text:
Trailer, Gameplay, & Screenshots
About this game
Developer: Vblank Entertainment, Inc.
Content Rating: Teen
Build your corporate empire and destroy the competition. Shakedown: Hawaii follows three protagonists through a 16-bit open world. Build your own "legitimate" corporation by completing missions, acquiring businesses, sabotaging competitors, "re-zoning" land, and shaking down shops for protection money. Explore the island by foot, by car, or by boat. It's filled with arcade challenges, sidequests, stores to shop at, houses to burgle, civilians to interact with, and secrets to discover.
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Gamer Reviews6 Reviews
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Critic Reviews4 Reviews
If you really like the open-world, GTA-style games and haven’t grown tired of really old graphics technology, there is some fun to be had with Shakedown: Hawaii. Otherwise, you might want to look for a more robust game to squeeze some more life out of your Nintendo 3DS.
We love the presentation and the satire in Shakedown: Hawaii. The humour is incredible, the pixel graphics are superb, and the music is truly fantastic. We also really enjoyed the setting, the in-game mechanics and the characters within. Sure, the economy-system could have been expanded upon, but there's something very unique about this particular game. If you enjoyed Vblank Entertainments' last game (Retro City Rampage) or if you loved Grand Theft Auto and GTA2 then this is definitely a game for you.
Stilistisch trifft Shakedown: Hawaii mit seinem 16-Bit-Look und seinem tollen Soundtrack zwar voll ins Schwarze. Einen ähnlichen Mix bekommen Retro-GTA-Fans aber auch mit dem Vorgänger Retro City Rampage in der DX-Version - ohne aufgepfropfte, letztlich unnötige Wirtschaftssimulations-Elemente.

domain: game


text:
Karl Beckstrand - Ma MacDonald Flees the Farm
Karl Beckstrand - Ma MacDonald Flees the Farm: It's Not a Pretty Picture ... Book
Illustrator: Alycia Mark
Genre: Children/Picture Book
A laugh out loud fun read!
Beckstrand pens a funny and entertaining story in Ma MacDonald Flees the Farm: It's Not a Pretty Picture ... Book. Ma Macdonald is a caterer, but she's having a heck of a time with the animals that just won't leave her alone. The illustrations were magnificent. This book would be perfect to read to a child or have the child read it back. It's fun to read, and very enjoyable. The rhyming makes it fun, but even just looking at the pictures, tells the story. "A poodle in the strudel. A lemure in the lentils ..." yes, it's funny and it's no wonder that she wants to flee. Ma MacDonald Flees the Farm: It's Not a Pretty Picture ... Book is a definite recommendation from Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.

domain: library


text:
Dr. Rachel Goodall received her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She has earned Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology from North Dakota State University of Fargo, North Dakota.
Dr. Goodall grew up in Grafton, North Dakota. She was fond of caring and treating animals since her early childhood. She enjoyed taking care and nurturing them.
Coupled with her compassion for animal care, the veterinary profession seemed to be the perfect fit.
She now lives in South of De Soto, Iowa, on an acreage with her husband (Charles), son (CJ), two cats (Koya and Peirre), three chinchillas (Gizmo, Zoey and Xavier) and their albino aquatic frog (Lloyd).
She enjoys spending time with her family. Camping, traveling and relaxing at the lake brings her delight.
Dr. Goodall strongly believes that combining high quality medicine with client understanding allows pets and their owners to receive the best veterinary care. In practice, she emphasizes educating her clients by offering those tools to best care for their pets. She rejoices forming long term relationships with clients and continuously helping her patients to enjoy a happy and healthy life.
Life in brief:
- Dr. Regmi started his his career in Kodiak, Alaska, after leaving his home country Nepal.
- He obtained his veterinary license at Purdue University in Indiana and came to Des Moines in 1992 with $150 in his pocket.
- He became the first veterinarian at ‘Afford-A-Care Pet Hospital’ in Des Moines, Iowa.
- In May 2000, he started his own private practice and opened Urban Pet Hospital in Urbandale, Iowa, with a vision to provide the best possible pet care.
- The success of his private practice earned him the Iowa Asian Alliance's "Outstanding Asian Business in Iowa" Award in 2006.
- In November 2007, Dr. Regmi expanded his practice to include the resort services at a new location and renamed the facility as Urban Pet Hospital & Resort.

domain: pet


text:
KILDARE IN THE REVOLUTIONARY DECADE
History Ireland Podcast
A new History Ireland Magazine Hedge School Podcast, supported by Kildare Decade of Commemorations, was released recently. It features History Ireland magazine editor, Tommy Graham, in discussion with historians James Durney, John Gibney, Ida Milne and Fionnuala Walsh on ‘Kildare in the Revolutionary Decade‘.
While not in the vanguard of armed activity during the War of Independence, Kildare was central to the ‘revolutionary decade’ as whole, not only for its strategic importance and proximity to Dublin, but in particular as the site of the largest British military establishment in Ireland at the Curragh and elsewhere. It also has the dubious distinction of being the county worst affected by the flu pandemic of 1918-19.
Listen to History Ireland magazine editor, Tommy Graham, in discussion with James Durney, John Gibney, Ida Milne and Fionnuala Walsh; the podcast is available at https://podcasts.apple.com/…/history-ireland/id1503109266 and https://www.historyireland.com/hedge-schools/ or wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast is supported by Kildare County Council’s Decade of Commemorations Committee and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 Initiative.

domain: history


text:
1. Groups can sin. But to what extent do members of a group share personally in its sins? In particular, how can one be guilty of mortal sin by involvement in a group which does serious wrong?6 Earlier we saw how one individual can be responsible for the actions of another (see 2‑F, 12‑G, and 13‑E). At issue here is the responsibility of a group member for his or her involvement in the group’s action.
2. Societies engage in no positive acts except by the personal acts of some of their members. Those who do what constitutes an immoral social act are responsible both for their personal wrongdoing and for the wrongdoing of society to which they contribute. For example, the leaders of a nation which wages an unjust war are guilty both of abusing their office and of the injustices which make up the unjust war.
3. For a society to fail to do something will be a grave omission only if some of its members could and ought to act in a manner which would constitute a required social act. Those who choose to omit acts which would cause the society to fulfill its grave responsibilities, or who deliberately choose in ways which will make it impossible for society to do so, can be gravely responsible for both their own omissions and the social omissions which they cause.
For example, if a student in a boarding school is becoming deranged, other students have a collective responsibility to inform the rector of the problem. If the situation is serious enough (always assuming sufficient reflection and the relevant choice), those who could and should act but fail to do so are gravely responsible not only for their personal failing but for the irresponsibility of the student body to which they belong.
4. Often a society engages in an action which some of its members consider immoral or omits something which some think it has a serious obligation to do. The responsibility of members in such cases cannot extend beyond their power to affect their society’s actions. If, for example, one’s country carries on an unjust war, one’s responsibility cannot extend beyond one’s power to stop the war or, at least, to withhold personal involvement in it.
5. Individuals do have a responsibility to rectify the actions of groups to which they belong, but this responsibility is nonabsolute. Conscientious people in particular may be aware of innumerable wrongs by groups of which they are members; actively attempting to rectify them all would exhaust their time and talent. In such cases, the norms of resolving conflicts of duties (discussed in 12‑E) apply. Those whose lives are already organized by upright commitments which they strive to fulfill and which include no special commitment to righting social ills generally have no responsibility to take an activist stance toward social wrongs.
For example, a cloistered nun or the mother of a large family probably is not morally responsible for doing the political work which might be necessary and useful to change unjust public policies toward underdeveloped nations. However, a person whose life is not organized by personal vocational commitments and who spends much time and energy in self-gratifying amusements could have a grave responsibility to become politically active in the cause of justice.
6. Sometimes an individual can avoid contributing to a group’s immoral action simply by not doing something. Even in such cases, the responsibility not to act is nonabsolute, provided the socially required act can be done for some good. For example, paying taxes furthers many evil acts of a society, and a citizen might avoid involvement in these acts by refusing to pay taxes. Most societies, however, also do many good acts, and citizens can be justified and even obliged to pay taxes to further these and avoid imposing heavier burdens on those less able to bear them. Similarly, one who thinks a war unjust has a nonabsolute obligation to refuse to register for service; but such a person could be justified in registering to avoid the legal penalties for draft evasion.
7. Nevertheless, no group member can rightly do things which directly contribute to the group’s wrongdoing and of themselves do nothing else. Thus, a person who thinks a war immoral has a grave obligation not to take part in any military action in that war. The fact that refusal might entail criticism, legal penalties, even death, does not justify doing what one believes immoral.
6. For a survey of relevant literature: Dionigi Tettamanzi, “La Dimensione Ecclesiale e Sociale del Peccato del Cristiano,” La Scuola Cattolica, 107 (1979), 516–38.

