text:
The reduced Body Mass Index (BMI) of pot-people who smoke could be explained by an adaptive down-regulation of Mind endocannabinoid signaling. Although acute THC stimulates hunger, the repeated stimulation of CB1 receptors by THC decreases receptor expression and sensitivity, and lengthy-expression stimulation may perhaps lead to antagonistic rather then agonistic triggering of CB1 receptors, which might dampen starvation signals. Another study published in 2012 by Farrimond et al. analyzing the consequences of different phytocannabinoids, which include cannabinol (CBN) and CBD, on feeding patterns in rats supports the theory that various cannabinoids modulate CB1 receptors and greatly enhance urge for food and metabolism with opposing outcomes.
That’s why shopping for pure and safe CBD for diabetic issues or CBD oil for weight loss can be a considerably better solution than inhaling harmful smoke that might or might not provde the meant impact you’re after. The decrease Physique Mass Index (BMI) of cannabis consumers may be stated by an adaptive down-regulation of Mind endocannabinoid signaling. Though acute THC stimulates hunger, the repeated stimulation of CB1 receptors by THC decreases receptor expression and sensitivity, and extended-expression stimulation may well lead to antagonistic instead of agonistic triggering of CB1 receptors, which would dampen starvation alerts.
She saw this item and she made a decision to give it a shot. The end result following three weeks was astonishing! If you’re serious about getting this a person, go ahead! You’ll not be sorry. In 2007, he was investigated with the California Professional medical Board As well as in 2008, his license to apply was suspended. He fought this in court docket, shedding his home to pay legal expenses, and in 2011, his license was reinstated. All through These “tricky many years,” he stated, he hired other Medical practitioners to put in writing recommendations for clinical marijuana licenses, then Frankel advised the clients how to treat their ailments.
So if you wish to keep the weight with while in the reduce vary, it is best to do the identical together with your dosage. Study Proof: A university survey in Quebec, Canada; noticed over seven-hundred learners for the consequences of Cannabis on their own entire body. Vast majority of your cannabis people experienced lessen physique mass index with lesser waistline circumferences and lower insulin resistance, which also proves The truth that CBD aids to scale back weight in just a Secure vary. Conclusion:
acquired a bottle being an anniversary reward. it’s a fantastic financial investment for someone youthful. i took it immediately after evening meal and stayed up way for a longer time than i ought to have.
Other kinds of cannabis or cannabis have unique results. You have to detect the supply of your CBD oil. It ought to published here be significant in CBD articles that can help in losing weight.
CBD serves on the cellular level and activates the genes which help in the breakdown of fats. The CBD capabilities by activating mitochondria bringing about a discount in Unwanted fat.
After dosing rats with CBD, the scientists observed which they ate significantly less; this set the phase for more research to get completed to continue to show the weight loss options with CBD. What's more, it introduced into light-weight a fresh use for CBD as an urge for food suppressant. In addition to that, a report in India Instances This post was published within the now-shut HuffPost Contributor System. Contributors Manage their particular perform and posted freely to our web page. If you should flag this entry as abusive, deliver us an e-mail.
In the 2003 study, researchers uncovered the reality that cannabis and exercise each activate precisely the same endocannabinoid procedure while in the Mind.
The usage of CBD also assists the body to reduce the expression of Those people proteins which are literally associated with the creation of lipid compounds.

domain: health


SPRY ON THE FLY: A dementia-fighting vitamin?
We all want to keep our brains healthy, especially as we age. Now Dutch researchers think a diet high in vitamin E may help. The scientists observed that among 5,400 Dutch adults age 55 and older, those who reported the highest vitamin E intake from food were 25 percent less likely to develop dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease over the next ten years than the third with the lowest intakes. Although some experts disagree, several studies have suggested that vitamin E may help protect brain cells from degenerating with age. The study participants who consumed the most vitamin E got about 18.5mg per day, mostly from vegetable oils, margarine and butter. Foods such as wheat germ, almonds, hazelnuts and spinach and broccoli are also high in vitamin E.


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Art director, cinematographer and director in Lansing, Michigan
Thomas has not added any credits.
Thomas has not added any awards.
Thomas has not added any links.
Thomas has not added any resumes.
Thomas has not added any desert island movies.
Art Director, Cinematographer, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Motion Graphic Design, Music Composer, Photographer (Still) and Sound Mixer
Stage 32 is LinkedIn meets Lynda for film & television creatives
You're only 30 seconds away from connecting with over 500,000 people working in film, television and digital content

domain: entertainment


text:
Three Shot in French Quarter Hours Before Saints Go Marching
Less than 48 hours before the Saints go marching from the city’s convention center to the Superdome, three people were shot in the historic French Quarter during the post Super Bowl celebration.
Police say the victims, a man and two women, are all local residents. Their names were not released.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Iberville and Bourbon Streets.
Free tickets for Saints parade – Saints Parade Route
City of New Orleans is offering free tickets for viewing stands at Lafayette Square for the Saints parade, according to a statement from Mayor C. Ray Nagin. 1,000 free tickets are available for fans on a first-come, first serve basis.
The parade featuring owners Tom Benson and Rita Benson LeBlanc, Saints players, team administration and a host of local marching bands will kick off at 5 p.m., and will roll from Poydras and LaSalle Streets to St. Charles Avenue with a stop at Gallier Hall, passing down Canal Street and ending on Convention Center Boulevard.”

domain: news


In warm, dry weather, a diesel engine will start even if one glow plug is defective but there will usually be increased emissions because of this and possible knocking during start. Once the weather turns colder and the frosts set in, the heating contribution to the diesel engine fails to function and is likely to produce smoke. It may start with some difficulty but more often than not, won’t work at all.
Federal-Mogul Motorparts has created a useful illustrated diagnostic BERU guide on glow plugs, listing typical damage and related causes. This free guide can be found on page 13 onwards here


Trouble Staying Connected To Network...Speed Number Fluctuates
I just got a Inspiron N5110 and I noticed that only with this new computer the speed for the router fluctuates. It only happens with this new computer. I have Windows 7. The router speed fluctuates from 54 to 48 to 24 to 54 Mbps. The router is usually always at 54 Mbps. The router is about 7 years old.
When I unplug the router and plug it back in, it works fine for a bit. There is nothing wrong with the cable modem. It works fine. I use this computer for work so I have to have this running perfectly. I must be missing a setting or something.
The router we have is a D-Link DI-524. I also sometimes get a yellow triangle with a black exclamation point when the network is lost.
I don't know how to fix this. Any help would be appreciated.


For the perfect wave
15 propeller pumps with submersible motors from KSB find use in the novel surfing facility of a Milan water park. The operators of Idroscalo were able to open the new attraction right on time for the beginning of the main season. But KSB’s engineers had to put in a lot of work in advance to ensure that everything ran so smoothly and the numerous visitors could enjoy their exciting surfing experience.
The project: High-performance pumps for surf machine
Unit Parktech AG, a manufacturer of surfing equipment headquartered in Germany, developed a surf machine for the northern Italian water park with a unique design: It is used directly on a lake. This reduces the head to which the water must be pumped, meaning the surf pool requires half the energy of land-based systems. It also creates a better wave, with the feeling of surfing being more realistically replicated because the floating surf pool is located on a body of water.
The customer: Unit Parktech AG
Founded in Cologne in 2008, Unit Parktech AG has long specialised in using classic plastic processing methods for snowboarding and wakeboarding. In 2016, the company expanded its business to surfing and is now the world market leader in manufacturing and equipping surf machines.
The challenge: Existing pump design not sufficient
As the pump sets were required to operate below the pool in order to achieve optimum efficiency, KSB engineers in Halle were handed the task of adapting the type series. Their challenge was to redesign the pumps so that maintenance measures such as regularly changing the gear oil would not require the usual divers. Instead, both the installation and maintenance of the pumps needed to be easily handled from the surface.
The solution: Tailored adaptation of the pump design
After discussing these special requirements with Parktech, KSB engineers set about adapting the pumps to the customer’s needs. They re-engineered the Amaline pump so that its approach flow was similar to that of the Amacan pump. Additional modifications were made to the pump set’s blades. In close cooperation with Parktech, KSB’s engineers also designed and built a special funnel-shaped casing to facilitate handling and repair work. This allows the pumps to be serviced from above and removed easily in the event of an emergency as stipulated by the customer.
The solution-focused cooperation with Parktech resulted in a global first: At the time of completion, this was the world’s only surfing facility floating on a lake. The surf pool’s high-performance pumps transport 30,000 litres of water per second to generate a surfable deep water wave 10 metres wide and up to 1.80 metres high – and all this at comparatively low energy costs and zero water consumption. A positive side effect: Surfing lessons can be offered for a lower price.
The facility also offers an additional ecological benefit: As the lake near Milan is a standing body of water, the surf facility provides circulation which redistributes large quantities of oxygen and significantly improves water quality. Screens in front of the pump inflow and a comparatively low suction pressure also ensure that fish and other aquatic life are not sucked in. A win-win solution for water sports enthusiasts and nature.
Figures I Data I Facts
System: Surf machine at Milan’s Idroscalo water park
End user: Unit Parktech AG
- 15 Amaline 800 (special design)


