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Multistate Outbreak of Monkeypox --- Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, 2003
CDC has received reports of patients with a febrile rash illness who had close contact with pet prairie dogs and other animals. The Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, Wisconsin, identified a virus morphologically consistent with a poxvirus by electron microscopy of skin lesion tissue from a patient, lymph node tissue from the patient's pet prairie dog, and isolates of virus from culture of these tissues. Additional laboratory testing at CDC indicated that the causative agent is a monkeypox virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus group. This report summarizes initial descriptive epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory data, interim infection-control guidance, and new animal import regulations.
As of June 10, a total of 53 cases had been investigated in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Of these, 29 (49%) cases were among males; the median age was 26 years (range: 4--53 years). Data were unavailable for sex and age for two and 14 patients, respectively. A total of 14 (26%) patients have been hospitalized, including a child aged <10 years with encephalitis.
Detailed clinical information was available for 30 cases reported in Illinois and Wisconsin. Among these, the earliest reported onset of illness was on May 15 (Figure 1). For the majority of patients (22 [73%]), a febrile illness has either preceded or accompanied the onset of a papular rash (Figure 2); respiratory symptoms (16 [64%]), lymphadenopathy (14 [47%]), and sore throat (10 [33%]) also were prominent signs and symptoms (Table). The rash typically progressed through stages of vesiculation, pustulation, umbilication, and encrustation. Early lesions became ulcerated in some patients. Rash distribution and lesions have occurred on the head, trunk, and extremities; many patients had initial and satellite lesions on palms, soles, and extremities. Rashes were generalized in some patients.
All patients have had contact with animals; however, at least two patients also reported contact with another patient's lesions or ocular drainage. A total of 51 patients reported direct or close contact with prairie dogs (Cynomys sp.), and one patient reported contact with a Gambian giant rat (Cricetomys sp.). One patient had contact with a rabbit (Family Leporidae) that became ill after exposure to an ill prairie dog at a veterinary clinic. Traceback investigations have been initiated to identify the source of monkeypox virus introduced into the United States and have identified a common distributor where prairie dogs and Gambian giant rats were housed together in Illinois. A search of imported animal records revealed that Gambian giant rats were shipped from Ghana in April to a wildlife importer in Texas and subsequently were sold to the Illinois distributor. The shipment contained approximately 800 small mammals of nine different species that might have been the actual source of introduction of monkeypox.
As of June 9, specimens obtained from 10 patients in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin had been forwarded to CDC for testing; nine patients with skin lesions had DNA sequence signatures specific for monkeypox. No skin lesions were observed in one patient who tested negative by polymerase chain reaction. Skin biopsies were available for five patients; four showed orthopox viral antigens by immunohistochemical testing. Skin lesions from four of the 10 patients were evaluated by negative stain electron microscopy, and pox viral particles were found in three patients. Monkeypox specific DNA signatures also were found in a viral isolate derived from lymphoid tissue of a patient's ill prairie dog.
Reported by: J Melski, MD, K Reed, MD, E Stratman, MD, Marshfield Clinic and Marshfield Laboratories, Marshfield; MB Graham, MD, J Fairley, MD, C Edmiston, PhD, KS Kehl, PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin; SL Foldy, MD, GR Swain, MD, P Biedrzycki, MPH, D Gieryn, Milwaukee Health Dept; K Ernst, MPH, Milwaukee-Waukesha Consortium for Emergency Public Health Preparedness, Milwaukee; D Schier, Oak Creek Health Dept, Oak Creek; C Tomasello, Shorewood/Whitefish Bay Health Dept, Shorewood; J Ove, South Milwaukee Health Dept, South Milwaukee; D Rausch, MS, N Healy-Haney, PhD, Waukesha County Health Dept, Waukesha; N Kreuser, PhD, Wauwatosa Health Dept, Wauwatosa; MV Wegner, MD, JJ Kazmierczak, DVM, C Williams, DVM, DR Croft, MD, HH Bostrom, JP Davis, MD, Wisconsin Dept of Health and Family Svcs; R Ehlenfeldt, DVM, Wisconsin Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; C Kirk, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. M Dworkin, MD, C Conover, MD, Illinois Dept of Public Health. R Teclaw, MD, H Messersmith, MD, Indiana State Dept of Health. Monkeypox Investigation Team; MJ Sotir, PhD, G Huhn, MD, AT Fleischauer, PhD, EIS officers, CDC.
Editorial Note:
In 1970, human monkeypox was first identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in a region where smallpox had been eradicated in 1968 (1). Monkeypox is caused by an orthopoxvirus that clinically resembles smallpox virus but differs both biologically and epidemiologically (2--5). After an incubation period of 7--17 days, the disease is characterized by the onset of a prodrome of fever, headache, backache, and fatigue. The monkeypox rash includes macules, papules, vesicles, pustules, and crusts that evolve in the same stage over 14--21 days, similar to smallpox (6). A major clinical difference between monkeypox and smallpox is pronounced lymphadenopathy in a majority of patients with monkeypox (6). Relatively inefficient person-to-person transmission has been documented for monkeypox, and the case-fatality rate has been approximately 1%--10% in Africa, with higher death rates among young children (2,5,6).
Preliminary findings from these investigations indicate that the primary route of transmission to humans is from close contact with infected mammalian pets. However, the possibility of human-to-human transmission cannot be excluded. CDC has issued interim guidance for infection control, exposure management, monitoring of exposed persons, and duration of isolation procedures in health-care and community settings for patients with suspected monkeypox (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/infectioncontrol.htm). Persons seeking medical care with unexplained fever, rash, or prominent lymphadenopathy should be asked about exposure to unusual or exotic pets, especially small mammals such as prairie dogs or Gambian giant rats. If monkeypox infection is suspected, standard, contact, and airborne precautions should be applied in all health-care settings (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/ISOLAT/Isolat.htm). Interim guidance for veterinarians and pet owners also are available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/animalguidance.htm. These recommendations are modeled after human infection-control guidelines, with modifications appropriate for veterinary and home settings where airborne precautions might not be feasible. In addition, these guidelines outline the appropriate management of exposed or ill pets to help prevent further transmission of monkeypox among animals.
Introduction of exotic species, such as rodents from Africa, poses a serious public health threat because of the potential of monkeypox virus infection and other nonindigenous pathogens. Serosurveys of various healthy rodents (and nonhuman primates), including Cricetomys emini, captured wild in Africa, have demonstrated orthopoxvirus antibodies (7). Monkeypox virus also has been isolated from a rope squirrel (Funisciurus anerythrus) found with skin lesions in the vicinity of monkeypox cases in DRC (8). Accordingly, pursuant to 42 CFR 71.32(b), CDC is implementing an immediate embargo on the importation of all rodents from Africa (Order Rodentia). In addition, CDC and the Food and Drug Administration, pursuant to 42 CFR 70.2 and 21 CFR 1240.30, are prohibiting the transportation or offering for transportation in interstate commerce, or the sale, offering for sale, or offering for any other type of commercial or public distribution, including release into the environment of prairie dogs and the following rodents from Africa: tree squirrels (Heliosciurus sp.), rope squirrels (Funisciurus sp.), dormice (Graphiurus sp.), Gambian giant pouched rats (Cricetomys sp.), brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus sp.), and striped mice (Hybomys sp.). States can elect to enact measures to prohibit the importation, sale, distribution, or display of animals that could result in transmission of infectious agents (9,10).
Health-care providers, veterinarians, and public health officials who suspect monkeypox in animals or humans should report such cases to their state and local health departments. CDC requests that reports of suspect cases from state health departments be directed to the CDC Emergency Operations Center, telephone 770-488-7100. Additional information about monkeypox, including an interim case definition, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox and http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/casedefinition.htm, respectively.
This report is based on data contributed by P Wilson, B Grahn, Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee; PH Hunter, MD, Covenant Medical Group, South Milwaukee; N Sawhney, MD, St. Francis Hospital, Milwaukee; JW Van Dijk, T Wittkopf, Marathon County Health Dept, Wausau; S Coffaro, B Baker, Milwaukee Health Dept; Milwaukee; P Krug, Taylor County Health Dept, Medford; C Quest, Watertown Dept of Public Health, Watertown; R Schroeder Waukesha County Health Dept, Waukesha; S Ahrabi-Fard, MS, T Haupt, MS, Wisconsin Dept of Health and Family Svcs; E Hooker, DVM, S Molina, DVM, HG Smith, DVM, Wisconsin Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; E Reisdorf, P Shult, PhD, Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene.
Figure 1
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Picture of the Day: Tavia in lacy lingerie
Sultry model Tavia strikes a sexy pose as she shows of her all-natural and ample cleavage in a lacy bra that's falling off. This blonde Australian model enjoys her craft as you can see from the rest of her shoot.
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subset: commoncrawl


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I'm humbled and honored to be part of the Institute of Urban Homesteading's annual Urban Farm Tour this year. Every year, Ruby connects urban farms (and their farmers) with people who are interested in learning more about urban farming in the East Bay. Here's the description of the event:
Come see what established home-scale urban farmers are up to and what is possible on a small. medium, large, or extra large urban lot.
You will see fruit & vegetable gardens, composting systems, rabbits, goats, bees, greywater and more, plus you will get to sample some of what these urban farmers are producing..
How it Works
Join our mailing list at iuhoakland.com and we'll send you details the week before the event. Once you have the locations, plan your itinerary and bike, drive or walk yourself there. Visit as many of the sites as you have time or interest for.
Guided tours with tasting and Q & A are lead by the farmers once per hour on the hour . Each tour lasts about 45 minutes.
10am-4pm, last tour at 3pm
It's going to be a blast. You can either buy advanced tickets or pay as you go at each site (it's $5/site).
Advanced Tickets can be bought here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/628998
I think I'll be doing a homemade sauerkraut demo, and will have carrots and honey to taste. Tell yer friends–it's going to be really fun.