domain: law


text:
Find thousands of books, manuscripts, visual materials and unpublished archives from our collections, many of them with free online access.
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The present crisis, with respect to America, considered.
About this work
London : printed for T. Becket, the Corner of the Adelphi in the Strand,
,46p. ; 8⁰.
Microfiche. Woodbridge, Ct. Research Publications International ; Louisville, Ky. : Lost Cause Press, 1987. 2 microfiches ; 11 x 15 cm. (Selected Americana from Sabin's Dictionary of books relating to America ; fiches A-106,038-106,039). s1987 ctu a

domain: literature


Blow molding apparatus
A blow molding machine having plural molds cyclically movable past an extruder for delivery to those molds of a tubular plastic parison includes a reciprocating blade which, upon interruption of the motion of the molds, is set in motion across the path of the parison emerging from the extruder to chop the parison into fragments and with a retractable trough for collecting the fragments for recycling or other disposition.
Latest Carnaud Total Interplastic Patents:
The present invention relates to machines for blow molding hollow articles from a tubular parison of plastic material delivered by an extruder. In such machines an extruder delivers, usually continuously, a tube of plastic material, termed a parison, at a high temperature. A section of this tube as it emerges is enclosed between the two halves of a mold, within which the tube is blown to conform to the walls of the mold so as to produce a shaped article.
In machines of this character of the particular type termed discontinuous parison machines, cutting means are provided for cutting the parison which however operate only once for each hollow article produced, cutting the parison to lengths sufficient for manufacture of the desired hollow bodies. In contrast, in machines of this character of the particular type called continuous parison machines there is no such cutting means. Instead, successive lengths of the continuously emerging parison are seized between the halves of a succession of mold half pairs which may be mounted for example on a turntable, the rim of which moves past the extrusion head. The mold halves close one after another on lengths of the hollow plastic material, which is cut off by the molds themselves as they close on the plastic material.
A similar mounting for the mold half pairs may also be employed in discontinuous parison machines.
With either type of machine, steps must be taken to dispose of the tubular plastic material which continues to emerge from the extruder in the event of stoppage of the molding process and consequent interruption in the motion of the molds, for example in the event of a malfunction of the molding and blowing apparatus proper.
Hitherto, such elimination was manually effected or was effected automatically by conveyor means which detach the hot plastic tube without chopping or grinding it and which then carry it outside the machine to cool.
The introduction of such automatic means eliminates the danger to the operator of introducing his hands into the machine, but it does not provide a satisfactory solution since the hot plastic material as extruded cools so slowly that, at least in the case of certain materials it is not possible to prevent decomposition or further chemical change therein. The result is the evolution of noxious gases such as hydrogen chloride and carbonization of part of the plastic material which renders it substantially useless and incapable of being recycled to the extruder.
According to the present invention, and in order to avoid these shortcomings, there are provided automatic means for cutting into small fragments the parison which continues to be extruded during any interruption in the operation of the machine. These automatic means include at least one cutting element and motor means adapted to cause this cutting element to operate cyclically across the path of motion of the parison emerging from the extruder.
By means of the invention therefore, the unwanted and unblown, unmolded parison is recovered in short lengths or fragments, e.g. of the order of one centimeter in length, which cool rapidly and without change in the nature the plastic material thereof. These fragments can after grinding be recycled into the extruder.
The cutting device may comprise for example two blades disposed on opposite sides of the parison and subjected to oppositely phased reciprocating translatory motions toward and away from the axis of the extruder head, these blades coming substantially into contact with each other in the vicinity of that axis, somewhat in the manner of a pair of shears.
In another embodiment of the invention the cutting device for the parison may include a single blade subjected to a reciprocating translatory motion transversely of the axis of the extruder head, moving back and forth through that axis.
It is also possible to use as a cutting device a blade pivotably mounted about an axis and subjected to a continuous rotating motion or to a reciprocating arcuate motion through the axis of the extruder.
In all these embodiments the parison cutting device is permanently disposed at a fixed position on the blow-molding machine, with the blade or blades thereof, when stationary, in a retracted position outside the path of the parison from the extruder so as to permit the parison to pass into the molds in normal operation. The blade is set into motion across the axis of the extruder, i.e. across that path, as soon as a variation or malfunction in the operation of the machine makes it desirable to withdraw the parison and to cut it into small pieces.
The fragments of the parison may advantageously be recovered in a trough which delivers them onto a conveyor, either a belt conveyor or a pneumatic conveyor for delivery to a grinding device or to a storage vessel.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a blow molding machine including a parison cutting device in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram for the cutting device; and
FIG. 3 is a view of a modified embodiment of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawing, the extruder 5 of the blow molding machine and the parison cutting or chopping device are shown in full lines whereas the remainder of the blow molding machine is schematically indicated in chain lines. The blow molding machine includes an extruder 5 and a plurality of openable and closeable pairs of mold halves 13. The pairs of mold halves are mounted on suitable carrying mechanism 13a, well-known in the art, which moves them cyclically in a closed path past the extruder 5, opening the halves of each pair prior to arrival at a position adjacent the extruder to eject a molded article and then to receive a length of parison from the extruder, and closing them thereafter for the blowing of the new parison.
The chopping device includes a base plate 1 on which is mounted a motor 2. The motor is equipped with a variable ratio speed reducer which, through an angle drive 2a and a transmission including a link 2b and a bell crank 2c, imposes reciprocating motion on a blade carrier 3 having a blade 3a mounted therein. The elements 2b, 2c, 3 and 3a are mounted beneath the plate 1 and therefore appear in phantom in the drawing.
With the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3 a pair of blades 3a3b are used. In this embodiment, linkage elements shown in broken lines and similar linkage elements 2b and 2c used in the construction of FIG. 1 are used for reciprocating the pair of blades 3a 3b.
When the machine is in operation, the extruder head 5 continuously delivers a tubular parison which passes through an opening 4 provided in the base plate 1 into the path of the blade 3a when the parison chopping device is in operation, and into the path of the pairs 13 of mold halves, as previously described when the chopping device is not in operation.
Below the base plate 1 is disposed a trough 7 supported from blocks 7a which are slideably movable on rods 7b between a retracted position for the trough, which permits the parison to pass during normal operation of the machine into the path of the molds l3, and an advanced position, the one shown in the figure. In this advanced position, to which the trough is set upon activation of the parison cutting or chopping device, the fragments into which the emerging parison is chopped by the blade 3 will fall into the trough.
Passage of the trough 7 from its retracted to its advanced position is automatically effected for example by operation of the rod 6a from an electropneumatic actuating cylinder 6 when the parison chopping device is set into operation.
To insure that the chopped fragments of parison material produced by the knife 3 fall into the trough, there is provided a set of nozzles 8 which produce jets of air directed into the interior of the trough. These air jets operate not only to send the parison fragments into the trough but also to chill them, thereby avoiding decomposition or other chemical change of the plastic material thereof.
At the other end of the trough the parison fragments fall onto a conveyor generally indicated at 9 having an endless belt 11. At the end of the conveyor remote from the trough, the parison fragments fall into a grinder 10 or any suitable form of storage vessel.
The conveyor 9 may advantageously include an electronic detector 12 (for instance 16FS1 of HONEYWELL) which detects the presence of foreign matter, in fact of metallic particles, which might damage the blades of the grinding device 10 or otherwise pollute the plastic material to be recycled. This electronic detector may control operation of a gate 12a which, when shifted to the dash-line position shown therefore in the lateral wall 11a of the conveyor, interrupts the passage of the parison fragments toward the grinder. These fragments then fall to the outside of the conveyor.
Operation of the parison chopping device is automatically terminated when the two following conditions are fulfilled:
1. When, on start-up, the carrying device 13a, bearing the molds 13, reach operating speed, and
2. When, on start-up, a pair of mold halves moving toward the extruder has reached a position such that a suitable and not excessive length of parison will be extruded during the time required for that pair of mold halves to reach the position of the extruder.
Satisfaction of the first condition is detected by a revolution counter 14 which energizes a relay at a settled speed value. Satisfaction of the second condition is detected by the motion of a metallic element 15a fixed to each mold carrier past a detector switch 15 suitably adjusted in position on the machine frame (not shown) with respect to the extruder. These detectors are coupled to the control circuit for the motor 2. A switch 16 is provided at the out-shaft of 2a to insure that the motor 2 is de-energized just as blade 3a comes to rest in its retracted position, leaving the opening 4 clear. The trough 7 is simultaneously shifted to the left, in the figure, out of the path of the parison; jets of nozzles 8 and conveyor 9 are then stopped.
On the wiring diagram of FIG. 2 are shown:
relay M controlling for starting and braking the motor 2 of the chopping device 3 and its switches m.sub.1 to m.sub.4 ; relay C for starting (and stopping) the conveyor 9, and its switch c.sub.1 ; electrovalve N controlling nozzles 8; electrovalve T controlling the cylinder 6 for advance (and return) of the trough 7; switch 15 acted on by element 15a when the molds 13 are in a convenient position; switch 16 acted on by the driving mechanism of the chopping device 3 when blade 3a is in its retracted position; relay S of the revolution counter 14 of the carrying device 13a, and its switches s.sub.1 to s.sub.3 ; relay MM for manual control of relay M of the motor 2, with its hand-contactor mm and its switches mm.sub.1 to mm.sub.3 ; relay CM for manual control of relay C of the conveyor 9, with its hand-contactor cm and its switches cm.sub.1 ; cm.sub.2 ; safety contactor STOP. All switches are shown at rest. Their temporizations are indicated through an arrow, with the delay given in seconds.
The device works as will be explained below:
As long as hand-contactors mm and cm are open, as usual, and the blowing device 13a moves normally, switches mm.sub.1 and mm.sub.3 remain open, mm.sub.2 is closed; cm.sub.1 is closed and cm.sub.2 is open. Relay S is excited by the revolution counter 14; s.sub.1, s.sub.2, s.sub.3 thus are open. Switches 15 and 16 close periodically but, as long as memory-switch m.sub.1 is open, relay M is not energized. Switches m.sub.2, m.sub.3, m.sub.4 are open; thus relays C, N, T are not energized and the whole device is at rest.
Appropriate sensors (not shown) cause the blowing device 13a to stop when a malfunction appears, such as a failure of the blowing, a bad stripping of a molded article etc. As soon as blowing device 13 is stopped, or if it is merely slowed down, the revolution counter 14 ceases exciting relay S, thus switches s.sub.1 to s.sub.3 close, relay C is energized, conveyor 9 starts and authorization switch C.sub.1 closes: M in turn is energized and the chopping device 3 enters into operation; switches m.sub.1 and m.sub.2 become closed; switches m.sub.3 and m.sub.4 become closed, thus N and T are energized and the whole device begins working. As soon as the malfunction is settled and the blowing device 13a turns again at its normal speed, S becomes excited, switches s.sub.1 to s.sub.3 become opened; relay M keeps on being excited through switch m.sub.1 and both switches 15 and 16, but, when the element 15a of a mold passes in the convenient position in front of switch 15, the latter becomes opened; then, as soon as the blade 3a of the chopping device 3 comes to its back position thus opening switch l6, supply of relay M is cut, and the chopping device 3 stops. Then switches m.sub.1 to m.sub.4 open again; relays C, N, and T cease to be energized and the device becomes at rest.
It may easily be seen that the operator can, at will, start the conveyor 9 by means of the hand-contactor cm, through relay CM, switch cm.sub.2 and relay C.
In the same way, he can put the chopping device 3 into operation by means of the contactor mm, through its relay MM, switch mm.sub.3 and relay M, even if the speed of the blowing device 13a is at the settled value. Energization of relay M causes also relays C, N and T to be energized.
When contactor mm is released by the operator, switch mm.sub.3 again opens, but switch mm.sub.1 keeps closed during a sufficient time, that allows a further mold to pass in front of detector 15. After releasing of switch mm.sub.1, the opening of switches 15 and 16 cuts the supply of relay M, that causes the whole device to stop as explained hereabove.
Action on safety contactor STOP puts the whole device at rest as soon as blade 3a is in its retracted position.
On a discontinuous parison machine there may be added to the parison cutting device a specialized form of cutter but it is in general possible to use, for chopping the parison in accordance with the invention, the cutting blade or blades which are already provided on condition that they be provided with an auxiliary control in accordance with the invention so as to drive them at a much higher than their normal speed, the latter of which of course corresponds to the rate of passage of the molds across the path of the parison as it emerges from the extruder.
While the invention has been described hereinabove in terms of a number of presently preferred embodiments thereof, the invention itself is not limited thereto but rather comprehends all modifications of and departures from those embodiments properly falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
1. In a blow molding apparatus having means for extruding a tubular parison along a predetermined path, a plurality of sets of molds supported for motion in cyclical fashion across said path of the parison emerging from said extruding means during normal operation of the apparatus, means for sensing an interruption of said normal operation, collecting means movable, in response to said sensing means upon interruption of said normal operation from a normally retracted position out of said path to an advanced position disposed across said path, and movable cutting means disposed adjacent said path between said extruding means and the collecting means when in said advanced position for movement through said parison to sever the latter, the improvement comprising:
- a. driving means connected to said severing means for actuating said cutting means repeatedly during interruption of said normal operation and in response to sensing of said interruption to sever said parison into fragments which have a length, as measured along said path, which is a small fraction of the length received by the molds during said normal operation.
2. Blow molding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cutting means include two blades subjected to oppositely phased reciprocating motions crosswise of said path.
3. Blow molding apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cutting means include a blade pivotally mounted outside said path for arcuate motion across said path.
4. Blow molding apparatus according to claim 1 further including conveyor means positioned to receive fragments delivered by said collecting means.
5. Blow molding apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said conveyor means include means to detect the presence of foreign matter among said fragments.
6. Blow molding apparatus according to claim 1 including means to direct a jet of gas into said path below said cutting means for directing said fragments into said collecting means.
7. In a blow molding apparatus having means for extruding a tubular parison along a predetermined path, a plurality of sets of molds supported for motion in cyclical fashion across said path of the parison emerging from said extruding means during normal operation of the apparatus, means for sensing an interruption of said normal operation, collecting means movable, in response to said sensing means upon interruption of said normal operation from a normally retracted position out of said path to an advanced position disposed across said path, and movable cutting means disposed adjacent said path between said extruding means and the collecting means when in said advanced position for movement through said parison to sever the latter, the improvement comprising:
- a. driving means connected to said cutting means for moving said cutting means through said parison repeatedly during interruption of said normal operation to sever said parison into fragments having a length, as measured along said path, of about one centimeter.
8. In a blow molding apparatus having means for extruding a tubular parison along a predetermined path, a plurality of sets of molds supported for motion in cyclical fashion across said path of the parison emerging from said extruding means during normal operation of the apparatus, means for sensing an interruption of said normal operation, collecting means movable, in response to said means upon interruption of said normal operation from a normally retracted position out of said path to an advanced position disposed across said path, and movable cutting means disposed adjacent said path between said extruding means and the collecting means when in said advanced position for movement through said parison to sever the latter, the improvement comprising:
- a. driving means connected to said cutting means for cyclically moving said cutting means through said parison in a continuous manner during interruption of said normal operation and at a frequency high enough to sever the parison into fragments sufficiently small to permit rapid cooling without change in their chemical properties caused by slow cooling.
|2251135||July 1941||Iknayan et al.|
Filed: Jul 15, 1974
Date of Patent: Nov 30, 1976
Assignee: Carnaud Total Interplastic (Chalon-sur-Saone)
Inventor: Guy A. Flamand (Chalon-sur-Saone)
Primary Examiner: Francis S. Husar
Assistant Examiner: Robert J. Charvat
Law Firm: Pennie & Edmonds
Application Number: 5/488,435


