text:
Supercritical fluid CO2 extraction of essential oil from Marchantia convoluta: global yields and extract chemical composition
Keywords: GC-MS, Marchantia convoluta, supercritical fluid extraction, yields.
The essential oil of Marchantia
convoluta was obtained by supercritical (carbon dioxide) extraction
using methanol as a modifier. Global yields were determined according
to the orthogonal design. The effects of different parameters, such
as pressure, temperature, modifier volume and extraction time, on
the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of essential oil from M.
convoluta were investigated. Maximum global yields were obtained
using the following conditions: extraction temperature,
plants are well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and extensively
used to treat tumefaction of skins, protect liver, treat hepatitis
and used as antipyretic in countryside (Chen and Xiao,
2005; Xiao et al. 2005a; Zhu et
al. 2005). There are a large number of Marchantiaceae plants in
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous District such as Marchantia polymorpha,
M. convoluta and M. paleacea. These species live in
together and it is difficult to be distinguished one from the others because
of their genetic similarity. M. convoluta was only found in
to M. polymorpha, M. convoluta is quite rare and was
thought of negligible by people many years ago. The major identified
constituents in M. convoluta were flavonols, triterpenoids,
and steroids (Cao et al. 2005; Chen
and Xiao, 2005; Chen and Xiao, 2006; Xiao
et al. 2005a; Xiao et al. 2005b; Xiao
et al. 2006a; Zhu et al. 2005; Zhu
et al. 2003). The flavonoids of M. convoluta mainly consist
of quercetin, luteolin, apigenin and their O- and C-glycosides (Chen
and Xiao, 2005; Xiao et al. 2005a; Xiao
et al. 2005b; Zhu et al. 2005; Chen
and Xiao, 2006; Xiao et al. 2006b). Dried leaves
are used in
The extraction of essential oil components using solvent at high pressure, or supercritical fluids (SCF), has received much attention in the past several years, especially in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, because it presents an alternative for conventional processes such as organic solvent extraction and steam distillation (Fekete et al. 1996; Assis and Lanças, 1999; Doraiswamy et al. 1999; Eikani et al. 1999). Supercritical fluid extraction allows a continuous modification of dissolution power and selectivity by changing the solvent density. It has the density of a liquid and solubilizes solids like a liquid solvent, but has a diffusion power similar to a gas and permeates through solid materials very easily. The power of solubilization increases with the density of the fluid; high densities of a supercritical fluid are possible at high pressures and allow it to dissolve large quantities of organic compounds. The dissolved compounds can be recovered from the fluid by reduction of its density, by means of decreasing the pressure or increasing the temperature. This low temperature separation process prevents the degradation of the chemical compounds of the extract due to heat, as in steam distillation (Anitescu and Doneanu, 1998; Lanças and Sargenti, 1998; Gamiz-Gracia and Luque, 2000; Michielin et al. 2005; Raeissi and Peters, 2005; Sovová, 2005).
An essential drawback in the use of supercritical CO2 is its low polarity, making the extraction of polar analytes difficult. Nevertheless, this limitation may be overcome by adding small amounts of polar modifiers, such as methanol or ethanol to the supercritical CO2, in order to increase its solution power. In the present work, the modifier methanol enhanced the solubility of solutes in supercritical CO2 and thus the efficiency of extraction increased.
SFE appears to be a cost-effective technique in laboratory scale, but an accurate economic evaluation for large-scale units requires supplementary experiments. The advantages of SFE-CO2 extraction over the petrol ether extraction include: low operating temperature, hence no thermal degradation of most of the labile compounds; shorter extraction period; high selectivity in the extraction of compounds; no solvent residue with negative effects on the oils quality. The essential oils of plants have usually been isolated by either hydrodistillation or solvent extraction. The disadvantages of all these techniques are: low yield, loss of volatile compounds, long extraction time, toxic solvent residues and degradation of unsaturated compounds, giving undesirable off-flavour compounds, due to heat.
The aim of the present work is to investigate the effects of different parameters, such as pressure, temperature, modifier volume and dynamic extraction time, on the supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction of M. convoluta. To the best of our knowledge, no report has yet appeared on the SFE of the plant species.
whole plants of Marchantia convoluta were collected in Shangling
City of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous District in August, 2003. The specimen
(No 20041364) was identified by Zhou Zi-jing, at Biology Department
of Guangxi Chinese Medical University. The dried leaves were stored
in dark at
grade methanol and analytical grade petroleum ether were purchased
from Hanbon Company Limited. Carbon dioxide (99.99% purity) contained
in a cylinder with an eductor tube, was obtained from CSU Co. (
Suprex MPS/225 system (
Four millilitres of solution were poured into a 20 mL beaker. The solvent was evaporated by bubbling argon gas through the solution. Then the weight of essential oil was measured and the extraction yield was calculated.
analyses were performed using a Shimadzu GC-9A gas chromatograph
equipped with a FID and a HP-5 fused silica column (
Since various parameters potentially affect the extraction process, the optimization of the experimental conditions represents a critical step in the development of a SFE method. In fact, pressure and temperature of the fluid, percentage of the modifier and the extraction times are generally considered as the most important factors. The optimization of the method can be carried out step-by-step or by using an experimental design. Table 1 shows different conditions of experiments carried out with SFE for extractions of M. convoluta according to the Taguchi experimental design. All the selected factors were examined using a four-level orthogonal array design with an L416 (44) matrix. In general, a full evaluation of the effect of four factors from three levels on the yield needs 256 (44) experiments. In order to reduce the number of experiments, a L4 (44) orthogonal design graph was used (Table 1), reducing the number of experiments to 16. The yields obtained under orthogonal conditions are also shown in Table 1. The extraction yields were 0.87% - 4.69%.
In this study, interactions among variables were not incorporated in the matrix and focus was placed on the main effects of the four most important factors. The results of the SFE experiments, based on extraction yields, are given in Table 1.
mean values of the extraction yields for the corresponding factors
at each level were calculated according to the assignment of the experiment
(Figure 1). For example, the extraction yields
of the four trials at 15 MPa were evaluated as mean values of the
corresponding four runs. The mean values of the four levels of each
factor (e.g., pressure) reveal how the extraction yield changes
when the level of that factor is changed. Figure
1 shows the variations in extraction yield as a function of change
in different levels of the factors studied. For the complete recovery
of the main components of the plant, higher pressures are necessary.
This is because raising the extraction pressure at constant temperature
leads to higher fluid density, which increases the solubility of the
analytes. To obtain quantitative recovery of analytes, they must be
efficiently partitioned from the sample matrix into the supercritical
fluid. The influence of temperature on the composition of the extracts
was studied. Higher temperature resulted in lower extraction yield.
Higher temperature can decrease fluid density and thus reduce extraction
efficiency. For all the analytes, the volume of the modifier was found
not to be a significant parameter. The influence of the dynamic extraction
time on the composition of the extracts was studied. Extraction was
performed with supercritical carbon dioxide at the static extraction
step of 20 min, followed by 15, 25, 35 and 45 min of dynamic extractions.
Results showed that increasing dynamic extraction time to 35 min enhanced
the extraction of most components. Thus, the best conditions, obtained
by preliminary test, for the extraction of oil were: extraction temperature:
The compounds from the oil produced by SFE using no. 9 orthogonal test conditions were identified and quantified by GC-MS (Table 2). The total ion chromatograph of SFE using Expt no. 9 orthogonal test condition was shown in Figure 2. GC separation gave 50 peaks, among which 46 were identified by MS library matching. The peak area of compounds identified accounted for 84.16% of total peak area.
The major compounds identified in SFE extract no. 9 were: benzothiazole (11.82%), 2-ethylhexanoic acid (9.82%), ethylphenoxybenzene (8.99%), acetic acid octadecyl ester (8.82%), 4-cyanothiophenol (5.49%), cedrol (4.60%), 9,12-octadecadienoic acid ethyl ester (3.25%), 2(3H)-benzothiazolone (2.79%), octadecanoic acid ethyl ester (2.39%), n-hexadecanoic acid (2.08%), 1,1'-(3-methyl-1-propene-1,3-diyl) bis-benzene (2.07%). The total content of organic acids and esters was 32.19%.
Extraction of natural products by different methods may yield different chemical components (Stashenko et al. 1996; Kohler et al. 1997; Vinatoru, 2001; Kim and Lee, 2002; Pourmortazavi et al. 2003; Lucchesi et al. 2004; Menaker et al. 2004; Seger et al. 2004; Braga et al. 2005; Fulzele et al. 2005; Michielin et al. 2005; Sporring et al. 2005). Several studies on compositions of the extract from M. convoluta were reported (Zhu et al. 2003; Cao et al. 2005; Chen and Xiao, 2005; Xiao et al. 2005a; Xiao et al. 2005b; Zhu et al. 2005; Chen and Xiao, 2006). Zhu et al. (2003) separated β-sitosterol and stigmasterol from the methanol extract. Chen and Xiao (2005) separated and determined flavonoids of M. convoluta by RP-HPLC. Cao et al. (2005) extracted bioactive components from M. convoluta with 80% ethanol. The extract was suspended in water and extracted with petroleum ether, EtOAc and n-BuOH successively. The petroleum ether extract and EtOAc extract were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detector (GC-MS) (Cao et al. 2005). The results were different from each other because of different methods dealing with the extract. As shown in the Table 2 and discussed by Cao et al. (2005), the composition of the SFE products and the extracts extracted by petrol ether and ethyl acetate are different. Higher levels of ester (accounting for 57.21%) were found in the extracts extracted by petrol ether while higher levels of terpenes and derivatives were found in the SFE product. The benzothiazole content in the SFE extract is considerable (11.82%) and the organic acids and esters accounted for 32.19%. This is similar to the report by Cao et al. (2005). On the other hand, Cao et al. (2005) reported that higher benzothiazole content (14.97%) in the ethyl acetate extract while organic acids and esters accounted for 36.01% in the petrol ether extract. Cao et al. (2005) also reported that a phytol content of 6.32% in the petrol ether extract, whereas it was not found in the SFE products.
authors wish to thank Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal
Wetland Bio-resources and Environmental Protection,
ANITESCU, Gheorghe and DONEANU, Catalin. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of Angelica archangelica L. root oil. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, March 1998, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 59-67. [CrossRef]
ASSIS, Livia Mari and LANÇAS, Fernando Mauro. High-resolution gas chromatography and high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry study of the volatile fraction obtained from high-inertinite Brazilian coal by supercritical fluid extraction. Journal of Microcolumn Separations, August 1999, vol. 11, no. 7, p. 501-512. [CrossRef]
CHEN, Xiao-Qing and XIAO, Jian-Bo. RP-HPLC-DAD determination of flavonoids: separation of quercetin, luteolin and apigenin in Marchantia convoluta. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2005, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 175-181.
CHEN, Xiao-Qing and XIAO, Jian-Bo. In vitro cytotoxic activity of extracts of Marchantia convoluta on human liver and lung cancer cell lines. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, April 2006, vol. 3, no. 3, p. 32-36.
DORAISWAMY, L.K.; FERREIRA, Sandra R.S.; MEIRELES, M. Angela A.; NIKOLOV, Zivko L. and PETENATE, Ademir J. Supercritical fluid extraction of black pepper (Piper nigrun L.) essential oil. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, March 1999, vol. 14, no. 3, p. 235-245. [CrossRef]
EIKANI, Mohammad H.; GOODARZNIA, Iraj and MIRZA, Mehdi. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum L.). Flavour and Fragrance Journal, January-February 1999, vol. 14, no. 1, p. 29-31. [CrossRef]
FEKETE, J.; KERY, A.; LEMBERKOVICS, E.; OSZAGYAN, M.; SAWINSKY, J. and SIMANDI, B. Supercritical fluid extraction of volatile compounds from lavender and thyme. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, May 1996, vol. 11, no. 3, p. 157-165. [CrossRef]
FULZELE, Devanand P. and SATDIVE, Ramesh K. Comparison of techniques for the extraction of the anti-cancer drug camptothecin from Nothapodytes foetida. Journal of Chromatography A, January 2005, vol. 1063, no. 1-2, p. 9-13. [CrossRef]
GAMIZ-GRACIA, L. and LUQUE DE CASTRO, M.D. Continuous subcritical water extraction of medicinal plant essential oil: comparison with conventional techniques. Talanta, May 2000, vol. 51, no. 6. p. 1179-1185. [CrossRef]
KIM, Nam-Sun and LEE, Dong-Sun. Comparison of different extraction methods for the analysis of fragrances from Lavandula species by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, December 2002, vol. 982, no. 1, p. 31-47. [CrossRef]
KOHLER, Marcel; HAERDI, Werner; CHISTEN, Philippe and VEUTHEY, Jean-Luc. Extraction of artemisinin and artemisinic acid from Artemisia annua L. using supercritical carbon dioxide. Journal of Chromatography A, October 1997, vol. 785, no. 1-2, p. 353-360. [CrossRef]
LANÇAS, Fernando M. and SARGENTI, Silvia R. Influence of the extraction mode and temperature in the supercritical fluid extraction of Tangor murcote (Blanco) x Citrus sinensis (Osbeck). Journal of Microcolumn Separations, 1998, vol. 10, no. 2, p. 213-223. [CrossRef]
LUCCHESI, Marie E.; CHEMAT, Farid and SMADJA, Jacqueline. Solvent-free microwave extraction of essential oil from aromatic herbs: comparison with conventional hydro-distillation. Journal of Chromatography A, July 2004, vol. 1043, no. 2, p. 323-327. [CrossRef]
MENAKER, Anna; KRAVETS, Marina; KOEL, Mihkel and ORAV, Anne. Identification and characterization of supercritical fluid extracts from herbs. Comptes Rendus Chimie, June-July 2004, vol. 7, no. 6-7, p. 629-633. [CrossRef]
MICHIELIN, Eliane M.Z.; BRESCIANI, Louisiane F.V.; DANIELSKI, Leandro; YUNES, Rosendo A. and FERREIRA, Sandra R.S. Composition profile of horsetail (Equisetum giganteum L.) oleoresin: comparing SFE and organic solvents extraction. Journal of Supercritical Fluids, February 2005, vol. 33, no. 2, p. 131-138. [CrossRef]
POURMORTAZAVI, Seied Mahdi; SEFIDKON, Fatemeh and HOSSEINI, Seid Ghorban. Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oils from Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, August 2003, vol. 51, no. 18, p. 5414-5419. [CrossRef]
Christoph; RÖMPP, Harald; STURM, Sonja; HASLINGER, Ernst; SCHMIDT,
Peter C. and HADACEK, Franz. Characterization of supercritical fluid
SOVOVÁ, H. Mathematical model for supercritical fluid extraction of natural products and extraction curve evaluation. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, January 2005, vol. 33, no. 1, p. 35-52. [CrossRef]
SPORRING, Sune; BØWADT, Søren; SVENSMARK, Bo and BJORKLUND, Erland. Comprehensive comparison of classic Soxhlet extraction with Soxtec extraction, ultrasonication extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, microwave assisted extraction and accelerated solvent extraction for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil. Journal of Chromatography A, October 2005, vol. 1090, no. 1-2, p. 1-9. [CrossRef]
E.E.; PUERTAS, M.A. and COMBARIZA, M.Y. Volatile secondary metabolites
Chun-Yuan; WU, Jin-Qing; LIU, Sheng-Xiang and HU, Ren-Liang. Characteristics
of the bryoflora of Gutianshan nature reserve in Kaihua Country,
VINATORU, Mircea. An overview of the ultrasonically assisted extraction of bioactive principles from herbs. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, July 2001, vol. 8, no. 3, p. 303-313. [CrossRef]
XIAO, Jian-Bo; JIANG, Xin-Yu and CHEN, Xiao-Qing. Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect of flavonoids from Marchantia convoluta. African Journal Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, September 2005a, vol. 2, no. 3, p. 244-252.
XIAO, Jian-Bo; REN, Feng-Lian and XU, Ming. Anti-Hepatitis B virus activity of flavonoids from Marchantia convoluta. Iranian Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2005b, vol. 4, no. 2, p. 128-131.
XIAO, Jian-Bo; REN, Feng-Lian and XU, Ming. Flavones from Marchantia convoluta: isolation of apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide and 5-hydroxyl-7-methoxyl-2-methylchromone. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences, 2006a, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 310-313.
XIAO, Jian-Bo; CHEN, Xiao-Qing; ZHANG, Y.W.; JIANG, Xin-Yu and XU, Ming. Cytotoxicity of Marchantia convoluta leaf extracts to human liver and lung cancer cells. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, June 2006b, vol. 39, no. 6, p. 731-738. [CrossRef]
ZHU, H.; XIAO, J.-B. and ZHOU, C.S. Isolation, purification and identification of apigenin-7-O-D- glucuronide in Marchantia convoluta with silica column chromatography, RP-HPLC and LC-ESI- MS. Nature Product R&D, January 2005, vol. 17, no. 1, p. 38-41.
Note: Electronic Journal of Biotechnology is not responsible if on-line references cited on manuscripts are not available any more after the date of publication.