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Nastie radio show on joltradio.org
What up motherfuckers its your boy the notorious nastie and this is my site . this webpage was created to house all the works of the bermuda triangles most notorious resident Nassie Shahoulian Aka notorious nastie. Waste time at work or at home by visiting this site regularly and keep yourself informed of all the ill shit going down on planet Earth . Long live the alligators and flamingos who listen to Nastie , otto von schirach , 2 live crew , blowfly and all the good stuff like that .


text: Travel suitcases, travel back packs, bring-ons, outfit hand bags, shoulder joint bags, duffels and also a number of other traveling connected container are options that could give company to any person whose focus is promoting. Distinct points and blended wide selection plenty of travel merchandise is available from main office stores. Excessive items and buyer… Continue reading Luggage Wholesaler


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Tell me what you have and I'll tell you
what you can make!
BarBug! shows you how to make a AMERICAN BEAUTY (2) Mixed Drink.
BarBug! is now serving up a American Beauty (2)! He shows you his American Beauty (2)
mixed drink
recipe and makes suggestions for spirits, mixers and the proper serving
American Beauty (2) Mixed Drink
Serving Glass: Highball With Ice1 oz Don Pedro Brandy1 oz Sweet VermouthDash White Cr De Menthe2 oz Orange Juice1 oz GrenadineShake and Strain (2) means there are multiple drinks with this name
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CASPER, Wyo.—Two longtime employees of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission are among the finalists to become Wyoming's next oil and gas supervisor.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports ( http://bit.ly/VRVPXd) the commission plans to interview four finalists Tuesday.
They include Jesse Taylor, who is president of Loveland, Colo.-based Remington Technologies. The company specializes in oil and gas spill remediation.
The two commission employees in the running are principal petroleum engineer Mark Watson and engineering manager Richard Marvel.
The other finalist is former Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission director Grant Black, whose experience includes working as director of governmental affairs for Tulsa, Okla.-based Samson Resources.
Bob King has been serving as interim Wyoming oil and gas supervisor since Tom Doll quit in June.
Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com


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Pekingese Dog Sticker
Pekingese Dog Sticker
Sale Sold out
Regular price $5.50 USD
Regular priceUnit price per
Sale price
Dog Sticker is available in a variety of sizes and makes a perfect gift for her, a stocking stuffer, addition to your package or card. Vinyl stickers are dog breed specific, have a unique design and cute phrase. This is a wonderful little addition to any project or a moving memory of your own dog!
It is cut into the shape shown, leaving the back intact so you can easily peel it off the page.
.: Material: Printed on 100% vinyl with 3M glue
.: Available in 4 sizes
.: White or transparent background
.: For indoor use (not waterproof)
Thank you for supporting my shop! You are supporting a real artist when you shop here. For more releases and designs, early releases, and giveaway news, follow me:
IG: @canineinspired
Pinterest: @canineinspired


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Opening Remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General, delivered at the launch of the Economic Survey
01 October 2012, Tallinn, Estonia
(As prepared for delivery)
Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen:
It is a pleasure to be in Tallinn to present the latest Economic Survey of Estonia.
It is an even greater pleasure to be in a European country where the recovery has clearly taken hold! While much of Europe remains in stormy waters, the Estonian economy has bounced back strongly from a very deep recession.
And there are important reasons for this strong performance: Estonia's public finances are robust, with almost no public debt; the labour market is flexible; regulations are business friendly; the banks are well capitalised.
In fact, you have much to be proud of. In the last decade, Estonia has achieved one of the highest medium-term growth rates in the OECD, accompanied by rapid improvements in living standards.
Estonia is among the top-ten most successful countries in terms of PISA education attainment scores and has perhaps the most sophisticated E-government in the world. There are companies that started in Estonia, that are now household names across the world. I will not mention any names here, but yes, I also use Skype to talk to my family and friends!
But let's not be complacent: you may be tempted to rest on your laurels. You shouldn't. It is in good times that you should prepare for future storms.
Let me tell you how the OECD thinks Estonia can become more resilient to external shocks and achieve even stronger, more sustainable and inclusive growth.
Greater economic stability can be achieved by mitigating boom-and-bust cycles.
Estonia has experienced considerable volatility over the past decade which could threaten growth and well-being, as well as contribute to high unemployment.
Like many advanced economies, Estonia must mitigate excessive credit cycles. Prior to the crisis, Estonia experienced large inflows of capital from abroad. The availability of international financing allowed domestic borrowing to triple over that period. This breakneck pace of foreign-financed credit growth was unsustainable. Policymakers intervened, but the cross-border financial flows were just too large!
Better supervision of financial markets is therefore a priority. I agree this is not so easy for Estonia with the majority of banks being foreign-owned. However, European efforts towards a more centralised model of banking supervision, and improved cooperation with your partners in the Nordic countries, will certainly help.
Within these frameworks for cooperation, it will be important to consider how macro prudential tools, such as countercyclical capital buffers can be best designed and implemented to ensure the stability of the Estonian Economy.
Fiscal policy can also be a key line of defence against boom-and-bust cycles. Yes, Estonia ran sustained fiscal surpluses in the boom prior to the crisis. Yes, public debt was kept close to zero. But given the sheer scale of the boom, it was still not enough.
The independent fiscal institution, soon to be established, will help to make more informed assessments of the fiscal policies required to counter future boom-and-bust. Such an institution works best when it has a clear mandate, adequate funding and true independence.
We also recommend complementing the currently planned structural balance rule with a multi-year spending ceiling. Such a ceiling would constrain over-spending in boom years but would also allow the automatic stabilisers (mainly on the tax side) to work.
Even then, you should remain prepared to act when the economy is showing signs of overheating by accumulating larger reserves for potentially stormy days ahead.
Greater economic resilience can also be achieved by investing in the Estonian people
The Estonian labour market was hit hard by the crisis. The unemployment rate increased from less than 5% in 2007 to almost 17% in 2010. The subsequent recovery has been impressive, but our Survey shows that long-term unemployment remains high and skills mismatches have become a barrier to growth and well being.
Support for the unemployed should be a priority. Spending on training, job search assistance, and other employment services continues to be among the lowest in OECD countries. But increased spending on high-quality services for job-searchers on its own does not guarantee success. Efforts are also needed to better evaluate the effectiveness of programmes and to target them at the most vulnerable: low-skilled, young and non-Estonian language speakers.
There should also be a greater focus on young people. Too many young people leave school without a diploma, especially in vocational education. As a result, both young people and the country loose out. The government has made important efforts to improve the transition from education to employment through vocational training.
But more needs to be done to better engage employers in these efforts. This means providing financial incentives for creating apprenticeship places. A commitment to provide formal education, workplace training or apprenticeships to every person below the age of 18 years would also be welcomed.
Effective investment in lifelong-long learning will also reap considerable rewards. In a volatile economy, those in work need to maintain and upgrade their skills to keep up with the changing needs of the labour market. In 2011, 12% of workers in Estonia participated in lifelong learning compared with 7% five years ago.
However, our Survey found that those without formal professional education as well as older workers tend to fall behind in terms of training. These workers need this investment the most. Efforts should therefore be focused on these workers, especially those at small and medium enterprises.
The poorest were also particularly hard hit by the crisis. The share of Estonians living in poverty increased rapidly and almost doubled among children. The situation is improving, but Estonia stands out amongst OECD countries both in terms of low social spending and a low proportion of means-tested transfers. This reflects your belief in self-responsibility and work incentives. We share these beliefs. But poverty can be a vicious circle.
Many can become trapped, relying on long-term benefits without seeking employment and lacking opportunities to develop their skills. The large inflows into the Estonian disability benefit system, which is among the highest in the OECD, is the most worrying example of this.
Stronger short-term income support backed by strict job-search requirements and training opportunities can help people to break the shackles of poverty. At the same time, the tax burden for low-earners should be kept low to promote their employability.
More broadly, resources need to be better targeted, in particular for children, and agencies need to be better coordinated. A one-stop-shop for social services is one potential solution. There also needs to be a focus on addressing those areas with the greatest inequalities. For example, Estonia is among the countries with the largest health inequalities. Strengthening health spending efficiency, promoting healthy lifestyles and improving access for disadvantaged groups is therefore important.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia is a model for a flexible, market-based and externally open economy. These strengths have helped the country recover from the world's greatest economic crisis in the post-war period.
But more can be done to set Estonia on a path towards more inclusive long-term growth. For Estonia, this means proactively combating volatility and putting in place the structural and social policies required to deliver strong, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs.
The OECD stands ready to work with and for the Government and people of Estonia to deliver "better policies for better lives".
Thank you.
Related Documents


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Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has raised a Series B round of investment led by Greylock Partners, with Spark Capital participating. The raise comes just under a year after it raised a Series A round from Spark, Jack Dorsey and Greylock, via its Discovery Fund.
The app — essentially a human-powered discovery and search parsing engine driven by images — launched early this month.
"Jelly is a small team with modest capital requirements and we intend to keep things that way while growing a global service that changes how we find answers," said Stone today. "This partnership with Greylock means more time to focus on improving Jelly along with some talented and helpful folks on our Board of Directors."
There's no word about what the numbers involved were here, but the investment comes on the heels of rumors that Greylock could be participating in a $20M raise for blogging platform Medium, from Stone's Twitter co-founder Ev Williams. There were no numbers announced at the time of Jelly's Series A, but we've heard a few million.
TechCrunch spoke to Greylock Partner Josh Elman, who will join Jelly's board with this round as well. Elman was previously a product manager at Twitter where he worked with Stone. Elman shared an anecdote with us about his early experiences testing the app.
"As I played with the product during the early days, I had a few experiences that had me thankful I had Jelly. Someone on Jelly helped me realize I had a leak in my shower based on a spot on my siding 20 feet below. I was able to help others with planning trips and shopping for the perfect new monitor," he detailed in a post today. "My favorite was when my daughter asked me repeatedly to find an Angry Birds level with "a ding dong and a box". Several hours later, after much searching and whining, the perfect answer came in on Jelly that helped me be her hero…"
Other investors in Jelly include Bono (yes), Evan Williams and Jason Goldman, Al Gore, director Greg Yaitanes and entrepreneur Roya Mahboob. Spark General Partner Bijan Sabet is already serving on Jelly's board.
Post updated to adjust rumored Series A amount.