text:
5 Jul 2018
Business-savvy SBE alumnus releases an entrepreneurial guide
1981 BSc Accounting and Financial Management graduate, Paul Kendall, has released a new book to encourage more start-up businesses.
Titled “The New Entrepreneur’s Guide to Setting Up and Running a Successful Business”, this book aims to address all unanswered questions around business management for those considering setting up their own business. The book includes numerous examples of successes and failures to illustrate the topic from both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Paul qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986 and set up a niche practice advising businesses in the medical and dental sectors. He has a wealth of experience in dealing with successful and unsuccessful businesses.
He also founded the National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers, and was Chairman for many years.


text:
- Agreement among key stakeholders for the need to build a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Care Center in Lawrence. In addition to providing an access point for the community, this Crisis Center is expected to divert 200 individuals with mental illness away from incarceration toward treatment each year.
- Commitment by the Lawrence Police Chief to train 100% of all officers by 2018 on how to effectively handle encounters with those in mental health crisis (approximately 76% of all officers have been through the 40-hour training).
- Placement of a 1/4 cent sales tax referendum item on the November 2018 ballot dedicated exclusively to mental health.
- Open a 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Care Center as soon as possible without compounding problems related to growing incarceration;
- Improve access to mental health care through private/public collaboration.

domain: sociology


text:
Barnsley Central Labour MP Dan Jarvis has raised repeated concerns about the length of time it is taking the Pensions Regulator to complete its investigation into the pension scheme at Carrington Wire. Concerns have been raised that former staff at Carrington Wire, based in Elland, West Yorkshire, are facing “serious hardship” because the regulator’s investigation has dragged on for four years. Now Mr Jarvis has written to Mr Cameron calling on the Prime Minister to resolve the case. Around 500 members of the Carrington Wire pension scheme want the Pensions Regulator to take action to save their pensions. Carrington Wire closed with the loss of more than 80 jobs in 2010. Russian parent company Severstal said the decision was due to a contraction in the steel wire market. In 2010, Craig Whittaker, the Conservative MP for Calder Valley, wrote to the Pensions Regulator, calling for an investigation into the position of the company’s pension scheme after Carrington Wire was sold out of the Severstal group. In his letter to Mr Cameron, Mr Jarvis notes that he’s raised the case of Carrington Wire in the House of Commons on four separate occasions. Mr Jarvis says: “In light of the recent debate on our country’s economic links with Russia, I’d now like to ask that you intervene to help resolve this case in the interests of the families left in a position of financial hardship.”
Mr Jarvis told The Yorkshire Post: “I am extremely concerned about the length of time it is taking to deal with this matter.
“It is unacceptable that it has dragged on for so long and compounded the anguish of the families involved. It is essential that the Government ensures the Pensions Regulator has the necessary resources to carry out this detailed investigation - and I have asked for such assurances.
“Given the current debate about our economic relationship with Russia, it seems a useful opportunity to see what influence can be leveraged on the Russian authorities to both resolve this matter and also prevent it from happening again”.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that the Pensions Regulator has an ongoing investigation into Carrington Wire.
The spokesman referred the Yorkshire Post to comments made by Pensions Minister Steve Webb, in response to a question tabled by Mr Jarvis in May this year.
Mr Webb said: “This is a matter for the Pensions Regulator which has operational independence.
“Inevitably, in complex cases involving foreign companies where it appears that scheme abandonment may have taken place, it can take some time for the regulator to complete the thorough investigations needed to establish whether the legal tests in relation to its ‘anti-avoidance’ powers, including the power to issue contribution notices, are met.”
A Severstal spokesman said: “Severstal acquired Carrington Wire in 2006. In spite of financial support and initiatives to return the business to profitability, a dramatic contraction of the market for steel wire led to the company, after exploring all options, winding down and selling the business in 2010. Severstal met all of its obligations to fund the pension scheme while Carrington Wire was under its ownership.”
A spokesman for the Pensions Regulator said: “The investigation is ongoing and a hearing is listed and due to commence in January 2015, where the Determinations Panel will be asked to make a determination in accordance with the provisions of the Pensions Act.”

domain: news


text: Todd Scacewater at ExegeticalTools.com recently posted on a session he attended at SBL on how to get published in a peer-review journal. The overview he gives is helpful and provides some insight into the way journal editors approach their work. Important to remember is that on average roughly 75% of paper submissions are rejected, which means that getting a rejection is a normal part of the publishing process. The flipside to this is that these journals have to have a regular flow of submissions, of which they publish about 25%. If they've got to publish someone's article, why not mine? And if they have to publish regularly, why not publish mine now? The short of it is, go ahead and submit. The worst they can do is say no.


