amazingly deep commitment to dance around the world," said Bruce L. Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
"I've been nominated (six times) for an Emmy for 'American Idol' ... and haven't won any of them," Lythgoe said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I've even got printed on my business card 'multi-Emmy loser' so it's going to be wonderful to actually accept one."
Lythgoe produced the British TV phenomenon, "Pop Idol," and then was tasked with creating its American version in 2002. He also produces and helps judge "So You Think You Can Dance," a summer show on Fox.
A former dancer and choreographer, he is being honored in part for his philanthropic work. In 2009, along with actress Katie Holmes, director-choreographer Adam Shankman and "Dancing with the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba, he founded the Dizzy Feet Foundation, which provides scholarships to young dancers to study with leading professional companies and supports dance education programs
Forty nominees from a record 20 countries will be competing in 10 categories for International Emmys, honoring excellence in TV programming outside the U.S. The ceremony will be hosted by former "Beverly Hills 90210" star Jason Priestley.
Among the nominees are the British crime series "Accused"; "Mo," a mniseries about Mo Mowlam, the late Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who battled a brain tumor while working to forge the 1998 peace accords; and Sweden's "Millennium," based on the late Stieg Larsson's crime novel trilogy. Its stars, Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace, also are up for Emmys in the acting categories.


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At j. branch landscaping, we offer a variety of unique services to fit every clients needs. We listen to our clients and not only do we create beautiful designs, but lasting relationships.
We provide beautiful concepts and plans based not only on the clients needs, but incorporate the site conditions and home’s architecture. Our unique approach combined with education and experience will take your ideas and create a built reality! From European Garden to contemporary, modern designs - j. branch landscaping has got you covered!
Landscape crews use only the highest quality soils along with appropriate bed preparation according to plant specifications and existing conditions. Our landscapes are designed and installed with scale, proportion, and placement as a fundamental for every job! All plants are thoroughly inspected before arriving on-site and installed with care. j. branch landscaping will adjust or add new drainage systems and/or irrigation systems according to landscape plan and plant type.
We also provides seasonal color-changes, pottery installations, and architectural accents. We design and install beautiful Holiday decorations for the interior or exterior of your home or business. Stunning entry accents and wreaths help create an welcome that will not soon be forgotten!
Let us show you how to transform your outdoor space into a work of art that family and friends can enjoy for many years to come!


How the Bookies See It
|Belgian Grand Prix Winner||
|Will Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finish on the Podium?||
|2017 Drivers Championship:||
- Lewis Hamilton finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in fourth place, which is exactly where he started on the grid. The Mercedes driver could have finished in third, thanks to his team mate Valtteri Bottas letting him through at one point, but Hamilton had agreed to return the favour if he couldn’t manage to better second-placed Kimi Raikkonen, and that’s exactly what happened. Whilst some may question whether Hamilton’s decision was wise, given that it meant he lost out on an additional three points, it was certainly an honourable one, and only returned Bottas to a position he would have rightfully been in had he not deliberately given way earlier. Hamilton earned 12 points for his fourth place finish, which puts him on a total of 188 points for the season, and in second place overall for the Drivers’ Championship.
- Sebastian Vettel started in pole position for the Hungarian Grand Prix, and he remained there for the duration of the race to earn 25 points for the win. However, it wasn’t the most comfortable race for the German, thanks to steering problems which made things a lot more challenging than they ought to have been. Ferrari became aware of the problem just before the race, but it was too late to do anything about it. Fortunately for Vettel, the Hungaroring is a difficult track for overtaking, and that, along with his team mate Raikkonen guarding his rear in second place, enabled him to finish the race at the head of the pack. Vettel therefore continues to lead the Drivers’ Championship table, and stands on 202 points for the season.
- Valtteri Bottas, like every other driver who started the Hungarian Grand Prix with a top five grid position, finished the race in exactly the same place as he began, which in this case was third. As we have already explained, Bottas made room for Lewis Hamilton at one point, and that was because his team-mate’s car had greater acceleration at the time. Had Hamilton stayed in front – and the Brit could easily have done so, citing the risk of losing position to fifth – Bottas would have missed out on his eighth podium finish of the season. As it happened, Hamilton remained true to his word and Bottas earned 15 points for third place, putting him on 169 points overall and third in the Drivers’ Championship table.
The Hungaroring is notorious for being a difficult track as far as overtaking is concerned, so it was no great surprise that the leading drivers finished in the same order as they had started. The Belgium Grand Prix will be a completely different affair, but will offer challenges all of its own, including the famously tricky Eau Rouge corner and unpredictable weather conditions.
Both Hamilton and Vettel have won the Belgian Grand Prix twice before, and current form suggests that this Sunday’s race will once again be a battle between the two market leaders. Trailing by just 14 points in the 2017 Drivers’ Championship table, Hamilton will be itching to finish in front on his Ferrari rival, and although no driver has been quite as consistent as we would like them to have been for betting purposes this year, we will take a chance on the Brit to succeed this weekend.
Lewis Hamilton to win the Belgian Grand Prix
*Please note, odds may change as the race approaches.


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Contributed by: Kira DeDecker Photography
Lately I’ve been shooting a lot of hospice care sessions. Does it ever depress me photographing these clients? No, I’m actually grateful.
Grateful that I get to spend what precious time these canines have left.
Grateful that I get to give a little back.
Grateful that I was chosen to document their bond.
Grateful that they are willing to be vulnerable in hard time.
I was contacted by Ringo’s mom late Thursday night, asking me if I could come and photograph her dog, Ringo the next day because his health took a turn for the worst and he only had a few days left.
Ringo was truly an amazing dog and compagion. A beautiful German Shepard/Aussie Mix, this doggo spent all nine of his years very much loved and adored. And I am absolutely grateful that I got to capture a bit of his spirit while he was still with us.