text:
Why do we give middle-aged pop fans such a hard time for refusing to grow up? Surely, staying in love with music is something we should applaud
Dave is 45 and a reader. He assumed he’d grow out of it, but somehow never did. Poor, tragic Dave. Pity him as you picture the bespoke shelving that lines the walls of his home. It cost the daft sap a small fortune. Dave’s books are organised first by genre, then author. He lives surrounded by the product of the greatest imaginations in history.
There are crack-spined copies of his teenage favourites, some of which he still returns to. Others embarrass him, but he’s too fond to give them away. Like the delusional loser he is, Dave is still attempting to recapture the chimera of his youth by reading every day. Not just old favourites – new stuff, fiction and nonfiction from all around the world. Essay collections, poetry, short stories… the stories behind the stories. He loves history books and enjoys biographies now and then, even though he knows Oscar Wilde and John Updike wouldn’t have approved.
Dave’s mammoth library and gargantuan knowledge of literature and its cultural context have – understandably – made him the target of sniggering sarcasm from colleagues and (occasionally) his friends. It’s obvious Dave needs to get over the whole book thing, but there’s no sign he’s about to. The div recently treated himself to a new Kindle and a ticket to Hay. Everyone is asking the same question: when is Dave going to grow up?
It’s funny how differently we judge those who love books and those who love music. Record-collecting Dave with a new iPhone, meticulously organised 180g vinyl collection (the format is never pluralised with an “s”) and an annual ticket to Glastonbury is a typical stereotype – someone most of us can imagine laughing at, even those of us who are him. But we shouldn’t. It’s festival season and I am here to make the case for the fortysomething music lover. Pop music – by which I mean contemporary popular music, rather than just Miley Cyrus and 1D – is an interest we are supposed to lose as we mature. This shouldn’t be the case.
I suppose the problem is that listening to pop music is synonymous with “youthful” activities, like falling in love, dancing and being off your face on drugs. Drugs and music go hand in hand in a way that drugs and reading never will, for obvious reasons (but drugs and writing seem to be consistently popular bedfellows). I get it: ageing music lovers are desperately puffing away at the dying embers of our golden years. Raving against the dying of the light. Sure, music amplifies your other senses – that’s one reason it’s great to get high to – but this also allows it to bring extraordinary pleasure to everyday activities. As a reckless teen I once broke the law to Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law”. At 36, I recently hummed along to the same track while cleaning out a caravan.
There are older fans whose relationship with the art form involves transgressive activities, but they are outnumbered by those of us whose other habits have mellowed more than our record collections. Speaking of mellowing, one of the benefits of age is that your taste in music improves – broadens, really – just as it might in books or food (though give me an Afrobeat buff over a wine bore any day).
These changes are driven by technology. Music is now equally accessible to older consumers via downloading, streaming and online shopping. This has created an audience that is more diverse in age than ever before: a phenomenon that is being reflected on stage, bolstering the careers of musicians of all ages. Staying in love with music should be celebrated like any other long-term relationship. Those who stay the course discover what lies beyond those intense early days: endless complexity, beauty and adventure. I applaud Daves everywhere.
Follow Lauren on Twitter @LaurenLaverne
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010

domain: artistic


text:
Plage de Tahiti
Plage de Pampelonne
The golden sands of Plage de Tahiti , 4km southeast of St Tropez, morph into the 5km-long, celebrity-studded Plage de Pampelonne , which...
Pointe du Capon
Pointe du Capon is a beautiful cape crisscrossed with walking trails.
Plage des Salins
Plage des Salins is a long, wide sandy beach, 4.5km east of St Tropez at the foot of Cap des Salins. To get here, follow rte des Salins...
Reservations are essential at this bar made of ice. Admission gets you four Grey Goose vodka cocktails, which you must consume within 30...
Plage de Tahiti information
A magnificent sandy beach.

domain: geography


Springer eBooks may be purchased by end-customers only and are sold without copy protection (DRM free). Instead, all eBooks include personalized watermarks. This means you can read the Springer eBooks across numerous devices such as Laptops, eReaders, and tablets.
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Provides the reader with the state of the art in mathematical analysis of power conversion systems
Enumeration of open problems will inspire further research
Rigorous but intuitive treatment facilitates the reader’s familiarization with advanced mathematical techniques
Selected examples guide the reader to the solution of complex analytical and converter design problems throughout the general field
The increased efficiency and quality constraints imposed on electrical energy systems have inspired a renewed research interest in the study of formal approaches to the analysis and control of power electronics converters. Switched systems represent a useful framework for modeling these converters and the peculiarities of their operating conditions and control goals justify the specific classification of “switched electronic systems”. Indeed, idealized switched models of power converters introduce problems not commonly encountered when analyzing generic switched models or non-switched electrical networks. In that sense the analysis of switched electronic systems represents a source for new ideas and benchmarks for switched and hybrid systems generally. Dynamics and Control of Switched Electronic Systems draws on the expertise of an international group of expert contributors to give an overview of recent advances in the modeling, simulation and control of switched electronic systems. The reader is provided with a well-organized source of references and a mathematically-based report of the state of the art in analysis and design techniques for switched power converters. Intuitive language, realistic illustrative examples and numerical simulations help the reader to come to grips with the rigorous presentation of many promising directions of research such as: converter topologies and modulation techniques; continuous-time, discrete-time and hybrid models; modern control strategies for power converters; and challenges in numerical simulation. The guidance and information imparted in this text will be appreciated by engineers, and applied mathematicians working on system and circuit theory, control systems development, and electronic and energy conversion systems design. Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage the transfer of technology in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of new work in all aspects of industrial control.
Content Level »Research
Keywords »Control - Control Applications - Control Engineering - Hybrid Systems - Modeling and Simulation - Power Electronics Converters - Switched Systems


text:
These 8 spots are amongst Kyoto's most photogenic.
1. Arashiyama Bamboo GroveArashiyama Bamboo Grove is a magical little pathway through a bamboo forest behind Tenryuji Temple. It's immaculate.
2. Fushimi Inari ShrineThere's something about thousands of vermillion gates stacked together.
3. Mount Koya (Koya-san)Mount Koya isn't in Kyoto. It's about 90 minutes away by train. It's a 800 meter high valley deep in a forest surrounded by 8 mountain peaks. It's a temple town (there are 120 temples in this little community and not much else). It's a bewitching place.
4. PontochoThe narrow streets of a ancient entertainment district are bound to produce some interesting results. Pontocho has been serving up nightlife for almost 1300 years.
5. Philosopher's PathThe Philosopher's Path is a 2 kilometer stone path along a sakura (cherry tree) lined canal. It's the most popular spot (amongst photographers) during hanami (cherry blossom viewing) season. It's very photogenic any time of year and is surrounded with interesting shops.
6. Kinkaku-ji TempleKinkaku-ji Temple is designed to look like heaven and earth reaching out to touch each other. Try to catch a perfect reflection in the garden pond.
7. Kiyomizu-dera TempleKiyomizu-dera's 13 meter high stage is constructed without nails. In the Edo-era 234 people jumped from the stage in hopes of being granted a wish. The stage is a photographic gem. It's also a good place to get photos of other tourists.
8. GionGion is the best hanamachi (geisha district) to get photographs of maiko and geisha. If you're in Kyoto in July be sure to check out the Gion festival.