Rihanna’s Lingerie, Savage X Fenty, Sells Out Quickly!!!
First name Tom, Last name Foolery... And I'm Everybody's Uncle!
Including this sex symbol… Rihanna.
Grammy award winner, Rihanna’s new lingerie is set to release in hours. However, online vendors were accepting pre-sale orders, hoping to give consumers a jump on grabbing the artist’s highly anticipated clothing. Stores knew sales would be good, but they never expected to sell out within an hours.
Thousands of Rihanna’s fans bought Savage X Fenty then tweeted their receipts for the world to know. Congrats RiRi. You are certainly a…
Savage X Fenty
Climb on The Family Tree below & share your thoughts about My Niece Rihanna’s lingerie releasing situation!


text: Praise yourself and tell yourself how absolutely wonderful you are. Don’t make yourself wrong. When you do something new, don’t beat yourself up because you’re not a pro at it the first time. Practice. Learn what does work and what doesn’t work. Next time you do something new or different, something you are just learning, be there for yourself. Don’t tell yourself what was wrong; tell yourself what was right with it. Praise yourself. Build yourself up, so that the next time you do it, you really feel good about it. Each time you will be better and better and better. Soon you will have a new skill of some sort.

domain: psychology


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Presenting the Official Trailer of Housefull 4 starring Akshay Kumar & many others in the lead.
After treating the fans with the quirky posters of the cast, the makers have finally dropped the trailer of ‘Housefull 4′. The movie has a unique concept of reincarnation. The posters that have released by far have the past and present characters. As it is a reincarnation comedy, so it is set on the backdrop of 1419 and 2019.
If you haven’t checked the Posters; here it is, have a look;
Going by trailer we can say that it will take you on a roller-coaster ride for sure. The film, which has an ensemble star cast of Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon, Riteish Deshmukh, Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Kriti Kharbanda, is said to be the biggest entertainer of this year. The film will run on two timelines – the past (1419) and the present (2019). The film revolves around reincarnation and will have two tracks, one featuring the protagonists’ lives in the present day and age while the other is set 500 years ago.
The trailer takes us on a hilarious journey of ultimate chaos, confusion, and madness as the film promises to offer a crazy and chaotic ride. Watch the trailer here:
When 6 lovers are parted because of an evil conspiracy and revenge in the era of 1419, they cross paths once again in 2019. However, in the present life the 3 boys fall in love with the wrong women and are about to marry their sisters-in-law. As destiny would have it history repeats itself when the 3 couples land up in Sitamgarh once again, where it all began. Will they remember their past lives in time for marriage or will they be stuck with the wrong lovers forever? Housefull 4 is coming to confuse you, put you on a laughing riot and take you through the grandeur of 1419 with a spark of 2019. Come & witness this Epic Reincarnation Comedy. #Housefull4
Akshay Kumar as Bala & Harry
Riteish Deshmukh as Bangdu Maharaj & Bobby
Bobby Deol as Dharamputra & Max
Kriti Sanon as Rajkumari Madhu & Kriti
Pooja Hegde as Rajkumari Mala & Pooja
Kriti Kharbanda as Rajkumari Meena & Neha
‘Housefull 4’ is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and is directed by Farhad Samji. The film is all set to hit the theatres this Diwali.
Stay Tuned on DesiTube TV for more such Interesting News, Gossips and Updates from Bollywood, Hollywood, and Television.

domain: artistic


After the first two sessions of the workshop online Public Space and People, and to review the first impressions of my colleagues posted on the blog, they have invited me to reflect on the visualization of Hamar as a city and how can affect Stortoget Square intervention to reinforce this vision of the citizens. I agree with Agatha idea of not seeing Stortoget as an isolated square and based on the above by Andres Walliser in open session on the uses and different scales of public spaces in cities, I find it convient think beyond the square, especially the importance of community in general, taking into account the variables considered in the Kommuneplan 2010-2022.
I have understood that the Stortoget Square project is a special plan in the town of Hamar, due to its location in the center city and proximity to the lake “Mjøsa.” The fact, that it is treated as a special plan and gives it a different scale from local to regional and is a good step in caring for large spaces within the city. In a quick review of “Kommuneplan”, I could see that the clear intention to strengthen the flow of public spaces and build the city from the inside out to avoid breaking the urban structure, in addition to regain your connection with Lake Mjøsa that I consider important for Stortoget Plan, but this document have an great aspect that caught my attention, is about invites citizens to find a slogan that reinforces their identity as common. Kommuneplan cites some as “Skate City”, “Lake City” or “MjøsaCity” (using Mjøsa lake as an adjective), but the moment the slogan that leads the plan (though not considered final) is Hamar: “All time city” (Hamar: alle tiders by) which seeks to combine the new and the old city, which is a trend that is specially marked and many of the historic centers of the world.
Dreamhamar Project’s have a main resource the participation of citizens and implemented many strategies to make a space Stortoget reflect the wishes of citizens. An idea may be to think of a slogan that can strengthen identity as citizens invited the “Komunneplan.” In particular I think it is important that each city can manage their own slogan and that they must go beyond providing a product for their enjoyment, it is every citizen’s awareness of what is their territory, values and know how to pass it to their neighbor or coming from elsewhere. I would discuss my case: I’m from a town in Venezuela where people are regional and defend the territory with great force, a fact that in tangible terms can not be appreciated by the many physical and social problems it has, nevertheless people still preserves the roots of the city and its ways, for many years worked through several slogans in my city and has always remained the one that says “Maracaibo la tierra del sol amada” (Maracaibo beloved land of sun) slogans also been linked strongly with the governors of the day as “Maracaibo , la primera ciudad de Venezuela” (Maracaibo, Venezuela’s first city) or “En el Zulia, Venezuela es Grande” (In Zulia Venezuela is Great), making everyone feel the citizens of the Zulia Region generally part of something bigger than called country.
Invitation to reflect about hamar slogan is open, last week in onsite workshop, hammar citizens worked this topic and really enjoyed, I hope to receive your suggestions, finally I want to share you a video with a Baruta´s slogan, Baruta is a is a municipality in the District Capital where are Caracas (Venezuela´s capital) recently published this TV advertising with the slogan “Yo soy Baruteño ( I am Baruteño)”. You can find translation below!
“I’m a balladeer, I am an artist, I am a man of faith, I am of La Trinidad1, I am with everything, I‘m an early riser, I am hand drum2, I’m a police,
Baruta has a thousand ways to express themselves but we all have something in common,
something that you too can proudly say….
I am baruteño! (five times)
Baruta, moves with you!
1 Baruta specific place.
2 By the African influence


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Asian stock markets are off to a bad start this week, with most major indexes plunging anywhere from 1-2 percent. And the reasons aren’t new: concerns over growth and escalating frictions between two of the world’s superpowers.
The sell-off in global equities deepened in Asia hours after Chinese economic data released over the weekend signaled a further weakening of both domestic and international demand in November. Adding insult to injury, tensions have ratcheted up after the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer, with China’s Vice Foreign Minister having summoned the U.S. Ambassador to China in a protest over her capture on Saturday.


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Canvas Tote Bag - Hummingbird by Francis Dick
Show your love for Indigenous Canada while carrying gorgeous, sturdy and reusable tote. The beautiful print is on both sides of the bag.
Hummingbird has become a popular symbol of beauty and love. This tiny bird is said to be able to turn sunlight into weightless jewels of rainbow. It often represents the ability of women to be busy, beautiful and productive at the same time.
Learn more about Kwakwaka’wakw artist Francis Dick.
Designed on the lands now called Canada by Oscardo.
5 % of sales of products with Indigenous designs goes to IRSSS (Indian Residential School Survivors Society).
Dimensions: 15.5" x 14" x 4" / 39.4cm deep, 35.6cm wide with a 10.2cm gusset
Weight: 5.3 oz / 150 g
Material: unbleached 100% cotton, water based inks, small compartment inside
Care: cold wash & with similar colors, cotton shrinks, lay flat to dry


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- 11 Dec 2021
1. Stylish Rings:
One of the first things that come to mind is must-have jewelry essential for a woman which is a trendy bracelet. Rings are not only flexible; They are easy to wear and these little pieces fit well when dreaming about jewelry to wear to work. They are discrete and pair well with any office uniform.
They come in a variety of styles including Diamond Infinity Rings, Diamond Marriage Rings, Engagement Rings, Anniversary Rings, Artificial Rings, and many more. Whatever your fashion sense, every day you can find a great ring to wear to work. Don't go for flashy, flashy, and oversized items in search of the perfect ring to work with, which will take away from your formal look.
2. Stud Earring :
Without wearing a pair of earrings, most women find it difficult to walk out the door. These little accessories deliver a big punch when it comes to style and help you make a discreet fashion statement at work when worn properly. For example, dazzling diamond studs speak loudly about your fashion sense and bold style.
Choose either small stud or hoop earrings as they help you to answer your phone calls very comfortably. Put a little effort into jazzing up your look with these stunning rose gold studded earrings featuring solid stones in an adorable overlapping pattern when you choose a peach-colored top with a matching pencil skirt! Stud earrings are still sure to add a much-needed dose of glamor to every outfit when combined with a single white gemstone. Team it up with a matching purse to complete your look.
3. Colors of Pearls :
If you want to look less girly in your shoes then pearls are your best friend. They are smooth. They are elegant. And it can never be too tempting for them! And if you wear simple-looking official office wear, then pearl strings will give a splendid touch to it. With any outfit, the basic South Sea pearl studs go and make you feel like a lady! And don't be afraid to play around with layered pearl bracelets and pair them with your formal ethnic wear.
4. Chain Bracelet :
Larger and more functional bracelets hinder your hand movement when you have to do all the typing at work and make it difficult. However, your hand movements are vital to a confident performance and make for a good symposium. That's why it's best to skip the ringing bells bracelet as it causes a lot of disruption to you and your companions.
As the person on stage, choose a classy, trendy bracelet, with all the eyes of the teammates on you. Considering the maintenance and not missing them at work, most individuals are hesitant to wear office jewelry. In the Lobster Clap, this specially made diamond bracelet secures itself and stops your mind from thinking about your valuables.
5. Luxury Watch :
Now a watch may not seem like a great accessory, but it is what you need to complete your outfit in a very formal environment. A designer watch not only enhances your look but also speaks about your personality. And it shows everyone who sees your bold attitude and professionalism as more than a realistic accessory. A great watch gives you an attractive, sophisticated, and attractive look, which is important in the workplace.
6. Stylish Necklace :
Many professional women love necklaces not only because their necklines are accentuated, but also because an outfit quickly adds compliments. To choose from to wear something trendy, you can choose from a wide variety of necklaces.
"Interested actor/models Click Here to further information modeling profession."

