Sia height - How tall is Sia?
Sia (Sia Kate Isobelle Furler) was born on 18 December, 1975 in Adelaide, Australia, is an Australian singer and songwriter. At 45 years old, Sia height is 5 ft 5 in (165.1 cm).
Now We discover Sia's Biography, Age, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? Also learn how She earned most of net worth at the age of 47 years old?
|Popular As||Sia Kate Isobelle Furler|
|Occupation||Singer,songwriter,voice actress,music video director|
|Sia Age||47 years old|
|Born||18 December 1975|
We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 18 December. She is a member of famous Singer with the age 47 years old group.
Sia Weight & Measurements
|Body Measurements||Not Available|
|Eye Color||Not Available|
|Hair Color||Not Available|
Dating & Relationship status
She is currently single. She is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, She has no children.
Sia Net Worth
She net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-22. So, how much is Sia worth at the age of 47 years old? Sia’s income source is mostly from being a successful Singer. She is from Australia. We have estimated Sia's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.
|Net Worth in 2022||$1 Million - $5 Million|
|Salary in 2022||Under Review|
|Net Worth in 2021||Pending|
|Salary in 2021||Under Review|
|Source of Income||Singer|
Sia Social Network
In 2019, Sia adopted two boys who were ageing out of the foster care system.
In 2018, Sia collaborated with English musician Labrinth and American DJ/record producer Diplo, under the name LSD, to release four songs, which were then released as an EP called Mountains on Spotify. The group released an album, Labrinth, Sia & Diplo Present... LSD, in April 2019, containing the same four songs, five new songs and a previously released remix of their track "Genius" with Lil Wayne.
Also in 2018, Sia was one of the narrators of Australian animal rights documentary Dominion, and shared in a 2018 Award of Excellence from the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards. The next year, Sia collaborated with composer Hans Zimmer on the title song, "Out There", for the BBC David Attenborough documentary series Seven Worlds, One Planet.
Sia performed in concert at the close of the Dubai World Cup in March 2017, together with her dancers, led by Ziegler. They gave a second leg of the Nostalgic for the Present Tour, her first stadium tour in Australasia, in late 2017.
In 2017, Sia moved from RCA to Atlantic Records. She released a new album, Everyday Is Christmas, on Atlantic and Monkey Puzzle in November 2017. The album features original songs co-written and co-produced with Kurstin. She promoted it by releasing the single "Santa's Coming for Us" and by the track "Snowman", which she performed during the finale of the 13th season of The Voice and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show together with Maddie Ziegler. In November 2018, Sia released the deluxe edition of the album, containing three bonus tracks, as a Target exclusive.
In November, Sia collaborated with composer J. Ralph on the soundtrack of the environmental documentary Racing Extinction, co-writing and singing the song "One Candle". She also released two more songs from the album, "Bird Set Free" and "One Million Bullets". "Cheap Thrills" and "Reaper" were subsequently released as promotional singles for the album. In January 2016, eight days prior to the release of This Is Acting, she released "Unstoppable" as the final pre-release promotion single for the album. Eventually, the single "Cheap Thrills", featuring Sean Paul, reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Sia released two videos for the song, one of which features Ziegler and two male dancers, while the other, featuring Sean Paul, shows a 1950s style teen dance party; it has accumulated more than 1.4 billion views.
In April 2016, Sia gave a widely acclaimed performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival that went viral online. Her performance received an effusively positive critical reception as "one of the greatest moments in Coachella's 17-year history", and it was consistently noted as one of the best performances of the 2016 festival. The performance was her first full concert since 2011. In May 2016, Sia made a surprise appearance on the finale for Survivor: Kaôh Rōng where she donated $50,000 to contestant Tai Trang. She donated another $50,000 to an animal charity of his choice, noting that the two share a mutual love of animals. The same month, she contributed vocals to a cover of Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable" which was featured on the soundtrack of 2016 Pixar film Finding Dory.
In June 2016, Sia gave a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, featuring Ziegler. From May to August, Sia performed in nearly a dozen festival and other concerts in America and European and Middle Eastern countries, including Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Lebanon and Israel. In September 2016, she released a single, "The Greatest", with vocals from American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. A video was released the same day featuring Ziegler – the dancer's fifth video collaboration with Sia and Heffington. The two performed the song with several other dancers, and also performed "Chandelier", live the next day at the Apple annual fall event, drawing media attention. The videos that Sia has posted to her YouTube channel have accumulated a total of more than 8 billion views, and the channel has more than 18 million subscribers.
Sia gave her Nostalgic for the Present Tour in North America from September to November 2016, featuring Ziegler. As at Coachella and subsequent live performances, Sia appeared at the back of the stage with her familiar wig covering her face, while her dancers performed Heffington's choreography synchronized with prerecorded videos played on big screens. The tour received a warm reaction: "She let her dancers own center stage, carrying out one skit/performance after another as Sia delivered the soundtrack. ... It defied all the regular rules of pop concerts, which are usually designed to focus every ounce of the audience’s attention on the star of the show. Yet, Sia's bold gamble paid off, resulting in one of the most daringly original and wholly satisfying shows of 2016." Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic described the show as "part performance art, part interpretive dance. ... [Sia] sounded amazing. ... There's so much raw emotion in her songs. And you can definitely hear that in her voice, but it becomes more visceral when you can also read it in the faces of her dancers, especially Ziegler. ... The entire performance was brilliantly staged, with one song flowing seamlessly into another". Sia released the deluxe edition of This Is Acting in October 2016, which includes three new tracks, a remix version of "Move Your Body" and a solo version of "The Greatest". She was nominated for three 2017 Grammy Awards. Sia contributed to the soundtracks for the films Lion and Wonder Woman with "Never Give Up" and "To Be Human", respectively. She also co-wrote and performed on a platinum-selling single, "Dusk Till Dawn" by Zayn Malik.
This Is Acting (2016) alternates more reggae and electropop with more introspective themes. In her 2016 live performances, Sia's music is part of performance-art-like shows that involve dance and theatrical effects. For an MTV News writer "Sia's throaty, slurred vocals are her norm", while a The Fader contributor noted "In the Billboard Hot 100 landscape, Sia's songwriting voice, which deals with depression and addiction, is singular—her actual voice even more so." Everyday Is Christmas (2017), Sia's first release of Christmas music is a pop album that gives old-fashioned holiday music "some 21st century pop gloss". National Public Radio called Sia "the 21st century's most resilient songwriter".
Sia lent her voice to the show South Park in its eighteenth season. In episode 3 entitled "The Cissy", she portrayed Lorde in a parody song in the episode entitled "Push (Feeling Good on a Wednesday)". Sia wrote and recorded "Angel by the Wings", the title song for the documentary film The Eagle Huntress, which premiered in 2016 at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2016 Sia covered "Blackbird" by The Beatles for the Netflix original series Beat Bugs. She appeared in the 2017 animated film My Little Pony: The Movie as the voice of "pop star" character Songbird Serenade. She also contributed an original song, "Rainbow", to the film's soundtrack.
In an interview with NME in February 2015, Sia revealed that she had completed the follow-up to 1000 Forms of Fear, entitled This Is Acting. The album was another collaboration with producer and co-writer Greg Kurstin. Furler said that she released 1000 Forms of Fear to free herself from her record deal and had planned simply to write for other artists, but the album's success spurred her to continue writing her own music. In May 2015, Sia's cover of The Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreamin'" was released on the soundtrack of the movie San Andreas. The same month, alongside the digital deluxe release of 1000 Forms of Fear, she released a mobile game, Bob Job. "Alive" from This Is Acting was co-written by Adele and had originally been intended for Adele's third album.
In 2014, Sia broke through as a solo recording artist when her sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear, debuted at No 1 in the U.S. Billboard 200 and generated the top-ten single "Chandelier" and a trilogy of music videos starring child dancer Maddie Ziegler. Since then, Sia has usually worn a wig that obscures her face to protect her privacy. Her seventh studio album This Is Acting (2016), spawned her first Billboard Hot 100 number one single, "Cheap Thrills". The same year, Sia gave her Nostalgic for the Present Tour, which incorporated dancing by Ziegler and others and other performance art elements. Her eighth studio album, Everyday Is Christmas, was released in 2017 and reissued in 2018 with three bonus tracks. In 2018 and 2019 she collaborated with Labrinth and Diplo in the group LSD, and they released their self-titled debut album in April 2019. Among the accolades received by Sia are nearly a dozen ARIA Awards, 9 Grammy Award nominations and an MTV Video Music Award.
In 2014, Sia contributed to the soundtrack to the 2014 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Annie. Sia, along with producer Greg Kurstin, wrote three new songs for the film as well as re-working songs from the musical. Sia, Kurstin and Annie director Will Gluck were nominated at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song for one of the film's original songs, "Opportunity".
Sia married documentary filmmaker Erik Anders Lang at her home in Palm Springs, California, in August 2014. The couple revealed their separation in December 2016. During a 2014 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Sia was asked if she was religious, to which she responded, "I believe in a Higher Power and it's called 'Whatever Dude' and he's a queer, surfing Santa that's a bit like my grandpa, so yes." In the same interview, she stated that she is a feminist and that Whatever Dude divinely inspired the lyrics she wrote for Rihanna's song "Diamonds". One of Sia's tattoos, on her hand, reads "Whatever Dude". Sia is a cousin of Australian Christian rock musician Peter Furler.
In October 2013, Sia released "Elastic Heart" featuring The Weeknd and Diplo for the soundtrack of the American film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013). Sia executive-produced Brooke Candy's debut EP, Opulence, released in May 2014, and co-wrote 3 songs on the EP. In July 2014, Sia released her own sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear. She again collaborated with Greg Kurstin. The album debuted at No. 1 in the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 52,000 copies. By October 2015, it was certified gold by the RIAA denoting 500,000 equivalent-album units sold in the United States. The record peaked at No. 1 in Australia and reached the top ten of charts in numerous European regions. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry and gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. By early 2016, the album had sold 1 million copies worldwide.
