text:
.... Morning! I'm here with my Seven Hills Craft blog post. I've been a bit smug about finishing all my Christmas cards for this year. Sadly, last weekend, I discovered that I was in fact short several cards. So I decided to batch make some cards. Inspiration for the designs comes from Gina K, but I've used Altenew, Concord & 9th, Colorado Craft Company, and Hero Arts products for my cards. Here are my ten cards:
Stamps: C&9 0 Harvest Wreath Turnabout, Warm Wishes Turnabout, Christmas Cottage; Altenew - Freeform Greenery, Parrot Paradise, Happy Dreams, Majestic Mistletoe, Warm Blessings; Hero Arts - Color Layering Holly; CCC - Big & Bold Majestic Moth, Big & Bold Holly & Berries
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Always Artichoke, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red; Gina K - Tranquil Teal; Versafine Claire - Nocturne
Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 3
Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, Always Artichoke, Gumball Green, Riding Hood Red
I'm submitting these cards to Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#106 and to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#41 where it is always Anything Christmas Goes.
I started by preparing all my materials. I used old cardstock to make the note cards - all A2 side opening cards in festive colours. I cut ten white panels 3½" x 4¾" and 10 black panels 3⅝" x 4⅞". I went through my
large vast stamp collection and found stamps sets with lots of smaller leaf images that would work to create a wreath. Most of the designs are centred on the white panel, with a few off to the side. I stamped the various leaves using inks to match the cardstock. Once finished, I adhered the stamped panels to the black layer panels and added them to the front of the note cards. Next I made the focal sentiments. Once again, I found smaller greetings, stamped them in black on white card. I used a stitch edged circle die to cut them out and a slightly larger die to cut a black mat layer. I adhered all the greetings flat to the front of the card. Inside, I kept things simple. I cut a white panel 4" x 5¼" and I used the same greeting for all the panels. I added a single leaf image for decoration and stamped it to match the cardstock.
I'm very pleased how these turned out. I got them made in about three hours and I think I've now got all the cards I need this year. But I had such fun, that I might make a couple of sets to give as gifts this year - to my son and to my daughter!! I spent most of Sunday writing all my cards and they are now on their way to my family and friends. That's all for today. See you soon.
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domain: design


Energy Conservation in Industries
Sporadic energy conservation efforts in the industrial sector have been taking place because of increasing awareness of the strong linkages among cost of production and energy usage. In the light of growing participation in the global economy, increased market pressure is largely responsible for motivating industries to find energy conservation measures for lowering their cost of production. Campaigns through the government and private institutions are also responsible for disseminating knowledge and promoting awareness of energy conservation measures.
Therefore, a precise national level picture on industrial efficiency is very hard to predict. One cannot ignore the large contribution of process efficiencies on the energy productivity indices that vary depending on the technology, sector, feed stocks age, management style and etc. There exists a crying require for in-depth research.
For example, a study was carried out to examine the potential for achieving energy efficiency through implementation of DSM options for HT consumers in Maharashtra. The options included energy efficient motors, variable speed drives, vapour absorption refrigeration systems (VARs), improved electric arc furnaces (EAFs), high efficiency fans and pumps, and industrial cogeneration (COGEN). The payback period for these options, according to the study, varied from 0.5 to 2.4 years along with an active DSM programme and among 0.6 to 4 years without a DSM programme. The study has developed a 5-year DSM plan with an estimated total cost of about $ 400 crores. The study reveals that the DSM plan would result in reductions of more than 9 million tonnes in CO2 emissions over the five-year period.
It goes without saying in which there is considerable room for improving the energy efficiency of our industries. Studies reveal which up to 75 percent of electricity use in industry is through motors and motor driven systems. Another 11% is by electrolysis, 9% through lighting and 3% through electric melting furnaces.
Figure: Electricity Consumption in Various Activities in Industries
In the recent years, some efforts have been made for the diffusion of energy efficient technologies in motor drives, energy efficient lighting systems and procedure changes. Some measures which are being taken and could be undertaken through the industries to curtail electricity consumption are:
1 Installation of variable frequency drive;
2 Installation of vapour absorption systems;
3 Upgrading co-generation facilities;
4 installations of auto/manual Star-Delta converters;
5 uses of high efficiency pumps and blowers;
6 lighting modifications;
7 replacing electrical heaters; and
8 installing capacitors.
Several industries (e.g., the steel industry) use large amounts of electricity to power several specialized processes at high temperatures. In several cases, such requirements exceed those of the buildings where the activities are housed and of the people inside them. Industries could resort to methods like 'cascading' of energy uses, where 'waste' heat from a high-temperature process is used to gives energy for lower temperature processes.
High-efficiency electric motors, pumps, fans and drive systems can be used along with accurate matching of motors to the tasks they are needed to perform, and accurate sizing of pipes and their associated pumps. This calls for energy use optimisation at all possible levels through choosing the best suited energy practices vetted through effective energy simulation models.


text: Sorry just arrived in my inbox and can't find anything official to confirm it's happening. Apparently the Vodacom Cup, takes place in South Africa while the S14 is on, is expanding to include the Argentinian Jaguars to be based in Cape Town / Stellenbosch and playing in the Southern Section. Nambia are also being touted as joining the expanded competition. If so well done South Africa :bravo: Can one of the Saffas confirm or debase this one? Would this perhaps be an attempt to edge in the Jaguars to the next Super expansion, sure to happen after S15 falls on it's arse? Cut the fifth Aussie team, included the Jaguars, now we're talking.