domain: design


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The Robbins House
The home contains artifacts and exhibits related to the history of the Robbins and Garrison families.
Learn more about African American history in the Northern states with this book by Leon Litwack.
Backstory and Context
The Robbins House and its supporters use the history of the home as a window into the history of African Americans in antebellum Massachusetts. Like each of the 13 British colonies that later became the United States, slavery was legal in Massachusetts prior to the Revolutionary War. The leaders of the new state followed the lead of other northern states in passing laws that gradually ended slavery. By the 1820s, when Robbins acquired this home, there were very few slaves left in the northern states. As a result, communities such as Concord appeared as a safe haven for runaway slaves like Jack Garrison. Given the existence of slave catchers and laws that permitted them to return escaped slaves to bondage, however, no person of African descent was safe from slavery until the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865.


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possibly influence her option in relation to additional lending products or account items, one example was.
Sometimes generally short-run earnings loans’, wage advance loans offer loads of revenue upon this short phrase basis.
Frequently they appear insurance firms big sum attention. Also than your borrowed in the event that you pay the mortgage back immediately, you are going to repay significantly more.
This could be precisely why they must feel averted if you can. It might take a look like the response to the economical dilemmas, but you will capture a far more tough destination than formerly.
However, there are lots of legal regulations arranged that end unsecured guarantor loan enterprises obtaining the capability to cost any such thing they demand. It doesn’t eliminate probability of payday loan altogether, but it does trigger these businesses can be held responsible as loan providers. Listed here are several constraints to agreements with wage advance debts
Limit on total spending which means the lender cannot charge significantly more than the original levels you’ve lent. Just to illustrate in the event you want, the amount you pay is topped at .
Default charges topped you cannot become charged any longer than for that standard in the event that you mi an installment.
Earliest expenses maximum even before you recognize on financing, the lending company seriously won’t be from inside the position to cost in excess of every day during the mortgage. This is made from costs and attention.
The Financial improve power makes up keeping unsecured guarantor loan organizations in stability, and implemented these guidelines i. Very while these procedures have been in location to produce payday loan slightly much less harmful, they need to totally become disregarded when you can.
payday improvements are actually a step right up through the loan-shark, reports Yvonne Goodwin, an impartial consultant definitely economic. Up until the problems that is economic about, it was not difficult to receive a low value interest financial loan or a plastic card. Now its a lot more difficult. These payday loan websites need sprung up every where to weight the gap they may be an indication for any occasions. The issue is they victimize weak individuals.
Therefore while there are certain rules they tempt people to take out pay day loans is quite debateable that they need to stick to, ways. One example was, chances are we have noticed A tv advertisement that claims something such as, that can be undoubtedly tempting. It can make they manage quite simple. But generally profit financial loans certainly are a very term this is certainly quick for a far more substantial, and you may actually complete tough straight down.
Finance rates on profit loans
Quick cash should succeed an easy task to miss those interest definitely high. In case you are feeling lured with an online payday loan, think about if you did not have a whole lot money first and foremost, merely in which might you line-up this extra cash for your spending and fascination
Into deep economic problems if you don’t spend the borrowed funds right back quickly, the highest interest could rapidly get you. You may also generally speaking become inclined to acquire another payday loan originating from a business definitely different pay this program down. This basically creates further loans, and a cycle which is tough to remain from the.
The chance is a cost just after which expenses interest to the interest towards attraction, says Yvonne. Of course you simply can’t shell out, it is possible to wreck your credit scores get, or regular, consequently you definitely will not be capable of getting a mortgage in the future.
Can that loan which payday my own as a whole credit score
Payday improvements are going to hit your credit score, but basically it will not if you are able to maintain the repayments. However, as a lot of additional enterprises make use of credit history to see whether you’re a borrower definitely accountable some often see payday advances negatively.
They often carry out utilize their own criteria being own credit rating standing which will make a decision. So payday progress could perhaps shape their particular solution in regards to added financial products or fund merchandise, an example is.
Alternatives to funding loans
Whilst its most likely that you are during an awful funds if you are searching at an instantaneous pay https://365onlinepaydayloans.com/payday-loans-ny/ day loan, do not worry. There are truly selection available that you need to definitely see main
Call for a wages improve
Some businesses are wanting to fork out all or part of your own wages/salary sooner than planned if you are internally a tight destination. They are not required to, truth be told thereis the odds that they could state no. However, there is absolutely no harm in inquiring it might be a lot of services, since it’ll try to be taken out of the coming paycheck.
Borrowing funds from family
If you’re able to so you believe they may be when you look at the position to pay for to, the option that is definitely wisest is to inquire of all your family for advice about profit. You should not simply will they be not likely to follow we just as that lenders carry out, there is perhaps not probability that they’re likely to be getting one interest all of them straight back when you type having to pay.

domain: finance


text:
I needed to live with a level of ignorance about what could possibly happen to my body during a nuclear holocaust, but now I am far too knowledgeable. For better or worse, reading Midnight in Chernobyl will make you feel like you’re there.
Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.
Debbie Tung takes us on quite the relatable journey through her experience of finding out just what it really means to be an introverted person.
I should not have loved this book nearly as much as I did because it broke my heart into a million tiny pieces.
On her death bed, Frances Jellico is transported back to the summer of 1969. A meek and introverted woman, Frances never expected to befriend Peter and Cara, a seductive couple with a penchant for hedonistic behavior.
Rupi Kaur. You’ve heard of her. You’ve seen her poetry on Tumblr, Instagram and so many more platforms in artsy movements. Rupi Kaur is the “Queen of Instapoets.” Without knowing a lot about her I was skeptical of the idea of her heavily commercialized poetry. Daughter of two immigrant parents, 25-year-old Rupi Kaur is an […]


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Each print is A3 size + mount and comes unframed.
I love Star Wars and wanted to give the storm troopers a bit of a make over, this was the result.
This is a limited edition of 100 with each print signed and numbered on the front.
All prints are giclee prints on to high quality German art paper, which is slightly textured with a matt finish. Each print is A3 and comes unframed.
FREE STANDARD UK DELIVERY OVER £75 ----- EXPRESS UK & GLOBAL DELIVERY AVAILABLE


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US authorities return seven works of art stolen by Nazis
September 21, 2023 02:30 PM
New York authorities announced on Wednesday the return of $9 million worth of art stolen by the Nazi regime to the family of Fritz Grunbaum, an Austrian Jewish cabaret performer killed in the Holocaust.
The seven drawings, all from Austrian artist Egon Schiele, were "voluntarily surrendered by the holding institutions and estates," including New York's famous Museum of Modern Art, "after they were presented with evidence that they were stolen by the Nazis," the Manhattan District Attorney's office said in a statement.
The move comes as a victory for Grunbaum's heirs, who have been fighting for the art's return for years.
Grunbaum died at the Dachau concentration camp in 1941.
"I hope this moment can serve as a reminder that despite the horrific death and destruction caused by the Nazis, it is never too late to recover some of what we lost (and) honor the victims," District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Timothy Reif, a judge and one of Grunbaum's relatives, thanked authorities for having "succeeded in solving crimes perpetrated over 80 years ago."
"Their righteous and courageous collaboration in the pursuit of justice -- unique among prosecutors and law enforcement in this entire nation, if not the world -- shine a bright light for all to follow."
As of June, Bragg's office had returned more than 950 looted or improperly acquired pieces of art worth $165 million, to countries including Cambodia, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey and Italy.
- 'Degenerate' -
The seven Schiele drawings were seized by the office's Antiquities Tracking Unit earlier this year, from the Museum of Modern Art, the Ronald Lauder Collection, the Morgan Library, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and the Vally Sabarsky Trust in Manhattan.
The works by Schiele, an Austrian expressionist artist, are valued between $780,000 and $2.75 million each, with the district attorney's office estimating their total value at more than $9 million.
Grunbaum, who was also an art collector and critic of the Nazi regime, possessed hundreds of works of art, including more than 80 by Schiele.
Schiele's works, considered "degenerate" by the Nazis, were largely auctioned or sold abroad to finance the Nazi Party, according to the district attorney's office.
Arrested by the Nazis in 1938, Grunbaum was forced while at Dachau to sign over his power of attorney to his spouse, who was then made to hand over the family's entire collection before herself being deported to a different concentration camp, in current-day Belarus.
The seven works whose restitution was announced Wednesday had reappeared on the art market after World War II in the 1950s, first in Switzerland and then making their way to New York.
A judge in 2018 had ruled in favor of the Grunbaum heirs concerning two different Schiele pieces, after a London art dealer argued that a sale of 54 Schiele drawings by Grunbaum's sister-in-law after his death was a valid transfer of the work.
But the judge rejected the idea that Grunbaum would have ever given her possession of the works voluntarily, writing that "a signature at gunpoint cannot lead to a valid conveyance."
That ruling was one of the first to come after the US Congress passed the Holocaust Expropriated Recovery Act in 2016, designed to relax the statute of limitations regarding recovering art stolen during World War II.
France passed its own law in July to make it easier for works of art seized by Nazi Germany that ended up in French museums to be returned to their Jewish owners.
The Grunbaum heirs are pursuing other works as well.
Last week, three different Schiele drawings were seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's office, from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College in Ohio.