Sia, who is vegan, participated in an advertisement for PETA Asia-Pacific, with her dog, Pantera, to encourage pet neutering. Sia has also joined other publicly known figures for the "Oscar's Law" campaign, in protest against large-scale pet breeding. Other advocates include singers Jon Stevens, Paul Dempsey, Rachael Leahcar and Missy Higgins. She is also a supporter of the Beagle Freedom Project, performing "I'm in Here" live at the Beagle Freedom Project Gala on 9 September 2013. For her 2016 Nostalgic for the Present Tour, Sia partnered with various rescue organizations to conduct a dog adoption fair at each of her concerts. Sia was nominated for a 2016 Libby Award for "Best Voice for Animals". The video for her 2016 single "The Greatest" was a pro-LGBT tribute to the 49 people killed in the Pulse Orlando Shooting.
Sia retired as a recording artist and began a career as a songwriter. She soon penned "Titanium" for American singer Alicia Keys, but it was later sent to David Guetta, who included Sia's original demo vocals on the song and released it as a single in 2011. "Titanium" peaked within the top ten of record charts in the United States, Australia and numerous European regions. However, Sia was not pleased with the success of the single: "[...] I never even knew it was gonna happen, and I was really upset. Because I had just retired, I was trying to be a pop songwriter, not an artist." From 2011 to 2013, Sia also co-wrote songs for many recording artists, including Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue, Flo Rida and Rihanna. Her collaboration with Flo Rida, "Wild Ones", peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the tenth best-selling song of 2012 globally.
In June 2010, Sia released her fifth studio album, We Are Born. The release peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The release of the album was preceded by three singles: the lead single, "You've Changed", was released in December 2009 and charted at No. 31 in Australia. The follow-up single, "Clap Your Hands", peaked at No. 17 in Australia, No. 10 in the Netherlands and No. 27 in Switzerland. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010, We Are Born earned Sia two categories won: Best Independent Release and Best Pop Release. Meanwhile, at the 2011 APRA Music Awards, Sia received a nomination for Song of the Year for "Clap Your Hands". To promote We Are Born, Sia embarked on the We Meaning You Tour, which visited North America and Europe in April–May 2010. She followed this with the We Are Born Tour, which visited Australia in February 2011 and North America in July–August 2011. In March 2012, Sia released the greatest hits album Best Of... in Australia.
Sia has suffered from depression, addictions to painkillers and alcohol, and had contemplated suicide, going as far as to write a suicide note. In 2010, Sia cancelled various promotional events and shows due to her poor health. She cited extreme lethargy and panic attacks and considered retiring permanently from performing and touring. She stated that she had been diagnosed with Graves' disease – an autoimmune disorder characterized by an over-active thyroid. Later that year, in an ARIA Awards interview, Sia said her health was improving after rest and thyroid hormone replacement therapy. In 2019, Sia revealed that she suffers from Ehlers–Danlos syndrome.
In May 2009, Sia released TV Is My Parent on DVD, which includes a live concert at New York's Hiro Ballroom, four music videos and behind-the-scene footage. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Sia won the Best Music DVD category for TV Is My Parent. She also received a nomination for Best Breakthrough Artist Album for Some People Have Real Problems.
In 2009, American singer Christina Aguilera approached Sia about writing ballads for Aguilera's then-upcoming sixth studio album. The final product, Bionic, includes three songs co-written by Sia. Later in 2010, Sia also co-wrote "Bound to You" for the soundtrack of the American film Burlesque, which starred Aguilera and American singer Cher. The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 68th Golden Globe Awards. In May 2011, Sia appeared on the inaugural season of the U.S. version of The Voice as an adviser for Aguilera, who served as a vocal coach and judge.
In 2009, after leaving Zero 7, Sia dedicated herself entirely to her solo career. We Are Born (2010), incorporated various pop styles, including synthpop and R&B, with introspective themes accompanied by more insistent and livelier rhythms. 1000 Forms of Fear (2014) consolidated her connection with pop (with traces of electropop, reggae and hip-hop) This Is Acting is mostly composed of songs written by Sia with other female pop artists in mind, but the artists did not include the songs on their albums. Sia described songwriting for others as "play-acting." The Guardian' s Kitty Empire commented that the latter album "provides an obvious counterpoint to Sia's more personal album of 2014, 1000 Forms of Fear, whose stonking single, "Chandelier", tackled her intoxicated past. This Is Acting makes plain the fact of manufacture – a process akin to bespoke tailoring."
In 2007, Sia released a live album titled Lady Croissant, which included eight live songs from her April 2006 performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York and one new studio recording—"Pictures". A year later, she left Zero 7 on friendly terms, replaced by Eska Mtungwazi as the band's frontwoman. Sia released her fourth studio album, Some People Have Real Problems on 8 January 2008. The album peaked at No. 41 in Australia and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. It charted at No. 26 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Sia's first album to chart in the United States. Some People Have Real Problems yielded four singles, including "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine". It peaked at No. 11 in the Netherlands and No. 12 in Spain; it additionally reached No. 8 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs. Another single from the album was "Soon We'll Be Found".
In 2008, Sia discussed her sexual orientation in interviews and revealed her relationship with JD Samson; they broke up in 2011. When asked about her sexuality in 2009, she said, "I've always dated boys and girls and anything in between. I don't care what gender you are, it's about people. ... I've always been... well, flexible is the word I would use."
Sia wrote a screenplay based on a one-page story that she had written in 2007. Maddie Ziegler stars in the project, along with Kate Hudson and Leslie Odom Jr.. The musical, titled Music, is directed by Sia and is expected to feature a soundtrack performed by her. It is expected to be released in 2020. Sia wrote the songs for the soundtrack to the 2018 musical film Vox Lux, with a score by Scott Walker.
Sia relocated to New York City in 2005 and toured in the United States. Her fourth and fifth studio albums, Some People Have Real Problems and We Are Born, were released in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Each was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association and attracted wider notice than her earlier albums. Uncomfortable with her growing fame, Sia took a hiatus from performing, during which she focused on songwriting for other artists, producing successful collaborations "Titanium" (with David Guetta), "Diamonds" (with Rihanna) and "Wild Ones" (with Flo Rida).
Dissatisfied with Colour the Small One' s poor marketing and the album's struggle to connect with a mainstream audience, Sia relocated to New York City in 2005. During that time, "Breathe Me" appeared in the final scene of the U.S. HBO television series Six Feet Under, which helped increase Sia's fame in the United States. Consequently, Sia's manager, David Enthoven, set up a tour across the country to maintain her career.
In 2004, Sia released her third studio album, Colour the Small One. The album employs a mixture of acoustic instruments and electronic backing to her material. The album spawned four singles, including "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Breathe Me", the latter of which charted in the United Kingdom, Denmark and France.
With Colour the Small One (2004) and Some People Have Real Problems (2007) she moved into jazz and folktronica, although the album's biggest hit, "Breathe Me", is described as alternative rock and a power ballad. Some People Have Real Problems expanded her connection with indie pop. Sia stated, "Colour the Small One ... couldn't be more derivative of Kings of Convenience and James Taylor and the things that Zero 7 were playing on the [tour] bus. I'm very easily influenced."
In 2000, Sia signed a recording contract with Sony Music's sub-label Dance Pool and released her first single, "Taken for Granted", which peaked at No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, she released her second solo album, Healing Is Difficult, which blends retro jazz and soul music and lyrically discusses Sia's dealing with the death of her first love affair. Displeased with the promotion of the album, Sia fired her manager, left Sony Music and signed with Go! Beat, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG). At the APRA Awards of 2002, Sia won the Breakthrough Songwriter category alongside Brisbane pop duo Aneiki's Jennifer Waite and Grant Wallis.
After Crisp disbanded in 1997, Sia moved to London, where she performed as a background vocalist for British band Jamiroquai. She also provided lead vocals for English downtempo group Zero 7 on their first three studio albums and toured with the group. On Zero 7's 2001 album Simple Things, Sia contributed vocals to two tracks including the single "Destiny", which peaked at No. 30 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, she provided vocals for Zero 7 on "Somersault" and "Speed Dial No. 2" (from the album When It Falls). In 2006, Sia again collaborated with Zero 7 for the group's third album, The Garden and hence she is regarded as the "unofficial" lead singer of Zero 7.
Following the disbandment of Crisp in 1997, Sia decided to move to London to follow her relationship with boyfriend Dan Pontifex. Several weeks later, while on a stopover in Thailand, she received the news that Pontifex had died after being in a car accident in London. She returned to Australia, but soon she received a call from one of Pontifex's former housemates, who invited her to stay in London. Her 2001 album Healing Is Difficult lyrically deals with Pontifex's death: "I was pretty fucked up after Dan died. I couldn't really feel anything. I could intellectualise a lot of stuff; that I had a purpose, that I was loved, but I couldn't actually feel anything." Sia recalled the effect of his death in a 2007 interview for The Sunday Times: "We were all devastated, so we got shit-faced on drugs and Special Brew. Unfortunately, that bender lasted six years for me."
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (/ˈ s iː ə / SEE -ə; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer, songwriter, voice actress and music video director. She started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s in Adelaide. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, she released her debut studio album titled OnlySee in Australia. She moved to London, England, and provided vocals for the British duo Zero 7. In 2000, Sia released her second studio album, Healing Is Difficult, and her third studio album, Colour the Small One, in 2004, but all of these struggled to connect with a mainstream audience.
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler was born on 18 December 1975 in Adelaide, South Australia. Her father, Phil Colson, is a musician, and her mother, Loene Furler, is an art lecturer. Sia is the niece of actor-singer Kevin Colson. Sia said that as a child she imitated the performing style of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Sting, whom she cites as early influences. She attended Adelaide High School. In the mid-1990s, Sia started a career as a singer in the local acid jazz band Crisp. Sia collaborated with the band and contributed vocals to their album Word and the Deal (1995) and EP Delirium (1997). In 1997 Crisp disbanded, and Sia released her debut studio album, OnlySee, on Flavoured Records, in Australia, on 23 December. The album sold about 1,200 copies. Unlike her later albums, OnlySee was marketed under her full name, "Sia Furler". It was produced by Jesse Flavell.