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Bizarre Lunar Orbits
Nov. 6, 2006: Near the end of the mission of Apollo 16, on April 24, 1972, just before returning back home to Earth, the three astronauts released one last scientific experiment: a small "subsatellite" called PFS-2 to orbit the Moon about every 2 hours.
The intention? Joining an earlier subsatellite PFS-1, released by Apollo 15 astronauts eight months earlier, PFS-2 was to measure charged particles and magnetic fields all around the Moon as the Moon orbited Earth. The low orbits of both subsatellites were to be similar ellipses, ranging from 55 to 76 miles (89 to 122 km) above the lunar surface.
The orbit of PFS-2 rapidly changed shape and distance from the Moon. In 2-1/2 weeks the satellite was swooping to within a hair-raising 6 miles (10 km) of the lunar surface at closest approach. As the orbit kept changing, PFS-2 backed off again, until it seemed to be a safe 30 miles away. But not for long: inexorably, the subsatellite's orbit carried it back toward the Moon. And on May 29, 1972—only 35 days and 425 orbits after its release—PFS-2 crashed.
Above: An Apollo subsatellite leaves the Service Module, an artist's concept. [More]
What happened? The Moon itself plunged the subsatellite to its death. That's the conclusion of Alex S. Konopliv, planetary scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. He and several colleagues have been analyzing the orbits of various Moon-orbiting satellites since PFS-2, notably the 1998–99 mission of Lunar Prospector.
So why did PFS-2, which was inserted into an elliptical orbit that originally carried it from 52 miles (97 km) to 66 miles (120 km), end up as a kamikaze blast of broken aluminum struts and solar panels?
"The Moon is extraordinarily lumpy, gravitationally speaking," Konopliv continues. "I don't mean mountains or physical topography. I mean in mass. What appear to be flat seas of lunar lava have huge positive gravitational anomalies—that is, their mass and thus their gravitational fields are significantly stronger than the rest of the lunar crust." Known as mass concentrations or "mascons," there are five big ones on the front side of the Moon facing Earth, all in lunar maria (Latin for "seas") and visible in binoculars from Earth.
The mascons' gravitational anomaly is so great—half a percent—that it actually would be measurable to astronauts on the lunar surface. "If you were standing at the edge of one of the maria, a plumb bob would hang about a third of a degree off vertical, pointing toward the mascon," Konopliv says. Moreover, an astronaut in full spacesuit and life-support gear whose lunar weight was exactly 50 pounds at the edge of the mascon would weigh 50 pounds and 4 ounces when standing in the mascon's center.
Above: Mascons on the Moon that make its gravitational field so lumpy, as mapped by the Lunar Prospector mission, are shown in orange-red. The five largest all correspond to the largest lava-filled craters or lunar "seas" visible in binoculars on the near side of the Moon: Mare Imbrium, Mare Serenitatus, Mare Crisium, Mare Humorum and Mare Nectaris. Image reference: Konopliv et al, Icarus 150, 1–18 (2001).
"Lunar mascons make most low lunar orbits unstable," says Konopliv. As a satellite passes 50 or 60 miles overhead, the mascons pull it forward, back, left, right, or down, the exact direction and magnitude of the tugging depends on the satellite's trajectory. Absent any periodic boosts from onboard rockets to correct the orbit, most satellites released into low lunar orbits (under about 60 miles or 100 km) will eventually crash into the Moon. PFS-2 released by Apollo 16 was simply a dramatic worst-case example. But even its longer-lived predecessor PFS-1 (released by Apollo 15) literally bit the dust in January 1973 after less than a year and a half.
So what does this mean for eventual lunar exploration?
Be careful of the orbit chosen for a low-orbiting lunar satellite. "What counts is an orbit's inclination," that is, the tilt of its plane to the Moon's equatorial plane. "There are actually a number of 'frozen orbits' where a spacecraft can stay in a low lunar orbit indefinitely. They occur at four inclinations: 27º, 50º, 76º, and 86º"—the last one being nearly over the lunar poles. The orbit of the relatively long-lived Apollo 15 subsatellite PFS-1 had an inclination of 28º, which turned out to be close to the inclination of one of the frozen orbits—but poor PFS-2 was cursed with an inclination of only 11º.
Alternatively, if there are mission reasons for choosing a non-frozen orbital inclination, plan to do frequent course corrections. Lunar Prospector had to do a maneuver every two months to keep itself in its initial circular orbit of 60 miles (100 km)—and more often than once a month when it was orbiting at only 20 miles (30 km) altitude. When its fuel tank was nearly empty, the scientists knew its end was near, so they deliberately crashed it on July 30, 1999, near the Moon's south pole to observe its plume of lunar dust. After a year and a half, the Moon had claimed the spacecraft for its own.
Bottom line, says Konopliv: "Carry plenty of fuel."
Author: Trudy E. Bell | Editor: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA
|More to the story...
Lunar mascons are a mystery. Although scientists generally agree they resulted from ancient impacts billions of years ago, it's unclear how much of the excess mass is due to denser lava material filling the crater or how much is due to upwelling of denser iron-rich mantle material to the crust. Regardless of composition or origin, the mascons make the Moon the most gravitationally "lumpy" body known in the solar system. Although mascons also exist on Mars, none have been found on Venus or Earth; those two larger planets, however, have had an active tectonic (geological) past that has drawn their crusts down into their interiors several times in the past few billion years, homogenizing the distribution of mass.
Details about the subsatellites of both Apollos 15 and 16, including their orbital parameters, appear on p. 5-5 of Apollo 16 Mission Report.
A paper detailing the weird behavior of mascons on low lunar orbits (of about 100 km altitude) by Alex Konopliv and four coauthors is "Recent Gravity Models as a Result of the Lunar Prospector Mission" published in Icrarus, vol. 150, pp. 1-18, 2001 (available online only by subscription).
More about the mascons in the context of the gravitational lumpiness of the moon is "Improved Gravity Field of the Moon from Lunar Prospector," by Konopliv and colleagues.
An account of the deliberate crashing of Lunar Prospector into the Moon may be found here.
The Vision for Space Exploration


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The CF-18 Hornet entered service in 1982, when the Canadian Forces began to deploy a total of 138 aircraft. With the spotlight on the aircraft's age and the federal government's program to replace it, the Globe looks at its service history and capabilities, and at some of the aircraft previously used as the air force's front-line fighters.
McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet
The CF-18 is based on the F/A-18 platform and is designed for multiple roles and missions, depending on weapons and configuration. It has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (1,814 km/h) and a range of 3,330 kilometres. It is capable of climbing at a rate of 50,000 feet/minute (250 metres/second).
The aircraft's main cannon is a 20mm Vulcan gun capable of firing up to 6,000 rounds per minute. It can also carry air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles as well as laser-guided bombs.
The CF-18 has undergone a number of modernizations and upgrades designed to enhance its capabilities, in particular to its electronics, missile armament, and radar. Entering service in 1982, it has been Canada's primary fighter aircraft for more than 30 years.
Canadair CF-104 Starfighter
The CF-104 Starfighter was a modification of a 1954 fighter design from Lockheed which entered service with the Canadian armed forces in 1962. It was designed as an interceptor aircraft, but was also used in low-level strike and reconnaissance roles.
The aircraft had a maximum speed of 1,844 km/h and a range of 2,630 kilometres. It carried a 20mm Vulcan cannon and could be adapted for its various roles with external armaments.
While Canadair initially produced 200 CF-104s for the Canadian military, the aircraft had a checkered performance record. While it was the fastest aircraft ever used by the RCAF, some pilots complained about its unforgiving flight characteristics and lack of manoeuvrability at low levels. More than 100 Starfighters were lost to accidents, prompting air force personnel to tag the plane with the nickname "Widowmaker." They were finally retired in 1986.
McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo
The CF-101 Voodoo entered Canadian service in 1961, in part as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow program. It was designed as an all-weather interceptor aircraft and was intended to replace the RCAF's obsolete Avro CF-100 Canuck.
The Voodoo's primary armament was the unguided, nuclear-tipped Genie air-to-air missile. Political controversy over the introduction of nuclear weapons to Canada meant, however, that the Voodoo would be armed only with secondary Falcon air-to-air missiles, which were produced in both heat-seeking and radar-guided variants.
The Voodoo carried a crew of two. Its maximum speed was Mach 1.72 (1,825 km/h) and it had a range of 2,450 kilometres. Most of the Canadian Voodoo fleet was phased out by the end of 1984.
Avro CF-100 Canuck
The CF-100 Canuck fighter/interceptor was the first fighter to be designed and mass-produced in Canada. Designed to intercept Soviet bombers, it entered service with the RCAF in July, 1952, and was phased out in December, 1981.
The twin-engine CF-100's short takeoff run and high climb rate made it an effective interceptor. It had a maximum speed of almost 890 km/h and a range of 3,200 kilometres, and carried two wingtip rocket pods which could be replaced with auxiliary fuel tanks when the aircraft was tasked with reconnaissance and electronic-warfare roles. It was replaced in its frontline role by the Voodoo.
Canadair Sabre
Based on the F-86 Sabre, the Canadair Sabre was selected
as an air-defence aircraft for the RCAF in 1948 and
initially designated the CL-13. From 1950 to 1958, a total
of 1,815 were built at the Canadair facility in Montreal.
It was considered one of the best combat aircraft of its
Entering service in 1950, the Sabre was built in six variants, which included incremental upgrades in structure, manoeuverability, and armament. The final operational variant, the Mk. 6, had a maximum speed of 1,142 km/h and a range of 2044 kilometres. It carried six 12.7mm Browning machine guns with a total of 1,602 rounds of ammunition and could be equipped with rocket launchers, air-to-air missiles and various bomb payloads, including tactical nuclear weapons.
The Sabre was operated by the RCAF, but was also supplied to the United States Air Force, the Royal Air Force, and the German Air Force. It was replaced in its combat role by the Starfighter in 1962, but flew with the RCAF until 1974.
Sources: Wikipedia, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, The Museum of Flight, The Canadian Starfighter Association