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A former Phoenix Suns ticket manager has pleaded guilty to illicitly selling more than 2,800 of the team's tickets through a third party from 2017 to 2019 and agreed to pay $458,218 to the team in restitution, according to a plea agreement filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Jeffrey Marcussen, who worked for the Suns from 2004 to 2019, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7 on felony fraud and theft charges. Such charges together could carry a maximum 13-year prison sentence, but, in the plea agreement submitted to the judge, prosecutors have instead asked for probation with, at most, three years in jail. Marcussen must also pay $1,780 to the Arizona Attorney General's anti-racketeering revolving fund and $11,818 to the Arizona Department of Revenue, according to court records.
The matter involving Marcussen, 44, is not tied to the NBA's investigation into the Phoenix Suns and majority owner Robert Sarver.
According to court records, Marcussen was indicted in September 2020 on four felonies, including two counts for filing false tax returns. Prosecutors allege that Marcussen sold the tickets on StubHub, an online ticket retail site, without authorization. The Suns don't sell tickets on the platform.
"StubHub contacted the NBA when it discovered five different Stub Hub accounts all linked to the Defendant," prosecutors wrote in a November 2020 response to Marcussen's motion to modify release conditions and to travel out of state. "After an internal audit by the Phoenix Suns Organization, which included a confession by the Defendant, law enforcement investigated the case. The investigation revealed, and bank records confirmed, that the Defendant received a total payout from Stub Hub for $458,218."
Suns employees were notified via a company-wide email in late June 2019 that Marcussen was no longer employed by the team, though no reason was stated in the email, team sources said. In the team's 2018-19 media guide, Marcussen's title was listed as Assistant Director, Suns Ticketing.
Neither the Suns nor the Arizona Attorney General's office responded to requests for comment.
In a statement to ESPN, Marcussen's attorney, Mark Kokanovich said, "Jeff worked for the Phoenix Suns for close to 20 years. After the cold-blooded tragic murder of his brother near the end of Jeff's career with the Suns, Jeff began selling tickets without team approval. Jeff admitted to the sales and reimbursed the team while cooperating with the Arizona Attorney General's Office."
Marcussen's brother, Thomas, was killed in 2014.

domain: law


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Headed to Downtown Toronto? Whether you live in the area or just visiting on holiday, Downtown Toronto is a great place for shopping, food, and entertainment. It’s also home to one of the most famous vintage jewellery shops in the nation: Cynthia Findlay Antiques.
Nestled in Toronto’s Entertainment District, Cynthia Findlay Antiques has attracted celebrities, international customers, designers, tourist and locals since without ever losing its mom-and-pop charm. In the early days (circa 1978) owner Cynthia Findlay managed a small display at the Harbourfront Antique Market in Toronto, where she remained for 15 years until the market finally closed its doors. Today, she’s the proud owner of Toronto Antiques on King, an impressive market with 6,000 square feet of vintage jewellery, estate jewellery, and decorative arts.
Once there, start with her décor and dining collection, an impressive selection of vintage and antique art glass, art pottery, sterling silver pieces, stemware, tableware, and much more. Cynthia’s décor and dining collection also includes authentic Japanese vases, some from the late 1800s. Next, explore her collectibles, a broad range of vintage pieces, including perfume bottles, opera glasses, royal figurines, and smoking paraphernalia.
But if you love vintage jewellery, Cynthia Findlay’s vintage jewellery selection will simply blow you away. She carries an extensive selection of vintage and estate jewellery, including brooches, cufflinks, pendants, signed pieces, and designer jewellery. Customers can shop antique rings by type of stone or time period.


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Locusts arrive in Gujarat from Somalia via Pakistan
India has faced its worst desert locust invasions in decades this year and prompted the government to deploy helicopters and drones for spraying insecticide.
A relatively small swarm of crop-eating locusts has arrived in Gujarat’s Bhuj from Somalia via Pakistan, Union agriculture ministry’s Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) said on Wednesday and added authorities were trying to prevent to it from moving to Rajasthan and other surrounding areas by spraying insecticides.
“They may have come with the winds across the Indian Ocean to the Pakistan coast and then from there to Bhuj. We will control the [locust] population in Bhuj. Other swarms may also travel across the ocean in the coming days. There are two possibilities—they can migrate from Somalia to Yemen and then migrate from Yemen to Pakistan and reach the border areas, the other is direct migration across the ocean,” said LWO deputy director KL Gurjar.
India has faced its worst desert locust invasions in decades this year and prompted the government to deploy helicopters and drones for spraying insecticide. The Centre has amended rules to allow state governments to use drones at night to help neutralise the locusts. The infestation has not caused much damage to crops.
The kharif, or summer-sown crops, are vulnerable but Gurjar said their efforts to control the locusts have been intensified following FAO’s warnings.
UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Monday warned the migration of locust swarms from Somalia to their summer breeding areas along both sides of the India-Pakistan border was imminent. More swarms were likely to form in Somalia in the coming weeks and India and Pakistan have been accordingly warned.
The summer breeding has commenced along both sides of the border, where numerous swarms are present mainly in Rajasthan. Hatching and band formation will increase during July in Rajasthan and Gujarat as well as adjacent areas of Tharparkar, Nara and Cholistan deserts in Pakistan, FAO has said.
Gurjar said the breeding has begun in otherwise arid Rajasthan as the state has received good rains. “We are trying to control the population through insecticides in the mating stage before they start egg-laying. [If] we do not manage to do that, then we try to control their population in the hopper stage before they start flying. Monsoon rains and maturity of locusts in India have coincided. The locusts are yellow in colour indicating their maturity and breeding potential,” said Gurjar.
India Meteorological Department director-general M Mohapatra said the wind direction is south-westerly during the ongoing monsoon season and that is why locust migration can happen from that direction.
Desert locusts usually fly with the wind and can travel up to about 100-150 km daily, according to FAO. They regularly cross the Red Sea, a distance of around 300 km. Crossing the Indian Ocean with the help of monsoon winds is part of the natural migration cycle of desert locusts. One square-km swarm can eat as much crop as 35,000 people in terms of weight in a single day.


By Obaloluwa Joshua, LAGOS
Enyimba head coach, Finidi George has reacted to the team’s away win against Nasarawa United, reports Prompt News.
The People’s Elephant defeated their hosts 2-1 in their first game of the season at the New Jos Stadium on Saturday.
Elijah Akanni and Imo Obot scored the goals for the eight- time champions.
Oche Josiah was on target for Nasarawa United in the thrilling contest.
“Being the first game a lot of players were a little bit nervous because nobody want to lose,” Finidi stated.
“We knew what happened in the Akwa United game, they were a lot bit mindful but I must commend the boys.
“Nothing was wrong with us in the second half, if we have lost we would have answered such a question.
“Coming to play here, sometimes you have to scrap for it, we are expecting good football but sometimes it may not be possible.
“We did well in the first 45 minutes but because of that two-goal lead our boy stepped back and the pressure came, we have to work on that in the subsequent games.”