domain: travel


text:
The latest Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheels are light enough to excel on the tarmac while being so tough that you can smash them over rocks and tree roots with little concern for their wellbeing. They won't break the bank either.
Pros: Excellent weight and build quality
We've been seeing some brilliant, lightweight carbon fibre disc wheels coming through the office lately, and these Grimpeur Discs are some of the best.
> Buy these online here
With a 40mm-deep U-shaped carbon rim they weigh in at just 1,406g with the tubeless rim tape fitted, which ties in well with Parcours' claimed weight of 1,390g bare.
Fitted to the Flanders Forte cyclo-cross frameset that we had in for testing, the wheels offered snappy acceleration, and their low weight helped the whole bike feel flickable at the front and rear for hopping over potholes, rocks and other obstacles.
Obviously, being fitted to a cyclo-cross bike they spent most of their time off-road and they took the knocks and bumps from the gravel tracks and tree roots of the local singletrack without issue.
Parcours has gone for a build of 24 Sapim CX-Ray spokes front and rear in a two-cross lacing pattern which certainly feels stiff and gave no issues with trueness even after a fairish amount of abuse. Hard acceleration and heavy braking did little to upset them either, from a stress point of view.
In the interests of fairness I swapped out the knobbly tyres for some slick 25mm Panaracer Race C Evo 3 tyres for a bit of climbing and descending on the local roads.
The results on the steep hills were impressive, that lack of weight meaning they felt sprightly as I clawed my way up, with loads of stiffness for when I was cornering and braking hard on my way back down.
The EZO bearings inside the machined aluminium alloy hubs roll smoothly even after seeing plenty of rain, mud and grit over the test period, and the 40mm-deep rim gives you a slight aero advantage over a standard profile wheel. The engagement of the pawls is fast too.
The rim itself has a maximum external width of 27mm but edge to edge where the tyre meets measures 25.5mm, so it does make the tyre sit a little wider than the width states on the carcass. The 25mm tyres came out at about 26.5mm, for instance.
Both tubeless and tubed tyre setups were easy to fit and remove, without the need to use tyre levers or anything when fitting.
As standard, the Grimpeurs come with a Shimano/SRAM freehub but you can choose a Campagnolo one at the time of ordering. Removing the cassette to weigh the wheels after about 400 miles saw no damage to the freehub body from the cassette digging in under load; it still looked pretty much brand new – I've definitely seen a lot worse.
The Grimpeurs are impressive value, when you take everything into account, including the weight and build quality.
I absolutely loved the JRA Gecko carbon wheelset, which is the same weight, albeit with a shallower 23mm rim, and with just as impressive build quality. The Geckos cost £850, which is very good for such a set of wheels, but the Grimpeurs manage to beat that with a price of just £819.
> Buyer's Guide: 34 of the best road bike wheels
The similar weight (1,490g) Acros Road Disc C 28 wheels will set you back a total of £1,549.99, showing further how well priced the Parcours are.
Overall, the Grimpeur Discs pretty much offer it all, whatever type of riding you like to do.
Lightweight race wheels that are just as at home on the gravel as they are on the road
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Make and model: Parcours Grimpeur Disc wheelset
Size tested: 700C, 40mm deep
Tell us what the wheel is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Parcours says, "The Grimpeur is our lightest, shallowest wheel. The all-new 40mm rim is ideal for when the road starts to head for the clouds. But of course, what goes up must come down so the Grimpeur also has the aerodynamic benefit of a U-shaped rim and Sapim CX-Ray spokes.
"With an internal width of 19mm, the clincher rim is also tubeless-ready. A wider tyre is the perfect match, allowing riders to choose to run a lower tyre pressure, giving a smoother, more comfortable ride whilst also reducing rolling resistance.
"Without the requirement for a braking surface, our disc brake rim profile has been designed for the optimal rim/tyre interface. Our precision-machined alloy hubs are fitted with high-grade EZO cartridge bearings to deliver smooth running in all conditions and use a Centerlock disc fitment. The hubs are fitted for 12mm thru-axles front & rear, however adapter kits are available for other axle standards."
A solid yet lightweight set of wheels that work just as well on the road as they do off it.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the wheel?
Rim Depth: 40mm
Max rim width: 27mm
Edge rim width: 25.5mm
Internal width: 19mm
Model: Sapim CX-Ray
Count: 24 (front) / 24 (rear)
Lacing pattern: 2 Cross (front & rear)
Rate the wheel for quality of construction:
Rate the wheel for performance:
Rate the wheel for durability:
Rate the wheel for weight
Rate the wheel for value:
Did the wheels stay true? Any issues with spoke tension?
The wheels stayed true throughout the test period.
How easy did you find it to fit tyres?
Very easy indeed for both tubed and tubeless setups.
How did the wheel extras (eg skewers and rim tape) perform?
The wheels come supplied with tubeless rim tape and it does the job.
Tell us how the wheel performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Thanks to their low weight and build quality they work well on every terrain that I tried them on.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the wheel
Great weight to stiffness ratio.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the wheel
I wouldn't say there is anything to particularly to dislike.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
The excellent JRA Geckos are 30 quid more, but these are comparable if not even better.
Did you enjoy using the wheel? Yes
Would you consider buying the wheel? Yes
Would you recommend the wheel to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
The Grimpeurs are very versatile wheels that deliver excellent performance whether you are tackling a day in the mountains or bombing around your local gravel tracks.
Age: 40 Height: 180cm Weight: 76kg
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
"One final issue with FTP tests is that you can train yourself to be better at them!"...
It is clear if you go looking, and I'm open to it (while acknowledging Rich_cb's argument that if we don't produce it we'll just import it (unless,...
Thanks for all the input. I was up at Nevis Range in Fort William today, on my sons hybrid, with miles and miles of fire roads to explore. ...
Paywall is certainly there now.
You seem to not know the difference between additive colour mixing and subtractive colour mixing and seem to be confusing the combination of...
In Toryland, where liberty is utter, we are encouraged to participate in the war of all-against-all so that social Darwinism may flourish as the ...
Well, that's some all-round impressive police work in that video!
Yes it is similar but oppositely timed usually....
That's an interesting question and I've heard anecdotally that there's as many bike patents as all other patents put together (not sure that I...

domain: hobby


text:
hi all my name is chris iam a correction officer in kentucky. i have been a guitarist for 20 years and just now really getting into being a bass player. i guess i wanted a new challenge i have love music all my life. it started in the late 70s with kiss the older i got more into all kinds of music rock,country,ballads just about anything. i was in a band but lead guitarist only wanted to play what he wanted.
i have a ibanez bass and a beriger 50 wat 1x10 for practice and i have epi lespaul and marshall stack


text:
This is the farming tactics guide.If you have just started playing Rappelz,then this is the portion you should read.Hope it's useful for you.
a)Alright I can't stress this enough but stay in around the same place! Farming all over and moving to different areas will increase downtime,find a place where mobs spawn fast and in a good number.
b)Take the angro's first-There are a big group of monsters that automatically attack you even if you dont use heals, or attack it. If your target is near such a monster take the other one first as it will save you some HP and therefore save you downtime.
c)Have something to heal you- clerics, hunas ,rappelz rupees and the devas have no problems.when I tried to farm with my SpS I had to run around finding anyone that could heal so I could get back to farming.
d)Try to clear out useless things in your inventory before you go farm. If you are mass farming, there will be a crapload of stuff comin in and reducing your moving speed slows you down a crapload.
e)Alright one, this helps you count your kills if you wanna count your kills. Second of all, it increases your killing speed by x2. You could get a pet in 1 day rather than 2 days if you do this. Don't worry, lak isnt a problem,tons of lak come from farming mobs.
f)Pickup every drop you see-Farming doesnt just bring pet cards, at one point I made more money with the cards and junk and money i found when farming than selling my BP card. 100 Rappelz Rupees each kill isnt alot, but farming 2000 mobs for a pet card while each dropping 100 rappelz gold.
g)Patience-Yes the most important, you lose this and you'll never get a card. Stay till the very end.
h)There is such thing as luck but always assume its not on your side.
i)One more thing- People say luck affects drop rate and I have to say its BOGUS! I may be wrong but neither of these theories is proven. For the time being use str or vit rings instead of luck rings.
By the way,if you have no enough time to level your character,we will offer Rappelz Rupees for you.If you need,just contact us and place order from us(rappelz rupee ).

domain: game


Peter Kendall has resigned as president of the World Farmers’ Organisation – after just six months in the job.
The former NFU president told Farmers Weekly he would be standing down with immediate effect to spend more time with his family.
Mr Kendall took on the WFO presidency in March before he was nominated to become chairman of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the levy board which represents cattle, sheep, pigs, milk, potatoes, cereals, oilseeds and horticulture in the UK.
Mr Kendall said he was genuinely interested in the opportunity to learn more about global agriculture. But he admitted that he had “made a mistake” by accepting the role.
He soon realised that to carry out the role with the level of intensity and enthusiasm he wanted required more time and input than he initially thought.
“I hold my hands up and say I don’t want to do the job half-heartedly, I’d rather someone else step up and do it properly,” he said.
After a career spanning eight years with the NFU, Mr Kendall received the Farmers Weekly Farming Champion Award last week for his dedication to UK farming.
And it is this passion to ensure UK farming makes the most of its opportunities and his role as chair of the AHDB that aided his decision to step down, being almost “at odds” with his role at WFO, he added.
With requests to speak at so many global conferences, Mr Kendall said the time spent travelling was also too much, equating to three in every four weeks.
He said he was now looking forward to spending more time with his family and focusing on his Bedfordshire farm, despite Mrs Kendall believing he still wouldn’t be at home any more, he added.
WFO vice-president Evelyn Nguleka, is now temporarily filling the role of president until a new board member is elected.
The WFO brings together more than 50 producer organisations and agricultural co-operatives from around the world. It was formed to improve the livelihoods of farmers and the viability of rural communities as well as ensuring coherence with other agriculture-related activities.


text:
Over the weekend, anti-government protesters in Hong Kong again took to the streets, as a reported 1.7 million demonstrators marched through Victoria Park. Predata signals show that concerns about security— including the possibility of a crackdown by Beijing — and economic factors surrounding the protests are becoming more salient.
When mass demonstrations against the Hong Kong legislature’s proposed extradition bill began, online attention toward Hong Kong — both among Chinese and English speakers — concentrated on subjects related to the government. But as the protests became more violent, the focus shifted to security issues, as attention to the clashes appears to have eclipsed interest in the issues that originally motivated the unrest.
That heightened focus on security has included apparent concern about a potential crackdown by Beijing. Activity on Chinese-language web pages related to the People’s Armed Police — the Mainland paramilitary force that has amassed in Shenzen across from Hong Kong — surged over the weekend. Even though media have reported on the buildup for several days, only now has the force captured the interest of internet users.
At the same time, attention to the Tiananmen Square protests has risen — but only slightly. International media have invoked Tiananmen as an historical analogy to a potential crackdown in Hong Kong. However, activity on Chinese-language web pages about the protests and crackdown has not risen to abnormally high levels. So, despite the attention to the force gathered in Shenzen, it appears that few are entertaining the possibility of a Tiananmen-like event.
In addition, the potential economic implications of the protest movement appear to have grown more salient. For investors, the concern is apparently whether the unrest may put pressure on the Hong Kong currency peg. Activity on web pages related to various general subjects related to the currency is driving the signal, reflecting broad-based concerns over Hong Kong’s economic outlook.
For Hong Kong residents, however, the salient economic issue appears to be the city’s lack of affordable housing. Chinese-language interest in Hong Kong’s affordable housing subsidy program was heightened ahead of the protests -- and then surged over the weekend to hit a multi-year high.

domain: sociology


text:
Phones4U To Sell Sky + Virgin Media Packages
Not long after feuding entertainment giants Sky and Virgin Media managed to reach a deal, the market and consumers are already reaping the benefits. Phones4U will begin offering Sky and Virgin Media packages within the next two weeks in 60 stores across the west Midlands, south Wales, north-west, and Merseyside, and plans to expand the effort to 300 stores by the end of 2009. Both Sky and Virgin will have in-store media bays, and their logos will be prominently displayed both within the store and on the storefronts. Since the beginning of 2008 the retailer has been performed trial runs of combined digital TV, high-speed broadband and home phone packages in Liverpool and Birmingham.