domain: chemistry


Get 3 free articles per week, daily newsletters and more. Health related magazines and business-to-business publications are growing in numbers, however. However, once you have a look into the Australia’s Finest magazines themselves, you’ll uncover that it’s not only a quality readership that provides immense worth to Bean Media Group’s portfolio of ‘Australia’s Greatest’.
Forbes Journal is another biggest hit” on the checklist of small business magazines. In addition to offering up the competitors entries for public perusal, the web site hosts various interesting articles which is able to enable you to in making ready particular features of your marketing strategy.
The editorial content is excellent, the quality of the magazines themselves could be very high and the angle that Bean Media tackle highlighting specific firms that are accepted into Australia’s Best is revolutionary. Such exposure for corporations is obviously extremely priceless, particularly so considering Bean Media don’t charge for firms to be featured within the Australia’s Finest magazines.
There is a huge marketplace for them and you will find different magazines for varied topics. Our Journal has absorbing insights and articles on market trends, economy, stock market changes in addition to interviews and advice from profitable business leaders and entrepreneurs.
While not technically a small enterprise magazines, VentureBeat is one other nice small enterprise publication to follow—particularly should you’re considering know-how and entrepreneurship. I simply learn this hub, and the Rss feed one, and it appears you are suggesting we distribute our articles widely.


text:
Howie is a sweet dog. He was born May 1, 2008. He is very smart and loyal and loving. He doesn’t shed much unless he needs to be brushed, and then it comes off in little clumps. He’s a good eater and likes rawhide chews and peanut butter. Peanut butter is great when he has to take medicine; he doesn’t even notice the pill in the peanut butter. He has a problem with gas that gets better when he eats a high quality, low ingredient dog food like Natural Balance.
Howie completed Puppy Training at PetSmart and did very well. He’s incredibly responsive and can learn new things with just a little effort. He knows to come when he’s called; he knows “sit” and “down;” he will shake if you say “paw” and put your hand down for him; he’s working on “stay” and “leave it” and will do “drop it” most of the time but especially if you offer him something better than what he’s got. He has been working on learning not to jump up on people but hasn’t quite figured it out.
Howie has been an indoor pet. He loves people and other dogs. His favorite things to do are play with the 2 little girls he lived with and go to the dog park. He also enjoys walking on his leash and fetching toys that have been thrown for him. He really likes toys that squeak.
We are heartbroken to have to give him up and will miss him a lot. We know he will be a wonderful addition to your family.
This is an actual letter I wrote to send with Howie when we take him back to his foster mom tonight. I haven't told Pete yet. The reasons to find him a better home outnumber the reasons to keep him here, even though the main reason to keep him is a big one - we committed to him, and we feel guilty and terrible for breaking our commitment. We'll miss him but mostly I think it will be a relief...

domain: pet


Free Tekno is a journey into the underground of illegal underground tekno festivals in central Europe. The crew travel with a group of Dutch and Irish boys who throw illegal rave parties in the forests of Germany and Czech Republic and gain access to an underground that many have heard of but few have seen.
A documentary by Gunnar Hauth.
"In central Europe thrives an underground culture of illegal tekno parties,
open for everyone to join and participate.
The tricky part is finding out where and when they occur.."
Watch the full documentary at Icelandic Cinema Online (1 EUR via PayPal)
If you do not have access to a PayPal account, you can download it here.
Support if you can!
you can now watch the complete documentary on YouTube via this link!