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What does EYO stand for?
What does EYO mean? This page is about the various possible meanings of the acronym, abbreviation, shorthand or slang term: EYO.
What does EYO mean?
- Eyo is an eponymous novel, written by Abidemi Sanusi and published by WordAlive Publishers. In this novel, the author brings out the twin issues of child trafficking and sex slavery, painfully living through the experiences of the many children that are trafficked to Europe each year. Having lived in Europe since the age of fourteen, Abidemi Sanusi uses her experience as a human rights worker specializing in conflict and gender issues to weave a complex story that evokes both anger and a sense of helplessness. It was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 2010.


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Eastside Just Grows And Grows -- Boom Shows No Signs Of Slowing In Jobs Rate Or Population
Seattle Times Eastside Bureau
IF YOU GET the feeling there's a construction project everywhere you look on the Eastside these days, you're right. Dozens of major housing and commercial projects are under way or about to be. -----------------------------------------------------------------
Eastside cities will boom again this year, luring thousands more residents and an estimated 3,600 new companies by the end of the year.
Awash in software campuses and picturesque neighborhoods, the Eastside is growing in population at nearly twice the county rate and four times as fast as Seattle. Job growth will be even greater, with Bothell expecting three times as many new jobs as new residents, and Redmond already ahead with 6,000 more jobs than residents. That means more commuters are coming to already-clogged roads.
The Eastside's job-growth rate is projected to be up 5 percent this year and to outpace Seattle for the seventh consecutive year.
-- The eastward job march has triggered an intense eastward housing push, bringing enough new homes to Duvall this year to equal another small city.
-- In Redmond, high technology and a 50 percent expansion of Microsoft will fuel so much building that the city of 41,000 is bracing for its biggest construction year to date.
-- The clamor for housing will bring the start of urban villages in Issaquah and Snoqualmie, building cities within cities, along with dozens of new shops and offices, and miles of roads.
-- And in Kirkland and Bellevue, downtowns are being remade, filled with new condominiums to ease the demand for more affordable housing in these cities where little undeveloped land is left.
Although Redmond-based Microsoft is a key factor in the boom, dozens of other companies continue to bolster the Eastside's gross domestic product, which is expected to be up 6 percent over last year and reach almost $6.6 billion.
Although many celebrate the economic news, residents like Jim Kenney of Bellevue wonder what it will mean for the Eastside's quality of life.
"I don't think we're asking the philosophical questions: Why grow? Who is going to benefit?" said Kenney, who has lived in Bellevue since 1973 and still lacks city services such as sidewalks. "They're encouraging more and more growth, yet there's less and less to pay for it."
Today and tomorrow, The Seattle Times will look at some of the largest projects proposed or under construction in Eastside cities this year. ----------------------------------------------------------------- APARTMENTS, CONDOS ARE THE BIG FOCUS
Condominiums and apartments are Bellevue's development focus this year - a push fueled by the lack of undeveloped land and rising prices for single-family homes.
"The least expensive detached home in Bellevue is $250,000, and there's not too many of those," said Magen Michaud, permit-center manager. "They build a lot of high-end houses in Bellevue that a lot of people can't afford."
The city has applications for 25 multifamily projects with more than 700 units, including the 80-unit Bellevue Second Street Apartments, already under construction, and the 118-unit Pacific Inn, an affordable-housing development at 225 112th Ave. N.E.
Downtown housing is exactly what city leaders want.
"When you have only shops and offices downtown, there's no reason to be there at night," Michaud said.
Bellevue's big-office heyday has passed, with no one building the type of offices that gave the city its skyline.
"The whole complexion of what a downtown used to be is changing. You don't need those huge office buildings," Michaud said. "And surrounding communities are really doing a lot more commercial. They're drawing it away from us."
No major annexations are planned this year, Michaud said. The city's population, which grew by 17 percent from 1990 through last year, is expected to increase less than 1 percent this year.
The Bellevue market for hotels and motels, however, is on the upswing, especially extended-stay hotels that typically serve executives in the area for 30 days or more.
The city has six hotel-motel applications, including the 122-unit Candlewood Extended Stay Hotel on 159th Avenue Southeast and two Homestead Village motels with more than 150 units each. The 144-unit Fairfield Inn is also beginning construction at 14595 N.E. 29th Place.
Commercial projects planned include Top Food and Drug, 1440 156th Ave. N.E.; another building at the Sunset Office complex to include 190,486 square feet on Eastgate Way; a 126,000-square-foot Home Depot at 300 120th Ave. N.E.; and a 127,304-square-foot expansion of a Bellevue Square parking garage. ----------------------------------------------------------------- IT'S STRICTLY BUSINESS THIS YEAR
This boomtown will receive applications for an estimated 2 million square feet of new buildings and see up to 4 million square feet under construction this year, according to Jim Roberts, assistant planning director.
A big part of that is the $200 million Town Center, Redmond's first major downtown retail center with 130 shops and offices, including AT & T Wireless' new headquarters. In all, it will cover 1.4 million square feet of building space and its first phase, with 750,000 square feet, is expected to open this summer.
The first businesses to open will include an eight-screen movie theater by Cineplex Odeon and retail stores such as Eddie Bauer. Other tenants will be the Lake Washington School District, Abercrombie & Fitch, Limited Express, Limited Too, Lane Bryant, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Garden Botanika, Cucina! Cucina! Italian Cafe, Gap, Gapkids, the Shoe Zoo, Paint the Town, Asia Grille, Todo Wraps, Nine West, Cliff's Comics, Distinctive Designs, Jolie Jolie, Sweet Factory, Infinito Cafe, and Borders Books, Music & Cafe.
But retail will not be the biggest force in Redmond this year.
"High-tech is still the strongest," Roberts said, including four major expansions by Microsoft that will accommodate up to 5,000 more employees and increase the company's office space by 50 percent.
Redmond has been a building hotspot and is in the midst of its greatest growth in as long as anyone can remember. That has worried residents who say city services are being drained, and prompted the City Council late last year to approve an unusual per-employee tax on businesses. But the future is unknown, Roberts says.
"We don't know whether the number of projects will continue or if there will be a tapering off," he said. "Things are going to start strong, but it's not clear what will happen."
1. Downtown Redmond. Town Center. 1.4 million square feet of retail and office.
2. 11431/11351 Willows Road. Quadrant Willows, two-story office buildings. 400,000 square feet.
3. 18025 N.E. 116th Ave. New Lake Washington School District elementary campus.
4. 9900 Willows Road. Overlake Christian Church. 6,000-square-foot auditorium.
5. North of City Hall. Townhomes on the River Trail 207 townhomes; second phase under way and third and fourth phases in planning.