An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.0 was recorded in the East Bay this morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake occurred at 1:55 a.m. about 3 miles east-northeast of Fremont and had a depth of 4.1 miles.
• Readers: Learn about our Facebook-based commenting system. To report a comment directly to IJ editors, e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org with the URL of the article, the name of the offending commenter and the time of the offending post.
Michael Phelps, on why he is returning to swimming
Returning to swimming after a 20-month retirement, Michael Phelps is easing back into the sport he once dominated by racing one of his best events. Full Story


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Tender, painful and sore nipples. Remedy ?
Thanks for your query.
I will try my best to provide you with best possible professional recommendations to your questions.
Sore nipple in males may be due to injury to the breast tissue like by pinching or accident that may cause soreness of breast, infection of the breast is called mastitis, but is rare in males and also associated with swelling and redness, Pain in the underlying muscles or ribs may be mistaken for sore nipples and also abrasion and also rough cloths that you are wearing.
You have not elaborated the symptoms like the duration since you are experiencing this, whether you will get pain all the time or on touching your nipple, any history of trauma to chest, any heart condition and also the drug history. It will be great if you write about this.
Meanwhile I am assuming it is of short duration, you can try to eliminate the soreness by wearing light cotton clothes that will not rub against your nipples. Apply a lubricant like baby oil or any moisturizer over the nipples.
Yet again, I do hope that you have found something helpful and I will be glad to answer any further query.
Good to hear from you.
It will be better if you mention any medication which you are on, medications are responsible for nipple pain.
I don't think the symptoms which you have mentioned as anything to do with the hormones or prostate cancer.
Try using a moisturizer. Also, the pain could be due to arthritis of ribs or a muscular cause, it can lead to pain in the nipples. Alternatively, it could be allergic reaction itself. In that case, a moisturizer will help.
You can apply diclofenac gel on the area and see if it helps. If it does, the pain is muscular and it will become ok on its own. Loose clothing will also help.
Hope I have cleared your queries. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
The User accepted the expert's answer
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domain: medical


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Needed a salsa for a crowd and didn't want to chop all those tomatoes. Tripled this. At the end of the gathering people where taking the leftovers home in drinking cups.
This is the best salsa that I have ever made. Thanks so much for posting it. I made 2 batches, one according to the recipe and one with extra jalepenos. One of my guests brought her homemade salsa and her daughter kept eating mine!
Personally I really liked this, but most other people tend to find this too hot.

domain: food


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Japanese star sensation, Ryo Ishikawa, 17, ranked 60th in the world will make PGA tour debut next month.
Ishikawa received a foreign sponsor's exemption on Wednesday that will make his debut at Northern Trust Open, which runs February 16-22 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Tournament director Tom Pulchinski said, Ryo Ishikawa attracts 'Tiger-like' attention in Asia, and it will be fun for a US audience to see him for the first time at the Northern Trust Open, while fans throughout the world watch him compete against the PGA Tour's best players.
He will also play The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard on March 23-26 at Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla. and the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook a week before Bay Hill, but it is not part of his PGA tour debut.
Ishikawa is known as the Shy Prince for his unassuming demeanor, but he already is among the most famous sportsmen in Japan. Along with his first victory as a pro, he has been hailed as the country's next great golfer.


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ON THIS DAY
On this date in 1877, Thomas Edison made the first sound recording: "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
The flip side was "Baa-baa black sheep, have you any wool?"
Critics called it "sheepish."
A big score for technology, zero points for originality.
I won't tell you how it ends, in case you plan to read the book.
I believe the full version was, "When Mary had a little lamb, the doctor was surprised... but when Old McDonald had a farm, the doctor nearly died."
The very first Army-Navy game was played on this date in 1890. The Navy won, 24-0. Of course, being the Navy, they were the only ones that used subs. The following year the game was moved to land.
On this date in 1897, motorcycle races were held on an oval track for the very first time. They proved to be much faster than the popular triangle track.
In 1922, King Tut's Tomb was opened. Time to play "Know Your King!" The following words describe an answer that contains the word "King." Ready, let's play.
Civil Rights Leader (Martin Luther King Jr.)
The third movie in a trilogy (Lord of The Rings: Return Of The King)
Michael Jackson nickname (King of Pop)
Fast food franchise (Burger King)
Horror novelist (Stephen King)
Blues guitarist (B.B. King)
Elvis Presley nickname (The King)
Version of the Bible (King James)
Yul Brenner movie (The King and I)
Disney movie turned stage play (Lion King)
TV interview host (Larry King)
Animated TV Show on Fox (King Of The Hill)
TV sit-com on CBS (King Of Queens)
Her big album was "Tapestry" (Carole King)
He made off with Fay Ray (King Kong)
Distributor of TV programming, including "Wheel of Fortune" (King World)
Character from Shakespere play (King Lear)
Had the knights of the round table (King Arthur)
On this date in 1934, the Chicago beats Detroit in the first nationally broadcast NFL game. Chicago's defense was amazing and, with the victory, Chicago became known as the Win-D city.
It was on this date in 1951 that the United States conducted their first underground atomic explosion at Frenchman Flat, Nevada. At first, they tried blaming a real big dog.
On this date in 1962 that "Enos" the chimp orbited the earth twice, despite warnings from moms everywhere not to monkey around the earth.
In 1975, Red River, New Mexico, set a snowfall record of 34 inches in just 24 hours. Or was it 24-inches in 34 hours? Either way, it was a lot!


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This post is also available in: Bosnian
Belgrade City Assembly. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Nikola Smolenski/Violeta Antonijevic
Svetozar Andric, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army’s Birac Brigade and later the chief of staff of the Drina Corps during the Bosnian war, was officially elected as a new member of the Belgrade City Council on Thursday.
Andric was proposed by the ruling coalition in the City Assembly, led by Serbian Progressive Party and current mayor, former water polo player Aleksandar Sapic.
Andric’s biographical details, which were provided to assembly members, said he had a “successful multi-decade military career”, and that after he retired, he led his family company’s and then in June 2016 started his political career.
In 2018, the Belgrade-based Humanitarian Law Centre filed a criminal complaint accusing Andric of ordering “the ‘eviction” of the Bosniak population from [the town of] Zvornik” on May 28, 1992.
“A few days later, on May 31, 1992, Andric issued an order to establish the Susica [detention] camp in Vlasenica. The camp existed until September 30, 1992, and during that period, the detainees were kept in inhumane conditions – they slept on concrete, received one meal a day, and did not enjoy basic hygienic conditions,” the Humanitarian Law Centre said in a statement.
“Most were beaten daily, while the women who were detained in the camp were raped. Around 160 detainees were killed,” it added.
“Also, in May and June 1992, the brigade commanded by Svetozar Andric persecuted Bosniaks from more than 20 villages in the Vlasenica municipality. In March of the following year, members of the brigade of which Andric was commander burned the village of Gobelje in the municipality of Vlasenica,” the statement also alleged.
Andric denied committing the alleged crimes when he testified at the trial of former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic in The Hague in 2015.
In reaction to some opposition councillors’ criticism of Andric’s appointment, Belgrade mayor Aleksandar Sapic told assembly members on Thursday that “a person who the Humanitarian Law Centre files a [criminal] complaint against should be celebrated by the Serbian people”.
Andric was an MP in Serbia from August 2020 until the most recent elections in April 2022.
Before becoming an MP, he was a deputy leader of the New Belgrade municipal council, when Sapic was the municipal council’s president.