text:
The one-year anniversary of East Village photojournalist Bob Arihood’s death at age 65 just passed on Sept. 30. Before he began blogging at Neither More Nor Less, Arihood contributed his street photography to The Villager from the late 1990s to 2006. Inspired by this week’s talking point by Bill Weinberg about the pierogi-chilaquiles seismic cheap-eats shift in Alphabet City, we were inspired to run this photo of Bob’s taken outside of the old Leshko’s at Avenue A and Seventh St., one of the classic “pierogi palaces.” This photo, which we think was probably taken in the late 1980s or early ’90s, features some of Arihood’s favorite local characters. Famed chiseler and “Povercide” ranter “Loan Shark Bob” (with flag) holds court in front of the old greasy spoon, while crashed out facedown on the sidewalk in the foreground is Marlene Bailey, a.k.a. “Hot Dog.” … R.I.P., Bob. Avenue A, Tompkins Square and Ray’s Candy Store will never be the same without you. Photo by Bob Arihood
ON THE MARCH! The grand marshals for this year’s N.Y.U./Community Board 2 Children’s Halloween Parade include some real newsmakers. The trio includes John W. Sutter, The Villager’s former publisher; David Gruber, chairperson of C.B. 2; and Malina Webb, the head of the university’s Student Senate Council. Who knows what these three will be talking about as they lead the march. Maybe by the end, they’ll have worked out answers for everything from saving Pier 40 and the Hudson Square rezoning to what to do with N.Y.U.’s controversial Chick-fil-A franchise. The parade will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 31.
WITH FACEBOOK FRIENDS LIKE THESE…: Are the Friends of Hudson River Park on the same page as the Hudson River Park Trust? One thing we do know, the Friends’ executive director was recently on our page — as in “The Villager Newspaper” Facebook page. Tom Fox, the former head of the Hudson River Park Conservancy, the Trust’s predecessor, wrote a talking point (“Let’s return to the vision of the Hudson River Park”) for The Villager’s Sept. 13 issue in which he blasted the Trust’s latest idea of building residential housing on Pier 40 to generate revenue to save both the crumbling pier and the whole 5-mile-long park. On our Facebook page, A.J. Pietrantone, the Friends’ director, clicked “Like” under Fox’s talking point. Of course, this follows developer Douglas Durst, chairperson of the Friends, roiling the waters by pitching an alternative Pier 40 plan with parking and a high-tech campus, while saying that residential would never work on the pier. However, after our Sept. 6 article on Durst’s alternative plan, he and Madelyn Wils, the Trust’s president, wrote us a joint letter the next week say- ing, “The Durst Organization and the Hudson River Park Trust are both working to ensure that Pier 40 will remain open and generate necessary revenue not only for the pier itself, but for the entirety of the Hudson River Park. We are studying a range of possibilities for Pier 40 — including the viability of housing and other uses — and look forward to working with the community in the weeks and months ahead.” Now that we think about it, though — while the letter mentioned Durst’s company, it never mentioned anything about the Friends of Hudson River Park, which is the Trust’s chief private fundraising arm. Maybe the best thing to click under all of this is “Confused.”
CANNABINOID CORRECTION: Following our lat- est article on Dana Beal’s imprisonment and trials in the Midwest for transporting felony-weight pot cross-country, Doug Greene, a longtime friend of the Bleecker St. legalization activist, sent us the following correction: “Dana Beal does not have 18 months left on his Wisconsin jail term. I spoke with Bryon Walker, his Wisconsin defense counsel…. Dana’s Wisconsin jail term will be over by early May 2013 at the latest, and he can probably get his sentence adjusted so he can be released in late February 2013. Dana has asked that a correction be printed.” Beal continues to maintain that the pot was “medicine” for medical marijuana buyers clubs.

domain: news


text:
Novarbo Arvo 3-1-7-3 is an organic fertiliser for potatoes and root vegetables.
Contains chicken manure and potassium sulphate.
Product information: Nitrogen (N) 3 % (water-soluble 0,5%), phosphorus (P) 1 %, potassium (K) 7 %, sulphur (S) 3 %
Package size: 600 kg
Use: for organic plant production, for potatoes and root vegetables
The dosage of Novarbo Arvo 3-1-7-3 is based on the nutrient requirement of the plants and the fertility of the soil. When calculating the amount of primary nutrients, it is estimated that during the first harvest season all the potassium and 75% of the nitrogen and phosphorus content is available to the plant.
Novarbo Arvo 3-1-7-3 has a coarse aggregate structure and can be distributed using conventional fertiliser spreaders. Band placement improves the effectiveness of fertilisation.
Dosage (kg/ha): Potatoes, root vegetables 1300-4000
Dosage is calculated based on nitrogen requirement of the plants.

domain: agronomy


text:
Howell crash injures Manasquan man
HOWELL A 77-year-old man was sent to the hospital Monday afternoon after his 2013 Honda CRV collided with a 2001 Ford dump truck on Route 547, police said.
The CRV, driven by Manasquan resident John Najar, was going through a curve on Route 547 at 4:12 p.m. when "for unknown reasons" he veered into the opposite lane and collided with the truck, according to a news release from Sgt. Joseph Markulic.
When first responders arrived, they had to extricate Najar from the CRV. Squankum Fire members found him unconscious, but breathing.
Najar was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune by Farmingdale First Aid and for trauma-related injuries.
The truck driver, 43-year-old Walter Smith of Lanoka Harbor, injured his right forearm. His passenger, 24-year-old Gregory Potts of Robeling, said his left leg hurt.
The Monmouth County Serious Collision Accident Response Team was called into assist in the crash investigation. Authorities shut down Route 547 between Birdsall Road and Route 524 for six hours as police investigated the crash.
MONOC paramedics, Squankum Fire, Howell First Aid and Howell Police EMS assisted in responding to the crash.
Steph Solis: 732-643-4043; email@example.com