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Reviewed by Paul Birchall
Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre
Extended through October 9
The stage at the Zombie Joe Underground Theater is really extremely small. While at times it feels like the size of a large conference table or a front counter at Starbucks, the electrifying power that erupts from this tiny postage stamp is really quite amazing.
Shows put on here are a throwback to that earlier era of local theater when edginess was king and the stage was slightly dangerous and a little unpredictable. Denise Devin’s adaptation of Medea, about a scorned woman gaining unholy vengeance against those who wronged her, could very well be the perfect fit for the Zombie Joe’s Underground brutalist ethos.
In Euripides classic, Medea (Jonica Patella), the witch princess of Colchis, forsakes her country to marry the hero Jason (Alex Walters). They have two kids, but after his return to his native home of Corinth, Jason dumps her to marry the daughter of King Creon (Dale Sandlin) who, fearing Medea’s reputation as a sorceress, orders her and her children exiled. This fear is not without basis in fact, as Medea uses the single day Creon grants her to prepare for her departure to kill her romantic rival with a poisoned dress, then slaughter her own children in a fit of rage.
In Devin’s startling staging, the action all takes place within an approximately ten-foot square area, crafting a haunting mood that’s artfully claustrophobic and intimate. With a play like Medea, one often feels like there must be a “reason” to stage it; here, it is the ferocity and rage of Patella’s suffering and vengeance-driven Medea that provides the raison d’etre. The tiny venue in effect turns the show into one prolonged close-up of Patella’s face as she rages, schemes, and enacts her terrifying justice.
The other performers orbit around her, but seem almost ancillary, as our focus, again and again, is drawn to Patella’s face, even when she’s silent. When her Medea feigns gentleness, to lure Creon into giving her an extra day in town, glints of madness seep through — but just for a moment. (You have to be paying attention to be sure you saw them.) It’s a cinematic performance — not technicolor or huge in scope, but the opposite: a nonstop close-up, reminiscent perhaps of a Bergman movie by way of Grand Guignol. You almost can’t look away.
Devin’s production boasts a calculatedly tribal quality: Patella’s face is covered with occultish tattoos; the other characters enter and exit to a sort of metronomic rhythm, while recorded taiko drumbeats thump like a headache, as if echoing what must be the frenzied throb of Medea’s escalating insanity. The play ends with a jaw-dropping tableau of witches and demons, connoting how hatred corrodes into something unholy and foul — it’s quite compelling. Good solid turns are offered by Walters’s oily and self-justifying Jason and by Sandlin’s haughty Creon, but the heart of the show is Patella’s towering performance as the murderous mother.
Zombie Joe’s Underground, 4850 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood; Sun., 7 p.m.; Extended through October 9 (no performance 9/18). (818) 202-4120 or zombejoes.tix.com. Running time: 1 hour

domain: entertainment


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Condon questioned over possible Santee Cooper takeover
Columbia, SC (WOLO) — Former State Attorney General Charlie Condon took questions from lawmakers to determine if he will take over state owned utility Santee Cooper.
Charlie Condon told a State panel today that his goal is accountable leadership and transparency.
Governor Henry McMaster selected Condon to lead Santee Cooper last month.
Lawmakers voted to overhaul Santee Cooper’s Board of Directors after the VC Summer Nuclear Project failed.


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The days get away from me now friends!
The routine has settled in, here’s how it goes.
Wake up, Randy goes running and I either work out or sleep. Get ready. Breakfast. Scriptures. Drive to work together. Work work work. Randy sometimes goes in later or leaves earlier depending on his schedule, and goes and runs errands which is AMAZING (love you!). Get done with work. Drive home together. Make dinner. Watch a show, read, play games, spend time with friends, go shopping for more house things, have FHE, go to the temple, make treats, or a mix of any of these. Then we do it all over again. Surprisingly, I really love the routine we have settled in to. It makes me feel like we are real life adults, a family, and I love that security.
Now here’s time for the ballet part of this post:
My sister danced her last recital at Clytie Adams a few weeks ago. It was so nostalgic for my family. We have had a ballerina there for the past 18 years. And now we’re all done dancing at that wonderful studio. Clytie came to my wedding a few weeks before the recital, and jokingly asked me when another Richards girl would be coming to dance for her. I have left so much of my heart at that studio, on the stage at Weber, in the dressing rooms downstairs, in every toe shoe and pair of tights. Dancing 100% has made me who I am today. I will always be a ballerina even though I’m not dancing as much anymore. Dancing at Clytie’s are some of the most precious memories I have. I danced for me when I was there. Just for me. Because I loved it. I learned elegance, grace, friendship, technique, determination, hard work, how to smile through hard things, and that I could absolutely anything I put my mind to. I am forever thankful and so happy that I had the chance to be a Clytie Girl, and that my sisters also both that to do that.


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Read a summary of this week’s inquiry evidence
Written by Jessica Bomford, June 10, 2022
This week the Infected Blood Inquiry has looked at issues including HIV litigation, how the Skipton Fund was introduced and destroyed documents at the Department of Health.
The first witness was Sir Michael Rawlins, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Newcastle from 1973 to 2006 and a member of the Committee on the Safety of Medicines from 1980 to 1998.
His evidence was followed by Charles Lister, head of blood policy at the Department of Health from 1998 to 2003. Justin Fenwick QC, pictured, gave evidence about his time on the legal team instructed by the Central Defendants in the HIV haemophilia litigation between 1988 and 1991. The final witness was Richard Gutowski, who worked in the Department of Health’s Medicines Division from 1984 until 1991 and was head of blood policy from 2003 to 2004.
For a summary of this week’s evidence click here.

domain: medical


BMW Group's Efficient Dynamics programme's fuel economy and low emissions output has been recognised again at the What Car? Green Car Awards 2009.
The Mini Cooper S won the 'Green Sports Car' category for the second year in a row and the BMW 318d took the honours in the 'Executive Car' category.
The Mini Cooper S has a turbocharged engine which powers it to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds, but returns a combined fuel consumption figure of 45.6 mpg and CO₂ emissions are just 149 g/km. Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at What Car?, commented: "The Mini Cooper S is a home-grown hot hatch that's big on performance and style, yet treads far lighter than rivals because of its smaller carbon footprint."
The BMW 318d Saloon is the marque's most fuel-efficient and least polluting 3 Series ever. A 318d Saloon records a combined consumption figure of 60.1mpg and CO₂ emissions of 123g/km, while it is capable of a 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds. It was the blend of these impressive performance figures that assured the 3 Series model with top green honours.
BMW first offered Efficient Dynamics as standard in 2007. A raft of models received auto start/stop, brake energy regeneration, active aerodynamics, low rolling resistance tyres, electric power steering, on-demand ancillary systems and optimum gearshift indicator features.
These technologies built on the existing lightweight engineering principles and direct injection engine technology introduced over the previous years. Across virtually the entire Mini range, many of the same technologies are present under the 'Minimalism' title and ensure the premium small car offers fun and frugality.


