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Mango Jicama Salad Recipe
“I’m always looking for recipes with out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, like mango and jicama,” relates Doreen Dineen of Freeville, New York. “I couldn’t find one with those fruits, so I creates this crunchy, slightly sweet salad with a refreshing citrus dressing.”
- 1 cup julienned peeled jicama
- 1 cup chopped peeled mango
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 cups torn mixed salad greens
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Dash salt and pepper
- 1. In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Divide the greens between two salad plates; top with jicama mixture.
- 2. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients; drizzle over salads. Yield: 2 servings.
1-3/4 cups equals 199 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 82 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 2 g protein.
Reviews for Mango Jicama Salad
© 2016 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC


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American history regents essays
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domain: history


Ben Roethlisberger Will Be Playing His Final Home Game As A Steeler Monday Night
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be leading his team onto Heinz Field for his last time As a Steeler Monday night when Pittsburgh hosts the Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. There are a lot of mixed opinions when it comes to Roethlisberger. However, he should go down as an all time great quarterback. #InsaneVoice
Ray Rauth brings a balanced approach to covering the NFL. His video blogs are a blend of facts & objective opinions. Ray has been creating NFL content since 2017.


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Franjo Tudman International Airport in Croatia / Branko Kincl + Velimir Neidhardt + Jure Radić, 2017
the distinctiveness of the #architectural#design , a three-level body of #reinforced#concrete that forms the #terminal ’s base, is achieved through a composition of hypars. the #envelope#structure is a #spatial#truss gently curved in two directions, deploying tens of thousands #prefabricated#steel tubes and nodes based on the triangular off grid module ending in bright, glossy and clean roof surfaces. in the same way, the interior is enriched with the originality of the curved ceiling and #construction that is bursting with a multitude of steel elements of the spatial steel structure. such a computer-generated #harmony leads the engineering interpretation towards the top of the architectural #concept materialization.
the structure can thus be perceived as ‘a #dynamic#roof envelope, which unwraps itself, to levitate above the terminal hall – generating the free dynamics of the structural net, an iconic expression of the #landscape and its relief features as original attributions to the generated architectural #form ,’ #airport#architecturephotography#archilovers#architecture#zagreb#croatia
Método das CHARNEIRAS PLÁSTICAS ou PROCESSO DAS ÁREAS:
Normatizado pela NBR 6118 (2014), que permite calcular as reações de apoio de lajes (carregamento das vigas) retangulares sob carregamento uniformemente distribuído proveniente das cargas solicitantes na laje, e para cada apoio, as carga são correspondente aos triângulos ou trapézios obtidos, traçando-se, a partir dos vértices, na planta da laje, retas inclinadas de:
• 45° entre dois apoios do mesmo tipo;
• 60° a partir do apoio engastado, se o outro for simplesmente apoiado;
• 90° a partir do apoio vinculado (apoiado ou engastado), quando a borda vizinha for livre.
Particularmente prefiro esse método, pela praticidade e por excluir o uso de tabelas. Lembrando que apresenta resultados similares à outros métodos.
Créditos para @aleefelips
We are so sorry for the inconvenience! Tomorrow, August 22nd, classes that are held between 9:00 AM and 5:30 PM will be cancelled due to the reconstruction of our roads. Classes that start at 6:30 PM and after will still remain and there will still be class. There will be a make up day on November 22nd for those classes that are being cancelled. Thanks for understanding!! 🚗🚧
Daddy's b-day!! WOW I can't believe I turned 36 today!! Brayden was born 4 hours before my birthday! Scroll through these pics....(swipe the photo to see the collage)....my kids are just full of joy and happiness and I'm the luckiest father alive!!!! ❤❤❤

domain: artistic


Septime Webre Named Artistic Director of Hong Kong Ballet
Just last year, we announced that Septime Webre was stepping down as The Washington Ballet’s artistic director after 16 years at the helm. Since then, he’s staged his work at companies all over the country, choreographed a cheeky ’60s-themed ad campaign and stepped in as artistic director of DC–based arts incubator Halcyon. Now, he’s about to make another big move.
This morning Webre announced via email that he will assume directorship of Hong Kong Ballet in July. He succeeds Madeleine Onne, who will be heading to the Houston Ballet Academy as its new academy director.
Hong Kong will gain a prolific choreographer and an experienced leader, while Webre will inherit a 50-dancer company with a diverse repertoire. “Hong Kong Ballet has a long legacy both as an international powerhouse and as one of Asia’s boldest and most vibrant ballet companies,” Webre said in a statement. Next season he’ll oversee the Asian premiere of Le Corsaire and Christopher Wheeldon’s Rush, as well as a European tour.
Hong Kong Ballet’s Jiang Xin and Chen Zhiyao.
Photo by Kyle Froman for Pointe.
Webre plans on having his hands in several pots: In an email, he noted that he will remain artistic director of Halcyon, and he’s even launching a creativity festival in DC in June 2018. He also has projects next year at Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Colorado Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre, to name a few. Those are some serious frequent flyer miles! We’re looking forward to seeing how Hong Kong Ballet’s next chapter unfolds.


It isn’t a secret that Joe Biden will have a much different administration than Donald Trump. Among the policies that will likely change is the new administration’s stance on Iran and whether the US should rejoin the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iranian nuclear testing and operations. The Trump administration was concerned about certain restrictions eventually expiring and thus enabling the potential development of nuclear weapons, causing him to pull the US out of the plan. The opposition believed that to be a mistake, and have now regained power.
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Before topping multiple bestseller lists—including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal—Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A rabid reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned to a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA® and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home.
A fun, sexy, page-turning romantic adventure. This debut sizzles.
Naughton deftly distills deadly intrigue, high adrenaline action, and scorchingly hot passion.
A rock-solid debut…Naughton’s intelligent adventure plot is intensified by the blazing heat that builds from Lisa and Rafe’s first erotic encounter.
Naughton creates an action-packed and satisfying storyline. She also delivers one very charming and sexy hero — with a heart of gold.
STOLEN FURY is must-read for all fans of romantic suspense.
Wow, what a roller coaster ride! Naughton nails her debut with a hot hero, a sassy heroine and a plot with more twists than a pretzel!
Elisabeth Naughton can spin a tale to captivate the reader and take them for a ride. [She] skillfully kept the identity of the villain a secret to the very last chapter and I was shocked upon the revelation.
“Ms. Naughton hooks you with characters way too human to be perfect, and plot lines that are delivered with laser-like precision.”
Exciting, action-packed and fast moving, this story seamlessly alternates from the present to the past. A first-rate mystery, it has well-developed characters and a suspenseful and satisfying climax. A fine romantic thread winds through it all.
An exciting adventure, riveting suspense and sizzling hot romance make this a not-to-miss read.
STOLEN HEAT sets a pulse-pounding pace, whipping you up with a maelstrom of flying bullets and blistering kisses. The emotions are extreme, and the characters unrelenting in this action-packed and sensual romance. Pete and Kat whirl around each other like they are caught up in a tornado, flying apart and getting sucked back in with explosive results. Ms. Naughton hooks you with characters way too human to be perfect, and plot lines that are delivered with laser-like precision.
STOLEN HEAT is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and a wonderful romance with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell with. I had a great time reading it and I’m definitely looking forward to more of Ms. Naughton’s books.
Wowzers!! This book started out with a bang and didn’t stop the entire book through!! Often when reading RS it’s not equally balanced, but not so in this one. It’s the perfect blend of both. If you like romantic suspense, if you’ve never tried it before but are curious and looking for a good one—STOLEN HEAT is a book to put on the Be On The Lookout For [list].
Ms. Naughton offers readers an intense read with nonstop action, suspense, and sizzling chemistry.
This is a well-thought-out concept and wonderfully written books in the trilogy so far. The mysteries are complex but the love is simple, a balance achieved with characters you can’t help but like…Ms. Naughton is now on my auto-buy list.
This book has got it all: an adventure that keeps you turning the pages, an irresistible hero, and a smoking romance. Nothing can detract from the fact that STOLEN HEAT is one fun read.
STOLEN SEDUCTION is the third in Naughton’s Stolen series and in my opinion, the best yet! A very fun, adventurous, and sexy book and I highly recommend it.
This third installment in Naughton’s Stolen series has plenty of twists, a number of intriguingly intertwined mysteries wrapped around a strong central romance and a charming secondary love story. The appearance of characters from Naughton’s previous stories is an added delight.
Gripping, dangerous, and sinfully sexy, MARKED is a top-notch read! Elisabeth Naughton combines dynamic dialogue and sizzling romance with a wicked cool world. Do NOT miss this series!
The sensuality of Sherrilyn Kenyon and the intensity of Patricia Briggs. Naughton’s foray into paranormals is deep, dark and sexy as hell.