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I just tried out the Fujitsu FLEPia, which has been shown in 2007, talked about in 2008 and finally released in Japan in 2009. It's slow and janky.
The FLEPia is still the production color ebook reader available, says Fujitsu. The problem is that it's really slow. Page turns take 1.8 seconds, and slowly loads from the bottom up. And because it runs Windows CE, the FLEPia can handle PDFs and Word documents, but they're slow as well.
The obvious benefit is that the FLEPia is its 4096 color display, and, well, the color isn't so hot. It's washed out and not worth paying such a premium for. It does have a pen-based toushcreen, but it's unresponsive as well.
So, Fujitsu should probably keep this version in Japan until they can figure out how to speed up the load times and make the screen more presentable.


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The Role of Exercise in Pet Weight Loss
Pet Workout = Shedding Pounds
Exercise is beneficial for our pets in so many ways. It helps decrease stress, improve sleeping habits and increase energy levels. Exercise is also fundamental in weight loss.
Did you know pet obesity is now an American epidemic? According to several studies, over 50 percent of U.S. dogs and cats are overweight or obese. And while many of us try to feed our pets a well balanced meal, it is not always enough. Our pets need exercise too and here's why.
Extra Pounds Means Extra Problems
Arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular problems are just some of the issues your pet will deal with if he or she is overweight. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, it may even decrease their life expectancy by up to 2.5 years. So if it is so bad as to affect our pet's health, how are we letting it happen?
It's simple math but your pet must burn more calories than he or she consumes. Otherwise, the pounds will just add on. Restricting the amount of calories your pet consumes, however, will often only take you so far. The most successful approach is to adjust your pet's diet and increase activity.
How to Make the Change
Weight loss requires regular commitment on your part as well as your pet. Walking, running, or Frisbee chasing with dogs requires at least 30-60 minutes a day for 5-7 days a week. Ideally this should be for the entire life of the dog. After all, that is the same recommendation for humans.
Cats need daily exercise too, but more in the form of play. Try setting aside 15-20 minutes a day and chase him or her with a feather or use a laser pointer to get your cat to move around the house. Cats also enjoy exercise like stalking, pouncing, climbing and hiding that allows them to mimic the behavior of their wild counterparts. It may not seem like exercise, but your cat is burning calories. Just remember, cats are nocturnal animals which means they are at their most active at night. Training them to exercise during the day will help you and your cat sleep at night.
The type and amount of exercise needed can differ greatly with breed, age and energy level of your pet. However, it is important to choose the right type of exercise for your pet with the help of a veterinarian. With their assistance you should be able to bring your pet back to their optimal weight.
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One of the most impressive things in both books was the author's ability to convey a sense of place. His evocation of the Paddington area of London in The Calligrapher was particularly memorable, but there are certainly other examples (his description of St. Petersburg gets high praise from those who know that city). Both novels also excelled in the way that Docx carefully developed his characters, put them through their paces and supplied a dramatic twist at the end — the plots stretch credibility but I was happy to grant him licence and was more than rewarded by the results.
The pre-publicaton description of The Devil's Garden promised something very different. The central character, Dr J. Forle, is a scientist studying ant colonies, his research project based at the last inhabited station on the Amazon River. I'd say that is literally as far away from cosmopolitan London and New York as you can get — as Docx makes clear in a short preface from Forle:
I came here as a scientist to conduct experiments on other living things. I believed that the most fundamental questions of our existence could be answered in the lab. I believed in rigorous method and the unemotional reporting of results. But I have come to see life itself is the real experiment and that the answers to these questions are to be found only in what we do — as individuals, as a species. What results there are might better be called experience, and experience soon teaches us that they are not the results we would want. I will leave here under another name because of what I have done. All the same, I will leave here as a human being.
The entomology metaphor (actually it is a sub-set, myremecology, the study of ants) that flows from that introduction will continue as a framing device throughout the book, so let's deal with it first. The altruistic, colony behavior of ants represented a threat to the very core of Darwin's theory of evolution and the idea of survival of the fittest:
This extreme cooperative behavior runs counter to everything we have come to accept about natural selection and the prevalent idea that the genes that get passed on most often over time are the ones whose consequences serve their own interests. The societies of ants must therefore be reckoned with at the centre of all evolutionary questions. How can there be so many altruistic individuals and yet so many successful species?
And they are very successful. More than any other creature, the ants saturate and dominate the terrestrial environment. There are something like thirteen thousand species with roughly that number again yet to be discovered. Their total population is probably underestimated at ten thousand trillion individuals.
We call them 'eusocial' insects, meaning 'truly social'. Some ants farm, some use tools, some fight terrible wars, others enslave and still others are inquilines — disguised interlopers who rely on their hosts for food and shelter.
The distinguishing characteristic of the species that Forle and his colleagues are studying is their ability to destory all vegetation, except for that that specifically serves their needs, in selected areas of the jungle, creating what the local Indians call the Devil's garden.
On the other side of the metaphor, we have homo sapiens, represented by varied "species" as well. The staff of the research station represent one: Forle and two Caucasian assistants, supported by four indigenous people "who were all on the payroll of the state". They represent the peaceful, scientific subset of homo sapiens.
There are of course others, the extremes of which are represented by two visitors who arrive at the station early in the book, Colonel Cordero and the Judge, ostensibly to register everyone living in the area, perhaps to vote, perhaps for other reasons. The Judge's explanation is enigmatic:
'Everyone. We are registering everyone.' He was annoyed to have been distracted from looking at Sole's legs. 'Outlaws, smugglers, gun-runners, rat-eaters, monkey-fiddlers. If it shows up alive…we register it.'
'Surely they need some kind of proof of identity?' I [Forle] was not so naive as to believe this, but because of my continued irritation with Cordero, I was determined to be affable with the Judge. 'Otherwise anyone could turn up and there would be no record for next time and the whole electoral register would become –'
'A farce.' The Judge interrupted me. 'A protracted farce.'
And the Colonel?
Cordero spoke only to ask questions. I could not gauge his intelligence, nor the nature of his relationship with the Judge, but I was forming an opinion that he was the sort of a man who took a steady satisfaction in rooting down for the worst of things — perhaps to prove to himself that nobody else was free from the fears and weaknesses he harboured in his own mind; perhaps because he found that he could not be sure of anything but the lowest motives.
If the Colonel and Judge represent two aligned species of homo sapiens on this side of the metaphor, the Judge's list indicates some other non-native people who are also at play in this environment: drug dealers, loggers, oilmen — various types of invaders who have various levels of support from the state in exploiting the resources of the area, all in conflict with the scientific project.
And then, of course, there are the tribes indigenous to the area. Some merely move further into the jungle when the inevitable conflicts between different exploiters arise. Others oppose all invaders. And still others choose a side, conflict-by-conflict, motivated by what looks best at the moment rather than any choice measured against long-term benefits.
In this world of conflicting human "colonies", the members of the research station are at the very bottom of the totem pole, since they don't even have the option of melting further into the jungle. It is this aspect that Docx chooses to focus on as the novel moves forward — the metaphor remains, but the non-ant side of the story moves into thriller-like territory.
Despite the author's considerable talents, none of this worked for me. The metaphor initially held appeal, but Docx doesn't take it anywhere — the novel illustrates it, rather than develops it, which seems to me to be an abuse of the reason for metaphor (they are supposed to make things clearer, not require illustration). The characters, both the invaders (including Forle) and the indigenous people, are two-dimensional cutouts, moved around to serve the active parts of the plot rather than driving it or becoming fuller as a result. And, while it is possible that Docx's description of the jungle may be every bit as good as the urban sense of place that I loved in his two previous novels, this time it simply didn't land with me — although that conclusion may say more about my interests than it does about the author's ability.
While The Devil's Garden was a disappointment for me, I won't be abandoning Edward Docx — and those who are attracted by that entomology metaphor may well find more in this novel than I did. Unlike many contemporary authors who tend to write different versions of the same book as their career progresses, Docx, with three books now to his credit, has already shown an interest in exploring dramatically different story threads in each of his novels. Any author willing to take those kind of risks is bound to fall short of the mark — for some readers, at least — on occasion; the innovative effort itself deserves to be recognized.