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From The Heart: A Former Ironman Pro’s Story Of Heart Risks For Athletes
Are there risks to excessive endurance training? A retired pro examines the evidence and shares his story.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
This article was originally published in the Nov./Dec. 2013 issue of Inside Triathlon magazine.
In June 2009, I called it quits. I announced my retirement with a news release headlined, “Danish Xpress Stopped by Heart Malfunction.” The irony was that what had made me successful as an athlete, my strong heart, was the very thing that ended my 18-year career as a professional triathlete, which included a podium finish at the 2007 Ironman World Championship and two ITU Long Distance World Championship titles in 2004 and 2006. Prior to the announcement, my family and I had lived through two of the most difficult months in our lives dealing with far more important issues than whether or not I could swim, bike or run.
During the Wildflower Long Course Triathlon in early May of 2009, I felt an uncharacteristic gradual fatigue during the bike. In the final miles I could barely hold a heart rate of 110 beats per minute despite pushing the pedals as hard as I could. My arms and lips were tingling, my vision was blurred and I had to really focus just to get down that last steep hill into T2. As I got off the bike, my breath was out of control, and I sat down near the fence that surrounded the transition area. I was hyperventilating, my tongue was in spasms and I was scared. Really scared. It went on for several minutes while volunteers and paramedics rushed to help. I slowly got my breath under control and was put on a stretcher in the medical tent. After being checked by the doctors and resting for a good half hour, I could finally stand up. I talked to my wife, Mette, and my coaches back in Denmark and drove to my race accommodation. Something inside me changed. I did not know what, how or why, but something was not right.
Four years prior, in 2005, I experienced chest pain during a hard swim workout. I jumped out of the pool scared and managed to get an appointment with a cardiologist the following day. During the examination he found nothing that could cause the pain, but he did find a congenital anomaly called a bicuspid aortic valve. We later found out that the chest pain stemmed from a thoracic vertebra that was slightly out of place, which was easily adjusted by a chiropractor.
A bicuspid aortic valve is the most common heart condition, found in 1 to 2 percent of all people. It means that you have two leaflets instead of three in the valve that opens the blood flow from the heart out into the body. In addition, I had a minor leak at the valve and a slightly enlarged aorta, which is common for people with this condition. The leak meant that 5 to 10 percent of the blood pumped with each heartbeat would return back into the heart. So my heart basically had to work 5 to 10 percent harder than a normal heart. It was used to this, though, and overall very strong. A bicuspid aortic valve can also be associated with enlargement of the aorta, the blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart, but the size of my aorta was normal in 2005.
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Despite the discovery of the condition, my doctors felt it was OK for me to train and race as a professional as long as my heart, the leak or the aortic diameter did not start to grow. I had checkups every year and before my last Wildflower, in February 2009, my heart showed no signs of what was about to happen. Before that race I felt amazing. I had just clocked some of my best splits ever in training. But the race did not go as planned, and after an extensive medical evaluation, I was forced to retire.
My story is not unusual, at least among top endurance athletes. Other professional triathletes have gone through similar or worse scenarios. The most prominent were Greg Welch and Emma Carney, both of whom ended their careers in the early 2000s due to a dangerous arrhythmia called ventricular tachycardia. Welch went through an incredible nine heart surgeries to stabilize his condition, but lives and blesses the sport with his ever-positive spirit to this day. Chris Legh discovered a hole in his heart in 2003, but still competes at age 41 and this year came a mind-blowing fifth at the stacked Ironman Melbourne. And finally you may recall that two years ago two-time Ironman world champion Normann Stadler was rushed through valve repair and aortic replacement surgery because of an aortic diameter of 70 millimeters (nearly twice the norm) and a big leak at his valve. He has a similar condition to what I have, but did not discover it in time. In addition, hundreds if not thousands of age groupers have lived through similar conditions.
Obviously, many of them have asked themselves whether their heart problems are caused by the extreme demands we put on this vital organ as endurance athletes. Is it dangerous for us to train hard for 10, 20 or 30 hours a week, year in and year out? Is it dangerous to put our hearts through the demands of a grueling eight- or 17-hour Ironman? Is there a risk of dying suddenly when you push your limits?
To answer those questions requires a bit of knowledge about various heart conditions and their causes, as well as the anatomy of the heart.
Anatomy Of The Heart
The heart consists of two sides, a right side that pumps deoxygenated blood from the body to the lungs and a left side that pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs to the body. Each side of the heart has two chambers, a small one called the atrium and a large one called the ventricle. When the heart contracts it happens in a coordinated fashion where the atria contract first and then the ventricles follow so the blood is pushed through the heart out into either the vascular system in the lungs or the body. One of the cardiologists I saw told me that the heart not only contracts but kind of wrings itself like a dishcloth to get the most out of every beat every second of your life. It is amazing to experience how the body develops efficiency in every aspect.
Sudden cardiac death is in general very rare, but it happens and is the cause of most deaths during sport activities. In some cases it can be due to heart attack — or myocardial infarction — caused by lifestyle diseases such as atherosclerosis, but in other cases where the person is young and otherwise healthy it is most often related to an undiscovered congenital heart condition. Typically your physician can rule out most of these by screening your family history, lifestyle and the various acute symptoms related to cardiac events such as sudden breathlessness, chest pains and incidents of fainting. In addition, it is possible to do more advanced screening using EKGs and echocardiograms if the doctor suspects something is not right or you want it for your own safety.
Congenital heart malfunctions such as the hole in Chris Legh’s heart or the bicuspid valves in Normann Stadler’s and my own heart are present from birth and, as such, not caused by endurance sports. Doing sports at a high level can in some cases make an existing condition worse or it may be dangerous to compete with certain heart conditions. This needs to be assessed by a cardiologist who has experience with athletes. In most cases guidelines developed by expert panels are available with respect to how much and what kinds of athletic activities are safe to do when you have a heart condition.
Conditions that are not present from birth and develop over time, such as various forms of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythms), are trickier. They may have a genetic component, but can also be influenced by stress and intense training. Arrhythmias are a general label for a condition where the heart rhythm is disturbed from its common pattern in various parts of the heart. They can be more or less dangerous depending on their speed, how long they last and which part of the heart they affect.
Ventricular tachycardia, or V-Tach, is a rare form of arrhythmia that causes one of the ventricles to contract upward of 170 beats per minute. Another arrhythmia is ventricular fibrillation in which the electrical activity of the heart becomes so disorganized that the blood simply stands still within the heart. Needless to say, V-Tach can be dangerous and may in some cases result in sudden death, if not discovered and treated as in the cases of Greg Welch and Emma Carney.
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Other forms of arrhythmia, where the rhythm is disorganized in the smaller atria, are rarely as dangerous, but nevertheless clearly felt through chest discomfort, breathlessness and a reduced work capacity. These kinds of arrhythmia can last hours or even days and can most often be treated. Arrhythmias are more common in the elderly. By age 70, according to cardiologists, 15 percent of us can expect to develop some sort of arrhythmia.
When we train intensively for an endurance event such as the Ironman, several adaptations occur to our hearts. The most common is that our resting heart rate goes down due to our improved heart function. Many endurance athletes will experience the sensation of skipping a beat. Actually, this is most often due to premature beats: a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) if it originates in the ventricle or a premature atrial contraction (PAC) if it originates in the atrium. Both PACs and PVCs are quite common in well-trained athletes and often are not dangerous.
Intense training for many years causes the heart to grow in many endurance athletes and is termed “athletic bradycardia,” or “athlete’s heart.” Usually the heart only grows when something is wrong, so for years this was considered somewhat dangerous by cardiologists. Today we know that most athletes’ hearts reverse themselves to more normal proportions when cutting back on training, and this condition is not considered dangerous. The only complication is that it can be difficult to establish whether or not a big heart is caused by training or by a possible heart condition, so diagnostics may be more complex when working with athletes.
With the growth of extreme endurance sports such as the marathon, long-course triathlon and ultra-running, more interest has been given to the potential adverse acute effects of long and intense training and racing on the heart. Studies of the heart function in athletes after finishing an Ironman show that some blood markers, such as troponin, a protein involved in muscle contraction, are at increased levels, indicating damage to the heart muscle, similar to what is measured from skeletal muscle after prolonged intense exercise. Also heart function may be slightly reduced and there may be slight leaks at the valves directly following extreme exercise. However all of these factors usually reverse within a 48-hour period. So it seems that the heart recovers after races just as other muscles do.
If one goes through such intense exercise bouts day in and day out, week after week, year after year, however, long-term changes may occur in the heart muscle. In studies done on athletes who have run more than 100 marathons and veteran Ironman athletes, scientists have identified, in 12 to 15 percent of these individuals, scarring in various parts of the heart. Again this is similar to what is seen in the skeletal muscle of long-time marathon runners. However, the consequences may be more severe when it comes to the heart muscle. While there are still many things we do not know when it comes to the effect of extreme exercise on the heart muscle, one pattern is evident: In the scientific literature, at least 12 studies found a four-fold increased risk of developing arrhythmia in athletes who have trained vigorously for 10 or 15 years, compared to people who exercise in more moderate amounts. Most of these arrhythmias are not acutely dangerous as many people live with them and still exercise. But as is the case with my own condition, heart troubles are always complex to deal with, and arrhythmia may bring other adverse effects such as a higher risk of stroke as you age. In addition, some of these cases may be more serious and in very, very rare cases certain arrhythmias may be fatal. Other studies indicate that high-level training may increase calcification and stiffening of the aortic wall in addition to arrhythmia.
Obviously it would be nice if physicians could establish training guidelines for how much is too much, but since each person is unique and we all have a different tolerance for training, that’s not possible — at least not now. One typical patient for sports-related arrhythmias, according to physicians I spoke to who deal with this issue, is a person with a 10- to 15-year career on an elite level plus another 10 years of continued intense training after that. The other pattern doctors have noticed in their studies is that it is the hours done rather than the intensity that affects the development of arrhythmias. Almost any athlete can be affected, though. Life stress and genetic factors, in addition to the training, may count as a trigger as well, even when training is less intense over fewer years.
Dean Harper, one of triathlon’s early greats, put in decades of intense training and this year turned 60. In the early ’80s, while our sport was still in its infancy, before wetsuits and triathlon-specific bikes, Dean raced and trained with the big four: Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Scott Tinley and Scott Molina. He won the U.S. Long-Course Championships and the first edition of the Wildflower triathlon in 1983, and he was on the cover of the first issue of Triathlete in May of 1983. If there were ever a “big five” in triathlon, Dean would likely have been part of this elite group.