domain: library


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Microemulsions (ME)—nanostructured systems composed of water, oil, and surfactants—have frequently been used in attempts to increase cutaneous drug delivery. The primary objective addressed in this work has been the development of temperature-sensitive microemulsion gel (called gel-like ME), as an effective and safe delivery system suitable for simultaneous topical application of a hydrophilic vitamin C and a lipophilic vitamin E. By changing water content of liquid o/w ME (o/w ME), a gel-like ME with temperature-sensitive rheological properties was formed. The temperature-driven changes in its microstructure were confirmed by rotational rheometry, viscosity measurements, and droplet size determination. The release studies have shown that the vitamins’ release at skin temperature from gel-like ME were comparable to those from o/w ME and were much faster and more complete than from o/w ME conventionally thickened with polymer (o/w ME carbomer). According to effectiveness in skin delivery of both vitamins, o/w ME was found the most appropriate, followed by gel-like ME and by o/w ME carbomer, indicating that no simple correlation between vitamins release and skin absorption could be found. The cytotoxicity studies revealed good cell viability after exposure to ME and confirmed all tested microemulsions as nonirritant.
In attempts to increase cutaneous drug delivery, microemulsions (ME) have been more and more frequently employed over recent years. ME are nanosized mixtures of water, oil, and surfactants that are transparent, single phase, optically isotropic, and thermodynamically stable. They have been shown to be superior to conventional vehicles like emulsions or hydrogels for dermal delivery of hydrophilic and especially lipophilic drugs. The favorable drug delivery properties of ME are attributed mainly to their excellent solubilizing properties. They can also act as penetration enhancers, depending on the nature of the oil and surfactant constituents (1).
Besides optimizing the formulation to maximize cutaneous drug bioavailability, it is also important to ensure that it is aesthetically acceptable to patients, is easy to use, and adheres to skin sufficiently (2). Optimizing rheological behavior is therefore one of the crucial steps in development of dermal drug delivery systems. Depending on their composition, ME exhibit a number of structures, varying from dispersed droplets of different shape and size to liquid lamellar crystals (3). It is generally known that from o/w ME under certain conditions upon the addition of specific amounts of water transparent isotropic gels can be formed (4). Unfortunately, these water-induced gel structures are frequently easily disturbed and the addition of drug molecules can considerably affect their stability. The more usual way to optimize the rheological behavior of topical ME is addition of thickening agent that increases the viscosity of the system without affecting its stability and spontaneous formation (5). However, finding an appropriate thickener is a time-consuming task since the selection is done empirically and numerous thickeners have to be screened. Thickened ME are usually composed of two distinct structural elements, a network formed by thickener in the outer phase that coexists with the microemulsion droplets (4).
Even though sunlight is indispensable for life, it is well known that UV regions of the spectrum are linked to skin disorders ranging from mild inflammatory effects to serious diseases like skin cancer (6). Cells are equipped with a variety of mechanisms that constantly monitor and repair UV-induced damage, the most important being nucleotide excision repair systems and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Nevertheless, excessive exposure to sunlight can still cause depletion of skin repair mechanisms and the development of effective strategies to support the cells’ protection mechanisms is important in achieving protection against and therapy of cutaneous disorders (7).
Because the most important nonenzymatic aqueous- and lipid-phase antioxidants—vitamins C (l-ascorbic acid) and E (α-tocopherol), respectively—can only be provided exogenously, it is beneficial to enhance oral supplementation by topical application for extra protection of the skin (8). In cells, vitamins C and E act synergistically to provide antioxidant protection. It has been shown that a topical combination of l-ascorbic acid with α-tocopherol gives fourfold protection against UV-induced erythema, compared to twofold protection by either vitamin alone (8–11).
The major challenge for topical delivery of antioxidants is development of formulations that could stabilize them and that provide a sufficient increase in their penetration into the skin. Furthermore, delivery systems that allow simultaneous incorporation of antioxidants with different lipophilicities such as ME or liposomes are desirable (12–14).
The primary objective addressed in this work has been the development of temperature-sensitive ME gel (called gel-like ME), composed of uniquely pharmaceutically acceptable components, as an effective and safe delivery system suitable for simultaneous topical application of a hydrophilic and a lipophilic vitamin. We formulated temperature-sensitive ME gel with a suitable consistency for topical application at 20°C that changes into liquid ME at skin temperature and thus accelerates vitamins release. First, we studied temperature-driven changes of gel-like ME in comparison to liquid o/w ME (called o/w ME) and conventionally thickened o/w ME (called o/w ME carbomer) using rheological and droplet size measurements. Second, the effectiveness of all three formulations as a vehicle for simultaneous topical delivery of vitamins C and E was investigated using in vitro skin permeation test. Finally, the in vitro toxicity of model cell cultures exposed to ME was evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and by fluorescence microscopy.
Isopropyl myristate was obtained from Fluka Chemie, Switzerland and used as the lipophilic phase. Tween 40—polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monopalmitate (Fluka Chemie, Switzerland)—was used as surfactant and Imwitor 308—glyceryl caprylate (Condea, Germany)—as cosurfactant. Purified water was used as the hydrophilic phase. α-Tocopherol (vitamin E, viscous liquid, molecular weight 430.72 g/mol) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C, white crystalline powder, molecular weight 176.12 g/mol) were from Fluka, Switzerland. The composition of tested ME is given in Table I.
All ME were prepared in the same way. The surfactant and cosurfactant were blended in a 1:1 mass ratio to give the surfactant mixture. Isopropyl myristate and distilled water were then added and mixed with a magnetic stirrer for 5 min at room temperature. Vitamins C and E were incorporated by stirring with a magnetic stirrer for 30 min. o/w ME carbomer was prepared by adding carbomer (Carbopol 974 PNF, BF Goodrich, Belgium) to o/w ME containing vitamins and stirred with a magnetic stirrer for 30 min. The ME were left covered for at least 24 h before use. The final vitamin content was always in the range 95–105% of the amount added to ME.
The rheological characteristics were determined with a Rheolab MC 100 Paar Physica, controlled shear rate rheometer at 20°C and 32°C. The geometry used was a stainless steel cone/plate system MK22 (r=25 mm, θ=1°). All measurements were made in triplicate.
The absolute dynamic viscosity of ME was determined in triplicate in a temperature range 20–32°C using a SV-10 Vibro Viscosimeter, A&D Company, Japan. The temperature coefficient of viscosity was calculated:
and expressed in [%/°C].
Dynamic light scattering measurements of the hydrodynamic radius and polydispersity of the ME structures were performed at 20°C and 32°C using a Nano ZS, Malvern Instruments. ME samples were thermostated 5 min before measurement. The viscosity of the samples was determined as described in section “Rheological measurements” and the refractive indexes were measured using refractometer Carl Zeiss.
Excess vitamin C (0.5 g) or vitamin E (3 g) was added to 4 g of ME or their components. The systems were allowed to reach equilibrium by stirring at 25±1°C for 24 h. Samples were then centrifuged at 28,000 rpm for 20 min at 5°C to separate excess vitamin from the formulations. Under test conditions, vitamin E dissolved completely in surfactant mixture and isopropyl myristate. Vitamin E was therefore mixed with surfactant mixture to give mass fractions ranging from 10% to 90% in 10% steps and left to equilibrate as described above. The same procedure was repeated for vitamin E solubility in isopropyl myristate. After dilution and filtration, samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All samples were analyzed in triplicate.
Vitamins C and E release rates from formulations were measured through cellulose acetate membrane (pore size 0.45 μm, Sartorious, Goettingen, Germany) soaked in receptor solution 24 h before experiments. Franz diffusion cells with a diffusion area of 0.785 cm2 and 8 ml of receptor volume were used. To take account of the very low solubility of vitamin E and to ensure its stability, isopropyl myristate solution with 0.5% (w/w) Tween 40 and 0.5% (w/w) Imwitor 308 was demonstrated to be a suitable receptor phase. For vitamin C, 0.9% NaCl was used as receptor fluid. Five hundred milligrams of ME was dosed in the donor compartment. The system was kept in a temperature-controlled water bath to maintain the temperature in the donor compartment at 32°C or 20°C and the receptor phase was continuously stirred. At predetermined time intervals, 0.3 ml samples were taken and replaced by the same volume of fresh preheated receptor. Vitamin concentrations were determined by HPLC. Each experiment was done in quadruplicate.
Cumulative amount of vitamin released was plotted against square root of time:
where Q(t) is the cumulative amount (nmol/cm2) of vitamin released in time t (<60%), K (nmol/(h(1/2) cm2)) is the kinetic constant indicative of vitamin release rate, and t(1/2) is square root of time. The degree of linearity Q(t)=f (t(1/2)) was checked for all formulations for both vitamins and Pearson’s coefficient was always above 0.993.
Pigs’ ears were obtained from the local slaughterhouse. The skin was kept frozen until use. Before use, it was briefly washed under tap water, hairs were removed, and the skin was sliced (thickness <1 mm). Skin slices were mounted on Franz diffusion cells and filled with receptor fluid the evening before the experiment and left to equilibrate overnight in water bath maintaining skin surface temperature at 32°C. Before experiment, the whole receptor compartment was emptied out and refilled with fresh preheated medium. Eight milliliters of 0.9% NaCl with 3% of chicken egg albumin (Sigma Aldrich, Germany) was used as the receptor fluid. The area available for diffusion was 0.785 cm2. One gram of formulation was spread on the skin surface. At predetermined time intervals (30, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 360 min), 1 ml of sample was taken from the receptor compartment and replaced by fresh medium. Vitamins were extracted from collected samples with MeOH and analyzed by HPLC. After 6 h, the formulation was removed and the skin surface cleaned. Epidermis was separated from dermis by heating the samples with hair dryer for 15 s and separating analyzed skin layers with the help of two pairs of tweezers. After separation, the epidermis and dermis were cut into small pieces and vitamins extracted with MeOH. Samples were analyzed by HPLC. The experiments were conducted in a temperature-controlled water bath, resulting in a membrane surface temperature of 32°C in quadruplicate.
The skin permeation rate at steady-state (steady-state flux J; nmol/cm2 h) was calculated from the slope of the linear portion of the plots of cumulative vitamin C permeation per unit of skin surface area against time.
HPLC analysis was carried out with an Agilent 1200 series HPLC system. Chromatographic conditions for vitamin E: a 120×4-mm ID column packed with 5 μm Nucleosil C18 as stationary phase; the mobile phase was methanol:acetonitrile 70:30. The flow rate was 1.5 ml/min. UV detection was at 291 nm. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for chromatographic determination of vitamin E was determined from the calibration curve and was 1.25 μM; the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.412 μM.
Chromatographic conditions for vitamin C: a 250×4-mm ID column packed with 5 μm Nucleosil C18-NH2 as stationary phase; the mobile phase was methanol:acetonitrile:0.02 M phosphate buffer pH 3.5 (20:30:50). The flow rate was 1 ml/min. UV detection was at 243 nm. LOQ for chromatographic determination of vitamin C was determined from the calibration curve to be 22.7 μM; LOD was 7.5 μM.
Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293, ATCC) were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified essential medium (Sigma, Germany) supplemented with 10% heat inactivated fetal calf serum (Gibco, Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA), 2 mM l-glutamine (Sigma, Germany), and 100 U/ml penicillin/streptomycin (Sigma, Germany). All cells were incubated in humidified atmosphere at 37°C in 5% CO2.
MTT assay was performed according to the method of Mosmann with modifications for HEK293 cells proposed by Kristl et al. (15). Yellow 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, a tetrazole, is metabolically reduced to purple formazan. MTT is cleaved to formazan by succinate–tetrazolium reductase system which belongs to the mitochondrial respiratory chain and is active only in viable cells. Since the amount of formed formazan is directly proportional to the number of living cells in culture, the intensity of produced color is an indication of the viability of the cells. Cells were seeded in 96-well plates (2.5×104 cells/well, 100 μl of cell culture medium) and when 40% confluence was reached, 10 μl of test dispersion were added for 24 h. Test dispersions were prepared by diluting ME in cell culture medium (1:200) to achieve the final concentration of ME 450 μg/ml. Only formulations without vitamins were tested, since vitamins C and E are both strong antioxidants, capable of reducing MTT to formazan. In negative control experiments, cells were treated with cell culture medium. SDS solution diluted in cell culture medium to give final concentration of 450 μg/ml was used as a positive control. After 21 h, 11 μl of the MTT dissolved in the assay medium (2 mg/ml) were put in each well and cells were incubated at 37°C and 5% CO2 during 3 h. The insoluble purple formazan product was extracted from the cells by acidic isopropanol into a colored solution. The absorbance of this colored solution was quantified by measuring at 570 nm in an automated plate reader (Safire2™ Tecan, Switzerland). Average cell viability of treated cells was expressed as percentage of absorbance of ME-treated cells as follows:
Cell viability=((AS−AS0)/(AC−AC0)), where AS is the absorbance of treated cells, AC is the absorbance of untreated cells (control), AS0 is the absorbance of ME diluted in medium without cells, and AC0 the absorbance of the medium alone. All tests were done in triplicate.
Cell growth and morphology were observed using an inverted phase-contrast microscope (Olympus CKX41, Japan). Cells were plated on square glass cover slips and incubated in 6-well plates overnight. Following the incubation with different ME (final concentration 450 μg/ml of cell culture medium), the cells were fixed with ice-cold 4% paraformaldehyde in phosphate buffered saline pH 7.4 for 10 min and permeabilized for 10 min in 0.1% Triton X-100 (both Sigma, Germany). Cell nuclei were visualized by staining with a DNA intercalating dye Hoechst 33342 (Riedel de Haen, Germany, 5 μg/ml) for 30 min in the dark. Actin fibers were stained with Phalloidin TRITC (Sigma, USA, 1:40). After staining, the cover slips were removed from the wells, mounted on a slide, and viewed using 360/420 nm (Hoechst) and 535/635 nm (Phalloidin—TRITC) excitation/emission filter sets.
Influence of formulation on vitamins’ solubility, release rate, skin permeation, and on cell viability was evaluated by one-way analysis of variance with KaleidaGraph® software package. Bonferroni’s test was used for post hoc comparisons. Significance was tested at the 0.05 level of probability.
Rheological analysis is one of the most frequently used techniques for characterization of ME structure at macroscopic level. Rheological measurements of tested formulations demonstrated that their flow behavior depends on composition and on surrounding temperature (Figs. 1 and and2a,2a, b).
At 20°C, gel-like ME exhibits almost threefold higher viscosity than o/w ME that was used as a comparison (Fig. 1). Although the topical application of o/w ME is possible, a slightly increased viscosity of the vehicle, like in the case of gel-like ME, is desirable. For comparison, we also formulated o/w ME carbomer with approximately the same viscosity at 20°C as that of gel-like ME. This was done conventionally by adding a suitable thickener to o/w ME. The choice of appropriate thickener was done empirically by screening different polymers such as xanthan, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, locust bean gum, carbomer, and sodium alginate. Only with carbomer, a synthetic high molecular weight acrylic acid polymer, a stable system with appropriate viscosity could be formed that was called o/w ME carbomer.
As can be seen from Fig. 1, the viscosity of all three systems in the temperature range 20–32°C is decreasing. In the case of o/w ME and o/w ME carbomer, the decrease is linear with time. Moreover, their temperature coefficients of viscosity calculated using Eq. 1 were approximately the same (−3.5±0.1%/°C and −2.8±0.2%/°C for o/w ME and o/w ME carbomer, respectively). They are close to the temperature coefficients of other liquids and semisolids (e.g. olive oil, silicone oil, water, honey). All these data proved that a small decrease in viscosity is a typical reaction of many systems when exposed to slightly increased temperature. On the contrary, the viscosity of gel-like ME decreases drastically with temperature (its temperature coefficient of viscosity is −11.8%/°C) and at 32°C, its viscosity is the same as that of o/w ME. The rapid changes in viscosity, reflected in high temperature coefficient of viscosity, are usually associated with the change in microstructure of ME.
The changes in viscosity following ME exposure to shear stress shown on Fig. 2a, b (at 20°C and 32°C, respectively) additionally confirmed the temperature driven changes in rheological behavior of gel-like ME that were on contrary not observed either in o/w ME or in o/w ME carbomer.
At 20°C, gel-like ME expressed rheopectic behavior, rarely seen in pharmaceutical systems (Fig. 2a). It has been proven by small angle X-ray scattering measurements that at rest, gel-like ME consists of lamellar structures (16) that are the consequence of increased interactions between highly hydrated surfactant chains (17). At higher shear rates, the aqueous layer of surfactants is disrupted, which is reflected in increased resistance to flow (Fig. 2a). However, at a skin temperature, the rheological behavior of gel-like ME changed to that of o/w ME that are characterized as low-viscosity Newtonian fluids, indicating the destruction of the gel-like structure (Fig. 2b). As mentioned above, o/w ME that differs from gel-like ME only in water content is a stable, ideal Newtonian fluid at 32°C as well as at 20°C. The addition of carbomer to o/w ME changed its rheological behavior from Newtonian to thixotropic (Fig. 2a). The shear stress applied caused the macromolecules of carbomer to align in the direction of the shear stress vector, which resulted, in opposition to gel-like ME, in reduced resistance to flow. Increase in temperature to 32°C did not affect its rheological behavior (Fig. 2b). The addition of vitamins did not influence the viscosity of gel-like ME (75.6 mPa.s at 20°C)