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Julie Kaiser: Building Christmas on a foundation of thankfulness
Being thankful is a state of mind. It's not something you put on with the Christmas sweater and put away by the new year.
Imparting the value of positive energy and a grateful attitude to our kids takes some doing because I often don't have it down myself.
Consider the piles of laundry that reappear every few days, or the multiplying dishes in the sink. It's easy to grumble and wish to be doing something else — until the donation catalogue for World Vision or Heifer Project arrives.
That's when I'm faced with the reality that most of the planet's population does not struggle with laundry or dishes. This is mainly because they don't have many clothes to wear or enough food to eat.
And you don't have to go global for that bit of news.
Locally are many places in desperate need of winter coats, warm clothing and the like.
These are not easy times, and yet, we still find ways to cloud our priorities.
For my kids, being thankful too often revolves around getting more stuff instead of appreciating what already graces their bedroom shelves.
Our 7-year-old has been contemplating her gift list for Santa Claus. While I've tried discouraging her, she is holding firm to asking for a second American Girl doll and accompanying outfits and accessories.
"I don't think Santa is going to bring you another American Girl doll, hon," I said the seventh time she told me she was going to ask for the latest girl. "He brought you one a couple of years ago, and he expects you to be happy with that one."
She looked at me with a blank expression.
Clearly there is a training opportunity here. And not just for her. Her big brother may not believe in Santa Claus anymore, but with a wink to mom and dad, he is asking for a Nook or an iPod or a cellphone — any tiny electronic and expensive item that might make his 10-year-old self look and feel cool in the intermediate school universe.
And me? Well, Santa, I want a screened-in porch, a few days somewhere warm, a live-in chef who cooks healthy food, an exercise coach and a laundry service that picks up and drops off.
Is there a difference in being thankful for the open-air deck that surrounds our above-ground swimming pool and wanting a new three-season porch that will keep the mosquitoes at bay and add to our living space?
I'm not against daydreaming or setting future goals. But I do want to instill in myself and my kids the ability to find rest and contentment instead of constantly craving more.
What happens to Christmas when we start from a foundation of thanksgiving instead of a platform of expectations? Maybe when we are thankful for what we have, everything else falls into place.
Or not.
My daughter is not going to find American Girl Doll No. 2 under the tree this year. An iPod will not magically appear in our son's stocking, nor will I wake up to a brand new porch complete with French doors and new patio furniture.
But we'll survive … as a work in thanksgiving progress.
Julie Kaiser is a freelance writer and columnist living in Chatham, Ill.


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WELL, OKEY DOKEY, THEN. I mean, who knows what's true in this whole shitty puppetfuck, and whether or not any of it was any of our business (if the retraction is legit, then it most definitely wasn't). But the official story, at this point, is that Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash's accuser (who originally claimed the two began an illicit affair when the accuser was just 16) was just totally JKing about the whole thing, and doesn't have anything else to say on the matter, thankyouverymuch. So...just felt like getting the whole world to furiously obsess over Kevin Clash's penis activities for a few days? Because that's something we needed in our brains? Anyhoo, the story:
Andreozzi & Associates, a law firm that said it represented the accuser said in a statement that "he wants it to be known that his sexual relationship with Mr. Clash was an adult consensual relationship." The statement added, "He will have no further comment on the matter."
The accuser's identity has not been disclosed.
...Mr. Clash has achieved a measure of fame outside the show as the star of the 2011 documentary "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey." The episode led to Mr. Clash coming out as a gay man, something he had not previously said in public. "I have never been ashamed of this or tried to hide it, but felt it was a personal and private matter," he said in the statement.
Well, you know what, I have no idea what happened here. It feels a shade victim-blamey to jump too gleefully on the recantation party train (like, "WOOO! I knew he was lying, the lying liar!")—I have no interest in being a statutory rape apologist just because I happen to have enjoyed Kevin Clash's adorable documentary. But if the recantation is true (and, at this point, we have no reason to think otherwise), and there really was no affair before the accuser turned 18, then this whole spectacle upended Clash's life simply because his particular consensual, adult relationship didn't fit our conventional ideas about what a consensual, adult relationship should look like. And that's despicable. Either way, I kind of don't want to talk about it anymore. If the accuser is happy with his retraction, then so am I. Blergh. [NYT]
Fucking hell, could PETA be a MORE consistently dickish bag of dicks??? In a recent anti-fur ad, PETA depicted a pretty blonde model with a mane of shaggy faux pubic hair cascading out of her underpanties, with the caption, "FUR TRIM: UNATTRACTIVE." Yes. Because anything that grows naturally out of a woman's body must be painfully removed posthaste, or else face rightful penis-shunning on a global scale. Understandably upset, Amanda Palmer wrote a heartfelt response on her blog:
dear PETA,
this ad is really upsetting.
you're implying that pubic hair that shows/grows "outside the pantyline" (which is normal/natural for the vast majority of us gals) is "unattractive"….this is the kind of shit Gillette and Nair would pull to hock product, and the sort of cultural beauty-standard malarkey that is contributing to a generally worrying trend…12 and 13 year old girls demanding full bikini waxes and all the shit that I think we can all basically agree is absurd.
fur, bad. yes. i'm with you.
but this ad is perpetuating really unhealthy attitudes. fear and unhappiness in the body-hair department is becoming more and more prevalent in young girls (and all women), because they feel they have no alternative. most feel like they'll be judged if they don't tow the party line, and an organization like PETA has more cred (you're somewhat cool, right? you're forward-thinking people fighting for a noble cause, right?) than a corporate hair-removal/razor company.
Seconded, Palmer!!! [AmandaPalmer]
Oh, hello, weirdest news item ever. It seems that the gossamer gamines of barbershop elf-tet One Direction have signed on to star in their very own 3D movie—and have teamed up with none other than HAMBURGER ASSASSIN MORGAN SPURLOCK to direct it. Say what:
The filmmaker tweeted about the news, writing, "Big News of the Day: will be making #1D3DMovie with @Harry_Styles @NiallOfficial @zaynmalik @Louis_Tomlinson & @Real_Liam_Payne."
Spurlock and Simon Cowell, who discovered the group back in 2010 on the U.K. version of the "X Factor," will serve as producers on the project. "Morgan is the perfect person to give that access-all-areas, behind-the-scenes look into what it's like to be One Direction today," Cowell said in a statement, posted on Vulture, about working with the director on the project.
Say what. Say whaaaaaaaat. Say what. Say. Say. Whaaaaaaat. Say what. [MTV]
- OMG OMG OMG Kendall Jenner totally held hands with Jaden Smith during a romantic couples skate (!!!!!), and his face is all, "Say whaaaaaaaat?" because obviously he just read that weird Morgan Spurlock/One Direction story. [E!]
- Here's Alicia Keys in something called an "Ultra-Femme Editorial," which I guess means that everything is pastel and covered in feelings. [StyleBlazer]
- Amanda Leigh Dunn from The Real L Word and Kim Stolz from ANTM opened a restaurant together and you can go to it and have TOTALLY LEZBIAN SHORT RIBS! [Grubstreet]
- Oops, I just reached my limit on updates about the existence of Bill and Giuliana Rancic's human baby. [E!]
- This Huffington Post headline claims, "Here Is The Dumbest Possible Article About The David Petraeus Scandal," and it is not lying. [HuffPo]
- TMZ is gross. [TMZ]
- Don't worry, say the 'bloidz—this hideously ugly and disfigured beast-child grew up to be a beautiful housewife!!! [Bossip]
- Taryn Manning ordered to perform one day of community service for allegedly kicking her assistant in the neck. [E!]
- Cher and Donald Trump are mad at each other. [E!]
- Hey, be more cute, you FUCKS. [E!]


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Kobe Bryant done for the rest of the season
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - Immediately after the Los Angeles Lakers declared Kobe Bryant out for the season, he already was thinking about how to make sure the Lakers will be much less miserable when he returns.
Bryant expressed only mild frustration Wednesday after the long-expected decision to end his 18th NBA season after just six games. The superstar guard's broken bone in his left knee has kept him out since shortly before Christmas, and it still hasn't healed enough for weight-bearing exercise.
With just five weeks left in their injury-ravaged season, the Lakers (22-42) elected to preserve Bryant for next year, when he'll be 36. And though Bryant has barely played, he is determined to make sure the Lakers' failures of this season aren't repeated in 2014-15.
The Lakers' ruthlessly competitive scorer can't take much more of this incompetence from his 16-time NBA champion franchise.
"I feel like killing everybody every time I go to the arena," Bryant said. "I'm just on edge all the time. Yeah, I still feel it, probably more than anybody in the organization does. I probably feel it more, and it drives me absolutely crazy."
Bryant clearly identified the Lakers' top offseason priorities in his mind, and they didn't include specific free-agent additions. The fourth-leading scorer in NBA history called on the Lakers' front office - and owner Jim Buss in particular - to set "a clear direction" for the franchise's return to the top after they miss the playoffs this spring for just the second time in his career.
"You've got to start with Jim," Bryant said. "You've got to start with Jim and Jeanie (Buss), and how that relationship plays out. It starts there, and having clear direction and clear authority. And then it goes down to the coaching staff, and what's Mike (D'Antoni) going to do, what they want to do with Mike, and then it goes from there. It's got to start at the top."
Phil Jackson's apparent decision to take a front-office job with the New York Knicks also drew a negative reaction from Bryant. The Lakers flirted with re-hiring the 11-time NBA champion coach early last season before unexpectedly choosing D'Antoni, whose two injury-plagued teams have gone 62-74.
"You know how I feel about Phil," Bryant said. "I have so much admiration for him, and respect, and have a great relationship with him. Personally, it would be hard for me to understand that happening twice. It would be tough. I don't really get it."
Bryant said nothing about his relationship with D'Antoni, and the coach said he hadn't spoken to Bryant about the decision to shut him down.
But Bryant said he won't be satisfied with another rebuilding year for the Lakers, even though his two-year, $48 million contract extension starting next season will absorb a large chunk of the team's upcoming salary-cap space. Most of Los Angeles' roster will be free agents in the summer, and Bryant has said he wants center Pau Gasol to return.
"How can I be satisfied with it?" Bryant asked. "We're like 100 games under .500. I can't be satisfied with that at all. This is not what we stand for. This is not what we play for. A lot of times, it's hard to understand that message if you're not a die-hard Laker fan. It's hard to really understand where we're coming from, what we're used to, what we're accustomed to, which is playing for championships. Everything else is a complete failure. That's just how it is."
Exactly 11 months after tearing his Achilles, Bryant remained confident he can return in something close to top form. He plans to approach his remaining rehabilitation as "a seven-month training program," giving him ample time to rebuild strength in his left leg.
"I don't want to say I'll be back at the top of my game," Bryant said. "Because everybody is going to think I'm crazy, and it's the old-player-not-letting-go sort of thing. But that's what it's going to be."
Bryant missed the first 19 games of this season after tearing his left Achilles tendon last April, returning Dec. 8. The five-time NBA champion was back in uniform for just 10 days before fracturing the top of his shinbone in Memphis.
The Lakers initially thought Bryant could return shortly after six weeks of recovery, but the bone has been slow to heal.
"With Kobe's injury still not healed, the amount of time he'd need to rehab and be ready to play, and the amount of time remaining in the season, we've simply run out of time for him to return," Lakers trainer Gary Vitti said.
Los Angeles began the day in a three-way tie for last place in the Western Conference with 29 losses in its last 38 games heading into Thursday's trip to Oklahoma City.
Steve Nash hasn't been formally shut down for the season, but D'Antoni indicated it's also unlikely the two-time MVP guard will return this season. The 40-year-old Nash, who has one year left on his contract, has played in only 10 games this season while dealing with back problems and related woes.
D'Antoni said Jordan Hill and Nick Young are both unlikely to play on the Lakers' upcoming two-game road trip, but Gasol is probable despite skipping part of practice Wednesday.