domain: history


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The fundamental question is this: Why would any American citizen support the “2006 Military Commission Act” that President Bush signed into law today?
The Act empowers President Bush to declare not just aliens, but also U.S. citizens, “unlawful enemy combatants.” An American citizen who speaks out against Bush’s policies could be designated an “unlawful enemy combatant” by Bush. The Act empowers the President to round up and incarcerate anyone, citizen or non-citizen, who he determines has given “material support” to terrorists. The Act strips habeas corpus rights from detained aliens who have been declared enemy combatants. The U.S. will continue to round up innocent and guilty alike and hold them indefinitely without giving them a way to prove their innocence. For more on how the Act strips American citizens and others of basic rights, see Marjorie Cohn, “American Prison Camps Are on the Way.”
Regarding torture: Reasonable people might disagree over the distinction between “cruelty” and “torture.” For example, Stephen Rickard argues in today’s WaPo that the Act authorizes cruelty but not torture. I assume he refers to definitions of torture and cruelty in international law; personally, I don’t see a difference. But he also says,
[The CIA] reportedly was using waterboarding (a terrifying mock execution in which a prisoner is strapped to a board and convinced he is being drowned), dousing naked prisoners with water in 50-degree cold and forcing shackled prisoners to stand for 40 straight hours. …
…The United States has prosecuted every one of these techniques as a war crime. So when Congress passed the McCain amendment last fall banning cruel treatment, CIA interrogators reportedly stopped working. Vice President Cheney had sought an exemption for the CIA — but didn’t get one. The administration apparently pushed the interrogators hard to resume their tactics, saying these techniques were still legal, but the CIA refused.
It seems the agency had learned an important lesson from the infamous Justice Department “torture memo,” which claimed that to be deemed “torture” a procedure had to be capable of causing major organ failure or death. The administration repudiated the memo when it became public. The lesson? Secret, contorted legal opinions don’t provide any real protection to CIA officers.
So the CIA demanded “clarity” — from Congress. No wonder President Bush practically sprinted to the cameras to begin spinning his “compromise” with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on the Military Commissions Act. He needs to convince CIA interrogators that they now have congressional carte blanche.
So did the Act signed today do the trick? Rickard says it doesn’t, and that if the interrogators give in to White House pressure and resume brutal interrogations, they’ll be at greater legal risk than before.
The administration is trying to convince CIA officers that they won’t be indicted — or at least convicted. But the CIA demanded clarity, not more ambiguity and “plausible deniability.”
At the end of the day all the president can honestly tell CIA interrogators is this: “The law has some loose language. We’ll give you another memo. Don’t worry.”
And torture doesn’t work, anyway. Bush wants us to believe that the “tough” techniques that may or may not be torture has yielded vital information that has saved American lives, but there is plenty of indication that’s not so.
The new law vaguely bans torture — but makes the administration the arbiter of what is torture and what isn’t. It allows the president to imprison indefinitely anyone he decides falls under a wide-ranging new definition of unlawful combatant. It suspends the Great Writ of habeas corpus for detainees. It allows coerced testimony at trial. It immunizes retroactively interrogators who may have engaged in torture.
Here’s what Bush had to say at his signing ceremony in the East Room: “The bill I sign today helps secure this country, and it sends a clear message: This nation is patient and decent and fair, and we will never back down from the threats to our freedom.”
But that may not be the “clear message” the new law sends most people.
Here’s the clear message the law sends to the world: America makes its own rules. The law would apparently subject terror suspects to some of the same sorts of brutal interrogation tactics that have historically been prosecuted as war crimes when committed against Americans.
Here’s the clear message to the voters: This Congress is willing to rubberstamp pretty much any White House initiative it sees as being in its short-term political interests. (And I don’t just mean the Republicans; 12 Senate Democrats and 32 House Democrats voted for the bill as well.)
Here’s the clear message to the Supreme Court: Review me.
I ask again: why would anyone support Bush’s position? Today righties are snarling and snapping like cornered animals at anyone who criticizes the torture bill. We nay-sayers are “whiny hippies” throwing a “moonbat hissy fit.”
A more temperate rightie declared “This is undeniably a victory for those of us that believe we need to aggressively wage the war against jihadism.” This and other rightie commenters continue to follow the White House in blind faith that the Bush Administration knows what it is doing and will use the unprecedented power it has gained wisely. Given the Bush Administration’s record — that’s insane.
Righties like to talk tough, but peel enough layers off ’em and you’ll find a sniveling little coward crouching and whimpering at their core. Deep down, they want Dear Leader to have dictatorial power so that he can protect them. Like any mob in the grip of hysteria, they have lost reason and inhibition, and they attack anyone who gets in their way.
They’re cowards, they’re out of control, and they must be stopped.


Accented with strategically placed color block panels and logo taping that elongate the legs, these polished leggings flatter from every angle.
Mesh logo panels
Hem hits above ankle
87% Polyester, 13% Elastane
Hand Wash Cold With Like Colors.
Do Not Bleach. Flat Dry. Cool Iron If Needed.
Model wears size S. (Height: 5’ 10.5”)


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Venice, the aquatic metropolis along the Adriatic Sea, is the star of Italy’s tourism show, according to some visitors who are star-struck by its canals, cathedrals, architecture and artwork. Venice, with its narrow cobblestone passageways and piazzas, appears to be an ancient village made of cake frosting.
Venice itself enjoyed a supporting role in the recent acclaimed mini-series “The Young Pope,” starring Jude Law as a petulant pontiff. But Venice stole the setting and the show from Rome in the series finale when the Holy Father eschewed Vatican City in favor of Venice to reveal his previously hidden visage to the world in an address from the balcony of St. Mark’s Basilica overlooking a sea of people who’d filled famed St. Mark’s Square. Charismatic if crotchety, “Pope Leo’s” conclusion was a cliffhanger, with the final camera shot of the series an increasingly widening pullback from the balcony to reveal the islands of Venice, which are shaped by nature like a fish, perhaps invoking Christ’s declaration to St. Peter, the original Pope, that he and the apostles would be “fishers of men.”
It’s easy to see, literally, why fanciful, unique Venice makes an attractive setting for filmmakers, and, therefore, hosts the world’s oldest film festival. While the Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera in springtime gets gobs of attention, the 74th Venice Film Festival, in its end of summer spot on the schedule, has drawn the likes of actors Matt Damon, George Clooney, Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Wiig, Ethan Hawke, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz; plus senior stars and starlets Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, Michael Caine, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, and Donald Sutherland. It’s a lineup Casanova himself would try to escape across the Bridge of Sighs to see. Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson, and many others have enjoyed the dolce vita of Venice, and tourists can, too because the Venice Film Festival has a reputation for amiable celebrity encounters with the public. The bucolic, intimate nature of the setting, perhaps, reportedly makes the stars more amenable to photos and autographs.
The festival’s top prize is the “Golden Lion,” which is the iconic symbol ofVenice due to the fact it also represents St. Mark the evangelist, whose bones are ensconced in the basilica bearing his name.
No limousines, though, in the normally chauffeured celebrity circles – Venice is the great equalizer in that nobody, prince, pauper or pope, gets wheels. In a city with its “streets filled with water,” as reporter Robert Benchley famously cabled home upon arrival, transportation is by foot or by boat. Surely the glitterati will not herd themselves among the great unwashed aboard the less-expensive vaporetto water buses most tourists take advantage of to traverse town, but will rather be motored to the front docks of their hotels from Marco Polo International Airport and between the Venetian islands aboard the stylish, private water taxis that slip across the canals and through the waterways.
Want to sleep like a star? Directors and performers at the film festival very likely would lodge in waterfront beauties such as Hotel Excelsior; Hotel Cipriani (seasonal); Hotel Danieli (which had two 007 movies filmed inside); Gritti Palace (which has hosted Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor, and Scarlett Johansson); and Palazzina Grassi, where Johnny Depp stayed during the filming of his movie “The Tourist.”
The Londra Palace Hotel is an excellent choice – virtually adjacent to Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, a vaporetto dock, and the time-honored, romantic gondola rides. Waterfront rooms provide a bird’s-eye view of the lagoon – which is gorgeous in the morning and evening – and the people walking the promenade below. Step onto your balcony, wave to the crowds, and you’ll feel like a star yourself (or even a “young pope.”) Feast like royalty at the hotel’s street side Ristorante Do Leoni.
For those who prefer the Rialto Bridge area, the waterfront Hotel L’orologio, also near a vaporetto dock, looks over the building on the canal “destroyed” at the conclusion of the James Bond film “Casino Royale” starring Daniel Craig. According to a local at the adjacent fish market, tourists are surprised to see the building perfectly intact - thanks to the magic of moviemaking.
Andrea Grisdale, founder of the Lake Como-based international custom tour company IC Bellagio, advises celebrities and tourists alike that while a trip to Venice may make visitors feel like they’re on a movie set, private guides can literally lead them to sites where movies were filmed and celebrities have historically frequented, such as Ernest Hemingway’s hangout: Harry’s Bar – birthplace of the Bellini.
There are also plenty of authentic experiences to be enjoyed and experienced, often with the direction of a private local guide who can help avoid long lines and bring the attractions to life: Doge’s Palace; St. Mark’s Basilica and Piazza; the Bridge of Sighs; Murano Glass Factories; Guggenheim Museum; Church of San Rocco; Gondola rides; wine-tasting walking tours; Galleria dell’Accademia; and the Campanile di San Marco – the 9th century rebuilt bell tower overlooking the city and its canals.
Some of the other popular movies made in Venice include “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Brideshead Revisited,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Inferno,” “The Italian Job,” and “Laura Croft: Tomb Raider.”