text:
Spells and Swords
The typical “goal” of a gish is 9th-level powers or spells (usually a minimum of 17 effective levels in the manifesting or spellcasting class) and BAB +16 (full four attacks from BAB, usually a minimum of 11 full-BAB levels).
Generally speaking, your priorities are:
No LA or RHD. Either means lost spellcasting for that level.
No penalty to your spellcasting ability score.
No penalty to Constitution.
No penalty to Strength (unless ranged or finesse, in which case replace this with Dexterity).
Relevant bonus feats.
Bonus to your spellcasting ability score.
Bonus to relevant caster levels.
Bonus to Constitution.
Bonus to Strength (unless ranged or finesse, then Dexterity).
Well, duh. No penalties, and gives a bonus feat of your choice. That hits priorities 1-5, and almost nothing else is going to hit #5.
Consider the Azurin (Magic of Incarnum), which is a human that trades the bonus skill point for a point of Essentia. Essentia is fairly useful if you can spare feats for Shape Soulmeld and/or Open Chakra. Also, the Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic) is a good choice if the (Dragonblood) subtype is necessary for anything you like (especially important for bards; see below).
Mediocre choice on its own (bonuses to Constitution and saving throws are nice, but not nearly as good as a bonus feat), but allows entry into the excellent Runesmith prestige class.
Gray Elf / Fire Elf
The gray elf or fire elf get bonuses to Intelligence from Core/SRD material, and the Races of the Wild elven generalist wizard variant is rather solid. And the elven racial weapon proficiencies are nice for entering Abjurant Champion (it requires a martial weapon proficiency), though at best they’re worth a single feat. And of course, the penalty to Constitution is a big no-no, so I don’t truly recommend it.
If you’re unfamiliar, these are basically Small-size humans, stat-wise.
Small size is a pretty big boon: improved attack, AC, stealth-skill modifiers.
On the other hand, it hurts your damage somewhat, and makes it somewhat harder to get reach (a single size increase won’t get you any).
Usually spellcasters greatly prefer this (to the point it’s considered a fairly cheesy option), but for you I don’t think it’s ideal.
Bonuses to illusion spells (and illusion spells are very good for a gish), and bonus to Constitution. Solid choice, though between Small size and Strength penalty, it’s a far better choice for a ranged character than a melee one.
The forest gnome is strictly superior to the default rock gnome, by the way. Also consider the whisper gnome (Races of Destiny): a fantastic stealth race, it could be excellent if your swordsmanship is a little sneakier.
Overpowered, but these are the only race that combines three nice features: LA +0, +2 Charisma, and no penalty to Constitution. In fact, they have no ability score penalties at all and they also give +2 Wisdom, because like I said, they’re overpowered. If they’re allowed, they’re kind of an obvious choice for Charisma- or Wisdom- based gishes.
If you are starting at ECL 20th, these monstrosities are... absurd. Perhaps not as good with a weapon as you might like (“only” BAB +12), they’re still ridiculously good, with ludicrous ability score bonuses, powerful special attacks, spell immunity, and they cast as 17th-level wizards.
In reality, don’t do this. You’re better than that.
Usually this will be your source of spellcasting. Martial base classes do have the nice property of being heavily front-loaded (i.e. you can get a lot in a few levels), but by definition you will not be getting spellcasting for doing so. I’ll note a couple of exceptions, however.
Pretty much the be-all, end-all of arcane spellcasting classes. Wizards have the best spell list in the game, an inherently forgiving spellcasting mechanic (preparation allows you to change your loadout every day), and specialization allows you to get more spell slots. They also get a couple of bonus feats, which are very useful for qualifying for prestige classes.
See my other answer for suggestions about specializing; being a gish doesn’t change things much. If anything, the general suggestion of banning Enchantment and Evocation becomes that much stronger, since few Enchantments help you in melee much, and you are supposedly handling direct-damage with your sword.
This very-weird class from Dragon Compendium has 0th-9th level spells, some arcane and some divine, weirdly enough. A neat trick there is that you can use Alternate Source Spell (Dragon vol. 325) to cast your arcane spells as divine spells that ignore Arcane Spell Failure. Anyway, the other reason to consider sha’ir is that it’s a charisma-based prepared-spellcasting class, which among other things means it gets each spell level after 1st a level earlier than other charisma-based spellcasters. This is very relevant if you want to use charisma-focused options like Divine Grace.
The more static, Charisma-based wizard. Doesn’t really offer much that the wizard doesn’t do better, though there’s something to be said for having more spell slots for Arcane Strike purposes (but then the difference between a sorcerer and a specialist wizard in that regard are somewhat minimal), and as will become something of a theme, being Charisma-based is very, very nice for certain builds.
Avoid the battle sorcerer and stalwart sorcerer; they permanently inhibit your spellcasting for the purposes of improving your sorcerer class levels; since you’ll be aiming to take as few of those as possible, there’s just not much point. The only way it works out is if they allow you to take fewer sorcerer class levels and get into a prestige class sooner, but that’s uncommon and usually still not worth it. Battle sorcerer 20 is arguably superior to sorcerer 10/eldritch knight 10, though, so in an SRD-only game it may be the only game in town.
Complete Arcane’s wu jen are very similar to wizards (spellbook-prepared, intelligence-based spellcasting from 0th-9th level), with a different spell list. Ultimately, that spell list is much weaker, though still plenty powerful, and wu jen do have a few unique spells that are worthwhile for a gish (such as giant’s size for the rare multiple-category size increase, and the various ribbon spells which require a real attack, rather than a touch attack, to land).
Intelligence-based psionic manifester, though he plays more like a sorcerer in terms of mechanics. A number of powers are quite useful here, though you may need Expanded Knowledge for some of the best of them. The psicrystal is also very useful: manifesting share pain on it and then sharing a vigor power between you effectively doubles the amount of temporary hit points that vigor gives you, and having your psicrystal handle concentrating on control body effectively allows you to use your intelligence score for your attack stats, which is very nice (and otherwise very difficult).
Complete Psionics offers a psion variant called the erudite, with much more wizard-like mechanics. The rules are somewhat ambiguous about whether the number listed for Unique Powers per Day are for each level, or total, which makes a huge difference in how good the class is (if the former, it’s massively superior to the psion; if the latter, it’s probably a bit worse).
Mind’s Eye: Expanded Classes Part Four details, among other things, the “Spell to Power” erudite, which is phenomenally powerful (because you get access to, well, all spells ever); most DMs will ban it. It does basically eliminate the need for refluffing your psionics as spellcasting, since they are actually using spells, but it’s also ridiculously broken. In fact, if UPD is treated as per-power-level, then StP Erudite is the single most powerful class in the game.
Probably the best “gish-in-a-can” class, psychic warriors are extremely competent. Their ability to manifest natural weapons allows them to do devastating melee damage, they have numerous defensive powers like vigor, and powerful mobility options like hustle and psionic lion’s charge are available to them. Plus expansion is the single-best size-increasing ability in the game. And they come with ¾ BAB per level, which is quite solid.
The one good class in Complete Psionics (seriously), ardents are ¾ BAB per level, and get 9th-level powers unlike psychic warriors. Unfortunately, while they get great mobility powers like the psychic warrior, they miss out on some key stuff like expansion and vigor. Recommended only if the mantle substitution rules are allowed.
Wilders just... don’t offer very much here. They get fewer powers than the psion, don’t get access to any specialty powers, and Wild Surge is frequently far too risky to use (and the Overchannel feat accomplishes the same thing, but better).
The bard is a very capable warrior if built right, primarily by using Snowflake Wardance (Frostburn), Song of the White Raven (Tome of Battle), and harmonizing crystal echoblades (harmonizing and crystal echoblades are both found in Magic Item Compendium). See my previous answer about bards for more on how to make the most of them.
Note that a 2-level dip in paladin works extremely well for bards because of Divine Grace, but also that the Harmonious Knight variant (Champions of Valor) can actually replace bard in certain cases. Also note the Sublime Chord (Complete Arcane) prestige class for getting your spellcasting back up to snuff.
A solid “gish-in-a-can”, the duskblade from Player’s Handbook II gets a very useful ability to channel touch spells through an attack. Unfortunately, their spell list is really limited (and goes only to 6th-level spells), and the really good feature (full-attack spell channeling) doesn’t come until 13th class level, which is very rough. Still, for arcane spellcasting, full BAB, and simplicity, duskblade wins by a landslide; every other option requires extensive use of prestige classes to accomplish it. They just wind up better when they do that.
You can also try three levels here for grabbing Arcane Channeling and some BAB, and then go into some other spellcasting class. Arcane Channeling works with any spell (they don’t even have to be arcane!), but ultimately the addition of weapon damage isn’t worth the lost spellcasting levels. There’s no reasonable way to get the 13th-level full-attack version and some other form of spellcasting, sadly.
The one notable exception to focusing on spellcasting in your base classes, paladins get the very nice Divine Grace at 2nd level, which is phenomenal on Charisma-based spellcasters. The bumps to BAB and HP are also nice. Combined with sorcerer, this forms the basis of “sorcadin” builds. There is absolutely no reason to go for more than 2 levels of paladin in a gish build, however.
The Harmonious Knight paladin variant in Champions of Valor is an excellent option, by the way, giving you a single use of Inspire Courage, as the bard class feature. Can work very nicely as a replacement for bard in Charisma-to-everything builds.
The hexblade from Complete Warrior is, sadly, pretty weak. The author even admitted as much in hindsight; that early in 3.5’s development (Complete Warrior was the first supplement published) they over- and under-estimated quite a lot of things. As a result, the hexblade gets too little spellcasting too late; the only really nice thing they get is Arcane Resistance (Cha to saves vs. spells) and the Player’s Handbook II ACF that swaps the 4th-level Familiar for the excellent Dark Companion. Viable for a two-level dip to do a non-LG sorcadin, but otherwise pretty meh. Bear in mind that Divine Grace is vastly superior to Arcane Resistance, since Divine Grace is not only vs. spells.
Spellcasting-progression Prestige Classes
This is where you get your BAB back, from full-BAB or medium-BAB spellcasting prestige classes. I’m not going to list every option (for instance, you can technically take a single level of each of Thrall to Demogorgon and Thrall to Orcus, but that’s unlikely to go well for you), just the notable ones.
This is the go-to; you will want all five levels in this Complete Mage class. Its full-BAB, full-spellcasting is unique, and it’s class features are all pretty solid, too.
Entry requires proficiency in a martial weapon; this is a point where elves suddenly become more desirable than usual, because they start with four. For others, though, you just need to burn a feat (and if you’re a wizard you can get them as one of your bonus feats), you can dip some martial class and lose spellcasting, or you can dip Dragonslayer, below.
Not really much else to say here, it’s just really, really good.
Jade Phoenix Mage
This prestige class from Tome of Battle combines arcane spellcasting with martial maneuvers, and is therefore excellent. It has a number of potent class features as well, though it does lose a fair amount of spellcasting in the process. It’s actually worth considering the loss of yet another level to dip crusader (also Tome of Battle) before entry, as that will cover the prerequisites more easily, you’ll have some Devoted Spirit maneuvers for the purposes of having the prereqs for the maneuvers that Jade Phoenix Mage grants, and the crusader’s recovery mechanic is excellent.
The optimal entry is spellcaster 8/crusader 1; this allows you to have Initiator Level 5 at crusader 1, netting you up to five 3rd-level maneuvers and a 3rd-level stance in one level.
From this web article, the swiftblade is possibly unique in 3.5 as having been massively overhauled following player input. While it was originally a thoroughly typical and mediocre gish prestige class, it is now an excellent and unique class, trading a lot of spellcasting and actually making up for it with really potent time-based abilities. Very specialized, but strongly worth considering.
This class from Draconomicon is thoroughly mediocre, but it does give you three very useful things at 1st level: +1 BAB, +1 level of existing spellcasting class, and (most importantly), proficiency with all martial weapons. This is the only way to get that proficiency as a spellcaster without losing spellcasting. It is therefore very good, because you need that proficiency for a lot of gish prestige classes. Not worth taking more than one level of.
Runesmith is a dwarf-only prestige class from Races of Stone that has full spellcasting, but only the typical spellcaster ½ BAB per level. That said, at first level, it grants you the ability to waive the Somatic components from every spell you ever cast. If that doesn’t seem particularly important to you, note that Arcane Spell Failure only applies to spells with Somatic components. Runesmith is the best way to wear heavy armor while spellcasting. The remaining levels are pretty solid, too, but the poor BAB won’t help your swording.
If you are not a dwarf or otherwise do not want to use runesmith, but still want to wear real armor, see my other question about handling arcane spell failure. Note that since you want the BAB, Abjurant Champion is already a close to must-have for you, and that class obviates a lot of the advantages that armor provides.
The Core option. You basically would rather not wind up here if you can; the class feature is fairly meh, the requirements are obnoxious (but see Dragonslayer above for a way to meet them without losing spellcasting), and you’re guaranteed to lose a spellcasting level. Unfortunately, if you want BAB +16, you are very likely to wind up here or in Knight Phantom, below, because they’re simply the largest chunks of full-BAB spellcasting in the game.
This prestige class from Five Nations has very similar requirements to the Eldritch Knight, and the same BAB/saves/spellcasting progressions, but has much, much better class features. Like the Eldritch Knight, it’s unavoidable to lose one spellcasting level before entry, but that level is very difficult to avoid in any event. Again, taking a level of Dragonslayer is preferred to a level of some martial base class if you can swing the feats.
This class is more of a skillmonkey-mage than it is a warrior-mage, but it does get ¾ BAB per level, full spellcasting, and a bunch of really nice features on top of its 6+Int skill points. Very solid in general, also ideal for getting those last few levels of decent BAB necessary to hit BAB +16 without losing a spellcasting level.
If you want to use the unseen seer’s improvement to precision damage, but don’t want to dip rogue or whatever, you can use Martial Study (assassin’s stance) at 10th-or-higher to get +2d6 Sneak Attack damage, and thus give unseen seer something to improve. This will require Martial Study in some Shadow Hand maneuver, but that also gets you Hide as always-a-class-skill, which will help.
I mention this only because you did; I would not otherwise consider it a gish prestige class. It’s certainly a cool prestige class, but advancing duskblade spellcasting isn’t worth it simply because duskblade spellcasting isn’t all that good; it’s the Arcane Channeling that you want. If you do want to go this route, the typical pairing with wizard is beguiler (Player’s Handbook II), though the Core assassin makes an interesting entry (albeit not a particularly good one).
Prestige Classes with their own spellcasting
There are a lot of these, and several even have good BAB, but most have really poor spell lists. I’m only going to bother with two.
This class from Complete Arcane is pretty cool, though honestly you are way, way better off just going straight battle sorcerer (and remember, I consider battle sorcerer quite poor). Still, it’s simple, it has nice class features, and it does well out of the box.
Might be interesting on a paladin 2/duskblade 3 entry. You might even be able to finagle entry into sublime chord (see below) after that, to put your spellcasting in a better place.
This prestige class from Complete Arcane gets you 9th-level charisma-based spells off the Sor/Wiz in as many levels. As such, it is an amazing way to “catch up” if you are behind.
This one is generally for bards, though an entry that uses Harmonious Knight paladin 2 and sorcerer 6 -or- sha’ir 5 might be better, since it gets you Divine Grace.
A nice trick with sublime chord is to take classes that miss spellcasting in early levels, say Knight Phantom, before you enter sublime chord, getting the dead levels over with before they really matter. You then use the remaining levels to continue to advance Sublime Chord spellcasting, allowing you to get that full BAB on excellent spellcasting, and the lost spellcasting level of the first prestige class doesn’t come into play because it was from before you started Sublime Chord.
Manifesting Prestige Classes
Easy section because there are only two that give full BAB.
The SRD version (rather than the one in Expanded Psionics Handbook) is much better since its features are not restricted to just illithids. Either way, though, lose a manifesting level, gain full BAB and a ton of really nice class features. Excellent class.
This one is full BAB, and gets its own manifesting, Wis-based off the psychic warrior list. Overall, psychic warrior into slayer is better, though Sweeping Strike plus Cleave is a terrifying combo, particularly if you have a cheap and efficient way to add a lot of weak enemies to the map around you (a bag of rats is traditional).
I am listing these in order of simplest and most generic, to the highly specialized. Note that the specialized builds are more powerful; if they weren’t they wouldn’t be worth worrying about the trouble of the whole build.
- Duskblade 20
- Duskblade 15/Abjurant Champion 5
- Bard 5/Eldritch Knight 10/Abjurant Champion 5
- Psychic Warrior 20
- Psychic Warrior 10/Slayer 10
Simply being a duskblade (to 13th, at least), bard (potentially with full-BAB prestige classes), or a psychic warrior (to 20th, or with 10 levels of Slayer) makes you a reasonably solid gish. By far the simplest answer. Of these, the psychic warrior/slayer is best, then the bard, then the duskblade.
- Paladin 2/Sorcerer 18
- Paladin 2/Sorcerer 8/Eldritch Knight 10
- Paladin 2/Sorcerer 6/Abjurant Champion 5/Knight Phantom 7
- Paladin 2/Sorcerer 3/Unseen Seer 10/Abjurant Champion 5
These are basically the standard Paladin 2/Sorcerer chassis, taken in various directions. Divine Grace is quite nice, it gets you some BAB, makes entry into Eldritch Knight and/or Knight Phantom easier.
Of these, only the first and last ones get 9th-level spells, but the BAB +12 of the first one isn’t that impressive. The last gets BAB +16, which is the magic number, and is probably the simplest build to do the 9ths/BAB +16.
Swapping in sha’ir for sorcerer allows the middle two to get 9th-level spells.
Wizard with a Sword
- Wizard 15/Abjurant Champion 5
Where “Wizard 15” probably is more like “Wizard 5, and a bunch of full-casting prestige classes.” The idea here is simple: improve your BAB, don’t lose spellcasting or have to burn too many feats. If you’re an elf, you actually don’t have to do anything but wait until you get sufficient BAB. Everyone else needs to use a feat on it, but wizards can trade Scribe Scroll or their 5th-level feat for it.
Note you can easily substitute any spellcasting class for Wizard here without any difficulties at all.
Jade Phoenix Mage
- Wizard 8/Crusader 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 1
Wizard here can, again, be swapped with just about any spellcasting class, and you can easily swap levels in the base class for full-casting prestige classes.
This build has a ton to recommend it. You do (barely) manage 9th-level spells (note: a sorcerer base will not), you get BAB +16, and you get 8th-level maneuvers (you may have to delay your final level of Jade Phoenix Mage until 20th so you can actually select one).
- Wizard 6/Swiftblade 9/Abjurant Champion 5
Wizard may be swapped with any spellcasting class that gets haste as a third-level spell (and gets access to it by 6th level).
This nets you BAB +17, 9th-level spells (barely; will not for sorcerers), and a ton of amazing class features, including casting-ability-mod-to-initiative, attack, damage, and movement bonuses, permanent miss chance, free Quicken applied to haste, Evasion, treat haste as Extraordinary (!), and an extra move or standard action per turn.
Swiftblade 10 is an interesting conundrum; you miss out on 9th-level spells, but get Extraordinary time stop. Words cannot describe how amazing that is. Generally speaking, 9th-level spells are better, but you’d be crazy not to at least consider giving them up for this.
- Harmonious Knight Paladin 2/Duskblade 3/Eldritch Knight 1/Suel Arcanamach 4/Sublime Chord 2/Abjurant Champion 5/Eldritch Knight +3
Gets 9th-level spells, Inspire Courage, Arcane Channeling, Divine Grace, and a whopping BAB +19. Silverbrow Human is the recommended race, for Dragonfire Inspiration. Snowflake Wardance gets you Cha-to-attack on top of your Cha-to-saves. Taking Martial Study, Martial Stance, and Song of the White Raven would be really cool if you can swing the feats. Unfortunately, the Arcane Channeling is only standard action attacks, which aren’t terribly impressive. Better would be...
Twice-Sublime Phoenix of Harmony
- Harmonious Knight Paladin 2/Wizard 3/Crusader 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 4/Sublime Chord 1/Jade Phoenix Mage +6/Abjurant Champion 3
- Harmonious Knight Paladin 2/Sha’ir 3/Crusader 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 4/Sublime Chord 1/Jade Phoenix Mage +6/Abjurant Champion 3
- Harmonious Knight Paladin 2/Sorcerer 4/Crusader 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 3/Sublime Chord 1/Jade Phoenix Mage +7/Abjurant Champion 2
9th-level spells, 8th-level maneuvers, BAB +18, and Inspire Courage and Divine Grace. Leveling up to 11th level will be rough as a charisma-heavy wizard; consider sha’ir instead, or even sorcerer (note: sorcerer does mean “only” BAB +17), just so those middle levels aren’t quite so painful. Feat suggestions are the same as for Sublime Arcanamach, except you won’t need Martial Study/Stance. If BAB +17 is sufficient, consider taking two levels of sublime chord instead of the level in abjurant champion: the song you get at sublime chord 2 is very nice.