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Being a stylist by profession, I am always on a lookout for style workshops, seminars and webinars so that I can upgrade my knowledge and keep up with the latest trends. There is something about live interaction that online reading and watching videos cannot compete with. Last month on the 18th of February, I got a chance to be a part of a style workshop, hosted by NEXA. It was a glamorous event, with fabulous people and wine. I could not have asked for a better Saturday evening.
Luxury is a lifestyle for a lot of people, it is a lifestyle for me as well and NEXA is doing its part real well at promoting the same in a rather stylish manner. NEXA, Maruti Suzuki's premium dealership in India truly lives up to its premium brand value. Making waves across the nation,their motto is not just offering a car but a unique lifestyle experience for the ones who like to live a luxe lifestyle. Keeping the same motto in mind, the brand hosted this fabulous event in collaboration with GQ, a world renowned men's fashion and lifestyle magazine. They traveled from city to city and finally came to Bangalore, giving me a chance to attend the event.
At the venue I got a chance to meet Mr. Akshay Tyagi, a celebrity stylist who is quite a charmer himself. As a suit lover I was looking forward to the workshop. It started off with introducing the importance of a well tailored suit, the fit, the fabric and the silhouette -three things that you should always keep in mind before investing in a suit. Mr.Tyagi demonstrated on a model, various day and night looks, telling us how to play with colors, prints, patterns, accessorizing and how to match an accessory with your attire, amongst other tips. After the session got over, we had a Q & A session where the audience got a chance to clear their doubts. Later we interacted with the style guru personally and shared a few candid moments which ofcourse was followed by the cheese tasting and wine. So it basically was an evening well spent!
Thank You NEXA!


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Tips for an active summer with your dog
Tip of the Week
It's the perfect time of year to incorporate some extra activities into your pet's schedule. The warmer weather and longer daylight hours offer additional time outside. When planning vacations, weekend getaways, or even weeknight outings, be sure to include activities that are pet-friendly. Try these tips and share in an active summer with your four-legged friends.
- Go for a hike. Getting out in the woods is a thrill for dogs - everywhere they turn, there's something to sniff, look at or maybe even chase. Hit the trails with him for an active outing that's refreshing, healthy and fun. It's important to be well-supplied for hikes. Be sure to bring plenty of water as well as wholesome snacks.
- Explore new neighborhoods. Most people and pets have a well-worn path on their neighborhood walks, so why not switch up the scenery? Stray off the usual route, or drive somewhere different to go for a stroll. Try to find dog-friendly business districts that encourage visitors to bring pets along. In urban cities, dog-friendly parks are great places to spend time with your dog and even meet fellow pet parents. Make sure to pack treats to keep everyone refreshed and fueled, and be courteous by bringing baggies to pick up after your dog.
- Do good for charity. Supporting local and national charities that benefit dogs and other pets goes a long way toward giving animals in need the life they deserve. One way to participate is through fundraising walks that support charities such as animal shelters and animal welfare organizations. Charitable organizations that are also pet-friendly are the perfect way to participate in a great cause while being active with a pet.
Family Movie Night
"Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted"
Rated: PG
Length: 93 minutes
Synopsis: Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple. Their journey takes them through Europe, where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent - Madagascar style.
Violence/scary rating: 2.5
Sexual-content rating: 1.5
Profanity rating: 1.5
Drugs/alcohol rating: 1.5
Family Time rating: 2. A very good family film.
(Ratings are judged on a five-point scale, with 5 being "bad for kids" and 1 being "fine for kids.")
Book Report
"Middle School: Get Me out of Here!" by James Patterson
Ages: 8-12
Pages: 288
Synopsis: After sixth grade, the very worst year of his life, Rafe Khatchadorian thinks he has it made in seventh grade. He's been accepted to art school in the big city and imagines a math-and-history-free fun zone. Wrong! It's more competitive than Rafe ever expected, and to score big in class, he needs to find a way to turn his boring life into the inspiration for a work of art. His method? Operation: Get a Life! Anything he's never done before, he's going to do it, from learning to play poker to going to a modern art museum. But when his newest mission uncovers secrets about the family Rafe's never known, he has to decide if he's ready to have his world turned upside down. - Hachette Book Group
Did You Know
According to a study published in the journal Hypertension, the number of kids hospitalized with high blood pressure has almost doubled in the past decade.
GateHouse News Service


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Isn't it obvious how I fell in love with this island that I went back in just less than 6 months? Our first visit was a big challenge but it left us curious to explore more so we decided to be back. As mentioned on my first post, it wasn't the perfect time that time. Since is almost the end of summer in the Philippines, we didn't miss the chance of the calmer months. The 6 hour both ride became 5 and we don't have to take connecting boat rides this time.
I don't usually do itineraries whenever I go somewhere. For me planning everything removes the essence of adventure. I usually just set the date to leave and come back and leave everything in between open. But since I am being ask to have one every time by my travel buddy, here's what I came up with.
Day 1
5:00 AM – Van from Legarda in Sampaloc Manila to Real Quezon
9:00 AM – Arrival in Real (Buy additional food and drinking water)
10:00 AM – Estimated Departure from Real
4:00 PM – Estimated Arrival in Jomalig
Camping in Salibungot Beach
Day 2
10:00 AM – Motobike ride to Kanaway
Camping in Kanaway Islet.
Day 3
Open to whatever we decide
Day 4
Back to Manila
We'll sounds like a good plan right? But since the island is still at very early stage of becoming a holiday/adventure destination schedule of boats going in and out of the island is not definite. We have to cut our planned stay short since there is no boat going back to Real Quezon on the day we planned to leave. Being stranded actually sounds like a good idea to me. But being a corporate slave, I need to be back to work still.
Salibungot beach
I will always love this beach. It was the first part of the island that we set foot and almost kissed after dealing with the most gigantic waves we ever encountered in our entire life on our first visit. I can still remember clearly in my mind how beautiful it is at that moment. Now that it's the calm season, it was even more beautiful. The water is so clear now that we can see what's underneath. Of course, its unique golden sands never lose its charm.
Kanaway Islet (Pulong Maliit)
This is probably the spot in Jomalig that I don't want to miss out. I went crazy the last time we were here with its beauty that I even forgot to put on some sunscreen. This time, we decided to camp overnight and not just do a day tour. The idea of camping in a very small island, about just a size of a movie theater, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean excites me. How many times in your life you'll get a chance to do that?! Thankfully we were the only one who decided to camp or else it will going to be so crowded. We enjoyed the night under the stars eating 3 huge grilled fish that we bought fresh form locals for only 60Php.
Since our planned stay was cut short, we didn't get the chance to explore other areas more. We'll another reason to comeback right? According to our boatman who I had conversations with on our way back, there is a nearby island as beautiful as Balesin. I haven't been to Balesin and I'm not even sure if I'll get a chance to visit it since it's only exclusive for members. Being compared to Balesin it suddenly excites me. I can't wait now till next summer. Maybe Jomali-bor day? Who knows!