Update: Sec. Salazar Pledges Support to Restore The Everglades
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Thursday promised the administration's support in moving forward the restoration of the Florida Everglades, a massive project that would greatly benefit Everglades National Park.
The Interior secretary, in Florida to better understand the problems the Everglades faces from invasive species such as the Burmese python, called the unprecedented initiative a national priority requiring continuing commitment and bi-partisan support.
“Restoring this treasured landscape, one of our nation’s crown jewels, is the largest project of its kind ever undertaken in the United States,” Salazar said after meeting with Everglades Restoration support groups and touring a section of the ‘River of Grass’ with U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson and Florida Gov. Charles Crist. “This administration is firmly committed to the federal-state partnership working to achieve this goal and has already proposed more than $600 million to fund ongoing projects and to generate good jobs in design, engineering, construction and rehabilitation work.”
What's wrong with the Everglades? Just about ever since whites headed to south Florida they've built channels and dikes and canals in efforts to figure out how to drain the "River of Grass" for various reasons running from agriculture to real estate developments. While those many efforts haven't been entirely successful, they have produced more than a few kinks in the water system that flows both into and out of Lake Okeechobee.
Development has been so rampant in south Florida down through the past century that the boundaries of Everglades National Park protect only the southern fifth of the historic Everglades ecosystem, and external pressures are threatening even it.
"This complex and challenging effort needs and deserves bi-partisan support from state and federal leaders. Our presence here today reflects that approach and that commitment to restore a national treasure while creating jobs for Americans,” said the Interior secretary.
The Everglades Restoration partnership works to restore, preserve, and protect the South Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region, including water supply and flood protection. With an estimated total cost of $10.7 billion to the federal government and $11.8 billion to the state of Florida, the initiative is the largest hydrologic restoration project in U.S. history.
The Omnibus Appropriation Act for fiscal year 2009 provides a total of $241 million for Everglades’ projects, including $118 million from the Department of the Interior and $123 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In addition, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, enacted earlier this year, provided $119.2 million in stimulus funding for Everglades work, including $18.6 million for Interior agencies and $100.6 million from the Army Corps of Engineers.
President Obama’s budget request for 2010 would provide an additional $278 million for Everglades’ restoration, including $64 million from Interior and $214 million from the Corps. The 2010 budget for Everglades is $37 million above the 2009 enacted level
Folks over at the National Parks Conservation Association had hoped the Interior secretary's visit would include time studying the restoration project, which was bogged down during the Bush administration.
“Today’s visit by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to the Everglades provides him an opportunity to see firsthand the critical need to restore our historic 'River of Grass,'" John Adornato, the NPCA's Sun Coast regional director, said in advance of Secretary Salazar's visit. "A healthy and revitalized Everglades is the bedrock of South Florida’s environment, economy, and quality of life.
“The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, passed by Congress in 2000, was a groundbreaking law aimed at restoring America’s Everglades after decades of destruction. Yet over the last eight years, federal funding and support has been inadequate, leaving the Everglades on life support and providing little benefit to the South Florida national parks," adds Mr. Adornato.


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Surgical management of stress urinary incontinence in women: Bladder neck fascial sling procedures
- Kimberly Kenton, MD, MS, FACOG, FACS
Kimberly Kenton, MD, MS, FACOG, FACS
- Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Chief, Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
- Chicago, IL
Surgical therapy for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) includes bladder neck slings, midurethral slings, and Burch urethropexy (table 1).
Although the midurethral sling is the most common procedure for treatment of SUI and the standard of care for most patients, rare patients may not be candidates or may request surgical techniques that do not use synthetic mesh [1,2]. This topic reviews bladder neck (also known as suburethral or pubovaginal) fascial sling procedures. In women undergoing surgical treatment, midurethral synthetic slings are generally preferred to bladder neck fascial slings or Burch urethropexy . However, in women who decline or are not candidates for midurethral slings, bladder neck autologous fascial slings remain an effective treatment for SUI.
The evaluation, treatment and other surgical options for women with SUI are discussed elsewhere. (See "Treatment of urinary incontinence in women" and "Surgical management of stress urinary incontinence in women: Choosing a primary surgical procedure".).
ANATOMIC LOCATION AND MATERIALS
Bladder neck slings are placed at the level of the proximal urethra or bladder neck. The anterior rectus fascia (ie, pubovaginal sling) and pubic bone are the most common superior attachments for bladder neck slings; however, the superior rectus fascia is preferred as most high-quality outcome data use the rectus fascia. In addition, bone anchors, used to attach the sling to the pubic bone, are associated with osteitis pubis and osteomyelitis  and offer no improvement in outcomes.
Sling materials include autografts (rectus fascia or fascia lata), allografts (fascia lata), xenografts (porcine dermis), and synthetic meshes (mersilene or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene). We use rectus fascia harvested from the patient (autologous) at the time of the sling surgery.To continue reading this article, you must log in with your personal, hospital, or group practice subscription. For more information on subscription options, click below on the option that best describes you:
- Oliphant SS, Wang L, Bunker CH, Lowder JL. Trends in stress urinary incontinence inpatient procedures in the United States, 1979-2004. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009; 200:521.e1.
- Wu JM, Gandhi MP, Shah AD, et al. Trends in inpatient urinary incontinence surgery in the USA, 1998-2007. Int Urogynecol J 2011; 22:1437.
- Schimpf MO, Rahn DD, Wheeler TL, et al. Sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence in women: a systematic review and metaanalysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2014; 211:71.e1.
- FitzGerald MP, Gitelis S, Brubaker L. Pubic osteomyelitis and granuloma after bone anchor placement. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 1999; 10:346.
- DeLancey JO. Structural support of the urethra as it relates to stress urinary incontinence: the hammock hypothesis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1994; 170:1713.
- AUGS and SUFU Position Statement on Mesh Midurethral Slings for SUI www.augs.org/p/cm/ld/fid=599.
- Nager CW, Brubaker L, Litman HJ, et al. A randomized trial of urodynamic testing before stress-incontinence surgery. N Engl J Med 2012; 366:1987.
- American Urogynecologic Society and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Committee opinion: evaluation of uncomplicated stress urinary incontinence in women before surgical treatment. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg 2014; 20:248.
- Committee on Practice Bulletins--Gynecology, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 84: Prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Obstet Gynecol 2007; 110:429.
- Solomon ER, Frick AC, Paraiso MF, Barber MD. Risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in urogynecologic surgical patients. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010; 203:510.e1.
- Handa VL, Stone A. Erosion of a fascial sling into the urethra. Urology 1999; 54:923.
- Rehman H, Bezerra CC, Bruschini H, Cody JD. Traditional suburethral sling operations for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011; :CD001754.
- Albo ME, Richter HE, Brubaker L, et al. Burch colposuspension versus fascial sling to reduce urinary stress incontinence. N Engl J Med 2007; 356:2143.
- McGuire EJ, Lytton B. Pubovaginal sling procedure for stress incontinence. 1978. J Urol 2002; 167:1120.
- Webster TM, Gerridzen RG. Urethral erosion following autologous rectus fascial pubovaginal sling. Can J Urol 2003; 10:2068.
- Broussard AP, Reddy TG, Frilot CF 2nd, et al. Long-term follow-up of porcine dermis pubovaginal slings. Int Urogynecol J 2013; 24:583.
- Guerrero KL, Emery SJ, Wareham K, et al. A randomised controlled trial comparing TVT, Pelvicol and autologous fascial slings for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. BJOG 2010; 117:1493.
- Wohlrab KJ, Erekson EA, Myers DL. Postoperative erosions of the Mersilene suburethral sling mesh for antiincontinence surgery. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 2009; 20:417.
- Barbalias G, Liatsikos E, Barbalias D. Use of slings made of indigenous and allogenic material (Goretex) in type III urinary incontinence and comparison between them. Eur Urol 1997; 31:394.
- Athanasopoulos A, Gyftopoulos K, McGuire EJ. Efficacy and preoperative prognostic factors of autologous fascia rectus sling for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence. Urology 2011; 78:1034.
- Kenton K, Richter H, Litman H, et al. Risk factors associated with urge incontinence after continence surgery. J Urol 2009; 182:2805.
- Richter HE, Burgio KL, Brubaker L, et al. Continence pessary compared with behavioral therapy or combined therapy for stress incontinence: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol 2010; 115:609.
- Norton PA, Nager CW, Chai TC, et al. Risk factors for incomplete bladder emptying after midurethral sling. Urology 2013; 82:1038.
- McAchran SE, Goldman HB. Contemporary length of stay and resource utilization when using a fast-track regimen for mid-urethral sling surgery. Urology 2009; 74:531.
- ANATOMIC LOCATION AND MATERIALS
- MECHANISM OF ACTION
- PATIENT SELECTION
- PREOPERATIVE EVALUATION AND CONSIDERATIONS
- Antibiotic prophylaxis
- Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis
- OTHER SLING MATERIALS
- Autologous slings
- Allograft slings
- Xenograft slings
- Synthetic slings
- POSTOPERATIVE CARE
- CONTINENCE RATE
- SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