domain: game


text:
News 1 - 12 of 13
Aniston beats Jessica Biel and Kim Kardashian, while McConaughey wins over Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and David Beckham.
"Pirates of the Caribbean" was the big winner at the 2006 Teen Choice Awards, nabbing a leading seven awards.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" ruled the waves at the North American box office for a second weekend.
The sequel "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" made a record $132 million in its first weekend in theaters.
A follow up of the 2002 movie "Dog Soldiers" entitled "Dog Soldiers: Fresh Meat" is in development to be brought out to the big screen.
"Superman Returns" topped the box-office list this week with $52.15 million.
Have a sneak on the recent up-date on the box office list!
Animated autos retained the pole position as "Cars" came in No. 1 at the box office for a second weekend with $31.2 million.
O'Neil gives Trump a white Phantom Rolls Royce as a wedding gift
Michael Moore has been nominated for Guild's directoral achievement in documentary film-making
Alicia keys has become the first performer announced to perform at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards
Wesley has threatened to kill David Goyer for sidelining his all action character


Shift even faster.
For optimal shifting and minimal maintenance, the Dura-Ace OT-SP41 Polymer-Coated Derailleur Cable is the ideal solution. The housing is pre-lubricated with silicone grease, while the inner stainless steel cable is polymer coated, which reduces the sliding resistance. The end caps are sealed to minimize dirt contamination.
- Stainless steel cable
- Polymer coating
- Compatible with Dura-Ace, Ultegra 6800, XTR M9000, XT M8000
- Item #SHI002Q
- [cable] stainless steel, [coating] polymer
- Compatible Components
- Dura-Ace, Ultegra 6800, XTR M9000, XT M8000
- Recommended Use
- road cycling
This product can expose you to chemicals including Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.


text:
located in Calgary
“Hi I am River! I am a calm, loving girl with big golden eyes and little velvet-soft ears. I’m a young mum, who is a little on the skinny side as I had to keep my pups nice and chunky, so I will need to gain a bit of weight to get me back into tiptop shape!
I am still a little timid meeting new people, but give me a day or two and I’ll warm right up to you. I like going for walks and rarely pull – in fact I like to stick right by your side in case those big scary bunnies are out. I don’t chase them, but I like to keep my eye on them. My foster parents tried me in a crate during the evening and it wasn’t my favourite thing, so they just closed the bedroom door and I got to snuggle with them all night!
During the day I generally have free run of the house, but my foster parents have been careful to keep the yummy snacks off the counter – I may be skinny, but I’ve got a good nose and like to see what is up there! I haven’t chewed anything (not even any of the toys my foster got me!) or had any accidents in the house. I’m a quiet girl, but will let you know when I need to go out. I am currently learning to “sit” which earns me a kibble or two. I LOVE my food! I get super excited when it is meal time! I am also super gentle when taking treats.
I haven’t met any other animals while in foster, but I’ve been curious of the dogs we’ve passed on our walks so I may be ok with a similar-sized, well-mannered dog who can bring me out my shell a bit more. If you are looking for a beautiful, loving pup, I’m your girl!” xo, River
Good with Cats?
Not tested with Cats
Good with Dogs?
Not tested with Dogs
Good with Kids?
Not tested with Kids
Does this Animal have Special Needs?


text:
Not your fathers Sumatra! This new generation Sumatra has flavor notes of cacao, cedar and bell pepper with a hint of lavender floral notes. This coffee is bold, crisp, full bodied, and smooth from start to finish. Overall Amazing Taste! The farmers use the Indonesian process of wet-hulling.* A cup that is very clean and balanced while still providing the body one expects from Indonesia. This coffee has been reviewed at 94 points ( Twice! ) and won awards in March, 2018 and in July, 2016.. One review describes it as "Deeply, refreshingly pungent and earthy. Grapefruit zest, dark chocolate, candied ginger, graham cracker, moist fresh-fallen leaves in aroma and cup. Structured around complexly layered tart, sweet and savory tastes; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Sweet, deeply flavor-saturated finish. A fine Sumatra, simultaneously expressing the pungent, full, resonantly earthy genius of the type, while lifting it with refreshing lightness and complex vivacity.". Another review states, "Complex, sweetly rich. Pungent grapefruit, sweet violet, almond brittle, pipe tobacco, fragrant sandalwood in aroma and cup. Juicy acidity; lightly syrupy, buoyant mouthfeel. The crisply rich, long finish retains a pretty combination of violet and tobacco tones."
REGION: Lintong FARM: Lintongnihuta (shores of Lake Taoba) FARMER: Various VARIETAL: Ateng, Jember and Garundang ALTITUDE: 1000 - 1300 M PROCESS: Wet Hulled ROAST: Medium
This Sumatra Lintong Mutu Batak comes from selected producers surrounding the town of Lintongnihuta in the Provinsi Sumatera Utara (Northern Sumatra Province). This specific area is located on the southern shores of Lake Toba, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. The soil around the southern part of the lake is volcanic which leads to exceptional terrain for growing coffee. The town of Lintong Nihuta sits on a plateau that ranges from 1000 meters with a few farms to around 1300 meters.
The producers of this coffee are small farmers who have been recognized to produce exceptional raw material. These selected farmers run small two to four-hectare plantations with each hectare consists of approximately 1,000 coffee trees. The farmer grows, harvests, and de-pulps the coffee on the farm. After de-pulping he stores the coffee overnight, allowing it to ferment and washes the following day. After washing the farmer will briefly dry the coffee to remove the moisture from the exterior of the parchment and delivers the coffee to the production facility.
All of our coffee is fresh roasted, when you order, leaving the natural oils and aromas intact and sealed in resealable packaging to ensure maximum freshness. - a premium product sure to please any coffee lover.
We roast different coffees on different days. Please expect to receive your coffee 7 to 10 days after ordering. We ship the next morning after roasting and you will receive it within 3-4 days of it's roast date. If there is a delay, you will be notified.
*Since Coffee is BEST as Freshly Roasted and Freshly Ground before use, we are now offering only Whole Bean Coffee.
* Wet hulling, or giling basah, is the traditional method used in Indonesia. And although both the name and the method are very similar to wet processing, the cup characteristics are incredibly different. Further information
After the coffee is dried to 12 to 13% moisture content in the greenhouses, the coffee will be delivered to the warehouse in Medan. It is inspected and graded again upon arrival to ensure no errors were made during processing. The coffee is then warehoused for 2 months. Then it goes through the final grading, hand sorted, bagged and ready for export.

domain: geography


text:
The award-winning broadcaster brings his brilliant knowledge and insight to LBC on Saturday mornings.
Matt Frei - 9 Jun 18
How will Trump's steel tariffs affect our future relationship with the US?
Matt Frei - 26 May 18
Matt Frei - 12 May 18
Can we trust Kim Jong-un or is he playing us for fools?
Is compensation enough of an apology for members of the Windrush generation?
US and allies launch strikes on Syria chemical weapons sites. Was this the right move?
Should the UK have been leading the charge on sanctions against Russian oligarchs?
How can anti-Semitism be stopped and why is it on the rise?
Is social media undermining democracy?


text:
Weekly Photo Challenge: Background.
The Challenge: Take a picture of yourself or someone else as a shadow, a reflection, or a lesser part of a scene, making the background, or — as in the example above — the foreground, the center of attention.
For this tricky challenge I took a photo of a fisherman on a bridge. He is small in the picture and toward the corner. The old stone bridge, the river and sky take over the scene and you hardly notice the man.
- Weekly Photo Challenge: In The Background Of My Yard (layedbacklife.wordpress.com)

domain: artistic


Elegant and luxurious, the Janelle comforter set turns an ordinary bedroom into an extraordinary retreat. Featuring a plush comforter with beautiful pleating detail, this comforter set artfully combines interesting textures with smooth edges for a chic result. Rendered in chic white, this set includes a comforter, bed skirt, two shams and three decorative pillows. 100% polyester Machine wash cold, gentle cycle, and separately. Do not bleach. Tumble dry low, remove promptly. Do not iron. If there is no free movement in the washer or dryer, use large capacity commercial washer/dryer.


text:
The Rideau Canal usually opens at the beginning of January, but the National Capital Commission (NCC) announced on Monday that the ice is still not thick enough to skate on.
Officials say the ice thickness must be at least 30 cm (12 inches) to safely support skaters. Recent rain and fluctuating temperatures has prevented the ice from solidifying. And while some snow blanketed the region over the holidays, the NCC says the snow acts as a thermal blanket and keeps the ice from thickening.
Last year the Canal opened on January 8 and skating was allowed for 53 of the 58-day season. Unlike the mild winter of 2001-2002, which marked the shortest season in the Canal's history with only 26 days available to hit the ice.
The famous stretch of ice draws an average of one million visits each year. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.