text:
Victoria (District Electoral Area)
District Electoral Area
Map showing Victoria wards within Belfast
|Area||20.2 km2 (7.8 sq mi)|
|Population||36,607 (2008 Estimate)|
|• Density||1,812/km2 (4,690/sq mi)|
|Sovereign state||United Kingdom|
|EU Parliament||Northern Ireland|
Located in the east of the city, the district elected seven members to Belfast City Council and contained the wards of Ballyhackamore; Belmont; Cherryvalley; Island; Knock; Stormont; and Sydenham. Victoria, along with wards from the neighbouring Pottinger district and Castlereagh Borough Council, formed the Belfast East constituency for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
The district was bounded to the west by the Victoria Channel, to the north by Belfast Lough, to the northeast by North Down Borough Council, to the south and east by Castlereagh Borough Council and to the southwest by the Newtownards Road.
The DEA was created for the 1985 local elections as the successor to the former Area B, which all seven wards in the new Victoria had been part of. An eighth ward, Bloomfield, which had been in Area B, was placed in the new Pottinger electoral area. It was abolished in 2015, making way for the new DEAs that were used for the 2014 local elections. It was largely replaced by the new Ormiston District Electoral Area. Five of Victoria's wards joined Ormiston, with the Sydenham ward and the areas which had been part of the abolished Island ward becoming part of the new Titanic District Electoral Area.
The district contained many key pieces of Belfast's transport infrastructure, including George Best Belfast City Airport and the eastern portion of Belfast Harbour. The area is served by the Bridge End and Sydenham railway stations and the A2 and A20 major road routes. The district is also home to Parliament Buildings, the meeting place of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Victoria was once the site of much of Belfast's heavy industrial manufacturing facilities, however these have suffered a significant decline since the mid-twentieth century, although companies such as Short Brothers and Harland and Wolff continue to have significant operations in the area.
Former BCDR mainline
The Belfast and County Down Railway had a mainline through Knock railway station which linked Belfast direct to Downpatrick railway station as well as to Newcastle, County Down, there was also the branch from Comber railway station to Newtownards and Donaghadee. The minline opened in 1850 was closed in 1950 by the Ulster Transport Authority.
The Titanic Quarter is a major economic and cultural regeneration programme that is centred on Queen's Island and the former Harland and Wolff shipyard. The project has seen the construction of new hotels, apartment blocks and business facilities, with a number of high-profile relocations, including the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. The area has also become a centre for learning and research with the opening of the Catalyst Inc, in addition to Belfast Metropolitan College moving one of its key city centre campuses to the Quarter, while Queen's University Belfast have also located their Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) within the Science Park. The Quarter's name comes from the RMS Titanic which was constructed in the old shipyard, with a number of projects aimed at exploiting the tourism value of the Titanic's connection to Belfast, including the Samson and Goliath cranes used to construct the ship and the Paint Hall.
Other amenities in the Victoria district electoral area include:
- Ashfield Boys' High School
- Campbell College
- The Comber Greenway, a 7-mile (11 km) traffic-free section of the National Cycle Network, along the old Belfast-Comber railway line
- HMS Caroline
- Holywood Exchange, a major retail development
- Odyssey Arena, a major entertainment complex
- Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock
- The Oval Stadium, home ground of Glentoran F.C.
- Stormont Estate
|Catholic||Protestant||Other||No Religion||Area||Density||NI Assembly||UK Parliament||Ref|
|1||Ballyhackamore||5,939||17.2%||68.2%||1.9%||12.7%||1.15 km2||5,164 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|2||Belmont||6,165||8.6%||80.6%||1%||9.8%||1.79 km2||3,444 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|3||Cherryvalley||5,920||14.5%||75.3%||0.8%||9.4%||1.99 km2||2,975 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|4||Island||5,014||13.9%||69.8%||4.6%||11.8%||3.81 km2||1,316 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|5||Knock||4,827||9.1%||79.7%||1.2%||10%||1.12 km2||4,310 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|6||Stormont||5,548||12.9%||75.6%||1.3%||10.2%||7.04 km2||788 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|7||Sydenham||4,874||9.9%||76%||1.8%||12.3%||6.24 km2||781 /km2||Belfast East||Belfast East|||
|Victoria||38,287||12.4%||75%||1.7%||10.8%||23.14 km2||1,655 /km2|
|Tom Haire |
|David Rodway |
|Alan Crowe |
|Alan Crowe |
|Tommy Patton |
|1989||A F H Montgomery |
|G P C Thompson
|Dorothy Dunlop |
|Belfast City Council elections, 2011|
|Green (NI)||Ross Campbell||315|
|NI Conservatives||Garry Crosbie||103|
|Alliance gain from Ulster Unionist|
- Belfast City Council
- Electoral wards of Belfast
- Local government in Northern Ireland
- Members of Belfast City Council
- Belfast Victoria (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)
- Belfast Victoria (UK Parliament constituency)
- Final Northern Ireland super council recommendations, BBC News, 13 December 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2014
- Map Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine from the District Electoral Areas Commissioner Maps page Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine. See District Electoral Areas Commissioner page Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- "Ward Information for Ballyhackamore ward 95GG03". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Belmont ward 95GG09". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Cherryvalley ward 95GG15". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Island ward 95GG29". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Knock ward 95GG30". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Stormont ward 95GG41". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- "Ward Information for Sydenham ward 95GG43". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
- Elections 2011: Victoria, Belfast City Council