domain: geography


text:
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
Vol. 94, pp. 8462–8467, August 1997
MLN64 contains a domain with homology to the steroidogenic
acute regulatory protein (StAR) that stimulates steroidogenesis
HIDEMICHI WATARI*†, FUTOSHI ARAKANE*†, CHRISTEL MOOG-LUTZ†‡, CALEB B. KALLEN*,
CATHERINE TOMASETTO‡, GEORGE L. GERTON*, MARIE-CHRISTINE RIO‡, MICHAEL E. BAKER§,
AND JEROME F. STRAUSS III*¶
*Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center,
Philadelphia, PA 19104;‡Institut de Ge ´ne ´tique et de Biologie Mole ´culaire et Cellulaire, Institut National de la Sante ´ et de la Recherche Me ´dicale, U184?
Universite ´ Louis Pasteur, Illkirch, France; and§Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
Communicated by Melvin M. Grumbach, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, June 9, 1997 (received for review
April 1, 1997)
in certain breast carcinomas. The C terminus of MLN64
shares significant homology with the steroidogenic acute
regulatory protein (StAR), which plays a key role in steroid
hormone biosynthesis by enhancing the intramitochondrial
age enzyme. We tested the ability of MLN64 to stimulate
steroidogenesis by using COS-1 cells cotransfected with plas-
mids expressing the human cholesterol side-chain cleavage
enzyme system and wild-type and mutant MLN64 proteins.
Wild-type MLN64 increased pregnenolone secretion in this
system 2-fold. The steroidogenic activity of MLN64 was found
to reside in the C terminus of the protein, because constructs
from which the C-terminal StAR homology domain was
deleted had no steroidogenic activity. In contrast, removal of
N-terminal sequences increased MLN64’s steroidogenesis-
enhancing activity. MLN64 mRNA was found in many human
tissues, including the placenta and brain, which synthesize
steroid hormones but do not express StAR. Western blot
analysis revealed the presence of lower molecular weight
immunoreactive MLN64 species that contain the C-terminal
sequences in human tissues. Homologs of both MLN64 and
StAR were identified in Caenorhabditis elegans, indicating that
the two proteins are ancient. Mutations that inactivate StAR
were correlated with amino acid residues that are identical or
similar among StAR and MLN64, indicating that conserved
motifs are important for steroidogenic activity. We conclude
that MLN64 stimulates steroidogenesis by virtue of its ho-
mology to StAR.
MLN64 is a protein that is highly expressed
The rate-limiting step in steroidogenesis is the conversion of
cholesterol into pregnenolone, a side-chain cleavage reaction
that takes place in the mitochondrial inner membrane cata-
lyzed by cytochrome P450scc and its associated electron-
transport chain (1). In the adrenal cortex and gonads, the
translocation of cholesterol substrate to P450scc is under the
control of corticotropin (ACTH) and luteinizing hormone
(LH), respectively, through the intermediacy of the steroido-
genic acute regulatory protein (StAR) (2). Individuals who are
impairment in adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis (3, 4). The
C-terminal domains of StAR are essential for its steroidogenic
activity, since deletion of C-terminal sequences, but not N-
terminal sequences, ablates steroidogenesis-enhancing activity
(5). Although StAR appears to be critical for steroidogenesis
in the adrenals and gonads, tissues that do not express the
pregnenolone (6). Thus, there must be StAR-independent
mechanisms for movement of cholesterol to the P450scc
MLN64, a gene product of unknown function, was found to
be highly expressed in certain breast cancers (7). Analysis of
the deduced amino acid sequence of the mouse (GenBank
accession no. X82457) and human (GenBank accession no.
X80198) MLN64 proteins revealed that the N terminus of
MLN64 contains four potential transmembrane domains and
a C terminus with striking homologies to StAR (7). The latter
finding raised the possibility that MLN64 has steroidogenic
activity, an idea that is intriguing in view of recent evidence
that certain breast cancers express P450scc and 3?-
hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, potentially rendering them
competent to produce steroid hormones that could affect the
growth of hormone-responsive tumors (8). The aims of the
present study were to determine if MLN64 is capable of
enhancing steroidogenesis and if the structural similarities
essential for its steroidogenic activity.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
cDNAs and Plasmids. A full-length MLN64 cDNA was
prepared by reverse transcriptase PCR from human placental
RNA and cloned into pCMV5. cDNAs encoding the wild-type
MLN64 and deletion mutants were cloned into the pAT4
expression vector containing the F domain of the human
estrogen receptor to epitope tag the proteins (7). A plasmid
expressing human P450scc and its electron transport chain as
a fusion protein (9) was generously provided by Walter L.
Miller (University of California, San Francisco). The human
StAR cDNA in pCMV5 has been previously described (6).
Mutations in the human StAR cDNA were produced by
site-directed mutagenesis as previously described (5).
Assessment of Steroidogenic Activity. COS-1 cells were
transfected with the plasmid expressing the cholesterol side-
chain cleavage enzyme and the plasmids expressing MLN64,
MLN64 mutants, human wild-type StAR or StAR mutants, or
the empty vectors by using Lipofectamine as previously de-
scribed (3, 4, 6). Cultures were incubated in the absence or
presence of ?22R?-22-hydroxycholesterol (5 ?g?ml) for 36 h.
Pregnenolone production was determined by radioimmunoas-
say using an antibody kindly provided by Charles Strott
(National Institutes of Health) (6).
The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge
payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked ‘‘advertisement’’ in
accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.
© 1997 by The National Academy of Sciences 0027-8424?97?948462-6$2.00?0
PNAS is available online at http:??www.pnas.org.
Abbreviations: cytochrome P450scc, cholesterol side-chain cleavage
enzyme; StAR, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein.
†H.W., F.A., and C.M.-L. contributed equally to this work.
¶To whom reprint requests should be addressed at: 778 Clinical
Research Building, 415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Experiments were performed on at least three separate
occasions with three dishes in each treatment group. Preg-
nenolone production in the absence of exogenous hydroxy-
sterol was taken to reflect the steroidogenic activity of the
expressed proteins. The normalization of values to preg-
nenolone production in the presence of hydroxysterol, which
reflects the total cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity, con-
trols for variations in expression of this enzyme (4).
Western Blotting. To verify expression of MLN64, the
mutant MLN64 proteins, StAR, and StAR mutants, whole-cell
extracts of transfected COS-1 cells were subjected to Western
blot analysis using standard methods (5). Extracts of human
placenta, BeWo choriocarcinoma cells, and fetal adrenal cor-
tex were also examined. A monoclonal antibody (2BE2F4)
raised against a peptide corresponding to 16 amino acid
residues in the C terminus of MLN64 (amino acid residues
was also generated in rabbits against the same peptide. Mono-
clonal antibody F3A6 was used to detect the epitope-tagged
fusion proteins (7). A polyclonal antibody generated against
human recombinant StAR was used to detect StAR in COS-1
cell extracts (10).
Northern Blotting. Membranes containing poly(A)?RNA
isolated from human adult and fetal tissues were purchased
from CLONTECH and probed with an MLN64 cDNA as
previously described (6). Total RNA was isolated from human
granulosa-lutein and thecal cells and subjected to Northern
blotting. A housekeeping gene, RLP 32 cDNA, was used to
probe blots to establish loading of the lanes.
Identification of MLN64 and StAR Homologs. The ALIGN
program (11) was used to quantify the similarity between
protein sequences. For the analysis reported here, 10,000
random permutations were used for the statistical analysis and
the Dayhoff matrix was used wth a bias of 6 and a gap penalty
phylogenetic tree of MLN64, StAR, and their homologs. The
method of Fitch and Margoliash (13) was then used to obtain
the branching order for the sequences. Branch lengths are
calculated by a linear regression analysis of the best fit of the
pairwise distances and the branching order. The lengths of the
branches are proportional to the relative distance between the
Statistical Analysis. Values presented are means ? SE of
the indicated number of separate experiments. The paired t
test or Student–Newman–Keuls test was used to determine
significant differences among treatment groups, using P ? 0.05
as the level of significance.
MLN64 Stimulates Steroidogenesis. To test the steroido-
genesis-enhancing activity of MLN64, we transfected monkey
kidney COS-1 cells with the human cholesterol side-chain
cleavage system and MLN64 and measured pregnenolone
secretion. MLN64 caused an approximately 2-fold increase in
pregnenolone secretion over COS-1 cells transfected with the
cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme and empty plasmid
pregnenolone production by nearly 7-fold. Thus, MLN64
demonstrated approximately 28% of the steroidogenic activity
of StAR in this system.
MLN64 expressed in the COS-1 cells was detected as a
predominant 50-kDa protein when a specific monoclonal
antibody was used. Lower molecular mass proteins of about 42
and 33 kDa were also detected, probably representing proteo-
lytic cleavage products (Fig. 1B a). MLN64 was not detected
in the monkey kidney COS-1 cells transfected with empty
vector, presumably because the monkey protein is not recog-
nized by the monoclonal anti-MLN64 antibody. However, a
polyclonal antibody detected MLN64 in the COS-1 cells
transfected with empty vector, but at markedly lower levels
than in cells transfected with the MLN64-expression vector
(Fig. 1B b). To determine if the 50-kDa MLN64 and the
smaller immunoreactive forms of the protein are present in
tissues in vivo, we performed Western blot analysis on extracts
of human placenta, BeWo choriocarcinoma cells, and fetal
adrenal cortex. Fetal adrenal cortex contained 50-kDa and
33-kDa MLN64 species, whereas the placenta and BeWo
extracts contained multiple lower molecular mass forms, in-
cluding those of 42 and 33 kDa (Fig. 1B c). It should be noted
that the anti-MLN64 antibodies do not crossreact with human
StAR, nor do our anti-human StAR antibodies recognize
MLN64 or the lower molecular mass MLN64 species.
The C Terminus of MLN64 Containing Sequences Homol-
ogous to StAR Is Required for Steroidogenic Activity. To
identify the domains of MLN64 that are necessary for steroi-
dogenic activity, we examined mutant proteins in which either
N-terminal or C-terminal sequences were deleted (Fig. 2).
MLN64 in COS-1 cells expressing the human cholesterol side-chain
cleavage enzyme. COS-1 cells were transfected with a plasmid ex-
pressing the human cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme and the
indicated plasmid. Relative steroidogenic activity (means ? SE)
assayed as pregnenolone production normalized to the conversion of
(22R)-22-hydroxycholesterol to pregnenolone is presented, taking the
empty vector control as 100%. Values with a different letter are
significantly different (P ? 0.01 by the paired t test). (B) Expression
of MLN64 in COS-1 cells and human tissues. (a) Western blot analysis
was carried out on extracts of COS-1 cells transfected with empty
vector or vector containing wild-type MLN64 cDNA. A monoclonal
antibody recognizing an epitope in the MLN64 C terminus was used
to probe the blot. A major band around 50 kDa is detected (?).
Smaller immunoreactive proteins present in lesser quantities (4) may
represent proteolytically processed MLN64. (b) Western blot analysis
of transfected COS-1 cells probed with a polyclonal antibody raised
against a C-terminal MLN64 peptide. (c) Western blot of extracts of
transfected COS-1 cells, fetal adrenal cortex, placenta, and BeWo cells
(50 ?g of protein per lane) probed with a polyclonal antibody to the
MLN64 C terminus.
(A) Relative stimulation of pregnenolone production by
Biochemistry: Watari et al.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997) 8463
Deletions of the C terminus containing sequences homologous
to StAR resulted in the complete loss of steroidogenic activity.
In contrast, removal of N-terminal sequences, which contain
the putative N-terminal microsomal targeting sequence and
the putative transmembrane domains, increased steroidogen-
level observed with wild-type human StAR (?N2 relative
steroidogenic activity: 4.6; wild-type StAR relative steroido-
genic activity: 6.7). Each of the mutant proteins was detectable
in the transfected COS-1 cells at its expected molecular mass
MLN64 Is Widely Expressed in Human Tissues. To deter-
mine the pattern of expression of MLN64, we analyzed North-
ern blots containing poly(A)?RNA from various human
tissues (Fig. 4). The major 2.1-kb and minor 3.4-kb MLN64
mRNAs were detected in all adult tissues. Of particular note
was the expression of MLN64 mRNA in placenta and brain,
tissues that produce steroid hormones. Human fetal brain,
lung, liver, and kidney contained the 2.1- and 3.4-kb mRNAs
and some larger transcripts. Northern analysis also revealed
the presence of the 2.1-kb MLN64 message in human granu-
losa and thecal cells (data not shown).
Homologs of MLN64 and StAR in Caenorhabditis elegans:
Evolutionary Relationship of StAR and MLN64. We previ-
ously reported that human MLN64 has a 478-residue putative
homolog, F26F4.4, in C. elegans (7). To investigate further the
origins of StAR, we did a series of BLAST searches of GenBank,
which identified a 259-residue protein, F52F12.g (GenBank
accession no. Z83228), that is homologous to human StAR
based on an ALIGN analysis, which yielded a comparison score
for the two proteins of 10.4 standard deviations higher than
that for 10,000 comparisons of their randomized sequences.
The probability of getting such a score by chance is 10?23,
strongly supporting the common ancestry of C. elegans
with the StAR domain on human MLN64 and C. elegans
F26F4.4 yields scores of 6.3 and 5 standard deviations, respec-
tively, indicating that F52F12.g is closer to StAR than to
MLN64 and that the StAR domains on these two proteins have
diverged substantially. Fig. 5 presents a multiple alignment of
mouse and human MLN64, StAR, and the two C. elegans
We further investigated the evolutionary relationship be-
tween the mammalian StAR proteins and their C. elegans
homologs by constructing a phylogenetic tree using the Feng–
Doolittle algorithm. As seen in Fig. 6, the two mammalian
expressing the human cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme and the indicated plasmids. Cells were cultured in the absence (?) or presence (?)
of (22R)-22-hydroxycholesterol (5 ?g?ml). Pregnenolone production was determined by radioimmunoassay. Values presented are means ? SE from
four separate experiments in which each treatment group contained triplicate cultures. Relative steroidogenic activities of the constructs are
calculated normalizing pregnenolone production to total cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity as determined in the presence of (22R)-22-
hydroxycholesterol with the normalized data expressed relative to the empty vector control. Values marked with a different superscript letter are
significantly different from others in the column (P ? 0.05) by the Student–Newman–Keuls test. Wild-type human StAR was transfected in some
experiments. The mean relative steroidogenic activity of StAR was 6.7. The region of MLN64 homologous to StAR is stippled. The four putative
transmembrane domains are indicated by solid lines.
Identification of the domain in MLN64 responsible for steroidogenesis-enhancing activity. COS-1 cells were transfected with a plasmid
COS-1 cells were transfected with plasmids harboring the indicated
MLN64 constructs in pAT4, each containing the F domain of the
human estrogen receptor in the N terminus to tag the expressed
protein so that it could be recognized by a monoclonal antibody to the
of MLN64 encoded by the construct.
Expression of MLN64 deletion mutants in COS-1 cells.
Northern blots containing poly(A)?RNA (2 ?g per lane) extracted