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ASUS ROG Z370 Maximus X Formula Review
Published: 3rd December 2017 | Source: ASUS | Price: |
Blender carries on the results we've seen so far. The overclocked stays at the top and the stock remains resolutely affixed to the bottom.
Most Recent Comments
i am not sure if i would be willing to gamble and buy a Z370.
but i am happy with my ryzen and threadripper systems anyway.Quote
Ace review as always Guv!Quote
I realise Tom seems to think the Apex is top of the line but i think he has it confused with the Extreme (that so far doesnt exist for the Z370 platform).
He has spoken as if its a mid range board from one of the top tier models (ROG Line) and that its cheaper/more affordable for some, but as it stands, unless they bring an extreme out, then the Formula is very much the best Asus ROG has to offer in terms of cost.
He also gives it an enthusiast award but has he seen the price to go with those poor figures? Its change over £400!!! Its not a cheaper model, its their current best, meaning it should show figures to beat the Hero in all aspects and certainly should be closer if not better than the Apex which is in fact their 3rd current best board in terms of cost (with the Code just above it).
The Apex is well over £100 cheaper and the more affordable board if anything and the hero is cheaper still (the cheapest one in the ROG line up) and thats outperforming the formula in some tests and that's nearly £150 cheaper!...quite how Asus justifies this extra money and quite how this gets an award for those figures at its pricepoint is beyond me.
I have to say i am thoroughly disappointed here, not just for the benchmark figures (especially those at stock) but it has an EK waterblock and pump/temp/flow headers designed and aimed at custom loop builders, yet puts an AIO header on the board when there is also a code available (same board minis the ek block) and it further sticks an OLED display smack bam above where a typical loops pipework and fittings would come directly out of the top of a gpu waterblock (obscurring display)...
I'm hoping theres an issue with the way hes set it up on stock bios settings or theres an issue with the test bench or even that Asus fixes the performance issues with a bios revision because i sure as hell don't fancy spending £400+ on a board with one usb 2 header that gets spanked by boards costing around 40% less!
What a disappointment :-( I'll wait for a couple more reviews but ive had an 8700k for nearing 2 months whilst waiting for this board, now i may have to end up buying one i could have done weeks ago.Quote
I noticed in the video that it only has one USB 2.0 internal header - can anyone else confirm? Bit of a let down but certainly not a deal-breaker for me. Just waiting for stock in the UK


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The topic is not a new one, but I was inspired the other day by my friend and co-host. After taping a live show, we were discussing the idea of comments and how much we enjoy interacting with viewers through the comments they make about the show. It quickly became a group discussion with our other co-hosts, and we each began to exchange personal stories about the comments we have had, in our experience, intended for us. It seems the consensus was, while we really enjoy feedback both positive and constructive criticism, none of us were immune to the virtual blows of negative comments that seem to exist simply to be, well, negative! I have had a few negative comments, but they never have truly affected me. I think the ones I was "gifted" with, because I didn't believe them, rolled off my back and I didn't pay them any mind. I think if I were presented with something negative, but constructive, I would take it into consideration, and advance accordingly.
I remember last year having the same discussion with another friend and fellow host. She had a harder time with negative feedback. We had some really interesting discussions about it and I encouraged her to really think about it in a different way. The world is very different now, with the (quick) technological and social media advances and what I wanted her to understand was that the very people who are sitting behind their computers, in some arbitrary locale, in who knows what part of the world, have it the easiest. How do they make the choice to intentionally post crude, insulting and otherwise berating comments about other people, who are trying to be honest and creative? That would take an entirely separate blog post to decipher. I did tell her that they are considered "safe" in their anonymity and I highly doubt that they would have the courage or ability to do what it is she does. I am not saying that it's easy to dash these comments aside and keep it moving. I actually don't have the answers. Everyone reacts differently. I can't even imagine how it must feel to be a public figure or celebrity with the amount of denigrating comments they constantly receive! I understand it when I hear some of them say they don't even read what's out there about them! Some years ago Tyra Banks did an entire show on the topic, back when she had her talk show. She actually spoke to some of the "cyber bullies" and tried to delve into their psyche to discover the why. You may be able to find the episode online, but I do remember one part of the conclusion was that these people are everyday people who don't feel good about themselves, and so they project that insecurity onto others.
I bring all of this up to say that, while I don't have the answers, I was inspired by my friend, and co-host, for being part of the solution! She shared with us, in that post-show discussion, that she once was reading negative comments under a video she had watched, and proceeded to spend a significant amount of time counter-commenting. She went through each negative comment and in her responses, defended the owner of the video in question. Wow! What an optimistic reaction! I was so happy to hear that she had done that, and had to share it with you, my readers. I challenge you to do what she did and stand up for someone else, even if you don't know them. Actually, this doesn't have to be restricted to video or article comments. This is something that can be exercised in everyday life and everyday scenarios.
I would love to hear about your experiences so feel free to comment below! (smile)


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Last night, I was stunned -- but not totally surprised -- to hear the news that the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had dismissed Fr. Roy Bourgeois from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.
My first reaction was a prayer of solidarity with Roy, whom I have long admired as a man of conscience and whom I count as a friend.
But I also exhaled a loud sigh of dismay. This is the latest sign that the Catholic church is moving backward into the 19th century with all deliberate speed. It is another move by the Vatican that puts its actions at odds with the core message of the Gospel and with the document on the Church in the Modern World from Vatican II: "Every type of discrimination ... based on sex ... is to be overcome and eradicated as contrary to God's intent" (No. 29).
It is a sign that Vatican officials refuse to read or understand the extensive scholarship on the question of women's ordination, scholarship that has so thoroughly refuted their arguments that any intelligent opponent of women's ordination would have given up long ago.
It is yet another action that suggests that Rome's desire to shore up its all-male power structure comes before anything else. The Vatican's fear of women, women's gifts and women's powers is on display yet again for all to see.
My real sadness in all this: The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers cooperated in the process. I don't know if, in the end, their leadership voted to dismiss Roy (the press release is unclear on that), but they did ask Roy to recant his stand. To Roy's credit, he refused. He refused to give in to the medieval and oppressive process that asked recantations and threatened dismissal for his stand of conscience. That process -- in this instance and in other settings -- flies in the face of all that is good and holy and respectful of persons. It is not Catholic in the deepest sense of that word. True Catholicism respects conscience.
One day, when the Catholic church finally decides to ordain women, Roy will be recognized as a prophet and a saint. In many quarters of the church, he already is.


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Currently unavailableNotify when available
The Mini Dekker LZR, part of the Startec Series, offers two classic dancefloor effects in one fixture to help turn any event into a party - a Moonflower with two 10W RGBW LEDs and a red/green laser effect with unique patterns that shoot across a room. Plus with its light weight and compact size it make it perfect for mobile entertainers and small bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.
The fixture is controlled by DMX, sound activation or its built-in shows. Users can also the UC IR wireless remote or the Airstream IR iOS app to control the Mini Dekker LZR (both sold separately).


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Clone of Your Guide to Becoming A Medical Assistant (CNA)
Search Certified Nursing Assistant Programs Near You.
Welcome to Nursing Assistant Guides, a comprehensive resource for individuals researching nursing assistant degree programs. To help you navigate our site, we have listed the most commonly asked questions below along with detailed answers and additional resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Answers to the Most Common Questions about Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant.
What is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)?
A certified nursing assistant, or CNA, is a person who assists registered nurses as they perform their duties. CNAs often work in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or provide in-home care, but they are also employed by hospitals and clinics. The typical job responsibilities of a CNA include:
- Help determine patients' needs and promptly respond to those needs.
- Document observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Communicate with patients to determine possible need for assistance or social and emotional support.
How do I become a CNA?
To obtain a nursing assistant job, a CNA most often needs to have at least a high school diploma, or GED, and at least some form of post-secondary nursing instruction. This can be obtained from a variety of institutions, including online schools, community colleges, trade schools, and so on. Students are then usually required to pass an examination for their certification.
While a degree is typically not required, it can help prepare students for their CNA responsibilities as well as help provide a path to career advancement later on. The following associate degrees in healthcare can help train students for nursing assistant positions:
| Kaplan University Accreditation
| Ultimate Medical Academy Accreditation
| Herzing University Accreditation
Click here to see more Nursing degrees…
What is the career outlook for nursing assistants?
The job outlook for medical assistant positions, including CNAs, is excellent, with employment projected to grow 29 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics. The industries with the highest level of employment in this occupation are listed below along with salary information:
|CNAs Employed:
|Annual Mean Wage:
|Offices of Physicians
|General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
|Offices of Other Health Practitioners
|Outpatient Care Centers
|Employment Services
The job growth for CNAs and other related occupations won't be slowing down any time soon. People are living even longer due to medical advancements, which contributes to the growing need for more healthcare and medical assistants.
How I can learn more about becoming a CNA?
Our site features a number of useful resources designed for prospective students and anyone interested in learning more about the job of a CNA and how to become one. Below you'll find a list of articles and other materials that you may find helpful:
- Test Taking Tips for the CNA Exam: Our tips and strategies will help you prepare for the CNA exam and assure your preparedness for the real test.
- Nursing Assistant Job Board: This page is an up-to-site job board with listings for various healthcare positions throughout the country.
- Are Nursing Assisting (CNA) and Medical Assisting the Same?: You might be surprised to know that a CNA and a medical assistant are not entirely the same. Learn more about the differences between the two roles to determine which matches your career goals.
- Notable Sites on Hospice & Palliative Care: Many CNAs work in hospice and palliative care so we've put together a handy list of sites to help you on the job.
- Careers and Average Salaries for Nursing Assistants: To learn more about careers and job outlook for CNAs, we've put together a useful resource with statistics and industry data.
To learn more about what we do and how to become a CPA, follow us on Twitter @CNAINFO. We regularly tweet important news and updates and direct our followers to helpful articles about CNA classes and certification.