6. 180th Avenue Northeast and Avondale Road Northeast. Ashford Park Condominiums. 88 units of 160-unit development; phases 1 and 2 complete.
7. 18655 Union Hill Road. Metro Van Distribution Center. 10.22-acre site.
8. 18000 block Northeast 65th Street. Underwood Johnson Corporate Center. Industrial complex, 400,000 square feet.
9. 6244 185th Ave. N.E. Redmond East Hilltop. Two-story office buildings; 95,180 square feet
10. Redmond-Fall City Road and 187th Avenue Northeast. English Cover Condominiums. 80-units.
11. 169th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 40th Street. Microsoft Pebble Beach. 365,000 square feet.
12. 15050 N.E. 36th St. Proctor Office Building. Three stories, 118,530 square feet.
13. Between state Highway 520 and 156th Avenue Northeast. Microsoft Augusta. 612,000 square feet.
14. Northeast 31st Street and 156th Avenue Northeast. Microsoft Troon. 446,000 square feet.
15. Between Microsoft main campus and Bellevue-Redmond Road frontage. Microsoft Building 28. 107,000 square feet.
----------------------------------------------------------------- RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TREND CONTINUES
Residential development has been stronger than commercial in this city, and the trend continues this year. With little land left, builders have returned to previously passed-over areas with steep slopes or wetlands and are finding ways to make their projects work, said Eric Shields, planning director.
The city's already-thriving downtown has been earmarked for at least six projects, many of them condominiums with retail and offices on the first floor. Parking lots, vacant homes and razed sites are making way for projects like the Portsmith Condominiums, where 152 units at Second Avenue South are replacing two or three homes that were torn down.
"We have a limited supply of available commercial land, and most of what's happening is redevelopment," Shields said. Downtown sales are up and so are rents, he said.
The city last year witnessed a dramatic increase in multifamily housing and the interest in apartments, town homes and condominiums continues, with more than a dozen projects planned.
The trend concerns residents like Alan Marshall, who sees wetlands becoming targets for construction because of Kirkland's small inventory of buildable land. Marshall has helped create In Kirkland's Environment and has fought two apartment projects planned for wetlands.
"The central issue is that the City Council members think they have to compromise on development projects and with developers," Marshall said. "They have the absolute full right and responsibility to just say no."
Planned multifamily construction includes the 245-unit Kirkland College Apartments, a 60-unit apartment building at 530 Second Ave. and the 43-unit Rosehill Condominiums in the 8700 block of 124th Avenue Northeast.
1. 11215 N.E. 124th St. . Office building . 105,000 square feet .
2. 11256 N.E. 116th St. . 81 detached units .
3. 11930 124th Ave. N.E. . Sound Infiniti . Auto dealership on 3.9 acres .
4. Northeast 120th Street near 132nd Avenue Northeast . Kirkland College Apartments . 245 units .
5. 9224 Slater Ave. N.E. . Adult assisted-living facility . 230 beds .
6. 12405 N.E. 85th St. . Walgreen's . 13,783 square feet .
7. 726 Fourth Avenue . Central Way Plaza . Four-story office building .
8. Market and Central Way Northeast . Market Street Condominiums . 13 units .
9. 300 block of Kirkland Avenue . Kirkland Performance Center . 400-seat performing-arts theater .
10. Second Avenue South, east of Lake Street . Portsmith Condominiums . 152 units .
11. Third Avenue and Second Street . Brezza Condominiums . 76 units .
12. Fourth Avenue and Third Street . Chaffey Condominiums . 12 units .
13. Sixth Street near Second Avenue . Watermark Apartments . 60 units .
14. 801 and 811 Kirkland Ave. . Two-story office buildings .
15. Sixth Street, south of Seventh Avenue South . Park Avenue Condominiums . 38 units . ----------------------------------------------------------------- ALMOST BIGGER-THAN-LIFE GRAND RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE THIS YEAR
Grand Ridge, a city-size development that will be home to nearly as many people as Issaquah proper, will begin to take shape.
Clearing and grading of the 2,100-acre site has begun with the first phase of 110 homes to be under construction this fall. Homes will be for sale late this year, said Judd Kirk, president of Port Blakely Communities.
Grand Ridge is the furthest along of the urban villages backed by King County since the late 1980s and designed to serve as both housing and employment centers. To be built over two decades, Grand Ridge will include 3,250 homes and apartments, 2.95 million square feet of commercial space and 425,000 square feet of retail space.
The city annexed Grand Ridge last summer, but development will be restricted to 540 homes, 50,000 square feet of retail and 250,000 square feet of commercial until an interchange and access road is built around 2000.
"The growth is unbelievable," said Jerry Lind, Issaquah senior planner. "We're going to see that over the whole Seattle metropolitan area. It's a very strong economy here, and all of the communities have seen this sort of trickle-down effect."
Another urban village is under review in Issaquah: the 1,800-unit East Village, which would have 1 million square feet of office space and 50,000 square feet of commercial space. It is earmarked for land west of state Highway 900, near Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, and will make its way through planning and review this year.
Issaquah also may see new hotels, Lind says. Two are proposed for Gilman Boulevard, including a four-story Marriott next to the new post office and a Roundtree at 620 N.W. Gilman Blvd.
Other planned developments are a Trader Joe's grocery, Tully's Coffee and King County Credit Union buildings. Total developments under construction or review: 118 homes, 459 apartment units, 75,395 commercial square feet, 37,323 retail square feet and 128,775 office square feet.
1. Grand Ridge. 3,250 homes and apartments; 2.95 million sq. ft. of commercial space and 425,000 square feet of retail.
2. 12th Avenue Northwet and Northwest Sammamish Road. Tovah Retail Center. Tully's Coffee.
3. Pickering Place. King County Credit Union building. Trader Joe's.
4. 620 N.W. Gilman Blvd. Roundtree Hotel .
6. 13080 4th Ave. N.W. Juniper Meadows townhomes; 7 units
7. Gilman Boulevard, adjacent tonew post office . Marriott Hotel.
8. Between Cougar Mountain and State Route 900. East Village: Proposed 1,800 homes, 1 million square feet of office space and 50,000 square feet of commercial space ----------------------------------------------------------------- The burgeoning Eastside
Job growth on the Eastside once again will outpace Seattle's this year, bringing more than 3,000 new companies east of Lake Washington. Here are the major construction projects planned this year:
REDMOND: Up to 4 million square feet of construction. BELLEVUE: Nearly 80 projects, including seven hotels and 25 condominium and apartment developments. ISSAQUAH: Grand Ridge, city-size project that will nearly double Issaquah's population. KIRKLAND: Six major condominium, retail and office projects in downtown alone. WOODINVILLE: 42-acre retail project to cover 25 percent of downtown. BOTHELL: University of Washington, Bothell Campus and Cascadia Community College, to include 1.1 million square feet of buildings. DUVALL: 16 housing projects, expected to bring up to 1,500 people and increase the city's population by as much as 40 percent. MERCER ISLAND: $50 million remodel of Mercer Island High School, the largest project on the island since Interstate 90 construction.
Copyright (c) 1997 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved.