domain: history


Bagerhat, Mar 18 (UNB) – The deer which entered the locality was released into the Karamjal Wildlife Reproduction Centre in the Sundarbans on Monday.
Local people caught the deer, locally known as ‘Chitral Harin’ after a chase from Chilabazar in Mongla upazila in the morning.
On information, a team of the Forest Department went to the spot and recovered the deer.
Forest Department sources said the deer might have entered the locality after being chased by a tiger from the Sundarbans.
Hawladar Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of Karamjal Wildlife Reproduction Centre, said the deer came to the area through a river and when they were informed about the incident, a team went to the spot and released it into the forest.
Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan, divisional forest officer of Sundarbans East Zone, said they are investigating the incident and a source was appointed to unearth the reason behind it.
He also suspects that the deer might have been forced to enter the locality due to the rampant activity of poachers in the forest.


Lifeguards Back On Dorset Beaches
RNLI lifeguards will be back on three of Dorset’s busiest beaches over the two week Easter school holidays (31 March to 15 April).
The increase in lifeguardcover at Easter comes in response to more people visiting the beach in the spring months.
Simon Crayfourd, RNLI Lifeguard Manager for Dorset says: "The RNLI is delighted to be providing a lifeguard service on Bournemouth and Sandbanks beaches over the Easter school holidays for the first time this year, and we are grateful for the support we receive from Bournemouth Borough Counciland Borough of Poole.
"Alongside the year-round service on Boscombe beach, this increase in RNLI lifeguard covermeans beach goers in Dorset have the option of three beaches in the week leading up to the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (6 to 9 April) and the following week.
"The enhanced service is a result of the charity’s recognition of the increased participation in water sports such as kite surfing and kayaking in the Dorset area, and more and more people using the beach for recreation. Modern wet suits allow people to begin taking part in water-based sports earlier in the year and endure the colder water for longer. If the good weather we’ve recently enjoyed continues, it means we can expect a good number of families enjoying the region’s beaches."
Bournemouth and Sandbanks beaches will have RNLI lifeguard patrols from Saturday 31 March until Sunday 15 April from 10am until 6pm. RNLI lifeguards will continue to patrol Boscombe beach throughout Easter and into the summer season, while onother Dorset beaches, RNLI lifeguards will begin their full summer season patrols from Saturday 5 May.
The following top tips from the RNLI can be followed by everyone planning a trip to the beach. By following this advice, the charity’s lifeguards hope people will have a great time at the beach while staying safe.
1. Swim at a lifeguarded beach
2. Never use inflatables in strong winds or rough seas
3. Check tide times before you go
4. If you get into trouble, stick your hand in the air and shout for help
5. If you see someone else in trouble, tell a lifeguard. If you can’t see alifeguard,
call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard


text:
Biological Activities and Application of Marine Polysaccharides
Page Count321 Pages
About the e-Book
Biological Activities and Application of Marine Polysaccharides Pdf
This volume is dedicated to Marine polysaccharides used as antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, bioremediations, etc. The book includes 14 chapters contributed by experts around the world; the chapters are categorized into three sections: Marine Polysaccharides and Agriculture, Marine Polysaccharides and Biological Activities, and Marine Polysaccharides and Industries.
Marine organisms have been under research for the last decades as a source for different active compounds with various biological activities and application in agriculture, pharmacy, medicine, environment, and industries.
During the last three decades, several important factors that control the production of phytoplankton polysaccharides have been identified such as chemical concentrations, temperature, light, etc.
1 Chitosan as Source for Pesticide Formulations
2 Chitosan in Agriculture: A New Challenge for Managing Plant Disease
3 Chitosan from Marine Crustaceans: Production, Characterization and Applications
4 Alginate and Sericin: Environmental and Pharmaceutical Applications
5 Chitosan, Chitosan Derivatives and their Biomedical Applications
6 Chitosan: Strategies to Increase and Modulate Drug Release Rate
7 Marine Polysaccharides as Multifunctional Pharmaceutical Excipients
8 Speculations on the Use of Marine Polysaccharides as Scaffolds for Artificial Nerve ‘Side-’Grafts
9 Marine Polysaccharides in Medicine
10 Applications of Chitosan in Wastewater Treatment
11 Flow Properties of Lambda Carrageenan in Aqueous Systems
12 Chitosan-Based Sustainable Textile Technology: Process, Mechanism, Innovation, and Safety
13 Chitosan-Based Thermosensitive Materials
14 Chitosan and Phthaloylated Chitosan in Electrochemical Devices
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Electrospinning: Material, Techniques, and Biomedical Applications
Umbilical Cord Blood Banking for Clinical Application and Regenerative Medicine

domain: biology


text:
Today, January 17th 2023, marks the retirement day for the chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Wafula Chebukati, alongside two other commissioners Abdi Guliye and Boya Molu.
The trio have been in the commission for the last 6 years, and have been praised and criticized in equal measure as far as the polls are concerned.
The retirement of Chebukati, Guliye and Molu has attracted mixed reactions with leaders from Ruto's camp praising them for being bold and announcing the will of Kenyans, while those in the Azimio Camp criticizing their tenure.
Speaking with K24 TV on Tuesday, Soy Member of Parliament David Kiplagat, and who was among the Kenya Kwanza leaders who were at Bomas on August 15 said that Chebukati deserves honour and respect, and he will be among the political leaders who will crown Chebukati's retirement party.
"IEBC was the most interfered with commission by the state, they tried everything to ensure that the results of the will of the people did not hold, but we credit it to Chebukati for standing his ground. I will give him 100 per cent for work well done."
"I was in Bomas for three days, and things were going well but all of a sudden you could feel interference by the system, and the state powers. We wish him well in his new engagements, and I will be looking for his 'sherehe' at home, it is one that I cannot miss," said the vocal MP.
In the August 9th, 2022 polls, the three stood together with the support of the IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan after declaring William Ruto as the president-elect, with the others; Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyang'anya, Francis Wanderi and Irene Masit disowning the results.
The latter four argued that there was 'opaqueness' in the last phase before the results were announced, with Chebukati and his team saying that the 4 commissioners wanted the results harmonized to have a run-off or have the Azimio boss Raila Odinga declared the winner.
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domain: news


text:
California's Brown Says Cities on Their Own as Pension Tab Rises
(Bloomberg) -- As California’s cities flounder under the rising cost of public pensions, they shouldn’t expect the state to extend a hand.
While Governor Jerry Brown noted in his revised budget Friday that local governments face "even greater pressures" than the state in dealing with the expense, he said it’s not up to the state to help.
"A lot of cities signed up for pensions they can’t afford," the term-limited governor said during a budget briefing in Sacramento. "I don’t think the state is in a position, as far as I can see, to step in the shoes of mayors and supervisors. They’re going to have to handle that themselves."
Brown’s position underscores the challenges facing local governments, whose resources are more limited than that of states in addressing the rising costs of keeping promises to police officers, teachers and other civil servants. In the Golden State, some cities are seeing their payments to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System rise by double digits in just a few years. Investment losses, contributions failing to keep pace with the cost of benefits, and changes in assumptions such as mortality rates have left many public pensions across the country with less than they need to cover obligations.
Brown noted that the state has acted: he and legislators in 2012 pushed through a pension overhaul that reduced benefit formulas for new hires. The impact becomes more significant each year as those workers replace those employees at higher benefit tiers, he said.
Cities looking for more relief may find it in the courts, Brown suggested. The governor in January predicted that legal rulings in pending cases may make it easier to cut pension benefits for existing workers.
"The pension story is not over yet," Brown said. "There will be more developments over the next few years."
©2018 Bloomberg L.P.

domain: finance


text:
Dedication is a strange series, but I’ve grown to like it. I like our strict business man George as he and his workers have made it through the night of zombies by basically just cleaning and feeding the beasts. This issue follows the cleanup and it’s just a good bit of humor. We also continue to follow our two lovebirds on the roof. We still haven’t quite see how the girl with the detachable finger has played into all of this, but we do see that kissing is used to spread whatever aspect of the virus it’s attached to. Also we continue the trend of sex being interrupted like a teen movie. Not much else happens in the story. We do hear more of the “roof” story from one of our main characters and we learn in this issue, like the other #3’s, that these are real stories that are being told by the writers. Which now makes a hell of a lot of sense. The amount of the story told in this issue is toned down and for the better. The characters and the situation really make this issue worth reading and so the story becomes a side note at best.
The artwork is consistent. It’s all from Young Heller again and his style is a little different on this series than on Remote. You can still tell its him, but it looks like he’s changed it some so that they don’t look like the exact same book. The layouts are really strong as well. There’s a scene in which a character is looking down a scope of a rifle and the way it’s presented is very creative. The coloring ranges from really good to okay. It really depends on the scene. Overall it’s good, but at times it feels almost too thick or too detailed. It’s not bad, it just gives the book an inconsistent look at times.
I was really surprised by this issue. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and while I don’t quite see how it fits in to the overall universe, it’s very entertaining. There’s a lot of dark humor which I personally like. That and George is condescending to everyone; you shouldn’t like him because of that, but you end up liking him because of the shit he says. If like me, you were kind of on the fence with this series then stick around and enjoy the humor.
Dedication #3 – “Checked Out” Story: Michael Coast, Matthew Summo, Bill Jemas Script: Matthew Summo, Mike Soviero Layouts/Pencils: Young Heller Publisher: Double Take Comics Price: $2.50 Release Date: 2/24/16 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