The rim area of the copper crusher. The copper crusher is then removed and the indentation measured (Fig. 6). The indentation must measure 0.014 inch (read to the nearest 0.0005 inch) with only a 0.001 inch variation to indicate a passing indentation test. Copper Used in the Crusher Both variations of the copper crusher measuring system (to.


text:
Reverse Hypers: The Core Balance Diet ReviewedOur first tool was a database of Zone Diet Recipes, which has now grown to over 2,719 different balanced meals for your whole family. Sample Zone Diet Menu.This project makes the assumption that the diet and resulting.Choose the diet plan that best fits your goals and lifestyle.Health tips for readers at various life stages, including adulthood, pregnancy, parenthood, and.Each of these foods works in a different way to zap fat and make you sleeker, says Neva Cochran, RD, a nutrition consultant based in Dallas.
How To Create The Perfect Diet Plan For Your Workout GoalNutrition facts per serving: 170 calories, 14g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 10g fat (4g saturated), 2g fiber.Find foods you love and learn how to adjust and balance your eating.
How to Create a Healthy Diet Plan - Men's FitnessThe muscles in your abdomen, lower back and pelvis — known as your core muscles — help protect your back and connect upper and lower body movements.Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
From the experts you trust, designed to help you lose up to 6 to 10 pounds in 2 weeks.A Healthy Diet Schedule for What to Eat Daily. Balanced Diet for a 20-Year Old Man. Sample Menu for a Healthy Pregnancy.Our complete list of over 600 nutritionist reviewed diets arranged in alphabetical order.
A balanced diet includes at least one helping from each of the five food groups in every meal to balance your.
Abs Diet Weekly Meal Plan Recipes at MensHealth.comPlan A Balanced Diet For Breakfast Lunch Dinner. it look like to eat balanced healthy foods.
25 Flat Belly Meals | PreventionTry this challenging total body workout for the glutes, hips, thighs, upper body, and core on the BOSU ball.
Complete Nutrition - Sports Nutrition - Weight Management
Are You Tired and Wired?: Your Proven 30Day Program forUse this plan to rethink your entire diet, from what you buy at the grocery store to when and how you prepare.
Introduction to the Paleo diet and lifestyle for beginners.The Mayo Clinic Diet is a different approach to weight loss that can help you.
Epub Book Balanced Diet For Weight Loss - shodh-research.orgMy Fresh Balance Diet. dense dark colored vegetables should be at the core of every high quality diet plan and My Fresh Balance Diet Plan focuses on.
In Praise Of The Mediterranean Diet 2017 | 2016 17Cook over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until patties are heated through, turning once.Nutrition facts per serving: 191 calories, 18g protein, 16g carbohydrate, 6g fat (1g saturated), 2g fiber.
Best 25+ Balanced diet chart ideas only on PinterestThis Small Diet Tweak Could Save You More Than 200 Calories a Day.
In a large bowl, toss together salad greens, remaining strawberries, and chicken.
How to Be a Healthy Vegetarian | Center for Young Women's
The Core Balance Diet is based on the concept that weight loss will only be successful when certain key metabolic and hormonal imbalances are corrected.

domain: food


text:
Tue, 31 May 2022 12:55 PM IST
New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the case against Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain is "completely fake and politically motivated".
Jain was on Monday (May 30) arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case.
"I have personally studied this (Satyendar Jain's arrest by ED) case, it is completely fraud. We neither tolerate corruption nor we do corruption. We have a very honest govt. He has been targeted because of political reasons," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal further said he was confident that Jain will come out clean.
"We have faith in the judiciary. Jain is following the path of truth and he will come out clean," he said.
Jain was taken into custody under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a few hours of questioning, ED officials said.
They alleged he was "evasive" in his replies. The minister is expected to be produced before a designated court on Tuesday.
The arrest has been made by the federal agency in connection with alleged hawala dealings. Last month, the ED had said that assets worth Rs 4.81 crore of Jain's family and companies "beneficially owned and controlled" by him were provisionally attached as part of a money-laundering probe against him.
In a statement issued then, the ED had said it issued a provisional order under the PMLA to "attach immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd.; Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd; Paryas Infosolutions Pvt. Ltd.; Manglayatan Projects Pvt. Ltd.; J.J. Ideal Estate Pvt. Ltd.; Swati Jain, wife of Vaibhav Jain; Sushila Jain, wife of Ajit Prasad Jain; and Indu Jain, wife of Sunil Jain."
The probe found that "during the period 2015-16, when Satyendar Kumar Jain was a public servant, the companies beneficially owned and controlled by him received accommodation entries to the tune of Rs 4.81 crore from shell (paper) companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through the hawala route."
"These amounts were utilised for direct purchase of land or for repayment of loan taken for the purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi," the ED said.
The persons named in the attachment order are associates and family members of Jain, the officials said.
The money laundering case against the Delhi minister originates from an August 2017 FIR filed by the CBI against him and others on charges of alleged possession of disproportionate assets (DA).
A charge sheet was filed by the CBI in December 2018 stating that the alleged DA was to the tune of Rs 1.47 crore, about 217 per cent more than his known sources of income, during 2015-17.
The Income Tax Department had also probed these transactions and issued an order attaching "benami assets" allegedly linked to Jain.


text:
For Immediate Release
October 8, 2016
Sensenbrenner Bears Responsibility for Trump, and for Trump’s Betrayal of Republican Values
Waukesha, WI – Yesterday, we were all forced to confront Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump’s vile anti-woman worldview in his own words. It comes after sixteen straight months of Mr. Trump’s own graphic words describing equally vile opinions on a seemingly endless list of groups; including but not limited to disabled adults and children, veterans, pregnant women, Mexican Americans, African Americans, refugees, Muslims, and several distinct attacks on Asian American ethnicities. More than that, it comes after four decades of news stories about Donald Trump’s prejudices.
As news agencies large and small struggled to report a story so offensive that they had to censor their headlines and despaired of meeting FCC broadcast decency standards, we looked to the leadership of the Republican Party to stand up against the politics of hate. Here in Wisconsin, our dean of the National Republican Party, thirty-eight year incumbent Congressman James Sensenbrenner, did not live up to that expectation. Not long ago, Sensenbrenner bragged at a Waukesha rally of being Vice Presidential nominee Pence’s political mentor, claiming he was one of the only members of Congress in 1988 to travel to Indiana to help him become a politician. Sensenbrenner has enough influence that, when Donald Trump was challenged to provide specifics from his immigration plan, Trump’s answers were taken from a bill written and sponsored by Sensenbrenner in 2005.
This weekend, lifelong Republican voters across Southeastern Wisconsin shake with shame and anger, betrayed in all of their values by their own Party. As was the case during the Republican Primaries, Congressman Sensenbrenner was not available and did not use his years of political influence to help.
Khary Penebaker, Democratic nominee for Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District, issued the following statement:
“This is not news. These tapes were obscure, but the behavior they depict is not a surprise to my opponent or any other Republican leader. For Jim Sensenbrenner or Paul Ryan to claim that they didn’t know who Trump really was, that is an unbelievable statement. Donald Trump won the Republican Primary by welcoming misogynists and other bigots in to vote for him. They saw, they knew, they could have done something. The only thing they’re just now learning, apparently, is that they should have.”
Khary for Congress 336 Wisconsin Avenue Waukesha WI 53186