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HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)— Firefighters responded to a call around 5 p.m. on Tuesday night. The call was about a fire in a machine in the dryer section of the International Paper Mill.
A company spokesperson tells Eyewitness News there were no injuries, and the fire is contained. International Paper employs just under 500 workers.
We learned there were about 100 employees in the milling plant at the time of the fire. They were evacuated late Tuesday night. International Paper said employees would report to work as normal tomorrow.


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Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska: Is he a conniving Washington insider bent on concealing expensive gifts received from influential friends, or honest an lawmaker duped by one of those supposed allies?
Depends whether you believe his lawyers or the government.
Lead prosecutor Brenda Morris laid out the government's blueprints to the jury of 11 women and five men today, calling it "a simple case about a public official ... who took hundreds and thousands of dollars of financial benefits ... year after year after year."
"It is about the defendant hiding things from the public," Morris said. "He hid them from the public so he could continue to receive them."
In July, a grand jury indicted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator, on charges that he lied on required Senate financial disclosure forms to conceal $250,000 worth of gifts, including a major renovation of his Girdwood, Alaska, home.
Stevens has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Morris alleged in her opening statement in at the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., that Stevens knowingly omitted the gifts he received between 2000 and 2006, and has no excuse for doing so as he has filled out the paperwork for decades. Stevens, 84, has held his seat in the U.S. Senate since 1968.
"You do not survive as a politician for over 40 years in this town without being very smart and very deliberate ... flying under the radar," Morris said.
Morris also detailed Stevens' relationship with Bill Allen, the former CEO of the now-defunct oil services company Veco, which allegedly preformed much of the work on the senator's home.
Prosecutors say that Allen and others allegedly plied Stevens with gifts in order to gain favor with the powerful senator, though the indictment does not accuse Stevens of striking a quid pro quo deal with Allen or his company.
"The defendant never paid Allen or Veco a dime," Morris said.
The prosecution alleges that Stevens relied on Allen and Veco to manage the renovation project instead of going through the traditional means of hiring a contractor.
"We reach for the Yellow Pages, he reaches for Veco," Morris told the jury.
Allen pleaded guilty to corruption charges last year, but court records note he suffered a brain injury as the result of a past motorcycle accident, calling his credibility as a witness into question.
Employees of Allen's company spent thousands of hours at Stevens' home, but a contracting firm, Christensen Builders, also worked on the project and served as a buffer between Allen and Stevens, Morris alleged.
"If you look at the forms, it was like Veco was never there ... and that's the way the defendant wanted it," Morris said.
The prosecution's first witness, John Hess, a former Veco employee, allegedly drafted the blueprints for the Stevens home renovations. Hess said various Veco employees, including a steel fabrication specialist and plumber, contributed their services to the renovation project.
Morris also listed several other "sweetheart" deals that Stevens allegedly took part in, such as trading his 1964 Mustang to Allen for a 1999 Land Rover, and named gifts he allegedly received, such as a $2,700 massage chair, furniture and a Viking gas grill for the senator's home.
But defense attorney Brendan Sullivan countered the prosecution's claims, stating that "Ted Stevens had no intent to violate the law. ... Why, after 75 years, would he go out and file false statements and become a criminal?"
Sullivan said e-mails and other evidence will prove that the Stevens family did in fact pay for renovations, and that much of the confusion in the case stems from the Stevens' decision to alter some of the initial plans of the home redesign, and Allen's intervention with one of the bills.
On the project, Sullivan noted that Stevens had reached out to Allen to find workers for the project and noted the senator spent only a handful of days at the home in 2000 and 2001. "That's why he needed people to see what's going on," Sullivan said.
The defense attorney asserted that Christensen Builders did indeed send five bills to the Stevens family for the work on the home. According to Sullivan, "The bills arrived, and they were paid promptly. ... If the Stevens' family got bills, they paid them."
Sullivan claimed that the sixth and final bill showed an increase in costs, and said Allen told Christensen Builders "to eat the bill."
According to Sullivan, Allen then hired Augie Paone, who owned Christensen Builders, to do work on his own house and intended to cover the share of earlier work done on the Stevens' home.
"You can't report what you don't know," Sullivan told the jury. "If [Stevens' wife] Catherine had received a bill, they would have paid it."
Stevens paid up to $160,000 for the renovations to his house, according to Sullivan.
In August 2000, Stevens sent prosecution witness Hess a letter thanking him for his work on the house, and acknowledging, "...under our Senate rules, I must pay you for what you have done." Prosecutors submitted the letter as evidence Thursday.
As for the gifts, Sullivan had an explanation for each one. Allen used the Stevens home at times and moved in his own furniture and the elaborate gas grill. Stevens' wife didn't even want the grill, Sullivan claimed, because she was "afraid it would blow up the house."
Sullivan said Stevens believed the other gifts were not valuable enough that he would need to claim them on his forms.
But the prosecution alleges there was more going on than Stevens has admitted. Federal investigators tapped the senator's phones, and according to the government, Stevens knew he was toeing the line of legality.
Morris quoted Stevens as allegedly saying to Allen, "No one's going to get killed. ... Just some legal bills and a little jail time."
Through much of the government's opening, the senator sat sunken in his chair with a clear look of displeasure. He occasionally let out several deep breaths as Morris forcefully laid out where the government will go in its case.