from the indicated human adult (A) or human fetal (B) tissues were
probed with a human MLN64 cDNA (Upper) or an RLP 32 cDNA
Expression of MLN64 mRNA in various human tissues.
8464 Biochemistry: Watari et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997)
StAR proteins cluster on one branch, while the two mamma-
lian MLN64 proteins cluster on another branch. The branch
containing C. elegans F52F12.g is closer to the StAR proteins
than to the MLN64 proteins, in agreement with the ALIGN
The identification of the C. elegans 259-residue putative
homolog of StAR and the 478-residue protein with a domain
putatively homologous to StAR suggests that there was an
ancient fusion of at least two genes to form MLN64. Consid-
ering that StAR and MLN64 arose over 600 million years ago,
it is interesting that there are many positions with identical
residues in either five or six StAR domains of the mammalian
and invertebrate proteins (Fig. 5). As described below, the
conserved motifs appear to be functionally important.
Mutations in Residues That Are Identical or Similar in
StAR and MLN64 Result in the Loss of Steroidogenic Activity.
To determine if motifs conserved in StAR and MLN64 are
important for functional activity, we categorized mutations
that we previously described (3, 4, 5, 10) as well as nine newly
created mutations according to whether they affected the
steroidogenic activity of human StAR and if they were in
residues that were identical, similar, or not conserved between
StAR and MLN64. All but one of the mutations (H270Y) in
human StAR residues that were identical or similar in MLN64
resulted in loss of steroidogenic activity (Table 1). The loss of
activity ranged from complete to partial (100% to 19% inac-
tivation). Although mutations in some residues that are con-
served in StAR, MLN64, and the C. elegans proteins caused
complete inactivation of StAR (e.g., R182L, ?R272), muta-
tions in other conserved residues (e.g., D246A and K248M)
and their C. elegans homologs. Residues identical in at least four of the
proteins are boxed.
homologs. The numbers on the branches and lengths of the branches
are proportional to the relative distance between sequences, which
indicates the relationship of the sequences to each other.
StAR and MLN64 cause loss of steroidogenic activity in
Mutations in residues that are identical or similar in
86 ? 5
13 ? 1*
14 ? 2*
11 ? 1*
44 ? 5
56 ? 6
119 ? 18
16 ? 4*
49 ? 9‡
63 ? 8
51 ? 3
65 ? 1
81 ? 7
11 ? 1*
24 ? 5*
90 ? 16
105 ? 11†
110 ? 8†
102 ? 7†
14 ? 2
?S282, ?E283, ?R284, ?C285
COS-1 cells were transfected with the human cholesterol side-chain
cleavage system, and expression plasmids for wild-type StAR, the
indicated mutations, or empty plasmid. Steroidogenic activity was
assessed by measuring pregnenolone production and is expressed
relative to wild-type StAR as 100% normalized to (22R)-22-
hydroxycholesterol metabolism as previously described (4). Id, iden-
tical; N, not conserved; S, similar. The footnote symbols indicate
results taken from our previous publications: ?, ref. 4; †, ref. 5; and ‡,
ref. 10. All other values represent newly created mutations. Values are
means ? SE from at least three separate experiments.
Biochemistry: Watari et al.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997)8465
caused a lesser reduction in functional activity. In contrast,
mutations of four different nonconserved residues had no
significant impact on steroidogenesis-enhancing activity as did
a four amino acid deletion of nonconserved residues in the C
terminus. Western blot analyses of COS-1 cells transfected
with constructs containing the newly created mutations that
resulted in loss of steroidogenic activity demonstrated that the
mutant proteins were expressed, with detection of the mature
protein, indicating that the mutant StAR proteins can undergo
mitochondrial import and processing (Fig. 7).
MLN64, a 50-kDa protein (7), has significant sequence simi-
larity to StAR, and the present study demonstrates that
MLN64 and StAR share steroidogenic activity. Moreover,
removal of the C-terminal region of MLN64 that is homolo-
gous to StAR results in the complete loss of steroidogenic
activity. Removal of the N-terminal domain of MLN64 (?N2
mutation) affects the distribution of the protein, changing the
localization from endoplasmic reticulum-like membranous
structures in the cytoplasm to a more uniform distribution
throughout the cytoplasm (ref. 7 and unpublished observa-
tions). As with StAR, removal of the N-terminal sequences
does not negatively affect steroidogenic activity. Indeed, ste-
roidogenesis-enhancing activity was increased with the re-
moval of the first 234 residues of N-terminal sequence. Our
Western blot analysis of wild-type MLN64 expressed in COS-1
cells with a monoclonal antibody directed against a C-terminal
epitope suggested the presence of lower molecular mass
MLN64 species that may reflect the proteolytic processing of
the protein, presumably the removal of N-terminal sequences.
Lower molecular mass MLN64 proteins were also detected in
human placenta, choriocarcinoma cells, and fetal adrenal
cortex, suggesting that the lower molecular mass forms are not
an artifact of the transfected COS-1 cell system. The ?33-kDa
MLN64 protein detected in Western blots of transfected
COS-1 cells and human tissues could correspond to a MLN64
fragment similar to that encoded by the ?N2 mutant which
displayed the greatest steroidogenic activity. It remains to be
determined if proteolytic processing is required for the pro-
duction of a steroidogenically active MLN64 protein. Such a
scenario would parallel the release of active transcription
factors involved in regulating cholesterol and fatty acid ho-
meostasis (SREBPs) through proteolytic cleavage of endo-
plasmic reticulum-associated precursor proteins (14).
The amino acid residues that are identical or similar in the
MLN64 and StAR C termini appear to be critical for steroi-
dogenic activity, because mutation of these residues results in
the loss of StAR’s steroidogenic activity. However, if the
mutated residues are not conserved between these proteins,
steroidogenic activity is retained. The findings on the new
mutations in the present study are consonant with the recent
genetic analysis of congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (3, 4,
10, 15). Mutations that truncate the C terminus of StAR
destroy the functional activity of StAR, and all known muta-
tions that cause amino acid replacements that inactivate the
protein are clustered in exons 5–7, which encode the StAR C
Some cells that do not express StAR, like the human
placental syncytiotrophoblast and glia, are capable of produc-
ing pregnenolone (6). The basis for this StAR-independent
steroid production is not understood. The finding that MLN64
is widely expressed in human tissues, including the placenta
and brain, raises the possibility that StAR-independent ste-
roidogenesis may be due, in part, to the presence of MLN64.
The abundant expression of MLN64 in certain breast can-
cers is of interest. Some breast cancer cells express cholesterol
side-chain cleavage enzyme and 3?-hydroxysteroid dehydro-
genase (8). The presence of MLN64 in these tumor cells could
potentially enhance the formation of pregnenolone, which
might be converted into progesterone and possibly other
steroids. Although aromatase has been detected in breast
cancers, P450c17 has not been found (8). Thus, it is unlikely
that de novo synthesis of estrogens from cholesterol could take
place in breast tumors. However, the local production of
progestins through the action of the enzymes involved in the
early steps of steroidogenesis could influence the behavior of
tumor cells, as certain breast cancers express progesterone
receptors. It is interesting to note that regions of chromosome
8 and 17 are frequently amplified in breast cancers. The 8
(6) and MLN64 genes (7), respectively. Whether this is a
coincidence or a functionally significant association remains to
be explored in studies correlating expression of MLN64 in
breast cancers with the steroidogenic potential of the tumors.
The expression of MLN64 in tissues which do not produce
steroid hormones is not unexpected, since mitochondria of
many tissues possess other P450 enzymes involved in choles-
terol oxidation, including P450c27 (18), which produces hy-
droxysterols that are precursors of bile acids as well as potent
controllers of cholesterol synthesis and low density lipoprotein
receptor expression (19).
The present findings do not shed light on the mechanisms by
which proteins that contain StAR homology domains stimu-
late mitochondrial cholesterol metabolism. However, the dis-
covery that the removal of N-terminal sequences that direct
import of StAR into mitochondria does not impair steroido-
genic activity strongly suggests that StAR acts either outside of
mitochondria (i.e., in the cytoplasm) or on the mitochondrial
using a polyclonal antibody raised against recombinant human StAR. Arrows indicate the mature form of StAR at ?30 kDa. The higher molecular
mass immunoreactive proteins represent StAR preproteins.
Western blot analysis of StAR in COS-1 cells transfected with the indicated plasmids. Whole-cell extracts of COS-1 cells were analyzed
8466Biochemistry: Watari et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94 (1997)
surface membranes (5). The fact that MLN64 and the N- Download full-text
terminal truncated mutants of MLN64 that have increased
steroidogenic activity contain no obvious mitochondrial im-
port sequences is consistent with this idea.
In conclusion, the present experiments reveal a functional
activity of a StAR homolog, MLN64. The ability of MLN64,
and particularly its C terminus, to stimulate steroidogenesis
may reflect only one of this protein’s roles; the others remain
to be determined. We suggest that proteins containing StAR
motifs may play key roles in controlling the intra-organelle
movement of cholesterol.
We thank Dr. Walter L. Miller (University of California, San
Francisco) for the gift of the expression plasmid for the human
cholesterol side-chain cleavage system and Dr. Charles Strott (Na-
tional Institutes of Health) for providing the anti-pregnenolone anti-
serum used in these studies. This work was supported by U.S. Public
Health Service Grant HD-06274 (J.F.S.) and the Medical Scientist
Training Program (C.B.K.), funds from the Institut National de la
Sante ´ et de la Recherche Me ´dicale (M.C.R.), the Centre National de
la Recherche Scientifique (M.C.R.), the Bristol–Myers Squibb Phar-
maceutical Research Institute (M.C.R.), a grant from the Lalor
Foundation (F.A.), and the Ligue National Contre le Cancer (C.M.L.).
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Manchester Airport's First Terminal 2 Extension Passengers Depart
The first passengers travelled through Manchester’s Airport’s new terminal extension on Wednesday July 14, marking a major milestone in the Northern gateway’s 83-year history. A Jet2.com flight to Menorca was the first to take-off from the expanded Terminal Two, which is the centrepiece of the hub’s £1bn Manchester Airport Transformation Programme (MAN-TP).
Work started on the transformation in 2017 and – despite a delay of more than one year to the opening as a result of the pandemic – the facility was officially opened by Manchester Airport’s Managing Director Karen Smart and Jet2.com’s General Manager at Manchester Airport, Marc Burns, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony today.
Passengers then had their first opportunity to sample the new terminal’s state-of-the-art facilities, including a worker bee inspired honeycomb lighting feature and a giant media wall. A range of new shops, cafes, bars and restaurants also opened their doors today, with more to open throughout the week as passenger numbers increase. In true Manchester Airport style passengers were treated to a range of entertainment from local bands and a DJ. Plus, a prize draw giveaway for Jet2.com flights and 1903 Lounge passes.
The first passengers through the doors going to Menorca were the Thompson family from Preston, Lancashire. It consisted of mum Emma Thompson, dad Gary Thompson and children Brad, Ben and Lenny. Gary Thompson commented on being the first passengers through: “It was a big surprise to be the first passengers in Manchester Airport’s new Terminal Two. It looks very posh, lovely and modern. We only travel once a year and have been through all the other terminals, but this new one is definitely better than anything we’ve seen before.”
Two further Jet2.com flights were due to depart from the terminal on the same day, and from Thursday, TUI passengers will join them. It is hoped that further airlines will transition to operating from the new terminal in the coming weeks as demand for travel increases, with a government announcement due on its traffic light lists for travel.
Karen Smart, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said:
“This is a hugely significant milestone for our airport, our city, the North as a whole and the wider recovery of the travel industry. After a hugely challenging 16 months, we are delighted to be delivering some positive news and welcoming the first passengers into our new terminal extension.
“When we first announced our £1bn transformation programme in 2015, we set out a vision to create state-of-the-art facilities that provided a first-class customer experience and cemented our role as the UK’s global gateway in the North. It is clear to see that vision has been realised and I would like to thank all our colleagues and partners who have worked on the project since the start.
“The impact of the pandemic on the travel industry means we are not able to immediately welcome as many customers and airlines into this fantastic new facility as we would have hoped. However, as Government restrictions continue to be eased, and travel to more destinations is opened-up in the weeks ahead, we will be making further announcements about the carriers and retailers operating from Terminal Two.”
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said:
“The new terminal extension at Manchester Airport is fantastic news for our customers, and we are delighted to be the first airline to take off from the expanded terminal this morning. From today all of our flights will depart and arrive from the expanded Terminal Two, with the exception of arrivals from Jersey. This means all Jet2.com and Jet2holidays customers get to enjoy the state-of-the-art facilities before jetting away on their much-needed flights and holidays. With travel restrictions easing, we have a wide choice of quarantine free destinations on sale from Manchester Airport this summer, and the demand for our flights and holidays means lots of customers will be enjoying the new terminal extension this summer and beyond.”
The expanded terminal’s light, bright and airy check-in hall sets the tone for the passenger experience, with a modern security area equipped with the latest technology, and a departure lounge packed with iconic features including a honeycomb light installation and a new 81 square metre digital screen.
A wide range of new shops, bars, cafes and restaurants will feature in the new terminal, with local brands Archie’s, The Bridgewater Exchange by Joseph Holt and Pot, Kettle, Black open initially, in addition to two new, exclusive passenger lounges.
Construction firm Laing O’Rourke has spearheaded the programme of works, supported by partners including architects Pascall + Watson, design consultancy Arcadis and airfield works contractor Galliford Try. Together with several dozen partners, in fields as varied as IT and Catering, they have successfully delivered the megaproject to specification.
More than 8,000 tonnes of steel have been used to create the new terminal extension, which is 81,000 square metres. It is large enough to accommodate Manchester United’s Old Trafford pitch 11 times over, with room to spare.
Benefits to the wider region have included the creation of more than 1,500 jobs in the construction phase alone, including more than 150 apprenticeships giving young people an opportunity to take their first steps on the career ladder.
All images - Manchester Airports Group
Books From KJM Today:
Want to know more about airport histories; the how, when and why?
The web's premier resource, with informative text and revealing photographs:

domain: travel


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A team of students from Aurora University’s chapter of the American Marketing Associating (AU/AMA) won first place in the inaugural LaunchU digital marketing competition.
00020Salespeople enter their profession by many different routes, but regardless of how they got there, high-performance salespeople — the top 20 percent of the profession — share a variety of behaviors that all salespeople can use to improve their results. That’s according to Bill Bartlett, founder and president of Naperville-based Corporate Strategies and Solutions Inc. […]
An old tradition becomes interlaced with a new take on art in the Schingoethe Center exhibit “WOVEN: The Art of Contemporary Native Weaving” opening Tuesday, October 4 from 5–6:30 p.m. The exhibit features the work of 18 renowned indigenous artists who expand concepts of Native American art through their use of nontraditional materials and motifs, putting interesting twists on baskets, rugs, photographs and sculpture.
1016526Aurora University congratulates the more than 1,000 undergraduate students who earned Dean’s List honors for the spring 2016 semester. The Dean’s List recognizes students who have earned a 3.6 GPA or higher. Students recognized with high honors have earned a perfect 4.0. Dean’s List with High Honors (4.0 GPA) Ariana Acevedo, Aurora, IL Freida Acevedo, […]
A record 8,000 members of the greater AU community took advantage of the university’s free Arts and Ideas events during the 2015-2016 season.

domain: artistic


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The World Health Organization reported in the second edition of the report, “Preventing disease through healthy environments: a global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks”, reveals our exposure to our environment is a significant factor in the cause of human illness and chronic disease.
15 MARCH 2016 | GENEVA - An estimated 12.6 million people died as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment in 2012 – nearly 1 in 4 of total global deaths, according to new estimates from WHO. Environmental risk factors, such as air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet radiation, contribute to more than 100 diseases and injuries.
“A healthy environment underpins a healthy population,” says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “If countries do not take actions to make environments where people live and work healthy, millions will continue to become ill and die too young.”
“There’s an urgent need for investment in strategies to reduce environmental risks in our cities, homes and workplaces”, said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Such investments can significantly reduce the rising worldwide burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, injuries, and cancers, and lead to immediate savings in healthcare costs.”
Environmental risks take their greatest toll on young children and older people, the report finds, with children under 5 and adults aged 50 to 75 years most impacted.
Many people that are trying to take care of themselves, exercise and eat well but still ask why am I tired or what is causing my blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar to be rising? One new risk factor to our overall health and well being is our constant daily exposure to chemicals and synthetic compounds that we can no longer avoid.
Environmental medicine is a distinct discipline in healthcare that is focused on the assessment and management of conditions that are directly due to exposures from the environment.
Environmental exposures are now a growing cause of many chronic illnesses.
The diagnosis is: Toxicity
We now need to consider that toxicity is a direct cause of many common chronic health conditions like chronic fatigue, obesity, headaches, arthritis, diabetes, allergies, asthma, sinusitis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, alzheimers dementia, autoimmune inflammatory conditions like thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, ADHD and autism, depression, mold and chemical sensitivity, insomnia and cancer.
To be able to live a healthy life we need to live in a healthy environment. This means consciously trying to live green to create a healthy environment to live in and reduce chemical pollution to have clean food to eat, clean air to breathe and clean water to drink.
The Environmental Assessment – How Are Toxins Affecting You?
Since our exposure to toxic chemicals in our daily lives is now higher the systems in the body that actively protect it from the harmful effects of toxicity need to be assessed and specifically supported. A environmental health assessment by a trained physician can help identify how well a person is handling toxic load and how toxicity is affecting their body. Environmental medicine assessment include bio-marker tests for genetic predispositions, inflammation, oxidative stress, liver function, allergy, toxic chemical and heavy metal load, anti-oxidant and barrier system function.
A Plan to Cleanse and Protect Your Body Against Chemical Exposures
A personalized integrative metabolic cleanse program is then developed that is customized to support the metabolic and anti-oxidant systems of the body to clear toxins and improve the protection of the body from harmful environmental chemical exposures. This intervention is a component of a preventive wellness plan that is a higher level of nutritional and lifestyle therapies designed to help keep the body healthy in the midst of continued future environmental exposures.
Dr Chris Z Lachowski ©2016