domain: literature


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Active immunization involves administration of a vaccine containing antigenic molecules (or genes for these molecules) derived from an infectious agent. As a result, the vaccinated animal will mount an acquired immune response and develop prolonged, strong immunity to that agent. When properly used, vaccines are highly effective in controlling infectious diseases. Several criteria determine whether a vaccine can or should be used. First, the actual cause of the disease must be determined. Although this appears self-evident, it has not always been followed in practice. For example, although Mannheimia haemolytica can be isolated consistently from the lungs of cattle with respiratory disease, these bacteria are not the sole cause of this syndrome and vaccines against the primary viral pathogens are required for full protection. In some important viral diseases (eg, equine infectious anemia, feline infectious peritonitis, and Aleutian disease in mink), antibodies may contribute to the disease process, and vaccination may therefore increase disease severity.
An ideal vaccine for active immunization should confer prolonged, strong immunity in the vaccinated animal, as well as a relatively quick onset of immunity. It should not cause adverse effects and should be inexpensive, thermo and genetically stable, and, for production animals, be adaptable to mass vaccination. It should preferably stimulate an immune response distinguishable from that due to natural infection so that vaccination and eradication may proceed simultaneously. Vaccination is not always an innocuous procedure; adverse effects can and do occur. Therefore, all vaccination must be governed by the principle of informed consent. The risks of vaccination must not exceed those caused by the disease itself.
Vaccines may contain either living or killed organisms or purified components from these organisms. Vaccines containing live organisms tend to trigger the best protective responses. Killed organisms or purified antigens may be less immunogenic than living ones. Because they are unable to grow and spread in the host, they are less likely to stimulate the immune system in optimal fashion. Living viruses from vaccines, for example, infect host cells and grow. The infected cells then process this antigen and trigger a response dominated by cytotoxic T cells, a TH1 response (see The Biology of the Immune System: Acquired Immunity). Killed organisms and purified antigens, in contrast, commonly stimulate responses dominated by antibodies, a TH2 response. This type of response may not generate an optimal protective response to some organisms. As a result, vaccines that contain killed organisms or purified antigens usually require the use of adjuvants to ensure optimal effectiveness. These adjuvants may, however, cause local inflammation, and multiple doses or high individual doses of antigen increase the risks of producing hypersensitivity reactions (see Vaccines and Immunotherapy: Adjuvants).
Inactivated vaccines should resemble the living organisms as closely as possible. Chemical inactivation should cause minimal change to the antigens. Compounds used in this way include formaldehyde, ethylene oxide, ethyleneimine, acetylethyleneimine, and β-propiolactone.
To maximize the effectiveness of vaccines, especially those containing poorly antigenic components or highly purified antigens, it is usual to add adjuvants to the vaccine. Adjuvants enhance response to vaccines and/or balance/shift the TH1/TH2 immune response. They can reduce the amount of antigen injected or the numbers of doses administered, and they may promote longterm immunologic memory. It is believed that adjuvants work through 3 mechanisms.
Depot adjuvants protect antigens from degradation and prolong immune responses via the sustained release of small quantities of antigen over a period of time. Examples of depot-forming adjuvants include aluminum salts, such as aluminum hydroxide, aluminum phosphate, and aluminum potassium sulfate (alum) as well as calcium phosphate. Theses alum-based adjuvants also promote the local synthesis of uric acid, a very potent stimulator of toll-like receptors.
Other adjuvants consist of particles that effectively deliver antigen to antigen-presenting cells and so enhance antigen presentation. The immune system can trap and process particles such as bacteria or other microorganisms much more efficiently than soluble antigens. As a result, antigens incorporated into phagocytosable particles are much more effective than soluble ones. These adjuvants include emulsions, microparticles, ISCOMs, and liposomes. All are designed to deliver antigen efficiently to antigen-presenting cells.
Immunostimulatory adjuvants consist of molecules that cytokine production and selectivity stimulate helper cell responses. Many of them are complex microbial products that often represent pathogen-associated molecular patterns. As a result, they activate dendritic cells and macrophages through toll-like receptors and stimulate the secretion of keys cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-12. These cytokines in turn promote helper T cell responses and drive and focus the acquired immune responses. Depending on the specific microbial product, they may enhance either TH1 or TH2 responses. Commonly employed microbial immunostimulants include lipopolysaccharides (or their derivatives); killed anaerobic corynebacteria, especially Propionibacterium acnes and Bordetella pertussis; and saponins (triterpene glycosides) derived from the bark of the soapbark tree (Quillaja saponaria). Saponin-based adjuvants may selectively stimulate TH1 activity.
Very effective adjuvants can be constructed by combining particulate or depot adjuvants with an immunostimulatory agent.
Types of Vaccines
While vaccines containing whole killed organisms are economical to produce, they contain many antigens that do not contribute to protective immunity. They may also contain toxic components. Thus, it is often advantageous to identify, isolate, and purify the critical protective antigens. These may then be used in a vaccine by themselves. Thus, purified tetanus toxin, inactivated by treatment with formalin (tetanus toxoid), is used for active immunization against tetanus. Likewise, the attachment pili of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli can be purified and incorporated into vaccines. The antipilus antibodies protect animals by preventing bacterial attachment to the intestinal wall.
Antigens Generated by Gene Cloning
The cost of physically purifying a specific antigen may be prohibitive. In such cases it may be appropriate to clone the key antigens and isolate their DNA. This DNA may be inserted into a bacterium or yeast, which then expresses these protective antigens. The recombinant organism is propagated, and the antigens encoded by the inserted genes are harvested, purified, and administered as a vaccine. An example of such a vaccine is one directed against the cloned subunit of E coli enterotoxin. These subunits are antigenic and function as effective toxoids. A purified subunit protein vaccine, called OspA, encoded by a gene from Borrelia burgdorferi is effective in protecting dogs against Lyme disease.
It is also possible to clone antigen genes in plants. This has been successfully achieved for viruses such as transmissible gastroenteritis and Newcastle disease. The plants employed include tobacco, potato, and corn. In some cases these plants contain very high concentrations of antigen and vaccination can be achieved by feeding the plants to animals.
Vaccines that contain live organisms may have a limited ability to cause disease (residual virulence) in vaccinated animals. There is also a risk of contamination with unwanted organisms in live vaccines. Considerable care must be exercised in their preparation, storage, and handling to avoid temperature extremes that can affect the viability of the organisms.
For safety reasons, the virulence of an organism must be attenuated so that it is able to replicate but is no longer pathogenic. The level of attenuation is critical to vaccine success and may be difficult to achieve. Underattenuation will result in residual virulence and disease (reversion to virulence); overattenuation will result in an ineffective vaccine. Rigorous reversion to virulence studies must be performed to demonstrate stability of the attenuation.
Attenuation has traditionally involved adapting organisms to growth in unusual conditions. Bacteria can be attenuated by culture under abnormal conditions, and viruses can be attenuated by growth in species to which they are not naturally adapted. For example, rinderpest vaccine virus has been adapted to tissue culture to produce a safe vaccine. Vaccine viruses may also be attenuated by growth in alternative media, such as tissue culture or eggs. This has been done for canine distemper, bluetongue, and rabies vaccines. Prolonged tissue culture was, for many years, the most usual method of attentuation.
For some diseases, related organisms normally adapted to another species can impart limited immunity. Examples include measles virus, which can protect dogs against distemper, and bovine viral diarrhea virus, which can protect pigs against classical swine fever.
Under rare circumstances, virulent organisms may be used for vaccination, eg, vaccination against contagious ecthyma (orf) of sheep. Lambs are vaccinated by rubbing dried, infected scab material into scratches made on the inner thigh, which produces local infection with only limited effects on the lambs; they become solidly immune. Because vaccinated animals may spread the disease, however, they must be separated from unvaccinated stock for a few weeks.
Attenuation by prolonged tissue culture can be considered a primitive form of genetic engineering. The desired result is the development of a strain of organism that cannot cause disease. This may be difficult to achieve, and reversion to virulence is always a risk. Molecular genetic techniques make it possible to modify the genes of an organism so that it becomes irreversibly attenuated. Deliberate deletion of the genes that code for proteins associated with virulence is an increasingly attractive procedure. Gene-deleted vaccines were first used against the pseudorabies herpes-virus in swine. In this case, the thymidine kinase gene was removed from the virus. Herpesvirus requires thymidine kinase to return from latency. Viruses from which this gene has been removed can infect neurons but cannot replicate and cause disease.
Similar genetic manipulation can also be used to restrict the ability of bacteria to grow in vivo. For example, a modified live vaccine is available that contains streptomycin-dependent Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida. These mutants depend on the presence of streptomycin for growth. When used in a vaccine, the absence of streptomycin will eventually result in the death of the bacteria, but not before they have stimulated a protective immune response.
Additionally, it is possible to alter antigen expression so that a virus induces an antibody response distinguishable from that caused by wild strains. This allows for a way of distinguishing infected from vaccinated animals (referred to as DIVA).
Yet another method of producing a highly effective living vaccine is insertion of the genes that code for protection antigens into an avirulent “vector” organism. These vaccines are created by recombinant technology, wherein genes are deleted from the vector and replaced by genes coding for antigens from the pathogen. The vector is then administered as the vaccine, and the inserted antigens are produced by the vaccinate's own body cells when infected by the vector virus. The vector may be attenuated so that it will not be shed from the vaccinate, or it may be host-restricted so that it will not replicate itself within the tissues of the vaccinate. Virus-vectored vaccines are well suited for preparation of vaccines against organisms that are difficult or dangerous to grow in the laboratory.
The most widely used viral vectors are poxviruses such as fowlpox, canarypox, vaccinia, and herpesvirus. These viruses have a large genome that facilitates insertion of new genes. They also express relatively high levels of the new antigen. In at least some cases, vectored vaccines appear able to induce immunity even when high levels of maternal antibody are present. Effective virus-vectored vaccines have been developed. Canarypox vector-containing genes obtained from canine distemper virus are now used to immunize dogs, and a similar vector containing the gene encoding rabies glycoprotein is effective in protecting dogs and cats against rabies.
An innovative example of a vectored vaccine involves the use of a yellow fever viral chimera to protect against West Nile virus. This technology uses the capsid and nonstructural genes of the attenuated yellow fever vaccine strain 17D to deliver the envelope genes of other flaviviruses such as West Nile virus. The resulting virus is a yellow fever/West Nile virus chimera that is much safer than either of the parent viruses. The margin of safety can be further increased by introducing targeted point mutations into the envelope genes.
Another example is a vaccine directed against Newcastle disease. The vector is fowlpox virus, into which Newcastle disease HA and F genes are incorporated. It has the benefit of conferring immunity against fowlpox as well.
Vectored vaccines are also commercially available for avian influenza, West Nile virus and influenza infection in horses, feline leukemia, and for vaccinating wildlife against rabies. These vaccines are safe, stable, can work in the absence of an adjuvant, and like the gene-deleted vaccines, allow for DIVA. Some are adaptable to mass vaccination. Field data collected on these vaccines indicate strong immunity and limited side effects.
Polynucleotide (DNA) Vaccines
Animals may also be immunized by injection of the DNA that encodes foreign antigens. For example, the DNA coding for a virus antigen can be inserted into a bacterial plasmid, a piece of circular DNA that acts as a vector. When the genetically engineered plasmid is injected, it can be taken up by host cells. The DNA is then transcribed into mRNA and translated into vaccine protein. Transfected host cells thus express the vaccine protein in association with major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. This can lead to the development of not only neutralizing antibodies but also cytotoxic T cells.