domain: literature


Money is a social artifact, not one of God's commandments.
Best Laid Plans: One proposal to save(sic) Social Security is to increase the retirement age even further, beyond the current graduated raise from 65 to 66, to 68 or even 69 for 'full' benefits. But the CBO estimates that extending the retirement age will increase the "labor force participation rate' by about 4%. What would increasing the participation rate that much to to unemployment rates? How much would this delay younger folks from moving up? Will this end up costing the country more than it saves? Is this really a 'painless' fix?
Peer Pressure II: Yesterday the US warned the UK it had best stay in the EU. Today Chancellor Merkel suggested to the UK Prime Minister that holding a referendum on remaining in the EU would "cause economic disaster for the UK and paralyze Europe." Sovereign doesn't mean what it used to.
Resourceful: The Pentagon has an oil man from Houston in charge of the contracting process for Afghanistan's oil and gas fields. Unfortunately the Taliban are not completely happy with this arrangement.
Essay Question: Why do people think economists are charlatans?
Erosion: Maybe Marx was not wrong, just a few decades ahead of his time. It seems likely that capital will continue to concentrate in fewer and fewer hands while surging unemployment will combine with sagging wages to undermine the mass consumerism that the current version of capitalism requires in order to function. The resolution of paradox will not necessarily be non-violent.
Prevention: If our health care costs were in line with costs in other countries, we would be looking at budget surpluses, not deficits. If we did not also waste trillions of dollars on an unnecessary military behemoth we could start building a country worthy of our dreams. And if our political system is too corrupt to allow these reforms, then we should reform the system without them.
Our Town:Climate change, jobs, the trade deficit (and thus the budget deficit), rotting infrastructure and rotten education – these are the real and really serious problems facing us. So what are the politicians doing? Fiddle-farting with imaginary monsters labeled
Tweedledee and Tweedledum debt and deficit. And guns. But you know they're not going to do anything about any of the three. Why do they ignore the real problems? (a) Big Money, or (2) Big Money.
Finger/String: Remember, tightfisted Paul Ryan (Inconsistent-WI) was for flood relief (for Wisconsin in 2008) before he was against flood relief (for Sandy's victims, 2013).
Lollipops: Both Congress and the White House have long since demonstrated they have no interest in the suffering of the millions of unemployed Americans. Instead, they are intent on reducing government spending, which will reduce economic activity, which will reduce employment even further while Washington cuts the social safety net to shreds. Who loves ya, babe?.
If/Then: Expertise say the 'platinum coin option' is legal, so if Obama surrenders to the blackmailers it won't be because he has to, but because his self-identification as the great compromiser requires it. But the only things he's compromised so far are his principles.
Preponderance: Independent high-quality population studies, longitudinal studies, and MIR imaging studies have repeatedly found a linkage between childhood lead exposure and violent crime. After a while it becomes convincing.
Porn O'Graph: Getting to the bottom of things.
The Parting Shot:


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Blog: Analysing Turkey's potential
Dean Best | 28 March 2011
Look past the BRIC markets and there are a clutch of countries seen as the next group of key developing economies.
Opinions on which are the most-promising of the 'new' emerging markets differ but one fresh acronym has started to gain traction.
Coined by former HSBC chief Michael Geoghegan, CIVETS comprises six markets seen as possessing attractive characteristics for investors - including large and young populations, relatively sophisticated financial systems and - at least until recently for one of their members - political stability. (The 'E' in CIVETS stands for Egypt).
The 'T' within the six is Turkey and, on Friday, we took a look at the country's food retail sector in our latest BRICs and beyond column.
While Turkey is not seeing the same levels of growth as markets like China and Brazil, retailers and manufacturers see potential in the market, not only as a developing market in its own right, but also for its strategic link between Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.
The food industry there faces a number of challenges - one analyst we spoke to claimed Turkey's agricultural sector was in some parts corrupt - but a number of suppliers and retailers are looking to expand their presence in the market, attracted by its population and rising GDP.
Coincidentally, a day before our column on Turkey went live, Nestle announced plans to invest TRY85m in a new cereals factory, which will serve the domestic market and become a hub for exports across North Africa and the Middle East.
Danone completed its US$12.5bn acquisition of WhiteWave Foods this week. The move will roughly double Danone's presence in North America, where WhiteWave is a top four dairy player. ...
Premier Foods plc revealed today (28 March) it has secured a deal with its pension scheme trustees that will see the UK food maker reduce its pension burden....
Hain Celestial, under the scrutiny of the investment community in recent months and facing some challenges in its domestic market, has announced another shuffling of its management pack....
FrieslandCampina, which today served up higher profits but lower sales for 2016, is ready to offload the last non-dairy business owned by the Dutch cooperative giant....
- Danone's Q1: four things to learn
- Nestle Q1 update: four things to learn
- Column: Why snacking is the new meal
- Who will buy Danone's Stonyfield business?
- Interview: KP Snacks on growth strategy
- Tyson shops Sara Lee bakery, Kettle and Van's
- Nestle to cut UK confectionery jobs
- Tyson to buy burger-to-entree firm AdvancePierre
- PepsiCo affirms full-year target as Q1 hits mark
- TreeHouse Foods sells soup, baby food units


text:
Subaru Corp. said Wednesday it will start producing electric vehicles in the United States as early as 2027, as the Japanese carmaker accelerates its shift toward battery-driven vehicles under its new president.
"We have decided on production in the United States," President Atsushi Osaki said at a press conference in Tokyo. "Considering the speed of the shift to EVs in the U.S., we thought it was about time."
Osaki, who took the helm at the company in June, said it is still undecided on where production will take place, though joint production with a partner such as Toyota Motor Corp. remains under consideration.
Subaru aims to sell 400,000 EVs in the U.S. market in 2028, he said. The automaker has a factory in Indiana.
The new president also revealed an array of new targets for 2030, including a plan to sell 600,000 EVs worldwide, accounting for 50 percent of its overall sales target in the same year, and investment of around 1.5 trillion yen ($10.5 billion) in vehicle electrification.
The company previously projected that EVs and hybrid cars will constitute 40 percent of its global sales in 2030.
Subaru currently sells only one electric model, Solterra, which was jointly developed by Toyota. It will launch seven more EV models by the end of 2028, Osaki said.


text:
Do you dare to dream? I’m not talking about aspirations or life goals. I’m referring to dreaming. As in your subconscious coming to the forefront. Usually in bed. At night. While you’re asleep.
I have a propensity for dreaming a lot, and vividly. Occasionally the dreams come in the form of nightmares. Sometimes they are recurring, or at least it seems that way to me. Perhaps that is a trick of my mind, telling me I’ve had the dream before when in reality something in the dream itself tells me that it’s that way. Does that make sense? I remember I used to dream of choking on bubble gum. I know I’ve had that dream more than a dozen times, and even the smell of bubble gum makes me want to choke. But maybe my mind is playing tricks on me and I’ve only had the dream one time. I don’t know.
This last week, for whatever reason, my dreams have been plentiful and crazy. I don’t know of anything different going on in my life, and I haven’t been eating spicy or exotic foods, but every morning I wake up and think, good grief! What brought that on?
Often I don’t recall many details of my dreams. Sometimes I simply wake up with a feeling of sadness or my heart is extra light, and I’m aware that I had a dream, but when I try to recall it, the details or too vague to pin down. Occasionally I will wake myself up laughing or with an urgent need to relieve my bladder (I’m grateful for those particular dreams because they serve as a wake-up call that saves me a lot of embarrassment!) At other times, the dreams are frightening and I don’t even want to go back to sleep. I’ve even had the experience of knowing in my dream that something really bad is about to happen, and I have tried yelling in the hopes of waking up my husband, whom I know in my dream state is sleeping beside me, even though in the dream itself I’m not even in my house. It’s quite a strange sensation, and one that many people may not be able to understand because they don’t even realize they dream at all. My husband is that type.
Last night my dream was particularly weird. So weird, in fact, that I thought it might be therapeutic to write it down and share it, in the hopes that someone with much more insight than I might be able to dissect it and come up with a plausible explanation.
In this dream, a FedEx truck drove up my driveway – which was about a quarter mile long and was lined with junk cars. If you know me, then you’ll know that’s a sure sign of a nightmare on the way. I hate junk cars!
But it didn’t work out that way. The FedEx driver jumped from the truck with a big smile on her face and said, “I have your inheritance here for you! Aren’t you a lucky duck?” Then she handed me a Wal-Mart bag that was filled with an assortment of mismatched flatware and a can of spray paint. I didn’t notice what color the paint was, but I do recall being quite disappointed with the flatware. But the driver had more for me. She threw the big door at the back of the truck open – it was one of those doors that slide up with a lot of clattering. Then she pulled a slab of meat out of the truck, and it looked about the size of a yearling cow. But she tossed it onto the hood of one of the junk cars, and I could see right away that it was not a cow. She smiled at me as she swiped her hands across the back of her pants, even though the meat was in a vacuum-sealed bag, and said, “Now what do you think of that?” As I was still holding the bag containing the silverware and the spray paint, I didn’t know what to think. Should I have a picnic or start a craft project?
But I was upset about the meat. I said to the driver, “This isn’t beef, is it?” Like I was accusing her of something. We argued for awhile, and I don’t remember most of the conversation, but I knew after a few minutes that the bag contained woodchuck. A lot of woodchuck that appeared to have been mechanically separated and squished together in a big, cowish shape. I don’t know why that made me mad, but a minute later some woman I knew in my dream but have no recollection of, slapped me on the back and said, “Oh, good! Now we have enough food to feed the nursing home residents.” I don’t know who that was good for, but I can’t imagine it was good for the residents. Yuck!
I couldn’t worry about it for long, though, because I suddenly remembered I was in a race. I called my dog and told her to “come on!” and we took off running down the road. When I got to the corner, I stopped to clean the toilet, just as I knew I should, and one of the ladies from church was there making a pie for the graduation ceremony. The pie was green, and I told her it looked really delicious. She only smiled and kept slapping on whipped cream.
Then I continued on the race, but I suddenly noticed that my purse was really heavy and it was slowing me down. Instead of just chucking the purse, I stopped and opened it. Inside I found that the candy corn I had put in there had sprouted and I was actually carrying a dozen huge ears of corn with me.
That was the end, thankfully. It wasn’t a bad dream, per se, but it’s probably the strangest one I’ve had in awhile. Maybe the strange part about it is the fact that I still remember that much of it so vividly. Usually dreams are fleeting things, but not this one. And although as a writer I know we are advised against using the dream trick in our novels, I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t a story, or at least a picture book, hidden in this soup of freakishness. So far I haven’t been able to come up with anything usable, but I thought that by writing it down I can at least come back to it if something strikes a chord. Who knows? It might contain the seeds for the next best seller. In the meantime,