Inflow control performance starts with Insight
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Flowpro Dynamics developed Insight in cooperation with major North Sea operators as an advanced well simulation tool for physically correct simulation of inflow control completions. This includes the effects from oil, water and gas segregation and the resulting valve interactions.
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Transient modeling of oil, water and gas segregation and valve interaction in the annulus of the wellbore.
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Design wells with accelerated and increased oil recovery.
Reduce water and gas production, and associated emissions.
Facilitate faster reservoir simulations.


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Last week I started up my photography once again. It’s been a while since I shot my 50D so it felt good to be back out in the field.
I have this photo concept in my head that I want to shoot so I went out scouting the locations (FYI I’m not going to tell more about my concept till I have it all ready to go). While on location I shot some interesting shots that caught my eye. Here’s one that I liked. Going through the photos again I wish I got a better angle, something much lower to make this beast look more grander.
I only process this image through Photomatrix and I still need to do some post production in it on Photoshop cause I’d really like to pull more of that rust color out, balance that sky to lose that halo and maybe tilt it a bit… maybe not. I don’t know yet. I’ll update you guys when I do.


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On Sale - Hurry
Make your love of the ocean shown firsthand with this amazing new necklace - any keen eyed observed will be quick to note your ocean loving nature and dedication to the marine environment. All who notice this standout piece of jewelry is still going to be in awe of your awesome taste in ocean themed accessories. Take the ocean wherever you go by slipping on this zinc alloy necklace, no matter how far inland you are.
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This necklace will take you back to the sand between your toes, salty wind tousling through your hair and the crash of waves in the distance. This ring is the equivalent to a tropical holiday on an exotic island, where the sun always smiles on you, the water is the deepest azure and the ocean is wild but calm. Grab this necklace today to inspire the ocean lover in you.
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Massive savings all around, be sure to purchase this necklace before they're all gone, more than half sold out already!

domain: geography


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In this blog post, I will focus on configuring OpenEBS as a persistent storage option on the open-source self-managed OpenShift Origin and deploy a stateful workload (MongoDB) both from CLI and custom catalog template using OpenEBS storage classes. What is OpenShift...
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Will you be at KubeCon this year? Join us for CalicoCon 2019!

domain: library


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Publisher: Quarry Books
Author: Eva Marie Magill-Oliver
Released: November 6th 2018
I received a copy of Paint Alchemy through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Every now and then you come across an art guide that is so helpful that it takes your breath away. For me, Paint Alchemy was that book. I loved how detailed each of the pages were, more than that though I really appreciated the high quality photos that were taken for this project. Being able to actually see the textures in the paint made all of the difference.
There are eight chapters in total in this book, so it’s all very neatly organized. I love how everything was categorized into easy to find sections – making it easy to quickly reference a technique as needed.
The chapters are: building a practice (all the basics from workspace to workflow); foundations of design; seeking balance; working with intention; exploring mixed-media tools; space, composition, and form; improvising with acrylics; and finally perspectives on color. Each chapter contains an explanation for the concept being covered as well as at least one related project (most of the chapters have two or more actually).
This was a shockingly comprehensive look at paint in all varieties. I can honestly tell you I’ve never seen a guide go through so many different materials that work well with paint. It was inspiring, to put it lightly.

domain: hobby


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Join us for an evening of original music performed by Jesse Kessler. Born and bred in Lanesville, Kessler has been making music all his life.
Have a great story to tell about "Coincidence?"
Writing Mothers' Workshop is hosting a storytelling event at the Flatrocks Gallery, Saturday, December 8, 2018 from 7-8:30.
The Rules: Place your name in a hat and if selected, be prepared to tell a story about a "coincidence" for no longer than five minutes. Hat entries will close at 7:30.
Even if you don't have a story to tell, we invite you come and listen and be a part of this entertaining event.
For more information, please contact email@example.com.
A creative renaissance is occurring in a medium that had been mired in triviality for generations. Graphic novels – i.e. comics – have become a serious art form in the 21st Century. Comics are about connection. They express intense personal experiences while challenging cultural ideologies and precepts. Comics create meaning by sewing together fragments of data in fragmented times when data is everywhere. Employing the symbols and icons of popular culture, these artists build visions at once universal and deeply personal.
On Sunday, November 20th at 3pm, Flatrocks Gallery will host closing party and panel discussion with the participating artists in its current exhibition, We Need a Hero.
The artists participating in the We Need a Hero show will offer insight into the cultural importance of visual art, and the exploding phenomenon of graphic/comic book art as a means of expression in today's complex world. Please join Jess Semeraro, Andrew Houle, Greg Orfanos, David Leblanc, Mark Hoffmann, Michael Crockett, and Kurt Ankeny for a lively discussion and a celebration.
77 Langsford St.
Sunday, November 20
Flatrocks Gallery is pleased to be offering music by Down Home Swing on Sunday Sept 11 at 5pm. Four of Gloucester's finest musicians-Jay & Laurie Keefe, Chick & Ellen Marston will share their expert picking, thrilling harmonies and broad acoustic repertoire. Light refreshment will be offered. A $10 suggested donation (though any offering is welcome)compensates the artists. Please join us in our lovely sculpture garden.


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For someone who is not regularly around small kids, it’s always a treat to visit an elementary school library – you see just how much thought goes into making everything size-appropriate for the patrons! That kind of usability is important in all libraries, but in a library like this it is clearly on display and fun to see.
This library is a fun open-concept design! No walls cut them off from the rest of the school, so everything feels very open and flexible. They are recessed below the hallways around them, so there is privacy and a sense of specific place; and I love this feeling of being connected to the daily activities around them.
Continuing the idea of design making the library connect with the kid patrons, this art on the wall was just lovely. Kids could see this and be really inspired to read books – but also to just dream about great things!