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Welcome to 2012 ISMSC-7 website
It is with great pleasure that we extend an invitation to you to join us in Dunedin, in our summer, for the 2012 International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry, ISMSC-7.
We have an impressive list of invited speakers lined up and are confident that attendees will find their trip to the far south, "downunder", both valuable and rewarding.
The conference is hosted by the University of Otago in the world class St David Street Lecture Theatre Complex. This modern Oamaru stone complex is ideally suited to host both the lectures and the poster sessions, while also providing opportunities to meet colleagues in congenial and comfortable surroundings.
The University of Otago, New Zealand’s first University, has an international reputation for research excellence. It is New Zealand's most research intensive university and the top-ranked university for research quality (2006 PBRF, the New Zealand Government’s formal tertiary institution research performance assessment).
Dunedin is renowned for its spectacular beauty and is also a gateway to the beautiful scenery of Central Otago and the Catlins. Majestic Victorian and Edwardian architecture, a proximity to an abundance of wildlife and a healthy youth culture make for an exciting and fascinating visit. We can promise you a lively and invigorating scientific program so why not come and join us!
Professor Sally Brooker
Professor Keith Gordon
P.S - Our conference logo was kindly designed by Michael Crawford (Dunedin) based on an idea provided by Sally Brooker. It depicts the North, South and Stewart Islands of New Zealand threaded through the O of Otago University, much like an axle is threaded through a macrocycle in the stepwise preparation of a rotaxane. The University of Otago is in the city of Dunedin, which is identified with a dot on the South Island from which the sun is shining.


This United States Political History design features Red, White, and Blue images of President George Washington. The colors of the American Flag and great leaders from American politics, could this image be more patriotic? This design would be perfect for July 4th, Memorial Day, or as a gift for the history buff in your life.
Our hoodies are made from a 75% cotton / 25% polyester blend and are available in five different sizes. All hoodies are machine washable.


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Seagrove Potters Bruce Gholson and
Samantha Henneke make Nouveau Psychedelic Studio Art Pottery in Seagrove, North Carolina. This blog is about their inspirations, studio activity, pottery life.
Yikes! How close did you have to get?
Pretty close. I have a macro lens so that really helps. I had to sit there for awhile for him to come over. He was pretty zippy.
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- Dry-cured pork sausage
- Seasoned with black pepper
- Slice thinly and serve with bread
- All natural, nitrate free
- Catalan-style, no paprika added
- Size - 7 oz/198 gr
Fuet is one of our favorite Spanish sausages, with a full flavor and just a hint of spiciness from ground black pepper. Cured to perfection with no added nitrates, it is ready to slice and serve with fresh bread or added to a tapas platter.
Fuet is a slender all pork sausage originating in Cataluña. Because it has no smoked paprika, it has a mild flavor that appeals to everyone. Our fuet is made using pork and Spanish spices, but never any antibiotics or nitrates.
The Pyrenees mountain towns of Osuna and Vic are especially known for excellent examples of these sausages. Fuet is dry-cured, like salami. Our fuet is made by a Spanish curing company located in the U.S.
Pork, salt, dextrose, celery extract, black pepper, lactic acid starter culture.
Serving size, 1/4 link (50g). Servings per container, 4. Calories 270, calories from fat 220. Total fat 24g (37%), sat. fat 13g (65%), cholesterol 50mg (17%), sodium 760mg (32%), total carbs 0g (0%), fiber 0g (0%), sugars 0g, protein 13g. Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, calcium 0%, iron 0%. * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
All information listed on our website, including nutrient content information, ingredient lists, and information relating to health claims is for informational purposes only and not provided as medical advice. You should carefully read all information in the actual product packaging and labels, including for food allergen, nutrient content and qualified health claims before using or consuming a product. La Tienda does not assume any liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products.

domain: food


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This is one of the skinnytaste.com recipes — actually, it’s the first one I ever tried. Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime as written here uses drumsticks, but I like thighs better (and they’re easier to get the skin off). Patting the chicken dry is essential to getting it to absorb that amazing marinade. This is the main reason i keep dried parsley in my kitchen.
- Ultimate Caesar Burgers
- Pulled Pork Potatoes


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When purchasing a property many of us require a mortgage, speak to one of our in-house specialists or a qualified adviser who will be able to recommend a suitable mortgage product.
Whether you’re moving home, buying your first home, or remortgaging, or even looking for investment properties, our expert mortgage advice will guide you through the mortgage maze.
There are various mortgage types, the most common being:
- Fixed Rate Mortgage
- Tracker Rate Mortgage
- Discount Mortgage
- Offset Mortgage
Speak to a member of the team today and find out more about Properties on the Market’s Mortgage Advisory Services.

domain: finance


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Physicians today are faced with burnout like never before. Here are three ways healthcare organizations can tackle this problem.
The growing amount of burnout among physicians is exacerbated by the physician shortage. Physicians are required to work harder to pick up the slack, routinely seeing more patients in the same 8-hour workday than their predecessors. While some might argue physicians should simply see fewer patients, they would leave money on the table and could negatively affect patient care through increased wait times.
This situation might seem hopeless, but there are a few ways to curtail the burnout prevalent in healthcare:
As our population continues to age, healthcare leaders must make innovative, responsive decisions to meet the demand for qualified professionals. If the industry doesn't adapt, patients and doctors alike will suffer.
About the Author
Rob Indresano is president and COO of Barton Associates, a national recruiting and staffing firm based in the Boston area that specializes in temporary healthcare assignments. Rob is responsible for managing operations as well as the company's strategic vision. Before joining the Barton team, Rob was vice president and general counsel for Oxford Global Resources Inc. and corporate counsel for Oracle Corp.