text:
Paleo win! How the caveman diet helped my diabetic mother-in-law
I love a good challenge — mostly because I’m crazy competitive. For example: I tell new girls at pick-up soccer to go home until they learn how to play. Eek! I know, I’m working on it! So when I realized my mother-in-law was in a tough spot with type 1 diabetes and feeling like there was no way her situation with crazy high sugar and long-held food habits could ever change, I thought: Paleo can take this on. Diabetes, bring it!
NOTE: If you’re not familiar with the Paleo diet, it basically cuts out refined grain, refined sugar, beans and other legumes, and most dairy. Instead you eat lots of meats, veggies and some fruit and nuts.
Libby (age 62), grandmother of my dear little boy, graciously agreed to eat only my Paleo cooking for one month (31 days), and see how her body (30 years diabetic) would respond. But even more important: would Libby LOVE the new food? Could she sustain this new way of eating? Would she begin craving stuffed peppers and cauliflower pizza and think “Ugh!” when it comes to pastas and cupcakes?
We needed to change her standard American diet for real and for good!
Libby gathered her sugar numbers a couple days prior to day 1 (Sunday, November 1) so that we’d have a baseline to work with. Her typical diet consisted of cinnamon toast, more cinnamon toast, jalapeño burgers, spaghetti with cheese … not to mention wine and cocktails. Of course she was eating some veggies and fruit, but also lots of grain and cheese.
A normal sugar level is less than 100 after not eating for 8 hours, and less than 140 two hours after eating. Libby had lots of 300-400s. Seriously. Scary stuff. Kidneys don’t last too long with sugar in the 300s-400s, and medications are CRAZY expensive, hundreds of dollars each month even with insurance.
So, we were both ready to get started. I planned out the first week’s breakfasts, lunches, evening s and good Paleo snacks (enough for my family too), then headed to the grocery store.
Week 1 meals
Paleo breakfasts: Sweet Potato Crusted Spinach and Chorizo Quiche from Paleo Takes 5 or Fewer by Cindy Sexton; Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies from Paleo Magazine’s Reader’s Favorite Holiday Recipe Book and Zucchini Bread.
Paleo lunches: Because Libby is often on the go, I decided to go with wraps. Think Jimmy John’s Unwich. Each lettuce wrap included deli meat turkey and/or salami, alfalfa sprouts, spinach, sliced mushrooms, mayo and crushed salt and black pepper.
Libby would ride her bike to work — way to go, Libby! Wraps made Paleo lunch on the go doable and tasty, not to mention bike-riding scenery was gorgeous.
Paleo dinners: Ultimate Paleo Pad Thai, Butternut Squash Lasagna, Sausage Veggie Stuffing, all three from Paleo Magazine’s Reader’s Favorite Holiday Recipe Book); Spicy, Stuffed Plantains from Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook; and super easy Lemon and Herb Chicken with Cream of Mushroom Soup (see my recipe below).
Paleo tweener snacks: habanero almonds, green apples, bananas, Terra Chips and Ghirardelli 72% dark chocolate.
After week 1, Libby’s numbers ranged from 70-150 (with a couple spikes around 199). Pretty dang beautiful!
I was totally excited — Libby was thrilled. We continued our routine of cooking/sharing, and by the end of the month Libby was feeling optimistic. She could see the change. She wasn’t waking up throughout the night, she was feeling level-headed with sugar levels more consistently in the normal range, and she had more energy throughout the day. She also really liked the Paleo food!
Here’s what Libby had to say: “Type 1 diabetes has been a terrible ride for me. Lots of pain and losses associated with neuropathy, renal failure (stage 3), and just the shame of being diabetic. There are so many variables to contend with as a diabetic. Stress plays a huge role. Exercise can make you go into a low blood sugar or increase your blood sugar in certain conditions! Slight infections of any kind elevate blood glucose. Every bite of food has an impact. Alcohol can make you go low, but then make you go high! It has always felt IMPOSSIBLE to manage my condition. I am giving myself this month to figure out a way to change and, for the first time, be successful in managing my blood sugar levels.”
After this revelation, I wanted more than ever to make the Paleo change a lasting success for Libby.
It’s been a couple weeks since the end of the month, and I am still sharing some snacks with Libby and checking in with her. It hasn’t been perfect, but it has been better. Real change takes time, and Libby is working hard, putting in real effort. It’s hard to say “no” to Custard Flan and to stuffed baked potatoes, but, with Paleo, it’s all about swapping. For example, you can make custard flan using coconut cream and reduce the sugar content, or stuff a sweet potato instead of the white potato. There are endless rich and delicious foods in the Paleo life that make it totally doable and delicious.
Cream of Mushroom Soup with Sherry
Serves about 5
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 30 min
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1 8-ounce package button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 1 4-ounce package shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons fresh thyme
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ shot of sherry
- Crushed sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine oil and garlic. Once garlic is fragrant, add chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently until onion is translucent.
- Next, add the mushrooms, zucchini, thyme and a pinch of salt. Mix and cook for 5-7 minutes until veggies have cooked down, significantly. Meanwhile, whisk together broth and flour in a separate bowl. Add broth mixture, sherry and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low for about 15 minutes.
- Finally, turn off heat, remove the bay leaf and add the cream. Mix well and pour soup into a blender. Blend until smooth and return to the pan. Add a touch of salt (if desired) and freshly cracked pepper. Stir well and serve. I like to garnish with another touch of cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
Melissa is a home cook, realtor, mom and indoor soccer player based in South Bend, IN. We met at church about five years ago and now attend the same small group where we get all personal and spiritual, then laugh it out over ridiculous stories and tasty dinner. Melissa has excellent humor and style, is a straight talker and carries an air of compelling mystery wherever she goes. One of my favorite things about Melissa is how she shouts in horror and must look away when people talk about gross things.


text:
Mississippi Stud Poker - Murrumbidgee Stud Poker
These are the Mississippi Stud Poker rules. Mississippi Stud
Poker was created to make seven card stud poker play
better at no limit and pot limit, and is slowly becoming
popular for that reason. This poker game is also often played with
a poker betting structure more typical of
Texas Holdem poker - fixed
limit with the last two poker betting rounds double the limit of the first
two betting rounds. The bring-in should be less than the first poker
betting round limit.
The initial deal in a Mississippi Stud Poker game is the same as standard seven card
After the first poker betting
round, two up cards are dealt to
each poker player, so each poker player now has two down cards and three up cards (so
unlike standard stud poker there is no betting on "
fourth street"). A second poker betting round is followed by one
more up card and a third poker betting round. Finally, the
last card is dealt face up, so that each poker player ends with
two down cards and five up cards. Because each poker player
has five up cards on the last round, straights, flushes, and
full houses count as high poker hand exposed for the purpose of
determining who must bet first. After the
seventh street bet, there is a normal showdown.
Mississippi Stud Poker game can also be played with
low hands or high-low split.
If three down cards are dealt initially instead of two, with
the restriction that no more than two of them can be used in
the final poker hand, this poker rule variation is called Murrumbidgee stud poker.
Mississippi Stud Poker is a fun poker game played at no limit and pot limit.
...go here for a complete Index of the
Poker Rules including
and Omaha Poker
Gambling Poker Index
Gambling Poker |
Poker Betting |
Poker Tournaments |
Community Card Poker
| Draw Poker |
Low Hand A-5 |
Low Hand A-6 |
Low Hand 2-7
World Series of Poker
| World Poker Tour |
Las Vegas Poker
City Poker | Gambling
Contact Us |
Search Gambling Poker
| Poker Sites
Copyright © gambling-poker.net

domain: hobby


Touareg: 2014 V6 TDI
Join Date: Feb 2019
Second Vehicle: Still looking
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
V6 TDI High Speed Gear Shifting Issue
I just bought a 2014 Touareg V6 TDI. What we get in India is pretty much Euro spec. Now I did read about the changes to the Treg after the fix, and I was certain it had been done to mine. The fuel consumption was way too high, the transmission didn't feel direct in 2nd and 3rd gear when giving it gas (felt like the torque converter wasn't locking), and just didn't move the way 245hp should.
Now I did get a Quantum tune done, so the power is claimed to be at 310hp. I don't know if its there, but it definitely feels a lot better than before.
What I find is really strange though, is the high speed behaviour of the transmission. I am talking at speeds about 150-170kmph (90-115mph) and above. And it was like this even before I got the tune. There is a stretch of road where I can go flat out for a couple of kilometers without any worry. And even if my foot is flat to the floor, the moment it upshifts from 5th to 6th, it then proceeds to upshift to 7th and then 8th right in the span of 2-3 seconds.
So the car loses all its steam, and I then have to release the accelerator a bit and kick down again, following which it then downshifts to 5th or 6th (depending on the speed), stays in that gear for a couple of seconds and again proceeds to do the same upshifting. And this happens in sport, and in manual too. Its really, really pissing off!
All in all the transmission keeps upshifting, downshifting, and hunting for gears when I go above 160kmph. I'm quite sure its not supposed to be like this. So that leads me to wonder whether this is in some way related to the VW 'fix'?
Is there anyone else who has noticed similar behaviour, who can offer some advice?
Thanks in advance for any help.


text:
Ethiopia’s prime minister has accused forces in the northern Tigray region of carrying out a massacre of civilians.
Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopian federal troops had “liberated” the western part of Tigray in “a victory for the innocent civilians of Mai-Kadra that were brutally massacred”.
In a separate statement, Mr Abiy also said “bodies of members of the army, who were shot while their hands and legs were tied”, had been found.
Tigrayan officials deny the atrocities. Witnesses blamed forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for Monday’s killings – first reported by human rights group Amnesty International.
Fighting between government forces and the TPLF broke out last week. Getting information is hard, with phone lines and the internet down. This would be the first large-scale killing of civilians in the conflict.
There has been long-standing tension between Ethiopia’s government and the TPLF, which controls Tigray, the country’s northernmost state, and it has boiled over into military clashes, including air strikes by federal forces.
As a result, thousands of civilians have crossed the border into Sudan, which says it will shelter them in a refugee camp.
Who were the victims?
Amnesty said the killings happened on the night of 9 November.
The human rights group said it had confirmed that “scores, and likely hundreds, of people were stabbed or hacked to death in Mai-Kadra (May Cadera) town in the South West Zone of Ethiopia’s Tigray region”.
It had seen and “digitally verified gruesome photographs and videos of bodies strewn across the town or being carried away on stretchers”.
Amnesty said the victims appeared to be laborers not involved in the conflict. It is not clear where they came from.
It said witnesses had spoken of wounds “inflicted by sharp weapons such as knives and machetes”. Some witnesses said the attacks were carried out by forces loyal to the TPLF after they had been defeated by federal troops in an area called Lugdi.
Ethiopia’s prime minister said his forces had liberated an area that had been subject to “gruesome and fatal attacks” at the hands of TPLF.
“Committing crimes and injustice is very normal for the greedy junta,” Mr Abiy said in a Facebook statement. Referring to army soldiers he said were shot when their hands and legs were tied, he added, “the cruelty was heartbreaking”.
Mr Abiy’s government later announced it had appointed Mulu Nega Kahsay as an interim administrator for the province as part of its efforts to oust the regional leadership.
His government has also issued arrest warrants for Tigray officials. The UN has said that vital aid supplies to hundreds of thousands of people in northern Ethiopia are at risk because of the conflict there.
Why has fighting broken out now?
Mr Abiy ordered the military operation against the TPLF after he said its fighters had crossed “the last red line”.
He accused them of attacking a military camp hosting federal troops on 4 November, calling the action “treasonous”. There have since been a number of clashes and air strikes in Tigray, with Mr Abiy saying government forces had made major gains.
The TPLF was the most powerful member of Ethiopia’s ruling coalition for many years, but Mr Abiy curbed its influence after coming to power in 2018 and the TPLF refused to join a unified party.
Tigrayan leaders say they have been unfairly targeted by purges and allegations of corruption. Mr Abiy accuses some TPLF leaders of being “fugitives from justice” and opposing his moves to reform the way Ethiopia is run.


text:
Annually, the Board of Directors holds a public hearing to adopt a budget of projected estimates of revenue and expenditures for the coming fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). Accordingly they set the ad valorem tax rate to cover those expenses. These hearings are typically held on the third Wednesday in May or June at the Village of Oak Creek Community Center at 690 Bell Rock Boulevard, Sedona, Arizona and the public is invited to attend.
Please contact the District office for more information or to confirm the hearing date and location:
Red Rock Road Enhancement Maintenance District
c/o Improvement District Services, Inc.
3603 Crossings Drive, Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 443-9484 or in Arizona toll-free (800) 659-7149


Athens Of The North serve up a mighty fine taster of a singles LP that is due to drop soon of Brief Encounters most popular modern and disco sounds. Both the tunes here are stone cold classics licenced direct from the band. 'Get A Good Feeling' is all big horns and rolling rhythms, disco flourishes and squelchy bass. On the flip, the tone changes completely with the heart aching balladry of 'Just A Little Notion'. Falsetto vocals are off set by warmer backing singers, pained wind leads ring out and spoken word sections bring the intimacy.