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When Lara Croft stepped back into the gaming space last year, it was reminiscent of those high school days when classmates would return from summer break completely transformed, in this case to a much more mature and appealing stature. You'd be hard pressed to find many bad things to say about Crystal Dynamics' reboot of the Tomb Raider series. Our very own Dan Casey said it best: The game is damn fun to play, borrowing elements from series like Uncharted and Assassin's Creed and stirring them in a fantastic pot of original ideas and ingenuity. Now, the newly-released Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition brings last year's amazing experience to the PS4 and Xbox One.
Whether or not Tomb Raider is still an awesome game isn't to be discussed; it is in every sense still the "cream of the Croft," the best game in the Tomb Raider series to date. The true matter in question is just how "definitive" the next-gen version of this game is. Survival instincts warrant us, as consumers, to pose this question, as it's a game that's not only almost a year removed from its original release date, but also charging a whopping $60. Given these circumstances, is it worth it to take the trip back to the dreaded island of Yamatai?
The good news is, there are some noticeable improvements made in Definitive Edition, the most obvious of them being the game's visuals. Lara Croft's character model has been completely reconstructed from scratch, all the way down to her strands of hair. With how gorgeous the game was last-gen, you wouldn't think there'd be much that could be done to reach higher standards in visuals. But Lara looks better, the environments look richer, and the level of polish and detail is astonishingly pleasing to the eye, making this the most satisfying graphical achievement I've experienced on the next-gen platforms to date. If you've ever imagined being able to play a game that looked as good as the cutscenes in previous generations, ladies and gentlemen, I think your wish may have just been granted.
There are several pretty nice gameplay elements that have been added to the mix this time around. The PS4 version utilizes the Dualshock 4's touchpad to do everything from lighting torches by simply swiping up, to accessing and browsing the game's map, to examining discovered artifacts. They even utilized the DS4's lightbar, which glows yellow, orange, and red whenever Lara is holding a torch in her hand, and tailored the audio from Lara's hand actions (like shooting guns or breaking open boxes) to come out of the controller's speakers. Voice commands are also available on both the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, allowing you to do everything from switch weapons by simply naming one to pausing the game just by saying "pause." However, I turned the voice commands off, because the game picked up enemies shouting through my sound system, thus inadvertently triggering the game to annoyingly switch weapons or pause free of my control.
There is a noteworthy difference in frames per second between the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game. The PS4 version appears to run smoother, seemingly closer to 60fps, while the Xbox One version runs closer to 30fps. The PS4 version did drop in frame rate twice as I played through, both times lasting about a minute or so before kicking back up to 60fps. Given that frame rate is something many seem to gravely care about (all Call Of Duty games from MW and beyond run at 60fps), I'd say if you're a multi-console owner, you may want to take the PS4 version into consideration, as it has the edge in this category.
From a plot stand point, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is identical in every aspect in comparison to the original. Don't expect any exciting new twists, secret endings, or expansions to the story. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as Tomb Raider was an excellent origin story for Lara Croft to begin with. The length of the single-player is nearly unchanged as well, with the only difference being the addition of one extra optional tomb to explore, which was released originally as DLC for the last-gen versions of the game. Other than that, there's nothing differentiating last year's and this year's versions of the game in terms of plot and game length, which subtracts from the question of whether this game is worth the $60 price tag for players who owned it in its last-gen version.
Oddly enough, where the most extra content is added is in the game's least desirable component, the multiplayer. All of the multiplayer DLC is included in Definitive Edition, which would seem like a bargain if it weren't for the fact that the multiplayer is still as lackluster as it was before. This section of the game also remained unchanged and still feels as spiritless as it did on 360 and PS3. Don't get me wrong, there's surely fun to be had by someone in the multiplayer, but given the amount of depth seen in every other multiplayer component out there, Tomb Raider's is still very easily forgettable.
As much as I loved this game on PS3 and Xbox 360, I wish this version had been my first time experiencing it. There's no question that this is truly the definitive version of Tomb Raider, as the gorgeous graphical enhancements make the single-player more engrossing, and the inclusion of every available DLC add-on give it a slight content edge over its last-gen predecessors. But alas, these advantages are extremely small in stature, and there's just not enough being offered to deem this game as $60 worth of "definitive," especially when it's nearly one year removed from its original release.
If you missed the opportunity to play Tomb Raider when it first launched last year, by all means, run to your local retailer as fast as you can and make it paranormal rainstorm (or "make it rain" for short) with $60 at the cash register. Perhaps you're a sucker for amazing visuals and are simply dying from this drought of lacking games, so that $60 is burning a gaping hole in your wallet. That's totally understandable, but if you have played through the last-gen version of Tomb Raider, be warned: there's assuredly a severe lack of anything new to see here and you'll be best suited gritting your teeth and holding off on this one until the price drops.
Make sure to have a look at our "definitive" review of Tomb Raider right here. As always, if you'd like to chat Tomb Raider or anything gaming related, I'm only one tweet away, @Malik4play.


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On the corner Punt Road and Bridge Road in Richmond there is a small park area officially called "Urban Art Area". Nobody was using it when I was there. I'm not sure who would use it in the area – it might be all right to sit on the bench and eat lunch if you worked in the area but I doubt it. "Everywhere, there and here" comments on this park "(the angry looking sculptures aside) yet I have only seen one person ever actually sitting in the site." Beside the busy Punt Road the little park is multi-level area and contains three sculptures.
It is the site of the former Richmond Cable Tramway Engine House that was demolished in 1991; Melbourne had several independently operating cable tramway companies prior to the current electric tramway system in the early 20th Century. The site is heritage listed for what that is worth.
Of the 3 sculptures: one sculptor appears to have disappeared, another works in a completely different direction and one has gone on to produce more significant works of public sculpture in a very different style. These are the results of this shotgun approach to public art collecting.
There was no information on site of name of one the sculptures – a dog, a bridge and a boat with the words "Yarra" and "Acheron" on its bow and prow. It is Anton Hasell's "Running Red Tiger", 1995, bronze; what appears to be a dog is meant to be an extinct thylacine or Tasmanian tiger, a carnivorous marsupial and the tiger also references the Richmond football team. Anton Hasell (Dr Anton Hasell of the Australian Bell Pty Ltd) has gone on to produce many commemorative bells notably the Australian Bell for the Australian Centenary in 2001 and HMS Beagle Ship Bell Chime commissioned by Darwin City Council. Stlg48 wrote a blog post about Anton Hasell's exhibition at the Bendigo Art Gallery in 2010.
Mary Perrott Stimson's large figurative bronze sculpture, "Mother and Daughter" 1993-94, stands out against one wall. Although intended as a friendly statement the sculpture does not help the corner. Mary Perrott Stimson has created another public statue, "Reading the News", 2001, located in Wagga Wagga but I have not been able to find out anything else about this artist.
The most successful sculpture on the corner is Adrian Mauriks' "Opus 15", 1995, of cut steel. This surreal sculpture contains a view onto the back lane and is the only sculpture to refer to the local environment. Adrian Mauriks now mainly works on in white painted epoxy resin and stainless steel and there are examples of his work at Chadstone Shopping Centre, Docklands New Quay Precinct, Bundoora Park, and Deakin University's Burwood Campus. There is also an earlier work of his in marble in the lawn section of Sprinvale Cemetery. Amongst his early works is a "Homage to Jean Arp" 1972, plaster, showing the Dada/Surreal influence in his work.
This little corner in Richmond demonstrates that landscaping and erecting sculptures is not sufficient to revitalize an urban space.


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BHI Elects MedImmune's Reg Seeto, M.D. to Board of Directors
ROCKVILLE, Md. and BALTIMORE, Dec. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BioHealth Innovation, Inc. (BHI), a regional private-public partnership focusing on commercializing market-relevant biohealth innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Central Maryland, announced today that Reg Seeto, M.D., has been appointed to the BHI Board of Directors. Dr. Seeto currently serves as Vice President, Head of Partnering & Strategy at MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.
"It is a pleasure to welcome Reg to the BHI Board of Directors," said Doug Liu, Chair, BHI Board of Directors, and Senior Vice President of Global Operations for Qiagen. "Reg's background in business development and partnering strategy will be an important asset to our Board as we give counsel to BHI in its fostering of startups in Central Maryland. We look forward to his contributions to this Board, to the BHI organization, and to the biohealth startup community."
Dr. Seeto rejoined the MedImmune Leadership Team in 2013 to lead the Partnering and Strategy Group after having spent a year as an executive abroad for AstraZeneca. He is responsible for MedImmune's Business Development and Strategy teams, which deliver external partnership strategy for the organization.
"It is an honor to be appointed to the BHI Board of Directors," said Dr. Seeto. "MedImmune has a strong interest in strengthening Maryland as a premiere bioscience cluster, and I look forward to working with BHI to advance its mission of developing Central Maryland into a center for commercialization and entrepreneurialism."
From 2011 to 2012, Dr. Seeto was on an expatriate assignment as the President of AstraZeneca Thailand, where he was the first MedImmune executive to participate in a talent exchange and development program with AstraZeneca. Under his leadership, the organization achieved its sales targets for the first time in five years and was awarded a company leadership award for management of the country's worst floods in more than half a century.
Dr. Seeto originally joined MedImmune in 2008 as the Vice President of Global Strategic Marketing and Portfolio Management where he worked closely with the R&D leadership team. He was later promoted to the MedImmune Executive Team (MET) and established the Corporate Development and Strategy Group. Dr. Seeto has previous experience with Schering Plough/Organon Biosciences and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. His earlier work experience included serving as a consultant at McKinsey & Company and he started his career as a medical doctor involved in both clinical practice and research. He has also served as first author for papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Seeto holds his medical degree (with honors) from the University of Sydney, Australia
About BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
BioHealth Innovation, Inc., is a regional innovation intermediary focused on commercializing market-relevant bio-health innovations and increasing access to early-stage funding in Maryland. Learn more at www.biohealthinnovation.org.
SOURCE BioHealth Innovation, Inc.
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