Toolwell is the North American distributor of JUNG rigging equipment. We are the manufacturer's representative and provide sales, technical support, warranty coverage and "how-to" rigging advice. We specialize in high end quality moving equipment including heavy load moving dollies and roller skates, hydraulic toe jacks and machine lifting jacks. We are a high quality distributor of heavy load moving tools. rigging equipment, moving dollies and lifting jacks stocked for same day shipping. Our products can move loads up to 120 tons without damaging floors with our high capacity transport trolleys, rotating machine roller skates and low profile jacks. Toolwell stocks most items for same day shipping. Products are sold directly to end customers and resellers. We cover the following markets: the United States, Canada and Latin America. For 30+ year’s customers in Manufacturing, Oil & Mining, Defense, Automotive, Aerospace, Hospitals, Nuclear, Power & Utilities, Construction, Rigging and Museums have relied on our products to move vital loads. We carry a large selection of machine & heavy load moving and lifting equipment.
International Line: (404) 530-9800
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visa, discover, mastercard, all major credit cards, debit, amex, check, financing available


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The first impression for your wedding or event is the invitation! That’s the first glance your guests will get into the style, personality and color scheme… so I always tell my clients to pick a design that makes a statement!
One site that is a great resource of styles and designs is Invitations by Dawn. They’ve been around for over 30 years, so they know all about the art of the invitation! They can help with everything from etiquette tips, assembly guides and pick the design that’s perfect for you. Plus you can receive free samples to be sure you love it before committing!
They have something for everyone – from embossed designs (my fave!) to thermographed to digital styles… and they have all different price points.
Here are some of my favorite designs for popular 2014 styles –


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Bumble Bee – Carol Rand
The cross stitch on this little piece is 1.75” square.
Carol made this for Pamela, her bee-keeper daughter. It was for her July birthday.
Although Carol said she isn’t really fond of the burlap, she thought it quite appropriate as it reminds her of honeycomb.