This type of DNA vaccine is used successfully to protect horses against West Nile virus infection. This approach has been applied experimentally to produce vaccines against the viruses that cause avian influenza, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, canine and feline rabies, canine parvo-virus, bovine viral diarrhea, feline immunodeficiency virus-related disorders, feline leukemia, pseudorabies, influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine herpesvirus-1 related disease, and Newcastle disease, among others. Although theoretically producing a response similar to that induced by attenuated live vaccines, these nucleic acid vaccines are ideally suited for preparation of vaccines against organisms that are difficult or dangerous to grow in the laboratory. Some DNA vaccines appear to be able to induce immunity even in the presence of very high titers of maternal antibody. Immunization with purified DNA in this way allows presentation of viral antigens in their native form, which are synthesized in the same way as antigens during a viral infection. This is an improvement over the use of recombinant protein vaccines, in which it has proved difficult to create the proteins in the correct conformation.
Notwithstanding their advantages, DNA vaccines have been slow to reach the market as a result of their high development costs.
Administration of Vaccines
Route of Administration
The most common method of administration is SC or IM injection. This approach is excellent for relatively small numbers of animals and for diseases in which systemic immunity is important. In addition, the veterinarian can be sure that the animal received the appropriate dose of vaccine. However, local immunity is sometimes more important than systemic immunity, and in these cases, it is more appropriate to administer the vaccine at the site of microbial invasion. For example, intranasal vaccines are effective in protecting cattle against infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, cats against feline rhinotracheitis and calicivirus infections, and poultry against infectious bronchitis and Newcastle disease. Unfortunately, these techniques require handling each individual animal.
Aerosolization of vaccines enables them to be inhaled by all the animals in a herd, group, or flock—an obvious advantage when the unit is large. This method is commonly used in the poultry industry. Alternatively, a vaccine may be administered in feed or drinking water, eg, vaccination of poultry for Newcastle disease and avian encephalomyelitis. Fish and shrimp may be vaccinated by immersion in a solution of antigen, which is absorbed through their gills. Advances in transdermal, needle-free injections have made additional routes available and have the added benefit of providing a stronger immunity.
Because of the complexity of many disease syndromes or to avoid giving animals multiple injections, it is common to use mixtures of organisms in single vaccines. For example, for bovine respiratory disease complex, combined vaccines are available for bovine respiratory syncytial virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, parainfluenza 3 virus, and Mannheimia haemolytica. Combination vaccines that save considerable time and effort are also commonly used in dogs and cats.
When a mixture of different antigens is inoculated simultaneously, they may compete with one another. However, manufacturers have recognized this and modified vaccines accordingly. Vaccines should never be mixed indiscriminately because one component may dominate and interfere with responses to the other components.
Although it is not possible to devise precise schedules for each vaccine, certain principles are common to all methods of active immunization. Newborn animals are passively protected by maternal antibodies and, in general, cannot be vaccinated until maternal immunity has waned. If stimulation of immunity is deemed necessary at this stage, the mother may be vaccinated during late pregnancy, timing the doses so that peak antibody levels are reached at the time of colostrum formation. Neonatal animals with antibodies are protected against disease caused by that specific pathogen while maternal antibodies are present. However, passive antibody titers decrease exponentially. These maternal antibodies may drop below protective levels while, at the same time, preventing successful immunization. Inactivated vaccines are not very effective in conferring protective immunity in the face of maternal antibodies. Modified live vaccines, however, may induce a protective primary immune response and some immunologic memory. Because the precise time of loss of maternal immunity cannot be predicted, young animals must usually be vaccinated multiple times to ensure successful immunization.
The interval between vaccine doses depends on an animal's immunologic memory. The duration of this memory depends on multiple factors, such as the nature of the antigen, the use of live or dead organisms, adjuvants used, and the route of administration. Some vaccines may induce immunity that persists for an animal's lifetime. Other vaccines may require boosting only once every 2–3 yr. Even killed viral vaccines may protect some animals against disease for many years. Unfortunately, the minimal duration of immunity has rarely been reliably measured. Annual revaccination has been the rule because this approach is administratively simple and has the advantage of ensuring that an animal is regularly seen by a veterinarian. It is likely that this is more than sufficient for most vaccines.
Individual animal and vaccine variability make it difficult to estimate the duration of protective immunity. Within a group of animals, there may be a great difference between the shortest and longest duration of protection. Vaccines may differ significantly in their composition, and although all may induce immunity in the short term, it cannot be assumed that they confer equal longterm immunity. A significant difference likely exists between the minimal level of immunity required to protect most animals and the level of immunity required to ensure protection of all animals.
A veterinarian should always assess the relative risks and benefits to an animal when determining the frequency of revaccination. Owners should be made aware that protection can be maintained reliably only when vaccines are used in accordance with the protocol approved by vaccine licensing authorities. The duration of immunity claimed by a vaccine manufacturer is the minimal duration that is supported by the data available at the time of approval.
It is now common practice to rate vaccines according to their importance. Essential (or core) vaccines should be given to all animals of a species, and veterinarians should ensure that immunity is maintained throughout an animal's life by appropriate revaccination. Optional (or noncore) vaccines protect animals against sporadic, mild, or uncommon diseases and should only be used when circumstances warrant and when the benefits clearly outweigh the risks involved. For example, essential vaccines in dogs in the USA would normally include canine distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus, and rabies. Optional vaccines may include canine coronavirus, parainfluenza, Bordetella, leptospirosis, and Lyme disease.
It has long been normal practice to use exactly the same vaccine for boosting an immune response as was employed when first priming an animal. However, there is no reason why different forms of a vaccine should not be used for priming and for boosting. This approach is known as a prime-boost strategy. Under some circumstances this may result in significantly improved vaccine effectiveness. Prime-boosting has been most widely investigated in attempts to improve the effectiveness of DNA vaccines. Combinations usually involve priming with a DNA vaccine and boosting with either a recombinant vaccine or with recombinant protein antigens.
There are many reasons why vaccination may fail. In some cases, the vaccine may not be effective because it contains strains of organisms or antigens that are different from the disease-producing agent. In other cases, the method of manufacture may have destroyed the protective epitopes, or there may simply be insufficient antigen. Such problems are relatively uncommon and can be avoided by using vaccines from reputable manufacturers. An effective vaccine may fail due to unsatisfactory administration or storage. For example, a live vaccine may be inactivated as a result of use of antibiotics in conjunction with a live bacterial vaccine or residual levels of inactivant in conjunction with a killed bacterin, chemical sterilization of syringes, or excessive use of alcohol on the skin. Route of administration may also affect efficacy. When vaccine is administered to poultry or mink by aerosol or in drinking water, the aerosol may not be evenly distributed throughout a building, or some animals may not drink adequate amounts. Also, chlorinated water may inactivate vaccines. If an animal is incubating the disease before vaccination, the vaccine may not be protective; vaccination against an already contracted disease is usually impossible.
The immune response, being a biologic process, never confers absolute protection nor is equal in all individuals of a vaccinated population. Because the response is influenced by many factors, the range in a random population tends to follow a normal distribution: the response will be average in most animals, excellent in a few, and poor in a few. An effective vaccine may not protect those with a poor response; it is difficult to protect 100% of a random population by vaccination. The size of this unresponsive population varies among vaccines, and its significance depends on the nature of the disease. For highly infectious diseases in which herd immunity is poor and infection is rapidly and efficiently transmitted (eg, foot-and-mouth disease), the presence of unprotected animals can permit the spread of disease and disrupt control programs. Problems also can arise if the unprotected animals are individually important, as in the case of companion animals or breeding stock. In contrast, for diseases that are inefficiently spread (eg, rabies), 60–70% protection in a population may be sufficient to effectively block disease transmission within that population and therefore may be satisfactory from a public health perspective.
The most important cause of vaccination failure in young animals is the inability of a vaccine to immunize in the presence of maternal antibodies. Vaccines also can fail when the immune response is suppressed, eg, in heavily parasitized or malnourished animals. (Such animals should not be vaccinated.) Stress, including pregnancy, extremes of cold and heat, and fatigue or malnourishment, may reduce a normal immune response, probably due to increased glucocorticoid production.
Modern, commercially produced, licensed vaccines are very safe. Nevertheless, they are not always innocuous. The more common risks associated with vaccines include residual virulence and toxicity, which may cause injection-site reactions, depression, allergic responses, disease in immunodeficient hosts (modified live vaccines), neurologic complications, and rarely, contamination with other live agents. For example, lesions of mucosal disease may be seen in calves vaccinated against bovine viral diarrhea. Vaccines that contain killed gram-negative organisms may also contain bacterial cell-wall components that stimulate release of interleukin-1 and can cause fever and leukopenia and occasionally abortion. In general, it is prudent to avoid vaccinating pregnant animals unless the risks of not vaccinating are greater. Certain modified live virus bluetongue vaccines have been reported to cause congenital anomalies when given to pregnant ewes. The stress from a vaccination reaction may be sufficient to activate latent infections. For example, activation of equine herpesvirus has been demonstrated after vaccination against African horse sickness. Another adverse reaction is the “sting” that occurs when some vaccines are administered. This can cause problems for the vaccinator if the vaccinated animal objects strenuously. Some vaccines and vaccine mixtures cause mild, transient immunosuppression.
In addition to potential toxicity, vaccines, like any antigen, may provoke hypersensitivity. For example, rapid allergic reactions (type I hypersensitivity) may occur in response to any of the antigens found in vaccines, including those from eggs or tissue-culture cells. All forms of hypersensitivity are more commonly associated with multiple injections of antigen; therefore, they tend to be associated with use of inactivated products. Immune complex (type III) reactions are also potential hazards of vaccination. These may cause an intense local inflammatory reaction or a generalized vascular disturbance such as purpura. An example of a type III reaction is clouding of the cornea in dogs vaccinated against canine adenovirus 1. Delayed (type IV) hypersensitivity reactions, expressed as granuloma formation, may develop at the site of inoculation in response to the use of depot adjuvants. Some chronic inflammatory reactions to adjuvanted feline vaccines may eventually lead to development of a fibrosarcoma at the injection site.
Production of Vaccines
In most countries, government authorities regulate the production of biologics. In general, regulatory authorities license establishments that produce vaccines and inspect those premises to ensure that the facilities and the methods used are satisfactory. All vaccines are checked for safety, purity, potency, and efficacy. Safety tests include confirmation of the identity of the organism used, freedom of the vaccine from contamination with extraneous organisms, and host and non-host safety toxicity tests. Because the living organisms found in vaccines normally die over time, it is necessary to ensure that they will be effective even after storage (stability). Although properly stored vaccines may still be efficacious after the expiration of their designated shelf life, this should never be assumed; expired vaccines should not be used.
Last full review/revision March 2012 by Ian Tizard, BVMS, PhD, DACVM