Table II shows the hydrodynamic radius of the droplets of ME samples obtained from photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) measurements at 20°C and 32°C. Polydispersity index is listed only for samples that had a single peak in the intensity chart.
No structures in the size range 0.1–10,000 nm were observed in gel-like ME at 20°C, although the scattering of the sample was good. As described previously, gel-like ME is composed of double-layer lamellar phases (16) that could not be measured by PCS. However, it is very interesting to note that at 32°C small droplets were detected, confirming our hypothesis that increase in temperature lead to structural reorganization of gel-like ME into o/w ME consisting of fine oil droplets dispersed in aqueous phase.
As already confirmed by Podlogar et al. (17), o/w ME also has very small size aggregates, which makes this system optically transparent. Increase in temperature to 32°C does not considerably affect droplets size (Table II). In the case of o/w ME carbomer, the additional peak due to the presence of polymer aggregates (451.3±105 at 20°C and 872.7±132 at 32°C) was noticed. Nevertheless, the droplets size was comparable to that of o/w ME.
The solubility of vitamins C and E was determined in tested ME and in particular components (Table III). Significant differences (p<0.05) in solubility of both vitamins in gel-like ME, o/w ME and o/w ME carbomer were seen that were mostly induced by different composition of the vehicles. Vitamin C is a freely water soluble drug. Its solubility in other components of o/w ME is very limited (Table III), leading to conclusion that it must be located mainly in the aqueous phase of ME. Accordingly, its solubility in ME is decreased with lower water content (gel-like ME vs. o/w ME; Table III). On the other hand, vitamin E is a poorly water soluble drug but completely miscible with the oily and surfactant phases. Consequently, in contrast to vitamin C, its solubility in ME decreases with increased water content. Addition of carbomer slightly lowered vitamin E solubility, probably due to its creation of a more hydrophilic environment (18). This would also account for the small increase of vitamin C solubility in o/w ME carbomer.
Several parameters can influence the mechanism of drug release from ME, such as type of ME, its internal structure, viscosity, vitamin solubility, and vitamin hydrophilicity/lipophilicity. In our study, all formulations were of the same type (o/w), but they differed in their rheological properties and microstructure (Figs. 1 and and2;2; Table II). Moreover, they were simultaneously loaded with hydrophilic vitamin C and lipophilic vitamin E whose solubility in the vehicle depended on formulation.
The release profiles of vitamins C and E from tested ME (Fig. 3a–c) were determined at 20°C and 32°C. The release rate constant (K; Eq. 2) was calculated from the slope of the linear portion of the plots of cumulative drug released against t1/2 and expressed in nmol/(cm2 h1/2) in order to facilitate comparison between vitamin E and C release since their molar concentration was the same in all vehicles (23 μmol/g of formulation).
From gel-like ME at 32°C, 75% of vitamin C was released in 6 h, characteristic time elapsing between two subsequent topical applications. The amount of vitamin E released (Fig. 3a) and its release rate (Table IV) was considerably lower. Vitamin E, being lipophilic, is incorporated in the inner phase of ME and has to partition from oily droplets into the continuous phase before being released to the receptor solution, whereas vitamin C is located mainly in the outer aqueous phase. At 20°C, no difference between vitamin E and C release from gel-like ME was observed (Fig. 3a; Table IV), which is consistent with our previous conclusions that gel-like ME at 20°C does not have a typical microstructure of oily droplets dispersed in aqueous medium. In contrast to gel-like ME at 20°C, the difference in vitamins C and E release from o/w ME was clearly seen (Fig. 3b; Table IV). The comparison of release profiles and release rates of vitamin C at 32°C (Fig. 3a, b; Table IV) revealed no difference between the gel-like and o/w ME, since the structure of the former one has been shown to be destroyed at physiologic temperature (Fig. 2; Table II). However, at 32°C, vitamin E was released more slowly from gel-like ME than from o/w ME. The possible explanation is that the former one has higher percentage of water, which constitutes a diffusion barrier for vitamin E.
Release of both vitamins from o/w ME carbomer at 32°C was incomplete and very slow in comparison to o/w ME and gel-like ME (Fig. 3a–c; Table IV). As for other two tested ME with decrease of temperature to 20°C, the release of both vitamins from o/w ME carbomer was additionally slowed down (Fig. 3c; Table IV).
The permeation experiments were performed using pig ear skin as barrier. When considering the penetration of a vitamin from different formulations into the skin apart from vehicle–vitamin interactions (proven by solubility and release experiments), influence of the carrier on the skin barrier has to be considered. In the case of ME especially surfactants may alter the structure of the skin and modify the skin absorption of vitamins. Although in the present study all tested ME contained approximately the same amount of surface active agents (Table I), the differences among tested ME were observed (Table V).
Two permeation parameters were evaluated: vitamin accumulation in the skin layers and their permeation through the skin into receptor fluid. Vitamin contents in epidermis and dermis were analyzed separately. Gel-like ME delivered in the epidermis approximately the same amount of both vitamins than other two tested ME (p=0.98 and 0.58 for vitamins C and E, respectively), but molar concentrations of vitamin E were on average twofold higher than those of vitamin C (Table V).
Concerning delivery into dermis and receptor fluid, gel-like ME delivered fewer vitamins than o/w ME, but more than o/w ME carbomer (Table V; Fig. 4). Significant amounts of vitamin E were found in dermis (Table V) and none in the receptor fluid. Vitamin E can bind to skin tissue where it forms a very strong reservoir (19) and although the solubility of vitamin E in receptor fluid was improved by adding albumin, its partitioning from skin to receptor fluid was still not favored. Overall, molar concentrations of vitamin C in the dermis were up to 200-fold lower than those of vitamin E (Table V). It seems that vitamin C, in contrast to vitamin E, does not favor accumulation in dermis.
o/w ME enabled a higher delivery of vitamin E in dermis than gel-like ME, although the differences were not statistically significant. This could be, apart from lower amount of isopropyl myristate, a well-known penetration enhancer (20), also attributed to sustained release of vitamin E from gel-like ME (Fig. 3a, b). o/w ME carbomer also delivered less vitamin E in dermis than o/w ME. Again, this effect can be attributed mainly to unfavorable partitioning of vitamin E from the dispersed oily phase to the continuous aqueous phase.
In all cases, vitamin C was found in the receptor solution after 30 min (Fig. 4). Steady-state fluxes were obtained from the slope of the linear part of permeation profiles (Table VI). Less vitamin C permeated the skin from gel-like ME than from o/w ME (p<0.001). Moreover, its permeation rate was lower from gel-like ME than from o/w ME although the respective release rates across artificial membranes were the same (Tables IV and andVI).VI). This phenomenon could be explained by lower amount of penetration enhancer isopropyl myristate in gel-like ME. o/w ME carbomer delivered the lowest amount of vitamin C across the skin (p=0.002 and p<0.001 compared to gel-like and o/w ME, respectively) and its permeation rate was also the lowest.
Figure 5 summarizes the cell viability after 24-h exposure of HEK293 cells to different ME that contained no vitamin. HEK293 cells were chosen for cytotoxicity experiments since they are, like normal human keratinocytes, epithelial adherent, but they allow simple manipulation and suitable visualization. Moreover, this cell culture has already been used to study the photoprotective effects of antioxidants in liposomes (21).
All ME show good cell viabilities (larger than 75%). No significant difference (p<0.05) among formulations was seen, which was expected as all systems contained approximately the same amount of surfactants, the components of ME that are usually associated with irritation. All tested ME performed considerably better (p<0.001) than the positive control (SDS solution in the same final concentration as ME), a standard irritant in cell culture models. The results indicate that by selecting pharmaceutically acceptable ingredients, it is possible to produce low toxicity ME.
The effect of ME on cell morphology was examined by fluorescence microscopy. On Fig. 6, representative pictures of control cells and cells treated with ME are shown. As no difference among different ME was observed, only a picture of cell culture treated with o/w ME is represented. No difference in morphology of cell nuclei was observed. However, changes in cytoskeletal architecture reflected in different organization of actin fibers that could have as a consequence changes in membrane integrity has been observed, probably due to a presence of surfactant molecules. This changes in cell morphology helps to explain the ≈25% loss of cell viability in cell culture after the exposure to ME.
Microemulsion gel with temperature-sensitive rheological behavior has been proved an effective and non-irritant vehicle with functionally suitable consistency for simultaneous topical delivery of a hydrophilic vitamin C and a lipophilic vitamin E.
Authors would like to thank Prof. Hans E. Junginger for helpful discussion. We are grateful to assistant Karmen Teskač for her assistance with fluorescence microscope.
This work was supported by a grant of Slovenian Research Agency.