While the lifestyle back then was more relaxed than it is today, his training philosophy was rather simple: Train more than Dave Scott. Dean and Dave had competed against each other while swimming and playing water polo in college and sometimes trained together. Since Dave is one of the hardest workers in the sport, doing more meant pushing the limits daily. In those years Dean usually completed 25,000 yards of swimming, 400 miles of biking and 80 to 90 miles of running each week. After winning several other pro races in the shorter distances, Dean retired from pro racing in 1986 to raise a family and practice law. During the following 16 years he still trained about an hour a day. Often it was intensive threshold work, but he did not race.
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In 2002 he took up the sport again as an age grouper. While training for Ironmans he would push the training upward of 25 hours a week, which is incredible considering he is a partner in a law firm and has an active family life with three children. In 2008, he won a USA Triathlon National Championship and, later that year, came in third in his age group in Kona. The year after, in 2009, he won an ITU Age Group World Championship in the 55–59 age group. However, in those years, Dean also developed various arrhythmias in his right atrium, most likely due to all the years of intense training.
Dean had his first premature ventricular contraction back in 1986 after a hard swim practice. If you have not had one, it feels like your heart skips a beat and then contracts very forcefully. It scared him, so he went to his physician to get checked out. He was told not to worry, but it began again when he resumed his competitive training some 16 years later. The PVCs became more regular and in 2003 at the age of 50 he experienced his first case of what he now knows is atrial fibrillation, where the atrium beats in a chaotic rhythm. It lasted 24 hours, but he was already used to having PVCs quite often. For the following years while training and racing as an age grouper he would experience an A-fib about twice a year, usually after really hard or long training sessions. He had it once during an interval workout on the track and went from running 6:30 miles to barely being able to hold 10-minute pace as the fibrillation causes the heart to become far less efficient while it is beating. After some years Dean also started to experience atrial flutter, which is a sustained heart rate of 120 to 150 beats where the heart does not pump as much blood as it should.
In 2009, after winning short course worlds, Dean was set on the world champs in Kona. It was on his bucket list to win his age group at the Ironman World Championship. Before the race, though, he developed a viral and fungal infection in his throat and was on medications leading into the race. He still started the race, but immediately felt he was off. He could not bear the thought of not finishing and held on despite the illness in his body. Looking back, Dean says he was probably pushing the envelope too much, as he started to experience more regular bouts of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter after the race. His doctor recommended that he see a specialist, who suggested ablation surgery, in which some of the cells causing the abnormal heart rhythm are cauterized. The first surgery caused his heart to go into fibrillation without coming back before it was shocked. He got another surgery from one of the leading experts in the field, which was successful in terms of the arrhythmias, but at the same time greatly reduced Dean’s physical capacity. Today, Dean’s resting heart rate is 60, instead of 40, and despite intense training he is unable to perform at the level he once was. He still enjoys doing four-hour rides with his youngest daughter, Shelley, an elite collegiate swimmer now competing as a triathlete, and he still races, but he is no longer able to pursue his original goals. Had he known this before the surgery he says he would have waited and exploited alternative strategies such as meditation to reduce the arrhythmic incidences. This underlines the importance of always finding a doctor who knows about sports and an athlete’s mentality.
While Dean’s story may be extreme, it may be the story of a growing number of triathletes. Both professionals and elite amateurs embrace our sport as an identity in which they train and race under the motto “never quit.” Those two words, along with huge training volumes, are weaved into the “iron culture.” We may think that we as athletes are strong and healthy, but as my story, as well as Greg’s, Emma’s, Normann’s, Dean’s and many others show, some of us and especially those who push the limits to extremes, may only be a heartbeat away from an ambulance and a hospital bed.
Does this mean you will die in your next race? No! Deaths are very, very rare in triathlon and compared to other risks in life, endurance sports are quite safe. A recent study from USA Triathlon investigating swim deaths concluded that from 2006 to 2011 the mortality rate in triathlons was only one in 76,000. In other words, for every 76,000 participants there was a death from cardiac or other reasons. As a point of reference the risk of dying each time you get in your car is around one in 20,000.
Is triathlon dangerous for your heart health? No, triathlon is for the vast majority of us a very, very healthy activity that prevents a multitude of diseases and brings us joy every day. But when the training and the racing are taken to extremes, when the mantra “never quit” forces you to train and race through illness and injury and when your “iron will” makes you disregard the messages you receive from your body on the brink of collapse, you are in the gray zone and face risks above the norm in terms of developing arrhythmia and potentially other heart malfunctions.
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Health is an individual thing. In medical terms, health is often reduced to how long you live, not how you live. For all of us, it is important to consider the longevity, quality and meaningfulness of our lives. Endurance sports such as triathlon are to most of us a very meaningful part of life, providing fuel for our identity and experience.
As Dean puts it, “I love to train and stay in great shape. Although my condition limits my ability to compete at the highest level, I will never stop training unless it became life-threatening. It has brought, and continues to bring, great happiness. And I am hoping that medical science will continue to progress so that my type of issue is better understood and dealt with in athletes.”
I can understand why some choose, as I did for many years, to chase the dream. However, life is long and what you see as acceptable risks now may not be acceptable later on. We need to chase our dreams, as our ability to do that makes our lives meaningful, but we also need to balance and control the risks we take in the process. After all, that is what leads to peak performances in sport and in life.
‘Something Was Not Right’
When I came home from California after my heart problems at the Wildflower race in May of 2009, I saw a sports doctor to get some blood work done. He felt I should see a cardiologist due to the drop in my heart rate. All the other symptoms including hyperventilation were not necessarily caused by the heart, but the drop in my heart rate indicated something was not right with my most vital organ. I met with one of the best cardiologists in Denmark who works with elite athletes. After a routine ultrasound examination — an echocardiogram — he wanted to run several other tests. The leak looked to be moderate in size, and my left ventricle was a massive 74 millimeters in diameter, which is very big, even for a world-class endurance athlete, but we needed more data to figure out how bad it was.
The following months were filled with uncertainty and worries. It was unclear whether I needed valve replacement through open-heart surgery, which is a complex and massive procedure, and it was unclear whether I could continue as an athlete, which was our family’s primary income at the time. At the same time, my wife’s father was in the final stages of terminal prostate cancer, with only months left to live, which obviously affected all of us deeply. On the sunny side, but on an equally life-changing level, my wife, Mette, was nine months pregnant with our second child. The emotional burden was beyond words. We talked, hugged and gave space to process all that was going on.
On May 29, I was scheduled for a transesophageal echocardiogram, where the doctors inserted an ultrasound probe through my throat into my esophagus, just behind the heart, to get a better look at the condition of my heart valve. Needless to say this was a very uncomfortable examination. While I was being sedated and gagged with a tube the size of a garden hose, Mette stayed with me even though she went into labor and drove me home despite her contractions. After 28 hours in labor, she gave birth to our wonderful daughter Marie.
More tests followed: various echocardiograms, heart stress tests, a two-day monitoring for arrhythmias and an MRI of the heart, which is extremely complicated as the bugger won’t stand still. By the end of June, the doctors had a good overview of my condition. My leak had grown to a moderate size, which meant that 20 percent of the blood returned to the heart with each beat. My aortic diameter had also grown to 45 millimeters, which was in the gray zone in terms of doing sports, but not indicative of the need for immediate surgery. The bigger leak put more pressure on my heart during exercise and at rest, which had caused the left ventricle diameter to increase by 10 millimeters since February. Needless to say, the doctors advised that I stop elite sports immediately and start lowering my training by doing one to two hours of moderate-intensity training a day. Over time we would see whether that relieved enough pressure for the ventricle and aorta to shrink, or whether I needed valve replacement surgery. The insecurity continued, but the first follow-up showed clear signs of improvement, which continued to the point where my numbers a year later stabilized at less than what they were during my career.
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No one knows why the leak or my heart suddenly grew. The only study I found done on elite athletes with a bicuspid aortic valve suggests that my high levels of training had no influence on its development, so this may have happened regardless of my triathlon career. But once the leak grew to a moderate stage, serious training was no longer possible and I considered myself lucky that reducing my training was all it took to stabilize my condition. Going forward I don’t know whether the leak or the diameter of the aorta will develop again anytime soon, or whether it will remain like this for the rest of my life. I still exercise and enjoy being out in nature, but I’m not allowed to train hard or race anymore, which is fine by me. After all, I have experienced more than I ever dreamed of in my professional career, and I can still be active at a level I enjoy.
As my case shows, having something go wrong with your heart is not like having to deal with a jumper’s knee or a sprained ankle. It touches some of your deepest fears when you consider that the organ you depend upon every second of your life may fail. It took months before I understood how afraid I had been during the incident in Wildflower and the months that followed. It took even longer before I was able to trust my body again and convince myself that my heart is just a muscle like any other. If my condition worsens I know I have a great family and great doctors who can help. No matter what life I am handed, I know that my attitude, not the circumstances I live under, determines my happiness and quality of life.
Tips For A Long And Healthy Life
Whether you are 40, 50, 60 or older, you still have many years to compete. Here are my four basic tips:
1. React Immediately To Serious Symptoms
If you ever experience shortness of breath, severe chest pains or loss of consciousness either during exercise or at rest, you should seek medical assistance immediately and get a thorough examination from a cardiologist.
2. Get Checked
Get a checkup from your doctor involving at least a basic questionnaire screening for risk factors and a standard electrocardiogram. This will rule out most congenital factors and should be done at least once in your career. Preferably, you should get a checkup once a year while you train and race. If you train seriously to compete in your age group you can consider an echocardiogram, which is more expensive but enables a more comprehensive screening — although it will not rule out everything.
3. Chase Your Dreams, But Respect Your Body
It is safe to train regularly and with high intensity, but adequate recovery and respect for illness and injury are paramount to athletic health. Do not train or race while ill, and do not overtrain. How much is too much? That depends on many individual factors. If you prepare your body gradually for the once-in-a-lifetime Ironman, you may be OK, but if you race and train several iron-distance races a year and you do that for several years in a row you may be in the gray zone in terms of developing arrhythmia and other potential malfunctions later in life.
4. Change Triathlon’s Overachieving Culture
I know many athletes who train too much. I know many athletes who have triathlon as their single identity. I know many athletes who would rather risk their health than DNF in a race. Choosing to do so is an individual choice and, if that choice is informed, I am fine with that. Too often, though, these choices are affected by the overtraining culture in triathlon. People sometimes sacrifice their health for something that seems meaningful now but is not in hindsight. In my view, this is not OK and we need to change this as a sport through information, more research and the way we salute our heroes.
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