domain: medical


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The annual TED conference is a mix of talks about science, technology, art, and design. Every year, at least a few of these talks involve a speaker bringing out a new piece of tech for the audience to gape at. This year, Robert Browning, the founder of aeronautic engineering startup Gravity, brought out his prototype of a flying jetpack.
Instead of just showing it off onstage, Browning decided to actually fly the thing outside the Vancouver Convention Center for a large crowd of TED attendees. We were all handed earplugs for the flying experience, which was slightly quieter than a jet engine.
Check it out below.
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Today I went for a walk along Broome Street. Not perhaps the most obvious choice for a mid-morning stroll, you might think, so I should explain that it links two of the places I’ve been most excited about visiting – Purl Soho and Babycakes.
I’m delighted to report that neither venue disappointed – I had a lovely time admiring the rainbow of yarns and other knitting accoutrements in Purl, and was very good and restricted myself to just one baked treat from Babycakes (a rather wonderful gf doughnut with chocolate icing, for the record).
The two are roughly a kilometre apart, and I was quite fascinated by how much the street changed along the way. I began in SoHo, which felt a bit like Clerkenwell, with its mix of boutiques, bars and galleries (two of which I popped into, finding photography and fossils). Little Italy seemed to consist mainly of restaurants, several of which had tables set out along the pavements, and it was just a couple of blocks before the ambience altered yet again and I found myself in Chinatown.
This is a really lovely part of town to wander around in – almost every street has a different character, and there are all sorts of interesting things to see. I didn’t take many photos as I was trying not to look too much like a tourist, though I did regret not having my camera to hand when I passed an elderly Chinese man taking his tiny caged bird for a walk.
Returning home across the Brooklyn Bridge was rather fun too.
As well as being a nice way to pass the morning, my trip was something of a reconnaissance mission. My fabulous Royal Society colleagues bought me a Purl voucher for my leaving present, so I will be returning once I’ve worked out how best to spend it (I already have a few ideas, but there is just so much loveliness to choose from!). And if I’m going to be in the area it would be a waste not to sample several more of Babycakes’ offerings, I think the doughnut topped with cinnamon sugar might be my next choice…

domain: travel


In the Personal Computing (PC) industry Apple pioneered, and still owns, the all-in-one push-button segment of the market. When other Window’s-based machines were pushing performance, modularity, and access to lower levels of control, Apple focussed on ease of use and design. In the Battery Powered Backup Generator market, Goal Zero is much more akin to Apple then it is to Windows/IBM.
The Goal Zero Yeti series of products offer an all-in-one solution to off-grid power generation. They are marketed as Solar Generators and while they can be charged via solar panels, in reality they are power source agnostic thanks to the intelligent charge controller, again built in. Through the proprietary charging port (remind you of Apple?), it can be charged from the household electrical socket (120v A/C), from the vehicle’s cigarette lighter port (12v D/C), of from one or more solar panels (D/C usually 6 to 24 volts depending on panel setup).
The Goal Zero Yeti 400 sits in the middle of the lineup and is bookended by the Yeti 150 and the Yeti 1250, just like the Apple MacBook is flanked by the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. As one would expect, being in the middle of the lineup it has middle-of-road capacity, performance, and connectivity. As for connectivity, the Yeti 400 features three individually controlled sections: 12v D/C, 5v D/C, and 110v A/C. The 12v section includes both proprietary Goal Zero connectors and a standard cigarette lighter style socket. The 5v section features two standard 2.1 amp USB ports. Lastly, the 110v section includes a built-in (there’s that word again) pure sine wave inverter.
I use all three sections and since we live in a world of small devices I have plugged in a dual 2.1A USB charger into the cigarette lighter socket.
This leads me to my main complaint about the Yeti 400: the 12v section does not power my ARB 50-Quart Fridge and therefore I am required to power it via the 110v inverter. The problem with this is that the inverter itself draws about 6 to 7 watts of power just being on. This is not unique to Goal Zero’s inverter, all 12v to 110v inverters use a bit of energy to complete the D/C to A/C inversion. But this does mean that even if the fridge is not drawing power there is still power being drained, if the inverter is on. It is, of coarse, easy to turn any output section off at the push of a button.
I like Apple products most of the time, and I can say the same for the Goal Zero Yeti 400. It offers a compact, easy to use, battery generator sufficient to power my portable fridge, LED lights, and fans as well as charge phones and computers many times over. It allows me to not need to wire up my own backup power rig, a la building my own PC tower, but limits me to the features and capabilities built in to the system. Life is full of tradeoffs and backup generators are no exception. I wish the 12v output was powerful enough for my fridge and it would be nice if it had a physical or smartphone app remote control.
My experience with the Yeti has been great in the AdventureVan and it also gives me peace of mind knowing that I have a backup generator to keep phones and flashlights charged should my house power go out. Because of that, the Goal Zero Yeti 400 gets a thumbs up from me.
I’m interested to hear your take on the Yeti series of products. Let me know in the comments.