domain: chemistry


text:
After coming to the realization that an affected family member may benefit from the advantages of hospice care, one of the most common questions that follows is how to pay for the services. Hospice care can be a critical support program offered by a team of care workers such as a nurse, doctor, minister, and other individuals who address the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of a patient.
Without a clear understanding of how patients and families pay for hospice care, family members may put off the conversation entirely and not know that they are keeping a loved one from getting the support that he or she needs. Bear in mind that while a great many people in need of hospice care may qualify for it due to Medicare, most private insurers also cover hospice as well. It is best to first investigate options before closing the door on the important conversation about hospice care. Hospice care is something that can help both the patient and his or her family.
Basics of Hospice
Hospice care provides pain relief and symptom support to a patient who has received a diagnosis of having six or less months to live. After a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and begins the end of life journey, it can be challenging to initiate the talk about care options. Many family members avoid this conversation entirely because death is a difficult topic, and because of the anxiety and fear surrounding the potential burden of expense. This is why it is important to realize that a loved one may be eligible to complete their end of life journey with dignity and comfort without the pain and anxiety of becoming a financial burden or strain.
Coverage Options for Hospice
There are many different private, federal, and state coverage options, meaning that hospice care is frequently more affordable than family members think, sometimes resulting in little or no cost for the loved-one or the family members. Knowing all of the choices available is strongly recommended, and identifying an experienced hospice care team early on can assist with many of the different questions associated with the transition to hospice care. A doctor may recommend that a patient consider hospice care. The patient themselves may also suggest hospice care when they no longer see the benefits of receiving traditional options. Hospice care does not provide curative treatments addressed for the illness. Rather, it is focused more on providing peace, comfort, and support for symptoms that the patient is coping with at the end of life.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit
Medicare is the name for the national health program for permanent residents or citizens aged 65 years or older. Medicare coverage may also be eligible to assist younger individuals with qualifying disabilities or permanent kidney failure. There are four primary parts to Medicare that can be aligned with various medical needs.
Medicare Part A Insurance
Medicare Part A insurance assists with the cost linked with placement in:
- Hospice care
- Home health services
- Nursing facility care
- Nursing home care
- Hospital care
The majority of individuals will qualify for free Medicare Part A due to a spouse working or themselves working for a minimum of ten years in the U.S. and making payments towards associated Medicare taxes.
Medicare Part B Insurance
Medical insurance provided by Medicare Part B assists with the costs connected with medical equipment, doctor’s visits, and outpatient hospital care, among other services.
Medicare Part C Insurance
Medicare advantage plans fall under the umbrella of Medicare Part C. Medicare advantage plans provide all of the benefits under Medicare Part A and Part B with additional options such as dental, vision, and hearing. Some plans may even provide prescription coverage support.
Medicare Part D Insurance
Medicare Part D refers to prescription drugs specifically. It is a singular program offered by a private plan approved by Medicare. These are often bundled with other plans, and as always, it is wise to evaluate all plan options by reading the fine print when signing up with any of these. This helps to answer difficult questions when it comes time to qualify for these critical support programs.
In the 1980s, the U.S. government started a hospice benefit program with Medicare. The Medicare’s hospice benefit is structure to provide individuals who have received a life limiting illness with a comfortable, peaceful, and dignified journey without the significant financial burden that may be associated with this service if the patient had to pay for it on their own. This is the most common type of payment remitted for hospice services in the United States, making up the payment coverage option for over 85% of patients getting hospice care.
What Patients and Family Members Need to Know About Qualifying for the Medicare Hospice Benefit
In the event that a loved one wants to receive hospice care and financial assistance from the federal government, there are several different criteria that must be met first. These include:
- The patient must already have Medicare Part A coverage
- The person legally designated to speak on the patient’s behalf must have stated their acceptance of palliative care instead of curative measures of the illness
- The primary physician and the medical director for hospice must have certified that the loved one has six months or less to live
- The loved one must have formally chosen to get hospice care with a particular hospice organization
After these initial qualification requirements have been met, the hospice benefits are split up into what is known as benefit periods. The first benefit period is 90 days long, which is followed by a second 90-day benefit. After these two 90-day benefit periods have been used up, there are unlimited 60 day periods following. At the conclusion of each qualifying benefit period, the loved one must meet the criteria again for having a life limiting illness. In the event that a loved one wants to stop care through hospice, they can always elect to stop this coverage at anytime.
Look into Hospice Early
Do not miss out on exploring the hospice option if a loved one has requested it or if a doctor has recommended looking into it. With Medicare covering the vast majority of people receiving support, there is a good chance that a loved one will be able to get the support and care necessary paid for by the federal program.
Discussing options early on gives the best possible window for the loved one to get into hospice sooner rather than later. A rising number of individuals are being placed into hospice care relatively late and are only able to take advantage of the program for a few days–this can be an unnecessary pressure point for both loved ones and their family members.
By investigating hospice care sooner rather than later, a loved one may be able to leave the uncomfortable hospital environment and get support and care directly in their own home. This is the preferred place to have hospice care for the majority of people who are in hospice, but it can also be administered elsewhere if the person wishes to stay in the hospital or is unable to go home for some reason. When elected at the appropriate time, family members can also serve as part of the hospice care team more effectively.
The Medicare coverage for that patient will then go back to the plan in place prior to hospice care. As long as the qualifications are again met for the Medicare hospice benefit, the patient can also reenter the program at any time as well.
After qualifying for the Medicare hospice benefit, some of the benefits received include:
- Medical equipment
- Non-curative prescriptions
- Medical supplies
- Nursing care
- Bereavement counselling
- Short term respite care
- Short term inpatient care
- Social work services
- Occupational, speech, or physical therapies
- Home health aide services
- Nutritional or dietary services
There are certain services that the Medicare hospice benefit does not cover. The Medicare hospice benefit is structured to provide loved ones with an affordable means to end of life care. There are some costs and treatments, however, that are not covered by the hospice benefit program. These include emergency room assistance unrelated to the terminal illness, in-patient care not associated with the terminal illness, curative treatments, care that has not been arranged by the hospice care organization, transportation by ambulance, or room and board costs. There are also some possible out of pocket costs associated with the Medicare hospice benefit. These include:
- Room and board charges
- In-patient Respite Care
- Prescription Drug Cost
Having all of the questions answered upfront can give a great deal of peace of mind to loved ones who are concerned about the costs of hospice.

domain: medical


text:
The commodity is falling following the latest development regarding the Greek debt crisis.
Crude oil (WTI) is slipping by 2.10% to $58.38 per barrel and Brent crude is retreating by 2.29% to $61.81 per barrel this morning, according to the CNBC.com index.
On Monday, Greece announced it has closed it banks until July 6 and issued capital controls, which has caused investors to run from risky assets and also weakened the outlook for demand, Reuters reports.
"This may be the time when we break lower and into the $50s for Brent as we have a full week of uncertainty," SEB head of commodity analysis Bjarne Schieldrop told Reuters.
Greece and its international creditors were holding talks on Saturday as part of a last minute effort to keep the country from defaulting by agreeing to a number of reforms. The discussions were interrupted when Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced he is calling for a referendum on July 5.
The referendum is essentially a vote on measures its creditors have demanded in return for more bailout funds, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Chevron is a San Ramon, CA.-based crude oil and natural gas explorer, developer and producer.
Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates CHEVRON CORP as a Hold with a ratings score of C. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:

domain: news


text:
Everyone knows the Cinderella story, so obviously I did not attend the performance for the plot-line. I was not sitting on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next, nor did I really care about Cinderella’s well-being because I already knew what was going to happen. This is not to say that Ellyse Hampshire, senior, was unable to fulfill the role with ease. She was sufficiently sugary and Disneyesque. Her excessively saccharine charm and innocence perfectly personified the role of Cinderella, and she was visually stunning.
If Cinderella was the sugar, then Prince Christopher, played by Jake Van Ollefen, senior, completed the mix. Van Ollefen’s sarcasm and dry wit complimented Hampshire’s syrupy interpretation of Cinderella, that was, until the “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?” number.
“Do I love you because you’re beautiful, or are you beautiful because I love you?”
I blame the script.
Now, the Cinderella cake production could have been dry in some parts without the other ingredients. Notable characters were the evil stepmother, played by Ally Bass, senior, and the comical ugly stepsisters, played by Alyssa Petrone and Lauren Wilder, seniors.
Perhaps the butter, the ingredient that added the most flavor and richness to the production, was a combination of Wilder and Spiro Trance, senior, who played the Royal Steward. Both Trance and Wilder were my favorite additions of comic relief and helped keep the show exciting.
Mary Robert McGrath, junior, definitely spiced up the traditionally drab role of the Fairy Godmother with enough attitude and spunk to land her in a Tyler Perry movie. More spice included what I like to call the sassy horses. These cheeky creatures were played by Kordell Draper, Bob Nelson, Brooks Jordan and John Wolf, juniors. During a rather mushy moment between Cinderella and Prince Christopher, the horses nearly stole the show in white track suit get-ups complete with horsey head pieces. Not only was their appearance humorous, but they literally brought tears to my eyes as they whinnied, neighed and pawed the ground dramatically.
Many times perceived as part of the scenery, the villagers and palace guests were intriguing on their own. If one were to watch closely, they would see relationships forming from scene to scene. In fact, some musical numbers would have fallen to dust without the singing villagers creating a resonant backdrop of sound.
The heat used to bake such a successful production can only come from one thing—chemistry. While Cinderella and Prince Christopher definitely had chemistry, the warmest connection came from the king and queen, played by Davis Plunkett, senior, and Alicia Reid, junior. Not only did they perform well together on stage, but their voices were seamlessly matched. Obviously hugging Plunkett’s vocal range at its peak, his rich sound was fit for a king. Reid’s classically trained voice glittered with the grace. In fact, Reid created a little magic of her own as the whole auditorium fell completely silent, hanging on her every note. I was captivated.
No cake is complete without frosting, and Leesville is notorious for using a lot of it. I cannot write a successful review without giving a clear nod to the Technical Theatre Department. The set and sound were on point and each crew created a visual fairytale that allowed me to escape reality. This was also due to the musical mastery of the pit orchestra and Diane Covington, Choir Director, on the piano. The engaging choreography was also endorsed with dance teacher, Cindy Hoban’s very recognizable signature. Due to her versatile selection of movement, the visual appeal was stunning.
To top it all off, every cake needs a little surprise–perhaps some colorful sprinkles. The sprinkles of this production were the Leesville Elementary students who played Cinderella’s furry friends. The Arwood, Dinkenor and Wilkerson children cheerfully immersed the audience in their excitement, which proved to be quite entertaining. Not only were they delightfully amusing, but they showed no sign of stage-fright and appeared to have a blast throughout the show.
Leesville’s production sent me back in time, to simpler days before college applications and AP testing; to the days when I dressed up in tutus and stumbled along in my mother’s heels. If a musical can induce any feelings of nostalgia, you know the cast, crew and directors have enchanted the audience. Well done, Pride Productions.