domain: economics


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Thursday, May 21, 2015 - Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Rooftop Rhythms | Rooftop at Richland Mall
TONIGHT! May 21, 2015 from 6-9pm
Featuring music by The Business! This popular event is the City of Forest Acres' way of giving back to the community and providing a safe and fun experience for all. Join them and enjoy music, entertainment, great food by local Forest Acres restaurants and much more! Free kids' entertainment includes: face painting with Sarah Dippity, 60' inflatable obstacle course, balloon art with Joey Young. Food and drink by Tombo Grille, Village Idiot, Moe's and more. Bring your family and friends for a fun-filled night. More info here.
EdVenture After Dark Presents Vibes | EdVenture Children’s Museum
TONIGHT! Thursday, May 21, 2015 6:30pm-8:30pm
With original sounds and classic covers, local singers and songwriters will have you moving to the beat as EdVenture After Dark presents Vibes. This soulful singer-songwriter showcase on the Congaree Terrace at EdVenture is not to be missed. Featuring Brent Lundy and George Fetner! More info here.
Memorial Day in Lower Richland
Monday, May 25, 2015
The annual event begins with a Memorial Day Commemoration at the St. John Resurrection Memorial Garden (also known as the Government Cemetery) on Ault Road. The solemn ceremony will begin at 12:00 Noon, with the SC Combat Veterans Group & Lower Richland Veterans Formation performing a special tribute. Following at 1:00 p.m., there will be a procession to the historic Harriet Barber House, 116 Barberville Loop – off Lower Richland Boulevard, where the Heritage Celebration continues with a family-oriented day of fun. More here.
Pick up your copy of the Summer 2015 issue of Discover Columbia!
Available at all
* Publix grocery stores
* Food Lion grocery stores
70 restaurants including:
* Little Pigs Barbecue in Northeast
* Hudson's BBQ in Lexington
* Casa Linda in Harbison
And sidewalk boxes on Main St downtown, in the Vista and in front of the post office on Assembly St. or stop by our office at 1523 Sunset Blvd. in West Columbia!
Motherhood Out Loud | Saluda Shoals Park
Thursday, May 21 - Saturday, May 23, 2015
Motherhood Out Loud is a collection of short theatrical works by award-winning American Playwrights, television writers and novelists. From the wonder of giving birth to the bittersweet challenges of role reversal and caring for an aging parent, it is all shared with tremendous candor, heart and humor. Get your tickets here or call the box office at 803. 213.2025. Click here for more info.
Tapp's Presents: Third Thursday Comedy Show Featuring Jarrod Harris | Tapp’s Art Center
Thursday, May 21, 2015 9pm-11pm
Jarrod Harris is an oddly comfortable mix of trailer –park filth, comic angst and hipster irony. While his style may fit into several categories along the comedy spectrum, his clever writing only fits into one.Click here for advance ticket purchase & more info here.
USC Dance Conservatory: Alice in Wonderland | Drayton Hall Theatre
Friday, May 22 at 6pm & Saturday, May 23 at 2pm
The timeless story of a little girl who goes on the fantastical adventure of a lifetime! Purchase tickets at the USC Dance Studios between 3:30pm - 7:30pm, Mon-Fri or call 803.777.5636. Get more info here.
Rachel Rizzuti: Light Up The Night | On Stage Productions
Friday, May 22 & Saturday, May 23, 2015 7pm
The evening will be excitingly eclectic, filled with musical theatre, classic love songs, pop/folk and inspirational music. Light Up the Night! More info here + tickets.
Iris Festival | Sumter
Friday, May 22 - Sunday, May 24, 2015
Sumter's Iris Festival is South Carolina's oldest continuous festival and is consistently ranked among the top festivals in the Southeast. The 3-day festival includes concerts, an arts and crafts show, a flower show, a quilt show, car shows, and a number of contests and children's activities. More info here.
Acting Classes for Children & Adults Taught by Javon Johnson| SC Film Institute
Saturday, May 23, 2015 12pm-4pm (kids) & 4pm-8pm (adults)
The classes will be taught by Javon Johnson who is a professional actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright who is dedicated to sharing his expertise with aspiring and established artists. More info here.
Jailbreak 5K | Lexington
Saturday, May 23, 2015 8am-noon
Over the past seven years, over 3,100 participants of all ages and fitness levels have gathered in Lexington to enjoy a morning of fun and friendly competition. In the process, over $60,000 has been raised to support law enforcement efforts in Lexington County. More info here.
Marv's on the Main Stage: Ladies and Gentlemen, The Trustus Songbook | Trustus Theatre
Saturday, May 23, 2015 8pm
The Marv's on Main series will give you a sneak peek and listen at what their new bar, The Cabaret at Marv's, will be like. The Trustus Songbook will bring you a collection of some of your favorite Trustus performers as they sing you some of their favorite songs. More info here.
SAGL Playoff Semifinals | Carolina CrossFit
Saturday, May 23, 2015, doors open at 12pm
It is a win or go home in the Southern Amateur Grid League. Four teams compete on the Grid for the opportunity to make it to the Championship! Some of the top athletes compete and leave it all on the GRID! Check out what the excitement is all about. More info here.
Willstock | Jake’s Beer Garden
Saturday, May 23, 2015 3pm
Columbia’s musician, Will Salley was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Complex (LBC) with neurological involvement of motor-neuron function in 2013. So, here we are in 2015 and Willstock will be happening at Jake’s Beer Garden on Devine as they are working with Columbia’s finest musicians and some of Salley’s closest friends to put together a night of good drinks, great food, and amazing music. The musical lineup will include Elliott & The Untouchables, Joe Taylor, Tom Togilo & Friends with Johnny Few, Flat Out Strangers, Ewing & Adell, and for the first time in 15 years, The Agents! More info here.
Palmetto Concert Band | Koger Center for the Arts
Sunday, May 24, 2015 4pm
Enjoy a FREE, melodious concert by the Palmetto Concert Band. A large majority of its members are alumni of the University of South Carolina School of Music, and more than half of its members are public school band directors. More info here.
Lake Murray Triathlon | Dreher Island State Park
Sunday, May 24, 2015 8am
750 meter swim; 6 mile bike; 5K run. Athletes from the Upstate, Midlands & Coastal regions participate in this sprint distance event. More info here.
Dutch Fork Choral Society Spring Concert | Irmo High School Center for the Arts
Tuesday, May 26, 7:30pm
Join the DFCS for a free concert featuring Antonin Dvorka’s mighty Te Deum and Ralph Vaughan Williams 5 Mystical Songs featuring Washington Isaac Holmes, baritone, and Stephanie Ann Beinlich, soprano. More info here.
Music at Sandhill
Free concert is held each Friday evening from 7-9.
Rhythm on the River features Prettier than Matt; opener: The Prairie Willows. More here.
Old Mill Brewpub Located in the Old Mill in Lexington
"Shag & Beach Party"
Every Tuesday 7pm-10pm on their open deck. With your hosts Bob Patterson and Jimmy Davis.
Friday, May 22 - Carolina Southern Acoustic from 8-11pm
Saturday, May 23 - Joey Wells MLP from 8-11pm
Loading Dock Live! | Township Auditorium
Thursday, May 21, 2015 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Josh Roberts and The Hinges & Lucas War Hero. More info here.
Pearlz Upstairz Above Pearlz Restaurant on Gervais St. Very cool, intimate club.
Tsubaki. Columbia's Only True Karaoke Bar, next to Inakaya on Oneil Court in NE Columbia. Come make your own music! Specials include $10 buckets of domestic beer, daily specials. Private Karaoke Rooms (for you and your pals to belt those tunes out) available! Open Tuesday - Sunday at 6pm! 224 Oneil Court. (803) 736-7474 for more info.
Run Red Bank 5K, 10K & Kids’ Fun Run at the Lexington Family YMCA
May 30, 2015
Come run, jog, or walk with us in Run Red Bank! The course is welcoming to beginners and pros alike. Families and kids are welcome! Join in and get fit! Proceeds benefit the Y’s Annual Campaign, which lives by its mission to build strong kids, strong families and strong communities each day by never turning anyone away who cannot afford a YMCA program or Y-service. Cash prizes and more! More info here.
Shrimp Shaggin’ and Suds | 104 Hendrix Street
Saturday, May 30, 2015 from 5:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Shrimp, Shaggin’ and Suds, hosted by Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission, is a fundraising event to raise funds for the Meals on Wheels Program in Lexington County. The event, which will bring awareness to senior hunger, provides an opportunity for the Lexington community to come together to address this issue and raise funds that will provide meals to those seniors in need of services to support them in having adequate and proper nutrition. Tickets are $40, and includes Low Country shrimp boil, catered by Diimmler’s, beer, wine, music and dancing – for one fantastic evening. Tickets may be purchased online at www.lcrac.com or by calling (803) 356-5111. Limited tickets will be available the evening of the event.
Carolina's Caribbean Cultural Festival 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015 - Sunday, June 7, 2015
Come out and celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month over 4 days with 5 fabulous events! The fun kicks off on Thursday with a Carolina Lyme party with free admission, a CCCF cast of DJ's, drink and food specials, followed by Friday's J'ouvert (street party)- Dutty Mas (traditional fete prior to a parade). Saturday the celebrations include a street parade at the Garners Ferry Sports Complex, 8620 Garners Ferry Road, in Hopkins, where the Caribbean culture will be exhibited with live performances, food and entertainment. Saturday night another party with a cast of Caribbean talent that will keep you dancing for hours. Finally, enjoy the all-white breakfast fete on Sunday - a delicious Caribbean breakfast with the sounds of Tassa drums in the background! More info here.
If You're Gonna Act Like a Rockstar, You Need to Ride Like a Rockstar!
This summer, treat yourself and your best buds to a concert experience like no other. First, choose your show at the TWC Arena in Charlotte:
June 6th: Barry Manilow
June 8th: Taylor Swift
June 11th: Kenny Chesney
July 7th: Imagine Dragons
July 18th: Sam Smith
August 29th: Motley Crue
Second, reserve your ride - with Signature Transportation. Signature has been the choice of true-life rock stars, having chauffeured concert performers for Live Nation and AEG Live for over 20 years.. These guys definitely know how to treat you like a rock star... Website here.
Third, call those friends of yours and get them to save the date.
StoryFest 2015 | SC State Museum
Saturday June 6, 2015 9am - 4pm
The South Carolina State Library is proud to announce award-winning authors John Rocco and Bryan Collier will be featured at StoryfestSC 2015—the state’s summer reading kick-off event. This year’s Collaborative Summer Library slogan is Every Hero Has A Story celebrating heroes and community heroes. StoryfestSC exposes families to children’s authors and the art of story and fosters an excitement for reading, especially throughout the summer. Events include presentations and book signing by each author, storytelling for all ages, crafts, face painting and visits from literacy friends Cocky and ETV’s SmartCat. More here.
Lexington County Summer Day Camps!
Monday-Friday, June 8-August 14
Children can go swimming, watch movies, play putt-putt, go bowling, have pizza parties & cookouts, go on exciting field trips and much more! Locations in Batesburg-Leesville, Lexington, Spires (Cayce), and Tri-City (West Columbia). Visit www.lcrac.com for more info.
Paths of Destruction: SC Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum
Through March 6, 2016
“Paths of Destruction: Sherman’s Final Campaign” details Sherman’s last effort to quell the Confederacy in his army’s march through South Carolina, the state that fired the first shots of the Civil War. Following the March to the Sea, Sherman gained permission from Grant to lead his troops through South Carolina beginning in early 1865, with the goal of decimating any and all military related buildings, organizations and personnel in an attempt to break the morale of the Confederates and bring the war to an end as soon as possible. This example of total war, with little differentiation between military and private entities, left a lasting impact on the Carolinas and, officially ending April 26, 1865, was one of the final campaigns of the war. More here.

domain: entertainment


The Ontario government is attempting to allow new and the transfer of licenses for trial and train areas through legislation in Bill 91. Though a public consultation through the Environmental Registry of Ontario (until May 18, 2023) is seeking input on this issue, a portion of Bill 91 is dedicated to enshrining access to these licenses in law.
Coyote Watch Canada Blog
The consultation period is only open until May 18, 2023 – ACT TODAY to reject the province’s proposal to allow new licenses for dog hunting pens.
Coyote Watch Canada and The Fur-Bearers appeal to City of Ottawa to use coexistence solutions, not lethal control, to end negative encounters.
Two organizations call for transparency and quicker response to issues in the future for Burlington, Ontario.
Coyote Watch Canada is the beneficiary of @CanadianConservation's wildlife photography silent auction. Find out more in our blog.


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The annual general meeting of company Goričane took place on 25 August 2022.
The meeting was attended by 97.59 percent of all shareholders entitled to vote. The shareholders present were presented with the annual report for 2021 and the report of Supervisory Board. The General Meeting reappointed Mr. Marjan Mahnič as the member of Supervisory Board.
The general meeting appointed Constantia Primia d.o.o. as the auditor of the company Goričane for the next three-year period.