text:
There is a discernible season, which commences on Independence Day on 31 August and ends when the annual National Awards Ceremony takes place on the evening of Republic Day on 24 September, which falls next Sunday.
That period may be categorised as a season because it characterized by certain events taking place annually: decorative bunting in our national colours strung on buildings, official messages of reflection on being a nation, attempted inspiration, a military parade, toasts at protective service locations, pan music gigs and an official fireworks display.
I call it reflection season.
There was nothing inspiring about the messages delivered on the 61st anniversary of our Independence. The officials indulged in deflection, victim-blaming, petulance in the face of criticism, and delusional balancing of what we have “achieved”.
These messages, unsurprisingly, had little positive influence in lifting the gloom pervading the nation about our vulnerability to violent crime at any time and any place of the criminals’ choosing. To make matters worse, “Crime Down Christopher” poured salt into the gaping wound.
I refer of course to the now notorious remarks of Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood Christopher, who claimed on Independence morning at the gathering at the Police Administration Building that the Police Service “has been making substantial progress in its crime-fighting initiatives”.
We were the recipients of a mamaguy repeatedly performed for two decades. The abysmal crime detection rate and the impunity the criminals enjoy cannot be deflected.
The abundance of pan music during the season of reflection provided brief suspensions of the pervasive fear of violent crime. There is a well-established relationship between pan music and the season. The relationship has grown with the designation of August as pan month.
The month of August has become a full prequel to the reflection season and gives the season a feel-good factor.
Before the pan month designation, there was pan music in celebration of Independence Day.
Subject to correction by pan historians, Starlift, now Proman Starlift, led the way with an Independence Day panyard brunch—which I am informed began in 2000 when Starlift were still at their Western Main Road location close to Roxy cinema. There are now other gigs on Independence Day.
Significant tribute must also be paid to Cleveland Garcia now, deceased, and his family for the success of the Pan on the Avenue event, which he firmly and perceptively linked to our Independence/Republic Day period.
I fear for this joyful event going forward. Perhaps the demise of the Laventille Pan Parade at the beginning of pan month will serve as a wake-up call to assist in carrying forward the Garcia legacy.
Shell’s recent support of the expansion of Invaders’ panyard is noteworthy.
Pan month is a designation that has substance as a result of the creative action of our cultural sector. By grim contrast, the declaration of crime as a public health emergency contains little or no substance because of no action to give the declaration substance.
Sadly, our politicians speechify and exploit the output of the steelband movement, but have no coherent policy for the further elevation of pan.
We must beware of government mamaguy support for pan while attempting to use it as a sedative for our fear, anxiety and pain.
Hopefully, President Christine Kangaloo’s clearly expressed support for panyard development will soon translate into invitations to youth bands to perform at fortnightly Bandstand concerts and so avoid those concerts being merely other occasions of subsidised fete at which established bands perform.
Meanwhile, spokesmen for the business community speak of crime putting business under pressure.
A sharper degree of reflection might lead to the realization that the business community, like many other elites, has put the pressure on itself by readily tolerating poor governance, contact state enterprise pickings, uneven foreign exchange distribution, questionable public procurement practices and tribally-based electoral contests, while the drug and gun trade flourishes.
The consequences of such tolerance have inexorably led to the breakdown of good order that now endangers all citizens.
The attainment of socio-economic justice is plainly espoused in the Preamble to the Constitution. Where are the reflections on the better attainment of it for those communities to whose unbearable pain there has been cruel indifference and expressions of prejudice?


text:
RPL26L1-AS1: A Promising Drug Target / Biomarker (G100268168)
RPL26L1-AS1: A Promising Drug Target / Biomarker
The RPL26L1-AS1 protein is a member of the Rpl26 family, which is known for its role in regulating actin filament organization and dynamics in various organisms, including bacteria and eukaryotes. The RPL26L1 gene has been identified as a potential drug target or biomarker for various diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune disorders. In this article, we will explore the biology of RPL26L1-AS1 and its potential as a drug target or biomarker.
Structure and Expression
The RPL26L1 gene is located on chromosome 16 at position 182.1 kb. The protein encoded by this gene is a 21 kDa protein with a molecular weight of 29,112. The protein has a characteristic Rossmann-fold structure and is composed of a distinct N-terminal transmembrane domain, a catalytic C-terminal domain, and a C-terminal N-terminal domain that contains a leucine-rich repeat.
Expression of the RPL26L1 gene has been investigated in various organisms, including human, mouse, and various bacteria. It has been shown that the RPL26L1 gene is expressed in various tissues and organs, including brain, heart, muscle, liver, and pancreas. The protein is also expressed in various cell types, including epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and immune cells.
Function and Interaction
The RPL26L1 protein is involved in the regulation of actin filament organization and dynamics. It plays a critical role in the organization and stability of microtubules, which are important for various cellular processes, including cell division, intracellular transport, and cytoskeletal organization. The RPL26L1 protein is known to interact with various microtubule-associated proteins, including TP103, which is a negative regulator of microtubule dynamics.
In addition to its role in microtubule regulation, the RPL26L1 protein is also involved in the regulation of actinin organization and dynamics. It has been shown to interact with the protein F-actinin, which is a critical regulator of actinin organization and dynamics. The RPL26L1 protein is also known to interact with the protein p16, which is a negative regulator of F-actinin.
Drug Target Potential
The RPL26L1 protein is a potential drug target or biomarker due to its involvement in various diseases. Its involvement in cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune disorders makes it an attractive target for drug development.
In cancer, the RPL26L1 protein is involved in the regulation of actinin organization and dynamics, which can contribute to the maintenance of microtubule stability and the regulation of cell division. Therefore, inhibitors of the RPL26L1 protein have been shown to be effective in various cancer treatments, including inhibitors of microtubule-associated proteins and inhibitors of actinin-associated proteins.
In neurodegenerative diseases, the RPL26L1 protein is involved in the regulation of microtubule organization and dynamics, which can contribute to the progression of neurodegeneration. Therefore, inhibitors of the RPL26L1 protein have been shown to be effective in the treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
In autoimmune disorders, the RPL26L1 protein is involved in the regulation of actinin organization and dynamics, which can contribute to the regulation of immune cell function. Therefore, inhibitors of the RPL26L1 protein have been shown to be effective in the treatment of various autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
In conclusion, the RPL26L1-AS1 protein is a member of the
Protein Name: RPL26L1 Antisense RNA 1
More Common Targets
RPL29P11 | RPL29P14 | RPL29P2 | RPL29P20 | RPL30P6 | RPL31P13 | RPL31P51 | RPL31P63 | RPL34P14 | RPL35AP26 | RPL35AP30 | RPL35AP32 | RPL35AP33 | RPL35AP36 | RPL36A-HNRNPH2 | RPL36AP15 | RPL36AP17 | RPL36AP33 | RPL36AP44 | RPL36P13 | RPL39P10 | RPL39P20 | RPL39P40 | RPL39P9 | RPL3P12 | RPL4P6 | RPL5P24 | RPL6P17 | RPL6P8 | RPL7AP10 | RPL7AP28 | RPL7AP41 | RPL7AP69 | RPL7P11 | RPL7P12 | RPL7P24 | RPL7P32 | RPL7P38 | RPL7P55 | RPL9P29 | RPLP1P4 | RPS10-NUDT3 | RPS10P19 | RPS12P10 | RPS12P24 | RPS12P28 | RPS15P2 | RPS17P10 | RPS20P13 | RPS20P35 | RPS23P10 | RPS25P10 | RPS26P21 | RPS26P30 | RPS27AP12 | RPS27AP20 | RPS27AP5 | RPS27P21 | RPS27P22 | RPS27P23 | RPS27P29 | RPS27P7 | RPS27P9 | RPS29P16 | RPS29P22 | RPS29P23 | RPS29P8 | RPS2P28 | RPS2P44 | RPS3AP24 | RPS3AP34 | RPS3AP46 | RPS3P5 | RPS4XP5 | RPS6P15 | RPS6P17 | RPS7P10 | RPS7P2 | RPSAP1 | RPSAP41 | RRM2P3 | RRN3 | RRN3P3 | RRS1-DT | RSBN1 | RSU1P2 | RTEL1-TNFRSF6B | RUVBL1-AS1 | RWDD2B | S100Z | S1PR1 | S1PR3 | S1PR5 | SAA2-SAA4 | SACS-AS1 | SAE1 | SAMD15 | SAMD9 | SAMSN1-AS1 | SARDH

domain: medical


text:
The lack of movement in our monthly economic monitor even after a quarter of job growth underscores the urgency of progressives advancing an effective economic message. The current messages coming from President Obama and the national Democrats are demonstrably ineffective – indeed, out of sync with what is happening to people in the real economy. The message has voters looking backward instead of forward, fails to take full advantage of voters’ continuing contempt for Republicans and fails to offer voters a powerful contrast and choice. But there are powerful alternatives to the current approach, which would strengthen the case for progressives and individual candidates.
The urgency grows with the most recent economic monitor completed this week by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner for Citizen Opinion – after a quarter of monthly job growth and two months of accelerating gains. But the economic tracking this week indicates how remote that seems for those in the real economy. Belief the country is on the right track and perceptions of macro economic growth have not moved after a one-month shift. Voters remain deeply cautious, with their judgments affected by the country’s partisan polarization. There is no appreciable movement on the micro, personal economic indicators: unemployment, reduced hours and wages, lost health insurance, and foreclosures. As the new job claims indicates, this is very fragile at the individual level.


The 15,187 who came to Lord’s to watch last year’s ODI against India represented the largest ever English crowd for a women’s match outside of a World Cup, but a hotly-anticipated series against Australia has set new levels of demand.
Tickets sales in Birmingham have already exceeded the previous high watermark, with the ground reaching over 75 per cent capacity more than three months before game day.
The match is the first of three 20-over contests, sandwiched between a five-day Test at Trent Bridge and three ODIs in a multi-format super-series that runs parallel with the men’s Ashes.
“The atmosphere at Edgbaston is always special, but the prospect of being cheered on by up to 20,000 fans is something else,” said England bowler Issy Wong, who players her domestic cricket for Central Sparks and Birmingham Phoenix.
“Obviously I’ll be doing everything I possibly can on the field and in training to be part of that Ashes squad. It would be a very proud moment to walk out in front of a record crowd at my home ground.”
Alex Perkins, sales and marketing director at Edgbaston, which is sold out for the first four days of the opening men’s Ashes Test, said: “Since going on sale last September, demand for our Women’s Ashes IT20 has been extremely high.
“For ticket sales to pass the previous women’s attendance record with three months still to go, all with paid-for tickets, is an incredible achievement and a reflection of the rapidly growing interest in women’s sport across the region.
“But we’re not done here. We want to break more records and the next ambition is to sell out Edgbaston.”