BREAKING NEWS: Arrest made in morning school bomb threats
Published: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 at 11:40 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 at 11:40 a.m.
TUSCALOOSA | Tuscaloosa County deputies have made an arrest in connection with bomb threats that were made this morning to four county schools.
More details should be released at a 1:30 p.m. press conference, but the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education said two of the four schools affected were Echols Middle School and Collins-Riverside Middle School, both in Northport.
Spokesmen for both the Sheriff’s Office and county school board did not know where the fourth threat was made.
There was no word as of 11:40 a.m. on whether an actual bomb was found of if anyone was injured.
The identity of the suspect (or suspects) has not been released.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
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Shows students how to use fuzzy logic in new ways and how to effectively solve problems that are awash in uncertainties.
Allows students unfamiliar with fuzzy logic to read and grasp the entire book.
Features applications that are easily understood by all readers.
Each demonstrates the superiority of type-2 fuzzy logic designs.
Clearly illustrates the book's important points.
Enables students to immediately be able to use the book's contents.
Breakthrough fuzzy logic techniques for handling real-world uncertainty.
The world is full of uncertainty that classical fuzzy logic can't model. Now, however, there's an approach to fuzzy logic that can model uncertainty: "type-2" fuzzy logic. In this book, the developer of type-2 fuzzy logic demonstrates how it overcomes the limitations of classical fuzzy logic, enabling a wide range of applications from digital mobile communications to knowledge mining. Dr. Jerry Mendel presents a bottom-up approach that begins by introducing traditional "type-1" fuzzy logic, explains how it can be modified to handle uncertainty, and, finally, adds layers of complexity to handle increasingly sophisticated applications. Coverage includes:
Carefully balanced between theory and design, the book contains over 90 worked examples and more than 110 figures. It is ideal for engineers, scientists, computer science researchers, and mathematicians interested in AI, rule-based systems, and modeling uncertainty. Since it contains brief introductory primers on fuzzy logic and fuzzy sets, it's accessible to virtually anyone with an undergraduate B.S. degreeincluding computing professionals designing and implementing rule-based systems.SOFTWARE RESOURCES
Online software includes more than 30 companion MATLAB m-files for implementing a wide variety of type-1 and type-2 fuzzy logic systems.
Click here for a sample chapter for this book: 0130409693.pdf
(NOTE: Each chapter concludes with Exercises.)
I: PRELIMINARIES.1. Introduction.
Rule-Based FLSs. A New Direction for FLSs. New Concepts and Their Historical Background. Fundamental Design Requirement. The Flow of Uncertainties. Existing Literature on Type-2 Fuzzy Sets. Coverage. Applicability Outside of Rule-Based FLSs. Computation.Supplementary Material: Short Primers on Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic.
Primer on Fuzzy Sets. Primer on FL. Remarks.2. Sources of Uncertainty.
Uncertainties in a FLS. Words Mean Different Things to Different People.3. Membership Functions and Uncertainty.
Introduction. Type-1 Membership Functions. Type-2 Membership Functions. Returning to Linguistic Labels. Multivariable Membership Functions. Computation.4. Case Studies.
Introduction. Forecasting of Time-Series. Knowledge Mining Using Surveys.
II: TYPE-1 FUZZY LOGIC SYSTEMS.5. Singleton Type-1 Fuzzy Logic Systems: No Uncertainties.
Introduction. Rules. Fuzzy Inference Engine. Fuzzification and Its Effect on Inference. Defuzzification. Possibilities. Fuzzy Basis Functions. FLSs Are Universal Approximators. Designing FLSs. Case Study: Forecasting of Time-Series. Case Study: Knowledge Mining Using Surveys. A Final Remark. Computation.6. Non-Singleton Type-1 Fuzzy Logic Systems.
Introduction. Fuzzification and Its Effect on Inference. Possibilities. FBFs. Non-Singleton FLSs Are Universal Approximators. Designing Non-Singleton FLSs. Case Study: Forecasting of Time-Series. A Final Remark. Computation.
III: TYPE-2 FUZZY SETS.7. Operations on and Properties of Type-2 Fuzzy Sets.
Introduction. Extension Principle. Operations on General Type-2 Fuzzy Sets. Operations on Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets. Summary of Operations. Properties of Type-2 Fuzzy Sets. Computation.8. Type-2 Relations and Compositions.
Introduction. Relations in General. Relations and Compositions on the Same Product Space. Relations and Compositions on Different Product Spaces. Composition of a Set with a Relation. Cartesian Product of Fuzzy Sets. Implications.9. Centroid of a Type-2 Fuzzy Set: Type-Reduction.
Introduction. General Results for the Centroid. Generalized Centroid for Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets. Centroid of an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Set. Type-Reduction: General Results. Type-Reduction: Interval Sets. Concluding Remark. Computation.
IV: TYPE-2 FUZZY LOGIC SYSTEMS.10. Singleton Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems.
Introduction. Rules. Fuzzy Inference Engine. Fuzzification and Its Effect on Inference. Type-Reduction. Defuzzification. Possibilities. FBFs: The Lack Thereof. Interval Type-2 FLSs. Designing Interval Singleton Type-2 FLSs. Case Study: Forecasting of Time-Series. Case Study: Knowledge Mining Using Surveys. Computation.11. Type-1 Non-Singleton Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems.
Introduction. Fuzzification and Its Effect on Inference. Interval Type-1 Non-Singleton Type-2 FLSs. Designing Interval Type-1 Non-Singleton Type-2 FLSs. Case Study: Forecasting of Time-Series. Final Remark. Computation.12. Type-2 Non-Singleton Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems.
Introduction. Fuzzification and Its Effect on Inference. Interval Type-2 Non-Singleton Type-2 FLSs. Designing Interval Type-2 Non-Singleton Type-2 FLSs. Case Study: Forecasting of Time-Series. Computation.13. TSK Fuzzy Logic Systems.
Introduction. Type-1 TSK FLSs. Type-2 TSK FLSs. Example: Forecasting of Compressed Video Traffic. Final Remark. Computation.14. Epilogue.
Introduction. Type-2 Versus Type-1 FLSs. Appropriate Applications for a Type-2 FLS. Rule-Based Classification of Video Traffic. Equalization of Time-Varying Non-linear Digital Communication Channels. Overcoming CCI and ISI for Digital Communication Channels. Connection Admission Control for ATM Networks. Potential Application Areas for a Type-2 FLS.A. Join, Meet, and Negation Operations For Non-Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets.
Introduction. Join Under Minimum or Product t-Norms. Meet Under Minimum t-Norm. Meet Under Product t-Norm. Negation. Computation.B. Properties of Type-1 and Type-2 Fuzzy Sets.
Introduction. Type-1 Fuzzy Sets. Type-2 Fuzzy Sets.C. Computation.
Type-1 FLSs. General Type-2 FLSs. Interval Type-2 FLSs.References.
Uncertainty is the fabric that makes life interesting. For millenia human beings have developed strategies to cope with a plethora of uncertainties, never absolutely sure what the consequences would be, but hopeful that the deleterious effects of those uncertainties could be minimized. This book presents a complete methodology for accomplishing this within the framework of fuzzy logic (FL). This is not the original FL, but is an expanded and richer FL, one that contains the original FL within it.
The original FL, founded by Lotfi Zadeh, has been around for more than 35 years, as of the year 2000, and yet it is unable to handle uncertainties. By handle, I mean to model and minimize the effect of. That the original FLtype-1 FLcannot do this sounds paradoxical because the word fuzzy has the connotation of uncertainty. The expanded FLtype-2 FLis able to handle uncertainties because it can model them and minimize their effects. And, if all uncertainties disappear, type-2 FL reduces to type-1 FL, in much the same way that if randomness disappears, probability reduces to determinism.
Although many applications were found for type-1 FL, it is its application to rule-based systems that has most significantly demonstrated its importance as a powerful design methodology. Such rule-based fuzzy logic systems (FLSs), both type-1 and type-2, are what this book is about. In it I show how to use FL in new ways and how to effectively solve problems that are awash in uncertainties.
FL has already been applied in numerous fields, in many of which uncertainties are present (e.g., signal processing, digital communications, computer and communication networks, diagnostic medicine, operations research, financial investing, control, etc.). Hence, the results in this book can immediately be used in all of these fields. To demonstrate the performance advantages for type-2 FLSs over their type-1 counterparts, when uncertainties are present, I describe and provide results for the following applications in this book: forecasting of time series, knowledge-mining using surveys, classification of video data working directly with compressed data, equalization of time-varying nonlinear digital communication channels, overcoming co-channel interference and intersymbol interference for time-varying nonlinear digital communication channels, and connection admission control for asynchronous transfer mode networks. No control applications have been included, because to date type-2 FL has not yet been applied to them; hence, this book is not about FL control, although its methodologies may someday be applicable to it.
I have organized this book into four parts. Part 1 Preliminaries contains four chapters that provide background materials about uncertainty, membership functions, and two case studies (forecasting of time-series and knowledge mining using surveys) that are carried throughout the book. Part 2Type-1 Fuzzy Logic Systemscontains two chapters that are included to provide the underlying basis for the new type-2 FLSs, so that we can compare type-2 results for our case studies with type-1 results. Part 3Type-2 Fuzzy Setscontains three chapters, each of which focuses on a different aspect of such sets. Part 4Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systemswhich is the heart of the book, contains five chapters, four having to do with different architectures for a FLS and how to handle different kinds of uncertainties within them, and one having to do primarily with four specific applications of type-2 FLSs.
This book can be read by anyone who has an undergraduate BS degree and should be of great interest to computer scientists and engineers who already use or want to use rule-based systems and are concerned with how to handle uncertainties about such systems. I have included many worked-out examples in the text, and have also included homework problems at the end of most chapters so that the book can be used in a classroom setting as well as a technical reference.
Here are some specific ways that this book can be used:
So that people will start using type-2 FL as soon as possible, I have made free software available online for implementing and designing type-1 and type-2 FLSs. It is MATLAB-based (MATLAB is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.), was developed by my former PhD students Nilesh Karnik and Qilian Liang, and can be reached at:
http://sipi.usc.edu/~mendel/software. A computation section, which directs the reader to very specific M-files, appears at the end of most chapters of this book. Appendix C summarizes all of the M-files so that the reader can see the forest from the trees.