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This Labor Day and every day: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
The end of summer is traditionally marked by the Labor Day holiday, a time for friend and families to enjoy pool parties, backyard barbecues, and one of the deadliest, with drunk drivers endangering themselves and others.
This year, Michigan State Police, Chippewa County Sheriff Department, and Sault Ste. Marie City Police is partnering with the Office of Highway Safety Planning to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives.
“We need people to understand: It’s up to them to make the smart decision to drive sober-Labor Day and every day,” said Trooper Mayer, Sheriff Bitnar, and Chief Riley. “Drunk driving is a huge problem and the numbers are rising, little by little. This isn’t about a ticketing campaign. This is about a campaign to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal, and it takes lives. Help us put an end to this senseless behavior.”
The High-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over, runs from Aug. 17-Sept. 3. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased offices on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on the nation’s roadways.
Statistics prove there is till a lot of work to do to end impaired driving. In 2017, 320 people dies in Michigan as a result of alcohol-involved traffic crashes and 221 people died as a result of drug involved traffic crashes. Nationwide, between 2012 and 2016, on average 10,000 people were killed each year, with one person killed every 50 minutes in 2016. That’s the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year with no survivors.
Over the 2017 Labor Day holiday period in Michigan, 15 people died in traffic crashes. Of the 15 people killed over the Labor Day holiday, 26.6 percent involved alcohol.
In Michigan, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher, although motorists can be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes they are impaired. Motorists face enhanced penalties if arrested for a drunk driving offense with a .17 BAC or higher.
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the U.S Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

domain: sociology


Browse and select photos from any public or private Google+ album and add them to your posts/pages.
Not sure if it is the WP 4.2.2 upgrade that has caused the problem but today I wished to load new page and embed photographs from one of my G+ albums and only receive a code 301 message.
Worked perfectly since first install and, the day before 4.22 was automatically loaded on my sites.
I searched high and low originally and again now but can fund no other plugin capable of the functionality of this one.
Thankfully it seems the embedded code only other pages still accesses G+ as the photos are all still there but I just cant get to my G+ account.
I hope this can be fixed.
This used to work great. Google changed the authentication call and this plugin can now only fetch your public albums.
I hope this plugin is updated to authenticate again using Oauth2.0 and be able to fetch private albums.
Does exactly what I needed to display my photo galleries and give people access to high res versions of our pictures.
I loved this plug-in and now I'm in a bind. Please fix it!!!
Number 4 specifically states as follows:
The plugin must not embed external links on the public site (like a "powered by" link) without explicitly asking the user's permission.
While the plugin gives you the option to remove this if you read through all the settings, it by default injects this in the footer:
With Google+ plugin by Geoff Janes
Shame on you Geoff!
The plugin has a very limited functionality , there are tens of unresolved issues on the support forum. It seems the authors just do not support it any more and the current version does not work with the latest versions of WP.
simple and good
Awesome and very useful.
It comes with dialog to handle the selection of albums and pictures. The perfect way to include a shortcode without copy/paste IDs. Working with albums and setting thumbnails to media style even generates responsive thumbnails! The buildin swipebox is very fast and impressive, nevertheless I use WP Lightbox2 with "Lightbox(External)" setting for a better ux result on small devices.
This is a great tool and gives your website photos high speed CDN for free.
You must log in to submit a review. You can also log in or register using the form near the top of this page.


Already battling an injured knee, Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme collapsed after a Monday show in Hamburg, forcing the cancellation of the next evening’s concert in Stuttgart. According to QOTSA’s Web site, Homme “was diagnosed with exhaustion and ordered to bed by a local doctor.”
The statement adds that Homme “has been performing every night on this tour despite his physical condition (due to a knee operation less than a week before he left for tour), and it finally caught up with him. He is resting now and in a stable condition.”
The remaining dates on the group’s European tour are scheduled to resume tomorrow (Sept. 3) at Spain’s Azkena Rock Festival. Homme is also expected to be healthy enough to begin QOTSA’s North American tour with Nine Inch Nails, which begins Sept. 16 in San Diego.
It’s been a rough few months for the California-based rock act, which have found Homme battling the aforementioned knee injury as well as a lung infection that required the cancellation of a February European tour.
But QOTSA fans do have a lot to look forward to. An Aug. 23 show at London’s Brixton Academy was taped for an as-yet-untitled CD/DVD due Nov. 22 via Interscope, and the group has also recorded a cover of Joe Walsh’s “In the City” for the soundtrack to the upcoming video game “The Warriors.” In addition, Homme has remixed two songs from Death From Above 1979, which will join QOTSA and NIN on the road this fall.


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Robo Advisors: Is this right for you?
Technology is disrupting every space it is entering, and financial advisory is no different. The advent of ‘robo-advisors’ in the Indian market is changing the landscape of financial advisory, which till a few years back mostly needed human guidance. Robo-advisor is companies that provide financial advisory to you with minimum human interaction. They provide you automated services based on computer algorithms, which many times keep on improving based on your behaviour and gives you a customised product. But before that, you need to feed the system with your financial position including goals you are seeking. Next, based on inputs provided by you it prepares a detailed plan of your investment, which includes the amount to be invested in different schemes and SIPs. It will also rebalance your portfolio periodically depending upon your financial goals.
The reason it works is that it stops you from taking any subjective decision or biases that normally seeps into your decision. It has been well documented that most of the time the cause for your poor investment returns is your own behaviour. Robo-advisors help you to correct that. The popularity of robo-advisors is growing globally and according to one study assets managed by robo-advisors is going to touch US$ 4.6 trillion by 2022 which is less than US$ 1 trillion now. One of the reasons for such rise in robo-advisors is because it reduces the cost of financial planning. The use of technology has definitely helped curtail the cost of such services and has democratised the financial planning, which was till now mostly used by the affluent class of the society. To avail the services of financial planners you need to have a minimum corpus, which would range from Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 1 crore.
Is robo-advisory is meant for you
Robo-advisory is mostly used by someone who is comfortable with online tools. It is also suited for those who have small corpus for investment and can not afford a financial advisor. This is also helpful for you if your financial planning is very simple. You only invest in mutual fund and have very simple goals such as buying a car or house.
Despite all the benefits offered by the robo-advisors, there are certain areas where they fail to match human intervention. For example, if you have a diverse set of assets such as equity, mutual funds, gold, real estate etc, robo-advisors (atleast in the current context) fail to guide you. It also fails when your financial goals become complicated like paying off credit card debt or having the appropriate amount of money in a contingency fund.
Therefore, to opt for robo-advisor or not purely depends upon your circumstances and preferences. To start with you can go for robo-advisory, but as your corpus increases and financial planning become complicated you should take help of an advisor.


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We entered West Virginia on Nov 9, via the rail trail from Point Marion.
Before that, we got stopped in the middle of nowhere by some strange looking people in a crappy looking old T-bird. The scary looking man in the passenger seat opened his door while it was still moving and asked me: “where you going?”…I’m alive to tell the story, so I got out of that one ok…it ends up they heard about me on FB and they wanted to know if I needed anything! We got to Morgantown and exited the rail trail right by a Sheetz. I grabbed some wifi from across the street, got my contact info, then found a place to park my ride. I went inside and then had to be taught how to order on their computers. I ate a bunch of food then got ready for the crazy busy 4 lane bridge crossing. Before going up another busy street until I got to my side road. Roxy outperformed my expectations, showing off for the thousands of people in cars. We made it to our destination an hour later and waited for our hosts to show up.
That night was cold, and the next morning was as well. We we in valleys, helping protecting us from the stiff wind. It snowed a tiny bit that day. We made it barrackville and that weekend gave Roxy a much needed 2 day rest at a team penning arena.
We carried on south towards Clarksburg and had a nice visit with Adam, a civil war reinactment horse rider. Then off south of Clarksburg to another riding arena. After getting lost once and bush whacking, I then took the way my MAPS.me map program said, and ended up st the doors of an absolutely masive FBI center. Oops…Detoured, I then spent a lot of time on busy roads, and so Roxy started giving it. We made it safely to Isaac Lopez Arena after a very long and tiring day.
Day off then west on 2 more hard days before a massive wind and rain storm. These two days were on the north bend rail trail, where we crossed thru many tunnels, including one 2300 feet long. And a mini one that I had to duck in and my backpack still hit the ceiling.
We made it for another day off at a wonderful farm near Harrisville. Had the best visit ever with Mary Ann and Dan. I left with a neighbor and new friend John on Sunday to go further west and we did some great trail riding before getting back on the rail trail.
I made it to my stop in Petroleum and we decided to not ride the first day of gun season. I watched lots of movies on my day off in Buddy’s extra house.
We moved out on Tuesday and made it to Elizabeth, where I was greeted by Rick and his daughter with water and feed. I met their awesome family then went out to Golden Corral. All my traveling food fantasies were satisfied in that one meal that night. Thanks Rick! We carried on to the Y, then the next day carried on and camped out behind the Lions Club near Keena on Thanksgiving. We left incognito at 7 the next morning and made it too far the next day, to west of Winfield. This was Friday. We had pounded out 4 days in a row in awesome weather and we wanted and needed a rest. The roads had been windy, but the weather had been perfect.
The trip thru West Virginia was hard and fast. We upped our daily miles dramatically and rode some long days. Roxy only got stronger. She cantered freely 3 mornings in a row when leaving our night spot. By our last day in WV, we had accumulated 960 miles on our trip. I had new Easyboots to be delivered that day or the next in Louisa, Kentucky where I had planned to spend our extra days off at the 1000 mile mark. The boots I was using had 790 miles on them and they had big holes at the front. We had just ran 4 hard days, so I made the decision. No more riding until the new Easyboots are on, as the hooves were now getting a crazy mustang roll trim thru the holes in the front. I called Amy, my host in Louisa 60 miles away, she picked me up and drove us to her place. And that was that and that was West Virginia.
https://www.gofundme.com/Maya-Pedal-Horse-Ride-Fundraiser Our fundraiser for Maya Pedal.