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Eva Marcille Files for Divorce:- Eva Marcille, former Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA) cast member, has made headlines as she recently filed for divorce from her husband, Michael Sterling. The couple has been married for four years and the news has sparked questions about the state of their marriage.
In this article, we will delve into the details of the divorce filing and explore whether Eva Marcille is still married. We will also provide answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the situation.
|Date of Divorce Filing||Length of Marriage||Reason for Divorce|
|March 27, 2023||4 years||N/A|
Eva Marcille Files for Divorce
Eva Marcille, known for her appearance on the Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA), has recently filed for divorce from her husband, Michael Sterling. The news came as a shock to many of her fans, as the couple has been married for four years and seemed to have a strong bond. While the reason for the divorce has not been disclosed, there are a few details available to the public.
According to an article by Page Six, Eva Marcille filed for divorce from her husband, Michael Sterling, on March 25, 2023, in Atlanta. The couple got married in 2019 and has two children together, Marley Rae and Maverick Sterling. In her divorce petition, Eva is seeking primary physical custody of the children and joint legal custody with Michael. She is also requesting child support and spousal support from her husband.
Is Eva Marcille Still Married?
No, Eva Marcille is not still married. She filed for divorce from Michael Sterling on March 25, 2023, in Atlanta.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- When did Eva Marcille file for divorce?
Eva Marcille filed for divorce from Michael Sterling on March 25, 2023, in Atlanta.
- How long were Eva Marcille and Michael Sterling married?
Eva Marcille and Michael Sterling were married for four years before filing for divorce.
- What is Eva Marcille seeking in the divorce?
Eva Marcille is seeking primary physical custody of their children, joint legal custody, child support, and spousal support from Michael Sterling.
We hope you have enjoyed our work, if you liked it Please help us reach more people like You. Share this article with your Friends using below buttons. Sharing is Caring 💗

domain: celebrity


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domain: game


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010 Publishers (Uitgeverij 010) has been active for nearly twenty-five years.
During that time, 010 has published over six hundred books on architecture and design. This specialization reflects the enthusiasm of 010's founders, Hans Oldewarris and Peter de Winter, who trained as an architect and an urban designer respectively at Delft University of Technology. Besides numerous monographs by and about Dutch architects, 010 has published books on the most wide-ranging aspects of architecture, interior design, photography, industrial design, graphic design and the visual arts. These aspects include a keen interest in the theory and history of architecture and design.

domain: library


text:
- President delivers lengthy speech and claims success in North Korea dispute
- Trump ignores questions about Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore
Donald Trump has declared his 12-day Asia tour as a “tremendous success”, claiming that “America is back” as a global leader.
Related: Seoul warns Trump: US must not strike North Korea without our consent
Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/nov/15/trump-asia-trip-white-house-speech-america
Author : Sabrina Siddiqui and Julian Borger in Washington
Publish date : 16 November 2017 | 7:42 am
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.


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When President Barack Obama came out recently and said that marijuana was no more dangerous than alcohol, as usual he was playing fast and loose with the truth. Actually, marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol. To prove that, let's look at the numbers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report annual deaths from alcoholic liver disease and direct alcohol poisoning at more than 40,000 every year, and that doesn't even go into the deaths caused by drunken driving and alcohol-related violence. Not one death has ever been attributed to marijuana use.
The Florida Legislature is currently debating a bill that would allow marijuana to be used medically to treat individuals with uncontrolled seizure disorders. This contradicts the past 40 years of marijuana policy, which stated that marijuana has no medical value.
Marijuana does have medical value, and the federal government knows it. The Department of Health and Human Services holds patent No. 6630507, which asserts that marijuana is effective in treating a host of neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and strokes. But research into the many uses of this plant are hampered by laws that are based on propaganda, not facts.
The U.S. Congress should move quickly to reclassify marijuana so that medical research can move ahead unhindered. The Florida Legislature should pass the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, which will allow marijuana to be used to help seizure patients, as well at those suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's and other conditions.
I urge every Florida voter to go to the polls this November and vote yes on Amendment 2, the medical marijuana amendment. Citizens must take matters into their own hands if and when our politicians refuse to act in our best interests.
Ward Hegock, Ocklawaha
Two sisters hit by car on walk to school March 19
Build an elevated crossing
The purpose of this letter is to respectfully propose a solution to the problem of students and other pedestrians safely crossing Hillsborough Avenue near Middleton High School.
The area between 22nd Street and 30th Street N is a dangerous strip of Hillsborough Avenue to cross on foot. I propose the building of an elevated pedestrian bridge crossing Hillsborough Avenue (north and south) somewhere in that area in order for pedestrians to safely cross. This would serve not only Middleton's students but all citizens walking in this area.
For the greater good, we can do this, we should do this and, with the right political push, we can get this done. I invite and challenge Tampa's elected officials to champion this cause.
Mike Mistretta, teacher, Middleton High School, Tampa
To spur innovation, cut stifling regulation March 25, commentary
Stop crony capitalism
Sen. Marco Rubio was recently vexed that he could not use the Uber car service that is available in Washington and other cities across our nation. I agree that there are stifling regulations at all levels of government. Members of Congress put in place many of these regulations to protect the major corporations that do not want smaller and nimbler competition. Members of Congress, state legislatures and county and city officials wrote these regulations to protect campaign contributors and to stifle competition. Our free-enterprise system resembles crony capitalism, as federal and state legislators pick winners and losers in the U.S. economy.
It is unfortunate that Rubio chose only one example to discuss a problem that occurs every day in the halls of Congress and in Tallahassee to stifle the free-enterprise system he champions on behalf of a single company.
J. Pratl, Spring Hill
Regulations have reasons
As I understand Marco Rubio, he would like for Florida to allow the operation of unlicensed taxis. I think this is a very bad idea. I took an unlicensed taxi overseas once. I will never do that again.
I allowed somebody who presented himself to me as a taxi driver to take my bags from the airport carousel into his car. His car was not marked as a taxi. He drove me all over the city, through some very rough-looking neighborhoods. I was completely disoriented and lost. The driver also offered to get various illegal forms of entertainment for me. I was afraid I was being kidnapped. Obviously, I was very relieved to get out of the car. I would add also that the ride cost considerably more than I paid the licensed taxi to return me to the airport a few days later.
There are reasons businesses are regulated. Taxis need to be inspected and taxi drivers need to be vetted.
Ralph Kerr, Land O'Lakes
Exhibit A: Cuban embargo
Sen. Marco Rubio is like Don Quixote with his indignation about regulations stifling innovation with an app-based car service. When I read, "at the federal level, there are regulations that have not been touched in decades" and "these kinds of regulations make no sense and negatively affect companies of all sizes," I immediately thought of the 50-year-old failed Cuban embargo that our junior senator supports. The Cuban travel and trade ban negatively affects regional synergy for the Florida tourism industry and directly hurts port and export job creation.
As an entrepreneur in the travel industry, I understand that regulations about commercial insurance and licensing of taxis are meant to protect passengers and pedestrians, like the 6-year-old killed by a Uber driver in a San Francisco crosswalk. Commercial entities carry $1 million to $5 million insurance limits, and county fees paid by limos and taxis support airport and port operations.
Rubio's simplistic support of the concept of unregulated ride-sharing is ill-placed as a talking point about business regulation when he is partially responsible for the state of Florida still being hurt by a 50-year-old ban on trade and tourism with our closest island neighbor.
John Rice, Tampa
Picking and choosing
Sen. Marco Rubio had a long rant about the startup company Uber, saying, "oftentimes big government is an impediment to people who are trying to make it." There is a much better example of government standing in the way of an upstart company — Tesla. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission rushed through a new regulation that mandates that all new car dealers get a franchise agreement. They join Texas and Arizona in banning the direct sales of the cars.
This is happening because dealerships want to protect their profits. Dealerships give a lot of money to politicians to keep their middleman position. This, and the fact that no Republican would dare say an alternative-fuel auto company was being treated unfairly, is probably why Rubio did not use the Tesla case as an example.
Scott McKown, Palm Harbor
This time, no excuses March 26, commentary
Look to the parents
Leonard Pitts often writes thoughtful and insightful columns. But his allegation of disparate treatment of African-American preschoolers was off base. It is not the innocent young child who is at fault. It is the parent who doesn't discipline the child and then whines when the day care cannot teach the child something that could and should have been learned at home.
Harriet P. Sherwood, Clearwater
Florida can do more
A report by the Environment Florida Research and Policy Center, "Moving America Forward," shows that even as energy-efficiency initiatives have helped Florida reduce emissions, the state could be playing a much larger role in reducing carbon pollution.
By using energy efficiently and by generating more power from clean, renewable sources, we are delivering a one-two punch in the fight against global warming. But we've only just begun to do what it will take to protect our children and future generations from the worst impacts of climate change. We need firm limits on carbon pollution in order to deliver a knockout blow.
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed carbon limits on power plants that could build on our early success and give us a platform for an even bigger shift to clean energy.
We've seen that climate solutions work — now it's time for the next round. Our leaders can start by supporting the EPA's plan to limit carbon pollution from power plants.
Ashley Banta, Gainesville
Florida's over-50 boost March 26, commentary
State falls short for boomers
Economic common sense dictates that attracting boomers is integral to an area's bottom line.
However, as recently noted by Forbes, Florida is not among the top 10 places to retire due to the many hidden costs of living here (property taxes and insurance, for example). Locally, Tampa Bay offers primarily strip/large malls, lots of chain restaurants, and reliance on a car-centric system of ever-under-construction roads and highways (downtown St. Petersburg being an exception). In contrast, according to another Forbes list, boomers want accessibility that includes "the quality and scope of public transportation" and "a thriving (cultural)/social scene." By this standard only the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area qualified.
Unlike our parents, who wanted only sun, golf and early-bird specials, we want far more that Florida and Tampa Bay simply don't offer.
Terri E. Benincasa, Palm Harbor

domain: politics