domain: entertainment


text:
The Discovery Farm Network is a farmer led research project designed to document how farming practices impact water quality. Results so far show that farmers are good environmental stewards. Michelle Rook has the details.
Heartland Consumer Report on KELO-TV 5pm News airdate 10-10-13
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domain: agronomy


text:
William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) is a peasant serving as an apprentice to Sir Ector. Unfortunately, Sir Ector dies before he is able to finish the tournament he is competing in, which means no prize and no money for food. William decides that the best thing to do is for him to pretend to be Sir Ector and joust in his place.
After he manages to successfully pull off a win (and keep his identity a secret), he convinces the two other men that served Sir Ector, Roland (Mark Addy) and Wat (Alan Tudyk), that they should find a way for him to continue competing in tournaments. You see, the problem is, you have to be of noble birth to compete, of which William is not. They start training William to get him ready to compete and they also make him look more presentable so people will believe he comes from nobility. Now they have to figure out how to handle the nobility part.
As luck would have it they come across Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany) on their way to the next tournament. I just have to say Paul gets one of the best movie entrances ever. Anyway, Geoff tells them they need a “Patents of Nobility” in order to enter the competition. It just so happens that he is extremely good at forging them. Now William is known as Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein. He also makes Geoff his Herald, which means that he will announce him at tournaments.
What would a story about a knight be without a girl for him to fall for? As they enter the town William sees Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and is immediately attracted to her. It’s never that simple though is it? There is another man competing for her affections, Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell). The Count takes an immediate dislike to William. His plan is to not only humiliate him in front of Jocelyn, but to also beat him in the jousting competition.
This is a fun movie, full of great actors and an interesting twist on the typical knight story. I love how modern music was used, even though the movie is set during the Renaissance period. It really livens up the movie. Who can’t love “We Will Rock You” by Queen being used during the opening tournament. I particularly like how a period song switched into “Golden Years” by David Bowie during the dance scene with the dancing also switching from an older style to a modern one.
Heath’s performance is so natural and he makes it look so effortless. He is utterly charming and completely believable as the hero. Heath also has wonderful chemistry with all of his co-stars. Once again I am deeply saddened that he is no longer with us.
Paul, Mark and Alan are also wonderful. Their character portrayals are spot on and their interaction with each other is so fun to watch. I especially enjoyed watching Paul and Alan together. Their characters were so antagonistic towards each other (in a fun way) and very entertaining.
Some of my favorite quotes:
Wat – “If you wasn’t dead. I would kill ya.”
Geoff – “It’s more a sort of involuntary vow of poverty, really.”
Will – “Did she see me take the hit?”
Geoff – “Yes, she saw you take the hit.”
Will – “Well, was she concerned?”
Geoff – “It was dreadful, her eyes welled up. It was just awful.”
Geoff – “And Wat doesn’t lead, he follows like a girl.”
Geoff – “You can hit me all day ’cause you punch like a what?”
Roland – “A girl.”
Geoff – “Oh, my giddy aunt.”
Wat – “Say somethin’ about her breasts.”
Roland – “Yeah, you miss her breasts.”
Will – “Her breasts?”
Geoff – “Yes, you could but I … uh … would tend to look above her breasts William.”
Will – “I miss her throat?”
Geoff – “God, I’m good.”
Wat – “I’m going to lose everything.”
Geoff – “That’s why it’s called gambling.”
Wat – “I don’t understand women.”
Geoff – “Nor do I, but they understand us. Maybe not you.”
Following is additional information about the movie that contains spoilers. If you don’t want to be spoiled don’t read any further.
You’ve gotta love Geoff calmly walking down the road completely naked and the guy’s reaction when they see him. Then there are introductions, negotiations and the acceptance of a new team member. It’s a great scene and Paul is absolutely fabulous during it.
The scene where Geoff is teaching Will how to dance is wonderful (Wat is filling in for the girl’s part). It’s funny, because they just can’t seem to do it right and Geoff can’t seem to keep himself from tormenting Wat. Things go much better once they convince Kate to take over teaching duties.
The ending was very heartwarming. William being knighted and then getting to finish the tournament. Being able to compete under his own name and then winning the joust (his father was even able to be there for it). Basically, the hero triumphs and gets the girl. Sometimes that’s just what you need from a movie, a sweet, happy ending.


text:
We’re Supersmall, an indie rock duo based in NYC featuring Colin Dempsey on guitar and vocals and Daniela Schiller on drums. We’re influenced by everyone from Neil Finn and Elliott Smith to Neko Case and Aimee Mann. We’re also influence by whiskey on occasion, Lagavulin being a band favorite.
This Other World is our debut E.P. and has been described as ‘Bright and Summery’, although this might have something to do with recording it during a heatwave. We play all over New York City and are experts in giving directions via the subway system. Seriously, just ask us.
Currently we are almost finished writing our debut album and plan to begin recording in September which we are very excited about.
So please check us out and if you’re ever in New York City and need some help getting around please contact us. Also, come check us out live.
Colin & Daniela
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/7052177″ params=”color=00aabb&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Alicia Atout | @AliciaAtout


text:
Library budget sees Langford residents paying more
The Greater Victoria Public Library’s 2017 final operating budget was under review at Langford’s council meeting Monday night. The budget is sent to all GVPL member municipalities and to be adopted, the budget requires the approval of the municipalities which together contributed the majority of funding in the previous year.
Municipal contributions increased by more than 2.9 per cent for 2017, which is down from last year’s roughly 3.2 per cent increase. However, Langford’s increase is roughly 10.7 per cent due to the city’s high grow rate in both population and assessment values. That translates to roughly $7.50 to the average Langford home.
Despite the jump, council members agreed to approve the budget.
Claude Road development soars to new heights
The developer of a proposed Claude Road apartment building has asked for one additional storey and plans to offer more on-site visitor parking.
A revised application from Matt McKay of DB Services of Victoria is requesting approval for an 11-storey structure, one more than before. The new plan would lower the number of residential units from 117 to 100, allow for one less level of underground parking, give a more slender look to the building and allow for five visitor parking spaces.
To accommodate the increase in height, an amendment to the City’s mixed-used residential commercial zoning bylaws. City staff noted they will revisit the boundaries of the pedestrian town centre and report back to council at a later date. Given the requirement for rezoning, a public hearing would also be required at a future council meeting.
Unused roadway slated for parking
The City is taking the necessary steps to close a portion of McCallum Road and transfer it to an abutting land owner. While McCallum Developments Ltd. meets on-site parking requirements, they would like to add more parking to their site by utilizing this roughly 320-square-metres unused portion of municipal property near Florence Lake Road.
Council saw no problem with that proposal and gave first, second and third reading at Monday’s meeting to a bylaw that would allow it to take place. The transfer still needs to be approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

domain: finance


text:
I do on the flip side of that experience....
I bought some salt free, all natural, almonds ONLY, Almond Butter and put that on my Ezekiel bread. The first time I did this....YUCK! I missed the salt more than any of the other poisonous ingredients. But well within a week, I adjusted and actually LOVED the taste minus the salt.
I'm having a tough time eating totally clean right now. But I'm in my mid 50s and have eaten sugar ladened food all my life. Guess it's not going to happen over night. Tried cold turkey, but it led me to binging on sweets. So that's not good.
I hope one day, I have a similar experience as you that drives me right back to eating clean because I enjoy it so much better!
I think you experienced a great victory, sick as you were!
| Pounds lost: 3.0

domain: food


Tue, Jan 29, 2013
Banner Fell Across Power Lines In Downtown San Francisco
An advertising banner being towed over a neighborhood in downtown San Francisco just before noon Saturday apparently separated from its tow plane and fell across some power lines, causing a limited power outage. No one was reportedly injured.
The San Jose Mercury News reports that about 2,000 people were without power for a good portion of the day because of the incident, and the FAA has launched an investigation as to why the banner may have come loose from its tow plane. In an e-mail, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said "All aircraft operations have to be conducted so they don't pose a hazard to any people or property on the ground, and we would want to know what caused a banner to come off a plane in flight."
San Francisco police said the Stinson biplane that was towing the banner is registered to Ad-Viation in San Ramon, CA. The police said the banner was released "under unknown circumstances."
The banner reportedly caught fire and burned up, but not before several pictures of the ad for $8.99 haircuts were posted on Twitter. Power in the neighborhood was restored by late Saturday afternoon, according to television station KTVU.
Says 'It's Just Common Sense ... To Stay Off The Phone’ Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) introduced a bill Monday prohibiting in-flight cell pho>[...]
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White Adjustable Metal Stool - Crea - 12999
South Shore White Adjustable Metal Stool - Crea
100178 SKU: 110527704
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Whatever you’re into – be it handicrafts, sewing or jewelry making – every artist needs a dedicated work space.The units from the Crea collection mean you can set up your own creative space, so you'll no longer need to use the kitchen table and put everything away when you’re done. With their neutral finish and simple lines, they go well in any room. So you can spend more time being creative and less time organizing your space and putting things away.
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|Dimensions||15.28"W x 15.32"D x 23.15"H|
|Shipping Weight||18.3 lbs.|