domain: psychology


text:
NASCAR is heading to Martinsville this weekend for the Xfinity 500, let’s break down the odds and favorites for Sunday’s race. The premiere short track in NASCAR, Martinsville Speedway has the history, prestige, and everything riding on the line as the last race in the Round of 8.
There are three spots left in the Championship 4 and seven drivers vying for those spots. This Halloween weekend is going to be a good time. These teams and drivers put on a great show just about every year. The track is going to have a lot of fun events and those that go to watch in person will have a ton of fun activities to participate in.
However, that’s not why we’re here. Let’s get into who the bookmakers think will take the checkered flag and who they have waiting on the periphery.
Martinsville Odds Xfinity 500
Those folks over in Las Vegas know how NASCAR fans think. They also know how damn good Chase Elliott is. So, of course, Elliott is the odds-on favorite for Martinsville. He’s favored at 6-1 and will try to replicate the success he had in 2020. That was the only win he’s had at the track, and it propelled him to a championship.
Just behind Elliott is Denny Hamlin. Hamlin has been incredibly consistent in the NASCAR playoffs. His worst finish was a P13 at the Roval. It does make sense that he’s at 7-1 odds. While -5 points below the cutline, Hamlin has the historical success at Martinsville to look back on.
After Hamlin, it’s Ryan Blaney and William Byron at 8-1 odds for Martinsville. Byron won this race back in April. He looked like the best short-track racer early on this season. Then, it stopped. Blaney meanwhile still has not won a race and will try to get into the championship without one. Could he win a title without ever grabbing a checkered flag in the win-and-in system?
Rounding out the top five is the only driver locked into the final four. Joey Logano is set at 9-1 odds. No matter what happens at Martinsville, Logano will race for the Bill France Cup in Phoenix.
The other two playoff drivers, Christopher Bell and Ross Chastain come in at 14-1 odds.
When the drivers line up, these Martinsville odds will go out the window. It will be anyone’s race and with so many talented playoff drivers, things will get interesting on Sunday. So, let’s strap in and get ready for the final race in the Round of 8.


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There are many common medical treatments that provide relief for patients dealing with a wide variety of conditions related to physical injuries, including sports injuries, severe back pain, neck pain, rotator cuff syndrome, sciatica, degenerated discs and more. Patients often seek help for other common medical conditions, including migraines, headaches, asthma, loss of equilibrium, bursitis, ear infections, and so on. However, patients may not be aware that these medical issues and conditions can be treated by chiropractors in Chicago as well. Although they are widely-recognized as back pain specialists, chiropractors provide relief for many medical issues, and their approach to health is just what many patients need to start their healing process.
Chicago Chiropractor & Sports Injury Centers provide an extensive amount of chiropractic services that target many areas and conditions. Patients can expect to undergo a diversified health care treatment plan that will cover every area that needs treatment with effective techniques and procedures to provide relief. They offer spinal decompression, electric muscle stimulation, acupuncture, strength training, yoga, physical therapy, infrared and cold laser, and much more. They are a full-service chiropractic center with a team of healthcare professionals that work in many fields and can administer many techniques that will speed up the recovery process, and reduce pain.
Many patients seek chiropractors in Chicago when other treatments with their medical doctors have not completely healed their conditions. However, chiropractic care in many cases should be the first course of action for a treatment plan. They use non-invasive techniques and procedures that can prevent patients from undergoing unnecessary surgery, and they focus on overall health, in addition to the patient’s condition. Their approach to healthcare is more detailed, which is more beneficial for a successful outcome.
Chicago Chiropractor & Sports Injury Centers also specialize in treating sports injuries. By removing nerve interference, and working to correct misalignment’s with the spine, chiropractors make it possible for athletes to resume their careers, whether they are professional athletes or recreational. Chiropractors also examine their patient’s diets to see what eating habits may be contributing to their conditions. They encourage multi-vitamins, co-enzyme Q10, omega 3 oils, magnesium supplements, and adding enough fiber to a diet to give the body the tools it needs to heal as well. Chiropractors design a plan that considers every area of concern, and every factor related to their patient’s health for a full recovery without medication, or surgery.


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UNITED NATIONS (INPS) - The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted on December 17 the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMRs). This followed a four-year revision process after a 2010 UN General Assembly resolution, which requested revision of the SMRs “so that they reflect recent advances in correctional science and best practices”.
Given that the last stage of negotiations was hosted by the government of South Africa in Cape Town, it was decided that these revised prison standards would be known as the ‘Nelson Mandela Rules’ in order to honour the legacy of the late South African President, in prison himself for 27 years and a committed advocate for the rights of prisoners.
- Opinion Editor
- UN INSIDER

domain: law


text:
Major snowstorm continues to move across Nebraska
As much as 8 inches of snow fell in south-central Nebraska overnight, but the storm will continue to drop snow across the state throughout the day.
The 8 inches of snow that fell in Wilsonville in southwest Nebraska near the border with Kansas was the highest overnight snow total.
Across much of western Nebraska 3-4 inches of snow fell overnight.
National Weather Service forecaster Shawn Jacobs says the snow is starting to pile up.
But the National Weather Service predicts heavy snow will continue to fall throughout the morning in central and western Nebraska. The snow will begin to fall in eastern Nebraska Thursday afternoon.


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Lyle Mays (born November 27, 1953) is an American jazz pianist and composer from Wausaukee, Wisconsin. He is best known for his work with guitarist Pat Metheny as a member of the Pat Metheny Group. With Metheny, Mays has composed and arranged almost all of the group's music and has won eleven Grammy Awards.
Lyle Mays is the first solo album by Pat Metheny Group keyboardist Lyle Mays, self-titled, and released in 1986. The album was recorded at The Power Station in New York City in 1985. The album has had re-releases in 1993, 1998, and in digital format in 2010.
The Allmusic review by Richard S. Ginell awards the album 4.5 stars and states:
Lyle Mays waited a long, long time before straying from the Pat Metheny Group to issue his first solo album, but when he did, the results were at once removed but not totally untethered to the Metheny sound and feeling. On his own, Mays' synthesizer solos and textures are close in sound to what he was doing in the Metheny group, but the turns of phrases in his acoustic piano solos reflect the heavy shadow of Keith Jarrett... Although the 14-minute "Alaskan Suite" forms the centerpiece of the LP's side two, the entire side could be considered a suite as a whole, with a ruminative piano solo "Mirror of the Heart" preceding "Alaskan Suite," and "Close to Home" reprising the twinkling, burbling shafts of synthesizer of "Alaskan Suite"'s opening.


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Large swaths of land around the O2 arena could be left derelict for decades if there is a sustained property crash, due to the small print in a deal signed by the government with the developers who took over the former Millennium Dome
The disclosure, from the National Audit Office, comes as the property slump is leading to delays in developing new homes on the site, which will cost taxpayers £60m in a property sharing deal brokered four years ago.
The report says that the government signed an agreement which allows developers to take nearly 200 years to regenerate the land round the Dome without facing any penalties for making a profit from holding on to derelict sites.
The deal, approved by Lord (Charles) Falconer, was agreed with a private sector consortium, Meridian Delta and the quango, English Partnerships, and was meant to allow a complete redevelopment of the 170-acre site by 2016. The report says that the housing schemes are two years behind schedule, which will hit profits that the taxpayer had expected.
Under the terms of the deal Meridian is required to develop 330,000 sq feet and sell off 670,000 sq feet of land every five years.
The report says: "These obligations do not serve as milestones to ensure that the pace of development is being kept up because it would take almost 200 years to develop the Greenwich peninsula, if the developers met their minimum obligations but did no more."
Eric Pickles, the shadow secretary of state for communities and local government, said: "Labour ministers must take responsibility for the fact their regeneration agency has failed to deliver for the taxpayer or meet their housebuilding targets.
"How can we trust this government to build new eco-towns or regenerate the Thames Gateway, when the dome and the Greenwich peninsula is so far away from being a proper sustainable community."
Edward Leigh, chairman of the public accounts committee, and Tim Burr, auditor general also, criticised the delays.
Leigh said: "English Partnerships need to use its influence with key players in this project to recover lost ground. They also need to work with AEG - owners of the O2 - to ensure the taxpayer gets a fair share in that success."
Burr said: "English Partnerships needs to safeguard returns to the taxpayer, both by addressing the effects of delay, and by delivering the return which is due from the success of the O2."
A joint statement from English Partnerships and the developers, MDL and Anschutz Entertainment Group, Europe, said: " This is a 20-year, complex regeneration programme and projections will always fluctuate over the long-term. The value of the projected financial return could change upwards or downwards again. However English Partnerships still expects to receive £550m over the lifetime of the scheme."

domain: economics