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Last Seen: October 8, 2014
Description: My 5 year old small cat whose name is Feet, has been missing since 10-8-15. She was last seen on 249 Charles St in Waltham MA. She is a very small cat, she is all double pawed, she crosses her front legs when she lays down, and she has somewhat of a curly tail which is very noticeable. She is also micro chipped.
Contact: Please contact Tammy 857-417-1096 or Wayne 857-318-3020 with any info.Details

domain: pet


The BB9000 Series balers are built for the long haul, down to the durable, one-piece frame. Sturdier gearboxes and automatic oiling and greasing systems are key features that improve reliability and simplify maintenance.
Gearboxes are used for all main drivelines on BB9000 balers, which results in increased reliability and lower maintenance requirements.
AXLE OPTIONS TO FIT THE TERRAIN
Both single and tandem axles are available on the BB9000 Series. The large-diameter tires mounted on single axle units provide greatest flotation, while the tandem axle reduces vertical baler movement, and provides the best ride. Tandem axles also come with Auto-Steer™, which allows the tires to follow the driving direction of the turn to eliminate field damage.
SLIM HITCH FOR TIGHT TURNS
The straight driveline arrangement of the drawbar and the narrower overall tongue construction on these balers results in a 5% improvement in turning radius on headlands.
AUTOMATIC OILING AND GREASING
Standard automatic oiling and centralized greasing systems keep all chains oiled and major grease points lubricated for increased reliability and reduced maintenance. Both systems are controlled from the monitor in the cab.
HANDY MAINTENANCE FEATURES
Plenty of other features have been added to make maintenance fast and easy, including:
- Large, sealed storage container for twine and tools
- Knotter access ladder
- Site gauge on density system hydraulic oil tank
- Site gauges on knotter and stuffer gearbox oil tanks


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Every Thursday evening at 7 p.m., Austin Public Library invites you to put on your PJs and head to Manchaca Road Branch for Pajama Storytime! Read books, sing songs, work on counting and colors, and end the evening with a lovely craft.
Pajama Storytime is free and open to the public!
WHEN: Thursdays at 7 p.m.
WHO: Children aged 5 and under
WHAT: Books! Songs! Crafts!
WHERE: Manchaca Road Branch Library, 5500 Manchaca Rd. 78745, 512-974-8700
For a list of all programs held at the Austin Public Library, please visit the online events calendar.

domain: library


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USS LEXINGTONAttractions » Museums2914 N Shoreline Blvd, 78403View siteA major player in naval warfare, the carrier USS LEXINGTON was decommissioned from service in 1991 and now functions as a floating museum. Docked in Corpus Christi Bay, the ship rests just off the shoreline of downtown Corpus Christi, Texas. Relying solely on donations and grants from the public, the museum offers tours, special celebrations and a youth program. Setting more naval aviation records than all other Essex Class carriers, the USS LEXINGTON serves as a focal point for education about our nationï¿½s participation in World War II. Exhibits in the museum include a flight simulator, a theatre that captures the excitement of flight on the big screen and virtual battle stations that recreate the Lexingtonï¿½s role during the war in the Pacific. A shipï¿½s store for purchasing souvenirs, and a cafï¿½ for light snacks are available onboard. Open daily except for Christmas and Thanksgiving, admission costs $13.95 for adults, $11.95 for seniors and military and $8.95 for children ages 4 to 12.
Texas State AquariumAttractions » Zoos & Aquariums2710 N Shoreline Blvd, 78402The Texas State Aquarium has indoor and outdoor exhibits that the entire family will be able to appreciate. It is located at 2710 North Shoreline Blvd. in Corpus Christi, Texas. You can visit dolphins and sea turtles. There are touch pools inside of the aquarium that allow you to interact with pencil urchins and hermit crabs or you can touch sting rays and more in a large outdoor touch pool exhibit. You can even see otters and an alligator at the Texas State Aquarium. If you are looking for a place to have some fun, you can enjoy playing in the splash park or dig for fossils at this unique aquarium too. There is also a good food court and gift shop. Admission is $16.95 for adults and $11.95 for children. Anyone under two can get in free.
Peace of Mind Massage Therapy and Natural HealingAttractions » Other602 N Lower Broadway Street, 78401View site
Lozano Golf CenterAttractions » Other4401 Old Brownsville Rd, 78405View site
Great Texas Coastal Birding TrailAttractions » OtherView site


Welcome to our Music Ministry page!
Directed by Mr. Scott Will, our music program is one of the ministries that we are most proud of here at Immaculate Conception. Sound is an essential aspect of prayer and liturgy, and we work hard to incorporate good, tasteful, and professional sounding music to our worship and those who worship with us.
Our Music Ministry also has a dedicated collection, either through a monthly envelope or through online donations. Providing top-class music is an investment, not only for us but for our community as well. If you enjoy our music, whether at our Masses or other services, please consider supporting our professional musicians.
Below, you can listen to samples of our music.
An example of our contemporary pieces. This style of music is featured at some of our 10:30 A.M. Masses on Sunday.
Performed by our quartet, violin, and piano. Much of our music selection comes from our review of Scripture first. I work very hard with Scott to select pieces which are first Scriptural, second pleasant musically, and thirdly make use of our choir's skill set. Enjoy! (Fr. Matt)
Updates to Our Music Ministry:
We received our new Steinway Piano! Thank you for helping us to replace our primary instrument which will serve our parish for decades to come.
We are in the process of interviewing and bringing in new musicians for our regular Sunday liturgies.
School Masses have resumed and will be live-streamed on Wednesdays throughout the school year (excluding school holiday breaks).


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Trafficking in women and children
BY KRISTEN LOMBARDI
Derek Ellerman first peered into the sordid world of selling women and children for sex in Rhode Island, of all places. In 1998, the Providence Police Department raided a popular Korean massage parlor and health club ó only to discover six Korean women living a life of forced sexual servitude. Rather than treat them as crime victims, the police arrested the women for prostitution. Never mind that they had been lured to the United States with false promises. Never mind that they had been held here with violent attacks. Itís not the most uplifting of stories. But the case inspired Ellerman to help found an anti-trafficking organization known as the Polaris Project last January. Ellerman comes to Boston next week to discuss the state of the sex-trafficking industry ó which smuggles as many as 50,000 women and children into the US every year. The Phoenix caught up with him by phone at his offices, in Washington, DC.
Q: How did you estimate that 50,000 women and children are sold annually in the US?
A: That number came from a study by the CIA, which tried to estimate the number of people who are trafficked every year in this country. Many women and children are trafficked into the sex industry, but not all. Other trafficking involves things like sweatshop labor. But the most lucrative portion of human trafficking is sex trafficking. Right now, human trafficking is the third-largest criminal industry in the world, after drugs and arms. Itís the fastest-growing, and many speculate that itíll overtake drug trafficking.
Q: How difficult is this industry to monitor?
A: Itís extremely difficult because itís a black-market industry. Because itís illegal, itís hard to get numbers. But because the industry depends on customers, it has to be open enough so people can find places where women are sold into prostitution. Very often the biggest problem is the lack of law enforcement monitoring the rings. Thereís massive corruption, too. A huge amount of money flows through this industry. In countries like Thailand, Eastern Europe, and Japan, there are close ties between organized crime groups that run the trafficking rings and the money that goes into law enforcement. Here, in the US, the FBI recently conducted raids across the country of Korean massage parlors. In one case, they found a Sunnyvale, California, police officer who was getting paid to protect the brothels. He was even paid to track down women who had run away. He went as far as Hawaii to get them.
Q: How do women and children typically end up in this world?
A: It depends. A common scenario is a woman or a child who lives in a poor area in the world is given the opportunity to travel to the US to get work cleaning hotels or waitressing. For them, itís an opportunity to support themselves and their families. Often, they go into debt to the people who are trafficking them. They come over here. But when they get here, they find out that the work theyíre meant to do is prostitution. In some cases, people pay off their debts over time and then leave. This is difficult, of course, because the people who control the debts are the traffickers. In other rare cases, law enforcement is able to intervene and free the victims. In the US, we passed federal anti-trafficking legislation in 2000 that sets up penalties for traffickers and protections for victims, such as visa status and psychological services. Since then, the FBI has only been able to identify and help 300 or so victims out of an estimated four million. So weíre really at the beginning of our serious anti-trafficking work in this country.
Q: Are there certain areas in the US where sex trafficking thrives?
A: Traffickers have done a good job of extending their operations into suburban and rural areas largely because law enforcement tends to be less organized there. But the primary areas where trafficking occurs are still in the major cities and along the borders, in Texas, Southern California, Michigan, and in New York, Washington, DC, and Atlanta. Boston is considered one of the major hubs for the Northeast, and weíre aware of trafficking cases of Chinese and Thai women. There needs to be more investigation into the levels of trafficking in the Northeast, including in Boston.
Q: What can be done to stop this growing trend?
A: In the US, there needs to be greater prioritization on the federal and local levels to fight this problem. We need to focus more on the demand side and prosecute the customers. Another huge component of the solution needs to be awareness. Americans donít want this type of thing happening; this is modern-day slavery. As more Americans become aware of the scope of this problem, it will become more of a priority. Weíre trying to build an anti-trafficking movement among community members in order to bring public pressure to bear on local authorities to make this problem a priority. I urge people to get involved. Wherever you live, thereís likely trafficking going on, especially in the city. Boston is no exception.
Q: So what ever happened to the six Korean women in Providence?
A: As far as we know, the women were arrested and then handed over to the INS. They got deported. If the police had treated this case as a trafficking case, the women would have gotten various services under the federal anti-trafficking legislation, such as temporary visa status, psychological counseling, medical care, and so on. The case shows just how far we have to go in terms of adequately responding to this issue.
Derek Ellerman will speak about trafficking in women and children on Wednesday, November 20, at 12:30 p.m., at the Womenís Studies Research Center, at Brandeis University. The event is free. Call (781) 237-6826.
Issue Date: November 14 - 21, 2002
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