domain: hobby


Prototype Handheld Drug Testing Device Launched
The world's first prototype of a hand-held fingerprint drug testing device has been created by UK technology company Intelligent Fingerprinting.
The unique device detects drugs and other substances from the sweat contained in fingerprints and will enable mobile testing with instant results.
A spin-out of the University of East Anglia (UEA), Intelligent Fingerprinting Ltd is based in the NRP Innovation Centre at the Norwich Research Park. The company developed the prototype with eg technology -- a product design, development and engineering consultancy based in Cambridge.
Paul Yates, business development manager at Intelligent Fingerprinting, said: "The launch of this prototype is a significant milestone. There has already been considerable worldwide interest in the use of the technology for testing within a wide range of applications, including criminal justice forensic science, homeland security, and institutional testing such as prisons and workplaces. But the ability of a hand-held device to carry out testing in-situ brings a whole new range of benefits and opportunities."
The device will enable testing of fingerprints for illegal drugs and other substances using disposable cartridges. The samples are quick and easy to collect and do not require specialist handling or biohazard precautions. Because of the imaging of the fingerprint, they have an in-built watertight chain of evidence continuity and are almost impossible to cheat.
The potential uses for the device are wide ranging and cover testing individuals in the workplace -- especially in safety critical industries where there is a need to judge whether someone is 'fit for duty' -- through to screening drivers at the roadside for drug-driving impairment.
David Russell, CTO of Intelligent Fingerprinting and Professor of Chemistry at UEA's School of Chemistry, said: "The development of the Intelligent Fingerprinting hand-held testing device has been a technological success. Working closely with eg technology we have been able to design a device that carries out the full analysis and imaging of a fingerprint in only a few minutes. The first prototype will be able to test individuals for drugs of abuse but we will be working to widen the range of substances to include other drugs and health markers that are found in fingerprints."
The prototype is scheduled to go into full production in 2012 and the team will work with customers to develop new applications.
Danny Godfrey, director of eg technology, said: "Intelligent Fingerprinting's core intellectual property is fascinating, offering a unique, robust way of linking a test result to the individual. Designing a device to automate their well-defined laboratory process has required input from all of our skill groups – microfluidics, optics, electronics, software, industrial and mechanical design. The release of the prototype is a major milestone towards the unveiling of the production device next year and we're delighted to be part of such an exciting development."


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Have I told you about my obsession with author podcasts? About how I diligently download as many author interviews as I can onto my iPod and then listen to them many times?
Personally I like to skip the parts where they talk about one, or several, of their books. Instead, I like to focus on the writing process they follow. Do they wake up at 4:30 AM and start typing? Do they carry moleskine notebooks around to jot down ideas? And how did/do they go about researching their books?
The latest addition to this collection is an iTunes "Meet The Author" interview with Hilary Mantel. I haven't read the Booker prize winning Wolf Hall yet. The book is one of the many I abstained from while editing up Dork. (Fear of "inspiration", insecurity etc. etc.)
You can listen to that episode, and archives of the "Meet the Author" podcast, here.
My favourite-st author interview show however is the BBC's excellent World Book Club. Superb interviews with great authors. And extremely accessible. Plenty to listen to online and on the iPod, here.
The latest episode of WBC featured John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas:
Some of the other authors featured on WBC include Annie Proulx, Kiran Desai, Wole Soyinka etc. etc. Splendid archives.
Another superb place to evesdrop on the "writing process" is the wonderful "Writers' Rooms" series at the Guardian. The last update, however, is dated last July. Pity.

domain: literature


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Contact Dr. Nichols:
Holly Nichols, FNP, is a board-certified family practice nurse partitioner with over 16 years of experience. She provides medical and surgical dermatology care at MODERN Dermatology, which has offices in Tempe and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Holly graduated with a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree from Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, in 1997. She started her career as a registered nurse on a post-surgical trauma floor, where she discovered her love for skin while caring for patients transferred from the burn center. With a newfound passion for complex post-burn care, Holly transitioned to Kansas’ only burn center as a charge nurse managing the outpatient burn clinic. Additionally, Holly became an advanced burn life support instructor, wrote for a Burn Buddy grant for pediatric patients, and participated in a variety of community education projects.
Upon completing her master’s degree in 2004, she went on to work with a general trauma/burn surgeon as a first assist in the operating room. Her role also included burn patient follow-up in office, hospital, and intensive care rounds, and pre- and post-op education and care.
In 2006 she accepted a position at the dermatology practice, where she completed her last rotation in the master’s program. She has precepted nurse practitioner students in Kansas, California, and Arizona. Holly is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses Association, and Arizona Nurses Association.
The last 16 years as a dermatology nurse partitioner have taken her from Kansas to California and to the Valley of the Sun, where she has called home the past ten years. She enjoys cooking, stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, yoga, and traveling with her five sons. The oldest two are attending college in Kansas, and the triplets are in high school in Mesa.
Holly’s zeal for life and love for healthy skin drives her desire to improve and save lives with her efficient, competent, direct, and transparent approach to quality patient care. She tries to deliver care by considering both her perspective as a provider and from your vantage as a patient.
As a child from the 70s full of sunburns to growing up in the 80s with tanning beds, Holly is a survivor of skin cancer too. Her experience, both personal and professional, translates to the next level care she provides. Honest, authentic, competent, and relatable with a passion for healing, Holly is ready to be there for your medical/surgical dermatology needs.


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Writers: Robert Luoma, Jody Bennett
We left Traverse City for Amsterdam via Detroit. At Schipol airport we wandered around the huge shopping area at the airport and had a light meal before going to our hotel. We had no energy to do anything but adjust to the new time zone. We retired early and left for Africa at 10:00 AM the next day.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
We arrived in Addis Ababa at about 11:00 PM. Marc met us at the airport and took us to his house, our Addis hotel.
On our first morning we got a tour of Addis Ababa, which is the capital of Ethiopia. The first surprise we got about Addis was that unlike the Africa we expected, because of all of the “B” movies we had seen over the years, it was about 8,000 feet above sea level. We did not see any sand dunes or desert. The weather was moderate, high forties to eighties F. It was a big city in most senses of the word. There were many new and modern tall buildings. There were also many more one-story buildings of the sole proprietors. Corrugated metal is used for much of the inexpensive construction due to the scarcity and expense of wood. Concrete is in short supply and is reserved for those with connections.
After staying with Marc and Laurel for three days, we, like fish, had begun to smell, so we got on another plane and headed for a safari in Tanzania.
Safari in Tanzania
After about two hours on a plane, we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport. This area was about 7 degrees south of the equator, so the temperature was quite a bit warmer than Addis. We were met at the airport by our guide, Gurdeet. He was going to transport us to our lodgings for that night.
After about an hour in the Toyota Land Cruiser, we arrived at the Serena Hotel in The Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As an aside: on the highway to that area, we noticed a large number of people walking in both directions. This was in areas on the road long distances from any little towns. Most people were carrying large bundles or cans. Because of the lack of local water supplies, the cans contained water. This was the total water supply for most of the houses we saw along the road. The bundles were either wood or some thing to take to the local markets. There were many bicycles, but most of them were not being ridden. They were loaded with the water cans or other items and the people pushed them along the road.
Early the next morning, we rose early, repacked, and met Gurdeet to begin our tour of the Ngorongoro Crater. It took a short while to get down to the level in the crater where we would begin to see the animals. The goal of most safaris is to see the Big Five of the animals: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo. Even tho this was not the peak season for safaris, the roads along the bottom of the crater were filled with safari vehicles. The vehicles were all four-wheel drive. It only took a short time and distance into the crater to learn the wisdom to this. There had been an unseasonal rain only a few days before and left the roads in bad condition. We immediately began seeing wild animals. We have all seen the nature programs on TV. As well photographed as they are and as expertly planned and executed as they are, they cannot match seeing the animals up close and personal. Jody and I saw each of the Big Five that first day except a leopard.
We saw large numbers of lions, usually only in groups of four or five. We saw large groups of zebras; we saw huge herds of wildebeests, buffalo, elephants, elands, hippos (mostly in water holes or lakes), and many lesser antelopes. We saw a cheetah shortly after it had made a kill, while it was feeding a short distance from the road. Within minutes, a hundred or so buzzards were circling above the cheetah, waiting for leftovers. We saw some hyenas, but not as many as we thought we would see. After eight hours or so in the crater, we called it a day and we headed to the hotel for that night.
The hotel that night was also a Serena Hotel. It was as good and in a couple ways better than the hotel the first night. For one thing it was right on the edge of the crater; for another thing, it had a pool. Dinner was a gourmet buffet at least equal to the first night.
The next morning we left with Gurdeet to go to Lake Manyara, another area where the wildlife was plentiful. It was here that we saw the leopard. Gurdeet said that the leopard was only out because it was the mating season. We didn’t see the female, but after a lot of noise and movement in the under brush, the leopard acted like a true male. He climbed a tree and went out on limb. He hung three legs down along the limb and relaxed. All he needed was a cigarette to complete the picture.
It was in this area that we saw the only giraffe of the trip. It was too wooded to see very far and the giraffe’s coloring did make it hard to see. It was here that we confounded an elephant in the middle of the road. Gurdeet said that it was too close for comfort and backed up out of its way. It then sauntered past us. It was close enough to touch, but we didn’t.
The next morning we left to go to Arusha where our last Serena Hotel was. It was mostly the same as our first two. Because its location, it had mosquito netting around the bed. Gurdeet left us there. We again spent a pleasant night with good food and comfortable beds. The next morning Jody took a nature walk with one of the hotel staff. She saw cormorants and monitor lizards, walked through swarms of bugs, stood atop termite mounds as big as an acre, was bitten by a fire ant, and got drenched in a short but intense rain. She said she was glad she’d done the walk, but I’m not sure about that. She looked pretty good when she set out. Her return appearance was somewhat bedraggled.
Then it was time to leave for the airport. Because of clouds and fog, we did not get to see Mt. Kilimanjaro until we were in the plane and above all of the clouds. Very impressive!
Back to Addis and on to Lalibela, Ethiopia
We arrived back in Addis later that evening. Our visit didn’t last very long this time. We were back at the airport the next day, together with Marc and Laurel, to fly to Lalibela, about an hour’s flight north of Addis. We were looking for the "eighth wonder of the world." These were the rock-hewn churches in and around Lalibela. The churches were built in the 12th or 13th centuries into the side of the mountain. Remember that these builders were working with hammer and cold chisel. Marc has been to the pyramids at Giza and says that he thinks the churches are more impressive.
We stayed in a brand-new hotel, Tukul Village. It was almost new. It was designed to look like traditional tukul buildings, which are circular stone with thatched, pointed roofs.
There was a restaurant on the grounds so we didn’t have to go far for our meals, although we did on several occasions. We wanted to sample the different cuisine that was available in the area. The most unusual sampling we had was a visit to a tej house (a bar in most countries). We tried the tej, a drink made with honey. The drinks were served in flasks and came in three strengths, non-alcoholic juice, wine, and one not for designated drivers. Our driver was with us so we walked in like we knew what we were doing. Our waiter was very helpful. He apologized that because it was still the Lenten fasting season there were no people dancing, singing, or partying. Evidently a tej house is quite a noisy and wild place usually. The smell of incense was so strong that one had almost had to sit down.
We arose fairly early the next morning, had breakfast, and set out with our driver to see the churches. One church we visited was cut out of the ground. When you came up to the church, you came upon the roof of the church. We walked down into a trench that went around the church. We visited several rooms in the church. We continued our tour of the churches. We had to walk around several churches on walkways that would have given OSHA people coronaries. Some of the walkways were two feet wide and overlooked 30 or 40-foot drops with no guard rails or other protection. To enter the churches, we had to take off our shoes. To assure that no one walked off with the shoes, we had a “shoe tender,” probably a local, enterprising teen who saw an opportunity to make same money. He must have done a good job because we all had the same shoes when we finished. Here’s another one for you ladies, one of churches did not allow females into the church. Several churches had priests that stood and displayed large processional crosses. It is too much for even a lawyer to do justice to with words. Some of our pictures show the inside of the churches, but even they can’t depict how awesome the churches were.
After a good night’s rest, we again met our driver to go to a church that was about an hour drive away. The road to the church was cut out of the side of the mountain and was narrow and twisty. We oftentimes did not want to look out of the window of the van. When we arrived at the parking area for the church, we faced another walk, most of it up hill over bad walkways. Lalibela was at 8,000 or 9,000 feet in elevation. Marc and Laurel were acclimated to Addis which was almost that high, but Jody and I were flat-landers so the walk to the church was a little too much. Jody and I stopped and sat about half way to the church. Marc and Laurel went to the church and said it was worth the walk.
We also visited an open-air market in Lalibela. There were hundreds of people there. Most of them were squeezed into a small space with the goods they had to sell. We couldn’t figure out how the venders knew where to set up. The only venders under shelter were the venders selling clothes. The smell of the local spices and the livestock reminded us of Mackinac Island. If you want a truly different experience, we recommend Lalibela.
After three days in Lalibela we once again returned to Addis for the final three days of our visit. We toured two museums. In one, we saw Lucy, the oldest known human skeleton. The second museum was in what was one of Haili Selassie’s palaces. He gave it to the city and the city converted it into the university. We had dinner at a fine Italian restaurant. Ethiopians have no love for the Italians after the occupation during WWII, but the Italian restaurants are all over Addis. We toured the city on different errands. We also got used to being grandparents, even if by proxy.
Then it was the “fish and visitors” thing again … time to leave. Marc took us to the airport and we started our journey back to Traverse City and our cats via Amsterdam.
We agree that the trip was worth the time, effort, and expense. We saw our new grand- daughter, daughter-in-law, and Africa. I could go on for many pages about Africa and our impressions of it. That will be another paper.

domain: geography


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ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202208.0232.v2
Subject: Medicine & Pharmacology, Pharmacology & Toxicology Keywords: food safety; risk assessment; Cannabis sativa; tetrahydrocannabinol; food supplements; cannabidiol; benchmark dose; reference dose; liver toxicity
Online: 5 September 2022 (04:34:49 CEST)
At present, foods containing cannabidiol (CBD) and other cannabinoids are internationally being widely advertised and sold in increasing quantities. In the European Union (EU), these products require pre-marketing authorisation under the novel food regulation, so that all available CBD oils and CBD-containing food supplements in the EU are currently placed on the market with an infringement of the food laws. Currently, 19 CBD applications are under assessment at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). During the initial assessment of the application files, EFSA located several knowledge gaps that need to be addressed before the safety evaluation of CBD can be concluded. Namely, the effect of CBD on the liver, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, nervous system, psychological function, and reproductive system needs to be clarified. Nevertheless, the available literature allows a benchmark dose (BMD)-response modelling of several bioassays, resulting in a BMD lower confidence limit (BMDL) of 20 mg/kg bw/day for liver toxicity in rats. Human data in healthy volunteers found increases in the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in a study at 4.3 mg/kg bw/day, which was defined by EFSA as a lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL). The EFSA panel currently concluded that the safety of CBD as a novel food cannot be evaluated, leading to a so-called clock stop of the applications until the applicants provide the required data. Meanwhile, the authors suggest that CBD products still available on the EU market despite the lack of authorisation must be considered as “unsafe”. Products exceeding a reference dose of 10 mg/day must be considered as being “unfit for consumption” (Article 14(1) and (2) (b) of Regulation No 178/2002), while the ones in exceedance of the human LOAEL must be considered “injurious to health” (Article 14(1) and (2) (a) of Regulation No 178/2002).
ARTICLE | doi:10.20944/preprints202105.0393.v1
Subject: Chemistry, Food Chemistry Keywords: cannabidiol (CBD); ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC); cannabinol (CBN); ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC); cannabinoids; CBD oil; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR); PULCON methodology; 1H NMR; qNMR
Online: 17 May 2021 (16:56:15 CEST)
Toxicologically relevant levels of the psychoactive ∆9-tetrahydocannabinol (∆9-THC) as well as high levels of non-psychoactive cannabinoids potentially occur in CBD (cannabidiol) oils. For consumer protection in the fast-growing CBD oil market, facile and rapid quantitative methods to determine the cannabinoid content are crucial. However, the current standard method, i.e., liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), requires a time-consuming multistep sample preparation. In this study, a quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) method for screening cannabinoids in CBD oils was developed. Contrary to the HPLC-MS/MS method, this qNMR features a facile sample preparation, i.e., only diluting the CBD oil in deuterochloroform. Pulse length-based concentration determination (PULCON) enables a direct quantification using an external standard. The signal intensities of the cannabinoids were enhanced during the NMR spectra acquisition by means of multiple suppression of the triglycerides which are a major component of the CBD oil matrix. The validation confirmed linearity for CBD, cannabinol (CBN), ∆9-THC and ∆8-THC in hemp seed oil with sufficient recoveries and precision for screening. Comparing the qNMR results to HPLC-MS/MS data for 46 commercial CBD oils verified the qNMR accuracy for ∆9-THC and CBD but with higher limits of detection. The developed qNMR method paves the way for increasing the sample throughput as a complementary screening before HPLC-MS/MS.


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subject: THE GOSPEL STATION
The Gospel Station wins People's Choice Award Again
for 2013 and 2014! Thank you to all who voted !
FEBRUARY 2014 David Palmer of Christiannetcast.com was thrilled to award The Gospel Station the award at the NRB convention saying that there are well over 700 other candidates who are voted on, and far and away we overwhelming had more votes than any others in our category! We have won the PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD 6 TIMES and hope to continue our legacy!
FEB 22, 2012 NASHVILLE TENN -- ChristianNetcast.com presents 4-time winner The Gospel Station with The 2012 PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD for favorite online Christian radio at the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Rick Cody and Tom Bush received the award which is now on display at the studio.
We are delighted to be the people's choice for best online Christian Music station for Gospel Music 24 hours a day. To all our online listeners who voted for us, thank you!
David Palmer of Christiannetcast said "This is unprecedented! We've been in business for 13 years... and stream about 700 stations. This is the first time anyone has ever won 4 awards. Of all the other votes received for favorite teaching station or news station... you blew them out of the water. You received more votes than all of them!"
The Gospel Station is glad to be recognized by our listeners for being their favorite MUSIC station streamed by Christiannetcast.com .